#if i recall i don’t think he ever said a title??

[queenheritageposts]

chat i have a question because it’s been bugging me for years

[arabellasleopardcoat]

Summer (Cregan Stark x Reader)

Summary: As a Princess, you aren’t used to rejection. But Cregan, your husband, has vowed to only ever love one woman, and it isn't you. Right?

A/N: I can finally wrap up my romcom! Big romantic gesture ahead. Check the masterlist of this series here, if you are new. And to my lovely, lovely readers, thank you for staying wityh me during this madness.

Warnings: My anxious introverted reader being anxious (Shocker) Cregan has self-doubts. Mature language.

YOU ARE HAVING a terrible day. It surprises you because that doesn’t happen as often any longer. Today, you would rather not talk to anyone, much less Cregan, whose hovering would only serve to make you more anxious. Today, you want to crawl under the covers with your comfort book and pretend to be dead. 

Yet, you cannot. Because you can’t find the damn book anywhere. You are sure the compilation of histories of Old Valyria Daemon had given you has to be in your rooms.

You have pulled open all your desk’s drawers, checked the bedside table twice, checked the bed, even beneath it. Not even your chest with linens was spared. It’s nowhere. 

With little choices left, you have begun searching the nursery too, but haven’t quite mastered the courage to search Cregan’s solar. You remember taking the book alongside you to read as you kept him company sometimes, but do not recall leaving it there. 

You feel torn. Cregan and you are getting along now, but you still hesitate going to him with your troubles. Not only you had leftover guilt even though you have both chosen to move on from your rivalry, you also prided yourself on being independent. 

Asking him or anyone for help always makes you feel uncomfortable. You didn’t want others to perceive you as weak. 

Stop. You are being silly, you tell yourself. It’s not like you are about to ask him to solve your life, you only will inquire if he has seen your book. 

Still. What if he thinks less of you for being careless with your things? Or if he thinks you are being overly sentimental to get this worked up over a book? 

Worse, what if he thinks you are accusing him of stealing? 

You let out a groan. You are overthinking. Your bad days often include a lot of anxiety, and today it is a bad day. A terrible one, that will be worse if you don’t find your beloved book. Determined, you march to Cregan’s solar and knock on his door. 

“Aye?” He calls out, northern accent on full display, and you can’t help that your knees get a little weak.

“Cregan? May I come in?” Suddenly, your bravery and determination have deserted you. Your voice comes out squeaky as a mouse. By the Fourteen Flames, to love is to be humbled, it seems. 

“You always may, wife.” You wince at being addressed as such. You suppose it’s a good thing he isn’t calling you by your full title any longer. 

Pushing open the door, you step inside. Cregan is seated on his desk, a frown on his face. He is squinting at some maps, in the way he sometimes does. His frown softens when he sees you, standing on the door. 

“I enjoy how my colors look on you.” Cregan rumbles, a pleased smile forming on his face. Today, you are wearing one of the warmest dresses you own, in a pale gray. It’s made of velvet, and you enjoy how it feels over your skin. You had commissioned it after you arrived at Winterfell, using the generous pocket money that Cregan allowed you. 

You had to give it to the man. No matter how annoying you had been at first, he had never been tight-fisted with your allowance. 

“Thank you.” You feel your cheeks heating up, and fight the urge to fan your face. What you don’t manage to fight is the urge to preen under his gaze. 

Cregan chuckles. You narrow your eyes at him. Is he mocking you? He lifts his hands in surrender, attuned as he is to your moods. 

“Apologies. It’s cute, that’s all.” 

“The dress?” 

“You.” And it’s said with such disarming honesty, you do not know what to say. You search his face, yet his expression is so open, so fond, no hint of mockery can be found. It’s…  Cregan must be thinking of her, for sure. That expression doesn’t mean anything. “What were you here for?”

You clear your throat. 

“Um. I was… I lost my book.” 

“What book?” Cregan asks, shifting his maps aside. He is clearing his desk, you realize. “The one about the conquest?” 

“No, not that one.” Your voice turns shyer still. Secretly, it pleases you that he remembers what you had been reading last week. “It has a brown leather cover and the title is in gold.” 

“The one in High Valyrian?” And his tone is casual. Far too casual. You begin to worry that your book might have met its end. You look him in the eyes, but find little there. Cregan has an impeccable blank face. He gives nothing away. “Check the selves. Maybe it is there.” 

You turn around and begin doing so. But the more titles you check, the more nervous you become. Cregan is an organized man, his books are carefully separated by subject. The servants know to keep to his order, when he rarely leaves them lying around. 

Your book would stand out. You know it. A tight knot of anxiety begins to settle on your stomach. As you reach the lower shelves, you feel tears gathering in your lash line. You cannot believe you are about to cry over a book. 

Cregan will never love you. He will go right back into thinking you are some soft southron, with no spine. No one cries over books. He will think you are ridiculous. 

Despite your back being to him, he seems to sense something is wrong.

“Love? Is everything alright?” 

“I cannot find it.” You whine, losing your battle with the tears. “My book. It’s really important that I find it.” 

You hear him get up, and walk closer to you. He hugs you from behind, holding you to him. 

“Shh… I know. I have been unkind to you.” You are confused about his words, but not enough that you reject the comfort of his embrace. Cregan is warm against your back, and smells faintly of parchment and leather. There is something herbal clinging to his skin, too. His smell and his size make you feel safe. He is tall enough that his form covers yours completely.“I took your book.” 

You flinch. Your hackles begin to rise. Your sadness leaves, clouded by absolute wrath.  

“What?” 

“I wanted to gift you something. It’s being copied by the Maester as we speak. I wanted it to be a surprise, I know how much you love it.” He nuzzles your neck, and it pacifies you slightly. The prospect of a gift entices you, especially if it is a copy of your favorite book. Perhaps Cregan will have it nicely bound.  “I regret it now. Knowing how much you love it, I should have known it would upset you.”

“I wanted to read it today.” You complain, still sad. It has been an awful day for you. “I do not feel so well.” 

“Of course, sweetling.” Cregan drops a kiss to your crown. “I’ll have it delivered to you. Would you mind lending it to me tomorrow? You can recall it anytime during the day if you need it, like now.” 

“Alright.” You whisper, softly. Cregan gathers you in his arms again, and moves the two of you to the loveseat. There, he settles you in his lap. He takes of his cloak and drapes it over you. This way, you are fully surrounded by his warmth and smell.

He calls a servant. True to his word, the book is back in your hands in less than half an hour. You spend the rest of the afternoon reading in his lap. 

Suddenly, your bad day doesn’t seem so bad. 

WHEN HE FEELS like an inconsiderate brute, Cregan tries to think happier thoughts. While grief and self-doubt do not chase him as much as they chase you, he is still a widower with a wife who despised him at first. 

Often, gazing upon Rickon or you is enough to help him feel more settled. More at peace with himself. His son is well adapted enough, he reasons, as he sees him run around the courtyard. You do not despise him, he thinks, as you curl by his side. 

Today, neither is working. Rickon and you are together, a picture that normally would serve to pull him out from his brooding. Of course, since Rickon is on the floor wailing, it isn’t quite working. 

Cregan has a headache. The pain is spreading from his jaw, towards his cheekbones, and from there turning into sharp icicles that feel like they are being stabbed in his skull. 

The day has been long. He had ridden out at dawn to deal with some wildings near Wintertown, and then had to answer his correspondence. The dammed Greens would not stop pestering him to switch sides and hand you over, alternating between threats and flattery. 

As if the Starks were some miserable turncloaks who betrayed their oaths. As if Cregan would just hand over his wife to some usurping cunts. 

The nerve of those Hightowers knew no bounds. What was next? Demanding a Sept be built in Wintertown for those false gods of theirs? 

And if that wasn’t enough to make his day terrible, during the afternoon Cregan had received an outraged Sara. Apparently, for some unknown reason, she had received an offer to become Lady Cerwin And for another unknown reason, it was the most terrible fate. Ever. 

Rickon keeps screaming. He has been that way for a while. Cregan had been alone with him, watching him play on the rug with his blocks, when he had started crying and wouldn’t stop. 

Cregan had tried picking him up, rocking him, walking him back and forth, but nothing helped. One of the servants must have heard and alerted you because you had appeared looking disgruntled.

You had been in the middle of your quiet time, as Cregan enjoyed calling it. Awkward Princesses who hated socializing needed time to recover from hearing petitions during the day. He had realized so when he started teaching you to pass judgement. 

As the time for Cregan to march south to defend your mother’s claim became more imminent, he was giving you more and more responsibilities in Winterfell. That way, you would be prepared to hold the North when he left. Prepared to protect his Kingdom and his son. 

“Tower! Tower!” Rickon wails, as you pick him. Your face is as tired a Cregan feels. His head is heavy. He cannot stand Rickon screaming any longer. By the gods, Cregan is a terrible father. He cannot even calm his son when he needs him. After his many attempts to calm him down were unsuccessful, he had just set him down. 

“What’s the matter, sweet boy?” You ask, holding Rickon close to your heart. Rickon continues to cry. You meet Cregan’s eyes over his son’s head. 

Cregan shrugs. He is unsure of what triggered the tantrum. 

“Shh, all is well. I get overwhelmed too, sometimes.” You say, and Cregan gets the feeling you are talking to him and not to Rickon. “But we can’t rebuild your tower if you are getting all wiggly.”  

This is about the building blocks, Cregan realizes. He feels like a terrible father. A failure. 

Bennard’s words come to mind once more. How can you govern the North if you can’t govern yourself? You failed.

Your swordsmanship is poor, and you still are a pup crying for your parents. You cannot rule. 

He had heard a variation of those words for years, every time he had tried to push his claim. And look, Cregan knows he is not a poor swordsman, and he has tried his best to rule. Men don’t cry, but he does it occasionally. Rarely. His tears never dry out, no matter how old he grows, but it is the only thing of Bennard’s words that came true. That isn’t so bad, is it? 

You have settled on the floor, Rickon on your lap. He still cries, but he has stopped shrieking. You have started building a tower on your own. 

“I think I will place my princess here. And a dragon here.” You explain, as if you are building some great castle. Rickon stares, transfixed by you. Cregan understands the feeling all too well. He remembers the weight of you in his lap, the warmth of your skin against him, your smell. He has been unable to get the memory out of his mind in days. 

It would be pleasant, a session of cuddling with his wife, were it not for the circumstances that lead up to it. All Cregan’s fault. 

“A shame you want to keep crying and won’t help. I suppose I shall have to ask your father to play with me.” Your eyes are coy. You give Cregan a glance, and his lips form a smile despite himself. Of course you would try bribery. 

Of course, it works. Rickon picks up the first block, still sniffling. 

“No! Father isn't a Princess. You are!” 

“You are right, Rickon.” You agree, as if it were the most natural thing. “Silly me. He is a wolf. We should build him a Wolfswood.” 

And so, Rickon forgets his tantrum, settled by your gentle touch and encouraging words. And Cregan’s heart soars. 

“MILADY, LORD STARK wishes for your company.” One of the serving girls says, eyes downcasted. You pause in your perusal of the granary, making a quick note on your ledger. As the Lady of Winterfell, it falls to you to ensure the castle has supplies enough for winter, or so Cregan says. You find the Northern’s obsession with the season a bit much, but considering little grows here, you too would feel better knowing you have enough grain if something happens. 

“Right now?” Considering he had been the one to send you on this errand, it confuses you a little. He must have known taking stock of the granary would take you all day. 

“As soon as you can come. It’s not urgent, but he wishes to see you soon.” 

You feel nerves creep up on you. Cregan never summons you. When he wants your company, he simply appears near you or waits for a meal to invite you to spend time with him. 

You can’t help it. War and grief had frayed your nerves. These days, you feel like everything could be a sign of bad news. 

It’s not urgent, you repeat to yourself. It’s not urgent, it’s not urgent, you chant in your head, but your steps towards the inside of Winterfell are hurried. 

The castle is unusually quiet. The maid guides you to one of the unused wings of the castle, one near Cregan’s rooms. You have never asked, but you know these were the rooms his uncle used to inhabit when trying to usurp him. The man had never dared taking the lord’s rooms from Cregan, lingering near instead, a feeling you understand too well. 

Your husband is a formidable man. You wouldn’t want to cross him, either. 

The serving girl hesitates when the two of you reach a big oaken door. 

“What is it?” You ask her, with a frown. “Why do you linger?”

She doesn’t answer. She simply shoots you a shy smile. Annoyed at her shyness, you push the door open yourself. Your breath catches. 

When you step inside, it is as if you are stepping inside your storybook. The walls are covered with tapestries depicting some of the prettier illustrations, priestesses wearing amethysts, dragons of shining ivory, lovers holding hands. 

The room is decorated in understated creams and golds, the furniture made of the finest woods. Despite the themes of the decoration, it is clearly meant to be a Lady’s solar, even if not attached to your rooms. 

There is a soft, woven carpet that cushions your every step. It is made of pure white fur, to combine tastefully with the rest of the decoration. You can already tell it will feel like heaven on your bare feet, even through your boots. It must have cost a fortune. 

Near two, giant windows, a low table sits. It holds a vase very familiar to you, shaped in the form of a dragon. It is filled with winter roses, though you had seen it before in Dragonstone, full of your mother’s favorite flowers. 

There is a fireplace, as it is customary in almost all the rooms in Winterfell. On its mantle, small toys and mementos from your childhood sit. Near the fireplace, a small sitting area awaits, with comfortable looking armchairs and loveseats, and a low table in which a tea set, painted with Valyrian motives, rests. 

There is a desk in a corner, much bigger than yours, and a small bookshelf, that resembles the layout Cregan has in his own solar. It has sparse books, but all of them are in High Valyrian. Your favorite book has a place of honor, right in the middle of the highest shelf. 

Yet, the true star of the room lies on the back of it. There is a huge round table, like the one from your stories, made of sturdy wood, that resembles the one from the war room from Dragonstone. Not only are the Seven Kingdoms featured, but also Essos, Sothoryos, the Summer Islands and even Great Moraq. Cregan is in the middle of lighting the table, struggling with how one is supposed to do it. 

“How..?” You babble, astonished. To assemble this… You understand now why he had needed your book so many times. The time and care put into building this room, so delightfully whimsical yet honoring your culture at the same time… Your eyes prickle with tears. 

“We can send it back.” Cregan says, alarmed by your tears. “If you…” 

“No!” You say, with an energy that surprises you. You take the candles from his hands and begin lighting the table the proper way. “This is… My home. And my book.”

Cregan’s face is uncharacteristically unsure.

"I hoped it would remind you of where you came from. Of whom you are. A Princess of Dragonstone. My Princess.” 

“You did this… for me?” Your hands tremble as you set the table alight. All the known world, on display for you. In a war table. It is only then that it registers.  

Cregan is willing to go to war for you. Kill in your name. Lay the whole world at your feet.  You have to grip the back of one of the chairs as to not fall down, knees weak. 

“I know you are far from home. And I haven’t… We haven’t always been on the best terms, but you never shied away from your duties. I wanted to give you something that was about you.” 

“I never thought you saw me.” You whisper. “I… I owe you an apology. For everything. For insulting you, when I arrived, for speaking of Lady Arra, for… For not seeing you either, at first.” 

You have been blind, you realize, as you look at your book come to life in this room. The man who had given it to you had shown you that one could form a family with a widow and cherish their sons as if they were your own.

Daemon wasn't a kind man, but he was loyal to family. You were far kinder. If he could do it, and be happy, so could you.

“There is no need to apologize to me.” Cregan gathers you in his arms, and presses a kiss to your lips. His own are chapped from the cold, yet the only thing you feel is his warmth. And for two people as different as winter and summer, you find that your bodies do understand each other. 

It takes Cregan but a week to convince you after that. The first letter you write in your new desk begins as it follows: 

“Dear Jacaerys, I want you to know that I am completely, perfectly, incandescently happy…”

[on-leatheredwings]

Remedial Lesson (18+)

Yandere ! Dick Grayson x (AFAB) Reader

> romantic, 18+ > request: non-con for dick grayson? maybe him abusing his power as the titans leader to be a little flirty/touchy with reader before tricking them into letting him inside of their bedroom under false pretenses? > tw/cw: explicit non-con, baby trapping, yandere behaviors, abusive power dynamic > a/n: i just love writing a manipulative dick! And i love writing a manipulative Dick! (ba dum tss) emphasis on non-con in tw's, its not dubcon! > word count: 2545

Stupid, stupid. 

At that thought, the logical, respectable half of your brain admonishes you.

You aren’t stupid. You just were unlucky, you correct softly. You’re plenty capable, and an asset to the team. It could’ve happened to anybody. 

Recently, you’ve been trying to stop your self-deprecation, in an attempt to bolster your self-esteem, solidify your confidence, and quell negative self-talk. 

… Therapist’s orders. 

Being the ever-so-capable superhero you are, today you got blasted by some hypnotizing ray. And then promptly went on a murderous rampage on your teammates. 

You don’t recall anything that happened, only waking up from what felt like a deep sleep to the outstretched hand of Nightwing. Koriand’r told you on the way back to the Tower that you almost killed him – making you stiffen in horror. You almost killed him, and apparently the only thing he had been worried about was you. At the thought, you feel heat swarm in your cheeks.

Despite not having any powers, Nightwing is plenty formidable. You were in complete awe of him today; the way he moves is so effortless, and he’s not even a metahuman. 

You clench your fist with determination. You aren’t a metahuman either, but you pale in comparison to him. You want to be just as formidable as he is. Be just as deserving of the title “Titan.”

On the subject of Nightwing, your mind wanders… He had been quite… hands-on with you today. Shaking you by the shoulders, hand on your cheeks lightly slapping you awake. Encouraging you back to your feet, hand brushing your waist. When the battle was over, you nearly collapsed to your knees, spent. But he caught you, appearing from out of nowhere. 

“Easy,” he had said into your ear, which made you shiver. 

You sigh. 

Okay. So maybe you had a crush. It wasn’t like you were going to do anything about it. He’s your boss – the Titans’ illustrious captain. He was simply helping you along, watching out for a teammate. Mentoring a new hero. After all, you are the Titans’ newest recruit, a post that months later still feels unreal. 

You walk amongst them through the doors of the Tower, conversation and chatter flowing around you. You don’t join in, still ashamed from today’s blunder. How many of them had you tried to hurt? The team has just finished a mission, and it seems a pizza party is in order for tonight. You smile gingerly as Garfield announces vibrantly that you’re invited. (A no-brainer to anyone else since you literally live here, but to you, it means a lot.)

Your secret identity known to the team, you dismiss yourself to change out of your suit and into your civvies. “Hurry back soon,” they say, and the sentiment warms you. You indeed jog to your bedroom, eager to return to the festivities. You’re one of them. You’re really one of them.

You slip into your room, tossing the door back without a second glance. Your fingers pull on the bottom of your shirt. You’re about to peel off your suit, when you hear a shallow thud. That was not the sound your door makes once it's been closed. 

You whip around, and see–

“Nightwing?”

Your leader stands in the doorway, foot acting as an impromptu door stopper. You take him in. His hair cascades in gentle dark waves, curling by the ears. If you didn’t know better, you’d think his suit was painted on. Despite being lightly armored and fortified, it stretches across his body like plastic wrap. You could trace every muscle under his skin– okay, relax. Christ. 

Hey, you think back, mentally wagging a finger. No thought policing.

At the sound of your name being called, you realize you’ve been gawking like an idiot while he stands in your doorframe. You straighten.

“Oh! Y-yes!?”

“Can I come in?” he asks. You nod so fervently that your head is a blur of color.

Nightwing does so, the slightest amicable smile on his lips. Around friends and allies, it seems to be a default expression of his. Still, you’ve spent enough time around him to note that he looks quite… serious. Concerned.

“... Is there anything I can do for you?” you ask, eager to rectify whatever was upsetting him. You so want to impress him. Badly. 

He holds up his hands, as if saying, At ease. “All you can do for me is let me know that you’re alright.”  

You offer a pitiable smile, warmth swirling in your chest. “I am. Thanks for asking– and I’m so, so sorry about today–” 

Nightwing waves you off, approaching you. He places a hand on your shoulder in consolation. “Hey, it could’ve–”

“--Happened to anyone,” you finish, nodding. You look down.

“... Although I admit…” 

Your head snaps to attention. “Yes?”

Nightwing then sighs. His gaze falls to the floor. He tuts and shakes his head as if troubled. You swallow drily. So focused on him, you don’t even notice the circles his thumb kneads into your shoulder.

“Your performance today.” Your throat clenches. Nightwing’s gaze returns to you, hard and critical behind his mask. “Well, frankly, it left much to be desired.”

Your heart plummets, hitting the pit of your stomach. You’re mortified. You haven’t been meeting his standards? Did everyone else think that? Were their hopes misplaced? You feel the thrum of anxiety jitter underneath your skin as you bow your head. Your gaze now captures the two feet keeping you upright.

There’s a stroke to your cheek, to which you flinch. 

“Hey.” Your head whips up. You look up at him, into white lenses that have the ghost of his eyes behind them. “It’s okay. I’m here to help.” 

His face is gentle and consoling. You exhale. He’s just being honest, you think. He’s just being honest. Nothing wrong with some constructive criticism. You let him sit you down on the edge of your bed.

“H-how can I improve?” you ask, voice croaking. “I know I fucked up today. I should’ve seen it coming. I’m so, so sorry if I hurt you or anybody else–”

“Hey,” he says again, soft and delicately. “Listen, it’s alright. I’m going to teach you some things. How to resist better.” 

You nod, slowly, anticipating some verbal advice. 

You watch him with anticipation, giving him your full attention– and then, he kneels before you. You instinctively feel alarm at the increased proximity, before you swat it down. His head is level with your lower abdomen, uncomfortably close to your lap. You don’t have to make it weird, you scoff at yourself.

“... Y-yes?” you say. 

“I’m going to take off your pants.”

You stare. 

Did you hear him right? Was he… joking? 

Clearly not. His hands land on your thighs, effectively drawing a sharp inhale from you. You both lock eyes. His face still holds the same vaguely amicable grin, but it’s now a leer. Your heart quickens. You don’t feel right. 

“... Nightwing?” you ask, feeling suddenly quite small. You don’t know what’s happening. What’s going on?

“You need to be able to withstand a lot more than you currently can,” he continues, talking as casually as if you’re speaking about the weather. You are shell shocked, frozen into submission at the touch of his hands pulling your pants off. His nails scrape along your skin when he has to use more force to jerk it free from under your ass, to which you still don’t react. 

What’s going on? your mind cycles on loop.

It’s when he pulls down your underwear you finally jolt, clumsily kicking at him. Which he catches of course. What a poor move, because your kick only enables him to spread your legs at his leisure. Heat rages to your cheeks. Though not entirely off, your panties do a pitiful job of concealing the tangle of hair nestled between your thighs. The mortification racing through your bloodstream makes you croak. It makes you keep throwing kicks and swats and punches until Nightwing is forced to sandwich your body against your bed. He pins your hands down to the bed, and you know by now it’s a lost cause.

“Help–” you begin, but Nightwing adeptly slips your wrists into one hand, and uses the other to silence you. He smiles bashfully, as if he hadn’t just stripped you without consent or fanfare.

“This is all for you–” At the furrow of your brow, he says, indignantly, “I’m serious! How easy was it for that guy to hypnotize you today?” The question throws a knife into your heart. “Or when last week you were apprehended? Or the week before that?” Each instance makes the burning building in your eyes more and more unbearable. He isn't wrong. Your tears build. He’s not wrong.

Nightwing slowly removes his hand off your mouth, anticipating another yell. You squirm, but don’t make a sound aside from shuddering breaths. 

His grin loses all its flirty qualities. It widens, self-satisfied and predatory. With his teeth he peels off his free hand’s glove, slides it down your torso to the apex between your thighs.

“No,” you whimper, to which he hushes you, lips by the shell of your ear for the second time today. His fingers explore without warning, tracing your labia and brushing against your clit. You gasp, but you don’t scream.

Nightwing tuts, shaking his head. “You’re already wet, I see.”

You tremble, filled with humiliation. “No, I’m not.” One digit delves deeper, experimentally. You grit your teeth.

“You want this,” he says, and you fill with dread at the condescension of his tone. Like this was expected. Like you had so much to learn.

“No, I don’t.”

“But you do. You’re telling me you do.” His fingers – the pair that when gloved, there would’ve been two cobalt blue stripes – scissor inside you, and your breath hitches. “Your body’s telling me you do.”

“I-it’s a biological response.” At the feeling of his fingers swimming inside you, you whimper. This is insane. It can’t be happening. Yet you jerk and twitch with each of his motions. “P-please, I would… Please stop, now…” He doesn’t, pumping his sinful fingers into you. Teases you by dragging them out. 

You throw your head back, biting your lip. He’s panting into your ear – you’d think you were doing something to him, the way he sounds. Your overhead light beams into your gaze, dizzying. It burns, so you close your eyes, hoping this is some humiliating dream. This can’t be real. This can’t be real.

“So you say– Hey.” He nips at your ear and you stir. “Look at me. Look at me.” You do so, and find him staring up at you. His mask is not enough of a barrier. Even if you can’t see them, you know his eyes are scraping over you, peeling your skin back, seeing you whole. Your embarrassment, your weakness, your shame.

“Please stop,” you whisper, eyes stinging. Your thighs tremble, to which he places his free hand on them to steady them. This is wrong. He shouldn’t be doing this. You’re teammates. He’s your captain. 

Nightwing sighs, looking disappointed. Oh no, your mind spirals. He’s disappointed in you. Despite you being desperately uncomfortable– violated– he’s at fault– he’s the one doing something wrong– 

Despite your logical brain asserting itself, you are flooded with a tidal wave of anxiety.

“That’s not good, you know,” he says, and he looks mournful. “Whining is just what they want to hear.” His fingers disappear from your body, and their absence leaves you in shock. Wanting.

Wanting? Do I want this? you think.

Nightwing is reaching behind his neck, tugging and pulling. Before you know it, he’s bare-chested. You don’t marvel at his body, like you would have just an hour before.

“Bad guys aren’t going to listen to you just because you beg.” A tear slips down your face. You swipe at it, but not quick enough for him to miss it. “And they won’t care if you cry… Maybe you don’t need to learn how to resist. You’re not cut out for it, I think,” he tsks. “Maybe, you need to learn how to endure.”

You feel something blunt and wet prod at your entrance, and that’s when the last remains of your primal fight-or-flight instincts kick in. You start to squirm, back arching off the bed. “Please, please, please– no– stop– I don’t want this–” His hand clamps down on your mouth once more, and hard. You push him with all your might, but it’s not enough. You aren’t strong enough.

“Just the tip,” he whispers in the shell of your ear. Just the tip. You can handle at least that. Just the tip.

He repeats it for himself, not you. This you realize as he enters anyway, despite your teary complaints. It is not just the tip; he bottoms out. “You can handle this. I know you can.” 

