#like it is such a plot by numbers one it tickles me in some ways

[rispwr]

Number one girl ・❥・J.JK (Fluff)

pairings : jungkook x afab! reader

genre : frienemies2??, established relationship, fluff, slight angst, enemies in public, bsfs in secret.

sypnosis : what's more confusing than math? your feelings for a man you don't like but you don't hate.

content : student council vp! reader, playfuckboy! jk, bets, ciggarettes, alcohol, parties, club, jungkook map of the soul persona era, no smut just plot and fluff, misunderstanding.

word count : 14,4k

music rec : number one girl by rose, if you want to by beabadoobee, do i wanna know by arctic monkeys, number 1 party anthem by arctic monkeys.

It was 9 PM, And Jungkook had shown up at my door earlier, carrying my favorite food, with a grin on his face. now i was wrapped securely in his arms.

My legs were draped over his lap, and my head rested against his chest, As his hands moved lazily through my hair, his fingertips tracing soft patterns on my scalp. His voice, low, hummed a tune I didn't recognize but found comfort in.

"Kook?" I murmured, my voice muffled against his chest.

"Hmm?" His response was gentle, paired with the subtle vibration of his voice as he kept humming.

I lifted my head, finally meeting his gaze. His dark eyes softened as he looked down at me, his lips curving into a slight smile as his hand continued its soothing motion through my hair.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, my voice teasingly light. "...For dessert?"

The corner of his mouth twitched upward. "You want ice cream?" he guessed, amusement flickering in his tone.

I nodded quickly, the excitement bubbling up and escaping in the form of a wide grin. He chuckled softly at my enthusiasm. "Alright," he said with a soft laugh, his hand leaving my hair briefly to tap my nose.

"So, do you wanna let go of me so we can get some?" His voice was playful, his smile knowing.

I raised an eyebrow, feigning sarcasm. "Let me enjoy this moment, Jungkook," I replied dramatically. "When you're not being a moody girl on her period for once."

His laugh was warm, filling the space between us as he pulled me closer, his arms tightening around me. "A moody girl, huh?" he teased, his lips brushing the top of my head as he spoke.

I groaned loudly, burying my face back into his chest. "Kookkkk!!" I squealed, my voice muffled by his hoodie.

That's when it started. His hands, once gentle and soft, suddenly moved to tickle my sides. My laughter erupted uncontrollably, as I wriggled in his grip, trying and failing to escape.

"Stop! Jungkook!" I cried between gasps of laughter, my hands slapping against his biceps in a weak attempt at resistance.

But he only laughed harder, his grip firm as he leaned over me, effectively pinning me beneath him. and soon I was sprawled out on the bed, breathless and flushed.

He paused then, hovering over me with a grin, his dark hair falling into his eyes. For a moment, everything stopped. His laughter faded. His gaze locked with mine.

It was the way his eyes softened as they roamed over my face, the way his breath hitched ever so slightly.

He leaned in just a fraction closer, his lips parting as if he wanted to say something.

But then, as quickly as the moment came, it was gone.

"Uh, okay," he blurted, his voice an octave higher than usual as he broke the silence. "Let's go?"

The sudden awkwardness was almost comical. He scrambled off me, sitting up on the bed and rubbing the back of his neck.

I stayed where I was, still lying on my back, staring up at the ceiling in stunned silence. My heartbeat thundered in my chest, and I pressed a hand against it as if that would calm the storm raging inside me.

Jungkook stood then, adjusting his hoodie as he avoided my gaze. "So... you wanna get up and wear a bra so we can go out, hun?"

The teasing lilt in his voice snapped me out of my daze.

"Jeon Jungkook!" I gasped, sitting up and grabbing the nearest pillow. I hurled it at him with all the strength I could muster, but he dodged it effortlessly, his laughter filling the room once again.

"Shut up!" I yelled, my face heating as I scrambled to sit properly on the bed.

his laughter echoing down the hallway as he left the room.

Once he was gone, the silence returned, and I was left alone with my thoughts. My hand instinctively moved to my chest, pressing against the spot where my heart still raced.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath, closing my eyes.

I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away as I climbed out of bed, grabbing a hoodie to throw over my shirt. The last thing I needed was to overthink this.

Jungkook was just... Jungkook.

Right?

I sighed, making my way out of the room to find him. He was waiting for me at the door, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans, that signature grin plastered across his face.

"Ready?" he asked, his tone light and teasing as always.

I nodded, slipping into my shoes as he held the door open for me.

----

we climbed into his car. The quiet hum of the engine filled the silence as he pulled out of the driveway, his hands gripping the steering wheel with casual ease.

"You're not gonna make me pick the playlist, are you?" I asked, settling into my seat and glancing at him.

"Nah, I've got us covered," he said, already queuing up a playlist on his phone. Moments later, our favorite song filled the car, and he started tapping the steering wheel to the beat.

Kiss me Kiss me with your eyes closed Whisper that your heart shows

I couldn't help but laugh as he began singing. well, shouting? the lyrics dramatically.

Hold me, I'm your bunny

Tell me I'm not funny

"Are you auditioning for something, Jungkook?" I teased, watching as he turned to give me an exaggerated wink before returning his focus to the road.

"Maybe. Think I've got a chance?" he asked, his tone light but his grin mischievous.

"Only if they're looking for someone to scare the judges away," I quipped.

He gasped in mock offense, placing a hand over his heart. "Wow. Betrayed by my own princess passenger."

---

We ordered our ice cream quickly, opting to eat in the car rather than sitting outside in the chilly night air.

The car was warm and cozy as we sat, our cones in hand. Jungkook took an exaggerated lick of his ice cream, his eyes narrowing at me like he was waiting for me to mess up somehow.

"What?" I asked, taking a cautious bite of my own.

"You've got..." He gestured vaguely to my face, his expression far too smug for my liking.

"Where?" I asked, swiping at my cheek.

"Nope, not there."

I frowned, trying again, but his grin only widened.

"Here, let me help," he said, leaning across the console. Before I could protest, he swiped his thumb across my cheek, his touch light and fleeting. Then, with a grin, he licked the ice cream off his thumb.

"Jungkook!" I gasped, shoving him lightly as heat rushed to my face.

"What? I was just helping!" he said, his voice dripping with fake innocence.

I tried to glare at him, but the laughter bubbling out of me betrayed my attempt. "You're impossible."

"And you're pretty," he shot back, his tone teasing but his eyes soft.

At some point, Jungkook leaned back in his seat, turning to look at me with an unreadable expression.

"What?" I asked, suddenly self-conscious under his gaze.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head with a small smile. "Just... i like the ice cream"

"Yeah," I said softly, meeting his gaze. "Me too."

The ride back was quieter. His hand rested casually on the gear shift, and every now and then, his fingers would brush against mine. Neither of us moved away.

-----

As I made my way to the student council meeting, I caught sight of him. Jeon Jungkook.

He was leaning casually against the lockers, surrounded by his usual group of guys. His hair was a mess in that perfect, lazy way, and he had that smirk on his face. the one that made the girls around him giggle like he was some kind of god.

I kept walking, my head held high, trying not to engage. We had an unspoken agreement, after all: no interaction in public. Jungkook made it crystal clear he didn't want to ruin his reputation by being seen talking to me. Not that I cared.

The less drama in my life, the better.

Still, I couldn't help but hate the way he gave me mixed signals when we were alone, only to act like a complete stranger in public.

"You good, Y/N?" one of the student council members, Hana, asked as she passed by me.

I nodded quickly, adjusting my glasses as I brushed past her. "Yeah, just heading to the meeting."

"Cool, see you there!"

As she disappeared into the crowd, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I saw Jakay's name pop up on my screen.

Jakay: Yo nerd, wanna go out later?

I rolled my eyes, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

You: I have a meeting with the student council.

Jakay: Picking them over me, huh?

You: Wouldn't even pick you in a room full of your clones.

There was a pause before his reply came through.

Jakay: Ouch :(

Jakay: Can we at least just FT?

You: You tryna get in my pants or something?

Jakay: Want me to?

I stopped in the middle of the hallway, blinking at my screen. For someone who was usually all jokes, he had a way of toeing the line between playful and annoying.

You: Ew. I'm blocking you.

Jakay: LMFAOOO

Smirking to myself, I quickly blocked his number and tucked my phone back into my pocket.

A few seconds later, another buzz.

Jakay: Wait.

Jakay: You actually blocked me?!!

Not Delivered

Jakay: 💔💔

I stifled a laugh, shaking my head as I made my way to the student council room.

-----

The notifications on my phone lit up as I opened the chat.

Jakay: Can I now finally please come over? Jakay: Pretty please?

Rolling my eyes, I typed back.

Me: Better show up with ice cream.

The reply was immediate.

Jakay: Mint?

Me: You know it. Me: You can go to my place first. You have the key. Clean my table, pleaseee.

Jakay: Alrightt.

Satisfied, I locked my phone and stuffed it back into my pocket. The corner of my lips twitched upward, but before I could dwell on the ridiculousness of my on-and-off dynamic with Jungkook, Namjoon's familiar voice broke through my thoughts.

"Heyyyy," he said, slinging his arm casually over my shoulder as he caught up to me.

"What's up, Joon?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at his sudden appearance.

"Let me walk you home, hm?" he offered with a grin.

I chuckled, shaking my head but nodding in agreement. "Alright, alright."

As we walked along the street, a nearby cafe caught my attention.

"Wait," I said, pausing mid-step. "I'll just grab some coffee." I pointed toward the cozy cafe.

Namjoon followed me inside as I walked straight to the counter.

"brewed coffee and an iced americano, all grande" I told the cashier confidently.

Namjoon blinked in surprise. "Oh, I don't want any—"

"Not for you, bro," I interrupted, laughing as I turned to smirk at him.

He sighed dramatically. "Dang. Cold-hearted."

I rolled my eyes playfully and paid for the drinks. While we waited, Namjoon shifted my bag and books from one hand to the other, balancing the weight. I finally collected the drinks, gripping both cups carefully, while Namjoon resumed his self-proclaimed role as my porter.

"Walked you home, carried your stuff, and still didn't get anything," he muttered under his breath, though his playful tone made me laugh.

We arrived outside my apartment building, and I juggled the drinks to pull out my keys. Unlocking the door, I held it open for Namjoon to step inside.

"Just put my bag on the coffee table, thanks," I said, heading toward the kitchen to set the drinks down.

"Sure thing," Namjoon replied, stepping further into the apartment.

As I turned back around, my breath caught in my throat. Standing in the hallway was Jungkook. Shirtless. A towel hung low on his hips, and droplets of water slid down his chest, his damp hair clinging to his forehead. He looked up, catching my stare, and the corner of his mouth curved into a mischievous grin.

"Done staring?" he teased, his voice dripping with amusement.

I snapped out of it, my cheeks heating. "Oh, shut up, Jungkook," I shot back, my tone sharper than I intended.

Jungkook chuckled, his eyes twinkling as he reached up to rake a hand through his wet hair. The way he was clearly enjoying my flustered reaction only made me more annoyed—or was it embarrassed?

Behind me, Namjoon cleared his throat loudly.

"Ooookayy... so, I'm..." He glanced between Jungkook and me, his brows furrowed in a mix of confusion and realization. "Going?" he said, dragging the word out awkwardly.

Before I could even think of a response, Namjoon awkwardly laughed and moved toward the door.

"Thanks for walking me home!" I called after him, trying to smooth over the awkwardness as I followed him to the door.

"Yeah, uh, no problem. See you around!" Namjoon waved briefly before disappearing into the hallway.

I shut the door and turned to face Jungkook, who was now leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed, his expression smug.

"Friends, huh?" he said, his tone teasing but with an edge of something deeper

I crossed my arms, tilting my head with a smirk. "Why? Jealous?" I teased, raising an eyebrow at Jungkook.

His confidence faltered for a split second, and his face flushed a telltale shade of pink. "Why would I be?" he shot back, but the defensive edge in his tone only made me grin wider.

I took a step forward, then another, closing the space between us until we were just inches apart. His eyes widened slightly, flicking between mine, his breath hitching as if he wasn't sure what was coming next.

"So close, Jungkook," I murmured, just loud enough for him to hear, leaning in as if to kiss him but stopping short. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, his body stiff as a board.

"There's an iced americano for you," I whispered against his ear, my voice soft and teasing.

I heard his sharp intake of breath as I pulled back, grinning at his completely stunned expression. His face was a perfect mix of confusion and embarrassment, his lips slightly parted as if he were about to say something but couldn't find the words.

Turning on my heel, I burst out laughing, leaving him standing there, flustered and dumbfounded.

"Also, go wear some clothes!" I yelled over my shoulder as I walked to the counter.

Grabbing my iced white mocha, I took a long sip, savoring the sweetness while sneaking a glance at Jungkook from the corner of my eye.

He was still frozen in place, his hand running through his wet hair as he muttered something under his breath. Then, finally, he stormed off toward the bedroom, grumbling loud enough for me to hear.

"Unbelievable," he huffed, though the faint smile tugging at his lips didn't go unnoticed.

---

Jungkook disappeared into my room, grumbling something under his breath. I chuckled to myself as I heard him rifling through drawers. He always left a stash of clothes here, sweats, shirts, and sometimes even socks, as if this was his second home. I didn't mind. It just meant I got to see him looking effortlessly cozy, even when I wasn't ready for the effect it had on me.

A few minutes later, he emerged, now dressed in gray sweats and a loose black t-shirt. His damp hair still clung to his forehead in soft waves, and he ran a hand through it as he joined me in the kitchen. Without a word, he plopped onto the stool beside me, his elbow propped on the counter as he reached for my brewed coffee

"Touch it and you're dead," I warned, pulling the drink just out of his reach.

He smirked but pulled back, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"So," he said, leaning against the counter. "How was your student council meeting?"

I groaned at the question, resting my head on my hand. "The same. Boring and stressful. We have so many projects to focus on for the school. I don't know if I can even do it anymore."

I punctuated my complaint with a loud slurp of my iced white mocha.

Jungkook frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You need sleep. And you're definitely not getting any if you keep drinking that," he pointed out, gesturing to the drink I'd been clinging to for dear life.

I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow, meeting his gaze. "Would you rather this be vodka or... coffee?"

He hesitated for a moment before muttering, "Coffee..."

"Good choice," I teased, taking another sip.

"But seriously," I added, "I've got a presentation and essays due, like, all at once. My calendar's booked solid this month." I let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing my temples. "Might have to block you again to stop you from bothering me."

Jungkook's lips twitched in amusement, but he rolled his eyes. "You know you could just mute me, right? That's a thing."

I shook my head, leaning closer to him with a grin. "That would be too boring. I like being spammed with notifications of a play-fuckboy begging me to unblock him."

As if to punctuate my point, I reached out and booped his nose lightly with my finger.

He scrunched his nose, laughing softly. "You're so annoying, you know that?"

"That's rich, coming from you," I shot back.

Jungkook paused for a moment, his expression shifting slightly. "Hey, Y/N?"

"Hmm?" I hummed, turning to look at him.

"Nothing," he said quickly, glancing away as if he'd thought better of whatever he wanted to say.

I tilted my head, frowning slightly. "What's with you? Are you sick or something?"

"No," he muttered, waving off my question.

"Argh!" I groaned, pushing myself up from the stool dramatically. "I don't wanna be here anymore."

But as I stood, the world tilted abruptly. My legs wobbled, and I felt the ground rush up toward me.

"Y/N!" Jungkook was at my side in an instant, his arms steadying me before I could hit the floor.

"Fuck, are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with worry as he gripped my shoulders.

"I'm fine," I mumbled, trying to shrug him off. "Just lost my balance."

"You're not fine," he snapped, his jaw tightening.

"I just need to lie down for a bit—"

"Fuck no," he muttered, cutting me off. Before I could protest, he scooped me up in one swift motion, holding me in his arms like I weighed nothing.

"Jungkook, put me down!" I squealed, flailing in his grip, but he only tightened his hold.

"Nope," he said firmly, carrying me toward the door. "You're going to the doctor."

"You're overreacting!" I whined, kicking my legs weakly.

"And you're underreacting!" he shot back, his voice a mixture of frustration and concern.

The door swung open, and Jungkook carried me into the hallway. I buried my face in his chest, mortified as neighbors peeked out of their doors to see what the commotion was.

"Put me down! People are staring!" I hissed, trying to squirm out of his arms.

"Let them stare," he said, completely unfazed as he made his way to the elevator.

By the time we reached his car, I had resigned myself to my fate, crossing my arms with a pout as he settled me into the passenger seat.

"You're ridiculous," I muttered as he buckled me in.

"Yeah? And you're stubborn," he shot back, closing the door and jogging around to the driver's side.

The drive to the clinic was filled with silence. Jungkook's grip on the steering wheel was tight, his jaw set in a way that he was still annoyed or worried.

"You don't have to do this, you know," I said, breaking the silence.

He glanced at me briefly before turning his eyes back to the road. "Someone has to."

The simple statement sent a strange warmth through my chest, and I found myself biting back a smile.

--

At the clinic, Jungkook still refused to let me walk, carrying me inside despite my protests. The doctor confirmed it was nothing serious just exhaustion, stress and low blood sugar.

"You need to take care of yourself," he scolded as we left the clinic. "Eat something, sleep more, and stop living on caffeine and stress."

"Okay, dad," I teased, earning a glare.

--

Back at the apartment, Jungkook carried me inside again, this time depositing me gently on the couch.

"Stay," he ordered, pointing at me like I was a misbehaving puppy.

"I'm not a dog," I muttered, but I stayed put, too tired to argue.

He disappeared into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a plate of "real food" and a glass of orange juice, not just your usual coke and apple.

"Eat," he said, setting it in front of me.

I raised an eyebrow but obeyed, taking a bite.

Satisfied, he flopped onto the other end of the couch, watching me closely.

"Feel better?" he asked after a while.

"Yeah," I admitted, avoiding his gaze.

"Good girl."

Jungkook leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. "I'll be busy tomorrow," he said casually.

My brows furrowed. "Why? Gonna be busy fucking other girls?" I teased, my voice dripping with bitterness (jealousy) that I didn't even try to hide.

He straightened, tilting his head as he looked at me. "You really think that's all I do?"

"You seem to," I replied, averting my eyes and shrugging like it didn't bother me.

"For your information," he said, leaning forward slightly, "I haven't fucked anyone in four months."

"Wow, I'll give you a reward for that," I shot back sarcastically, though my heart was unexpectedly beating a little faster.

"Come on, Y/N," he sighed.

I looked up, surprised to see him sliding off his chair and kneeling on the floor in front of me. His gaze was soft but insistent, his presence filling the space between us.

"I'll be in Busan tomorrow," he said, his voice quieter now. "It's my mom's birthday."

"Oh," I said simply, unsure where this was going.

"Do you want to come?" he asked.

"Why?" I blurted out, narrowing my eyes at him.

He hesitated for a moment before answering, his voice steady but slightly unsure. "I wanna... introduce you to her."

My chest tightened at his words, and for a moment, I was completely thrown off. He wanted me to meet his mom? This wasn't something we did. This wasn't how we were supposed to be.

"Okay," I heard myself say before I could think twice.

Jungkook blinked, clearly surprised. "But you said you're fully booked this month," he reminded me.

"I'll make time and clear it up for you," I said, the words leaving my mouth without a single hesitation.

My own reply startled me. Why was I saying this? Why was I rearranging my schedule for him, of all people? He was just a... friend. Right?

"Alright," he said after a moment, a smile spreading across his face. "Pack up early."

Before I could respond, he suddenly stood and scooped me up in his arms again.

"What the fuck, Jeon Jungkook," I grumbled, glaring at him, though the warmth of his arms made it impossible to push him away.

"Relax," he said, laughing softly as he carried me to my room. He pushed the door open with his foot and stepped inside.

With surprising gentleness, he laid me down on the bed and tucked the blanket around me, his hands lingering for a second longer than necessary.

"I'll be here in a sec," he said, his voice softer now. "I'm just gonna clean up the mess in our kitchen."

He stood, giving me one last glance before heading out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

I stared at the ceiling, my heart thudding in my chest as the word "our" echoed in my mind.

Our kitchen.

The casual way he said it sent my stomach into a loop. It shouldn't have meant anything. It was probably just a slip of the tongue. But still, the idea of something shared between us, of an "our" instead of a "yours" or "mine," made my thoughts spiral.

This wasn't normal. None of this was. The teasing, the way he made himself so comfortable in my space, the way I let him take care of me even when I insisted I didn't need it. it all blurred the line of what we were supposed to be.

Why did I agree to go to Busan with him? Why was I clearing my schedule for him?

"Get a grip, Y/N," I muttered to myself, pressing my palms against my heated cheeks.

I groaned and rolled over, pulling the blanket over my head. This was going to be a long night.

True to his word, Jungkook returned a little while later. I heard the faint creak of the door as he pushed it open, followed by the soft sound of his footsteps approaching the bed.

"Y/N," he whispered, his voice soft and tentative.

I peeked out from under the blanket, squinting at him in the dim light. His hair was now dry, now curling slightly at the edges, and the loose shirt he wore made him look almost boyish.

"The kitchen's clean," he said, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his sweats.

"Good," I muttered, my voice muffled by the pillow.

He chuckled, the sound warm and low, as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"And you're a pain in the ass," I shot back, though there was no real bite in my tone.

For a moment, we just looked at each other, the quiet settling around us. His presence was grounding, even if I hated admitting it.

"Want me to go home, or...?" he asked, his voice trailing off as if unsure how to finish the sentence.

I blinked at him, surprised by the question. Did I want him to leave?

"No," I said softly.

His brows lifted slightly, and he tilted his head. "You sure? I can just crash on the couch."

"Sleep here," I said quickly, tugging at his arm. "On the bed with me."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Still a brat, huh?"

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Your point?"

He chuckled softly, the sound almost affectionate, as he gave in. "Alright, alright. Scoot over."

I shuffled to the side of the bed, watching as he slid in beside me. The mattress dipped slightly under his weight, and the sudden closeness of him made my heart race.

Jungkook turned to face me, propping his head up on one hand. His other hand reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face.

"You're comfortable with this?" he asked, his voice low and almost hesitant.

I nodded, not trusting my voice to sound steady.

"Alright," he said again, his lips quirking up in a small smile as he laid back, pulling me against him.

I froze for a moment as his arms wrapped around me, but the warmth of his embrace melted my hesitation. His hand found its way into my hair, his fingers threading through the strands in a soothing rhythm.

