#it will be very hard for you to convince me to do the thing and try to help you further

[pixiefelixie]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ MY VALENTINE KIM SEUNGMIN

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ synopsis your 17-year-old dog, who had survived chocolate poisoning, a bicycle accident, and a raccoon fight, finally passed away peacefully—proving that even the most legendary warriors must one day retire. in your grief, you completely fell apart, only to realize your usually sarcastic boyfriend might actually be capable of being soft and supportive—something even more shocking than your dog’s immortality finally running out.

pairings: menace!seungmin x menace!reader warnings: death of a pet, hurt/comfort, angst, fluff, seungmin is a sweetheart i need a seungmin for valentines day thank you very much, they're in love your honour

before seungmin was your boyfriend, he was your best friend. there was no messy talking stage, no drawn-out situationship—just years of friendship that seamlessly shifted into something more. it happened on prom night, after one unexpectedly deep conversation that peeled back layers neither of you had ever touched before. from that moment on, everything changed.

your friends had seen it coming long before you did. they used to roll their eyes and exchange knowing glances whenever you and seungmin bickered, convinced that it was only a matter of time before one of you caved. it wasn’t hard to see why. your friendship with seungmin was filled with smacking, bullying, and calling each other mean names. naturally, that dynamic carried over into your relationship as well. 

but sometimes, you wondered if seungmin ever really took you seriously. saying serious things—things that mattered—never came easy for either of you. the words always got tangled in sarcasm, deflected by jokes. even kissing was often a game, a teasing challenge where he’d lean in just to pull away at the last second, smirking as you huffed in frustration. it wasn’t that he didn’t care. it wasn’t that you didn’t care. it was just easier to dance around the depth of your feelings than to dive straight in.

one evening, after seungmin had spent nearly an hour tormenting you with relentless tickles, leaving you breathless from laughter and weak from squirming, you huffed in exasperation.

“why do you always have to be such a menace?” you asked, still catching your breath.

he grinned, eyes crinkling at the corners as he leaned back. “because i only act like this with you.” his voice was quieter now, softer, like a secret he was finally ready to share. “you’re special to me.”

for once, you didn’t have a comeback.

the city lights blurred outside the bus window, distorted by the tears welling in your eyes. you blinked rapidly, willing them away, but the tightness in your throat only grew stronger. with every stop, every jerk of the bus, your composure cracked a little more. you clenched your jaw, staring hard at your reflection in the dark glass. just a little longer. just until you got home.

finally, your stop came. you shuffled off the bus, stepping into the cool night air. the walk to your apartment felt longer than usual, each step heavier than the last. your breaths were shallow, uneven, as you swallowed back the lump in your throat. the world around you moved as if nothing had changed—cars rushing by, a couple laughing in the distance, a stray cat darting across the sidewalk—but inside, you were unraveling.

by the time you reached your door, your hands were trembling. you fumbled with the keys, cursing under your breath when they slipped from your fingers. picking them up, you took a shaky inhale and forced yourself to steady your grip. just get inside.

the lock clicked. the door swung open. and the moment it shut behind you, the weight of it all crashed down.

a broken sob slipped from your lips before you could stop it. your legs gave out, and you sank to the floor, pressing your back against the door. tears spilled over, hot and relentless, as you buried your face in your knees. your shoulders shook with every quiet sob, the sound muffled in the empty apartment.

you had held it together for so long. but now, there was no one to see. no one to hear.

you had known this day would come. you had prepared yourself for it—at least, you thought you had. but no amount of knowing could have made it hurt any less.

seventeen years. that was how long he had been by your side. longer than some of your friendships, longer than any relationship you'd ever had. he had been there for every scraped knee, every heartbreak, every lonely night you spent crying into his fur. you had practically grown up with him—your childhood, your teenage years.

he was ancient. seventeen, as a reminder. practically immortal by dog standards. he had outlived all expectations, defied every vet’s cautious prognosis. he was ancient, crusty, and had the worst breath imaginable—like a mix of old socks and something you didn’t even want to identify. his teeth were a disaster, barely hanging on in his later years, and he had been blind in one eye for the past three birthdays. and yet, somehow, he had powered through everything.

there had been that one time he ate an entire bag of chocolate chips when he was seven and walked it off like it was nothing. then, at twelve, he somehow got hit by a bicycle and bounced back as if he had merely tripped. at fourteen, he got into a fight with a raccoon over a slice of pizza (and won). he had survived stomach bugs, a tumble down the stairs, and countless other incidents that should have been his undoing. but no—he had refused to go out in some dramatic, action-packed way. 

instead, he had peacefully fallen asleep like the stubborn little shit he was.

he was gone.

you let out a shaky breath, a tear-streaked chuckle slipping past your lips. of course, that’s how he would go. no theatrics, no grand exit. just quietly, in his sleep.

it wasn’t fair, though. he had survived so much—how was he not invincible?

you wiped at your face, but the tears kept coming. you had always known this day would come, but losing him felt like losing a piece of your childhood. 

you hadn’t been there for his last moments. that was what made it worse.

moving out for university had meant leaving him behind, but at the time, it hadn’t felt like a real goodbye. it never even crossed your mind that one day, you’d walk out that door and never see him again. it was impossible to imagine a world where he wasn’t waiting by the door when you came home, tail thumping lazily against the floor, his cloudy old-man eyes lighting up at the sound of your voice.

but time had finally caught up with him, and instead of being there to hold him one last time, instead of pressing your forehead to his like you always did, whispering, you stink, you had gotten the news over the phone.

you hadn’t heard the footsteps. hadn’t noticed the faint creak of the floorboards or the quiet rustle of movement in the room. you had been too lost in your own wreckage, sobs wracking your body as you sat crumpled against the door, drowning in the weight of it all.

but then—something made you look up.

seungmin was standing there, just a few feet away. his eyes were wide, his expression frozen somewhere between confusion and alarm. his lips were parted slightly, like he wanted to say something but couldn’t figure out where to start.

you hadn’t expected him to be here. but of course, he had a spare key. and from the way he was standing there, it was obvious—he had been in the apartment the whole time, long before you walked through the door and completely fell apart.

the realization sent a fresh wave of humiliation crashing over you. you weren’t sure how much he had seen, but judging by the way he was looking at you—like he was seeing you for the first time—you knew it was enough.

seungmin had never seen you like this before.

he had seen you annoyed, frustrated, even stressed to the point of snapping. but never this. never crumpled and shaking on the floor, barely able to catch your breath between sobs. never so completely wrecked that you couldn’t even find it in yourself to throw out a sarcastic remark or tell him to get lost.

and you knew what was about to come.

like the absolute asshole he was, he was going to crack a joke. probably something about how ugly you looked when you cried, or how your face was so red it could stop traffic. any second now, he was going to open his mouth and say the exact wrong thing, because that was just who he was. that was how he dealt with anything remotely emotional—sarcasm first, actual feelings second.

you almost wished he wasn’t there. right now, you had nothing in you to deal with a seungmin-style remark. not today. not when everything already felt like too much.

you squeezed your eyes shut, bracing yourself, but nothing came.

no snarky comment. no teasing jab.

but instead, seungmin walked over to you and he sank to the floor.

he didn’t fidget, didn’t sigh like he was uncomfortable. he just sat there, his body close but not overwhelming, his presence solid and steady. his eyes never left you, his usual sharp, mischievous gaze replaced with something softer, something that made your throat tighten even more.

another sob tore through you, and you curled in on yourself, burying your face in your knees. you felt exposed, raw in a way you had never been before. you weren’t used to this—falling apart in front of someone, letting yourself be seen like this. and seungmin… he wasn’t used to it either.

to him, you were always either a ray of sunshine or a little menace who pinched his cheeks just to annoy him. you were the one who smacked his arm when he teased you, who gave as good as you got. but now? now you were shaking, struggling to catch your breath between broken sobs, completely undone in a way he had never witnessed before.

seungmin hesitated for only a second before reaching out, his hand barely brushing against your back at first—like he was testing the waters, making sure you wouldn’t flinch away. when you didn’t, his touch grew firmer, his palm pressing against the fabric of your shirt as he slowly rubbed circles between your shoulder blades.

your sobs didn’t stop right away. they came in waves—some stronger, some weaker, but always there, shaking through you, making it impossible to catch a steady breath. you tried to quiet them, tried to swallow them down, but your body refused to cooperate.

at some point, you lifted your head, your cheeks damp, your lashes clumped together from tears. seungmin’s hand stilled, but he didn’t pull away.

and then—his eyes met yours.

there was no teasing glint, no smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. just seungmin, staring at you like he was seeing every crack, every broken piece, and accepting them without hesitation.

he didn’t say anything. he didn’t need to.

instead, he gave you the smallest smile—soft, quiet, a silent i’m here.

seungmin let out a slow breath, his fingers pressing just a little firmer against your back, grounding you. his other hand hovered for a second before he reached up, brushing his knuckles gently against your cheek. his touch was warm, deliberate—like he was trying to memorize the shape of you, trying to let you know in the only way he could that you weren’t alone in this.

“you know,” he murmured, his voice quiet but steady, “boyfriends are supposed to help with things like this.”

you blinked at him, your chest still rising and falling unevenly, your throat tight.

“this whole… carrying everything by yourself thing?” he shook his head slightly, his thumb smoothing over your cheekbone. “yeah, i’m not letting you do that.”

your lip trembled.

as if reading your mind, seungmin exhaled, his thumb brushing against your cheek again, slower this time. “you’re allowed to let me be here for you. you know that, right?”

something in you cracked at that.

a fresh wave of tears welled up, and seungmin didn’t even flinch. he just shifted closer, his hand finding yours, threading his fingers through yours, squeezing lightly.

“i’m not going anywhere,” he promised. “so cry, tell me to shut up—whatever you need. but don’t shut me out.”

seungmin’s fingers tightened around yours, firm but careful, like he was anchoring you to him without holding on too tight. his eyes never left your face, searching, waiting—until finally, he spoke again.

“come here?”

it wasn’t a command. it wasn’t even a suggestion. just a question, soft and open, giving you the choice.

your breath hitched.

you weren’t used to this. him, like this. and maybe that was what made your throat tighten even more.

you nodded, barely a movement, barely a breath. but it was all he needed.

seungmin let go of your hand only to wrap his arms around you, pulling you in like it was second nature. you barely had time to react before your face was pressed against his shoulder, the warmth of his hoodie soft against your cheek. his arms settled around your back, firm and unyielding, his fingers curling against the fabric of your shirt.

your hands hovered for a second before you clutched at the fabric of his hoodie, gripping tightly, your body still shaking with uneven breaths. seungmin only held you closer, his chin resting lightly against the top of your head.

seungmin didn’t say anything for a long time. he just held you, his fingers tracing absentminded circles against your back, like he was letting you take your time, like he wasn’t in any rush to hear whatever was weighing you down.

but eventually, he shifted slightly, just enough to glance down at you. his voice was quieter now, softer, like he was trying not to break whatever fragile thread was holding you together.

“do you… wanna tell me what happened?”

your throat was tight with the weight of it, and when you swallowed, it felt like trying to force down something solid. you wanted to tell him. you had to tell him. but how were you supposed to say it? how were you supposed to explain why you had completely fallen apart, why your entire body had given out the second you walked through that door?

your heart pounded, your throat burned, and for a moment, you considered lying. saying it was stress, a fight with a friend, anything that made more sense than the truth. you were afraid that he would find it stupid that you were sobbing over your dog who was always on the brink of death.

but you couldn’t keep it in.

your vision blurred again, fresh tears rising as you forced yourself to swallow the lump in your throat.

“my mom called,” you said, barely above a whisper. “after my lecture.”

seungmin said nothing, but you could feel the way his grip on you tightened ever so slightly. he was listening. he was bracing. his jaw tensed. you could see it, the quiet dread settling behind his eyes.

and then, with everything in you screaming to keep it in, you let it out.

“my dog.”

two words. that was all you could get out.

but seungmin understood right away.

his breath hitched—so slight, so subtle, but you caught it. his fingers stopped moving against your back, and when he blinked, it was slow, like the weight of what you had just said was pressing into him, too.

“oh.” his voice was quieter now. 

you knew what he was thinking.

this was stupid. it was just a dog. people lost pets all the time. you weren’t supposed to cry like this, to feel like something inside you had been ripped away.

frustration bubbled up through the grief, your throat tightening even more. you pulled back slightly, your fingers curling into the fabric of his sleeve as you forced out, “i know it’s dumb.” your voice was thick, shaking. “but i grew up with him, seungmin. what am i supposed to do—just smile and move on?”

his brows furrowed instantly. “no—”

“i mean, it’s just a dog, right?” you let out a bitter, shaky laugh, but it barely even sounded like you. “that’s what you think. that i’m being dramatic, that it shouldn’t hurt this bad—”

“no, no, no—what?” his hands tightened around yours, his voice firm now, almost urgent. “y/n, don’t even—”

you froze.

his expression had shifted completely—no teasing, no softness diluted by hesitation. just pure, unwavering certainty.

“you have every right to feel like this,” he said, his voice steady, his grip grounding. “this isn’t stupid. you aren’t stupid.” his brows pulled together slightly, and for a second, he looked almost upset—not at you, but for you. “you loved him. of course it hurts.”

your breath hitched.

seungmin was looking at you like your grief mattered, like it was valid.

you didn’t know what to do with that.

a fresh wave of emotion crashed over you, tangled and overwhelming, pressing into your ribs until you could barely breathe. your fingers curled against his wrist, gripping onto him like he was the only thing keeping you from unraveling completely.

“i don’t know, seungmin,” you whispered, your voice barely holding together. “i just—” your throat tightened. “i don’t know.”

his face softened, but he didn’t rush to fill the silence. he just waited, his presence steady, unwavering.

your chest ached. everything ached.

your next breath came out shakier than the last. “i’m sorry,” you murmured, your voice breaking. “i—”

“hey.” his hands shifted, firm but gentle, like he could hold you together if he just held on tight enough. “none of that.”

you swallowed hard, but the lump in your throat refused to go away.

“don’t be sorry,” he said, quieter this time.

you sniffled, shaking your head as you wiped at your face with the sleeve of his hoodie. “i don’t even know why i’m crying so much,” you mumbled, voice thick and uneven. “it’s just—he was so old, you know? like, ancient. i should’ve been ready for this.”

seungmin didn’t say anything right away. he just watched you, his expression unreadable but steady.

“i mean, seventeen years? that’s… that’s insane for a dog,” you continued, half-laughing through your tears. “he was supposed to go out dramatically—choking on something stupid or picking a fight with another raccoon, not just…” your breath hitched. “not just fall asleep and never wake up.”

“i used to joke about this all the time.” you sniffled, rubbing at your nose. “like, literally all the time. i’d always say ‘on my dog’s life’ like it wasn’t a big deal, and now—” your voice wavered, and you took a shaky breath. “now i can’t say that anymore.”

seungmin exhaled sharply and nodded. “yeah. you did say that a lot.”

you groaned, leaning back against the door and covering your face with your hands. “god, that’s so messed up.” you exhaled sharply, rubbing your temples. “i don’t know, seungmin. i don’t even know why i’m crying this much. i really really knew this was coming.”

seungmin tilted his head slightly, his eyes scanning your face like he was trying to read between the lines. “so what?”

you blinked at him. “what?”

“so what if you knew it was coming?” he shrugged, shifting so that he was leaning a little closer. “that doesn’t mean it’s supposed to hurt any less.”

you let out another wobbly breath, staring down at your hands. your fingers still trembled slightly, the weight of everything pressing down on your chest.

seungmin sighed and reached out, hesitating for just a second before tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear. “you don’t have to justify why you’re sad,” he said quietly. “you loved him. of course this sucks.”

you swallowed, your throat tight again. “yeah, but it’s not like he was—” you paused, exhaling. “it’s not like he was a person.”

seungmin’s lips pressed together, and for a second, he just looked at you. then, shaking his head slightly, he said, “so what?”

you huffed. “you keep saying that.”

“because you keep acting like you need a reason to be upset.” he gave you a pointed look. “you don’t. he was family. that’s all the reason you need.”

your breath caught.

family.

you hadn’t said it yourself, but hearing seungmin say it so plainly—like it wasn’t even up for debate—made your chest ache even more.

you bit your lip, trying to swallow down the lump in your throat, but it was useless. your vision blurred again, and before you could stop yourself, you were crying all over again.

“gosh, i hate this,” you choked out, your voice barely above a whisper. “i hate crying this much.”

seungmin exhaled through his nose, then—before you could react—he reached out and flicked your forehead.

you yelped, your hands flying up to rub the spot where he’d hit you. “ow! what the hell, seungmin?”

he just raised an eyebrow at you. “you hate crying, but you’re crying anyway. so what’s the point of hating it?”

you glared at him through your tears. “what kind of messed-up logic is that?”

“the kind that makes you stop talking nonsense.” he leaned back against the wall, stretching his arms behind his head. “look, if you’re gonna cry, then cry. don’t fight it.”

you sniffled, pouting. “easy for you to say. you don’t cry.”

seungmin scoffed. “that’s not true. you think just ‘cause i’m a boy, i don’t cry?” he shot you a fake offended look, crossing his arms. “that’s kinda sexist, don’t you think?”

you rolled your eyes, sniffling. “no, that’s not i meant. you’re just… seungmin. that’s why”

seungmin tilted his head, lips pressing together. for a moment, he didn’t say anything, just stared at you with an expression you couldn’t quite place. “well, i’ll tell you right now… looking at you like this is making me kinda—”

but he stopped.

your breath hitched. “what?”

“nothing.”

“seungmin.”

“drop it.” he huffed, looking away so fast it was almost comical.

and that’s when you saw it—the telltale redness creeping up his ears, the way his eyes looked just a little too glossy, like he was barely holding it together.

your mouth parted slightly. “wait, seriously?”

seungmin exhaled sharply through his nose. “don’t push it.”

but you weren’t even teasing anymore. you just stared at him, chest tightening, because somehow, knowing that he was feeling this with you—that this was hurting him, too—made the grief just a little more bearable.

you exhaled softly, the last of your resistance slipping away as you leaned against him, your head resting against his shoulder. seungmin didn’t move at first, but then—slowly, almost hesitantly—he turned back to look at you.

for a moment, neither of you spoke. you just sat there, breathing, the weight of everything settling between you. then, without a word, he shifted slightly and rested his head against yours, his warmth pressing into you in a way that made your throat tighten all over again.

you felt him move, just barely, and when you glanced up, you caught the way he wiped at his eye with the sleeve of his hoodie—like he was trying to be discreet about it. like he wasn’t supposed to be feeling this much either.

the realization hit you all at once: you and seungmin, two of the world’s most unserious people, were sitting here—silent, exhausted, crying into each other.

and somehow… it didn’t feel sad. at least, not just sad.

it felt real.

it felt like something deeper than grief, something bigger than just missing your dog.

it felt like you weren’t alone.

