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hard-core-super-star · 12 days ago

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sudden desire [K.Bishop + Y.Belova]

pairing: dom!yelena belova x sub!reader x switch!kate bishop

summary: after yelena dissapears on an unknown mission for a month, kate decides to take things into her own hands and encourage her to come home. things don't go exactly as planned for her on the blonde's return.

warnings: SMUT, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT! -> dom/sub dynamics; implied pet play {collars, yelena using 'pet' and 'kotenok'}; orgasm denial; bondage; fingering; oral; sex toys; a dash of overstimulation; praise + degredation; kate's a brat and proud of it; yelena's mean but a secret softie; a SEVERE lack of proof-reading!

wordcount: 4.8k

a/n: SURPRISE! kinktober may be over but i got too attached to this idea and had to finish it. i have so many thoughts and feelings about this fic but i will save them and let you guys read it and form your own opinions about this dynamic. personally, i am OBSESSED with them and i would love to expand this little universe a little more. despite this being mostly shameless smut, there are quite a few feelings involved, especially regarding yelena and how being in this dynamic helps her unwind in a way without things being strictly sexual. so yeah, there's a lot but i really hope you enjoy <3

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It doesn't take a genius to figure out Yelena has been acting off for the past few weeks.

It isn't unusual for her to be a little distant. Still a little rough around the edges, thanks to the unbelievable amounts of trauma she keeps hidden inside herself. Things are different this time, though.

It's been days since she's shown up at the apartment, even longer since she's returned one of your calls. She never goes more than a few days without letting you know where she is, that she's okay and simply busy on whatever mission has taken her attention this time.

Kate tells you not to worry, that the Russian is probably just caught up in whatever mess she's discovered. You know better than that.

Unfortunately for the archer, you learned what the constant furrowing of her eyebrows means a long time ago.

Unfortunately for you, she's far too good at distracting you, always knowing exactly what to do, exactly what to say to steal all your thoughts away.

She can't fully erase your worry, though. Not that she'd even try, considering she feels the same way. Underneath all her stupid jokes, there's an edge of uncertainty she can't quite hide. It weighs her down more than anything else.

You both know Yelena could disappear in an instant if she wanted to. She could throw it all to the wind and never be heard from again if she so pleased.

She'd promised she wouldn't do it, though. Reassured you and Kate that after spending so long without a stable place to call home, she wanted to stay with you two. She wanted to be with you two.

It had taken very little to convince Kate to agree. Despite their rocky beginning, the chemistry they shared was obvious to even the most oblivious. Instead of being jealous about it like you maybe should have, you were intrigued and maybe more than a little attracted to it.

To them and the borderline overwhelming confidence they seem to exude together.

You've never been one for liking simple things, though, and the challenge of keeping them from going at each other's throats acts like an aphrodisiac most nights.

For all their bickering, they're surprisingly easy to manage. Except when it comes to the intricate play sessions Yelena enjoys setting up.

The details of what your relationship had turned into were mostly lost on you. All you knew was that whatever the Russian says goes...and Kate was bound to get punished for not doing as she was told.

As much as Yelena loves to complain about it, you all know she secretly loves it. Loves the thrill that comes with being in charge. That safe rush that takes over her mind and allows her to act without thinking. To command respect in a way she'd never experienced before.

It was a change of pace from what you were used to with Kate, that was for sure. Despite the uncharted territory, you'd gotten used to it far faster than you would have ever imagined. They both made it easy and there was something about the submission Yelena expected from you that made your heart race.

You'd never experienced anything like it before, but you couldn't deny how much you liked it. How much you craved it when she was gone.

Kate does what she can to make the time without the blonde more bearable. You're thankful for her, for the way she knows what you need without even having to ask, but it's not the same. A part of you feels guilty about it. Like there's something wrong with you for wanting to have both of your girlfriends with you.

The archer doesn't seem to mind, though. You know she feels the exact same way you do. As incredible as being with each other is, Yelena brings something different to your relationship. Something extra that you both thrive off of.

Maybe that's what makes Kate employ such...interesting persuasion tactics.

Once the days turn into weeks which turn into a month, the archer's patience wears thin. Just because you both know Yelena's silence must be due to a dangerous mission doesn't mean you're okay with the lack of communication.

Your impatience starts blending with Kate's and before you know it, you're caught in the middle of one of her "incredible" plans.

"Come on, babe," she says, her lips pulling into that all-familiar smirk. "Maybe all Yelena needs is a good incentive. Don't you want her to see what a good girl you're being for me?"

Her words do a good job convincing you, but they're not enough. You know all too well how cruel the Russian can be when she feels she's been disrespected. And the archer playing with you without permission is definitely off-limits.

It's hard to deny Kate when she's looking at you like that, though. With those sparkling eyes and that suggestive smirk.

"I don't know, Katie, it feels like a bad idea," you reply, ignoring the way she keeps leaning closer and closer to you.

"Maybe but bad ideas are the most fun, aren't they?"

You can't exactly argue with that, considering the many stupid things you've done together that have led to incredible pleasure. Although, truth be told, the archer is usually the one who has to bear the burden of whatever punishment comes after. You wish you could say you feel bad about that but...she is the one who comes up with most ideas.

You're in the middle of trying to form a response when Kate leans in to capture your lips in a heated kiss. It's impossible to stop yourself from kissing her back, your hands moving up to tangle in her messy hair.

You pull her closer to you until she's straddling your lap, practically trapping you between her and the couch. You'd love to complain, but she feels far too good against you for you to even try.

Her kisses make your mind spin until nothing remains except her. She knows this, of course, because she knows you so damn well.

When she pulls away, she's breathless yet somehow still smiling like you put the stars in the sky. "I think you're coming around to my idea."

She's not wrong but the smugness in her tone pisses you off a little. "I still think it's stupid."

"I never said it wasn't." Kate rolls her hips, tantalizingly grinding down against you. "But I promise you'll have a good time."

You groan as your head leans back against the couch with a soft thump. "You're gonna get us in so much trouble."

"Yelena loves her little troublemakers, though."

"Oh my God, please stop talking."

"Not until you agree." Her lips find their way onto your jaw, pressing soft kisses and teasing bites to your skin. "...please."

It's a low blow and he knows it, but it's impossible to deny the archer when she asks for things so nicely. "Ugh, fine, just don't tie the ropes so tight this time."

Kate agrees and before you know it, you're naked and tied up with the purple rope the archer loves to use on you. To top everything off, she wrapped her collar around your neck, something that was bound to get a reaction out of the Russian.

You and Kate were her pets and while she allowed the archer to stake some claims of dominance over you, this one was off-limits. Not that Kate cared much. She was usually a lot better at doing things behind the blonde's back, though.

What Yelena didn't know didn't hurt her, but now, she was about to be dragged into something she wasn't going to be very happy to see.

Sending her pictures of the evidence is one thing, but Kate wants more. She always does.

So, she brings out more toys, stuffing your cunt with a thick dildo and pressing a relentless vibrator to your puffy clit. The pleasure is more than enough to drown out your thoughts and objections which means you barely flinch when Kate takes her phone out again. She records the way you squirm for her, the way you moan her name like a prayer, and then, to top it all off, she sends the videos to a very pissed off Russian.

It takes a while for the consequences of the archer's actions to catch up to you.

Since Yelena's obviously busy, it takes her a few days to come back. You're not home when she arrives, having gone out to run a quick errand, but Kate is.

Which means you're met with quite the situation on your return.

The second you close the apartment door behind you, you're slammed against it, a gentle yet firm hand wrapping itself around your throat. You freak out for about a second until your senses catch up to reality and the smoky scent of Yelena's cologne hits your nose.

Almost instantly, you relax into her hold and meet her dark green eyes. There are so many words on the tip of your tongue, but you can tell she's not in the mood for it. Her mind is completely set on the scene she already started without you.

"Hi, detka. Did you miss me?"

You do your best to nod despite how difficult her grip on your throat makes it.

"Yes? Well, that is not what Kate Bishop told me a few days ago. She said you were being a naughty slut for her."

Her words make your heart drop into your stomach. You knew Kate's plan was stupid, but you didn't think she would throw you under the bus like that. What a cheeky little traitor.

"Do not worry, kotenok, Kate and I already worked things out. Would you like to see?"

Without waiting for a response, she moves her hand from your throat to your hand, gently tugging on it to lead you toward the living room. You go with her and your eyes are instantly drawn to Kate's figure on the couch, tied up in a pattern strikingly similar to the one she'd used on you mere days ago.

The biggest difference, though, is the large, purple dildo stuffed inside her cunt. Just from looking at her, you know exactly what her punishment is going to be for stepping out of line the way she did. You have to admit, though, she looks incredible like this. Gagged and wearing her purple collar with the leash attached.

"What do you think?" Yelena asks, her tone giving away how proud she is of herself.

"She looks good," you reply, earning yourself a smile from the Russian and a muffled whine from the archer.

As much as you sympathize with Kate, you can't say you didn't warn her.

A soft squeeze to your hand makes you turn to look at Yelena again. There's a familiar softness in her features as she looks at you, almost as if she's trying to read you, trying to figure out if you're on the same page as her. You know where that insecurity comes from and you're more than ready to wipe any and all doubts from her mind.

It's easier said than done, though, and the first step is always the hardest.

Thankfully, Yelena takes it for you.

"Kneel."

It's a single word, barely a command, but the storms hidden in her green eyes don't lie. She needs this just as much as you need her.

So, even though you crave comfort more than submission right now, you do exactly what she says. You drop down onto your knees in the middle of the living room, doing your best to ignore the way Kate squirms on the couch.

Yelena steps forward, her hand reaching out to caress your face. "You look so good like this, malishka. You understand pets should be seen and not heard, right? Or do I need to teach you a lesson too?"

You shake your head, not feeling particularly enthused about receiving a punishment already. Then again, you're sure if the blonde really wanted to, she'd do it anyway, regardless of your good behavior.

"Good."

It's not entirely praise, but her voice carries a twinge of affection that makes Kate whine. You don't know what happened between them, what exactly the archer did to piss off the blonde so much, but you know she's paying for it now. Which means, in some weird way, you're paying for it too.

Yelena admires you for a long moment, silently watching your reactions, watching the way you submit deeper and deeper with eveyr second that goes by. She loves Kate, she really does, but there's something about the ease with which she can control you that does things to her that she can't explain.

It's not about the pleasure. At least, not fully.

It's not even about the power she holds over you right now.

It's about the control. About being able to not worry and know you'll do exactly what she wants.

She doesn't have to guess or think too hard.

You're both on opposite ends of the same spectrum. You both need each other to stop the fears and the worries. To quiet your thoughts until nothing remains but each other...and the whiny, puppy-like switch squirming on the couch.

It's strange, but it works. You all work. And it's absolutely terrifying because none of you have ever experienced anything like this before. You've never wanted anything the way you want each other.

"What do you want from me tonight, detka?" The blonde asks, her voice still soft despite the hardness on her face. "I will give you anything you desire."

Her words carry far more weight than you want to think about right now. You want to simply focus on the scene. On the role you have to play here.

It's hard, though, when Yelena's looking at you with an adoration that rivals Kate's. It's not like the Russian doesn't love you. You know she does. She just shows it in ways that aren't super compatible with you.

Right now, though...right now, it's working for you far more than it should be. All you can think about is how much you missed her, how badly you want to be under her control once more.

You're not sure how to articulate what you're looking for. All you can do is hope the blonde can make sense of the messy thoughts in your head.

"I just want you," you reply, your words a touch too vulnerable for your liking. "Want you to take control. To touch me until I can't take it anymore."

After spending the past few weeks taking orders from rich people who pay well but don't understand what it takes to kill a person, your request sounds like music to her ears. It's almost laughable how easy it'll be to fufill your desires, to give you exactly what you want until you can't think about anything else but her.

"I can work with that," she says, the corners of her mouth curling up into a wicked smirk. "As long as you are okay without Kate Bishop?"

The question catches you a little off-guard. Not because you're particuarly in need of the stubborn archer, but because she is. Yelena's a good domme, no one can deny that, and yet she hesitates to use you without Kate breathing down her neck.

She must be really pissed off if she wants to keep her off to the side and away from the action.

"Yeah, I'm okay with that." Your words are true, but you can't deny your curiosity so you push a little more. "Is she only allowed to watch?"

"Until I decide she has learned her lesson."

Yelena's response makes Kate cry out again. All the blonde has to do is look up and glare to get her to quiet down. It's scary how angry she seems to be...and also really, really hot.

Especially when she looks back down at you and her eyes soften. "Present yourself for me, kotenok. Remind me what I have been missing."

You don't waste any time in scrambling into position. Kate's eyes seem to burn through you while you get onto your hands and knees in front of Yelena, pushing your ass back just a little.

Despite the clothes you're still wearing, you feel incredibly exposed.

That feeling only intensifies as the blonde walks around you, circling you slowly and taking in every inch of your body. You're not sure where to look, stuck between wanting to duck your head in a show of submission and keeping your eyes on Kate, watching the frustration that blooms across her beautiful features.

Thankfully, Yelena doesn't like keeping you guessing. She enjoys clear commands, leaving none of you with doubts about what she's looking for. "Keep your eyes on her, datka. You too, Kate Bishop."

You let out a hum in response while the archer in front of you huffs and squirms around in her restraints. You have to admit...the sight is incredible.

The Russian settles behind you, a callused hand reaching out to caress down your spine. It takes you a second longer to realize you feel more than just her hand. However, as soon as the thought hits you, she steals them all away with a precise slice of her trusty combat knife.

It shouldn't be surprising, and yet you still gasp, your back arching while she cuts away your clothes. "Do not worry, detka, Kate Bishop will you buy a new outfit. Isn't that right, pet?"

Kate all but glares at you. You know it's not about you. Whatever issues they're having are unfortunatly being worked out through you, but you're not the problem. Hell, maybe there isn't even a problem. Maybe they're just having fun pushing back against each other because they can.

You honestly don't know. But the uncertainty makes everything all the more pleasurable. At least for you. You're not sure the archer can say the same thing.

Yelena makes quick work of your clothes, allowing them to drop to the ground and reveal your dripping cunt. You can't see her smirk, but you feel it in the way her fingers skim over your skin. Light enough to tease but hard enough to remind you not to move. To stay nice and still while she has her fun.

"Look at you. So desperate already. You truly amaze me, kotenok. Always so ready for me to use your pretty holes."

Your walls clench around pure air, making the smirk on the blonde's face grow wider. She can't stop herself from sinking onto her knees behind you and reaching out to touch you.

Two fingers tease and prod at your entrance while she watches you shake and shudder under her touch. She spreads your lips apart just to watch the way your cunt flutters around nothing. A part of her wants to draw this out, you're sure of it, but she's missed you just as much as you've missed her. (Maybe more, but she'd never admit that out loud. Especially not with Kate around)

"You are so good for me, so perfect. All for me to use."

You open your mouth to reply, more out of instinct than a need to say something, but all that comes out is borderline pathetic moan as the blonde works her fingers into your pussy.

She sets a slow pace, almost as if she's taking her time exploring you. The slow speed does little to soothe the fire burning low in your belly but it does help ease your desperation. Not by much, of course, and you're sure the blonde knows that.

Almost as if on cue, Yelena's other hand joins the fun, thumb drawing circles on your sensitive clit. The action catches you off-guard and you barely manage to balance yourself instead of falling face-first onto the ground below you.

Your reaction makes her laugh, but what really entertains her is the struggle Kate is visibly going through.

The archer has always thrived off your pleasure. Always gotten off on your desperate sounds, on the way you lose control over your body, on the palpable desperation that stretches itself over your features. Today is no different. Except for the fact she can't get off.

Sure, her cunt is stuffed full and the dildo keeps rubbing up against her in the best way whenever she squirms around too much, but it's not nearly enough. Her clit throbs painfully, swollen and in desperate need of attention. She won't be getting anything right now, though. Not until Yelena decides she's learned her lesson...or until Kate manages to make herself cum.

"Look at her, malyshka. And here I thought you were the needy one."

You do look at Kate, more out of habit than anything else. She's a vision. Flushed, desperate, and so squirmy it's a miracle she hasn't fallen off the couch.

The sight of her makes you clench around Yelena's fingers, greedily trying to pull them in deeeper. Neither of you are surprised, but it does make the blonde a little more competitive than usual.

She suddenly increases her speed, curling her fingers just enough to have you pushing back against her in search of more. "Such a greedy little pet. You are lucky I like seeing you like this. Although..."

Her words trail off and you instantly know she's coming up with something new. Some other way of making you submit to her, of playing with both of you until Kate stops trying to be a smartass. You doubt that'll happen, but you know Yelena will try anyway.

Whatever the Russian comes up with, she doesn't say anything more, instead going right back to fucking into your cunt. She works a third finger into your walls, stretching you on the digits while she mercilessly rubs your clit.

You can feel it building. The pleasure reaching and reaching toward a fever pitch that will leave you fuzzy-headed and thoughtless. It's so close. You open your mouth, obediently getting ready to ask for permission like a good pet, when suddenly...she removes her fingers from you.

You try your hardest to hold on to some semblance of composure, but you can't. Not when you were so close and full and feeling so good.

A whine makes its way out of your throat and you promptly earn yourself a hard smack to your ass.

"Do not be a brat. You do not want to join Kate Bishop, correct?"

Your response is instantaneous. "No. I'm sorry."

"I know you are, kotenok. But I still need you to behave, okay?"

You nod and Yelena smiles at your quick change of mood. She doesn't say anything else, merely motions for you to crawl forward, toward Kate and the mess between her legs.

Your body moves before you can even comprehend what you're doing. You crawl toward the archer, coming to a stop right between her spread legs, courtesy of Yelena shifting her around until she was sitting up. You tilt your head back to look up at the blonde, waiting slightly impatiently for her command.

You have a feeling you already know what it's going to be.

Yelena takes her time, though. Pretending to be busy adjusting Kate's posture and spreading her thighs for you to see the mess she's made of herself.

Once she's satisfied, and your nose is full of the scent of the archer's arousal, she finally tells you to move. "You know what to do, detka. Make the brat scream your name."

If Kate has any objections, they're swallowed up by her moans once your tongue finds its way onto her clit. It practically pulses beneath you and you waste no time wrapping your lips around the bud and sucking. Hard.

The archer tries to squirm away from you, caught somewhere between her sensitivity and her desperate need for an orgasm. Yelena holds her steady while she keeps her eyes on you. She doesn't really need to, she already knows you know what to do.

You technically don't have permission to touch so you put all your focus into making Kate fall apart with just your mouth. The frantic bucking of her hips tells you all you need to know about how she's feeling. You've never been so jealous of a dildo before, wishing it was your fingers she was clenching around instead.

The archer doesn't seem to mind, though, head thrown back against Yelena, muffled whines leaving her gagged mouth. Whatever the blonde is saying to her is a mere whisper, a secret between them, perfectly crafted to make her fall apart.

You double your efforts, sucking her clit and dragging your tongue along the surface. Your eyes are glued to her face, to the pleasure that spreads along every inch of it, to the rapid heaving of her chest as she tries to keep herself under control. It's useless, though. You all know she's on the edge of losing her composure. Of letting her usual brattiness fade away until all that remains is Yelena's power over her.

Kate's shaking increases in intensity, giving away just how close she is to falling apart. She can't exactly ask for permission due to being gagged but then again, she doesn't need to. Yelena already knows. She always knows.

"Come on, Kate Bishop. Do not tell me you forgot the rules already. I was hoping I would be able to reward you for doing such a good job."

The archer bucks into your mouth, making you moan against her. The vibrations do little to soothe the burning in her core and it takes all her willpower to not fall apart right then and there.

All she can do, though, is let out a string of incoherent mumbles, tinged with a whiny edge that makes Yelena smirk. Those sounds are nowhere near the words she's meant to be saying, the desperate begging the blonde loves hearing from her.

"It sounds like someone does not want the reward I'm offering. What a shame..." She trails off purposely, doing it just to mess with the archer's head.

Kate bites. Of course, she does. As much as she loves to pretend, and as stubborn as she can be most days, she loves this. Loves the rush that comes with the blonde's power over her. There's pleasure in the pushback, but it's when she lets go that she truly feels the weight of it.

You don't slow down for a second. You know it makes things much harder for your girlfriend, but you can't really help it. You're intoxicated by the smell of her, by the taste of her never-ending arousal.

She continues to let out strings of mumbles and whines, each sound growing more desperate than the last. Her thighs shake uncontrollably, giving away just how much she's struggling to hold her orgasm off.

As mean as Yelena can be sometimes, she's not cruel. She only drags the moment out for a few extra seconds before her hand curls into Kate's hair, dragging her head back to expose her delicate throat. "I know, I know. Go ahead, cum for me, darling. You did good."

It's unclear which part of the Russian's words gets to the archer, but it doesn't matter, the effect is the same.

Her whole body stills for a second, a strangled cry getting caught in her throat as she comes undone.

You moan with her which helps drag out the pleasure crashing into her like waves. You work overtime to lap up her release, drinking in her essence and soothing her overwhelming sensitivity as best as you can. It doesn't seem to work considering how violent her shaking becomes, but you don't have any complaints.

Yelena's hand somehow finds its way onto your hair next and she pulls you off the whining archer. "Such a good pet for me. Good girl, kotenok. Will you help me with Kate? She is...a little out of it."

You know what she means. Mainly because you can see it but also because of the way the blonde drops off Kate's last name. You're not fully sure why she has such a fascination with using your girlfriend's full name all the time. All you know is her habit instantly dissapears when the archer's submissive side comes out.

It's not too surprising, though, considering how badly Kate craves comfort and connection in those moments.

A part of you wants to complain since you still haven't gotten your orgasm, but you know better.

You stand up on shaky legs and help Yelena untie the brunette. Leaving the collar on is a no-brainer and even though her whines are pitiful, you slide the dildo out of her.

You pepper kisses across her skin the entire time, instantly recognizing how glossy her eyes are, how far away her mind seems to be. She's as beautiful as ever, in your opinion.

In no time, the three of you are snuggled up in bed. Kate's still really floaty, you're on the edge of going totally fuzzy, and Yelena is happier than she's been in weeks.

Maybe it's weird but you really don't fucking care. Not when Kate's head is resting in your lap and you're completely relaxed lounging in between Yelena's legs.

#kate bishop x reader #yelena belova x reader #bishova x reader #bishova smut #bishova #kate bishop #yelena belova #kate bishop smut #yelena belova smut #hawkeye #black widow #avengers fanfiction #marvel fic #mcu imagine #wlw fic #writing

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yorutsuki · 7 months ago

Note

You're cooked. Now write boothill.

「 ✦ Metal Tension ✦ 」

↳ Boothill, an optimistic and unrestrained cowboy—a galaxy ranger just so happens to be looking for a specific emanator though runs into you. Unfortunately, tension forms quickly.

[ gender neutral reader; they/them ]

Tags:

──────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆──────

Light clangs and clunks echoed softly around the grounds of Penacony. His hair swaying lightly behind him along with his cape—while his metal body reflected the bright lights of the city.

"The Dreamscape..." Boothill breathed, taking in the sights of the bubbly, lit scenery.

The cowboy was drawn into Penacony in search for a specific emanator roaming about. He heard, from a memokeeper, that she would be found traveling besides an Astral Express crew. Hence, that would be his first step; to track them down.

It wasn't hard to track the group down, considering their popularity throughout the scape. With a few conversations with the residences and locals, he easy found one of the passengers—you.

Currently you were seated in a bar, a glass of paper moon near you while you skimmed through your phone.

Your head perked up as you heard a low rasped chuckle near you.

"You must be the famous {Y/n}?" He spoke, a light sly smile plastering his lips. "May I sit?" He asked, signaling to the seat next to you.

Your expression showed confusion but nonetheless you nodded both to the question and request, signaling a 'go ahead'. "Yep, that's me. Do you need something?" You sighed, popping the 'p' before taking a sip of your drink.

The ranger hummed, "a paper moon? That's a hell of a drink, isn't it?" He raised his brow, ignoring your question.

You nodded, setting down your glass. "A chaotic and busy week." You huffed, recalling the events you endured recently—still feeling some bruising from some of them.

The galaxy cowboy ranger nodded in acknowledgement, setting his arms, crossed on the table. You glanced over to him skeptically. "Well then, I told you my name, I think it's only right you introduce yourself." You spoke, taking another sip.

"Eager huh? Names' Boothill." He smirked, placing his head to one of his palms.

"Well then, Boothill, what are you exactly here for?" You asked once again, sighing—not wanting to beat around the bush. You knew the man wasn't here just for a idle chat.

You heard the cyborg chuckle at your straightforwardness, "Observant. Well, i'm here looking for a emanator who goes by the name, Acheron."

You furrowed your brows, "why?" You questioned.

if you weren't beating around the bush, then it should be an even playing field, no?

Boothill's sly smirk turned into a light smile of menace. "To eliminate her."

You hummed in thought before gulping down the rest of your drink, grabbing your phone and leaving the bar.

Boothill frowned for a moment though his signature smirk appeared once more before he himself stood up, trailing after you.

"I don't think you know what your dealing with." He spoke, shaking his head. You however, were pretty sure you knew the risks of Acheron tagging along. "I-the crew has seen her potential power already, as well as her persona in general. Maybe not at the fullest but it's safe to say we know enough to trust her currently." You answered, recalling the information that the crew and her had exchanged during the time together.

"-though that can't be said for you." You halted with you movement, glancing towards him with furrowed brows. Boothill raised a brow, his eyes glancing over to you as well, his expression plastering the same amused expression.

"Look here darlin', i'm here for one objective. I'm not here to make enemies with the express—that would be meaningless and a waste of both sides' time." He hummed. "So if you could just give me even a slight clue of where the emanator is, i'll be on my way." He shrugged, resting a hand on his hip.

You shook your head lightly, "I can't, I don't know where she is. She pops in and out—here and there at times." You informed, crossing your arms, replicating his sass. "Besides, I believe your the one who hasn't a clue what they're dealing with." You glared at him.

Boothill returned the glare, though before any words could be uttered, a sudden wave of fire split the tension as both of you were quick to dodge it.

Looking to your side, you were faced with a Dreamjolt gorilla and overcooked, along with some other low enemies.

You grit your teeth while the ranger's smirk only grew wider at the new challenge. Though before he could even process, you were already taking action—taking swift and agile turns, aiming and destroying the mechanics' weak spots to which they crumbled into ash upon.

Within under a minute, the enemies were nothing but ash in the wind.

You had returned back to your spot like nothing happened, only a few breathes here and there. You looked towards the man, a brow raised as you felt a pair of eyes watching your every move. "You need something?"

The galaxy ranger looked away, almost in thought. "Those moves...they're familiar.." He stated, looking to the ground before glancing back at you. "Where did you learn them?"

Your eyes turned soft only for a second as you grinned slightly. "The emanator. She was kind enough to lend me some tips." You smirked but quickly replaced it was a neutral face.

Boothill's gaze went surprised only for a split second before turning into a sly cocky look. "Well, would ya look at that. Y'know Acheron doesn't just teach anyone her knowledge." He smirked before leaning near your ear. "You must be a pretty special thing then." He laughed before retreating back.

Your words got caught in your throat. You knew it was a teasing comment but thats what stunt you.

You mumbled something inaudible before your phone pinged. "Oh? Is that the rest of your crew?" He chuckled, peeking over towards your screen. You glanced towards him and back, nodding.

A few moments passed before your phone vanished into your inventory, specks of dust in place of it's disappearance. With a huff, you look towards the metal man, "well, i'm guessing we'll be seeing each other around, unfortunately." You shook your head much to your dismay.

Boothill smirked, "Of coarse. I look forward to our next run in—and how knows?" He shrugged, leaning forward, "maybe you can teach me some of those tricks, eh?"

You give a grimaced smile, "keep dreaming. This is the dreamscape after all." With that you waved a flimsy 'cya' before leaving.

Though if you stayed just a bit longer, you would've seen the cowboy ranger's cheeks tinted with a pink hue as he let out a airy laugh. "till we cross paths again."

A/N: I barely know about Boothill than whats already present. Hence, I apologize if its short and out of character TxT.

(I have no clue for a title)

[Random] While writing this, I read the most well executed, tear making, well written, heart warming, angsty af fanfic of a Michealangelo x reader (TMNT), I highly reccomend checking it out if you like TMNT-specifically mikey and angst :)

"Hearts Over Head (Michealangelo x Reader Fanfiction)" - Sophfandoms53

#x reader #scenerios #oneshot #gender neutral reader #gender neutral y/n #hsr x reader #hsr #honkai star rail #boothill #boothill x reader #boothill honkai star rail #boothill x y/n #headcannons

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randomshyperson · 2 years ago

Text

A pinch of paprika | Wanda Maximoff Oneshots

Summary: The night when Vision cooks for Wanda end very differently than how it went because you show up to save the dinner (and the girl). | Writing Challenge

Warning: None, it’s pure fluff with teasing and bad jokes.| Words: 1.269k

General Masterlist | AO3 | Wattpad

-&-

“Wanda, no one dislikes you.”

She would have chuckled at the Synthesized's clumsy attempt to improve her mood - It was kind, after all. - But she didn't get the chance. Another figure was entering the kitchen at the same moment Vision made the comment, and your teasing expression drew a much more sincere smile from her.

"Oh, don't speak for me, Microwave." You told him, only to look at the witch standing at the stove the next moment. "I haven't decided my opinion on that cute little witch yet."

Wanda giggles shyly at the nickname, blushing at the greeting wink you throw her. She doesn't know exactly when you two fell into this playful and comfortable dynamic, she just knows it happened and that she wouldn't trade it for anything.

Or well, maybe she could add something more...

"Hello, Miss Rogers." Vision greets half-heartedly at the sudden arrival. "I did not realize that you were still in the Tower. I figured with the current status of the Accords, you would have joined your brother..."

You waved - cutting him off as if the Robot's questioning mattered little to you. It was true because Wanda had your complete attention. Or, rather, almost, because you seemed quite curious about the pot of food.

"What is this supposed to be?" You ask her with the same tone as before, but now, much closer, enough to press your arms together when you lean in to smell the contents of the pan.

Wanda holds the spoon a little tighter. "Vision was making dinner."

You frown, looking at the robot in surprise. "I thought you couldn't eat, champ."

The machine clears its throat (Or mimics the motion, whichever way it operates).

"I was intending to raise Mrs. Maximoff's spirits." He clarifies by exchanging a look between you and Wanda. "Given the current circumstances, a comfort food should bring, well, comfort."

"Got it." You murmur offering a forced smile to the Synthesized. Wanda has no idea of the jealousy that burns in your chest at having to witness Vision think about this before you can. Screw the Accords for keeping you busy often enough.

The next moment, you taste the food, and your reaction is much more exaggerated than Wanda's, and maybe it's on purpose.

"Dude, whatever it is you tried to do here, it needs an intervention." You sneer and it's mean enough for Wanda to give you a gentle nudge for the robot's expression. You sigh begrudgingly. "Tell you what, Wanda and I will go get some ingredients at the market and you stay away from the stove-"

But just as you make mention of leaving the kitchen, Vision stands in your way. He exchanges a quick glance with Wanda to your confused chuckle.

"I'm afraid this isn't the best idea, Miss Rogers." He starts evidently uncomfortable with the whole thing.

"Dude. what the...?"

"Vision." Interferes with the witch, stepping forward. " Aren't you letting us leave?"

The Synthesized, clearly embarrassed, tries to keep his gaze on you. "I'm very sorry, but those were Mr.Stark's orders. Y/N, you shouldn't even be in the tower, but now that you are, Tony fears that other incidents might happen... It's all to ensure safety-"

The shove throws Vision at least five steps away. He locks his jaw, but you glare at him angrily.

"Get out of my way, Vision." You warn between teeth, raising a finger at the other. "Don't play Stark's butler on me. I'll have your ass unplugged."

With a gentle point toward the Stone on his head, you lower your hand. The Synthesized, though hesitating for a second, eventually steps forward.

"If you want to leave, you have every freedom to do so." He says seriously. "But Miss Maximoff-"

"Comes with me." You cut in, grabbing Wanda's hand with a tug. She gasps softly and holds your wrist with her free one, divided on not causing more trouble or just following you wherever you want. Your expression remains irritated toward the robot. "What kind of fucking attitude is that now, Vision? Betraying your own family and all that bull shit. I thought you cared about Wanda."

Vision's posture breaks, and it is evident that he would have blushed if he could. The Synthesized lowers his head in shame, and you sigh to calm yourself. When you speak again, it is much more tender than before.

"Me and Wanda just get something decent to eat. No trouble, no fuss." You say and move at a slow pace. Vision makes no mention of interfering now, and remains head down. "In the meantime, call Tony and tell him to stop being a dick."

Wanda bites back a laugh, gently pushing you out of the kitchen.

It shouldn't surprise her that you drive her into the garage, nor that you steal - borrow without asking - one of Stark's pickup trucks either. But still, seeing the set of backpacks inside, Wanda has to confirm:

"We're not going to the market, are we?"

You laugh. "Of course not, little witch." You assure her, stepping inside at the same time she does. The garage door opens, and you waste no time in taking the car out through the back of the Compound, the longer way but one that would arouse less suspicion. Splitting your gaze between the road and Wanda, you speak again: "I really thought there was something strange about this quarantine of yours, I had to check it out. Do you really think I was gonna let Tony Stark ground you? Even worse, with a guard dog at the door? Fuck them all. I'm taking you somewhere safe."

"B-but your brother..."

Your hand finds hers. "He will fight his own battles, as always." You retort gently, lacing your fingers over her thigh. "He's always done everything for Bucky, Wands. Nothing is going to change that. And I...I have someone like that now and I understand him. I finally do."

Wanda swallows dryly, shifting her gaze to your joined hands, her heart thumping in her chest. "This someone...you're talking about Natasha, right?"

You burst out laughing so loudly that you almost lose control of the car. Wanda would have slapped you if you weren't holding her hand. "Oh my god, I'm going all Thelma and Louise on you right now and you think I like Natasha? What the fuck..."