"Better?" he asked softly, his breath warm against my temple.

"Yeah," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

For a while, neither of us spoke. The gentle rise and fall of his chest beneath my cheek, the quiet sound of his breathing, and the soft touch of his hand in my hair lulled me into a state of calm I hadn't felt in days.

"You're dangerous," I mumbled sleepily.

"Hmm?" he hummed, his fingers pausing for a moment before continuing their gentle movements.

"You make me feel..." my words slurred as i began to fall asleep.

----

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the blinds. I was already up, moving quietly as I packed for the three-day trip to Busan. I still didn't fully understand why I'd agreed to go or how I had so effortlessly rearranged my schedule for him. But as I folded clothes into the suitcase, a small part of me felt... excited.

Behind me, the sound of shifting blankets broke the quiet. I glanced over to see Jungkook stirring, his eyes barely open as he propped himself up on one elbow.

He blinked a few times before his gaze landed on me. "You're pretty," he said, his morning voice raspy and warm, catching me completely off guard.

My face heated instantly, and I fumbled with a bottle of skincare I'd just picked up. "Morning," I muttered, turning to face him briefly.

"You should wear a shirt and get ready," I said quickly, trying to redirect the attention away from my flushed cheeks. My eyes betrayed me for a split second, darting to his biceps. a habit I'd tried and failed to curb. He always had this infuriating tendency to sleep shirtless, even when he wasn't alone.

He smirked, clearly noticing, but thankfully didn't say anything.

After we both finished getting ready, we grabbed our bags and headed out. His car was waiting for us in the lot, and I climbed into the passenger seat as Jungkook loaded the luggage into the trunk.

As he slid into the driver's seat and started the engine, he glanced at me. "What'd you tell them?" he asked, his tone casual.

I grinned, leaning back in my seat. "Told them I was sick. Showed them the doctor's letter."

He chuckled at that, his laugh soft and low.

"You're something else, hun," he said, shaking his head with an amused smile.

We drove in comfortable silence for a while, the hum of the engine and the faint sound of the radio filling the car. I found myself nervously picking at the hem of my shirt, my thoughts drifting to what lay ahead.

"So... is your mom..." I hesitated, glancing at him.

He raised an eyebrow, sparing me a curious look. "What?"

"Is she scary?" I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.

"Why? You scared?" he teased, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Who wouldn't be?" I exclaimed, turning to face him fully. "It's my first time meeting her. First impressions last, you know?"

I slumped into my seat, crossing my arms as anxiety began to creep in.

Jungkook let out a soft laugh, his eyes crinkling as he glanced at me. "My first impression of you was a scary, strict vice president," he teased.

"Strict?!" I exclaimed, reaching out to playfully slap his biceps.

"Very strict," he said, laughing again. "You wouldn't even let me cut in line for coffee at the canteen that one time."

"You were trying to skip!" I protested, though I couldn't help but laugh along with him.

"And you called me out in front of everyone."

"Because you deserved it!"

Jungkook shook his head, a grin still plastered on his face. "And now look at us. Guess first impressions aren't everything after all."

His words hung in the air for a moment.

Us

I looked out the window, my lips curving into a small smile.

"Guess not," I murmured.

I started to relax a little. Jungkook's ease behind the wheel and the familiar way he teased me made it harder to stay nervous.

"Do you think she'll like me?" I asked suddenly, my voice quieter this time.

Jungkook glanced at me, his expression gentler now. "Of course she will."

"You sound so sure," I said, biting my lip.

"Because I know her," he replied, his tone steady. "And I know you. You're... you're great, Y/N. She'll see that."

I blinked at him, caught off guard by his sincerity.

After what felt like an eternity of driving, we finally arrived in Busan. I stepped out of the car, feeling a mixture of excitement and nerves swirling in my stomach. I adjusted my shirt, suddenly hyperaware of every wrinkle and stray strand of hair.

Jungkook moved to the trunk, effortlessly grabbing our bags. His casual state only made me feel more out of place, my shyness creeping in.

"Mom! We're here!" Jungkook called out as we approached the house, his voice carrying warmth and familiarity as he rang the doorbell.

A moment later, the door swung open to reveal his mom. Her face lit up the second she saw him, and she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Jungkook, my son!" she exclaimed, ruffling his hair as he grumbled in protest, though his smile betrayed how much he didn't mind.

Then her attention turned to me. Her gaze softened, her kind eyes taking me in as she stepped forward.

"Hello, dear," she said, her tone gentle as she opened her arms and pulled me into a brief but warm hug.

"Hi, ma'am," I replied, smiling shyly as I straightened up.

"Call me Mom, dear," she said, patting my shoulder affectionately, her smile widening as if I'd already won her over.

The unexpected kindness made me relax a little. "Okay, Mom," I said softly, smiling back.

"Perfect," she said, her eyes twinkling. "Come in, come in. Make yourselves at home."

Jungkook led the way as we stepped inside, the warmth of the house enveloping us. It was cozy, with soft lighting and family photos lining the walls. The faint scent of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, making my nerves ease just a bit more.

Jungkook set the bags down by the stairs and glanced back at me, offering a reassuring smile. "See? Nothing to be scared of."

His mom chuckled, catching his words. "What's this? Were you nervous to meet me?" she teased, her tone lighthearted as she glanced at me.

I laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of my neck. "Maybe a little. First impressions and all..."

"Well, let me tell you," she said, reaching out to squeeze my hand gently, "you're doing just fine."

Jungkook smirked at me, clearly enjoying my flustered state, and I shot him a subtle glare.

"Jungkook, why don't you bring your stuff upstairs while I finish up lunch?" his mom suggested, already heading toward the kitchen.

"Will do," he said, grabbing my hand and tugging me toward the stairs before I could protest.

Jungkook led me through the house, pointing out random things like the cozy balcony view of the ocean. Then he stopped outside a door and pushed it open, revealing what I assume was his old bedroom.

"This is where I used to sneak out from," he said with a mischievous grin, pointing to the balcony door on the far side of the room.

"Why am I not surprised?" I teased, crossing my arms as I leaned against the doorway.

"You shouldn't be," he said, laughing softly as he walked into the room.

The space was simple but cozy, with warm wooden furniture, a few posters still tacked to the walls, and a bed that took up most of the space.

"Guess this is where we'll be staying," he said casually, tossing his duffel bag onto the bed.

"We?" I echoed, my eyebrows shooting up.

He turned to look at me, clearly amused by my surprise. "What? You scared to share a room with me?"

I rolled my eyes, though I could feel heat creeping up my neck. "Just don't hog the bed," I muttered, stepping into the room and setting my bag down.

Jungkook chuckled, leaning against the wall with his hands stuffed into his pockets. "See? Not so bad, right?"

"Not bad at all," I admitted, glancing around the room before my eyes landed on the balcony door again.

The sound of his voice brought my attention back to him. "She likes you," he said suddenly, his tone softer now.

I blinked, caught off guard by the statement. "How can you tell?"

"Because I know her," he said simply, his gaze meeting mine. "She wouldn't be this warm if she didn't."

A warmth spread through my chest at his words, and I found myself smiling despite the lingering nerves.

"Come on," he said, pushing off the wall. "Let's go help before she thinks I'm useless again."

Back in the kitchen, his mom was setting the table, the smell of homemade food filling the air.

"Perfect timing! Jungkook, you can put these on the table," she said, handing him a tray of side dishes.

"And Y/N, dear, could you help me with the soup?"

"Of course," I said, moving to the stove to carry the pot she pointed to.

As we worked together, Jungkook chimed in with little jokes and playful comments, earning a mix of laughs and exasperated eye rolls from his mom.

"Still the same troublemaker," she said, shaking her head fondly.

"Some things never change," I teased, glancing at Jungkook, who grinned shamelessly.

Once everything was ready, we all sat down to eat. The conversation flowed easily, filled with laughter and stories of Jungkook's childhood. His mom had an endless supply of embarrassing anecdotes, and I couldn't stop laughing at the way Jungkook tried to defend himself, his ears turning pink as she recounted his antics.

"Mom, stop," he groaned, burying his face in his hands after the third story about him crying over a lost toy at the beach.

"Oh, don't be dramatic," she said, waving him off. "Y/N should know what she's getting into if she's spending time with you."

I couldn't help but laugh, feeling more comfortable with each passing minute.

After lunch, Jungkook helped clean up while his mom and I chatted at the table. She asked me about school, my family, and my interests, her questions thoughtful but never intrusive.

By the time Jungkook joined us again, I felt like I'd known her for years.

"Alright, Mom," he said, stretching as he stood behind her chair. "I'm stealing Y/N for the rest of the day."

"Stealing her? She's right here!" she teased, turning to pat his hand.

He grinned. "We're gonna go check out the beach."

His mom smiled knowingly. "Go ahead. But don't let her get cold, Jungkook."

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a playful salute, earning a laugh from both of us.

As we grabbed our jackets and headed out the door, I glanced back at his mom, who waved at us with a warm smile. For the first time that day, I felt a little less nervous.

-----

We stood at the edge of the beach, the cool breeze tousling my hair as I watched the waves crash gently against the shore. The sun was beginning to set.

Jungkook was standing a little farther away, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "I used to come here whenever I felt sad," he said quietly, almost to himself. "It's really relaxing here."

I glanced at him, then back to the peaceful view. "It really is," I agreed, feeling the calmness of the place wash over me. It was the kind of tranquility I hadn't realized I needed until now.

Suddenly, Jungkook moved, taking his phone out of his pocket. "Stand there," he instructed, pointing to a spot near the water, a small smile on his face. "Let me take a picture of you."

I raised an eyebrow, glancing at the spot he pointed to. "Really?" I asked, trying to hide my smile. "You know I'm not exactly in the mood for a photo shoot."

"Just one picture," he insisted, grinning like he always did when he was being playful. "I promise it'll be a good one."

Reluctantly, I stepped into the spot he'd pointed out, the wind picking up and blowing my hair behind me. I couldn't help but smile, the feeling of the breeze and the soft sound of the waves putting me at ease.

Jungkook tapped the screen of his phone, taking the picture. "Perfect," he said, walking toward me as he looked at the photo. He glanced at me and smirked. "But, no posting this, okay? The school board might think I made an excuse to go out."

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "But you are," he teased, clearly enjoying getting under my skin.

I shot him a playful glare. "Shut up," I muttered, though I couldn't help but laugh.

"You know," I began, breaking the silence, "I only stay in Seoul to get away from my parents."

Jungkook looked over at me, eyebrows raised, clearly intrigued. "Why?" he asked, his voice softer than usual.

I shifted my gaze toward the horizon, the vastness of the ocean making me feel smaller, but in a good way. "They always want me to be the first in everything," I vented, my words coming out faster than I expected. "Be like this, be like that... nothing I do is ever enough for them. It's always about achieving the next thing, being perfect. I don't know anymore," I finished, the words feeling heavier than I anticipated.

I let out a weak chuckle, trying to push the lump in my throat away. "I don't even know who I am sometimes."

Jungkook's gaze softened, and I could tell he was genuinely listening. But of course, he couldn't leave it without teasing me. "Is that why you're a nerd?" he asked with a playful tone, trying to lighten the mood.

I raised an eyebrow at him, rolling my eyes, but I played along. "Maybe," I said with a small smile, the tension in my chest easing just a little. "I was raised that way."

We both laughed, and it felt like the weight of everything had lifted, just for a moment. Maybe it was the beach, or maybe it was just being here with him,

We stayed there for a while, just sitting on the soft sand, the night sky above us twinkling with stars and for once, I felt at peace. We talked about things that felt too deep to share with anyone else

But eventually, the cool night air started to get to me, and I let out a small yawn. "We should go back. I'm sleepy," I said, stretching my arms and feeling the weight of the day catch up with me.

Jungkook nodded, standing up and offering his hand to help me up. "Alright," he replied, pulling me gently to my feet.

-----

 After cleaning up from dinner and spending hours chatting with his mom, Jungkook and I finally headed back to his room.

"You can take the bed," I said, trying to sound casual as I rummaged through my bag.

"So can you," Jungkook replied, his tone laced with amusement as he tossed his hoodie onto the chair.

I glanced up at him, narrowing my eyes. "Jungkook, it's your bed."

"And it's big enough for both of us," he said with a shrug, plopping down onto the mattress like he owned the place—which, technically, he did. "Unless you're worried about me hogging it."

"You do hog the bed," I muttered, crossing my arms.

He smirked, lying back against the pillows and stretching out his arms. "Guess we'll find out, won't we?"

I huffed, but deep down, the thought of sharing the bed with him wasn't nearly as daunting as it probably should've been. With a resigned sigh, I climbed onto one side of the bed, slipping under the blanket and keeping some space between us.

For a moment, the room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the wind outside and the soft creak of the mattress as Jungkook shifted to get comfortable.

"Comfortable?" he asked after a while, his voice low and warm in the dimly lit room.

"Yeah," I murmured, my back still turned to him.

But then I felt the bed shift again as he moved closer. His arm slipped around my waist, pulling me toward him.

"Kook," I whispered, my voice catching slightly. "If your mom comes in, she might get the wrong idea."

"I don't care," he said simply, his tone steady. His arms tightened around me, and I could feel the faint smile on his lips as his chin rested lightly against the top of my head.

I giggled softly, the sound muffled against his shirt.

"You're not funny," I muttered, though I didn't even think about pulling away.

"And you're funny?" he teased, his fingers finding their way into my hair. He began threading them gently through the strands, his touch soothing and familiar.

the next day

I became aware of a gentle touch against my face, soft and featherlight. His fingers brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch lingering as if he were memorizing every detail.

When I finally opened my eyes, Jungkook's face was the first thing I saw. He was propped up on one elbow, his eyes warm and filled with a quiet fondness. His lips curved into a small, tender smile as he continued to study me.

"Morning," I said, my voice groggy with sleep as I let out a yawn, stretching my arms above my head.

"Morning," he replied softly, his tone almost teasing but still gentle.

I blinked at him, my brows furrowing slightly as my brain caught up with the moment. "Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, giving him a suspicious look.

His smile grew, but he didn't answer. Instead, his gaze stayed locked on mine, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners.

Flustered, I reached out and lightly smacked his arm. "Stop it," I muttered, my cheeks heating as I quickly sat up.

Jungkook laughed softly, his voice deep and husky from sleep. "What? I'm just admiring the view," he teased, his grin playful but still disarming.

"i hate you" I shot back, my face burning as I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up.

I could feel his eyes following me as I made my way toward the bathroom, his quiet chuckle filling the room.

"Where are you running off to so fast?" he called out, his tone laced with amusement.

"To get away from you!" I shouted over my shoulder, though the smile tugging at my lips gave me away.

As soon as I closed the bathroom door behind me, I leaned against it, my hand pressed over my rapidly beating heart.

---

As we entered the dining room, my eyes were immediately drawn to someone new sitting at the table. Jungkook's brother, Ji-won, glanced up from his phone, his expression brightening when he saw us.

"Good morning," I said with a cheerful smile, adjusting my glasses as I stepped closer to the table.

Ji-won's gaze flickered between Jungkook and me, a teasing grin forming on his face. "Woah, you leave Busan for two years, and you already have a hot, smart girlfriend?"

I felt my cheeks flush at his words, but before I could respond, Jungkook waved his hand dismissively, his voice calm but firm.

"Oh no, she's just my friend. We're just very close," he said, pulling out a chair for himself and sitting down.

The words hit harder than they should have.

Just my friend.

I froze for a split second, forcing a polite smile as I took a seat at the table.

Just friends?

No way in hell "friends" did the things we did. No way they shared beds, whispered soft words at night, or looked at each other the way he looked at me this morning.

"Yeah, right," his mom chimed in, shaking her head with a knowing smile.

Before I could dwell on it further, she turned her attention to me. "Oh, Y/N dear, come here, eat up," she said warmly, handing me a plate piled high with food.

"Thank you, Mom," I said softly, trying to focus on the kindness in her voice rather than the pit forming in my stomach.

As I began eating, Jungkook's mom leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Does Jungkook feed you nice?" she asked, her tone playful.

I laughed, deciding to play along. "He doesn't even want to go to my favorite samgyupsal place," I said, pouting dramatically for effect.

"Hey!" Jungkook cut in, clearly flustered. "I buy you ice cream all the time!"

I raised an eyebrow, smirking at his weak defense. Before I could counter, his mom interjected, her laughter filling the room.

"Well, Kook, ice cream isn't very healthy, you know," she teased, shaking her head at him.

Jungkook crossed his arms, his lips forming a pout as he leaned back in his chair. "Well, if the princess wants it, she gets it," he muttered, feigning sulkiness.

The sight made me laugh softly, my earlier doubts momentarily pushed to the back of my mind.

"That's better," his mom said with a chuckle, patting his shoulder before turning her attention back to Ji-won.

I tried to pretend it didn't hurt.

Jungkook and his mom left for the supermarket, leaving me alone at the kitchen island with Ji-won. I had my laptop open, trying to focus on typing my speech for the foundation day, though my thoughts were a mess.

"So," Ji-won began, breaking the silence. "Do you like Jungkook?"

The question made me freeze, my fingers hovering over the keys. I took a moment, trying to gather myself, then resumed typing without looking at him.

"W-we're just friends," I said, the words feeling heavy as they left my lips.

Ji-won let out a low hum, clearly unconvinced. "Really? Because I don't think friends sleep on the same bed and cuddle each other to sleep... naked."

I gasped, my head whipping toward him. "We do not sleep naked!"

He raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying my flustered reaction. "Saw you both last night. Jungkook was... shirtless, and you—"

Before he could finish, I cut him off. "No! I was wearing a tank top, and Jungkook was... shirtless." My voice trailed off, accepting my defeat. "But Jungkook always sleeps shirtless!" I added quickly, as if it somehow defended my dignity.

"Right," Ji-won said, smirking as he leaned back in his chair. "So, if you're not his hot, smart girlfriend, then... who was he talking about?"

My body went stiff, and my eyes dropped to my laptop screen.

He has a girlfriend?

My heart sank as the thought hit me.

"I-I don't know," I mumbled, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace as I stood, grabbing my laptop. "Excuse me."

"Hey!" Ji-won called after me, his voice filled with teasing humor. "If you don't want Jungkook, I have a friend I can introduce you to—"

Before he could finish, I hurried upstairs, my footsteps loud against the wooden stairs.

In Jungkook's room, I placed my laptop on his desk, my breathing heavy as I tried to steady myself.

"fuck," I muttered under my breath. But the words did little to stop the ache forming in my chest.

"I need air," I whispered, grabbing a few cigarettes and a lighter from my bag.

---

The beach wasn't far from the house. The moment my feet hit the sand, the cool breeze washed over me.

Lighting a cigarette, I took a long puff, letting the smoke swirl in my lungs before exhaling slowly.

Is he really that stupid?

I took another drag, the embers glowing in the fading light of the evening.

Making me feel like this... and having a girlfriend?

All this time, he didn't want me.

Why was I even feeling like this? He was right. We were just friends. Nothing more.

He's my friend, and I'm his... loser, nerd friend.

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head as I brought the cigarette to my lips again.

Should've known from the start. He doesn't even want to interact with me in public for the sake of his reputation.

The familiar ding of my phone pulled me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen.

Jakay: Where are you? Jakay: Nvm. I checked your loc. Jakay: I'll go there with you.

Seen.

I put my phone in my pocket, plugging in my earbuds and pressing to play August by Taylor Swift.

"August slipped away like a bottle of wine 'Cause you were never mine..."

I sank onto the sand, pulling my knees to my chest as I stared out at the waves.

"I remember thinkin' I had you..."

Before I could take another puff of my cigarette, it was yanked from my hand.

"Y/N..."

I looked up to see Jungkook standing over me, disappointment etched across his face. He held the cigarette between his fingers, his jaw tight.

"You told me," he began, his voice low and steady. "You told me you wouldn't smoke anymore."

I turned away, hugging my knees tighter. "You smoke too," I muttered.

"Yeah, Y/N," he said, his voice softening. "But just because I do doesn't mean you should."

Before I could respond, he knelt beside me and pulled me into a hug. His arms wrapped tightly around me, his chin resting on my shoulder.

"You know I care about you, right?" he murmured, his voice breaking slightly. "Even when you're being such a fucking brat... I do. I fucking do, Y/N."

His grip on me tightened as he continued. "I can't handle seeing you do the things I do. It kills me."

I closed my eyes, his words sinking in, but the ache in my chest didn't ease.

I pulled away from his grip, standing up and brushing the sand off my clothes.

"Let's go," I said coldly, refusing to meet his eyes. "It's your mom's birthday party."

Back at the house, everyone was busy setting the table and decorating for the celebration. I immediately went to help Jungkook's mom, avoiding him entirely.

"Happy birthday, Mom," I said with a warm smile as I hugged her tightly.

"Oh, dear, come here more often, yeah?" she said, patting my back affectionately.

"I'll make sure to," I promised, returning her smile as I handed her the plates.

Dinner went by in a blur of laughter and cheer, everyone singing happy birthday as the candles on the cake flickered. But through it all, Jungkook's eyes never left mine.

"Happy birthday!" everyone cheered as his mom blew out the candles.

I clapped along with everyone else, but the weight of Jungkook's gaze made it impossible to focus on anything else. Across the table, his dark eyes locked onto mine

--

After dinner, I helped clean up the dining room, making sure to keep my distance from Jungkook. Once everything was done, I retreated upstairs to his room, collapsing onto the bed with a heavy sigh.

"Y/N?"

The door creaked open, and Jungkook stepped inside, his expression unreadable as he approached the bed.

"Can we talk?" he asked, sitting down beside me.

I didn't answer, instead sitting up and taking a deep breath.

"Why do you... why do you always make me so confused?" I finally said, my voice trembling.

"What?" he asked, his brows furrowing.

"I don't even know what I feel anymore, Jungkook," I continued, my words spilling out. "One second, you're treating me like I'm someone special to you. Then the next second, you remind me we're only friends."

"Y/N, I—"

I cut him off, my voice breaking. "I hate it, Jungkook. I fucking hate it."

Tears streamed down my face as I looked at him, my chest heaving. "You bring me here to meet your mother, and then I find out you apparently have a 'hot, smart girlfriend.'" I paused to take a shaky breath. "I hate that I'm crying in front of you right now."

Before I could pull away, he brought me into his arms. I tried to push him off, but his grip didn't falter.

"You're out there fucking other girls at school," I sobbed, weakly hitting his chest. "And I'm here, being a fool for your words and actions. I don't even know what to feel anymore."

