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lurkingshan · 1 year ago

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Japanese BL Starter Pack

It’s been awhile since I dropped a rec list, so I am here today to share one that is very near and dear to my heart—a Japanese bl primer for those who are new to the jbl game. I created this for @neuroticbookworm to help her on her journey when she decided she wanted to start getting into Japanese works. The fandom (on Tumblr and generally) tends to focus primarily on Thai shows because they are the easiest to access for international fans, since Thailand is working its way toward world domination via ql media and wants us all to be able to watch. But there is a lot of great stuff to watch beyond the easy access Thai channels, and Japan is the country where this genre originated, so its shows are important for anyone who considers themselves a bl fan. Japan doesn’t cater nearly as much to the international audience so tracking down the shows sometimes takes some ingenuity and can-do spirit, but that’s part of the fun!

And so, the list! Bookworm is about halfway through it and having a ball, so I figured it was time to stop hoarding it and share it with anyone else who would like to dip their toes into jbl and isn’t quite sure where to start. A few notes:

I am not here to teach you about the deep roots of the jbl genre or give you a primer on yaoi manga. I am by no means an expert and there are other places to find that information. Start here with this great post by @nieves-de-sugui and then maybe wander over to @absolutebl to read up more on the evolution of the genre.

This list is by no means an exhaustive accounting of every important Japanese bl ever made; it is simply a nice sampler platter of the cream of the crop among various styles you will find in jbl. Watching through this whole list will not only expose you to some fantastic shows, but also give you a sense of what makes jbl unique and how the country’s style differs from others, and point you toward the types of jbl you’ll like most (they tend to put shows in pretty specific style and tone lanes and once you find the ones you like there are lots more where that came from).

If you’re coming to this post as a jbl lover and you don’t see your favorite here, I promise it’s not because I don’t love it very much; I simply had to make some choices to get this down to a reasonable shortlist. Feel free to leave extra recs for others to find!

I’m putting these in a loose suggested watch order that will take you through the various jbl lanes in a kind of popcorn style, because I always think it’s good to change it up so you don’t get too stuck in one mode, and it works its way up to most of the extremely Japanese stuff (you will know what that means by the time you finish). But do what’s in your heart and change up the order if you want, friends, I am not the boss of you!

Cherry Magic (Crunchyroll or grey)

gif by @liyazaki

I believe everyone on Tumblr is pretty familiar with this one, which is not a coincidence—this is one of the most accessible jbls. Not in terms of actual access to watch it, mind you (we’ve all jumped through shady internet hoops to watch it) but in terms of its content and style. Cherry Magic is a classic workplace romcom with a magical twist, and it is charming af. It’s a great exemplar of Japan’s light and zippy comedy lane for bl—a lane in which, importantly, the romances stay chaste even when the actual plot is about sex, or lack thereof. My friend @waitmyturtles would kill me if I didn’t make sure you know that Cherry Magic also has a lovely follow up film. And bonus: there is now a Thai remake airing so if you watch the original you can get in on the discussion about the different adaptations between countries. This is pretty easy to find these days in all the usual places, but I strongly recommend watching it here.

Old Fashion Cupcake (Viki)

gif by @liyazaki

Moving on to a slightly more mature workplace romcom. Old Fashion Cupcake, another Tumblr favorite, is an age gap boss-subordinate romance, and it’s both very adult and somehow wholesome af at the same time. Sure, there is a lot of carnal desire going on here, but there is also a lot of wooing via fluffy pancakes. It’s a tight five episodes and a fantastic example of what Japan, with its extreme technical precision in writing, directing, editing, pacing, and acting firing on all cylinders, can do in two hours. There’s not an ounce of flab on this thing and you’ll want to watch it over and over again.

Utsukushii Kare (Viki)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

Time to get a little weird! Weird is a key feature of Japanese media, and lots of jbls explore unusual relationship dynamics rooted in complex psychology. This is the first show on the list that will likely feel very Japanese if you’re new around here—my advice is to lean into it and finish the show, even if you get uncomfortable along the way. In Japanese media, discomfort always serves a purpose. This is a high school story with a twisted relationship at its center, and I’m not saying any more than that. Don’t spoil yourself and go watch it! This one also comes with two sequels—one short second season and one movie—that continue from the original story. They are less essential but still excellent.

I Cannot Reach You (Netflix)

gif by @my-rose-tinted-glasses

Next up, another high school tale, but with a totally different vibe. This show is kind of a revelation in its willingness to tell a story about overwhelming desire—including sexual desire—with young protagonists. It’s rooted in a classic but often misunderstood trope, friends to lovers, and takes the angst of it seriously, giving us a low stakes story that feels extremely high stakes to our leads. It’s also gorgeous and uses a classic Japanese visual style (bokeh) that you’ll be dying to learn more about.

His (Viki)

gif by @gabrielokun

Time for a break from high school, and we’ll sprinkle in a movie for some added flavor. His is a jbl film featuring a second chance romance between a stoic, introverted man who moves to a remote town to start over, and his ex-boyfriend who follows him there unexpectedly, adorable child in tow. Importantly, this movie does not take place in what we often refer to as the “bl bubble” where homophobia doesn’t exist; the leads’ experiences of being gay men in a homophobic society are hugely important to the plot and themes of the story. It’s a beautiful film and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it. @bengiyo would surely also like me to tell you that this film follows a brief prequel show called His: I Didn’t Mean to Fall in Love about the characters originally meeting in high school; I do not think it’s really necessary to watch it but completists can start there.

The Pornographer series (Gaga)

By now you should be ready to get into some classic Japanese fucked up psychosexual material, right? Right! The Pornographer series is told in five installments in this order:

The Novelist, a six episode miniseries

Mood Indigo, a six episode prequel series

Spring Life, a 15 minute short

Pornographer: Playback, a two hour film

Spring Life Continued, a 15 minute short

Confused by that distribution model? So say we all; sometimes Japan likes to make us work for it to make sure we really appreciate its many gifts to us. The story across these installments is about a very difficult to love protagonist, what makes him the way he is, and the also-unhinged-but-in-a-different-way man who finally gets through to him. It’s an extremely satisfying love story and one of the best character arcs I have ever seen, full stop. For this one, you’ll want to just pull the word problematic out of your pocket and store it in a drawer; nearly everything that happens in this story is problematic and that’s the point. Lean in! All of these installments except for the film are on Gaga, if you get that far hmu and I will supply you with the final puzzle piece.

Our Dining Table (Gaga)

You could probably use a break after those last two, so it’s time to shift over to a heart-tugging twofer: family trauma mixed with the cutest shit you’ve ever seen. ODT is an example of another classic type of Japanese show: the food drama (you will see the GOAT in this category at the end of this list). In Japanese culture, food is love, and the act of preparing food for your loved ones is a common path to romance. You’ll love this story about an isolated office worker who meets a pair of brothers, learns to cook as a way of connecting with them, and begins to heal from his own trauma as a result. The image above is a scan from the manga, which @troubled-mind curates to make extremely cool comparison sets like this one. Many jbls are faithful adaptations of yaoi manga source material, so it’s good to have a bit of familiarity with them.

Minato’s Laundromat (Gaga)

gif by @liyazaki

Japanese media loves to explore taboo, and often manages to do it in a way that is surprisingly light and chaste. This is an age gap romance between a teenager and his adult neighbor that explores internalized homophobia, emotional repression, and falling in love across seemingly impossible social chasms. It’s also a great example of old school yaoi seme-uke dynamics that still show up across the bl genre. Also, take my advice: end your journey with this one with the first season and just pretend season 2 doesn’t exist.

Eternal Yesterday (Viki)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

Remember what I said about weird? Time to do that again, but with a heaping dose of grief and pain on top. It’s not a spoiler to tell you this show involves a major character death; a major character death is, in fact, the root of the entire story. This is a magic realist tale of first love turned tragic, and it will hurt and heal you. It is one of my favorite dramas of all time.

Restart After Come Back Home (Gaga)

And now for a break for your poor exhausted brain. This film is basically the jbl version of a Hallmark original movie, about a city boy who goes back home to the country and falls in love with a total sweetheart while working together on a farm. Enjoy it, bestie, you’ve earned it!

Tokyo in April Is… (Gaga)

gif by @wanderlust-in-my-soul

You’ve probably noticed by now that emotional repression and failed communication are big themes in Japanese works. This second chance romance has plenty of both, and it’s a great example of a kind of muted emotional style that Japan does so well, where the surface of the story seems almost placid and calm even as deep emotion roils underneath. This one (and Eternal Yesterday above) are part of a special line up of jbls on Japanese channel MBS called Tonku (Drama) Shower. The shows air one after another in the same time slot on Fridays (in Japan, perhaps Thursdays for you depending on where you live) and you truly never know what you’re gonna get, but they’re all interesting. Warnings on this one for sexual assault and trauma.

The End of the World With You (Viki)

Time for sexy and weird again, but even more so! This has to be one of the most unique bls ever made; it goes to some truly divine and strange places, and it feels incredibly queer while doing it. Made by the same screenwriter/director of the Pornographer series with a lot of the same sensibilities, but in a more heightened apocalyptic setting. This one has existential angst, a road trip, a redemption tale, and a variety of interesting side characters in the mix.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? (Gaga)

gif by @my-rose-tinted-glasses

Congratulations, you’ve reached the end of the list and your reward is watching one of the best bls of all time, and a perfect slice of life food drama to boot. WDYEY now has two seasons (along with a couple specials and a movie that fall in between) because the universe clearly loves us. You can now get it on Gaga for easy access but I’m partial to the versions over at @kinounaniresource for better subs. Wherever you watch, settle in to get cozy with Shiro and Kenji and make sure to always eat before you hit play.

#shan recommends #cherry magic #old fashion cupcake #utsukushii kare #eternal yesterday #our dining table #minato’s laundromat #what did you eat yesterday?#tokyo in april is...#his the movie #the pornographer #japanese bl #jbl starter pack

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starmocha · 2 months ago

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The Deep Sea [Rafayel + Son ★ 970 words ★ Masterlist ★ Series Index ★ AO3] A little boy stays up late waiting, insisting he needs his lullaby before he can sleep. A/N: Finally, I managed to get the first story out for Rafayel and his son. Thank you to all of the Raf anons who have been infesting my ask box with papa Raf asks lol you all managed to break my writer’s block with him. This particular ask was the one that did it for me. <333 Happy birthday to our precious, whiny fishie 🥹💖 Tag list: @lavlynyan @miudle @alfredosaws @solifloris @nezuswritingdesk @valkyyriia @natimiles @yourlocalcatscammer @callilypso @likewhyareyousoobsessedwithme @qyuin 【 request to be added 】

He yawned again.

“It’s past your bedtime,” you told the little three-year-old toddler curled up on the living room couch clutching his favorite Briny Narwie plushie. He peered up at you with a pout, and you sighed helplessly as you crouched down to his eye-level next to the couch. You pointed at the clock on a nearby wall and said gently, “See that little hand? It’s approaching ten. You were supposed to be asleep at eight. Almost two hours ago.”

“But Daddy promised me a lullaby!” the boy whined, clutching his plushie tighter as his lips quivered.

You sighed again. “Your daddy has an important art show tonight,” you explained to the toddler, “You know how upset Uncle Thomas gets when your daddy doesn’t go to these events.”

“I know…” he said softly. He looked up again, his voice pleading, “But Daddy said he would come home soon to sing me my lullaby!”

You smiled softly, sympathizing with your son. You also knew that right at this moment Rafayel was also miserable at his art show, preferring the company of his family over the pretentious crowd that flocked to see his works. He had insisted that he would only stay for an hour at most to satisfy Thomas’ expectations, but it had now been at least three hours since you were expecting Rafayel to arrive home.

You settled on the couch, sitting next to your son who had been adamant that he would not go to sleep until he had his lullaby, but for the past hour, you had watched the toddler dozed off several times before jerking awake, his resolve weakening with each passing second.

“You know, Mommy can sing you a lullaby, too. Rock—” You barely got the first word out before your son pressed two small hands to your mouth, covering it as he gave you an annoyed pout.

“It’s not the same!” the little boy whined, nearly on the verge of tears. He plopped back down in his seat and hugged his plushie tighter.

You couldn’t refute this. Rafayel had been singing to his son Lemurian lullabies of a time gone by since the little boy was still in your womb. It had been a nightly ritual for several years now, and rarely would Rafayel ever skipped it. You yourself was also fond of his singing, his ethereal voice always ensnaring you under his spell, spiriting you away to another time, another place.

“Okay, okay,” you said to your son, reaching out to wipe away the tears that brimmed at the corners of his eyes. You smiled softly again, your arms spread apart. “How about you snuggle with Mommy then while we wait for Daddy to come home?”

The boy’s lips quivered again.

“Please?”

“Okay…” he said reluctantly and crawled into your lap. Your arms instantly wrapped around him, pulling him closer into your protective embrace. Instinctively, you threaded your fingers through his soft hair soothingly, smiling in wonder at the beautiful little boy in your arms who was a perfect blend of both you and Rafayel, though you couldn’t help but mused how sometimes more of Rafayel would peek through, such as tonight.

Casually, you hummed the same lullaby Rafayel would often sing, having memorized the mythical melody by heart over the years.

“Mommy… it’s not the same…”

“I know,” you said affably, continuing nonchalantly, “I’m just humming.”

Your hand rubbed your son’s back up and down soothingly.

The toddler sighed heavily, letting his frustration be known, but you remained unbothered by his dramatics, continuing with your light humming.

Try as he might, eventually sleepy little eyes closed, letting darkness settled and allowing himself to be whisked away by this familiar melody.

Cradled in the sea’s embrace, a whale carried the toddler away as he laughed joyously, eyes full of wonder as a school of fish swam, swirling around the little boy, their scales shimmering brilliantly in the water. Many other marine creatures joined the boy in his underwater journey. Sea turtles, dolphins, stingrays, and many more accompanied the small child, showing him all of the beauties of the deep.

He giggled as two little fish—one red and one blue—swam against his cheek, tickling him. He held up a small chubby finger and the blue fish brushed against him in assurance, a silent promise that the boy was well protected in his journey.

He didn’t know where he was going, where the whale was taking him, but he felt no fear, feeling in his heart that within the deep sea, there was a place calling out to him.

When the little boy’s eyes fluttered open, he shook his head, feeling something tickling his cheek.

Purple hair.

He was resting on his father’s shoulder, hearing his deep voice singing a song, an ancient lullaby.

The words were foreign, but the toddler understood, feeling it in his heart. He clung tighter to his father, letting the warmth of his voice wrapped around him like a protective cloak.

“My little fishie,” Rafayel hummed softly, turning to press his lips to his son’s head, “Daddy’s sorry he was late tonight.”

The boy made a soft noise in response, and Rafayel smiled. He resumed singing as he swayed gently from side-to-side in his son’s bedroom. Alongside his voice, the sounds of waves could be heard crashing gently on the shore outside.

The boy yawned, his grip loosening, but Rafayel just held him tighter. As he sang, he gazed fondly at the child in his arms, still after all of this time awestruck that this precious treasure was his. He continued to sing, his words joined by the ocean’s waves.

Lured back to his dreamscape, the little boy was carried away to another place, another time, where an ancient forgotten civilization celebrated his arrival and welcomed him home.

#love and deepspace #love and deepspace rafayel #lnds series — pretty little coral #love and deepspace x reader #rafayel x reader #rafayel x you #rafayel fluff #love and deepspace fanfiction #lnds fanfics #x — fanfics #;~; i'm so sorry i did not mean to wait this long to write his first story #i just didn't know what to write #but anyhoo #happy birthday raf you're a father now lol 🥹

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child-of-harpocrates · 6 months ago

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{open Starter} politeness

*For some time now Ally has been bow(ing?) when first starting a conversation and at the end of one as a way to show politeness, you were going to talk to her about when it's appropriate to do so.*

How do you lead/what do you?

(tags @acezinspace @emdabitchass @urbestestwindgod @cloak-of-ares @least-favorite-hades-kid @penelope-is-waiting @odysseus-of-ithaca-is-lost @aura-of-the-winds @lucifermorningstar-official )

(my master list)

(tell me if you want to be added or remove)

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dailynnt · 5 months ago

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FRIENDS WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE

⊹ Summary: Jungkook and you, his childhood friend, live together in an apartment, sharing space as roommates. Your relationship, built on years of friendship, is gradually becoming strained by growing sexual tension. You decide to become friends with benefits, trying not to complicate your feelings. But Jungkook's world is not so simple. When you begin to realize that he is hiding something, you open the veil of his double life - a world of mafia, criminal activity, and risk that could ruin not only your deal, but everything you valued in each other.

⊹ Couple: Jeon Jungkook/ Fem!Reader

⊹ Characters: The Reader, Jeon Jungkook, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung, Min Yoongi, Kim Seokjin, Kim Namjoon, Jeon Hoseok.

⊹ 🔞 Age restrictions: 18+

⊹ 👩🏼‍❤️‍👨🏻 Relationships: ⚤

⊹ 📘 Number of part: 8/30

⊹ 🖇️ Tags: best friends, friends with benefits, slow longing, sexual tension, protected sex, unprotected sex, alcohol, drunken sex, inexperienced main character, mafia au, illegal trade, deaths of minor characters, weapons, swear words. Tags will be added as the story is written.

⊹👩🏼‍💻 From the author: A new part for everyone who reads my story. I don't know about you, but something don't like to me in this part. Perhaps because I finally have to lead the plot to the main problem of the story, I feel some pressure. I don't know how it all works or how it should be, but I'm writing purely from my imagination, which tries to be logical. Y/N sees Jungkook in his new look and learns something about his work. She has no idea Jungkook he might be connected to the mafia. I think it's obvious, and you all guessed it, that Jungkook is working for the mafia clan.

⊹ 🫂 Dedication: Dedicate this work to my darling @myjungkookthighs I so appreciate all your love for my story and your endless support. This story is for you.💜🥰

⊹ ⚠️ Warning: English is not my native language, so there may be mistakes in the text. Please don't get mad at me too much! Those under 18, please don't read this story!

⊹ 📋 Tag list: @myjungkookthighs, @notsevenwithyou (If anyone wants to be in my tag list let me know)

≣ Chapter Index ↓

Part 8: That man driving the Mercedes.

It was Friday. You were lying on the couch in front of the TV watching your favorite show. You could finally enjoy some free time. After passing the exam, you could breathe a sigh of relief. Now you have almost 2 months off before the next semester starts.

You didn't really plan what to do during these two months. Christmas and New Year's are coming up, so you'll probably go to Suwon to visit your parents and spend the Christmas vacation with them. You would like Jungkook to come with you, too, because he rarely visits his parents because of his work. You planned to persuade him.

When you thought of Jungkook, you felt sad. Since the last time you were together, he has hardly ever been home. He comes home late and leaves early, when you already sleeping or still sleeping. You text each other, sometimes when he has time you talk on the phone, but these conversations are short. You felt that you missed Jungkook because you missed his warmth. And not just his warmth. He promised to teach you about sex, and for some reason he disappeared. His work schedule became erratic.

You'd be lying if you said you didn't want to got intimate with Jungkook again. After your last time in the shower, you couldn't help but think about Jungkook every day. It was so hot between you two. You wanted to feel his hot kiss on your lips again. To taste his skillful tongue. To feel the strength of his muscles moving under your hands. To moan at his skillful fingers and finally feel him filling you with his cock. To be completely at his mercy.

But all you have is his dirty clothes that he leaves in the laundry room, which is how you know he's home, and the food he buys every day and leaves for you. That's the reason you haven't left the house in almost a week. You just don't need to, everything you need is there. Except for Jungkook.

You're looking at the TV, but your mind is far away. But when you see the characters on the screen coming to a restaurant and eating samgyopsal, you remember that Jungkook promised that you two would go to “Kyochon Chicken” and eat the most delicious chicken in Seoul to celebrate your excellent passing the exam. But it seems like Jungkook had forgotten about it altogether.

You were distracted by a phone call. It was Suyong. She called to ask you were doing, and then she suggested that we go to Myeongdong and buy gifts for her parents for Christmas at the Lotte Department Store. You were eager to buy gifts too. But the scholarship was still two weeks away, and it would arrive almost before Christmas. You only had money for utilities, some of which you had to pay, so you only had about 100 thousand won left. It was not enough. You thought you would ask Jungkook if he could lend you some money.

You told Suyoung that you would go with her and that you would meet her at the exit of the subway station. You'll be there in an hour.

You took a shower to freshen up. You put on makeup and went to get dressed.

Your outfit today was a white turtleneck sweater and mom jeans. There was a lot of snow outside and it made the subzero temperature outside not so cold. So it would be comfortable to walk around in this outfit and it wouldn't be cold. You combed your hair and at first you wanted to tie it up in a high ponytail, but you changed your mind. It would be much warmer with your hair down. A long cappuccino winter coat and white boots completed the look.

The street was crowded. People were busy in the pre-Christmas bustle, everyone was in a hurry to do their own thing. When you reached the street leading to the subway, you remembered that you hadn't called Jungkook to borrow money yet. You found his number and heard long dial tones.

"Hey, baby." - Jungkook answered the phone. You heard his voice, today was the first time you called him. You had only spoken to him yesterday in the morning and you hadn't seen him for what seemed like forever, even though you live together. Your heart is beating fast. It must be from walking in the cold air.

"Hi." - You say. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. What about you? Are you going out?" - Jungkook asks.

"I'm fine too. Yeah. Going to the subway." - You say sadly. You suddenly felt how much you missed your friend.

"Why are you going to the subway?" - Jungkook asks you again. His voice is gentle and thoughtful.

"That's why I'm calling you. Suyoung suggested that we go to the LDS to buy gifts for Christmas. I want to buy gifts for my parents too, but I won't get my scholarship until the 25th. Could you lend me some money?" - You ask, still keeping your tone low-key.

"Of course, baby. How much do you need?" - Jungkook agrees immediately. You are grateful to him.

"Can you transfer 300 thousand to the card?" - You ask.

"Will that be enough? Probably I send you more?" - You hear Jungkook say. But you don't need more. This amount should be enough to buy gifts for parents. You have already bought a gift for Jungkook.

A week ago, when you were in Itaewon on business, you saw a limited edition watch in the Calvin Klein store. When you saw it, it instantly reminded you of your friend's image. It was beautiful, immediately catching your eye out of all the watches on display. A metal strap and a black dial with a minimalist design. You immediately realized that this watch had to be his. Besides, Jungkook loves to wear watches and this would be a good gift to remind him of you.

It was expensive, so now you have to ask for money to buy gifts.

"I don't need any more. Thank you." - You say. It's still about 15 minutes walk to the subway station, but you're already cold. You should have worn warmer pants or a jacket.

"Okay." - Jungkook says, and after a couple of seconds adds. "What's wrong with your voice?" - He finally notices that you're sad.

"It's okay." - You say shortly. You hear him laughing through the phone.

"It’s must be I done something wrong." - He states and you feel that he is still smiling. You smile too, but quietly so he doesn't hear. How well he knows you. You quickly compose yourself and speak with the same tone. Before you can speak, you hear a notification that money has been credited to your card. You didn't look at the amount, but it seems to be the amount you needed.