"Can you stop the car, please?" She cuts you off, and you grimace.

"We should probably move further away before-"

"I'm going to kiss you, asshole, and I don't want you to crash"

"Oh. Oh... O- okay, sure." You mumble quickly, very flushed. You let go of Wanda's hand only to shift gears, and you've barely parked on the side of the road and she's grabbing the collar of your shirt.

The first kiss you share on the highway exit under the starry New York sky tastes like chicken seasoning.

You and Wanda break into breathless laughter.

"Vision really is a terrible cook." You comment, feeling your stomach fill with nervous butterflies at the way Wanda is staring at you.

She giggles at the comment, helping you wipe some of the smeared lipstick from your lips. "And I'm still starving, detka. Can we get something to eat on the way?"

"Anything for my little witch." You assure with a passionate smile, and Wanda kisses you again before letting you get back to driving.

Many hours later, when Clint finds you guys at one of Natasha’s safe houses, he would pretend not to notice the lipstick marks fading into the collar of your shirt, nor the matching purple marks on Wanda's neck.

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda x reader #elizabeth olsen x reader #marvel imagines #wanda maximoff oneshots

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daggermeli · 10 months ago

Text

Tease

(Husband!Choso X Reader)

Warning: Smut 🔞

-------------------------------------------------------

You walked through the front door of your apartment. A fiery aura emitting from you. Behind you, your tease of a husband trailing behind, smiling to himself about the stunt he pulled earlier.

*4 hours ago*

It was the 4th annual Jujutsu Tech Social event. An event where all the famous names of the jujutsu world come together, discussing business and plans for the future.

This year you were forced to go, as the current head of the L/N clan. Your plus one being your charming as ever husband, Choso kamo. You arrived at the event in style, in a black Mercedes and with a beautiful dress and jewelry to match.

Upon entering the event, you both received many looks. Whether it be due to your appearance, the presence of the Kamo clan, or the fact that the two of you are newly weds, it didn't matter. The attention made you feel like the most gorgeous being on this planet, and it showed through the aura you displayed.

Throughout the night the two of you danced, laughed, and drank, enjoying each others company. But of course, being the tease he is, he loved to push his luck, especially in a room full of people.

He knew exactly what he was doing. He started by gently caressing the small of your back as he held you close. He moved his hand slowly down your body, stopping to grab and squeeze your ass. You were taken by surprise at the bold action, but played it off.

As the night went on, he didn't stop there. He kept touching you, groping you, even kissing you on the cheek in public. You thought you had gotten used to it until his actions became more sexual. He was getting too handsy and touchy, and it was becoming more apparent that he was turned on.

It was obvious. You could see the bulge in his pants, and feel his growing length on your backside. His hands would find themselves roaming your body, groping any exposed skin they could get to. You had enough.

"Oh, Y/N! How are you?" A man named Suguru Geto greeted, approaching you and Choso.

"I'm doing good! It's so nice to see you." You responded, putting on a friendly face.

Choso, however, didn't share the same sentiments. He was glaring daggers into the other male, not liking the fact that he's speaking to his wife. He's always been possessive, and the fact that he's the most attractive man at this event isn't helping.

"How's married life treating you?"

"It's been great so far, I can't complain." You smiled, trying to keep a conversation going.

"You know, if you're ever looking for something a bit more exciting, my doors are always open."

It was almost as if Choso was on autopilot, as he immediately stepped in between you and the man. He stood with his back facing you, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"Excuse me?" Choso questioned.

"I just thought I'd let her know."

"Well, she's not interested." Choso interjected.

"Oh really? How would you know?" Geto challenged.

"Because I'm her husband, and we're leaving." Choso stated before turning towards you.

"Goodbye Suguru." You said, walking away from the interaction.

*Back to present*

The moment the two of you arrived home, you slammed the door and locked it.

"What the fuck was that Choso?!" You yelled.

"He was flirting with you You know!"

"It was harmless! I'm not even interested in him, not to mention I'm married!"

"It doesn't matter. Men are dogs, all of them"

"All men? Even you?"

"Especially Me"

"Well maybe if you weren't being such a fucking tease at the event, I would've been able to stop that from happening!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He smirked.

"You're unbelievable!" You scoffed.

"I think I'm very believable."

He replied, a smirk still present on his face.

He stepped towards you, backing you up against the wall.

"I don't know what you're trying to do here, but you need to stop."

You warned, crossing your arms.

"Do what, love?"

"You've been teasing me all night, and now this? You're really playing with fire, aren't you?"

"I'd be happy to get burned." He chuckled.

You grabbed his chin, forcing him to look up at you.

"You know, I could end you right here and now."

"Do it."

"What?"

"Go ahead, end me." He taunted, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Is that what you want?"

"Maybe. Or maybe I want something else."

"And what is that?"

"I want you. I want to watch your demeanor change as you succumb to your desire for me. I want to hear those sweet sounds as I touch you in the ways only I know how. And finally, I want to watch as I ruin you, as I take the thing you hold dearest. You're mine and mine alone, and I want everyone to know."

Your lips crashed onto his. His words went straight to your core, igniting the fire you felt for him. You could feel his cock twitch at the feeling of your lips.

The kiss was desperate and passionate, the two of you fighting for dominance. His tongue entered your mouth, dancing with yours.

His hands were grabbing at your body, touching any exposed skin they could reach.

His hand slipped under your dress, moving your panties aside. He ran his fingers along your slick folds, a groan escaping his throat.

"Fuck, you're so wet for me already. I'm the only one that can do this to you, aren't I?" He asked, his voice low and raspy.

"Mhm." You nodded.

"Use your words, princess."

"Yes. Yes, you are the only one who can do this."

You confirmed, feeling his fingers graze your clit.

"Good girl. I'm the only one who can fuck you like this."

"Please. I want you so bad." You moaned.

"What do you want me to do? Tell me, and I'll give it to you."

"I want you to fuck me. Please, Choso, I need you inside of me."

He quickly picked you up and threw you over his shoulder, carrying you to the bedroom. He threw you on the bed, immediately crawling on top of you. He ripped off his shirt and jacket, throwing them across the room.

He kissed you once more, his lips attacking yours with urgency. He trailed his lips down your neck, leaving wet kisses in their path. His hands were all over your body, squeezing and caressing every inch of your skin.

His lips found their way to the tops of your breasts, sucking and nipping at the soft skin. He pulled your dress down, your breasts bouncing free. He wrapped his lips around your nipple, sucking and licking it.

His hand traveled down to your underwear, rubbing slow circles on your clit. You let out a gasp, the sudden feeling of his finger against your clothed clit surprising you.

"Mmm, you're so wet."

"Only for you." You replied, your head rolling back.

He continued his assault on your breast, while his hand slipped under your panties, running his fingers along your dripping cunt. He pushed a finger into your pussy, earning a moan from you.

"Oh god." You groaned, your fingers tangling themselves in his hair.

"You're so wet for me, fuck. Can't wait to bury myself in your tight pussy."

"Please, I want to feel you."

"Don't worry, you will. Soon."

He pulled his fingers out of you, making a show of licking them clean.

"You taste so good, love. But I'm sure you taste better down here." He said, a devilish smile on his face.

He took your panties and removed them, tossing them somewhere in the room. He settled himself between your legs, spreading them wide.

"Look at you, already so ready for me. Your pussy is dripping."

"Choso, please."

"Don't worry, love. I've got you."

He dove right in, latching his lips onto your clit. Your body reacted immediately, your back arching off the bed.

"Oh shit."

"You like that?"

"Yes, so much."

"Such a pretty pussy."

"You're so good with your mouth."

"You like when I eat your pussy?"

"God, yes. Fuck, I'm close."

"You're close already? What a good girl, cumming on my tongue. Go ahead, love. Cum on my tongue."

"Mmm, yes."

"Come on, I know you can do it. Cum on my tongue."

That was it. That's what made you unravel, your orgasm washing over you.

"Good girl. You did so well for me."

"Thank you. Now, please fuck me."

"Anything for my beautiful wife."

"Please, Choso. I need you."

"Don't worry, I'll give it to you. I'm going to wreck you."

He pulled his cock out, stroking himself as he admired you. You looked beautiful, a mess from his touches and kisses. He could tell you were eager to get fucked, the look on your face said it all.

"Fuck, you're so pretty." He muttered.

"Choso, please."

"Be patient, love. You'll get what you want soon enough."

He aligned himself with your entrance, the head of his cock prodding at your slick folds.

"I'm gonna make you feel so good."

"I know you will."

He thrust himself into you, your walls squeezing his cock.

"Oh my god." You moaned, the feeling of his cock filling you up overwhelming you.

"Fuck, youre so tight."

"You feel so good inside of me."

"Shit, and you're taking me so well. Such a good girl."

He began to thrust his hips, setting a fast and rough pace.

"You're so pretty when I'm fucking you."

"Mmm, keep going."

"Oh yeah, you love it, don't you?"

"Yes, I love it so much."

"Who fucks you better than me?"

"Nobody."

"And who do you belong to?"

"You. You, Choso."

"Good girl. My good girl. You're mine, aren't you?"

"I'm all yours. All yours."

"Mmm, all mine."

"So deep." You whined, your legs shaking as he fucked you.

"Your pussy's swallowing me whole."

"So big, you're so big."

"That's it, say my name. Tell the whole neighborhood whose fucking you."

"Ahh, Choso." You moan out as you both release.

"Fuck, you're amazing."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Next time, try not to be such a dick, ok?"

"No promises. I just can't help it, I can't control myself when it comes to you. Besides, seeing the angry look on your face is so hot."

"Choso." You groaned, lightly slapping him.

-------------------------------------------------------

Cross Post From My Wattpad: @Levi_and_Chosos_wife

#choso kamo #choso x female reader #jjk smut #jujutsu kaisen smut #meli writes

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rooster-the-love-of-my-life · 2 years ago

Note

Heya! I was wondering if I could request a Bradley Bradshaw x Reader fic that’s enemies to lovers, slow burn? Like with tons of angst and maybe life and death situation lol? Maybe they became enemies in the academy or swim thing over a miscommunication or just their personalities clashed at the time or maybe reader is related to maverick or ice? Sorry that’s so specific lol.

Omg, thank you. I've been trying to write for a long time but didn't have any ideas at all. So thank you and happy reading.

BTW, I'm still alive.

I lothe you...

From a very young age, Bradley and Y/N had been the bane of each others existence. If Bradley did something and qas praised for it, Y/N had to do it better than him. If Y/N excelled at something, Bradley had to do the same. That is how they both got in to the academy, and then to top gun.

For most of their lives they had been competing with each other, until Maverick pulled Bradley's papers, putting Y/N a step ahead from him. Even though she felt bad for him, and was angry with her father for a long time, she couldn't help but feel this sense of victory.

But it was short lived when he managed to get into the academy and then into Top Gun at the same time as her. Even there they were competitive, always doing the most dangerous tasks, trying to prove that they are better. Thus very completion led to Y/N being the top of the class and Rooster a close second.

After the year at Top Gun they had both gone their separate ways, and never met, never talked, until now. The crowded room of the hard deck felt like home, the smell of beer and the sea, with drunk pilots was bring all the good memories back.

"It's good to see you Birdie." Phoenix said, slinging her arm over Y/N's shoulder.

"It's good to see you too Phoenix. It's been too long." Y/N replied, taking a sip from her beer.

The both of them got into a comfortable conversation, talking about their lives, the missions they went on. A few moments later Y/N's eyes moved over to the door to see a flick of pilots bursting through the door.

With them was him. Bradley, he was here and he was going to be part of the mission. Before Y/N could duck out, hide or go away, Hangman had already called out to Rooster.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't baby goose." He said.

"Hangman," Replied Rooster. "You look good."

"I am good." Hangman replied with a smirk. Bradley just nodded.

"You didn't tell me you were coming." Phoenix said pulling him into a hug.

"Right sorry about that." Rooster said, pulling away. "Was a little busy."

Till now, Rooster had spotted Y/N.

"Mitchell." He said acknowledging her presence.

"Bradshaw." She replied, sipping her beer.

"So what do think this mission is?" Coyote questioned.

"Whatever it is, it's gotta be dangerous." Fanboy replied.

"They've got the best of the best here, who the hell were they gonna get to teach us?" Said Phoenix.

"Not everyone's the best." Y/N murmured into the drink, but was heard by everyone.

"What's that supposed to mean Mitchell?" Rooster said, standing up straight.

"Oh I think you know what it means." She said as a matter of fact.

"Really? I don't think I'm the one who slashed the tires of my bicycle just cause I came at second place." He said, bringing up the past.

"At least I didn't go home crying to mommy when I lost." She replied, making the squad laugh.

"Wait you did that," Hangman said, chuckling.

"Shut up." Rooster said, turning back to Y/N, enough had a gery satisfied look on her face.

Even after years of not seeing him she knew exactly how to push his buttons.

Rooster was just about to reply before Phoenix stepped in. "Okay kids, you can do this later. Right now, let's just get shit faced."

Both of them went away from each other, Y/N to the bar and Rooster to the piano. Soon enough a crowd gathered around him as he started playing Great Balls of Fire.

Y/N looked at him from afar, thinking of how he'd always been the musically gifted one out of the two of them. She could feel that this mission was going to be different from the rest, yet the danger of not knowing didn't stop her from being excited.

--------------------------------

The next day, everyone had gathered on the deck waiting for their briefing. Phoenix sat with Bob, Hangman up front, Rooster right behind him, Payback and Fanboy behind him, Y/N beside the two of them and Coyote, up front next to Hangman.

"Morning. Welcome to you special training detachment. This detachment will be rough. Half of you will be chosen for it. One of you will be named mission leader. And the other half will go back to reserves. Your instructor is one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced. His exploits are legendary. What he has to teach you may very well mean the difference between life and death. Captain Pete Mitchell. Callsign: Maverick."

Admiral Bates spoke, before stepping back as everyone sat down, looking back to see Captin Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell walking up to the podium.

Rooster glanced between Y/N and Mavrick, knowing that this wasn't going to he the easiest mission ever. Hangman flinched as well upon seeing him. By now Mavrick was holding up the F18 manual. "The F18's. I'm sure every one of you knows this book cover to cover." He spoke, looking throughout the crowd of pilots before him.

Variations of 'damn straight' and 'hell yeah' were given from some of the guys. "Yeah, well so does your enemy." Maverick spoke, throwing the manual down and into the trashcan next to his podium. "What your enemy doesn't know is your limits. And I plan to test them, push them, and expand them. Let's get started." He spoke, giving a cocky smile and nodded off to the where the F18's are.

Dogfighting is a skill all pilots must have. It's practically essential. Everyone should have it. And that is what they did today. First Phoenix and Bob went and barely made it out. Then Payback and Fanboy came back destroyed. Pete came back in and selected his next paring.

"Give me Birdie." He said. All eyes were on her now, and her eyes were on her dad's. She knew she was a good flyer, but she knew she would have to get a bloddy good wingman to beat him. Yale got up with her, as her wingman, but was quickly told to sit down by Mavrick.

"Yale, you're Hangman's wingman. Birdie , you get Rooster." And with that the captin was out. It was as if he'd dropped a bomb. Everyone got quite and very still. Even Hangman was tensed. Showing no emotion Y/N walked to her F-18, followed by Rooster.

"Don't screw this up for me Bradshaw." Birdie shouted over the loud noise of the F-18s.

"It should be the other way Mitchell."

With that they were both in the air. No words were spoken for quite some time, till Y/N asked "Where is he?"

Looking for him. Almost immediately Rooster said "Under you." And out came the oldest captin of the navy. He got out in front of Birdie, with her hot on his tail. Mavrick knew she would soon get tone on him, and he couldn't let that happen. They kept going for a few minutes till Mavrick came to a sudden stop, the only way to beat her, making Y/N fly forward, getting tone on her.

"That's a kill." He said as Birdie cursed under her breath. "Where's you wingman?"

"Right here." Rooster said, flying behind Mavrick not as quickly as he used to.

"You might wanna go a little faster if you don't wanna die." Commented Y/N, to which Rooster said noting. Soon enough, Rooster was dead as well.

"That's a kill as well. You know the whole point of having a wingman is for him to have your back. I expected more. From the both of you." Said Mavrick, when they landed. "Meet Hondo for your pushups."

They high landed their planes and went to Hondo for their pushups.

"You know." Y/N started with a little strain in her voice. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you stupidity."

"Right, as if you're perfect." Rooster scoffed, continuing with his pushups.

"I wasn't the one who abandoned you."

"Abandoned?!"

"Yes, abandoned. You're supposed to be my wingman, you're supposed to look out from me not fantasies about sex up there." Y/N said.

"Oh fuck you Mitchell." Rooster said, looking over to Y/N.

"I'm flattered, really, but no thanks." Her reply even got Hondo to Crack a little smile, but it was gone quickly when he saw Maverick approaching.

"Quit yapping and finish your pushups." He said as Maverick crossed them, looking down to see the two sweaty pilots shooting daggers at each other.

"Still the same." He murmered under his breath, shaking his head with a little smile on his face.

---------------------------------

The next week had been the same. Maverick would intentionally put Bradley and Y/N together, they would go up, something would go wrong and they would end up doing 200 pushups everyday.

One evening, when they had just finished doing their pushups, Y/N approached Bradley near the locker rooms.

"Hey." She said. "What's your problem?"

"What do you mean?" He said, pretending as if he didn't know excatly what she meant.

"You know what I mean." She said.

"I don't want to have this conversation right now." He sighed, moving towards the door of the mens room, but Y/N came in between them.

"I don't care if you want to have this conversation or not. We will have this conversation right now." She said with her hands on her hips. "I have absolutely no regards for whatever it is you going through right now Bradshaw, all I care about is that I go on this mission. So whatever the problem is with you, whatever problem you have with my father, work through it. Or so help me good I will make your life a living hell."

After a moments silence, Bradley said in a hushed voice, "It's you."

"What?''

"It's you, you're my problem. ever since you came back into my life everything I have been doing is goin wrong, I can't fly straight, I can't do my tasks straight, I can't think straight, and its all because of you."

"Because of me?" She said, wit a scoff.

"Yes you." He said with his voice a little raised. "You're the bane of my existence."

Y/N gasped and hit him in shoulder saying "I loathe you."

He did the same, also saying "I loathe you."

"I loathed you first." Y/N said getting dangerously close to Bradley's face.

"Oh yeah?" He said.

"Yeah." She replied, but before she had the time to say anything else, Bradley grabbed the back of her neck and pushed her lips into his. A few seconds later, Y/N replicated the kiss and deepened it, putting her arms on his shoulders. But the kiss didn't last long.

"I shouldn't have done that." Bradley said, pulling away and taking a step back.

"Yeah you shouldn't have." Murmured Y/N, her lips still tingling from the kiss.

"I should go." Bradley said, walking away quickly, leaving Y/N standing in the hallway, wondering why they had just done that.

-------------------------------------------

The next day, they both refused to even look at each other. No snide remarks were made abut the other, they didn't say a word to each other. That was also the day when they had decided to stay in.

"Hey are you okay?" Whispered Bob standing in front of Y/N.

"Yeah, why?" Y/N whispered back.

"Nothing." Bob replied. "You're just acting a little different today."

"Different how?"

"Different like you haven't slit Rooster's throat till now." Phoenix jumped into the conversation.

"You know we don't always have to be at each other's throat." Y/N replied, trying to hid whatever feeling she was having at the moment, glancing at Rooster.

On hearing this reply, Bob put his hand on Y/N forehead, as Phoenix said, "Are you sick?"

"No, I'm not sick." Y/N replied, swatting Bob's hand away. "I'm fine, okay. Rooster and I are fine. Just because we aren't on the verge of killing each other doesn't mean that I've stopped hating him, maybe it just means he hasn't done anything stupid today." Y/N said, walking away.

"But you told me even his breathing is stupid." Bob said quietly as Phoenix patted him on his back.

-----------------------------------

The same night, after the squad had returned from The Hard Deck, Bob decided to get to the bottom of things. He was determined to know what was going on, what was wrong.

"Hey Rooster." He said when it was just him and the boys in the his room. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah." Rooster replied, a little tipsy. "I'm on top of the world."

"No, no. Is everything alright with you and Y/N??" Bob specified.

"Yeah, I hate her, she hates me, we've never been better." Rooster replied.

"The why were you staring at her the whole night." Bob pointed out.

"Its nothing Bob." Sighed Bradley.

"Oh come on Rooster, you can tell me anything."

"I don't know what to tell you Bob." Rooster started, gaining the attention of all the boys. "Ever since we've been kids, she's been getting on my nerves. We've been constantly fighting, about whose better at maths or about who can read more books and now about whose the better pilot. And then we went our serrate ways, but the we met again. And now I have to deal with her nd her stupid smile, her stupid hair, her stupid laugh, the stupid way she bits her lips when she's concentrating. I can't sleep, I cant eat, maybe I'm coming down with something."

"Oh, I know what you've got buddy. The 'L' word." Bob said.

"Yeah," Hangman jumped in. "Leprosy."

"No Jake, it's four letters. Starts with L ends with E."

"Yeah." He said. "Lice."

"No, Rooster, my friend, is in love." Bon corrected.

"Oh yeah, love." All the boys started repeating the word again and again.

"You mean with Y/N?" Rooster said. "No."

"Oh she has gotten under your skin." Coyote said in a sing song voice.

"Come on." Fanboy said.

"Admit it." Payback added.

"No, no you guys are dead wrong." Rooster said getting up. "I'm going home."

"Rooster and Birdie sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G." All the boys started to chant as Jake shouted, "You're in love pussycat."

"Ha, ha. Real mature guys.

Just as he was about to leave, Bob called from behind, "Het Rooster, I never said in love with Y/N."

----------------------------

That night while laying in bed Rooster's mind kept taking him back to all the instances in which he had claimed to hate Y/N. All the times he had said or done something so vile, he'd never thought Y/N could have toped it, yet she always did.

Maybe this was just his way of coping with things, coping with not being able to be with her. He knew that it was wrong of him to disrespect he wishes of never dating a pilot in her life, but he just couldn't help but want something with Y/N.

Having enough of tossing and turning in his bed, Rooster decided to go out for a walk on the beach. The beach at night always seemed to clam him down. Walking on the beach he expected to find loads of lovers sniggling, drunk guys laying there, but what he never expected to find was Y/N.

She was sitting near the waves, looking at the distant sea. Rooster contemplated going to her or not, he went with the former.

"Hey there stranger." He said sitting down next to her.

"Hi." She replied with a sigh. "What're you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Rooster replied.

"Well I asked first." She said.

"Fine." He replied. "I couldn't sleep."

"The thoughts of Mrs. Jackson still bothering you?"

"That was the fifth grad." Bradley said raising his voice a little. "Could you please let that go?"

"I will never." She replied, leaning a little towards him, laughing. "Seriously, were you thinking of her once again?"

"No, I wasn't."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really."

"Lying doesn't suit you sweetheart."

"I was thinking about you." Bradley told her, making he shut up at once.

"I was thinking about you, your stupid laugh, and your awful smile, and how I can't seen to get you off of my mind."

"You don't really mean that." Y/N whispered.

"I do Y/N. I really do." He said, looking at her with a loving expression.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Don't you dare look at me like that, not after every vile thing we've done to each other."

"I can't help it Y/N, I can't. Ever since I saw you again at the hard deck, I can't get you off of my mind. Morning, noon and night I think about you. I love you Y/N."

"No, don't do this." Y/N said looking away.

"Just give me a cha-"

"Brad, I already told you, I can't be with pilots. You are all the same, you fall in love, you give us false promises and then you leave." Y/N said.

"I'm not like the other pilots you've dated."

"How can I trust you?" She said. "After everything."

"I guess you can't." Rooster said, getting up and walking away.

As Y/N watched him leave, her mind travelled to all the time she swore she hated him, and now all her mind could come up with was that she loves him too. She loves his stupid hair, and his stupid mustache, his laugh and the way he plays piano. She loves everything about him.

Getting up, she ran after him to try and catch up to him, and she did.

"Bradshaw." She called out, but he didn't look back. "Bradshaw, Bradley."

He finally stopped and looked back at her. She walked up to him and whispered, "I thought I got rid you."

This time it was her who pulled him in for a kiss. He reacted quickly, grabbing her face and caressing it. They both broke away to get some air when Y/N said,

"If you muck me about Brad."

"I swear, I won't." Rooster said, resting his forehead on hers.

"Lead me on, let me down or go behind my back, I'll murder you."

"I won't, I promise." Rooster said cracking a smile.

"You swear?" She said.

"Yeah, I swear."

---------------------------------------

A/N: There it is folks. I haven't written in a while and it feels good writing again. And if yiu notice, I've put in a few of my favorite rom coms as well. Special shoutout to @imimsy for requesting this. I tried my best, hope you liked it. Taglist open.

Taglist:

@4margaritasalex @futurecorps3 @thisisgracetrying @clairejpg @fangirlinc @thespeeder @ashewontcare @jonginvlog @igotmajordaddyissues @herladyshipxx @m3laniehearts @exo-wayv @mayafatimakhan @starkleila @itscheybaby @spookycupcakepirate @dcamelia @americaarse @paulina1998

@lgg5989 @datingbtr @thatchickwiththecamera @luckyladycreator2 @kanevill @dempy @saramaple @hockeyboysarehot @redhoodedtoad @nobody7102 @icemanslove @blake-tc-fan @alexwinchester23 @unstablecaffeinatedmind @mslizziesblog @teti-menchon0604

#rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley 'rooster' bradshaw #bradley x reader #top gun movie #top gun fanfiction #top gun maverick #hangman #robert bob floyd #phoenix top gun #miles teller #top gun #monica barbaro #tom cruise #glen powell #rooster top gun

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queen-of-writing-bad-things · 10 months ago

Text

Henry Danger Reader Insert | Captain Man x Reader: SEASON 3

Episode 1: A Fiñata Full of Death Bugs

~The Man Cave~

So, the secret was out. Jasper knew about Henry being Kid Danger and reluctantly, Ray had agreed to take the kid under his wing as yet another helper in his store and secret hideout. Honestly, he needed to stop taking children into his employment, the place was starting to be so crowded.

It also didn't help that Jasper was the latest addition. He was a sweet boy, who'd never hurt a fly, but he was clumsy, a blabbermouth and let's face it, a bit annoying and weird at times. Henry wasn't worried and neither was (y/n), they knew he'd be fine, a little excitable at first, but fine. However, the same couldn't be said for Ray, who was frantically pacing a groove into the Man Cave's floor the next morning.

"I don't know about this, man, I dunno." He panicked, making Henry and (y/n) roll their eyes at him as they watched him from the couch. The young woman was still in her pyjamas, having wanted to stay comfy for the first part of Saturday and was happily munching her cereal as Ray worked himself up over the Jasper predicament.

"Come on, it's gonna be great," Henry told him, not seeing what the big deal was.

"Yeah, everything's gonna be fine." (y/n) shrugged, seeing that Ray was in one of his drama-queen fits again. If he got out of hand, she'd be the one to say some soothing words and cuddle him until he smiled again, but for now, it was best to just ride the wave.

"Oh, that's exactly what you said when you talked me into eating one of those women's energy bars. Then I couldn't stop reading books about princesses!" The large man pouted, not liking how Henry and (y/n) smirked at the memory. It was pretty funny to see such a muscly guy reading about Princess Sugarplum and her rainbow unicorn magic land.

"Dude, I've known Jasper my whole life." The boy told him, but it didn't calm his boss down.

"That does not mean he's qualified to have a job here!" Ray pointed out, thinking that you needed special skills and references or some shit to work for him.

"Ray, you hired me when I was twenty. I didn't exactly have qualifications, apart from my degree. Literally, no life experience." (y/n) gave him her annoyed face and he backed off. He hated and loved when she was right.

"Dah!" He groaned, not liking how his morning was going. Maybe Charlotte's enthusiasm could cheer him up.

"Happy Saturday morning!" She smiled at her friends after coming down the tube with a grin on her face. Well, she was certainly full of beans.

"Yo." Henry returned her smile, glad to see that Ray was the only one freaking out about having Jasper around now.

"Hey, Char." (y/n) greeted warmly as she scooped the last of her cereal from the milk in her bowl. She'd have to get dressed soon, but she could wait a little longer.

"Maybe you're happy," Ray grumbled, walking past the young girl to lean on the couch with his back turned on his friends. He was such a child sometimes.

"Char, will you tell Ray that Jasper working at Junk-N-Stuff isn't gonna be a problem?" Henry asked his friend, who usually was another voice of reason around the Man. Cave, but it seemed like she was sceptical of Jasper's abilities to stay calm and collected too.

"I can't tell lies before breakfast." She shrugged and sauntered over to the auto-snacker so she could get some food. Ray was glad that someone was seeing sense, but Henry was about to ruin his mood again.

"Here ya go." The boy said and held out a candy bar for Ray to eat.

"What's this?" He asked, reading the scientific nonsense printed on the packaging. Something about protein or micronutrients and he was so busy deciphering the mumbo-jumbo, he didn't see (y/n) snickering as she slurped the honeyed milk left from her breakfast.

"Lady bar." Henry deadpanned and milk erupted from (y/n)'s mouth as Ray shrieked and threw it away in terror. He looked at her with an expression of playful betrayal as she dabbed the milk away from around her mouth and shared a smirk with Henry. She was so beautiful like this; no makeup, no one to please, just her as natural as she could be, laughing and joking around with his beloved sidekick. It managed to melt some of his apprehension away as he admired the delightfully innocent scene.

"Scrambled eggs," Charlotte instructed the auto-snacker, wanting to get some food into her growling belly.

"Ew, I can't believe you like those." (y/n) grumbled to the girl as she overheard her order. She much preferred her cereal to start her day, probably because it didn't smell gross like scrambled eggs.

"Oh, he's here." Henry's announcement drew everyone's focus away from Charlotte's eggs for a moment and they all looked at the supercomputer. The monitor showed that Jasper was waiting outside Junk-N-Stuff's door and Ray groaned loudly. As (y/n) snuggled into his side last night (insomnia had put her there, would you believe it), he had been praying for Jasper to suddenly change his mind or magically forget about Henry being his sidekick, but his wishes hadn't come true.

"Hey, what's up?" Henry pressed the button that connected the computer's microphone to the speaker outside the store and Jasper smiled brightly. Ray frowned at the sight of the boy and (y/n) came over from her cosy spot on the couch to see what all the fuss was about.

"Hey! Jasper Dunlop, here to see Captain Man and Kid Danger!" Jasper saluted his new boss, who blanched at his loud tone and quickly cut the link before the whole neighbourhood heard his yapping.

"Shhhhh!" Henry tried to quieten him down, but it was too late; Ray's feathers were ruffled.

"Did ya hear that? He's gonna blab all our secrets to the whole world!" He squeaked at Henry and (y/n), both of whom had to admit that Jasper had messed up there, but he'd only been at work for three seconds, they had to give him a chance.

"No, not after we show him our video," Henry said calmly, taking (y/n)'s advice that to deal with an overreacting Ray, you had to be the calm one. Henry didn't have her feminine qualities to help him win over Ray, but he could definitely be cool-headed.

"It's probably just first day nerves and excitement coming through. Give him a chance, Raymond." (y/n) stepped forward and loving rubbed her palms against his chest in a soothing manner, which was her special technique to get him to let go of his anger. It had taken a few years to suss out, but it was a good method and one that Ray enjoyed more than he let on.

"Fine. Just get him down here, get him down here." Ray caved and sent Henry off to collect Jasper from the store so he could show him the way into the Man Cave.

"Hey, I think something's wrong with the auto-snacker," Charlotte commented to the adults as Henry disappeared into the elevator.

"Oh, god, not again. What's the problem?" (y/n) asked as Ray grumbled. More problems? Typical, like his day could get any worse.

"I ordered scrambled eggs and I'm still standin' here, eggless," Charlotte told her, but Ray wasn't up for solving anyone else's issues, just his own.

"Well, I'm stressed out! I need my wireless headphones." He replied and turned around to grab them so he could block out the world and all the annoying teenage boys it brought into his home.

"What about the...scrambled eggs! Eggs-o-day scramble-dee-oh-so!" Charlotte gave up trying to get help from Ray and thumped the machine for her food. Geez, she was starving and she just wanted one plate of eggs. Was that too much to ask?

"Mashed potatoes." The automated voice returned, making Charlotte frown.

"What did I say that sounded anything like mashed potatoes? (y/n), help meeee!" She whined and turned to the young woman for assistance. She knew about electronics and circuit board stuff, maybe she could get her some eggs.

"Ray, can you come help---ah!" She was taken by surprise as her best friend grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into a bone-crushing embrace. She fell into his crossed-legged lap and instinctively snuggled against him as he caged her in and refused to let go.

"I'm sorry, I need to listen to my meditation music and hug my best friend and calm down my inner parts." Ray panted in hyperventilation and swiftly shoved his headphones over his ears and held (y/n) to his chest.

"Aw, poor baby." (y/n)'s bottom lip quivered at how worried he looked and immediately set about doing everything she could to soothe his nerves. She had no idea he was this stressed and she stroked small patterns onto his skin with her pointer finger. He felt his anxiety smooth out as he let the soft music and the sensation of having the essence of his girl carry him off to his happy place.

"Ugh, useless...Ooh, here we go. " Charlotte groaned when she saw them shut out the world just so they could get some cuddle time in. No matter, she could figure this out herself and things were going well as the snack machine's hatch opened.

"Sweet girl, oh my god, I'm freaking out," Ray mumbled in a chanting voice as he pressed his lips to her head, hoping the fruity, familiar scent of her shampoo would ground him.

"Just relax, I'm here." She whispered and brushed her hand over his eyes so they would flutter shut. She just needed him to stay calm, so she ran her fingers through his floppy brown hair in an attempt to do so.

"All right, where are my scrambled eggs?" Charlotte pondered and foolishly stuck her head in the machine to see if she could yank them out. As expected, it didn't go to plan.