I looked down, my voice barely above a whisper. "I think I'm in love, but I'm not, because I despise your guts. But at the same time... I love hating you because....." i sigh not wanting to drop the L bomb.

Jungkook let me rant, his arms never leaving me.

"Did you drink?" he asked softly.

I froze, looking down at my lap.

"How much?" he pressed.

"Maybe... three. Or seven," I mumbled.

He let out a deep sigh, gently putting me down on the bed.

"We'll talk when you're sober," he said, grabbing my makeup remover and carefully wiping my face.

I stared at him, speechless.

"Didn't your doctor tell you to stop drinking? Smoking? Any of that?" he muttered with a soft chuckle, his voice heavy with frustration.

He paused, his voice barely audible. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I couldn't respond. Instead, i fell asleep. 

-----

I woke up, my head spinning slightly as I blinked at the clock on the bedside table.

12:23 PM.

I shot up, panic coursing through me. "Oh my god," I muttered, scrambling to throw on something decent before rushing downstairs.

As I went downstairs, I found Ji-won, Jungkook, and his mom already at the kitchen table, chatting and enjoying what was left of brunch.

"I'm so, so sorry I woke up late," I blurted, trying to catch my breath as I stood by the table.

"Oh, it's alright, dear," Jungkook's mom said with a kind smile. "Jungkook told me you weren't feeling well. Here, go eat." She pushed a plate toward me, still warm with food.

"Thank you," I said, my voice softening as I smiled back and sat down. Jungkook's eyes were on me the whole time, but I avoided looking directly at him.

"We'll head home in a bit," Jungkook said after a moment. "Maybe later, once Y/N finishes getting ready."

I turned to him, frowning slightly. "D-do you know what happened last night? I don't think I remember much. I just remember you telling me we'd talk."

He tilted his head, his lips pressing into a tight line. "You don't... remember?"

"Why? Did I say something bad? Or wrong?" I asked nervously.

"Nothing," he said flatly, his attention shifting to his phone as his tone grew colder.

The tension in the room was suffocating, so I quickly finished eating and stood up. "I-I'll go dress up," I mumbled, heading upstairs without waiting for a response.

In the room, I focused on packing, trying to push away the unease settling in my chest. I zipped up my suitcase just as Jungkook came in, helping me carry our stuff downstairs to load into the trunk.

---

After bidding his mom and brother goodbye, Jungkook and I climbed into the car. The silence between us was deafening.

"Just drop me off at my apartment," I said, my gaze fixed out the window.

"I know," he replied curtly.

The drive back to Seoul stretched endlessly, each second weighed down by unspoken words. I stole a glance at him occasionally, but his expression remained unreadable, his focus firmly on the road.

When we finally arrived, Jungkook carried my bags into my apartment. He set them down quietly, his movements stiff.

"Bye," he said simply before walking out the door.

The sound of the door clicking shut echoed through the room, and I sank onto the couch, exhaling shakily. My phone buzzed on the cushion beside me.

I picked it up to see Namjoon's name flashing on the screen. With a sigh, I answered.

"Hey, wanna go to a party with me?" he asked, his voice chipper.

"Joon, you know I don't like parties," I replied, leaning my head back against the couch. "Plus, I'm a VP. I can't be doing that."

"Come on! Just this once, pleaseee," he begged.

I groaned, rubbing my temple. "Alright, just this once. But—"

"But what?" he interrupted eagerly.

"What do I get out of it?"

"A really fun time and a cool best friend: me," he answered with a laugh.

"Shut up," I muttered, though I couldn't help but grin.

"Get ready," he said. "I'll come over and help. I know you're clueless about party outfits."

"Excuse me?" I shot back, feigning offense.

"On the way," he said before hanging up.

---

Namjoon arrived a few minutes later, letting himself in with his usual energy.

"Alright, where are our candidates?" he asked, clapping his hands.

I pointed to the dresses hanging in my closet.

The first was a tight black dress, sleek and long with a high slit.

"Too long," he said with a shake of his head.

The next was a baby pink, flowy dress.

"Too cutesy."

I rolled my eyes and held up a white, shiny dress adorned with rhinestones.

"Are you dressing up as a disco ball?" he teased, making me laugh despite myself.

Finally, I pulled out a light pastel green, silky dress that hugged my body in all the right places while maintaining an elegant air.

Namjoon's jaw dropped slightly as he stared at me. "This is it. You're gorgeous," he said, still looking a little stunned.

I smiled shyly and began curling my hair, keeping my makeup natural with a soft, flushed look.

When I was done, I called Namjoon into the room.

"Okay, I'm ready," I said, gesturing for him to come in.

He walked in and froze, his eyes widening.

"Woah," he said.

"What?" I asked, tilting my head.

"You... you don't have your glasses," he said, his voice softer.

"I'm wearing contacts, silly," I replied with a small laugh.

Namjoon shook his head as if snapping out of a daze. "Alright, alright. Come on, let's go."

I glanced at the clock and sighed. "Can't believe it's already 9. It took us seven hours to get me ready!"

"Well, it was worth it," he said with a grin. "Let's party."

The party was already in full swing when Namjoon and I arrived. The bass of the music thumped loudly in my chest as I looked around, the crowd a chaotic blur of moving bodies and flashing lights.

"Hey, Joon? I'm gonna grab some drinks," I called out over the noise.

He nodded, already immersed in conversation with someone.

Weaving my way through the crowd, I was halfway to the bar when I accidentally bumped into a group of guys. The smell of cologne and alcohol was overpowering, and as I glanced up, my heart sank.

It was Jungkook.

And his friends.

"Hey, loverboy," one of them said with a grin, nudging Jungkook's arm. "Look, is that your girl?"

The group burst into laughter, their teasing loud and sharp.

Jungkook's ears turned red, and he hesitated before mumbling, "N-no."

His answer made something in me twist painfully, but before I could process it, one of his friends stepped closer, his smirk widening.

"How does it feel being one of Jungkook's bets?"

The words hit me like a freight train. My breath caught in my throat, and I turned to Jungkook, my vision blurry from the sting of unshed tears.

"Y/N—" he started, his voice panicked, but one of his friends grabbed his arm.

"Let her be," they said, laughing cruelly.

I yanked my arm away from the guy and hurried to the bar, my heart pounding so loudly that it drowned out the music.

Sitting on a stool, I poured alchohol into a red cup with shaky hands and took a large sip. The burn didn't matter. anything to dull the ache in my chest.

The hours blurred together. By the time I finished my ninth cup, the world spun hazily around me. I stumbled toward a couch, collapsing onto the soft cushions, my head buzzing.

Two men approached, their faces vaguely familiar from campus.

"Hey," one of them said, leaning in closer. "Aren't you the VP?"

I nodded drunkenly, unable to form a coherent response.

The other one grinned, his eyes lingering too long on me. "You don't seem like one right now."

I tried to laugh it off, but then I felt a hand on my leg, slowly creeping upward.

"Stop," I muttered weakly, but they ignored me.

"STOP!" I cried out, my voice breaking into a scream as I tried to push them away.

Before I could move, a fist flew past me, landing squarely on the guy's face. He stumbled back, clutching his jaw, and I blinked blearily as Jungkook stood in front of me, his chest rising and falling in anger.

"Touch her again, you punk," Jungkook growled, his voice low and dangerous before landing another punch.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as people turned to watch. Phones appeared, cameras flashing as whispers filled the room.

"Isn't that our VP?" "Don't they hate each other?" "What's going on?"

Jungkook turned to me, his face etched with concern as he grabbed my arm.

"Come on," he muttered, pulling me to my feet.

"Who brought you here?" he demanded, his voice sharp as we stepped outside into the cool night air.

"N-Namjoon," I mumbled, giggling drunkenly.

"Fuck," he hissed, running a hand through his hair. "How much did you drink?"

"I-I don't—" Before I could finish, my knees gave out, and I felt myself falling.

"Shit," Jungkook cursed, catching me just in time and scooping me into his arms bridal style.

As he carried me toward his car, I stirred slightly, my head lolling against his chest. "Do I love you?" I mumbled, my words slurring together.

Jungkook froze for a moment, his grip tightening on me.

"I should be mad at you for making me your bet," I slurred, tears streaming down my face. "But... I feel this weird feeling."

"Y/N—" he started, his voice soft, but I cut him off.

"I don't wanna love you, Jungkook," I cried, my words breaking with a sob. "I don't love you. I shouldn't."

My chest heaved as I buried my face against his shoulder. "Why do you do this? I'm so confused. I just wanna be the number one girl in your eyes," I whispered, my voice trembling.

"I hate this, Jungkook... I hate you," I muttered weakly, my tears soaking into his shirt as I finally succumbed to exhaustion.

Jungkook sighed heavily, his expression unreadable as he opened the car door and gently placed me in the passenger seat. He tucked the seatbelt around me, his movements careful and deliberate, before closing the door and walking around to the driver's side.

The car ride was a blur, punctuated only by the sound of my occasional hiccup and the faint sound of his playlist. When we finally reached my apartment, Jungkook wasted no time carrying me inside. His steps were careful, steady, as though he was trying not to move me too much.

He pushed the door open with his foot and gently set me down on the bed, brushing stray hair from my face as I muttered incoherently.

"Kook..." I mumbled, tugging weakly at the strap of my dress. "My dress. Please... undress it."

Jungkook froze, his ears turning red as he looked at me, flustered. "I can't," he said softly, his voice strained.

"Just close your eyes," I slurred, meeting his gaze drunkenly, my eyes half-lidded.

He hesitated for a long moment, his jaw tightening before he sighed, relenting. "Fine."

"Get up," he said, helping me sit up on the edge of the bed. I swayed slightly, leaning on him as I turned around. His hands hesitated at the zipper, his breath hitching.

"Y-you're not wearing a bra?" he stammered as the zipper came undone, the fabric loosening around me.

"The bra strap would make it ridiculous," I muttered, shrugging as though it were obvious.

Jungkook let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head as he tried to keep his eyes tightly shut. "You're unbelievable," he said under his breath.

He stood and moved to my closet, rummaging for something suitable to replace the dress. Finally, he pulled out a pair of shorts and one of his oversized shirts, a look of familiarity flickering in his eyes.

"C'mere," he said, his voice low but gentle.

I stumbled toward him, my bare shoulders brushing against his arm as he carefully helped me into the clothes. His hands worked quickly, his eyes still closed as he guided my arms through the sleeves of the shirt.

"There," he said once the task was done. "You're all set."

I flopped back onto the bed, letting out a tired sigh. But before I could sink into the mattress completely, Jungkook spoke again.

"Wait, your makeup," he said, reaching for the wipes on my bedside table.

I groaned but didn't resist as he sat beside me, his touch surprisingly delicate as he began to wipe away the remnants of my makeup. The cold wipe against my skin was oddly soothing, and I found myself watching him through half-closed eyes.

"Why do you do all this for me?" I slurred, my words heavy and unsteady.

Jungkook didn't look at me, his focus on carefully wiping away the smudged mascara. "Because I want to," he answered simply.

I tilted my head, frowning slightly. "How much did you get?"

"Huh?" he asked, his hand pausing mid-wipe.

"How much money did you win?" I repeated, my voice softer but sharper.

Realization dawned in his expression, and he looked away for a moment before muttering, "a hundred bucks."

I let out a drunken laugh, though there was no real humor in it. "Grab my wallet," I said, making his brows furrow in confusion.

"What?" he asked, staring at me as though I'd lost my mind.

"Go ahead. Grab my wallet," I insisted, giggling to myself as I added, "You won me, so I'll win myself again. I'll just buy myself back."

Jungkook froze, his jaw tightening as my words hung in the air.

"But you won me, too," he said softly, his tone laced with a faint teasing edge. "So I guess we both won each other."

I shook my head, my laughter fading. "But I didn't make you a bet," I said quietly, the ache in my chest seeping into my voice.

The words hit him like a blow, and I saw his expression falter, his stomach clearly twisting with guilt. He looked away, his grip on the makeup wipe tightening for a moment before he resumed cleaning my face.

"Are you wearing contacts?" he asked after a beat, his voice low but steady.

"Maybe," I muttered, my head lolling slightly as the alcohol swirled in my veins.

"Let me take them off," he said, his thumb gently pulling down my eyelid. His touch was careful as he removed the lenses one by one, leaving my eyes bare and vulnerable.

"You go sleep now, alright?" he said softly, brushing a hand through my hair.

I reached out weakly, tugging at his arm. "Can you... can you just hug me to sleep?" I asked, my voice small and trembling.

Jungkook froze, his body tensing under my grip. "Y/N..." he began, his voice hesitant.

"For the last time," I murmured, my eyes fluttering shut. "Before you go away."

His hesitation lingered in the air, but eventually, he relented. I felt the mattress dip as he lay down beside me, his arms wrapping around me carefully, tightly.

----

I woke up to a pounding headache, my head spinning as I slowly sat up. The sunlight streaming through the window felt like knives piercing through my skull, and I groaned, rubbing my temples.

As I shifted in bed, I noticed the fabric of the shirt I was wearing. It wasn't mine.

It was Jungkook's.

The oversized shirt hung loosely on me, the faint scent of his cologne still clinging to the fabric. My breath hitched as I brought it closer to my nose, the smell both comforting and suffocating at the same time.

Did he come here? How did I get home?

I tried to piece together the fragments of the previous night, but my memory was hazy. I reached for my phone on the bedside table, the screen lighting up with notifications.

And there it was.

The first video was blurry but unmistakable. Jungkook stood in the middle of a crowd, his fists clenched as he towered over a guy on the couch.

"Touch her again, you punk," his voice growled through the speakers.

The bystanders gasped as Jungkook pulled me up, his arm protectively around my waist.

I scrolled further, finding another video. This time, it was of him carrying me in a bridal style, weaving through the crowd.

The audio was faint, but I could just make out my own drunken voice slurring, "Do I love you?"

Jungkook froze for a moment in the video, his face tightening as he looked at me.

I groaned loudly, burying my face in my hands. "ARGH!" I yelled, the sound echoing in my empty apartment.

I threw the phone onto the bed, pacing the room in frustration.

----

I had barely stepped onto campus when the student council secretary approached me, her expression a mix of pity and worry.

"Hey, Pres is calling for you," she said, her voice low. "You should go to the office."

My heart sank. I shut my eyes briefly, taking a deep breath to prepare for whatever storm was waiting for me.

----

Walking into the student council office felt like stepping into a courtroom. Our president was seated behind the desk, her arms crossed, her expression one of pure fury.

"Hello—" I began hesitantly, but before I could finish, she slammed her phone onto the table with a loud thud, cutting me off.

"Y/N, are you fucking kidding me?" she snapped, her voice sharp enough to make me flinch.

She picked up her phone and shoved the screen toward me. There it was: the video of Jungkook punching the guy and carrying me out of the party.

"I know—" I tried to defend myself, but she didn't let me finish.

"First, you ditch our project meetings for three days, and now you're trending all over school being associated with Jeon Jungkook!" Her voice was rising with every word.

I swallowed hard, guilt pooling in my stomach.

"Do you even realize what this could do to our school's reputation? You're a VP, for fuck's sake, Y/N. Act like it!"

I stared down at the floor, the weight of her words pressing down on me. "Pres, I'm sorry," I murmured weakly.

Her glare didn't soften. "You'll be the one delivering the speech this Friday. Have you prepared everything?"

"Yes, Pres. I have. I'll email you everything today, I promise," I said quickly, hoping to salvage what little trust she had left in me.

She leaned back in her chair, her gaze still hard. "Why were you absent?"

"I, um... I was sick," I lied, trying to keep my voice steady.

Her eyes narrowed, and she scoffed. "Lies."

Reaching for her phone again, she swiped a few times before holding it up to me. "Have you seen Jeon Jungkook's Instagram?"

My heart sank further as I stared at the screen. The feed was filled with pictures from Busan—our trip to Busan.

I swiped through the photos, each one hitting me harder than the last.

The first was a picture of me asleep in Jungkook's arms, my face soft and peaceful against his chest.

The second showed me helping his mom set the dinner table, a smile on my face as I handed her a plate.

The third was of the beach. A candid shot of me laughing, the ocean behind me, my hair wild from the wind.

And then there was the last picture.

It was a candid shot of Jungkook and me. We were standing close, our faces inches apart, like we were about to kiss. The caption underneath read: "My number one girl."

I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

A part of me fluttered with a strange mix of happiness and flustered confusion. But that fleeting warmth was quickly crushed by the weight of reality.

Was this just for his bet?

The thought tore through me, leaving my heart aching.

The president sighed, snapping me back to the present.

"This is unacceptable, Y/N," she said, her tone cold. "You're supposed to represent the school, not become some tabloid headline."

I nodded numbly, my voice barely above a whisper. "I understand."

"Fix this," she ordered, her words final as she dismissed me with a wave of her hand.

I turned and walked out of the office, my legs shaky beneath me. The hallways felt suffocating, every student's gaze like a spotlight on me. The whispered rumors, the muffled laughs all of it rang in my ears.

How could he do this?

I walked into class, my head still pounding from the events of the morning. As I slumped into my seat, Namjoon turned toward me, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Told you I shouldn’t have gone," I snapped, shooting him a glare. "Now I’m screwed."

Namjoon’s smile disappeared, and he clasped his hands together in a mock plea. "Y/N, I’m really, really sorry. I swear I will never invite you to another party again."

"You mean to not leave me alone at one," I retorted sharply, crossing my arms.

Namjoon winced, nodding. "I was trying to find you, but by the time I did, Jungkook was already there."

I sighed, shaking my head at him. "Alright. Just... don��t let it happen again."

He leaned closer, nudging my arm gently. "So, is it true? Did you ditch your project meetings to go on a trip with Jungkook?"

I glared at him again. "Say another word about that, and you’re dead."

Namjoon raised his hands in surrender, a nervous laugh escaping his lips as he turned back to his notebook.

During class, I discretely checked my phone under the desk, ignoring the lesson for a moment. My notifications glared back at me, drawing my attention to Jungkook’s messages from the night before.

Yesterday, 11:03 PM Jakay: Y/N... I’m sorry. Jakay: Can we talk about this? Jakay: I’ll explain everything after the party.

Seen. Blocks.

I locked my phone, shoving it into my pocket and forcing my focus back to the lesson.

After school, I trudged back to my apartment, exhausted and emotionally drained.

"I want ice cream," I muttered to myself as I walked into the kitchen and opened the freezer. My eyes immediately landed on the mint chocolate ice cream Jungkook had bought for me.

As I pulled it out, a small note stuck to the lid caught my attention. The handwriting was unmistakable.

"I love you. I’m sorry."

I stared at the note for a moment, my chest tightening. Then, without a second thought, I crumpled it up and threw it into the trash. My hands trembled as I opened the ice cream aggressively, shoving a spoon into it and taking a large bite.

---

I had just started to feel slightly at ease when my phone buzzed.

Unknown: Y/N, I’m sorry. Unknown: You probably don’t want to talk to me ever. Unknown: I was really genuine about bringing you to Busan to introduce you to my mom. Unknown: I won’t bother you again. Unknown: Good luck with your speech at Foundation Day. :)

I clenched my jaw, my fingers trembling as I began typing a reply.

Me: If you were really genuine, you wouldn’t have posted me on your IG when you knew what could happen. Me: I thought we agreed to not associate with each other in public. Me: I thought it would be a social suicide for you. Me: Unless you were really desperate for that bet money that you had to drag my school life into this, knowing I’m on the student board, a VP. Me: Fix this, because I’m not apologizing or cleaning up a mess I didn’t make. Me: Goodbye.

Seen.

---

The following days were filled with avoidance.

Flowers left outside my door? Ignored. Chocolates with handwritten notes? Straight to the trash. Mint chocolate ice creams? Untouched in the freezer.

I threw myself into student council work, directing Foundation Day projects with single-minded focus. By the time I finally got home each night, I was too exhausted to think about anything or anyone else.

It was the night before Foundation Day. I was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, my body aching from the day’s work. The clock read 10:34 PM, and I was just about to fall asleep when my phone buzzed.

An unknown number.

I ignored it, but it rang again moments later. With a sigh, I picked up.

"Hello?" I said, my voice groggy and annoyed.

"Do you know Jungkook?" an unfamiliar voice asked, urgency lacing their words.

"Yes, why?" I replied, sitting up.

"Can you come to euphoria Club, please? It’s urgent," the man pleaded.

Alarm bells rang in my head. I quickly threw on a cardigan over my Hello Kitty pajamas and ordered an Uber, my heart pounding with worry the entire ride there.

---

The club was chaotic when I arrived, the music blasting so loud I could feel it in my chest. I pushed through the crowd, calling out his name.

"Jungkook!"

"Here!" someone called out, waving their hand.

I hurried toward the voice, finding Taehyung and a few of Jungkook’s other friends standing near a slouched figure.

"Y/N...?" Taehyung’s voice trailed off, surprised as I brushed past him to Jungkook.

"Kook?" I said softly, kneeling beside him. "Come on, let’s go home."

He looked up at me, his eyes glassy and unfocused. "I’m sorry, Y/N..." he muttered drunkenly, leaning forward to hug me. "I really am. I fucked up."

"Can you drive?" Yoongi asked, his face serious.

I nodded. "Help me pick him up."

Together, we managed to get Jungkook to his car. He was barely coherent, slurring his words as I buckled him into the passenger seat.

As I drove, Jungkook chuckled weakly to himself, his head lolling against the window.

"I like this girl so much," he mumbled, his words slurred but clear enough. "But she’s still so clueless and confused about it, but i think she's just convincing herself she doesn't want me"

I gripped the wheel tighter, pretending not to care.

"She’s really pretty and smart, y’know?" he continued, his voice soft and wistful.

He paused for a moment before letting out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, I won the bet... but I lost her."

My chest tightened at his words.

"So basically, I lost," he said, shaking his head and pressing his palm to his forehead.

"You can’t have both," I replied softly, focusing on the road.

"Why did I even pick the bet over her?" he muttered, more to himself than to me.

When we reached his apartment, I gently guided him to the couch. He leaned heavily on me, his movements sluggish.

As I turned to leave, his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist.

"I missed you," he murmured, pulling me into a hug.

I froze, his words hanging in the air as his grip slackened and he drifted off to sleep.

With a sigh, I glanced at the clock on my phone: 1:00 AM.

I stayed where I was, sitting beside him on the couch. Exhaustion overtook me, and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep, too.