"You didn't do anything wrong. You just promised something and didn't fulfill it." - You say. Jungkook yells into the phone.

"No freaking way!" - He says in mock horror. You smile. "I'm a real asshole. Just tell me and I'll do it for you in a heartbeat." - Jungkook promises. You're laughing louder now, but still bitterly.

"I haven't seen you for almost a week, only your dirty clothes. What kind of stupid schedule do you have? Besides, you won't do it so fast. You promised to go eat chicken." - You're already faking sadness, too. But Jungkook can hear you laughing into the phone.

"Do you miss me, baby?" - Jungkook flirts. You can hear it in his voice.

"Not that I miss you... But I'm used to your company, I'm just bored alone." - You deny. Only admit that you miss him, as it could be your curse. You won't be able to withstand the bold reproaches that you can't live without your friend. Therefore, you need to choose your words more clearly.

"Oh... so you're bored. Do you want me to cheer you up?" - You hear him lower his voice.

"Maybe." - You say playfully, too. Jungkook laughs. She never admits to being bored or wanting something more. She just teases him. He likes that.

"This sucks. We'll definitely go to a restaurant. But I really can't do it right now. I have an important meeting with a woman." - Your friend is serious. The infusion he raised a moment ago instantly disappeared. You raised your eyebrows and felt a stab of jealousy.

"What woman?" - You say a little more sharply than you wanted to. Jungkook can barely contain his laughter.

"She's a very important partner. I have to settle some things with her about the deal." - Jungkook says. You are surprised for a moment that he is telling you such details. Usually everything about his work is covered in shadows.

"Then I won't distract you from your important meeting with a woman." - You say dryly. Why did he emphasize that it was a woman? "She's much more important than me." - You can't help but reproach him.

"She is very important at the moment. I'm sorry, baby." - Jungkook apologizes. You shake inside.

"Is she pretty?" - You asked with venom in your voice. Jungkook could barely contain his laughter. He knew you were jealous.

"She's fucking hot!" - He said with admiration in his voice. You feel like you've been electrocuted. How can this jerk say that to you about some woman? You instantly become angry. Suddenly you don't regret that this asshole was gone for a whole week. Is he serious? Did he find someone when you agreed to had sex? But you didn't talk about it properly and didn't agree on the rules. Because you thought it was obvious that while you were together you shouldn't have partners. But Jungkook didn't seem to have enough of you.

You wanted to scold him, but you heard a car horn to your left. It was so loud that you jumped in fright. Not far from you, on the sidewalk, was a black Mercedes Gelentwagen. Behind the wheel was Jungkook, dressed in a black sweatshirt that hugged his body and a black jacket over it.

You spent almost half a minute trying to figure out if it was really Jungkook or if you were hallucinating. He held the phone to his ear and smiled broadly, slyly.

"I can see her right now, so I have to hang up." - He said.

You glare at your friend, who looks like a fucking mafia in that car and those clothes. You approach his open window, completely forgetting that you wanted to fight with him a moment ago

"You drive a Geltwagen? What kind of job do you have?" - You ask with your mouth open and examine at the car as you can. You were impressed by the look of this car. It radiates power and elegance at the same time. Coincidence? But it was your favorite car of all the ones you had seen. Its square shape set it apart from most cars, making it almost unique. Its straight, sharp lines make you feel his powerful in the best possible way. That's why you like it.

"Get in the car quickly. I can't park here." - Jungkook warns you to move faster. But you get into the car, mesmerized, and run your eyes over the leather interior. Jungkook starts the engine and the car starts to move with a typical Geltwagen growl.

You turn your head to look at Jungkook and don't recognize him. Is this gorgeous man your best friend? You're used to seeing him in sporty clothes, riding a bike. But seeing him in a business suit and driving such an expensive car is something new.

"Do you always wear a suit at work?" - You suddenly break the silence. Jungkook holds the steering wheel with one hand and rests the other on the armrest.

"Uh-huh. It's part of the dress code." - He answers, keeping his eyes on the road. You look at Jungkook like that and you drool even more at the sight of him. How the fuck can you be so sexy while driving a car and wearing a suit? You already think he's sexy and handsome, but what you're seeing right now is lighting a fire in your eyes.

"And this is your car?" - You ask.

"The company car." - Jungkook clarifies. But it's a lie. You would notice if you knew that every time Jungkook lies, he eats his lips.

It was his car, but you don't want to know that. Because you would immediately want to know how he got the money for such a car. Jungkook only uses it when he's at work, because it emphasizes a certain status. When he started living with you, he only rides his bike. He doesn't want you to know about certain things.

"What does this company do that they buy Mercedes as company cars?" - You impressed ask. Jungkook smiled slightly.

"I told you I work in the defense service. That's all I can tell you." - He says carefully. But he quickly changes the subject before you ask too many questions. "So are we going to eat chicken?" - He asks and quickly glances at you, looking away. But almost instantly he turns it back to you, staring shamelessly. You try to figure out what's wrong and look at the road and then at Jungkook.

"What? Why are you looking like that? Look at the road instead." - You point at it. He looks at you for a moment and then looks away.

"I was just looking at you and couldn't understand..." - He says and deliberately doesn't finish his sentence.

"Understand what? Is there something on my face?" - You reached for the sun visor with a mirror in it. Opening it, you began to look for what Jungkook might have noticed.

"I couldn't figure out if you've always been this beautiful or if it's just the white turtleneck that makes you look more pretty?" - Jungkook says. You are instantly embarrassed by his compliment. What is wrong with him? Telling you that you're beautiful right to your face?

"What do you think?" - You ask, wanting to know his opinion.

"I think it's the sweater." - He jokes and gets punched in the ribs. He laughs and you look at your friend angrily.

"I am beautiful, not my sweater that makes me beautiful." - You argue. Jungkook laughs.

"Yes, baby. You are." - He says more gently and you feel those fucking butterflies in your stomach. It was a simple compliment, but you blush. You know that he thinks you're beautiful, but it's so unusually to hear it. Because he usually only teases you and doesn't say it sincerely like this.

When you're almost at “Kyochon Chicken”, you remember that you're supposed to meet Suyoung in 30 minutes. You completely forgot about it when you saw Jungkook.

You pull out your phone to text your friend that you're going to be late.

"I have to meet Suyong, that's why I left the house. But you've thrown me off track." - You complain to Jungkook. He sees you texting Suyong and asks.

"Text her that you're going to be hour late." - You froze and stopped typing.

"Hour? Why is it taking so long? Let's get a quick meal." - You suggest. Jungkook is already pulling into a large parking lot not far from the restaurant. There aren't many cars here at this hour. He doesn't answer, so you just watch him.

After parking the car a far from another, he unbuckles his seatbelt. Then he quickly approaches you, standing next to you and leaning over the armrest. One of his hands rests somewhere above your head, and he puts the other on your hips, closer to your fly.

"Because I missed and I want to amuse you." - He says. Before you can to react it, you feel his lips on yours. Jungkook kisses you and you respond immediately. The phone falls out of your hands, and you reach for Jungkook's hair. You plunge your fingers into his neatly stolen locks and mess up his hairstyle. The kiss becomes hotter as you use your tongue, and you both realize that you really missed each other.

You don't know when you became so dependent on Jungkook. As you kiss him, you want it to never end. You forget about everything in the world when those unrestrained lips are against yours.

After a week without his touch, you're hungry. And you definitely don't need chicken right now. You need Jungkook.

He pulls away from you, but only by an inch, and smiles.

"You missed your friend did ya?" - He asks the obvious. You bite your lip, remembering how you kissed a moment ago. What is there to hide? You were crazy about his absence.

"My favorite mouth." - He says as he nibbles on your lips. "I remember how great they looked wrapped around my cock." - Jungkook's words make you even wetter. You think back to that scene in the bathroom, too, and your desire increases.

Jungkook captures your lips again, not wanting to be without them for long. He engulfs your lips completely, and then kisses each lip in turn, pushing his tongue back into your mouth. This kiss is determined, passionate. He wants to show you how much he missed you.

While kissing you, Jungkook easily finds the button on your mom jeans and unbuttoned it. In a moment, his fingers are already smearing the abundant moisture on your folds. You moan into Jungkook's mouth with pleasure. You had forgotten how good it feels.

Jungkook felt his pants getting too tight from this girl moans. You were so wet that he seemed to be able to enter you so easily that it wouldn't cost him anything. And it wouldn't cost you either. The thought of shoving his cock into your welcoming pussy has made him even harder.

He wants to. He hasn't had sex in almost a week. It's not a big deal, sometimes he could go longer without it, but not when you're around. He feels so good with you that Jungkook felt like he could fuck you every day. Then the day you had sex for the first time, you gave him a kind of animal desire to you.

"Do you want me to fuck your little pussy?" - Jungkook asks you. He doesn't move too far away, continuing to caress you. Now his finger penetrates your hole. You spread your legs wider to make it easier for Jungkook to penetrate. He thinks it's still tight.

"Right here?" - You struggle to say it, fighting the sensations of his fingers. Your heart is beating like crazy in your throat.

"Yes. Right here." - Jungkook confirms. In fact, you'd rather he did it anywhere.

"We don't have a condom." - You say, and you're already regretting it. Because you really want to be filled with his cock.

"I have in the glove compartment." - Jungkook says to you.

"Why do you have condoms in your company car?" - You groan indignantly, your eyebrows raised. If Jungkook doesn't stop right now, you're going to come.

"I bought them on the way to your place!" - He confesses. You think. So he was on his way home to have sex? You wouldn't have minded. Did he want to catch you off guard? But if you hadn't called him, he wouldn't have known you were out.

"Did you have plans?" - You almost squeak and come to his fingers. How skillfully he makes you come every time.

"The plan was to fuck you on the couch at home. But doing it in the car is more to my liking." - Jungkook says, licking his fingers with your wetness. You're getting excited. You bite your lip and feel the orgasm you just had still coursing through your body.

"Take thatone from the glove compartment and get in the backseat." - Jungkook says and gets out of the car. You open the glove compartment, which was just above your knees. There's nothing in the glove compartment except a package of three condoms and a leather car manual. You take the package and get out to get into the back seat. Before you get out of the car, you take off your long coat, which is restricting your movements.

When you get in, Jungkook climbs in and makes himself comfortable. He also managed to take off his jacket and leave it on the driver's seat. He looks damn hot in that tight sweatshirt. You discreetly glance at his crotch. He's well aroused.

Jungkook gives you a studying look, probably deciding how this is going to go. You're holding the box of condoms and don't know what to do next. You can feel yourself getting embarrassed.

But this disappears when Jungkook moves closer. He sits in the middle next to you and holds you close. His hand reaches into yours and grabs what he'll need in a few minutes.

"So how would you like it? Riding me or lying down?" - Jungkook asks you, already busy taking off your sweater. You silently submit to his actions. He throws your white sweater somewhere on the ground and reaches for your breasts. Without removing your bra, he puts his hand through the fabric and frees your left boob.

He slowly bends down and takes your nipple in his mouth and sucks on it. The slight pain of his sucking is intertwined with desire and you feel even more excited. Your underwear is already soaked with moisture. The more Jungkook plays with your nipple, the more he makes you hot.

"Jungkook..." - Escapes your lips as he caresses your breasts and simultaneously tries to penetrate your hole. His fingers get in freely and he plunges his fingers inside you to stretch you for more.

When he's done with your nipple, he moves on to your neck. A path of kisses appears on your neck. You feel the traces of his lips and tongue meet the air and you shiver.

"Yes, baby." - Jungkook responds to his name.

"I need you..." - You moan sensually.

"I'm here." - He says. He continues to stretch you. But you realize that his experienced fingers are not enough. You need more. And you're almost ready to beg him.

"No. I want... you. Inside me." - Jungkook smiles to you words. It's a sly and insidious smile. What a treat for the ears to hear you want to be filled with his cock.

"Do you want me to fuck your sweet, tight pussy?" - He purrs against your lips.

"Yes..." - You exhale, feeling the friction of his fingers. You are becoming needy. Needy to the point of being desperate. "Please fuck me." - You beg. The words that come out of your mouth make Jungkook's cock twitch. He can barely keep himself from giving you all fours and fucking you senseless. But you're you. And he has to be careful with you. For now.

"Take off your pants and underwear." - He orders a little roughly. You like the possessiveness in his voice. It makes you wet even more. You obey and take off your pants, watching him pull down his pants out of the corner of your eye. They fall to his ankles. A moment later, his boxers are in the same place.

His cock bumps against his stomach as he sits up. He's horny and hard.

You remember giving him a blow job and salivate. As Jungkook pulls out a silver foil condom, you grab the length of it and run your tongue around the head.

Jungkook freezes for a moment. He doesn't breathe when he feels your tongue running over his cock. You feel him shudder a few times and you realize that he likes it.

Jungkook spreads his legs wide and you take more of his length into your mouth. You move your head up and down to make him feel good. He moans with pleasure. Your wet warm mouth is perfect for his cock. Jungkook puts his hand on your neck, tangling his fingers in your hair. You should see the eyes he's looking at you with now. They are dark, full of lust.

At some point, you touch his balls with your free hand and squeeze them slightly. Jungkook is going crazy. This is evidenced by his hissing mixed with his moans.

"Fuck!" - He curses barely audibly. He wants to come in your mouth. But he was going to fuck you. So your mouth work is enough, otherwise you don't get what you're promised.

Jungkook grabs you by the hair and easily takes you off his erect cock. He's covered in your saliva.

"If you keep doing that, I won't be able to fuck your pretty cunt." - He says. You wipe away the saliva that has already gathered in the corner of your mouth and stand up. Without letting go of your hair, Jungkook pulls you down and kisses you with his tongue. This tongue is perfect both on his cock and on his tongue.

He finally lets go of you and puts on a condom. You don't watch for long, because as soon as he's done with that, he pats his thighs, inviting you to sit on top of him.

This is something you haven't done before. It will be interesting to see how Jungkook's length will feel in this position. But before you climb on top of him, you ask your friend to take off his sweatshirt. You want you to be completely naked.

You end up on Jungkook's lap. He holds his cock as he helps you sit on him. When the head of his cock touches your entrance, you are jubilant. It has finally happened.

"Go down slowly, in and out." - Jungkook warns you in a low and breathy voice. As his cock sinks deeper into your passage, you feel the pressure. It still hurts, but it's not like the first time. You stop sometimes to get used to it.

A loud sensual moan escapes your lips. You press your groin against his as much as possible, your clit feeling his skin and pubic hair. Your eyes are glazed over with incredible pleasure.

The pressure on his length is different than when you're lying down or on all fours. You're just sitting on his cock and your walls are closing around him. Jungkook is swearing because he's never fucked a cunt that tight. It's unreal.

Jungkook puts his big hands on your buttocks, squeezing them lightly. He will help you if you get tired of swinging on his cock.

After getting used to these sensations, you want more and so you move your hips. Again, you feel pain. But it is almost imperceptible. Then more movements, then more movements. You set the rhythm. Now you're jumping on his lap and you can't get enough of the sensations of this sex.

It's crazy good. Your breasts are bouncing with every move you make. Your nails dig into Jungkook's muscular shoulders, which gives him an unrealistic high. Your cunt swallowed his cock so perfectly.

"Come on, baby, ride on my cock." - Jungkook encourages you, his voice full of lust. You bite your lip so hard it almost bleeds. "That feels so fucking good." - Jungkook says. You fully agree. You just moan at the feeling of his big cock inside you.

You keep rocking, Jungkook helping you by walking his hands from your ass to your hips.

Suddenly, some phone vibrates somewhere in the front seat. You open your eyes and freeze for a moment, but Jungkook pushes you with his hands to continue. You continue, but the phone doesn't stop ringing.

"I think it's your phone." - You say to Jungkook breathlessly. The vibration is coming from the driver's seat.

"I'll call back." - He replies just as breathlessly. You stop again and feel blissful pleasure from below. Your cunt throbs around Jungkook's cock. He pulls your neck and your lips merge in passion. You're fired up from this kiss and carry out the work you started. But no matter how much you want to ignore the phone, it vibrates a few more times.

"Someone really needs you." - You state, pointing at the phone. Jungkook swats it away and kisses your neck. You just move your hips and feel like you're getting close to orgasm. But the phone vibrates for the fourth time.

"Shit. Who's calling?" - Jungkook curses.

"Let me give the phone for you." - You offer. Jungkook wants to say no, but you insist. "Just pick up the phone and us stop disturbed."

"Okay." - Jungkook agrees. You want to get off, but he stops you with his hands on your hips. "Don't get down. I'll lift you up." - He says. You raise your eyebrows and smile in surprise. How is this supposed to look?

Jungkook climbs to a small height and approaches the front seats. You lean back, holding on to his neck and fumbling for him phone, which keeps ringing. Jungkook sits back in the seat with you and you see who has been trying to call Jungkook all this time. You turn the phone back to him.

"Jimin." - You announce. Jungkook raises his eyebrows. It seems to be something very urgent. Because his calls are one after another and this is the fourth one.

"Yes." - Jungkook says, trying to sound normal and not breathless. You make a few movements to find a comfortable position for yourself. But Jungkook doesn't appreciate your gesture. He stops you with his hand, grabbing your ass.

"Why don't you pick up the phone, kid?" - You hear Jimin's irritated voice. "Kid" such a funny nickname. You laugh silently. Jungkook jabs you in the rib with his finger, which makes you raise your eyebrows in anger.

"I'm a little busy. Speak quickly." - Jungkook says, eager to finish what he started. "Ughh..." - His breath hits the last word as you start to move on his lap. He meets your sly look and thinks you're a real bitch. You smile, and make sharp and deep thrusts, driving his cock deeper into you. He almost dies holding back his moans because your movements give him too much pleasure.

"I need you at the main office. Something has happened with the delivery of medical equipment. The customer wants to return the goods. Namjoon doesn't know yet, but it's only a matter of time. So you should come to the office before he finds out." - Jimin says. Jungkook realizes that something is wrong. But he can't get a word out because you're swinging on his length. "Hey, are you listening to me?" - Jimin is worried because Jungkook doesn't respond.

"Yes." - Jungkook answers barely. Why the fuck did he even pick up that phone? Jungkook tries to stop you, but it seems impossible.

"Damn, you shameless are having sex during call phone?" - You hear Jimin say and freeze. How did he realize that? Did Jungkook's voice give it away?

"Yes, Hyung. I told you I was busy." - Jungkook laughs at being caught. Jimin laughs too.

"You should finish up, because you're in big trouble." - Jimin says with a laugh. He speaks as if he's not talking about the problems that await Jungkook.

"I heard you. I'll be there in 20 minutes." - Jungkook says in a firmer voice.

"Isn't that Y/N taking care of you?" - Your friend asks. Your eyes get big. Does Jimin know about them? You look up at Jungkook, frightened. He seems to understand what you're thinking and shakes his head in denial.

"If I fuck Y/N, you'll be the first to know, Hyung. That's it, I have unfinished business." - Jungkook says and hangs up. You want to protest Jimin's words, but Jungkook doesn't let you. He squeezes your hips hard and grabs your neck. He pulls you sharply closer to him and speaks to you almost threateningly.

"You little bitch. I almost died while I was on the phone." - Jungkook says into your lips. His voice is low and dangerous, and you get aroused by the tone. This Jungkook is something completely new. Usually he is gentle and attentive. But now, with his menacing look...

"It was hard for me to restrain myself." - You say in your defense.

"If that's the case, I do it either." - Jungkook threatens. You smile bravely.

"Then go ahead. Fuck me properly." - You asking for. But it sounds more like an order. Jungkook is pleasantly surprised by your behavior during sex today. You were so shy at first, but now you're ordering him to fuck you. You'll get what you want.

"Your word is law." - Jungkook says and he bites down on your lips ruthlessly. Your head is spinning. You can feel Jungkook's irritation and it amuses you. But when he grabs you, squeezing your hips with force, and starts pounding you with his hips, you're not so amused. His thrusts are deep. You feel some unknown sensation before. It drives you crazy and you can't help but scream. You dig your nails into Jungkook's back to relieve these feelings. It's something completely wild and dizzy.

Jungkook reaches your uterus with his cock. He's so deep inside you, and he's fucking your cunt so hard. It's just pure ecstasy. Jungkook knows you came because your walls are clenching around his cock. He feels his balls tense, he's ready to come. One last deep thrust and he releases right into the condom.

You fall helplessly on his shoulder. You feel the car smell of sex and expensive perfume. You breathe in Jungkook's scent and hear your ears buzzing. You've never had an orgasm like this before. Even though you've only been having sex for a short time, this was the best orgasm you've ever had.

Jungkook's breathing is fast and ragged. It takes you a while to come to your senses. When you lift your head, still sitting on Jungkook's lap with his soft cock inside you, you smile at him. He's smiling back, too.

"Fuck, Jungkook, that was amazing." - You praise him. He snorts.

"Is that praise I hear?" - He asks and uses his fingers to brush your hair away from your face.

"It's not a sin to praise you for sex like that. But I can't sit like this anymore." - You grimace, feeling your legs go numb. "I don't think I'll be able to sit for a week."

Jungkook helps you down and sits down next to you, supporting you. You look for your underwear and put them on, wrinkling your nose a little.

"Was I too rude?" - Jungkook is worried. You pay attention to him and notice his concern.

"I was just joking. I liked it." - You assure Jungkook. But he doesn't seem to believe you.

"But I fucked you hard, are you sure it didn't hurt?" - He won't calm down. You flick your tongue.

"It's okay, Jungkook. I'm not in any pain." - You reach for him and kiss him lightly on the lips. It works and Jungkook finally relaxes. He also puts on his boxers and then pulls on his pants.

You get dressed quickly, Jungkook cleans up the car and starts the engine.

"I'm sorry, baby. We'll definitely come here this weekend to eat." - Jungkook apologizes. You weren't too upset that you didn't eat chicken today. Instead, you got something much better.

Jungkook drives you to the mall so that you can meet Suyoung and buy gifts for your parents. On the way, he checks his phone and you realize that he is getting irritated. He's reading some texts, but you don't look at his phone. It wouldn't be nice to do that.

"Is everything okay?" - You ask in hope. Jungkook locks the phone and throws it on the dashboard.

"Not really." - Is all Jungkook says. You want to ask him more, but you stop yourself in time. Jungkook needs to focus on solving the problem at hand, and you don't want to distract him. You stop talking, and there's silence between you for the rest of the ride.

Jungkook parks not far from the subway station. He smiles at you lightly and you smile back.

"Are you going to be late again tonight?" - You ask. He looks at you guiltily.

"I think so. So don't wait for me." - Jungkook says. He reaches out to kiss you, but you stop him in a panic.

"What are you doing? What if Suyoung sees us?" - You say.

"She doesn't know this car." - Jungkook counters your assumption.

"This car attracts attention. So she might see you and me." - You comment.

"Okay then, no kissing goodbye." - Jungkook says and sits up straight. For a moment, you regret not kissing Jungkook's lips, but then you come to your senses.