"Om--maha is not the capital of Nebraska." Ray carried on chanting, silently loving the way his girl was fawning over him. He always had her to help him through the bad times and now, his spine was tingling from the way fingers ignited his skin and her warm breath tingled against his neck.

"Get me out of here!" Neither of them saw how Charlotte had been sucked into the auto-snacker as her screams for help were drowned out by Ray's music and (y/n) had dozed off when the warmth of Ray's body seeped through her thin pyjamas and lulled her to sleep.

"Ommm...Masaki is when you let your sushi chef choose your sushi for you." Ray continued to say random facts to himself as he cradled the young woman in his arms and the sound of his voice blocked out Charlotte's shouting. He was more than happy to let her sleep in his arms and to see her peaceful face was the most soothing thing she could've given him.

~Meanwhile, in Junk-N-Stuff~

Henry had welcomed Jasper into the store and the boy was full of enthusiasm for his first day working as Captain Man's secret assistant. This was his dream come true and he was adamant that he was gonna make a good start.

"Why are you wearing a tie?" Henry asked as he noticed Jasper's unusually formal outfit. All he would be doing was serving customers in a junk store, he didn't need to look so fancy.

"Oh, 'cause it's my first day at work and I wanna make a good impression." The curly-haired boy explained, but Henry knew that he didn't need to put in so much effort. Ray was a stickler for formality, in fact, he kinda loved being goofy.

"Take off the tie," Henry instructed him and Jasper stroked the material sadly. He thought it looked rather dashing. Still, he followed after Henry and the two friends walked into the back together so they could take the elevator.

"Whoa, the back room." Jasper gasped at the unfamiliar territory, even though it wasn't that cool. It was just another front full of junk that kept the real wonder down below a secret.

"Uh-huh." Henry just nodded and stepped into the elevator, wanting to see the real surprise on Jasper's face when he saw the Man Cave.

"Now, uh...don't get scared." He warned him as he pressed the button. Everyone's first trip in that damn elevator was hell and it was certain that it would leave Jasper shaken.

"Dude, this ain't my first elevator ride." He shrugged, thinking that it couldn't be that bad. Oh, how wrong he was. As soon as the bottom was released from Henry's finger, the elevator dropped, making Jasper scream in terror as he felt his body go weightless. Henry, on the other hand, was perfectly cool and collected as he had had nearly two years to get used to the roughness of the trip down. They landed with a bump and the door slid open to reveal that Jasper was clutching Henry's leg for dear life.

"Oh." He realised that his brush with death was over and he quickly got to his feet before anyone else saw how scared he had been.

"Okay, I got him," Henry told Ray, who had gotten over his anxiety enough to release (y/n) from his arms and let her go get dressed. He was waiting for her to get back and in the meantime, was bringing the floating TV down from the ceiling.

"Hey, boss!" Jasper smiled brightly, feeling so proud that he was standing in the actual, real-life Man Cave and was reporting for duty to the Captain Man.

"Good morning, Jasper," Ray replied in a strained voice. God, his cheeriness was annoying.

"Guess what I'm wearing." The boy said happily, not realising that he was grinding down Ray's gears.

"A goofy tie?" The large man guessed, praying that his girl would hurry up and talk to the kid so he didn't have to. She was so much better at being nice to everyone than he was and it was probably why they fit so well together.

"No, what I'm wearing down here." Jasper pointed to his pants and everyone could guess what he was referring to.

"Okay." Henry cringed, wishing that Jasper could have said anything but that, especially to Ray and on his first day.

"Son, I uh...don't wanna know--" Ray tried to say that he didn't want to see anything like that from Jasper, but it was too late.

"Captain Manderpants!" Oh god. The sight of Jasper's underwear was too much for Ray and the knowledge that the kid was walking around with his face in his...made it even worse.

"Henry?" He squeaked at his sidekick and now, he was thankful that (y/n) was still getting dressed. This wasn't something a sweet, innocent lady needed to see.

"Put your underwear back in your pants, you're making him uncomfortable." Henry hissed at Jasper in a mortified tone and he quickly rearranged his clothing as Ray pretended to text. Jesus, someone needed to break the tension and that someone was on hand to do it.

"Hey! Oh...hello, Jasper, nice to see you survived the elevator ride." A fully-dressed (y/n) smiled as she descended the stairs from the sprocket and gave her new friend a warm and inviting smile. If anyone could make him feel welcome, it was her.

"Yeah, thank you, Miss Danger," Jasper replied politely, not wanting to upset anyone else.

"Oh, (y/n)'s fine, you don't have to be so fancy with me. And might I add that you're wearing a devastatingly handsome tie." She joked when she saw the hotdog pattern and her friendliness put the teen at ease. Her mere presence took the edge off the awkwardness for Ray too.

"Uh, where'd Charlotte go?" Henry asked suddenly, looking around for his other friend who had mysteriously disappeared.

"I dunno, probably somewhere." Ray shrugged, still feeling a little off at having a new, unwanted face in his Man Cave.

"She was around here earlier, maybe she went to the bathroom." (y/n) offered, making sure to keep her manner pleasant since Ray was being so moody around Jasper. She didn't think the boy was so bad, sure, he was a bit silly and odd, but she was certain that he'd grow to be a valuable member of their team. Little did anyone know that poor Charlotte was still kicking and screaming inside the auto-snacker.

"Now, Jasper..." Ray started, but Jasper's exuberance got the better of him.

"Yes, Captain?!" He asked excitedly and gave a salute, which really pissed off Ray.

"First, never do that." The large man told him harshly, making the boy immediately drop his arm. Geez, Ray could be scary when he wanted to be.

"I don't know, I still kind of like the saluting." (y/n) commented, not afraid of Ray and his temper. Well, she was a bit, but she wouldn't let his childish anger walk all over her.

"Secondly, if you're gonna work upstairs in Junk-N-Stuff, the most important thing to remember is to never reveal my identity or Henry's or (y/n)'s," Ray stated firmly, brushing over (y/n)'s silly comment. To see her so formal around him would be too unnatural for him, even if it was a joke and he just wanted her to be herself around him.

"I get it," Jasper confirmed, understanding that secrecy was their survival. He would never let his friends get hurt and he knew that Captain Man could count on him to keep his identity safe.

"You will get it," Ray replied huskily, confusing the woman and teen on either side of him.

"Just show him the damn video." (y/n) rolled her eyes at his dramatics and Ray pressed the play button on his remote.

"Never tell the secret. Captain Man, Kid Danger and Miss Danger. If you are watching this video, that means you know their true, secret identities, Ray Manchester, Henry Hart and (y/n) (y/l/n)." The video started and showed a photo of Ray and Henry smiling together as the large man held a beaming (y/n) in his arms. It was cute and one of their best ones together as a crime-fighting trio.

"I love that pic of us," Ray smirked at Henry, knowing that he and his sidekick looked awesome.

"Yeah, we look good." Henry nodded, thinking the same, although he was certain that he'd never drool over (y/n) the way Ray was now.

"Big-heads." The young woman shook her head at their huge egos and didn't see the way Ray was admiring her features on the screen, nor did she see how he took the time to gaze at her in real life. A goddess amongst mere mortals.

"Help!" Charlotte yelled from inside the auto-snacker, but they were all too focused on the video, so her shouting fell on deaf ears.

"Revealing the secret could have terrible consequences. Such as tragedy, the end of the earth as we know it and loss of bladder control. And now a personal warning to you from Captain Man, Kid Danger and Miss Danger." It was a crappy video and a bit too dramatic, but it got the message across, even if (y/n) hated seeing herself onscreen.

"Never reveal the secret. Or this could happen to you. Or worse, punk!" The three superheroes said in turn, trying to sound cool, but Henry's outstretched hand covered his face and when Ray tried to move it, it broke the cool façade.

"Hey, friend, guess what? Captain Man is really Ray Manchester and his best friend, (y/n) (y/l/n), she's Miss Danger. And Kid Danger, he's a boy named Henry Hart. Ain't that a juicy secret?" Yeah, it was a weird video. Anything that includes a talking and giggling watermelon, is weird.

"Don't do it." The video ended with Henry, Ray and (y/n) frowning at the camera as they shook their heads and fingers solemnly. If that didn't get the message into Jasper's head, nothing would.

"Any questions?" Henry asked his best friend, who, being an odd boy, had a peculiar one.

"How'd you get that watermelon to talk?" He gasped in amazement, making Ray look at Henry with a pissed off face. This was what Henry wanted to bring into his Man Cave? God help him.

"We have them specially trained." (y/n) replied sarcastically and was surprised when Jasper took her words literally. She could already guess what it was going to be like working with him.

"Help! Help me!" Charlotte yelled from the auto-snacker, where she had managed to get her hand out of the hand.

"What was---Charlotte!" Henry exclaimed when he saw her hand clawing for freedom. The four of them ran over to the machine, but they had no idea how to get her out.

"I'm uncomfortable!" The girl shouted. It was dark and extremely warm in the auto-snack and not somewhere you wanted to stick your whole body into.

"Help me get her out of here!" Henry told Ray and the large man tried to use his superior muscle to prise open the door.

"Charlotte, sweetie, you're not meant to get into the machine just for some eggs!" (y/n) shouted back to the girl, who wasn't up for taking any criticism at that moment. Suddenly, the alarm blared in the Man Cave and the surprise of it made Henry and Ray let go of Charlotte's free arm. Well, that was all her progress undone.

"Uh-oh." Ray aid as he heard it and (y/n) was the first to rush to the computer.

"What's going on?" Jasper asked in confusion as everyone rushed away from Charlotte's problem and onto another one. He just went along with it, thinking that Captain Man probably knew best.

"Ah, geez. Something's going down at the airport." (y/n) groaned as the brief summary of the emergency flashed up onscreen.

"Ooh, is a flight delayed?" The curly-haired boy questioned, even though that wasn't a superhero's area of expertise. Bad guys and end of the world situations, yes, lost baggage and bad food, no.

"No!" Henry told him as Ray bit his tongue. If he said anything bad, it'd just upset his girl and he didn't want that.

"Not really in our job description, curly." (y/n) joked to Jasper, deciding that he should have a nickname to help him fit in.

"Come on, kid," Ray told Henry and they both moved off to the side of the room as (y/n) kept Jasper back.

"What are you gonna do?" He asked, wondering what all the commotion was about. He was so excited to see Captain Man and Kid Danger, he could barely contain his burning questions.

"We've got a crime to thwart..." Ray started, trying to puff out his chest and appear all cool so (y/n) might look at him would adoring eyes. She did that anyway, always, he just never noticed.

"...At the Swellview Airport." Henry finished, smirking at how good he and his boss sounded.

"Whoa, do you guys plan those rhymes?" Jasper asked as (y/n) giggled. Only Jasper could take away a superhero's confidence just like that.

"Uh, no, no."

"No, they're super organic." Ray and Henry frowned, eager to just get off and go help whoever needed assistance at the airport.

"Aren't you taking Miss Danger with you?" Jasper asked yet another question, but at least it was on a topic Ray was more than happy to talk about.

"Nah, I'll sit this one out." (y/n) smiled at the boy as Ray pouted. He liked it when she came with him and fought the bad guys, it was like they were getting extra time together.

"You sure?" Henry asked, seeing the way Ray was getting all whiny and grumpy from her staying behind. Ugh, that meant he'd be pining all day until they got back.

"Yeah, go save the world without me, one flight at a time." She smiled and Ray begrudgingly accepted that she didn't always want to go out for every emergency. It wasn't a huge job, so three crime fighters seemed a little excessive and there was work to be done in the Man Cave.

"Wait, what about Charlotte?" Jasper asked, but Ray and Henry were already in the middle of blowing their bubbles, so any more questions would have to wait. The boy grinned in wonder as he watched them transform together for the first time and before they set off, Captain Man and Kid Danger ran over to the auto-snacker, where (y/n) had wandered over to check on Charlotte.

"Hey, Charlotte, how's it going in there?" Ray asked her like it was a nice getaway vacation or something.

"It's going bad! Get me out of this thing!" She yelled back, feeling all sticky and claustrophobic from the hot, tight space she found herself trapped in.

"We can't we got an emergency," Ray told her, even though his best friend was determined to get her out whilst they were gone.

"I'm an emergency!" Charlotte whimpered back, making Ray feel a teensy bit guilty that he wasn't going to stick around and help.

"Can you breathe okay?" Henry asked, wanting to know how bad the conditions were for his friend.

"She's been in there for like two hours, if she couldn't breathe, she'd be dead." (y/n) pointed out and then Charlotte snapped back with some incoherent mumbling.

"Okay, what'd she say?" Henry asked the two adults who were none the wiser.

"Uh, I'm pretty sure she said, "Hey, I'm good, you guys go do what you gotta do"," Ray lied, making (y/n) roll her eyes at him.

"You two, just go. I'll try and get the machine to spit her out." (y/n) told them and they nodded. She had no idea how she was gonna do it without some expert knowledge, but hey, she'd give it a go.

"Okay, Char. Schwoz will be back in two to three hours to help (y/n)." Henry told his friend as the young woman gave Ray a quick hug goodbye and a peck on the cheek. 'For luck', she kept telling herself like she wasn't just doing it because she loved to feel his skin under her lips.

"Two to three hours?!" Charlotte gasped, but Ray and Henry had already run off to the tubes.

"Wait! What am I supposed to do while you guys are out fighting crime?" Jasper asked the heroes as they slapped their belts and the tubes came down.

"Just go up to Junk-N-Stuff and watch the store," Henry told him and Ray agreed. That was basically all Jasper had to do for a pretty good salary.

"But I have some questions about my job." The boy whined and Ray had the perfect solution.

"(y/n) can answer all your questions right after we say up the tube." The large man told the boy, making his best friends eye widen at how sneaky he was.

"Raymond Manchester, you get back here or--" She tried to run forward and give him a slap on the arm for leaving all of Jasper's questions to her, but it was too late.

"Up the tube!" They shouted and within seconds, they were gone, leaving (y/n) alone with Jasper and his book full of questions.

"Okay, um...when a customer comes into the store, am I supposed to tell them to leave or act normal?" He asked the woman, who smiled politely and sat down on the couch with him. At least they were starting off easy.

"Just act normal. Sell them whatever they want, but if they start getting weird or try to get in the back, press the emergency alarm behind the counter." She answered, glad that he was asking questions that she knew about.

"Okay...what do I do if a criminal comes into the store and threatens me?" He asked next.

"Run like hell and alert us down here that you're in trouble. We'll come and help you." She smiled, but it got a little tight as another question was asked.

"Okay..." This could take a while. Charlotte better sit tight.

~3 hours later~

"KEEP PULLING, SCHWOZ!" (y/n) yelled to the genius as they fought to get Charlotte out of the auto-snacker. He'd finally returned after hours of waiting and now, he was helping the young woman get her out. She'd tried everything, yanking, pulling, being nice to the machine, but nothing had worked, so it was nice to have an extra pair of hands around.

"I've got the head!" He replied as he pulled from the sides of Charlotte's head whilst (y/n) kept the door from closing. They were grunting and straining from the effort when Ray and Henry came down the tube after their mission.

"Hiya!" (y/n) smiled at them breathily as she used all of her strength to keep the hatch from closing.

"Ooh, what a pretty fish you have." Schwoz turned around and saw that his boss had a multi-coloured, cardboard and tissue paper fish thing in his hands.

"You're squeezing my head too hard!" Charlotte whined as she managed to her arms out. Just a little more and she'd be free.

"Well, what do you want us to do?" Schwoz asked her sternly, thinking that they were doing their best to help her and all she was doing was complaining.

"Let go!" The teen directed him, not realising what the implications of that action would be.

"Kay-kay." Schwoz smiled, more than happy to give his aching arms a rest from all the pulling.

"Wait, no, no, no! Schwoz!" (y/n) groaned as the girl was released back into the machine, undoing all of their hard work. Well, there was no point in holding the door open now.

"Uh, did Charlotte just get sucked into--" Henry started, but the young woman was too agitated to hear it all out loud.

"Yes. Yes, she did, meaning that the last hour of us busting our asses to get her out has been for nothing. Right, Schwoz?" The young woman hissed and looked directly at Schwoz, who wasn't that worried about the problem or her anger.

"Relax, I'll get her out in a minute." Schwoz brushed her off, which made her fold her arms and sulk at his complacent attitude.

"What's that?" She asked her best friend, strolling over to him in hopes that he'd give her a hug and make her feel better.

"This thing is a fiñata." Ray smiled at her, but she eyed the "fiñata" suspiciously when she heard a buzzing noise come from inside it.

"Yeah, see, it's like a piñata, but, like, fish-themed," Henry explained, making Schwoz roll his eyes at how they were infantilising him.

"I know what a fiñata is." He said in an obvious tone.

"Um, Ray, why is your fiñata buzzing?" (y/n) asked as she poked one of the fish's fins, which probably wasn't a good idea. Ray manoeuvred it out of her reach and she got the message that it was dangerous in some way.

"Well, I bet you didn't know that this fiñata is filled with live Zom-bees." He told Schwoz and shook the thing at the little guy, making him and (y/n) step back and hide behind the couch.

"Ayee!" Schwoz cowered as (y/n) covered her ears and glared at her best friend. That was a mean trick.

"Raymond, you can't bring Zom-bees into the Man Cave. If the fiñata breaks, they'll fly into our ears and eat our brains and y'know, I'm quite fond of mine!" The young woman pointed out and used her cutest eyes to make Ray get on her side.

"Well, you'd be okay 'cause your super regeneration would repair your damaged brain cells, but we'd all die!" Schwoz corrected her, which made (y/n) feel worse. Why did she have to be the survivor of the Zom-bee attack and see all her friends get their brains munched on?

"We know," Ray told the genius and gave (y/n) his most calming smile. He didn't want her to be afraid.

"Yeah, so, how do we get rid of it?" Henry asked his boss, feeling just as nervous as (y/n) and Schwoz around the Zom-bee-filled thing.

"Uh, take it upstairs to Junk-N-Stuff. I'll call animal control and have 'em come pick up that fiñata of death." The superhero replied and gave the colourful fish a dark look. He wanted that thing gone before it freaked his girl out even more.

"Okay, I'll bring it upstairs." Henry nodded, being careful not to break the fragile casing. He'd be the first one to have his brain eaten if they escaped and he definitely didn't fancy that.

"Don't forget to change your clothes." (y/n) reminded him, seeing that Henry was headed straight for Junk-N-Stuff as Kid Danger. That would be a hard one to explain if a customer saw him.

"Oh, yeah," Henry responded and tried to get his tube out whilst balancing the fiñata under his arm, which didn't go well. He stumbled and nearly dropped the thing, spooking the adults as it nearly split open.

"Hey, hey!" Ray gasped as (y/n) squeaked and hid her face in his chest, making his arms instinctively curl around her body to protect her.

"Geez, Henry!" Schwoz breathed out as the fiñata didn't break and the boy tucked it carefully under his arm again.

"Be careful with that thing!" (y/n) whimpered against the red and blue material of Ray's tunic, her best friend running his hand up and down her back to calm her down.

"Guys, chill out, I'm not gonna drop it," Henry reassured them, not seeing why they were getting so worked up about everything.

"Do you have it?" Ray asked, just wanting to make sure he could manage.

"Yeah." Henry nodded, feeling like they were being a little too cautious. Didn't they trust him?

"Are you good?" (y/n) asked, also feeling a bit nervous at the thought of giving a load of death bees to a teenager to look after.

"It's fine." He sighed, pressing the elevator button so he could just leave them to their worrying.

"Are you good?" Ray reiterated, not liking how his girl was still clutching him in fear. He wanted to ensure that Henry knew what he was doing.

"Ray...it's fine. Just...hug (y/n), she looks scared." The boy calmly told his boss and smirked when the large man gave him a grumpy look. It was like Henry wanted the woman to see that he was madly in love with her, what a dick.

"Okay." Ray let it go and returned to petting (y/n)'s hair, only Henry was a bit clumsy and on his way into the elevator, he nearly dropped the fiñata again, making the adults look at him with fear as he struggled to catch it before it hit the floor.

"AHHH, THEY'RE COMING TO GET US!" (y/n) screamed and jumped so her legs could wrap around Ray's waist like a koala, clinging to him tightly as she covered his ears. She didn't want to be left alone, so she'd sooner protect his brain than hers.

"See what you've done?" Ray deadpanned to Henry as he supported the girl he was now carrying. The boy just hit the button and the elevator door slid closed, leaving the man to reassure his girl into letting go, not that he was complaining about how she had chosen him to protect her.

"Come on, sweet girl, it's okay, there's no Zom-bees." He cooed at her and rested his hand on his cheek so he could touch the one covering his ears.

"I don't want them to eat your brain." She mumbled, pouting as his eyes met hers. She couldn't bear the thought of him getting hurt, he was her protector and provider, what would she do without him?

"I'm okay, sweet girl." He chuckled into her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she smiled bashfully into his neck. What would he do without her?

~In Junk-N-Stuff~

"And here's your receipt." Jasper smiled at a customer as he made another sale.

"Thank you." The woman accepted it graciously and Jasper had to admit that so far, his first day working for Captain Man was going great.

"And enjoy your vintage waterbed." He said to the customer, who was planning on using it for or...with her cats. Weird.

"Uh, do you me to help you carry that to your car?" Jasper offered the woman, seeing that the waterbed was too large and heavy for one person to carry easily.

"Please." The woman agreed and they made small talk as they shifted the water-filled bag out of the shop. It probably would be easier to empty the bed before moving it, but no one thought about that.

"Hey, Jasper?...Yo, Jasp?"Henry yelled as he walked out of the elevator and looked around the front of the store for his friend. He had no idea that Jasper had stepped out to help the crazy cat-lady with her waterbed and he was about to make a massive mistake. Henry's whiz watch began to beep and he plonked the fiñata down on the counter.

"Hey, what's up?" He greeted Ray as he checked to see if any customers were coming.

"Schwoz, (y/n) and I are trying to pull Charlotte out of the auto-snacker and we need another pair of hands," Ray grumbled as he glanced at his friends who were still trying to get the girl out of the damn machine. Why it wouldn't spit her out was anyone's guess.

"Okay, I'll be down in a sec." Henry nodded and snapped the watch closed. There was never a dull moment with his job.

"You know I flaunt ya, 'cuz girl I really want ya. And you're looking nice, got me cooler than a bag of ice, now freeze, freeze, freeze." He mumbled to himself as he walked back to the elevator. Five Fingaz To The Face had been in his head all day and it seemed like it was in Jasper's too.

"Drop it fast and move it real slow, oh! What? You smell so fruity, I'm pirate and you're my booty, argh!" Jasper sang, shaking his butt as Piper and her friend came into the store. Well, this was embarrassing.

"Oh my god, are you rapping?" Piper cringed as she saw the older boy, who didn't see anything wrong with a little boogie in the workplace.

"Yeah." He confirmed, thinking his moves were pretty sweet.

"Well, don't." She snapped. God, it was so embarrassing to see her brother's dopey best friend dance and rap in front of her friend.

"Hey, I work here now, so you have to be nice to me," Jasper told the little girl, but she didn't care. She was only nice to a few select people and Jasper wasn't one of them.

"No, I'm here as the customer, so you have to be. nice to me...THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT!" She yelled in Jasper's face when he tried to disagree and he quickly fell into line. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of Piper and her fury.

"Hey, we're gonna be late." Piper's friend said as she looked up from her phone for the first time since she walked into the store.

"Late for what?" Jasper asked as he took in their outfits. Both girls were dressed to the nines in some really cute clothes and he wondered where they were going.

"A birthday party for our friend. So help us pick out a present, would ya?" Piper instructed him, peering around the junk on the shelves. There had to be something in this crappy store that would suit her friend.

"Does she like dogs?" Jasper asked, having something in mind, even though it wasn't remotely apt for an eleven-year-old girl.

"Yeah." Piper's friend said and Jasper walked over to a freaky skeleton on display.

"This is a dog skeleton. Woof, woof, woof...we'll keep looking." The curly-haired boy quickly discarded the creepy thing when he saw Piper's displeased stare. Maybe not.

"Hey, is this a fiñata?" The other girl said, picking up the deadly thing that Henry should've put somewhere safer. Obviously, someone would think it was just another piece of junk on sale and Jasper was none the wiser to its true, dark nature.

"Oooh, cool, how much for the fiñata?" Piper asked Jasper, thinking that it would be the perfect addition to her friend's party.

"Lemme check," Jasper said and started to roughly turn the fish around in his hands so he could look for the price tag. If he knew what was inside it, there was no way he'd be shaking it so much.

"We don't care if it's a boy or a girl." Piper sassed as she watched Jasper shuffle the fish around.

"I'm checking for a price tag! I don't see one anywhere." He said, scouring the paper-covered fish for anything that could tell him the asking price. Of course, he wouldn't find one, it should be locked up, not sold to a child.

"Good, it's free then, thanks." Piper snatched the fiñata from Jasper's hands and made a break for the exit before he could stop them.

"The customer is always right!" She yelled at him when he tried to call after them, silencing Jasper as his second sale of the day made off without paying. That fiñata was about to cause him a load more trouble too.

~The Man Cave~

"Pull!" Ray yelled to his three friends as they tightly clutched Charlotte's ankle and tried to yank her from the auto-snack. It just wouldn't let her go.

"She's still stuck! Let her go, you piece of shit!" (y/n) growled and thumbed the hatch with her fist as Charlotte screamed. No matter how hard they pulled, Schwoz's invention kept her prisoner and it sucked her deep into itself, leaving her friends stumped.

"Well, how are we gonna get her outta there?" Ray asked as they panted. Physical exertion was futile.

"Hey, how about this?" Henry suddenly had a bright idea and smacked his palm against the screen.

"Charlotte." He ordered like he was ordering some fries or a milkshake.

"Charlotte." The auto-snacker confirmed and the young girl came flying out the hatch before bellyflopping onto the floor.

"It worked! Nice one, Hen." (y/n) high-fived Henry as they all celebrated their success. Well, that was easier than they had thought.

"You okay?" Henry asked his friend as she stood up and dusted herself off. Man, that was an ordeal and she was still starving.

"No, I am not okay! And I still never got my scrambled eggs." She said, walking over to the machine and bending down to look through the window of the machine. This time, however, it seemed to understand her order and a load of hot, steaming scrambled eggs were fired at her face.

"You, uh, you got something..." Ray pointed to her cheek as bits of egg plopped onto the floor.

"That's why I order cereal. Eggs are just bad news." (y/n) quipped, thinking it was pretty funny to see Charlotte's unimpressed face covered in the mess. However, her giggling was soon interrupted when the computer started to beep.

"That's Jasper, upstairs." Henry recognised the special beeping and realised that it was the signal from Junk-N-Stuff.

"Oh god, I told him to press it when there was an emergency." (y/n) panicked, thinking that he was being held at gunpoint or the store was on fire or some other disaster.

"Hey, Jasper, what's up?" Henry opened the link and saw his friend on the monitor.

"There's two guys here from animal control, asking about some Zom-bees?" He told Henry as Ray and (y/n) wandered over. Well, at least he was using the line correctly, it was better to ask and make sure he was doing the right thing than just assume.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah." Henry nodded and remembered that he'd left the dangerous insects upstairs, unattended and with a boy who knew nothing about them.

"Yeah, yeah, Jasper, the Zom-bees are inside the purple fiñata," Ray told him, thinking that the matter would be swiftly dealt with, but things were about to get complicated.

"Oh, I sold the fiñata." He told them, making Henry and (y/n) choke on their own saliva as Ray took a minute to process his words.

"Great, then just give it to the guys--you sold the fiñata?!" Ray exclaimed in horror as Jasper remained oblivious to the cock-up he'd made.

"Yeah, and a waterbed." He smiled happily, thinking that his sales so far were good, even though one of them hadn't been paid for.

"Shit on it, wh-who'd you sell it to?" (y/n) asked frantically as she rested her hand on Ray's bicep and looked up at him in worry.

"Piper," Jasper replied, making Henry gasp. His sister? Seriously? Ray ended the call prematurely and peered at his friends with nervous eyes.

"Do you realise what'll happen if those Zom-bees get outta that fiñata?" He questioned the boy, who was seriously freaking out. He couldn't have his sister die from a bee eating her brain!

"Okay, okay, let's not panic about this. I'm sure that Piper just took it home and put it in her bedroom or something." (y/n) told the boy calmly as she theorised that Piper probably wanted it as a decoration. Little did she know that it was currently at a pre-teen's birthday party, being whacked viciously by a load of children looking for candy. They needed to get Jasper with them immediately.

~10 minutes later~

As soon as Jasper had closed up the store and stepped into the Man Cave Henry was all over him, interrogating him about the sale of a ticking time bomb to Piper. There was only a matter of time until the fiñata was smashed open and a load of people were killed.

"How could you give my little sister a fiñata full of death bugs?" The boy asked his friend sternly as Ray paced behind him, just as angry. (y/n) didn't think Jasper was to blame that much, he was just doing his job as they had told him. In the middle of all of this bickering, Charlotte had found a towel and was wiping the egg mush from her face as the argument went on and on.

"Oh, come on! It's not Jasper's fault!" The young woman defended the boy, wanting to be the one who was on his side since everyone else seemed so unfairly angry with him.

"I didn't know there were bugs in it!" Jasper stressed, glad that (y/n) was being so kind to him. He'd never endanger Piper deliberately, especially on his first day at work.

"Well, there are! There's at least fifty Zom-bees inside that fiñata!" Ray hissed, making the poor kid feel worse. He really didn't mean any harm.

"Okay, yelling at Jasper isn't gonna help anything." Charlotte stepped in too, joining (y/n) in defending Jasper.

"Thank you." He said. He was starting to get the picture that they were the reasonable ones around these parts.

"Do you realise how dangerous those bees are?" Ray looked at the two teens as Henry walked around with his hands on his head.

"Ya! They fly into your head, through your ears, and then they feed upon your brain!" Schwoz showed them the information on his PearPad and tried to sound all dramatic. He really knew how to stir the pot and make things worse.

"You should not have worn that tie," Charlotte mentioned to Jasper, as she noticed the hotdog pattern on it. Was (y/n) the only one who liked it?

"Okay, just...did my sister say where she was going anywhere?" Henry asked Jasper, who bit his lip as he recalled every word Piper had said to him. There was a lot of shouting from her, but also...

"Uh...yeah! Some friend of hers' birthday party." Jasper remembered and it triggered Henry's memory about something his sister had been banging on about for weeks.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah! Uh...Gabby Birch." Henry said the name as Ray and (y/n) dashed over so they could hear everything.

"Who's Gabby Birch?" Ray asked, too panicky to put two and two together.

"Her friend, duh!" (y/n) said as she and Henry reached for their gum tubes. That's right, she had her own tube now, all hers, no one else's and it made her feel like one of the team.

"Come on, let's blow and go," Henry told Ray, who remained still. Why wasn't he snapping into action like them?

"No, are you insane?" He asked them halting their movements before they could pop a gumball.

"What? We need to go grab that death fish!" (y/n) pointed out, but Ray had a fairly good point for holding back.

"We can't just run in there as Captain Man, Kid Danger and Miss Danger and be like "Hey, kids! We're here at the party because we were worried that some killer bugs might fly into your heads and eat your brains, happy birthday, Gabby!"," Ray rambled and the sidekicks got the message. They certainly didn't want to freak out a load of children and their parents.

"All right, all right, then...we just gotta sneak in, grab the fiñata and get outta there fast." Henry theorised and the adults agreed. It seemed simple enough, right?

"Oh, come on!" Charlotte protested, seeing a million things wrong with what Henry had just said.

"What?" The boy looked at her, thinking that his plan was perfect.

"How are you guys gonna sneak into a birthday party without being seen?" She asked, making a good point. They could just walk in unannounced, they'd get arrested for trespassing or for being creeps.

"We will need a cunning disguise." (y/n) smirked and rubbed her hands, knowing exactly what would get them into the party. Every kid had them when it was their birthday and it was a sure-fire way to be let in, no questions asked. Hopefully.

~Gabby Birch's Birthday Party~

Well, the party was in full swing: there were balloons, food, cake, music, toys and, of course, the fiñata, which was still being sadistically beaten by numerous little girls. Henry, Ray and (y/n) sneaked in and winced when they saw the rough treatment of the cardboard fish. Their disguises weren't bad, (y/n) had cleverly chosen them to be clowns since they always came to kid's birthday parties, even though no child ever wanted one. Sure, they were creepy, but it gave them the perfect way in.

Both males were wearing alarmingly bright, wacky clothes, face paint and wigs that gave them the clown aesthetic and hid who they were. (y/n) looked equally ridiculous, but also kinda cute in a way and she was sure that as long as no one looked too close, they'd be able to grab the fiñata and get out of there.

"Shit, Henry!" (y/n) gasped as nudged Henry as she saw the fiñata taking its beating and the boy quickly started shaking his boss's shoulder.

"Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray!" He panicked, gaining the man's attention fairly quickly as he pointed to the tree where the fish has been strung up.

"What? What?" Ray asked annoyedly, but he was soon gulping like his friends when he saw how the girls were minutes away from breaking the fiñata.

"They're whacking the fiñata!" (y/n) said as Ray gasped, making him put himself in front of her so he'd be the first to be eaten if the Zom-bees escaped. He didn't want his girl to munched on, even if she would be fine, especially since she looked so cute in her little dress. God, it fit her perfectly and he was more than happy to admire her figure.

"I don't get why this stupid fiñata won't break." A girl yelled and her friends began to hit it even harder. This wasn't going to end well.

"Here I found a shovel." Piper came in and was immediately encouraged to beat the fiñata with it. Okay, the superheroes had to act before these kids released the death bugs.

"Dear God, she's using a shovel." Ray cringed as he watched the fish bounce from the shovel to the fiñata sticks and each blow was painful to witness.

"We have to do something." (y/n) hissed in his ear, but before they could, a cheery woman with a drink in her hand addressed them.

"Hello!" She smiled, making the clowns panic. How were they supposed to lie to this mom about being the entertainment at her daughter's party?

