#it was meant to be a quick sketch but i got carried away lmao
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little-red-fool · 1 year ago
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Can you draw some doodles of true form haarlep? Maybe first meeting Raphael or smth if u want. XD
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The real reason Raphael asks Haarlep to take his form.
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nightshade-minho · 5 years ago
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-Blue Book- (1)
Warnings: parent death, mentions of abuse, smoking and alcohol, eventual smut.
Requested: Yes. (A loong time ago, lmao.) This was supposed to be a oneshot, but it turned out a little longer than I’d expected it to, so I decided to make it into a series.
E2L, Slow Burn, High School Au. (Half the story takes place in high school, and the other half takes place when they’re adults.)
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You knew exactly why you hated Bang Christopher Chan.
It had all started in high school. A new town, and a new school. You weren’t one of those people that would be bitter about the move- you understood that your mother’s new job meant you could no longer stay in the town you grew up in. Besides, it wasn’t like you had any friends to say goodbye to- or memories you’d miss.
Your father had left your mom when you were 9. He’d met a woman ‘that he actually loved’, whatever that meant. He moved to a new country, and started taking care of a new family. Sometimes, you bitterly hoped he would abandon them as well. Sometimes, you understood why he left. You knew that it wasn’t a good idea to force yourself to stay with someone you didn’t love...but did he have to leave you behind as well? Did he not love you?
A year later, you received the news that he’d died in an accident. You weren’t even able to attend his funeral.
For the most part though, you were actually a very optimistic individual...as optimistic as you could be, without a father and an alcoholic mother. Usually, children who grew up with a single parent tend to hold grudges, and act like the whole world was at fault. However, there must have been some sort of factory error, cause you happened to gravitate towards a world-view that hid behind rose-colored lenses.
You were buzzing with excitement on your first day. You’d never really been much of an academic-oriented student, but there was a newfound need to make your mother proud...one that arose the very first time you heard your father yell at her.
You’d bought cute stationary and school supplies, determined to be a great student and one day be able to support your mother. However, you quickly realized that none of the other students appreciated it when you eagerly answered the teacher’s questions, jotting down notes. You heard murmurs every time you raised your hand, every time a teacher complimented you on your perfect assignment. Nerd. Suck-up. Dork.
It was tiring, but you somehow managed to keep up the positive facade...until a few months later, when Chan walked into your life.
***
You were sat at the cafeteria table, all alone. You sipped your banana milk and hummed along to the music playing through your earphones as you continued writing in your little navy blue book. It was more of a diary, but you occasionally used it in class. Right then, you were writing a small piece of poetry that had randomly popped into your brain, tongue sticking out in concentration as the words poured out.
A few tables away, Jisung chuckled at the sight. “Does she ever go anywhere without that stupid book?”
Hyunjin scoffed. “I don’t think so. What does she even write in it?”
“I’ve seen her write in it in class. It’s probably just some school-related shit. Nerd.” Changbin said, biting into his sandwich.
Seungmin cocked his head to the side. “Um, I doubt she’d carry around something like that with her everywhere. It must be something important.”
Felix waved a hand in front of Chan’s face. The latter had been staring at you, observing the way your face was scrunched in concentration.
Minho suddenly laughed out of nowhere, causing the seven boys to look at him. “Chan, are you into the nerd?”
Chan chuckled lightly. “As if. You’re really funny these days, aren’t you?”
Minho raised an eyebrow. “Uh huh. You know what...life’s been getting a little boring these days. I have an idea.” A smirk appeared on his face. “Chan...I dare you to get that book.”
Chan squinted in disdain. “Ha...what’s in it for me?”
Minho tapped his chin for a few minutes as he pondered. “Hmm...oh, I got it! I won’t flirt with Miyoung anymore.”
Chan looked up at that. Miyoung was an extremely pretty, popular girl that he had a crush on. However, lately, she’d been expressing a little interest in Minho. He didn’t really like her back the same way Chan did, but being the fuckboy that he is, Minho flirted back quite a lot.
Chan rolled his eyes.
“Fine. In fact, I’ll go right now!” The boys hollered, cheering him on as he got out of his chair, walking up to you.
You looked up, taking your earphones out when you felt his presence at the table that had been empty except for you. Confusion took over your face as Chan smiled warmly at you.
“Hi, Y/n. Whatcha doing?”
“Uh...nothing. Just...y-ya know...” You stuttered. You’d always found Chan attractive but he was one of those people who’d never really bothered to acknowledge your presence...until now.
“How are you today?” You asked, trying to recover.
“I’m fine, princess. Better now that I’m talking to you.” You blushed, avoiding his eyes. Chan’s gaze flitted to the book laid open in front of you. You followed his line of sight, quickly shutting your book.
“I find your...book interesting. Can I see?”
You shook your head. “I...I’m sorry, I just...” You couldn’t say anything else, words freezing up in your throat as you squeaked out a “Bye.”
You got up, chair scraping the floor as you grabbed your book and bag, leaving as fast as you could.
Chan sighed, looking back to the boys. He walked back to his previous seat, sighing as he plopped back down. “Well, there you go.”
Minho shook his head. “Welp, guess I’m just going to have to ask Miyoung out to the game-”
“NO! I’ll do it. Just...give me a few more days, okay?”
Hyunjin cleared his throat. “Okay...we’ll give you a week. that should be more than enough, right?”
The rest of the boys nodded in agreement as Chan threw his head back, sighing.
“You guys are so weird...” He rubbed his temples. “Fine.”
***
You sat on a bench, humming as you sketched the park pond. It was a bright, clear-skied day.
Meanwhile, Chan decided to cut through the park on his way to Minho’s house. But as he passed the pond, he saw you sitting on the bench, eyes widening as he remembered the bet.
Cursing, he decided to go over and talk to you. He’d been planning to talk to you tomorrow at school, but he might as well do it, since you were already here.
He approached you slowly, so as not to startle you. Hmm. You actually looked quite peaceful as your eyes ran over the ducks in the pond, smiling softly, as if you were reminiscing about something...or someone.
Chan contemplated tapping you on the shoulder, but you looked way too tranquil to disturb. After a few seconds, he cleared his throat loudly. You yelped, turning to the side and squinting at him.
“Oh...uh, hi...”
Chan smiled, before gesturing to the bench. “May I sit here?”
You nodded meekly, and he lowered himself down carefully, trying to keep a respectful distance. He noted the way your fingers protectively clutched the book tighter, sighing internally. This was going to take a while.
“Hey, calm down. I’m sorry about this morning. I was just curious.”
You avoided eye contact, staring at the pond. “It’s alright.”
“I was just wondering what you do in it. I always notice you carrying it around.”
You pondered for a moment, turning to look at him. “I...write in it, mainly. And...” You trailed off. Shaking your head, you took your backpack and shoved the book bag in. You moved to get up, but Chan’s hand shot out, grabbing your wrist and effectively stopping you. You looked down at him in confusion. He quickly let go, mumbling an apology.
“I, um...don’t leave yet, please? You seem sweet... and I’d like to get to know you more.”
You squeaked in response. Your brain was short-circuiting as you looked at the cute boy smiling softly. 
“Okay...”
You sat back down, hesitantly smiling at him as you played with your fingers. You were a little nervous...well, a lot nervous. Chan’s smile made your knees melt.
“So...what’s your deal?”
“My...deal?”
“You’re new here, right?”
“Oh yeah, I moved here recently with my mom.”
He nodded, noting the way you avoided his eyes with a frown after the sentence left his lips.
Chan groaned to himself, wondering how he would be able to get you to trust him enough. He just needed to get that book for a day...knowing the girl, it was probably just a study book like Changbin had said before. It was just a silly bet...but Chan never lost. Besides, prom was approaching in a few months and he needed Miyoung to be his before then. He needed her to be the queen to his prom king.
He glanced at his watch. Fuck.
“Sorry, Y/n. I’ve got to go now. But I’ll see you around, yeah?” He winked at you, internally smirking at the quick blush that spread across your features. 
Hmm...an idea was blooming in his head.
This might be easier than he thought.
***
Chan opened the door, wincing when the smoke hit his nostrils.
Jisung looked up, setting his controller down. “Broo, finally! What took you so long?”
“Well...I saw Y/n on the way here.”
“Y/n...?”
“The nerd, Jisung.” Minho said, holding out a beer can for Chan to take.
“Aaah.”
Chan sighed as he took the can, taking a sip before sighing. “This won’t be easy. She’s very protective of that book.”
Changbin chuckled. “Sounds exciting. I’m even more curious now.”
“Um, guys...why are we even doing this? I mean...she’s just a girl who likes writing in a diary.” Felix spoke up, softly.
Minho scoffed. “Yeah well, we’re bored. And she looks like she’ll be fun to pick on. Always going Teacher this and Teacher that.” He mocked, before turning back to Chan. “So, what are you planning on doing?”
Chan settled on one of the beanbags beside Jeongin, whose full focus was fixed on the video game, fingers fiddling with the controls.
“I kinda have an idea.” Chan says, smirking. “She seems so shy whenever I talk to her, and she’s constantly blushing. I have a feeling that she likes me.”
Changbin looked up from the screen. “I mean, this is probably the first guy who’s talked to her since she moved to town.”
“Shut up, Changbin.” 
Seungmin scoffed. “Get to the point, Chan. What’s your plan?”
“I’m going to ask her out.”
***
(None of these gifs belong to me.)
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abbacchiosbelt · 4 years ago
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here, it’s 3 AM and i’m feeling wild so have a 10k word unfinished fic. key word is UNFINISHED, so don’t go in expecting a proofread work. some things will literally just say ‘ADD MORE’, lmao, but i thought i’d share this because i did put a lot of work into it, i just don’t think i’ll ever finish it...
it’s Goro Akechi / F!Reader. rated M for violence, some sexual content, and unhealthy relationships. i have not finished P5R and it wasn’t even out when i was playing this, so... yeah. with that in hand, enjoy i guess
Cancelled WIP [Goro Akechi x F! Reader ] 10k words, not proofed and not complete.
A familiar and delicious aroma filled the air as you entered Café Leblanc. Ren nodded at you from behind the counter as you walked in, hastily working to whip up several different blends of coffee. It was a lazy Sunday morning, and the ex-Phantom Thieves had decided to have a chill day, as Ryuji affectionately called it. An opportunity to spend time together was rare. Even if it just meant relaxing, being together would be worth it.
Ryuji and Futaba were already there. Futaba was tucked away in her usual corner, typing away at her laptop. She gave you a short wave from behind the screen. Evidently Ryuji had spent the night, still clad in a pair of pajamas while he flipped through a manga. He lifted his hand for a high-five as you took a seat next to him at the counter, which you gladly obliged. Morgana popped his head up from the seat next to you and stretched. You reached a hand over and gave him a chin scratch, eliciting a purr from him.
Between purrs, he spoke. “This still doesn’t mean I’m a cat.” “Yeah, yeah…” you replied, giving him one final pat. Morgana seemed satisfied and curled back up, keeping his head titled towards the door. “Morning.” Ren said, sliding a cup of coffee in front of you. You closed your eyes for a moment and leaned your head down, taking in the aroma. Perfection. You took a sip and grinned. “This is perfect. As always.” You took another sip of the perfectly iced coffee, which was sweet with a slight hint of bitterness. Just how you liked it. “You and Ryuji are the only ones who take it iced, so I’m glad I could perfect it.” Ren said. “Of course you could. Don’t tell anyone, but I think you make it better than Sojiro.” You winked in response and Akira chuckled. “Plus, you like us the best.” Ren laughed again before moving back down the counter to continue working on making coffee for the rest of your friends. Yusuke arrived next, a sketch book tucked neatly underneath his arm. He sat at the end of the counter and surveyed the scene for a moment.  
“Ryuji,” he stated, opening up his sketchbook. “Don’t move. You don’t move either.” Yusuke said, pointing at you. You pointed at yourself, looking confused.
“I’d like to get a sketch of all of you today.” Yusuke replied, eyes already flitting back and forth between the sketchbook and the scene in front of him. “Hm, looks like I’ll have Morgana too. Ren will have to be later…” His voice trailed off and you could tell he was already in his own world. There was nothing else to do, so you intended to stay still for Yusuke’s sake.
A moment later Haru and Makoto arrived, arms linked together. They looked happy. They were the first of the Phantom Thieves to pair off, though you had noticed their glances and subtle hints of affection before they would admit to it.  You had seen the same actions between Ryuji and Ren, though they were much more coy about it.
You were snapped out of your thoughts by Ann bursting through the door shortly after, arms stacked full of all sorts of sweet tweets.
“Can I get some help?” Ann cried out as a box of sweets wobbled on top of the stack. You jumped out of your seat to help, eliciting a loud groan from Yusuke and a snicker from Ren and Ryuji in the corner. You helped Ann set the sweets down and she gave you a quick hug before heading to the end of the counter to sit with Makoto and Haru.
“Sorry, Yusuke…” You mumbled, and he waved his hand in the air.
