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gyuswhore · 1 year ago

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Hits Different (...'cause it's you) (2)

«« I trace the evidence, make it make some sense Why the wound is still bleedin' »»

PAIRING: kim mingyu x reader

SYNOPSIS: Kim Mingyu was the first friend your brother had brought home for dinner. Fast forward a couple years, his toothy smile and pierced ears would wedge their way into a permanent place in your heart. Nail to a coffin, never to escape.

or;

in which you get rejected by the only boy you've ever loved; a rejection you can't quite shake off.

GENRES: based off of 'Hits Different' by Taylor Swift, brother's best friend!au, brother!seokmin, fluff, angst, smut (in part 2) [MINORS DNI], friends(?) to lovers, university!au.

PLAYLIST: right here!

WORD COUNT (full fic): 40k (im actually embarrassed)

Part 1: 20.2k | Part 2: 20k

masterlist

WARNINGS : slowburn, angst, fluff, mingyus a bit of an airhead and an ass, reader has a hard time managing her feelings, lots of frustrated tears, one sided pining, user toruro x minghao make an appearance, swearing, there's another woman (gasp,,,,,but shes cool so), Nayeon is a darling, Seungcheol is kinda annoying here but we love him, smut, making out, breast play, fingering (f. receiving), p in v sex (protected + unprotected), oral (f. receiving) uhhhh i think that's it lmk tho

[A/N]: Part 2 !! shit goes down in this one so be prepared ig lmao. thank you for the love on part 1, i hope you enjoy the finale too hehe

For the third time this week, you wish you could squeeze your brother’s brains with your own two hands and watch it explode like a grape without legal repercussions. Or parental ones.

You slam your phone down on the counter after you end your conversation with him, frustrated as you watch the empty shelf where you left your dinner for today in the fridge last night, and the other green box that was actually your brothers. Refusing to eat the dry PB&J he usually packs for himself, you slam the fridge door shut, trudging out the door to leave for work, thoroughly annoyed at the prospect of needing to eat out.

It’s gone forgotten for most of the day, that is until the clock hits eight and you feel your stomach grumble, immediately putting you in a sour mood as you remember you couldn’t enjoy your pasta because your brother was enjoying your pasta. You only had another hour left, supposing you could wait till you get home to make dinner yourself, not feeling the burger joint across the street in the slightest. Eating a moonpie to satiate yourself for the time being, you go back to stocking the shelves for the new LP shipment, making a vague mental note to ask Mingyu if Jia liked the gift he picked out a couple weeks ago.

Your opportunity arises almost automatically as you walk over to greet whoever came in, abandoning the opened box of bubble wrapped LPs as you hear the bell chime softly at the front of the store.

Mingyu was here (again), hands occupied with a bag, looking relieved to find you emerging from the shelves.

“Oh, you’re here. I was afraid you left already,” he says, smiling slightly.

“Would’ve been closed if I did.” You nudge your head towards the clearly unlocked door, donning the neon open sign.

He looks a little dumb, turning to look at the door. “Oh. Right.”

You can’t help but smile a little. “Caught me at a good time though, I was just about to start wrapping up here.”

He suddenly looks like he’s reminded of what he’s come here for, placing the bag on the desk next to him. “Seok told me to drop this off for you, he said it’s food.”

Snorting, you take a look at the inside to find takeout from your favourite pasta place, which also happens to be your most expensive favourite pasta place. Seokmin felt bad enough to spend extra dollars on your dinner tonight, you guessed you could forgive him.

You sigh as you speak. “And you strike as his errand boy yet again, sorry he’s been making you do all this.”

“Did he piss you off?” Mingyu asks.

“Hm? He’s been pissing me off all week, this is him trying to get on my good side before I spit in his coffee.”

He laughs at that, a toothy smile that has your stomach lurching. The flashback was brief but vivid all the same, his grin triggering a long forgotten memory. You could almost see the black studs in his ears again, his bangs falling in chunks on his forehead, his face turning into the boyish sixteen year old recollection on your kitchen counter, drinking cans of Monster and helping you lie to your mom.

“Explains why he was ready to drop that much on a bowl of pasta.”

“Hey, it’s good.”

“I don’t doubt it.” He grins, “I’m gonna leave your pasta in your loving embrace, I have to feed my car now. Been putting it off till payday.”

“Oh, right. Thanks for dropping this off though, appreciate it.” You offer him a tight lipped smile. One that he returns, canines almost glinting in the light (but that’s just you).

“No worries, I’ll see ya around.” You don’t remember what you were meant to ask him until he’s long jingled the glass door shut, walking to his parked car. You supposed it could wait, Jia would’ve liked anything he got her. You could ask him later, not wanting to have him turn around to answer the obvious question.

The opportunity does not arise as easily as it did this time, a couple weeks passing in relative uneventful indifference, slow days at the store and nights in seven days a week. You were starting to wish you’d taken summer classes while you were stuck here anyway, the mundane days pushing you to believe you’d rather be busy than inexplicably bored. It’s not until your brother has a near mental breakdown from only having a sister as his main recreational contact that there’s a change.

Mingyu sits on your couches in the dark, useless blanket thrown over his torso as both of his sock clad feet hang out in the air. To be fair, nobody’s looking at anybody as the eyes remain on yet another unnecessary explosion on the screen. You vaguely wonder how the ship hasn’t sunk yet.

“What the fuck do you mean he’s been alive this whole time?” Seokmin utters, voice thick with the entire stick of butter he stuck into his bowl of popcorn.

“Who funded this?” Mingyu mumbles from the other end, a deep frown etched on his face.

“The people who funded the other three monstrosities.” You roll your eyes, inching your way into a sitting position, the ache making its way into the crick of your neck.

“There’s more?!” The prospect had Mingyu hurtling into a sitting position, but not without his own set of winces as he feels the bones cracking and muscles aching. His hair is a mess, his hoodie nearly backwards, and you can’t help but laugh at the mildly confused and bewildered expression he has on.

“Yeah, you wanna watch those too?” you ask through giggles.

Glancing at the final pub scene that’s playing on the TV, he's quick to mumble, “Fuck, no.”

“I haven’t watched a real shitty movie in a while.” Seokmin groans as it’s his turn to stretch. “This was fun. Hollywood’s back.”

Both you and Mingyu pointedly ignore his statement, your own mind debating whether you wanted to watch another movie. It’s not until you look up to see Mingyu doing something on his phone that you remember what you wanted to ask him.

“Hey, Mingyu, did — Seokmin!” Your brother’s decided to begin his aerial stretches, touching his toes and cracking his back. You shift your head wildly to get a gap through his restless movements, eventually giving up finding Mingyu. He could hear you. “Did you – ugh – did you get to give Jia her present?”

You aren’t sure what it is, but the way the question has Seok landing on his heels mid tip toe stretch and how Mingyu’s eyebrows shoot up, you don’t doubt you’ve touched on something sensitive. There’s a part of you that wonders if it’s too late to take it back when both boys make eye contact with each other, but your brother beats you to it.

“I, uh…forgot to tell her,” he lowtones.

You look to your brother and then to Mingyu.

“We broke up.”

Oh.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” Mingyu smiles a little awkwardly, and Seok makes a strangled sound that may have been a laugh of his own. Or a cough, you aren’t too sure. “But…she did like the present, when I gave it to her anyway.”

“Oh, that’s…that’s good,” you manage, not knowing what to say. “Sorry that happened though…sucks.”

“She ended it–” that has your own brows shooting up in disbelief. Kim Mingyu got dumped? “–over the phone, she decided she wanted to stay home for a while to figure out what she wanted to do. Uni wasn’t cutting it for her here…”

“I mean, good for her, I guess. Hope you’re doing okay, though.”

He blows air out of his cheeks, scratching his neck. “I mean, we’re fine. Ended it on good terms.”

Seokmin’s still standing awkwardly staring at the still running ending credits for something to do. “Should we get food?”

“I don’t know, are you hungry?” Mingyu asks.

“How is the heartburn not getting to you yet? You basically emptied the country’s dairy reserves in a single popcorn serving,” you grumble.

“Don’t underestimate my ingestional abilities,” he retorts.

Mingyu stares for a moment. “Aren’t you lactose intoletrant or something?”

Seokmin turns to him, mouth open as he points his finger, “You know, I might be.”

“No you aren’t, if you were lactose intolerant then I’d be lactose intolerant,” you shoot.

“Explain the empty can of air freshener in the bathroom after queso and chips?”

“Have you considered during queso and chips that queso is a dip and not an optional beverage?”

Mingyu’s cutting between you two before you can go on with your bickering, afraid he’d have to physically peel you off of each other if it goes on, “Let’s just go to a drive thru, you can get your lactose or…non lactose options however you like.”

That’s how you’re shoved into the backseat of Mingyu’s car, Seokmin fiddling with the GPS to find the nearest McDonalds.

“How do you not know where the nearest McDonald’s is, you live here,” Mingyu hisses as he takes his fourth right turn in a row.

“We always just order in, who sits in a car and goes to McDonalds.”

“Us apparently,” you lowtone to Mingyu from the back, picking at a crusty flower that you found in between the seats. They ignore you.

“Okay, I think it’s this one. Dude, get a new GPS, this one responds after fifty years, of course it’s gonna take this long.”

Their own bickering is starting to zone out into a buzz in your ears as you stare at a patch of leather behind Mingyu’s seat. You vaguely considered that you’re falling asleep.

The streetlight has other plans, however, when you sense something glinting in the sudden light underneath the seat. Your interest is piqued, moving forward to see what it was. Mingyu senses you shifting and asks you what you’re doing.

You don’t answer him as you shuffle around to catch sight of it again. And then you see it, a tiny necklace on the slightly dirty mat, a circle charm with a single ‘J’ in the center. You aren’t sure why you froze at the sight, the gold glinting prettily even in the dark. Leaving it there, you emerge from under the seat, trying to seem nonchalant.

“Nothing. Thought I saw something.”

Mingyu’s common occurrence in the bookstore is starting to concern you, never catching him as the type to read something other than the occasional bad riddles on the back of a cereal box. You stand corrected however, as you find yourself trying to find a hardcover for him on the computer system, mumbling incoherently.

“Never knew you read.”

“Well, now you do. This one’s really good though, you should read it too.” He notes, motioning towards the paperback version he brought with him for the book he’s finding.

You snort at his suggestion. “Have you realised this is one of the most popular books in its genre right now? Hard to find someone who hasn’t read it.”

He frowns at the revelation, “Oh. None of my friends read it.”

Seokmin hasn’t opened a book for recreational purposes since he was twelve. As for his other friends…they didn’t exactly seem like the smart type either. You get up to move to the shelf the computer’s indicated, trying to walk off your annoyance at a particular memory before it begins to show. Mingyu follows you in your pursuit to find his book, skimming the shelves himself as he strolled behind you.

“Oh, right, how’s that exhibition thing going? Forgot to ask about it,” you ask as you spot the box of the hardcovers at the top of the shelf. You grab the ladder that rests near the wall as he answers.

“It’s going pretty good, nearly done. I just need to send the final pieces over – what’re you doing?”

You grunt as you begin to climb up the metal ladder, trying to get to the box. “Getting your book, genius.”

“Wait–” He moves to grab the ladder at the base as he watches you step higher. “Get down! I’ll go up instead.”

“You get cold feet at the bottom of an escalator, be serious, Mingyu,” you grunt as you pull the box towards yourself, the ladder shaking with the force it takes, and it has Mingyu gripping the metal tighter. You pull the familiar cover out before closing the box back up. “There.”

“Why would you keep supposed bestsellers there, isn’t this like, in demand?” He grumbles as he continues to hold the ladder as you climb back down.

“Ran out. Need to restock them at the front, but I’ll do that tomorrow.” You huff as you jump the last step, earning a loud yelp from Mingyu.

“Chill out,” you chuckle as he puts the ladder away. “Okay, do you want me to look at anything else for you?”

“What would you recommend for my next imaginary adventure?” he asks as he picks out a random book from the shelf, trying to find the blurb.

“Not that one.” You scrunch your nose at the sight.

“This one I know is popular. What’s wrong with it?” He chuckles as he puts it back.

“Don’t believe everything you see on the internet,” you call out as you walk back to the front.

“And believe you instead?”

Oh, you wish.

Picking up your current read from the front of the store, you wait for him to reach the end of the opening where you stand to hand it to him.

“You can decide that for yourself. Haven’t finished it yet, but it looks super promising. Try it out if you want.”

He barely looks over the glistening title before handing it back to you, and you nearly assume he didn’t want it.

“Ring both of them up,” he says, and then with a pause he continues, “And anything else you think is good too, I don’t really care.”

Deciding you’d test the waters with this first recommendation, you only cash him in for two. He doesn’t question it as you do your job behind the desk, making casual conversation as he waits for you to find the right barcode.

“How far are you with that one?”

“The one I gave you? Just touched chapter 20, I think.”

He only hums in response as he pays, grabbing the bag that you push towards him.

“Let me know how you like it,” you comment before he begins to turn to leave.

“‘Course.” He grins, and you can't help but grin right back. He leaves you in the store with a slight heat coming up to your cheeks, and a wad of gum in your mouth to keep your stomach in check.

By the time the next day rolls around, it’s been nearly 24 hours before you hear from him again, his contact seemingly only ever gracing you within the walls of the bookstore – except he isn’t physically here. Mingyu texts you, and you nearly fall out of your chair at the sight of his name on your phone.

It’s near embarrassing how quickly you pick up your phone, passcode going wrong once, twice, thrice…you decide it’s the top five worst times your phone’s refused face ID. You’re slamming your fingers onto the screen harder than you should, watching the warp in the pixels at the pressure. By the time it does open its secrets for you, the annoyance has settled. Not at him though.

[Mingyu]: hey [Mingyu]: i got to chap 20 [You]: what [You]: how [Mingyu]: started reading when i got home [Mingyu]: and then i got to 20 [Mingyu]: i think i pulled an all nighter [You]: you think? [You]: was it that good [Mingyu]: couldnt put it down [Mingyu]: i wanna talk about it but my eyes are closing [You]: you know where to find me when you wake up

The typing ellipses don’t pop up after that, and you assume for the better that he’s succumbed to his afternoon drowsiness. If he was serious about that all nighter (which you don’t doubt, no way he could’ve plowed through twenty chapters and gotten any sleep), you assume he’ll be knocked out for at least the rest of the afternoon.

Smiling to yourself at the thought of him wanting to text you about your matching achievements (and actively pushing your mind away from the blessed image of a napping Mingyu), you find yourself scrolling up the conversation, trying to remember the last time Mingyu had texted. That was easy to find out as the short scroll past the sparing details from your photography adventures landed you straight into late last year, a sparse conversation regarding your brother’s whereabouts when he wouldn’t answer his phone.

You remembered the conversation. As mundane and ordinary as it was, it was difficult to forget the way your hands were shaking as you typed your one word replies, how your breathing was coming out uneven at a mere text back. You could argue there was less of that this time round, proud of yourself for learning to control your emotions better.

There’s a train of thought that leads you to every recent interaction you’ve had with him. The conversations where you could look him in the eye, your relative indifference when he would show up unannounced, the disappearance of the wad of emotions in your stomach at the mere mention of his name.

The latter may be slightly untrue, but you can't help but note how the ounces of fear within the concoction is gone. You were never quite sure what it was that you were so afraid of, perhaps the fateful night at Seungcheol’s party had answered that question for you, but still.

“Seok’s not the type to beat me up if I dated his sister. And besides…” He sighs, halting his words.

“Besides what?” Somebody chimes in.

“I’m not interested in going after someone who’s chased my tail for the past fifteen years.”

Despite telling yourself it was the alcohol talking, maybe even a couple puffs of whatever — the mild disappointment remains. Thinking about the weeks following that, the moping and the hurt, you almost don’t blame Mika for acting the way that she did.

Your brother had always been oblivious to all the frolicking in your heart that would ignite as Mingyu would enter the room, and for over a decade at that. And yet, it was during those weeks that he had noticed you acting like you had been dumped, asking you what on earth was wrong with you.

“Did somebody say something to you?” he asks.

“Huh?” you frown, annoyed at the way he's planted himself directly in front of the cabinet that held your beloved moonpies.

“You’re acting like you’ve been rejected by the love of your life. Nayeon’s not telling me anything and you’re being avoidant, what is up with you?” He huffs, hands on his hips.

Oh, if only he knew how right he was. But you weren’t upset because the love of your life rejected you (anymore, at least), you were upset because he was a public asshole.

It takes more coaxing from him to get you to start talking. It’s easier when he brings out the big guns: “D’you want me to tell mom?”

You tell him a little, not naming any names, much to his dismay. “Some guy was an ass, something about me being too easy or whatever.”

“You’re upset because some drunk dude decided to run his mouth?” He scrunches his nose at the thought. “Ignore him, he’s stupid.”

“Thanks for the help, I’m cured,” you deadpan, pushing him aside to get to the gold inside the cabinets.

“I could get Mingyu to help me beat him up, I just need a name.”

Oh. You briefly wonder how he'd feel if he had to beat up his best friend.

More than his attempts to sound like a cool older brother, the image of Mingyu beating himself up brings you more amusement than anything else. You crack a smile at the thought.

That was months ago, yet you can’t seem to forget the hurt. Trying to shake off where your thoughts were taking you, you get up to take a walk around the store for something to do, fixing microscopic displacements on the shelves and wondering if you should restock something, only to realize you’d already done that when you came in, not wanting to whip out the ladder again to restock the ones you'd just landed from.

Landing inevitably back behind the counter, you instinctively reach for the book wedged beside the computer. Your outstretched hand stops midway, thinking about how Mingyu’s reached as far as you in the story quite literally overnight. Retracting your hand, you decide you’d wait.

The bell chimes signaling a customer, and you find yourself grateful for the distraction.

It’s nearing 8:30 when you decide you should close early. It was slower than usual today, the few walk-ins leaving without purchases too hefty, rendering you bored in your seat for most of the day. You’re locking the drawers of the main desk when Mingyu walks in with the familiar tune of the bell chiming, soft smile as he greets you quietly.

“How was your nap?” you ask, trying not to giggle at his still dazed expression.

“Pretty good, didn’t wanna wake up though.” His voice remains relatively coarse, and you don’t miss the light indent on his left cheek. It’s endearing, enough to have you wishing you could cup his face in a loving squish.

But you don’t.

“You don’t say,” you comment. Pointing at your own cheek as you continue, “You sure you don’t wanna take the night off too?”

“Fuck,” he whispers as he looks down to fumble for his phone to see for himself in his front camera. The puffiness hasn’t gone away entirely, evident when he’s frowning and looking downwards, and the urge to squeeze comes hurtling back.

“Did you drive like this?”

“Uh, no, I walked.”

“Walked?” You try to comprehend if that was even more dangerous. He only nods. “Why?”

“Wanted to see you.”

It takes effort to not clutch your chest at the way your heart leaps. Kim Mingyu, you bastard.

“Had to talk about the book.”

Your voice comes out a little more breathless than you’d like, but you hope his drowsiness skips over it. “You could’ve texted.”

He pauses as he mulls it over. “I mean, yeah…I don’t know. I just put my shoes on and came here.”

You decide you’d spare him the brain power and continue your remaining closing duties, talking to him as you move around the store.

“We can take my car to my place, better than getting distracted here.”

He only nods in response. “Do you want any help?”

“Nope, just need to turn off the lights and lock the doors. Let me grab my bag.”

By the time you’re home, an XL pizza and drinks in your arms to satiate Mingyu’s post nap ravenous tendencies, you drop down on the couch with a huff. Seokmin hears the ruckus and appears from his room, not wasting time to break on the pizza with Mingyu as you leave to freshen up. By the time you settle with your own slice it seems as though Mingyu has roused himself significantly more than before.

“Okay,” you huff as you land on the soft cushioning, “What did you think about the book?”

“Hard to believe this is her first book, it’s really good.”

“Her world building is amazing, some of the best I’ve read.”

Your back and forth discussion grows increasingly passionate, forgetting the fact that your brother was also right there excluded from the conversation. His head shifts back and forth as the both of you converse, utterly lost. It would’ve been funny, except neither if you were actually looking at him.

He manages to get a word in as one of you pauses for breath. “Since when do you read?”

Mingyu gapes at the question, seemingly trying to find an answer. “Recently.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? I just wanted to start reading,” he scoffs in a manner that could be described as exaggerated. If he’s trying to throw Seokmin off his scent, he’s succeeded, as he watches Seokmin get up and announce that he has work to do. That leaves the both of you alone.

The conversation takes you into the late hours of the night, Mingyu’s prior nap releasing him from the chains of reasonable sleeping hours as he remains wide awake despite the 3 AM time on the dial. You manage to keep up with him, even when he follows you to the kitchen to brew a coffee.

“Do you usually work this hard just to make coffee?” he asks as he watches you discard the used espresso puck.

“We have a bottle of the instant stuff here somewhere for when I’m lazy,” you explain as you pour the fresh shots into the prepped ice and milk. “Doesn’t taste the same though.”

“Coffee is coffee,” he says as he stirs the drink you push towards him.

“Quite the contrary. Besides, the instant stuff fucks with my stomach, I’d rather not.” You take a sip of your coffee, glancing at the sink. “Will say, hate everything I have to wash afterwards.”

“I’ll do ‘em later, gotta pay you back for all the manual labour that went into this thing,” he refers to the latte he’s sipping on currently.

“The appreciation is enough. We can make Seok do them in the morning for being a loser and going to bed early,” you snort. Mingyu laughs at that, the image of Seokmin doing dishes while the both of you sleep in.

“You sure you don’t wanna call it a night?” he asks you as you place yourself on the kitchen counter.

“I’m having fun, Mingyu, seriously. I’m off tomorrow too, I don’t have to wake up,” you reassure for the nth time.

He doesn’t reply, only stares up at you from his leaned position. He’s chewing on his lip, and you find yourself unconsciously chewing at your own, the already raw skin stinging at the abrasion. Mingyu’s hands come up to your face slowly, like he knew it was hurting as he pulls your bottom lip to release it with his thumb.

“You’re gonna bleed,” he whispers. His hand that grasps your chin doesn’t move, rough thumb continuing to graze at your lip lightly.

“You never stopped picking at your lips, did you?” he wonders out loud, eyes trained on your mouth.

Your own hand comes to lightly grip at his forearm. He remembers your habit, picking at the skin of your lips since near middle school, getting yelled at when you had to excuse yourself from the dinner table when they would bleed.

“Old habits die hard.” Your voice is thick despite the gulp you had to take before opening your mouth.

It was true, probably too much as you continue to look at his near perfect face. The oldest habit, the hardest to die.

Mingyu drops his hand, landing it in your lap, your own hand still gripping his forearm. You aren’t sure what’s going through you as you trail your hand up further, to his wrists, to the dip of his palm, landing on his fingers. You grip his hand, tight this time.

“I’m gonna jump,” you whisper, and you feel his grip tighten around yours as he braces to support you off the counter.

You face him in silence, contemplating, “It’s hot in here, let’s go back out.”

He watches as you pick your cup off the counter and leave, not waiting for him to follow you. He finds himself trying to take deeper breaths, stalling, but not for long as he joins you back on the couch.

It probably came as a shock to both of you the first time Mingyu announced his leave much earlier in the night, when you stopped him, asking him to stay. It was silent for a few sparing moments as you both absorbed what had come out of your mouth, trying to make sense of it. You found yourself needing to coax him a little more to convince him he wasn’t overstaying his visit, that you were having fun. He sits back down, warning you that this was going to be a long night.

You don’t think you could ever forget the absolute somersault your stomach performed, the after effects leaving you still as a plank.

It was a long night indeed. And yet, when you found your eyes closing after a fight, much later on the couch with a large blanket shared between the both of you, Mingyu watches you doze off while leaning on the couch facing him, wishing the night was longer.

If you were awake, you probably would’ve found yourself agreeing.

There’s a lot Mingyu has to learn about himself. He’s reminded of the fact nearly everyday. Especially right now as Seokmin runs his mouth sitting with him at a secluded booth in some bar.

They had company, a couple guys joining them for dinner before leaving not too long after. That left him and a slightly tipsy Seokmin alone, who’s currently munching on a platter of crackers in front of him. He was bright enough, the energy from the others keeping him going as they played their drinking games and ate their obnoxious amounts of food. It was alot more somber with only the both of them left, his mood deflating as their friends slowly dwindled in number. That wasn’t about to stop him from ordering another beer though.

“Summer’s so boring,” he grumbles in dejection, flicking a stray crumb off the table.

“You chose to stay here,” Mingyu replies.

Seokmin doesn’t answer him, but continues to look like a kicked puppy, a slight pout forming on his face.

Mingyu fights the urge to scoff, “You can’t possibly be this upset about summer being depressing.”

“It’s not about that.”

Mingyu takes a swig of his own drink before sighing loudly, “What’s this about then?”

Seokmin says your name, and Mingyu is suddenly very interested. “She just seems to be doing a lot better since she started working at the bookstore.”

“Better?”

“She told me about this guy a couple months ago.”

Mingyu’s trying really hard to not look visibly deflated, not that Seokmin would notice considering his state, but he attempts to sound nonchalant regardless. “Do we know him?”

“I – no, that’s not,” he huffs in exasperation, “She said she overheard him, basically calling her easy.”

“Easy?”

“I don’t know, something about her chasing his tail or whatever, she won’t tell me who it is. She hadn’t been doing too great recently and I’m pretty sure it was because of him.”

It is dawning on Mingyu, embarrassingly slowly, that the guy Seokmin is talking about — may be him.

His voice is hoarse, a little frantic. “And she’s doing better, you said?”

“Oh yeah, the bookstore’s been amazing for her. Not sure how though, ‘cause she just sits there doing nothing for hours.”

He can’t bring himself to meet Seokmin’s eyes, remnants of his memories flurrying around in his brain in an attempt to figure out what other bullshit he had spewed that day. He was sure you weren’t there, you couldn’t be.

“Maybe doing nothing was what she needed.” Mingyu’s reply is whatever came to him off the top of his head, mind still racing.

“Hm, I guess. I was trying to get her to tell me, we could’ve chopped his dick off together,” Seokmin grumbles.

Mingyu winces slightly, eyes tight shut as he pinches the bridge of his nose. There’s a protective hand that subconsciously reaches his crotch area. “Yeah, yeah totally.”

“Fucker got let off easy, he should be happy she’s doing good.” Seokmin continues to ramble, voice getting increasingly louder.

“Yeah…”

“She’s not easy. My sister isn’t easy at all! Running after his tail, my ass! She doesn’t need some motherfucker with bad hair to be running his mouth, drunk as a bitch.” He stabs a single chopstick into the spare piece of meat on his plate, and the force has Mingyu flinching slightly.

“How do you know he has bad hair?” Mingyu continues to stare at the impaled piece of beef that Seokmin brings to his mouth.

“I don’t need to know a motherfucker to know he uses shitty hair gel.”

Mingyu may try to run his hair gel past Seokmin at some point. But right now, he’s only trying to make it out of the bar with his sex organs intact.

“Hey, we’re past this, remember? She’s doing great right now and that’s all that matters.” Mingyu sounds overly flustered, but he can’t bring himself to care as he attempts to reign in an angry Seokmin. They were garnering looks, and the last thing he wanted was to get kicked out before they had paid.

Seokmin is still huffing and puffing, but significantly less so as he finds reason in Mingyu’s words. “I’m gonna find out who he is.”

“You hate living in peace.”

“My sister’s hasn’t had any peace because of this dickwad, I’m—”

“OKAY! Okay, got it. We’ll figure that out when you’re sober.” Mingyu rises from his own seat as he finds Seokmin lifting his own butt off his chair in a near war cry.

He manages to fend him off, waving for the bill before he has to pull him back from aimlessly marching to whoever’s house he had in mind. He calms down as they wait for the check, finishing the remaining scraps on the table in silence.

Seokmin seems nearly back to his regular self after a few minutes, forehead creases smoothing over during his cool down time. He speaks, except this time it’s in a more socially acceptable manner.

“Hey, I’ve been noticing, you and her have been getting pretty close lately. I don’t know, it’s just, I woke up and saw both on the couch and —”

“Here’s your bill!” The waiter cuts him mid sentence, placing the check on the table.

Mingyu knew what Seokmin was getting to, and he was thanking every star in the galaxy for bringing the waiter into their lives at that exact moment. He’s quick to fuss over the glossy piece of paper, humming and making comments at their purchases to fill in any silent opportunities to let Seokmin continue. Mingyu’s slips his card in the wallet.

“It’s on me,” he announces as he flashes a quick smile to the waiter. “You can cut a ten for yourself.”

“Wait, what — let’s split, what’s wrong with you?” Seokmin jolts up as registers what’s happening a little too late.

“It’s fine, you can pay for the next one.” He says as he shifts around the table to look for his phone. “You should probably go to bed too, it’s getting pretty late. Sleep off the beer and whatnot.”

Seokmin is left speechless as Mingyu gets up, grabbing his stuff.

“Wait, your card—” Seokmin starts.

“Is here,” Mingyu spews a quick ‘thanks’ to the waiter, waving his card in front of Seokmin so he’d finally stand the fuck up.

“Do I need to drag you out of that chair, let’s go!” he says, grabbing Seok by the arm to lift him off his seat. It was nearly funny how he couldn’t get him to stay within the vicinity mere minutes ago and now is begging for him to get up.

By the time Mingyu’s jamming Seok’s key into your apartment, he’s tired of his endless rambling. He can only appreciate his drunk brain for not bringing up the last question he tried asking him. He’s opening the door, urging Seokmin to walk inside, slapping him awake from his nap against the wall.

Mingyu deems it best to physically put him in bed for the furnitures’ sake, pushing him in front to lead him to his room. Mingyu’s spent by the time he’s done and Seokmin is snoring, his back cracking from the hunched position he’s kept from tucking him in and taking his shoes and jacket off.

He tiptoes out (despite knowing it’d take a marching band to wake him up at that point), closing the door as quietly as possible.

“What’re you doing here?”

Mingyu nearly jumps out of his skin, landing a mile as he hears your voice in the dark hallway, hand coming up to his heart. “Jeez— announce yourself, would you?”

“In my own house?” you raise an eyebrow.

“Just—” he waves you off as he comes round, standing straight. “I was putting Seok to bed.”

You inhale sharply. “Did you drink?”

“Me? No, but he’s knocked out right now, he’s probably gonna need a pill in the morning,” he replies.

“Hm, I’ll see to it in the morning, or whenever it is that he wakes up.”

“Yeah.” Mingyu is standing awkwardly in front of you in the dark hall, not having anything else to say. “I’ll get going now.”

“Oh, right, yeah. Get some sleep,” you say as you let him move past you.

“You too, don’t know why you’re awake,” he chuckles quietly.

“Couldn’t sleep, I’ll go to bed now though.”

The awkwardness is painful, Mingyu can feel it in his chest. But what he’s feeling more is the way you look in your night shirt now that you’re in the light of the living room, legs shown farther up than you’d usually let them go. He wonders if you're wearing shorts underneath, but slaps himself out of it when he realises he’s been silent for too long.

“Uh yeah, I’ll go now. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Mingyu.”

Mingyu replays the last five minutes in his head the entire car ride home, when he’s changing out of his clothes, when he’s brushing his teeth, when he crawls under the warm covers to finally call it a night. Mingyu thinks about what he said all those months ago at a dumb party, how he’s hurt you more than he thought he had. There’s an ache that plunges into him, the thought of you going through that because of him while he stayed blissfully unaware.

He doesn’t know what he’s gonna do to make it up to you, but right now, he’s happy. Happier than he’s been in a while, falling asleep to the thought of you.

“Goodnight, Mingyu.”

You, on the other hand, are far from happy as you find yourself in yet another car related predicament.

Having to run to work in the middle of July is never a preferred option, yet you find yourself needing to do it anyway when you walk out to your engine refusing to start.

You really needed a new car.

Abandoning the hunk of what was turning out to be just expensive scrap metal, you rile other options out in your head.

Seokmin was long gone with his car. The bus was gonna take too long. No way in hell were you about to overpay a taxi to take you somewhere that was essentially just a 15 minute walk (read as run).

So you find yourself slinging your bag as a crossbody, thanking the heavens that you at least didn’t need to change your shoes. You pray for your white sneakers as you run across town, blurting apologies to passerbys that would gape at your hurried form. As apologetic as you were, it didn’t compare to how sorry you felt for yourself, the heat pricking your skin in an agitated rise anytime you’d slow down.

The AC is near heavenly as you gasp walking into the bookstore, red faced and hair sticking to your forehead.

“Sorry,” you gulp frantically. “Sorry, I’m late.”

“Oh god,” you hear your boss comment as she sees you walk in. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I just need a minute. Car broke down.”

She ushers you in front of the AC, waiting for you to collect yourself before taking her leave.

“I think I’m okay now, sorry about that.” Your chuckle comes out a little choked. So much for being convincing.

“You really should get a new car. I have a friend who’s daughter is selling hers, do you want me to ask them for you?” She’s patting your shoulder as she talks to you, and you recognize her courage to look past the sweat that’s accumulated there.

“That’d be great actually, thank you.”

Your second blow of the day comes right after you’ve finally gotten rid of the buckets of sweat on your body, seating yourself behind your desk to do some digging of your own.

You immediately wish you hadn’t as soon as you open the first second hand market site, the price tags landing you somewhere between never happening and impossible. Groaning, you place your head in your hands as you try to think of what to do. You pray your boss would come back with a quote that isn’t as outrageous as everything else you’ve cursed your eyes upon, seeing as that seemed the only viable option for you.

Closing the windows off your computer, you decide this was a headache for another time. You reach for your bag to rummage through it, only to find yourself in your third predicament of the day.

You had forgotten your book.

It shouldn’t have been a worry, considering you were in a bookstore and had access to about 56 more of the same edition that you could borrow for the day. Except it was a worry, because your copy had been religiously tabbed and annotated as you would read, not a single thought left to be forgotten in your head as they would spring up. You can almost see the pink cover sitting on your desk and you nearly begin to cry.

You wonder if you could break your ‘one book at a time’ streak for the sake of it, picking up another one off the shelf to start. The thought nearly makes you gag, the anxiety of losing interest in your current one leading you to sit aimlessly at your desk for the rest of the day.

What’s even more anxiety inducing to you, however, was the promise you’d made with Mingyu the week prior, to be finished with the book by the end of today so you could finally decide whether the end was worth it or not. The thought has you nearly picking up a copy off the shelf anyway, annotations be damned. Force of habit, however, forbids you as you are shunned by yourself to play solitaire for the rest of the day.

Things seem to look up for you though, as you find yourself reading a text from Mingyu nearly halfway through your day.

You hadn’t spoken to Mingyu at all for the entire week, caving when you found an excuse to finally talk to him to ask where he’d left off on the book. It was even longer before that, reaching the near three week mark where you were virtually zero contact.

You’d be lying if you said it didn’t bother you, his sudden absence raising a mild panic within you as your mind raced with the possibilities.

Was he uncomfortable with you?

Was he avoiding you?

Were you less low key than you thought? Was he catching on to how you still weren’t over him?

The wilder thoughts seemed to be laid to rest when you couldn’t take it anymore, texting under the guise of your mutual book topic. Your brain still couldn’t handle it, picking up minuscule details in his texting behavior. Perhaps his replies were choppy, perhaps they were shorter than usual, but it was enough to give your mind the rest it needed regardless of whatever the facts were.

Needless to say, you were more than happy to receive a text from him first after weeks, immediately replying.

[Mingyu]: hey [Mingyu]: are you at work today? [You]: yeah [You]: i get off at 10 tho [Mingyu]: can i see you today?

You try to contain the growing flurry of excitement as you type. It was easier to stay casual over text, you find yourself appreciating.

[You]: course [You]: are you coming to the store? [Mingyu]: i’ll meet you at your place when you get off [You]: okay!!! [You]: see you then

There’s a ghost of a smile on your face as you switch to playing computer chess in celebration. Your day was going horribly, but perhaps it was to balance out the happiness you were feeling at the thought of seeing Mingyu in person after nearly a month.

Were you being dramatic? Possibly. But you figured you’d been left waiting long enough. You let yourself have a spring in your step for the rest of the day, closing up nearly an hour early as you practically skipped back home, enjoying the significantly better nightly weather. Maybe you were abusing your employee privileges, but you couldn’t take the anticipation anymore.

Humming to yourself, you're hopping into the shower as soon as you get home, wanting to freshen up as quickly as possible before he gets here. It was near heaven’s plan the way the day is unfolding for you. Perhaps the universe knew you needed the time to unwind today, bringing Mingyu to you despite the near four week gap.

Grabbing your pens and your book, you settle on the kitchen counter to do something you’d been looking forward to all day, nearly giddy that Mingyu would be joining you to wind down with you soon enough. You’re invested by the time the doorbell rings, a simultaneous text from Mingyu, confirming that he was at the door.

Opening the front door is probably the easiest thing you’ve done all day, grin at the ready as you greet him.

“Hey,” you breathe out at the sight of him.

“Hi,” he replies, slipping inside as you give him space to take off his shoes.

Leading him into the kitchen, you comment lightheartedly, “Nice to see you’re still alive.”

He chuckles slightly at that, “Yeah…sorry about that. I’ve been pretty caught up with…stuff.”

“The exhibition? Weren’t you nearly done with that?” you question as you pass him a glass of water.

He takes a sip before setting it down again, both hands holding the cup on the counter. “It wasn’t that, I’ve been done for a while. Just waiting.”

“It’s next week, isn’t it?”

He hums in response, taking another minuscule sip of water.

“What was it that was keeping you this occupied for so long then?” you continue with a slight snort, trying not to over analyze his slightly…off putting behavior.

“Uh,” he starts, “Is Seokmin home?”

“Seokmin?” you frown, confused. Was he here to see your brother? “He’s out. I thought you knew.”

“Yeah, I know. Just confirming.”

“Oh.” You sit down on your own chair at the counter, trying to make sense of his mood.

“Mingyu, are you okay—”

“I need to talk to you.”

“O-okay.”

It’s silent. Painfully so.

“I don’t know how else to bring this up so I’m just gonna cut to the chase.”

There’s no reply from your end as you simply stare at him in anticipation, wondering what on earth had him looking this serious as he faces you in his seat.

“I know I’ve done a lot to hurt you. Never enough to match what you’ve felt, but I know you’ve been through the muck because of me, and it makes me feel horrible that I was the cause of something like that.”

“Mingyu—“

“I want to apologize, before I say anything else. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. And I know an apology isn’t gonna take away what I did to you, but I just need you to know that I’m really, really sorry.”

His breathing is heavy as he talks, while yours is near nonexistent as you need to remind yourself to breathe manually.

“I’ve done a lot of growing up in the past year. And I hate myself for making you a subject of that transition when you were the last person that deserved it. I’m happy to say that won’t happen again, because I’ve learned my lesson. For good.”

He pauses.

“I’m not asking you to forgive me, because… because I don’t know if I’ll ever deserve it for what I’m about to say. I may be acting selfish right now but, I think you deserve to know after everything.”

“I love you. I love you so, so much it hurts. I…I’m sorry, I love you. I don’t know how else to say it but, I love you. And I might be hurting you even more with this but I swear I’m not lying. I love you.”

There’s tears now, heavy ones that drip down his face as he refuses to look back up at you, eyes screwed shut in a desperate attempt to halt the pure emotion that’s trailing down.

You have your own wet cheeks, glossy, shaking eyes that don’t tear away from his hunched form. You’re listening. You’re listening to everything and it’s too much.

“Mingyu,” you whisper. You give up on trying to talk as you let out a breath that sounds almost like a sob.

It’s silent for a few more moments as you absorb everything that’s happening, mind running a hundred miles an hour yet, still as a rock. It’s too much.

“Mingyu, I can’t believe you’re saying this to me.” Your voice is quivering, but you manage the words. “After everything. You’re standing in this very kitchen and saying this to me.”

The deja vu was overwhelming, and you’re projected back to last year when the both of you stood on these very tiles, as you poured your heart out to the man in front of you, only to be told you were an idiot to think he could ever love you like that. The words may not have been said, but the message was clear: you were not made for Kim Mingyu.

And yet, you find yourself in front of an apologetic man, expressing his remorse. And oozing love for you, of all people. Why now? You want to scream. Where was this when you were ready to take him so willingly in your arms.

You’re lying if you say you still don’t want to plant yourself in his hold to sob out your own wretched “I love you”’s. You wanted to go to him. To take what you’ve wanted for so, so long.

But you can’t. You can’t do it.

“I know,” he whispers. “I’m not asking you to do something about any of this. I’m not asking anything of you at all. I just need you to know.”

You bite back a remark, trying so hard to calm yourself down.

“I think you should go.” Your voice breaks. “Please.”

Mingyu is gone. But his scent lingers. His cup remains on the counter, the same one he put his lips to. As he prepared to speak, and speak, and speak.

You can’t stand to stay in the kitchen anymore.

You were fourteen the first time Mingyu broke your heart.

It was an accident, perhaps, considering you were willing to do absolutely anything to be around Mingyu when your brother would have him over. What you didn’t know this time, was that the both of them had company.

Tiptoeing down the hall was easy the second you heard your brother's voice coming from the kitchen, announcing that he was getting drinks for them. The plan was simple; walk in under the guise of being annoyed at Seokmin for something and then relish when Mingyu would defend you from his inevitable rage — except this time you’d have a few extra minutes alone with him before your brother trudged back.

Putting on the best annoyed face you could, you stalk past Seokmin’s room, immediately wishing you hadn’t. Mingyu was in your brother's room as expected, sitting on the floor, surrounded by papers with numbers and letters too complex. But he wasn’t alone. There was a girl that sat between his legs, turned over in his arms as they whisper to each other. They weren’t studying at all; the giggles and smiles were a dead giveaway.

You halt in your tracks at the edge of the doorway in mild disbelief, brain computing the situation in front of you. They hadn’t noticed you yet, it was apparent with the way she leans into him to place her lips on his in a peck.

There’s a yell of your name behind you as Seokmin sees you loitering around his room. You jump in surprise, not expecting him back so quickly. Your brother, too, isn’t alone, a girl of his own accompanying him with her arms full of cans, peeking over his shoulder to catch sight of your distressed form.

“What’re you doing?”

Running was the worst thing you could do, and yet you found yourself doing just that in your cornered state. Catapulting face first into your pillows, the sobs coming before you could muffle them. It was humiliating, even more so when you feel your mother’s hand coming up to your shoulder in a stretch of comfort.

“I yelled at him, he won’t do it again!” she attempted to reason with you, trying endlessly to get you to emerge from your cavern of comforters.

“It’s not that!” you groan.

“What is it then? Darling, I won’t know if you won’t tell me.”

Your mother gave up a little bit after that, and your brother had apologized for yelling at you; apologized for all the wrong reasons. You brushed him over.

There were worse things circling your mind in that moment, like the image of Mingyu in a liplock with another girl, the image of him holding her with all his limbs.

You couldn’t imagine anything worse than that.

“What the fuck, is wrong with the both of you?” Your brother swoops in like a pesky seagull and snatches the book right out of your hands, eyes blown in exasperation.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?! Give it back!” you yell, reaching for the book that he’s placed over his head. Climbing the couch does little when he simply moves away from you.

“Not until you tell me what’s going on between you and Mingyu.”

“Nothing is — ugh,” you drop back onto the couch in frustration. You take a deep breath. “Nothing is going on. Now can I have my fucking book back?”

“No, you're avoiding each other.”

“He’s your friend, why would I hang out with him?”

“Stop dodging the question!” he spits.

“Stop dodging.” You exclaim as you jump for the book another time.

“Why don’t you want to go to the exhibition?” He throws the book to the corner of the room. It takes every fiber in your body to stop yourself from plucking every strand of hair off his head.

“Seokmin!” you scream.

“Your book’s fine. Is this about the guy you told me about?” He asks, hands grabbing you by the upper arms, forcing you to look at him.

“No, it’s not,” you grit.

“Why don’t you want to go to the exhibition?” he repeats, making direct eye contact.

“Because,” you start, exhaling deeply, “I’m tired.”

“It’s an exhibition for fucks sake, an exhibition with your face plastered all over it. You go in for five minutes and you’re out. Put something on and let’s go!”

“I don’t want to go.”

“I’m not taking no for an answer. You’ve been doing nothing but go to work and stay home, you need air.”

“I need you out of my air,” you swat his hands away, thoroughly disgruntled.

“I’m giving you twenty minutes.”

He was serious, you realize as he begins to pound on your door with two minutes left to spare. You decided you weren’t about to be embarrassing and show up in your sweatpants, encasing the final shreds of dignity you had left. You couldn’t imagine being asked “who?” when the face on the walls doesn’t match with the one you brought to the place, not doubting the number of fancy scouters that’d be gracing the crowd tonight.