"Uhhh...hey."

"Hi, how are you?" Ray and Henry greeted her politely as (y/n) just smiled and waved. This was gonna be fun.

"Oh, I'm Mrs Birch, the birthday girl's mom." The woman introduced herself and shook hands with each clown, all of whom were feeling pretty awkward. They had no idea how to clown around and entertain kids, they just needed to grab the damn fiñata.

"Nice to meet you." (y/n) smiled nervously, but thankfully, Mrs Birch didn't pick up on it.

"Okay, so, which one of you is Burples and which one of you is Schmutz?" She asked, making Henry and Ray both choose the one that sounded better.

"I'm Burples." They said together, not liking the idea of being called Schmutz, but then they both sounded weird.

"I'm Schmutz." They then said together, confusing Mrs Birch and making (y/n) facepalm. This wasn't a good first impression.

"You know, we swap."

"We trade-off." They excused their weirdness and luckily, Mrs Birch took it to be a funny clown joke.

"You two really are clowns." She laughed, thinking it was a compliment and the annoyed look on the boys' faces made (y/n) giggle too.

"Yes, they are." She confirmed, loving how the woman had called out Ray and Henry's bumbling behaviour, but then, Mrs Birch stopped and thought about how she had one too many clowns in her garden.

"Sorry, I thought we paid for two clowns." She looked at (y/n) who took a moment to think of a believable lie.

"Uh...well, I'm on work experience. Yep, and I'm just gonna be observing these two...being clowns. Free of charge." She punched out nervously, making it up as she went along and the mom seemed to be fine with it, thank god.

"Oh, lovely, what's your clown name?" Mrs Birch asked and again, (y/n) had to think on her feet for something clownish.

"Uhhhh...Phalange. Yeah, I'm Phalange the Clown." She giggled, reverting to her favourite made-up name for every time she went undercover. It was an oldie, but a goodie and it was convincing enough.

"Well, I'll just leave the entertainment up to you guys, then." Mrs Birch smiled and Ray, (y/n) and Henry could let out a sigh of relief as the woman returned to the other parents.

"That'll be great, ma'am, thank you." Ray nodded at her politely as he tried to channel his inner clown. It should be too hard for him, after all, he was a pretty goofy guy.

"Yes, we are professional clowns." Henry tried to sound convincing like he really was a guy who painted his face and wore baggy pants to entertain kids.

"Ain't that the truth." (y/n) added, smirking at the boy as Ray pulled them to the side. They got up to so much mischief, they probably could pass as clowns sometimes.

"Dang it, they're gonna break that thing open any second!" Ray complained as he watch the kids still whacking the fiñata.

"And then snack time for all those Zom-bees and bye-bye brains for everyone here." The young woman freaked out too, looking to her best friend for any ideas.

"Uh, ooh, I got a plan, I got a plan," Henry told them and before he could discuss it with the adults, he stepped towards the children and started to work his inner clown.

"Hey, kids! Hey! Hey kids, over here!" He yelled at them in a funny voice, baffling Ray and (y/n) as the kids looked at the weirdo trying to get their attention.

"What are you doin'?" Ray asked the boy, thinking that he looked and sounded ridiculous, but it was fine. Henry had a plan.

"Shhhhh!" Henry shut him up and returned his focus to the bored expressions of the children. Yeah, no one likes clowns.

"What?" Piper asked, feeling just as annoyed as all her friends at the rude interruption. She was gonna break this fiñata open if it was the last thing she'd do. And if she did, it probably would be.

"You wanna know what's more fun than whackin' a fiñata?" Henry jumped up and down and acted like all the clowns he'd seen at the birthday parties he'd attended over the years.

"Tell us!" The kids demanded, hoping that his suggestion would be worth them stopping their attack.

"Whackin' Burples the Clown!" Henry pointed at Ray with a huge grin on his face as (y/n) and Ray shared a nervous look. Why did Ray have to be the one who got beat up? Just because he was indestructible, didn't mean it wouldn't hurt.

"No, no, no, no, no." Ray rejected the idea as the kids cheered. Whacking a real person seemed a lot more fun than whacking that stupid fish.

"You're indestructible!" Henry hissed to Ray, thinking that he was the best candidate for the job.

"So?" Ray looked at his sidekick in offence and then at his girl for help. She wasn't keen on the idea of seeing him getting beaten by a load of children, but they didn't have a better idea.

"So just take it or (y/n) will have to be the one who gets whacked!" Henry hissed in his ear and Ray swiftly sucked it up. Damn Henry, he knew his weakness; he'd never let his sweet girl take the pain when he was more than capable of doing so and the boy knew it. That's why he was busy dragging (y/n) off to the side as the kids ran over with their bats, sticks, shovels and planks of wood. Oh dear god, this would hurt.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Ray groaned at the first few hits came in and (y/n) whimpered at the sight of him being treated so cruelly. Why did these children have to love hurting people so much?

"(y/n), come on, he'll be fine," Henry promised the young woman and she knew he was right. Taking advantage of all the focus being on Ray as he tried to escape the kids' malice, the boy and woman sneaked through the garden and avoided the parent's gaze as they went for the fiñata.

Henry tried to snag it from the tree, but it was no use. Whoever had tied it on knew what they were doing and it would take more than a few tugs to set the fiñata free.

"You're gonna have to pull harder!" (y/n) hissed to the boy as he used all his weight to try and snap the string. Things were never easy; luckily, Ray was taking to blows like a champ and the parents were too busy nattering to realise what was going on. Seeing that he had an opportunity, Henry jumped onto the fish and used all his strength to climb up the string to the branch whilst (y/n) kept a lookout.

"Keep going, Burples!" She cheered on her best friend as he was hit by the hammers and bricks, but they soon had another problem on their hands. The garden gate swung open and two more clowns joined the party. Oh, shit, here came the real Burples and Schmutz.

"Hey, hey, who are those clowns?" Henry and (y/n) looked to see that they had company and gulped when the new clowns gave them some very dirty stares.

"That clown ain't supposed to be here!"

"Yeah, we booked this job!" The real clowns snapped as the kids stopped whacking Ray, who was suddenly just as nervous as his sidekicks.

"Uh, look uh, there's a perfectly rational explanation---" Ray tried to keep things calm between himself and the men, but they were obviously very protective over their gigs.

"Why don't you shut up and get outta here!" A clown squared up to Ray, who wasn't the sort of guy to take that kind of attitude lying down.

"Keep trying to get that thing down!" (y/n) hissed to Henry, who nodded as she went to stand in between Ray and the angry clowns.

"Uh, are you guys threatening me?" Ray asked the men as his best friend came to his side, but he wasn't going to let her get hurt, not against these losers.

"Maybe..." The clown replied and jabbed Ray in the nose with a mean right hook, shocking (y/n) and Henry as they watched their friend take the hit. Oh, it was on.

"Ah!" Ray clutched his nose as he waited for the pain to fade, but (y/n)'s temper had flared and she wasn't going to let these two clown jerks hurt the man she loved.

"Okay, Burples, is that how you wanna play?!" She hissed at the man, her eyes burning with fury as she stepped up to the plate. She was taunting them, daring them to make a move and then, she'd give them what for.

"Go back to the gutter, bitch. It's where you belong." The other man growled at her, not realising that he could insult or hit Ray all he liked, but insulting (y/n) made the superhero furious. She didn't deserve to be spoken to so rudely, not be some two-bit clown in a crappy costume and Ray wasn't going to let them get away with it.

"Oh, that's it! You don't talk about her like that! You're going down, clown!" Ray growled at them as he stepped in front of his girl, ready to defend her honour. It enraged the man to see her be mistreated and the protective streak in his DNA told him to keep her safe at all costs from the morons and their harsh words.

"Come on!" The clowns put up their fists, preparing to swing again, but they didn't realise that they had just picked a battle with Captain Man and insulted the woman he loved. They were playing with fire.

"Clown fight! Clown fight! Clown fight! Clown fight! Clown fight!" The kids and parents began to chant with Piper being to ringleader as Ray circled the two men and Henry tried his hardest to get the fiñata to budge.

He jumped up and down on it and finally, it gave way, but Henry couldn't control his landing and he accidentally squished the fish as he fell on the ground. He and (y/n) watched in horror as the death bugs began to fly out of the fiñata, searching for their targets.

"The Zom-bees!" Ray shrieked as he saw the insects spread out and his hands flew to his head to protect his brain.

"Everyone! Cover your ears!" (y/n) screamed to the kids as she got in front of them, hoping that the bees would pick her brain to eat on and not theirs. However, it seemed that they were particularly focused on the two asshole clowns, who had covered their ears too late and were screeching in pain.

"It's hurting my brain!" They screamed as Ray opened the gate for them to run out and they took the Zom-bees with them. Well, that was that dilemma solved. Wherever the bees would go, it wasn't their problem anymore. All they had to worry about was how to explain what had just happened to the terrified kids and their parents.

"Uhhhh...Happy birthday, Gabby!" (y/n) nudged the boys for them to join her and they all smiled as brightly as they could at the little girl. Now, they just needed to get out of the garden before...

"Whoa, clowns? Mister and Missus Clowns?" Mrs Birch stopped them before they could open the gate and the three looked at her sheepishly, hoping she wasn't gonna call the cops on them.

"Yeah, what's up?" Ray and Henry asked politely, hoping that whatever she wanted wouldn't take too long.

"You're supposed to stay and entertain the children until five o'clock. That's, uh...two more hours." She smiled at them as she checked her watch. Two hours, ew, no thank you.

"Oh, uhhhhh." Ray stumbled and looked to (y/n) for an excuse. She was normally good at making things up.

"Oh, well, ma'am, the thing is, you see---" The young woman rambled, wracking her brain for an excuse, but she was cut off when Piper ran over to them with something to say.

"Hey! Gabby wants you clowns to make some stuff with balloons." She told them and Mrs Birch smiled at the idea. That would give them something to do.

"But we gotta go..." Ray shuddered at the murderous glare that Piper was giving him and his excuse dried up in his mouth.

"So do it." She hissed. Looks like they had no choice.

Well, this sucked. Making balloon animals was a lot harder than it looked in the movies or on TV and Henry was struggling to come up with something good. At least Ray and (y/n) had an idea of what to do.

"Look, kids, aeroplane." Ray presented his balloon creation with a bored voice and twirled the propeller to make them clap. To be fair, it was quite impressive that he was able to make one.

"Look, kids, a dog." (y/n) showed them her much simpler design and then passed it to a girl at the front as she rubbed her sore hands together. The balloons had snapped and rubbed them as she twisted the latex into something resembling an animal, but at least they were soon healing over. The perks of being a superhero.

"How people do this for a living is beyond me." She grumbled quietly to Ray as they waited for Henry to finish his masterpiece. Ray saw her discomfort and took a hand into his so he could try and massage away the pain. They'd get better on their own instantly, but he wanted an excuse to hold her hand and she was happy to let him go for it.

"Uh, look I made an X." Henry smiled nervously at the children and held his untied balloons together. He was useless at balloon-art and unfortunately, this was the best he could do.

"Um, excuse me, ma'am. How much more of this do we have to do?" (y/n) asked the woman as Henry was just too painful to watch. Hopefully, they had killed a bit of time making their works.

"An hour and fifty-five minutes." Maybe not. They still had ages left and barely any energy.

"Oh, god." Ray groaned and Henry handed him his balloons. It was mundane and agitating for the couple, who knew that they had much better things to do with their time than mess about for children, but it was okay.

Much better things were about to come their way.

22 notes · View notes

jinkoh · 2 years ago

Text

butterscotch yellow

kino/hyunggu x gn!reader

“Still, I can't believe you didn't even tell us. No use crying over spilled milk but you'll have to tell us all about how it happened, y/n. I mean you hated his guts.” Just when you realized that Hyunggu and you hadn't agreed on a backstory yet, a voice sounded from behind you. “Hate is such a strong word, don’t you think?”

summary: for reasons you can't quite understand you end up fake dating the one guy you absolutely can't stand—and even more perplexing: you also end up falling in love with him

word count: 19,5k Tags: fake dating, rivals (?) to lovers, college au, hurt/comfort, a little smut (minors dni); Warnings: alcohol consumption

a/n: actually this story was first inspired by prompt 27 from this post: the way you said "I love you"—A taunt, with one eyebrow raised and a grin bubbling at your lips. And then it accidentally became almost 20k and the original prompt isn't even all that present anymore. Anyway I hope you enjoy~

Masterlist

Everyone loved Hyunggu. He was kind and charming and beautiful and helpful and whichever other amazing traits could be attributed to a person. Anyone would attest to how perfect he was

—and you couldn’t for the life of you understand why. Even your friends genuinely liked him and, what irked you even more, couldn’t grasp why you didn’t. If anything, they thought your constant bickering was amusing.

To your demise you weren’t only sharing the same major, no, you were also together on the student council. There was really no escaping him.

It wasn’t like you were a negative person by nature. But something about Hyunggu just rubbed you the wrong way, you felt annoyed by his mere presence.

Maybe you were just a bit more sensitive these days, but considering that you only just went through a pretty ugly break up with your boyfriend it was only natural.

So, when you went to the atelier between two of your classes in hopes of getting some peace and quiet while working on your final assignment, you weren’t exactly pleased to see someone else already there and even less pleased that it was Hyunggu.

He looked up when you walked in, only just stepping out from behind one of the art supply racks, his hair slightly ruffled.

You couldn’t suppress a sigh at his sight, but he just grinned.

“Nice to see you too, y/n.”

Just when you thought you couldn’t have been more annoyed at the situation, a girl stumbled out from behind the shelf, hastily readjusting her clothes. When her eyes met yours she laughed awkwardly, before scurrying past you out of the room.

After the girl had closed the door behind her you threw an annoyed glance at Hyunggu.

“Seriously? In the atelier?”

He just shrugged, getting back to his easel.

You couldn’t believe this. You didn’t care if he wanted to sleep around or whatever. It was none of your business and it also wasn’t a secret that he liked to have hookups with girls or guys or anything outside and in between—no strings attached of course. But did it have to be in the atelier? This space was for working, for drawing. It was supposed to be a safe space. Couldn’t he have gone elsewhere if he was feeling horny?

"I don't care what you do with your free time but can you at least try to keep it in your pants while in the atelier?"

He didn’t even look at you, his eyes trained on the painting in front of him as he picked up his brush again.

“Calm down, y/n. It’s not like we actually had sex here.”

“Calm down? Some people try to work here, Hyunggu.”

“You're just bitter because you're not getting any. Not anymore at least.”

Ouch. You didn’t want to admit it, but he’d hit you right where it hurt. A part of you wanted to murder him, another part wanted to cry.

But as if you could ever let that happen, as if you could ever cry in front of him. That’d feel like losing and if there was one thing you hated more than you hated him it was the feeling of losing.

So you just rolled your eyes at him while sitting down in front of your own work.

"Very funny, Hyunggu."

He threw you a shit-eating grin. “I know.”

You thought the conversation was over, but apparently Hyunggu didn’t agree.

“I can't help it, y/n,” he said casually as his brush moved over the canvas. “They just can't keep their hands off me.”

You started wondering if maybe you could get away with murder.

“Yeah,” you scoffed. “You poor soul. Must be so hard to be born this pretty.”

“Thanks.” He sighed dramatically. “It really is.”

You felt so frustrated with him, your hand started clenching around your brush. But you tried to contain your anger and calm your breathing.

"Maybe you should just start dating someone for real if you're struggling this much. Would surely help your case.”

The moment you spotted the smug grin on Hyunggu’s lips, you regretted your words.

“Sure. Are you volunteering, Buttercup?”

You gagged at his words. “I’ll pass, thanks.”

“Hm.” He shrugged and turned back to his painting. “Your loss. Others would have died for this opportunity. But suit yourself.”

“Yeah, right,” you mumbled, trying to steer your focus back on working too.

You mostly worked in silence after that. From time to time you could hear Hyunggu humming so softly, you didn’t even notice at first and when you did you were surprised to find that it didn’t bother you. In a way it was nice to have a little background noise while focusing on your painting.

Since you still had another class, you had to pack up your stuff eventually to leave. While you cleaned out your brushes, your gaze briefly wandered to Hyunggu. He was completely engrossed in his work, not even noticing you at all. It was like he was a completely different person. There was nothing of his obnoxious teasing and his arrogance. His whole aura changed when he focused on his painting—it almost made you want to respect him. Maybe you did, a little, at least this side of him.

You didn’t say goodbye when you left, both to not interrupt him and to avoid another spiteful conversation. But when you opened the door you heard a mumbled “See you,” from his direction.

“Sure,” you replied, not even bothering to look back.

A few days later, you found yourself at a house party from one of your fellow student council members. It was the first time you went out after the break up so you’d been somewhat looking forward to this.

But now you were standing in some corner, clutching onto the drink in your hand, your eyes glued to your ex making out with some girl on the couch. They were so invested in shoving their tongues down each other's throats they didn't even notice you staring at them.

Someone else seemingly noticed though because you were suddenly pulled out of your trance by a familiar voice.

“Wow,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “That hurts. I thought we were going to get married. Guess making out in the art room doesn't mean anything anymore these days.”

Your head snapped around to find Hyunggu standing next to you, an impish grin on his face.

When you looked back to the couch then, you recognized the girl on the couch as Hyunggu’s hook up from the other day.

“Truly tragic. You must be heartbroken,” you retorted.

“Hm. Not as much as you.” His voice almost sounded genuine and when your eyes met his you thought something like concern flashing through them.

It was gone within a split second though. “Bet you regret not taking me up on my offer now, huh?”

You rolled your eyes before downing the rest of your drink. “Gotta go, get a refill.”

“You know, if you'd asked me I would have gotten one for you.”

“I don't need you for that.”

You started walking towards the kitchen to finally get rid of him, but he jogged up next to you.

“No need to be so cold, Buttercup.”

“I'm not in the mood for your jokes, Hyunggu.”

He came to a stop in front of you, blocking your way with his body. When he looked at you, there was something dark in his eyes. If you didn't know better you'd think he was trying to seduce you.

“Who says I'm joking?” He leaned in a little. “I wouldn't mind giving this a go, just say the word.”

To your own horror, you really felt your heart skipping a beat but you quickly shook yourself out of it. You couldn't get involved with him and his games just because you were heartbroken and a little tipsy.

“Dream on,” you scoffed, pushing past him to the kitchen.

You tried to stay clear of both Hyunggu and your ex-boyfriend for the rest of the evening but it wasn't that easy since the location wasn't exactly a big place. Still, you could at least ignore them. You deserved to have a good time and there was no reason why you would have to be the one to leave. You did nothing wrong. You didn't cheat or break up nor did you make out with some girl in the art room.

But when you went back to the kitchen once more to get you another drink, you caught your ex, completely occupied by that girl from before who was sitting on the kitchen counter, her legs wrapped around his waist.

You wanted to gag and cry and punch him in the throat.

Good for her though, you supposed, since she really seemed to be getting her needs met these days.

When you sat down your cup on the counter with a little more fervor than necessary, your ex unglued himself from the girl’s lips to look at you.

“Oh,” he laughed awkwardly. “y/n.”

You threw him a forced smile and a nod, before you turned back to your drink. There was no reason to make conversation with him. You could be out of this kitchen within seconds.

Your eyes searched the counter, trying to find a bottle of liquor that wasn't empty in all the mess

“I think this one is good,” the girl suddenly said and handed you a bottle with a smile. You knew it wasn't her fault, lord, she probably didn't even know you were his ex. But at that moment you really wanted to punch her. For existing, for making out with him, for being nice to you.

Of course you didn’t go through with that. You weren’t that childish nor were you going to give your ex-boyfriend the chance to tell people you were hysterical or a bitch. God forbid they end up sympathizing with him even though he was the asshole who cheated.

“Thank you.” You took the bottle from her and started mixing your drink, trying to leave as soon as possible.

Sadly, your ex decided he wasn't done yet.

“I'm so sorry if this is awkward for you. I didn't know you'd be here.”

What a dumb excuse. He knew well that you’d be here, you were in the student council after all and pretty close with a bunch of the people here while he was… just kinda there. Still, you weren’t going to make a scene.

“Yeah sure, no problem,” you curtly replied.

“I hope this isn't too hard on you. I don't wanna hurt your feelings.”

You felt yourself getting angrier. Funny that he was suddenly caring about your feelings now. You wondered where that empathy had been when he hooked up with someone else the night while still in a relationship with you.

You put on your best fake smile.

“Why would I be hurt?”

“You don't have to pretend to be strong, y/n. It's okay.”

Your fingers clutched around the bottle of soda you’d picked up, trying hard to contain your anger and not empty the liquid over his head.

Just then, someone stepped into the room. Of course it had to be Hyunggu. For once you almost felt grateful for his presence. Anything was better than dealing with your ex just a second longer.

“What's up?" Hyunggu asked casually but his expression made it clear that he knew very well he interrupted a tense conversation.

“Ah,” your ex looked uncomfortable. “Hyunggu.”

The girl felt uncomfortable too, if the way she averted her gaze was anything to go by.

“So, what did I miss?” Hyunggu asked, stepping closer to you to reach for one of the bottles on the counter.

Your ex laughed. “Nothing big really, we were just talking about how hard it must be on y/n to see me here with my new girlfriend.”

Hyunggu raised an eyebrow at that last word and the girl seemed to get even smaller. He didn't comment on it though, instead he looked at you questioningly.

“Is that so?”

You wanted to disappear. This was so humiliating.

How could your ex dare to say shit like this, especially in front of other people, in front of Hyunggu?

When you didn't say anything, he asked again. “Are you having a hard time?”

There was concern in his eyes again, but this time you also thought there was something else. An offer. Or maybe a challenge?

Whatever it was, you decided to take him up on it.

Of course you hated Hyunggu with your entire being. But if it meant to escape getting humiliated by your ex any further, maybe it would be okay to take part in one of Hyunggu’s games.

“Why would I be having a hard time? You're here with me after all.”

Surprise flashed through Hyunggu’s face, but it quickly got replaced by a smug grin.

“That's good, love.” He wrapped his hand around your waist and pulled you a little closer to leave a kiss on the crown of your hair. “Let's go back?”

“Sure.”

Hyunggu threw a last glance at your ex and his girl who both seemed equally confused.

“Was good seeing you guys. Truly a lovely couple,” he said before guiding both of you out of the kitchen.

You hated to admit it but seeing your ex's reaction made all of this worth it. The confusion and the humiliation on his face were the best things you'd experienced in a while.

Nevertheless, you didn't really think it was necessary to stay in Hyunggu's arm now that you were out of sight.

“Thanks, you can let go now.”

“Aww, Buttercup, I'm hurt.” He pouted at you but it was clear he wasn't actually offended. He dramatically clutched at his chest. “I feel so used.”

“Shouldn't have offered then.”

He chuckled at your quick comeback. “You don't know what you're missing out on.”

“I'd rather keep it that way.” You shot him an emotionless smile before making your way back to your friends.

The following week you went back to the atelier to continue the work on your assignment only to find Hyunggu there once more. It only made sense that he’d use the room too—after all he had an assignment to finish. But it was really just your luck that he always chose the same times as you.

With a sigh you stepped inside.

“Is anyone hiding behind the shelves fixing their clothes or are you actually alone right now?” You took a cautious look around the room as if you were expecting someone to jump out from somewhere.

“Who do you take me for?” He grinned. “I would never cheat on you, Buttercup.”

“You're so funny, Hyunggu.”

“Right back at you.”

Since it seemed he really was alone you sat down at your easel and took out your equipment. Just when you wanted to continue your painting, Hyunggu interrupted you.

“Reminds me, do you know what you'll do about the gala yet?"

“What's that supposed to mean?” You asked with a glare. Of course your piece didn’t look exactly finished yet, but you also had another week before you’d present it at the gala and you were confident about making it in time. And even if you didn’t finish your assignment—it wasn’t any of his business.

He shrugged. “Well, your ex will be there too and he now thinks we're dating, so…”

Oh.

You felt the heat rush to your face.

You completely misunderstood him.

“So… what are you asking?”

“I'm asking how you want to handle it. Are we dating? Are we not dating?”

For a moment you stayed silent, considering your options. Of course you didn’t want your ex to know that you lied or to think that you’d already broken up again. But it was just a gala to present your final assignments. It’s not like you were supposed to come there with a date.

If anything, everyone would mostly stick close to their own works anyway, answering questions if the professor or other guests had any. So it wouldn't really matter right?

You shook your head. “Thanks, but I think no one would notice anyway.” You focused back on your painting. “Last time was really a one time thing.”

You could practically hear the grin in his voice when he replied “Usually that's my line.”

The night before the gala, you went to the location to set up your work. Your class had a loose time frame for the drop off, but by the time you arrived most people had already been there, the gallery decked out in paintings and sculptures. It wasn’t really surprising—you’d cut it pretty close and literally did your last brush strokes just this morning, giving them the day to dry before you transported it.

One of your professor's assistants was waiting at the entrance asking for your name and class number so she could tell you the number of the space where your painting was supposed to go.

When you reached the place there was already a painting up on the wall next to it. It looked very familiar. It was Hyunggu’s.

From an artist's perspective you could understand why your paintings would be set up next to each other—it made an intriguing combination in terms of style and arrangement.

But the prospect of having to spend the whole evening next to him? Torture.

You were carefully unwrapping your painting, when you heard steps behind you. You turned around to see your ex standing there giving you a dirty look.

“Can't believe you,” he hissed his gaze wandering between you and Hyunggu’s painting.

“Excuse me?”

“I was going to do the sensible thing and ask if me bringing my girlfriend along tomorrow would bother you. But here you are, having your work literally next to your new guy's painting. Can't bear to be apart for one evening, huh?”

You stared at him in disbelief. “What the fuck are you even saying? I'm not the one who made the room plan. And even if, what are you so pissed about?!”

“Am I not allowed to be angry when my ex who pretended to be all hurt about the break up moes on this quickly and then has to shove it right into my face?”

“Are you serious right now? You were the one who kept making out with your girlfriend at a party you knew very well I would be attending so what even is your point?!”

He just shook his head as if you were too stupid to understand.

“I just didn't take you to be such a slut, y/n, that's all.”

With that he left you behind, not giving you another chance to retaliate.

You clenched your fists. The anger bubbling in your stomach was so overpowering you almost wanted to go around the gallery to search for his piece and destroy it.

Honestly, he would have deserved that.

But you were going to pull yourself together (only partly because of the surveillance cameras in the gallery).

You still felt angry on your way home. But there was also a realization slowly sinking in: You might have to come back to Hyunggu’s offer after all.

You just knew your ex would have an eagle eye on you as much as he could, and with Hyunggu's painting right next to yours it would probably be noticeable if you didn't keep up the pretense.

So despite the feeling of absolute disgust that took over you at the mere thought of asking Hyunggu about this again after declining his offer so confidently, you decided it had to be done. If only to tick off your ass of an ex boyfriend.

The next day, you got to the location a few hours before it started, to help prepare and set everything up. Your professor gave some last instructions, since it was the first event of this type for most of the students. After that you helped with some last minute preparations, like relocating some standing and carrying some boxes with sparkling wine inside.

You kept looking for an opportunity to catch Hyunggu alone in between and you finally took your chance when you spotted him fixing the angle of his painting. You looked around before stepping closer and clearing your throat to catch his attention.

He turned around to you and immediately had a smug smile on his lips.

“Y/n.”

You really didn’t want to do this.

“Uh, yeah, hi. Can I talk to you for a second?”

He raised an eyebrow but nodded and the two of you stepped outside. On the way out you briefly crossed paths with your ex who threw the two of you a glare but you tried to ignore him. Hyunggu didn’t seem particularly bothered either.

When you finally stepped through one of the small back entrances, no one else in sight, he smiled looking intrigued. “So, what's up, Buttercup?”

“Can we be serious for like one second?”

“I'm always serious when it's about you, y/n.”

You rolled your eyes but decided not to further spur him on by replying to his the stupid comment.

“So the thing is,” you started reluctantly.

“The thing is?”

You could tell from Hyunggu’s smug expression that he wouldn’t make this easy for you, but it wasn’t like you had much of a choice.

"doesyourofferstillstand?" you begrudgingly pressed out, swallowing all your pride.

"Eh?" He cocked his head. "My offer?"

It cost you all your strength not to punch him in his dumb pretty face. But you pulled yourself together. You needed him alive.

“Stop pretending, Hyunggu. you know exactly what i'm talking about.”

“So where does the sudden change of mind come from?”

“Let's just say the situation changed a little.”

“How so?”

You didn’t exactly want to tell him all about yesterday's conversation but you also knew he wouldn’t give it a rest if you didn't give him at least some kind of reason.

“I had a little argument with my ex yesterday,” you briefly summarized.

He nodded slowly as if he was contemplating something.

“Hmmm, I can see why that would change things for you.”

A sly grin appeared on his lips as he stepped just a little closer to you. You felt your heart skip a beat in your chest at the sudden proximity. Without saying anything his gaze just lingered on your for a moment, wandering from your eyes to your lips and back up.

“But you know, Buttercup,” he said after a while. “You should have just said yes when I first offered.”

You frowned.

Of course you had known this conversation would be uncomfortable and that he'd be smug and sassy. But there had been no doubt in your mind that he would easily agree. Yet, now he was rejecting you?

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I guess you could call it a time-limited offer? Would have done it for free, but now you lost your chance.”

He looked at you with fake pity.

“What?” you asked, dumbfounded. You didn't know what else to say.

“Sometimes it's better not to hesitate, y/n. Maybe take it as advice for the future.”

You shook your head. “You're kidding right?”

“Why would I be kidding?”

“You were so keen on this before and now you're saying no?”

He shrugged. “What would I get out of this?”

“So that's what this is about? You want something in return?”

“I mean if you don't want to…” He let his eyes wander into the distance, a meaningful expression on his face.

You sighed. “What do you want, Hyunggu?”

A sly grin formed on his lips and it made your stomach burn with frustration. “I knew you'd come around.”

“Just tell me what you want already, Hyunggu.”

“A favor.”

You had a bad feeling about this.

“A favor?”

He nodded “Exactly.”

“What kind of favor?”

“I'll let you know when I need it.”

“You expect me to say yes to this without knowing what you're going to ask for?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “I'm not expecting anything. I'm just telling you my price.”

You took a deep breath. You hated this. There was no way you’d say yes to something like this. How stupid did he take you for?

Just when you were about to tell him to forget it all, you heard the backdoor behind you open.

Your ex was standing there, eyeing the both of you with pure disgust.

“Sorry to interrupt the two of you,” he snarled, not sounding sorry at all. “If you're done flirting maybe you want to come back inside and actually help like the rest of us?”

You swallowed looking back at Hyunggu who cocked his head in a question, as if to ask what your decision was going to be.

Your jaw tensed up. You couldn’t let him expose you now in front of your ex.

“Fine,” you mouthed at him.

“Perfect.” Hyunggu leaned in closer, his lips briefly brushing over your forehead, before he pulled back again to look at you.

“I love you.”

The way he said it was taunting, one eyebrow raised and a grin on his lips. It was so obvious that there wasn’t the tiniest bit of sincerity in his words, but your ex didn’t seem to notice, judging from the scoff he let out.

Hyunggu didn't give either of you a chance to say anything, moving past you to step back inside from where your ex was still glaring at you.

When you didn't follow along, Hyunggu turned around again. “Aren’t you coming, Buttercup?"

You went back inside to help with the rest of the preparations, though honestly, there wasn’t much to do anymore, confirming your hunch that your ex mainly came outside to interrupt you and Hyunggu.

Still, you somehow managed to keep yourself busy with this and that until the event started, barely seeing either Hyunggu or your ex. During the gala itself Hyunggu of course was close by, his painting being next to yours and all, but the guests kept you busy so there wasn't that much room for conversation or any fake dating activities.

In the late evening, after the gala ended, you felt tired and exhausted but you were also filled with bubbling happiness. More people than you’d expected had shown interest in your work and you thought you also did a decent job presenting it, so you couldn’t help the feeling of pride welling up inside of you.

Still full of adrenaline, you turned to Hyunggu who was taking a sip from a water bottle, looking pretty tired himself.

"Tonight was amazing, wasn't it?" You asked excitedly, forgetting for a moment that you were supposed to hate his guts.

You got ready to be ridiculed by him, you could almost hear his voice taunting you for getting so childishly happy about something like this. But instead he broke into a wide smile too, little creases forming in the corners of his eyes.

"Yeah," he agreed. "I loved it too"

It caught you off guard. He looked so genuinely happy, no trace of his usual sneer or smugness.

You couldn't remember seeing him like this before but you suddenly understood why everyone seemed to like him so much.

You swallowed, quickly averting your eyes. Instead of him, you focused your attention on your painting, reaching out to carefully take it off the wall.

"That's good," you mumbled, hoping Hyunggu didn't notice the heat you felt rising up to your cheeks.

Maybe it was because of the size of the painting or maybe you were just too fidgety but somehow getting it down was way harder than it’d been to put it up. You were just considering asking someone from the gallery to help you with it when you felt someone step behind you.

"Let me help you," Hyunggu said, standing so close to you that you noticed the scent of his perfume. It smelled like freshly cut flowers. It didn't exactly fit the image of him you'd painted in your head, but maybe you didn't know him as well as you thought you did.

"It's fine," you stuttered out, trying to put a little distance between the two of you.

"Just let me help, y/n," he insisted and you could hear the smile in his voice. "It can be a little tricky."

Hyunggu reached out his hands to your painting, his fingers brushing yours when he did. He easily removed the painting from the hook it was attached to and gently set it down.

You felt your heart beating so hard in your chest, you worried that he could hear the sound of it.

"There we go."

"Thanks," you mumbled.

"Always, Buttercup."

The nickname made you look up to meet his gaze, before your eyes wandered past him to your ex who was glaring at you from a few meters away.

Of course.

All of this had just been part of your little pretense because your ex had been watching. You’d simply been too unattentive to notice.