You’re so confused. You’re so, so confused. You merely clench your eyes shut, nodding at his encouragement. You don’t know what else to do. 

“I know, I know,” he comforts. “Don’t worry, you’re taking it really well. You take it perfect.” You cling onto his words of reassurance, no matter how twisted it feels. It’s the only anchor you’ve got. Each thrust makes you see stars behind your eyelids, bed rocking. The ding of your bed frame hitting the wall is enough to make you finally quiet. The last thing you want is for the others to hear. To walk in and see you utterly helpless. Powerless. Incapable. 

You swallow your sobs, but let the tears stream freely.

“It’d be better if I just got you pregnant right now.”

You feel a cold knife of fear pierce your chest. He can’t. He can’t. You wouldn’t be able to be a hero anymore. 

“You’d be better suited for it,” he hums. You can tell he’s near, his hips snapping more frenetically, his words cut off with his own moans. You’re ashamed to admit moans of your own may have slipped out. You don’t even bother resisting at this point, hoping that if not your strength, then your body can satisfy him. Hoping at least that your body will meet his standards.

“Fuck,” you hear, and not a moment later you feel him shoot ropes of cum into your cunt. You can feel both his cock that throbs with each spray and the warmth spreading into you. You don’t know why you’re shocked at the sensation – it wasn’t as if he seemed keen on using a condom. Nightwing’s hands release you, having gripped you so hard you’re sure you’ve bruised.

He dots sweet kisses along your neck, your collarbone, your cheek. It should be all very sweet, but you can't ignore the poison of the circumstance. “You did so good, you did perfect,” are amongst the accolades he whispers into your clammy skin. You nod weakly, letting him kiss your tears away.

Nightwing dives in for a kiss, desperate to take even more than you’ve already given him. You return it, heart palpitating. You bat away the negative thoughts that threaten to swarm your mind whole. No more negative self-talk, after all. No self-deprecation. It’s okay. You took it well. You endured, like he said.

You did perfect.

[hoonieyun]

why... ✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡ ˚

your college years that were filled being known as "heeseung's girlfriend" are all brought back to you when you and your ex reunite at a popular youtube show

lee heeseung x reader

genre: angst, heartbreak, exes reunited, chaebol!heeseung, brothers bsf!heeseung

warnings: profanity, recalling trauma from a relationship, miscommunication, 18+

masterlist - wc: 4583

as you sit on the stiff couch inside of the dressing room, you think about how you were going to react after seeing your ex for the first time in 2 years. would you feel angry? maybe. what about sadness? probably, you were a crier after all. happy? highly unlikely. 

you didn’t even know you felt in this specific moment and it brought you back to one of the last conversations you and heeseung had before you had finally decided to fully go no contact with him. 

it was a few days after you had told him you wanted to break up, a 3 hour conversation that ended with you crying and leaving heeseung’s apartment while he fought with his inner demons on whether or not he should run after you. 

to which he didn’t but you soon found yourself back at his apartment the next day to get whatever you had left behind. 

the interaction was awkward, neither of you wanted to speak but yet you both had so much to say. it was like walking over eggshells in an empty room, every sound the two of you made echoed and amplified the tension between you two. 

“do you really want this?” heeseung whispered, hanging onto the last bit of hope he had that you didn’t want to break up even though he knew there was no use in trying. 

‘i– i don’t know what i want hee..” you murmured, choosing to keep your gaze on his front door because you were afraid that the tears building up at your waterline would fall if you looked into his eyes. those eyes that held so much hope and love for you, but all you could see inside them was the reflection of an unrecognizable girl. you were losing yourself and you didn’t know what to do aside from isolate yourself. so that’s what you did. 

“tell me how you feel? please.. anything– i’ll do anything to fix this–” 

“i don’t even know how i feel! ok, hee? i don’t know! i’m– 

i’m so lost and i just can’t keep doing this..” you finally decide to look at heeseung and to your surprise, he has tears of his own streaking down his pale skin. it was a lie. 

you knew how you felt but you couldn’t bring yourself to verbalize it to him. how could you possibly explain to your boyfriend that although he loved you dearly and would do anything for you, all you felt was the insecurity of being the one he called the love of his life. 

your brother was right when you said that being heeseung’s girlfriend was going to be hard, he didn’t mean anything by it aside from the fact that the life heeseung lived was under constant observation and that anyone he associated with would also be put under that spotlight. 

but you didn’t care, because you loved heeseung and heeseung loved you. 

that was until you felt like you were being torn apart by the judgemental stares and snide remarks by strangers who would look at the both of you whenever you’d be out walking hand in hand. or the comments people would leave online about “the unknown girl” that heeseung was with. 

they hadn’t even bothered to learn your name, they just called you “unknown” and after being referred to by so many people for so long; that’s how you began to see yourself. 

unknown. 

forgetting about who you really were and if it wasn’t the unknown girl then it was just “heeseung’s girlfriend”. sure that title was nice to have and you loved being his girlfriend, but it was starting to mess with your head. the insecurity building inside of you that the only thing you’d ever be known for was being heeseung’s girlfriend. nothing else. 

not the girl who graduated top of her class in university. 

not the girl who worked tirelessly doing research in stem cell regeneration since the age of 16. 

“yn– come with me, we’re about to start filming.” the kind PA poked her head into the waiting room and motioned for you to follow her. you weren’t even nervous, but your hands were a bit sweaty so you patted them dry on your jeans as you stood up from the couch and followed the girl. 

what would heeseung be like after two years? would he be just as kind and understanding? or would he harbor a form of resentment towards you? 

either way, you weren’t necessarily ecstatic to see him again. 

you ended your relationship without a sufficient explanation so you wouldn’t blame heeseung if he held a grudge against you. you just hoped that this interview would open the floor for a long awaited discussion and possibly some resolve. 

once you arrive to the set, the PA tells you to wait a moment and you could hear heeseung introducing himself from the other side of the wall, once heeseung was done she instructs you to walk onto the set and stop on the small X on the ground in front of the camera and to introduce yourself, then to take a seat in the empty stool. 

easy enough, you thought to yourself but as you’re doing just that, the sight of heeseung has you at a loss for words, accidentally halting just as you round the corner and he comes into view. he was as handsome as ever, maybe even more. 

his boyish looks from university had transformed into mature and charming features, but his smile was the same. a smile, that’s good right? he’s smiling at you when you arrive which means that he was being cordial at the slightest. 

“maam, please come forward.” the producer instructs from being the camera and you’re shaken out of your thoughts, rushing forward to the spot you were originally supposed to stop at, apologizing to him for the inconvenience. 

you quickly introduce yourself similar to how heeseung did just a few minutes ago and when you take the seat across from heeseung, he’s still smiling at you. “you look beautiful by the way.” he whispers, slightly leaning in as if he was too shy to say it outloud. you gave him a tight lipped smile in return just before the producer asked the first question. 

how long did you guys date?

you both looked up at the same time, eyes locking in the moment as the words slipped out of both of your lips simultaneously, “three years” and heeseung was chuckling at the sound of your voices blending in with each other. you roll your eyes at his laughter but deep down you loved to hear it. 

it all started when your brother introduced the two of you, they were a part of the same hockey team at your university and although he told you that heeseung lived a completely different life from your own, it didn’t stop you from falling in love with the sweet boy who sent you loving glances and careful advances whenever your brother wasn’t around. 

you soon learned heeseung came from a well off family, well off being a generous term as he was set for life with the amount of money his family made. you on the other hand, have had to work for everything you had in life and you didn’t care that you had to. you were raised on grit and determination and when you set your eye on something, you would try your hardest to get it. 

and so did heeseung. even though you had fallen for him very quickly, the stark difference in your lives was just too vast that you couldn’t bring yourself to say yes whenever heeseung would ask you. 

his endless advances however, weren’t in vain as you inevitably agreed to one date, which turned to a second date, and then a third, and eventually you were heeseung’s girlfriend. 

and that’s all you would be for the next three years. 

what was your first date?

the question catches you off guard, not because of its outlandish manner– but because you had totally forgotten about that date. it was one of the happiest days of your life because after rejecting heeseung for so long, you were so happy to have finally said yes because everything about the date was perfect. the only thing that made you forget about it was your determination to rid your mind of everything heeseung. 

something you simply couldn’t do. 

“she kept rejecting me… but it wasn’t going to stop me from trying even harder to get her to go on a date with me– not on some weirdo shit though. i promise i know how to take no as an answer” heeseung says, chuckling at the end as he clarifies that he wasn’t being overbearing with his attempts. 

“definitely not, he was always sweet; it was me that was saying no because i wanted to play hard to get.” you clarified– heeseung nodding eagerly with a smile as you backed up his words. 

“when she finally said yes, i took her to an arcade– which is a bit unusual for a first date, but she said that she had never been to one because most of her life was focused on studies so she never had the chance to play video games and stuff.

so i thought it would be nice to take her to an arcade to show her some of my favorite games i played– she wasn’t very good at the games but it was really nice to see her smile and laugh. then after that we sat on the field near han river and had ramyeon for dinner.” heeseung says, laughing at the end as he recalled one of the happiest moments in his life because he was able to make you smile so brightly. 

whenever you were happy, so was heeseung. 

who said i love you first?

“me.” heeseung chirps, slightly bouncing in his seat with a smile; like he was so excited to tell everyone about it. “i wanted it to be some romantic thing, where i say i love you for the first time– but it was more of an in-the-moment type thing.. 

i was going to plan a really nice and fancy date, an expensive dinner with a wine that we couldn’t pronounce and then i was going to take her to stargaze because that’s one of her favorite things to do– but one night, we were just in bed, doing our own thing. 

i remember it so vividly because again, yn had the biggest smile on her face when i said it. we were just scrolling on our phones and i was staring at her for the longest–  just admiring her and being so happy to have her in my life. 

when yn noticed that i was staring at her, she just looked up at me with a weird expression and i just couldn’t help myself and i just had to tell her i loved her then and there.” heeseung shared another happy moment that was filled with joy and love between the two of you; the joy doubled in amount as the two of you relished in the tender moment. 

you remember being caught off guard with heeseung’s comment.. like you couldn’t believe his words even though he’s never done anything to lead you on or make you believe his words weren’t genuine. 

if heeseung was one thing, it was genuine. 

with you. 

100% of the time.

what do you think was the cause of your breakup?

this question catches you off guard again, you weren’t expecting it after all of the heartfelt questions prior– it came as a shock to hear it because you were just thinking about happy moments just a few minutes ago. 

you glance at the floor as you think about answering, unsure if heeseung was going to speak up first like he has been doing for the last few questions, but all he does is clear his throat and sit in his seat– like he was waiting for you to answer. and so you did. 

“um– i think it was me.. there were a lot of things that contributed to it, i think– but in the end i ultimately made the decision to bring up the idea of breaking up and although neither of us wanted to… 

i think it was what was best for me..” you explained, not wanting to go into detail of that night. 

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡ ˚

“i think we should breakup..” you blurted out as you and heeseung sat in silence. heeseung’s eyes set on yours as those words leave your lips. a dreaded sentence that heeseung never thought would leave either of your mouths. 

heeseung loved you so much, he did everything he could to show you his love, but after you uttered those words– it made him rethink everything. had he not been a good boyfriend? did he make you feel unloved? was he not enough? 

the only thing heeseung could respond with was a stutter. he couldn’t believe the words he had just heard come out of your lips. those lips that he loved so much. soft and pillowy, it always made him weak in the knees whenever he felt your lips on his. 

but right now the weakness in his legs were because he felt like he was about to faint– a ringing in his ears that was drowning everything out. he watched you as you explained how you felt, bearing your emotions to him but he couldn’t hear a thing. he was blinking endlessly and his vision was beginning to blur the longer he stared at you. 

“hee? are you ok?” you asked, snapping him out of his daze. 

“why? did i do something? i’m sorry– i’ll fix it, please. let me fix it, anything. i’ll do anything, yn don’t leave me.. please.” it all comes out as one run on sentence as heeseung shuffles to your side, arms latching onto your waist as he pleads for you to change your mind. 

it breaks your heart to see him like that, the boy who was always so happy to be around you now held so much heartache in his eyes. you knew that you were breaking his heart by doing this, but yours was already shattered having to do it. 

“hee– please..” you began, slightly pulling away but heeseung wasn’t letting up, arms still firmly wrapping around you. 

“heeseung.. i don’t.. this isn’t going to work out.” you whispered and heeseung looked at you with his big doe eyes, the lights of his apartment reflecting in them but all you could see was the lack of joy. 

heeseung asks– begs– you to elaborate. hoping that within your explanation he could find a solution. 

your brother was right, heeseung did live an extremely different life from your own, and you thought you could handle it but it all came down on you a lot harder than you expected. at first, it was just the glances from strangers, something you could easily brush off but then it progressed into something that followed you everywhere. like it was haunting you. 

people had begun to refer to you solely as “heeseung’s girlfriend” and although heeseung did his best to introduce you as your own person or have you introduce yourself, it just didn’t have the same ring as “heeseung’s girlfriend”. 

heeseung’s parents were also never fond of you. they wanted him to marry a woman in his tax bracket, a girl who’s family was as powerful as his and not a girl who had to rely on scholarships and intelligence to get far in life. 

like it was looked down upon that you’ve had to work hard your whole life and not something to admire about a person. 

because of who heeseung was as a person, however not to his own accord but simply because of the circumstances he was born in, it became hard to be someone that stood by him. not because you couldn’t stand beside heeseung, no, you’d stand by him and everything he did and believed in if it was the last thing you could do.. 

but standing beside him physically made you feel small. 

like you’d never live up to any of the expectations the world had for you even if all that should’ve mattered was heeseung’s and he did everything he could to reassure you that he didn’t care what his parents thought, or what the rich socialites at the gala’s he’d take you would think, or what the tabloids would say about his “unknown girlfriend”. 

he loved you no matter what and you wished so damn hard that his words were enough to silence all of the voices inside of your head. 

but they weren’t. 

“my love, you know that those people’s words don’t mean anything. i love you for who you are, i don’t care about any of those materialistic things, you’re the only person who’s ever made me feel like i wasn’t just a person attached to my last name.. 

and i love you regardless of anything anyone says about you, all i care about is you.” heeseung utters, hands gently cupping your face as he begs for you to throw all your doubts away and to just listen to him and feel the love he has for you– hoping that it was enough. 

but it wasn’t. 

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡ ˚

what is something you want to say to them that you didn’t get the chance to?

the two of you had previously needed to take a break, a wave of emotions washing over the two of you because of the previous question– both of you seemingly recalling the night of your breakup, a quiet sob leaving your lips as you try your best to collect yourself while heeseung fights off the same tears from cascading down his face. 

you’d think with two people that felt so strongly and lovingly about the other would stay together, especially with the way you both were reacting to it right now, but there were just too many insecurities in your way to let heeseung hold you close and tell you that it was going to be okay–

no matter how hard he tried. 

“i think with everything that was going on the night that we broke up, i was just crying so much i don’t think i was fully able to share how i felt and it wasn’t fair to you that i simply left it at ‘we need to break up’ without going further on why.. 

our friends, my brother specifically, would tell me how much of a wreck you were after we broke up and it broke my heart even more knowing that i left you with so much to think about and neither of us ever got closure from it. so i’m really sorry that i wasn’t able to communicate better but it was just so hard because i didn’t want you to feel like it was your fault– which it never was, it’s never been your fault– but i think i ended up making you feel that way regardless. 

so i just want to say i’m sorry heeseung. i’m sorry i left you with that burden and made it seem like you weren’t doing enough to console me and to dispel my concerns because you truly were, you were so patient with me and showed me all the love you had inside of you but i just couldn’t shake this feeling like.. 

like i wasn’t enough for you or that i didn’t deserve to be loved by you. it’s not your fault and i just let all of those comments and judgemental glares get the better of me and it flooded my mind with insecurities that i just.. i just ended up drowning in it.” 

thinking about it now, you weren’t sure why it was so hard to tell him this a few years ago but it was all coming out so naturally now; maybe it was because some time has passed and you’ve been able to  heal from some of it. definitely not all of it, but some. 

heeseung looked at you with tears in his eyes, a sense of sympathy welling in chest as he thought about what you must’ve had to go through. heeseung knew you felt a certain way about how people perceived you because of the status he and his family had and he tried his best to show you that you were the only thing that mattered but sometimes insecurities and the harsh words of our own minds were our biggest enemies. 

you had your own battles to deal with and so did heeseung. 

“i wish i could’ve done more to help you– you did, heeseung. you did so much but it was.. it was me, not you..” you interrupt him when he begins to blame himself again, something that you wished he wouldn’t do. 

“i know it sounds cliche to say it but it wasn’t you, it was me.” you whispered. 

“well.. thank you for telling me how you feel and i’m still sorry that you had to go through that at my expense. i know you want to say that it was you and not me but i can’t help but feel responsible for that. it was rooted in something that was connected to me and at the end of the day, it’s something that i have to bear and i wish we could’ve gone through it together.. 

maybe if i tried even more, showed people how much i loved you even louder, fought and pushed back against those who made comments about you instead of consoling you in private. i should’ve done more to show the world that you are what mattered to me most instead of whispering it into your ears as we laid silently in my bed.

i’m sorry that i couldn’t do more for us..” 

heeseung’s words came out more as a revelation than a confession. like he was, in that moment, realizing what wrongs he should’ve corrected. he wished he could’ve loved you and rubbed it in everyone's face. like he was the proudest man on earth to have you by his side as his girl instead of leaving it to silent whispers in private. 

do you regret breaking up?

the question hung heavily in the room. neither of you didn’t know how to answer it because as much as the both of you would like to say you do regret it, time has passed since then and the both of you have changed and don’t know how your lives would be if you chose to stay together. 

would you have continued to harbor these insecurities and have it build up inside of you? inevitably spilling and bursting out of you, resulting in a messier break up that could’ve been more heartbreaking than the one you had? 

or would you have learned to overcome those insecurities with the help of heeseung who only loved you more and more as the days went by. 

neither of you were sure. 

“i do.. i regret it because i should’ve fought harder for her.. it might sound dramatic but it’s my biggest regret to this day.” heeseung said, a sense of certainty in his words that you’ve only seen whenever heeseung would tell you how much he loved you. 

“i don’t know.. i wish i could say i had a definite answer– but i don’t. clearly i still have a lot of insecurities to get through and break out of, but i do know that i don’t regret loving heeseung. that’s for sure.” 

if you could, would you get back together?

“yes” heeseung blurts out, like he was in a competition and had to answer as fast as he could. he didn’t care if he came off as desperate or pitiful, he wanted to show everyone, including you, that he still loved you and would take you back in a heartbeat. 

“100%, yes.” heeseung adds, looking at you with a longing gaze– waiting for your answer, in hopes that you’d have the same answer. 

“i wouldn’t be opposed to it.” you responded, a smile creeping up on heeseung’s lips as you answered. 

it made him so happy and he’ll take any chance he gets to get you back. 

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡ ˚

“can we try again?” heeseung asks. 

heeseung had asked you if you wanted to grab dinner after filming, it was pretty late when the two of you finished recording your episode because you had to constantly take breaks in between the questions because one of you would cry too much. 

that was something you admired about heeseung, he was so in touch with his emotions and wasn’t afraid to cry. 

heeseung had your hands in his, thumbs rubbing your knuckles softly as he waited for your answer, hoping that it would be “yes.” 

“yeah.” you smile and nod– and that single word was able to invoke a type of happiness inside of heeseung that he hasn’t felt in a long time. a type of happiness that he only felt with you. 

heeseung is instantly wrapping you in his arms, swaying the both of you side to side, paying no mind to the glares that the two of you were getting from all of the people in the restaurant you were having dinner in. 

and for the next two months, you and heeseung become one again. your heart mending itself as you two would spend time together, healing from the heartbreak of two years ago. heeseung would tell you he loved you everyday and kept his promise about loving you outwardly and unapologetically. 

everything was going well, until it wasn't. 

getting back together didn’t last long as you soon both realized that although you were back together, it didn’t have the same type of spark you two had in the past. like how even though your hearts were no longer shattered and were whole again, it didn’t shine in the light like it used to. 

like it was tainted and neither of you could figure out how to get back to the way you both felt as college students. 

maybe it was just a type of love that you grow out of. 

you and heeseung still loved each other but this time around, things were just too different that you couldn’t help but delve in the past, your history eventually catching up to the both of you even though you were both trying so hard to keep it together. 

“so.. this is it, huh?” heeseung asks, biting down on his lip as he awkwardly stands in front of you, your hands in his once again. 

“i think so..” you sniffled, trying your best to smile when there wasn’t anything to smile about. 

“i’ll always love you, even if we didn’t work out.” you said, pulling him into a hug, your face softly pressed against his chest as heeseung wraps his arms around you. rubbing your back gently and wishing that he never had to let go. your bodies molded together so perfectly, he couldn’t believe that you weren’t perfect together. 

“i’ll never stop loving you, yn. you will always have a place in my heart.” he mutters, placing a gentle kiss onto your forehead. a last kiss that your skin would soon forget as time passed but your heart would forever fond over. 

copyright 2025 - present © hoonieyun all rights reserved all writing here is fiction & not in any association with characters mentioned. if you enjoyed reading this please consider reblogging and following <3

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[gyorouis]

𐙚 HOPELESSLY YOURS - CYJ

— you don't want to be his girlfriend? well he theorizes you are just in denial.

genre: fluff, crack, strangers to lovers trope ꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱

pairing: persistent suitor!yeonjun x afab!reader

warning: kiss (?), lots of swearing, kms jokes, if i forgot anything pls let me know !!

word count: 8.1k (lol)

now playing: eraserheads — ligaya ୨ৎ

the hall buzzed with chatter and laughter as the alumni homecoming party got into full swing. yeonjun walked in, greeted by the familiar sights and sounds of old friends and acquaintances. he quickly spotted his group in the corner, huddled around a table far from the dance floor and the bar, where most people were gathered.

“yeonjun! over here!” soobin waved, standing up to give his friend a quick hug.

beomgyu was already slouched in his chair, scrolling through his phone with a look of pure boredom. hueningkai and taehyun were quietly chatting, occasionally glancing around the room as if to make sure no one was watching them too closely.

“finally, you’re here,” taehyun said with a smirk. “thought you were gonna ditch us for some popular crowd.”

yeonjun grinned, pulling out a chair to join them. “as if i’d leave you guys to fend for yourselves.”

“parties, man. never really amuses me,” beomgyu muttered, not even bothering to look up from his phone.

taehyun chuckled, “funny coming from the guy who never missed a single one in college.”

the group laughed, the sound carrying memories of their younger days. there was a comfortable silence that followed as they all seemed to drift back to the past.

“remember how beomgyu used to pick fights with anyone who looked at him funny?” soobin said, a teasing smile on his face.

“or when yeonjun and taehyun nearly killed each other over the mvp title during high school?” hueningkai added, his eyes sparkling with the memory.

“don’t forget hueningkai’s epic rants about being stood up during highschool,” taehyun said, nudging kai with his elbow.

“hey, that was a dark time for me!” hueningkai pouted, making everyone laugh.

“and soobin... staying up late, obsessing over keeping his room spotless before we came over for sleepovers,” yeonjun added, grinning at the tall guy.

“hey, someone had to make sure you guys didn’t destroy the place,” soobin replied, chuckling.

they exchanged looks, the kind that only old friends could share, and smiled at each other, a genuine warmth settling over them. it was soobin who broke the silence.

“remember the time when yeonjun was courting y/n?” he asked, eyes twinkling with mischief.

yeonjun immediately groaned, covering his face with his hand. “why do you have to bring that up?”

hueningkai jumped in, “oh, and the way he cried when y/n rejected him the first time? classic.”

they all chuckled at the memory, and yeonjun couldn’t help but smile, even if it was at his own expense. how could he forget about it? afterall, you are the first girl who ever made him question himself.

“no, i don’t want to be your girlfriend.” your voice was steady, almost monotone, and it hit yeonjun like a lightning bolt. rejection? from you?

yeonjun wasn’t used to this. in high school, girls practically lined up to say yes to him, like their lives depended on it. but you… you were different. you didn’t even know who he was until college orientation, when you were both sophomores. the first time he saw you, assisting students with your hair in a messy ponytail, yeonjun was completely captivated.

since that day, he made it his mission to find out everything about you, even going so far as to befriend professors to make sure he took the same minors as you.

“dude, i think she likes me,” yeonjun announced one evening, smirking as the five of them sat in a pc cafe. beomgyu gave him a skeptical look.

“the fuck you talking about?” beomgyu muttered, not bothering to look away from his game.

“i mean, she looks at me,” yeonjun said, giggling as he recalled the time you watched him during an extemporaneous speech competition.

“she’s got eyes, dude,” soobin replied without missing a beat.

“wasn’t that when you were giving a speech?” taehyun added, earning a groan from yeonjun.

“and she clapped,” yeonjun argued, trying to ignore the fact that it was just polite to clap after a performance.

“everybody claps, dude,” hueningkai finished, making yeonjun tsk in frustration before turning his attention back to the game.

it had been like this for a good couple of months—yeonjun’s subtle attempts to catch your attention, his not-so-subtle theories about your feelings for him, and your complete obliviousness to it all. he was persistent, though, and eventually, he decided it was time to take the first real move.

one day, during a small thesis preparation session, you were flipping through pages of research, trying to figure out a topic that wouldn’t bore you to death. the professor had assigned everyone a two-person thesis project, and the thought of finding a partner had been weighing on your mind. you were about to ask one of your friends when yeonjun suddenly appeared beside you, his voice confident and almost commanding.

“hey, you’re my partner for the thesis,” he declared, not even bothering to ask if you agreed.

you blinked, staring at him in confusion. “uh… excuse me?”

“you heard me,” he said with a grin, and before you could protest or even process what was happening, he was already halfway out the door. “see you tomorrow for our first meeting!”

you sat there, dumbfounded. as far as you could remember, you’d never had any significant interaction with yeonjun during the entire semester. he’d only recently transferred into your schedule, and other than the occasional nod in the hallway or a brief hello in class, there was nothing between the two of you. yet here he was, claiming you as his thesis partner as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

the next day, you found yourself in the library, seated at a table piled high with books and notes. you were trying to focus on the thesis outline when yeonjun walked in, looking far too cheerful for someone about to dive into hours of research.

“ready to get started?” he asked, sliding into the seat across from you.

“i guess,” you replied, still a bit wary of him. “so, why did you pick me as your partner? there were plenty of other people you could’ve asked.”

yeonjun shrugged, giving you one of those infuriatingly charming smiles. “i figured you’d be the best match for me. plus, i heard you’re really smart.”

you raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced. “you don’t even know me.”

“sure i do,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “you’re y/n. you’re always on top of things, you’re not afraid to speak your mind, and you have this cool way of looking at the world. who wouldn’t want you as a partner?”

his words left you momentarily speechless. was he seriously trying to flatter you? and more importantly, was he succeeding? you pushed the thought aside, focusing on the task at hand.