--

The shrill blare of my alarm yanked me from sleep, and I groggily blinked at the time.

"Shit!" I shot up, panic surging through me as the realization hit.

"Jungkook! Jungkook!" I shook him awake, my voice urgent.

He stirred, rubbing his eyes before looking at me with a mix of confusion. "What? What’s going on?"

"Please, please drive me to my apartment—quickly!" I said, already scrambling to gather my things. "Today’s Foundation Day!"

That seemed to snap him out of his half-asleep state. "Fuck," he muttered, getting up in a rush to grab his car keys.

"Wait!" I stopped him, heading for his bag. I found the painkillers I knew he’d need and poured a glass of water from the kitchen. "Take this first," I said, holding the pill and water out to him.

He downed it quickly, nodding as he grabbed his jacket and motioned for me to follow.---

We sped through the streets in his car.

"Fuck, fuck," I muttered under my breath, tapping my foot nervously.

"I’m sorry—fuck," Jungkook muttered, his voice tense as he focused on the road.

When we finally reached my apartment, I leaped out of the car, hurriedly grabbing my things. I barely had time to thank him as I rushed inside to get ready.

The next thirty minutes were a disaster. I applied my makeup with practiced speed, slipping into my carefully chosen pretty outfit for the day.

Jungkook had followed me inside to clean up as well, and when I emerged, I found him waiting by the door, dressed sharply in a casual outfit.

"You ready?" he asked, his voice steady despite the chaos of the morning.

"Yeah. Let’s go!" I said, grabbing his arm as we rushed back to the car and sped toward school.

---

The field was already bustling with activity when we arrived, the energy of Foundation Day in full swing. As we hurried across the field, I could feel dozens of eyes on us, whispers trailing in our wake.

"Why are they running together?" "Isn’t that Jungkook?" "What’s going on?"

I ignored the murmurs, my focus solely on making it to the stage in time.

"Okay, just sit there!" I pointed to a chair in the front row near the stage, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Jungkook nodded, taking the seat as I hurried backstage.

Minutes before my speech, the student council president found me, her arms crossed and her expression tense.

"What was that?" she hissed, her voice low but accusatory. "Why were you with Jungkook again?"

"Just... please," I said, my voice weary. "I’m exhausted. Can we not do this right now?"

She narrowed her eyes but said nothing more, stepping aside as my name was called.

Taking a deep breath, I walked onto the stage, my heels clicking against the polished wood as I approached the podium. The field quieted as all eyes turned toward me.

I smiled warmly, gathering my thoughts before speaking.

"Good morning, everyone! Honorable principal, respected teachers, esteemed guests, fellow students, and everyone gathered here today, it is an honor to stand before you on this remarkable occasion, our school’s 14th Foundation Day.

Today, we celebrate not just the number of years but the legacy of excellence, growth, and community that has brought us to this moment.

Foundation Day is not just about celebrating the past; it is about envisioning the future. Let us take this opportunity to commit ourselves to uphold the values of our school and work together to make it an even better place. Let’s aim higher, support one another, and leave a legacy for the generations to come.

Thank you, and happy Foundation Day!"

I finished with a smile, my voice steady and confident. The crowd erupted into applause, and the energy was electric as cheers filled the air.

As I stepped back from the podium, scanning the crowd, my gaze landed on one person.

Jungkook.

He was seated exactly where I had told him to sit, his eyes locked on mine. His lips curved into a small, proud smile, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

For a moment, the chaos of the morning, the lingering hurt, and the whispers of the crowd all faded. It was just him and me.

With my heart feeling lighter than it had in days, I left the stage, exchanging one last look with him before disappearing backstage.

It was a few hours after the speech when Jungkook found me, tugging me gently by the wrist to lead me somewhere private. We stopped in a quiet corner of the campus, away from peoples eyes and curious whispers.

"Look, I want to explain everything," he started, his voice unsteady but determined.

I crossed my arms, tilting my head as I waited for him to continue.

"Taehyung my friend did a really stupid bet," he began, his words spilling out like he’d been rehearsing them. "He said if I could get you to like me, I’d win a hundred bucks. But during the bet, I realized..." He hesitated, running a hand through his hair nervously. "I realized I wanted you too- fuck- no, I loved you too-"

I cut him off with a raised eyebrow and a small, amused chuckle. "Who said I loved you too?"

Jungkook froze, his mouth slightly agape, before I waved him off with a smile. "Okay, sorry. Go on," I said, letting him finish.

He took a deep breath, his eyes searching mine. "At first, I really just wanted to win the bet. But the longer it went on, the more..." He trailed off, his hands gesturing helplessly. "My brain just went blank-crazy every time I looked at you. I enjoyed teasing you, making you mad at me, just so you’d keep talking to me. And I really, really am so sorry for everything. for making you feel betrayed, sad, confused-"

He looked down, his voice quieter now. "I can’t believe it took something as stupid as this bet to make me realize what I felt about you." A weak chuckle escaped his lips.

I softened slightly, watching him as he fidgeted.

Jungkook reached out, gently taking my hand in his. "I have to admit... at first, I was ashamed." He hesitated, his gaze flickering up to meet mine. "Ashamed of being friends with the VP. I was a coward, scared of something I couldn’t even explain. But now? All I want to do is kiss you in front of everyone and let them judge us."

His words hung in the air, heavy with vulnerability and sincerity.

I gave him a small smile, shaking my head. "Kissing me in public would only make the rumors worse, Jungkook. It could get us in trouble for committing inappropriate acts at school, you know," I said with a teasing edge, my lips curving into a grin.

He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Also," he added, his voice softer now, "the hot, smart girlfriend I was talking about to my brother..." He paused, his cheeks flushing slightly. "It was you."

I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head. "Who said I was your girlfriend?"

His head snapped up, his face a mixture of confusion and panic. "Huh?"

"You can’t just hurt me like that and think you’ll get it easily," I said with a smirk, my eyes sparkling with mischief.

Realization dawned on his face, and he nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"You’ll have to earn me again," I added, turning my gaze away from him, pretending to inspect my nails.

Jungkook laughed softly, the sound warm and genuine. "Alright. I deserve that."

"Also, you can’t get both," I continued, my grin widening. "So, give me the hundred bucks."

He blinked at me, then burst out laughing. "Alright, fine. I’ll Venmo it to you later," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Then, he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Can I kiss you?"

I leaned back just a little, raising an eyebrow. "Too fast," I teased, scrunching my nose playfully.

Instead, I offered him my hand. He smiled, taking it and pressing a gentle kiss to the back of it, his eyes never leaving mine.

drabbles?

this is literally a rushed lazy fic cuz i was bored. crazy i even made it to 14k word count

will be making a jks pov ver named "number 1 party anthem" tihii.

this isn't actually proof read sooo yeah just tell me what i missed.

[darylsfavoritegirl]

It's very awkward to post after so long. This is not proofread so it probably has a lot of mistakes I'll edit after posting lol I just wanna put something out here. This has been on my drafts forever. There'll be a part 2!! (hopefully). I got me some ideas for this type of plot!!

Summary: Right after losing the prison, y/n loses her way and stumbles upon that jerky group daryl had to deal with. They unite and all.

Your hand went out to the unyielding fingers covering your mouth as you breathed harshly through your nose.

The guy behind you yanked your arm to your back, forcing you to stay still. There you were, trapped among a couple of men and even with Daryl, they outnumbered you.

Your heart's beating made you lightheaded. You were already hungry and the pit in your stomach grew more obstinate.

"Easy, Len." The chubby one shouted lightly with a half-grin tugged on the curls of his lips.

"Joe'll want her nice and neat." He leered through you with half-lidded eyes as if a starved bear. His body reeked with eagerness that turned your stomach upside down.

A minute passed as his men started looking around bewilderedly.

Your heart skipped a beat. He was leading them to your camp with Daryl. You shut your eyes screwed as Len's enthusiastic breathing tickled the back of your neck.

"Been watchin' this bitch. She's got a boyfriend somewhere 'round here."

Your eyes burned as he kept sniggering behind your ear. His pitiful friends started to laugh your ears off alongside him.

You yelped against his palm pressing harshly against your lips as you shook your arms, trying to free yourself.

"Oh, oh easy attagirl." He came close near your neck, whispering into your ear.

"Shut that little mouth for your sweetheart's dear life."

A tear slided down your cheek onto his knuckles. It was out of pure rage and how you couldn't do a thing about it.

"Seeing how she resisted us... Joe will want someone like her." Another man uttered as questions pondered your head. Who was this man?

"Yeah yeah yeah."

You could feel Len shaking his head in a fancy way as if mocking.

"But first, we'll have our fun.. am I right gentlemen?" He chuckled behind your ear as your vision darkened.

Your vein on your neck throbbed against your ear as their rigid laughs filled the air before they all turned around harshly.

Len forced you around aswell, and there he was, Daryl, his crossbow looking directly into Len's forehead as he spoke in a commanding voice. They could outnumber him, outpower him yet he was the one with his lethal weapon, catching them off guard.

"If ya lay hands on 'er, consider yerself a dead man."

Your eyes followed the chickened-out Len who-was-yet trying to stand his post like a devoted soldier. After all, he had the numbers.

"If you are a smart man, you'd drop that crossbow of yours to the ground." He demanded, his eyes peeking along his men as if seeking verbal support.

"We got your girl, don't we?" He forced a chuckle.

"Nah. Handling a whole bunch o' pricks ain't never been trouble." He whispered under his breath, not taking his eyes off of the man holding you hostage.

"You've got some balls, I'll give you that."

His mockery grew denser as Daryl was not acknowledging your presence yet your gaze never left his face and his firm stance.

"But see, you ain't gonna win this. You'd be-"

All of your heads turned to the sound of someone clicking their tongue in the middle of the woods behind some bush.

There appeared a man looking in his middle or late 50s with distinctive features bearing his face. You heard one of the men softly huff "Joe.." as you exchanged glances back and forth.

"That ain't very nice now is it Len?" He inquired, not masking his letdown filled with an uncanny stare.

"We- we were bringing these two right to you." He stuttered, you felt his grip loosening on your back. You heard his chapped lips forcing a smile, a smile without the eyes.

"Then why the hell that fella over there holding his crossbow at your skull point?" He smiled, trying to look inviting to you, nonetheless you wouldn't buy it.

"Got his baby-doll over here." He chuckled, putting on a confident manner.

The man they called Joe, smiled.

"Son o'va bitch is a chatter." Daryl said. You turned your head to him for a brief moment as he kept pogging Len with his dark-eyed stare.

"Let go of her." He shook his fingers at the two of you as you felt him letting go completely.

You massaged your wrists as you gazed at Daryl through your brows. If you were alone, you'd just bolt as fast as you could, only you weren't and you had no weapons whatsoever.

Joe came closer to him, only leaving a distance with the crossbow between them.

"You ain't very friendly." Joe expressed and yet again you felt that ear-offing, jambering on tone in his voice.

Daryl stayed silent, his solid gaze never left Joe's. Joe was inches away from death, even so, he kept making senseless, unnecessary comments.

"Well, can he talk?" He asked his men, chuckling at his own statement.

"Wer' leavin' " Daryl grunted as he didn't move or lower his crossbow.

Joe looked bewildered.

"Trust me, some of us are more hospitable."

Daryl finally lowered his crossbow.

"That ain't appealing ta me."

"Wer' goin' " He took a step ahead, Joe placing his arms on his ribs to stop him. Daryl initially glared down at his forearm then to his eyes, giving him a penetrating stare.

"No need for any o'us ta get hurt." Daryl glared at him obstinately

"See, that's right. So why don't you come with us? You don't seem like you got a group out there." He held out his hands extravangtly. He, then turned to you, his eyes sizing you up.

"Why don't you put some sense into your boyfriend over there?" He asked you as you sharpened your stare, then gaze at Daryl.

"I mean, trust me. You don't wanna die out there all alone." He chuckled loudly, vibrating the leaves and bushes all around you.

You stood there, mulling over your odds out there. It was just the two of you, plus both of you had no idea if any of your friends were even alive.

A part of you wanted to be part of someting greater. Safe to say, your prospects of surviving even with a gang like that were more favorable than it was with you two only.

The other part of you felt like you didn't have much of a say in this. Consequently this Joe guy was only asking you out of the little-to+none courtesy he persuaded he had in himself.

You'd spent your life with men like him. It was either with physical force or the presumed kindness and the virtue. Daryl had thought the same all along, you saw the little sparkles fade in his eyes when you looked up. This was the new world order.

Joe must've seen both of your features soothen that he clapped his hands dramatically and made a "Ha" sound.

You'd walked a few hours, exchanging secret glances with Daryl.

When you'd taken a break after walking for hours at an abandoned gas station was when Daryl embraced his arms all around you without saying a word as you were trying to figure at how to shatter a vending machine glass.

You were kneeling down, your palm was pressing your forehead as if trying to remember something long forgotten as your eyes were screwed shut.

It was like you'd totally forgot his presence, bearing you from walkers or more to say -something you both didn't wanna admit or had the heart to say it to eachother- bearing you from the gang of rural vigilantes you happened to join.

For a second, he knelt besides you, his crossbow still at hand with a brawny grip when you felt his arms go around you, followed by you getting up reflexively.

For a moment, you froze. Your eyes were stuck on a walker lurking around feets away you. Your hands stayed put, this had never happened before.

Then your heart melted into his. You noticed his heart beat going faster against your chest. You gulped, which made an out of the blue sound and you hoped he didn't notice. He didn't.

Then one of your arms started embracing his neck slowly while the other went over the back of his shoulders. You were sure you didn't go tighter with your hugging yet did it feel like you were suffocating him with your clutch.

His head fell to the crook of your neck, breathing lightly against your bare skin that goosebumps started swell.

" 'M jus' glad yer alright."

He, then broke the embrace, however your arms were still around his neck. You gazed deep into his eyes, aspiring to see something you'd never seen in those heavy, forever serious eyes.

"I'm fine, and you?" You tilted your head forward and gave him a begging stare through your lashes.

He let go of your waist and nod his head in agreement as he kept biting his bottom lip and eyeing you up and down.

You knelt down again, trying to look occupied incase any of them popped up infront of you.

Daryl was still standing, when you lifted your gaze to check him out was the time you were blinded with the sunny sun shine and his face wasn't visible. Too shadowed, too dark.

"What's wrong?" You asked as you kept working on the vending machine with an adjustable wrench.

He started speaking as if he was contemplating all along.

"If things go south, ya be the first one ta run off."

You furrowed your brows as you turned your head to his direction. There was the dazzling sunlight again, hence you shielded your eyes with your hands.

"And let them skin you alive?" You inquired. You knew the answer, yet you sensed to speak about it as to put sense into him.

He maintained his silence as you felt your rage run through you. You got up, the tool still in your hand and you squeezed it like you could break metal.

Your eyes cut right through him yet he stayed put.

"Daryl?"

He rested his body weight on one leg and kept staring at you.

"Those assholes kno' damn well how ta get a reaction outta someone." He lowered his eyelids.

"If sumthing goes down, I need ya gone."

"Right up."

"Ya hear me?"

Your eyes scanned him for a while with a wrinkly forehead. You didn't know which words to utter.

"I won't leave you." You said low as your eyes were trapped on the pavement 10 feets away from you.

You heard him letting out a sigh as you followed him with your eyes. You were beyond bewildered.

-End of Part One-

[ticklish-n-stuff]

Tickletober day #5: Boo!

This is a sequel to my first ever Kazuha fic 'cause I'm mentally ill for Kazuha, if you couldn't tell

Don't be surprised if most of my genshin fics end up being about Kazuha

Look at me go, 2 fics in one day

Enjoy<3

Also on ao3

______________________________________________________________

Beidou x Kazuha (platonic)

Lee: Kazuha

Ler: Beidou

Warnings: Tickles

______________________________________________________________

What better time to strike some sweet revenge than spooky month? 

Beidou surely hasn’t forgotten about Kazuha’s prank during his so-called massage. She had been plotting her move for a while. As everyone knew, the samurai was very perceptive and catching him off guard is no easy task. Though, if Beidou was anything, it was stubborn. But most importantly, she tackled each task head on, much like now, literally. 

“Boo!” she yelled out like a war cry as she swept Kazuha off his feet, carrying him bridal style, much to the samurai’s embarrassment.

“Captain? What are you doing?” 

She could tell that Kazuha had gotten flustered from that, but was still hiding it well behind his polite tone, that wouldn’t do. 

“Teaching you what happens when you mess with this ol’ captain~” with that, she threw the boy over her shoulder. Chuckling in amusement when she heard a startled yelp. She carried him like a sack of potatoes over to her quarters, ungraciously dropping him into a pile of pillows. 

A small ‘oof’ could be heard when Kazuha fell on the ground. His face slowly grew red like maple leaves after being carried like that with such ease. Beidou truly was something. “Captain, let’s talk about thihiHISSS!” a squeal emitted from the samurai’s mouth when Beidou pounced on him, her fingers getting to work swiftly as they made contact with the anemo user’s sides. Scribbling softly over the clothed skin. 

The captain let out a low whistle, amazed by how easily the usually calm samurai could crumble from a few wiggly fingers. “My, my, who knew that the ever strong Kazuha was as ticklish as a little boy~”

“Ahahah! Beidou, plehehease!” a whine came out of the white haired male. His brain felt so scrambled up in ticklishness that he didn’t know whether to cover his face or try pushing at Beidou’s hands, resulting in an adorably funny Kazuha flailing his limbs all over the place. 

“Please what? Please keep going? Gladly~ I’m having the time of my life watching you lose all that composure” Beidou has her usual grin on her face, or at least that’s what most would say. There was a softer, endeared look, one that the samurai would’ve noticed if he wasn’t so busy laughing his pretty little head off. 

His breathy bouts of laughter grew more frantic and squeaky when he felt Beidou’s fingers lightly pressing between each rib. Each jab made him want to jump out of his skin. “You know that’s nohohot what I meheheant! Ack! Beidohohou!” Kazuha’s hands finally settled onto weakly gripping Beidou’s wrists, practically putting no effort into getting her to stop. If he could talk, he’d probably brush it off as him having lost his strength from laughing so much, but I doubt that explanation could’ve even fooled himself. 

“No? But you sure seem like you’re enjoying yourself. Just look at you! All smiles and giggles, without actually trying to stop me~” her fingers managed to reach the soft spot under his arms, watching Kazuha double down into another fit of laughter. 

The samurai could feel his head grow all fuzzy. The teasing on top of the tickling was doing a number on him. The embarrassment of the captain having figured him out so easily made him feel even more vulnerable. All he could really do now was allow himself to take it, leaning his head back as those joyful titters fell out of his mouth like cascades. 

“See? Much better when you let yourself enjoy it” yeah this was supposed to be a sort of punishment as revenge, but getting to hear Kazuha’s unfiltered laugh for once was way better. At most, all she had heard from the samurai were the usual polite chuckles. Seeing that persona slip out felt more rewarding than any treasure. 

Her fingers eventually stopped tormenting the samurai’s underarms. Instead opting to slip under his garments to reach his bare middle. She let out a chuckle when Kazuha flinched over the cold fingers touching his warm skin. 

“Eheheheh! C-Captain, not thehehere…!” Kazuha would arch his back before falling flat again, the feeling of the captain’s fingers softly tracing around his sensitive stomach really drove him up the wall. 

“Pshh, stop denying it already. You ain’t fooling me.” Beidou smirked when Kazuha squealed, a whine getting mixed into it when her index finger slipped into his navel, causing him to giggle up a storm. 

“Nohohoho! I cahahan’t! Plehehehease!!” Kazuha pleaded desperately, but the joy in his tone was unmistaken. He was just that ticklish.

“It’s like a giggle spot… or a giggle button! Just have to press here and you giggle like a madman!~” she kept playfully poking and prodding at the small indent until Kazuha started to hiccup through his giggles. Absolutely adorable! Could make a grown man squeal from cuteness. 

With that, Beidou finally relented on the ticklish torment, letting out a hearty laugh when Kazuha desperately gasped for breath between his hiccups. “You okay there, kid?”

Kazuha responded with a shaky thumbs up, too embarrassed out of his mind over what just happened, and his unstopping hiccups. He really was turned into a mess of a person. Definitely going to keep this in mind next time he decides to mess with Beidou. 

“Good~” the electro user playfully ruffled his hair, her smile turning more fond as Kazuha’s hiccups slowly subsided, leaving behind a blinding smile from laughing so much. It was very different from the usual smiles he gave, which were normally more reserved and small, but this one could put a diamond to shame from how valuable it was. “Not gonna lie, you can be pretty adorable~” she teased, chuckling when the samurai let out a flustered groan.

Looks like there’d be only tricks during this spooky month, not that Kazuha minded.

______________________________________________________________

[minnielvrr]

maybe you could do one when seungmin still has his braces on and is supposed to get them off but when he goes to the dentist they tell him he has to have it on for longer and he gets upset and his members try to cheer him up in different ways and then they eventually tickle him or like Changbin or Chan corner him in his room and tickle him tell he admits that his smile is cute and will stop covering it to

Thank you for the request!! 🤗💖🩷💞 So I fused this with another idea I had in mind, I hope that's okay🩷

I love this idea so much cuz Seungmin was simply adorable with braces and I'll never understand anyone who disagrees 🥰🥺

Braces

Lee: Seungmin Lers: Jeongin, Felix, Chan, Minho Word Count: 3k!!

A/N: Sorry anon, ik this took some time. This is a little plot heavy🤭Hope you enjoy ~~🤗🩷

A part of Seungmin expected it when his dentist told him that he’d have to keep his braces in for a few more weeks. Their hectic schedules had forced him to push back a number of appointments and that seemed to have taken its toll.

He sighed for the umpteenth time after returning to the dorm, staring balefully at his reflection on his phone. It was as though he couldn’t escape this hell. He hated how his smile looked with them on, even though many stays and his bandmates had made it a point to remind him otherwise.

The hate comments he got threw any and all compliments to the wind and he’d recently been avoiding even looking at himself in the mirror. It was just too much. As he lay on his bed, absentmindedly fiddling with the device in his hands, Jeongin and Felix knocked and entered.

They were armed with handfuls of snacks and sweets and all of the foods the puppy had mentioned he was craving all week. The two dumped it on the bed, climbing on to cuddle the puppy. “Is everything okay hyung?” Innie asked quietly, face nuzzled into Minnie’s shoulder. The puppy hummed, wrapping his arms around the two cuties.