“No matter, I can start a new one. Would you care to sit there again?” He said, flipping to a new page. You nodded in response, ready to head back over before the door chimed again. You felt your heart jump. Akechi was invited today, of course, but he often showed up late. He looked nervous as he walked in the door. There was a noticeable silence before Ren finally broke it.
“Glad you’re here, Akechi.” Ren said, nodding towards him. The rest of the group greeted him as well, and you could see the tension drop from his shoulders. Akechi’s face lit up when he saw you, his stride quick as he made his way to greet you. Out of sight of the others, he lightly grazed your hand. You smiled at the affection.
“Sorry again Yusuke, but I think we’re going to sit in a booth for now.” You said sheepishly, feeling guilty about stopping his progress again.
“That’s quite all right. I think I’ve got a new idea anyways.” Yusuke replied, not taking his eyes of his sketchbook. You could tell he wasn’t angry, but you still felt bad. Akechi’s light touch on your hand again brought you out of your thought. You picked the booth closest to the stairs to sit together, Ren and Ryuji not far from the two of you. Ren gave you a curious look when he noticed Akechi was sitting on the same side of the booth as you, your face flushing. He had always known about the two of you. He was too observant sometimes.
You turned your focus away from Ren’s gaze and towards Akechi.
“I’m glad you decided to come today.” You said, smiling at him. He smiled in return, and you felt his hand lightly graze your thigh. Much to your surprise, he kept it there, fingers light against your leg. You were no stranger to affection from him, but he was usually reserved in the presence of others.
“I’m glad as well. I wanted to talk to you about something later…” Akechi said, his face turned towards you. It often seemed like he was in his own world. “Privately. But we can spend time here now, of course.”
“Sure.” You said, glancing over at Ren again. He had returned to making coffee for everyone, but you saw him give you a smirk. You stuck your tongue out at him and you saw him laugh as he turned away. You turned your attention back to Akechi, who hadn’t said anything more.
Akechi’s fingers began to tap out a rhythmic pattern on your leg under the table. Akechi was more nervous than usual today. You reached your hand beneath the table and wrapped your hand around his, giving it a light squeeze. He seemed to visibly relax next to you.
Sometimes you wished that he was more open with his affection. Before his change of heart, he had been possessive, desperate for your affection and attention. Akechi was careful now, treating you as if you were a precious treasure that could break any moment. Still, he made his affection known. A knowing glance. A whisper so quiet you could barely hear it. His fingers ghosting across your back. They were moments you cherished. Moments that you wanted, needed, more of. Stripped away from his charismatic persona was someone who was hesitant but wished so deeply to be loved. To be needed. The past few months with him had been wonderful, but things hadn’t always been easy.
[ It had been months since the Phantom Thieves had succeeded in their goal of saving the hearts of the public. To most, you were just a regular college student traveling the world. To those closest to you, you were an ex member of the Phantom Thieves. After stumbling your way (happily) into the group, your life had changed.
Goro Akechi was one of those changes. You had found something special with him – a bond so deep that you found it impossible to live without him. A bond so deep that even his betrayal against you and your friends hadn’t been able to split you apart. A bond so deep that he couldn’t swallow his betrayal, leaving him to break away from the bonds of his old life to return to you. And yet, the bond was frayed now, in desperate need of repair.
That’s how you ended up back at your apartment, Akechi standing nervously in your doorway after stopping you on your way back from class. It was a bit intimate, your bedroom and living room being the same area. It wasn’t new to you two – but it felt as if he was afraid to cross that boundary now. Your communication had been limited since the disbandment. You were afraid of being broken again, and he was terrified to lose you.  
Akechi eventually came in and settled at one of the seats on your kitchen island. You noticed he was tapping his fingers on the counter.
“I have a question for you.” Akechi finally stated. You plopped down on one of the chairs in your living room, giving him a pointed look. “A question?” You repeated. He nodded before continuing.
“Do you trust me?” Akechi said, eye contact unbreaking. He was intense, as always.
You didn’t want to lie. It’s not that you didn’t want to trust him… but he had attempted to betray all of you before his heart got the better of him. It wasn’t a simple thing to forgive. He carried sins on his back that he would spend his whole life atoning for. And yet, if Haru had managed to forgive him for ruining her father’s life, the rest of the thieves knew they should try too. Your feelings for him made it even harder. You knew better than anyone not to give it away yet.
“No.”
He let out a sigh in response, pushing his hand through his hair. “I suspected as much.”
It wasn’t easy to reject him like this. The moments you had shared, still tender in your mind. The way he smiled at you. The way he looked at you with such adoration. The way he had broken your heart. The moments you had shared together bonded you for life. Akechi’s reveal, and subsequent change of heart made you wary. You weren’t sure how to begin trusting him again. And yet, you still loved him so deeply that you couldn’t imagine life without him.
“But that doesn’t mean I’m incapable.” You said. Akechi looked surprised. “Of trusting you, I mean.”
He didn’t say anything in response, choosing to look down at his hands instead. His fingers were still tapping.
“Let’s start over.” You got up as you spoke and crossed the short distance, stepping in front of him. You put your hand out. “Nice to meet you, Goro Akechi.”
He looked startled. You watched him hesitate, unsure of whether he should touch you. He paused for another moment before reaching his hand out and grasping yours. You had missed his touch, and by the look on his face, he had missed yours as well.  
“Nice to meet you too.” He said quietly, letting go of your hand. You smiled.
It was a start. ]
“Goro,” You said softly, squeezing his hand again. “Are you okay?”
He paused before responding, his thumb brushing against your hand while he thought. “I am... I’m just troubled by my thoughts today.”
You squeezed his hand again. Akechi often had unwelcome thoughts, as you had quickly learned. He was conditioned to be that way – to automatically assume the worst. To assume that no one loved him or cared for him.
“I love you, Goro.” You said, leaning into him. He relaxed into your side and placed a chaste kiss on your head.
“Do you want to talk about it?” You asked.
“Ah, I’m okay. Besides,” Akechi said, giving you a small smile. “We’re here to enjoy ourselves, hm?”
“If you’re sure.” You replied, smiling back at him. It was hard to get him to open up. He was guarded – your questions always deflected easily with his signature smile. When you had learned the truth from the mouth of the cognitive Akechi, you understood why he hidden himself away. When the two of you had begun your relationship, officially this time, he finally let his walls down.  
[ The first time you went on a date with Akechi, you made a trip to Odaiba Seaside Park. It had been raining on and off, so you figured it’d be a quiet day. With the events of the past still fresh, you wanted to keep things simple.
Akechi had always seemed different with you. His voice was soft and sweet, free of anxieties. When he was with you, he took off the mask. It was a subtle change, but one you’d begun to pick up on. Before, he had hidden so much from you, his secrets and pain pulling him away from life. Now was a chance for both of you to start over, to experience each other as a whole.  
The day had started off pleasant – a peaceful walk down the boardwalk with plenty of conversation. You could tell he was feeling at ease, and you were too.
As the sun began to go down, you and Akechi had decided to grab a bite to eat. The only stand still open was serving ice cream, which delighted you. After grabbing your cones, you made your way back down the boardwalk, hoping to find somewhere to sit. Akechi had started another conversation while you walked.
“Are you enjoying it?” He said, smiling at you.
“It’s delicious!” You replied, grinning at him.
Before you could ask him the same, a loud voice interrupted you.
“Oi, aren’t you that shitty detective?”
You looked up to see a group of people, now leering in your and Akechi’s direction. You looked to Akechi, his face still unchanged, but hand gripping his ice cream cone harder.
“Yes. Can I help you with something?” Akechi replied, his voice sharp. It was a stark contrast from his voice with you.
“We’re just wondering why you think it’s okay to show your face around here.” One of the young women in the group said, stepping closer to the two of you. “You’re real fucked up!”
You reached out to grip Akechi’s hand, tugging it gently. He didn’t move.
One of the men piped up next. “Yeah, and now you’ve tricked this dumb little bitch too! She must be real stupid to be with you.”
“Don’t you dare talk about her.” Akechi said, breaking free of your hand and taking a step forward. His face was contorted, eyes angry.
The group laughed, and Akechi tensed. Another member of the group spoke up. “What are you gonna do, little boy detective? You don’t know how to do anything!”
You watched Akechi’s hand ball into a fist. You took another step towards him, and glared at the group.
“Just leave. Please.” You said, trying to be polite, though you wanted to scream at them. You had hoped it would make them go away faster.
One of the women laughed. “Oooh, can’t even defend himself, he’s got his little girlfriend to stand up for him instead!”
“Why don’t you come with us, baby? We’re a lot of fun!” One of the men said. You could feel Akechi shaking now, trying to control his anger. You didn’t know what to do.
“L-let’s just leave, Goro.” You said, tugging at his shirt. He hesitated before he turned back to you, his face still laced with anger. The group leered and chanted at you, but thankfully they didn’t follow as you walked further down the boardwalk.
Akechi was silent as you walked, and you weren’t sure quite what to say either. You found a more secluded area and led him to it, turning to face him.
“Goro? Are you okay?” You said.
Akechi’s hands were shaking. “You think I’m weak. A coward.”
He kept his eyes downcast, nor daring to look at you.
“That’s not true.”
“But I couldn’t even say anything.” He replied, still looking away from you. “I’ve ruined things. This whole day.”
“Goro, please. It’s okay. Talk to me.” You said. He was still looking away.
You took a step towards him and he looked up at you, his eyes watery. “I failed you. Again. And I’m going to keep failing you, and you’ll leave like all the rest, and I’ll be miserable just like I deserve.”
“Goro…” You said softly. “Can I hug you?”
He paused for a moment. In times like these, he was usually berated or screamed at, told that he was better off not being in this world. But you had changed things for him, responding to his bursts of emotion with kindness and care.
He nodded, and you stepped forward, wrapping your arms around him. He was taller than you, but you felt him crumple in your touch, his face buried in your neck. You felt him shaking in your touch, his hands gripping the back of your shirt tightly.
“Shh… It’s okay.” You said. You were glad no one seemed to be around. The intimacy of this moment was something to be cherished. “You have me, Goro. I’m not going anywhere.”
You heard a sob choke out of him, muffled by your shoulder. He was still shaking. You led him to bench behind you.
“Let’s sit down for a minute, okay?” You said quietly. He nodded, and the two of you made your way to the bench and sat down. Akechi had been hesitant to touch you, afraid to let himself feel comfort.
“We could… We could still be close to each other?” Akechi said, sounding very unsure. You weren’t even sure if he asked a question. “If that’s okay…”
“Of course.” You replied, scooting next to him. His body was still shaking. You felt him slowly put his arm out, hesitating to wrap it around you. You looked up to find him studying your face. His eyes were still puffy, but the tears had stopped. “Do you want to talk more?”
He wrapped his arm around you. His touch was still light, but it made you happy. “Not right now. It’s just… you just look very nice right now. You’re just calming to look at.”
It was your turn to blush. You laid your head on his shoulder and heard him take a sharp intake of breath.
“Ah, I’m sorry Goro, I did that without thinking.” You said, quickly lifting your head. He was still looking at you.
“No, please… It felt nice.” Akechi said. “It’s just… I’ve missed you. So much.”
You laid your head back down and felt him squeeze his arm around you tighter. He leaned his head down towards yours.
“I don’t want to lose you again.” He said, lips lightly brushing your forehead. “Let’s stay like this. Just for a bit.”
You stayed there for an hour, bodies comfortably pressed together, silent. You didn’t have to use words to know that the both of you were making up for lost time. ]
Since that day at the park, you had made an effort to always communicate with him. To really understand how he was feeling, and to help him as best as you could. You couldn’t fix a person. No, that wasn’t possible. But you were doing your best to help guide Akechi through life now, encouraging him to seek help and begin healing.
“Are you okay?” Akechi said, startling you. You had been lost in your own thoughts.
“Just thinking about you.” You replied, leaning over to whisper in his ear. “And how much I want to kiss you.”
Akechi’s cheeks turned pink. He still became flustered from praise and affection, having gone so long in his life without it. You delighted in making him happy.
You wanted to fluster him more, but an exclamation from Futaba interrupted you.
“It’s movie time!” She said, picking up her laptop triumphantly.
“Wait, we’re not watching it on that, are we?” Ann said. Futaba had a fancy gaming laptop, but the screen was too small for all ten of you.
“No, no, Ren has a fancy surprise upstairs for us.” Futaba replied. Ren just hummed in agreement before taking his apron off, having finished making drinks for the group. Futaba rushed ahead of you, Morgana trailing right behind her. The rest of the group followed suit, leaving you and Akechi to follow behind. Akechi reluctantly let go of your hand and got up, but extended it again to help you up.
“Why thank you, my prince.” You said, giggling and taking his hand.
“Anything for my princess.” He replied, stifling his own laugh. It was silly, but you two had found pleasure in calling each other pet names.
