#it just doesn't stop him from wanting to take care of her too

[stzrgirl4norris]

No Judgement - GR63

George Russell x BestFriend!Reader

summary: You and George have been best friends since before his career in F1, always there for each other. He's the only one who accepts you just the way you are. Although fans think you're a bit weird for him, he doesn't care. And, after all, opposites do attract.

based on this request right here

liked by georgerussell63, fan1, yourbff and 1, 700,411 others

yourinstagram i'm about to crash tf out ngl

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charles_leclerc Why?

> yourinstagram because i'm fighting battles you’ll never understand > charles_leclerc What battles? You vs your ugly shoes? 🧐 > yourinstagram yeah because YOU have such good fashion sense > user be serious charles

georgerussell63 Your caffeine consumption is worrying me, actually

> yourinstagram let me live george. > user yeah george let her live > user he's being HEALTHY and CARING and she's out here drinking 7 iced lattes a day > user idk why this is giving babysitter dynamic lol

lando disgusting shoe and sock combo 🤢

> yourinstagram ok mr. panda nikes > user i actually like the socks 🫣

> yourinstagram user it’s because you have ✨taste✨

user she's like what I don't want in my pinterest boards

mercedesamgf1 We are against crashes here

> yourinstagram ahem > user mercedes adm is the funniest one

user she’s the only influencer who makes me laugh

> user she’s not even trying to be funny though? > user that's the thing... she isn't funny

user she’s weird, like the kind of weird you can’t fake

> user lowkey feel like her intentions aren't the purest and george doesn’t even notice > user they've been friends before his f1 career, let's not do this shit now

user she and george are SO opposite I actually think it balances the universe

> user he’s giving oxford debate and she’s giving dropped out of school > user he’s too good for her but it’s working and I hate that

user She looks like she made George do tarot readings

user I love that George is like a gentleman and she’s... her

user she definitely manifested him. with like, crystals.

user not to be rude but she kind of gives “i thought he was gay at first” energy

yourbff crash out queen your earned it

liked by yourinstagram, mercedesamgf1, kimiantonelli and 2,333,605 others

georgerussell63 Standard pre-race vibes

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yourinstagram you’re welcome for the entertainment

>user literally what does she even do? > user she does him that's what > yourinstagram well i don't but that was a good comeback i respect it 👏

user why is she wearing sweats in the paddock?

mercedesamgf1 Is she okay?

>yourinstagram define okay

user I LOVE that she’s just casually unhinged around him

> user unhinged is generous

user i'd pay to see what their texts look like

user how is he not distracted by that? how?

> user maybe he's into chaotic energy idk

user if they’re not dating yet I’m gonna sue

user he's too polished for her

user george’s mom definitely calls her “that girl”

user not to be dramatic but if she breaks his heart I will take legal action

> user break his heart??? they’re just friends

user she’s literally just doing bits in the background like it’s her show 💀

user why is she climbing that chair like that 😭

user no because i can HEAR her saying “george look!!” and him ignoring her

user she makes everything look unserious and i love that for her

user someone get her down from the chair before she breaks something 😭

user the fact that she doesn’t care what’s going on and he clearly likes it 😭

user what is she even doing back there LMAOOO

user i’m begging her to act normal just once

user help she’s gonna fall

user she’s gonna knock over something expensive i feel it

> georgerussell63 won’t you look at that?? yourinstagram

> yourinstagram ???? everyone knows that wasn’t even the most expensive champagne on the market

user why is she dressed like that 😭

user why is no one stopping her?

> charles_leclerc I ask myself that all the time…

yourinstagram y'all can't handle my swag

yourinstagram added to their story!

liked by georgerussell63, lando, maxverstappen1 and 1,804,302 others yourinstagram traveling with george is fun if you enjoy being judged by every stranger every 4 minutes

view all comments:

georgerussell63 it's because you brought a whole farmacy in your bag 😤

> yourinstagram don't act like you didn't take my benadryl to sleep > georgerussell63 you can't keep saying shit like this in public > yourinstagram mercedesamgf1 i'm joking

> user not her snitching on his sleep aids in front of millions

alex_albon No one invited me

> yourinstagram you didn’t pass the vibe check > georgerussell63 because you always forget your passport

user you cannot convince me they haven’t kissed

user it’s the way george looks like he's going to europe and she looks like she's going to mexico or smth

maxverstappen1 don't worry I think George was the one they were judging

> yourinstagram don’t start > georgerussell63 maxverstappen1 ? > user oh this just got good

> user max came here to start violence and left like it’s casual

lando did you lose a bet or something?

> yourinstagram are you losing the championship or something? > user HELP WHY ARE THEY ALL IN HER COMMENTS

> user lando got cooked and didn’t even fight back 😭

lilymhe did you bring medication or just incense again?

> yourinstagram mind your business lady

kikagomes I kind of admire the chaos

> yourinstagram do you want to switch places?

user they’re opposites in a way that concerns me

user nah bc they’re all in the comments like it’s a groupchat 💀

user george is one “babe please be serious” away from imploding

user her bag probably has crystals, six vitamins, a banana, and a taser

user this feels like i walked into a conversation i wasn’t meant to see but i’m not leaving

user she’s too powerful they’re all scared of her and they should be

user no bc what kind of relationship involves benadryl beef on main

user is this flirting or HR violation i genuinely can’t tell??

user she’s the only person who could talk to all 4 of them like that and survive

user the entire grid acting like siblings in her comments i’m obsessed

user girl this is not close friends why are u posting like that 😭

📍Tulum, Mexico

liked by alex_albon, oscarpiastri, lilymhe and 2,222,399 others georgerussell63 an unpredictable travel companion

view all comments:

yourinstagram ?? unpredictable??

yourinstagram you always post the pics where i'm ugly and you're hot 😔

> georgerussell63 you're never ugly > yourbff george like this if she made you say that > user why do i feel like she screenshotted that reply for future use

user the way he posts her like a proud husband…

oscarpiastri unpredictable is a very diplomatic word

> yourinstagram shush > user oscar sounds like he’s seen some things

user how is she unpredictable when she literally posts her entire life?

> user bc she’s the kind of person to fly to a race and forget shoes > user i bet her suitcase has like… soup in it or something > user she’s a walking side quest and george is the main plot

yourex she’s not unpredictable, you just don’t listen.

> yourinstagram yeah and YOU did > georgerussell63 thank you for your input, therapist ass

maxverstappen1 patrick the ⭐

> user what is max doing here????

charles_leclerc every time i see you two together i feel like i’m watching a social experiment

user max is getting too comfortable in these comments🙃

> user it’s always when she's in the posts too > user you just know George read that Max comment in silence

user do you think she realizes she's not quirky just extremely awkward?

user they hate when you serve weird girl bestfriend😇

user i don't understand their relationship and i don't want to, let me stay confused

[5 days later]

liked by lewishamilton, mercedesamgf1, georgerussell63 and 1,835,029 others

yourinstagram go george or go home! 💙🏁 (also lewis hamilton looked at me)

view all comments:

georgerussell63 are you trying to steal all my friends?

> yourinstagram i'm trying to steal your heart 🫦 > alex_albon don't threaten him with a good time

lando fine... i'll admit... cute jacket

> yourinstagram only the jacket??? 😏 > lando jesus what is up with you today??

lewishamilton can you please text me the pictures you took?

> yourinstagram sir, yes sir 🙂‍↕️

alexandrasaintmleux nice seeing you today! 🥰💞

> yourinstagram if you want we can make it everyday 👀 > user girl are you ovulating or something??

maxverstappen1 nice latte art 👍

> yourinstagram not as nice as the one from that day ❤️ liked by georgerussell63 > user WHAT DAY > user WTF IS THIS

user she’s a menace

user george liked yn’s comment 😭😭😭

> user no bc what did she mean by “that day” DID THEY GO ON A DATE?

user why does it feel like she's flirting with the entire grid??

user she held his umbrella before the race 😭

> user because she's actually his biggest fan > user i don't understand why people don't like her

user with all these boring basic wags it's so refreshing to see someone with a personality 😌

> user not if it’s the worst personality in the world

> lewishamilton yn’s the funniest girl in the world. We all love having her in the Paddock ❤️ liked by yourinstagram

> user help not lewis defending her and george staying completely silent

user it just feels icky to me that george sees all those hate comments and says absolutely nothing

> user yeah if they were dating he'd say something

user another day another what the fuck

user her post is normal but the comments are cracking me

liked by yourinstagram, lando, alex_albon and 2,850,111 others

georgerussell63 Don't ask me how she convinced the entire grid to go to the club

view all comments:

oscarpiastri Peer pressure is real

> yourinstagram peer pleasure is realer 😇 > oscarpiastri this doesn't make sense

yourinstagram evrywine luved it

> user jesus is she drunk??

fernandoalo_oficial Finally someone who knows how to party

> yourinstagram omg did you actually kiss taylor swift??? > fernandoalo_oficial I don't kiss and tell

alex_albon I still have glitter inside my clothes

charles_leclerc Can someone explain why there was a goat in the vip area??

> yourinstagram because he deserved to party too. don’t be speciest. > georgerussell63 that “goat” headbutted the DJ

user the way george just accepts that she’s everyone’s problem now 😭

user “don’t ask me how” LIKE HE’S EXHAUSTED

> user he says that but he was dancing on a table by 2am don’t let him lie > user i saw them holding hands at the taco truck at 3am i fear they’re in love

user does she have everyone at gun point??

> yourinstagram they came willingly 😇

user your friends should be your 2nd priority. Your 1st priority should always be clubbing

> lando agreed

user i love this era

user guys my friend was there and said they saw yn flirting with a random dude

> user not max??? > user nope. not george either. random blondie in a red jacket > user nvmd me griefing

user a man is nothing without his extremely loud girl bestie

liked by georgerussell63, lewishamilton, alexandrasaintmleux and 1,423,333 others

yourinstagram touching grass is not enough i need george to run me over with his car

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user OH WE ARE SO BACK LOOK AT THEM

user wait this looks like a date 👀

user if you ever catch me smiling at my phone it's this post right here

user for the first time she's properly dressed

user i just love how george loves her for who she is and doesn't give a fuck

user they hate when you serve sexy bad bitch while being a lil odd and weird 💅

georgerussell63 thanks for paying the bill ❤️

> user and here we are thinking he was a gentleman 😞

user she’s deranged and he’s in love. god’s favorite couple fr

user no bc he’s smiling like she’s the best thing to ever happen to him lewishamilton George can arrange that wish for you!

> Charles_Leclerc And if George isn’t up to it, I can do it!!

> yourinstagram is that a promise charlie boy??

> georgerussell63 No one’s running yn over with their car!

> yourinstagram you always spoil the fun 😔

user no thoughts just george’s stupid little smile lando i know a thing or two about grasses and cars, just saying

> yourinstagram maybe george should run YOU over > georgerussell63 don't threaten me with a good time

user this man is clearly obsessed. and honestly? taste. alex_albon do you guys even like food or was this all foreplay?

> user ALEX > user alex knows something we don't

user girl how did you pull george “mr perfectly polite” russell i’m scared of you????

user she looks like she bites and he’s into it

> charles_leclerc I can confirm he is into it > georgerussell63 you can't confirm shit

user there's no way her rizz is that good

liked by lewishamilton, mercedesamgf1, kimiantonelli and 2,441,200 others

georgerussell63 just being ourselves (no judgement)

view all comments:

yourinstagram never let your bestfriend stop you from finding your future husband 💙

charles_leclerc I KNEW IT

> charles_leclerc albono, norris and hamilton you can all pay me > alex_albon i'm not paying you shit 🙂‍↕️👍 > lando bro you were the only one who participated on that bet

alex_albon finally omg

user ok niall horan fan we see you

user THEY’RE DATING THEY’RE DATING THEY’RE DATING

oscarpiastri what happened to “she’s like a sister to me” 💀

> georgerussel63 I lied

lewishamilton he’s been smiling like an idiot all week btw 🫣

user i don’t even know them but this feels big 😭

sebastianvettel as long as you recycle together ♻️

> user even seb is invested here

> user girl seb is invested on the amazon forest let’s be for real

mercedesamgf1 💙 user they’re so in love it’s disgusting i’m crying user george posting like a man who’s been kissed on the forehead multiple times

user if i had this kind of love i would simply never shut up

user they better be each other’s lockscreen that’s all i’m saying

oscarpiastri ngl i didn’t think she liked him back 😭

user this feels illegal to witness but i can’t look away yourbff is she still mean to you or did love change her 🧐

user i can't you guys he's deffff out of her league

> georgerussell63 She’s perfect. Say one bad thing and I’ll block you ❤️

liked by yourbff, georgerussell63, lando and 2,333,403 others

yourinstagram no rizz, just insanity and love for carlos sainz

slide 3 is me and george in the future

view all comments:

georgerussell63 why are you wearing an "i love carlos sainz" apron?

> yourinstagram because i love carlos sainz > carlossainz55 please let me nowhere near this

georgerussell63 the things you put up to in the same of love....

user max suddenly disappeared

charles_leclerc I am afraid of future instagram posts

alex_albon george did she make you cook in that apron?

> user don't give her any ideas > yourinstagram i might orgasm > alex_albon I am currently regretting my life

yourbff does george know you printed that apron yourself?

> yourinstagram who did you think recommended me the printer store?

user what’s important is that love is alive. confusing, but alive ❤️ georgerussell63 it’s fine. totally normal. totally healthy relationship 👍🙂

> yourinstagram you literally tied the apron for me babe calm down > user BABE

user the way she’s so unserious and he’s still in love is actually inspiring user carlos looks so scared in the comments i’m crying

lando i give this relationship 3 business days

> georgerussell63 why are you even here?? > lando it happens that i kinda care for you both..

user max saw this and booked a one-way flight to monaco

> maxverstappen1 I promise you I'm doing just fine 👍 > yourinstagram damn... and here i am thinking you were devastatingly in love with me > maxverstappen1 I took you for coffee and you talked about george not liking you back for 2 hours straight > yourinstagram TRAITOR > yourinstagram MAX VERSTAPPEN DRINKS ICED VANILLA LATTES WITH OAT MILKS > maxverstappen1 you BITCH🫵

iamrebeccad i just want to know where you got the apron

> yourinstagram etsy. handmade. carlos-core. i’ll even buy one for you

> iamrebeccad can you buy me a george one? 😂

> yourinstagram YES OMG

> carlossainz55 now what the hell is going on here?

kikagomes what else have you custom made??

> yourinstagram a tote that says “gasly girls don’t gatekeep” > pierre_gasly i— > user LMAOOO GASLY GIRLS UNITE

user imagine your type being yn 💀💀💀

user this woman is living my dream

[shra-vasti]

I DON'T LIKE YOUR GIRLFRIEND, PJS (PART 2)

• SYNOPSIS: A fleeting encounter with Park Jay at a high school party leaves a quiet imprint on your then broken heart. Years later, you find him again, now as an icy guitarist of the campus boy band, HYPHENIX. You never spoke again, but you remembered his eyes, his words, his presence and how he lingered at the back of your mind years after. You wanted to reach for him, but he was so far, popular, untouchable that you decided to pour your heart to him in secret, until the secret was revealed but someone else claimed it before you could.

Or in which you pour your heart into anonymous letters for the cold, distant guitarist, Jay, only to watch your best friend claim every word as her own.

• PAIRING: Park Jongseong (Jay) x afab!reader

• WORD COUNT: 20.9k

• CONTENT TAGS: Non idol au, university settings, angst, hurt/comfort, fluff, strangers to lovers, slow burn, shy reader x popular Jay, down bad reader, betrayal, abandonment, miscommunications or lack of communications, profanities, name calling, stereotyping, best friend's boyfriend, reader is nosy and loves other people's business way too much (my twin fr), fear of rejection and unwanted attention, body image issues in the beginning, toxic relationships and friendships, low-key stalker reader, reader wears glasses, not proofread, lmk if I missed anything.

• WARNING TAGS: MDNI, smut, soft dom!Jay, sub!reader, choking, hair pulling, dry humping, oral (fem receiving), multiple orgasms, reader isn't a virgin but is inexperienced.

PART 1

• AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the second part, I hope you'll like it. Your likes, comments and reblogs are always welcomed and appreciated. Thank you so much for showering my write ups with your love. Happy reading♡♡

Your heels clack sharply against the tiles, still you're moving, pushing away people from your way, almost knocking over drinks that were kept on the counter. By the time you're near the door, he's already walking down the stairs. You turn around briefly to look at Ava's room from where Jay walked out but you were disappointed to see her nowhere in sight. The thought made you angry, if she was going to take what should've been yours she should've at least done it properly. She should've taken care of his heart, she should've at least pretended to care, instead she didn't even make an effort to follow him out. You turned back around, feet barely stable as you ran down the stairs, "Jay, wait!"

His steps don't flatter, his shoulders hunched as he walked towards his car, you increased your pace, because you couldn't see him like this, couldn't watch him walk away from her, away from you, when he doesn't even know the whole truth behind everything that is happening in his life. His steps slow down as he reaches near his car and you extend your hand to grab his arm. "Jay-" your fingers clasp around his jacket, "wait please." And he stops, not because he wanted to but because the voice that rang in his ears is yours and not hers. His shoulders stiffened, then he spun, and suddenly, before you could even react, he crashed into your arms with a force which felt more emotional than physical. His arms circled around your waist tightly as a sob escaped his lips.

You sighed deeply, unable to form words as his body shook in your arms. You held him tightly, one hand cradling his head as he buried his head in your neck. You stayed still, trying to be his anchor when his world was falling apart right in your arms. You could feel his tears slide down your chest from your neck, you rubbed his back in order to console him. After a while his sobs subsided but his hold on you remained tight, not too much to hurt but enough to remind you of their presence on your body, firm enough to know you won't disappear. He pulled away from you, his movements abrupt as if someone had just poured a bucket of ice water on him in the middle of the winter. He took a few steps back, hands grasping the door of his car. He looked at you.

"What are you doing here?" His eyes glassy as he questioned you, his gaze fell behind your figure to see if there's anyone else. You took a few deep breaths to calm yourself, ears ringing and eyes sensitive, "are you okay?" You saw his bottom lip quiver at your words, his shoulders slumping as if everything around him was weighing him down. "You should be inside, enjoying your night-" "I should. But I couldn't stay when I saw you walk out." The grip he had on the car's door wavered and he let his hand fall. "Why?" He questioned, eyes hazy as steps drifting closer, his hand lifting up to your face, "you seemed to be enjoying yourself on the dance floor though..." he mumbled as he swiped his thumb against the corner of your mouth, hand trembling slightly, "what do you mean?" Your breath shuddered, one hand clasping around his jacket.

"Your lipstick smudged a little," his gaze locked into your lips, "there, all good." You exhaled the breath you were holding when he stepped back, his thumb stained with the lipstick he removed from the corner of your mouth. He turned towards the car and you grabbed his shoulder to hold him back, "Jay, it isn't what it looked like." He faced you, tongue poking inside of his cheek as he scoffed softly, "doesn't matter to me, it's your life anyway," he opened the door and you stepped forward, the hand grabbing his shoulder moving up to rest softly against his face, "don't shut off, you always do this when you're stressed," your thumb brushed against his cheek, wiping the tears that had fell, "and it hurts to watch you lock everything inside you like you're alone in this. Lean on me, talk to me, just don't shut yourself out."

He observed you for a while, unable to find any words that would contradict yours. His eyes fell upon the people coming out of Ava's house and he held your hand, tugging you towards the passenger's seat and quickly running back towards the driver's seat, "I don't want people to misunderstand us, let's talk somewhere else." You turned around in your seat to look at people leaving the party, "you're right..." he looked at you before watching the people through his rearview mirror, "yeah." He started driving, and you couldn't tell where exactly he was trying to take you. He pulled up in an empty parking lot, got out and opened your door for you. He locked the car door and made his way towards the curb and sat on it, hands in his head as he took deep breaths to calm himself.

You slowly made your way towards him, giving him time to calm himself, you sat down beside him, not too far, nor too close. You removed your heels, feet aching with all the running, you put them beside you, hands instinctively holding your ankle to massage it a bit as you waited for Jay to say something. "Are they hurting that bad?" Your eyes found his face but his hands were focused on your leg, you stopped your movements, folding your arms on your knees, "tell me what happened." His eyes finally met yours and he sighed, "we had a fight, and I walked out." You put your head on your knees as you nodded at his words, "I don't like big parties, I'm allergic to chocolate, she knew about this, I wrote those things in the letters I sent back to her and she's trying to make me the crazy one for not appreciating her efforts."

"Jay," you started even though you had no idea what to say. "I don't get it anymore," he sighed as he run his hand through his hair, "those letters mean the world to me, gave me the strength when I almost gave up, they talked about me, not the popular guitarist of HYPHENIX, those letters understood my silences and that's why I fell, that's why I thought I could have something real with Ava." You watch him unravel in front of you and you swallow back the burning feeling igniting in your stomach at his words, "maybe she never expected you to hold those letters so dearly, Jay." He looked at his eyes darkening as the possibility of your words being true settled inside him, "how could I not hold those letters close? They were the foundation of our relationship, the Ava who wrote those letters saw through me when everyone else just expected me to be perfect."

You smiled softly looking down at your hands at his words, "maybe you're trying to hold onto a version of her which only existed in those letters, sometimes people portray a version of themselves which they can't live up to, which leads to disappointment and heartbreak." He nodded at your words feeling confused yet understood, "maybe I am but is that my fault? For believing in it?" You shook your head at its words, laughing slightly, "It's not your fault for believing, its hers for not living up to it, sometimes it's easier to pretend especially if the words are wrapped in kind and comforting words inside an envelope."

"But her kind and comforting words were the exact reason why I fell for her, but now when I try to connect with her, she diverts the topic like it isn't a big deal. For her spotlight is everything, she always gushes about it, but when she wrote me those letters, she never once mentioned about my popularity, her letters rather focused on my musicality," you nodded your head as if you don't remember every single thing you wrote on those letters, like it doesn't hurt to watch him going through so much pain when all you wanted was for him to be happy, "maybe she doesn't know you the way you thought she would. Maybe she wasn't as serious about those letters as you were."

He turned his body towards you fully, eyes narrowing deep in thought, "no one can notice things that deep if they aren't serious about it," you play with the bracelet in your hand nervously, "how am I supposed to find a solution to this?" He sighed as he buried his head on his hands, you contemplated to reach out to him but you did it anyway, your hand slide up to run your finger through his hair, he didn't stop you, "don't force yourself to be somewhere you don't belong, if you feel she's not the person you fell in love with then it's better to break things up." He lifted his head enough to look at you, "It's not that easy," you let your hand fall on your lap, sighing deeply you muttered something which always lingered at the back of your mind, "Jay, don’t build your entire world around someone who can’t hold it for you."

Your eyes fell upon the stars that shone brightly above you, and his eyes were focused on you as those words left his mouth, "I think I might confront her about this whole situation, I really don't like how things are going in between us, we always fight and pretend in front of others that everything is fine. I don't like it." Your mind drifted far off as you watched the night sky, feeling exhausted at the events that unfolded today. You thought Ava would take notice of basic things and at least pretend to care for Jay, but it was clear that all she wanted was popularity rather than a companion. You blame yourself for supporting her reckless choices cause now you're doubting every single thing you did that led you to this moment.

Your lips twitched in discomfort, you knew watching Ava in Jay's arms would be hard but watching him break down in front of you because of her was harder. You wanted to tell him he deserved the kind of love he hoped he'd get from Ava, that it's not wrong to fall for someone and be disappointed when their actions wouldn't match their words. But how would they match when both of you were two different people? You cursed internally, taking a deep breath, if only she never lied, if only you never supported her. God you hated her so much for complicating things. "Jay," his name left your mouth like a confession, he hummed, eyes still trained on your face, "I don't like your girlfriend."

Sunghoon checked the time on his phone, squinting slightly as the sun was up, he knocked on the door, stepped a few steps back and waited, "oh! You're here!" He heard the person at the door say, leaning his weight on one of his legs, eyes glued to his phone as he scrolled to instagram. He barely hummed in response, finally looking up, "Where are the gifts?" Ava's smile dropped at his dull tone, "well good morning to you too," she said, rolling her eyes and stepping aside to make way for him. Sunghoon wordlessly put his phone inside his jeans pocket, entering the same house he was in yesterday night, he looked at the surroundings. The house was yet to be cleaned fully, "I'll call some cleaners to help you with the cleaning-" his words were cut off when Ava grabbed his arms, "no, I've got this, though thank you for offering your help, you're such a gentleman Hoon."

Sunghoon gulped, removing her hands from his arm, "it's Sunghoon for you." Ava frowned at his words, pout forming on her face as she glared at him, "but you let her call you Hoon though." He sighed, looking anywhere but her face, "she is allowed to call me that. I allowed her to call me that. I don't recall asking you to call me Hoon." She stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and Sunghoon stepped back, "you should be close to me not her, I'm your best friend's girlfriend!" He exhaled deeply, already regretting coming to her house, "exactly, my best friend's girlfriend, and your association with Jay doesn't define if you'll get close to me or not, it's actually based on how you are as a person."

Ava scoffed, flicking her hair back as if she couldn't grasp the concept, "she's not even that fun, doesn't do parties, isn't popular, has nothing special about her, she's not interesting....I don't know why you pay so much attention to her!" Sunghoon looked at her, boredom laced on his face but his eyes showed the quiet furry he felt within, "well at least she doesn't back-bitch about her best friend! Maybe we like her better because she's a better person than you'll ever be Avalyn." She flinched at his harsh tone, footsteps retreating, "Sunghoon....don't get close to her please." He scoffed at her, eyes trained on the main door then towards the huge cardboard box placed in the corner labelled 'Jay's gift', "you greedy woman, you're dating my best friend yet you're trying to continue to hit on me?"

He took a few steps towards her, and she backed off, suddenly trembling under his intense gaze, "isn't he enough for you? I thought you stopped being a fucking whore and finally came to your senses, guess I was wrong, huh?" She fell down on the chair behind her, eyes shut closed as Sunghoon's words rang in her ears, "you kept on harassing me to sleep with you, even after I clearly declined, then suddenly my best friend introduced you as his girlfriend to me, you think I'm stupid?" Her lips trembled as she looked up at him, eyes glossy but he continued, "and I know your games Ava, you think I believed you when you said you wrote those letters for Jay? I don't think your pea-sized brain could even comprehend a single sentence written on it. I'm entertaining you just because I care too much about Jay and his feelings to hurt him bluntly by the truth."

"Sunghoon, please don't tell him, I beg you. I really love Jay, I'll take care of him well..." His hand slammed against the wall near him, "you're dating him for quite some time and yet you don't know what things he likes and dislikes and you're telling me you'll take care of him?" Tears fell from her eyes, hands shaking at the possibility of her truth being exposed, "Sunghoon, I'll be a good girlfriend, I'll keep him happy, please I beg you." He just looked at her, walking towards the gift box and picking it up in his arms, "you still try to hit on me subtly and say you'll be a good girlfriend? You think I don't notice your advances? Don't notice how whenever me and your best friend are close you take her away from me? You can't even be a good friend Ava, how will you ever be a good girlfriend? You're just a selfish bitch who only thinks about herself."

Sunghoon turned around towards the door, taking a few long strides to reach his car, he put the gift box in the backseat and shut the door of his car. He opened the door of the driver's seat when Ava grabbed his hand, and turned to face her, "I can ruin your friendship if I want, you know?" She spoke through gritted teeth, hands now clenched in fist by her side, "you think Jay would be by your side if I tell him you tried to take advantage of me?"

Sunghoon blinked at her once, twice, then laughed loud and full, straight from his chest as he threw his head back. He grabbed the hood of his car to keep his balance. He wiped the tears that escaped his eyes as he calmed himself, "I wanted to say something hurtful but your words just made me realize how pitiful you are," Ava frowned at his words, "maybe if you weren’t so selfish and actually knew how to keep real friends, you wouldn't be so quick to throw out threats like this. But go ahead and see if he believes that over someone who has known him better than you ever will." He turned around, sliding into his driver's seat and driving off without giving her a single chance to speak.

Sunghoon parked his car in Jay's parking place, taking notice of Jay's car being parked in its usual spot. He picked up the gift box and made his way towards the main door. He kicked his door, flinching slightly as the door was unlocked so it slammed against the wall. The sound woke Jay up from where he was curled up on his couch in the living room, "what the fuck is up with you?" Jay mumbled although he wanted to lecture his friend about guest etiquette. "Ah close the door for me yeah? As you can see my lord, my hands are full." Sunghoon took off his shoes and invited himself into his best friend's house, keeping his gift box on the coffee table and jumping to sit on the couch.