“Want a snack, Minnie?” The chick offered him a packet of gummy worms, dangling one right in his face with a goofy grin. Seungmin accepted it with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, chewing quietly. Well, that was a bust. The pup looked lost in thought, a frown creasing his handsome features.

Felix who was hugging him like a koala, leaned in to whisper in the pup’s ear. “A buff birdy told me you were upset cause the doc said you’ll have to wait to get your braces removed.” Jeongin gasped. ”Is that true hyungie? But you look so cute like this!”

Seungmin sighed again, killing Changbin would have to wait for later. He had whined to his hyung the entire ride back to the dorm and Bin had snitched. “Minnie? Do you hate your smile?” The sudden question had Seungmin staring blankly at Felix. “Why do you think that Lix?” He asked, deliberately trying to ignore the pang in his heart.

The blonde fished his phone out of his pocket, eventually turning the screen towards the puppy. The two carefully watched his expression souring when the video played. It was a compilation of all the moments where Seungmin would find some way to cover the lower half of his face using plushies, his hands or sweater paws.

Felix’s eyes were starting to get teary. How had they missed it for so long? Seungmin hastily patted his head, trying to come up with an excuse to convince the older that ‘it wasn't so bad’.

“It's not like that guys. I just- it just happened. It's not like- what stays are saying is true after all…” He trailed off in a small voice. "Those people are not stays hyung!" Jeongin said fiercely, gently cupping Seungmin's face. Felix almost cried then, but deciding to save the waterworks for later he yelled, “Chan hyung! Minho hyung!” Seungmin jumped in place at the sheer volume, eyes snapping to Lixie's in alarm.

In the next moment, the puppy found himself completely immobile. Jeongin was holding onto his wrists as if his life depended on it, while Felix leveraged his entire body weight to keep Seungmin pinned beneath him.

He shook his head, trying to free his hands and push the other off him to escape. He knew he wouldn't be able to run once Chan came in. With renewed strength, he ripped his hands free from Innie, mumbling apologies to the younger as he focused on Felix. Minnie had just managed to wrestle a very clingy chick off him, bolting through the door, running straight into the leader with a curious kitten right behind him.

“Shit!” He cursed silently, fighting the kangaroo, only to end up thrown over his shoulder in mere seconds, Minho slapping his butt as punishment.

Chan laid him down on the bed, keeping a tight grip around Seungmin’s waist as he and Minho watched the video on Felix’s phone. He understood the problem immediately.

Minho was already taking off Minnie’s socks, always ready for a nice, long wrecking. He sighed exasperatedly. “It's true hyung, you guys can just be honest with me. I know my smile doesn’t look as nice as everyone else’s.” He sounded so defeated, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes at the admission.

Chan’s expression was stormy, eyes narrowed and lips in a tight line. “I see. So that’s how you’ve seen yourself this whole time. I guess we’ll just have to convince you really well then hm.” His voice was deep and a little angry.

The puppy seemed to have taken that anger the wrong way, however, suddenly bursting into tears, face twisting as he sobbed. The four looked at him in surprise and Chan quickly gathered the sobbing boy into his arms and held him tight. “Hey, hey, hey. Baby I’m not mad at you. I promise I’m not, love. I’m mad at the people who put all that nonsense in your pretty head.”

They stayed like that a while, Felix leaving the room for a little and coming back with a small pouch in his hand. Minho grinned wide when he saw it, cracking his knuckles. “Hyung why don’t we show Seungminie how beautiful his smile looks?” Chan smirked back at him over Minnie’s shoulder, gently laying him back down on the bed and moving the pup’s hands to lay above his head.

Now, Seungmin was smart. He had known exactly what the four were planning, but unfortunately for him, they were much, much stronger. His hands were soon bound to the headboard by an eager Felix, any struggles and protests useless. His t-shirt was pushed up and Minho straddled his thighs. Grabbing a bottle of oil from Felix’s pouch he poured a generous amount right into Seungmin’s naval.

Chan just sat back and watched for now, grinning at the pup when he gave him his best puppy eyes. The leader shook his head firmly at him. If that was really the way Seungmin had seen himself this entire time, then they needed to show him that it wasn’t true. It was heartbreaking to see one of their maknaes being so insecure about such a beautiful part of themselves.

“Ugh this is so stupid.” He rolled his eyes at the scoffs it earned him. “Let me go!”

“Did you think we were just playing around here baby?” Minho asked quietly. “This isn’t a joke love. Don’t worry, though, you’ll love your smile soon enough.”

The puppy bit his lips, trying his best to muffle his sounds when the mischievous kitten dipped his pinky into his belly button, then spread the oil all over his exposed tummy with his nails, making it tickle so much! Felix and Jeongin sat on either side of his head, their sly grins promising nothing good. The maknae got ahold of his elbows, pressing them down on the bed so that the puppy was helpless to Lixie’s plan.

As Innie held his hands, he rubbed soothing circles on the inner side of Minnie's forearm. Even that felt ticklish to the sensitive pup and he tried wiggling away, much to the amusement of the fox. “What’s wrong Seungmin hyung? Does even this tickle you?” Seungmin’s flustered expression had him surprised. “Does this even count as tickling? I’m barely touching you!”

“Shut up! Thihis isn’t fahahair!! Ir’s fohour against one!” “Aww babes, all is fair in love and war. And we love you sooo much, so that means we get to tickle you just as much!” Came Lixie’s sassy answer, his fingers starting to circle around the puppy’s underarms.

When the actual torment began, Seungmin tried his hardest to slide down the bed but the restraints and Jeongin’s hands held him securely. All his struggles seemed to do was make his shirt ride up higher, exposing more skin that Minho happily took advantage of. The oil had the kitten’s fingers skating over the swells and sinks of the younger’s sensitive torso.

“Shihihihit! Ahahahahahah.” He tried to take it at first, squirming lightly and simply letting the slow, scratchy fingers reduce him into childish giggles.

But the longer it drew on for, the more sensitive he felt and he wiggled weakly, his body to having lost all strength, pleas falling along freely through his melodious laughter. “Hehehehe hyu-hyuhung, Minho hyung plehehease chanhange chahahhange spahohots!! It tihihickles sohoho bahahad!!”

Minho took pity on him and let up on Minnie's belly, keeping in mind to revisit that spot in a bit. A hand ghosted over his now bare waist, Seungmin's breath hitching in anticipation. “Hehehehehehe nohohoo,” he pleaded sweetly, eyes forming little crescents with how wide his smile was.

“Hehehe yehes!” Minho mocked, spreading the oil around before pressing the pads of his fingers into the soft skin. The puppy’s body jolted, back arching only to come crashing down when the evil kitten vibrated his fingers, laughing diabolically. Witho

At Chan’s suggestion, they paused for a break. Despite having just started, Seungmin seemed to need some time to adjust. The leader waited till his breath steadied, then brought his hands up to hover over the puppy. He air tickled him for a while, teasing the poor lee when he flinched and yelped and shrieked even though Chan hadn’t laid a finger on him. Then he dived in. Just him as the others rested their hands. The leader was relentless, changing spots so fast Seungmin’s tickle-fried brain couldn’t keep up.

The puppy desperately kicked out his legs, accidentally tangling them in the blankets and making finding himself even more immobile. Jeongin snickered at him, reaching over to rain pokes at any bit of his hyung that he could reach. “Channie hyung! Chahahannihihie hyhuhung…”

“Oh, it’s Channie hyung now, is it?” The leader teased, amusedly.

Then Felix joined in, tickling his tummy as he collected some oil, dipping a wriggling finger into his navel and swirling around until he was satisfied with the pup’s reaction, then he would smooth the oil over his pits and slowly scratch at the skin. “Lihihix, Lihihihix please ohoho my GAHAHAD!”

And Seungmin wasn’t sure if it was the oil or the fact that he could barely budge or both but it tickled a hundred times worse, bringing him to want to surrender but he held back. His armpits were usually a bad spot but it felt much worse now when Innie kept him immobile, no matter how much he struggled.

Minnie’s eyes squeezed shut from how much it tickled, uncontrollable giggles slipping easily from his lips, braces in full visibility. No matter which way he twisted or how hard he tugged at his bound hands, he was completely and truly helpless.

They slowed down, allowing the puppy to breathe through his soft airy laughter. Eventually, they paused to give the puppy a break, removing the restraints on his hands, giggling and pulling him back when he tried to crawl away.

“Nuh uh, you aren’t going anywhere till we’re done with you pup.” Chan patted him on the head. “Yeah, we still have part 2 to complete after all!” Everyone looked at Minho in surprise.

“What’s part 2 hyung?” Jeongin asked curiously. “We’re going to have Seungminie, here see just how pretty his smile is and then he’ll finally admit that his smile is the prettiest in the world! Right Minnie?” He turned towards a dumbfounded pup, “You’ll be good and say it for us, right?”

At the lack of response, Minho sent a quick scribble to Minnie’s side. “W-what? No it’s not, hyung!” A round of sighs filled the space. “Get him!” And then it was chaos once more. But now poor Seungmin was weakened from the previous torture.

For the finale, his hands were yanked behind him by Innie and his body was maneuvered to sit facing the tall mirror that sat by the side of his bed, his feet dangling off the side of the bed and back resting on Innie’s chest.

He stared at his wrecked appearance. His hair was a complete mess, clothes ruffled and his face was so red. He looked away with a shuddering breath. The half-smile he’d had when Innie had restrained him fell right off his face.

But then Felix’s fingers wormed their way into his ribs and he was cackling, trying to lean away but the maknae had a death grip on him. He could only within the space of the mirror. The pup caught fleeting glances at the bright smile on his face. He looked happy!

“Hehehehehe ihihit tihihickles~” It made him feel warm inside that his bandmates were so worried about him and that they were adamant enough to be firm in this. They knew Seungmin always pretended to hate the affection. He was truly grateful to have them in his life.

Then Chan and Minho joined and every thought Seungmin had had in his head vanished. There was a devious smile playing on Chan’s lips. The three lers watched as he sat on the floor and caught Seungmin’s flailing legs.

The puppy was still too incapacitated to notice, laughing and shrieking his little head off as the others kept up their attacks. Then the fourth pair of hands joined in and he went ballistic. Blunt nails dragged over his bare soles, courtesy of Minho, scribbling over his arches and scratching at the balls of his feet. “FAHAHAHAHAHAHA…” He couldn’t even form a coherent sentence, laughter quickly cutting off.

With the way Jeongin held him, Seungmin was forced to watch himself laughing his head off as the trio absolutely wrecked him. Finally unable to look at the braces that seemed to glare at him through his reflection, he did the only thing he could.

Cackling and squirming, he turned his face to the side but immediately felt gentle hands holding his chin and tilting his head in the direction of the mirror again. “Uh uh, this isn’t gonna stop until you really look at yourself and admit the truth.”

“Youhuhu guhuhuys SUCK!!” The puppy was insanely flustered. It had been a while since he’s really looked at his face without any makeup on, his bangs shading his eyes and cheeks pink in embarrassment. but the puppy (not so) secretly loved the attention.

His face burned, hair disheveled, tear tracks shining over red cheeks as he writhed in their hold and begged. His smile was so wide, braces in full view and anyone could see how absolutely precious the sight was. And Seungmin couldn’t think of anything to say. For the first time in forever his mind was silent and his voice was loud. He laughed and laughed and laughed so joyously.

“Say it Seungminnie~ Unless you want this to go on?” Minho taunted him, a maniacal smile playing on his lips.

Seungmin hesitated, not wanting to admit such a thing but the longer he stalled, the more unbearable everything felt. And when Felix plunged his small index finger into his navel, Seungmin gave in. “Okahahay okahay, STHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHA. PLEASE.”

Jeongin released Seungmin’s hands, the pup’s arms clamping to his sides immediately. Innie started tickling his shoulders and collarbones, dragging longish nails up and down his back and watching as the puppy threw his head back and squirmed, the sweetest of giggles spilling from his lips like honey. His wide smile showed of his braces and everyone in the room couldn’t help but coo at the adorable sight.

“Ihihihinie ihihihit soho bahahahahahad!!” “Aww, is hyungie too ticklish for this?”

Their fingers maneuvered expertly to have him in tears. His limbs felt like jelly, and despite not being pinned any longer, he could still do nothing. There was no strength behind his hands as they pushed and pulled at the hands running all over his body. “HEHEHEHEHE...”

“Do you still hate your smile? Do you? Hm, do you?” Minho kept asking him, partly to annoy the puppy. Minnie shook his head, crying out, “No! No, I don’t, I dohoHOHON’T AHAHAHAHAHA…” “Then say it, admit that your smile is the prettiest in the whole world.”

Fingers skittered up his legs and all his resolve crumbled. “What about riiiiiight here?” Minho asked, fingers squeezing Minnie's thighs now. “NOAHAHAHAHAHAHAA.” Seungmin's entire body jolted and with a strangled yelp, he dissolved further into helpless laughter. It's was bad. It was bad. It was SO BAD!!

It was all too much, the tickles driving every stray thought from his mind and finally the puppy gave in, “Okay OKAHAHAHAY MY SMILE IS THE PREHIHITTIEST, EHEHENAHOUGH, AHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHA.” His words turned incoherent, Seungmin now left howling in laughter, feeling like he was truly going insane.

It quickly went silent when Chan moved to plant a few parting raspberries to his sides before letting up. The rest following suit before they actually killed their cute puppy, giggling at the mess the boy was.

“I hate you guhuys, you’re so mean! Seungmin whined, scratching over the tingly spots all over his body. “Aww you don’t mean that, didn’t our sweet puppy have fun too?” Chan chirped in a baby voice, moving to nuzzle fondly at the pup’s belly, only to pull away with a laugh when the puppy yelped and scrambled away. “I’m not gonna tickle you again…for now.” He assured the red-faced boy. They gave him some water and Felix went to run a warm bath for him to relax in. It was pretty late after all.

While the tired boy enjoyed his bath, the four collected all the scattered snacks off of the floor and arranged his bed. They chose a movie and waited for the puppy to come out. As soon as the pup was out, the two oldest members wrapped Seungmin up in a cozy blanket burrito, Innie carding his hands soothingly through his hair.

Seungmin kicked out in annoyance when they started rocking him like a baby. A warning poke to his sides, however, had him surrendering to the aftercare. They pampered the puppy, eating the snacks and laughing and chattering on as the movie played in the background.

And they were rest assured that the next time Seungmin went for an appointment, he would feel confident about his beautiful smile, braces or not.

I'm starting to think I should write more stories where Seungmin just sits back and takes it...honestly that would be more in character for him 🥰💞

Please let me know if there are any mistakes, I didn't have a chance to proofread this well🥺😣

[senka-mesecine]

Could you write for yandere Barnes finding a lost hiker-type in the woods? Maybe she was sweet to him and called him sir or she was so stubborn it grabbed his attention, whatever you want!!

Hiker in the Shed.

Robert Barnes x Reader.

---

(I'll be damned if this won't end up seeming like the plot of Deliverance (1972) so any similarities are intentional.)

---

He could already see the newspaper titles vividly in his mind;

Hiker lost on Appalachian trail.

Hiker presumed kidnapped.

Hiker's body never recovered.

And while it was all so abundantly easy to predict, what Barnes never counted on rotating back into the world that this new wave of hippies would be so braindead and hellbent on discovering themselves with any number of stupid shit and stupid activities like pot, strumming them guitars and hiking up mountains that half of them would end up in his neck of the woods, lookin' for God and the meaning of life or some shit, most of them the most loud, obnoxious, way-in-out-of-depth sons of bitches he's ever met and he's met quite a bit of those; perhaps why the presence of you in the middle of the forest came as such a pleasant surprise --- all quietude and focus, repacking your backpack set down on the grass, so immersed in what you were doing you never even noticed that he effectively walked in on you doing it and continued watching you well over ten minutes before he deliberately decided to make his presence known, choosing to step on a nearby twig and letting it crack in rehearsed mid-movement, making it seem like he was walking the entire time and not merely standing in place and observing, the cliff giving him a perfect vantage point and the upper ground need to get a spectacular view of you. Your back bend towards the ground, scurrying with the contents of your duffel.

-"Hello!?"-

You speak up, yelling, surprised and caught off guard, head swinging around desperately to assess the source of the sound you didn't know was tactically premeditated, your shoulders finally dropping once you catch his form looming from the nearby precipice, smoking. Your eyes shoot up, like a deer's. A woman alone in the mountains. And a beauty to boot. He allows his mouth to coil around his cigarette, lips pressing down on it so he'd avoid showing even the faintest shadow of a grin, deciding instead of keep his visage firm and stiff. -"Sir? Sorry, sir! I think I'm a little lost!"- You announce the obvious, standing up, dusting your knees off once the presence on the cliff proves to be human. A little lost? Just the right amount of lost, more like. Barnes chooses to say nothing, inhaling the tobacco smoke, feeling something hitch in his throat at the moniker of 'sir' and all the ways it tickled, letting you speak. It was oddly fun, actually, watching you try to make pleasantries and break the ice in the middle of nowhere with an absolute stranger. You wave to get his attention. Thinking he didn't hear or see you the first time.

Oh. He did. He's heard you forty five minutes ago from the other side of the valley.

Could almost smell you through the foliage.

Why he came down here in the first place.

-"Hello, there! Good day. You live here by any chance?"-

You ask, placing your arms on your hips inquisitively, shouting up.

-"Eyup."-

Is all he bothers saying, clipped and pleased.

Holding his cigarette between his index finger and his thumb.

Balancing it there lazily.

A hiker in his shed.

Now there was a thought.

Hiker in his bed.

Now there was another.

Well, he'll be damned, it even rhymed.

-"Do you think you could tell me which way back to the trail? I'm a little off track it seems."-

You explain, lifting up your arm at one point and raising it over your forehead at one point like a visor intended to shield your eyes from the fading sun, your hands doing most of the talking, like you were nervous, trying to cover it up being a tad bit over animated. All he does is wordlessly point --- out into the distance and your eyes follow the trail of his hand, vaguely, through the thick, blackened line of trees, your mouth agape, trying to gage the direction he was keeping intentionally indeterminate and unclear. -"What, that way? Alright, thanks."- You assess, politely but speedily, like you were already late to somewhere and off schedule, taking his word for the pathway like you wanted to scurry off as fast as possible and being too civil to show it too obviously, everything about your manner and airs reminding him of a newborn fawn walking across a frozen lake --- all fidgetiness and nerves. First impressions being first, you were sweet. Peach and honey sweet. Sweet but afraid. -"Thank you most kindly."- You say again, lifting up your rucksack's straps and slinging them over your shoulders, flashing him a brief smile. That is when he decides to speak. When you've already turned to leave, buying himself a moment. -"You've been done strayed straight into the wilderness. Head north-west and y'should be right back to where you ought to be."- He explains, standing on his precipice. Telling a bold faced lie. -"Across the creek and then straight on."- He adds --- you head out across the creek and you'd be walking around in circles on an oval cliff that stretched on for miles; too big for you to effectively notice you were goin' nowhere. You honestly buy that shit because you clearly didn't know any better, blind and crippled in the fog of war, lifting your hand up in an eager, warm goodbye and turn deeper towards the pine woods. -"Thank you! Please take care of yourself!"- You yell and that's when Barnes allows himself to chuckle, privately, so quietly even he could barely sense himself doing it, relishing it, watching your back disappear into the pine trees, nicotine smoke engulfing his vision.

Him? You were telling him to take care of himself?

Bless your heart.

The sky is low and overcast on the horizon and he smells rain.

---

Thing is, he lived by this belief that what you catch is yours to keep.

A creed that was well understood in the war; trophies were inherently the soldier's unofficial loot, be it an NVA buckle belt, weapon caches, scalps, flags, teeth, bones, fingers or gook ears. Barnes thought himself a man with a predilection for those and he's captured more than he can account for during four full years in-country --- so you stumbled into his territory. His mountain. His hill. His backyard. His particular neck of the woods. Pouring down from the devil's asscrack with the a shower, who was to have the guts to come tell him collecting you too wasn't his right? Vermucci's words come to mind, unbidden then, like an old, bygone ghost hovering in the wet, drenched foliage, along with all the figurative newspaper articles he's imagined when he's first spotted you. Ten years for killing an enlisted man. Ten years climbing the walls, man. He wasn't going to kill you and it sure wasn't illegal and against the law to offer someone shelter. In fact, it was a particularly homegrown gesture, if anything. Hospitality and all. It's just that you didn't have to know you weren't leaving it, is the whole thing. He could almost visualize it now, two or three years down the line the same group of hikers you came in here and got separated from with stumbling upon this very same patch of wilderness again and they spot you by the cliffside with him, barefoot and pregnant, all while they thought you were dead and gone, lost forever, eaten and consumed by the mountain.

Finding your tent is child's play then.

Sticking out like a sore thumb, practically in the middle of the clearing.

Flimsily erected, too small, slick and shiny with beating rainwater. No tactical cover.

You could be picked off like a lame, blind, deaf sitting duck.

You should've been lucky it was him and not a boar.

But you jump just the same.

-"You!"-

You're startled and nearly explode out of your own skin as he practically walks around the cover of your windswept dome, strolling in from its back and showing up at the slit of the canopy you were huddled in, your knees hugged against your chest in the tightly confined space you were tucked away in, your hood up, zipper up to your neck, wide eyes downcast and your body relatively dry, regardless, you look properly miserable after several hours outdoors have gone and done their toll; a red nose and a shivering mouth right at he center of you. A stray strand of soaked hair lining your forehead. Eyup. Figured so. You trailed around the wrong directions for so long that you got caught by a storm. He allows himself a tiny half-grin. Taunting. Only just a little. -"Out for a dip, ma'am?"- He inquires, his rifle's strap slung over one shoulder, not intending to hide he was armed, in fact, he wanted you to see it the same way he wanted you to see him. His woods, after all. You genuinely looked like a partially soaked beastie. To his most internal of surprises, a soaked beastie excited to see him of all people. What were you on? Were you high or sum' shit? Another pothead? A tourist? You recover from your fear-soaked disposition well enough to get on your feet, huffing and puffing in the process, all smiles, like the joy of seeing another living soul sent the blood down into your cheeks. Everything Barnes caught was Barnes's to keep. That was reality.

