#i miss when i slept in my parents room and she was under the covers

[apollotronica]

i miss my fucking dog man

[0oolookitsme]

Piece of His Heart

Hii everyone, I'm back from my long hiatus!! Hope you missed me because boy did I miss YOU! <3 This one is a little emotional, a little sweet, and VERY Harry focused. Also, I was inspired to write this piece while listening to 'London's Song' by Matt Hartke, and trust me, it's a lovely song. Anyways, hope you enjoy!

Verse - Artist!Harry x Photographer!Y/n

Word Count - 1.0k

Warnings - Mentions of unplanned pregnancy, financial stress.

Harry and Y/n were students, and now, parents to a newborn babygirl as well. With all of the newfound emotions rushing through them, one thing he knew was that they were going to build this new little family slowly, and lovingly.

Harry looked up at the ceiling, at the overused fan moving slowly and creakily, with one of his arms under his head while the other one remained draped over his little baby's back. 

She was curled up on top of him, breathing softly, her little hands fisting his shirt. 

Daylight was pouring into the room through the gap between the two curtains, and Harry still couldn't believe that the little one sleeping away on his chest was finally here, after a worthwhile wait of a full nine months.

He still remembers the nickname he'd given her while she was still inside her mum's belly – 'Pumpkin' he had called her, and her little frame couldn't have agreed more with him. 

Full and round cheeks hung a little low on her face, her small mouth in a pout and eyes as circular as pearls, nothing if not the true meaning of grace.

Which is why he'd settled with the name 'Opal', grinning widely while Y/n had nodded furiously with tears in her eyes, saying how it was the perfect name ever.

His mornings suddenly became impossibly sweeter, something he hadn't expected since he had moved back in this childhood home with Y/n.

A few days ago, when he had laid his eyes on the bundle of sunshine for the very first time ever, a huge piece of his heart, if not his entire heart, had been taken right then and there. 

Sighing, Harry got up very carefully, wary of waking up the newborn and then, when he successfully hadn't, laid her on the two person size sofa – all that he could fit in the name of a seat inside his small art studio. 

He had just turned to get back to his awaiting Canvas, when Opal began mumbling. She was talking in her sleep, he realised with a smile growing on his face, making his dimples show up. 

Another piece of his heart was taken then. 

He wondered, each time that she slept, about just what she was dreaming up. On nights, he worried if she wasn't warm enough, wanted her to know that there was a blanket of stars above her – but he knew he could wait until she began talking to do that. 

Even though he couldn't afford the best, he was going to make this work. He was going to be the best father out there, give Opal all of his love, all with Y/n by his side.

Putting back down the paintbrush he had picked up because he couldn't stop thinking of her, Harry walked back over with his stool to sit and watch her. He crossed over the chair, his front against the chair's backrest as he rested his face on his arms, gazing down with a soft smile on his mouth. 

"I can't wait for you to grow up so that we can talk, you know? So, hopefully, you can tell me if this is where you'll always wanna be," he spoke, brushing away the unruly mop curls on her head. 

"And we can go to a place where you look at the light and it splinters," he sighed, moving to cover her up with a blanket. "Where there's plenty of gas in our car to last us the cold, cold winter," tears glazed over his sight, sniffling as he looked at her small figure lull to side as she slept – he almost let slip a chuckle. 

Right then, she took whatever pieces were left of his heart. 

Winter this year wasn't easy, but that wasn't to say that it wasn't the best one aside from the ones he had spent with Y/n. So much financial stress had come with the unplanned pregnancy, and now a baby. But he knew that the both of them could pull through the loans and make it out as a happy and healthy family, if they stuck together. 

Y/n’s dad, a single father, was a little bit bitter about the whole situation but had begrudgingly stepped forward to help out the two with handling the house, seeing as the both of them had to attend college as well as take care of the baby. He dropped off the groceries last weekend, along with the last minute new-born-baby stuff that Y/n had told him they needed. 

Even Anne stepped forward, letting the two of them borrow a room in her house for as long as they needed – likely until they could get back up on their own feet financially.

Currently, as Harry sat feeling overwhelmed with all of the love and other emotions rushing through him, he could hear Anne talking to Y/n down the hall. The walls weren’t the thickest and he could tell that Anne was sharing her own stories with Y/n, telling her about how she’d had Harry at a young age, and more. 

He’d heard it before, had even seen the two of them having this chat. So he knew that Anne, very likely, had Y/n’s head in her lap and brushing her hands through her hair, trying to console the woman high on hormones and the insurmountable number of emotions she must be feeling. 

Wiping away at his nose with the sleeve of his flannel, Harry blinked away the tears and pulled up a smile on his face again, trying to be courageous, for Y/n and their daughter. Because he knew that Y/n was doing the same for them. For the little family they were both going to build slowly and lovingly now.

"But I also want you to be this little forever, so that I can cherish you enough, yes?" He asked her, nodding his head when she mumbled something incoherent, something similar to ‘we’ll be fine, dada', Harry wanted to believe. 

And unable to help himself, he picked her up again, holding her flush against his exposed torso because he didn’t have the energy to button up his shirt and the skin to skin contact made breathing a little easier. 

"I'll love you tenderly," he whispered, pressing a kiss on her forehead. "I'll love you forever, and more, little pumpkin." 

[superhaught]

Sweetest Girl (Chapter Three)

Pairing: Regina George x Reader

Warning(s): angstttttttt

Word Count: 2100, Part 3/?

No summary because "so much happened i don't even know what to think" - @sapphicantics

Thank you once again to @sapphicantics for being the best ever <3

Part 1 / Part 2

You saw it coming but it surprised you all the same. Not even two minutes into the fourth episode of Real Housewives that Regina had insisted on starting, she was completely passed out on your shoulder.

Your surprise wasn’t at the fact that she fell asleep, the girls’ exhaustion was obvious. What shook you was that she ended up comfortably tucked against your side, her head leaning on your shoulder, and her gentle breaths tickling your neck. 

You took her Mac off of her lap and gently closed it, setting it aside on the bed while trying to avoid moving too much. 

It was late. If you were someone else, your parents might have expected you home by now. Might even be calling to find out where you were. Might have bothered to get the phone number of the person’s house you were going to in the first place. But you weren’t someone else and you were fairly confident that your presence wasn’t missed, nor would your absence be noticed. 

It was this thought process that pulled a deep sigh out of you which ended up waking Regina. She sat up with a bit of a start and glanced around her room and then back at you, and your shoulder, as she processed where she had positioned herself in her sleep-addled state.

“What… I fell asleep?” She furrowed her brows as she noticed the small trail of drool that had escaped the corner of her mouth. She wiped it away quickly and grumbled, “fucking Christ…” 

“Hey, it’s okay, you were tired. You should go back to sleep.” You started to scoot to the edge of the bed, intending to get up and get going so as to not prolong her embarrassment. 

The blonde, however, did not allow this. She reached out and grasped your wrist, “what are you doing?” 

You stared at her, “I… I’m gonna get out of your hair so you can rest.” 

“No!” Her cheeks flushed the second she realized how she sounded, “no… I mean… I can’t drive right now and I’m not letting you walk home when it’s this late. Just stay.” 

“Stay? You’re sure?” 

“Yeah…” she nodded, “of course, I’m sure. You can, right?” 

“I guess so… is there, like a guest room or a couch you want me on?” 

“What are you talking about? No, just stay here.” 

“What? Won’t that bother you?” 

“No, dummy. Clearly I was able to sleep just fine with you here,” she tried to stop it but Regina couldn’t help but yawn and it made you smile. It was cute. 

“Just,” she fought to speak through the yawn, “grab some clothes you can sleep in out of my closet and then get back in bed…” 

“Regina, are you-“ 

“Shut up. Yes, I’m sure.” She started shoving decorative pillows off of the bed and then slid under the covers and collapsed onto her own pillow. “And hurry up and turn the light off on your way back.” 

You watched her close her eyes and you knew there was no more back and forth to be had. You walked over to Regina’s closet and eventually found a drawer containing a mixture of old summer camp t shirts and knit shorts so you hastily changed into them, turned off the bedroom light, and crawled into Regina’s bed, opposite from her. 

You pulled the covers over yourself and exhaled. Her bed was so comfortable it was insane. It was insane for anyone to have a bed this nice.

And how did her bed smell so good, too? Did the linens get washed every day? You nuzzled your face into the pillow and breathed in. It wasn't a laundry detergent smell, it just smelled like her. 

You closed your eyes and got comfortable. You could hear Regina’s breathing slow down next to you and then you heard her whisper, “‘night.” 

“G’night, Regina.” 

You had the most peaceful sleep of your life. You didn’t know when you last slept in past 8 am at the latest. But at 10 am on this Sunday morning at the George’s, you were still blissfully unaware of the world. 

It wasn’t until you felt motion in the bed that you started to come to. Your eyes cracked open just slightly and were met with an expanse of blonde hair. 

That was weird. 

Your senses clarified quickly then and you realized that your arm was draped over a body, that the body’s back was against your front, that yours and the body’s legs were intertwined. 

You were squarely in the center of your pillow, though. It was the other body that had shifted in the night. Her half of the bed was empty and her bottom arm splayed across her pillow, which she had abandoned in favor of taking the edge of yours. 

The girl took a deep breath and shifted slightly again, rubbing one of her legs against yours. 

You didn’t know what to do. Waking her would mean confronting this situation right now. Pretending not to notice and going back to sleep felt like it would be violating somehow… you ultimately decided the former was better. 

Gently, you gave her upper arm a slight shake and whispered, “Regina… hey, Regina…” 

She grumbled but didn’t wake up. 

You tried again, “Regina… Gina…” 

The blonde sniffled and groaned, “whattime’sit?” 

“Uh… I don’t know,” you answered, “Regina, you’re…” 

She woke up a little more, felt you so close to her, felt that she wasn’t entirely on her side of the bed. She started to sit up. 

“We must’ve-“ 

“Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck!” Regina sat up the rest of the way and pushed your arm off of her, “this was a mistake.” 

You sat up, too, startled by this reaction, “Regina wait, it’s fine-“ 

“No, shut up. My mom can’t see us like this. You need to get up.” 

“Regina, hold on-“ 

“Are you listening?” She hissed, “get up. Now. This was stupid, my fault for having you stay in the bed. We’re going to get dressed and I’m driving you home.” The blonde got out of her bed and beelined for her vanity where she quickly sat down and began harshly brushing through her hair. 

You stood up and took a few steps across the room to go be by her, “Regina, wait, can we talk about this?” 

She looked at you through the mirror and she frowned, “no. We can’t. Get changed.” 

Ten minutes later, Regina was quietly ushering you out the front door of her house and unlocked her Jeep with a click of the key fob. She wordlessly got into her seat and buckled and waited for you to do the same, before backing out of her driveway and starting the route to your house. 

“Regina-“ 

“Whatever you might think last night was… it wasn’t, okay?” 

“What do you mean what I think? I… wait, Regina, I don’t understand. Why are you freaking out? It wasn’t a big deal.” 

“That’s easy for you to say, everyone already thinks you’re a lesbian.” 

“What?”

Regina stepped on her brake as a yellow light turned red and then she turned to face you. 

“That can’t happen again. You can tutor me. You can come to my house like I promised. But that cannot happen again.” 

“But WHAT happened?!” You didn’t mean to shout at her, but you were panicking. 

Regina stared at you. A car behind you honked because the light had turned green. She clenched her jaw and focused on the road again. 

“Pull over.” 

“No.”

“Pull over, Regina.” 

She didn’t respond but she turned her blinker on and pulled to the side of the road and parked on the shoulder. 

“I’m not going home until you tell me what the fuck is going on right the fuck now.” 

She looked at you silently. Her face and eyes were red, like she was on the brink of tears.

Your expression softened, “Regina, please.” 

“You don’t get it, do you?” 

“Obviously not.” 

The blonde sighed and dropped her face into her hands, “for someone who is so smart, you are so stupid…” 

“Then make it make sense. Please.” 

She took a deep breath and then sat back up, rubbing her eyes as she did so, “you’re so sweet… of course you don’t get it.” She faced you then and she looked more upset than you’d seen her, “it was on purpose… I… I wanted to cuddle with you.” 

“You… okay… so?” 

“That’s a bad thing!” 

“Why? Because I’m a nerd?” 

“No! Because you’re not a guy! I can’t like you… like that…” 

You just stared at her. 

“Say something!” 

“I don’t know what to say!” 

“I can’t get that close to you… not again… I can’t… my family can’t know… the school can’t know that… that…” 

“That you might like girls?” 

“That I do like girls. That I only like girls. I’m not out and I can’t come out and so I sure as hell can’t let what happened happen again because… because I…” 

You waited for her to continue. 

“Because I… will want it to keep happening… and then I won’t be able to stop it…” 

“Wait, so… so I don’t get a say? I just… I just have to do whatever the fuck you tell me to… you get to tell me this and then it’s just over? There’s no trying? What if I liked cuddling with you? What if I felt the same way?” 

“Stop. You can’t say stuff like that… you…” Regina started to shake, gasping for air in rapid and shallow breaths as her eyes started to water, “you can’t… I c-can’t… I can’t be… with you… you can’t like me… I can’t-t I can’t…” she was hyperventilating. You reached out and tried to hold her shoulders but she shook you off, smacking your hands away. 

“Regina, breathe… breathe…” you reached for her again only to be met with the same resistance, “no, no. Let me.” You leaned across the center console and wrapped your arms around her in a tight hug. 

Regina gripped your forearm in her hands and squeezed hard. Her manicure pressed crescent moons into your skin and her knuckles were white with the force of her grasp, but you only squeezed her tighter and whispered into her ear, “breathe… just breathe… you’re okay… breathe… come on, now… breathe in… and breathe out… in… out…” 

It took a minute but eventually she followed your instructions and her body started to relax. Her breathing slowed. She coughed and took a deep, but shaky, breath. 

You pressed your forehead against her temple and kept your arms around her while she still held tight to you. 

“I can’t do this…” 

“You can’t do what?”

Regina just shook her head in refusal to answer. 

“Regina… what would make you happy?” 

“That doesn’t matter…” 

“Yes it does. That’s the only thing that matters.”

“No… no…” 

“Regina… look at me.” 

She shook her head in defiance.

“Please?” 

She didn’t respond. 

You reached out and gently tucked your index finger beneath her chin, turning her head to face you, “what would make you happy, Regina?” 

She met your eyes, nothing short of terror written in her expression. She thought for a long moment and then whispered, “I’ve never… felt as free… as I felt last night… with you…” 

You nodded, your own expression saddened by the seriousness of her statement. 

She took another shuddering breath in, “but it’s always going to come crashing down…”

“No… no, come on… it doesn’t have to… can we try… can we please try to figure this out? Together?” 

Regina bit her bottom lip and shook her head, fighting back tears, “n-no… I’m sorry… I can’t. I can’t do this.” 

“Regina-“ 

She pushed your arms away again and then cleared her throat as she pulled her visor down and dabbed her eyes and fixed her hair. 

You stared at her in shock. 

She turned the car back on and pulled back out onto the road. 

“Regina… Regina, please.” 

She shook her head, “I’m taking you home. I’m sorry.” 

“This is fine.” 

“But this isn’t anywhere.” 

“It’s close enough.” 

The blonde glanced over at you, about to ask further questions, but then she just nodded and pulled over. 

You unbuckled and grabbed your backpack off the floor of the car and tried to open the door but she hadn’t unlocked it for you yet. 

“I really am sorry.” 

“Forget it, okay?” 

The blonde frowned. 

“Are you gonna let me out or not?” 

Regina clicked the button to unlock the doors and you got out of the car. Before walking away, you looked at her again, “wait, your chemistry quiz…” 

Regina sighed, “I’ll be fine. I… I just wanted you to come over.”

Next Chapter

[cry4mina]

Take Me Back to Eden - Ascensionism (Part 4)

(Nayeon x Fem!reader)

Take Me Back to Eden - Choke Hold - Part 1

Take Me Back To Eden - Granite - Part 2

Take Me Back To Eden - Aqua Regia - Part 3

Word Count: 8.5k Angst/Angst/Smut Summary: Reader finds out the truth behind what Jihyo and Nayeon has been up to, she takes the steps to become more independent and heal her grief, only to fall back into old habits. TW: Betrayal, suggestive themes, lying, break ups, cheating, manipulative behavior, anxiety, top!reader x Bottom!nayeon, choking, degradation, truthfully its rough sex but anyways, let me know if I missed anything! A/N: After a reasonable amount of requests I decided to continue the series. I also decided to write smut for the first time. Thank you to @saiiidahyunee @neoplatinum and @miinatozakiii for the help/advice for this part! <3 (srsly, this wouldn't have happened without them)

--

“Did she believe you or do we actually need to stop seeing each other?” 

Pulse radiating in every cell of your body, waiting to see if there’s another text from Jihyo. Absolutely baffled as the lie shatters your consciousness, returning you to the jagged spiral you were still reeling from.

It was true. She did this to you. 3 years of deception and it was all happening right under your nose. 

Knees buckling underneath you as you think back to the conversation you had in the kitchen the night prior. 

The tears she shed, the way she spoke…the way she studied your face… She was acting through the whole thing and you believed her. 

“Nothing has happened since, and nothing like this would ever happen again. I wanted to tell you but the person I was then and the person I am now are two completely different people. Even that version of myself would never dream of hurting you in such a way.”

 Stomach churning at the words previously said, fighting back the hatred growing in you. 

‘Please understand that I would do anything to remove this from my past…our past.” 

Nauseously fighting the tears threatening to spill from your eyes, remembering how your skin felt against hers as you slept next to her the night prior and you cringe knowing it was all fake and you had fallen for it. 

Nayeon’s phone vibrates in your hand again, revealing another text from the other responsible party. 

“We can lay low for a little while and let it all simmer down, if that’s easier. But I don’t want to stop being with you.”

As you stare at the screen, truth reflects back onto your face, flashing through your memories with her. Decorating the house on the holidays, her meeting your parents, anniversaries, going out to dinner; Even the small touches to show affection that intertwined themselves into everyday life hardened your exterior as you built your walls back up brick by brick wondering how long they’ll hold up with the digital reinforcement you’ve stumbled upon.   

The need for the truth pokes at your chest while opening the text thread between her and Jihyo. 

———————————Yesterday 11:34 pm——————————

Jihyo: Y/n didn’t seem to believe me when we spoke, I hope she listens to you or we might have a problem. 11:34pm

Nayeon: We might have a problem then 11:35pm

Nayeon: I don’t know if her and I will make it thru this 11:35pm

Jihyo: Do what u can. We will just have to cover our asses if the company finds out we are sleeping together. 11:37pm

Nayeon: It seems like she can’t really make a decision. I put her to bed a little while ago because she was exhausted. 11:38pm

Nayeon: She did bring me dinner last night… 11:38pm

Nayeon: She actually just came to the living room and def only in underwear…I’ll update u in the morning. 11:40pm

Jihyo: Just because she’s the piece that’s keeping the public and our company from finding out doesn’t mean I want to hear stuff like that, Nayeon. 11:42pm

———————————Today 8:12 am——————————

Jihyo: Did she believe you or do we actually need to stop seeing each other? 8:12am

Jihyo: We can lay low for a little while and let it all simmer down, if that’s easier. But I don’t want to stop being with you. 8:14am

Forgetting to blink as you’re reading the thread, in disbelief that you almost gave them the forgiveness they asked for. Caught between the smoke and mirrors, an illusion painted for the public eye to cover the secret that only they knew. 

Screenshot clicks lightly as you send yourself the evidence and delete the pictures from the text thread as well as Nayeon’s phone. You wanted to be able to look back on this and remind yourself that she was responsible, and that you'd never give her another chance. 

Sliding her phone into your pocket, you walk into the bedroom. 

Nayeon is distracted in the bathroom preparing for your morning shower together. Hearing the door of the shower sliding open and the sound of the head sputtering to start. The clashing of the water hitting the tile mimics the storm you felt brewing up inside of you.  

As your rage builds you quickly grab a backpack out of the closet, unintentionally knocking a tote bag down as you pull the straps. Trinkets of all kinds scatter across the floor, you flinch at the sound and look down at the mess before immediately unzipping the bag.

“Is everything okay, baby?” Nayeon yells from the bathroom, it's muffled by the foam of her toothpaste as you hear her spit into the sink.

Body tensing at the pet name, knowing the illusion of the past 3 years was uncomfortable and devastating. 

“Yes. Just dropped something.” You shout back trying to hide the towering rage that is rocking against the winds of change your digital confirmation created. 

 “Okay, my love, I’ll be waiting for you in the shower.” She sings back trying to play cute with you. 

You roll your eyes while shoving the bag full of everything you’d need for the next few days as quickly as possible. Clothes, charger, wallet, important documents, and your laptop. 

Putting on the first pair of pants you see and not even bothering to change out of the oversized sweater you threw on to cover up while you had your morning coffee. 

Quietly running to the dresser to grab some socks, your foot kicks some of the mess left on the floor. Sighing at the annoyance of it being in your way but it slows down enough to see what the contents were. Jewelry you’d never seen, love notes opened with a wax seal, and countless pictures of Jihyo and Nayeon together. 

Frozen in fury as you take in what you’re unintentionally uncovering, a singular tear drenched in anguish falls - the tap on the photo echoing in your ears. Reaching your limit and the overflow of emotions are about to spill out of you in a slurry of misery and hatred.

Grabbing the specific Polaroid of them kissing, tucking it into your pocket with her phone and leaving everything else where it landed. Preparing for the confrontation, knowing she’ll probably try to cover it again. No more running from it and no more hiding from it, you had her cornered with the proof that she was a liar. 

Hopping onto the counter in the bathroom, you waited for Nayeon to realize you’re there. The shower door is slightly open, she left it for your entrance. Opening her eyes momentarily to see you staring back at her, much like most mornings. 

This morning was different though, after the fight you got into that spread out over a week and the information you got this morning; there was a thickness in the air that wasn’t just steam. Almost visible in how it intimately caressed your heart into a conflicted mess of emotions, waging wars inside your chest.  

 “Aren't you gonna join me? I’ve got a blank canvas for you if you’d like to make more art out of me.” She coyly says, winking at you.

 Your cringe is covered by the steam coated glass, repulsed by the thought of this stranger touching you the way she used to. The trust was no longer there. Being past anger, past sadness, and clinging to the numbness so you could get through this conversation. 

Trying to keep your brain on track when Nayeon steps out of the shower and walks towards you, seductively. A thin layer of sweat is starting to appear on your skin as she gets closer to you, you’re trying to talk yourself out of the thoughts of what would happen if you just showered with her and forgot what you found. 

You can’t do that to yourself, you know that. You would never knowingly accept less than you deserve but your heart was fighting you with every step she took towards you.

She puts her wet hands on your thighs, allowing the material to cling to your skin, “why are you wearing these? Just so I can take them off?” Her pupils are wide as she fixates on your face watching you half glare back at her.

 Swallowing as you try to keep yourself from shaking as the numbness wears off and turns to despair and then shifting erratically to pure anger and then back to despair again. The pattern is familiar, you’ve lived it before a few times. Trying your best to conceal the rapidly changing mood and keep a straight face.

 It seems to go unnoticed as she parts your jean clad legs and slides her waist between them wrapping her arms around your neck. Shivering at the warmth of her skin against yours as her fingers lace through the hair on the back of your head, trying to get you to cave into her wants. 

Your body is definitely reacting to her being this close to you the way it always did. The ache in your core screaming at the familiarity but your mind is repulsed. How many times had she done this with Jihyo? 