Opting for a plain black dress and a coverup felt enough for you, your usual makeup and matching accessories helping you feel better about the bags under your eyes your concealer couldn’t quite erase.

Seokmin says nothing for probable fear of having you landing back on the couch, choosing to ask you a simple, “Ready?” instead.

The drive is short and silent, the remnants of you and your brother's prior argument still hanging in the air. You weren’t about to apologize to each other, but you would let the hours cool you off before you’re back to your normal selves. For now, you’re glad to step out of the stuffy car, the anticipation having you needing to breathe in an elevated sense.

The place is more crowded than you thought it would be, men and women in fancier than necessary clothes loitering the entrance carpeting. You suddenly feel underdressed.

Catching Mingyu’s name is easy, the display at the front doing the most to highlight the star of the night, catching sight of him is proving a little more difficult. Not that you’re trying, but Seokmin’s embarrassing neck stretches are having you restraining yourself from pulling him down by the collar.

Walking into the display is a strange experience, for you at least. The pictures are larger than you’d thought they would be, spanning the giant walls of the gallery. Your face is huge.

There’s a few other one’s that scatter between the portraits, beautiful all the same. You find yourself wandering as you note the plaques next to the pieces, descriptions and words from the artist; Mingyu’s words. It’s easy to begin looking at the pictures through his eyes, the meticulous scanning you’re doing proving easier for you to zone out despite the crowd.

You’ve gone through nearly every picture, approaching the last one, the one that looked a little more important than the rest as you take in its size. The steps you take towards the plaque are halted as you hear someone calling for you. You recognize his voice, how could you not?

Mingyu is weaving through the crowd to get to you, eyes locked as he tries to make way for himself. Your mouth is open by the time he’s here, mind frantic as you try to figure out what you should say.

Congratulations.

You’ve worked hard on this.

This looks great.

How’ve you been?

“You’re here,” he says, simple as that.

“I’m here,” you breathe out, a nervous smile on your face as you look down at your shoes.

“Seok told me you were here too.”

Your head snaps up, “You were looking for me?”

“I mean, it’s a bit difficult with the crowd—”

“Oh,” you cut him off before you could forget. “Congratulations, by the way. The turnout looks great.”

“Uh, yeah. It’s great.” His eyes skim around the large hall.

You hate how his craning is drawing your eyes to everything else. So to say the plain black button up and slacks he’s sporting, the thin chain he wears around the unbuttoned collar. You hate how he’s put in no effort, and you hate how it makes him look even better somehow.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asks after he rounds back to you.

Your reply is drowned in your throat as somebody calls for him across the hall, pointing at a mic in their hands.

“I have to go address everyone, you’ll be here, right?” he asks, but he once again has no chance to listen to your answer when somebody physically drags him by the elbow and yanks him away from you. You lose sight of him in the crowd of people, his face disappearing.

It gives you enough opportunity to slowly turn around to go back to your plaque reading, exhaling loudly as you walk up to the final, biggest piece on the wall. It’s labeled as the focal point of the collection. It’s a picture of you, and for some reason, you can’t remember taking it, or posing for it at all.

You recognize the mountain top, more so the grueling trek up the place for your last shoot with him. It’s a side profile, your arms folding over the railing, face tucked into your padded arms. A single ray of light illuminates your eyes, the background soft.

The picture was an accident. A moment that may have gone forgotten, yet one that appeared right when it was meant to. A mistake made on purpose, one that manages to carry the weight of years. A slow accession of golden rays, dawn illuminating the subject in hues indescribable, except those that describe a feeling. A feeling in turn, indescribable.

Soft. Legible. New.

You take a step back.

And another

Then another.

You look at the picture, the picture of you. Taken the one time you weren’t actively posing for the camera, the one time he wasn’t meant to take a picture of you. It landed here, at the seemingly deserved position of a final piece. The piece that was meant to emulate all that the artist wanted to come out of his work.

You crane your neck up higher, the name of the collection in bold block letters right above the picture that supposedly says it all.

THE BEGINNING

There’s a ball forming in your throat, one that's cementing itself where it stays.

There’s noise happening in your peripherals, somebody speaking into a mic on stage. You’re not paying attention until you hear his name.

“I’m pleased to present to you the man of the hour, mister Kim Mingyu…”

You watch with glossy eyes as he takes the stand, clearing his throat before he begins to speak.

You needed to leave.

Finding Seokmin is easy, and you thank every plane of heaven that it is, considering you’d rather be caught dead than be seen red nosed and teary eyed.

“Let’s go home.”

“Huh? Right now? He just started talking.” Seokmin argues, tearing his eyes away from the stage to gape at you, only to note the expression on your face. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Seokmin, you said five minutes.” You grip his sleeve tight. “Please, either give me the keys, or I’ll get a cab.”

He pauses for a moment, and you immediately hate yourself for making him choose between staying for his best friend or leaving for his sister. He slowly comes down to grip your hand, pulling you away.

“Let me drop you off home.”

You’ve calmed down a significant amount during the car ride home, managing to convince (fight) Seokmin into going back to the exhibition hall before Mingyu noticed that he was gone. You wouldn’t forgive yourself if you made him miss something as important as this just because you couldn’t control your emotions.

He hugs you at the door, tight, and you hug back just as strong, holding back the river of tears that suddenly threaten to let loose. He presses his lips to your temple, muttering a little ‘I love you’ before he leaves. He knew nothing, yet was ready to comfort you like he did.

You let yourself sob after that, as wracking and strong as they’d come. It’s freeing, to fall to your knees and simply cry like a child. You aren’t sure what it is that you’re crying about, yet you know all the same. The thought of both those things make your head begin to spin, causing another fresh wave of tears to come rushing down.

Remnants of the day Mingyu spoke his truth to you in your own kitchen come tumbling back; the shock, the anger, the hurt, and despite everything, the love.

You loved Mingyu, you weren’t going to sit here and deny it when you were a mess of jewels on the floor with only his face at the forefront of your mind. You’re a liar if you say you don’t love him. You’re a liar if you say you’ll ever stop.

Years and years of pining and wishing and praying, to hope that one day, Mingyu would open his eyes with the realization that he loves you the same.

The day came. Your prayers were granted, your wishes came true; you no longer had to sit on the sidelines as an ignored constant. And yet, you found yourself wanting to be anywhere but in his presence as the prayer unfolded.

Were you too weak to handle reciprocation? Have you gotten comfortable pining by yourself? Or was it something completely else. Were you still hurt by his words? Were you aghast at his audacity to have the courage to speak his heart to you, when you went years without doing so?

Were you protecting yourself? Or were you actively throwing the golden chance you’d received right out the window?

You’re tired, it’s evident with the effort it takes you to simply reach your bedroom, heels thrown somewhere in the doorway as you made the trek barefooted. Hoping your muscles would release the pent up tension at the learnt feeling of the mattress, you find yourself closing your eyes awaiting the relief.

Still clad in your dress and makeup, you attempt to find the solace of sleep, knowing you’d feel nothing if there was nothing to perceive. The universe doesn’t seem to want to give you that luxury, your eyes wide awake despite closed lids. The thoughts aren’t showing signs of slowing down either, every part of your mind alive as you remain still as a rock on your bed.

You aren’t sure how long you’ve been in bed, but as you hear the distinct jingle of keys in a lock, you know Seokmin is home. The door of your room is opened very quietly, and closed just as quick when he sees your form in bed seemingly asleep.

You open your eyes for the first time in hours, the darkness remaining as you slowly sit up against the cushions. Your movements are sluggish as you stare into the abyss, brain quiet for once as you swing your bare legs over the mattress, slowly trudging down the hall to your brother's bedroom.

Knocking slowly, you hear a slight shuffle before the door is opened, the light from inside the room illuminating the dark hall and forcing you to squint.

“Did I wake you?” Seokmin asks, sporting formal trousers with his dinosaur pajama shirt.

“Uh, no, I was awake.”

“Why haven’t you changed yet?”

You ignore him, cutting straight to the chase, “Can I borrow your car?”

There’s silence for nearly three seconds before Seokmin speaks, “What on earth do you need my car for this late at night?”

“Nayeon’s”

“Bullshit.”

You let out a loud, loud sigh, “Will you believe it for now?”

Your brother looks at you with an expression you can’t really pinpoint, eyes like he’s scanning into your soul. “The keys are at the door.”

You walk back to your room to grab your phone and your cover up, not bothering to change as you grab Seokmin’s keys and leave. It probably wasn’t a good idea to leave the house so late at night, but your brain seems to have activated tunnel vision as you nearly stalk towards the car. You’re pulling up to where you need to be within minutes, the empty roads leading you on near autopilot.

By the time you’re standing in front of the door, your desire to settle this once and for all turns pungent in your head. You needed to end this one way or another, you were tired of running in circles.

Ringing the doorbell is easy, it’s just the realization that settles during those few moments of waiting that grab you by the throat. You were really doing this.

Mingyu opens the door quicker than you’d anticipated, after briefly wondering if he’d already gone to sleep after the long day he’s probably had. His brows furrow as he registers you at his door, your name tumbling out of his lips in mild confusion. He’s still in the clothes you saw him last, and you doubt it’s been long since he got home too.

“Promise me you mean it,” you say.

“What?”

“Promise me you mean it.”

“Mean what?” The crease between his brows deepens as he tries to make sense of what you’re saying.

“Whatever you said. Promise me you mean it. Promise me. On all the years we spent together, on every truth you've ever said to me. Promise on me that you mean it.”

The silence is deafening, yet you wait. You wait for him to respond. You wait for him to understand what you’re saying.

Mingyu gulps before opening his door wider, expression neutralizing slightly as he invites you inside. “Why're you standing on the door? Come inside.”

“I’m not taking another step in your direction, Kim Mingyu, not until you answer me,” you snap.

Letting his hand leave the grip on the door, he brings them both up to rub at his face, taking a simultaneous breath, deep and shaky. When he emerges his eyes are showing a hint of red as he licks his lips.

Your grip on your own fingers tighten as Mingyu talks.

“I want to rip my heart out for what it wants from you. I want to rip it out for what it did to yours. Believe me when I say I’ve forgotten how it felt to be this sincere. I love you. I don't deserve to say it, but I love you.”

There’s a beat that passes, one that you barely feel as you throw your bag on the floor of his entryway, grabbing him by the collar with both hands as you yank his face down to hover right in front of yours, nose touching, lips not quite.

“If you’re lying to me,” you whisper, shaky voiced, “I’m gonna chop your balls off.”

Mingyu answers for you as he finally, finally closes the cursed gap between you, lips capturing yours in a long awaited kiss. You let him pull you inside as you move your lips against each other, the distinct click of the door signaling you were finally inside.

His hands grip your hips and waist in a manner that’s near painful, yet you can’t find yourself complaining even as he pushes you against the now closed door, hard. His mouth leaves yours for what is barely a second, before your desperate hands move his face back in to continue what you’ve been wanting to do for years.

His mouth is warm, the vaguest hint of champagne on his tongue. You wonder how many toasts he’s clinked and downed, how many times he thought of you as he celebrated.

“I love you,” you mumble against his lips.

Mingyu’s hands are pushing your body against his own, so flush and tight you can barely breathe. Like he’d rather die than bring space between the two of you in that moment.

“I love you, too,” he mumbled back between kisses. “I love you so much.”

Both of your hands are beginning to roam, less innocent than the fingers tangled in his hair and digging into his shoulders, less innocent than the grips on your hips and neck. It isn’t until his hands are groping your ass that you begin to subconsciously tug at his shirt, wanting the wretched thing out of the way to finally feel him in full.

There’s a warm hand that grips yours as he stops you, lips pulling away slightly as he rests his forehead against yours. There’s a wild moment of sobriety as you wonder if you’ve read the situation wrong, if you pushed too far.

“You’re asking me for something I’m ready to give you.” He sounds breathless. “But I need to know if you really want it.”

He looks absolutely gorgeous with his swollen lips, your lipstick staining his own mouth, his messy hair from all the desperate fingers running through them. It takes one look into his bedroom eyes to have your yeses tumbling out your mouth.

“I want it. I want it if you’ll give it to me. Mingyu, please.”

He leans in to give you a soft peck before pulling away slowly. “You can stop me whenever, just say the word.”

He’s facing you as he speaks, hands pulling you further into the house in slow and steady steps. “I’m not gonna do anything you don’t want me to, I promise.”

By the time you reach the four walls of his bedroom, you’re itching to have his hands on you again, something he senses as he presses his hot mouth to your awaiting lips. His touches become decreasingly respectful as his hands run up your sides, thumbs brushing against the sides of your clothed breasts as he moves his mouth further down.

Kisses line your jaw, reaching the joint as he nips at your earlobe teasingly. Pushing the coverup off of your shoulders is easy, fingers tracing the exposed skin as his mouth moves down to your neck, nipping and sucking teasingly. Your breathing is embarrassingly heavy.

“You’re gorgeous,” you hear him breathe out.

His fingers fit under the zipper of your dress not too long after, pulling it down to reveal your back tantalizingly slow. His hands smooth over your waist once he reaches the bottom, bringing them up to your upper body as you feel his palms grab your breasts in a soft squeeze. The moan you let out is small, but enough to encourage him to bring his hands to the straps of your dress, pulling them down your shoulders one after the other.

“Do you realize how good you looked in this today,” he says. “Was so happy you came, so, so happy to see you after so long.”

Mingyu kisses you again in a slow, passionate manner, hands pushing down the tight fabric of the bodice to let it fall off your body to a pile on the floor. It leaves you bare save for your bra and panties.

Mingyu lets out a groan at the sight in the dimly lit room, the sound checking in as one of the hottest things you’ve ever heard, the vibrations leading straight to your core like they belonged there. The focus goes back to his hands that continue to roam your body, mouth traveling further south to leave hot, open mouthed kisses on your cleavage.

Your own fingers come up to fiddle with the buttons of his dress shirt, managing to pull a couple loose as you whine, “Mingyu.”

“Patience, my love.” He moves you backwards slowly as his mouth leaves your chest, pushing you into the plush of his mattress as you feel the back of your knees bump into the edge. “Let me take my time with you.”

He brings a knee up to the bed as he keeps his gaze on you, beginning to unbutton the rest of his shirt as you prop yourself up on your elbows. For once, you’re allowed to stare at the sculpt of his chest and abdomen, letting your gaze take you to the dipped V before the cut off. The mere sight of his fingers working against his belt have you needing to close your thighs for the sake of your now throbbing core.

Only clad in his dark boxers, you let him climb over you in a way you can only describe as a prowl, inserting himself between your legs as he pushes your head up to the headboard. The hand that splays out on your thigh is having the muscle twitch, the anticipation for what he might do next gripping you.

“Let me get this off of you,” he says with his hands toying with the elastic of your bra, prompting you to arch your back so he could reach under to unclasp it in a way you can only call professional.

There’s barely any time for you to feel a semblance of embarrassment when he flings the padding away, mouth coming in direct contact with your breast in a harsh suck. The feeling has you moaning his name into the dark room, only encouraging his wet tongue to circle around the bud before going back to suckling. He doesn’t forget your other breast as he brings his hand up to squeeze the mound and play with your nipples the same.

The sensations are overwhelming already, your hands gripping his hair in desperation as you throw your head back at his ministrations. The ache in your underwear is becoming increasingly difficult to resist, the foreign feeling of his mound against your inner thigh only coursing more want into your awaiting heat.

Your chest is a mess of redness and saliva but the time Mingyu’s had his fill, pulling away to admire the work he’s left.

“Fuck, Mingyu, please,” his name is the only thing that comes out in your pleas, hoping he’d give you wanted before you lost your mind for good.

“I love this lighting on you,” he says simply, moving to sit on his knees as he takes his eyes up and down your practically naked frame.

Both hands come in to push your thighs further apart, giving him better access to the gold that sits right in between. “You’re beautiful.”

You feel the pad of his thumb come in contact with your clit in the lightest pressure, slowly brushing over the muscle as he continues. “The most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.”

He presses his thumb in further, pushing down to meet your hole, the source of the large wet patch on the fabric of panties. The whimpers the new feeling is having you let out are near embarrassing. Hooking his fingers around your panties, he asks, “Can I take these off?”

“Yes!” you gasp out immediately, hip rising to let them slide the pesky fabric off and away.

He wastes no time in bringing his fingers to your folds, gathering your arousal in his fingers as he spreads them across your throbbing clit. He’s rubbing the area in circular motions, the feeling having you wracking out sounds you never thought you could make. The sheets are bunched up in your grip as you throw your head back at the feeling that encases you, eyes screwed shut.

“Oh, Mingyu,”

That only encourages him as his other hand joins the party, a lone finger circling your entrance in preparation to plunge into you, slowly, all the way to the hilt of his finger. Zoning in on the feeling, the pump of his fingers into your core, the constant ministrations of his other thumb on your clit. Your hands leave his wrinkled sheets as they come in to grip his wrists and forearm, needing to feel his skin to anchor yourself into the present. Not being able to bring yourself to open your eyes, he takes it upon himself to insert another finger, encouraging your lids to fly open at the stretch and the loud moan that comes with it.

“God, you’re so fucking wet, I’m barely pushing.” It may have embarrassed you a little if you weren’t so withdrawn from pleasure, the prospect only having you whimper his name even more.

It isn’t when he curls his fingers inside you that you feel the need to stifle the sounds that come out of your throat, hand to mouth as the volume has you needing to shut yourself up. He brings his hand off your clit to grab you by the wrist, freeing your mouth of restraint.

“Don’t,” his voice gravelly as he gets off his knees to hover over you, his other hand continuing to pump his fingers in and out of you in perfect motions. “I wanna hear your voice. I wanna hear all the pretty sounds you’re making.”

He leans in to place a chaste kiss on your mouth, fingers quickening their pace as your sounds grow louder, “Mingyu, I think I’m…I think I’m close.”

“It’s okay, let go whenever, darling, it’s okay.” His other hand goes back to its rightful position on your clit, thumb circling the bud in quick motions as he encourages you to climax.

And you do. The blissful release comes crashing into you hard, the feeling leaving nothing but white hot space in the expanse of your brain, letting the feeling take over as you melt into the sheets. “F-fuck…”

He doesn’t stop either hand till you physically have to push his fingers off of you, the overstimulation coming in hot.

You don’t come around for a little bit, but feel every searing kiss he leaves on your skin in the aftermath. Pressed into your chest, your collarbones, you neck and your jaw. He makes his way up to your face slowly, pressing his lips onto your closed lids as you wait for your breathing to even out. His face is the first thing you see when you open your eyes, leaning forward to press your own lips against his.

“How was that?” he asks slowly, and you don’t miss the hint of a smirk on his face. You can’t help but break into a smile of your own.

“Great.”

“Great?”

“Amazing.” You lean in to kiss him again, palms coming in contact with the expanse of his back as you move your mouths together. It’s not long before your fingers reach the waistband of his boxers, hands coming up front to feel him through the fabric, palming him in the process.

You feel him shudder in your hold, lips pulling away as he stares into your eyes.

“What?” you ask in a whisper when he makes no other moves.

“I’m trying to think if I have condoms or not,” he whispers back, and you can’t help but let out a laugh at his delivery. He begins to giggle with you, backing up as he reaches over to rummage through his nightstand.

“Fuck yeah,” you hear him say as he comes round with the shiny pack. He’s giggling as he undoes the wrapper, the lighthearted nature of it all bringing a laugh to your own lips.

Pulling his underwear down and off, you watch as he preps himself with the rubber, your own hand coming up in a trance to stroke his gorgeous length lightly, his palms ghosting over your hand at the feeling. Once he decides he can’t take it anymore he’s grabbing both your wrists to pin them beside your head in one swift motion, earning a gasp from you at the abruptness.

“I’m gonna put the tip in first, let you adjust before I go in further,” he explains as he uses his knee to push your thighs apart to grant him more access. “I’m gonna listen to you throughout, okay? Just say so if you want me to stop, I’ll hear you.”

When you don’t reply he continues, “I need to know you heard me, baby.”

“I heard you,” you answer, and he finally lets go of one of your hands to guide his length to your entrance, gathering your remaining arousal. He’s sliding his tip across your folds, grinding onto your clit within his length and it has you nearly careening off the edge.

“Mingyu, in, please!” you beg, and you hear him chuckle before he’s finally pressing the tip into your prepped hole.

You almost breathe a sigh of relief as you feel him begin to push into your hot core, keeping his promise of only getting to the tip, before bringing himself out and going back in. He’s slow as he stretches you out, his hands coming up to the sides of your head as he tucks his face into the crook of your neck. Lifting one of your legs, you wrap them around his waist as you grant him further access into you, one of his hands coming up to keep your raised leg steady.

He halts when he finally bottoms out, pausing for breath. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just,” you manage, arms wrapped around his shoulders tight. “Give me a second.”

When you give him the green light and he begins to move out slowly, only to thrust back in, you find yourself settling into the sheets more consciously, ready to take what he was about to finally give you. You’re both a mess of whimpers and sounds, the feeling overtaking any shreds of restraint you had left. His hands are groping you everywhere, his fingers finding your breasts again as he begins to toy with your nipples, all while thrusting into you at a steady yet equally maddening pace.

He feels amazing, beyond just his dick. The feeling of his body pressed against yours is heavenly, the tears beginning to slowly prick at your eyes as you let yourself melt into his hold, a metaphorical layer away from morphing into his skin entirely. The sounds he’s making are pure melodies, the groans, grunts and heavy moans floating around in your otherwise empty head like they’d never ever leave. They do more when they encourage the building feeling in your abdomen, your moans growing increasingly erratic.

If the bed is creaking from his incessant thrusting, you don’t hear it. The only thing ringing in your head being the near closure you’re about to receive from him. “Gyu, I’m…”

“Shit, me too.” he grunts, and you believe him as his movements begin to grow sloppier, his hips slamming into yours with more force than before.

And then it’s bliss, the feeling dropping in on your body as you feel yourself begin to spasm in his hold, the loudest moan ripping from your throat at the sensation. You’re contracting around him so, so good, and it’s enough to have him moaning into your own ear as he feels his climax come over him as well.

He’s shooting his load into the rubber, and for a wild moment you wish he’d rip it off and finish inside you instead, your blabbering brain wanting to take all of him in. The fever passes in a few heavy minutes, Mingyu’s body is dropped on top of you, his length remaining inside your warmth as you both relished in the post sex haze.

He’s first to pick his sweltering body off of yours, the cool air hitting your skin as he pulls out of you slowly. You’re still trying to come to earth, even when you hear the water beginning to run in the attached bathroom, even when he walks out in a fresh pair of boxers, walking over to your form on the bed.

His fingers run through your hair as he places soft kisses on your temple, coaxing you to open your eyes. “Come on babe. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

When you make no moves to get up despite opening your eyes, he’s physically pulling you up to grace your head on his chest in an effort to take a step back into the world. His fingers continue to thread through your hair, massaging your head lightly as you breathe in his scent. You do end up getting up and letting him lead you to the bathroom, but only after he threatens to carry you there over his shoulder. The bath is already drawn when you dip your feet into the warm water, planting yourself inside as you lean against the walls of the tub.

“Gyu, why is it warm?” you whine, wanting a cooler temperature to hit your sticky body.

He chuckles as he sits by the tub, hands coming in to wet your hair for you, “I’m scared your body’s gonna go into shock if I chucked you into a cold bath. You’ll feel better in a minute, love.”

You don’t argue as he does most of the work for you, shampooing, scrubbing and conditioning. He lets you sit in the tub for a little bit as he leaves to get you a towel and a shirt, coming back to continue coaxing you to leave the tub this time. You grab his outstretched hand, pulling him down to sit next to you again.

“Sit with me for a little bit, right here,” you say as you lean over the edge of the tub.

“I can sit with you in bed once you’re dried up,” he tries to reason. “Under the covers. Where it’s more comfortable than hard acrylic, remember?”

Pouting a little, you let him wrap you in a towel as you admit defeat, too tired to argue much more than that. He continues to shrug one of shirts over your shoulders, going as far as drying your hair before finally letting you crawl back under the covers. He joins you soon after, wrapping his limbs around you in a tight embrace, breathing in the mix of his own shampoo and your scent.

“Are you okay? Did I do too much?” he asks quietly.

“Mhm,” you hum into his chest. “I’m okay.”

There’s a deep vibration in his chest as he finds your lack of response amusing, looking at your face that looks about three seconds away from slipping into dreamland. Nearly, he realizes, as your eyes are suddenly pushed wide open, a gasp leaving your throat.

“What? What?” Mingyu asks as you sit up all of a sudden scrambling to find your phone.

“My phone, where is it?” you ask as you ruffle through the covers.

“Did you bring it with you?”

You suddenly remember your bag that you threw in his entryway a couple hours ago, your phone nestled inside. Swinging your legs over the edge of the bed, you attempt to stand up to retrieve it, only to find out the universe wasn’t about to let you do that. You don’t miss Mingyu’s chortle as he watches you nearly fall over after wobbling around like a fawn, your arms trembling as you pull yourself up back on the bed.

“What the fuck?” you breathe out.

“Get back on, I’ll get your bag for you.” He’s still smiling when returns, throwing your purse on the bed.

You immediately unlock your phone to find Nayeon’s contact, choosing to leave her a text considering the late hour.

“What is it?” Mingyu asks again as he watches you type, arms coming up from behind to engulf you in his hold again.

“I told Seokmin I was at Nayeon’s. He didn’t believe me but I’m telling her to cover for me anyway.”

“Oh.”

The thought comes to you later than it should have, realizing you’d have to involve Seokmin in…whatever this was, sooner or later.

“Don’t,” you hear Mingyu say behind you.

“What?”

“Don’t. I know what you’re thinking about. We can deal with Seokmin when we need to, don’t think about it right now, that’s my job.”

“I-”

“He needs to deal with me being serious about you,” he continues, giggling, “Even if I have to make you run away with me.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

He brings your wrist up to his mouth, placing a kiss there, “It won’t. I promise.”

The sitting up thing doesn’t last for too long, both of you wanting nothing more than to lay down for the lack of energy. Limbs are a tangled mess as you both lay in silence, tired but not wanting to go to sleep just yet. It stays that way for a while, head on his chest as you take in the aftermath of everything that’s happened.

You just had sex with Kim Mingyu. He loves you back. And you know he means it. This isn’t a hyperrealistic childhood fantasy, this is real life. You’re touching him, he’s holding you, you can hear his heart beat, you can feel his skin under the palm of your hand.

You’re distracted from your thoughts as you sense Mingyu reaching over the edge of the bed to his nightstand as he looks for something, bringing his hand over to show you a very familiar pink cover in his hands.

“Oh,” you let out as you recognize the title, snorting as you remember where the verdict for that ended, “We were supposed to talk about the ending.”

“We could do that right now.”

“Uh, about that,” you say. “I never actually got to finish it.”

“You were supposed to be done like two weeks ago,” he frowns.

“I didn’t get to finish it the day…the day you came over. Couldn’t bring it in myself to touch it after that.” you say as you note the little tabs sticking out the sides, wanting to address them.

“You can use this one to finish it then, it’s yours.”

You glance up at him as he talks, opening the book to skim through the pages. And then you see it, tiny scribbles on margins, sticky notes at chapter ends with his thoughts, colorful tabs sticking out of every highlighted line, everything complete with a color coded key in the front.

“I saw you do it with your other books, found out it’s not actually a crime to write in books and…I guess it became fun.” he explains as he watches you flick through the pages. “I was gonna give this to you at some point. Sounded like a thoughtful idea in my head.”

You don’t answer him, simply facing him in silence before continuing, “I would’ve been sucking your dick right now if I wasn’t so tired.”

He throws his head back in a loud laugh, the high pitched noise sounding across the room as he nearly curls up from the hilarity. You don’t think it was that funny, but maybe it’s because you were telling the truth. You’re pretty sure you’ve joked about wanting to do that to someone who’d do something like this for you, perhaps you could find the transcripts hidden in some text messages with Nayeon later to show Mingyu.

His laughter is contagious regardless, giggles of your own coming out as you watch him practically lose it.

“I think you need to go to sleep,” you comment through bouts of laughter.

He sighs a vocal sigh as he calms down slowly, agreeing with your suggestion that the near morning delirium was getting to both of your heads. You rest your newly acquired, yet equally prized possession to the side, finally turning in for the night as he reaches to turn his night lamp off.

Mingyu moves to press his forehead into yours, not before placing a tiny peck into your lips as he mumbles against them in the dark, “I love you.”

“I love you,” you hum back as you press your lips together one last time, finally letting his breathing lull you into sleep.

The mattress is foreign, so is the pillow, and so are the scents that linger in the room. It’s colder than you’d usually have it and the blankets feel different on your skin. And despite the most foreign thing in the room, the one that has his arms and legs wrapped around you, the one that whispered his love for you into your skin before drifting off, you find yourself falling into a sleep that’s more blissful than any you’ve had in a very, very long time.

The sun is doing nothing to help itself against the tide of annoyance tht rises in your sleepy state. You’d get up and yank the curtains but can’t bring yourself to have the motivation to leave the soft mattress, simply bunching the blanket up to your face to block out the remnants of sun rays that invade the room. You’ve nearly lulled yourself back to sleep when you start registering noises coming from outside the bedroom walls, muffled yet familiar.

Your brother is talking about something you can’t make out, Seokmin’s voice is undeniable despite passing through the folded layers of comforters around your head. You don’t doubt the presence of the sweat that’s probably already accumulated on your scalp.

There’s nothing that alarms you in the moment despite Seokmin’s yapping — that is until you hear a second voice.

You recognize it immediately as the sound of Mingyu’s talking, the words equally as muffled yet the intonation clear all the same.

Kicking the sheets off of your overheating body, you squint as you open your eyes in a desperate attempt to reign yourself back to earth, recollections of the past twenty four hours hurtling back to you like a constant line of K.O’s.

The gallery, the picture, the drive up to Mingyu’s place,the sex, the falling asleep in his arms. You sit up in Mingyu’s bed, clad in nothing but his own T-shirt as you realize your brother is downstairs talking to Mingyu, and you have no idea if he knows you're here.

You realize very quickly that you’re trapped, being left with no other option than to remain in Mingyu’s bedroom until he comes back up to give you the clear, despite wanting to walk out to take the tiniest peek. You’re not sure what’s worse, getting caught or sitting in the growing pool of anxiety before Mingyu gets back.

It’s a long, long twenty minutes, in which you’ve done just about everything to get to hear their conversation a bit better; or to distract yourself from the fact that it’s happening at all. Pressing your ear to the door before going back to make the bed. Freshening up in the bathroom before going back to jamming your eye into the keyhole (you aren’t sure why considering door faces a plain wall). You even hijacked a spare cup Mingyu had lying around the room to stick into the wall, hoping all those Mr. Bean cartoons hadn’t been lying to you.

They were simply talking in a tone too low for your ears to catch (despite the Mr. Bean hack), and you resorted to scrolling on your phone to pass the remaining time. It’s catastrophic to say the least, when you’re met with a string of frantic messages from Nayeon as well as a couple missed calls from your brother.

[Nayeon]: fuck [Nayeon]: i didnt see this [Nayeon]: he called this morning asking about you [Nayeon]: i accidentally told him you werent here [Nayeon]: im so sorry where are you [You]: its okay its my fault for texting so late [You]: i was at mingyus place [You]: ill tell you more later [Nayeon]: WHAT???

By the time Mingyu walks in, he’s mildly surprised to see you awake, pausing at the door as he takes in your huddled form. You sit up immediately, noting his still messy hair and the backwards sweatshirt he’s thrown on over his boxers. The question tumbles out of your lips before you can help it, “Was that Seokmin?”

“Good morning to you too,” he grumbles sarcastically, coming up on the bed to join you in your huddle fest. You’re a little embarrassed at the way you’ve greeted him first thing when he sees you, but his expression when he continues replaces it with something akin to fear. “And yeah, it was him.”

You want to ask him a follow up question, but you aren’t sure what to say, simply staring at him, hoping he’d get the hint and continue by himself. He does.

“The idiot has a spare key so he just…” He trails off, rubbing his hands on his face, “he just walked in straight to the room. Got the shock of his life, I suppose, ‘cause it woke me up while you kept snoring.”

“He walked into the room?!” you nearly screech, hand clamped over mouth, horrified. “What did he say to you?”

Mingyu has the audacity to laugh, simply tugging you back down on the bed to hold you. You briefly wonder how he’s so casual about this. “There’s not really an expected reaction from someone when they find you half naked in bed with their sister.”

The haphazardly shoved sweatshirt and no pants look was starting to make sense. “I heard you talking downstairs, what were you talking about?”

“Nothing you have to worry your pretty little head about,” his lips graze the shell of your ear as he snuggles further into you. “He wants you home by seven though.”

You throw your head back in a whine, “God, what am I gonna do?”

“You’ll be fine, he didn’t smack me, he can’t possibly be that mad at you.”

“What was he then, ecstatic?” you retort.

“I mean,” his energy shifts a little. “I think he’s just a little hurt that he wasn’t told.”

“So you’ve done your damage control and now I need to pray he doesn’t disown me.”

“God, you’re being so negative,” he comments and you can’t help but round up on him.

“And you’re acting like you don’t care!”

He’s planting a fat kiss on your cheek at your outburst, coming in to coddle you even more. “I’m kidding, I just want you to relax, don’t be upset.”

“Has he given you his verdict yet?” you ask quietly.

He sighs at the question and you can’t imagine his answer being any good. “Not yet, pretty up in the air about it.”

When he sees you deflate even more in his arms, he continues, “I’m sure he’s gonna come around, he loves you too much to not. It’s just a matter of time while he gets to make sense of the situation, don’t worry about it.”

“I hope so,” you reply.

“We might have wash his socks for the next five years once he does, but it’s okay.”

You can’t help but snort at the prospect, “His feet are stinkier than the regular human’s, are you sure about that?”

He grins, “I’d do it for you.”

You push his face away, rolling your eyes at his attempt to be sappy. “You’re gonna keep me for five years?”

His smile drops as you feel the atmosphere shift in the slightest, his presence moving impossibly closer to you. “I’m gonna keep you forever.”

Hearing it is enough to have you lurching forward, closing the final gap between you so you can give in to the urge to kiss him. He’s enthusiastic to give back, pulling your body to face him entirely as you mumble between kisses, “I love you.”

“I love you more.”

The rest of the day (once your anxiety’s calmed down, at least) is spent loitering around each other as you migrate around the house in random excess. He makes you breakfast, and you need to physically restrain him to stop feeding you every bite of pancake and bacon. You let him make your favourite for lunch though, after you finally admitted how much you truly liked his Chow Mein, going as far as to run to the store to grab the stuff he was missing. He returns with a bag of groceries, not missing an abnormal amount of moonpie value packs that he stashes in his cabinets because “you’re gonna be around all the time”.

6:30 rolls around quicker than either of you would have liked, needing to wiggle out of Mingyu’s hold on his couch to change out of your half naked state. He continues to delay you another ten minutes as he refuses to open his car door to let you walk into the apartment building, leaning over the console to continue mumbling whines between your own consoling kisses.

By the time you’re making the walk of shame up to your door, the pit of anxiety that began to brew this morning returns from its dormancy, no Mingyu here to help ease your nerves, Gripping your key tight in your hands, you brace yourself to jam and twist to finally end this matter once and for all (at least you hope you can).

Seokmin is waiting on the couch for arrival like a parent waiting to catch their child in the act. He briefly glances over at you as you whisper a tame “Hi”, slipping off your shoes. He doesn’t reply as he merely grabs the remote to pause his show, casting a heightened awkward atmosphere at the silence that’s now engulfing the room. You tread carefully over to the couch, where Seokmin sits with his arms crossed.

It takes one look at his face for you to suddenly want to get on your knees and beg for forgiveness. He didn’t look angry, and perhaps you would’ve preferred his aggression if it didn’t mean having to look at a hurt Seokmin. You sit in silence for a couple dramatic minutes, hoping he would start talking so you wouldn’t have to. Yet, when you realize you might have to say something anyway for fear of crushing under the pressure, you find yourself opening your mouth.

“Are you upset?” Of course, he’s upset, you idiot.

“I just–” he starts, before sighing. “I just wish one of you would’ve told me what was going on.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” you reply. “I didn’t want either of you to have an excuse to be upset with each other, so I just…”

“I get that it was a recent thing but I think I deserved as much to know what was happening when I wasn’t around.”

You wince as speaks, realizing he hasn’t caught on to the fact that this isn’t recent at all — for you at least. “Um, about that…”

“What? There’s more?” he scoffs.

“I, uh…I’ve liked him since like fifth grade—” He’s immediately jaw dropped, eyes bulged, taking a sharp breath. “But! In my defense, it was really obvious—it’s honestly your fault for not noticing.”

‘My–My fault?!” he sputters. “That’s like, forever, and you told me nothing? Mingyu told me this was recent, why did he lie?”

“He didn’t, nothing happened till last night, I swear.” You cringe at what you’re entailing. “It was just me that liked him for that long, he figured it out pretty early on but…”

“He’s finally reciprocating now?” he suggests, almost sarcastically.

“Yeah,” you breathe out lightly.

“This is insane,” he blows out a breath of air, massaging his temples.

“I’m not being stupid about him,” you mutter lowly, “This isn’t some puppy dog crush, especially not after so long.”

He’s silent.

“I’m telling you this because I don’t want you to think I’m jumping into this blind, especially for what it means for you too.”

No response.

“I’m sorry that you had to find out like this, it’s really not how I wanted it to go.” And when you’re met with even more silence, you find yourself continuing. “Please, talk to me. Cuss me out if you want, I’d honestly rather you yell at me.”

Seokmin sighs for the near hundredth time, finally looking like he might say something. “I want you to listen to me very carefully.”

The hairs on the back of your neck stand up, mind immediately going to the worst. Was he going to ask you to break up with him?

“I’m gonna choose to trust the both of you on this,” he starts, and you nearly melt into the cushions, “It’s your life, you can date whoever you want. And…I guess Mingyu is better than someone else. Probably uses bad hair gel though.”

You’re catapulting yourself off the couch at the sound of that, throwing yourself onto an unassuming Seokmin. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“OW! Okay! Geez, get off,” he grumbles as he finally stops wrestling you to let go of him, hugging you back as you squeeze his shoulders tight.

“I promise I won’t keep anything like this from you again.”

“You better not,” he huffs as you let go of him, “Don’t think this means you’re forgiven. You still have a lot to tell me.”

“I promise I won’t leave out a thing.”

The following weeks are near bliss, following your very loud confrontation with Nayeon when she gets back from her summer vacation, her screams at every plot turn having you praying for her neighbors. You doubt she believed you despite everything, not until she physically sees Mingyu come in one day, making a beeline to peck you on the lips before greeting anyone else. Her dropped jaw was very telling.

Even now, as Mingyu sports the title of the lame alumnus that still hangs around campus as he grips your hand, walking through the grass, the double takes you’re receiving seem to be traveling quite fast. You wouldn’t necessarily blame them considering the trickier than usual dynamic you sport due to your brother (and you guess due to his reputation as well).

But you also knew they’d be quick to die out as the newer batches of students come flying in — Mingyu will soon become a very well kept secret, in one way if not the other.

His neighbors, however, must be wishing he had the same sentiment as well, considering the absolutely foul noises that are coming from his apartment.

You’re learning very quickly that Mingyu’s innocent touchiness can turn into something of the opposite at any given time, exhibit A being now as you try your damn hardest to muffle the sounds coming out of your mouth as Mingyu works his own mouth on your cunt. The knees over his shoulders are shivering from the expense, fingers pumping into your hole as he rubbed a particular spot with his tongue that had you gripping onto his hair tight.

As much as Mingyu loves to hear you, you find his other hand being brought up to place two fingers in your mouth for you as the perfect pacifier, sounds limiting extensively.

By the time you’re coming undone, sprawled on his couch like you just ran a marathon, you’re quick to realize that he has no intention of letting you have a breather. It takes one shove for him to pull his pulsing length out of his pants, tip pushing into your still sopping hole as he invited all of him inside you.

You’ll never forget the first time Mingyu fucked you raw, right after you told him he had the green light after taking your birth control pills. It was magic, you’ve never seen him this vocal as he finished inside you nearly four times in a single night. His moans remain loud even still, as he brings your thighs to press over your chest, basically folding you in half. The mere sound of your wetness as he pumps in and out of you is enough to have you nearly careening over the edge, especially when you feel a desperate hand reach out to rub fast circles on your clit.

You throw your head back as you cum for the second time, pulsing around him in a grip Mingyu can’t believe has the ability to become tighter. It’s enough for him though, as he leans his forehead against your chest as he releases himself inside you.

He doesn’t think he’ll ever get tired of it, watching you filled to the brim with his cum, even as it drips onto the blankets you’ve laid down below. He has half a mind to stuff the liquid back inside you, but fears you’re tired enough, the overstimulation too much for you.

By the time you’ve cleaned up and resumed the movie you should’ve been done with hours ago, cuddled impossibly close to him, you find yourself remembering something quite out of the blue.

“Hey, not that I really care anymore,” you start, “But who were the guys you were talking to that day? From the party.”

“Stopped hanging out with them ages ago,” Mingyu scoffs, face souring at the mention of them. “I mean, it was me who said all that bullshit, but they weren’t exactly good influences either. Learned that pretty quick.”

“Oh,” you reply simply, letting your head fall back onto his chest.

He doesn’t seem to be having any of it, grabbing your chin to have you face him. “I’m still really sorry about that. I don’t care if you chase my tail for another fifty years, it’ll always be adorable.”

“Forgave you a long time ago, but I think I have a condition now.”

He quirks a brow at your words. “What does her Highness ask of me?”

“That you chase my tail for another fifteen to make up for all the running I’ve done.”

He’s laughing at that, agreeing to your condition as places loving smooches all over your face. “Consider it done.”

It’s later on in the night, both of you huddled in ratty hoodies and mismatched slippers, plastic bag crinkling along Mingyu’s arm as you giggle about something he said. You’re enjoying your fudgsicle in the peace and serenity of the 1 AM hour, making your trek home after raiding the corner store down the block. Mingyu suddenly halts in his tracks as he sees a particularly pretty set of flowers, illuminated by the fluorescent street lights.

“Babe, babe, stand here let me take a picture of you.”

“What?” you frown, holding up your stick of iced chocolate. “I’m not done yet.”

You watch as he grabs the melting popsicle from your hand downing the entire thing in one go as you watch him, hand still outstretched and jaw dropped. “Mingyu, you bitch!”

He only smiles as he mulls the chocolate in his mouth, words basically gibberish, “‘ere’s more in the ba’, now go stan'!”

You huff as you trudge to where he was asking you to pose, throwing a couple peace signs to satiate the home video urges in him so you could rip open your second fudgsicle.

“Wait! You got a little chocolate on your mouth.” he announces, and you stick your tongue out to lick past the remnants of the sweetness. “No— wait.”

He walks over to you as your still trying to find the spot you missed, unassuming as he swings into your face to kiss the remaining off. “Oh, nevermind, it was nothing.”

You push him off as heat crawls up your face, feigning annoyance at his antics. You decide to forgive him when rips open another fudgsicle for you, offering it with both hands, promising to not steal a single lick. You believe him, snatching the stick from him as you continue your trek home.

It’s not until he’s attempting to send you the pictures he just took to your phone so you could post them (which, with the way you looked, fat chance) that he notices something in your albums.

“Oh, are these grad photos?” he asks as he clicks the album open.

“Mhm,” you hum not paying too much attention as you walked and ate.

“Why’s there only one picture here?” he asks as he pulls up to find nothing more left to load.

It’s only then that you bring your full attention to your phone in his hand as you realize what picture he’s talking about, “Oh god, don’t look at that one.”

He does the obvious thing and opens it anyway, a louder than necessary “aw” coming out his mouth. “Why do you look like I’m about to eat you?”

“It felt like it!” you whine, remembering the moment clear as day. “They kept pestering me to take a picture with you too, I was tryna book it out of there at first chance.”

He giggles as he zooms into the photo, “I’m sending this to myself.”

You groan loudly at the thought, “God, just delete it, leave it alone.”

He tucks the phone into himself further, not letting you grab it. “No, you’re not deleting it. Why do you have it tucked into a separate folder if you hate it so much.”

He’s got you there, you realize quickly, and he reigns in his victory as he watches you grimace at the phone slightly, adding on, “it has a lot of feelings attached to it, I get it. But look, we can attach new feelings to it, now you’ll think about right now the next time you see it.”

“Think about you hijacking my fudgsicles? I think I prefer heartbreak,” you say, bringing your half eaten pop closer to your body in case he tries anything.

You’re deemed correct when he replies, motioning towards your concealed treat, “Careful, I can still pounce when you’re not looking.”

Shoving your hands into the swinging bag hanging on Mingyu’s arm, you bring out a thing of sausage and shove it towards him, “You leave me and my fudgsicle alone, go be lousy and suck on this or whatever.”