When you reached Ren’s room you were surprised to see the changes – twinkle lights adorned all the rafters, and what used to be an old CRT had been replaced by a large flat screen TV. There was some sort of blanket pile set up in the middle, most of your friends already sprawled out. A salt rock was letting off a gentle glow in the corner.
“Wow, Ren, this looks nice!” You said. Ren shrugged, but you saw him smile.
“He wanted to make it fancy n’ all for you guys. Both of us pitched in to buy this awesome TV!” Ryuji said, giving Ren a slap on the back. Ren just rolled his eyes, but you could tell he liked the attention. Both of them sat back down together, Ryuji’s arm slinging around Ren’s shoulder. Not so subtle anymore, you thought.
Akechi sat down near the back of the room, patting for you to sit down next to him. You had other ideas as you plopped yourself in-between his legs, resting your back on his chest. You heard him inhale sharply. He leaned his head towards you, lips brushing the top of your ear.
“In front of the others?” He said, resting his lips on your ear.
“Mm. It’s fine with me. Are you okay with it?” You said.
“Y-yes. Very much so.” He replied. You twisted around to look at him and gave him a soft smile.
“It makes me feel safe.” You said. He hummed in satisfaction, snaking his arms around your waist.
Futaba stood at the front of the room and clapped her hands. You were happy that she felt so confident now.
“Alright, it’s time for our feature film. For today’s pick, we’ll be watching ZAW 2!” Futaba said, hitting play on her laptop and scrambling to sit down.
Oh no. You weren’t exactly a fan of horror movies, especially ones with lots of blood and guts. You shifted uncomfortably, already nervous. Akechi gave you a gentle squeeze. He didn’t know about your dislike of horror movies, and now wasn’t the best time to let him know.
The beginning of the movie wasn’t even safe – the screen was immediately filled by the image of a mutilated body and the sound of a loud scream. Why the hell had Futaba picked this movie? You looked around the room, finding some eyes glued to the TV and some joining you in averting their eyes. Makoto was stress-eating some of the chocolate Ann had brought with her. You glanced up and saw Akechi was watching. You didn’t want to ruin the movie for him.
The next scenes were even worse, somehow increasingly violent. You were staring at the floor now, your heart racing. You could have tried to tolerate it if there was a plot, but it just seemed like a cheap movie for shock value. You shifted your body so you could rest some of your face on Akechi’s chest, curling as close to him as possible.
He lifted an arm from your body to reach your head, his hand gently stroking your hair.
“Not a fan?” He whispered. You shook your head. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”
It was just a movie, but you felt reassured. He was always so gentle with you, his words never hiding malice behind them. He had always been gentle with you.
[ The first time you realized you and Akechi loved each other involved a grievous injury.
The Phantom Thieves had been in Mementos for most of the day, training and trying out different combinations of party members. Ren and Makoto had come up with an exhaustive list of combinations to try against different enemies, ranking them as they went.
You and Akechi had been in the party together multiple times today, both of you working together quite well. Though you tended to work well with everyone, something just clicked with him. Though the circumstances of his membership to the Phantom Thieves weren’t what you would call ideal, you and Akechi had made fast friends. He was always there to help you out, and you were always there to encourage him, inside and outside of battle.
And though you kept it hidden away from the others, you would often find yourself messaging Akechi late into the night, both of you unable to sleep. On hard days, you’d find him waiting for you after classes with your favorite drink, a dazzling smile on his face. Sometimes you’d even meet up and stroll through the darkness together, talking about whatever came to mind. You wondered if perhaps your bonding outside of battle is what made you two work so well together.
Ren had finally called for the last fight of the day, calling forth the two of you along with Ann. You were exhausted, but you knew everyone else was too. A few minutes later your party encountered a particularly tough group of enemies, Ren immediately calling out orders.
You had been hit a couple times, but not hard enough that you thought you needed healing. Akechi had insisted you heal yourself, but you reminded him of the limited rations the group had left. He reluctantly left the subject alone. The first two enemies went down thanks to Ann and Akechi. The last enemy left was enraged, its attacks suddenly hitting much harder.
“Just a little more!” Ren yelled. You watched as Akechi readied his Persona for a final attack and felt your heart jump when you saw the enemy suddenly rushing him, eyes ablaze.
“CROW!” You screamed, jumping in front of him without a second thought. You felt your body fly back, back slamming into the ground with enough force to crack it. The pain was immediate, searing and all-consuming.
Your vision was hazy, eyes heavy. You tried to move, to raise your hand, but nothing happened. You couldn’t even speak, a low groan leaving your throat instead. Pain bloomed from your chest, warm blood starting to seep from your injury. You tried to move again and your body burned, blood suddenly bursting from your mouth as you coughed.  
You heard screaming, both your teammate’s and the scream of the shadow who had been destroyed. It was getting harder to see. Someone had come to your side, hands fluttering over your body.
“Hurry! HURRY!” You recognized Akechi’s voice, now strained and desperate. Someone else was beside you now, using whatever SP they had left to cast Recarm. You felt arms under you now, lifting you from the destroyed ground and cradling you to their chest.
“Oh god, please hold on. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Akechi said from above you, voice quiet and shaky. You felt something warm hit your face and realized he was crying. Ren quickly set a plan in motion to get you to the team’s doctor quickly, your body needing extra healing after how much damage you had taken. You wanted to reach up, to assure him you’d be okay, but you were weak. You felt your body start to go limp, Akechi’s voice above you again.
“Please, please stay with us—" He was saying more, but all you felt was endless darkness.
-
You woke up, body still aching. You wondered where you were, unfamiliar sounds and smells overwhelming you. It smelled… sterile. Your eyes were still heavy, fluttering as you tried to open them. You blinked, looking down at your body covered in bandages and hooked up to an IV. You remembered the screaming, the crack of your back as you had hit the ground and the feeling of the warm blood that covered your body.
It must have been bad, you thought. None of you had ended up in the hospital yet. Your thoughts were broken by a sudden voice.
“She’s awake!” You recognized Futaba’s voice, looking over to see her and Ren sitting next to your bed.
You tried to sit up, wincing as your body rejected the movement.
“Ah, don’t hurt yourself more! We were so worried.” Futaba said, she and Ren standing from their seats to move closer to you. You heard her sniff, watching as tears ran down her face.
“We thought we lost you.” Ren said, placing his hand over yours gently. You smiled at both of them, grateful they were here.
“I’m going to let everyone know.” Futaba said, digging her phone out of her pocket. Ren was running his thumb over your hand, his eyes downcast. You didn’t have any concerns about the gesture – his feelings for Ryuji were obvious. Instead, he seemed troubled.
“I’m sorry.” Ren said, looking back up at you. “I pushed us too hard.”
You simply looked at him, too tired to speak. You didn’t blame him. You squeezed his hand in response, trying to communicate your feelings. You sighed, your body urging you to go back to sleep.  
“Rest, we’ll be here when you wake up.” His voice was reassuring, his hand still gently touching yours as you closed your eyes and drifted back off to sleep.
You were awoken this time by the sound of bickering.
“Shut up, Ryuji! You’re going to wake her up!”
“You’re going to wake her up with your loud mouth!”
“The both of you, quiet down.”
Ryuji and Ann, you thought. Morgana too. A quiet giggle left your mouth, followed by sudden silence.
You opened your eyes to find all your friends staring at you, eyes wide.
Haru spoke first, rushing to your side and grabbing your hand. “Oh my goodness, it’s so good to see you!”
You smiled at her and gently squeezed her hand back. Makoto joined her, placing her hand on your shoulder.
“We’re so glad you’re okay.” Her voice was soft, not as confident as usual.
“You idiots, you woke her up!” Morgana said, hopping up on the end of your bed. You could hear him purring. “Sorry about those two.”
Ryuji and Ann ignored him, walking over to greet you. Ann reached down to hug you gently and you leaned into her embrace as best you could, happy to see them.
Ryuji looked more awkward, his hand behind his head. “Thought you bit the dust for a minute.”
“Ryuji!” Ann said, standing and smacking him on the back of the head. “Not the time.”
Ryuji grumbled, pushing Ann over to wrap you in a hug. “Oi, she knows I’m joking.”
You weakly laughed and winced slightly under Ryuji’s hug, slightly too tight. Ryuji let go and you saw Yusuke hovering at the end of your bed.
“It’s good to see you’re okay.” He rummaged through a bag for a second, pulling out a small sketchbook. “I’ve worked on some things for you to look at while you recover. I know you’ll enjoy them.”
You smiled at Yusuke’s show of affection. Ren and Futaba were still there too, both of them coming to greet you once more. You heard a soft knock at the door, everyone’s head turning at the noise. Akechi stepped into the frame, his hands clenched tightly. You thought you saw a hint of anger on some of their faces. For what, you weren’t sure.
“Could I… come in?” Akechi said, his voice hesitant.
“Of course.” You replied, your voice hoarse. It was the first time you had spoken since you had woken up. Akechi stepped in, clearing his throat before he spoke again.
“May I have a moment with her? Alone?” He said. You saw Ryuji shoot Ren a look. Ren seemed hesitant, but finally grumbled a noise of approval.
Haru and Makoto reluctantly left your bedside, Haru squeezing your hand one more time. Everyone left the room save for Ren. He turned to look at you, placing his hand on yours again.
“Are you okay with this?” He said, looking intently at you. It felt strange. Why were they acting like this?
You nodded at him and he let go. He went to leave, pausing to look at Akechi. You couldn’t see Ren’s gaze, but the look on Akechi’s face told you it wasn’t friendly. Ren looked back at you one more time before leaving, gently sliding the door shut behind him.
Akechi stared at you for a moment before walking towards the side of your bed, eyes downcast. You eyed him curiously. All of this was so strange.
“Hi.” You said, smiling. He looked up at you, the hint of a smile on his face.
“Hello.” He replied. His hand hovered over yours, unsure. You moved your hand to touch his gloved fingertips, watching as his body relaxed. He laid his hand on the bed, fingertips still carefully pressed against yours.
Akechi was staring at you now.
“Do I have something on my face?” You said, weakly laughing. He didn’t laugh.
“You… I’m… I’m so sorry.” Akechi said quietly. You looked at him and watched as a tear slid down his face.
You were confused. You had no idea what had happened, other than the memory of the pain. “Sorry? What for?”
He looked startled at your response, body stiffening, his fingertips pulling away from yours. You missed the touch already.
“You don’t… remember?” He said, giving you an incredulous look.
“Not at all.” You replied. You heard him sigh. His hand was gripping your bedsheet tightly. “What happened?”
Akechi was silent, looking into your eyes again. He looked pained. “You took a fatal hit for me.”
Oh. You remembered it vaguely now, the fear in your heart when you saw Akechi was about to be hit. You suddenly understood why your teammates had looked angry – they weren’t exactly warming up to Akechi the way you were.
“I’m sorry. I should have been doing better, it’s my fault that you’re like this—”
“Akechi.” You said, interrupting him. You pushed your hand forward, fingertips touching his again. He didn’t pull away.
“It was my choice. I made a vow to protect my teammates. My friends.” You said. You were starting to get tired again. He opened and closed his mouth, unable to form a response. He just looked at you.
“I… I should have protected you, though.” He said, another tear rolling down his face. “You are the most precious thing in this world to me.”
His face suddenly turned pink at the realization of what he had said. You felt your heart flutter.
“Akechi… You’re important to me too.” You said, smiling at him. He smiled back this time, small and unsure. “You do owe me one though.”
Akechi chuckled. You felt warmth blooming in your chest, ebbing just a bit of the pain.
“Will you stay with me while I sleep?” You said. He nodded and reached to brush a piece of your hair back. The gesture was intimate, his touch light. You closed your eyes, letting your body relax as you tried to go back to sleep.
You felt Akechi slip his hand under yours, fingers gently sliding in-between your own. His skin was warm against yours. You realized he had taken his glove off.
You felt the warmth in your chest again before falling back asleep. ]
Another chorus of screams came from the TV and you curled even tighter into him. The movie was silent for a moment before a loud gunshot came from the screen, causing both of you to jump. You felt your skin begin to prickle, the familiar feeling of anxiety rushing over your skin. It was too much. You had to get out of here. You crawled out of Akechi’s lap and quickly went down the stairs, relief washing over you when the sounds of the TV were no longer loud. You sat in the furthest booth to drown out the sounds completely.
You had never liked guns. You didn’t find them appealing the way a lot of people did, and you had winced upon seeing your teammate’s during your first excursion to the Metaverse. What had sealed the deal for your feel was coming face to face with Akechi’s shadow, and the feeling of his gun pressed harshly against your cheek.
[ You wondered if your friends were going to have to drag your broken and bloody body out of the palace. You wondered if he would be able to handle it, watching himself splatter your brains against the floor. Maybe your thoughts should have been more urgent with the barrel of a gun pressed into your cheek, but hey, no one said looking death in the face had to be rational.
It could have been worse. Akechi could have ambushed you instead of joining you. Akechi’s help had given you the heads up on the majority of Shido’s palace. You didn’t blame him for not expecting to see himself there, twisted and full of malice. Even more, you didn’t blame him for not knowing how cognizant his shadow self would be – all the love he felt for you had seemed to turn to vile hatred in the mind of the other Akechi.