“well, if we’re going to work together, we need to set some ground rules,” you said, trying to sound firm. “no slacking off, no leaving everything to the last minute, and definitely no distractions.”

yeonjun held up his hands in mock surrender. “whatever you say, boss.”

despite your initial reservations, the study session went surprisingly well. yeonjun was focused and surprisingly knowledgeable about the topic you’d chosen. you found yourself actually enjoying the collaboration, even if he did have a habit of cracking jokes at the most inappropriate moments.

“so, after we finish this part, we should—” you started to say, but yeonjun interrupted.

“take a break and get some ice cream?”

you rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at your lips. “finish the outline first, then we’ll talk about ice cream.”

“deal,” yeonjun agreed, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

after a few more study sessions, yeonjun’s persistence only grew. he started finding excuses to hang out with you more often, from asking you to help him with other assignments to randomly showing up wherever you were. it was clear he was trying to make a move, but you weren’t sure how to respond.

one day after class, yeonjun casually invited you to join him and his friends for lunch.

“you should come sit with us today,” yeonjun said, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

you hesitated, not sure if you were ready to dive into his social circle. “um… i don’t know…”

“come on, it’ll be fun,” he urged, flashing that smile of his, the one that made it really hard to say no. “my friends are cool, i promise.”

reluctantly, you agreed. before you knew it, you were walking with yeonjun toward the cafeteria, your nerves tightening with each step.

as you approached the crowded cafeteria, yeonjun spotted his friends before you did. “there they are!” he waved, his voice tinged with excitement. you followed his gaze and saw a group of people sitting at a table, chatting animatedly.

the first person who caught your eye was a guy with long hair and white streaks. he was looking at the two of you with a teasing glint in his eyes, and you immediately felt your brows knit in confusion. yeonjun just gave you a knowing smile before gesturing for you to walk with him to their table.

“hey, this is y/n!” yeonjun introduced you, his voice a little too enthusiastic. you glanced around the table, trying to take in everyone at once. there was a tall guy who seemed taller even when he’s sitting down, and beside him was a girl who looked like she could be his girlfriend. across from them, another guy with bleached hair sat next to a girl who had a bright, friendly smile.

“hi! i’m beomgyu!” the long-haired guy with the white streaks grinned at you, clearly the one who had been teasing yeonjun earlier. you smiled back, nodding in acknowledgment.

before you could say anything, another guy with silver hair, his aura not as bright as the others, piped up. “dude, there are no pepsi today, we got you coke and lemonade instead.”

you realized he was talking to yeonjun, who just nodded and gave a small “thanks” before turning back to you.

“what are you waiting for? christmas? sit!” beomgyu gestured for you to sit, and you chuckled before finding a seat between yeonjun and the girl next to the tall guy.

the lunch was surprisingly fun. the guys bantered nonstop, making you laugh more than you had in a while. you quickly found yourself warming up to soobin, the tall guy, and his girlfriend, she had introduced herself to you as well. they were sweet and easy to talk to, and you couldn’t help but feel grateful that yeonjun had asked you to join them.

“so, y/n,” beomgyu leaned in, that mischievous grin back on his face, “how long have you been putting up with yeonjun?”

you rolled your eyes playfully, trying to play along. “not long,” you replied. “we’re thesis partners, so i guess i’m stuck with him for a while.”

“poor thing,” taehyun, the silver haired one, said with mock sympathy, earning laughter from the rest of the group.

as the conversation flowed, you found yourself getting into a lighthearted debate with soobin about the best study spots on campus. what started as a simple disagreement somehow turned into a full-blown group discussion about everything from favorite coffee shops to weird professors.

just as you were starting to feel truly comfortable, beomgyu decided to stir the pot. “anyway, y/n, how long have you two been dating?” he asked casually, his tone too innocent to be genuine.

you nearly choked on your food. “w-we’re not dating!” you stammered, your face burning with embarrassment.

yeonjun, who had been in the middle of taking a bite of his sandwich, almost spit it out in surprise. “yeah, what she said!” he quickly added, his voice a little too loud, his eyes wide with panic.

“aw, come on, you two would be cute together,” beomgyu teased, waggling his eyebrows, clearly enjoying the chaos he was causing.

“seriously, beomgyu, knock it off,” taehyun said, though his smirk made it clear he was just as amused as beomgyu.

you shot yeonjun a look, silently pleading with him to say something, anything, to shut beomgyu up. but yeonjun just laughed it off, nudging you playfully. the moment you started stammering, denying it with all your might, yeonjun felt his own cheeks heat up. he had quickly jumped in to support your denial, but the damage had been done. he could see the embarrassment written all over your face, and it made his heart sink.

“relax, y/n,” he said, his tone light and teasing. “he’s just messing with you.”

you managed a weak smile, but inside, you couldn’t shake the feeling that this lunch had been a terrible idea. as much as you were starting to like yeonjun’s friends, the attention and teasing were making you feel overwhelmed. as much as he wanted to laugh it off, to make you feel at ease, he couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling in the back of his mind. maybe he had pushed too hard, too fast. maybe bringing you into his world like this had been a mistake.

but then he saw you smiling weakly, trying to laugh along with the rest of them, and he felt a pang of guilt. he had wanted to share his friends with you, to make you feel welcome, but now he wasn’t so sure if that was what you wanted.

as the lunch went on, yeonjun found himself glancing at you more often, trying to gauge how you were feeling. when you finally caught his eye, he offered you a small, apologetic smile, hoping it was enough to convey what he couldn’t put into words.

the night was the same as usual, the five of them scattered around soobin’s living room, snacks strewn everywhere. yeonjun was pacing back and forth, running his fingers through his hair for what felt like the millionth time, repeating the same thing he’d been saying all night.

“i’m telling you guys, she likes me!”

the collective groan that followed was almost in perfect harmony.

“yeonjun, this is like, the eighth time this week you’ve said that,” taehyun muttered, rubbing his temples. “and it’s only wednesday.”

“i think she does,” hueningkai chimed in, leaning back against the couch, his tone thoughtful. yeonjun’s eyes lit up, only to dim a second later when kai added, “...but she doesn’t want to be in a relationship with you.”

yeonjun’s smile dropped as fast as it had appeared, and he shot hueningkai a sharp look. “what do you mean by that?”

beomgyu snickered from his spot on the floor, popping a chip into his mouth. “who would want to be with you, though?” he said with a smirk.

without missing a beat, yeonjun pointed dramatically at beomgyu, echoing his words with exaggerated emphasis. “WHO WOULD WANT to be with you!”

beomgyu burst into laughter, clearly satisfied with the reaction he’d gotten, and soon everyone else was laughing too—except for yeonjun, of course.

“i’m serious, guys!” yeonjun insisted, crossing his arms over his chest. “she’s gonna be my girlfriend, and when that happens, i. will. kill. y’all.”

beomgyu shrugged nonchalantly, barely containing his grin. “well, i guess i’m going to live a long life then.”

the room erupted in laughter again, and yeonjun threw a pillow at beomgyu, who dodged it with ease.

before yeonjun could argue further, his mind drifted back to earlier that day—back to when you had looked him dead in the eye and shattered his confidence in one fell swoop.

“are you even listening?” your sharp voice snapped him back to reality.

he blinked, realizing he had been spacing out. “w-what were you saying again?”

“i said i don’t want to be your girlfriend,” you repeated, the words hitting him like a ton of bricks.

his eyes widened in shock. “huh? i mean, why?” he blurted out, completely dumbfounded.

you stared at him in disbelief. “what the fuck do you mean, why?”

“like, uh... why?” he repeated, sounding even more clueless.

you sighed, exasperated. “why? well, who asks someone to be their girlfriend like they’re asking about the weather?!” you hissed, lowering your voice to avoid drawing attention from the other students.

yeonjun scratched the back of his neck in defeat, letting out an awkward chuckle. “so… no?”

“didn’t i just say that?” you retorted, raising an eyebrow.

before yeonjun could attempt to salvage the situation, the bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period. you grabbed your things and stood up. “i’m going to my next class. i’ll just see you around.”

yeonjun watched you walk away, his mind reeling. see you around? even after blatantly rejecting him, you still expected to see him around? he took a deep breath, trying to shake off the embarrassment, and then smiled to himself.

later that day, back in soobin’s living room, yeonjun was ready to reveal his latest revelation.

“dude, i have a new theory...” yeonjun began, his eyes sparkling with renewed determination.

another round of groans filled the room, this time louder and more exaggerated.

“have you lost your mind? you were just crying earlier, saying, ‘fuck, she doesn’t like me, dude, i think i’m gonna die,’ and now you’re yapping again about some new theory?” beomgyu said, rubbing his eyes.

“dude, you can practically publish a book about your theories at this point,” soobin added, not even trying to hide his exasperation.

“this is the last time, i promise!” yeonjun said, holding up his hands in a gesture of sincerity that none of them believed for a second.

the four of them released a collective sigh, clearly not convinced. “say it,” hueningkai said, gesturing for yeonjun to continue.

“well, uh... i think she likes me... BUT! but, she’s in denial,” yeonjun announced, looking immensely proud of himself.

there was a brief, heavy silence before soobin broke it with a sigh so deep it sounded like it came from his soul. “god... i feel sorry for you, dude. to be honest.”

“that’s not impossible,” beomgyu chimed in, and everyone turned to look at him, surprised that he was actually supporting yeonjun’s theory. but then, with a wicked grin, he added, “that is... if she hasn’t lost her mind yet.”

soobin didn’t hesitate to smack beomgyu upside the head. “we’re being honest here, dumbass.”

“i am telling the truth,” beomgyu protested, rubbing the back of his head.

before yeonjun could dive further into his theory, taehyun, who had been quiet up until now, spoke up. “give it time.”

“huh?” yeonjun blinked, caught off guard.

“i said give it time,” taehyun repeated, his voice calm and steady. “you don’t have any reason to rush things.”

“yeah, thought so,” soobin agreed, nodding. “besides, if you keep pushing, you might just push her away for good.”

yeonjun sighed, flopping down onto the couch between taehyun and hueningkai. “you guys might be right... but what if i’m right too?”

“well, then maybe—maybe—we’ll help you plan your wedding,” beomgyu teased, barely holding back a laugh.

“yeah, and i’ll be the best man,” hueningkai added, grinning.

“only if i get to be the one who objects during the ceremony,” soobin quipped.

“you’re all assholes,” yeonjun groaned, but he couldn’t help the small smile tugging at his lips. as frustrating as it was, he knew they were right. he would just have to be patient and see how things played out.

but that didn’t mean he was giving up on you—not by a long shot.

you tried to distance yourself from yeonjun a bit. it wasn’t that you didn’t like him—on the contrary, you found him charming in a strange, infuriating way. but the attention, the teasing, and the constant questioning were too much for you. you weren’t used to this kind of pressure, and you weren’t sure how to deal with it.

but yeonjun was nothing if not persistent. he continued to show up at your study sessions, continued to find reasons to hang out with you, and continued to wear down your defenses with that disarming smile of his.

“you can’t avoid me forever, you know,” he said one day as you both sat in the library, working on your thesis. he had that familiar mischievous glint in his eyes, the one that told you he was up to something.

“i’m not avoiding you,” you replied, keeping your eyes on your notes. “i’m just… busy.”

“busy avoiding me,” he teased, leaning a little closer to you.

you rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at your lips. “you’re impossible.”

“and yet, you still agreed to be my partner,” he pointed out, his grin widening.

“only because you didn’t give me a choice,” you shot back, though there was no real heat in your words.

“true,” he admitted, leaning back in his chair. “but i think you’re starting to like me.”

you scoffed, trying to hide the way your heart skipped a beat at his words. “in your dreams, yeonjun.”

he just laughed, a warm, genuine sound that made your chest tighten in a way you weren’t ready to acknowledge. “maybe,” he said, shrugging as if it didn’t matter, though the playful gleam in his eyes told a different story. “but hey, dreams have a way of becoming reality.”

you tried to focus on your work, but yeonjun’s presence was impossible to ignore. the way he leaned back in his chair, casually confident, as if he knew exactly how much he was getting under your skin. it was infuriating, and yet there was something oddly comforting about his persistence.

“seriously, though,” he continued after a moment, his tone softening just a fraction. “i get that you’re not used to all this—hanging out with a new group, getting teased and stuff. but you don’t have to deal with it alone. i’m here, you know?”

his words caught you off guard, and you glanced up at him, surprised by the sincerity in his expression. “why do you care so much?” you asked, genuinely curious.

yeonjun’s smile faltered for just a second before he recovered, leaning forward slightly. “because… i like you, y/n. and not just as my thesis partner. i know i can be a lot to handle, but i want to get to know you better. and i want you to know me too.”

your heart skipped another beat, and for a moment, you didn’t know what to say. yeonjun had always been confident, maybe even a little cocky, but there was something vulnerable in the way he looked at you now, something that made you realize that his persistence wasn’t just a game to him.

“yeonjun…” you began, but he cut you off, shaking his head with a small, rueful smile.

“you don’t have to say anything now,” he said quickly. “i just wanted you to know where i stand. we can keep working on this thesis and see where things go, no pressure.”

you nodded, your thoughts a jumbled mess. yeonjun’s confession had thrown you off balance, and suddenly the lines between friendship, partnership, and something more seemed a lot blurrier than they had before.

“okay,” you finally said, your voice quieter than you intended. “but… let’s just take it slow, okay?”

yeonjun’s smile returned, softer this time, and he reached out to gently tap your hand with his fingers. “slow is good,” he agreed. “i’m not going anywhere.”

you found yourself smiling back, a warmth spreading through you that you couldn’t quite explain. maybe yeonjun was right—maybe you were starting to like him, just a little bit. and perhaps, that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

one night, you woke up to the sound of low murmurs around you. disoriented, you looked around, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. you were both working on your thesis and were at your house, but you could hear the faint clinking of pots and pans coming from the kitchen. you groggily got up, stretching your arms and shuffling towards the source of the sound.

in the kitchen, you found yeonjun and your mom busy cooking. the scene was oddly comforting: your mom, apron on, and yeonjun, looking surprisingly at ease in your home. the smell of sinigang filled the air, and yeonjun was animatedly talking about how much he loved your mom’s cooking, from her turon, empanadas to her banana cue and kamote cue. and even though it was scorching hot outside, he hadn’t let your mom’s ginataang bilo-bilo go to waste.

“hey,” you said, breaking their conversation. “what’s going on here?”

“oh, you’re just in time,” your mom said with a smile. “the rice is almost ready. yeonjun helped me with dinner tonight.”

yeonjun turned to you with a grin. “yeah, your mom is an amazing cook. i may have talked her ear off about how much i love her food.”

“i swear, it’s like your mom has magic in her hands,” he said dramatically. “i couldn’t let any of it go to waste, especially having a taste of that sinigang we just cooked? god, it was so good, i nearly cried.”

you raised an eyebrow, walking over to the stove and peering into the pot. “so, you’ve been raving about my mom’s cooking to her face, and now you’re here in our kitchen, making yourself at home?”

yeonjun, trying to look innocent, shrugged. “i figured, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. and if you’re going to be in my life, you might as well get used to my mom’s cooking too.”

your mom was beaming with pride. “he’s been a delight to have around. and besides, it’s nice to have someone appreciate my cooking so much.”

you glanced at yeonjun, you laughed, shaking your head. “i see you’re getting along just fine.”

“getting along? we’re practically best friends now,” yeonjun said, pretending to clink imaginary glasses with your mom. “we’ve bonded over food and shared laughs. next thing you know, we’ll be singing karaoke together.”

your mom chuckled. “oh, don’t tempt him. he’s already asked me if he could join us for karaoke night.”

“see?” yeonjun said, giving you a thumbs-up. “i’m fitting in perfectly.”

the conversation shifted to the final touches of the meal. your mom had whipped up a feast that included sinigang, a side of crispy lumpia, and yeonjun’s personal favorite, turon. as you all sat down to eat, yeonjun began a somewhat clumsy yet endearing attempt at conversation.

“hey,” he started, his mouth full of lumpia, “what’s your favorite dish your mom makes?”

“that’s a tough one,” you said, laughing. “i’d have to say the empanadas. they’re a family favorite.”

“good choice,” yeonjun said, nodding vigorously. “i was about to say the same thing. but honestly, everything your mom makes is amazing.”

“flattery will get you everywhere,” your mom said with a wink.

yeonjun looked at you, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “so, now that i’ve been properly introduced to your mom’s cooking, are you finally going to admit that i’m not so bad after all?”

“admit?” you said, raising an eyebrow. “you’re lucky my mom likes you. that’s the only reason you’re not getting kicked out right now.”

yeonjun feigned a dramatic gasp. “kicked out? but i’ve just started my career as your unofficial sous-chef!”

your mom laughed heartily, adding, “don’t worry, yeonjun. i’m quite fond of you already. just don’t let it go to your head.” you laughed, shaking your head at the absurdity of it all. the evening had turned into a delightful mess of food, laughter, and unexpected bond your mom and yeonjun made.

after dinner, you decided to walk yeonjun to the nearest jeep terminal. the evening air was cooler, and the streetlights cast a soft glow over the two of you. as you walked, yeonjun suddenly brought up a topic that made you stop in your tracks.

“your mom approved,” he said, smirking.

“approved of what?” you asked, confused.

“of me courting you,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“what the f—” you began, but yeonjun quickly covered your mouth with his hand.

“can you please calm down? you’re unbelievable,” he said, chuckling.

“why the heck did you tell my mom you’re courting me?” you asked once he finally removed his hand.

“what’s wrong with that? i’m courting you, right?” he asked with a grin.

“huh? you’re not!” you said, punctuating your words with playful punches to his arm. yeonjun let out a low grunt but seemed amused by your reaction.

“i am!” he insisted.

“you’ve never even asked me!” you said, continuing your playful assault on his arm. yeonjun stopped and stood still, causing you to cease your punches.

“hmm, so i didn’t made it obvious?” he asked, suddenly holding your face in his hands.

“then let me say it,” he started, and you felt a surge of panic as he held your face. “i will court you,” he finished, pinching your cheek lightly.

“no! i never said yes in the first place,” you protested.

“did i ask? i just informed you that i’m courting you from now on, even though i’ve been courting you since the day you rejected me,” he said, his voice dropping as he mentioned the rejection.

you rolled your eyes, and yeonjun gave a thumbs-up as he smiled widely. you turned around to see your mom giving a thumbs-up too, jumping with excitement as if she had won the lottery.

“mom!” you exclaimed, realizing that this was probably what they were discussing in the kitchen earlier.

“don’t worry, y/n,” your mom called out from the porch, waving enthusiastically. “i’m rooting for you two!”

you groaned, feeling a mix of embarrassment and amusement. yeonjun just laughed, clearly enjoying the chaos he had created.

“welcome to my life,” you muttered, shaking your head.

yeonjun’s grin widened. “oh, i’m just getting started.”

the days following yeonjun’s bold declaration of courtship were nothing short of a whirlwind. it seemed he had taken it upon himself to transform every mundane moment into an adventure. it wasn’t just about grand gestures; it was the little, unexpected things that made you laugh and sometimes question your sanity.

one bright afternoon, yeonjun showed up at your doorstep, not with flowers or a typical date night setup, but with an enormous picnic basket. his outfit was equally extravagant—he wore a sun hat with a wide brim and aviator sunglasses that made him look like he was preparing for a high-fashion photoshoot rather than a simple outing.

“ready for the most extravagant picnic of your life?” he announced with a flourish, spreading out a checkered blanket on the grass with a dramatic sweep that looked like he was setting up a stage for a grand performance.

you couldn’t help but laugh as you glanced from the basket to yeonjun’s over-the-top attire. “yeonjun, you do realize we’re just having a picnic, not hosting a royal banquet, right?”

“every moment with you is royal,” he said, winking with such confidence you almost believed him. “now, let’s see what we have here.” he began to unpack the basket with exaggerated care, revealing a mountain of turon, banana cue, and a sizable container of ginataang bilo-bilo.

“are you trying to win me over with food?” you asked, raising an eyebrow as he proudly displayed his assortment.

“well, it worked on your mom,” he said, taking a bite of a banana cue and looking excessively pleased with himself. “and i’m pretty sure it’ll work on you too.”

the picnic was a scene of endless laughter, food, and minor disasters. yeonjun’s attempts to be suave occasionally faltered, like when he accidentally knocked over the entire drink cooler, drenching both of you in iced tea. the sight of yeonjun covered in sticky tea, flailing his arms while trying to salvage the situation, had you both in stitches.

“i guess this is what they call a splash hit,” you joked, trying to contain your laughter as yeonjun attempted to mop up the mess with a napkin.

“oh, very punny,” yeonjun said, shaking his head with a grin. “i suppose it’s just another chapter in our epic picnic saga.”

as the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the park, yeonjun decided it was time for a “romantic stroll.” in reality, it was more of a clumsy run as he attempted to balance a massive bouquet of flowers—now slightly wilted from the iced tea incident—while dodging every stray dog and jogger that crossed your path.

“is it just me,” yeonjun panted between breaths, “or does the park look extra magical tonight?”

“that’s just the sun setting,” you replied, trying to hold back a grin. “but if you want to call it magic, go ahead.”

“magic it is,” he declared with a dramatic twirl, nearly colliding with a nearby lamp post. “now, let’s talk about our future. i’m thinking we’ll have a castle, a thousand turon makers, and a personal chef who specializes in banana cue.”

“sounds like a dream of you,” you said, laughing. “but let’s start with a dinner that doesn’t involve tripping over every piece of furniture.”

yeonjun’s face lit up with a mix of pride and amusement. “you know, i think we make a pretty good team. i bring the over-the-top gestures, and you keep me grounded. it’s a perfect balance.”

that night, as you both lay on the grass, gazing up at the stars while trying to impress you with his knowledge of constellations—although he kept mixing up orion with the big dipper. yeonjun continued his enthusiastic commentary on how great it was to finally be able to court you. he regaled you with exaggerated stories of his friends’ reactions to his new mission. apparently, his friends were both amazed and amused, with yeonjun’s tales of triumphs and mishaps becoming legendary in their group chats.

“so, i told beomgyu about the picnic,” yeonjun said, propping himself up on one elbow, “and he literally laughed so hard he fell off the bed.”

“sounds like quite the reaction,” you said, trying not to laugh.

“oh, it was,” yeonjun continued, “and then kai started teasing me about how i’m ‘the king of courtship disasters,’ which i thought was pretty unfair. if you ask me.” he looks at you. “i’m pretty sure that’s not how everyone measures their courtship skills,” you teased.

“well, i’m setting a new standard,” yeonjun said confidently. “besides, i’ve been studying the stars. did you know that orion’s belt is actually just three stars in a row?”

“i thought you were going to impress me with constellations,” you said with a smile.

“i’m working on it,” yeonjun said, squinting up at the sky. “but i think the real magic is in how we manage to turn every moment into an adventure.”

you lay there, enjoying the cool night air and the warmth of yeonjun’s presence beside you. his words were as comforting as they were amusing, and you couldn’t deny the charm of his quirky, earnest attempts to make every moment memorable.

“well,” you said, nudging him playfully, “as long as you keep being this ridiculously endearing, i think i’ll manage.”

yeonjun looked at you with a grin that could light up the night. “deal. and who knows? maybe next time, i’ll serenade you under the stars. though, i can’t guarantee i won’t mix up orion with the big dipper again.”

“oh, i’m counting on it,” you said, laughing. 

a few weeks into the courtship, yeonjun had a sleepover at soobin’s place with a few of his friends—soobin, beomgyu, taehyun, and hueningkai. they had gathered for a casual hangout, but yeonjun’s excitement about your dates led him to share every detail with his friends. unfortunately, they had already fallen asleep on the living room floor, exhausted from a long day of activities.

yeonjun was sprawled on the couch, practically bursting with energy as he talked animatedly to the empty room. “guys, you won’t believe how amazing the date was last night. we went to this new restaurant, and the food—oh my god, the food was incredible.”

soobin was sprawled on the floor, snoring softly, while beomgyu had drifted off with his head resting on a pile of pillows. taehyun was half-asleep, his head bobbing with each word yeonjun said. hueningkai had passed out with a bag of chips still clutched in his hand.

“so, we tried this new dessert,” yeonjun continued, oblivious to his friends’ slumber. “it was this amazing fusion of all our favorite flavors. and then we had this huge debate about whether pineapple belongs on pizza. i mean, can you believe it?”

yeonjun’s voice was a mixture of excitement and nostalgia as he recounted the smallest details. “and she laughed so hard when i tried to impress her with my ‘impressive’ dance moves. totally epic fail, but she loved it anyway.”

a few muffled groans and sighs from his friends indicated they were barely hanging on, but yeonjun was undeterred. “oh, and we ended the night stargazing one time. i tried so hard to be all poetic, but she kept pointing out how i mixed up orion’s belt with the big dipper. it was so funny.”

taehyun, now fully awake but still half-lying on the floor, mumbled, “yeonjun, we get it. your date was amazing. can we sleep now?”

“wait, there’s more!” yeonjun said, waving his arms excitedly. “we’re planning to make a scrapbook together, and i’m going to put glitter on everything. glitter explosion!”

“yeonjun,” soobin grumbled from the floor, “we’re tired. save the stories for later.”

“fine, fine,” yeonjun said with a dramatic sigh, finally noticing the exhaustion in his friends’ voices. “but you guys are going to love the next date. it’s going to be legendary.”

one evening, yeonjun decided that you both needed a “romantic” movie night. his idea of romance, however, involved setting up an elaborate indoor “cinema” with fairy lights, bean bags, and a selection of snacks that could rival a small buffet. he even made you wear matching pajamas—complete with cartoon characters.

“it’s all about the experience,” yeonjun said, adjusting the lights with an overly serious expression. “you can’t have a romantic movie night without proper ambiance.”

“you know,” you said, looking around at the whimsical setup, “this is actually kind of cute. but don’t think you can get away with making me wear these ridiculous pajamas all the time.”

“hey, don’t knock the pajamas until you’ve experienced the full cozy effect,” yeonjun said, tossing you a bag of popcorn. “plus, it’s for a good cause—our future movie nights together.” smiling sweetly at you.

the movie night itself was a comedy of errors. yeonjun spent more time trying to fix the projector than actually watching the movie, and you both ended up in fits of laughter over his failed attempts to mimic romantic movie lines. at one point, yeonjun dramatically declared, “you had me at hello,” before tripping over the bean bag and crashing into a pile of pillows.

“romance is clearly not your strong suit,” you teased, helping him up.

“hey, I’m working on it,” yeonjun said, brushing himself off with a grin. “next time, i promise a movie night with less physical comedy and more actual romance.”

the following weekend, yeonjun took you to a local farmer’s market. it was a simple date, but one that turned into a playful adventure as you navigated the stalls, sampling everything from artisanal cheeses to homemade jams. yeonjun insisted on buying you a “mystery fruit” he claimed was the “best thing ever.”