"Since you weren't replying to your girl, she asked me to pick up your gifts from her house," Sunghoon grumbled reminiscing about the texts after texts he got from Ava which forced him to go and get Jay's gift. Jay just shrugged, still half asleep, rubbing his eyes as he approached Sunghoon, "did you atleast eat something?" Jay nodded at his friend's words, "yeah, I woke up, got fresh, made breakfast and ate it, washed the dishes, then slept again." Jay slumped beside Sunghoon, yawning. "Wow, I expected more sulking and less functioning adult energy from you."

Jay rolled his eyes, sitting up straight to open the box, "why did she call you? Could've waited for me to reply to her back..." Sunghoon looked at Jay, his mind drifting back to Ava's house, "she said her parent's will be home tonight, she needed to get rid of everything before they arrive," Jay nodded, remembering Ava telling him about her parents being very strict about everything. He remembered her telling him that you are her only friend whom her parents trust. "I'll get going, I am having some issues with my keyboard, I'll have it checked." Jay bid him goodbye and made his way back inside the house to open up the gift box.

He took off the gifts inside the box one by one, placing them neatly on the ground or on the coffee table as he emptied the box and folded it to throw it in the trash bin at the back of his house. He folded the cardboard box and made his way towards his backyard, he placed the box near the trash bin and started making his way back towards the house. His footsteps halted when he saw an envelope fallen near the backdoor of his house. He crouched down to pick it up, turning it around to inspect it carefully, 'Dear, Jay.' it read.

His eyebrow furrowed while looking at the envelope, a sense of familiarity growing within his heart as he read the label of the envelope. The handwriting, a huge smile etched upon his face at the familiar scribble of words, though in the letters he received the writer used to call his name a bit differently, he found himself feeling relieved. He made his way inside his room, rummaging through his closet to take out the box where he kept all the letters together. He took out one random letter to compare the handwriting, praying continuously for it to be the same. It had been a while since he saw the handwriting and he laughed at himself for being so excited over a trivial thing.

He grabbed his phone, when he found the handwriting matched, grinning happily even before opening the envelope to see what's inside. After a few rings Ava picked up the phone, her voice shaky as he finally called her back after being ignored for a whole night, "Jay, I'm sorry for yesterday baby, please don't be mad at me, I love you so much." He smiled at her, eyes focused upon the envelope on his hand, "It's okay Ava, I love you too, I just got your gift, thank you so much, baby. You made me so happy you have no idea." She laughed at his excited tone, breathing in relief that Sunghoon didn't share anything with him about what happened at her house, "you loved your gift?" She asked, her voice relaxed now, "yes I did."

"Thank god, Jay. I was stressed if you'd love it or not, I mean it took me days to find that limited edition watch, I'm so glad you loved it. Don't forget to wear it when you come to meet me, okay?" Jay's smile flattered as he focused on Ava's words then back at the envelope in his hand, a watch? His brows twitching in confusion, "did you attach anything else with your gift Ava?" He questioned, inspecting the envelope as if it would answer his questions, "umm just a bow." Jay hummed, his heartbeat frantic, "okay baby, I'll meet you soon." "See you." He hung up the phone, scoffing at himself as he laid back on his bed, the letters and envelope still spread near his legs. He picked up the envelope, sighing as he looked at it.

He dialed Ava's number again, mind swirling with thoughts waiting for her to pick up, "Jay? Did you forget something?" He sighed, putting the phone on speaker and keeping the letters back inside the box, "umm," he wondered, an idea popping in his head, "be ready in 2 hours, wanna spoil you a bit for giving me my birthday gift..." he could hear the excited squeal left leaving from her mouth, "why? You didn't have to, what do you want me to wear?" He chuckled, "wear anything, you look pretty anyway." He hung up the phone before she could speak further.

Jay was getting ready to pick Ava when his phone rang, the called ID showing 'Dikeu' in bold, he chuckled looking at the contact name for Jake, realizing Sunghoon must've changed it when he wasn't looking at his phone, "I'm free, wanna hangout?" Jay's eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated on the soft background music playing, "since when did your music taste change?" He could hear Jake chuckle as he turned the music off, "nah, the song is good, but I wasn't the one playing that..." Jay's heartbeat quickened, "who were you with?" Jake blinked once before your name left his lips.

"Oh what was she doing with you?" Jake pouted on the other end of the phone as if Jay could see him, "you aren't even interested in me anymore?" Jay groaned and a chuckle left Jake's mouth, "I dropped her home, our classes ended at the same time. Are you gonna tell me if you're free to hangout or not?" Jay rubbed his temple but replied nonetheless, "I've a date with Ava, I can't hangout today," Jake hummed, thinking on who to irritate next now that Jay was busy, "okay, I'll irritate someone else then!"

Jay leaned on his car as he waited for Ava to come out of her house, "Jay!" He lifted his head, eyes taking in her short satin dress that fit her body perfectly, she smiled at him, one hand stretched out for him to take, he held her hand, pulling her closer to give a quick kiss on her cheek, he guided her towards the passenger's seat and made himself comfortable on the driver's seat. The engine hummed beneath them as Jay scrolled through his playlist. When he found the song, he pressed play and Lee Hi’s Breathe poured softly into the car’s hush. He gave a quick glance towards Ava who didn't even utter a single word about his choice of the song.

"You wanna change the music or is this song fine?" She nodded at him, before he watched her lean towards the screen to play another, more upbeat song, "We are going on a date, I don't think dull songs like that match the vibe." Jay's eyebrows twitched but he didn't press further, just hummed in response and started driving off. After a while, "Jay," Ava called softly as she looked at him, he signaled her to continue, his eyes trained on the road, "I shouldn't have argued with you yesterday, I'm sorry, it was your birthday I should've been more patient," Jay smiled at her, one hand clutching the wheel while other was placed on his own lap.

Ava looked at his expressions before continuing, "It's just that I was so angry, I had to do everything alone since your friends decided to exclude me, even my own best friend didn't tell me about the surprise party. I felt so betrayed, I tried my best but it all crumpled down when I accidentally ordered the wrong cake, I mean, people can make mistakes right? But still, I'm sorry for making you feel like you don't matter to me..." she trailed off realizing Jay had barely acknowledged the words that slipped her lips, "didn't you say that it was the bakery who made the mistake?" Her breath hitched as she clasped both her hands together on her lap, "Isn't that the same thing?" Jay didn't question her further.

He stopped his car near a high end restaurant, handing over his car keys to the valet, he slid his hand on Ava's waist to pull her close. The restaurant was beautiful, with high ceilings and open plan structure so one could enjoy the view of nature around it. Ava gasped, thrilled to be at such a place, she turned around, giving Jay a little kiss before she dragged him towards a spot she wanted to sit. He pulled a chair for her, then made himself comfortable. The waiter handed both of them the menu card and left, but as soon as Ava was about to discuss what she wanted to eat, he stopped her, his smile sickeningly sweet as he looked at her.

"I'll order for you," he said, leaning a bit towards the table, "I remember you writing about your favorite dishes in the letters, I want to be a good boyfriend and prove you that I remember all those things you wrote," Jay held her hand, softly rubbing circles at the back of her hand. She laughed awkwardly, nodding her head with way too much enthusiasm, he looked at her for a second too long, before dropping his gaze back on the menu, "since it's still day time, let's order tea first," He signaled the waiter to take the order, "two chamomile-lavender tea please," the waiter nodded asking if they needed anything else and Jay informed him he'll update further.

"Chamomile-......lavender tea?" Jay grinned at Ava's expressions, "yeah? I never tried drinking that combination but now that you're with me I thought why not? If in case I don't find it pleasing I can just pass it to you since you're so crazy about it." Ava's lips twitched but she managed to mask it behind a polite smile, swallowing a lump from her throat, "I hope you'll like," she trailed off, looking at the view, "I feel so refreshed after drinking it." Jay hummed clearly amused by her ability to still try her best at blending in, "refreshing? Didn't you say the bitterness of this combo helps you stay awake when coffee doesn't do it for you?" She pulled her hand out of his grip and clenched her hands tightly on her lap, "yeah that too."

"Here's your tea," the waiter placed the drinks on the table and Jay looked at Ava expectantly, she smiled at his direction, placing a trembling hand on the cup and take a sip, "I thought you'd be more enthusiastic about drinking it," Ava grimaced at the taste, but masked it with a semi-awkward smile which didn't even reach its full potential, "I am, just feeling tired from yesterday's party." He nodded solemnly at her words and urged her to continue drinking, smiling as he took a sip of the tea himself, "Ah it's too bitter for me," he pushed the tea towards Ava, "please finish this for me too baby." He could see color drain from her face but still acted oblivious, humming a song or complimenting the restaurant's architecture.

Ava finished both the tea, he grinned at her, kissing her hand and complimenting her, "I need to go to the bathroom, one second." He watched as Ava rushed off to the bathroom, leaning back on the chair and sighing. Ava came back, a bit breathless, Jay ordered the food and she sighed in relief that he ordered something she could eat without feeling like throwing up. "You okay baby? You don't look good," Ava sat on her chair, dabbing the sweat off her forehead with tissues, "Yeah, I don't know, I'm feeling suffocated suddenly," Jay watched her, nodding his head, "okay, let's get out of here then." He paid the bill and made their way towards the next destination he had in his mind.

"Baby what's this?" Ava wondered when he stopped the car in an unknown lane, getting out of the car and helping her with it. "You don't recognize? Didn't you say you loved this place?" Ava's heartbeat quickened, eyes wondering on numbers of small shops and stores lining up one after the other. Her eyes took in the surroundings, "haha, yeah. I remember this, it's just that I'm feeling so tired that my brain isn't working." Jay hummed, holding her hand and pulling her inside a bookstore hidden in between two large clothing shops. "It's okay, you said the smell of books calms you down, that's the reason I brought you here." She nodded wordlessly at his words, rubbing her nose slightly at the lavender candle lit at the entrance of the bookstore.

Ava panicked, realizing that Jay planned this whole date based on the letters written by his secret admirer. She could still feel her throat itching even after forcing herself to throw up the tea in the bathroom and if this thing continued she wasn't sure if she would be able to cover up. Jay made his way towards her, hand holding a couple of books which Ava didn't recognize and another holding a lavender scented candle. "Ava? You good baby?" Her nose itched, turning a bit red as she looked at Jay, clearly anxious, "Jay, it's getting late, shall we go back? I'm not feeling good at all, baby." He sighed, placing the candle back on the shelves and paying for the books before agreeing with Ava. She sighed in relief as they made their way back towards the car.

"Baby?" Ava hummed as she looked at the passing cars, "wanna hangout at my place before I drop you off at yours? We don't have to do anything, just cuddle, maybe drink some alcohol if you're up to it? Hm?" He glanced at her, before concentrating back on the road, "okay, sounds good to me." Jay smiled, extending his hand to give her hand a gentle squeeze. When they reached his house, he helped her remove her heels, taking her hand and guiding her towards his bedroom. Ava laughed, nudging Jay a little bit, "Wait here, I'll bring the drink." Ava sat on the bed, looking at his room, "open the sliding door, we'll drink outside, you'd love it."

Ava nodded, opening the door and helping Jay with the drinks. They were in the middle of drinking when the weather became gloomy, dark clouds spreading all throughout the sky, few drops of rain fell upon their clothes and Jay urged Ava to get inside. He bought the drinks and glasses inside, neatly putting the glasses on the sink. Till the time he returned from the kitchen, heavy downpour had blurred the word around them, and in the distance, thunder rolled low and slow. Ava flinched slightly, her hands clutching the comforter, "you okay baby?" She looked up, smiling slightly and he made his way towards her, eyes trained on the rain.

"Yes, just startled." Jay squinted his eyes at her, tilting his head, "thought you said you loved storms, why are you startled?" Ava shrugged, flinching again when lightning struck again, "why would I say that, I hate storms!" He crouched in front of her, his gaze hardening, "isn't that crazy? You said you loved the storms as it made you feel like you aren't the only one who is unraveling. I remember it clearly, you wrote about it, how they make you feel at peace." Ava froze, her eyes widening and body trembling under his fierce gaze, "I was just in a different headspace at that time."

"You always say that Ava, I was in a different headspace, I was feeling poetic, I didn't think you'd think so deeply of it, my opinion changed. It never ends!" Ava stood up, walking towards the bedroom door to create some distance in between them, "I was just trying my best to impress you because I love you, Jay. You're comparing me to a version of myself I curated just for you." Jay followed her, breath ragging, "are you sure that's the truth?" Ava paused, hesitating to say another word, "what do you mean?" she mumbled, leaning against the door.

"I just think, Avalyn," He taunted, voice low and dangerously calm, "I think you saw someone laying their heart bare, you saw how everyone noticed, you saw something genuine, which you could never be, and instead of respecting it like everyone else, you dressed yourself in someone else's devotion and had the audacity to call it yours!" He took a step closer, eyes burning through her, he slammed one hand on the door beside her head, "you saw someone bleed their love on the paper and got greedy. You never wanted love, just attention, and you didn’t care whose heart you had to break just to get what you wanted."

Ava looked at him, tears welling up in her eyes, she pushed Jay away, scoffing in disbelief, "you really think I would do something like that? After everything I've done for you? God! I knew this would happen, you just want a reason to get rid of me now that you're bored." Jay's jaw clenched at her words, "I'm sorry I didn't live up to your fantasy Jay, sorry that I couldn't talk in ink and metaphors for you." Jay pushed her against the door, eyes narrowing at her words, "it isn't about ink and metaphors, it's about the meaning behind them, you claimed those thoughts were yours, you silenced someone Avalyn, you banned someone from loving me the only way they knew how." Ava's jaw clenched but she kept quiet, unable to say anything in her defense with the way Jay was looking at her.

"Here's what you're going to do now Avalyn," he started, stepping back and glaring at her, his tone calm and calculated, "in few weeks it's your birthday, you're going to tell everyone there that you lied about those letters, and I'll tell them I don't hold any grudge against you so that we can both part ways without creating anymore mess." Ava's eyes widened at his words, all the things she did to gain the popularity wilting away in front of her eyes, "please Jay? Can't you give me a chance? We were doing fine, we can continue to do that. If the person who sent those letters to you loved you enough she would have exposed me long ago, but she didn't right? Please Jay, I beg you." Jay rubbed his temple, groaning as he threw his head back in frustration, "no, just do as I say, in a few weeks, at your birthday party, tell everyone the truth, and we're done for!"

You heave a sigh as you stand, leaning on one of the pillars of your university campus, looking at the downpour. It had been raining since yesterday night and hasn't stopped since then. Most of the students had either left the campus or found home in some corner or the university where they could wait till the downpour was light enough to travel through. You heard someone call your name, you turned slightly, smiling when you found Heeseung wave at you. "Done with your class?" You questioned, your eyes falling on your mobile screen to see if Ava responded to your texts or calls. "Yes, I wanted to go home but the rain is so heavy, you can't even see what's in front of you." You offered him a quick nod, eyes trained on the rainfall, but your mind drifted towards something else. Ava didn't attend any classes today, which was completely normal but what irked you most was her skipping the cheer practice. Her friends had stopped you to ask about her whereabouts and the only thing you could do was shrug in response.

"Yah, both of you," you jumped a little at the sudden voice, Heeseung chuckled before turning around to face his friend, Jake, "are you just going to stand there and watch the rain? Might as well come inside the music room and chill." You and Heeseung made your way inside the music room, you walked towards the window, dragging a chair with you, and sat on it, sighing. "I don't think the rain is going to stop anytime soon...." Sunghoon's voice trailed off as he spotted your figure sitting near the window as he walked inside the music room while talking to Jay. "Looks like someone loves rain way too much," Sunghoon smirked as he dragged a desk near your chair and sat on it, startling you in the process.

Jay quietly made his way towards the couch, slumping against it as he watched you interact with Sunghoon, a weird knot forming in his chest as he remembered you and Sunghoon sharing a kiss right in the middle of his birthday party. He kept wondering why he would feel so jealous in the first place, it wasn't like any of you were betraying him but he couldn't help but feel weirdly hurt whenever he saw both of you together. He was sure that if he kept on glaring at both of you with the same intensity then he'd actually be able to punch a hole in Sunghoon's face.

"Jay, did you bring your car?" Heeseung's voice brought him back to reality, his eyes looked around the room to see everyone already looking at him, he blinked a few times before nodding his head yes. Heeseung eyed him skeptically before nodding his head at his words, "so, Sunghoon, Jake and I slept over my house yesterday so we just took my car to come here," Jay nodded, hands playing with the ripped part of his jeans, "yeah so I need to take these two back to my house to retrieve their cars which is in complete opposite direction to where she lives," he pointed his index finger at you and you glared at him, "so will you drop her off?" Jay's eyes met yours, you smiled a little and he nodded, "ofcourse, I would. It shouldn't be a question."

And now you were sitting inside Jay's car as he pulled out of the university's campus. You leaned your head against the window, trying your best to not steal glances at Jay. You noticed he looked tired than usual, like he didn't get any sleep last night and with the way Ava had completely shut you out today, something must've happened between them again. You remember Jake texting you yesterday to ask if you were free to hangout, you had planned on deep cleaning your apartment that day so you declined and he told you Jay was busy taking Ava on date, you figured they mended the things between them but guess you were perhaps wrong.

You were busy with your thoughts when Jay's phone rang, he pulled his car aside and stopped, picking up the phone. You looked at him briefly as he was busy talking with someone on the phone. After sometime he hung up, giving you a side smile, "give me a few minutes, I just need to send this location to my cousin." You nodded, taking out your own phone to scroll through instagram when a loud thunder roared through the sky, your eyes widened at the sound, "damn, that was loud," you couldn't help but say as you leaned towards the windshield to look at the sky. Jay looked at you, surprised as you finally spoke something. "Scared of storms?" He questioned, giving you a quick glance before resuming his task, "no, I'm not. Just amazed by the intensity."

He locked his phone screen, throwing it somewhere in the compartment, the sound of thunder immediately sent his brain in a flashback mode, his mind drifting to the events that unfolded the previous night. He then turned his eyes on your figure which was still leaning towards the windshield, hands placed on the glass to wipe the condensation and see the view clearly. "You seem quite fascinated by the view," he couldn't help but chuckle at your wonder-like expressions, "oh I love storms, it brings me peace! I could sit and observe it all day!" Jay's smile flattered at your words, chest tightening at the familiarity of the words. He quickly swallowed the tension building in his throat and started driving towards your apartment.

You reached your apartment building, the thunder still loud above you, even the trees hazardly swayed left and right, and you could barely manage to stand still without struggling a bit against the wind. You knocked on the window of Jay's car and waited for him to roll it down. "I think it will be better if you wait for the weather to calm down a bit," you suggested. He shook his head, turning around his seat to look at the scenario out of the parking space of your building, "I think I can manage-" His words got cut off when a large tree branch flew past both of your line of vision, ripped from the tree like it was nothing, "yeah I think I can wait for a little bit." You smiled at him, stepping back and moving towards the elevator to press your floor button. Jay joined you inside the elevator and you sighed waiting for it to reach your floor.

"Would you like something to drink? Tea? Hot Coffee?" Jay paused to think, fingers tapping against his chin in deep thought as he sat on your couch, "what type of tea do you have?" You smiled bashfully, leaning against your kitchen door, "Mr. Park, what type would you like to drink? Your wish would be my command." He laughed at your words, "do you have chamomile tea?" You nodded your head in enthusiasm which Jay couldn't help but reciprocate, "I have all the types of tea, I sort of have a weird fixation on it." He smirked, getting up from the couch and following you inside the kitchen. He leaned against the kitchen counter, humming softly as he watched you gather the ingredients to make the tea. "Wow, you indeed have a crazy collection of tea."

You grinned back at him, opening the cabinet wider for him to get a better look, he stepped closer, hands raking his fingers through the jars. "Damn, you could open a tea stall," you solemnly nodded as if actually considering his suggestion. "What tea is your favorite? Taking a look at the jars I would say..." he trailed off, looking through the jars, "black, chamomile and lavender tea are your top picks." You gave him a thumbs up, taking the chamomile tea's jar off the cabinet and shutting it close. He made himself comfortable on the chair against the kitchen counter as he watched you make the tea, comfortable silence settled between them, the only sound being gentle clatter of cups, and soft bubbling of the water.

You poured the tea into two cups and slide one in front of him as you sat beside him, he smelled the tea, "oh it smells calming..." you grinned, taking a whiff of the tea yourself, "the weather is so beautiful, and the chamomile tea just made it more perfect, but do you want honey added into yours? I like to drink it bitter, I have to submit an essay tomorrow so I need to stay awake..." you mindlessly trailed off searching the cabinets for the bottle of honey, not realizing the weight of your words, mind temporarily forgetting about you mentioning about it in one of the letters. Jay felt a sense of deja vu take over inside him yet again but before he could say a single word to you the doorbell rang.

You put the bottle of honey in front of him, wondering who would visit you at this time. You made your way towards the living room and looked at the window at the end of the hallway, the weather had calmed down significantly. You opened the door, swinging it open to see Ava standing in front of you, she huffed a breath, "I've been ringing your doorbell since forever," she rolled her eyes, stepping forward and pushing your figure aside slightly since you didn't move an inch. "I've been trying to reach you since last night and you ignored me, and now you randomly showed up at my apartment without replying or calling me back?" You complained as you followed her figure back into your living room.

"Do I need to always inform you about my whereabouts or something?" She hissed, sitting on your couch rather harshly, "my mood is so off, my life is about to turn upside down and you only care about me ghosting you?" You crossed your arms over your chest, leaning your weight on one of your legs, "well yes since I texted and called you to ask about those exact things Ava!" You saw Jay slowly making his way towards the living room from your peripheral vision, he stood just near the kitchen door, Ava's back against his. "You should have tried harder to reach me, you could've skipped classes and visited me home, I even missed my cheer practice for God's sake!" You nervously glanced at Jay before speaking, "you know I had an important exam today, I told you about it ages ago, and it was raining so heavily how do you expect me to visit you?"

"I don't care, you should be beside me when I shut you out, shouldn't you as my best friend seek me when I pull away from everyone?" She complained, hands pulling at her head. "Well she tried reaching out to you through texts and calls, what more do you want her to do when there's a storm going on and she doesn't have any vehicle?" Ava sat up straight, eyes going wide as Jay stood beside you, "Jay? What are you doing here?" Her gaze travelled in between you and him, wondering how he had time to be at your apartment when he didn't reply to even a single text from her. "That shouldn't be your main focus, is this how you always talk with her?" You grabbed his arm when he stepped closer to her, his jaw clenched, Ava's gaze landed on your hand on Jay's arm, you released your hold when he stopped his steps.

"Answer me!" You flinched at the tone of his voice, Ava swallowed, clenching her fist tightly, "no, I'm not thinking straight and wanted to seek solace in my best friend especially after what happened last night!" Jay scoffed, pinching his nose in annoyance, "this isn't how you seek solace in someone..." Ava slammed her head against the back of the couch, clearly not prepared for Jay's interrogation, "I'm sorry, what are you doing here anyway?" Jay shrugged, turning towards you, "I think I should get going, the weather is calm enough for me to drive back, thanks for the tea." You nodded at him, bidding him goodbye and closing the door behind him, confusion etched upon your face.

"How come my boyfriend was in your apartment?" You turned around to look at Ava who was already on her feet, making her way towards the kitchen. You followed her to find her standing near the kitchen counter, taking a sip of tea from your cup. She instantly spit it out in the sink, throwing the rest of the tea along with it. "I didn't even take a single sip!" You groaned as you approached her, "since when do you drink this shit?" You squint your eyes at her words, her face contouring into that of a grimace, "what do you mean since when? You should know I prefer drinking tea to calm myself." Ava stopped midway, your words dawning heavy on her shoulder as she remembered what Jay said about drinking chamomile-lavender tea. She shook her head, making her way back into your living room.

"What happened to you anyway? Are you guys fighting or something? He didn't even say goodbye to you," you sat beside her, keeping your head on the back of the couch. "He found out I didn't write those letters..." she trailed off, her fingernails digging at her skin, "what?" You straightened up, eyes going wide at the realization, "how?" She scoffed, slumping against the armrest, "I didn't even get to bask in my popularity that much, how am I supposed to explain this to my other friends and cheer team?" You rubbed your temple, feeling anxious, "is that what you're worried about?" Ava rolled her eyes, "he wants me to confess about lying in my birthday party."

"What?" Ava sat up, looking straight into your eyes, no guilt about what she did, "he said something about confessing that I lied and then he wouldn't make a big deal out of this and then we can part ways," you looked at her for a moment, taking in all the things she dumped into you in a span of 5 minutes, "I warned you about this, but you didn't listen, just apologize to him, tell him you want to silently part ways, maybe if you look sorry enough he'll forgive you." She threw her hand in the air, "no he won't make this any easier, he was quite angry." You sighed, "well of course he is, you literally lied your way into the relationship, he must be feeling so betrayed and hurt, I told you not to do that, why do you have to be so selfish Ava?"

"Oh you two seem to be so deeply connected with each other to always defend each other's feelings in front of me, who's best friend are you? Try to think of something!" You shook your head at her, completely declining to be the one to help her after what she did, "you are going to do what he said, that's the only way you can get him to forgive you." She groaned, slamming her head against the armrest in frustration, "you aren't helping me with this," she got up, gathering all of her belongings and slamming the door shut behind her when she left. You thought about reaching out to Jay, your fingers hovering just long enough to feel the weight of the choice. But doubt slipped in quietly. What if he thought less of you too? What if saying it out loud only pushed him further away? You didn’t have the answers and maybe, deep down, you weren’t sure you were ready to hear them from him.

You were sitting on the bleachers, the court empty aside from a few students lounging around the area, "why do I always find you as if you're in mid-philosophical mental breakdown?" You tilt your head upward, removing the headphones from your ears, "I don't know Heeseung, you tell me." You saw him playfully roll his eyes as he sat down next to you. Jay, Jake and Sunghoon join right after with Jay sitting on your other side, Jake and Sunghoon sitting in front of you. "Why are you guys here anyway? Don't you guys have practice or something?" Jake gasped, an offended expression forming on his face, "why do you hate us so much? Are we not cool enough to hang out with you?"

"Stop with that 'too cool for you to hangout with' joke, you're stretching it so far up it's gonna explode," Sunghoon laughed at your expressions, "I did not think of you as a violent type pretty." You opened your mouth to retaliate but nothing came out, you just looked at him, trying to ease the rapid beating of your heart after hearing him call you pretty. After the kiss, Sunghoon didn't pressure you to explain anything to him, didn’t even ignore you but he stopped calling you pretty, your own name sounding so foreign when it left his mouth, you thought with time you'd get used to it but there he was, once again with that silly smirk of his, calling you pretty.

"Oh how blessed do we have to be to find HYPHENIX sitting here!" All of your head turned towards the voice, the captain of the cheer team, Gyuri smiled, behind her stood Ava along with a few other members of the cheer squad. "We were just leaving," Jake announced, already standing up, "why would you do that? Ava, does your boyfriend's friend hate us?" She pouted, eyes trained on Jake who just rolled his eyes in annoyance, a complete 180° from how he teased you a few minutes ago. You wondered if both of them had any history, Sunghoon didn't even glance at them after initially looking to see who called their name, Heeseung pretended to be busy on his phone. "It's not like that Gyuri," Ava mumbled looking down.

Gyuri scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest, "It's Ava's birthday next week, I'm pretty sure I'll meet all of you there, right? It's going to be so much fun, everyone's going to be there." Jay nodded, not really looking towards Ava or even trying to have any sort of interaction with her, Gyuri noticed, she turned her head towards Ava, "did you two fight or something, you guys were fine just a few weeks ago!" Ava smiled awkwardly, making her way towards Jay, sitting beside him and leaning against his arm, "it's lovers quarrel, nothing we can't work upon." Gyuri looked at her skeptically before shrugging off and turning around and leaving.

Other three boys exchanged a look, clearly sensing the tension between Jay and Ava, they looked at you and you just smiled, clutching your notebook hard in your hands, they didn't press further. "What are you guys up to?" Ava questioned, her eyes trailing towards a few students who were looking in her direction as she sat with you and the boys, "nothing, just hanging around," Jake shrugged taking a seat. Eventually Ava sat awkwardly beside Sunghoon, and right in front of Jay after realizing he didn't tell his friends about them. She watched as Jay refused to acknowledge her presence at all and Jake and Heeseung exchanged glances at each other from time to time.

You were somehow also ignoring her presence, focusing on the reels on your phone rather than starting a conversation and Ava thinks it's maybe because she rudely left your apartment a week back and you haven't reached out to her after that. "You were going to send me a video of the recipe you saved to make that tea, you haven't sent it to me yet." Jay spoke, nudging your shoulder with his and you gave him an apologetic smile before copying the link of the video and sending it to him. Ava's eyes watched you both like a hawk, eyes narrowing at the newfound closeness in between you two. She gulped, feeling as if the perfect world she tried so hard to build was crumbling down the more she tried to save it.

