#like mutally pining boys

[buddierecs]

jealous!evan buckley buddie fics

all of these are general audience, teen and up or not rated (no smut) make sure to kudos/comment on these amazing works :)

woke up the girl who looked just like you, i almost said your name by: rarakiplin "five times eddie dates a guy a little too similar to buck, and one time he dates the real deal." word count: 8.9k important tags: 5+1 things, crack, getting together, outsider pov, evan buckley pov you were my versailles at night by: 13zepptrazz "five times buck bites his tongue, and the one time he lets himself exhale." word count: 9.1k important tags: mutual pining, soft!evan buckley, found family, eddie/ana, angst, fluff, love confessions the thing is by: hideeho "when eddie's friend carlos comes into town to escape a broken heart, eddie has high hopes that he and buck will hit it off and become friends. that’s all he wants, really. two of his favorite people getting along. if he could just get buck to stop glaring." word count: 18k important tags: carlos reyes, oblivious!eddie diaz, miscommunication, healthy male friendships, mutal pining pining and anticipation (i don't want you like a best friend) by: heartbeatdiaz "buck inadvertently challenges eddie to try to hit on him by laughing at the fact that the guy has no game. It ends up being the best thing ever." word count: 3.3k important tags: mutual pining, idiots in love, flirting, love confessions, friends to lovers, fluff and, darling, this is more than i've felt before by: grussell63 "kameron keeps calling eddie buck's husband and it may be time that eddie puts a ring on it." word count: 3k important tags: friends to fiances, getting together, fluff, boys in love the art of making love by: dylaesthetics "buck’s loft gets flooded, making him temporarily move in with eddie, who’s out and about dating guys now, apparently, and buck tries to figure out why the hell the thought makes him sick." word count: 6k important tags: roommates, gay!eddie diaz, friends to lovers, mutual pining, oblivious!evan buckley, getting together, idiots in love baby, i'm jealous by: colormeparanoid "the one in which eddie stays in touch with marjan and buck is more than a little jealous about it" word count: 3.1k important tags: 911 lonestar characters, mutual pining, getting together, flirting, friends to lovers (mis)understanding the assignment by: honestlydarkprincess "five times eddie goes on a date with someone pepa sets him up with and one time he goes out the person he really wants." word count: 12k important tags: 5+1 things, mutual pining, awkward dates, miscommunication, oblivious!evan buckley, fluff, getting together nothing like the rain by: smilingbuckley "at a boys night out, buck can't take watching eddie flirt with someone, so he leaves. but eddie stops him before he can go far away." word count: 1.3k important tags: mutual pining, light angst, arguing, getting together, first kiss

you're ruined my life (by not being mine) by: ummrys "buck gets a little (a lot) jealous of eddie's blossoming friendship with tommy kinard, and makes some bad decisions about it." word count: 2.7k important tags: minor injuries, hurt!eddie diaz, basketball scene, getting together, idiots in love all things go, all things go by: dylaesthetics "eddie comes to terms with the hole in his chest after leaving the 118." word count: 11k important tags: character study, coming out, friends to lovers, therapy, angst, gay!eddie diaz a bottle of rosé by: dylaesthetics "buck is finally ready for eddie. but has he lost his chance?" word count: 10k important tags: friends to lovers, mutual pining, oblivous!evan buckley, gay!eddie diaz, miscommunication, arguing, angst, getting together

[sunshinescribes]

Birthday Boy

Pairing: Trafalgar Law x Fem!Reader

Rating: NONE

Summary: Law doesn’t celebrate his birthday, but even still, you try to show him how much he means to you on his special day.

Warnings: Mutal Pining, Comfort, Fluff, Law is whipped but still bad at feelings, this may be my sappiest fic yet (I love that for Law)

Something feels…different when Law wakes up.

The warmth he remembers when falling asleep is gone; the space occupied by you in his bed now empty. Save for the tousled sheets and slight impression, it’s as if you were never there.

Law is surprised by the disappointment that settles in his chest. This relationship with you is new—complicated in that he isn’t exactly sure how to navigate it or if he’s even doing this right, and a part of him feels like he’s already fucking up. He craves too much—wants too deeply, and yet has so little to offer.

She can’t even stand to stay in the same bed as you, a cruel voice in the back of his mind mocks.

Law sighs, sinking deeper into his mattress as his mind wars with itself. He had been slow to admit his feelings—kept a respectable distance from you the second his heart began to beat irregularly whenever you appeared, or the way his words would get caught in his throat when you attempted to strike up a conversation.

You had been the one to come to him. You would grace him with one of your lovely smiles and laugh at his side while he flipped through his volumes. Sometimes you’d stop him as he made his rounds, asking for a helping hand with the repairs you were making to the Polar Tang.

Those moments only served to make his budding feelings metastasize, making you more lovely with each passing day.

Sometimes you two would even sit in comfortable silence on the deck, enjoying the cool sea breeze as the rest of the crew drank in the fresh air and blinding sun after days in the ocean’s depths.

And then one day, as the sun set over the horizon, you turned to him, bathed in a golden haze, your beautiful eyes alight as you gazed at him, and Law was lost.

He couldn’t stop his less than romantic confession, his words more matter of fact than flattery, but you hadn’t recoiled or looked at him with genuine revulsion as he had expected. You had batted your eyelashes, as flustered and stunned as he was, and then your lips curled into that soft, gorgeous smile.

It had been a long time since he had felt so lucky. So hopeful.  

And now he felt as if his luck was beginning to run out, as it always seemed to do.

“You’re up!��

Your voice breaks through his ruminations, so sudden and surprised that it nearly startles him. Law turns his head, catching sight of you closing the door to his room while your free hand holds something he can’t make out.

You take tentative steps towards him, as if debating what you’re about to do next. Law watches you inquisitively, his golden eyes catching the nervous twitch of your lips.

“I wanted to surprise you,” you mutter, holding out your hand.

Law finally makes out the item in it—a small box wrapped in what looked like his crumbled, forgotten notes.

He casts a curious look your way, but you say nothing. You only wave the box lightly, wordlessly encouraging him to take it.

“What…is it?” he inquires, glancing between you and the mystery package.

You laugh lightly, shrugging your shoulders playfully. “You have to open it and see.”

You take your place back at his side, sinking onto the bed as Law hesitantly peels the makeshift wrapping. A nervous smile plays on your lips as you watch him.

Your heart beats rapidly in your chest, so loud you swear Law can hear it, but he continues to carefully unwrap the box until it’s free of his notes. He stares at the wooden box in the palm of his hand, curious. Slowly, he lifts the lid.

“I know you don’t do birthdays... but I thought you’d like it,” you explain as Law peers inside. He stills; it looks as if he stops breathing for a second, and you panic at the unreadable expression on his face.

Fuck. Shit. FUCK!. He doesn’t like it. Look at his face; he hates it.