“i’m telling you, it’s going to be life-changing,” yeonjun said, holding up a spiky, oddly shaped fruit with a look of triumph.

“it looks like something from an alien planet,” you said, eyeing it warily. “but if you say so.”

the mystery fruit turned out to be surprisingly delicious, and the experience left you both in high spirits. you ended up buying a basket of fresh produce, and yeonjun’s enthusiasm for the “find” made the outing memorable.

“we should definitely do this again,” yeonjun said as you walked back to the car, his cheeks flushed from the sun and excitement.

“i’ll hold you to that,” you said, smiling.

as the weeks went by, yeonjun’s courtship efforts continued to be a mix of grand and simple gestures. he surprised you with handwritten letters, silly serenades, and spontaneous dance parties in the living room. his attempts at poetry were endearing, if not always successful, but you appreciated the effort behind each one.

the culmination of yeonjun’s courtship efforts came on a quiet evening when you both decided to work on a scrapbook together. yeonjun had been relentless about starting the project, claiming it was the perfect way to document your journey together. you reluctantly agreed, and soon found yourself surrounded by colorful papers, stickers, and glitter.

yeonjun was deeply focused on arranging photos and decorations, his brows furrowed in concentration as he pouted his lips in a way that made him look more like a kid than a confident courtier.

“hey,” you said, unable to resist the adorable sight, “you look really cute right now.”

yeonjun glanced up, caught off guard by your compliment. “cute? i’m working hard here, you know.”

“i know,” you said, leaning closer and feeling a sudden impulse. you reached out and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, your lips brushing against his skin.

“hey! you can’t kiss me, i’m not your boyfriend,” yeonjun said, his voice a mix of surprise and mock indignation as he covered his face with his hands.

“then be,” you said, smiling as you wiped a stray piece of glitter from his cheek.

“then be? then be?! what the hell?!” yeonjun shouted, his face turning a shade redder.

“can you please act normal for once?” you asked, trying to hide your amusement.

“are you?” yeonjun said, peeking out from behind his hands with a faux serious expression. “because right now, you’re acting like you just walked out of a rom-com.”

“i figure we are going there soon, so might as well make it official now,” you said, biting your lower lip as you hide your smile.

“so... you? and me?” yeonjun said, exaggeratingly pointing to you and him while making a heart shape with his hands.

“you know,” you said, tapping the scrapbook page with your finger for emphasis. “ask me to be your girlfriend. stop dancing around it and just say it.”

yeonjun’s face turned a deep shade of red, and he looked away, pretending to be very interested in a piece of glitter stuck to his hand. “are you sure you want that?” he asked, his voice slightly muffled as he avoided eye contact.

“yeonjun,” you said, reaching out to gently turn his face towards you. “it’s ridiculous to keep pretending like you don’t want to be with me. you’ve already shown me how much you care.”

“well,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper, “if you’re really sure about this, then...”

“yes,” you said, smiling warmly. “i’m sure.”

yeonjun’s expression shifted from nervousness to a wide, goofy grin. “okay then,” he said, leaning in with exaggerated seriousness. “will you be my girlfriend?”

you laughed, shaking your head at his over-the-top delivery. “yes, yeonjun,” you said, reaching out to tap him on the nose. “i will.”

“thank goodness,” he said with a sigh of relief, playfully collapsing onto the table as if he’d just won a great battle. “i was starting to think I’d have to spend the rest of my life trying to win you over. anyway, can you say it again?” he added putting his hand into a heart.

“you are so corny, i hate you,” you said, rolling your eyes. you leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before adding, “you heard me.”

yeonjun’s eyes widened, and he lowered his head, covering his mouth as if he’d just had his first kiss stolen. “i hate you so much!” he said, his irritation tinged with a hint of affection as he tried to maintain his pout.

as you both sat there, surrounded by scraps of paper and glitter, you realized that yeonjun’s courtship had turned into something truly special. it wasn’t about grand gestures or elaborate plans; it was the simple, everyday moments that made it all the more memorable. "yeonjun," you called softly, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between you.

"hmm?" he replied, not taking his gaze off the scrapbook page he was working on. his concentration was almost endearing, his brow furrowed as he meticulously placed another sticker.

"thank you," you said, your voice sincere and filled with warmth.

yeonjun finally looked up, his eyes meeting yours with a mix of surprise and curiosity. “for what?” he asked, setting down the glue stick and wiping his hands on a napkin.

“for everything,” you said, gesturing to the scattered scraps of paper and glitter that surrounded you both. “for all the effort you put into making this special, for being so... you.”

his cheeks flushed slightly, and he gave you a shy, almost sheepish smile. “well, i guess i can’t take all the credit,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “you make it easy to want to do these things.”

“that’s really sweet,” you said, leaning over to give him a gentle kiss on the cheek. “i’m glad you’re the one doing this with me.”

yeonjun’s eyes widened, and he looked away, pretending to be intensely interested in a stray piece of glitter on the table. “uh, it’s nothing,” he muttered, trying to hide his blush. “just... don’t expect me to start being all mushy every time.”

“don’t worry,” you said, chuckling softly. “i’ll make sure to keep you on your toes.” you said as you watch him trying his best to focus on what he’s working on as he fights the urge to scream at how happy he is at this moment.

yeonjun leaned back in his chair, a nostalgic grin spreading across his face as he reminisced with his friends. they were gathered in the homecoming hall, a place filled with echoes of their past, and the atmosphere was brimming with laughter and memories.

“honestly,” yeonjun began, looking at the five guys sitting around him, “it’s kind of hilarious to think back on that time i was crying over her rejection, when in the end i ended up having her.”

the others chuckled, their laughter mingling with the soft clinking of glasses and the hum of the crowd. “yeah, i remember,” beomgyu said, a smirk tugging at his lips. “you were a mess and all, with you endless love theories.”

taehyun raised an eyebrow, “and now you’re here, about to get married. who knew?”

yeonjun shook his head, still grinning. “i know, right? all those dramatic moments and tears, and here we are. i didn’t just win her over to be my girlfriend. no, we’re engaged now.”

he looked up as you walked into the room, calling out to him with a bright smile. “hon!”

the room fell silent, and yeonjun’s gaze softened as he saw you approach. you greeted him with a soft kiss on the cheek, and he could feel the warmth of your love. “hey,” he said, his voice full of affection. “have you talk to them already?” yeonjun asks before planting soft kiss on your cheeks.

“guys, gross. please stop,” beomgyu said, rolling his eyes.

“as if you weren’t the literally on everyone’s lips during college, dude,” taehyun remarked, a playful grin on his face.

beomgyu laughed, shaking his head. “can you please stop reminding me of my youth?”

“they’re still the same,” you whispered to yeonjun, a teasing smile on your lips. “so are we.”

yeonjun leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to your bare shoulder. “i wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“get a room,” hueningkai interjected with a grin, shaking his head at the display of affection.

you laughed, your heart full of joy as you turned to soobin. “where is she?” you asked, your curiosity evident.

soobin’s smile grew, his eyes reflecting a fondness that spoke of countless shared memories. “she’s just finishing up in the restroom. she’ll be here soon.” his gaze softened as he remembered how this had always been your way of asking about his girlfriend during college. the smile on his face hinted at the significant moments they’d shared—the moments that had changed everything for him.

“soobinie~” a sweet voice called out. soobin turned, his face lighting up as he met the gaze that had once captured his heart during those college days.

gyo's note: finally! a full of fluff yeonjun one !! phew ˖⁺‧₊˚ ૮꒰ˊᗜˋ* ꒱ა i figured yeonjun def suits this kind of trope, i just see him as a dude who would be literally head over heels when he likes someone !! and i vv much loved writing this because it makes me feel like rewatching my favorite filipino romcoms from when i was a kid !! (づᴗ _ᴗ)づ♡ anyway, feel free to talk to me and request! i will have my first request posted on thursday, yayyyy ✧｡٩(ˊᗜˋ )و✧*｡

✮ 2024 gyorouis, all rights reserved.

[nickeverdeen]

Hi could you do a five hargreeves x female!reader where reader is normal and doesn't have powers but she's a genius and basically has a photographic memory, and she meets five and he's a bit mean and snarky but eventually he starts to fall for her

I also think it would be funny if she was kinda best friends with Klaus and he kinda teases her about five, but you don't have to include that

Guns And Brains | Five Hargreeves x genius fem!reader

Pairing: Five Hargreeves x fem!reader, Klaus Hargreeves x fem!reader (best friend)

Warning: None

PS: Sorry for the unoriginal title

———————————

You were used to being the smartest person in the room. It wasn’t arrogance; it was simply a fact. Your photographic memory allowed you to absorb and recall information with an almost eerie accuracy. In school, you never needed to study, and in life, you rarely encountered a problem you couldn’t solve. You had grown accustomed to the bemused looks and occasional irritation that came from people who found your talents either intimidating or annoying.

Yet here you are, standing in the middle of an ancient-looking mansion, face-to-face with a boy who exuded an air of superiority that rubbed you entirely the wrong way. Five Hargreeves—if you remembered correctly from the vague mentions in tabloids about the dysfunctional Umbrella Academy—was a strange, prodigious enigma. He looked like a teenager, but there was something in his eyes that suggested he was anything but.

From the moment Klaus had introduced you, you could sense the tension brewing. It wasn’t just the way Five had narrowed his eyes at you, or the clipped tone he used when addressing you. It was the challenge in his gaze, the unspoken assertion that he was smarter, quicker, better. The way he practically dared you to prove him wrong.

“Who’s this?” Five had asked, his tone flat and disinterested, as if your presence was more of an inconvenience than anything else.

“This is Y/N,” Klaus had said cheerfully, apparently oblivious to the storm clouds brewing between them. “She’s got a brain like a supercomputer—remember everything she’s ever read, seen, or heard. Thought she might be able to help us out.”

Five’s eyes had flickered with something—annoyance, skepticism, you couldn’t quite tell. “We don’t need help,” he’d said brusquely. “Especially not from someone who thinks they can waltz in and solve problems that are far beyond their understanding.”

And there it was—the gauntlet thrown down. You had felt your spine stiffen, your own competitive streak flaring up in response. You didn’t like the way he assumed you were just some book-smart outsider with no practical experience, especially when he hadn’t even given you a chance to prove otherwise.

“I’m not here to solve your problems,” you replied, your tone sharp. “But from what I’ve heard, you could use all the help you can get.”

Klaus had tried to mediate, sensing the tension. “Alright, kids, play nice. We’re all on the same team here.”

But you had seen the look in Five’s eyes—a mix of condescension and irritation. He clearly didn’t think much of you, and that was something you weren’t about to let slide. If there was one thing you despised, it was being underestimated.

The first few days in the mansion were… interesting, to say the least. Klaus had introduced you to the rest of the siblings, all of whom had their own unique quirks and issues. Luther was stoic and serious, Allison was kind but guarded, Diego was intense, and Viktor was quiet, almost withdrawn. They were an odd bunch, but in some ways, you felt more at ease with them than you did with Five.

Five, on the other hand, seemed determined to make you feel unwelcome. Whenever you offered a suggestion, he’d shoot it down without a second thought. When you tried to engage him in a discussion about the theories he was working on, he’d dismiss your opinions with a wave of his hand, as if your thoughts were nothing more than background noise.

It was infuriating.

At first, you tried to stay calm. Your reminded yourself that you were here to help, not to butt heads with a stubborn man who had likely seen more in his lifetime than you could ever imagine. But as the days passed, you found your patience wearing thin.

The breaking point came one evening when you were all gathered around the dining table, discussing the latest anomaly that Five was trying to unravel. He was pacing back and forth, spouting off calculations and theories at a rapid pace. The others were listening intently, but you could see the confusion in their eyes.

“Maybe if we adjusted the parameters slightly,” you suggested, your tone measured, “we could account for the temporal flux and—”

Five cut you off with a snort. “That’s a ridiculous idea. Adjusting the parameters would only destabilize the entire equation. You clearly don’t understand the complexities of time travel.”

Your jaw clenched. “And you clearly don’t understand the value of listening to other people’s input. Just because you’ve traveled through time doesn’t mean you know everything.”

Five stopped pacing and turned to face you, his expression cold. “I’ve spent decades—decades—working on these equations. You’ve been here for a week. Don’t presume to know more than I do.”

The room went silent. The others exchanged uneasy glances, but you didn’t back down. You were tired of Five’s arrogance, tired of him treating you like you were some naive child who had wandered into his domain.

“Maybe I don’t know more than you,” you said, your voice steady. “But I’m not an idiot, and I’m not going to stand here and let you treat me like one. If you’re so confident in your theories, then why not test them? Or are you afraid that someone else might actually have a better idea?”

Five’s eyes narrowed. “Fine,” he said, his tone icy. “Let’s test it. And when it fails, you can stop wasting our time with your half-baked theories.”

You didn’t respond. You simply nodded and turned your attention back to the problem at hand, determined to prove him wrong.

The next few days were tense, to say the least. You and Five worked together, but it was clear that neither of you were happy about it. Every interaction was laced with sarcasm and thinly veiled insults. Yet, beneath the hostility, there was a grudging respect forming, though neither of you would admit it.

Despite his arrogance, you couldn’t help but be impressed by Five’s intellect. He was brilliant, there was no denying that. His mind worked at a speed that rivaled your own, and his knowledge of temporal mechanics was unmatched. But he was also infuriatingly stubborn, refusing to consider any idea that wasn’t his own.

For his part, Five found himself both annoyed and intrigued by you. You were smart—smarter than he’d initially given you credit for. Your insights were often sharp and on point, even if he was loath to admit it. But what bothered him the most was how you challenged him, pushing back against his authority in a way no one else dared to. It was unsettling, and yet… he found himself drawn to it.

One afternoon, as you were pouring over another set of calculations, you suddenly spoke up.

“I’ve been thinking,” you said, not looking up from the paper in front of you.

“Dangerous,” Five muttered under his breath, but there was no real bite to his words.

You ignored him. “You’re right about the temporal flux destabilizing if we adjust the parameters too much. But what if we didn’t adjust them directly? What if we introduced a stabilizing agent that could counterbalance the fluctuations?”

Five paused, considering your words. It wasn’t a completely ridiculous idea. In fact, it was… interesting. But he wasn’t about to let you know that.

“It’s a long shot,” he said instead, his tone dismissive.

“Maybe,” you conceded. “But it’s worth a try. Unless you have a better idea?”

Five scowled, but there was no real heat behind it. “Fine. We’ll try it your way. But don’t get used to it.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” you replied, a small smirk playing on your lips.

As you worked together, there was a noticeable shift in the air between you two. The barbs were still there, but they were less sharp, the insults less cutting. It was as if you were beginning to acknowledge each other as equals—rivals, perhaps, but with a mutual respect that was slowly, begrudgingly, forming.

Weeks passed, and the initial tension between you and Five began to ease, replaced by a rhythm of sorts. You still bickered, still challenged each other at every turn, but there was a camaraderie in it now. A strange, twisted camaraderie, but camaraderie nonetheless.

The others noticed it too. Klaus, in particular, found endless amusement in your interactions, often teasing you about your “little crush” on Five.

“Admit it,” Klaus says with a grin. “You two are just one good argument away from kissing.”

You roll your eyes, brushing off his comments, but you couldn’t deny that there was a certain… tension between you and Five. Not that you would ever admit it out loud. The last thing you wanted was to give Five the satisfaction of knowing he got under your skin in more ways than one.

But the turning point came one evening, when you were working late in the mansion’s library. The room was dimly lit, the only sound the soft rustle of papers as you pored over your latest set of equations. You were focused, your mind fully absorbed in the problem at hand, when you felt a pair of eyes on you.

You looked up, only to find Five watching you, his expression unreadable. For a moment, neither of you spoke. There was something in his gaze, something that made your heart skip a beat.

“What?” You asked, your voice softer than you intended.

Five hesitated, as if weighing his words carefully. “You’re not as annoying as I thought you were.”

It wasn’t exactly a compliment, but coming from Five, it was close enough. You felt a small smile tug at your lips. “You’re not as unbearable as I thought you were either.”

Five’s lips quirked up in the faintest hint of a smile. “High praise.”

You fell into a comfortable silence after that, the tension between you two shifting into something else. Something neither of you were quite ready to name.

[brownsugaboba]

title: “Chapter 2: Back in The Day: Simpler Times.”

december 19th, 2024.

—————————————————————————————

bruce wayne x reader.

black reader. (anyone can read but emphasis on black.)

19+. (this chapter is NOT 19+, however future chapters will be.)

—————————————————————————————

the wayne manor library was quiet, except for the soft ticking of an antique clock on the wall. the stretch of leather-bound book casted long shadows across the room, but neither bruce nor yourself paid much mind to the dark night. you both, after all, had spent countless hours there as children, so the familiar surroundings felt comforting, nostalgic even.

bruce sat in his usual armchair, a glass of scotch resting on the side table beside him, while you were sat on the edge of the window seat. your posture was relaxed, though your eyes held the same quiet look they always had. you two had been talking for hours, reliving memories from a time when the world seemed simpler, before tragedy reshaped both of your lives.

"remember the time we tried to build that treehouse in the oak behind the manor?" you asked, a small smile tugging at your two tones lips as you recalled the memory.

"we thought we could build it all by ourselves, even though we barely knew the difference between a hammer and a nail."

bruce couldn’t help but chuckle, the sound rare and warm. "i think we still managed to get it up, though. it was only after a week when alfred found it that we realized we had left half of it unfinished."

"that’s because you kept insisting we needed more space for all our 'secret' things," she teased. "i think you were just trying to escape your parents."

bruce’s smile faltered for a brief moment, but it didn’t go unnoticed. you saw it and immediately reached out to place a hand on his.

the unspoken bond you had shared since childhood had always been something that transcended words, even now. you both had known loss too young, your parents taken from you in different ways but with the same devastating finality.

"i never thanked you enough for being there for me back then," bruce said quietly. "for always knowing when i needed someone."

your voice was equally as soft. "you don’t have to thank me, bruce. you were my best friend, too. we were always there for each other."

you two went into a slight silence, the weight of unspoken grief settling between you both. the passing of your parents was still something neither one of you had truly come to terms with, but it had shaped you both in ways you couldn’t fully explain.

"i miss them," bruce said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

"i miss him." the words for his father, thomas wayne, hung in the air.

"i miss her too," you said. "my dad... he was always so proud of you, bruce. he admired you, even when you were just a little kid who'd sneak into the hospital to watch him work."

bruce’s lips twisted into a faint yet gentle grin, but the sadness was still there. "he never knew when to stop talking about his work. your father… he used to give me tips on how to stay focused during surgeries, even though i wasn’t sure if I’d ever need them."

"and you did. in your own way," you replied. you squeezed his hand before letting go.

"you turned out more like him than you think."

bruce met your gaze, his eyes betraying a sense of emotion he rarely showed. he stopped himself from reaching for your hand again, wanting to hold it for comfort.

"and you turned out like your dad in the best ways. i’m sorry we both had to go through that loss together."

"i think we’re both sorry for that," she said softly.

the conversation shifted after a moment, the past lingering like a shadow, but they had moved on. the reason you were there became clearer. you were still family, and today was no exception.

"selina’s wedding," bruce said, finally having the courage to say it. "that is why you came all this way, no?"

you sighed, crossing your arms. "i’m not here for the wedding itself, bruce. i’m here because i know how much it’s going to hurt you to see her walking down that aisle."

bruce closed his eyes for a moment, the pain evident. "she deserves happiness. i knew that the moment she let me go. but it doesn’t make it any easier."

you nodded. "i know. but you’ve always been too good at hiding how much things affect you. and you can’t hide that from me when i do the same thing. it’s not healthy."

before bruce could respond, a quiet voice interrupted him from the hallway.

"do you think it’s gonna bother selina seeing bruce with someone else?" damian’s voice was low but sharp, his curiosity peeking around the corner of the library door.

he was followed by his brother, dick, who smirked. "i mean, we all know she’s been a little—" he hesitated, glancing at damian. "possessive?"

damian gave him a pointed look.

"i was going to say 'protective,' but sure, go ahead." tim remarks.

bruce’s eyes narrowed at the sound of his children’s voices. his instincts were immediate, but his gaze softened when he caught your amused expression.

just as he was about to call them out, cassandra stepped into the hallway. she had only overheard the conversation but hadn’t understood the full context, since she wasn’t there for the building of the plan.

she crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.

"selina's getting married," she said bluntly, looking between the brothers. "and you’re all acting like idiots. it’s not like she hasn’t moved on. she’s been with someone else for a while now."

damian and jason blinked in unison, looking a little stunned with how long selina has been with her partner, considering she had ever so recently left their dad. "wait, what?" jason asked, his confusion growing. "she—"

"she moved on, guys," cassandra said, shaking her head.

"she’s already marrying someone else. you know how she is. if she sees bruce with someone else, she’s probably gonna think it's funny more than anything."

dick spoke. "you dont know that."

tim frowned. "you really think so?"

"yeah, because she knows what she wants. and she’s not holding onto stuff she can’t control," cassandra replied coolly.

"i want the best for bruce too, but you can’t just sit here and overthink it."

jason scowled. "that’s because bruce is—"

"just go talk to him yourselves," cassandra cuts in, dismissing them. "stop standing around like it’s a tragedy and act like adults."

her bluntness caused the brothers to retreat, but their expressions remained conflicted. as they all walked away, you and bruce shared a quiet, knowing glance.

bruce sighed. "i never thought i’d have to explain myself to them this way."

you smirked, your tone light and sweet as your dimples showed. "you’ve been a little distracted lately. it’s okay."

"maybe," bruce said, staring at your dimples and remembering the first time he had ever seen them.

"but things don’t seem simple anymore."

"maybe they never were," you replied.

“or maybe simple is too simple for us.”

fin.

—————————————————————————————

next chapter…

[truelotus]

If Looks Could Kill —2

Yandere! Sosuke Aizen X F! reader

TW: murder, obsession, NSFW (oral M! receiving)

“Oh dear lieutenantt” The mans words were a bit slurring, he has just gotten back from the bar. And the first thing he he did when coming back to the barracks was trying to find you.

He wanted to mess with you a bit.. he has messed with you before and you never stood up for yourself. Since he knew that you weren’t going to do anything about it, he has been messing with you ever since.

“Where the hell is she..” He held onto the wall for support as he walked through the halls. He eventually came to a random room, he slowly slid the door open.

“The fuck?” He said as he felt a sudden presence behind him, he was drunk yes but the presence felt so heavy, there was no way that he wouldn’t have noticed it..?

“Hello, sir Erin correct?” The voice of the man behind him sent shivers down his spine, the way his name slid off his tongue creeped the guy out.

“What is it to you?!” He quickly turned his neck, eyes widening in shock when seeing it was squad 5 lieutenant. And he wasn’t smiling like he usually does.

Well he is definitely smiling, but the way his lips curved upward while showing a little bit of teeth creeped him out, there was something bad about that smile and he was terribly frightened.

“I have some things I’d like to discuss with you.” Sosuke raised his foot up to reach his back, kicking him to the floor. He was enraged, he isn’t the type of man to manhandle someone ever.

But this Erin guy.. is the guy from the other day. He was the one of the members who were making comments about your body. Sosuke remembered his face and took his time to plan when to kill him.

Erin was on the ground, terrified on what was about to happen. This is not the kindhearted lieutenant that everyone knows and love. “If you scream, i’ll end this discussion in a heartbeat.” Sosuke drew his blade, pointing the tip of his blade right to his nose.

Erin nodded quickly, the fear in him had made him react quicker. Sosuke smiled wider at the sight of his fear, he relaxed, putting his blade down.

“Do you recall when Y/N passed by the other day? You said ‘look at that ass, it’s a work of art’..”

“I was only complimenting her! You get me right? I mean the lieutenant is stunning! I was just talking about her looks!”

He no longer had a smile painted on his face, his eyes turned black and he quickly raised his blade, slightly slicing open Erin’s cheek. He gasped when feeling the blood dripping down his cheek.

“You know, I really don’t mind when people compliment what is mine..”

“But when someone goes as far as stealing her panties and masturbates with it in their hand.. That’s where I draw the line.” Erin titled his head in confusion, he’s never done such thing before? could this be all a misunderstanding?

“I have never-”

Erins words were cut off by Sosuke as he continued to talk.

“That is why.. I went for the head of your friend.” Sosuke revealed the item he was holding behind his back. Erin didn’t even notice he was hiding something anyways.

But when his eyes shifted to the item, his eyes were filled with such horror.

Sosuke was holding up the head of his friend, what person in their right mind would do this kind of thing?!

“You’re crazy. You’re absolutely crazy..” Erin slowly backed up while he was still on the floor, Aizen only walked closer the further he walked away.

“I am not mad.. but for the women I cherish.. I would happily cross any boundary, even my own sanity.”

After finding out that two of members of your squad were killed by murder, you were left in distress. You were in your office, thinking about what to do.

You saw your zanpakuto, up against your desk. Maybe you could talk to your zanpakuto about it, see what he suggests.

You slowly reached your hand out , wanting to reach for your zanpakuto until a sudden knock on the door disturbed you, making you retreat your hand.

“Come on in!”

“Afternoon, Y/N. I came by to see how you were doing.” It was Sosuke! Seeing him made you feel at ease again. He walked over to your desk.

“I’ve been better.”

“If you find yourself with some time to spare, I’d be delighted to take you somewhere. It’s a place I often visit when my thoughts are.. unclear.”

You could feel your cheeks heat up, was he asking you out on a date? You were supposed to train today but you train all the time.. so it wouldn’t be bad if you spent some time with Sosuke right?

“I have some time right now.” You shyly stated while looking around for something, you were really just trying to hide your blushed face from him. How embarrassing.

He chuckled, putting his hand out to you.. “Then let us leave.”

“My legs are starting to hurt! How much longer are we going to walk.” You groaned, your legs were beginning to feel a bit wobbly, you haven’t had enough nutrients recently due to training and the stress of the murders recently.

Sosuke had a worried look in his eyes when seeing you push yourself so hard.

You were about to fall over, until Sosuke caught you right on time. “I’ll carry you for the remainder of the way, do you have any problems with that?” There was a clear consideration in his voice.

“I’m more than okay with that.”

He nodded, smiling gently at you before swiftly picking you up. He carried you bridal style. It was like being in a romance movie.

The field around you two was incredibly beautiful, the long bright green grass, flowers scattered everywhere, the clean air. It really was beautiful, you desperately wanted this moment to last. You found yourself so at ease you laid your head on his shoulder.

Your hand slowly moved up closer to his chest, you were making circles with your fingers at his chest. You had no idea what you were doing but it just felt right to do so. After realizing what you have done you quickly retreated your hand back, mumbling a quiet ‘sorry’

Once again, he chuckles at you. His gaze softening when making contact with yours.. “Such beauty. It’s not often one encounters someone who is as perfectly crafted like you.” You could feel the grip of his hands tightening.