“You’d know alot about that, wouldn’t you?” he notes casually, grabbing the sausage anyway as he unwraps it to take a bite.

It takes you a second to realize what he’s talking about while he stares at you with a mischievous expression, coming to shove him when the innuendo finally registers in your head. You do the opposite this time, pointing the melting chocolate toward him instead, threatening to smear it all over his white hoodie.

He laughs at the sight, disarming you by simply moving your wrist away, coming to kiss you on the mouth hard regardless of your annoyed expression.

“Love ya’” he giggles.

“Hm.”

“What, hm? Say it back.”

You pretend to wonder, “I don’t think so.”

“Say it!” he groans, “Say it, say it!”

You manage to wriggle out of his hold, booking it before he realises what’s happening.

“Hey!”

Your both probably waking up the entire neighborhood with how loud you’re yelling and laughing, and even when he manages to tackle you down on somebody’s lawn, coaxing the words out of you with borderline violence, you still manage to smile, thanking your lucky stars that you got what you wanted after all.

“What’re you thinking about?” he asks with an undertone.

“Thanking my stars they led me to you,” you reply.

“More like the other way around. Needed the fattest fucking star to realize what was in front of me all along,” he jests himself.

It sparks a laugh out of you. “I love you.”

“And I love you.”

4K notes · View notes

flickering-chandelier · 7 months ago

Text

I Love You, It's Ruining My Life

Pairing: Azriel x Bestfriend! Reader

Summary: Azriel and Reader have been best friends for years, and slowly Reader starts to fall for him. He eventually feels the same way, but after Reader overhears a conversation she wasn’t meant to, she has doubts about him.

Based on this request! 🩷

Warnings: angst with a happy ending, a little swearing

Work Count: 5.2k

You twisted around in front of the mirror, trying to look at the dress from every angle. “What do you think, Az?”

Your friend looked at you, his eyes trailing down your body, and wrinkled his nose. “No.”

“Really?” You faced the mirror again, cocking your head. “I think it’s pretty.”

“It cinches weirdly around your middle,” he said.

You studied yourself in the mirror again, realizing he was right. “Wow. See, this is why I bring you along. Who knew your spymaster focus would be so helpful for fashion.”

He laughed, throwing his head back against the couch he was sitting on, and you couldn’t help but smile. You always felt a twinge of pride whenever you could make the stoic shadowsinger laugh like that.

“So this one, then?” You asked, gesturing to the first dress you had tried on earlier.

“That is the one,” he shot you a lopsided smile. “The poor fool won’t know what hit him.”

Later, you plopped down into the chair next to Azriel’s in the sitting room at the House, groaning.

Azriel arched a brow in question.

“You were right,” you sighed. “He was a fool.”

Az poured you some of the amber liquid he was drinking, handing the glass to you. “What kind of fool? Do I need to defend your honor?” he asked, a hard edge to his voice.

Laughing dryly, you said. “No, nothing like that. Just a lame date. I can’t believe I bought a new dress for that guy.”

He smiled sadly at you. “Hey, the right guy will go crazy for that dress.”

You winced, taking a sip of the drink. “I guess,” you grumbled.

“Come here,” he said, opening his arms. “You know I won’t let you be all grumbly by yourself.”

Smiling faintly, you rose from your seat and settled in his lap, resting your head on his shoulder, his arms wrapping comfortingly around you.

“When’s it gonna happen for us, Az? When do we get to find what Rhys and Feyre have?” You asked, quietly.

He sighed, leaning his cheek into the top of your head. “I don’t know. But at least you and I are alone together.”

You laughed, and he tightened his arms around you slightly, clearly pleased. You felt your sad heart mending slightly as your best friend in the world held you long into the night.

---

A few days later, you sighed, pushing your food around your plate at lunch in Velaris with Azriel.

Azriel watched you, those hazel eyes calculating. “You’re not still moping about that date, are you?”

“I’m not moping,” you scolded him. “And no, of course it’s not about the date. He is not worthy of my sighs.”

The side of his mouth curved into a smile. “So, what is it then?”

Shrugging noncommittally, you said, “Honestly, I don’t know. I just feel…bummed.”

That smile of his dropped, his mouth thinning into a line. “Are you done eating?”

You blinked, confused. “Yeah, I think so.”

He tossed money onto the table, nodding his head to the side, indicating it was time to go. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” You asked, rising to follow him.

“You’ll see,” he said, slinging his arm around your shoulders as you walked.

It took several minutes before you knew what he was planning and you grinned up at him as you realized where he was leading you.

He smiled, kissing the top of your head as you neared your favorite ice cream shop.

Your heart swelled as Azriel ordered your favorite ice cream. You should have known. Your parents had always taken you here when you needed a pick-me-up, and Azriel had continued the tradition, knowing it always made you feel better, at least for a little bit.

Gazing up at the man who knew you so very well, your heart began to crack.

---

Azriel wrapped an arm around your shoulder as you settled on the couch beside him, tucking you against his side as his whole family roamed around the River House.

It had been Feyre’s idea to get everyone together for an evening, just to spend time in each other’s company.

“How are you?” he said, eyes boring into yours. He had been extra watchful of you lately, since your mood had dimmed weeks ago. He couldn’t understand why this dark cloud had been following you around lately. It broke his heart that he couldn’t fix it.

“Good,” you murmured, smiling faintly at him.

His brow furrowed, but before he could question you further, Cassian plopped down on the other side of you, grinning.

Cassian pulled your attention then, telling an animated story about how training had been going in the Illyrian mountains.

Azriel wasn’t really listening, still studying you. You laughed at something that Cassian had said, the sound bright, bouncing off the walls, your smile lighting up your face. The tightness in Azriel’s chest eased a bit.

Feyre and Elain beckoned you into the kitchen then, and you followed, leaving Azriel and Cassian alone in the sitting room for the moment.

Cassian nodded after you, shooting Azriel a knowing look. “What’s the deal with her?”

“I don’t know,” Azriel said, sighing. “She’s been… off lately.”

Cassian looked contemplative. “Have you ever thought about… you know…” he raised his eyebrows suggestively.

“What, being with her? Romantically?” Azriel furrowed his brow.

“Yeah. I mean, you guys are cuddly enough.”

“Not like that, though,” Azriel said. “No, it’s never been like that between us.”

Cassian shrugged. “Okay. But, you never thought that you might be missing out?”

Azriel thought about it for a moment, what it would be like. “I don’t know. I’ve never thought about her like that.”

“Maybe you should.”

Before Azriel could respond, Nesta stalked into the room, taking Cassian’s attention completely.

---

It had been months since you had come home from that terrible date, since Azriel had held you that night, since your mind and your heart began to wonder.

Azriel had always been your friend. Though he was beautiful and amazing, you had never before thought about being anything other than his friend. Nothing between you had really changed at all in the last few months, and yet…

It was Azriel’s face in your mind as you fell asleep. It was Azriel’s touches that you dreamed of, over and over again. It was Azriel, who knew you so well, who was always, always there for you, that occupied your mind day in and day out.

You knew he had sensed a shift in you. But you didn’t think he understood what that shift was. That you had, without even really realizing it, fallen in love with him.

Cauldron, you were doomed.

“Where did you just go?” Feyre said, bringing you out of your thoughts.

“Nowhere,” you lied.

She narrowed her eyes at you, bouncing Nyx in her lap.

“Okay, I actually really need to talk to somebody about this. But if I tell you, you can’t tell anybody, not even Rhys.”

Her eyes widened in surprise, but she nodded in agreement.

“I kinda have feelings for Azriel.”

Feyre bit her lip, trying to hide her surprise. “Since when?”

You shrugged. “It happened slowly. Little things started sticking out to me all of a sudden and now… Now I can’t stop thinking about him. And I don’t know what to do.”

“You could tell him how you feel,” Feyre offered, smiling softly.

You groaned. “But I don’t think he sees me that way. If I tell him, it could ruin our whole friendship.”

Feyre tilted her head, contemplating. “You think so? Even if he doesn’t feel the same way, he’s Az. I can’t imagine that he would ever abandon someone he loves for any reason.”

“I guess,” you said distantly. “But it would make things really awkward, at the very least.”

Feyre smiled. “Or, it could turn into something amazing.”

You scoffed. “With our luck in love? Unlikely.”

“Maybe nothing has worked out for you two so far because you’re supposed to be together.”

Your heart swelled at the thought, but you stomped down the hope. “Maybe,” you said, your mind wandering again. “Maybe.”

---

Your blood rushed in your ears, your body tense as you and Azriel sat together in the sitting room of the House the next evening. It physically hurt to be near him these days. Your body ached to be close to his.

“What’s up with you?” Azriel asked.

“Nothing, I just…” you trailed off, looking across the room at him, willing yourself to tell the truth. “I love you, Az.”

He smiled. “I love you, too.”

He didn’t get it. He didn’t bat an eye at you, at his friend he had loved platonically for so long. Your heart sank.

It hurt to look at him now. You knew it couldn't be the same between you, not now that you had foolishly fallen for him.

You took a sip of your drink, wishing it was stronger, and forced yourself through easy conversation with your best friend.

---

“What’s wrong?” you asked him immediately upon seeing him weeks later, and Azriel couldn’t help but smile. You had always been able to sense the shift in his mood, even if things had felt… different between the two of you lately.

He sighed. “We’re unlucky in love, you and I.”

You stiffened, and he wondered if he had said something wrong, but continued. “You know, the whole Mor, Elain…thing. I’ve just been thinking about what you said that night ages ago. I just wonder when it’ll happen for us.”

Azriel’s eyes flicked to you, and you gulped, tense in a way he’d never seen when it was just the two of you. “What is it?” he asked.

“Nothing,” you said, too quickly. “I’m sorry. That you’re feeling unlucky in love.”

He lifted a brow. “Are you okay?”

You nodded then stood up quickly, walking toward the door. Azriel stood, wrapping his fingers around your wrist, pulling gently so you would turn back to face him. “Hey. Talk to me,” he said softly.

Your eyes swam with emotion, and you seemed to be pondering what to say. “I can’t talk to you about this,” you said quietly, your voice breaking.

“What do you mean?” Azriel tried to push down the hurt he felt. “We talk about everything.”

“Not this, Az,” you said sadly, before gently pulling your hand out of his grasp and disappearing down the hallway.

What the hell.

Azriel spent nearly an hour contemplating what had just happened. Were you upset with him? Or were you just keeping something from him? If you were, why?

He ran over the last several weeks in his mind, all of his interactions with you. You had definitely been acting differently around him, sitting further away from him, not spending as much time with him one-on-one, but he assumed you would talk to him when you were ready. Evidently, you still were not ready. But, what could it possibly be that you couldn’t talk to him about it?

It was his relationships, well his lack of relationship with Mor and Elain that seemed to set this off.

And then he remembered what Cassian had said weeks ago, that maybe he should consider you as a romantic partner. His brother was always smarter than most people gave him credit for. Did Cassian know something? Was he trying to tell Azriel?

His head spun. Did you have feelings for him?

It would actually explain a lot of your behavior for the past few weeks, especially if you thought that he didn’t feel the same way.

Did he feel the same way?

He sat back in his chair. Why hadn’t he ever considered you before? You were beautiful, of course, and one of the very best people he had ever known. And you were his best friend, who knew him better than he knew himself, in many ways. Who he could talk to about anything. Who already loved him so much.

Maybe he should be with you.

He did love you, of course. So… maybe the two of you should give it a shot.

Before he could think it through, he went to your room, knocking gently. He had to know if he was right.

You answered the door in a thin night dress, your hair cascading down your shoulders. Gods, you were beautiful. What an idiot he'd been.

“Az?” You asked.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling your body into his. He gauged your reaction, waiting for you to tense, but you didn't. You melted into him, placing your hand on his chest and gazing up at him with big, beautiful eyes.

Slowly, so slowly, he leaned down, and you tilted your face up to meet him, longing written all over your face. His heart rate spiked as his lips finally met yours.

The kiss was slow, sweet, exploratory. A new dance between old friends.

You moaned slightly, twining your fingers into his hair, pulling him closer to you.

He growled, pushing you back further into your bedroom, kicking the door shut with his foot.

You had a long night ahead of you.

---

It had been about a week since you and Azriel had stepped into a new form of your relationship.

It was funny, actually. Not that much had actually changed, except you were more comfortable around him now, like you had been before the last few weeks had complicated things. The two of you spent so much time together one on one before, the only difference now was all the kissing and the bedroom activities. And how many times you would tell him that you loved him, your eyes shining with that love.

He was starting to feel like he hadn't thought it all the way through. He loved you. Of course he did. But, he was worried that your love for him was deeper. And he couldn't bear the thought of hurting you.

“Where'd your mind go, Az?” Cassian asked, and Rhysand chuckled.

“He's thinking about his new girlfriend,” Rhys grinned.

Azriel’s jaw tightened. “I'm worried,” he admitted.

“About?” Cassian asked, leaning forward, his full attention on Azriel.

“I think her feelings are deeper than mine. I'm starting to worry that I may have…” he trailed off, not wanting to admit it.

“Settled?” Rhys offered.

Azriel winced, but nodded. “Maybe.”

“What, you don't love her?” Cassian asked.

“I do. Of course I love her.”

“Well, there you go,” Cassian said, waving a hand dismissively. “I think you're overthinking this.”

“Maybe just give it time,” Rhysand said contemplatively. “You know how she is. She feels things very deeply. You might catch up to her faster than you think.”

“Maybe. I hope so,” Azriel said, his mind wandering away again, back to you. Back to the love that shone in your eyes when you looked at him.

He would have to be careful. He would not break your heart. He wouldn't be able to live with himself.

---

Years later, snuggled up to Azriel, watching children screaming and running around the River House the night before Winter Solstice, you couldn’t imagine being happier.

Azriel and you had been talking about trying for children soon. Your heart swelled as you watched Cassian’s and Rhysand’s children grow up together, picturing your own children growing up in all this love, with cousins and aunts and uncles who would love them so much.

You smiled and Azriel kissed your temple. “I know exactly what you’re thinking,” he murmured into your skin.

“You do not,” you smiled.

“I do,” he said, ducking his head to whisper in your ear. “You wanna try for a baby tonight?” His breath tickled your ear, his voice dipping suggestively.

You laughed, playfully shoving him away, and he grinned. “Tonight? The one night a year we sleep under the same roof as our entire family? Absolutely not.”

He pulled you into his lap, kissing you sweetly. “Tomorrow then?” he whispered.

You rolled your eyes, but your heart swelled with love. “We’ll see,” you teased.

Elain called you into the kitchen then, and you went to join her, shooting a wink at Az over your shoulder as you went. He grinned.

Your family was scattered all over the house, leaving Rhys, Cassian, and Azriel alone in the living room next to the kitchen with some of the children.

You could hear them laughing together as you helped Elain prep some of the food for the following morning.

Your ears perked up when you heard your name and Elain shot you a curious look, clearly eavesdropping along with you.

“Remember when you two first got together?” Rhysand asked, likely to Azriel.

“Yes,” Az chuckled softly. “We’ve come a long way since then.”

“I can’t believe you were ever unsure about her,” Cassian said. “That you were worried you had settled.”

Shock jolted through your entire body, your blood pounding in your ears. You nearly dropped the plate that you were holding.

“I was a fool,” Azriel said, and you could picture him shaking his head slightly. “I can’t imagine life without her. I can’t believe I lasted so long just being her friend.”

“She’s got you wrapped around her little finger,” Rhysand teased.

“Oh, like you’re not the same with Feyre,” Azriel shot back, and all three brothers erupted into laughter.

You looked at Elain finally, her expression solemn, like she could see right through to your soul, how broken you felt.

Without a word, you left the kitchen, going up to the guest room that you and Azriel occupied when you stayed with Feyre and Rhysand.

Azriel had settled for you. He was sad that night that he first kissed you, sad about not getting a shot with Mor or Elain, so he had gone to the one person he knew would never deny him.

All this time, all these years, he had just been settling with you because he didn’t want to be alone. You felt sick.

You had fallen in love with him, and to him you were just there. Ready for the taking. That’s why he chose you.

Your stomach lurched, and you scrambled to the bathroom, spilling your guts, hot tears streaming down your face, sobs shaking your whole body.

---

Azriel frowned sometime later, wondering why you hadn’t come back yet. He wandered away from his brothers, finding Elain alone in the kitchen. She frowned at him as he entered, looking angrier than he had ever seen her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Why don’t you go ask your wife?”

He furrowed his brow. “What do you mean? Where is she?”

“She went upstairs a while ago,” Elain said curtly, turning back to her pastries.

Azriel’s heart pounded. What had happened to make Elain angry at him? Why had you gone upstairs without saying goodnight to anyone?

He rushed up to the room, confused when he didn’t see you anywhere, until he heard you sniffling in the washroom. His heart lurched, panic setting in as he swung the door open, finding you lying on the floor, hugging your legs to your chest, facing away from him.

He whispered your name, his anxiety increasing. When you didn’t answer, he sat down next to you, rubbing your back soothingly, gently setting your head into his lap. He saw your tear stained cheeks, your red eyes, and the breath was sucked right out of his lungs.

“What happened, love? What is it?” he asked, trying to sound calm.

You refused to look at him, staring ahead blankly.

He had never seen you like this. “Honey, you’re scaring me, please tell me what’s wrong,” he said, his voice breaking.

Finally, you sat up and walked back into the bedroom, still not looking at him. As you did, you mumbled, “you settled.”

“What?” he asked, following you into the bedroom.

You slid under the covers, facing away from him. “You settled with me. You didn’t want to be alone, so you kissed me that night. And you settled with me.”

“I didn’t,” he said, quietly. “I did not settle. I love you. So much.”

You buried yourself further into the covers, hiding yourself from him. His heart ached. “All this time,” you whispered. “All this time. You must have been just waiting for Mor or Elain to change their minds, huh?”

“No,” he said, his voice coming out quiet and crackly. He rounded the bed, willing you to look at him. He settled on his knees, looking into your eyes, cupping your cheek with a scarred hand. “No. It was never like that. It was never about them. I love you, I always have,” he said, willing you to believe him, to feel that he meant it.

A tear slid down your cheek. His heart broke further as he wiped it away gently with his thumb. “That’s not what Cassian said,” you whispered.

Azriel sighed, his eyes pleading. “I was worried. When we first started dating, I was worried that your feelings were deeper than mine. You always feel things so deeply, my love, and that’s one of the things that I love the most about you. I was scared that I wasn’t at the same level that you were, and you would get hurt because of it.”

“Looks like I have,” you whispered.

“But it’s not like that now, it hasn’t been like that for years. I’ve known for so long that you are the only person in the world that I could ever want. Please,” Azriel whispered. “Please believe that I am so in love with you. It was one stupid conversation ages ago, and I’m so sorry that I hurt you, but you have to believe me. You are the love of my life.”

“I don’t know how to believe you right now,” you said quietly, your voice breaking.

Azriel’s heart broke completely. Your face was completely blank in a way he had never seen before. “What can I do?”

“I don’t know, Az. I need -- I need space.”

He gulped, but nodded, rising to his feet slowly “Okay. I’ll be downstairs, if you need me.”

You didn’t respond. He willed his legs to move, to leave you behind, broken, in the bed you were supposed to share.

Cassian and Rhys were the only people left downstairs by the time he made it back down, drinking and laughing together.

One look at their brother’s face, and they went silent.

“I fucked up,” Azriel said, taking the glass from Cassian’s hand and shooting the amber liquid back in one gulp.

Cassian handed Azriel the whole bottle, who would have laughed, if he hadn’t ripped his own heart to shreds that night.

He took a swig before saying quietly, “she heard our conversation. She thinks I settled with her.”

“Shit,” Cassian said, his face falling.

“What did you tell her?” Rhys asked, his expression solemn too.

“The truth. I was worried that in the beginning that she loved me more than I loved her, but now… Gods, I’m so in love with her. But she said she can’t trust me anymore,” he said, a tear running down his cheek before he quickly wiped it away.

His brothers were silent for a moment, thinking.

After a moment, Cassian said, “Yeah, I don’t know how you fix this, Az.”

Azriel laughed humorlessly, taking another sip from the bottle. “Thanks.”

“She might just need some time,” Rhysand said.

“You didn’t see her,” Azriel said, his voice breaking again. “She was…” he trailed off and shook his head. “I’ve never seen her like that. She’s wrecked. Because of me.”

His brothers stayed up with him for a long time, trying to console him, but he eventually sent them away to their happy mates who still loved them.

He laid on the couch, his wings drooping on the floor, his heart hurting. He hadn’t spent a night away from you since you had gotten together unless he was on a mission. This felt fundamentally wrong.

Eventually, he got up, wandering through the quiet house. He made his way into the study, digging out some paper. He had to fix this. He needed you to understand.

---

You’d barely slept at all, and winced when the sun started lightly filtering into the room that shouldn’t be so empty.

You didn’t know how to feel, what to think. You knew Azriel loved you. But was it enough? Was it the same, all-consuming love that you felt for him?

How could you ever be sure?

After just one night, you missed the heat of his body against yours, hated rolling over to see the other side of the bed empty.

Cauldron, you had been talking about children less than 12 hours ago, and now…

You shoved the thought away, your eyes still burning from crying all night. You refused to start up again.

What a Winter Solstice this would turn out to be. Maybe you should just go home.

Alone, in the apartment that you had turned into a home with Azriel. Your bottom lip trembled, and you bit it, hard. You were strong, you would survive this.

Whatever this ended up being.

Your mind was still spinning and you hadn’t yet gotten out of bed when there was a tentative knock on your door.

“What?” you said, quietly, your voice not sounding like your own.

Azriel opened the door slowly, studying you as he lingered in the doorway. He looked awful, bags under his eyes, his clothes rumpled, his hair a mess, like he had run his hand through it over and over again.

“Hey,” he said quietly.

“Hi,” you replied timidly.

His face fell and you knew why. You had never sounded like that, not with him.

He took a cautious step into the room, watching you closely. “I made something. For when you're ready,” he said, placing a stack of papers on the bedside table.

You remained silent, not sure what to say. He swallowed, and turned to leave, but he stopped in the doorway, turning back to you. “I do love you. So much.”

His expression was pained, and you could tell he wanted to say more, but he just looked at you sadly before disappearing behind the door he closed behind him.

It wasn’t until after you took a long bath that you had the courage to look at the papers he had left for you. You sat on the bed, pulling them into your lap, surprised at how many pages there were.

On the top, in Azriel’s handwriting it said, “To My Dearest Love.”

Despite everything, you couldn’t stop the swell in your chest, the love that you felt for him.

You were shocked as you read through page after page. He had written your story, the story of your love from his perspective, every date you had gone on, every Winter Solstice, every milestone. He detailed his thoughts as he went through each of those moments, all the things he loved about you, when he noticed new little things about you, even after being friends for so long.

Tears were streaming down your face by the time you got to the end, where it read:

You, my love, are everything. Everything. If you’ll let me, I’ll spend the rest of our lives proving it to you.

I’m sorry that I was a fool. I’ll always be sorry that I hurt you.

Whatever you decide, whatever you want going forward, I just hope that you’ll know how deeply I love you.

---

Azriel had gone to the annual snowball fight with his brothers, only for a distraction. But his heart wasn’t in it, and after about ten minutes, his brothers had deemed his snowball game so pathetic that they called it off and all went inside to the cabin to drink.

He knew he was being tragic company, so Azriel went back to the River House on his own, prepared to find a quiet corner to sulk in by himself. He hoped you had read what he stayed up all night writing, at least. Even if it didn’t change anything…

He didn’t let himself dwell on what could happen. He didn’t know what he would do if you left him.

He nearly fell over when he noticed that you were sitting in the living room that he had used his shadows to winnow into.

You looked surprised too, but not unhappy. Relief flooded through him.

“Hi,” you said, quietly.

“Hi,” he said, his voice raspy.

You stood up, walking toward him slowly, stopping a few steps from him. He longed to hold you, to make it all better, but he stayed where he was.

“I read it,” you whispered.

He could only nod, his heart in his throat.

Tears welled up in your eyes, and his heart shattered, terror flooding through him before you closed the distance between you, wrapping your arms around him, burying your face in his chest.

He hugged you back instantly, holding you to him with crushing force.

“I don’t want to be mad at you anymore,” you said into his chest. “I love you.”

Azriel felt like he was going to fall over, the only thing that was keeping him standing was you. “I love you,” he said, letting the tears fall freely down his cheeks, resting his chin on the top of your head. “I love you, I’m so sorry.”

You shook your head. “You don’t have to be sorry. I get it now. What you wrote -- it helped me understand. And it was beautiful.”

“I’m still sorry I hurt you,” he said, his voice cracking.

You stood on your tiptoes to kiss him gently. “It’s okay, Az. I’m okay.”

Azriel took your face in his hands gently, kissing you like his life depended on it. He felt like it did.

You let him kiss you for ages, until the two of you realized that you were no longer alone. Azriel looked up to see that his brothers had winnowed in and were now staring at the two of you.

“Oh, thank the Mother,” Cassian said, bracing his hands on his knees dramatically before coming up and hugging you, lifting you into the air, while Rhys laughed behind him. “You guys really had me worried.”

“I take it you worked it all out?” Rhysand asked, kissing your cheek after Cassian set you back on the ground.

“Yeah, we’re okay now,” you said, laughing at them.

Rhysand and Cassian did look extremely relieved, which made Azriel’s heart swell. He would always be thankful for his brothers.

---

After a surprisingly successful Winter Solstice, you and Azriel made your way back home, now cuddling together in your bed, holding each other tightly.

Azriel kissed the top of your head. “I’ll always be so thankful for you. I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

You snuggled closer into him. “We’re both lucky.”

Azriel laughed. “Speaking of getting lucky… you want to try for that baby now?”

You gawked at him, incredulously. “What, too soon?” he asked, smirking.

“Males are ridiculous,” you scolded him.

After a beat, Azriel risked it. “I didn’t hear a no…”

You laughed, pulling him into a kiss. “You’re so stupid.”

Azriel grinned. “Oh, I know.”

@thalia-as-blog @saltedcoffeescotch @batboyrhyrhy @1-s1mp-t00-much

#acotar fic #acotar one shot #acotar x reader #acotar #azriel x reader #azriel #azriel acotar #azriel one shot #azriel x you #azriel fluff #azriel angst #acotar angst #acotar fluff #acotar imagine #azriel fic #azriel fanfic #request

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lailols · 1 month ago

Text

TXT when you call them by their name

Soobin

- sassy, pouty, isn’t moving an inch until you get his name right

“Soobin!” You say shaking so you jostle him from how you’re cuddling, “Look at this video.”

He does the exact opposite. Sitting up and shifting to the end of the bed so you’re not touching without saying a word.

“Soobin?” You call out and crawl over to him, sprawling yourself on top of him, “What’s wrong? Look at this video.”

He hmphs and flips over so you fall off of him.

“Helloooooooo” You start shaking him. “Why are you doing this? Did I do something?”

“I don’t know angel, did you?”

“No? Soobin, we’ve been sitting here watching TikTok’s for like an hour.”

“Hm, I guess not darling.” He says standing up.

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know, love, probably somewhere that I’m loved and appreciated”

“Um?” You stand as well, “What are you talking about, Soobin?”

“Now you’re just doing it on purpose!” He pouts ans stomps his foot.

“Doing what?”

“Calling me that name.” He spits the words like a curse.

“Soobin? Baby, that’s your name!” You say cradling his cheeks.

“Nope, not to you.” He shakes his head, “Calling me that is basically saying you want me to never succeed in life and die.”

“I didn’t realize calling you by the name your parents gave you was a crime”

“It is when it’s you”

“Okay, I’m so sorry my sugarplum gumdrop lovemuffin pumpkin sweetie pie.” You say peppering kisses over his face.

“I’d rather my name to that monstrosity”

“Beggars can’t be choosers”

Yeonjun

- he’d rather you just kill him, actually

“Yeonjun, look at this!” You go to run up to the display but are stopped by the horrified gasp that leaves your boyfriend’s lips.

Yeonjun falls to his knees in the middle of the mall, clutching his heart, “I think I might be dying.”

“What? What’s wrong? What happened?” You kneel next to him and while scanning his body trying to see whats hurting him.

“You calling me Yeonjun must’ve taken ten years off my lifespan.” He cries dramatically, curled in on himself, “I can feel the cold, clammy hands of death already.”

“I thought you were hurt, asshole.” You slap his shoulder and stand up to walk away.

“Noooooooo” his whines follow you as he scrambles to catch up, draping himself on top of you “baby, you were supposed to give me the kiss of life and call me by my name”

“Me calling you by your name is how we got into this situation.” you say with an eye roll.

“Not that name, the name only you can call me!”

“I call you a lot of names, which one should I pick?”

“The one that you think fits me the best!”

“Oh, okay, idiot”

“Hey!”

“It’s true!” You say with a shrug.

“That’s not romantic at all!”

“You didn’t say it had to be romantic!”

“It was implied!

“Fine! My idiot~”

“That’s works too.” He says with a grin.

Beomgyu

- fights fire with fire, don’t play with him

“Beomgyu, can you zip my top please?” You ask watching him through the mirror.

“Sure, y/n, I can do that, y/n” he says, stepping up to zip you.

Your brows furrow, “…oooookay, thank you?”

“What’s wrong, y/n? I thought you wanted me to zip up your top, y/n?” He says with a shit eating grin.

“Why are you saying my government name so much?”

“Oh, I thought that that’s what we were doing, y/n.” He cocks his head at you .

“No? Gyu, why would we do that?”

“You literally called me Beomgyu five minutes ago!”

“I wasn’t doing it to be mean, I was doing it because it’s your name genius.”

“Well, then I’m just doing the same thing, y/n”

“Gyuuuuuuuu, stop I don’t like it”

“Are you sure, y/n? Because if my name slips out so naturally, you must like it, y/n. And if you like my government name, y/n, isn’t it fair to assume that you like your government name as well, y/n?”

“No, actually, it is not, Beomgyu”

“It seems like it is, y/n, because here you are, continuing to call me that.”

“You’ve called my name at least 100 times in the last five minutes”

“I had a point to prove and my honor on the line.”

“I’m so sure.”

“Don’t hate the player, hate the game.”

Taehyun

- realizes and is vv confused

Taehyun! Can you grab some food on your way home? I don’t feel like cooking🥺

He had to read the text five times to make sure he wasn’t crazy.

Were you upset he wasn’t home yet? He told you he’d be at the gym late tonight but maybe you wanted to spend some time together before bed.

Did you want him to cook? Should he have telepathically sensed that you weren’t in the mood to cook and stayed home to make you your dinner?

Obviously he doesn’t actually believe any of this, but his name being in the text message instead of babe, love, hyun, or even tyun is very worrying.

He decides to cut his workout short and grab something to cook for you.

He even brings it up to the room so you don’t have to move to eat.

“Oh? What’s the special occasion?”

“Nothing…. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, baby, I’m fine.” You say grabbing the bowl. “How was the gym? You’re back pretty early”

“The gym was good, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes??? Tae, why do you keep asking?” You ask with a laugh.

He mumble something and then says again louder, “You called me Taehyun when you texted me and I was worried you were upset about something.”

“Oh! No, love, I’m not upset.” You chuckle, “I just realized that a lot of my nicknames for you are parts of your name so I just wanted to test out the full thing to see if it sticks.”

“And… did it stick?”

“Not really. It feels too formal to call you by your name.”

He lets out the breath he was holding, “That’s good, I didn’t really like it either.”

Kai

- pouty but doesn’t want you to realize

“….Hueningkai?”

His head whips around to you like he was struck. He looks you up and down to gauge your emotions but you’re just standing over the pot as serene as ever. It’s fine, he’ll play it cool and act completely natural to see if you’re upset.

“Ye-ah?” Shit, his voice cracked.

“Can you pass me the salt?”

“Sure, babe.” He grabs the salt and goes to hand it to you.

“Thanks, Hueningkai.” You try to take the salt from him, but he doesn’t let it go, “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course.” He lets go of the salt like it’s on fire.

You add the salt in and put the pot cover on so it could simmer and then turn around to find Kai sulking in front of the fridge.

“Kai?…. Are you okay?”

“Yeah! Yeah, I’m fine! What’s up?” He jumps up and leans against the fridge in an attempt to look natural (he doesn’t).

You eye him for a bit before continuing, “Why are you standing all the way over there? We usually cling to each other while we cook.”

“Oh, I just wanted to be ready incase you needed something else.”

You eye him again, “If I needed something else, we could’ve just walked over there and gotten it. You don’t have to wait like I’ll kill you if you don’t bring it fast enough”

“Yeah, but…” he trails off

“But, what?”

“Does it not annoy you when I don’t give it right away?”

“I mean, not really? And if it did, I’d just grab it myself”

“Hm…” he pouts and looks away from you

“What made you think I was annoyed, baby?”

“Well… you called me by my full name when I took too long to pass the salt.”

“Honey, I was just trying to get your attention. When I called you the first few times, you didn’t respond.”

“Oh…”

#txt x reader #txt #tomorrow x together #soobin x reader #soobin #yeonjun x reader #yeonjun #beomgyu x reader #beomgyu #taehyun x reader #txt taehyun #hueningkai x reader #hueningkai

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ellabscrush · 9 months ago

Text

— play with my pussy, not my heart.

a/n; this has been an idea in my head for awhile but kept scrapping it, hopefully this is alr. btw my requests are opennn.

𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫!𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

cw; smut, mdni, fingering, reader has a nervous habit that might triggering, dom!reader, flirting, language, slap kink once, arguing, abby is a dick here lol, trust issues, angst?? lmk if i missed any!!

sypnosis; your well known girlfriend who has a reputation of being a player finally decides to settle into a serious relationship with you. aware of your girlfriend’s past, abby’s project partner comes to intervene with your thoughts & worries. back and forth arguing isn’t going anywhere, you had to show her other ways on who not to mess with.

— ˚ෆ ⋅˚ —

“it’s just a small study sesh baby, nat even agreed to do it at our apartment!” abby walks towards you as she hovers over, “so no need to worry, ‘kay?”

she caresses your face and pecked your lips.

nat, aka natasha ferreira, is apart of western university’s dance team. you’ve seen her around before wearing white flowy skirts and layered jewelry. you once heard her talking about how her parents got a brand new bmw for her quinceañera.

i guess there was nothing to hate about her, other than the fact she is gorgeous and very talented with her dancing. this was just another one of your stupid overthinking.. right?

“okay abs.. thank you,” you gave her a soft smile.

“that’s my best girl.”

besides, trust was the thing you both had been working on these past months. dating abby was going to be a challenge. you knew it and your friends knew it. though they weren’t too supportive with her intentions at first, you were convinced abby could change her acts if she reallyy tried.

three knocks suddenly interrupted your little conversation. abby sprinted to the door and opens it to find a joyful figure in front of her.

nat gasps, “abby! this is my first time seeing you outside of uni,” she smiles with excitement.

abby smiled back and leaned for a hug, leaving you to stare at them with a lump of jealousy in your throat.

— ˚ෆ ⋅˚ —

one minute you were next to abby, and then the second the brunette is touching forearms besides her with those stupid doe eyes, glossed lips, and weirdly seductive black platform heels. god she’s annoying.

“your handwriting is shit!” the brunette teased, giggling as she leans to abby.

“yeah?” your girlfriend chuckles, “this is what you get for choosing me as your partner.”

nat shrugs, “well then i can deal with it.”

you tried so hard to not be bitter. really you did. but each time you glance at the two across the kitchen island, you swore the both of them were doing this shit on purpose.

sudden eye contacts with you everytime they laughed together, unrelated conversations, and some flirty remarks. oh, and not to mention the obvious footsies that was happening under the table. like you can literally see it.

“fuck me..” you muttered.

“what’s that princess?” abby asks you, the nickname made nat changed her demeanor quickly.

you turned back to meet nat’s eyes, then to abby, and back to nat.

“nothin’ love,” you put a convincing smile.

three hours long night full of giggling and jokes you didn’t even get later on.. you find yourself yelling back and forth in your shared bedroom with abby who literally couldn’t understand where you were coming from.

abby groans, “goddamnit we talked about this!”

“i never did anything to her, you were literally infront of us,” she raised her voice.

“abs, she deadass rubbed her foot on your leg multiple times and leaned to you everytime you both laughed..”you went on, getting more frustrated by the minute.

“well.. we’re just having a little fun, is that romantic to you?” abby asks with her hand crossed to her chest, her facial expression screams ‘you’re being crazy.’

you were exhausted trying to find ways to communicate without bringing up abby’s past, like you both agreed to. however, your concerns shouldn’t supposed to end in argument. you shook your head, letting out a long sigh and sat on the edge of the bed.

“i- i don’t know abby,” you stammered, “i guess it is romantic when they do the things i do to you.. since i am yours.”

you gazed down at your feet with teary eyes while unaware as you were digging your nails into your thighs. this was a nervous habit of yours in which you don’t realize you have been doing it for so long. your girlfriend, however, does.

she slowly walks closer to the edge of the bed and kneeled down to your eye level.

“you are mine.” her voice sounding more reassuring and softer like you could faint at that moment.

“i thought you could’ve been better for me..” you sniffled

abby panicks once she realizes you were crying, “baby no.. fuck i’m trying..”

“trying?” you looked up.

the blonde sighs, “will. i will be better.”

she moved your hands from your thighs with one hand, while other pushes your head closer to hers for a deep kiss. more so, a sloppy one. she wipes your cheeks and the kisses started from sweet, to mean in a heartbeat. abby stroked you waist, making you clench you thighs together.

abby smirks, “you turned on princess?” she asks and you just whimpered in response, “fuck.. i gotta wake up early tomorrow.”

knowing your girlfriend has plans tomorrow morning, this sparked an idea in your head. abby can become a submissive mess when you’re in charge. so you decide to show her other ways who not to play with, and whose pussy she can only play with!

“so?” you replied in between kisses, “don’t want me to scream your name tonight?”

.. besides, making her miss out a big free brunch with her friends the next day will be an added punishment you thought.

the blonde smiles and throws you to the middle of the bed, causing you to squeal from the unexpected move. abby aggressively pulls down your shorts and underwear. your wet slick was ready for her.

“look at you all ready for me,” she circles her thumb on your lips slowly, “gotta fuck that jealousy out quick or else i’ll be late tomorrow, princess.”

you smiled maliciously in response as you bite your lip. abby then shoves her two fingers inside your mouth, “open.”

she pumps her ring and middle finger in and out. being all soaked in your drool making it wet enough to fit in your pussy. the sounds of your whimpers made her go crazy. you shut your eyes feeling abby’s cold, drenched fingers sliding inside.

your body shuttered, “s-shit baby..”

the sounds of your wet pussy is practically making abby drool.

“feels so fuckin’ good, keep going,” you ordered keeping a strong eye contact with the blonde, “just like that..”

“that fucking pussy,” abby whispers, you licked your lips looking down at her fat fingers going in and out, “you needy whore,” she degrades.

her words were like fire and heaven at the same time. you wouldn’t be so pissed off at her if she hadn’t let nat be all over her for three hours straight. now it’s your job to remind her whose pussy she can fuck. and the only one.

you let out an airy laugh, “i’m the whore hm? atleast i wasn’t flirting with another bitch,” she looks up at your face. you were trying to keep your composure while being mercilessly fucked.

you sat yourself up with elbows on the mattress, “you proud of yourself huh?” just inches away from her stupid smirk.

“faster,” you demanded.

she curled her fingers inside of you, hitting your g spot like a pro. you can help but let out a moan and rocked your hips in rhythm. that smirk of hets turned to an amazed expression once she hears your juices sloshing around.

“fuck baby,” abby was practically drenched under her pjs wanting to taste you, “p-please need to taste you.”

“nuh uh, you’re being mean all day. you don’t, f-fuck, deserve me.”

abby was desperate just by hearing you speak like this. you’re such an angel around her normally, like when she first met you, you were different than the other girls she had met before. she fell for you. but damn that mouth of yours was killer in bed.

the rare times you controlled her was only when you were pissed off at your girlfriend for the amount of disrespectful flirting that was happening in front of you, or not giving you updates on what she’s doing with her girl friends. however, you can’t blame yourself for having mixed trust issues knowing how many girlfriends abby has had.

maybe you’ve been too patient with her? letting shit go so easily?

“shit- c’mere” you groaned and kissed her viciously at the thought of her fucking another girl. one hand around her neck while the other grips her loose hair.

“mmm, keep going..” you moaned in her mouth.

abby rubs your clit, feeling your juices squirting all over her thighs, “p-please baby.. lemme clean you up” she begs to lick your folds but you resisted.

you slapped her cheek, her needy face turning red.

“shut up,” you growled, “better stop messing around.. i deserve fuckin’ better.”

abby whimpers, putting her head back in frustration. she then looks down to see you, a dripping pussy drunk mess. her fingers were sticky and all tired. however, she’s not stopping until she screams your name.

“atleast say my name when you cum,” she pleaded, “please.”

her voice made you feel every type of way. your thighs starting to heat up, a familiar feeling as you have had fucked yourself with the thought of her in the past. pounding noises as you thrust your hips on to her fingers harder puts many heated scenes in your head.

“abby.. oh my god- m’ fucking cumming..”

“that’s my girl, ride daddy’s dick,” she encourages you.

an orgasm was washing over you, “abby you’re mine. fuck- ah-“ you burried your face in the crooks of her neck.

“all yours baby, i’m sorry.” she kissed all over your shoulder, genuinely feeling bad that she didn’t give you the reassurance you wanted earlier.

“abs- fuckfuckfuck,” you screamed out, screaming her name loud enough the apartment below could hear you, “i hate you so much..”

“i love you princess.. love it when i make you cum..” she admits. your legs shaking like crazy, feeling overstimulated.

you know how that goes..

once you orgasmed, you let abby suck her fingers, tasting every bit of yourself. and just like that, you were laying down with a fast pounding in your chest. she caresses your stomach and kissed all over your body, still needing to feel you more. but knew you needed her the most.

“hey, you okay?” she asked softly, looking at your sleepy eyes. she just wanted the both of you to be good. “i’m fine.. just a little tired. i feel like you don’t know how badly it hurts me to see you purposely being all over people like that.”

abby sighs, knowing she fucked up. she didn’t want to be that person anymore. she loved you, really, but her actions just aren’t the thinkable. you both sleep skin to skin while she stays up to watch you fall deep in your sleep.

“i love you, angel.” she whispers. feeling all the guilt in her chest, your girlfriend pulls you in closer.

of course, she had to make it up to you the next day so she cancelled all plans. it’s not like she got up in time anyway.

well now you both know she won’t ever be doing that shit again.

— ˚ෆ ⋅˚ —

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delulujuls · 7 months ago

Text

young, dumb & bwoke | ln4

hi! as u can see i couldn't stop myself from writing about last saturday events in amsterdam with mr norris as main star (he was more popular than the king himself lmao). lando is literally what i always bring to the function and yup, enjoy him being the chaotic drunk bestie while max and y/n are his literal party parents. its nothing crazy and without plot basically, i just added sum to this years' koningsdag so yeah, enjoy!

summary: there is nothing that lando loves more than a good party and his beloved dutch friends so imagine him with drink in his cup surrounded by whole orange nation. it could be nuts and it was

warnings: TONS of alcohol, lando being drunk (and hurted), mentions of blood, basically sum chaos

pairing: fem!dutch!bff!reader x lando norris (ft. max verstappen)

Lando couldn't wait for the plane he was on to break through the heavy cloud cover and land in Amsterdam.

China and Miami, which were the next rounds on the calendar, were separated by two weeks that were nothing else, in Lando's case, than a time of stagnation. Add to this the fact that Lando had bad memories of his performance in China and, what's worse, the sprint he failed so badly and which constantly played in his head like a jammed record, one could go crazy. That's why the Brit was extremely happy when he received an invitation to spend the weekend in the capital of the Netherlands. He was invited to Amsterdam to celebrate King Willem's birthday by none other than his favorite flying Dutch.

The friendship of Y/N, Max and Lando began in 2019, practically from the very moment he entered Formula 1. The kid, who was barely 20 years old but looked like 12, immediately won over the Dutch couple with his smile and sense of humor, who, due to their sometimes severe temperament, could not boast of having many friends in the paddock. Even though the three friends were only two years apart, Max and Y/N naturally became Lando's racing parents, with whom the Brit spent practically every moment, from time in the paddock, through celebrating on the podium, to time away from competitions. So it was no surprise when they invited him to spend the weekend together, to which he, of course, eagerly agreed.

When the plane landed, Lando pulled the hood of his orange sweatshirt over his head and slung his backpack over his shoulder, in which he packed everything he might need for the coming days. As you could guess, there wasn't much of it, he actually had everything he needed on him and the most important part was an oversized orange sweatshirt. Waiting for him at the airport was Y/N, who couldn't wait to see him. She didn't have to wait too long, because a moment later he walked out in front of the terminal. Y/N smiled as she saw her friend walking towards her and she hugged him tightly.