Everything between you is becoming lighthearted. There are no boundaries. You act like a couple, but you're not dating. You are friends with benefits. This must be kept under control. You should tell Jungkook that you need to set some rules. But Jimin calls him again and Jungkook already assures him that he's on his way.

You hurriedly leave Jungkook's car. You look in the wake and it only now dawns on you that Jimin is working with Jungkook. Why didn't they ever tell you that? And then there's this guy Namjoon. He seems to be Jungkook's boss.

You went to the mall because Suyoung was already there, and you remembered the conversation between Jungkook and Jimin.

It was a medical supply deal. Maybe Jungkook is a transportation safety coordinator? Or something like that.

It's strange that you've been friends with Jungkook for so many years and you've lived together for a long time, but you know almost nothing about his job. You realize that this work involves influential people. No matter how young Jungkook looks he fits in well with them. Although you know him as a simple, kind guy, as your best friend.

Jungkook picks up speed to get to the head office as soon as possible. He enters the underground parking lot and parks. He is angry because the deal he coordinated fell through. The fucking customer wants the product back.

Jungkook walks down a long corridor and finds himself on the 25th floor of the “Mono Corp” building.

He enters the office of "Director Park" and sees him at the window. He is on the phone.

"Yes, I got it. Please find out when this company was established. Dig up all the information on the supplier." - Jungkook hears what Jimin is saying. Jungkook's jaw is tense.

Jimin listens for a long minute and then hangs up. He turns back to his guest and runs his eyes over him.

"So who did you fuck on your lunch break?" - Jimin asks with undisguised curiosity. "My secretary?" - Jungkook raises his eyebrows.

"No, not your secretary." - He replies. And his mind is still fresh with your naked image sitting on his lap. And he can hear your groans in his ears. But Jungkook can't tell Jimin about you two. Besides, friends who know less sleep better. "You don't know her. We met on the Internet." - Jungkook lies. Jimin studies Jungkook's face for a few seconds and then turns away, walking to his desk. He sits down in his chair and grabs a pen. He twists it in his fingers to calm his nerves.

"I thought after that night you finally slept together with Y/N. Seriously Jungkook, she's so fucking hot, how can you just be friends with her?" -Jimin asks. Jungkook sits down on the couch and leans his arm over the back.

"Do you have your eye on her?" - Jungkook asks, trying to hide his jealousy.

"You'd have to be blind not to pay attention to her." - Jimin replies. Jungkook controls his facial expressions because he knows how well Jimin can read them. "But I'm not. I know you like her, so I'm not evaluating her as a potential partner. But it looks like Taehyung has his eye on her." - Jimin is lying to get some kind of reaction. Jungkook has a dispassionate expression on his face.

"Pfft, I wish him luck." - Jungkook just laughs. There it is. He's got him. Jimin knows what this "pfft" means. However he just will wait for his friend to admit that he's fucking his best friend.

"Why didn't you check the condition of the equipment before offering it to the customer?" - Jimin asks seriously, moving on to the business for which he called Jungkook.

"I checked it myself." - Jungkook says with the same serious tone.

"All 20 devices are defective. The customer wants a refund. And that's 50 million dollars for a minute." - Jimin states.

"I know the amount because I coordinated this order." - Jungkook says calmly. "But I'm telling you that I checked the serviceability of all the machines. I don't understand what could have happened..."

"I checked the logistics company Ironline Transport that the DVSS vehicles were traveling through, and guess what? This company is a subsidiary of “PrimeRoute Logistics”"- Jimin smiles.

"That's Doohoon's father's company!" - Jungkook boils with anger. "But does the contract say “Ironline Transport”? We signed the contract with a different company." - Jungkook says.

"No, the contract says subsidiary." - Jimin argues.

"I remember exactly how I read it from top to bottom and there was no such word as 'transport' in the name of the carrier company." - Jungkook recalls. "How did “Ironline Transport” get there?"

"That was my question to you." - Jimin says. Jungkook falls silent. There is definitely a mistake here. Obviously, someone forged the documents. He's in serious trouble, and he's betting his head that Doohoon is involved. "Either way, needs told all to Namjoon. But first, we'll investigate. I'm more than sure that your old friend is up to the same trick again. He likes to set you up."

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#jungkook x reader #bts #bts jungkook #jungkook #jungkook x f!reader #jungkook smut #jungkook friends with benefits #bts mafia au

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gay-dorito-dust · 11 months ago

Note

Hello! I hope you’re doing well😊

I’ve been stalking your blog for a while and I love how you write the dc boys and was wondering if I could request a head cannon or small blurb?

So, one of my guy friends has a list of things written in his iPhone about his girlfriend, like her favorite food, flower, color, possible gift ideas, any and all anniversaries, etc. just a long list of everything he can think of pertaining to her. It got me thinking about Jason/Tim/Dick having something similar on their phone for their SO. Maybe the reader finds it one day while scrolling through their phone and they just 🥺❤️❤️ while their boy get flustered lol

Dick

Dick had a list on his phone specially made for you and while to some it would seem like what he had listed were mundane or not all that interesting, but that couldn’t be less then the truth to him as everything pertaining to you was worth jotting down and remembering.

From the way you liked your tea/coffee, your comfort movie and or tv show, right down to the way you always wanted to go on a date to a proper aquarium one day, all of this and so much more was taken into account as Dick often used this knowledge for brainstorming your next date night.

He takes it extremely seriously as he wanted everything to be worthwhile for you and also the fact that he’d get to see you smile as brightly as you did, it was his Achilles heel and Dick wasn’t ashamed to admit it.

So one day when he was writing down ideas on where to where to take you for your next date, you were just so happened to be in the room to take notice how on he left his phone open as he went into another room for one reason or another, and got curious as to what he had been so concentrated on; and what you found was enough to melt your heart.

In an extremely long list was filled to the brim with things about you that dick loved/took notice of and adored that even you yourself didn’t notice doing half of these things. It was like as though Dick saw more to you than you ever did and it made you feel…well loved.

‘Aww Dick. Is this list all about me?’ You asked as you read further down the list as Dick burrowed his face into your neck as he held you from behind after seeing you read the list on his phone.

‘It’s not like I can deny it now can I darling,’ he said, tightening his hold on you as he felt his cheeks fluster slightly, he’s not use to someone reading his innermost thoughts and feelings and now that someone has he’s not use to the feeling he was currently experiencing.

‘There’s even stuff in here that I’ve told you ages ago.’ You exclaimed, looking over at him with adoration. ‘You’re amazing you know that.’ You praised him, kissing his forehead softly.

‘So I’ve been told but it means a hell of a lot more when you’re the one praising me.’ Dick chuckled as he kissed your neck, keeping you close as the list on his became long forgotten as you continued to smother your dickie bird in affection.

Jason

Jason’s list about was seemingly never ending with how often he was adding onto it with things that you did or have started doing just recently that he couldn’t get enough of.

He had things such as how you’d snuggle up in bed in one of his hoodies, cuddling the pillow on his side of the bed close to your chest whenever you were missing him and stuff like how you latch yourself onto him from behind and chomping down on his shoulders and biceps when you wanted some attention from him.

Anything and everything you did that made his heart melt into a puddle was there and as mentioned beforehand it was growing on a daily basis.

So when you came across this list of his, you couldn’t help but feel as though you were seeing yourself through his own eyes for the first time, and seeing just how serious he was about you from his long and detailed list on just about everything you’ve ever done before and during your relationship.

There were even parts where he would go on about how cute you were during certain moments and how he’d take you to special places for dates when given enough time, and being amazed at how he’d remembered something you had brought up in passing several months ago.

Jason had taken every single detail about you and show just how much he loved them by keeping a list of them on his phone so that he doesn’t ever forget. Perks of being a hopeless romantic who’s read every Jane Austen book in existence. You had consumed his mind, body and soul and this listen only proved it as you delved in just how much you seemingly were on your pretty boy’s mind, much to his embarrassment.

‘Sweetheart.’ He droned from behind you. ‘You weren’t learnt to see that.’

‘Why not?’ You asked, holding his phone close to your chest, pouting, wanting to read more of his list about you and your many, many, many attributes that he adored like no other.

‘It was meant to be kept a secret so that I could surprise you on our next date.’ Jason told you with flustered cheeks at the fact that you now knew just how deeply he thought of you.

You only smiled at him as you peppered his face in kisses. ‘You’re such a hopeless romantic.’ You teased. ‘I love it.’

‘Only for you sweetheart, only for you.’ Jason murmured as he leaned in for more face kisses.

Tim

‘You shouldn’t be reading that.’ Tim would say when he found you reading the embarrassingly long list that he had specifically made for you and everything he’s known about you since you started dating. Tim was smart to take safety procedures in most things, but he seemingly forgot that you could easily access his phone that he had left open by accident.

‘Why not, are you embarrassed?’ You asked, smiling at how hellbent your boyfriend was on getting you to stop read in the list that he himself had made.

‘No, it’s just-‘

‘I’m only teasing sweet Tim, I think it’s really sweet that you made a list all about me.’ You interpret him as you reached out to hold his hand, squeezing it reassuringly when you felt his nervousness, kissing the back of it for good measure.

‘You really are a pain.’ Tim groaned as he plopped himself down next to you, still not over the fact that he was left his phone open for anyone to read just how badly your hold over him was, he thanked god that it was you who came across it rather then his siblings. Tim would never be able to live it down if someone like Damian or Jason or god forbid Dick had found his big little list about his perfect partner.

It had everything from your comfort foods, to that childhood plush that you held tremendous sentimental value towards, and things that you’ve mentioned once or twice that didn’t seem like much but were more then worth writing down and kept for future reference.

He couldn’t help it, there was so much about you that was worth writing down as you meant a lot to Tim and he found often found himself coming up with complex ideas for something as simple as your future date nights. Most were mainly date nights spend at home but neither of you were complaining if it meant spending quality time together, regardless of where that might end up being.

‘Well that’s odd because if I was then you wouldn’t have made the equivalent to an Google docs on me.’ You cheekily said, bumping your shoulder with his as he groaned, covering his face with his hands but the tips of his ears were beet red. God he was cute when he wasn’t being sarcastic and a smart ass. ‘I hate you.’ He said, voice muffled by his hands.

You smiled as you kissed the hands covering his face before leaning your head against his shoulder. ‘I love you too Tim Drake, more than anything.’

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wholoveseggs · 11 months ago

Text

Rules {Part Four}

18+ ---- {Masterlist} {Tag-List}

Part Four

Tonight is the night of the dinner party and tensions are running high. Caught between the love for your family and your own desires, things take a dramatic turn when you make a choice you can't take back.

♡♡ I finally get to write about my #1 favorite TVD moment! The Dinner Partyyy! {the campyiness, the tension, the dramaaaa... Its peak TVD} Hope you enjoy! PS: there will be a part five ♡♡

6.4k words - Warnings: salvatore!sibling reader, no smut, lots and lots of drama, so much angst, Elijah being the sexiest middle-part menace he can be, secret affair, forbidden romance, Damon being over-protective, finally adding some proper Stefan moments to the plot, Elena being Elena, my sweet angel ♡ ANDIE STARRR ♡ , vervain, tension, violence, john gilbert & chocolate mousse...

{Part One} {Part Two}{Part Three}{Part Five}

♡♡ Tag-List ♡♡

Trying to fix my tags! I re-added all of you, and now you will be posted at the top!

If you no longer wished to be tagged just shoot me a DM {I won't be offended} xoxo~

@gorgeouslydangerous @starkleila @lydia1369sworld @notleylaaa @vampiresluv

@myanmy @xflowerbombxo @maryvibess @always-and-forever-daydreaming @criminallminds @rosemarypotion @spnaquakindgdom @amournoir @meeom @damienmorton @wickedmuse @sunkissedebony97 @idk00sblog @savannaounana @cs-please @complicatedandconfusing-25 @youcanhavemybuckanyday @akala6670229 @yeaiamme2 @itsjulzandmydiamonds @spideysbabe @witch-of-letters @elijahstwink @rosecentury @sekaishell @ziayamikaelson @amanda08319 @starshipcookie @li-da-savage @veggie-eggrolls @spideybv28 @loving-and-dreaming @fancycassie-stayfancy @hcqwxrtss123

You sat in front of your vanity, outlining your lips with a deep shade of red, finishing off the look with a dab of gloss.

Damon didn't tell you any details of what he was planning, beyond having a weapon that could kill an Original, which would have seemed absurd if it wasn't your brother. You knew what he was capable of.

Damon had left not too long ago, telling you he was going to lunch with his girlfriend Andie, and would be back later.

All you knew was that there would be a dinner party tonight and if Elijah showed up, Damon was going to kill him.

Your phone rang and you glanced over to see Stefan's name on the screen, your pressed speaker, and went back to applying your lipstick.

"Hey," You said, pressing your lips together and checking the color.

"Hello," Stefan replied, sounding a bit tense.

"How's your trip with Elena going?" You asked, grabbing a tube of mascara.

"Well as it can be," he said vaguely.

"I guess you know about the deal then? Elena is willing to die for you, that's very sweet," you said casually, applying the mascara to your eyelashes.

"When did you get so callous? She isn't a martyr, she's just naive," he sighed.

You felt a pang of guilt for teasing him. He was right, Elena was kind and gentle, and both of your brothers loved her.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I know how you feel about her," You said, trying to sound comforting. "It's just that she possesses an unfortunate face,"

Stefan let out a humorless chuckle, and sighed. "Katherine's face,"

"Yeahhhh," you laughed.

"Funny you should mention her, Elena has been reading some old journals written by Johnathan Gilbert," Stefan explained. "It's brought up a lot of memories,"

"Didn't you eat him?" You asked, screwing the cap onto the mascara.

His silence was an answer in and of itself.

"Are you afraid that if Elena learns about your lovely alter-ego she won't love you anymore?" You teased.

"This is serious," he sighed.

"Ok, ok, sorry," You said, standing up and smoothing out your dress. "Always so uptight,"

"Not everyone has it so easy, sister," he grumbled.

"What does that mean?" You asked, your tone slightly offended.

"It's nothing," he sighed.

"No, no. Please, speak your mind," You said, rolling your eyes.

"You've always just been good at it," He began, you could hear the annoyance in his voice.

"At what?" You snapped, pacing around your room.

"Being a vampire," He said bluntly. "You claim to loathe Katherine, yet you aren't that different,"

You didn't know what to say, his words cut you. How dare he compare you to the woman who destroyed your life, turned you and your brothers into monsters. Kept them under her toxic spell while you watched them suffer.

"That's not fair, Stefan," You said softly, feeling hurt and defensive.

"Isn't it?" He asked.

You stayed silent, unsure of what to say, you just stared out the window, the sun shining brightly outside.

"Anyway, I don't have time to debate your morals," Stefan continued. "I'm just calling to tell you to watch out for Damon, killing Elijah won't be easy, he will need your help,"

"And here I thought you didn't trust me," You said, unable to hide the hurt in your voice.

"I trust you more than anyone," he said softly.

You wanted to tell him everything, how guilty and ashamed you felt. You didn't even know why you were feeling these things, Elijah was nothing to you, but you couldn't stop thinking about him, the pain in his eyes, the coldness in his voice, it haunted you.

And now you were going to kill him, Stefan was right... You weren't so different from Katherine.

"Then, trust me when I say, I'll handle it," You said, keeping your tone casual.

"Ok," he said, though his voice sounded hesitant. "Please be careful,"

"I will," you said softly, before ending the call.

You sat down on your bed and pulled on a pair of black velvet pumps. They were tall, and made your legs look amazing. You checked your lipstick and smoothed out your dress, and headed downstairs.

Damon was just arriving home, with Andie in tow. They were carrying bags of groceries, and setting them down in the kitchen.

"Hi, Andie," You smiled.

"Hello darlin," she said, her voice cheery, like always. "Don't tell me that your brother roped you into this mess,"

"Mess?" You asked, raising an eyebrow, giving Damon a questioning look.

"Andie doesn't believe in my abilities to cook," Damon rolled his eyes.

"Damon has a tendency to go overboard with things," she laughed.

Neither of them were actually talking about the cooking. Damon had obviously told her about his plans for the night.

"What are we serving tonight, then?" You asked, giving him a warning look.

"A nice rack of lamb, roasted vegetables, some salad..." Damon trailed off, looking around the kitchen. "Annnd... A dessert that will be sure to knock our guest's socks off,"

You and Andie made eye contact and she smiled, trying not to laugh.

"Sounds lovely, brother," You smiled, reaching out and patting him on the shoulder. "How can I help?"

Damon gave Andie a pointed look and she nodded and left the kitchen, leaving the two of you alone to chat.

"So," he began, as he pulled out a box of matches and lit the burner on the stove. "Change of plans,"

"Change?" You asked, leaning against the counter, crossing your arms.

"I need you to stay upstairs, away from the party," He said, avoiding your eyes.

"What?!" You said, glaring at him. "Why?"

"Because Jenna is coming, and she thinks you are Elena's age... I can't have her asking too many questions," Damon explained.

"That's such bullshit!" You growled, pushing off the counter. "You can't do this on your own,"

"Yes I can," he scoffed.

"So, what? I'm just supposed to stay hidden away in my room, twiddling my thumbs while you try and kill Elijah?" You asked, getting more irritated by the second.

"Yeah, pretty much," He said, his tone casual. "And when it's done you can help me dispose of the body,"

"Are you being fucking serious?" You spat.

"Relax," he chuckled.

"How am I supposed to relax when I know you are going to get yourself killed?!" You asked, throwing your hands in the air.

Damon put down the pan he was holding and turned around, walking over to you and getting in your face, his eyes wild and bright.

"Despite you being a ravenous little killer, you are still my baby sister," he said, his voice soft, but his eyes were still angry. "I was wrong to ask you for help, it's my job to protect you, not put you in harm's way,"

You didn't like this one bit, Damon was stubborn and headstrong, and once his mind was made up, there was no changing it. It infuriated you, the way he saw you as this helpless damsel. Yet, you weren't surprised, he had a tendency to go overboard with things and forget logic. The fact that you were a vampire and could handle yourself was something he often forgot.

You felt humiliated and helpless, and that made you angry, so fucking angry.

"Fuck you," You snapped, turning on your heel, storming out of the kitchen, Damon called after you, but you ignored him, slamming the door to your room shut.

You stood in the middle of the room, feeling a wave of emotion hit you. This wasn't like you, you never let yourself feel like this, so out of control. The last time you felt anything like this was years ago, when you were human.

You hated that feeling, the way your stomach would twist, and your heart would ache. But it wasn't because of Damon... It was because of Elijah.

The sound of the guests arriving floated up to your bedroom. You were sitting on your bed, a glass of wine in hand. You had been drinking all evening, trying to numb the anger, the sadness, and the regret.

The plan was already in motion, there was no stopping it now. Elijah was going to die, and you were told to stay put and let it happen.

You picked up the voices of several familiar people, Alaric, Jenna, Andie, even Elena's estranged father John. All chatting happily, blissfully unaware of your presence upstairs.

You looked down into your glass, you could see your vague reflection in the dark liquid. You couldn't stand the sight of yourself, the guilt, the shame… it was eating away at you, no longer could you sit there and wallow in it.

Fuck it, you thought. You finished the glass off with one large gulp and got up, walking over to the full-length mirror.

Your hair was down, the curls flowing down past your breasts, and your makeup was perfect, smoky eyes and deep red lips. All dressed up and nowhere to go, nobody to see.

You headed down the hallway, trying to be as quiet as possible, peeking through the railing on the stairs to see if anyone was there.

Then you heard Elijah's voice, it was hushed and cold, and the words were unintelligible, but it was him, and your heart skipped a beat.

You inched closer, straining your ears, desperate to hear more.

"Can I just say that if you have less than honorable intentions about how this evening is going to proceed, I suggest you reconsider."

His tone was dark and threatening, and you knew Damon would be on the receiving end.

"No, nothing, nothing dishonorable. Just getting to know you," Damon replied, and you could picture his cocky smile.

"Hmm. Well, that's good," Elijah sounded skeptical, and you could hear him walking inside and closing the door.

"Because, you know, although Elena and I have this deal, if you so much as make a move to cross me, I'll kill you and I'll kill everyone in this house. Are we clear?" Elijah's tone was firm and unwavering, and you could sense the tension.

You took a deep breath, steadying your nerves, and walked down the stairs. Your feet a bit wobbly in your heels, the wine was catching up with you.

Everyone was looking at you by the time you got to the bottom, and you were sure your face was flushed, your cheeks pink. But all you could see was Elijah. His dark eyes watching you, and your heart was racing. Surely he wouldn't kill you in front of all these people.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to join us," Damon chuckled nervously, walking up to you and putting his arm around your shoulder, squeezing you forcefully. "This isn't a party for teenagers, sweet sister,"

The tension was thick, and it was clear that Damon didn't want you there.

"I just wanted to come say hello, I was getting bored upstairs," You said casually, pulling away from him.

"Oh, c'mon Damon, it's alright. She can stay for the food," said Jenna, giving you a warm smile. She was so kind, you didn't want to see her get hurt.

"No, really. She should be going, right sis?" Damon said, glaring at you.

"No, I think I'm gonna stay, I was promised dinner, after all," You replied, meeting his eyes, defiance shining in them.

Elijah cleared his throat, stepping towards you and Damon, his face neutral. "Nice to meet you Miss Salvatore," he took your hand and kissed it, his lips lingering for a moment longer than necessary.

Damon was looking at Elijah like he wanted to rip his throat out, and you had to resist the urge to smirk.

"And you, Mr. Smith," You replied, trying to hide your amusement.

Elijah gave you a knowing look, and a small smile formed on his lips.

"Call me Elijah," He replied, still holding your hand.

"Elijah, then," You nodded, a shiver running down your spine as his thumb traced your wrist.

You had no idea why he was acting so casual, he had to know this was a trap, and he was just standing there, touching you.

"Ok, now that everyone knows each other, let's eat," Andie cut in, leading everyone to the dining room.

Before you could follow, Damon grabbed your arm and pulled you aside, his expression one of pure rage.

"What are you doing?" Damon growled.

"Having dinner," You said, pushing him off and brushing past him, walking into the dining room.

The only empty seat available was next to Elijah, who grew stiff when you approached him.

"Is this ok?" You asked, smiling sweetly.

He nodded, pulling the chair out for you, and pushing it back in once you were seated, always the gentleman.

Everyone was seated, and the dinner party was in full swing. Jenna and Andie asked Elijah all about the local history of Mystic Falls, and he bullshitted his way through, telling them stories of the old families that founded the town, local folklore tales, and other nonsense.

Elijah seemed to relax a bit, although he was purposely avoiding looking or speaking to you, his gaze focused elsewhere. But every once in a while you could feel his hand brush yours under the table, making your skin tingle.

You were drinking wine like it was water, and you could feel the effect it was having on you. The world was fuzzy, and everything was so funny. You would giggle or let out an inappropriate snort whenever Elijah would talk, and your face was flush and hot.

"Not to be a party pooper but aren't you a little young to be drinking?" John Gilbert said, looking at you, his eyes narrowing.