He knows how beautiful you are, and he is sure everyone can see you the exact same way. It angers him.. other will look at what is his. But would never blame you for that, you are sculpted perfectly.

That is why, he will kill anyone who looks your way.

“We’re here.” He said as he carefully placed you down, he had his hand gently placed on your back in case you were still not ready to stand.

You found yourself at the entrance of the cave that was barely visible, the entrance was concealed by ivy and moss. You turned your neck to him, a bit hesitant to enter. He noticed your hesitation, taking your hand and using his other hand to move the ivy away.

As you stepped inside you were met with the cool air in the cave. The sound of water gently dripping from the stalactites above.

In the center of the cave, there lies a small crystal-clear pool of water. The surface slightly being covered with lotus flowers. Slowly you walked over to the water, gently touching the water.

Your eyes had that starry effect in it, it was incredibly beautiful. You have never seen such a place.

“Oh Sosuke.. It’s beautiful.” While you were focused on the view in front of you, Sosuke’s eyes were focused on you. You were far more beautiful than this place.

“Isn’t it?”

You didn’t even notice that he was really staring at you, he was saying you were beautiful, instead of the view.

“Come on.” He calmly said before leading you to a spot where the view looked much more elegant.

The two of you sat together, backs laid up against a rock. You could see the water from where you were, the cave really was one of a kind.

“How did you find such a beautiful place Sosuke?” He flashed you a charming smile before answering, “I was just wondering around.. then just happened to find this place.”

You hummed and you parted your lips, about to say something until he spoke first. “As soon as I laid my eyes on the scenery, I couldn’t help but think it was the perfect setting for us. And judging from your expressions, I was right.”

You let out a small and gentle laugh, “You’re a very smart man Sosuke.” You moved your knees to your chest, Sosuke turned over to you and slightly saw the color of your panties since you wore a miniskirt with your uniform.

“Could I ask you something, Y/N?” You could tell he was about to ask something serious, so you gave him your full attention.

“Tell me.. if you possessed the ability to reshape the world, would you take it upon yourself into making it a better place? Even if it meant dismantling the very system that holds it together?”

The question was very odd but you didn’t think much to it, there was no way that there could be a deeper meaning behind it, right?

“Of course I would, I mean if I could create a world much better than this one why wouldn’t I take action on it? It’s like i’m setting the world for failure. I don’t think thats right.. y’know?”

Your answer satisfied him, maybe he didn’t have to force you to agree with his plans. But who knows.. he isn’t going to tell you just yet. Guess we’ll just have to see how you react once he tells you.

You stretched your legs out when realizing what kind of question he was asking, where was he even going with this? “Sosuke is there..” Your words stopped when you turned your neck to him, your nose touched his.

He was dangerously close with your face, you became stiff. How did he end up moving this close to you? Should you back away.

He smiled when seeing you so nervous about how close he was so, he backed away just a bit. “You’re absolutely beautiful.” He whispered as he brushed his hand against your cheek.

For a moment, everything just went silent. The water dripped from the stalactites above stopped. The only thing that could be heard slightly was the sound of your heart beating rapidly.

Your glossy lips slightly parted, wanting to speak but nothing came out.. His lips slightly parted as well. There was a clear tension between you two..

He cupped your cheek with one hand, rubbing your cheek with his thumb. Slowly he brought his own face closer to yours, still cupping your cheek.

Your lips softly met with his, the warmth of the kiss spread throughout your body.

This is the feeling that Sosuke longed for, your lips were incredibly gentle. The tension continued to build up slowly, he turned his head slightly, deepening the kiss. He continued to do small kisses here and there, but there were a few sloppy ones.. as well with rougher ones.

There was a slight opening, so he took that chance to slide his tongue into your mouth. You did a quiet and small moan as his tongue explored your mouth. This was all happening so fast.. but were you going to complain? hell no.

When he finally pulled back, there was a silence. He stared at you for quite some time, then stared down at your swollen pinky lips that were caused from him.

“Sosuke..” You muttered out, Sosuke gave no response. He only brushed a piece of your hair behind your ear. He was admiring you, he loves you dearly.

“You don’t plan to runaway from me, do you?” The question caught you off guard, but of course there shouldn’t be any other meaning behind it. And you were definitely not about to runaway now.

You’ve loved this man for years, you remember him from your academy years. He was always the man you loved, and only him. Many other girls fell in love with him left and right but your love is much more different, yours wasn’t lust at all.

“Good.” He gently smashed his lips onto yours, he moved his hand to the back of your head, pushing your head further in to deepen the kiss.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, you just couldn’t help yourself to his touch, this is the touch you longed for so long.

He slid his tongue right back into your mouth, causing you to moan in his mouth. The way you moaned by just a little action only aroused him, how loud could he get you to moan? and how loud could he get you to moan out his name.

Slowly, you reached your hand out to his thigh, just for support.. but your hand landed on something else.. it wasn’t his thigh.

You quickly pulled your hand back, but before you could even place your hand on another part of his body, he grabbed your hand and led it back to the spot you last touched.

He pulled away, a string of saliva followed as he did—“Look at what you have done to me, I’m a mess.” You could feel his hardness from his shihakushō.

You began to feel him up, you could hear slight whimpers coming from him. He wanted more of you, he wanted to have your lips around his cock, he wanted everything from you.

“Forgive me. But I just cannot hold myself back.” He undid his pants, slightly lowering them. Just enough for his cock to be out.

Your eyes glistened when seeing his length, the thickness, the pre-cum on his pinky tip. Everything about him was beautiful, even his cock. This man is perfect.

The length did slightly frighten you, you’ve never seen someone so .. long. But what do you know? You’ve never even touched a man before.

“I take that this is your first time doing any of these things?” Your eyes shifted away from his sex then to his eyes, you nodded.

He felt himself twitch, the fact that no other man has had himself inside of your mouth just turned him on even more, he was the first and he was definitely going to be the last. He will not have another mans sex be in contact with you.

“I’ll be gentle with you then.” Was he going to have sex with you right now?! In a cave?? This place is extremely dazzling but you much rather have sex for the first time in bed. Instead of a cold pretty cave.

While you were stuck in your own thoughts, Sosuke grabbed the back of your head again, he shoved your head down to his sex.

Well that definitely wasn’t gentle..

You gagged a bit when taking all of him, You were a bit confused on what to do next.. but you’re going to try your best to please this man.

Sosuke had pulled your hair back, just so it wouldn’t get into your way. You quickly got used to his length, you took your hand, wrapping it around the remainder of his length.

He was way too long for you, so you needed to give him a blowjob while you suck on his dick. The wetness of your mouth covered his dick, so it was much easier to stroke his cock.

The corner of your eyes began to get teary , even though you were taking half of his length it was almost too much for you. Sosuke groaned when feeling your tongue wrap around the tip of his shaft.

He gripped onto your hair as you gave him strokes on his cock while sucking onto his sex, you could feel him twitch while sucking.

“Hah..” You looked up when hearing him panting, just you making eye contact him could make him cum, that’s how much this man was aroused by you. But of course he couldn’t cum just yet, he wants to enjoy this a little longer.

Your cheeks hallowed, taking him as much as you could without gagging, earning a groan from him.

“You’re.. fuck.. doing splendid.” Sosuke praised you even while sucking his dick, you definitely deserved it. The way his toes curled by your strokes, his hand gripping tightly onto your hair because he could feel your tongue swirling around, the small kisses you placed when you weren’t sucking.

There’s no way he could last longer.

Your movements began to get sloppier, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t enjoying it. His groans and moans began to get slightly louder.

You removed your mouth from his sex just to get a quick breather, making a pop sound. “Sosuke..I-” Sosuke grabbed your head, shoving it back down to his dick.

“I apologize.. I didn’t want to make a mess everywhere.” As he said that you could feel a warm salty liquid filling up your mouth.

He kept your head down until he was sure that your mouth was full with his seed, he didn’t want a drop of it wasted.

He then released your head, “Do not waste even a single drop of it. Swallow it.” You pulled your head back, mouth full of cum.

You nodded, swallowing the warm salty cum of his. He grabbed your cheek, pressing it slightly, just enough to open your mouth slightly. He smirked when seeing you had actually swallowed it.

“That’s my good girl.” He placed a small kiss on your lips. He then made you put away his sex, making you also fix his pants.

“I’m sorry if.. I didn’t do a very good job. It was my first time.” You hid your face with your hands, he chuckled by your consideration.

“You did amazing my dear Y/N. You did make me cum. That says a lot.” He grabbed your hands, moving it aside just so he could place a small and gentle kiss on your forehead.

“Let’s stay here a little while longer..”

“Yes, Sosuke.”

𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧

[bkglovergirl]

♡𓂃Fake it till you make it

Bakugou X Reader

𓏲 Taking Todoroki's advice, you finally confront Bakugou, and it works! Now you and Todoroki are closer than ever, and you make some progress with Bakugou.

Word Count; 2.3k

𓏲 ࣪₊♡𓂃

It’s morning—about 5 a.m., to be exact. Is this a normal time you wake up? Most of the time. You're in the kitchen cooking yourself breakfast, and it's quite more than you normally eat, but you didn't go to bed with dinner last night. Humming a small tune, you take some milk out of the fridge, and you can’t help but be surprised by how well-stalked the house is. You make a mental note to thank whoever paid to get everything filled because God knows you wouldn't have. Being so distracted, you don't notice the sound of your new roommate leaving his room, and it takes you even longer for you to notice him standing at the entrance of the kitchen watching you. “Did you make me any?” being surprised, you accidentally touched the hot pan, completely missing the handle.

“Ow!” you hiss turning to Bakugou, “Alright asshole don’t sneak up on me like that! And no I didn't make you any, why the hell would I?!” You notice Bakugous eyes trail down your body and with that, you look down yourself. Your pink lace nightgown. It is your normal clothing but couldn't you have changed before you went around the dorm?! It's showing off your legs and thighs and that's more than anyone has seen of you. You blush looking back at Bakugou, “Hello earth to Bakugou?!” his attention is back on your face and he walks towards you.

“Well, aren't you my wife now? You are supposed to make me breakfast.”

“You said you didn't wanna wife as I recall.” Bakugou takes your hand and turns on the sink faucet moving your hand to be under the cool water. Being close to him you now notice his lack of shirt. You turn your face away thinking that the stove is much nicer to look at. Your scoreboard goes back to zero but neither of you notice.

“If it gets me breakfast that I don’t have to make, I’ll give you the title for an hour.” His voice is low. With how early it is and him just waking up, it’s much nicer than his day voice and his ear-bleeding yelling.

“Well, I didn't make you shit.” with that, you move your hand away from him and Bakugou shuts off the faucet.

“I'm the one who bought all the food, so I should at least get breakfast!” He raises his voice a little. It's possible that it's too early for even him to yell. “And there is no first aid here, so you need to deal with that at the nurse.” Bakugou makes a mental note to buy a first aid kit, as he's come to the conclusion that you are very clumsy even now.

“You bought the food?” You turn the stone off so as to not burn the eggs.

“Yeah? Did you think it just appeared?!”

“No, I thought the school board got some staff to do it!?! I don't know!!” Bakugou laughs at you as you grab two plates. Grabbing them, your nightgown goes up, and Bakugou takes no time to notice and stare. You evenly distribute the food you made. Sadly, you won't get any extra food to make up for the missed dinner, and you guess that even if you tell Bakuugou, he selfishly won’t care. “Here, this is the last time I make you anything.” you move past him and sit on the couch. He follows after sitting next to you with some distance. Bakugou won’t admit it but the food is actually pretty good. “So why are you up so early? I thought Mr oh great Bakugou had a tight sleep schedule.”

“I do and this is part of it.”

“You are such a grandpa and it’s embarrassing!” You laugh at him obnoxiously and he makes a face at you clearly annoyed but why should you care? 

“DON’T CALL ME A GRANPA BITCH! YOU ARE UP TO!” and with that you can’t help but fall on your back in a fit of laughter, your feet hitting Bakugou's leg and kicking him but he pretends to not notice and chooses to not mention it.

“I can’t believe you are getting so mad at that! Yeah, I’m up but I’m normal and have a pretty messed up sleep schedule! You are just so weird!” You take some deep breaths and look at Bakugou. You blush. With how you are lying your nightgown has risen a bit and your body is turned looking at you. There is this look on his face you've never seen before and again your scoreboard goes up but both are you are too distracted to even notice any slight change. You sit up fix yourself and continue eating.

𓏲 ࣪₊♡𓂃

“I don’t even know, Not even five minutes into being in the room with him we got down to negative points! Like that has to be marked down as the fastest bullshit in history!” you sit on Todoroki's desk whining.

“Are you fully surprised Y/N?”

“Not totally but with how competitive he is you'd think he’d wanna fake it.”

“Maybe use that to your advantage.” With that, it’s like a lightbulb goes off into your head and you hug Todoroki.

“You are a genius!”

“Icyhot is not a genius; he’s dumber than most!” Bakugou walked in, and for some reason, seeing you hug Todoroki gave him issues. It didn't help that Todoroki had a small smile on his face. 

“Everyone is a bigger genius than you!”

“You bitch!”

“Alright class settle down.” Aizawa walks in looking very much unimpressed. You quickly run up to Aizawa asking if you could speak to him outside and he agrees. As you both walk out Ida is yelling trying to get the class in order.

𓏲 ࣪₊♡𓂃

Aizawa questioned you a bit but eventually agreed. Now, Bakugou and you are both sitting out completely while the rest of the class gets to do hero training. Did you think this fully ahead? No, because now you are sitting out. You had told Aizawa that as punishment for getting to the negatives you and Bakugou should sit out. He went on his phone with a confused face showing you and Bakugous's score showing a one. Even though it's low it doesn't qualify for a punishment yet but you pushed on explaining yourself. He agreed and here you are now with Bakugou in the viewing room all by yourselves. You are both facing the big screen TV showing the battle happening between Deku, Mina, shoji, and Kirishima VS. Uraraka, Todoroki, Sero, and Momo. To say Bakugou is fuming is an understatement, he's grumbling, sometimes yelling and hitting things. You finally zone into what he’s saying. “THIS IS FUCKING STUPID! All because we got negative points?!” He kicks an office chair that’s nearby with all his might, and all that chair does is slowly roll away. You can't help but laugh. “ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME?!”

“Yeah, I am! You got two personalities a big grandpa and a big baby!” you are slightly in tears, “Even with all your might you moved the chair just by an itch!” 

“STOP LAUGHING AT ME!” His hands spark.

“Nope! This is pure gold, screw watching the battle!” Bakugou walks up sitting next to you and puts his hand over your mouth, before you can make a comment about how gross his hand is he speaks before you.

“You speak or laugh at me I’ll blow your face off!” On the bright side, he's quiet. On the bad side, his hand is on your face and he’s basically threatening to kill you. You huff and cross your arm thinking about how stupid this is. It gets a little too quiet for comfort and you register his hand, it’s warm on your face but not in a bad way and you can't help but blush. It feels nice on your lips. Bakugous yells something at the screen and it snaps you out of your trance and you take this as a moment to lick the balm of his hand. “HUH?!” you move away from him grabbing the office chair and using it to shield yourself.

“Hear me out!” Bakugou glares wiping his hand on the couch. 

“That was disgusting. You got five seconds before you are dead.”

“Now that is not enough time.” Bakugou deadpans at you, holding up five fingers and putting down one. “ALRIGHT! Alright.. Look we aren't doing anything but making it worse for ourselves.” Bakugou puts down another finger. “Think of this as another competition, Against Midoriya!” you put to the TV screen and bakugou puts down another finger. “The sooner we get better points the faster we can switch partners and the faster you can beat and be better at this than the whole school!” Bakugou puts down another finger. “I know you don’t like me but come on! We can fake it until we make it! You win and show you are better than everyone else and on top of that you can get rid of me!” Bakugou puts down his last finger. “You can take your fingers and shove them up your ass!” you yell sitting on the chair facing away from bakugou. You really thought this would work. Being in your own head you don’t notice Bakugou walking up to you having a small smile on his face but as soon as he grabs the chair and turns you around to face him the smile is gone. 

“Alright fine. I’ll go along with it but we gotta lay down some ground rules.” You smile up at him. 

“Fine by me!” 

“One, do not get in between me and my training work. I don’t care if something will give us points. If it gets in the way of me being a hero, you can cry about it, but I won’t do it. Two, do not get in between my schedule. I won’t make time for you and fit you in. If anything gets in the way of my sleep I don’t care you can fuck off! And Three, we are not going on a first-name basis. I don’t care enough.” Bakugou lets go of the chair and stands up straight crossing his arms.

“Okay!” You stand up and look at the TV. The battle has ended, and Midoriya’s team has won.

“Don’t you have any ground rules?” you smile as Bakugou is trying to be considerate.

 “Nope! I’m not a stingy bitch like you are!” You grab your bag and run out of the viewing room.

“HEY!!??”

𓏲 ࣪₊♡𓂃

“I could have done so much better..” Todoroki mumbles as you wipe his forehead with a cotton swab. The both of you sitting in the nurse's room by yourselves.

“You don’t need to be quiet; it’s just us.” You throw the cotton swab away and grab an alcohol wipe. “You did great, Todoroki. Focus on what you need to improve on, not so much on the battle itself.” It’s hard to give good advice when you weren't exactly watching the battle.

“Hm..” Todoroki looks at you then your hand and grabs it stopping you from touching the wound. “You can call me Shoto.” You smile.

“Alright, Shoto.”

“The fuck you two doing in here?” You look at Bakugou and groan.

“None of your business. What are you doing in here?!”

“Don’t question me after my question!” Shoto let’s go of your hand, a small signal to go back to cleaning him up.

“Y/N is helping me.” Your hand skips a beat and you blush not expecting to hear your name. Bakugou notices and the annoying itch he felt when he saw you on Todoroki’s desk earlier is back and he does not enjoy it.

“Can’t you do that shit yourself.”

“I could.” That’s all Shoto says before turning his attention back to you. Bakugou grumbles, walks over to the first aid kits, and grabs one. Walking back out the door with it, he makes it known how annoyed he is. “Did my suggestion work?”

“Yes! Perfectly to. Though he did lay down some ground rules.”

“He’s such a snob.”

𓏲 ࣪₊♡𓂃

You walk into the dorm taking off your shoes and placing your school bag on the door hanger. Walking into the kitchen you notice the first aid kit on top of the fridge and smile. You quickly get to work and start cooking dinner. There is a feeling in your stomach. You know it's hungry but there is something else. You can’t help but overthink the simple gesture. Time passes of cooking and overthinking and dinner is done. You leave Bakugou’s plate on the kitchen counter and start eating yours on the couch watching TV and skimming through the channels. As soon as you take the first bite as in right on cue Bakugou walks right through the door. “Your dinner is on the counter.” 

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Bakugou grabs his plate and sits next to you, keeping the same distance as this morning. Annoyed you move the remote away from him. “What the hell!?”

“No thanks. No control of the TV remote.” 

“..Thanks for the food.” you look at bakugou and smile.

“You're welcome!” The scoreboard goes up showing two points.

“NOW GIVE ME THE REMOTE!” Your smile fades as quickly as it appears and you throw it at him.

𓏲 ࣪₊♡𓂃

Bakugou stands up putting his bowl on the table. “Alright, I’m going to bed.”

“Finally!” you reach over quickly grabbing the remote, “The remote and TV is mine!”

“you aren’t going to bed?”

“Nope! A new horror movie came out and I wanna watch it! Oh, but the dishes... I'll do it after.” you quickly went from talking to bakugou to talking to yourself. Bakugou rolls his eyes grumbling some insults at you before walking to his door. He takes a quick glance at you. Your hair is messy and you are lying down on your side. The light of the TV illuminating your face. He debates staying out and watching the movie with you telling himself he is just curious about the movie. But he reminds himself about his second rule and he walks into his room.

Tags and notes;

Thank you so much for the support already! This is my first ever story, and I hope to go further with it. I'll update as much as I can and do more stories so let me know If you have any requests!

@andysdrafts @eyesforbkg

[daydreaming-nerd]

Young Love and Old Money (Cassian x Female! Reader) Part 2

Young Love and Old Money Masterlist

AN: My toxic trait is that I'll read Eris fanfic all day and swoon but the second I work on this series I tear him to absolute filth.

Summary: She was the most beautiful woman in Prythian, sister to the High Lord of Night, and now she is the soon-to-be wife of Eris Vanserra. Despite her many titles and her aura of unattainability, Cassian can't help but fall deeply in love with the princess of the Night Court. But will it be enough to stop her impending wedding to a man who is sure to destroy her from the inside out?

Warnings: Sexisim, trauma from under the mountain, alcohol, Eris' hounds

Word Count: 3,754

The next few days fly by faster than expected and before I know it, I’m walking from my room to the foyer of The House of Wind. I don’t miss my reflection in the passing windows. Once again I had been poked, prodded and primped to perfection. My dress hugged my every curve, not that Eris needed an excuse to use his imagination more than he already was. 

I step into the foyer and find Cassian there with his back turned to me. He hears the clacking of my shoes on the marble floors and turns around, the familiar red glow of his siphons both easing the and aiding my rapid heartbeat. 

“What do you think? Do I look ‘wall ornament-y’ enough?” I laugh trying to hide my pain. 

“No you don’t, you look like a princess.” Cassian laughs but I can hear the hesitancy in his compliment.  

“Thank you,” I smile, ducking my head. “Is it just you and I today?” I ask, looking for a sign of my brother or Azriel. 

“Actually it’ll be just us from now on. Rhys has assigned me to take you back and forth from the Autumn Court for the duration of your courtship.” Cassian says with a hint of annoyance. 

“Oh I’m sorry, that seems a little below your pay grade.” I mutter as my cheeks burn with embarrassment. Cassian was The Lord of Bloodshed, not some personal bodyguard of mine. 

“Don’t be, I could use some easy work,” he assures me. “Ready?” 

“I guess so,” I reply, walking over to him so he can pick me up. Within an instant we’re airborne and I try to hold on to the sense of freedom that flying gives me before I feel suffocated under Eris’ gaze. 

The first few minutes of flying neither of us speak. I can hardly think of anything besides the way his arms feel around me, and I almost wish he had the power to winnow like Azriel did to keep my mind from wandering towards places it shouldn’t. 

“I hope you know I didn’t mean what I said the other day. You know, about you being a wall ornament. I was just trying to see Eris squirm.” Cassian confessed and I can tell by the tone of his voice that the subject had been plaguing him for a while. 

“Don’t worry I rather enjoyed his squirming,” I laugh recalling the way Eris’ jaw ticked from Cassian’s sarcasm. 

“Then I’ll be sure to do it more often,” he said with that knee weakening smile. 

It wasn’t long until we reached the Autumn Court and from where Cassian meant to touch down I could see Eris’ fiery hair waiting for me. The second my feet touched the ground Eris was reaching out for my hand. 

“You look ravishing my dear,” he said, placing a kiss to the top of my hand. 

“You as well prince Eris,” I smile as he loops his arm through mine, leading me up the front steps of the palace. 

“I see you brought your bastard dog with you again,” Eris chided, throwing a glance over his shoulder to where Cassian followed us. 

“Don’t worry he’s potty trained, I even taught him to sit and stay,” I quip back as Eris leads me through the doors. I glance back at Cassian to give him an apologetic expression.

Eris lets out a hearty chuckle and I think it’s the first time that I’ve heard him laugh, “My dear you do have quite the sharp mind,” he says. 

I glance up at the ornate ceilings above the foyer,“This place is huge, how many rooms?” I ask Eris, trying to change the subject.  

“More than I’ve ever bothered to try and count, perhaps you can count with me today? I had hoped to take you on a little tour,” Eris answers, leading me down the hall.

Thick, lush garnet colored fabric covers the floors as ornate gold detailing lines the walls. The flames from the many chandeliers cast a warm light through the hall, and the colors of the Autumn trees can be seen through all the multi paned windows. I wanted to love this place, I wanted it to feel like home. Maybe it would have if Eris wasn’t such a viper. 

We spent at least an hour wandering the halls of the palace, Cassian never farther than twenty feet from us. I was surprised to see that the place was near empty. My mind began to wander, was the place vacant because few people lived here? Or was it vacant because even the staff fears Eris? I suppressed the shiver that went down my back as I tried to turn my mind to other matters. 

“I have something I wish to show you,” Eris says as he leads me outside. 

The brisk air fans my face offering a breath of fresh air that I so desperately needed. His grip on me tightened as we approached a familiar looking barn. It didn’t take me long to realize that it was the same barn he had shown me earlier this week, the one where he kept his hounds. 

We walk in through the wooden door and I’m greeted with the sight of at least a dozen kennels of dogs, all of them barking so loud my ears nearly rang at the sound. All of them, white, black and brown. As we made our way toward the back of the barn my gaze locked on a much smaller kennel where a litter of puppies played.  

“Oh prince Eris! They’re so cute!” I cried watching them wrestle around with one another. 

“I thought you might like them,” he smirked, leaning down to pluck one from the litter, placing it into my arms. The little puppy wiggled around licking my face, earning a giggle from me. 

“What’s this one's name?” I ask, holding the puppy close. 

“That one won’t get a name,” he answers, watching me and the pup intently. 

“Why not?” I inquire, puzzled as to why such a sweet thing wouldn’t have a name. 

“Because she’s a female and we don’t keep the females. They cost more to feed and keep than their worth.” He explains, like it’s common knowledge. 

“But then how do you breed more?” I ask, holding the puppy even closer to my chest upon hearing its fate.

“She’s our breeder, and she has been for a couple of years now,” Eris replies, pointing to a fearful looking dog in the back corner of the kennel. “She always bears the strongest and healthiest pups, and most of them are male which is always advantageous.” 

My stomach drops at Eris’ words. “Then why do you keep the female puppies alive for so long?” I ask, not sure I really wanted to know the answer. 

Eris takes the puppy from my hands and puts it back in the pen where it begins to play with the others,  “Because if we kill them right after their birth the mother gets lethargic and she refuses to nurse the males. We lost a whole litter once doing that.”  he says once more, circling a hand around my waist. 

My heart shatters at the realization of the poor puppy’s fate. “Oh,” I say in defeat, all thoughts from my head dissipating as I stare at the mother. 

“I’m afraid we can’t all be pretty things for future High Lords to enjoy,” Eris smirks, nuzzling my  neck. “Come, I have one last thing to show you before you leave.” 

I nod, following Eris out of the barn, but I don’t leave without one last look at the mother dog in the back kennel. For a second I swear her eyes meet mine and there’s an understanding that we will both share the same fate, breeding vessels for higher powers. 

We walk down along the river until we come across a large weeping willow. It appeared to have been there for years as its branches and yellow leaves cascaded down creating a large curtain around it. We had them all over the Sidra of the Night Court, but I had never seen one bear the colors of fall. 

“That’s far enough bastard,” Eris curses at Cassian as he pushes back the leafy curtain to allow me in. I try to throw Cassian a fearful look but Eris closes the foliage curtain behind him before I get the chance.  