Not pulling away, allowing her to set herself up, the same way she let you. Leaning into your ear, lips brushing against its shell as she whispers “I’d love to take this off, if you’ll let me.”

“Do you really think you deserve it after what you’ve done?” sternly leaves your mouth. 

Clench her thighs as you speak, she loves when you talk to her that way. Not realizing that your voice is heavy with a different type of malice, not the usual light hearted mask you wear for her when she wants some roughness. 

 Hands come off your neck and slide under the sweater. She’s relieved you don’t have a bra on as she scratches harshly down your back, like she always did during sexually driven moments much like this one, in an attempt to rile you up more. 

It works for a moment, you groan and chase after her lips as she teasingly pulls away from you. Challenging your power and being a brat, refusing what you were asking for to intentionally make things more heated. Two can play that game.

“Close your eyes and hold your hands out.” Softly spoken while only an inch away from her face. Her half lidded eyes looking up at you for a moment. The sparkle for you is still encapsulated in her big brown eyes. 

Immediately listening, placing full trust in you. Removing her from between your legs, you guide her back and against the glass shower door. It rattles on impact as she leans against it, inciting a gasp from her. 

Her hands are up and out, waiting for whatever you had in store for her.  She’s smiling up at you, eyes closed, intrigued about what you’d place in her digits. 

Reaching into your pocket and pulling out her phone and the picture. Looking at them one more time before placing them directly into her hands, almost as an offering, like it’s your ticket out of this mess you unknowingly found yourself in. 

“You can open them now.” Tone leaving little to mystery as it sneers out of you. 

Her brows furrow as she realizes something isn’t right. Nayeon opens her eyes and looks down at what you’ve placed in her hands. Confusion waves across her face until she sees the image of her and Jihyo kissing, staring back at her. Hearing the gasp leave her lips, a deep gust of air is still not enough for Nayeon as she almost starts to panic.

You’re out of the room in seconds, her quickly following behind you, she grabs onto the sweater leaving a wet handprint that matches the ones on your thighs. 

 “Please, let me explain!” she begs frantically and tugs on the sweater harder to try and get your attention while you’re gathering more necessities for your daily routines. 

“Drop the act, Nayeon. I don’t want to hear anymore from you.” Your tone is growing more callous as time goes on. It roughens up the few soft spots she had even if it was entirely her fault you were going through this life changing event.

 Her face shifts from worried to annoyed as you sprint around the room, not bothering to organize anything being placed into the backpack.

“And where are you going to go, huh?” she asks, tilting her head and dropping her arms to her side heavily, allowing her frustration to show for a split second before she remembers she’s still completely naked and dripping wet from the shower on the rug in your bedroom.

Taking a step forward to get in her face, you startle her, not expecting you, soft gentle y/n, to approach her in such a way. Leaning back when you stepped forward but not breaking eye contact. You watch her leg start to bounce as she gets more anxious realizing you were angry in a way she had never seen, fire behind your eyes noticeable as you adjust your stance to show her you weren’t backing down and you were no longer scared to lose her. 

Movement feeling foreign to her as she’s unable to keep calm like the Nayeon you knew of. Backed into a corner and baring her teeth as you confront her about her wrong doings, is an attempt to control the situation and she was about to try an old tactic that had worked previous to this. 

Playing with the belt loops on your jeans, she brings her voice back to the sweet one you used to know,  “Are you just going to keep running away from me? Or can we talk this out? I thought we were okay. I thought we could get past this together” Retorting in a semi-cooled tone. Eyes watering again and the block of ice in your chest is trying to thaw in you as she leans in to put her satin lips on yours for a small second of contact before you avoid the affection, knowing you’d crumble at the act. Not allowing yourself to fall into her grasp again, knowing she was willing to hurt you in an incomprehensible way, and feel no guilt.  

“That was before I saw those texts and before I found the bag of secret Jihyo shit in the closet, Nayeon!” 

Looking down at the phone you handed her to read the message. The realization of what’s happening washes over her face, it couldn’t be played off as a misunderstanding anymore. She had been caught red handed and had to deal with the consequences. 

Nayeon leaned in harder to her act of fake innocence, insinuating that you were in fact the big bad for violating her trust like she wasn’t the one who burnt yours to crisps and used the ashes as eyeshadow.

“Why did you go through my phone?” She crosses her arms, pushing her breasts together. She’s trying to distract you with multiple tactics but it wasn’t working, her act faltering when scrutinized. . 

Extremely angry, your brain couldn’t see her as anything other than an enemy. “Is that really what you’re worried about right now? Our entire relationship was a false front for you and Jihyo and all you can do is try to flip it on me?! …Who made you like this?” harshly asking just trying to understand what she had to gain from hurting you in such a way. 

“You don’t trust me?” Nayeon says sweetly, touching your torso again. Pulling away roughly, unable to  believe it’s even a question she thought would be a good to say out loud, when you both knew what the answer was. 

 “You have been cheating on me for the entirety of our relationship and you have the audacity to ask if I trust you? Fuck you.I gave you the opportunity to be honest with me and you threw it right back in my fucking face, Nayeon!” laying into her, letting out every drop of anger she caused you through your teeth.

“3 years of what?! You completely ruined everything, our entire relationship was fake so you could fuck Jihyo without suspension! So absolutely not, I don’t trust you in any sense of the word.” voice starting to crack as you tear up, “and to think I was actually going to propose to you” letting the sadness of the future lost memories drain out of you onto the person who caused it all. 

Speechless and not believing that the docile person who was head over heels for her could have such venom to spit. A new light is shining down on you as you display your livid behavior. Oddly, even more attracted to you than she already was, she was in a trance as she realized what you said. 

“You were going to…propose?” Quietly said back to you. Her eyes are saddened as she starts to understand the weight of her choices and all the things that will never happen again between the two of you. The guilt cuts deep, creating a sharp sting in her chest as a heart string popped.  

Rolling your eyes and open the drawer in the kitchen that normally is reserved for “junk” to pull out a little black box, slamming it on the counter. “I really wanted to…” allowing yourself to be vulnerable for a moment as she reaches out to open the jewelry box and sees the perfect ring. 

The pear shaped diamond in the middle was huge, with little diamonds laid into a rose gold band. This is how she described her dream wedding ring to you on your 3rd date. You wrote it down in the notes of your phone for the moment you would need it, thinking she was the one. 

Eyes matching the diamonds, sparking with light as they fill with tears. She never thought about how much you paid attention or how well you knew her. Too wrapped up in playing her role with both you and Jihyo to even think that you were set on her being the one you wanted to spend your life with.  

“I need you to tell me how it started. I need to know why.” speaking cold heartedly, keeping the distance between the two of you. 

“...It did start with a drunken night. That was true. I never tho-” She started as she lowered her eyes. 

“Look at me when you’re talking.” deliberately call her out, rattling her a little bit, her face turns red, eye wide as she goes to speak again.

“I never thought that it would go this far with her. I really was genuinely upset when Jihyo told me what happened the first time. I didn’t remember anything at all and then she convinced me not to say anything and then we hung out a few days later and…it happened again but sober this time and it just never stopped. There was no emotion behind it for me, I swear. I love you, not her.” 

A freight train crashes through you as you reel at the information hitting your ears. 

“You don’t get to say that. You don’t get to claim you love me when you’ve been living in a black light paradise with someone else this entire time.” hissing dispassionately to assert your words.

“But two things can be true at once, like you always say…” throwing back at you with a smirk knowing how much your own rhetoric being used on you makes you angry. 

Aggressively grabbing your backpack again and heading towards the door again, once intimidating, now a way to safety as you jerk it open, feening for escape from the heavy atmosphere. Your steps are quick and precise as you make your exit. 

 “I made a mistake, y/n. She’s not you. She will never be you.” Almost shouted at you as one foot stepped over the threshold. 

 “You were the mistake and I hope your guilt drowns you.” 

– 

An anchor pulls your heart to the bottom of the ocean. You told Nayeon to drown but it was you who couldn’t swim. Pulling harshly at your arteries as you sludge towards your car, feeling as if you’re moving in slow motion just trying to escape the shark infested waters.

Remembering this same feeling from before, but this one was much more certain. With the evidence in front of you, the admission from both parties, and the way Nayeon spoke to you- there was no more safety in who she portrayed herself to be. The illusion has smashed into shards of false love, leaving you to pick up the pieces. 

You drive to Momo’s house, not bothering to call before showing up, you don’t think you could speak anymore, your jaw is tense the entire way there to hold everything in. 

Walking up to the door and hitting the door bell, the dogs bark to alert their owners. The locks click open and the door cracks open to reveal a surprised Momo. 

“Y/n, what are you do-“ cutting her off as you collapse into her arms. You kept it together long enough to get to your best friend, but now the dam was broken and unable to contain the pure pain that was born from the cruelness Nayeon showed you.

Momo drags you into the house and sits you on the same couch you slept on days before, sitting next to you and trying to comfort you as you shake and sob, wrapping your arms around yourself trying to create a sense of safety for yourself that couldn’t be torn from you.

“Y/N, what happened?” Momo is so concerned with your inability to calm down, it’s starting to make her upset. 

Dahyun walks into the room, hearing the commotion. The loudness of your sobs ringing in her ears with her heart sinking into her stomach as she sits on the other side of you, joining Momo’s effort to comfort you. 

Shakily breathing as you try to regulate yourself yet again, this time it feels harder than the last because at least last time there was hope. You are only experiencing extreme sadness and betrayal, with a lot of anger mixed in it but there was no hope present.   

Unaware of how long you’ve been crying as Dahyun gets up “I’ll go make up the guest bedroom.” Rubbing your back as she walks past you. 

“Thank you,” you squeak out through your teeth, struggling to calm down. 

Momo has a look on her face that could cut diamonds. Anger radiating off her cheeks as she grabs her phone, taps it a few times and brings it to her ear quickly, she stands and taps her foot waiting for the other person to answer.  

Nayeon is heard on the other side, “is she with you?” 

Momo’s face is repulsed by this considering the state of you in front of her but she answers the question anyway,

 “Yes, what happened? She’s obviously not okay. Tell me what happened.” Momo’s arms are crossed, standing up she shifts her weight from one leg to the other. 

“I don’t know, she just got upset and left”

“Nayeon, I have known you for years.You’re lying. Y/N wouldn’t just show up sobbing uncontrollably for no reason, so tell me what happened or I'm hanging up.” talking with her hands, raising them in a frustrated manner as the lies keep coming.

“Well if she didn’t want to hurt herself she should have gone through my phone.” annoyance present in Nayeon’s tone.

Momo looks over at you, devastated for the second time on her couch pulling your phone out in silence and showing her the text thread screenshots you had taken earlier.

“It’s not as big of a deal as it’s being made out to be.”

“Are you serious right now?” Momo harshly questions as Nayeon continues. 

“Are you going to question Jihyo like you questioned me? Or are we just gonna pretend like she’s not part of this too?” 

The sharpness in her tone was something you had witnessed before but the taste of her name coming out of Nayeon’s mouth was unbearable.

Momo gasps at the new knowledge that has now been thrown at her. Completely statuesque, as she tries to wrap her mind around what Nayeon just said.

 Momo’s eyes look up on your screen to reveal the name at the top of the text thread: Jihyo  

The rush of emotions she was experiencing was overwhelming to her senses, momo’s voice choked with tears as she spoke to Nayeon.

“Wait…what did you just say? J is Jihyo?!” Momo says in complete disbelief, shocked at not only what she’s reading on the screen but by what she was hearing from one of the parties involved.

“Yes. So please call and interrogate her. Can I speak with my girlfriend now?”

“No, you can’t. I am not friends with people who do this type of thing, Nayeon. How could you do this to y/n?” she shouts through the phone, hunched over with a hand on her knee, trying to understand all the pieces of this complicated puzzle.    

Momo, trying to keep the anger she felt under wraps, started pacing in the room taking laps around the couch as she spoke. 

“Nayeon…are you kidding me? How long has this been going on?” Confused was an understatement, Momo was completely overstimulated with the information she was being given. 

 Never noticing the connection between how close Jihyo and Nayeon were, always sharing hotel rooms on tour, finishing each other’s sentences, the looks across the room, Nayeon staying at Jihyo’s house frequently…it was all starting to add up and Momo is seeing red over the pain of her best friend being hurt beyond belief, and by someone who was supposed to be her family. She was just as angry as you were. 

“Momo, I don’t want to do this right now, Can I please speak to Y/n? I’m trying to save my relationship and not be put under a microscope by you.” 

“I can’t believe you would do this. You spoke of Y/n like she moved mountains for you and this is what you’ve been doing behind her back? I’m disgusted with you and your actions…and I’m pretty sure she’s your ex-girlfriend now but you knew that already, didn’t you?” 

Momo hung up quickly, not caring about what Nayeon had to say back to her. More worried about you and your emotional state than anything Nayeon had to say.

 “Did she tell you why or was it her avoiding the question?” inquiring as she took a seat next to you, giving an apologetic look and a bear hug to try to make you feel better. 

“She told me enough for me to want to leave my home, technically she didn’t even tell me, I found a secret bag of Jihyo stuff in our closet with a bunch of pictures of them together, and one shot of them kissing, wax sealed love letters and jewelry.” Voice cracking and shaking as you bite back more emotion. 

Momo gasps as the story unfolds before her, she can’t believe what she’s hearing. It is so polar opposite of what she expected of her members. She always thought they were kind and loving. She imagines what y/n might be feeling in all of this. 

“I am so sorry. Please let me know how I can help you get through this.” reaching for you to pull you into a warm embrace. 

“Well, I’m definitely going to need to find a new apartment so if you want to help me with that I’d be grateful.” half chuckling through some tears, trying to add a little light into the situation. You hated the idea of someone else being upset because of this situation.

“Consider it done” Dahyun walked back in with swollen eyes, sniffling. She probably overheard the argument Momo just had and was reflecting the same amount of empathy as Momo was. 

“We can start tomorrow!”

—

About 3 weeks went by and you were slowly showing signs of your old self. You were going out with friends again, hanging out with Momo a lot, and starting to become present again, no longer constantly seeing the rewind of Nayeon’s innocence faltering behind your eyes. Still receiving texts from Nayeon at least 2 times a day. They served as a reminder of what once was. 

Momo and Dahyun were patient with you, letting you speak with them about the effects this trauma was having on your mental health. It’s always hard to watch your loved ones go through something this difficult but it was obvious that they were proud of how you were handling it, even if it was hard. They were always there to remind you that you could do hard things. 

Finding a 1 bedroom 1 bathroom that was close to Momo and Dahyun’s, signing the lease immediately. It was a slight upgrade to the studio that you and Nayeon occupied previously. The kitchen was bigger, the natural light was brighter, and the bathroom had a large bathtub that you could fully lay down in, which you were looking forward to. 

Spending a week finding the perfect furniture for it, designing the interior however you wanted and making it your own space without someone else’s opinion in the back of your mind was fun. You enjoyed doing this for yourself, fixating on something that had to do with you alone. You felt the ashes from previous ruin sprouting stems as you tried to move on.

You had really been focusing on yourself, trying to resurrect yourself after total devastation. Pulling out the roots, and planting good ones so later on you could reap the benefits. Changing the perspective of your brain was hard, but well worth it.

Being in a better place mentally and emotionally as your sense of stability was so close to being present again, you thought it was time that you continue with the last step of separating from Nayeon.

There was still some stuff you wanted to get back at your old apartment but you didn’t want to run the risk of Nayeon being there. You had no desire to face her, especially while you were still mending. You decided to reach out to her to let her know you’d be coming by to get the rest of your things. 

“Hey, I’m going to stop by today to get my stuff. I’d really like it if you weren’t there.“ You hesitate to hit send, not wanting to come off in a rude way. Quickly realizing how absurd that was and hit send. 

 “So now you reply? I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for weeks… are you doing okay?” almost immediately after the message was delivered, like she has been staring at the thread waiting for you to say something. 

“That’s not your concern anymore. What is your schedule like this week? I won’t be long. I’d just like my things, thank you.” you replied with haste, just wanting this to be over. 

“I’ve got something scheduled at 5 today. You can come then if you really don’t want to see me.” 

You can hear the pout over the text message without any hint of it present in the text. This instinctually sparks sadness in you. Biting the inside of your lip and type out a few replies before deciding to just drop it. A wave of the past just flashed in front of you, causing you to fall into loneliness, something you’d fought to keep at bay. 

Checking the clock and it’s already 3pm, you finish up what you’re doing in the living room and take a cold shower before setting out to the apartment one last time.

–

Stepping into the once familiar place, you are hit with the smell of vanilla and sandalwood. “That’s odd” thinking to yourself, wondering if she’s left a candle burning as you walk in, sliding your shoes off by the door. She always forgot to blow them out after lighting them or would fall asleep on the couch with one lit. 

You were right, but with an added twist, the candle was burning in the center of the coffee table flickering against the shadows in the room around you. The flame was blocked out by the shadow of someone on the couch in the dimly lit space. 

“I thought you had schedules.” sighing, irritate at being met with another moment of dishonesty.

“I just needed to talk to you…” she whispers, she had been crying. Hearing it in her voice and seeing it on her face as she turned her back to the candle, taking in your features like it was the first time she’d ever seen you. A  tinge of hope runs through her, your face must be showing sympathy.               

“I needed you to be faithful and that was too much for you so I don’t really want to do any conversing with you.” asserting that you’re completely vexed by her as you walk into the bedroom to gather the rest of the stuff you were taking with you. 

Following you closely, a habit you used to think was cute as she watches you pick up small knick knacks from your childhood, clothes, and some other important tokens left behind. Sorting through every drawer to make sure you got everything, wanting this to be the last time you’re in the once shared life.    

Almosting touching you with how close her proximity was, she wondered if you’d give her some of your time so she could plead for you to stay when you finally spoke up. 

“Can you stop hovering so I can do what I need to and leave?” 

“Can you just talk to me for a second?” Nayeon replied equally annoyed and choked up as she watched you tuck all she had left of you away. 

Turning around to face her, “Fine! What do you want?” 

You’ve never shown her such apathy, the emptiness that rings in your voice hollows her chest out as she takes a few steps forward, you are surprised by the sudden closeness when she leans in and kisses you roughly. 

You gasp which leaves an opening for her to slide her tongue into your mouth, the neediness pouring out of her drenches you with adrenaline and you slowly succumb to her as she bites your lower lip and tugs gently. The world stops.

Every ounce of love you ever felt for this person came slithering back into your mind for a split second, followed by anger as you remind yourself of the betrayal. 

You can’t believe she’s just throwing herself at you. Body reacting exactly how you would expect when your recent ex partner kisses you like this, the familiarity of her hands on your body sends jolts of comfort and excitement through you and you aren't strong enough to fight the primal urge. 

Trailing her hand up your back under your sweater while keeping you distracted with her mouth and sinking her nails into your shoulders, dragging them slowly down your back, causing you to lean into the kiss even more, moaning into her mouth as she smiles. 

Falling into the trap she was setting and you knew it. 

Hands slowly find their place on her waist, she kisses your jaw whispering sweet nothings into your skin. 

“Baby, please stay” she lays another kiss farther down your jaw

“I know you missed this” laying another kiss

“You are always so hungry for me…show me”

She ghosts her lips up and returns to yours as she kisses you passionately, revealing pure lust as she grips onto you. Bringing your hands up to cup her face, allowing yourself to get lost in the breathy haze, heart pounding as you feel your body temperature rise, effects of the love that once was and the lust that now is. 

Spiraling in the dizzying moment,you and Nayeon sink into each other, closeness returning as you’re swept away by the intense feelings you’re both harboring. Hands are exploring as you fumble around, not allowing space between you as you both collapse onto the bed, hungirly taking each other in as you gain control, Nayeon is lost in the essence of you and it was your turn to hold the power.  

In addition to getting on top of her, you place your knee between her legs- just enough out of reach so that she couldn’t get a good position on it. You were going to give her this moment to remember and you were going to make her earn it.

The heat emanates off her as you rip off your sweater tossing it aside. She’s looking up at you like you put the moon in the sky as you reach your arm around and unhook your bra, letting the straps slide down your arms slowly, her eyes wide with anticipation as you remove it, throwing it on top of the sweater. 

Nayeon’s hands reach up, eyes darkened as she tries to touch you when you slam her hands back down into the softness of the sheets, pinning her to the mattress forcefully above her head, glaring into her with white hot anger.  

“No,” as you hold her in place, your body pressed against hers, faces close enough to feel each other's quickened breath. Nayeon sees the flash of spite in your eyes as you press your mouth on hers, it makes her ache while she is refracting desperation, subtly grinding on your thigh as she lets your tongue dance with hers.

Pulling back from the kiss to admire the sight before you; Nayeon is anchored to the bed by your hands, whimpering and grinding on your leg practically begging for you to fuck her. 

Faces return close enough for your lips to lightly graze, teasing her as you remind her where you stand, “Tell me… does Jihyo excite you like this or is this only for me?” with a sultry nuance. She squirms underneath you as you taunt her, her eyes flickering down to your thigh as she tries to grind into you to get some friction to satiate the ache you’re creating within her, only for you to pull your knee back just enough so she can’t reach it. 

 She whines “y/n…please, it’s only yo-” getting up before getting the full answer and dragging her legs to the edge of the bed letting them bend over the edge, pulling her shirt off frantically, exposing her tits. 

 The knot in her stomach tightens as she watches you become completely carnal, continuing toying with her. Lightly tracing her chest with your finger before you kissed her again, this time more aggressively as if you are claiming what had been yours. She groaned into it, always loving when you got like this, you’re ghosting your finger along the waistband of her sweats as you pull back from the kiss again and attacking her neck leaving a trail of dark marks down to her chest. 

“She’ll have to admire my artwork for the next week and I hope she enjoys it” leaving bite marks and bruises as you descend down slowly.

You take one of her nipples into your mouth and swirl your tongue around it, you can hear her breathing hitch as you roughly pinch the other one. Without letting go of her bud between your fingers you detach your mouth and slide your other hand up to Nayeon’s throat, lightly squeeze and ask “Does Jihyo fuck you like the slut you are? Or does she leave you for me to ruin?” 

Nayeon let out a wail as the words cascaded off your tongue, completely bewildered at what is happening right now as she feels the intoxication of your agitated demeanor wash over her while she grows impatient. Pushing back and trying to take the power from you when you mimic your prior movements and slam her down on the bed, letting her know that wasn’t going to happen.

“Don't. Move.” Stoically said while standing up, sliding her pants and underwear off to reveal a string of arousal clinging to the fabric and the soaked mess that she was. She was already clenching around nothing. 

“Pathetic.” You smirk. 

“Does she ever make you this wet?” as you part her lips with one hand, gathering her arousal at her entrance with your finger, and slowly bring it up to your mouth, sucking it clean. She rolls her hips up at the sensation, body screaming for more. 

“I told you not to move.”

Nayeon whines loudly, “Please, Y/n…touch me” begging for some continuous form of contact and being sure not to move while your stand above her watching as tears well up in her eyes. 

“...so needy… does she make you beg for it like this?” the words daunting as they snake out. 

“You’re so good at lying, I’m sure she thinks you belong to her.” 

“What was it that you said earlier?” following up slyly while lowering yourself between her legs, knees on the floor and arms are wrapped around her thighs, with hands planted on her hips keeping them in place. 

“You’re always so hungry for me…” breathing out as you traces patterns on her lower stomach and bring your face closer to her pussy, 

“…show me” she sighs out as you dive down into her folds, moaning intensely as you tangle yourself between her legs. She feels you devouring her sloppily, not leaving a single place unexplored as she tries to buck her hips into your mouth.