You suddenly felt stupid for getting all nervous and shy when Hyunggu was just playing his role—a role you’d asked him to play yourself.

“We need to set up some boundaries,” you stated later that night, when the two of you were alone, making your way to the bus stop.

“Boundaries?”

“Yeah. You know, rules and stuff.”

“So you want to keep this up longer then?” He grinned. “Can't get enough of me now that you've had a taste?”

You suppressed a gag. “Get off your high horse, Hyunggu. It's just that we can't suddenly stop now, I'm sure he will keep an eye on us at college too and since the others also sorta noticed now…”

Hyunggu chuckled. “Got it. We'll play lovebirds a little longer. I don't mind.” You didn't like the expression on his face but decided to ignore it.

“So, as I said, we need boundaries.”

“What did you have in mind, Buttercup?”

“That’s the first one. Don't call me that.”

“Why not? It suits you.”

“We're alone Hyunggu, there's no need to put on an act. Which is the first rule. When we're alone we're back to normal. No flirting.”

Hyunggu raised an eyebrow. “But aren't I always flirting with you? Isn't that our normal?”

“Rule number 2,” you moved on, not acknowledging his nonsense. “No others. I can't have another boyfriend cheating on me, even if it's just a fake.”

“I already told you I wouldn't cheat on you. Anything else?”

“I'm the one who breaks up.”

“Sure.”

You looked at him in surprise. You hadn't expected him to agree to that so easily, knowing all too well that Hyunggu could be prideful.

“You don't mind?”

“I think your ego needs that more than mine right now. Besides,” a cocky grin appeared on his lips, “I bet you won't want to break up anyway.”

“Dream on.”

“So, is that all?”

“Uh,” you considered for a moment. “I think so?”

“What about other kinds of boundaries?”

You looked at him questioningly. “What do you mean?”

“You know,” he stopped walking, his hand grabbing yours to make you stop as well. He pulled you closer until there was barely any space left between you.

“Things like this,” he whispered. “Is this fine?”

You swallowed, suddenly feeling way too hot despite the cool evening breeze. “I guess so?” Your voice was thin and it sounded more like a question.

“Mhm,” he hummed, his face coming just a bit closer still. “What about other things?”

“For example?”

His eyes wandered to your lips. “Is it okay to kiss you?”

Your brain short circuited. Clearly, the answer should be No. But how could you say no when he was looking at you like that?

“If,” you started, your voice trembling with nerves. “If the situation absolutely requires it…”

“Hm?” He urged you to go on, his gaze not leaving your lips.

“Then I suppose it's okay…”

He didn't say anything for a moment. His face was close enough for you to feel his breath against your lips and you were almost convinced he was going to lean in and close the gap. If you were honest with yourself maybe you wanted him to.

But then he pulled back, one corner of his mouth pulled up to a crooked grin.

“Alright,” he said, letting go of your hand as if nothing had happened. “I can work with that.”

Things didn't change as much as you thought they would—mostly because Hyunggu and you barely shared classes and you tended to keep to yourself a lot in school anyway.

Though when you had lunch with Shinwon and Hui the following week they of course mentioned it to you, playfully offended that you hadn't told them sooner.

“It was just really new and we weren't really sure where things were going,” you lied half heartedly.

Shinwon sighed dramatically. “Still, I can't believe you didn't even tell us. No use crying over spilled milk but you'll have to tell us all about how it happened, y/n. I mean you hated his guts.”

Just when you realized that Hyunggu and you hadn't agreed on a backstory yet, a voice sounded from behind you.

“Hate is such a strong word, don’t you think?”

Hyunggu really had a talent for showing up out of nowhere. He set the tray with his food onto the table and sat down next to you.

“I think rather than hatred, it was a bit of anxiety. Admitting your own feelings can be pretty scary.”

He smiled. You wanted to punch him.

“But thankfully we managed to talk things out,” Hyunggu squeezed your hand on the table. “Isn't that right, Buttercup?”

Your friends grinned at the nickname. You tried your best to look bashful instead of utterly humiliated and angry.

“Sure,” you replied, pulling your hand out of his grasp.

“No need to be so shy in front of our friends.”

You ignored him, focusing back on your food instead.

“So, since y/n isn't telling us, you'll tell us right? How the two of you got together?”

You felt Hyunggu's gaze wandering over to you, but you didn't look up. You were already feeling uncomfortable enough as it was.

“I think that's a story for another time,” Hyunggu replied in his usual charming tone.

Relief washed over you. You really weren't in the mood to make up some lovey dovey back story, nor did you want to give Hyunggu the power to make something up by himself.

For a moment you wondered if he wasn't saying anything to be considerate. But you quickly pushed the thought aside—this was Hyunggu after all.

Thankfully your friends let it rest after that and you got back to chatting about this and that until Shinwon interrupted the ongoing conversation with a sudden Oh! as if he'd just remembered something.

“Since you're on the student council too, you’re also signed up for the weekend getaway in a few weeks, right, Hyunggu?”

“Ah, yeah, I'm going.”

“Perfect,” Shinwon continued, excitedly clapping his hands. “Changgu said we had a problem with splitting the rooms since we got some rooms with double beds—but since you're dating now you can just share right?”

You choked on the bite of food you'd just taken, coughing helplessly until Hyunggu started to gently pat your back.

This wasn't good.

You'd been sure you would already be broken up by the time the trip rolled around. But how could you say no to this without exposing this all as a fake relationship? Then again, your ex wasn't even going to be on the trip so why would you have to keep pretending there? But did you really want to tell all your friends that you were pathetic enough to fake a relationship in order to get back at your ex?

While your thoughts kept circling, Hyunggu seemed just as helpless. It wasn't often you got to see him being unsure and if the situation had been any different you surely would have found great joy in it.

“Uhm,” he finally started, throwing you a questioning glance. “I don't really—”

“Sure!” You cut him off. “No problem at all!”

You felt his surprised gaze on you but you kept your eyes focused on your friends who nodded happily.

“Perfect, I'll send a message to Changgu then!”

Soon after, your friends excused themselves to go to classes, leaving you and Hyunggu alone.

“No problem at all, eh?” He turned to you with a raised eyebrow as soon as they were out of earshot.

“I mean—,” you stuttered. “What was I supposed to say?!”

He shrugged. “I don't know. I'm sure you could have come up with some kinda excuse.” The corners of his lips turned up into a mischievous smile. “If you really wanted to, that is. But I guess I'm just impossible to resist.”

With a roll of your eyes, you grabbed your tray and stood up to leave. Hyunggu quickly picked up his tray as well, jogging up next to you.

“Can't believe you're trying to leave me behind, Buttercup.” He playfully nudged you in the side.

“I already told you to stop calling me that.”

“And I already told you it suits you.”

“You're insufferable, Hyunggu.”

“That's what you like about me.”

Things weren't very eventful after that. Hyunggu was teasing you every chance he got (as he always did) and played your sweet, sweet boyfriend whenever other people were around. Somehow you got used to it so quickly, you almost started to miss his constant commentary when you were by yourself.

Not that you would ever tell him that.

From time to time, you caught yourself blushing or your heart skipping a beat and it honestly worried you. You knew that all of this was fake. He didn't mean it when he called you his or said that he'd missed you. And his nickname for you, too, was just part of this little game.

You knew this and yet sometimes you forgot.

Even if it was fake, even if there were no feelings involved, his hand felt warm against your skin and his voice sounded like home when he called you by that stupid little nickname.

Maybe you could finally understand the fall of icarus now, because against your better knowledge you still wanted to get a little closer, you still wanted to hold his hand and his heart, knowing full well that you'd get burnt.

The weekend before the student council retreat, Hyunggu texted you to accompany him to a party. You told him that you didn't want to go. He knew you weren't usually a party person anyway, but he somehow managed to convince you, saying it would make things more believable and probably also get your ex riled up more since you'd barely gone to parties with him.

So, on Saturday evening you got yourself dressed up and waited for Hyunggu to pick you up. When he spotted you coming out of the house his face lit up, little creases forming in the corners of his eyes the way they always did when he genuinely smiled. You hated that it made your heart race.

"You're looking pretty tonight," he said, opening the door of his car for you.

In an attempt to hide your nerves you just scoffed at him, while getting into the car. “Thanks.”

Hyunggu didn't take it personally though, closing the door and then going back to the driver's seat, a light swing in his step. He seemed to be in a really good mood and you couldn't decide whether you liked or hated it.

You didn't really talk on the way to the party. Instead, he had some music on and softly sang along from time to time. It surprised you—both that he was comfortable singing in front of you as well as the realization that he was a good singer. There were so many things you didn’t know about him yet and it was terrible, really. Because with every new thing you learned, he got more charming, as if you weren't already having a hard enough time keeping up your antipathy.

Once you reached the party you were once more reminded that not only everyone knew Hyunggu but that everyone also genuinely liked him. Before you knew it he was swept away and you were left to your own devices. You shouldn't have felt hurt about it but somehow you still did.

Wasn't he the one who persuaded you to come in the first place? Even if this was fake, the least he could do was to not leave you alone the second you arrived.

Feeling a little lost, you sat down in some corner unsure what to do with yourself, when someone sat next to you.

“You good?” Changgu looked at you, a worried frown on his face.

“Uh, yeah, totally good, really.”

He didn't seem to believe you but still nodded. “You know that you can come talk to me if something is up, right?”

“Thank you, Changgu.”

“Mhm,” he hummed in reply before nipping on his drink. “To be honest it really surprised me to hear that you're dating Hyunggu now. I always thought you hated him.” He wasn't looking at you, instead his eyes were fixed on some people in the opposite corner of the room.

When you followed his gaze you spotted Hyunggu talking animatedly with some guy you hadn't seen before, maybe from a different faculty or college altogether.

You watched him for a moment. The other guy must have said something funny because Hyunggu started laughing, his hand wiping at the corners of his eyes. You knew it was too loud in the room for you to actually hear his laughter, but the sound of it still rang in your ears.

“Yeah,” you replied without averting your gaze. “I thought so too.”

That drew a small chuckle from Changgu before he bumped your shoulders together playfully. “You really got it bad, huh?”

“What?” You tore your eyes away from Hyunggu to look at Changgu instead.

“You don't?”

You couldn't really agree to that nor could you decline, so you just shrugged.

“I hope you didn't misunderstand me. You make a good couple,"” Changgu eventually added. “It's just surprising is all.”

“I don't know about that.”

“About making a good couple? Why? What's up?”

“I'm just not sure if we could work longtime. It's like we have an expiration date,” you replied and it was just a little too close to the truth.

“Hmm,” he sounded thoughtful. “I'm sure you'll figure things out.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Changgu.”

Somehow you wanted the conversation to end, even if it was just to run away from your own feelings. You excused yourself and went to the kitchen to get yourself a drink.

It was ironic; the mere act of mixing yourself a drink in someone else's kitchen was exactly what got you into this whole mess. It somehow felt so long ago now, even though you knew it had only been a few weeks.

This time there was no ex boyfriend making out with a girl on the kitchen counter. Instead a bunch of people you'd never seen before were sitting at the table playing some kind of drinking game.

When a girl at the table caught you looking over she gave you a smile and asked if you wanted to join. You threw a brief glance through the kitchen door to see Hyunggu still immersed in conversation, so you agreed and sat down next to her. You didn't need Hyunggu to have a fun evening anyway. You could just make new friends if he didn't want to bother spending time with you.

You played a few rounds of a game that you didn't exactly grasp the rules of which also explained why you'd gotten tipsy so quickly. After another lost round you were about to drink again, when your shot glass was snatched right out of your hand.

“Hey!” you complained, tipping your head back in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the thief.

It was Hyunggu. Of course it was.

“I think you might have had enough for tonight,” he suggested, holding the glass out of your reach.

“Shut up,” you babbled. “Don't pretend like you suddenly care about me.”

“Don't say that. You know I care about you.”

A crease appeared between his eyebrows and he looked... worried? Apologetic? Hurt? You weren't sure.

And it didn't matter either, this wasn't real.

“Liar.”

He sighed. “I think we should drive home. Let me get your things, Buttercup.”

“Don't wanna.”

“Please?”

Reluctantly and not without a big pout on your face you gave in. “Fine.”

He told you to wait there while he left to gather your things. The girl next to you eyed you with a raised eyebrow.

“Didn't know you were here with Hyunggu," she said once he had left. "Are you dating?”

You shrugged but she didn't seem to mind the unclear answer nor did she seem surprised.

“Buttercup, huh?” she shook her head. “Classic Hyunggu. You know, he used to call me that too.”

You weren't sure why her words hurt you so much, but they stung like a knife.

You should have known better.

But some dumb naive part of you had always felt a little special when he called you that. Because you’d thought it was a nickname he’d made up just for you.

But of course not.

It was just some dumb name he recycled from past love affairs.

You should have known better.

“You ready to go?” Hyunggu's voice pulled you out of your thoughts.

When you turned he was standing there with a smile, holding out your bag and jacket for you. Without a word you grabbed your things and walked towards the door. You were still silent when you sat in the parking lot, waiting for him to start the car.

He reached out for the key but then halted, lowering his hand again.

“Are you angry with me?”

“No,” you replied curtly. “Why would I be?”

“Is it about leaving? Did you want to stay that much?” A crease appears between his brows. "I'm sorry."

“I told you I'm not angry.”

“But something is clearly wrong, y/n.” He sighed, running his hands through his slightly tousled hair. “Look, I know I wasn't being the best date tonight.”

“Fake date,” you corrected.

His frown just grew, and for a second you thought there was something like disappointment on his face.

“Yeah, right, fake date.” He repeated your words. “Still, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you all alone tonight.”

“I wasn't alone. I spoke with Changgu and uh-" You tried recalling the girl's name, or any of the people you played with, but you couldn't remember. Or maybe you never knew in the first place.

“I wasn't alone,” you emphasized again.

It was clear that Hyunggu didn't really know what to say. “I mean, that's good then?” It sounded unsure, like a question.

“Yeah. Can we drive home now?”

He hesitated still, his gaze lingering on you a little longer as if he wanted to say more. But then he reached for the key and started the car.

The ride home felt suffocating. He didn't turn on music he could hum along to and you didn't speak either. Both of you just kept your gaze fixed on the road until his car stopped in front of your house.

“There we are.”

“Yeah.”

“Sorry again for tonight, y/n. I didn't mean for the evening to go like this.”

“It's whatever.” You unbuckled your seatbelt and left the car without even looking at him again.

You made your way to your doorstep and even without turning around you knew Hyunggu was still there. Only when you opened the door and disappeared inside did he start his car again to drive home himself.

He texted you later that night, telling you that he got home and that you should get a good rest.

You didn't reply.

You still hadn’t replied by the week after and you went out of your way to avoid him, disappearing immediately after the classes you had with him to avoid conversation.

Of course you knew that you weren't being fair to him.

You had no right to be angry or hurt about something that you'd known from the start, something you had specifically asked for.

And yet you felt all kinds of angry and hurt.

Maybe there'd been some truth to Hyunggu's words when he'd said you never hated him in the first place. Maybe you'd really just been scared. How unfair though, that you were the only one feeling this way, while he got to move on from this as if it was nothing.

Avoiding Hyunggu had worked out so well, you'd gotten careless by Thursday. You'd taken your sweet time packing up after one of your classes, only leaving the room after everyone was long gone already.

When you got out, Hyunggu was waiting next to the door, immediately coming over as soon as he spotted you. He walked next to you through the hallway, not a lot of distance between the two of you.

“Don't think ignoring me will get you out of owing me that favor.” He winked, but it was clear he wasn't feeling as relaxed as he tried to make it look.

“Sure, don't worry, you get your favor. What do you want?”

He frowned at your cold reply.

“I haven't made up my mind yet. But I think rather than that we need to talk.”

“Then talk.”

He stopped walking and when you turned around to him he almost looked angry. You'd never seen him angry before. Annoyed, sure. Disparaging too. But angry? Hyunggu wasn't the type to get angry. He was the type who kept calm, who always had the upper hand.

Somehow you didn't know how to handle him looking at you like that, so you quickly averted your gaze.

“You're being unfair, y/n.”

I know, you wanted to say but you kept quiet.

“You wanted this. You specifically came to me and asked me to help you out.” He took a small step towards you, but not enough to feel intimidating.

When you glanced up his features had softened a little. “Don't I at least deserve an explanation when you suddenly treat me like this?”

He was right. But what were you supposed to say? I don't like that our fake dating is, you know, fake?

When you stayed silent he sighed. “And what am I supposed to tell the others? That we broke up? That we didn't? How am I supposed to behave?”

Objectively speaking, it was a valid thing to wonder about. It was only natural that he'd ask this. After all, contrary to you, he was around people often and couldn't exactly avoid conversations.

But somehow your brain and your heart didn't really connect that well, at least not today.

“So that's what it's about, huh? You're worried about what to tell the others? Well, I don't care, Hyunggu, just tell them whatever the fuck you want to.”

“Come on, Buttercup, you know that's not what I meant.”

Hearing him call you by that name made you feel sick to your stomach. All you could think of was that girl and who knows how many others that he'd given the same nickname to.

“I told you to stop calling me that!” You almost yelled now, not exactly the volume appropriate for the hallways of a university building but you couldn't bring yourself to care.

With tears in your eyes you stomped off, leaving Hyunggu behind in his confusion.

When your alarm woke you up on Friday you felt miserable. For all the same reasons as the day before but also for a bunch of new ones.

After sleeping about it and giving yourself the time to calm down a bit and think the situation over, it became blatantly clear that an apology was due.

You'd known from the start that you hadn't been fair to Hyunggu, but you really took it a little too far yesterday. It was vexing that he didn't even know what you were angry about. But how could he? It wasn't his fault you caught feelings and got your hopes up for nothing.

Another reason for your miserable mood though was that your phone reminded you that the student council retreat started today.

The retreat that Hyunggu would attend as well.

The one where you were supposed to share a room.

You wanted to stay home and just skip out on this. But you also felt that not going would just make things worse between Hyunggu and you and it would also put him in the uncomfortable position of having to explain in front of the others.

So despite everything, you forced yourself out of bed and started packing your things.

All of the student council members had agreed to meet up near college beforehand and drive together from there so that you could share cars instead of everyone driving by themselves. Since you'd put off packing till the last minute, you were already short on time and to top it off your bus was delayed too. It really wasn't your day.

You texted Shinwon about it, letting him know that you'd be running late and he told you not to worry, someone would wait for you.

When you arrived at the parking lot you immediately recognized his car.

Really, you should have expected this outcome.

Hyunggu was leaning against his car lifting his hand in a small wave when he saw you walking over.

You remembered the way he'd smiled when he picked you up for the party and it made your heart ache that he wasn't smiling at you now.

“Hey,” he said once you reached him, his lips pressed to a thin line.

“Hey.”

You looked around the parking lot and also glanced into his car to see if someone else was there. There wasn't.

“Sorry, it’s just me,” Hyunggu said, reaching out his hand to take your bag from you and put it into the back of his car.

You weren't sure what he was apologizing for, especially since clearly, you were the one who should be doing that.

After he put your stuff away he went around to the driver seat.

“Should we get going?”

The drive was silent again and you couldn't help missing the sound of his voice humming along to his music. Or any sound really. You kept fidgeting with your hands, well aware that you should fix this, but it somehow felt so intimidating to speak up.

“You're making me nervous,” Hyunggu eventually said with a small glance at your hands.

“Sorry.”

You laid your hands flat onto your thighs, but you only made it so long before you started fidgeting again.

“Can you uhm- can we maybe listen to some music?” You eventually asked, hoping to at least get rid of the silence. Maybe it'd be easier to speak up once it wasn't so quiet anymore?

“Sure, you can put something on. My phone should be connected to the speakers.”

He vaguely gestured towards the center console where his phone was laying. You just stared at it helplessly, unsure if he was expecting you to just take it?

“8310.”

“Huh?”

“My code.” For a second you thought you saw a small smile on his lips.

“Ah, right.”

You picked up his phone still feeling as if you were intruding despite having his permission to do so.

You just put one of his playlists on shuffle since you hadn't anything specific in mind that you wanted to listen to and also didn’t want to search through his phone. Melodic jazz started sounding from the speakers and it helped you relax a little.

“Uhm,” you started again after a while. “I'm sorry about yesterday.”

“Hm,” He just hummed in reply, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.

“I was out of line.”

“You were.”

You anxiously bit on your lower lip, unsure what else to say. You'd hoped he'd make things a little easier for you once you decided to apologize, but you knew you couldn't expect that from him.

“Are you going to tell me what was going on with you now?” He asked after a while.

“I was just—I think I'm just not cut out for this whole fake dating thing.”

It wasn't a lie, just not the whole truth.

“So, are we breaking up?”

You shrugged. “Maybe it's for the best? Thank you though, for playing along.”

“Mhm-hm.” He stopped the car at a red light, using the moment to look over at you. “What do you want to do about this weekend then?”

If only you knew.

Even if you broke up now, it would only make things complicated and uncomfortable for everyone else on the trip, not to mention the problem with the room.

“Maybe we can just... pretend a little longer? And end this on Monday?”

He nodded, looking away from you to focus back on the street when the traffic light turned green again.

“Whatever you're comfortable with, B–” he cut himself off before repeating his sentence once more. “Whatever you're comfortable with.”

The rest of the drive wasn't exactly comfortable, but at least some of the tension between the two of you had eased. From time to time, Hyunggu was humming along to the songs again too, almost as if he didn't notice he was doing it himself.

Once you reached the lodging, Hyunggu was back to his usual self, meeting the others with a grin.

“The lovebirds finally arrived,” Changgu dramatically greeted both of you, as he and some others got out to help you carry the luggage and supplies. “Took you long enough.”

“We just wanted some privacy,” Hyunggu replied with a wink.

It shouldn't surprise you how good Hyunggu was at slipping in and out of roles, putting up a front as if you hadn't just broken up in the car. Then again, you supposed it probably wasn't as emotionally taxing on him as it was on you.

You weren't sure if you should be hurt about his easy acting or if you should be grateful since he prevented things from getting awkward. With mixed feelings you trudged behind the others into the house, carrying some food supplies for the weekend inside.

The student council was a pretty wild mix of people and you usually felt a little overwhelmed with how loud and chaotic it could get, but today you felt pretty grateful about it.

Everyone was in a good mood, and a bunch of them had already started drinking too so no one noticed that you and Hyunggu kept some distance between the two of you.

Hyunggu managed to make a quick witted comment whenever the conversation touched on your relationship, keeping up the pretense without actually touching or flirting with you.

Between setting things up, cooking and playing some games, the evening rolled around quicker than expected.

You'd mostly stuck to Hongseok, helping him prepare dinner and then doing dishes together with him and Wooseok after dinner.

When you went back to the living room afterwards everyone was chatting and playing games and no one noticed that you sat down far from Hyunggu who was immersed in a conversation with Hui.

Drinking, playing games and listening to everyone's rambles let you forget a bit of the tension from today, and Shinwon even managed to draw the one or the other laugh out of you with his weird jokes.

Just when he'd said something stupid again that made you almost tear up from laughing, you caught Hyunggu looking at you from the other side of the table.

He smiled fondly, and you quickly averted your gaze, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks. You hoped that the blush on your cheeks went unnoticed or at least would be blamed on the alcohol and not your emotional chaos.

After a few more rounds of drinks you found yourself getting both very tipsy and very tired, unable to keep yourself from yawning.

When you could barely keep your eyes open, Hongseok carefully nudged you in the side.

“Y/n? Do you maybe wanna go to bed?”

Your gaze instinctively wandered to Hyunggu who was immersed in conversation, before you shook your head.

“No, no, I'm still awake,” you mumbled but it didn't sound very convincing.

Hongseok chuckled. “You don't have to force yourself just because your boyfriend is still up, you know that, right?”

Changgu overheard your conversation, asking if you were tired and wanted to sleep loudly enough for everyone to hear.

You felt a little helpless. You hadn't talked with Hyunggu about the sleeping situation again and weren't really sure how to behave. But it was true that you felt unbearably tired and now with everyone reassuring you that it was okay to sleep and some of them saying that they'd head to sleep too, you couldn't really say no.

“Just rest, y/n, it's fine. I'll come up later,” Hyunggu said with a reassuring smile.

“Okay.”

You made your way to the room Hyunggu and you were supposed to share, quickly got yourself bed ready and slipped under the covers.

Maybe you should have been nervous about the fact that Hyunggu was going to come up later, but you were too drunk and tired to really care.

You must have fallen asleep quickly, because the next thing you knew was that you woke up from a noise in the room. Blinking your eyes, you tried to adjust to the darkness of the room. You weren't sure how much time had passed since you went upstairs, but it was quiet in the house now, except for Hyunggu rustling with his bag.

“It's me,” he whispered when he noticed you were awake. “Just keep sleeping.”

Your eyes kept closing, despite your best attempt to stay awake, and when you opened them again he was gone, probably getting bed ready in the bathroom.

He didn't come back though.

When you woke up early the next morning, you were alone, no trace of Hyunggu ever having been there, except for his open bag on the floor.

You crawled out of bed, slipping into a hoodie before quietly making your way down the stairs to the open living room. It was quiet, everyone else probably still asleep after the long night.

You got yourself a glass of water from the kitchen when you heard a soft groaning noise from the couch. You walked over to take a look just to find Hyunggu sleeping there under a thin woolen blanket, quietly sighing in his sleep.

You felt guilty for making him sleep there and briefly wondered if maybe you should have stayed home after all, if only for his sake.

As if he'd noticed your staring, he scrunched up his face before blinking his eyes open.

“Y/n,” he mumbled, his voice still thick with sleep.

“Did you sleep here?” You whispered, worried about waking anyone else in the house.

He closed his eyes again for a moment. “Mhm.”

“Why?”

“What, were you lonely?” A small grin tugged at his lips.

Honestly you felt a little caught but you tried not to let on. “If anything I should have been the one sleeping on the couch.”

“I wasn't going to throw a sleeping person out of their bed. Who do you take me for, y/n?” He sat up, his hair looking tousled and sticking up a little.

“But this really took a toll on my poor back,” he sighed dramatically while stretching his arms behind his back.

“I'm sorry.”

A mischievous grin appeared on his face. “Well, if you're that sorry, how about making coffee for everyone? I might be willing to call it even then.”

The way he teased you reminded you of the way things were before the whole fake dating thing went downhill and it made you feel a little relieved, as if you could go back to normal eventually.

The others soon woke up as well and you ate breakfast with everyone before splitting up into smaller groups to get some student council work done, the excuse for taking this trip in the first place.

After working for a while, it was decided that some people should already start making lunch. You volunteered again, but were sent to go to the supermarket instead. Apparently Hui and Changgu had underestimated the amount of food (and even more importantly drinks) you'd need for the weekend.

“Take Hyunggu along since he has a car,” Changgu suggested and you couldn't really find an excuse not to.

You weren't sure if you even wanted to come up with one.

“Good to know our friends are supportive of us getting some alone time, huh?” Hyunggu shook his head in amusement as the two of you went over to his car.

“Sorry that you have to come along.”

“No, not at all. I don't think any of them would be capable of choosing good wine and—,” he playfully eyed you up, “no offense, but I don't trust you with that either.”

You couldn't help but chuckle. “Fair point.”

You got everything from the list as well as a few things on top that you simply were in the mood for—the privilege of being the ones getting the groceries, Hyunggu reasoned.

On your way back to the house you mostly looked out the window, until you suddenly realized that the road didn't look familiar at all.

Just when you wanted to say something, Hyunggu turned right, driving onto a lot.

“What are you doing?”

He hummed while he easily pulled into a parking spot. “I'm sure they won't mind if we come back just a little later.”

“What are you doing?” You asked again, but he ignored you.

He got out of the car, walking around to your side and opening your door for you.

“Just thought we could use some fresh air.”

You shook your head in disbelief but got out anyway. When you looked around you realized you were in the parking lot of some kind of botanical garden.

Hyunggu got something out of the back of his car before locking up behind him and walking towards the entrance.

“You coming?” He grinned, holding out a can of coffee to you that you hadn't noticed he'd slipped into the shopping cart.

“You're insufferable,” you said but took the can from him.

He grinned, opening his own can with a plop and raising it in a small toast. “How I missed hearing you say that this past week.”

You walked through the garden for a while, just looking around and sipping on the coffee. Despite the quiet it didn't feel uncomfortable this time. Maybe it was because Hyunggu seemed to be in a good mood, a light swing in his steps, that rubbed off on you.

Eventually, he plopped down on one of the benches in front of a pretty fontaine, tapping the space next to him for you to sit down next to him.

"”Shouldn't we get back soon? We also have the groceries in the car…”

“It will be fine, y/n, they won't suddenly spoil just because they’re in the car for a minute or two longer.”

You hesitated for a moment but then you sat down too, enjoying the fresh breeze and the pretty view.

“I'm sorry that I made things awkward,” you mumbled after a while, not daring to look at him.

“I don't mind things being awkward, y/n. But I'd rather be talked to openly instead of ignored out of nowhere.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Mmh-mh,” he took another sip of his coffee. “Let's not dwell on it anymore. Besides, I'm sorry too.”

You looked at him in confusion. “What are you sorry for?”

“For the party. It wasn't my proudest night.”

“You already apologized for that.”

He ruffled through his hair and let out a long sigh. “For the nickname too, I didn't know it bothered you that much. I didn't mean to overstep.”

“No, it's not—I mean it's not your fault, I just felt a little weird to be called the same nickname as a bunch of others before me—”

Hyunggu frowned. “What do you mean?”

You swallowed. “It's stupid, because everything is fake anyway but I just got a little too in my head about it. It doesn't matter.”

“No, what do you mean with others?”

“Uh, you know. People you've dated and stuff.”

“What makes you think I used it for anyone else?”

You huffed a tired laugh. “You don't have to pretend for me, Hyunggu.”

“I'm not. Why would I call anyone else that way?”

You almost felt annoyed at him keeping up the pretense. “Hyunggu, please. That girl at the party told me.”

“Well whatever she told you wasn't true then.”

“Why would she lie?”

“I don't know.” His expression looked more like pout now. “But why would you trust her over me? You don't even know her.”

You sighed. "Does it matter? It was all fake anyway.”

“It matters to me.”

“Why?” You raised an eyebrow.

“Just, you know.” He shrugged. “You really have the worst image of me, don't you? But I'm not as insincere as you make me out to be.”

“That's kinda hard to believe.”

“You wound me, y/n,” He sighed dramatically, properly an attempt to lighten the mood again, but it didn’t come across as fun and relaxed as he’d intended.

Hyunggu didn't give you more time to wonder about it though, getting up from the bench and motioning for you to follow along.

“Maybe we should head back after all. Before we miss lunch.”

You returned to the house soon after, not without your friends teasing you about taking so long. You made it on time for lunch though so it wasn't too bad. After eating you got back into your work groups from the morning, you and Hyunggu once again not working on the same things.

Later that evening you all sat together in the living room again, chattering and drinking the night away. It was loud and chaotic as always and you found yourself genuinely happy that you didn't skip out on the retreat. It would have been sad to miss all of this.

Soon enough you felt yourself getting a little tipsy again and decided to step outside for some fresh air. What you hadn't expected though, was that Hyunggu was already outside, looking up at you in surprise when you opened the door.

“What's up?”

You shook your head, stepping outside and closing the door behind you. “Nah, nothing. Just needed to get some air. What about you?”

“Mhm, me too.” He leaned against the wall of the house, his eyes focusing on the sky.

You followed his gaze, appreciating the amount of stars that could be seen. It was different from the sky in the city that never got truly dark.

“You know,” you mumbled after a while, and maybe it was just the alcohol that made you say the words that followed. “I actually liked it at first.”

“What do you mean?”

“The nickname. I kinda liked it.” You glanced over to find him smiling at you.

“I like it too. As I said, it suits you.”

“Me and whom?” Your grin died on your lips when you met his serious gaze.

“Why can't you trust me on this?”

You swallowed. “I don't know. It just feels a little hard to believe after what she said and after knowing how many people you hooked up with in the past.”

“Yeah, I did. I hooked up with a lot of people in the past. Her too, like a year ago or something. But I never called her by that nickname. I never called anyone like that. Only you. I promise.”

Your mouth felt dry and you wanted to avert your eyes but at the same time you wanted to keep looking, keep holding his gaze.

“Why?” You asked, unsure what exactly you were even asking.

“You probably don't remember this, but when we first had an art class together in first semester, we were supposed to paint flowers. I wasn't sure what to go for, but then you rushed into the room, flustered because you were late on the first day. You had that butterscotch yellow sweater on and it suited you so well and you looked so bright that it stuck in my mind.”

A nostalgic smile tugged at his lips. “So I painted buttercups that day.”

You stared at him in disbelief. You hadn't expected this kind of declaration so all you could muster was a small “Oh.”

When you wracked your brains you remembered his painting from that day. It'd left an impression on you back then because you’d liked the way he used the colors.

It was weird to think that without knowing you'd somehow been a part of this painting you’d adored.

He grinned when he saw your flustered expression. “So, do you trust me now?”

You nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

“Good. Let's go back inside then, Buttercup? It's getting cold.”

He was about to open the door when you reached out to him, tugging on his sleeve.

“You know,” you mumbled, staring at your fingers that were holding onto the fabric of his sweater.

“Mhm?”

“You shouldn't sleep on the sofa again.”

He chuckled, one eyebrow raised. “Do you really think I'd let you sleep there?”

You felt the heat rise to your cheeks and hoped he didn't notice through the dark. “I mean the bed's pretty big, you know…”

“Eh?” Hyunggu looked surprised. “Are you sure?”

“Can't have you breaking your back on the uncomfortable couch, right?”

He grinned. “Right.”

The two of you went back inside and this time you sat down next to him. In the limited space around the living room table you had to sit closely together, close enough for your thighs to touch. You tried not to think about it too much.

You also tried to ignore the way Hyunggu kept touching you more and more the later it got. Just casual touches that you knew were a habit of his; something he did with all his friends.