I look up at the branches of the willow, doing my best to avoid Eris’ hungry gaze. The leaves are beautiful as the light of the setting sun shines through them, the slight breeze and the sound of the river flowing next to us made this place its own world. 

“I can see why your family chose to keep you locked up for all those years,” Eris chimes, taking a step towards me. 

“And why is that?” I say retreating a step, trying to keep my gaze on my surroundings. 

“Because every legend I ever heard about your beauty is true,” he smirks, taking another step towards me. 

My heart rate quickens and my palms go clammy as I take another step back, “and what do they say about me?” I ask, as if I don’t already know. 

Eris chuckles, seemingly happy to recite the prose to me, “Eyes like a storm,” he starts taking another step closer to me. 

I feel my bare back hit the bark of the willow and I realize that he has me pinned. He has been hunting me like prey this whole time and I was stupid enough to fall into the trap. 

“Hair like threads of silk,” he continued, brushing a hand through my hair. “And skin as soft as rose petals,” he smiles, caressing my cheek. “The Jewel of Prythian and the weakness of every male.”

Eris’ breath fans my cheek as I feel his body press me into the willow tree, “It seems I have a lot to live up to,” I breathe, trying to keep my voice from quivering. 

“Hardly.” he says, brushing a stray hair from my cheek. “You’re already the greatest temptation I’ve ever known and I think I’m tired of restraining myself from you.” he growls. 

I don’t have a moment to think before his lips are smashing onto mine. My back scrapes against the bark and I know that there will be an angry red mark there when I free myself from Eris’ grasp. His tongue slides into my mouth and I feel my stomach burn. His lips taste vile, like they weren’t made for me, but he seems to be enjoying himself just fine. His hands wander my waist possessively, like I’m nothing more than an object for him to indulge in, though I suppose that’s exactly how he saw me. 

Like a saving grace from above, the large bell atop the castle rang out, signaling that it was 7 o’clock, time for me to leave. I manage to push Eris off of me just enough for me to get a word in. 

“Prince Eris, it's 7, my brother wants me home,” I say, placing my hands on his chest. My head casts down to where they spread over the expensive fabric of his shirt, the patterns being the only thing keeping me grounded. 

“So punctual,” he tuts. “A frustrating quality now, but if things go well for us you’ll make quite the obedient little wife won’t you?” he smirks forcing my chin up so I can meet his domineering gaze.

“Yes of course my prince,” I say timidly. 

“Good girl,” he praised, turning my chin to the side. The second the seventh bell chimes, a hand pushes aside the curtain of leaves and I’m relieved at the sight of Cassian. 

“Princess it’s time to go,” he says urgently, the voice of a general making an appearance. 

“You’re right,” I nod, trying not to look shell shocked. “Until next time Prince Eris,” I say as Eris kisses my hand. 

“Until then my little flame,” he smiles. 

I step out of the cover of the willow tree and Cassian wastes no time picking me up and shooting into the sky. I immediately feel better the second the wind whips my hair back and I can let go of the breath that I’m holding. 

“Do you want me to take you to Rhys?” Cassian asks. 

“No, just take me home please,” I reply, trying to hold back my tears.

As if he can sense my eagerness to feel safe in my own home he flaps his wings harder. We spend the entire flight in silence as I try to forget about the taste of Eris on my tongue but it’s impossible. The entire time we’re in the air I’m unable to think of freedom like I normally do. All I can feel is Eris' brand on me, and the second we touch down on the balcony of the House of Wind I feel every emotion I have come to the surface.

“Thank you for the ride,” I say to Cassian. My voice breaks as I turn from his gaze and make my way inside. 

“Princess wait!” Cassian calls for me but I don’t turn around, whatever he has to say can wait. 

I make a beeline for the kitchen. My tears are falling faster than ever and all I can think is, get his taste out of my mouth, get his taste out of my mouth, get his taste out of my mouth.  I waltz over to the liquor cabinet and pull out the first bottle of whiskey I see. It spills a little as I frantically pour it into a glass and shoot it down my throat, the burn washing away any trace of Eris. 

“Hey are you okay?” a voice drawls from behind me and I turn to see Cassian in the doorway.

“I’m practically engaged to a monster of course I’m not okay!” I cry shooting down another gulp of whiskey. 

“Hey, hey hey,” Cassian coos, crossing the room to take the glass and the bottle from my hand. “It’s okay just breathe.” he says, pulling me into him. 

The gesture makes me let go of all my inhibitions as I sob violently into his chest. I can barely breathe through my shallow breaths. I feel Cassian stroke a hand through my hair. 

“H-how could s-someone be so terrible?” I sob through my ragged breaths. “Those poor puppies, and their mother? The way he t-touches me? A-and the way he speaks to you? I hate him.” 

“Hey don’t worry about me okay? I can take it.” Cassian assures me. “Just take a deep breath for me alright?” 

I listen to him and take a long deep breath, the smell of cedar and leather filling my senses calming me down instantly. He instructs me to take another one and I do, this time the heat of the whiskey warming my stomach helps calm me down. 

Once I finally  have my breathing under control he bends down to look at me, “Now, if we’re going to be drinking whiskey we might as well drink Rhys’ good stuff,” he smiles and for the first time that day I laugh.

“I suppose so,” I chuckle, wiping my tears away. 

“That’s the spirit,” Cassian beams as he reaches for the large bottle at the top of the cabinet. He grabs two more glasses and takes them over to the living room. 

I follow him and plunk myself down on the couch across from him. He pours us each a glass and raises his own in a toast. 

“To old dogs that can learn new tricks,” he laughs referring to the comments made earlier today about him. 

I roll my eyes playfully clinking my glass to his and taking a sip, “I’m sorry about that, Eris really is the worst,” I say. 

“Then why are you looking to marry him? You know if you went and talked to Rhys right now that he wouldn’t make you do this.” Cassian asks, taking a sip. 

I let out a long sigh while swirling the whiskey around my glass,  “Because he sacrificed a lot for me under the mountain, I should repay the favor. Besides, he’s right. War is coming and if this is the only thing I can do to keep Velaris safe, and to keep you and Azriel safe then I want to do it.” I explain to him. 

“You don’t have to worry about me and Azriel princess, it’s our job to keep you safe,” Cassian says leaning forward, setting his glass on the coffee table. 

“I know, I know. You’re big tough Illyrians.” I roll my eyes. “But this is my duty, it’s what my father and mother wanted, it’s what I was made for. I don’t have earth shattering powers like my brother, or siphons and wings like you and Az. This is what I’m good for, and if it keeps my people safe then I’ll show up to woo Eris every single day with a smile on my face.” I say. 

There’s a sadness in Cassian’s eyes and I can tell he wants to argue against me but he doesn’t, “You’re braver than most of the Illyrians I know. I think you could give Devlon a run for his money,” he says with sincerity, taking a swig from his drink. 

“That might be a bit of an overstatement, though I bet with the right motives I could take him down,” I jest, sipping my drink. 

“Now that’s something I would pay to see,” Cassian laughs. A moment of silence ensues before Cassian takes a gold mark out of his back pocket and twirls it in his fingers, “Have you ever played Marks?” he grins. 

About an hour passes by and I’m thoroughly engaged in the game Cassian calls Marks. Apparently it’s a game he had been playing with Rhys and Azriel for years. The concept is simple, we both bounce gold marks off the table and try to land them in the glass in front of us. If I make it in the glass before he does, he has to drink and vice versa. 

As simple as the game was, I couldn't lie that I was having fun. More fun than I have had in years. Turns out I was much better at Marks than Cassian had anticipated and throughout the hour I had him drinking like a fish.  

That’s how Azriel found us, in a room filled with the sound of metal clattering against wood and laughter ringing out from both Cassian and I. 

“Cassian, did you teach her how to play marks?” Azriel mused leaning over the couch next to me to watch.  

“I did and it turns out she’s pretty damn good! I think the princess might be able to school you Az.” Cassian taunts. 

I hear Azriel scoff beside me, “Oh please, move over and let me show you how it’s done.” he says sitting next to Cassian and picking up a gold mark. I don’t even have a chance to bounce mine before Azirel’s drops into the glass. 

“Damn that was good,” I smile downing the last of my drink. 

“Don’t worry princess, I'm sure you’ll be as good as me one day,” Azriel boasts proudly leaning back into the couch. 

“Whatever Az,” I laugh standing up. “Well I think I’ve had enough to drink for one night. Goodnight you two.” I smile walking down the hall towards my room. I hear Cassian and Azriel bid me goodnight and for the first time in a long time, I go to bed with a smile on my face. 

Cassian 

  A pretty little wall ornament for a future High Lord, just like you are…

You will bear me a son…

You’re already the greatest temptation I’ve ever known and I think I’m tired of restraining myself from you…

You’ll make quite the obedient little wife won’t you?

The things Eris’ said to y/n replay over and over again in my head causing my blood to boil. If it wouldn’t start an all out war I would out his head on a fucking pike and feed the rest of him to his hounds. I can’t stop replaying y/n’s face as she looked at the mother dog. It was clear that she knew that her fate would be the same as the animal. I was so blinded with rage I didn’t dodge Azriel’s punch fast enough feeling his fist connect with the side of my head. 

“You’re off your game today brother. Any particular reason why?” Azriel taunts me from across the sparring ring. I didn’t want to admit he was right, but it was obvious my mind was clearly occupied today. 

“I’m fine, I just didn’t sleep last night,” I told him, not entirely a lie. Azriel squares up again and I take my stance.  

“You sure it doesn’t have anything to do with a certain princess you were sharing drinks with last night?” Azriel teases throwing a punch. I dodge it and throw my whole body into my next punch hating how he teases me about y/n. He dodges it and goes for the low blow knocking me down. 

“I can assure you it has nothing to do with her,” I say from where I’m lying on the mat.

Azriel moves to unwrap his hands, seemingly calling it a day for the sparring ring. “Oh c’mon Cass, you’ve been pining for her for years.” he said, reaching out a hand to help me up which I took. “You need to tell her or you’re going to lose her forever.”

“I can’t. I won’t put her in an awkward situation like that, she already has enough on her plate.” I sigh, taking my own wraps off. “Besides she could never love someone like me, she’s a princess and ‘The Jewel of Prythian’ remember? Not to mention Rhys’ little sister. I’m nothing but a bastard born brute.”

“You really think she cares about something like that?” Azriel asks, wiping his face with a towel. 

“I don’t have the guts to find out,” I answered sitting down next to him. 

“Well if you’re looking for advice-” 

“Which I’m not,” I cut Az off. 

“But if you were,” he says, clapping a hand on my back. “I would tell her soon. Because if Eris decides that she’s worthy of bearing his sons he’s going to destroy her from the inside out.”

Part 3

Taglist: @crystalferret202 , @nickishadow139 ,  @graceshifts , @writeroutoftime , @heyyitsnat21,

[innorogers]

Lucid

Steve Rogers x Dark Past Reader (You)

Summary: Steve finds out about your past. You're nothing as he thought you were. You are better.

Warning: Steve struggling / Past revelations / You don't have to read this: Chapter 1 - Insomnia, but it would enhance the experience if you did.

What do you do the night you meet the love of your life? You spend it with to him—talking, hugging, kissing, teetering on the edge of going further... but it doesn’t matter, because one day, you won’t recall the specifics. Years from now, future you will think back to this night and remember only the magic you felt, the moments your heart skipped a beat, and the wonder of it all.

In the present, as the first rays of sunlight rise from the east and touch your face, you can barely keep your eyes open, almost drifting off against Steve’s shoulder. Once he finds out you’ve just come off a 13-hour shift, he insists on walking you to your dorm. And though it seems to take every ounce of his willpower, he refuses your unspoken invitation to stay. Ever the gentleman.

After a shift that handed you five hours of overtime, you managed to get immediate compensation—and even figured out how to maximize your sleep: you'll shower later.

So, after Steve kisses you goodbye for the sixth time, you finally close the door and collapse into your pillow. Though, to be honest, you’d rather be falling asleep on his chest.

Captain America, on the other hand, was more awake than ever. The last time he felt this energized was when they thawed him from his popsicle state. It was like walking in sunlight, and he half-expected some cheesy background music to play as he moved through the halls.

But, as always, fate was waiting in the corner to throw a punch and kick his perfectly peach shaped ass.

You were still on his mind when he stepped into the Level 0 – Avengers Only common room. You hadn’t left his thoughts since he said goodbye to you... thirty minutes ago.

To his surprise, Natasha was already there – she was never up before 11 – typing something into a computer - she was also never on top of her paperwork -.

“Oh wow, this is rare.” Steve was in a mood—no, actually, "mood" wasn’t the right word. He was still wonderstruck, wrapped up in his own bubble of happiness because of meeting you. 

“Haha, hilarious,” Natasha deadpanned without even glancing up. “Go ahead and laugh now, Rogers. One day, that ‘I’m from the 40s, I don’t know this shit’ lame excuse is not gonna to fly anymore, and you’ll actually have to do some of this.”

“Well... by then, hopefully our genius philanthropist will have invented something to take this torture off our hands,” Steve replied, handing her a cup of coffee.

Now he had her attention.

“Someone’s in a good mood…” She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Alright, spill.”

“Oh no, not a chance,” Steve shook his head, grinning. “Not happening.”

But after a pause, he added, “Hey, we have full access to everyone’s records here, right?”

“Yeah, Level 0 clearance,” Natasha replied, still focused on her typing. “You’ve got everything on your phone. Why?”

Steve glanced at your name in his phone and tried to sound casual. “What do you know about an engineer?” He wasn’t entirely sure if that was your title—you had mentioned it, but he had only been paying attention to the important stuff (like your favorite ice cream, song, hobbies, and what you wanted to do this Saturday night…).

“You’ll need to be more specific. I need an ID or at least a last name.”

“Illithya Lancaster,” he said softly, almost smiling as your name left his lips.

“Oh yeah,” Natasha responded immediately, “the one that goes by ‘Twelve,’ right?”

That got Steve’s full attention. He sat up straight, frowning. “‘Twelve’? Is that a nickname?”

“Code Name 12. Subject ID HE0012.” Natasha continued typing as though she were battling something. “You know what that means.”

“No.” Steve’s voice turned rigid. “I don’t.”

The typing finally stopped, and Natasha swiveled around in her chair to face him. “H for Hydra, E for experiment, number 12. She was one of Hydra’s experiments, Steve.”

That was a bucket of ice water he hadn’t expected. Right to the spine. Steve took a few seconds to find his voice.

“What?”

“There.” Natasha handed him an iPad with all the information: “See, here she is. Um… mission rescue R804, Siberia… Sokovia… yeah, she’s on Hydra's top confidential list, one of the few we’ve got. Stark moved mountains to save her from rotting in a federal prison for eternity.” She spoke quickly as she read, her voice unusually soft, full of compassion.

Steve paused for a moment, trying to recall if you’d mentioned anything about a nickname last night, but he didn’t think you had.

He could barely think. His voice, distant and faint, whispered: “‘Twelve’? What… happened to the other eleven?”

Swiping the iPad, Natasha didn’t even look up, just shrugged: “What do you think?” She didn’t notice Steve’s face go pale instantly. 

“Illithya was the only survivor, barely. Used and discarded as anything Hydra could imagine… like something disposable.” 

She sighed. “I’ve seen awful things, but this is one of the files I try to forget.”

Steve’s mind was in turmoil. He couldn’t think, and the pain in his chest seemed to crush every fiber of his being.

He couldn’t believe it. You, his treasured little secret, his enchanted, magical midsummer night, this beautiful, pure soulmate he’d fallen with—the one who told him a fairy would bring him all the stars—had been used, abused, treated like a guinea pig, nothing more than a lab rat?

He was beginning to understand the emotions rising within every cell of his body: a mix of uncontrollable anger, sadness, and fear.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, his voice wavered slightly: “...How… how long was she experimented on?”

Natasha set the file aside and looked him straight in the eye. There was empathy there. She knew Steve was shaken, so she softened her voice as much as she could, though her words remained honest.

“‘Till we got her? A lifetime. She was born and raised in captivity. Her entire existence was based on an experiment.”

Steve closed his eyes. It was more than he could bear. The pain he felt intensified with every word Nat spoke. 

He clenched his fists, veins bulging with rage. How could they. 

“How did you rescue her?” He found himself asking in a calm voice, as if inquiring about any other case.

“We didn’t. She escaped, and we found her. After you and Tony split in Siberia.” Nat pulled up the file again on the tablet and handed it to him, but Steve didn’t look. He wasn’t ready.

“So, until she got away…” Steve heard his voice, sounding unnervingly emotionless, and he hated it. “Was she under Hydra’s control her entire life?”

Black Widow didn’t respond at first. She nodded, just barely, while watching him. She was using the spy stare, reading everything beneath the surface, interpreting every unspoken word, every pause, every silence was a puzzle piece for her to figure out the entire picture.

“A lifetime under Hydra…” Steve whispered.

And he felt awful for saying it.

But there it was, a poisoned seed growing in the shadows of his mind. Steve wanted to bury it deep, but he couldn’t stop. 

The doubt crept in, spreading like a toxin—the thought that everything you’d been through had changed you.

How could you ever purge Hydra’s venom from your veins? Was it still there, lurking in every dormant cell, slowly expanding like a plague, consuming all the good, the magic, the purity in you? Corrupting you?

“Stop,” Natasha suddenly said.

She gave him a look Steve recognized—she was about to ask something that would make him think, really think.

After a deep breath, she spoke: “If you’re asking about her, it’s because you’ve met her, right? So, what do you think? Did she seem like a…villain? Or was she different? Special, maybe?”

Steve leaned back into the chair at her words, the memory of you filling his mind again, your innocence, your weird yet adorable responses, your naivety, your smile…You.

The touch of your hand, the softness of your voice, the pureness of your soul. The way you’d clung to him, spoke to him, trusted him, kissed him. He exhaled slowly, a ghost smile on his face. 

“No. I never thought of her as a villain. Or as any…negative. She was different, more than different. She was…she is…incredible…she’s wonderful…she’s…” Perfect.

Natasha remained in silence. Staring at him. Then she leaned up, her words like splashed ripples on the spring's surface. “Why do you trust Barnes, Steve?”

Her tone was calm and serene, yet it made Steve clench his fists. The question was unexpected, but not unanticipated—he knew she’d ask; she always pushed when she had that look.

“He was, or is, more Hydra than anyone we’ve ever rescued from those hellholes, yet you risked everything to save him.”

“That’s different. I know Bucky, he’s all I have left of my past. And he was brainwashed.” You weren’t. You acted, and you act by choice… don’t you? Steve panicked at the thought. Everything you did, you did with your heart… right? Everything that happened last night, was true…Right?

“So if she wasn’t brainwashed, she’s guilty?” A slight ironic smile tugged at Nat’s lips. “Even though she never asked to be born into a Hydra experiment, or to live in captivity. Is she at fault, Steve? For not trying hard enough to escape?”

Steve froze at her words, realizing what she was getting at. You weren’t brainwashed, no, much worse, you’d grown up knowing nothing of life outside Hydra. You weren’t just a victim. No. He thought of you. You were a survivor. A fighter.

“That sounded a bit protective.” Steve looked at his fellow Avenger, studying her expression. “Was it just a rescue mission, Nat? You don’t usually…attach to people.”

Letting out a laugh, Natasha returned to her usual mysterious, lazy smile. “I’ll let you find out for yourself.” 

She hesitated but finally spoke under Steve’s gaze: “She’s… different, Steve.”

A slight, warm smile crossed Black Widow’s face. 

“She’s kind…and good. I don’t know how to explain it, but she’s innocent. Her heart… it’s pure.”

Steve raised an eyebrow at Nat’s words. He could hear the awe in her voice, and it made him think of you: The way you’d looked at him, the sparkle in your eyes. Tiny butterflies fluttered in his stomach as he remembered the way you’d laughed and how they took flight when he kissed you.

Without even realizing it, his voice became as tender as it could be: “Yes. She is all those things.”

“Like I said.” Natasha leaned back in her chair, her fingers returning to the keyboard. “I’ll let you find out for yourself.”

LAB 278—it had taken some time to find.

Steve silently thanked Jarvis for lighting the way as he stepped into your lab—your private, secluded lab, hidden almost a 20-minute walk from the central facilities. Steve hadn’t even known this place existed on campus.

He pushed open the door and saw you through the thick glass. He couldn’t help but marvel as he took in the entire space. Your lab looked like a greenhouse, with plants everywhere—on the desk, under the tables, on the floor, shelves, and windows. Long curtains of leaves hung down from the ceiling like rain falling through broken glass. 

Large screens dominated the room, and then Steve’s eyes widened at what he saw next. 

An armory. Their. Armory. 

A bow being analyzed by lasers, prototypes of metal gauntlets, shattered helmets, and torn suits.

And then, he saw you.

You were cleaning his shield.

Everything fell into silence when his gaze rested on you. The whole place became a quiet green ocean, so still that Steve could almost hear the plants breathing. And his own heartbeat. That stopped when you lifted the shield and gently kissed it.

“Do a good job,” he heard you whisper to it. “Protect him. Keep him safe.”

Steve snapped out of it as those words echoed in his mind. He had a hundred questions, but they vanished in that instant. He wasn’t even thinking—he was reacting—as he stepped forward and opened the door.

The look on your face when you heard the noise and turned around was indescribable. All the tension in your expression softened, and the light in your eyes brightened. 

Steve wondered, how he’d been so blind, so stupid, to believe some reports instead of trusting…you.

“Oh. Hi…” You smiled, joy sparkling in every corner of the room.

God, that smile. The happiness in your eyes at seeing him weakened his knees. He spoke, his voice softer than he’d expected. 

“Hey...”

You almost run to him under instinc. Wanting to move closer, to take his hands, but…you weren’t sure. Was it too much? Too fast? What are you (or this) supposed to be? Are you even dating? Will he hate it? So, you blushed and stood still. “I…I um… I’m so glad you’re here.”

Steve noticed the way you flinched, the way you wanted to reach out but held yourself back. It made him feel…sad, like something was cracking in his chest. He wanted to reach out and take your hand. But he didn’t—not yet. 

Instead, he stepped closer, his voice gentle as he smiled. “…And I’m very glad to be here.”

“Oh.” You weren’t sure if it was the lack of sleep or if you were just lost in his eyes, but your mind was racing, and you couldn’t stop yourself from blurting out something dumb, like really dumb.

“I missed you.”

Oh, what the hell. You wanted to bite your tongue. Especially when you saw Steve freeze. Okay, that was stupid as fuck, you thought, looking down, unsure of what to say next.

“I’ll take it back, I’m sorry, that was stu—” But before you could finish, you were pulled into a tight embrace.

Steve pulled you towards him, wrapping his arms around you in a tight, protective hold. As if he wanted you to melt within him.

He realized how absurd he had been for holding this back, how deeply he craved you. Like a primal longing, like a dying plant thirsting for a drop of dew, or desperate for air.

“Please…don’t be.” He whispered, pressing your head to his shoulder, inhaling the scent of your hair, his eyes closed as he sighed. “I missed you too.”

“Oh.” You awkwardly ran your hands along his back, fumbling at first, before simply giving in and hugging him tighter. You caressed his neck until he rested his forehead against yours, exhaling deeply.

And you smiled. 

“So…you did find out, huh?”

He stood silently, with his chin in your shoulder. And after a while he said in a bitter tone: “How’d you know?”

“‘Cause you look exactly like Tony and Natasha did when they found out. And… because you’re in my lab. I mean, I don’t think this place is a hot spot, huh?” You laughed and broke the hug slightly, but he tightened his grip on your waist, unwilling to let you pull away. 

You caressed his face, inhaling the warmth of his breath, and looked into his eyes. 

"Steve, what happened to me isn’t a burden for you to carry, you know that, right?”

Steve froze. 

Isn’t it? 

Wasn’t it because he hadn’t destroyed Hydra when he had the chance?

Because they didn’t find out sooner?

Because… he wasn’t there?

You struggled to read people, especially someone you cared about, so when you saw the pale, stiff look on his face, you paralyzed.

Was that why he came? To tell you it was over? Well…to be honest, you wouldn’t blame him. After all… you were you, and he was… Steve Rogers. And you were…Hydra’s Frankenstein.

That thought must have shown on your face, because Steve noticed the change in your expression—fear and shame, like you were some kind of Quasimodo who had his mask ripped off.

The mere thought made Steve’s blood boil—the idea that he might reject you because of your past, as if you were to blame for things you couldn’t control. As you were…sinful and…bad.

He suddenly cupped your face and spoke firmly, the words echoing from his heart, the same words he should have said the moment Natasha told him the truth.

“Hey, hey… look at me. Look at me.” He stared straight into your eyes. "Don’t doubt me. Don’t doubt… us.” His voice was filled with protectiveness and anger. “I’m here, and I…” I’m falling for you.

“Do you regret it?” Your voice trembled. “Last night… do you regret… meeting me?”

“No.” His voice was steady and resilient, unwavering and unshakable: “Not in a million lifetimes.”

You held your breath for a moment, trying not to cry. Then spoke as you were telling a secret. 

“I always wondered…What would I have been like if I were… normal? If I had normal parents—a father working in a bank, a mom as a teacher. I’d go to school, go to prom, fall in love… have friends… but…” 

You pressed your fingers into his hand and smiled softly.

“… I wouldn’t change anything about my past, if that was the road I had to take, that leaded me…to finally meet you.”

Steve felt like he could’ve started crying at any moment. 

Your past had left a crack in his heart, something he could never fix, something that would always hurt. And yet, you said it was all worth it? All the suffering, all the pain… just to meet him? How could he… how could he deserve you? He couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe.

“God…” he murmured, his voice filled with pain. “How can you say that… how can you still be so…” 

Kind. Good. Pure.

Natasha was damn right. You were everything she said, and more.

“Hmmm… Maybe…” You thought out loud. "Maybe I always knew I’d meet you someday, and I had to be good enough… to be… worthy.”

Steve exhaled, trying to calm the storm in his heart and mind. 

The weight of your words hit him hard. He paused for a moment before he pulled you against him, his arms wrapping around you tightly, as if that could protect you from all the misfortune or pain that might come in the years ahead.

“Damn it…”

His voice broke as he whispered.

“I can’t believe I found you…”

“Well then,” you whispered, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand. 

“Thank you for finding me.”

Time stilled for a moment, but before he could think, Steve’s body had already reacted, he pinned you against the workbench as his hand weaved through your hair, and his lips pressed yours in a deep kiss. 

He couldn’t hold back anymore, he needed you, wanted you, to hold you as close as possible, without letting you go ever again.

All the composure he had been trying to maintain disappeared the moment he felt you. 

Your lips, your tongue, your scent… Any sense of reason was hanging by a thread. 

He lifted you onto the desk, sending pens and books scattering to the floor, but he didn’t give a damn. Not when your legs wrapped around his hips and you moaned his name as his hand tightened around your waist.