You hadn’t forgiven him, of course. But when he had texted you days after the betrayal in the Casino Palace, you couldn’t ignore the fact that he could help Ren. You couldn’t ignore the sobbing on the phone when you finally picked up, his voice panicky and desperate. And so, with Akechi’s intel and willingness, the plan the Phantom Thieves had set-up went into motion with one exception – the supposed suicide of Ren was not carried out violently by Akechi. Careful planning let the idea spread in the news.
Akechi had groveled at your feet when he finally saw you in person again. It wasn’t easy to accept his help – you would have refused if Ren had rejected him. Akechi had been eager to give every detail he knew, telling the Phantom Thieves the truth about Shido and his manipulation. Thus, the infiltration of the palace had gone smoothly, until you had reached the engine room.
All of you had split up to look around for clues. Everything was normal, until you found yourself on the floor, someone’s shoe digging into your back.
“Ah, the pet.” You recognized the voice – it was Akechi’s. But it wasn’t normal, no, this voice was laced with venom. Your struggling against the floor alerted the rest of the group, horrified gasps resounding throughout the room, something close to a growl leaving Ren’s throat. A moment later you were dragged up by your hair, a hard and cold object suddenly digging into your cheek.
“I thought you would have given up this vice by now.” Cognitive Akechi said, clicking his tongue. You felt the gun dig further into your cheek.
“The fuck is this, Crow?” Ryuji yelled. You saw him take step towards Akechi, who looked horrified.
“I don’t, god, I didn’t know this would happen.” Akechi stuttered out, panic laced in his words.
The cognitive Akechi tugged on your hair harshly, hot pain flaring in your scalp. A sick laugh bubbled out of his throat, and you saw your Akechi tense.
“You know, you were just a tool for him.” The cognitive Akechi said, pulling your face up to look at his. An awful grin was plastered on his face, eyes shining bright red. “Until he got too attached.”
“That’s not true—” You heard Akechi say, the cognitive Akechi interrupting him.
“What a fool you were.” His voice was practically a hiss now as he spoke. “You did all those awful things, and for what? To give it up for this?”
He kicked you in the side, and you cried out in pain. Akechi made a loud noise of protest, and you felt the gun press into your cheek harder.
“Shido was going to get rid of this, anyways.” He said, his faced distorted in a smirk. “And you, too. You meant nothing to him.”
“That’s enough.” Ren said, his voice low and dangerous. “Let her go.”
The cognitive Akechi laughed again, pressing the gun into your cheek again. “One move, and I shoot.”
You could feel your heartbeat pounding in your chest, chest heaving from panic. You were going to die, and there was nothing you could do about it.
“Oh dear, are you frightened?” He said, sneering at you. “I know. Let’s make it personal.”
The cognitive Akechi shot a devilish smile at your Akechi. “Come, then. Do it yourself.”
Akechi looked at you, eyes wide with fear. And then you looked up at your friends, some of their faces stained with tears. Makoto, though, had a look you recognized – determination. You were going to take your chance.
“Please.” You rasped out. You saw Akechi clench his hands into fists. “Please, Goro.”
“I can’t.” He said, his voice shaky. You met his eyes and gave him a hard look, glancing to Makoto next to him. You saw as he bit his lip – he understood.
“Hm, then perhaps I’ll make this drawn out?” You heard the Cognitive Akechi laugh and saw how Akechi tensed again. Akechi met your eyes, fear evident on his face. He took a slow step forward, and again, until he was within shooting range. He summoned his gun, identical to the one in the cognitive Akechi’s, and shakily lifted it, eyes meeting yours again.
The cognitive Akechi made a hum of satisfaction, lowering his gun from your face. A loud shot rang out and you saw the cognitive Akechi stumble backwards, groaning angrily. Makoto’s gun was in the air, smoke flowing from the end of it. The gamble had worked – the cognitive Akechi had been too self-assured, a trait he shared with your Akechi.
You scrambled away as fast as you could and heard another shot ring out, another horrible groan emerging from the cognitive Akechi. You turned back, looking between the two. Your Akechi’s gun was smoking, his hands shaking. The cognitive Akechi was on the floor, eyes wide and staring at you as he died.
It made you feel sick, stomach twisting in disgust as you watched the cognitive Akechi fade into black smoke, your Akechi collapsing to his knees. Your friends rushed over to you, smothering you in hugs and “Are you okays”, each of them talking over the other.
But it was Akechi you were concerned about. You silently got up and kneeled in front of him. A moment later you wrapped around him. He was sobbing, telling you again how sorry he was, how he didn’t want to be like this.
You knew he was carrying around years of pain and hurt, the sting of rejection from everyone in his life that was supposed to love him. He swallowed that bitter pill for years, poison seeping through his veins. He had to account for his own choices – you knew that. But you also knew that despite everything, he was worthy of more.
There was so much you wanted to say. Your heart was still broken – you knew this well. But in this moment, there was only one thing you could say to him.
“I love you.” ]
That day played in your head often, the memory of the cold metal against your cheek vivid and unsettling. It was only a few seconds later that you heard someone descending the steps, then a familiar voice softly calling your name. Akechi came to sit next to you in the booth, his arm wrapping around you.
“I don’t think I was enjoying that movie either.” He murmured, gently rubbing your shoulder. “Do you want to leave?”
Leaving would make you sad – but you had been unaware that today’s movie choice would bother you so much. Besides, on a lucky break, your group would be able to hang out next weekend as well. Time alone with Akechi sounded more appealing.
“Yeah. Let me just text Ren.” You replied. You sent a text saying you weren’t feeling well, but to tell the group you loved them and would see them next weekend. You heard Akechi groan when he saw Ren’s reply, which was simply a winky face emoji.
“Do you want to go on a walk before we go home?” Akechi asked, squeezing your shoulder. You nodded, and Akechi got up and repeated his actions from earlier. You exited the shop, locking the door behind you on your way out.
Akechi’s hand slipped into yours like it had a hundred times before.
Before, when you and Akechi had danced around the nature of your relationship, the idea of no one knowing what the two of you had troubled him deeply. Things were better now, as Akechi had taken the initiative to work on his unhealthy behaviors. Sometimes you’d still notice the way his jaw would clench when a stranger acted a little too friendly, or how his arm would wrap around you just a bit too tight.
[ It didn’t take you long to realize that Akechi was a little bit… possessive. You had been friends with Akechi for a couple months now – your late-night conversations now a norm, his presence besides you during fights a given. He was always checking if you were okay, and always wanted to be around you. You’d seen the slight grimace on his face when you talked to one of the boys in the group, especially if it was Ren.
You didn’t miss the way how sometimes he would say “my” before sweetly calling your name, or how he’d always take you to uncrowded areas to spend time together.  
Still, you’d be lying if you said you didn’t you enjoyed his company. You saw through him the second you met – his artificial happiness was hiding a deeply lonely person. So, for the time being, you’d brushed it off as Akechi being insecure.  
Once, Yusuke had asked you to model for an outfit he had seen in front of Akechi. By the look on his face, you’d of thought Yusuke had asked you to come over and fuck him. There was no romantic intent in Yusuke’s question – but Akechi was jealous. You accepted Yusuke’s request; you had no reason not to.
It had been a perfectly normal day with Yusuke. The outfit was an elegant, flowing white gown. Yusuke had you pull one sleeve down, exposing your shoulder. The dress hugged your hips and showed the curve of your chest, but in a way that you found sensual. It wasn’t anything you were uncomfortable with. In fact, you had felt beautiful, Yusuke’s small hums while he worked confirming that he was pleased.
During a break, you had sent a silly picture of you making a face in your group chat. Everyone had responded by saying how cute you looked, even with the silly expression. Akechi, however, had responded with something that slightly embarrassed you, a sweeping text of how you were the definition of beauty. The attention did make you feel good, even if his message had been cheesy.
You bit your lip, considering a risky move. Maybe you could send him a personal picture. Nothing too crazy – just a little more… personalized. The next picture you sent was just for him, a selfie of yourself in Yusuke’s pose. Your lips were parted, your hair wrapped delicately around your shoulders, bare skin peeking through. The picture cut off so you could see just the hint of your chest. It didn’t take long for a response.
Akechi: You look ravishing.
Akechi: But I am at work, you know. I can’t be looking at things like this, what would they think?
Akechi: Let me know when you’ll be done. I’ll pick you up. Be safe.
You smiled to yourself, knowing that you had riled him up a little. A moment later Yusuke came back, and you resumed the painting, having to fight to keep the smile off your face.  
A few hours later you messaged Akechi to let him know you finished. You and Yusuke exchanged pleasantries before you went to wait outside, still dressed in the gown. The night air felt refreshing on your skin, the beautiful stars above you making it even better.
Akechi’s familiar black car rolled up a few minutes later. Akechi came out to greet you before you even reached the door. You noticed how his eyes had hovered at your chest before meeting your eyes. He opened the car door for you like he always did, and then climbed back in himself.
“Thank you so much.” You said, turning to give him a smile.
“Always. Someone as beautiful as you can’t be walking alone at night.” He said, smiling back at you. You just rolled your eyes, blush creeping over your face. A few minutes passed in silence as he drove, your eyes almost drifting shut to the soft music playing over the radio.
“Are you okay? He didn’t do anything weird, did he?” Akechi said, making you jump. His voice sounded a little off.
“Oh no, I’m fine. Just tired.” You replied. “Yusuke was the same as always.”
Akechi nodded at your response, turning his attention back to the road. A few minutes later you pulled up to your apartment, Akechi seeming reluctant to leave. Well… maybe you could invite him in.
“Do you want to come in and have a drink?” You asked. His face brightened immediately. Once you made it inside, you turned to find Akechi giving you a strange look.
“Is something wrong?” You asked. Before you could say anything else, Akechi had gently pushed you back into the door and captured your mouth in a kiss. When you didn’t pull away, he deepened the kiss, his tongue running along your lower lip. A small moan left your mouth, and you felt Akechi press further into you.
His hand had found its way into your hair, pulling you closer to him. He broke off the kiss for a moment, meeting your eyes. “You don’t know what you do to me.” He said. You recognized the lust in his, face flushed pink. His lips met your again in another fevered kiss, tongues exploring each other’s mouths. He pulled away again and you let out a whine of frustration, low chuckle coming from his throat.
“I can’t believe Yusuke had you all to himself today.” He rasped, voice low. He placed a soft kiss on your lips before continuing.
He trailed his tongue down your jawline until he reached your neck and started placing gentle kisses on it. You wrapped yours arms around him now, pushing his hips flush to yours. He pulled away again. “No one should see you like this. You’re too beautiful.” He whispered before returning to your neck. You could feel the noticeable bulge in his work pants, and you shifted yourself even closer to him. His lips pulled off for you a moment as he let out a strained moan before returning to his ministrations, lips now sucking and nipping at your skin.
He deepened his efforts, his bites making you shudder now. You knew you would have marks tomorrow. Really, you didn’t even know Akechi had it in him to do things like this.
“Goro,” You whined, and you felt his mouth leave your neck. “You’ll cover me in marks.”
He stood up and looked you into eyes, his free hand coming to rest under your chin.
“That’s the point, my dear.” He said, giving you one of those dazzling smiles. “Everyone will know that you’re mine.”
He pulled away, leaving you dazed. His words should have bothered you, but you were still in a state of bliss.
“Now,” he said, gently grabbing your hand. “I’ll get us those drinks. I’m sure you must be tired.” ]
But now, when you would remind him that you loved him and that you weren’t going to leave him, he’d apologize. You had helped him reroute his unhealthy behaviors to other outlets, reminding him that he needed to take care of himself too.
When his hand met yours now, it was a gesture of love.
ADD MORE
[ The first time you felt your heart break, it was because of him.
You didn’t want to believe it. No. NO. They were wrong. You pleaded with them, begged them. He would never do this to them. To you. Ren had put his hand on your shoulder, and told you that he was sorry, so sorry, but this is how things were. How things would have to be for the greater good. How the Phantom Thieves were going to be betrayed. You wanted to scream. But still, you held on, waiting with hope that they were wrong.
You held yourself together when you met up before the Casino infiltration. Your heart pounded when you looked at Akechi. He was acting normal, so normal that you wanted to shake him and ask him what he was doing. Was he really going to do this? Why? You jumped when you felt his hand graze your back, his voice soft.
“Don’t worry.”
You couldn’t even look at him, and he didn’t press you further. Did he know what you knew? No, of course not. He had been outsmarted, and he didn’t even know it.
Akechi had insisted on being on the team, and Ren conceded. You volunteered as well, much to Ren’s concern. Makoto had joined as well. He was right to be concerned – your fighting was off, your mind frazzled. He took you to the side and asked if you wanted to sit out for a bit, but you refused. Your nails dug into your skin as you spoke in hushed tones with Ren, pleading. Akechi gave you two a curious look.