"You knew I was coming, you could have asked the king for better weather," Lando joked, trying to sound serious, which only made the girl giggle.

"If you think that the weather will have any influence on what will happen in the evening, then unfortunately I will have to disappoint you," she replied, getting into the car. "It's already starting to get crowded in downtown, and it's not even noon."

Lando threw his backpack into the backseat and got into the passenger side. He smiled like a child, looking forward to how the weekend would unfold. It looked like he would spend a nice few days, able to finally de-stress and relax, and in the company of friends. But speaking of friends, one of them was missing.

"And where's Max?" he asked as they left the airport and were on their way to the girl's apartment. "I thought he had been waiting for me with the welcome committee since yesterday."

"He's already in town, I dropped him off while I was on my way to pick you up."

"He's fast," Lando laughed and shook his head, "I hope he's still on his feet when we get to him."

At that moment, Lando didn't think about the fact that no one else but himself would be able to stay on his feet. When the Brit set off for Amsterdam, he obviously expected to spend two days drunk, with legs sore from dancing and a sore throat from singing, but he forgot that he has absolutely no immunity to alcohol.

When the three friends were finally together, alcohol quickly appeared in their hands. Y/N and Max started with beer, but Lando had no intention of wasting his time drinking something that would only cause pressure on his bladder. As soon as he boarded one of the barges floating on the Herenbracht Canal, he drank several shots at once. Y/N and Max just exchanged glances as he drank the drink standing on Garrix's console in one gulp, who didn't care one bit about it, being already in a good mood himself.

"I'm a little worried about how this might end," Max said in her ear as she took a sip of her cider, watching Lando jump happily.

"Even if he's drunk, so what," she replied, handing him her bottle and taking away the body paints in circulation, "He didn't come here to be bored."

Max was about to say something, but she pushed his hand slightly, bringing the bottle he was holding to his lips. Max shook his head and took a few sips from it, while the girl started painting flags on his cheeks. When she finished, she waved them up, attracting Lando's attention, who understood what she meant and nodded eagerly. The girl squeezed through the console and stood next to him, leaning him against the barge rails, because Lando had trouble not bobbing to the music for a moment.

The smile that never left his face wrinkled his cheeks, on which she tried to paint Dutch flags. When she finished and turned to pass the paints, Lando took off her sunglasses and put them on himself.

"Have a drink with me!" Lando shouted, holding out his empty cup to her, and she raised her cider bottle in response. He rolled his eyes in dissatisfaction when suddenly a bottle of vodka appeared in the crowd and someone handed it straight to his hands. Without much thought, Lando unscrewed the cap and took a few sips as if the contents were water, which of course met with the crowd's approval.

Y/N took the bottle from his hands, fearing not the amount Lando drank, but the relatively short time it took him to do so. However, not wanting to seem boring, she tilted the bottle herself, letting the liquid burn her throat. Delighted, Lando clapped his hands and hugged his friend, causing some of the alcohol to flow down her chin. She smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist as well, and raised her hand in a toast, which was joined by everyone who had something to drink.

Max also raised his beer bottle a bit. However, somewhere in the background of his mind there was an image of Lando and what he would look like in the near future. However, the Brit himself did not care at all about this. As long as he was in the company of his friends, his plastic cup was full and he could jump to the music and sing along, he was happy. Even the fact that his face was in the wrong place at the wrong time, when someone, completely by accident, punched him in the face, didn't disturb it.

Y/N, who also decided to pick up the pace after drinking her cider, immediately sobered up when she saw blood on her friend's face. She quickly pressed a tissue to his nose, but he tried to assure her that he was fine. His brain didn't encode the impact or the pain, didn't acknowledge that he was bleeding, even when he ran his tongue over his lips and tasted blood on them. People in the crowd started calling out to each other to see if anyone had a first aid kit. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bandage appeared, and just as Y/N, being drunk, thought it would be a great idea to wrap Lando's face in a bandage, Max started asking people if they somehow had band aids. He couldn't let that dumbass parade around like that for the rest of the evening.

“I've sobered up a bit, I can keep drinking,” he said as Y/N finished clumsily bandaging his face, “I probably look worse that i did when i crashed in Vegas.”

Her friend tried to be serious, but it was impossible to stay serious around Lando. "You have to be careful, Lan," she said, trying to retain some sanity and touching his cheek, looking into his eyes, "I hope it's not broken."

"Bwoken," he repeated in silly voice, giggling "Oh no, it couldn't be bwoken"

"Honestly, i also hope it is not," Max interjected when he managed to rejoin his friends after some time, "Getting to the hospital now would be a near miracle."

"Hey, I'm fine," he said as Max waved the Band-Aids in his face and began to remove the clumsy bandage into which their friend had probably poured her whole heart and a few drinks that she drank earlier.

"I'm glad you don't feel anything, but that doesn't change the fact that I won't look at it," he replied, lifting his chin and examining his nose from every angle. Luckily this one seemed fine.

Once Max had placed two tiny patches on him, Y/N handed him his mug with a fresh drink again. "Brave patient," she smiled at him.

"In a state like this, I'd be surprised if he felt something," Max admitted, taking a bottle of vodka standing nearby. He decided that since Lando had had an accident, nothing worse awaited them and he could allow himself to loosen a bit more. He took a few sips and handed the bottle to the younger one, who smiled, tightening his hand around it. He looked at his friends standing in front of him, slightly drunk but still fully focused on him. He knew he was important to them and that he is not alone in all this madness.

"I love you guys," he said, with a bottle in his hand, pushing himself off the railing and hugging them, "You are the best in the world, simply the best."

The rest of the day and later in the evening took place in a great atmosphere and the party lasted until 3. in the morning. For the rest of Amsterdam it probably lasted longer, but for Lando it began to end after two o'clock, when he was barely able to stand. Partly from being drunk, partly from being tired. He didn't stand still during a single song, so the next day, apart from his face, his legs will certainly be visible. Taking a break for something warm to eat, Max, Y/N, and Lando sat down at one of the wooden tables. While waiting for their orders, Lando rested his head on Y/N's shoulder and closed his eyes. It was obvious that he just needed something to lean on to fall asleep.

"I think it's time for us to go," the girl announced, directing her words to Max. "The baby is only fit for bed now."

"He's been in great shape for a long time anyway, judging by how much he was on his feet today," Max concluded, glancing first at him and then at the girl, "But you're holding up pretty well, aren't you?"

"Yes, I do," she nodded and hugged Lando, who began to slide off her shoulder, "But I'm also getting sleepy."

"Me too," Max rubbed his face with his hands, "At least we can be sure that no one will wake us up first thing in the morning to explore the city."

He said, glancing at Lando, who was dozing with his mouth open on his friend's shoulder. After eating casseroles and fries, which were for Lando and which he was unable to eat, the three of them went to the girl's apartment. Of course, only she and Max were walking on their own, Lando was between them, leaning on their arms. He was muttering something incomprehensible under his breath, so it was obvious that he was alive and everything was fine, besides the fact that he was completely drunk.

When they arrived at the address and crossed the threshold of the apartment, they immediately went to put him in the bedroom, not wasting time in unfolding the couch for him. Max was in the process of stripping him of his shoes, pants, bloody sweatshirt, and all the necklaces and ribbons he had collected the previous day, while Y/N placed a large bottle of water, painkillers, and a bucket by his bed, as if the contents of his stomach had suddenly decided that they wants to get outside. However, there was no indication that Lando was going to have a restless night, because he started snoring softly as soon as his cheek touched the pillow. Max covered him with the blanket and took a few steps away from the bed, standing next to his friend who was looking at the sleeping boy.

"Can you hear that?" Max whispered, glancing at her, and she frowned questioningly, "It's silence, listen to it, because when he gets up, the only thing you can hear will be his lamentations about how hungover he is."

The girl snorted quietly and shook her head, taking Lando's clothes to the laundry.

"The most important thing is that he had a good time. And a little hangover never killed nobody."

The next day, however, did not bring anything unexpected. When Lando woke up, the first thing that hit him was a terrible headache that got worse when he sat down and tried to get out of bed. When he stood in the doorway of the bedroom, Y/N and Max's eyes immediately went towards him and Lando could swear that they looked like they spent the entire last evening on the couch.

"Hi honey, did you sleep well?" Max asked playfully, in the perfect mood for jokes since he himself was fine after last night.

Lando just blinked several times and wanted to wipe his face with his hands and collect some words to answer, but when he touched his cut nose, he cursed loudly.

"What the fuck?"

"A souvenir from yesterday," the girl answered him, getting up from the couch and taking out a frozen package from the fridge, which she handed to him, "I recommend a shower and I'll make you some coffee."

He closed his eyes and put the package to his nose, sighing and grabbing the bathroom door handle. Before he disappeared, Max just shouted after him.

"And don't puke in the shower!"

#f1 imagines #f1 #f1 one shot #formula 1 #f1 oneshots #f1 imagine #lando norris #ln4 #lando norris x reader #lando norris x you #lando norris x y/n #max verstappen #mv1 #mv33 #max verstappen x reader #max verstappen x you

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violentdelightsandviolentends · 5 months ago

Text

Honey Girl. Chapter Ten.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Eleven. Series Masterlist. The Playlist.

Chapter Synopsis - The two of you have some time to yourselves for what feels like the first time in forever.

Pairing - Dadsbestfriend!Bucky Barnes x female reader - soulmate au

Warnings - smut. cursing. mention of a panic attack. initial hospital setting. one alcohol mention.

Word Count - 4k

Authors Note - 10!! 10 whole chapters!! can you believe it!! pancake recipe taken from mr carlos sainz - thanks carlito <3. double date next chapter (with protective/jealous bucky, as requested ;)). and the much awaited conversation… coming very soon. thanks for the love and support and kindness. it means the world, always <3

as always, if you enjoyed this, please consider reblogging!! reblogs are the only way to circulate my writing, which generates more of it. feel free to send me a comment or an inbox, too!! thanks, my loves!! <3

Masterlist. Inbox.

“Before I came down to find you, your Mom raised a question with me.”

“… which was?”

He takes a deep breath. Exhales it shakily.

“She asked me how long you and I have been soulmates.”

✵ ✵ ·　 ✵ 　　 * · ✵

“We can’t sit out here forever, honey.”

You stretch out your legs from where they’ve been tucked up against your chest, chin resting on your knees. Bucky places a hand on your thigh, thumb rubbing gentle circles.

“We can.”

He chuckles, pressing a kiss into the top of your head.

“I know it’s scary, but we can’t run from this any longer. We’re just going to have to face it head on.”

“I know,” you sigh, taking his hand in yours. “I’m just…”

You trail off, leaving words unspoken in the air like particles of dust in the sunlight.

“What are you so afraid of? Is it that they won’t support us? Honey girl, they aren’t gonna have much of a choice. We are literally soulmates.”

You’re trying to find a way to explain, but none of your thoughts are coherent enough to articulate into something comprehensible.

“I don’t know, Buck. At first, I think it was that. But now? Maybe I just feel guilty that we’ve kept something so huge a secret for so long. I used to tell my parents everything - by choice. That’s how we’ve always been. And suddenly, the biggest event of my life happens, and I… didn’t tell them?”

“You’re letting this guilt eat you alive, baby. Listen, I feel it too. You’re not alone in this. Do you know how many times your parents have asked me about dating in these last eighteen months? How many times we’ve talked about soulmates? And I guess I never lied… but I haven’t exactly told the truth. I’m just as guilty as you think you are.”

“I’m sorry,” you confess, resting your head against his broad shoulder. “I’ve had such tunnel vision with this whole situation. I’ve been selfish. I should have thought about you more.”

“You haven’t had to.”

“Hmm?”

“You’ve got nothing to apologise for, honey baby. You’ve never had to ‘think about me more’, because you’ve known how I felt this whole time. In here.”

He places a hand over your heart. You close your eyes, letting the warmth from his palm bleed into your chest. The weight of it grounds you back down to Earth, tethered to your soulmate in more ways than one.

“That’s the beauty of it,” he continues. “You don’t have to guess how I’m feeling, or when I’m feeling it - because I’m always telling you. And you’re always listening.”

“I don’t deserve you,” you whisper, squeezing his hand where it’s still linked with yours.

“The Universe disagrees,” he whispers back, leaning in to kiss the spot underneath your ear. “I disagree.”

It’s all so tender, so gentle, so real, that a lump in your throat forms instantly. You blink rapidly, fighting back tears as you press your side into his. If you could sew yourself into his ribcage and live there forever, resting your head on his beating heart, you would.

“Come on,” he coaxes carefully, pulling you to your feet and watching to see if you’re steady enough. “Let’s do this thing.”

You stare up at him, lost in those ocean blue irises. For a moment, you swear you see the waves moving in them, crashing against the shore in a motion so comforting, it reminds you of home.

“I love you.”

Bucky smiles at you, pupils dilating and heart beating that little bit faster. He’ll never get sick of hearing those words.

“I love you more than all the stars in the sky, honey girl. More than anything.”

Tangling your fingers with his, you inhale deeply before taking the first step forwards, towards the front doors of the hospital.

✵ ✵ ·　 ✵ 　　 * · ✵

When you reach your Dad’s room, you drop Bucky’s hand as if by instinct. When he links your fingers once more, you panic momentarily, before realising it’s futile.

They already know. There’s no point in hiding it anymore.

You walk through the door hand in hand, pressed into each others sides as if it’ll keep you standing upright. Maybe it will.

Your Mom instantly bolts out of her chair, coming over to assess you. She looks you up and down, cradling your face in her hands as she checks you over.

“You were gone a long time, sweetheart. You okay? Have you been crying?”

Bucky lets go of you to give you some space, but doesn’t go too far. You can still feel his warmth from behind you as you watch your Mom’s eyebrows furrow with worry.

“I had… I think it was, um… like a - a panic attack, or something. I don’t know. I just got overwhelmed.”

Your voice sounds so small again, so fragile. You mentally chastise yourself for not being stronger for her.

“Oh, honey.”

She pulls you into her chest, stroking your hair just like she did when you were a child and had a nightmare. You’d run across the hall and into your parents room - your Mom would always bolt upright when she heard little feet on the wooden floors, waiting for you with open arms.

“Your Dad is gonna be fine. I promise you, the Doctors have said he’ll make a full recovery.”

“It’s true.”

The voice is croaky and rusted from misuse, but it unmistakably belongs to the man lying in the hospital bed.

You make your way over and sit down carefully, cautious and calculated. Your Dad takes your hand, stroking his thumb across your skin.

“I’m gonna be just fine, kid. I know I scared you, and I’m really sorry. But I’m okay. Promise.”

You smile at him, genuinely this time, before leaning in to press a quick kiss to his cheek.

“You guys should go home.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Go home, get some rest. The two of you look almost as exhausted as Lori does.”

Your Mom laughs, shaking her head. You chuckle, watching them. There’s no one funnier than your soulmate.

“I think we should stay a little longer, Jack.”

Bucky’s voice has all three of your heads whipping around to face him.

“Buck, please be on my side here. You’re tired. Go home, sleep it off. All I’m gonna do for the next twenty four hours is sleep anyway. There’s no point in you sitting here watching me like a bunch of creeps.”

You chew your bottom lip, watching your Dad’s face carefully.

“Mom, Dad - we need to talk about-”

“I know, babygirl,” your Dad interrupts. “And we will. But not here, and not now. We’ll do it when I’m home. We can all sit on the couch and drink your Mom’s cherry lemonade and talk about how you and Bucky have been soulmates this entire time.”

“Not this entire time,” you grumble at his attempt at a joke.

“Seriously, you two. I won’t ask again. Go. Home.”

You look at your Dad for a moment, before averting your gaze to your Mom. They’re both wearing the exact same facial expression - the one they used to give you when you’d refuse your bedtime as a six year old on a school night.

“Come on, honey. You heard them. We’re practically dead on our feet.”

You rise from the bed reluctantly, pressing another kiss to your Dad’s cheek before doing the same to your Mom.

“Call me if anything changes, or if you need anything. I mean anything, you guys.”

They both nod as your Dad does a mock salute, laughing at himself.

Bucky extends his hand out for you. This time, you don’t hesitate to take it. You hold it tightly all the way back to his truck, and then all the way back home.

✵ ✵ ·　 ✵ 　　 * · ✵

You and Bucky get ready for bed in silence, both of you flitting around your apartment as quickly as possible. You can’t wait to finally get under your duvet and lose the stress of the last twenty four hours.

The minute your head hits the pillow, you’re wide awake.

The exhaustion has seeped into your bones, making you weary but restless. You can’t settle, physically or mentally.

Bucky, on the other hand, is out like a light.

He looks so peaceful like this. The moonlight soaks through a gap in the curtains, illuminating his face like some sort of angel. His hair is a little longer than usual, stubble growing out across his sharp jawline. He looks rugged, a little rough around the edges. He’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.

As if he can feel your gaze on him, he cracks an eye open, blinking to adjust to the dimly lit room. He has a pillow crease across his skin, cheek flushed pink with a dusty blush.

“You okay, baby?”

His voice is hoarse and all sleep heavy, rumbling through you like gentle summer thunder.

“Can’t sleep,” you whisper, trying to fight back tears. “I’m so tired, Buck. So fucking tired.”

“But you can’t sleep?”

He pulls you into his chest, tucking your head into the crook of his neck and stroking your hair soothingly.

“It’s like my body is exhausted, but my brain is wide awake,” you mumble into his bare skin. “Doesn’t make sense.”

“Nothing makes sense,” he chuckles lowly. “Nothing in this goddamn world makes sense. Except for me and you.”

Bucky spins you in his arms so your back is to his chest, bodies pressed together without an inch of space between you. Pressing a kiss into your neck, he starts mumbling.

“You just need to turn your brain off, baby. I know it’s easier said than done… so I’m gonna help you. All you need to do is focus on my voice, on my touch. Focus your attention on my hands on you, my lips on your skin. The heat of my body against yours.”

He skims his fingers down your side, gripping at your hips to ground you. He’s still kissing your neck, nipping occasionally to vary the sensation. He slips a hand down your front, cupping you over your underwear as you close your eyes, breathing him in. He smells like salt water and sea air and gasoline and home.

You cant your hips into his touch, trying to get him where you want him. Bucky takes the hint, slipping his hand into your panties and running a finger through your wetness. You groan, throwing your head back into his solid shoulder.

“Just switch off, honey baby. Give in to me.”

Bucky glides a finger into you, crooking it towards him. His palm hits your clit and you keen, whining all high pitched and breathy. His hips buck into your backside at the sound, and he chuckles.

“Fuck, you sound so sweet. Sweetest girl in the world.”

He adds another finger, using his thumb to circle your clit in precise, firm motions. You’re writhing against the mattress like a serpent, unable to stay still as Bucky takes you apart.

“Come for me, baby. Can feel you squeezin’ my fingers. That’s it, atta girl… ride my hand, take what you need. Wanna hear how pretty you sound when you come.”

Your entire body tightens up as you reach your climax, back arching away from Bucky as he continues to curl his fingers. He pulls you close, anchors you to him as you moan and shudder.

Your head is empty, besides the thought of your soulmate. All you can think about is Bucky.

Bucky Bucky Bucky Bucky Bucky.

You take a stuttered inhale as you try to catch your breath, beads of sweat dripping down your back.

“You okay?”

He’s muttering into your shoulder, mouth never leaving your skin. You nod, linking your fingers with his where they rest on your waist.

“You didn’t come,” you whisper, leaning your head back into Bucky.

He kisses your cheek, chuckling lowly.

“This wasn’t about me,” he reassures. “It’s all about you, baby. Always is.”

The two of you breathe together for a little while, allowing you to come down from your high. Eventually, Bucky taps your thigh, nudging you up.

“Come on, honey. Get up and use the bathroom, and then we’ll sleep for the next week.”

You do as he says, crawling back into bed with limbs that feel like jelly.

“How you feelin’?” he asks as he pulls you into his side, resting your head on his chest.

“Fucking fantastic.”

He laughs and you can’t help but laugh too, as if by reflex.

“Yeah? No more racing thoughts in that pretty head of yours?”

“None. All I can think about is how much I want to sleep right now.”

Pressing a kiss onto the top of your head, Bucky tightens his arms around you.

“Then sleep, baby.”

You snuggle into your soulmates side, relaxing into the mattress.

“I love you,” you mumble into his skin.

“I love you,” he murmurs back. “Sweet dreams, honey girl.”

✵ ✵ ·　 ✵ 　　 * · ✵

When you wake, you can’t tell if you’ve slept for five minutes or five days.

The sheets are crumpled, linen strewn across the bed as the pillows sit completely unmoved at the headboard. Sunlight filters in through the curtains, warming your skin that’s exposed to the sea soaked breeze.

You reach over to the other side of the mattress, seeking Bucky’s warmth. You’re met with empty space, and the sound of a throat clearing on the other side of the room.

The man in question is leaning against the doorframe, shirtless and sun kissed. His boxers are hugging his thighs just right, and you repress the urge to crawl over and sink your teeth into the muscle. Later.

“Morning or afternoon?” You croak out, watching as he softly smiles at your sleep addled voice.

“Morning. Eleven twenty four.”

You stretch your arms above your head, unaware of the way Bucky’s eyes are glued to your bare stomach.

“You want breakfast, or have you eaten?”

“Haven’t eaten yet. Was waiting for you.”

You slide down to the end of the bed where Bucky meets you, leaning down to press a minty kiss to your lips.

“Have you been awake long?”

He shakes his head, stealing another kiss.

“Ten minutes or so.”

“How’d you sleep?”

He moves some hair away from your face gently, the morning affection making you light up inside.

“Like a baby. Don’t think I moved once.”

You laugh, running your fingers over his bare shoulders.

“I can’t remember the last time I slept like that.”

“Me neither. I think we need to start prioritising sleep a little more.”

“It’s just… so hard,” you murmur, rising onto your knees on the bed so you’re face to face. “I don’t ever want to sleep when I have the most handsome man alive in my bed. I can think of many other things I’d rather be doing.”

He groans, chuckling lowly.

“Watch it,” he warns. “Or I’ll keep you in this bed all day. Won’t let you leave.”

“Is that a threat or a promise, Barnes?”

He football tackles you suddenly, both of you falling backwards into the plush sheets. You squeal, caught off guard as his hands squeeze your sides firmly.

“Keep running your mouth and see what happens, angel.”

You card your fingers through his hair, tugging slightly to get a reaction. When his eyes flutter closed, you breathe out a laugh.

“I’m so scared,” you tease, peppering his face with gentle kisses. “Like, quaking in my boots.”

He goes to retort, but is interrupted by the deafening sound of your stomach rumbling.

“If we weren’t about to get noise complaints from the neighbours about that hunger of yours, I would absolutely continue this. But…”

“We need to eat.”

“Yes, we do.”

You peck his cheek before jumping off the bed, stretching as you make your way to the kitchen. Bucky follows you eagerly. Of course he does.

You click the coffee maker on as you spin to face him where he’s leaning against the counter.

“I’m about to make you the best pancakes you’ll eat in your entire life, James.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Watch and learn, baby.”

When he doesn’t move, you walk him backwards, pulling out the bar stool from underneath the island.

“You just sit there and look pretty.”

He shakes his head with a smirk as you wink, turning on the stove and grabbing your bowls and utensils. He didn’t ask for a cooking lesson, but you’re about to give him one.

“The trick is to separate the egg whites from the yolks, and whip them. When they’re fluffy, you fold them into your mixture, and it makes the pancakes light and airy and gorgeous. Then you add honey, for extra sweetness.”

He watches you flit around the kitchen as if you’re the sun, bright and warm and radiant. He can’t take his eyes off you for a second. He couldn’t if he wanted to.

Bucky’s blinking back tears, suddenly, as you sway your hips while flipping the pancakes at the stove. He wants to drop to his knees, yell out to a higher power and ask what the hell he did to deserve someone like you. He’ll beg, if he has to, for someone, something, to make sure that he finds you in every universe, in every version of this crazy life.

“I love you,” you beam at him, as if you’ve read his mind. “I love you more than anything.”

Your grin is so blinding, so utterly brilliant that the entire room lights up with it. Your own form of electricity.

“I… I-”

“I know, Buck.”

It gets like this, sometimes. Too overwhelming to put into words. To love someone more than anything, anyone - a love that knows no bounds - is completely indescribable.

So he doesn’t even try. He just nods at you, watching as your eyes light up at the sight of him.

“Will you pour us some coffee while I put these on a plate?”

“Anything you need,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to your hair as he squeezes past you to grab the mugs. “Always.”

✵ ✵ ·　 ✵ 　　 * · ✵

You settle down to eat on the balcony, letting the midday sun warm you both up.

“I brought syrup, but, I also brought this.”

You hold out a plastic tub that contains a dark pink mixture, popping the lid off.

“Try it.”

Bucky sticks his little finger in, putting it in his mouth and sighing in contentment at the taste that coats his tongue.

“Good?”

“So good. What is it?”

“My homemade raspberry and lemon coulis. I make it to go on top of pancakes and waffles - it beats maple syrup any day.”

“You’re a genius.”

“So it’s been said,” you laugh, pouring it over your plate. “Now eat before they go cold.”

“Yes ma’am.”

✵ ✵ ·　 ✵ 　　 * · ✵

“You weren’t lying,” he says when he’s finished. “They were the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten.”

You laugh, sliding across to press your side into his.

“There’s a lot more where that came from. I have so many recipes I want you to try.”

“God, I’m so lucky. I have the most perfect soulmate in the world, and she’s a baker. What did I do to deserve you, hmm?”

You lean in to kiss him gently, licking across his lips. He tastes like raspberries and sugar and eight hours of sleep.

You’re sat in comfortable silence when your phone rings, startling you both.

“Hello?”

“Babe?”

“Lacie?”

“Hey!”

“Hi!”

You smile instantly, and Bucky does too, by default.

“Your Mom called me and told me about your Dad. She’s been keeping me updated over text. How are you guys holding up?”

“We’re good, honestly. It was a little touch and go at first, but now… we’re okay. All of us.”

“Good. I love you guys.”

“Love you too. So much.”

She sighs all deep and wistful, and you can’t help but chuckle.

“What’s up, Lace?”

“Well… I’m calling with a proposition. And I feel like you’re gonna say no, but your Mom already told me that I had to force you to do it, so.”

“Oh, God.”

“Come on a double date with me and Cameron tonight. Come for dinner and drinks with us.”

You take a deep breath, looking over at Bucky. He nods in agreement, encouraging you.

“Okay.”

“Yeah?”

Her surprise is undeniable, the octave of her voice rising ever higher.

“Yeah. I haven’t seen you in too long, and it’ll be good for me to meet Cameron, finally. Plus, we’re visiting my Dad this afternoon, so we have a free evening.”

“Oh my God, I am so excited! Okay, I’ll text you the address of where we’re eating. Cam knows so much about you already, he can’t wait to meet you. And I can’t wait to meet Bucky… again? I mean I’ve met him before, but not as your soulmate.”

“Yeah,” you giggle. “It’ll be good for everyone to get… reacquainted.”

“Exactly!”

“Alright, Lace. We’ve gotta get ready to visit my Dad, but I’ll see you later?”

“See you later, babe. I am so excited. See you then!”

She puts the phone down, and you can almost picture the cloud of perfume and pressed powder that’s about to rain down on her bedroom. You wish you were there to watch it happen, like old times.

“Our first double date, huh?”

“It’ll be our last if you don’t behave,” you tease, leaning in to peck Bucky’s lips.

“Don’t tempt me.”

You laugh into his mouth, running your fingers through the ends of his hair at the back of his neck. It’s the longest you’ve seen it, and it’s starting to curl all cute and soft and wispy.

“Come on. Let’s go see my Dad, and then spend hours mentally preparing ourselves for Storm Lacie.”

“I always liked her. Seemed good for you.”

“She is. She’s the best.”

Bucky wraps a strong arm around your shoulder as you swing your legs over his lap, burying yourself in his bare chest.

“You nervous?” he asks into your temple.

“A little, weirdly. Meeting each others soulmate is the kind of thing we’d talk about when we were kids. And now we’re doing it.”

“We can handle it,” he reassures, his thumb rubbing patterns into your arm. “We can handle anything, you and I.”

“Anything?”

“Anything, honey girl. Anything.”

tag list part one

@lillytracy6996 @securegorgon @roostersforevergirl @povlvr @val-writesstuff @dreadfulxives18 @1deadpool26 @abbygraceasd @nyutasgirl @mavrellover91 @winterslove1917 @f-this42 @skewedcherries @noisesinthedark @kandis-mom @black-cat-2 @harrystylesandthegoobs @vladsgirlxx @h0nestly-though @arienotari @nash-dara @wandaneedstherapy @galaxy-dusk @justherefortheficandsmut @cremebruleequeen @cjand10 @buggy14 @avengers-fixation @blueberrybambi @beautiful-loserr @sarah1barnes @miss-rebel-without-applause @ragingrainbowshipl @shamrockqueen @savemeroman @jenn-f @8crazy-freak8 @daddyjackfrost @openup-yourmind @adangerousbalance @mandijo17 @daddylorianisastateofmind @rcarbo1 @casa-boiardi @spideegwen @navs-bhat @mssbridgerton @asuni921 @middle-of-the-earth @mfrnchsk

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starskq · 5 months ago

Text

FAMILY / J.Y

Pairing ◊ fem!reader x yunho

Genre ◊ VERRYYYY SUGGESTIVE, toe curling fluff, established relationship

Warnings ◊ VERRYY SUGGESTIVE, yunho is a bit of a tease here, dirty talk, softdom!yunho, yunho is just so soft, mention of marriage and kids, mention of family (grandparents, uncles, cousins, siblings, parents, etc.)

Word count ◊ 8,2k

Summary ◊ You and Yunho had been dating for a few years, and it was time for you to introduce him to your family.

a/n: I love yunho with my whole heart, and i kept giggling while writing this huhu. Enjoy!

You sat on the couch, your hands nervously fidgeting with the hem of your sweater. The room was warm, the soft hum of the heater filling the silence. You had been thinking about this moment for days, rehearsing in your head how you would bring it up to Yunho. The invitation to your mom's birthday was tucked away in your purse, a constant reminder of the conversation you needed to have.

Yunho walked into the living room, a cheerful smile lighting up his face as he plopped down beside you. He wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close. "Hey, babe," he said, his voice as bright and warm as his smile. "What's up? You seem a bit on edge."

You took a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves. "Yunho, I need to talk to you about something."

His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he tilted his head, a puppy-like expression that never failed to make your heart skip a beat. "Sure, anything. What's on your mind, love?"

You reached into your purse, pulled out the invitation, and handed it to him. He took it, glancing down at the elegant script on the front. "An invitation?" he asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"It's for my mom's birthday," you explained, your voice trembling slightly. "She and the rest of my family have invited us to spend the weekend at my childhood house."

Yunho's face lit up with excitement. "That sounds amazing! I'd love to meet your family and see where you grew up." He leaned in closer, his eyes searching yours. "But why do you look so nervous about it, sweetheart?"

You bit your lip, trying to find the right words. "It's just... we’ve been together for a few years now, but I haven't had the chance to introduce you to my family yet. We live so far away; this is the first real opportunity to do it."

Yunho's expression softened, and he cupped your face in his hands, his thumbs gently stroking your cheeks. "Hey, it's okay. I understand. It's a big step, but I'm really excited about it. I want to meet the people who mean so much to you."

You looked into his eyes, finding comfort in his unwavering gaze. "I guess I'm just worried. What if they don't like you? What if it's awkward?"

He chuckled softly, his laughter a soothing balm to your anxious heart. "Babe, your family is going to love me. How could they not? I'm very lovable." He gave you a playful wink, and you couldn't help but laugh.

"I know you are," you said, smiling despite yourself. "But it's still a little scary."

Yunho pulled you into a tight hug, his arms wrapped securely around you. "We'll face it together, okay? And no matter what happens, I'll be right there by your side."

You buried your face in his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart against your cheek. "Thank you, yuyu. I don't know what I'd do without you."

He kissed the top of your head, his lips lingering for a moment. "You don't have to worry about that, my love. I'm not going anywhere."

You stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other's arms, the warmth of his embrace chasing away your fears. When you finally pulled back, Yunho's eyes were bright with excitement. "So, when do we leave for this big family weekend?"

"Next Friday," you said, your voice steadier now. "We'll drive down after work."

He grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Perfect. I've got a whole week to plan how to charm your family."

You laughed again, the sound lighter this time. "You don't need to plan anything, Yunho. Just be yourself. That's more than enough.’’ He kissed you gently, his lips soft against yours. You really had the best boyfriend ever.

Friday arrived pretty quickly, quicker than you anticipated. You loaded the last of the bags into the trunk of the car, taking a deep breath as you closed it. Yunho was busy adjusting the GPS, and his usual cheerful demeanor made the process seem more fun than it probably was. You climbed into the passenger seat, your nerves still buzzing beneath the surface.

Yunho looked over at you, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Ready to go, sweetheart?" he asked, squeezing your hand.

You nodded, trying to muster a smile. "Yeah, I guess so."

He leaned over and kissed your cheek. "Don't worry. It's going to be great. We'll have a fantastic time."

As he started the car and pulled out of the driveway, you looked out the window, your mind racing. The drive to your childhood home was long, giving you plenty of time to think. Yunho, always perceptive, sensed your anxiety and reached over to hold your hand, his thumb gently rubbing circles on your skin.

"Tell me more about your family," he said, his voice soft and reassuring. "I want to know everything."

You took a deep breath, trying to gather your thoughts. "Well, my mom is amazing. She's warm and caring but can be a bit overprotective sometimes. She's been looking forward to meeting you ever since I told her about us."

Yunho smiled, his eyes focused on the road. "She sounds wonderful. I can't wait to meet her."

"And my dad," you continued, "he's a bit more reserved, but once he warms up to someone, he's really funny and kind. He loves talking about his hobbies, especially fishing and gardening."

"Fishing and gardening got it," Yunho said with a nod. "I'll have to brush up on my knowledge about those."

You laughed, feeling a bit lighter. "He'll appreciate that. Then there's my younger sister, Mia. But you already know her."

‘’Yeah, I remember. The future artist." Yunho said with a playful grin.

You smiled. Your lilttle sister and Yunho already met when she came to visit you during a weekend. You knew they got along great, so you did not worry about that. ‘’And my older brother, Daniel, he's a bit of a jokester. He likes to tease, but it's all in good fun. He's really protective, though, so don't be surprised if he tries to give you a hard time at first."

"I can handle a bit of teasing," Yunho said confidently.

You felt a warmth spread through your chest at his words. "And then there's my extended family. My Uncle John and Aunt Clara, they practically raised me alongside my parents. Uncle John loves sports, especially baseball, and Aunt Clara is really into cooking and baking."

"Baseball and baking, got it. I think I can manage," Yunho said, his tone light and reassuring.

"And there are my cousins, Sam and Emily. They're twins, a few years younger than me. They're both really outgoing and love to have fun. They might drag you into some of their crazy plans. And my grandparents. They are not that old, but they are old school.’’

Yunho laughed, the sound filling the car with warmth. "I look forward to it. Sounds like a lively bunch."

You squeezed his hand, feeling a bit more at ease. "Yeah, they are. I just hope they all like you as much as I do."

Yunho glanced over at you, his eyes filled with affection. "I think they'll love me, but even if they don't, as long as I have you, that's all that matters."

You couldn’t help but smile. He had this capacity with you to make you smile constantly. The rest of the drive was filled with more stories and laughter as you briefed Yunho on your family dynamics and shared memories from your childhood. The closer you got to your old home, the more your nerves settled, replaced by a growing excitement to share this part of your life with Yunho.

Finally, you turned onto the familiar tree-lined street, the house you grew up in coming into view. It looked just as you remembered, the front yard meticulously maintained, the porch swing swaying gently in the breeze. Yunho parked the car and turned to you with a big smile.

"Ready to do this, babe?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine excitement.

You took a deep breath, feeling a mix of nerves and anticipation. "Yeah, let's do this."

You walked up to the front door with the bags in your hands. It swung open, revealing your mom's warm smile. She stepped out onto the porch, arms wide open. "There you are!" she exclaimed, pulling you into a tight hug. "We were starting to think you'd forgotten the way home."

You laughed, the sound mingling with the nostalgic scent of your mom's favorite lavender perfume. "Hi, Mom. It's good to see you."

She pulled back, her eyes shining with joy. "It's about time you came to visit. We miss you, you know."

Your dad appeared behind her, his expression softer but equally welcoming. "Yeah, kiddo," he said, giving you a hug after your mom let go.

"I know, I know," you replied, feeling a pang of guilt mixed with happiness. "Life's just been so busy."

"Busy enough to forget your old folks?" your dad teased, ruffling your hair affectionately.

You rolled your eyes, laughing. "I could never forget you guys."

Yunho stood behind you, holding a beautifully wrapped gift. He shifted slightly, drawing your parents' attention. "Mom, Dad," you said, stepping aside and gesturing towards him, "this is Yunho."

Yunho took a step forward, a cheerful but slightly nervous smile on his face. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. y/l/n. It's so great to finally meet you."

Your mom's eyes sparkled with curiosity and warmth. "Oh, we've heard so much about you, Yunho. It's lovely to meet you, too."

Yunho extended the gift to her, his hands steady despite the subtle tension in his posture. "I brought this for you, Mrs. y/l/n. I hope you like it."

Your mom's face lit up as she took the gift. "Oh, Yunho, you didn't have to! But thank you so much." She carefully unwrapped it, revealing a beautifully handcrafted vase. "This is gorgeous. Did you pick this out yourself?"

Yunho nodded, a hint of pride in his voice. "Yes, I did. I thought it might go well with the flowers in your garden."

Your dad stepped forward, offering a firm handshake. "Good to meet you, Yunho. And thanks for the gift. It's very thoughtful."

Yunho shook his hand, his grip confident. "It's an honor to meet you, sir. I've heard so many wonderful things about both of you."

Your dad chuckled, glancing at you with a teasing smile. "All good things, I hope?"

Yunho laughed, the sound easing some of the tension. "Absolutely. Y/n always speaks very highly of you."

Your mom looped her arm through yours, leading you both into the house. "Well, we're just glad to finally meet you. And Yunho, please call us by our first names. We're family now."

As you walked through the familiar hallways, the smell of home-cooked food wafting through the air, Yunho leaned closer to you and whispered, "I think that went well, don’t you?"

You squeezed his hand, feeling a rush of affection. "You were perfect," you whispered back.

Your mom placed the vase on the counter in the kitchen, already thinking about which flowers to fill it with. "Yunho, would you like something to drink? We've got lemonade, iced tea, and coffee."

"Lemonade sounds great, thank you," Yunho replied, his smile genuine.

Your dad gestured towards the living room. "Let's sit and chat for a bit before everyone else gets here. I want to hear all about how you two met."

Yunho's eyes met yours, a spark of excitement and slight nervousness in them. "Well, it's a bit of a funny story," he began as you all settled into the comfortable, worn couches.

Your mom handed Yunho a glass of lemonade, and he took a sip before continuing. "We actually met at a coffee shop. Y/n was there with a mutual friend, and I kind of fell in love at first sight."

Your mom's eyes softened as she looked at you. "That sounds just like something out of a movie."

You felt your cheeks warm, embarrassed but happy. "It was pretty special," you admitted.

Your dad leaned back, a thoughtful expression on his face. "And how long have you two been together?"

"Three years now," Yunho said, glancing at you with a look that made your heart flutter. "And they've been the best years of my life."

Your mom reached out to squeeze your hand. "We're so happy for you both. You look so good together."

Yunho beamed, his confidence growing. "Thank you. That means a lot coming from you."

Your dad nodded in agreement. "Yes, we're glad to see our y/n so happy. And Yunho, you seem like a great fit for our family.’’

As the afternoon sun descended towards the horizon, the rest of your family started to arrive. The doorbell rang, and you felt a familiar rush of excitement. "That must be Mia," you said, standing up. Yunho followed you to the door, eager to meet everyone else.

You opened the door to find your younger sister, Mia, standing there with a wide grin. "Sis!" she squealed, throwing her arms around you in a tight hug.

"Mia!" you responded, hugging her back just as tightly. "I've missed you so much!"

Yunho stepped forward, smiling warmly. "Hey, Mia! Great to see you again."

Mia let go of you and gave Yunho a big hug. "Yunho! It's been a while. How have you been?"

"I've been great," Yunho said, his cheerful demeanor making Mia laugh. "How about you? Still painting up a storm?"

"Always," Mia replied with a wink. "And I've got a new piece to show you guys. I brought some pictures."

You all moved back into the living room, where Mia showed you her latest artwork on her phone. Yunho admired each piece, genuinely interested and supportive, which made Mia proud.

Just then, the front door opened again, and you heard the unmistakable voice of your older brother, Daniel. "Is that my little sister I hear?"

You stood up, a mix of excitement and apprehension in your chest. "Daniel!" you called out, meeting him halfway for a hug.

"Hey, kiddo," he said, his voice warm but his eyes scanning the room. When he spotted Yunho, his expression grew more serious. "And you must be Yunho."

Yunho stood up, extending a hand. "Yes, nice to meet you, Daniel."

Daniel took his hand, his grip firm. "So, you're the guy who's been taking care of my sister."

"That's right," Yunho said, maintaining eye contact and matching Daniel's firmness. "She's very important to me."

He nodded slowly, his gaze scrutinizing. "Well, it's good to finally meet you. Let's see if you can keep up with our family's shenanigans."

Yunho smiled, the challenge in Daniel's tone not going unnoticed. "I'll do my best."

Your mom called everyone to the kitchen, where snacks and drinks were laid out. As you all gathered around the kitchen island, the atmosphere began to relax. Yunho chatted easily with Uncle John about the latest baseball game, and Aunt Clara was already discussing her favorite recipes with him, thrilled to find someone who appreciated good food as much as she did.

Sam and Emily, your cousins, arrived next. They bounded into the house with infectious energy, their laughter filling the room. "Hey, cuz!" Sam called out, pulling you into a hug. "Long time no see!"

"Emily, Sam, it's great to see you guys!" you said, hugging Emily next.

They turned their attention to Yunho, curiosity in their eyes. "So, this is the famous Yunho?" Emily asked, a teasing smile on her lips.

"That's me," Yunho replied with a grin. "I've heard a lot about you two."

"All good things, I hope," Sam said, shaking Yunho's hand.

"Definitely," Yunho said, laughing.

Emily nudged Yunho playfully. "We might have to put you through a few tests to see if you can keep up with us."

Yunho's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Bring it on. I'm ready."

As the evening progressed, Yunho fit right in with your family. He joined in on the laughter, participated in the friendly teasing, and even helped your mom in the kitchen, much to her delight. At one point, you found yourself standing back, watching him interact with everyone, and you felt a swell of pride and affection.

The house buzzed with conversation and laughter, the air filled with the comforting smells of your mom’s cooking. Emily nudged you playfully, glancing over at Yunho who was deep in conversation with Uncle John about last night's baseball game.

“You didn’t tell me your boyfriend was so handsome,” Emily whispered, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Seriously, where did you find him?”

You chuckled, feeling a bit of pride. “Just lucky, I guess.”

Emily sighed dramatically. “I need to start hanging out at coffee shops more often.”

Before you could respond, the doorbell rang again, signaling the arrival of your grandparents. You excused yourself and walked over to the door, your heart swelling with affection as you opened it to see their familiar faces.

“Grandma, Grandpa!” you exclaimed, hugging them both tightly. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” your grandpa said, his voice gruff but warm. “Now, where’s this young man I’ve been hearing so much about?”

You guided them into the living room, where Yunho was now chatting with your dad. “Grandma, Grandpa, this is Yunho.”

Yunho stood up, a hint of nervousness in his eyes as he extended his hand. “It’s an honor to meet you, sir, ma’am.”

Your grandpa took Yunho’s hand, his grip firm as he sized him up. “So, you’re the one courting my granddaughter, eh?”

Yunho swallowed hard, nodding. “Yes, sir. I care about her very much.”

There was a tense moment of silence before your grandpa’s face broke into a wide grin. “Well, as long as you keep treating her right, we won’t have any problems.” He clapped Yunho on the back, laughing heartily.

Yunho let out a relieved breath, smiling. “I promise, sir. She means everything to me.”

Your grandma stepped forward, her eyes bright with curiosity. “And such a handsome young man,” she said, patting Yunho’s cheek. “You’re just as charming as she said.”

Yunho’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he laughed nervously. “Thank you, ma’am. You’re too kind.”

As everyone settled back into their conversations, you could see Yunho visibly relaxing. He had navigated through your grandpa’s initial test and won over your grandma with his charm. Your heart swelled with affection and pride.