Nayeon is seeing stars as past experiences flood back into memory, senses heightened as you consume her more possessively than usual. She loves this version of you. 

Hands holding onto her so tightly as you start sucking on her clit, she squirms under your grip, squealing at the erratic pattern traced with the tip of your tongue before giving her the rhythm she craved so desperately. 

Nayeon’s breathing gets heavier as you stick to the pace you know she likes, building her up to where you wanted her. The moaning gets louder as you continue lapping at her, hands go up to your hair, locking you in place as you bring her as close to the edge as possible. 

Hearing her high pitched whines and feeling her pussy clench around nothing, completely stopping everything that you are doing.  

“Wha?!-..” she let out a groan that could’ve shattered windows as you stood before her, watching her react to the orgasm being ruined. 

“Why would you do that?!” she groaned out, squeezing her legs together again. You lightly smack her thigh, telling her without words not to. The slap radiates through the room and leaves a small red hand print displayed. 

Enjoying the blissful anguish on her face as you licked the evidence right off your mouth while removing your pants and underwear. Getting on the bed, straddling her, wetness visible as it drips off of you, she looked up at you with wanting eyes, hips still rutting, and knowing exactly where this was going.

“Did you really think I’d give you what you wanted so easily?” you start scooting up so that your knees are on either side of her head, a mere inch from her face.

“You’ll have to earn it.” Leaning forward and head between your legs, tongue out already anticipating the taste of you. 

A gasp echoes in your chest as she licks the inside of your thighs, making sure not to waste a drop of you before taking one big slow lick up your slit, doing that several times, causing you to thrust into her more before attaching her lips to your clit and finding the rhythm she knew you wanted. 

Drowning in her all over again as you feel the knot in your stomach stir, you need more from her but she wasn’t going to give you that right away.

“Naye- ..fuck, just like that -on” you whine her name, slowly start to fuck her face. 

“More.”  Demanding breathlessly, feeling your release building throughout your body, muscles tightening as she shakes her head no, trying not to remove her mouth from you.

“Nay-“  a guttural moan stops you mid sentence, knowing what she wanted from you. 

“Baby…please, I need you” pleasure all consuming, you’re aching for her inside of you.

Before you can ask again, a long finger slides into your core and starts pumping forward to hit your g-spot a few times before adding another finger. 

Another loud moan, as you steadily rock your hips against her mouth, building on the list you were already feeling. Close to breaking, you feel one of her hands slide up to your chest and start tugging on your nipple, that’s what sends you over the edge. 

Throwing your head back as your breath quickens, grinding against her face, with a death grip on her hair. Shaking on top of her as your orgasm rips through you, she keeps going, letting you ride it out. 

“Good girl,” you say breathly as you scoot back to straddle her hips again, body feeling like static as you come down. 

Catching your breath while looking at her cum covered face, you know you aren’t finished with her just yet. Leaning up to you, wrapping her arms around you and kissing you. Tasting yourself on her as you pull her arms off of you.

“I missed the way you taste.” she cooed as you stood up again, half wobbling as you were still recovering. 

“Didn’t I say not to move?” sternly rolls off your tongue, her eyes widen as you push her back down roughly and spit directly onto her pussy. Not that you needed the extra lube, you spread it around her entrance before slamming 2 fingers into her.

“Fuck, Y/n…” she moans as you pump your fingers quickly into her, feeling how wet she is from the orgasm you stole. She thrusts harshly, forcing your digits deeper into her.

“You don’t cum until I say you can.” growled at her from between her legs - peering up to see her face, eyes clamped shut as she leaked out onto the sheets - impatiently waiting for you to stimulate her in some way. 

You can’t help but torture her a little. 

“Does Jihyo make you wet like this? Or is she a shit replacement fuck when I’m not around”

She doesn’t even hear what you’re saying while she’s writhing underneath you, completely fucked out and trying to focus on not cumming while you’re toying with her. Your mouth finds its way to her clit causing a frantic moan to rip through her chest, hands pulling at the sheets as she holds everything back.

“Ca- can I cum please?” She screeches between moans, nodding your head back to her while keeping the same circular motions going with your tongue on her clit, picking up the pace of the fingers inside her as she screams out - back arching, body tense, and clenching down on your fingers as she cums, gushing all over your hand. 

Trying to take a breath, she squeals because you never stop fucking her at a relentless pace; she’s immediately back to moaning your name. 

“Baby, What are yo-” words cut off as she loudly moans, giving her a second to try and finish the sentence. 

“Use your words” as you pick up the pace even more, holding her down onto the mattress with your left hand on her hip, pounding your fingers into her. 

Unable to speak coherently, almost screaming as she tries to formulate sentences. 

“You wanted to cum so bad, so give me another one.” Answering the question she couldn’t ask while snapping into her g-spot, bending down to put your lips on hers again, giving her a taste of herself as she moans into your mouth, unable to hold back from the feeling of being over-stimulated. 

She feels the tension inside her forming again, threatening to burst at any moment when you lean over to ghost your lips over her ear. 

“I bet Jihyo doesn’t make you cum like this.” Violent combustion dispels from her body as she tenses underneath you, screaming into your mouth and sinking her claws into your back while riding out her orgasm.

Both of you lay on the bed, attempting to catch your breath. She rolls over to you, and tries to curl up in your arms but you get up before she can get too comfortable.

“Baby, where are you going? Sleepily stated while staying on the bed.  

Silence as you put your underwear back on.

“Hello?” 

Silence as you slide your pants on 

“…are you leaving?” She says in a sad tone, leaning up on her elbows, watching you put your shirt on and gather all the stuff you came to get. 

“Yup.” 

She is in complete disbelief as you walk out of the bedroom door, hearing you put your shoes on in the kitchen and then hearing the door open. 

“What the fuck are you doing here?…what is that on your neck?” heard from the kitchen. Nayeon’s eyes widen as she realizes the time and the plans she made…with Jihyo. 

“I don’t really think she will be much use to you tonight but you’re more than welcome to try.” You say condescendingly to Jihyo as she stares at you about to walk out. 

“Oh, by the way” , turning your head to her as you open the door.

“I hope you like the way I taste. Enjoy.” smiling at her as you walk right out of the apartment. She stares at the front door in disbelief as she’s figuring out her next move, now in a similar position to where you were.

“Nayeon!” screamed loud enough for you to hear while you’re walking toward the elevator. Not even being able to help the smirk across your face knowing she’s about to get an earful. Laughing to yourself as you call the elevator.

-

Starting the ride home, you think about exactly what just happened. Unable to believe you allowed yourself to fuck Nayeon and act like that towards Jihyo. Thinking about it not with regret, but with a blend of malice and sadness. They were both important to you, previously but that’s reality anymore.

Looking into the rearview mirror at the complex behind you, almost a far-well glance for you as your phone vibrates in your pocket. 

Pulling it out to see Jihyo’s name across the top and hit the end button, sending her straight to voicemail. She calls again, same response. The third time your phone vibrates, you answer it 

“Can you stop calling me? I obviously don't want to talk to you.” sounding heavily annoyed. 

“…Y/n?” A familiar softness rings on the other line as you look at the phone number that isn’t saved.

“Oh…uhm, sorry…I thought this was Jihyo. I don’t have this number saved in my phone…”

“That’s alright” a small chuckle follows, “It’s Mina.”

"Mina?"

---

Take me Back to Eden - The Summoning - Part 5

[lvrhughes]

I love you but I love sleep more | L. Fantilli

word count: 0.9k

Pairing: Luca Fantilli x gn!reader

summary: you get into UMich and surprise Luca

warnings: none?

requested: no

not my gif!

You had known Luca and Adam your entire life, growing up down the street from them. You three were almost inseparable, it was always the three of you, but you had somewhere along the line grew closer with Luca. it was a more intimate closer, like Adam was still your best friend but Luca was a bit more. That was until they went off to UMich. Them getting in before you, it was a year after both of them that you had made it in, but you better believe how excited your parents were to have the three of you reunited at university. 

“I’m going to miss you so much!” your mother was crying into your shoulder, she had come to drop you off, claiming she’d be fine, and now she wouldn’t let you into the doors of the school. 

“Come on mom, it’s just a few months, then i’ll be back for the breaks.” you managed to get her off of you and into the school to find your dorm and classes in a shocking five minutes. 

You knew that Luca and Adam would find you but you were hoping you could find them first, the world was not on your side.

“Y/N!” you knew that voice anywhere.

“ADAM!” you yelled back, running towards him. He opened his arms and you jumped into him, the force almost knocking him over. 

“What’re you doing here?”

“I got in.” you beamed at him , looking up to his smiling face.

“No way. Luca’s going to flip.”

“Adam please don’t tell him yet, I want to surprise him. Where is he?”

“In his dorm. I’ll take you, you want to go now?” 

“No I’ve got to find my dorm, and then we’ll go”

So he followed you around the school, helping you find your dorm, meet your new roommate, and find your classes for tomorrow. 

“Okay, let’s go!” you egged Adam to lead to Luca, pushing him forwards.

“Okay Okay, calm down.” 

You learned that Luca’s dorm wasn’t too far from your own, only about five minutes away walking. 

“Okay, I’ve got to go, I’ve got an early morning practice” And with that Adam disappeared, leaving you alone at Luca’s door. You hadn’t even realized it was so late until you looked at the time because of Adam’s leaving, 11:54pm. Was Luca even awake?

That was quickly answered by the light coming from under the door. Would he even want to see you right now?

Oh well. You knocked on the door, waiting impatiently for his answer. You heard footsteps come towards the door and a muffled “who the hell is here at midnight?” before the door opened. There he was, longer hair since that last time you’d seen him, but still as beautiful as you’d remembered. 

“Y/n?” He looked tired and confused.

“Surprise?”

He didn’t hesitate another second before pulling you into his chest, wrapping his arms around you. You pulled your arms over his shoulders, snuggling into him. 

“I missed you” he mumbled into your hair, loving the soft feeling. 

“I missed you too” 

He pulled you into his room, closing the door behind. He continued dragging you until you both fell into his bed, him falling on top of you.

“Luca, what are you doing?”

“I love you but I love sleep more.” 

You laughed at his answer, he was already falling asleep on you.

“Luca, I’m still in my jeans”  he groaned at that, getting up before walking over to his closet, pulling out sweats and a random tee-shirt for you.

“Here” he mumbled, throwing the clothes at you, you laughed at his sleepy actions. 

So you changed per his request, the shirt falling long over the sweats, but it was comfy. 

“You know I should be sleeping in my own room my first night on campus.” you giggled when he pulled you back down. 

“Wait? You’re going here now?”

“Yes Luca” you laughed. He smiled, he was pretty.

“I like your face” slipped out before you could stop yourself, he had a small blush cover him and his smile widened.

“When was the last time you slept?” He asked, seeing the dazed look in your eyes, and the slight panic when the words slipped out. 

“Um” he laughed at that, the tiredness was suddenly overcoming you after he pointed it out. 

“Go to sleep Pretty.” he whispered, his voice soft, almost lulling you further into sleep.

“Pretty?” you asked, fighting off sleep. 

He chuckled, pulling you into him more.

“Come on, don't tell me you're that oblivious.” he had a light tone to his voice, amusement almost. 

“What’d you mean?” confusion was washed over your face, maybe you were that oblivious.

He again just laughed in response, a bit of embarrassment filled you. 

“I love you” was all he said.

“I love you too…?” Your voice wavered with confusion.

“I love you. More than a best friend.”

You smiled, he looked a little nervous after saying that, but smiling at him calmed him. 

“I am in love with you, Luca” Those words made him the happiest he’d ever been right then, he didn’t even think he just pulled you as close as possible and kissed you. 

The kiss surprised you, taking you a moment to melt into it, you and Luca fitting together perfectly. It was like puzzle pieces, finally being connected. When you had to pull away for air you rested your forehead against his, regaining your breath.

“Okay Pretty, you need to sleep.” he mumbled against your lips before giving you one more kiss. Then moving so his arms wrapped firmly around you and your head was on his chest, sleep falling over the both of you almost instantly.

[girliemattitude]

—-It’s okay, no one will hear us babe - — M.S - —don’t steal it <3

A/N: This is my first time writing something like this so please be nice<3 A/N (2): This is my work please don’t steal it :)

…………..…………..…………..…………..…………..…………..……….…………..……….

Matt and his brothers were felling really homesick so they decided to go back to Boston for a month, which you totally understood even though you knew you were gonna miss your boyfriend like crazy.

You guys would face time and message each other everyday, all day but by the third week Matt couldn’t stand it anymore. He mentioned how much he missed you to his mom and she suggested him that he should bring you there, she adores you so the idea of having you in her house for a week was a thrilling for her.

Matt didn’t hesitated and he bought you a plane ticket from L.A to Boston that same day, you were shocked and told him that he shouldn’t have spent that much money on you but you were also happy that you’ll get to see him.

You arrived very early in the morning and the boys picked you up at the airport, you had an early breakfast from McDonald’s drive thru and then y’all head to their house, you said hello to his parents and then you and Matt slept and cuddle til noon.

That same day at night Matt got a little touchy with you but you pushed him away, you didn’t want to, you have missed his touch so much but you couldn’t bare the idea of his parent hearing you.

Right now is your second night at his house, it’s 3:30 in the morning and you guys are still awake, he’s cuddling you from behind, his left arm is on your waist, his hand stroking gently your stomach and his face is place on the crook of your neck. You could feel his breath near you and you felt warm, suddenly he started to leave sloppy kisses on your shoulder and neck, his grip on your waist tightened.

To say you felt horny was a statement, you wanted nothing more than to role over and ripped his clothes off but you were at his parents house and you felt like you were disrespecting them. His left hand travel from your stomach down to the hem of your pijama shorts so you put your hand on top of him to stop him, “Matt we can’t, everyone’s gonna hear us”.

“It’s okay, no one will hear us babe, just relax”, he said pushing your hand away before his went under your shorts caressing slowly your clit that’s only covered by the thin fabric of your panties.

You let out a soft and sensual moan when he pushes your panties aside and his fingers moved up and down trough your folds, his lips never leaving your neck.

He keeps teasing your folds with his middle finger and his thumb is circling on your clit, pressing it gently. You move to lay on your back so he could have better access to you, he looks up at you for permission and you nod, he doesn’t waste anymore time and he inserts his middle finger deep inside of you, “gosh, you are so wet for me” , “you have no idea how much I’ve missed to have you like this” , Matt whispers.

Your only response being a moan that came out louder than expected so you cover your mouth with your hand, he fastens his movements and inserts another finger on you, his right hand are squeezing your boobs and you can’t help but squirm from the pleasure, struggling to stay quiet, “Maatt”, you moan, “it feels so good”, the thoughts of being at his parents house are long forgotten as you place your hand under his boxers and start to stroke his hard dick returning the favor, both of your hands moving at a rapid pace at the same time , you turned your head to look at him and you kissed him hard as you continue to pleasure each other, the only noise on the room being your shaky breaths and the sound of his fingers going in and out of your wet pussy.

“Y/n…fuck I think I’m gonna cum”, he says against her lips.

“Me too, just go a little faster please”, you said entering your climax and rubbing your lips together to muffle your moans.

Matt’s movements increased even more and you felt his dick twitch a little as he tenses his body and lets out soft whimpers as he cums, your orgasm also arriving just in time.

You ride out your high between his fingers and you both stayed there for a minute to catch up your breaths, he removes his finger from inside of you and he licks them looking at you before he touches your face and gives you a passionate kiss, “I love you so much” , he says pulling away from the kiss, “I love you more”, you say cuddling him, you let out a yawn and you close your eyes tiredly on his arms.

…………..…………..…………..…………..…………..…………..……….…………..……….

[f64l]

I‘m a good girl officer Swan

‚You have been living in Forks for your entire life with boring parents and boring friends. But when Isabella Swan moves to Forks to live with her father, Charlie Swan, your life seems to get a bit more interesting. With you and Bella spending so much time together you also can no longer deny your feelings for your friends father. Sad and disappointed that Bella and your mutual friend, Jessica didn’t wait for you to go and watch a movie together, the moment gets heated and Charlie and you release some pent up frustration. And what could blossom out of that one fateful night?‘

NSFW: Charlie Swan x fem reader, smut ahead. Age gap (reader is 18+), p in v, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it my friends).

This story is meant for 18+ readers only! If you are younger than that please look at something else. A unicorn for example. No jokes aside, I‘m serious about that. The reader in this story is y/n so you but has a vagina. I‘m sorry if that doesn’t match for some of you. Let me know if you liked it or didn’t. Enjoy!

Last chance under 18 year olds!

Bella has been kinda depressed lately and you’ve tried everything to help her and her father. You cooked for them and even slept over sometimes so that Chief Swan could have a quite night. You are certain that if it weren’t for you helping, that Mr. Swan would have send Bella away to live with her mom again much sooner. You even went with Bella on her murderous adventures and covered for her when she needed it. Throughout that time, you discovered your feelings for Bella’s father. You admired him because he was trying to help his daughter so much. But you also had to admit that his uniform looked rather good on him and that you are thinking about him when you lay in bed at night trying to pleasure yourself. Lately he has been even more concerned for his daughter and so she invited you and Jessica to go and watch a movie with her in the city. 

You walked all the way to Bellas house and even had to run the last few minutes because it had started to rain. Freezing and wet from your sprint you were now standing in front of Charlie Swan that looked at you confused. 

“Aren’t you already with Bella and her friend in the city to watch a movie?”

“What? No, we said to meet here at five thirty. Has she already left?”

“Yea, they left like nearly half an hour ago. I thought you were already in the car even tough I couldn’t see you when I tried to spot you.” 

‘He tried to spot me’, you thought as you felt a blush creeping onto your cheeks.

“But why would they leave without me?”

“I’m sorry, y/n. I don’t know. Maybe they thought that you’d meet them there.”

You cringed at his innocent view on his daughter. Has he not witnessed her in the last few months? She’s been nothing but unresponsive and demanding of both of you. Sometimes calling you in the middle of the night when she’s had another of her nightmares or asking you to cook or bake something extremely complicated and then not touching it. And all that without muttering one small ‘thank you’ to either of you.

“Umm, do you maybe want to come inside? You look a bit cold and I don’t want you to get sick. You can pat yourself dry and change into something else.”

“Could you take me home then, Charlie? I don’t want to get wet again.”

“Sure. Shout for me if you need anything.”

You nod as you make your way upstairs. You enter Bellas room and look for your bag that you forgot when you slept over on the weekend. You spot it right next to the door but your shirt is missing. Shoot, has Bella taken your stuff again? You grab one of hers and some of your own leggings. 

“Hey Charlie?”

“Yes?”

“Do you mind if I take a quick shower.”

“No, of course not. Take your time.”

You remove your wet clothes that cling to your body like a second skin and hop under the shower.  You shudder as the hot water runs down your cold skin and you warm up rapidly. When you get out of the shower you notice that you didn’t get yourself a towel. ‘Fuck’!

“Ummm Charlie?”, you yell out of the bathroom.

“Is something wrong, y/n?”, you notice the concern in his voice. 

“No, well kind of. I forgot to get myself a towel.”

“Oh, I will get you one.”

“Thank you.”

You patiently wait as you listen to his movements downstairs until he finally stands in front of the closed bathroom door. 

“Can I open the door a bit, y/n?”, he asks uncertain.

“Um, yes.”

The door opens just a crack. You take the towel as fast as you can but still notice Charlies eyes lingering on the curve of your hips before you close the door rapidly. You pat yourself dry and put on your underwear, the shirt and the leggings. 

Cautiously you move down the stairs and into the living room where Charlie is sitting looking at the black screen of his television. 

“Thank you for the towel. That was very nice.”

He looks at you and smiles lightly.

“No problem. I like to help you, y/n. And you’ve been helping us so much lately. That’s the least I should do for you.”, he motions for you to take a seat beside him. You follow his invitation and sit as close as socially acceptable. 

“Oh no, don’t thank me for that. I like to help you too, Charlie. Very much.”

You notice the light blush on his cheek as you say that. You look at each other for a few seconds until you break the silence again.

“Are you feeling alright, Charlie? These past few months must’ve been so hard for you.”

His eyes soften at your words.

“Ah, y/n. You’re always so nice. I appreciate you looking out for me. It’s been hard on both of us. But there is nothing you should worry your pretty head about!”, he caresses your hand.

“But what if I want to be there for you. And worry with you and help you with that immense stress.”, somehow you guys kept getting closer and closer.

“Mhhh, I don’t know, is there anything you can do for me to destress?”

And with that you did your boldest move so far in your entire life and connect your lips. Quite surprised you feel his breath catch in his throat but then he moves you to straddle his waist and deepens the kiss. You can’t help but whimper into his mouth. This has been something that you dreamed about for months and now it was reality. You then start moving your hips against his hardening member and he moans into your mouth. Suddenly he breaks the kiss and holds you back from rocking back and forth, an unsatisfied sound leaving your lips at the lack of friction. 

“We can’t do this, y/n. I’m too old for you and I don’t know. I don’t want to pressure you into anything.”

“You’re so sweet, Charlie. But I’ve wanted this for months! I want this. I want you!”

“God, y/n. I can’t resist you when you say those things.”

He attacks your lips again and pushes you onto your back while fiddling with the waistband of your leggings. You help him push them down and grab for his belt and then his zipper. He pushes the waistband of his pants and his underwear down and steps out of them. Your eyes widen at the size of him and you carefully wrap your hands around the base of his girth. He breathes heavily while you pump his cock and sweep your thumb over his tip. You yelp surprised when he starts fucking into your fist and screech loudly when he tears your underwear of your body. He spreads your legs and presses his thumb against your clit. For a few minutes you can only hear his and your moans combined and the sound of slick movements while you pleasure each other. He enters two of his fingers and moves them rapidly in and out, moaning when his fingers get covered in your wetness. With those two fingers moving in and out and his thumb still circling your clit you reach your orgasm rather quickly. Your pussy gushes around his fingers and sucks them deeper as your legs twitch uncontrollably around his hips. 

“Please Charlie! Fuck me! Please!”, you yell out.

“Ah y/n, are you sure?”

“Yes please!”

You remove your hand hastily and he aligns himself with your opening. You tense when he begins to enter you. He shudders when he’s buried to the hilt inside of you.

“Oh god, y/n. You are tighter than I imagined!”

“You thought about me that way?”, your cunt clenches around him.

“Yea, of course I did. Every time I had to wrap my hand around my cock because of your short skirts and tight shorts. Fuck, clench me like that again!”, you do as he says and moan out when you feel the thick girth hit the back of your pussy again. He begins to speed up his thrusts. His movements fast but steady. But the pleasure is suddenly too much for you again and you can’t help yourself when you grip the back of his thighs and come undone. You scream out his name and he fucks you trough your orgasm. He pulls out of you.

On trembling legs he moves you to straddle him again. This time thrusting up into you. You grasp one of his shoulders and the top of the backrest of his couch to stabilise yourself from his fast movements. He moans loudly when you begin to meet his thrusts and kiss him hungrily.

“I think I’m coming again Charlie.”, he fucks you harder.

“Scream my name, y/n!”, and oh you do. You roll your hips and chant his name when you feel the tightening feeling in your abdomen snap and you clench around him again. This time he halts his movements and buries himself inside of you as he himself moans your name again and again. He twitches when you feel him emptying his load of hot cum deep inside of you. Worn out you burry your face in the crook of his neck and he kisses the side of your head. 

“Fuck that was amazing, y/n. I’ve never come so hard.”