Except, that can’t be right. You would be a fool to think you have Law completely figured out; the mask he wears slips, but never fully falls for you—not yet, at least, but what Law doesn’t offer freely, you ascertain.

You had seen the way he had eyed the coin in a tiny shop nestled in the heart of the last town the ship made port in.

You noticed that scarce glint in his eyes, the one that appears when he sees something he truly wants—his eyes always linger—but when you came up beside him to catch a glimpse of the coin that had caught his attention, Law swiftly moved on, explaining that he’d thought he had seen something the crew could use.

You had put that silver tongue of yours to work that day, smiled wide, and batted your eyelashes until the storeowner offered a price for the silver coin that you could reason with.

“Happy Birthday,” you whisper.

Law lifts his gaze to you, blinks for a second until his lips curl into a rare smile. Not the smug sneer he reserves for other pirates and marines—the soft, almost uncertain grin that gets prettier each time you see it, no matter how infrequent.

He whispers his thanks, staring fondly between you and the silver coin. Another for a collection you suspect must be hidden away. In that beloved desk of his, no doubt.

You glance over at it, as if you can will it to expose its secrets (and perhaps more about your tight-lipped lover). Calloused fingers brush against your skin; shift your attention back to Law as he cups your cheek. He tilts your head slightly to the right and leans in.

You are so hopelessly lost—so stupid in love with him, beyond happy to be at his side, to show him just how lovely he is—to care for him in a way that only you can.

You all but whine when Law finally pulls away. You attempt to chase his lips, but he tsks lowly, still cradling your cheek.

If I start, I won’t want to stop, he thinks to himself as he stares down at you, so beautiful and thoughtful and all his. He could kiss you for a lifetime and never grow tired of it—drink the image of you like this until the world fades.

Maybe one day he can, but for now, there’s still work to be done.

"I need to get up…”

And yet Law still holds you, is still a hairbreadth away from your lips.

Your hands settle on his tattooed chest, lightly pushing his lithe body down flat on the bed. Law lets you, equally as dazed, rendered senseless by his infatuation.

You straddle his hips and take in the sight of him beneath you—such a pretty view.

You sigh, your voice is light and sweet as you speak.

“That’s not the only present I want to give you.”

divider credit @/cafekitsune

[touslin]

Intro

The basics:

Name: R

Favourite colour: Red, the blood of angry men.

Gender: trans man

Sexuality: Queer

Musical artists I like:Hozier,Queen,Jack Stauber,Anne Marie,Bastille,Gang of youths,Pig with the face of a boy, David Bowie, the amazing devil

I make moodboards, feel free to request one.

The mutals:

My moots: @dracosleftarsecheek,@a-dam-heartstopper-fan, @inezrable ,@gay--gh0st,@bleep-bloop-boo,@justafrogghost and @uhmmmmaixllezhere , @homocidalpotat @i-eat-so-much-grass , @anything-for-my-moony-1971 @boba-pearl @im-on-crack-send-help @dragonchicken @madigankrauss @fangirlghost-19 @onceinalifetimexperiencebuttwice @yourlocalbadgerscales @fully-embracing-my-autopsy @names-confuse-me @cheekyboybeth @mushroom-music @thecrazyalchemist @k-is-for-potassium @monarchofthequeerpotatoes @nyx-taylors-version @here-am-i-sitting-in-a-tin-can @s1l4s-w0rsh1ps-t0m4t03s @yournewfavouriteheadcase @beanthebugboi @sarkylittlemonster @bl00dy-plan3t @the1970sdeadgaywizard-regulus

If I don't like you or agree with your views, I'm going to block you.

The fandoms

(Also, fuck JK Rowling and mega fuck Neil Gaiman)

Nowhere Boys,Call The Midwife ,His Dark Materials ,Marauders,Harry Potter ,Les Miserables, Star Trek tos and tng and the Chris pine films,Supernatural,Sherlock acd,Avengers,Adventure Time,FireflyDr Who,Magnus Chase,Percy Jackson ,Heartstopper,Good Omens,Star Wars,Chicago the musical,Six the musical,Sherlock bbc,Transformers rescue bots,Labyrinth,Octonauts,Tintin,The princess bride,The Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, x men,Daredevil

Moodboard

Cred for dividers

@saradika-graphics @plum98

[asvterias]

𝖫𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝖮𝗋 𝖫𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝖧𝖾𝗋? ~ 𝖪𝗂𝗋𝗂 𝖲𝗎𝗅𝗅𝗒

avatar masterlist

Warnings: Jealous!Kiri, Mutal Pining, Kinda!OOC!Kiri & Heated Makeout

Pairings: Aged up!Kiri x Fem!Metkayina!Reader (both 17)

Genres: Friends to Lovers, Tuk & Tsireya being sneaky matchmakers, The Sully family being supportive, Kiri and [Name] oblivious acting like a couple & Happy ending for us sapphics

Summary: Newcomers seek refuge in a different habitat and learn the oceanic na’vi ways while creating new friends along the way; maybe [Name] discovers non-platonic feelings for a certain omatikaya girl. All it took was one self-righteous metkayina boy to boost his one-sided proclaimed love for [Name] for Kiri to express her feelings towards her crush/best friend.

Word Count: 2.6k+

Author’s Note: There’s definitely a part 2 coming out! My first time writing for avatar way of water, so the characters might be a bit ooc. Here are some kiri writers who boosted me for actually writing for Kiri: @qvrcll @aokoaoi @eywasru @inmyfxith @kiris-wife @only4reya @notkody-ig @kirislovelygf @neytiriswife @livelaughloak @xrollingmyeyesx @eywamygoddesswrites

Tag List: @n7cje @lvtilzs @ksava10 @human-cacti @unreaonablysapphic @mozzarellasticksaredope @ihonestlydontknowwhattonamethis

Glossary: skxawng – moron

it was unusual, to say the least. seeing another clan from a different tribe land on your home to seek refuge in your homeland. after ronal blatantly insulted the newcomers by their physiques and accused them of being sky demons claiming them to be not true na’vi.

tonowari was sympathetic enough to lend a helping hand, accepting their invitation to pursue uturu in his home.

“my daughter, tsireya, and her friend, [name] will escort you to your home.” he identifies the two young girls as they reveal themselves with vibrant grins. “and after you settled in, my son ao’nung will accompany them in training your children.”

“come on,” tsireya grinned, already picking up one of their belongings as you followed along in tow, “follow us!” and with that, the family of six swiftly followed behind you and tsireya. the journey wasn’t that much of a walk, the pathway was sewn carefully over the open sea. apparently, the youngest child found joy in jumping instead of walking the whole way there.

you opened the entrance to the empty mauri, inviting the family inside as well as tsireya. “home sweet home.” resting down their belongings.