Your mom called everyone to the dining table for dinner. The table was laden with a feast that your mom had spent hours preparing. As everyone found their seats, Yunho helped your grandma to her chair, earning another appreciative smile from her, before pulling out your chair for you before taking his own seat beside you. He gave your hand a reassuring squeeze under the table, and you felt a wave of warmth wash over you.

Your dad started the conversation as your mom brought out the dishes. "So, Yunho," he said, leaning forward with interest, "tell us a bit about what you do for a living."

Yunho smiled, glancing at you before answering. "I work as a software engineer. I develop applications and systems for a tech company."

Your dad raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed. "That sounds like a challenging job. How did you get into that field?"

"I've always been interested in technology," Yunho explained, his enthusiasm evident. "I started learning to code as a teenager and fell in love with it. I went on to study computer science in college, and I've been working in the field ever since."

"That's fantastic," Uncle John said, nodding appreciatively. "Technology is such a big part of our lives now. You must be very talented."

"Thank you," Yunho said, his cheeks tinting slightly pink. "I enjoy what I do, and it's always rewarding to solve problems and create something useful."

Emily leaned forward, a mischievous glint in her eye. "So, Yunho, what's it like dating my cousin? She's always been a bit of a handful."

You shot her a playful glare, but Yunho laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "It's never dull, that's for sure. But in all seriousness, she's the most amazing person I've ever met. I'm very lucky to have her in my life."

You felt your heart swell at his words and squeezed his hand under the table. He turned to you with a soft smile, his eyes full of affection.

Mia chimed in, her voice full of curiosity. "Yunho, do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?"

"I enjoy a lot of things," Yunho said, his face lighting up. "I like dancing, playing the guitar, and I dabble in cooking, though I'm nowhere near as good as your mom."

Your mom beamed at the compliment. "That's lovely to hear. Maybe we can have a cooking session together sometime."

"I'd love that," Yunho replied sincerely.

Your dad then asked, "What's the most challenging project you've worked on?"

Yunho thought for a moment. "I once worked on a project to develop a new security system for a large corporation. It involved a lot of complex coding and troubleshooting, but in the end, it was very rewarding to see it all come together."

"That's impressive," Daniel said, a hint of respect in his voice. "Security systems are no joke."

Yunho’s natural charm and humor began to shine through as the conversation flowed. He shared funny anecdotes from work and college, making everyone laugh with his witty comments and endearing stories.

At one point, you reached for the bread basket, but before you could, Yunho had already passed it to you, anticipating your need. Your mom noticed and smiled warmly. "You two make a great team," she said.

Yunho grinned, looking at you with adoration. "I try to keep her happy."

"You're doing a wonderful job," your grandma said, her eyes twinkling. "And I have to say, you're quite the catch, Yunho. Handsome, intelligent, and attentive."

Yunho's cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink. "Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate that."

As the main course was served, Yunho continued to engage with your family, asking questions about their interests and sharing stories of his own. His attentiveness and genuine interest in getting to know everyone were clear, and your family responded warmly to him.

"Do you play any sports, Yunho?" Sam asked between bites of mashed potatoes.

"I enjoy playing soccer," Yunho replied. "I used to play in a league back in college. It’s a great way to stay active and have fun."

"Soccer, huh?" Uncle John said. "We should have a family match sometime. What do you think, y/n?’’

You laughed. "I'd love that, but you know I'm terrible at sports."

"We'll go easy on you," Daniel teased.

As dessert was brought out, your mom's famous apple pie, the conversation took a more relaxed turn. Yunho leaned closer to you, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. "Are you having a good time, love?’’ he whispered.

You nodded, feeling a rush of affection for him. "Yes. Thank you for being so wonderful."

He smiled, his eyes sparkling. He leaned in, kissing your cheek lightly. "Anything for you."

As everyone settled into dessert, your grandpa cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "Yunho," he began, his tone serious but with a twinkle in his eye, "there's something I've been wondering about."

Yunho straightened in his chair, giving your grandpa his full attention. "Yes, sir?"

"When are you planning to ask for my granddaughter's hand in marriage?" your grandpa asked, his eyes moving between you and Yunho with a knowing look.

You felt a wave of heat rush to your face, and you quickly took a sip of your drink, trying to compose yourself. Before you could answer that you were still young and didn’t want Yunho to feel pressured, Yunho spoke up, his voice steady and confident.

"Actually, sir," Yunho said, his eyes meeting your grandpa's without hesitation, "that's in my plans very soon."

You choked on your drink, coughing as you tried to process what he had just said. Yunho reached out to pat your back gently, a smirk playing on his lips. "Careful there, sweetheart," he said, his eyes dancing with amusement.

The room went silent for a moment, everyone looking at Yunho with a mix of surprise and anticipation. Your mom's eyes were wide with excitement, and your dad leaned forward, clearly interested in Yunho's response.

"You've thought about this already?" your grandpa asked, his voice softer now, more thoughtful.

"Yes, I have," Yunho replied, his gaze now shifting to you. His eyes were filled with love and certainty. "I love [Your Name] more than anything, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I've been thinking about how to make it special and memorable."

Your heart pounded in your chest, a mix of shock and overwhelming happiness. You looked at Yunho, unable to believe what you were hearing. He gave you a reassuring smile, his hand finding yours under the table and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Your grandma clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Oh, Yunho, that's wonderful to hear! You have our blessing, of course."

Your dad nodded, a proud smile spreading across his face. "It's clear how much you care for her. Just make sure to treat her well, always."

"I promise, sir," Yunho said earnestly. "She means the world to me, and I will do everything in my power to make her happy."

Mia leaned over, her eyes wide with excitement. "This is so romantic! I can't believe this is happening!"

Daniel, who had been watching Yunho closely, finally broke into a grin. "Well, Yunho, it looks like you've got a lot of support here. Just remember, I'm still watching you," he added with a playful wink.

Yunho laughed, his confidence unwavering. "I'll remember that, Daniel."

Your grandpa raised his glass, a gesture that everyone quickly followed. "To Yunho and y/n,’’ he said, his voice filled with warmth. "May your future be filled with love and happiness."

"To Yunho and y/n’’ everyone echoed, raising their glasses in celebration.

You looked at Yunho, your heart bursting with love and gratitude. He leaned in, his lips brushing your ear. "I hope that was okay," he whispered. "I didn't want to put you on the spot, but I wanted your family to know how serious I am about us."

You nodded. "It was perfect," you whispered back. "I love you."

"I love you too," he replied, his eyes shining with sincerity.

As everyone resumed their conversations, the atmosphere now even more joyous, you realized how truly lucky you were. Yunho had not only won over your family but had also shown you just how deeply he cared.

The evening had wound down, and the dining room was a happy mess of empty plates and half-finished desserts. You and your mom had started cleaning up, bringing dishes into the kitchen and loading the dishwasher. The warm glow of the kitchen lights cast a cozy atmosphere, and the sounds of laughter and conversation from the living room drifted in.

You were at the sink, rinsing off a stack of plates, when you felt familiar arms wrap around your waist. Yunho's chest pressed against your back, and he rested his chin on your shoulder. "Hey, beautiful," he murmured, his voice soft and full of affection.

You leaned into his embrace, feeling the tension of the day melt away. "Hey yourself," you replied, smiling. "I didn't realize you were so sneaky."

He chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest. "I couldn't resist. You looked too cute standing here, working so hard."

You rolled your eyes playfully. "Well, someone has to clean up this mess. And don't think I didn't notice you charming everyone out there."

"Just doing my best to fit in," he said, pressing a kiss to your temple. "Did it work?"

"You know it did," you said, turning your head to catch his eye. "Everyone loves you. Even Grandpa."

"Grandpa's great," Yunho said with a smile. "But I have to say, your Grandma might be my favorite. She wouldn't stop talking about how handsome I am."

You laughed, shaking your head. "She does have a knack for making people feel special."

Yunho's arms tightened around you, and he nuzzled your neck. "Speaking of making people feel special, how are you holding up? It's been a big day."

You sighed, leaning into his warmth. "It's been amazing. I'm so happy everyone got to meet you. And what you said at dinner... I didn't see that coming."

He smirked, his breath tickling your ear. "I like to keep you on your toes."

"You definitely do," you said, feeling a blush creep up your cheeks. "But it was perfect. I love you so much."

"I love you too," he whispered, kissing your neck. "And I meant every word. I'm serious about us."

You turned in his arms, facing him. "I know you are. And that makes me so happy."

He cupped your face in his hands, his thumbs gently stroking your cheeks. "You make me happy, every single day."

You kissed him softly, feeling the world fade away for a moment. You were lost in the moment, it was usual when you and Yunho kissed. His hands cradled your face, and you felt wrapped up in his love and warmth. The sound of the door swinging open barely registered until you heard a familiar, teasing voice.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” your mom said, her voice filled with amusement.

You broke the kiss, stepping back from Yunho, your face heating up with a blush. “Mom!” you exclaimed, trying to sound more composed than you felt.

Mia stepped into the kitchen behind your mom, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Looks like someone’s getting a head start on the honeymoon,” she teased, winking at you.

You felt your cheeks grow even hotter. “Mia! Seriously?”

Yunho, ever the charmer, grinned at them both. “Just making sure your sister knows how much I appreciate her,” he said, his tone playful yet sincere.

Your mom chuckled, shaking her head. “Well, we can see that. But Yunho, could you help Grandma with her luggage? She’s staying in the guest room, and I think she could use a strong pair of hands.”

“Of course, ma’am,” Yunho said, immediately stepping away and heading towards the living room. “I’ll take care of it right away.”

As he left the kitchen, your mom and Mia turned their full attention to you, their faces lit up with matching grins. “You’ve got yourself a keeper there,” your mom said, her voice full of warmth. “He’s tall, handsome, and so intelligent. What a catch!”

Mia nodded enthusiastically. “And did you see how he just swooped in to help Grandma? Total gentleman.”

You couldn’t help but smile, despite the lingering embarrassment. “Yeah, he’s pretty amazing.”

Your mom gave you a knowing look. “Pretty amazing? Honey, he’s more than that. He’s head over heels for you. The way he looks at you… it’s like you’re the only person in the room.”

“And he’s funny, too,” Mia added, leaning against the counter. “He had everyone laughing all through dinner. You’re really lucky.”

You nodded, feeling a swell of gratitude and happiness. “I know. I feel really lucky to have him.”

Your mom patted your arm affectionately. “You deserve someone who treats you well and makes you happy. And Yunho seems like he’s doing just that.”

Mia nudged you playfully. “So, when’s the wedding? I need to plan my outfit.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.’’

Your mom’s eyes softened, a look of pride and happiness on her face. “Just remember to take things at your own pace. We’re all here to support you, no matter what.”

Mia wrapped an arm around your shoulders. “And we’ll be the best wedding planning team ever, when the time comes. No pressure, but I’m really looking forward to it.”

You smiled, feeling the warmth and love from your family surround you. “Thanks, guys. It means a lot to know you’re all here for me.”

The evening had finally quieted down. The house was still, save for the occasional murmur of conversation from inside. You stepped out onto the porch, seeking a moment of peace under the stars. The cool night air was refreshing, and the gentle creak of the porch swing was a comforting sound.

You spotted your grandma, wrapped in a cozy shawl, already seated on the swing. She looked up and smiled as you approached. "There you are, dear. Come sit with me."

You settled onto the swing beside her, the familiar scent of her lavender perfume wrapping around you. "Hi, Grandma. I needed a little break from the chaos."

She chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling with understanding. "It’s been quite the evening, hasn’t it? But a wonderful one."

You nodded, feeling a wave of contentment. "It has been. I’m so happy everyone got to meet Yunho. And I’m really glad you like him."

"Like him?" she said, her voice filled with warmth. "Oh, dear, I more than like him. He’s a wonderful young man. You’ve found someone very special."

Your heart swelled with gratitude. "Thank you, Grandma. That means a lot to me. He’s been so amazing, and tonight… it just felt perfect."

She patted your hand gently. "You deserve all the happiness in the world, my dear. Watching you tonight, seeing the way Yunho looks at you… it’s clear how much he loves you."

You blushed, but her words filled you with joy. "I love him too, Grandma. More than I can put into words."

Your grandma smiled, her gaze turning wistful. "Love is a beautiful thing. It’s about finding someone who makes your heart feel at home, who supports you, and who you can share your life with."

You looked at her, feeling a surge of affection. "Like you and Grandpa?"

She nodded, her eyes sparkling with memories. "Exactly like that. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’ve always been there for each other. That’s what matters most."

You squeezed her hand, feeling a deep sense of connection. "Thank you, Grandma. For everything."

She smiled, her expression soft. "I’m just so proud of you, my dear. And I’m thrilled to see you so happy."

Just then, the porch door creaked open, and Yunho stepped out, his eyes searching the dimly lit space. When he spotted you, he smiled warmly. "There you are. I’ve been looking for you."

Your grandma caught the hint immediately. "Well, it looks like I should give you two some time alone." She patted your hand one last time before standing up. "Goodnight, Yunho. Thank you for a lovely evening."

"Goodnight, ma’am," Yunho replied, giving her a respectful nod. "It was a pleasure."

As your grandma made her way back into the house, Yunho walked over to the swing, sitting down beside you. "I missed you," he said softly, taking your hand in his.

You leaned into him, resting your head on his shoulder. "I missed you too. It’s been such a wonderful evening."

He wrapped an arm around you, holding you close. "It really has. Your family is amazing. And your grandma… she’s something special."

You smiled, feeling the warmth of his embrace. "She really is. She’s always been a source of wisdom and love for me."

Yunho kissed the top of your head, his voice filled with affection. "I can see where you get it from."

The night air felt cool and refreshing as you nestled against Yunho's shoulder on the porch swing. The stars above sparkled, and the soft hum of crickets filled the silence. Yunho's arm around you provided a comforting warmth, and you felt a sense of contentment wash over you.

Yunho broke the silence first, his voice playful. "So, what do you think? Did I pass the family test?"

You laughed softly, looking up at him. "You passed with flying colors. They absolutely adore you."

He smirked, leaning in closer. "Even your Grandpa? I thought he might have been ready to grill me a bit more."

"You handled him perfectly," you said, smiling. "You handled everyone perfectly."

"Well, I had to impress my future in-laws," he teased, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

You blushed, playfully swatting his arm. "Yunho!"

He laughed, pulling you closer. "What? It’s true. I meant every word I said at dinner. I can’t imagine my life without you. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted."

You gazed up at him, feeling a rush of emotions. "You’re everything I’ve ever wanted too, Yunho."

He grinned, the teasing glint returning to his eyes. "So, when are we setting the date?"

You laughed, shaking your head. "You’re really jumping ahead, aren’t you?"

"Just planning ahead," he said, winking. "I need to make sure everything is perfect for my perfect girl."

You rolled your eyes playfully. "You’re impossible, you know that?"

"And you love me for it," he replied, giving you a quick kiss.

You sighed happily, resting your head back on his shoulder. "I do. I really do."

He chuckled, his voice softening. "Seriously, though. I want to make you happy. And I can’t wait to build a life with you."

You squeezed his hand, feeling a swell of love. "You already make me happy, Yunho. More than you know."

He smiled, looking thoughtful for a moment. "So, have you ever thought about what kind of wedding you’d want?"

You blushed again, caught off guard. "Well, maybe a little. Something simple, I think. Surrounded by family and friends. Nothing too extravagant."

"I can see that," he said, nodding. "Simple, but beautiful. Just like you."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," you teased, poking his side gently.

He laughed, his eyes shining with affection. "Good to know."

There was a comfortable pause, the swing gently swaying as you both enjoyed the peaceful night. Yunho broke the silence again, his voice teasing once more. "And what about kids? Ever thought about that?"

You felt your cheeks heat up. "Wow, you really are planning everything, aren’t you?"

"Just curious," he said, smirking. "I think you’d be an amazing mom."

You smiled, feeling a warm glow inside. "I think you’d be an amazing dad."

His expression softened, and he kissed your forehead. "I hope so. But one step at a time, right?"

"Right," you agreed, feeling the excitement of the future you both envisioned.

Yunho’s teasing grin returned. "But seriously, I can’t wait to see you in a wedding dress. You’re going to look breathtaking."

You laughed, shaking your head. "You’re too much, Yunho."

"Only for you," he said, his eyes filled with love. "Because you’re worth it."

The porch swing swayed gently as you and Yunho continued to talk, the night wrapping around you like a cozy blanket. Yunho’s arm was still around you, holding you close, his warmth a comforting presence. His teasing smile had faded into something softer, more intimate.

He leaned in closer, his lips brushing your ear. “You know,” he began, his voice low and husky, “I’ve been thinking about more than just our future wedding.”

You felt a shiver run down your spine at his tone. “Oh? Like what?”

He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through you. “Like what I want to do to you tonight.”

Your breath hitched, and you felt your cheeks heat up. “Yunho, my whole family is here.”

He didn’t seem deterred. In fact, his playful grin only widened. “That just makes it more exciting, doesn’t it?” he whispered, his breath hot against your ear.

“Yunho,” you protested weakly, but there was no denying the thrill his words sent through you.

He nuzzled your neck, his lips brushing your skin as he spoke. “I’ve been thinking about how beautiful you looked tonight. How much I wanted to pull you into a room and have my way with you.”

Your heart pounded in your chest, and you squirmed slightly in his embrace. “You’re impossible,” you managed to say, though your voice was shaky.

“Impossible? Or irresistible?” he teased, his hand gently caressing your arm. “I can’t stop thinking about kissing every inch of you. About hearing you say my name when no one else can hear.”

You bit your lip, trying to stay composed. “Yunho, seriously, we can’t do this here.”

He laughed softly, the sound full of mischief. “I’m not doing anything. Just talking. But I love seeing you get all flustered.”

You turned to glare at him, but his playful expression melted your resolve. “You’re a tease, you know that?”

He nodded, his eyes twinkling. “I know. But you love it.”

You sighed, trying to regain some semblance of control. “You’re going to drive me crazy.”

“That’s the plan,” he murmured, his lips brushing your ear again. “I want you thinking about me all night. About what I’m going to do to you when we’re alone.”

“Yunho,” you whispered, feeling a mix of frustration and arousal. “You’re terrible.”

“Terrible? Or amazing?” he countered, his voice filled with playful confidence.

You couldn’t help but laugh softly, despite yourself. “Both.”

He grinned, pressing a kiss to your neck. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

You shook your head, still smiling. “You should behave. My family is just inside.”

“I am behaving,” he said, feigning innocence. “Just having a conversation.”

You rolled your eyes, but the affection in his gaze made your heart swell. “You’re incorrigible.”

‘’I love you too, babe,’’ he said, chuckling ‘’And I love making you blush.”

You looked up at him, your eyes filled with warmth. “You’re lucky I love you.”

He smiled, his eyes sparkling. “I know. And I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret it.”

You kissed him softly, feeling a deep sense of contentment. Despite his teasing, you knew Yunho was the one for you. And as you pulled back, his playful grin returned, making your heart flutter.

“Now, about those things I want to do to you…” he began, but you cut him off with a laugh.

“Yunho!”

He laughed too, holding you close. “Alright, alright. But just you wait until we’re alone.”

You sighed, smiling despite yourself. “I can’t wait.”

As you sat there together, the night wrapped around you, you knew that no matter how much he teased, Yunho was your perfect match. And you wouldn’t have it any other way.

As you and Yunho sat together on the porch, still basking in the playful teasing and warmth of each other's company, you heard the door creak open. Your dad stepped out, his expression a mix of amusement and sternness.

"It's getting late, you two," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "Time to call it a night."

You nodded, feeling a bit sheepish. "Okay, Dad. We'll head up."

Yunho stood up, helping you to your feet. "Goodnight, sir," he said respectfully.

"Goodnight, Yunho. Goodnight, sweetheart," your dad replied, giving you a nod before heading back inside.

You and Yunho made your way upstairs to your childhood bedroom, the familiar creak of the stairs under your feet bringing back memories. As you opened the door, Yunho's eyes widened in delight.

"Wow," he said, looking around the room with a wide grin. "This is amazing."

You rolled your eyes, laughing. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up."

The room was exactly as you had left it, with posters of your favorite bands on the walls, a collection of stuffed animals on the bed, and your old vanity table cluttered with trinkets and makeup from your teenage years.

Yunho walked over to your bookshelf, scanning the titles with interest. "You were always quite the bookworm, huh?"

‘’Yeah, those were some of my favorites growing up.’’ You said, smiling, as you walked up to him.

He picked up a well-worn copy of a fantasy novel, flipping through the pages. "I can see why. This looks like a great story."

You watched him fondly, feeling a mix of nostalgia and affection. "It is. I used to stay up all night reading that one."

He put the book back, then turned his attention to your old vanity table. "And this... this is quite the collection." He picked up an old bottle of perfume, sniffing it and wrinkling his nose playfully. "Did you actually wear this?"

You laughed, shaking your head. "I did. It was all the rage back then."

Yunho grinned, setting the bottle down. "I can see why. Very... unique."

He moved over to your dresser, opening one of the drawers and pulling out a pair of colorful, frilly underwear. "And what do we have here?" he teased, holding them up with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Did you really wear these?"

Your face turned bright red as you snatched them from his hand. "Yunho! Those are from when I was a teenager!"

He laughed, clearly enjoying your embarrassment. "They're adorable. You must have been quite the fashionista."

You shoved the underwear back into the drawer, closing it firmly. "Okay, that's enough. Stop snooping."

He wrapped his arms around you from behind, pulling you close. "I’m just teasing, sweetheart. It’s cute. Seeing where you grew up, learning more about you... I love it."

You sighed, leaning into his embrace. "You’re impossible, you know that?"

"And you love it," he whispered, his breath warm against your ear.

"I do," you admitted, turning to face him. "But if you keep teasing me, you might end up sleeping on the floor."

He chuckled, kissing your forehead. "I’ll behave. For now."

You smiled, pulling back to look at him. "Good. Now, let's get some sleep."

As you changed into your pajamas, Yunho continued to explore your room, occasionally commenting on the various items he found. "I can't believe you still have this old teddy bear," he said, holding up a well-loved stuffed animal.

"Mr. Snuggles," you said, smiling. "He’s been with me since I was a baby."

Yunho placed the bear back on the bed, then turned to you with a soft smile. "I’m glad I get to share this part of your life with you."

You walked over to him, wrapping your arms around his waist. "Me too. It means a lot to me."

He kissed the top of your head, then gently guided you to the bed. "Come on, let’s get some rest. We’ve got a big day tomorrow."

You climbed into bed, feeling the familiar comfort of your old room. Yunho joined you, pulling the covers over both of you and wrapping his arms around you.

The warmth of his body and the rhythmic sound of his breathing began to lull you into a peaceful state. However, it wasn't long before you felt his lips on your neck, planting soft kisses that made your heart race.

"Yunho," you whispered, your voice barely audible. "We should get some sleep."

He chuckled softly, his breath hot against your skin. "I know," he murmured, his hand sliding up your side, "but you just look so irresistible."

You shivered under his touch, trying to keep your voice steady. "Behave, Yunho. My family is just in the next room."

"I'll behave," he promised, but the mischievous glint in his eyes said otherwise.

His hand continued to explore, slipping under your pajama top, his fingers tracing patterns on your skin. He pressed himself closer to you, and you could feel his growing arousal against your back. "You drive me crazy, you know that?" he whispered, his voice low and husky.

"Yuyu," you said again, more firmly this time, trying to regain control. "We can't do this here."

He chuckled again, his hand moving to cup your breast, his thumb teasing your nipple. "I'm not doing anything," he said innocently. "Just touching you."

You bit your lip, trying to suppress a moan as his touch sent waves of pleasure through your body. "Yunho, please."

He didn't relent. Instead, he continued to whisper filthy things in your ear, his voice filled with a dominant edge that made your breath catch. "I can't stop thinking about how good you feel," he murmured. "How much I want to hear you moan my name."

You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to stay quiet. "Yunho, we can't. My parents—"

"Your parents are asleep," he interrupted, his hand sliding down to your waist. "And even if they weren't, they wouldn't hear a thing if you're quiet."

You felt yourself trembling with desire, torn between wanting him to stop and needing him to continue. "Yunho, please," you whispered, your voice desperate.

He smirked, pressing a kiss to your shoulder. "Please what, baby? Tell me what you want."

You bit your lip harder, your breathing becoming more labored. "Please stop," you managed to say, though your body betrayed you, pressing back against him.

"Stop?" he echoed, his hand slipping lower, fingers brushing against your core. "You don't really want me to stop, do you?"

You let out a shaky breath, your resolve weakening. "We can't make noise."

He grinned against your skin. "Then you'll just have to be very quiet," he whispered, his fingers teasing you through your pajamas.

You stifled a moan, your body aching for more. "Yunho, this isn't fair."

"Life's not fair, baby," he said, his voice filled with dark amusement. "Now, be a good girl and stay quiet."

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enhaheeseung · 5 months ago

Text

BREAK UP - L. HEESEUNG

Pairing: heeseung X fem reader

Warnings: crying, break up, angst, heartbreak, arguments.

Word count: 1400+

Note: another short one, continuation of part 1 you can read it here

Part 3

You barely made it to the driveway with your luggage, and your boyfriend, now ex-boyfriend, was literally following you into the parking lot in his boxers, practically begging you not to leave him. “Babe, please don’t go,” he said, holding onto the door handle on the driver's side, stopping you from getting in.

“Move,” you told him dryly, trying your best to keep your composure.

“No” he shook his head back and forth and you sighed deeply. “Let’s just talk it out, please, y/n. I regret what I said, and I don’t even know why I said it cause I love you, and I need you so much, baby. You don’t understand. Just the thought of not waking up next to you, is killing me inside.”

“Well, you said it so easily like our relationship meant nothing. You ended five years in five seconds like my feelings didn’t matter. It killed me inside to hear you say that to me, and now you only care now that you’re hurting,” you kept your tears at bay for however long that would be.

“No baby, listen, I love you, okay? I was stupid to even say that to you. I’m sorry I hurt you.” his hand slipped off the handle, reaching to take hold of your hand, but you evaded his touch.

You unlocked the car, attempting to leave so you wouldn’t have to talk to him any longer. It was already hard enough to leave him. You didn’t want to make it harder and stay.

“Wait, y/n, I-“

“I thought you said you were done talking,” you rudely cut him off, replying to him harshly.

“I meant none of it. Believe me, please just come back inside.” You could hear the desperation in his voice grow with every syllable.

“Nothing you say can ever change my mind.” You used his own words against him, glaring at him as you opened the back door and loaded up your luggage before entering the driver's side.

“Just give me a chance, please, baby, don’t leave me.” his voice was soft, barely audible after being mixed with the strong winds outside.

“I’m done talking” you shut the door in his face no matter how many tears rolled down his cheeks and no matter how hard he tried to get the door open you ignored it all backing the car out of the driveway while he begged and pleaded for you to stay even going as far to come out into the street despite the neighbors watching the whole scene unfold.

A tear finally rolled down your cheek, and you could still see him in your rearview mirror, watching him for one last time as you got further and further away from him.

He stood at the edge of the driveway, not even caring about being in his underwear. All that plagued his mind was the thought of never seeing you again as your car disappeared into the distance.

You arrived safely at your parent's house a few hours later. They asked tons of questions when you came through the door, but all you told them was that you and heeseung broke up.

That’s the only thing you could manage to get out.

Of course, they were shocked, angry, curious, and sad all at once, but you couldn’t talk about it right now. You were too hurt. Toluckily, they understood you wanted to be alone right now, and you appreciated that cause you just needed some time to register what was actually happening and what breaking up with heeseung meant for your future.

You plopped down on your old bed after putting your luggage down, staring at the ceiling and wondering how things went so wrong in the past year.

One week after the breakup

[Voicemail One]

“Hey baby, did you arrive safely? I texted you a week ago, but you didn’t read them,” he dryly chuckles. “Anyways, I hope you did. I hope you’re resting well and having fun with your family. I’m sorry again for hurting you; I just- I don’t know,” he sighs frustratedly. “You’re probably never gonna get this, uhm, bye, I guess.”

Two weeks after the breakup

[Voicemail Two]

“Hey, little one, I know you’re not listening, but it brings me comfort just sending this to your phone. It’s like I’m really talking to you.” he clears his throat softly. “I miss you, and I love you so much, can’t stop thinking of you and what you’re up to. I’m not doing much; I'm just working like always, but I’m off this week. They gave me a full week's vacation,” he sighs, wishing he had gotten it a few weeks sooner. Maybe that dreadful night wouldn’t have ever occurred. “Wish I could spend it with you. I wish I could spend every day with you.” he goes silent, just thinking about you and him and all the things he could have done differently instead of irrationally taking his anger out on you. “I hope your days are better than mine. I’m gonna go now. Bye love”

Three weeks after the breakup

[Voicemail Three]

“Hi love, how are you? I’m doing good, but it could be better. Vacation isn’t the same without you. It’s so…. Silent, I miss our conversations. I miss how we’d just cuddle all night and be lazy together, “ he laughs. “It’s ironic now I have all this free time and no one to spend it with. I know this will be the most boring week of my life, but I hope you’re having fun wherever you are, even if it’s not with me. Talk to you later, baby.”

One month later…..

[Voicemail Four]

“Hi, sweetheart. I thought you might like to know I’m sleeping more and eating a lot more, too. I barely get any work done now cause I’m always thinking of you. You take up every crevice of my brain. I’ve been sleeping 'cause it feels like time goes faster that way, and when I’m asleep, I don’t have to think about how much I miss you, and well, I eat more 'cause I’m bored,” he chuckles at himself. “I’m a mess, but I’m sure you already know that. By the way, I literally begged for you to stay. Well, I’m sure I’m probably ringing your ear off, so I’ll say bye. I’ll call you again tomorrow, same time. Love you, baby, bye!”

Two months later…..

“Oh umm, hi, I wasn’t expecting you,” heeseung grins at your mom, who was standing outside his door.

He wasn’t expecting any visitors, but he was pleasantly surprised to see her face.

“Hi,” she greets, simply not as cheery as she once used to be when she saw him. “Y/n said she had a few things, and I offered to get them for her.”

Heeseung nods with a smile, opening the door wider so your mom can enter. “Come in.” he can’t say that he’s not a bit sad that you didn’t come over to get the remaining items you had left at his place. He was hoping maybe he’d get to see you at least one more time, but apparently not.

Your mom enters with perfect posture, her head held high, making it obvious that she wasn’t the least bit impressed with what she used to call her son-in-law.

“How are you?” He says timidly while they walk to the living room, where your stuff is placed neatly in a brown box.

“Fine” she answers headed straight for the box not interested in even talking to him after what you told her about him.

“And y/n?” He asked with a hopeful glint in his eyes, hoping to at least get an update on your whereabouts and how you were doing after all this time.

“She’s fine is this all there is?” Your mother responds quick leaving no room for any other questions.

He feels his body relax. Just knowing you’re doing okay made him feel better. “Y-yes, I’m glad to hear you’re both doing well.” he offers a smile that doesn’t even get noticed. “Would you like me to take that to the car f-“

“I have it, thank you, heeseung.” She used his real name, something she never did after you and him started officially dating, and it hurt his heart being called that by her.

She walked to the exit, seeing her own way out. “By-“The door gets all but slammed in his face, making him feel even worse about what he’s done to you and, evidently, your family as well.

He locks his door, shuffles back into his bedroom, lying on your side of the bed, and pulls out his phone so he can send you yet another voicemail.

Thanks for reading likes comments and reblogs are always appreciated sorry for any typos or errors I hope you all have a good day/night♥️

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hidtired · 6 months ago

Note

sooo what i you do a Daryl x reader where the reader and Daryl had a relationship before the whole outbreak but when the world went to shit, they got separated and they didn't find each other again until Daryl and Aaron are out looking for people and they find the reader in some sort of abandoned building and it's just a sweet reunion. Btw I love your reading and I have no idea what you mean by GRAMMER MISTAKES- LIKE WHERE- but I love ur work <3

That makes my dyslexic ass very happy. I reread my stuff so much and always find mistakes so I try!

Miles Away

(Daryl Dixon x Reader) Masterlist

“Things are never lost to you; you are lost to them. If ever in need of something that has lost you, simply stop hiding from it.”

6.2k words

Description: A last minute trip leaves you separated from your fiancé when the world ends. Years of travel inevitably returns you to him. But years out in the world causes change.

Your POV

An unlikely relationship to have happened between two individuals, but happened all the same. It was a shock to the small town at the time. Even years later the announcement of your engagement causing some ruffled feathers. You the sweet town girl and a rugged Dixon. You were often discouraged from people about Daryl. You had dated the man for around 7 years now. Even so, the people around you told you it was a mistake to go through with a marriage. How could you not do it? He proposed, something you thought he would never do because his parents. He put it simply, “I already see you as my wife. Guess it was bout time I actually made you that rightfully.” So you told everyone to respectfully mind their business.

Then the world ended. You were thousands of miles in the air at the start. Daryl having dropped you off at the airport. You sulked with leaving, becoming mushy about going to New Hampshire to see your dementia ridden mother for the most likely last time. She was getting bad and some family had gathered and deciding to pull the plug. You still remember the last thing you said to him. Tears in your eyes as he held you outside TSA. “I’ll be back in a few days. Then I’m turning that title of fiancé into husband the next I see you.” You felt him chuckle into you, “Yes Ma’am you will.” Expressing I love you’s and the last kiss before you had to catch your flight. This isn’t the first time you had gone to check on your mom. Daryl insisted on coming but he had a hunting trip with his brother and you didn’t want to ruin that. So you had told him no. Why did you tell him no.

The first community you were apart of was the airport you landed at. It lasted a few months, food was plenty for the time and there were weapons from security. It was the people who ended up getting everyone killed. Few disagreements here and there caused a split, factions of sorts. One group kidnapped a pilot to try and fly a plane back to their loved ones. The plane they took hadn’t been run or properly check since everything fell. So it crashed into the fence destroying a good part of the airport with it. The crash attracted a horde and quickly over ran the place. You had a few survivors with you from the airport until you had either lost or seen them all killed.

You headed south, back to Daryl. Miles and miles of land keeping you from Georgia. It was 2 years going on 3 now. You would come across community’s, some still going some gone. Finding less than great people on the road. So that leads you to now. Two wannabe cowboys trying to lasso you like cattle. A scar carved into there for heads the only odd thing about them. They spit out concerning threats and comments, “You can have my seconds when I’m done Bill!” A rope had caught tight to your ankle leading you unable to run. You almost tripped but held your ground. Before this encounter you’d been having it tough for a few weeks. You had barely made any distance in the time you had traveled. The frustration and despair and shit luck wore you thin. You had a gun, only one in the chamber. Leaving one for you if you needed it. About the only ‘cure’ there is nowadays.

You thrashed around trying to fight off the men. You were already covered in grime. They were trying to capture you, not kill. That changed when the gun came out. This alone helpless woman became not so helpless. You fired your only shot at the bigger guy. The smaller one still had the rope and tugged making you miss killing the other. It hit him in the shoulder sending him crying in pain to the forest floor. It was moments like these that made you zone out. Violence wasn’t something you had in you. But now something learned, you had been out in the world too long. Taking a life becoming a norm. You used to care, then you remembered why they were all dead.

The steadiness you felt inside didn’t translate to the out. You scream and yell promises of death. You had managed to grab the rope from your ankle and used it to strangle the man who tied it to you. You broke a few ribs of his while he slowly chocked to death. You had your legs around him while you pulled back at his throat, you had heard and felt a few cracks. The man you had shot watching in horror has he struggled to decide, fight or flight? He choose froze, big scary man having his power taken from him and he becomes a coward. Your incessant screams and yells stopped when he stilled. You focus back to the injured. He rambled apologies to you at your approach. It fell on deaf ears, spotting a large rock near him. You didn’t kill him with speed. You broke his leg with the rock, slowly moving up his body. He was long dead when you were done swinging. Blood splattered and dripping down you.

A frustrated and adrenaline filled scream released out of you. All your noise attracted the infected near you. You ran still with a rope tied to you. You found a small home that was overgrown and slid into it. The knife you didn’t realized you pulled out while running tremble in your hand. You slide down the old wall in the building. The regret to your brutality flowing over you. Killing was normal for survival now, but what you did was cruel. You took your time and did it in brutal ways.

You were twirling the ring on your finger as a nervous habit. Often times doing it for a sense of safety from the man who had given it to you. You thought about him most days. Either when you do something he himself had taught you. That time spent with him in the woods had you picking up little things from him in time. It is why you’re alive for as long as you were. But come closer to night time when you just want to roll into his arms and let the world cease to exist. To just talk to him and hear his voice. But you were no longer the person he knew, and that broke your heart more. The blood covering you, the mans and yours was a very big indication of that fact.

The dead must have saw you run off and tried to follow. The sound of a leaf crunching told you only one must have stumbled correctly in your direction. The quiet movement and lack of undead moans told you all you needed to know.

‘They must have had friends.’

Daryl POV

He was devastated knowing you were far from his reach. Blame for not going with you. It was your mother dying how could he have just let you tell him it was fine? That, “We will go to the funeral when that comes.” He was bitter and angry in the beginning. Then it was hope when he got to the prison with people he now considered family. Maybe one day he would find you again. Then the prison fell and reality seemed to hit him.

Acceptance came when he finally confessed to Rick of your existence. It was when they sat against that car after the night with the claimers. He broke when he told him he was his brother. A mention of Beth stirring the thought of you with it. He looked away from Rick taking a shaky breath, “I lost her like how… how I lost m’ wife.” Rick’s eyes widened taking in the information. Tears build in Daryl’s eyes before he steels himself, “Completely out of my control and yet… somehow was.” Rick understands the feeling, it turns out Daryl knew just that to. When he lost Lori, it was Daryl that helped hold things together. That sudden understanding knocked into him. Rick cautiously asked, “Are they both dead…?” Daryl looked out to the forest. He slowly shook his head, “Just gone.”

When Beth died it also felt like you died with her. The hope he always had that you were out there seemingly dying inside him. He knew the kind of person you were. He would kill squirrels and you would feed them. He knew you were far too nice for your own good. You had spent hours in the rain trying to lure a kitten from under the neighbors shed. Catching a cold so bad it stuck with you for a week. You were his fragile thing in the world he promised to protect. To not just keep you alive but keep your innocence. Whether you were dead or not you would have had killed something in you to live in today’s world. To not be able to protect you from anything felt like he failed you.

He still held a hope you went down peacefully. It had to be meaningful because your life had to be for something. He tried to do the same by giving his life for others. Most recently that person being Aaron. In truth he was ok with dying knowing there was a slim chance of seeing you once again. Things that reminded him that maybe it was better for you to have not suffered. With the horde and assholes he tried to help and others assholes destroying Alexandria’s walls. So now that leading them, him and Aaron tracking the few Wolves who fled. They knew Rick said not to go recruiting people. The distance yells and screams caught there interest. They still need to try despite Rick being jumpy and “taking no chances”. If they could only just make sure whoever was well then that was enough.

When they got closer to a woman’s scream, which sounded in between scared and angry, the dead also seemed to take interest into the noise. The yelling had stopped near when the shot went off, so finding exactly where this person was in the woods became harder. The sight they found was not what they expected. Aaron had held a hand to his mouth, “What the-“ The sight was gruesome, two body’s laid in the dirt. One unrecognizable due to being beaten to a pulp. The other had a walker chewing on its leg. The neck of the man purple. Daryl looked on at the sight with a scowl and went to put the near walker down. He took notice of the W carved into the dead mans head, “Well shit.” Aaron perked up as he watched Daryl crouch down to the man who was choked. Daryl turning gesturing with his head to the body, “These the assholes who fled.” Aaron walked and peeked to see a W carved into there forehead. These two were the last known of the group and they had seemed to died gruesomely, but not by the dead. Aaron turned to Daryl as a realization hit him, “Where the girl who was screaming?”

A unwelcome chill and uneasiness drifted in the air. A thick cloud of a sad thought, “M’ guess they must have attacked her and she shot big fella over there. Then ran from the walkers.” Daryl nibbled at his lip, his eyes roamed the surrounding, maybe a clue confirming the theory. Some blood caught his attention, then he noticed further that in a direction something was dragged through the forest floor. He pointed in the direction making Aaron turn. Aaron looked to have some kind of resolve, “Let’s make sure she is ok.” Daryl nodded while walking forward to track, “If there comes back with us I’ll try and talk Rick into letting them stay. Hell best we can offer is at least some meds, she did use a favor with those dick bags.” Aaron eyebrows scrunched, “Maybe that would help their case. I don’t like not being about to recruit people anymore.”

The trail Daryl followed lead him to a very overgrown building. It was clear the place may have been abandoned even before the fall. Daryl walked quietly, he gestured he would go around back and that Aaron should go in the front. Aaron crouched and made his way closer to the building while Daryl went to the back. The slow creak of the wooden door making it obvious he was there, Aaron had no stealth in him. So he knows if someone was in this place they knew he was here, he might as well make himself known. He gulped seeing a hand print of blood on the wall closed to the door, “I don’t want to hurt you. Just heard you screaming and saw the bodies of those men. Your not hurt are you?” His weight making the wood underneath him bend with every step. The place was silent, but he knew that someone was here if the blood trail wasn’t any indication.

It was sudden, almost like a flow of wind whipping behind him. A cold knife pressed to his neck. You had drifted out of the dark from somewhere stunning him in shock. He nervously brought his hands up in surrender, “Woah! There’s no need for that.” He tried to stay calm but an obvious tremor to his voice giving away his nerves. The quick movement and tone had alerted the archer to his danger though. Daryl saw a grimy and bloody figure stand to Aaron’s side. Daryl lifted and clicked his crossbow of safety and pointed to the potential threat.

It was clear by the way the person froze they knew they were now out numbered. It was also evident that this person was trembling. They were in a fight mode from just being attacked and he didn’t blame them for being on edge. By the looks of it they had been out in the world for to long, something he was familiar with. This person seemed to be thinking of anyway to run and Daryl decided he should speak stopping those thoughts from getting to how you got away from the other guys.

“Put the knife down, we just were wantin to see if yeah are ok.”

The slow turn of the persons head seemed almost confused. But the soon flicker of eye contact between them revealed all. His grip on his crossbow slowly slipping. His heart pumped in his ears. You. Maybe he was dreaming? You? The building feeling dropped in him. Some way somehow he was staring at you, the women he would burn the world for. He watched as the knife was moved from Aaron and saw it fall to the floor. The sound of you crashing back to the wall behind you giving him a clear view of you. You were covered in dirt and blood. Hair was much shorter then the last he saw you. It was choppy like you did it with a dull blade. It was also tinted darker from being unwashed. Holes throughout your clothes and the collar loose. He slowly stepped closer ignoring Aaron. Then he saw it, a flicker of a sparkle coming from your finger.

The ring he gave you…

Your POV

The clumsy man sloppily creeped up into the house. A voice calmly spoke as they realized they were less than quiet entering, “I don’t want to hurt you. Just heard you screaming and saw the bodies of those men. Your not hurt are you?” The hatred still buzzed in you from your near death experience. This man claimed to ‘not want to hurt you’ but never said they weren’t going to hurt you. The man walked with heavy feet. You were in a dark room hugging the wall near the door. If he was truthful about just overhearing everything you didn’t want to kill him. It was hard to remember that not everyone was out to get you. Even so you quickly rushed to pull your knife to his neck.

The man seemed schooled while raising his hands in surrender. A good move that eased his threat level to you. You took notice of his clean appearance, something that seemed a little strange at first. He looked to you with ought moving his head. Eyes glancing down to you, “Woah! There’s no need for that.” It was clear to you this guy was not involved with the others you just killed. Before you could ask anything a click from across the hall stunned you into a sense of danger overflowing from you again. You didn’t move your sight from the man in front of you. It was clear some kind of weapon was pointed at you. You hadn’t heard the other person at all? Maybe the first guy was so loud you didn’t even think he had another person with him. Should you run? Maybe kill the guy at your knife point and use him as a shield for the other-

“Put the knife down, we just were wantin to see if yeah are ok.”

It was as if a ghost whispered in your ear. The unexpected voice from the dark pulling at your heart and memories. Maybe you were losing it, becoming crazy? All this time out in the world had gotten to you. Your eyes while scared to drift to the darkness and see nothing quickly glanced over to confirm if you lost it. Blue eyes is what you saw. His baby blue eyes that you used to joke would be the color of your children’s. Daryl, crossbow slowly lowering revealing more of himself. The knife slipped from your hand. The man near you back away after it fell. You didn’t even notice while crashing backwards. Eyes still locked with a seeming allusion of your lover. A overwhelming mess of feeling all at once made you numb. You were in Virginia… still miles from Georgia.

He stepped closer, hair longer and clothes seemed worn but still clean. You struggled to suck air in to your lungs, starting to hyper ventilate. You slid down the wall still looking at him. He crouched down to your level eyes glassy and a look of pain in his eyes.