"Oh shit, I forgot I had a seminar to attend, I should get going," you hurriedly zipped your bag and checked the time, cursing under your breath and running off towards the hall where the seminar would take place. "Oh she dropped her notebook," Sunghoon leaned down the grab the notebook which fell down from your lap, dusting it off, he opened the first page to look, "Give it to me, I'll pass it to her," Sunghoon turned his head towards Ava, eyes sharp and unmoving as he passed your notebook towards Jay instead. Ava sighed, eyebrows twitching at everyone's distant behavior, sure they took less liking for her somehow, even Heeseung and Jake, just acknowledged her as their bandmate's girlfriend but somehow each of them had soften themselves for you and she didn't like how you were getting more attention than she could.

"You're sure everything is alright between you two?" Gyuri questioned Ava as they stood in the locker room changing their clothes after finishing practicing, Ava gulped not maintaining eye contact with her caption as she hurried to put her things inside the bag, "you know you're only in the cheer squad because of Jay right? Since you bought so much attention towards our team after your whole secret admirer agenda?" Ava nodded, zipping up her bag, Gyuri held her shoulder, forcing Ava to face her, "try to mend things in between you both, if you were good enough with your talent alone, you wouldn’t have to enter the team through popularity, I hope you remember all the times you got rejected by different people from the team okay? But now that you finally made it into the team, try to maintain your spot."

"Yes, we are doing fine, Gyuri, we just need a little bit of space, that's it. Everything will go back to normal." Gyuri gave her a skeptical looks, not buying her reasoning at all, "you used to write all those letters to him which made him turn from icy to soft, he looked so smitten by you initially, I don't know what you did, but try to handle it properly, don't be a disappointment, I already get yelled at by our coach for allowing you in the team with the amount of mistakes you do, but I let him drag me since I know you bring attention to the team, don't do anything stupid to further taint my name, Ava." Ava sighed, leaning her head on the locker after Gyuri left. There was so much pressure on her head, she didn't know how she would even handle that.

Ava left the locker room, her feet dragging towards the main gate of the university. Her steps halted as she saw you standing few feet apart from her, you gaze trained on your phone as you sat on the stairs by the entrance of the university's building. She contemplated reaching out to you, her texts and calls left unattended since weeks, you wouldn't entertain her now, but this wasn't the time to whine over things like that, she needed your help to get out of the mess she had made, just like how you always did. Ava took a deep breath, deciding that apologizing to you and asking for your help would be the best case scenario for now, she could always deal with your attitude problem after this mess is solved. She took a step towards you but stopped when she spot Jay walking out of the music room, guitar case hanging off his shoulder and eyes turning ever so soft as they landed on you.

"I didn't think you'd still be here, your classes ended early today," He said, dropping his guitar case gently beside him, his voice casual but his eyes said otherwise. You hummed, smirking at him, "oh so you keep a tab on my schedule now?" Jay shrugged, smiling too wide for someone just having a casual conversation with a friend, "I need to look after you." You squint your eyes at him, elbowing his stomach, "I don't need anyone to look after me," Jay groaned as if your little nudge to his stomach actually hurt, "I know you don't need to be looked after, but I want to." He scooted closer to you, elbows pressing together, knees touching, you didn't move away. "Why do you always do that?" Jay questioned after sometime, "do what?" He reached up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear, thumb rubbing against your earlobe a little too long.

"You never properly hold eye contact with me." You blinked, caught off guard by his observation, Jay's gaze softened like he wanted to ask something more than that, you didn't notice the way Jay looked at you but Ava did. She stood there frozen, clutching her phone in her hand tightly, she noticed everything, the way Jay would always listen to your words attentively, how he had this soft smile on his face whenever he talked with you, how his eyes always found you despite being surrounded by a large crowd, Ava noticed everything. And as you packed your things and Jay snatched the bag from your hand and carried it on his shoulder instead, as you both walked off towards Jay's car blissfully unaware of Ava's presence, she realized, in that moment, that you weren't invisible anymore. And she hated it.

Your eyes were trained on the birthday invite sent by Ava on your phone. You both haven't talked with each other after she stormed out of your apartment, it wasn't the first time she did that, neither will it be the last time but you were done trying to save your friendship. You always apologize for things you didn't do just to protect your friendship but you couldn't let her do that repeatedly, you were done with her toxicity. But still your mind keeps on drifting towards how she'll manage to confess about her lying, if she'll be able to handle people throwing taunts at her. You didn't have to, but you felt bad for her. You looked at the following text she sent after sending the invite, 'I know we aren't on good terms but your presence would mean so much to me, especially for what I am going to do today, I will think of it as a last birthday gift from you.' You sighed, locking your phone and stood up to get ready for the party.

"Wow she really went all out for the party," Jake chuckled in amusement after he reached Ava's house, "I know right, I heard she invited more than half of the campus..." Heeseung trailed off, Sunghoon looked at Jay who had his jaw clenched as he looked at the scene in front of him, "you good bro?" Jay tore his eyes from the house and looked at Sunghoon, "It's weird, why would she invite so many people to a party where she's going to announce our breakup?" A loud gasp escaped Jake's mouth, "she's going to announce about your breakup?" Jay nodded looking at them, "she lied about those letters, they were never written by her."

"What? How did you even find that out?" Jay sighed watching his friends look at him with worried eyes, "I always felt disconnected from her, I started questioning her more about the letters but it would end up with us fighting and long story short, she confessed about her lies. I told her to tell everyone about her lies on her birthday when everyone will be present there and I will make sure no one will harass her over it and that we could part ways in peace after that." Heeseung nodded, still a bit shocked at how everything turned out, "if that's the case then it is indeed weird for her to go all out with the party."

"Let's just hope she isn't trying to pull any new stunts then," Sunghoon huffed looking at his friends, hands resting on his hips, "if she can steal someone else's identity for her greed, let's not think she is incapable of doing something mundane again." Rest of them nodded their heads, exchanging a look of wariness before making their way inside the house. Sunghoon stopped Jay from going away, one hand clutching his friend's shoulder, "Jay, I never got good vibes from Ava, don't let her get inside your head, be prepared for whatever okay? She's crazy enough. All you need is to look at me and I'll be there to help you." Jay smiled, nodding his head and assuring Sunghoon.

The party was in full swing, people were dancing around, some were already passed out on the couch, each corner of the house was crammed with people. The room smelled like sweat, alcohol and too many perfumes. Whenever you tried to move, your shoulders would brush against someone. The lights were dim but somehow harsh enough to make you squint. You had previously spotted Ava talking with her cheer squad, and called her aside to greet, give her the gift and go back into your apartment, but she stopped you, requesting you to wait since someone else called her name. Now you were standing beside the alcohol section, near the entrance of her house, waiting for an opportunity to find her alone and get done with it.

"Pretty," you didn't need to turn around to see who called you, his presence, his voice, the way you could feel his body heat on your back was enough for you to confirm who it was, "you're waiting for someone?" You nodded your head but didn't make any effort to change your position, eyes still trained on Ava who was now in the middle of celebrating her birthday. Jay stood beside her, his expressions hard as she cut her cake. She offered the piece of cake to Jay to which he just took it from her hand and fed her instead. The crowd cheered, their screams almost overpowering the music blasting through the speakers.

Then Ava signaled the DJ to pause the music, and the crowd quieted down, everyone gathered around Ava, who stood on the mini-stage along with Jay and some of her friends from the cheer team. Your heartbeat quickened but you felt a gentle squeeze on your shoulder, you looked up and Sunghoon gave you yet another squeeze of reassurance, you smiled at his gesture, a silent thank you, then you trained your eyes back on Ava, who was now looking at everyone with an anxious expression on her face as she announced she wanted to confess something to everyone. You swallowed, crossing your arms across your chest as you waited for her to continue. Jay stood beside her, eyes dark and intense but they softened slightly as he looked at you, your smile was enough to tell him you knew what was going to happen and he heaved a sigh, waiting for Ava to start speaking again.

"Thank you so much for attending my birthday and making it so much special for me," Ava smiled looking at everyone, "I am sure I won't be able to forget this birthday ever." Choruses of oohhs and aahhs spread all throughout the house, Ava shook her head, "I just want to confess something to you guys.....I've been holding it in for a while now." Everyone looked at each other, waiting for Ava to elaborate further, you watched as she looked back at Jay for a minute before her gaze turned back towards the crowd. You held your breath, anxious feelings creeping up on you as you waited for her to continue. "Everything is alright Ava?" Gyuri came forward, the rest of the crowd humming in agreement. She smiled at her, nodding her head, "I will be Gyuri." Sunghoon scoffed at her words as he leaned down towards you, "Oscar season came early huh?" You shivered as his breath hit your ears, a chuckle left his mouth watching her act.

"I feel like everyone deserves to know the truth about what's going on," you froze in your place when she stood beside Jay but her eyes locked in with yours. "The two people I trusted the most went behind my back," Ava's voice trembled as she looked at Jay, "he cheated on me," she exclaimed, pointing directly to you, "with her, my very own best friend." A ripple of gasp fluttered around the house, people glanced in your direction, whispering to each other low and biting. Tears welled up in your eyes, throat closing in, making it hard for you to defend yourself as you watched everyone look at you as if being in your vicinity made them impure.

"I trusted them, both of them but they intentionally chose to betray me like I was nothing." Your chest tightened as Ava continued her sob story of how you betrayed her, people around you started calling you names, whispers of you being a homewrecker, a whore, an attention seeking good for nothing slut, a nobody with a pretty best friend, a jealous bitch who couldn't watch her friend be happy. You shut your eyes, covering your ears with humiliation. "Avalyn!" Jay approached her, his tone dangerously even, "what the hell are you talking about?"

Sunghoon sighed as three of them made their way towards the stage where Ava and Jay were standing. Everyone's attention was fixed on the three band members who now stood at the foot of the stage as they watched the scene in front of them. Ava laughed bitterly, nose and cheeks red, and eyes glassy with unshed tears, "why are you acting innocent, I'm surely not the only one who noticed you pulling away from me, you didn't even sit next to me in cafeteria anymore, instead you were always around her, talking in whispers, about anything and everything, you think I wouldn't notice? You thought no one would believe the truth just because you're popular?"

"Oh I know you're not the one talking about popularity Ava!" All eyes turned towards Sunghoon who stepped up on the stage, eyes burning into Ava's, "you claimed to be the person who wrote those anonymous letters to Jay, you lied to everyone just so you could date Jay and get attention," everyone turned quiet, watching Sunghoon behave so rudely for the first time. Some of them turned towards you, trying to puzzle the pieces together. Jay stepped forward, grabbing Ava's arm to make her face him, "you lied to me, took advantage of someone else's words of love and used it for your selfish reasons and I pulled away from you when I caught your lie." Ava's eyes scanned everyone's face, lips trembling as she could feel everyone doubting her words, then her eyes fell upon you, her eyes darkening with anger, again.

"You're just deflecting because I caught you cheating!" She yanked her arm off his grasp, stepping back a little, "no! I'm clearing my name, if I was someone who treated relationships as casual, I would've dated countless girls and not waited for the right one!" The crowd started murmuring, words of agreement spread throughout as they realized the honesty Jay's words held, they never saw him entertain any girls before. Ava's breathing grows uneven when the room remains silent, no sympathy in their eyes, just observing, watching the drama unfold. "Are you done with your lies now? I told you we could part ways peacefully if you just confess about lying and come clean but you decided to drag me and your best friend through the mud just so you could have an upper hand."

Ava stepped closer to him, voice low but filled with venom, "you're really painting me as a villain because I claimed something that wasn't mine?" Jay stood there, his posture stiff and jaw clenched as Ava wasn't giving up, "you lied, Ava." She scoffed, tears clinging to her lashes, "but you believed me without a second thought Jay, and you believed me because you were desperate to be loved and I did just that, so how am I the villain?" You stepped back, unable to keep yourself together, the room felt too suffocating, you turned around towards the door trying to get out of the situation, to where? You didn't know, you just needed to get out of there. People watched as she spiraled more and more, concern spreading throughout the room, "and don't defend her like she needs to be saved," her voice lowered enough only Jay could hear, "she knew."

Slow smirk forming on her face, "She knew the whole truth but she chose to stay quiet." Jay froze, heart stopping at the cruel revelation, "you're lying..." but the look on Ava's face was enough for Jay to realize she wasn't lying this time. "She knew from the beginning, she watched me take the credit for those letters, watched you fall for them, and still chose to say nothing. So how are we different now?" Jay's eyes scan your figure amongst the crowd, like looking for you would give him some answers. Jay could barely hear a word coming from Ava's mouth, he felt his chest tightened, with disappointment? Betrayal? Or something else entirely? He wasn't sure.

Sunghoon leaned closer to Jay, informing him about you leaving the house. He pushed Jay down the stage so he would follow you. It took some time for him to snap out of everything and his feet started moving before his mind could catch up. Ava stood still, eyes trained on the way the crowd watched Jay run towards the door. Ava's figure trembled with anger, but underneath all the fury there was fear. Because she could see the closeness you and Jay shared couldn't be erased, not even now, now even after her lies were laid bare in front of everyone. Her feet moved, she couldn't let this moment be the one responsible for her downfall, Sunghoon grabbed her hand, pulling her back harshly, "we aren't done with you Ava," He looked back, Jake and Heeseung joining him as they cornered Ava, "can’t really let you walk away without leaving a scar for what you did to our best friend, now can we?"

Sunghoon turned towards the door, watching Jay run off towards the direction he gave him, Jay stopped when he reached the door, turning around to find himself locking eyes with Sunghoon who was holding Ava back from following him. Jay waited for him to say something, but Sunghoon just smiled, nodding his head at Jay and ushering him to follow you. Jay's lips trembled but he nodded back, turning around with newfound determination to find you. He walked down the stairs, looking around to see if he could catch a single glimpse of you, he ran his fingers through his hair, messing up the neat style he previously did. He swallowed hard, taking deep breaths, when he spotted something sparkling around the corner of the block. He ran towards that direction, praying and hoping you'd still be there.

You were walking down the sidewalk, mind too clouded and eyes too hazy to hear footsteps edging closer. You felt someone grab your hand and yank you back, then you heard the faintest whisper of your name, the voice slightly laboured, out of breath. A shiver ran down your spine at the sight of him, not expecting him to follow you out, you wanted to say something, anything but the look in his eyes, the way his lips trembled as he looked at you, the way his jaw was clenched as if he was holding something back, stopped you to saying anything further. For a moment he just looked at you, at your reddened eyes and tears stricken face but all it did was take him back a few moments ago when Ava told him the truth.

"You knew," he stated, his voice low and laced with something too broken to name, "Avalyn told me you knew she didn't write those letter, and you never told me..." your heart cracked at the slight crack in his voice as he talked, you opened your mouth but no words came out. He removed his hand from you, stepping closer till your toes touch, "all this time," he laughed bitterly, blinking a couple of times to wash away the tears that threatened to fall, "you watched me believe her, fall for a fake version of her, I trusted her, I trusted you, you're the only person with whom I shared the struggles of my relationship with, about how the letters made me feel seen, about how your best friend wasn't living up to it and you just let me?"

His words cut through you like a knife, you swallowed hard, throat dry, "it wasn't my place-" "wasn't your place?" He spat, eyes burning with betrayal and underlying heartbreak, "I thought you were my friend." Your head hung low, tears slipping down your cheeks, ashamed that you let everything spiral to this, "I'm your friend," your voice cracked, hands clenching into fist, you couldn't bring yourself to look at Jay, too guilty to feel worthy enough to do so. He shook his head as he watched you trembling in front of him, his hands itched to just pull you closer and hug you till it all started making sense. But he just shook his head instead.

The silence stretched for too long, none of you moved, your mind was swirling with hundreds of reasons you could give in order to justify your actions to him but none of them felt worthy enough to say out loud. Jay's hand trembled as they cupped your face, he placed his thumbs below your chin to tilt your face upward, "do you know how humiliating it was to find out that the entire foundation of my relationship was fake? That the girl who confessed about writing letters to me just played with my heart to get a few people to glance her way?" He wiped away the tears that fell down your cheeks, and leaned his forehead against yours, "and you? You let me believe in all of those things, you watched me make a fool of myself and didn't feel I'm worthy enough to know the truth."

Your breath hitched, hands reaching up to curl around his jacket to ground yourself, "I didn't want to hurt you Jay." He brushed his nose against you then stepped back, eyes red, hair disheveled as he narrowed his eyes at you, "isn't it too late to say that?" You closed your eyes as a choked sob escaped from your mouth, you couldn't even look at him without feeling the need to rip your heart apart. He was hurting, and he was hurting because of you. He studied you for a moment, even though every fibre of his body told him to just reach out to you, he took another step back, "I just," he ran his hand through his hair, visibly overwhelmed, "I don't know who I can trust anymore."

You opened your eyes at his words, "Jay," you started but he backed away even though you stayed glued in your spot, "wait here. Sunghoon will come and drop you off." And you watched him turn around and walk back towards Ava's house. You could see the weight of the betrayal, the disappointment, the truth weighing on his shoulders as he walked away and you stood there, watching the boy you love unraveling and breaking right in front of you. After a while, Sunghoon's car pulled up beside you and he got off, running towards where you stood, your arms circled around his waist, tears streaming down your face and sipping into his shirt. He held you close, rubbing your back to console you. The drive towards your apartment was silent, he glanced at you from time to time to check if you were doing fine. You bid him goodbye, assuring him that you'll call him if it felt too suffocating. He kissed your forehead, and pulled out of your building.

Jay was laid wide awake in his bedroom, still wearing the same clothes from the party, now slightly crumpled and disheveled. He blinked at the ceilings, recalling back to everything that led him to this moment. It felt surreal, the anonymous letters, the lie, the hope he had, the connection he shared with you, your lie, and the moment it all crashed down. He rubbed his face, groaning in his hands for being so stupid, he blamed himself for not verifying Ava's claim, for trusting her blindly. He wondered how his life would've been if he never received those letters, if he never let himself believe that someone was out there loving him the way he didn't know he needed. Maybe he got selfish after reading those letters.

He wondered how the person who originally wrote the letters must've felt after learning Ava claimed the letters as hers, about why that person never came forward to expose her lie, then his thoughts drifted to you. He still remembered the way his heart dropped when Ava told him you knew the truth all along, how even after knowing you deliberately chose to lie his heart still ached for you. How watching you crying in front of him felt like thousands of glass pieces pierced his skin, all at once. How one teary look from your eyes was enough for him to get on his knees for you. And it all confused him to no extent, he was sure he loved the person who wrote him the letters and he knew there was no one else who could see him the way they did, or make him feel the way their words did.

But now here he was, drowning in your thoughts, realization dawning upon him that even if you somehow decided to stab him with a knife, he would happily help you by placing it in the middle of his heart. That he somehow managed to fall in love with you so hard that he isn't sure what to do with his feelings. He knew he should've told you off, called you a liar, broken ties with you just like he did with Ava, because you were her best friend and you took part in her lies, that should've been the case but it wasn't. Instead, he just found himself looking for you amidst the crowd, his heart pounding and he ran off to find you, how his heart clenched at the sight of your trembling form and how relieved he felt after knowing you were safe.

He sighed, sitting up straight and switching on the lights of his room. He had been trying to sleep but he couldn't with all these thoughts running in his mind. His eyes wandered around his room as he grabbed the glass of water from his nightstand and drank it. He stopped when his eyes landed on the notebook neatly placed on his desk, your notebook, which you dropped as you rushed to attend the seminar. Despite his better judgement, his steps carried him towards his desk anyway. He picked up the notebook, fingers tracing the stem of the book, smiling softly at the little heart you drew at the corner of the cover page. He traced the heart with his thumb as if to picture you doodling it while you were thinking about something.

There wasn't a single thought behind his eyes when he opened your notebook, no suspicion, no curiosity, just a causal reach, a familiar motion which one does when they have a book in their hand. He didn't mean to see anything inside the book, but the second the pages parted and his eyes caught the words written inside, something shifted, like his heart recognized something his mind was yet to figure out. His fingers stilled against the paper, breath hitching as he looked at the pages, turning over a few more, just in case. He stumbled a bit, like the floor beneath his feet decided to slip off, and fell on his bed, he exhaled a deep breath, eyes trained on the book and your handwriting staring back at him, achingly familiar, too familiar and it hurt.

His fingers hovered over the ink, as if he felt the words would vanish if he touched them carelessly. But they didn't, they stayed, etched in the unmistakable way you write your words, the same pauses, the same rhythm. He flipped open the last page of the book and his throat tightened as he read a few lines that were scribbled recklessly, the handwriting a bit messy as if you wanted to hold onto the words before they disappeared from your head. Lines he recognized instantly, the one he knew he had read before, not in your notebook but in one of the letters that are neatly tucked inside the box. He grabbed the box and searched for the letters where you wrote those exact same lines dedicated to him. Keeping them side by side.

'I think you look the best as the sun sets, the sun's rays kissing your face in a gentle goodbye. Even the ground beneath you looks beautiful coated in your silhouette, and I wonder if I'll ever be able to stop seeing that version of you when I close my eyes.' He remembered those lines, he remembered how you wrote that you watched him enter the campus with his bandmates as he laughed at something his friends said, how you watched him till he disappeared from your sight from the library's crooked window, how you couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by how beautiful he looked and how deeply you were falling for him. His hands trembled as he clutched the notebook in his hands and made his way towards his car, towards you. He couldn't wait till next morning to talk to you, not after everything you both have been through, not after all the wait and longing.

You were sitting on your couch, hands in your hair, regretting everything that led you to this moment. All you wanted was to express your love for a person who helped you when you were at your lowest, a quiet support to let him know he wasn't alone. You still recalled writing him your first letter after you heard his parents berate him for choosing a musical career instead of their family business, they way his shoulders slumped, how hurt embraced him like an old friend. All you wanted was to let him know that he's loved, he's seen, and that his struggles aren't invisible. And maybe you did reach your goal, made him feel all the things you intended on making him feel but then everything shattered, like a twisted fairytale. And here you were, replaying it all, wishing you'd never sent those letters to him to spare him from the hurt that now made home in his eyes.

You wiped the tears that streamed down your cheeks, they seemed to be never ending, you'd sit for a while, blankly staring at nothing in particular then a sudden wave of emotions would dawn on you and tears would well up. You didn't try to stop them, didn't try to think of something that would numb all the pain. You deserved it, after all you had chosen to side with Ava instead of correcting her mistakes, so you let yourself feel, let yourself cry, let yourself hurt. You stood up, deciding to let sleep distract you from your feelings for a few hours would be a good option, you didn't want to bother Sunghoon with your feelings, he already did so much for you.

You turned around towards your bedroom, stopping mid-step as the echo of your doorbell bounced off your apartment walls. You frowned, wondering who would be visiting you at this hour. Still, you made your way towards the door, and opened it without a second thought, Jay stood in front of you, breathless, eyes red, then your eyes fell upon something he was holding tight in his hand. A notebook, yours to be specific. He didn't say anything right away, just stared at you as your brain pieced together the puzzle. You tilted your head upward, heart racing as you looked at him when a voice at the back of your head chimed in, he knows.

You weren't sure what to expect now that your secret has been revealed, you didn't not expect to see him again so soon, especially not with your notebook clutched in his hand at least. He walked towards you, and you wordlessly backed away to give him space, he hesitated before reluctantly stepping forward and keeping the book on the table by your entrance, "you left this behind," he mumbled, looking towards the notebook and not you, his voice hoarse as if it had been scratched. Then he turned towards you, stepping forward till there was no space left for you to go, "I read it." You swallowed, heart thundering inside your chest, "why did you? It was you....all this time....you." You inhaled sharply, mind racing with countless of things you could say to make this situation less messy and complicated than it had become, but before you could speak, he closed the distance, almost desperately, almost as if staying one second away from you was eating him up alive.

His lips met yours, not softly, not hesitantly. His fingers tangled in your hair, another one snaking around your waist to pull you close. Your hands found home on his shoulders, gasping at the sheer shock of it all. He kissed you like it was his elixir, the only thing that made the ache in his heart subsidize for a while. The kiss was everything, pain, longing, anger, love, all wrapped into one reckless moment of affection. He pulled back enough for both of you to breathe the air but not far enough that you'd miss his touch. His hand was still tangled in your hair, he gave it a gentle tug to tilt your head towards him, "I'm so fucking mad at you," his lips brushed against yours as he uttered those words, low and seething, "but I've never wanted anything else more than this."

He stepped back while you were still frozen in one place, his kiss lingering on your lips like a confession and goodbye at the same time. You opened your eyes, your breathing shallow, a little bit shaky as you watched him pace around your living room. You hesitated reaching out for him, like if you moved quickly the moment would shatter and vanish like it never happened in the first place. "Jay," you started, softly this time, fearing he would stop you yet again and leave you hanging, when he didn't, you took it as a sign to continue, "I never meant for you to know it's me." He stopped, his back turned towards you, "but I needed to..." turning around and stepping closer to you, "I needed to know it was you." Your lips trembled, you looked down to prevent him from watching you break yet again.

His hand reached up to cup your face, other reaching forward to hold your hand, "I was so angry," he breathed, leaning his forehead on yours, "At Ava, at you, at myself. I thought maybe all of it was just a fragment of my imagination, that none of this was real." You blinked, nodding your head, unsure of whether this is where he leaves or forgives you, "but then I saw this notebook, your handwriting, and I knew it was real, that you are real." Tears pricked your eyes but you blinked them back. "Why didn't you tell me?" He questioned, his nose brushing against yours, "I didn't tell you because I never thought you'd ever see me that way."

He kissed away the tears that managed to escape your eyes, your heart swelling with emotions at the softness of his actions, "don't say that, you don't get to decide how I feel about you, about us." He kissed your forehead, staying there for a beat or two, "I was looking for someone who was by my side the whole time, who made me feel seen, yet I was blind enough to never recognize the calm I felt in your presence was so achingly familiar."

"I never planned on coming out of the shadows, Jay. I just wanted to love you from afar, because I felt someone like me would never be able to keep up with someone like you. But Ava changed everything and I couldn't do anything about it. I tried warning her, but you looked so happy when she confessed that I couldn’t bring myself to tell the truth." You choked a sob, leaning your head on his shoulder as you cried. He held you close, kissing your head as he tried to blink back his own tears. "I fell in love with your words first, but it was your presence that made me fall deeper." And then without another word, he pulled you in for another kiss, soft and slow before it turned into something hungrier and needy.

"You said you weren't sure if I wanted you right?" He mumbled, not breaking the kiss, he pushed you towards your bedroom, a soft gasp leaving your lips at the abrupt movement, he took it as an opportunity to ease his tongue in your mouth, exploring, carving and claiming every corner of you as his, "let me show you how much I want you." His kisses trailed down from your mouth, to your jaw, his hand tilting your head slightly to pepper kisses down your throat. Your hand clutched his shirt, other sliding up from his chest to the nape of his neck and pulling his hair lightly. He groaned against your neck, sending shivers down your spine, his tongue lapping at your sweet spot. You moaned, he took it as a sign to suck on the same spot till a mark bloomed on it.

He pulled away, your body trembling as the air hit the spot where he licked. "You want me to show you?" He whispered, giving you a chance to back out if this isn't what you wanted, you gulped, taking a step closer, lips hovering above his, just enough, enough to drive him crazy with the distance, enough to have him begging for more, "yes," you sighed against his lips before grabbing his collar and pulling him down for another kiss. His hands travelled down from your neck, to your waist and finally they settled down low on your hips, pulling you closer so you could feel his hardening length against your thigh. You bit his bottom lip in response, which pulled a hiss from his mouth, hands tightening around your hips like he didn't want you to stop.

You felt his hand knead on the skin at the swell of your ass, your hands curling around his neck to bring him closer. He tapped your thigh, once, twice while leaning down and you took it as a sign to jump as he gave you support and carried you. Your legs wrapped around his waist and he pushed your body against the wall. He pulled away from the kiss, a string of saliva connecting your lips making him moan. He looked at you with a heavy, drunk in euphoria stare, a lopsided smile adorning his face as he took in your form, breathing heavily, cheeks flushed, hair messy and swollen lips. He decided it was one of his favorite looks.

His hand slid up from your waist, to your chest, stopping briefly to see you whimper before it reached your neck. He curled his finger around your neck, giving it a firm squeeze and you whined, throwing your head back, legs instinctively tightening around his hips. He smirked, leaning closer, "I need you to use your voice for me, butterfly. You think you could do that for me?" You nodded your head, aroused by the intensity of it all. He gave your neck another squeeze, a bit more firm, like a warning, "use your words, butterfly." You moaned, eyes rolling back, "yes." He smiled, releasing his hold from your neck and giving your neck a gentle kiss, "good girl."