“we’ll let you get settled in before we start our practices.” you smiled, catching the young female na’vi gaze locked onto you. upon being caught, her ears flickered down in embarrassment as she quickly diverted her eyes elsewhere.

luckily, her brothers were covering your line of eyesight onto her halfway.

unknowingly, a smile arose on your lips, and to your surprise, the omatikaya girl managed to hold eye contact and shyly wave at you. you could’ve tell that a smile was ghosting her lips when you waved back.

her name is kiri, you remembered. one of her brothers exclaimed her name on the way here.

kiri.

kiri is a very pretty name.

jake nodded proudly in acknowledgment, trying to be optimistic and sincerely grateful, “yeah, this is great, this will do.” whereas his mate, neytiri seemingly disagreed, dropping the rug on the floor and sighing heavily.

knowing that your presence was no longer required, you tugged onto your friend’s forearm, pulling her out of their mauri, and left the family to do their bidding. while walking beside your best friend, tsireya nudges you on the shoulder. “seems like someone has a new admirer.”

“seems that i’m not the only one,” you reminded her, your mind, replaying back to the interaction with lo’ak and tsireya when they first arrived; him greeting her and her intensely blushing. “his name is lo’ak, am i correct?”

that sly comment earned you a harsh nudge to your side. “so i am right!” you exclaimed in victory. perhaps, new faces were just what you needed, nonetheless, eywa was always full of surprises.

a few months had passed by and the sully family had become accustomed to your oceanic culture. during the training of the children, you grew closer to kiri and absentmindedly you peeked at her interests, allowing her to come out of her shell. her peculiar personality was the first thing that truly intrigued you into becoming friends with her. she was more reserved, quiet, soft-hearted, and observant, unlike the rest of her siblings who were outgoing and loud.

after spending sufficient quality time with you, she decided to open up about her forest life; the RDA, her mother grace augustine, and more importantly, her connection towards ewya.

you grinned in thought as you listened in contentment as kiri passionately spoke about her forest life. the way that kiri would ramble on for hours, and you wouldn’t have a care in the world. you had been harboring these romantic feelings for a while now, but never had a moment of peace to proceed with a confession.

at first, you assumed that you were just eager to be in kiri’s embrace, not distinguishing the excessive affection that was given by each other. for instance, holding hands developed into endless kisses on the cheek, and night walks on the beach turned to sneaking around and stargazing enveloped in each other’s arms.

your unannounced situationship with the sully girl convinced everyone around that you two were dating but they never confirmed it with either of you.

homosexual couples were common amongst na’vi clans and they were openly accepted, so that was one less thing to fuss about.

she surprisingly even brought up the topic of someone named ‘spider’. now that brought you out of wonderland and reality knocked you in the face. it was finally starting to make sense. of course, she would have a boyfriend back at home. kiri was one of the most undoubtedly beautiful na’vi girls that you’ve ever laid your eyes upon in your entire life.

you had been a complete fool for having a lingering thought of kiri hoping that she was single. her liking boys and not girls crushed your spirit, you weren’t gonna lie.

who was spider? what did he look like? was he good enough by your expectations to be kiri’s boyfriend?

the sully girl also didn’t fail to include what species spider was.

a human?

a human living amongst us?!

it was his kind that brought continuous downfall to pandora and they allow him to roam free in their forest.

kiri was certain that you had many questions, begging to be answered, probably mainly about spider.

“oh…are you dating spider?” you asked in curiosity, tilting your head slightly, your baby blue doe eyes gazing at her. noticing how her body language immediately changed and you could’ve sworn to ewya that the chill in the air came to a halt. “i apologize if that’s too straightforward, you don’t have to answ–“

truth be told, you wished that she was single and your confession wouldn’t make things more awkward than they need to be.

her cheeks flushed in surprise, pupils widening and ears perking up at your sudden inquiry. even her tail swished vigorously in confusion, “no, spider is like a brother to me and besides….” kiri gently shuffled closer, your legs now touching, and made the initiation to hold hands, which thankfully, you returned back, “i think that ewya has blessed me with another.”

at that moment, your beady eyes connected with her yellow ones, holding a communication that goes beyond words and actions. she was your safe haven and you just prayed to ewya that you were hers as well.

“i have to tell you something.” your voice came out in a whisper, pulling away from your conjoined hands to avoid the quizzical stare in her eyes. you couldn’t look her in her eye with a bold face so you settled with diverting your perspective elsewhere as if it would numb the upcoming rejection. reluctantly your stare was placed onto her once again. “just please, promise me that we’ll still be friends after this.”

to be honest, kiri was quite scared of your declaration and a frown quickly embedded on her face. your face fell, gathering that she was jumping to conclusions already assuming the worst possibilities. “not it’s not bad, it’s just probably how you will react to the revelation.” you worked rapidly to regain yourself from a blemish misinterpretation. the frown disperses and speedily replaced with a small smile, which was mindful of the doubts.

kiri nodded along, kindly ushering you with your statement and her hand hovering over yours to grasp it in reassurance at any given moment.

she was such a sweetheart.

that’s what you loved liked about kiri. she was always so understanding and patient with people, wasting no time comforting the people that she loved.

your beginning words were replaced with someone else’s; “yo! what are you guys doing?!” lo’ak’s voice rang out, ruining your moment with kiri. kiri closed her eyes in irritation and her lips tightened in a firm line at her brother for having the worst timing possible.

this time another voice rang out. “kiri, it’s time to return home.” it was neyetam as he greeted you with a warm wave and smile.

“can’t you see that i’m busy?” annoyance flashed through her facial features as she looked at her oldest brother.

despite his interruption, kiri knew that neyetam meant well and that he cared for her well-being. and lo’ak, just wanted to interrupt you for the fun of it.

“it’s fine, i’ll see you later, kiri.” you walked past her, your fingers lingering on hers before quickly squeezing her hand in a gentle embrace. unexpectedly a gush of confidence overcame you, bringing your lips to her cheek for a semi-quick peck. hearing surprised gasps from her siblings only produced a dark hue of blue from kiri.

your lips were everything that kiri dreamed of. although it wasn’t a big smooch, just a tiny peck, yet, she still cherished it in her heart. she just hoped that her flustered state didn’t radiate onto you, which could’ve caused her a whole amount of embarrassment.

you excused yourself from her siblings and headed towards your mauri to finalize the day.

“you couldn’t just wait for a few more minutes, could you?” her hand drifts to her side after lightly touching her cheek, specifically the area that you kissed in astonishment.

“no! why? so you lovebirds could finally get some kisses in.” lo’ak taunts. “hey, maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to get one on the lips next time!”

she attempted to shove lo’ak harshly, ignoring his cackles of laughter. “shut up, you skxawng!” completing her signature style as she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes in pure annoyance.

even though her body language displayed irritation, it didn’t cease the butterflies in her stomach from overgrowing, her mind repeating the proximity and your cute shudder before you allowed yourself to kiss her on the cheek.

then kiri got to thinking about her brother’s snide comment; you’ll be able to get one on her lips next time!

will there ever be a next time?

will there be another opportunity for you to kiss her on the lips away from prying eyes?

eventually, the siblings of four made their way back home, arriving back just in time as neytiri was placing dinner on the table.

