#like just move on to another group if you hate someone

[acesofspadess]

Track Walk {2}

landoscar x content creator!reader

part 1 // part 2 // part 3

series summary: You were invited to the Miami GP for your Track Walk series on social media, what follows after you run into a certain Papaya boy, no one could prepare you for...

series warnings: cursing, angst, smut, making out, mentions of people you may not like, mmf, threesome/throuple, if there is more let me know... ;)

a/n: this a long 4 part series, but the chapters will be released daily!! also... there is no hate to anyone mention in this story, it is a work of fiction and any hate towards the characters/people will be deleted.

Singapore 2024

So here you were, the Singapore GP. The past 5 days were eventful to say the least. Your body was covered in love bites from each boy, there was no telling who gave which. Apparently the entire grid and the wags knew, which helped them cover up to the media. You walked in with Lando and Oscar, laughing at a stupid joke Lando said. To anyone besides the drivers, it was a very fun friend group, but you were sure it would stir something up. “Hello, hello, hello.” You waved with a large smile at the camera. “We don’t usually do evening walks do we? But Singapore is the beginning of the night races so get used to it…” The track walk and the weekend went just as planned. During that weekend you met Max Fewtrell for the first time. It was very scary for you. This was someone Lando had grown up with, someone he had chosen to be one of the important people in his life, and you knew how this could look to an outsider- an F1 creator dating not one, but two, of the most prized drivers in the sport. But you two immediately hit it off. “I just know Oscar is enjoying not being the only one having to handle his mess.” He laughed as you guys watched Free Practise. “It’s not even the mess though, Max, it’s the food!...”

The entire weekend was looking favorable for McLaren, and then when Lando kept his position into the first lap, you knew it was game over, another McLaren win was pending. And right you were. “Lando Norris can stop hearing about his starts, and start hearing about his finishes! For the third time Lando Norris takes the chequered flag…”

You bounced up and down with Max as Lando screamed into the radio. “That's a double podium finish for McLaren!” You screamed and he laughed with you before giving you a hug. “They’ll want to see you.” He told her and she shook her head. “Too much attention, they’ll see us after.” She said not wanting to leave Max behind.

The music thumps through the club you all decided to go to after you finished at the track, vibrating the floors as colorful lights flash across the crowded room. Lando, Oscar, and you move through the throng of people, your body already buzzing with the high of celebration. Lando’s win had electrified the night, and the three of you are ready to let loose—carefully.

Lando’s arm stays draped over your shoulder as you make your way to a private booth near the dance floor, Oscar trailing closely behind. 

Around the booth, the other drivers and their girlfriends are scattered—Carlos and Rebecca, Max who was running solo, Charles and Alexandra, Pierre and Kika—all laughing and cheering. The energy is high, but there’s an unspoken understanding between them. They know. “I would say cheers to Lando’s amazing race-” Carlos started, “but you only won because of her.” Lando and Oscar shook their heads as everyone around you laughed.

You laughed too, cheeks heating as Lando pulls you closer. "You’re not wrong," he teases, brushing a quick, casual kiss against your temple. It’s brief enough to pass as friendly, but the way your heart skips betrays its meaning. Oscar slides in on your other side, his hand finding your knee under the table and giving it a gentle squeeze, hidden by the dim lighting and shadows.

They’re subtle but deliberate, their touches igniting sparks that make your heart race. The conversation swirls around you, but the trio only has eyes for each other. When the music shifts to something slower and sultry, Lando tugs your hand. "Dance with me," he says, voice low and irresistible.

You follow him onto the dance floor, Oscar not far behind. Lando’s hands find your waist, pulling you against him as your bodies move in sync. Oscar presses in from behind, his chest warm against your back as his fingers brush your arm, sending a thrill down your spine. It’s intoxicating—the heat, the music, the feel of both their bodies surrounding you.

But you have to be careful. Lando shifts slightly, turning you just enough to keep you shielded from prying eyes, and Oscar’s touch drifts away whenever someone looks too closely. The tension grows with every near-miss, every stolen glance, and every lingering brush of fingertips.

Lando leans in, his breath hot against your ear. "You’re ours tonight," he murmurs, voice rough with desire. Your pulse quickens as Oscar’s lips skim your shoulder—quick, subtle, and hidden in the dim lights—adding to the heat coiling low in your stomach.

The three of you move as one, but always just discreet enough to keep your secret. The world blurs around you—flashing lights, the beat of the bass, laughter from your friends at the booth. None of it matters. All you can feel is the heat of their touches, the fire in their eyes, and the promise of what the rest of the night will hold.

f1gossipofficial

liked by user45 and others

f1gossipofficcial The papaya boys went out to celebrate last night with other drivers as well as their girlfriends, but pictures show the papaya boys very close with each other. This comes after a recent video McLaren uploaded where Oscar and Lando were seen holding hands at one point and being very touchy… 

user45 oh this is crazy

user67 how do papaya rules work now’

user18 they had a good time last night

user4 how about we stay out of there lives and not dissect and try to out people who clearly don’t want to be outed

user68 landoscar was too good to be fake

user49 i for sure thought one of themm was going to get with Y/N

user23 i thought it was Lando user90 i thought it was Oscar user62 am i crazy for saying both user23 user62 yes user49 user62yes user90 user62 yes

“This sucks.” Oscar said into her neck. They were at the airport saying goodbye because they wouldn’t see each other for another month. “I know, I’m sorry love.” You giggled softly at his dramatics. Your arms were wrapped around his neck, finger scratching the strands of hair at the top of his neck. You looked at Lando who watched the scene unfold. Oscar wasn’t much of a showy person, so seeing him show anything they never took for granted.��

“Osc, you okay?” Lando asked seeing his shoulders raise and then drop deeply. “I just feel so complete with her here, I don’t like when she isn’t.” He told his boyfriend who rubbed his back. He finally pulled off letting Lando hug you around your waist lifting you up. “Gonna miss you baby.” he said kissing your cheek knowing people were around. “I’ll miss you both so much. But we’ve done it before right? Osc you’ll see your family. Lan you’re going to Portugal with Max. We’ll al be so busy, it won’t feel like a month will it?”

Lando and Oscar nodded holding onto each other. You checked your RM watch, one the duo had gotten for you this previous weekend. “Time to go, babies.” you sighed. They scooped you into one big hug. “See you soon.” You kissed both of their cheeks before they walked off to their own gate, leaving you at yours. 

The month at home was supposed to be a time to recharge, but it only left you restless. Your days blurred together in a haze of casual errands, late-night shows, and constant texts from Lando and Oscar. The messages were frequent and full of love—updates about their time apart, teasing remarks, random photos, and sweet "miss you" notes despite the time zones. Even with their busy schedules, they made an effort to check in, and it always left you smiling.

Then came the post.

Your best friend stormed into your shared flat, phone clutched in hand. “Y/N, you need to see this,” she said, eyes wide with urgency. She handed you her phone, and your stomach dropped.

There, on a gossip page, was a photo of Lando and Magui faces and bodies very close to each other with big smiles on their face in company of Max and Pietra. The caption read: “Lando Norris spotted looking cozy with Magui and friends. This is after rumours of them earlier in the year were clouded over by new friend Y/n L/n and his teammate Oscar Piastri that Lando has been seen getting very flirty with...”

You froze, the phone trembling in your hands, the three of you already saw the airport photos of your group hug. It was what it was to you three though. “What the hell?” you whispered, voice barely audible.

Your mind flashed back to when Lando and Oscar had confessed something about Magui. They’d told you they’d once considered inviting her into their relationship, but something had always held them back. Then they’d met you, and everything changed. They knew immediately they wanted you.

You pushed the memory away, your chest tightening as you stared at the picture.

Without a second thought, you dialed them both. They picked up almost immediately, Lando’s voice warm and his face smiley. “Hey, baby,” he greeted.

Your throat constricted. “I’m not coming to the next GP,” you blurted.

There was a pause. “What? Y/N, what are you talking about? We planned this together.” Oscar cut in confusion on his face.

“I just can’t,” you said, your voice breaking and eyes filling with tears. You didn’t want to bring up the post, unsure if Oscar even knew.

“Wait, what's wrong?” Lando asked, concerned about lacing his tone as he saw your eyes fill.

You shook your head, not trusting yourself. “I’ll talk to you later.” You hung up before they could say more.

That night, your best friend held you as you cried, her arms wrapped tightly around you. “They don’t deserve you if they’re going to pull this shit,” she murmured. But her words only made you cry harder.

The next day, your phone erupted with notifications.

From Lando: "Baby, I swear it’s not what it looks like. Please call me." "I would never do this to you. You have to trust me. Nothing happened." "I’ll explain everything if you just call me. Please, Y/N."

From Oscar: "Y/N, I didn’t think this would get so out of hand. I’m sorry." "You mean everything to us. Don’t let this ruin us." "Please, let’s talk. I’ll tell you everything."

From Max Fewtrell: "Y/N, you know Lando wouldn’t do this to you. He’s losing his mind right now. Please talk to him."

From Alexandra: "Hey, I saw the post. Are you okay? Call me if you need to vent."

From Rebecca: "Y/N, this is so unfair to you. If you need to talk, I’m here."

You ignored them all, until finally, you caved and called Lando and Oscar. They answered on FaceTime, both looking worried.

“Nothing is happening with Magui,” Lando said quickly.

Oscar nodded. “We wouldn’t do that to you. You have to know that.”

“Why wouldn’t you tell us?” You sighed aggravatedly. “If you knew she was going to be there why wouldn’t you say anything? Why would you get close with her again knowing someone's eyes are always on  you.

But then, Lando and Oscar got very silent, you could have thought the screen froze, and something passed between them. It was subtle, but enough to make your stomach churn. “What?” you pressed.

Oscar sighed. “I knew she’d be there. I thought it would be fine.”

Your chest tightened as Oscar's words hit you like a punch. "You knew?" you whispered, barely able to contain the hurt. "You knew she'd be there and didn’t say anything?"

Oscar hesitated, looking like he wasn’t sure how to answer. "I didn’t think it would be a big deal," he said quietly. "I thought it’d just be... fine."

"But it is a big deal!" you snapped, your voice rising, frustration bubbling over. "If you had just told me, I wouldn’t be upset. I could have handled it, but now it feels like you’re hiding something. Like you’re trying to have your cake and eat it too."

Lando’s voice cut through the tension, softer but still desperate. "Y/N, that’s not it. We didn’t want you to feel like this. We didn’t mean for it to look like we were hiding anything from you."

"You did hide it, Lando," you shot back, shaking your head. "You knew she was going to be there, and you didn’t tell me. It makes it seem like you wanted to keep me in the dark while keeping her close, like I’m some backup plan."

Oscar looked pained, and Lando seemed to be searching for the right words. "It’s not like that," Oscar said quickly, but there was an edge of panic in his voice. "I didn’t think this would happen. I thought it’d be fine."

"But it’s not fine," you responded, your voice cracking slightly as the weight of it all hit you. "You’ve betrayed my trust, Oscar. And Lando, you should’ve known better. If you had told me, we could have figured it out. But now? Now I feel like everything we shared was an act, something to keep you occupied while you figured your feelings out."

Lando opened his mouth, clearly struggling, so Oscar spoke up in a low voice. "Please, Y/N, we didn’t mean to hurt you. We just... didn’t think—"

"Exactly," you interrupted, your voice soft. "You didn’t think. If you had, we wouldn’t be here right now. I know it's only been a few months, but I thought our relationship was stronger than this. I thought I meant more to you than this, but you’ve shown me I don’t."

“No Y/N-”

With that, you ended the call, the sound of the FaceTime disconnecting echoing in your ears. You sat back on the couch, your heart aching, but you knew this was the only way to handle it. They had crossed a line, and now you had to protect yourself from the mess they had made.

Max Fewtrell texted shortly after: "Y/N, I know what it looks like, but I promise Lando wouldn’t do this to you. He’s doing his head in and acting erratically, please talk to him. He’s about to go into a race weekend." 

Hattie messaged, too.. “Oscar fucked up, but I’ve also never seen him this upset with himself. He is so sorry, I’ll never tell you what to do, but just know he really cares.

You ignored everyone.

Of course you watched the triple header, you were still their girlfriend, and before that you were their number 1 supporter. Track Walks were not as fun to you during that time, everything reminded you of what happened. They still texted you everyday, telling you about their day, about their thoughts on the race, saying they missed you and they were so sorry.

But Brazil was a disaster. The rain poured relentlessly, creating dangerous conditions on the track. Both Lando and Oscar struggled, and a red flag giving those who hadn’t had a pitstop a free one essentially knocked Lando out of the Drivers' Championship contention, but besides that, out of a win. Your heart ached watching it all unfold, tears falling down your face slowly, but you stayed silent, refusing to reach out.

A few days later, Max went live on stream with Lando. Lando sounded tired, wanting to stay muted when he didn't have to be heard, his voice hoarse. He admitted he’d been eating old food from months ago and wasn’t feeling well. Max F texted both you and Oscar after the stream: "Lando needs you. He’s not doing well at all."

Oscar replied immediately: "I’m on my way."

You stared at the message, conflicted. It wasn't until the next day when you were eating lunch that Oscar's text messages were blowing up your phone,

Osco: Baby, I know you don't want to talk to us, but Lando really isn't doing well.

Osco: I've spent all morning with him crying into my arms, degrading himself, it hurts so much to hear. He thinks everything is over, he needs you baby. I need you. 

Finally, you texted Alexandra and Rebecca, asking what you should do. 

Mes Amours 💗

You: Help…Oscar’s been texting me about Lando this morning. He said he spent the morning crying, degrading himself, and thinks everything’s over. I want to be there, but I’m so hurt. I don’t know what to do.

Alexandra: Wow… I knew things were rough for them, but that’s heavy. You’ve got to take care of yourself first though. If you’re not ready, you’re not ready.

Rebecca: I get that, but… it won’t get better if you don’t talk to them. And, Y/N, I’m going to be honest here: Carlos is worried about Lando too. He told me Lando’s been completely off lately—barely eating, barely talking. He’s spiraling.

Alexandra: Wait, really? I mean, I knew they weren’t doing great in Brazil, but I didn’t think it was that bad.

Rebecca: It is. Carlos says he hasn’t been himself for weeks. And honestly, if Carlos is worried, you know it’s serious. Lando needs you, Y/N. Even if it’s just to talk. You don’t have to forgive them yet, but they need you right now.

You: I’ve missed them so much, it hurts. But I’m scared. What if I go back and things still don’t feel right? What if they don’t really understand how much they hurt me?

Rebecca: Then you tell them. You lay it all out there. But Y/N, we know how deeply you care for them, and it’s obvious they care about you too. I think they understand, they just need to see you in person.

Alexandra: Whatever you do, we are holding your hand.  Taking a deep breath, you texted Max Verstappen: Can I use your jet?

[luxerians]

The Last Mask (10)

Hwang In-ho/Oh Young-il/Player 001 x Reader

Chapter 10 - Round and Round

Story Masterlist

NEXT : Chapter 11

PREV : Chapter 09

You woke to the sound of that dreaded classical music. It had become a signal you hated. It was a reminder that another game awaited you this morning. And in this place, games weren’t for fun.

The bright lights flicked on suddenly. You squinted against the glare, trying to shake off the heaviness of sleep. Around you, players began to stir, and the familiar voice of the announcer filled the dormitory:

“The third game will begin momentarily. All players, please get out of bed and prepare.”

You stretched on the mattress, letting out a quiet groan, when someone bumped into your back. Turning your head, you saw Gi-hun emerging from his sleeping spot beneath the bed. His eyes, half-lidded with sleep, widened when he realized what he’d done. He quickly scooted back, muttering slurred apologies as he rubbed his face.

Sitting up, you glanced around. The dormitory was alive with the sounds of people rising and shifting. Dae-ho’s gruff murmurs mingled with the rustling of blankets as Jung-bae and Jun-hee began to stir from their spots behind you. Across from you, Young-il sat still, his gaze fixed on you. His face was unreadable at first, but then a small smile played on his lips.

“Sorry,” he said, his tone casual as his eyes lingered on your sleepy expression. “I didn’t wake you on purpose. Ladies should get enough rest.”

You blinked at him, realizing immediately what he was doing. He was covering for you, making sure no one questioned why you hadn’t kept your promised watch.

“Good call, Young-il,” drawled Jung-bae, his torso halfway out of his sleeping spot as he gave Jun-hee space to rise. He looked as though he might collapse back into sleep at any moment.

All of you got up and left your group’s sleeping area, trudging towards the clear center of the dormitory. You rubbed your face groggily, trying to shake off the heaviness of sleep, as you followed behind the others.

As you walked, you felt a gentle brush against your ear. Startled, you turned your head, your innocent, wide-eyed gaze landing on Young-il. He walked beside you as he tucked a stray strand of your hair behind your ear with his left hand. The gesture was unassuming, yet it sent a ripple through your chest.

You gave him a bashful, warm smile, your heart flipping at the casual intimacy of it. He smiled back. Neither of you spoke. Turning your attention forward, you continued walking. Despite your calm demeanor, on the inside, it felt like fireworks were going off. Your stomach fluttered, a ridiculous amount of butterflies threatening to burst free. You couldn’t help but feel an urge to express this overwhelming affection, even if it meant something silly like biting him out of pure love aggression.

Your thoughts were cut short when you glanced to the side. Lee Min-jae and his friends were making their way towards the center as well. Min-jae’s gaze was locked on you, his eyes darting briefly between you and Young-il. Then he nodded, a dark understanding flickering across his face, his expression tinged with something that felt unsettling – vengeful, too.

You quickly looked away, pretending you hadn’t seen him. Instead, you focused on the path ahead, instinctively moving closer to Young-il.

All of you were led out of the dormitory and into the labyrinthine halls of the massive staircase complex. With every step, your nerves grew sharper. Another game awaited that will decide you either live or die. The uncertainty was suffocating. What if it was a game you didn’t know? What if you weren’t good at it? Worse, what if it was a game that forced you against your own groupmates?

Gi-hun led your group at the front. Behind him was Jung-bae, then you, with Young-il just a step behind you. Jun-hee trailed close behind, while Dae-ho took up the rear. Just behind your group was the mother’s team, with her son, Hyun-ju, and player 095.

Eventually, you and the rest of the players were herded into a large room where a white curtain blocked your view of what lay beyond. Four triangle-masked guards stood at the forefront, their weapons at the ready. A tense silence fell over the crowd as everyone shuffled into place.

Once all players were gathered, the white curtains began to slide open. You rose on your tiptoes, trying to catch a glimpse of what awaited on the other side. The announcer’s calm, detached voice filled the space:

“Welcome to your third game.”

The sight before you was unlike anything you had imagined. The room was circular, resembling an arena, with a central platform that looked like a carousel. Ornate horse sculptures decorated the platform, and colorful doors lined the walls in evenly spaced intervals. The doors were adorned with lights, bows, and intricate patterns, creating a surreal carnival atmosphere that felt disturbingly out of place.

Your gaze darted around, taking in every detail, but your attention was so focused that you didn’t notice Young-il’s quiet gaze lingering on you. His expression was unreadable as he watched you survey the room.

“The game you will be playing is Mingle,” the announcer declared.

You and your group stopped near the edge of the platform, exchanging uncertain glances. The announcer continued:

“All players, please step onto the center platform. When the game starts, the platform wil begin to rotate, and you will hear a number. You must form groups of that size, go into the rooms, and close the door within 30 seconds.”

The realization hit you hard as the game’s instructions sank in. You had played something similar in kindergarten and primary school, where the game involved forming groups by hugging. But now, this game wasn’t just about forming groups; it was about survival. This game could either strengthen bonds or shatter them entirely. In here, the stakes included life and death.

Jung-bae’s voice cut through your thoughts. “Oh, this game? We used to play something like this on school trips. We’d form groups by hugging.”

“Yeah,” Dae-ho added, glancing around. “Except now, instead of hugging, we’re going into those rooms.”

All around you, chatter rose as players began strategizing. You and your group instinctively huddled together in a loose half-circle to discuss your approach.

“But this will break our group, won’t it?” you asked, frowning in concern. “We’re six right now. What if we have to form a group of five or four?”

Young-il stepped closer to your side, his presence steadying. “We’ll prioritize the women first. If the number is five, we’ll split into two groups of three and each find two more players to fill the gap. If it’s four, you, Jun-hee, and two others from our group will form a team. The remaining two of us will find more players.”

You nodded slowly as the others listened intently. Gi-hun chimed in, “If the number is bigger than six, we’ll get the additional people we need.”

“No matter what happens, don’t panic,” Young-il added. “Let’s stay calm.”

Jung-bae leaned in slightly. “If we’re asked to form pairs, that’ll be easy. The six of us can split into three groups of two.”

Young-il spoke again, his voice carrying an edge of seriousness. “If it’s pairs, let’s make sure [Your name] and Jun-hee are in separate teams. Each of them should pair with one of us men. If the two ladies end up together, other players might see them as easy targets to push around.”

Dae-ho’s eyes widened in realization, and he nodded quickly. “You’re right. You're right.”

You glanced at Jun-hee, who stood quietly beside Dae-ho, one hand clutching the underside of her belly. She looked nervous as her eyes darted between the others while the discussion continued.

“We need to decide now,” Young-il said firmly, his calm voice cutting through the tension. He turned to you and stated, “If it’s two, you will pair with me. Jun-hee will go with Dae-ho.”

“Then I’ll go with Gi-hun,” pointed out Jung-bae.

Young-il nodded in agreement. “Yes. Is everyone okay with that?”

The rest of you nodded your head. Young-il scanned each of your faces. “We’ll all make it through this. Together.”

He extended his right hand into the center of the circle. One by one, the rest of you placed your hands on top of his.

“One, two, three…” Young-il began.

“Victory at all costs!”

All of you stepped onto the platform, your group instinctively huddling together amid the growing crowd of players. You noticed Hyun-ju and her group were positioned right beside you. Taking a glance around, you confirmed the lineup of your group: Young-il was standing right next to you, followed by Jun-hee, who was flanked protectively by Dae-ho and Jung-bae, with Gi-hun at the front. You were all near the edge of the platform.

“Let the game begin.”

The ground beneath your feet shifted, the platform beginning to rotate. Players gasped and muttered in surprise as the movement threw everyone slightly off balance. You quickly planted your feet to steady yourself, your breath catching in your throat.

Then, the music began – a melody that tugged at memories of childhood. Its playful notes filled the room as the platform’s rotation picked up a steady rhythm. Overhead, the lights created shifting patterns on the platform, casting a carnival-like glow across the arena.

When the voices of children joined in, it sent an eerie chill down your spine:

“Round and round.

Round and round.

Let’s go around circles and dance.

We will clap our hands and sing.

La-la-la-la, let’s have fun dancing.

Ring-a, ring-a, ring-a, ring-a, ring-a-ring.

Ring-a, ring-a, ring-a, ring-a, ring-a-ring.”

Your heart pounded against your ribs as the platform’s motion and the cheery song created a stark contrast to the ominous stakes of the game. Unable to suppress your anxiety, your eyes darted to Young-il, standing stoically on your right. He met your gaze immediately, his calm demeanor unshaken.

You wanted to offer him a smile. But you couldn’t. The weight of your fear was too heavy. Instead, your hand moved instinctively, reaching for the sleeve of his jacket. Your fingers curled around the fabric, clinging tightly as if it could anchor you to something solid amidst the uncertainty.

Young-il noticed the gesture and nodded at you. That single nod carried more meaning than words could have. I’ve got you. It’ll be okay.

