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alisonsfics · 5 months ago

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team building

pairing: carmy berzatto x reader

summary: when natalie suggested a day of team building, carmy wasn’t thrilled with the idea of a wasting a day in the kitchen. he knew it would piss richie off though, which made it so much easier to agree. and he knew he’d get to spend more quality time with you.

word count: 2.4k

Things had been off at the restaurant. After a less-than-spectacular review from a food critic came out about the Bear, everybody had been on edge. Richie and Carmy were arguing all the time. Not important arguments, but just bickering about nonsense.

So, Sugar came in one day and suggested a team building day as a reset for everyone. Carmy had thought she was joking. Any time not spent in the kitchen felt like wasted time to him.

The only reason that Carmy ended up agreeing was because he knew how much it would annoy Richie.

That was how you all found yourself at a local park on a chilly Chicago morning.

You were one of the first ones to show up because your alarm went off earlier than you had meant for it to. You crossed your arms in an attempt to warm yourself up.

You headed towards Sugar, Syd, and Marcus, who were sitting and chatting at a picnic table.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Sydney joked, seeing the tired look in your eyes. You smiled to yourself at her joke before giving her a quick hug.

She patted the seat next to her, and you quickly sat down. You crossed your arms on the table and leaned your head down. “Wake me up when everyone gets here,” you mumbled before closing your eyes.

“Okay, honey,” Natalie said, giving you a sweet smile.

Fifteen minutes later, Carmy pulled into the parking lot. He quickly flipped down his sun visor and checked his appearance in the mirror.

Knowing that he’d be seeing you, he fixed his hair, pushing some of the loose strands out of his face.

He carefully juggled the trays of coffee that he bought for everyone as he walked into the park. He spotted Natalie, who waved him over.

His eyes instantly landed on you. As he neared the table, he noticed that you hadn’t moved. “Is she sleeping?” He mouthed, looking at Sugar. She mouthed “yes” and nodded.

He quickly nodded, trying to be as silent as possible. Sydney scooted over, so that Carmy could sit between the two of you. It wasn’t an accident that Natalie and Marcus didn’t offer him a seat on the other side of the table. The whole team had been trying to facilitate the two of you getting together for months.

Carmy carefully set down the trays of coffee, desperately trying to not wake you up. He adored you, and everyone knew it.

He handed cups of coffee to Sydney, Natalie, and Marcus. His elbow accidentally bumped into your side. You slowly picked your head up from the table, a sleepy look on your face.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.” he said, apologetically. You nodded, giving him a soft smile once you saw him. He handed you a cup of coffee as an apology.

“Thank you,” you said softly as you took a sip.

“Of course,” he said, willing to do anything to make you smile like that. You leaned your head over onto his shoulder, and he thought was gonna burst.

Sugar immediately had a smirk on her face when she noticed Carmy’s giddy smile. Carmy ignored her teasing and tried to pretend the love he had for you wasn’t obvious to everyone around him.

“Not enough sleep?” He whispered to you, letting his arm wrap around your shoulder. “Mhmm,” you quietly hummed, nestling yourself into his side.

“You guys want to come help me set something up?” Sugar asked Sydney and Marcus. The three of them quickly got up to leave but not before winking at Carmy.

After months of it, Carmy had come to expect their matchmaking antics.

“Y’know, I bet Nat would let you skip this if you need to get some sleep,” Carmy said, looking down at you. You shrugged your shoulders. “It’s fine, Carmy. I’m just a little sleepy.” You said.

A shiver ran down your spine from the chilly air. “You’re freezing. Here, drink some of your coffee.” He said, using his free hand to give you the cup.

You sat up, leaning away from Carmy and quickly stretching. You took the cup out of his hand and took a few sips. “You take such good care of me.” You said, smiling at him over the lid of your cup.

He returned your sweet smile. “You’d do the same for me.” He replied simply.

He noticed how your hands were slightly shaking as you shivered. He slid his denim jacket off his arms and wrapped it warmly around your shoulders.

Carmy’s cologne, which coated the jacket, filled all your senses. “Thank you,” you said, softly. Everything about Carmy made you feel like you were a teenager again.

“Am I interrupting some flirting?” You both heard Richie’s loud voice as he walked up to the both of you.

“Take some coffee and shut the fuck up,” Carmy countered. It was a little too early for Carmy to want to deal with the incessant teasing about your relationship, or lack there of. Richie held his hands up in surrender and grabbed a cup of coffee.

“Good morning, Richie,” you said. Your sunny disposition was a direct contrast to Carmy’s current attitude toward Richie. Carmy didn’t want Richie to embarrass him in front of him.

“Good morning, sweetheart. It’s nice to see that someone’s in a good mood.” Richie said, directing a joking glare at Carmy.

“Call me sweetheart again, and I’ll hit you.” You warned, leaning your head back on Carmy’s shoulder. Carmy chuckled at your threat. “Point taken, won’t happen again,” Richie said simply.

Richie had learned not to push your buttons the same way he did to Carmy. He gave your hand a quick squeeze, which you took as a valid apology.

“Carmy, can we borrow your girl for a second?” Sydney called out to him. A giggle slipped out of your lips, while Carmy groaned. “Oh, for fucks sake,” he mumbled to himself. Before he could argue, you jumped up from your seat. “Coming,” you yelled, walking towards them.

“Come on, cousin, you gotta quit with the fucking jokes,” Carmy said to Richie after you were out of earshot.

Richie walked closer to him and took a seat beside him. “When are you gonna tell her how you feel?” Richie asked him, his tone very serious.

“You know I can’t. We work together.” Carmy said, simply. He hadn’t given the idea much thought. Sure, Carmy was basically head over heels for you, but he wouldn’t allow himself to even fantasize about the possibility. “She cares about you, Carm. Like really cares about you. That shit is special.” Richie told him.

“Boys, get over here.” Sugar yelled, in a motherly fashion.

Carmy and Richie immediately headed to join the others, knowing not to argue with her.

The two of them became hesitant when they realized they were walking towards a Twister mat. “Oh, come on, Nat,” Carmy started to protest.

“No buts, you are playing this game.” She told him, crossing her arms.

The five of you: you, Carmy, Sydney, Marcus, and Richie, all kicked your shoes off while Natalie grabbed the spinner.

It started off pretty mundane. “Right foot, red,” Natalie called out.

Richie “accidentally” slipped and fell, getting himself eliminated. But, you all knew that he just wanted to stop playing as soon as possible. He went to sit next to Sugar and laughed at the four of you as you struggled.

You and Carmy ended up face-to-face, only separated by a few inches. You giggled at Carmy trying to keep his hair out of his face.

Marcus got distracted by looking at you both swooning. His foot slipped, and he fell into the grass.

Natalie called out the next movement, which got you and Carmy separated enough, so you both could think straight.

Carmy ended up facing a different direction, but you could see Sydney’s face. She wiggled her eyebrows and looked between you and Carmy.

“Stop it,” you mouthed at her, trying to stop her teasing. An impossible goal.

She raised her eyebrows at you, challenging you. You didn’t know what she was going to do, but you didn’t think it boded well for you. You followed her gaze to the green circle her hand was currently resting on. She slid her hand to the side and pretended to slip.

“Oh, whoops,” she sarcastically whispered to you. With Sydney out, that left just you and Carmy. And all your friends watching.

Carmy couldn’t see it, but you watched Sydney join Natalie and move the spinner to the color she wanted. Natalie called it out, “right foot, blue, Carmy,”.

Not knowing about the secret plot, Carmy innocently followed the directions, putting you both in an awkward situation. Richie was the first to realize how unfortunate the position was, chuckling to himself.

You were currently in a downward dog position, and Carmy had his hands on either side of yours. Due to the recent “spin,” his chest was leaning against your back, and his hips were pressed forward against your ass.

Carmy tried to keep as much distance between the two of you as he could. He wasn’t trying to be creepy, but he was kind of stuck.

“There’s kids at this park, come on, Berzatto,” Richie teased. Everyone realized what he was implying and started chuckling.

Carmy’s face was bright red, and he was beyond embarrassed. The humor wasn’t lost on you, but you were more amused than Carmy was at the situation.

“Team bonding, Natalie? I think we’re getting a little more than that.” Richie joked again. You started laughing and trying desperately to not slip and fall. As you were laughing, your whole body shook…against Carmy.

Behind you, you heard a small groan from Carmy that only you could hear. Everyone was also unaware of how he was biting down on his lip. Carmy was trying to think of anything that wasn’t how close he was to you right now.

He normally had a million thoughts racing around his head, but right now there was only one.

Completely distracted, his foot slipped. He fell on top of you, sending you both crashing towards the ground.

He shifted his weight, so he wasn’t leaning all his weight on you. “Oh shit, sorry. Are you okay? You good?” He anxiously asked you. He moved his hand to cradle the back of your head, making sure it didn’t start bleeding when you bumped it on the ground.

“I’ll go grab some ice.” Sydney said, the others following her to give you both some privacy.

“Carmy, I’m fine. It was just a bump.” You assured him. It didn’t get rid of the worried look in his eyes. “I’m so fucking sorry. I should have been more careful.” He apologized. You could see the guilt in his eyes.

“I’m okay, I promise,” you tried unsuccessfully to convince him.

He moved his hand from the back of your head to brush a piece of hair behind your ear.

You grabbed his wrist and pulled it towards you, pressing a soft kiss against the bottom of his palm. It was a silent way of trying to calm Carmy down and assure him everything was fine.

“Besides, who else gets to say they’ve had the one and only Carmen Berzatto on top of them like this.” You teased him, gesturing at how he was still hovering above you.

He easily could have sat up and helped you up. It would’ve been even easier now that you’d pointed it out.

He stayed where he was.

If he moved any closer, his whole body would be pressed against yours. His lips were only millimeters away from yours, which made it so much harder for him to not kiss you.

“Wait…what?” He asked, snapping out of his thoughts.

You gave him a look that let him know that he already knew the answer.

“Are we just going to play this game forever? Where we dance around actually telling each other how we feel? You can’t possibly have any doubts that this is mutual. Our friends haven’t been teasing us about flirting for no reason. And you weren’t exactly subtle when you were practically thrusting your hips into my ass.” You explained.

For a second, you could see the gears turning in his head.

Then, he kissed you.

It was rushed but not short. Your arms naturally found their way around his neck. You both smiled into the kiss, grateful that it was finally happening.

Subconsciously, you both knew this day would come, but recently you’d been doubting it.

As Sydney dug through the cooler, Richie noticed you both over her shoulder.

“Oh my god. Cousin finally fucking went for it.” He exclaimed to himself. The rest of the group followed his gaze to see what he was talking about.

When they laid eyes on you and Carmy, all their jaws dropped.

“God, you’re wonderful,” Carmy mumbled against your lips. You both got distracted when your friends starting cheering for you. You could see the embarrassment on Carmy’s cheeks when he realized they were cheering for you both.

Richie even decided to whistle at you, which looked very strange to onlookers.

“Kinda forgot they were here,” Carmy whispered, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

He bashfully stood up and helped pull you to your feet.

As you both walked back towards the picnic tables, you didn’t know what to do as they all stared at the two of you. Carmy grabbed your hand and interlaced your fingers, earning another cheer from Sugar and Sydney.

The two girls quickly pulled you both into a hug. “It’s about damn time,” Sydney told you, causing you to giggle.

“Now the bet can finally end,” Marcus added. After a second of silence, you and Carmy turned to look at him. “The bet?” You both asked in unison.

Instead of responding, Sydney, Marcus, and Natalie all handed Richie twenty bucks.

“We got bored watching you two pine over each other, so we started a bet. The three of us thought it would happen months ago, but Richie was in it for the long haul.” Sydney explained.

“You all had too much confidence in cousin’s confidence. I knew it would take him forever to finally fess up.” Richie said, smiling as he stuffed the money in his pocket.

“It wasn’t even me. It was all her.” Carmy said, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. There wasn’t much of a reaction. “I’m sure they’re really shocked by that Carmy.” You said, sarcastically.

Carmy just chuckled and kissed your forehead.

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easy-there-leftovers · 1 year ago

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I See You, Darling (2)

[Astarion x reader] Due to surprisingly overwhelming demand, the previous fic, along with this one and many more to follow, will now be part of a series!! It was honestly very difficult trying to come up with what happens next, but here we are. The idea came to me during a fever!! |Word count: 2.5k.| Based off of this post I made.

Part 1 here!!

Next part here!!

The reader believes they are in a dream. It wouldn’t be the first time their fantasies conjured up such an obscure, yet somehow realistic scene. And so they’ve elected to treat the experience with as much realism as one would observe in a dream; little to none.

Alternatively;An ex-art-student-now-traveler accustoms themselves to the party.

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“Shadowheart. Shadow…heart. Hm.” His gaze bounced between you and her.

“I’m sure her parents meant well, but the name is rather ominous, isn’t it?” He leaned over to your side, not bothering to hide his blatant distrust. Lowering his voice dramatically, if anything.

“Unless she chose it herself. Which is even more worrying, honestly.” He chuckled out.

It had been no more than two bells after mornbright when you met Astarion. Since then, you’ve come to realize how…different your presence has changed the course of the story. Though more subtle than you expected.

It would seem as if you had met the elven vampire before the party was formed, which was strange as your last save point was far later than that and the forest had been quite a long way from the beach.

When you finally stumbled upon Shadowheart, he was quick to share his inner thoughts that you haven’t heard from the game before.

As they continued with their quest to find a cure for the Illithid problem, expanding their party as they did so, you had tried to make yourself useful by doing the dirty work for them. Looting and opening crates filled with camp supplies, armor, and potentially useful weapons and artifacts could always come in handy for trade or for “artifact consumption,” as per Gale’s need. Sorting them for your group’s convenience.

And while you did not have more direct and immediate practical use for your course of study in the modern world, the research you’ve created and reviewed for character creation and world building was doing wonders for your survival.

Or as much as it can for a magicless, not so athletic human.

The “runes” of the medieval ages that have been carved into stone, along with the basic history and background of the common races and deities of the fantastical world that tabletop RPG has offered puts you at quite an advantage.

Not to mention your experience with the areas of the game giving you the same effect.

But this library of information had also aroused something akin to suspicion and concern. It would be understandable if you were a simple traveler just like them, or perhaps even an artisan from the guild, but you were not as astute as either background.

So how could you have access to this much knowledge yet be unaware of more practical matters? It’s as if you had simply read about it from somewhere.

Astarion had been quick to give an explanation before you could form one of your own that could poorly convince your companions. Although, perhaps his suggestion was more outlandish than anything you could have come up with.

“They came with me. Property and all the formality that comes with it. A family pet, if you will.” A perfect excuse to justify your constant proximity to him, and a likely explanation to being well read, but not well experienced.

You thought nothing of the title, your apathy to the non-hazardous labels of this world apparent.

The same couldn’t have been said about your associates who had a few comments about this disclosure.

“I am unfamiliar with the–well, I shall not say ‘culture.’ ‘Customs’, perhaps. I did not think your kind to house such breed of cattle. Perhaps they could be useful.” Was Lae’zel’s.

“I assure you, they typically don’t. Humans aren’t naturally subservient to Elves, at least in this manner. This setup sounds more akin to slavery. Blink twice if you need help.” Was Gale’s response.

“It seems like Astarion's from the upper city, given the embroidery on his armor. I wouldn’t put it past them to have servants that follow them around.” Shadowheart’s nose crinkled at the thought.

The party already had such an interesting rapport. Not entirely comfortable with one another to divulge everything, but loose enough to have semi-pleasant conversation with.

You thought this as you sorted out the fruits of your collective labor into neat pouches and bags, keeping items similar to one another factioned into their respective holding space. The chest being closer to Withers more than you’d like, but it was nice to hear the ramblings of an…undead person? Hearing someone continuously talking allows you to be more productive.

You’ll admit, handling enchanted armor and crystals does make you a tad nervous but you’re comforted by the thought that it will not be you who wields it in battle.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Gale approaching your direction. Possibly to ask for his share of the camp supplies just a little earlier to sate himself as you had an abundance of it for now. You regard him with your back turned and he stops for a bit.

“I will say that I don’t have the lightest of feet, but I figured myself better at sneaking around.” It’s not his fault that he got caught, but the bright purple robe and the smell of the oils you’ve been crafting for them are particularly noticeable.

“You are, but I’ll assume you're not exactly in the best shape after dealing with a few goblins.” You hold up a bottle of a healing potion, swinging it a bit with your fingers to indicate that the smell had warned you of his arrival.

“You’ve got a keen nose on you. Must be from all of Astarion’s training but, speaking of which,” He nears himself to your crouched form, going in to lean against a very old and empty crate.

“Gale, wait–” Right as your warning leaves you, they seem to evade him as falls right through the wood. A comical layer of dust and lichen pluming out from the force. He tries to quickly recover from both the physical and emotional damage as he brushes himself off to make himself presentable once more.

“Ahem, as I was saying,” He again makes his way over to you, settling for just standing close as his attempts to look unbothered temporarily cost him his ego.

“I was serious about what I said before. While I don’t know what to make of our pallid friend just yet, as enigmatic as he is, what he said before is quite confusing. Best make haste away from here if you want your freedom while we’re distracted with this worm problem.” His tone suggests a genuine concern which confuses you.

You’d be lying to yourself if the label of the set up didn’t sound odd, but you’ve never expressed discomfort as there was nothing all too worrying about it on your end. It was mostly for show, and you had as much independence as Tav would have in your game.

You endeavor to quickly dispel his worries.

“You don’t have to worry, I’m very satisfied with my servitude under Astarion. He’s very lenient and reliable, and I’m better off with him than on my own." You return to your task of sifting through your materials but pause and look back up at him to continue.

"I do thank you for turning my way though. Your concern is much appreciated but unnecessary.” You lowered your head a bit to show your thanks.

“Well if someone as generous as yourself says to trust you on this, then I have no choice but to concede! I’ll keep a watchful eye and offer guidance, should you need it. Also, do we happen to have something for—” As he asks you for some sort of salve, just a few ways off, your eccentric “handler,” of sorts, watches the two of you interact.

Don’t get him wrong, such matters don’t really catch his attention, but being an elf does curse him with the ability to have extensive hearing. Something that he thinks Gale knew, and something you forgot. That would explain the lack of distance between you two.

He thinks it’s amusing how the wizard is trying to make conversation with you as if you were some foreign creature. His usual eloquence nowhere to be seen, and you seemed as unbothered as ever. Like how he usually saw you when you conversed with someone through a crystal.

It was a phone, not that he knew that though.

“They’re a real nice one, aren’t they?” Karlach says from her side of the camp which was nearer towards his tent and yours.

“Hm, yes. While that may be an admirable trait, it’s hardly going to get them anywhere if they keep this up.” Astarion huffed out, not very keen on your altruistic playstyle so far.

He doesn’t know much about what you do and don’t know, all he knows is that you do know of the events to unfold and could be the key to defeating his master.

All he needs is to keep you at his side. So he’ll allow you this much freedom.

“Oh come on, you. You can’t seriously think that after everything. Our camp’s pretty well maintained because of ‘em, not to mention the connections we’ve been able to get!” She fortifies her statement by knocking on her chest, the engine humming within feels lighter and newer since you’ve informed her of the tiefling blacksmith at the grove.

He hums in response, returning to reading his book as he thinks about his growing hunger. He’ll have to hunt soon enough. While your positive reputation occasionally reflects on him by proxy, it can also reflect negatively due to the alleged nature of your relationship. If he wants the journey to a way of understanding the tadpoles to be a more comfortable one, he has to at least prevent their trust in him from diminishing.

Night falls later than he’d have liked, having waited for everyone to be asleep so that he may prowl the forest for sustenance.

The rest were sound asleep in their bedroll as the skirmish from earlier on in the day had proven to be sufficiently tiring. The crackling fire surely brings a lulling warmth that he supposes he’ll have to miss out on for a while.

As he begins to slink off into the darkness, he looks back to gauge his surroundings and catches your form from across the settlement. It seems you were tallying away the items in the shared chest and double-checking to see that everything is checked and balanced with your records.

Your shoulders jump at his suddenly standing form, but try to understand his intentions. You mouth, “where?” with a very confused face, to which he responds with a simple shushing motion and waits for your acknowledgement.

You nod slowly, and he holds your gaze before sneaking off once again.