“Me neither, Charlie.”, you say and peck him on the lips.

Pt. 2 guys?

[countrymusiclover]

16 - The Day My Life Changed

Part 17

It's About Time

Tags just ask - @lover-of-books-and-tea @bvbwestfall @bubble-bluee @liesanddreams @bethanymccauley @skeletonontheroad @ashsallyblue2 @kmc1989

3 years ago

The football came flying at me where I caught it in my hands seeing Georgie grinning back at me. It was Saturday so we could just chill out with each other with no real worries. “Dang, you might be better at this than I am.” He nervously chuckled.

“Oh I doubt that, Cooper.” I raised my hand back and launched the football in his direction and he managed to catch it against his chest.

Georgie tossed it from one hand to the other. “I may be smaller than some of the other players. But my dad thinks I’ll still be good at it in high school.”

“Hey uh - have you ever thought about having kids when you grow up?” I asked him where he sent me a raised brow where I thought he wouldn’t reply but he did.

“Maybe. I don’t know. Why do ya ask?”

I paused looking at my white sneakers and the pavement. “I was just curious. I mean I think I might want’em when I’m older. I didn’t have siblings but I treat your brother and sister like they are.”

“If I have kids I’d want them to do sports and hopefully be good salesmen.” He threw the football back at me and I nearly dropped it on the ground.

I snorted back a remark. “And they definitely should love Connie’s brisket and tater tots.”

“See that right there is why we’re best friends.” Georgie chuckles pointing at me and I smiled back at him. All the while neither of us knew this conversation might be more serious in the future.

A few months later

I groaned rolling over under the blankets of my bed just not well with bad cramps just shooting through my body. I needed to go to school today for a math test but I couldn’t manage so my mom called the school saying I had really bad period cramps so I wouldn’t be there. Someone knocked on my bedroom door calling out my name. “Y/n, you’re friends are here. Do you care if they come in?”

“Uh yeah, mom. They can come in!” I called out lifting my head up from the bed laying my head back down when the door opened.

Hannah and Ashley entered the room and one of them shut the door so we could talk, sitting down on the edge of my bed. “How are you doing? You’ve been missing school lately.”

“I’ve just been feeling dizzy and sick in the mornings. I’m not sure why - it might be related to my period being late.” I explained trying to rack my brain around why I was still feeling so bad. I had never had a cold as bad as this one.

Hannah reached inside her backpack drawing out something. “How many times have you and Georgie slept together?” She holds up a pregnancy test stick in her left hand.

“Are you kidding me? It only happened one time. We aren’t like you and Ryker.” Covering my face with my hands I fell back on the pillows not really wanting to announce everything about our relationship even if I loved having such curious friends.

Ashley sent her a raised brow. “How did you even get your hands on that?”

“My mom thought she was pregnant after she had my little brother a few months ago. So hopefully it still works.”

Uncovering my eyes I glared at her. “I’m not taking a pregnancy test, Hannah.”

“Then what do you think is making you so sick? Cause you know you can’t go get a test at the hospital without an adult’s consent.” She pointed it out to me.

Signing heavily I sat up thinking for a second. “I know someone who could help and won’t ask questions. His Memaw Connie. She can drive us there.” I did the best to get out of the bed by throwing on some different clothes and my sneakers. Hannah, Ashley and I didn’t get any questions from my parents since they had both finally gone to work for the day.

Ashley knocked on the women’s front door after she drove us to her house. “Hey girls, what’s going on?” Connie opened the front door seeing the three of us standing on her front porch.

“Connie, please don’t ask questions but can you help me get a test done at the hospital?” I asked with pleading puppy dog eyes.

She paused for a minute before grabbing her keys. “Uh - of course. What kind of test?”

“The pregnancy kind.”

She nodded beginning the drive to the hospital without another word. The four of us entered the hospital and thankfully got a room without any questions. The nurse came into the room helping me into the bathroom leaving me to do the test. By the time the nurse came back in with the results I didn’t know what to think as she shut the door behind her sitting on the chair while I sat on the exam table. “Ms. L/n, I need to fill in some information before I give you the results.”

“Okay.” I nodded nervously wanting to know the answer already.

The nurse drew out a pen. “How old are you?”

“17.”

She eyed Connie. “And who is she to you?”

“A family friend. My parents are both at work so she said she’d take me here today.”

The nurse nodded and scribbled some more notes down on the paper, looking back down at the pregnancy test results avoiding my gaze. “The results of your test are this Ms. L/n. You’re three months pregnant with a baby.”

“Oh my god.” I covered my mouth feeling my chest tightening at the thought, not expecting to hear her say those words to me.

Connie touched my arm, signaling the nurse to leave. “Honey, listen to me. I’m gonna be here if you need anything. I have done this the wrong way with my daughter so if you keep it I’ll help you do it right.”

“Y/n, are you going to tell Georgie?” Ashley asked me.

Hannah stands by her side seeing that I was shaking with nervousness. “We won’t tell the guys or Georgie since it’s your kid with him.”

“I’ll tell him at some point.” I muttered under my breath, threading my fingers through my loose hair. My friends had dropped me off back home giving me time to think everything out yet unknown to me Connie was getting into a heated conversation with Georgie about me.

Georgie was working at Dale’s store stocking inventory until the store door was opened and slammed shut. He glanced over his shoulder seeing it was his Memaw who had entered. “We need to talk now!”

“O-okay.” He nervously responded, sitting the stuff down and following her into Dale’s empty office since he was off helping a customer so she locked the door behind them. “What is it we need to talk about?”

She dropped her arms down at her sides knowing she couldn’t tell him the thing that was super important. It was his girlfriend’s decision. “I can’t tell you exactly what it’s about cause it’s about your girlfriend.”

“What about her?” He asked her.

She shakes her head no. “It ain’t mine to tell. But you need to go talk to her. I’ll drive you to her house and you better not wait much longer.”

“Okay - uh let’s go then.” Georgie nodded slowly and the pair made their way out to her car making the trip back to the L/n house. He climbed out of her car rushing up the stairs knocking on the front door. “Y/n, Y/n, you home!”

Connie peaked her over the car standing outside of it seeing something her grandson hadn’t. “Is her bedroom window always open like that?”

“I know where she’s gone.” Georgie whipped his head around noticing what she had seen running back to the car and they drove off with him giving her directions to go find his girlfriend.

[saphiraarts]

Chapter 4: Meeting the Doctor

Danny had been fighting ghosts for a few months now but it was wearing on his body and it had been rough. He had been missing school due to pain and wounds and his parents had shown concern about his health. Medical supplies were missing and Maddy was scared of Danny hurting himself. Jack wondered if he was getting into fights outside of school. Danny was terrified of going to the doctor and resisted his parents and sister. Refusing to go to the doctor and so the last line of defense was called: Vlad Masters. Maddy and Jack were concerned and Vlad climbed out of his car walking to the door knocking. Maddy opened the door glad Vlad came.

“I am so sorry for such short notice,” Maddy said and she looked genuinely worried.

“No no not at all,” Vlad said as he walked inside and Maddy shut the door.

“I just worry and it hurts that he doesn't want to talk to me,” Maddy said, frowning.

“He is just being a teenager, Maddy,” Jack told her.

“I know Jack but this isn’t like him!” Maddy said firmly.

“I will resolve things,” Vlad reassured and he walked up the stairs to Head to Daniel’s room.

He walked to his door and knocked and said, “Daniel? Can I come in?”

The door opened and Danny was holding his side wincing as he looked up to Vlad and he looked miserable. Vlad walked in and shut the door behind him as Danny limped over to his bed and sat down. He was in his ghost form as the pain wasn’t as severe in his human form.

“I thought they would call you,” Danny said as he laid down on his bed.

Vlad turned into his ghost form, “Alright come on.”

“What?” Danny asked.

“I am taking you to a ghost doctor who is my personal doctor. I go to him when I get severe injuries I can’t treat myself,” Vlad said firmly.

“Wait, we are just going right now?” Danny asked, alarmed.

“Daniel, you are missing school and your parents are incredibly worried. You are ignoring them and your sister allowing your friends to come see you over your family,” Vlad pointed out which made Danny pause and look down.

He didn’t like doing it but he was terrified. Scared of them finding out and what they would do. He barely slept due to his own guilt and it showed due to the bags under his eyes. Danny floated up and Vlad was glad Danny realized on his own and he flew up through the ceiling and Danny followed both turning intangible. Vlad led Daniel to a clinic and he landed in the back alley as he normally did and knocked. Danny remained floating, putting any weight on his body caused aches and pain to shoot up throughout his whole body. The bright green ghost blood stained the bandages he used to treat himself. A chill crawled up his spine and released and he winced letting out a groan. Vlad looked at him and frowned but thankfully the door opened. The man at the door looked human with shaggy dark hair covering an eye and he was slightly hunched over. He had stubble and wore a white coat over a dress shirt and dress pants.

“Vlad? Who is this?” He asked before he saw the state he was in and motioned them inside.

“Daniel, he is like me,” Vlad said.

The pair walked in through the clinic and were led to a room, “You can call me Ghost Doctor if you want or use any name it doesn’t matter.” He explained and he motioned for Danny to lay down.

“So you don’t want to hurt me?” Danny asked, a bit weary staying close to the door.

“He has only fought ghosts with ill intent,” Vlad clarified.

“I treat anyone and I don’t hurt anyone unless they hurt my patients,” The Ghost Doctor said gently. “I won’t hurt you.” He promised.

“He is trustworthy,” Vlad reassured and Danny flew over and laid down and winced feeling the weight come back.

The Ghost Doctor got to work on treating his injuries and Vlad waited outside changing back to his human form and he texted Maddy.

To Maddy:

I managed to convince Daniel to go to a doctor. We are at his office now. He has injuries from fights. I am not sure the cause but it could be due to bullies.

To Vlad:

What?! I will talk to his principal immediately. Thank you Vlad for convincing him to go get treated. I just wish I knew why he didn’t come to us…

To Maddy:

That is a conversation you must have with him. I don’t know the full reasons why he has been tight lipped even to me. But perhaps don't mention your intentions of dismemberment of spirits quite so often or tearing them apart? Such violent turns of phrases could leave the wrong impression.

To Vlad:

We would never hurt him in a million years! I don’t see why it would be a problem. Although I don’t even remember hearing you leave. We were in the kitchen.

To Maddy:

It was just a first thought. Something to consider. Danny insisted we be as quiet as possible.

Vlad sighed hating to lie to Maddy but he knew he had to talk to Jack and so he shot him the same message that Danny was at the doctor and it had been caused by fights.

To V-man:

I’ll teach that boy how to defend himself! Don’t tell Maddy

To Jack:

So I do not join you in a shallow grave. I have to not condone this idea.

To V-man:

Ugh I hate when you are right. I’ll talk to Danny about how to deal with it.

To Jack:

Not everyone is built like a bear. Need I remind you when you tried to teach me self defense and cracked my ribs?

To V-man:

Haha! Yeah sorry about that. But I will talk to Danny about how to try to diffuse his bullies without resorting to a talk via fists.

To Jack:

Good. I have to go. The doctor is calling me in.

This was true. The Ghost Doctor had opened the door and motioned for Vlad to come in and he saw Danny in his human form. He looked a lot better and was properly bandaged or had glowing green stitches on the major wounds.

“I prescribed some medication from the Ghost Zone that will help with the pain and to speed up his healing. He needs to consider having some ectoplasm in his diet to help give him the full nutrients he needs for his ghost half,” Ghost Doctor explained.

“I gotta eat what now?” Danny asked.

“It’s like I am back in time,” Ghost Doctor said laughing. “You reacted the same way when I told you that.” He had turned his gaze to Vlad with a smile.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” Danny asked his godfather.

“I didn’t know how to explain it and didn’t want to overwhelm you! I have been giving you it when I can but your friends being around made that difficult,” Vlad said sighing. “I wanted to talk to you about half ghost anatomy one on one.”

Danny was going to say Vlad didn’t trust his friends but then he heard the term anatomy and stopped. He remembered health class and Tucker making it impossible to get through “the talk” to where he didn’t hear not even half the lecture on puberty and sex. He shut his mouth and just sighed.

“Prolly a good call Tucker would have made it impossible,” Danny said. He knew Tucker used jokes and humor to avoid uncomfortable topics by drowning it out.

“Well that is why I am here,” Ghost Doctor said and he had a warm smile seeing this banter having missed a more fatherly son interaction. It warmed his dead heart and he cleared his throat. “Well think of needing ectoplasmic foods like humans needing food to fuel their bodies. Unlike humans it is only after using their powers do they need to eat. I am sure you have felt intense cravings for foods you cannot describe and have been tempted to eat perhaps not the best materials.” He explained.

Danny looked away having eaten ectoplasm that his parents were using for their research and he just gave a nod as it now made so much sense. He had tried to restrain it but in the more rougher fights he just couldn’t take it sneaking down at night.

“I have felt the intense desire to uh… eat the ectoplasm my parents use in their research,” Danny admitted. “And have.”

Ghost Doctor wrote down something drawing a map and writing instructions and he held it to Danny, “Vlad can take you to this region of the Ghost Zone. It will give you healthy food.”

“A different market than where you send me,” Vlad noted.

“This one is less hostile and was established more recently by a couple of ghosts seeking to provide a safe source of food for ghosts,” Ghost Doctor said.

Danny took it and he was glad neither insulted him and he knew his friends would have and he didn’t know why this felt so personal. He supposed he believed they wouldn’t understand as they didn’t fully understand how much of a freak being half ghost made him. The urges, instincts, and everything else being half dead entailed.

“I was there Daniel. I did the same thing before I met Ghost Doctor or when I wasn’t able to reach the marketplace,” Vlad explained and Danny was utterly shocked. Vlad placed a hand on his shoulder.

Danny was just happy someone understood him and Ghost Doctor cooked in the kitchen at the back of his clinic making a balanced meal for Danny with a balance of ingredients from the ghost zone. Vlad sat with him and gave him a smile and the two half ghosts and ghost ate dinner together. The two half ghosts returned home and Vlad walked Danny to the door and opened it with his key.

“Danny!” Maddy and Jack called and both wrapped their arms around him. Danny let out a yelp but hugged both of his parents. Vlad smiled glad that Danny was coming to take care of his health and he would be sure to go to that new marketplace Ghost Doctor suggested. Danny would have to come over a lot more often especially since Vlad planned to teach him how to cook.

Well i kinda lied when i said I was done. Turns out! I am not! Wooo thank you brain for inspo! This chapter introduces the first friendly ghost Danny would have met. The Ghost Doctor. He doesn't bother with his name from when he was alive anymore. He is simply a doctor of the living and dead. He doesn't care for the rivalries of other ghosts unless it affects an active patient in his care. He is incredibly dangerous able to manipulate deadly poisons and produce them. He uses his knowledge to make medicine and help others. He acts as Vlad's personal doctor and can be a bit sentimental and dry. He is an oc I came up with. I felt like he needed someone like this in the show

[oliviaischillin1204]

tickletober day 9- "wake up!"

word count: 858 words

i was Not expecting to write a FOP fic skjjfhdjsk, but last night i watched the first half of a new wish and i think it was incredibly adorable and surprisingly funny sjdhfgdhj. i love hazel w all my heart and i adore her relationship w cosmo and wanda. specifically i wanted to write abt wanda and hazel bc of that shot in the first episode when hazel is running for the door and wanda stands in front of it to try to catch her. i think wanda can have Girlmom rights, as a treat <3

Wanda appeared in Hazel's room with a yawn. Boy, she'd forgotten how early ten year olds had to wake up to go to school. Cosmo had kept snoring right through Hazel's alarm, as did the godchild herself, and with both of Hazel's parents working early this morning, Wanda knew it was up to her to help Hazel start her day.

Wanda took a moment to snap into her human form before reaching out to shake Hazel's arm.

"Come on, squirt," she murmured. "Time to wake up!"

Nothing. Hazel slept like the dead, her arms tucked against her chest as she slept on her stomach, drooling on her satin pillowcase. Wanda moved down to perch on the edge of the bed.

"Sweetie..." she sang lightly, rubbing her palm against Hazel's back. "Don't you want to see your friends today? Tell Dev some of those new knock-knock jokes you learned?"

Still there was no response other than her godchild's snuffling breaths. Wanda frowned. Timmy used to be like this, too-- staying in bed as long as possible, until he missed the bus and had to be magicked to school. But she knew that would stress Hazel out, and she didn't want her to panic.

She switched from rubbing Hazel's back to scratching her nails up and down her spine. This is what worked with Peri when he was little; back scratches helped him slowly wake up, talking softly with whatever parent was with him until he was ready to pop out of bed, bright eyed and bushy tailed. Somehow it seemed to have the opposite effect on Hazel, and her snores seemed to get even louder somehow.

Wanda furrowed her brow in thought. What else could she do to wake her up? She was thinking so hard about it that she almost didn't notice Wanda shuffling beneath her.

"Mom?" Hazel said, a smile playing at her lips before her eyes peeked open. They widened upon seeing Wanda instead of her mom.

"Wanda? Why're ya human?" she asked, voice heavy with sleep.

"Because the last time I woke you up as a fairy, you thought I was a big bee and tried to swat me," Wanda teased. Hazel smiled again, sheepish, but it only took a couple seconds before her eyes drifted shut again.

"Oh, no you don't!" Wanda said. "It's school time, squirt. Up and at 'em."

"Mmmmm... no," Hazel replied, making no move to slide out from under the covers.

"Yes!" Wanda replied, still idly scratching her back. "No more sleeping, you have to--"

Her hand drifted to Hazel's side, and the girl let out a soft giggle.

The answer popped into Wanda's head like it'd been wished into existence, and she smiled.

"Alright. Have it your way." And with that, she skittered all five nails on the back of Hazel's ribs.

Even through her pajamas, the effect was immediate. Hazel gasped awake with a squeal, nearly pushing herself off the bed.

"Wanda!" she squeaked, wiggling side to side. "Wha-- whahahat?"

"Oh, there you are, sleepyhead!" Wanda said cheerfully. "I was wondering when you were going to wake up."

Despite her giggles, Hazel shook her head. "Nohohoho, don't wannahaha!"

"You don't wanna what?" Wanda asked. She reached around with her other hand to flitter against Hazel's other side, launching a new round of giggles. The girl was probably still sleep-addled, Wanda thought, given how she couldn't figure out what to do or how to escape. "Don't wanna wake up? Don't wanna go to school? Don't wanna be tickled?"

"Yehehes-- nohoho-- I don't knohohow!" Hazel squealed. She rolled to one side, trying to protect herself from Wanda's nails, only to laugh even harder as Wanda switched to clamping her hands to her sides and squeezing rapidly.

"Aw, tickle tickle tickle, sweetie!" she cooed. "Coochie coochie coochie coo!"

Hazel's eyes were as bright as her laughter, and she finally managed to shoot a hand out and snatch one of Wanda's wrists.

"I wish you-- hehehehe-- I wish--!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Wanda pulled her hands back.

"You don't have to wish for that, squirt," she said. "I'm done, I promise."

Hazel's giggles continued for a few seconds longer. She wiggled around, trying to shake off the stray tickles.

"Did I sleep through my alarm again?" She asked. Wanda gave her a patented Mom Look, and Hazel smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Aw, don't sweat it, kiddo." Wanda patted her arm. "Just wanted to have a little fun to help wake you up."

"It worked," Hazel agreed. She sat up, yawning and stretching her arms above her head, before crawling over to sit next to Wanda on the edge of her bed. She leaned against her side, and Wanda wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Good morning, Hazel," Wanda said softly, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"Good morning, Wanda."

"Good morning, Cosmo!"

Both Hazel and Wanda looked up as Cosmo poofed into existence, yawning and stretching just like Hazel had moments before. He looked at them-- Hazel still in her pajamas, Wanda in her human form-- and blinked. "What'd I miss?"

Wanda and Hazel looked at each other, and burst into laughter.

[heliosthegriffin]

Shadow Knight and Magic Girls XIV

AO3 Link

Chapter 14

-----

Jaune really wanted to close his eyes. They feel so heavy, like someone had tied anvils to his eyelids. He couldn't take a nap though, not where he could be watched. Uncle-, Big Bear would hear about it.

He had to be a representative of the Xiongs.

He looked down at his test. Jaune hadn't even wrote his name down. What class period was he even in, had he had lunch yet? No. So, it had to be before lunch...

Maybe, he should look at the questions? ... Still no clue. He got up, getting attention from across the room. "Mr. Arc?"

"Just stretching."

"Can it wait until after the test?"

"No."

The teacher gave a frail smile. "Well, I'd much appreciate it if-"

Jaune leaned back, a series of bullet-loud pops echoing across the room. Several students flinched, looking up from the test for the source of the test, others covering they're ears at the sudden noise, and a couple nodded they're head finding the sound oddly pleasing.

"Nevermind." The teacher sat down, and so did Jaune. He started to remember what class he was in. Something something science. Usually he slept through it.

He looked at the questions again. It was asking about chemical change, was he is chemistry?

It was dumbly worded though, bland enough he wish had some salt to put on it.

Still, he knew the answer to this one strangely enough, he had done a lot of experimenting in his early days of monster-fighting, so he knew a bit about chemical change.

It was asking for a example, and he wrote gunpowder, explaining how when a spark hit it, it created a chemical reaction that made a small explosion and smoke.

Jaune nodded to himself.

Reading the rest of the questions, he realize that all of them he sorta of knew the answer too, especially since they all related, to one degree or another, to his experiments.

Once figured out, Jaune handed over his test to the teacher, who took it, reading over it.

Exiting out into the hallway, Jaune made his way down the hallway to find a secluded place to close his eyes for a bit. Turning around the corner, he took a step to the side, as a faunus girl almost walked into him.

She paused mid-step to look at him, eye's going wide. "Wait-"

"Yes?" Jaune paused.

"Um..." She stuttered. "Thank you."

"For what?" Jaune couldn't remember ever-, oh. "Oh the purse. Get everything back? Nothing missing?"

"Yes!" She nodded, her rabbit ears bobbing slightly, Jaune found himself unable to look away from them. "Thanks to you." She noticed his gaze and blushed. "Sorry, I don't want to bother you."

The Xiong heir-to-be shrugged. "It's fine, I was just going to nap. Nothing major."

"Oh!" She brightened up. "Then, you wouldn't mind if I treated you to a drink? My treat?" Her rabbit ears twitched forward, the ends drooping slightly.

He couldn't look away, Jaune realized. So, just slowly nodded.

"Great!" She gave a chirp. Then looked nervously at him. "Oh! I haven't introduced myself. I'm Velvet, Velvet Scarlatina."

"Jaune, Jaune Xiong Arc."

----

"So, do you girls believe in ghosts?" Nora asked the table.

"No. That has no scientific backing." Weiss said firmly.

Her fellow comrades stared her down ruthlessly, with a expression of 'really?'.

"Well, I do." Nora said proudly. "In fact, I've met one or two, right Ren?"

"They weren't ghosts," Ren said flatly. "She found my parents in a ... intimate moment, and they ran hiding under some white sheets."

"Same thing!"

Ren sighed. "No, because my parents are very alive, this happened yesterday."

"OH." Nora hit her palm with her hand. "That's right. Sorry." She looked around the table. "By the way, Jaune. Renny's parents want to know when you're coming by, they miss you!"

There was no Jaune at the table.

"Oh." Nora drooped sadly. "My boy has grown up." Then perked back up. "We'll, I'll just have to find and tell him myself!" Then disappeared in a blur of manic energy.

"Shouldn't you mind that?" Blake asked Ren, who shrugged.