You glared at him, raising an eyebrow, he knew that you were a vampire, four times his age no less. But you weren't about to argue in front of sweet and innocent Jenna, who had no clue about the existence of the monsters she was surrounded by.

"She can have a glass, as her guardian I allow it," Damon said casually, not bothering to look up from his plate.

"Ahh, I see, I suppose the rules are a bit more lax when you have Damon as a parent," John added, his expression bitter and cold.

"I think she's had more than a glass," Andie said softly, her tone was concerned as she looked you over.

You felt Elijah's hand come to rest on your thigh under the table, it made your heart skip a beat and Damon look up from his plate.

"She's fine," Damon said, his tone final.

The other guests exchanged awkward glances, Alaric cleared his throat uncomfortably and Jenna and Andie both had worried expressions on their faces.

Elijah's hand was moving higher up your thigh, and it was making your face flush, and you were starting to get wet.

You had no idea why he was touching you, considering he wanted to kill you. But you supposed there is a fine line between lust and loathing.

As soon as everyone finished their meal, Andie got up and Damon gave her a pointed look, whatever he had planned had just begun.

"The gentlemen should take their drinks in the study," she said, giving everyone a smile, her gaze lingering on Elijah.

"I have to say the food was almost as wonderful as the company," Elijah said, smiling at her, and standing up.

"I like you," Andie said softly, returning his smile.

You watched as the men left, Damon looked back at you before he followed them, giving you a wink, and closing the door.

You were fuming, the wine making you angrier than usual, you went to follow but Andie intercepted you, handing you a pile of plates.

Sighing, you reluctantly carried them to the kitchen and started loading the dishwasher, not wanting to draw too much attention.

"Here, let me help," Jenna smiled, taking the glasses from your hands.

"It's fine," You said, forcing a smile.

"Come, drink some water, your face is flushed," Andie said, handing you a glass.

"No more for you," John added, pouring the leftover wine down the drain.

You scowled at all three of them, lecturing you like you were a child. They had no idea what you were capable of, the things you've done. They wouldn't treat you like this if they did.

You took the water, glaring at them, and chugged it, setting the glass down with a little more force than necessary.

Alaric came rushing into the kitchen with a wild look in his eye. He made eye contact with you, and he was out of breath.

"We forgot dessert!" He said, sounding panicked.

"What?" Andie asked, confused.

"Dessert!" Alaric repeated, his body practically vibrating with fear.

Whatever was going on, it definitely wasn't about dessert.

"I can make a chocolate mousse...?" Jenna began, trailing off, looking at Alaric with confusion.

"Perfect! Let's go tell Damon and Elijah," Alaric said in a rush, motioning to Andie who gave him a questioning look but followed him out.

"What is going on?" Jenna asked, turning to you, her eyes wide.

"No idea," You lied, shrugging, hoping to sound convincing.

As soon as Jenna had her back turned, you slipped out of the kitchen and headed for the dining room.

Everyone had already returned, and the tension was palpable. Alaric looked stressed and Damon was smirking, which was a sure sign of a disaster.

Damon and John were seated on opposite ends of the table, glaring at each other, while Elijah sat in center. Andie and Alaric were behind him, rummaging through her bag for some reason.

"What I'd like to know, Elijah, is how do you intend on killing Klaus?" John said sharply, looking over his wine glass at him.

It seemed that the dinner party discussions had finally turned to the real business at hand, you inched into the room quietly, trying not to draw any attention.

"Gentlemen, there's a few things we should probably get clear right now. I allow you to live solely to keep an eye on Elena. I allow Elena to remain in her house living her life with her friends as she does as a courtesy. If you become a liability, I'll take her away from you and you'll never see her again." Elijah's eyes flickered to you, but only for a second.

Before Damon or John had a chance to respond, Andie returned with her notebook in hand, sitting down across from Elijah, ready to interview him, "Okay. My first question is when you got here to Mystic..."

Suddenly, time seemed to slow down, you watched Alaric approach Elijah from behind, an ornate looking dagger in his hand, ready to stab him in the back.

You moved without thinking, lunging at Alaric, wrapping your hand around his wrist and snapping it with ease, causing the dagger to fall to the floor with a clatter.

Alaric crumbled to the floor in pain, looking up at you in shock.

The room suddenly exploded into action, dark veins spread beneath Elijah's eyes, and he lunged at Damon, knocking him over the table and onto the ground, grabbing him by the neck and lifting him into the air, his eyes ablaze.

John grabbed Andie, pulling her out of the way, while Alaric crawled along the floor, cradling his wrist.

You grabbed Elijah's arm, trying to pry him off of Damon.

"Don't! Let him go!" You shouted, struggling against him, his muscles were tensed, and his grip was tight, he wasn't budging.

Elijah looked over his shoulder at you, his dark eyes cold and angry. You gave him a pleading look, trying to convey how important it was that he listened.

"Please, he's my brother, please don't hurt him," You said, your voice breaking as your tears began to flow.

He dropped Damon, who fell to the floor with a thud, coughing and sputtering.

Elijah looked around the room at all the frightened faces, then to the floor where the dagger was lying and picked it up, examining it.

"Clever boy," Elijah looked at Alaric, shaking his head and tsking. "I haven't seen one of these in quite some time,"

He moved to attack Alaric but you jumped in front of him, shielding him with your body.

"Please don't kill him," You pleaded, putting your hands on his chest, trying to push him back.

He was immovable, but his gaze softened when his eyes met yours and he put the dagger in his jacket pocket. His eyes went back to Damon, who was still on the floor, glaring at him.

"Please, don't hurt anyone," You repeated, your hand moving to his hair, running your fingers through it.

He closed his eyes and leaned into your touch, his shoulders sagging, the tension leaving his body.

"Get away from my sister," Damon snarled, his voice rough from being choked.

Elijah looked at Damon, giving him a wicked smile and wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you close to him, your face pressed against his chest.

"Oh, she doesn't mind," Elijah smirked, looking at Damon with smug satisfaction.

Damon looked from you to Elijah, his expression a mixture of disbelief and pure rage. His brain couldn't quite compute what he was seeing.

"What did I say?" Elijah began, pausing to pretend he was pondering, "Oh yes! If you so much as make a move to cross me, I'll kill you and I'll kill everyone in this house,"

Your hands curled into his shirt, tugging on it, looking at him pleadingly. His dark eyes went to yours, and his gaze softened, he kissed you on the cheek, wiping away a stray tear.

"Fortunately for you, your lovely sister has been most gracious in her hospitality," He said, looking over your head at Damon.

You were visibly shaken up, looking at your brother with tear filled eyes, your hands trembling against Elijah's chest. He lifted your chin, forcing you to look at him instead of your devastated looking brother.

"So much for rule one," he said quietly, kissing the corner of your mouth.

Damon was seething, his fists clenched, and he was practically shaking with anger.

"Now, I hate to cut this evening short, but it seems I've overstayed my welcome," Elijah sighed, pulling away from you, his tone neutral.

"And as for you. Let me be perfectly clear, if you, or anyone else, attempt something like this again, I will kill you. No mercy. Understood?" Elijah asked, looking directly at Damon.

"Yes," Damon said, his voice dripping with venom.

"Wonderful. Now, I think it's time for me to take my leave," Elijah turned and began to walk out, "I'll be in touch," he called over his shoulder.

As soon as Elijah left, all eyes were on you. Damon's angry glare made you squirm, and the disgusted expressions from Andie, Alaric and John made you feel deep shame. You needed to get out of there.

But before you could , Damon grabbed you, the speed blowing your hair back. His hand went to your neck and he threw you against the wall, his fingers crushing your windpipe.

"Are you crazy? You’re fucking Elijah? ELIJAH?" He yelled right in your face, his rage so uncontrolled he lashed out and hit the wall beside your head, causing the plaster to crack and break.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He continued, his eyes wild, spit flying from his mouth.

"Damon," Andie said softly, stepping forward to calm him. John held her back, helping Alaric to his feet and pulling them both out of the room. John knew better than to get between Damon and his wrath.

"How did this happen? How did he get to you?" He shook you harder, causing the plaster dust to rain down. "Did he compel you? I told you to drink vervain every day!"

You kneed him in the stomach, forcing him to drop you, and you gasped for air.

"No! He didn't compel me, he would never," You snapped, rubbing your neck. "I...I care for him,"

Damon stared at you, his breathing ragged, and his expression completely blank. Then he started to laugh, it was devoid of any warmth, it was all bitterness and mockery.

"Care for him? What is he, your boyfriend? Did he ask you to go steady in-between planning Elena's murder?" Damon sneered.

"That's not fair," You said, scowling, folding your arms.

"So he's the reason you've been so distant? The reason you've been acting so weird? What, he's using you to get to Elena, isn't he?" Damon was pacing back and forth, his hands in his hair.

"No... We never discus-" You tried to explain.

"This is unbelievable," He groaned, cutting you off, and walking over to the liquor cart, pouring himself a drink, then he froze.

"Please tell me you didn't fuck him in this house," he said, his voice dangerously low.

"Not exactly...," You trailed off, averting your gaze, biting your lip.

Damon downed his drink and smashed the glass against the wall, "Fuck, Y/N, do you have any idea what you've done?"

"I had a plan! Everything just spiraled out of control," You said, your voice shaking, feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. "I tried... I tried to steal the moonstone, for you! For us! He caught me and... and I was stupid. I'm sorry.”

"So you thought you could pull a honeypot on an original?" Damon looked completely dumbfounded, and a little impressed. "Are you insane? Or just dumb?"

His words cut you deeply, mostly because they were the same things you had said to yourself, a million times.

"I thought it would work," You shrugged, your arms dropping, you were feeling defeated.

"And I suppose letting him fuck you was an added bonus, huh?" Damon shot back.

"Yes!" You screamed, frustrated, throwing your hands up. "I like him, Damon! He's interesting and attractive and he treats me like an equal!"

Damon snorted, "Because he thinks you're a slut."

That stung, he had never called you that before and tears sprang to your eyes. You glared at him, as they began to spill down your cheeks. You were done arguing with him, and you were done listening to him. He didn't understand, and you had nothing more to say.

Without another word, you pulled the dagger out of your bra, you had managed to remove it from Elijah's pocket without anyone noticing. You threw it at the floor at Damon's feet and stormed off.

Damon looked at the dagger, his brow furrowed, then back up at the spot you had just occupied, a sinking feeling in his stomach. He had made you cry.

You ran to your room and crawled under the covers, letting all your pent up emotions flow out of you, coming out in gasps and hiccups. You had no idea what to do, you didn't want to choose between your family and Elijah. You didn't want to be forced to pick a side.

You didn't want to have to give up what you felt when you were around him.

You didn't know how.

It had been a few hours since the disastrous dinner party. You were still laying in your bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the events over and over again in your mind.

You heard Damon leave not long after your argument. You had no idea where he ran off too. Knowing him, he went to find more trouble. Part of you regretted the fight, the other part of you wanted to strangle him.

You were exhausted, physically and emotionally. It was like every single part of your being was weighed down.

Just then you heard a loud commotion downstairs, the voices of your brothers and Elena floated up to you. There was a strange scraping sound, like they were dragging something heavy across the floor.

You quickly got up to investigate, hopping down the stairs, stopping suddenly in front of a very nervous looking Elena.

"What happened?" You asked, trying to look past her to your brothers.

"Damon told me what happened," She said softly, reaching out to touch you. But you spotted a pair of legs being dragged away towards the stairs leading to the basement.

Your eyes went wide as you figured out whose legs they were. Panic swept over you, and you pushed past Elena and rushed to the basement after them.

Stefan and Damon were throwing Elijah's body into the cell, he looked gray and cold, the dagger sticking out of his chest.

"Elijah! No, no, no," You cried, screaming and trying to get past your brothers. But they were too strong for you, holding you back, and quickly closing the gates.

"Let me go!" You punched at Damon's chest, desperate to get inside the cell, tears streaming down your face.

Damon just held you, refusing to release you, your screams filling the small basement.

Stefan locked the door, following you and Damon upstairs. You were kicking and fighting like a crazy woman, begging them to let you see him.

Once you made it upstairs, Stefan grabbed you and held you in his arms, still you fought and cried for him, despite his pleas for you to stop.

"Please calm down," Stefan begged, holding onto you tightly.

"He came to take Elena, we had no choice," Damon said, his voice sounding tired, like this had been an exhausting evening for him.

"He promised me he wouldn't," You said, your voice cracking, your throat raw.

"He lied, Y/N, that's what he does," Damon replied, sounding exasperated.

"Shut up!" You screamed, jerking out of Stefan's arms and rushing at Damon, your fist connecting with the side of his face. "You did this! He wouldn't have done anything if you hadn't provoked him!"

You managed to hit him twice, splitting his lip, before Stefan grabbed you again, pulling you back.

"Knock it off!" Stefan said sharply, giving you a firm shake. You stopped struggling for a moment, panting.

Elena came and stood next to Damon, looking more sad than angry. She wasn't sure what to say, or what to do in this situation.

"I love him Stefan, please," you begged, sniffling. It was the first time you could admit it out loud, to anyone, to yourself and you wished it was Elijah you could have told first. "You have to let me see him, even if he's dead...I just have to see him."

Your words cut through Stefan's heart. Trembling in his arms, he had never seen you so distraught and in pain. He looked over your head at Damon and Elena, silently asking for permission.

"Fine, I'll take you, but only because you'll probably burn the house down if I don't," Damon said, rolling his eyes.

Stefan let you go and you immediately ran down the stairs, your feet skidding slightly on the concrete floor. You rushed into the cell and fell to your knees beside Elijah's body.

"lijah," you said softly, trying to coax him out of sleep.

He was gray, covered in dark veins, his skin felt cold. Your fingers trembled as you touched his face, your fingers running through his hair.

You laid down next to him, resting your head against his chest, listening to the lack of heartbeat. You lay there for a few minutes, crying to yourself.

You could feel Damon watching you, and it pissed you off.

"Please leave me alone," You said softly, your voice breaking, not bothering to turn and look at him.

Damon was standing there, leaning against the wall, his arms folded, and he looked at you thoughtfully.

"He's dangerous, and he's using you," Damon replied.

"He never learned anything from me!" You snapped, glaring at him, the anger boiling over. "We had an agreement, an understanding! It wasn't like that!"

Damon shook his head, and looked away from you.

"You can't be in love with him. You barely know him." Damon was trying his hardest to get you to see sense.

"Maybe, maybe I'm not," You lied, sniffling, "I just feel like there's something there, something real and I've never felt this way before,"

Damon let out an exasperated sigh, and closed his eyes.

"This will end badly, I'm not going to try and convince you anymore. You're too damn stubborn," He said, opening his eyes and looking down at you.

"Can you bring me a blanket and pillow?" You asked, changing the subject.

"No," Damon said, turning on his heel and leaving the basement.

"Asshole," You muttered, moving back to rest your head against his chest.

A few minutes later, Stefan came down the stairs, carrying a blanket and a pillow, and a bottle of bourbon.

"Thanks," You smiled weakly, taking the blanket and covering yourself with it. You took the pillow and gently lifted Elijah's head, placing the pillow underneath him.

"Is he really dead?" You asked quietly, not looking at Stefan, staring at Elijah's face.

Stefan let out a long sigh, he hated seeing you like this, the sight of you curled up next to a corpse was not a normal one.

I'm not entirely sure," he knelt down, crossing his legs and he sat on the floor next to you. "but he isn't alive either, he's frozen, asleep,"

He reached out and touched your shoulder, turning you to look at him.

"Damon wants to keep him on ice, he doesn't trust Elijah and... neither do I," he tried to say it gently, wanting you to know the truth. "if you wake him up, he will kill us for what we've done... Elena tricked him... He will not be happy,"

"Maybe he will forgive us," you said, looking at him with hopeful eyes, "what if he can feel everything? He must be so scared and lonely,"

"Do you really think he can feel fear?" Stefan asked, raising an eyebrow. "My impression of him is that he isn't the type,"

"He has a big heart, under all that arrogance," you smiled softly, touching his face, brushing the hair from his forehead. "Kinda like someone we know,"

"You've got it bad," Stefan shook his head, a little bit in awe of your feelings. "I've never seen you like this, not with any other guy."

You looked over at him, his expression was a mix of worry and sadness.

"Do you hate me? For loving him?" You asked, a knot forming in your stomach.

"No, never," he said, pulling you into his arms. "I'm worried, and scared... But I could never hate you. Ever."

"I can convince him Stefan, I can get him on our side, I know I can," you said, feeling the tears come back.

"And if you can't?" He asked, rubbing your back.

"Then... Then... I don't know..." You said, a sob choking you, unable to speak.

Stefan hated himself for what he had to do next, but it was the only way he could think to keep everyone safe.

While you were still in his arms, he pulled out a syringe and jabbed it in your neck, pushing the liquid vervain in. It was a large dose and it took about three seconds before you passed out.

He caught you before you slumped to the ground, lifting your sleeping body and carrying you upstairs.

Damon and Elena were waiting anxiously, eager to hear that Stefan had been able to talk you down from freeing Elijah.

"Is she ok?" Elena moved forward, "Did she try anything?"

"She had a bit of a melt down," Stefan said honestly, he placed you on the couch, ensuring you were tucked in and comfortable.

"What can we do to make sure she doesn't help him?" Damon asked, leaning on the doorway, unable to come closer to you. The sight of you like this broke his heart. "she's been completely brainwashed by the guy,"

"She loves him Damon," Elena said softly, walking over to him, laying her hand on his arm.

"Don't say that," he groaned, covering his face. "That makes it worse. She has to get over it."

"I don't think it works that way," Elena said gently, squeezing his arm.

"We have to keep her away from him," Damon explained, his hands dropping, he was looking at Elena now. "It's too risky."

"That will be impossible," Stefan said, shaking his head, "she's more stubborn than you, she won't give up until she has her way."

"So what do we do?" Elena asked, glancing between them.

"The only way I can think of is to keep her sedated, until I find a way to kill him for good," Damon said, his tone matter-of-fact.

"No, Damon.. that's not right," Elena protested, looking to Stefan to back her up.

Stefan couldn't meet her gaze, instead he turned away, "We don't have any other options."

"So we are just going to knock her out? That's cruel!" Elena said, feeling very disappointed.

"Got any better ideas?" Damon snapped, kneeling down in front of you. He placed his hand on your forehead, "I can't let her wake him up, he will kill us all,"

Elena sighed, shaking her head.

"She will hate us for doing this," Stefan said, not liking the idea one bit, but it was the best they had.

"Yeah, well, I can handle that," Damon shrugged, and picked you up in his arms.

He carried you to your room, gently placing you on the bed, pulling the covers up over your body. He sat next to you, tucking your hair behind your ears.

"You'll understand, eventually," He said softly, stroking your hair, before standing up and leaving the room, shutting the door quietly.

You were trapped in some sort of nightmare, everything around you was completely dark. You couldn't even see your hand in front of your face. You had no idea where you were, what was up or what was down.

You were calling out for help, your voice echoing back to you, but no one else was there.

Suddenly, you felt a presence beside you, it was warm, familiar and safe. You were drawn to it and you reached out, trying to find the source of it.

You heard the sound of a man laughing, it was a wild, maniacal laugh.

You started running, your feet hitting the ground hard, you couldn't breathe, but you didn't stop. The laughter kept coming, getting louder and louder.

Then the sound of a woman screaming nearly knocked you off your feet, but you kept going until you ran into something solid.

It was the edge of a coffin, made of wood etched with an ornate symbol on the top, a crest of some sort. Your fingers traced over it, feeling the deep grooves. It was the letter 'M', carved into a shield.

Finally, your hands found the lid, and you pushed, straining to open it. What was inside was three rings of fire, you could feel the heat on your face, the smoke making it hard to breathe.

The rings were getting closer, or you were falling into them, you couldn't tell. The screams became deafening. You were overwhelmed with intense anxiety, unable to move as you stared into the flames.

Then everything stopped.

And you woke up.

{Part One} {Part Two}{Part Three}{Part Five}

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girlboysam · 5 months ago

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wincest fic rec list

a collection of my favorite fics sorted by my favorite genres. most of these are not smut based, though they contain it (and if anyone’s interested i can make a pt. 2 with smutty ones). proof i read too much fanfiction…

pov outsider

Do you wish you could still touch… her? by ace__BETHANY (6,100 words) - “Every time Jessica Moore hears the name Dean and the consequences following it”

Rift by Fenix21 (6,511 words) - “John thought he knew what he was betraying. Turns out, he didn't.”

Daisy Boyhood by AnonDude (1,229 words) - “Bobby quickly discovers that the boys have no concept of the idea that their particular brand of closeness may not be right.”

Welcome Home by Samcursed (12,373 words) - “The hunters of the bunker don't know what to make of the strange man and the even stranger relationship with his brother when Dean shows up after being possessed by Micahel.”

weecest

Guardian Ad Litem by fraukatzen (24,389 words) -“Sam has always called Dean “daddy” when dad’s not around. Dean likes it a lot.” slow burn, kinky but also sweet

The Ballad of the Invisible Boy by dollylux (57,490 words) - “This is a story of adolescence. This is a love letter for the slow burn, for Led Zeppelin, for the 90s. This is the first of two sets of stories about how Sam and Dean didn’t fall in love. They never had to. It was always there, this desperation between them, like a real, breathing thing. When they came together, it was inevitable. As sure as continents colliding, as the phases of the moon and the life and death of stars. This isn’t a love story, but it’s a story of love” a classic, popular for a reason. the weecest of all weecest

The Salt-Filled Skins of Ptolemaea by BlindSwandive & Maven_Morozov (92,128 words) - “Sam has always felt like a freak in his body. As long as he can remember, his life has revolved around his brother--but as he begins to transition from a child to a teenager, he's forced into a reckoning of his feelings for Dean, and a strange angel appearing in his dreams that calls itself Azazel.” this is my favorite long form fic ever. changed my life a little. featuring trans!sam as well <3

house song by according2thelore (55,501 words) - “Pre-Canon/Teen!chesters AU in which Sam develops powers at age eleven, Dean will do anything to protect him, and they have to live with the consequences”

susceptible to falling by kermiethefrog (7,957 words) - “Dad says keep Sammy safe. Dad says take care of Sammy. Dad says make sure Sammy stays close, no matter what. So Dean does. No matter what.”

Too F’n High by ladygizarme (9,032 words) - sick fic with dark undertones, very smutty, be warned

It Started Out With A Kiss by intrepidheart (17,291 words) - “Sam has a date. That's not the problem. The problem is that Sam's asking Dean to teach him how to kiss. The problem is that this kiss changes everything.”

Crush by BewareTheIdes15 (23,401 words) - “Dean looks at him different now, Sam just can't figure out what the difference is.”

obsession/codependency heavy

mother is pretending by hathfrozen (19,936 words) -“Sam and Dean get reckless about how they're handling the pain of season 2, and whoops! slowly develop a Mommy kink along the way.” hathfrozen has the best fics ever. this one is one of my all time favorites, a must read

Monsters are always Hungry by untraceablegirl23 (27,460 words) - “Nonlinear depiction of the time Sam and Dean are found out and how it all comes to in the months beforehand which are Heaven and Hell at once. Or an acknowledgement of just how far they’d go for each other, even when it’s beyond wrong, because how can you hide when you’re entirely made for someone else?”