But everytime Shinwon said something remotely funny, Hyunggu clung to your arm or leaned his head against your shoulder, unable to contain his laughter. There was no use reading anything into it, heck, he probably didn't even realize he was doing this. But it made your heart ache for something more, for something real.

As the evening went on, the little get-together started to thin out, one after the other going back to their rooms to call it a night. Hongseok was already passed out on the floor, the shot of soju he'd had already too much. Giggling, Changgu and Shinwon tried to maneuver him out of the living room and into his bed, accompanied by Hui who couldn't quite settle between worrying and giggling along.

Everyone else looked tired too and you also felt fatigue overcome you. Maybe you'd had a little too much to drink as well or maybe you'd gotten too used to the proximity between the two of you all evening. Either way, you leaned your head against Hyunggu's shoulder and closed your eyes for a bit, not even giving it a second thought.

“You can go ahead to sleep,” you heard Hyunggu say, probably to Wooseok and whoever else hadn't left yet. “I'll take care of the chaos and then we'll head up too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, don't worry.”

“Alright. Sleep well.”

You heard the shuffling of steps, but in your drowsy state it sounded a little distant.

When it was quiet again, you suddenly felt fingers ghosting over your temple, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

“Are you asleep?” Hyunggu's voice was quiet and soft, almost a whisper.

“Mhm.”

Hyunggu carefully steadied your head with his hands, before moving away from where he’d been next to you. You groaned in protest when you lost your human pillow, which was met with a chuckle.

“Don't you think sleeping in bed would be more comfortable?”

A pout on your face, you blinked your eyes open. Hyunggu was crouching down in front of you, his hands still cupping your face.

“Let's get you to bed, alright?”

“You said we'd clean up,” you mumbled.

“Oh, so you were awake enough to hear that, huh?” He huffed a laugh and shook his head. “I said I would clean up though. Not we. You can sleep first, Buttercup.”

“No.”

“Come on, you're tired, y/n.”

“Mh-mhm.” You shook your head but your eyes fell shut again, refuting your denial.

Hyunggu sighed but he didn't sound annoyed. “Why not? I'll come up just a little later.”

“Will you though?”

“Eh?”

“If I go to bed now,” you mumbled, taking long breaks between words. “You'll sleep on the couch again and I'll wake up all alone.”

“That's what you're worried about?” He sounded genuinely surprised but couldn't contain a chuckle.

You frowned. “Don't make fun of me.”

“I would never.”

His thumbs brushed over your cheek before his hands wandered to yours, pulling you up from the floor. Once again you were groaning in protest but he wasn't having any of it, helping you onto your feet. You promptly fell into his chest, but he held you steady, one arm wrapping around your waist.

“I guess cleaning can wait until tomorrow morning after all.”

You couldn't really recall how you got up the stairs but suddenly you were sitting on the bed, your pajamas in your lap while Hyunggu gathered some things from his bag and went to the door.

“You're coming back this time, right?” You weren't sure why you were so hung up on this. Maybe you could blame it on the alcohol later.

“I'm coming back, y/n. Now get changed.”

With that he left the room.

You discarded your clothes of the day on the floor, slipped into your pajamas and crawled under the blanket.

Somehow, now that you were laying in bed, waiting for Hyunggu to come back, you were feeling awake again, wondering if this had really been the best idea.

You tossed and turned, unsure how to behave. Maybe it'd be best to pretend to be asleep already?

After a few restless minutes, you heard a faint knock on the door. “Y/n, can I come in?”

You instinctively squeezed your eyes shut, not replying. He waited a little longer before you heard the sound of the door opening and him coming into the room. You kept your eyes closed, expecting to feel the mattress dip any second. But it didn't happen. Maybe he left after all?

You blinked one eye open to sneak a peek, just to find him standing right there, staring at the bed, seemingly contemplating something.

“What?” you asked when he still didn't move after another few seconds. There went your plan of pretending to be asleep.

“Should I get one of the woolen blankets from downstairs?”

It took you a moment to realize that there was only one big blanket. He was asking if you were okay with sharing it or not.

You swallowed, trying to ignore the pounding in your chest. “It's fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Totally.”

He laid down next to, leaving enough space for your bodies not to touch. Still, you felt the warmth radiating off him and it didn't help calm your nerves.

Hyunggu turned off the bedside lamp before he rolled around to lay on his side, facing you. Even through the dark you could see that he was looking at you, a pensive expression on his face. You returned his gaze, not daring to disturb the silence of the room. His gaze made you nervous. You couldn't read him, couldn’t tell what was going on in his head.

Eventually, you broke eye contact with a breathy chuckle.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” your question was barely a whisper, and even that felt too loud.

“Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“You.”

You almost gasped, his response catching you off guard. Heat rose to your cheeks but you tried to play it cool, pretending that his words didn't do anything to you.

“You're so embarrassing.”

He didn't seem very impressed by your attempt at acting.

“Says the one who kept clinging to me tonight, who begged me not to sleep on the couch.”

“I didn't beg!” you denied just a little bit too loud, earning a raised eyebrow from Hyunggu.

“I didn't beg,” you repeated, quietly this time.

“Sure did.”

“I was worried about your back. Since you're my driver and all. Just for my own safety.”

“We have enough cars, who said you're driving back with me tomorrow?” A challenging gleam appeared in his eyes and he inched just a little closer.

“Am I not?” You tried to make it sound cocky but your voice came out breathless.

“Hm, I don’t know.” He chuckled and you felt his breath fanning over your lips when he did. “If you beg me again I might consider driving you.”

“I already told you, I didn’t beg.”

His gaze wandered to your lips before coming back to your eyes. “Keep deluding yourself.”

You swallowed, your gaze automatically dropping to his lips.

“I’m… not…” You trailed off, unable to focus on anything but his mouth so close to your own. If you just leaned in a little, a tiny bit—

Before you knew it, you felt his lips against yours. You weren’t sure if you’d closed the gap or if he did, but it hardly mattered. All that mattered was how sweetly he kissed you, his hands finding their way to your waist to hold you close. Hyunggu rolled over onto his back, pulling you on top of him. For a moment you looked into his dark eyes that stared right back at you and you wondered why it had taken you so long to do this. Before you could contemplate the wasted time any longer, Hyunggu leaned up to kiss you again. You sighed into his lips, your hands wandering to his hips and pushing up the fabric of his shirt.

“Wait.” Hyunggu broke the kiss, gently prying off your hands.

“You don’t want to?” You asked, but before the question was all out you already knew the answer. Of course he didn’t. This was all fake, he wasn’t actually into you.

It was like you’d been hit in the face with the reality of the situation. You felt stupid and embarrassed and you wanted to escape.

You tried pulling your hands away, but Hyunggu held onto them.

“Hey,” he whispered softly, trying to meet your gaze.

“Let me go,” you choked out, already feeling the tears well up in your eyes.

“Y/n, look at me.”

“Let me go,” you repeated like a broken record. You flailed your arms in an attempt to get free, but he easily stopped you, rolling both of you over and pinning your wrists to the mattress.

“Look at me,” he repeated with a little more urgency.

You shook your head, tears starting to spill out and run down your cheeks.

“Please?”

Reluctantly you obliged, raising your gaze to meet his. A soft smile tugged at his lips and he let go off your wrists to cup your face instead. His thumb brushed away the tears running down your cheeks.

“You know I’m not rejecting you, right?”

You shrugged, not quite believing his words.

“You’re drunk,” he continued. “You’re drunk and you’re tired, so I don’t think we should be doing this. But I’m not rejecting you. Okay?”

“Okay,” you choked out.

He chuckled, his thumb coming up to easen the deep crease that was still apparent between your eyebrows. “Then stop frowning like that, hm, Buttercup?”

“Just—you know—” You interrupted yourself, still feeling terribly stupid about all of this.

“Tell me.”

You shrugged again, trying to look anywhere but his face. “Got me feeling a little lonely I guess.”

“Y/n, you’re not alone.”

“Then why does it feel that way?”

“You’re not.” He leaned in, his lips brushing your temple in a soft kiss, before his lips moved onto the other side. “Even if it feels that way, I promise you're not alone.” He left another kiss on your forehead. “I’m right here.”

You sniffed. “It's easy to say that now. But this will be over tomorrow and we'll go back to being nothing.”

He frowned, but the expression was gone again in a split second, replaced with a gentle smile.

“We don't have to be nothing, Buttercup.” He whispered, just to correct himself a moment later. “We won't be nothing.”

He let himself fall onto the mattress next to you, opening his arms for you to snuggle into. As soon as you did, they wrapped around you, his fingers drawing soft patterns onto your back. His mouth kept whispering words of reassurance and his lips kept leaving little pecks and kisses on the crown of your head. You relaxed into his embrace, feeling yourself slowly calm down and drift off to sleep.

When you woke up the next morning, you felt a little disoriented, needing a moment to remember what happened last night and to realize that you were still wrapped up in Hyunggu's arms.

You felt your face growing hot from embarrassment and tried to wriggle yourself out of his arms without waking him. But as soon as you stirred he made a small sighing noise and pulled you even closer.

“Just a little longer,” he mumbled, seemingly still half asleep.

At a loss for words or any kind of reaction really, you just resigned for now, letting him hug you close until he'd wake up properly. If you couldn't sneak out, maybe you'd at least get the satisfaction of not being the only one feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

Of course you'd forgotten to factor in Hyunggu's annoying amount of confidence. When he finally did wake up he moved back a little, looking at you with a smile that was definitely too bright for someone who'd still been asleep a minute ago.

"Hey."

He pushed a strand of hair out of your forehead.

"Hey."

For a while you just looked at each other, his gaze on you so fond it made your heart ache. You swallowed around the lump in your throat, trying to remind yourself that not being nothing didn't mean that you’d be a something.

Muffled noises were coming from the hallway, the sound of steps running up and down the stairs.

“Everyone's awake already,” you mumbled, trying once more to push yourself out of his embrace.

“What about it?” He asked, not letting you go.

“We should get up too. I'm sure they'll want to leave soon.”

Hyunggu shrugged. “Let them.”

“Hyunggu, please,” you complained and this time managed to wriggle yourself out of his grasp.

You slipped out of bed and made your way to the hallway, where you were met with a way too chipper Changgu.

“Guess the lovebirds overslept, huh?” Seeing your tousled, sleepy state he chuckled. “Good timing, I was just about to come wake you up.”

“Yeah, we're up now…”

You looked around and realized that most rooms were empty already. Wooseok made his way down the stairs, his bag slung over his shoulder.

“Why is everyone in such a hurry?” You asked in confusion, earning another laugh from Changgu.

“It's almost 10:00, y/n. We wanted to leave at 9:30.”

“Oh. Fuck.”

He shrugged before ruffling your already tousled hair.

“Don't worry about it. We already cleaned up, so just take care of your room and make sure to be out by 11.”

With that he started making his way down the stairs as well, turning around again when he was halfway down.

“And don't forget to lock up when you go.”

“Wait, Changgu—”

But he didn't stop and soon was out of sight.

“See you on Monday, y/n,” he shouted from downstairs. And then you heard the front door fall shut, leaving an eerie silence in the house.

You tiptoed back to your room, finding Hyunggu exactly how you'd left him, curled up in bed.

Helplessly you just stood in the door frame for a bit, until he turned around to you with a scrunched up face.

“What's up?”

“Everyone left.”

“Mhm.” He patted the spot next to him on the mattress. “Perfect, let's sleep a little longer then.”

“We have to be out in an hour.”

He groaned but pulled back the blanket and sat up. “You're such a spoilsport, y/n.”

The two of you got ready to go, cleaning up your room and packing up your things. Just as Changgu had said, the kitchen and living room were already all cleaned up and it made you feel a little guilty—especially since Hyunggu had promised to clean yesterday.

Hyunggu didn't seem to struggle with the same pricks of conscience; he was in a good mood, humming softly the whole time.

After loading his car, he checked the front door, making sure it was locked properly, before plopping down on the driver's seat of his car.

Since you hadn't had any breakfast yet, the two of you stopped for a coffee along the ride. Hyunggu had asked if you wanted to sit down to eat somewhere, but you'd declined in favor of getting home more quickly. Or maybe just to keep yourself from getting more delusional.

So, Hyunggu pulled into the parking lot of a café and quickly hopped in while you waited in the car for him to come back.

He soon returned with the coffee and two croissants for the both of you, handing them to you when he got back into the car.

“Sorry, not the most copious breakfast, but better than nothing.”

You laughed dryly. “It's fine Hyunggu. It's not like this is a date or anything. I'm not your girlfriend anymore, remember?”

He looked taken aback for a moment, before he turned away from you to start the motor.

“Right.”

You wondered if you'd said something wrong, because his good mood from before seemed to be washed away. Instead, you were once again stuck in a silent car together, feeling tense and anxious. The rest of the ride was quiet, except for the music coming from the speakers. He didn't hum along.

You silently sipped on your coffee and munched on your croissant, well aware Hyunggu left his own breakfast untouched but not daring to speak up about it.

When you reached your house he turned off the motor, the music stopping as well.

You didn't move, feeling uneasy to leave things like this.

“Uhm, thanks for the ride,” you mumbled after a while, your gaze focused on your hands.

“Sure.” He unbuckled his seatbelt. “I'll help you get your things.”

“It's fine, I can do it.”

But Hyunggu had already gotten out of the car.

You trailed behind, watching helplessly as he got your bag out and walked towards your house. He stopped in front of the door, a bit to the side to give you the space to unlock it.

But you didn't move, too afraid that opening the door meant leaving things like this.

“Forgot your keys?” He asked after a while.

You shook your head, reluctantly fishing them from your pocket. Right before putting the key into the lock you stopped, turning around to face him.

“I'm sorry,” you blurted out.

He huffed a tired laugh. “What for?”

“I don't know... Just—I feel like I said something wrong.”

“It's not that. I just misunderstood your intentions. But it's fine, really.”

He held out your bag for you to take but you just stared at him, searching for something in his eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“It doesn't matter, y/n. Don't worry about it.”

You swallowed around the lump inside your throat and finally took the bag from him. He raised his hand in a small wave before turning around and walking to his car, leaving you feeling anxious.

You couldn't shake the uneasy feeling for the rest of the day. You considered texting him but maybe he needed some space?

Unable to calm your nerves, you went to bed early, hoping to shut your thoughts out. But it wasn't working, not when your bed felt so lonely and cold now that you had to sleep alone. It was ridiculous to feel that way; it'd only been one night. But his arms around you had been so warm, so comforting that you already missed them. You tossed and turned for hours, and when sleep finally found you the sun had already started to rise again.

The next day you were tired and miserable, your mind wandering back to Hyunggu and your cold farewell from yesterday the second you woke up.

You wanted to skip college, not really in the mood to deal with people right now. But in the hopes of meeting Hyunggu and being able to clear things up, you dragged yourself out of bed and got ready.

To your surprise though, Hyunggu wasn't in the class you shared and you also didn't see him in the cafeteria. You knew you could ask your friends if they'd seen him but you weren't really in the mood to answer any of their questions.

Maybe his skipping class had nothing to do with you at all, but your gut feeling told you he was avoiding you. It hurt.

You briefly wondered if that was how Hyunggu had felt when you’d ignored him after the party. Maybe this was karma.

You weren't feeling too optimistic, but you still decided to check the atelier, hoping that maybe Hyunggu would be there. To your surprise he really was, sitting in front of an easel and working on a painting. He didn’t even look up when you entered the room and closed the door behind you.

“Hyunggu.”

He glanced over but immediately turned his focus back to his brush.

“Hey,” he replied curtly, letting the room fall silent again.

“Can we talk?”

“I'm kinda busy right now.” He gestured at his painting. “The deadline is soon.”

You knew it was a lie but you nodded anyway, stepping a little further into the room.

“Then maybe we could have a coffee this weekend—”

“Y/n,” He sighed, setting the brush aside to look at you. “Just give me some time, alright?”

You swallowed, unsure what to say.

Of course, you should give him the space he needed. But it just felt so unsettling. It felt like you'd lose him if you didn't hold onto him now.

"I'm sorry," you said, surprised by how choked up your own voice sounded. “It's just—”

You took a deep breath. “You said we won't be nothing. But why does it feel that way now?”

“I thought you hated my guts anyway.”

You weren't sure if it was supposed to be a joke or not. It didn't sound like one.

“Hate is such a strong word.”

A tired laugh slipped past his lips. “You got me there.”

You started to get frustrated, unsure how to fix this. It almost felt as if your words didn't matter at all, as if they didn't reach him anyway.

Tears started gathering in your eyes but you tried your best not to cry.

“So can we just—”

You interrupted yourself, not confident to keep from crying if you continued. It wasn't fair that things were like this. You hadn't meant for things to turn out this way.

“I miss you,” you eventually blurted out and with it your tears started to spill. You didn't care anymore, letting them run down your cheeks.

“It's only been a day but I already miss you. I miss talking to you. I miss being with you. I don't want us to be nothing.”

Hyunggu's gaze immediately softened and he stood up to walk over to you. He reached out his hands, gently cupping your face and wiping your tears away.

“I got it,” he whispered and he looked so in pain, as if seeing you like this made his heart ache just as much as yours. “I got it. We won't be nothing. So don't cry, Buttercup.”

“I'm sorry,” you choked out between sobs. “I'm sorry if I said something wrong. I'm sorry if I hurt you.”

He hummed in reply, pulling you against his chest. “It's okay already. Don't worry.”

He drew soft patterns onto your back to calm you, just like he did that last night on the trip. You weren't sure for how long you stood there, but the whole time he held you close, patiently waiting for you to calm down.

When you finally calmed down a bit, you knew you should probably let go of him. But you didn't want to leave his embrace, not when it felt so warm and comforting. He must have noticed that you'd stopped crying, but he didn't let go either, his fingers still running over your back.

“Should I drive you home?” He asked eventually.

You nodded and reluctantly peeled yourself out of his arms. “Thank you.”

“Let me just gather my things real quick, hm?”

He packed up his equipment and then slung his bag over his shoulder.

“Let's go?”

Before you could reply he just took your hand and pulled you along, out of the atelier and then out of the building to the parking lots. You kept your eyes on the ground, feeling self conscious both about your tear stained face and the fact that Hyunggu was holding your hand.

Of course the latter didn't make a lot of sense, not when all your friends thought you were dating anyway, but you couldn't help it.

The ride home was quiet again, but it was a different quiet. It wasn't filled with the uncomfortable tension from before. He wasn't angry or cold, he was just calm.

Nevertheless, you felt a little nervous. Of course you were relieved that you somehow managed to patch things up between the two of you, but you weren't entirely sure what all of this meant. The whole fake dating thing was supposed to be over, but the way he'd treated you didn't exactly seem platonic—or were you just reading too much into this? Was he just being nice? Hyunggu was an affectionate person by nature after all, maybe he just wanted to comfort you as a friend.

“We're here,” Hyunggu said once you’d reached your house.

“We're here,” you repeated but you didn't move. You didn't want to part yet but you also didn't have a good excuse to stay.

For a moment you sat in silence, before Hyunggu spoke up again.

“Should I help you with your things?”

You glanced at your things: a small backpack you'd put between your feet and your coat that laid in your lap. There wasn't really anything to help with, you knew that and Hyunggu knew it too.

You looked back up at him.

“Sure.”

Both of you got out of his car and he slung your backpack over his shoulder as you made your way to the door. The scene felt familiar, him carrying your bag and all. You didn't want to end it the same way though, you didn't want him to leave again.

After unlocking your door, you turned around to him before pushing it open.

“Uhm, do you want to come in for a coffee?”

The moment you asked he broke into a bright smile that made your heart race.

"I'd love to."

You felt a little self-conscious about letting him into your flat—you hadn't specifically cleaned up and while it wasn't a complete mess it also wasn't particularly tidy either.

Hyunggu didn't seem to mind. He looked around with curious eyes, taking in the way you decorated your home without being too nosy.

“Sorry I didn't—it's a little chaotic,” you mumbled watching him.

“No, don't be, I like your home.” He smiled. “It's comfortable.”

Maybe he was just being polite, but somehow it made your heart flutter to hear him say that.

After you were done making coffee, you moved to your living room and sat on the couch. The two of you talked a bit, all the while sipping on your coffee. There wasn’t any particular topic, you talked about this and that, from college or your friends to one of the paintings on your wall that Hyunggu commented on. Despite the random topics, it felt easy and comfortable. You were so used to the endless banter between the two of you, it was nice to know you could talk to each other casually —without any teasing. Without any crying too.

You tried to drink your coffee slowly, knowing full well that once the two of you had emptied your cups there was no reason for Hyunggu to stay any longer. Hyunggu took his time as well, purposely or not, but eventually you were done; two empty cups on your coffee table.

Hyunggu looked at them pensively, then glanced at his watch.

You knew what was coming.

You didn't want him to leave.

He turned to you. “Maybe I should—”

“Do you want to watch a movie?” You blurted out, interrupting him.

He almost looked relieved. “Yeah.”

You put on a random movie that Netflix recommended to you and it wasn't as bad as you would have expected. From time to time either of you commented on something that made the other giggle. You'd noticed this before, especially when your other friends were around, but it was easy to make Hyunggu laugh. And god, were you thankful for that. You loved the sound of it and you loved the little creases that would form in the corners of his eyes and how he’d push out his chin.

When the movie was almost over your stomach decided it was a good moment to ask for attention.

Hyunggu grinned. “Am I keeping you from having dinner, Buttercup?”

You shrugged, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks. “I didn't have a lot for lunch,” you explained, embarrassed.

“Should we order something? That is, if you don't mind having me around for dinner?”

“Let's order.”

The food hadn't arrived yet when the movie ended, so you started another one that you continued after the food came.

Hyunggu was more relaxed with you again. It showed in his laughter and in the way his hand kept finding your arm or your thigh, casually touching you as he spoke.

It wasn't that you didn't know this side of him—you'd seen it plenty when you all hung out with your friends. But it'd never been this way when it was just the two of you; he'd never let his guard down like this with you before. It made your heart yearn for more. You wanted to be able to always have this, not just tonight.

“It's gotten pretty late, huh?” Hyunggu commented eventually—your dinner long eaten and the end credits rolling over your TV screen.

You swallowed. “I guess so.”

“Should I—,” he hesitated. “Maybe it's time for me to go?”

No, you thought. “Maybe,” you replied.

For a moment it was quiet, neither of you saying anything. You just looked at each other, as if both of you waited for the other to make a move.

You swallowed again, your heart racing like crazy under his gaze. “Is it bad if I don't want you to go?”

A soft smile played on his lips. “Is it bad if I don’t want to go?”

“Not at all.”

The two of you started another movie, but you got unbearably tired before the movie was even halfway through. When your eyes involuntarily closed once more, Hyunggu chuckled softly.

“Maybe we should call it a day?”

You nodded, turning off the movie and standing up to go to the bedroom. Hyunggu followed you to the hallway, but from there he stopped, looking a little unsure, his eyes wandering between you and his shoes that were sitting close to the entrance.

You looked at him with a sleepy frown. "You're not coming?"

“No, uh, sure.” He cocked his head from one side to the other and you wondered if it was a nervous habit of his.

You got bed ready—as best as you could with Hyunggu not having anything with him—before you settled into your bed. There was a polite distance between the two of you and it made you feel a little lonely and unsatisfied but you didn't know what to do to fix it.

After staring at the ceiling for a while you turned around, examining his side profile through the dark.

"Hyunggu?" you mumbled eventually, your voice trembling with nerves.

He turned around to face you. "Mhm?"

You took your time with saying anything else, unsure what it even was you wanted to say. Hyunggu didn't rush you though, he just looked at you attentively, waiting for you to go on.

Your gaze kept flickering, unable to hold eye contact but also not capable of looking away for good.

“I'm cold.”

You thought you saw a soft smile on his face when he opened his arms for you to snuggle into.

You looked up at him through the darkness, your faces mere inches apart. He looked right back, holding your gaze.

“I like when you look at me like that,” he whispered, not breaking eye contact.

“Like what?”

“Like that.” You felt his lips grazing yours, just the ghost of a touch, before he pulled away again, his eyes searching yours for consent.

In a silent reply, you leaned in to close the gap. Your lips moved together, gently at first but then more and more greedily. It hadn’t been long since you’d kissed him, but doing it now made you realize how much you’d been longing to do it again.

He pulled you close, one hand cupping your jaw while the other found its way to your hip, grazing the skin underneath your shirt.

“I’m not drunk now,” you whispered against his lips, your fingers tugging at the waistband of his underwear.

He pulled away and for a brief second you were overcome with a sense of deja vu, the fear of getting rejected rushing through you again.

But he didn’t go far, his hand still cupping your face when he replied. “And tomorrow?”

“What about tomorrow?”

“Will you let me take you on a date then?” His lips briefly grazed yours before he continued. “Or will we be nothing again?”

Your heart was racing in your chest like crazy. You nodded hastily. “Yeah. No.”

“Which one is it?”

“No, you can. You can. Take me on a date.” You felt him smile against your lips before he kissed you again. “Okay.”

Hyunggu didn’t stop kissing you, not even when he rolled over, bracing himself up on one arm to hover above you. His fingers wandered underneath the fabric of your shirt, grazing your skin with featherlight touches that left goosebumps in their wake. You sighed into his lips which just egged him on more, if the way his fingers got bolder was anything to go by. He pushed up your shirt until the fabric was bunching over your collar bones, most of your upper body exposed to him. He grinned mischievously, pressing a kiss onto the corner of your mouth, before his lips traveled down your jaw to your bare chest. While his mouth kept teasing your skin, his hand moved on to your shorts, softly tugging at the waistband.

“This okay?” he mumbled into your skin.

When you nodded, he dipped his fingers into your pants. A small gasp escaped your lips when you felt him touching you through the thin material of your underwear. Your hands instinctively moved to his shoulders.

"Off," you complained, tugging on the fabric of his shirt. "I wanna touch you too."

Hyunggu lifted his head to look at you, something like surprise in his eyes that quickly gave way to a soft smile.

"Then I shouldn't stop you, hm?"

He left a small peck on your cheek before sitting up and slipping out of his shirt and tossing it aside. The fabric had barely hit the ground when you pulled him in again. You kissed him, your hands running over the expanse of his back, marveling at the feeling of his warm skin against your own.

"Better?" He mumbled into your lips and you could hear the grin in his voice.

"Much better."

Your hands traveled over his skin to his hips, sneaking into his boxer briefs. He let out a soft sigh when you touched him and you couldn’t help wanting to hear more of his voice. You moved your hands experimentally, in awe of his little gasps and moans.

Suddenly, his fingers clasped onto yours, making you halt in your movements.

“Let me take care of you first,” he whispered, his breathing slightly erratic.

“But I don’t want to be the only one enjoying this.” You almost pouted a little and it drew a breathy chuckle from him.

“Oh, I’m enjoying this plenty; don’t worry, Buttercup.”

His hand once more found its way to the waistband of your shorts, hooking one finger underneath and letting it snap back onto your skin.

“Should we get rid of these?”

You nodded, as your hands impatiently moved to help him take them off, pushing your underwear down as well. Hyunggu pulled them all the way down, gently lifting your legs to remove them completely. Before he set your legs back down onto the mattress, he left gentle pecks on your ankles and then your knees, as he crawled up between them. His lips continued their path, leaving a trail of kisses on your inner thigh. Once he’d reached his destination, he looked up at you with round eyes.

“May I?”

You swallowed, anticipation rushing through your body. “Yeah.”

A smile spread on his lips. His hands took hold of your thighs, gently urging them to open a little more and give him access. Just feeling his breath against your skin already made you shudder, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of his mouth on you. He made you fall apart so easily, his every move making you tremble. Your hands clung to his shoulders, instinctively trying to pull him in more as you felt the knot starting to build in your lower stomach.

“Feels good,” you babbled thoughtlessly, followed by a string of moans.

Hyunggu pulled away to meet your gaze, his hand taking the place of his mouth to keep you on edge.

“You close, Buttercup?”

You barely managed to breathe out a reply, unable to focus on anything but the way he touched you. He pecked your thigh once more, before moving in again, his tongue and lips getting back to work. It was all you could do to hold onto him as he sent you over the edge. Your fingers clung to his shoulders, as he helped you ride out your high, probably leaving scratch marks in their wake, but you were too far gone to notice.

Once you’d come down a little, he scooted back up to look at you. His eyes were so full of awe, gazing at you as if you were the most beautiful thing in the world and for the moment you could almost believe it yourself.

When he still didn’t avert his gaze nor say anything after a few seconds, you self-consciously turned your head away.

“No, don’t,” he whispered softly, cupping your jaw to make you face him again. “Let me look at you.”

You let out a timid laugh. “It’s embarrassing.”

“Yeah.” He pecked your cheek. “It is.”

You wanted to complain, but he was looking at you with such a gentle expression, you couldn’t bring yourself to.

“But it’s okay,” he continued. “You’re safe with me.”

When you woke up, you were still wrapped up in Hyunggu’s arms. You instinctively snuggled a little closer which was met with a warm chuckle.

Still sleepy, you raised your head to look at him. Hyunggu was already awake, watching you with fond eyes.

“"Did you sleep well?”

You made an affirmative noise before you tucked yourself back into his chest.

“We should get ready for classes.”

You shook your head.

“You want to skip, Buttercup?”

“Just for today.”

You didn't want to let him go yet, you needed to stay in his warm embrace as long as possible.

“And people say I'm the bad influence.” Hyunggu huffed a laugh but his arms pulled you closer, one of his hands running over your back.

You must have drifted off to sleep again, because the next time you blinked your eyes open, you were laying on Hyunggu's chest, one of his arms loosely on your back while your own arm was slung around his waist. Hyunggu had fallen asleep again too, his breathing coming in even puffs.

You gazed at his sleeping form, taking in every little detail of his face, from his full lips to his dark lashes. He was beautiful.

Without giving it much thought, your fingers ghosted over his skin, moving from one faint mole to the next. You'd never noticed that he had so many. Of course you had seen the one below his eye, but there was another one on his cheek, the tip of his nose, under his mouth, on his lip—

“What are you doing?”

Hyunggu looked at you through sleepy eyes. Before you could draw back your hand, his fingers wrapped around it and pulled it to his chest.

“Hmm?” He raised an eyebrow when you still didn't reply.

You averted your eyes, heat tingling under your skin.

“Just,” you shrugged. “You have a lot of birthmarks.”

“You don't like them?”

“I do. They are pretty.”

He broke into a smile, little creases forming in the corners of his eyes. You thought you could get used to this sight in the morning.

Hyunggu rolled over to his side, his face incredibly close to your own.

“You know what else is pretty?” He whispered, his gaze not leaving you.

“Your eyes,” he whispered with a charming grin, leaving a peck on the corner of your eye. “And your nose,” he continued, leaving a peck there too.

“And your lips.” He cupped your face to kiss you and you couldn’t help giggling into it.

He pulled away, eyeing you fondly. “But you know what’s the prettiest?”

“Hm?”

“The way you look at me,” he pecked your lips again. “That's the prettiest.”

“You said that yesterday. How do I look at you?”

“As if you're in love with me.”

You felt your breathing catch in your throat. You’d understood the meaning behind yesterday’s words, but you hadn’t expected him to address the matter so easily.

“Are you not?” He asked, when you stayed silent.

“I—No—”

“No?”

You blinked at him slowly, unsure what to say, too scared to just put the answer out there.

“Do you want me to make it easier for you?” Hyunggu whispered against your lips. He didn’t wait for your reply before he continued. “I am. I’m in love with you, y/n.”

You felt as if your heart was going to burst. You stared at him with wide eyes and he just looked back at you with a gentle expression.

“So?” He asked, the word tickling on your skin.

“Yeah,” you breathed. “Me too.”

He kissed you again then, a happy smile on his lips.

“I made up my mind,” he mumbled after a while, both of you still cuddled up in your bed.

“What do you mean?”

He turned his head to look at you. “The favor. I know what I want now.”

“So what do you want?”

“A date. A proper one.”

“Didn’t we already agree on that yesterday?”

“Better to pin you down on it.”

“Pin me down then.”

“Is that a challenge?” He raised an eyebrow. “Or an invitation?”

You shrugged, unable to contain a giggle. “Try and find out?”

He didn’t need to be told twice. In a swift movement he flipped you over, his hands pinning your wrists to the mattress.

“Either way,” he mumbled against your lips with a smug grin. “Seems like I won.”

You grinned back before you leaned up to kiss him. “I guess so.”