‘He’s coming back, right?’ You wondered. The progression of your experience now in comparison to the game was vastly different, and you didn’t know if all scenes, or only some, would present themselves in this world. You assume he planned to hunt, and while you trust his abilities, you want to make sure he’s attended to properly should he be harmed in any way.

So after retrieving a few potions, a journal, and a pencil, you stashed them in a satchel and positioned yourself at the base of the tree in the direction he left in. You weren’t particularly sleepy tonight, and planned to pass the time in wait of your companion.

There wasn’t much to do in this century to keep yourself entertained. The only things you’ve found so far were a few instruments and all manners of journals and inks.

The inkpot that you picked up appeared to be red this time. The game of, “which ink dye will I get this time?” will have to be the most of your entertainment for now. Not all too different from home, you suppose. And while writing keeps your mind at bay, illustrating all manners of wildlife have proven to be quite the fun exercise.

You’ve made a few notes on creatures that you and your company have encountered. The visual elements of a drawing allowed you and the others to keep track of materials that could be salvaged from them, and their resistances to certain attacks.

Though as much as you liked depicting such lifeforms in paper, you’ve come to be very interested in portraying your vampire friend.

Evidence of your interest present in the pages filled with his likeness as you search for an unmarked page. You’ve made a few of the others, yes, but anyone who would gain access to your journal would surely see which member of the group you favor more.

You continued to draw, and occasionally write, on the parchment as you waited for Astarion to come back. All sense of time evading you as you focus on the task at hand.

A perfect opportunity for a tired rogue to surprise an unsuspecting human.

“And what are you still doing up, little one?” He appears from behind the very tree you rested against, causing you to spill a bit of ink on your thumb.

You clicked your tongue, not at all annoyed by the character but by your absentmindedness and now stained appendage.

“Sorry, I was just waiting for you.” You sealed the inkpot, and gathered your materials. Effectively, but unknowingly, hiding your work from peering eyes that were the same deep red as your finger.

“I’m very flattered, darling. But couldn’t you wait until morning? I'm sure this couldn’t have been all too important, yes?” He gestures to your satchel, referring to your journal, but you misinterpreted it as him asking for your medical supplies.

“Oh, that depends. Are you hurt, by any chance? I stayed awake in case you might've needed help tending to yourself.” You opened the pouch to reveal its contents to him, your stained thumb in full view.

The sight makes him sigh out, but is thankful for your offered service.

“I’m alright, nothing of interest happened while I was away.” He considers telling you about the nature of his little…'escapade.' He's unaware if you are of his condition, and he doesn’t wish to out himself if not necessary to avoid possible conflict. So he settles for advising you to rest.

“We need you well rested, my dear. You sleep. I’ll keep watch.” The dialogue is familiar, and you can’t stop yourself from letting a small laugh out as you responded with an equally familiar line

“Thank you. I’ll sleep better for that.” You lower your head as you usually do in gratitude.

“The pleasure is all mine.” He mirrors your gesture, albeit in a way that is most appropriate for someone of his character. “Sweet dreams.”

You walked back to the chest. Returning the potions and ink you’ve plucked from the supply, but keeping the rest of the pouch’s materials with you as you turn in for the night. Awaiting the promise of further study that a new day typically makes.

As Astarion is left with his own thoughts, a sour taste still in his mouth from his earlier meal, he thinks about the man in the journal you kept. He did not see much, only a vague outline of the figure. He thinks about who, or what, it could have been but dismisses the thought rather quickly.

He has no time for a mysterious person with hair less perfect than his own, touching his untainted locks as he does.

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Thank you everyone for your interest in the series!! As per the request of some, I'll now be adding a taglist!

Thank you to @rey26, @shyminnie07, @lynnloveshobi, @iggee-rose, @automnepoet, and @tiannamortis for asking to be tagged!!

#astarion ancunin #astarion x reader #astarion x you #astarion ancunin x reader #astarion x mc #baldur's gate 3 x reader #bg3 x reader isekai(?)#aware!astarion #though I guess not so aware--#lol

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fanfictionismyaddiction · 2 months ago

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Crash Course

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

word count: 822

pairing: Lando Norris x driver!reader

summary: Y/n returns to the paddock after recovering from her injuries, and Lando confronts her with his growing feelings

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The days following the crash were a blur for Y/n, filled with recovery sessions and endless interviews about the accident. The media buzzed with speculation, talking more about the rivalry between her and Lando than about the championship itself. Everyone wanted to know if the tension between them had reached a breaking point.

But Y/n couldn’t stop thinking about what Lando had said. His confession kept replaying in her mind, stirring something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel before. She kept pushing it aside, trying to focus on her recovery and the upcoming races, but it lingered in the back of her thoughts, persistent and confusing.

A few days later, Y/n was back at the paddock, still moving a little stiffly but determined to show everyone she was ready to race again. She walked through the garage, her team bustling around her, making sure everything was in place for the next practice session.

As she sat down to review some data, she felt a presence behind her before she heard the voice.

“Back so soon?” Lando’s voice was light, but she could hear the edge of concern behind it.

Y/n glanced over her shoulder, seeing him leaning casually against the wall, hands in his pockets. He looked relaxed, but his eyes were studying her closely, as if assessing whether she was really okay.

“Did you expect me to stay away?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “I can’t let you have all the fun, can I?”

Lando smirked, pushing off the wall and walking closer. “Just making sure you’re not pushing yourself too hard.”

“I’m fine,” Y/n insisted, though the slight wince as she shifted in her seat betrayed her.

Lando noticed, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You sure about that?”

Y/n sighed, rolling her eyes. “You sound like my doctor.”

“Maybe I should be,” he teased, but there was an underlying sincerity in his tone. “Look, I just… I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

Y/n paused, the playful banter between them losing its edge. There it was again—that concern, that softness. She wasn’t used to this version of Lando, and it made her feel off-balance.

“Why do you care so much?” she asked quietly, looking up at him.

Lando hesitated, his playful smile fading. He glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot before sitting down on the chair next to hers. “Because I meant what I said, Y/n. After the crash, when you almost collapsed… I realized how much I care. More than I probably should.”

Her heart skipped a beat, the air around them growing thick with tension. “Lando…”

“I know we’re rivals,” he continued, his voice low and serious. “And we’re both fighting for the championship, but… that doesn’t change how I feel.”

Y/n’s pulse quickened, her thoughts racing. This was happening—he was actually saying it, putting into words what had been unspoken between them for so long. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. How could she explain the way she felt, when she wasn’t even sure herself?

Seeing her hesitation, Lando sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Look, I get it. This is complicated. And if you don’t feel the same way, we can forget it—”

“No,” Y/n interrupted, her voice firm. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. “It’s not that. I just… I’ve been so focused on beating you, on proving I’m the best, that I didn’t stop to think about anything else.”

Lando’s eyes softened, a glimmer of hope flickering in his expression. “And now?”

Y/n looked at him, the weight of her feelings settling in her chest. “Now, I’m starting to realize there’s more to this than just the rivalry.”

For a moment, they sat in silence, the noise of the paddock fading into the background as they looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them. The tension that had always existed between them was still there, but it had changed—shifted into something neither of them had expected.

Lando leaned in slightly, his voice barely above a whisper. “So… what now?”

Y/n swallowed hard, her heart racing. She knew they couldn’t just flip a switch and change everything. They were still competitors, still fighting for the same title. But maybe—just maybe—they could be something more, too.

“I guess we see what happens,” she replied softly, her eyes locking with his.

Lando’s lips curled into a small smile. “I like the sound of that.”

Before they could say anything else, Y/n’s team called her over for a briefing. She stood up, feeling Lando’s eyes on her as she turned to leave. Just before she walked away, she glanced back at him, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Maybe this wasn’t the end of their rivalry—but it could be the beginning of something else. Something that neither of them had been prepared for, but now seemed impossible to ignore.

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vanya-evergreen · 7 months ago

Text

How to remember.(Chapter 1)

Masterlist

Relationship: BatFam x reader (platonic)

Summary: At the age of 11, you woke up in an other world without any guidance and all the money you once lacked. You were left with only your memeories and your other memories.

You tired to remember, their life, but it seemed like they didn't want you too. So when trying to navigate the intricate sides of an elite schoo, but you always got in trouble when it came to faces and names.

Cw: brief description of gore

No use of Y/n

Wc: 5k+

A/n- Woo first post! Exciting but so nerve racking, honestly have never posted my fanfic before. So, sorry if its kinda rough, had no one to beta, bare with me please. The characters are probably OOC, since I only recently got back into DC after seeing the "do the butts match post?" from the ai voice reddit post on tik tok. But you what that's more fun anyways, right? anyway please enjoy a really really random idea

Tick tick tick tick

The room was quiet, with only a few scribbles of pens or pencils to fill the void. You resided at your desk, hunched over, while resting your face on your hand. Your eyes lazily review the assignment in front of you for the 7th time. You had finished the assignments for the day, with each answer being correct that left you with only your thoughts. Your eye twitched, turning your head slowly toward the window, while slowly moving your head from your hand to the desk. You went through your day just to try and remember, waking up, first 2 classes, all fine. Until, on your way to your current period, you ran into a younger student, probably a sophomore, maybe a junior.

You cringed silently, you were just in your mind, really your memories from both this world and your original world. When you ran into a younger student, you both fell and could only manage a quick sorry before moving on. He was barely getting to his feet when you turned away, you were so stuck in your mind that you couldn’t even offer a proper apology, let alone your hand. You can't help but think back to the faint whisper you heard as you walked away. You made a mental note to find and properly apologize to him during lunch, if you could remember what he looked like, seeing as you only really saw his keychains on his backpack as they jingled when he got up.

Your head started throbbing as you thought too much, you shut your eyes tightly, wiping your mind clean, then opening them again .You stared out the window, trying not to think much, just trying to learn to just exist. Why is existing one of the hardest things to learn? You watch the clouds clash into each other slowly creating an ocean of a scale of whites and grays. You slowly let your mind blank, even just for a moment, it was nice.

You could slowly feel your drifting off, almost like you were disconnecting from your physical body. Until the sound of mindless chatter started up in the back of the room, pencils still wrote, notably faster than before. This means the period was almost up, so that means lunch and trying to find that one guy. You sat up, collected the assignments from your desk, then got up and turned them in. You got back to your seat right as the bell rang.

You picked up your stuff and got out of there as quickly as you could, just to round the corner to be surprised by an underclassman. He had green eyes that made very uncomfortable eye contact with yours. You almost immediately looked away from his very intense glare. You side eye him and see his bag. The keychains.

“Shit” you let out under your breath as you released your present problem. Your eye drifted back to his face, he didn't look all that happy to see you. ‘definitely him’. “Hey man, listen…” you started. You felt genuinely bad about earlier, you could only imagine how big of an asshole it made you seem like.

“Who are you?” his tone was blunt, with a twinge of annoyance.

Your mind stalled, that's not what you expected him to say. You thought he would threaten you or maybe pull the ‘do you know who i am card?’ or ‘I am going to ruin your life’. You felt the hostility he emulated, you felt uneasy. You furrowed your eyebrows, opening and closing your mouth a couple of times. The almost seemingly endless stream of words in your mind were stuck in your throat. “ ___ ___” you choked out with your last bit of brain cells.

“ Where are you from?” His voice shot straight through you. He gave you no time to collect your thoughts from the initial question. Your mind was scattered from how fast questions came at you. The unease in your stomach grew.

“Uh, gotham, like everyone here.” Confusion clouded your already foggy mind , ‘what did this have to do with me running into him earlier?’ “ I am sorry about earlier by the way.” you added quickly with a sorrowful expression, the cloudiness didn’t consume your intention to apologize.

“Gotha, hm, how come I have never seen any event?” he ignored your apology. ‘Okay, that's rude.’ You tried to grasp at whatever you could to respond.

“What events?” was all you could get. You felt like you were going to faint from the speed of his questions. Why did he care so much about what you did, you were just a stranger to him.

“Galas, business meetings…” he listed off different types of high end events, but you didn’t really listen after the first two. Your head was spinning, you had to try and collect the scattered pieces of your mind.

You rushed your recovery, you went from being up in your head for the last 20 minutes to being pulled down, through the earth’s crust, into a cave being interrogated by someone you have never talked to before this. ‘Who the hell is this guy?’

“I am sorry, but who are you?” You interrupted him midway through his next question, ‘that was a great idea’. “Am I meant to know you or something?” Ah yes, your most infamous line. You put your hand on your forehead, trying to rationalize this interaction. His mouth was open, he looked almost offended by your question.

“you’re joking?” he exclaimed agitated, he creased his eyebrows. You had to get out of there.

“No.“ You turn your head to the side, throwing your hands up in the air while turning your upper body away.

“ Well okay then, have you ever heard of the Waynes?” You do remember hearing about Wayne enterprise last time you went to the doctors, like when you first woke up in this world, which was like, 6 years ago, maybe. That doesn’t really matter. You had heard of it.

“The company?” you questioned. He groaned, if in relief or annoyance, that was beyond you.

“Yes, but what have you heard about the Wayne family?” he looked you square in the eyes, you turned away slowly not really saying anything. You looked guilty. “Nothing?” you nodded assuring his previous statement. Still not meeting his eye, not wanting to deal with that memory for the rest of the day. “How?”

“I don’t read the gossip columns?” You suggested with an awkward shrug and chuckle. You only now realized that there was a wall of students formed around you and him. You definitely had to get out there now.

“What? What do you mean” he was really pissed now, but you didn't even hear half of what he was saying you were just trying to find the quickest way out of here. You looked around looking for an opening within the students. You noticed one right behind him so you had to be quick about it.

“Listen, I am so sorry about being early, I didn't mean to make you fall, really.” you seemed less sincere than before, you were trying to make sure that you didn't seem rushed. “I really didn’t and if it had been any other time I would have made sure that I had offered my hand but I just wasn’t entirely aware. I am sorry, again.” You had made your way around him away around him as you talked, you maintained eye contact with him until you were able to slip in between the students. “Please forgive me, and I am sorry I couldn't answer your question adequately.”

“Wait-” you heard him shout as you speed walked away, trying to blend in with a group of students that were walking down the hallway. He, of course, saw you slip into the group and approached you. You had to think quickly, thankfully there was another group of students that was going the opposite way. You quickly slipped into another group, successfully avoiding him. You could only finally breathe when you made it to the dining hall without running into him again.

You went into the lunch line, trying to just forget whatever the hell that was. You moved through the line slowly, grabbing whatever looked appetizing today. One of the many good things about going to a rich school was that the food was edible. You were grabbing the last bit of your lunch before you felt a cold air run up your spine, you said a silent prayer in hope that it wasn’t who you thought it was. You tried not to look, Maybe if you didn’t look he would leave. You remained calm and walked with your food to the table where you sat with your friends, making sure to make yourself as unnoticeable as possible. You were able to sit down and eat most of your lunch before you felt him approach your table, you could feel a cold sweat develop on your shoulders as you took your last couple of bites.

He gradually approached, carefully looking over everyone trying to figure where you were. Your friends were having a typical conversation, what they were doing that night or where they are going to college and what they are going to study. Until one of them saw him approach. “Is that Damian Wayne approaching us, right now?” that when you realized why he was having a hard time with you early, you couldn’t recognize him or his family, but your friends, who never cared for status and the tabloid’s talk recognized him, or Damian now that you had a name to the face. You straightened up when you heard this.

Your friends looked at you strangely until they realized you were the one he was looking for, and you did not want to be found. They acted quickly. They, as naturally as possible, started to clean up. Throwing away trash, and putting away their food. They even helped you pack up, and as a group you slipped out of the dining hall into a hallway, then out into the courtyard. You would have to thank them later with some homemade baked goods. They really came to your rescue today.

You looked at your phone, 12:45. Lunch was almost over, never would have you thought that you would be grateful for that. ‘Only 5 more minutes’. Your relief was somewhat short lived as you had to now answer their question. “So, what happened?” one of them, Leah, asked flatly.

“Well you see…” You started not really wanting to talk. You looked around trying to procrastinate this conversation.

“Stop putting this off” Another one, Warren, jabbed you in your side with a pencil causing you to flinch.

“Fine…” you sighed feeling defeated, ” So, today I may have, made him fall, but I also fell.” you signed as you talked. you looked down and then back up at Wynn hoping for their pity only to be met with a vaguely threatening look to continue. “And after 3rd period he was waiting for me in the hallway and he asked who I was. I told him my name and then asked who he was because he was asking me a lot of questions.”You smiled with fear behind your eyes. They looked at you mouth agape, no one could be as out of tune with the news as you are.

‘What the hell? Did you even apologize??’ Wynn signed, they were not happy with you.

“ The fuck you mean you didn’t know him?” Leah exclaimed, grabbing onto your shoulders and shaking you very violently, making you feel sick. You knew you fucked up bad when Warren did have anything to say.

“Wynn, I did apologize!! Like 3 times too, and I am sorry I am too busy thinking of other things!” You continued to sign as you talked, trying to defend yourself. Warren and Leah were lecturing you about how stupid your actions were and Wynn was just shaking their head. You started to tune them out when you saw the door open and of course Damian came outside. You quickly got up and picked up your stuff.

“We need to finish our-” he started before being interrupted by the bell ring. Much to your luck.

“Hey, well see you guys later, I need to get to class” you waved goodbye to your friend and signed ‘please don't kill me’ to Wynn, before you ran past Damian to your 4th class, They all exchanged looks with each other before you friends quickly walked away to their own classes. You made it to your 4th period without much trouble, besides a few stares the class went perfectly, boring but fine. The next 2 classes were a mix and repeat of your 4th period, only with increasing whispers every time you walked in a class.

It was finally your 8th class, study hall, you were able to get to your normal spot without much trouble. You were even able to put in your headphones and start working on a rough draft to a machine that you were designing. You sat most of the day up until this point, so your arms always felt stiff. So you stretched your arms, only to hit something. Quickly retracting your arms back to your side, you turned around. ‘FUUUUUU-’ It was Damian. “Heyyyy.” you slowly turned back to your computer in front of you, taking off your headphones.

“Are you gonna avoid me again?” He was looming over you, you could feel the burning on top of your head from the way he glared at you. You shut your laptop and braced yourself for all the questions he was going to ask.

“No.” You shook your head, he sat down across from you. You looked anywhere but at him.

“The events, why have I never seen you?” He went straight to it.

“I don't think I am famous enough to go.” You shrugged, he raised an eyebrow at you suggesting that you were lying. You were ticked off by this. “ Listen, If I have gotten an invite, I have never seen it.” You folded your arms.

“ How did you get into this school?” You didn't really have a clear answer to this one, “I have heard about how you could never recognize people who are from well known families in Gotham, and some that were even famous by themselves.”

“A trust fund.” That was your typical go to answer, but in all honesty you didn't know. While you had some memories, a very limited amount, of this body's life, they were almost all blurry. None of them were really clear, but you could feel what they, the other you, were feeling. You could make really rough assumptions. Like you knew you had a mother (or a female figure) that you loved, and somewhere along the way she got remarried and you had step-parent up until she died. You could feel the way the memories would cause a physical reaction so you tried not to think about it too much. “And I just have never really had the mental space to pay attention to that, plus faces and names aren’t my thing.”

He wasn’t satisfied with your answers “So what? You just don't know anything about the world?”

“No, of course I pay attention to the crimes in Gotham, and the people that handle them.” This wasn’t a lie, you did pay attention to that, you even knew their names, a big honor to have, in your mind at least. You were a huge fan of them, even before- you know.

“Hm.” He slouched as he contemplated your answers, while resting his hands intertwined together maintaining eye contact with you. There was silence between you two, it was too long. You restlessly tapped your fingers on the table while resting your head on the other hand, watching him. Waiting for whatever comes next of his seeming never ended questions, but he seemed to be stumped.

“Is that it?” You broke the silence “You have everything you need to know. Right?” You straighten your back, now sitting up right. He only continued to stare. Internally you rolled your eyes before you put one of your headphones on.

You opened your laptop, quickly glancing over the blueprint for the machine. You were getting bored of this. you looked blankly at your computer screen. ‘I wonder what I can find about Damian's family.’ What a dangerous thought to have. You, with a renewed vigor, quickly opened a new search window and started simple. ‘Wayne family’ you were overwhelmed with the number of results. 2 billion. 2 billion. You understood why Damian was so shocked now. That was just for the family too; you count the profiles, 9.