Hands Away by objectlesson (13,298 words) - “When you’re horny and alone with one person in one room for a long time and you’re sixteen and all you’ve ever been taught is to love your brother more than anything, it doesn’t seem like that far of a leap to start imagining what his mouth would feel like around your dick.”

case fics

The landscape after cruelty by zorrosuchil (16,428 words) - “After getting coordinates from Dad, Sam and Dean head north to Oregon to find a house that's making people sick for no apparent reason. Dean's antsy because of his unfinished business in that town with a violent spirit from four years ago, a machete-wielding murderer that simply vanished. But what he doesn't expect is the return of his feelings of obsession from four years ago - not over the case, but over Sam, who was away at college that summer. Dean tries not to get too worked up over all of it, but Sam's always been too hard to ignore.”

The Things We Carry with Us by lovesrain44 (47,604 words) - “Sam and Dean are on the road, saving people and hunting things, like they always do. Dean discovers that Sam is attempting to turn himself into a monk, and so he does his best to get Sam laid. Sam resists because, of course, who needs to have sex with a girl when Dean’s around? It's about going on a roadtrip with your brother. It's about the food you eat, and the maps you follow. It's about the things you carry with you.”

What Went Wrong Yesterday by SinnamonSpider, stormbrite (16,224 words) - “With Broward County in their rearview and a new case in their laps, Sam struggles to come to terms with the six months he spent alone after Dean’s death - and the fact that it never happened at all. And on top of it all, he now has to deal with the feelings for his brother that have been dragged to the surface.”

others

nothing's gonna hurt you, baby by orphaned (17,652 words) - angst slow burn getting together

Feel About the Same Most Every Day by orphaned (4,747 words) - angst unrequited smut

i don’t smoke by brotherfuckin (loved hands) (18,783 words) - “After John's death, Dean blames himself, puts up walls, and barricades himself from love. Sam tears it all down.”

Stranger Than Fiction by nyxocity (50,644 words) - “Meta-comedy/drama set immediately post-4x18” featuring dean being obsessed with wincest fanfiction

#wincest #samdean #spn fic rec #wincest fics #wincest fic rec #my favs #rec list #fic rec

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veebeeboo109 · 3 months ago

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Cleaning up the Timeline

{Xavier takes you shopping and comes to a realization. Zayne has a nightmare. And Rafayel gets a treat.}

Read on ao3.

Tags: Reader/L&DS Men, Romance, Maid AU, Eventual Smut. SFW (For now)

Chapter 5: Shopping

Saturday finally comes, to your palpable relief. You’ve never been so excited to go grocery shopping– or at least, you were. Until you see a neatly hand-written note left for you on the kitchen counter.

Y/N,

I apologize but one of my patients needed emergency surgery early this morning. I won’t be able to accompany you shopping. Please allow Xavier to chaperone. I will see you for supper.

Zayne

You sigh and fold the note, putting both it and the credit card with it into your pocket. Zayne’s penmanship is hasty but legible, and so distinctly him. Especially when doctors have that bad rep for having illegible handwriting.

You’re not sure what the game plan is. Should you look for Xavier? Or should you take some initiative and go to the store by yourself? Zayne texted you a list the day after you started here and you’ve added a few things in the short time you’ve been working. It’s funny to see the favorite for each of them listed, and you spent one of your breaks trying to guess which one of them ordered what.

You assumed the tea and peppermint candy is from Zayne. The spicy chips and ‘ Chilean Sea Bass (NOT FROZEN)’ and the three other types and very specific fish are Rafayel. Xavier and Sylus are harder to guess for, but you assumed the protein powder was for Xavier (he’s a hunter after all. Needs the protein). And the chunky peanut butter must be for Sylus.

It’s just guesses, but it makes you feel a little closer to these new roommates– employers? What are they to you exactly? Certainly not friends, though Rafayel likes to play hot and cold enough that maybe he’s an enemy.

You put on your coat, the borrowed gloves and scarf, and tap away on your phone in search of the nearest store.

Unluckily for you, it’s over a twenty minute one-way walk, and that’s to a convenience store. Not even a proper grocery. You scowl, remembering the frigid temperatures and that your bike is still parked on the other side of the city. Not that you could do a good grocery haul on a motorbike anyway. It’s not too far of a walk for nicer weather, but you worry about the state of your toes and lugging all the food in the snow.

Luckily, for you, Xavier appears. Tucking a coat over his shoulders and adjusting the collar. He wears a deep grey-blue coat that’s cut just below the waist with shiny gold buttons.His gloves are white, along with his scarf, and you ponder– who is styling these men?

“Are you prepared?” He asks like you're heading into battle.

“Where do you normally shop? I found a convenience store but it’s over twenty minutes walking.”

“I can drive us.” He answers as he pressed the elevator button. “There’s one store that the others insist on. It’s called…” He pulls out a piece of paper from his coat and reads it, “...Harrison’s Grocery.”

“Did Zayne leave you a note too?” You chuckle as the two of you descend to the garage.

“He wanted to make sure I took you to the right place.” Xavier lets you exit the elevator first and you turn to wait for him. His expression is passive, neither seeming irritated nor pleased to be assigned your babysitter for the day.

“I appreciate your help. I promise when the weather is nicer I can go myself.” You assure, waiting for him to show you which car is his.

“It’s fine.” He replied, sliding up to a sleek chrome number, the most modern of the collection. A sleek silhouette with little breaking up the single line from bumper to bumper.

Xavier barely beats you to the door handle, opening it for you. You’re a little startled by the chivalry but smile gratefully as you climb in— he even hovers his hand near your head to make sure you don’t hit it. Such a subtle action, but it makes your stomach flip.

When Xavier starts to drive, you're grateful to see the snow has finally stopped. The car is eerily quiet, and the soft whirring when he accelerates tells you it’s entirely electric. A stealthy vehicle for a peculiar hunter.

While the days of petrol and diesel engines are gone, a fully electric vehicle is almost vintage. Hyper-efficient hydrogen engines are the norm now, or vehicles that run on protocore synthesized fuel.

It takes almost fifteen minutes to get to the grocery, and you take note of the turns he takes so you can take them too. And when you arrive, you open your GPS on your phone and tag it. It’s a family-owned store. The reviews that pop up under the GPS listing rave about the friendly atmosphere and its owner.

Xavier opens your door too and you thank him. The store is larger than you’d thought it’d be for a family-owned grocer, but it’s nice. When you enter and see the diverse selection of produce and the huge meat and seafood section, it makes sense.

You open the list, grab a cart, and get started. Mumbling along as you grab things with Xavier hovering over your shoulder. He doesn’t comment much as you walk through the store, adding something here and there that isn’t on the list. You only grin at him– perks of being the babysitter, you get treats.

You’re in the meat section, browsing the cuts in the display while you wait for the butcher. The greying man behind the counter approaches, and you read off from the list the half dozen cuts that are there.

Xavier steps close to you, suddenly in your space and looking at you with a serious glint in his eyes, “Can you cook steak?”

Your brow creases, “Yeah? I mean, I guess? What kind?”

“Yes.” Xavier replies, and turns back to the butcher, “Three more sirloins, and a pound of skirt steak, please.”

“You like meat, I take it?” You ask as the butcher gets started on your oversized order. Xavier places his hands on his hips and nods, the soft feathery ash-blond hair bouncing.

You collect the paper wrapped order and place it into the cart, having saved this for last before you check out. It takes a few minutes to get through everything, and you're hoping next week won’t be such a big haul. Stocking up on the longer term storage necessities they were lacking.

“I saw a recipe for marinated skirt steak in an article not too long ago.” You say to make conversation while you check out, “How does that sound?”

“How long does it take?” Xavier asks, handing you a loaf of bread and then a box of pasta.

“Usually overnight, but it can only be a few hours if you’re really hungry.”

Xavier opens his mouth to answer you, but a shift in the air pulls his attention. His brow’s knit together, and his expression turns stony as he looks out the open windows just beside the checkout.

You turn to, halting in place as you wait for whatever it is that caught his attention. There was no sound. No rumble. But now that you paused, you could feel it. The tiniest shimmer in the air, like static electricity.

A Wanderer? You have just enough time to think before the sudden rush of energy shudders through the parking lot and rattles the windows. The patrons in the store shout and startle, jumping back as a pair of rocky knaves and a glowing violet obscurum terror through the lot, crawling over cars and crushing them.

Reflexively your hand goes to your hip, expecting the familiar weight of your firearm but finding nothing. An empty pocket and a reminder that you're not a hunter right now.

“Stay here.” Xavier’s low command hums in your ear, as he slides past you, rushing out of the store to face the sudden threat. His gloved hand slides across your back. A physical touch to reinforce his order.

Tossing the bread back into the cart, you decide to immediately disobey. Instincts you had thought dormant come rushing back, and you search for a weapon. An aisle with kitchen utensils is the best bet, and you find a pair of long, steel knives. Breaking open the packaging you grimace at the poor excuse for a weapon– especially against a Wanderer– but beggars can’t be choosers. And you’ll pay for the knives later.

Outside the store, Xavier– though you don’t know where he was hiding it– has a long narrow blade only pausing for a single moment before he lunges forward. The three Wanderers roar at him, howling as Xavier’s sword finds its mark. He’s nothing but a streak of light– a careening asteroid causing precise destruction.

Wielding your pair of kitchen knives, you jump into action, heart pounding and head rushing in that delicious elixir of adrenaline and endorphins. The thrill of danger and of purpose.

Xavier elegantly slashes at one of the knaves as the round obscurum attempts to lunge at him from behind. You leap forward, crashing into the beast with your shoulder and rolling to slice at its hardened hide with your knives.

Xavier looks over his shoulder as the knave disappears into the stardust, and gapes at you and your little knives. You realize you must look insane. Neither dressed nor armed for battle, but brandishing some kitchenware like a straight-to-streaming slasher flick.

“I can’t finish them with these!” You bark as you flip them in your hands, pointing the blades back to give you better leverage to shove the blades downwards onto the remaining knave's head.

If Xavier replies, you don’t hear him. Only the song of his blade as it finds the obscurums weak point and banishes it back to the ether.

In an effort to be helpful, you keep the knave busy. Preoccupying it with your ineffectual weapons. When the steel of your knives skid off the armor of the Wanderer for the third time however you toss them aside, dropping low and side stepping as it slashes at you. You manage to get around it, and you jump onto its back. It’s the more humanoid looking Wanderer’s but it’s big. Big enough to make climbing its back a challenge, but not so big you can’t get your legs around its middle and get into a makeshift headlock.

A high pitch screech leaves, more enraged than hurt. With all the strength you can muster, you force the hollow head of the knave backwards, exposing the crystalline orb in its chest to Xavier’s front lunge. The tip of his sword cracks through the violet orb and the Wanderer releases an earsplitting howl and you feel the solidity of it begin to crumble.

It dissolves into nothing but specks of light, scattering in the wind like forgotten dust. You jump back and onto your feet, brushing yourself off as you pant wildly.

“Are you alright?” Xavier asks as he tucks away his sword and approaches you. Unlike you, he’s not breathing heavily in the slightest.

You look up and can’t help the manic grin on your face, “That was some great teamwork!” You cheer, “Remind me to bring a gun next time though!”

Xavier just stares at you. His eyes are slightly wide and his breath is still. He looks frozen, and you tilt your head with a sheepish grin. You take his hand and shake it, though his grip is loose.

“Good work, partner.” You say as you begin to walk back to the store, hoping to finish the trip you’d started, “Let’s finish up and head home.”

It takes him a minute to follow you, and he’s quiet the rest of the trip. Silent as you check out, wordless as he helps you put the groceries in the car, and the ride back is spent with nothing but the soft whirring of the car and the low volume of the radio.

Anxiety gnaws at you, a corrosive pit in your stomach. Had you upset him? His hands are tense on the steering wheel– aggressively so, but he doesn’t say anything. Is he mad you defied him? Angry you stepped in? You thought you’d been helpful, given the circumstances, but maybe he didn’t see it that way?

It made the ride back a thousand times longer, and unloading the car painfully awkward. Xavier was silent as he set the last of the bags on the countertop, and he was walking away before you could even open your mouth to awkwardly thank him. You watched his back as he escaped down the corridor, and before he left your sight completely you noticed something.

Were his hands shaking?

You tried to not let your mind speculate as you put away the groceries, making a mental list of everything and a meal plan for the upcoming week instead. The reactions from these men were so peculiar. Did they like you? Or not?

The only one you felt even halfway certain about as Zayne, and that relationship was becoming harder to define the longer you lived here.

As you put the last of the pantry goods away and sighed for the umpteenth time, you heard footsteps entering the kitchen.

Xavier had returned. Dressed in a soft knit ivory sweater and jeans. In the soft midday light he looked almost ethereal. All soft edges and sugar coating. But his face was deadly. A look sharper than his blade that stared you down as he strode forward. Pressing into your space and pressing his hands to the sides of your face.

He moved your face upwards, forcing you to look at him. He wasn’t bulky so the strength behind his gesture was surprising, because when you tried to pull away you didn’t manage to gain an inch of distance.

“Look at me.” His voice was low, hushed growl. The warning of a wild beast that you hear before you can see it.

Unlike his last command, this one you obeyed. Meeting his celestial eyes and the ravaging storm in them. His light colored brows were furrowed, barely tempering a rage swelling behind them. You blinked owlishly under this unexpected attention, unable to even wonder what he was doing, or why.

So, you just stood there. Hands out at your sides, unsure of where to put them as Xavier kept you pinned with his hands at your cheeks. He was searching for something. Scoring your face and your eyes like a message in disappearing ink may reappear if he focused hard enough.

Once the initial shock of it had passed, you decided to wait. Maybe this was some kind of punishment? Some hazing to reinforce the pecking order because you’d jumped into a fight that should have been his?

“Is this because of–?” Your voice is barely a whisper when you finally find your voice, but he presses his thumbs into your cheeks firmly and shakes you ever so slightly.

“Hush.” He mumbled, some of the sharpness leaving his expression. Whatever he was looking for, he wasn’t done, and he seemed keen to keep you there until he was satisfied.

“Don’t tell me to hush.” You hiss back, irked.

“I’m looking for something.” He explained, like that was get-out-jail-free.

“Is it personal space?” You quip, tilting your chin down to sneer at him, “Or manners?”

Xavier blinked once, and the interrogation swimming in his eyes melted away. He’d found it. Whatever it was. Without the crease in his brow and his mouth pressed in a firm line, he looked so young. Boyish almost with those soft baby blue eyes and youthful blonde hair. His hands didn’t let go at first, and it felt like he was suddenly seeing you for the first time.

“Is this because of the Wanderers?” You asked, continuing your earlier interrupted thought. “I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. I know I wasn’t much help but–”

“Where are your weapons?” Xavier asked as he finally released your face. You expected him to take a step back but he didn’t, remaining inside your personal bubble like he belonged there.

“My firearm is upstairs, locked up.” You explain, “The others are in storage. I didn’t think it was appropriate to bring them all here– since it’s not my home.”

Xavier looked pensive, eyes drifting away from you in thought before he nodded and right back to you they went, “We’ll go get them in a few days. I’ll take you.”

Your stomach did a funny little flip, twisting in something similar to nervousness but also fluttery, “Why?”

“A Hunter should always be ready and armed.” Xavier explains, parroting a sentiment given to trainees in school, “I’d feel better knowing you followed that statue, especially if you’re so prone to jumping into battle so recklessly.”

“I was armed.” You argue, but realize it’s a poor one. “I even paid for the knives afterwards.”

“How are you here?” Xavier almost laughed, and sounded almost wistful. Like he was asking you how you’re here as in “how are you real?”.

You take a step back and cross your arms, “I needed some help, Zayne needed a housekeeper. I thought he explained that to you.”

It still stung, remembering the circumstances of how you got here. The pit of nothingness you’d fallen into that had led to your suspension and ultimate eviction. It wasn’t anyone’s business besides yours and Zayne’s, and it was too embarrassing to just blurt out to these strangers.

Xavier scoffed in a soft laugh and smiled lightly, “Right. Right he did. Well, you shouldn’t go too long without training. Maybe we could go together sometime?”

You felt like you might get whiplash. “Seriously?”

“You’re not planning on staying a housekeeper forever, right?” Xavier probed, tilting his head slightly, “You need to keep your skills sharp.”

You turned away from him and opened the fridge, fiddling with the organization of the fruit so you didn’t have to look him in the eye. “I guess I wasn’t really thinking about it. I haven’t….I haven’t trained in a while.”

You hadn’t done anything but the bare minimum for months. No extra training or exercises. No picking up extra shifts or patrols. Clock in. Shoot at Wanderers. Clock out. Rinse and Repeat. Until slowly but surely uo hadn’t held your gun for over a month, and hadn’t seen a protofield for two.

“We can train together.” Xavier’s voice was feathery soft, full of something warm and syrupy that it hadn’t had before. “How about Monday morning? Before I go on patrol?”

You closed the fridge, the cool air cutting off and leaving you under the warm gaze of this beckoning friendship.

That tired part of you didn’t want to. Didn’t want to train. To fight. To keep moving forward with pep and a smile. All that part of you wanted to do was sleep. But you were tired of indulging that venomous part of your mind. That tar pit of despair that had been slowly but surely consuming you.

“Sure.” You forced yourself to say, despite the pit in your stomach. “Do you train here?”

Xavier nodded, “If you haven’t trained in a while, we’ll just do some basic workouts. Is that okay?”

“Yeah,” You say, a little relieved. The idea of running through the training that academy had put you through sounded like torture. The battle simulations and evol training until you felt worse than a threadbare wrung out rag.

Baby steps, you told yourself. Get back into training. Get another hunter to vouch for you and you’d be back to work in no time. Xavier had offered you asn express ticket back to your old life.

Although, why did it feel so horrible to accept it? It felt like going back to a home with no one there. To a place that was now nothing but rubble and ash. Where you were greeted with memorial portraits instead of smiling faces.

Baby steps. You repeated in your head again. Baby steps.

Xavier spent the rest of the day lingering in the living room. The TV was on, and some quiet-spoken cooking show was playing, but he wasn’t paying attention. He was listening to you. He’d resolved to not follow you around the house like his mind had initially wanted, and settled for glimpses of you as you bustled about.

He could hear you hum as you dusted the stairwell, and watched you from the corner of his eyes and you swept the hallway and mopped it. It felt wrong to watch you do menial work like this while he just watched, but something told him you’d shoo him away if he tried to help.

Xavier couldn’t decide what to do now. What do you do when you realize something that shouldn’t exist not only does exist, but is dropped onto you like Newton��s apple. This was an impossibility. The four of them had agreed it was impossible, and they’d made their peace with it.

Resigned to a reality without you in it. Sentenced to exist with each other but without that which tied them together– an archway missing the keystone. A painting missing the centerpiece. An unfinished puzzle with the remaining pieces stolen from them.

Things weren’t adding up. The puzzle had always been askew, and they’d made assumptions based on the information that they had. But now? Now they needed to start from scratch. Rethink everything they thought they knew.

Only there was a problem. It’d been over a year since they’d spoken openly about their predicament. It wasn’t ideal– their living arrangements, but it was better than the alternative. Better than isolation. Better than falling into whatever pre-woven fate had been made for them.

Getting them to convene again would be tricky, especially without proof. Speculation was a honey-trap of hope that would be undue punishment for those who were still hurting. Each of them had suffered in this reality. In this new life. All they had was each other, or that’s what they’d thought.

Sylus and Rafayel were animals. Wounded beasts licking at their wounds and wasting time with different exploits.

Zayne was…Zayne.

The sound of you in the kitchen pulled Xavier from his thoughts and he realized he’d dozed off. Lifting his head, he turned to see you pulling food from the fridge to start cooking.

It was painfully, gut-wrenchingly domestic. An image he hoped he could burn into the back of his eyelid so that when he slept it was you that he saw.

It's been so long. He didn’t even know how many years it had been. This life…this reality. It had taken so much time to find his way here that his mind was too full and his heart too old. It forgot what it felt like to be near you. So when it happened again, the sensation was so foreign he didn’t recognize it.

But when you’d turned to him, sweat on your brow and the thrill of a battle won humming in your evol, he’d known. He recognized you like one recognizes their own reflection– changed, different, but unmistakably his.

Xavier rose and decided to help you, even if it was just holding vegetables or stirring a pot. The distance between here and there was too much, and he wondered if his heart kept up this rapid pace if it might actually give out.

Talking to the others could wait. They were likely to come to their own conclusions soon enough– his talk with Sylus had made that clear.

For now, Xavier would relish in this realization and pretend that nothing else existed. No past life and sacrifice. No alternate reality. No separation. No death. No Astra.

Rafayel was wandering around the darkened house in the wee hours of the morning. The rest of the house had been asleep for hours, even Sylus was back– probably crashed onto his bed still covered in gunpowder and rubble like when he’d walked in an hour ago.

The house seemed….warmer somehow. And he didn’t need to ponder much on the reason why. Rafayel knew the reason the minute he’d walked into the living area to see you and Xavier scrambling over a smoking pan like a pair of startled wrasse.

Xavier knew. Rafayel saw it in the way the blue-eyed man moved , orbiting around you like a lost satellite. A long-forgotten star he was finally able to see again. It would be cute if it wasn’t almost pathetic.

Rafayel was bitter. Something in him shriveled up. Seeing your face didn’t spark the awe or rush of sentimentality he thought it would. It just…hurt.

Ached like a wound that would never truly heal. Nerve damage and corroded bone making sure he’d feel that pain with every step. With every breath.

Pathetic. That’s what he’d thought when he’d seen Xavier all starry-eyed and gooey, but was he any different? Rafayel scoffed at himself and his own unfortunate circumstance. He was just as pathetic. Just as lost. A little boat lost at sea unable to stop itself from following the current of the ocean, drifting towards you without a paddle to even fight back from.

He could pretend his heart was closed, and that he was just playing. Nothing real. It wasn’t real, he’d tell himself, but that was a lie. It was as real as the insignia burned into his chest. As real as the ever shifting tide, he was the ocean and you were the moon. Waters chasing after you in a perpetual, impossible dance.

A crash from down below broke him from his swimming thoughts, and Rafayel’s brow furrowed. An intruder? Not possible.

Another sound and Rafayel decided to check it out, for curiosity’s sake of course.

He passed by your bedroom, slowing to see if you’d woken, but found it was silent within. Satisfied you were still asleep, Rafayel descended the stairs and went to find the source.

The hall was dark, only a low light in the kitchen giving off any sort of illumination. Another low thud sounded and Rafayel entered the living room.

Zayne was near the windows, hands pressed flat against the glass with his head hung low. He was panting, ragged frightened breaths that sounded painful and rough.

Rafayel paused, waiting.

Zayne, noticing the new presence turned, eyes blazing as they landed on the dormant sea-god.

“Y-you…” Zayne rasped, voice strangled and hoarse. “Raf–yel.”