"please never leave me," you whispered, your voice barely a thread, fragile, like you're afraid if you speak too loudly it might shatter something between you two.

he tilted his head, his expression gentle, but there’s an edge of confusion in his eyes. “why would you ever think i’d leave you?” he asked, his voice calm and steady.

but you couldn’t stop the words that rush out next. they spilled from you in a torrent, raw and vulnerable, as if you were confessing something you’ve been holding inside for too long. "it’s only a matter of time before you die too. everyone is going to leave. i don’t want—” your voice cracked. “i don’t want anyone to leave.”

seungmin didn’t say anything. his silence wasn’t empty—it was heavy, filled with something unspoken, something that lingered between you like the last notes of a song fading into quiet.

“can i just… go first? like—die.”

seungmin stilled beside you. his head turned, his gaze sharp, his expression unreadable. for a second, he didn’t say anything—just studied you, like he was trying to figure out if you were joking.

then, he scoffed. “no.”

you blinked, startled by how immediate and certain he sounded. “what do you mean, ‘no’?”

“i mean no. that’s dumb. don’t say stuff like that.”

your chest tightened, and your fingers curled harder into the fabric of your sleeves. “but i wouldn’t be able to handle it if i didn’t,” you murmured. “if i had to be the one left behind. i just—” you took a shaky breath. “i don’t want to be the one who has to keep going without everyone else.”

seungmin’s jaw tensed, and for a moment, he didn’t respond. he just sat there, letting your words settle in the quiet between you.

then, with a sigh, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “do you think i would?” he asked, his voice low but firm.

you hesitated. “…what?”

he turned his head slightly, glancing at you. “do you think i’d be fine if you went first?”

the question caught you off guard. you stared at him, struggling to process the idea, the weight of it pressing against your ribs.

seungmin let out a soft, humorless laugh. “you’re not special, you know.” his voice wasn’t harsh, but there was something sharp underneath it. “you think you’re the only one who’d be wrecked? you think i’d just—what, move on?”

your breath caught.

“don’t be stupid,” he muttered, shaking his head. “i’d be pissed. and sad. and probably really, really pissed at everyone around me.” he huffed. “so no, you can’t go first. because i don’t want to deal with that.”

you stared at him, your throat tight. “seungmin—”

“too bad,” he interrupted, like that was the end of the discussion. then, softer, “you’re not leaving me either.”

you let out a small, breathy laugh against his hoodie. “god,” you mumbled, voice still thick with the remnants of your crying. “how are you so bad at comforting, ” you sniffled, shifting slightly against him. “but… somehow, i feel better anyway.”

there was a beat of silence before you felt his chest rise with a quiet sigh. “sounds like a you problem.”

your lips parted in disbelief. “are you serious right now?”

he hummed, completely unfazed. “you’ve just got bad taste in comfort.”

you pulled back slightly, just enough to glare up at him. “that’s not a thing, you ass.”

he raised an eyebrow. “then explain why you’re still clinging to me.”

your face heated, but you refused to let him win. “because i need it. and you just—” you swallowed, your fingers tightening slightly around the fabric of his hoodie. “happen to be here.”

you exhaled softly and, without thinking, slumped forward, resting your head against seungmin’s chest. his hoodie was warm, the fabric slightly worn, and beneath it, you could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you in. his chin rested lightly on top of your head, and his hand found the small of your back.

seungmin blinked at you, then—without warning—let out a quiet laugh. it wasn’t mocking, not really, just a small, breathy chuckle. “why are we like this?” he asked, shaking his head slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes.

you frowned. “like what?”

“like…” he gestured vaguely between the two of you. “this. one second, we’re crying, and the next, you’re calling me an ass. it’s weird.”

you huffed. “it’s not weird.”

seungmin gave you a pointed look.

“…okay, maybe a little,” you admitted, sniffling. “but i don’t know. it just works.” you hesitated for a moment, your fingers still curled into the fabric of his hoodie. then, softer this time, you murmured, “and i don’t want that to change.”

seungmin stilled slightly, his head tilting just enough for him to look down at you. his expression wasn’t teasing anymore—just calm, steady. “it won’t.” then, without any hesitation, seungmin added, “as long as you know i love you.”

your breath caught, warmth spreading through your chest. you looked up at him, surprised but not really, because of course he’d say it like that—so casual, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

and maybe it was.

you exhaled softly smiling slightly, then leaned up just enough to bump your forehead lightly against his. “i love you too.”

then, before you could process it, he leaned in and kissed you.

it wasn’t rushed or urgent—just slow, steady, like he had all the time in the world. like this was something he’d thought about before but never quite let himself do until now. his hand found your cheek, fingers warm against your skin, tilting your face just enough to deepen the kiss.

you melted into him without thinking, your hands gripping the front of his hoodie to keep yourself grounded. the warmth of him, the quiet steadiness of the moment—it made your chest ache.

when he finally pulled back, just enough to rest his forehead against yours, you let out a soft, shaky breath.

“i’m glad you found me like this,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper.

seungmin didn’t hesitate. “i’ll always find you.”

your chest tightened, something deep and aching curling in your ribs. you opened your eyes to meet his, and for once, there was no teasing, no playful sarcasm—just him, just seungmin, looking at you like you were something worth holding onto.

“i mean it,” he continued, his thumb tracing the curve of your cheek. “no matter what. no matter where. i’ll always be with you.”

you let out a quiet breath before he pressed a lingering kiss to your forehead. then, he pulled you in again, arms wrapping around you like he could shield you from the world, like he wasn’t planning on letting go anytime soon.

and for the first time in what felt like forever, you believed him.

epilogue.

the scent of vanilla lingered in seungmin’s room at the dorm, mingling with the faint chill of february air slipping in through the window. the soft glow of fairy lights bathed everything in a golden hue, casting flickering shadows against the walls. it should’ve felt like any other night. but it didn’t.

because you were here with him.

seungmin turned the baseball cap over in his hands, his fingers tracing the stitching of a little heart next to his name. it was his present for valentine’s day, simple and classic—just his style. you’d been nervous about whether he’d actually like it, but judging by the way he kept admiring it, you had nothing to worry about.

“this is so nice,” he murmured, more to himself than to you. his thumb brushed over the small embroidered heart hidden on the inside, and a slow, satisfied smile tugged at his lips. “really nice.”

your stomach did an embarrassing little flip. “you like it?”

seungmin scoffed, glancing up at you with a look that made your breath catch. “obviously.”

and then, with that effortless ease of his, he slipped it onto his head—backwards, of course. like he knew exactly what he was doing to you. like he knew that the casual way he ran a hand through his dark hair, adjusting the fit, was going to make your heart trip over itself.

you swallowed. hard.

“that’s not how you’re supposed to wear it,” you muttered, if only to distract yourself.

seungmin let out a soft laugh, adjusting the cap one more time before pushing off his desk.

you barely had time to process the way he closed the space between you before he was kissing you—soft, sure, like it was second nature. his hands found your waist, tugging you just a little closer, and you barely managed to catch your breath before melting into him.

when he pulled back, his lips still ghosting over yours, he murmured, “thank you, y/n.”

your heart squeezed at the sincerity in his voice. you met his gaze, your hands still gripping the fabric of his sweater. “of course,” you whispered.

his lips curled into a smile. “you ready for yours?” seungmin took a step back, tilting his head toward the door. “come on,” he said, nodding for you to follow.

you frowned. “where are we going?”

he didn’t answer, just grabbed your wrist gently and tugged you along. his grip was warm, steady, and despite your confusion, you let him lead you out of your room and into the dimly lit hallway.

before you could ask again, from felix’s room, you heard a hushed, “shh.”

you blinked, confused, and turned to seungmin. without a word, he nudged the door open, and the sight inside made your breath catch. felix was crouched on the floor, his hands cradling the tiniest, cutest puppy you had ever seen. 

a soft golden ball of fur with round eyes blinked up at felix, its tiny nose twitching as it snuggled closer into him. the moment it spotted movement, its little tail wagged.

your heart squeezed, and you gasped, stepping forward on instinct. “oh my goodness.”

felix grinned while walking over to you, then carefully—almost reverently—placed the tiny puppy in your arms. you barely processed the movement, too busy marveling at the warmth and softness of the small body now curled against your chest.

“oh my goodness,” you whispered again, cradling the little thing like it was made of glass. the puppy let out a tiny sigh, its nose nudging your sweater, already settling into you like it belonged there. you tore your gaze away just long enough to look up at him. “he’s perfect. he looks just like—”

felix nodded. “seungmin made sure of that.” he glanced over at seungmin, who was standing beside you with his hands in his pockets, watching your reaction with a satisfied smirk. “i don’t think you realize how picky he was about this whole thing.”

you blinked, looking at seungmin in surprise. “really?”

felix scoffed. “oh, absolutely. he made me visit like five different places with him just to find one that looked exactly like your old dog.”

your heart squeezed. you looked back down at the puppy, feeling an overwhelming rush of emotion. you turned to him, eyes soft. “you did that?”

seungmin rolled his eyes, like he was trying to play it off, but his ears were tinged pink. “well, yeah. i wasn’t gonna get you just any dog.”

you let out a soft laugh, still in awe. “i can’t believe you.”

felix then chimed in. “he’s got a ton of energy, you’re gonna have your hands full.”

you glanced down at the puppy, who was now settled in your arms, and smiled. “i don’t mind.”

felix grinned. “didn’t think you would.” he patted seungmin on the shoulder before stepping toward the door. “alright, i’ll leave you to it.”

you looked up. “felix, seriously. thank you.”

felix waved a hand. “yeah, yeah, just make sure seungmin doesn’t pretend he did all the work.” he shot seungmin a pointed look before slipping out of the room, leaving you alone with him—and your new puppy.

overwhelmed, you looked up at seungmin, your heart racing. he was watching you with that familiar, amused expression, lips twitching before he rolled his eyes.

“happy valentine’s day, you freak.”

you made a sound that wasn’t quite human, still in shock. “thank you, thank you, thank you! i love him!”

seungmin barely had time to react before you surged forward, wrapping your arm around him—careful not to squish the tiny dog between you. you pressed a quick, eager kiss to his lips, catching him slightly off guard, but he recovered fast, letting out a small laugh against your mouth.

“you’re so welcome,” he murmured, his hands finding your waist.

still buzzing with excitement, you pulled back just enough to nuzzle into the crook of his neck, breathing him in. he smelled warm and familiar—like fresh laundry and something unmistakably him.

“i can’t believe you did this,” you whispered against his skin, voice thick with emotion. “you’re actually the best.”

seungmin scoffed, though his grip on you tightened. “obviously.”

“i don’t know how to thank you,” you murmured.

he shrugged, his fingers slipping under the hem of your sweater, just barely grazing your skin. “just don’t forget who your favorite is.”

you blinked, then smirked. “between you and the dog?” seungmin gave you a warning look, but you only hummed playfully, tapping your chin like you were seriously debating it. “i mean… he’s really cute, seungmin.”

seungmin narrowed his eyes, pulling back slightly. “alright, that’s it. i’m returning him.”

your jaw dropped. “what? no!” you clutched the tiny puppy closer to your chest protectively, like seungmin was actually about to pry him from your arms.

“take it back,” he demanded, arms crossing over his chest.

you blinked at him, tilting your head slightly, all wide eyes and innocence. “take what back?”

seungmin inhaled sharply, as if willing himself to be patient. “don’t play with me, y/n.”

you barely held back a grin, feigning confusion. “i’m sorry minnie, i really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

he exhaled through his nose, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe you were doing this. “last chance,” he muttered, stepping closer.

you bit your lip, letting the anticipation build. then, just to push your luck a little further, you whispered, “never.” you giggled, reaching out to poke his cheek.

seungmin swatted your hand away. “i surprised you with the cutest valentine’s day gift ever, and you’re over here debating whether the dog is better than me.”

still cradling the sleepy puppy, you tilted your head, grinning. “you’re really worked up over this, huh?”

“i am not—” seungmin cut himself off, exhaling sharply before dragging a hand down his face. then, quieter, he muttered, “i just want to hear you say it.”

your heart clenched at how utterly serious he sounded, despite the dramatic display.

softening, you reached out, wrapping your free arm around his beck and pulling him close. “you are, you idiot,” you murmured against his chest.

seungmin stilled against you for a moment before pulling back just enough to look at you, his expression unreadable. “i’m what?”

you blinked up at him, already biting back a smile. “my favorite.”

his eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to decide whether you were messing with him again. “say it again.”

you rolled your eyes but indulged him anyway, pressing a hand against his chest. “you’re my favorite, seungmin.”

a slow, satisfied smirk tugged at his lips. “damn right, i am.”

you huffed, laughing softly. “god, you’re so annoying.”

seungmin rolled his eyes like you were being slow on purpose. “i love you too, idiot.”

you opened your mouth to argue—just out of sheer principle—but he kissed you before you could, effectively shutting you up.

and, really, you weren’t complaining

[carmenberzattosgf]

Happy Valentine’s Day! Wishing you so much love! I had a thought I know you’ve already touched on this but surprising Carmy with a tattoo of c.b in HIS HAND WRITING like right under your breast. And he’s like feral, like saying the dirtiest things you’ve ever heard, groaning in your ear, choking…

Happy Valentine’s Day! And hehe let’s dive into this because yes. ( also reducing it down to just a C because I think it would be really hard to get a cb in his hand writing to look good.)

The hardest part of the entire thing is actually getting his handwriting for the stencil, and it not looking like a complete mess. Carmen is always in a rush, so anytime he has to sign his name for something it looks messy.

You had roped Sugar into your idea a few weeks ago, asking her to check all the documents he signs for a neatly written signature. It truly takes a few weeks, but she pulls through and sends you a copy of his neat-ish signature. Well, neat for him, anyway.

You get the tattoo on Valentine’s Day, not letting there be any chance of it getting spoiled. The tattoo artist covers it in second skin, so the “C” is still visible underneath. It’s on your rib cage, just underneath your breast.

Carmy, shockingly enough, manages to convince Sydney to let him go home early on Valentine’s Day, so he can spend the rest of the evening with you. He had already surprised you with flowers and chocolates on your nightstand when you woke up this morning. You both had already decided to spend the right in, cuddled up on the couch watching a movie.

“Oh! Do you wanna see what your present is from me?” you ask with a huge grin on your face. The movie is already halfway through; he wasn’t expecting anything from you at all. Having you in his arms is as good enough present as is.

“You know you didn’t have to get me anything, baby. It’s my job to get you presents.”

“Don’t be silly. Of course I got you something! Can you close your eyes?”

A quick smile flashes across his face before he closes his eyes. “Okay, m’ready.”

You lean back from his hold and lift up your hoodie just enough to show off the ink. “Open!”

Carmen’s eyes go as wide as saucers when he sees his handwriting on your body—tattooed like that forever. “Holy shit—no fucking way you did that,” he says, just a little louder than a whisper. His hand comes up to your rib cage, letting his thumb trace lightly over the “C” that’s still covered in second skin. “Baby…”

“Do you like it? Do you like your present?”

Carmy shows you just how much he likes it by fucking your brains out right there on the couch. He’s relentless, hips slamming into you at a furious pace. He keeps one hand on your rib cage nearly the entire time, thumb rubbing over it idly.

He can’t keep his lips off of you, muttering filth in between kisses to your face, lips, and neck.

“Got me on you forever—you have no idea what that fucking does to me.”

“Love you so fuckin’ much—love this tattoo so fuckin’ much.”

“Going to have to get one for you next. How ‘bout right on my hip? Hmm?”

“Always been mine, baby—now you just got something to show it.”

“Oh, you like that don’t you? Having something to show who you belong to?”

“Can fucking feel how close you are. Let go baby, been such a good fucking girl for me.”

Let’s just say the tattoo is the best gift Carmy has ever received and he’s a bit of a sappy mess afterwards. He just loves you so very much, and is a little bit jealous you though of getting a tattoo for him before he got one for you.

He makes an appointment the next day to get your initials tattooed on his hip. It may or may not be at the spot you always kiss him before sucking him off.

[xiaq]

Would you ever write a story or book about Kuzy? I need more of himmmm ❤️ one of the few characters I'd read MF for though I feel like if anyone would be chill about finding out he was bi and going with it, it'd be Kuzy lol #yeshomo

@rainbowsandcoconut

I don't currently have any substantive plans for a Kuzy story, but if you want some of my brainworms about him/his eventual romance, here you go:

He lives right next to a firehouse and there's a cute, kickass firewoman (cis, leans androgynous) named Nicole "call me Nic" with whom he has occasional banter-moments (I used to live next to a firehouse and if they were out front they'd always chat with me when I walked the dog; I loved that community dynamic).

One night after a rough game, Kuzy is going for a walk and Nic is sitting out on a lawn chair in front of the house processing a rough call, and they have a moment of shared vulnerability together, looking up at the stars. She's the child of immigrants and they bond over how stupid the English language is. Kuzy tells her about Eli/Hawk and she mentions that she loves dogs but can't have one with her work schedule.

Over the next few days, Kuzy can't stop thinking about her. He wants an excuse to see her more often that doesn't feel creepy, so he goes to the shelter nearby and offers to exercise dogs. Now, he has a perfectly good reason to walk past the firehouse (sometimes multiple times a day!) on the off-chance the firefighters are out and he can politely offer a dog's brief company for Nic's enjoyment.

Except he's not super smooth about it because the rest of the folks at the house realize pretty quickly that the giant Russian walking dogs only happens to walk dogs on the days that Nic is on shift.

Convenient.

This continues for longer than it probably should. Until Kuzy is hosting some of the Hounds and one of the rookies does something stupid. Not sure what. I'm thinking gets his hand stuck in an expensive vase. Or maybe his head. And Kuzy very sheepishly has to walk him over to the firehouse like, "hello, this baby is my responsibility, can you please rescue him?" And they eventually get the thing cut off of his hand/head/whatever but one of Nic's bros pulls Kuzy aside and says, "maybe you should just ask her out instead of coming up with increasingly more creative excuses to talk to her—at this rate someone is going to get hurt" and Kuzy is like, “ok, this was 100% not contrived and while I would like to go out with her, she is a goddess who saves lives and I am but a goofy athlete, undeserving of her attentions," and Firefighter Bro like, "you know, I think she'd settle for you."

So, spurred on by this bit of hope, he's like, "I need to do this right, this can't just be some hookup, I like her." And he starts Operation Woo Nic.

And the whole time Nic is like, "would you just fucking take me home, I would like to bang you," but he's trying so hard to be a gentleman about it that she lets him for a while. She's never been woo'ed before. Might be fun. Eventually she gets fed up and when he's dropping off cookies or whatever on his daily dog-walk she's like, "hey, do you want to be my boyfriend? Yeah? Great. We should have sex about that. My shift ends in three hours, what's your address?"

It is possibly the best day of Kuzy's life.

Anyway. As usual, there's no real plot, just vibes. But he is Smitten. And she is hopelessly endeared. And she's certified as a paramedic, so she's constantly ragging him for his little injuries and keeping him honest about PT. At some point she gets injured in the line of duty and he gets to be suitably dramatic and probably make declarations at her hospital bedside. He dotes on her for a while during her recovery.

And eventually he convinces her to move in with him so she can be close to work and she's like, "yeah? That's the only reason? For the ease of my commute?" And he says, "well that but also because I love you more than I thought was possible and when we're not together I miss you like a limb and our schedules are shit enough as it is, I'm greedy for every second I can have with you," and she's like, "yeah, fair enough."