First, you clicked on ‘Thomas Wayne’, you were somewhat familiar with the name. You read about the tragedy of how he died, you knew this story, you watched a true crime video on it a couple of years back. You felt it was only appropriate to make your way down the family tree so you clicked on ‘Bruce Wayne’. Of course you could assume he was Damian's father. There were links to articles about some scandal of his or how his business was doing. You read a bit further only to find out that the man adopted a lot. Like, you had wondered how he had 6 children but guess that was your answer. You were about to click on Damian's profile only to stop.

“What exactly are you doing?” So he didn’t lose his vocal cords. You snapped out of your trance by his voice.you realized how funky what you just did was.You felt a bit like a creep now, searching up his family in front of him was not the best idea.

You coughed clearing your throat “Why do you care?” You tried to keep an even voice.

“You were staring so intently at your computer that it almost looked like you were planning something.” He leaned back with his arms folded.

“Well,” You closed your search tab later, planning on continuing to research (basically stalk) them later. “I am working on a machine.” You ignored the underlying implication that you were possibly evil. You pulled up the blue prints and math for the machine and turned it around to show him.

“What does it do?” His glare intensified.

“It’s meant to be a multi-dimensional portal, of sorts.” This was the truth. “It's more of a concept than anything.” This was a lie. “I have to make this for my engineering class, we have an assignment where we make up a theoretical invention and try to come up with a way to make them real” Another truth.

“Interesting,” he became more vigilant, yet interested because of your words. “And have you figured it out?”

“No, and if I did it probably wouldn’t work,” much to your dismay. “This assignment is more about how well we can explain our logic than the actual realism of it.”

“Oh,” You couldn’t tell if he was more relieved or disappointed. “Well you must enjoy the class if you are putting this much work into it.”

“Yep ,” you said through slightly gritted teeth. You didn’t mind the class, in fact you would’ve loved it, if you were still in your original word. “I guess.” You smiled tightly, turning your laptop back around. “So what about you? Do you have a favorite class?” Your smile shifted from tight and sharp to curved and soft, this was classic. You did this when you were trying to shift the attention away from something you didn’t want to discuss. You could almost see him relax, ever so slightly, but still he’s coming around. Maybe.

“Art” his arms were still folded, but his eyes didn’t seem so analytical or hostile. While it wasn’t a lot it was better than what you had gotten out of him from most of the conversation.

“Really, would you be willing to show me some of your pieces?” you asked ever so politely.

“Why would I show you?” And there is the defensiveness.

“Because I showed you my blueprints.” your smile faltered for a moment only to return within a second, you looked back to your laptop.

“Right,” his arms were more loosely folded. “Still I don't have too.” his arms tighten back up again.

“That is true,” you nodded in agreement, “but I wouldn’t mind seeing them, but that's your choice.” You weren’t going to force him to do anything, it wasn’t your job. He was quiet. You peered over your laptop to see what was going on. He looked at you, eyes wide, arms barely folded. He looked like a cat after finding something interesting. “What?”

“Nothing.” He returned to his vigilante mood. You shrugged it off and continued to work on your draft. He continued to observe you, you continued to work. You both stayed this way for a while’ it was like you were in a mental battle with him, a really one-sided one. You didn’t really have any intention of resuming the conversation.

The silence was very welcomed. It allowed you to get your work done, you would’ve been done in 30 minutes if he didn’t show up. The silence was interrupted but the sound of a zipper opening. You didn’t look up from your laptop; slowly a sketch book came into your peripheral. You glanced at it, with a bit of hesitation you reached for it. Closing and sliding your laptop to the side, replacing it with the sketch book. you opened the cover and started going through the sketch book carefully. While had only shifted the conversation to get the heat off of you, you were nicely surprised with his talent.

The sketches in the beginning were good, in quality. They were all of different gorey situations, from a man having his head torn apart, to a woman with her skin falling off, it said something about his childhood, but that was his therapist's job to decide what this said. The theme changed after a few more pages of graphics images, which had become much less violent. There were first a few of just some plants, they were nice but not as nice as the first bug you saw, you could deduct that he had real references to base them off of. You flipped through the page, seeing pages full of multiple individual sketches, to pages of only one, fully detailed, landscapes. WIth some gore but it was far fewer than before .

You could see his improvement. They were good to begin with but they were too focused on the bigger image, they were missing something. You felt like he figured whatever he was missing, this was shown in the recurring dog, Titus, or that's what he labeled the drawing. You flipped through a few more pages, mostly animals and plants, until you saw the first human sketch that wasn’t a subject of a horrific act. You had seen the face only 20 minutes prior, it was Bruce Wayne, but he wasn’t wearing his playboy smile, he wasn’t even smiling. It was only a headshot but you could tell he wasn’t present in his mind. He was wearing a thoughtful look, a distant look.

You looked over the page more carefully now, there was still an overall theme of live studies of plants and animals, with some small landscapes, but there was new addition with people now, they were all labeled with their names, you roughly could recalled some of them from early search on his family, they were greatly detail, they all seem to show some sort of part of their personality, their real personalities. Not the public image they upheld but who they really were. You felt like you shouldn’t be looking at this, but you think he would’ve stopped you if he didnt want you seeing this. You turned more pages, he had improved a lot, he had not only found what he was missing, but more. Every drawing and sketch, you left no drawing unseen.

You stopped at one page, it was a full page dedicated to a family portrait, or a sketch of one. The portrait was the formal ones you were used to. They were casual clothes, no one was looking straight forward. No poses, no one sitting, nor was their hair combed neatly. It looked like just a family out and about. They all seemed so close, it seemed to be more of a wish than a reality but you were not close to him so maybe it was his reality. You looked over the page a final time before turning to the page. The rest of the sketchbook was architecture and landscapes with sprinkles of animals that you assumed were his pets. The talent he had was special, you would honestly tell him that he should pursue art, even if just on the side.

You slid it to Damian. “You have some real talent.” You expressed with a calm tone.

“I know.” He stated as if it was a known fact. You choked on the air in your throat trying to hold back your laughter. He held a blank expression, he wasn’t cocky, if he was he would be smiling.

“I am glad that you see it,” You look at your phone, 5 minutes before school ends, “I always get annoyed when people try to deflect praise.” You closed your laptop and put it into your bag. “I think it's a waste of time, it's just an attempt to seem humble” you secured your bag to your back, “but that’s kinda hypocritical of me to say, don't you think?” The bell rings.

“Yes it is.” he agrees, nodding his head.

“By the way, what class did you skip to talk to me?” There was no way he had study hall this period.

“Well,” he paused. He just stood there not really wanting to answer you, you chuckled. He wasn’t happy that you laughed at him.

“Alright, good to know. Anyways, have a good day.” You walk away, still chuckling. before leaving through the door, you turned back, looking at him “Feel free to show me more art if you ever choose to.” You gave him a wide grin as you span around on your heel and continued to walk away with the typical bounce in your step. You didn't see his reaction, but it didn’t matter. You were able to get away from him without him asking you anymore questions you wouldn’t have been able to answer.

The hallway was crowded, a sea of students were either trying to head home or back to their dorms. You got through it quickly as you had taken to the window method, where if you see an opening in between students, you take it. Something seemed off today, well more off than normal. You didn’t pay attention to that. You made it to the front of the school and found your driver waiting for you, you waved and smiled before getting in and heading home.

Damian wasn’t sure how to feel about this, or he couldn’t pinpoint how he felt. You were so nice but he was suspicious of you. I mean, wouldn’t you be too? You were rich enough to go to Gotham academy. Which was known for being a school for the elite, yet he couldn’t connect you to any of the elite families. You also didn’t know any other elite family, especially the Wayne's. A founding family of Gotham, and always had something going around on the news. It's like you just dropped on to the face of the earth randomly when you were 11.

He had already pulled your file from both cityhall and the school. Your school record was almost squeaky clean, only one instant of a fight that was deemed not your fault and bullying targeted towards you. Your city record only showed that you were an orphan with no listed legal guardian and that you have lived in the same penthouse for almost 7 years, near old Gotham. “No named father and mother is dead” he read his notes out loud. “What the fu-”

“Master Damian.” Alfred was standing in the doorway with a steamed suit for this weekend's gala. “Excuse the intrusion, I just came to put your formal suit away and say that Master Bruce is ready for patrol.”

“Thank you Alfred,” Damian gathered the pages, straightened them, and put everything into a file. He placed it to the side for later.

“Also,” Alfred continued to speak as he hung Damians suit in his closet. “I got a call from the school” Damian stopped and looked at him. Damian’s eyes followed Alfred as he walked towards the door. “Master bruce doesn’t know, yet, but I wouldn't recommend doing that again” Alfred warned him as he shut the door. Damian was glad Alfred would keep his secret, even if just for this once.

Damian heads down to the Batcave. He was still annoyed, he hated how easily he could let his guard falter so easily around you. You were too nice to a practical stranger. He thought, no, he knew that there was something up with you. There is no one still this decent in Gotham, not in the city where they needed a rich family to handle their criminal problem, or where there seems to be a S-level threat every couple of months. You simply could not exist in a city like this.

He passed many large frames with paintings, he never really paid attention to them, like he would be now. There were points where there were smaller frames with photos and he looked over at just the right time to see a very familiar face. He stared for a moment before continuing to walk but much faster now. After he was suited up, he met his father as he was sitting at the computer.

“Damian.” Bruce greeted him, still reading over files pulled up on the screen. Damian to a quick read over the files, it was a missing boy’s case. Probably kidnapped and being held for ransom or maybe because her parents did know something they shouldn’t.

“Father.” Damian replied. He eyed his father, he wanted to ask straight up but he knew his father would easily hide his reaction if he did so directly. So he waited for the question he typically hated disliked answering.

“How was school today?” Bruce was never the most attentive father but he tried, this was one of his few ways of trying to stay in tune with his children's lives. Damian would always say mostly the same thing ‘unchallenging’ or something along those lines. But tonight was different.

“Fine, but I met this person today,” Damian said.

“Oh really” Bruce raised an eyebrow and turned his chair around to face him, Damian has never mentioned meeting someone before. “Who are they?”

“___ ___, they are a senior.” Bruce tensed for a second at the mention of your name. That was all Damian needed to see from him. Bruce, of course, regained his composure within milliseconds.

“Hm, good to hear” Bruce almost mumbled. “I hope they are nice.” He turned back to the computer. Damian was a bit smug about getting that reaction from his father, what a long night it was going to be for Bruce.

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yoursweetwife · 6 months ago

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Synopsis: Aventurine accidentally finds out that you work in a cafe, and this meeting leaves a very good impression.

warning: reader wears dress, but pronouns are not specified, mention of Ratio, fluff, Aventurine in love, teasing , bad english

Aventurine walked into a cafe, hoping to relax after a long day. It wasn't often that he visited such places, but he had heard a lot of positive reviews about this cafe, and it was never too late to try something new.

He took off his glasses and began to examine the interior. Almost immediately his gaze settled on a familiar face. His classmate is wearing a beautiful black dress, decorated with ruffles and bows. He didn’t expect to see you here at all, although now he understood why you were so often in a hurry to leave.

For the first time in his life, he was glad to be unnoticed. Finding an empty seat by the window, he watched as you moved between tables, taking orders and chatting pleasantly with clients.

Aventurine found himself staring at your face illuminated by the sun for too long, which made you even more ethereal in his eyes.

He saw how you habitually covered mouth with your palm, laughing at the client’s words. What a pity that from his place he could not clearly hear your laughter.

As you finished your conversation with the client, your eyes met neon purple irises, you couldn't be more unlucky than you were today.

You stared at the blonde in shock, he was the last person you expected to see in this place. This is a rather inconspicuous cafe, and Aventurine could afford much more luxurious places.

He often visited casinos and other unpleasant places, but despite this, you and he had a good relationship, you would even dare to call you friends. But he was still a big tease, and this situation would give him more reasons to not let you live in peace.

Aventurine couldn't help but laugh when he saw your soft expression change to one of confusion. He playfully looked at your approaching figure, twirling a poker chip in his hand.

"The reviews didn't lie, this place really is a real find."

He leaned back on the couch and stared at you with his piercing violet eyes. You could never stop admiring them.

“Aventurine, what are you doing here? Have you lost all your money gambling, that’s why you came here?”

You asked jokingly, placing your hands on your hips. There seemed to be no limit to his balance sheet, with purchases and many parties worth several million, if not more.

Hearing the question, Aventurine raised his eyebrows and a mischievous grin spread across his face. The teasing tone in his voice was obvious.

“Oh, don’t make me laugh, [name]. Of course, I'm here for the atmosphere and amazing service."

He waved his hand in front of him, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Aventurine couldn't help but feel awe at the sight.

Aventurine looked around the cafe, as if pondering his next words. When he turned back to you, his expression became more serious.

“Maybe there is a special service for good clients like me?.”

Aventurine winked, his smile never faltered.

You rolled your eyes playfully and placed the menu right in front of him. As attractive as Aventurine was, his cocky demeanor was damn annoying.

He was also a well-known playboy, so you were clearly not the first or last person he flirted with, although now he was rarely seen among girls. When you asked him about it, he simply said he was "bored." Even Ratio noticed this, although your blue-haired friend was not distinguished by the desire to delve into Aventurine’s love affairs.

"Better place an order or I'll report the harassment to security guard."

Aventurine laughed lightheartedly and waved his hand as if it didn't matter.

"Relax, honey, it's just a joke. I would never force you to do something against your will."

He rested his cheek on his palm and looked at you mysteriously. Another problem with being friends with Aventurine, you never know what he's thinking, but you really didn't have time to deal with that at work. Fortunately, there were almost no visitors.

"Would you like me to pick you up after work?"

You tilted your head, looking at the blonde questioningly. A spectacle that will not leave anyone indifferent, Aventurin is sure.

"B-but why?"

"Why not? We could visit a couple of nice places. Like a shopping center that recently opened or a park, even that museum you were talking about!"

Your cheeks burned when Aventurine said about the museum. It just slipped out of your mouth during the conversation; to be honest, you didn't think he was even listening to you at that moment.

“You can’t stand museums, you called them temples of boredom and dust, if I remember correctly.”

Aventurine shrugged, remembering how he was hit by your mutual friend Ratio with a very heavy book when he said this in front of him.. The blonde scratched the back of his head and his face softened as he looked up again.

“I really don’t understand what’s interesting about naked bodies or stones, but for your sake I’m willing to endure it.”

You could feel your cheeks burning, and Aventurine saw it too, but didn’t show it. Your hands played with the sleeve of your uniform to clear your thoughts a little, why did Aventurine even have to be so cute? You tucked your hair behind your ear and took a deep breath.

"At six. I finish at six today."

Aventurine blinked several times, processing the new information. Suddenly the biggest smile you had ever seen appeared on his face. He stood up from his seat and took your hand, squeezing it gently.

“Great! Until evening then? I need to buy tickets, I don’t want unnecessary delays to spoil the mood!”

Aventurine continued to wave even when he was outside the door. The poor guy almost fell on his back, running into a random passerby.

You laughed softly and shook your head, then your gaze shifted to the menu, which he hadn't even touched. The chip landed on the table with a loud thud, and he was so excited that he forgot his favorite chip.

You twirled the chip between your fingers, not noticing that you were looking at it for too long, until the bell above the door rang, signaling a new client.

Can you return the chip later during your...date?

#hsr x reader #aventurine x reader #honkai star rail x reader #female reader #aventurine #hsr #aventurine fluff

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thewulf · 1 year ago

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Sir || Aaron Hotchner

Request: Do you think you could do a Hotch x ADHD reader where they are energetic and talkative all day since Aaron came back from a tough case. With the constant questions and comments Aaron gets irritated due to stress and says something like “can you be quiet for 5 seconds please” or “enough with the stupid questions, it’s annoying” and the reader ends up talking less with him and only responds with short answers and they try to suppress their ADHD ticks around him.

A/N: Well, I couldn't sleep on the plane home yesterday and I found a surge of inspo! Had so much fun writing this one. I just adore Hotch! Thanks for the request! @ghostridrr

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Y/N

Word Count: 3.9k +

You’d never expected to be dating an FBI agent nonetheless fall hopelessly head over heels for the guy in a matter of months. Coming from humble beginnings in a small southern town. Not many people made it out, but you did. You were determined. Determined to get the hell out and never look back. So, you did. You made it happen. Working your ass off through college becoming a civil engineer and finding a job at a firm in Washington DC you quickly found your groove. You worked your way up from an engineer to a manager to a project manager within ten years. Loving your job meant giving your all which didn’t leave much time for your personal life nor a love life. It’s not like you hadn’t tried you were just busy.

It all hit you on your birthday that you wanted more. You wanted a partner. You wanted to have a life with somebody. For years you put in effort to try. Dating good guys and shitty ones alike. You were about to give it up for good after the years of trying. But the universe had a different plan for you.

It all started so casually on a sunny Monday morning at Quantico. Your firm had been contracted out to completely renovate the old Quantico offices and bring them into the 21st century. You’d absolutely fallen in love with your job, the project manager, over the course of the six months. Between working with the clients, budgeting, staging, and executing the demo and construction you’d found loved. It was the perfect job that kept your busy brain occupied and constantly moving. Always showing up to work with a big cheesy smile on your face and ending the day with an inevitable streak of dirt across your shirt or jeans.

Everything went so smoothly until your crew moved up to the sixth floor. The BAU. Whatever the hell that is. Apparently, nobody had warned the boss man and he wasn’t too thrilled to say the least. You were used to working around the residents of the floor, but this wasn’t starting out to great considering your crew would be working on the floor for the next few months.

“What the hell is all this? Why is there tarp in my conference room?” A strong voice broke you from the planning board you were reviewing with your construction Forman, Eric.

Snapping your head around you made eye contact with possibly the most handsome man you’d ever seen. Of fucking course he had to be hot as hell. This was certainly going to make things way more interesting for you.

Putting on your best smile you slowly walked over to him, hardhat and high visibility vest and all, “I’m so sorry sir. I thought somebody from your leadership would’ve informed you. My crew is starting some demo and renovations on this floor today. We’ll do our best to keep the noise down, but we might have to kick you out of a few spots every now and then.” Trying your best to charm the man with a big smile you only felt intimated when he simply just looked at you. As if he was studying you. Not frowning, not smiling, stoic as hell. You involuntarily took a step back. Intimidating the hell out of you.

He must’ve picked up on your discomfort as his straight-faced gaze softened ever so slightly. He pinched the bridge of his nose as you cocked your head to the side observing him. He must’ve been choosing his words very carefully.

“I don’t have time for this today. I’m sorry.” He sighed in clear frustration. A real frustration you’d seen time and time again on the job.

You frowned. Annoyed at his leadership for failing to tell him you were about to ruin his next few months as your crew worked through the floor. You had to think quick. This was your job after all, “I’ll tell you what sir. We’ll start over on those conference rooms this week. Hopefully that gives you time to sort it out?” You pointed to the rooms on the other side of the office, not the large one his team clearly needed.

He gave you a curt nod. His gaze almost fully softening as you tried to compromise with him still with a genuine smile on your face. Even he had to admit that smile was breaking him down far faster than he would’ve thought possible. He had yet to even look at a woman since Haley’s death, that was years ago now. It freaked him out a little. He’d been so fine on his own. Figuring out a good routine with Jack and Jess. Getting too complacent. He knew it wasn’t fair to Jack. Especially since he was getting to an age where a mom was crucial. Jack needed somebody to lean on and it certainly wasn’t fair to Jess to pick that up.

“It won’t mess your plans up?” The handsome stranger asked you. Your smile grew as you knew he was going to be willing to work with you. More often than not you’d have to get into with whomever was arguing back with you, often the government trying to shut you down. But you knew better. You always had all the permits you needed and knew the rule book like the back of your hand. That’s why you excelled. You never let anybody get the better of you. ADHD was a curse and a blessing at the same damn time.

Shaking your head you continued, “Not at all! That’s construction. You plan, and then it changes 45 times before you actually start. It’s no big deal at all. Really.” You tried to reassure him. He looked embarrassed that he was so upset only a few moments prior. The last thing you wanted to do was make him uncomfortable. You knew you had at least two months of face to face with the guy. Starting off on the wrong foot was the worst thing you and the crew could do.