If Akechi had wanted to say something, he didn’t. Instead, you watched as he took hit after hit for you during battle. You felt his gaze on you as you explored the palace, his hand occasionally brushing yours. Every touch felt like another dagger in your heart. How could he do this?
It didn’t take long to complete the palace. The calling card was sent as planned, and the dread in your heart felt even heavier.
The battle was tough, Akechi still taking hits for you, fighting as if it were his sworn duty to protect you. You wanted to cry.
When the treasure emerged, you allowed yourself a smidgen of hope, that maybe it wasn’t true. The group had to split, Ren giving you a knowing look as you insisted on going with Akechi. A look that told you it was true, that this was hopeless. You just grit your teeth and followed Akechi, his emotions still not betraying him.
He stopped, turning to face you. He looked sad.
“It’s true, then.” You said flatly, looking at him. His expression didn’t change.
“I’m sorry.” Akechi said, stepping close to you and wrapping his arms around you. You felt his heartbeat, quick and erratic. You wanted to scream, to hit him, but you couldn’t. You just stepped away, wrapping your arms around yourself.
“Why?” Your voice was hoarse, your eyes now on the verge of tears.
He was silent for a moment. “I can’t tell you that.”
“Of course.” Your heart was pounding now, every muscle in your body telling you to run.
“If you come with me, I can still protect you.” He said, his voice sounding weak now.
“Never.” You replied. You looked at him, fire burning in your eyes. You loved him, you hated him. “You lied to us. To me.”
“I—” He started, but you interrupted him.
“No. No.” You were crying now, starting to fall apart. “Fuck. Was everything a lie?”
He tried to step towards you again, but you pushed back against him. He winced at your rejection.
He opened his mouth to speak again, but you couldn’t bear to hear it.
“Just stop. STOP.” You cried out. You turned to leave and felt his hand grab your wrist, his grip tight.
“Please.” He said, his voice cracking. “Don’t leave.”
You turned to look at him, his hand still tight on your wrist. You looked at him, anger coursing through your veins. You loved him. You hated him. You couldn’t say anything.
“I need you.” He pleaded, trying to pull you closer. You dug your heels in, refusing to give him the satisfaction. “Only I can protect you.”
“You already failed, Goro.” You hissed at him, his hand finally releasing your wrist. You looked at him one last time before turning and running, his desperate shouts echoing behind you.
It didn’t matter anymore. ]
ADD A LOT MORE OOPS SKIPPING A BUNCH BUT I HAD AN IDEA FOR THE LAST PART
“Is this okay?” He murmured, fingers playing with the hem of your shirt. His lips were close to your ear, breath tickling your ear lobe. You nodded, but Akechi didn’t move yet. “Please, tell me what you want.”
You could feel his lips curl into a smirk against your ear. Devious bastard.
“Goro, please… t-touch me.” You said, voice wavering. He made a hum of satisfaction in response, his fingers dipping under your shirt now and hand running gently over your chest. Your breath hitched in your throat as he maneuvered his other hand under, his soft hands running freely over you now. His fingertips played with the edge of your bra.
“Do you want me to keep going?” He said. You nodded again. He didn’t press you for an answer this time as his hands slid underneath your bra, giving you an experimental squeeze. His fingers brushed across your nipples, thumb lingering over them. You felt him shift underneath you.
“Could I take this off?” He said, lips against your neck now. You felt safe like this, his body surrounding you.
“Yes.” You replied. His hands left your bra and moved to take off your shirt, gently pulling it over your head and placing it neatly to the side. He brushed your hair to one side, placing a kiss on the back of your neck.
“Ah, you’re wearing my favorite.” He said, pressing another kiss to your neck. “It’s almost a shame to take it off.”
“add more” You replied, twisting in his lap to face him. He was watching you with rapt attention as you moved your hands behind your back, unhooking your bra. You slowly slid it off, placing it on top of your shirt. He was speechless for a moment, taking time to watch your chest rise and fall.
“add more” You said, smirking at him. You turned back around, pressing your back against him again. He was warm against your back.
“You’re stunning.” He said, hands wandering back up your exposed body to caress you. There was no pretense with him in private. He said what he meant. For this, you appreciated him. He gently grabbed both your breasts again, fingers taking the time to play with your nipples. A squeak came out of you as he rolled your right nipple between his fingers, testing. You pressed your back into him, his hardness even more evident now.
“Do you like this?” He said, voice low. His other hand began to play with your left nipple, shiver jumping through your spine. You moaned quietly in response, and you felt his chest rumble as he chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes, hm?”
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melmonquartelz · 5 years ago
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DO AS YOU’RE TOLD
~~~
This was meant to be a quick funny sketch but I got carried away with effects because of the song :)))
Also this isn’t a canon thing I just thought it fit well with how pissed she is at her brother lmao
Also I hope you like Hope’s new design that’ll be coming out soon :))))))))
Sprout belongs to @mikestrashzone
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Just another version of  🅱️ope down below bc I thought it also looked nice
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t0ngue-tech · 5 years ago
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Up All Night
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“Out of all the friends Seokjin made online, you were exceptionally precious to him for many reasons. One, you carried metal straws with you everywhere. Two, you both were majoring in the medical field. Lastly, to be frank, he liked you.”
↠ fluffy nonsense huhuhu, universityAU ↞
word count: 4.9k
↠ oneshot ↞
A/N: happy new year everyone! 2019 was a ROUGH year for me for so many reasons. i hope this new year will do me good. as a gift for the new year, here’s a little seokjin fic huhu. i hope your new years eve was a fun and safe one (im still hungover a little but im alive lmao) i also hope to put out more fics for you all to love! i love you guise so much! o and there’s a few maplestory references in this fic lol.
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Eatjean: I have no idea why it stopped working. I got this watch last week
Y0urnam3: i think you should just give it some TIME
y0urnam3: get it??????
Y0urnam3: cuz it’s a WATCH!!!
Seokjin slapped a hand over his mouth, but failed to stifle the broken laugh behind his hand. He ultimately released a squeaky laugh that almost had him in tears.
“SEOKJIN. I swear to--”
“Okay! Okay! I’ll log off, Yoongi. Relax.”
Besides studying for hours on end at his desk, Seokjin also spent hours playing an online game called Maplestory. He played for years and even if he was juggling his job, social life, and college, he always made time to play. Seokjin made a lot of friends all around the world through Maplestory and even a handful of his friends in college played. 
“Dude, you’ve been playing since 8:30. I have to solidify this lesson plan and I can’t concentrate with you laughing and slapping your desk every ten seconds.” Yoongi, Seokjin’s roommate, took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.
“Sorry, but y/n has been busy with school and we haven’t played together for a while.” Seokjin explained.
Out of all the friends Seokjin made online, you were exceptionally precious to him for many reasons. One, you carried metal straws with you everywhere. Two, you both were majoring in the medical field. Lastly, to be frank, he liked you.
Seokjin met you online through the Monster Carnival Party Quest around four months ago. Being in the last room of the party quest meant having a larger party with characters that had buffs and skills that could be beneficial to the entire team. Seokjin’s party was in need of a healer and happened to choose you, a cleric, to join the party.
For five rounds, Seokjin’s party dominated the party quest and when everyone came to the mutual decision to call it quits, everyone sent each other a buddy request and it all started off from there.
For the next few days, Seokjin found himself logging on around the same time you were online and the two of you spent time farming for mesos, helping each other out with quests, or doing rooms three and four in CPQ because the rooms only required a two-person party. This allowed you two to chat for hours, getting to know each other little by little. Of course, you both took precautions because it was the online world, anyone could be behind their screens and pretend to be someone they weren’t.
After almost a month of chatting as much as possible, you eventually began to trust Seokjin with more personal details of your life. You opened up by venting to him about how your ex-best friend decided to hook up with your newly broken up with ex-boyfriend. Seokjin easily related with you with the same story however, his story happened in high school and he found out himself because he found one of his ex-girlfriend’s blouses in his ex-best friend’s room. Seokjin understood your pain and became an emotional sounding board for you.
Even if Seokjin was your listening ear, the only other information that was shared was each other’s names and major. Honestly, Seokjin was curious about what you looked like, what your voice sounded like, but those things were privileged information that couldn’t be shared that easily. Looking each other up online probably wouldn’t be much help either because there could be a lot of people who had the same names and there would be no way to figure out for sure who was really you and vise versa.
No matter how curious he was, Seokjin respected your privacy and didn’t want to ruin the friendship he had with you.
“You make like you haven’t spoken to her in years.” Yoongi quipped as he typed away at his laptop.
“Just do your lesson plan, Mr. Teacher’s Assistant.” Seokjin laughed and launched a paper ball towards Yoongi’s direction. “I’m packing it in anyways. Y/n has an early class tomorrow.”
↠↞
There were multiple places you could’ve been and your 8 am class was definitely not your first choice.
Your professor for medical terminology had an optional 8 am course which you stupidly decided to attend. It wasn’t because you were failing, your future wouldn’t allow for that. Focusing and studying hasn’t been in your mind for a few days and you needed a refresher.
“Y/n, tell me, why am I even here right now?” Irene dropped her folder on top of the desk next to you and groaned. “I swear my bed was caressing me and begging me to stay.”
You yawned and tapped her desk. “Trust me. I also almost pressed snooze on my alarm but you promised you’d go with me and a promise is a promise.”
“Yeah, yeah, and you promised you were going to treat me to breakfast after this soooo…”
Fifteen minutes felt like four days. Your professor stood at the front of the class rambling on, clicking through his slides while everyone stared back at him with hollow eyes.
You glanced over at Irene who had half-lidded eyes and lazily swung her pen in between her fingers. She was probably daydreaming about the french toast and hot coffee from the diner across campus.
You found yourself doodling in the corner of your notebook with rough sketches of orange mushrooms, slimes, and a family of snails. The corner of your paper was starting to look like a miniature version of Henesys hunting grounds.
Forty-five minutes dragged on by and your professor finally let the class go. You and Irene both had a 10 am class which was why you promised her breakfast; to pass time and to have girl time.
“Are you sure I can order the french toast and waffles? We’re both broke ass college students, you know.” Irene handed her menu to the waitress and smiled.
“Yeah, yeah. It’s fine. We haven’t hung out in a while, so it’s okay.” You assured her.
“That’s because you’re always playing Maplestory.”
Irene wasn’t wrong.
You didn’t mean to spend the majority of your free time cooped up at your desk with your eyes glued to the colorful images on your laptop screen. Some days your logged on to bust ass and level up, but other days you actually waited to see if Seokjin was going to log on as well.
“So, anything new with that Seokjin guy?” Irene sipped her coffee. “Did you ask for each other’s social media yet?”
The answer will always be no.
“I told you, Irene. There’s something about the ‘not-knowing’. Plus, it’s a mutual agreement between us.” You explained for the thousandth time.
“Yeah, but what if he’s a creepy dude trying to hit on you!”
Of course you thought of that, which was also a hidden reason as to you why you didn’t expose too much personal information about yourself. Seokjin only knew your first name, your major in college, and you were sure to change the names of any personal stories that your shared with him.
You made sure to be careful. Always.
“Seokjin has been catfished before on Maplestory and he said it was so embarrassing and painful that he never wishes anything like that one anyone.” This was a story that Seokjin hesitated to tell because of how embarrassing it was, but he knew he had to tell you because he didn’t want you to get the wrong idea about him. This was his way of showing you that he trusted you.
“Well, alright y/n. You’re a smart girl, don’t forget that.”
Classes seemed to fly by after breakfast and after a draining study group, you were eager to have some quality time with yourself.
When you fully logged into your Maplestory account, Seokjin was quick to greet you in the text box.
Eatjean: Y/n!!!!
Eatjean: How was class?
You smiled stupidly at your laptop screen.
Y0urnam3: seokjinnnnnn! classes were just as annoying as yesterday
Yournam3: my energy is at 5% right now
Eatjean: I think it’s bedtime for you
A pout formed.
Y0urnam3: nooooo i waited all day to talk to you
Your feelings for Seokjin wasn’t exactly subtle. You weren’t shy to type out things like “I love talking with you” and “I missed you, sorry I couldn’t play yesterday”. It took a lot of courage for you to do so, but you were sure the courage came from not knowing Seokjin face-to-face. If you were to see him in person after saying all of those things, there was no doubt you would shrivel up into an embarrassed raisin.
Seokjin took a little longer to reply than usual. Instead of seeing his screen name, a spam of a character selling a level 200 weapon for warriors filled the chat box instead. Maybe this was a sign that you needed to stop being so forward with him.
/
“Awww, okay then stay uwu.”
Seokjin scrambled around a blocked his screen with his hands. He whipped his head to the side and found Yoongi peering over his shoulder.
“Y-Yoongi, when did you get back?” Seokjin stammered.
“Just now. Aren’t you going to press enter?” Yoongi stepped away from Seokjin’s breathing space and took a seat on his own bed. “And what the hell is an uwu?”