So. Not really sure how it would end, but uh. There you go! Kuzy and his Firefighter Lady. Also he definitely foster-fails multiple times and hires a full-time nanny to take care of all his and Nic's dogs when she's on shift and he's traveling. It's great.

AND I imagine some very funny cultural confusion moments when her family (Japanese) interacts with his family (Russian) but they all generally bond over their shared love of fermented foods and dumplings. And alcohol. There are hijinks.

Ok. The End!

[elikajinnie]

Hi!!! Can you do the enhypen promo 2 and 5 with jungwon?? Down bad bff and oblivious reader? Thank youu!💙

P: Bff!Jungwon X Fem!Reader

Warnings: Minor Angst, Confessions, you are oblivious, won is desperate, some jealousy.

Synopsis: Jungwon has always been content being your best friend—at least, that’s what he tells himself. In reality, he’s been hopelessly in love with you for years, too afraid to risk what you have. But with Valentine's Day around the corner and whispers of other guys planning to ask you out, he decides it’s now or never. Instead of a direct confession, he drops small hints that should make it obvious. Should. Because somehow, you remain utterly oblivious.

a/n: I was supposed to post this on Valentine’s Day… but surprise, surprise—I ended up working all day. So here’s a (very) late Valentine’s Day fic! Sorry for the delay! special thanks to @cafekitsune for the divider! <3

2. "You’re dangerous, you know that? Every time you smile, I forget how to breathe." 5. "You don’t even realize what you do to me, do you?"

Jungwon had always loved being around friends—there was nothing he enjoyed more than having fun with the people he trusted and cared for. But as much as he liked it, there was one thing he loved beyond all else: being with his best friend.

Being with you.

You were everything he was grateful to have in his life. Smart, kind, and effortlessly fun. But also completely, hopelessly oblivious.

Oblivious to the way his gaze lingered a little too long when you laughed. Oblivious to the way his heart raced when you leaned against him, completely unaware of the effect you had on him. Oblivious to the fact that, out of everyone in a crowded room, his world only seemed to orbit around you.

He wasn’t sure when it started. Maybe it was the late-night study sessions when you fell asleep on his shoulder, or the way you always remembered the little things about him—his favorite drink, the songs he hummed absentmindedly, the way he tapped his fingers when he was nervous. Or maybe it had always been there, lurking beneath the surface, waiting for him to realize.

And now, here he was, trapped in a cycle of wanting more but never daring to ruin what he already had. Because you—his best friend—were the one thing he could never risk losing.

So, he stayed quiet. Kept his feelings tucked away behind playful smiles and casual touches that meant everything to him but nothing to you.

Because if you never noticed, then maybe he’d never have to face the truth.

The truth that his heart ached in ways he couldn’t explain. That every moment with you felt like a dream he was terrified to wake up from. That he had memorized the way you spoke, the way you smiled, the way you existed so effortlessly in his world, completely unaware of how deeply he had fallen.

And yet, no matter how hard he tried to hide it, the truth had a way of creeping in. In the quiet moments when his name left your lips too softly, in the fleeting touches that sent sparks through his veins, in the nights he lay awake replaying every interaction, wondering if—just maybe—you felt it too.

But you didn’t, did you?

You still looked at him the same way you always had, like he was your best friend, your safe place, your person. But never anything more. And maybe that should’ve been enough.

Maybe it had to be.

Because the alternative? The risk of losing you altogether? That was a fate he wasn’t sure he could handle.

So he swallowed the words threatening to spill from his lips. He buried the longing deep within his chest. He convinced himself that being your best friend was enough.

Even if it meant breaking his own heart a little more each day.

But now, with Valentine’s Day coming up so soon, it had become a problem for him.

Jungwon had always been good at keeping his feelings in check, at pretending that being just friends was enough. But Valentine’s Day was different. It wasn’t just another day—it was a reminder. A reminder that he wasn’t the one you were looking at with hearts in your eyes. That someone else could sweep in, buy you flowers, and call you theirs while he sat on the sidelines, pretending it didn’t hurt.

And the worst part? You weren’t even thinking about him.

You had been talking about Valentine’s Day for days now—who might ask you out, what kind of date you’d like, what flowers you preferred. Every time you spoke about it, excitement lacing your voice, Jungwon could only smile and nod, pushing down the ugly twist of jealousy in his chest.

“Maybe I won’t get anything this year,” you had joked one afternoon, twirling a pen between your fingers. “Guess I should start preparing myself for a lonely Valentine’s Day.”

Jungwon had almost laughed at how absurd that sounded. You, alone? Impossible. If anything, there were probably a handful of people already planning to confess to you.

And yet, for a brief second, he let himself imagine what it would be like if you were his. If he could be the one to show up at your doorstep with flowers, the one you looked at like he was your whole world.

But that wasn’t reality.

Reality was him sitting here, dreading the day, wondering if this was the year you’d finally fall for someone.

And then it happened.

It started with a name. A name Jungwon hadn’t expected to hear from your lips in that way, with that softness, that quiet curiosity.

“So… do you think it’d be weird if I said yes?” you asked, tapping your fingers against your notebook as you glanced at him. “I mean, he’s really sweet, and I never really thought about it before, but… maybe I should give him a chance?”

Jungwon didn’t know what hurt more—the fact that you were considering saying yes to someone else, or the fact that you were asking him about it, like his opinion mattered, like he wasn’t the one who had been hopelessly, helplessly in love with you this whole time.

His heart sank. But his face? His face stayed the same, the perfect mask he had spent years perfecting.

“Yeah,” he forced out, offering you a lopsided smile. “I mean… if you think he’s sweet, then why not?”

You smiled, nudging his arm. “See? That’s why I asked you. You always give the best advice.”

And just like that, it was decided.

Jungwon should have been used to it by now—watching you get excited over someone else, watching as you completely missed the way he looked at you, the way his hands twitched at his sides, itching to reach for you but never daring to.

But he wasn’t used to it.

And this time, it hurt more than ever.

Because this time, he was starting to wonder if he’d lost his chance completely.

Jungwon didn’t do anything.

Not really.

But somehow, he was still the problem.

It started small—your new “almost” boyfriend growing stiff whenever Jungwon was around, the way his laughter faded whenever you leaned into Jungwon’s space like you always did. The subtle looks, the hesitation, the way he never really joined in on the jokes you and Jungwon shared so effortlessly.

Jungwon wasn’t blind. He could see the tension in the way the guy held himself whenever he was near. The way his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes whenever you mentioned Jungwon’s name.

And it only got worse.

“You guys are close,” the guy had said one day, casual, but not really. “Like… really close.”

You had laughed, oblivious as always. “Well, yeah. Jungwon’s my best friend.”

And just like that, Jungwon had known.

It wouldn’t last.

Because no matter how much the guy liked you, he hated Jungwon more.

And Jungwon? He didn’t even have to try.

He just kept being himself. Kept being the person who knew you better than anyone else, who could read your moods with a glance, who you ran to first with every little thing. He didn’t have to say anything, didn’t have to do anything.

The cracks in your almost-relationship formed all on their own.

Small disagreements. Awkward silences. The way the guy started pulling away, his insecurity gnawing at him until it consumed whatever chance he had with you.

And then, one day, it was over.

You barely looked upset when you told Jungwon. More confused than anything.

“I don’t get it,” you admitted, pulling your knees to your chest as you sat beside him. “He just… said he didn’t think it would work.”

Jungwon stayed quiet.

He could’ve told you the truth. Could’ve told you that the guy had been jealous, that it had always been doomed from the start because no one would ever be okay with how much you leaned on Jungwon.

But instead, he just shrugged.

“Guess he wasn’t the right one, then.”

And you nodded, sighing before resting your head against his shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Jungwon closed his eyes for a brief second, allowing himself to soak in the moment. Because even if he didn’t have you the way he wanted, at least, for now, he still had you.

And that was enough.

Or at least, that’s what he kept telling himself.

But as the days passed, Jungwon started to realize something—maybe "enough" wasn’t really enough anymore.

Because even though you were still here, still laughing with him, still resting your head on his shoulder like you always had, something had changed. Not between you, but within him.

For so long, he had told himself that being your best friend was enough, that having you in his life in any way was better than risking losing you altogether. But now? Now, he wasn’t so sure.

Because watching someone else try to love you—watching them fall short because they weren’t him—had planted a dangerous thought in his mind.

What if he stopped holding back?

What if he stopped pretending?

What if he told you the truth?

The thought terrified him. Because if you didn’t feel the same way, if you laughed it off, if you looked at him like he was crazy, then everything he cherished between you could shatter in an instant.

But at the same time, wasn’t he already breaking a little more each day by staying silent?

The doubt clawed at him, restless and demanding. It lingered in the moments he caught himself staring at you for too long, in the way his heart skipped a beat every time you said his name, in the way jealousy twisted in his chest when someone else looked at you the way he wanted to.

And with Valentine’s Day nearing more and more, and you still feeling down after the whole situation with that guy, Jungwon felt conflicted.

Part of him wanted to use this as an opportunity—to finally say something, to be the one to make you smile again. But another part of him, the part that had spent so long holding back, told him it wasn’t the right time.

You were sad. Not heartbroken, not devastated, but still hurt. He could see it in the way you sighed more than usual, in the way your usual excitement about the upcoming holiday had faded into indifference.

“I don’t even know why I care so much,” you muttered one evening as the two of you sat on the bleachers, watching the empty field stretch out before you. “It’s not like we were even dating, not really. But still… it sucks, you know?”

Jungwon nodded, even though he didn’t fully understand. Not in the way you did, at least. Because to him, the pain wasn’t in almost having someone and losing them—it was in never having you at all.

“I just thought, maybe this year would be different,” you admitted, pulling your jacket tighter around you. “Maybe I’d actually get to experience one of those cute Valentine’s Days you see in movies.”

Jungwon swallowed. His hands clenched into fists in his lap, itching to reach for yours.

He could do it.

He could say it.

He could tell you that you weren’t alone, that someone had been looking at you that way all along. That if you let him, he’d make sure you never had to feel unwanted again.

But then you sighed and leaned against him, your head finding his shoulder in that familiar, comfortable way that told him you still saw him as your best friend.

Just your best friend.

So he did what he always did.

He stayed quiet.

And maybe that was his biggest mistake.

Because as Valentine’s Day crept closer, and as you started smiling again—started acting more like yourself—Jungwon couldn’t shake the feeling that he was running out of time.

And if he didn’t do something soon… someone else would.

So he planned to start small—show you, in quiet, genuine ways, that he liked you as more than a best friend.

But it was easier said than done.

Because you were oblivious as fuck.

Normally, Jungwon found that trait of yours adorable. The way you never seemed to pick up on people’s feelings, how you always assumed the best in every situation, how completely unaware you were of the effect you had on others.

But now? Now, it felt like torture.

Because how was he supposed to show you he loved you when he had such a hard time saying it?

He tried little things first. Thoughtful gestures, things he had always done but with more meaning behind them now. Walking you home even when it was out of his way, holding doors open for you even when his hands were full, remembering your coffee order down to the smallest detail and getting it for you before you could even ask.

But none of it clicked for you.

"You're such a good friend, Won," you'd say, smiling up at him like his heart wasn’t unraveling in his chest.

Friend.

Jungwon bit back a sigh, pushing down the frustration. He told himself to be patient.

So he tried again.

He started being more obvious—giving you his jacket when it was barely cold, brushing his fingers against yours just to see if you'd notice, complimenting you in a way that should’ve meant more than just friendship.

"You always know how to make me feel better," you had told him after one of his compliments, nudging him playfully. "What would I do without you?"

Jungwon had forced a smile, ignoring the way his heart twisted painfully.

Because none of it was working.

You still weren’t getting it.

And maybe… maybe you never would.

Because maybe, deep down, you had never even considered him as an option.

That thought scared him more than anything.

So with Valentine’s Day only days away, Jungwon realized something.

If he wanted you to know—if he wanted any chance at all—he couldn’t keep waiting for you to figure it out on your own.

He had to do something bigger. Something you couldn’t possibly ignore.

Something that would make you finally, finally see him.

So, he did something bigger.

With Valentine’s Day here, he made sure you wouldn’t come home too soon. He got some of your mutual friends to keep you company—texting them to stall you, make up excuses, anything to buy him enough time. And while they distracted you, he let himself into your house with the spare key you had given him long ago, “just in case of emergencies.”

And in his case, this was an emergency.

Because if he didn’t do this now, he might never have the courage again.

Carrying the bags inside, he wasted no time.

First, the decorations.

Red heart-shaped balloons filled your bedroom, some floating against the ceiling, others scattered on your bed. On the wall, carefully arranged, were balloons that spelled out "Be My Valentine?"—a question he never thought he'd be brave enough to ask.

Then, the gifts.

A teddy bear sat on your bed, soft and plush, with a box of your favorite chocolates nestled in its lap. Next to it, a bouquet of your favorite flowers—fresh, vibrant, just like you. And a basket filled with everything he knew you loved. Your favorite snacks, little trinkets, things you had casually mentioned wanting in passing—things he had remembered, even when you had forgotten you said them.

And finally, the finishing touch.

Rose petals, carefully placed, leading from your front door all the way to your bedroom. Alongside them, fake candles flickered softly, casting a warm, intimate glow around the space.

By the time he was done, his heart was pounding in his chest.

It was now or never.

So he took a deep breath, sat on the edge of your bed, and waited.

Waited for you to come home.

Waited to see if this would finally, finally make you see him the way he had always seen you.

And for the first time in his life, Jungwon was terrified.

When you finally got home, you were tired.

You had spent hours with your friends, confused as to why they were suddenly so insistent on keeping you out so late. They had dragged you to cafés, stores, even a last-minute movie, all while exchanging suspicious glances. But now, finally, you were home.

And the moment you stepped inside, you froze.

Rose petals.

They stretched out before you, leading down the hall, soft and delicate against the floor. And lining the path were small flickering lights—fake candles, glowing warmly in the dimness of your house.

Your heart skipped.

“What the—” you whispered, slowly stepping forward, following the trail.

Each step felt surreal, like you were stepping into something straight out of a romance movie. Your fingers brushed against your chest as you tried to steady your breathing.

By the time you reached your bedroom door, your heart was hammering.

And then you saw it.

Balloons—so many of them—floating and scattered all around your room.

And then, there was him.

Jungwon.

Sitting on the edge of your bed, looking nervous but determined.

The moment your eyes met, you felt your breath catch.

“Jungwon…” You blinked, glancing around. “Did you…?”

He swallowed, standing up slowly. “Yeah. It was me.”

Your gaze darted to the teddy bear on your bed, the chocolates, the bouquet, the basket of all the things you loved.

Your chest tightened.

“This is… I mean, you…” You trailed off, shaking your head in disbelief. “Why?”

Jungwon took a step closer, hands clenching at his sides. “Because I had to.” His voice was quiet, but firm. “Because if I didn’t, you’d never notice.”

Your brows furrowed. “Notice what?”

He let out a soft, almost breathless laugh, shaking his head. “See? That’s what I mean. You’re so—” He stopped himself, exhaling deeply. “You really don’t see it, do you?”

Your lips parted, but no words came out.

Jungwon took another step forward, closing the space between you. His eyes held something deeper now—something vulnerable.

“I love you.”

Silence.

Your breath hitched.

Jungwon swallowed hard, forcing himself to keep going.

“I’ve been in love with you for so long,” he admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve tried to show you, in every way I could, but you never noticed. So I figured… maybe this time, you would.”

Your mind was racing, heart pounding.

Jungwon? In love with you?

You opened your mouth, but nothing came out. You didn’t even know what to say.

And Jungwon—seeing your silence, your wide eyes, your stunned expression—felt his heart sink.

Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe you really never had considered him that way. Maybe he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.

So before you could say anything, before you could reject him and break him completely, he let out a shaky breath and whispered, “Say something. Please.”

You kept looking around the room, your mind struggling to process everything, every single detail Jungwon had put together, just for you.

Your chest felt tight, your throat dry. Your lips parted, but the only thing that came out was a shaky breath before you finally asked, “For how long?”

Jungwon took a deep breath, his eyes focused on you as if he were summoning all the courage he had kept buried for so long. He wasn’t sure what he had expected—maybe for you to stop him, or maybe for you to just… understand. But this was real now. There was no going back. “For so long,” he murmured. Then, like a dam breaking, the words just spilled out.

“I’ve been falling for you. Not just once, but over and over again.” He shifted, his hands twitching by his sides as if he didn’t know where to put them. “It wasn’t some instant, magical thing. It was a million little moments. Like the way you scrunch your nose when you’re confused or frustrated, like when you’re so focused and you don’t even realize how cute you look. Or how every time I’m with you, I feel like the world is just… better. The way you always give me the first sip of your drink without me asking. I never wanted to take it, but I always did, just because you were offering. You’re just…”

He shook his head, unable to fully explain, but his eyes locked onto yours. “And your laugh…” He laughed softly, almost to himself. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever heard. I can’t even describe it. Every time you laugh, it’s like everything in my world falls into place. Like nothing else matters, just you and that sound. It’s like… nothing else could make me feel more alive than hearing you laugh.”

His voice faltered slightly, but he pressed on, his emotions pouring out faster now.

“And every time I’m around you,” Jungwon said, his eyes darting to the floor for a moment before meeting yours again, “my heart races. It feels like it’s beating so hard, like I can’t breathe. And I’ve tried to hide it, to play it cool, but I can’t. I can’t stop it. Every time you’re near me, it’s like everything else disappears, and all I can think about is you.”

You could see the longing in his eyes as he continued.

“I memorize everything about you,” he added, his voice trembling. “Your favorite food, the songs you hum under your breath when you’re in a good mood, the way you scrunch your eyes when you’re laughing so hard you can’t control it. I know all the little things because I’m always paying attention to you. Always.”

He took a step closer, his eyes searching yours desperately, his words tumbling out even faster now.

“And when someone else shows interest in you… when they look at you the way I want to, it just… it suffocates me. I feel like I’m drowning, like you’re slipping away from me. But I’ve never told you. I’ve never said anything because I didn’t want to ruin this, ruin us—whatever we are. But I couldn’t keep pretending anymore.”

Jungwon’s hands trembled as he reached for yours, his voice softer, almost a whisper now.

“I love you,” he said, his heart on his sleeve. “I’ve loved you for so long. I didn’t know what to do with it, but I can’t keep it in anymore. Please… don’t turn away from me.”

Jungwon had done it. He had confessed.

He had done the very thing that had terrified him for years.

And now… you weren’t saying anything.

The silence stretched between you, unbearable and deafening. His breaths came out uneven, his chest rising and falling as he looked at you, waiting, begging for a response.

But you just stood there, staring at him—wide-eyed, shell-shocked, silent.

And that silence broke him.

Jungwon let out a shaky exhale before his legs gave out beneath him. He collapsed onto his knees, his head hanging as his shoulders trembled. The weight of everything—the nerves, the fear, the exhaustion—finally crushed him.

Tears slid down his cheeks, slow and quiet.

This is it, he thought bitterly.

He had been so scared of confessing. But now, he realized, this was what he should have been scared of.

Not rejection. Not heartbreak.

But this.

This horrible, gut-wrenching silence.