“I’m sorry. If you wouldn’t mind. We have a crucial case involving some kids…” He stopped himself before he divulged too much. He didn’t want you to get kicked out on his own accord. He knew you only had a clearance to enter the building. Nothing more, nothing less. He wouldn’t risk that at your stake.

“No explanations necessary sir. We’ll find a better day to demo.” You never dropped your smile as you maintained eye contact with him. You found that making sure to look whomever in the eyes always met you with better than looking around, looking scared.

“Aaron. Sir is too formal. Aaron Hotchner. My team, whenever they get here, will call me Hotch. Call me whatever.” He stuck his hand out for you to take. Gently you set your hand in his. You’d always been taught to go for the death grip when shaking hands. It established dominance or some bullshit like that. Especially since you were a woman in such a male dominated field. Working in a man’s world was exhausting. But something struck you as different with the man. So gentle it was.

“Nice to meet you, Aaron. I’m Y/N.” He shook your hand just as gently as you set your hand in his. You weren’t sure if he felt the pull that you felt but you simply couldn’t take your eyes off him.

“It’s nice to meet you to Y/N.” The handshake when on for a little too long. You were positive Eric was going to give you hell for this when you walked back over, “And again, I’m sorry for the outburst. These cases get stressful.”

You laughed a giggle that shouldn’t have come out of your mouth at work. His stoic expression tweaked into a soft smile after hearing your laugh, “Believe me when I say that was tame. The yelling matches I’ve gotten in with men twice my age are too plentiful to count.”

He laughed this time finally dropping your hand, gently of course, “I’m sorry you have to deal with that.”

You shrugged, “Part of the job. Plus, it’s fun to yell back sometimes.” His small smile grew into a much larger one, eyes crinkling and all. You’d done it. You’d charmed him.

“Hotch!” A female voice came yelling out of the conference room, “Round table, let’s go.” The pretty blonde-haired lady smirked at him before turning back to the room. The two of you failed to see his team file in during the conversation.

He broke his gaze turning around to see his agent vanishing from the doorway, “Got to go. Nice to meet you Y/N. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”

You nodded your head, “Likewise Aaron.”

The rest was literally history. He ended up bringing you some sort of coffee or baked good every morning he was in the office, which you learned very quickly wasn’t all that often. He and his team seemed to be away more than they were actually there. You took advantage of that and fixed their office spaces and conferences rooms right as they left for their trips. You’d check in with Penny to make sure you weren’t in the way when they got back.

Small chit chats in the morning turned to lunch “dates” as Eric so kindly called them. You’d refused to call them as such, not ever truly able to gauge whether he was actually interested in you or not. You tried to make it as blatantly obvious as possible, but he was Aaron. Calm, cool and collected. The two of you had even been the butt of office jokes as you got closer. You didn’t seem to care though. It felt too good with him to give whatever you had up.

Lucky for you those lunch dates turned to dinner dates and before you knew it you were meeting Jack and spending time at his place. Weeks turned to months, and you were spending almost every night at the Hotchner’s. You and Jack were getting along as thick as thieves. Aaron even trusting you to watch him while he was gone. You made Jack promise not to tell his daddy that you gave him ice cream almost every night. It was a secret between the two of you.

Jack was off on a summer camp, and you’d just wrapped up the Quantico project leaving you far too bored sitting at Aaron’s place. So, you did what you always did when you had nothing to do. You cranked up the music and started cleaning. It was a Tuesday morning, and you really weren’t expecting Aaron to get back from his case. It was a long one out in Colorado. He never gave you the specifics, but he sounded horribly upset each night when he was on the phone with you. Distracted and distraught.

You hadn’t heard the door open and close as you were upstairs cleaning. But when your music abruptly stopped you hightailed it downstairs to get it going again. To your surprise your boyfriend was standing at the kitchen island rubbing his temples. You should’ve known there that he wasn’t going to be in the best of moods.

“Hon.” You grinned ear to ear seeing him standing there, “Your home! How was the trip? Happy to be home? I missed you tons. Especially with Jack being gone, I haven’t had anybody to talk to.” You wrapped your arms around his front, hugging him from behind. You were usually really good at picking up on social cues, but you must’ve been too damn excited to see him to pick up on his mood.

“Y/N.” He gave you a half smile before squeezing your hands tightly but gently. Like he was afraid of losing you.

“Aaron.” You let go of him brushing the now overgrown hair out of his face, “Are you alright? Was the trip okay? I just missed you so much. Hopefully it wasn’t too bad. I’ve really gotten used to having Jack around. I wish you didn’t have to go so often.” You admitted.

He sighed a deep one, “It was a tough case.” Was all he gave you. You should’ve known there that he wasn’t going to give you much else. But your stupid ass brain decided to ignore the cues. It wasn’t really your fault that it bounced around so quickly. You’d even taken your meds today. It was something about Aaron that seemed to break anything those meds were holding back.

“Want to talk about it? I know you never do but it could be good for you. You know? It’s not great to hold that kind of stuff in. It’ll eat away at you.” You just wanted him to be the Aaron you knew. Not the ball of stress standing before you.

He shook his head, “Not this time.”

“You sure? You look upset hon. I don’t like to see you like that.” You continued not noticing him closing his eyes. Surely more than irritated with you at the moment. But were you going to catch that? Nope.

“Positive.”

You nodded, “Alright. If you say so. Are you hungry? I can whip you up some lunch…”

He interrupted you before you could go on whatever long winded rant you had built up, “Y/N, can you be quiet for five seconds please? I’m trying to think.” You were turned away from him and didn’t see the immediate regret that washed over his face. He didn’t really mean it he just needed you to stop for a moment. He wasn’t expecting you to be home and wasn’t ready for the bombardment of questions. After cases that involved so many deaths it took him a moment to come back around. He needed a second to himself. The job was hard and you knew that.

And with that you felt your heart deflate right then and there. The smile that hadn’t dropped since he came home immediately vanished without a trace. Your happy eyes immediately dropping and filling with hot, wet tears that desperately wanted to spill over. You’d been with him for almost half a year and that had yet to come out of his mouth. It took you by surprise, to say the least.

“I’m so sorry.” You squeaked out before walking out of the kitchen hastily. You weren’t good with conflict. Always running away from it.

He knew he fucked up. You weren’t overly sensitive, but he knew what he said was over the line. Especially since you were simply trying to help him. But he also needed that moment. So, he shamefully let you sit upstairs with your thoughts. You had an issue of letting things ruminate in your head for far too long.

Letting the tears fall you continued to clean the bathroom in silence. Why were you like this? As soon as you got comfortable with someone you seemed to ruin it with your dumb ass brain. You should’ve known he was exhausted. He’d been gone for nearly two weeks. Cases never ended well when he was gone for over a week let alone two. You should’ve backed off the second he started giving you short answers. Stupid stupid brain ruining everything.

Once you finished you thought it best to spend some time back at your own apartment. The last thing you wanted to do was annoy him into breaking up with you. Tip towing downstairs you found him asleep on the couch. Biting your lip, you scribbled a note letting him know you went home making a dumb excuse that your friend needed you. As much as you wanted to spend the night with him, he clearly needed it alone.

It wasn’t long after you got home that your phone buzzed. Looking down you saw Aaron was calling. Deciding it best to give him space you decided not to pick up. When it rang for a second time you answered, “Hey.” Why were those stupid tears threatening to spill again?

“Sweetheart where are you?”

You frowned, “Home. Emma needed some help with a dress.” You partially lied. Your friend Emma really did need help hemming her dress, something you were oddly good at. But she wasn’t coming over until the weekend.

“Oh, are you coming back after? We can make Spaghetti, your favorite.” You knew this was his attempt to apologize. Quickly realizing in the relationship that Aaron was a quality time kind of guy, his true love language.

Should you? You weren’t feeling great about the whole thing and a night away might make the heart grow fonder, “I don’t think so Aaron. I’m tired and she’ll be over for a while.” Another lie. You hated doing this to him but you just couldn’t confront it head on. It just wasn’t something you were ready for.

“Oh, okay.” He sounded sad. It made your heart lurch just thinking about it, “Come over tomorrow after work?”

“Yeah, sure.” You knew you were being short with him but God, you just didn’t want to annoy him. A specialty you’d seemed to master.

“Everything alright sweetheart?”

Everything was not alright, “Yeah, just a bit tired. I should get going, she’s almost here.” You hardly heard the confirmation on the other end of the phone before you hung up on him.

You didn’t sleep well nor work great the next morning. Aarons comments ringing in your ears over and over again. When it came time to go home you took his route home. Knowing you had to confront this at some point. Aaron would make you. He always did. As bad as he was with words, he always made sure to talk things out.

Somehow, his black SUV was parked in the driveway. You had an inkling feeling he was going to beat you home no matter what. He might’ve even taken the day off today. Walking through the front door you found Aaron in the kitchen cutting up some tomatoes.

“Sweetheart.” He smiled while dropping the knife and walking over to you. Wrapping you in a tight hug he made sure to give you an extra squeeze. He was a profiler after all, he knew something was amiss.

“Hi.” You mumbled in his chest. Breathing him in completely you let your eyes close as you leaned into him. He was clearly trying to make it up to you now, might as well let him.

“Have a good day?” He asked while prying you away from his chest.

Shaking your head you decided to answer honestly. The little white lies you told yesterday making you feel gross, “No, not really.” Yawning you leaned your head back into his chest.

He starting brushing through your hair with his fingers having an inkling as to why, but he needed to know for sure. He hated hurting you. You were nothing but sweet to him and he returned it by snapping at you? He’d done it to Jack as well. He knew it was something he needed to work on even if he wouldn’t say it out loud.

“And why’s that?” He asked softly making sure not to startle you.

“Didn’t sleep great. Then my boss decided to put me on the worst project. Pipes.” You sighed. It wasn’t an attack on you, every project manager had to have a hellish utility job. You were just next on the list. It couldn’t have come at a worse time though. Pipe work meant constant oversight, and anything could shut the project down. Tedious and annoying but necessary, you knew it.

“I’m sorry honey.” He confined brushing through your hair.

“It’s fine.” You signed closing your eyes as you listened to his heartbeat. You weren’t in the mood to talk which was strange for you. You always wanted to talk. To dive a little deeper. Understand him a bit more. But you weren’t feeling it. Was it actually your mood or were you just terribly self-conscious now? You refused to ask that question as you shoved it to the back of your mind.

“You sure it’s fine? You’re awfully quiet. I miss my chatty girl.” He knew he needed to apologize. He should’ve just spit it out already. But he wanted to see if he could see if it was anything more. He’d never seen you so down and out. You were always there with a smile and seeing you so sad had him worried. Had he done that to you? Did you not sleep because of him?

You nodded into his chest, “Yeah, ‘M just…” You paused. Was it really worth not telling the whole truth? Aaron would figure it out. He probably already had. He was doing that profiler shit on you now. As annoying as it was you grew to love it. It was him. You loved him. Everything about the man intrigued you, “Tired.” You finished. Not the whole truth and you knew it.

“Honey.” He kept brushing through your hair knowing how much it calmed you.

Feeling a little surge of bravery, you looked up to him, “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dismiss you yesterday.” He paused giving you a brief kiss on your forehead but not giving you enough time to respond before he continued, “I love all your questions. I really do. It’s just this last case was rough. And I know that’s no excuse to treat you like that. It’s just… this guy. He targeted women that looked just like you. It’s been an awful two weeks. I just miss you. Please stay?”

“Oh Aaron,” You frowned but squeezed him tightly, “I’m so sorry. If I had known…”

“I should’ve told you. Don’t apologize. I should be the one apologizing.” He kissed your forehead again holding it there. Just holding you in his arms.

Feeling so safe and secured in his arms made you feel every emotion all at once. Thrilled that he still felt the same about you. Embarrassed you took it so personally. Scared you would mess this up. So in love with the guy who recognized so easily what was bothering you. It was all too much for you. You couldn’t try to stop the tears that flowed down your cheeks even if you tried.

Aaron pried you away from him taking your head in his hands. Softly he wiped away the tears with his thumbs with a sad look on his face, “I’m so sorry sweetheart.” His eyes searched your face for anything. His heart breaking just a little more seeing your hurt expression across ever feature.

Nodding, that’s all you could do. Absolutely you accepted his apology. He was so sincere with it you know he meant everything with his entire heart, “It’s okay.” You managed to choke out between breaths. After a moment the tears finally stopped. You’d normally be horrified by the sudden outburst but with him you weren’t. You knew he had you.

“It’s really not. I’m so sorry. I won’t do it again.” He assured you wiping away the final tears.

“Thank you, Aaron.”

He pulled you back into him, “I’m not perfect but I promise you I’ll try.”

“I know that.” You beamed up at him. You felt so much better. Words always helped, running away never did.

“I love you, my dear.” He smiled down at you while rocking you back in forth in his arms.

“And you know, I love you too.”

Taglist: @twilightlover2007 @morgthemagpie @ashie-babie @buckybarnessweetheart @wendy234678 @adhdannieedison @emilykolchivans @aurabambi @pipecleanerweyesfp @simp4f1 @ghostridrr @sunflowers-4

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felassan · 6 months ago

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Game Informer:

"Cover Reveal – Dragon Age: The Veilguard by Wesley LeBlanc on Jun 09, 2024 at 02:00 PM This month, Dragon Age: The Veilguard (you read that right – Dreadwolf is no more) graces the cover of Game Informer. After years developing Baldur's Gate and its sequel early in its history, BioWare struck out to create its own fantasy RPG. That series began with Dragon Age: Origins in 2009. It was followed up with Dragon Age II in 2011, and then Dragon Age: Inquisition in 2014. While the Dragon Age series' history has its ups and downs, fans have been patiently waiting for BioWare to return to the franchise, and 2024 is finally the year. We visited BioWare's Edmonton, Canada, office for an exclusive look at Dragon Age: The Veilguard, including a look at its character creator, its prologue and opening missions, and more. We also spoke to many of the game's leads about the name change, the series' shift to real-time action combat, the various companions (and the relationships you can forge with them), and The Veilguard's hub location. You can learn about the titular Veilguard, Solas' role in the game, and so much more in our 12-page cover story for Dragon Age: The Veilguard."

"But there are plenty of other excellent reads within this issue of Game Informer! Some of us flew to Los Angeles, California, to attend Summer Game Fest and the not-E3 weekend's various other events to check out new games, interview developers, and more. Our previews section is jam-packed with new details about upcoming releases we can't wait for. Brian Shea flew to Warsaw, Poland, to check out two upcoming releases – Frostpunk 2 and The Alters – and he came away excited about both. Jon Woodey went hands-on with Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming Dawntrail expansion (and spoke to director Naoki Yoshida, too), and as someone with 8,000 hours in the game, his words are the ones you'll want to read. On the freelance front, Charlie Wacholz writes about how last year's Dave The Diver is one of the best game representations of the rewards and struggles of working in the food and beverage industry, and Grant Stoner spoke with Sony and Microsoft about the development of process and history of the companies' Adaptive and Access controllers. And for a lil' terror this summer, Ashley Bardhan spoke to several horror game developers about why the alluring town known as Silent Hill is a crucial location to Konami's horror masterpiece. As always, you'll find an editor's note from editor-in-chief Matt Miller, reviews from various freelancers and staff editors, a Top 5 list (hint hint: dragons), and more. Here's a closer look at the cover:"

"Not a print subscriber yet but want this issue? Well, you're in luck! Subscribing today – or within the next few days – will net you a print copy of this issue! You can join the ranks of the Game Informer print subscribers through our new standalone print subscription! Just head here to sign up for either one or two years at a fraction of the cost of buying the issues individually! You can even gift a print subscription to your favorite gamer! SUBSCRIBE TO THE PRINT MAGAZINE You can also try to nab a Game Informer Gold version of the issue. Limited to a numbered print run per issue, this premium version of Game Informer isn't available for sale. To learn about places where you might be able to get a copy, check out our official Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, BlueSky, and Threads accounts and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks. Click here to read more about Game Informer Gold. Print subscribers can expect their issues to arrive in the coming weeks. The digital edition launches June 18 for PC/Mac, iOS, and Google Play. Individual print copies will be available for purchase in the coming weeks at GameStop."

[source] <- they explain at the link how to read this issue.

aaah they have had a look at the character creator!!! I can't wait for this coverage.

#dragon age: the veilguard #dragon age: dreadwolf #dragon age 4 #the dread wolf rises #da4 #dragon age #bioware #video games #solas

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mygnolia · 4 months ago

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CALCU-CRUSH! ♡ 04. holding hands in rugby stands

୨୧ SMAU! SYNOPSIS -› Yeah, Park Sunghoon might be just a little annoying- but hey! at least he can help you get an A in AP CALC, and he will never a crush on you to make things super weird and complicated, right? [1.3k WORDS]

If there’s two things your tutor is good at, it’s bring punctual, and teaching you trigonometry.

Sunghoon texts you after your last class, keeping his word. He meets you in the library, and thankfully, despite how busy it gets, Sunghoon finds a small and secluded table for the two of you. You find him scrolling on his phone, with his notebook out, before you clear your throat and pull the chair in front of him. When he puts his phone away and gathers a few materials from his bag, you take it as a sign to mirror his actions, pulling the dreaded red paper from your backpack with a look of shame.

“If you would’ve told be this paper came from ___ ___, I wouldn’t believe you.” He chuckles, scanning over the pages. So much red. “What were you even doing during class? Our APUSH report??” He gawks, and it sets off a defensive flare as well as your embarrassment.

“We all make mistakes.” You try to reason in defense.

“I’m just messing with you, ____.” Sunghoon sighs, adjusting his chair to lean over and assessing the questions with you.

Sunghoon’s hair falls into his eyes when he works, and he has the habit of shaking it out or combing it back every few minutes as he begins to review the chapter you two were on, and you smile as you watch him try to tuck it behind his ears. He points out your mistakes carefully, and as much as you are paying attention to the hour he spends trying to show you how to do the first page, you catch the light scent of his fresh and floral fragrance the more you nod and scoot your chair closer. And when Sunghoon turns to you, you notice his lips, rosy and full as he licks them out of nervousness.

“Here,” he taps with his pencil, and your eyes follow to the paper where he’s written a problem out, which looks primarily composed of letters rather than numbers. But if anything, Sunghoon’s explanations are well thought out and full of reasoning and detail. You were only distracted by the proximity once. When you present him the answer, going over the steps, Sunghoon thoughtfully points out a section you made a minor mistake with, and smiles.

“I’m glad you’re catching on. Means I won’t have to do this for long.” He begins to close his books while you pout.

“I think after today, we’re great friends.” You say half sarcastically. “How’s your little project with Wonyoung going?” He shrugs, grabbing his bag to put on the table.

“I switched. Didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable or anything, and the teacher said I could.”

“You really aren’t going to try and woo her? Like- at all?” He shakes his head, a grin pulling at his lips.

“Haven’t you heard of bro-code?”

Humming in agreement, you still press on. “Why did you even like her if you knew Jake did?”

“I was never expecting anything from it. I just wanted to get close because she’s also pretty smart- but also because Jake kept denying that anything was going on between them too, so I half wanted to be friends, and half wanted to see how much Jake really liked her since he’s dumb and doesn’t realize his feelings.” You snicker at his slight dig, but you get where Sunghoon is coming from. It’s good to know at least that he didn’t want anything serious, and knew when to back off.

“So you felt more adoration for her?” And he nods. “Do you think they’ll get together anytime soon?”

Sunghoon scoffs, crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat. “The most they’d do is hold hands in those rugby stands after his games. He seems like he likes being around her, and whether that means they’re friends or more is up to them. Plus they both need each other. Jake is way too afraid to get a B in AP Language and Wonyoung is great at Literature.”

“You know those two are different right?” And he scowls at you, furrowing his eyebrows as he tightens the way he crosses his arms.

“Of course I know they’re different!” And you smile at his whining, putting your hands up in surrender.

“Okay, whatever. Can we can ice cream now like you said?”

“Only if you tell me everything.”

You raise an eyebrow at him. “What else to I have to tell you?”

“The whole plan. The whole situation. If not, I won’t help you out on today’s worksheet.”

“I don’t need help on it,” You huff, standing up to grab your bag. It’s Sunghoon’s turn to question your confidence, considering how you two were texting during that period.