-"God, what a chance running into you again!"-

He catches the desire for you to reach out and grab his shoulder in gratitude and relief; maybe shake his hand quickly in a greeting, tap him on the forearm, introduce yourself and receive an introduction back --- anything --- a desire caught and interrupted halfway through completion even as the rain beat down on you once you undoubtedly realized that you didn't know if you should; Barnes finds you staring at his scar only briefly now that he was close enough to be face to face instead of being high up on a cliff and he measures the gesture, staring at you right back. You observed it but had enough reasoning not to come off like someone gawking. He tells as much. You avert your eyes. Barnes sure as hell doesn't avert his. You ramble, yelling out against the loudness of the cloudburst, crossing your arms around your torso protectively like a shield, genuinely maintaining pleasantries with an armed, scarred man out in the badlands during a squall. -"I really have the lousiest luck! Got lost and got caught by the rain! Can you believe this!?"- Sure could. He did this to you, in part. He stands there, leaning on one leg, legitimately letting you rant, taking it in, not minding how the rain pelted down on him not unlike a million fucking torrential needles during monsoon season. -"What is this weather, honestly!"- You chuckle, all friendly like, briefly gazing up at the sky, eyes squinting against the raindrops falling like bullets.

Your voice manifests in the form of a warm fog meeting the crisp air.

-"It came out of nowhere!"-

You add, shouting from under your tent, your gear behind you, obscured and dry.

Their owner sweet, polite and nervous; a beaut.

Yep.

Barnes saw everything he needed to see.

Just like that, he turns around to go back from whence he came from.

As suspected, you wail out again, not catching a hint.

-"Hey!"

You call out after him, worry lacing your tone.

Like the idea of being left here alone caused you undisputed distress.

If you were smart, you'd do as you're told.

-"Y'comin'?"-

He says abruptly, casually, in stride, once he finds you needed to be told to follow along. -"Where to!?"- You shout your inquiry, brows furrowed, genuinely confused, but already in movement before an answer was even given; he could hear the rustling of the tent wing, the crackling wet leaves underneath your bootheels and sashay of the rucksack promptly grabbed and thrown over your shoulders in a haste from behind him. -"Home."- Is all Barnes responds with, not stopping, keeping a straight direction through the mud and he understood you didn't realize then how prophetic those words would be.

Everything he catches, he keeps.

He digs his fingers into the red star adorned metal belt buckle under his jacket.

[phyrexian-lesbian]

Final Take on Series 14/Season 40

(It will never be season one cry about it)

Alright so Space Babies brings the while season down at least 50% so we're gonna ignore that episode- which is also useful advice for anyone watching Doctor who.

Excluding space babies, there are a handful of episodes that, stand-alone, are really good. Of course, there'd never be more than a handful because the international franchise pairing with corporate overlords only had time for 9 episodes apparently.

In fact, I like most of the season, considering I don't watch them as a season. Church on Ruby Road was interesting, playing with the idea of magic and the Timeless Child arc.

The Devil's Chord was fun and intriguing, playing with the gods and monsters idea again, and having cool 4th wall breaks and a fun villain. Its drawbacks were the stupid fucking musical number that rtd wrote with no canon reason other than "Maestro's influence", which is a repeat of what he did with the 60th (writing utter bullshit and pinning it on a stupid fucking cause that makes 0 canon sense).

Boom was incredible. For starters, it was written by someone who wasn't rtd, so that's amazing. Also, as a theatre kid, having tur central actor unable to move their body for the entire performance tickled my brain in all the best ways. All in all, it felt like an episode from 12's era, when Doctor was at its peak for me. Great episode. Made me hopeful for the future (hahahaha😶)

73 Yards was also incredible (ignoring the finale). It heightened that (false) sense of mystery surrounding Ruby, and ramped up the horror subtheme started by Wild Blue Yonder. I really enjoyed it, and it was a great story. Felt a lot like Heaven Sent, which is am achievement (All of this praise is for the standalone. RTD pissed all over his good writing with the finale, and 73 Yards was ruined by EoD).

Dot and Bubble played with some interesting ideas but was kinda meh. It was a cool reality to see 15 suffer racism (bit like 13 suffering misogyny), and it was good to see the Doctor mad again.

Rogue was very cool, and I thought it was great. Made me wish we had a Thasmin kiss tho.

Legend of Ruby Sunday, aka the good half of the finale, was very interesting. All the mystery and the magic and the reunions. They dismissed the whole bigeneration plot line, and the fact that 15 didn't see any of this shit coming meant that the bigeneration plot line was completely fucked. 14 and 15 aren't the same person in a looped time line. They're just clones of each other. The whole "therapy" situation is utter bullshit. RTD just can't kill t*nnant for shit (fr love David Tennant in other stuff and as a person in general just getting sick of him in Dr who). Sutekh's reveal could have been handled a bit better, but overall his entrance gave me chills. Loved that. Just needed a bit more detail on how he avoided the TARDIS sensors for two thousand years.

And finally, the episode that untied all the others from each other, Empire of Death. The mystery that terrified Maestro, the God of music and revels, and caught the obsession of Sutekh, the God of death and eternity, was utter bullshit. Ruby's mum is just some guy. A nice thought- we thought she was some godlike entity but she was just an ordinary human. Except. We didn't think that. RTD wrote that. The snow, the "song in her soul", the fact that Ruby's mum couldn't be perceived with anything but the naked eye, not even with Time Lord equipment- that's all superhuman shit. You can't explain that away with "she's normal". That's not how it works. Oh and the God of literal actual Death was defeated by a real good dogleash? Nah man. If you want us to take things seriously, don't pull shit like that. Also they defeated him literally the same way they did last time, adding the aforementioned dog leash. Also the fact that her mum is just normal means that the whole mystery about the specter's words in 73 yards is just... pointless? Completely useless?

Also, no one names their daughter by pointing at a sign (that wasn't there in the original shot).

And Ruby's exit was so nothing. I didn't feel a single thing. There was no emotional connection to the character. She left of her own directive. After 9 45minute episodes. Don't know if people honestly were emotional about that, because there was nothing there.

Overall, good episodes. Bad season.

[thana-topsy]

Hello! I hope this isn't too much of a loaded question, but do you have any general tips for writing? I'd like to give fanfic writing a shot at some point.

Not at all! I'm always happy to talk shop about writing! As far as general tips go, there are some things that I think everyone could benefit from, so I'll try to condense my opinions and suggestions into A Numbered List. (We'll limit it to 5 suggestions for now).

Read Actively I mean this in the sense of really chewing on whatever it is you're reading. Dig into the meat of That One Paragraph and look for things you enjoy, things that tickle your brain. I'll give an example from something I read recently, which is our lovely @kookaburra1701's newest story "Aristeia" "They crested the final hillock; Mor Khazgur dominated the shallow valley below. When she had been younger, Borgakh had often imagined the longhouse was a lazy cat asleep on a bright green rug, curled up against the rocks of the Druadach Mountains. When the stronghold’s goats were pastured in the glade, they played the role of mice scurrying about under the cat’s nose." I was just ENAMORED by this passage. The whimsy, the rhythm of some the repeating consonants -- stronghold's goats, glade -- and just the imagery it drummed up, reminding me of those fanciful imaginings of my own childhood. So don't just read a lot, but read actively. Read works that inspire you, authors that impress you, and subject matter that's similar to the type of stuff you want to be writing. And think about why you like the things your like, and draw that inspiration into your own writing. Imitate your heroes until you're no longer imitating and it's just how you write.

Accept Constructive Criticism This one is always a challenge in the beginning. The Ego is a powerful little devil, and it'll try to confuse you. It'll tell you that your value is tied to the words on the page. But I'm here to tell you that YOU are NOT the words on the page. Take an objective stance on your prose and your plot. Everyone starts somewhere and (hopefully) nobody ever stops learning or improving. NOTE: Notice I said constructive criticism. This does not mean you should let people tear your work into shreds in bad faith. Listen to people who want to see you improve and also find joy in the craft of writing.

Read Your Writing Out Loud This is kind of self-explanatory. You'll get a really good feel for your own rhythm and flow VERY easily this way. And you'll catch almost any mistakes right away.

Cut All Unnecessary Words This is getting into the technical side of things, but why not? One of the first books I read on the craft of writing (whose title unfortunately escapes my mind at the moment) contained this advice, and it is STILL something I struggle with. Obviously, when you have a character with a specific voice, sometimes they get flowery in their internal speech and observations. I'll use Aiden as an example: "The fort loomed over them, massive and severe. Aiden attempted to judge the architecture and found he wasn’t quite sure what race or nation could have possibly built it. Or when it was built, for that matter. Second era, perhaps? The design seemed more Breton than Nord: austere, angular, and formal. But so close to the Velothi mountains, it could have been Imperial."  I bolded words that don't actually add anything of value to the descriptions here. We lose nothing by cutting them out. But they're how Aiden thinks about the world around him. So I keep them to give shape to his internal processing. I'd say to try to write without these kinds of flavor words first, then start adding them in. Learn the rules before you break them, or break the habit before it becomes the ONLY way you write.

Write Every Day This one is tough in the beginning, but it's so crucial to becoming a better writer. WRITE. EVERY. DAY. Even if it's just 200 words, do it. Make it your little morning ritual or evening wind-down. Pick a time that's just for you and your words. Close all your tabs, put your phone on silent, and just write. Be alone with the world that you are trying to create. And soon enough, you'll find that you can't go a day without writing something. And what a joy that is.

That's my list! I hope you found these tips useful! I also recommend reading books on the craft of writing, too.

Best of luck on your journey! You have infinite possibilities before you.

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

REC: Clockwork Bird

“A philosophical horror podcast about a missing cyborg and the people looking for him. Robin Jaeger is the most synthetic man in the world. And he’s possibly been legally dead for over a decade. Shelly Croft is putting the pieces together, hoping the trail to Robin Jaeger will also lead to her finding her ex-girlfriend, who was obsessed with the company who made Robin’s limbs, and has also disappeared.” (x)

30 episodes / av. 15/25 mins apiece

this is genuinely one of my favorite audiodramas of all time. it truly makes the most of the medium, and the narrative is perfectly paced to allow each character to shine without distracting from the horizontal movement of the plot.

the overall balance of the story is admirable. robin is the fascinating center of the mystery, thoroughly haunting the narrative, but protagonist shelly really holds her own. she is not merely present as a means of unveiling someone else’s story; in fact, her personal drama is inextricably tangled in robin’s obscurity in a way that feels very natural — rather than forced — and provides a reasonable explanation for the risks that she continues to take. at no point should you find yourself skeptically asking “why is she bothering?” it’s clear there’s a compelling interest, and you will be dying to find out what it is.

additionally: my personal favorite part of listening to first-timer indie AD is when you get the chance to hear the technical skills of the creator improving over the course of the show. i find it so inspirational. this was a great example of that, and in fact, those improvements follow through to the creator’s next (unrelated) show, Spirit Box Radio!

the premise of this story alone raises a number of hairy ethical questions, and none of them are hand-waved away. to really appreciate this story you have to be willing to approach medical ethics including euthanasia, themes of suicide and self harm, and corporate usurpation of human bodily autonomy.

this story originated as a concept for a novel and you can tell just how gorgeously crafted it is. i for one cannot wait for creator eira to get published someday.

__

similar to: this story is unique in a very good way. other fragmented sci-fi mysteries like Janus Descending might tickle your fancy, or the ethical quandaries of Red Valley and BBC’s Body Horror. but i can’t think of another audiodrama that handles this brand of grief quite so poetically. feel free to point me to some.

[covered-in-kisses]

(gif by chacha125 on dA)

So I wanted to post this because, among other reasons, I find the possible implications of this so funny and interesting.

A more thorough explanation of everything under the cut, but TL;DR: Suki wants to avoid embarrassing Toph in front of everyone and only has a panicked moment to come up with something.

(This is kinda a cheesy move, but please reblog this because I really want to see people's thoughts on this. Also, feel free to use this as a prompt or inspiration for art or a fic or anything.)

So, anyone seeing this will likely know the context here, but let me give a quick summary. Toph, who can't swim, falls into the water. Sokka yells that he'll save her, but Suki jumps in first and saves her. Toph kisses her as thanks, thinking it's Sokka, Suki corrects her, Toph wants to drown in embarrassment.

Now the main "what if" regarding this scene (primarily due to Tokka shippers such as myself) is that Sokka jumps in instead of Suki. But this one is a much smaller change, yet offers just as much, if not more, potential plot divergence.

Toph misses the cheek and kisses her lips, leaving a mark. Suki still clarifies the situation and Toph is still embarrassed. (Suki and Toph don't notice or clean off the mark because, frankly, they have more important things going on.) They return to the crew on the shore and someone, really anyone, asks something along the lines of "what happened?" Suki and Toph get a little nervous thinking they saw the kiss, then Suki has a momentary panic attack upon seeing the lipstick and suddenly has a dilemma on her hands.

Already, this scenario is hilarious, but how it develops from there is what really tickles my brain. So what does Suki do?

A) Tell (mostly) the truth and say that Toph thought it was 'someone else.'

B) Say it was an accident in the churning waves.

C) Panic and say that she and Toph confessed to each other in order to save Toph from embarrassment.

All of these could be interesting, so let's explore them a little.

A) The "Truth"

"Well, she thought I was someone else, and she was so thankful, and... well..."

So this opens the most shipping doors because it could implant the question 'who did she think it was?' into everyone's minds. However, Sokka did yell out pretty clearly, so I'd say you'd have to change a bit more for this to go any other way than everyone figuring out that Toph likes Sokka. Of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing, since this would create some drama and put the ball firmly in Sokka's court.

B) It was the waves!

"Oh yeah, the sea is pretty rough. It happened to push her into me at just the right time and uh... Y'know..."

With this one, it's easy enough for everyone to just go 'if you say so' warily and move on, business as usual. However, with a close call in front of everyone like that, it's harder for this to get swept under the rug. Suki actively hid Toph's crush on her boyfriend(?) to save Toph's feelings. What now? How does Toph's dynamic with Suki change? Does Toph have two crushes now? Does Suki now feel inferior or less qualified to be with Sokka because Toph is actually traveling with him and is more powerful? I see this leading to more unspoken, slow-burn, internal strife.

C) Sorry Sokka...

"I- Y'see- It's like... We'remadlyinlove."

Silly? Yes. Hilarious? Yesser. Convoluted? It's the yessiest! There are any number of haphazard stories Suki could concoct on the spot. They've been romantic pen pals for years. They met on a diplomatic trip and hit it off. They had a stunning realization when they held each other just then. Whatever the story, the end result is the same; Suki is now fake-dating Toph.

With this one, it can evolve and change in any number of ways. It's my personal favorite if only for the comedy of it. Until the situation resolves (which can be a LONG ASS TIME) it's a situation rife with comedic, dramatic, and romantic potential.

Oh yeah, Tumblr has polls now. It's a poll now!

[carrie-tate]

2, 3 and 7 for the tickle asks, please! :D

Oh Gosh, dear, thank you sm, I already thought no one would ask anything!

Well, let's see...

2. What fandom(s) do you wish there were more tickling content for?

Good question, and difficult one, because when I don't have enough tk content, I go and draw something.

Buuut if I think about it... I would like there to be more content (not just mine *sad ha ha*) for Ninjago, because lately I've been honestly craving cute and fluffy things about this fandom. Little Me would definitely say that there is unforgivably little Harry Potter tk content, I think

3. What are some of your favorite tickling related stories, art, videos, or other posts on tumblr?

Ooh! Ooh! I have one! I remember one Haikyuu fanfiction that I read somewhere in 2019(???), which I reread MANY times because I liked the development of the plot and the way the characters were written, the platonic relationships between them... And I’m also a fan of the hurt/comfort trope, yeap.

In general, this fic is probably very important for me, since I was able to remember it at all, heh

7. What fictional character(s) would you love to tickle and / or be tickled by?

Also a difficult question, because there are too many of them, oh dear...

*Glancing at the number of bots in character ai and where there is some kind of tk plot in each*

If we talk about my most current thoughts... All the main four from Ninjago + Lloyd, to be more specific, 90% of the time I’m in the wild lee mood because of Kai, Cole and Zane... Lee!Lloyd is my weakness, so everything is clear here. And with Jay, I unironically would like to have a tickle fight... Before that, I had a hyperfixation on Castiel from Supernatural for a long time, here I’m also one big switch energy™, lol

ASK THING

[i-fondued]

Ghost | Sinners in Secret | Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty Four - The La Serenata Incident Pairing: Cardinal Copia x Reader/Sister of Sin x Papa “Terzo” Emeritus III Rating: Explicit Warnings: Plot, smut, etc. See AO3 for full list of tags! A/N:

As always, this chapter is has been reviewed by my beta, @lurancyvenom whom I love! However, as always I snuck this out only half edited because I’m a terror and you should all know how terrible I am!

Full Chapter List - HERE AO3 Link - HERE

The feast after the ritual was easily the largest I’d ever seen.

Given the number of Clergy members and high-ranking Siblings at the Monastery, it had been decided to move the feast from the dining room and into one of the enormous formal hall

The grandeur of the feast and the volume of guests paled into insignificance when compared to the joy I felt at being able to spend time with my boys, especially as I had been locked away from them after each ritual for the last few weeks.

Swiss had led the procession this time, bearing a staff with a grucifix atop it, and Terzo and Copia had been the ones to lead me from the chapel, looking as though we had just walked out of a period drama in our extravagant formal robes.

Finally, the three of us were seated at the top table by ourselves, trying desperately to look interested as Papa Nihil spoke about how proud he was to pass on the honor and duty of the Papacy to his sons; just like his father, and his father’s father…and his father’s father’s father…

Some of the Siblings in the crowd looked bored, and there were more than a few stifled yawns and drooping heads as they fought to stay awake. I had to cover my mouth to hide the giggle that threatened to spill at the incredulous look on Secondo’s face, his eyes filled with a simmering rage as his father droned on. Mercifully, Imperator stood and walked up to the older man, gently taking the microphone from him and turning to smile at us.

“Thank you, Papa Nihil, for that wonderful speech.” She chuckled good naturedly as one of Nihil’s personal ghouls came to collect the wheezing old man and return him to his seat. “Tonight, please enjoy this luscious feast, in honor of the ascension, for tomorrow is the final ceremony.” Imperator sounded almost relieved that it was almost over, and I couldn’t help but to agree with her.

There was a polite smattering of applause, and I smiled at the older woman as she passed us to return to her table. The moment she sat down, the wait staff filed into the room, platters of plates balanced on their arms. They made their way around the tables, depositing plates of food in front of each guest.

As my own meal arrived, I was suddenly ravenous. Hardly surprising after such a long day, not to mention a very long week.

“You look wonderful, Amore,” Terzo whispered in my ear, leaning in so close his breath tickled the loose strands of hair by my ears.

“Thank you, Terzo,” I smiled, biting my bottom lip and leaning back to whisper close in his ear, the gossamer fabric of my veil brushing against his cheek. “You don’t look half bad yourself, you know…”

“Una ragazza così sfacciata…” Such a cheeky girl he chuckled as my hand brushed his thigh, my face the picture of innocence as I moved away from him to take Copia’s hand in mine.

“You look spectacular too, Cardinal.” I smiled softly at him, tangling our fingers together to catch his attention.

“Ah! G-Grazie Topolino,” he stuttered, meeting my gaze briefly before looking back at our hands.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, leaning in closer to him while Terzo sat forward to be able to see him as well. 

Copia seemed to war with saying something before he sighed and looked up at me with an unreadable expression. He placed his other hand on top of mine, my heart instantly jumping up in pulse with concern. 

“I have been so focused on all these rituals…I…I just remembered all the paperwork I will need to do when we get back to the Abbey.”

I laughed, a full belly laugh, and had to cover my mouth as Copia glared slightly at me. 

“I-I’m sorry. I know…paperwork…it’s very serious,” I snickered. Terzo smiled and rolled his eyes before sitting back in his seat before taking a bite of his dinner and sipping his paired wine. 

“You laugh now, Sorella…but soon you too will see the paperwork we deal with now that you are Prime Mover.”

“You mean I have to do paperwork on top of the work I do in the library?” 

“I think Imperator is going to take you off your library duties,” Copia smirked, his hand moving to settle on my upper thigh. I could feel the heat through the silk of his gloves and the fabric of my dress, suddenly there was heat starting to flutter around in my belly. “We will have much more importante work to do, vero Fratello?”

“Si, si…one that requires less ink and parchment,” Terzo chuckled, his hand on my other thigh now. “...and a lot more flesh…”

I blushed and tried to subtly brush their hands away, but they both gripped my thigh tightly and I had to bite my bottom lip. 

“Praise be, Prime Mover Elizabeth.” 

The three of us jumped, both boys moving their hands away, and I smiled indulgently as I turned to the two Siblings that had come to offer up praise and a token of faith. A Brother of Blasphemy and a Sister of Sin stood close, the Brother had his hand on the small of the Sister’s back. They looked up at me like I was their last hope, eyes glistening with unshed tears from the light of the candles everywhere. 

“Praise be, Siblings,” I responded, as Copia had coached me the last time someone had come up. “Thank you for your kind offering.”

I reached out and took the sprig of dried herbs, and couldn’t help but smile softly once I noticed the little charm nestled neatly into the bundle; a carving of a baby bottle made from wood. I knew exactly why they had come to me and my heart ached for them. I steadied my own emotions, a sly prickling in my throat for a moment before I locked eyes with the couple.

“I see you brought this token for me,” I stood, taking the bundle with me, and walked around the table and down the slightly raised platform to the couple. The tables closest to us, filled with senior Clergy, stopped speaking and turned their attention to me. “I shall ask Lucifer to help you with your request. However, instead of offering this to me, let us offer it to the flames here, together.”

The woman looked close to tears, shaking her head reverently as I took her hands and smiled softly at her. Gently I reached forward and cupped her face, she leaned into my hand. 

“I cannot make a promise I cannot keep, Sister, but I will offer my help in any way I can,” I whispered to her, my own eyes growing wet at the desperation in her eyes. “Burn this in the fires tomorrow night, a feast of a binding ritual is better luck. Speak with Papa Primo, he has better knowledge of any and all herbs and remedies than anyone I know.”

“T-Thank you, Your Eminence,” she whispered back, and I leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“Don’t thank me. I wish there was more I could do to ease the ache. Lucifer works in mysterious ways, do not forget that.” I held this stranger's face in my hands and I tried to convey as much as I could with words, knowing full well that there was nothing I could say that would bring her comfort in this desire. “There are other paths to motherhood, no matter how unconventional. If you need anything at all, please do not be afraid to write to me, yes?"

“Y-Yes, Prime Mover.” She was trembling, tears freely falling as she hugged me tightly. I couldn’t help but hug her back, my heart aching for her. 