“Jesus…”

The way your voice sounded, the way you were looking at him, the way you were sitting with your legs around him, everything was driving him desperately crazy, struggling to keep control to not to tear your clothes off and make you his right there. 

He broke the kiss before doing something reckless, but his body was tense, and his breathing panting. 

“You’re driving me crazy…” He breathes heavily, leaving a deep kiss in your forehead.

“What?” Your mind was still spinning from his kiss, and you replied without thinking: “Well yeah, welcome to the club.” 

Steve left out a laugh, All the intense revelations from earlier had nearly made him forget just how incredible your comebacks were. 

He looks down and kisses you again, this time with more tenderness than passion, and he speaks as he continues. 

“I’ve been thinking about this since I left you this morning…”

“Can you…” You could barely form a word without moaning: “Can you think…of taking this further?”

“…” 

That made him stopped. 

The suggestion sent a shiver down his spine. Oh you and your amazing comebacks. His mind suddenly flashed, imagining all the things he’d wanted to do to you, maybe in his room, in the bed, with you under him, moaning his name as you just did, only louder and louder…

Steve quickly shook the thought from his mind, trying to force himself back to reality. 

“God… please don’t tempt me.” He could feel his body reacting to his own imagination, so he pressed his forehead against yours, clenching his fists, trying to regain some control.

“I…” You wanted to say, "I don’t mind," or even, 'I don’t give a damn if you take me right now...You know what, there’s actually a bed at the back of this lab.' But then his phone rang.

“What the hell…” He glanced at the caller ID and groaned, “For gods sake, what timing…” One hand reached for the phone while the other held you firmly. “I’m sorry, babe, give me a sec.”

Your heart skipped a beat at the sound of him calling you that for the first time, but before you could process it, Tony Stark’s voice echoed through the empty lab.

“I don’t know what you are doing there, Cap…And trust me, I don’t wanna know…but Jarvis just sent me a reminder, to remind you, that there are cameras everywhere in the working campus. Everywhere.” 

You could tell there was a humorous tone in Iron man’s voice.

“Even in remotely located labs for top secret employees.”

End but TBC-

Continue to:

3: Reverie |

4: Nightmare |

5: Awakening |

6: Dusk |

7: Hypnagogia |

8: Lull |

9: Vigil |

10: Eclipse |

Alright, thanks for reading up to here. Hope you enjoyed it!! <3

So when I started writing Part 1, I was like, 'Oh, let's just write cute one-shots and short stuff.' And here I am with a complex OC and a struggling Steve. I'm so sorry for that :3 I just can't help myself!

Part 3 comes with 'the one night I made you mine and made you beg' thing I was hoping I'd finally get to. I promise! (Still have no idea how I'm writing that through my working shifts, tho.)

Okay, have a good one <3 Lmk if you liked it ? Report and everything is highly appreciated <3 :D

Love.,

Moon.

[fairyhaos]

. ˚ love at second sight

pairing: non-idol!junhui x gn!reader

genre: fluff, meet cute, non-idol setting, libraries

word count: 1823

warnings: none

notes: the junhui brainrot from earlier was so strong that i ended up writing a whole entire fic for him. enjoy!

summary: it's a quiet, peaceful day at the library, and even though the person you meet is anything but quiet or peaceful, he makes you begin to wonder whether those cheesy scenarios in books can, sometimes, be real.

You don’t believe in love at first sight.

How does that even happen, anyway? How can you look at someone for the first time and immediately think that you’re in love? Personally, you think that sounds incredibly shallow, because if you’re falling in love with someone you’ve only just seen, then it’s mostly likely that you’re falling in love with the way they look.

That’s what’s on your mind as you’re walking to the library that afternoon, to return a book that you hadn’t particularly enjoyed reading. The female protagonist had fallen in love way too fast with the male love interest who, in your opinion, was far too toxic and problematic.

The library is relatively empty when you walk inside, only a few people milling about around the shelves. There rarely ever were many people here, anyway, and it was one of the reasons you loved the library. The peace. The calm. The lack of other humans. 

Leisurely, you browse the shelves, looking for something different to read. Something more light-hearted with a sensible protagonist who is able to see red flags.

You duck into another shelf, fingers trailing wood, dark and shiny under your fingers. You smile a little as you get to one author, trailing the book spines with your fingers. You’ve read almost everything by them, you recall, recognition lighting up as you read all of the book titles. As a child, their books were your favourite. Abruptly, you stop at one series, eyes widening.

“No way,” you whisper to yourself, looking at the book.

This is incredible. The author, the one that you’d loved, had one series which had always remained unfinished by one book. They’d always said they’d get back to it someday, and as you look at the last book of the series on the shelf, the spine unbroken and brand new, you can’t help but marvel at their determination to finish the series.

You have to read this.

As you reach out for the book, a hand comes up beside you and grabs the spine just as your fingers land on it.

“Mine,” you automatically say, and the person next to you laughs.

You look to your side, and suddenly your heart floats up and lodges itself in your throat. This person… this man… well, he’s just gorgeous.

This mysterious man with his hand on your book just grins, and the first thing you notice is that he has a little mole next to his lips, and on his cheek, and for some reason it makes him look even more attractive.

“Hmm, no, I think it’s mine,” he says, still grinning, and you snap back to the task at hand. No. You need this book.

“I touched it first,” you shoot back.

He shakes his head vigorously. "No, it was me."

"No, me!"

You go back and forth like that several times, and honestly it's incredibly childish, but you are determined to take this book and read it, even if it means resorting to childish arguments. 

"It's mine," you say firmly, attempting to wrap your hand more securely around the spine of the book, but then he steps closer to you and now, your heart is no longer in your throat but seems to have disintegrated entirely.

"No, it's mine," he says back, voice low, and it makes your breath stutter. 

You back away as he steps closer, and now he has you practically pressed against the bookshelf, eyes bright and teasing. He’s not actually touching you but the proximity is heart-fluttering and he looks like he knows that, because one minute both of your hands are on the book and next, your grip has loosened and it’s firmly in his.

And then he’s stepping away and you can breathe again, but you’re breathing very annoyedly because he’s grinning down at your book and damn why does his jawline look so good?

“Hey,” you protest. “That’s not fair.”

He looks up at you, tilting his head innocently. “What’s not fair?”

“You… What you just did.” You frown, crossing your arms, and you kind of want to pout like a little kid but that's probably taking it a step too far. “That wasn’t fair. Come on, please, I’m literally this writer’s biggest fan. I’ve read all their books, like hundreds of times, and this is the brand new book of the series they started ages ago that they always—”

“—promised that they’d come back to eventually,” the man finishes, eyebrows raised in surprise. “You do know their work.” He looks at you for a long, long moment, before nodding. “Okay. What’s your name?”

“What?”

“Your name,” he repeats. “I’ll tell you mine. I’m Junhui.”

Junhui? Now that you look at him, you recognise that he does indeed look like a Junhui, which explains why his accent was so soft when he was speaking. You consider against giving your own name for a moment, because stranger danger and all that, before ultimately deciding that you’re probably never going to see him again, so it doesn’t really matter.

“Y/N,” you tell him, and he nods.

“Nice to meet you, Y/N.” Junhui smiles, dazzling, and he’s so handsome that your head starts to spin. And then he shifts the book into one hand, and the dazzling smile morphs into an almost comical look of concentration on his face as he holds out his hand. “Now. Rock paper scissors to see who gets the book.”

You gape, utterly confused. You’ve only just met this man, and he’s making you feel far too many emotions. “You really want to decide the fate of this book on a game of rock paper scissors?”

Junhui just shrugs, fist still outstretched. “Do you have a better idea?”

You don’t, and you've basically been engaging in stupidly childish warfare for this book already anyway, so you just silently hold out your fist too. It’s then that it occurs to you that you’re in a library, and you two have probably been a little loud. It’s a good thing the library is so empty.

Then, you’re both mouthing the words silently, and you pull out scissors, and he presents his hand in a fist before unfurling it into the paper position a beat later. It’s obvious that he was cheating to let you win, but this means that you get to have the book, and he’s smiling at you so sweetly that you can’t help but let him.

“Oh no, I lost,” he says, and something about the way he says it makes you laugh, and he’s grinning too, shushing you. “Go on. Take it.”

You take the book from him, grateful. “Thank you, Junhui. Are you sure, though? I can always just come back another time if you want to read it first…”

“No, no, don’t worry about it,” he assures you. “In fact, that’s not the book I want to read at all. I came here to get…” He picks up a random book off the opposite shelf, squinting at the title. “...’The Song of… A Chills’?”

You stifle a laugh behind your hand, watching him struggle with the unfamiliar word. “Achilles.”

“Exactly. I love this book.” He grins back at you, and he looks so devastatingly adorable and handsome all at once. You’re not sure you’ve ever seen anyone manage to do both at the same time. You’re not sure you ever will.

You shake your head, smiling. “If you say so.”

He salutes you with two fingers, grasping the random book he’d picked up. “Have fun reading, Y/N,” he says, “and tell me how it goes—wait, no, don’t tell me how it goes, I don’t want spoilers.”

That makes you chuckle, and he’s grinning too, giving you one last wave before disappearing behind the shelves.

You leave the library that afternoon, your precious book in your arms, a smile on your face. That’s probably the most interesting first encounter you’ve had with someone, ever. Junhui was just so… interesting.

Oh well. You shake your head. It’s not like you're ever going to see him again, anyway.

————————————— 📜

You see Junhui again not even a week later, in the library just like last time.

Sometimes, you come out into the library to study, because the relaxed ambience of the place makes you feel as if you study much better, surrounded by the sounds of paper rustling and the warm colour of wood and the distinct smell of books. It’s calming here. 

You don't have your headphones on, comforted by the quiet atmosphere of the library, and when someone pulls up a chair on your study table opposite you, you look up instantly. 

And there, you're greeted with Junhui's grinning face, and the first thing you register is that he's still as gorgeous as he'd looked the first time you'd locked eyes with him. Which, ew, that was cringey. But it's still so, so true. 

The next thing you register is that he has his fist held out in 'rock paper scissors' position. 

Without thinking, you automatically hold out your hand, and his scissors cut through your paper. 

"I win," he declares, proud. 

"What was that for?" You're smiling at him, endeared, because he just looks so pleased with himself and honestly it's really cute. 

"Nothing," he says, and you see that he actually has 'The Song of Achilles' with him. Looks like he ended up really reading it after all. "But you won last time. I wanted to win, at least once."

You blink, a few times, because the words 'you've already won my heart' are flashing inside your head and you have no idea how that happened or when that happened and you definitely do not want to say that out loud. 

"I see," is what you say instead, and Junhui nods vigorously in agreement like a child. 

He grins. "How is your studying going? You doing anything important?"

"Oh…" You look down at your laptop and all your notes laid out in front of you. "Studying for finals, actually."

He winces. "Ooh, good luck."

"Thank you."

You lapse into silence again as he picks up his book and starts reading, but oddly, it's a comfortable silence. Which is strange, because you've only met Junhui once before. And yet, you're already able to be so comfortable in each other's presence. 

Thinking back to your first encounter, you think of that horrible book you'd been returning on that day. You tilt your head contemplatively. 

You still don't believe in love at first sight. But love at second sight? 

You look over at Junhui, who's diligently reading his book opposite you, still sitting at your table when he could have totally moved to the comfy reading seats that the library offers. As if sensing your stare, he looks up at you, lips curving into a sweet smile. 

It makes you flush, smiling back shyly. 

Well. Perhaps you believe in love at second sight. 

[gothgleek]

"You , you love it how I move you

you love it how I touch you my one. When all is said and done, you'll believe god is a woman"

billy loomis x Reader fluff

(the song lyrics are from god is a woman Ariana grande)

Note: Hi! Sorry for the late response, it took a while to hear writers block. The god worship and the fluff is a little toned down than what you’re probably expecting but I think it came out short and sweet. At least, this is what I’d like from a slasher lol

Notes: Rated PG-13 for offscreen death, everything else is cute and sweet.

Comments, likes, and reblogs are appreciated!

You raised your head at the sound of knocking on your window to find Billy Loomis smiling at you from the other side of the glass.

“Hey,” Billy greeted as if it was totally normal to enter a home through the second story window.

“Hey,” You laughed and pulled him through. “What are you doing here?”

“There was a horror movie marathon and I started to think of you,” He started, walking around your bed room, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

“That’s flattering,” You said with a smirk and your hands on your hips. Billy chuckled at your pose.

“It is flattering. It was a Japanese film. I can’t recall the title,” Billy stopped in front of a map with various pins marking places you wanted to visit. Billy had spent hours listening to you talk about all the places you wanted to see after graduation.

Unlike the rest of your classmates, Billy listened to you talk about the architecture and culture of these countries. As the two of you grew closer, you even taught him some dance steps from some of the countries you wanted to visit. Billy wasn’t super graceful but he liked the way you smiled at him when he made an effort. Billy even started to get excited about going with you. He rented foreign movies for your date nights, even if he couldn’t understand most of the dialogue. Since the video rental was pretty limited with foreign movies, the two of you would often rewatch them and make out during the boring scenes.

“Anyway, it was a Japanese film and I thought about all the places you wanted to go to after graduation. Senegal, Spain, Brazil, France, Egypt… Japan.” He turned to face you with a small smile.

“And you started to miss me?” You teased lightly.

He nodded, his hands shifting around his pockets. “I did. I thought about all the places you wanted to see and how much I wanted to see them with you.”

“Then I remembered how Mr. Bateman wouldn’t give you the A you needed for your parents to approve your summer abroad.” Your bright face faltered a little as you gave Billy a confused look. He drove all the way here to remind you of this?

“And as nice as it was to have you cry on my shoulder, I hated seeing you upset.” Billy walked to you and tilted your head up to look him in the eyes. “You are too important to me to ever make you upset. And I will do everything in my power to make sure you are always smiling.”

Billy pulled out one of his hands holding a kitchen cloth. He held it out to you and you gently unwrapped it. You let out a gasp when you saw the blood soaked knife.

“You’ll get that A now baby,” Billy smiled at you and pulled out his other hand. Two plane tickets to Tokyo dated for the day after graduation. You covered your hands with your mouth as you gasped. “And we'll travel the world together.”

Your eyes were filled with tears of happiness. You didn’t think anyone would have ever done something like this. “Billy I don’t know what to say-“

“Don’t say anything babe,” Billy said with a relieved smile. “I promised I will do anything I can to make you happy. Mr. Bateman was just a sacrifice I made to make sure you are happy.”

You pulled him close so you could kiss him hard. You hoped he could feel every bit of love and warmth you could give him, grateful for him.

“It’s you and me forever baby, don’t you ever forget that.”

[yoonia]

the bedroom hymns ● chapter xvi

⟶ Chapter summary | The many layers of mysteries that are present in the home castle are beginning to feel daunting. But the biggest mystery of all may have been about your magic. After your last encounter with Yoongi and finding yourself in a predicament which further questions the secret behind your family’s magic, you try to find ways to find your own solutions to grow stronger, to gain control of your magic, only to constantly being face with one obstacle after another. 

⟶ Title | The Bedroom Hymns: a Bluebeard’s twist ⟶ Pairings | Min Yoongi x female reader  ⟶ Genre | Fairy Prince!Yoongi, Crown Princess!reader, Fantasy AU, Fairy Tale retelling ⟶ Word count | 5,406 words ⟶ Ratings | PG-13, +18 / M for Mature for future chapters; include mentions of medical terms, fantasy magic and spells.  ⟶ Story Masterlist: The Bedroom Hymns | ⤎ previous chapter | next chapter ⇢ ⟶ Main Masterlist | Mailbox | Taglist | Feedback | Music Playlist | Ko-fi

⟶ Author’s Note | It took me a while to finish this part, so forgive me for my absence. I’m splitting what was supposed to be the filler in chapter 16 into two separate chapters because there’s going to be a lot of information dump happening and I don’t want to confuse everyone. So please don’t be surprised with the short chapter(s) coming. Thank you for your patience and have fun reading! [Ps. This is highly unedited so I’m sorry if there’s any mistake]

chapter xvi. respite

Quite some time has passed since the first time you began using the magic portals, long since you have arrived in this castle and learned about the existence of magic in this realm, and you are slowly beginning to notice the changes happening with your body. 

It seems to you that the more you are using the portals, the easier your body becomes affected by their magic. Just as how you seem to be getting more sensitive to the flow of magic that is a part of the portals. 

Returning from Grimm had costed you quite a predicament. Once again, the journey had drained your energy that you slept through the night and nearly woke up late the next morning after your return. Even the palace maids who have been tending to your needs since the day you came to the castle had become so concerned, thinking that perhaps you have gone ill.

It wasn’t until later in the evening when you figured out the reason why you have been feeling a deep fatigue coursing through your body each time you returned from your excursions. Not until the moment the royal physician was brought to see you after a full day of being listless, with barely any energy for you to have a meal. 

The royal physician took his time examining your body thoroughly, yet once he deliberated his assessment, you were quickly taken by surprise, not expecting to hear him talk about your mana and how it had everything to do with the reason why you were feeling sluggish and drained. 

“It seems to me that you have exhausted your mana. Have you perhaps been using it excessively as of late, Your Highness?”  

“I—no, not that I recall. I haven’t done much but study with my tutor and keep myself busy with royal duties,” you simply answered as you laid back against the pillows, refraining from admitting openly that you hadn’t even begun training on how to wield your magic, much less to start getting to know about it at all. 

You had no idea how much most of the people within the home castle have learned about you, or if any of them ever knew anything about your previous life at all. Particularly about your life back at The Citadel, back in the human realm where magic didn’t exist. You also had no idea if there was anyone within the castle who may have learned about the family’s magic and the responsibility that had been placed upon you to protect the secret behind the magic.

A part of you wished that you could have said something about it. Because maybe then you could find someone to help you solve the things you had wished to know. To find someone to confide in. 

Someone who belonged in the castle, who was trusted by the King himself, instead of confiding to a member of the mercenary army suspected to pose a threat to the empire. 

Shaking your head, you forced yourself to stop thinking about this—to stop thinking just how dependent you were becoming to the handsome and mysterious stranger that you probably shouldn’t trust—just as the royal physician shared with you another theory while being oblivious to your trailing thoughts.  

“Then perhaps your body is having problems adjusting to the castle. The magic barrier that His Majesty, The King, has placed here is quite strong. It must have been draining your energy as you come in contact with it, or—” the physician stopped himself as he deliberated the issue further while rubbing at his chin. But then he suddenly started shaking his head, as if brushing away those thoughts with his lips curling downward in displeasure. 

“No,” he began wondering to himself, brushing away whatever thought crossing through his mind as he murmured, “I doubt that His Majesty’s magic would feed on your mana. The barrier surrounding the castle would require a power source, but I can’t see anyone else other than His Majesty who would be powerful enough to provide such energy.” 

That can happen? You couldn’t help but wonder. Has your father’s magic been feeding on your mana? 

But that sounds—so terribly wrong.

Just as these thoughts continued to run rampant in your head, a faint tingle ran through your forearm while you were being examined, and you couldn’t help but remember how similar it felt to the sensation coursing through you whenever you walked through the magic portals. 

Had it really been the reason? Have you been right for thinking that perhaps the magic portals have been draining your mana, your energy, feeding off your magic that had been lying dormant within you? 

Is this why Father had insisted that I only use the portal only once a day and not more, and to not stay any longer than the time limit that he had given? 

Or had it been the other way around? What if it has always been my mana which activated those portals, while the keys have only been the medium to help open the doors? 

Clearing his throat, the royal physician brought your attention back to him as he gently reassured you, “I will leave you with some remedy and a special potion to help strengthen your mana and help you rest for the night until your body recovers enough. I will also leave a list of nutritions that could be added to your meal. It may help you heal faster if your body receive the proper sustenance needed for your recovery. I shall leave it in the hands of your personal maids so they could hand them to the royal chef.” 

Your mind was still stuck in his previous comment and your own assessment of the condition that you found yourself in that you barely paid attention to his words, although you were still able to answer him with a soft murmur, “Thank you, Sir.” 

The physician said nothing else after. “In the meantime, please don’t strain yourself too much, Your Highness. You have quite a delicate constitution which may require a lot of care,” he inquired, before softly adding, “I am sure that His Majesty would prefer that you take care of yourself well until he returns home.”  

You said nothing other than gratitude to the royal physician as he made his leave, allowing you some privacy and enough time to have your much-needed rest. Yet the silence that you were left with couldn’t stop you from spending the night wondering, thinking back to everything that he said; about your mana being drained without you realising it. 

Looking down at your hands as you kept them rested on your lap, you slowly opened your palms. There hadn’t been enough books in the library that could have given you any clue on how to make use of your mana and practice your magic. 

You could only figure this out simply because you had tried to look. Out of all the magic books that you had been digging into in the library outside of your tutoring hours, you had found little to nothing that was written about any magic that may conjure portals. At the very least, nothing that seemed similar to the magic that your father had cast in these portals. 

And there had been nothing other than the old scriptures you found about ancient fairies and their ability to move between space and time that sounded similar to those portals. Although there were mentions of these ancient beings traveling to many different parts of the realm, even crossing between realms. 

But what if there was something in those scriptures that could explain about the source of your father’s magic? Had there been something in those texts that you had missed? 

That night, as you slowly drifted into sleep under the effect of the potion that had been given by the physician, you made a promise to yourself to return to those scriptures and learn more about the magic that was written in them. You fell asleep that night feeling hopeful, determined to find the roots of your father’s magic. 

Perhaps, with a little more digging, you would find the reason why he had left you with such a huge responsibility of keeping this magic as a secret, while setting things in motion to have you venturing into those portals and to walk across the parts of the world hidden behind them so blindly.  

Perhaps, you could also find the answer to one of the biggest secrets that he has been keeping from you and everyone else for years. 

The secrets about your mother. 

“I might have to show it to you to prove it…”

Yoongi’s voice echoes through your mind as if it bounces against the invisible walls standing all around you. 

The words that he gave you seems to have been engraved in your memory ever since the day you met him in Grimm, and they keep haunting you both in your dreams and during your waking hours. It has been a couple of days since, yet it still feels like yesterday when you parted ways with Yoongi in the dark forest of Grimm. 

Since then, you have been overcome with a deep feeling of regret. 

The regret for not being able to have more time to spend with him. The regret of not being able to catch his sight, to be completely helpless as you watch him getting swallowed under the thick foliage, held back by fear that had a tight grip in your chest. 

And you also feel the regret that always comes to haunt you whenever you recall about the offer that he made that day. When he reached out to you, offering to assist you in learning more about your magic. You hate thinking that you might have missed out on a chance to figure out your magic. 

But it couldn’t be helped, after all, when your father’s voice—repeating the same words and warnings about how important it was to keep the family’s magic a secret—kept echoing through your head while you were staring at Yoongi’s extended hand which he offered you that day. You had felt the itch to reach out to him, to accept his hand, even if it was only for the sake of feeling the gentle touch of his fingers on yours instead of actually having him help awaken the magic that was lying dormant inside you. 

Yet you just couldn’t do it. 

And now you are left with the constant wonderings—all the what ifs and what could haves—while the long list of regrets that are still lingering with you becomes the reason why you keep seeing in in your dreams. 

The dreams are never the same. 

In one dream, you recounted the moment you refused his offer. Only this time, you had stepped away from him at the tavern, choosing to end your time together earlier than what you had intended to so you could escape his attentive eyes. In another, you haven’t even heard the same words spoken by Yoongi before his image vanished right in front of your eyes. 

But there was one particular dream that appeared so vividly that you continued to see it even during the daytime, taking over your idle mind with his presence as if you were taken back to that moment, when you sat right across from him with his deep, unwavering gaze locked on yours.

“I might have to show it to you to prove it…”

You never truly understood what he meant by saying those words, but in this dream of yours, none of it mattered. And your father’s voice hadn’t been there to stop you from leaning forward at the table to give him your rapt attention. Your mind was also silent, and the thunderous sound of your heartbeat faded away when you spoke to him, 

“How?” 

“Give me your hand.” 

Time seemed to remain still as you reached out to him, giving him your hand. You barely touched the tips of his fingers when something magical happened; as a bright sparks of silver dust light up between both of your hands, with specks of blue dust erupting the moment you made contact with his skin, and the same tingling sensation that you had often felt from the portals came surging through your arms before settling inside your chest. 

Before your mind could ever make sense of what was happening, the light only grew brighter, and everything faded under its blinding glow which later pulled you away from the dream. And as you slowly woke up, finding yourself lying on your bed alone, nothing else remained from the dream, except for the tingles running across your skin which took their sweet time to fade away. 

Stepping out of the treasure room, you clutch the golden pocket watch in your palm, feeling victorious that you finally have it in your hand. 

You had come to the treasure room right before your afternoon lessons with your tutor, hoping that you would be able to find anything that might be useful for your next trip through the portals. Your father had been right, after all, that the treasure room may provide you with anything that you may need to support your daily activities while you adjust with your new life at the castle. 

Like a pocket watch, for example.

Something that is so small and simple, yet crucial for the sake of your safety while you are out there, roaming through any foreign land that the portals are taking you. 

Why have I never thought of this before? 

You cannot help but wonder as you look down at the ticking watch in your hand, regretting that you didn’t think of getting one in the first place. It could have saved you a lot of trouble if you had.

The last couple of trips you made had been risky, as you kept cutting it too close to the time limit that had been given to you by your father, only missing merely minutes or even seconds before the portal started closing behind you after you slipped back through. 

You had nearly gotten into a bigger trouble when you returned from Grimm, almost missing a toe when you barely managed to return to the portal before it closed on you. You blame it to your impulse need of chasing Yoongi into the deep forest when you started to feel like he was slipping away from and disappearing for good. 

It was after that incident when you finally learned your lesson and decided that something needed to change. That you would need something to hold onto which may help you to keep up with the time, instead of simply relying on the signs of dusk as a reminder to let you know when it was time to return home. 

The idea first came to you after observing Lord Gordan, the royal aide and the head butler of the castle, while he was working on his duties. You had often seen him pulling out a golden watch from the pocket of his suit to help him tell the time, and wondered if it would be something that you could make use of.  

After receiving the royal physician’s approval to return to your daily duties this morning, you feel like you are ready to embark on another adventure. With this golden pocket watch in your hand, the magic necklace that had been passed down to you from your late mother, and the dagger hidden under the skirt of your dress, you feel as if you are unstoppable, ready to face anything that may come to your path as you walk through the portal later once your tutoring hours are over. 

Now if you only could just find a way to calm the restless thrums of your heartbeat inside your tight chest, then everything would be well. That is all that you could only hope for, at the very least, as you make your way to your tutoring lesson.

Because what better way to find answers other than to gain them straight from the people who are in charge of teaching you everything that is needed to learn as the heir of throne? Who else would know the answers you need, other than your tutors? 

“You want to—” Lady Laurel carefully repeats your question. She is looking slightly wary to even voice it out loud, even if it is just the two of you in the library that her voice is lowered when she continues, “—practice using your magic?”