“Fine. But don’t come to me on Saturday with questions.”

You two both leave the library, taking the short walk to the convenience store to finally get some well deserved treats. When you both pick out your flavors, Sunghoon leads you both to a bench nearby as you sit with your backpacks and talk.

“So you’re okay with Jake talking to Wonyoung?”

Sunghoon rolls his eyes. “I’ve said this a million times.”

You move on. “The plan was to get you to try and have feelings for someone else, and then convinve Wonyoung she liked Jake.”

“So she knew I kind of liked her?”

You make a sound in half agreement and half denial, trying to figure out how to explain this part without sounding like a horrible person. “Well, we asked if she would ever be interested in you. Like, when you notice a girl and think, wow, my friend would like her.”

He scoffs, taking a bite of his ice cream. “We do not do that!”

You frown. “That’s beside the point. Let’s just say you did, okay?” And Sunghoon offers you an unconvincing nod. “Well, that’s how we got Wonyoung to confess she liked Jake. But at the time, we didn’t exactly know that Jake liked her too. We thought you liked her and your friends were just cheering you on. So we were super worried that because Wonyoung didn’t return your feelings, me and Karina would be the assholes for not telling you, and I’d be an even bigger asshole for trying to help you get closer. So operation ‘Look Lost in the Math Classrooms’ was made.”

Sunghoon laughs, shaking his head as he looks at you incredulously. “Who was I supposed to catch feelings for instead? Karina?”

You bit your lip, opting to bite a large chunk of the ice cream to buy time to think. “Not quite. That part I can’t exactly tell you.”

He whines, leaning back against the bench and throwing his stick into the trash can. “What?? Was it you, then?”

Yeah- there was no denying it at this point. You nod. “But it wasn’t like I wanted to! That’s emotional manipulation!”

“I’m glad you are a decent human being then.” He jokes, still not sure how to process everything. He feels a bit confused as to how adamantly you refused the idea of catching feelings for him, but drops it, not close enough to you to really think it over too much. But his leave is abrupt, and you don’t want him to think of you as a bad person at all.

“That’s why I told you, Sunghoon. Because I didn’t want you to have to stop liking Wonyoung without knowing the reason why.”

Sunghoon’s not really good at feelings, but he knows your explanation is honest, and he can appreciate it. And he tries to think about it again, seeing the holes in your plan and how it wouldn’t have worked.

“So operation ‘Look Lost in the Math Classrooms’ isn’t a thing, right?” And with the shakes of your head, Sunghoon trusts you this time. “Yeah, your plan was dumb anyways.”

You throw the wooden stick from your ice cream in his direction, and he shouts before avoiding your germs. “That’s gross!” He whines, and you can’t stop laughing at Park Sunghoon.

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nastasya--filippovna · 29 days ago

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So I finally finished Rivals

so here's my review followed by my episode-by-episode, PowerPoint presentation, Danny Motta style reaction (which no one asked for)

⚠️so massive spoilers heads-up⚠️

WHAT A WATCH! for the first time in, well, forever I did not binge the show immediately after it came out. I gave it time. Watched one episode each day and I think I liked the experience! I remembered a lot more stuff that I do when I binge things. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. Pfft let'g get into it huh!

So I read the book like ages ago when the show was first announced and though I remembered some stuff from the plot, I mostly let myself be shocked by it. Would I have watched it if David Tennant wasn't in it. Hmmmm? Probably not!

I mean this show....ugh... man there's no one word to describe it, is there! It's not all romp and pomp although it may seem like it. The strangest part is that for a show that's dealing with some really dark matter it (for some darn reason) refuses to take itself seriously (as @davidtennantgenderenvy wonderfully put it). I mean one minute we're dealing with woman rights, the other Matador Ole is playing while Rupert and Cameron stare each other like that.

I think it's unfair that the media constantly limited the premise of the show to its sexual aspects. The story is a clear socio-political critique of the power politics, sexual politics, and elite culture of the time and it's still quite reflective of the same things in our time too. In fact, the very fact that it disguises itself as a period piece makes it all the more applicable to our time. While watching the show I felt as if each character represents a different segment of the upper class; like Antonio Gramsci said the capitalist class is not a unified group. We have Rupert who represent the political elite, the ones that come from powerful families and then we have Declan who's the intellectual elite, Tony who's one of those new-money business elite people who will never really fit into this cult, Fred the technology millionaires, and Monica who represents that fading, waning part of old British aristocracy that was all about decorum and honour and values and virtue, something that is no longer valued in all the new kinds of elites that are springing up.

It's a very turbulent time. We're on the brisk of turning the world into the way we have it now, pulling it out of another era that is now fading away.

Rupert.... um man! Alex Hassell should be banned from playing this character because he injects more charisma in it that he deserves. I almost started liking him. And it's weird to me that his character development is fine, it's great it's wonderful, he goes from a careless heartless scoundrel to a nice caring person. The only problem I have here is what he did to Taggie in the beginning. How can someone ever possibly expect a woman to forgive a man for s3xual abuse or harassment. That's like major rizz-killer. But his friendship with Lizzie was one of the things I really liked. Made him seem so much more human.

Talking of Lizzie. My girl. My favourite character. Although if I'm being honest EVERY single woman in the show was impeccable. Every one of them ten thousand times more complicated than any male character. We need more women written by women. Sarah looks like a dumb blonde but she's not. She's just a woman who's trying to make something of her life in this male dominated world. Cameron Cook. Absolute goddess. She's powerful. She knows what she wants and how to get it. We just don't have enough ambitious women in media portrayed as "good". Ambitious women are always shown as bitches. And she's not passive in regard to her sexuality. It's her weapon and she uses it with her full agency. Monica, what can I even say about her. Perfectly embodies the crumbling grace of old aristocratic families. Beautiful performance, beyond words. Maud. Oh boy. I lowkey hated her for a bit but her last scene was so amazing.

Aaaaaaand Tony. Tell you what they should NOT let David Tennant play bad people. 'Cause he's gonna do it so good it will give you nightmares for ages. I love that he is always in command of the kind of response he wants to elicit from the audience in regard to his character especially when playing an antagonist. I mean if we compare them, Des makes you feel like you're gaping at the fucking abyss, Tom Kendrick is just awful and scary like a bad father, Kilgrave is (like the character's personality) the kind of performance where you want to hate this person bcs you know they're awful but something about them is sucking you in and you hate that feeling but you can't stop it somehow (cz that's what Kilgarve does!). For Tony he knew what he was doing. He knows how to turn on maximum rizz and then turn it off. He reels in the viewer, making them think oh this is the most charismatic human being I have ever seen (just like Tony does to other characters) and then he strikes when you're in deep.

Another interesting bit about this character was how (esp in eps 7 and 8) there's bits where you think that maybe he's not altogether bad, that maybe there's a bit of kindness and love hiding there somewhere. But then you realise there isn't. All that tenderness is deliberate. He does it on purpose because it draws people in. He cannot love because he doesn't have it in him. Everything is, for him, about social status and winning. He doesn't love his wife. He doesn't love Cameron. He just wants to have them because she feels like he didn't have the things he deserved at some point so now he's gotta have everything. Like he says "just let me have this one"; it's all about winning. Heard someone call him a cartoon villain. Nope guys he's very real. Also the only time you feel like he's being genuine is when he's being a sopping wet pathetic mess in the end.

And he's also very relatable to some extent. I get that what he goes through. His insecurities and whatever complex he has. I do. I go to a university with rich kids from filthy rich families. My parent's parents weren't rich. They just made their fortunes in the last generation and even though I get to be in the same circles as these rich pricks, I feel always (or they make me feel) left out. Like I'm an imposter. Like I could never really have any real class. And that itches a very particular itch in my brain.

As an afterthought, I think you can measure men's personalities and worthiness in terms of DT characters: On a scale of Alec Hardy to Tony Baddingham what kind of man are You!"🫵

On the whole it was a great show. Lovely music. Loved the introduction of each character and how it just lets you know what kind of person this guy/gal/person is! Wonderful cinematography and visuals. Gripping sub-plots. An what an ending! Perfect cliffhanger. And tbh I'd really like it if they left it here. To me a good story doesn't always need to be resolved. There's something to be said for those little ambiguities and uncertainties in life and all the thigs left unsaid. [and if someone is really anxious they can go read the book] Remarkable watch. ★★★★★ (5/5)

And now the reaction!

(Tap for full picture and better quality)

Anyways, here's some memes I made while watching Rivals

Episode 5 Live Reaction:

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popponn · 1 year ago

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i didn't expect to see a future with you.

summary: it began as another fun and beneficial thing to have. until suddenly, it was about wanting ‘you and him for a very long time’. (in other words, he really didn’t mean to fall for you. really.)

characters: kaiser, reo, nagi.

notes: i tried to write about l word without mentioning it once. i hope i manage to get them right, this is my first time writing reo and kaiser especially. warning: relationships that started as casual and unserious, gacha at nagi's part. i really like fall later and harder troupe recently...

kaiser

months ago, if kaiser knew you got a fever, he would type a message of ‘get well soon’ without much meaning behind it along with a few extra sentences just to charm it all up. he would just cancel the date the two of you were supposed to be having and do anything else. practice, review his performance, or hell maybe have a different date and have fun with someone else. it was written all over the place, how this thing between you and him were anything but serious. he would never ask for your care, therefore he wouldn’t give you anything other than ‘the fun’ either.

and yet, here he sat on your bedside, porridge in hand like a nagging nanny because a moronic idiot—you—thought it was smart to walk through a storm instead of calling him or someone to pick you up. the thought of relationships and definitions and such as became the furthest thing in his mind the moment you called him with your slurred voice. you, being a helpless mush that could only wrap yourself with a blanket, couldn’t exactly protest to both his presence and harsh words. kaiser certainly didn’t shy away from calling you names—incompetent fool, being one of the tamer ones—the moment he arrived at your bedroom with medicines.

after cursing you and your useless outdated static of a brain, kaiser ushered you into the bed as he searched through your cabinets and ordered foods for your empty stomach. under the haze of your fever, you apologized to him and thank him. kaiser just gave you another comment about being stupid and baited a laugh from you. it was raspy and uglier than usual, but kaiser thought it would suffice. then, like a noisy sickly chatterbox, you asked why he choose you instead of his ‘anything else’.

“…it’s because I’m not an idiot,” Michael Kaiser replied to you after a long moment of silence. His back was turned towards you, the tone in his voice unshaken and flat, yet undeniably honest. “I know what I want.”

Your head throbbed painfully not truly understanding what he meant. But for him, you pushed out a chuckle, “’s that so, Michael…?”

“Do you even know what you are saying?” he shot back, his blurry figure walking closer towards you. As the view of his profile became clearer, you realized how you couldn’t quiet put a name on his expression. “Just rest up, you big baby.”

reo

as cruel as it was to say this, reo didn’t exactly begin with seeing you as a ‘person’. to him, you were more of the embodiment of ‘momentary excitements, rest, and escapism’. somewhere for him to have fun without thinking much, a someone who he could interact without any law of cause and effect following him. reo was certain you too saw him the same way. the two of you were a ‘why not?’ that could and would end like a passing breeze. it was nice, but it wouldn’t last long.

then, slowly came the late night chats, the voice notes filled with mundane things and lame jokes. afterwards, long talks about both anything and nothing followed. you came to his match, you were introduced to his teammates, you were a presence that was almost became a constant in every hour reo spent awake. and reo knew more than anyone else that he didn’t hate it when he watched you cry uglily at a movie he didn’t bother to pay attention to. in a way, he knew he was gone.

snotty and messy, your hand blindly reached around his sofa for a box of tissues. reo couldn’t take his eyes away from you as he laughed lightly and pushed the tissues towards you. hearing his chortles, you threw your cold feet towards his lap. you were looking at him with a pissed off questioning look whilst reo could only think how he could do this everyday.

“Is it even that sad?” Mikage Reo asked, teasing even when he slowly shifted your legs to comfortably rest on his lap. When the ‘pissed off’ look on your face intensified, Reo wondered if you would let him took a photo. For what, he didn’t exactly know either, but he certainly would be happy if you would let him.

“It’s about him finally realizing what he should have done, Reo!” you said, as if it answered everything. Reo could only chuckle—because perhaps it did. “Stop laughing! I didn’t laugh the last time you cried at that lame movie!”

He pushed himself closer towards you, a smile that felt like it wouldn’t die down plastered itself on his face. As the space between the two of you disappeared and you slotted yourself on his side like a piece long gone, he leaned his head against yours and didn’t stop himself from wrapping a hand on your shoulder. Still with a feeling he would soon said out loud to you, Reo continued to laugh merrily, “Come on, don’t say that. Here, here, let me wipe off those tears.”

nagi

the two of you started as a pair of gaming buddies simply because he found you funny and became what was pretty much ‘maybe-dating by convenience but still play together every now and then’ because one of his nosy sponsors who would love nagi to date his daughter. you were not troublesome, you did not ask much from nagi, you did not disturb his soccer career, and you seemed to like choki a lot. nagi didn’t exactly understand why you ‘date’ him, but if the comments from his friends were anything to go by, he supposed whatever reason you had were not terrible for him in any way.

the two of you sometimes hang around his room. usually it because you wanted to pull a gacha character and demanded nagi’s hands for luck. nagi didn’t exactly get it, but it wasn’t rare for you to made an interesting expression depending on what you got, so he supposed it was entertaining in a way. and each time the two of you did this, he also found it was fun to sit beside you and had you grab his hand for ‘luck’.

then the sunset came through from the window that day and you grabbed his hand yet again. suddenly, nagi found it unsurprising for him to remember every contour and corner of your hand. his eyes were trained on your face, watching you focusing on your phone screen and it felt like seeing you for the first time. when he intertwined your fingers with his as you cheered, it felt natural.

“Did you get her?” Nagi Seishirou leaned his weight towards you, letting the bed tilted along with him. He let you held his hand tighter as you too pressed your side to him. A grin that was bright and messy plastered itself on your face and Seishirou thought it suited the color of sunset. “You get her, huh? Yay.”

You were still buzzing with joy and excitement, your other hand reaching over him to hug his head to your chest. “Thank you! Thank you! Sei, I owe you!”

“Owe me, huh…?” Seishirou tried his best to think of a respond, but honestly all he could think of was how pleasant it was to be hugged by you, even if you probably weren’t thinking much of the action. Perhaps he really was as lucky as you had stated through big words and stressed intonations. As he returned your hug, Seishirou said, “Then, can I ask something for my payment?”

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vivalabunbun · 2 years ago

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Late Spring Blooms

Summary: Not even one word had been spoken between the two of you

Word Count: 5.1K (this was supposed to be short...)

Tags: Alhaitham x gn! reader, slow burn, fluff, just a lot of fluff, slight angst, Akademiya setting, toxic academia environment, mentions of bullying, both of you are students, mutual pining, when you just stare at your crush for like 4 years but never talked to them.

Authors note: This was supposed to be a short feel-good fic, but I guess my brain just wanted to be a nerd. So I included some scientific theories that are kinda in debate, I just gave it my best shot. I write fiction not peer reviewed studies please forgive any mistakes

“A voltage is applied to two electrodes immersed in a solution of heavy water…”

All throughout the lecture hall there were the frantic movements of quills as desperate hands penned down every word that left the lecturer’s mouth. The fluttering of paper as students rushed to continue recording every detail, spurred by the fear of a question on exams yet to be announced.

Rather than immerse themselves in the lecture, they’d rather save the details for a stressful night before said hypothetical exam. Frankly, it was a waste of time.

“When the SuperWave Principle is applied, with raising and falling nested oscillations…”

Yes, this is a waste of time. A waste of his time. Alhaitham’s notebook and quill remained untouched on the desk in front of him. This course was nothing more than an elective to him, it had nothing to do with his own darshan. A class his late grandmother had listed in her well wishes to her grandson. However, Alhaitham would much rather prefer to be reading in the House of Daena.

“And that is the discovery behind cold fusion energy production. This achievement rewarded me with much academic praise and my position as a researcher. As it innovated a new path for clean and unlimited energy. Thank you.”

Applause erupted in the lecture hall, hands clapping together as forged looks of amazement masked ulterior motives. Alhaitham remained still, bored eyes continuing to observe the scholarly man as he stood at the podium. Even from the ashen-haired student’s perch among the upper seats, he can still see the swell of pride in the elder scholar’s chest. As the sea of green uniforms finally abated their praise, the professor step up to the podium.

“Are there any questions for our honored guest lecturer?”

The once bustling mob stilled. No quills moved, no papers rustled, and not a single student dared make eye contact dreading the thought of an unintentional invitation to speak. Of course, this was all expected. After all, which person would dare expose their own shortcomings?

Each and every person in the room was once praised to be la crème de la crème, the cream of the crop, the valedictorians that spoke prepared speeches to their peers they viewed as mediocre. They were all once the top one percent, showered with empty words such as ‘talented’ and ‘gifted’. However, at the Akademiya, where the best of the best had been vetted and admitted. How can everyone be that ‘one percent’?

It’s a simple answer. They can’t. Instead of spirits learning humility, they were crushed under the realization of reality. And just like a curious hand that had reached out towards a burning stove, their egos wounded and withdrew. If they cannot stand among the few slots at the top, then they’d rather hide among the ninety-nine percent. Listlessly carried by the flow of life, throwing their hands up to ‘fate’.

Once again, as Alhaitham’s bored eyes surveyed the room, he is reminded why he had put off attending the Akademiya until recently. It was quite ironic for such an esteemed institution to have such pathetic levels of academic spirit. People didn’t come here to learn, they came here to ‘know’ and for a decorated piece of paper to hang on their walls.

However, on the basis of the last part, Alhaitham saw himself as no different. This was a crucial stepping stone in the preplanned path he laid out for himself. Even if it was tedious, it must be done.

From the still crowd, one lone hand raised above, peeking out from the sea of green berets. It seems that even the professor didn’t anticipate this as a wrinkled hand gestured for the young budding scholar to speak.

“I’m amazed by your discovery, sir. However, does it really work? I don’t think I’ve seen a recreation of your experiment.”

The air in the lecture hall stilled, as hundreds of eyes honed in on the gear that dare squeak. The ego is quite fragile, and there is a positive correlation between the fragility of one's ego and the higher up their position is on the hierarchy. The scowl that formed on the guest’s face was predictable, as his haughty eyes glared at the fresh-faced student.

“It seems that some people are suffering from selective hearing, or perhaps you just couldn’t grasp the concepts I’ve spent the past two hours explaining.” Offense drip off of every word.

“But, according to standard practices, an experiment has to be rep-”

“Did the Akademiya just allow anyone in this year? My theory and discovery have already been entered into the akasha. Even a child can see the validity of my research.” The lecturer tapped one finger rapidly against the solid wood of the podium.

“Still, I beli-”

“Did you not hear me? My research has already been entered into the akasha.” He snapped, the peak of the microphone rang through the air.

“Sir, I-”

The professor raised his hand to silence the student, putting an end to this sorry excuse of an academic debate. The student’s figure sunk down in their seat, their seat neighbors scooting away as if there was something contagious. The show that had piqued the ashen-haired scholar’s interest had been abruptly halted. What a pity.

“Can you believe them? Who would ask such a stupid question?”

“‘Does it work?’, it’s been entered into the akasha for archon’s sake!”

“If I were them, I’d never show my face again at the Akademiya.”

Mindless gossip made his ears ring as a sigh left his lips, snapping the book closed in his hand. Alhaitham thought it was an unspoken rule that one must be silent in the House of Daena, guess common courtesy isn’t practiced much anymore. Carrying the book in one hand as he swung his bag over his shoulder he exits the library doors.

His academic journey at the Akademiya had only begun about a month ago with the start of a new semester, but he was already bored. Lectures dragged the same material on for days. Professors gave their unessential anecdotes to slip in their own self-praises, and the busy work they called assignments.

However, the worst part, for Alhaitham, was how his fellow students and aspiring scholars accepted everything. Sitting there in their seats back straight, hands busy creating a transcript of the entire lesson. Heads politely nodding as if they understood everything even though confusion was clear in their eyes. There were no academic discussions occurring in classes, and there were no attempts to encourage them.

What’s the point when everyone could just use the akasha for answers? It’s quite depressing to see such a lack of academic spirit.