Rafayel relaxed slightly. Good, it was one of the versions of Zayne that remembered him. Which one though?

“What’s going on?” Sylus was there, having come up the back staircase and waiting at the edge of the room just as Rafayel was.

“It’s another nightmare.” Rafayel explained, “He remembers me, so that’s good.”

Sylus looked over to Zayne with a stern expression, “Not Dawnbreaker then. That makes this easier.”

“Still sore from that?” Rafayel prodded with a chuckle, but Sylus didn’t seem to be in a joking mood. Recalling the last nightmare Zayne had had and the vengeful and dangerous Dawnbreaker demanding answers they didn’t have and lashing out at whatever moved. Funnily enough, of all of them, the only one Dawnbreaker remembered was you.

“Zayne,” Sylus said, voice almost a coo, “It’s alright. Calm down.”

The silver haired man approached the man in distress. Zayne clenched his eyes shut and shook his head, fighting something unseen in his mind. He groaned and slumped further down the window, looking out through them like he might recognize the clearly foreign scenery.

“Where am I?” Zayne was ragged, confused and frightened. He stood up taller and gripped the side of his head, “Where…where is she?”

Sylus kept a safe distance, but approached like one approaches a rabid dog– anticipating the inevitable bite. “She’s safe. She’s asleep. She’s here.”

A moment of clarity crossed Zayne’s face, and he turned to Sylus in disbelief. “Here? She’s alive? She’s here?”

Sylus nodded, reaching out, “This isn’t the world you know. It’s different. Your plan? It worked. We escaped.”

Another wave of pain nearly sent Zayne to his knees, and Rafayel stepped forward just a step behind Sylus– ready to help.

When Zayne looked back up, his flickering eyes shifted from Rafayel and then over to Sylus, “Sta–Stary–”

Sylus took Zayne’s offered hand and pulled him into him. The dark haired man all but collapsed against him. “It’s me. I’m here. We’re all here. You can rest. It worked. It worked.”

Zayne shuddered in an exhale and gripped at Sylus’ shirt. “It worked,” Zayne chanted breathlessly.

“They won’t find us,” Rafayel said as he stepped forward, placing a hand on Zayne’s shoulder and squeezing. “Rest, Foreseer. Let us carry on now.”

Zayne sighed and relaxed, the fight of his warring spirits finally easing, and Sylus only had a single moment to catch him before he collapsed.

“Get his feet,” Sylus said as he lifted Zayne’s shoulders as gently as he could, “Let’s get him back to bed as quickly as we can.”

A soft rumbling overhead made them both freeze. Footsteps in the bedroom above. You were awake.

“Dammit.” Sylus cursed.

“She can’t see him like this.” Rafayel hissed. “Carry him back, I’ll put her back to bed.”

Sylus’ eyes narrowed a bit but then he nodded, crouching down to unceremoniously toss Zayne’s limp body over his shoulder. Gentle and easy would have to wait. You couldn’t see them like this– too many questions. Not enough answers.

Rafayel rushed back upstairs, making it to the hallway just as he saw your door begin to open. Scrounging his mind for a plan, he found himself freezing, words rushing in mind but none finding his lips.

“Rafayel?” Your sleepy voice was slightly hoarse and you were even rubbing at your eye when you spied him.

“Hey cutie…” Rafayel whispered, “I can’t sleep. You too?”

You were half-asleep. Eyes barely open and one of the straps from your sleep shirt had fallen down your shoulder. The curving line of your neck from your jaw down to your clavicle and over to your shoulder is a serpentine temptation.

“I thought I heard something. Got worried.” You hummed, eyes practically drifting shut. “What’s wrong? Nightmare?”

Rafayel could eat you up. A sleepy little morsel he could swallow whole before you even had the awareness to know you were between his teeth. You were gluttonous supper before a starving supplicant, divine and not to be touched.

And what a perfect, innocent opportunity you had presented to him. A test of his morals and willpower. Placing sugar candy upon your fingertips and expecting him to not lick it clean?

“Yeah, a nightmare.” Rafayel’s voice was rougher now, thicker with the rumble of a predator. “Can I lay with you for a while?”

Perfect, innocent sacrifice. Perfect devout follower. You rubbed at your face and looked at him with pity before nodding and turning to let him in. “For a little while.”

Rafayel slid past you and into your room, a wolf slipping through the cracks of the fence into the pasture. His little lamb climbed into her bed and nestled beneath the blankets unsuspecting and warm.

With all the willpower he could muster, Rafayel did not pull back the blankets and invite himself inside. Your hazy mind would likely barely remember this interaction in the morning, and he wouldn’t take advantage…well, more than he already had.

“What did you dream about?” You're asked, partially muffled by your pillow as Rafayel lay down next to you.

Rafayel felt his heart pounding like the thunder of a war drum. Boom Boom Boom. It charged like a horse into battle, but his body remained still. Your eyes were closed and your form relaxed, sinking into the mattress and over abundance of plush cushion.

He stopped himself from reaching out and touching you. Like a valuable work of art only to be admired and not sullied. Fingertips left marks, and he couldn’t…he wouldn’t.

Not yet.

Rafayel took a deep steadying breath. This was not how he thought this night would go, but what a fun turn of events. Zayne and his…affliction. You and your endless temptation.

He considered your question for a moment, and answered even though he knew you were already asleep. “Drowning.”

<- Previous Next ->

#love and deepspace #lads #lads x reader #lads sylus #lads rafayel #lads zayne #lads xavier #xavier x reader #zayne x reader #rafayel x reader #sylus x reader #zayne foreseer #dawnbreaker #love #yearning

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moniqa24 · 5 months ago

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UTY ANNIVERSARY DAY 1: Favorite Character

(BRO, IT'S BEEN A YEAR???? HOW DID THAT HAPPEN!?)

So, I've been chronically on AO3 for quiiiite a biiiiit and it's come to my attention that there are a lotta good authors on there! So, I figured, what better way to show some appreciation than to sketch out some of my favorite UTY fanfictions that relate to said favorite character God,mywristhurts—.

This isn't really listed in any particular order, because I cannot in good conscience rank them all because I love them for different reasons. A brief review will be given for each story, so I hope you'll indulge me in this unwavering hyperfixation caused by this stupid neural virus who has yet to leave my brain why are they still there—

HERE THEY ARE! (Reviews are at the bottom so you can enjoy the art—)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52638082/chapters/133146358

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55105480/chapters/139718953

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54021868/chapters/136756735

https://archiveofourown.org/works/53578087/chapters/135622678

https://archiveofourown.org/works/56770771/chapters/144328246

(This was not on Ao3, but I added it anyway—)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/53950621

https://archiveofourown.org/works/57605017/chapters/146578669

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55715032/chapters/141433246

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52345378/chapters/132417538

CSO: What I enjoyed most about this take is how it deals with the consequences of Clover choosing their life over their mission. It is a conflict of interest for everyone involved, especially themself, and one can only handle that external (and internal) pressure for so long until they finally break.

JiB: Who woulda thought just being a liiiittle bit curious could cause a lot of development for our main cast? It's a fine blend of wholesome family moments and a lot, and I mean a LOT, of dying and Flowey ruining everything. It's honestly been fun trying to see what the domino effect is.

RtF: Slow burn, complex relationships, reconnecting of characters, and the wonder of a new life for two lost, revived souls. This has everything I enjoy out of a story and more. As I am not only a sucker for Kanako and Clover interacting, but also watching friction between characters, how it happened and why, and what eventually leads to something greater down the road. It's a beautiful read <3

DJ: Chara and Clover have a dynamic that is genuinely fun to explore, and I enjoy the banter these two have in this work a lot. They aren't friends yet, buuut, maybe they'll start to grow on each other. As long as Clover's alright with getting their body hosted from time to time—

(CURRENTLY ON HIATUS)

UB: I am a simple person. I see Clover & Kanako, I click—

It fuels my euphoria in ways I can't describe, they're so wholesome ;v; Between this and the lingering tension between Clover and Chujin, and the overarching conflict of interest, I am more than excited to see where this goes >:D

UTDR x DR: Jesus, take the wheel, but, like, what if it did—?

I just remember scrolling through YT and suddenly this came up on recommended and I just remember being baffled by the ending. Now there's a multiverse apparently, when did that happen?

I almost hate how invested I got in this very NOT series, but I find it hilarious out of context, which only makes it better—

Intervention: This one's a rollercoaster, man.

Don't think I've said "ow" in a fanfiction before reading this one. It's more than just Martlet dying, but the buildup to what leads to this point and the brutal aftermath is what makes this so strong for me. It's a dosage of pain, but it's well written, dangit—

SWM: I was close to adding "Calling Out to No One", but this tops it only because its longer, really. And provides a HEAVY DOSAGE of pain. I felt my heart ache like it did first seeing Pacifist, man, it hurt—

I enjoy a lot of DiamondDeputy's takes on the default scenes from all the different routes of UTY (they somehow made the worst scene in the game bearable, how'd they do that—) so this easily climbed to some of my top favorites, I especially love the insight on the journey through Ceroba's perspective, really helps drive that conflict of interest I love a lot.

ASoJ: How bad can housing a murderer of at least fifty people truly be? It's not like they'd have any ulterior motives or anything, noooo, that'd be silly!

It's another story with a conflict of interest. Between Martlet letting her good heart win over reason, and Clover seeing just what their violence has truly caused, it had me waiting for the moment where everything would crash and burn for everyone involved. And boy, did it burn.

(How we have pain in pacifist and wholesomeness in geno is a constant that is beyond me—)

Fo2T: Aand, finally, the story that started it all!

An action packed, fun filled adventure of dubious dealings and chaotic consequences featuring the most dysfunctional trio to ever grace the Underground.

So many developments, story wise, character wise, I ended up binging this story way too fast, and I'm probably gonna have to read it all over again—. I'm excited for it though, Frisk (Chara) and Clover eventually meeting, the memory dilemma getting attention, and Clover f i n a l l y getting their hat back (very important, a staple, really)

It feels like I'm watching a shonen, the way I'm invested in it sometimes. I've screamed over it way too much XD

(The fact that it took 20 chapters to get out of Hotland is honestly hilarious tho—)

If you somehow ended up down here, then I implore you to check these out for yourself, form your own opinions on them, and brace yourself because Blind is VERY long (but very worth it)—

#utyversary #clover undertale yellow #kanako ketsukane #ceroba ketsukane #martlet undertale yellow #flowey #chara dreemurr #frisk undertale #monster clover #undertale yellow #undertale #yeah I've got no idea who my favorite character is it's hard to tell really—

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turtletaubwrites · 3 months ago

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Numbers Game ~ Chapter 37

The Man of Your Dreams

Pairings: Cross Guild Polycule x Shanks x Fem!Reader x ???

Numbers Game Masterlist

Word Count: 6k+

Ao3 Link

Ongoing Series Playlist: Youtube Music Link | Youtube Link

Chapter Tunes: Teenage Dream (Cover) ~ Fractures | Fake it ~ Holy White Hounds

Summary: Your favorite shipwright has earned his private date.

Ch. 36 Recap: Detailed recap is directly below the cut!

Author's Note: I was really nervous about this one, so I hope you enjoy it! Also, I hope my research on boats was adequate. I grew up by the ocean, but I like being on the cliffs watching the waves. I think I watched Titanic when I was too young, lol. Boats are scary 😅

Dark Content Warning: I haven't marked any dark content for this chapter, but this is the reader's date with Iceburg. If you are hesitant to read it, I've added a detailed summary of the chapter in the end notes.

Also, I hope everyone remembers the tag/warning: Cross Guild Boys are VILLAINS. It’s been there since day one, so 🤷‍♀️

Alternate POV Symbols:

!!! SPOILER WARNING !!! Fic currently contains spoilers for up to chapter 1064 or episode 1093. As we get further into Egghead Arc where our lovely boys are showing up more, there will be more spoilers as time goes on. Sorry y'all, I'm trying to keep most spoilers small details, but Cross Guild is endgame, lol.

Rating/Warnings: Author May Choose to Exclude some Warnings to Avoid Spoilers for Certain Chapters, Explicit Sexual Content, 18+ ONLY, MDNI, AFAB!Reader, She/Her Pronouns for Reader, Reader-Insert, Use of Y/N, Dark Content, Blood & Violence, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Dissociation, Mental Illness, Grief, Hospitals, Doctors, Mental Health Treatment, Toxic Family, Childhood Trauma, Swearing, Alcohol, Cigars, Smut, Fluff, Angst, Guilt, Drama, Jealousy, Manipulation, Pet Names, Power Imbalance, Cross Guild boys are VILLAINS, Possessive Behavior, Teasing, Threats, Relationship Drama, Inappropriate Use of Akuma no Mi | Devil Fruit Powers, Shameless Shameless Smut, Uncle Cedrick Has Become His Own Warning, Death of an Unnamed Character, Other Additional Tags to Be Added

Ch. 36 Recap:

Buggy felt guilt that he wasn't telling the truth of what reader had said to her sister, but asked Crocodile if he would believe him and leave her alone if he said she was happy.

Crocodile worried about his clown, before fighting of rage at the thought that she was happy with Iceburg.

Mihawk found a smuggling ring in Doerena, and took a break from his violent hunt for information on the feed to watch his little rabbit on the screen. He thought he saw a flash of rage in her eyes, and promised to help her "paint it red."

Shanks gained an advantage in the Hunt after speaking with the Concealer. Giberson used a jamming snail to give them privacy, and offered to tell him about his competition because Giberson wanted to bet on the winning horse. Shanks learned that Iceburg and Katakuri were his toughest competition, and struggled with the fact that Iceburg didn't have much dirt on him, and didn't seem phased by his threats.

You enjoyed your date with Ichiji, but even happier to learn that your sister seemed to be enjoying time with his sister Reiju even more. You tried not to feel hopeful, but you kept finding little moments of thinking that you might end up with a decent life. Uncle Cedrick still found ways to humiliate and torture you, but all you could think of now was the date with Mr. Iceburg. You decided that you didn't care what kind of man he was. You wanted to enjoy this.

A flashback showed reader in her father's office while he spoke to Mr. Iceburg over snail. She was flustered by the praise Iceburg shared for her, and her dad suggested that they would see him soon. Iceburg reminded Arbo to wait until storm season passed.

Yonji won the next private date.

Cracker taunted the Vinsmokes until Niji retaliated, and they were both kicked out of the Hunt. Cracker encouraged reader to choose Katakuri because he likes her, and they would protect her.

Now only Yonji is left without a private date and the only Hunters left are: Shanks, Iceburg, Katakuri, Ichiji, and Yonji.

The Man of Your Dreams

~~~🌲🌲🌲~~~

The golden sky cleared your mind, adding to the mystical gleam of the boat that shouldn’t exist. There were no stars yet, but the redwood trees surrounding the lake seemed like a sacred chalice, ready and waiting for the night to pour in.

“You alright, girlie?”

Your own laughter brought you back, too real, too filled with awe at the beautiful dream you’d stepped into. Time was absent until you shook yourself enough to realize that you were really here.

“She’s beautiful,” you thanked your favorite shipwright.

“You know, the best way to get to know a boat is to sail her,” Mr. Iceburg hummed as he squeezed your hand, his eyes soft while he scanned your face. “Would you feel comfortable sailing Eve further out? I checked for snails already, but I’d like to get away from the noise.”

You didn’t want the real world: the old memories and fears, or the gluttonous leeches along the shore, their squeals carrying over the light breeze.

“Why didn’t you say we’d be sailing,” you scolded with a smile. His eyes warmed at your tone, and you fought not to bounce on your toes after you kicked off your heels. “The dress I almost picked would have been a pain to sail in.”

“Mm, well, it all worked out,” he laughed, making you gasp when he pulled your hand up to spin you. “This dress suits you. Now hop to it, numbers girl, our dinner will get cold if we don’t get moving.”

True laughter poured from you while you flew across the deck. Following his instructions felt so freeing, until your body sank into old movements, coaxing the light breeze to help you drift away into the center of the lake.

You couldn’t be mad at the light sheen of sweat on your skin when he helped you tie up the sails, his lovely fingers brushing a bit of hair from your face as you finished up.

“I’ll be right back,” Iceburg promised after guiding you to the cushioned bench along the stern. Thoughts crept in too fast, and you almost ran after him while you waited under the darkening sky.

Nothing’s real. Nothing matters. Just this.

“Sorry for the wait, girlie. You still like spicy food, right?”

Mr. Iceburg pushed a pretty cart between you, and your thoughts went away again while you dined, falling into laughter and light topics to keep the world at bay.

It was such a strange, sweet feeling to be here with him.

“Would you like to take a tour below deck,” he offered. Tempted.

“Yes, please.”

You were so, very eager.

Who cares if he’s a monster, a leech? I want to feel this. Something good. A daydream to keep for later when the world goes dull and dark.

~~~🌲🌲🌲~~~

~~~~~~

~~~🤡🐊🤡🐊~~~

Water 7 was a shit place for devil fruit users, but if she was there, if she was happy….

Buggy could find her.

I’ll just steal my ear back. Pretend it never happened.

“What do you need right now, little clown?”

“I need her to be happy.”

Crocodile wasn’t good at this.

He could spoil people, but caring for them was strange, especially when his own rage and fear sharpened his tongue too much.

Especially after endless hours of watching her torture projected on the wall, helpless to save his sweet girl from the past or the present.

“Do you think that Sylvad is just going to let her be happy,” the scarred man growled, eyes clenching shut at the thought of that taunting voice that had kept calling Y/N at the asylum each time she tried to face her fears.

Regret filled him while he met the tired, empty eyes of his little clown, but Crocodile couldn’t stop his own pitiful bargaining, his own worthless hopes.

“Even if she wants to be with Iceburg, Cedrick might—"

“I’ll just keep listening. Until the curtains drop.”

Buggy let out a soft gasp at the touch of a large hand pulling him close, but he allowed himself to be pressed against that chest, that warm silk such a comforting sensation now.

“She loves you, little clown,” the scarred man breathed. He would not let this be defeat.

He would not let his lovers stay broken, even if he had to break his own heart, his own mind to change this.

“Of course she does,” Buggy agreed, his voice too soft before he curled up against Crocodile, letting himself be held.

~~~🤡🐊🤡🐊~~~

~~~~~~

~~~🌲🌲🌲~~~

The cruising sailboat was large enough for the blue-haired shipwright to stand comfortably below deck and each step into the warmly lit space sped your pulse, hardly able to hear his deep voice while he showed off his work.

“It’s been a long time, but I’ve kept her maintained for you,” Mr. Iceburg shared while he guided your hand to press along the lovingly carved embellishments that seemed pulled from your dreams and fantasies. Eve seemed to have been built from your mind before you’d lost it all.

And here he was, the man of your dreams.

You hadn’t heard a word he’d said, but you knew he was talking about his work, that slow, peaceful smile on his face. His warm hand still held your wrist, pressing your hand along the counter in the kitchen area before sitting beside you on the cushioned bench.

He was here with you, and you lost yourself when he leaned close to meet your eyes.

“Y/N, I need— “

You needed this. You needed to disappear into daydreams, so you rushed, pressing your lips against his.

It was barely a kiss, but your lovely dream shattered when Mr. Iceburg pulled himself away, out of your reach on that pretty bench he’d carved.

“Whoa, hey, girlie,” he soothed. “I’m sorry, I—”

“Why?”

The parade of stupid feelings that ran through you made no fucking sense.

He doesn’t want me.

“I’m sorry, Y/N,” he hurried, patting you on the shoulder. “I didn’t… That’s not why I’m here.”

Humiliation followed that little heartbreak, yet something far more palatable, but far more dangerous followed close behind.

“Just here for the berry then,” you spat,” your control shattering along with that lovely dream. “Or did Uncle promise you a few forests too?”

“Well, he did say—but that’s not…”

Fuck. Stop. Don’t let him see.

“So, you’re not a monster, just a leech.”

Sick, angry laughter escaped you. Laughter that could ruin everything.

“Y/N,” the leech breathed, that deep, dreamy voice making you want to scream.

“I should have known,” you snarled, your mind still begging you to stop, to hide. “You were never his friend, were you? Just humored the rich asshole so you could line your own pockets. Is that why you never came to visit after he… Couldn’t get shit from me until now, could you?”

The boat was too small for your rage, and you pressed yourself against the wall while you shook, grinding your teeth to keep from crying.

“I am so sorry, Y/N,” the shipwright implored, his pained face making your mind ache with too many fucking things. “I should have come sooner. I knew something wasn’t right. I knew…”

Nails dug into your own forearms to stay here, but it only worked a bit. You pulled your legs up to hug them to you and huffed a laugh at the thought of the too-tight dress you’d almost worn for him.

“Mmsorry,” you slurred, eyes looking nowhere while you gave a weak smile. “Forests are nice. Everyone can be nice in a forest. We can pretend.”

“Shh, it’s okay.”

His voice was so deep.

He didn’t touch, but he was close while your head fell back, and you hummed from the thought of your favorite shipwright beside you.

“I don’t want berry, Y/N,” that voice promised such lovely lies. “I came here to help you. Please, tell me what Cedrick’s done. I know Arbo wouldn’t want this. He wanted you—”

Danger clawed you back into the world, fear reminding you that you were real.

That you didn’t have the luxury of giving in.

Clearing your throat, you noticed the crease between his brows when you shook yourself back to reality.

“Uncle Cedrick is following dad’s wishes.” You spoke clearly, and your sudden steadiness seemed to build that confusion in his eyes. “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Iceburg, but if you do not want to marry me for love, lust, or money, then you should leave. I am trying to find a husband.”

Iceburg held your gaze too long and if you weren’t still distant, you might have caved under his silent scrutiny.

“I tried to visit,” he admitted softly.

Your dream was pulling you down, dragging you into nightmares, but you couldn’t hold your face calm and beg him to stop at the same time.

“They wouldn’t—I kept asking why you were missing, why you weren’t at the funeral, or back at school. After a few weeks, I was going to report… I should have reported them.”

He came toward you slowly, stopping before touching your hand. You could barely see him through your wide eyes, lined with the sting of tears you needed to fight.

“Then they told me about the call,” Iceburg nearly choked, the pain on his face making your fingers scrape into your skin. “Cedrick and Delaine were afraid that seeing me would trigger you because he was on his way… I am so sorry, Y/N.”

Your head was shaking back and forth as part of you screamed inside your head to run, to leave, until rough, gentle fingers finally touched your hand.

“I should have kept trying, but after Tom was executed, I lost myself in my work, in keeping his dream alive.” He bowed his head while you tried to find a way to feel. Those fingers on your skin were the only anchor you could find. “I am ashamed of my cowardice. I was afraid that you would be scared of me, that you would hate me. That it really was my fault he was out there that night…”

stop please stop please stop

There was no way to make him stop, the word unable to push through the choking pressure in your throat.

“I stopped asking,” Mr. Iceburg confessed while he squeezed your hand, “until a few years ago. One of my interns got a little too drunk and said something that made me start asking again.”

“Stop,” you hissed, too soft and slow to change anything.

“Kev said he gave up the perfect girl for his dream. That he missed her, but that he couldn’t say no to—”

“No.”

Iceburg finally stopped, his gaze too heavy. Too real.

His voice was almost demanding now, distant, firm.

“What has Cedrick done, Y/N? It made sense with your trauma why you would wait a few years. Then I assumed he wanted you to finish school first, but you still haven’t taken over. Arbo told me he wanted you—”

“Dad wanted me to get married first, Mr. Iceburg,” you taunted, your voice teetering between a purr and a snarl. “Are you going to help me with that or not?”

Iceburg’s lips parted in gentle shock, and you laughed, fighting for control.

Another pause was so long that you let your head fall back against the wall while you counted the planks of wood above you, timing the numbers with your breath.

“I thought that might be it, although I found it hard to believe that Arbo would…. But it does confirm my suspicions. Cedrick paid Kev off, didn’t he,” Iceburg declared, his conviction making you cringe. “And your girlfriend? I looked for her after you broke up. I wanted to ask her what happened, to be sure.”

“I don’t,” you trailed off, wanting to run away from this stupid, real world.

“There’s no trace of her, Y/N. It’s been a year and half, and I still can’t find anything. Do you know what happened to—”

“She was fake,” you snarled now, angry laughter spilling from your lips when his eyes widened. “Kev was just weak, just a kid. Pathetic.”

“Y/N,” he soothed, but you didn’t let those lovely fingers touch yours again, clenching your fists above your thighs.

First love had his name back.

Second love never had one.

“I figured it out too late,” you laughed again, manic hate ripping through you along with your memories. “I tried to find her too. I didn’t want to believe it. I was an idiot. She was too perfect. She was everything I wanted, everything… She was a fucking con artist. Pretend. It’s all pretend!”

The voice that left your throat seemed to slice you into pieces on its way out. It felt like you would die from the effort it took not to fight, to hurt, not to let him see how broken you truly were.

“I am so sorry,” Mr. Iceburg sat back, his pity, and his hands rubbing along your shaking arms sinking you out of rage until stillness and silent tears were all you could feel.