Your hands that rested on his shoulders, rose up to cradle his face as he continued to lick, suck and bite your neck. You tilted his head, reconnecting your lips with his as if you couldn't just get enough of it. He groaned, one hand sliding at the nape of your neck to deepen the kiss and the other pressing into the skin of your arm, squeezing the flesh to anchor himself. He traced his tongue on your lips, before capturing your lips again, biting at the skin, silently asking you to let him in. His fingers then pulled at the hem of your top, tugging at it impatiently, you broke off the kiss, pulling the top over your head and throwing it somewhere in the room. His pupils dilated, hunger creeping in as he looked at you like he had been starving.

You swallowed hard, for the first time in your life you were watching someone unravel because of you without even doing anything wild. His ragged breath made you bold, you ran your fingers through his scalp before grabbing a fistful of hair and tugging it. He moaned, his lips attaching to the unmarked area of your chest, his hands sliding up and stopping just below the swell of your breast, "is this okay butterfly? Can I touch you here?" You whined, arching your chest, needy for his touch, "please," you whispered, almost as if it physically pained you because he wasn't touching you and he sighed, biting his lips and reaching up to squeeze your boobs.

"Let me take this off," His hands found the clasp of your bra, detaching it in one swift motion, he pulled the bra off of you and threw it down. Your eyes widened, low-key impressed by his 'bra-removing-expertise' but your train of thoughts broke off just as you felt his lips on your nipple, he liked it, then blew air on it, sending shiver throughout your body, his hand softly massaging the other one. You closed your eyes, leaning your head against the wall as he switched between both of your boobs, heat pooling between your legs, begging for attention. He took his time with your boobs, relishing at the sound of your soft sighs. He licked up your neck, placing a slow kiss on it, you grind your hips against his, a groan ripping out of his throat at the sudden sensation. His hands supported your back as he turned around and walked towards the bed, gently laying you down.

He stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes roaming on your half-naked self, he climbed up, gulping at the sight before him, "so beautiful." Your hands instinctively cross over your chest, frown appearing on his face at your actions, "don't be embarrassed, it's just me." He hovered over you, hands on your side, he removed your arms from your chest, dipping his head low and placing gentle kisses all over your chest, mumbling sweet nothings in between. Your hands fists the sheets, as he moved lower, his eyes trained on the way your expression changed with every movement of his. He stopped as he reached near the waistband of your shorts, sucking and marking the area around your hips. Your breath shuddered, eyes closing.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Your body relaxed as you felt Jay's voice vibrate through the skin of your stomach, you looked at him, hands on both sides of your hips as he found home in between your legs, chin propped up on your stomach, pupil blown wide as he waited for your answer. You ran your fingers through his hair, a small smile gracing your lips before the heat in between your legs became too much to handle, "yes, love." He got up, sitting on his knees as he started removing his shirt. You reached up, rising slightly to help him, eager to have him close. He threw his shirt somewhere near the bed, you sat up, trailing kisses from his torso to his chest. He tangled his fingers on your hair, not pulling, just holding. His eyes met with your lust filled one and you bit on his nipple, then placed a kiss, he moaned, loud enough that he surprised himself, and he pushed you back on the bed, connecting his lips back to yours.

His hands travelled down your body, squeezing, gripping, tracing, the skin beneath his hands, "you're so soft, butterfly." His fingers dig inside the waistband of your shorts, your breath hitched in anticipation, he looked at you once before he pulled both your shorts and panties off of you, together, in one swift motion. You tried closing your legs, the air around you feeling cool against the slick in between your folds. "You're dripping butterfly, all this for me?" He dipped down, fingers separating your folds to get a better look at your dripping hole, you whined, clenching around nothing as his words went straight into your core. His breath fanning against your folds, he slid up two of his fingers on your slit, your hips jolting with surprise, legs shaking.

He kept an eye on your face, in case you felt uncomfortable, he rubbed your clit in small circles, your legs digging in the bed, back arching. Your hand gripped his shoulder, the other one holding the wrist of his hand which was making you see stars. "I'll be putting a finger in love," he waited for your reply then carefully inserted his middle finger inside your hole, you gasped, lead lifting off the pillow, his head dipped down, capturing your lips in his to help you get distracted. He started moving his finger when you let out a strained whine, his movements slow and steady as he waited for your body to adjust to the feeling. "So good, Jay." He smiled at your words, carefully inserting his index finger and curling them inside you to test out the waters.

"Jay," you moaned, eyes rolling back, he continued his movements, increasing his pace, he could feel your walls clenching around his fingers, "damn love, you're doing so good for me." Your chest rose and fell, heart racing, mind filled with pleasure, you could feel a knot forming in your stomach, "Jay, I think- I think I'm gonna cum," Jay smiled at you, already feeling your release close before you even said anything, "yeah? Cum all over my fingers butterfly, make a mess." You nodded, brows furrowing at the overwhelming feeling, "shit, Jay don't stop," your breath shuttered, pleasure washing over you. Jay's movements slowed down, his eyes trained on the way your juices coated his fingers, his head dipped down, licking a long strip on your pussy, your hands flew onto his head, pulling at his hair at the sudden action.

His fingers gain their pacing again, as his tongue works on your clit, "Jay, it's too much, I can't." He groans when he feels you pull at his hair, "you can do it love, give me another one please." He laps at your pussy, eating it like it's his last meal, his hips slightly rut against the bed, aching to get some friction, you bite your lips, trying to supress your moans with how good he's making you feel and it's not long before you come undone again. He removed his fingers from your pussy and you whined at the empty feeling, you watched as he looked at you before putting his fingers at his mouth and licking them clean. His hands then spread your legs wider, tongue darting out to lick you clean. You shiver, legs closing around his head, feeling overstimulated after cumming twice, he laps at your pussy, smiling at you when he's done.

You pull the waistband of his jeans, a little impatient but eager to help him with his needs, "take it off." He chuckled at your needy tone as he removed his jeans and boxer, his hardened lock slapping against his abs. You gulped, mouth salivating at the sight, he looked so gorgeous as he kneeled before you, eyes closing momentarily as he stroked himself lightly, spreading his precum on his length. He climbed over you, his cock slapping against your thigh. He sighed, wiping the sweat dripping off your forehead and removing the hair sticking on your face. "So beautiful, could eat you out for hours, butterfly, you taste so good." You flush at his words, slapping his chest lightly, he laughed, leaning up to place a chaste kiss on your forehead.

He rubbed his cock against your fold to gather you slick, his hands placed on either side of your head, one of your hands held his shoulder while the other ran through his hair. He kissed you, gentle and soft as he lined himself up in your entrance, your breath hitched at the mere contact, legs tightening beside his waist, he groaned against the kiss, his hand sliding down to keep your legs open wide as he pushed himself in you, slow and steady. You hissed, feeling his tip enter your dripping cunt, he kissed you all throughout, mumbling words of encouragement and praises in between as he slowly bottomed out inside you. "Fuck butterfly, you're so fucking tight around me, it's like you're sucking me in, love."

You whimpered, feeling full, he looked at you, showering kisses across your face till you adjusted to his size so he could move. "Tell me when you'll be ready, okay love? Take your time." You nodded your head, kissing and marking his neck to distract yourself from momentary pain, his neck chain shining, against your face, "please move, Jay, fuck." He gave you a peck before pulling out of your pussy all the way, then sliding back in, in one swift motion. Your back arched, as a strangled moan left your lips. His hands trembled just hearing you moan right next to his ears. The sounds are going straight in his cock.

He pulled out, only to thrust back in, slow and deep, his eyesbrows furrowed as he tried his best not to lose control and fuck you senseless. You moaned, your walls clenching around his length, his chain hitting your face in the same rhythm his hips snapped against yours. "Faster, please." He leaned his head on yours, his movements steady as he smirked at you, "you want it faster my love?" You nodded frantically, and he bit your lip as he adjusted himself to increase his pace. He started slamming his length into you faster, and harder and with the way your walls were trying to suck him into you, he knew you were close. One of his hands slid down your body to rub circles around your clit to heighten your pleasure.

"Ah fuck, Jay!" He smirked as you held onto him like your life depended on it, "you're taking me so well baby, this pussy," he groaned, hand never stopping their movement on your clit, "made for me." You whined, nails digging on his shoulders, his chain repeatedly hitting your face, you frowned tilting your head up and parted your lips, and as the chain hit your face again, you trapped it between your teeth, Jay froze at he felt a abrupt tug on his neck, looking down towards you he breathed out a pained sigh, completely unraveling. His hips recovered their pace, hips slamming against yours. You released the chain and he dipped his head to suck your nipple.

"Fuck, Jay, I'm close so close," He released your nipple only to focus on the other one, "me too, I'm close too butterfly, cum with me, cover me with your juices, love, fuck." His movements became sloppy, losing the rhythm as he fucked you recklessly, you moaned one last time as your orgasm washed over you, he rode you through your high before spilling his seeds inside of you, long spruts if cum dripping out of his cock, you whined feeling the heat of his cum spilling inside if you. "I love you," you opened your eyes to see smiling down at you, the soft glow of your bedroom light framed him in gold, casting a quiet halo around his body, he chuckled lightly, wiping the tear that escaped your eyes without even you knowing, your lips trembled, "I love you too."

He closed his eyes, dropping his weight on you as he hugged you close, burying his face on your neck, still buried deep inside you. You hugged his shoulders, massaging his scalp as both of you regained your breath. "Come one, let me clean you up so we can sleep." You whined at his words and he chuckled, scooping you in his arms instead and took you inside the bathroom to clean you and himself up. You shuddered as he cleaned your pussy, feeling overstimulated and sore. He mumbled quick apologies, cleaning himself up, changing the sheets and climbing up on the bed with you to finally sleep.

The hallway is empty, save for a few students who are scattered across in little groups, you're sitting inside the empty classroom, gathering your belongings as you texted Jay that you'll be heading to his house soon. A small smile gracing up on your face at the mere thought of spending time with him. You're so busy with yourself that you don't hear her approach you. But the moment a pair of heels come into view, you glance up and Ava is already looking down at you, standing in front of you like she had been searching for you all day. Her eyes are red, almost as if she had been crying all week, her perfect hair frying at the edges, but it's her eyes, raw, wild and angry, you stand up.

"You're such a great actress," she says, low and seething as she looked at you, "you wrote those letters and let me play the role of a fool as I claimed to be the one who wrote your letters. You let me be the thief." You opened your mouth but she cut you off, stepping forward, every movement sharp with fury, "was this your ultimate plan? To humiliate me? Let me take the fall so you could step on me and reclaim the spot as yours?" Your eyebrow twitched, words flying off of your mind at her accusations, "No!" You sharply declined, stepping towards her instead of backing away like you always did, "you don't get to play the victim here Ava, you did this all upon yourself. Yes I wrote those letters, yes I let you claim it as yours but I did it for Jay."

You stood tall, having enough of her tantrums and manipulation, "I did it because he looked so happy when I saw him with you. You didn't ask me when you claimed those letters as yours, I even warned you but you are so selfish, you only think about yourself." She laughed, eyes squinting, "you let me live in the spotlight while you sat there watching me like some pathetic loser, what does that make me now?" Her voice crumbled, not from pain but from fury, "nothing, that's what I am now! I lost Jay, I lost my spotlight, I lost....you. and you were supposed to be someone who would never leave." Your heart broke watching her breakdown in front of you but you knew better.

"You were mine, my best friend, my shadow. You weren't supposed to overtake me, you were supposed to stay behind me!" She stepped closer, but you stepped back, she froze, realization hitting her on the face that the power she once had on you is over now. "You don't complain when you make your own plate, Ava. I warned you but you never listened. I stayed with you even when I knew you were using me to satisfy your ego, I thought you'd change but no, you don't care about anyone else but you and your image, and now that you've lost it, you're trying to manipulate me into thinking I was at fault. You wouldn't be in this situation if you never lied." She laughed, "wow, you really are the cruel one," she whispered. She stepped back, her heels echoing off the empty classroom and she left. And you were left standing there, watching her go out of your classroom and your life.

"Yeah yeah, I'll be there soon," Jay replied to Heeseung while packing his things inside his bag. He was currently in the music room of the university while everyone else was waiting for him to join them at a hangout spot they usually go to, the bridge that overlooks a river. He hung up the phone, his screen blinking with Heeseung's contact photo. He shook his head, locking his screen and continuing with his actions. He looked around to check if he forgot anything when he noticed he left his music book on the table, he grabbed the book hurriedly before placing it inside his bag.

An envelope fell down from his book due to his frantic movements and he stopped, crouching down to pick it up. His chest fluttered when he opened it, a handwriting which he had seen countless times appearing in front of his eyes, he smiled in amusement, wondering when you put this letter inside his book. He opened the letter anyway, deciding that waiting till the day was over would be too much for his curious heart.

My Jay,

If you look into my eyes, you'll find me thanking the heavens for blessing you in my life, smiling at the thought that I was lucky to have you, thinking about how I ended up with you.

If you look into my eyes, you'll find me looking for you everywhere I go, trying to trace your face amongst the crowd, yearning for being in your presence.

If you look into my eyes, amidst all the lingering eyes and subtle glances, you'll find me staring at you, watching you giggle, and when I get caught, I look away hiding my blush.

If you look into my eyes, you'll see how much your presence affects me, wanting to be the center of your universe. If I could, I would spend eternity with you.

If you look into my eyes, you'll find me clutching onto our dreams, a bit insecure about our future, still determined to take the tempting risk.

If you look into my eyes, you'll find how deeply I'm into you, so much so to the point I sometimes scare myself, thinking about how hard life would be without you.

If you look into my eyes, you'll find me standing by the river, gently letting the wind engulf my heart, looking at you longingly as you try your best not to fall.

If you look into my eyes, you'll see a tired soul, just wanting to love and to be loved, wondering if you feel it the way I do.

If you look into my eyes, you'll feel the love that pours out of me, just look up and stare directly at my eyes, you'll find me clutching at our dreams.

If you look into my eyes, you'll find yourself.

Yours,

Butterfly.

PS: I know you're wondering when I put this letter inside, but you'd never know, I'm kind of very good at this whole secret admirer agenda. Don't expect anything else, just because I'm dating you doesn't mean these letters will stop. I'm very much in love with you, but there are still some moments where I'm too shy to say what I want to say, but I need you to know how much I love you, so these letters are my armour. I wrote this for you recently, and I wanted you to read that!

He smiled, feeling warmth spread all throughout him as he folded the letter and put it inside the envelope, making a mental note to keep it inside the box when he reached back home. He sighed, content at how things have turned out. He still had a long way to go with his parents but you were by his side now, so he was glad he wouldn't have to face it alone. He felt at peace with you, never felt the need to say much. He was zoned out, drowning in his thoughts when his phone rang again, he snapped out of his thoughts, answering Heeseung's calls, "I'm done bro, I was just leaving."

"How many fingers can you see?" You glared at Jake, who currently stood beside you holding up 4 fingers in front of your face, "four," you muttered through gritted teeth, you could hear Heeseung chuckle from behind you, which annoyed you more. You put your glasses back, shoving Jake's shoulders. "You can see, why do you need glasses," you rubbed your temple, sighing in disappointment, "I'm not THAT blind, I just need them to see more clearly, stupid." Jake looked at you like you had just committed a crime against his dignity, "woah, did you just call me stupid? After all the love and affection I shower you with?" He placed a hand on his heart, staggering back a step, "me? The one who puts up with you squinting at traffic lights?"

Your mouth fell open at his words, you lurched forward, attempting to grab his precious hair as he didn't seem to back down from his teasing you. Heeseung laughed at both of you, clutching his stomach, beside him Sunghoon just shook his head, an amused smile plastered on his face as he stepped forward to separate Jake from your fury. "See, and you wonder why I call her trouble!" You stuck your tongue out at Jake, who was trying to make his hair more presentable after you messed it, trying to win an argument like a five year old, which worked somehow because Jake whined, clearly more irritated.

Jake gave you a side eye before turning around dramatically and walked off, joining Heeseung and complaining about how mean you are and how you never seem to return the love he showers you with, and how he feels that his best friend's agenda is one sided and you never considered him as such. You laughed at him, and he threw you an annoyed glance. You heard Sunghoon clear his throat from behind you and you turned around, standing beside him, overlooking the river as both of you leaned against the railing. "You know," you turned your head in his direction, but he wasn't looking at you, instead focusing his eyes on the view in front of him, "you used to make my heart race, at some time." You saw him swallow, a soft smile adorning his face, your heart skipped a beat, but you still hummed in response, "now you make me question your maturity level on a daily basis."

You gasped in mock offense, turning your head back at the river flowing gently in front of you, "excuse you, I just reciprocate the energy people give me." He chuckled, his fang-like teeth making an appearance, "whatever helps you sleep at night pretty." You pout at his words, bumping your shoulder with his playfully, he bumps back, just enough to make you slightly wobble on your spot. "Hey! I could've fallen," you whined, holding onto the railing tightly as if he would try to bump into you again, "don't worry, I would have fallen with you before letting you do it alone." You felt your heart tightened at his words but when you looked at him, you could see a teasing glint in his eyes, like he knew those words would make you stumble a bit.

You shook your head, smiling softly at his words, "see I don't doubt your words but I was hoping you'd just pull me back instead of falling with me." He chuckled at your words, ruffling your hair before retracting his hand back. "I'm glad it's you," He mumbled after sometime, "with Jay, I mean." He was already looking at you when you turned your head towards him, the wind messing his hair. You smiled, feeling warmth spread over you, "and I'm glad, you are still beside me." He nodded, tearing his eyes away from you, "I know....I think I'm exactly where I am supposed to be." You gulped, still looking at his face, you could see he wanted to say something more, so you just nudged his shoulder and arched your eyebrows at him.

It got quiet for a second, wind flowing through your hair as you stood with him in silence yet it was enough, for you both, it would always be enough, "I think some part of me loved you even before I realized it, you're good, a steady kind of good, the type where I know I could lean on you and never have to worry about falling apart." You nodded, biting your lips at his sudden confession, "and I loved you, not in the way like I love Jay, but something just as real, something I still do." His smile turned a little melancholic but still held the same warmth nonetheless, "I'm glad at the way things turned out, that you got Jay just how you wanted, it pained me to watch him be with Ava, second guessing everything in his life." You exhaled, memories resurfacing in front of your eyes, "you pushed me towards him when all you wanted was to hold me, it's something which I will never forget, Hoon."

"Oh, this dangerously looks like someone is trying to bond without me," you both turn around at the voice, you don't move but you're already grinning like a lovesick fool, the wind mess with your hair lightly and Sunghoon just smiles like he had been waiting for Jay to make his entrance. "Relax, lover boy, she's still yours." Jay rolled his eyes at Sunghoon's words, making his way towards where you stood and sliding his arms around both of your shoulders, pulling you both in. "We were just talking," you grinned, nuzzling into his warmth, "talking huh?" He teased, playing with your ear. Sunghoon snorted, clearly amused at the exchange, "yeah talking, want me to narrate everything to you so you'd feel included?"

Jay shook his head as Sunghoon leaned his head on his shoulder, "trouble comes in pairs in my life." You and Sunghoon laughed at his words, not really defending his claim, then Jay sighed, a content smile gracing on his lips, "lucky for me though, I'm clingy and not emotionally constipated." You scrunch your nose in response, just as Sunghoon faked his cough, "and humble too, apparently," you joked, rolling your eyes though you had a fond smile on your face. "Seriously though..." Jay trailed off, kissing your temple as you hand reached up to give his hand a gentle squeeze, "I don't think I've ever felt this steady in my life, like I know even if the world around me starts to spin I've got people who would have my back."

"And we've got your back too," Heeseung replied, standing beside Sunghoon, who then draped his hand on Heeseung's shoulder, while Jake joined your side, his hands interlocking yours as he looked at everyone, "Wow, this shit almost made me cry." Everyone groaned, nagging at him for ruining the moment. "It's so stupid, but I feel so lucky right now," Jay chuckled, biting back his emotions. "You're definitely stupid, but hey at least you're self aware," Heeseung laughed, looking at everyone with softness. Jay shook his head as he dramatically sighed, "I take it back, I'm not lucky, I'm doomed." Sunghoon chimed in, not missing a beat, "you still chose us, real tragic."

Jay threw his head back, mumbling quiet curses and you all laughed at him, Heeseung stepped forward, reaching up to ruffle Jay's hair, and Jay groaned, fighting with him to ruin his hairstyle too. Jake slid his arm around your shoulder and Sunghoon turned his back towards where Jay and Heeseung were fighting and leaned against the railing, you sighed, relaxing under Jake's hold, "you still love us though." Jay's eyes found you, before they landed on the other boys, he watched all of you look at him with expectant eyes, waiting for him to say something in retaliation, but deep down they knew Jay would never disagree with you so with a frustrated groan he mumbled, "unfortunately, I do."

[dizzydaisychains]

sylus loving you quietly part 7

❀ sylus loving you quietly; tucking little pieces of you into the pockets of his peacoat, another trinket for his private collection, another gift for his altar. a crumpled receipt from a dinner date you had for your anniversary. a joke from a christmas cracker that made you knock your wine glass over because you were laughing so hard. stubs from tickets you won at the arcade, a scrunchie that he found in his sock drawer. the cork from the bottle of wine you both shared on the night you told him that you loved him. after removing these precious memories from his coat, he hides them in a mahogany box, tucked away somewhere you can't reach. and when he feels sad, he takes it from the shelf and sits on the floor of his bedroom, sifting through the trinkets, crimson eyes shining as he reminisces. a proud dragon admiring its treasures.

❀ sylus loving you quietly; "does you car engine always sound like this when you drive?" sylus gives you a look from the passenger's seat as you jerk to a stop at a red light. "uhhh...don't worry about it. she's pretty old. might need to bring her to the garage soon." sylus doesn't pursue the matter further. just hums along to the radio, feigning nonchalance. but later that night, long after you've fallen into a deep slumber, he takes your car into his workshop. grease and oil staining his hands as he gives your car some tender loving care. fixing the brakes so they don’t squeak when you press down on them, modifying the engine, pumping the tyres with air. by the time he's finished, the car runs like it's brand new. and after he's done, he slides into bed, too tired to shower. ten minutes later, your alarm goes off as the dawn of the morning creeps through curtains. you wake up yawning, nose twitching as you sniff your beloved’s silvery hair. "hmm...darling, why do you smell like petrol?" but sylus is dead to the world, his snores filling the room as you tuck him in before heading to work.

❀ sylus loving you quietly; attaching little scrolls of paper to mephisto's leg and having the crow visit you at work. his beak taps on the window as you let him in, his little feet stomping on the desk as he motions for you to untie the string. tara squeals as she rambles on about your secret admirer. you swat her away, unfolding the message, unable to stop the stupid grin spreading across your face. found this line from a poem. reminded me of you. it goes like this: i loved you first: but afterwards your love/outsoaring mine, sang such a loftier song - love always, S x

❀ sylus loving you quietly; brushing the knots out of your hair before you sleep. he looks forward to it every time. it’s a brief moment where the two of you can catch up because just as you're going to sleep, he's waking up. like ships in the night, you exchange news until you can't keep your eyes open any longer and you fall asleep in his arms.

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ ☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ ☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ ☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★ ☆⋆｡𖦹°‧

(ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ.ﾟ in case you want to read more:

sylus loving you quietly part 1

sylus loving you quietly part 2

sylus loving you quietly part 3

sylus loving you quietly part 4

sylus loving you quietly part 5

sylus loving you quietly part 6

[saharaocean]

Smile for the fans, baby - Enhypen x reader

They’re idols on camera — but behind the screen, they’re fucking you with their eyes, their mouths, their cocks. one by one. and tonight, you’re on your knees for every single one of them.

✧ idol au ✧ blowjob during vlive (she gives) ✧ 1300 words per member ✧ dark | filthy | obsessive | unfiltered ✧ mdni. headphones on. mouth open.

Jake -

It was live.

Jake knew exactly how many people were watching. He knew he was on camera. He knew he had to keep the smile perfect. The sweet tone. The steady voice.

But there was no way to prepare for how your tongue had just slid around the base of his cock, brutally slow. And even less for how you'd swallowed it whole just as they started to read comments.

—´Hehe… yeah, I really missed you guys too´

He says, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. His right hand is waving at the camera. His left is buried in your hair.

Fuck.

He takes a deep breath. The air burns.

Your lips are moist, soft, warm, like they were made for this. It feels so deep in your throat that for a moment you lose the thread of what you were saying.

-…we've been practicing a lot lately. Uh-really hard. He almost gasps at that last word. You know your fans are going to notice.

Your hands rest on his thighs, with feigned innocence. But you're torturing him with every fucking move. You move slow. Like you're savouring it. Like you know he can't push you like he wants to. Not in front of the camera. Not in front of hundreds of thousands.

But he has his limits too.

He tilts his head to the side, out of the main angle, and lowers his voice:

-´You want me to fuck your throat right here?´ He whispers it so low that not even the microphone picks it up. Only you hear it. And you smile.

The camera vibrates a little as his leg shakes.

—‘Jake is glowing today omg’

—‘Is he okay? He looks flushed 😳’

—‘Why is his voice shaking?’

Because he's seconds away from cumming. That's why.

Your fingers go up, caress his abdomen underneath his hoodie. Your fingernails scrape his skin and his cock throbs hard between your lips. You swallow him again. This time until tears run down your cheeks.

—´´Fuck´´ Jake swallows and smiles again. He pretends to read another comment. He clenches his jaw as he feels your tongue swirl at the tip.

—"Uh, someone asked if I'm eating well… yeah. Really well." He looks at you. He can't help himself. He looks at you and sees your big, wet eyes, begging for more. He slides his hand to the back of your neck. Presses down. Just a little.

And you take it all. All of it.

Her hips barely rise. Your legs tremble. You feel the heat, the pressure, the burning in your stomach as you come closer. So close.

—´´Don't you fucking stop," he whispers.

—´´You swallow all of it or I'll make you clean it off the floor with your tongue after this.´´

Your nails dig into his thigh as you feel him tense. The camera is fixed on his face. The perfect smile. The wet eyes. The lower lip captured between his teeth.

And then he comes.

She doesn't make a sound. He doesn't move. He just lets out a soft moan through his nose as he cums in your mouth, hot and hard, like he's been holding on for days.

He swallows you. You take it all. You don't leave a drop.

And he just looks down, strokes your hair and whispers:

—´Good fucking girl.´

He looks at the camera again.

—´I think we should finish up, don't you?´

—´I need to… take care of something.´

Jay-

Jay was the picture of self-control. Straight posture. Confident voice. Elegant smile. Always so perfect.

But now, that perfection was in ruins. All because of you. Under the table. With your mouth full of his cock.

—Hyung, are you okay?´ Jungwon asks him from the other side of the couch.

Jay nods. He pretends to adjust his jacket. What he's really doing is grabbing a handful of your hair and slowing your movements before he cums in less than five minutes.

—I'm fine. Just a little warm´ he replies huskily.

You knew. You knew what you were doing.

You didn't start fast. No, you tortured him first. You licked the rim. You played with the tip. You took your fucking time.

And now he's sweating, his neck veins are scarred, he's gritting his teeth to keep from moaning in front of the camera.

Fans are writing:

—‘Jay looks sooo serious today 😭’

—‘he's concentrating so hard, I love him 💔’

—‘is he okay or is he angry 😳??’

No. He's not angry. He's holding back.

Because your mouth is perfect. Because he sees you from above, and your eyes are fixed on him. Full of desire. With hunger.

—Slow down," he orders between his teeth.

—´I'm gonna ruin your throat if you don't.´

Your lips slide to the base and stop there. You breathe through your nose. You stare at him. You don't relent.

Jay squeezes your hair tighter, the leather of the seat creaks. You try not to shiver as he feels your tongue move subtly.

—Fucking hell. His voice comes out low, raspy. He doesn't even pretend to the camera anymore.

—´Jay, do you want to read the next comment?´

—´Later´ he replies without looking at anyone.

—´I'm… focusing.´

The other boys ignore him. They keep talking. Laughing. And you keep going, sucking slow, like it's a game.

But Jay doesn't play.

—You wanted this, didn't you?" he mutters as he pretends to scratch his chin.

—´Get ready to swallow. No warnings.´

The sensation builds. His abdomen contracts. His breath hitches.

And when you sink your mouth all the way in one last time, he comes.

Hard. Heavy. Slow.

Each release falls into your throat as he closes his eyes and purses his lips into a hard grimace. His hand is still in your hair, setting the rhythm. His hips move once, just barely. Total control.

When he opens his eyes, you're already staring up at him, mouth empty, lips glossy. He settles back, wipes the sweat from his brow.