You have only been away from the library for a couple of days while you were resting, only keeping contact with Lady Laurel by corresponding through letters and the books that she had left behind through your personal maids for you to read. 

Today would be the first day that you are back with your daily lectures. You could tell from the moment you saw Lady Laurel sitting by the study desk in the library as she waited for you to arrive that she had a lot of things planned out to keep you busy for the day. 

But you have come up with your own plan when you marched your way to the library. 

For weeks now, Lady Laurel had filled your private lessons with lectures about the fairy tale land to get you to know this new realm a lot more. So far, you have learned about its history, about the kingdoms and the people, even the non-human beings that you may find should you ever have the chance to visit those lands—elves, fairies, werewolves, even human mages—and you have heard about the real events that are the makings behind all the tales known and shared in the human realm. 

During those long weeks, Lady Laurel had also been teaching you the basic knowledge of magic; the types of magic that you may encounter and each of their origins, the history behind them, and the ancient spells that have been written in the textbooks that you have found in the library during your solo studying. 

She was also the one who first taught you to find a way to identify your mana. 

She had mentioned how it would be helpful in the future should you start using your magic, as you would have become familiar to the mana flowing inside you by the time you begin your magic practices. If only she knew with what you have been doing once you were done with her lessons, how you have been using the theories that she had taught you into practice once you were left on your own. 

There has been nothing much that Lady Laurel could teach you in her lessons other than the ability to reach within, to feel the presence of your magic and have a good grip on it, to recognise it as a part of yourself instead of something that simply appeared in your body overnight. But your solo practices that you have been doing in the shelter of your bedchamber had taken it a step further, enhancing it until you could make use of it to recognise and then respond to the magic that exists around you. 

Just like the way you had used it to respond to the magic in the portals and to recognise Yoongi’s inner mana. 

Yet that is just as far as both of you could get. You could tell that there are restrictions that your tutors would need to follow when they are guiding you through your lessons. Because not once had she ever tried to do more; whether it was to help you unleash the magic inside you, nor to use it by conjuring the magic for a purpose. 

But you want more. You have been ready for more. And after your last encounter with Yoongi, you have gained the courage to express your desire to learn how to properly use your magic more actively. To learn how to expel its powers and make use of it for your own benefit. 

And that is exactly what you said to your tutor the moment you joined her at the library’s study area, as you were taking the seat right across from her as you usually would during your tutoring hours. 

Keeping your eyes on Lady Laurel, you try to gauge her reaction. Even from the moment you had first thought of bringing this up to her, you had expected to have an intense response from her, and for her to straight up refuse your request. 

And you have been prepared to deal with whatever the outcome may be, knowing that you are not going to back down that easily.

“Yes, that is exactly what I said,” you answer her with your chin raised, feeling determined about taking the next step into learning how to use your magic. “I want you to teach me how to unlock my magic and help me practice using it, instead of just trying to feel it. Because I already know that it’s there, lying almost dormant inside me without me knowing how to use it to protect the people who are dear to me, which is something that I want to be able to do.”

These thoughts have been running through your head for the past few days while you were being holed up in your bedchamber under the royal physician’s restrictions. The feeling of want and the deep curiosity you have to know more about your magic, to be able to reach within yourself so you could somehow wield it so that you could make good use of it, has been growing stronger that you can no longer deny it. 

That need had been lingering in your thoughts that it was almost impossible for you to remain idle during your bedrest, and you had then taken the risk to secretly try to find ways to unlock your magic on your own.  

You just couldn’t help it, after all. When you had nothing else to fill your time with aside from watching the scenery outside of your windows and reading the pages of your books, until neither could easily calm the havoc happening inside your mind. So you stole the short chances you could get between the hours you were given to rest under the heavy medication and the constant flurry of lady maids coming and going into your room as they attended to your needs. 

Using the vivid images of your dreams, the basic knowledge of magic that you learned through your lectures, and the small facts about your magic that you learned from Yoongi as your guidance, you had spent your quiet nights trying to get in touch with the magic that was believed to be coursing through your body.  

You tried everything you could; from using your necklace to see if it could bring out the mana inside you, to copying Yoongi’s action which you saw in your dreams, by placing your hands together to see if it could bring out your magic.

But no matter how hard you tried to concentrate and tried to cast your magic out through your fingertips, nothing seemed to be happening. Nothing more but a surge of energy crawling its way from your palms, through your fingers, stopping at each tip, before they vanished into your veins. 

And you continued to try, until there was nothing left but the exhaustion rolling through your body and the missing warmth of Yoongi’s hand which your body seemed to have memorised from that day and what you are now craving to feel the most. 

Having to openly ask your tutor for her help had been your last resort, knowing that she has her limits to what kind of guidance that she could offer you in learning about magic. Yet you had every reason to harbour some hope that she would somehow comply with your request. 

Oftentimes, whenever you would try to inquire about any specific theories to learn about during your lectures, Lady Laurel would have embraced it—she has always loved your curiosity and your eagerness to learn—and grabbed any chance that she could have to share any knowledge about the realm that you were still struggling to understand. 

This time, however, she seems uneasy to hear your request. Not because she is reluctant to teach you about magic, as she has been doing so ever since the first day she started her lessons. What seems to make her reluctant about this is the fact that you are asking her to help you learn about your magic. 

With a remorseful sigh, Lady Laurel leans forward in her seat. Reaching out across the desk, she places a gentle grip on your wrist. “Your Highness, I’m sure that you are curious to learn more about your magic,” she begins with a polite smile, “But His Majesty had specifically inquired—” 

Before she can finish her words, you immediately cut her off.

“I know what my father said”—as you have repeatedly said each time I tried to bring this topic up before, you silently wonder with a frown—”but His Majesty has yet to return, while here I am, feeling like my soul is slowly being sucked out of my body without understanding why. Maybe if I could control my magic, things will be different and I’d know how to prevent something like this from happening again.” 

Through the letters that you have been exchanging with your tutor, you had explained everything that the royal physician had relayed on you about your condition. 

At first, you simply mentioned about your draining mana in your letter to try and ask for her opinion to see if this was something that could possibly happen. Without mentioning the secret doors and the magic portals in your letter, you questioned her if there was anything that you may have come in contact with which might be able to drain your mana without you ever realising it. 

The response that you were given with hadn’t been enough to answer your curiosity. But there was something in her letter which caught your attention, when she explained in a rather plain sentence—

“There are certain elements that have been built all over the castle, each one imbued with His Majesty’s magic. Perhaps, with His Majesty being gone, these elements have been trying to find a new source of energy. I have highly suspected that your magic might be similar to that is of the King’s, which made it possible for the energy around you to mistakenly drain your mana to fill whatever they are lacking.”

“You know very well the reason why I would have to refuse taking over your magic training, Your Highness,” Lady Laurel regretfully says as she pulls back. You hate how genuine she seems to be as she is saying all of this, about the regret of not being able to fulfil your wishes, as she is being held under the King’s orders. 

It wouldn’t be until later when you notice the unspoken words hidden perfectly in her response, that she isn’t refusing your request because she isn’t capable of doing so. Because she is capable. But she is also bound under your father’s rules when it comes to your lessons. 

“All I can do without His Majesty’s guidance would be to guide you to become in tune with the mana that you have inside you, preparing you for the actual training that you are about to have under the King’s guidance himself,” she continues, and just like that, she turns to pick up the guidance textbook and the set of candles that she would use during these sessions, ready to start another one of her practices that she has been introducing you as of late. “We can continue to do that today and see how far ahead we can go this time. The last time we did—” 

Once again, you cut off her words before she could finish talking. “The last time we had our lesson, you were helping me identify my mana and how to channel onto it so I could feel its flow inside me.”

And to recognise it without exposing your magic form. Something that you have caught on after a while and seems to be one of the main tasks given to her when your father passed down the duty of tutoring you while he is gone. But you say nothing of this. 

After all, if you are trying to convince her to change her mind and sneak behind the King’s orders to fulfil your wishes, the last thing you should do is to show her that you have figured out all of her cards—the little tricks that she had played to skirt around the subject of your magic. 

You may never figure out the reason behind all the secrecy about the family’s magic, or why your father would prevent anyone from helping you in unlocking your magic without his presence. But oddly enough, the more you think about it, the more you understand why your father would take such measures. 

The magic that he uses to create the portals wouldn’t have been a regular kind of magic. You can tell that it is something special, something that your father has treasured for a long time, even before you ever came into the world. 

But would your magic be anything similar to what your father has, just like what Lady Laurel previously claimed? Would you be able to create your own portal one day to find your own escape? 

As if answering your question, Lady Laurel gently speaks to you, “I know that you are curious, and the lessons that you have been getting so far no longer seems to adequate to your needs, as you have gotten enough of the basic knowledge that you could gain in such a short amount of time. All I can ask of you is for you to be patient for now. His Majesty will be returning soon, and he will be able to guide you with your magic and answer a lot of your questions.”  

As much as you hate backing down, you realise that you have no other choice—at this moment, at least—but to give up, and follow your tutor’s advice. 

“I suppose, I can be a little more patient,” you finally say to her with a sigh. 

Your acceptance seems to please her, as a smile grows on Lady Laurel’s face. She beams as she rings the bell to summon the maids for a serving of tea and snacks to accompany your lesson, just like always. And while in waiting, she continues to set up all the books of magic that she would need for your lesson, followed by lighting up the set of candles that she has laid out in front of you.

“Let’s continue with our practice on your focus today,” Lady Laurel says to you as she returns to her seat while gesturing you to keep your eyes on the flickering flames. The same way that she has always guided you during your focus training. 

This practice might be far off from helping to unlock your magic, yet you still have to admit that this practice may have been quite helpful so far. Because it was through this practice that you had inadvertently figured out one of the skills that you have developed ever since you started learning about magic. 

The skill which allows you to trace and identify others’ mana; be it within a person or a place. 

The same skill that you revealed to Yoongi the last time you were together. 

As you try to empty your mind and focus on the flickering candlelights, the dejected feeling that came over you earlier is slowly being lifted when you remember that this day is still far from ending, and you still have other tutors to turn to. 

So you try to make it through the end of your lecture, doing your best with your simple training, Even if it only means that you will be walking out of here in the afternoon with sharpened focus. Perhaps it might be able to help you later by preventing you from falling asleep too soon if you ever decide to try to unlock your magic on your own again. 

— © 2024 Yoonia, all rights reserved. reposting/modifying of any kind is not allowed. unsolicited translations are not allowed.

[bippityboppity69]

Cyran/Merlin-Remember me

This was requested by anonymous! Who asked for some Cyran/Merlin smut with plot of them being in a relationship at Lyceum. I hope you enjoy!

Serene Lyceum. One of the most prestigious magic academies in all of Esperia. Many a student dreamed of attending such a school. After all, it was the school where the great Merlin had not only trained.

Now for where said Merlin was…

“Cyran!”

The young man nearly lost his balance at the weight that collided with his back. Wind milling his arms as he regained his balance. Sternly glaring at the snickering white haired mage.

“Hi Cyran~”

“Merlin.”

“Oh, don’t be such a sourpuss.” They teased, tapping his nose. “Come on, why are you studying on break?”

“Because not all of us are the great Magister Merlin.”

Merlin rolled their eyes at the title, “Yeah, the 20 year old who caught the greenhouse on fire this semester is the greatest mage ever. You don’t really believe that do you?”

Cyran bit back his laughter, “It was impressive, I don’t think I’ve ever heard Professor Clover scream like that before.”

There was a moment of silence before a snort left Merlin. Followed by loud laughter from the two. Giggling and wheezing as they recalled the day. Merlin leaning against Cyran’s shoulder, wiping the tears from their eyes.

A sigh left Merlin, “That was funny.”

Cyran caught their sad smile, “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I talked to Hammie the other day and she mentioned something about being Merlin…”

Concerned at their sad expression, Cyran leaned over. Wrapping an arm around their shoulder as he pressed a kiss to their temple.

"Was it about a past life?”

“No. She said that…Merlin would always forget.” They were shaking. “I-I don’t want to forget! I want to remember the academy and my friend and you! Why do I have to forget?!”

Cyran grimaced, hugging Merlin to his chest. Rubbing soothing circles on their back as faint sniffles left their shaking form. Hammie, Merlin’s hamster familiar, often helped them through some of the side effects of being Merlin. Helping with controlling their magic and such. Still that… was horrible news. Would Merlin truly forget? What a truly horrible fate.

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay Merlin.” Cyran soothed. “Did Hammie say anything else?”

Merlin sniffed, “S-she said that sometimes if a memory was strong enough, I could remember it through my other lives.”

“Well then, I better make every memory the best I can.” He gently teased. “So that you can always remember and I already know how!”

Merlin looked at him in confusion. Right before busting into laughter as fingers tickled along their ribcage. Cyran paired this with dotting kisses over their face. The deadly combo working it’s magic.

“Ah! U-uncle!” A snort left Merlin. “Uncle!”

Cyran stopped with the kisses and tickles, smiling as he caught Merlin’s expression. Face flushed with a happy smile, eyes bright with tears of laughter.

“Feel better?”

They nodded, “A lot better. Still, it scares me, I don’t want to forget you Cyran…”

“Then I shall do my best to give you strong memories.” Dropping his voice low as a mischievous glint appeared in his eye. “If you want, I could give you one tonight~”

Merlin’s face flushed darker, even their ears turning red. Burying their head against his chest as inaudible mumbles left them. Cyran couldn’t help but chuckle, combing his fingers through their hand. He loved making them flustered, it also helped to distract them. Now, how could he make an unforgettable memory?

“Oh, you know how I’ll be training under the royal mage of Cedartown?”

“Mhm. What about it?”

“I decided to study up on ice magic since it’s so cold and I found a few interesting uses for it.”

“Oh?”

“And I’ll show you those tonight.”

“I’ll meet you at your room. We would have no peace at mine.”

“See you then love.” Pecking them on the cheek before they could rush off.

[Later that night]

A tap at his window made Cyran rush over. Opening it to find a grinning Merlin floating in the air. The mage landing gracefully before he scooped them up into his arms.

“Sorry I’m late. Hammie and Chippy just went to sleep.”

“That’s alright, you’re here now.”

Pulling them into a kiss, arms wrapping around his shoulders. Fingers danced along the nape of his neck before threading through his black hair. Trailing kisses down their neck, gently nipping at the curve of their neck.

A soft sigh leaving Merlin as they tilted their head back. Cyran carefully placing them on the bed, moving back up to their mouth. Hands sliding under their shirt, he took a moment to channel ice magic to the very tips of his fingers. Trailing them along Merlin’s spine.

“O-oh!”

“Like I said.” Cyran whispered as he dragged his fingers up and down. “I found some more uses for ice magic~”

Nipping at their earlobe, channeling ice to the tip of his tongue. Licking their jaw, smiling at their gasp. Moving his hands to their torso, fingers pinching their nipples. A squeak leaving the mage underneath him.

“Ngh, Cyran~”

“Do you like this?”

“Yes~”

“Good, we’re not done yet.”

Fingers trailing down under their robes, past their hips. Sliding between their legs, Merlin jolting at his cold touch. Claiming their mouth as his hand stroked and teased. Quieting their moans as he felt them shiver.

“Off.” Merlin mumbled against his mouth, tugging at his robes.

Clothing quickly thrown off without a care where it landed. Each bit of skin exposed was another inch that Cyran explored. He would remember every bit of Merlin, commit every part to his memory. All while he made sure Merlin would remember his touch.

Ragged pants filled the room as Merlin grabbed his shoulders. Shivering as his fingers moved faster inside them. Nails dragging down his back, leaving red lines against pale flesh. The way his long fingers felt was amplified by the cold temperature.

Pleasure steadily rising higher and higher. A whine leaving Merlin when he pulled his hand away. Face and chest flushed, gaze looking at his hand. Averting their gaze as Cyran licked his fingers before reaching over to a small pot. Two fingers dipped into the liquid before returning, warmed by his magic.

“Mhm~”

“Think you can take me?” He asked, placing kisses along their neck.

A leg wrapped around his waist, pulling him against Merlin. “Absolutely~”

Lowering his hips, soft moans leaving the two of them. Cyran slowly moving back and forth, one hand on Merlin’s hip. Using his other to pinch their nipples, tugging and rolling.

Merlin arched their back as he thrusted deep. Digging crescent moons into his shoulders. Moaning at the cold touch, leaning up to claim his mouth with theirs. The room filling with their combined sounds.

"Ah~ Cyran~”

Trembling hands tried to hold onto him, unable to tighten their grip. A low moan leaving Cyran as he pressed his hips against theirs. Panting as he tipped over the edge, Merlin scrambling under him.

Soft breaths were all that broke the silence of the room. Cyran pulling out before bringing Merlin close, hugging them. Feeling arms wrap around his chest, uncaring of the sweat.

“I’ll find a way.” He mumbled against their forehead. “I’ll break the amnesia curse. You’ll be able to remember.”

Merlin didn’t say anything, their grip on him tightening. Burying their head against his chest, one hand resting over his heart. Perhaps they would be fortunate in this life. Hammie had said that sometimes they lived for a hundred years without a reset. Maybe this was one of those!

A voice in their mind whispered an apology.

~~~~

“You know as a mage, I can feel it.” The black haired mage spoke as he spun Merlin. “There’s something special about you.”

Merlin raised an eyebrow at the royal mage of Cedartown. What was his name? Cyran right? Squinting at him, Cyran…Cyran, the name seemed familiar?

A low chuckle left him as he grabbed their hand in his. Moving close to them, his free hand moving over a strand of hair.

“Soon.” He whispered. “I have almost found a way. Just wait a bit longer.”

[haddonfieldwhore]

safe and sound - jeff hardy

2000s!jeff hardy x fem! reader (requested)

word count: 1.9k

warnings: none i think, fluff, ended up mostly gender neutral except for a few pet names

november 8th 2001:

you were standing ringside as your two best friends, lita and jeff, took on lance storm and ivory in a mixed tag team match. originally, matt was supposed to be out here with lita, but he ended up in an intercontinental championship match instead, leaving her without a tag partner, until jeff stepped up. lita and jeff were both amazing to watch, but it stressed you out just how easily they threw themselves off the top ropes and around the ring. you hadn’t been wrestling as long as they had, and you were still in awe everytime you got to see them in action up close.

jeff jumped over the top rope, taking out lance as lita slammed ivory down in the centre of the ring. the redhead climbed up to the top rope and hit a perfect litasault, pinning ivory to win the match for her and jeff.

jeff, who was still outside the ring next to you hugged you and spun you around, before lita pulled him into the ring for the official to raise their arms as the winners. the three of you heading up the ramp and backstage. the three of you hugged to celebrate the victory, and you and lita went to your shared dressing room so you could get changed.

“you were incredible! you and jeff make a really good team, ya know,” you smiled, as she grabbed an outfit from her suitcase and began getting changed.

“thanks. you guys would make a better team though,” she replied.

“i doubt it. i’m nowhere near as good as you.”

“that’s not true. but even if it was, you and jeff have this… insane chemistry that i don’t have with him. you understand eachother in a way i’ve never seen before,” she said as she finished getting dressed. you and the hardy’s had been friends for years, and while you also considered lita to be your best friend, you and jeff did have a special bond; a closer connection than you’d ever had with anyone.

“maybe. but you guys work great together regardless. i don’t think i could do some of those moves you did tonight.” you knew that you weren’t on the same level as lita, and you were okay with that.

“yeah, but you and jeff are really on the same wavelength. maybe one day it’ll be you two against me and matt. that would be fun,” she laughed, grabbing her bag and getting ready to leave the venue.

“that would be amazing,” you agreed.

“that is, if matt actually showed up,” lita added, still a little upset that he had not been the one in the tag match with her tonight.

“are you guys okay?” you asked, concerned.

“yeah, we’re great. it was a title opportunity for him; i can’t really blame him for taking it.” you nodded in agreement.

you picked up your own bag, following lita out of the dressing room, and heading back to the hotel.

•••

you and lita were watching tv in your hotel room, when she received a call from matt.

“right now? oh- okay,” she laughed. “i’ll meet you downstairs in a minute i just have to get dressed,” she spoke into her cell phone. “yeah i’ll ask them. okay see you soon.” she hung up the phone and stood up off the bed, and you looked at her expectantly.

“matt and i are going out for drinks or to the club…i don’t know he didn’t specify. you’re coming too, and jeff,” she explained, sliding her shoes on and checking her appearance in the mirror.

“lita, you know i hate the club -“

“i said i don’t know if we’re going there, matt just said out. it’ll be fun, pleaseee,” she begged, pouting and tugging at your arm to get you up off the bed.

“okay fine, but only if jeff’s going. i’m not third wheeling with you and matt again,” you laughed, recalling the last time you went out with just the two of them, and you had felt like a buzzkill the whole time.

“fine, go get him. matt left their extra key card here for me, the room numbers on it.” she sighed, grabbing her purse and putting her shoes on. “meet us downstairs in a few minutes.” you nodded, quickly fixing your appearance as you hadn’t been planning on going anywhere, before leaving the room to go find jeff.

you got to his room after a few turns down the hallway, and knocked on the door.

“who is it?” you heard jeff’s voice from in the room.

“hey, it’s me. lita gave me the key card; can i come in?” you called.

“yeah, o’course,” he replied, and you swiped the key, letting yourself in. “what’s up?” he asked, sitting up in his bed as you walked into the room.

“matt and lita want us to go out - i told her i would only go if you do.”

“where are they goin?” he asked, looking uninterested in the idea of going anywhere. he was wearing a black tank top that was tight to his torso, and some black track shorts that you could see as the blanket had gathered around his waist when he sat up.

“i don’t know, lita wasn’t sure. i guess matt didn’t say,” you answered. “they’re waiting in the lobby.”

jeff groaned as he flopped backwards to lay down again, his eyes closed. you laughed, sitting on the edge of the bed next to him and gently shaking his shoulders.

“c’mon, j.”

“do you really wanna go? baby, you hate goin’ out.” you didn’t think much of the pet name, people from the south said it all the time.

“not really, but- hey!” you yelped in surprise as jeff grabbed your wrist, gently pulling you down to lay next to him.

“good, let’s just stay here then,” he said, rightly wrapping his arms your waist, clinging to you like a koala.

“at least let me call lita and tell her we’re not going before she sends out a search party, you laughed. jeff let go of you enough for you to sit up, and you dialled litas cell number.

“hey, i think jeff and i are gonna stay in tonight. i’m sorry lita, next time. yes i know that’s what i say everytime but i promise. i know i say that too. okay, be safe, i’ll see you later.”

you hung up your cell, placing it on the nightstand before you kicked off your shoes and cuddled into bed with jeff. you had been friends for so long, it wasn’t wierd at all, often sharing a bed or falling asleep on the couch together after too many horror movies.

“your match tonight was great, by the way,” you complimented, and jeff smiled.

“thank you, i try to put on a good show. maybe one day we’ll have a tag match together,” he hummed as you laid back down, curling into his chest as he pulled you close again.

“that’s what lita was saying. she thinks we have some magical bond that would make us unstoppable,” you mumbled, your voice muffled because of how you were laying.

“i think she’s right,” jeff replied. “one day i’ll get you in the ring with me and we can prove matt’s theory. he thinks we can read each others minds and that’s why we think the same thing all the time.” you laughed at him, and jeff smiled wide at the sound.

“we’ll see. you scare me sometimes with how much you throw yourself around. and i don’t know about wrestling guys yet,“ you admitted.

“c’mon, you’re better than some of them already,” he said, ignoring your concern for his well being.

“i don’t know,” you mumbled. jeff pushed you back gently so you could look at eachother.

“well i do know. you’re amazing. and i would never let anything bad happen to you,” he promised. “inside the ring or outside of it.”

“i know. i feel safe with you,” you admitted, and jeff smiled.

“darlin, that’s the best thing i’ve ever heard.” you relaxed into him again, nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

“i don’t want anything to happen to you, either,” you said. you knew jeff was amazing at what he did, but that didn’t make it any less scary when he threw himself off of twenty foot ladders.

“you don’t have to worry about me, i ain’t going anywhere,” he said, kissing the top of your head.

“promise?” you asked, and jeff’s arms tightened around you.

“i promise, babygirl.”

“i love you, jeff,” you sighed happily.

“you mean it?” he asked, and you kissed his cheek.

“of course.” jeff rolled over so you were both laying on your sides, face to face. “you don’t know that already?”

“i just like hearin you say it,” he smiled, and you laughed. “ya know you do this little nose scrunch when you laugh sometimes, it’s really cute.”

“shut up, i do not.”

“you just did it!” he laughed, and you hid your face in his chest. “it’s cute, don’t be embarrassed.”

“too late.”

“you don’t have to be embarrassed around me, hell we’ve seen eachother at our worst and we’re still friends.” jeff was right; you had been through a lot together, and at this point you didn’t think there was anything that could come between you.

“i know,” you sighed. “i don’t think anything will ever change that.”

“good. and i love you too.” you hummed in response, and there was a comfortable silence for a minute.

“we would make a good tag team though,” you admitted, and jeff laughed, and you could feel the vibration in his chest.

“damn right,” he agreed.

“lita said we should have a match against her and matt.”

“oh hell yeah, that’d be so awesome. any excuse to wrestle my brother, and you and lita against eachother would kick ass.”

“you mean she would kick my ass,” you laughed.

“you don’t give yourself enough credit. yeah she’s great but you are too.”

“thanks jeff, i appreciate that.”

“o’course,” he kissed the top of your nose, and you giggled. “you did it again -“

“shut up!” you laughed, punching his chest playfully.

“yeah? you gonna make me?” he asked, and started tickling your ribs, causing you to laugh harder. you wrestled around until you managed to get on top of him, straddling his hips.

“stop - or i start tickling you next.”

“alright alright, truce.” he held his hands up in surrender, and you caught your breath, realizing the position you were in. jeff sat up, holding you in his lap.

“jeff-“

“you said nothing could change our friendship right?” he asked softly, his eyes looking into yours.

“yeah, why-“ jeff leaned forward and kissed you softly, his lips barely touching yours before he pulled back. he waited for you to react, nervous that he had ruined everything, until you kissed him back, hands tangling in his messy blue and purple hair. jeff’s hands rested on your hips as he returned the kiss, smiling against your lips, before you separated.

“okay, maybe something could change the friendship slightly; but in a good way,” you smiled, and jeff bumped his forehead against yours softly, before laying back against the pillow, pulling you with him.

“i love you,” he said for the second time that night, perhaps meaning it a little differently now.

“i love you too,” you replied.

“say that again,” he breathed, squeezing you tighter.

“i love you.” jeff smiled as you kissed the underside of his jaw softly, and he turned off the lamp on the bedside table as you tangled your legs together under the blankets. jeff’s hand slid beneath the hem of your shirt slightly, drawing little shapes gently on the skin of your back as you both drifted off to sleep.