This feeling of being completely exposed, completely vulnerable, waiting for the one person he loved the most to either take him in or turn him away.

He squeezed his eyes shut, already preparing for the worst—

And then suddenly, you were on your knees in front of him.

Jungwon barely had time to react before your hands cupped his tear-streaked cheeks, tilting his face up toward you.

And then—

You kissed him.

His breath caught, his entire body freezing in place. His mind couldn’t keep up, couldn’t process that this was actually happening.

You—his best friend, the person he had spent years hopelessly in love with—were kissing him.

But he was so stunned, so overwhelmed, that he didn’t even kiss you back.

The seconds stretched, and you hesitated. Slowly, you started to pull away, your hands loosening their hold on his face—

And that’s what finally snapped him out of it.

Before you could fully retreat, Jungwon grabbed you—one hand curling around the back of your neck, the other gripping your waist. And in a heartbeat, he slammed his lips against yours again.

This time, he kissed you back.

Desperately.

Fiercely.

Like he had been starving for this.

Like he had been waiting his entire life for this moment.

His fingers curled tighter around you, pulling you impossibly close as his lips moved against yours—messy, feverish, full of all the emotions he had buried for so long.

And for the first time in years, Jungwon wasn’t afraid anymore.

Because now, he knew.

He wasn’t losing you.

He had you.

And he wasn’t going to let you go.

As the kiss broke apart, both of you breathless, Jungwon’s hands still gently cupping your face, he couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh—a mix of disbelief and relief.

And then, you smiled at him.

That smile.

The one that made his heart race every time.

Jungwon stared at you for a moment, his chest tightening again, his breath hitching in his throat.

“You’re dangerous, you know that?” he murmured, his voice low, full of admiration. “Every time you smile, I forget how to breathe.”

Your smile only grew wider, and a warmth spread through him, almost overwhelming. He had never wanted something more than to see that smile, to feel the way it made his heart flutter and ache all at once.

You swallowed, your heart thundering in your chest. This felt like a dream, and yet, you knew it was real.

With a deep breath, you found the courage to speak, the weight of everything finally coming out in the words you’d been holding back for months.

“I love you too Jungwon,” you confessed, your voice shaking just slightly. “I’ve loved you for months now… but I didn’t want to tell you, in case… in case you didn’t feel the same.”

The words hung between you, and for a moment, everything was still.

Then, Jungwon’s expression softened, his eyes bright with something you could only describe as pure relief and adoration. He pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead before pulling back slightly, his fingers still lightly resting on your face as he looked at you with such intensity.

His voice was barely above a whisper as he reached for your hand, his thumb gently brushing over your skin. “So, you… love me, too?”

You nodded, your eyes soft but filled with determination. “Yes. I always have.”

Jungwon’s heart swelled with relief and joy, the weight lifting from his chest. A soft smile spread across his face, and before he could think too much about it, the words tumbled out of him, filled with hope.

“Do you want to be my Valentine?” he asked, his voice low but full of sincerity.

“Yes,” you replied, without hesitation, your heart pounding as the world seemed to settle into place around you.

Jungwon took a deep breath, still holding your hand as his gaze locked with yours. He had taken the plunge before, but this moment felt different—bigger.

“Then,” he began, voice soft but steady, “do you also want to be my girlfriend?”

You blinked, your heart fluttering wildly as your chest filled with warmth. This was the moment, wasn’t it? The moment you had both been waiting for, yet too afraid to ask for.

Without hesitation, you nodded. “Yes. I’d love to.”

Jungwon couldn’t hide his smile, the relief flooding through him as he leaned in, his eyes soft but filled with adoration. And then, he whispered the words that had been on his mind for so long.

“You don’t even realize what you do to me, do you?”

You blinked, your heart pounding as you tried to process what he meant.

“You’ve got me falling for you harder than I ever thought possible.” And then he kissed you again—this time slow, gentle, full of everything that had been left unsaid for months.

Jungwon finally had you, finally knew you felt the same, and for the first time in a long while, he didn’t have to wonder.

Because you were his.

And he was yours.

a/n: well this sucked ass... i havent been feeling romantical since boyfriend troubles.

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[kangaracha]

QUEENMAKER | CHAPTER 26

---

pairing chan x reader

genre ninth member au, angst, fluff, coming of age, social media, cancel culture, anxiety, depression, forbidden love,

summary To JYPE, the solution is simple; take the sole trainee that will not debut with your brand new girl group, and use her to replace the missing vocalist in your male group that insisted on starting as nine.

Unfortunately, to the fans and the members themselves, it isn't that simple.

status ongoing

taglist OPEN

a/n my cat is very sick this weekend so leave some comments to distract me, thankyou. have a lovely weekend, cuddle your pets

previous | masterlist | next

---

Your phone drops from your hands onto the floor of the practice room, thunking softly against the hardwood. Your head follows, falling backwards in a controlled motion that ripples pain through the sore muscles of your abdomen, your legs, your back. The bright lights of the ceiling are little relief, even when you throw an arm over your tired eyes.

Your whole body aches, but that's nothing new. You've been at it for hours - and days, and months. You work hard and the crowd won't cheer, and you work harder and the company ask for more, and you put your every waking moment towards it and the fans don't see the difference, and the voices online are never happy, and the work just keeps coming, one performance after another, opportunity after opportunity to make a fool of yourself.

Your body hurts. It's inevitable. 

It's fine, even. It's been six years since you traded in youth for the promise of fame, after all; pain becomes a constant companion after a point, every dancer knows that. If your body doesn't hurt, then you're probably doing something wrong.

You have to get up. 

It's your own voice that gives the order, your mind that knows you have another performance to run through before you can be done, but your body doesn't move, the heat of it soaking into the lacquered floor. The will to dance has leeched out of your bones with it, and it feels guilty to admit that even to yourself, but there is nothing in you that wants to dance again. You kind of hate dancing right now - but this is your dream and there's one chance to get it right, and you cannot hate dance for even one moment.

You have to get up. You don't move.

The door opens, but you barely notice it, your breath settling and your eyes blocked from the light. You don't open them until the toe of a shoe nudges your side; then, you squint up at the blurry figure above you, waiting for your tired eyes to adjust again.

It's more the shape of his shoulders and the stout figure that give him away than the details of his face. "Binnie," you greet him with a sigh and rub at your face. "What's up?"

"Nothing," he answers. "Were you asleep?"

"No." You look up into his face again, but you're not sure he's convinced. "I'm just...resting."

A wry grin crosses his face, laughing out at you even as he offers you a hand up. "You looked more like you were dying," he tells you as he pulls you up into a sitting position.  "Or in a crisis."

"I am in a crisis," you quip. "I'm not very good at my job."

A finger flicks your forehead. You stare up at him accusingly, but he only shrugs. "People who say bad things about our noona get flicked," he informs you, and he doesn't sound the least bit remorseful. 

"You've got a lot of Stays to flick then," you grumble; and then add, "Slacker," to cover up the guilt that stabs at you so hard you nearly cringe at yourself. Ungrateful, he's going to say, or whiny. It's all you can think, so surely he would too. 

All he does is smile though. "After lunch," he promises. "Are you coming to eat with me?"

You stare at him, bemused. "I'm in the middle of dance practice."

Changbin frowns. "You said in the group chat that you were done."

"With that performance, yeah," you say, your hand drifting unconsciously towards your phone. "I still have the MAMA performance to try."

"It can wait until after lunch."

"Lunch can wait until after practice too."

"Not if it's that new place around the corner," he argues. "They close so early, this is my only chance."

You don't mean to, but you know your face tightens and your belly rumbles, suddenly aware of how hungry you are. "I have a diet, Changbin," you remind him gently. "There's at least four of the other kids at the company, they'll go with you."

"You've been suggested a diet," he amends without missing a beat. "Doesn't mean you have to do it."

"Do you come from another planet?" you scoff, squinting up at him. "Did we not sign the same contract?"

The smile he gives you is impish, spelling out trouble all over his face. "If you just ignore them long enough, they give up," he informs you proudly.

Your gaze runs over him again critically, tight shirt and loose pants cutting a figure you could never hope to mimic. "You're all muscle though," you point out, your finger jabbing accusingly in the direction of his chest, "even though you eat like a garbage can. Some of us are just fat."

"Garbage can?" he repeats incredulously, his voice rising with every syllable. He steps back, shaking his head, and you climb to your feet yourself, reaching back to fix your hair as you stand. "I eat like a normal person."

"Like three normal people, maybe."

"Come to lunch with me and I bet you'll eat more than me."

"You can come to lunch with me, in the cafeteria, sure."

He stares defiantly as he chooses his next words. You meet his gaze evenly. "I don't want to eat chicken and salad in the cafeteria," he whines after a moment. "Who even said that you were fat?"

"JYP himself," you deadpan, only cracking a smile at the anguished laugh that comes out of his mouth in response. "I don't know. A manager somewhere. Does it matter?"

You can see the teasing spirit drain from his face as his smile fades, his face turning to things that are softer, more serious. "As long as you know that you're pretty enough to make most of us look ugly, it doesn't matter."

You scoff again, your tongue tasting acerbic against the embarrassed red of your cheeks. "Pretty enough to be here," you reply. "Not the prettiest."

Changbin's arm is a heavy weight across your shoulders, squeezing you tightly as he all but drags you towards the door. "You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen," he says; and somehow, it is so friendly a comment that it doesn't heat your face again, nor come off as awkward; but that is Changbin's effortless charm, his friendliness. His ability to listen without judging.

Anyway, your lips curve up into a smile, your elbow digging into his side just long enough to make him let go of you so that you can open the door. "It's all plastic, buddy," you quip as he steps through, and pull it closed behind you. "I'm a modern scientific miracle."

For several seconds, he just looks at you, unsure whether to laugh or not. "Have you done anything?" he asks, just to ask, ambling along casually beside you. "You have such a nice face shape."

You contemplate your answer before you give it, your mouth opening and then closing again. "Maybe a little here and there," you say and let a little grin slip onto your face. "Maybe not. You know I was dropped from Midnight for being 'the wrong look', right?"

"I didn't know that," he says, cutting a glance at you. You wonder if, under the genuine astonishment that plays out over his face, he can see the way that acknowledgement still guts you like a knife. You'd managed to say it out loud without cringing away from it, at least; maybe the hurt is starting to dull. Maybe one of these days you'll be able to look forward at what you've got without also looking back at what they'd taken away from you.

"Well don't go changing now," Changbin says, pushing straight past the whole dilemma. "They think you're the right look for us; don't ruin it."

"I only aspire to look like you, Changbin-ssi," you assure him. 

He laughs at you; actually, properly laughs, his voice echoing down the hallway. "You can start by actually going to the gym," he tells you. "And going to eat ramen at the new place down the street. You can't claim to be Changbin when you're so small."

"Bit rich, coming from the smallest person in the group," you mutter under your breath, and you can't help but snort a laugh at the affronted shout that sounds from beside you as he tows you towards the elevators.

---

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[babsworlds]

ABOUT YOU.

pairing. Dave Lizewski x fem! reader

synopsis. Your ex bf never forgets.

warnings. angst (happy ending), inspired by song About You by The 1975, also happy valentine guys!

THIS WAS YOUR VERY FIRST VALENTINE’S DAY WITHOUT DAVE. It felt strange, like a piece of your world was missing. There were many reasons for the breakup, but there were just as many reasons to still love him.

All day, you walked past madly in love couples, romantic quotes, and bouquets of roses, each one a reminder of what you had lost. The feelings of missing Dave were strong, but you tried to mask them with a veneer of disgust, convincing yourself that you were better off without him.

But beneath the surface, the memories lingered—those moments of laughter, the shared dreams, and the way he used to make you feel special. It was hard to reconcile the heartache with the logical reasons for the breakup.

As you lay in your bed, your notebook by your side, you let the familiar comfort of a 00s romcom play out on the screen. Each scene, with its predictable charm and lighthearted romance, tugged at your heartstrings, reminding you of Dave in so many ways.

You remembered the times when you and Dave would snuggle up together, laughing at the cheesy lines and enjoying the simplicity of the storyline. The way he used to hold you, the shared laughter, and the feeling of being completely at ease—it all came rushing back with every frame of the movie.

Despite your efforts to mask your sadness with the film's humor, the memories of Dave lingered, bittersweet and ever-present.

You heard a weird noise at your window, almost like someone was throwing small rocks, trying to get your attention. At first, you thought nothing of it, assuming it was just the wind or some other ordinary sound.

But the noise persisted, each little pebble hitting the glass with a soft tap tap tap. Curiosity got the better of you, and you decided to investigate. Pushing aside your blankets, you walked over to the window and peered outside.

Your eyes widened at the sight of Dave standing there, framed by the moonlight, with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a stuffed animal in the other. The scent of the roses wafted towards you, mingling with the cool night air. Your breath quickened as you opened the window, your mind racing with confusion and surprise.

“What are you doing here?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper, laden with disbelief.

For a fleeting moment, you wondered why he would show up like this. Could it have been some bet with Todd? The thought crossed your mind, but the sincerity in Dave's eyes made you pause.

“It’s our day,” he said, his voice tinged with a mix of embarrassment and earnestness. “Do you think I have forgotten about you?”

Heavy silence fell between you as you looked down at Dave. The sight of him standing there, holding flowers and a stuffed animal, made it hard to process the reality of the situation. It almost felt like a surreal, vivid dream.

“Uh, there’s a cold down here,” he said, bringing you back to the present moment.

You hesitated for a moment, still unsure about what to do. But then his eyes met yours, and something in his gaze made you soften. “Yeah, yeah, use the back door,” you said, your voice steadying as you made the decision.

You went downstairs, the house silent since your parents were away on a romantic getaway. The quietness of the home made Dave’s presence even more surprising.

“What are you doing here?” you repeated your question from earlier, still not having received a proper explanation. You narrowed your eyes at him, searching for answers.

Dave took a deep breath, his eyes earnest. “Y/n, I passed by all these Valentine’s shits things all day, and it reminded me of you,” he started, his voice sincere. “And I just wanted to see you.”

His words hung in the air, and you could see the genuine emotion in his eyes. It was clear that this wasn’t some prank or a bet with Todd. Dave had come here because he truly missed you.

You switched your gaze between the flowers in his hand and his ocean blue eyes—the very eyes you had once fallen in love with. Your heart pounded in your chest as the memories of your time together flooded back.

Your eyes locked, and you could see the sincerity and longing in his gaze. Slowly, he handed the flowers and the stuffed bear to you. “I miss you,” he said softly, his voice filled with emotion.

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade away. You reached out, taking the flowers and the bear from his hands, feeling the weight of the unspoken emotions between you.

A mixture of feelings washed over you—love, hurt, longing, and hope. Despite the pain of the past, you couldn't deny the connection that still existed. Dave’s gesture, his presence, and his heartfelt words made it clear that he still cared deeply for you.

You sighed deeply, shaking your head as you took the flowers and stuffed animal from his hands. Gently, you placed them aside on the kitchen counter. In that moment, it wasn’t about the things he brought—it was about him.

Words seemed unnecessary as a single tear escaped your eye, trailing down your cheek. Without saying anything, you stepped forward and fell into his embrace, wrapping your arms around him. The warmth and familiarity of his hug brought a rush of emotions, a mixture of comfort and longing.

“I miss you so much,” you sobbed into his chest. His chin rested on top of your head, the height difference making you feel even more protected in his embrace. “I’m so sorry,” you continued, your voice breaking with emotion.

Dave's arms tightened around you, his own tears threatening to fall. “I’m sorry too,” he whispered, his voice filled with sincerity. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

The weight of those words hung in the air, a mixture of regret and longing. For a moment, everything else seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you, connected by the raw, honest emotions you were sharing.

As you stood there, holding each other, the memories of your time together flashed before your eyes. The good times, the laughter, the love—it all came rushing back, mingling with the hurt and the mistakes. But in that moment, you felt a glimmer of hope that perhaps, despite everything, you could find a way to heal and rebuild what you once had.

Dave pulled back from the hug, his eyes locking with yours. "I should go," he said, his voice filled with a mix of regret and understanding.

As he let go of you, his hand lingering for a moment longer, he looked into your eyes. "Happy Valentine, my love," he said softly, his words carrying the weight of all the emotions he felt.

As Dave reached for the door handle, your heart raced. In a split-second decision, you quickly grabbed his wrist, your fingers wrapping around his arm.

“Stay,” you said, your voice firm yet filled with vulnerability.

Dave turned back to face you, a mixture of surprise and hope in his eyes. He searched your face, trying to understand what you were feeling.

“You don’t have to go,” you continued, your grip on his wrist tightening slightly.

Dave looked at you, his eyes widening in surprise. "You want me to stay?" he asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.

You rolled your eyes at his question, a small smile tugging at your lips. "More than anything," you said, your voice firm and filled with sincerity.

So he did. He stayed. In a world where people often came and went, Dave was the one constant, the one who always stayed no matter what.

Even when things got tough, he never wavered, never abandoned you. His loyalty and commitment were qualities that had drawn you to him in the first place, and they continued to hold a special place in your heart.

[melancholyswayafterdark]

Omg omg could you write 2007!leo having to go training or whatever and he gets pent up from not doing it for a whole month so when he sees y/n he just goes feral and needs to top y/n so bad

TMNT 2007!Leonardo x Reader: Absence and its Effects on the Heart (NSFW 18+)

NOTE: this is my after dark blog, and you're going to find smut here. 2007 is a more mature version of the turtles, and they are around their early/mid 20s. MINORS DNI. WARNINGS : dirty talk, slight daddy kink? and missionary

happy late v day??? lol, I'm also a little rusty from writing NSFW, pls bear with me lol

Okay okay

Imagine Leonardo coming back from his training, and the first thing he does (after saying hello to his family, of course) is come to visit you.

His heart is beating so fast, and his sex drive is through the roof.

He makes his way to your apartment, flipping and sprinting on every rooftop his feet touch; he absolutely cannot wait to get a taste of you.

Leo's feral right now. I'm talking about eating nuts and berries in the forest feral (which he was during his training, but you know what I mean.)

He knew it would be difficult without seeing you for the duration of his training, and when April found him in the jungle one day, she convinced him to come back home.

(rather than Leo staying for an extra year of training, for the sake of the plot here, he's been gone an extra three months instead.)

His mind ran miles and miles faster as your apartment building came into view through the dark night. He needed to see you. Now. 

He doesn't bother texting you or calling; he'd rather keep his entrance a surprise. 

So when you hear the familiar sequence of knocks at your window, you could almost fall out of your chair from your laptop. 

"L-Leo?" You were unsure, and it had to be a dream. Maybe you were up so late from pulling an all-nighter from this assignment that you were hearing things. 

But, it wasn't until you heard the knocks again, only this time, a voice calling your name that sounded strikingly like your lover's. 

College homework could wait. Right now, Leonardo was at your full attention. 

You scramble to open the window, revealing exactly who you thought would be behind it. It's Leonardo, and his broad smile matches your own. He finally came back, and it wasn't a dream. You weren't seeing things. 

"Hey." Your eyes widened. The last time you saw Leo, he was telling you how much he loved you and that this training would be the hardest thing he's ever done. Leaving you would be the most challenging part of this whole overseas training thing. 