“Darlin’…”

Both POV

Your lips wobbled as tears flood your vision. A sudden rush of air finally hitting your lungs. He almost reached out to touch you but froze halfway not wanting to scare you. The first sound of a cry released from you. You sent yourself flying up at him, encircling him into your arms. He caught you but stumbled back landing on his ass. He felt your body shake with your cry’s. A tightness stuck in his throat as he held you. A moment neither thought would have again.

"Uh, Daryl what just happened?"

Daryl looked over your shoulder and up to a very confused Aaron. A long sigh released from him, "M' Wife." He leaned his head down onto yours. You pulling back to look to him. Tears still in your eyes blurring your vision slightly. Not enough to not take notice of how he changed, for as long as you've known him he's never looked more mature. You sniffle, "I thought I'd never see you again." The clear strain to the admission broke his heart. He knew though, despite that you had been trying to get back, you wouldn't be in front of him now if you hadn't. He wiped at your tears still not fully processing. He noticed Aaron move and sigh, "I'll give you a moment, keep in mind we have to get back before dark." He walked out the door and it creaked and slowly swung closed. It had seemed you had only just noticed and remembered he was there. But you had also remembered that the world was still shit. You looked to Daryl and you notice he was looking at you already.

"Shit. Are you hurt? I saw those assholes bodies-" He seemed to realized it to. The world was different, therefore so were you. He might still have lost you. "-you killed those pricks?" His innocent little thing? He looked to the blood that covered you. Then he remembered the way those bodies looked. You looked away from his eyes seemingly ashamed, "Yes." It was a slightly cold reply. Squeezed fists, nails digging into your palm. "They cornered me so I killed them." It wasn't even a second when Daryl replied with a grumble in his voice, "Good." Your eyes spring to look at his face in surprise. You saw the unwavering truth in that moment. Yes you had changed, so had he.

You smile while tears stream down your face. He was truly here. You grab his face in your hands and look deep into his eyes. He was mesmerized by the change. The love in your eyes remain the same he last saw them, in the end you were still his. He should have clocked that the moment he still say the ring on your finger. You let in a breath before speaking, “The only reason I’m still alive is because of you.” He wasn’t expecting that. He seemed to bite his tongue and look down for a second. Guilty. You forgot how soft hearted this man was, you’re glad that somehow is still with him. You never thought that maybe he would blame himself for the separation. You lift his head to look back to you, “All the times I would watch you hunt, track, and prepare kills kept me fed. All the times I should have given up or accepted death I told myself I would crawl my way to you if I had to.”

Then is when the crashing feeling dropped on him. The love he held for you that felt like a void suddenly was right in front of him. You slowly leaned into him giving a slow kiss. His hand slipped behind your head pulling you into a deeper kiss. Something both would fantasize about now becoming a reality. You wince causing Daryl to pull back. He pulled you back and took a look at you. You huffed a sigh sitting back to the forgotten rope around your foot. Daryl’s eyes round at the rope around your swollen ankle, he grabbed your leg mumbling curses. You sighed, “Shit, forgot about that.” You flinch while he carefully unwraps it. You didn’t feel the pain until now. It didn’t feel broken but the guy must have sprained it the time he pulled on it before you shot his friend. Maybe the crunching you heard while strangling the guy with the rope was your foot. Daryl grunted and had that worried pout he did, “We gotta get yeah back to get that looked at.” He stood first helping you stand. You stumbled giving him a questioning look, “Back where?” He helped you out the door, the man you didn’t recognize turning to your exit of the shack. Daryl started to explain, “We have a community, it’s a little drive away.”

You cringe at the word community. You have seen your fair share of them, either run by crazy’s with a weird motive or something natural would happen destroying the place. “Don’t have the greatest relationship with those but, if you say so.” You look to the man Daryl was with, he seemed bamboozled. He walked closer to you and helping you walk. Daryl seemed perturbed, “I got her, I’ll get her to your car.” You watched somewhat comically as the man sassed and brush’s off his statement. You expected Daryl to hurl harsh words at him because he typically hated when anyone challenged him. But by this man’s tone, “You got shot few days ago. Not the greatest idea to carry her with your shoulder.” he was friends with him. Daryl scoffed but your eyes widened and looked to Daryl in shock. Daryl’s annoyed face at Aaron changed when he saw the worried one on yours, “Geez Aaron it was a graze! You’ll scare her talkin’ like that. Y/n don’t listen to him…”

They both were helping you through the woods seemingly to a road. Aaron chuckled as he took a glance to you, “Well to be fair never knew there was a Mrs. Dixon. Be good for her to finally keep you from being reckless.” Daryl scoffed rolling his eyes, the grip on you tightened from him, “Only ever mentioned it to one person, he’ll give me hell for her when we get back.” Daryl also can’t imagine all the rest of his family finding out you even existed. He looked down seeing you slightly amused at how he was acting. He knows he has changed, for the better he thinks. He was finally confident in saying you were right about his true nature all that time ago. He was just a big softie that denied it and put on a sour façade. He looked to Aaron then back to you, “You’ll be in the car with Aaron. Your to injured for my bike.”

You looked to this Aaron guy giving him an unsure look. He smiled to you shyly, “Best we don’t freak out the rest of are people. Those assholes you killed gave us hell and damaged are community.” That surprised you, looking as a road appeared through the trees, you hopped along, “You were out here for them?” You reached the car and Aaron left your side to open the passenger door. Daryl turning to explain, “They carved W in their head calling themselves wolves. Bunch of crazy’s.” He sighed looking past you, “Those two were the last of em. We didn’t want them doing anything else to anyone.” He rubbed your arm before helping you walk to car, “We were a little late for that I guess.” He helped you sit down noticing it was getting a little too dark for his liking. He moved down looking at Aaron in the drivers seat, “We gotta go before we worry people, I’ll lead the way.”

You sat there staring at Daryl as his headlight lit the road. Everything felt like it was moving really fast. The news of those people you killed were worse than you thought gave some justification for your brutality. Who were you kidding you had lost control. Aaron broke the silence in the humming car, “So, Y/n is it?” You glance over to Aaron just giving a hum in reply. He takes your awkward silence just as well as he takes Daryl. He heard you shuffle in your seat before asking, “How long have you known Daryl?” Aaron clocked the really meaning to the question, ‘how trustworthy are you’. Aaron chuckled, “A few months now.” Not long enough in your opinion. Yet Daryl seems so friendly with him? In such a short time? You decide to just ask another thing bothering you.

“What did he mean by he’ll get hell about me?”

Aaron sighed as he looked on to Daryl driving ahead, “Are leader will be a little pissed with bring you back. He is not big on newcomers right now after the recent incident, but you’re Daryl’s wife so not really new know are you.” This leader sounds to have the right idea about people. You fiddle with the ring on your hand, “So me staying is going to take some convincing?” Aaron smiled and nodded while he drove, “Well if anyone could convince him it would be his brother.” His brother is the leader of this place? That can’t be good. Merle was anything but a leader. This community is probably small and on its lasts legs, he did say it was just attacked and very damaged… guess you’ll be back out on the road sooner then you thought.

You looked out the window for the remainder of your ride. Aaron only speaking again when closer to the destination, “So we’re almost there. You should just stay in the car until we can give a heads up of your arrival?” You tilt your head in confusion, “I’m going in the community? Thought you said your leader wasn’t a people person right now?” You had thought you would have to stay behind considering so. Having to wait for some kind of approval. Aaron laughed a little, “Daryl has a fair amount of say. His family trusts him enough to make a call.” You sat there confused again, ‘Family?’ Just his brother? But he said it like there is a fair bit of people in this, ‘Family’. Your contemplating was interrupted when Aaron rolled to a stop. You looked around into the dark not realizing when Aaron turned off the headlights.

Then while Aaron filcked the lights on and off in a pattern you caught glimpses of a huge wall. You sat up in your seat leaning forward as you watched it slide open. Daryl rolled in first then Aaron slowly drove in. The first thing you notice was houses with a few lights on. Electricity? This place was huge… But your eyes were pealed back to Daryl. A group of people seemingly gathering around him seeming worried. Aaron unlocked the door and before getting out mumbled a quick, “Stay here.”

Daryl POV

There orders were to be back way before dark. So when they hadn’t come back it sent everyone in a panic. Not to mention they were already struggling with replacing broken parts of the wall and moving bodies. Rick had become a singled minded man again with Carl almost dying. So he wasn’t surprised when he came marching up to him unhappy about his tardiness, “Where the hell have you both been! We damn near sent people after you.” Daryl brought his hands to his hips, “Assholes are dead, but there is something else-“

“Stay here.”

Rick turned to see Aaron getting out of the car but he also noticed a figure in the passenger seat nodding. Anger flared in him, “I said no more recruiting! Damnit Daryl- put them in the cell!” Daryl was not about to be yelled at. Specially for something as important as this. “Hold the hell up-“ Rick shook his head in annoyance cutting Daryl off, “This is not negotiable!” Before Daryl could blurt out anything a running figure came screaming for Rick. It was Denise, “It’s Carl he is awake and freaking out!” Daryl felt his stomach drop. Rick hesitated in place before pointing to Glenn, “Go put them in the cell!” Then he ran off back to his son. Daryl turned to Glenn, “Nah man! You don’t get it!” Glenn looked to the people next to him before sighing and walking to the car. “Hey! Wait!” Abraham stepped in front of him blocking his path.

He huffed knowing he would have tackled Abraham if he wasn’t trying to be calm about this. “Get the hell out my way.” Then he heard your voice call out, “Uh… Daryl?” Very clear of your anxiety and how you might lash out if you feel in danger. Daryl needed to just had to suck it up, “ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! FINE!” He stepped to the side looking to Glenn, “Your throwing me in with her. Let’s go…” Glenn paused giving him a wide eye expression. Glenn looked back and forth conflicted but sighed and lead you to the cell Morgan just made. Glenn question Daryl on the walk, “Why are you doing this Daryl?” Daryl was walking slightly ahead with you right behind him. You answered for him, “I’m his wife.” A choked cough released from Glenn, “Woah!” Glenn paused looking to him the to you. “What the hell dude! Never said you were married!” Daryl saw they were getting closer to the building and ignored Glenn’s surprise. Glenn sighed, “Well damn now I don’t wanna lock you up.” Glenn walked past you both going down a small incline. He unlocked a door and rubbed at his next, “But Rick said. I’m sure once everything with Carl calms down he will let you out.” Glenn turned to you, “Sorry about this, newcomers is a sensitive thing at the moment.”

Much to Daryl’s dismay you half heartedly chuckled while walking into the room, “To be fair best I be in a cage. I did just brutally murder two men.” Glenn mouth was agape, “uh- what? She’s joking right?” Daryl just shrugged and followed you into the cell. Daryl even closed the door and stuck his arms through the bars before answering. While it was still a new thing to hear you be so… brutal… maybe just badass, he trusted you. “Don’t tell Rick why I’m in here with her. Want to rub it in his face for pissing me off and not listening to me.” Glenn chuckled and shrugged moving to lock the cell door, “If you say so.” You while just being a bystander to this conversation spoke up, “I thought Aaron said your brother was the leader, not this Rick guy?” Glenn started to laugh, “What you thought people would follow a dumbass like Merle?” Daryl squinted his eyes at Glenn… but he wasn’t wrong. Glenn smiled to him, “No offense.” Daryl just rolled his eyes putting his attention to you, “Rick is like a brother to me.”

Your face told him you were bewildered by that statement. Granted he knows back then Merle always through around ‘blood is the only thing we got’ when you both started dating. Maybe you thought he saw it that way to. Glenn was about to go out the door, “Aw, Daryl cares for us!” Before the door closed Daryl shouted back, “Get your head out of your ass ‘walker bait’!” A nickname sure to piss him off. You only looked to me pleased with the reaction. Awe struck in your eyes drew him closer to you. Alone at last, and it seemed you both had some catch up to do.

It was a lot of talking. Sitting against a wall with your hands intertwined. He told you about Merle’s death. How he came to be so friendly with all these people. You started crying and leaned into him. At first he thought you were sad but you were smiling proudly at him. You share your own story’s. Mentioning friends you’ve lost, mostly them all dying, how a few were just gone with you having no clue to how. “Told you I’d make you my husband the next time I saw you…” He felt his throat tightened, he grieved you to the point of acceptance. So having you here and now felt like another type of grieving. To what could have been. But before he could get into it farther an angry Rick stormed down into the cellar. Hand on hip with a baby Judith slumped over his shoulder. A stature of a man trying to show leadership, “What the hell are you doing here Daryl.” Rick’s eyes only glancing over to you for a second. Daryl sat there for a second prolonging the silence. While he couldn’t exactly blame Rick for having to run off before they could talk he should have known damn well he had say. So he glared daggers to Rick.

Rick moved from foot to foot shaking his head again, “Look we can’t go bring anyone in after the shit that happened-“ Daryl stood up waving his hands, “You think I’m stupid? Like I would go and bring someone back if it didn’t mean something?” Daryl stood straight closing in closer to the bars, “Now please go ahead and tell my WIFE! That she isn’t welcome here.” Ricks mouth gapped open, air releasing from his lungs, “T-that’s her!” Rick’s hand moved to his chest while turning to look at you. Daryl also turned around just seeing you nonchalantly resting on the floor.

“You two really do argue like brothers.”

Your eyes not staring at Rick but the baby girl he carried. Daryl’s heart filled with you pushing aside the anger of the situation, because this was supposed to be a happy moment. Daryl turned back to Rick seeming to have calmed down, “Now… you gonna let us out?” Rick started to laugh, Judith perking up to her father’s laughter. “Goddamn dude, I’m happy for ya.” Rick moved for the key in his pocket. Daryl reached out a hand to help you up, a visible limp still present. While walking here you tried to appear un injured, most likely trying not to look like easy pray. You truly were out there for a long time, his group knows what that could do to your mind.

The creaky bared door swings open leaving the little girl to finally met eyes with her uncle. Daryl sighed when he gained the little girls attention. Judith happily giggled while reaching for him. Though he found really hold her if he wanted to help you walk. That’s what drew his attention back to your face. He wasn’t expecting you to be looking at Judith like she was a puppy. Then you sniffled, “She’s so cute.” Rick looked to you while juggling his daughter. The know that sometimes things like Judith keep you going in hard times. But in your hard time you had nothing. So seeing something in this broken world like Judith was definitely pulling something inside you. Daryl though could help but smugly smile up to Rick with a, ‘Just look at m’ girl~.’ Showing off the one he loved at the start to the family he now has.

But damn if it didn’t feel good.

Feedback welcome and requests open! Maybe spin off if this does well and people want more.

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon x reader #daryl fanfiction #daryl x female reader #daryl x reader #twd daryl #norman reedus #daryl imagines #angst #fluff

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just-dreaming-marvel · 2 months ago

Text

Love That Burns ~ 17

LOVE THAT BURNS MASTERLIST

< previous chapter

Word Count: 2,700ish

Summary: Logan's guilt consumes him. The remaining X-Men try to gather.

Warnings: torture, violence

Notes: One day there will be fluff. Also, I hope the scene at the end eases some fears about Jean!

Reminder: I DO NOT do taglists. Please don’t ask. Please follow and interact! I appreciate any reblogs, likes, comments, and asks!

“Logan, you’re going to break the steering wheel,” Rogue said as she watched Logan’s grip on it only tighten. He simply remained glaring at the road. “Cyclops is not going to be happy—“

“Don’t care,” he replied gruffly.

“We’ll get her back, Logan.”

“I should have fought harder. I should have went to her immediately.”

“It’s not your fault.”

Logan seemed to not even hear Rogue. “If I had just been down there already, with her, I could have—“

“This is not going to help her.”

“Did you know that man?”

“Stryker. His name is Stryker.”

“I can’t remember.” Logan’s grip tightened on the steering wheel.

“Where are we headed anyway?” Pyro wondered, acting like this situation was no big deal.

“Storm and Jean are in Boston,” Logan explained. “We’ll head that way.”

“My parents live in Boston,” Bobby offered.

“Good.”

“We’ll get her back, Logan,” Rogue tried to comfort.

“We better.”

~~~

There was still a collar around your neck when you woke. You tried to move to grab at it, but you were cuffed down by the wrists and ankles. Turning your head as much as you could to the side, you noticed that Scott was in a similar situation. Your stomach dropped. If Stryker had Scott, that meant he had Charles too. You couldn’t let anymore of your family be hurt by Stryker. He had already taken too much from you.

“Ah! She’s awake,” Stryker stated as he entered the room. Your blood ran cold at his voice. “It’s been far too long, Y/N.”

“Not long enough,” you grumbled.

“I know that we didn’t end on the best note—“

“You shot James in the head! He lost all his memories!”

“He seemed to still find his way back to you. I guess that’s true love for you.” Stryker walked over to Scott, examining him.

“What do you want with him?”

“I need another mindless slave. Soon you’ll be one too. Though, you’re going to be more than a mindless slave. You’ll help create the next generation of mutants—of weapons.”

A group of people in lab coats entered the room, each going to a different location like it was rehearsed. Your cuffs suddenly became impossibly tighter, including the collar around your neck. An electric current began to flow through the collar, causing you to scream out in pain. Scott screamed out as well, the same thing happening to him.

Stryker’s laugh echoed as he left the room.

~~~

When they arrived at Bobby’s parents house, Logan decided he needed some form of alcohol. Something to try to wash what he was feeling down. The guilt. The regret. The terror. He had tried and failed to get in contact with Jean or Ororo, which was a whole other problem. Logan opened the fridge and sniffed around for the closest thing he could find to alcohol. Quickly grabbing it, he began chugging it. Suddenly, he stumbled back as a memory hit him.

He was in a warehouse. Stryker was there. You had been tossed over to Logan and he barely caught you. You whispered is name. His real name.

“I’m here, baby,” he whispered, his face up against yours as he tried to force himself to believe that you were real. “I’m right here… I’m going to get you out of here. They aren’t going to hurt you again.”

Logan shook his head, exiting the memory. He had failed you. He had told you that Stryker would never hurt you again. Didn’t matter that he didn’t remember that promise until just now. He had failed you, once again. With a groan, Logan leaned his head against the fridge, letting himself dwell in his emotions.

~~~

You don’t know how long you were tortured for. In the midst of it, both you and Scott had been flipped onto your stomaches and drilled into at the base of your necks. They had somehow found something that wouldn’t get immediately kicked out of your system due to your healing ability and inserted it. You were turned around and the table was lifted to put you in an upright position. Stryker waltzed in with a smile.

“Almost there, Y/N,” he told you. “I do wish that it didn’t have to be this way. You were once a good soldier.”

“Logan will find you,” you told him with a snarl. “And he will kill you.”

“Not unless you kill him first.”

Before you could retort, Stryker shoved your head down and injected some liquid into whatever device they put at the base of your neck. Your mind quickly went blank, eyes dilated.

“Hello, Weapon XII,” Stryker greeted. “Ready for your first assignment?”

~~~

While Logan was listening to Bobby trying to explain being a mutant to his family, Logan’s comms device rang. He quickly went out back onto the porch and answered it.

“Jean?” He answered.

“Logan!” She responded. “What is going on? No one is responding!”

“The mansion was raided. A guy named Stryker. No one’s left, Jean. Soldiers came.”

“What about the children?” Ororo asked.

“Some of them escaped. I’m not sure about the rest… They took Y/N.”

“We haven’t been able to reach the Professor or Scott either,” Jean said.

“Where are you, Logan?” Ororo wondered.

“Boston,” he answered, “with Bobby Drake’s family.”

“Okay. We’re on our way.”

“And Storm? Make it fast.” He hung up and headed for the house. He paused, hearing rustling in the bushes. “We have to go now.”

“Why?” Rogue asked.

“Now!”

“Logan, what’s wrong?”

Logan’s claws extended as he walked out onto the front porch. Rogue, Pyro, and Bobby were right behind him. Police officers quickly made their presence known from all sides.

“Drop the knives,” one ordered, coming up from the side with a gun up, “and put your kinds in the air.”

“What’s going on here?” Logan asked.

“Ronny,” Bobby muttered.

“I said drop the knives,” the officer repeated.

Glass shattered from inside the house, causing Rogue to squeal and everyone to face the door.

“This is just a misunderstanding,” Logan tried to reason.

“Put the knives down!”

“I can’t… Look.”

Logan lifted his hands up, but before he could show the officers, one of them shot him in the head. Logan dropped, presumably dead. Rogue shrieked.

“All right, the rest of you, on the ground now!” The officer ordered. Bobby and Rogue obeyed, with Pyro staying standing. “Look, kid, I said on the ground.”

“We don’t want to hurt you, kid,” the female officer stated.

“You know all those dangerous mutants you hear about on the news?” Pyro said. He opened the lighter in his hand. “I’m the worst one.”

Using the flame, he shot fire towards the officers in all directions. He didn’t stop, enjoying the feeling of the power. He continued to do damage, shooting large lengths of fire out. Rogue could see that the power was getting to him. She ripped off one of the gloves Bobby had given to her and grabbed Pyro’s ankle. Pyro gasped as Rogue channeled his power and extinguished the flames. Rogue didn’t let go until the flames were gone and Pyro was weakened.

The bullet that Logan had been shot with fell out of his head just before he woke. The wind began whirling all around as the jet lowered close to the house. Logan stood, making sure the kids got to the jet safely. Ororo and Jean were in the co-pilot seats while the mutant they had picked up was seating nearby.

“Who the hell is this?” Asked Logan as he sat and buckled up.

“Kurt Wagner,” the blue mutant responded. “But in the Munich circus, I was known as the Incredible Nightcrawler—“

“Yeah, save it. Storm?”

“We’re outta here,” she told him.

“Whoa.”

Logan gripped onto the chair tighter as the jet lifted back up into the air. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine you were there, holding his hand. When the jet steadied, Logan unbuckled and walked closer to the front.

“How far are we?” Logan wondered.

“We’re actually coming up on the mansion now,” Jean said.

“I’ve got two signals approaching,” Ororo said. “Coming in fast.”

“Unidentified aircraft,” a voice came over the radio, “you are ordered to descend to 20,000 feet. Return with our escort to Hanscom Air Force Base. You have seconds to comply.”

“Wow. Somebody’s angry.”

“I wonder why,” Logan muttered, looking at Pyro.

“We are coming up alongside you to escort you to Hanscom Air Force Base,” the voice continued. The two planes came up on either side of the cockpit windows. “Lower your altitude now. Repeat, lower your altitude to 20,000 feet. This is your last warning.”

“They’re falling back,” Ororo stated when the jets disappeared. Rapid beeping came from the controls. “They’re marking us.”

“What?” Logan said.

“They’re gonna fire. Hang on!”

Logan stumbled to sit back down as Ororo turned the plane. He quickly buckled up right before Jean turned the jet around completely.

“Please don’t do that again,” Pyro requested.

“I agree,” Logan said, feeling more uneasy. They didn’t have time for any of this. He needed to get to you. “Don’t we have any weapons in this heap?”

Ororo summoned her powers, bring in large storm clouds, lightning and tornadoes. Jean tried her best to maneuver the jet to avoid the other planes. It didn’t take long to lose one of them. When Jean saw that the other pilot ejected, she slowed down, signaling Ororo to pull the clouds away.

“Everybody okay back there?” Asked Jean.

“No,” Logan replied.

The controls began frantically beeping as two missiles headed for the jet. Jean channeled much of her strength to stop one of the missiles, but wasn’t strong enough to fully stop the other. The missile hit the back of the jet, tearing it open. The jet began falling from the sky. Rogue screamed as she got ripped out of the jet, her seatbelt having never buckled.

“Rogue!” Bobby shouted.

“No!” Logan screamed. He couldn’t lose another person he cared about. Not like this.

Suddenly, Kurt disappeared only to quickly reappear at the back of the jet with Rogue in his arms. The force caused them to tumble to the front as the jet plummeted. Logan grabbed onto your dog tags that hung from his neck, silently apologizing to you in case this was the end.

The sound of metal scraping had everyone’s heads turned to the back of the jet. The jet seemed to be fixing itself. The jet began to slow before suddenly stopping.

“Jean?” Ororo called.

“It’s not me!” She replied.

They all looked out the window to see Magneto with his hand up, controlling the jet, and Mystique beside him.

~~~

Using the supplies in the jet, the crew set up camp. Eventually, Jean, Ororo, Logan, Magneto, and Mystique ended up away from the others, surrounding a fire.

“His name is Colonel William Stryker,” Magneto explained, “and he invaded your mansion for one purpose: he wanted Cerebro. Or enough of it to build one of his own.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Jean said. “Stryker would need the Professor to operate it.”

“Which I think is the only reason why our friend’s still alive.”

“Oh, my God,” Ororo exclaimed.

“Now, what are you all so afraid of?” Logan asked.

“While Cerebro is working, Charles’ mind is connected to every living person on the planet,” explained Magneto. “If he were forced to concentrate hard enough on a particular group, let’s say, mutants for example, he could kill us all.”

“Wait a minute,” Ororo said. “How would Stryker even know where to find Cerebro in the first place?”

“Because I told him. I helped Charles build it, remember? Mr. Stryker has powerful methods of persuasion. Even against a mutant as strong as Charles.”

“So who’s this Stryker anyway?” Jean wondered.

“He’s a military scientist. He spent his whole life trying to solve the mutant problem. If you want a more intimate perspective, why don’t you ask Wolverine?” Logan looked around, confused. “You don’t remember, do you? William Stryker, the only other man I know who can manipulate adamantium. The metal on your bones? It carries his signature.”

“But the Professor—“

“The Professor trusted you were smart enough to discover this on your own,” Magneto interrupted Logan. “Or with Y/N’s help. He gives you more credit than I do.”

“Why do you need us?” Ororo wondered.

“Mystique has discovered plans of a base that Stryker’s been operating out of for decades. We know that’s where he’s building the second Cerebro, but we don’t know where this base is. And I believe one of you might.”

“The Professor already tried,” Logan said.

“Once again, you think it’s all about you.”

Magento looked up, allowing everyone to realize that Kurt had been in the trees listening in. Kurt sheepishly came down at sat by the fire.

“I didn’t mean to snoop,” he told Jean.

“Just try and relax,” Jean said. She lifted her hands to his head and entered his mind. Gasping, she released her hold. “Stryker’s at Alkali Lake.”

“That’s where the Professor sent me,” Logan stated. “There’s nothing left.”

“There’s nothing left on the surface, Logan. The base is underground.”

~~~

When Logan thought couldn’t get anymore angry at himself, now he was furious. He paced at the end of the jet stairs, huffing a cigar. Why didn’t he think to look underground? If he had, would you have been taken? Would Logan have been able to stop Stryker before all this could happen?

Not to mention that Logan was growing more worried for your safety with each passing second. What were Stryker’s plans for you? And would Logan be too late whenever they ended up there?

“Hey,” Jean greeted as she came down the stairs.

“Hey,” he huffed, focusing on his spiraling thoughts.

“You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“You sure?”

“What do you think?” He inhaled, turning to face her. “How we doing?”

“Not good,” Jean sighed, wiping her hands off with a rag. “It’ll take four or five hours before I can get it off the ground.”

“Great.” He shook his head with a scoff.

“I’m trying my best, Logan.”

“It’s not enough! Y/N is there, with Stryker! Something that I promised would never happen again!”

“You remember that?”

“Yeah, I do,” he chuckled darkly. “And the cruel matter of it all is that I remembered after she was taken. So it doesn’t matter now!” He began pacing again. “I should have been with her anyway if I wasn’t so chicken. If I hadn’t been so wrapped up in my own fears, I would have been down there with her when they came.”

“They would have fought to get to her. Stryker probably wanted her back.”

“I would have fought harder.” He fell back onto one of the steps, head hanging. “Did you know about her history with Stryker?”

Jean sighed. “Y/N has never opened up about the specifics of her past. She didn’t want to talk about you, it seemed. I did know that she had gone through trauma. But not who caused it and what it was.”

“Stryker faked her death to get to me… at least that’s what I’ve pieced together… I don’t put it past him to do something worse this time around.”

“We’ll get to her, Logan. We’ll get her back and Scott and the Professor.”

“And what then? I don’t even know where to start with her. Y/N remembers having a whole relationship and I remember fragments. Not enough to make sense of anything.”

“Do you care for her?”

Logan waited to respond, searching his own emotions. “I do… Too much. But it’s all…” He tapped the side of his head.

“Then how about you start at the beginning?”

Logan shook his head. “She doesn’t deserve that.”

“I’m sure she’ll do it… for you.”

Logan went silent, focusing on his cigar and his thoughts. Maybe Jean was right. Perhaps starting over, a clean slate, would be what’s best for the both of you. Logan vowed that when he rescued you, he would be honest with you and figure out how to start back at the beginning.

next chapter >

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theemporium · 8 months ago

Note

Thanks! My request, please, for Jack is with shy, new to hockey reader, maybe with him getting busted for spoiling her in ways she didn't know (I love every single dynamic you write). After the first game she attends Jack has to brush off Nico's comments that he got her a front row seat, claiming it's just because it was her first hockey game. Especially Luke teasing because Jack just so happened to give her his jersey from his best game, and the skates Jack got her are coincidentally top of the line. All the while he's trying to not seem to desperate to go all in with her bashful self. This is so bad tweak or ignore all of this please and thank you.

thank you for requesting!🫶🏽

Everyone had noticed it, yet it was none other than Ellen Hughes who pointed it out.

It was a somewhat surprise to the people in Jack’s life when he told them he had a girlfriend. Like a proper, ‘she’s the one for me’ kind of girlfriend. Ever since he had been drafted, Jack had been hesitant to dive into anything serious, anything beyond a fling or a situationship.

He was the new face of the franchise. He had the weight of everyone’s expectations on his shoulders. He had to prove that he wasn’t just some pretty boy who was decently good at hockey. He had to prove he deserved to be in the NHL, that he deserved to be first pick of the draft.

And at his age, a serious relationship wasn’t exactly high on his priority list.

Until he met you.

The boys had noticed a shift in his behaviour in the early stages of Jack’s relationship with you. The way he would be quick to check his phone after games and practices. The way he seemed quick to shrug off any advances in bars, more than happy to nurse a few drinks and giggle away to whoever he was texting before he disappeared early into the night. The way he just seemed…happier.

Luke was the first to notice something really odd.

“Yeah, my job means I travel around a lot,” he overheard Jack one day, when the boy hadn’t realised Luke had returned early from the option skate. “They are, uh, like road trips, I guess? We are heading down to Dallas tomorrow.”

And then Dawson heard something weird after a game.

“You don’t have to watch,” Jack reassured the person on the other side of the phone, a giddy smile on his face and a blush on his cheeks. “It can get quite long. It doesn’t last twenty minutes, just twenty minutes of actual playing time. It pauses when calls need to be made.”

And then it was Nico.

“No, not a suite seat. I need it beside the glass,” he overheard Jack asking one of the workers at the front office. “Preferably behind the bench. For the next home game.”

It was easy to piece together that Jack was seeing someone. It was clear that she didn’t have much knowledge on the hockey world or how the sport itself worked. And it was clear that Jack seemed eager to teach you, splurging on you in any way he could without you really catching on.

But that plan quickly failed when you finally met Ellen Hughes.

It was coming up to almost a year together when Jack asked you to come to the family skate. It wasn’t the first time you would be meeting his parents, but it would be the first hockey event you showed up to outside of the games. It was the first time you would really be setting foot on the ice yourself.

“Are those your own skates?”

You lifted your head, finding Ellen standing a few feet away with a kind smile on her face. She was already laced up and ready to get on the ice, wrapped up warmly in a similar fashion to yourself. After all, she was the one to give you tips after Jack was unhelpful with his ‘I don’t know, my jersey is pretty warm’ response.

“Yeah, Jack got them for me!” You answered, unable to bite back your smile as you glanced down at your unlaced skates. “He said they were a good starter pair, nice to have a pair of my own so he could drag me out on the ice more.”

“A starter pair?” Ellen questioned, something quite like amusement in her voice.

“What? Are they not?” You asked, a hint of hesitation lacing your words as you glanced down at the skates with doubtful eyes.

“I mean, they are hell of a pair to start with,” Ellen said with a gentle laugh. “Recognise the brand?”

You glanced back at the older woman, shaking your head.

“They are skates for professional skaters, quite a renowned brand too,” Ellen told you, still seeming like there was an underlying joke you weren’t understanding.

Your brows furrowed together. “Oh god, are they…expensive?”

Ellen simply smiled in response.

“Oh my god,” you breathed out, staring down at the skates with a conflicted expression.

“I think I’ll let my son explain everything,” Ellen said before she wandered off, the silence quickly being replaced by Jack who approached with a huge smile on his face.

“Need help?” He asked, but never gave you a chance to answer as he kneeled in front of you, already reaching for the laces of your skates to begin tying them.

You watched him closely. “Jack?”

“Hm?”

“How much did these skates cost?”

The boy froze, his fingers pausing for a few moments too long before muscle memory began to take over.

“Uh, I don’t remember,” Jack eventually blurted out, making a point of keeping his eyes on your skates. The swift movements were quickly slowed down, like he was purposefully dragging it out so he wouldn’t have to look up.

“Jack,” you scolded, though your voice was softer than he expected. “You have to let me pay you back.”

His head snapped up. “Baby, no—”

“You can’t just spend insane amounts of money like that on me!” You argued before he had the chance. “Especially on skates I’ll hardly be using!”

“But we could make you use them more?” Jack bargained with a bashful smile.

You shot him a look.

“Baby,” he sighed as he placed his hands on your knees, squeezing them softly. “I want to splurge on you sometimes. I just wanna show you I care, you know? And I wanna share my love for hockey with you. Help you love it just as much as I do.”

“You don’t need to spend stupid money to make me love it,” you retorted, but you melted at his admission as you placed your hands over his. “No more big purchases without telling me, okay?”

He sighed deeply before nodding. “Okay. Promise.”

“Good,” you smiled as you leaned down to quickly peck his lips whilst you had the chance with no cameras on you. “Now, c’mon. Teach me how to actually use these skates and make them worth your money.”

Jack snorted. “I’ve got you, baby.”

“Good because I haven’t even stood up and I still think I’m about to fall over.”

#jack hughes #nhl #new jersey devils #jack hughes x reader #jack hughes x you #jack hughes x y/n #jack hughes fic #jack hughes one shot #nhl x reader #nhl x you #nhl x y/n #nhl fic #nhl one shot

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arlana-likes-to-write · 2 months ago

Text

Happily Ever After

Next Part of Happily Never After

Warning: kidnapping, character death (not you), torture, mention of past abuse, cannon typical violence, angst with a happy ending, fluff, everyone needs a hug.

Word Count: 14.4K

Wanda was trying to keep calm and have a level head. It would do no one good if she were to have a breakdown. They were in the conference room waiting for Maria. Bucky was playing a round of Mario Party with her boys, and Natasha was pacing with her phone glued to her ear, speaking rapidly in Russian. She would have been able to understand her if her mind wasn’t spiraling. She picked up words like ‘mother’ and ‘missing’. She guessed the redhead was talking to Melina and updating her on your sudden disappearance.

Wanda began to bite her nails. If you were here, you would have grabbed her hand and stopped her. But you weren’t here. You were missing, and Wanda was freaking out.

The door opened, and Yelena walked in, followed by Maria and someone Wanda assumed was Steve. She’d only seen the man in pictures. “Boys,” Bucky paused the game. Why don’t we go to the cafeteria while the grown-ups talk?” Billy looked at the new additions and then back at Wanda.

“We aren’t leaving our mom,” Oh, Wanda loved his heart. Each day, he reminded her so much of Pietro. He always knew when something was bothering her.

“It’s okay, sweetie,” Wanda said. Go with your brother and Bucky. I’ll come find you when we are done.” Billy was quick to hug her tight, and Tommy joined in. She needed a hug much more than she realized. She watched them leave. She was a little hesitant not to have them in her sight, but she knew Bucky would protect them.

“Wanda,” Maria said once the door closed. It’s good to see you again. It’s unfortunate to meet like this.” It was a brief meeting between her and the agent. You were invited to a gala in the city, and you introduced her to Maria. “This is my partner, Steve Rogers,” Natasha got off the phone, and everyone sat down. We will find her, I promise.”

“So you can confirm she’s been taken,” Natasha said. Steve nodded.

“As soon as you called Maria, we pulled up Y/n’s phone records,” he put a laptop on the table so Natasha, Yelena, and Wanda could see it and hit play.

A woman stood on the side of the road next to a smoking car. She began to flag down a passing car with a wave of her hand. Wanda recognized your car, stopping behind it, and you got out. You spoke with the woman before going to the hood and opening it. A cloud of smoke circled you, and you waved the smoke out of your face.

It happened quickly. Two men appeared in the nearby alley while you were bent over to look at the engine. The woman you were helping had a pipe in her hand and hit you in the back of your head. Before your body hit the ground, the two men caught you and dragged you down the alley. Steve closed the laptop. “Our team is tracking the vehicle and facial recognition as we meet here.”

“Her parents,” Yelena said. Where are they? They have to be behind this.” Before Maria could answer, the door opened again, making Wanda jump.

“Vision,” Wanda stared at her ex-husband. “What are you doing here?”

“I am so sorry,” Sarah appeared behind the man. “I told him this was a closed meeting, but he was persistent.”

“It’s fine, Sarah,” Natasha said. Your secretary nodded but narrowed her eyes at Vision before she left.

“I am sorry for interrupting,” he sat down in an empty chair and loosed the tie around his neck. “When I listened to the voicemail from the school, I knew something was wrong. I know Y/n wouldn’t leave our sons at school.” Wanda was having trouble processing everything that was going on. She watched her girlfriend get attacked and dragged into a van. Now, her ex-husband was showing genuine care for you.

“You hate her,” Natasha bluntly said. When did you start caring for her?” It was a valid question, and Vision looked offended by the accusation.

“I never hated her. We came to an understanding. Look,” he shook his head. “It’s not important. Is her sudden disappearance related to the Order of Protection?”

“Order of Protection?” Wanda questioned. “What are you talking about?” His eyes jumped on everyone in the room, hoping someone knew what he was talking about. Everyone stared at him. He cleared his throat.

“At the boys’ birthday party, she asked me how hard it was to get an Order of Protection in New York,” he spoke slowly. The party was four days ago. You went all this time without telling her. Wanda knew you were holding more back, but she trusted you to come with her. “This hypothetical order of protection was going involve a family member.”

“It has to be her parents,” Yelena said. “But all they’ve done is call her, right?” Maria sighed. Oh, Wanda hated the sound of it.

“When we find our best friend, remind me to slap her,” Wanda smiled at her dry humor. “I think we all need to take a trip to headquarters. We can catch you up to speed there.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

A cup of water was forced to your lips, and you downed all of it. It was a relief for your dry throat. “Are you ready for some visitors?” You stayed quiet, knowing you had no choice in the matter. Tiffany opened the door. A man wearing a gray suit walked in, and his shaggy blonde hair was parted to the side. Black glasses rested on his face, which he took off and put into his suit pocket. A strange feeling started to bubble in your stomach. Was it in anxiety? Stress? Or recognition? The knock on your head was throbbing and making it difficult to think. He smiled as he spoke, “It’s an honor to be in your presence. My name is Alexander Pierce.”

“I know you,” you whispered. “You’re friends with Fury. You were at the gala when SHIELD was given a key to the city.” The man chuckled.

“I’m glad our men didn’t completely knock all your brain cells out,” Pierce walked behind you, but you kept your eyes trained on the ground. You were so tired. “Did our beautiful host tell you who we are?”

“HYDRA,” you answered. You figured it would be easier to comply. “I don’t understand what you want with me. I’m not an agent. If you want money, I can give it to you.” You felt his hands on your shoulders and squeezed them.

“I call it an unfortunate circumstance,” he said. SHIELD has something we want, and in exchange, they get you back. Simple.” So you were bait, used because of your connection with the man on top.

“Fury doesn’t make deals with terrorists,” Pierce chuckled, grabbed your throat, and forced your head back.

“I’ve been told he has a soft spot for you,” he squeezed your throat and cut off your air supply. “If he does not do exactly as I say, he’ll receive you in pieces at his doorstep,” you gasped for air as he removed his hand. “Get comfortable. We’ll see each other soon.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

“Oh, I’m going to fucking kill her,” Natasha paced. Maria explained the note that was left for you. Her team went through hours of security footage and found no one out of the ordinary. “I am going to kick her ass.” She stopped pacing and grabbed the back of the chair. Wanda, Natasha, and Yelena sat in a room at SHIELD’s headquarters while Vision took the twins home after much conviction on Wanda’s part. “Why didn’t she tell us? Why didn’t you tell me?” She asked Maria.

“I couldn’t, and she told me she would tell you.”

“She’s stubborn, sestra,” Yelena said. “I’ll be there to help kick her ass too. Wait until Mama finds out.” Wanda was ready to have words with you, too. But that anger was pushed down by fear and worry.

“What’s the next steps? How are you going to find her?” Wanda questioned.

“They took her alive,” Steve said. “That means they want something, so they’ll contact us,” It was meant to erasure her. They were lucky they didn’t find your body, but you were being used as a pawn, and Wanda hated that, too. There was a knock on the door, and it opened.

“Boss,” it was Clint. “Patrol officers found the car. Do you want me to take a team to investigate?” Maria nodded.

“Take Coulson and Wilson with you,” Clint saluted and smiled at Wanda as he left.

“We’ll update you as we learn more,” Maria continued. “The best thing you can do is go home.”

“And there has been no word from her parents,” Natasha said. Maria shook her head. “Do you not find that weird? She gets kidnapped, and no one can find them. They have to be involved.”

“I think they are as well, but until the team finds them, I can’t ask what they know,” Maria rubbed her temple. “Off the record, I think they are a piece of shit,” Wanda smiled. “Nat, we are-” Wanda’s phone began to ring, cutting off the agent.

“Sorry,” it was probably Billy or Tommy who was wondering when she would be home. She looked at the unknown number calling her. “I don’t know who this is,” she showed Maria and Steve her phone.

“Go have Darcy start the trace,” Steve said, leaving the room rather quickly. “Put it on speaker, stay calm, and before they make any demands, ask to speak with her,” Wanda nodded. Her hands shook, and she felt her throat tighten. Natasha sat down next to her, grabbing her hand. She answered her phone and placed a call on speaker.

“Hello,” she heard breathing on the other side. “Whose there?”

“Wanda Maximoff,” a man’s voice slowly said. A shiver went down her spine as he said her name. “You go by your maiden name, right? Since your divorce from Vision.” She glanced at Maria. Her face was pinched, her head tilted as if she was trying to figure out who was talking to her. It was unsettling how he knew her.

“Who are you?” The man laughed.

“Ask the SHIELD agent in front of you,” he said. “Who is it? Hill? Fury?” The agent gave her a quick nod.

“Hill,” she answered.

“Alexander Pierce,” Maria said. “I thought kidnapping was beneath you.”

“Desperate times come for desperate measures,” Pierce said. “SHIELD has something I want, and I feel like it’s an easy trade.” Wanda saw Maria’s jaw clench.

“I want to speak with her,” Wanda said. “Prove to us she’s still alive.” Natasha tightened the hold on Wanda’s hand, almost painful.

“Clever girl,” Pierce said. Wanda listened to his footsteps. The sound of a smack and your pained groan shattered Wanda’s already fragile heart. “You have a phone call.”

“W-Wanda?” You questioned. Your voice was soft and rough. It broke the dam. She felt the tears run down her cheeks.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Wanda’s voice shook. “How are you?” You chuckled.

“I’ve been better. I’m sorry I didn’t pick the boys up from school,” you somehow managed to make Wanda laugh.

“You are such an idiot,” she smiled. “I love you.” She had to say it. If she wasn’t going to talk to you again, she wanted that to be clear. She loved you so much.

“I lo-” You let out another pain whimpered and gasped for air. Natasha was surely going to break her hand.

“I will be calling Fury,” Pierce directed it to Maria. “I expect him to answer, or his precious flower will be returned to him in a box.” He hung up, and Natasha released the tight hold on Wanda’s hand. As a heavy silence filled the small conference room, Wanda stared at her phone. Slowly, she looked up and locked eyes with Maria. A part of her wished she hadn’t. She saw anger deep within Maria’s eyes. Wanda expected that emotion, but she saw the fear that froze her down to her core.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Wanda stood in the waiting area. After the phone call, Maria rushed to see if they could trace the call. Her team wasn’t so lucky. She walked into Fury’s office and slammed the door behind her. “Hey,” Natasha knelt in front of her. “Do you and the boys want to stay with us until they find her?” Yelena sat next to her in the empty chair.

“The boss would have our heads if we let anything happen to you,” the blonde teased, nudging her shoulder against Wanda’s. Natasha smiled.

“I like my head,” she smirked. “It’s my money maker.” Yelena scuffed.

“You are so stupid,” Wanda smiled, wiping her cheeks. She stopped crying but she felt the dry tears. Yelena and Natasha were good and she understood why they were such an important part of your life.