The music continued:

“We will go hand in hand.

And have fun jumping around.

Round and round.”

The platform and music abruptly stopped, catching almost everyone off guard. You stumbled, your balance thrown by the sudden halt. Instinctively, you tightened your grip on Young-il’s sleeve. He glanced at you quickly, his other hand moving as if to catch you, but you managed to find your footing.

Before you could process the moment, the announcer’s voice echoed through the room: “Ten.”

A fast-paced, almost frantic tune filled the air. The overhead lights shifted into rapid flickers of red and purple, casting the arena in a dizzying blur of color. Your heartbeat quickened as the urgency in the atmosphere intensified. Around you, chaos erupted as players began shouting:

“We need two!”

“We need five! Come with us!”

You felt a firm grasp on your forearm. Turning quickly, you saw Young-il’s hand holding you securely. His expression was focused as he scanned everyone. Around you, the rest of your group sprang into action. Gi-hun turned, his gaze landing on Hyun-ju’s group nearby. Stepping toward her, he patted her shoulder and asked, “How many are you?”

“Four,” Hyun-ju responded without hesitation.

“We’re ten now!” Gi-hun called out, signaling to you and the others.

“Follow me!” Young-il said sharply, his voice cutting through the chaos. Without hesitation, he jogged off the platform, pulling you along by the arm. The rest of your group, including Hyun-ju’s team, hurried to keep up.

Young-il led you all to one of the many doors lining the arena. He yanked it open, gesturing for you to go inside first. You hurried through. One by one, the others rushed in after you. Young-il stayed by the door, holding it open until everyone was inside. Only then did he step in and firmly shut it.

The room was just large enough to hold all ten of you and more. It felt cramped but safe compared to the chaos outside. Your breath came in short bursts as you scanned the room. Overhead, a timer on the wall counted down. When it hit zero, a long, piercing beep echoed, and you heard the door lock automatically.

You turned to look at your group: Young-il, Gi-hun, Jun-hee, Jung-bae, Dae-ho, the mother, her son Yong-sik, Hyun-ju, and player 095. Relief coursed through you as you confirmed everyone was there. Ten people. Your group had made it.

But relief was fleeting. A chorus of cries and screams filtered through the door. You noticed a rectangular viewing slot on the door and, drawn by morbid curiosity, stepped closer. Peering through, you saw the arena outside.

Triangle guards moved with mechanical precision, their weapons raised and ready. Leftover players scrambled in panic, some pounding on doors, others pleading for mercy. The guards advanced steadily, and then gunshots. The sharp cracks of rifles echoed, silencing the cries one by one.

You flinched and jerked back from the door, unable to watch any longer. Spinning around, you cast your gaze to the floor, trying to block out the images. The reality of the situation crashed over you like a wave. Those players had been just like you. They had laughed and celebrated during Hyun-ju’s team’s victory in the Seven Legs Hexathlon. Now, they were gone.

Your chest tightened with pity and sorrow. Those players had families, and people waiting for them to come home. The weight of their loss pressed heavily on your shoulders.

Unbeknownst to you, Young-il stood silently by your side, his expression unreadable but his gaze unwavering, as if focused entirely on you.

You were lost in thought, staring blankly at the floor, when you felt a gentle hand rest on your shoulder. Turning, you found Gi-hun standing there, his face lined with concern. His voice broke through the silence, soft but steady. “You okay?”

Forcing a small smile, you nodded. “Yes. I guess I’m just not good at fast-paced games like this. I can’t think clearly when everything’s moving so quickly.”

“Same here,” Dae-ho admitted, still catching his breath. “I was completely blank until Gi-hun shouted we got ten.”

Jung-bae chimed in with a groan. “But do they really have to blast that fast music during the group selection? It’s impossible to think straight with all that noise.”

Player 095 nodded vigorously, her eyes wide. “Me too. The flashing lights made it even worse. I could barely see where I was going.”

Hyun-ju’s voice cut through the chatter. “We can manage this as long as we stay calm and stay together.”

Your gaze drifted to Jun-hee, who was quietly standing beside the mother. The older woman had leaned in, speaking softly to her, and Jun-hee responded with a small smile, murmuring that she was fine.

“That’s right,” Young-il agreed. Then, without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around your shoulders. Gi-hun, noticing the gesture, slowly withdrew his hand from your shoulder. Young-il offered you a gentle smile as he added, “Don’t worry. We’ll prioritize the ladies first.”

You felt the tension in your chest ease slightly and managed a genuine smile in return. From the corner of your eye, you noticed the others in the room nodding in agreement.

Minutes ticked by as the muffled sounds of the guards cleaning the arena filtered through the door. Finally, the door clicked, unlocking with a low click. One by one, you all filed out of the room.

As you all headed back towards the platform, you looked around. The bodies were gone, but the bloodstains remained. It was a stark reminder of the carnage that had unfolded. Like in the Seven Legs Hexathlon game, the platform’s surface bore the uncleaned evidence of the lives lost.

Young-il had stepped onto the platform earlier, his eyes immediately locking onto you as if he’d been waiting. Once you approached, he extended a hand. You smiled gratefully and placed your hand in his. With a gentle pull, he helped you onto the platform with ease.

Just as you steadied yourself, you felt a brush against your shoulder. Turning, you saw Lee Min-jae walking past, uncomfortably close. His expression was cold, his eyes sharp as they met yours. Behind him, his two friends followed, casting glances in your direction.

A chill ran through you as you watched them pass. Dread crept in, a gnawing unease settling in your chest. Something about the way they looked at you made your stomach twist. It was as though they had already decided on some form of revenge and you were at the center of it.

Before the thought could take root, you felt an arm wrap gently around your waist. Startled, you turned to see Young-il beside you, his voice calm but firm as he said, “Ignore them.”

You nodded, though uncertainty still tugged at you. Unbeknownst to you, however, Young-il fixed the three boys with a dark glare, his jaw tightening ever so slightly as if daring them to try anything.

Together, he guided you toward your group, his arm lingering protectively at your side. Despite his reassurance, the worry clawed at you. You hoped Min-jae and his friends wouldn’t do anything. You all were already trapped in this live-or-die game. You could not afford another player sabotaging your gameplay.

As the second round began, the platform began its counter-clockwise rotation, just as it had before. Tension hung heavy in the air. Most players stood rigid, their eyes darting around nervously. In stark contrast, Thanos and his friend seemed entirely unfazed, dancing around to the children’s music that filled the arena once more:

“Round and round.

Round and round.

Let’s go around in circles and dance.

We will clap our hands and sing.

La-la-la-la, let’s have fun dancing.

Ring-a, ring-a, ring-a, ring-a, ring-a-ring.

Ring-a, ring-a, ring-a, ring-a, ring-a-ring.”

At that moment, your hand instinctively reached for Young-il’s sleeve again, seeking comfort from the incoming chaos.

The music continued:

“We will go hand in hand.

And have fun jumping around.

Round and round.”

The song and platform came to an abrupt stop, throwing you off balance. Young-il’s arm shot out instinctively, wrapping securely around your waist to steady you before you could stumble further.

The announcer’s voice rang out: “Four.”

Panic erupted among the players as the platform came alive once again beneath the rapid tempo of lights flickering red and purple. The fast-paced music urged everyone into a frenzied motion.

Young-il turned to you urgently. “You, Jun-hee, and two other men! Go!”

Gi-hun’s voice quickly followed, gesturing toward the others. “Dae-ho and Jung-bae, go with the girls!”

Without hesitation, Dae-ho and Jung-bae sprang into action, herding you and Jun-hee toward the nearest room across from you.

“Here! Quick! Quick!” Jung-bae shouted as he reached a room and yanked the door open.

One by one, you all rushed inside, Jun-hee first, followed by you and Dae-ho, with Jung-bae bringing up the rear and slamming the door shut behind him. The timer above the door caught your attention. Ten seconds remained.

Your chest heaved as you tried to steady your breathing, but your focus was drawn to the rectangular hole in the door. You stepped closer, peering through to scan the chaos outside. Players were darting in every direction. Some yelled the number of players they still needed, others scrambled frantically for rooms, and a few brawled near the doors, desperate to secure safety before the clock hit zero.

But amidst the disorder, you couldn’t spot Young-il and Gi-hun. Your stomach churned with unease as you searched the sea of frantic faces, but the two you were looking for were nowhere to be seen.

As soon as the timer let out its long, ominous beep, the door locked with a loud click. You turned your gaze away from the small window, not wanting to see the inevitable carnage outside. The rapid and relentless gunfire began almost immediately.

You moved to stand beside Jun-hee, who was leaning against the wall with one hand resting protectively on her belly. Her breaths were short and labored, and her expression was tired. You reached out and touched her arm lightly.

“You okay?” you asked softly.

Jun-hee nodded, her fingers tightening slightly over her belly.

“Yes,” she murmured, though her voice carried the faint tremor of exhaustion. Then, looking up at you, she added, “Did you see Gi-hun and Young-il out there?”

You shook your head. “No, I didn’t. But I’m sure they found two more players and made it into a room. Those two are good at playing these games.”

A thought lingered at the back of your mind: Not only were they skilled, but they were also both previous winners.

The minutes stretched on as muffled noises from outside hinted at the grim cleanup underway. Finally, the door unlocked with a metallic click, and you all filed out cautiously. Your eyes immediately darted around, scanning the crowd of survivors milling about.

“Young-il! Gi-hun!” Dae-ho called out, his voice cutting through the tension as he addressed them with the respectful hyungnim honorifics.

Jung-bae joined in, raising his voice slightly. “Gi-hun? Young-il?”

Your brow furrowed deeply as you scanned the faces around you. The growing worry twisted in your stomach, tightening with every second that passed without a sign of them. There was no way they could have failed, you told yourself. No way.

And then, a familiar voice called your name.

All at once, your shoulders relaxed. Relief washed over you like a wave as you turned to see them. Young-il and Gi-hun were jogging toward your group, their expressions mirroring the same relief and joy you felt.

“You two!” Dae-ho exclaimed, his voice brimming with relief.

“Oh, thank God!” Jung-bae sighed before rushing forward to hug Gi-hun tightly. Gi-hun’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden embrace, but he patted Jung-bae’s back awkwardly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Meanwhile, Young-il stepped closer to you, his gaze scanning you from head to toe. His eyes held a warmth that made your heart flutter.

“You alright?” he asked, a smile softening his features.

You nodded, returning his smile. “I am. I was worried about you.”

He held your gaze for a moment, his smile lingering as if your words meant more to him than you realized.

Dae-ho, still catching his breath, placed a hand on his chest and let out a dramatic sigh of relief. “I’m so glad you two made it. I was really worried there for a moment.”

Without warning, Jung-bae turned and side-hugged Young-il. The unexpected gesture caught Young-il off guard, and he stiffened momentarily before chuckling softly.

“I knew you two were going to be okay!” Jung-bae declared, his voice filled with genuine cheer.

Young-il gave a low laugh as he patted Jung-bae’s back. Jung-bae stepped back and, with a grin, declared, “I knew it. You two weren’t just anybody!”

Gi-hun offered a small smile, clarifying, “We found two players we needed. We made it into a room just in time.”

Young-il’s gaze shifted to Jun-hee. His expression softened, and he glanced at her belly as he asked, “Are you feeling alright?”

Jun-hee returned his concern with a gentle smile. “Yes, I’m alright. I’m glad you two made it.”

Young-il’s face shifted as if he suddenly remembered something. He looked at the group and said, “Wait a minute. If the next number is seven, we won’t need anyone else, will we?”

You and the others stared at him, momentarily confused. His words hung in the air as everyone tried to piece together what he meant.

Dae-ho frowned slightly, glancing around at the rest of you before asking, “Why not?”

A mischievous smile spread across Young-il’s lips as his gaze landed briefly on Jun-hee’s belly. You raised your eyebrows as realization dawned. “Because Jun-hee’s baby is considered one too?”

Young-il laughed, confirming your guess.

“Oh!” Dae-ho clapped his hands as silent laughter shook his shoulders. “Yeah, that makes us seven already!”

The realization rippled through the group, and everyone burst into light laughter. Jun-hee’s hand rested protectively on her belly as she chuckled softly. Gi-hun stepped closer, gently patting her shoulder. The atmosphere felt lighter, a brief but much-needed reprieve from the tense reality of the games.

“What if it’s twins?” Jung-bae chimed in. “Does that make eight?”

Dae-ho guffawed loudly, the sound infectious as it pulled more laughter from you and the rest of the group.

You smiled warmly, heartened by how protective and supportive everyone was of Jun-hee. For just a little while, the harshness of the game seemed to fade away.

That was until the announcer stated, “All players, please step onto the center platform.”

You found yourself standing at the edge of the platform with Gi-hun on one side and Young-il on the other. Behind you, Jun-hee stood flanked by Dae-ho and Jung-bae.

The third round began. The carousel platform beneath your feet began to rotate. Overhead lights cast playful patterns across the arena, a stark contrast to the anxiety pooling in your chest. Then, the familiar children’s song echoed across the space:

“Round and round.

Round and round.

Let’s go around in circles and dance.

We will clap our hands and sing.

La-la-la-la-”

The platform and music came to an abrupt halt, throwing most of you off balance. Before you could regain your footing, Young-il’s hand shot out, steadying you by your arm. The announcer’s voice immediately filled the space: “Three.”

The fast-paced music started up again, accompanied by rapid flickers of purple and red lights. You exchanged glances with your group.

“Just like we planned!” Young-il reminded in a firm tone.

Gi-hun’s voice cut through the noise. “Jung-bae, Dae-ho, Jun-hee! Go!”

The three of them darted off the platform without hesitation. Without wasting another second, Young-il grabbed your arm and called out to Gi-hun, “Let’s go!”

The three of you bolted, weaving through the frenzied players as everyone scrambled to find the needed number of players. You followed Young-il’s lead, your heart pounding in your chest as the seconds ticked away. Finally, you spotted an empty room, and the three of you rushed inside.

Young-il pulled the door shut with a solid thud. You leaned against the wall, trying to steady your breathing as the timer counted down. A long, shrill beep signaled that time was up, followed by the familiar click of the door locking itself automatically.

Pressing your back against the wall, you exhaled deeply. The room’s silence was jarring while countless gunshots resounded outside. Despite your relief, your thoughts immediately went to the others. You hoped Jun-hee, Dae-ho, and Jung-bae had managed to find a room in time.

Once the gunshots ceased, a heavy silence filled the room. Young-il moved to stand beside you, his chest rising and falling with each measured breath. Across from you, Gi-hun crouched down, resting his back against the wall, his face shadowed with exhaustion.

The announcer’s voice echoed, mechanically listing the numbers of eliminated players as the guards busied themselves cleaning up the arena. You muttered under your breath, barely audible, “How many more rounds do we have to do this?”

Young-il glanced at you, his expression unreadable but his voice calm. “Perhaps the next round or the one after will be the final one.”

Gi-hun, still crouched, nodded slowly as he raised his head. “I think he’s right. The numbers needed to pass each round keep getting smaller. It’s like they’re funneling us toward the end.”

You absorbed their words in silence, staring down at the floor. The thought of the next one possibly being the last round brought an odd mix of relief and dread. Relief that this ordeal might soon end, and dread for what that final round might entail.

Finally, you nodded. The three of you stayed there in the quiet, bracing yourselves for whatever was to come next.

After a few minutes, the door finally unlocked with a faint click. Gi-hun stepped forward and pulled it open, holding it for you. You stepped out first, your eyes scanning the room. Young-il followed closely, and Gi-hun came out last.

You immediately began searching for the other players. Your focus sharpened as you searched for Jun-hee, Jung-bae, and Dae-ho. As you looked, a familiar figure emerged from another room. It was the mother, accompanied by two players you vaguely recognized, player 380 and another random player. Her son, Yong-sik, was nowhere in sight. A pang of unease struck you. You hadn’t expected them to be separated.

The mother appeared small and frail amidst the chaos, her wide eyes scanning the crowd anxiously. Concerned, you stepped toward her. Young-il and Gi-hun followed you from behind.

You called her gently using the respectful halmeoni title and asked, “Are you okay?”

She turned toward you, her expression softening as a relieved smile spread across her face. She patted your shoulder affectionately. “Oh, miss! I’m so glad you’re alright! Where is the little lady?”

“She’s with the other boys in our group,” you replied reassuringly before glancing around. “Where is your son?”

Her smile faltered slightly as she blinked at you, confusion clouding her features. “Sorry?”

Young-il approached as he asked, “Weren’t you with him?”

The mother’s gaze shifted away and you noticed it. Her wide smile returned, but it felt forced as if she was trying to dismiss the concern with false cheerfulness.

“Oh, well,” she began, her tone light and airy. “I lost hold of him. He told me to wait while he went to bring one more person, but I lost him in all the fuss.”

Young-il asked, “He didn’t come back?”

Her smile vanished entirely. She stared at Young-il, the agitation on her face unmistakable now. The three of you waited, your own unease growing with the silence.

That’s when someone called out, “Mrs. Jang!”

She turned quickly, her face lighting up with a wide grin. “Oh, goodness!”

Player 095 and Hyun-ju rushed toward her, pulling her into a warm group hug. The mother let out a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

When they stepped back, she immediately began patting them down, checking for injuries. “You’re not hurt at all, are you?”

Behind them, another player approached. You recognized him instantly. It was Player 246, who had teamed up with them during the Seven Legs Hexathlon. Hyun-ju gestured toward him and said, “He saved our lives.”

Player 095 chimed in with a bright smile, “Mr. 246 here showed up when we were running out of time, just like Prince Charming!”

“Boy, you do look like a prince,” the mother beamed at him, reaching out to shake his hands. “Thank you so much.”

Player 246 shook his head modestly. “Not at all. These two saved my life.”

Hyun-ju’s expression shifted as she looked around. “Where’s Yong-sik?”

“Mom.”

All of you turned toward the voice. Standing a few feet away, Yong-sik appeared frozen. He looked as though he could barely believe his mother was alive and standing there.

The mother’s face softened, and she walked toward him, placing her hands gently on his shoulders. “It’s okay. I made it. You’re not hurt, are you?”

Tears welled up in Yong-sik’s eyes, and his voice cracked as he replied, “Mom… I… I’m so sorry…”

He broke down, sobbing openly, as the mother quickly pulled him into an embrace. He repeated, “Mom, I’m sorry…”

“No, no, it’s okay,” she murmured, holding him tightly. “We both made it. That’s all that matters.”

You watched them silently, taking in the emotional reunion. From the corner of your eye, you noticed Gi-hun and Young-il observing the scene as well, their expressions unreadable. While their thoughts remained a mystery, your own mind churned with suspicion. Something about the interaction didn’t sit well with you.

You couldn’t shake the feeling that Yong-sik and his mother had been separated because Yong-sik had left her behind. His apologies felt laced with guilt, and you suspected that the mother, who seemed to spoil him unconditionally, refused to acknowledge it. Perhaps, in her heart, she truly believed her own words – that she had simply lost hold of him in the chaos.

Dae-ho, Jung-bae, and Jun-hee appeared and gathered with your group. They exchanged puzzled glances with each other, clearly not understanding the emotional scene that had just unfolded between the mother and her son. Dae-ho turned to you, Young-il, and Gi-hun with a questioning look, silently asking for an explanation.

Without speaking, all of you shifted back to the platform. This time, your group and Hyun-ju’s group stood together, with player 246 joining you as well.

From the far left stood Yongsik and his mother, their hands tightly clasped as if anchoring each other. Beside them were Hyun-ju and Gi-hun, positioned at the front. Player 095 and Jun-hee stood behind you, with you and Young-il directly in front of them. At the back were Jung-bae, Dae-ho, and player 246, forming the tail of your formation.

The platform began to rotate again, the movement as unsettling as it was familiar. The whimsical music started up once more, echoing through the space:

“Round and round.

Round and round.

Let’s go around in circles and dance.”

To your surprise, the platform stopped rotating earlier than expected, causing most players to let out startled noises as they nearly stumbled. Young-il was quick to steady you, his firm grip on your arm keeping you balanced.

The announcer’s voice echoed through the room: “Six.”

The fast-paced music and rapid, flashing lights started once again. Your mixed group instinctively gathered into a tight circle. It was immediately clear that, with player 246 now part of your group, you were a total of eleven.

Gi-hun hastily said, “Five women and one man, go!”

Young-il interjected, “That’s dangerous. At least two men should be in a group to protect the women.”

He turned his gaze to you and added decisively, “[Your name] stays with us. Four women go with two men!”

Gi-hun accepted the adjustment without hesitation. “Okay, go!”

“Which two men?” Jung-bae asked urgently.

“I’m going with my mom!” Yong-sik declared.

Dae-ho raised a hand quickly. “I-I’ll go.”

“Go! Go!” Gi-hun urged.

With that, Dae-ho, Yong-sik, the mother, Jun-hee, Hyun-ju, and player 095 rushed off. You stayed behind with Young-il, Gi-hun, Jung-bae, and player 246, meaning your group still needed one more player.

Gi-hun shouted over the clamor, “We need one more player!”

That’s when you noticed player (380) rushing in your direction. You pointed at her and called out to the others, “There! Let’s go!”

The rest of you moved quickly toward her. As soon as she reached you, her hand clasped yours, and all six of you sprinted off the platform to find an empty room.

Player 246 got to the door first and pulled it open, ushering everyone inside. All of you filed in with haste. You let go of player 380’s hand as you stepped in and immediately leaned against the wall, trying to catch your breath. Glancing up at the timer, you saw there were still five seconds remaining.

In no time, the timer reached zero and a long beeping noise emitted, followed by the door automatically locking itself again. The room was filled with the sounds of you all trying to catch your breath.

Then came the gunshots.

The deafening cracks seemed endless. No one dared to look outside. The chilling silence that followed only deepened the weight of the moment. Gi-hun, crouched down on the floor, finally broke the quiet.

“Sorry,” he said suddenly. His unexpected words drew everyone’s attention. “I was wrong. I thought this would be the final round because the numbers needed to pass kept getting smaller. I didn’t expect six.”

You shook your head. “It’s fine. I’m sure the game maker did this on purpose.”

Young-il nodded. “At least our group has grown larger in number too.”

He glanced at player 246 who was standing beside him and patted his shoulder with a small smile. Player 246 bowed his head politely in acknowledgment.

Jung-bae, ever the optimist, chimed in, “Yeah, the more allies, the better. What’s your name?”

“I’m Gyeong-seok,” the man replied, his tone respectful. “Thanks for having me.”

“I'm Jung-bae. This is Gi-hun, Young-il, and [Your name],” he said with a quick nod toward each person.

You turned to the young woman beside you, who had a piercing on her bottom lip. You asked her gently, “What’s your name?”

She glanced at you, still catching her breath. “I’m Se-mi.”

You smiled at her, offering a bit of warmth in the tense moment. Jung-bae, not missing a beat, grinned. “Oh, you seem young, like Jun-hee. How old are you?”

Se-mi hesitated, her eyes darting around the group as if weighing whether to trust you all. For a moment, you thought she might not answer, but then she finally spoke.

“Twenty-six,” she said.

Jung-bae, clearly exhausted but trying to keep spirits up, wiped his forehead dramatically and chuckled. “Ah, so young. I’m starting to feel ancient around here.”

Se-mi’s lips curved into a small smile, her posture relaxing just slightly. She muttered in a jesting tone, “Really? I'm right, then. I assumed you are fifty.”

Jung-bae gave her an offended look. “Excuse you? I'm not that old. I might look old but it's because of the debts piling up.”