“so, how was your day?”

tuk beamed. “it was great, tsireya let me feed the ilu again and we searched for shells and created necklaces.” for evidence, she pulled out a beautiful strewn together necklace, unintentionally shoving the jewelry in her parents’ faces.

“this is quite the beauty, tuk.” neytiri compliments her daughter’s craftsmanship.

“kiri,” neytiri turned to her eldest daughter, “how was your day?”

at the sound of her name being called, she looked up and stopped playing with her food. kiri opened her mouth to talk but was interrupted, yet again.

“are you guys dating?” tuk was always upfront about her questions. kiri was just lucky that tuk didn’t spill the beans about her having a crush on you.

“who?” neyetam was lost but the brotherly protective manner came instinctively.

“kiri and [name], obviously, teyam. they’re always together.” lo’ak butted in the conversation. “you don’t see one without the other.”

jake looked at kiri. “wait, isn’t [name] a girl?” then he looked at his mate, “or i just didn’t get the gist.”

“yes, ma jake. [name]’s a girl and so is kiri.” neytiri affirmed her husband. “which by the way, we have no problem with.” her last statement was directed to kiri, quickly glancing at her teen daughter.

“well, i overheard [name] talking to tsireya about making kiri a necklace and also something about a confession.” the youngest sully explained with a mouth full making all heads turn to her.

“tuk! it’s not good to eavesdrop….and chew with your mouth closed.”

“that’s the part that you choose to focus on, sis: tuk eavesdropping on a conversation.” lo’ak deadpanned.

“it was none of your business, tuk.” kiri managed to contain her excitement from showing on her expression wanting to keep you out of her family’s limelight tonight.

“oh please, we all know that you wish to kiss [name].” lo’ak teases kiri, and to emphasize his point, he hugged himself and puckered up his lips, beginning to make annoying kissing noises.

tuk giggled slightly at her older brother’s antics as neyetam rolled his eyes and continued eating his partition of food.

“you’re no different, lo’ak.” neyetam defended his sister, reminding his brother of his crush as well. now experiencing embarrassment, lo’ak abruptly stopped and continued to chow down on his food.

“can we please stop talking about [name]?” kiri’s voice was unusually calm despite her whole family knowing about you and your status in her life. her family muttered in agreement, lo’ak lesser than the others.

still not being satisfied by her family’s behavior, her desire to be alone expanded by a million. “i’m going to sleep early, good night, everyone. the food was good as always, mom.” kiri rose from her seat and left the table, heading towards her room.

once kiri was out of earshot, tuk snuggled up between her parents and spoke, “i don’t know why kiri’s so mad, i’m just being honest.”

“sweetheart,” jake urged his youngest child, “tell me more about this [name].” just as tuk was about to respond, neytiri slapped him upside his head as she shakes her head disapprovingly.

“just trying to make sure that my babygirl’s in good hands, is that a crime?”

“sure use that excuse.” neytiri huffed, also leaving her seat and venturing off toward her daughter’s room. knocking softly at the blanket that served as a door as neytiri awaited kiri’s permission to enter.

“who is it?” her voice was soft, barely audible.

“it’s your mom.”

there was a pregnant silence before kiri replied. “come on in.”

kiri adjusted her position on her makeshift bed, sitting crisscrossed as neytiri joins her on the bed, doing the same position.

“i can’t explain it…” kiri sighs, looking down and playing with her fingers, “it’s like every time that i spend time with her or learn more about her, i feel myself drifting closer towards her…like my connection to eywa. i don’t want to let go of my affection for her, my heart won’t allow me to. i want to confess to [name] tomorrow but i’m scared of her reaction of how she might take it. i really really do like her mom, i don’t wanna scare her away. she’s one of the people who doesn’t make me feel like a freak and that i can just be myself whenever.”

her mother analyzes her mini confession very thoroughly and kiri almost thought that she had silenced her mom by her ranting. “mom?”

“you should confess tomorrow, but you’re underestimating your admiration for [name] and before you confess tomorrow, ask yourself, do you truly love or like her? trust me when i say that they are very different.” by the end of her sentence, she had tucked kiri into bed, placing a braid behind her sensitive ear. “sleep well, ma kiri.” she kissed her forehead and left the room.

now neytiri’s question wavered in kiri’s mind: did she truly love or like you?

© asvterias, 2023. please do not plagiarize any of my works.

[cauldron-of-oddities]

Time for random plot ideas!

Sparks phasing in and out of time.

Inspired in part by the idea of Bonnie and Clyde and the mutal pining and denying doing the rounds.

It starts with a heist, and both have the same goal to steal a hex gem but are not working together. When they get to it, neither has the intention to concede. In the ensuing fight, the gem fractures and releases its power. Ekko, in a bid to bring the mission to a successful end and survive the blast, triggers the z-drive only for it to glitch, and they get stuck in a time loop. On top of that, it's like the loop has set itself to hard mode, the heist having become significantly more difficult.

The loop resets every time the ‘mission’ fails. Either by getting caught by the enforcers, only of them reaching the gem or, worst case; death. They soon figure out that they need to work as a team to get out of it. Each round, they get a bit further, and each loop they become a bit more terrifying. Learning from and about each other until much like when they were children can predict the other's moves.

The first few rounds are nothing but frustration, trying to beat the other.

In the following ones, they come to appreciate each other's skills and enjoy the adrenaline rush of a good run.

That of course morphs soon to ‘Oh fuck, he's/she’s hot.’ possibly followed by a ‘Oh no, but he/she hates me.’

The closer they get to the gem again, the more ruthlessly efficient they become, but also the more dangerous the loop becomes. They also fall a little deeper for each other. Until one loop, shit absolutely hits the fan, and Ekko takes a bullet for Jinx. (Boy saviour, he'll be for her too)

When the loop resets this time, Jinx, who survived the previous run, breaks down and cusses Ekko out for his stupidity “Why would you do that?!”

Ekko (who died) remembers his last thought, which boiled down to “Wish I had the chance to kiss you.” Just lets the shouted beratment rush over him before pulling her towards him and shutting her up soundly with just that: a kiss.

Needless to say, their last run is the thing of nightmares for the enforcers and anyone else after the gem.

Possibly already done (I'm late to the party, and there is so much history)

[the-silver-tongued-devils]

little idea about golden fires and voyeurism. nsfw under the cut!

______________________________________________________

Geralt didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth.

It was late into the evening, a winter’s chill still clutching under their blankets despite the fire, and Jaskier was blissfully quiet.