—I'll be right back,´ he tells the boys.

—´Need to cool down.´

He stands up, straight. Impeccable.

But as he passes behind the camera, he bends down to you and whispers in your ear:

—´When this live ends, you're getting on your knees again. But this time, I'm not letting you breathe.´

Heesung-

The live show was barely ten minutes old. Heeseung was talking about his favourite playlist. His voice was soft. His fingers were playing with a plush stuffed animal. Everything looked perfectly normal.

Except for you. Kneeling in front of him, hiding under the table. With his trousers pulled down to mid-thigh. And his cock inside your mouth, hot, wet, quivering.

Heeseung cleared his throat, trying to smile at the camera.

—A lot of you asked if I still listen to The Weeknd…´ He interrupted himself. His eyebrows furrowed for a split second.

You'd licked him right where you knew his skin was prickling.

His fingers squeezed the edges of the cushion. The tip of her tongue moistened her dry lips.

—Y-Yeah, I do. Often, actually," he continued in a slightly broken voice.

You moved slowly. Almost tenderly. Sucking, swirling your tongue, kissing the edge. It wasn't just about making him come. You wanted to break him from the inside. Patiently. Watching him fail.

And he was close.

The camera focused on him as he nodded at the comments. But underneath the shot, his hand was already tangled in your hair.

—´Baby,´ he mumbled so low the microphone didn't pick it up. —Don't do that with your tongue again or I'll-´

Too late.

Your mouth closed, sucking harder. And your body gave a little spasm.

The fans commented:

—‘heeseung's voice sounds deeper today omg 😳’

—‘he's biting his lip????’

—‘he looks so tense but also… hot???’

Sweat beaded on the back of his neck. His cheeks were flushed. His eyes barely open.

—Fuck…´ he whispered as your throat opened and swallowed him whole. He felt the pleasure run up his legs, up his back. —You're really gonna make me do this now?´ he mumbled, with a fake smile to the camera.

Live went on. The others were talking. But he could no longer hear anything.

You had become his only sound. The wet suction. Your stifled moans. The smack of your lips sliding down his length.

—You're so good,´ he murmured. Like he was talking about something else.

—´So fucking good for me.´

His body tensed all at once.

A moan escaped his throat. Low. Broken. His hand came down hard on the back of your neck.

And came.

Hard. Deep. Feeling you tremble as you swallowed every drop.

He closed his eyes. You bit your lip until it almost bled.

The chat exploded.

—‘was that a moan or am I tripping 😭’

—‘what's wrong with heeseung today fr’

—‘he's acting soooo weird but like in a hot way help’

When the tremor passed, Heeseung adjusted his clothes. He took a deep breath.

—I think I'll let the others finish this live´ he said with a strained smile.

—´I need to cool off a bit.´

He turned off the microphone. But before he left the frame, he looked down at you. You were still there. Staring at him. Mouth full of saliva, eyes glistening.

And he leaned in to whisper in your ear:

—´When this is over… I'm going to eat you out so slow, you'll forget your name.´

Sunghoon-

Sunghoon had always been impeccable in the lives. Neat. Serene. Almost nonchalant.

But that night, the tension was evident. He sat up straight, hands clasped on the table, as if forcing himself not to move. Not to react. Not to push your mouth deeper.

The camera didn't show what you were doing underneath. No one saw your tongue licking slowly from the base. Your lips wrapped tight, sliding upwards. The way his cock throbbed in your mouth.

But he felt it all.

—I think… this comeback was the hardest," he said in a slightly dry voice. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple.

And you licked him just below the glans, knowing what you were doing. Slow. Insistent. Wanting to see it break.

Your fingers twitched. The veins marked on your hands were almost blue. His thighs trembled barely.

—Sunghoon, are you okay?" asked someone off camera. He nodded. Slowly.

—‘Just… tired,’ he murmured. And as he said it, you took it all in one gulp.

You swallowed.

His mouth opened, soundless. A restrained exhalation.

He couldn't gasp… Couldn't moan.

But his eyes, those dark, cold eyes, were fixed on you now. Under the table. Staring at you. Burning.

His hand came down. Trembling. And grabbed your face hard.

—‘Don't you dare stop,’ he whispered.

You sped up. Sucking, drooling, letting the sounds mingle with the silence of the room.

He was trying to talk. To focus on the questions.

But then he moaned.

Bass. Almost inaudible. Like a forced escape of air between teeth.

The live performance went on. Fans commented that he looked different. With redder cheeks. The lost look.

—Focus, he said to himself. But it was impossible now.

His back arched, and his hand squeezed the back of your neck. His other hand came down… and covered your head with his jacket. Obscuring everything.

Only his scent. His trembling voice. And his body, collapsing against the edge of the desk.

—"Swallow. Every drop." His voice was low, steady.

And you did it. With pleasure. Feeling him shudder against your tongue.

When the live ended, he didn't even move for a few seconds. Just breathing. Shuddering.

And then, without looking directly at you, he murmured:

—‘Next time… I'm the one getting on my knees.’

Ni-Ki -

Ni-ki was too calm.

Sitting there like the devil himself, smirking softly at the screen. His long legs spread just wide enough. One hand resting lazily on the desk. The other buried in your hair.

You were on your knees. Off-camera. Mouth full of his cock.

And he was pretending like nothing was happening.

—“Did you miss me?” he asked the chat with that teasing tone of his.

The comment section exploded. He smiled.

But under the table, he bucked his hips—slow, deliberate—pushing deeper into your throat. You gagged. And he bit his lip to hide a laugh.

—“Ah, sorry. Something caught in my throat,” he said, voice full of mockery. Like you weren’t choking around his cock. Like you weren’t drooling onto his thighs.

He looked down briefly. Eyes locked with yours.

—“Messy girl,” he whispered so only you could hear.

Then louder:

—“Should I play a song?”

He clicked around casually with his free hand, as if he wasn’t guiding your mouth up and down his length. As if he wasn’t holding you there every time you tried to pull back.

You tried to breathe through your nose. But he was too deep. Too thick. And he knew it.

He liked watching your eyes water.

—“Keep going,” he muttered under his breath. And he pressed your face down—hard—making you take all of him.

You whimpered.

He shivered.

And for a second, his cool composure cracked.

His thighs tensed. His fingers tightened in your hair. He let out a soft, unintentional groan.

Then immediately covered it with a cough.

—“Sorry—uh, long day,” he said with a smirk, voice raspy.

You started sucking faster, sloppier. The kind of rhythm that left strings of spit trailing down your chin. Your throat ached, but he was loving it.

His cock twitched. You felt it.

And he noticed.

—“You wanna make me cum on live, don’t you?” he muttered. “Such a fucking slut…”

You whimpered around him.

—“Yeah, keep it up.”

The comments were still flying, people asking why his face was turning red, why he was breathing harder.

He laughed.

A dark, breathy sound.

—“Just a little hot in here,” he said.

Then he held your head in place and fucked your mouth—short, sharp thrusts that made your eyes roll back.

He was getting close. Too close.

And he wasn’t trying to hide it anymore.

He leaned back, hand gripping the desk, his body twitching as you hollowed your cheeks and sucked him like your life depended on it.

Then—

—“Fuck—”

He moaned.

Low. Rough. Barely caught by the mic.

And then he was cumming.

Hot. Thick. Deep down your throat. His whole body trembled.

You swallowed every drop. Slow. Messy. Eyes locked on his.

When he looked at the screen again, his hair was slightly out of place. Lips red. Face flushed.

—“That’s it for today’s live,” he said with a lazy smile.

Then he turned off the stream— And pulled you up onto his lap.

—“Now it’s my turn to make you cry.”

Sunoo-

Sunoo’s smile was disarming. Too bright. Too innocent. The kind of expression that made fans coo in the comments and call him “baby.”

But if they saw what was happening off-camera— If they could hear the way you gagged on his cock, they’d think twice.

—“Hi everyone~” he chimed sweetly, waving at the screen. He looked soft. Delicate. Like he was just happy to be live.

But below the desk, you were on your knees. Your lips wrapped around him. Mouth hot and wet and perfect.

—“It’s just me today,” he giggled. “Hope that’s okay.”

He looked down for a second. Met your eyes. Tilted his head.

—“You’re doing so good for me,” he whispered. Then—smile still on his lips—he rolled his hips forward.

You gagged.

He didn’t flinch.

—“Oops~” he cooed, as if he’d accidentally dropped something.

He ran his fingers through your hair, carefully, like he was comforting you. But the hand at the back of your head was holding you down. Not letting you pull off.

—“Don’t stop,” he mouthed silently.

Your throat was already raw. You could barely breathe. But you kept going.

Because the way he moaned—quiet, barely audible—made your stomach flip.

And because you knew he was watching himself in the corner of the screen, pretending to be innocent while he used your mouth like a toy.

—“You’re drooling,” he whispered, smiling. —“What a messy girl.”

You tried to pull back. He didn’t let you.

Instead, he leaned down slightly— Brought his lips close to your ear.

—“If you stop, I’ll make you finish in front of the camera.”

You choked on a gasp.

He bit his lip and smiled wider.

—“That’s what I thought.”

He was slow. Intentional. Fucking your throat like it was the most precious thing in the world.

Your hands gripped his thighs. Your tongue flattened under him every time he slid in.

And god— The way he moaned when your throat clenched— A soft, whiny sound that didn’t match the filth spilling from his mouth.

—“You love choking on it, don’t you?” he whispered. —“So obedient. So good for me.”

You blinked up at him, eyes glossy. He brushed hair from your face like you were fragile porcelain. But the words that followed were razor sharp.

—“You’re only good when you’re full of me.”

Then he pushed in deeper. Held you there. Watched your lips stretch around his cock.

And when you whimpered, he whispered, —“I know, baby. Almost done.”

His thighs trembled under your palms. He was close.

You sucked harder. Flattened your tongue and let him use you.

He bit down on his lower lip, brows twitching as he fought the urge to moan.

—“Fuck—” he hissed. Just for you.

Then with a soft gasp, he came. Warm and thick. All the way down your throat.

You swallowed like a good girl.

He sighed, breathless, like he’d just finished singing.

Then looked at the camera again, voice back to sugar.

—“That’s all for today, thank you~ I’ll see you next time~!”

The stream ended.

And the mask dropped.

He leaned forward, thumb swiping the corner of your mouth.

—“You did such a good job, sweetheart,” he whispered. —“Now lie down. I’m not done with you yet.”

Jungwon -

Jungwon always looked calm. Collected. Perfectly composed. Leader material, they called him.

But tonight— His hands were trembling under the desk.

—“Thanks for waiting for the live,” he said, smiling softly. He was being polite. Warm. Fans flooded the comments with heart emojis and compliments.

If only they knew. If only they could see what you were doing beneath the camera frame.

Your hands were on his thighs. Mouth around his cock. Slow. Intentional. Teasing.

And it was driving him insane.

—“I’ll read some comments now,” he said gently. His voice was steady, but inside? He was unraveling.

Because your mouth was heaven. Because your tongue knew exactly how to make him twitch.

And because he couldn’t stop thinking about how fucked up it was— How dangerous this was— That he’d let you do this while he was live.

But he didn’t stop you. Didn’t even try.

You sucked slowly. Eyes fixed on him.

He glanced down— And you looked so good like that. Eyes wide. Mouth stuffed. Cheeks hollow.

His hand twitched beside the laptop.

—“Noona, you’re gonna get me in trouble,” he whispered, lips barely moving.

But his cock throbbed in your mouth.

He clenched his jaw. Looked back at the camera. Smiled.

—“I had a full schedule today,” he said, voice calm. And then he moaned under his breath when you swallowed around him.

He coughed lightly. Covered it up. But his thighs tightened under your grip.

—“Can you take more?” he whispered, glancing down again.

You nodded.

So he pushed deeper.

—“Fuck—” he exhaled. Quiet. Like he was scolding himself.

Your hands slid under his shirt. He sucked in a breath.

He reached down, hand on your head. Gentle. But firm.

—“Stay just like that, baby,” he whispered.

Then he looked at the camera again. Smile returning, strained now. Barely holding it together.

—“Ah… let’s see… someone asked what I had for lunch.” He chuckled softly. Your lips wrapped tighter around him.

He was gonna break.

You sucked harder. Licked under the head.

He gripped the edge of the chair. Knuckles white.

—“You’re doing so good,” he muttered under his breath. —“My pretty girl. Taking it all.”

You moaned around him. His hips bucked involuntarily.

He slammed the laptop shut.

The live ended.

And he leaned back in his chair, panting.

—“Open your mouth,” he whispered. You did.

And he slid back in, all the way. His voice broke.

—“Fuck, baby… I need to cum in that throat.”

You hummed around him. He growled.

—“Hold still.”

He thrust shallowly. Controlled. But desperate.

Until his body tensed.

And with a soft whimper, he came. Spilling deep in your mouth. Shaking.

You swallowed. Every drop.

When he finally opened his eyes, his lips were parted, flushed.

He looked at you like you’d ruined him.

—“You can’t do that to me on camera,” he whispered, brushing hair from your face.

But he didn’t sound angry. He sounded addicted.

—“Next time,” he said, “I’ll return the favor.”

And the way he said it—soft, polite, but firm— Made your whole body burn.

[blacktofade]

Gemtho Fortnight Day 1

Hello lovelies! The time has come for Gemtho Fortnight 2025! Thank you again for all your amazing prompts! I had a hard time only picking 14 and I hope you can forgive me if your prompt wasn't chosen!

That being said, I got a lot of prompts similar to today's one, so I used the prompt that came in first!

I’m not properly tagging any of these because I don’t want to spam certain tags, but after July 14th, I’ll create a masterpost with links to all the fills and tag that instead.

The prompts are copy/pasted directly from the asks I received and all content warnings will be posted outside of the cut.

As always, keep those tin hats on and enjoy!

---

prompt: gemtho rpf prompt: them getting caught somehow; like etho walks in during a stream, or one of them slips up in conversation. the fall out of it is up to you :3

cw: rpf

It doesn’t matter if it’s Gem’s fault for not thinking to tell him beforehand. Or if it’s Grian’s fault for incessantly messaging her for an impromptu R.E.P.O session while she was just trying to get edits done.

The problem is that she doesn’t hear footsteps on the stairs until it’s too late.

“Gem?” Etho asks. “Are you still editing? I brought you some tea.”

She fumbles at her setup, muting her mic completely, but he’s already leaning over her desk, holding out a mug.

It’s right there in her feed — his pale arm reaching into the shot — the moment before she finally cuts her camera to make sure no one else can see.

“Etho,” she says, glancing up, her heart racing. “I’m live right now.”

She sees the realization hit him, his expression shifting, face going ashen, and he backs up so abruptly that tea splashes across the edge of her desk.

“I'm muted now,” she tells him quickly, “and I've turned my camera off, but you — ”

“Gem,” he exhales as though there’s anything she can do.

“It's Friday,” she points out, but it doesn’t change the fact that there’s no way he could’ve known.

The last she'd seen, he was napping upstairs. She'd figured a short GIGS stream wouldn't hurt.

Etho sets down the mug and takes another step backward.

“Gem?” someone in her ears says — maybe Grian — but she can’t focus and ends up pulling her earbuds out.

“They didn't see much,” she tries. “Just your hand.”

But he stares at her, both of them knowing it's not just that.

For a second, Gem lets her gaze shift to her stream chat.

Did anyone else see that?

WHO WAS THAT?

Gem are you okay??

Why did that sound like etho??????

Without thinking about it, Gem ends her stream. In that moment, she doesn't care if it's suspicious or worries people, she just needs to make it stop.

“We can manage this,” she tells him, watching him swallow.

“But they heard me,” he says and after a moment, Gem nods.

On her other monitor, the GIGS channel on Discord starts to shift.

Everything okay? Impulse sends, followed closely by a message from Skizz.

My chat is saying you ended your stream? Let us know you're alright.

Gem can only imagine the chaos in their chats, how their mods must be trying to rein in the speculation already.

But it’s clear both of them are edging around the real question they want to ask. Which is when Grian appears.

Gem was that Etho?

Gem has no idea what to do or what to tell them.

“The Hermits are asking,” she says, glancing up. “Grian knows.”

It’s strange getting to see Etho make his decisions in real time, the way he glances to the side, like he’s mentally running through his options.

“You can tell them,” he says eventually, looking back over at her. “Whatever you want.”

Gem’s brows go high with surprise, because it’s not what she’s expecting.

It’s still new between them — less than six months — and everything feels too fragile.

Carefully, she rolls back her chair and pushes herself to her feet. He watches as she makes her way toward him, and he reaches out, hands finding her waist.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers as he pulls her closer, and she rests her forehead against his collarbone, eyes falling shut.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” he murmurs, palm rubbing along her spine. “We were going to have to tell them one day.”

“But you — ”

“I don’t care. It doesn’t matter.”

But Gem thinks it does.

“The most you’ve ever shared is your godawful setup,” she says, voice muffled against his shirt.

She can feel the rapid beating of his heart, but he still laughs as though it really isn’t as big a deal as she’s making it out to be.

“We could tell everyone,” he suggests. “Then you wouldn’t need to worry.”

Gem lets out a sharp laugh, pulling back as far as she can as he tightens his grip and stops her from slipping away.

“That’s actually insane,” she tells him. “Did you fall down the stairs on your way here and give yourself a concussion?”

“Maybe that would’ve been better,” he jokes. “You would’ve heard that.”

Gem lets out another laugh, tighter, as she clings to him.

“That’s not funny,” she complains, burying her face against his chest again.

She takes a moment, breathing in his deodorant, how he kind of smells like her and Winnie after being around them all week. It’s comforting.

“Are you serious about telling everyone?”

It would be a weight off. Half of the stress from being with Etho is trying to remember not to slip up.

“We could,” he agrees, and when she pulls back enough to glance up at him, his expression shifts, becoming more serious. “But the internet isn’t going to be nice to you.”

He says it carefully and she knows what he must be thinking.

People are going to question her motives, question whether she’s only in it for Etho’s notoriety. They’ll question what she sees in a guy almost ten years her senior, a guy she grew up watching. Every video will have prying questions, people believing they deserve to know, are owed details about their relationship.

If she’s not careful, she’ll lose her own identity and just become Etho’s girlfriend.

“The internet already isn’t nice to me,” she says quietly with a wry smile. “I’ll manage.”

His hands are gentle on her as he draws her closer, pulling her into a kiss that gives her butterflies even though he’s been kissing her all week.

She clings to him, emotions running high, but when he draws back, he shoots her a look that somehow makes her feel like maybe things will be okay.

“Don’t let this ruin your stream,” he says, kissing her cheek before stepping away, and Gem can’t help but laugh.

“I don’t care about my stream,” she says and Etho smiles like he knows. “It’s just gonna be a little crazy when I start it back up.”

“I’ll stay down here for a bit,” he tells her, glancing around, pausing when he notices her rocking chair. “How far do I need to move that to be out of sight of your camera?”

It feels insane, but Gem knows just having him nearby will help.

As he goes to pass her, she can’t help but drag him into another kiss, feeling his smile against her mouth.

“For luck,” she explains when she lets him go and he laughs quietly.

“No luck needed,” he promises. “Say hi to the Hermits for me.”

[killerplink]

BLACKOUT

Pairing: Dick Grayson x Female Reader

Plot: You wake up in the dark with your heart racing, breath caught, every nerve on edge, but Dick's there to keep you safe.

Words: 3,5k

A/N: wrote this after waking up from a nightmare at 3AM a while ago and needing comfort immediately so NATURALLY, I emotionally projected and this was born 😭 it's soft, a little messy, but it did soothe the brainworms, ngl 😭 smut is coming, promise besties 🏃🏻‍♀️ thank you for being patient while I fight for my life daily LMAO. love y'all 🫂 pls hydrate and take care of yourselves in this stupid ass heatwave, my loves 🥹

Dick notices the way you tense up before the storm even really starts, the way your fingers twitch like you're already bracing for something. And he knows what's coming. Knows how much you hate the dark, how the shadows play tricks on your mind, how even with him right here, it'll never be enough to chase away the fear.

He's seen it too many times before—the way the darkness grips you, digs into your bones, twists everything into something wrong. And every time, it breaks him. Because it's not just fear. It's terror. It's the kind of fear that burrows deep, that doesn't listen to reason, that won't ease no matter how tightly he holds you. His chest tightens, heart already aching, because no matter how much he wants to, he can't stop the storm.

And it makes him so fucking angry. Not at you, but at whatever put this fear in you in the first place. At whatever made you afraid of the dark, whatever left its fingerprints on your mind so deeply that even years later, in a safe and loving home, in his arms, you still can't shake them.

The storm is bad, worse than usual, loud and unrelenting as the wind howls against the windows and the rain pounds hard against the glass. Thunder rolls through the sky, deep and growling, shaking the walls and rattling the window frames.

But you're safe. Tucked against Dick's chest, wrapped in the warmth of the blankets, his arms draped over you, his body solid and steady beside yours. His heartbeat is slow and rhythmic, each rise and fall of his chest comforting, his breath fanning softly against your hair. It should be enough to keep you calm.

But a few moments later, a crack of thunder shatters the sky, loud enough to make the bed frame tremble. And at the exact same moment, just as your eyes fly open, everything goes dark. The power cuts out completely, and your chest seizes with panic. Your breath catches in your throat, fingers clutching at the sheets as a crushing weight settles over you.

The room is too dark, too silent, shadows stretching long across the walls, swallowing everything in their path, shifting in ways they fucking shouldn't. Your heart pounds, the air in your lungs is suddenly too thin, the silence too suffocating.

The second everything goes black, his heart lurches. He hears the sharp inhale, the way your breath catches in your throat, the tiny sound you make—somewhere between a gasp and a whimper. His stomach twists, and his whole body reacts before his mind even catches up. His breath stutters, adrenaline kicking in, muscles going taut in an instant.

His grip tightens around you, and it's instinct, pure fucking instinct, because every single alarm in his body is screaming protect her. But he knows he can't fight this. Can't punch the dark. Can't block the storm. All he can do is hold you, ground you, keep you from slipping too deep into the fear that's already closing in.

"Baby?" he says softly but it's too late—you're already panicking.

And it fucking kills him to hear it, to feel how rigid you go, to know that in your head, you're back in a place he can't reach. Dick's voice is thick with sleep, low and groggy, but his palm is big and warm as it rests against your back. His touch is firm, grounding, fingertips tracing gentle circles between your shoulder blades.

"My love, breathe. I've got you."

It's him. It's just Dick. You squeeze your eyes shut and curl into him, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, trying to focus on the warmth of his body.

"The power's out," you whisper, voice shaky, barely audible over the rain hammering against the windows.

"I know," he murmurs, lips brushing against your forehead as he presses a soft kiss there. "But it's okay, baby. I've got you."

The way he says it—so steady, so sure, like there's no room for doubt—should be enough to settle the fear curling in your stomach. But then another bolt of lightning splits the sky, and as the room lights up for a fraction of a second, your eyes snap open again, and you see something standing by the door.

Tall. Dark. Wrong. Your brain knows it's not real—it can't be—but panic doesn't fucking care about logic. Panic sees shadows and turns them into monsters. It grabs at every flicker, twisting the dark corners into something way worse than they actually are. Your heart is pounding like it's trying to escape your chest, and suddenly even the smallest sound feels like a scream.

Dick's seen a lot of horrible things in his life. Things that have broken him, haunted him, but nothing—absolutely fucking nothing—hurts quite like this. The way your body jolts at every flash, the way you turn so quick, staring at something that isn't there, breathing fast and uneven.

His hands tighten around you. "Hey, hey, look at me," he pleads, desperate to pull you back, to be louder than whatever your mind is showing you. "I'm right here, baby. It's just me."

"Dick—" your voice cracks, barely holding together, shaky and high. "I—I saw—fuck, I saw something—"

Your fingers claw at his shirt, panic spiking again. "It was there—I swear, I'm not—I'm not making it up—"

And God, he knows you're not. Not really. Not when fear's got you shaking like this, voice raw and breaking apart. Not when your eyes dart to that corner like you're seeing the devil himself standing there. He knows the dark's playing tricks, knows logically there's nothing there, but that doesn't matter. Not when you believe it, not when your panic is as real as anything else in this room.

"It's not real," he says gently, voice calm but firm—not to dismiss you, never that, but to anchor you, like he could pull you back with words alone. "I promise, baby. There's nothing there."

Your whole body tenses, fingers digging into his skin. "But—but what if it is? What if—"

"I know, sweetheart," he soothes, pressing another kiss to your temple. "I know it looked real. I believe you." His thumb rubs soothingly against your side. "But I've got you, okay? I won't let anything hurt you."

Your breathing is uneven, coming in short, shallow gasps, panic still clawing its way up your throat. "But I—"

"Shhh, just breathe," he whispers, wrapping you tighter in his arms.

His chest rises and falls slow and steady, like if he breathes calm enough, you'll follow. His hands never stop moving, one slipping under your shirt to press against your lower back, rubbing slow, steady circles into your skin, the other tracing gentle lines along your arm, grounding you with every touch.

"You know how the dark messes with your head, sweet girl," he murmurs, his voice low and reassuring, steady as ever. "It makes things look worse than they are. But you're safe with me, I promise."

Somewhere deep down, you know he's right. But you've always needed some kind of light when you sleep. Nothing too bright, nothing that makes it hard to rest, just a soft, gentle glow in the corner of the room, something to keep the darkness from creeping in too much. It's always been that way, for as long as you can remember.

The dark has never been kind to you. It twists things, makes them bigger, makes them worse. The corners of the room stretch into something unfamiliar, the furniture takes on strange, shifting shapes, and every shadow looks like something waiting, lurking, watching. It's irrational. You know it is. But that doesn't make it any less terrifying.

And Dick? He's never made you feel bad about it. Never teased, never questioned, never made you explain. He just made sure there was always a light for you, always something soft and warm glowing in the dark. Tonight, though, the night light doesn't work. Nothing does.

Your breath shudders out of you, but you don't get a chance to settle before the next flash comes, and this time, the shape isn't in the doorway. It's at the foot of the bed. You barely manage to bite back a whimper, chest rising and falling in sharp, shallow pants as you stare, frozen, not even blinking because what if it fucking moves?

And then, there's another flash, and it's behind him. The fear snaps something loose in your chest, a small, broken sound slipping past your lips, and before you can even think, before you can make sense of anything, you're grabbing at him. Hands clutching at his shirt, his arms, him, just trying to get him closer, trying to make sure he's real, make sure he's safe, make sure you're safe.

"Hey—hey, baby, I've got you," he breathes, arms wrapping around you without hesitation, pulling you close like it's instinct. Because it is. Protecting you, holding you, there's nothing he wouldn't do. "Shit, love, you're shaking so bad... It's okay, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

God, he hates this. Hates that you're scared like this, that the dark plays tricks on you, twists shadows into something that hurts you. If he could rip the night apart with his bare hands, chase away every shadow and monster your mind conjures, he fucking would. Without thinking. Without blinking.

"It's just me, sweetheart," he whispers against your hair, voice soft, threading warmth through the cold that's wrapped around you. "You're safe, I swear. Nothing's gonna get you while I'm here."

Your hands fist tighter in his shirt, nails digging in like you're terrified he'll vanish if you let go. And God, it squeezes at something deep in his chest—the kind of love that's fierce and protective, the kind that makes his heart ache and swell all at once. He's never wanted anything more than to take this fear from you, to bear it himself if it means you never have to feel it again.

"It—" your voice cracks, panic spilling out between sharp breaths. "It was there—Dick, it was right there—"

"I believe you," he says immediately, no hesitation, no doubt.

Because he does. Like maybe it's not real in the way shadows aren't real, but your fear? That's fucking real, and he's never gonna make you feel like it isn't.

"I know, baby. I know it looked real. But I promise, there's nothing here but you and me."

Your breathing stutters, eyes darting toward the foot of the bed again, and his hand gently cups your cheek, guiding you to look at him instead. "Hey. Eyes on me, sweet girl," he murmurs, voice tender but grounding. "Me. I'm what's real, okay? Just me."

He presses a soft kiss to your temple, heart twisting when you let out another shaky breath against his chest. "You're safe with me," he repeats, gentler this time, like he can soak the words into your skin if he says them enough.

And as you curl tighter into him, clinging, he holds you closer, rubbing slow circles into your back, whispering soft reassurances into the dark. He feels solid. Warm. Safe.

God, he loves you. Loves you so much it's terrifying sometimes. And if you need him to be your light tonight, then fuck, he'll shine as bright as you need.

Another flash of lightning rips through the sky, and you flinch, but before you can turn toward the door again, his fingers catch your chin, tilting your face up, forcing you to look at him instead.

"Eyes on me, baby," he murmurs softly, thumb brushing against your jaw.