His exaggerated reaction drew soft laughter from the group, even from Se-mi, whose chuckle seemed to brighten the somber mood.

Minutes passed before the door finally unlocked. You and your group stepped out. As you approached the other six groupmates, you blinked in confusion. The first thing you noticed was the mother and Hyun-ju’s tear-streaked faces and the unmistakable weight of sadness in their expressions. Player 095 was nowhere to be seen. Instead, player 333 stood silently among them.

Alarmed, you asked, “What’s wrong?”

The group shifted uncomfortably, avoiding your gaze. Hyun-ju appeared to be the most affected, her sadness almost tangible. It was clear something terrible had happened in the last round. Finally, Dae-ho spoke, his eyes fixed on the ground. “We lost one of our members…”

The mother, dabbing at her tears with a trembling hand, clarified, “It’s Young-mi… she didn’t make it.”

The reality of her words hit you like a weight. You didn’t need any more details to understand what had transpired. The presence of player 333 answered the question of why they had survived despite losing Young-mi. Though curiosity gnawed at you on how it all transpired, you didn’t dare press for more information.

You took your place on the edge of the platform with the others. The allies from before regrouped together in one big team, now including player 333 and Se-mi. From the far left stood Hyun-ju, still visibly shaken, followed by the mother and Yong-sik holding hands tightly, with Jun-hee and player 333 behind them. Gi-hun stood at the front beside you and Young-il, while Dae-ho, Se-mi, Jung-bae, and Gyeong-seok filled in behind.

The platform began to rotate, and the familiar children’s music resumed, its cheerfulness now a cruel contrast to the heavy atmosphere. As it played, the announcer’s voice cut through:

“Now, the final round will begin.”

A wave of relief washed over you. This was it. The final round. One last push to survive.

“Round and round.

Round and round.

Let’s go around circles and dance.”

Jung-bae stepped closer to Gi-hun, you, and Young-il, and asked, “What do you think it’ll be this time?”

Gi-hun seemed deep in thought, but before he could respond, Young-il answered confidently, “Two.”

Most of your group heard him and immediately shifted their attention to him. Jung-bae’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Why?”

Young-il explained, “There are 129 people left, and there are 50 rooms. So there won’t be enough rooms for everyone, only for 100 people. The rest will be killed.”

A cold dread settled over you as realization struck. You looked up at him and muttered, “If it’s two, then…”

Your voice trailed off as your eyes darted toward the rest of your group. You urged, “Quick. Pair up. Pair up.”

The group moved without hesitation. Yong-sik and his mother’s hands tightened. Player 333 reached for Jun-hee’s hand almost instinctively, surprising her, though she didn’t pull away. Gyeong-seok crossed the distance to stand beside the somber Hyun-ju, silently pairing with her. Behind you, Jung-bae shifted closer to Gi-hun’s back. Nearby, Se-mi and Dae-ho exchanged a glance before nodding in mutual agreement.

Meanwhile, you turned to Young-il, grasping the left sleeve of his jacket. You faced forward, trying to keep your focus on the rooms ahead, but from the corner of your eye, you caught him glancing down at your hand. His right hand rose, gently untangling your grip from his sleeve. A wave of confusion stirred within you as you wondered what he was doing. But then, his right hand guided yours downward to meet his left. With a deliberate motion, he clasped your hands together, his fingers wrapping securely around yours in a snug, reassuring hold.

Warmth bloomed on your face as your cheeks flushed. Quickly, you turned your head away, your heart racing at the unexpected intimacy. You couldn’t bring yourself to meet his gaze, but the comforting pressure of his hand in yours grounded you amidst the chaos.

“Ring-a, ring-a, ring-a, ring-a, ring-a-ring.”

Suddenly, the platform stopped rotating, and the music came to an abrupt halt. Almost immediately, the fast-paced music blared back on, accompanied by rapid flashes of red and purple lights. The announcer’s voice cut through the chaos: “Two.”

Without hesitation, you and Young-il rushed off the platform. Your hands were clasped tightly together as he led you toward a specific room. From the corner of your eye, you spotted the rest of your group sprinting away with their partners, each desperate to claim a room.

You had barely made it halfway when arms wrapped around your waist and yanked you back violently. Your hand slipped from Young-il’s grasp. He turned just in time to see two men shoulder-check him, sending him crashing to the floor.

“Young-il!” you screamed, panic gripping your voice as you struggled against the arms locking you in place. Your head whipped around to see who had grabbed you. It was Lee Min-jae. His cold, triumphant smirk sent a wave of anger through you.

“Hey! Let me go!” you yelled, thrashing against his hold. Min-jae kept his grip tight, struggling to drag you toward another room a few feet away.

Desperation surged through you, and with every ounce of strength, you slammed your elbow into his chest, forcing a grunt from him. Seizing the moment, you drove your elbow into his cheek. His grip loosened slightly, giving you just enough room to break free.

You stumbled forward, but before you could get far, Min-jae’s hand shot out and grabbed your arm, yanking you back against his chest. This time, one of his friends rushed over to grab your ankles.

“Let me go, Min-jae!” you screamed, your voice raw with fury. You kicked and thrashed, doing everything you could to break free, but their combined grip was too strong. Min-jae held your wrists tightly while his friend lifted your legs. Together, they dragged you toward a nearby room as you continued to fight, your heart pounding with fear and rage.

Min-jae let out a bitter scoff, his voice dripping with mockery. “Sorry, but I have no partner. So I chose you.”

Before you could respond, his third friend rushed to the door and yanked it open. As they dragged you inside, Min-jae’s grip tightened, locking your arms to your sides and pinning your back against his chest. He took you both into the far corner of the room.

“Now go!” he barked at his friends. “Find your room!”

Without hesitation, they darted back outside. Just as the second friend disappeared through the doorway, a blur of movement caught your eye. A sickening crack echoed through the room as one of Min-jae’s friends was yanked back by his hair and slammed headfirst into the wall just outside. The force of the impact left him crumpled and unconscious on the ground. Your breath caught in your throat as you realized who it was.

Young-il.

He stormed into view, his face a mask of fury. His disheveled hair clung to his forehead, and his sharp eyes radiated an icy resolve. Without missing a beat, he turned to the second man and delivered a punishing punch to his face. A sickening crunch followed as the man’s nose shattered. The second friend collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain and clutching his face.

“Shit!” Min-jae cursed under his breath, his grip around you tightening like a vice.

Young-il stepped into the room, his intense gaze locking onto you and Min-jae. His eyes darkened as they took in the scene. Your arms trapped, your body pressed against Min-jae’s, his hold unrelenting.

“Let her go,” Young-il commanded, his voice low and seething with menace.

“Fuck no!” Min-jae spat back, defiance dripping from his tone. “If you want her alive, then go and find another room!”

Young-il didn’t move, his sharp eyes analyzing the situation. The room’s oppressive tension bore down on you, the timer’s faint beep a grim reminder of the seconds ticking away. You could see him weighing his options, trying to calculate how to take down Min-jae without putting you in harm’s way.

Min-jae’s voice cracked with desperation as he shouted, “So what will it be?!”

Your arms were still pinned tightly to your sides, but your mind raced for a way out. Acting on impulse, you maneuvered your right hand downward, clenching his crotch through his pants with brutal force. Min-jae’s roar of agony filled the room. He released you instantly, doubling over in pain.

You scrambled to the side, gasping for breath. Before you could process what was happening, Young-il lunged forward. The air erupted with the sound of fists connecting and the guttural grunts of a fight. You turned to see Young-il punching Min-jae relentlessly, his expression cold and focused, a stark contrast to the chaos around him.

Your eyes darted to the timer on the wall. Seven seconds remained.

“Quick!” you shouted with urgency. “Shove him out!”

Young-il ignored your words. Instead of dragging Min-jae to the door, he locked his arms around the man’s neck from behind and maneuvered him into a chokehold. With precision, Young-il crouched low, forcing Min-jae’s body into submission. You froze, wide-eyed, watching the intensity of his movements.

The timer ticked down mercilessly. From behind Min-jae’s head, you caught Young-il’s gaze. His dark eyes burned with a quiet fury, focused and unrelenting. He looked like a man consumed by the moment, no hesitation, no mercy.

With one second left, Young-il’s arms shifted sharply. The room echoed with a sickening crack as Min-jae’s head twisted unnaturally to the side. You gasped audibly, your breath catching in your throat. The timer emitted its long, piercing beep, signaling the end of the round.

Min-jae’s lifeless body slumped to the floor, and Young-il finally released his neck. His hands fell limply on the dead body’s chest, his chest heaving with exertion. His hair clung to his damp forehead, and his dark eyes stayed locked on you, unblinking and unreadable.

The room felt heavy, suffocating. You tore your gaze away, unable to meet his intense stare any longer. Your eyes fell to the floor, and a cold chill ran down your spine. Everything about the scene felt surreal, and you struggled to piece together what had just unfolded. The quiet that followed was almost deafening.

Your eyes stayed fixed on the floor, your arms trembling uncontrollably. You didn’t even know why. Or maybe you did, but you couldn’t pinpoint which fear was overwhelming you the most. Was it the terror of what just happened, the shock of seeing Young-il so close to dying because he had no partner? Or was it the dread of being stuck with Min-jae, the helplessness of experiencing a man’s strength overpowering yours? Or… was it Young-il? Was it the dark, ruthless side of him you had just seen, a side you didn’t even think he had?

You couldn’t tell. Maybe it was all of it, all at once. It churned inside you, making it impossible to steady yourself. You barely registered the countless gunshots echoing from the arena, as though they were muffled by the storm inside your mind.

From the corner of your eye, you noticed movement. Young-il shifted from his spot, standing slowly, his shadow stretching across the room as he turned toward you. His breathing was heavy but measured now. For a moment, he just stood there, watching you, as if gauging your state. Then, with deliberate steps, he walked closer.

He began by calling your name softly. His voice was calm, careful, like he knew anything too abrupt might break you completely.

Your trembling arms tensed further, but you still couldn’t lift your gaze. His footsteps stopped right in front of you. He crouched down, his presence filling your immediate space. You could feel the warmth of his proximity, but it didn’t comfort you. Not entirely. Not yet.

“Look at me,” he urged gently. When you didn’t respond, he reached out, his hand hovering over your trembling arm for a moment before he rested it there, grounding but not forceful.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, his voice quieter now. “But I wasn’t going to let him…”

He trailed off, his jaw tightening before he looked away briefly as if the memory of what had happened to you was clawing at him too.

You finally lifted your head, meeting his gaze hesitantly. His eyes weren’t the cold, dark ones you had seen moments before. They were filled with something different now. Concern? Or care? It was hard to tell. But the intensity had softened.

You let out a shaky whimper, your voice trembling as you struggled to get the words out. “You didn’t have to kill him. You could have just shoved him out of the room.”

Young-il nodded slightly, his expression softening as though he accepted your words. But instead of replying immediately, he stepped closer. You felt your breath hitch as his arms encircled you, pulling you into a firm embrace. His touch was steady, anchoring you despite the storm of emotions swirling within you.

He rested his chin gently atop your head, and your face pressed against the crook of his neck. His warmth surrounded you, a stark contrast to the cold dread that had gripped you moments before.

“If I shoved him out,” he began, “he would’ve died anyway. The guards would have shot him. At least this way… it was on my terms. Not theirs.”

You felt the vibration of his words against your cheek.

“Let me protect you in this hell,” he continued, his tone softening. “I’m doing this because I care about you.”

His words struck something deep within you, bringing back the memory of his confession during your shared watch. In this moment, he wasn’t just a shield. He was someone who had chosen you above all else.

You hesitated, your arms hanging limply at your sides, unable to bring yourself to reciprocate his embrace. Everything felt overwhelming – the fear, the relief, the whirlwind of emotions coursing through you.

Sensing your hesitation, Young-il slowly pulled back, his arms loosening their hold. His hand moved to your chin, gently lifting your face so your wide, startled eyes met his steady, intense gaze. Without a word, he leaned in, his lips brushing softly against yours. The kiss was brief. It was a fleeting connection that lasted no more than two seconds. When he withdrew, you stared at him, stunned and speechless.

“Sorry,” he said softly. “I thought I was going to lose you. So now, I’m not going to waste any more time with you.”

Before you could find the words to respond, he drew you back, his arms wrapping tightly around you. This time, he locked lips with you again and again. He even grabbed the back of your head and tilted your head to the side to give him more access to your mouth.

Your heart fluttered wildly, a mix of emotions you couldn’t fully comprehend. Slowly, almost tentatively, you lifted your arms and wrapped them around his back, your fingers clutching the fabric of his jacket. In his arms, you felt a strange sense of safety, as though nothing in this cruel, twisted game could touch you as long as he held you like this.

And yet, while he was kissing you deeply, doubts gnawed at the edges of your mind. Was this the real Young-il? Had he truly taken off his last mask with you, as you had believed back when you two kept watch together? Or was there something deeper, something darker, that he was still hiding?

You couldn’t ignore the ruthless efficiency he had displayed moments ago. The way he had ended Min-jae’s life without hesitation. Was this how he had survived his 2015 game? Cold, calculating, and unsympathetic? You wanted to believe in the caring, protective side of him that he had shown you, but the memory of his darkened eyes and unflinching actions lingered in your mind.

NEXT : Chapter 11

PREV : Chapter 09

Story Masterlist

Please feel free to leave comments and feedback about my story, the characters, the "you", and practically anything! I love reading your comments, especially long ones! What do you think about the overall Mingle game? What do you think about the occasional sweet and caring gestures Young-il did to you? What about Gi-hun's group gradually increasing in team members with Gyeong-seok, Se-mi, and player 333? What do you think about Young-il brawling with Lee Min-jae and his two friends? What do you think about the kiss???

Leave a comment on the masterlist post to be added to the taglist.

[wlwsoccerfics]

Long Distance(LiaWältixBühlReader)

Warning: mentions of Type 1 Diabetes, injury

Being apart from your girlfriend sucked. She played for Arsenal while you played for Bayern Munich(Just like your older sister Klara). So you didn't see eachother much. But you still made it work because breaking up was not an option. Your love was way too strong for that.

The two of you met almost two years ago when you and some other players were invited to a Panel about women in sports. You two locked eyes and couldn't stop glancing and smiling at eachother the entire weekend so before you and her had to fly back from Paris where the Panel was you asked her out and you two had your first date in the City of love.

Today you would be playing against Arsenal in Munich for the Champions League . You had the Chance to finish first in the group stages. Which you hated but also enjoyed. One of you for sure would be disappointed cause neither one of you wanted to lose. But you also were excited cause Lia was staying with you. She was actually still asleep in your arms and would go back home with you after the game until she would have to leave again tomorrow. When she landed last night the two of you cuddled and talked alot, unfortunately that was cut short when your blood sugar started to act up. Then it did hit you like a brick. You were so excited for Lia to arrive that you forgot to eat. Bad move for someone with Diabetes. You were diagnosed with type 1 at the age of 10. Anyways Lia was right by your side while you fixed this mess with some juice boxes.

When she woke up the two of you took a quick shower that didn't end up being so quick cause the two of you haven't seen eachother in a while and you both had needs. So the whole shower took like 40 minutes. Those were well spent in your opinion.

You were fully dressed by 10am and the two of you had a small breakfast. You sat in her lap. "I hate that you have to leave again tomorrow. I don't want you to Go." You whisper out. She smiled sadly. Holding you close while eating her breakfast. "My love i don't want to leave you again either. But guess we have no choice!" She answered. You hide your face in her shoulder for a moment and she stroked your hair gently. "My contract ends after this season..." You told her. "Arsenal has interest in me!" You added on. Lias eyes lit up. "That would be wonderful! So only a few months to go until we could be together 24/7." She was really excited about it. So were you. "Exactly. Maybe it's time to go look for a bigger place?" You suggested. "When i move there... A place to start a family!" When she heard you say that she grinned from ear to ear. Because you two had talked about wanting kids quite early in the relationship. You talked about your future together for a little longer until you had to drop her off at the Hotel the Arsenal Team was staying. You looked forward to seeing her again on the pitch & afterwards.

You also realized that you were late to the Last Team Meeting before the game. So you made sure to drive a bit after then you were allowed to but still careful enough not to cause any damage. After parking your car you made a run for it. Racing inside with your bag. First talking with the Coaching staff to let them know you won't be extending your contract and will be moving next season to Play for Arsenal. They tried to Change your mind but in the end they accepted it. You went to the locker rooms where the Team was talking with one another ."Look who managed to join us, it's Baby Bühl!" Sydney said teasingly. "Very funny Sydney. Sorry for being late. I had an important talk...with Alex and the rest. Klara can we talk in private for a moment?" You looked at your sister. Klara looked quite concerned and so did the rest cause things sounded serious. "Yes sure." Your sister replied and walked out of the locker room with you.

You stood a few feet away from the locker room entrance with Klara. Your older sister looked at you, biting down on her bottom lip. "You are leaving by the end of the season, right?" She asked. You nodded her head softly. "Yes. I will move to play for Arsenal and to be with Lia. Long Distance is so hard and we want to start a family in the next two years. So this Is what's best for me!" You told her. "It was only a matter of time but i still gonna miss you, even though i already had a feeling that this was the case!" She admitted. "I will make sure to visit you as much as i can!" You promsied Klara. "As long as you are Happy, i am happy for you!" She let you know, pulling you in for a hug. You hugged her back. "I love you sis." You whispered out. "Love you too, y/n." You stood there like that for a few minutes before returning to the others.

Back in the locker room all eyes were on you. So you told them you wanted to make an announcement. "I am leaving by the end for the season. To be closer with Wally. And play for Arsenal! Don't worry i am still giving it my all later today and we kick their butts together! But please don't break my girlfriend, thank you!" You told them. They all were a little sad & upset at first cause they would miss you but they also were quite happy for you.

The Game was gonna be at 6:30pm. Currently it was 2pm. So you still had time to mentally prepare for the game. Some of you played games together and some did a little workout.

Around 4pm you all ate something light so you wouldn't feel too full during the game. You started to feel a bit unwell. But nothing too bad.

When you went outside to warm up on the field before the game you partnered up with Klara. It was now 5:30pm. One hour until the game started. Every now and then you would glance over to Lia, smiling at her. You also quickly went to hug Leah who became quite a close friend of yours as well.

The first half went amazing. You scored a goal and by half time you were leading with one point. A surprise you managed that cause you started to feel even worse. When your sister and some of your teammates asked If you are okay cause you didn't look like you were you told them everything was okay. It was time to go back out for the second half of the game. You all were in the Tunnels with the Arsenal girls when all of sudden you started swaying back and forth, realizing that maybe the sweating wasn't just from the Game . Leah who was looking at you was alarmed right away and quickly catched you when you fainted. "Y/n!" Klara yelled out when she saw what happened. "Someone get Wally! She is still in the locker room!" Leah answered. Trying to stay calm. Everyone was worried about you. Leah carried you to the medic room, Klara following her. You were checked over and turned Out your blood sugar was pretty low. The reason was because your sensor didn't work anymore cause it almost fell out. Which you didn't notice. And cause you didn't get anything send to your Phone that would suggest you had any blood sugar issues. Thankfully it was able to be fixed with some juice boxes. Leah left as soon as Wally was by your side. She didn't care that she missed the rest of the game. Klara also refused to leave your side. So she was also subbed out just like you were. "You scared the crap out of me, Darling!" Lia replied. "Yeah agreed! Even though i should be used to it by now. It's still scary to witness every time it gets this bad." Klara mentioned. "I am sorry for scaring you both!" You let them know. "I hope you are ready for that happening alot! This one doesn't take good care of herself sometimes." Klara informed your girlfriend. "I promise i will make sure she takes better care of herself and i will do that as well!" Lia answered. "I always knew why i liked you for my sister!" Your sister replied with a soft chuckle.

After the game was done, which you won 2-1 by the way, your Team went to check on you you already could sit up without feeling dizzy. Some Arsenal girls also came to check on you. Leah & Beth for example. Leah playfully punched your shoulder. "Don't scare me like that again, y/n!" She told you. "I am very sorry! Didn't mean to scare you! Thank you for catching me!" You let her know. Having heard from Klara that Leah was the one catching you cause your memories were quite a bit foggy. "Always!" Leah replied with a soft smile.

All of you went out to grab a bite to eat and have some drinks before your girlfriend and her team would leave again tomorrow. Lia made sure your new Sensor was working well and checked in on your blood sugar with her Phone every so often.

After the end of the Season you indeed got a three years contract with Arsenal and moved in with Lia. Things were perfect. Your Love only kept on growing.

[cambankromyy]

TRUE COLORS (01): the good old days. - (smau & irl au) childhood bsf!rafe cameron x thornton!reader

series masterlist; general masterlist; taglist

INTRO - PART 1 - PART 2

synopsis;

Yn Thornton is Topper's little sister and the Cameron siblings' best friend. Growing up, She, Topper, Sarah, and Rafe were like royalty on Figure 8, but the pressure of being at the top of the kook hierarchy left her feeling trapped. While sarah and yn broke free, embracing life with the Pogues, Rafe stayed behind, burdened by his fathers expectations. As she found freedom outside the kook world, Rafe spiraled, torn between the life he hated and his need to hold on to her- the one person who truly understood him.

chapter overview;

A year before everything changed, the youngest thornton was still living the dream- or atleast what everyone else thought was the dream. Introducing the height of their kook royalty era, the four children at a gala hosted by their families where she and sarah start seeing the cons of this lavish lifestyle. Not all happiness is gone, as yacht days and time spent with her best friends almost make fake smiles and boring speeches worth it.

months ago, when everything was good:

The day was exactly what you’d expect from a Kook on the Thornton-Cameron yacht: sunshine, laughter, and luxury. She and Sarah were living it up at the front, posing for photos with the perfect sunset behind them, while Topper got wiped out by a rogue wave in knee-deep water. He stumbled back onto the yacht with a grin and a laugh, drenched but too proud to admit it. Rafe, on the other hand, had been fiddling with the speakers for what felt like hours, trying to get the perfect playlist going. By the time he was done, everyone else was already soaked and sunburned, but it didn’t matter because the music was just right, and the day was still far from over.

They were scheduled to go to the thornton siblings' new mother, francesca skye-thornton's gala later that day. Another one of those "networking" events the Cameron-Thornton development business threw, and what used to be a typical day for these four. Going to a business event almost every day during the summer was a norm by now, mastering the art of small talk and fake smiles.

Later that night:

You slipped into the gala, wearing a beautiful silk dress that reached the floor; the one your new stepmother had picked out. It was just the way she wanted, and that’s all that mattered.

Top did his thing, gliding effortlessly through the crowd, greeting everyone with that perfect, practiced smile. He was playing the role of the golden boy, fitting in with the high society effortlessly, and no one could have done it better.

But then there was Rafe. He was moving through the gala, same as everyone else, but there was something in his eyes that was hard to ignore. He wasn’t fully engaged, not like the others. I could tell. He was going through the motions, but his attention kept drifting, and I swear, every time he looked at someone, I could see that frustration flickering in his gaze.

It wasn’t the first time you’d noticed it.

After one of the end-of-summer bonfires, it came up. It was the kind of humid night where everything felt heavy, the air, the smoke, the way your thoughts lingered longer than they should. Most of the group had already peeled off, leaving just you and Rafe walking back to the house. The soft crunch of sand underfoot filled the silence.

“Don’t you think they have it good?” Rafe asked suddenly, as he bit the inside of his lip, worried of what your response would be.