After a moment, her partner maneuvered her away from me, giving his own quiet thanks before they headed out of the feast. I watched them go, offering anything and everything I could to Lucifer to help them in their quest. After a moment I came back to myself and I returned to the table, moving my veil from my face so I could continue to pick at my food. It was a few seconds before I noticed both Copia and Terzo were staring at me.

“What?”

“You are a natural, Amore, you know that?” Terzo laughed, the heat in his eyes making me shiver. 

“Si, Stellina, you will take to this role so well. I cannot help but admit that I am impressed,” Copia said, face clearly full of surprise. 

“You both act like you thought I’d be bad at it!” I grumbled, suddenly pouting at the thought of them thinking I wouldn’t be able to manage it

“No, no, Amore, you misunderstand me. It was not that I did not believe in you, it takes a special person to understand what someone needs to ease their suffering, to bring them comfort, especially if they cannot find the words to explain.” Copia explained, a soft look in his eyes. “You will be a wonderful Prime Mover, but an even better mother some day…”

I blushed, mumbling thanks back to him, as I picked at my dinner again. Terzo smiled and pressed a kiss to my temple, before both of them placed their hands on my thighs again. I squirmed slightly, cheeks flushed as they brushed their thumbs back and forth. A shiver ran down my spine as I tried to focus on regulating my breathing and not on the feeling of their silk and leather gloves brushing against the fine velvet of my dress. Goosebumps broke out on my arms and I took a steadying breath as their hands crept up my thighs towards my core. I bit my bottom lip hard, clenching my fork in my fist and trying desperately not to squirm as Terzo’s thumb brushed teasingly against my inner thigh. When Copia’s long middle finger just barely grazed my core I gave up, slamming my fork down as I finished eating the main course.

“Meet me in our room in ten minutes,” I blurted quietly, standing and trying to subtly make my way out of the hall. 

I looked through my lashes as I walked away, skirts swishing behind me, the wolfish grins on their faces hinting at the treat that was in store when they caught up to me. I made it about half way, Siblings and Clergy men bowing as I passed, before I heard the voice I had been dreading.

“Prime Mover Elizabeth?” Sister Imperator called out to me, the formal title and name seemingly foreign on her tongue, and I had to fight hard to keep a groan from slipping from my lips. 

“Yes?” I smiled, clearly strained at the corners as my eyes flickered over to see the empty head table. Bastards already had a head start.

“Where are you off to?” Her suspicion was clear in her face as she looked me up and down. She crossed her arms, cocking her head to the side as she waited for me to answer. 

“I-I wanted to go to bed early, I know we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. I’ll be up twice as late tomorrow, between the ceremony and the ritual that evening…I want to make sure I can stay up all night, you know?” I chuckled, trying to keep it as casual as possible. She clearly didn’t really believe me, but she knew me well enough that I wasn’t going to be telling her more than that. 

“Very well, off to bed with you darling. You did wonderful today, made this old woman proud.” She smiled, placing a hand gently on my shoulder, and I couldn’t help but smile brightly back at her before excusing myself out of the hall. 

Silent besides the sounds of my shoes on the floors and the satin of my skirts dragging against the marble, I made my way back to the Papal suites. I was about halfway back when I caught the red color of his choir dress out of the corner of my eye. Copia smirked, a wicked and devilish smile, and snatched my wrist before I could say anything. He tugged me without a word into a long and empty corridor, clearly never used, and without another word backed me against the wall. My heart was thrumming impatiently in my chest, my breath short as he gently lifted the veil to expose my face. I whimpered as he pressed his hands on either side of my body and caged me in, not that I was looking to escape in the slightest.

“I have missed you dearly, Amore.” he purred, leaning in close enough that his lips brushed against mine as he spoke. “It has been too long…”

“Copia…” I mumbled, gasping quietly at the feeling of his nose nuzzling against my pulse point as he moved to whisper in my ear. 

“Have you been a good girl, Sorella?” 

“Y-Yes,” I stuttered, capturing an embarrassingly loud moan as it tried to slip from my lips.

“Hm…something tells me you long to be punished…” He chuckled darkly, eyes blazing. “Do you?”

“Don’t tease her, Cardinale,” Terzo cooed, stepping from the shadows and cupping my cheek as Copia pulled back slightly. “Sorella sta praticamente tremando dal bisogno.” Sister is practically shaking with need.

Terzo’s gloved thumb brushed against my bottom lip, the silk warm with the heat of his hands, and I felt myself shiver as my eyes locked on his. He smirked and turned to Copia before speaking again. 

“Besides, Cardinale, if we are going to break the rules we have to make sure we do not mark her…”

Copia growled hungrily, pushing forward to grind his hips against mine, and I moaned quietly at the feeling of his hard cock against my hip. Terzo turned my head to look at him before tugging my chin and kissing me softly. I gasped at the feeling of the two of them; Copia growling in my ear as he ground against my hips and Terzo’s gentle and exploring kisses. I shuddered as Copia pushed the veil back more and managed to knock the gold diadem off my head, the metal clanging loudly on the floor, but in the moment I couldn’t have cared less. Terzo’s gentle kisses quickly turned more possessive, his hands cupping my cheeks as he parted his lips and slipped his tongue against mine. I whimpered, one hand slipping around his neck while the other came to grip Copia’s side tightly. 

“C-Cardinal,” I gasped as Copia pulled me away from the wall and allowed Terzo to slip behind me. The two of them locked eyes, and I knew something had been planned when they smirked wickedly. 

I felt Terzo’s hands settle on my hips and guide me back against him, his obviously hard length grinding against my ass; making me moan and throw my head back against his shoulder. Copia stepped forward and without any warning crashed his lips against mine. I whimpered and rolled my hips against the Cardinal’s, only to be tugged back against Terzo again, who chuckled darkly in my ear and made me shiver.

“So needy, nostra cara…” He brushed his lips against my pulse point, causing me to whimper into the kiss with Copia.

Copia’s hand cupped my head, his fingers slipping into my hair, tugging slightly, and I gasped as my eyes fluttered closed again. My heart was pounding, my chest heaving between kisses as they both took turns taking what they wanted from my body; all the while I was trembling between the ebb and flow of their hips. Boldened by the pair of them, I gently sucked on Copia’s tongue as it slipped into my mouth and I was rewarded with a particularly deep growl as his hips rocked forward so hard it bucked me back against Terzo. We all groaned, writhing against each other, and I couldn't even imagine what we three looked like right now. 

I felt a deep trembling lust in my belly, a warmth spreading to my core, and I couldn’t help but arch my back as I ground back against Terzo. Copia’s eyes were blown wide with lust as I fumbled with the front of his robes, trying to find my way through the layers to be able to touch him. I needed to feel his skin against mine, waiting another twenty four hours felt like being cursed. Copia must have picked up on what I was trying to do because he snatched my wrists, lifting them above me until Terzo was able to grip them instead, a mischievous quirk to his brows.

“You are not in charge here, Stellina,” Copia chuckled, taking my chin in his hand as his other tugged at my skirts. I was panting, face flushed as I struggled slightly against Terzo’s grip on my wrists. “We are.”

I watched as Copia began to slip down to his knees, pushing my long and heavy skirts up, and I whimpered and shook slightly as Terzo chuckled deeply behind me. His hand moved to grip my wrists in a surprisingly strong grip, his other held firm to my hip as he rocked against me. I gasped as I felt Copia’s silk gloves brush against my ankle as he spread my stance so he’d have better access to my dripping cunt. 

“Stellina…so wet for your lovers, eh?” Copia’s voice was deep and grumbly as he pressed a gentle kiss to my inner thigh. 

I was rolling my hips forwards, desperate for friction when suddenly someone cleared their throat.

I would have bet our souls had actually left our bodies, the three of us jumping practically to the ceiling, and all three of our heads whipped in the direction of the sound.

Standing slightly in the shadows, his body language reading somewhere between extremely uncomfortable and slightly amused at catching us, was Omega. What I wasn’t prepared for was the very obvious bulge in his trousers as he walked over to me, almost shy. 

“Omega…” Terzo started, slipping from behind me and stepping forward to almost block the ghoul’s path. “We were not going to…”

“Be thankful I came instead of Multi Ghoul, Papa.” Omega sighed, cutting Terzo off with a glare through the slits of his mask. “He is young and is getting more and more feral by the day…the honeymoon cannot come soon enough…” 

“Sorry…” I blushed furiously, looking back at Copia who face looked almost ominous as he glared at our interruption. “Is Swiss okay?”

“He’s fine, Your Eminence.” Omega took my hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm as he took a step back from my companions. “Though Sister Imperator has decided he will be guarding your door this evening.”

“Oh…oops.”

“Amore?” Copia’s voice caught my attention and I turned back towards him. 

“Yes?”

The look on his face softened and he took my face in his hands, placing a kiss ever so softly to my forehead.

“Ti amo moltissimo,” he whispered, a gentle smile on his face before he stepped back. 

“I-I love you too,” I whispered, cheeks flushed and longing pulling at my heart. 

“Tesoro, until tomorrow,” Terzo laughed, a small smirk on his face as he dramatically took my free hand and kissed my knuckles. “We will pick up where we left off, si?

“Of course,” I laughed before reaching out and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Goodnight boys.”

Wordlessly, Omega bowed his head to the two men and led me from our alcove and out into the hallways back to the Papal suites.

I had fallen asleep rather quickly once I had settled back in my bedroom. 

Swiss hadn’t said a word to me, just glared with his arms crossed as he settled in his seat outside my bedroom door. Imperator had been there with a tired, motherly expression when I arrived. I could have sworn I heard her mumble about us being like a couple of teenagers but I was already yawning as the Sisters from earlier had returned to help me take off the many layers of fabric and heavy formal adornments. 

“Sleep well, Sunshine.” Swiss mumbled as he slipped out of the door, following after Imperator and the other siblings.

“G’night Swiss.” I yawned, smiling sleepily as I tucked myself in. 

I must have only been asleep for a few minutes when I heard a gentle tap on the glass of the small balcony on the other side of the bed. At first I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me, the sound almost like the occasional pop of the logs on the fire on the other side of the room. After the first few taps, they were becoming more frequent. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and pulled on a sweatshirt I’d left out after taking a shower. Slipping on a pair of slippers I padded up to the french doors, peaking through the light curtains and outside. 

The balcony wasn’t all that high off the ground, we were on the ground floor after all, it was only up higher due to the foundation. There was a row of hedges in front of the railing that prevented anyone who wasn’t all that motivated from climbing up onto the small balcony. I had to choke back the bark of laughter as I watched a slightly wobbling Terzo and Copia waved at me like a pair of overexcited kindergardeners. 

“What are you two doing out here? It's freezing, plus you’re going to get us in trouble…” I chuckled, wrapping my arms around me tightly as I slipped out of the doors and shut the doors as quietly as I could. 

“Amore…oh, amore…” Terzo’s voice was louder than I would have liked considering how late it was and I automatically shushed him as quietly as possible. Moving closer to the hedges he crooned up to me, eyes soft like a lovesick puppy. “But what soft light through the yonder window breaks?”

“A-are you misquoting Shakespeare at me?” I laughed, shaking my head as my heart squeezed at the look on his face as I leaned on the railing of the balcony. “What are you even doing? We have to be up so early tomorrow…”

“È una tradizione, Amore.” It is a tradition, Amore Terzo said simply, shrugging like I was supposed to know what that meant. Copia still hadn’t spoken but was nodding solemnly, head bowed but there was a mischievous look in his eyes even if he wouldn’t meet my gaze. 

“I don’t understan-” I started to say but Terzo held up a gloved hand, effectively pausing me midspeach. However, rather than responding with words like I’d expected him to, Terzo smiled wickedly before his voice went from his slightly slurred drunken words to silky smooth song.

In a city of ice, there are burning cathedrals

Turning the skies into glass

And through echoing futures, over buckling sutures

That hold shut the wounds of the past

So won't you fall for me? Won't you fall for me?

Through a fractured existence, won't you fall for me?

Won't you fall for me, from reality?

To the rhythm of eternity, won't you fall for me?

His mismatched eyes locked with mine, my heart stuttering slightly and I couldn’t help but feel frozen by the intensity of his eyes. My mouth felt like all the moisture had been rung from it, throat suddenly thick with emotion. 

My insecurities surround me like lions in the den

And I feel like I'm losing touch with what I am again

Slowly, I remember why I cannot pretend

That I never think of you in all this screaming silence

Oh God, I wish you were here…

The emotion in his voice was unmistakable and I felt my face soften as he reached a hand out towards me. Without thinking I reached forward over the hedge and let him take my hand, a small almost shy smile on his face that made my heart swoon. 

So won't you fall for me? Won't you fall for me?

Through a fractured existence, won't you fall for me?

Won't you fall for me, from reality?

To the rhythm of eternity, won't you fall for me? 

Oh God, I wish you were here.

Won't you fall for me? Won't you fall for me?

With my love as your garden, won't you fall for me?

Won't you fall for me, from reality?

I am yours in the end, so won't you fall for me?

When he finished his song, he took my hand tightly in both of his own gloved hands and pressed a kiss to the top of my hand. He locked his eyes with mine again before taking a step back, bowing as I clapped as quietly as possible for him. 

“That was beautiful Terzo,” I smiled, a flush on my cheeks at the idea of them planning this behind my back as a surprise. “Thank you…”

“Sei la benvenuta, Sorella.” Terzo preened, cheeks slightly flushed from my praise and from whatever he and Copia had been drinking before coming out here in the middle of the night. “La serenata…it is an old tradition, slightly out of fashion with the younger couples in Italia, but I had always wanted to do it when it was my turn to be wed. Il Cardinale here is indulging my wish.”

I looked at Copia then, his eyes finally meeting mine, and I was taken aback at the seriousness on his face. His eyes burned with determination as he stepped forward towards me, taking a steadying deep breath. Part of me wanted to tell him it was okay, he didn’t have to do it just because Terzo was doing it. But the words died on my tongue.

I’d heard Copia sing in the past, at least I thought I had, but him singing as part of a group of us during black masses and sermons had nothing on him singing solo. My mouth hung open slightly as the sound of his warm tenor, his eyes closed like he was too anxious to look at me as he shung.  

Can you hear me say your name forever?

Can you see me longing for you forever?

Would you let me touch your soul forever?

Can you feel me longing for you forever, forever?

I know the light grows darker down below

But in your eyes it's gone before you know

This is the moment of just letting go

She said, if you had life eternal

Can you hear me say your name forever?

Can you see me longing for you forever?

Would you let me touch your soul forever?

Can you feel me longing for you forever, forever?

Copia seemed to gain a little more confidence, eyes opening to gauge my reaction. I’m sure I looked stupid, mouth wide open and eyes locked on him in awe. I blushed when he smiled and seemed to let his inner dominant take over as he stepped up and took my hand much like Terzo had. 

We dance once more

I feel your hands are cold

Within your heart, a story to be told

This is the moment of just letting go

This is the moment of just letting go

Can you hear me say your name forever?

Can you see me longing for you forever, forever?

Would you let me touch your soul forever?

Can you feel me longing for you forever and ever?

If you had life eternal...

My cheeks were wet as he finished his song, I didn’t even notice I’d started to cry. He smiled softly at me as he kissed my inner wrist; a shiver running up my spine from the warmth in his gaze and from the chill in the air. 

“Where is that song from?” I asked, my voice thick with emotions as my heart pounded in my chest. It was taking everything in me to not leap over the railing and launch myself into his arms.

“Well…” Copia started before Terzo came and threw and arm around his shoulders, a silly grin on his face. 

“It was una sorpresa, Tesoro.” Terzo teased Copia, the other man looking slightly shy. “Il Cardinale wrote it himself just for you, I have been trying to convince him that he should let me sing it for the next album for the Ghost Project…”

“The song is for Sorella, only she can decide if she wants to share it…” Copia mumbled, suddenly shy again. I smiled warmly, butterflies in my stomach fighting to get out. 

“If I wasn’t locked away like a princess, I’d kiss you both.” I sighed, crossing my arms and attempting to not look like I was pouting. Copia chuckled, cheeks flushed as he tried to reach out for my hand, however Terzo took that a step further. 

“Ah amore, it is not that far of a gap, si?” He giggled, slipping into part of the bush that was a little thin. “I have been sneaking in and out of these suites for years…”

“Terzo…” Copia started warningly, reaching out to steady him slightly as he toddled himself. 

“Terzo I don’t think that’s a great idea…” I laughed, reaching out to take his outstretched hand. 

“Nonsense, Sorella..” He went to wave me off and before he could say anything more, his food slipped on some ice and he went down with a very undignified screach.

“T-Terzo!?” I cried out, forgetting my volume as I pitched forward to try and help him at the last minute. 

“Sto bene, Amore...” The raven haired Emeritus groaned, a chuckle following. “I just need to sit, si?”

“Ai, Terzo…” Copia sighed, rolling his eyes as he slipped between the bushes without a problem and boldly reaching up to me. His voice dropped several octaves as his eyes burned with the same heat as earlier, instantly causing me to squirm as he spoke. “Vieni qui, Donna…” Come here, Woman…

I bent down ever so slightly and his hand wound around my braided hair as he tugged me down to a passionate kiss. I whimpered quietly, my hands reaching out and curling around the edge of his cassock to tug him as close as possible. Copia growled into my parted lips and he tugged my hair slightly causing me to gasp and rock forward against the railing; a shutter running down my spine as I tried to figure out if I’d get hurt slipping over the railing and into his arms. 

Suddenly the creaking of the french balcony doors made me jump about ten feet, then came the deep otherworldly growling. I knew already I was in trouble, but when I felt a slight heat in his palm as he wrapped his hand around my wrist, I knew Swiss was pissed. 

“Ah Multi Ghoul! Eccellente, Sorella was attempting to help me from the bushes you see…” Terzo started to say as he struggled to his feet, pulling dead leaves out of his hair. 

“Save it, Papa.” Swiss growled, eyes blazing behind his mask. “Go back to your rooms before I tell Imperator you two were going to try and break the rules.

“We would never…” Terzo started to try and look offended but the Swiss just fixed him with a look that made even the antipope mumble an apology under his breath.

“For fuck sake you two, its one more night! Then you can fuck her brains out where I won’t have to feel it…” Swiss hissed, throwing his hands up in the air as he glared at my companions. “Go to bed, all three of you. I am begging you.”

“Sorry Swiss…” I smiled sheepishly, slipping past the simmering ghoul before turning back and smiling at my lovers. “Goodnight boys. Tomorrow is the last ritual, then it's just us for two weeks…” 

“And we will take full advantage of those two weeks, Amore.” Copia chuckled, winking at me and causing my stomach to do a flip. 

“Bed. Now. Sunshine.” Swiss growled, practically shoving me back into my bedroom. 

“I’m going, I’m going…” I grumbled before blowing two kisses to the two men outside. 

“You three will be the death of my poor, overworked penis…” Swiss muttered as I choked on my spit while holding back ugly laughter.

[itzsana-kiddingmenow]

[squealing happily as i plop down on your lap, sharing my armloads of snacks and yummy fizzy drinks] OKAYOKAYOKAY , listen listenlistenlisten—

aside from the brainrot i've alr shared in dms , my frontal lobe has amplified the hyperfixation i have on + in this community right now so just imagine it with me.

like..... maybe it's just me , but there's something just so tantalizing about lee!changbin. right? just him being given all the love he could ever be given, all while being forced to see how adored he is , not only by his lovely members , but by stay as well!!~

idk if you know this but i'm an absolute sucker for the angst—hurt/comfort trope. 🥹 just the idea of one of the boys being comforted & reassured when they're going through a rough time heals me subconsciously , i think that's why i love it sm.

likeeee i was thinking of binnie & u take care of him so well in all your fics already they just :(( they make me so soft !! albeit , a certain puppy is catching my attention heavily these days. i was rly just thinking abt seungmin bro + how amazing he is?? like ,, his depth of character is smth i can ponder on and really marvel at. it baffles me cuz....

yk how seungminnie is one of the more misunderstood members?? he's known for being strong and disciplined and super dee duper smart , with cloud-soft features and the sweetest smile and a voice that lulls our stay nation into peace.... he's ofc our savage lil puppy 😆🥰. he's lovely and silly and entirely undermined. i want him to be caught in a vulnerable moment(s) , a moment(s) where he lets his walls down and allows himself to shed his composure and just feel the motions in all of its entirety and rawness. & his members are there for him every step of the way; they turn his bitter tears to joy and mirth , and suddenly the sky becomes one with the sun (that smile we love sm 😭🩵).

i dunno man, i just have a thing for the unflappable becoming.... flapped. (😭💀?) i have a thing for the cracks of humanity showing through what was previously thought impenetrable. in this case, the first members that come to mind are minho, seungmongmong... [ imagine a little hurt/comfort number with those two !! :(( our divorced-but-not-really couple. they may show to the cameras a tom-and-jerry esk relationship, but if anyone looks deeply, it's easy to see how their adoration for one another goes to the bones. aughhh imagine a small misunderstanding between them — maybe some staff/managers tell them to amp up their little love-hate concept, but it actually leads to an argument or something that goes beyond the cameras. tears are shed, words are exchanged, the works. they make up of course, and what better way to make up wounded plots other than sweet persuasive tickles and snuggles? 🤭🥹 ]

....... and our sweetpea wolf pup channie ofc.

gosh, that man works entirely too hard. every so often i remember the story from 2kr that he started crying from frustration and exhaustion, straight up in the middle of a meal, in a public restaurant, in front of seungmin, bc he trusted seungmin — solid as a rock seungmin — with his emotions in that moment and it's very much a whole thing to me. personally, i just want to pull him into an entirely too tight (but just-enough-ly comforting) hug that would last for hours, listen to any and all of his worries. from all the work and greatness he's been doing for years.... golly, i wouldn't mind if he went on a break that lasted a year or more. he deserves it, all of them do. they all work so hard :((

speaking of channie, imagine him breaking down in front of the members , or even worse , in secret (which i'm p sure happens irl too and i just MADE MHYSELF SADDER KJDJKSJH ITS NOT BC I BIAS HIM SHUDDUP 😭😭💔💔) from a reallyyyy bad stress pileup & maybe he even let it build up and slip to a point where he accidentally snaps a lil at his members :(( & ofc they go to look for him , either for confrontation or concern -> comfort (tho it would've led to that in any and all cases) just to find a sobbing and very regretful wolf pup licking at his wounds in painful silence and solitude <//3 :((

said member(s) would then take him into their lap , hold his hands in theirs and gently but firmly coax his worries out of him , hereby forcing him to say exactly what caused him to boil over and how to prevent it from happening in the near future bc they're there. he doesn't have to face his demons alone. & ofc , bc channie is channie , they get a slurred apology through his anguished tears , and he just lets himself be held as said member rocks him back and forth in their arms & channie cries it all out until he's drained.