"Jaune can handle that."

Blake nodded. "Do your parents actually miss him?"

Ren smiled. "Yes."

Ruby poked Weiss in the ribs. "So, don't believe in ghosts?" Yang joined in poking her other set of ribs. "Yeah? Don't believe in ghosts?"

Weiss squirmed being poked repeatedly. "Stop that! The idea of ghosts is just so illogical to me."

Pyrrha cocked her head at Weiss. "And? You don't have an opened mind to it, with your own circumstances, it seems even more illogical not to consider it."

"Ok. Point taken. But, that doesn't mean I believe in them."

Ruby laughed. "Gosh, Weiss, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were afraid of them with how much you don't want to be real!"

Weiss looked away, saying nothing.

Yang brightened up. "Oh. This is golden."

Blake peered at Weiss. "So, ghosts?"

"My childhood home was drafty that's all. It pushed doors open, perfectly logical explanation, I'm sure. The cold spots were just because of poor construction. The moans were just echos." Weiss fired off trying to explain it, mostly to herself.

"Geez," Yang chuckled, backing off. "Alright, it's fine. Not like ghosts are going to hurt anyone."

Ruby put a arm around Weiss. "Don't worry, we'll kick any ghost butts that try to haunt you!"

Weiss sighed. "Thank you, Ruby."

Blake looked at Ren. "You didn't say what you think about Ghosts?"

"Neither did you girls."

"I think we're pretty open minded. " Blake said, with all but Weiss nodding.

"Hmm. That's good." Ren sipped his tea. "I'd just say, they're not the strangest things to exist."

------

The door opened, revealing a dark room, Velvet flipped a switch, and Jaune went bug-eyed at the sight. 'There's no way this is real.' He looked around the room, trying to make sense of what he was looking at. 'But, it's here.' He looked at Velvet with a bit of fear.

It was a room entirely of him. As the Shadow Knight, not normal him, thank his ancestors it wasn't. But, all across the room was pictures of his alter ego, boards full of text, rare-video of him being played, and what he could only know as a half-way decent reconstruction of his first costume.

Jaune fought the urge to burn the room to cinders, he looked around, wishing very strongly to have brought a lighter to school. He'd know better from this day forward. Flint and steel, too.

"Excuse the mess," Velvet said meekly, then gestured to a chair. "Take a seat, while I brew some tea." Jaune sat down, staring at he wood, desperate to not see all his pictures, this was embarrassing to a level he didn't know existed.

"Oh, I didn't realize you were that tired." He heard Velvet say, causing him to snap back up. "I don't mind if you drift off for a bit. It'll take a moment to make the tea, anyway."

He was very tempted to do so. However, he decided to not do so. Embarrassing or not, he needed to figure out what the hell this all was. So for the moment, Jaune watched Velvet move around getting the tea leaves and setting the water to boil.

Velvet then took a seat parallel from him, looking shy. "Do you like black tea?"

He wasn't a big tea drinker, but he'd try anything once, foodwise at least. "Yeah, that sounds fine."

"Great." Silence mostly filled the room, other than sound of the water slowly boiling.

"What is all this?" Jaune decided to bite the bullet, gesturing around the room at ... all of that. "It's ... through."

She blushed. "It's not that great, it's just a bit of hobby."

Then he'd hate to see what really caught her interest. He looked at the replica of his old suit on a mannequin. "Yeah, a hobby. We all need one." Jaune watched a video of him decking a someone with Ferrum Vis, his old pipe, he missed it already. The video then showed him running away from the police, that had been a couple weeks ago, wasn't it?

Velvet nodded energetically. "Yep! Well, it's more than a hobby now, but it started out as such." Her ears wobbled. "I have a hard time talking to people. Now's not much better, though. I only really have Coco."

Jaune could understand that. "Yeah, people are strange creatures." Velvet looked down. "Not that you are, just in general." Jaune backpedaled.

"Thanks. But, I know this is weird, but ... I feel so drawn to him. It's like he's more than a man. It's just big thing to solve to me, a puzzle with so many moving parts! It's makes it all the more fun to try and figure it out." Velvet's voice grew in energy as she talked. "Like why does he do it? Who is he? When did he starts? It's all so many questions without answers."

"Maybe, that's for the detectives to figure out." Jaune added neutrally.

Velvet sighed. "I asked them, but they don't care. They have more pressing matters, other than some, and I quote, 'Crack-head bum getting into pissing matches with gang-bangers,'." Velvet frowned, and Jaune fought the urge to pet her. "How rude. But, I guess that's the best I could ask for, at least they didn't turn me away like some would."

That was actually a relief to Jaune. Knowing that police didn't think much of him, which he hoped to keep that way. Though, it did beg the question how much they knew? Maybe, he should take some time to find out?

Big Bear had hardly had any information on the shadow monsters, other than what his family passed down, and what he already knew.

Jaune thought about that book he found, it had mentioned The Moon Lady summoning darkness monsters? This went back several hundred years minimum, and he hadn't managed to cross-reference the story yet, so it's impossible to tell how old it was. It could have very well been written by somebody in the know, or just some guy.

Jaune sighed.

Velvet then misinterpreted this. "I know, right? The lack of interest in the topic is staggering, we have a actual modern day hero going around fighting for us, and no one cares, or hardly knows."

Jaune would fight her on that, given how many people had called to him as the Shadow Knight.

She then looked at Jaune hopefully. "What do you think about it all, Jaune?"

The blonde young man swallowed. "I think ... he's doing his best. Not perfect, but I think this 'Knight' is trying to make the world better, as much as one man can... Even if it kills him."

Velvet's ear's slowly stood up, her eyes widened, and she gave him a wide-happy smile. "I knew it! A good guy like you would surely get it!"

The kettle whistled.

"Let me get that." Velvet said happily, then sat a cup of steaming tea in front of him. Jaune took a whiff of it, it was very floral. Then brought out his lunch-box. It's weight making the table groan as he sat it down.

Velvet looked in shock at what must be a body-builder sized meal. "Wow." Then she looked at the clock. "Oh. I guess it is about lunch-time." Then went and retrieved her own lunch from the back of the room.

------

Yellow flew over the harbor, bored out of her mind. She had to control her power output while she flew, to keep anything sensitive from noticing her. It put her in a bad mood, as her control was by far her weakest trait.

Still, she had promised the rest that she would do her part and parole for a couple hours. It sucked that people were getting killed over here, but it's like all the people at the harbor were upstanding citizens to begin with. She honestly thought, that they're energy was best used going after Grimm Swarms, even if individually they were more than enough to handle that.

Still, flying in circles trying to sense something that might not be there anymore was driving her nuts, she really just wanted to pound some Grimm heads into oblivion.

She looked at the dark sky, realizing it was probably close to midnight now. They usually got done around 1, but sometimes as late as 3. Thankfully, for her beauty-sleep, was one of the perks for being a magical girl, along with Aura, was a reduced need for sleep. Otherwise they'd be useless by daylight.

Though, she still did miss sleeping in.

In the distance she spotted a crimson-glow making its way towards her.

"Hello, Yellow." Crimson greeted her politely.

"Hey, Crimson. Am I done, yet?"

"Indeed you are, feel free to go-" Crimson wasn't even halfway done, before Yellow took off.

"Great!"

Crimson shook her head, and got to patrolling. As a cargo-ship was coming in from the darkness, a heavy and thick fog following in behind it. Orange sparks appearing inside the dark mass only to then disappear.

----

Jaune looked at the rapidly dissolving mass of shadows, then at his ax. It was ridiculously sharp. It had cut through the head of a small shadow-wolf with next to no effort on his part.

It was a big step up from using Spite, the knife had been getting dull, and wasn't very high quality to begin with.

This was going to make combat going forward at lot more efficient.

Taking a breath, he organized his thoughts and controlled his breathing, time to find another one.

He tapped his helmet. "Hey, girls. Anything on your end?" The twins were sitting back at the van keeping a eye out, ready to take pot-shots at anything that got too close.

'Nope.' Miltiades answered.

'Nothing of interest.' Her sister also responded.

"Alright, then."

Jaune went on a stroll, trying to see if he sense any more of them out tonight. But, so far, other than a few stragglers, it had been unusally quiet tonight.

Which would be fine with him, if not for the feeling of dread collecting in his stomach.

He stopped moving, feeling a chill down his back, and looked behind him.

There was a girl with pink and brown hair staring at him from the other end of the alley, she had a parasol over her shoulder, and looked amused.

Jaune stared back. She smiled, and then gave a 'follow me,' motion before running off. He had a bad feeling about her.

He followed anyway.

She was fast, hardly able to keep up, as she practically danced in the air in front of him. It was unnerving. But, he kept pace, running for what must have been ten minutes, with her not even straining.

Then she stopped abruptly, as they rounded in front of a store that had been broken into. A dense heavy fog was surrounding the store, as from within two large, lumbering shadow-wolves scooped up in they're clumsy arms whatever valuables they could, before venturing back into the fog.

Jaune stopped, looking in utter confusion at the sight, trying and failing to figure out what the hell was going on. Analyzing the beasts, before noticing a single glowing sigil on they're heads.

That of a Fox.

He looked back at the girl, then sighed, as she was gone. He looked at the store, and the retreating shadow-wolves disappearing into hardly-visible shapes in the fog.

"Well, well, well." A cocky voice came from above him. "Look who we have here?" Jaune looked up to see the vague-shape of girl glowing yellow, and felt his heart start beating rapidly. "What brings you round these parts, mister Shadow-Knight?"

"Wait-" He didn't get a chance to finish.

"'Cause, it looks like to me that you're robbing the place! Well, whatever, I've been itching for round two for a week now!"

[mi-rae07]

Park Seonghwa : Him And I (Part 3/3)

Pairing : Park Seonghwa (Ateez) and named character (Kim Soo-Hyun)

___________________

A/n : This is a bit long, I’m aware.

____________________

Soohyun was back in the hospital room again, except this time she was holding seonghwa's hand in hers as he slept beside her, covered in bandages. She didn't care anymore about what the others would say, not even her own mother. Seonghwa had saved her, because if it weren't for him she wouldn't be alive right now. And no matter what anyone was going to say, soohyun wasn't letting go of seonghwa's hand.

Which, Yena, who was standing opposite soohyun next to seonghwa's bed was not liking. She had been trying to talk to soohyun about matters, but she wasn't listening. And that was a first for a daughter who almost always listened to her parents.

Yena : soohyun, what part of this are you finding hard to understand.

Soohyun : what part of the fact that he saved my life, do you not understand eomma.

Yena : soohyun! He is a criminal. He might have saved your life but he's destroyed countless others!

Soohyun : no one here knows that except you.

Yena paused, her eyes betraying shock.

Yena : you…you're not going to jail him.

Soohyun : I have found no evidences.

Yena : kim soohyun! You are a police officer! Finding evidences is your job.

Soohyun : eomma, please. Just…I will find a way out of this, I promise.

Yena : you promised to keep our family name intact, soohyun-

Soohyun : and I will! I will protect us, mother. But him, he…seonghwa is different. I know he's a criminal, I know he's done bad things, but right now he's wounded. And it is because he sacrificed his body, to save mine. It is my duty to be doing the same until he is well and good. Once he is, I will do what I must.

Yena stared at her daughter, still half-hearted. Soohyun looked up at her mom, with the same eyes she had when she took over this post

Soohyun : I have always lived for this family, for this name. I have always been a police officer. But for once, for once let me be human, eomma. Please, you have to trust me on this.

Yena sighed, nodding her head before she said

Yena : I trust you, daughter. I always have.

____________________________________

Soohyun hummed in her sleep as she felt shuffling beside her, the sound of small whimpers and mutters awakening her from her sleep. Soohyun quickly sat up on her seat as her eyes landed on seonghwa who was now covered in sweat, his lips parted open as he muttered things under his breath.

Soohyun : seonghwa?

Seonghwa : n-no.

Soohyun : seonghwa, it's just a dream.

Of course he wasn't going to listen. Seonghwa continued humming in discomfort, his hands clenching and unclenching against the hospital sheet. Soohyun laid her palm against his forehead as seonghwa muttered

Seonghwa : don't…leave. No.

Soohyun : I'm right here hwa, I'm not going anywhere.

Seonghwa : no!

Soohyun held seonghwa's arm, her eyes worried now as she slowly shook him

Soohyun : seonghwa! Seonghwa wake up!

Seonghwa let out a loud gasp as he sat up straight in his bed, his breathing heavy as he looked around with glossy, panicked eyes.

Soohyun : seonghwa?

Seonghwa flinched at her voice, soohyun shaking her head at his state before saying

Soohyun : no it's just me-

Seonghwa : the other people-

Soohyun cut him off as she held his cheek with her hand, saying softly

Soohyun : there's no one else here, seonghwa. It's just me and you.

Seonghwa stared at soohyun, his eyes still somewhere else. Soohyun sighed as she asked

Soohyun : what did you dream of to be looking like this?

Seonghwa : I…

Seonghwa trailed off as he felt soohyun push his sweaty locks backward, the old feeling lighting his veins up. God he missed this.

Seonghwa : it was nothing.

Soohyun : I heard you, seonghwa. You were asking someone not to leave, who was it?

Seonghwa : you.

Soohyun : me?

Seonghwa : yes, you. I saw you leaving, again.

Soohyun : seonghwa-

Seonghwa : you left me when I had nothing, soohyun. I didn't even…I didn't even have a home. And I understand why you did that but for me, for my mind, it is only a nightmare. Something that I caused, that cost me my morality. Something I caused, that almost destroyed me.

Soohyun : I'm sorry-

Seonghwa : it isn't your fault. It never will be. Because it was all mine.

Soohyun : seonghwa.

Seonghwa : I'm sorry for waking you up. Go back to sleep.

And before soohyun could say anything seonghwa had already laid back down, his eyes closed.

___________________________________

Soohyun : I need a report on all the people who died from the virus at the casino, minhyun.

Minhyun : suddenly? But I already sent you the reports-

Soohyun : those didn't have complete information of the person, did it? I want a report that displays all the crimes they have committed in the past, big or small.

Minhyun : ma'am, have you found something?

Soohyun sighed.

Soohyun : no, but I am going to.

Minhyun : alright then. I'll send it to you within a few hours.

Soohyun : thank you.

Soohyun cut the call, looking back at the hospital door to the VIP room that was closed in front of her. Seonghwa hadn't woken up when she had in the morning. And so soohyun figured that would be the best time to call minhyun about the reports.

Soohyun had no idea why, but it came to her yesterday night that seonghwa might be poisoning people for a reason. Because after all, only specific people were allowed to enter the casinos, seonghwa was known to be very particular about that. And soohyun hadn't given it much thought earlier, considering almost all casinos did that, but now she believed it might have a valid reason.

Soohyun turned around as she heard small groans coming from the inside of the hospital room, quickly rushing in as she looked around with worried eyes. Seonghwa was trying to sit up on his bed, groaning in pain as he held the bandages around his body.

Soohyun : stop.

Seonghwa looked up at soohyun who closed the door behind her and walked towards seonghwa before saying

Soohyun : stop doing that, you're hurting yourself.

Seonghwa : it didn't hurt last night when I sat up. Why is it-

Soohyun : because last night you were under painkillers, it wouldn't have hurt. Now the effect has worn off.

Seonghwa let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes. Soohyun leaned down and held seonghwa's arm, causing him to flinch at the touch.

Soohyun : I'm helping you, seonghwa.

Seonghwa nodded as soohyun slowly helped seonghwa sit up on his bed, seonghwa trying not to let out sounds of pain as he leaned against the headboard with a tired sigh.

Soohyun : I'm sorry you have to suffer like this, all because I acted like some child yesterday night.

Seonghwa : you have a phobia, soohyun. You acting like a child or anything else while facing your phobia is justified.

Soohyun : I wish this could be different.

Seonghwa : what could be different?

Soohyun looked at seonghwa who was staring up at her with the same eyes she could do anything for, his head slightly tilted. Soohyun hated finding evidences against seonghwa when he was lying on a hospital bed, covered in bruises that he received due to saving her. She hated it.

But soohyun knew what to do now. She was going to protect seonghwa, in the same way that he had protected her. But in order to do that, she needed to know what he had actually done.

Soohyun : what do you want for breakfast?

_______________________________

Soohyun was now sitting on a chair outside seonghwa's hospital room, going through the reports minhyun had sent her while the nurses were changing seonghwa's bandages.

And the more soohyun went through the files, the more realization seemed to dawn upon soohyun. Each of these people had been arrested for having done something or the other. From sexual harassment cases to tricking people off of their money, all of them had been charged with some crime or the other. But each and every one of them had escaped, using large amounts of money in order to attain bail within just a few days.

Soohyun knew the corruption that ran in the police system, and she tried avoiding it to a certain extent. But not all cases came up till her, and bails were something so many people attained on a daily basis. Soohyun was unable to do anything about it.

But this, was this why seonghwa was doing all this? Because they were all criminals that were able to run free unjustly?

Soohyun looked up as the door to seonghwa's room opened, the nurses stepping out as they bowed at her. Soohyun sighed as she closed the laptop, standing up as she walked inside the room.

Seonghwa : found anything against me yet, officer?

Soohyun kept the laptop away, turning to face seonghwa just as the last nurse shut the door behind him.

Soohyun : what makes you think you get to punish people like that?

Seonghwa : what people.

Soohyun : don't play with me, seonghwa. The people you poisoned, the people you killed, they were all criminals who had too much money to be put in jail.

Seonghwa chuckled, tilting his head as he looked at soohyun with an amused look

Seonghwa : see? Was that really so hard to come to? Took you so much time?

Soohyun : seonghwa, you're talking about people's lives here. You cannot just-

Seonghwa : these people destroyed the lives of other people, didn't they? Why does a criminal's lives and rights matter more than the victim's one? Why do they get to live a good life when they destroyed the lives of so many others?

Soohyun looked away, not having an answer to that. Seonghwa scoffed as he said

Seonghwa : the law is a bunch of bullshit, soohyun. It cannot do anything to people who are powerful and rich, and those are the people that commit the most crimes. And so I made myself one of them, so I could be someone the law could do nothing against.

Soohyun : so what, you're this…devil judge or something? Sacrificing your life and happiness by killing people who deserve to die?

Seonghwa : remember what you told me, years ago, soohyun? That a person who loses their morals are not human anymore?

Soohyun paused, staring at seonghwa as he smiled and said

Seonghwa : these are my morals, an eye for an eye. I don't believe in the modern law, as much as you might go by it.

Soohyun : seonghwa-

Seonghwa : punish me if you can, do whatever you want to me. But this will never change, soohyun. If not me, then someone else. You know in your heart that these people deserve to die, but you will always only go by the law. So then go by it, go by it and try putting me behind bars. We'll see if you succeed.

________________________________

2 months later :

Soohyun was now sitting in her office desk, going through yet another set of files. It had been one month and half since seonghwa was discharged from the hospital, and one month and a half since she saw him last or talked to him. After what happened at the hospital, neither of them found it in them to talk to each other. Soohyun's realization that seonghwa was doing what he was doing because of what she had told him once, haunted her. But at the same time, she could almost understand his actions, and that troubled her even more.

Soohyun had given up finding proof of the virus. The more she studied the virus and how it functions, the more she understood that this virus could not be captured. But she was still waiting for a chance, a chance that could help her find a breakthrough.

Soohyun looked up as the door to her office opened, revealing a panting minhyun.

Soohyun : what is it?

Minhyun : park seonghwa, the casino…there-there's a party happening tonight.

Soohyun paused. She had told minhyun about why seonghwa was poisoning the people, although only he knew. A party at the casino meant more people were going to attend, which meant more people could be poisoned. There had never been a party at the casino before.

Soohyun : minhyun-

Minhyun : your mother's attending it, ma'am.

___________________________________

Soohyun was now driving to the casino in a pace that would in normal cases get her stopped and ticketed, but she was a police officer. And so was her mother. In soohyun's eyes her mother was always the lady who had followed all the rules, teaching her to do the same. But there was a period of time before yena had become a police officer, a period of time where yena and soohyun's father had been gangsters, breaking every law there is.

That was until soohyun's father had been killed because of it. And ever since then, yena had tried her best to undo all her actions in the past, teaching her daughter to live a lawful live in order to prevent soohyun from going through what her father once had.

The death of her husband was yena's biggest lesson.

Which was also why soohyun didn't understand why her mother had agreed to going to seonghwa's party at the casino when she knew what seonghwa did to people there. What the hell was joo yena trying to do?

Soohyun quickly parked her car and rushed out of it, running towards the casino as the security blocked her at the entrance.

Soohyun : let me through.

??? : we can't, unless you have the entrance slip.

Soohyun closed her eyes, knowing there was no proper way through this. And before anyone could process anything, soohyun punched one of the men right on the gut, kicking the other guard with her heels as the both of them fell on the floor in pain. Soohyun took that time to run past them, looking around the casino filled with people and loud music. She desperately tried to find her mother, but yena was nowhere to be seen.

And even through all the panic soohyun was a police officer, she knew searching around such a huge casino with large amounts of people would be useless. Soohyun looked up at the VVIP room, the sight of seonghwa sitting inside coming to her view. Soohyun let out a breath and grabbed a nearby bottle of alcohol, the person who was drinking it beginning with his protests drunkenly. But soohyun ignored him and walked towards the VVIP room, climbing the steps with the bottle held tight in her hands.

The security at the VVIP room was about to block her way when soohyun said

Soohyun : either you let me in, or I push you down the stairs.

The security did not move from his position. Soohyun rolled her eyes and pushed the security aside, causing him to let out a groan as he came towards her to punch soohyun. Soohyun dodged the punch and kicked the man right in his gut, causing him to groan as he fell on the floor. Soohyun quickly opened the door to the VVIP room and entered, the sight of seonghwa smoking a cigarette coming to her immediate view.

Seonghwa : soohyun?

Soohyun walked towards seonghwa, his eyes growing alarmed as he saw the bottle in her hands.

Seonghwa : what the hell are you-

Soohyun : stop the party.

Seonghwa : soohyun-

Soohyun : I SAID STOP THE PARTY!

Seonghwa stood up from his chair, keeping the cigarette aside as he stared at soohyun

Seonghwa : what is wrong with you, soohyun. You-

Soohyun : you invited my mother. You're going to kill her.

Seonghwa looked genuinely confused.

Seonghwa : what? Your mother is here?

Soohyun : seonghwa! My mother, is in this casino somewhere. I need to find her, and for that you need to stop this party.

Seonghwa : your mother was not invited, soohyun.

Soohyun : seonghwa, what are you saying! I do not have time for your lies-

Seonghwa : you may leave.

Seonghwa didn't believe her. And for soohyun, seonghwa was trying to push her away so he could kill her mother.

Soohyun : I knew you'd do this.

And before seonghwa could say anything soohyun brought the bottle to her lips, looking at seonghwa who now had wide eyes filled with shock and fear.

Soohyun : if you don't stop the party, I will drink this.

Seonghwa : no. no soohyun-

Soohyun : I will not ask again.

Seonghwa : soohyun please-

Soohyun took a sip of the alcohol, just as seonghwa stepped forward and snatched the bottle away from her before throwing it against the wall, the bottle shattering to pieces with a loud sound.

Except the liquid was still in soohyun's mouth.

Seonghwa : spit it out!

Soohyun shook her head. Seonghwa felt his heart racing from fear, not understanding why soohyun was being like this.

Seonghwa : I will stop the party, please! Spit it out!

Soohyun spat the drink out at that, seonghwa letting out a noise of relief.

Seonghwa : how…how could you do that, soohyun! After everything I did to save you, you just…how.