"H-Hey, Leo." Your voice is quiet from shock, yet your body instinctively runs toward the blue-banded turtle, his arms wide open for you to jump into them. 

It was like nothing changed. The only thing had been his love for you. It grew much stronger since the last time he saw your pretty face. 

"I missed you so much." Your voice is buried into his plastron, and you feel his heartbeat quickly. He was so excited to see you, truly. 

Leonardo enters your room as he was so accustomed to doing, sitting on the edge of the bed with you still in his arms. 

He wasted no time getting his first kiss since he returned. Your lips haven't met his since the last time you saw him a long while ago. You had been waiting for this moment. 

Leo had been waiting as well, his member immediately twitching in excitement as soon as he sat onto the bed with you on top. He was ready to make you his again. 

"I….I missed you so much, love." Leo's deep voice went to your neck, leaving butterfly kisses down to your sternum. It felt so good, Leo's touch. You couldn't imagine how hard it was for Leo out there all alone. But he was strong. By his looks, he handled himself very well overseas. 

"M-Me too, Leo. I…” Your sentence is interrupted as you feel teeth bite onto your neck, latching on and sucking in the spot that Leo knew got you going. Your breathy moan escaped your lips and into the air, Leo's ears capturing it and motivating him to continue. Your eyes closed, taking in the electric feeling of your boyfriend's hands gripping your waist, squeezing your bottom as his hands explored. Though a well-known terrain for the turtle, he wanted to feel all of you. He wanted to feel your skin on his, and that pesky pair of shorts you had been wearing were about to come off. He continued kissing your neck as your hands gripped his shoulders for support. 

The feeling of Leo's tongue swirling on your sweet spot satisfied you like no other. Leonardo was skilled with his tongue, and he knew it. You could feel his lips' smirk on your skin as your quivering voice asked him to continue. He wasn't stopping; he was just getting started. 

As you snap out of your euphoric trance and look down, your eyes meet the turtle's honey-brown ones. His half-lidded eyes, paired with his heavy breaths, had made you come to this doting realization: Leonardo was starving. He needed a taste of you and bad. 

You hadn't seen that look on his face since mating season, where he fucked you so silly on every piece of furniture you owned, leaving you a fucked-out mess just the way he liked it. 

You were in for a wild ride, and Leo's smug smirk had only enhanced the warm feeling pooling in between your legs. 

"Love, I…need you, bad." Tiny beads of sweat littered Leonardo's olive skin- he was so needy that he didn't know how much longer he could last before he absolutely devoured you. But, his visit was so unexpected that-

"I need you, too." Your lips moved toward his own neck, kissing and nipping in every place. Leonardo needed love, and he was about to get it. Suddenly, you felt yourself lifted, your legs wrapping around Leo's waist for support. He has that same hungry look in his eyes and throws you onto the bed as he undoes his belts. Your chest was heaving in anticipation, watching the leader take off his gear with urgency, throwing it to the corner of your room as if it were a nuisance. The terrapin stretched his limbs like he was about to work out. 

Well, technically, he was about to burn some calories. Lord knows how much. Sex-driven Leonardo is a little different than he usually is, and it took you mating season to see it. He was afraid it would drive you away, how rough and needy he was, but it only drove you closer to him. 

"Take this off for me?" You could hear low churrs come from your boyfriend's throat as he spoke, his raspy voice sending tingles down your body right to your sex. You did as you were told, unclipping your bra while Leo's hands went toward the hem of your shorts and panties, ripping them both off simultaneously. You felt the cool air hit your nipples and cunt, and your cheeks heated up as you watched Leo's eyes look all over your body. "You look so good, Y/n." His green hands moved toward your thighs, spreading them open as far as they could go without hurting you. He dropped to his knees and pulled your pussy closer to his face, his cocky grin and lust-filled eyes looking up at you as he put his nose right onto your clit. Inhaling, the turtle's instincts caused him to salivate slightly, the sweet smell of your sex shooting through his body. He couldn't wait to get a taste. 

"Fuck, Y/n. All for me?" You were dripping wet, and Leonardo didn't even get down to business yet.

Before you knew it, Leonardo's face was buried in your sex, and you felt his index finger tease your entrance before quickly slipping in, thanks to your natural lubrication. 

Leo's finger wasted no time pumping in and out of you, his tongue moving toward your bud, swirling around it as you sucked your teeth in satisfaction.

While Leo was thirsty for you, he was also longing to get this overdue orgasm out of his system. 

His free hand went down to his own sex, stroking his erect member as he ate you out. He didn't want a blowjob; he just wanted to be inside you.

Leonardo talking through eating you out was truly the cherry on top of this whole thing. 

He wasn't about to have you finish just yet, though. He wanted you to finish on his cock, not on his fingers. 

You felt just how hungry the turtle was with how he ate you out as if it was the last thing he would do. Mouth gaped slightly open and head thrown back from the feeling of Leonardo's tongue, you were in a sexual trance that was about to intensify.

However, it was placed on pause when you soon felt Leo's lips on yours, his tongue finding yours and dancing with it. The taste of your juices had littered his mouth, and his breath was hot from how intense he was just licking your pussy. 

"You don't know how long I waited to do this," He purred, "How I thought about this moment every single day since I left…I just…" Before you knew it, Leo had gripped your thighs, and you watched as his throbbing green cock had teased your entrance. His hand guided it up and down your folds; the familiar feeling of Leonardo's member being inches from your entrance did nothing but excite you further. 

"I couldn't help myself…I need you." Leo's usual raspy voice had turned into a possessive low churr; the thought of him about to stretch you out had caused your mouth to move on its own. 

"Yeah?" You teased, "I thought about you every single time I…" Leo's member was poking at your slippery cunt, only for it to slide right in like a missing puzzle piece when you revealed he was always on your mind, especially those times you had played with yourself when you missed his touch. It was enough for him to insert himself without warning, and a loud moan rang into his ears.  

His mouth had dived down to attack your breasts, sucking roughly on your left nipple while he toyed with the right with his fingers. With a few slow thrusts in and tongue flicks on your sensitive buds, he lifts his body up to look at you, brown eyes filled with desire looked back at your own, that twinkle you haven't seen for ages finally making itself known.

"May I, Hana?" You could tell Leo was holding himself back. He cared about your well-being, ensuring you really wanted this as much as he did before he went feral. 

He continued to slide in and out of you at an agonizingly slow speed. Though slow, you felt yourself being stretched out with each thrust Leo made. 

"Yeah, God, of course, you can, Leona-mmph!" Strap yourselves in, folks, and get ready for a wild ride. 

As soon as you granted him permission, he was ready to get to work. 

He didn't think twice before slamming himself into you, his girth almost having you drooling from how big he was inside you.

"Tell me how much you missed me, Hana." 

Leo used "Hana" in the bedroom only; it was his name for you. 

After all, you were his pretty, delicate flower. 

"I missed you so…fucking…fuck!" How did Leo expect you to spew out coherent sentences with how hard he was fucking you? 

"Mmm, shit, I…!" "Come on, Y/n, tell me," His smooth, honeyed voice masked his sinful words,

"Tell Daddy how much you missed him." 

Yes, sir! 

"I missed you so fucking much, Leo!" He continued slamming into you, quickening his pace as he went down and attacked your neck. Leo was love drunk, and his libido was the highest it's ever been. 

"Yeah? You like me fucking you, don't you?" Leo's sweet yet sexy voice rang through your ears, a knot forming in your stomach that was soon to come undone.

"You missed me inside you?" Grunts encapsulated your room that came from Leonardo, his sweat-ridden forehead connecting with your own as he made intense eye contact with you. He wanted you to look into his eyes while he fucked you senseless. 

You then felt yourself being picked up off the bed, your lover's cock still deep inside your walls. 

"I love this view, don't you, princess?" 

Yes, yes, you do. 

It was the perfect view. Light brown eyes with a fire of lust looked right at you. You loved this view: Leo under you while he thrusts up into you, hitting spots that missionaries couldn't reach. No time was lost with this position change. You felt your ass be held up by a pair of strong hands, feeling your walls tighten in anticipation for your orgasm as the leader's cock thrust itself into you from the bottom. Despite being under you, Leonardo still found a way to the top. 

"Dammit, Hana, I'm gonna- hah~...cum soon," You watched as Leo's mouth came slightly open, chest going up and down as his long green member inserted itself into you rhythmically, melodically even.

The view Leonardo had was enough to get him to finish, and he knew it. He got front-row seats to your tits bouncing, your wanton moans motivating him to not stop. He needed this, and oh- he needed to cum inside you- bad.

But not before switching it up one more time. His strong arms lift you up again, placing you back in missionary. He needed to see all of you, and he instantly put his thumb on your clit, flicking it as he watched himself enter and exit you both rough and fast. 

"Oh, fuck, Leo! Don't stop!" He wasn't going to, and you knew that. The brown-eyed turtle continued to fuck you silly, just like he did during mating season. This newfound feeling of clit stimulation caused you to tighten even more around Leo, and the smug yet breathless look on his face told you everything you needed to know: He was fucking loving it.

"Come on, Y/n, show me how much you missed me," Through gritted teeth, you heard Leo's request, which was enough to undo the knot in your stomach. With a few deep thrusts and a quicker thumb motion, you finally felt a wave of pleasure surge through your body. 

"Mmm! Fuck Leo, I'm…._" "Yeah? All for me?" The turtle's smile was plastered as he helped you ride out your orgasm; he kissed your forehead, sticky from sweat. 

"My turn." With one last kiss on your temple, he rode out his own orgasm, his grunts and moans sending shivers all down your spine. You felt warm ropes shoot from your entrance up through your wet cavern and felt all the extra pooled onto your bedsheets and onto your lower back. Leo didn't dare pull out; he wanted to fill you up to the brim, to show you just how much he had been waiting for this. He knew he came a lot, but to see your flushed face so focused on his twitching member as it pulsed the last drops of cum at an irregular tempo. As the final moments of his orgasm had finished, he collapsed onto you, his head laying on your chest for a soft makeshift pillow.

As you both lay tired, your mind couldn't help but wander into what position Leo was going to fuck you in after this rest break.

// Taglist: @fjfjdjd @fictionalhubbydreamer @definitely-canon @jasminarts01 @chil-aglia Want to be added to my taglist? Comment a “💛” to be added to the melancholysway blog Comment a “💚” to be added to the melancholyswayafterdark blog Masterlist (COMING SOON) Join my TMNT Discord! Join the TMNT Community! Join the 2007 TMNT Community!

[riareadsvt]

Ruined for You — YJH Corruption Series #CH3

Chapter: 3

— check out the masterlist to find the next chapters.

pairing: ferrari driver!yoon jeonghan x journalist!reader

chapter wc: ~2057

genre: corruption arc, slow-burn possession | au: f1 | rating: M (18+) MDNI

warnings: explicit content, power play, toxic dynamics, obsession, manipulation, corruption kink

a/n: this series leans heavily into corruption and possession, but it’s not extreme smut more about power, obsession, and the slow descent into wanting to be owned. expect manipulation, toxic dynamics, and a very possessive jeonghan who always gets what he wants. if that’s your thing, welcome aboard. if not, consider this your warning!

#CH3 — You’re Interviewing Him? Do You Want Him, or Do You Just Like Pissing Me Off?

Y/N was going to kill him.  

It had been two days since the press conference, two days since Jeonghan had left her on the edge of an orgasm in front of half the F1 media world.  

And he hadn’t touched her since.  

Not a word. Not a text. Not even a smug glance in her direction.  

He was ignoring her.  

Like she didn’t exist.  

Like she wasn’t still aching from what he had done to her.  

Y/N had spent the past forty-eight hours trying to forget about him, throwing herself into work, convincing herself she didn’t care.  

So when she got the opportunity to interview Joshua Hong Jeonghan’s biggest rival she took it.  

Maybe it was petty.  

Maybe it was reckless.  

Maybe, deep down, she wanted to see if it would make Jeonghan react.  

But it was just an interview.  

That’s what she told herself as she stood in the Red Bull garage, smiling as Joshua answered her questions.  

That’s what she told herself when Joshua laughed at something she said, easygoing and charming, his eyes warm with interest.  

That’s what she told herself when

A hand wrapped around her wrist.  

Tight. Possessive.  

Y/N barely had time to process before she was yanked away from Joshua, dragged through the back of the paddock, past security, past the garages, past everything

Until she was shoved into a dimly lit Ferrari storage room, the door slamming shut behind her.  

Jeonghan was furious.  

His grip on her wrist was iron, his breathing uneven, his jaw clenched so tight it looked like he was grinding his teeth.  

“What the fuck was that?” His voice was dangerously low.  

Y/N wrenched her arm free, glaring. “An interview.”  

Jeonghan laughed a sharp, humorless sound. “An interview?” He stepped closer, forcing her back against the wall. “So that’s what we’re calling it?”  

Y/N’s heart pounded.  

She refused to back down. “You don’t get to act jealous.”  

Jeonghan leaned in, his hands slamming against the wall on either side of her head.  

His eyes were dark.  

Dangerous.  

“You think this is jealousy?” His breath was hot against her skin. “No, sweetheart.” His voice dropped lower, venomous and sharp.  

“This is me reminding you who you belong to.”  

Her stomach flipped.  

Then his hands were on her gripping her hips, dragging her forward, pressing her flush against him.  

He was hard.  

And he wasn’t hiding it.  

“You let him touch you?” His fingers dug into her skin. “Did you let him look at you the way I do?”  

Y/N barely had time to gasp before Jeonghan spun her around, shoving her against the wall.  

His lips were everywhere her neck, her shoulder, biting, sucking, marking.  

He didn’t care who saw the two of you.

Y/N barely had time to catch her breath before Jeonghan pinned her against the wall, his hands roaming with a sharp, possessive edge.  

His teeth grazed the side of her neck before he bit down hard not enough to break skin, but enough to bruise. Enough to make sure no one else would dare to touch her without seeing him all over her.  

Her gasp echoed in the dimly lit storage room.  

Jeonghan smirked.  

"Did he make you blush like this?" His voice was low, dark, dripping with something lethal. His hands slid up her sides, gripping her waist, thumbs digging in like he owned her. "Did he make you shiver just by standing close?"  

Y/N hated him.  

She hated how her body reacted, how her breath hitched, how her fingers curled against the wall as his hands wandered.  

He yanked her skirt up, dragging it over her hips, his palms warm against her bare thighs.  

"You like making me mad, huh?" His teeth scraped against her earlobe, his breath sending shivers down her spine. "You wanted to see what would happen?"  

Y/N refused to answer.  

She refused to let him know just how much she loved it when he got like this.  

Jeonghan laughed low and knowing.  

His fingers slipped between her legs.  

"You’re fucking soaked."  

Heat flooded her face.  

She clenched her jaw. "Screw you."  

Jeonghan shoved his knee between her thighs, spreading them apart, pressing her harder against the wall.  

"You’re gonna."  

Then his fingers pushed inside her.  

Y/N choked on a moan, her hands flying to his wrists, nails digging into his skin.  

But he didn’t stop.  

Didn’t slow down.  

His movements were rough, relentless, punishing like he wanted her to feel just how furious he was.  

"You think I didn’t see the way he looked at you?" His voice was sharp, his lips ghosting over her jaw, his fingers curling inside her. "Like he actually had a chance."  

Y/N’s knees buckled.  

Jeonghan caught her with one arm, holding her up, his other hand still working her open.  

"Did you want him to touch you?" His pace quickened, dragging another moan from her throat. "Did you want to see if he could fuck you better than me?"  

Y/N barely had the breath to glare at him.  

"You’re an asshole."  

Jeonghan grinned.  

Then he pulled his fingers out.  

Y/N let out a sharp whimper, her body trembling, her thighs clenching around nothing.  

Jeonghan lifted his hand, tilting her chin up with his slick-coated fingers.  

"Say my name."  

She panted against his palm, her chest rising and falling, her skin flushed and overheated.  

Jeonghan pressed his forehead to hers, eyes locked onto hers, lips just barely brushing.  

"Say it," he murmured, a whisper that held more power than a shout.  

Her pride screamed at her to resist.  

But her body was already his.  

And he knew it.  

"Jeonghan," she breathed.  

His smirk returned.  

Then he kissed her hard, desperate, like he needed to ruin her all over again.  

And Y/N let him.

Jeonghan didn’t just kiss her he devoured her.  

His mouth was hot, insistent, his lips molding against hers with an edge of something dangerous. His teeth scraped against her bottom lip before he bit down, pulling a gasp from her throat that he swallowed greedily.  

Y/N’s hands fisted in his shirt, pulling him closer, needing more, and Jeonghan felt it felt the way she melted into him, the way her body caved despite the fight in her eyes.  

"You like this, don’t you?" His voice was rough against her lips, his hands sliding down to grip the backs of her thighs. "Pissing me off just so I’ll remind you who you fucking belong to."  

Before she could react, he lifted her.  

Y/N barely had time to let out a sharp breath before he pinned her against the wall again, her legs wrapping around his waist out of instinct.  

Her head tilted back as his mouth latched onto her throat, sucking bruises into her skin, marking her with reckless abandon.  

"Don’t worry, sweetheart," he murmured between kisses, his breath fanning over her heated skin. "By the time I’m done with you, you won’t even remember his name."  

Her nails raked down his back as his hands gripped her thighs, pressing her against the wall with a force that sent heat spiking through her veins.  

"Jeonghan," she gasped.  

His smirk was pure sin. "That’s right."  

His fingers slid under the waistband of her underwear, teasing, testing, taunting.  

"You think anyone out there would believe me if I told them how fucking needy you are for me?" He pushed two fingers inside her without warning, his other hand cupping the back of her head, keeping her trapped against him.  

Y/N shattered.  

Her moan was muffled against his shoulder, her body jerking at the sudden intrusion.  

"That’s it," Jeonghan murmured, voice like velvet, like he was so pleased with himself. His fingers curled inside her, dragging slow, deliberate pleasure out of her, coaxing her to the edge with expert precision.  

Her thighs clenched around his waist, her breathing ragged, her nails digging into his skin.  

And Jeonghan ate it up.  

"You wanted this," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the shell of her ear. "You knew what you were doing the second you smiled at him."  

Y/N’s breath hitched as his fingers sped up, every movement pushing her closer, making her lose control.  

Her body shook, her back arching against the wall, and she hated that she was already so fucking close.  

Jeonghan felt it, too.  

"Knew you’d be easy for me." His voice was all dark amusement. "Always are."  

Y/N wanted to fight back, wanted to throw something sharp and cutting in his face.  

But then he sucked at the soft spot below her ear  

And her entire world fractured.  

The orgasm slammed into her, sharp and overwhelming, her body tensing, her moan caught between pleasure and frustration.  

She shouldn’t be letting him win.  

But she did.  

And Jeonghan knew it.  

He didn’t stop. Not immediately. He worked her through it, his fingers dragging out every last wave of pleasure, his breath hot against her ear. His free hand tangled in her hair, tilting her head back so he could watch her fall apart.  

Y/N shuddered, her thighs still clenched around his waist, her body slumping against him as the aftershocks made her tremble.  

Jeonghan pressed a slow, lingering kiss to her jaw, smug and satisfied.  

"Knew you’d be good for me," he murmured, dragging his lips down to her throat.  