You glanced over, looking confused. “Who?”

He kicked at a piece of driftwood, not turning to look at you. “Them, the Pogues. They just... I don’t know. They do whatever they want.”

You let out a small laugh, and the question almost felt like a trap. The pogues were low-lives; that's what you were taught your whole life. “Yeah, because they don’t care about anything. They have nothing to loose.”

The conversation hung there for a moment before he shrugged it off, "you're right, you're right," he responded, not wanting to go deeper, "that was fuckin' stupid. Forget I ever said that,". You look at him, expecting him to laugh it off. Instead, he looks worried. Like actually putting this into words was the biggest mistake he had made.

You hadn’t said anything at the time, not because you disagreed, but because you genuinely hadn't thought about it. You and sarah never worried about the future of the company because it wasn't your duty. Your dad's had made it clear topper and rafe would be the ones to inherit the company; but only if they were able to live up to their expectations. You never realized the burden that had on either of them, especially rafe.

Francesca takes the stage to give her speech, the same one she gives every year. It drags on forever. You zone out, her words just blending into the background. It’s the usual—thank-yous, praises, the same tired act. She knows exactly what to say, exactly how to look, while everyone else watches and nods along. But you can’t help but wonder how much of it’s real.

You glance back at Rafe. He nudges you, catching your eye. His voice is low when he speaks.

“You good?”

You nod, keeping the smile in place. “Yeah. Just tired.”

It’s not a lie, but it’s not the whole truth either. You’re more than tired. You’re drained.

After frances' stupid speech and a billion more meaningless conversations, its finally time to leave. You quickly drive home, showering as soon as you get there, and tucking into bed as your phone lights up with a notification from sarah.

You stare at the text for a moment,

"we should've".

She’s made comments like this before, but tonight it feels different. You can’t tell if she’s joking or if she actually means it—like maybe she’s finally as tired of all this as you are. It reminds you of what Rafe said after the bonfire, when he admitted he was sick of pretending. Maybe it’s the same feeling, but you can’t tell for sure.

You swipe to the left, returning to the imessage home page. You stare at rafe's profile thats pinned at the top, among sarah, topper, and your dad. You impulsively click on it, and before you can think about it, send the text.

ehehe hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter :))

tags under the cut!

tags: @marleymarleymarleymarley

[hanbin-lovebot]

ok so i've been thinking a lot about the ridiculous idea that Hanbin was made leader so the company could continue to push him as the face of the group over Hao. That is the dumbest thing to be unironically mad about ever.

They were never going to pick a member who is not from Korea and fully confident in the language and culture. They were also never going to pick a member who is too young, like Yujin or Gunwook. It was ALWAYS between Jiwoong and Hanbin for the leader position.

Do you guys think Hanbin had that much of a choice in becoming leader? Do you think he should have demanded Zhang Hao be made leader instead??? I literally do not understand people who are mad at him or going to become his haters or antis over this. Like what world are you living in, genuinely??? Im so beyond confused.

(Also Hao is an INTROVERT, WHYYY would he want to be LEADER??? i'm an introvert and that position sounds physically painful and torturous LOL. let's just be happy for them both !!! 💌🫶🏻)

[anotherpapercut]

any other quiet bitches constantly having to shout to be listened to (not heard, listened to) only to have everyone be like "GOD there's no need to YELL just say it!" and it's like I said it 5 times actually you just literally were not listening

[monokumis]

Communication is so important in relationships. I know I’ve struggled with it before in the past because I was made to feel like I was making things up or getting ignored. But if you tell me you value communication, I expect you to actually listen to me when I communicate with you. Do not play the victim, do not say I am unfairly judging you, if there is an issue I will come to you and say it. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think you could improve and become a better person. I poured my all into you and loved you so much, what a shame that you never cared half as much as I did and hated me for even trying. I’m doing the responsible thing of realizing enough is enough and that I need to let you go, even if it hurts. I refuse to stay in an abusive relationship with someone who can’t communicate why they hate me. As much as I hate what you did to me, I also realized my own self worth. I shouldn’t let others walk all over me just so they won’t leave, so they’ll like me. My life has so much more value than that. I went into this relationship hating myself, but I’m leaving it now full of love for both myself and the people in my life who want and appreciate my love. I’m so grateful to them, and I’m grateful to you for showing me how much other people love me. I’d wish you the best in life, but you already had it.

[unproduciblesmackdown]

no, More active effort, More conscious consideration

[medicinemane]

You know, capitalism is another one of those words that sadly is like problematic in that it's functionally useless because people just toss it out and then everyone gets so hung up debating the meaning of the word capitalism that the whole point is lost

That's why I don't ever really use it. It doesn't really matter if it's capitalism or if it's cronyism or... whatever, I think it's bad when companies make record profits while prices go up up up

I think there's probably an issue and it probably needs to be solved (and I'm afraid you can't convince me less regulation is a magic bullet)

I like currency and exchanging currency because it seems like a good way of moving goods and labor around, but I also strongly support welfare and think that any group of more than 50 people is probably starting to get corrupt

Don't trust the government, but sure as hell don't trust corps...

I don't know, my original point is that sadly capitalism gets tossed around too much to mean anything anymore... but I just see too many argumentative people online so I'm tossing out my stances to avoid getting side tracked debating what I mean

What I really really mean is just fucking say what you're saying and don't bother saying capitalism cause you'll just make people argue and miss your point

[malusokay]

Little things that improved my life 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

Accepting my sleep schedule. I'm a night owl; I focus at night, I'm calm at night, I'm motivated at night. For a long time, I tried to fight this since everyone always preaches getting up early, but since I started accepting my natural sleep schedule, I've been feeling a lot better and have become way more productive.

"drink more water". TEA. Tea is the secret here. I will be honest, I hate drinking water; it doesn't matter if I have a cute water bottle or a cute glass, I still hate it. TEA.

Replying quickly. I used to be one of those people who get a text message and think, "Oh, I'll reply to that later", and then just forget about it entirely. Now, I text back as soon as I see the message. This has not only improved my texting anxiety (which I cause on my own by now replying and then feeling bad) but also deepened my connection to my friends. <3

Keeping my circle small and being okay with that. Over the past months, I've had this sudden urge to expand my social circle and get to know more and more people, especially after I moved in August. However, this quickly ended in what I like to call my "social burnout". I was tired, annoyed, and overwhelmed. It took a few weeks for it to settle, but I've come to the conclusion that I would much rather have a smaller circle of people who I trust and love deeply than a huge group of friends, and that's totally okay.

Wearing what I like. Even though I live in a big city, I'd still say that my style can sometimes be a bit more extravagant than what most people wear, another point is that I'm very uncomfortable with pants so I only wear skirts, which is also considered a bit odd where I live. But over the past years, I've come to accept that and have become so sure of myself and found such comfort in my style that I now just wear whatever I like, and it makes every day a little bit nicer.

Reading and writing for pleasure. Reading books outside of my studies and spending time researching topics that simply interest me is such a great way to calm your mind. Same for writing, I always like to say that to write is to think; putting your thoughts on paper in cohesive and well-crafted sentences that you can then reread and think over again is such a liberating thing to do.

Reaching out more. fuck the whole "double texting" and "no contact" thing. If you want to speak to someone because they mean something to you, then just do it. Unless they specifically asked for space, you shouldn't feel bad about wanting to be in touch with them. Many even really appreciate it when you show that you truly care. Let's stop the nonchalant act, and instead, let's face deep emotions and true vulnerability. <3

As always, please feel free to share your own little insights and things that helped you improve comments! <3

my insta: @ malusokay

love ya ･:*₊‧✩

[lilacgaby]

‧₊˚ what are we?

...nothing. right?.₊˚⊹

convienence. a means to end. that's all this was for both of you right? when katsuki is fed up with the crazed fangirls who just won't leave him alone, he works out a deal with you. it was just coincidence he had a huge crush on you.

☆pair. 2ndyear!katsuki x reader. tags. fake dating!trope, fluff, reader is academically flopping for a bit, pet names, cursing, fighting (verbal), happy ending wc. 6k

ღnote. sorry that this took so long lol! i wrote this in chapter form if you'd like to read it here, but this one shot is the same thing.

post-war brought troubles for a lot of the students in class 1-A. especially bakugo katsuki.

he had to completely relearn how to write with his other hand, had to learn how to fight without injury to it.

and he had to learn to deal with his crazy amount of fangirls.

his fight had been broadcasted, the manner in which he pushed himself to the very brink broadcasted to the world. his victory brought spoils, though not in a way he expected.

he didn't expect to be chased down the hallways every morning, to have a line of girls wanting his autograph as he ate. he didn't expect to be gifted things, things they just assumed he liked, but couldn't be farther from the truth.

luckily, you seemed to like chocolate. he found refuge these days sitting on the roof floor of U-A next to you during lunch, passing you the chocolate gifts he'd been given.

he hated chocolate. but to be honest, he loved seeing you smile.

"thanks 'suki." you said for the nth time, picking the best chocolates out of the box and leaving the gross ones alone.

"yeah." he sighed, glancing at you occasionally as he moved to support the weight of his head with his hands. he found himself speechless around you often. words failing as he leant into the comfort of your presence.

you were about to say something, he thinks. your mouth was open though the blaring of the bell cut you off. "oh, let's go 'suki." you said, holding your hand out to him.

he took it, letting you pull him up and holding onto your hand for just a second too long. you dumped the rest of the chocolates in a trash can and made your collective way down to 1-A. you laughed at how he seemed to try and hide behind you, eyes darting around for the general course girls who seemed to have nothing better to do than follow him around.

they didn't come though. he saw a group of them but when they saw your proximity to him..

they left him alone.

a lightbulb went off in his head, he mentally kicked himself for not thinking of it sooner. as he sat in class, eyeing your seat between momo and jirou, he thought about how he'd ask you.

test papers were being passed out, graded ones. "yo man," kirishima started, looking over his paper, "what'd you get?"

katsuki scoffed. "what do you think? another 100, easy as shit."

kaminari groaned beside him, "you're cheating or something! i got an 80."

"that's high for someone like you!"

"hey!"

"aw man, i got a 70. you're so manly bakubro!"

"yeah, guess i am."

katsuki tried to resist the turning of his head, he really did. but he wanted to know what score you got, if you did well. though from the expression on your face and the way momo patted you on the back,

not to mention the red ink used all over your paper. he knew you didn't.

"man this totally sucks!" you exclaimed, your hands clutching the paper of your test. "i studied and everything, i don't even need math, im a hero for crying out loud!"

jirou's teases and momo's comforts faded into the background as he only focused on you, and the nagging feeling for him to help you.

with another ring of the bell and a sigh from mr. aizawa, katsuki left early to try and beat the crowd of girls who seemed to pounce on him.

he didn't though, he found himself at the entrance at U-A, almost to freedom when the crowd pointed at him, "that's him! i can't believe it!"

"dynamite, an autograph please?"

"hey- don't be so casual. it's lord explosion--"

"who cares? i want a photo!"

at that, they chased him. all his progress down the stairs and through the halls was gone as he was led right back down to class 1-A. he stupidly lead himself right back into a corner.

his head darted around, until he noticed a tuft of familiar hair in the classroom. you hadn't left? oh well, he needed your help and quick.

you were sobbing internally, looking over your horrific test score with a sad expression. a 70? you might as well just drop out now.

as the hours of studying you'd done for waste passed over in your mind, a noise caught you off guard.

he had burst in, making your deflated form jump off the desk. "katsuki, don't scare me like that!"

he rushed over to your side, grabbing your hand off where it was hanging limply on the desk. "be my girlfriend for a second."

the words barely even processed in your brain before you were being manhandled off the desk, your mind rushed to catch up. "wait-- wha-"

before you knew it you were led towards the door of obsessed fan girls. his hand was intertwined tightly with yours, a slight flush on his face.

"listen up." he started, making his fans shush eachother. "my girlfriend hasn't been appreciating all your bullshit. and neither have i, so for the love of god stop it already."

he pulled you alongside him, "move." a path opened for the two of you, letting you two through. he walked you to the entrance, no words spoken between the two of you until you stopped infront of the lockers where you'd keep your shoes.

"[name]-- uh." he took a breath, his heart sped up rapidly around you. it sped up at the simple tilt of your head.

"so. if you help me with this shit, i'll tutor you.

or whatever."

a hand was behind his head, his averted eyes now focusing on you as he awaited your answer with baited breath.

you had an expression of thoughtfulness on your face. your finger on your chin as you looked up to the ceiling to think.

'have everyone think youre dating a cute boy and get a tutor?'

the pinkie of your hand shot out, a closed eye smile on your face. "i'm in!"

a soft smile graced his lips, his pinkie intertwining with yours and sealing his fate in more ways than one.

because you really did have him wrapped around your finger. literally and figuratively.

"let's go to my room so we can talk over it!"

you really were going to be the death of him.

it's not like he'd never been to your room, just not in a situation like this.

not when he'd declared himself your boyfriend an hour earlier, not when his hands were sweaty with his nervousness, and not when you'd agreed so hastily to be his.

he wondered if you'd accept if anyone else asked you. if izuku or todoroki had been facing this situation instead of him.

"'suki?" you patted the side of your bed next to you, "sit with me."

he sighed, the thoughts disappearing from his mind at your words. he really was whipped for you.

"yeah, yeah. i'm goin'" he sat beside you, oddly stiffer than normal. he held his own hands as he waited for you to say something.

"okay, so, we should have like-- a plan or something right?"

"a plan? what the fuck for?"

"like so we don't get caught faking this or whatever. if they find out your fans will just come back running, no?"

he shuddered at the thought. "yeah, don't wanna deal with that shit."

"right? so the first part of our plan, is that everyone has to think we're dating. cool?"

katsuki's mind was racing. cool? more like the best thing that would happen to him. he felt as if everyone knew of his crush on you.. except for you.

being to say he was all yours and that you were all his, even if it was a lie..

"yeah, it's cool."

"great, that's really the only thing we had to establish. we hang out a lot anyways so, we'll just have to be affectionate or something to seal the deal."

his heart jumped at the idea of hugging you, wrapping an arm around you, holding hands with you in public. the ghost of a smile came over him.

"right."

"cool. so nothing else matter--"

"we're starting your studying shit tomorrow. the next test is next week, so we don't have time to play around [name]."

"ughh. i wish you forgot about that." your head fell into your hands. "i hate math, what do i even need it for?"

"advanced math, nothing really. but estimates are important in hero work. estimating time, the abilities of your body, the amount of civilians, all that stuff."

"you're such a nerd."

"hah?"

he continued explaining the importance of math to you despite your grievances. his finger was pointed in the air, you swore you could see the need emoji popping over his face.

your eyes closed, the weight of the day, your grade, and the thought of studying alongside a nerd like katsuki tiring you to no avail. you yawned, laying your head on his shoulder.

you could hear the thumping of his heart, the racing of his blood in his veins. it rocked you to sleep, "wake me up later, m' a take a nap." you mumbled against his shoulder, before falling asleep.

his mouth shut, eyes peeled on your body that now clung to his side. his face grew hot, when did it get so hot in your damn room?

he tried his best to stay awake, to let you nap and wake you up in the morning. but as the clock hit eight o clock, the time he was supposed to head back to his dorm.. he found himself stuck in place.

not by an invisible force, not by some obligation. it was only the thought of wanting to be with you, next to you. wanting to let the comfort of your weight next to him drive himself to sleep.

so he did. he fell asleep, letting his head lay on top of yours, holding your body closer to his. shutting his eyes.

the light of the sun woke him up first, you didn't close your blinds yesterday, and the sun shined brightly,

directly into his face. he groaned, his voice deep from sleep as he peeled himself off of you. he was confused from fatigue, wondering why he was still in your room.

he felt an arm around his waist, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes to see it was you who was holding him close. he thinks you were using him in place of your huge teddy bear, the one laid neatly in the corner of your bed.

his heart rate quickened once again, wanting to go back to his room, but fighting the urge to stay looking at you.

an absentminded hand moved a couple strands of your hair out your face, pinching your cheek when he got bold.

you don't wake up, he sighed a breath of relief. 'til he felt your body start to stir, you pushed your head more into his chest, your eyes finally starting to open slightly.

"oh? g'morning kat'." you were sleepy, your words slightly slurred and muffled from how you were pressed against him.

"you slept here?" you asked, pulling away from him as you moved to stretch your upper body.

"uh-- yeah." he was once again lost for words at the sight of you, your shirt slightly pulled up from how you'd slept, your hair messy from the lack of a protective style before sleep.

"sorry for waking you up then, 'suki."

"no, i was already up. i just didn't wanna wake you."

"well, you failed." you joked. "anyways, you should get out of here soon, if iida sees you he'll probably flip out and tell mr. aizawa."

"right."

"let's walk to class together!" you clasped his hands in yours. "okay?"

you were going to be the death of him once again. "okay."

you let go and he got up, ruffling his hair slightly and looking back at you who sent him a small smirk and wave. before slowly walking out your door. he did his best to keep his movements quiet and minimal.

he was at the elevator, before uraraka walked out. shit. "bakugo? what are you doing here?"

"uh.. got lost."

her face scrunched in confusion, a knowing smile on her face after a second. "right.. tell [name] good morning for me."

".. tell her yourself." he got into the elevator, already seeing the grin in uraraka's face as he went up a floor to his room.

the same grin everyone greeted him with as he went to sit next to you in the common room, having made you some breakfast. he and you were all ready, you had refreshed your hair from when he was playing with it, simple makeup and your uniform ironed. he admired you while he ate his meal.

"ah, thanks 'suki."

"mhm."

you moved to whisper in his ear, "why's everyone looking at us?"

"fuck if i know."

"so you two lovebirds aren't gonna say anything?" denki said, putting his hands on his hips as he looked you two over.

"'bout what?"

"that you two are totally dating!" mina exclaimed, pointing at you. "and you didn't say anything? wow [name], i thought.. we were closer than that." she mock fully cried.

katsuki was about to say something, you cut him off though. "i thought everyone knew?" with a tilt of your head, a question mark almost visible from the blank expression you wore.

the class only sighed, kirishima shrugged his shoulders. "yeah, we should've guessed. i mean bakugo had a obvious crush on you for the longest."

"yeah, good looks man." sero gave him a thumbs up.

"tch. let's go [name]." he sat up, placing his and your finished dishes in the sink before you followed behind him.

"right! bye guys!"

you grabbed his hand as you walked out the door. nobody was around, there was no need to keep up appearances now.

but that didn't stop him from holding your hand tighter.

and that didn't stop you from clinging even more to his side.

it seemed you two were now together all the time. a clingy couple is what you seemed like to your friends, and more importantly his fans.

at lunch he could now be in the cafeteria again, you were stuck his side as you ate, an arm around you as you shared his food, insisting his cooking was better than the U-A food.

you were caged in by his body, you really did just look like a sappy couple to everyone.

during class, he was caught glancing at you. a lot. he'd roll his eyes and pretend nothing even happened, but everyone knew he was far gone.

during training, as you sparred you noticed he was going harder on you than before. some would think that because you were his crush he wouldn't get so aggressive,

too bad katsuki only wanted to push you harder, get you to show the strength he saw you unleash on those villains in the war. he wanted you to be stronger beside him, if he was number one, he'd want you to be ranked closely to him, because he knew you were strong enough.

that didn't mean it wasn't any more hard to fight him, the man was a maniac.

"you can chill out you know!"

"what? can't take it?!"

"no, slow your fucking roll!" you barely dodged his other attack, just barely moving out the way as he threw an explosion in your direction.

you now had met the conditions to use your quirk, comeback. by generating a max of 8 orbs, they'd absorb energy that you could use back for your offense. the only downside?

melee attacks couldn't be absorbed at all.

a kick to your legs sent you to the ground, you dispersed one of your orbs with the explosion stored inside of it.

"be nice and let me win!!"

"no."

he dodged your attack and pinned you to the ground. he won.

"you're so mean 'suki." you shoved him off you, making him grunt. "a good boyfriend would've let me win!"

a nagging voice in the back of his head was telling him he wasn't yours, you weren't his, and that he was only doing this for his convinience.

"well, i guess i'll be a better one next time."

even that voice couldn't deny that the way he cared for you wasn't anything less than real. that even if this relationship was fake, that he was undoubtedly yours. that the way he held his hand out to you, lifting you as gently as he could fathom.

"wanna go again?" he asked, a boyish smirk on his face.

"you know it!"

your plan of tiring katsuki out with exercise didn't work, so you found yourself in his room at his desk. showered and wiping the dew off your neck with a towel, you sat in front of him with a book splayed open.

he was hammering topic after topic into you.. statistics or something? you weren't really paying attention, you were more interested in the bulge of his muscles out of his tank top.

his words were a blur when you suddenly found yourself reaching a hand out to feel his muscle,

your hand squeezing it.

'firm. hm.' you thought, until he pulled you away, an incredulous look on his face. "this is why your class ranking keeps falling [name]. focus!"

"how can i focus with you in front of me? it's like dancing a donut in front of a cop!" you whined, face planted onto his desk.

"you're.. insane."

"you love me though, don't you?" the words slipped out of your lips without a second thought, your face flushing slightly. "oops, sorry! almost forgot you arent my like-- real boyfriend!"

he swore he heard a bit of disappointment in your voice, felt a bit of reluctance in your movements as you pulled away at him, saw a bit of longing in your eyes.

"uh.. yeah. 's fine. let's just.. take a break." he said, motioning over to lay on his bed and do nothing for a little while.

if you would've told him a couple months ago that he'd be sat, face to face, body next to body, hands awkwardly close to each other as you remained in silence. you'd had a movie on in the background, something stupid he thought. not like he payed attention to it at all.

it was comfortable, being around you. he'd be a liar if he said that he didn't like the fact that everyone now thought you were his and vice versa. not just his fans, not just yours, but your mutual friends. family.

"do you wanna try again?" he asked after a while, voice soft and his hand moving to rub his eyes. it was his bedtime, eight o clock sharp, but he'd break it for you.

"hm? to be honest no." you moved to face him. "you look tired anyways 'suki, you should sleep."

he grumbled, his eyes closing slightly as he slowly swatted your hand away from his face, his grip lingering on your wrist.

"right." he yawned. he didn't know if it was the sleep or impulse, maybe a mixture of both. but he pulled you closer to him. making you crash against his chest with his head in the nook of your neck.

"stay." he uttered, his breath flush against your neck making the hairs stand up.

"katsuki?" you thought you were dreaming. you'd move to pinch yourself if you weren't being pinned down by him.

"please?"

"..okay." your words barely matched your actions. you cuddled more into him, pulling him impossibly closer as you melted into eachother.

a blanket was thrown over the two of you. you fell asleep in his arms, the beating of his heart matching yours as you breathed a sigh of realization.

you were horribly in love with katsuki bakugo. and he was with you.

your 'fake' activities as a couple were coming along a little bit too easily to the two of you.

feeding him a snack in his room as a joke, him finding out he kind of liked being babied, him blackmailing you so you shut up.

all couple things. normal couple activity.

you didn't even have to continue those things behind closed doors, but it just came so naturally. it seemed wrong not to do it.

it seemed wrong for him not to sling a hand over you, not to hold your hand when it was so close to him, not to move the stray strands of hair and tuck it behind your ear.

it seemed wrong for him not to save a spot for you at lunch, not to wake up a bit earlier and slip out of your sleepy grasp to prepare you a meal alongside his.

not to make some breakfast for you, light or heavy, depending on what he'd learned you preferred.

not to walk with you to class, even walking with you to go see your general studies friend in the morning, leaning against the doorway with a smile on his face as he watched you rave on about a show you'd watched recently.

why wouldn't he do it if he could? why shouldn't he watch your favorite shows just to have things to talk to you about?

he found himself fighting to stay focused during your study sessions now too. he found himself noticing things about you, the smaller things.

how you'd flip your hello kitty pencil around while you were speaking. how you'd bite your lips in concentration, your expressions of disbelief when you actually started getting things correct.

he'd have to cover his hand with his face. you were just too cute.

sometimes he'd even get distracted mid sentence. he was explaining simple things over again, just to make sure you knew what it meant.

but it was hard even keeping eye contact with you.