Soohyun : and you? How could you try to kill my mother after everything I did for you, seonghwa!

Seonghwa : I DIDN'T! I did not fucking invite your mother in here!

Soohyun : seonghwa-

Seonghwa cut soohyun off as he stepped closer and held her arm, looking at her before saying

Seonghwa : look at me! Do you think I'm lying?

Soohyun : seonghwa.

Seonghwa : I could never, kill your mother, soohyun.

Just as soohyun was about to say something the door to the room banged open, revealing yena.

Yena : step away from my daughter.

Soohyun quickly stepped away from seonghwa, her eyes widened in shock.

Soohyun : eomma?

Seonghwa stepped back as soohyun rushed towards her mother, relief evident in her eyes

Soohyun : god, where have you been! Why would you-

Soohyun paused as yena pulled out a gun from her pocket, pointing it right at seonghwa. Soohyun's eyes turned grave as she realized why her mother had come here.

Soohyun : no.

Yena : if my daughter can't put you behind bars, then I will. Hand over a sample of the virus, mr park.

Soohyun : eomma no! you can't-

Yena : I gave you time, soohyun. I gave you my trust. And this is what you did.

Soohyun : eomma-

Seonghwa : shoot me.

Soohyun looked at seonghwa with panicked eyes, what the hell was he doing.

Soohyun : s-seonghwa.

Seonghwa : I will never give you the sample. You people don't deserve it, mrs joo. So you can shoot me, if that pleases you. But know for a fact that you will never be able to bring this organization down. Because today if I die, then tomorrow someone else will take care of it. So go ahead, shoot me.

Seonghwa being stupid, he didn't know her mother enough. Yena's eyes hardened at seonghwa's words, her finger curling around the trigger. But before anything could happen soohyun ran towards seonghwa, covering his body with hers as she stood in front of him.

Seonghwa : soohyun.

Soohyun : no. if you want to shoot him, eomma, you'll have to shoot me first.

Soohyun thought of all the times seonghwa had protected her, while they were dating and just a few months ago. She wasn't going to let him die, she was going to be human.

Yena : kim soohyun.

Soohyun : would you have let appa die? Despite everything he did, despite everyone he wronged, you still loved him, didn't you?

Yena : and where did all that get him, in the end? WHERE IS YOUR APPA SOOHYUN!

Soohyun : AND WHERE WILL SEONGHWA BE IF YOU SHOOT HIM NOW!

Yena paused. Soohyun had never raised her voice at yena before, she had never stood against her mother.

Soohyun : you cannot shoot him. Because what he's doing…I find no fault in it.

Seonghwa's eyes widened, yena letting out a small gasp.

Soohyun : he is killing people who deserve to die, eomma. The people who have destroyed innocent's lives, walking around freely because of the money and power they have, those are the people he targets.

Yena looked shocked.

Yena : what?

Soohyun : the law cannot prosecute everyone, eomma. We both know that more than anyone. These people deserve to be in jail, but they cannot be put into it. This…this is the only way justice can be brought.

Yena lowered her gun, stepping back.

Soohyun : please. Please just…can't you let this be? Can't we pretend not to know anything about this?

Yena did not say anything further. She stepped out of the room, banging the door behind her as she started walking out of the casino. Soohyun was going to let her be for now, she knew her mother well enough. Soohyun let out a breath, stepping away from seonghwa.

Seonghwa : why did you do that?

Soohyun : seonghwa.

Seonghwa : you fought with your mother for me, why.

Soohyun : because otherwise she would kill you. I know my mother, seonghwa.

Seonghwa : and? Why would you care if I died?

Soohyun : are you being for real?

Seonghwa : soohyun, you left me. You said you regretted loving someone like me. So then why-

Soohyun : I lied. I…I wish I could hate you, seonghwa. I wish I could just let you die because that would be so much more easier but I just…I just can't.

Seonghwa looked taken aback. Soohyun stepped closer to seonghwa, holding his cheek as she leaned forward and whispered

Soohyun : I want to kiss you.

Seonghwa stared at soohyun, his eyes holding pain and shock.

Soohyun : please, let me kiss you seonghwa.

Seonghwa : you are a police officer.

Soohyun : I don't care.

Seonghwa : I'm a criminal, soohyun.

Soohyun : you're criminal because you kill other criminals? That makes no sense anymore, seonghwa.

Seonghwa : I…I-

Soohyun : please. Fuck that, fuck everything. I still love you, and I know you love me too. Isn't that all that should matter?

Seonghwa let out a breath before leaning down, capturing soohyun's lips in his. Soohyun wrapped her arms around seonghwa's neck as he brought her closer to him, his arm wrapped around her waist.

Seonghwa : what's going to happen to us?

Soohyun : we'll figure it out, together. You and I.

_______________________________________

[namjoonscoffeeshop]

Dear Namjoon | 05

✧ Pairing: Kim namjoon x reader ✧ warning(s): explicit language, suggestive content, mature content ✧ genre: angst,fluff,smut,slow burn ✧ synopsis; You're sent to live with your father and older brother. only that your older brother is in a band called BTS. you meet jimin's friends and automatically get tangled with one of his band members. you're relationship has to be kept a secret but for how long can you keep it that way?

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once you woke up, you found that not just your lips were swollen due to how much namjoon sucked on them but your eyes were puffy due to you crying.

you go wash up, and come out with at towel wrapped around your body. you kept looking at the marks that decorated your skin in the mirror. and you felt dumb because deep inside you want him to touch you and kiss you. maybe friends with benefits is fine.

picking an outfit good enough to cover the marks , you then begin to pick up the clothes from the floor. only to find that he left his tie in your room. picking it up you get angry again and toss it into your closet inside your suitcase before shutting it

"asshole"

jimin and dad came home earlier, since jimin rushed him. not liking the idea of you being alone a whole night.

he walks into your room, you were laying in bed. "hey sis" he jumps on the bed hugging you

"hey mochi"

"did namjoon leave after dropping you off?" he lays his head on your lap, your fingers begin to brush his hair

"yeah, he said he had plans"

"nice, i owe him one for bringing you home" he closes his eyes and relaxes as you comb his hair

"i think he took it really serious when you said i was off limit"

"he better"

you chuckle at his words "why you bring it up?, don't tell me you like him" he asks

"no" you answer quickly

"i was just wondering why you said that" you bite your lip, hoping he'd tell you, he sighs

"he a fuck boy, he uses girls for his own pleasure and later on leaves them. i just don't want him to pull that shit on you. i saw how he looked at you"

"everyone was looking at me"

"nope, his eyes were undressing you"

"your so extra" you laugh

his arms wrap around your waist "let me sleep here, you don't know how much i've missed you" he pouts

"ok" he rolls over and gets under the blanket, you turn off the light, he hugs you.

"goodnight"

"night"

jimin fell asleep first that night, for the first time in a while i stayed up all night thinking about everything that happened today.

-----

when jimin woke up he looked at you for a while, at some point he hated his parents for separating the two of you. and thats why he tried so hard to keep a good relationship so he wouldn't become a stranger to you.

but right now it was time for revenge, for what you did to him. he snickered at how you always looked angry as you slept, and thought it would be funnier to just take a photo of you. grabbing his phone he opens the group chat with the other guys

BANGTAN CHAT - Jimin POV

y/n kicked me out of the bed yesterday

tae: that's the most random shit you have ever said

you don't understand it hurt like a bitch, but i can't do that to her. so i got other plans

hobi: and why are you telling us this

namjoon: cause he has no other friends

fuck you, and its cause of this

jimin sits up and takes a photo of you sleeping, sending it to the group chat

i might not be able to kick her off the bed but this is good enough for revenge. now i'ma wake this kid up so see y'all at school.

tae: did he just send us a photo of his sister sleeping

jungkook: she's gonna kill you, you know that right?

yoongi: someone show her the photo and if she kills him, no one help him. he deserves it

----

what jimin didn't know is that he just gave namjoon a photo of y/n. namjoon smiles at the photo

"shit maybe if it's her...it wouldn't be so bad" he saves the photo

i woke up to jimin sticking his finger into my ear and it was wet

"what the fuck, why is your finger wet" i clean my ear

"oh cuz i licked it" he laughs, jumping off the bed "get ready for school" he says with a smile ear to ear

once again you went with jimin to school, cause you were too tired to drive. today was weird because the guys just kept looking at you and jimin was acting cocky all morning

"do i look funny today or what" you were getting irritated at their stares, especially namjoon's

hoseok then walks up to you and jimin yells his name "hey you wouldn't" jimin points at him, and hoseok takes his phone out showing you the group chat. taehyung is holding back his laugh at the view of a very stressed out jimin. who is slowly getting off the desk.

you grab the phone and read the conversation until you scroll and see your photo. you look up at jimin with dagger eyes "you asshole!" you hand hoseok his phone back, as you walk to jimin, who's hiding behind taehyung

"you kicked me off the fucking bed" he yells

"bitch you stuck you nasty finger in my ear" taehyung is being pushed around. as you try to get a hold of jimin

your face was beet red at the thought they all saw the photo, but what made you blush even harder was that namjoon saw the photo. only making you wanna strangle your brother even more.

he pushes taehyung towards you as he runs for the door, you turn, trying to grab him but trip over your bag you had carelessly tossed on the floor.

namjoon quickly gets up and his arm wraps around your waist as he catches you. you tense up at his touch, but you stand straight and look at him. before you pick up your bag, sticking your middle finger at jimin. you leave the rooftop. leaving everyone but namjoon confused.

"shit, is she that mad?" jimin asks concerned

taehyung being his own curious self he was more into why there was a awkward tension between the two you.

----

once it was lunch time, jimin said he had to go to a class for some help. and said to go make friends instead.

i was planning to just go to the rooftop before i got a message from namjoon. telling me to meet him in the same class from yesterday. hesitant at first. i decided i should go and hear what he has to say.

you walk the same hall as yesterday. making sure no one was looking at you as you enter the last classroom. you find namjoon sitting on the desk just like yesterday

"hey" he smiles

"what do you want?" he raises his brow at my tone.

"come here" he motions you to come closer to him. and you do, you stand in front of him. his hands reach for your waist pulling you towards him, as he leans on the desk. "i'm sorry alright"

you look away from him, with your arms crossed

"look i'm not really good at relationships. but if it's you it's worth giving a try" he gives your waist a little squeeze "what do you think?"

"i don't know you said i should listen to my brother more, and well my brother said your a fuck boy" you stare at him, trying to hurt him with your words like he hurt you but it didn't work

he just chuckles at your words "didn't i just say i'm not good at relationships, plus there were more reasons to why those relationships failed. but i don't gotta tell your brother everything" you just stared at him, angrily.

"come on babe don't be mad" he pouts

"don't call me babe" you frown

"why"

"because we aren't dating"

"but you like it when i call you babe or actually" he presses your body against his "or how you body reacts when i tell you your a good girl" he whispers by your ear making you tense up

putting your hands on his chest, you put distance between you both "you are saying everything except what you should be saying"

"oh yeah?, and what's that?" he tilts his head, making you more frustrated

"i'm just kidding, geez" he laughs

"wanna be my girlfriend"he presses his forehead against yours

"i don't know, let me think about it" you peck his lips, as you push him away. ready to walk away but he holds onto you tighter "i don't think so" he grabs your chin as he kisses your roughly

changing positions he sits you down on the desk, your arms wrapped around his neck. his hands propping himself up on the desk . enjoying the kiss, he smirks against your lips.

"you aren't gonna answer"

"hmm answer what"

he sighs "i gotta repeat myself?" you just stare at him in silence

"go out with me"

"alright" he smiles and leans in to kiss you but you pull on his hair making him groan

"make me cry again and i will tell my brother"

"did i make you cry" he pulls your hand away from his hair, giving it a kiss.

you don't respond at all

"sorry alright" he kisses you again and again. making you melt at his touch.

"you know it's gotta be a secret right" he presses his forehead against yours, "hmmm, does it?" he smirks

"yes! i'm serious namjoon"

"i like people knowing what's mine though"

"it's my brother, i don't think you need to be territorial with him"

"he said you were off limits, i promise i won't ever say it. i just hope you don't make us get caught" his dumb brushes against your bottom lip.

" we can meet here every time. no one uses this room" he smiles

"how do you know? fucked one of your other bitches here?" you bite his finger, making him grin

"don't be a jealous girlfriend, you gotta trust me. and you're not one of my bitches, so no i wouldn't take you to does places" "Plus I wouldn't be fucking you, I'lol be making love to you "

"it's just you from now on"

------

after making out for a while longer, he says you guys should go already. and you followed him to the court yard where he read his book. and you scrolled through your phone

" i heard you guys will be getting fan mail"

"yeah, they said something about that" his eyes don't leave his book

"y/n, thats where you were" jimin enters the court yard

"i thought i told you to make friends, not to go hang out with namjoon"

"ouch, for your information i found your lonely sister sitting here alone. no need to thank me for giving her company" he shrugs, giving you a wink without jimin noticing

"you're a lost cause y/n" he sighs, sitting next to you. "namjoon you ready for later?" jimin says excited

"yeah sure why not" he response was rather dry, he didn't look interested

"don't mind him, when he's reading he doesn't pay attention to anyone" jimin sighs

"you wanna come along?" he looks at you

"yeah, i'll go" jimin nods.

you guys stay there until the bell rang.

-----

after getting to the club, you realize a bunch of kids from school were also there. jimin explained that were was some sort of concert. they left you alone once more as they went to go get ready for this performance.

jin sits next you, giving you a glass of orange juice. "how did you like our performance the other day" he asks

"i think your guys are awesome, what jimin would tell me over the phone doesn't give justice to how hard you guys work" you take a sip of the juice.

"thanks" he smiles, satisfied with your answer

your phone rings, and you take it out to find a message of namjoon, telling you to go through red doors near the bathroom.

"uh ima go to the bathroom" you put the cup on the table, jin smiles at you as you walk away. going through the crowd

you walk pass the bathroom, seeing a lot of red doors everywhere. taking out your phone your about to call namjoon, but someone grabs your arm and pulls you into one of the room making your scream.

they cover your mouth with their hand and you hit their chest

"it's me, calm down"

"namjoon!" you whack him again "what are you doing" he laughs

"i wasn't sure if anyone was out there, sorry" he gives you a hug

"i wanted to see you before we went up, jimin said he's taking you home after"

"oh.." you look around, seeing a lot of instruments everywhere, your eyes stopping at the violin

"you play?" he walks up to the violin, handing it to you

"a long time ago, i don't think i can even play a child song at this point" you chuckle

"who knows"

"lets hang out tomorrow?"

"when??" you place the violin where namjoon had picked it up from

"after school, the guys are all planning to hang out, jimin will be there. i'll tell them i got some plans, you just tell jimin that he should spend some time without you" his eyes crinkled as he laughed

"ok, but i think my dad is gonna be home tomorrow so.."

"don't worry you can come to my place" nodding, you guys hear the announcements, and you hear an angry jimin calling out namjoon to get his ass to the stage

namjoon quickly puts his hand behind your neck, as he leans in for a kiss "i need to recharge" he mumbles, he takes your bottom lip into his mouth and sucks lightly.

"fuck, i gotta go but. tomorrow alright!" he points at you as he walks out the door

waiting for a bit, you hear the music start. taking it as your cue you walk out and head to where the stage is.

you see multiple people in suits, they have clipboards and are looking up to them, two guys catch your attention. their heads bopped to the music. looking at the clip board you catch a glimpse to the name 'Bighit Entertainment'

-----

once they got off stage, many people went up to them with business cards. namjoons steps up and takes all of them as the other guys head to the back. jimin signals you to head to the back as well. you walk slowly as you also keep your attention at namjoon who was talking to all the men in suits

"y/n hurry" jimin calls out to you

"he's getting a lot of cards" you tell jimin

"i know, isn't it exciting" jimin smiles making his eyes disappears as he smiles, you nod. happy to see him so bright

"let me change and we can head home"

namjoon was good at not glancing at you or talking to you that it made you sort of uncomfortable. cause all you wanted to do was look and talk to him. instead you talk to jungkook seeing how his eyes twinkled as he told you about the song they were singing.

"your very passionate huh" my mouth curved into a smile, his happiness being contagious.

he nods "i just wanna be good enough, so i can go with them" and he looks up to the guys, your eyes follow where he was looking. "i think your great?"

"yeah but what if i'm not good enough"

"thats bullshit on a stick, if they don't want you then you go to another one. anyways they won't leave you behind" your brows knitted

"yeah, your right. that's why i'm afraid to be the one to hold them back" his eyes gleamed with sadness and you did the one thing you could think of

i karate chopped the back of his neck

"y/n what the fuck? that hurt" he gets up, massaging his neck.

"thats for thinking the way you are, you can't be negative about things." everyone was looking at you guys since jungkook raised his voice

"fuck but did you have to hit me" jungkook whines, only to get pinched by jimin "don't talk to my little sister like that"

"she's not wrong, if they want one of us they gotta take all of us"

-----

the next day you drove to school, instead of going with jimin. since you were gonna head to namjoon's place after school.

and just as planned you made sure to tell your dad you were gonna hang out with some friends, yes you hadn't made new friends. but you knew some people from before you moved.

and just like namjoon said, jimin asked if you wanted to go with him. but you told him to hang out with his friends without you. ever since you came to live here he takes you everywhere with him.

you told him you were gonna hang out with old friends and he didn't suspect you at all. namjoon texted you his address, and you head over to his place.

ringing the door bell, a smiling face greets you as he opens the door

"your here" he reaches his hand out, you grab it and he pulls you inside. your back is leaning against him as he takes off your jacket. only to hang it up.

"what did jimin say"

"nothing, he was fine with it" he nods, walking into the living room. he sits down.

he was wearing his glasses again, and you loved how he looked with them "do you use your glasses to just read?" you ask as you see the book on the table

"yeah"

you sit down next to him, a little distance between the both of you

"are you hungry? we can order something" he asks, taking out his phone. right now you weren't thinking about food, for the first time ever you were feeling horny over namjoon. you wanted him to touch you.

you glance at his lips "uh sure, what do you wanna get"

scrolling through his phone he isn't aware of your stares

"namjoon"

"yeah?" he answers without looking at you

I felt flustered at the thought that he suddenly didn't wanna have sex. i thought he invited me over for that reason.

you felt like he was trying to respect you but right now you didn't want him to respect you. gathering your courage, you grab his phone. putting it down. he looks up at you, as you get up and straddle him, placing his hands on your waist

"do you really wanna order food right now" he's shocked at your sudden acts but doesn't let it phase him

"well, i don't know...do you have something else in mind"

"i want you to touch me.."

"yeah?" he smirks

pushing him to lean back agains the couch you leave kisses on his neck, he doesn't react to your touch making you irritated. you begin to suck on his skin just like he did to you. his hands already groping your ass, as he rolls your hips against him.you feel at how he right away started hardening.

"you sure you want this"

"yes" you were greedy for his touch already. he presses your ass against his hardened length, making you bury your face at the crook of his neck. trying to hide your beet red face.

as he kissed you he kept tilting his face to try and kiss you but his glasses were getting in the way. frustrated he pulls away, taking off his glasses. tossing them tot he other side of the sofa. "they were getting in the way" you giggle

your body started moving on it's own at this point, this man makes you loose all your common sense.

"good girl, keep grinding on me" his voice sounds raspy, you fasten your pace, and he finally had enough.

he picks you up, tossing you over his shoulder as he walks upstairs to his room. locking the door behind him.

laying you on the bed, he pulls his shirt over his head, you feel a lump in your throat as you feel the butterflies in your stomach again.

it's gonna happen for real this time.

he wastes no time to undress you, he stares at your body. especially all the marks he left on your body "it was dark yesterday in your room i didn't get a good look at you, but now i can see you properly"

"don't say that" you cover your face

"why not?" he kisses your stomach, as you squeeze your thighs together

"cause it's embarrassing" smirking at your words, he grabs your thighs. spreading them "i didn't mark here" he begins to kiss you inner thighs, sucking on the skin.

"wa-wait not there" you whimper as he nibbles on your skin.

my mind is empty, i can't think straight.

you feel him blow at your heat, making you moan "na-namjoon not there" his grip on your thighs tighten, not letting you close your legs

your core is aching for him. he's making you feel a way you've never felt before. "your dripping" his fingers rubbing against your clit

"your sure you want this? once i start, i won't be able to stop myself" uncovering your face you see his fingers in his mouth again, as he licks his fingers off.

you nod

"use your words"

"yes namjoon, just fuck me already please" you stare at him as he undresses completely, reaching into his drawer to get a string of condoms out. he rips one open, pumping himself a few times before putting the condom on

"alright, i'll be gentle" he positions himself between your legs, your feel the tip of his cock rubbing against your clit smearing the wetness at your entrance

"look at me" he says with his raspy voice. his hand is on your waist holding you in place, you feel the tip of his cock enter you and you whimper at the sudden stretch

"hold on babe, it'll feel better soon" he grunts, laying his head on your shoulder. trying to control himself from fucking you senseless. the rest of him sinks into you slowly, making you moan as your walls stretch around him. "fuck your so fucking tight" he groans, brows pinched together. his mouth agape. your pull him into a kiss, and he moans.

a completely new feeling appears inside your stomach, your walls clench around this thick length. you feel a sense of pleasure and the knot releases making you moan

"fuck" namjoon looks at you "did you just cum from me just entering you" his forehead has drops of sweat

"cum?" you whimper, your mind completely gone

"fuck you're so innocent" sitting up he grabs your hips lifting them up, he grabs a pillow placing it underneath your hips

"i can't control myself no more" you look at his abs, your eyes look down and you see him inside you. making you wonder how he even fit. your walls clench around him even more as you think about it.

"fuck do you want my cock that badly" he pulls out enough to just leave his tip inside you, just to thrust into you, your whole body shivering with pleasure

he increases his pace and your a mess under neath him. unconsciously you spread your legs even more. making him smirk

"its sexy that you're spreading your legs for me, do you want it deeper" he grunts, as he thrusts into you once more "don't worry i'll hit all your good spots"

you thug your nails in his back, as he fastens his pace. "y/n you feel so fucking good" the pleasure was immense, every time he touched you his body screamed with pleasure, everything about you made him delirious. like every other time he had sex was meant to be with you.

you feel the feeling in your stomach again "namjoon i-"

"cum for me babe" his lips meet yours as he kisses you eagerly, after a few more thrust you cum for a second time, i cry out as he continues to pounce into me, reaching his own orgasm. his thrust get sloppy, he growls at the last few thrust before he releases into the condom. letting out little breaths as he tries to calm down

he brings his lips to yours kissing you roughly, his hand makes his way to your clit, entering two of his digits into you. you whine at the overstimulation

"wait namjoon" you whimper

"what" he growls

"i can't anymore" you grip his shoulders. he takes his fingers out of you, sitting up. you see his cock hardened again.

he takes off the used condom, tying it up he tosses it to he bin next to the bed

"babe i didn't take out just one" he picks up the string of condoms, a smug look appears on his face

"i'm tired"

"please" he kisses your inner thighs

"one more time" you stare at his dick, seeing how it twitches and it makes you feel good that you could make him hard so quickly

"fine one more time"

"get on all fours"

"what?"

"just be a good girl and listen" he slaps your thigh, you get up. getting on all fours as he lifts your ass up more.

"fuck your so fucking beautiful" you blush at his compliments

opening another condom he puts it on, wasting no time he thrusts into you. his grip on your waist tightens as he thrusts into you again.