Y/N barely had the strength to glare at him.  

His fingers finally slipped out of her, leaving her empty and aching, her skin buzzing with overstimulation.  

She should have hated him.  

For making her come so fast. For playing her like a fucking instrument. For knowing exactly what to say, what to do, to have her melting in his hands.  

But when he lifted his fingers to his lips, licking them clean.

Her. stomach flipped.  

Jeonghan caught her watching, his smirk deepening.  

"That desperate to taste yourself, sweetheart?" His voice was pure filth. "Or just desperate for more?"  

Y/N snapped out of it, shoving at his chest. "Put me down."  

Jeonghan chuckled, but he did as she asked, setting her back on shaky legs.  

She wobbled.  

His hands shot out, steadying her hips, his smirk only growing. "Careful."  

Y/N slapped his arm away, her cheeks burning. "Fuck you."  

Jeonghan grinned. "You just did."  

She clenched her jaw so hard it ached.  

Meanwhile, Jeonghan casually straightened his shirt, looking completely unbothered, like he hadn’t just fucked her senseless against a storage room wall.  

Then, as if to really make her regret everything, he took a slow step forward, caging her in again.  

His fingers brushed her jaw, tilting her face up to meet his gaze.  

"You really thought interviewing him would get my attention?" His smirk was sharp, dangerous. "Sweetheart, you had that from the second you walked into my motorhome."  

Y/N’s breath caught.  

Then Jeonghan leaned in, lips just barely grazing hers.  

"Next time you want to make me jealous," he murmured, voice low, "you should try harder."  

Then he stepped back.  

And walked away.  

Leaving Y/N wrecked.  

Shaking.  

And completely fucked.

Y/N stood there, heart still hammering, legs barely steady beneath her.  

Her skin was flushed, still buzzing with the aftershocks of Jeonghan’s touch, but her mind her mind was caught between fury and something far more dangerous.  

He had humiliated her.  

He had owned her.  

And worst of all 

He had walked away like none of it mattered.  

Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms as she forced herself to breathe. To think.  

She couldn’t let this happen again.  

Couldn’t let him toy with her, wreck her, leave her like she was just another game he was playing.  

She needed to be the one in control.  

So when she finally gathered herself enough to push off the wall, smoothing down her skirt and fixing her hair, she knew exactly what she had to do.  

Jeonghan thought he had won.  

But this wasn’t over.  

Not even close.  

Y/N straightened her spine, lifted her chin, and walked out of the storage room with only one thought in her mind.  

She was going to make him break next time.  

And she wasn’t going to stop until she did.  

a/n - tell me what you feel about this, thanks for reading I hope you have a wonderful day!

[masonmace]

Hey, so! I haven't snapped any hearts like twigs lately.

Cw: angst.

RINSE. REPEAT.

Imagine Modern Warfare IV. Johnny's dead. Things aren't the same with the task force: they never will be. Simon's been quiet; distant. Gaz is quiet, but tries to fill the silence with jokes. A replacement for the jokester they'd lost. It's just met with grunts that are meant to be laughs.. but aren't true laughs.

It's just not the same.

John's been distant to you, too. Sure, you both had talked things out. You convinced him that he wasn't going to kill you. That it was in his head and that it was nobody's fault.

As if some shit like that would work.

Nobody expects a civilian to understand, though. John gets it.. that you didn't experience it. It's hard to sit day by day with his men when he killed their friend. He may as well've put the gun at Soap's temple. He was daft to make the scotsman wait. So . utterly . daft.

Missions are all the same. Well, they're never consistent, but they're the same. Quiet in the hawk, quiet on the field, quiet on the way home. Get into compounds, get intel, find targets, do whatever bullshit they need to do, etcetera. Get back to base, get hammered. Sometimes Gaz or Ghost will go spend the night with someone. It's all coping mechanisms.

The silence is so, so very loud.

Makarov is one of the biggest reasons why so many of John's men died. He won't stop until the bastard is dead. No matter what. Maybe that's where he went wrong. The bloodlust he carries for Makarov sits on the bloodied throne right next to the guilt. Wedded. Hand in hand ruling the war-filled place in his head.

He just isn't the same.

None of them are.

John's known Simon the longest. Gaz for a good while, too. Roach, too. They're his boys, and he wishes he could put a face on for them. John just cannot force himself to act okay this time.

None of them can.

The mission had happened so, so very fast. Too fast. Way . too . fast. What happens now? Where does he go? It was Gaz. Bullet between the eyes. Snap. Crack. Thud. Sigh. Then the blood was rushing in his ears again and he didn't have the time to even call his name. The mission roared on.

He should have called them off quicker. Told them to take a different route. Maybe if he had told Gaz to go with him instead.

Maybe.

Maybe.

What if.

If he hadn't-

There was a mandatory leave after Gaz' death. John didn't come home to you. There was no way in hell he could have. No, he didn't go home. Instead, he ran straight to the pub. Left when they closed and stayed at a hostel instead.

Rinse

Repeat.

Four days later... middle of the night. That's when he came home. It was three in the morning. The front door open and the stink of booze and a man in desperate need of a shower ran into the room. Your head immediately bounces up off of the couch's armrest.

He's a zombie as he shuffles into the house, toeing his boots off and mumbling a greeting. Even though you're half asleep, you rush up to him. Questioning where he's been, he only groans another response.

"Out." He mumbles. "I was fucking . out." John spits, glaring at you with a few harsh breaths. "Go t'sleep." He shuts down any and all conversation as he trudges down the hall and into the bathroom.

"Jonathon." You call, all groggy and discombobulated. You step into the bathroom, uncaring of the fact that he's stripping. The sight is enough to make anyone's throat dry. "John. Talk to me." You plea.

"I'll talk t'you in the mornin'." He grunts, eyebrows set into a deep furrow and jaw set into a clench.

"Right now." You insist. Eyes batting at him. "Let me shower with you. At least."

You showered earlier, but that doesn't matter to you. It takes quite a bit more convincing before John gives in - a drunken frown on his face as you don't turn the shower on, but draw a bath.

You will die.

The bath is quiet - John prefers it that way. He's already cried enough tears. He's all dried up now. He holds you in his arms most of the time, and manages to allow you to wash him the others.

Rinse.

He doesn't. John doesn't answer questions. Just closes his eyes and allows you to do what it is makes you happy.

Repeat.

The mandatory leave was only a couple weeks. Ghost, Roach, and Jonathon back onto base alongside two new transfers to replace Soap and Gaz. John's less than approving of them, but he does his best to put up and go through with an open mind.

They must kill Makarov. It's the only way to win. Things won't be right until that mother fucker is dead and burned. John has sworn that he will light his goddamn cigar with the same flames that burn that bastard alive. Swears it.

That's how it was supposed to go.

The ride to the compound was grim. But John was determined. He made sure to make very clear communication between everyone. Before they'd left, he'd hugged Ghost. It sure had been out of character, but he felt the need. He did the same to Roach.

Why must everything go to shit?

Ghost had gotten out of the building in time. But Roach's comms were finicky. He didn't hear his Captain shouting. The comms broke out, and Ghost went head first back into the crumbling building. The groan of concrete was loud. The world rushed around him and he was frozen there in time. 23:34.

Rinse.

The sound of the building crashing around him wasn't as loud as his own heartbeat. He was too late. 00:12. Price's hands clawed at the rubble, digging and forcing chunks up. Slipping himself in at the only entrance he found like some brave cave explorer. He slotted himself in and got through the rubble.

Repeat.

Price called out their names. Simon. Gary. Over and over. When he found Roach, he was already dead. John sat and tried to resuscitate. It didn't go over as planned.

He should have gotten Gary a new comm.

He didn't leave Roach there. He brought the limp body back to the surface and dove right back it. Simon was alive when he found him. His lieutenant. His breathing shook, and he fought and fought. "I've got you, son." His voice broke under the weight. Coughing from the dust. "I'm comin' to ya." He groans.

Simon's breathing was separated and wheezed; pained. Once the rubble was cleared, he had to tread carefully. A piece of rebar was staked through Ghost's lower abdomen. The blood made John's stomach twist. Not because he couldn't handle blood, but because it was Simon's. The pants coming from Simon made him want to puke.

It should've been him.

The groan of the concrete around them scared John, but he wouldn't leave Ghost here.

"Y'gotta work with me, Si." John breathes, hulking the broader man further and trying to pick him up. To save him. His last soldier. "Please. Please, son." John has to suck his lips together not to cry.

Rinse.

John pulled Simon as close as he could, clutching at him. Hauling him closer. Simon tried to fight it when Price moved to lift him, forced them both back down with a thud. "Leave me." Ghost pleas, groaning with the pain. Too many broken bones. His eyes too unfocused and the world spinning. "Let me go to Johnny, Price."

Price tried to argue, tried to drag Simon back up again. The bloke's too goddamn big. "I need a hand!" John hollers. He fights with his voice not to crack. His hands clutch for his mic. "Laswell! I need evac now." John spits, the mics cracking. His voice broken and wheezed. His face screwing up and the sob he sobbed unmatched by another. He saw the exact second Simon's eyes rolled, head lolling to the side right after. He's dead.

Repeat.

[jynmelshian]

the thing about melshian is that melshi comes across as a very serious, loyal, devoted person who sets his eye on something he wants and does anything he can to get it — unless he knows for sure that he can't. he needs confirmation, or hope, that what he wants is achievable, otherwise he won't even try. hence how he's so adamant to tell cassian that there's no hope of escaping. he's 100% sure there's no point in thinking about it, so he wants to make sure no one else is wasting their time with it. and then this changes when cassian flips the whole operation round on its head and shows him that there IS a way out, there IS a reason to hope. and then melshi shows no hesitation in helping with the escape plan and fighting his way out. he seems to me like someone with quite a one track mind, stubborn but sensible. and then cassian is flighty like this is a core aspect of his character. he doesn't stay in one place, he doesn't stay in one relationship, he's not good at vulnerability, and up until the narkina 5 arc he has run away from every sign that the rebellion IS right and IS his calling and IS the only way to be free. he is deeply loyal to a few select people, but even in those dynamics he finds it hard to commit, and he certainly can't commit to a cause at the beginning of the show. narkina is the first time we see him step up to the mantle, take the reins and fight not only for his own freedom, but for the freedom of everyone around him. before, the acts of rebellion he's taken have been selfishly motivated but also out of loyalty to at least one person: avenging clem as a teenager, and getting money and clearing his name to protect himself and maarva. one could argue that there was still selfish motivations in stirring revolt at narkina, because he wanted to be free and knew that the only way for him to get out would be to take everyone else with him, but i think any potential selfish motivation went out the window when he realised how much he'd need all the help he could get. and it showed that he can be a team player and can be a leader - or at least a stepping stone for other leaders to function and progress the cause.

and who is by his side as he steps into this role? melshi. even with the little glimpse we get into melshi as a man, it's apparent how well they complement each other. the wordless conversations they have, the way cassian's conversations with kino reveal so much about melshi's ideology and the way he expresses himself and what he shares with cassian, it all points to a man of ideals, someone who refuses to conform and maintains his pride and takes shit from no oppressive system. he's untethered because we get no insight into his life outside of narkina, but we understand the level of dedication he shows to the things he cares about, and how he's obviously already fired up and ready to rebel since long before cassian showed up, he just needed a spark. as duncan pow put it, he was waiting for someone like cassian to show up, to show him that someone else does think like him, someone else is not going to stand for how narkina 5 treats them, and that someone is giving melshi permission to stand up. he's sort of the perfect foil for cassian if you think about it. and i do think about it.

and it culminates in the scene on the cliff face: "stop saying that" becomes "tell me they're leaving". if melshi is the no bullshit, won't waste his time on idealism if he doesn't think it's achievable, probably the least optimistic guy but definitely the most headstrong and stubborn, than of course he'd find cassian's constant "they're leaving" at the very least annoying, because he's convinced himself they're going to get caught and he's not going to be able to climb back up. but there's something kind of idealistic about cassian, how he's fundamentally pragmatic but also optimistic, something that's established in the scene where he tells maarva he has enough money for them to "get away". and the loyalty we've only ever seen him show to his family and closest friends on ferrix now extends to his fellow rebel and escapee and manifests as giving hope, and that rubs off on melshi, because how can it not? it actually makes a difference, hearing cassian say they're leaving, even if they're not. it's the hope that counts, and it's the fact that he has someone there as constant reassurance. a constant reminder that he's not in this alone and he no longer needs to hide behind his own rationalisation and pessimism to survive. there really is hope, and cassian is a walking reminder of it.

and to think that they reunite in the rebellion a little way down the line, and die on the same day for the same cause, and it all started in a slave revolt and a prison break and one man giving another man hope. it's a beautiful and underrated dynamic, i think.

[emmu5]

TRUTH OR DARE PT 1 (18+!!)

Minors dni

^^^^ this is Peter during it

Trigger warnings contains dares, foursome, p in v action, w/o condom (don't be silly wrap your willy), Virgin Remus. She's on the pill. Probably very much cringe

Summary Y/N and the marauders decides to play truth and dare but after some time it turned extremely sexual

Pretty much just smut with minimal plot

Part 2

MASTERLIST

After a while of just playing and having fun, when things took a turn for the perverse when James dared Sirius to give Remus a strip tease and lap dance and it quickly escalated after that.

"Truth or Dare, Love?" Remus askes Looking directly at you.

"Dare" You say still a bit flustered from what You just witnessed and extremely aroused.

Sirius then answers for Remus "I dare you to kiss me...and make it dirty." He spreads his legs slightly, patting his lap invitingly. "Really sell it, love." The others watch with bated breath, waiting to see what you'll do.

You got up and sat down on his lap and you start to kiss him.

Sirius wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you closer as he deepens the kiss. His hands roam lower, squeezing your thighs possessively. He breaks the kiss to murmur, "Not dirty enough yet..." He nuzzles your neck, his hands sliding under your Bra. You unhook your bra as you start to kiss his neck.

Sirius growls approvingly, his large hands finally freeing your breasts. He nuzzles lower, his fingers digging into your back possessively. "More," He encourages, his voice hoarse. He looks up at you with hungry eyes, "Bite my neck, love."

You suck some skin in and bite lightly

Sirius groans loudly, tilting his head to give you better access. "Fuck, yes," he hisses, his cock straining against his jeans. He squeezes your breasts roughly, pinching your nipples. "Dirty fucking hell, you're perfect," he mutters, grinding up against you.

You kiss him on the lips again, as you run your one hand through his hair as the other palms him through his pants.

Sirius kisses you back passionately, his lips moving against yours with urgency. He moans into your mouth as your hand palms him through his pants. "You're playing with fire, love," he murmurs against your lips, his hips bucking into your touch. His hands squeeze your ass as he pulls you harder against him, letting you feel every inch of his excitement. "If you keep that up, I might just fuck you right here," he growls playfully, his eyes dark with lust.

You pull back "did I make it convincing enough?"

The boys burst into applause and whistles, grinning at Sirius' evident arousal. James claps you on the back, laughing. "Bloody fucking hell, that was the hottest dare ever!" Remus chuckles, shifting uncomfortably as he adjusts himself subtly.

You look over at Remus "Truth or Dare Moony?"

"Dare," Remus says softly, blushing slightly at your direct attention. He clears his throat nervously. "What's my dare?" The room goes quiet, everyone waiting for your suggestion. Peter bites his lip playfully, hoping for something racy.

You got up from Sirius’s lap and walk over to Remus completely naked on top only wearing thigh high socks, black lace panties and a short skirt "I dare you to let me make you cum" you say.

"Fucking hell," Remus mutters under his breath, his eyes immediately drawn to your exposed skin. He swallows hard, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Are you sure?" His voice comes out throaty and vulnerable. "Love... you don't have to..."

You sit down on his lap "Well you didn't think you would be a virgin forever did you?"

Remus' face turns bright red as he wraps his arms around you instinctively. "Shut up," he mumbles into your hair, his heart racing. He looks up at the others, who are all watching with rapt attention, and whispers, "Make it quick, please."

"I can try but I won't make anything promises" you grab the back of his head by his hair and pull lightly before you kiss him.

Remus moans softly, his hands sliding down to grip your thighs possessively. He spreads them wider around his waist, unconsciously giving you better access. His hips lift slightly as your tongue pushes past his lips. He tries to keep quiet, his fingers digging into your thighs.

You start to grind on him as you deepened the kiss

Remus breaks the kiss with a shuddering gasp, his eyes glazed over with lust. "Bloody hell," he whispers, his hips bucking involuntarily against yours. His cock throbs urgently against your thigh, straining painfully against his pants. James leans forward, grinning.

You break the kiss and lean in and whisper into his ear "do you wanna fuck me?"

Peter practically chokes on his own breath, eyes wide. Sirius lets out a low whistle. Remus' face burns bright red, his breath hitching audibly in his throat. "Fuck... Yes," he whispers back, his voice nearly breaking.

You got up from his lap and take your skirt off and panties.

All the boys stare, jaws dropped, as you strip in front of them. Remus looks like he's about to have an heart attack, his eyes glued to your naked lower half. Sirius stands up abruptly, unbuckling his belt with shaking hands. "Fuck this," he growls,

"Padfoot you gotta wait your turn and right now it's Remus'" you say.

"Right," Sirius mutters, buckling his belt back up tightly, like it might hide his massive hard-on. He watches hungrily as you straddle Remus again. Remus swallows hard, his hands going to your hips possessively. "No condom," he rasps softly,

"No need for one" You started to kiss him again

Remus kisses you back desperately, one hand tangling in your hair while the other grips your hip. He arches into you as you grind against his clothed cock, letting out a strangled moan. Suddenly, he lifts his hips, rubbing his erection directly against your bare pussy, You start to unzip his pants.

Remus gasps as you undo his pants, his cock springing free instantly. It throbs heavily, swollen and leaking pre-cum. The others groan collectively, watching intensely. Remus grips your ass, squeezing and spreading your cheeks. "Fucking hell... sit on it,"

You grab it and guide it towards your entrance and slowly sink yourself onto it with a small gasp.

Remus inhales sharply as you sit down on him, his hands going to your back to arch you forward more. He whimpers as you take him in inch by inch, his eyes rolling back. "More... more," he begs, his hips lifting to meet yours. You moan "fuck"

You're completely impaled on Remus' thick cock, his balls pressed against your ass. He's so deep inside you that his pelvis is rubbing against your clit with every thrust. Remus starts moving, his hips snapping up into you at a frantic pace, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

"A-are you sure you're a virgin" You gasped

Remus blushes deep crimson, biting his lip to stifle a groan. "Was," he pants, his cock throbbing deeply inside you. James snorts, shaking his head. "Bloody hell, mate, you're making up for lost time!"

"Do you wanna try another position?" You ask.

Remus nods vigorously, almost dizzy with lust. He lifts you off him smoothly, stroking his slick cock desperately. "How about... bent over the arm of the chair?" he suggests hoarsely, glancing down at his erection before looking back up at you with pleading eyes.

"Okay" You got up from his lap and his cock slips out as you walk over to the armchair and bend over it.

Remus follows eagerly, positioning himself behind you. He runs a hand up your inner thigh, spreading you open before pressing his cockhead to your entrance again. With a low groan, he pushes forward, sinking back into your tight heat in one long thrust. "Fuck... so good," You moan loudly.