“It’s a way to express, uh, extreme ador--no, just google it!” He learned the phrase from you a few weeks ago and at first, he was just as confused as Yoongi was.
Seokjin took another quick glance at Yoongi who was struggling to kick his converse off his feet and hit the “enter” key on his laptop. 
Within minutes, you replied.
Y0urnam3: OMG YOURE USING UWU ALJDFLKDJ
Eatjean: MY FIRST AND ONLY TIME
Y0urnam3: UWUWUWUWUWUWUWUWUWU
Y0urnam3: btw can you help me farm for some mesos? I still can’t believe i got scammed yesterday
Seokjin didn’t do anything to hide the smile on his face. Why was the word “uwu” so amusing to him? It was probably because it made you seem a lot cuter than what he originally thought.
In the next hour, Seokjin met up with you help you gain back the mesos you lost. After everything, the two of you circled back to Henesys and stood at a random spot in an empty channel.
Eatjean: Brb ya boi needs a snack lol
He stood up from his chair and retreated to a small table in the room that he and Yoongi dubbed as the snack corner.
“Still playing?” Yoongi asked from behind his laptop screen.
“Yeah. We’re waiting for a few friends so we can LPQ.” Seokjin ripped open a bag of sweet corn balls, sending a few flying to the floor. Just as he bent down to pick up the pieces, he caught Yoongi’s eyes staring at him. “What?”
“I have literally no idea what you just said, but go off I guess.” Yoongi went back to typing away on his laptop. “Oh yeah, before I forget, you’re coming this weekend right?”
Seokjin took a quick second to think about what plans he possibly had this weekend, but nothing came to mind.
“What’s happening this weekend?”
“Dude, Jimin’s party? Penthouse in the city?”
It finally clicked in his brain that Jimin’s uncle lent Jimin his penthouse for the weekend as an early birthday present. Seokjin was invited last week along with Yoongi and they were given strict instructions by Jimin to clear their schedule for Saturday night.
Was it selfish for Seokjin to want to stay back at his dorm and talk to you all night? There was no doubt that Yoongi would agree to go because he has been complaining the entire week about “needing a fucking drink because fuck this lesson plan”. With Yoongi gone for that evening, that meant Seokjin could laugh to his heart’s content all by himself.
“I--” Seokjin dragged on. “I don’t know. I might just stay here and relax.”
“Relax my ass.” Yoongi said in a joking tone. “Seokjin, you’re going. It’s just one night out. Y/n is not going to disappear all of a sudden.”
Of course Yoongi was right. It was just one night off campus and having a drink with his friends was a plan that was long overdue. But Seokjin liked you too much, so it was normal to want to talk to you as much as possible.
Seokjin sighed quietly. An unnecessary battle between the two choices flooded his mind. Going to the party was obviously the answer that settled at the tip of his tongue.
But y/n… ugh but Jimin...
“Fine, okay. I’ll go, I’ll go.” Seokjin lifted his hands in the air in defeat. 
There was no point in telling you about the party because just as Yoongi mentioned, you weren’t going to disappear into thin air. Plus, Seokjin wasn’t your boyfriend. He had no business in telling you every single thing that he was going to be doing.
Eatjean: Okay, back
Eatjean: Sorry my roommate was just telling me about his day
Seokjin waited a few minutes before receiving your reply.
Y0urnam3: ohhhhh this is the teacher’s assistant right?
Y0urnam3: how was his day?
Y0urnam3: and how was yours too!! i forgot to ask lol
He smiled and danced his fingers along his keyboard.
Eatjean: That’s the one! And he’s in desperate need for a drink
Eatjean: My day was alright. We’re already preparing for midterms so that’s a bummer
After hitting “enter”, Seokjin pressed the F4 button on his keyboard making his character have a crying facial expression.
Talking to you was always easy. He never felt the need to force a conversation with you because you both shared the same interests and had an understanding school schedule. If there was a chance where he could meet you in person, he was so sure that it would also be just as easy.
For the next two hours, Seokjin aided you in farming for mesos until the party was full to complete a few rounds of the party quest. Even if his eyes may have gotten dry and his back was tight, he enjoyed the time he spent with you.
Y0urnam3: okay seokjin it is LATE and ya girl needs to sleep
Seokjin frowned.
Eatjean: Already T__T
Y0urnam3: i know in sory
Y0urnam3: im sorry****
Y0urnam3: ive been keeping all school related stuff on the back burner and i need to get accepted into the nursing program i told u about
“Ah..right.” Seokjin muttered to himself.
Eatjean: OH OF COURSE OF COURSE
Eatjean: Pls focus on school too!! Trying to become a cardiologist isnt a walk in the park either so i understand
Eatjean: Study hard and get some rest y/n
After receiving your reply filled with words of encouragement for Seokjin to also study hard, he finally shut off his laptop and flopped onto his bed. Since school was a huge priority for you, this probably meant you were going to spend more time hitting the books and using your computer for actual research purposes.
“If only we had each other’s instagram handles or something.” Seokjin groaned and waited for a response from Yoongi.
The room stayed silent and when he turned around, Yoongi was sitting in his chair with his head tilted backwards and had a red pen tucked behind his ear. His desk was cluttered with debris of papers and his laptop was wide open with what seemed to be an answer key.
Seokjin stared at his sleeping friend for a while. “Yeah. He needs a fucking drink.”
↠↞
“Okay, bitches. Clear your schedules. We are going to get crazy tomorrow..” A mutual friend of you and Irene, Seulgi, dropped her binder and textbook on top of the table where you and Irene were studying.
“Crazy?” Irene questioned. “Really?”
Seulgi dropped herself into the seat next to you and sighed. “No, I’m kidding. I just wanted to invite you guys to my dorm tomorrow to have a study session and a few glasses of wine.”
“Ugh. I’m in. I have been crazed this whole week and I need the alcohol.” You shut your textbook and rubbed your temples.
“Are you sure? You’re not going to isolate yourself and play Maplestory—and I mean that in the nicest way possible.” Irene reached over and clasped your hands with hers.
You laughed knowing there may have been notes of bitterness in her words. “Yes honey, I’m sure. Both Seokjin and I have mountains of work that we’ve been putting off so I don’t know when’s the next time we’re going to be online together.”
Seulgi raised her eyebrows and leaned closer to your shoulder. “And how is it going with Mr. Eatjean? Are you two going to get married in Amoria yet?”
You snorted and gently pushed Seulgi’s head away from your breathing space. To your surprise, Irene laughed along understanding what Seulgi was talking about; she never played the game but you talked about it so much with her that she caught on some of the terminology that was used.
Unfortunately, what you said was the truth. You haven’t been able to play Maplestory in a while and you really missed talking to Seokjin. It wasn’t easy being in the medical field, but you had to give your future career some of your attention at some point.
When Seulgi invited you two over for a study session, you imagined having a few glasses of wine while listening to jazz and getting a lot of work done. However, none of that happened.
Just when the three of you were settled in Seulgi’s room, almost ready to pull out the wine cork, Seulgi receives a very delightful phone call from a friend. Next thing you knew, you were carefully applying lip gloss in the backseat of an uber and Irene was racking her brain over whether or not she wanted to unbutton the first three buttons of her top.
“Ugh, just do it already! Jihyo is going to be there tonight that’s why!” Seulgi gently tugged on Irene’s hand who was holding onto yours. “And y/n, stop pulling the skirt down. That skirt was meant to be that short.”
“I know, but oh my God, the exposure!” You tugged at the end of the black pencil skirt Seulgi let you borrow.
“Sooyoung, should’ve let us know ahead of time about these plans.” Irene complained.
“At least this is way better than studying—hey, Sooyoung!” Seulgi called out.
Sooyoung met the three of you at the elevator and hastily rushed you all down the long hallway that was filled with gorgeous college students. You all entered a doorway that was also filled with students who were either already wasted or making their way towards that level. Some of the students were familiar to you and others were definite strangers; Sooyoung seemed to know most of them.
“Girl, where is your brother anyway? We have to at least greet him happy birthday first.” Irene tippy toed to get a good look of the people in the kitchen.
“He’s in here somewhere. Let’s just find him later.” Sooyoung began pouring vodka into shot cups while you poured sprite into four other cups.
“You know, I keep forgetting you have a brother.” You spoke over the mixed sounds of music and voices of people. “Why don’t you two just go to the same university?”
“Well, you know how it is. Siblings, different majors, scholarships, blah blah blah.” Sooyoung brushed passed the subject and handed out the shots and chasers. “Come on, you girls need to catch up, especially Irene because Jihyo looks hot as fuck tonight—to Jihyo!”
Sooyoung raised her shot cup and while you and Seulgi complied with the cheer, Irene begged you all to tune it down. Although she did mutter, to Jihyo, before gulping down her vodka.
You, Seulgi, and Sooyoung were huddled in one part of the living room to keep an eye on Irene who seemed to be a bit more confident in talking to her crush; all thanks to some liquid courage.
The entire floor was covered with people making it almost impossible to not bump into anyone.
“Oh! Sorry!” You yelled over music. “This place is so boujee! If I ever lived here, I would never leave.”
Seulgi laughed and nudged your shoulder. “Penthouse or not, you never leave your dorm anyway!”
“Ooh! Is it because of that game you’re playing? How is that dude-guy anyway?” Sooyoung slurred.
You scrunch your nose and helped your drunk friend sit down on a nearby chair. “How much did you drink before we arrive?”
Sooyoung gently tugged on your pencil skirt. “Answer me question. When are you and denim jeans getting married in Amoria?”
Seulgi threw a fit of laughter as she explained to Sooyoung that she said the exact same thing.
“We are not getting married in Amoria. We’re not even in a relationship.” You squished Sooyoung’s cheeks with one hand and took a sip from your mixed drink.
“But why not? It seems like you and sack-jeans are into each other. I say, date!” Sooyoung waved her red cup in the air and you and Seulgi did your best to calm her down. A drunk Sooyoung was something else.
“Honey, you need to relax. It’s only eight in the evening and for your information, his name is Seokjin and we’re just Maplestory buddies right now. We don’t even know what each other looks like.” You stroked Sooyoung’s hair and took another sip of your drink.
“Y/n, just listen to the poor girl and date him!” Seulgi let out a high pitch snicker and gave Sooyoung a high five.
Talking about Seokjin was definitely bringing your mood down. Maybe it was the alcohol messing with your emotions for than usual, but you really missed talking with him.
“Y-Y/n?”
You felt a tap on your shoulder and you spun around, making eye contact with one of the cutest guys you ever laid your eyes on. He wore a red t-shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and had jet black hair that was styled upward. If his eyes didn't catch your attention, his lips sure did. The only thing wrong with him was that he knew your name and you didn’t recognize him at all.
“Um and you are?” You questioned, readying yourself to perform some sort of self-defense.
“It’s me.” He gestured to himself. “Seokjin.”
↠↞
Seokjin weaved himself around the kitchen, trying to find a bottle of Grey Goose to refill his drink.
“Damnit, Jimin. How many people do you know?!” Seokjin grunted. “Oh, Joy! Pass me the bottle when you’re done.”
The already-drunk-sister of his friend gave him a thumbs up before filling up the last shot cup and slid the bottle down the counter. Seokjin tried to thank her, but her focus was immediately back to her friends.
“Dude, where’d you go?!” Yoongi bumped into Seokjin, almost making him spill his drink.
“Okay, I know you need this wild ass night, but please relax. This is my favorite shirt. It accents my shoulders.” Seokjin grabbed his friend’s cup to give him a refill.
“Hurry. Namjoon is freestyling in the living room and it’s fucking fire.” Yoongi nudged Seokjin’s arm to make him lead the way into the living room.
Seokjin was more than supportive of his friend’s desire to drink his stress away, but having to deal with Yoongi’s drunk ass plus a few more of his friends was making him wish he was back at his dorm, double clicking the Maplestory icon. But he had to admit, Namjoon was spitting bars.
“Oh! Sorry!”
Seokjin turned around to find one of his friends stumbling over, almost knocking down a group of girls.
“Good grief, Sandeul. Sit here, please.” Seokjin gently forced his friend to sit down on the couch in front of him.
Just a few more hours, Seokjin. Just hold out for a few more hours, then you can drag Yoongi back to the dorm.
“-getting married in Amoria?”
Seokjin chuckled. I guess there are other Maplestory players here.
He didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but he was trying to catch wind of the conversation behind him. However, the music and crowd was too loud to hear most of the conversation.
“-and for your information, his name is Seokjin and we’re just Maplestory buddies for now.”
“Y/n, just listen—”
Huh, Seokjin. That’s my name too- WAIT.
Taking the heavy risk of appearing as a creeper, Seokjin turned around and tapped the girl behind him.
Here goes.
“Y-Y/n?”
When she turned around, Seokjin was blessed to see the cutest girl he has ever seen.
“Um and you are?”
Seokjin braced himself and pointed to his chest. “It’s me. Seokjin.”
You widen your eyes and Seokjin could tell you weren’t as convinced.