Not quiet, as in gently strumming subtle chords on his lute, or humming under his breath, or snoring in his sleep- but actually, beautifully quiet. The only sounds were the crackle of the fire, the occasional pop as a log burst apart in flames, splashing light across his eyes like scattered gold. He was fast asleep, Geralt concluded as his eyes drifted to the huddled up pile of blankets and bundles, to be this silent. Geralt could hear himself think, and not that he didn’t wish Jaskier mute more often, but it was nice. It was nice, because for the first time in long time, he could close his eyes and not have Jaskier’s music dance across his darkened vision like shooting stars. The way Jaskier’s hands tapped gently against the strings when he was thinking of the next note, biting softly on his lip. How his eyes turned almost green from their seashore blue in the fire light, his hair a scruffy mess that Geralt wanted to- ached to- run his fingers through. No, with him silent, he didn’t have to imagine Jaskier waving his hands in the air to make a point, his fingertips callused from years of playing, his skin pink and unscathed and so unlike his own hands. 

He peeked open an eye, searching for the familiar ball of blankets in the fires shadow, it shade warming his cheeks. It was made of good tinder- dry wood for once, and burned brighter than what they were used to. His hands still felt soft from the sawdust, watching the rise and fall of Jaskier’s breathing, the brown mop of his hair visible over the blankets. Jaskier looked… peaceful. He seemed to wriggle a little, turning unconsciously until the light lapped at his cheeks, his eyelashes fluttering in it. Jaskier looked as at home here, in the damp warmth of the forest, than any cold and stony castle.

Geralt was almost satisfied in looking, drinking his fill in the bard bathed in golden light when he heard it.

A faint, muffled, barely there whimper.

Geralts blood stilled, paused like a cat for any whisper on the wind. He must have misheard, he considered as the faint spell of Jaskiers breathing danced between the crackles of the fire.

Not that he ever did, a dark corner of his mind supplied, but maybe his senses had picked up on the hiss of steam, or Roach’s snores, or-

The bard tossed in his blankets, pulling them away from his face like they burnt him, and moaned.

Jaskier was now facing the fire- his skin flushed and hair sticking a little to his forehead. His eyes were tightly shut, his lips sun-bitten and pink as he hummed under his breath, in-between breaths little ah-ahs! He must still be asleep, his chest falling slowly as he reclined in the warmth, his hips canting a little under the blankets to the rhythm of his breathing.

Geralt gritted his teeth and focused on that tide, not how Jaskier bit back a sleepy smile, thrusting his hips under the blankets with a well-timed gasp. His quiet moans came like waves, and Geralt could almost feel the heat of his skin, as if he has pressed his hands to his throat and squeezed such noises out of the bard.

The air was more than silent now, his senses laser focused to creature that writhed under the blanket, panting into the night air. Jaskiers breathing hitched, his little sobs and sighs coming faster as he rutted against himself, and Geralt wondered how he wouldn’t go mad at the sight of him. How he would have to pack the blankets away, feeling them still warm, still smelling like fire-smoke, buttercups and honey cakes. The smell that had clung onto his skin, seeped into his armour, since he had started to follow him those years ago. The smell that scratched it’s way under camomile and lavender, and blood and shit and everything else Geralt found himself bathed in, and curled around his ribcage.

Geralt shifted unconsciously as he watched, and bit down-hard- on his lip as he felt a spike of pleasure whip through his nerves. He had been trying to ignore it, how tight and stiff his trousers felt whilst the loose laces of Jaskier’s breeches seemed to slip undone. He realised he suddenly felt very hot, his blood thrumming like the licks of the fire up his spine as he clenched his hands against the log he leant against.

Jaskier babbled in his sleep, incoherent little syllables that dripped from his tongue as he bobbed his hips with new urgency, his whole body rocking back and forth on the blanket. He could almost smell the crushed grass underneath him, if he tried and fuck did he try not to listen to the half-formed mutterings of: “please” and “ah” and “-alt!”

There was something else too, his veins sung happily at this new chorus; the spicy, cinnamon, sharp smell of Jaskier’s arousal. A smell that too, had lingered, this time under clenched teeth and fists as he stumbled back to Jaskier fast asleep in crumpled duvets and sweaty sheets, and the smell that was not his own painting Jaskier’s skin until the next afternoon. He hissed a little, as he rubbed the heel of his hand hard in-between his legs, biting back the urge to smother Jaskier in scents that made him his. The incensed oils he’s shine the swords with, or saddle polish, or the fine maple brush for Roach’s mane that Jaskier had treated her with one day. All these things that tasted of sweetly-bitter buttercups and honey cakes and Jaskier.

Jaskier seemed close now, his hips bouncing in quick thrusts that had the bard whining between his teeth, keeping under the golden flames of the fire and Geralt’s gaze. Tomorrow, he would wrap up the blankets like he knew nothing, like the spiced smell didn’t stick to his skin and make him run so hot that he wanted to pin the bard to his lap and fumble his fingers through the strings of his trousers until he made these noises again. Making him sing and, God’s, Jaskier sung as his rhythm began to stutter, painting purple bruises into his hips with just his hands so that Jaskier would know just how deeply Geralt wanted him.

With one final gasp, Jaskier tipped his hips upwards, smiling pink and flushed as she slowly sunk back to the ground, satisfied. Geralt unclenched his fingers, little splinters of the wood coming apart under his nails.

The fire crackled, finally fizzling out, casting its last golden dregs of light onto the Jaskiers face. He sighed, low and long, curling back up into the blankets, snoring as Geralt hissed picking the splinters from his skin.

Beyond the golden stare, a pair of blue eyes lazily peeked open, blinking into the darkness and heat, and Jaskier bit back a grin.

[imgoingtohellsofuckit]

Even the strong have feelings

Saturo Gojo x reader

contents: Mutal Pining, fluff, confessions, manga spoilers (Gojo’s past), mostly gender neutral reader (i might of missed it and accidently used she/her)

Summary: After everything with Geto, Gojo has someone he doesn’t expect reach out to him. And quickly the two start to feel something a little more than friendship.

Word count: 4.8k 

You shift the weight awkwardly between your heels and toes. Rocking on them lightly as you stand with the other students. Yaga explaining to all the students about the situation with Geto. Apparently, he killed his parents and a bunch of non-sorcerers then declared his hatred of non-sorcerers. Going as far as to share his plan to kill all non-sorcerers in the world. Which of course a school like Tokoyo Jujutsu High can’t condone any of it. Meaning Suguru Geto was cast out of Jujutsu Society and the school leaving behind his best friend Saturo Gojo.

Gojo looked the worst out of all of the students. Of course, he did. Sure everyone liked Geto, he was easy to get along with and too smart for his own good. But no one got along with Geto like Gojo did. The two of them were inseparable. Attached at the hip with a bromance that always toed the line of something more but never seemed to go any further. So as Yaga talks Gojo looked like his entire world was crumbling down. Because well it was crumbling. The best parts of his life slipping away from him. Something he never thought he’d lose.