"where the fuck have you been all my life" his heart tightens every time he rolls his hips into you

you whimper at his words, your hands griping onto the bed sheets

"namjoon" you moan his name

"yes" he grunts

"harder" you say weakly

"what ever you want" and he does exactly as you asked pulling out, he thrust harder into you making you gasp for air.

"fuck this feels so good" you manage to say, eyes shut close as the pleasure rushes through your entire body

namjoon focuses at how he disappears inside you, he bites his bottom lip. fastening his pace

"wa-wait i feel like i'm gonna pee" you whine

"just do it" namjoon groans

"wh-what"

"don't worry baby just squirt" not being able to argue with him, you feel yourself cumming again

not long after namjoon shoots into the condom again, he pulls out and you fall flat on the bed once he lets your waist go

"fuck..i can't get enough of you" he kisses your back, sucking on the skin

"namjoon i can't no more" you whine

"once more please" he continues to suck on your skin

you look at the string of condoms seeing there are three more left

"i really can't move"

"don't worry you won't have to get up"

"fine"

changing his condom once more he lays behind you, spooning you "alright" he lifts your thigh giving him space so he can slip inside of you, hands cupping your breast. as his other hand rubs your clit

"n-namjoon" you moan, he continues to thrust into you, bitting onto your shoulder making you whimper. "fuck i wanna know how it feels to fuck you raw" he moans

and the idea of him inside of you without any barrier made your walls clench around him

"shit, does that idea excite you" you couldn't last long this time, cumming shortly after. he followed you too

"y/n.." he groans

"no namjoon, i won't be able to walk" you lay on your back, hand on your stomach, as you still feel as if he was inside you. looking at namjoon he's covering his face with his forearm. you look down and see his dick, hard and up against his stomach

"what the hell are you" you laugh

your phone rings, making you reach for your skirt that was on the floor, you see it's jimin's number

[reachfolk]

❥ title: my house (in which i dwell no more)

✿ tags: hurt/comfort, homesickness, themes of diaspora and displacement, lots and lots of infodumping about markarth, reachfolk & forsworn characters

❥ word count: 4.4k

✿ summary: two displaced natives of the reach—a city boy forced to flee markarth and a wilder girl who’s never laid eyes on it—find comfort in each other.

❥ author's note: title is based off this poem. i’ve taken a lot of liberties with markarth’s layout and history because i do what i want, and because i miss souq al-hamidiyah. this is kinda set in the middle of a bunch of bigger plot stuff lol, but the gist is understandable.

✿ this is a story written by an anti-zionist syrian about the emotional turmoil of living under colonialism. palestine and syria are in every word i write.

In an entirely expected turn of events, Robin couldn’t sleep.

He hated feeling bothered by something that was a near nightly occurrence. There was no sense in it. Worst of all, his efforts to latch onto something to complain about were in vain. He could blame the cold, but the tent had been covered in layers of fur and hide that could keep a snowstorm at bay. He could blame the hard ground, but he’d spent his entire life sleeping on hard stone beds, and he’d grown to prefer it over soft mattresses. He could blame the tight space in the tent he shared with Marceline, but it was all too common for them to share a bed even when they had individual rooms available.

The more he realized how comfortable the arrangement was, the more irritated he became. Because he knew all too well why he couldn’t sleep. And he really, really would rather not think about it. If he were destined to spend the night tossing and turning, then he should at least be given an itchy wool blanket. His complaints would be much more manageable then.

But the blankets were soft, and he knew that all he could point to for his sleeplessness was the state of the world. The state of his home. The state of his family.

His thoughts were blissfully interrupted by the sound of a foot stomping thrice on the stone outside the tent. With the walls made of soft furs, knocking wasn’t much of an option, and he quickly learned that this was a common alternative in Karthspire.

Grateful as he was for the interruption, he couldn’t find it in him to hide the displeasure from his face. He stood slowly, careful to not disturb Marceline as she slept beside him. A cold burst of air smacked him in the face as he stepped outside, and it only deepened his scowl.

“What is it?” He asked, his tone flat and his back slumped.

Much to his surprise, he was met with the sight of Esmeralda before him.

“Oh, uh—” He found himself impulsively straightening his posture and righting his tone. “Esme. Hello.”

She carried with her a pair of thick blankets and a nervous expression. Foregoing any greetings, she simply said, “I wanted to check on you. These furs were—uh, are Alex’s. I figured, since she isn’t back yet, her family should be the ones to keep them.”

He barely needed to consider the offer for a moment before declining. “Have you asked our parents? We’re all good here, and mother might need them more than us.”

Something about that seemed to please her as a smile made its way to her lips. “That’s what Isobel said about you,” she said. “Though she was more insistent. I don’t think she’d be very pleased if I give these to anyone else. So…” She held up the blankets again, swaying them as though that made them more tantalizing.

This time, Robin took them graciously. He knew better than to fight his mother on gestures like this, and he certainly had no intention of dragging Esme into it. “Thank you. Mimi didn’t seem bothered, but she has a tendency to run cold.”

He pulled back the entrance of the tent and gently tossed the folded blankets onto his own empty bedroll, figuring he’d cover up Marceline with one of them once he made his way back to sleep.

When he turned back around, Esmeralda was still there, watching him. Her eyes bore into him with an intensity he hadn’t expected, though he couldn’t for the life of him identify the emotion underlying it.

One could blame the cold, but he knew that the way his skin prickled had nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with her.

“So…” His eyes darted from place to place, looking for something to talk about without making it all too obvious that he was avoiding her gaze. “Chilly night, huh?”

“Of course. It’s winter,” she replied dismissively. Thankfully, before Robin could chide himself for his inability to hold a conversation, she changed the subject without missing a beat. “You’re not going to sleep yet?”

“Uhm, I’d like to,” he answered, “but that’s easier said than done.”

“Walk with me.”

The suddenness and directness of the invitation—or was it more of a demand?—left him speechless. All he could do was nod in response.

When she began walking off to the side, it took a long moment for his mind to process it enough to chase after her. She was making her way over to the northwestern edge of the camp. The spot was away from the main road where any attack would likely come from, so there was less of a need for a strong patrol there. In other words, they had plenty of space to themselves.

Once he caught up, he slowed down to match her pace. “Are you having trouble sleeping as well?”

“No,” she answered, “but I like to help with the evening patrols. Nighttime is about as quiet as a big settlement like Karthspire ever gets.”

From his short time here, he could understand. Throughout the day, the whole place was as busy as the Markarth marketplace, if not more so. Of course, the city was much bigger, but it provided enough privacy to hide away from the noise. Meanwhile, in Karthspire, privacy seemed to be on no one’s mind. Sure, the tents were separate enough from prying eyes, but it was a space too small to do much else besides rest. All the other affairs of a society were done out in the open—trading, cooking, crafting, drinking, dancing, teaching, and storytelling. It was no wonder the Reachfolk were known for their loud, boisterous voices. The Wilders, at least, simply had no need for an inside voice.

“It’s the best time to go for a stroll,” he agreed as the two wandered back and forth on her designated route. “Much as I enjoy the hustle and bustle, I loved nights in Markarth. You get to hear the sounds that are drowned out by daily life.”

“What were they like? The nights in the city?” The question tumbled out of her mouth with more urgency than a casual stroll required, but she seemed not to notice the confusion on his face.

“They were… uh… pretty. As far as nights go. The view of the aurora is always nice.”

He fumbled with his words trying to find what answer she was fishing for, but she kept looking at him expectantly.

“And uh… dark?” He felt a strong urge to smack himself, but settled instead for rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Sorry, I don’t know—”

“What did it sound like?”

That much, he could answer. “Humming,” he said. “The machines hum constantly. It’s quiet, and you can’t hear it when people are running around all day. Most of the time, cities sound like the people living in them. But at night, all you hear is the city itself breathing.”

“Breathing?”

She was looking at him like that again. It left a heavy lump in his throat, and he found himself suddenly very unsure what to do with his hands. But he didn’t want her to stop, and so he went on.

“Yeah, it was—at least, I think it was the lights.” As he fumbled with his words, he began to regret every moment he didn’t spend studying the Dwarven tech around the city. He tried to recall whatever he could from the bits of knowledge he’d acquired in passing. “The old lights powering the city are still running. Well, a lot of them, especially in Dryside. Not much of the old tech survived without the automatons maintaining it, but I think Calcelmo and whoever came before him were able to figure out how to keep the lights up, and we’ve been using them as long as I can remember. I think because they can all be activated with a lever. Better than having lantern lighters work each night.”

“And they don’t go out in the rain,” she added.

“They don’t,” he nodded. “It was breathtaking when it rained at night. The droplets would catch the light, and they’d shimmer in the air, all over the city.”

By then, they had stopped walking altogether, their pace slowing to a halt as Esmeralda hung onto every word he spoke. She was no longer watching the path ahead, all her attention focused solely on him.

He couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eyes for long before his nervousness got the best of him. Instead, he looked over to the path leading out into the night, watching in her stead.

“I used to tinker with those bulbs whenever I could sneak off to some ruin or the other as a child,” she recalled fondly. “I learned how to operate them eventually. I still leave one on when I sleep. Something about the sound of it, the glow of it. They’ve always been soothing.”

The image of a young Esmeralda tinkering with Dwemertech both delighted and impressed him. “If you like the sound of the Dwemer machines, you’d find the whole city soothing,” he said. “It’s even clearer and louder the deeper you go, but then you’d have other things to worry about.”

“Deeper..?” She mulled over the word, seeming to turn over in her mind everything she knew about the city. “Alex said the underground was forbidden and all the entrances blocked.”

“All the entrances Alex knew about are blocked.” He couldn’t help smirking as he said that. “Good to know she never caught onto me.”

“So, then… wait, wait.” She brought a hand up to her temple as she processed his words further. “Are you saying you’ve been to Nchuand-Zel?”

Much as he wanted the answer to be a resounding yes, he chose to be truthful. “Not exactly. I’ve never been to the heart of it under the Keep, but I’ve been deeper underground than the authorities would like for civilians to go.”

If that dampened her excitement at all, it was minimal. “How’d you pull that off?”

He couldn’t help but puff up with pride as she leaned in closer, drawn in by intrigue. He’d always treated this as his own precious secret, keeping it even from his own sisters. Never before had he felt the desire to brag until she looked at him like that.

“The Warrens, usually,” he answered, hoping she would not be as deterred by that fact as the average Markarth resident would. She didn’t seem the type. “There’s lots of entrances to Nchuand-Zel, like the palace or the prison, but they’re all guarded. Except, unsurprisingly, the Warrens. The entrance there is boarded up shoddily with some wooden planks, and no one ever goes near it.”

“So you took down the boards?”

“No, not at all!” He rushed to correct her. “I wouldn’t want to put anyone at risk should anything follow me back into town. But it was easy to climb the pipes around it and sneak through the vents to the other side. No one ever noticed.”

“Ever?” She repeated the word with a tilt of her head. “So you’re saying you went there often?”

“Only when I was sick of being around everyone,” he said, truthfully. Quieter, he clarified, “So, about every other day…”

She huffed a laugh at that, and the sound went straight to his heart. “You’re exactly like your sister described you, you know.”

Squashing down his nerves, he tilted his head to the side to look at her directly. “Is that an insult or a compliment?”

For a long moment, she only eyed him, exploring his features so intently that he could almost feel her on his skin. Her gaze burned a trail from his cheeks, to his jaw, to his lips. The confidence he had just barely managed to wrangle together was beginning to falter in the silence. Until, that is, her lips curled into a coquettish smile, and she finally said, “A compliment.”

With that response, he’d expected the tightness in his chest to let up, but it only seemed to burst into a heat that spread across his whole body.

“So…” She took a step closer, leaning into him. It did nothing to help his giddiness. “Is it true what they say? The automatons are still functional beneath the city?”

Thankfully, he was able to compose himself by latching onto the question. Clearing his throat, he answered, “There’s something down there. I never saw automatons, even though there were ports for them everywhere. They must be disabled throughout the city. But I heard all sorts of scuttling and moving around through some of the walls. I’d always assumed it to be skeevers, but why take the chance?”

She hummed in acknowledgement. “Yes, especially coming from the Warrens. Sounds like the vents were large enough for skeevers and all manner of creatures to get through.” She giggled to herself, and quietly added, “Even a Robin.”

He cringed at that and brought a hand to hide his flushed face. “Ugh, when you put it like that, I suppose it wasn’t as roguish and daring as it felt.”

His embarrassment only seemed to entertain her as her laugh grew louder, but she rested one hand on his shoulder and used the other to pry his hands away from covering his face. “Oh, come now, I’m only kidding,” she insisted, even as she giggled through her words. “Tell me more. Please? What was down there?”

Lucky for her, the feel of her hands on him quickly made him forget his embarrassment. He cleared the lump in his throat and went on, “The place wasn’t in good condition, obviously. But I think it used to be a shopping district back in the day, as far as I could tell from how it was built. There was a long hallway with alcoves that looked more like storefronts than homes.” As he spoke, his eyes flicked back and forth between the path ahead and Esmeralda’s face, intentionally avoiding where her hands rested in his palm and on his shoulder.

As acutely aware of her touch as he was, she seemed to have completely forgotten and made no effort to pull back. “That makes perfect sense. The Warrens give the most direct route between the two levels of the city. It must have been the perfect hub for trade between the Reachfolk aboveground and the Dwemer belowground!”

As she spoke and stared off at an undefined point in the distance, Robin could practically see her adding to map of the city that existed in her mind. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight. “It’s a shame we blocked off that part of the city. It would be far better than the mess that is the Dryside marketplace.”

She hummed as she took in his words. “That’s true,” she mused, a mild surprise in her tone. “Why would they relegate the tradespeople to wooden stalls crowded together in the cold when there’s a perfectly good marketplace built into the city itself?”

“And invest in Riverside?” The idea was laughable. “The Jarl would never do that. Much more convenient to leave the smeltery and slave labor neatly tucked away where travellers carrying gold don’t ever have to go.”

Her shoulders slumped, and as they did, her hand fell away from his. “Typical of those damn Nords,” she spat. “They control a city built to house two peoples, and all they can think to do with it is to segregate us into their slums. Do they even have a clue what their feet trample on?”

“Doubtful,” Robin said, his own expression falling into a scowl not unlike hers. “They’d sooner forget it all and just take the privileges handed down to them without question. Most of them don’t even realize our people lived there alongside the Dwemer. Even I only learned that recently.”

“Alex said the same thing!” she exclaimed, her rage stepping aside to give way to disbelief. “I’m still confused by that. It’s the only Dwemer city with any aboveground living spaces. What, do they think the Markarth Dwarves just liked sunshine better than all the others?”

“Ah, see that’s where you’re mistaken,” Robin pointed. “They don’t think.”

She snorted a laugh and rolled her eyes. “Clearly. And they have the gall to call us uneducated.” With a swoop of her hand, she gestured to the entire mountain range around them. “I’ll bet I know more about the entirety of the Reach than they know about the one city they claim.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that for a moment.” He tried to smile with her, but an unshakeable twinge of sadness dampened it.

She caught onto it all too easily. “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” he said, instinctively. “I just… I suppose, in a way, I envy you. As self-centered as that sounds. It’s stu—”

“Hush with that,” she quickly interrupted before his self-deprecation could go on. “You’ll find no judgement here. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Acceptance was not what he expected, nor what he was accustomed to. After taking a moment to shake off his surprise, he went on, “It’s the way you speak of the Reach. You know it in ways I never have. You know yourself in ways I never have. While you lived among our people, I was stuck in classrooms being told about how oh-so-great Emperor What’s-His-Name The Twenty-Eighth was for killing and enslaving us. Not the education I’d have chosen for myself, if I had been given a choice at all.”

She nodded along to his words, grimacing at the thought of it all. “How could I ever fault you for hating it? I’ve had nightmares more bearable than that.” With a sympathetic smile, she lightly bumped his arm. “You’re not the first city Reachman to make your way out here. Your sister did it. She struggled in all the same ways, but despite it all, she learned and thrived with us. You will too.”

His brow furrowed as he considered her words. Yes, he supposed Alex must have felt this way as well—she was the only one of the three siblings to join the Wilders of her own volition. In the chaos of everything, he hadn’t been given a chance to speak with her about why she ran off. He realized, then, that he never needed to.

“We never spoke of it growing up.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Esmeralda said. “That was always part of the problem, wasn’t it?”

As her words slowly sank in his mind, he couldn’t help but chuckle. When she tilted her head in question, he explained, “It’s funny. I’d spent years trying to make sense of it all. Who I am, and why I’m here. I’d started to believe there was no sense to be had at all, and that I was simply broken or mad. Years of confusion, and you seem to understand it within moments. Was there ever a point to the madness?”

“It’s not madness,” she said. “It’s what happens when you’re away from home for too long.”

“Markarth is home.” Even as the words left his mouth, he hated the certainty with which he said them. Markarth did nothing to deserve such a title.

“She is. But without her people, she’s hollow. She was the body, and we were the soul that gave her life. You can envy me for knowing our people, and I can envy you for knowing our city. But in the end, you’re a body without a soul, and I’m a soul without a body. Neither one of us is more alive than the other. Just a different kind of dead.”

Her words seared into his heart, burning through a wall of pain he’d long thought was impenetrable. For a moment, it felt healing. He’d never had words for it until she spoke them.

And yet all at once, behind the wall he’d never been able to see through, there was more pain. A grief—deeper, and darker, and bigger than he’d known before.

He thought that by now he had perfected the art of appearing stoic, even in his worst moments. But Esmeralda saw through it, and wordlessly interlaced her fingers with his, pressed a kiss to the back of his hand, and lifted it to her forehead.

The gesture had never been so soothing. All he could do was pull her closer with his free hand and hug her.

He did not know how long they stayed there, holding each other. It was only when he felt another hand on his shoulder that his attention snapped back to the world around them.

“Would you like me to take over your patrol, feather?” Beatrice asked, directing the question to Esmeralda.

“Ah—yes, if you would be so kind,” Esmeralda said, pulling away from the hug but keeping their hands intertwined.

Robin felt his face flush and kept his gaze on the ground. “My apologies, I shouldn’t have distracted her from her duties.”

“Nonsense.” Beatrice waved off the apology. “With everything you’ve gone through, I’m glad our Esme could bring you comfort.” Her hand came up to his chin and, with a gentle touch, lifted his head. “Don’t despair. One day, you’ll see your home again, and it shall be in better hands. We are nothing if not resilient.”

It felt odd, being so seen. Robin had always been one to stick to the shadows—literally and metaphorically. He’d come to associate being perceived with being judged and misunderstood. He had never stopped to consider what it would mean to be seen and, without ever needing to defend or explain himself, simply be met with compassion.

“Thank you,” he said, hoping he did not appear as dumbfounded on the outside as he felt on the inside.

They parted, with Beatrice watching over the camp in place, and Robin and Esmeralda making their way to—well, he wasn’t quite sure. He was simply allowing her to lead, and he was too lost in thought to notice that they’d passed the tent he shared with Marceline.

It was only when she pulled him into an unfamiliar tent that he realized where she was taking him. This one was much more decorated, if haphazardly, with silver and Dwarven metal crafted into elaborate geometric shapes. A messy workbench sat in the corner, littered with Dwemer tools and half-finished projects. Below it was a chest so full of all manner of belongings that the lid could not close all the way.

Rather than an oil lamp or candle, the space was lit with the bluish hue of a Dwarven light bulb hanging upside down from the wooden scaffolds.

“I tend to collect things.” Esmeralda vaguely waved her hand at the entire place. “Don’t let it bother you. I swear, there is order in the chaos.”

That pulled a chuckle from him. “It’s no bother. I’m much the same,” he confessed, smiling as he examined it all.

After kicking off her boots, Esmeralda sat cross-legged on the bed, her back against the headboard, and patted the spot in front of her. “Join me. I’m not done interrogating you about the city, you know. I want to hear all I can before I start pestering Isobel next,” she said with a chuckle.

“What, am I being held hostage?” He joked, even as he followed suit and sat at the foot of the bed, leaving a respectable distance between them. “I take it I’m not your first victim.”

“Oh, not at all,” she said as she spread her legs out and rested her feet on his lap, any respectable distance quickly tossed aside. He did not mind in the slightest. “I’ve been grilling Alex for stories about Markarth since she joined. And Duach. And just about anyone who’s so much as stepped foot there.”

“I’m going to hazard a guess and say you’re not a Wilder by choice.”

She feigned a gasp. “What gave it away?”

“My powers of perception are like none other.”

She laughed, and Robin couldn’t help the little rush of pride from knowing he caused it.

“If you must know,” she explained, “my parents were among the rebels who retook Markarth with Madanach. They had wanted to raise a family in the city of our ancestors.” She gestured around her. “Clearly, it did not work out as planned. Now, I’m stuck begging for stories so I can imagine what my life could have been.” She gave him a light kick on the arm. “I hope it isn’t a pain, because I have no intention of stopping.”

“It isn’t,” he said, truthfully. “On the contrary, I enjoy it. I only know Markarth as she is. Conquered and soulless. I much prefer seeing her through your eyes.”

And so, the pair stayed up late into the night, exchanging stories of the city and the wilds. He told her of the acoustics in the music halls, and she told him of traditional firedances. She told him tales of swimming in the Karth river, and he told her tales of climbing the Temple of Dibella.

He did not remember when, exactly, he fell asleep. All he could recall as he was carried off to sleep was the pale blue light on Esmeralda’s face, and a feeling of home.

[artisticbunny]

o.O look I know it’s only been like a week but I’m like, deeply infatuated with a whole new concept that has nothing to do with anything I had previously indulged in. It has nothing to do with fnaf, or utdr, or anime, or even any of my favorite book series

(BUT A COMPLETELY ORIGINAL CONCEPT BY YOU BUN THIS IS CRAZY LIKE HOW WELL OILED IS YOUR BRAIN? WHAT AM I MISSING?)

And today— I come bearing questions for the creator of this ‘new concept’— a true genius from none other than the nefarious hellsite;

Tumblr.

Yep. That’s right. And now, I ask this:

(Hey Bun, don’t mind me I’m just roleplaying myself in your inbox over a silly question. I just wrote an opinionated report for my ELA teacher, so maybe I’m not out of writer mode lol. Anyways, can we know more about Brook? Like y’know, ‘Brook Child’. If that’s treading too close to spoiler territory, then alternatively, can we know about Sam the wizard? He was mentioned earlier and I like wizards and warlocks because magic is such a popular concept based off of something which nobody really knows. Plus it’s something I’m sure everyone ever has fantasized about, even if many believe it doesn’t exist… not nerd ver: magic is cool can we hear about Sam?)

:3 Yep. That’s it. Hope this wasn’t too long or crazy lol. I really do enjoy the course of this and how it’s going. Sounds really cool. Also, I LOVE the artwork that goes along with it. (Plus I saw your Cryptid design and it IS quite friend shaped if I do say so myself lol) You draw very nicely, I like that it’s awesome.

HHHHHH GRABS YOU AND STARTS SHAKING YOU AROUND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME AAAAA

PLEASE ALL THESE COMPLIMENTS ARE GONNA GO TO MY HEAD (///////) IVE BEEN READING YOUR TAGS IN THE REBLOGS TOO DONT THINK I HAVENT!!!! YOU GOT ME SMILING LIKE AN IDIOT!!!!

And so,,, Ask and ye shall receive my beloved moot!!!