“I appreciate it, but-”

“Wands, please,” Natasha cut her off. “It will give me peace of mind knowing the three of you are safe while all this is going on,” How could Wanda say no to that? She hated being a burden, but they were family.

“Okay,” you nodded. “I’ll have to talk to Vision about it.”

“Hell, that funk of metal can join,” Wanda looked at her, tilting her head. Natasha shook her head. “Inside joke between the boss and I.” The redhead smiled sadly. Yelena stood up as Maria walked over to them. Her face was edge in a frown.

“I’m assigning agents to your family,” Maria told Wanda. She knew not to question that.

“Who is Alexander Pierce?” Wanda asked. The question had been burning on her tongue since the phone call ended. Maria placed her hands on her hips and glanced over her shoulder.

“I could get fired or thrown into the RAFT if they find out I told you this. Got it?” Everyone nodded. “A few years back, we learned that SHIELD was infiltrated by a terrorist group called HYDRA. It’s been in the works for years. Pierce used to have Fury’s job, then he was promoted to the secretary of the World Council,” she sighed. “We’ve been working to remove HYDRA, but it’s been slow work.”

“So HYDRA is using Y/n to get something you took from them,” Maria nodded. “Any idea what they want?” Yelena asked.

“Information, maybe a HYDRA agent we arrested,” Maria shrugged. “It could be anything.”

“Maria,” Wanda said slowly. How likely will Fury give them what they want?” Wanda watched the agent’s face whiten, but she shook it off.

“It won’t come to that. We’ll find her before that. " The agent��s choice not to answer her question was enough to convince Wanda how serious this was.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Maria sighed as she watched the trio leave. There was a weight that rested on her chest. Her friend was gone, kidnapped because of her job. The friend in her wanted to burn down the city until she found you and not worry about the consequences. But she was the Deputy Director of an agency under public scrutiny. Everything needed to be done by the book. She turned around, put on her mask to cover her true feelings, and joined her team. “What do we know?” She asked.

“A few months back, a car dealership was robbed, and 3 SUVs were taken,” Sharon said and pulled up pictures of the car Maria recognized from the security footage of your kidnapping. “It was whipped clean, but Darcy is going through it.”

“Tracing the call got us a borough but nothing exact,” Steve said, placing a picture of Staten Island on the screen. “We can increase police activity, but that is a lot of ground to cover.” It was a complete waste of resources. She knew HYDRA was good, but it seemed like they were looking for a specific needle in a mount of needles, which concluded they had nothing. Maria couldn’t say that to her team.

“Alright, Carter. I need you to get your hands on any footage of this van—traffic cameras, ATMs, and pictures from social media. An SUV doesn’t just disappear. Work with Barton and go over the initial robbery now that we know it was HYDRA.”

“On it, boss,” Sharon stood up to grab coffee and head to MTAC. Clint stayed in his seat, but she would get back to him shortly.

“Wilson, Coulson, we need to figure out what they want before they tell us. Go through every arrest we made and our team on the West Coast. Contact Van Dyne if you have any issues,” the two agents nodded and got to work. It was still in the early stages, but the longer you were gone, the less likely you were to be found alive.

“Hill, can we talk?” Clint motioned to the small kitchen. Maria nodded, and the two agents walked over. He started a new pot of coffee, and Maria knew they would need it. “I found something at the dump site.”

“And you chose not to tell the team?” Clint nodded. “Why?”

“Because I don’t think it’s important for the investigation,” he looked over his shoulder and fished a black jewelry box out of his pocket. “I’m guessing you knew about this.” Maria nodded. Of course, she did. You told Natasha that you bought it, and by best friend code, Natasha told Maria before you could tell her. She and Natasha had a bet on when you would ask her. “Like I said, it’s not very important to the investigation.” Maria took the small box and put it in her pocket.

“Thanks, Clint,”

“What are you going to do with it?” She wasn’t 100% sure.

“Keep it safe till we find her,” she smiled. The man nodded and joined the rest of the team. Her gut instinct was telling her to keep it safe so that when you returned, you could ask her, but the situation was complicated. Maria knew you well—not as well as Natasha, but she saw you as a sister. If anything were to happen to you, Maria knew you would want Wanda to have it. For now, it would be safe with her.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Honestly, Wanda was exhausted. She couldn’t imagine how you, Maria, and Natasha were feeling, but she was tired. All she wanted was to curl up in the safety of your bed with your arms around her, but that wasn’t possible.

After she left SHIELD, she drove to her apartment and your house to pack a bag for her and the boys. Now, she sat outside Vision’s house, gathering the energy to go inside. How was she going to tell Tommy and Billy? They were going to be heartbroken.

Sighing, she exited the car and walked to the front door. When she got to Natasha’s house, she needed a tall glass of wine. Wanda rang the doorbell, and Tiffany opened the door with a smile. “Wanda, hi, please come in,” Wanda fought, not to roll her eyes. I am so sorry about Y/n. If there is anything I can do, please let me know,” Wanda nodded.

“Where is Vision?” she asked. The last thing she wanted was to have a heart-to-heart with her ex-husband’s current girlfriend.

“In his office,” Without another word, she walked to the man’s office and knocked on the open door. Her ex-husband looked up from the file he was reading.

“Has there been an update?” She closed the door behind her and walked over to him.

“I received a phone call from the people that took her,” she stated.

“What do they want? If it’s money, I can help,” she shook her head and glanced at the door, ensuring it was closed.

“She’s being used as a bargaining chip. They want something SHIELD has,” Vision looked at her and then at the closed door behind her.

“Is this about HYDRA?” He whispered. Wanda sat down in the empty chair.

“How do you know about HYDRA?” The man glared at her.

“I work for the district attorney,” he deadpanned. “Of course, I know about it,” this time, Wanda did not stop herself from rolling her eyes. She was always amazed at how long she stayed with him. “If HYDRA has her, this is concerning.”

“What have you told the boys?” She asked.

“Nothing,” he said. “I wanted to wait for you. You were always better at breaking tough news to them,” she smiled.

“Natasha asked if I could take them and stay at her house. She offered a place for you, too,” Wanda almost laughed at the surprised look on his face. “Maria is assigning agents to you and us.”

“I don’t need protection,”

“It’s not up for debate, Vision,” Wanda snapped but sighed. “They knew my phone number. They knew I was at SHIELD when they called, so they had people watching. As much as I hate you sometimes,” the man chuckled. “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Careful Wands,” he smirked. “People might think you care about me.”

“You are a jackass,” she admitted, but she did care about him. He was a great partner in the beginning, but they grew apart. It happened. He gave her Billy and Tommy. “Let’s go tell the boys. Are they in their room?” He nodded and stood up. They walked to the boy’s room. She had no idea how to tell them. It was her job to protect them, to protect them from the evil in the world. But the evil in the world was after her family, and they had the right to know the truth.

Tommy was playing video games, a game you gifted them, and Billy was reading a book off your bookshelf. You meant the world to them, and Wanda’s heart was breaking. “Hi, Mom,” Billy said. “Do you know where Y/n is?” Tommy paused the game. Wanda sat down next to Tommy, and Vision next to Billy.

“Not yet, son, but the authorities are looking for her.” Tommy frowned.

“Something bad happened, right?” He asked. “She wouldn’t just leave us,” he looked at Billy, who nodded in agreement.

“Yes, something bad happened, but Maria and the SHIELD agents are doing everything possible to bring her home.” Wanda ran her hands through Tommy’s hair and rested it on the middle of his back.

“Why would someone take her?” Tommy asked. “What did she do?” Wanda sighed.

“The world is filled with evil people. Your father has faced some of them with his job. “Sometimes, we may never know the why,” Tommy rested his head on her shoulder, and Billy leaned into his father. It could have been for money or revenge.” The world wasn’t black and white. Wanda knew you were being used as leverage, but if Pierce thought Fury wronged him, it could be seen as revenge, too. Living in Slovakia during a civil war taught her a lot about perspective.

“I want her to come home,” Billy whispered.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

“That’s all we have,” Maria gave Fury an update. To put it lightly, the team had nothing, which wasn’t a surprise to Fury. HYDRA went under the radar for years. But he saw the frustration on his agents, especially those close to you. Maria dropped her professional stance and slumped down in the empty chair. “What the hell are we going to do, Nick?” She asked. “SHIELD doesn’t make deals with terrorists, but this is Y/N we are talking about,” Fury was furious with Pierce for using you to get to him. Pierce was his friend, the reason he sat as the director of SHIELD, and he knew how important you were to him.

“We’ll save her and stop Pierce,” was all Fury could offer the agent, whom he ‘adopted’ as well. “Go lead the team and take care of yourself,” she nodded and left his office. The man sighed. There was a crushing weight on top of his chest. He needed a few seconds to be alone.

He wasn’t a sentimental guy. His office had very few personal decorations and kept it that way for a reason: He never wanted anyone to know who he was close to. This provided it. Fury opened up a drawer in his desk and took out a bottle of whiskey. The glass bottle had a lighthouse engraved on it. It was a gift from you when you signed your first deal with your company. The whiskey was gone, but Fury kept the bottle.

He was so proud of you that day, even though he never told you. He hoped he hadn’t missed his chance.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Natasha was pouring a glass of wine for herself and Wanda while the mother of two settled the twins into the guest room. In times like this, Natasha was grateful she got a big house. Other times, it felt lonely. She heard Bucky before he saw him. The contrasting feeling of his arms wrapped around her waist. The woodsy smell of his cologne relaxed her even more. “A little early to be hitting the bottle,” she rolled her eyes at the teasing tone. “How are you, doll?” She was a mess because she could do nothing but wait. Everything was out of her control. She sipped the wine and looked out the window to see the SHIELD agent outside her home.

“When do you think Steve will be home?” She changed the topic of the conversation. She was not in the right headspace to talk about her feelings. Bucky sighed.

“Late. He probably won’t come home until Maria sends him home, or we go get him,” Natasha chuckled. That sounded right. The man was dedicated to his job, and you were the reason the three of them were together.

“Is that for me?” Wanda asked. Wordlessly, Natasha handed the glass to her. She sighed after she took a sip. “What can I make for dinner?”

“You don’t need to cook, Wanda. I was going to order takeout or something,” Wanda bit her lip.

“I need to do something to keep busy, or I’ll go insane. Please,” Natasha knew the feeling. She was two seconds away from going into the office to finish work, but she knew Bucky and Steve would not like that.

“The kitchen is yours, Wanda,” Bucky said. The mother of two gave him a grateful smile before going through the cabinets. Natasha was grateful she recently placed a grocery order. She sat on the island and watched Wanda move around the kitchen. The conversation flowed naturally, and it was meaningless. It was to just fill the silence.

Natasha understood how you fell for her so quickly. Even with the intense situation they all found themselves in, there was a calming presence about her. The Russian remembered the day you met Wanda. She was pissed you were late to the meeting, but her anger melted away when she saw the love-sick look on your face.

At first, she was worried. You recently ended your relationship with Sharon. Sharon wasn’t bad, but she wasn’t the person for you. You seemed to hide parts of yourself that you showed with Wanda.

“Why did you get in trouble?” Wanda asked for the water to boil. She was making a pasta dish, and it smelled amazing. Natasha found it unfair you both were good in the kitchen.

“Because I wouldn’t rat on her,” Natasha laughed. “Fury dragged us both back to the station. Oh, my mother was pissed. I was grounded for three weeks.” It was harder for Melina to punish you since you weren’t technically her kid, but she took away privileges when you were at their house. “Bad boys for life, you know?” Bucky chuckled with a slight shake of his head. He was leaning against the counter.

“I’m surprised you didn’t get into real trouble,” he said. “You are lucky Fury has a soft spot for Y/n.” Natasha rolled her eyes at the man. Fury saved your life. She was grateful for the man. Suddenly, the front door swung up. The sound startled her, and Wanda and Natasha jumped from her seat - the chair fell to the ground with a loud bang.

“James Barnes,” Melina snapped. “But that gun down,” Natasha stared at her parents, heart racing.

“What the fuck is your problem?” She snapped. Bucky put the gun that was hidden under the junk drawer away. She was unaware there was a gun there. “You can’t just barge in here with everything going on.”

“Why not?” Alexei closed the door with his foot, and Natasha cringed at the sound. The man’s hands were full of luggage. “The nice man gave me a badge,” he said, dropping a bag to hold up the lanyards. I feel like I am a secret agent like in American movies.” Natasha groaned but looked at Wanda when she giggled.

“Don’t encourage him,” she said. “It will only make it worse.” Natasha heard the pounding of feet coming down the stairs. Damn, her house was going through it. The twins jumped from the second to the last step.

“We heard yelling,” Tommy said. “And a loud bang.”

“Is everyone okay?” Natasha fixed her fallen chair as the boys walked over to their mother.

“We’re okay,” she said, placing her arms around them as they hugged each other. “Sorry for the scare.” Bucky was helping with the bags and bringing them to the guest suite.

“Meet my parents,” Natasha introduced them. “Alexei, Melina, this is Wanda and her sons, Billy and Tommy. " The twins managed to remove themselves from their mother and wave at the two new additions.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Wanda said with a smile. “I’ve heard great things.”

“We as well,” Melina said, pulling your girlfriend into a hug. Natasha saw the sudden contact, which surprised her. “Now, how can I help?”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Once dinner was eaten and the dishes were put away, Natasha watched Bucky add another log to the fire outside. Wanda and the twins were asleep, so Steve, her parents, Yelena, and Kate were left to enjoy the cooler weather. Natasha leaned further into Steve’s warmth. She missed him. Even though she knew he would instead be working, having everyone under the same roof gave her peace of mind. “I wish I could tell you more,” Natasha jumped back into the conversation as Bucky sat beside her—his flesh arm around both of them. “We don’t have anything solid,” Yelena huffed.

“That’s such bullshit,” Yelena said. “You just can’t tell us anything.” Kate squeezed Yelena’s leg. Steve sighed.

“I would about this,” he said. “The car was stolen from a dealership and whipped clean. Coulson and Carter are going through witness statements. It’s still in the early stages,” Natasha sighed and felt Steve’s lips on her forehead. She knew the team was doing everything they could, but still, it was killing her.

“We know you guys are doing your best,” Melina said. “We are just worried.”

“Trust me, I get it. I’ve never seen Maria or Fury this stress before.” Natasha couldn’t imagine the guilt Fury was dealing with.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Maria sent most of the team home. They’ve been racking their brains and staring at screens. Fresh eyes were needed for a case like this. She glanced over her computer to watch Fury work in silence, reviewing classified files that he and Pierce worked on. The man was quiet. To anybody else, they would assume it was normal. But Maria knew the man. The director was worried and ridden with guilt. Hell, he jumped when his phone started to ring. Maria wondered what was going through his head. “Fury,” he answered.

“Nick,” Pierce’s voice sent a deep rage through Maria. She never experienced this type of anger before. “It’s been a long time, old friend,” Fury rested his arms on his desk.

“I think you lost the right to call me friend,” Maria smiled. “Tell me what you want so I can tell you to go fuck yourself,” Pierce tisked.

“You have always been quick to anger,” he said. It was my only worry when appointing you to the director position.” Fury’s jaw clenched. “Say hello, little canary. " It was like a freight train ran over Maria. It had been years since she had heard that nickname.

“Hi, Nick,” you said. Maria watched Fury’s face soften. You were his soft spot. Maria heard the distinct sound of a gun’s safety turning off. “You know I needed a vacation, but this wasn’t what I had in mind.” God, you were an idiot. Only you would try to crack a joke in a severe situation. “Anyways, don’t give in, these no-good, backstabbing, cock eating terrorists,” the sound of someone hitting you and your pained groan caused Fury to flinch.

“Feisty,” Pierce laughed. He must have taken the phone off speaker because the sounds you were making faded. You were trying so hard to be quiet and muffle your screams. “Did you teach her that? You never respected your superiors.”

“What do you want, Pierce?”

“I knew she was the way to break you,” he must have called off your beating because Maria could no longer hear you. “I want Brock Rumlow released, and the tesseract returned to its rightful owner,” Maria’s stomach dropped. The tesseract was a massive power source that could power enhanced weapons.

“We need time,” Fury said, showing no emotion from the news. “Rumlow is a high-profile inmate.” It was purposeful, not to mention the tesseract.

“You have 72 hours to hand over Brock and the tesseract, or your little birdie will have her wings cut off.” Pierce hung up. There was a deafening silence in his office. Then Fury acted quickly. He picked up his phone and threw it against the wall. The device shattered on impact.

“Nick,” Maria said slowly.

“Hill, leave,” but she stayed. “Deputy Director that is an order,” he damned. She was never one to disobey, but she felt frozen, watching the normally calm and collected man fall apart. He closed his one good eye and let out a shaky breath. “Maria, please.” The agent nodded and stood up.

“Take care of yourself, Nick,” she said and left. The door closed behind her, and she leaned against the wooden door. “Dammit,” she whispered. This was bad. Really bad. If Pierce just asked for Rumlow, they could have justified the trade. But they could not get their hands back on the tesseract. World War 3 would be a better fate. “Fucking dammit.” Forgive us, bean. We are so sorry.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

You felt the blood dripping down your head, and there was a ringing in your ears. The muffled voices of Pierce hurt your head. Do you think he called for a doctor? Hands grabbed your chin and forced your head up. The sudden movement made you nauseous. “Awe, poor baby,” it was Tiffany.

“How-” you let out a shaky breath. “How did you know about the nickname?” You were a public figure. People were interested in who you were as your company was plastered all over the city. But there were some things you kept private, everything about your parents. Before your first deal, you made them sign NDAs. It was illegal for them to go to the press and try to tear you down.

That nickname, though—you hadn’t heard it in years. Your father called you that. Canaries represented freedom because they are independent spirits. It was a double-edged sword. On one hand, he saw you as extremely independent, but he saw it as disobedience.

Pierce smirked, “We had inside information. Would you like to see it?” You were slow to answer, you were forced to stand, and you were dragged out of the room. Maybe you should have noticed the hallways Pierce’s men dragged you down. But you were struggling to keep your eyes open and the contacts of your stomach in your stomach. There were a few left turns. Maybe a right. The place was massive. Even if you managed to escape the room they kept you in, your wounds kept you from running.

Pierce opened a door, and you were brought into a room with a glass plane on one side. The man flipped a switch, and you saw what was beyond the one-way window. Your parents. They were trapped just like you, but they lacked your injuries.

They looked older from the last time you saw them as the years of drinking and partying finally caught up to them.

“It’s a little sad actually,” Pierce said. You looked at the man, who was staring at your parents. “All we did was offer them some money, and they would not stop talking,” he sighed. “I guess you know where you stand with them. They did try to warn you.” You watched them through the glass. Your father paced the entire perimeter of their room while your mother sat on the mattress. You could tell she was annoyed with him but bit her tongue. There had to be multiple fights between them. Suddenly, Pierce taped on the glass, and the door on the other side opened.

“We told you everything,” your father told the man who walked in and closed the door behind him—a sinking feeling formed in your stomach. “We held up our end of the bargain. Give us our money.”

“Please let us go,” your mother said and stood up. “You don’t have to pay us.” Your father slapped her across the face. She recoiled in pain, but it was a sight you’ve seen so many times. You saw it coming before they did as the man reached behind his back and pulled out a pistol.

“Pierce don-” All it took was two bullets, and their bodies slumped to the ground. People who experience a near-death experience said their life flashed before their eyes. You could say the same when someone witnessed death so closely.

Your parents were not good people. They used and abused you for the better part of your life, but you never wished for their death. You wished for another warm hug from your father as the smell of pine and cigar smoke surrounded you. You wished for another kiss on your cheek from your mother that felt sticky due to the cheap stick she wore. You wanted one more birthday, one more Christmas. One more chance to be a family.

“Y-you,” you stuttered. “You killed them. Why?” You couldn’t tear your eyes away from the pool of blood that surrounded their heads.

“Because they were useless to me,” Pierce grabbed your chin and forced your eyes away to look at him. “Do you understand now? I dispose of things that aren’t useful. Understand?” You nodded. “Don’t mourn them,” he dropped his hand. “They never cared about you.”

That was the story everyone told you. They never cared about you. They only cared about your status and money. But once upon a time, you were daddy’s little girl and mommy’s perfect angel. Once upon a time, you were a family. Now that story was over, and their blood pooled on the concrete.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Wanda sipped her coffee as she watched Melina help Billy and Tommy with schoolwork. It was an easy agreement between Vision and her. The boys would be home-schooled until you were home, and the people behind your capture were caught. Even her job let her take time off. There was no way she was in the suitable head space to take orders from customers.

Bucky answered the doorbell and welcomed Maria into the house. “Melina,” the agent said. “It’s been too long.” Wanda watched the two embrace. I didn’t know you were in town.”

“They surprised us last night,” Bucky sighed. “I almost shot them,” he deadpanned. Wanda laughed with a shake of her head.

“So, a typical family gathering,” she patted the veteran on the back. “Is Natasha around? I have an update.” Tommy looked up from his homework, a hopeful look on his face.

“Did you find her?” Tommy asked. Maria looked at the twins with a smile.

“Not yet,” she said. “But we are working hard to bring her home safely.” Tommy deflated at the news. They moved into Natasha’s home office while Kate hung out with Billy and Tommy. “Her captures called last night and made their demands.”

“What do they want?” Yelena asked. Maria sighed.

“The release of an inmate and access to a very powerful weapon,” Wanda’s stomach sank. “He gave us 72 hours.” There was no need for her to say more. Wanda could fill in the blanks on her own.

“How likely is Fury to comply?” Melina questioned. Maria’s silence was enough of an answer.

“Maria, this is Y/n we are talking about. Are you telling me you and Fury are going to let some psychopath kill her?” Maria flinched at the accusation. Wanda watched the moment something inside of Maria snapped; the dam finally broke.

“Do you think I want this? Do you not believe me when I know how much she means to everyone in this room?” She asked. Her voice shook as she tried to keep her voice calm. “If I had it my way, I’d burn this city to the fucking ground to find her. But I know,” she pointed to herself. “What will happen if these fuckers get their hands back on the Tesseract and Rumlow.” She threw her arms to the side. “This isn’t easy for us, Nat. Believe me. I hate that we have to choose between one life and millions.” It was the classic trolley problem. Instead of a bay stander ready to intervene to choose what track to take, it was Fury. But he knew the one person on the track. It was you, someone he considered a daughter. Natasha’s tough exterior crumbled.

“Maria, I-” the agent held her hands to stop her.

“At the end of the day, it’s not our decision. National security is at risk, so we need approval from the World Council,” Maria sighed. “Fury is meeting with them while I’m here.”

“A prison transfer that big is not an easy task,” Melina added.

“Exactly what we told Pierce, but he knows how the system works. So we have time to come up with a plan. Darcy is tracing the phone calls. Hopefully, with two calls from him, it will help narrow the search,” Maria explained. “I need you all to have faith in me. I am doing everything I can to bring her home alive.”

“We do,” Wanda finally said. The agent looked at her. Maria’s fingers grazed her pant pocket, but her hand fell back to her side. It was such a small gesture that everyone missed it except Wanda, who raised her eyebrows in question.

“Wanda, can I speak to you? Alone.” Wanda nodded at Maria’s request and sat down on Natasha’s court. She watched the agent hug the redhead, whisper something, and close the door behind her. Maria sat down with a sigh.

“For what it’s worth,” Wanda spoke softly. “I don’t think she would want you to give them anything if it meant people would get hurt,” Maria chuckled.

“She said something along those lines when Pierce called. It was more like, ‘Don’t give into these no good, backstabbing, cock eating terrorists,’ Maria mimicked your voice so well it caused laughter to bubble out of Wanda. Maria smiled. “God, I want her home so bad.”

“Me too,” Wanda whispered, whipping away a tear running down her cheek. “What did you want to talk about?” Maria tapped her hands against her thighs. Wanda wasn’t going to push. Your friend was going through a lot. Finally, she put her hand in her pocket and pulled out a small black jewelry box. Wanda stared at it, her heart beating so fast she feared it would stop. “I’m flattered, Maria, but I’m spoken for,” it was a knee-jerk reaction to joke about it. Maria rolled her eyes and handed it to her.

“She would want you to have this if something were to happen to her,” she said. Her hands shook as she opened it and stared at the diamond ring. Where did Maria find this? How long have you had it? “Clint found it when he searched the car that was dumped. It must have fallen out of her pocket.”

The ring had a three-diamond stone that was cut in a pear shape. It was simple, but it was an eye-catcher and cost more than she made it a year. Her hands shook as she placed it on her finger. A perfect fit. It was no surprise to her that you knew her ring size. Now, she couldn’t help the tears that escaped her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Maria put her hand on her shoulder to offer support, and then her phone rang. She offered Wanda a smile and answered it.

“Hey Coulson, what do you got?” Wanda whipped the tears out of her eyes. A range of emotions passed through Maria’s eyes: anger, relief, and disbelief. “Yeah, send me the address. I’ll be right there.” She hung up.

“What is it?” Wanda asked. Maria slapped her phone against her hand.

“That was Phil. Patrol officers found two bodies,” the very little food in Wanda’s stomach began to turn. “It’s her parents.”

Delete Created with Sketch.

You weren’t sure how to feel. Everything felt numb, not even when the doctor came to disinfect your wounds; you felt nothing. You weren’t sure if you should feel anger or cry or be relieved that you were free from them. “Oh, come on,” Tiffany pushed herself off the wall and walked behind you. You felt her hands on your shoulder and squeezed them. Her touch burned against your skin. “Why mourn them when it is their fault?” She began to massage your shoulders. “Well, I guess it’s your fault too,” she continued when you stayed quiet. “Their last act of loving parents was to try to warn you,” you remembered Pierce saying the same thing.

“What-what do you mean?” You asked. Finally, she stopped touching you and stood in front of you, tilting your chin up.

“The phone calls,” she said. “If you answered them, they would have told you everything.”

“Who sent the note then?” Your brain was becoming less foggy. Tiffany smiled.

“That was me,” she said. “We were worried if you spoke to them, you would have believed them. The note was to make you believe it was another fabricated lie. Poor baby,” she cooed. “Just a dumb kid desperate for mommy and daddy’s love.” She dropped your head and heard her leave.

You hated this sinking feeling that surrounded you. There was so much guilt, and you hated it. You wanted to go home. You wanted to crawl into bed with Wanda’s arms around you. A few tears fell down your cheek, and a sob echoed in your chest. It felt good to finally cry.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

At this point in her career, Maria never visited crime scenes. She trusted her agents to follow protocol and report back to her. Still seeing the bodies of those that were killed due to the evilness in the world made Maria’s stomach twist into knots. Now, she was going to see the bodies of people she knew. That wasn’t going to be easy. Sighing, she stepped out of the safety of her car and onto the busy city sidewalk.

It was packed with reporters and regular citizens who hoped to get a glimpse of the action. Maria could never understand the public’s fascination with crime and death. Ignoring the questions from the reporters, she ducked under the yellow tap that the patrol officer held up for her. Phil met her, and once they were out of earshot from the crowd, he sighed. “Their fingerprints identified them, but we are waiting for you to make a positive ID.” Maria nodded.

“Any witnesses?” She asked.

“Two joggers found the bodies,” he pointed to where Sharon was talking to them. I’m having Wilson pull the camera footage, and Barton is talking to shop owners.” That’s good. Hopefully, someone saw something and wasn’t scared to say anything. They were in a populated part of the city—a perfect spot for joggers and tourists. It was a risky spot to dump two bodies. Someone had to see something.

Maria pulled on a pair of gloves from her pocket. Steve is taking pictures of the crime scene. “Shit,” Maria whispered when she got closer. It was them. A single gunshot to the forehead was the most likely the cause of death, but Strange would confirm it through the autopsy. “I never thought they’d die. They seemed immortal.”

“No sign of a struggle,” Steve said. Maria held up your father’s hand and saw no bruising. She held it while Steve took a picture. Their bodies were placed next to each other, arms at their side, and their hands were almost touching. Even after death, they were handled with care.

Shit. How was she going to tell you? Maria stood up and ignored the ache in her bones. She was getting too old for this. “Bag and tag everything,” she took off her gloves. “A clue has to be here to find what happened to them.”

“Sounds good, boss. " She took her phone out of her pocket and called Fury on her way to the car. He answered as soon as she was in the car.

“It’s them,” she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Single gunshot to the forehead. No defense wounds. Do you think it was Pierce?”

“Maybe,” he sighed. “He had someone else pull the trigger. There is no way he did it himself.”

“I understand killing them if they were no longer needed, but why dump their body in a public area? It’s like he wanted us to find them,” she leaned back in her seat, resting her free hand on the steering wheels.

“I think he wanted us too,” Fury said after a silence. “A reminder that anyone can be removed once they aren’t useful.” Great. Wonderful.

“The team is finishing up here. I’ll call the Romanoffs and have them meet me at headquarters.”

“Understood. See you soon,” Maria hung up and threw her phone into the passenger seat. She had to keep reminding herself that you were still useful, still a pawn in all of this, so Pierce wouldn’t kill you.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

“How’s dad?” Billy asked Tommy as he returned from the kitchen with two sports drinks. Tommy handed one to Billy and sat down. The game started up again.

“He’s okay,” Tommy answered. “He seems a little lonely. I told him he could come over, but he doesn’t want anyone to feel awkward.” Billy sighed. Natasha’s house was anything but lonely except for right now. Natasha, Melina, and Alexei had to go to SHIELD headquarters; they wouldn’t tell them why. Mom was taking a nap; Billy wasn’t blind to her cheeks being blotchy. Yelena was running your company, and Kate, sitting with them, left to take a business call. “Is Tiffany not at the house?” Tommy shook his head.

“I guess he hasn’t seen her since Mom told us what’s going on,” Tommy said. That was two days ago. “She texted him saying he’s caught up at work or something,” Billy frowned.

“It’s a little weird. Y/n gets kidnapped, and Tiffany low-key disappears.” Tommy was quiet but tilted his head. “And we did overhear her speaking on the phone in German. I don’t even know she spoke another language,” Tommy nodded.

“Oh yeah, I remember that. She bribed us with foot-long chocolate bars to keep it a secret,” Tommy suddenly paused the game. “Do you think Tiffany works for the people involved in the kidnapping?” Billy looked around; there was still no sign of Kate or Yelena. He stood up and grabbed Kate’s laptop; the Bishop Security logo moved across the screen.

“It wouldn’t hurt to do our investigation,” a smile grew on Tommy’s face.

“Who are you, and what have you done with my goody two-shoes brother?” Billy rolled his eyes.

“Shut up and help me,”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Yelena was hanging on by a thread. With you gone and Natasha processing your kidnapping poorly, the business fell to her. On any other day, she would have jumped for joy at getting this opportunity, but she was tired. The world continued to move even when Yelena wished it would. So when Tony called to give an update on production, she had to take it. “So Blondie, how are you? You holding everyone else together like you are with the company.” Yelena smirked and ignored the annoying nickname.

“Trying,” she sighed. “I had to watch Natasha flip on Maria.”

“I would have paid money to see that,” the man was such a playboy, even with a wife and daughter. “Any updates on the case?” Yelena closed her laptop. Only a select few outside those closest to you knew the truth. It was Monica’s job to spin the story with the press.

“They made their demands last night,” Yelena told him. I guess they want an inmate released and something called the tesseract.” Tony let out a long hiss and then got quiet. It was always odd when the man was quiet.

“Did you say tesseract?”

“Yes, why?” Yelena leaned back in her sister’s chair.

“I never thought I’d hear that again,” Tony sighed. “Loki and Thor found it in New Asgard. They called SHIELD because of how powerful it is. SHIELD called my team to run an analysis on it, but before we could get onto the plan, they called us off and told me they had a closer team,” Yelena frowned. “A year or two go by, and I get another call from them to look at it.” I know what will happen if they get their hands back the tesseract and Rumlow, as Maria said. Yelena could guess HYDRA stole it, and SHIELD got it back and captured Rumlow in the process. Now, you were a pawn in this massive chess game, a piece everyone sacrifices without hesitation.

“How powerful is it?” Yelena asked. “Be honest with me, Stark.” Again, Tony sighed, and she heard his own chair lean back.

“If it were to fall into the wrong hands, WWIII would be the end of all war,” he said. His tone sent a shiver down Yelena’s spine. “There won’t be an Earth to live on after.” Yeah, Yelena got the picture.

“Thanks Stark. Sorry, I asked,” the man chuckled.

“Keep me updated, Blondie.”

“And I told you to stop calling me that,” she hung up the phone but still heard his laughter. “Osel (jackass),” Yelena rubbed her temples. Shit. This was bad. Really, bad, and she understood why SHIELD was so hesitant to hand it over just to save you. Sighing, she stood up from Natasha’s desk and walked out of the office back to the living room. She heard the twins arguing before she saw them

“Tommy, let go!” Billy said. “You are going to break it.”

“You let go! You said you needed my help, and clearly, you don’t know what you are doing. " She rounded the corner and watched them fight over a laptop that belonged to her girlfriend. She saw the stickers on the top.

“What are you doing?” They jumped and dropped the laptop. Luckily, Tommy’s reflexes were fast, and he caught it before it hit the ground.

“We weren’t doing anything,” Billy smiled. Yelena narrowed her eyes and closed the distance. She held out her hand, and Tommy gave her the laptop. “If we tell the truth, how much trouble will we get in?”

“Depending on the reasoning for almost breaking Kate’s laptop,” the twins cringed, and Yelena heard Kate’s footsteps.

“What’s with all the yelling? And why are you holding my laptop?” Yelena gave it back to her.

“I was just about to find out,” Billy sighed.

“We want to help SHIELD find Y/n,” he admitted. Yelena’s tough exterior softened, and she sat beside the boy. “We had a theory and tried to use Bishop Securities to help.” Yelena sighed.

“I get you want to help,” the blonde said. “But why didn’t you tell us or another adult?” Tommy groaned and fell back onto the couch, his hands covering his face.

“Because you guys don’t tell us anything, why should we tell you?” It was a fair question. Yelena knew it was to protect them. They cared a lot about you, and it must be hard to always be in the dark. Kate sat next to Tommy.

“Tell us what you are thinking, and I can show you how to do it,” the brothers said, looking at each other in silence. Tommy nodded.

“We think our dad’s girlfriend is working with the people that took Y/n,” Yelena had to be honest; she was not expecting that. She knew they weren’t fond of her, but accusing her of being a terrorist was a little extreme. “Look, I know it sounds crazy-”

“It does,” Kate cut him off.

“But we have evidence,” Billy continued. “Our dad said she hasn’t been around a lot and is always at the house. Isn’t it weird that at the same time, something happens to Y/n, and Tiffany disappears?” It was weird but hardly evidence.

“And we overheard her talking in German on the phone,” Again noting that scream, ‘I’m part of a terrorist group hellbent on starting WWIII,’ “She bride us with chocolate bars not to tell anyone about it,” Even Yelena thought it was weird.

“You know,” Kate said slowly. “It wouldn’t hurt to look at all possible leads.”

“Even if it’s extremely illegal,” Yelena countered.

“It’s not illegal if you don’t get caught,” Kate smiled and opened her laptop. Yelena watched her girlfriend pull up the Bishop Security system. “Alright, what am I looking for?” She looked between the three of them. When no one answered, Yelena sighed. She was against this idea because Kate could get in trouble, but everyone was desperate for answers.

“Maria thinks the ransom note was dropped off on Tuesday,” Yelena said. “See if Tiffany was near the office on that day.” Kate nodded and typed away. The silence was tense. Finally, she moved the laptop to show the screen.

“Looks like Tiffany picked you guys up that day,” Sure enough, Tiffany walked into the office, and when she left, the twins were with her. She had no bag with her to hide the note.

“If she’s involved, she wouldn’t drop it off; it would be suspicious,” Billy said. “Can your system do a wider search? See if she met with anyone before picking us up.” Yelena and Kate looked at each other rather than at Billy. “Why? I read a lot of mystery books,” he shrugged.

“Nerd,” Tommy mumbled. Kate turned her laptop around again and began to search. It took longer than the first time, but Yelena caught it when Kate found something. Her eyebrows pinched together. It happened when she was working on something she didn’t understand. “What is it?” Slowly, Kate turned her laptop again.

The screen showed Tiffany meeting with a food delivery boy in an alley. Yelena recognized the logo as a regular spot from which the office ordered. There was no audio, but clear as day, Tiffany handed the man an envelope. She wore gloves so her fingerprints wouldn’t be on it. The man took it along with the stack of cash.

“Well,” Kate said. “That’s suspicious.”

“We were right,” Billy spoke slowly, trying to understand it.

“We were right,” Tommy repeated after his brother. “We were right!” They jumped up and down, chanting, ‘We were right.’ “Ooo,” Tommy cringed suddenly. “I don’t like that we were right.” Yelena chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair.

“What is going on?” Wanda asked, walking down the stairs. The noise must have woke her up.

“Mom!” Billy yelled and ran over to her. He crashed into her and almost sent her flying back. “Get dressed! Get dressed! We have to hurry and go to SHIELD. We found information for the case!” Billy was shaking his mother from excitement.

“Billy-” Wanda sighed.

“It’s true,” Yelena stood up from the couch. The woman looked at Yelena, confused. Hell, Yelena was lost herself. Just moments ago, Maria was here and told them they had no leads. “I also would call Vision and tell him to meet us there. This may get messy.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Natasha was stuck on how to feel. On the one hand, you were free from the claws your parents had within you. On the other hand, your parents were murdered, and she was worried about how you would take that. No matter how often they hurt you, you were desperate for their love. She sat at Maria’s desk while she waited for Alexei and Melina. Legally, you were emancipated, but Alexei and Melina were listed as your emergency contacts on everything. Maria was going over the process of how to release your parents’ bodies.

The pictures on her friend’s desk were limited, but they were of important moments. One was at Maria’s graduation at the academy; you and Natasha were on either side of her. Another one was at the grand opening of your new company building. The picture was taken two seconds before Yelena sprayed the three of you with a bottle of champagne. It seemed the three of you were attached at the hip. Always helping one another, always celebrating with each other.

She glanced at her side to see Fury sit down next to her. “Are you here to yell at me too?” Natasha asked. Melina gave her a stern talk about how she spoke to Maria. She had enough quilt about it. The man shook his head. That was a relief. “How are you, Nick?” She asked him. Fury took the picture of you, Maria, Natasha, and Yelena in his hand. It was after you, Natasha, and Yelena signed a massive deal for the company. Maria took you all out to dinner and drinks after.

“Ready for all of this to be over,” Natasha learned early on that every word the man said was purposeful. He made sure not to mention you because he wasn’t sure how this would end. Natasha heard the distinct sound of her parents walking over to her. They tried to mask their true feelings, but their eyes gave them away. It was common for her family. No matter how much they tried to mask, it was impossible to hide. They were upset. Even though they hated what you had to endure at the hands of your parents, life was still lost.

“Ready to go home?” Melina asked. Natasha nodded. She was tired, but she had work to do. Yelena was meeting with Tony, and she needed to get an update on how that went.

Natasha stood up and pulled Maria into another hug. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I know I hurt you.” She felt Maria exhale slowly and pat her on the back.

“It’s okay,” it wasn’t, but Natasha knew Maria was dealing with a lot. She offered her friend one final squeeze and let her go. Her family took a few steps towards the door, accommodated by Maria, when Natasha heard running approaching them.

“I found her!” Darcy exclaimed. A simple three-word sentence made Natasha’s stomach flip. “I found her!” The scientist repeated and pushed a file into Maria’s hand. “When Strange was preparing the bodies, he found a clear and sticky substance on their forearms,” she took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. “I ran it through the mass spectrometer and got a hit,” she opened the file for Maria. “It’s called Cronium, a compound that absorbs and stores kinetic energy. Honestly, it’s amazing stuff-”

“The point?” Maria cut her off before a tangent could form.

“Right, sorry,” she began to smile. “This substance was produced in one factory that happened to be shut down in Staten Island. It’s called-”

“Nova Forge Industries,” Natasha gave herself whiplash on how fast she turned towards the sound of Kate’s voice. She was standing there with her Bishop Security laptop and wasn’t alone. Yelena, Wanda, the twins, and Vision were running to catch up with her. What was happening?

“Yes,” Darcy titled her head slightly. “How did you know that?”

“We found her too,” Natasha said, sure her heart was going to combust with how fast it was beating. “Do you have somewhere I can plug this in, too?” She smiled and held up her laptop. “You guys aren’t going to believe this.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Kate was right. Wanda couldn’t believe it, and neither could everyone else as she explained what she had found. With her and the twin’s help, the missing piece of the puzzle was found, and Wanda saw hope in Maria’s eyes. It was a whirlwind around Wanda as Maria called the agents to assemble a plan and gather a team where you held. Somehow, in the chaos, she found Vision sitting by himself. Wanda sighed and sat next to him. “You know I was planning on breaking it off,” he glanced at Wanda, then looked forward. “I know the boys, and you never liked her.” Wanda smiled sadly.

“Why did you stay with her then?” Vision sighed.

“It felt less lonely with her, especially when the boys were with you.” The man shrugged. “I approach you for advocating for me,” Wanda knew Vision wasn’t involved in this mess when Maria started to question him. Even if he hated you, the boys loved you too much for him to get involved in a plot to cause you harm.

“I think you’ve been through enough. If I could help you avoid an interrogation with a pissed-off Fury, I’ll play my part,” the man laughed as the twins walked over. They looked guilty. Wanda found them looking like this if they got in trouble at school or broke something in the house. “What’s wrong, boys?” Without a word, they hugged Vision. Their father wasn’t expecting the sudden hug, but Wanda watched the man sag in relief against them.

“We’re sorry, Dad,” Billy mumbled. Vision ended the hug to look at them.

“Why are you apologizing?” He asked.

“Because of us, Tiffany is going to be in a lot of trouble,” Tommy added. Wanda’s heart broke for them. They expected Vision to be mad at them.

“Oh, boys. We all would have found out sooner rather than later,” they still looked upset. “But I am so proud of you,” their faces lit up.

“You are?” Billy questioned.

“Of course I am!” He grabbed onto their forearms. “You both played an important part in the investigation and because of your intuition, they will bring her home.” Tommy looked at Wanda for confirmation. His eyes light up like a Christmas tree.

“She’s coming home?” Wanda nodded and took his hand.

“Yes, baby,” she smiled. “She’s coming home.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

It was the door almost flying off the hinges that forced you awake. It was hard to sleep in a chair you were chained to. Pierce was seething. His face was red, and smoke was coming out of his ears. “Tell her,” he said. More people filed into the room behind her. “Tell her what you told me.” Sleep still fogged your brain, but you made out Fury’s voice on the other end of the phone.

“Deal is off, Pierce. SHIELD does not negotiate with terrorists,” Good, you thought. You couldn’t imagine the lives lost if they complied. You hoped Wanda and Natasha could forgive them one day.

“I’ll kill her,” Pierce threatened. “Her head will show up at your front door.”

“I know,” Fury said. You heard the slight hitch in his voice. “And I hope she can forgive me. Maybe in the next life, we’ll meet at the lighthouse.” You kept your face calm even when your heart skipped.

“I’ll be waiting, Nick,” you whispered. Pierce hung up before he could respond. Suddenly, you were lifted from the chair and suspended in the air by chains.

“I’m going to enjoy this,” Pierce laughed. The lighthouse wasn’t a real place. It was a code word you and Fury made up. If you ever felt unsafe or needed to leave somewhere, you would text him lighthouse, and he would come. Only you and him knew the meaning behind the word. He was coming to save you. SHIELD knew where you were -all you had to do was survive

You felt the first hit to your ribs, then the second and the third. When the fourth hit came, you felt nothing. You dissociated, a trick you hadn’t done in years. When you were younger, your parents fought, and you hid away in your room. You were small for your age, so you’d hide underneath your bed and dream and float away. When you came back, the fight was over, and you’d climb out like nothing happened.

Float away. Float away. Dream and float away.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

“Faster, faster,” Tommy’s cheers made you run faster. Even though Wanda was going to yell at you for it being dangerous, you had a hard time saying no to the twins. You said yes right away when Tommy begged you to take him outside to play in the snow. You fished out the slid from storage and tied a robe to it. You pulled Tommy up and down the hill, and you were exhausted, but the sound of his laughter fueled you with energy.

“Children,” you stopped at the sound of Wanda’s voice. “Lunch is ready, and there is a hot chocolate.” Tommy jumped off the slide behind you. Wanda pushed her son away before he could get wet from the snow. You chuckled at their antics and walked over to your fiance.

“Do I get a kiss?” You asked, standing in front of her.

“Do you promise me you won’t get me wet?” You smirked at her but kept the suggestive comment to yourself. You had guests within hearing distance. Wordless, you nodded and quickly kissed her. Her lips were warm against yours. “You are cold,” she shivered. “Go get warm.”