"so, in this problem x would be.. uh.." he went silent, his mouth open but no words escaping.

"x would be what? 7?" you showed your page of work to him, with a nervous smile. "if it's not right tell me already! i know im kinda dumb, it won't hurt my feelings too bad i swear!"

he looked down back at his page. mentally slamming his head onto the table, before recovering. "yeah, no you're right. you got it."

you slammed the work onto his desk, "finally! then we can break now right?"

"yeah, 'guess so."

"let's do something fun. take a walk, my legs hurt from sitting." you pulled him up by his hand, dragging him to his door. "hurry up!"

he couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him, you really reminded him of just how young you two were. how he was just a high schooler with a huge crush, how--

"why are you looking at me like that? are you sick?" you placed a hand on his forehead, making him promptly rip it off. a scowl quickly replaced the smile that been on his face moments prior. "no i'm not. let's go."

you walked hand in hand, the sunset the background for your 'date'.

the last few days, he'd been nervous to bring up what was happening between you. he was nervous to ruin the odd relationship you two had, he didn't want to lose you. he thought the things you two had been doing crossed the line between friendship and lovers.

you didn't have to do any of this. though he was sure you knew that already.

"math exam's tomorrow."

"don't remind me! you totally ruined the moment you know."

"you'll pass. i mean, i was your tutor after all. if you fail with me as a teacher? you are a lost cause."

"that's not nice to say." you ripped his hand away from yours, crossing your arms on your chest. "thats really messed up 'suki."

he leant down to face you, the sun goldening you two in its wake as he grew a cocky smirk on his lips. "oh really?"

"yes really."

"n' what're you gonna do about it?" his face was barely an inch away from yours. with a glance to his lips, he moved closer.

he barely pecked you, before he heard a loud, obnoxious idiot speak from behind him.

"[name] and bakugo are totally making out over here!"

denki and kirishima were looking at the two of you, a glare crossed over katsuki's face as he basically dragged you with him back into his dorm. he was about to leave you at your dorm, the hallway empty since curfew was around the corner.

he held your hands in his, running his thumb over the knuckle of yours. he intertwined your fingers, only letting go after a while.

he tilted your head upwards with his two fingers, wordlessly asking for permission. moonlight now struck you two as he moved in.

uninterruptedly, he kissed you. deepening it with a pull of the hand, holding you against him.

he let go after a while, his internal clock signaling it was almost time for curfew.

before he left, he whispered to you. "i don't.. really care what we're labeled. and if this shit is real or not.

i just want to be close to you."

he turned, walking to the elevator. leaving your breathless, with your heart in your throat.

no more words were spoken between you two, not as you screamed into your pillow, and not as he stared up into the ceiling of his room.

you passed that math test. and each assignment that went with it.

the end of the year was now coming quickly, of the school year that is. you and katsuki still kept up your 'act', the activities now stretching to dates after school mixed in with your study sessions.

one's that'd leave the touch of katsuki on you more than the touch of knowledge. but it was working nonetheless.

it was all good between you two, an eternal honeymoon it seemed. after all, by now it had been at least seven months since this began. your class ranking was higher, he no longer had to worry about strolling through the halls, it seemed nothing could get in your way.

well, besides two things.

one: the fact that you two were scared to label in between yourselves yet, too bashful to call him your boyfriend and you his girlfriend in private, yet proud fully admitting it to others.

two, the girl currently straddling him with no regard to you whatsoever. your entire cafeteria table was staring at her, looking at what katsuki would do to move her off.

but when he didn't immediately, didn't immediately curse the girl out and push her off him? you did the job for him.

you yanked the girl by her hair, sending her to the floor with a tray of food falling onto her body. all attention was on you as you stared at katsuki, your mouth agape in anger.

"what the fuck bakugo?" you ignored her, even stepping on her leg slightly as your hands were agitated, your whole body was. you didn't even know why you were jealous. this wasn't real, it never was, he was just playing his role too well.

you should've known katsuki would go too far. he always did.

"babe-- it's not what you think-"

"then what was i looking at? and don't call me that. don't- don't fucking call me anything. we're over."

you knew to him that probably meant something different. you acclaimed the despair in his eyes to the loss of protection, to the loss of ease as he walked in the halls and the lack of paparazzi that'd ask him questions on his love life.

but to him it was so much more.

it was those things, yes. but it was more so the thought of losing you. the thought of the affection over the months being nothing but a memory and not his future. the thought of not having you close to him.

the thoughts of becoming nothing to you, less than a friend.

he didn't know why he didn't move, it was like he physically couldn't. the look in the girl's eyes, the grip she had on him, the weird smile. he recognized her as one of the girls who usually would be in the crowd following him around.

"you don't mean that." his voice sounded more desperate than it had in the whole time he'd met you, more longing slipping through than he intentioned.

but the sun's casting light had moved away from you, casting you in a shadow. "i do mean it. fuck you."

he was going to run after you, to chase you as you slammed your lunch tray into the trash. heading up to the rooftop to he alone.

but a hand, mina's, pulled him back. "i think.. you did enough bakugo."

she went after you instead, promising to bakugo she'd check on you.

fangirls were one thing? but a messy public breakup where you were never really something in the first place? surprisingly worse.

he'd been more snappy lately, his aura making the girls around him keep their distance.

he'd become quieter, closed off. you didn't come to eat lunch with him anymore, obviously. and he didn't go up to the rooftop to join you.

he didn't know how to speak to you, how to explain what happened, how to say that he was sorry.

he ran the scenario in his head a million times, thinking over the girl's quirk that had forced him into place. but it sounded so convenient, like he was lying.

but since your entire relationship was based off of one, he didn't know how to approach the topic in the first place.

a week. a week passed before he could muster up the words to speak to you.

a week of being ignored in the hallways, side glances and being walked off on. a week of not having you by his side, not having you to talk to, to study with,

to kiss.

you were alone on the rooftop, eating silently as you felt a presence behind you. you saw his hair in the shadow and sighed, placing your plate onto the floor next to you. "what?"

"let me talk."

"...fine."

he breathed a sigh, hands balling as he forced the words out. "i know what you saw. and i know it was bad, but listen. that.. girl. she had some quirk on me or something."

he paused, seeing as your movement shifted. he took the fact that you didn't leave as a sign to continue.

"i couldn't move, i would've. you know that. but, it was right for you to be fucking pissed. i'd be too.

and i know, this is my fault in a way. i've been.. a fuckin' loser about this." his hand went up to support his head, his eyes averting from where he felt yours eyeing him.

"i needed to ask you out, officially i mean, a long time ago. it was wrong of me to use you-"

"it wasn't like that and you know it." you moved now to face him, you taking his hands in yours once more.

"what are we? to you i mean."

"right now..

we're nothing, right?"

your eyes widened, his eyes came back to look at yours.

"what?"

the words settled between you, it sent a cold shiver down your spine at the implication.

"wait-- fuck i'm messing this shit up. i mean, we're, not anything right now. we weren't anything."

your heart sank, eyes falling to the floor though your hand still held by him. your bleeding heart was in his grasp too, it was apparent.

"but,

i'd like to be? if you'd have me."

he squeezed your hand tightly. "i, i think i did this all out of order. but, would you go out with me?"

you let out an anxious laugh mixed with emotion. relief? despair? you honestly didn't know. tears burned the corners of your eyes.

"you're-- you're real weird, you know that?"

"is that a no."

"no, it's a yes. i think."

"ya think?"

"you don't get to question me!"

"yeah, whatever." you shared a laugh of relief together. he held you, moving away to bring something out of his pocket.

a small bento box for you.

you gasped at the sight of it, it was so cute. "thank god! i hate this school shit." you sat down, patting the side beside you, prompting him to sit down.

"wow, a heart? don't tell me you like me or something katsuki."

instead of deflecting, of telling you to buzz off, of shoving you lightly, a small smile came over his lips once again. after a beat, he laughed boyishly.

"you caught me."

...

he patted your back as you choked on the heart shaped seaweed.

your first date was cute, a small picnic with the country of musatafu as your backdrop. it was weird, this scene had played out between you two various times. in his room, in public, in private, to everyone else you two had just recovered from a messy breakup. and yet,

your stomachs were filled with butterflies at the affection between you two.

your rank was high, the dates were endless between the two of you now. study dates, just going to cafes, mundane things became more when you were by each others side.

years passed, and your poor dorm was going mostly unused. you'd sleep in his bed most of the time, actually- you'd spent most of your time in his room. he even cleared out a section for you in his closet despite the fact that yours was perfectly fine.

graduation came along, your careers came rushing at the two of you.

you were the top rated woman hero, and he was number one. just like he dreamt, just like he imagined the future would be for the two of you all those years ago.

you were picking out some drinks from the vending machine, a pocky hanging out your mouth as you decided between two flavors.

you finally chose, having two drinks in your hand for you and katsuki when he suddenly dragged you into an alleyway, grunting when he pushed you against the wall.

deja vu? maybe, you felt like you lived through this before, the same mindless stampede of girls rushing past.

"i told you to clip down your hair."

"shut up. don't they even care that we're married now? why do they fucking bother?." he sighed, annoyed as he lightly grabbed the can out your hand, his frustration not matching his actions.

"well, maybe we need something that'd make it even more official." a lightbulb went over the both of your heads. you faced each other, a streetlight letting you see the slight pink tint of his cheeks.

"a ca-"

"a baby."

you laughed, keeling over at the sight of his face that grew impossibly red.

you went home, hand in hand, the photos of the two of you together making rounds in the media again.

but as you laid with his head laid on your lap, your head rested comfortably against the furniture you'd chosen for your home?

you couldn't help but feel like everything worked out perfectly.

and with the new addition of your family laid sleeping on top of katsuki's chest.

tags (can't tag orange :c): @k0z3me @darhinadadragon @maddietries @amayaaaxx @i-the-fluffo @irenne-stans @hisonlyobsession @dead-fish-soup @pretty-sparkle-bomb @matchat3a @yura-4life @djlance-rock @zuzukusna @hiimsaraandyou @uy242c

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[sooniebby]

ఌ 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐍𝐀𝐄

w.c › 6k

Warnings › faceclaims. Part 1. Slow burn, some slight romance with Hyojin (but Mingi is still the main love interest).

Plot › you begin to learn just how obsessive Mingi is

Words to know › maknae (막내) — youngest. Hyung (형) — a term a younger male with call an older male.

ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-

Four Years Ago

“They’re going to add another member. To fill a gap, they feel that you guys another need main vocalist.”

When Dawon had told Mingi and the others that, it was like hell broke loose. They all couldn’t believe that the company really believed they weren’t good enough, after all that training.

Hyojin, however, didn’t see the problem with it. He could actually understand where the company was coming from—even if he did hate them for other reasons.

He didn’t think the others couldn’t sing but there was something he felt was missing. A more mature voice—sultry he’d say.

Which was why when everyone met you, he could understand why the company put you in the group. You were the package deal, minus rapping, but that was okay. And while he’d never tell Yohan, you were a much better leader than he could ever be.

So he was a bit upset for you when the other members were set on ignoring you.

The group was finally filming for their debut single. It was a school boy concept, young love and all that. Hyojin didn’t care too much about that. As long as the song was good and he wasn’t forced to make garbage music, he was fine.

“Okay, guys, we’re going to do pairs for this shot,” Gaeul said, getting the boys attentions. “The director said the pairs don’t matter. So, you guys can pick.”

Hyojin didn’t have to put two and two together that it would get awkward fast if they got to who would be forced to pair with you.

So, he eagerly stood up from his seat, “I’ll pair with (Name)-Ssi.” He said, fixing the tie to his uniform. He ignored the glances the others gave him as he looked over at you.

You were staring at him with a shocked face before a wide grin pulled on your lips, “Okay.”

Hyojin smiled slightly. He moved to follow you to the shooting area when he caught a glimpse of Mingi. His eyes widen as he saw Mingi staring at him as if he wanted to murder him. The boy was picking at his pants as he glared at him.

Who knew someone so young could make such a scary face?

Though he didn’t understand why Mingi seemed so angry? Did he.. want to pair with you?

That didn’t make any sense—he didn’t exactly talk to you.

Oh well, Hyojin had other things to worry about.

He was a bit awkward for the camera so he wasn’t having the best of time filming. The amount of times the director told him to not look like he’s having a war flashback was too many to count.

The set was a bedroom, stuff randomly around. This director had wanted it to feel a bit more real and only gave you and Hyojin the direction to act like students who were discussing how to confess to their crush.

Hyojin didn’t know how the fuck he was supposed to do that but you seemed to understand.

Once the camera began to roll, you basically stole the scene with ease. Acting cute seemed like second nature to you. Hyojin just followed whatever you did, letting you lead him.

Just as the scene was about to end, you both sat on the bed as you opened a fake note. Hyojin leaned in to see that there was a little stick figure drawing, causing him to crack a slight smile.

He glanced over and felt himself freeze, your face close to his. You were staring at him with eyes he couldn’t really describe. A soft gaze as a slight smile pulled on your lips.

Did they put lipstick on your—

“Cut!”

“Great job, guys!” Gaeul said, walking over to you two. You easily pulled away as Hyojin tried to think about what just happened.

“Thanks for pairing with me, Hyojin-Ssi.” You said, smiling at him. The rest of the sentence didn’t need to be said.

“I wanted to pair with you… uhm, you don’t need to speak so politely with me.” He said, deciding to bridge the gap.

Your eyes widen before you eagerly nodded, “okay. Call me Hyung then, Jinnie.”

Jinnie?

Oh man, you were too cute.

Gaeul coughed, clapping her hands together, “great, you two are cute! But c’mon, you guys need to film a quick video for the vlog the Dawon is making.”

You and Hyojin joined the other members back in the dressing room. Dawon was holding a camera as he motioned for the group to stand up and start the intro. You stood in the middle as Hyojin stood on your left while a disgruntled Yohan on your right.

It seemed like Yohan wouldn’t like you at all… or anyone besides Hyojin for that matter.

Every member immediately got their camera ready persona on as you smiled, ready to start the introduction when someone stopped you.

“Ah, Hong (Name)-Ssi, you shouldn’t smile, it’ll go against the boyfriend image we have for you,” one of the producers said, causing you to freeze.

Another one hummed in agreement, “and maybe angle your head a bit to left, your face looks better on camera that way.”

Gaeul let out a grunt, “uh, thanks… but I’m his manager.. I can handle the group.”

“Well, handle him better.”

You ignored the questioning stares the members gave you as you dropped your smile. Hyojin wanted to say something back but he was a rookie—he had no power over the people funding their debut.

He could only watch as the light in your eyes practically went out from their berating. From that moment, he could easily tell there was a different set of standards you had to meet compared to the others.

From then on, he was going to help you, in anyway he can.

That’s why he’s your favorite… right?

ཆི❤︎ཆྀ

You wanted to die.

At age twenty five you came like a teenage boy right in front of your maknae.

How embarrassing.

You grabbed your pillow and let out a loud scream, wanting to just close your eyes and never wake up. Mingi was taking a shower and you were scared he’d come into your room later.

There was no way in hell you wanted to see him again tonight.

Maybe tomorrow.

Or a few weeks.

You glanced over at your phone and stared at it for a few minutes. Maybe some posts from those freaky Miras would make you appreciate life again. Or something like that. Whatever bullshit idea you could come up with to justify you still going to the NSFW side of your fandom.

Now that you knew about the rise of gay/bisexual men into you, you wondered if you could find any.

Your biggest fan account, itsokokok had recently posted so decided to see if maybe they were congregating in the replies.

The new three posts of today was from three hours ago. It was from three different album promotions.

The first was from debut: it was a short clip of you in the music video. Your duo scene with Hyojin. You didn’t remember just how cute you acted in it, really playing up the teen boy being in love.

You checked the comments, many filled with people that weren’t Miras. Most of it was just guys saying you were really cute but in a natural way.

Second was of your performance from… pre debut? Huh, how did they find this? You looked to be maybe fifteen—a performance from your high school’s talent show. The video was of you dressed in a suit and tie performing A.D.T.O.Y by 2pm.

Quite the song for fetus you to be performing but hey, none of the adults stopped you.

It seemed the comments did have morals and mostly just complimented your ability to sing and dance at the same time. Though a few wanted you to preform the dance now… probably to thirst over you.

Lastly, the third video was one year old, a short clip of the music video for your second to last comeback. You didn’t know how they could thirst over this but you clicked on the video.

You were wet in the video, standing in front of a swimming pool. Dressed in a white button up and black slacks. The white shirt was stuck to your skin as you delivered your line, tugging at the loose tie around your neck.

At the time, you didn’t find the whole aspect of being wet on camera a bad thing. The song was about drowning in your feelings so being wet made sense.

Though you now regretted it.

@bluemuuun

↳ need him bad… don’t even know his name

@hanniesmira

↳ you don’t know Miracle?! Hong (Name) from Miracle? Dude you’re missing out, they have great songs

@bluemuuun

↳ I’m not even into kpop, I just want to fuck him ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

@slipslickk

↳ he looks good wet—I need one of his members to fuck him on stage already pls

@dohasflatass

↳ wonder if Min collapsed after seeing (Name) during shooting ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

@hanniesmira

↳ knowing min, he probably threatened anyone who stared for too long ㅎㅎㅎ

@hyunkikii

↳ Mrcle definitely take turns on his ass, got a phatty for real

@hyoojinie

↳ his gaze into the camera is so slutty

Just as you were about to log out, you came across an older post itsokokok posted. It was of your early debut. One of the stage performances. It followed you dancing with a stoic face right when it was your center turn until it was Yohan’s turn.

As soon as the main camera was off you, a wide smile pulled on your lips as you danced along. Whenever it was your turn to sing, you immediately dropped the smile.

You were mostly following the orders the company gave you. Being the stoic boyfriend.

Nowadays you stopped caring but back then you were so scared of being taken out of the group that you followed whatever the company told you.

The comments were filled with comments of Miras, a few stating they missed this side of you. If only they knew that it wasn’t the real you. You scrolled through the comments before seeing one by itsokokok himself.

He was responding to someone saying they loved you when acted stoic, and hating this new ‘fake’ you.

→ then you don’t know the true him

You sat up, staring at the comment for a moment. Itsokokok didn’t seem to really comment. He had little to none captions and just posted once everyday at random times, possibly whenever he was free. It wasn’t even anything too crazy but the comment oddly felt like he knew you?

Well, probably not. He might’ve just noticed that you were putting on an act due to your pre-debut activities. It was a drastic difference if you paid any attention.

Speaking of, how did he find any of your pre-debut stuff? You tried to think if you maybe posted them yourself or maybe your classmates or something.

Maybe your mom? She loved posting videos of your performances on her Instagram. She even gained a lot of followers because of it. Her account was basically a fan account at this point.

He might’ve just found the pre-debut performances she posted, it’s not like she’s hiding it.

You shrugged. It wasn’t too creepy. He seemed to actually appreciate you.

And that’s all you can really ask for in a fan.

“Hyung.”

You blushed and quickly turned off your phone. Mingi stepped into your room, rubbing at his face as he got on your bed. You simply watched him get comfortable before glancing over at you.

“You’re so stiff.” He said, a slight smirk on his lips. “Are you scared I’ll eat you in your sleep?”

“Mingi!” You bristled, quickly turning off your lamp as you got underneath your covered. You kept your back to him as you tried to drown out his laugh.

It was silent after a minute. You glanced back to see him fast asleep. That was fast.

Staring at him, you wondered how much he’s changed. He wasn’t seventeen anymore.

Maybe he really did love you…

ཆི❤︎ཆྀ

“Solo activity?”

Your group mates were looking at you in shock. It had been almost a month since Gaeul had told you about your change in marketing and now the company finally has something for you. Your solo stage.

They were all in your apartment, getting comfy on the couch when you suddenly came out ready to leave. Everyone had been practicing daily for the comeback that they had planned for a relaxed day today.

“Yeah.” You said, feeling a bit nervous. “Did.. Dawon Hyung forget to tell you guys?”

“Oh, yeah, he did.” Yohan muttered.

“I didn’t think you’d actually do it.” Doha said, glancing back at the tv. You wanted to ask what he meant by that but then Yohan delivered a swift kick to Doha’s shin.

“Have you been practicing before us then?” Kihyun suddenly asked. “You’re already prepared to perform it?”

“Mhm… I’ve been practicing daily after our recording sessions.” You bit your lip. “It’s an easy song to learn.”

“Ah okay,” Yohan said, speaking for the others who were just staring at you. “Do you want one of us to come with?”

“Come—? Uh, uhm.” Your eyes gazed at them in disbelief. They wanted to come? Why did it feel like they were attached to your hip these days?

Mingi rolled his eyes, coming out from the kitchen. “(Name) Hyung doesn’t need someone with him. He’s not a baby.”

“You’re just jealous he might not choose you,” Doha shot back, smirking at the deadly glare Mingi sent his way.

“Ah, I guess I could bring one of you guys,” you said, causing them to perk up immediately. Their eyes stared right into your soul. You felt your hands sweat as you tried to think about who to choose.

No way would you choose Mingi… he was making you uncomfortable these days. The way he gazes at you like you’re his entire world is insane!

Yohan would be too annoying.

Kihyun would be a bit awkward.

Doha was being annoying to Mingi and you didn’t want reward his behavior.

Your gaze narrowed in on Hyojin. His eyes met yours as a slight grin pulled on his lips. That’s all he needed as he stood up with a triumphant smile. The others immediately groaned and shook their heads in annoyance.

Hyojin moved to follow you out the door when Mingi suddenly grabbed his arm. You almost yelled at Mingi for his aggressive behavior but Hyojin didn’t look shocked at all.

Mingi whispered something while Hyojin rolled his eyes.

“Childish.” He said, shaking his head. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch what’s yours. You should worry about Yohan Hyung instead.”

“What? Yah, what are you talking about?!” Yohan yelled, glancing over at Mingi.

You stood there mouth agape. Mingi didn’t… no way he wouldn’t.. Hyojin grabbed your hand before you could properly spiral and lead you out of the apartment.

Just what the hell was Mingi’s problem?

Hyojin didn’t see you romantically, what is he worrying about?

Once you reached the music show, you were quickly dressed in an outfit to match the song you were performing. It was business casual, apparently.

Hyojin sat on the couch as the stylist helped you get dressed. He was silent for the most part, tapping away on his phone. It was another reason why you chose him. He wasn’t an annoying little shit like the rest of them.

“Jinnie,” you called, fixing the fake glasses on your face. “How does Hyung look?”

It took a minute before he finally glanced up. His eyes widen as he took you in. You were dressed in a white button up, sleeves rolled up with a loose black tie. Black slacks with sleek black dress shoes.

“It reminds me of something I wore before,” you laughed, tugging at the tie as you looked over at him.

Hyojin coughed, the tip of his ears getting red as he mutely nodded. “Mhm… you make it so hard, Hyung.”