You swallow thickly, your pulse still erratic, but he's close. Close enough that even in the darkness, you can somehow see the warmth in his eyes. His face is calm, gaze steady, his expression soft and full of so much love that it makes your chest ache.

Your breath shudders, fingers still twisted in his shirt. "You're okay, sweet girl," he whispers, his voice softer this time, like he's making a promise.

Your hands tighten around him. Your breath stutters, and you sniffle, trying to keep the lump in your throat from getting any worse. The panic is still there, thick and heavy in your chest, pressing in hard enough that it hurts.

It fucking wrecks him. The little sniffles, the way you always try to hold them in, like you don't want to be a burden, like he wouldn't do anything—anything—to take this from you. And then he shifts, arms tightening around you, his lips pressing against your temple, soft and steady, as if he knows you're about to cry before you do.

"You're okay, baby," he murmurs, his voice so gentle it makes your chest ache.

And maybe he's saying it for himself just as much as he is for you. Because seeing you like this—small and shaking in his arms, fighting back tears—it does something to him. Something deep, something raw. Something terrifying.

He hates this, hates how helpless it makes him feel, how no matter how many times he holds you through it, he can't erase this fear from you completely. But he can do this. He can be here. He can be the one thing that doesn't waver, the one thing that doesn't disappear when the lights go out.

"I'm right here. You're safe, I promise," he breathes, pressing the words against your skin like they might seep in.

And maybe they do, because when the next bolt of lightning strikes, you don't look toward the door. You don't let your mind twist the shadows into something they're not. You just keep your eyes on him, hold onto him, let him wrap around you and keep you safe until the storm passes. Because he's here. And as long as he is, you know you'll be okay.

And even after the worst of it passes, after the thunder starts to roll a little farther away and the lightning doesn't flash as bright or as often, you find yourself still clinging to him. Your body is exhausted from the panic, chest tight, limbs heavy, but you haven't let go, and he hasn't asked you to.

He just holds you, rubbing slow circles into your back, murmuring soft things against your hair, things like "You're okay" and "I've got you, baby, I've got you."

His hand slips from your back to cradle the side of your face, thumb brushing away a tear you didn't realize had fallen. He's quiet for a long moment, just breathing with you, matching his inhales to yours until your chest doesn't feel so constricted, until the air doesn't feel so thin.

"You did so good, my love," he whispers against your hair. "Rode it out, just like I knew you would."

His voice is soft, warm, threading through the cracks the fear left behind, and your eyes flutter closed. Your muscles start to unwind—slow, tentative, like your body is still trying to decide if it's really safe. But with him here, with his arms around you, with his heartbeat steady against your cheek... it's easier. Easier to believe you're okay. Easier to breathe.

He shifts just enough to kiss your forehead, lingering like he doesn't want to move too far away. "Let's get you a little water, yeah? Might help."

He's already reaching for the glass on the nightstand, his movements slow, careful, like he's scared of jostling you too much.

When he brings it back, he nudges it gently against your hand, coaxing. "Small sips, sweet girl."

You manage a shaky breath, take the glass, and sip. It helps. Not a lot, but enough.

Dick watches you with that soft, tender look that always melts you, like you're the most important thing in the world. And maybe you are, to him. He acts like it. Always has.

When you set the glass back down, he pulls you close again—tucks you under his chin, sways you gently like he's trying to rock the fear away. His fingers trace slow patterns along your arm, grounding you with every touch.

"Storm's almost over, my love," he murmurs. "And I'm not going anywhere. You know that, right?"

You nod against his chest. Yeah. You do know. His arms tighten around you like he's sealing that promise in place. Here. Safe. Yours.

And eventually—slowly, softly—your breathing evens out. Your muscles unclench. Your mind quiets. Because he's right. The storm's fading. The dark isn't as loud anymore. And Dick... Dick's still here. Warm. Steady. Home. And with him wrapped around you like this, it's easier to believe that maybe you'll be okay after all.

You don't remember falling asleep. One second, you were curled up against Dick, his warmth steady, his voice soft, his hands tracing slow, soothing circles against your back, and the next, everything faded, exhaustion creeping in, the steady rise and fall of his chest lulling you into rest.

You don't remember the exact moment sleep took you, but you do remember waking up. And he's not there. Your heart stutters, a tiny whimper slipping from your lips before you can stop it.

"Dick?"

The bedroom is dim, morning light filtering weakly through the curtains, the storm still rumbling softly in the distance, though nowhere near as vicious as before. You shift under the blankets, blinking sleepily, trying to shake the sluggish heaviness clinging to your limbs. Then you hear soft footsteps, the quiet creak of the door, and before the unease can even settle in, Dick steps into the room.

And he's dressed.

Not in his usual sweatpants and t-shirt, not in the clothes he sleeps in. He's already up for the day, wearing his jeans, his hoodie, his hair still slightly damp from a shower. You barely get a chance to process it before he's walking toward you, his gaze soft, his lips curving in the kind of smile that makes your stomach flip.

"Morning, baby," he murmurs as he sits down beside you.

You shift instinctively, pushing yourself upright, still half asleep as you move to snuggle into his side. His arm comes around you immediately, solid and warm, his hand resting against your back as he presses a soft kiss to the top of your head. You melt into him, inhaling deep, his scent grounding you, something so simple and safe that it makes you smile, just a little.

"Feeling better?" he asks, voice quiet, almost tentative.

You nod slowly. You do feel better. The panic is gone, the fear nothing more than a lingering weight in the back of your mind. But now, in the light of day, something else settles in its place. Embarrassment.

Because you're an adult. You're not supposed to be afraid of the dark. You're not supposed to wake up gasping for air because the shadows played tricks on your mind. You're not supposed to curl into your boyfriend's arms, shaking and sniffling because the power went out. What are you, five?

You exhale slowly, avoiding his gaze, the words already forming on your tongue. But before you can say it, before the shame can take hold completely, Dick leans in, pressing the softest, sweetest kiss to the tip of your nose.

"No need to apologize, sweet girl," he says gently. "It's okay."

You swallow hard, blinking up at him, but he just looks at you like there's nothing to forgive, nothing to feel embarrassed about, nothing to be ashamed of. His expression is soft, so full of quiet understanding that you don't even try to argue.

You nod, burying your face into his shoulder, letting out a tiny, sleepy pout. "Where have you been, baby?"

His chest vibrates with a soft chuckle, his arms tightening around you just a little. "Went to buy some batteries," he says simply. "And night lights that don't need power."

You blink, lifting your head. "What?"

"They said it's gonna be stormy all week," he explains, his fingers tracing lazy patterns against your arm. "Just wanna make sure we don't have a repeat of last night."

Your stomach flips because of course he did. Of course he got up first thing in the morning to make sure you wouldn't have to go through that again. Didn't tease you, didn't brush it off, didn't make you feel ridiculous for something you already felt ridiculous about. Just got up, got dressed, and went out to fix it.

You don't say anything for a moment, just look at him, taking in the soft blue of his eyes, the little tired lines near the corners, the warmth behind them, the quiet devotion so effortlessly woven into everything he does. Then, slowly, you press closer, arms wrapping around his middle, face tucking into the crook of his neck.

"Thank you," you whisper.

His lips press to the top of your head, his fingers brushing through your hair, slow and gentle. "Anything for you, my love, you know that."

God, you do.

Mornings are simple when they end like this. Wrapped up in him, safe, warm, the storm nothing but a soft hum in the background. Because it doesn't matter how many storms come, how many times the lights go out, how many times the dark tries to creep back in, it's happened before. It'll happen again. Dick has always known that, and he will be here to chase it away—steady and sure, like a lighthouse cutting through the fog.

[chefs-other-corner]

Sick Days |Rumi|

☆Paring: Rumi x Zoey x Mira

☆Tags: SIck Fic, fluff, a pinch of angst, a dash of hurt/comfort, and just a shit ton of domestic fluff

☆Sum Sum: Rumi Gets sick, her girlys take care of her   ☆Word count: 926

☆Note: This was BASED AND FULLY INSPIRDE BY THIS POST, The one behind it is called fishsticks231 uhhh idk how to add it so I'll just (bloop) Here it iss ────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────

Rumi lost her voice two days ago.

At first, it just hurt. Her throat burned after dance practice, and she figured it was the dry air, or maybe yelling counts too many during rehearsal. She didn’t say anything.

She didn’t have time to be sick.

The Honmoon comeback was hers to manage—had to be. The new choreography. The interviews. The promotional collabs. Every loose end felt like a thread wrapped around her throat.

But now her voice is gone. Really gone. No sound comes out except these weak, breathy exhales that barely count as words. Her chest feels tight. Her hands won’t stop shaking.

And worst of all—her marks are faintly glowing again.

She sees them in the mirror that morning. Pale violet along her collarbone, the same kind of dull shimmer they’d had before everything went bad. She covers them with makeup immediately. Turtleneck on top of that. She doesn’t tell Mira or Zoey. If they find out, they'll worry, and she doesn't want—

Her knees buckle in the hallway.

She catches herself on the wall and stands there, dizzy and panicked, hands trembling harder now. Her skin feels hot, her breath shallow. She thinks she might pass out.

She hears Mira’s voice from the living room.

“Rumi?”

She freezes. Too late.

“What the hell?” Zoey’s voice is sharper. She rushes to her side and immediately catches her arm. “You’re burning up—babe, what is this? Why didn’t you say anything?”

Rumi shakes her head, mouthing nothing, shrinking back instinctively. She pulls at the collar of her turtleneck, trying to hide more of her skin.

Mira sees it. She sees everything.

“Oh my god,” she says quietly. “You thought the marks were coming back.”

Rumi looks away.

Zoey’s voice drops, like the fight drains out of her. “Rumi…”

Rumi starts typing on her phone—I thought I was okay. I’ve been okay. I didn’t want to mess it up. Not now. The words blur from the tears she won’t let fall.

Zoey reads it, jaw clenched. “You’re not messing anything up.”

Mira steps forward and pulls the phone from her hands gently. “You’re sick. That’s it. Not cursed. Not broken. Not dangerous.” Then, quieter: “And you don’t have to go through it alone.”

Rumi’s face crumples for just a second.

Then she nods. Zoey and Mira practically drag her to bed. Rumi tries to protest—tapping weakly on her phone, something about the group’s livestream tomorrow and how she still hasn’t finalized outfits—but neither of them are listening.

“You need to lie down,” Mira says, pushing the blankets back and guiding Rumi in like she’s tucking in a porcelain doll.

Zoey, pacing near the doorway, mutters, “Maybe we should just call that tonic guy again.”

Mira groans, already rubbing her temples. “Please don’t bring him up.”

“He helped!” Zoey insists.

“He sold you a ‘universal healing elixir’ that turned out to be glorified grape juice.”

“Okay, yeah—but Rumi liked it.”

Rumi, still mute and exhausted, blinks at them. Then shrugs, mouthing, it tasted good.

Mira stares at both of them like she’s living with toddlers. “You are not giving her thirty-dollar juice with glitter in it and calling it medicine.”

“It’s not glitter,” Zoey argues, “It’s crushed quartz infused with chakra resonance. That’s what he said.”

“He also said it cured taxes.”

Rumi lets out a breathy wheeze that might be a laugh, and Zoey grins, triumphant. “See? Healing.”

Rumi doesn’t remember falling asleep, but when she wakes up, it’s dark out. Her throat still burns, her body aches, but she’s warm.

Pressed between them.

Zoey’s arm is slung around her waist, loose and heavy, her face buried into Rumi’s back like a sleepy koala. Mira’s curled in close at her front, her hand tucked under Rumi’s jaw, thumb gently stroking at her cheek like she’s still soothing her in her sleep.

It’s quiet—too quiet for a house usually filled with music and movement and half-finished arguments about snack hoarding. For once, there’s no expectation. No tension waiting to snap in her chest.

She’s just… here. Held.

Rumi shifts a little, enough that Mira’s eyes flutter open. She doesn't say anything, just blinks at her. Then, like instinct, her fingers go to Rumi’s collar. She pushes it down just slightly and checks the skin where her marks shimmered earlier.

Still there. But faint now. Calm.

She traces over one with the pad of her finger.

Rumi’s breath catches.

“You’re okay,” Mira whispers, voice low and tired and warm with relief. “It’s not coming back. It was never about the marks. You’re just exhausted.”

Rumi nods, slow. It feels like her throat might close again if she tries to cry, so she doesn’t. She just presses her forehead to Mira’s and breathes through the ache.

Behind her, Zoey stirs. “What time is it?” she mumbles into Rumi’s shoulder.

“Late,” Mira says.

Zoey hums. “She awake?”

Mira nods.

“Tell her I knew it was grape juice and I’d still buy it again.”

Rumi lets out the softest laugh—soundless, but Mira feels it in her chest. It’s the first time she hasn’t looked scared all day.

“Go back to sleep,” Mira murmurs.

Zoey tightens her arm around Rumi. “Not unless she does.”

Rumi blinks slow. She’s still sick. Still anxious. Still scared that all of this could slip if she stops holding on so tight. But right now, they’re here. Not just beside her, but with her. Soft, steady. Anchored.

She lets herself close her eyes again.

And this time, when she falls asleep, it’s not from crashing.

It’s from comfort.

Part Two Part Three

[bakerytulip]

Carcar with cat!shifter Oscar. Enjoy!

Look, Carlos has nothing against cats, alright? They’re fine. A bit moody sometimes, yes, and he much prefers dogs no matter how many pictures of kittens Alex sends him, but it’s not as if he actively dislikes them. So, when he opens the door to a frantic Alex Albon, clearly in a rush and with wide, panicked eyes, practically begging him to look after his cats for the day, it doesn’t take much convincing for Carlos to agree. Alex is a good guy and good neighbour, clean and quiet even with his pets. They live next door to each other anyway, so it’s not difficult to pop into the other apartment throughout the day to check on the cats. Besides, Carlos can handle looking after three cats for a day before George gets back from London to take over as cat-sitter.

“I owe you one, Carlos”, Alex calls as he’s rushing through his apartment, frantically collecting his keys, passport and jacket before grabbing the suitcase by the door. “I’m sorry but I really have to leave now or I’ll miss the flight, but I’ll text you all the details about feeding them that you need, yeah?”

“It is fine, Alex, don’t worry”, Carlos assures him, looking at the three cats lounging on Alex’s couch. They had barely lifted their heads since Carlos had entered the apartment, quick to return to their naps in the morning sun. They don’t look like they’ll be much trouble.

“Thank you again, mate! I'll text you”, Alex says, shoving his phone in the pack-pocket of his jeans. And then, with a “Be good to Carlos!” thrown over his shoulder, Alex rushes out the door, barely avoiding slamming it closed behind himself. Which leaves Carlos officially in charge of three cats for the next twenty-four hours. Can’t be that hard, can it?

To start with, the little thing had somehow managed to escape from the apartment. Just as Carlos got off his bike, Pumpkin had walked past him, not a care in the world. Carlos had nearly tripped over his bike in his haste to grab the cat before it could walk any further. Alex trusted him with his cats, so the last thing he needed right now was one of them running away in the short time he was in looking after them. Now, all that would have been fine. A little hiccup, nothing more. Expect in the hour Carlos had been gone, Pumpkin apparently decided that he did not want to be held by Carlos at all. Throughout the entire elevator ride back to the seventh floor Pumpkin does his best to wriggle out of Carlos’ arms, meowing unhappily and glaring at Carlos when he tightens his grip on him. Pumpkin doesn't stop even as Carlos steps out of the elevator.

Carlos really fucking hates cats. No, scratch that, he hates the little orange demon that is Pumpkin. Momo and Lottie, the two tabbies, have been absolute angels so far. Just as Alex had described in his text, Momo preferred to be left alone while Lottie enjoyed being petted as long as nobody touched her stomach. Pumpkin, who Alex lovingly referred to as a cuddlebug, had spent the first hour of the morning happily purring in Carlos’ lap. So far, so good. He had measured their food as per Alex’s instruction and all three cats had eaten without any fuss, quickly returning to their previous lounging positions in the apartment. So, Carlos had felt confident in his decision to leave them in the appartment for an hour so that he could go on his daily bike ride. But as he was quick to discover, Pumpkin, contrary to his cuddly demeanour earlier that day, was a little shit.

“I’m just bringing you back to your home”, Carlos grits out, trying to stop Pumpkins latest escape attempt. Pumpkin, who seems to have decided that Carlos is public enemy number one, lets out a low growl and narrows its eyes at him. Carlos tries not to be too offended at the fact that his teammates’ cat hates him. Not like he cares, anyway. He’s almost at Alex’s door when his phone rings. Carlos, despite having both his hands full with a hissing cat, pulls his phone from his back pocket. Alex had mentioned in his earlier text that he’d call before he boarded the plane, so it’s probably best to answer the phone now. Maybe he can use the chance to ask Alex if cats can get possessed. Doing his best to balance the cat in one arm without dropping it, Carlos swipes left and presses the phone between his head and right shoulder, using his free hand to unlock the door.

“You did not tell me that Pumpkin was so vicious”, Carlos says, making his way into the apartment. The voice on the other end of the phone, although British, is definitely not Alex.

“Cat sitting going well for you then, mate?”, Lando asks. Carlos can practically hear him grinning. He barely holds back his sigh. Great.

Pumpkin, now inside the apartment but no less determined, decides to stage its latest escape attempt by climbing over Carlos’ shoulder. Bastardo.

“Pumpkin keeps – ay, don’t scratch me – keeps trying to escape”, Carlos hisses, one hand gripping the phone while the other grips Pumpkin by the scruff of his neck. Pumpkin, darling that he is, decides to hiss back.

“Pumpkers? What are you talking about, mate, he’s like the cuddliest cat to ever exist!”. Lando is openly laughing by now.

“Well, he hates me”, Carlos huffs, finally managing to kick the door shut. “He was fine this morning but now he’s – not the hair, mate!”

Lando’s laugh only gets louder. “Hold on, I’m switching you to video call”, he says. “I need to see this.”

Before Carlos even has time to protest, Lando is already grinning at him through the phone screen. “Hi Pumpkin”, he coos, waving at the phone even though Pumpkin currently has its back to him. Strangely enough, Pumpkin’s head whips around at the sound of Lando’s voice. He abandons his latest mission of digging his claws into Carlos’ skull, climbing back onto Carlos’s shoulder and meowing loudly at the phone. Carlos quickly leans his phone up against the kitchen counter before he drops it. With Pumpkin meowing loudly and wriggling in his arms, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to hold onto both.

“You see”, Carlos says, readjusting his grip on Pumpkin. “He hates me”

He expects Lando to laugh at him, hopes he’ll agree with him that yes, that is in fact Satan reincarnated, you’re so right, Carlos. Instead, Lando frowns and leans closer to the screen, eyes roaming over Pumpkin. Pumpkin meows again, loudly and insistently. Suddenly, Lando gasps, sitting up straight on the bed he’d previously been lounging on.

“Oh my god”, he whispers, pressing his face close to the screen again. “Oh my fucking God. Carlos. Carlos, please tell me that cat doesn’t have a white spot on its chest”

“What?”, Carlos asks, frowning. “Why does-“

“Mate, please”, Lando interrupts him. His voice is vibrating with barely concealed glee. “Please just – just check if he has a white spot on the chest, okay? Kinda like a heart shape?”

And Carlos is too tired to argue against whatever weird thing Lando came up with now. He holds the cat up in front of him, ignoring it’s meowing. Strangely enough, there is a white spot on its chest. And yeah, if he squints it does look a bit like a heart.

“I think he does, yes”, Carlos says, holding the cat so it’s facing the camera. “Why does that matter?”

For a second, Lando just stares at him through the phone. Then, he bursts out laughing.

“What? Lando, what is going on?”, Carlos demands. He just spent the last ten minutes wrangling a cat back into an apartment, the last thing he needs right now is Lando laughing in his face.

“Mate”, Lando gasps in between giggles. “Oh, this is mint. No wonder he hates you. That’s Oscar.”

Most importantly, Carlos had seen Pumpkin that morning, he knew what he looked like. Not to mention that Pumpkin was still missing, so there was no way that-

Carlos whips his head around to stare at the cat still in his arms. Pumpkin (Oscar?) has stopped his escape attempts and is looking at Carlos with what could only be described as an unimpressed stare. Carlos gapes at him.

Obviously he knows that Oscar’s one of the few animal shifters on the grid. And now that Lando mentioned it, he does recall seeing an orange cat at the paddock a handful of times. But it’s not as if Carlos ever actively tried to find out what Oscar looks like in his animal form. Why would he? They weren’t exactly friends. And the only interactions they ever had were in the paddock at times where Oscar was very much human.

Meoow.

Carlos is pulled out of his thoughts by a loud meow at his feet. He looks down. Directly at an orange tabby sitting by his feet, blinking slowly up at him. Not one white hair to be seen. Carlos slowly looks back up at the cat in his arms. In the background, he can still hear Lando howling with laughter. Carlos doesn’t even look at his phone when he ends the call, too focused on the cat.

The cat that apparently is none other than Oscar Piastri.

Well, shit.

[dark-lord-of-awesomeness]

Dark Ford idea-30 years after Weirdmageddon begins, the kids and their friends have joined the resistance (picture the cipher wheel minus the three oldest plus candy grenda etc) and have heard of the demon Sixers weakness. A small golden bauble that he never lets out of his sight. Long fight later, the kids have a gold orb with a fish engraved on it, and a desperate Sixer in front of them. They nearly drop it, and he freaks- b/c that's Stanland's bubble after too many escape attempts.

OOOH! I see :)

I'm guessing this is a 'Weirdmaggedon started in 1980's au.

Fords helped Bill end the world, but he does love his planet (in his own way), doesn't want Bill to end it. Ford has fond memories there, and his ego means he likes it when the masses bow to him. Bill goes off to ravage the rest of the dimension, Ford gets to keep the Earth as 'his playground' Still goes out and parties with Bill, then goes home to 'play' (recreate society in his image). Fiddlefords his friend and helped him end the world, so even if he let himself go mad Ford will take care of him and his family :). And Stan's always right where Ford wants him, happy and safe by his side :). Earth is still a horror world of monsters and mayham (More interesting!), but there are certain 'protected areas' where humans can live as long as they understand Sixer's in charge of them while Bill's out (can't be praised for being a genius if there's no one to praise you, and Ford likes showing off, likes having space for Emma-May to do her work (he barely pays her attention, shes just an extension of Fiddleford to him, and her husband is still very much insane))

The twins have no idea they're related to the most hated demon left on earth. Shermie never told his son (Denial, then shame), all they know is that they need to take down Sixer to free their planet, and hopefully find a way to repeal Bill and protect the planet/dimension.

Whats better than killing a demon? Making it use its power for your own ends. Sixer always has a golden orb, some bauble he's obsessed with, and they have intel that says he was once bumped while holding it, nearly dropped it, and the person who dared bump him doesn't exist as a person anymore. Whatever it is, its important. All they have to do is get it, and Sixer will do whatever they want.

Long fight, scheming, turns out Emma-May is not the spy as everyone thought, its Fiddleford who was only pretending to be super crazy after Ford took his memory machine away. Then finally! they have the orb!

Ford freezes. Stan's in there, in the perfect world Ford crafted for him, so he'd always be happy and safe. Immediately caves to any and all demands, anything to make sure his precious baby brother doesn't get hurt or his dream land damaged in any way.

Which of course happens at some point, probably when Bill gets wise to whats happening. More fighting, people using the orb as leverage, using all the anti Bill things they forced Ford into telling them about, and Bill, in a rage that Ford is so easily manipulated, breaks the orb himself.

And there's Stan, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, maybe hungover, tan, still tan? Looks around in confusion, as everyone but Bill and Ford looks on in horror/confusion back at him. Ford immediately tries to put Stan back in a bubble, or at least keep him away from the suddenly hostile Bill (Trying to get rid of Stan so Ford can stop obsessing) and still insignificant but still a threat humans (who is that old guy who looks like the demon?), except Stan is not having it.

Stan takes one look around, sees Ford, and lunges. The last thirty years he's been trapped in a world that gave him everything he wanted, and the last thing he wanted was to see Ford. Fords trying to scoop Stan up/protect him while Stan's snarling and biting him.

More fighting, Stan runs off with the kids, because why would he go with Ford? and then introduces himself as Stanley Pines! Former twin to the demon running around with his brothers face. Hey! That old guy looks like Shermie! Anyway his former brother kidnapped him and kept him as a pet until Stan tried to get away one too many times and got trapped in 'paradise'. It wasn't totally awful, but the idea of Ford, out there and probably watching him like a creep, made it really, really hard to actually relax and feel any kind of happy. He's been living life in a drunken haze trying to forget he was living in a demon's pocket or something. Anyway whats up! Other none demon people! Its been ages since he's talked to someone not evil! This is great!

[zepskies]

Ehehe I'm not sorry for giving you that gif, especially if it's going to become something like this!! omg @lamentationsofalonelypotato thank you so much again for joining in on the summer challenge, especially for an underrated character like Javi! 😍 I'm literally vibrating with excitement to dive into this...

Oooh what a nostalgic, atmospheric start. I love watching rain sometimes, and I could see every image you were painting in my head. But also -

Anything can happen in a thunderstorm.

Oooh, ominous? A sense of opportunity? What are we in for here??

The raging thunderstorm that pummeled and shook the American Embassy was trying it's best to rival the storm that Noah survived, and was also unfortunately keeping you from your warm bed past midnight on a Tuesday.

Nice metaphor there loll - but now I'm kinda grateful for the storm. Keeping her locked in staying late with her boss, you say? 😏

You'd seen Javier charming someone back to his apartment- the moves, the smirk, the mischievous glint in his whiskey colored eyes when he knew he had someone on the hook, and the low rumble of his chuckle that made you lose all feeling in your legs. You'd seen the same song and dance at every Christmas, New Years, and whatever other holiday that you were celebrating at the Embassy party.

I'm salivating at this description already lmfaoo. Got a feeling she's going to change his mind about how he sees her pretty soon...

Plus being as clumsy as you were, you'd probably take a few steps towards the group then eat it on the musty carpets.

Aww not a clumsy socially awkward secretary loll, but honestly I find these characters endearing when you can see they have a caring heart, as they tend to do. It's actually a nice twist on how secretaries are usually portrayed -- all sexy and confident and after their married-man boss. 😅

Got to hear your soft sigh as your shuffled through papers, got to see the way your face got that cute scrunch when you were concentrating, and got to smell the bright mist of your citrus perfume whenever you walked by. The same perfume that he had to stop himself from trying to gulp down from the air like a man dying of thirst in the dessert, because the way you smelled was like a drug to him. It made him feel like an addict of the worst kind.

Oooh he's got it bad for her lollll. Once you're addicted to her perfume, you're cooked, my friend 😏

You crash into him, pouring the entire contents of both mugs onto the front of his shirt and down his pants. Javier makes a sound like a wounded animal.

lmfao OH NOOO. NOT THE HOT COFFEE TO THE CROTCH. 😭🤣 Reminds me of that scene when Carillo was torturing that sicario by splashing scalding hot coffee in his face 😅

But dear Lord, reader doesn't make it better for Javi, does she? 🤭 I cackled madly throughout that entire scene! lmaooo

The same smile that he sought after a day without end, because it was the only thing that made him feel like what he was doing meant something after years of him sinking deeper into the mire.

Aaand that's when I melted into a puddle of fluff - poor guy been through it 🥲

That someone had done something and he was too late, because Colombia chewed up and spat out the kind of person you were.

Literally was just thinking this about the reader. She's such a rare personality to find in this place and time and context, so it actually makes sense that Javi would be drawn to - and at the same time want to keep away from - a woman like her.

He says your name again, this time gently pulling your hands from your face.  “Why are you crying?” Worry flickers behind his golden gaze, thumbs brushing over the soft skin of your wrists. “Because I’m embarrassed. I mean I touched you- touched it- I-“

Ay, pobrecita lolll I want to give her a hug too at this point 🤣🤣🤣 but I love how gentle he is with her in this moment. 💓 What a good sport! lol

or whenever he somehow was grocery shopping at the same market and he would gently place his hand on the small of your back to lead you through the crowded stalls.

Gahhhhh yes pls - love a guiding touch on the small of the back 😮‍💨

"Terrible, cariño." Javier smirks a little wider, the grip he has on your waist tightening with a promise that flashes in his dark eyes. “Maybe not coffee.” You say hesitantly.

Hehee oh what a terrible idea, but very much totally worth it. 😏 (And LOL probs for the best they don't go out for coffee 😆)

This is such a fun one-shot, my friend! I can't get enough of Javi being sexy and a little soft at the same time -- for the right person 💗

Thanks again so much for participating in the writing challenge!! I'm really looking forward to working on my requests for you too - for Javi and Joel!! 💕

Worth The Risk

Pairing: Javier Peña x f!reader

Summary: When you and your boss get stuck working late at the Embassy, a heated accident makes the two of you realize that maybe some things are worth the risk. Written for @zepskies 5K follower celebration!