Remus moans loudly along with you, his hips slapping against your ass as he starts pounding fiercely. The obscene sound of skin hitting skin fills the room, punctuated by Remus' grunts and your moans. Sirius leans in close, whispering to Remus, You whimper as you look back at Remus.

*Remus' face is contorted with pleasure, his eyes locked onto yours as he pulls back and slams back into you again and again. Sirius whispers in his ear, "Turn her around, mate. We wanna see her face."

Remus nods, slowing his thrusts as he pulls out. He grips your hips and flips you over, so you're facing him. He lifts your legs over his shoulders, spreading you wide open. He looks down at you with a fierce gaze, his hands gripping your thighs tightly. You moan loudly.

Remus starts fucking you enthusiastically in this new position, his cock sliding in deep and hitting just the right spot. The boys watch entranced as his bare cock disappears into your glistening pussy, making wet, sticky noises. "Christ, look at those tits bouncing,"

"Please rub my clit" you moaned.

Remus nods urgently, one hand moving between your bodies to find your sensitive clit. He starts rubbing fast circles over it as he thrusts, making you arch your back and moan even louder. James groans at the sight, adjusting his pants. "Fuck, she's going to cum soon..."

You whimper and gasp loudly.

"That's it, keep making those fucking noises..." Remus continues rubbing your clit feverishly, his thrusts becoming more urgent and messy. "Gonna make you come all over my cock..." He pounds into you hard, hitting your G-spot exactly right. "Are you close?"

You're nodded unable to speak as you moan.

"Come on, love. Squeeze that tight little pussy around my dick... let me feel it..." Remus's words send you over the edge, your pussy clenching down hard on his thrusting cock as you scream in ecstasy.

Your eyes roll back as you're slowly coming down from the high.

Remus watches your face as you come down from your orgasm, his eyes soft. He realizes he's still buried deep inside you, his pelvis pressed against yours. He pulls back slightly then slides in again softly. "You on birth control?" He asks hoarsely. You nodded

Remus lets out a sigh of relief, his arms wrapping around your legs as he holds you close. "Good." He starts moving again, this time at a slow, gentle pace. He looks up at James and Sirius, who are both watching with hungry expressions. "You two want a turn?"

You look over and see how hard they both are.

Both James and Sirius have bulges in their pants that are impossible to miss. James is sitting on the armchair, adjusting himself discreetly, while Sirius is standing nearby, his pants tenting out visibly. They both nod eagerly at Remus' question.

"Wanna finish in My mouth?" I asked looking up at Remus.

Remus' eyes nearly cross at the suggestion, and he groans deeply. "Fuck... yes." He slowly pulls out of you, his cock glistening with both your juices and his precum. He moves to sit on the edge of the chair, stroking himself slowly.

You get on your knees in front of him, You slowly start stroking him as you start to lick the tip in circles.

Remus throws his head back with a loud moan as you lick and stroke his sensitive cock. His hand tangles in your hair, guiding you as you take more of him into your mouth. James and Sirius move closer, watching intently as you suck Remus off.

You lick the underside from base to tip

Remus let out a ragged groan, his hips lifting slightly off the chair. "Fuck..." James leans against the back of the chair, his hand sliding down to adjust himself again. "Bloody hell, she's good at that..." Sirius kneels down beside you, whispering,

You start to such it bobbin your head up and down

*Sirius whispers, "Let me help." He reaches out and grabs your hair, guiding your head to take Remus even deeper. You gag slightly as his cock hits the back of your throat, but Sirius holds you in place, making sure you keep sucking. "That's it, love..."

You start to fondle his balls as you deep throat him

Remus groans loudly, watching as you take almost his entire length down your throat. His hips lift slightly to meet your mouth, his balls tightening from your touch. James mutters, "Shit, she's going to make him come fast..." Sirius nods, "Use your tongue..."

You start to make circles around it with your tongue

Remus lets out a high-pitched moan, his whole body shaking as he gets close to the edge. "Fuck, fuck, fuck..." He starts thrusting his hips, fucking your mouth hard and fast, his cock sliding in and out of your throat rapidly. "Gonna... gonna cum..." You start speed up the pace.

Remus suddenly stiffens, gripping your hair tightly as he explodes in your mouth with a loud groan. His cock pulses, shooting thick ropes of cum directly down your throat. "AHH FUCK..." He jerks his hips erratically, making sure every last drop ends up inside your mouth.

You swallow it all

Remus slumps back against the chair, panting heavily as he watches you swallow every drop of his cum. James and Sirius whistle lowly in appreciation, both sporting impressive erections that strain against their pants. "Bloody hell, she swallowed all of it," James remarks incredulously.

End of pt 1

[hiemalsborderland]

chishiya, arisu, and niragi - their effects on me as someone who experienced severe depression

chishiya’s little confession to arisu always fucking gets me. call me selfish little shit all you want but i relate to him, niragi, and arisu so much. that realization and my connection to these three led to the alteration of my brain chemistry that literally ended up saving me from committing suicide.

because he was actually so fucking real i don’t care what you guys say. i lived so much of my life depressed wondering what the fuck was wrong with me (being autistic and having emotionally abusive & neglectful parents did NOT help with this), and hearing him talk about being small-minded and jealous and being always afraid just hit home. i was so jealous of everyone around me who just hit every little thing in life like it was a home run because when you become depressed at 8 and it doesn’t go away for a LONG time you start to be so fucking pissed about people who celebrate their every move. i pitied it but in reality i was just jealous because they all had that little life in them, that HUMANITY that i never experienced.

niragis whole character hit home like crazy for me. because of my inability to fit in with others i was bullied a lot by my classmates and picked on for what felt like no reason at all. i was, of course, jealous (which i refused to admit) and it drove me insane. i started to become the person i never wanted to be because the hatred drove me so fucking crazy i started to think i either had something seriously wrong with me or they made something seriously wrong with me and either way i was going to revel in it because there would be no fixing for someone like me. niragi hit extremely hard for me during this time, call me psychopath or whatever the fuck but i seriously related so much. he was just like me and it was comforting because even though he was so terrible it made me feel less alone.

finally, ep 8 of s2 when it was flashing back to his father asking him what his purpose in life was with that DEPRESSING ASS SONG in the background while he sobbed saying he doesn’t deserve to live broke me. that was the last fucking straw. all my selfishness and jealousy and anger and HATRED for everyone else just crumbled down on me and i didn’t want to live anymore because i felt like a selfish waste of space. it hurt and it hurt BAD. it was like somebody just took a knife, stabbed me straight in the heart a twisted a full 360.

these were very relatable characters for me, and i know i seem like an asshole for it, i don’t care. thats what real mental illness and effects of neglect / bullying / discouragement / everything looks like. they genuinely make me sob every time i see them because they’re actually me i see them and suddenly im that same scared little boy again. to this day those fireworks are STILL my favorite thing in the world and they mean everything to me. that was the scene that convinced me not to do it.

[fandom-susceptible]

TDP Rewatch: S1 E3, "Moonrise"

It's interesting that they zoomed on Soren's face as the procession crossed the courtyard, not Harrow's - and that he didn't look nervous, just determined. He was right, too.

God, Harrow cuddling with his bird is the cutest thing. That bird adores him. Also, (who gives the best birdie kisses) "Pip Does." was said so fiercely and then the face he made after, I just. Ah, that hit me in the chest.

How is "hard-headed" more acceptable in your vernacular than "stubborn", Viren? Or are you just the only one you want to be insulting Harrow in public?

It's interesting how Viren's smiling in the coronation portrait, but Harrow isn't. Viren says Harrow insisted on doing the portrait together, but I . . . have my doubts, now.

Yeah honestly Claudia we're on the same page about the persimmon jelly.

Something about how Ezran doesn't hesitate to trust Rayla, and when she kneels in front of the egg she looks at him so softly even though ten minutes ago she was convinced he had to die - and then Claudia, whom Ezran has known his entire life, threatens violence immediately and just keeps spouting threats while trying to get him to cooperate with her. They showed us who these girls were from the very beginning; Claudia acts sweet but in the moment of truth will turn cruel, and Rayla projects coldness but in the moment of truth will offer love instead. It's a neat mirror. And I love the way Rayla smiles at Ezran when he looks to her for reassurance in that very first moment in Viren's dungeon. That moment of yes, I'm with you.

They really sell being teenagers in this first season, and I love it. "NOT THAT WAY!" "WHY?" *runs into wall* "Is this a guessing game? Just do it!" "I'M A MAGE!" *shushes him* "Nobody likes a loud mage."

Also, can we talk about how the first time Rayla actually touched Callum was to shush him in that moment? And how she was the first person to call him a mage? And how she then proceeded to tell him something she's clearly said before, which when I first watched I assumed was just a common saying/joke in Xadia, but after finding out Ethari is a mage might be a family in-joke? Yeah I've got Rayllum feelings why

"What's in the basket? A bigger moth?" omg Soren is SUCH a sarcastic little shit around Viren and I love that for him????

Also, "When all of your swords have failed." is such a clear attempt to undermine Soren's personal confidence, and the worst part is I bet Viren didn't even do it consciously. He's just so used to tearing Soren down that he doesn't have to think about it anymore, it's become automatic. It's a really common trait of abusive parents and I hate him so much for it. (obligatory acknowledgement that I actually love it as a writing choice, it's great. He is a bad guy! I am supposed to dislike him! They did a good job!) But also, Soren responding to it with a spiteful defense of his soldiers was a good moment for him.

"We go way back! Like that one time, ten minutes ago, when you chased me through the castle trying to stab me!" Bless Jack De Sena for Callum's voice acting and also bless whoever animated his and Rayla's expressions in that exchange because I am fucking wheezing

Can we talk about how Harrow's tone was coldly neutral until Viren walked in and sat in Harrow's marriage bed, uninvited, and then the next thing he said - "Your friend?" sounded venomous? Or that fucking single eyebrow raised when Viren said "brother". Harrow is WELL aware that his best friend has a weird gay thing about him, and he regrets not nipping that in the bud before it became this unhealthy obsession.

Yeah that whole "On. Your. Knees." does not get less gay with subsequent rewatches. Like bruh. They showed this to kids. Harrow. I stg. But also, Harrow sees Viren's weird gay obsession and meets his freak by putting him down about it, in a way that they both know he wouldn't if he actually returned it with any kind of affection. Oh, I think all Harrow's dialogue about Viren's arrogance and self-importance was very much also what he meant, I don't think he was talking around anything, but yeah, that was. Wow.

Also ngl Harrow can tell me to do anything he goddamn wants if he talks in that tone, jesus

Interesting. Okay so Runaan does say that humans are liars - he doesn't say there's nothing worth sparing, as Rayla seemed to imply. He's been tricked before. That said, for all he talks a big game about his ruthlessness, he doesn't just shoot Callum outright. He warns him that he's made a mistake and he very much takes his time nocking that arrow. He doesn't want to kill this kid if he doesn't have to.

I also love that one moment where his eyes go wide after Rayla tells him again he needs to call off the mission, in the middle of "You know it doesn't work that way." He glances down at his own bindings and he looks panicked for half a second before covering it in this sudden anger that doesn't quite fit with how he reacted to the egg's appearance. He's scared. He knows she's right, but he's much older, more set in his ways, and doesn't see a way out. He's fucked up. So he just tries to fall back on what he's Supposed to do - just finish the mission, worry about the egg later, because those are the rules.

And then Rayla sends the boys away and forces him to confront those values instead of just falling back on them. Now he doesn't get to separate himself and his feelings from reality. And I don't think she actually believes he'll kill her here, even though he threatens to and she smirks and says "Probably" - if he was willing to do that, he would have done it already, and they both know it. She's just forcing him to confront the conflict between his moral values and his cultural ones.

oh, god, I forgot that Ezran brought up Callum calling him Dad in the very first episode.

I think it's interesting how Runaan accuses Rayla of being "Better than this" while very obviously holding back. He keeps pausing. Rayla's constantly in motion in this fight, whether attacking or defending or just trying to catch her breath, but he attacks once and then waits for her to recover, defends once and freezes up. He can't do this. Now he's the one hesitating and he can't stop doing it. Rayla has to know this too - that's why she sasses him when he realizes she's just stalling, because she knows she's gotten into his head. She knows he can't stop her because he can't bring himself to hurt her. So if she can just call on the fatherly part of him a little more, maybe she can get him on her side. It just doesn't quite work, because he's too set in his ways and his teenage daughter's wild idea is not enough to convince him that turning the entire world upside down is possible.

Do you think Viren had a moment of abject panic when Callum said "I know what you did!" after he came out of Harrow's chambers after switching the king's soul out with Pip's? Like HOW THE FUCK DOES THE KID KNOW, I LITERALLY JUST DID - "You stole the egg of the Dragon Pricne!" oh nvm. wait, what. why does he know that, who - what the fuck is happening right now?

Soren insisting Callum is the prince and refusing to arrest him is another good moment for him. Bless that young man for trying so hard. But also, Viren taking Callum's voice was awful on so many levels, and Soren's lack of surprise makes that one hurt??? Because. Viren had that spell just right there in his sleeve. He constantly undermines and dismisses Soren. Now he's using it so casually on the prince. Has he done this to Soren before? Is that why Soren's face just went so stony and he refused to say anything else after that? Viren is just such a fundamentally awful person and I love to hate him.

Knowing more about the assassins has me watching this scene with so much interest now. It's Runaan's arrow that hits Soren first, but Skor's the first through the door - two blades and brute strength. Ram hits the ground next, going low with no visible weapons, with Callisto and Andromeda flanking him with Callisto's glaive and Andromeda's sickles. Runaan brings up the rear with a bow, and honestly? He's walking in with his horns already at heights Ram and Andromeda leaped to get to, moving the slowest of any of them, not curling in or dodging or anything. He's just strode in leaving himself wide open because fuck you, I guess, what does this bitch have to worry about? That's terrifying.

The fucking "DA!" He does does undercut the intimidation as a viewer tho now I'm just laughing at him because his actor clearly was not out of breath or stressed when delivering that.

I've never noticed before that the elves reacted to Viren's spell releasing Callum's voice. Or that Soren moved between Viren and recovering control of the spell. Skor stepped back from a fight and glanced towards the spell, got distracted by it. Callisto ducked as if he thought it was coming towards him. Ram and Andromeda didn't twitch but Runaan bridled at it too.

Callisto was the first to reach the door but couldn't break it open and Soren went for him. The assassins converge on the door and Soren manages to hold off Callisto, Ram, and Andromeda all at once for a moment before Skor and Runaan step in. Runaan just wholly grabs a guard by the face and throws them to the ground with his bare hands (well, gloved, but weaponless). As in like. Picks them up off the floor and slams them back down one-handed by the face. I know he's an antagonist right now and like we like the guards in Katolis they're fine but also the sheer ability to do that is hot I'm so sorry.

When the elves press the door again after Callum calls for "Dad!" it's Skor to the left, Runaan, and Callisto to the right, and Runaan has zeroed in on Soren as the greatest obstacle to their goals. He's bigger than Soren, has an advantage in height, weight, strength, and experience, and he's bearing down on him but losing time, and Ram ends up lunging in to try and take Soren out while Runaan has him distracted. And it doesn't work, Soren manages to block them both at once. He's genuinely very good at his fucking job and I hate that Viren tore him down so much he doesn't see it.

Oh, fuck. Andromeda was the first elf to fall. We don't see her after the first clash at the door breaks free. Ram disappears briefly but returns at Runaan's side, everyone's converging on the door again, but she's gone.

Rayla's so quickly ride or die for these boys and this mission, and I love her so much for it. "Say the word, and I'll go back into that tower with ye." And she meant it. But she'll also guard them on their way out, when that's what they choose to do instead.

Can we also address that Soren's losing guards left and right to the clash in this tower, and Viren is RIGHT THERE, able to do random magic like stealing the voice from a kid, but he doesn't do a thing to assist in the actual battle? Absolutely nothing to help his son in their alleged shared goal of defending the king?

Runaan stumbles through clutching his side, and given the wounds we see later, I'm guessing Soren kicked him in the ribs to get out of one of their sword locks and broke them. He also can't breathe right. There's a bruise on his jaw and we saw from how Soren fought with Ram (and how he fights later) that he's willing to just punch people with his other hand while he's got them distracted with his sword. I'm betting most of his injuries are from Soren, including the broken horn. We don't see that part happen. I'm actually gonna, once this episode is over, skip ahead to the season 7 finale briefly to see Runaan's retelling of this scene, because I'm curious about those moments between that we missed here.

the binding also doesn't fall off until he reaches the balcony. Pip/Harrow wasn't killed instantly; he just succumbed quickly to what I'm betting was the poison on Runaan's arrow.

The face he gives after releasing the arrow hits, though, because he's reporting a failure. I'm also very interested in like, what he thought would happen for Rayla here. I would have guessed initially that his "Your justice will come later." was meant as him realizing if she stops them, if they fail, she'll suffer becoming a Ghost, but he's surprised by the news in season 7. Did he just assume there wouldn't be a unanimous vote to ghost her? It would sort of make sense; there's a certain amount of arrogance he clearly has regarding his own place in the Silvergrove, and a lot of it's justified by how the community treats him and Ethari. It wouldn't be unreasonable for him to guess that as his daughter and a clearly talented and relatively respectable warrior in her own right, there would be at least a few voices who were reluctant to abandon her entirely, even if she'd have to live with the same of losing her hand to her failure. That's a thing I don't think we give enough credit to, either, is the fact that Ghosting has to be a unanimous decision and therefore, not everyone in Rayla's position ends up ghosted. That's why the bindings are there. She'd have had to sacrifice her hand, but if she was respected enough to begin with to escape a ghosting, that would have been it. She'd pay her price and still get to go home.

Claudia appearing just to insist "we can find more practical uses for this one" gives me the creeps. Like "she sees Runaan and sees spell parts, not a person" kind of creeps.

I'm so very fond of this credits sketch, because it shows just how long Runaan has been in her life. Rayla was 8 when she moved in with him and Ethari - she's clearly younger than that here, and he's already there teaching her things, so clearly fond of her.

It also shows how her facial markings have changed over time; in this sketch we can see that the slash mark used to go both above her brow and below her eye, presumably unbroken (Lain's across the eye markings also cover his eyelids, so stands to reason hers would too). The curve below her eye is also different, where Runaan's remains consistent in this sketch to the show.

I could comment on her reaction to losing Harrow's binding but honestly like. That's been analyzed to death for six years straight. I don't really feel the need to go over something that's been addressed repeatedly in the show already.

Addition after checking the story in Season 7, so don't read further if you haven't seen that yet:

Runaan's horn was not broken yet when he broke into the room. Skor was the only one who made it in after him. So the other assassins may never have seen Harrow at all, and the fighting after the poisoned arrow hit Pip could have lasted for a while, justifying Runaan's ability to vault into the room initially but also barely being able to stumble out onto the balcony in the end.

So Andromeda died before they even got the door open. Skor followed Runaan through the door, but we don't see Callisto or Ram after that point, so they may or may not have made it that far. I would guess that Runaan's grievous injuries were likely due to fighting virtually on his own for an extended period of time, and the brief time he got to send off the shadowhawk was Skor's last sacrifice, keeping them busy for long enough to do that.