“Hm?” You tilted your head, walking over to him as you plopped down beside him on the couch.

“I think Mingi will be upset if I told you… but everyone in the group has.. liked you.”

“Liked me? Like…”

“Romantically.” Hyojin said, smiling slightly. “But Mingi had stronger feelings for you.”

“So what… did he.. did he tell you guys to back off or something?” You asked, still reeling from the fact your members liked you. The thought seemed ludicrous!

“Yeah.” Hyojin said bluntly. “Something like that.”

You raised an eyebrow, “what did he do?”

“Secret.”

“Hyojin.”

“Mhmmm, I can’t remember.”

You glared at him as he went back to his phone. “I don’t understand. You guys really liked me..? How? Why?”

Hyojin shrugged. “I don’t know about the rest of them.. but I just liked you for you. But it wasn’t the strongest feelings.”

The strongest… You briefly wondered about Kihyun. Maybe he had stronger feelings for Kihyun?

But before you could ask, a staff member called for you. Hyojin gave you a thumbs up as you got up and left.

While you were nervous, you weren’t exactly nervous to preform on stage alone. You’ve always performed alone before debuting in Miracle.

The month you spent practicing for the song was a breeze. It was a song that took inspiration from a past song you composed. The choreographer didn’t go all out with the dance.

Though what you were really nervous about was if people would actually care.

What if the so called growing interest in you deflated immediately?

You shook your head, walking onto stage. A group of six dancers followed you. The crowed actually cheered a bit when you came on. There was a few Miracle lightsticks. But immediately, a group of male voices rung out in the building.

Everyone seemed shocked at how loud they were, even the dancers as they got into position. You couldn’t help but grin and eagerly wave at them.

“귀여! ♡♡♡♡!”

“Thank you!” You said into your mic, laughing at the immediate screams from the crowd. You walked to your position, letting the dancers grab your waist as they pulled you to sit on two of their arms—a makeshift throne.

The lights dimmed as you got ready to perform. You tried to remember all the times you performed alone and channeled the energy of younger you.

While you would dance, you would focus mostly on having great vocals. This song was a taste into the title track, you needed to show a great intro.

The performance started with a slight hiccup when the back track started before you but you continued as if nothing happened. It allowed for your vocals to truly show anyway.

The major part of the song that seemed to get most of the crowd excited was when one of the dancers grabbed your tie and tugged you towards him. You couldn’t help the slight blush during that part, feeling oddly excited over it as well.

Was this a kink?

You ended the oddly homoerotic song with the dancers kneeling in front of you, your hand digging into one of the men’s hair.

Cheers erupted as soon as you were finished. You felt excited, hearing mostly male voices scream your name. The dancers immediately stood up and grabbed you, lifting you up in the air as you shrieked in shock. Your arms immediately wrapped around one of their shoulders at the sudden movement.

If only you knew just how angry this little action would make a certain someone.

The drive home felt long for some reason. Hyojin was on his phone so you decided to check how Miras were doing.

Not too surprising, not that many Miras talked about the performance. However non fans were praising it. Itsokokok had posted.

It was three posts, seems like he had a pattern. The first was of your recent performance. A short video of the moment when the dancer pulled your tie. Your face didn’t hide any of the hidden pleasure you got from that short moment.

During practice, the pull was never harsh so it really did shock you when he tugged it harder this time around.

Of course, the comments were filled with people thirsting. Mostly non fans—gay men in particular. The same Miras that actually liked you were thirsting over you while also gushing at how you finally had a solo activity.

Shocker, the NSFW side that talked about your members fucking you actually appreciated you.

The next post was of a pre-debut one. This time, it was a nineteen year old you preforming an original song. It was the song the company used to create the solo song you just preformed.

Most of the comments didn’t seem to notice this at all. You were mainly shocked the account owner even found this clip.

Lastly, it was a clip from the group’s occasional vlog. From the setting, it was of the time the group was planning Mingi’s nineteenth birthday. You were kneeling down as you picked something up.

The camera was just on you as you arched your back by pure instinct. You don’t even remember doing that. A laugh was heard from the camera man, you quickly noticed it was Yohan filming before video you looked back and glared at Yohan.

“Go do something useful!” You had yelled, “Minnie’s party has to be good. I won’t let you ruin it.”

@bluemuuun

↳ does his back naturally arch like that??

@hanniesmira

↳ his relationship with min is so cute.. i bet today’s performance killed min ㅋㅋㅋ

Before you could read the rest, the van reached the apartment complex. You and Hyojin left as you got inside. Hyojin waved you good night before going into his shared apartment with Kihyun.

You wondered back to his claim of the members all liking you.

That just didn’t make any sense.

As you moved to unlock the door to your apartment, it swung open, showing a pissed Mingi.

Fuck.

ཆི❤︎ཆྀ

“How was the performance?”

Hyojin glanced over at Kihyun. He had just walked in and was set on just speed walking straight to his bedroom. Kihyun was sitting in the couch and didn’t look away from the tv.

“It was good, Hyung is a good performer.” Hyojin muttered, slipping off his shoes. He slipped off his coat and slowly walked over to the living room.

“Yeah, he is.”

“Well… I’ll go to bed—”

“Hyojin.”

Hyojin sighed, looking back at Kihyun. Kihyun was finally looking over at him. His piercing gaze made his back tense. The slight hums of the tv filled the odd tension as Hyojin fought the urge to just walk away. It was too late to be dealing with this.

“Are you… still upset about what I said this morning?” Kihyun finally said, his gaze softening.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Kihyun stood up from the couch as he walked over to Hyojin. “I didn’t think it would upset you… I thought you were over him.”

Hyojin felt his jaw tighten, “you might’ve gotten over Hyung easily but I actually liked him. I liked him a lot—I only backed off because Mingi was right, (Name) Hyung would never see me romantically.”

“So… what’s the problem? Aren’t we—?”

“—dating?” Hyojin pinched his nose before letting out a sigh. “I don’t know, are we? You only want to have sex, nothing else. Even if we are ‘dating’—I won’t allow you to speak about my past feelings as if they were trivial.

“(Name) Hyung is an important part of my life, especially because he’s still here. It’d be different if he wasn’t around anymore. So I’m sorry, Hyung, my feelings for (Name) Hyung wasn’t some three second attraction like yours… If two years ago, (Name) Hyung had returned my feelings in anyway… I’d never have gotten with you.”

Kihyun sighed, “I didn’t mean it that way, Hyojin… I didn’t realize you had liked him that much. I—”

“Hyung.” Hyojin interrupted him. “Come back to me once you figure out if you want to be boyfriends or just fuck buddies. I’m not breaking myself over another guy.”

With that, he walked into his room, slamming the door shut.

ཆི❤︎ཆྀ

Mingi immediately tugged you inside and glared at you. “What type of solo stage was that?”

“What do you mean?” You asked, moving to walk to your room. Mingi was already following you as you tried to keep yourself calm.

You were older! You’re the group leader… he needs to.. he can’t treat you like this.

Especially over a simple performance.

“Hyung.” Mingi’s voice was tight. “We’ve never performed a song like that before—the company never allowed it.”

“Well they’re just trying something new with me. They’ve finally noticed a group of people they can advertise me to. I can..” you placed your bag on your bed and sighed, “I can gain some fans that actually care about me.”

“Fans? Is that all you care about? What about the music?”

“Mingi, obviously I care about the music!” You said, staring at him as he stood in your doorway. “But it’s normal to want positive feedback from sharing your art! You get it all the time, I’ve seen how Miras react to you.”

“So what, you’ll feed into the silly relationship the company uses to get people’s money?!”

You sighed, rubbing the bridge of your nose. “Mingi, it’s not that serious. I’ve always wanted to do a sexy concept anyway—no one forced me.”

As you glanced back at him, any anger you had tempered down. You couldn’t be mad at him—not for long anyway. “I get it… you’re just worried but I consented to everything.” You muttered, hoping that would calm him down.

“So you consented to be whored out for some fans that only like you because they want to fuck you?”

You blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

A laugh left your lips as you stared straight at Mingi.

“Choi Mingi.” You whispered, your gaze hardening as your fists clenched. The words you wanted to say was in the tip of your tongue and if you weren’t so angry—you would’ve held back.

But you didn’t.

“Remember your place.” You said, walking over to him. “I am your Hyung, not your boyfriend. I’m not yours and you can’t act so possessive over me, do you understand? I don’t know what you told the others but it’s not your right to tell them to back off.”

“You—?”

“Yes I know! I’m not your boyfriend and I won’t ever be your boyfriend!” You yelled, pushing Mingi out of your room, causing him to bang his head right against the wall. He stared at you in shock as you froze. Any anger you had was gone as you wanted to rush and check if he was okay.

But you couldn’t.

You shouldn’t.

You cleared your throat as you glanced down at the ground. Your throat felt tight. “Choi Mingi, I don’t think you really love me… because if you did, you wouldn’t have insulted me to my face.”

A pained whimper left your throat as you quickly looked away from Mingi. “I’ll go… spend tonight with Hyojin. Don’t.. don’t bother me.. please.” You whispered, moving to leave as quickly as you could.

A hand gripped your arm before you could even step an inch away. Your body tensed as you waited to see what Mingi would say. He didn’t feel like that boy you knew… how much had he changed?

You reluctantly glanced back to see what he was going to say only to see him kneel down. Your eyes widen as he pressed his head against the floor, hands resting on the ground.

“죄송합니다. 죄송합니다, 형.”

“Mingi…” You whispered. You slowly knelt down and gripped at Mingi’s shoulders, pushing to make him sit up but he fought against you. He kept repeating himself, his words slowly being muffled by the sound of his gasps.

“Mingi. Choi Mingi.” With his refusal to look up, you decided to try a different method. “I’ll leave.. I’ll go to Hyojin if you don’t look at me.”

You got whiplash at how quick he looked up. Your gaze softening at the sight of his face. His eyes were red as tears streamed down his face, his face blotchy and red already. He kept gasping for air as if crying so hard was taking his breath away.

Despite yourself, you remembered the only other time he cried so hard in front of you.

“Childish. You really are childish.” You whispered, wiping away at his face. His body physically loosened at your touch as he leaned into it. Though you could tell he wasn’t coming any closer, even if his hands twitched to touch you.

It didn’t look like he was in the capacity to speak so you decided to do it for him.

“I’m upset, Mingi. I’m so upset you would hurt me like this. Were you jealous? Why would you say that about me?”

Mingi shook his head.

“Then why did you say that? What could you have possibly meant?”

“Scared..” he managed to mutter, taking a second to take a deep breath. “You’re… older… I’m… younger… the.. dancer… older… what if… what if you want an older man…? What if… you’ll leave me… because he’s better..”

You blinked, staring at him confusion. “Mingi, that’s so silly.” You whispered, cooing when he tried to glare at you—it didn’t pack a punch with his face wet with tears. “You were insecure and that’s okay… but that was not the way to go about it. Are you scared that… I’ll leave you if I get more fans?”

He hummed. “You… might… leave the group.”

“Why would I? You have solo activities but you don’t want to leave the group. I can have solo activities too. I like our group. You’re really acting your age, Mingi.”

That seemed to be the wrong thing to say as he immediately began to try and pull away. You pulled him back in quickly as you brought his face to yours.

“Next time, if you’re feeling a certain way, you can.. voice it? Instead of talking down on me, okay?” You said, giving him a slight smile. “But I’m happy you immediately apologized. I didn’t think you would do that.”

Mingi sniffled, finally sitting up straight. “It’s because I—”

You clamped his mouth shut, a blush on your face. Mingi only rolled his eyes. Even when he was sad he had the strength to roll his eyes. Wow.

Despite yourself, the previous anger wasn’t as strong anymore. You didn’t think you would be so easy to forgive but you were. Was it because he apologized? He seemed so sincere that you knew it wasn’t a joke—Mingi can’t cry on command, he’s tried many times.

Surprisingly only Kihyun could.

He… he really loved you?

“Minnie,” you said, unable to hide the smile at his eager gaze from hearing his nickname. “Is it true… that you told the other members to back off?”

Mingi frowned before he silently nodded.

“Why….?”

He pulled your hand away from his mouth as he looked away. “They didn’t love you like I do. It was just simple infatuation…”

“How could you be so sure?”

Mingi raised an eyebrow, “Hyung, I’ve trained with them since I was fourteen… I’ve known them longer than you do. Besides, it’s not like they fought me on it… well not all of them.”

“All of them…? Did…?”

“One person disagreed.”

“Who?”

“Secret.”

“Mingi.”

“Ah, I can’t really remember.”

“You and Hyojin are the same, little shits.” You sighed, rubbing the bridge of your nose. “But still, that was wrong of you. You shouldn’t mess with anyone else’s feelings.”

Mingi looked as if he wanted to talk back but simply nodded. “Okay… it was two years ago anyway.”

“Two years ago?”

“Mhm. On my nineteenth birthday.”

“Ah.”

You wanted to ask more but it looked like Mingi was done talking. He rubbed at his eyes as he began wiping at his tear stained face. While you weren’t angry anymore, you still weren’t exactly so forgiving without any work on Mingi’s part.

“Minnie,” you said, watching as he perked up. “I’m still mad… so you can’t touch me at all for a month.”

His eyes widen as he stared at you as if you just told him his parents died in a plane crash. His lips wobbled as a pained grunt left him, he was obviously trying to plead a case but the rational part of him knew not to push it.

He looked as if he’d cry again.

You only smiled. “Punishment for calling your Hyung a whore. I think I’m being quite nice, don’t you think?”

Mingi squared his jaw. “Yes, Hyung…”

“Good boy.” You whispered, smirking at his pained expression. “You can’t sleep with me tonight, unless you want to sleep on the floor. Night, Minnie.”

Mingi was going to have a tough month.

ཆི❤︎ཆྀ

→ have you guys seen this performance??

→ 씨발! If I had a dick it’d be hard ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

→ who is this???

→ he sounds so good??

→ wish I could pay attention to the lyrics but his ass is distracting me

→ 대박! He sounds so stable

→ I found his group performances!!! Why is he so underrated??

→ does he have any other solo work?

→ my dick hard

→ the group sings so well, I’ll tune in for their comeback!!

→ his photo cards are cheap!! I’ll buy a dozen ㅋㅋㅋ

→ I think I came

ཆི❤︎ཆྀ

Three years ago

Mingi was confused. He saw so many fan accounts for other members. Way too many for himself—he didn’t get what was so special about him. But little to none accounts solely for you. The group had debuted a year ago, surely someone likes you enough to create an account?

He sighed, scrolling through the lists of popular Miras accounts. Why weren’t they praising you? You were the best, a great singer, dancer, and leader.

Was it because you didn’t fit the Korean beauty standards?

How stupid.

Mingi didn’t care about what fans thought of him so long as they liked the music—but it seemed to bother you that no one was giving you any attention.

So, he decided to rectify that.

It took him a minute but he soon figured out how to create an account.

He chose his profile picture—a picture from the group’s season greetings, one where you had frosting on your nose as you smiled at the camera.

He’d never use social media before so his generic names for the account were all taken. He didn’t know what else to name the stupid account as, it was just so he could post pictures and videos of you.

After a short break before he mentally crashed out, he decided on a different name.

Itsokokok

It was a lyric from the group’s debut title track. Your first line of the song. Not many people would probably know but that was fine with him. The account was honestly mainly for him.

He didn’t know what his first post should be so he decided on a picture he took of you. Luckily he had posted it on the group’s Instagram so no one would think anything of it. It was a candid photo, you were looking up from your phone because he had called your name. You looked so cute despite how tired you were.

His first ever picture of you was his first ever post.

Shit, he was down bad.

no smut this time, sorry yall, but chapter three will give yall what’s deserved, next week Friday. Trying something different with this OC. Anyway, next chapter, he’s about to get freaky. Also can you guess who was the member that refused Mingi’s request? ;)

죄송합니다 — is the most formal way to say sorry in Korean

Tag list: @euthymiko @love-kha1 @iwishtobeacrow @chill-guy-but-cooler @tehyunnie @tomoeroi @smellwell @remdayz @star-3214 @mooncarvers-world @rhetorical-conscience @cherry-blossoms-187 @ofclyde @the-ultimate-librarian @kiiyoooo @secretivemessenger @mello-life25 @yuzuukix @bensontrechic @onementally-unstabel-kid @me-when-life @bangbangdevotee @chaevvonders @bangchansdirty-slut @honey-valentin3 @hoshimochicchi @lucaisnothere @jaxyy219



[ravenslvt]

fucking your ex boyfriend in the bathroom of a party.

☆ multiple x f!reader ☆

cw: smut, mirror sex, public sex, rough sex, hate sex (sort of), tension, alcohol, oral f! receiving, v fingering, spanking, pet names, praise, sex with feelings, unprotected sex

you don’t know how your bestfriend managed to rope you into coming to this party, all you did know is you wanted to get plastered while she found someone to hook up with.

you held onto her for dear life as you made your way through groups of people. mostly strangers, but you saw some familiar faces. you started to feel a bit nervous when you noticed some eyes roaming your outfit. maybe you should’ve worn a longer skirt…

your bestfriend’s eyes immediately spotted a pretty girl across the room, she gives you an apologetic smile. you roll your eyes.

“just go” you sigh. at least someone would be getting some action tonight. you make your way to the kitchen where there were bottles apon bottles layed out on the counter. you grab one of the disposable cups, pouring yourself a mixed drink before downing it. the liquor bringing a comforting burn down your throat.

suddenly, you felt a cold chill in the room. you look around, there were no windows or doors open. until finally, your eyes immediately draw to a pair of familiar ones. oh great, he’s walking over. you turn around, pretending you didn’t notice him, hoping he’ll walk past you.

“oh, c’mon. acting like you didn’t see me?” he leans against the counter next to you, a drink in his own hand. fuck, he still wore the same cologne. the smell almost made you dizzy. he was wearing an unfamiliar jacket, it looked new.

his name rolls off your tounge in a harsh greeting, taking another swig of your drink. he gives a lopsided smile. “still mad at me, pretty?” he takes your empty cup, refilling it for you the way he knew you always liked it. you give him a glare. he puts his arms up in defense. his body looked bigger, more defined. he was clearly working out more since you two broke up.

you snatched your cup back. if you were going to be forced into this conversation, you might as well be drunk.

“why are you here?” you ask, your eyes never leaving his own. he was drawing you in without even trying.

“i was invited. why are you here?” he pokes your shoulder with his pointer finger.

you just point to your best friend across the room, who was now making out with the cute girl from earlier. he huffs out a small chuckle. “that girl never rests, does she.” he comments. you just shake your head, “no she does not.” you sigh, another swig.

his eyes go back to you. more specifically, your outfit. you had a new top on, he’d never seen it before. he’d have remembered seeing such a pretty shirt on you before. and of course, you wore your favorite mini skirt. the one he always loved you wearing.

“this is cute, wear this for me hmm?” he smirks, his fingers playing with the bottom hem of the skirt. you swat his hand. he was the one who bought it for you. almost fucking you in the dressing room when you tried it on after doing a little spin for him.

“no… i just had nothing else to wear.” your face flushes. you didn’t know if it was from the alcohol or from the fact you were both thinking about the times you’d sit on his lap in this skirt, panties off while you bounced on his cock.

god, he loved that skirt.

you could feel yourself clench around nothing just thinking about it. he gets a little closer when he notices your flushed state, his fingers drumming against the table filled with alcohol. his damned fingers that knew every part of your body.

ok, you were definitely a little drunk, or maybe you were just stupid.

your back slams against the door of the bathroom, the blasting music muffled from the small enclosed room.

your lips met in a hungry, bruising kiss, tongues fighting for dominance. his large hands gripped your waist, your head forced against the wood. he moves one of his hands to shove between your thighs under your skirt, his fingers digging into your panties, making you whine into his mouth when he pinches your clit.

“fuck, this wet already? missed me that much, sweetheart?” he mumbles into your mouth, pulling away to pull the flimsy fabric down your legs with his free hand. of course you wore your favorite panties, the ones he bought especially for you. the sight made him groan.

“i’m not your-“

“i wasn’t talking to you.” he stares directly at your slick pussy. great, now he was talking straight to your cunt.

you look at him with glossy eyes as he kneels down, kissing down your thighs. you hook your fingers into the waistband of your skirt, but he gives your thigh a slap. “keep it on. i wanna see you get fucked in this pretty little skirt again.” he practically growls as he gives your thighs a few more kisses and bites, marking you up.

“want everyone to see you still belong to me.” he sucks marks into your upper thighs, placing a few where your little skirt couldn’t cover.

you mewl his name when his tounge delves into your sopping pussy, his fingers pulling your folds apart to get more access. your hands grip his hair for some stability as he laps you, his tounge switching from flicking your sensitive clit to prodding at your tight hole.

he replaces his mouth with his fingers, pumping two into your cunt as he suctions his lips onto your bud, making you bite your lip to prevent yourself from screaming out, almost drawing blood.

“fuckk!” his long fingers hit deep inside of you, his digits shifting between thrusts and curling inside. your legs shook, hands gripping his hair for dear life. giving him a particularly hard tug, he groans into your cunt, the vibrations making you let out a moan.

the mixture of stimulations had you on the edge, he knew you were about to cum.

time almost seems to slow as he feels you clench around his fingers, your eyes flutter shut, gripping his hair for dear life as pools of fire seep low in your abdomen. his fingers continue to pump into you as you cum, wetness dripping down his chin and wrist.

it was probably obvious you hadn’t fucked anyone since you two broke up the way your pussy responded so well to him.

still, he doesn’t pull away, addicted to the taste of you. he was completely lost in your cunt until you pushed at his head, whining his name. he reluctantly pulls away, giving your cute clit a few more kisses before parting.

you both pant, his face glistening in your slick. you almost moan at the sight.

“you taste even better than i remember, baby.” his hands sooth down your thighs.

“don’t call me that.” you heavily breathe. he just chuckles, standing up. his firm hands grab your ass, giving it a firm smack, making you yelp.

“face the mirror. wanna watch you take my dick.” he pats your hip, encouraging you. you obligated, finally seeing yourself in the mirror. your lip gloss was completely smeared, making you pout a little. until your ex boyfriend comes up behind you, his hard on pressing against your ass. his hand wrapped around your waist, his head resting on your shoulder as your eyes meet in the reflection.

his other hand reaches to wipe the smeared lip gloss, cleaning it up for you. his fingers tap your lips impatiently, seeking enterence. your eyes never broke contact. you open your pretty little mouth, his two fingers sliding in. you groaned as you tasted yourself on them. he grinded himself against your rear, hiking your skirt above your hips.

“gonna let me fuck this messy pussy?” his fingers enter deeper into your mouth, almost making you choke. you nod, swirling your tounge around his digets.

“mhmph” you mumble around them.

“gotta tell me how much you missed me first.” he teases, removing his fingers to slowly undo the button of his pants. you roll your eyes.

“just fuck me-“

smack

your ass stings, you were sure there was gonna be a red mark the size of his hand. you whimper.

“what was that, pretty? use your words.” he purred into your ear, biting your earlobe gently, nibbling marks down your sensitive neck.

“fuck, i missed you so much, i need your cock so bad-“ you whine his name. “-i touch myself thinking about it- but nothing is as good as you.” you shamelessly confess, a smirk growing on his smug fucking face.