Masterlist

#kino x reader #hyunggu x reader #pentagon x reader #pentagon scenarios #pentagon imagines #pentagon headcanons #pentagon reactions #kino fluff #hyunggu fluff #pentagon fluff #pentagon smut #kpop scenarios #kpop reactions #kpop headcanons #pentagon #pentagon drabble #pentagon fic #kebbis.writing

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spotsupstuff · 2 years ago

Note

What do you think about the RW ships? just curious is all.

hmmm.. well! first i do wanna preface this with the obligatory "i'm not hating on anybody with this, u do u and i do me is my genuine philosophy. i'll respect u from the distance if you do the same for me"

aight so i'm not gon list every ship in the fandom that has spawned in outta the stardust n give my specific opinion on it, cuz i'm not exactly keepin up

the only two ships i don't mind n find cute on the paper are NSH x Moon and Arti x Gour cuz both of them have that Old People Love Each Other in Easy Peace Despite The Circumstances Surrounding Them kick to them. i'm a weak bitch for that type of troupe for romantic relationships. not gon do anythin with 'em in my own stuff, though

i find myself more interested in the entirely and wholly platonic interpretation of everything in the game. platonic love is a matter of course, makin the story flow feel more smoother to me for that while also stayin nicely close to that religious narrative of the game (u can fight me on this but the Ancients' religion isn't *wrong*. the bad thing that happened with it is that it was taken to extremes and variety wasn't allowed. i could tell you why riddin oneself of the third and fifth sin isn't a bad idea at all- afterall, i kind of live by that myself!- and what they probably meant by riddin yourself of the sins without the extremist approach)

for the other ships... 🤔

well, the iterators are far too rooted in my head as sibs to vibe with ships with them, but more properly told: • Suns and Pebs are too much of "teacher and naive student" to me and i also find this dynamic more interesting to explore. uuuuu how spicy it is to think of Suns brainwashing Pebs but meaning it well uuuuuuuuuu • Suns and NSH are... let's just say that if i was in NSH's place and Suns talked to me like that i'd slap them so fuckin hard n if i WAS in a romantic relationship with them i'd dump them then and there (not in a bitchy ex kind of way, i'd be still down to talk, but i can't imagine bein in a relationship where the other half calls the most likely inevitable death of your closest friend a "setback" to their brainwashing of that friend's little brother would be Very healthy) • n i think what is the only other iterator ship left, Sliver and Moon... i find it kind of silly, honestly? like as far as *i* know the main reason why that exists is cuz Moon remembers what happened with Sliver after being given her own pearl about some notes she wrote herself on Sliver despite being baround three gazillion bagillion braincells short. i don't really see that as a strong incentive to start shippin 'em cuz like. you give Moon a very solid memory jogger and right in her second set of monologue she states that Sliver is literally a legend among the itties-titties. the best i can compare it to a real life thing is asking an american if they have any idea who Abraham Lincoln was at all. or asking a slovak if they knew who Finally managed to solidly establish our language after centuries of oppression. like of Course you're going to know That even on ur deathbed??? those are incredibly important historical figures for you n your home!!! also c'mon she remembers the feckin bug pupae, if THAT stuck in there this big boy info is def gon be kickin around

as for the slugcats... well ehh..... you can probably guess from what i mainly draw that i'm not Too focused on the slugs, only maybe Hunter so my slugshippin lore knowledge is p weak. when i first saw the slugshippin take off before i started postin bout RW again i thought it was silly to ship animals n still kinda do? 🤷‍♀️ doesn't help that canonically they have no business meeting each other except Monk n Surv (that is a strong No to shippin) and Hunter's writhing corpse n Gour (we are Not ducks we do not support necrophilia). i generally like to stick to the timeline, personally. good world-building. i respect good world-building too much to deviate too hard

BUT! i am going to use my status as pre-Downpour RW veteran and tell you to not listen to the whiny wrinkly babies in the tag that wail about how slugshippin is ruining the fandom. fuck 'em bitches, you do what u wanna (within moral common sense)

#Spot says stuff #rw #sorry you probably didn't want me goin on a spiel about RW shipping in general but yanno if we are already here #there's also not really much i have to say to the matter in the more specific shippin kind of sense

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hinatastinygiant · 2 years ago

Text

57 | Slippery Moss

Pairing: Tokyo Revengers x Fem!Reader

Wasteland Masterlist

"Calm down," he shakes his head. "We're not leaving here. Let them come to us."

"Let them come to us?" You repeat in a hushed voice. "Are you insane? They're all gonna take one look at him laying there and know what we did!"

"That's exactly the point," he begins to explain. "If we run or walk away we'll always look guilty. If we get in front of this then we can manipulate it to look how we want it to."

"And what exactly does that mean?" You ask anxiously as you hear a few people talking loudly and calling out to see what had happened.

"You went out of your room to get something to eat. You were hungry and wanted a late-night snack. When you got over here, South just attacked you out of the blue. You tried to reason with him but he wasn't hearing it. Luckily, I was there to save you," he whispers before then calling out to the others who had woken up. "Over here!"

"I hate this plan," you shake your head.

"You're not supposed to like it," he grumbles as he continues to wave over the nearby crowd. "We just fucking killed him."

"You know who else isn't going to be happy? Sanzu! When he finds out that you were the one to save me he'll flip out!" You remind him.

"He'll have to learn to keep his cool. He's not dumb. He'll know the truth no matter what we tell him," Kakucho rolls his eyes.

When the others of the group, including Sanzu, approach the scene, Kakucho gives them the same speech he did to you. "She was lucky I came along and saved her because he was about to choke her to death. Even after the first shot he still threatened to kill her," he shrugs.

You watch Sanzu's eyes as he's fed the lies and Kakucho was right, he's not buying it. But what is abundantly clear is that no matter what, Kakucho saved you, not him. The anger growing in his eyes builds up until you can no longer stand to look at him.

"Y/N," Ran suddenly steals your attention. "You swear that's how it happened?"

"Yeah. You can see my knife he knocked under the bench. I tried to defend myself but he just wouldn't stop," you pretend to sob.

"Pretty impressive you stabbed him quite a few times," Rindou adds as he hovers over South's dead body.

"What choice did I have," you smile through your teeth.

"Could've always just waited 'til Kakucho came along," Sanzu chimes in frustratedly as he joins the conversation. Luckily, Kakucho's busy talking to some of the others to say anything back or even hear him.

"Sanzu," Ran intervenes, "we need to make a move on that other group. If we keep turning on ourselves we'll never be able to take that other group down."

"Oh?" Sanzu hums in a happy response, "I didn't know you were that excited about Y/N's little plan."

You roll your eyes, not sure if he's being genuine or hinting at his big jealousy problem. "How soon?" You then ask Ran, ignoring Sanzu.

"Let's use tomorrow as time to get ourselves organized and ready. Then, the day after that, we'll go. Right in the morning when those assholes aren't prepared yet," Ran explains.

"That works for me," you nod. "Sanzu?"

"Yeah," he nods. "I mean I'm ready to go now but whatever."

"Don't be so sour," Rindou rolls his eyes.

"Whatever," Sanzu grumbles, giving Rindou a passing glare before turning around. You watch him begin to walk off until Ran calls your name again.

"Contrary to what you may think, we're not doing this for him," he tells you as he picks up his chin slightly.

"Then why are you doing this?" you chuckle. "I doubt it's for me."

"No, it's definitely not that either," he answers rather bluntly. "A bloodbath would be good for us. If we get rid of enough people, we could clear more space for ourselves. Maybe even take over all of Tokyo."

You nod as it finally hits you. Ran wasn't taking this whole thing seriously at first, but once you proved yourself useful, he began to put his faith in you. Perhaps he does not know it yet, but it seems as though he is doing it for you. There are a thousand different ways he could go about clearing more land- especially closer land than all the way over at the prison- yet he chose to go along with your plan.

But before you can say anything more to Ran, you notice how his brother nudges him and nods at something behind you. "Hey, look over there," Rindou whispers. "Sanzu and Kakucho walking off."

"This whole thing is driving that guy even more insane," Ran sighs. "Don't worry, Y/N, he won't kill your friend."

"What even is their deal?" Rindou rolls his eyes.

"We used to all work together," you admit with a sigh, causing the two of them to look at you with growing interest, their eyes widening.

"You all knew each other before coming here?" Rindou hums.

"At a nightclub if you'd believe it. Sanzu saved my life once," you smile softly upon recalling the good old times.

"And Kakucho?" Ran then asks.

"He was the host," you smile. "We'd meet up a lot in the back rooms where he'd be hosting some game like roulette or poker."

"Who woulda thought?" The two brothers grin at each other.

"And what did you do?" Ran continues. "You said you'd meet up a lot."

"I was the bartender, but there was another small bar in the back I'd be stationed at, too, sometimes. But now that you know all about me, it's your turn to spill. I can't exactly picture the two of you working a typical nine-to-five like everyone else."

"I own the prison," Ran answers first. "The one you want to go into. I even owned every single one of those fucking prisoners that escaped. That's why when I saw that one little fucking rat running around here the other night, I sent Taiju's little brother to kill him."

"I thought Hakkai walked off..." Rindou whispers quietly.

"You honestly believed that?" Ran shoots his brother a glare. "Not a fucking shot. He's probably lying dead somewhere."

"Okay, well, uh," you clear your throat, not sure where to take the conversation after that awkward turn. You don't even know whether it's right to share that you killed Kazutora or that you're the one who dragged Hakkai off. So instead you decide to change the conversation completely. "Rin, what do you do?"

You can see Rindou's face turn a bit pink at your words. Perhaps he's not used to people asking him questions about himself, especially when his brother the prison owner is standing beside him.

"I sell timeshares," he gulps. "I own a bunch of them around the world."

"Thanks to my brother's business, I can discard bodies all 'round the world if I need to," Ran interrupts. "Might be the only drawback of being a lawyer."

Your head begins to spin as you start to uncover what they're vaguely admitting to you. The two of them might be just as sick as Kisaki.

Rindou can sense something change within you after Ran speaks his part and, without causing a raised eyebrow from his brother, he changes the conversation. "Hey, you might want to go chase after Sanzu and Kakucho. I bet they're over by the Ferris wheel."

"Shit," you gasp as you remember that look in Sanzu's eyes before. "You're right. Thanks, I'll be back in a bit!"

"Better hurry up!" Ran calls out as you start to run away from the two of them. "If you don't get there soon it might be too late for Kakucho!"

What an asshole, you think to yourself as you run off. Didn't he say a few minutes ago that Kakucho would be fine?

Either way, you run off to the Ferris wheel where, as Rindou informed you, Sanzu and Kakucho are having a one-sided screaming match. However, it doesn't seem to faze Kakucho that much.

"You always talk about how you can't leave me alone 'cause I'll get myself into trouble," you remind Sanzu as you approach the two of them, interrupting whatever he was screaming previously. "So why the hell are you all worked up? If anything, you should be thanking him."

"Huh?" Sanzu hums as he knits his eyebrows together and looks over at you. "Are you seriously assuming that this is about you, princess?"

"Ran and Rin told me..." you begin before realizing you were once again misled by the two of them, "that the two of you would be out here. I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to do something stupid because we just lost one of our best fighters."

"Oh, cut the shit, Y/N," Sanzu rolls his eyes. "I know it was you. I'd be willing to bet you snuck out with the intention of killing South yourself. It was probably just luck you ran into Kakucho, right?"

"If that's what you think then why are you out here?" You scoff.

"Cause I want to make sure that..." he starts to trail off.

"That if something happens, I get you out of there safely," Kakucho interrupts, causing heat to rise into your face. The last thing you were expecting was Sanzu to yell at Kakucho, preparing him to save you in case he couldn't do it.

"You should be in bed right now," Sanzu rolls his eyes as he approaches you. "Come on, let's go."

Wasteland Masterlist

Taglist: @pikagirl2001330 @romaka344

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afarcryfrommymain · 2 years ago

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I like cult Aphid bc I like writing and drawing characters with something wrong with them™️ but the amount of prerequisites for him to join and STAY is a lot because he's got a lot wrong with him without also joining a cult, it takes some heavy fuckin lifting. So I'm just going over bullet points for this au in this post tbh.

1. Sister has to visit his home a little after he moves to Hope County, before the cult is at its worst and before he really properly starts at the sherrifs office

2. Has to meet John in a friendly setting prior to this and able to stand him enough to actually become his friend. (He absolutely cannot meet Sharky in this au until after its too late because it will become about them and its supposed to be JohnxAphid)

3. Big fight between him and Ruby which causes him to go over to Johns house and rant for 30 minutes about how he's got no one and he's sick of his family

(Alternatively Ruby dies but I really hate killing her just to make my boy sad in general and I don't like the idea of killing her until like, New Dawn time maybe and even then its like blaze of glory shit, its also more interesting for her to be alive in this au)

4. This prompts John to get him to join Edens gate, hes on the fence about joining but he's sort of considering, but like he's heard all the bs you have to do to join and isn't exactly jazzed at the idea of it. Hes also incredibly weary of a lot of religion because of his childhood n shit but let's not talk about that.

5. Aphid hops on the denial train when shit begins to hit the fan and Ruby trying to help gets into it with him again but this time its like "hey lil bro, I noticed your gay ass is about to join a cult so maybe don't?" And another fight and hes like "fuck it" and joins out of spite (dipshit)

6. Now he has to have good reason to stay in, which I'm genuinely not sure about outside of like, him and John start dating and he's like "fuck it" and leans into it. Like dating for long enough that it's at the "meet the family" kinda point.

7. He also can't be around for the first time Faith gets replaced because he could ignore it if it happens once (king of "not my business not my problem" in this au fr) but probably not twice

8. Continues to ride the denial train for a while but eventually when the reaping begins he doesn't really stay because he believes in it or whatever but because he just knows enough members of the project that he doesn't want to fight them anymore and kinda drops out of his job at the sherrifs office one day without 2 weeks notice or anything. (Point of no return for him, this point forward he can't be convinced to leave by anyone or anything)

9. Ruby will have to to take place of "main problem causer" this au (I finally let her do something woah) and the resistance generally sees her like "oh sorry your brother went crazy I think you gotta kill him tho??? Sorry"

10. Can't tell which Seeds die or if Aphid works really fucking hard to keep em around, John makes it because Aph is consistent in protecting people he loves in every au fr but they lose the bunker key in the process. Same with Jacob maybe.

11. Faith is difference bc Ruby is a bleeding heart with a savior complex and completely falls for the front she puts up and is like "but we gotta help her 🥺" but Faith does get to leave the project (sorta kinda, it's a whole thing) and survives

12. Dude idk if I can keep her from shooting Joseph and I kinda want her to fr like he starts doing his speech and she does not let him finish. Aphids busy with keeping his very pissed off boyfriend, the brother who looked like he was about to be cool with death, and the members he was able to get to safe. He doesn't even realize he straight forgot about Joseph til its too late.

13. Ruby does a broadcast about Joseph and asks Aphid one last time to come back but he's all in now and probably isnt gonna back out anytime soon. He still goes to confront her and since Aphid might as well be a raid boss theres a big show down between the two of them. They're fighting and Ruby gets really close to killing him but she hesitates because "fuck that's my brother, I raised him, I love him, this is so fucked"

14. In the minutes she hesitates the collapse comes. It's late, but it happens and Aphid just bolts to the bunker he had holed up with John in up until that point. Can't decide who Ruby's bunker buddy is. Could stick her with the Edens Gate people and have fun new issues but who knows.

That's the broad strokes though, probably won't write anything for this past a one shot or two if I feel like it but I thought it'd be fun to lay it all out like tism

#ok but what if i got into some nonsense instead #aphid hernandez #im talking now #far cry 5 #cult!aphid #idk what cool name to give him but i guess he'd be like a chosen but worse #oh!#ruby hernandez #yuh girlies tag i dont use #ruby crushes on grace hard in this btw #no clue if its a ship but i think its be cool #sharky is around this au and i think itd be funny if he saw aphid fighting and had his bi awakening bc of him either way #but despite how it may seem i cannot control my ocs #its like sims i tell them to do something and usually its done #but sometimes they go #my writing #if theres any errors in this its bc ive been awake all night at the airport #bc my flight got cancled #be nice to me or else

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niceboyeds · 2 years ago

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shared trauma (e.m.)

summary: reader has been having trouble sleeping ever since their first time experiencing the upside-down. after finding out Eddie is having the same issue, they try to work through it together.

word count: 3K

a/n: i couldn’t sleep so i thought i’d try this one out. hope you like it xx

nav

——————

it’s been over two months since you’ve gotten a decent night’s sleep. over two months since you were able to sleep more than an hour or two at a time, even the naps still trap you in a familiar nightmare. non-coincidentally, it’s been roughly two months since the latest encounter with the upside-down.

you’re exhausted and craving any form of sleep, but you aren’t sure how you’d be able to. every time you closed your eyes it’s like you’re transported back into the upside-down, terrified and approaching death.

you were at family video, talking with the other young adults about some fun night they had planned to do with the teens. while Robin is talking, confirming the plans of the evening, you zone out and only come to when a hand is placed on your back and startles you.

“sorry doll, didn’t mean to spook ya.” Eddie whispers and you give him a small smile and nod before trying to catch up on the missed conversation.

“sounds great. everyone remembers who they’re picking up?” Nancy says while turning to you. oops.

“if i’m being honest, I lost track of what’s happening a while ago..” you sigh and they chuckle, somewhat familiar with your ability to space out, but thankfully they don’t ever seem to get annoyed.

“it’s okay, most of it was pointless.” Robin glares at Steve while he talks, but she smiles anyway because it’s not like she can deny her known rambling habits. “Eddie is gonna bring you and Max, Nance and Jonathan are grabbing the other kids and you’ll all meet me and Rob at my house at 7. pack an overnight bag.”

“okay, sounds good.” you smile approvingly, but you’d go along with anything. “i’m gonna go get ready.”

“do you need a ride home?” Eddie asks before you begin walking away.

“no, no it’s okay. see you at..?”

“oh um, I guess about 6:45?”

“6:45,” you confirm, “sounds great.”

it’s a quick walk to the house. your single dad works hard to provide for you, to keep the money coming in and the roof over your head secure. but his lack of parenting and presence in general has led to a distant relationship. regardless of how close you and your father are, you’re still grateful he continues to pay for your needs on top of your local community college tuition.

“dad?” walking into the simple one-story house, you’re greeted with the all-too-familiar nothingness. sometimes you wonder why you call out to him, knowing your father isn’t there, but it’s routine.

sometimes though, he is actually there and will welcome you back with an awkward hug. you know this isn't one of those times, the note on the refrigerator confirms it.

“business in Cali, returning next Wednesday. -Dad”

you leave the note on the fridge, along with the countless others, rolling your eyes as you walk off to your bedroom. it’s a little before 6 o’clock, roughly an hour before Eddie is coming to pick you up. you figure it’s as good a time as any to attempt a quick nap.

abruptly woken up, you find yourself somewhat sweaty from the dreams you can’t get rid of, but it always seems to be the same one.

you’re stuck in the upside down, the bats circling you and your friends, hundreds of them, maybe thousands. they spiral around you like a tornado. one by one they pick everyone off, you watch as each of your friends are essentially swallowed into the black sea of the demo-bats. then it’s your turn, they swarm you and rip you apart, sometimes it seems so real you think you can feel it.

a knock outside brings you back, peering over to the alarm clock it reads 6:40pm. Eddie wasn’t exactly known to be a punctual person, let alone someone who arrives early. you open the front door with a yawn, seeing him smiling down at you.

“you’re early. no Max?” noting the lack of a red-head while moving to the side to invite him in.

“she went home with Lucas after school, she’s gonna ride with the others.” another yawn escapes and you cover your mouth as you nod to his response.

“I just need like two minutes.”

“no problem hun, take your time. you okay?” he looks over you while walking inside, closing the door behind him.

“yeah, i’m fine. why the sudden interest?” you tease, walking back to your room and leaving him in the living room.

“you just look a little extra tired lately. been busy?”

“I just have a hard time sleeping, ya know? since the upside-down shit.” you call out from your room, running a brush through your hair and pinning half of it up with a clip. you quickly throw a pair of pajamas into an old backpack along with some toiletries.

walking back out to the living room, you don’t see Eddie anywhere. you wander through the dining room and into the kitchen, finding him leaning against the counter, starring at the refrigerator.

“see anything interesting?” he seems startled by your appearance in the kitchen.

“he leaves you alone a lot.”

“yep…”

“when was the last time you saw him?”

“eh, probably like a week ago? he travels a lot for work.” he nods and follows as you move towards the door and slip on your shoes.

you hop into his van and sit comfortably with the familiar music playing. the volume is turned down to a tolerable level, something you noticed he does when he picks you or the kids up. you ride in silence but that’s not something unusual.

“wanna know a secret?” he speaks up, finally having something to talk about.

“do you even have to ask? yes, tell me!”

“I have trouble sleeping too. usually when the house is empty, which is unfortunate since Wayne works nights.”

“we’re pretty fucked up, aren’t we?” your voice is soft, picking at your fingers to distract yourself.

“I think that’s putting it lightly.”

“how do you think the others do it? I feel like— like i’m weak. these kids are still so young, but they brush it off like it’s normal. but here I am, unable to sleep because i’m terrorized by nightmares.” he shakes his head, disagreeing with what you said.

“you’re not weak, none of us are. that’s something i’ve had to come to terms with lately. everyone processes trauma differently. and the others… well they’ve just had more time to learn how to cope.”

“seems like we experience it the same.” you say as he wraps his hand around yours and squeezes it reassuringly.

the rest of the drive to Steve’s is quick, Eddie being a known speeder. and despite the few tickets he’s gotten over the years he doesn’t care to slow down. the two of you pull into the Harrington’s driveway and spot the Wheeler’s familiar station wagon already unloaded of children.

“ready to entertain 6 high schoolers?” you tease and he gives a weary nod, preparing for the chaos that will follow.

the night turned out to be a lot of fun, playing games and letting the kids swim out back. while everyone was settling down to watch a movie, you had made sure to clean up the kitchen a little bit with help from Nancy.

after things seemed to be clean, you joined the others in the living room, already in your pajamas. Robin patted the empty space next to her on the couch and lifted up the blanket so you could share it, immediately getting cozy and feeling relaxed.

looking over the room, you couldn’t help but smile to yourself when you saw everyone looking so happy and content. everyone enjoying themselves, being able to feel young again. like you’re not in charge of saving the world.

one by one, you watched their heads droop until they all fell asleep on the floor or couches. then it was just you, left with your inability to fall asleep, regardless of how safe and secure you felt in this moment.

you left Robin on the couch, opting for the reclining chair next to it to give her more room. you tossed and turned for a little while, trying to get comfortable until you found sleep.

but sleep didn’t last long, maybe an hour or two, before you jolted awake with fear prodding at you. browsing the sea of people in the living room, you counted to make sure everyone was still there. you watched the younger one’s chests rise and fall with each breath they took. you were all safe. you could physically see them and hear their breaths and snores. but why could you not get past the crippling fear that you had lost them?

your chest begins to tighten as the nightmare still lingers in your mind, tears start pricking your eyes and no matter how many deep breaths you take it doesn’t seem to help.

not wanting to wake the others, you pull yourself out of the chair and walk to the back door still wrapped in the blanket you were using. slipping outside as quietly as possible you walk quickly away from the door until you find yourself sitting on the ground.

you pull your legs up to your chest, laying your head on your knees as you let the tears slip out and try to regain your composure. there was something different in this dream you had tonight.

it was set up the same as always, but when the swarm of bats began to pluck your friends off, you heard their yells, whereas in pervious dreams all you could hear was the flapping of wings. They were crying out for you to help them. calling your name over and over with the most blood curdling screams you've ever heard. but you couldn’t get to them in time, you couldn’t save them. and right when it was your turn to get attacked, the bats disappeared, leaving you alone and having lost every single person who mattered to you. everyone you loved.

your sniffles continued but your tears have stopped, perhaps you’ve run out. you feel a cool breeze that brings goosebumps to your legs, wrapping the blanket around you tighter and you use it to dry your face.

“you okay?” the voice makes you jump, but after looking to see Eddie walking over to you, your shoulders relax a little.

“yeah. yeah I’m fine.” your voice is still shaky and you curse at yourself for sounding so weak. “did I wake you?”

“no not at all. I got up to get some water. noticed a body was missing and got nervous.”

“sorry, I just… needed some air I guess.” with a sigh you loosen the grip you have on your legs, still holding them.

“was it a nightmare?” you simply reply with a small nod, hearing him shuffle a little more on the pool deck before taking a seat next to you.

“you can go back inside, i'm sure you’re tired. i’ll head back in soon.” you attempt to persuade him.

“i’d like to sit out here with you, if that’s okay.” another nod of your head, your chest filling with guilt. you don’t think you can talk him into going back to bed and leaving you alone outside. instead you find yourself maneuvering the blanket to go around his shoulders, trying to at least keep him warm.

“do— do you want to talk about it?” he whispers, trying to get you to open up. his hand reaches for yours and you let him hold it, feeling a sense of security while he gently rubs his thumb in a pattern.

you tell him about the nightmares you typically have, he listens intensely, sympathetically holding your gaze. but the look on his face after you tell him the one you had tonight was genuinely painful. he wipes the few tears off your face, bringing you into a hug. he doesn’t talk, doesn’t tell you that your dream won’t happen, he just holds you.

“it always feels so real...” you whisper in his arms, your head leaning on his shoulder and his head on yours.

“you know how I told you I can’t sleep when the house is empty? well, sometimes I can’t sleep unless someone else is in the bed with me. the amount of times Wayne has found me next to him is countless. he’s never questioned it though.”

“he sounds like a great guy.”

“yeah, he’s amazing. i’m really lucky to have him.” you smile at that, happy to know someone is always looking out for him.

“even if my dad was home, I don’t think we’d have that kind of relationship.” you say truthfully, knowing after your mom died your family withered away with her.

the two of you sit outside for a while in silence, only noticing it’s likely been hours when the bird start chirping and the sky around you starts to gain a faded orange hue.

“you know… if you ever need someone to come over and keep you company, you can call me. even if it’s the middle of the night.” his voice is still so gentle, as if trying to prove he really means it.

“you can always call me too, lord knows i’ll be awake.” you say with a small laugh, trying to lighten mood. “I mean it, though. please call me. you can come sleep over at my place anytime.” Eddie smiles through a yawn, making you realize he stayed up all night with you just to help you feel better.

you stand, holding out your hand to help him up, and make your way back into the house full of sleeping teens. the look of them sprawled across the floor, laying in each other and sharing blankets makes you smile, but the thought of your dream still lingers in your mind.

—————

a week has passed since the sleepover and at this point you’re desperate for sleep. you’ve tried sleeping pills but all they do is make you groggy, never aiding in helping you sleep.

it’s midnight, at least it was the last time you checked the clock. laying on your bed, you follow the fan on the ceiling as the blades circle around. contemplating taking Eddie up on his offer, maybe if you called him he would come over. maybe you could lay next to him, so he could sleep, and he could hold you after you wake from a nightmare.

with a sigh, you roll yourself out of bed and walk towards the phone in the kitchen. you go to dial his number, praying you won’t wake him, but your line rings instead. it startles you, an unexpected call in the middle of the night. you still pick it up immediately.

“hello?”

“hi. did I wake you?” Eddie?

“no. actually I... I was about to call you.” you smile into the phone, happy that you both seem to need some comforting tonight. “you okay? wanna come over?”

“I really do.” did he just sniffle? is he crying??

“come over, i’ll leave the door unlocked for you.”

“be there in 5.” he says before you end the call.

five minutes feels like a lifetime while you wait for him to show up. but the light knock on the front door before it opens makes you perk up, walking to the entryway to meet him.

“hey.” you smile at him, glad he came over. glad he wanted to come over.

“hi. um, thanks for letting me come over.”

“of course.” you lead him to your bedroom, looking over his frame and notice somethings off. “you okay?”

seeing him in the lowly lit room, it’s obvious he was crying. sure, you recognize his pair of bloodshot eyes from smoking, but these eyes are slightly puffy and sad.

“yeah, it’s kind of embarrassing.” you sit with him on the bed, reaching out your hand to hold his.

“what? that nightmares can scare you?” you ask, he nods immediately. you know that feeling so well.

“this one was different than the others. usually I can wake myself up from them, telling myself it’s not real. but this time... it was like I was stuck.” he shivers as he talks, looking into your eyes. “I was screaming at myself to wake up, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t until the monster got you. all of you.”

you wrap your arms around him, hugging him tightly as he returns the gesture. hugging for who knows how long, but not caring because there’s something so comforting about his embrace. you both understand exactly what the other is experiencing.

“you wanna try to sleep again?” he nods his head as the two of you lay on the pillows. you pull the blankets up to share, seeing him lean over to switch the lamp off.

“could you— sorry, can you leave it on? I can't sleep in the dark anymore.” you speak quietly.

“of course.” he lays down, his arm pressing against yours on your full-size bed. “goodnight.”

“goodnight, Ed’s.”

you wake up wrapped up in a pair of arms, hair tickling your neck as you open your eyes. you stretch a little, nuzzling into the warm body, wondering if he’s awake yet.

“mornin.” guess that answers your question.

“good morning. sorry, did I lay on you all night?” you ask, moving yourself off of him.

“i’m honestly not sure, just woke up like that.” he chuckles and you sit up a little disoriented. “what’s wrong?” now he looks nervous.

“that was the first night in months that i’ve slept without having a nightmare.” a smile forming on both of your faces.

“I have to admit, I haven’t slept that well in a long time too.”

nearly every night since then, Eddie comes over to sleep. you two may be dependent on each other, but if it means no longer having nightmares or sleepless nights then there’s nothing to complain about. a little co-dependence never hurts, and you certainly didn’t have any desire to stop.

#stranger things #stranger things fluff #stranger things fic #stranger things blurb #eddie munson #steve harrington #robin buckley #nancy wheeler #eddie x reader #eddie munson fluff #eddie stranger things #eddie munson blurb #eddie munson fics #eddie munson fanfic #platonic eddie munson

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writing-good-vibes · 2 years ago

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just means there's way more cake for me

in honour of the terrible twins, i present to you a vague and unreliable account of some of bo and vincent's birthdays throughout the years, until they finally make it to 23. divider by @ suckgirl. WARNING for angst (who's surprised though, really?), mild depression and maybe implied child neglect?

Lester only half-remembers when he first realised that Bo and Vincent had the same birthday. He must of been three or four and, as his mother lit the candles on the twins' birthday cake, he asked "Why Bo 'n Vin only got one cake?"

Bo and Vince are stood on the other side of the counter, scuffing the toes of their trainers while they wait for mama to tell them what to do. They perk up at the sound of their names

"Because they're twins, sweetheart," Mama says, tone clipped.

Bo walks around and picks Lester up beneath the armpits, holding him high enough to get a full view of the cake on the counter. The frosting is baby blue, the lettering -- Happy Birthday, Bo and Vincent -- is immaculate. "Yeah, remember, Les? Me 'n Vince were born on the same day."

"So, only one cake?" Lester asks again.

Bo's lowers him back down gently and his baby brother blinks up at him with curious eyes, waiting for his answer. There's a waver in his voice when he finally speaks, "Yeah, Les. One cake." He doesn't mention that he doesn't exactly think it's fair either, but mama wouldn't like that. He's already told he's ungrateful enough without something else to add to the list.

When the candles are lit, mama calls daddy in from the living room and turns out the kitchen lights.

Only mama and Lester sing Happy Birthday, their father remains stoically by the door to the kitchen. Lester hasn't quite mastered the words yet, so he stumbles through his rendition a beat behind their mama. It's the thought that counts.

The smell of smoke still drifts through the kitchen as the twins sit at the table and eat their neat slices of cake. Mama is putting the rest of it under a cake-cover. Their father has gone back to his office.

Midnight.

They've been up all night, talking about nothing and everything and school and the future, but a heavy silence had fallen over them in the few minutes before the hour. When the clock on Bo's bedside ticked over to 12, they both released a breath they didn't know they were holding.

They wait another minute, then another, as if making sure they really made it. Every year felt like they'd stolen it somehow. Like at any minute things would be cut short because this wasn't meant to happen. Eventually Vincent rolls over onto his side, settling down to sleep. Bo follows suit, falling asleep with his twin snoring softly in his ear.

They say grace before dinner that night, and mama adds a line about how they're also thankful for God blessing them with another year of the twins' lives. She's included this line on every birthday since they could remember.

Vincent doesn't believe in God anymore. He doesn't really believe in anything, come to think of it. He and Bo still share a birthday cake, and when they blow out the candles after dinner, Vince isn't sure who he's meant to be wishing to. He doesn't think wishes are real anyway. 16 years of wishes and precisely none of them have come true.

Bo believes in God. When he and Vince blow out their birthday candles, he still makes a wish, even though God hasn't pulled through on any of his wishes before. Or any of his prayers, come to think of it.

Bo is at work on their birthday. Working late, too. It's well past dinner by the time he gets home.

Mama's gone to bed, she has a headache. Daddy's out of town on business. Vince and Lester are sat in front of the TV.

Lester twists around to lean over the back of the couch, watching Bo as he sheds his jacket and toes his boots off at the door. "Bo!" he greets. "How w'work?"

"It was work," Bo replies. He's been pulling overtime. His shoulders ache as he rolls them back, trying to release the knotted muscle between his shoulder blades. "How w'school?"

"It was school," Lester says, then chortles with laughter at his witty repetition.

Bo walks around to the couch, ruffling Lester's perpetually messy hair as he passes before sitting down heavily between his brothers. He props his feet up on the coffee table. Even his regular shift at the mill were starting to feel longer and longer.

The cake had already been cut, after dinner but before mama went to bed. But Vincent goes into the kitchen, brings out a single slice with two glowing candles in it. Bo rolls his eyes, as Vincent half-grins.

"Do the honours?" Vince asks, gesturing at the candles.

Bo grins back, "Well, if you insist, brother mine."

He eats his cake in front of the TV, watching MacGyver and with Lester leaning his head on his shoulder. If this is the start of the end of his adolescence, Bo supposes he can't complain.

Later, when they're cramped together in Vincent's bed, Bo whispers, "Thanks for savin' me some cake."

Vince nods against Bo's neck. It was the least he could do. He's going back to Baton Rouge tomorrow, it's a shame they couldn't spend more time together.

Vincent wants to be upset. He wants to feel the full sting of it. Bo is carrying their cake out to the darkened living room on a plate and Vincent wants to cry at the mockery of a party Bo has pulled together for him. For them. It's always them.

But Bo is grinning, illuminated only by the flickering birthday candles, and for once he's trying. He's really trying to make this easier on his brother. It is Vincent's -- their -- first birthday since dropping out of college, after all.

"Happy birthday to us," Bo starts, placing the cake down on the coffee table. He sits down beside Vince on the couch. "Happy birthday to us."

Lester chimes in, "Happy birthday, Bo and Vincent," as he sits cross-legged on the floor by the coffee table.

"Happy birthday to us," Bo finishes.

"Happy birthday to us," Vincent repeats, his lip pulling into a resigned smile.

When Bo nudges his elbow and says "Do the honours?"

Vincent nods automatically, leaning forward and extinguishing every flame in one go. Bo is trying, he reminds himself.

Lester claps. He always was more excited about them celebrating than they ever were. Maybe it's the novelty of it all that captures Les' interest, seemingly captures everyone's interest.

As Lester jumps up to flick the lights back on, Vincent thinks about their last birthday. About bars and boys and music that rattled the window panes and about how he drank too much and about how Bo wasn't there. Bo hadn't been able to make it down to Baton Rouge.