Alhaitham has decided that he should return back to his own method of self-studying, just as he has done before. He can cut out the unnecessary material and focus on subjects that interest him. Paying the tuition just to learn everything on his own, is truly ironic.

However, as Alhaitham walks towards the empty pavilion he has to admit he is grateful for the facilities available at the Akademiya. It was a secluded space, quiet and away from chattering groups, students chasing after mentors and professors with half-heartedly written theses, and scholars’ boastful comments on the results of their experiments. Just as he rested his back against a pillar of the pavilion, he heard a muffled whimper.

Tsk, great, there’s someone here already. Alhaitham readjusted his bag on his shoulder, pushing off the pillar as he began his search once more for undisturbed peace. His teal eyes couldn’t help but wander toward the source of the sound. Sight landing on your crouched figure obscured by the thick trunk of the tree just behind the white structure. For a brief moment, your eyes locked with his, before you jolted your head away from his direction.

Cheeks stained with tears and face burning with shame. Yes, there is a famous saying that tends to ring true: The nail that stands out will get hammered. He recognizes you as the hand that dare raise a question.

Everyone at the Akademiya is fueled by their own self-interest, whether it be for greater knowledge, a higher future position at the institution, or to have their name printed on an accredited research project by a renowned scholar.

Weak egos tend to rally under bigger ones, feeding the latter with empty praises in hopes of a return on their investments. If they could find a footing that allows them to climb up the stairs of the hierarchy, then they were willing to step on anyone.

You just recently have been labeled as such, a stepping stone in order to get closer to a certain researcher. Tearing you down to build the bridges of connection with the reputable graduate. It was low-hanging fruit. How could a naive, freshly admitted student go against a published scholar with wealth and status?

You were the losing dog in this race. And yet, Alhaitham still wanted to applaud you, if not for your academic spirit then for your courage. However, it is clear from the way you were trying to make yourself as small as possible, you needed your privacy.

He focused his eyes on the path ahead of him, leaving the secluded space, his lips won’t speak a word of this event. A little further down the path, teal eyes shifted back behind him. Your hands were wiping the tears out of your eyes as you blinked, perplexed by the sudden appearance of a neatly folded green handkerchief. Alhaitham sees it as a fair trade for piquing his bored mind.

“Excuse me, do you have a translation of the book: Khaenri'ahan Theory of Nuclear Fusion and Practices?”

A familiar voice shifted Alhaitham’s attention away from the text he was translating, perhaps his mind took it as an excuse for his eyes to take a break from the barely legible script. You would think with all the funds the Akademiya had, they would be able to provide students with good-quality copies, but the printed assignment in front of him disproves that notion. It’s not good to strain the eyes.

Once more teal eyes landed on your figure, back straight and head still held up high. You have more courage than Alhaitham originally thought. Despite the mocking sneers that have been thrown your way in the halls, you’ve just faced forward and continued down your way. Currently, you were asking for the assistance of a disinterested librarian.

She brings one hand up to her akasha terminal, eyes lazily gazing at the information that flowed in front of her. Then after less than two minutes of searching, she stops.

“No. Never heard of it. It’s not in the system.”

“It’s an old title, but according to the library catalog, it should-”

“Did you not hear me? I just checked the akasha and it says it’s not here. Maybe you should make use of that terminal collecting dust on your ear before you come wasting my time.” The librarian cut you off rudely. Readjusting the green beret on her brown hair before she turned her back on you.

The hand you reached out towards her drops to your side, your shoulders slouched a bit. There were now peering eyes focused on you, stressed students viewing your embarrassment and dejection as a welcomed dose of entertainment. Taking a deep breath you quickly made your way back in the direction of the dusty library catalog. Determined to find that book.

The librarian had stated a blatant lie, how does Alhaitham know? The book Khaenri'ahan Theory of Nuclear Fusion and Practices was right under his resting elbow.

You were right, it is an old book, so old that it seems that someone had forgotten to input it into the updated database of the akasha. Or maybe someone removed it, deeming it no longer academically relevant. His elbow was now resting on the book he had just finished hours earlier, it was a better use of his time than attending mindless lectures.

You seemed busy flipping through the pages of the library catalog, and the script in front of him is due tomorrow. He’ll finish his assignment, it's the least he could do to just ensure his passing of a class that hasn’t seen his face for some time now.

–

It was late now, your eyes were beginning to droop head nodding back and forth. You shook your head, desperately trying to fight off sleep, eyes peeled on the text in front of you. Your attempts to find the book had been fruitless, but you were able to find different academic journals that substituted the same subject.

You didn’t need sleep, you needed to satisfy that itching feeling inside your mind. That inkling that what that lecturer had said was… the words in front of you blurred.

Maybe a quick nap would help boost your productivity.

–

Your eyes snapped open as your body jolted up. How long were you asleep? Your eyes surveyed the library. All around you were either passed out fellow students at their seats, or those running on nothing but caffeine and stress frantically pressing their noses against the books and papers in front of them. There were fewer people here than before you shut your eyes, signaling to you that it has gotten later.

Your lips pressed into a tight line, did you just lose more precious time? The thought of assignment due dates was pressing against the back of your mind. But you just had to get to the bottom of this, it just doesn’t make sense to you-

Your eyes widened at what had appeared in front of your seat. Khaenri'ahan Theory of Nuclear Fusion and Practices. But how? You had looked high and low, even breaking library regulations by climbing on the tall ladders to search the very tops.

Your head whipped around, searching for an explanation. Your eyes were just able to catch the slightest glimpse of a familiar shade of grey and green exiting the grand doors of the House of Daena.

There was a small note on top of the book.

I had the book you were looking for. There’s a diagram that wasn’t translated properly. On page 520, the diagram says: ‘maintaining temperatures of over 100 million degrees are necessary while regulating pressure and magnetic forces at the same time. These conditions are for stable confinement of the plasma and to maintain the fusion reaction long enough to produce more energy than what was required to start the reaction.’ Hope this helps.

It was silly really, or maybe your tired mind was just getting sentimental, but your sight began to blur again. Not with sleep this time, your eyes were overflowing with tears. This small note, the neat handwriting, the book you had been searching for.

They were the sweet hands of reassurance you needed on your shoulder. Smiling like an idiot through your tears, you hid your face behind the small note.

“How long exactly are they going to continue to deny the facts? Jeez, I wish I had their simple mind sometimes.”

“Yeah, it must be nice to have your head buried in the rabbit hole of ignorance.”

It was now a new year, a fresh semester had long begun, but unfortunately, reputation and stigma don’t have a simple shelf life of just a year. Once more, Alhaitham found that silence in the House of Daena is not seen as a requirement by some students. Mindless gossip had no place in a sanctuary of high academia, but it looks like his opinion isn’t shared.

Alhaitham had woken up later than he would’ve liked, meaning he didn’t have time to pick up any coffee if he wanted to get to his test on time. After he had finished, he made an effort to get to the café as fast as he could. But when he got there, he saw a sign announcing the café was closed for the day.

In short, Alhaitham was having a bad day, the grating voices that continued to chatter beside him were only fraying his thinning patience even more.

Frustrated, his eyes followed their line of sight, to see just what subject was so pressing they had to gossip in a place of study and silence. They lead him to your figure, hunched over a thick book, one finger tracing each sentence line by line and the other detailing notes.

Even with the stacks of books that surrounded your desk blocking some of your frame, he could see your face clearly. Although you were trying to maintain a neutral expression, he caught onto the small quivering of your lips.

“Like the information is already in the akasha, do they think they’re smarter than the combined knowledge of all of Sumeru?”

“Yeah, well it’s always the stupidest people that speak the loudest-”

“You two are quite loud.”

The students that sat beside him snapped their attention towards the man who had returned his eyes back to his book.

“Excuse me?”

“This is the House of Daena, the largest library in all of Teyvat, and you’re being loud. Maybe you should immerse yourselves in some books, for the academic spirit.”

“Jeez, we weren’t even that loud, and the akasha-”

“What poor academic spirit. If the akasha was all you needed, then you are no better than any passing stranger on the streets. Why did you even bother with the entrance exam?”

It wasn’t like Alhaitham to engage in such unnecessary conversation, nor make any excess problems for himself by getting in the bad graces of strangers. However, he was already having a bad day.

The two friends sneered at him, before getting up and leaving the library. Finally, he can enjoy some silence. He could feel your gaze on him, but he didn’t look up to see the soft stare of amazement and gratitude you were sending his way.

–

Alhaitham had gotten up briefly to browse the shelves once again. He had finished his book and am now looking for another to pique his interest. Really, the akasha couldn’t hold the vast amount of unspoken knowledge that books had.

The blunt facts and figures the terminal provided didn’t stimulate his mind the way shifting through the lines and characters printed on books did. It was truly a pity that the nation of wisdom didn’t appreciate the pinnacle vessel of information.

When he had returned to his desk, teal eyes took note of the small square of baklava placed gently on a napkin. Beside it was the green handkerchief, neatly folded. Alhaitham had already gotten a replacement for said item.

Yet seeing how pristine the fabric was even after a year of not seeing it, sentiment crept up on him.

“Excuse me. Food is not allowed in the House of Daena. I’m going to ask you to leave.”

Ah, of course. Alhaitham was having a bad day today.

It’s been a long month. With Summer break quickly approaching, it meant that assignments and exams have been crammed by every professor into a short window. Their long tangents must have caught up to them, as they were now pushing the responsibility of tying up the loose ends onto the students. Pathetic really.

Still, the weather today was clear and the air warm. The bright sun was being blocked out by the thick foliage present on the branches of the tree Alhaitham rested his body against. He had spent the morning finishing all his most pressing assignments. A break was deserved.

The soft rustle of leaves as the wind sway their branches were starting to lull the young man to sleep. But the sudden sound of grass getting flattened under shoes snatched that pleasure away.

Tsk, it doesn’t matter. If he leaves his eyes shut and breaths steady then the other person will sooner or later leave him alone. The steps approached a bit closer then stopped just a bit away. He could hear the rustling of a paper bag and another object getting placed near his side.

As quietly as they could, the footsteps trotted away in a hurry. Once he felt that presence disappear, he lifted his eyelids.

Beside him there was a brown paper bag, the mouth-watering scent of a shawarma wrap wafted into his nose. And the other object? A cup of hot coffee with a small note taped to it.

I’m so so so sorry for getting you in trouble that time in the House of Daena! Please take this as an apology! I got the most popular combination at the shop. Please take care of yourself and good luck with your exams!

P.S. I just wanted to apologize again for getting you in trouble!!

Alhaitham could practically hear the sheer panic and anxiety from the piece of paper. Still, his eyes couldn’t help but soften. He was never the type to hold on to pointless grudges, there was no need for you to agonize over such a minuscule event.

Contradicting his original plans for a nap, he took a sip of the hot coffee. It must be a different blend of coffee beans or a new experimental brewing method, the plain black coffee tasted pleasantly sweet on his tongue.

“Did you hear? I can’t believe it.”

“Yeah, he was a fraudster! I heard he got stripped of his title and even his diploma got rescinded!”

“I… I can’t believe they were right all along.”

In the middle of Alhaitham’s third year at the Akademiya, the unfathomable happened. A young student that had yet to even graduate, a mere third year in the middle of their studies, had disproven an accepted theory. A theory that had gone through vetting by the top review boards, and even entered into the akasha.

After years of long nights and shifting through books long forgotten by scholars, you brought all your evidence and conclusions to the Akademiya review board.

You wagered your entire academic carrier.

Your gamble paid out in full. Your findings were significant enough that the board called for an investigation, for another independent experiment of cold fusion to be replicated. A team of other esteemed researchers was established.

They followed every strict protocol for peer review, following each and every document step by the once haughty researcher to his experiment and theory to the highest standard of academic rigor.

Their conclusion after a four-month trial? Failed experiment after failed experiment to replicate his results? There was no cold fusion.

This caught the attention of the Matra. For all these years where did those experimental results come from? If his research funds were not going toward creating a better and more effective method of using cold fusion to generate unlimited energy. Then where was it? Their findings?

Back into the pockets of a few seats on the review board. Funds somehow found themselves in the hands of scholars that had ‘peer reviewed’ his theory the first time around.

A report from the previously mentioned independent review team detailed his offer of exorbitant amounts of mora for skewed results. That was the final nail in the coffin of his academic carrier.

It was a great loss of face for the higher-ups and for their esteemed institution. They had let fraudulent nonsense enter the akasha, they allowed this nonsense to poison the minds of civilians and students. Punishment was swift. The higher up on the hierarchy of ego you were, the more crushing the fall will be.

Now it was he, the lecturer who had ridiculed you with his eager followers for years, who was ostracized from higher academia.

–

Alhaitham’s eyes followed the noisy crowd as they congregated around your frame. First years watching you with stars in their eyes, questions were thrown your way, asking just how you did it. How did you know? Your eyes light up the same way, as you detailed your research process of debunking that theory.

Overnight, you became a star at the Akademiya. The same people who had once sneered at you were now trying to push their way through the crowd to get your attention. The professors that once viewed you as their most hopeless student, were now asking you to become their mentee. You treated everyone the same without any reservations. Smile beaming as you answered their questions.

“Well, even though I have disproven his theory on cold fusion. I still think it’s an interesting path to explore. Maybe we were just led astray by a red herring. However, I think the most important lesson to gain from this controversy is that every theory should be viewed with some level of skepticism. Until you see the theory actually be put into practice, how will you ever confirm for yourself.”

You have a really radiant smile, Alhaitham notes. It suits you.

It’s too noisy in the halls of the Akademiya. He turns to walk away. Missing the way your searching eyes followed him, lips parted wanting to call out to him. Only to be drowned by the shower of empty words of praise.

“You’re such a gifted student!”

“Wow! I wish I was as talented as you!”

“You’re just a genius!”

Words that dismissed your years of sleepless nights, tearful breakdowns from pressure, and aching wrists from penning down pages upon pages of notes.

Ah, the Akademiya was still the Akademiya. Even your breakthrough that shook the institution isn’t enough to spark a change in the environment that had been solidified in the marble of the building. Your eyes still followed this tall figure even after he disappeared from your line of sight.

Yes, there still was a gust of fresh air that blew through this stale toxicity. You only knew his name… does he even know yours?

It’s finally over, the tedious task of attending the Akademiya has been completed.

Alhaitham can now check that achievement off his list. The collaborative project he had been a part of might have fallen through. But the findings it produced in its short lifespan were fruitful. So much so that it granted Alhaitham a position as a Scribe and a sizable house in the city. More currently, it allowed Alhaitham to meet the last requirement for graduation.

The diploma he holds in his hands right now was the result of his diligence, of just passing every exam with the highest marks despite not attending the class after the first day. Yes, this is the piece of paper he had ‘worked’ so hard for.

All around him, there were families hugging, crying, and congratulating their sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, for graduating. Promises of big feasts prepared at home, or for a celebration in the neighborhood. Friends hugged each other as they said their tearful goodbyes.

Alhaitham stood alone.

From the very start, he was a loner, he knew this and he liked it this way. So why does his chest feel a bit heavy? The path that he had preplanned had no obstacles lining the way, every piece fell where it should have. Alhaitham already knows the answer, but he doesn’t want to admit it.

Joyous occasions can really bring out the most isolating sentiments when there was no one to celebrate with. But that is fine, he’s got boxes of books to pack anyways.

“Um… Excuse me, Alhaitham?”

A voice halts the ashen-haired man’s step. Teal-orange eyes landed their sights on yours. You were dressed in your graduation robes as well, and a decorated cord hung around your shoulders. Signifying your academic accomplishments during your years as a student. Despite the nervousness in your voice, hands fidgeting with the brown paper bag clutched between them, your eyes looked straight into his.

“T-this is for you. It’s a pita pocket from Lambard’s tavern. I… I just wanted to thank you for, well, all you’ve done. I-i know we actually haven’t spoken a word to each other these past few years but- but…” You paused, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath.

“Your gestures of kindness and empathy really kept me going. Even during the times when I wanted to give up, your actions really meant a lot to me. So, thank you Alhaitham.” Your eyes were staring back at him with pure sincerity.

The warm late Spring air blew across your faces, tussling his locks as his eyes shifted from the pita pocket in your hands back to your eyes. The slight quivering of your lips signaled to him the anxious wait for his response.

“Now’s not the place to eat.”

“O-oh…” The bag in your hands lowered.

“However, I believe if you were to accompany me to Lambad’s Tavern, I don’t think he’ll deny a paying customer a seat. So, how about it?” The boxes at home could wait.

“Oh?” You looked at him a bit perplexed at the sudden invitation. But it wasn’t long before a beaming smile broke out on your face.

“Yes, I would love to!”

It could have been due to the sweet air, or due to the lustrous look that dawned on your face, but Alhaitham felt that he could breathe easier now.

It was a sunny afternoon, the perfect weather to do nothing at all. His justification for leaving his desk, piled high with new proposals and applications. Without even looking up from his book Alhaitham could sense the presence approaching his direction. His free hand reached up to turn off noise canceling, there was only one person who would come to find him at this secluded pavilion.

“Haitham! I got us lunch from Lambad’s Tavern, the special was pita pockets today!” You held a brown takeout bag over your head, one hand cupping your mouth as you called out to him.

His expression couldn’t help but soften, seeing your figure rapidly closing the distance between the both of you. Your preppy steps stopped just in front of the tall scholar, a small smile gracing your lips as you hid the bag behind your back. Eyes looking at him with anticipation as your back straightened.

Alhaitham closed his eyes as a soft sigh left his lips, snapping the book in his hands closed as his back pushed off the pillar. Taking a few slow steps to fully close the distance. Gentle fingers cupped your cheek as he leaned down to place a tender kiss just below your eye. He can feel you getting on the tips of your toes, pressing your face more into his lips, he knows you can feel the small smile against your cheek.

Pulling his face back, thumb still brushing against your other cheek, his teal eyes observed your smile that rivaled the sun.

“Thank you for the payment, now let’s eat before the lettuce gets all soggy.” You pressed a kiss against his palm. The brown bag reappears from behind you.

“Yes, of course.” He wanted to observe your face for a little while longer.

Perhaps you should start researching the energy that radiates off your smile, Alhaitham is willing to wager that this hypothesis holds more water than any dismissed notions of cold fusion.

Fin~

#alhaitham x reader #al-haitham x you #alhaitham x y/n #alhaitham headcanons #alhaitham x you #genshin x reader #genshin impact x you #genshin fluff #genshin x you #alhaitham fluff #alhaitham scenarios #genshin angst #alhaitham fanfic #al haitham x you #genshin impact x reader #alhaitham imagines #alhaitham x yn #vivalabunbunfics

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moon3verland · 9 days ago

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Offside Love S.JK

·˚ ◌༘₊· ͟͞꒰➳ Sim Jaeyun (Jake) x Fem!Reader GENRE! Angst, Hurt/Comfort ✎SYNOPSIS! Jake Sim, the star soccer player, is dating (Name), but she feels insecure because of his many female fans, including the popular bully Hyeri. As Hyeri and her friends secretly bully (Name), Jake remains unaware, straining their relationship.〘WC:8.5k 〙『 ↳✧･ﾟ Warnings ; Bullying ↳˳;; ❝ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱʜᴇʟꜰᵕ̈೫

The late afternoon sun bathed the campus of Decelis University in a warm, golden hue. The sound of distant chatter and laughter filled the air as (Name) walked through the bustling courtyard, her backpack slung over one shoulder. She had always loved this time of day, when classes were done, and the campus felt alive with energy. But today, her mind was elsewhere—fixated on a single person. More Undercut

Jake Sim.

The thought of him made her heart flutter. He was her boyfriend, after all, but sometimes it felt surreal. Jake was the golden boy of Decelis—star soccer player, popular, and effortlessly charming. Everyone knew his name; everyone wanted to be around him. He was the kind of guy who could light up a room with just a smile.

And he had chosen her.

It seemed like a dream at first. They’d met in a shared literature class, and at first, (Name) had only known him as the guy who sat at the back, half-listening with his cap pulled low over his forehead. But then, one day, they were paired together for a group project, and everything changed. He wasn’t the aloof jock she’d expected; he was funny, attentive, and surprisingly sweet.