“U-uh, it’s really me. Eatjean? I just helped you farm for more mesos because you were scammed the day before.” Seokjin’s heart was thundering in his chest. The alcohol could’ve also played a role in that, but it was also because he was extremely nervous that the girl right before his eyes was actually a different person.
“Oh my God. Oh my God.” You repeated. “Oh my God, you’re really Seokjin!”
The nervousness was slowly exiting his body once he saw the smile that grew on your face. Thank heavens, it was really you.
“Y-Yeah. It’s me! Wow, I just—I’m—w-wow.” Those words were the only ones that Seokjin could muster.
You let out a snicker and tucked a few strands of hair behind your ear. “I can’t believe—”
“Seokjin?! This is denim jeans?! Date her!” Sooyoung suddenly gripped your shoulders.
“Excuse her. Sooyoung get your shit together for a second please—” Seulgi tugged at Sooyoung to leave you two alone. “Continue!”
Seokjin chuckled and looked over his shoulder to check on his friends who were still invested in freestyling. He then took you by the hand to stand in one part of the living room that had a little less people.
“You’re friends with Jimin’s sister?” Seokjin questioned.
“Yeah! We go to the same university. Why the hell hasn’t she mentioned you to me before?” You sighed sadly.
“I’m actually closer to Jimin.” He explained. “I even forget that her real name is Sooyoung. Jimin only refers to her as ‘Joy.’”
You took a sip out of your drink and nodded your head. “What a small ass world.”
Seokjin stuffed his hand in his pocket and leaned in closer to you. “You wanna get out of here?”
↠↞
“I told you to not use the scroll! It only had a fifty percent success rate.” You shook Seokjin by the shoulders who was devastated by the choice he made.
At first, you were feeling hints of regret after quickly accepting Seokjin’s invitation because you didn’t know what his intentions were. But he was just as quick to assure you that he wanted to bring you to his dorm to have some pizza and help him with his character’s accessories.
Seokjin was the perfect gentleman, just as you imagined. He gave you some of his clothes to change into so you were comfortable, he even stepped out of his dorm so you could have privacy. He let you sit in his gaming chair while he took a random stool from inside the dorm. When the pizza arrived, he remembered how much you loved pizza crust so he gave you every single one from each slice he took.
If you knew this was the type of guy Seokjin was, you would’ve gave him your instagram a long time ago.
“Hey, cut me some slack. I took a huge risk here.” Seokjin spun you around in his chair. “And I remember a certain someone who spent almost nine hundred thousand mesos on a staff she ended up not needing.”
“Fine, fine. Touche.” You scoffed and jokingly threatened to leave his dorm.
You scanned Seokjin’s desk and saw nothing but textbooks, what seemed to be study guides, and a few empty coffee cups. Being under the same university major umbrella, you understood the mess all too well.
“How’s your studying going?” You asked, tidying up some of his papers.
“Ehhh. I put the dying in studying.” Seokjin joked and you playfully hit his shoulder. “I’ve been up all night for the past few days.”
“Awww, you poor baby.” You ran your fingers through his hair and his eyelids fluttered closed at your touch. “Well, I guess it’s sort of no different from when you’re playing Maplestory with me.”
“Hmmm, I beg to differ. I actually enjoy spending time with you online.” Seokjin sighed happily. “And maybe I can enjoy spending time with you in person this time around?”
You laughed and brought your hands to your face to hide the blush he caused. “Ohhhhh, very smooth, Seokjin.”
“Do you accept this quest?”
You studied Seokjin’s facial features on more time; his big eyes and pouty lips. After knowing each other through an online game, it was only right for you to finally get to know the real Seokjin. 
From what you already knew, he was a sweet man who enjoyed trying new food, doing word search puzzles, and taking every opportunity presented to him to make some sort of pun. He could be a bit cheesy and a bit dorky, but it was all endearing. And because of all the time you’ve spent reading his cheesy lines through your laptop screen, the next words that came out of your mouth was just as cheesy and dorky, but it fit the moment.
“Quest accepted.”
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♡ rae jagi
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My little baby girl aaaa, only meant to do a quick sketch but I got carried away lmao
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deaconhills · 8 years ago
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10 Things I Hate About You [Part 7] - Theo Raeken Imagine
A/N: hey, guys! this was going to be the final part of my 10 Things series, but I got carried away and wrote eleven pages of dialogue and soul crushing stuff lmao. I know it’s been a long, excruciating wait, but thank you so much for bearing with me. I hope it’s everything you were hoping for (and more). I will try to finish this series with the eighth part being posted by tomorrow night or Sunday night.
PART ONE | PART TWO | PART THREE | PART FOUR | PART FIVE | PART SIX
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Your stomach did a magnificent flip as the truck sped around the sharp corner with ease. Trying to focus your eyes on the road and your thoughts on anything but your destination, you became hyper-aware of everything around you. The radio was merely a hum of a song you weren’t familiar with. The volume was a bit too low to make out any of the words, but the music was soft and sweet. It was soothing, though only slightly.
Your ears were much more attuned to the drumming of Theo’s fingers against the steering wheel. Some people shake their legs when nervous. Others bite their nails. Theo’s habit was tapping his fingers against any surface. It was his one giveaway – otherwise, he would have been an infallible poker player.
In all honesty, you were anxious, too. The last several minutes of the car ride had been spent in complete silence, you lost in your thoughts and Theo lost in his.
Finally, he paused the rhythmic motion of his fingers to break the stillness.
“Do you trust me?”
It was a simple question. Four words. The answer, however, was complex.
Though his head was still upright, facing the direction of the road, you knew that he was watching you from the corner of his eye.
“Theo,” you began, and you saw him frown at the apologetic way you spoke his name, “honestly, if you had asked me this question just last week, there would have been no doubt in my mind.”
“So there’s a doubt in your mind now?”
Electing not to speak for fear of what the underlying tones in your voice may give away, you simply nodded.
His frown did not disappear, but the drumming of his fingers resumed. The beat he was thumping against the wheel seemed to be a signal of sorts, indicating he was done talking for the time being.
Happy to oblige, you turned your head to look out the window. The sky was a hue of purple that hinted at the possibility of a thunderstorm. Gazing into the side view mirror, you saw the familiar blue of Stiles’ car trailing behind Theo’s truck. You could only just barely see Stiles in the driver’s seat, his own fingers gripping the jeep’s steering wheel so tightly that you could picture the ashen white of his knuckles. His eyes were unwavering, set on the back of the car in front of him, seemingly alert to spot any sign of trouble.
Allowing your mind to wander, you began to fidget with the leather of your seat. The material was cool and smooth between the pad of your thumb and tip of your index finger. You studied the dark brown – almost black – leather and instantly remembered your dream of strawberry fields.
Her eyes, Allison’s eyes, were nearly the same color.
Gently tracing your finger over the seams, you thought about how she had flitted so quickly in and out of your unconsciousness last night.
Apart from a few photographs, you had never actually seen Allison Argent before. You knew she had dark hair and eyes, and from the pictures Scott kept on his desk at home, you also knew she had been a beautiful girl. Until last night, you weren’t sure you could have even accurately described her to a sketch artist had they asked. In the dream, though, you were sure it was her that had drawn you to her only to run away moments later.
How could your mind have so perfectly depicted her?
The freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose and the dimples at either side of her smile were never evident in the pictures you had seen before, but sure enough, your mind had not blundered those details in your dream. When you peaked at the framed photograph of Allison and Lydia on top of a dresser at the lake house this morning, there was no mistaking that Allison Argent had been the elusive beauty lurking in the strawberry fields.
It was almost as if, you suddenly thought, instead of being just a figment constructed by the subconscious, the ghost of the girl had found a way to haunt your dreams. The idea caused you to involuntarily shudder.
Theo must have noticed the shiver rip through your frame.
“Cold?” He asked, automatically reaching out to adjust the air control.
You shook your head.
“Just a nervous twitch, I guess,” you explained away.
You couldn’t tell him that you were dreaming about a dead girl – not when you may very well have been on the way to your own death, and especially not when you weren’t sure if you even trusted him with your dreams anymore.
The drumming continued again, his fingers picking up a much quicker pace. The thumping was rapid, and you knew this meant he was mulling over something.
Then, just as suddenly as the quick rhythm had begun, he ceased the movement. He used his now still right hand to reach out and lay it atop your own hand.
“Y/N, you have to trust me,” he said. “It’s the only way we survive this.”
You removed your hand from underneath his, placing it firmly in your lap, and scoffed.
“The only way we survive this?” you repeated scathingly. “I’m the one in mortal peril, remember?”
Reaching out to grab your hand again, his voice so low, he nearly whispered, “You know that’s not what I meant.”
“Theo –,” you started.
He interrupted to practically beg, “No, listen to me. I love you, Y/N. Before you, I only ever thought of myself. I didn’t know how to care for someone else. You taught me what love is, and you can correct me if I’m wrong, but I know you love me, too.”
You met hit eyes for the first time all night.
His own eyes left the road for once, venturing to search your own for some validation of what he had said. Not quite trusting your own voice for the second time this trip, you nodded.
Of course you loved him, but was that enough?
Seemingly mirroring your thoughts, he continued, “And that’s – that’s great, but what are we without trust?”
A bubble rose in your throat, and against your own will, a giggle escaped your mouth.
Theo was taken aback. He hadn’t expected this reaction, and honestly, neither had you. Yet, here you were: now tipping your head backwards as wild laughter ripped through you. It had been over a week since you had really, truly laughed. It felt light. It felt good.
Several seconds passed of this – you in a hysterical fit of laughter and Theo in a state of silent shock.
Finally, wiping tears from beneath your waterline, you chuckled out, “It’s funny, isn’t it?”
“What’s funny?”
“I’ve been asking myself that question for the past week,” you spoke through the remnants of the laugh attack. “Well, not that question exactly. All week, I’ve been wondering ‘what are we?’ and the answer – it’s just so obvious, isn’t it?”
He didn’t dare ask you to explain, and it was lucky that he hadn’t because you paused only for a second before continuing in a tone of voice that he had never heard from you before.
“We’re nothing, Theo,” the revelation came out as if a punch line to another of Stiles’ god-awful jokes. “We are nothing without trust, and I don’t – I can’t – trust you anymore. This isn’t healthy. This is not a healthy relationship, so there’s your answer. We’re not going to survive this.”
His hand, no longer gripping your own, was now rubbing the shadow of stubble on his jaw. A frown deepened, causing lines of displeasure to blemish his otherwise perfect face.
“If that’s what you want.”
The words came out as if you had wrapped your hands around his throat and choked them right out of him.
This was Theo as you had never seen him. He was defeated, deflated.
In this moment, he was so unlike the Theo who had plunged a needle into your flesh and relished in your agony. Your hand absentmindedly crept up your blouse and caressed the jagged scar on your stomach. In this moment, he was the one lying helpless on the hospital bed. You were the one with the needle in your hand this time, and in this moment, you wanted him to feel every searing wave of pain you had felt.
“Don’t you dare pretend that this is something I want,” you seethed, your voice growing louder. “This – all of this – is on you! You pushed me into this corner. You lied to me for months. You threatened my friends. You tortured me. And you just – you expect me to trust you? And hold your hand and tell you we’ll be okay? To just go back to the way things were before all of this?”
Silence.
“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” you spat, your voice lowering, “but I’m not okay, and I will never be able to go back to the way I was before. I might have changed you, but you’ve changed me, too.”
His jaw twitched.
“I’m sorry -,” he croaked, but you cut him off quickly.
“For what?” you scoffed. “For making me into this monstrous version of myself? Literally, tonight – again, all thanks to you – I will become a thousands-of-years-old monster.”
He slammed an open fist against the steering wheel, and your body was thrown harshly into the door as the truck veered slightly off the road.
“Dammit, Y/N!” he shouted. “What do you want me to say? Just tell me – just tell me, and I’ll say it. Tell me what to do! Anything. Just tell me what you want me to do!”
Biting the inside of your cheek so hard that the metallic taste of blood swirled in your mouth, you took a deep breath.
Calmly and slowly, you said, “I don’t want you to say anything. I want you to listen.”
Theo opened his mouth but shut it again just as quickly.
“In the span of a week, you’ve managed to turn me into someone that I don’t even recognize anymore. I mean, for Christ’s sake, I’m – I’m practically Lady Macbeth!”
He cocked an eyebrow up in curiosity at the reference but did not push it.
“This is a damn Shakespearian tragedy, Theo,” you almost cried out, “and we’re living it. The goddamn dread doctors have prophesized the rise of the Beast, just like the witches. And you, of course – you’re Macbeth. Corey was just a causality of prophecy and greed, right? Sounds like Duncan to me. But here’s the best part: I’m Lady Macbeth. I’ve been trying so hard to scrub Corey’s blood off my hands. ‘Out damned spot!’ Well, that damned spot? It’s not coming out. It’s never coming out. I’m forever stained with his blood – all of it is on me.”