~~~🌲🌲🌲~~~

~~~~~~

~~~⏰🌲🌲🌲⏰~~~

“I’m just going to freshen up,” you purred, pulling your hand out of your date’s insistent fingers.

“Don’t be too long,” he demanded while he snapped those fingers to get the server’s attention. “I’d like to buy you a new dress before we get to the theater. You look lovely, but that’s a little low cut for the opera, don’t you think?”

“Thank you, I’ll be right back.”

This fucker was pushing your smile to its limits, and you needed a break before you shoved his diamond-studded tie pin into his throat.

~~~⏰🌲~~~

The bathroom was a headache-inducing mix of white marble and pale pink and gold accents and probably cost more to build than your entire apartment complex. Your reflection still fit, so you calmed yourself by calculating the hours, the minutes, and the seconds until the date would be over.

It had been a while, and if you waited too long before trying, mom would start to nag you, until Uncle Cedrick would find some way to force you into another boring date with another boring leech.

“The opera will be over in about eight thousand one hundred seconds, and if it takes another half an hour to get away from him, and twenty-three minutes to get home, then that’ll be about eleven thousand two hundred eighty—”

“Wow, that sounds like a really good time.”

“Fuck, uh, sorry,” you yelped when you opened your eyes, gawking at the woman that had interrupted your pathetic whispers.

It was your server, smirking at you while she blocked the door.

“Why the fuck are you sorry?” She made a face at you, untying the long, black apron she wore over her uniform. That uniform distracted you enough that you forgot to answer, just stared at the gorgeous woman while she slinked toward you.

Men shouldn’t wear tuxedoes anymore. She owns them now; you thought with a smile.

Then your mind went blank.

“I think you deserve some fun after the shit date I just watched,” your second love tempted. She grabbed your chin, and the touch of her fingers made you gasp while she examined you. “Wanna get out of here, cutie?”

She made another face, raising a lovely brow while she dared you to say yes. There was suddenly nothing in the world but this ugly bathroom and your need to impress this stunning woman.

“Yes, but—”

“Don’t worry about that creep,” she laughed, her sultry voice sending shivers over your skin. “He won’t see us.”

Laughter bubbled out of you now, and you swallowed it down before it could echo in that marble box.

“But aren’t you working? What about your job?”

She jerked her head, motioning for you to help before responding.

“Fuck this job. You know that rich asshole didn’t even tip?”

Your second love laughed while she climbed onto the heavy side table you’d dragged below the window, and her offered hand seemed like a dream.

“Are you coming, cutie?”

~~~⏰🌲🌲🌲⏰~~~

~~~~~~

~~~🌲🌲🌲~~~

There was a blanket over you when your breath finally calmed. Mr. Iceburg was still holding your hand, and you didn’t know how long you’d let yourself be lost.

“I’m sorry.”

“Gods, please don’t be sorry, Y/N,” he huffed a laugh, soft and sad. “I’m sorry it took me so long to see you. I wish I had been there for you. Please, let me know how I can help. How can I get you out of this?”

A sigh left you, true grief now that the real world had shattered your pretty dream.

“Where’s the bathroom?”

~~~🌲~~~

Your reflection wasn’t as horrifying as you’d expected. The makeup that had trailed down your cheeks along with dangerous tears was easy to wipe away, and your hair was already mussed from sailing, so you let it be.

Even after all of that, the piece of you that held that sweet crush won out. He didn’t want you, and you’d just fallen apart in front of him, but…

He was still Mr. Iceburg, and you wanted to look good for him.

“I made you some tea,” his voice found you before he did, his eyes pouring over you when you met him in the living area. He stood to guide you to a couch, and his gentle touch along your hair made you want to drift away, just sleep it all away.

His heat on the couch beside you felt so soothing.

Right now is good. Just be here right now.

“Girlie, I…”

That voice brought your eyes to his, but you wished that it would be light again.

“I don’t know if we’ll get another chance to talk like this. Please, tell me how to help you. Tell me how to stop him,” your favorite shipwright begged.

“Can you pretend?” It was barely a sound. You knew you shouldn’t try, shouldn’t hope. Hope could kill you, break you more than any pain. But the compassion that radiated from him was too strong to resist. “I need to get married. I know you don’t want me, but if we…”

His frown drained the energy from you, so you let that hope go.

“There has to be a way to stop this, Y/N, let me help you.”

You smiled at him now, soft and true, deepening the frown on his concerned face.

“Thank you for trying, Mr. Iceburg, but I need you to leave. I will not leave this island until I get married.”

“Y/N, please. What has he done? I’ll help you. All of Galley-La will help you. Just tell me.”

Iceburg turned on the couch to grip your shoulders, imploring you to let him die for you. For nothing.

“Take me back,” you tried to command. You tried to protect this long-lost dream, this perfect man. A sick, selfish girl wasn’t worth the world losing someone like him, but you were weak, your Sylvad smile failing you when your voice cracked. “Please, I want to go back.”

“Girlie,” he breathed, and the touch of his hands on your face broke you down. Your favorite shipwright caught your tears again, pulling you against him while your silent grief left salt along his chest. “I will not abandon you again.”

Letting out a sigh, you enjoyed his touch for one more greedy moment before pulling yourself back.

I won’t be selfish again.

“You don’t need to feel guilty. Dad was out there because he trusted his numbers too much. It wasn’t your fault he didn’t wait.”

He held himself silent, but you didn’t give in this time, breathing out the pain in those memories.

“I am exactly where I want to be, Mr. Iceburg, and I will truly hate you if you interfere.”

“Please— “

“Thank you for the date, and for this beautiful gift,” you smiled as you stood. It was time to wake up. “I’m ready to— “

“Marry me, Y/N. I’ll do whatever it takes,” he vowed. You should have walked away, but the sight of Mr. Iceburg on his knees for you made you gasp. “I don’t want you to be forced into this, but if marrying you is the only way I can save you, then I will win this game. Please, let me take you away from here.”

It was laughable how pathetic you were, and the choked sound you let out made him grip your hands in his, chaining you to wicked hope.

It would be stupid to let hope in, to think you could be free. You were nearly broken already.

It would be stupid to reject the offer. If he really…

It was absolutely idiotic how disappointed you were that Mr. Iceburg hadn’t come here to take you, to use you, to let you disappear into lust and burn all of that stupid hope away.

“I don’t want you forced into this either,” you finally answered in a small voice. “Not if you don’t want— “

“Y/N, I would be a lucky man to have you by my side.” Your favorite shipwright let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping a bit while he gazed at you. “It only fuels my guilt. I left my friend’s child to suffer for years, and now that I finally have the courage to face you, I see that child has grown into… I failed you, girlie. I don’t deserve to be rewarded for it.”

His strong hands were still trapping yours, squeezing slightly as his last words came out in a rasp. You couldn’t understand, until a soft, dangerous hope flooded back in. There was no way to stop it, so you just braced for that naïve crush to crush you.

“I’m not a child, Mr. Iceburg,” you declared, surprised by your own wistful smile when you fought the urge to roll onto your toes. His eyes softened before you pulled your hands from his grip. “And I am not a reward.”

“Y/N, I…”

Just this moment. A little daydream.

He let you guide his hands to your cheeks, those carpenter’s fingers cradling your face. The sensation was enough to make you sigh, your knees going weak.

“Hey, girlie,” that deep voice poured over you. “I’m here. Please, tell me how I can help.”

Your eyes fluttered open, and you didn’t care if you were crushed now. Something sweet, almost electric, sang through your body until every piece of you was humming.

“Marry me,” you breathed, letting him see the heat in your eyes, the need in your desperate body while you swayed beneath those rough, gentle fingers. “I want you, Iceburg. This is my choice. If you want me too, please, take me. I want you to take me, to touch me, to—"

Mr. Iceburg was kissing you.

He’d pulled you against his chest while he tasted you, so slow and thorough that your eyes rolled back. He hummed at your little noises, and the sound was so deep, it left you shaking, clutching at him until you let out a yelp.

“Oh my,” Iceburg laughed when he pulled away slightly, one of his hands on your hip to keep you steady while you stared at the little creature you’d almost crushed with your desperate fingers in that striped jacket. He held Velociraptor up to the dimmed light before smiling that perfect smile at you. “I’m so sorry, I forgot to put him in his enclosure.”

“I’m sorry, buddy,” you laughed, petting the mouse before Iceburg stood, offering you his hand once again. The smile he gave you now caught your breath, offering something that you ached to have.

“There’s one more room to see, numbers girl. Would you like to drop him off and finish our tour?”

~~~🌲~~~

Biting your lip against the urge to squeal and rush toward the cabin kept you quiet, but watching Iceburg caring for his pet made you melt.

He was just so sweet. So silly. So fucking sexy.

Oh, that crush was back.

“I hope you like it,” Iceburg gestured to the cabin. The soft lights picked up the veins in his forearm along with the carved images along the walls. “Please let me know if you’d like me to make any changes—”

“It’s beautiful,” you smiled, happy to speak the truth. The cabin was stunning, so much redwood carved into fantastical creatures in magical forests. The touch of the raised wood felt so soothing under your palms; the familiar scent of the room made you feel safe.

The berth could be two smaller mattresses, or one triangular bed. The edges were together at one point, with another triangular section that you enjoyed watching Iceburg lock into place between them before he sat on the dark, green bedding.

“Y/N, I am going to marry you, no matter what. We don’t need to—”

“Please, don’t make me say all that over again,” you teased, stepping between his legs.

He stared at you, his eyes so heavy that you thought it was over.

“What if I want you to say it again?” Your favorite shipwright chuckled when you moaned from the sound of his voice, and his strong hands gripped your waist when you swayed. “Will you say it again for me, girlie? Tell me what you want?”

“Fuck, I…”

Iceburg left his request along your ear as he breathed you in, pulling back to watch your eyes while you tried to remember how to speak.

His eyes were dark, a look you had never seen there before.

And you wanted more.

“I want you, Iceburg, please,” you begged, shamelessly begged. He kept staring, just a bit of movement at the corner of his lips while you fell apart. “I want you to take me, to fuck me. I want…”

“There’s not enough time for me to fuck you tonight, girlie,” he broke your heart with a satisfied laugh. “But I’ll—”

“Please, Iceburg,” you scolded, trying to forget the world outside of this lovely dream. You wrapped your arms around his shoulders and teased your fingers along the undercut that suited him so well. “We’re getting married, so you can fuck me as slow and thorough as you like for the rest of our days, but for right now I want you to fucking take me.”

“Mm, well,” he hummed before his rough, gentle fingers teased under your dress. He took in a sharp breath, eyes darker than ever while he rubbed over your clit, your panties already soaked from him. “If that’s what my fiancé wants, then that’s what she’ll get.”

“Fuck! Iceburg, please,” you cried out at the perfect stretch of the two fingers he’d just plunged into you, sliding around your panties with a skilled touch that made you stumble against him. He sat you on one of his thighs but never stopped.

“Come on my fingers first, then I’ll give you everything you—Mm, that’s it, girlie. Fuck, you’re gorgeous, Y/N.”

“Don’t stop,” you managed to beg while he laid you down on that bed he’d carved for you.

He helped your struggling fingers, freeing you from your clothes before stripping, and your mouth was gaping by the time he crawled up the bed.

It was Mr. Iceburg.

Naked.

“Are you sure—”

“Yes, please,” you reached for him.

Your mind went blank at the touch of that perfect cock in your hands, and the deliciously deep moan it had earned you. Then you whined, when he pulled out of your reach.

“No time for that,” Iceburg teased you, and you couldn’t take it. You melted at the touch of those hands, letting him guide you where he wanted, until he was smiling down at you between your spread legs. “But I promise you…”

“Oh gods, oh f—fuck.”

The way he was looking at you…

The way his cock felt when he teased the tip around your clit before shoving into you…

“I promise that the next time I fuck you, I will be thorough,” Iceburg threatened over your moans as he slammed his thick cock into your desperate cunt. He snapped his hips up, hitting you so fucking deep that it hurt, but he had you coming again before you could care, while you scraped your nails down the lovely, purple tattoos that graced his shoulders and arms. “I will touch and taste every little piece of you. We’ll take it nice and slow, huh, girlie?”

Iceburg pulled your hips up, those incredible fingers holding you in place so he could fuck himself into you.

“Mm, you’re going to take it slow for me tonight, aren’t you?”

“What,” you managed to choke out while he changed position.

“The wedding won’t be for another week or so.” The shipwright made your eyes roll back when he brought a thumb down to dance over your clit, making you twitch while he took you, just like you’d begged for. “So, I want my fiancé to prepare for our wedding night. I want you to play with yourself tonight and every night, nice and slow, and think about how thorough I’m going to be when I fuck my wife.”

“Ice…”

“Gods, you’re beautiful,” Iceburg panted before kissing you deep, keeping you in this lovely dream. “Can I come on your pretty stomach, girlie? Mm, come one more time for me first, I know you can—So good, fuck. Right here.”

You were twitching with so much pleasure, your legs still spasming when he pulled out of you, only to press the length of that swollen cock against your skin.

It was too much. The look on his face, the praise he moaned for you, the feel of his twitching cock, and the ropes and ropes of his come that painted your skin kept you going until you went limp.

Bells rang out, far too close over the water.

“Fuck,” you whimpered.

“Don’t worry,” your favorite shipwright hummed, already cleaning you gently, and refusing to let you get up yet. His deep voice, and light kisses sent shivers down your body, but the real world was getting louder. “I’ve got you.”

You wished you could hang onto all those feelings, but it was turning gray. It would be a lovely daydream for later, but right now, you were going numb. You had to.

“Hey, girlie,” Iceburg tugged on your hand before you could leave the cabin, and you turned to find him smiling, your locket dangling from one of his lovely hands. You nodded at his gesture, letting him wrap that chain of guilt and brightness around your throat again.

Don’t think. Stop thinking.

“Looks like we were thorough enough to lose your jewelry in the sheets,” he laughed while he took your hand to guide you back to the world. “You should probably take it off next time. I’d hate to make you lose something so pretty while I fuck my pretty wife.”

~~~🌲~~~

Such a lovely dream.

If only it could have lasted forever or destroyed the world when it ended.

You couldn’t hang onto the incredible feelings and dangerous hope your favorite shipwright had filled you with, and you couldn’t follow his intoxicating orders.

Your fingers couldn’t reach for pleasure tonight.

Instead, your fingers clung to guilt and brightness while you sobbed over too many broken dreams.

~~~🌲🌲🌲~~~

~~~~~~

~~~🔴🔴🔴 ~~~

His image wasn’t spread across a screen, but the Emperor of the Sea could feel the eyes on him while he lounged at a little table by the lake. He’d only had one bottle so far, but the stench of self-pity that surrounded him made him feel sicker than wine ever had.

Time to move.

He could have moved faster, but it would look like an attack.

Shanks could kill him.

The red-haired pirate was having too many thoughts.

Just move. There he is.

Iceburg had finally left that pretty sailboat after staying behind when Y/N was whisked away in a fluffy robe. Applause rang out from the drunk, disgusting leeches as she went.

Shanks could kill them all.

Not yet.

“So, what did you think,” the villain purred, tasting a hint of pleasure at the tension in his prey’s shoulders when he crept up behind him. “Your best friend’s daughter is so precious. So very sweet, huh?”

Iceburg rounded on him, only to meet his gaze, silent and judging.

“Or did you prefer her back then,” Shanks taunted, letting himself enjoy the snarl on the other man’s lips. His enemy pulled it in, so he kept pushing. “I had to try sooo hard not to break her, but she is an eager, little thing, isn’t she? Did you train her for us all those years ago?”

“Keep talking.”

Now it was Shanks’ lips that twitched into a snarl as he stood off against a wall of ice.

“I just thought I should thank you.” He fought not to choke the man that was besting him, and knew he’d have to walk away soon to keep from doing it. “I never did like them so young, but whatever you did to her worked wonders. Did you teach her that little—”

“Come on, boys, we’re all friends here.”

That sickeningly satisfied voice froze them both before Cedrick Sylvad stepped between them with his guards close behind. He gestured back toward the crowd, and toward the screens that showed off the rage in the emperor’s eyes, and the coldness in his enemy’s gaze.

“It’s so good to see how serious you both are about my dear niece,” the monster beamed. Sylvad threw his arms over their shoulders, forcing them to walk with him, to smile with him, as though they weren’t a breath away from violence. “Honestly, it warms my heart. I wonder if either of you will pierce hers.”

Y/N’s wicked uncle laughed, pleased with his game.

No matter how it ends, this man needs to die.

Shanks had too many thoughts.

~~~🔴🔴🔴 ~~~

~~~~~~

~~~🌲🌲🌲~~~

Rough, gentle fingers kept catching your eyes during breakfast, but you had to stop. Just smile, pretend, the same as all the rest.

“I hope you all come visit us after the wedding,” Iceburg hummed, his confidence raising your sister’s brows, so you faked a sip of your drink before your face could betray you. “We’ve made some improvements on the old boom boat design. I’m certain they’ll speed your logging transport for some of your smaller operations, and they are quite fun to sail. Maybe we can have a race?”

“That sounds lovely, Mayor—”

“Of course,” Cedrick cut your mother off, chuckling as he leaned toward the confident shipwright. “First you need to win this race, old friend. You must have had quite the night to be so confident.”

You had schooled your features, giving your Uncle nothing but your Sylvad Smile.

“I came here to win,” Iceburg countered, steady and pleased while he raised his glass. “Galley-La and Sylvad’s Lumber & Shipping are a perfect match, and I’m certain that Y/N and I will be the same.”

“At least your priorities haven’t changed,” Uncle Cedrick laughed as he sent you a taunting look. “Wood before women every time, huh?””

“Water 7 is always first,” Iceburg managed his own smile, schmoozing with your Uncle while he spoke with too much truth. “But I’m here to win the woman and the wood that will help me save my home. Help our island sail to safer waters.”

“Cheers,” Uncle demanded, interrupting your spiral to make you toast your favorite shipwright. “Cheers to perfect matches, good deals, and useful, little brides. Good hunting, old friend.”

Those distracting fingers snagged yours from across the table, calming your hurt from being used. Saving Water 7 was a good reason to be bought, a good price for your freedom. You wanted to pay him back for saving you, especially if last night wasn’t really a dream.

Water 7 might be your new home.

The sudden rush of storms within you made your throat dry.

Were you willing to pay the price of freedom if it came with that storm?

Swallowing down your fears was rough with that dryness still closing your throat, but you put it all away. First, you had to survive this twisted hunt.

Then you could face the storm.

~~~🌲🌲🌲~~~

Likes, comments, and reblogs bring me much ✨dopamine✨ thank you!!

Author's Note: Sooo, maybe one day I'll be able to talk to humans again. This hermit mode episode is quite excessive. Thank you for all of your comments. Hopefully I'll be able to respond soon. Y'all should see my text, voicemail, and email notifications, lol. I was super nervous about this one, as the Iceburg situation could be very triggering. I hope that it didn't cause strain for anyone, but if you chose to skip it, here's a summary of the chapter. Thank you so much for reading and taking care of yourself. Please know that you are not alone, and you deserve to feel safe 💜

Chapter 37 Summary:

Reader wanted to have this date, this daydream, so she kissed her favorite shipwright, only to feel rage when he pulled away. Iceburg stated that he wasn't there for that, so she accused him of only caring about money, asking if that was why he never visited after her father died.

Iceburg confessed that he had tried to visit, that he was concerned about why reader had been missing from the funeral and school, but that he stopped asking after Cedrick and Delaine told him about her father's last call. They told him that it would be triggering for reader to see him. He stated that it made sense that reader would wait after the trauma, but as more time went on, he became suspicious since Arbo told him that he wanted reader to take over.

Iceburg was ashamed of himself for not coming sooner, but his guilt over what happened, and fear that reader would hate him kept him away, and he lost himself in work after Tom was executed. He began asking again after one of his interns drunkenly said something. Reader resisted, but Iceburg stated her first love's name, sharing that "Kev" said he gave up the perfect girl for his dream. Reader revealed that Arbo wanted her to marry before taking over, and Iceburg shared his suspicions that Cedrick paid Kev off.

Iceburg looked for reader's girlfriend after they broke up a year and a half ago, but there was no trace of her. Reader stopped him from saying her name, and said she had looked for her too, only to realize that she was a con artist. A flashback of the reader meeting her second love showed reader stuck in a boring date, and her second love helping the reader go have some fun, offering to help her climb out of a bathroom window. Reader was enamored with the gorgeous woman that called her "cutie."

Reader felt Iceburg didn't want her but said she wouldn't be leaving the island without being married. When he resisted, trying to find another way, reader decided to let him go and told him it wasn't his fault her dad died. She didn't want to get him killed, but Iceburg declared that he would marry her.

After reader said she didn't want him to be forced into this, Iceburg shared that he would be lucky to have her but expressed his guilt. Iceburg said he failed her, and shouldn't be rewarded for it.

Reader realized what he meant, and declared that she was not a child, she was not a reward, and that this was her choice. She expressed her desire for him, and they spent the rest of the date being intimate, while reminding each other that they were going to be married in a week or so.