Now, a few months into their relationship, (Name) still found herself wondering how she’d gotten so lucky. But with that luck came a creeping sense of insecurity she couldn’t quite shake. She wasn’t blind to the attention Jake got. Girls constantly hovered around him at practice, in the cafeteria, and even during their walks across campus. It was hard not to notice.

She wasn’t the jealous type—at least, she hadn’t been before. But Jake was special, and she couldn’t help but feel a little anxious about all the attention he received.

She entered the library and made her way to their usual study table. Jake had texted her earlier, saying he would be late from practice, so she pulled out her notebook and started reviewing her notes for the upcoming exam.

As she tried to focus on her studies, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Miss Perfect,” Hyeri sneered, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. (Name) looked up to see Hyeri standing across the table, her perfectly styled hair and designer clothes instantly drawing attention from everyone nearby. She was flanked by her usual group of friends, all wearing the same smug expressions.

Hyeri was beautiful, confident, and undeniably one of the most popular girls on campus. But she had never been friendly toward (Name). Ever since (Name) and Jake started dating, Hyeri had made it her mission to make (Name)’s life difficult. She would leave cutting remarks whenever they crossed paths and spread subtle rumors, always with a perfectly innocent smile.

“Hey, Hyeri,” (Name) greeted cautiously, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Hyeri’s smile widened. “Waiting for Jake again? It must be so tiring, constantly trying to keep up with him. I mean, he has so many admirers. It’s a wonder he even has time for you.”

(Name) felt a sting in her chest but kept her face composed. “Jake makes time for the people who matter to him,” she replied calmly, though she could feel her hands trembling slightly under the table.

Hyeri’s expression faltered for a moment before she quickly recovered, laughing lightly. “Of course. But, just a little friendly advice—you might want to up your game. Not everyone finds a plain, bookish girl like you interesting for long.”

Before (Name) could respond, Hyeri turned on her heel, her friends following like a well-rehearsed routine. (Name) watched them go, her heart pounding in her chest. She hated how much Hyeri’s words got to her. She knew Jake cared about her, but it was hard not to feel threatened.

She sighed, turning back to her notes, but her concentration was completely shattered. She couldn’t help but wonder if Hyeri was right. What if Jake got bored of her? What if he found someone more exciting, more… everything?

A few minutes later, Jake finally arrived, his face flushed from practice, hair slightly damp with sweat. He was wearing his soccer uniform, the jersey hugging his toned frame. He spotted her immediately, a grin breaking out on his face.

“Hey, sorry I’m late!” he said, dropping his bag on the chair beside her. He leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek, but she pulled away, pretending to focus on her notes.

“Is everything okay?” Jake asked, his smile fading slightly. He could sense the change in her mood immediately.

“Yeah, just a lot on my mind,” (Name) replied, forcing a small smile. “How was practice?”

“It was good. Tough, but good,” Jake said, still eyeing her with concern. He reached over, placing a hand on hers. “You sure you’re alright?”

She nodded quickly. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired.”

Jake didn’t look convinced, but he decided not to push her. He knew (Name) well enough to recognize when she needed space. “Alright,” he said softly. “But you know you can talk to me, right? About anything.”

(Name) nodded, but she couldn’t bring herself to open up. How could she tell him about Hyeri’s words without sounding petty or insecure? She didn’t want to be that girlfriend—the one who couldn’t handle a little competition.

Jake squeezed her hand gently, offering a comforting smile. “Hey, don’t worry. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out together.”

She appreciated his support, but she couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. She knew he meant well, but the insecurities were hers to deal with, not his. Still, she managed to return his smile, squeezing his hand back. “Thanks, Jake.”

Jake leaned back in his chair, looking relieved. “Good. Now, let’s focus on this exam. You’re the genius here, so I’m counting on you to help me pass.”

(Name) chuckled, grateful for the light-hearted change in topic. “Alright, let’s get started then. But don’t blame me if you fail.”

Jake laughed. “Deal. But I won’t fail. Not with you around.”

They settled into a comfortable rhythm of study, but (Name)’s mind kept drifting back to Hyeri’s words. She hoped she could push them away, but something told her it wouldn’t be that easy.

▬▬ι══════════════ι▬▬

The next few days passed in a blur of classes, soccer practice, and study sessions. (Name) tried to push her insecurities to the back of her mind, focusing instead on her studies and her time with Jake. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the feeling of doubt that crept in whenever she saw him surrounded by his admirers.

It didn’t help that Hyeri seemed to be everywhere lately, her presence like a shadow that (Name) couldn’t escape. She’d catch glimpses of Hyeri in the hallways, always with that knowing smirk, always whispering something to her friends whenever (Name) walked by.

On Thursday, (Name) decided to stay late at the library to catch up on her assignments. She’d promised Jake she’d meet him after his practice, but she needed some time to herself first. The library was mostly empty, the quiet hum of the air conditioning the only sound in the otherwise silent space.

She found a secluded corner and sat down, pulling out her books and trying to concentrate. But her thoughts kept drifting back to Jake. She knew he loved her; he’d never given her a reason to doubt him. But she couldn’t help wondering if she was enough for him.

Was she interesting enough? Pretty enough? Could she really keep his attention when he was constantly surrounded by so many beautiful, confident girls like Hyeri?

Just as she was about to lose herself in another spiral of doubt, a sharp voice cut through the silence.

“Oh, look who it is,” Hyeri’s voice rang out, echoing through the quiet library. (Name) looked up to see Hyeri approaching, a smug grin on her face. She was flanked by two of her friends, who snickered as they followed her lead.

“What do you want, Hyeri?” (Name) asked, keeping her voice calm and her gaze steady.

Hyeri chuckled, crossing her arms. “Just wanted to check on you, make sure you’re not feeling too… overwhelmed. I mean, dating Jake must be exhausting. All those girls throwing themselves at him… it’s got to be tough.”

(Name) felt her heart rate quicken, but she refused to give Hyeri the satisfaction of seeing her react. “Jake and I are fine. Thanks for your concern,” she said, her tone polite but firm.

Hyeri raised an eyebrow, her smile widening. “Are you, though? Because, honestly, I’ve been seeing a lot of him around lately… and not with you.”

The words were like a knife twisting in her gut, but (Name) held her ground. “Jake has practice and games; he’s busy. But he always makes time for me.”

Hyeri laughed. “If you say so. But remember, sweetie, there’s always someone waiting to take your place. Someone who can keep up with him in every way.”

(Name) felt a surge of anger. “Why do you care so much about what Jake and I do?”

Hyeri’s smile faltered for a split second, but she quickly recovered. “I’m just looking out for you. Wouldn’t want you to get hurt when you’re so… out of your depth.”

(Name) clenched her fists under the table, trying to stay calm. “I’m not going anywhere, Hyeri. So, whatever you’re trying to do, it’s not going to work.”

Hyeri’s smile turned cold. “We’ll see about that.” With a final, disdainful look, she turned and walked away, her friends trailing behind her.

(Name) let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, her hands trembling slightly. She hated how much Hyeri got to her. She hated feeling this way—unsure and insecure, constantly questioning herself.

She glanced at the time on her phone. Jake’s practice would be over soon. She needed to clear her head before she saw him. She packed up her things and headed out of the library, deciding to take the long way to the field.

As she approached the soccer field, she saw the team wrapping up their practice. Jake was in the center, laughing with his teammates, his jersey clinging to his frame, hair damp with sweat. He looked so at ease, so confident. She felt a pang in her chest, a mix of love and doubt swirling inside her.

He spotted her from across the field and waved, his face breaking into that bright, boyish grin that always made her heart skip a beat.

“Hey!” he called, jogging over to her. “You’re here early. I thought you were going to be at the library until late.”

“I finished up sooner than I thought,” she replied, trying to sound casual. “Figured I’d come watch the end of practice.”

Jake chuckled. “Well, you missed the best part—me scoring the winning goal in our scrimmage.”

(Name) smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m sure you were great, as always.”

Jake tilted his head, noticing the slight edge in her voice. “Hey, are you okay? You seem… off.”

“I’m fine,” she said quickly, then sighed. “Just… a long day.”

Jake studied her for a moment, then reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You know you can talk to me, right? About anything.”

(Name) nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. She wanted to tell him about Hyeri, about everything that had been bothering her. But she didn’t want to sound like she was complaining or insecure. She knew Jake loved her, and she didn’t want to come across as needy.

“I know,” she whispered. “I just… I’m fine, really.”

Jake frowned but didn’t press further. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “Okay, but if you need to talk, I’m here. Always.”

She nodded, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. “I know,” she whispered again, leaning into his touch.

As they walked away from the field, Jake’s arm draped over her shoulders, (Name) felt the weight of her insecurities settle in her chest. She knew she needed to find a way to deal with them, to stop letting Hyeri get under her skin. But she also knew that it wouldn’t be easy.

For now, she would just hold on to Jake’s warmth and try to believe that everything would be okay.

▬▬ι══════════════ι▬▬

Over the next few days, (Name) tried to shake off the encounter with Hyeri, but the words kept echoing in her mind. Every time she saw Jake surrounded by his female fans, her heart clenched with a mix of jealousy and fear. She hated feeling this way—so uncertain, so fragile. But she couldn't help it.

Jake, ever the social butterfly, didn't notice the subtle change in her mood at first. He continued his usual routine, grinning and waving at everyone who crossed his path, chatting with teammates and classmates alike. He’d often invite (Name) to join him, but she found herself making excuses to avoid the large crowds. She couldn’t stand being around the girls who so openly fawned over him, who looked at her like she was just a temporary fixture in his life.

But Jake was perceptive. He soon noticed the hesitation in her eyes, the way she would look away whenever one of his admirers approached. He’d catch her staring at the ground or fiddling with her fingers, and it didn't sit right with him.

One afternoon, after soccer practice, he decided to confront her. They were walking toward the student café, Jake’s arm casually slung over her shoulders. He felt her tense under his touch, and his brows furrowed in concern.

“(Name), what’s going on?” Jake asked, stopping in his tracks. “You’ve been… distant lately. Did I do something?”

(Name) looked up, startled by his directness. “No, Jake, it’s not you. I’m just… tired, I guess.”

He shook his head, not buying her vague excuse. “Tired? You’ve been tired for days. Come on, babe, talk to me. I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.”

She sighed, her eyes avoiding his. “It’s nothing, really. I just… I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

Jake gently cupped her chin, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. “Like what? You know you can tell me anything.”

She hesitated, biting her lip. Should she tell him about Hyeri? About the bullying, the snide comments, and the doubt that had been gnawing at her for weeks? But what if he thought she was being childish, or worse, weak? She swallowed, trying to muster up her courage.

“It's… just some stuff with Hyeri,” she finally muttered. “She and her friends have been giving me a hard time.”

Jake’s face darkened immediately, his grip on her chin tightening slightly. “Hyeri? What’s she been saying to you?”

(Name) shook her head. “Nothing… nothing you need to worry about.”

Jake’s jaw clenched. “Tell me, (Name). What has she been saying?”

She sighed, knowing he wouldn’t let it go. “Just… stuff about how I’m not good enough for you. That there are other girls who are better for you.”

Jake’s expression hardened, his eyes flashing with anger. “She said that to you?”

(Name) nodded, her heart pounding. “Yeah… but it’s not a big deal. I can handle it.”

Jake’s hand slid down to grip hers, squeezing it tightly. “It is a big deal. I don’t want anyone making you feel like that. I’ll talk to her—”

“No!” (Name) interrupted, her eyes widening. “Please, Jake, don’t. It’ll just make things worse.”

Jake hesitated, torn between wanting to protect her and respecting her wishes. “But she’s hurting you, (Name). I can’t just stand by and let that happen.”

(Name) squeezed his hand back, her voice soft. “I know, but… if you confront her, she’ll just make it worse. And I don’t want you to get dragged into it.”

Jake sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Okay… okay. But if she does anything else, you tell me. Promise?”

(Name) nodded, relieved that he wasn’t pushing it further. “I promise.”

Jake pulled her into a tight hug, resting his chin on top of her head. “I just want you to be happy, you know that, right?”

She nodded, closing her eyes as she leaned into his embrace. “I know.”

But deep down, a small voice whispered that it wasn’t just about Hyeri. It was about her own fears and insecurities, about feeling like she didn’t belong in Jake’s world—a world filled with confidence and charm, where she always felt like an outsider.

That night, as (Name) lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, she couldn’t stop thinking about Jake’s words. He wanted her to be happy, but she wasn’t sure she even knew how to be happy right now.

Her phone buzzed, and she picked it up, seeing a message from Jake:

Jake: I’m here if you need to talk, okay? About anything.

She smiled a little, her heart warming at his concern.

(Name): Thanks, Jake. I appreciate it.

Jake: Seriously, I mean it. I hate seeing you upset. You’re everything to me, babe.

Her smile widened, and she felt a flutter in her chest. Maybe… maybe she was worrying too much. Maybe she just needed to trust Jake more.

She put her phone down, deciding that tomorrow, she’d try to be more open with him, let him in on what she was feeling. Maybe then, they could work through this together.

But little did she know, Hyeri wasn’t done yet.

▬▬ι══════════════ι▬▬

The next few days passed in a tense blur. (Name) tried her best to keep up appearances, to act like everything was normal. She wanted to believe Jake’s words, to trust in their relationship, but every time she saw Hyeri or one of her friends sneering at her from across the campus, her confidence wavered.

She avoided Jake's fan club and the soccer field, choosing to spend her time buried in books or at her part-time job at the library. Even though Jake would text her constantly, asking her to come watch him practice or join him and his friends, she often made excuses, saying she had too much homework or wasn’t feeling well.

Jake wasn’t blind—he could see the change in her. He noticed the way she avoided his friends, the way she seemed more withdrawn. His frustration grew, but he tried to keep it in check, knowing she needed time. But he was determined to get to the bottom of this.

One day, after a particularly grueling practice, Jake sat on the bleachers, his face set in a frown. His teammate and best friend, Sunghoon, nudged him with his shoulder. “Hey, man, what’s with the long face?”

Jake sighed, running a hand through his damp hair. “It’s (Name). She’s been acting weird lately. I think something’s going on, but she won’t talk to me about it.”

Sunghoon leaned back, stretching out his legs. “Have you tried asking her directly?”

“Yeah, but she keeps saying everything’s fine. I know it’s not.” Jake shook his head. “I think it has something to do with Hyeri.”

Sunghoon raised an eyebrow. “Hyeri? That girl’s trouble, man. If she’s involved, it’s definitely not good.”

Jake clenched his jaw. “I know, and I’ve tried to get (Name) to open up, but she doesn’t want me to confront Hyeri. She thinks it’ll make things worse.”

Sunghoon nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe she’s right. But you can’t just sit back and do nothing, either.”

Jake stood up, determination burning in his eyes. “Yeah. I’m going to find out what’s going on.”

The next day, Jake was on high alert. He watched as (Name) moved through her day, always with a slightly anxious look in her eyes, glancing over her shoulder as if expecting something—or someone. He felt his frustration building; he hated seeing her like this, so on edge and unhappy.

During lunch, Jake spotted Hyeri and her clique at their usual table, laughing loudly, tossing their perfect hair, and occasionally casting disdainful glances in (Name)’s direction. Something inside Jake snapped.

He walked over, his steps purposeful and determined. The table quieted as he approached, all eyes turning toward him. Hyeri’s expression shifted into a coy smile. “Jake, what a surprise,” she purred. “What brings you here?”

Jake’s face was stone-cold. “We need to talk.”

Hyeri feigned innocence, blinking up at him with wide eyes. “Oh? About what?”

“About you leaving (Name) alone,” Jake replied, his voice low and menacing. “I know you’ve been harassing her.”

Hyeri’s smile faltered, but she quickly recovered, letting out a soft laugh. “Harassing? Oh, Jake, you’ve got it all wrong. We were just… chatting. Girls talk, you know?”

Jake leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing. “Cut the crap, Hyeri. I know what you’re doing, and I’m telling you to stop. Now.”

Hyeri’s eyes flashed with anger, but she kept her voice sweet. “I don’t know what she’s told you, but it sounds like she’s just trying to make me look bad. Why would I care about her, anyway? She’s nothing.”

Jake’s fists clenched at his sides. “She’s not nothing,” he said firmly. “She’s everything to me. And if you don’t back off, you’ll regret it.”

Hyeri’s smile turned cold. “Is that a threat, Jake?”

“It’s a promise,” he shot back, before turning on his heel and walking away.

Hyeri’s expression darkened as she watched him go. “Fine,” she muttered under her breath. “If he wants to play that game, then so be it.”

Later that evening, Jake went to (Name)’s dorm. He knocked on her door, his heart racing with a mix of anger and concern. When she opened it, she looked surprised to see him. “Jake? What are you doing here?”

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “We need to talk,” he said, his tone serious.

(Name) felt a knot form in her stomach. “About what?”

“About Hyeri,” Jake replied, his eyes searching hers. “I confronted her today.”

(Name) felt her heart drop. “Jake, I told you not to—��

“I couldn’t just stand by and let her treat you like that!” he cut her off, his voice strained. “She’s been making your life hell, and I’m not okay with it.”

(Name) sighed, rubbing her temples. “I know, but now it’s going to be worse. She’s not going to stop just because you told her to.”

Jake’s expression softened slightly. “I don’t care if she stops or not. I care about you. And I can’t stand seeing you this unhappy.”

(Name) looked away, biting her lip. “It’s not just about her, Jake. It’s… everything. All the girls who like you, who want to be with you… It makes me feel like I’m not enough.”

Jake’s heart ached at her words. He reached out, gently cupping her face in his hands. “(Name), look at me.” She hesitated but finally met his gaze. “You are more than enough for me. I don’t care about those other girls. I only care about you. You’re the one I want. The only one.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she nodded, feeling a small bit of relief. “I just… I hate feeling like this. I don’t want to be insecure, but it’s hard when I see how perfect they are.”

Jake shook his head. “They’re not perfect. They’re just loud. You’re the one who’s special. You’re smart, kind, beautiful… everything I could ever want.”

She let out a shaky breath, leaning into his touch. “I’m sorry, Jake. I’m trying.”

Jake pulled her into his arms, holding her close. “I know, babe. And I’m here for you. Always.”

For a moment, they stood there in silence, just holding each other. But (Name) knew that this wasn’t over. Hyeri wasn’t going to back down easily, and there was still a long way to go. But at least she knew she had Jake by her side.

▬▬ι══════════════ι▬▬

The days following Jake’s confrontation with Hyeri were tense. (Name) tried to brace herself for what was coming, knowing Hyeri wouldn’t take Jake’s warning lightly. As much as she appreciated Jake standing up for her, she couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to get much worse.

It started small. A few whispered insults in the hallway, snide comments thrown her way when she walked past. (Name) tried to ignore them, keeping her head down and focusing on her studies. But Hyeri wasn’t satisfied with subtlety.

One afternoon, (Name) found her locker door slightly ajar. Frowning, she opened it to find a pile of crumpled papers, candy wrappers, and a half-eaten sandwich shoved inside. Her textbooks were scribbled over with permanent marker, and her neatly organized notes were torn to shreds. Her heart sank, a wave of humiliation washing over her as she looked around. A few students snickered from a distance, watching her reaction with amused expressions.

She took a deep breath, trying to keep herself from breaking down. She had expected Hyeri to lash out, but this felt personal—crueler than before. Swallowing her pride, she quickly cleaned up the mess, shoving the ruined papers into her bag. She didn’t want to give Hyeri the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

That evening, she sat alone in her dorm room, staring at the ruined notes. Her frustration built up, her chest tightening with anger and hurt. She felt trapped, unable to confront Hyeri directly for fear of making things worse, yet unable to ignore the constant harassment.

Just as she felt tears welling up, her phone buzzed. A message from Jake:

“Meet me outside in five?”

She sighed, wiping her eyes. The last thing she wanted was for Jake to see her like this, but she also knew she couldn’t keep avoiding him. She grabbed her jacket and headed out.

Jake was waiting by the entrance, his hands shoved in his pockets. When he saw her, he smiled, but the smile faded quickly when he noticed her red-rimmed eyes. “Hey… What happened?”

(Name) shook her head, trying to smile. “It’s nothing. Just… had a rough day.”

Jake frowned, stepping closer. “You’ve been having a lot of rough days lately. Is it Hyeri?”