It was a hard blow for the school to lose both Yu Haibara and Geto. Yu’s death and Geto’s betrayal had everyone rethinking why they got into being a sorcerer and why they keep doing it. You guess that's why Yaga sat in front of the students. Trying to be frank with them that death and betrayal are just simple occupational hazards. Most of the students already had accepted that. However, you could see a few sinking in their seats. Like Nanami who wasn’t ready to accept losing everything and everyone important to him. As Yaga dismisses the students he explains that classes were canceled for the day and urged the students to relax. Of course, few were really planning to do anything anyways. 

As everyone starts to head out from the steps where everyone gathered for the meeting you noticed Gojo staying back. His eyes focusing on the grown. Or that's what it looked like at least, the thick sunglasses disguised them so you were just basing it off of how his body language looked. You don’t know why you did it. Maybe it’s because seeing the strongest person suffering was just too pathetic a sight. Or maybe it’s because you never felt like leaving someone to suffer in silence was the best route. But it didn’t matter why- all that mattered is how you slowly and gently step towards the white-haired boy.

“Hey,” You say softly. He looks up carefully. His white hair covering most of his face. Your eyes are gentle but not completely full of pity. He’s relieved to see that for the first time in days. Silent pity was all he was getting since everything went down.

“Hey,” Gojo says looking at the second year. You were in Nanami’s class- and more notably in Yu Haibara’s class. It hadn’t been long since Haibara had died. The second years were barely able to mourn before everything happened with Geto. Gojo wondered if that made everything worse for you and Nanami. He knows both of you were friends with Geto- even if you both were pretending not to be with the new revelation. “Not running off to get some more sleep or enjoy your free time?”

“What’s there to enjoy?” You ask as you sit down beside him. Eyes focusing on the other students chatting as they all move off. “Besides I wasn’t going to class anyway- Haibara’s sister was supposed to come on to campus today most of his family was going to. They wanted to collect his things and Nanami and I were going to help.”

“Not happening anymore?” Gojo asks.

“Yaga reached out and asked his parents if Nanami and I could have a few days,” You sigh as you look forward. Gojo’s eyes look over you for a second before looking forward at the other students as well. “-they agreed. Guess they want us involved as Haibara’s friends or whatever.” He nods. “What about you? Not gonna run off to enjoy the free time?”

“Not really in the mood,” He says with a soft sigh. You look over at him carefully. Eyes trailing over him. Debating saying something. He meets your eyes. Wondering what the hell you could be trying to piece together in your brain.

“Saturo- I know we’re not... friends or anything, but... I’m here for you if you need someone to talk to,” You say to him. His eyes widen as he looks at you. “I know you’re the strongest or whatever- but you’re still somehow human. So if you want to talk or just not be alone. You know where to find me.” He nods. Appreciative of the offer and even more the slight teasing along with it. It felt nice to see someone not completely pitying him but also wanting to at least try to help. 

“Thanks,” he says softly. 

“Don’t thank me,” You say as you look away from him, “I’m just doing the right thing- like I always do according to Yaga.” He nods. You move patting his back softly. It’s a quick touch before you get up. Carefully moving down the stairs. “See you around Gojo.”

“See you around Y/n,” He calls.

You give a wave as you walk off. Moving down the stairs to reach Nanami who is watching you carefully. A little confused as to why you stayed back with Gojo. From what Gojo sees you don’t answer the blondes digging. Instead, you only walk past him forcing the blonde to move to keep up with you. 

Gojo takes you walking off as his chance to hide himself in his room. Using his free time to just work through everything. As much as he can on his own or well in reality as much as he can tolerate before he gets frustrated. He doesn’t run into you until it’s around dinner time. He’s avoiding common spaces to avoid other students which leads him outside spotting you tucked underneath one of the large trees. Your back against the rough bark as your head lays back with your eyes shut. You look peaceful. He feels a little bad disturbing you. However, he does it anyways. Walking towards you carefully. He notices the thin wire of your headphones clashing against your school uniform. Everyone else was quick to change to street clothes after Yaga’s announcement but apparently, you weren’t one of those people. Gojo wonders for a second about what you and Nanami ended up doing if you remained in your uniform and the boy he had already seen while he was leaving his dorm was already in his street clothes. Maybe you two didn’t hang out long or maybe you two went to Nanami’s dorm and he had time to change before the mealtime. Gojo didn’t care enough to ask- but he did want to talk to you. Unfortunately for him you weren’t reacting to him pretty much standing over you. 

“Y/n,” He says carefully. You don’t move. He calls your name again. After the third time your eyes open. Going wide as you notice the tall boy standing over you. You move quickly pulling out your headphones.

“Sorry,” You say quickly, “I- just spaced out there.”

“It’s okay,” He says, “I wasn’t standing here long- but I did say your name a couple of times.”

“I’m sorry,” you apologize, “I didn’t think anyone would want to talk to me- uh you alright?” He nods. Then points to the ground beside you. 

“Can I sit?”

“Of course,” You say, “not like I can say no I mean it’s the ground. I don’t control the ground.” 

“Could have fooled me,” He says as he moves to sit while you adjust giving him a bit of the three to lean against. His knee hits yours. Your left leg pressing against him. “What are you doing out here?”

“I always eat out here,” You admit. Gojo raises a brow. Wondering how he never noticed that. “It used to be with um Yu and Kento. But after-” You stop for a second. Gojo already knows what you want to say. You sigh lightly. “Nanami doesn’t want to eat out here anymore because it feels- wrong to him but I just guess not eating out here feels wrong to me.” Gojo nods lightly. “I just do it alone now.”

“I can’t believe Nanami leaves you all alone,” Gojo says as he leans back against the bit of tree you left for him. 

“We all mourn differently,” You point out, “he’s just handling it differently… besides he’s offered to keep eating out here with me but I don’t want to push him.” Gojo nods. “So what about you? What are you doing out here?”

“I just didn’t wanna be around everyone,” He admits, “then I saw you and came to talk.” You nod. He appreciates you not asking about why he is okay to be around you and not everyone else. He doesn’t have an answer and frankly doesn’t want to think about it. “So what are you eating?”

“Oh uh this milk candy,” You say as you lift the bag to read it, “I just grabbed it at the supermarket the other day it’s not bad… Want some?” He nods appreciatively before grabbing it. Taking a hand full. He unwraps one quickly popping it into his mouth. You look over at him. Your h/c eyes moving across his form. He takes notice of you doing it. He noticed a long time ago that you weren’t that fond of speaking unless you were comfortable with the people around you. It wasn’t hard to notice it, especially with Haibara talking for both you and Nanami every time someone new was around. What he was starting to notice was that you seemed just as nervous to speak to him as you did to strangers. He can’t say that he’s completely surprised. The two of you aren’t exactly all that close. You took to Geto more than him the exact opposite of most people. Geto always used to say that it was because you were less intimated by him. Gojo didn’t understand that. Geto is extremely strong as well. Sure Gojo was the best but Geto wasn’t all that far behind. 

“If you don’t want me to sit with you I don’t have to,” Gojo says carefully. Not wanting to call you out on not liking him. You shake your head.