Tropes: Little tiny bit of grumpy sunshine, Tiny bit of shy/awkward reader, Boss and Secretary Dynamic, Soft! Javier. Mutual Pining.

Word Count: 4.6K

Warnings: I'm labelling this one as 18+ (just in case)! Sexual situationish? Cursing, Super awkward situation, Make out session, References to sex (there's quite a bit), References to Javi being a tiny bit of a slut *said affectionately* (because we all love him for it), Loverboy! Javi, Accidental Handjob (I don't know what to call it)? Reader is kinda awkward, Reader has anxiety, Reader being a little bit self-deprecating? Reader has a bit of a developed backstory for the fic, Javier being a little bit self-deprecating? Javier might be a little bit OOC.

Note: This is told from Reader's perspective. Any references to the reader is made using you or your. There is no use of y/n! I tried my best to proofread, but nobody's perfect. If you don’t like, don’t read, but if you do like, you’re my favorite! I have never written for Javier before, so please, PLEASE be gentle.

Internal monologue is in italics and is in first person.

Main Masterlist

A/N: Alright Alex, happy 5k! This one rolled out of me due to the very, VERY inspirational gif that you sent me (still can't look at it for too long without stroking out 🤣). I'll have to return the favor someday 😈 But to everyone else, this one is really just something silly that was living rent free in my head so enjoy!

There is something magical about rain.

The gentle patter against a rooftop like a soothing melody, the racing droplets down a window that you can trace with your fingertips, the distant rumble of thunder over the mountains shaking through the lush green forests, the heady smell of rain that comes moments before a downpour, the flash of lightning that captures the world in shades of black and white- it makes the rest of the world melt away, isolates you to one single place to bask in the enchanting sounds and beauty of it all.

Anything can happen in a thunderstorm.

Of course there are some things that are not magical about rain.

The feeling of the cold droplets slipping below your collar and trickling down your spine, the squish of your soaked socks and shoes when you step into a puddle that was a little deeper than you thought it was, the flash of lightning above your head that is a little too close for comfort followed the deep crack of thunder…

Or when you’re fighting for your life with a stubborn umbrella in a heavy downpour that won’t do the one job it was literally made for and you end up looking like a drowned rat by the time you get to where you were going, and you’re too embarrassed to go in so you just turn to take the walk of shame home, and end up running into your “so sexy it should be a crime” boss.

Not speaking from personal experience or anything…

The raging thunderstorm that pummeled and shook the American Embassy was trying it's best to rival the storm that Noah survived, and was also unfortunately keeping you from your warm bed past midnight on a Tuesday.

An umbrella would have been worthless at this point given that the rain seemed to be coming up from the ground and because your ancient Nova had refused to start this morning and you'd walked to work, you were stuck.

But you didn't mind staying late for one reason:

Javier Peña

The level of crush you had on your boss was shameful, but you hadn't meant for this to happen, honest! He was just, so, so…

Javier sighs where he sits at his desk, leaning back to prop his feet up on the strong metal table top while the muscles of his right arm strain against the sleeve of his orange button up, making your throat constrict.

Sexy.

Which yes, maybe it was a bit of a cliché, a secretary falling in love with her boss that was way out of her league in every single way, but you were.

Sure Javier had a reputation with women. Goodness knows you had heard every single scandalous whisper about his numerous escapades and seen every sultry look from the women who passed by the office hoping to catch a glimpse of your boss hard at work. The same women who told you how lucky you were to work with Javier and how jealous they were of you.

They didn't need to be. You knew for a fact that Javier didn't see you as more than just his secretary.

How you ask? Because of the way he treated you.

You'd seen Javier charming someone back to his apartment- the moves, the smirk, the mischievous glint in his whiskey colored eyes when he knew he had someone on the hook, and the low rumble of his chuckle that made you lose all feeling in your legs. You'd seen the same song and dance at every Christmas, New Years, and whatever other holiday that you were celebrating at the Embassy party.

But around you, Javier was a different man.

Yes he still had the same charm, but he was softer. He genuinely would ask you how your day was going whenever he walked by, listened to you whisper whatever gossip you picked up at the water cooler on the fifth floor or in the break room and laughed with you, suggested places to order lunch from where he knew you would find something too, walked with you to your car when it was late, and whenever he went out with Steve he always brought something back for you, whether it be a nice cup of well-needed coffee or a Cocada from your favorite bakery down the street.

He was a good boss. Anyone would be lucky to work with him.

Plus you'd seen the kind of women he was interested in and you weren't one of them. You weren't confident or outgoing. Sure you'd speak to your boss, Steve, and a few people around the office when you had to, but you were not okay with just striking up a conversation or joining a group mid-sentence because that was like a suicide mission. Plus being as clumsy as you were, you'd probably take a few steps towards the group then eat it on the musty carpets.

And you certainly didn't dress like any of them- well, some of them dressed for their profession and that was okay, but you definitely couldn't imagine wearing anything like that around the office.

Your wardrobe consisted of oversized sweaters, long flowy skirts, and soft dresses that draped rather than squeezed your boobs into submission and didn't prop them up to say "hello." But you wanted to be comfy at work because you were there so many hours during the day and you didn't think that you'd be able to breathe if you wore anything tight when you sat down.

That wasn't to say that you didn't "try" when you were at work, just that your sense of style was more… reserved than the women you saw Javier gravitate towards.

So basically you were trying to not be attracted to your boss, and after three years all your crush had done was triple in size and follow you around like a smelly water buffalo.

Javier sighs again, drawing your gaze up from the stack of notes you were organizing into chronological order for him. His eyes skate over to you, a weary smile twitching at the end of his lips before his attention drops back to the folder perched in his lap.

Everyone else had gone home for the night, and usually by now Javier would have gone too, but he had a meeting with Ambassador Noonan in the morning and was trying to prepare.

Maybe he needs some coffee.

You think to yourself as you rise from your cluttered desk making your way to the small break room two rooms down the corridor, not noticing the way Javier's eyes follow you.

He had told you to go home earlier, told you that he had this handled, but you refused. Javier didn’t understand why you wouldn't go, but he was happy you didn't, because it meant that he got to be with you for just a few more hours than normal. Got to hear your soft sigh as your shuffled through papers, got to see the way your face got that cute scrunch when you were concentrating, and got to smell the bright mist of your citrus perfume whenever you walked by. The same perfume that he had to stop himself from trying to gulp down from the air like a man dying of thirst in the dessert, because the way you smelled was like a drug to him. It made him feel like an addict of the worst kind.

And then also made him feel like the scummiest guy on the planet because he was your boss and shouldn't be having any of those thoughts about you, but he couldn't help it. Not when since the first day he met you, Javier felt his dead heart start to beat again. Not when being in the same room with you was like standing too close to the sun, blinded and filled with so much heat he thought it would all come pouring out of him like molten lava.

Javier Peña had it bad. Steve often teased him about it and Javi shrugged him off, but Javier knew in his heart that there wasn't much he could do to change it.

Because he wanted more, but he knew that he shouldn't.

You busy yourself with the steps of making coffee. Measuring out the grounds, filling the pot with water, etc. And when you have two mugs filled to the brim with the elixir of life, you turn to go back to the office.

Unfortunately what you didn't know is that Javier came to see what you were doing, and at the exact moment you turn around with much more enthusiasm than someone should have at 12:39 on a Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, Javier enters the room.

You crash into him, pouring the entire contents of both mugs onto the front of his shirt and down his pants.

Javier makes a sound like a wounded animal.

Coming from someone who had been shot in the past, you now knew that taking scalding hot coffee seemed to be the same level of pain as a bullet wound.

"Shit!" You scream, placing the empty mugs on the counter before turning back to note the prominent stain all over Javier's lower stomach and the front of his blue jeans.

Before Javier can reach for the paper towels to clean himself, your hand comes down hard on the center of his chest, stress fueled anxiety giving you almost superhuman strength as you shove him backwards into one of the plastic chairs that sit idle around the pathetic table.

A startled yelp comes through Javier's lips as he stumbles back in surprise, landing unceremoniously in a chair, stunned. You don’t give him time to process the events that happened in the last three seconds, before you're dropping to your knees in front of him, paper towel roll in hand, scrubbing furiously at his lap.

"Oh fuck, Mr. Peña I am so SO sorry!" You babble, working your hands back and forth on the front of his pants, leaning over him. "I didn’t know that you were coming in here and I wanted to make us some coffee because I know that you've been working so hard tonight and-"

Javier groans low under his breath. "It's okay I-" He tries to push you away, but you continue to dab and wipe at the coffee that has soaked through his jeans.

"It's not okay! You could have second or third degree burns." You stare up at him wide eyed.

One of his hands is fisted on his knee, the other gripping the plastic edge of the table like a lifeline, his jaw clenched tight as you work your hands over him.

"I'm fine-" He says through gritted teeth, brown eyes flashing with something that looks a lot like pain.

Maybe we should go to the hospital!

"No, you're not here-" You prop yourself up, placing your hands on Javier's muscular thighs, your face level with his crotch, and blow.

Javier's body constricts, his knuckles turning white from grabbing the table.

"Is that better?" You look up at him again, eyes wide and hopeful, anxiety and embarrassment flooding the synapses in your brain. You were so worried of Javier being in pain, of him being hurt, that you weren't considering the opposite.

Because Javier Peña is trying not to come in his pants like a damn teenager.

He lets out a strangled sound, but doesn't answer, so you try again, blowing over his crotch and hoping that it soothes the scalded flesh.

“You have to stop-“ Javier says in a breathy whisper, face contorting in something that looks like pain. His dark hair is scrunched and wild, sweat beading along his forehead, and his eyes squeezed shut as if he can’t look at you.

Can you sue someone for spilling coffee on you?

“Don’t worry I think I can get it all off!” You say, beginning to frantically dab at his pants again.

Javier was in hell… but fuck it felt a lot like heaven.

He was trying his best not to focus on what you were doing. His mind flitting from photos of M-19 personnel massacred by Pablo Escobar, photos of plane crash victims, memories of drug busts, to other images of whatever else could take his mind off of what was happening in his lap, but nothing was working.

Not when you were kneeling in front of him, eyes wide with fear and worry for him, wearing one of those handmade oversized sweaters that Javier thought made you look unbelievably cute, soft hands rubbing, dabbing, and squeezing him, your cool breath rushing through his coffee soaked pants, and with you apologizing over and over in that sweet voice of yours.

The same one that Javi tried not to think about in the dead of night when all was quiet and he was alone, when another voice inside his head (that sounded remarkably like Steve) told him not to start something with his secretary-

But Javi couldn't help it.

You were unlike anyone he'd met in his entire life. You were soft, kind, generous, with a smile that always made something deep inside Javi break whenever you looked at him. The same smile that he sought after a day without end, because it was the only thing that made him feel like what he was doing meant something after years of him sinking deeper into the mire.

The moment that you started working for him, Javier found himself excited to come to work and that was something that warranted a whole fleet of flying pigs.

You shouldn't be working here, let alone living here. Whenever you didn't show up to work or were a few minutes late Javier's mind went right to the worst, that something had happened to you. That someone had done something and he was too late, because Colombia chewed up and spat out the kind of person you were.

It was why he couldn't bear the thought of you walking alone to your car after work, and why he seemed to be in the same neighborhood on the weekends when you made your way to the market down the street from your apartment to go grocery shopping. It was also why he was trying his best to keep his distance from you, because someone like you had no business being with someone like him.

"Fuck." Javi half moans, because he can’t keep it in.

You look up at him,  still frantically wiping the front of his pants with a coffee stained paper towel. Javier isn't looking at you, his head is tilted upwards at the ceiling and his eyes are squeezed shut, sweat beading along his hairline, breath coming in shallow gasps.

"Shit, Javi I'm so, so sorry. I know it hurts. I'm going to go get some ice." You try to rise from the ground, but Javier's hand comes down on your shoulder to stop you.

"Please don't." His teeth are gritted together.

"But you're hurt. You could have a burn or-"

"I don't."

"How do you know?"

"Cariño-" Javier chuckles, his eyes blink open, turning a honeyed whiskey in the light. "I stopped thinking about that the second you dropped to your knees and started cleaning me up. It doesn’t hurt. And if you keep doing what you’re doing we’re going to have a bigger problem.”

“What do you mea-“

It still doesn't dawn on you what he's talking about or why he would stop thinking about hot coffee burning him until your gaze lowers again to his lap.

Anything you’re about to say evaporates from the tip of your tongue.

In your eagerness and embarrassment, you'd forgotten exactly what it would have felt like for him when you scrubbed, dabbed, and blew on the front of his pants for the past two minutes.

Oh. My. Damn.

You think to yourself as you see the outline of Javier's large erection straining against the zipper of his coffee stained jeans.

How does he- nope nope not thinking about that right now.

By now your face is so warm with embarrassment you're sure that if someone were to crack an egg it would be fried to perfection in seconds. The heat rivals the eruption of mount Vesuvius, rivals the surface of the sun if someone ran a train full of gasoline into it. There is no coming back from this, no rock big enough to hide under, no cave dark and deep enough to cover your shame.

You lean back on your heels, dropping your face into your hands. "I am so sorry-" The word had lost all meaning given how many times you'd said it within the last five minutes, but given the situation, you had no idea what to say.

To say you were mortified was an understatement. You were so embarrassed that you wanted the faded musty maroon carpet to come up and swallow you whole, so embarrassed that you wanted to go outside, open your mouth, and see if you could drown in the heavy downpour.

I'm never going to be able to show my face here again. I'm going to have to quit my job and change my name. And without a job I'll never have enough money to pay my rent or feed my cat, and if I can't feed my cat he's going to eat my face while I'm sleeping and-

Javier coughs out a laugh, the same one that usually made you feel like you'd swallowed sunshine, but not now. Especially not now not when you could call your own time of death.

You could imagine the gravestone:

Here lies so and so died, when she accidentally gave her boss a handjob.

You could also imagine the ridiculous rumors that would stem from this moment. The things that everyone would say about you the second they found out about this.

You can’t move, can’t even breathe.

The longer you sit there the worse you feel. Embarrassment, shame, and anxiety prickles along your skin, jumping and crackling through every nerve ending, making tears burn in your eyes. You wanted to curl up into a little ball under your desk and rot.

It was the single most embarrassing moment of your life and you knew that there would be no other event that would ever top it.

Javier slides out of his chair to kneel in front of you, whispering your name, but you can't look at him, can't do anything.

The thought of running outside into the thunderstorm crosses your mind, but you’d worn heels today and you didn’t think you’d get far running. And it would have been even more embarrassing if you slipped and busted your nose open on the marble floor in the lobby, because you knew that Javier would insist on driving you to the hospital and you didn’t want to sit through that car ride if your life depended on it.

He says your name again, this time gently pulling your hands from your face.  “Why are you crying?” Worry flickers behind his golden gaze, thumbs brushing over the soft skin of your wrists.

“Because I’m embarrassed. I mean I touched you- touched it- I-“

My great grandchildren will still feel my shame. It will haunt them from beyond my grave. They won’t know a moment of peace!

“If anyone should be embarrassed it’s me.” Javier chuckles.

“I don’t think you still have enough of a sense of shame for that Mr. Peña.” You sniffle out a laugh.

It was true. You knew his reputation, had heard the rumor mill a hundred times over, not to mention you had fielded a number of angry phone calls directed at your boss all of whom you’d told them that Javier wasn’t there, while he stood there and made frantic gestures with his hands.

“Oh back to Mr. Peña I see.” He brushes a strand of hair out of your face. Javier's touch trails sparks against your skin, making your throat tight.

“Huh?" You blink in confusion.

“A minute ago you called me Javi.”

"I did?”

It was hard to think when he was still holding one of your wrists in his warm calloused hands. The same hands worn rough from years of holding a gun, and the ones that had only ever treated you with kindness in the three years that you'd worked for him.

"I don't think I've ever heard you call me anything other than 'Mr. Peña' since you got hired." He raises an eyebrow, signature smirk in place.

"Oh well- that's because I- um. You're my boss and I- I ."

I don’t want to get used to calling you anything else because then I won’t be able to stop.

"I like it when you call me Javi." His fingers trace across your chin, making your cheeks heat.

Any semblance of shame or embarrassment that you felt was quickly fading away with his touch. It was the most that he'd ever touched you, except for the few accidental brushes of your fingertips whenever you handed him things, or whenever he somehow was grocery shopping at the same market and he would gently place his hand on the small of your back to lead you through the crowded stalls.

You never understood why he shopped there too. It was thirty minutes in the opposite direction of where he lived.

This isn't happening. This is just a daydream I'm having and-

“But I don’t like it when you cry.” Javier’s mouth pulls down into a frown. “I promise it’s okay-“

“I’m sorry-” You wipe at your eyes with the back of your free hand.

You couldn't seem to stop saying it. But again you honestly didn't know what else to say. Sorry seemed to cover a multitude of sins. Not to mention the way that Javier was touching you and looking at you right now, and the energy that seemed to pulse and thrum through the air was making your head a little fuzzy.

Before you can say or do anything more, Javier leans forward and presses a kiss to your forehead. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You were just trying to help.”

Your hand falls automatically to the front of Javier's orange button up, gasping softly in surprise. He freezes, eyes wide as if he can’t believe that he did it either.

And he can't. Javier didn't meant to, but he can't stand to see you cry. Not when each time you did, it was like the sun was hidden behind the clouds and not when it was like a piece of himself was dying. And he didn't think that you should be embarrassed about this, because you were honestly just trying to help him.

The odd energy pulses again, threading through the air between the two of you, as neither one pulls away. His dark gaze is on you, hesitant, as if he's waiting for something you can't see. Some subtle que or tick that only he knows.

The spicy smell of Javier's aftershave floods into your nose, familiar in the best way, and the feeling of the warmth of his body only inches away makes your brain short circuit.

For the first time in the three years that you'd worked for Javier, you don't feel like his awkward secretary, because the way that he's looking at you… it makes you feel like more.

Javier leans forward just a hair, your hand still resting on his shirt, and brushes his lips against yours, eyes open, gauging your reaction. A sigh works it's way through your parted lips as you sink into the kiss, the hand you have resting on his shirt curling enough to feel the subtle shift of his muscles move and it's exactly what Javier needed.

His lips fall against yours with fervor, hands skating down the fabric of your sweater and finding your hips with ease, before he pulls you into his lap, not breaking the kiss.

It's unlike anything you could have imagined, more than any fantasy you could have made up in your head. The feeling of his supple lips, the tickle of his mustache, the warmth that surges up, up, up in a fluid wave through your body, the taste of the peppermint and stale coffee-

It’s addictive, maddening, hypnotic.

He groans into your mouth, the sound not unlike what he made moments ago, his hands subtly pushing up the edge of your sweater to find the heated skin of your waist fueling the spark that burns through your body. Goosebumps trace along your flesh with a heavy hand, the white hot fire that comes with the feeling of his skin on yours traveling from the base of your throat to the pit of your stomach.

“Javi-“ You breathe his name on a gasp, earning a groan from the man beneath you as he pulls you harder against him, moving his lips down the column of your throat into the shadow of your jaw whispering things in Spanish that you can’t understand. Your hands move up the expanse of his chest and find refuge in his hair, the dark locks falling beneath your fingertips, soft and curled slightly on the ends. Your name comes out of his mouth in a throaty whisper, rumbling up through where your chest is pressed against his.

You'd never heard anyone say it like that before, almost reverent, cherished, like you're his. As if after all this time you've always been his and it's always led to this moment. And it makes something inside break open and flood into the cavity of your chest.

Then all at once he stops, pulling back from you, pupils dilated slightly, looking at you in a daze, his chest rising and falling in rapid gasps.

“We shouldn’t- I shouldn’t.” His voice comes out in a hoarse whisper.

The embarrassment is back tenfold, because now that you’d felt him under you, felt the urgency of his touch against your body, his lips soft against your mouth you don’t know how the hell you’re going to do anything else whenever you see him.

“I'm sorry-“ You mutter before you can stop it, and try to move back off of him, misunderstanding what he means.

Javier kisses you again, holding you firmly on his lap, eyes darker than you'd ever seen them.

“Please stop apologizing.” He murmurs against your lips. “I meant that I don’t want it to happen like this. I at least want to take you out to dinner first. You're-" Javier swallows. "You deserve that."

You blink in surprise. It wasn't that you thought Javier wasn't a gentleman, it was that you weren't expecting him to say something like that. Not when there was no one left in the entire embassy and he didn't have to stop...

But with this pause, reality came roaring back in.

He's my boss. What would other people say?

“Are you sure that’s not a bad idea?” Your fingers gently move through the strands of hair at the back of his head, which makes Javier sigh and lean into your touch.

“It’s the worst idea. Been trying to not ask you out for three years.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Javier chuckles

“It is a bad idea.” You bite the inside of your cheek.

It was. Beyond bad. Practically forbidden. Not to mention you knew for a fact that Javier would probably think you were just too weird and awkward to care about a follow up date and then it would ruin the relationship the two of you had.

But you wanted to say yes. That's an understatement, you wanted to scream yes from the mountaintops and perform a rendition of "The Hills Are Alive" with Julie Andrews.

"Terrible, cariño." Javier smirks a little wider, the grip he has on your waist tightening with a promise that flashes in his dark eyes.

“Maybe not coffee.” You say hesitantly.

"Yeah, that'd probably be safer.” Javier admits. “Though I think if I took you out for a drink there’s always the possibility you could spill your martini and stab me with an olive skewer.”

Your cheeks heat in embarrassment.

"But it's worth the risk." He murmurs leaning his forehead against yours.

"Some things always are." You echo with a soft smile, listening to the rumble of thunder shaking the brick, mortar, and glass of the embassy. The rest of the world melting away and leaving you just with Javi for a few precious moments when all hell rages outside the white washed walls and musty carpets.

Anything can happen in a thunderstorm, you just never imagined something like this.

A/N: Again Alex congratulations on the 5k and giving me such an inspirational gif for your challenge! It was fun for him, and of course to watch some Narcos again 🥰

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, Reblogs, and Comments are not required, but are always appreciated! The comments really keep me going!

Taglist:

@angrydragon90 @jollyhunter @kmc1989

[creator4favestuff]

I've been thinking about Animated more than I thought I would, and given I've been thinking about Nemesis Prime...

I know Shattered Glass was supposed to be a thing for S4, and I'm so sad it didn't happen. But I can think! I can headcanon and do silly little things with the reader involved!

Please note that this is a bit long (oops) and the characters in this post are Sari, Bee, Megatron, Starscream, Sentinel, Elita One in that order.

💜Apparently, in one of the drafts, Sari could have had a mother figure locked away to keep her under control. Imagine if that was the reader.

A possible family member or someone who worked under Isaac, saw what he was becoming and tried so desperately to keep Sari on a good path, only for him to keep you trapped with your own collar. She would barely get to see you, and when she did, it was always supervised. The most that happened would be Sari telling you about her days, a new interest, always about her. You couldn't say anything, or the collar would shock you. Harshly.

She tried so hard to think of a solution to set you free, run away, and never look back! Screw the city! Sari just wants things to go back to the way they were. She misses your hugs that always made her feel safe, the gentle words that made everything seem less painful, the warmth you exuded as akin to the cold lab tables.

Though it never gets to happen as the Decepticons manage to find and take you away, something that fuels her anger even more. She wouldn't care if they're good or bad or whatever label they had! They took you away from her! And that wouldn't slide.

Sooner or later, her collar would come off, whether broken by her own hands, regardless of the pain, or momentarily uncharged enough to let her rip it off with minimum damage, Sari looks for you. The moment she finds you, all thoughts of destruction and violence leave her.

You look healthier. Happier. Better than before. All thanks to these Decepticons, who you said have helped you recover. Who were even going to find a way...to help HER be free? Simply because you asked for their help?

It's such a foreign concept to her, but right now, all that matters is being by your side again. Even if you're in a meeting with Megatron, she sits next to you. Even if it's you talking with Starscream about materials, she stays. Nothing will take you away from her again.

Since HE'S not around to stop her, do expect to hear her call you mom and mother.

🤍Bee, still wanting to prove himself, does things that tend to be reckless. The sad thing? Even if he does a good job, it either doesn't impress anyone or he's still punished because he didn't follow orders in "the right way". He becomes completely quiet, only laughing to himself and hiding away unless called for.

When Sari, who's still friends with him in this universe (Please I CANNOT separate them, that'd be too cruel- 😔) tells him all about you, he's so curious. All he has to go off is a description of what you look like and your "odd kindness" as Sari puts it.

He wonders all the time what you're like. Why you have such a hold on Sari when her priority should be staying alive. That's what he's always had to do: what all Autobots have had to do. Love and care don't go with anything they've learned.

Bee wasn't around when you were taken, so he learns about it through one of Sari's outbursts. This one though?

The most destructive he'd ever seen. Even Isaac has a hard time getting her to stop, given the collar seems nonexistent to her. Even after the incident, things don't change back. He sees the way she stresses out, becomes more violent, snappy, mean. Turning into the other members on his team. He doesn't like it. She's supposed to be his..."friend", so why?

Bee isn't surprised when Sari leaves him behind. Kinda expected it. A small bit of him hoped, but he should have known better. It isn't until he's forced into a corner by Lugnut and Blitzwing that you and Sari appear.

The two get into a heated argument that leaves them heaving and upset. He refuses to believe that she and the Decepticons would come to save him. Why should he!?

"You left me behind! You're no different than the others! All the same..."

He decides to leave and head to who knows where, sobbing his poor spark out before being met with you. The human that Sari raved so much about. He'll act pouty, even as you explain the whole situation, before being shown a picture of a room.

A room dedicated to him. That Sari put together with your help...

He'll eventually go with you to apologize, the best he can anyways, who apologizes in her own awkward way. He's able to settle in, albeit with caution as second nature.

Imagine the horror he feels when he takes a mission into his hands and manages to make the Autobots retreat, but because he didn't follow the plan, he expects punishment. But instead, the others commend him for his quick thinking, which confuses him immensely. Not only that, but the untampered energon? The training that doesn't make him want to fall apart? No yelling or shock collars?

...Maybe being a Decepticon isn't so bad.

🩵Megatron, bless his spark, is such a gentleman. When you're rescued from your cage of loneliness, he immediately offers medical attention. His knowledge on humans isn't well known, but he's a quick learner.

His tales of the war, the fight he wishes to win for peace, it's admirable, and who wouldn't want to help? Not only that, but he has such a way with words and leadership that makes anyone know,, without a doubt, that he's a trusted ally. Even if you can't give much in terms of information pertaining to the Autobots, he doesn't mind.

"The fact that you are safe is what matters most. We can always strategize with what we have now."

The moment Sari arrives, he accesses the situation and lets you handle it. Megatron trusts that you wouldn't jeopardize the mission or their trust, but he makes sure to let you know that she's your responsibility. Not out of hatred, but because you can handle her better than he can, so he'll leave her care to you.

🩷Starscream, ever the loyal second in command, is the one to save you. He sees the desperation in your eyes and manages to zap the collar before any more damage is done. The seeker takes flight before the Autobots can do anything and offers to be your guardian.

He's usually the one who flies out and gets food and other things a human would need for you, and later on, Sari when she arrives. Thinks the bond you have with her is adorable and gives guidance when needed or wanted.

Such a soft hearted guy. Sari thinks he's weird. Bee thinks he's ESPECIALLY weird. The Decepticons sometimes see him as a bit of a pushover, but they do enjoy his optimism. It helps ease the burden when they have someone they can talk to that gives a new perspective of things.

🧡Sentinel being a courageous guy who tries so hard to see the good in others, wanting to believe that the Autobots are trying to do the right thing. But he changes sides when he realizes what his spark has been trying to deny for so long. They can't change, rather, they won't. And uncovering the truth on what Optimus did to Elita One? It crushes any hope he had. Even when the two meet, Sentinel's just happy that she's found her place amongst those she can call friends. He'll help her however he can, to make up for lost time and to see her thrive.

💓Speaking of Elita One, in this universe, she could be an Autobot turned Decepticon. Optimus could have left her behind to be bait, taking Sentinel. Maybe the soft hearted Autobot was the only one who knew how to pilot the ship they came in since it was his? But when all hope seems lost, she's saved by a group of Decepticon and shown that there's better ways to live than constant paranoia and hatred. She serves in part to pay her debt, but also because for once, she feels like there's something to call home.

That's all I have for now! Can you tell who I went off the scale with? Maybe I'll write more for this, I don't know. For now, this is the most my brain can think of on the fly.