She hesitated, then nodded slowly. “She messed with my locker today. Ruined all my notes and textbooks. I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Jake.”

His expression darkened, his jaw clenching. “I’m sorry. I thought… I thought talking to her would make her stop, but I guess I underestimated her.”

(Name) sighed. “I just don’t know what to do. I don’t want to drag you into this any more than I already have.”

Jake shook his head firmly. “You’re not dragging me into anything. I’m already in this with you, whether you like it or not.” He reached out, gently brushing a tear from her cheek. “We’re going to figure this out together, okay?”

She nodded, leaning into his touch. “Okay… but I just don’t know how.”

Jake was silent for a moment, then his eyes lit up with an idea. “I think it’s time we play this a little smarter. If Hyeri wants to act like a bully, then maybe we need to show her that she can’t push you around without consequences.”

(Name) looked at him, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Jake grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I have an idea. But it’s going to require some guts and a bit of creativity.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What kind of idea?”

“Let’s just say,” Jake smirked, “we’re going to give Hyeri a taste of her own medicine, but in a way that shows her she can’t mess with you—or us.”

Over the next few days, Jake’s plan slowly took shape. He started by gathering information. He watched Hyeri and her friends closely, taking note of their routines, their favorite hangouts, and the little things they valued. He recruited Sunghoon and a few of his soccer teammates, who were more than happy to help, tired of Hyeri’s antics and eager to support Jake and (Name).

Meanwhile, (Name) focused on keeping up her appearance of being unaffected. She attended classes, smiled in the hallways, and ignored Hyeri’s taunts as much as she could. It wasn’t easy, but she felt a new sense of determination growing within her, fueled by Jake’s support and her own desire to stand up for herself.

One day, as (Name) was leaving the library, she received a text from Jake:

“Meet me by the soccer field. It’s time for phase one.”

Excitement and nerves fluttered in her stomach as she made her way to the field. Jake was already there, leaning casually against the bleachers, his soccer teammates gathered around him. When he saw her, he smiled and waved her over.

“Okay, here’s the plan,” Jake began, his tone serious. “Hyeri and her friends are always at that little café off-campus on Fridays, right?”

(Name) nodded. “Yeah, they go there after their study group.”

Jake grinned. “Perfect. We’re going to create a little… inconvenience for them. Nothing too drastic, but enough to make them think twice before messing with you again.”

(Name) raised an eyebrow. “What kind of inconvenience?”

Jake leaned in, lowering his voice. “Let’s just say they’re going to find their favorite table reserved for someone else… with a little surprise waiting for them.”

Sunghoon chuckled. “And by surprise, we mean a group of very rowdy, very enthusiastic freshman boys who think Hyeri’s group is there for a… study date.”

(Name) couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you serious?”

Jake nodded, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Dead serious. It’s harmless, but it’ll throw them off their game. And if they react badly… well, the whole café will see their true colors.”

(Name) giggled, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. “Okay, I’m in. Let’s do this.”

That Friday, (Name) sat with Jake and his teammates at a nearby table in the café, watching as the plan unfolded. As expected, Hyeri and her group arrived and headed straight for their usual spot, only to find it occupied by a group of loud, overeager freshmen.

Hyeri’s face twisted in annoyance, and she tried to shoo the boys away, but they didn’t budge. Soon, the whole café was watching, amused at the spectacle.

Jake leaned over to (Name), whispering, “See? This is just the beginning. We’ll make sure Hyeri learns that she can’t keep getting away with this.”

(Name) nodded, feeling a surge of confidence. For the first time in weeks, she felt like she had a chance to take control of her situation. And with Jake by her side, she was ready for whatever came next.

▬▬ι══════════════ι▬▬

The café buzzed with hushed conversations and soft laughter, all eyes on Hyeri and her friends as they struggled to maintain their composure. Hyeri’s face was a mask of irritation, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as the freshmen continued their antics, oblivious to her growing fury.

One of the freshmen, a particularly eager boy named Minsoo, leaned in closer to Hyeri with a wide grin. “So, what’s your favorite subject?” he asked, his voice a little too loud, drawing even more attention.

Hyeri’s eyes narrowed. “Get. Out. Of. My. Way,” she hissed, but Minsoo didn’t seem to take the hint.

Jake and (Name) watched from their table, trying to hide their laughter behind their drinks. (Name) felt a rush of satisfaction, seeing Hyeri squirm under the unwanted attention. For the first time in a long while, she felt a sense of control over her life, and it was exhilarating.

Hyeri finally snapped, standing up abruptly and knocking her chair over. “This is ridiculous!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the café. “Who let these idiots in here?”

The manager, an older woman with a stern expression, approached cautiously. “Miss, I’ll have to ask you to calm down or leave,” she said firmly.

Hyeri’s face turned a deeper shade of red. “Do you even know who I am?” she demanded, but the manager remained unfazed.

(Name) could see the tension building, the entire café now engrossed in the scene. Jake leaned closer, his voice low. “Wait for it…”

At that moment, Sunghoon, pretending to be an innocent bystander, approached Hyeri’s table. “Hey, Hyeri, I think everyone’s watching,” he said with a mock-concerned tone, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Hyeri’s eyes widened, realizing that all eyes were indeed on her, and she let out an exasperated growl. “Come on, let’s go,” she muttered to her friends, storming out of the café in a huff, her minions trailing behind her.

As soon as they were out of sight, the café erupted in quiet cheers and giggles. Jake leaned back with a satisfied grin. “Mission accomplished.”

(Name) couldn’t help but laugh, feeling a mix of relief and triumph. “That was… actually kind of brilliant,” she admitted, looking at Jake with newfound admiration.

Jake shrugged, a playful smile tugging at his lips. “I told you, we’re just getting started.”

The next day, the story of Hyeri’s humiliation spread like wildfire throughout the campus. The once-feared queen bee had been dethroned in the most public way possible, and people were talking. (Name) received a few encouraging smiles from strangers, and even her professors seemed to be in on the gossip.

But (Name) knew better than to think Hyeri would let this slide. She braced herself for whatever retaliation might come. She knew Hyeri well enough to know that the girl would not take this public embarrassment lying down.

Sure enough, by midday, rumors began circulating that Hyeri was planning something big. (Name) overheard snippets of conversation in the halls—something about a party, something about revenge. Her heart sank a little, but she kept her head high. She wouldn’t let Hyeri see that she was afraid.

As she walked to her next class, Jake caught up with her, falling into step beside her. “Hey, you okay?” he asked, his expression more serious than usual.

(Name) nodded. “Yeah, just… you know, waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

Jake frowned. “I heard about the party. Are you worried?”

She shrugged. “A little. But I guess I knew this was coming. Hyeri isn’t the type to just… let things go.”

Jake’s expression hardened. “Don’t worry. I won’t let her get to you. Not again.”

(Name) smiled softly, touched by his determination. “Thanks, Jake. I mean it. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

He stopped walking, turning to face her fully. “You don’t have to thank me. You deserve to feel safe. To be happy.” His voice was earnest, his eyes locking onto hers.

Before she could respond, Jake’s phone buzzed. He glanced down at it, his brow furrowing. “Speak of the devil,” he muttered, showing (Name) the screen. It was a text from Hyeri:

“You think you’re clever, Sim? Let’s see how clever you are when your precious little girlfriend is humiliated in front of the whole school. See you at the party.”

(Name)’s stomach twisted with anxiety. “What does she mean?”

Jake’s jaw clenched. “I don’t know, but we’re going to find out. And whatever it is, we’re going to stop her.”

Later that afternoon, Jake and (Name) sat with Sunghoon and a few of their close friends in the campus café, strategizing. “We need to be prepared for anything,” Jake said, leaning over the table. “Hyeri’s not going to hold back, so we shouldn’t either.”

Sunghoon nodded. “I can ask around, see if anyone knows more about what she’s planning. She might have let something slip.”

(Name) sighed. “I just don’t want this to turn into some kind of war. I just want her to leave me alone.”

Jake reached over, squeezing her hand. “I know. But she needs to understand that she can’t just push people around and get away with it.”

They spent the next hour planning, going over different scenarios and coming up with counter-strategies. Jake was determined to be one step ahead of Hyeri, to make sure whatever she had planned backfired.

Finally, they agreed to attend the party together, but with a clear plan in place. “We stick together,” Jake said firmly. “And if anything happens, we’re ready.”

(Name) nodded, feeling a mixture of dread and anticipation. She wasn’t looking forward to whatever Hyeri had up her sleeve, but she felt comforted by the support of Jake and their friends.

Jake smiled, squeezing her hand once more. “Whatever happens, we’re in this together.”

(Name) took a deep breath, nodding. “Together.”

▬▬ι══════════════ι▬▬

The night of the party arrived, and the atmosphere was electric. The house was filled with students, music blaring, lights flashing. (Name) felt a knot of anxiety in her stomach as they stepped inside, Jake’s hand firmly gripping hers.

Jake scanned the crowd, his expression tense. “Stay close,” he murmured.

They made their way through the crowd, exchanging polite nods and smiles. (Name) felt her nerves slowly calming, the familiar warmth of Jake’s presence reassuring her. But as they moved deeper into the house, she spotted Hyeri across the room, watching them with a cold, calculating smile.

Hyeri sauntered over, her friends flanking her like a pack of wolves. “Oh, look who decided to show up,” she sneered. “I hope you’re ready for a fun night, (Name).”

Jake stepped in front of (Name), his voice low and firm. “Whatever you’re planning, Hyeri, it’s not going to work.”

Hyeri’s smile widened. “We’ll see about that,” she purred. “You might want to keep a closer eye on your little girlfriend, Jake. You never know who might be looking to… have a little fun.”

Before (Name) could process her words, Hyeri turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd, leaving a trail of hushed whispers in her wake.

(Name) felt a chill run down her spine. “What do you think she meant by that?”

Jake’s grip tightened around her hand. “I don’t know, but whatever it is, we’re not letting her win.”

As the night wore on, (Name) couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to happen. The tension was palpable, the air thick with anticipation. She stayed close to Jake, trying to keep her nerves in check.

Then, just as the clock struck midnight, the lights suddenly went out. The room was plunged into darkness, and a hushed silence fell over the crowd.

“Stay close to me,” Jake whispered, pulling (Name) closer.

A spotlight flickered on, illuminating the center of the room where Hyeri stood, a microphone in hand. Her smile was wide, almost sinister. “Ladies and gentlemen,” she announced, her voice ringing out over the silent room, “I have a special announcement to make.”

(Name)’s heart pounded in her chest. She glanced at Jake, who looked equally tense. “What is she doing?” she whispered.

Jake’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know, but whatever it is, we’re ready.”

▬▬ι══════════════ι▬▬

Hyeri's smile broadened as she paced slowly around the center of the room, basking in the attention. The crowd murmured in anticipation, curious and eager to see what drama she was about to unfold. (Name) could feel the anxiety tightening in her chest, her heart racing as she squeezed Jake's hand. She knew Hyeri wouldn’t have brought everyone’s attention to herself without a reason.

“Tonight,” Hyeri continued, her voice dripping with faux sweetness, “is a night to celebrate friendships, old and new. But, it’s also a night to remind some people of their place.” Her eyes flicked briefly toward (Name), and (Name) felt a cold shiver run down her spine.

Jake’s grip tightened around her hand. “Stay calm,” he whispered, his eyes never leaving Hyeri. “She wants a reaction.”

Hyeri clapped her hands, and suddenly, the large screen behind her flickered to life. (Name) felt a lump form in her throat as images began to flash across the screen—pictures of her, taken secretly over the past few weeks. In class, walking on campus, sitting alone in the library, even a few of her and Jake together, laughing. The crowd gasped and whispered as the images continued to play.

“Recognize anyone?” Hyeri asked, her voice mocking and playful. “Our little (Name) here seems to have quite the admirer, don’t you think?”

(Name) felt her face flush with embarrassment. The pictures weren't anything compromising, but the very fact that someone had been following her, taking photos without her knowledge, sent a wave of discomfort and fear washing over her. Jake was fuming, his expression dark and dangerous.

“What the hell is this, Hyeri?” Jake demanded, stepping forward slightly, shielding (Name) with his body. “This is low, even for you.”

Hyeri laughed lightly, as if Jake had just told a joke. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic, Jake. I just thought everyone should see how precious little (Name) has been… living her life. Don’t you think she’s just adorable?”

The crowd was murmuring louder now, a mix of shock, curiosity, and discomfort. (Name) wanted to disappear, to melt into the floor and escape this public humiliation.

Jake’s voice was low and cold. “Turn it off. Now.”

Hyeri shrugged, a malicious grin on her face. “Oh, but why? We’re just getting started.” She gestured, and the images changed, now showing photoshopped images of (Name) in compromising situations, ones that were clearly fake but still enough to make (Name)’s blood run cold. The laughter from the crowd grew louder.

“See, (Name)?” Hyeri continued, her voice dripping with insincerity. “This is what happens when you try to play in a league you don’t belong in. Stick to your books and stay out of my way, and maybe next time, I won’t have to make things so… entertaining.”

Jake had had enough. He surged forward, pulling (Name) behind him. “Shut it down, Hyeri, or I will,” he threatened, his voice like ice. The intensity in his eyes sent a clear message: he was done playing games.

Hyeri seemed unfazed, but there was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. “Oh, what are you going to do, Jake? Hit a girl?” she taunted.

Jake smirked, his calm returning as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “I don’t need to hit you. But I do have friends who’d be very interested in knowing what you’re up to… including the dean and the campus police. How do you think your daddy’s going to feel about his precious princess getting expelled?”

For the first time, Hyeri’s smile faltered. “You wouldn’t dare…”

Jake’s smile widened, dangerous and confident. “Try me.” He pressed a button, and suddenly a recording of Hyeri’s earlier taunts and threats played through the speakers of the room. The crowd gasped again, turning their attention back to Hyeri, whose face had gone pale.

(Name) felt a surge of pride and relief. Jake had been prepared. He knew Hyeri would try something and had come armed with his own evidence.

“Now,” Jake continued, his voice carrying across the room, “if you don’t shut this down and apologize, I will make sure everyone, including your father, knows exactly what you’ve been up to. And trust me, I have more than enough proof to back it up.”

Hyeri’s face twisted in anger and fear. She knew she was cornered. With a huff, she waved at the tech guy controlling the screen. “Turn it off,” she snapped, and the screen went dark.

The room was filled with a tense silence. Hyeri glared at Jake, her fists clenched. “This isn’t over,” she spat, before turning on her heel and storming out of the room, her minions trailing after her like lost puppies.

The crowd erupted into murmurs, and (Name) felt the tension in her chest slowly dissipate. Jake turned to her, his expression softening. “You okay?” he asked gently.

(Name) nodded, though her hands were still shaking. “I… I think so. Thank you, Jake.”

Jake smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “You don’t have to thank me. She messed with the wrong person, and I wasn’t going to let her get away with it.”

The room began to fill with quiet applause and cheers, people coming up to (Name) to offer words of support. Jake squeezed her hand, a proud smile on his face. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” he whispered. “I think we’ve had enough drama for one night.”

(Name) nodded, feeling a wave of gratitude and affection for Jake. “Yeah,” she agreed softly, leaning into him as they made their way out of the house and into the cool night air. She knew there would be more challenges ahead, but with Jake by her side, she felt like she could handle anything.

▬▬ι══════════════ι▬▬

The night air was cool and crisp as Jake led (Name) down the quiet path away from the frat house. His arm was still wrapped protectively around her, and every now and then, he’d give her hand a gentle squeeze as if to reassure her that she was safe now.

(Name) leaned into his side, the warmth of his body calming her nerves. Her mind replayed the events of the evening—Hyeri’s cruel scheme, the embarrassment of those photos, and then Jake stepping up to defend her in a way she hadn’t expected. The relief she felt in his presence was overwhelming, but it also made her heart ache with a strange mixture of joy and uncertainty.

Jake was quiet as they walked, his expression softer now but still a little tense. She wondered if he was upset about how things had unfolded or if he was thinking about how she had been dragged into the mess because of him.

They stopped when they reached the small campus park, the dimly lit path framed by large oak trees and benches scattered around. Jake gently guided her toward one of the benches, and they both sat down. The silence between them stretched, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was more like a pause, a moment to gather thoughts before speaking.

“Jake,” (Name) began, her voice quiet but steady. She felt like she needed to say something, to break the tension in the air. “Thank you for what you did back there. I don’t think I’ve ever been so embarrassed in my life, but… you stood up for me.”

Jake turned to her, his eyes softening even more at her words. “You don’t need to thank me, (Name),” he said, his voice gentle. “I wasn’t going to let Hyeri or anyone else hurt you like that. She crossed a line, and I wasn’t going to just stand there and do nothing.”

She smiled weakly, looking down at her hands in her lap. “I guess… I just didn’t expect you to be so—” She paused, searching for the right word. “—so protective. You’ve got so much going on with soccer, the frat, and all those people who want your attention. I guess I thought I was just… another part of your life.”

Jake’s brows furrowed, and he shifted closer to her. “Hey,” he said softly, lifting her chin with his fingers so their eyes met. “You’re not just another part of my life, okay? You’re important to me, (Name). Really important. And I’m sorry if I haven’t made that clear enough.”

Her heart fluttered at his words, but the lingering insecurity from earlier gnawed at her. “It’s just… I know how popular you are, Jake. I see the way people look at you—the way girls look at you. And Hyeri… she’s right in a way. I don’t belong in your world. I’m not like them.”

Jake’s expression softened as he cupped her face with both hands, his thumbs gently brushing her cheeks. “(Name), you don’t have to be like them. I don’t want you to be like them. I like you for who you are—just you. You’re smart, kind, and you keep me grounded in a way no one else can.”

Her eyes began to well up with tears, but she held them back, biting her lip as she listened to his heartfelt words.

“I know I can be a little… clueless sometimes,” Jake continued with a small, self-deprecating smile. “I didn’t see what Hyeri was doing to you, and I’m sorry for that. But I promise, I’m not going to let anyone make you feel like you’re not enough, because to me… you’re more than enough. You’re everything.”

The sincerity in his voice, the way he looked at her as if she was the only person in the world that mattered, made her heart swell. She had always known that Jake was sweet beneath the frat-boy exterior, but hearing him say these words—it was like every insecurity she’d ever had about their relationship was melting away.

A tear slipped down her cheek, and Jake gently wiped it away with his thumb. “Hey, don’t cry,” he whispered, his voice soft and soothing. “I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

She shook her head, a small laugh escaping her. “No, it’s not that,” she said, her voice slightly choked with emotion. “I’m just… happy. I didn’t expect you to say all of that.”

Jake smiled, his own eyes glimmering with affection. He leaned in closer, his forehead resting gently against hers. “You make me want to be better,” he whispered. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. And honestly? I don’t want to feel this way about anyone else.”

Her breath caught in her throat at his confession. The warmth of his words and the closeness of his presence made her feel like everything was falling into place. She couldn’t hold back anymore.

“I love you, Jake,” she whispered, her voice soft but steady.

Jake’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but then his lips curled into the most genuine, heart-melting smile she had ever seen. Without hesitation, he closed the gap between them, pressing his lips to hers in a slow, tender kiss that spoke louder than any words could.

The world around them seemed to disappear, leaving only the two of them, wrapped in the warmth of each other’s affection. The kiss was sweet, soft, and filled with all the feelings they had been holding back for so long.

When they finally pulled away, Jake’s forehead rested against hers again, and he smiled against her lips. “I love you too, (Name),” he murmured, his voice full of warmth and sincerity. “More than you know.”

Her heart felt like it was about to burst with happiness. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close, and he pulled her into his chest, resting his chin on top of her head.

For a long moment, they sat there in the quiet night, holding each other close, their hearts beating in sync. It was peaceful, it was perfect, and it was everything she had ever hoped for.

Without a word, Jake leaned in and kissed her, deep and intense. It wasn’t like their usual soft kisses—this one was filled with all the emotion they had held back. His lips moved with urgency, and she responded just as passionately, her fingers tangling in his hair.

They finally pulled away, breathless but smiling. Jake rested his forehead against hers, his thumb brushing gently across her cheek.

“I don’t care how many people are out there,” he whispered softly, “You’re the only one I see.”

Her heart fluttered at his words, and with a shy smile, she replied, "And you’re the only one that matters."

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