[theambitiouswoman]

How do I overcome self-esteem issues in dating?

Growing up, I don't have pretty privilege like some of my girl friends do, and guys normally would not approach me because I come across as "intimidating" (I have a RBF). I've approached guys I had crushes on at school but I always get rejected, they say that I'm better as a friend than a romantic partner.

I thought my luck finally turned around when I met my ex on a dating app. He checked off many things on my list e.g., successful career, financially independent, exercises regularly and takes care of himself. But after several months I realized that he only dated me because he was lonely and it was convenient for him. He didn't want to commit to me when I asked for something serious. I was crushed. I felt like I was undeserving of love and am convinced that I'll never find someone who will accept me as a partner because I'm not my type's type.

I'm trying to pick myself back up again. I started going to the gym, doing proper skincare, eating healthier, and dressing up better to feel good about myself. But I still find myself secretly hoping for the validation of successful and attractive men when I'm in social settings, as if that proves that I am an equal or "at their level".

I'm aware that this mindset is toxic but I'm struggling to find an effective way to grow out of it. Appreciate your thoughts on this.

Hi beautiful girl

I just want to say how much I admire your self awareness and the effort you’re putting into bettering yourself. It makes you stand out in the best way 🤍 It’s so hard to be dedicated to growth when we don’t feel our best. Use this as a building block for your confidence in case no one has ever told you.

Now, let’s talk about this whole “pretty privilege” thing. Yes, some girls might have an easier time getting attention, but attention and genuine connection are two very different things. You’re not looking for surface level validation—you’re looking for someone who truly sees you & trust me, that’s worth way more than a few extra DMs from guys who just like a pretty face who want you for bad reasons. Pretty privilege is not just about looks and I hate how much the internet emphasizes it. Because pretty privilege is also about your confidence and self respect. How tall you stand. How you put yourself together. How you treat others. I see countless girls who aren’t wildly attractive by societal standards who get treated with “pretty privilege” and you know why? Because they are confident.

I totally get the frustration of feeling like you’re “not your type’s type,” but that’s just a story your past experiences have made you believe—it’s not a fact. First of all, men don’t date who they want, they date at the level of their self esteem. I’ve said this many times before and I’ll repeat it. Men literally never know what they want. Anything you hear men say that they do, it really means the opposite. I’ve never seen this not be true. Because men will always cling to a woman who makes them FEEL, since men have so much trouble with emotion. The right person will find you incredibly attractive, not just in looks but in energy, presence, and personality. You already have so much to offer & you don’t need to prove your worth to anyone, especially men who don’t recognize it. So instead of worrying about if a guy likes you, ask yourself if you like him. Learning to disconnect from the approval of others is important for confidence. And if you approve of yourself, you don’t care what other people think.

You’re already doing amazing things for yourself—the gym, skincare, eating well, dressing up—and that’s exactly where your focus should be. Instead of seeking validation, shift the energy into being the woman you admire. And when you walk into a room, don’t wonder if successful men will notice you—ask yourself, Do I even find them impressive? (promise most aren’t lol — you’re going to have to trust me on this) Do they bring the same value to the table that I do? That little mindset shift will change everything.

Become your own biggest fan. Ask yourself, If no one could see or comment on what I do, would I still want to do it? If the answer is yes, that’s self approval. Unfollow or distance yourself from anything that makes you feel like you need to prove your worth. Instead of trying to impress others, focus on whether they impress you. The most magnetic people are unapologetically themselves. Thats incredibly hot. And everyone is drawn to a woman whose life revolves around herself. Seriously that’s all you’re missing!!! You’re doing so great!

Decenter everyone and center yourself!

You’re not behind, you’re not lacking and you’re absolutely deserving of a love that feels easy, mutual, and aligned. Keep growing, keep glowing and trust that the right people will come into your life because of the confidence and self worth you’re building—not because of how much you chase external validation.

Love you, most of these guys don’t deserve you anyway. Especially with all of the work you’re doing for yourself. Too good for most. A man needs to earn you and work twice as hard to keep you. And men love working for something babygirl.

[sainteclectic]

{can I ask for more wholesoul headcanons please they give me life}

always and forever. here you go

soul likes flower meanings. it's just something to pass the time, finding meaning and metaphors in the mundane. he agonizes over the right combination of flowers to give whole for days, weighing their meanings and their combinations... whole would, of course, love it no matter what the flowers were

also whole doesn't even know what they mean. but she knows soul likes that kind of thing, so she asks him what all the flowers mean. soul has fucked itself over very hard here because now it has to explain the incredibly sappy meanings of all these flowers that he spent like a week deciding on. and whole is just looking at him like :> ? which is not helping

when soul becomes kitty, he does the thing where cats bring random household objects to you as a gift and look at you so so expectantly for praise. and it trills while approaching because it's just soso proud of itself. he brings whole a random sock that was just on the floor and whole is like. I have no idea where you even got this and it's not mine but thanks <:]

puppy whole, meanwhile, likes lying on soul's lap. soul feels honored to be trusted as a caregiver and she's just happy to see soul so excited. and ofcourse he does the thing where dogs just randomly let out a big sigh. what's troubling you puppy... why are you sighing...

this one is silly, but sometimes soul gets so excited to see whole that he accidently rams into her with his horns. whole puts tennis balls on the tips like you do with goats, half as a joke, but soul of course refuses to take them off. whole gave it those!! and whole has to convince soul that no, really, you don't need to wear those, you won't offend me if you take them off, please-

[gamesetattach]

Valentine's Special

Jannik Sinner x Reader After nearly a month of distance during their established relationship, reader and Jannik are having a harder and harder time dealing with being apart. Warnings... Valentine's Day Cynicism

Jannik had always thought of relationships as something that shouldn’t interfere with his career. He had convinced himself that having a partner shouldn’t—or rather, wouldn’t—change much. Tennis had always been his priority, his life structured around training, travel, and competition. But then you had come along, and without even meaning to, you had rewritten everything.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t function without you—he could, and well. He was still training and playing hard as ever, and was now in Doha preparing for his next match with his renowned, unbreakable discipline. A full life to him used to mean days mostly consisting of his practice regime and the company of his team, but now those things alone just felt incomplete. Ever since you.

So when you weren't around, it always felt like he was missing something.

You'd last been together at the Australian Open, and he had been counting down the days until he could see you again ever since. He had hoped that his short off-season before the Qatar Open would hold some uninterrupted time with you, but your work had pulled you away. Your travel for a new project overlapped with the time in between tournaments, sending you halfway across the world for work. He understood—your career was just as important as his, and he would never be the kind of partner to ask you to compromise on your ambitions. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t hard.

Jannik wasn’t used to missing someone quite like this. It was an ache, a quiet but persistent tug at his chest that lingered throughout the days. Mornings felt empty without waking up beside you, nights stretched too long without your laughter filling the space. He missed everything—the way you absentmindedly run your fingers up and down the back of his hair, the way you'd mutter to yourself when you were deep in thought, the way you always made faces at him when you thought no one was looking. Even the quiet moments, when you would just sit together without saying much at all and just exist in each other’s presence, had become something he longed for.

The only thing keeping him sane were your calls.

They had quickly become the best part of his day. No matter how different your time zones were, no matter how late or early it got for either of you, you both made time for them. He could go through hours of practice in the heat, and train until his body ached, but everything washed away the moment his phone lit up with your name.

"Hey, baby," you would greet him, voice warm and familiar, instantly easing the weight of the day.

He couldn't help but sigh, a small smile always tugging at his lips. "Hey. Tell me everything."

And you would. You’d recount your day, your voice animated as you talked about your project, the people you met, the small things you noticed that you knew he’d find funny. And then you’d turn it on him, asking about his training, his stories, and everything ever.

"So, how was today? Take any balls to the balls like yesterday?" you teased one evening, phone propped in the bathroom as you got ready in a hotel room miles away.

Jannik let out a chuckle. "Not for me, but Darren had... an incident."

"Oh? Do tell."

"I was getting too close to him during one of our drills" Jannik said, shaking his head. "He warned me, but I just waved it off. Then, boom. Nearly took his head off his neck with a backhand."

You gasped. "No way."

"I know. He tried to play it off, but we all saw him stumble backward and I know my swing was very hard. Marco and Uli couldn’t hold in their laughter. Even Simone lost it." Jannik was laughing now, the memory still fresh. "I swear, as calm as Darren is, I think he actually was pissed for once. Gave me the longest circuits of my life after that."

You cackled. "Oh, totally unrelated call of his, I’m sure. Ugh, I wish I could have seen it."

"Sadly, no footage. If only, because how hard Simone was laughing it must have been funny. I wish I got a better view."

"Aw, poor Darren. I would not want to on the other end of your racket. Not as an opponent, and definitely not as a casualty."

And you both laughed and, just like that, the distance didn’t feel so unbearable.

Jannik grinned. "I’ll make sure to relay your condolences."

---

As much as he loved those calls, they were only a temporary fix. No screen could make up for the feeling of holding you, the warmth of your presence beside him. He wanted to see you, to feel the weight of your head against his shoulder, to press a kiss to your temple. The moments in between your contact, and right after your calls, made your absence feel that much larger. It took a great effort for him remind himself that you'd be together soon.

He hadn’t quite realized how much he had grown to prefer going through his life with you around until you weren’t there. He was still whole on his own, but with you, he was more—his days fuller, his nights warmer, his world brighter.

And now, another morning standing in the Doha heat wiping sweat from his forehead, weeks into being you being away, he could only think of one thing in between practice sessions: You.

And how he needed to see you again. Soon.

---

Jannik laid in bed, holding the the phone above him in front of his face, one arm tucked behind his head. The hotel room was dimly lit, only the bedside lamp and the screen to cast a warm glow over his face. He could hear the occasional murmur of traffic outside, but otherwise, the room was quiet—too quiet. The kind of quiet that made him miss you even more; he turned the volume up on your call.

"What are you even doing?" he asked, voice slightly drowsy as he watched the screen. The sight of you, doing something as normal and everyday as maneuvering a shopping cart down the grocery store aisle, made his chest squeeze.

"Oh, you know, just navigating through capitalist hell," you quipped, flashing a dry smirk. "It’s all hearts and roses and overpriced chocolate in here. It’s an actual nightmare."

Jannik chuckled. "And you're deeply affected."

"You know I am," you deadpanned. "You should’ve seen the display by the entrance. There was a literal, towering mountain of pink teddy bears—and they're so freaky looking! And they sing when you press their stomachs. And even when just walk past them, to be honest. It’s fucking scary."

He laughed again, shaking his head. "Oh come on, there's worse than teddy bears. It’s only Valentine’s Day."

"Oh, don't get me started. You know how I feel about it," you said, as you made a sharp turn with the cart around a corner. "It’s a total scam. A corporate ploy to make people spend money on things they don’t need, all in the name of some grand romantic gesture. And don’t even get me started on the expectations. The dinner reservations, the expensive gifts, the pressure to do something special just because the date on the calendar says so. It’s ridiculous."

Jannik smiled, eyes softening as he listened to your familiar antics. "You’ve given me this speech before."

"And yet, you still seem to enjoy bringing it up. Just love to poke the bear, don't you?"

"Because it’s funny," he admitted. "You went on a whole rant about it early on when we just started dating, remember? I think we were out for coffee, and you got irrationally angry over some heart-shaped sugar cookie."

You groaned. "Because it was two euros more than a normal cookie! Because it was pink? That’s robbery in any court of law, Jan."

Jannik bit his lip to keep from laughing too hard. "A true crime against humanity."

"That's what I'm saying!"

He watched as you grabbed a carton of milk from the shelf, stuffing it into your cart before turning back to the screen. "Speaking of... Valentine's is coming up later this week."

Your eyes narrowed immediately. "What? Don’t tell me you’re falling for the trap now, too. I thought I trained you better than this."

Jannik smirked, tilting his head back against the pillow. "No, no, never. I wouldn’t dare. I just thought... if your schedule allows, of course—maybe you could come to Doha for the weekend. Not even for Valentine's or anything, it's just... we haven’t seen each other in weeks, and won't for at least another few."

Your fingers tightened around the handle of the cart, suddenly all too aware of your own face and expressions on the screen. You hadn’t expected him to ask outright, even though you had a feeling he was considering it.

You swallowed, forcing a regretful sigh. "Jannik, I’m so sorry. I can’t. Work is getting especially busy."

His brows furrowed slightly, the hope in his face dimming. Still, he turned it back to you, checking in. "Is everything going okay?"

You nodded quickly, rushing the lie. "Yeah, but it’s going to pick up the next few days. Honestly, it’s gonna be crazy. I might even have trouble calling and texting as much."

Jannik exhaled quietly, nodding in understanding. And though he tried his best to cover it, his disappointment was clear. "I get it. Work comes first. You'll smooth it over in no time, I'm sure."

It hurt you to watch how easily he accepted it. How his reaction came second to his unwavering support, even with how let down you could tell he was.

"I’m sorry," you murmured again, softer this time.

"It’s okay," he said, but the mirth in his voice had dimmed into something just a little despondent. "I just miss you, that’s all."

There was a pause. One where you could hear the unspoken weight in his words. One where you nearly cracked and told him the truth.

But you held off.

Instead, you smiled, trying to keep the mood light. "I know. I miss you too. But don’t get any ideas—I’m not sending you flowers."

He let out a small laugh, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "No teddy bear either? Not even the singing kind?"

"No, definitely not. And trust me when I say I'm doing you a favor."

You both sat in silence for a moment, your eyes locked through the screen, the time and space between you more pronounced than ever. It took everything for you to school your face, and not give anything away—after all, no one knew you as well as him.

"You should get some sleep," you finally said, noting the time and how tired he looked.

Jannik sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. I guess."

You hesitated, then smiled softly. "Goodnight, Jan."

"Goodnight, I love you."

The call ended, and Jannik stared at the dark screen for a long moment before placing his phone on the nightstand. The absence of you always felt especially jarring right after your phone calls. He exhaled slowly, rolling onto his side, the emptiness beside him noticeable and cold.

And, not for the first time in weeks, he fell into a restless night of sleep.

---

Jannik had come down from his room on Valentine's Day to meet a flood of claps on the back and cheery, cheeky smiles from his team, each one relaying some variation of greetings for the "holiday". He responded with equal, playful enthusiasm, smirking as his friends all checked in on their respective partners, planning FaceTime calls, last-minute gifts, or made dinner plans from afar. They all knew the drill when it came to balancing their love lives and relationships with their frequency of travel. Jannik, however, had been met with radio silence ever since the teasing text acknowledging Valentine's day sent to you in time for what should have been your morning of.

You had been calling and texting less and less over the past few days, explaining that work was piling up, leaving you with barely any time. He understood, of course, but it didn’t stop the pang of disappointment each time he checked his phone and saw nothing from you. And he checked more often than he cared to admit. The last proper conversation had been a few nights ago, and even then, it had felt a little distant. He hadn’t wanted to press you, these periods weren't uncommon with your busy schedules, but without communication the distance between you two felt even greater.

Still, he pushed the thoughts aside as he made his way to the courts. Jack Draper, his practice partner for the day, greeted him with an easy grin, stretching out his arm as Jannik set his bag down.

"Happy Valentine’s, mate. Good to see you."

Jannik grinning at his old friend. "You too. Have a nice date lined up?"

Jack snorted. "Something like that. What about you? How's your relationship going?"

Jannik blinked, caught slightly off guard, but nodded. "She’s good, we're good. Great, actually... but she's away right now, she has this big project for work."

Jack hummed. "Right. Sorry, man. Distance is tough."

Jannik ignored the look of sympathy Jack gave him and turned his focus to his warm up. The practice was grueling, the Qatar sun relentless even in the winter. They pushed through long rallies, each point more intense than the last. It was exactly the kind of distraction Jannik needed.

That was, until he walked back to the bench for some water and saw an unusual guest sat in his place.

A pink teddy bear.

Sitting there, staring up at him with beady, hollow eyes. He looked around quickly, before picking it up in confusion. At his touch, the stuffed animal began... singing?

Jannik froze, water bottle now forgotten. His team was no help, they were ignoring his looks and had all suddenly found something very interesting to look at everywhere but him, failing to suppress their laughter.

Slowly, he reached down and pressed the bear’s belly. It let out a cheerful little jingle amidst its screechy song, a high-pitched I love you, I love you squawking from its speaker.

He narrowed his eyes, scanning the court and the stands. No way. His pulse had kicked up, heart thudding as his mind dared to hope. No way she—

Then, movement. A figure appeared amidst the stands, hands raised in mock surrender.

It was you.

It was actually you.

Jannik's breath caught. His body moved before his brain could fully catch up, his legs closing the distance between you in long, hurried strides. His team erupted into cheers, clapping and whooping as they watched him climb over the barrier.

He reached for you, hands finding your waist and pulling you into him, reveling in the warmth of you after weeks of being without. Your arms wrapped around him instantly, your body fitting against his just like he remembered.

"You—" His voice broke off into a laugh, and pushed you to arms length for a second to really look at you, face full of disbelief and relief. "You’re here?"

You grinned, pulling him down for a kiss, feeling tension in his jaw melt the moment you pressed against him. "Surprise."

He held you tight for a moment, and face his face into your neck. Breathing you in, he muffled out a few words. "I can't believe this."

You pulled back just enough to look up at him. "And I'm glad. It took a lot to keep you from figuring this out."

Jannik shook his head, still grinning, still trying to process that you were actually in front of him. He repeated what he said before, "I can’t believe this."

"Well, I’m here. Better believe it."

His thumb brushed over your cheek, a gesture so instinctive and fond that it made your breath hitch. "How? When?"

You laughed softly. "I’ve been planning it since before we even had that one call where you asked. That’s why I’ve been bad at responding—I was traveling since then. That, and I knew you'd catch on if I had to lie to your face."

Jannik let out a breath, shaking his head again. "And here I was thinking you were too busy for me."

You softened, squeezing his hand. "Never."

He dipped down for another kiss, this one longer and deeper with only the beginning of three weeks worth of emotion leaking out. For that moment, it was just you and him. The world faded, the background noise of practice and the team, everything else slipping away. Then from back on the court, Jack cleared his throat loudly.

"Alright, alright, I'm glad we pulled off this reunion, but some of us have do have practice to finish."

You turned and called back, grinning at him. "Sorry, Jack. Didn’t mean to steal your Valentine's date and training partner all in one go."

Jack smirked. "Oh, you absolutely meant to. But I guess I can share."

Jannik, still beaming, tugged you closer by the waist. "You’re staying for the weekend?"

"Of course," you murmured, tilting your head up to meet his gaze. "Figured I might as well spend this ridiculous holiday with someone I actually like."

Jannik laughed, pressing a long kiss to your forehead. "Good. Because I actually like you too."

And with that, he made his back to the court with this blissful smile on his face, and you thought maybe Valentine’s Day didn’t have to be so ridiculous after all.

---

I'm personally a big fan of Valentine's day, but I hope this fic was a rounded out enough demonstration of feelings for the day. A little bit of hate, a lot of love, and a fair amount of longing. Hope you enjoyed xx