“good fucking girl.” he growls, taking his raging cock out from his briefs, his hand pressing down on your back so you bend over the sink to give him easier access.

you mewled as his leaking tip pokes through your enterence.

he slowly sheathes himself in, savoring the feeling of your hot walls contracting needfully around his cock. “god, it’s been so fucking long. it’s like she’s sucking me in.”

your fingers gripped the counter in front of you, your eyes focusing on his own. the way his face scrunched once he was burried balls deep inside of you. his deep breaths, the way his hair slightly stuck to his forehead from how much he was sweating.

you’re about to speak, but your words turn into moans of his name as he thrusts in and out of you, his hips slapping against your ass. your head rolls down to rest against your arms on the counter, but he doesn’t allow that.

his hand that isn’t wrapped around your waist goes to grip your throat, pulling you back against his chest.

“watch yourself get fucked by your future husband.” he grunts, his thighs burning from all the rutting, but he’d feel that pain forever if it meant he could be able to fuck you like this again.

you watch as your tits bounce through your shirt in the mirror, drool threatening to spill from the corner of your mouth. the mirror was big enough that you could see his dick pumping into you. obscenely wet sounds coming from where you two meet.

“o-oh fuck, feels s’good, don’t stop!” you moan out, staring at him in the reflection. he was so focused on the way you felt around him, he had almost forgotten you two broke up.

“oh god, baby. i fuckin' love you, need your pussy every day, can’t live without it.” he bites your shoulder, hard, making you groan. his hand moving from your throat to grope your tits through your top. his hips only slapped into you harder and harder, your vision going blurry when the head of his cock hits your soft spot. you let out chants of his name, your arms reaching back to grip his hair to bring him impossibly closer.

you stared at yourself in the mirror. the way he slid in and out of you with ease made you squeeze around him, prompting a groan from him. your hair was out of place from his rough treatment, marks down your neck and thighs. you couldn’t even think about having to explain this to your friends later.

“squeezing me so good. so perfect for me. gonna let me fill you up, hmm? walk around with my cum dripping out of you, let everyone know you’re fucking mine.” he thrusts with a bruising pace, your whole body rocking with the rolls of his hips.

“p-please yes! need it so bad!” your mind starts to blank, the only thing you could think about was the way he was pulsing inside of you, threatening to spill at any minute.

“touch yourself, baby.” he pants, his thrusts getting sloppier. he was so close, but there was no way he was going to cum before you. you nod, bringing a shaky hand to your ruined pussy, rubbing and pinching your clit the way you liked it. your mouth fell open at the overwhelming pleasure taking over.

“m’gonna cumm!” you whine until the only thing you can say is his name, over and over. just how he always loved it. he whispers dirty praises into your ear, talking you off the ledge. you force your eyes to stay on his own in the mirror. you hated how fucking hot he was.

waves of intense heated pleasure start to roll over you, moaning as your vision gets blurry with tears of ecstasy. “s’good!” you scream, tightening around him, making it hard for him to move. he curses as you grip his cock so tightly, milking him so hard he cums inside of you.

you pant as his thrusts get lazy and eventually slow to a halt. he didn’t want to pull out, but he knew he couldn’t just stay in here with you forever, no matter how much he wanted to.

he pulls out hesitantly, the mixture of your release dripping out of you making him let out a harsh breath.

you finally come down from your orgasm, completely fucked out. oh how much you missed his cock. and him too you guess.

he turns you around, giving your cheeks kisses before enveloping his mouth with your own. your tounges gently roll over eachothers, contrasting in comparison to how he was just fucking your brains out.

your phone lights up on the counter with a text from your bestfriend. you squint, reading the message.

‘bitch i’m leaving. don’t think i didn’t see you guys btw -_-‘

he wraps his arms around your middle, seeing the message.

“gonna come home with me?” he leaves even more love bites down your neck, making you sigh.

“…yea”

GETO, gojo, SUNA, atsumu, leon kennedy, toji, kuroo, dick grayson (sorry not sorry), your fav ;)

masterlist

[fortunekookie07]

Are requests open? May I request a sylus x wife reader (not the mc) where she is afraid of him and feels like he doesn’t love her cause of his cold and intimidating nature. Then mc arrives and she’s hurt and shocked with how he treats her. Now convinced that he doesn’t love her and hates her she keeps her distance and sits alone everyday on the rooftop. Barely eating anything nor sleeping properly she lost the will and strength to sleep next to him and sleeps on the couch or on the rooftop (after she saw him pin down mc onto the bed ya know that scene) . Even starts to think of packing up and leaving telling herself to “prepare” whenever he divorces her.

But one time she gets kidnapped for bait and injured yet sylus hasn’t come for days so she tells her kidnappers “ it’s a waste of time cause sylus won’t come for me, i mean nothing to him , he was already planning to get rid of me. so you might as well kill me right now and save your breaths.” Not knowing that her husband overheard her when he entered before she passed out due to lack of food and exhaustion.

Did You Ever Love Me?

The day you married Sylus was the happiest day of your life. You had been by his side for 3 years. It wasn't the easy life you had once dreamed of, but this was the reality of the N109 Zone. Nothing was easy, and everything had a price.

You still remembered the day you had first met, what a blood bath that had been. Your family had been one of the most influential in the area. Having long established their authority when it came to weapons dealing. Only supplying top-notch weapons.

From a young age your father had made sure you knew the business, drsminf of having you take over. He taught you everything he knew. From the making of the orders, to quality check, and even materials secured.

That day it was your parents 25th anniversary and a big party was thrown for them. Business partners and friends were all invited to the event.

The only thing your father had not warned you about, was the extensive dangers of the N109 Zone. He'd tried to shield you from just how dirty the world could be.

A rival family had crashed the party with a seemingly endless group of thugs. Before anyone had realized what was going on, gunshots filled the air. People started screaming and running in a desperate attempt to get to safety. Pushing and shoving others out of their way as they went.

A stray bullet hit your arm and blood immediately started pouring from the wound. You grunted as the pain slammed into you and momentarily lost your footing just a another bullet whizzed past the air where your head had been seconds ago.

You heard your father calling your name and pushing through people trying to get to you. You could see your mother sitting on the ground near one of the stairs columns. She was tying a makeshift bandage around someone's leg. Trying to staunch the bleeding.

You felt like your life was running in fast forward as you watched your father continue to push through the crowd and then he suddenly stopped moving as his eyes widened and he looked down. Blood was blooming across the white shirt of his suit and staining the black jacket. In the center of the stain was a hole. You felt sick seing that hole pierced through his chest over his heart.

"Father!" Your scream rang over the gunshots and panic as you tried to run to him. The long him of your dress got stepped on and you fell to the floor landing hard on your side. Pain zipped through your body at the hard smack to the unforgiving marble floor.

You desperately fought to get to your feet as it finally seemed like the crowd was thinning out. Thankfully no one stepped on you or your clothes again. Just as you reached your father the gun shots stopped and the following silence seemed to bring the air of dread.

The scent of blood was strong, making you gag as your stomach heaved. You push the feelings back and reach out to the injury, hands shaking as you try to staunch the blood flow. He grunts with the pressure and his eyes open slightly. You start muttering words but even you don't believe what you are saying.

"It's ok father, we can fix this. I'll get help, the doctor will fix you right up and then everything will be ok." Tears arr pouring down your face as he smiles weakly. He reaches for your face, trying to touch your cheek. Just before his hand can touch you a great force yanks you back.

You scream out at the pain, pulling you scalp. A heavy fist has gripped your hair, yanking the strands hardly and then a voice is in your ear. "I'll blast a hole in your head if you move a muscle." The voice growled near your ear as he tightens his grip on your hair. Your cried our in pain and he just tugged harder, you bit back the second cry as hot tears rolled down your face.

His arm grabbed your hand and forced you to your feet, perking you to face the way he wanted. He kicked the back of your knees forcing you to kneel in front of a man. Tugging your head back as he allowed you to stare at the man clearly responsible for this entire plot.

Fear stuck you as a cold, malicious smile stretched across his heavily scarred face. His eye was like flat steel. No luster or shine to its grey depths. A scar cut through his left eye and down his cheek, going all the way down to his mouth. Burn scars were also intermingled on his face.

His eye itself was an ugly milky color, it held no pupil or iris. On the right side of his face three long jagged scars could be seen stretching from his ear down to his chin. Little tremors went through your body. This man had an overwhelming presence and the sense of evil wrapped around him like a cloak.

"Well, well, well if it isn't the little princess. Your father was careful to hide you away from me. Protecting his biggest weakness. I must say I do admire him for that."

In contrast to his appearance his voice was smooth, a slight rasp clung to his words. Whatever had attacked and scarred him had obviously affected his vocal cords. He worked it to his advantage, speaking in a way that soothed you on the surface. Even if his words were unsettling or foul.

He reached for you, his fingers and thumb just barely brushing your face when a loud caw shattered the silence. With the bird cry black and red mist began pouring into the wide space and the air got heavy. As if gravity itself was pushing down on everyone and everything in the room. The mist covered and hid everything in its path. Blinking you realized you couldn't see the man in front of you.

A deep, suave, sexy voice seemed to come from no where as helped had seemed to arrive. "It seems you did not learn your lesson. I don't mind teaching it to you agiain, Osric." The mist wrapped around him, holding him still. Footsteps tapped across the floor, the occasional sloosh as he stepped in a puddle. Your body shuddered, knowing exactly what liquid he stood in.

It took a few minutes before you realized that the man who had been gripping your hair was no longer touching you, or even anywhere near you.

The mist began swirling into the center of the room, right next to you. Looking into the mist you could just make out a tall silhouette. As rapidly as the mist had spread it was now retreating.

A tall well built man was standing right beside you. Silver hair carefully styled. Red eyes piercing and promising danger. The right one seemed to be glowing.

"You have some guts, touching something of mine, I don't take kindly to thievery. The man, Osric, was hoisted into the air with the mist. He gasped and sputtered clawing at the mist to no avail.

Two men appeared by your side then. One offered his hand, bit you hesitate. Both are wearing black crow masks with subtle red lines on the face of the mask and a red tipped beak. Two red horns poke through the hoods they wear and a gold ring is on one of them. The two are slim and tall, you can tell nothing of their appearance. Clothing and masks make it impossible to discern any identifying features.

The first guy is still holding his hand out to you, he seems neither impatient nor upset that you haven't accepted it yet. Finally seeing no consequence to taking his offered hand you lightly place your palm in his. He gently but firmly grasps your hand and assists you in standing. He let's go after you are steady on your feet and positions himself at your side. The second does the same on your right. Like they are bodyguards.

"Screw you Sylus"! Osric sputters out, still trying to break free of the mist. His fingers are bloody from his efforts to free himself. "Luke, Kieran, see to it that she comes to no harm." The silver haired man says as he squeezes his hand. The mist constricts around Osric further cutting of his air flow completely.

One of the two lightly grabs your arm and spins you around just as a sickening crunch reaches your ears. This kind of thing happened a lot here. Those with power ruled over the weak. It was nothing new.

You had long grown accustomed to the way Sylua dealt with traitors and rats. He did not tolerate disloyalty and gave no second chances.

The events of your parents 25th anniversary party had happened five years ago. You often wondered how your life would have gone if you had never accepted his hand when he gave it. Your father had been supplying weapons to Sylus' organization for years. He'd apparently stuck some kind of deal with Sylus, that had involved your protection.

Sylus had married you, per your father's request and now he owned almost half of your family business. Haven acquired your mother and father's shares. He'd left yours to you.

At first you'd been absolutely terrified of him. His aura radiated danger, almost like he was a living grim reaper. He so often came back to the manor covered in blood. The twins were his direct subordinates. They followed his every command quickly and without hesitation. But at least they had a personality and could provide a sense of calm.

It had taken almost a year before you could approach Sylus without feeling nervous. You hadn't been able to understand your fear of him. He'd posed no restrictions on you, didn't make any ridiculous demands and had never threatened you with harm of any kind.

The turning point had been the day he'd come home injured and concern over his bleeding wounds had overrode the fear. Despite his insistence that he didn't need any first aide treatment, Sylus had not pushed you away or tried to stop you from cleaning his wounds.

After that he began spending time with you and talked to you. Before you knew it you looked forward to when he would come home and just talk to you for awhile. These little gestures and act of kindness had resonated in your heart and little by little you felt yourself falling for him.

He'd granted your request to be touched by him and he spent a night with you. Thinking that he too had given his heart to you, you lived your days believing that he loved you back. That was until she appeared.

In an instant his entire demeanor changed. He made her his top priority. Spending any and all time he had with her. Most nights he didn't even come to your room anymore. His side of the bed was often unspent in.

You hadn't officially met her yet, only seen her in passing. She was beautiful. Long dark hair hung in neat and straight lengths down to her very slender waist. Piercing eyes almost the shade of jade framed by thick dark lashes. She was on the shorter side, even you were taller than she was. This woman held some kind of connection with your husband and the knowledge that your place was very quickly being stripped away gnawed at you from the inside.

Wandering aimlessly through the manor one day you discovered the ladder that lead up to the roof. Even though it was cold outside, you still sat there on the roof. Wondering how long it would be before you were forgotten completely.

Despite the cold and the swirling snow, you dozed off hugging your arms to your sides. What seemed like minutes later you were woken up by a piercing light. The sun was beginning to sting your eyelids, squinting against the harsh glare of the sun's first rays of the day, you tried to sit up straight. Your whole body was numb and cold. It took several minutes to rub feeling back into your fingers.

Carefully moving away from the edge of the roof you stood up. Your legs shook from the movement. Having been in the same position for too long, they had gone to sleep.

You did some light stretches and gradually the shaking and numbing little stings subsided and you felt more sure on your feet.

Finally you made your way to the roof latch, having left it open all night there was a pile of snow at the base of the ladder and it was freezing cold to the touch.

You descended the ladder and walked around the manor. It was quiet, most everyone was asleep at this time. Feeling the desire to see Sylus, you turn around and head to his room. He was usually there at this time. You hesitate at the door. Whenever you'd come to his room he was usually accompanying you.

Just as your about to knock, a voice addresses you from behind. "He's not here, Sylus went out for work. I've been waiting for him to return since last night." Turning around, you see that woman. Feeling angry for a reason you can't quite grasp, you turn around

and storm by her. Purposely bumping into her on the way by. She stumbles but you keep going.

Your sour mood lingers throughout the day killing any appetite oyi might have had. Your wandering leads you back to the roof and you sit in the same spot from the night before.

From your spot on the roof, you can hear his motorcycle approach the manor and you sit their contemplating what to do. Finally after another two hours you head back to his room. When you get there the door is adjacent and you silently push it open. You feel your heart stop.

There on the bed is Sylus on top of her. She's pinned down and it's very obvious what is going on. His naked back is to you and her equally naked leg is wrapped around his waist. Their kiss is intense that you feel your heart break. His hand is twined with hers and pinned above her head. You back away and run down the hall and go to the roof.

Hot tears are streaming down your face as you realized that Sylus had never loved you. He'd just been indulging you for the last several years because you were useful. He could even hate you for all you knew. The one he truly loved was currently tangled with him on his bed.

You feel your heart break further as you realize that with no family or friends you have nothing. You had only ever been useful to Sylus because of you family's business. That was not love and never could be.

You cry yourself to sleep on the roof again, completely defenseless and unaware of the eyes watching you. When you wake up again, there's a dull ache in your head and a ferocious growl in your stomach, but you have no desire to eat or even move.

You sit there watching the stars for what seemed like days. Eventually the sky begins to lighten as the sun begins its ascent across the sky. You continue to sit, even as heavy clouds roll in. Another snowfall is coming, you remembered from the weeks forecast you had read a few days ago. But still you don't move.

It's only when the wind cuts through you, chilling you to the bone that you get up. Once again you rub feeling back into your frozen limbs and head down the ladder. You avoid your room and his. Just the thought of sleeping in a bed you had shared with him makes your stomach turn. Your entire body burns with the feeling if betrayal, but you can neither act on it or alleviate it. The feeling simmers in your stomach driving away the need for food.

Eventually you end up on the couch. The warmth from the fire burning in the hearth slowly warms you up and a drowsy feeling over comes you. Stretching out and pulling the throw down over you, you manage to drift off into a restless sleep.

After what feels like minutes, your body is shaken awake. It's that woman again, hate burns through your veins. You want to tear her apart and rip her to shreds. You glare at everything.

"Hey, the cook said you didn't eat dinner. So I brought you some food" She offers the plate to you. It's all your favorite things. A light fruit salad with beautifully cut fresh fruit and a stack of golden waffles topped with whipped cream and raspberries. Your anger overtakes you and you sit up and shove the plate away from you. She's so surprised at this action that she stumbles back, dropping the plate as she does. The delicate China shatters on the floor as the fruit scattered and the waffles sit there on top of the broken peices.

She looks at you with hurt on her face. "Why did you do that?" She asks just as Sylus enters the room. He looks annoyed at the mess on the floor. Concern overtakes him as he comes closer. Of course none of it is for you, she's the only important one in his eyes. A shard of the plate had bounced of the floor and put a cut on her arm. She had a line of bright red blood blooming out from the slice.

"Did you really think I would accept anything from YOU?" You spit the words at her like venom and stand up. "I know your not so stupid as to be unaware that Sylus is my husband." Your words are as cold as the ice outside. Red blooms across her face as realization strikes her.

You turn to leave the room and just as your about to step into the hall something grabs your arm and yanks you back. Your head whips around and your suddenly face to face with Sylus angry expression.

"She is my guest, you will treat her with respect. Don't lay your hands on her again." You rip your arm from his grasp. "You must think I'm an idiot. She's getting a hell of a lot more than hospitality from you. I owe her NOTHING. She is nothing to me but a sneaky slut that wormed her way into a married man's bed. Both of you disgust me." You storm from the room. As you leave, you take notice of the twins. They are also watching you, but you do not care.

You return to your room and begin to make preparations. You're almost certain now that Sylus hates you. "Divorce is pretty much guaranteed." You say out loud to no one. As you look around the room you realize that nothing in it is truly yours. Everything had been given by Sylus after your marriage. "What a joke I am. I must be the biggest idiot in all of the world. I never should have married him. He was a complete stranger. What a fool!" You kick the dresser in anger, the pain just spurs you on.

After ripping the sheets off the bed and throwing them to the floor your anger had only increased. Grabbing the nearest object, your hurl it to the floor. Feeling satisfied as it shatters. You begin throwing things all over the room. In minutes the neat, beautifully decorated room is in shambles. Glass, sheets, books, jewelry, makeup, and nick-nacks are all over the floor. You turn and leave the disaster you made, making sure to slam the door as hard as you can on your way out. The paintings on the wall tremble from the force.

You storm through the manor headed for the stairs again. You don't recognize the lightheaded woozy feeling that has over come you and you feel dizzy as you reach the ladder that goes to the roof. Halfway up, your foot slips. Before you fall, in a burst of adrenaline you manage to grab the ladder securely. Your heart is beating out of your chest as you cling to the rungs. "That was too close," you mutter taking deep, steady breaths.

Undeterred, you climb the ladder anyway, resolute in seeking peace on the roof once more. It takes a lot more effort to climb up than it had in previous climbs. Your huffing and puffing by the time you manage to get up.

As you walk to the ledge and glance at the snow covered ground below, you realize something is off. The footsteps in the snow are not yours and since it had been snowing for hours, the ones from earlier would have long since been hidden under more snow.

You whirl around ad your mind screams danger. You hands fumble through your layers of clothing to grab the knife you always kept with you. It was a custom blade and designed to attach to your bra. Although it was small, it was very sharp and could easily cut and stab in defense. As your hand manages to grab the handle a figure appears from the top of the roof. He easily jumps down to where you are.

"To think that the infamous wife of Onychinus' boss would be so easy to get to. No bodyguard?" He asks in a taunting tone. The man is dressed head to foot in black. His entire body is covered save for his eyes. Black as a blank night sky and soulless. He points a gun at you. "Drop the knife, or I'll put a bullet in you right here." He says his finger twitching on the trigger.

Having been taught how to fight from a small age, you fein dropping the knife as he moves closer. Just as he's within reach you spin it around and drive it into his upper arm. Unfortunately he was prepared for your tricks and fires the gun. The bullet burries itself deep into your thigh. You cry out and collapse to the ground clutching the wound. Blood seeps between your fingers and down your leg. Falling upon the snow.

"You're going to regret that." The man says as he pulls the blade out of his arm and flings it to the ground. He reaches out and grabs you. You're enveloped in a blinding light and then everything fades away. Sight, sound, and feeling are gone.

It feels like you're floating in darkness for a long time. You struggle to move, bit something is restricting you're movements. A rattling sound is the first thing you can hear as your senses come flooding back. The pain slams into you again and you groan. You realize that you've been blindfolded with a thick cloth.

"She's finally awake. I would really like to know about that blade she stabbed you with. It really did a number on your arm. It must have been very sharp.

"Shut up and just do your job. The boss needs information and she's going to have it. He said do whatever it takes to get it out of her. Just don't kill her." A gleeful cackle made you shudder and then footsteps came closer to you.

"Darkness makes the pain more intense. You will tell me what we want to know." The man says and then you can hear metal being moved around. Your heart begins to race. There is nothing for you to tell them. Sylus had always made sure that you knew nothing of his business and plans. You had only ever overseen the production of weapons. You didn't know their purpose or intended use.

"I imagine I'll get away with it if I do kill you though. Osric was his brother just so you know. Boss has a personal grudge to pick with you and Sylus. This is going to be delicious. Let's begin. We'll start with something easy." He said and then you could feel him standing at your side.

Hours had passed since the torture had begun, but no matter what question he asked the result was the same. You didn't know.

He had tried a variety of methods to break you. The first had been pulling you fingernails our. It had been excruciating and you nearly passed out several times. The he had tried whipping you. Your back was a raw bloody mess from all the cuts. That had made you pass out. His ways of waking you up again were resolute. Dumping ice water on you seemed to do the trick.

Your mind felt like it was going to snap if this went on much longer. Your voice was raspy and hoarse from the hours of screaming and crying. At first you had tried to hold back, but this maniac had taken it as a challenge. Several times he had said you were boring him with your instant responses.

"You're n-not going to-o get any.. anything fro-om me. I have nothing to tell. Even if I wanted to." This was not the first time you had said those words. It's just they fell on deaf ears. "Ju-just kill me al-ready. I I'm useless to yo-ou. He-e doesn't ca-are about me. Ju-just end it already. I-I don't kn-ow anything." This went on for days. You knew time was passing but you had no idea how much until finally a different person entered the room.

"Boss is fed up with you. He wants to know why she hasn't spilled her guts yet. He's tired of waiting for what he wants to know. Can't believe three days and she hasn't cracked once." His voice sounded disappointed and uninterested.

You'd lost count of all the methods they had tried to get you to speak. Several times you had begged him to just kill you but he'd only laughed in response. Sleep had been allowed a few times and sips of water had been given.

They had never removed your blindfold, and you were glad that you could not see what had been done to you. Even if you could feel every injury, being able to see them would have made it ten times worse.

Just as he was getting ready to start again, the door was blasted open. It sounded like it had been ripped right off the hinges. Chaos ensued with whatever had cause the door to explode, and the man started yelling.

"Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?" Crashes followed the words, and then a guttural sputter followed. Seconds later, you felt hands touching you, and you flinched, thinking that more pain would follow. To your surprise, the restraints on your arms and legs were removed, and then someone was carefully helping you sit up. A pair of hands touched the blindfold and then dim light hit your eyes. You screwed them shut feeling that it was painful.