“I don’t mind,” You say, “sorry- I’m just not that chatty… Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he says, “I was just afraid I was making you uncomfortable.” 

“No- you’re not,” You assure him, “I’m fine.” He seems pleased but not entirely convinced. You carefully wrap your headphones around your MP3 player. He’s a little surprised that you’re putting it away. He assumes it’s an effort to assure him that you’re okay with him talking to you. “You holding up alright?”

He shrugs. He hadn’t been asked that yet. He’d be asked why he didn’t stop Geto, why he hesitated, the story, his reaction. But not something as simple if he was holding up alright.

“I- think?” He answers, “I’m alive if that's what you mean.”

“It’s not,” You say bluntly. He looks to you at once. Surprised at how quick you said it. “It’s okay if you’re not alright. What happened sucked… He was your best friend, you two were close. It’s not easy to lose your best friend.” Gojo sighs. “I know what it feels like.”

“It’s not the same,” Gojo says, “I don’t have a right to feel bad. Geto’s a bad person. He did something terrible. And he’s still alive. Still out there. Yu is-”

“Dead- stonecold dead,” You say at once, “yeah I know there are differences. But both of the situations mean losing a friend and feeling like complete shit… So I say it again. It’s okay to not be okay. You’re allowed to be upset.” Gojo’s face is full of confusion. Wondering what to even say to that. “I’m just saying… Like I said earlier you might be the strongest but you’re still human.”

“Maybe,” He jokes. You chuckle lightly.

“You’re too nice not to be,” You say as you reach for one of the candies. He smirks lightly.

“You think I’m nice?” He says brightly, “I never expected a compliment from someone like you Y/n! I mean that’s a real honor.” You roll your eyes. Chewing on the candy instead of replying. He chuckles. But his face starts to go more serious.

“Hey thanks for that,” He says. You raise a brow. Wondering what he’s thanking you for. He doesn’t answer. Instead, he leans his head back looking at the leaves above him blowing in the light breeze. You don’t ask though. Not daring to ruin how calm he looks. “No one has actually checked on me in all of this.”

“People forget strong people can’t always be strong… even the strong have feelings you know” You point out, “look at everything with me and Nanami… No one’s asked us if we were okay.” Gojo looks back over at her. A ting of guilt sneaking through him. He’s right. He’s heard plenty of pity-filled comments about them but no one checking on them. “But we had each other- I guess you can say you have Shoko but she’s Shoko.” He chuckles a the comment. “I meant it when I said I was here if you need to talk.”

“I appreciate it,” He says, “I really do. You smile lightly. His eyes widen as his face goes pink. “I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you smile.”

Her smile drops immediately. Twisting in confusion.

“I’ve smiled before now,” You say looking at him carefully, “I smile.”

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen you smile,” He chuckles. It’s your turn to go bright red. “It’s not a bad thing- I just haven’t seen you do it.”

“I heard you the first time,” You say as you look away avoiding his eyes, “sorry- I just don’t really do it all the time I guess… Nanami says I always look bored.”

“He has no room to talk,” Gojo laughs. You look back at him. A little amused by the comment. A soft chuckle escapes your lips. He starts to tease you about it but before he can he hears someone shout his name.

“Saturo!” 

Gojo turns back to see Yaga marching toward the two of them. He looks tense and apologetic as he reaches them.

“I have a mission for you Gojo,” The teacher says, “they need a special grade but if you can’t-”

“I’ll go,” Gojo says, “can’t really say no,” He stands. Looking back to you for a second. Giving you a big smile. You give a nervous smile back. He beams at the action before moving off with the teacher. As the two of them get a good distance between you and them Yaga speaks up.

“I’ve never seen you two talk to each other just the two of you,” Yaga says, “when did that start?”

“Earlier,” Gojo answers trying not to seem too interested in speaking about the situation. In reality, though his mind is still on the girl's nervous smile. Not knowing what really to do but doing it just to give him a soft goodbye. 

It’s another week before he sees you again. Between his mission and you getting sent on your own, you both just got busy. But now as you stand boredly watching as Nanami trains with one of the first years he moves to reach you.

“Hey,” he calls out. You turn to look over at his approaching figure.

“Hi,” You say as he reaches you. Your eyes move back to the two boys sparing.

“What’s going on?” Gojo asks.

“The first year- he needed some help and Yaga suggested Nanami,” You explain, “he’s hoping to get Nanami out of his shell and more- into being a sorcerer.” Gojo nods. “Nanami talked about leaving after he graduated.” Gojo looks at her in shock. You nod... “I get why he wants to but it’s not like we can just leave.”

“You could,” He points out.

“I’m a first-grade sorcerer- and he’s right about there,” You point out, “they’d always find a way to get us back.” You look over at him. “And you’re even more out of luck.” 

“I don’t plan on leaving,” He tells you. Your eyes shift to focus on his sunglasses. The thick black frames blocking his eyes. “So they’d never have to worry.” You shrug, then back over to Nanami. “Why does he want to leave?”

“That’s his story to tell,” You say, “- how’s everything on your end? How are you Saturo?”

“I’m managing,” He says, “what about you? I heard you had your first mission since…”

“I’m fine,” You answer, “managing…” He looks at you unconvinced. “I just didn’t think it would be so hard… He was just always there for me.” Your eyes focus on Nanami and his movements. “He knew what to do what to say… He was the balance between me and Nanami too. I don’t know how to make him feel better but Yu would have known.” Gojo looks at you sympathetically. “Sorry I don’t wanna put this on you-”

“I asked,” Gojo says, “and for once not the be just polite- I wanna know how you are.” Your eyes dart to him. Your face turning pink as you look at him. Half convinced he was lying and half confused at what he was saying and why he was saying it. “You wanna talk about it?”

“We don’t have to,” You tell him.

“I want to,” He says. You sigh lightly. Looking back to Nanami. Avoiding Gojo’s eyes like the plague. “Well?”

“When Yu died I think he took a part of me and Kento with him,” You explain, “I don’t mean literally but like I feel like a part of me is gone… And Kento it feels like a part of him is gone. Neither of us wanna talk about it but it just feels terrible.” Gojo looks at you carefully. “Yu was always the one of us seeing the good things in the world and now- we don’t have that. All we both see is the bad… How it can all go wrong.”

“You just need to be able to see all the good things still around you,” Gojo says, “Yu was a great guy… and he’d want both of you to still see that light in the world.” You nod lightly. “You just need to get out of your head.” 

“Okay,” You say as you look back at him, “thank you.”

“No problem,” He says brightly, “I’m always here for you- just you though don’t go spreading that around to everyone else.” You chuckle at the comment. He smiles looking back at you. “You have such a pretty laugh.” Your face goes bright red as you stop laughing. You seem to stop breathing as well. Your entire body freezes. “Y/n you okay?”

“Yeah,” you answer quickly, “yeah I’m fine.” You look away to hide your red face. “Perfectly fine,” Gojo smirks as he looks at you. “Just- don’t tease me.”