“Aye, aye, captain,” you kissed her again and untied your boots to enter the cabin. The cabin was busy. A fire was roaring, and Christmas music was lightly playing. Billy was showing off his new game to Shuri and Kate. Natasha and Yelena were at the bar making Holiday cocktails - you knew it was terrible for them to make the drinks. Melina was in the kitchen, and you were pretty sure Alexei was with Steve and Bucky out front to see who could cut firewood the fastest. It was already so busy, but more people were on their way.

You quickly changed out of your winter clothes and hung them up to dry. Wanda yelled at you yesterday for leaving them on the ground. You were fixing your sweater while you exited your bedroom when a body ran into you. “There she is!” Maria lifted you by the waist and spun you around. “Can’t believe you finally grew a pair and got down on one knee.” Finally, she put you down, and you punched her in the stomach.

“You’re a dick,” you said and ignored her groan in pain. Natasha walked over to you and forced a drink in your hand.

“Don’t be a stick in the mud,” she squeezed your cheek. “We are celebrating you.” You groaned and pushed them away to find Wanda. She was in the kitchen with Pepper. You wrapped your arms around her and pulled you flush to your chest.

“Tasha and Ria are being mean to me,” you mumbled. Wanda looked over her shoulder with a fond smile on her face.

“My poor baby,” she cooed. “Do you want me to yell at them?” You nodded and buried your face in the crook of her neck. You stayed attached to her back while she finished her conversation with Pepper. You only let her go when she forced a plate into your hand.

You sat next to Fury, who was sipping on a small glass of whiskey. “It feels like old times,” you said to the man. “With everyone together.” The man nodded. You took a few bites of food but stopped and looked at him. “This is real, right, or is this all in my head?” Fury gave you a half smile.

“Not sure why it can’t be both,” you frowned at him, unsure what he meant. “This is all you want, right, kid? Your family together,” you nodded. “Then maybe this is a future you haven’t seen yet.”

“And I will see all of this one day,” the man shrugged and finished his drink.

“I guess that depends on you,” he stood up and fixed his coat. Are you strong enough to wait for us?” He left alone. Everything began to slow down and blur. Your family moved around you, but you couldn’t hear what they were saying. You were strong. You could withstand anything if it meant seeing them all again.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Soft hands cradled your face, and you repeatedly heard someone call your name. Your eyes fluttered open. “Ria,” you whispered. Your friend laughed, eyes glossing over with tears.

“Good, Pierce didn’t kill you before I got a chance to slap you around,” you saw Steve come in with metal cutters. Once he cut the metal chains, you fell into Maria. “To be fair, you have a list of people that are pissed at you.”

“Unbelievable,” you scuffed. “I get kidnapped, and people are mad at me.” You felt Maria’s lips on your forehead.

“Let’s get you home, bean.”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

You heard movement next to you that caused you to wake up. Opening your eyes, it took a minute for your brain to connect the dots. They found you. You were safe in what looked like to be in a hospital with a SHIELD agent standing outside your door. “Sorry, kid, didn’t mean to wake you,” you turned your head to see Fury sitting next to you. “I figured this would be my only time to see you before the room was filled.” You smiled.

“I’m a popular girl; what can I say?” The man rolled his good eye at you. “You found me, pops,” you whispered, taking his hand. “I knew you would.” Fury shook his head.

“It’s my fault you were dragged into this mess.”

“You were doing your job, Nick. I would never be angry at you for that,” it was bad luck mixed with how greedy your parents were. “Pierce had my parents killed.” The man nodded.

“We found their bodies. One of the ways we found you,” he gave you a pained smile. “I am sorry,” you shrugged, unsure how to feel about their death. All the people in your life hated them. You knew the man next to you had strong feelings for them.

“It feels like I mourned their death years ago,” you admitted. “But watching it happen in front of me,” you sighed. “Fucking sucks.” Fury chuckled.

“Frankly, your parents were,” he paused. “Complicated people,” you chuckled and shook your head. “But as someone who has witnessed the death of people they care about. I wish you hadn’t seen that.” You fought back the tears and cleared your throat.

“It gets better, right?” You asked even though you were afraid of the answer. Fury nodded.

“Surround yourself with good people, and you’ve already done that, so that is half the battle,” he said, standing up and, to your surprise, kissing the side of your head. “I am so proud of you, kid.”

When you woke up again, Fury was gone, and Wanda was in the chair he was in. Your hand was in hers, and your eyes locked in on the ring on her finger. The ring you bought must have fallen out of our pocket when Pierce’s guys grabbed you. It slipped your mind that you had it when you went to pick up the twins. “This is not how I wanted to ask you,” she jumped from your voice. “I wanted it to be special, this grand gesture with the boys.” She laughed and squeezed your hand.

“How often do I tell you I don’t want big gestures or fancy gifts? I only want you,” she said. She chose you, not the money or the privilege that came with your job—just you.

“You’ll probably have to remind me a few times,” you smiled. Her green eyes, which you loved so much, began to fill with tears, and her lips started to shake. “Come here, baby,” she stood up from her chair and cradled your face. Her eyes scanned over your injuries. You felt her tears on your skin. “Baby, I’m okay. I’m okay,” you put your hand behind her head and pushed it to your shoulder. “Sh, it’s okay. I’m right here,” you felt her nod. “I’m right here,” you cooed over her quiet cries, and then you heard her mumble something. “What was that?” She pulled away to look at you, sitting in the corner of the bed.

“Ask me,” it took a moment to figure out what she meant, but you smiled.

“I love you, Wanda Maximoff. You are the love of my life and the best thing to ever happen to me,” more tears started to fall down her cheeks. “I can not imagine a world without you, Billy, and Tommy not in it. So, will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she whispered. Yes, yes!” She connected your lips together. This kiss was salty from her tears, but you missed the feeling of her lips against yours. You desperately wanted to deepen the kiss, but you were recovering from your injuries and in a hospital. Someone cleared their throat, and Wanda pulled away. She giggled at the pout on your face.

“I apologize for interrupting,” of course, it was Vision being a cock block. He smirked at the two of you. “But I have two kids that want to see you,” you smiled, and Wanda sat down, her hand still tight in yours.

“Yeah, they can come in.” Vision took a step to the side and the twins came running to your free side. They spoke a million miles a minute, even when Wanda told them to take deep breaths. But they were so excited to see you, you didn’t care you couldn’t understand them. You were grateful you were able to see them again.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

You were a little tired. The ceremony was over, you danced with Wanda, Alexei, and Fury, and now your guests enjoyed the food and music. You sat at the sweetheart’s table while looking around the area. Clint’s kids were dancing with Alexei, Tommy and Billy were helping Morgan get food, and even Vision talked with Carol. This group was your family- this crazy, chaotic bunch. You smiled as Natasha tried to stop Yelena from getting more alcohol. You almost missed this; it was nearly taken from you.

Your time with HYDRA happened two years ago. In those years, you overcame the physical injuries, struggled with the mental ones, and took your company to new heights. Wanda quit her job at the diner and moved into your house. You even promoted Yelena to co-CEO. Everyone spoke highly about her when everything was going on. So you had more time to spend with Wanda and the twins. Life was going good. “Where’s the new wife?” Melina asked, taking her spot.

“Changing,” you sipped on your drink. Maria and Kate helped her get out of her dress and into a jumpsuit. “Are you enjoying the day?” The woman rolled her eyes.

“I feel as if I should be asking you that,” you chuckled and took another sip. You weren’t 100% sure what was in it, as Natasha made it. “Are you having a good day?” You nodded.

“I am,” you answered simply, and she waited for you to continue. “I’m just taking all this in,” you smiled at her. “All of this was almost taken from me.” Melina nodded.

“Do you remember the first time we met?” Of course, you remembered. It was your father’s weekend per the custody agreement. The man was drunk on the couch, and you snuck out of the house. In your defense, you thought the house was empty. You’ve been watching it all day; no one left or entered. You were bored, so you climbed over their fence and opened the window to their living room. You weren’t expecting to come face to face with a hunting rifle and a woman holding it.

You thought she was going to kill you or, worse, call the cops and have you arrested. Oddly enough, she put the gun down and offered you food. It was a warm meal you ate all week. You devoured it, and your neighbor thought you were going to choke. After you finished, she let you leave out the front door, and if you needed anything, you could come to her door and not the window.

The next weekend, you were at your father’s; you spent it with the Romanoffs instead. It was the happiest you’ve been. “I told Wanda that story, and she said she was surprised you didn’t shoot me,” the woman chuckled.

“I was surprised you dared to break into my home,” you smiled. You weren’t going to take anything. At your age, you liked to do stupid things to prove that you could do it. The woman took your hand. “You have done a lot of growing, but you will always be my little petard (firecracker). You found your family. I am so proud.”

“I always had a family—you, Alexei, Natasha, and Yelena. It just got a little bigger because of you. " You could never thank them enough. You paid off their house, got rid of Yelena’s student debt, and bought Alexei and Melina a new car. Still, it never felt like enough. “Thank you, mama.”

Your wedding wasn’t traditional. Wanda walked down the aisle, and the twins handed her off before taking their seat next to Vision. Alexei and Melina walked you down. Fury married you and Wanda. Melina smiled and kissed your cheek. You heard footsteps walking over to you. “Hi, Melina,” Wanda said. Oh, please keep sitting,” she added as the woman stood up from her spot.

“It is fine,” Melina smiled. “I have to remind Alexei that there is a drink limit.” You tilt your head to the side and look at Wanda.

“We didn’t put a drink limit,” you said.

“He has one, and I set it,” you laughed as Melina walked over to Wanda. She gave her a hug and whispered something in her ear. Your wife nodded, and Melina kissed her cheek and walked over to Alexei. Wanda sat back down in her seat, and you immediately kissed her.

“I missed you,” you mumbled against her lips. Wanda laughed and shook her head.

“I was gone for more than 10 minutes,” you pouted.

“So sorry I missed my wife,” her cheeks blushed. Wanda was your wife. You’d never get tired of calling her that. “What did Melina say to you?” She took your drink and sipped on it.

“That’s disgusting,” she cringed. “Natasha made that for you, didn’t she?” you nodded and smiled when you took another sip. “I guess I’ll have to thank her later,” she winked at you, and it was your turn for your body to heat up. You pinched her side. “Melina told me to make sure I keep your heart good,” you glanced at the woman who smiled at you. You took Wanda’s hand and kissed the ring on her finger.

“I love you,” you said. “You are one of the reasons my heart is good and why I want to keep it good.”

“You are,” Wanda paused, and you waited for her to gather her words. Unbelievable. I thank my lucky stars that I ran into you at the coffee shop. " You laughed and kissed the ring again. Footsteps rapidly ran over to the table.

“You promised you’d play a round of corn hole with us,” Tommy said. You playfully rolled your eyes.

“We have to play before you get too drunk!” Billy added on with a smile. Your jaw dropped, and Wanda covered your mouth as she laughed.

“Who says I’m getting drunk?” Billy rolled his eyes.

“1, it’s your wedding.”

“And 2,” Tommy wrapped his arms around your neck. “We saw Natasha make that drink. I’ll be surprised if you’ll be standing when you are done with it.” His laughter hurt your ears, but it was a sound you loved.

“You little shit,” you said and stood up. You were able to maneuver Tommy onto your shoulder. The boys’ laughter continued as you walked over to the small area where you had lawn games.

“Dad claimed you to be on his team, which I find very unfair,” you dropped Tommy back onto his feet. He shook his head.

“We’ll take turns,” you ruffled Tommy’s hair, and he ran over to Vision. Billy stood by your side. “Are you having fun so far?” you asked him. He nodded, but you saw that he was in deep thought. “What is it, bud?” Suddenly, his body slammed into yours for a hug.

“I’m glad you are part of our family,” he whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” you said, and Billy ran to the empty corn hold board. Once upon a time, you dreamed of a family like this. Now you had it, and you would not let it go.

#wanda maximoff x you #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff imagine #Wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff one shot #wanda maximoff x y/n

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that-weird-thing-in-the-woods · 2 months ago

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Hey so I realized that I’ve been kinda been neglecting my 🪷Queen Danny AU🪷

!!!Some things you want to know about this AU!!!

Originally this au came from my Aphrodite Danny au which now that I’m thinking about it I’ve been neglecting too so be on the look out for that, anyway it was from god games { pls go look it up it is so good } and Danny as Hera and than Danny as Queen you can guess the rest but I still kept the main idea of it

Danny is the queen of the ghost zone because he win in a fight against Pariah Dark

Danny gets heavily injured because of GIW or his parents and goes through the portal destroying it in the process and ends up getting nursed back to health by Pariah Dark and in the process gaining a Father-Son relationship with him (NO ROMANCE FOR THEM IF I SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THEM BEING IN LOVE YOU WILL BE BLOCKED!!! DANNY IS A CHILD AND PARIAH DARK IS AT LEAST +100)

But as Pariah Dark has millennia worth of paper work to do from his time in the nap box so he has to leave Danny for a bit to do that so he leaves Danny with two hand maids that are absolute sweethearts to Danny ( only to Danny even Pariah Dark is not safe from their wrath )

Let’s call the girls Umi and Yume. Umi has short black hair that is pin straight that goes to her shoulders and teal eyes and a beauty mark under her right eye with that she also has a “deathly” pale complexion { you see what I did there } she’s wearing a black kimono with a Blue belt (!!Fun Fact!! The belt of a kimono is the fabric that goes around the midsection of the wearer!) Yume has long black hair that goes to her hips and has very pale green eyes and a beauty mark under her left eye much like her sister she also has a deathly pale complexion with that she’s also wearing a black kimono but instead of a blue belt it is purple

They died of sickness and reason they have such a pale complexion, and like I said before they absolutely adore Danny ( he acts like their mother did so they imprinted to him FAST and they remind him of Dani who was destabilized and the remaining ecto/ her core was destroyed by the GIW before Danny could do anything ) and also like I said before they barely put up with anyone else Umi has thrown people though walls because they were annoying her and talking to Danny

Anyway they like to dress Danny up in kimonos and other clothes of that origin and Danny lets them because they have fun and doesn’t want to ruin that for the girls ( at this point the girls and ghost with a fashion obsession are in constant cahoots with what to make next ) and while all this is happening the JL mess up or while one member and gets held hostage and will not be let go and the have to get help from the ghost zone so a group goes to ask for help from them and Pariah Dark says that if they want their help they have to convince the Ancients + the Queen to help them

And that’s about it sorry I’ve been radio silence for the past couple days I’ve been busy with things I’ll try to get stuff out but can’t really make any promises right now. Anyway byeee

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leonstoenailunderhisbed · 2 months ago

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Cupid doesn’t gamble

Summary: Leon, a mafia boss whose empire dominates all casinos on the west coast, meets a young girl amidst a game of poker. What would happen if he threw all his chips and gambled his love for you?

Warning: Mafia!Boss!Leon x Female!Reader. Eventual smut (I know y’all want this so bad). Slow burn. Romantic. Leon is a gentleman. Characters are 21+ (makes sense for casinos). Researched topics. Mentions of violence. Read at your own discretion.

Word Count: 6,620

A/N: So, I’d like to start off with saying that being in the Mafia is not okay. Al Capone was NOT a good guy. But, this is fiction. None of this is real so before I get myself canceled (pls don’t) trust that I did my research. I thought of Salvatore by LDR writing this lol.

[II] [III]

“The summer's wild and I've been waiting for you all this time I adore you, can't you see, you're meant for me. Summer's hot but I've been cold without you, I was so wrong not to doubt your Medellin, tangerine dreams,” - Salvatore, Lana Del Rey

Poker isn’t just a game of gambling and betting your money away. It’s intimate and personal, in order to win you must read your opponent. Strip each other bare until the other shows a sign of vulnerability, only then will you find a loophole and win.

But nobody seems to understand the arts of chips and card decks. To be given an awful hand and turning the game to your favor is powerful and uplifting. There is great danger with gambling but there are also great rewards.

Leon was a famous man, known for establishing the most successful casinos of, dare I say, the nation. He’s a businessman, driven by the need to make a statement of himself. To hold power over people’s head with a flick of the wrist. He’s ambitious, cunning, but also respectful.

Coming from nothing but rags and the slum, he swore to his parents that he will earn everything he ever wanted in life. To provide for his family, to become one of the richest and notorious men of America. And he did.

He easily became a member of the mafia after being taken under the care of a kind man. When his parents died and he was shunned away by society, he never expected a man from a dangerous world to take him as a child and teach him to become the man that he is today.

And now here he was, engaging himself in a long hour of poker with a rookie player. You’ve never been keen on gambling your savings away, you deterred yourself from gaining the addiction. But, you did like to play every once in a while, especially since the casino you were in was quite lavish, courtesy of the man who built the casino in the first place.

You didn’t know anything about it, you didn’t even know that the man in front of you was the very own man who built his life step by step.

"You're good with your hands," he said in a rich and low tone as he stared at you from across the table.

“Thanks,” you muttered as you moved on forward with the game. You glanced at him, narrowing your eyes as you tried to guess what he was going to move with tonight.

A low, amused chuckle escaped his lips as he continued to watch you analyze him. He knew damn well you had no clue how to play, yet you were trying your best. It's what drew him to you.

He noticed you stealing glances his way as you thought of a plan. *Adorable.* He leaned back into his seat, eyeing you closely as he waited for you to make your next move.

"You're a bad bluffer," he pointed out with a smirk.

“And you’re a talker,” you quipped back with sass. You were silent for a moment before you decided to either go big or go home, “Raise,” you said to him.

Your eyes were glued to him, watching for his reaction. Was he going to fold or call? Either way, you believed you had a better hand than him.

"And you're cocky, too," he returned with a hint of humor in his voice. He raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised by your bold move. Even if you didn't know how to play, you had some guts.

He studies you for a moment, his eyes lingering on you before returning to his cards. After a moment of contemplating, he pushes a stack of chips forward, adding to the pot.

"Call. Let's see what you've got," he challenges you with a sly smile.

You turned your cards over, revealing a Diamond Queen and Clover King. You put them down and crossed your arms over your chest as you looked at him with a smirk.

The bet was a high number of money. Probably worth more than your limbs being sold in the black market. But you were here for a reason, to earn some quick money. The man in front of you looked quite wealthy, wealthy and rich men weren’t uncommon in this place but it still made you feel a bit inferior with everyone wanting to show off.

Leon leaned forward, inspecting your cards closely. The smirk on your face said it all. You thought you had a good hand, and he wouldn't deny that you had a decent one. But, it wasn't enough to beat him. He leaned back into his seat once more, his expression unchanging, as he revealed his own cards. A Spade Queen and a Diamond Ace. A straight flush. His eyes met yours, his smirk turning into a cocky grin.

"I'm afraid you've lost this round, darling," he said in a teasing tone.

Your smirk immediately fell as you saw his straight flush. Wow, you lost again. You didn’t even notice him calling you by a pet name. Did you owe this man money now? How did you not see it coming? That bastard was cocky and confident as hell! You should’ve known he had a good hand.

Leon chuckled once again. The look on your face was priceless—a mix of frustration and disbelief.

He loved it.

"Looks like I win again," he said teasingly, gathering up the chips on the table, "And don't worry, darling, you don't owe me anything. Just better luck next time."

He leaned back in his seat, his gaze still fixed on you as he smirked. He found your reaction absolutely adorable.

You furrowed your brows confused, you didn’t owe him anything? “Wait, are you serious?” You asked confusedly. He was different from other guys around here. Was he really willing to forget about your loss and even wished you better luck?

Who was this guy? There was something about him, though, that seemed dangerous and suspicious, “Why?”

Leon tilted his head to the side as he observed you, noticing the confusion on your face. You were clearly surprised by his words. It seems like you’re *not* used to men like him.

He chuckled softly at your question. "Why? Because I'm a gentleman," he responds with a smirk.

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze never leaving your face, "And I'm not in the business of taking money from pretty young girls like yourself. I'm not that heartless."

Your cheeks flared, did he just say you were pretty? You’ve never met a man so… straightforward. You cleared your throat and nibbled on your bottom lip, “Thank you,” you muttered quietly. Leon's gaze softened as he watched your cheeks flush and saw you bite your bottom lip. *Adorable.*

He’s a gentleman, he’s not *that* heartless? You didn’t understand him. He wore expensive clothes and his aura was confident.

“Is there anything else you’d like in return?” You asked as you looked at him, your arms on the table, “I’d feel guilty if you went back home empty handed.”

He leaned back in his seat, a smirk on his lips. "There is... one thing," he replied, his voice low and smooth.

He paused for a moment, his eyes locking with yours once more. "Your name," he said simply, his smile widening, "I'd like to know your name."

You stared at him for a few moments before you nodded slightly, “Okay,” you muttered. You extended your hand towards him, “My name is Y/n,” you said softly. He was truly a gentleman, wasn’t he? He doesn’t take money from girls and he was respectful. He’s one of a kind.

Leon looked at your hand for a moment before taking it gently in his own. His rough, calloused fingers wrapped around your small, soft hand. He loved the contrast between your skin and his. The way your slender fingers fit perfectly in his grasp.

"Y/n," he repeated quietly, as if he was testing the way the name felt on his tongue. He let out a soft chuckle before bringing your hand to his lips. He placed a gentle kiss on your knuckles, his eyes never leaving yours.

Your cheeks flushed even more red when he kissed your knuckles. Did he come out of a book or something?! You’ve never met a man that screamed rich and respectful man. It was attractive. You were a bit speechless. Most guys met wouldn’t even be bothered to know your name and yet, here he was, treating you like a lady. Did he time travel or something?

You didn’t even try to move your hand away, it was like you got stuck in a trance. He was an enigma, who knew your poker opponent was so… you didn’t even know how to describe it. He chuckled softly at your reaction. He wasn't surprised, after all, most men don't have manners these days. Not men like him.

He slowly released your hand, though he couldn't bring himself to completely let go just yet. He continued to hold onto it, his thumb gently caressing your knuckles.

“Can I know your name too?” You asked a bit hesitantly, you wanted to know but you didn’t want to seem disrespectful. He felt so fancy, like a true gentleman. The kind of man you read in romance books where you could only dream of being treated with such care.

"Of course, darling," he replied in a low tone, his gaze still fixated on your face. He could tell that you were completely taken by him, though he couldn't blame you, most girls were. He could tell that you were captivated by his mannerisms and demeanor. It seemed like you appreciated his old-fashioned actions and chivalry, not that he was surprised. But something told him that you were different than the others. You weren't just after his wealth or status, he could see it in your eyes.

In the game of poker, it was easy to fall and lose. But for some reason, you like playing with him even if it means losing most of the rounds.

You didn’t even notice the two bodyguards approaching him from behind since you didn’t know what his occupation was like. You were strangers. The two bodyguards were ready to jump into action if you tried anything suspicious. But what could you do? You were completely harmless.

As his bodyguards approached from behind, Leon glanced over his shoulder at them. He held up a hand, silently signaling for them to hold off. The bodyguards stood a few feet away, far enough to not listen to your conversation but close enough to jump to him if he got into a dangerous situation. Leon's lips curled into an amused smile as he watched you realize the presence of his bodyguards. They were there to protect him, after all.

"My name is Leon," he finally replied, his voice just above a whisper. "Leon Kennedy."

“Leon,” you repeated, tasting the way it rolled off your tongue. It was a fancy name, suiting him very well.

“Nice to meet you, Mister Kennedy,” you said politely. Leon suppressed a chuckle as you repeated his name, the sound of it on your lips was like music to his ears. It was as if you were singing his name, rather than simply saying it.

He smirked when you called him 'Mister Kennedy,' finding your use of a formal title both amusing and endearing. "Please, call me Leon. 'Mister Kennedy' makes me feel old," he teased, his voice low and smooth.

You couldn’t help the small smile from reaching your lips, just minutes ago he beat you in a game of poker and yet, he didn’t make you feel bad for losing. You nodded at him, “Alright, I won’t.”

Then, one of the two bodyguards approached Leon, leaning down to his ear to whisper, “Sir, your presence is being requested on the tenth floor,” he whispered. Leon's expression, although unchanging, darkened at the bodyguard's words. He knew exactly what it meant for his presence to be "requested" on the tenth floor. But he didn't want to leave just yet. He was enjoying the time he had with you, he was enjoying your company and your sweet demeanor. If only he could stay a little bit longer.

He nodded at the bodyguard, silently signaling that he understood. He looked back at you, his expression softening once again.

"I have business to attend to," he said quietly, a hint of regret in his voice.

“Oh, right, yeah,” you muttered quickly under your breath as you stood up, fixing your outfit that you were wearing, “I shouldn’t take more of your time,” you said softly and politely, “It was nice meeting you, Leon. I hope to play with you in the future.”

Leon looked up at you as you stood up, his gaze following every movement. He could feel his heart skip a beat, he found you truly adorable. He felt a pang of disappointment when you mentioned not taking up more of his time. But he understood, he had responsibilities to take care of.

"The pleasure was all mine, darling," he said quietly, his voice slightly strained. He didn't want you to leave, but he had no choice.

“Sir,” one bodyguard spoke up from behind him, “Should we keep an eye on her?” He asked as the bodyguard’s gaze remained on your form, you were already standing by the bar drinking a damn fountain drink.

It was clear that the bodyguards were good at their job, they wanted to keep Leon safe since he was a mafia boss and enemies could be everywhere. Leon's gaze shifted from yours as he focused on his bodyguard's question. He could sense the slight tension in the air, the bodyguards were always cautious. But that was their job, to protect him at all costs.

He shook his head slightly, "No, that won't be necessary," he replied coldly, "She's harmless," he added, his eyes fixated on you once more.

“Yes sir,” the bodyguard said before the two bodyguards began to escort Leon to the elevator to get to the tenth floor. As Leon walked towards the elevator, escorted by his bodyguards, he couldn't help but glance back one last time, his eyes settling on your form at the bar.

He felt a twinge of something, was it concern? He wasn't sure. The thought of you being approached by someone else made him uneasy. But he had to remind himself that you weren't his responsibility.

He stepped into the elevator, his mind still occupied with thoughts of you.

"Watch her," he muttered to his bodyguards, "make sure no one goes near her."

The bodyguard nodded before stepping out of the elevator and went over to watch from a distance to not scare me off.

He was left with the other bodyguard and as they reached the tenth floor, the doors opened to reveal a very expensive suite, “Ah, Leon,” the voice of a man rang as he approached Leon.

The man was no other than a guy that went by an alias, “Kyle”, for safety reasons, “Glad you could make it,” he was dressed in nothing but a bathrobe, the belt tight around his waist to keep him from flashing anyone. Kyle was a character, that much was clear. Greeting Leon as if they were old friends.

"Cut the pleasantries," Leon replied coolly as he strode past Kyle, into the extravagant suite. Despite his cold exterior, his mind was still occupied by thoughts of you.

Kyle laughed and followed after Leon, “Always cutting to the chase, huh, amigo?” He said the Spanish word in a terrible accent, he didn’t even know Spanish.

Kyle was truly one of a kind but he was an ally to Leon’s mafia. Matter of fact, he provided Leon with the newest weapons from an Italian manufacturer. Illegal weapon trafficking.

“Got some new ladies you might want to see,” he said as he walked in front of Leon, guiding him to his room. As he entered his room, the sheets were messy and two naked women laid on the bed. With a flick of his wrist, the ladies stepped out of the room, giving Leon a wink.

As they entered the room, Leon couldn't help but roll his eyes at the sight of the naked women on the bed. Was this really necessary?

"I'm not interested," he said bluntly, his cold tone sending a clear message. Despite his outwardly tough demeanor, Leon disliked the lifestyle that Kyle embodied.

Kyle definitely had a typical lifestyle of a play boy, always finding girls to sleep with as he spends money on expensive champagne and clothes. But he was a good provider for the mafia. Kyle was needed; a necessary evil.

But Leon wasn’t a womanizer like that, especially with the way he treated you. Kyle chuckled and shook his head, “Oh, I think you will,” he muttered before I retrieved a box and opened it. Leon's expression changed. The sight of the new weapons in the box piqued his interest.

“Got these new ladies fresh from Rome,” he said, revealing new manufactured guns, “These are in beta testing but their purpose isn’t like regular guns—no. These babies hold up to thrice the ammunition and can fire double bullets at the same time.”

He could already see the potential these guns held. The extra ammunition and the ability to fire double bullets at once could give his men an advantage in a dangerous situation.

"Interesting," he said quietly, his eyes fixed on the guns. Despite his dislike for Kyle's lifestyle, Leon had to admit he knew how to source the best weapons.

"How did you get your hands on these?" he asked, his voice now lacking any hostility.

Kyle shrugged and leaned back, “I sent a blueprint last month over to my manufacturer in Italy. Said he’d give it a try. He experimented here and there right before he sent me these prototypes.”

“But I don’t recommend using them yet,” he said as he walked over to stand next to Leon, draping an arm around Leon’s shoulders as if they were best friends.

“Something about them probably not working and backfiring. Blah, blah, blah. You know the nerd stuff,” he said.

Leon's brow furrowed as he heard Kyle's words. Using untested weapons could be risky, especially if they had the potential for a devastating recoil. He pushed Kyle's arm off his shoulders, his expression turning cold again. He wasn't fond of being touched, especially by someone like Kyle.

"Then why show them to me if they might not work?" he asked with a hint of irritation in his voice. He preferred to focus on proven weapons, not experimental ones.

As his arm was pushed off his shoulders, Kyle wasn’t a bit ashamed, “Well, before we proceed with the testing, we needed your approval.”

Then, Kyle grew a bit serious, which only ever happened once a fortnight. He leaned closer to Leon to whisper in his ear, “I’ve heard that there’s been recent suspicious activity up north where the colony is. This is just a precaution because I don’t want anyone stealing my guns.”

Ever since Leon became the new mafia boss, which was years ago, many other bosses have tried to take him down. Even if it meant stealing his resources. Despite his disdain for Kyle, Leon couldn't ignore the serious look on his face. He knew that when Kyle spoke like this, he wasn't messing around.

"Suspicious activity, you say?" he replied, his voice low and calculating. He didn't appreciate being targeted, especially by other mafia bosses, "Any idea who might be behind it?"

He shrugged and shook his head, “No, there’s no idea who it might be but I’ve heard rumors that it’s someone who’s after your territory.”

Kyle sighed and stored the guns away once more, “In any case. Call me up if you change your plan, I’ll send word to Italy to keep producing and testing. Until then,” he said before he patted Leon on the shoulder and walked out of his room saying, “Alright, ladies, who’s ready for some sexy time on the jacuzzi?”

Leon watched as Kyle left the room, rolling his eyes at the man's behavior. Despite Kyle's eccentricities and playboy lifestyle, he couldn't deny that he was an asset to the mafia. As the sound of laughter and splashing water came from the jacuzzi, Leon turned his attention back to the matter at hand. The possibility of someone targeting his territory unsettled him.

With a deep sigh, he ran a hand through his hair, his thoughts once again drifting to you. He couldn't seem to get you off his mind.

“Do you want to go back to the main floor, Sir?” His bodyguard asked. Leon's eyes went to his bodyguard, and he nodded.

"Yes," he said simply. He had to go back to the main floor. He knew that his bodyguards had been instructed to keep an eye on you, and he was curious to see if you were still there.

As he stepped out of the room, he couldn't help but glance over at the bar. He could see you sitting there, sipping on a Dr. Pepper. Despite the presence of his bodyguard, he took a subtle step closer, watching you from a distance.

Now the three men were watching you, Leon with his two bodyguards behind him. They were no longer on the tenth floor and instead were on the main floor where you were.

“Who is she, boss?” One bodyguard asked. They had seen Leon play with you for a few rounds but they didn’t hear your conversation. Of how he forgave your debt and asked for your name, but they did see him kiss your hand. Leon's gaze never left you, his eyes watching your every move. He could feel the curiosity of his bodyguards, they had clearly noticed his interaction with you.

“Do you know her?” The other bodyguard asked. They still kept professional but their curiosity was high. They’ve never seen Leon talk to a woman before, he’d usually brush them off because he knew they were after his money.

"She's nobody," Leon replied, his voice cold and distant. Even though he had shown you a rare moment of humanity, he didn’t want his bodyguards to think he had a “soft spot”, especially towards a stranger.

"She's just a poker player, that's all," he added, dismissing their curiosity. But his eyes told a different story, he couldn't tear his gaze away from you.

“A terrible one,” one commented, “A Diamond queen and clover king against your straight flush… she’s got confidence.”

“Or maybe she didn’t know. Our boss holds a really good poker face,” the other replied. Which was true, Leon was a damn good poker player but you also didn’t play like a professional. You barely knew what you were doing.

You turned around to get your bag from the stool next to your standing form, seemingly finished with your drink and getting ready to pay for it.

Leon's eyes followed your every movement, his mind racing, "She was a challenge,” he said quietly, his voice betraying a hint of amusement. Despite your lack of skill, he had enjoyed playing with you, it had been surprisingly fun.

As he saw you turn to retrieve your bag, he felt a strange pang in his chest. He didn’t want you to leave yet. He took a step forward, his bodyguards following closely behind him.

You were too busy looking through your bag, pulling out your wallet and counting the bills you had to pay your tab. Would it even be considered a tab if you got non-alcoholic drinks? You didn’t notice Leon returning at all, his bodyguards didn’t say anything. They knew better than to prod at his life choices. If anything, they’d just keep a more careful eye on you to make sure nothing bad happened.

“Hold on—“ you said to the bartender as you counted your coins to give him the exact number of your total.

As you began counting your coins to pay the bartender, he couldn't help but step forward and reach into his pocket, "I'll cover it," he said, his voice firm and commanding. He felt strangely compelled to take care of you, even in this small gesture.

You straightened up at the sound of his voice, your heart jumped and beat quickly as you whipped your head to look at none other than Leon. Always a true gentleman.

“I—“ you said as yoi looked at him and the bartender before you looked back at his blue eyes, “No, it’s okay. I’ve got this,” you said quietly. He’d already forgiven your debt and now he wants to pay for your drinks?

Leon's expression remained stoic as he heard your protest. He didn't expect you to be so modest and determined to pay for your own drinks. But he found it endearing.

"It's not a problem," he replied, his voice firm. He could sense your guilt, but he didn’t want you to feel like a charity case. He genuinely wanted to take care of you, even if it was in small ways. He slid a few bills to the bartender, paying for your drinks and closing the tab before you could argue further.

Your cheeks blushed again as you looked away, you’ve never had anyone take care of you like he has, “You’re too kind,” you muttered in a flustered tone.

He was already breaking his own rules because the bodyguards seemed to have picked up on some details. It wasn’t common for them to see Leon be so… interested in a woman. Much less someone like you but they found it oddly endearing. Secretly cheering for their boss.

Leon was taller than you so you had to look up at him, “Did everything go well with your business?” You asked genuinely. Leon's expression softened slightly as he saw your flushed cheeks and your sincere question. He was unused to caring about someone’s well being, but he found himself wanting to share a bit with you.

"Yes, business went well," he confirmed, his voice remaining cool and collected. But there was a hint of tiredness in his eyes, the stresses of being a mafia boss often taking a toll on him.

He studied you for a moment, his gaze calculating but not unkind. "And how have you been?" he asked, surprising himself with his own question.

“Oh, you know,” you faintly shrugged your shoulders as you pointed towards the bar, “I stayed there the whole time. I don’t like wandering on my own. Lots of… creeps out here, y’know?”

But he wasn’t a creep. He was far from it. Leon was a gentleman, a man who knew how to treat women right.

Leon chuckled, a rare sound coming from him, at your straightforward answer. He found it refreshing how honest you were, unlike the fake smiles and flattery he usually received from people.

His eyes swept the casino floor, full of various people, men, and women. He knew you were right about the creeps that roamed around, especially with a pretty face like yours.

"You're right about the creeps," he agreed, his voice low and protective. "A pretty thing like you shouldn’t be out here alone."

Your cheeks blushed again when he said you were pretty, why was he so casual with the compliments?! But nevertheless, you couldn’t stop the smile forming on your lips, “Yeah… I was about to leave since it was getting late, actually,” you said as you quickly remembered what you were doing.

“I was going to get an Uber and go back home. I should probably practice my poker skills too,” you said with a small smile. Leon's gaze darkened slightly at the mention of you leaving. He didn't want this night to end, not when he'd enjoyed your company more than he thought he would.

He took a step closer, shortening the distance between you. "An Uber?" he repeated, his voice taking on a hint of disapproval. "With all the creepers out there?"

He paused, seeming to consider something before speaking again. "Let me give you a ride home," he offered, his eyes never leaving yours.

Your eyes widened a bit and your breath hitched when he stepped closer to you and offered you a ride home. You should’ve said no but for some reason, you felt safe in his presence. You slowly nodded your head, feeling like you shouldn’t reject his offer. He’s been kind to you and you wanted to be kind as well, “Only if it’s not a burden.”

“I’d hate to shift your plans for the night. I don’t want to be an inconvenience,” you said with a nervous laugh as you played with your hands.

Leon couldn't help but chuckle at your words and the nervousness in your laugh. You were clearly unused to being cared for like this, but it was almost endearing to see you flustered. He shook his head, his expression serious. "It's not a burden," he reassured you. "And you're not an inconvenience. I wouldn't offer unless I meant it."

He motioned for his bodyguards to follow as he put a hand gently on your lower back, beginning to guide you towards the exit. You gathered your things, which was just your purse, and let him guide you towards the exit. His bodyguards were shocked to say the least. They knew Leon didn’t like to be touched or touch other people but here he was, gently putting his hand on you to guide you out of the building. They were in for a fun ride.

As you made it out and stepped outside, you were met with wind. The wind blew over your form, goosebumps on your skin as you wrapped your arms over your chest to give yourself some heat. Leon noticed your body shiver, the cool night air obviously getting to you. He was so used to suppressing his own physical needs that he had briefly forgotten that you weren’t built for the harsher elements like he was.

"Here," he said gruffly. He removed his black jacket and gently placed it around your shoulders, his fingers lingering for a moment on the fabric.

The black suit jacket was big on you but it was so warm, it even smelled like his cologne and you felt your cheeks flare up. He smelled good, “Thank you,” you said as you looked up at him.

A black car pulled in front of you, it was fancy and the black was matte. No doubt, the latest car. Just how rich was he? One of the bodyguards moved towards the door and opened it for the two of you. Leon nodded in acknowledgement of your thanks, his eyes never leaving yours, "After you," he said, gesturing for you to get into the car first. His voice was gruff, but there was a warm undertone in it.

He waited, standing by the car door, until you climbed in, before he slid into the seat beside you, closing the door behind him. The bodyguards climbed into the front seat, the engine purring softly to life.

No one would’ve believed them if they said that Leon was warm and kind. They’ve seen the type of ruthless man he could be, he was a mafia boss! Hence why the bodyguards were shocked. They’ve never seen him act this way with anyone.

You sat next to Leon, your thighs pressed together and your form still wearing his black suit jacket, “Thank you,” you said before you climbed to sit next to him. You were new to the whole taken care of thing. Leon felt a pang of something unfamiliar in his chest when you thanked him again. It was as if you weren’t used to being treated like this, but he found himself wanting to give you more. He felt the strange urge to wrap you in his arms, to keep you close and away from the world.

He let out a low hum of acknowledgment. "You don’t need to keep thanking me," he said quietly, his voice low and rough.

You softy laughed at his words despite his low and rough voice, “Sorry, force of habit. I’m not used to people being so kind to me. Especially after playing Poker with me,” you replied with a small but genuine smile.

“Most guys would either just get mad at me for beating them or they would humiliate me further for beating me,” you said quietly, your hands laying on your lap as you looked down at them.

Then you glanced back at him, “But you’re different. I think… I like to have you as my opponent… if you’d let me,” but it was more than just Poker, right? It was about connecting, about seeing him again. His expression softened as you spoke again, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, "You like having me as your opponent, huh?" he said, his voice holding a hint of amusement.

He reached out, his hand gently resting on top of yours, his touch calloused but surprisingly gentle, "You don’t even know what you’re asking for."

Your breath hitched and you looked down at his hand on top of yours. Even though he’d held your hand and kissed it, you still got flustered.

But he was right. Essentially, you didn’t even know him. You met him today and lost a poker game. But something in you wanted to keep seeing him, you didn’t want to let such a kind man go.

“I can learn,” you whispered. This went beyond poker, even though you spoke about it, hidden words were conveyed. You didn’t know what you were asking for, not knowing he was in the mafia. Leon's smirk grew at your words, a hint of something more behind it. He could hear the double meaning in your words, and it sent a thrill through him. Here you were, this timid, pretty thing, wanting to get to know him better.

His fingers gently squeezed your hand as he spoke, his voice low. "You’re a fast learner, I bet," he said, his eyes never leaving yours.

But then his expression darkened slightly, the reality of his world intruding on the moment. He was a mafia boss, and you… you were innocent and pure.

You nodded, “I like learning things. Knowledge is power, is what George Orwell said once,” you muttered. Leon's smirk turned into a half-smile at your mention of George Orwell. This girl was full of surprises. It seemed to him that you were more than just a pretty face working as a pit boss.

His grip on your hand tightened slightly, as if reflexively trying to keep a grip on you. He knew he shouldn’t be doing this, he should let you go before you get swept into the dangerous world he lived in.

But something about you was making him greedy. The Mafia Boss never had to worry about letting go before, now, he didn’t want to.

You felt his hand tighten around yours and you didn’t want to let go yet. Once you reached your apartment, you looked at him and leaned towards his face to whisper, “Think it over,” you whispered, your brows furrowing a bit before you let go of his hand and got out of the car.

Leon's eyes widened slightly at your whisper, your unexpected boldness sending a jolt of surprise, and something else through him. You'd just told him to think things over, as if it was a date that you were asking him on. But before he could open his mouth to reply, you had already slipped out of the car, leaving him a bit taken aback.

He stayed sitting in his seat for a beat, his fingers clenching the leather, his eyes fixed on your figure. You were playing with fire, and you didn’t even realize it.

You were about to walk into your apartment when you realized you were still wearing his suit jacket. You quickly ran back towards the car and slipped it the jacket off, giving him an awkward smile, “I, uh…”

“Almost forgot this,” you muttered softly, the pink hue on your cheeks not leaving any time soon. Leon took the jacket in his hands, his gaze lingering on you as you handed it to him. He took in your flushed cheeks, your awkward smile, and it sent a pang through his chest.

He wanted to reach out, to touch your cheek, to do something to keep you from leaving. But instead, he simply folded the jacket over his arm, his fingers tracing the fabric.

"Keep it," he said, his voice rough. "It looks better on you."

Your eyes widened a bit and your lips parted into a small ‘Oh’ when he gave you the jacket once more. To which you slowly took, you didn’t want to be greedy but you loved the way it smelled.

“Thank you,” you whispered sincerely, “For tonight.”

The offer still stood. You were willing to throw yourself down into a fire if it meant getting to know him better. Isn’t that what Poker is about? To understand your opponent? But this wasn’t about Poker anymore.

Leon clenched his jaw as he watched your expression, your sincere thanks only making it harder for him to let you go. Your naivete was like a double-edged sword - it drew him in but also made him hesitant.

But he wasn’t some saint. No, far from it. He was a Mafia Boss, and he wasn’t used to denying himself.

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes locking with yours, his voice a rough, quiet murmur. “When can I see you again?”

You stared at him through the window, a bit surprised that he wanted to see you again. You were just some idiot poker player and yet… was he actually considering seeing you again?

You stood there in shock for a few seconds like an absolute idiot before you realized you hadn’t said anything. Your cheeks flushed and you quickly cleared your throat, “Uh—“

He paused, his eyes roaming over you, taking in your flushed cheeks, your uncertainty. It was a new sight for him, having a woman so clearly out of his world be so... vulnerable.

“You want to see me again?” You asked unsure. Leon’s lips quirked up into a small smirk at your reaction, your surprise and confusion only endearing you to him more. You were just so damn endearing. He leaned back in his seat, his eyes never leaving yours, his gaze sharp, “Yes, I want to see you again.”

“Well, I’m free this Saturday… if you want to—I dunno—go out…?”

“Saturday it is, then. I’ll pick you up at seven.”

This time, you couldn’t help the smile that reached your lips. Was he truly taking you out on a date? You nodded your head at him, your lips curling up into a genuine smile, “Alright…” you muttered quietly, “I’ll see you then. You know where I live anyway.”

He offered you a ride and now knows where you lived, but somehow, you felt comfortable with him knowing, “Goodnight, Leon.”

You walked backwards, looking at him for as long as possible before eventually turning around to get into your apartment. Leon watched as you retreated back into your apartment, his gaze following your every move. There was a strange flutter in his chest, something that he hadn’t felt in a long time. Something that he thought he had lost.

When you disappeared from sight, he let out a low, rough exhale, running his hand through his short hair. This was dangerous, getting close to you, but he couldn’t seem to find it in himself to care.

“Goodnight, doll,” he murmured, watching your door close behind you.

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