[heartmix]

i got you - CS55

Pairing: Carlos Sainz x fem!reader

Word Count: 1.1k+

Summary: She's learning how to let go and Carlos is with her every step of the way

Warning: depressed reader, talks of depression, hurt/comfort, crying, all the sad stuff

A/N: veryyy self insert

F1 Masterlist / Masterlist

Carlos could see the tired, defeated, and depressed look in your eyes. The way your smile doesn't meet your eyes anymore when you come home from work. The way you don't spill work gossip, as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. The way your passion projects was passing comments if he asked about it, instead of being told at the dinner table. There was no fire in you anymore; the spark you once had all turned to ash. 

You were one of the lucky few to find a job you loved and looked forward to seeing the same people every day. It helped that you grew up with the people you worked with. Your older sibling started there as his first job. Everyone there either knew you as a little girl coming to pick up or drop off your brother with your mom, or a colleague they've grown to love. 

Carlos hated seeing something you loved turn into something you couldn't stand to be around. The light left your eyes, and it felt more like an obligation than anything. He knew how much it was affecting you because he's had nightmares about one day waking up not being in love with racing anymore. That terrified him, so he could only think of how bad you're hurting. 

There have been hours and days when you would devote all your time there. If you weren't at home, you were at work. Staying after hours with the rest of your co-workers, you called family. They were, in a way, your family, the people you grew up with and knew a lot of things about you. 

He wanted to tell you to quit, that he had enough to take care of you. That he would love that you had more free time to come and watch races. But he knew it wasn't that easy. If someone told him to quit racing just because he wasn't happy with it anymore, he would yell at them - it wasn't easy to walk away from spent you've spent your whole life working for. 

The last straw was when he came home early from meetings. He managed to convince the team that the meetings could happen later, closer to race day. Honestly, he wanted to go home and wait for you. Between the number of meetings he's been in and that it was the busy time of the year for you, he hardly saw you at all besides going to sleep in bed. 

As he was about to walk into the bedroom to shower, he heard sniffles. Slowly opening the door, he saw you sitting on the bed with more tears than he's ever seen out of you streaming down your face. Dropping everything he had in his hands, he rushed to your side, pulling you into his arms, which made you cry even harder. 

He let you cry out all your tears until you didn't have any more. There was no way to even get words out in the current state you were in. When he felt your breath even out the best it could and your body stop shaking from all the sobs, he looked down and brushed the hair that was stuck to your skin thanks to the wet tears. 

"What happened?" His voice was soft, a whisper like he didn't want to trigger you again. 

"I can't do it anymore. I can't feel like this every day when I know I deserve better." You looked away before any more tears could stream down; the way he was looking at you made you feel comfortable enough to let tears fall again. 

He chose his next words with intention, and he hoped his tone came out the way he wanted to. "I'm going to say something, and I understand if you get mad, I would too if someone told me this, but you need to leave. It's draining you and pretty soon it's going to consume you, if it hasn't already." 

"I don't know how to." Your voice was broken beyond anything he's heard before. If the room wasn't silent, he wouldn't have heard it. 

"I will be with you every step of the way. I'm not going to leave you to do anything by yourself." He reassured, knowing you needed it. 

"They've been with me for most of my life, they were family before they were coworkers. How do I just walk away from that?"

"I don't know. I can't tell you how, but what I do know is that you will find the passion again. It may take some time, but you will. In the meantime, I've got you. Don't worry about the bills or feeling like you're useless just sitting at home. You can't be the best version of yourself if all aspects of your life don't make you happy." The small circles he was rubbing into your shoulder calmed you down more than you thought they would, and his words eased your mind. Enough to make you want to hash this out all right now. 

"What if I lose them? Not as co-workers, but the bond I've created since I could walk." 

"I can't tell you if you'll lose them, but I can tell you they should understand. If they don't, that isn't your fault. None of this is your fault, cariño."

After what felt like hours, you sighed and nodded, "Okay. This last project is going to be my last. After this week, I'm done." 

"You ready for it?" He wasn't doubting his advice; he just wanted you to do this when you were ready, that way it would make the process easier. 

"No, but if I don't do it now, I'll just make excuses and wait it out. Also, I think my voice of reason is making it better." You gave a small smile that he hadn't seen in weeks. Warmth filled him, and he knew he had made the right choice to tell you to leave. 

"In that case, I think your voice of reason is saying you should join him in Italy next week. You know, just to take your mind off of everything." He teased, which you couldn't help but laugh at his antics. Going from being an understanding and comforting teddy bear to sliming his way to get you to go with him to the next race, or a vacation, as he would call it. 

"Of course you'd say that."

"Doesn't hurt to try." His shoulder shrugged while the corners of his mouth formed a smirk. He was confident for someone who didn't get a confirmation. But he knew you'd join him anyway, even if he had to drag you on the plane. 

"But thank you. I didn't know I just needed someone to tell me it was okay and that I'm going to be okay." 

"You don't need to thank me, that's what I'm here for." He pulled you into his chest with a smile on his face. For the first time in months, you can say you finally felt happier. 

[styluswritesdc]

DC Rogues with Nurse Reader

General Headcanons + GN!Reader (gender not specified)

follow up post to this!

Riddler/Edward Nygma

Its obvious that you'll be answering a lot of riddles, right?

For every tablet he takes you'll either need to answer a riddle, and if you cant do that, you'll have to give him some gossip at least!

After awhile of building up a repour, he will flirt with you.

This, at the beginning, might be a test to see if you're easily manipulated in order to help him escape, but after awhile of you rebuking his efforts, he'll find himself disappointed that he cant get your attention.

He might ask you why you chose to work here, in this hell hole. he wants to know about you.

if you get him a pack of cards or some sudoku puzzles he will really like you. you might be spared come the next breakout...

Scarecrow/Jonathan Crane

"tell me, what's your biggest fear.." buddy I just walked into your cell just take your fucking medication.

Do tell him though. otherwise he will slowly begin psychoanalysing you and it will get uncomfortable real quick. suddenly he's bringing up your relationship with your father?? you're the patient here man.

if you're diligent, respectful and indulge his questions, he might actually acknowledge your existence.

ask him about his work, as a psychologist that is. He will go full lecturer mode and tell you about his work in parts over multiple visits to him.

bring him a book or two from the library to ease the boredom.

if you treat him well, lets say next time there's a breakout, he might not spray you with his latest formula.. just yet.

TwoFace/Harvey Dent

He's hostile. regardless of who's fronting. as his cell is divided in two, one side in shambles, the other nice and neat so you can tell who you're dealing with from day to day.

respect the coin. if he denies bloods or medication, come back later. the only other option would be the guards holding him down and forcing it, which sucks for everyone, and they will lose trust in you.

its better to work around them, and respect them.

please get his coin for him. the guards take it frequently as they're unruly and tend to be difficult.

you'll win their favour by just being kind. plus on the next breakout, you won't immediately be shot on sight!

Killer Croc/Waylon Jones

Oh poor Waylon. my heart aches for how he's treated, especially in the Arkham games. like an animal they want to forget even exists.

He is a human, and if you treat him like one, you will immediately be better than every other staff member there.

you will rarely have to get bloods, to monitor his condition.

be gentle with him. he feels a lot of pain due to his condition. don't add to it.

it will get to a point that Waylon will get pissed if its a different nurse. you take blood well and it doesn't hurt too much and doesn't leave a massive bruise under his scales.

Bane

For the most part he's just silent and calm. He understands you're just doing your job and he doesn't really care to resist.

The only things he questions you on is what specific medication he's taking, the side effects and how it will effect his body.

his body is his temple and he takes care of it!

get him a book, he wants to keep his mind sharp whilst in here.

he also uses recreational time to lift weights and exercise.

Harley Quinn

Shes brilliant. such a treat to care for.

genuinely so understanding! i mean she was a psychologist here after all. she also cared about her patients and appreciates that you do too.

She will natter on about all the asylum gossip! trust me, you'll learn a lot about the other inmates.

please talk to her! a bit of human companionship does her well. it stops her from going anymore crazy than she already is.

Poison Ivy/Pamela Isley

oh sweet child, you're disillusioned with the world. She hates the idea of a meat bag like you coming anywhere near her.

However, if you respect her, she'll let you tend to her.

Please ask her about plant and gardening tips, she'll be happy to indulge. plus you'll actually know why your orchid plant hates you and keeps wilting.

you're a meat bag that she tolerates.

[bellherald]

Mr. Doflamingo, no! Just because they lost doesn't mean they deserve it! Might does not make right!!! "The winner is justice" is not good advice!!

It's extremely interesting to me you have reblogged my post with these points when the main thing I address was Cora-san trying to be honest to Law in his last moments before being executed.

For one, we know that Law and Bepo not only got away from Blackbeard but made it somewhere solid and dry enough that Bepo is now properly bandaged and both are presumably recovering. Bepo reacting to the news about the D. is Oda showing us this. Very unhappy, certainly! Perhaps even regretful of the fact, possibly! But Law is still alive and free.

Rocinante has an entire moment about how saving Law was no longer about the D. and that he was doing it just for Law. He never intended to set Law on this path and very purposely wanted Law to choose his own future going forward. Law could've decided to hide away and become a local doctor and Rocinante would've been just as satisfied because that got to be Law's decision.

This whole narrative of Law being a stepping stone for Luffy doesn't click either because Law is not an opponent that Luffy ever had to overcome but instead the continuous helping hand that Luffy refused to let go of in Dressrosa. Doflamingo was the stepping stone. Luffy took Law's hand in his and dragged him over that stone, ascending the steps together all the way to vanquishing Kaido as Luffy had committed with him to do on that snowy mountain top.

We don't know enough about the One Piece but I agree Nika is likely a key to it. This doesn't mean Law was doomed to failure because he was never an enemy for it, he's not aiming for Pirate King. Robin never feared the fact that Law was there learning the secrets of the world alongside them despite being another pirate captain because all of them trust and care about the other. Law tells her his full name. The only time we hear Trafalgar D. Water Law from him as an adult and its sharing that with the Straw Hat's archaeologist. The D. alone is something not to share lightly, but Water was never shared with any of Law's enemies (Sengoku, Doflamingo). Law told Robin because they're not enemies, no matter what bluster he tries to hide that behind in later parting statements. His own crew doesn't believe him either. The alliance was over, yet Bepo and Chopper were still actively working together for the rumble balls. Poetically, these come back around and are the reason Law is still free. That bond with the Straw Hats saved his life.

Shanks took out Barto and Kid for starting problems with his people and attacking those under his protection. Law would not have done that and the Red Haired Pirates know it was he who saved Luffy at Marineford. Beckman even directly intervened against Kizaru to stop him from shooting the Polar Tang. I doubt they'd randomly be hostile to the crew that everyone knows is allied with the Straw Hats for the past few months. Shanks' entire presence in the show has been putting an end to conflict. Maybe Shanks decides they need to clash over the poneglyphs, but he wouldn't leave the Heart Pirates to a potentially watery grave and destroy their ship over it.

Rocinante does feel remorse over the Marines, he literally apologizes to Law for hiding it because he knew it wasn't a good thing now. He knows they've done wrong and will continue to do wrong by Law. That's why he takes advantage of not just Doflamingo but Sengoku too in order to get the opportunity he needs to get the fruit. It's why he says this.

Rosinante was willing to do what he could in order to save lives. As a part of the Marines he wanted to save Dressrosa and stop his brother's evils. But more than anything, he wanted to save Law and that's what he ultimately chose over being a Marine. Like Bell-mère, Rosinante chose a child over duty—breaking the tie to the Marines in order to safeguard the futures of the children who'd suffered due to the Navy's actions. Even if that means fighting the Navy to do so.

Rocinante even has a line explicitly about righting wrongs before that scene of him rejecting the Navy, showing he does feel guilt over what he's done. Over what's been done to Law.

And Rocinante is a dedicated man who literally dies for this. He dies to make sure Law is cured and given a future to decide what do with on his own. The chance for Law to be what Law wants to be.

Cora-san is the reason Law has a life to live and do what he wants with, so to repay that Law feels he is the one that needs to achieve the goal of bringing down Doflamingo on Rosinante's behalf. It's why he was still asking questions even after it was all over and was so affected by Sengoku's very honest answers. That Rosinante didn't want or need anything from Law other than for him to live as he choses.

That is the reason I ended my analysis on it taking Law years to understand Cora-san's honest wishes for him.

I can understand thinking that Rosinante's rejection of the Marines and recognizing their failings came too late, but I fundamentally and wholeheartedly reject the idea that Law somehow gets any karma related to the Navy/WG over being defeated by Blackbeard.

Law doesn't deserve this fate nor price for any of that! Rosinante was not just a Marine and actively worked against them while he was with Law and forfeited the Navy's mission in order to try and save lives—it's Cora-san, the clumsy savior who cared so much for a stranger, that had given Law a life.

In fact, Law's entire presence on the show has been actively breaking the system or using it to break it even more! He's a literal pirate!! Pre-TS, Law is the reason that Straw Hat Luffy escapes Marineford alive and directly spiting the entire fucking Navy while doing it! Just before this he had then freed a Celestial Dragon's slave in front of the Navy. Law interfered in Marineford because the Navy cut the live feed because they wanted to censor information. Post-TS, Law shares that he thinks the Navy are duplicitous and will fake things to get what they want (and he knows this very well). He even gets mad at Smoker and calls out that Navy man for only accepting the surface level perspective while enabling the Navy's schemes.

Law is using his Warlord status as a weapon against Smoker at the start. The entire point of Law being a Warlord in the first place is to bring down the one Warlord abusing the system unrepentantly while pulling strings for the entire underworld. In fact, this is part of what contributes to the Warlord system as a whole being abolished. Because Law weaponized their own system against them, the World Government, in a very direct manner.

Which is another thing, Law does this for oppressed people too. Dressrosa, Zou, and Wano are all places suffering as a result of the tyranny and abuse Law actively takes a stand against and is allied with the Straw Hats to fight. Law is the one that aimed them at Doflamingo and Kaido in the first place. The citizens of Dressrosa are just as much a factor in Law's actions and why he's got such a convoluted plan to remove Doflamingo from the throne in the first place.

Law is consistently shown saving lives. He's a doctor, that is in fact a core part of his character and something important to him. He fundamentally cares about people because it's part of who he is.

Then there's this concept that Law somehow owes it to Flevance to do more than he already is by chasing down one of the entitled evils of the world, freeing thousands of people, and then deciding to confront the fundamental lies of the false premise their history rests on by unraveling true history and the meaning of the Will of D.? All while being an active enemy of the Navy and World Government by proxy of being the Op-op fruit's user and out of their control in tandem with the fact that Law is a pirate. Why is it that "the holocaust survivor didn't do enough to somehow 'attone' for being the only one who survived" is something to hold against Law here? Flevance literally died because of withheld information and Law's consistently shown he hates the manipulation of information and lies, so why wouldn't his new goal of learning the truth of history and himself be more than fair justice to reclaim what happened? Unraveling the truth of what let this monstrous government which killed his people come into power and learning about "the enemy of the gods" which could stand against them? Of which Law himself is?

Law keeps Flevance close to his heart. His shoulder tattoos (and his chest) seem eerily reminiscent of the same type seen on the miners of his hometown as well.

Then being a doctor, which is so important to Law, being how he can carry on the legacy of both his parents. His parents who worked so hard to save lives even when dying of the same disease as their patients. Law surviving and carrying on that work, refusing to let that part of him be ignored or forgotten, is meaningful.

Every breath that Law takes is a celebration that Flevance is not gone, Flevance lives. When that man eventually dies, it will be a tragedy because then that will have been the last person to have been born in the fantasy of the White Town. Law dying being any form of karma for the suffering his people had gone through because he didn't do enough (somehow?) is objectively wrong.

But perhaps the craziest part of all this to me is that Law's defeat (not death, not end) is actually karma! Not for the World Government or the Navy, who Law's continuously undermined and fought, but because that it was Blackbeard! Law ran into the very Yonko he had allied with and had helped consolidate power on Hachinosu island. To then face defeat at the hands of the evil he had inadvertently fed during the timeskip? That's karma!!

Law was only ever as complicit with the World Government or Navy in order to literally stab them in the back and knew it. He didn't believe in a Marine's guidance, Law cared about stopping Doflamingo and saving the lives of the people Cora-san wanted to all those years ago. Rosinante would probably be happier if Law didn't chase after a vendetta with Doflamingo, as it would've certainly been safer. Rosinante became disillusioned and decided that no matter what, he was sticking with this kid he loved and was ready to fight the Navy that had taken him in after the worst of his life. Rosinante made peace with dying, he just wanted to do right by Law.

Rosinante died stating he was a marine but he was not—he died after committing to go against them. But his end was a triumph because Law got away. His lies about working with the Navy to get Law on a ship and out of reach from Doflamingo worked. And all these years later, Law still remembers his smile when he thinks about him.

And Law? This isn't the end. I look forward to seeing him again. I hope he gets to ruin the World Government and the power they hold, as a treat. I hope he is there when we inevitably learn the truth because he is one of the characters that the truth matters to the most.

Rocinante and Honesty

The entire dynamic of Law and Cora-san both heals me and hurts me, but this is probably the part that pains me the most.

Law only realizing, caring, that Cora-san lied to him, not after he confessed to being a Navy man and had been lying to Law the entire time about it, but after Doflamingo states that he’s killed blood family before and is capable again. Law believing Cora-san’s lie that his brother wouldn’t kill him because they’re family is another detail proving that he was not like Doflamingo. Law couldn’t conceive pulling that trigger on his own family even over such a betrayal, but Doflamingo would pull it twice.

Cora-san is a consummate liar in order to facilitate things going smoothly. A spy who’s able to say and do what it takes. To stay as an executive in the crime family, Corazon was a brutal worker who never spoke a word no matter the circumstances and who ruthlessly assaulted children to “ensure only the best stuck around.” When asked by Law about being in the Navy, he asks if Law hates the Navy first before denying it. Even on the ride to Minion Island with Law’s life tenuously hanging on as he asks again, Cora-san hears the question again and says “of course not!” He wasn’t anymore, he chose Law over the mission a long time ago now. But even then… it wasn’t really the truth. Cora-san gives another lie to Law just before the end to make sure Law got in the box, saying that Doflamingo wouldn’t kill his blood brother. He knew he was lying to Law here.

That's ok, Cora-san was willing to die with this. Rocinante lies all the time.

However, at the very end of the line, Cora-san wanted to make sure that no matter what, no matter the lies he tells to make sure Law made it through this, that Law knew the truth of who he is. Even as he bluffs and spins a tale about how Law is already out of reach, plying the answers of Doflamingo’s goals out in Law’s earshot, Cora-san is confessing to Law. He is a Navy man in the way that mattered, but that he was being entirely honest when he told Law he was free, that Law was long past being doomed as a monster or being chained to his brother’s footsteps. Law got to be what he chose to be. I’m sure Cora-san wanted Law to know his hope and love for him was honest even if he himself was not.

Cora-san just wanted Law to live and be free, but it would be many years until Law fully understood this.

[jennrypan]

Headcanons + personalities for the Saja Boys. Starting with Abby !!

ABBY:

- Acts like a dumbass but hes not, he just does stupid shit for the love of the game, hes a huge risk taker and jumps into problems without thinking because he thinks it'll be fun and it gives him the perfect opportunity to show off.(Very "Punch first, ask questions later.")

- Hes over confident and overestimates himself constantly and occasionally he can back it up so its not like his ego isn't warranted SOME of the time, but occasionally..it really isn't and he makes a fool of himself but that doesn't mean he wouldn't try again..and again until he gets a different result. He's more of a follower than a leader, not because hes incapable but simply because he doesn't care to lead unless theres something that really interests him otherwise hes just fine with going with the flow and even enjoys doing so. He's surprisingly even tempered, he rarely gets upset and when he does it takes a lot for him to get there.

-Him and Romance are a two for one deal. If you see one, the other isn't far, even in the demon world they flocked together rather quickly, Abby was the one who befriended him first mostly cuz he his hair color matched his and Abby thought it was fun. ("Look! Same hair!" "🤨 I guess?" )

- Abby ADORES Derpy, he constantly squishes the tigers face and cries everytime hes sees him cuz he gives Abby cuteness aggression to the max and he has to restrain himself from squeezing him.

-Gives the boys noogies (They all hate it immensely, he doesnt stop doing it though- if anything he does it more)

-As a human, he was probably a lot smaller and weaker- unable to defend himself in the worst situations and it got to a point where it became too much for him to handle Gwi-Ma came to him and offered him strength and the ability to defend himself which he happily accepted but he started to pick on those weaker than himself, mocking them relentlessly even to people who did nothing to him, which is when his patterns got worse until he wasn't himself anymore. (He tries not to think about his past cuz he hates that he let his strength get to him and he became the thing he hated most but he refuses to acknowledge this properly so he remains under Gwi-Mas control)

- The most physically affectionate out of the five of them. He NEEDS to be in contact with someone, whoever hes standing next to his getting leaned on and its his entire body weight too- fortunately he does this to the Saja Boys who are demons so they aren't too bothered by this..but he does this to Mira one(1) time and falls on her completely knocking them both to the floor cuz she wasn't paying attention. (He doesn't do this again cuz she almost ripped of his face after.)

- Looks scary but hes probably the friendliest one there (the bar is LOW though so his friendliness still isn't ideal..but he wouldn't insult people to their faces and hes the first to greet people with a hug and a smile.

-Joined Jinu simply cuz he wanted the attention joining a boyband would bring and he genuinely found it fun. He liked the meet and greet and would 100% do it again (The only one who didn't mind sleeping on the floor, he could sleep anywhere even if they dont need sleep)

-Only wears short sleeves and crop tops, if his shirt has sleeves TRUST hes ripping them off immediately (would rather combust into flames than wear long sleeves or turtle necks)

[spikershoyo]

champagne and all | oscar piastri x spanish hottie | smut | minors DNI!

warnings, tags, and notes: smut, sex (duh), bar hookup, set after the Barcelona GP, mentions of drinking, light aftercare, Oscar hooks up with a Spaniard, implied age gap, a single mention of lando, the title is inspired by @f1loverboy of oscar after barcelona! hope you all enjoy!! (also posted on my AO3 livvyviviw4k3)

After Barcelona, Oscar decided to enjoy the city. He stays an additional day and walks, exploring a museum, sitting in parks, people watching, and enjoying the silence. 

He doesn’t have Lando constantly commenting on whatever they’re seeing, and Kim doesn't notify him about his meal preps or whether he should do cardio. He only talked to his mom briefly the day before, telling her his plans. There weren’t a lot, but still, Nicole insisted on knowing, telling Oscar that Spain is a worthy visit. 

Later in the night, he decided to check out some bars. He returned to his hotel after lunch, took a much-needed nap, and thought about getting dressed. Why not? It wouldn’t hurt. 

So Oscar puts on black jeans and a navy shirt that was buried deep in his suitcase. He can’t remember why on earth he brought it, maybe he forgot to unpack it from his last trip, or something. He couldn’t care less. 

After a few sprays from an expensive cologne he remembers Logan got him for his birthday, he’s out the door in no time. He stops by a few other bars first, two drinks, getting in the zone. 

When the lights start to feel warmer and he feels like he’s smiling a bit more, Oscar goes on a walk to find a good club. Luckily, he does.

It’s small but nice, pretty, and handsome faces among the crowd. It’s a queer bar, nothing unheard of nor unfamiliar to Oscar. He knew he was seeking something like this out. 

He heads over to the bar, ordering something and pulling his phone out. 30 percent battery, no new messages, except a team email. He doesn’t bother opening it, probably something about a good job for the team, keeping morale high for the next race. 

It’s not too late, just a bit past 11. He bites his lip as his mind starts going back to racing, churning, and moving like clockwork before someone presses into his side. 

He’s not put off by it, but he is surprised. Oscar looks over, seeing a handsome guy smiling at him. Tall, handsome, tan skin. Maybe a good few years between them. Oscar is intrigued. “I will pay for it.” The man says, putting his card out to the bartender, who holds Oscar’s drink. 

The Aussie blinks and nods. “Thanks, mate.” He hums, taking slow sips of his drink. The man smiles at Oscar again, it’s warm and knowing. A bit of Lando in there. “My pleasure.” He hums, accent curling around his ‘r’s and the ‘s’. 

In between the silence, Oscar can’t tell if he’s being hit on or if he’s a fan trying to impress him. He hopes the former. 

“You are the Formula One driver, yes?” The man asks, and Oscar nods. “That’s me.” He sighs back at him, leaning against the bar, trying to make himself appealing. Oscar just didn’t know that he had half of the club eyeing him and his nice jeans. 

“McLaren?” Oscar nods again, smiling lazily. He feels out of his body, suddenly wanting this hot guy to press him to his chest and inhale his spicy cologne. “I’m Fernán. Nice to meet you.” He puts his hand out to shake, and Oscar takes it and squeezes. “Oscar. Likewise.” 

After a few rounds of drinks, Oscar is giggling in a booth with Fernán, feeling the Spaniard grip his thighs under the table, whispering jokes and silly stories. 

“Would you be interested in going to my place? Or are you too busy, Mr. Formula One?” He teased, making Oscar feel as easy as ever. “Yeah, sure.” Oscar nods, following Fernán out of the club, not hand in hand, like he would have preferred. 

Just two mates walking out of a club. 

When they do get to his place, Oscar smiles at the penthouse building, following him inside. It’s modern and luxurious, this guy was probably some new money finance bro, fucking twinks on the weekend. 

The apartment is lived in and clean, but he’s not here to admire architecture. 

Fernán leads him to the bedroom, hands low on Oscar’s hips, front pressed to his back. He feels him, hard and big, making the Aussie’s stomach swoop deliciously. 

On the bed, there is no hesitation in getting naked. The contrast in skin tones makes Oscar dizzy for some reason. This man was older, bigger, maybe stronger. With the way he was moving, he didn’t doubt he was getting pinned down tonight. 

Oscar wriggles, eyes trained on Fernán’s boxers, dark and tented. His body was covered in dark hair, sculpted like a Roman soldier, a body to be worshipped and kissed all over. 

Oscar stops waxing poetics when he feels his legs getting spread apart, his medium sized dick blurting pre below his belly button. Taint and pink hole exposed, making him flush. 

“Ay, you’re so pretty.” Fernán smiles, thumbs pushing against the crease of his inner thighs, Oscar whining as they inch closer to his balls. 

“Please,” he whispers, eyes hooded, biting his lip. Oscar appreciates the tenderness, and he likes it even more when he pulls out the lube to prep himself. The guys back home insist on teasing and making him suck cock. 

It’s not that he didn’t like it. He’ll tolerate the occasional handy, be eager for some bathroom head, but when he’s needy and naked and in bed, he’s not the chill guy Oscar everyone knows. 

He’s a bit of a brat, whiny and pouty. But Fernán seems to like it. 

Oscar tolerates up to three fingers, hiccuping and sniffling as Fernán keeps a steady pace in opening him up. His head falls against the pillow, hair starting to stick to his nape and forehead. 

“This is good, right?” Fernán asks, kissing Oscar on his chest. 

Oscar lets his head fall back, needing more. He nods, head lolling to the side as he bites his lip. “Please.” He sighs softly. 

Strong hands manhandle him to put his legs up, letting them rest around Fernán’s waist. He pulls out his fingers from Oscar’s hole and kisses him again when he starts lining up at his entrance. 

“Ay, que nene lindo.” The older man smiles down, keeping Oscar’s arms wrapped around him, feeling the younger man’s nails dig into his shoulders. 

Oscar gasps at the whispered words, cheeks flushed and vision a bit hazy as he gets teased. 

When Fernán finally pushes in, Oscar relaxes completely, melting into his body and into the bed, the feeling of fullness making him go dumb. 

His thrusts are slow but deep, making involuntary sounds escape Oscar’s kiss-bitten lips. They’re soft and low, but it makes Fernán smile as he pushes in further. 

When Oscar starts getting squirmy again due to the slow pace, he gets flipped around, Fernán patting his thigh. “You want to go faster? Do it yourself, amor.” 

Oscar sighs, hands gripping onto Fernán’s shoulders, moving his hips up and down, letting him dig further now that the angle has changed. “Oh, my God.” He groans, his tip rubbing against the older man’s naval slightly. 

It’s a blur of pleasure, strong hands guiding him when he gets too tired. He can feel his hair getting pulled on, lips kissing and biting over his flushed skin, eyes burning into him like he was a pretty thing to be adored. 

It doesn’t take much more to make him cum after Fernán jerks him off hastily, little mewls of pleasure spilling from his mouth before he gets kissed and filled up. 

The aftercare is light but generous, offered a glass of champagne while he’s draped with a soft blanket, kissed again before bed. 

Oscar knows it doesn’t matter, knows that Fernán won’t ask for his number. He knows that he’s just warming another bed for the night. 

And that’s fine.