Every part of your body hurt. Stinging and burning sensations were running rampant all over and you just wanted it to end. "We need to move." A familiar voice said in your ear. You open your eyes, ignoring the pain from the light and look at the voice. To your complete surprise Luke and Kieran are by your side.

"We've come to get you. Boss is so angry. I don't want to stick around here." The twins had their usual care free attitude as they watched you. "Why?" You asked looking at the pair. You could sense their confusion. "What do you mean why? You're Boss's wife. Of course he will take back what is his." One of them said as the other drapped a blanket over you and then carefully picked you up.

You grimaced and tried not to show the pain. "M-my leg is broken." You managed to get out between gritted teeth and gasps. They said nothing as they took you out the door.

Having never seen any of the place you were in, you were surprised at the twisting hallways and maze like route that you were taking. But the twins seemed undeterred and walked quickly. Before long there was a heavy metal door in front of you. It was all dented and it looked like an explosion had hit it. The door was already adjar and upon further investigation, you notice that it's hanging off the hinges.

Walking down another short hallway you come up into a large room. With a start you realize that blood is everywhere and there are bodies scattered through out the room. At the front leaning against a table is Sylus. He looks irritated and he has blood spattered on his face. He stands up straight when he sees you and the twins. His gaze hardens as he looks you over.

"Why did you come?" He looks at you blankly, his face giving nothing away. He just looks at you like he's staring right through you.

"Did you ever, even for one second love me?" You ask after several tense minutes go by. He still says nothing. Feeling the unsaid confirmation of what you had thought to be true now a reality you close your eyes against the tears.

A minute later and you open them again. "I am over this. I just want it to end. I don't care about anything anymore. I no longer want anything as I also posses nothing. You can have it all. I just want it to end." After letting go you feel like a weight has fallen off your shoulders. All the hate and resentment you'd felt several days ago has disappeared.

"Take her to the manor and contact the dr." Sylus finally says after many moments. The twins immediately move out. Despite their best efforts you get jostled several times and the pain makes you pass out. You surrender to unconsciousness, thankful to escape for however short a time it will last.

Over the next several months you are confined to bed to allow you injuries to heal. The scarring isn't as bad as you had though it would be, but it extends over most of your arms legs and back. The whip scars will never disappear and serve as a constant reminder to never show your back to anyone.

Eventually the day arrives that the dr tells you all of you injuries have healed and he discharges you from his care. Eight months have passed since that day and finally you are back on your feet. Having packed a bag with a few sets of clothes you grab the strap and the papers you had asked for a few days ago.

Without hesitation you go to Sylus' office and open the door. He is sitting at his desk reading some documents. You walk over and set two things down. One of them reads Transfer of Assets and the other says Annulment of Marriage. Placing a pen on top of it you say resolute "sign them and then you'll never see me again." You take a step back and wait.

He sets the papers down and looks at what you have placed on his desk with a raised eyebrow. "What is this?" You inwardly sigh. "Sinc you do not love me and I have no desire to play second fiddle to anyone else I am not staying. Clearly there is no place for me here. This is to repay the treatment I was given. You owe me nothing and I owe you nothing." You're confidant that with relinquishing your rights to your family's business and everything you endured being at his side will more than repay him.

He appears to be lost in thought as he reads over the papers. "You really want nothing in return?" The only thing you had asked for in the divorce agreement was that he not seek you out and that your paths never cross again. You nod and finally he moves to sign them. You turn on your heel and walk out of the door, out of his manor. This corrupt part of the city and out of his life forever.

A sense of peace washes over you as you get into your car and turn the ignition. Ready to begin your own life.

****************************************************

And thus ends another one. I did make some tweaks to the original plot line I was given because it flowed better in this way. I do hope you don't mind. I stuck to what you gave me as much as possible. I hope you enjoyed this one

Tag list:

@tom-pls-fuck-me

@barbuse @mariposa666haruka @cosmocup1d @xthefuckerysquaredx @bokerayboke

@ellieevu @prettytemis @bananagoesbonkers4 @dreamerwasfound @sweet2wth

@tanspostsblog @linxiajei17 @jeondyy @alexatiu

[cutieln4]

Fuck It I Love You | LN4

lando norris x reader, enemies to lovers, angst, fluff

summary: lando and y/n seem to absolutely hate each other until a dangerous situation reveals the truth

warnings: drink spiking, threats of sexual assault (nothing graphic, someone tries to take her home)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For some reason, Lando and her never got along. It stemmed from when they were karting together, all the way until they both got to Formula 1.

Now, at ages 21 and 23, they drove for rival teams and were always going wheel to wheel.

Monza wasn't any different.

Max and Charles were far in front, but she and Lando were fighting over the last podium place. They were switching back and forth until on the last lap, she maybe pushed him a bit too far on one of the last corners, securing 3rd place.

He approached her when she was making her way back from the post-race press conference, on her way to the media pen.

"What the fuck was that?" he demanded.

She shrugged, smirking. "Not quite sure what you're talking about."

"Oh don't play dumb. That was dirty racing on the last lap and you know it."

"I don't see how it's any different from what you did to me in Austria, or last year at Silverstone."

She could see his jaw clench, and she knew she got him.

"Maybe keep your talking on the track," she told him before he could reply, walking away.

That night she was at the club celebrating with a couple of the other drivers. She was pretty close with Max, Charles, Oscar, and Daniel. It made things a bit awkward with them when she and Lando were really going at it because they were all good friends with Lando too. But whatever, it was mostly fine.

She had been dancing and throwing back drinks until she forgot about her and Lando's feud. She's also pretty sure the other drivers got some embarrassing videos of her. Her current drink was eventually empty and she stumbled away to the bar, not telling anyone.

She waved the bartender over to ask for another drink, tipping them $20. If it weren't for the alcohol in her system, she would've flinched when a man suddenly appeared at her side. It was crowded by the bar, and he was pressing right against her.

"Hey baby, let me buy you a drink."

"That's alright, I already have one," she politely declined, hoping he would just leave her alone.

"Oh come on, don't be like that honey."

She twisted her neck around to try to spot the other drivers and when she did, she grabbed her drink and left. The man luckily didn't follow.

Halfway through her drink, she started noticing that something was wrong. Her head was spinning way more than it should be, she was sweating like crazy, nauseous, and her body felt heavy.

"I'm going to the bathroom," she slurred out to Max before stumbling away.

She didn't make it far before she was grabbing onto the wall to keep herself up. She knew at the moment that something was terribly wrong. She most likely had her drink spiked, and now she was separated from her group and incapacitated.

A hand grabbed her arm and she looked up. Her vision was too blurry to make out any features, but she knew it wasn't one of the drivers.

"You okay, babe? Let me help you."

"N-No, m' good, leav' me 'lone."

She tried to escape his grip, but she could barely move, her strength was completely gone. The man wrapped his whole arm around her waist, supporting her as he walked her out of the club while she tried to protest.

The cold, fresh air felt good when it hit her, but then she remembered what situation she was in. The man was dragging her along more roughly now.

"Stop, 'lease, I don' wanna go with you," her pleading sounded more and more like pathetic whimpers falling on unheard ears.

He just kept walking down the street, gripping her so hard there'd probably be bruises.

"Don't, please, leave me 'lone," she whined, eyes welling up with tears as she tried to escape his grip again.

He suddenly shoved her face-first into a building, rough concrete scraping her arms and face, and she fell to the ground.

"Shut up and don't move!" he hissed.

He yanked her back up and dragged her along.

"No, no, please, stop," she cried, nearly sobbing. She was scared, she couldn't feel anything, and she was completely separated from anyone she knew while some strange man was leading her somewhere.

"Hey!" another voice suddenly yelled, about 5 meters behind them. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Whoever this person was, they sounded pissed.

"Nothing man, mind your business," the man next to her said.

"No, I won't mind my fucking business. Let go of her before I smash your face in."

The man scoffed, trying to continue walking.

"I warned you," the other man said before suddenly she fell to the ground and she heard a thud of skin-on-skin contact, before a groan.

She was on the ground, leaning her back against the wall while her head drooped to the side. She couldn't see much, but she could hear the punching continue.

"Stop, stop, man, I'm sorry!"

"Oh yeah? Did you listen to her when she asked you to stop?"

Eventually, it went quiet, and there were footsteps in her direction. The man who saved her crouched down in front of her and put his hands on her cheeks, supporting her head. It was then that her vision cleared up a bit, and she realized who the person was.

"Lando?" she asked, voice slurring.

"Yeah, it's me. I got you."

She started sobbing, trembling hands gripping his jacket as he wrapped her in a hug, letting her cry into his chest.

"Shh, it's okay, I'm here. It's okay, you're safe now," he whispered to her as he rubbed her back.

"I-I was so, so scared," she cried.

"I know, I know. I got you."

Lando then used one hand to fish out his phone, calling the police. They waited while the police showed up, him trying to keep her awake.

When the police arrived, one of the officers arrested the unconscious man on the ground while the other rode with them in the ambulance to take their statements. Y/n never let go of Lando's hand once.

The hospital kept her overnight for observation after making sure whatever drug she was spiked with wasn't lethal, and collecting evidence and taking pictures of her injuries. She had finally given in to unconsciousness, and Lando was sitting next to her, holding her hand.

It was only when everything was a little settled down that he saw that she had nearly 100 missed calls from various drivers. Shit, he forgot about that.

He opened up his phone and called Daniel.

"Hey, man I can't talk right now," Daniel said right away, sounding panicked.

"Hold on—"

"Actually, do you by chance know where Y/n is?"

"Yeah, about that, I'm in the hospital—"

"What? What happened? Are you okay?"

"Can you let me finish my sentence? I'm with Y/n. She was drugged and I saw her on the street. Some man was dragging her with him, and she was clearly asking him to leave her alone. Anyway, she's a little banged up, but she's okay, nothing happened. They're just keeping her overnight for observation."

Daniel let out a big sigh of relief, said something to someone next to him, and then turned back to the phone.

"Thank fuck, we've been trying to find her for hours. Thank you, Lando, seriously. I can't imagine if you hadn't been there. What hospital is she at?"

After telling him where they were, he hung up. 

Lando sighed, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes as he reflected on what the hell just happened. 

Y/n shifted in front of him, and he immediately sat up straight. 

"Lando?" she mumbled, voice hoarse and still half-asleep. 

"Yeah, it's me. I'm here. Do you remember what happened?"

She paused, but then her face crumpled, and she nodded. 

"It's okay, it's okay, don't cry," he soothed. 

"You saved me. I thought you would've just let him take me."

Lando's eyebrows furrowed, stomach twisting just at the thought.

"Why would you think that?"

"You hate me," she muttered, eyes looking down. 

"I don't," he paused, hesitating. "I don't hate you at all. I...I didn't plan on ever telling you this, but I really like you. You're funny, you're witty, you're kind, you're fearless, you never back down from a challenge, and I love all those things about you. And I know you probably want nothing to do with me and you hate my guts, but I just need to get it off my chest―"

"―Lando, just shut up and kiss me. I like you too, idiot."

Lando grinned, showing the gap between his front two teeth that she always loved, and leaned down to connect their lips. 

"Do you think people would get suspicious if we stopped being mean to each other?" he asked.

"Probably. We should just hard launch."

"I don't think our PR teams would appreciate that."

Later, when Daniel made it to the hospital, he was extremely surprised to see the two of them cuddled up together. He just had to take a picture.

[triptuckers]

feels like home - tyler owens x reader

Request: nope Pairing: tyler owens x reader Summary: after years, tyler is back in his home town. so much has changed, yet everything is the same Warnings: some swearing, mentions of a slight panic attack, there's a tornado (surprise!), some angst, thats it I think?? Word count: 2.5K A/N: I know nothing about tornadoes. I do know if glen powell asked me to go storm chasing with him I wouldn't hesitate. also running on literally 7% left of my battery but fuck it we roll!! enjoy!

It’s spring. Tyler’s favorite season. During this time of year, it’s peak tornado season. It’s when he’s in his element, doing what he loves.

He’s driving across the U.S. with his loyal crew, chasing the tornadoes wherever they go. And always, inevitably, he ends up in his hometown. It’s a small town, right in the middle of tornado alley. 

Over the years, the people had started building their homes with stronger foundations that could withstand tornadoes better. Every year, there was still a lot of damage, but less than before. Most families had lived there for generations, and didn’t have any plans to move. 

When Tyler pulls up to the local bar, his crew is energized and happy. They’d just finished chasing a rather intense tornado, and everyone is still high on adrenaline. They’re going out for drinks before going to bed, as tomorrow’s weather forecast showed good chances of another tornado.

Little did Tyler know, someone he knows very well has also picked tonight to go out for drinks.

You’re sitting at your usual table with a friend, blowing off some steam after a long day. You like the bar. Everyone knows each other, the bartenders know your drink order and always have it ready for you before you can even order it.

It’s one of the things you missed the most while you were away; the kindness of the small town. You know everyone here, and you always help each other out. Especially during tornado season.

When Tyler steps in the crowded bar, he instantly spots a few familiar faces. Old neighbors, childhood friends, friends of his parents. Then his eyes land on you. His breath hitches in his throat as he watches you laugh at something your friend says. He had no idea you were back.

You look up when you see a group of people approaching you from afar. That’s when you see him. Exactly how you remember him, only a little older and with a belt buckle that says “tornado wrangler”. But you’d known him long before he called himself that.

You and Tyler had dated all throughout college, when you were both studying meteorology. Everyone knew you and while most couples broke up during college, you and Tyler stayed together.

But then Tyler started chasing tornadoes and you moved to a bigger city to enroll in an advanced PhD program. You agreed to part ways. It just felt too difficult to still be in a relationship when the two of you were always away.

But you never stopped loving him. You still watch all of his videos. And you don’t know it, but he reads all of your research articles.

He’s walking up to you now, and you forget you’re in a crowded bar with a friend. You don’t pay attention to the people he brought with him.

You smile warmly at him. ‘Hey, Ty.’

‘Oh, I wouldn’t do that, lady.’ says one of Tyler’s friends. ‘He hates when people call him Ty.’ 

He looks at Tyler, expecting him to say something snarky or mean to you, but he’s got a soft smile on his face.

‘Hey y/n.’ he says. ‘Still around, huh?’

‘Still around. I moved back after graduation. Even though people in a small town can be a handful sometimes, with everyone knowing everything about everyone, it’s still home.’

‘Yeah, it is.’ says Tyler.

Suddenly a few women approach Tyler, stealing him away from your conversation. Apparently, word got out the tornado wrangler is in town, and everyone wants to talk to him.

Tyler waves at you before taking off.

You’re looking at him as he walks away, and your friend nudges you.

‘I thought you guys broke up?’

‘We did. He went to go storm chasing, and I wanted to study more. It just wasn’t practical to stay together.’

‘But you still love him.’

You turn to look at your friend. ‘I never said I stopped loving him.’

‘So… kind of like right person, wrong time?’

‘Yeah, I guess.’

‘What are you waiting for then? He’s here now, go talk to him!’

‘Nah, he’s too busy with his crew. It was nice to see him though.’

You spend the rest of your evening chatting with your friend. You try to focus on the conversation and to not let your mind wander off to Tyler. He really looked good. And his crew looked like they are fun to hang out with. 

When it’s getting late, you walk over to the bar to pay for your drinks. You say goodbye to your friend and head out to the parking lot. 

You see Tyler and his crew standing around his red pick-up truck. They’re laughing and sharing a drink. Tyler spots you and waves at you from where he’s sitting on the hood of his car. You wave back as you get in your own truck. 

‘Tell me, who is she?’ says Boone, pulling Tyler from his throughs as he watches you drive off.

Before Tyler can answer, Lilly starts listing off possible answers. ‘Secret fiancée? High school sweetheart? Admirer? Girl you went on three dates with and then left?’ she counts on her fingers.

‘No, none of that.’ says Tyler.

‘Definitely looks like a high school sweetheart. She’s your age, from around here. I bet you two grew up together.’

Tyler sighs. They’re not gonna let this go. And since they’re all going storm chasing tomorrow, they’re probably going to annoy him about it until he answers them.

‘We did grow up together. She was not my high school sweetheart, more like my college sweetheart. We broke up when I became a chaser.’

‘Let me guess, she always called you Ty?’ says Boone.

Tyler smiles at the memory. ‘She did.’

‘Ohhh my boy is whipped!’ says Boone, giving Tyler a playful shove. 

‘Oh, fuck off, Boone. That’s all in the past. She probably has someone waiting for her at home.’

But you didn’t.

You hadn’t really dated anyone after your breakup with Tyler.

Sure, you’d been on a few dates people had set you up with. But somehow, it never felt right. It never felt like it did while you were with Tyler. Loving Tyler was just so easy. Like you were always meant to find each other.

When he walked in that bar earlier tonight, he looked different. Older, sure. But also very handsome. You could tell he loved being a chaser. You wish you could’ve talked more with him, just the two of you.

The next morning when you wake up, it’s much earlier than you would have liked. You didn’t have any plans today and wanted to sleep in. As you lay in bed, you hear the rain slam against the window. You’re used to it, and it usually doesn’t wake you up. 

But as the rain starts to get heavier, you hear the wind is picking up as well. You knew there was a tornado warning for this morning, but it wasn’t for your town. The tornado was supposed to move away from you. 

That’s when you hear the siren. It’s almost part of your routine, it’s so familiar. You’re quick to get out bed, grabbing your phone. As you race downstairs to get to your shelter, you pull up the weather map. Which shows the tornado going straight for the main street of town. Fuck.

You hastily pull on your boots and open the backdoor to your garden, which is where your shelter is. You run toward it, the wind whipping in your face and the rain soaking your clothes in seconds. 

It takes a lot of strength to open the shelter doors with the wind threatening to slam them closed again. Finally, you make it inside after nearly falling down the stairs. You close the doors and bolt them. 

Now all that’s left for you to do is wait until the tornado is gone. You switch on the tiny light and pull out a blanket. There’s not much here except for some canned food. If Tyler saw this, you just know he’d immediately go to the store to get more supplies “just in case”. 

Thinking of him, you pull out your phone. You’re thinking about calling him, when you notice you have no service. The tornado must have already done a lot of damage. 

Meanwhile, Tyler is in the of the storm, near the tornado. They’re ready to get some great shots, but something changes. 

The tornado was supposed to head east and then die out, but it’s too slow. Tyler squints his eyes, looking at it. It’s almost as if it’s getting closer again. 

He realizes what’s happening at the same time Boone yells ‘It’s turning around!’

And he’s right. The tornado is heading west again. And Tyler knows what’s there. His hometown. Your hometown.

‘Oh, fuck.’ he says. He prays that you’re safe. He knows you’re smart, you’re probably inside the shelter by now. But he still worries.

They wait out the tornado before driving back to the town, prepared to help in any way they can. Debris is scattered throughout the streets. People walk around, helping each other or trying to salvage what’s left of their possessions in the rubble of the houses. 

Ever since they got back, Tyler has been trying to call you. You’re not picking up. He’s desperately telling himself you know the protocols. Hell, you’ve lived in tornado alley your entire life. You’re probably taking inventory of the damage on your property right now. 

Meanwhile, you’ve been listening to the storm outside. It’s all quiet now, you don’t hear any rain or wind, or sirens. You climb up the stairs and push open the doors. Except they don’t open. You check all the hinges, which are all still secure in place. Then why won’t the doors open?

You walk back down the stairs as you slowly start to panic. There’s probably debris blocking the doors. You have no cell service. Everyone is busy with their own houses. How long would it take for someone to find you?

You’re trying desperately to stay calm. People will find you eventually, right? But soon the tears are streaming down your face. You’d been in this shelter before, but it’s terrifying when you can’t open the door and all you have is a dim light, some canned food, a blanket and a phone without service.

Tyler’s crew is helping the people in town. But he gets increasingly more worried when you won’t pick up a single of his phone calls. 

Lilly notices his worried glances at his phone while she’s handing out food to people. ‘Tyler.’ 

He looks up at her. Lilly jerks her head to his truck. ‘Go see if she’s alright. You know where she lives, right?’

Tyler nods. 

‘Go. We’ve got it here.’ says Lilly.

He takes a quick look around. Lilly is right, his crew can handle it here. He just really needs to know if you’re okay. 

There’s too much debris on the road, so Tyler ditches his truck and walks the rest of the way. He could walk this route with his eyes closed. The longer he walks, the more destruction he sees and the more the uneasy feeling in his chest grows.

What if you were somewhere buried in the rubble of your house and he never got a chance to ask you if you wanted to try again? To see if you still had that spark you had when you were younger? He knew you wouldn’t let him go that easily. It had hurt you both when you broke up. And seeing you again, it reminded him of all the time you had spent together during college.

When he finally gets to your house, he sees it’s mostly still intact. The walls are still standing, but the roof needs fixing. Most of your windows are broken and a tree had fallen on your truck.

Tyler rushes to the front door, which is hanging off its hinges. He quickly enters your house.

‘y/n? y/n! Where are you?’

When you don’t respond, he tries calling you again. 

‘Come on, pick up, pick up.’ he mutters. Still no answer. Damn it.

Where would you go during a tornado? He’s forcing his mind to stop spinning out of control so he can think logically. Then he remembers you have a shelter in your backyard. How could he forget? He even helped you stock it in case something like this happened.

He runs through your messy living room, pieces of broken glass crunching underneath his boots. When he gets outside, he sees your shed – or what’s left of it – on top of the doors to your shelter.

‘y/n!’ he yells again, running toward the shelter.

You faintly hear a voice yelling your name. You briefly think you’re actually going insane at that point. Your panicked mind is making this up because it knows Tyler gives you a feeling of safety. Tyler isn’t here, he’s most likely outside still chasing the damn tornado. There’s no way he’d be here.

‘y/n are you in there? Give me a shout if you can hear me!’

But that’s unmistakably his voice. You hear sounds outside near the door.

‘Ty?’ you say quietly. 

‘Come on! Are you in there?’

‘Ty!’ you say, louder this time.

Outside, Tyler lets out a big sigh of relief as he continues to draw away the debris from the doors of your shelter.

Finally, he can see the handle of one of the doors and yanks it open. 

You squint your eyes at the sudden sunlight. Your eyes are quick to adjust, and they land on Tyler.

Standing there, breathing heavily, looking at you and holding out his hand for you to take.

‘Ty..’ you say softly. Fresh tears start to run down your cheeks as you take his hand and allow him to pull you out of the shelter. 

He pulls you against his chest, one hand coming around your back and the other on the back of your head, holding you against him.

You allow yourself to get lost in the familiar feeling. Tyler still wears the same cologne, and you still fit perfectly in his arms. God, you missed him.

‘I was so scared.’ you mumble. 

‘I know, sweetheart, I know.’ says Tyler.

He pulls back slightly so he can look you in the eye. ‘Are you hurt?’ he asks.

You shake your head. ‘I got to the shelter as soon as I heard the sirens, like you taught me.’

Tyler smiles at you. ‘You did good.’

‘I brought my phone but there was no service and then I couldn’t open the door and I-‘

‘y/n.’ says Tyler, cutting you off. ‘You’re alright. I got you out.’

‘Thank you.’ you say, burying your head in his chest once more.

The two of you stand there for a while. You both need this right now.

‘Ty?’ you say.

He hums in response. 

‘Please don’t leave again.’

He presses a kiss to the top of your head.

‘I’m never leaving you again, sweetheart.’

A/N:If you want to request something, make sure to read my house rulesHere’s the list of characters I write for. Everything that I have written can be found on my masterlist. Please don’t repost, steal or translate my work, as I spend much time and effort on it!! Thank you for reading! Much love,Marit