+ once he's coaxed back into the land of the living with soft head scritches and readjusting of positions into a tighter hug, maaaaybe the hand(s) that had slipped into his hoodie [ skin-to-skin contact is very comforting + scientifically proven to bring such a sense , just like it's used to calm a crying baby :')) ] to rub small circles into his back rubbed down into his sides and , without rlly meaning to , he flinches and giggles bubble up from his tired throat. you can imagine how the rest goes 🥲🫠😚 & what a thing it'd be if seungmongie was this mystery member !! either him or minho ,,, and where one skz member is, the rest follow. it's just clockwork. or fate. 🥰

aghhhh i just,, love them. sm. sssssssoo much. they make me:

I WANNA FIND A WAY TO INCORPORATE ALL OF THIS INTO MY FICS BUT IDK HOWWW :C imma find a way zeep DO NOT WORRY

BUT LEE! MINHO AND LER! SEUNGMIN?!?! eating through my brain like termites to wood GRAHHHh 🫠🫠💗💗

LEE CHANNIE LER SKZ IS HAPPENING FOR TICKLETOBER DONTCHU WORRRYYY <3333

i love these love them love you love skz hadhwfnerifhenge

[invinciblerodent]

13, 16, and 17? 🥺

Veilguard hype asks!!!

13. What's one thing you've seen confirmed so far that you're a fan of?

One thing? Oh, that's very hard to pick. Is it a cop-out if I say the characters? Because if it is, I think I'll have to go with griffons being canonically and unambiguously back in Thedas.

I loved "Last Flight" when I originally read it (many years ago), I will 100% say that it's one of the better ones of all the Dragon Age novels (it might be noted that Last Flight and The Masked Empire are my favorites- it's unclear if that's because they're actually that good, or because I just hate Gaider's style of prose that much lol), but it's been ten years since the publication, so I was thinking that it might kinda just get handwaved away. But, I'm very happy to have very clear and canon, in-game confirmation in Assan that that novel is canon, and that griffons are not extinct.

I think that novel is set in 9:41, so the same year that Inquisition starts in, which (unless griffons mature very fast and there have been multiple clutches since, which I doubt) I believe makes Assan one of Crookytail's babies, and roughly 8-9 years old... which, if true, would honestly make Davrin a pretty important/high-ranking Warden. I don't really know how many Wardens are in Weisshaupt at any given time (gonna guess more than 13 lol), but one would think that if there are only 13 healthy griffon hatchlings to go around (or fewer, we don't know what happened in the ~10 years since), one would have to be a pretty big deal to get one assigned to them to raise and care for.

Davrin confirmed as the best dog-lion-eagle dad in all the realms. ❤️ Sometimes a family is you, your Warden spouse, and the gigantic winged beast who takes up a good three quarters of any bed.

(oh god, can you imagine trying to banish an adolescent griffon from the room. can you imagine the poor thing scratching WELTS into the door with those talons as he's crying desperately to be let in; his little voice, the heartrending cry of a rusted door-hinge. am I willing to put up with that just for Warden dick? ....... yes. yes I am.)

16. What's one crack theory you subscribe to (yours or someone else's)?

Well, I've kind of had this theory (which is in no way substantiated by anything, mind you) that... okay, hear me out.

There are 7 (or 8) Old Gods of Tevinter, and after five Blights, only Razikale and Lusacan have yet to be "corrupted" by the darkspawn Taint.

We saw two figures who are implied to be members of the Evanuris emerge from beyond the Veil in the gameplay trailer.

We also (very likely) still have Urthemiel's soul in play, with Solas having consumed Flemeth/Mythal's "essence" after she had already extracted the Old God Soul from Kieran, IF he exists and was conceived via Morrigan's ritual.

I don't know if anyone theorizes that the old Tevinter gods and the Evanuris have any overlap between them (which is... kind of possible, they did hint that there was an 8th Old God struck from the records which makes their numbers sans Fen'harel line up), but with the presence of the Wardens in Veilguard, there is a tiny niggling part of me that kind of hopes part of the plot will be to do the exact opposite of what Clarel had intended to do in Inquisition, and hunt down the uncorrupted Old Gods so that they can aid in the fight against the Evanuris, if they aren't one and the same.

I'm not going to descend into trying to theorize about potential outcomes and implications and all that, but there is a part of me that is very tickled by the thought of a "god"-on-"god" fight.

Aaaaaand as much as Ray was deeply pissed off and feeling utterly betrayed by Solas, and much as he vowed to stop him at all costs, I, as a player, do think that there have been heavy enough implications that we'll be forced to work alongside Solas, which sounds quite interesting.

Like... "I have no wish to be the villain in one of your stories"? Gee, Solas, that couldn't be some foreshadowing that you're doing, could it....?

Anyway, that's just me tho. I don't know if this counts as a crack theory or if it's a legitimate one, I have looked only little bits into the lore besides playing the games and reading the comics and the novels, but, y'know. All very curious, lol.

17. Are you interested in all the lore and speculation or do you focus more on the games and stories themselves?

And this is a funny question to answer right after the previous one, but in all honesty, I do try to not get into a lot of theorizing about the plot, and the lore, and what's going to happen. What I think about, I'm not at all attached to- really, I prefer to regard the stories as they come, as they are, changes and all, and not, you know, create elaborate headcanons that I then can't pivot from on a dime.

I've always been more interested in the small, interpersonal stories of RPGs, rather than the Big Sweeping Adventure plots. I've always loved a hero that's just an everyman, forced into a situation that's way beyond their pay grade, and just coping with it and rolling with the punches the best they can. So at the end of the day, I really just want to take the story as it comes, and play with my little toys in my favorite sandbox again. ❤️

[blogtaculous]

I read The Deep by Nick Cutter and I have some thoughts. I’m also going to spoil the shit out of the whole thing.

The first 100 pages are almost sublime. I couldn’t read fast enough. The world literally falling apart from the seams from the disease feels so real. People are just losing the ability to be human and everyone else is trying to carry on like normal. It feels eerily prescient considering it was published years before the same thing would happen during the first heights of Covid-19. The Disease itself is very cool, and only teased at (eventually it’s revealed that it’s basically Colony Collapse Disorder in humans, but the cause and transmission are not explained), but for the first 100 or so pages it feels like it’s going to be a dynamite reveal (it won’t be) and it’s so exciting.

The characters are interesting and the conflicts as initially presented are memorable and even fun. The terror of the deepest depths is so visceral, and the backstory lore teases are well done.

Unfortunately, it fucking unravels fast.

The things I liked:

- Luke’s son vanishes and has not been seen for years. It’s spooky and haunting, a parent’s worst nightmare. The conflicts that arise from that aftermath feel grounded and it is a good bedrock of terror that’s much more real than, say, being 8 miles underwater and having hallucinations.

- Luke’s mom is evil, and at the start she truly feels like the actual antagonist, the 11th hour see, she was the real horror all along, and the delight she takes in being awful was good. She sucks but it made for good reading. This will change later.

- The technical details feel grounded enough to make you think that a research base in the Mariana Trench could be possible. The Ambrosia, also, is well introduced and seems like a neat macguffin that will play a cool part in the story to come. It’s just sinister enough to get the ball rolling, and I was really looking forward to more.

- The body horror was (mostly) very good. Sick, twisted, and flirted with The Line enough to be fun instead of just uncomfortable. I was squirming in a few sections. Alice’s body being incorporated into the evil beehive and her face peeled open and birthing some monster was a highlight, but the scars upon scars corpse was also good.

And now… The Bad

- Killing the dog for shock value is stupid, and it’s also stupid to draw out that entire incident into like four pages.

- Luke’s mom is revealed to have sexually assaulted his older brother numerous times, and then he poisons her to death. This is how the story acknowledges Luke’s brother is a psychopath. It wasn’t the unspeakable experiments be performed on animals, or how he didn’t care for anyone else on earth, or how he tried to make deals with extradimensional evil… it was when he killed his abuser, a Good and Right thing to do.

- The plot just fucking derails. It does this in two ways. First, the actual plot doesn’t take very long once Luke and Alice (I’m not calling her Al) get to the Trieste so the length is padded out with an absolutely insane number of dreams and flashbacks. They exist to feature some creepy imagery, but most of it has no bearing on the plot or characters. And they’re long! Let’s talk about the goddamn tickle trunk, as an example.

What is the tickle trunk? The short answer is it’s a fairly innocuous toy box with some clowns on it that Luke’s abusive mother forces into his bedroom. That’s it. Does she use it as a torture device? No. It literally just sits in his room and is vaguely creepy. The worst part about it is that while Luke is having his little dream-flashback about it Alice is also having one… about half of a corpse of a submariner she worked with in the Navy plaguing her with guilt about his death. Which do you think would make a better spook? The box, or animated bloated corpse? Like… come on. Alice is like “wow I had this horrible dream about this gross dead body chasing me with my own guilt” and I had to sit there and think about how instead of diving into that I was reading about a toy box.

I’ll bring this toy box up later, don’t worry.

Other bad flashbacks include Luke gathering frogs for his scientist brother and seeing a spook in a gated tunnel and anything to do with the “millipede.”

And second, the Big Reveal sucks. I’m just gonna dive in because it’s so bad.

Ambrosia is a tease to get humans to build a research base in the Mariana Trench. Why? Because two extra dimensional beings of terror have been banished there. Most egregiously, how do we know this? Because they literally fucking sit Luke in a chair and explain the entire thing like a fucking Scooby-Doo villain. The entire scene reeks of Dumbledore talking to not-quite-dead Harry fucking Potter. It’s so fucking bad. And the worst part is these motherfuckers somehow planned the whole fucking thing. There were three researchers on the base, and all of them were specifically groomed by the baddies to be there so they could manipulate them into going looney so that Luke could be brought down there to free them. That’s right, Luke was a Chosen One all along.

It’s further revealed that the monster in the tickle trunk and the gated tunnel were real the whole time. The extra dimensional horrors, despite being banished 8 miles under the ocean for being evil can force project monsters to terrorize people. They do this to slowly torture all the researchers their whole lives to lead them to the Trieste. In fact, they fucking kidnapped Luke’s son.

I cannot begin to describe what a stupid thing this was, and how fucking stupid it was for the extra dimensional horrors to just flat out explain it to Luke like it was a college lecture.

Like, what even keeps these motherfuckers down there if they can so easily do all this? They also reveal the following complete bullshit:

- The Disease was a happy coincidence for their plot. Just background noise. Shrug!

- All the torture and dreams and bla bla bla was just for fun. To quote the extra dimensional horrors: “For fun. And games.”

That’s right, literally less interesting than fucking Jigsaw. Just for funnies. Jokes, even. Their presence, often described as curious, was just silliness. They already knew everything there was to know and were just having a ball.

All right, so prior to Luke being soft-captured to witness this monologue of total garbage, he had grabbed some Go To Sleep medicine (that he knew how to administer since he was a veterinarian) and it just sat in his pocket. He didn’t use it to spare the dog from being Assimilated into evil, or to spare Alice from her ecstasy of pain and suffering, so when he gets captured I’m thinking “okay, here it comes, this is important.”

The extra dimensional horrors reveal that they’ve kept Luke’s son “safe” (he’s a monster now, by the way) and they want Luke to merge his consciousness with it. They explicitly tell him they need him to do this and that it will help them escape to the surface to bring horror and madness. I smiled, “Aha! Luke will use his Go To Sleep chemicals to kill himself, preserving life on earth and rejecting the Thing That Is Not His Son, showing how he has grown and healed.” I was confident in this assessment because Luke literally tells the bad guy that he won’t do it. He knows that this monster isn’t really his son and he’s ready to die.

NOPE!!!!! !!!! !!1! That motherfucker does it! He just fucking merges with Not Zach and lets them out. No big moment, no deep breath, no clarity. Just “yeah I guess.” So what happens? The unholy amalgamation of Luke, his son, and two extradimensional horrors goes to the surface in the only submarine and they get out. The last line is like “what emerged was unspeakable” but what I thought was unspeakable was how fucking stupid this plot was!!!!!!

Read the first 100 or so pages then chuck it in a bin.

[childotkw]

i'd also like a top ten list but of your own characters :D I am still intrigued about your original stories and I'd like to know how you rank them and why

Oh god I don’t know if I can contain this to just ten, I’ve had a lot more OG stories crop up over the years that I haven’t spoken about on here 😂 why don’t I do top 3-5 for each?

Aasdfsdgfsdfklgjsd this is so long I'm so sorry 😂😂😂😂

Storm Son Series

Tristan - he is my boy! My son! So earnest, and he wants to be a good ruler to make his mother proud while protecting his friends. He can be reckless and headstrong, but is a natural leader and charismatic. Still young enough to believe in the good of others, a bit naïve and idealistic, but it's endearing. Comes up with crazy plans on the fly, and loves Alden and Sena so much he's ridiculous.

Alden - he’s just…so cool to me. Perpetually responsible, to the point of being obsessive when carrying out his duties. He seems reckless, but he knows his own capabilities so well that any risks he takes are actually calculated down to the finest detail. He is the one that enables Tristan’s crazy plans. He’s got ~hidden trauma~, but loves Tristan and Sena enough to let them in.

Sena - she's very Angry but she’s got Reasons for it. An outcast, she just wants to find her place in the world, and have a family with someone that genuinely loves and respects her. She’s not human, and is insanely strong, to the point where yeeting Alden at an enemy is a move they hone and use regularly. She loves Alden and Tristan and would die to protect them.

Lucas - the cool suave mentor figure. Massive DILF energy. Alden is his protege and thinks he is “all the best parts” of Lucas. Pseudo-father-son relationship on full blast. Lucas has done some bad shit in his past though, and it makes other, older characters very wary and distrusting of him.

Rosen - main villain. He’s clever and dangerous, and can come across as a madman but he’s actually fully in control at all times and that makes it way worse. Calculative and manipulative, he’s all-in in his plots and confident that he can win. Mildly obsessed with Alden because of his undisclosed past with Lucas.

Undertow

Cassius - if trauma had an associated image it would be his face. This man desperately needs a break. A child soldier, he struggles emotionally to connect with others whenever he tries, and has a lot of identity issues. He loves his twin brother, and though he does a lot of horrible stuff, he's equally messed up by it. He's my punching bag and is a water mage.

Darian - Cassius' twin and number one protector. Can, has and will throw hands to keep his brother safe. Darian is a lot more carefree and emotionally stable, but he also hides a very dark streak. He enjoys fighting, revels in violence and is borderline psychotic with only Cassius existing in his sphere of loved ones. He's a fire mage, and terrifyingly suited to his element.

Cenli - the head of the institute that trains the mages. She's cold and political, using others for her own gain without hesitation. She only wants to protect the institute. Does play a somewhat maternal role for Cassius and Darian but it's a very complex relationship.

Kalim (might be renamed) - high ranking bad dude that's obsessed with Cassius because he saw him do A Grisly Murder once and it tickled his fancy. He's playing 4D chess against everyone and is very hard to predict. Pretty much everyone hates when he's around because they all know he's up to something but they can never prove it.

Trials of Edos

Eli - probably the sweetest all-around character I’d ever write. He’s young, like fourteen, and very much a Classic Hero that wants to save everyone even at cost to himself. Selfless and kind to balance out the absolute magical power he’s packing. Kid could destroy the sun but he won’t because he’s a Good Boy. Needs supervision though because he attracts trouble.

Ariella - a thief with an honour code that means she can’t let Eli throw himself at the Big Bad alone. She gets caught up in the plot and just never leaves. Very confident, very switched-on, very competent. She finds Cayden adorable because he’s trying to be chivalrous and respectful. She enjoys pushing his buttons.

Cayden - a knight from an extinct order that swears loyalty to Eli after he saves him. He’s just a good guy, bit out of touch but genuine. Ariella both terrifies and fascinates him, and they work well together. He’s got a lot of guilt and trauma though, which springs up at the oddest times and makes his friends very protective of him.

Gods and monsters (not officially named)

Ira - disgruntled immortal wizard (think 5000+ years) that is forever in service of the royal family. He’s got Tired Dad energy when interacting with Elana but everyone else just gets a glare. He’s insanely powerful, has a long, long history and Knows A Lot Of Shit because he’s been around for it all. Very Angry at the Gods for Very Valid Reasons.

Elana - Princess-turned-Queen after her father’s death. She’s twelve/thirteen, very inexperienced and has been ‘given’ Ira as her key advisor, but she has no idea who or what he is. Very quickly bonds with him as a father-figure, and wants to uncover all of his secrets. She’s inquisitive and clever but painfully young, and still believes in goodness and fairness and daydreams.

Constance - Elana’s grandmother, former Queen. She’s old and not always aware of what’s happening around her, but she and Ira have a past because he was her key advisor when she was Queen. She’s very respected by her people, but had a vicious streak not many know about.

Ziris - the god of fortune / misfortune. Very young, only about 800 years old. He’s a troublemaker and fickle but if you catch his interest he’ll be ride-or-die for you. Very loyal to his goddess-mother, and is heavily involved in the politics of the Gods. He has a fondness for irritating Ira, and likes Elana.

Dystopian (not officially named)

Piers Erinson - my sad, wet, pathetic son. Someone needs to get this boy some therapy. Very self-destructive, way kinder than you would expect. A member of the DOVEs, which are the elite troops / spies of the Council. He was strong armed into service after a mishap with his old squad, and is the nephew of a hated former DOVE, and traitor. He’s forever trying to escape that shadow, and carries a lot of guilt over what happened to his squad. He would die for Etta, his DOVE partner - and tries to multiply times but she just won’t let him.

Etta Litman - my daughter! Badass lady, 10/10 want to be her friend. Etta was part of Piers’ squad when The Thing happened. She saw him spiralling and joined up with DOVE to keep an eye on him, essentially threw herself to the wolves to protect him from the system and all the corrupt people. She’s very patient, supportive and empathetic to Piers, seeing him as a surrogate younger brother. Anyone else can get fucked in her eyes. She’s super protective of him and will punch anyone who insults him at the drop of a hat.

Dacre Cygnet - rebel, wants to fight the Council and the system and probably God too. Very manipulative, often lies to even his friends if it’ll get him what he wants (and he might even feel bad about it). Blinded by his mission and fully willing to go through people if they stand in his way. Feels many things all at once towards Piers that he cannot compute because he’s a bit of an asshole, very much a “you are the only person I’d hesitate to shoot, please don’t use that against me” kinda deal. They’re on opposite sides technically but he pines.

Marie Fowlep - Piers and Etta’s mentor in DOVE. She had a history with Piers’ uncle, and you can’t tell if she wants to keep Piers safe or wants to use him until he breaks. Doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body but would go to bat for her kids operatives. She’s a “the ends justify the means” kind of lady. Can be very mean.

Rust and Ruin

Mikol - youngest child of Emperor Bendek and Royal Consort Anilise. He’s aware from a young age of the shitty position his mother (and he) have in Otrar’s court and feels a deeper connection to her as both of them were considered ‘outsiders’ due to their features. After his mother died, Mikol spent the next nine years in his mother’s country as a ward, and grew to be a cunning, quick-witted and strong leader. He travelled all over, joined the army, learning as much as he could about how badly his family ruled, and eventually returned to Otrar. He’s an ambitious little fucker and doesn’t get along with his older siblings, especially his oldest half-brother Leonil.

Orryn - born in Troam Siana, the isle of the Ashri (those capable of different types of magic), he was quickly singled out as a new type of Ashri (called Okaeti - capable of energy manipulation). He grew lonely though as the only Okaeti, and made his way to Otrar. Decades later he’s still there, acting as an advisor to the royal family but growing increasingly frustrated with how they govern. He was close friends with Anilise and grows to care for Mikol.

Anilise - the daughter of the King of Evaria, she was forced to marry Emperor Bendek after their country was conquered. Anilise was fifteen, completely isolated in a foreign, hostile court, and essentially forced to breed over and over because the Empress could not carry more children herself. She’s quiet and subdued, treated more as an ornament than a person. Anilise birthed four children, all made to look like the Emperor and Empress in utero by an Ashri magic. Anilise had little to no contact with her children, who grew up thinking the Empress was their mother. Mikol is her only child that looks like her, so she was allowed to raise him. Unfortunately, her constant pregnancies deteriorated her health to the point where she was bedridden, and she died when Mikol was six.

Leonil - the oldest of Bendek’s children, he’s a cruel and cunning young man that wants the throne. He has a particular dislike for Mikol, who he acknowledges is the most dangerous of his half-siblings, and the two of them are each other’s main rival / enemy. Leonil is married with his own young son, and loves his wife and child fiercely. He is ruthless when it comes to defending his claim to the throne, and wants Mikol out of the way.

Delia - Leonil’s wife and a very charming, conniving woman. She’s a softer touch when it comes to manipulating others, and shares what information she gleans with her husband. She also thinks Mikol is dangerous but thinks he'd be more beneficial on their side than against them. She is an excellent politician, and people often underestimate her.

[evelhak]

Riko for character bingo ;)

🫶✨

*I am ACTUALLY pretty normal about Riko. I love her but she's not in the centre of my stories. I just haven't found that much to elaborate on her, she's just so good as she is. I have no idea how to make her better. She's too satisfying to write elaborate fanfiction about. I just have nothing to add. She has some moments in my stories that are just about her specifically but more often she's there to come up with some weird and awesome things (training mostly) to spice up the plot.

*She's one hell of a beast. And she needs to delegate more. That's why I gave her a manager who can share her work load but also balances out her intense focus and personality by tickling her fun loving side.

*I really like Riko's character design because it's rare to see the female character with the most screen time shine with what she does rather than her looks in a shonen series. She looks pretty to me, but in an average, non-eyecatching way, and that's pretty rare. So much bigger number of girls in real life look more like her than the usual heroines, that I love that Riko has such a big, active, leadership role. Usually someone with her type of character design is a minor character. (I don't love the fact that she gets looked down on for her looks, but it's realistic. No matter what a girl looks like, traditionally gorgeous, ugly or any of the vast options in between, people are going to comment on it. And I love that she always proves what a badass she is.)

*I love how animated her face and gestures are. That's pretty much a sure way to make me like someone, real or fictional. Her silliness makes her approachable too.