Laughing out coldly, you finished, “And neither of us make it out of the final act alive.”
You laid your head back against the cool, leather headrest and closed your eyes. It felt as if you had just let all of the helium out of a balloon, letting it whiz and zip across the room until it lands, perfectly deflated, on the floor.
The air blowing from the vents rushed across your flushed face. For the first time in a week, you felt refreshed and light. The cab of the truck was completely silent, except for the low hum of the radio and the occasional rattle of the air conditioning, for what felt like eons.
Theo broke the stillness first.
“You’re not Lady Macbeth,” he stated resolutely, “and this isn’t your final act.”
Choosing not to respond, you simply opened your eyes and slightly turned your head to watch his expressions.
“Look, I know you don’t trust me. So, you know what? Don’t trust me, that’s fine – but you need to trust Scott. You need to trust your friends,” he urged. “Trust Liam.”
He had said Liam’s name so unusually. You couldn’t quite put your finger on it, but it made your eyes widen in surprise.
Theo looked at you out the corner of his eye again, assessing your reaction as he announced, “He loves you.”
For several moments, you remained silent before sighing, “I know.”
“You what?” he asked, failing to hide his incredulousness. He was still watching you intently.
A light, tired laugh carried itself into the air.
“I only just figured it out this morning, actually,” you admitted, smiling a bit. “But I guess it’s always been pretty obvious, huh?”
Theo grunted, though still unable to completely shake the surprise from his features, and agreed, “Yeah, no kidding. The kid can never take his eyes off you. I hear his heart rate speed up every time you so much as brush past him. It’s pathetic.”
You just shook your head, chuckling softly at the fact that you had never even fully realized what was going on until just today. Thinking back to only this morning, you remembered how it had all suddenly just clicked. He had stuffed his mouth full of pancakes. Syrup dripped down his chin, threatening to leave the sticky, brown evidence of his breakfast on his t-shirt.
“Come here,” you motioned for him to scoot his chair closer to your own.
You crumpled up your napkin, getting up from the table and running it under a stream of water in the sink.
Liam continued eating vigorously as you wrung out the excess water.
Walking back over to the table, you warned him, “You should slow down before you choke.”
He shrugged and, through a mouth full of food, simply said, “Hungry.”
Rolling your eyes, you grabbed his face with your hand and drew him closer to you.
Taking a great swallow that you were sure would result in him needing the Heimlich, his cheeks instantly collapsed back to their normal size as his blue eyes only grew wider. He jumped back a bit at the connection of your hand to his cheek.
“Sorry,” you muttered, raising the napkin to his chin. “Are my hands cold?”
“Uh-uhm, no, they’re fine,” he mumbled.
He let you wipe the sticky syrup from his chin, and you were very aware of the fact that his eyes had not left your face since you had first turned his head to face you.
Setting the napkin down, you let go of him, but Liam had not yet removed his gaze from your face, or more specifically, your lips.
Trying to draw his attention back to anything but your mouth, you explained, “You, uh, had syrup dripping down your chin.”
With your faces still only a hand’s length apart, he rubbed at his now clean face absentmindedly and muttered, “Oh, yeah… thanks.”
Just then, you both snapped your heads in the direction of the doorway where you heard a soft gasp.
“Oh, um,” Kira stood in at the door with a shocked expression painted on her face. She fumbled over her words. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt – whatever you guys were, uh, doing.”
You laughed easily but noticed Liam let out only a forced decibel of a chuckle.
“Oh, no,” you dismissed her misunderstanding with a snort and wave of your hand, “I was just helping him out. He had something on his face.”
Kira looked from you to Liam, who refused to meet her eyes.
“Oh, okay,” she said slowly, eyeing Liam carefully. “I thought maybe you guys had been... kissing.”
She said the last word almost regretfully, and as soon as you had let the laughter out of your mouth in response to her suggestion, you had immediately regretted it, too.
Liam abruptly stood up, pushing his chair from under the table and seizing up both of your plates from the table. He dropped the plates into the sink with a clatter, turning on the faucet and pouring dish soap onto a sponge.
This was especially odd considering you had never once known him do the dishes in his life.
Kira, seemingly assessing a tense situation in the midst, likely due in part to her misjudgment, mumbled something resembling a ‘see you later,’ and slipped out of the room.
Liam kept his head low, bent down over the scalding hot water and suds now filling the sink. He was scrubbing a plate so harshly that you thought it might shatter beneath the sponge he was using.
Very cautiously, you called out, “Liam?”
He didn’t answer but rather just grunted in acknowledgement.
“Did I-,” you treaded nervously, getting up to stand next to him at the counter, “-did I do something wrong?”
He shook his head, still bent over the pile of dishes. “No, you didn’t do anything.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
You turned off the water, seizing his hand to stop it from the constant scrubbing. His arm shuddered beneath you.
“Liam,” you spoke softly. “You’re washing the dishes. Something’s clearly not right here.”
Setting the sponge down in the sink, he folded his arms across his chest and faced you. He still, though, would not allow his eyes to meet your own.
Looking at his shoe laces as if more interesting that the conversation at hand, he admitted, “I don’t know – it’s just that you – you laughed.”
Giving him a puzzled expression, you urged him to give a better explanation.
“When Kira said that she thought that we had been, uh,” he searched for the right wording, “kissing, or whatever, you laughed.”
“Oh,” you furrowed your eyebrows. “I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” he grunted, attempting to return to his task of dish washing.
Reaching out to rest your hand atop his arm again, you approached the subject gently.
“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Li.”
He rushed to reassure you, “No, no, really. It’s fine. It’s just that… is the thought of kissing me really so funny?”
For the first time since the discussion had started, Liam looked you directly in the eye.
“No, of course not!” You felt your heart constrict at the evident hurt in his voice. “I just had never really considered it, you know? I mean, you’re my best friend. I guess the idea of someone thinking that I would be kissing my best friend – I don’t know, it’s just so foreign to me, that’s all. It caught me off guard.”
“Yeah, I get it,” he mumbled, but he didn’t seem satisfied with your clarification.
You sighed out, “Come on. Don’t be like that, Liam! The two of us, kissing at the kitchen table? You’ve got to see the humor in that. Seriously, it’s not like you’ve even considered the both of us before, either, right?”
His jaw jolted only slightly as he said, “Right.”
He turned back to the dishes, running the water again. This time, you didn’t reach out to stop him. Instead, you walked away, leaving Liam to the dishes and you to your thoughts.
You hadn’t needed supernatural abilities to know that when he had spoken that single word, as simple though it was, that Liam had been lying straight through his teeth.
“He’s a good guy.”
Theo snapped you out of your thoughts.
“I know,” you affirmed again.
No sooner had you said it, he had put the car in park. Looking out of the window, you realized that you had arrived at your destination without even noticing.
Theo hesitated to open the door, his hand hovering over the handle.
He looked into your eyes, his irises seemingly searching for something within the hues of your own, as he said, “I’ve hated him all this time because I knew he loved you in a way I never could. Y/N, you taught me what love is, but I still have a lot to learn. Unconditional love – I’ll never be capable of that, and that’s what you deserve. As much as I hate to admit it, Liam’s plenty capable of it. I still hate him, but not as much as I hate myself for all the things I’ve done and all the things I can’t be to you.”
Your mouth hung open but no words manifested.
“If you do anything tonight,” he advised sternly, “just trust him.”
With that, he climbed out of the car and shut the door, leaving you to attempt to gather your thoughts.
Your head was spinning as you managed to get out of the truck and join the others as they huddled around the hood of Stiles’ jeep.
“Hey, guys,” you squeaked. Your voice sounded very unlike itself, which was understandable considering the circumstances that had brought all of you together.
Each of your friends turned to greet you with grimaces.
Great. They were all just as scared as you were.
‘Trust your friends.’
You looked to all of them.
Lydia, intently skimming through a book that looked to be written in French, was talking in a hushed voice to Stiles. Undoubtedly, the two were working a theory about the Beast of Gêvaudan. Malia was talking animatedly to Scott and Theo, her hip jutted out in a way that suggested she was particularly unhappy about something. Kira was sharping the blades of her katana, an expression of peace on her face. Liam was studying you.
‘If you do anything tonight, trust him.’
When your eyes met, he gave you a weak smile.
“Nervous?” he asked, rocking on his heels.
You nodded.
“I feel like I might throw up.”
Liam scrunched up his nose, “Ergh, please don’t.”
You teased, “You’ve always had a weak stomach.”
“Whatever,” he rolled his eyes. “I just don’t like gross stuff.”
Both of you let out ghosts of laughter, allowing them to float and fade into the quiet night. Besides your friends’ chatter, the only sound was the rustle of tree leaves against the wind. The two of you stood against the side of Stiles’ jeep in comfortable silence, shoulder against shoulder, looking up at the stars littering the atmosphere.
After a few moments, you felt Liam’s eyes boring into the side of your face.
You turned your head in his direction, catching him off guard as he quickly tilted his head upward, pretending as though he hadn’t just been looking at you.
“What if you guys can’t separate me from Sebastien?”
He finally looked at you. His eyes were scanning your entire face, as if he was only really looking at you for the first time.
“Y/N,” he promised, “that’s not going to happen.”
You were insistent.
“But what if it does?”
He pursed his lips, eyes still roaming the planes of your face. He was at a loss, and you knew it.
Still, you pressed on, despite the trembling of your voice, “What if I become a monster?”
Adamantly, he shook his head.
“No, that’s not even possible. You could never be a monster.”
Your voice was barely above a whisper as you wondered, “How do you know that?”
“You swerved into a ditch trying to avoid hitting a squirrel.”
Both of you laughed together, remembering that night all too well. Tears threatened to spill over as you secretly suspected that there would never be another late night road trip with Liam again after tonight.
Though he wouldn’t admit it, you knew Liam was scared, too.
“Hey,” he cooed. You have never heard his voice this gentle, and as the words rattled in his throat, you noted that you had also never heard him choke back tears before. “You’re gonna be alright, okay?”
You nodded, hot tears splashing down the slopes of your cheeks.
His blue eyes were frantically gliding across every inch of your features, and you realized that he was trying to remember every detail of your face in case he never saw it again.
“Yeah, okay,” you nodded, and you weren’t sure if you were trying to convince him or yourself of it.
Pressing your back up against the cool metal of the jeep, you screwed your eyes shut and willed the tears to stop flowing. You didn’t want the others to see you crying and know how scared you really were. They would be more worried than they needed to be.
Leaning your head into the nook of Liam’s shoulder, you allowed him to support a bit of your weight. You felt incredibly heavy all of a sudden.
“You’re my best friend, and I love you.”
You had whispered it, but you knew he had heard you.
“I know,” and you heard the smile in his voice.
The two of you stayed like that for some time, you leaning on him, eyes shut against the world, and his head titled skyward.
You left the comfort of your best friend’s shoulder only when Scott rounded the corner and asked, “You ready?”
You looked to Liam, who nodded.
“Yeah,” you grimaced. “I’m ready.”
Scott put a hand on your shoulder in a brotherly way and reiterated what you had already been told for the hundredth time, “Look, you’re going to be –,”
“Fine, I know,” you laughed out. “So I’ve been told.”
He smiled, though much less brightly than usual, and you followed him to where the others were positioned now on the outskirts of the woods.
“Just remember,” Lydia reminded you tenderly, “we’ll be right out here.”
You nodded, giving her a grateful look.
“This will all be over by tomorrow,” Theo offered. Then, in a much lower tone, he said, “Remember what I told you.”
He looked from you to Liam as the rest of the group shared a perplexed look but did not question further. You squeezed his hand briefly. It was the first physical contact you had initiated in what felt like ages. Theo squeezed back, his thumb grazing against the back of your hand, before releasing his grip.
“Thanks,” you said, your voice beginning to go hoarse. “I will.”
You began walking backwards from the group, towards the decrepit building a few hundred feet behind you.
The all watched you with solemn faces as the distance between you grew.
Turning your back after a few steps, you squared your shoulders, tilted your chin upward, and began your march to an unknown fate.
You made it several more steps before you turned on your heels and shouted to the group, “Hey!”
They were listening.
“If I don’t come back,” you yelled out across the violent purple night, “get the letters out of my locker!”
With that, you continued to walk. The grass, wet with dew, was slick beneath your feet. Praying that your friends would never need to read the letters you had written in case of your death, you imagined each of the envelopes sitting in your locker. Their names were written on the front of each one in pink glitter gel. Inside, there was a letter for each of them in which you had poured your heart out. A picture of all of you, minus Theo, at your birthday party last year was taped to the letters.
All you wished for was one more birthday with your friends.
Remembering what lay in your locker next to the letters just as you reached the entrance to the building, you pulled your hair into the tightest ponytail you could manage, faced your friends for very well could have been the last time, and shouted what very well may have been your last words:
“And please turn in my Hamlet essay by Wednesday morning at nine, please!”
You could have sworn you saw Stiles roll his eyes even from the doorway of the Dread Doctors’ lair.
TO BE CONTINUED
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