Brook’s backstory is one that is completely lost to her. Her “mother” never really told her much other than “I found you and took you in, so now you owe me.” At the moment I don’t really think it’s important to the story, and I don’t think it will ever come up so I’ll spill the tea for you ;3

Brook actually was born into a very loving family. She had parents who adored her and each other, and they lived in a fairly peaceful town. This… didn’t really last. Brook’s family went out one day, planning to go a few towns over to see relatives, and instead of settling down for the night, decided to travel through till the morning. Under the shade of night, they were jumped by bandits. During the scuffle, their horse got spooked, and whisked away the cart, with Brook still inside. The horse ran off-trail into the woods, the cart catching on fallen trees and rocks. The horse’s restraints attaching it to the cart were damaged so much by all the debris that when the cart got caught in the bank of a rocky stream, the horse broke free, and the cart remained. Brook’s “Mother” found her and took her in with the thought that she could help with chores when she was older.

Brook stayed 16 long years with her “Mother” (making her ~17 now), and got the idea to escape about a year and a half prior to the events of the story :)

Under her “mother”’s “care”, it wasn’t uncommon for Brook to have food taken away from her if she acted up or made mistakes, it also wasn’t uncommon for her to be locked in the basement with only thin slits of windows to let in light. The basement is also where she slept, not having a room of her own.

Because of these conditions, she is pretty sickly. She is VERY thin and malnourished, and is also pretty short as a result (she’s almost EXACTLY 5 feet tall, maybe a little shorter if you flatten her hair). Her hair is matted and tangled, and her clothes are old, thin, and covered in various stains and grime. She has lots of scars all over her body but by far the most noticeable is the one straight down over half of her face.

She has anxiety and is baby and I love her :)

She’s tired, and needs a break, but she’s not really gonna get one for a while, sorry hon!

Now, you get Sam too because he is VERY cool and silly and I love him.

Sam is a half elf!!! Idk that I mentioned this before!!! He’s kinda just a silly goofy dude who gets stage fright unless it’s his silly werewolf boyfriend. They LOVE each other your honor!!!

Unfortunately god gives his hardest tests to his silliest clowns.

Yeah he goes through the wringer throughout the story. I can’t say much of that because yay plotpoint!!! But yeah djxndhdh

So basically Sam was born in a nice town, pretty average sized, with parents that wanted the best for him. When they saw that he had innate magical abilities (ie: a higher magic storage ability and they saw him just messing around with it and having fun as a kid), they thought that setting him up for apprenticeships would set him up for a good life. What they DIDNT consider is that Sam didn’t really want that. Yeah, when he first started he thought magic was REALLY cool!!! And fun!!! But… all the studying and reading and practicing form and BLAH BLAH BLAH- it made it almost unbearable. Honestly now that I’m thinking about it I probably infused some of my adhd into him without realizing- whoops! Sitting for hours and hours on end just studying instead of actually doing the cool stuff? No thanks that sounds like actual torture! Lol

But yeah, he would end up going through like 5 apprenticeships before he and Joe end up running off into the woods together to find Joe’s tether or some other alternative that hasn’t been discovered yet. They spent a while just kinda camping in the woods with not really much luck before Brook comes along. They’ve been out on their own for about 3 or 4 years at that point, but they haven’t really been counting.

Sorry Sam probably isn’t as interesting as the others, not too bad of a tragic backstory competitively lol. Gotta have SOME less messed up characters! Trust me tho, he gets some good character time in the story I promise!

Here’s what he looks like:

He has a lot of scruff lol, and I love that for him <3

[imaginationofomi]

Come Together

Twenty-Two

"MISS GALLAGHER!" Nayeli jumped at the officer yelling her name. For the past forty-five minutes, it happened over and over because she kept going into what could only be described as a mild state of shock.

"I'm sorry," she said, trying to focus on the two people in front of her. As soon as Jalen was confirmed dead, she and Ezra were separated while the police took their statements and he received medical attention for the stray bullet that grazed his shoulder. So much blood spread out and stained the concrete in front of the entrance. Even in Ezra's office with the door closed, she couldn't remove the sight of the lifeless body riddled with bullet holes she once slept next to from behind her eyes, "I didn't know he owned a gun. He moved out in September, and we've had limited contact since then. The few times I did see him were against my will. There should be a police report of him trespassing at my home."

"You answered that question already."

He was dead. Gone. She didn't understand why she was still answering questions at all. What was the point? They couldn't arrest a dead man.

She was at a loss, and she wanted to see Ezra.

"Can I go check on my boyfriend, please?" she asked after the eighteenth nonsensical inquiry. The conversation spanned beyond an hour, and she was ready for it to end. She had a headache. She couldn't think straight. She felt like she was on the verge of vomiting.

"Yes, we have all we need. Thank you," the woman officer answered her. Nayeli stood up from behind the desk and walked out of the room. Jalen's body was finally covered while the police waited for the coroner to pick him up. She had to pass him to get to her destination, and she stopped in her tracks seeing the white sheet stained with red.

It was difficult to process, knowing who was under there and why. Parts of her felt responsible. She stood near his head, on top of bits of broken glass a few paces away from the gun that became his downfall. Why, Jalen? His life didn't need to end that way.

The memory wouldn't leave her until she was in the ground or in the wind. Not the words he spoke in his final moments or seeing him hit by bullets while scrambling to make sure Ezra wasn't gravely wounded. She had to live with knowing that someone was gone because of her and that she almost lost someone else.

What served as background noise for several minutes amplified when she tore her eyes away from Jalen's covered body. Several people were trying to talk to her. An officer stepped up to help, guiding her around the pools of crimson liquid and bullet casings to get to where Ezra was seated in the back of an ambulance with his shoulder being patched up.

Her temporary escort kept away the reporters and people carrying camera equipment out of news vans. She bit her tongue when a few shouted at her, unable and unwilling to answer any questions. Ezra was waiting for her, pissed and stressed, but he pulled her into his body and kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, touching the arm that wasn't hurt.

"We'll talk about it later." Although he made several phone calls already, there were more to make; lawyers, his publicist, his parents. His stress levels grew when he realized that Savannah had new and damaging ammunition that she would undoubtedly use at their next custody hearing to fuck him over. Jalen's stupid ass sent everything directly into the pits of hell with his bullshit, "Are you okay?"

"You were hit by a bullet, your gym is a crime scene and you're asking me if I'm okay?"

"It's a flesh wound. I'm cool. Not the first time I've had a gun pointed at me."

"Just the first time it was because of me. You should not be concerned with how I'm feeling right now. This is screwed up on so many levels." Large, hot tears burned Nayeli's eyes and distorted everything in front of her. She couldn't catch them fast enough.

"Don't blame yourself."

"How can I not? If you'd never met me, this wouldn't have happened to you. It's my fault."

"Nayeli, whatever he had going on was there before he met you. A regular nigga isn't hopping out of bed planning to take somebody's life 'cause he lost his girl. That's a nigga that ain't all there in the head," he told her, "Something would've made him snap eventually."

Would it? If she kept doing what she was doing, if they lived the way they had for years, what would've made him snap? Most people showed signs before a mental breakdown, but she hadn't picked up on anything. If Ezra was right, and what happened was always in Jalen, she should've noticed something before they broke up. It shouldn't have come to a failed proposal and her boyfriend almost dying at the hands of her ex.

Her chest hurt. The world around her began to blur and darken. She blinked hard, body swaying as she was uneasy on her feet. Ezra held onto her to keep her from falling, much like he did the day they met for the first time as adults.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

Her answer was a strangled noise, like her brain disconnected from the rest of her body and she couldn't tell it what to do. She grew lightheaded and swayed again. It felt impossible to breathe, throat seemingly swollen shut. Ezra tried to talk her through, telling her to inhale through her nose and out through her mouth in rhythm with him.

The first breath was excruciating, as if her trachea was ripped to shreds, mangled flesh dipped in hot oil and fried into chicharron. Each one after felt the same, sharp, crackling, unwavering stabs of pain when she began to hyperventilate. One of the EMTs got her a paper bag to breathe into, but it didn't do much to help. In fact, it almost made her feel worse. Her breaths grew harsher, bursting the bottom of the bag.

"Focus on me," Ezra said, moving his injured arm to grab both of her hands and wincing in pain in the process. He was grateful not to have a hole in his body, but a flesh wound was nothing to blink at.

Nayeli nodded through her uncontrolled breathing, still trying to get herself together. Ezra kept talking to her, making room for the EMT to put an oxygen mask over her face after she burst a second paper bag. Her vitals were taken, and a discussion of transporting her to a hospital was had.

"No," she choked out, not wanting to be saddled with a ridiculous bill on top of everything else, "All I..need is..a..minute."

The paramedics weren't inclined to give it to her because in addition to her hard time breathing, her blood pressure was elevated and rising into dangerous territory.

"You might not have a minute, Miss. It's better to take you in. If your pressure doesn't come down, you're at risk for a stroke."

"Treat me..treat me here..I don't want..to go to..a hospital."

"Get her on the gurney and lay her flat."

She was going to assume that the woman speaking ranked higher than her partner by the way she doled out instructions. It was a mess of movement because Ezra refused to leave her side in the limited space. He gripped the hand that wasn't attached to the forearm being wiped with alcohol.

"Are you allergic to any medications? How are you with needles?" the black haired male asked as he prepped to administer the necessary medication via IV. They couldn't force her to go with them, so they had to do what they could on site.

"No," she said, throat drier than Death Valley, "I'm fine..if I..don't see it." Turning her head, she focused her eyes on Ezra who looked so worried she felt worse.

"Let them take you to the hospital," he urged, but she wouldn't change her mind. She argued as well as she could until the medication entered her bloodstream and her body began to come down from a state of hysteria.

Her heart rate slowed to a normal rhythm. Short and choppy breaths evened out. The world finally stopped spinning, but then her tears were back full force. It was going to be a long night.

☼☼☼

No reason or rhyme. No answer. Nothing was all she could come up with.

Nayeli wanted to make sense of the last 30 hours of her life. In spite of what her eyes saw, of what her ears heard, of what her brain knew, she had a hard time comprehending her circumstances. She barely had the strength to get herself out of bed.

The confectionery was closed until further notice, a decision that wasn't her own but Danielle's. When she managed to formulate clear thoughts, Nayeli's plan was to try acting like everything was fine, but the story hit local news, quickly turning into national news because famed boxer EJ Jackson being held at gunpoint and the incident ending with open fire and one dead couldn't possibly fly under the radar.

With all of the information that was released, calls flooded her phone, from known and unknown contacts. She talked to her family and friends before shutting it off. She had to have some semblance of calm. There certainly wasn't any in her head. All that was up there were the sounds of gunshots, glass breaking, the mental clip of Jalen's body jerking as he was hit, and the pain on Ezra's face when the cops accidentally grazed him. Her newly cemented core memories played in rotation and kept her awake.

She hadn't slept in over 24 hours, exhaustion be damned. Guilt ate away at her like squash vine borers killed nonresistant plants, from the inside out. This wasn't something she could get over as easily as the rest of the problems in her life.

Her doorbell being accosted reminded her that she would have to interact with others at some point, though the point wasn't that day, and she crawled from the center of the bed to tell the person bothering her that she wanted to be left alone. She opened the door, finding Ezra with a bag of Chinese takeout and Tati, the latter appearing panicked as she kept shifting. Tatiana grabbed for her as soon as she pushed the screen door open.

"YOU'RE OKAY!" she shouted, hugging Nayeli so tight that she felt a slight decrease in blood flow, "I was scared. You didn't answer when we called."

One thing the adults hadn't done was talk to each other about what happened. Once Nayeli was stable enough for release, Ezra had to go through steps to pick Tati up from school, and she stayed back to allow him space for the hard talk. She didn't know how to look her Princess in the eye and tell her that her father almost died thanks to her.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Princess," Nayeli said, fighting against yet another knot of guilt forming in her intestines. Ezra walked inside and shut both doors, taking the food into the kitchen.

"How come you didn't answer?"

"I turned my phone off. So many people were calling me, and I just wanted some quiet time." The explanation felt weak, but it was the only one she had. Rehashing fresh trauma left her brain without room to do much else.

"Next time can you answer first or tell us when you're turning it off so we don't worry again?" Tatiana asked.

"Yes, I will do that, promise."

Ezra never came back out of the kitchen. Tatiana held onto Nayeli's hand as they went to join him. He was loading lo mein, fried rice, and beef and broccoli onto plates and glanced up. He hadn't spoken, not even so much as a hello.

"Thank you for picking up dinner," Nayeli said meekly, sensing that he was upset with her. She went against medical advice and lucked out by being okay, but Ezra tried to get her to see a doctor until they had to part ways. The hysterics were a lot for him, and hearing the word stroke in close proximity to her terrified him. It terrified her, seeing as she knew the damage a stroke could do from her grandfather.

Ezra didn't want to be mad at her. Some of it was displaced, meant for Savannah who decided to taunt him because the woman he put on a pedestal got him shot at, but Nayeli caused a healthy amount on her own. After everything that happened, he wanted to be sure that she was okay, and she did everything she could to avoid giving him peace of mind. Not answering her phone was the straw that broke the camel's back. It sent Tatiana reeling. When you tell a child that something bad happened to someone close to their heart, and they call to check without a response, it didn't blow over well.

"Yeah." His reply was curt.

"How's your arm?"

"Fine."

Nayeli accepted her fate. She should've let him know that she was going off the grid, "Let's wash up to eat," she said quietly to Tatiana, leading her to the sink.

Their meal was tense, limited conversation and harsh looks thrown across the table. Nayeli tried to lighten the mood and failed more than once, eventually giving up and clearing plates when they were all finished. She rinsed the few dishes they used and put them into the dishwasher, shutting the door and drying her hands on the rag hanging from the oven handle.

"Put the TV on for Tati. We need to have a conversation," Ezra said, and fear crashed over her. Roles reversed, she now felt like the child in timeout as she shuffled into the living room and set Tatiana up to be distracted for a couple of hours.

He stayed behind her, walking to the second guest bedroom where she'd attempted to sleep because being in the master was like being transported into the pages of a diary she desperately wanted to get rid of. The second guest room was the furthest away from the front of the house and held the least sentimental value. He pushed the door until there was nothing more than a crack so they could clearly hear what was going on in the living room.

Nayeli sat down on the edge of the bed and folded her legs, dipping her head apologetically before she spoke, "I'm sorry I didn't let you know I was turning my phone off. Not the best time to go missing, I know. I didn't mean to worry you or Tati."

"I'll get in your ass about that in a second. The bigger issue is you don't listen."

"Ezra-"

"Nope, you're gonna hear me first. I tell you shit for a reason. I told you to stay your ass in that bathroom for a reason. I told you to go to the doctor for a reason. You ignored me for what? You think I wanted to watch that nigga put a gun in your face? The fuck was going through your head, huh? How do you tell somebody to shoot you first? Then you start having panic attacks and got paramedics telling you you're at risk for a stroke and you thought it was a good idea to turn your fucking phone off so can't nobody check on you?! What if you did have a stroke? Huh? Nobody would've known unless they brought their asses over here. You're smarter than that, Nayeli. You had my daughter damn near in tears because she was scared something happened to you, and she could've been right. Shit's not okay." His tirade continued for another twelve minutes, laying into her for all that she did wrong, and she took it because it was her fault to begin with.

Every time she thought she would have a second to explain herself, he started again until he was huffing like he'd participated in a triathlon, and she knew he was done. Finally, it was her turn to speak.

"I apologize for not being more communicative, but there were too many people trying to get in contact with me, and silencing my phone wasn't enough. Reporters got ahold of my number. I need to change it. I just don't have the energy to do anything right now. I haven't even slept. My head is a mess." Her whole body ached in one way or another, likely from the odd positions she sat or laid in.

"I'm hearing a lot of me, myself and I but you weren't the only one there. Do you think it was easy to explain this shit to Tatiana? You think my head's not fucked up right now? I could've lost my life."

"I know that, Ezra. You and Tati are all I've been thinking about," she said frustratedly, "It's why I didn't stay in the bathroom. I knew for a fact Jalen wouldn't shoot me. I was very afraid that he would shoot you, and had I not walked out when I did, he might've. You didn't see how close he was to pulling the trigger. I did." He'd been maybe a second and a half away from squeezing when she got his attention, "Tati doesn't deserve to lose the one parent that actually loves her. I wanted to make sure you got home, and if that meant I had to shoot or die, so be it. Why did you even go out there unarmed?"

"I didn't, and what the fuck were you thinking telling him he had to go through you first? That's some suicidal shit if I ever heard it."

"He wouldn't have shot me. Just like you told me to stay in the bathroom for a reason, I said what I said to him for a reason. Was it reckless? Yes, but it saved your life. Thanking me would be nice."

"Why the fuck would I thank you for jumping in front of a gun for me? We both could've died," Ezra snapped. He wasn't understanding her attempt at justification, and he still felt how afraid he was when the barrel of the gun was pointed at her forehead. Her standing in front of him, inches from death and conversing with a psycho, were some of the most agonizing moments of his life. She kept trying to brush them off.

"But we didn't, so instead of being mad at me, can we just celebrate that?"

"NO! We can't! I almost lost you, Nayeli, and you don't seem to give a fuck because you think a nigga you didn't know was crazy wouldn't have shot you!"

"Don't make it sound like I made the decision on a whim."

"You did! As much as you think you knew him, there was obviously some shit you were in the dark about!"

"I don't disagree, but in the end, I was right. The outcome could've been different, I know that. He could've ignored everything I said, but he chose to die instead of shooting me or you like he wanted to. He's gone, and we're still here. Yelling at me isn't going to change what happened or make either of us feel better. I shouldn't have gone MIA, and again, I am sorry for worrying you and Tatiana. That was selfish of me. What I won't apologize for is not listening to you. I'm glad I didn't because if I'd made another decision, we might not be talking right now at all. I did what I did for you and for Tati. If you want to be mad at me, fine, but I will not apologize for putting your safety first. Only for not being strong enough to handle everything after," she finished, wiping away the tear that slipped out of her eye. She was grateful for it because it was less than the amount she would've shared had they finished the previous day with another ending.

Gradually, he calmed down. At the end of it all, the real problem revealed itself; they were afraid of losing each other. It was where her guilt and his anger stemmed from, two different responses to the same stimuli.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," he relented and sat next to her, sighing before he put his hand on her knee and ran his thumb along her skin, "I've only been scared like that one other time, when Tati was a baby and I had no idea what colic was or how to soothe her. I'm not used to feeling helpless. I don't like being in the dark, and I don't wanna see somebody I love sacrifice themselves for me. I don't wanna see you give up your life for me. You ever do some shit like that again, I'll put you in the ring with Brandy, no gloves. You got me?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Come here." He lifted his uninjured arm, and she climbed into his lap, closing her eyes as she tucked her head under his chin, "Thank you for saving my life."

"It was the least I could do," she mumbled back and snuggled closer to him. She felt the best she had all day. Her eyes leaked a little more, and she dried them on his hoodie.

"The least you could've done was stay your ass in that bathroom."

"You're going to be mad at me for a while, aren't you?"

"Hell yeah, telling niggas to shoot you first. I oughta pop you. Shit, now that I'm thinking about it, stand up and bend over my knee."

Nayeli struggle laughed and tilted her head back to look at him. His face was serious until they made eye contact, and he smiled, leaning forward to kiss her. The squeak of an opening door pulled their mouths apart. She turned her head and motioned for the troubled child to walk into the room.

"Are you done fighting?" Tati asked hesitantly, stopping in front of Ezra's legs.

"We weren't fighting, Princess. Just talking."

"Why was Daddy yelling at you?"

"I did something that made him upset, but everything is okay now. We both said sorry," Nayeli explained. Tatiana hopped onto the bed and hugged them both.

"Don't fight anymore, please," she said, "I like when we're happy together, and I don't want you to leave us because Daddy yells at you." Her eyes were wide and scared.

"You're never getting rid of me," Nayeli said with an encouraging smile, lightly pinching Tati's chin, "No matter what happens, I'll always be around for you. I promise."

"And no more fighting?"

"We're gonna argue sometimes, Tati. People get mad, and they have to talk about it to fix it, but I won't yell at her again," Ezra added.

"Just be nice to her or she won't want to be my mommy."

He and Nayeli looked at each other at the same moment. The conversation wasn't foreign to him. Tatiana expressed more than once after Thanksgiving how she felt about Nayeli, but he'd expertly left parenting out of their conversations for fear of driving Nayeli further away. That fear was creeping up in him again.

They just came to an understanding and agreed to slow the place. Being referred to as Mommy wasn't slowing anything. Jumping in front of a gun for someone didn't either. It might've been time to visit the topic, but Nayeli was obviously overwhelmed, and he wasn't at 100 either.

Now that he knew his woman was okay, he was better. Still, he had issues of his own to work out.

"Princess, there isn't anything in this world that would make me not want to be your mom, but you have one already. I can't take her place." She beat him to responding, though her answer wasn't far off from what he would've said. It was too bad Tatiana wouldn't accept it.

"Why not? I want a mommy that wants to be my mommy, not her."

Nayeli bit the inside of her cheek and searched her repertoire of kid friendly answers for something. She wanted Tati to be unafraid of expressing herself, and she didn't want to teach her to accept any kind of treatment because a person was related to her. She didn't want to teach her that people treating someone poorly was nothing more than a misstep or mistake when it could be that person's character.

Part of Savannah's character was being neglectful. Nayeli couldn't tell Tatiana that she was wrong for how she felt, and while they hadn't been discussed, Ezra's feelings matched her own, which meant he was at a loss for words, too.

Should they tell her to give Savannah a chance even though it was obvious the woman would squander it?

Naaaaaaah.

Ezra's mind was made up. Documentation was recorded and filed. Court date was set, and he was ready to say fuck it. A judge couldn't screw him over because of one incident with all the evidence he had on his side.

But Nayeli's role in their lives was up to her, so he'd follow her lead. He just had to find out what she was thinking.

"We need to talk about that first," he said to Tati.

"Okay, can we talk about it now?"

"It's an adult conversation, babygirl."

"But it's about me so I should be here."

Nayeli stifled a giggle, putting her head down and scratching the back of it, "Why don't you go to the living room for a little while, and when we're done talking, we'll come to you, okay?"

"Okay, hurry please," Tati said and left, pulling the door closed and pretending to walk away. Ezra was used to her tricks and put a finger to his mouth to keep Nayeli quiet as he shifted her to the spot next to him. He got up and moved to thwart the secret listening.

"You gotta work on your fake footsteps if you want to be nosey," he teased and snatched the door. Tatiana pouted at being caught and dragged her feet all the way to the living room. Ezra decided to leave the door open just in case she tried to come back, "Let me know what you wanna do. We talked about slowing things down so ball is in your court. We can do this another day if you want. There's a lot going on."

Nayeli considered waiting. She was still a guilt ridden, jumbled mess, but with him and Tati in the house, it was all easier to deal with. She took that as God telling her to stop fighting what He planned for her because it didn't follow the parameters she set before she knew what she was looking for.

"I think she's right to want a mom that wants her. She deserves that. And I think I have to face facts. Terrified, traumatized, confused or content, I'd give my life for yours and hers. I'm not going anywhere. I'm comfortable being a bonus mom. I think the more important conversation is whether or not that's something you'd be comfortable continuing if we were to ever break up. I would never abandon her, but at that point, it would be up to you," she said. 

"We're never breaking up. Get that out your head now."

"Ezra, I'm serious. I'm not planning for it, but we should have something in place if I'm going to be taking on a bigger role in her day to day life."

"I wouldn't keep her from you," he said, "She's tried really hard with Savannah, and I can't stand seeing her heart broken. I wouldn't break it even more by telling her she can't see you."

"Then it's settled."

From that day forward, she would be a bonus mom.