Long after Lester has gone to sleep, the twins are still awake, squashed together in Bo's bed that had become too cramped for the both of them years ago. It's then that Vincent lets himself cry. Even with his arms tight around Bo, he can't stop himself. Maybe it's because of Bo. Of course, it's because of Bo; it's always because of Bo.

Bo doesn't say anything. Doesn't turn around. He grips Vince's hand tighter in his own.

The twins weren't going to bother with a cake this year, they told themselves. They didn't have time, they couldn't agree on one and they'd never cared about their birthday to begin with. But, with a week to go, Lester was still asking about it, insisting he could pick something up for them, no trouble at all. As usual, they cannot agree.

The big day arrives and the cake that Lester delivers to their kitchen table isn't exactly perfect, but it's something. And, surprisingly, it is exactly what they both asked for. A chocolate cake, frosted half in caramel and half in vanilla. Funny, no one had thought to do that for them before. There are only two candles on the cake, the fancy ones in the shape of numbers. A two and a three.

As Lester drawls his way through a rendition of happy birthday, Bo and Vincent shuffle in their seats, forever unsure of what to do while all the attention was on them. Beneath the table, Bo fumbles with his cigarette packet, nudging Vincent's knee to offer him one too. Vincent hasn't had a smoke in a while; he's trying to quit. Well, cut down, at least. Well.

Lester's singing comes to an end and Bo and Vince lean forward to light up their smokes with the candles. Lester frowns as he processes the scene, then he lets out a chortling laugh.

The twins sit back. Bo breaths out through his nose, turning away from the cake out of a practiced politeness.

"Brother mine," Vincent gestures with his cigarette.

"After you," Bo insists.

They lean forward again, and with one puff the candles are snuffed out.

#bo sinclair #vincent sinclair #sinclair twins #lester sinclair #house of wax 2005 #ahhh not my best work but i really wanted to put something out for their birthday #my horrible. terrible twins #i love them so much #alt title: a story in cake #there's something so normal and domestic about a birthday cake #and the way it keeps coming up even when they're pretending not to care #its this one thing they can do for each other on the one day that is solely theirs

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keeneschoices · 2 years ago

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I'm begging the Cobra Kai writers to give us the fluffiest, corniest, most adorable and insufferably cute Keenry moments in s6!

they can still have badass moments, together and on their own, but take one look at them and tell me they don't deserve to just be happily in love for a moment (or a season)!

I want them flirting while sparring (like it was implied in that one scene in 4x10)!

I want them being protective over each other!

I want them calming each other down in stressful moments!

I want them to always be communicating after everything that happened between them!

I want them having lots of inner jokes (like probation or how easily they could kick each other's asses If they wanted to)!

I want Robby always complimenting Tory on something, both because he knows it gets her flustered and because he knows she deserves to know she's incredible (and her only response being "shut up, idiot" as she turns her head to keep him from seeing her blush)!

I want Tory being incredibly sweet and gentle with him in a way no one has seen her be before and everyone else be like ???? while Robby is just like "she's always been like that, you just haven't got to know her too well yet" while smiling at her!

I want them always finding a way to connect to each other whenever they are in the same room together, let that be a kiss, a hug, them holding hands, smiling at each other or just having a lot of eye contact because they can get each other just by looking at one another!!!

(look at the crumbles I'm willing to accept, yikes)

I want Robby calling Tory "Tor" but also pet names like "honey" and "my love" and Tory, not being a very pet-name kind of person, being the only one who can call him "Robs"!

I want their fucking "I love you" moment to either be something huge and breathtaking because they are each finally in relationship with someone that loves them for them and doesn't have eyes for anybody else but them, or just be the simplest, most natural thing in the world that just comes out at the right time because yes, they're in love, isn't that common knowledge by now? (even though they do get a little emotional with it still, because it is a big deal for both characters, knowing their relationship history, whether they like it or not)!

I want them having many family moments with Kenny and Devon and actually act like they're their parents ("these kids are gonna give me gray hair soon" "as long as you don't start a karate business to try and take over the world, I think that’s not too bad, Tor" "damn, that was exactly what I was thinking of doing" "naturally")!

I want Johnny annoying the living shit out of Tory in regards of her relationship with his son just to mess with her and Robby being like "holy shit, my girlfriend might murder my dad, who I just made up with" but she's actually only a bit annoyed and overall happy that she gets to have these interactions!

I want a fucking double date, alright? A double date that ends well and without any fights! While I don't really ship Samguel, I don't dislike them either and would love If the four of them could have a few hours to themselves without any jealousy, any insults and having them just be in love and happy their rivalries are mostly over (but pls don't let it be in Golf 'N Stuff! I love that place and I think it would be the perfect set-up for a double date with these four, but it's been overused and I'm kind of tired of it)!

I want to see Robby spending time at Tory's house and spending time with her brother, who loves him very much so, and maybe her mother!

I want the roller-skating/skateboarding date I talked about after s4 dropped (If you were here by then, you know what I'm talking about)!

I want them being domestic together! Like, have a scene where Tory wakes up without anyone by her side in bed and she gets a dreadful feeling that Robby just up and left, but then she smells something good coming from the kitchen and when she goes over there, she sees Robby in a cute little apron someone gave her as a gift (which she has barely even used), making them and Brandon breakfast! And then she has to go to work and he has to go to the dojo earlier but neither of them want to go so they just clinge to each other a little longer before parting! And to add the cherry on top of the cake, have a scene in which he gets to Tory's house before her and gets in (because he obviously has the keys), and when she gets home after work and after picking up her brother in school, she immediately says "honey, I'm home" as a joke and because she knows he would already be there. And he is! He is either on the couch, relentlessly scrolling through his phone, or talking to Tory's mom to spend more time with her and get a few good stories from his girlfriend's childhood, or cooking them all dinner!

I want a whole fucking fanfic of Keenry in s6! Is that too much to ask for?

(I know I won't get most, If any, of this but a girl can dream, right?)

(add onto the list If you'd like, all ideas are welcome)

#inevitably I will HAVE to turn all of these ideas into fanfic so *clears throat* If you'll excuse me.....#tory nichols #robby keene #cobra kai #keenry #cobra kai s6

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silentmoths · 2 years ago

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No because..this has been stuck in my head FOR MONTHS. Let me set the scene lol A Reader x Zhongli one-shot.

Reader lives in Liyue and has a job as a package/message/etc delivery person and just either runs around doing their job or maybe uses a vision (I personally think Anemo would work best in this case but whatever you think is best!) and is pretty well known and liked in Liyue. Maybe Reader/Zhongli/both has crush on the other. How did they fall for each other? Would they get into a relationship? Smut?

You honestly have free reign of all the intricate details, I trust you! Your writing is PHENOMENAL!! You’re literally so good!! Thank you!!! :))

forgive me for attempting a different style/layout for this one but I feel like it's a perfect candidate!

Zhongli x Afab (fem pronouns) Reader

Fluff, getting together, lil bit o smut at the end ;)

How you meet:

You're just a humble delivery girl, honestly. Between your Anemo vision allowing you to jump much higher than your average person, and your skills with a wind glider (some call you the gliding champion of Liyue!!) you could get around the harbour far quicker than most, which made time sensitive deliveries your main forte.

You run into Zhongli, almost quite literally, when you'd been tasked at delivering last minute inscense to the funeral parlour. Usually it was the ferrylady you spoke to, but she was away today, and in her place stood a very tall, handsome consultant.

You dust yourself off, straighten out, pray your face isn't too red, and hand him the box of inscense required, he gives you his signature and thanks you deeply for arriving as quickly as you had, apparently the director had made a very rare mistake and had mistaken another batch of inscense for the ones required for a ceremony today.

It was no big deal, you even hand him your business card, lest it happen again, you'd always be around the harbour helping people.

How you keep meeting/ the first date?:

It doesn't exactly escape your notice that the wangsheng director seems to be making a 'mistake' with the stock every few days...how strange.

You'd never met her personally, but from what you'd heard prior, Hu Tao, for as eccentric as she was, always seemed to on top of things.

not like you were complaining, you still got paid...and you still got to see Mr. Zhongli. He was always the one waiting for you these days, smiling that same, sincere, warm smile as you arrive, sometimes on foot, sometimes gliding down from the pavillion, it depended on where you'd had to pick up whatever was required.

One day however, as you arrive, he's also recieving another order, huh, looks like he'd ordered lunch in today. He thanks the other delivery person before turning to you with an even warmer smile than usual.

"Ah, (y/n), I am to assume you're here to deliver the white sage?" "That I am, Mr. Zhongli! perhaps you should have Hu Tao double check her stocks..she seems to be making more mistakes than usual." you giggle, handing the package off to him.

"Perhaps, she's currently out at the moment however...would you care to join me for lunch? wanmin resteraunt's finest."

you cant even begin to stop your mouth from watering.

"O-oh, I shouldn't impose..."

"It's no imposition. I had originally ordered extra for the director, until she ran out shouting something about meeting up with Yanfei, so there is entierly too much for just myself."

Little did you know, this would become the beginning of a weekly ritual, eventually, Zhongli did stop making an excuse about Hu Tao, Insisting that you stop and take a short break with him when you could swing it instead.

one you were all too happy to oblige, spending time with him was a nice reprieve from your usual sprinting about town.

Getting serious:

Surprisingly, it's you who works up the nerve to ask him out on a proper 'date' about three months into your usual weekly lunch breaks with him, a grateful shopkeep had gifted you a pair of tickets to see Ms. YunJin's opera, and you'd taken a guess that it might be right up his alley.

Your guess had been very correct.

Zhongli meets you outside the parlour as you finish up for the day, unfortunately you just didn't have the time to get home and change, not with how busy the day had been.

You're so full of jittery energy as you both make your way to the pavillion, it was an unfortunate side effect of your job, everything was always so time sensitive that it took a while for your adrenaline levels to settle for the day.

Thankfully, Zhongli is there, easily looping an arm around your shoulders and pulling you close to his side, his own calm demeanour serving to bring you down a little faster...that and it was just kind of nice to be held.

your penchant for kind touch does not go unnoticed, and you find atleast one of your hands held gently with his own the entire night. He explains the nuances of opera that you'd never quite understood, and you find yourself smitten just listening to him talk, you could listen to him speak on the most mundane subjects and you'd still be enamoured.

He insists on walking you home after the show, it was dark out and he didn't want you running into any trouble. By now your own internal clock was screaming that it was time for bed, you were exhausted, and it was friday, which meant you finally got a couple of days off to rest properly.

Zhongli is, of course, a gentleman. Walks you to your door and waits with you until you can fish your key out and unlock it. You ask if he'd like to come in for some tea, but he declines, insisting you look exhausted, and that he did not wish to keep you awake much longer.

He doesnt pull away when you turn and, on your tip-toes, press a kiss to his lips and thank him for the night, that you hope you could both do this kind of thing again sometime.

Your kiss is returned with a soft, affectionate exhale and a promise.

Getting down n' dirty:

You weren't exactly sure what to expect when you first have sex with him. Honestly in your mind he could have gone either way, either a total gentleman, or an absolutely depraved, kinky creature.

Turns out? he's right down the middle.

He likes watching you squirm as he pleasures you, but despite the smirk and the mean glare, he's also murmuring praise and calling you beautiful, telling you how well you're doing for him.

he tells you to relax, easier said than done when his fingers are doing sinful things to your insides.

you can tell, by the way he snaps his hips as he thrusts into you, that he wants to go faster, to go harder, but he wont, not until you tell him to.

He was simultaniously all over you, engulfing and controlling in the best ways, but also attentive, aware of you and your desires and your pleasure.

It's just a good thing you were secretly a kinky depraved creature yourself, who has no problem begging him to go harder, faster, to leave his marks and to ruin you.

You wake the next morning to a home cooked breakfast, a cup of tea, some painkillers and Zhongli, still apparently basking in the afterglow of the night before, and more than happy to put you back together.

#Zhongli genshin #zhongli x reader #zhongli x reader smut #silentmothasks #moth is not silent #silentmothwrites

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yuujispinkhair · 3 years ago

Text

The songs you grow to like never stick at first (Chapter 4)

Chapter 1 ++ Chapter 2 ++ Chapter 3

Falling for your best friend is a blessing and a curse at the same time, especially when it’s painfully obvious that your friend doesn’t feel the same. So what is Yuuji supposed to do? He doesn’t want to lose you but also can’t help wanting to get out of the friendzone. Maybe his other friends can help him. Or he just has to wait because sometimes the songs that become our all-time favorites are the ones that don’t stick at first.

Pairing: Yuuji x Reader (female) Genre: College AU, fluff, my attempt at humor, friends to lovers Word Count: 4k Playlist: College AU Warnings: 18+, slow burn, a lot of cheesiness, pining, unrequited love in the beginning, alcohol, masturbation, sex dreams, boxing in a boxing club. All characters are of age. The story and my blog contain 18+ content, so minors don’t interact.

Chapter 04: A rivalry goes so deep between me and this loss of sleep over you (Part 1)

The relief Yuuji feels after knowing that Kamo isn't on your list of guys you want to date is short-lived. Because Yuuji is still in the friend zone, pining after you like a lovesick puppy while feeling like a traitor because he wants more.

He's drowning in guilt anytime he has one of those dreams where you are definitely more than his friend. The dreams in which you are on his lap or writhing beneath him, or sometimes bend over your desk, or with your legs wrapped tightly around Yuuji's hips as he slams you against the shower wall. Damn! The dreams won't stop, and the longing, while he's awake, won't stop either.

And the worst thing is the jealousy. Because there's a new guy in the picture. And not just any guy. The heir of the Zenin empire: Zenin Naoya.

He's Fushiguro's and Maki's cousin and is currently assisting Mr. Nanami with a project about local companies. And in Yuuji's eyes, he's clearly an asshole! He's arrogant and mean and walks around like the whole world has to bow before him. He even looks like an asshole with his fancy suits and the stupid Rolex on his wrist!

You mention him casually in between sipping on your milkshake during one of your study meet-ups in the little coffee shop. At first, Yuuji doesn't think too much about it, but then you bring Mr. Zenin up more and more times, and Yuuji feels a knot in his stomach. Suddenly his cupcake doesn't taste that sweet anymore.

It's Nobara who asks the question Yuuji is too scared to ask:

"So, Mr. Zenin, huh? I heard he's sexy. Seems like half of the people in your economics course are crushing madly on him."

You giggle and hide your face behind your hands. Yuuji feels sick. And Nobara continues to bug you because she lives for gossip.

"Maki can't stand him. Says he's her most hated relative. So she's kinda pissed off that he's here and that people are head over heels for him. What do you think, (y/n)? Naoya Zenin, hot or not?"

Yuuji groans,

"Can you stop it!? We are here to study! I need one of you to tell me how to write this essay."

"Shut up, Itadori! You never care about your coursework, so don't start now when the adults are talking. (Y/n), tell me, do you crush on Naoya too?"

You can't stop grinning, and seem so flustered. Yuuji knows exactly what's up. He doesn't even need to hear it. He can see it so clearly. Yes, you have a crush on the heir to the Zenin business empire.

Yuuji has never hated someone as much as he hates this guy. He usually thinks of himself as a nice person. Someone who always tries to see the good in others. Someone who gives second chances, smiles at strangers, helps old ladies carry their shopping bags, and offers kind small talk to literally anyone he meets. Yuuji is a nice guy, ok? But he loathes Zenin Naoya with a passion!

Especially when after a week of Nobara's constant teasing, you finally admit out loud:

"He is so hot! Our eyes met today during class, and he didn't look away! Gosh, it felt like he was undressing me with his eyes. I got so flustered!"

Suddenly you aren't complaining about economics anymore. It seems to be your favorite course now. Yuuji sees that you wear more make-up, that your hair is always washed and styled now, and that the clothes you wear hug your figure tighter.

It upsets him that you feel the need to revamp your look for this guy. Yuuji thinks you are beautiful and sexy when you're in your pj's without any make-up, and you haven't washed your hair in days. He hates that this arrogant rich guy makes you feel the need to get up earlier just to apply make-up and do your hair.

You are so nervous, fixing your clothes a hundred times and touching your hair over and over again, and your voice is squeaky when you ask Yuuji:

"Yuu, do I look ok like this?"

"Of course you do! You always look pretty!"

"Aww, you're such a sweetheart. Thank you!"

You hug him tightly and press a kiss to his cheek before hurrying down the hallway towards your economics course. To flirt with Mr. Zenin.

And later that day, you keep babbling about him. He's literally the number one topic of conversation lately. He's so hot! I like his hair! Oh god, the way he looks at me, with that arrogant smirk!

Yuuji's chest feels so tight. The pain is almost suffocating at times. He tries to see the situation from your eyes. It makes things even worse. Because yeah, he has to admit that he sees the appeal. Naoya is a few years older than you, he is powerful, he is rich, he is sexy, he's always dressed in fancy suits and drives nice cars. He's the type of guy who is the main love interest in a romance book. He's everything Yuuji isn't.

The jealousy takes permanent residence in Yuuji's heart. It's an ugly thing, clawing at him, making him feel sick and envious. He would give anything to be in Naoya's shoes.

But he isn't. He's just Yuuji. And Naoya is Naoya.

And Naoya comes up to you one afternoon after class when you are chatting with Yuuji in the hallway. His grin is so smug, hands shoved casually into the pockets of his tailored suit pants, walking like he owns this place. His gaze barely brushes Yuuji's face for a split second, not even acknowledging him. But his grin turns into a charming smile when he looks at you and compliments you on your presentation, telling you how impressed he is while you are beaming at him happily. And then Naoya hands you his business card with a confident grin:

"Text me so we can meet for coffee sometime."

You smile shyly and take the card from him, staring after him when he walks down the hallway, the keys to his sportscar dangling on his long elegant fingers. And once he's away far enough, you turn to Yuuji with a squeal while clutching the card to your chest and doing a little excited dance.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!!! He just asked me on a date, didn't he!?"

Everything stops. Yuuji feels too hot or too cold. He can't even tell. His heart is thundering in his chest, blood rushing in his ears, and the room vanishes from his vision until the only thing he can focus on is that business card in your hands.

This is bad.

The worst case, actually. Your crush on Naoya was already giving Yuuji such a hard time, but it had seemed like a hopeless little thing that would go away again after a while. But now that asshole asked you out! He wants you! Yuuji's heart is so heavy.

"Do you really want to text him?"

"Of course, I want to! What do you mean, Yuuji? Why wouldn't I want to text him?"

He shrugs helplessly, looking at you with big eyes, hoping you will come to your senses.

"I mean that he doesn't seem like a good guy for you. He is so...he is...just look at him!"

"Oh, you think he's too attractive for someone like me? Wow, Yuu...thanks for nothing."

"What? No! That's not what I mean! But he's so arrogant, and he seems shady to me! Just listen to what Fushiguro says about him at their family meetings! He isn't a nice person (y/n)! He isn't good for you! Maki also doesn't like him!"

He looks at you intently, gesturing wildly with his hands, begging you to see the truth, but you just sigh before reaching out to pat his biceps.

"Ok, I get it, Yuuji. You just want to protect me. That's sweet, and I appreciate it! But you don't have to worry. I know Fushiguro can't stand him, but honestly, that's not a reliable indicator that someone is a bad person. Fushiguro can't stand most people. And I think Maki doesn't like Naoya because of some family dispute between her part of the family and his. I know Naoya. He is a true gentleman. He's so polite and smart, and I think he would treat me very well. He seems nice to me."

"He's not!"

"Please, Yuu, calm down. It's gonna be ok. I'm gonna be ok. Just let me have a bit of fun! Please, can you be happy for me? If you are upset because you think I won't have time for our friendship anymore if I start dating someone, I can guarantee you that won't be the case. Ok? You're so important to me, Yuuji. You will always be my best friend, and I will always have time for you."

Yuuji wants to slap himself. He's always way too impulsive and speaks before he thinks, and now he made things weird because he looks like a possessive idiot who wants to keep you all to himself and forbids you any fun.

Another emotion joins the jealousy and sadness: Guilt.

He really should be happy for you! He should squeal excitedly with you and take you to get ice cream to celebrate that you're about to go on a date with the guy you've been crushing on for weeks! He should be supportive. What kind of shitty friend is he?

Maybe you are right, and Naoya really isn't that bad. Maybe he can make you happy, and isn't that what Yuuji should want for you? Also, Yuuji doesn't have any proof that the Zenin heir really is a bad guy. So you are probably right that Megumi's and Maki's opinion is very biased.

This is just his broken heart talking. He is jealous and hurt, and that's why he wants to believe Nayoa is an asshole. He gulps hard and takes a deep breath. It takes everything in him to manage a smile and reach out to rub your shoulder.

"I'm sorry, (y/n). I'm happy for you that he gave you his number. I'm just a bit overprotective when it comes to you. Just be careful, please, ok? Promise me."

"Of course, I'll be careful. Please don't worry your pretty little head. And if anything goes wrong, I know I have my personal knight in a red hoodie, right?"

Yuuji manages to chuckle softly, and when you hug him, he makes sure to hold you extra tightly, enjoying the short moment where he can pretend that he is the lucky guy you have a crush on.

Yuuji used to think his dirty dreams about you were the worst thing, but now he knows that he was very wrong. Unfortunately, it can always get worse, apparently! Because now those dirty dreams get joined by dreams where he sees you with Naoya.

One moment he dreams about going down on you, kneading your juicy ass while he kisses your thighs and licks at your sweet clit, moaning because you are so wet for him. And you press so needily against his mouth and pull on his hair, loving what Yuuji does to you. Loving him.

And the next moment, dream-Yuuji hears you moan the wrong name, and when he looks up at you, you frown down at him and push him away with a: "Ewww, what are you doing here?" And Yuuji's dream-self has to watch how Naoya pulls you into his arms and tells you that now he will show you what a real man is like in bed.

Needless to say, Yuuji hates going to sleep.

He used to feel guilty about the sex dreams, but at least they gave him a good time in his sleep, and he had some of the most mind-blowing jack-off sessions afterwards. But now he can't even be with you in his dreams anymore. Even in dreamland, Naoya steals you away from him. It's frustrating!

And so Yuuji ends up staying up later than usual. Forcing himself to work on his assignments until late at night. Binge-watching show after show or challenging Fushiguro to video game wars. Hell, he even calls Nobara to listen to her monologues about how amazing Maki is, which new make-up launches there were this week, and which designer clothes are the shit this season. Anything to stay awake, anything to escape those dreams.

But the rivalry between Yuuji and the loss of sleep goes deep. His body and brain don't take the lack of sleep well.

He has been in a bad mood ever since that day you got Naoya's phone number, and the sleep deprivation intensifies those feelings.

Usually, Yuuji is the resident sunshine boy, but now he can't help but be irritated by little things. He manages to smile when he's around you. But once he's at home, he announces his lousy mood by slamming the door shut angrily, kicking his shoes off with too much force so the ratty red Vans land against the wall, leaving a muddy stain there that will make Fushiguro have a meltdown.

Unfortunately, Megumi is the one who has to deal with Yuuji's easily irritated self the most. It's not easy being Yuuji's dormmate at the moment. Especially since Fushiguro is someone who likes things to be quiet and in perfect order. In short, he is someone who wants to have his peace. But now he has to endure slamming doors, an array of swearwords, and one evening a loud bang followed by a yelp of pain when Yuuji punches his wall.

"Itadori, grab your gym bag and let's go workout. Maybe we can finally do that free trial for the boxing club."

"I don't want to leave my room."

"Stop moping! Get your ass up from the floor and put on a shirt! I've had enough! You cannot punch the wall, you idiot. You will only hurt yourself. Let's go boxing, and you can take all your rage out on me."

"What the fuck, Fushiguro?! That sounds so sexual somehow!"

Fushiguro rolls his eyes and one corner of his lips lifts in an amused smirk.

"As if you would be on top. Keep dreaming, Itadori."

"Oh god... is that the problem? Am I that guy who gets told he looks submissive and breedable? And girls don't want someone like that?"

"I don't want to continue this conversation."

"Bro, you started it!! Now tell me! Am I too submissive? Do I give off that vibe? And that's why (y/n) doesn't want me?"

"Man, I have no idea! And you also don't know! Because you never told her how you feel!"

And so Yuuji is back at the start again. Yes, exactly, he never told you. As unrealistic as it is, what if you had liked him too? In a romantic way. Just a tiny little bit, but were too shy to make the first step, and Yuuji never said anything, and so you gave up and turned to someone else who showed that he is interested in you? What if Yuuji had a chance, and he let it go?? He will hate himself forever!

Maybe he should have told you. Would it have changed things? Would possibly he be the one who could take you on a date if he had been brave enough to confess his feelings? He knows it's no use, it's already too late, but he can't help but obsess over the what-ifs.

His hands are balling into fists again as anger and self-hate engulf his every thought. He will lose his mind if he stays here with no outlet for his anger.

"Let's go to the gym Fushiguro! We'll take that boxing lesson! I need you to pound me so hard! Don't hold back!"

"Now, who's the one making this sound sexual?"

But Fushiguro accompanies him to the boxing course, and he lands some really nice right hooks straight into Yuuji's face. Yuuji can't help but laugh because it seems some good payback for all the shit he put Megumi through since you started dating Naoya. But Fushiguro also doesn't complain when Yuuji goes into a rage and attacks him back with so much force that the whole boxing club gathers around them and cheers them on enthusiastically. Soon the usual "Tiger of Jujutsu College!!" chants start, and tonight Yuuji doesn't even feel embarrassed by them. On the contrary, it feels fucking good to let go and just let his fists talk! And Fushiguro is the perfect sparring partner, not holding back either and laughing maniacally anytime Yuuji lands a hit, grinning at him with an excited glint in his usually so aloof blue eyes. Yuuji is really grateful that his dormmate is just as crazy as himself.

They leave the gym that evening with a nice collection of bruises and a clap on the back by the boxing coach, who is ecstatic about finding a gem like Yuuji who will lead his little boxing club to fame and fortune.

The day you go on your first date with Mr. "I am rich and smart and look like a fucking model" is the worst one Yuuji had in a long time.

It's not enough that he has to smile and act like everything is awesome while you fidget nervously with your phone and ask for the tenth time which dress to wear. No, he also has to listen to your excited squeal when you call him once you're back home.

"OH MY GOD, YUUJI!! He is amazing! The date was so perfect! And he KISSED me!!! I am going to die!!!"

Yuuji lets his head fall back on his pillow, staring unseeingly up at his bedroom ceiling as you chatter about how Naoya took you to one of the city's fanciest restaurants, overlooking Tokyo from who knows how many floors. Of course, he got a table with the best view of the sunset, and of course, he took your hand at exactly the perfect moment and kissed you.

Yuuji's heart clenches painfully in his chest. All of this sounds like a bad dream. He wishes it was one. Carefully he places two fingers on his forearm and pinches it so hard that he almost drops the phone. Yeah, fuck. Seems like he is unmistakably awake and definitely NOT dreaming.

He suppresses a sigh and closes his eyes to make the room stop spinning around him. Everything is too much. He fucked up big time. He should have just told you how he feels! He should have taken you to the beach and watched the sunset with you too. Maybe he could have hugged you and kissed you. Or he could have written you a love letter, old-fashioned and romantic. He should have told you how much he loves your laugh and your humor and your smart brain and your kind heart.

He should have done a lot of things, but he didn't. And now it's too late. Now someone else is taking you on dates and kisses you and makes you scream excitedly into the phone.

The following weeks make Yuuji spiral down even more. He tries to stay positive, tries to tell himself it will be ok. After all, you are happy! Isn't that a good thing? Shouldn't Yuuji be happy for you? He knows that's what he should be. But it's so damn hard to do that when his heart gets broken over and over again anytime he remembers that you are someone else's girl now.

He tries to stay busy at all times, frequenting the gym even more often now to work out excessively and going to his boxing lessons which offer some sweet relief when he is able to just drill his fists against the punching bag over and over again, letting out his rage and hurt.

Todo and Megumi compliment his even bigger biceps and even more defined pecs and abs. But that doesn't really matter to Yuuji right now. He's working out to keep his mind off you and to exhaust himself so much that hopefully, he will be able to fall into the blissful blackness that is dreamless sleep once he gets back home.

Unfortunately, his brain decides to provide him with even more dreams though. Dreams where he goes on dates with you, but suddenly you get pulled away by a hand on your shoulder, and Yuuji has to watch helplessly as you get into a fancy car while he is glued to the seat, unable to get up.

And, of course, he also has the familiar dirty dreams that make him rut desperately against his pillow, trying to think of someone else but always seeing you when he moans softly and feels his thick spurts of milky cum pulse over his hand.

His body might look even fitter, but his face certainly doesn't. He can see the dark circles under his eyes, and so does everyone else. Nobara even shoves her concealer over the table and into Yuuji's hands one morning.

"Use this, Itadori. I am begging you!"

And Megumi watches him with growing worry on his face. He isn't the type to spend all his free time with other people, he needs his alone time to recharge, but recently he always knocks on Yuuji's bedroom door every night and comes inside looking for excuses to spend time with Yuuji.

"Hey, just thought I should tell you there's another documentary about wolves. You seemed to enjoy it the last time, so do you want to watch it with me?"

Or he waits for Yuuji in the kitchen and holds up a pot and a cooking spoon.

"Hey, Itadori, can you show me how to make those meatballs again? I can't remember."

Yuuji is grateful for the company, and so he plays along and spends his evenings watching documentaries and cooking with Fushiguro.

But once he's in bed, the thoughts are back to haunt him. His nights are filled with a neverending mix of wet dreams and nightmares. And his mornings are spent feverishly jacking off and then trying to consume so much coffee that his mushy brain is able to form coherent thoughts.

He practices his sunshine smile in the windows of the coffee shop he frequents every morning, irritating the other customers because it looks like he is smiling at them while he's checking out his reflection in the large windows.

A middle-aged woman gives him a wink, and some blue-haired guy blows him a kiss. Yuuji just blinks at them in confusion before his tired brain catches up with what is happening. He shrugs apologetically and scratches his hair sheepishly before quickly hurrying off towards the university.

His smile still works, apparently. But it's damn hard to keep smiling and act like things are fine.

It's the worst when you come to Yuuji with a happy smile on your face and throw yourself into his arms, hugging him just like you always do.

But now you tell him about all the romantic things Naoya said or did, and it's clear that you are completely oblivious to what it is doing to Yuuji. It's not that you don't notice the state he's in. But you don't see that it's connected to you.

"Yuuji, maybe you shouldn't work out so much? You look tired, you know."

"Wow, you really know how to compliment me. Thank you so much!"

"You idiot! You know what I mean! I think you are overexerting yourself."

"I am not."

"Where do those dark circles under your eyes come from then? Oooh, or do you have a secret affair?"

"Maybe I started working as a stripper. That would explain the lack of sleep and the obsessive workout routine."

You laugh delightedly and smack his arm playfully, just like you always do. And Yuuji laughs with you and puts an arm loosely around your waist, which results in the two of you wrestling playfully.

For a moment, it feels like everything is ok. The bickering, the jokes, the rituals. This is what feels like home to Yuuji. Your friendship, the warmth, and playfulness laced with love and trust is his favorite thing in the world.

For a moment, the sun seems to shine a bit brighter, and the gloominess that has been in Yuuji's line of vision lifts. For a moment, he catches himself thinking that everything will be ok.

Until the deep growl of a car engine drifts to his ears. You let go of Yuuji and step away from him, still grinning brightly at him.

"I have to go! See you tomorrow. And hey, try to get some rest, ok?"

You reach up to ruffle Yuuji's hair affectionately before jogging over to the sports car waiting for you.

Yuuji knows he shouldn't look, but he can't tear his gaze away, and so he watches in morbid fascination as you get into the passenger seat and lean over to greet your boyfriend with a sweet kiss on the lips.

It hurts.

And yet Yuuji's gaze is glued to you. He gulps hard against the lump in his throat but quickly plasters a smile on his face when the car sets into motion.

He barely has time to lift a hand in a little wave before he has to jump to the side when Naoya's sports car speeds past him.

Fucking asshole!

Yuuji runs his hand through his pink hair exasperatedly. He knows he can't compare to Naoya. He's just Yuuji. He doesn't have a fancy car or custom-tailored suits. He can't afford to buy you expensive presents. He isn't a powerful man like Naoya is.

But he immediately chides himself for those thoughts. You don't care about things like those. You aren't shallow like that. You like Naoya for real.

As much as it hurts Yuuji, he has been listening closely to you, and he knows that it's much more than just a little crush. At first, you only squealed about Naoya's looks and his impressive aura. But then you started to tell Yuuji about other things too.

How much you like the dimples Naoya gets when he smiles. How he has a whole room dedicated to books, and it is his favorite pastime to sit there and read. How you and he bond over books you both enjoy and that you even started your own little private book club. How you told Nayoa that he doesn't have to take you to fancy restaurants, and so he began to take you on picnics in the park instead.

As much as Yuuji hates to admit it. You really like Naoya. And he seems to treat you well.

But Yuuji still doesn't trust him one bit. There's just something shady about him. Maybe it's still the jealousy talking. Or Yuuji really has a sixth sense, and maybe he should have opened that palm reading business thing for real.

Thank you so much for reading!! I had to split the chapter into two parts because it was getting too long. So you will find the rest of the story about the rivalry between Yuuji and the loss of sleep in a second part :) Aww Yuuji!! You really should have told reader how you feel!! Poor baby boy!! But maybe Naoya really is as shady as Yuuji thinks? Maybe Yuuji will really have to be the knight in a red hoodie? Please let me know what you think about this chapter!! This series means so much to me!! I laugh so much while writing it, and I hope it can bring some fun into your life too!

Comments and reblogs make me happy!

Chapter 5

#yuuji x reader #yuuji fluff #yuuji smut #jjk x reader #jjk fluff #jjk smut #itadori x reader #itadori fluff #itadori smut #yuji x reader #yuji fluff #yuji smut #jjk imagines #jujutsu kaisen imagines #jujutsu kaisen x reader

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