As the date ended, Iceburg saw that reader's locket had fallen off in the bed, and suggested she take it off next time. After the date, reader couldn't hold onto the good feelings she'd felt that night. Instead, she held onto her locket and cried.

Shanks waited for Iceburg and taunted him about being with the reader in the past. The heavy tension between the two hunters was interrupted by Cedrick wrapping his arms around their shoulders, stating that they were all friends.

During breakfast, Iceburg shared his confidence and described them as a perfect match along with their companies. Cedrick laughed and accused Iceburg of caring about wood before women, but Iceburg said he cared about Water 7 first, and that he was here to win the woman and wood that would help him save his home.

Reader realized with fear that if she did marry him she would move to Water 7, but knew she had to survive the hunt before she could face the storm.

Chapter 38

This world is hard, and finding ways to help can be overwhelming. Operation Olive Branch is a volunteer, grassroots effort committed to the collective liberation of all peoples, and they prioritize transparency and community. If you enjoyed this fic, and are able, please click the link to find a list of fundraisers, as well as other ways to help.

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dancethroughthethunder · 3 months ago

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Happy New Year, Stevie (Steve Harrington x Reader)

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Reader

Word Count: 4.9k

Summary:

For someone who romanticizes every holiday, you’re pretty ambivalent about New Years. Sure there’s a promise of a new year and a new beginning which should be right up your alley, but for some reason you’re far more excited about another night with friends than you are celebrating a new year.

It's New Years Eve in Hawkins and you spend most of the night helping your best friend, Steve, get ready for all of your friends to come over for a chill, party. Together with a lot of snacks and laughter, you all ring in the new year.

Author’s Note: This work can also be found here at my ao3. Divider credit to @/saradika

It’s not that you have anything against New Years, it just isn’t one of your favorite holidays. If you were more cynical, maybe you could tie that to never having had a midnight kiss, or the pressure everyone puts on making big life changes and resolutions every year, just to abandon them within the month. But cynical really isn’t your thing either, so to you it’s just another day with the added bonus of a night with friends, snacks, and music. You’ll celebrate it, it’s just not the top of your list.

In the past few years, your friends have gotten into a typical rhythm with the holidays, everyone goes to Steve’s for the Fourth of July for a backyard pool party and barbecue, it’s Halloween in the Wheeler’s basement for old times sake after the kids go trick or treating (your favorite part is when Will tosses you a few candy bars later in the night, always willing to share), Nancy and Jonathan host Thanksgiving, and you do your yearly friends Christmas party. Robin and Eddie like to pick one holiday each year to celebrate with a rotating party, just for fun. Two years ago it was Arbor Day, last year it was Flag Day, and this year they hosted a Columbus Day party where they showed up at Steve’s house and proclaimed it their own for the day.

Yet despite all of this, you don’t really have a set New Year's Eve tradition. It actually might be more accurate to say that your tradition is to rotate who hosts every year. This year it’s Steve’s turn to host, at least according to Dustin and the kids, so you’ve offered to come over early to help him set up.

Nancy mentioned that she’s going to have Jonathan bring his camera for a few nice shots of everyone so as you throw your outfit for later in your bag, you decide to grab your makeup as well, just in case. It’s just a chill party with your friends, and they all know what you look like, but there’s no rule saying you can’t put on your makeup for a nice evening. Right now you’ve got a comfy pair of sweatpants and one of your dad’s old shirts on, and you have a cute sweater and jeans in your bag for later.

“Alright Mom, I’m off to Steve’s.” You yell out as you head to the kitchen to grab your car keys and the pizza bread you threw together earlier in the morning that still needs to go in the oven.

“Have fun, don’t forget to bring him that plate of cookies.”

You’re glad that your mom can’t see as you roll your eyes. Every year Steve has to go to some country club party with his parents while your mom’s side of the family does their big Christmas get-together and your Great Aunt Sue always brings an extra plate of cookies. Whether they’re actually for Steve or your mom just pawns them off on him, you’re not really sure anymore. Steve’s been your best friend for years and sometimes you joke that your family likes him more than you. Regardless, you know he loves the cookies so you grab the plate off the counter as your mom walks into the kitchen, curlers in her hair.

“Are you going out like that?”

“Oh, wow, what a vote of confidence.” You tease your mom.

“No, no I didn’t mean it like that.” And you know she didn’t, not really. You love your mom, and you really love to tease her when she puts her foot in her mouth like that. Somehow she only manages to do it with you. She’s an absolute sweetheart and only when it comes to your appearance does your mom manage to say something incredibly well intentioned, yet passive aggressive.

“I just meant that your hair is wet. At least put a hat on.” She grabs one of the winter hats your grandmother has knitted and tosses it to you.

“Yeah I can do my hair at Steve’s, don’t want to look hideous for the group photos. Have fun tonight, love you!” You laugh as you leave your kitchen, cookies, bread, and bag in hand, and hat on head as you walk out to your car. Once you get everything set in your car and gently place the cookies on the floor so they don’t spill and make a mess at your first turn, you start your car and head over to Steve’s.

It’s a short drive to Steve’s but it gives you a chance to think about what all you might do tonight. You’re not sure but you think you heard the guys talking about a mini D&D campaign, you know Nancy wants some photos of everyone, and undoubtedly Robin will bring some movies and Eddie will come up with some sort of other game. You’re not sure but feel like it’s safe to assume you’ll end up with the tv on to watch the ball drop at midnight.

While you’re thinking about your plans for the night, you arrive at Steve’s and pull into his driveway. He’s left you enough room to park right next to him, which is perfect since you’re usually the last one to leave on New Years Day, this way you don’t have to play musical cars later to let someone else out. Getting out of the car, you grab the cookies and your bag and head towards Steve’s door. You used to knock, even after Steve first told you that you didn’t have to, but you finally gave in and stopped knocking. Now you just walk in.

“Hey, Stevie.” You call out as you kick off your shoes and head towards the kitchen to drop off the cookies and pizza bread.

“Hey yourself. Are these Sue’s? Hell yeah.” You find Steve already standing in the kitchen and he comes over and takes the plate of cookies right out of your hands.

“I’m going to go throw my bag upstairs.” You tell him, rolling your eyes at the sight of him immediately unwrapping the plastic wrap and grabbing a cookie to eat, as you put the pizza bread dough in the fridge. He’s so predictable. One year you joked that all of the leftover cookies were yours and he chased you around the house for them, which admittedly didn’t last long since he’s much faster than you.

You walk upstairs and push open the door to Steve’s room to drop off your bag. You turn around to head back downstairs when you decide that you’re already putting in enough effort with your makeup and nice sweater, you might as well finish it off, so you grab a hanger from Steve’s closet and hang your sweater up so it’s not too wrinkled later on. As an added touch, you grab a hairbrush and head back downstairs to rejoin Steve in the kitchen.

“Stevie.” You greet him, with a big smile on your face.

“Oh I know that look, what do you want?” He asks.

“Would you braid my hair? I don’t want to worry about it while we’re getting ready but this way it can also look nice later.”

Steve rolls his eyes as he holds out his hand to grab the hairbrush for you. Your hair is much curlier than Steve’s and it’s taken years of friendship and asking him to do it for you for him to get used to gently brushing the knots out of it. A few years ago you taught him how to braid hair, telling him that all you wanted for Christmas was for him to help you out with it sometimes. He loves to tease you about it but you both know that you both enjoy it. You’re pretty sure that Eddie won’t give up asking until Steve agrees to do his too, but Steve always argues that yours is the only hair he’ll do.

Grabbing a pen and notepad to work on your to-do list, you follow Steve over towards the counter where he hops up and moves you to stand between his legs. You remember being younger and sitting between your mom’s legs as she did your hair, or kneeling on the ground having your mom do your hair before dance recitals in middle school, and your knees much prefer it this way. You try, unsuccessfully, to ignore the way your heart beats a little faster as you settle in and Steve presses his legs against you.

While Steve braids your hair, the two of you talk about your plan for the night and what you want to get done before everyone else gets over, planning out the decorations and snacks.

“Shockingly this year I think Dustin and the guys are going to be the last ones to get here.” Steve says from behind you.

“Oh? Do they have something else before this?” You ask.

“I guess some New Years thing at the arcade? I don’t really know to be honest. Claudia said she’d pick them up and bring them over, and I think before that Jonathan and Nancy will come over with the rest of the food, and then Robin and Eddie should get here with whatever they’re bringing.”

“Alright, so you said you have most of the snacks already?” You say, crossing “Get snacks” off your list.

“Yeah, Eddie and I went to the store the other day and grabbed the chips, cookies, and drinks. Basically anything that didn’t need to be fresh today.”

“Perfect. I’ll turn on the oven after this so it can preheat for the pizza bread.”

“Nah, I did it while you were upstairs.”

You can’t help but smile at this. Sure, you make it every year but that doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed that Steve would remember what you cook it at, or know that you hadn’t finished making it this morning. You always appreciate knowing how much attention your best friend pays, and how seen it makes you feel.

Steve gently tugs on the bottom of your braid to let you know he’s done, and leans down to set his chin on your shoulder so he can look at the list with you.

“I’ll put the bread in once the oven is ready, we can get the living room decorated, and then I can get all of the snacks out while you bring a few of the extra folding chairs into the dining room?” Nobody ever just sits and talks around the dining room, but every time you all get together at Steve’s you insist on bringing in extra chairs, just in case. Steve doesn’t fight you on it anymore.

“Sounds like a plan. Jonathan said he and Nancy are coming over around 7:30, so I figure around 7 we can go upstairs and get ready?”

“Works for me.” You tell him as you finish writing down the order that everything is going to happen in. The oven beeps to let you know it’s done preheating and you walk over to the fridge to get out the dough as Steve hops back down from the counter and gets you a pan to bake it in.

Once the pizza bread is in the oven and the timer is set, you head towards the living room where you find a few big bags of party decorations. It seems that Steve, Eddie, and Robin went all out this year with balloons, streamers, and a big sign that says Happy New Year.

Steve puts the radio on and the two of you listen to music while you work to decorate the living room, stopping every now and then for a dance break. Eventually it’s time to take the pizza bread out of the oven and the living room is almost ready, so you take that as your cue to get the rest of the snacks ready. Getting a few bowls and trays out, you start putting the chips, cookies, and other snacks onto their respective trays for the night. Everything, that is, except for Great Aunt Sue’s cookies which go right into the pantry for Steve to keep for himself and enjoy later.

Before you know it, the two of you have finished getting everything ready and head up to Steve’s room to get yourself ready.

“Ooh, I like it.” Steve says, seeing your sweater hanging up on the closet door.

"Thanks! Nancy mentioned wanting to take a few photos, and I figured I might as well look a little presentable. Mom and Dad gave it to me for Christmas.” You say as you sit down to start putting on a little makeup.

“I like it, it’s going to be a really nice color on you.” Steve smiles at you. You’re looking at yourself in the mirror as you put on your blush and don’t see the way Steve is staring at you. Steve loves every day he gets to spend with you, but he really likes these ones. The days where it feels like you’re playing house, and he can pretend it’s your house, together, that you’re getting ready for friends to. He loves getting to do your hair, dance around in the living room, and then coming upstairs to watch you get ready.

Before you can turn around and see him staring, Steve opens his closet and starts searching for a sweater that he thinks will match yours nicely. He grabs it and a pair of jeans and starts getting changed. You’re totally focused on doing your makeup, and it’s not like you’d see anything you haven’t seen, or that you wouldn’t see at the pool.

You finish your makeup and turn around, where Steve is already dressed, and sitting on the end of his bed anticipating your next question.

‘Yes, I will check that your makeup is even, and yes it is and you look lovely.”

You smile at each other, and for a moment you wonder what Steve's thinking about, before the doorbell rings.

“Damn it, I thought Jonathan said 7:30.” He grumbles as he stands up to go downstairs. He makes it as far as the door of his room before he turns back around, “Really, that’s a nice lipstick on you.” He says before going downstairs.

“Hey, Harrington!” You hear Eddie as soon as the door opens.

“Hi Steve!” Robin says, and you laugh picturing the way Eddie has probably just pushed right past Steve into the house while Robin greets him.

“Hi guys!” You call out, shutting the door to Steve’s room so you can quickly get changed. You take off your sweatpants and shimmy into your jeans right as the door bursts open.

“Robin, what the fuck?” You laugh. “The door was shut for a reason.”

“Oops, my bad.” She says, coming over to sit on Steve’s bed, right where he had just been. “Eddie’s downstairs helping Steve make the punch so I figured I’d avoid all of that.”

“Oh yeah, we wanted to have one alcoholic and one not, and I’m almost afraid to find out how much Eddie alcohol Eddie thinks it’ll need.” The two of you laugh. You finish getting dressed, take your hair out of the braid and fluff your curls a little, all while Robin tells you how work has been.

Soon, you’re ready to go downstairs so you neatly fold up your clothes and put them back into your bag, hanging off Steve’s dresser. As you stop to grab your favorite necklace off the dresser top, you don’t see the look Robin gives you at your sense of familiarity in Steve’s room. Usually this is where Robin would offer to lend a hand with your necklace, but she thinks that if she gets down fast enough you’ll probably ask Steve instead.

“Race you downstairs!” She blurts out as she takes off, leaving you scrambling to catch up.

Your feet are moving faster than they probably should be as you race down the stairs and one of your socks catches on the floor, sending you sliding across the front hall directly into Steve.

“Well, fancy seeing you here, sir. Come here often?” You ask him between laughs as he helps you regain your balance. He sees your necklace in your hand and neither of you say anything as he takes it from you and you turn around and lift your hair for him to help.

Neither of you know that you’re both thinking about what it might be like if once your necklace is on, instead of saying “ All done! ”, Steve would gently place a soft kiss on the back of your neck. But that’s not exactly a normal friendly gesture to pull out, especially wordlessly in front of either friends, so Steve does offer the expected “All done!” and you lower your hair back to sit on your shoulders like normal.

Eddie and Robin are peeking out at the two of you from the kitchen, where they’re grabbed a few of the snacks to bring to the living room. The four of you work to get the finishing touches ready and soon Jonathan and Nancy arrive with the pizza and veggie tray.

While you wait for the kids to show up, the six of you play a drinking game. You’re not quite sure of the rules, because you’re pretty sure Eddie is making it up as he goes, and that Jonathan and Steve are arguing with him mostly for their own amusement more than they are over actually caring what the rules are or aren’t.

After a little while, the six of you are sufficiently tipsy from the punch, the pizza has been transferred from their boxes to the oven to stay warm, and the front door flies open as Dustin walks in.

“Dude, have you ever heard of knocking?” Steve groans.

“Dude, have you ever heard of this?” Dustin says, flipping him off. “Plus it’s a party!”

“You always tell me not to knock.” You tease Steve as you stand up to greet the kids.

“Yeah, but you’re you.” He says with a wink.

Max, El, Lucas, Will, and Mike all come in after Dustin and you lean your head out the front door to wave to Dustin’s mom and wish her a Happy New Year before she pulls back out of the driveway.

“Alright, let’s have some food!” Eddie says, coming up to say hi to everyone before making his way to the kitchen where Nancy is getting the pizzas out of the oven.

“Wait!” Nancy says as she sets the pizzas down to cool. “Let’s get the photos first. Before we forget or anyone spills food.”

You agree and help usher everyone to the living room. You and the rest of the older teens all pile onto the big couch, Eddie is perched on one arm of the couch, Robin next to Eddie, Nancy on Jonathan’s lap, Steve next to Jonathan, and you squished half on Steve’s lap on the opposite end. Dustin comes to sit on the other arm of the couch, as El and Max fill in on the floor in front of your feet, with Mike and Lucas on either side of them, and Will sitting directly in front of you.

Thanks to the timer, you’re able to take a photo as a big group, with Will getting up to reset it under Jonathan’s instruction. Then, at Nancy’s direction, the younger kids all get up while Will takes a photo of the six of you. You, Steve, Eddie, and Robin get off the couch so Jonathan and Nancy can have their own photo before they’re rushed by the younger kids to take one of the six of them, without any of you “old people”. Similar to Jonathan and Nancy, El and Max want their own photo with their boyfriends, and then they talk you, Nancy, and Robin into a girl's photo. Eddie ignores everyone’s complaints to force them into a guy’s photo, and once that’s done, you think you’re finally finished.

“Now hold on, one more!” Nancy calls out, sounding like your mother directing you and your cousins on Christmas morning. Before you know it, you’re steered back to the couch, and someone shoves Steve down to join you.

It should probably cross your mind that the only people who have wanted individual partner photos have been couples, but it’s been you and Steve as best friends for so long, and you’re so focused on how good the pizza smells that you don’t think anything of it as Steve puts an arm around you and pulls you into him. Later, Jonathan will show you the candid photo he took of you laughing, head in Steve’s chest as he said something ridiculous and the sweet way Steve is looking down on you. Eventually, he’ll print it and Nancy will frame it for you as a belated Christmas present. But right now, you’re so focused on how ridiculous Steve is being and how hard you’re laughing, that once again you miss the way your friends are looking at you.

When you finish taking your photos, Nancy finally concedes that it’s time for food and you laugh even harder watching the guys nearly bowl her over in an effort to get to the kitchen. You spend the next few hours listening to music, having lots of snacks, and as expected, listening to Eddie try and explain another game.

Eventually it’s 11:30 and you all decide to turn the tv on to watch the last half hour of Dick Clark’s Rockin New Years Eve, which you’ve been watching since you were a little kid. When you go to the kitchen to grab another drink, someone (probably Nancy, if you had to guess) suggests going around and sharing their new year's resolutions. You squeeze back onto the couch next to Steve as he steals your punch to take a sip while you get comfortable.

Nobody’s resolutions are really a surprise, Nancy wants to get promoted at work, Jonathan wants to spend more time with Nancy than at work, Robin wants to figure out how to talk to girls and how to spend less time talking with Keith, and Eddie wants to go to more concerts than he did this year. Max doesn’t have one, El isn’t sure what hers is but decides she wants it to be spending more time with friends. You don’t quite catch what Mike says but you do see Lucas elbow him over it while Dustin laughs. While the rest of the kids share theirs, or make one up on the spot to appease Nancy, you give some thought to what yours might be.

You’re pretty happy, sure you could do with a higher salary, or for your boss to listen to you more, but right now those are sort of out of your hands. You’ve got some great friends you love, and wonder if it might be a cop out to say the same as El, that you want even more time with your friends.

By the time you start paying attention again, you notice Steve is staring at you.

“What are you thinking about over there?” He says, nudging you.

“Just trying to decide my resolution. Do you have one?” You ask.

Steve opens his mouth, and looks like he’s about to say something when Dustin interrupts.

“Okay Steve your turn.”

You expect Steve to just finish whatever he was about to say to you, but he pauses as he turns to look at everyone else. It’s brief, but long enough for you to notice that he seems to be changing what he was going to say.

“I want a better job, I’m with Robin - no more Keith.” He jokes.

“Your turn.” Nancy says to you.

“Oh I don’t know, you guys know me. I’m a big softie, I just want more days like this with you all where we’re safe and we’re happy.” You say, putting your head on Steve’s shoulder.

“Okay, barf.” Max says, with a smile on her face.

“Yeah, come on, Mom.” Dustin adds. You lift your head off Steve’s shoulder and stick your tongue out at Dustin.

Soon everyone is having fun and joking around again when Will notices the time.

“Okay guys, one more minute left this year!” He says excitedly. You smile at him, you love Will. You’re not sure you could pick a favorite of the kids, you’re so close with Max and El too, but Will’s always been like a little brother to you. You turn your attention back to the tv, ready to count down the end of the year with the rest of your friends, and the rest of the country all ready to watch the ball drop. You’re half listening to what the presenter is saying on tv, as you watch the countdown clock tick down closer to zero.

“Ready for a new year, Harrington?” You turn and ask Steve. At some point the arm that had been behind you on the couch has moved, and is firmly around your waist.

“I don’t know, this year was pretty good.” He says as he grabs your drink and sets it down on the end table next to him. “I do think there’s one thing I’d like to be a little different.”

“Oh, what’s that?” You tilt your head, wondering what he might have in mind. There’s one thing you’re hoping for, but it almost feels silly to hope, silly to get your hopes up for something that you don’t have any real reason to think might happen. Besides, you’re happy with your friendship and wouldn’t want to risk it for anything.

Again, Steve looks like he wants to say something but he closes his mouth, stopping himself.

“Oh, fuck it.”

Using the arm already around you, Steve tugs you into him and brings his other arm up to cup your face as he kisses you.

Happy New Year!

All around you, your friends are cheering and wishing one another a Happy New Year. You’re too busy kissing Steve to give a shit what year it is.

This isn’t a quick New Year’s peck between friends honoring a tradition, this is the type of kiss people wait lifetimes for. This is the type of kiss that has you thinking that something in the universe has just suddenly clicked into place, this is the type of thing that people write love songs about, dedicate their art to. You’re sitting here, in his living room, in the middle of all of your friends and all you can think about is the feeling of Steve’s lips against yours and the way that your sweater has crept up so his hand is against your skin. You think his touch might burn you, and you’re going to let it.

Suddenly, a flash goes off, and the two of you pull away from one another. You turn to see Will standing there, Jonathan’s camera in hand and a wide smile on his face.

“Happy New Year!” You offer, as though everyone isn’t glued to the show that is you and Steve. Eddie starts cheering, and everyone else follows and somehow you’re not sure that they aren’t cheering for you and Steve.

“Fucking finally.” Dustin says, and this time it’s Steve’s turn to flip him off.

Bringing his hand back to your face, Steve gently wipes below your bottom lip with his thumb.

“You’ve got a little lipstick there.”

“Oops.” You giggle. “Good thing you liked the way it looks on me.”

“Baby, is it too soon to mention I like every lipstick on you?” Steve flirts as he comes back in for another kiss.

“Okay lovebirds, you’ve got a whole new year for this.” Robin teases.’ You’ve heard people say that the way you ring in the New Year is indicative of the rest of the year, and if that’s true, you’re looking forward to a lot of kisses to come.

“Yeah. We’re going to play another game, we haven’t since last year!” Dustin says, and unsurprisingly everybody groans.

As you all settle in to listen to Dustin explain the rules, Steve leans in and whispers “That’s what I’d like to do this year. I thought maybe we could try this, this year. Whaddya say, wanna be my girl?”

You don’t even think he knows how good he looks, how intoxicating it is for him to whisper to you like that. You think that something like “ I’ve always been your girl” might be a little too much so you give him a soft “Of course.” Quickly, before your friends complain, you lean in for one more quick kiss.

“Happy New Year, Stevie.”

“Happy New Year, beautiful.”

If New Year’s Eve means another night like this, you’re pretty sure you can find a way to be excited for it next year. Suddenly, having a new year’s resolution sounds pretty good. You decide in addition to more time with your friends, that your resolution for the next year is to spend time with your boyfriend, which is definitely going to include many, many more kisses.

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington/reader #no use of y/n #my writing #in which meg writes #steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things fic #best friends to lovers #friends to lovers #au: everyone is happy and healthy #fluff #pining #divider credit: saradika

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