“Uh-huh,” He says, “yeah not gonna happen. Especially if you’re gonna react like that.” You pout lightly as you look back at him. “It was too cute not to see again!” 

“You know you’re really annoying Saturo,” You say softly. He chuckles.

“Am I?”

“Yes, you are the most annoying person I’ve ever met,” You say at once. He keeps laughing. He can tell you don’t mean it. As he laughs Nanami looks over at you two.

“You alright Y/n?” Nanami calls.

“Wanna swap?” You ask at once. Waiting for a chance to escape the white-haired man.

“Sure,” Nanami says. You move quickly to take his place. While Nanami moves to take yours by the white-haired man. Who looks a lot less pleased than before. “You alright?”

“They ran away,” He pouts, “that’s no fair- I was in the middle of teasing them.”

“Don’t be too hard on them,” Nanami says firmly, “they’ve been through enough without adding you harassing them to the list.”

“You wound me,” Gojo says, “besides- I made them laugh and smile.”

“I heard,” Nanami says clearly unamused, “I stand by my point… Don’t be another reason why they want to leave this school.” Gojo raises a brow.

“They wanna leave?” 

“Yeah,” Nanami says, “they don’t think they could- that the higher-ups would get them to come back… But they don’t want to stay. I can’t blame them, they lost the two people they were closest to…” 

“Yu and-”

“Geto.”

“Right,” Gojo says, “Geto- they were close.”

“You sound jealous,” Nanami points out.

“I’m not,” Gojo scoffs as they both watch You and the first year spar, “I’m just wondering why I was so intimidating for them but Geto was just the best person to be around.” He’s clearly annoyed. Nanami rolls his eyes at the comment.

“They were intimated by how outgoing you are idiot,” Nanami points out, “you are pretty cocky and big on making fun of people, and considering how shy they are- that was intimidating.” Gojo nods. “That better?”

“A lot better,” Gojo says with a slight smirk, “glad they aren’t scared of me.” Nanami rolls his eyes harshly. “Seriously though- I’m not trying to do anything with or to them… I’m just repaying the favor. They are here for me so I wanna be there for them.” 

“Be nice to them,” Nanami says as he looks over to Gojo the two no longer looking at you, “don’t take things too far because you can.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Gojo says as you pull away from the first year. They had just landed a pretty hard blow on you with the wooden katana. You wince as you move your hand to your head. 

“Shit,” You groan as you stumble back.

“Y/n,” Nanami says as he and Gojo hurry over to your side. “You okay?”

“Yeah- just pretty sure that's a concussion,” You groan, “I’ll be fine- just gonna go to Shoko- you guys keep on.”

“You can’t walk there yourself,” Nanami says, “we can come back to the sparing later-”

“I’ll take them,” Gojo says, “you can keep going and they don’t have to walk alone.” Nanami sighs. Giving in while You look over to Gojo nodding lightly. Your focus is more on your head than anything. Gojo takes your arm carefully leading you through the school campus. “He got you pretty good huh?”

“Yeah,” You groan as you sit down on the infirmary table as Shoko moves towards you. Using her reversed cursed technique to heal your head.

“It might still ache a bit but you should stop feeling that in like an hour,” She assures you. You nod. Thanking her. She assures you it’s no problem before slipping out. Leaving Gojo to walk you back.

“You feeling okay?”

“Yeah,” You answer.

“How did he even hit you?” Gojo asks, “last I saw of the sparing you weren’t exactly going easy on him.”

“I got distracted,” You huff as you stand up. Rubbing your temple.

“By what?” He asks.

“Nothing it doesn’t matter.” You say at once. He raises a brow.

“What was it?” He asks again, “I mean it must have been something if you got distracted in the middle of a fight.” You look at the ground. Avoiding his pressing look. “I won’t judge.”

“Yes you will,” You say as you sigh lightly, “-I just got distracted by you and Nanami talking.”

“There's no way you could have heard us,”  Gojo points out.

“That was the problem,” You huff as you grab your bag moving to step from the room. Gojo stands confused for a second but quickly moves to trail behind you.

“Why would that be a problem- why would you even care what we were talking about?” He asks. You don’t reply. Just keeping your eyes on the ground as you move ahead. Trying to escape the conversation. “I mean we were talking about you-”

You stop in your tracks. Looking back at him at once.

“What about me?” You ask firmly. Almost shouting it. He’s a little taken back at the reaction.

“Good things- just about me hanging around you lately,” He admits, “Sorry if that made you uncomfortable it didn’t seem like a big deal at the time-”

“What did Nanami say?” You ask. Looking at him carefully. Your face is bright red as you ask.

“Uh just that he didn’t want me doing anything that would make you uncomfortable- and he made fun of me a little bit for being me,” Gojo points out, “why?” You look away. Face burning hotter than the sun.

“No reason,” You huff. He raises a brow. But his eyes go wide in realization. 

“You thought he was gonna tell me something didn’t you-” Gojo says at once. You tense. 

“No-”

“Yes,” He says, “oh my god- what did you think he was gonna tell me?”

“Nothing- it was nothing,” You say firmly, “bye Gojo-”

“Oh come on beautiful don’t swap to Gojo now- you calling me my first name was growing on me,” He teases. You turn from him. Trying to hide your face. You can’t hide the nervous rocking between your heels and your toes. He chuckles. “You okay?”

“I’m fine!” You snap, “absolutely fine…” He looks at you carefully. “You just shouldn’t say stuff like that if you don’t mean it-”

He looks at you carefully. Chuckling lightly. 

“Ahh, I think I’ve finally got it,” He chuckles, “you’re in love with me.” He means it as a jest. A simple tease. But the loud squeak you let out only proves truth to his comment. His eyes go wide. “Wait- do you- are you actually in love with me?”

“I’m not in love with you-”

“You’re in love with me,” He says again. Laughing lightly. “That’s amazing-”

“You can stop laughing!” You say harshly as your turn back around to glare at him. However, you notice his own cheeks are bright red. You’re completely confused. “Just forget it Saturo- it’s a stupid little crush and I promise I’ll get over it…”

“Awe- what if I don’t want you to?” He says.

“Stop teasing me- you already got your stupid confession,” You snap, “now can you at least let me have a little bit of my dignity?” He stops laughing as he looks at you carefully. Noticing the water collecting in your eyes. “I already feel bad enough-”

“No no no,” Gojo says quickly, “no don’t be upset- I like you too.” You roll your eyes.

“That’s not funny,” you start.

“I’m not good with feelings okay,” He says, “It’s like the only thing I’m bad at.” Of course, he’s still boasting at a time like this. “But- I do like you or at least have interest in you… If I didn’t do you think I’d still be here?”

“I don’t know-”

“I wouldn’t,” He confirms, “I wouldn’t have tried to be around you- I would have made you leave me alone that day on the stairs and I would have walked right past you when you were at the tree. Do you believe me now?” 

You look at him carefully. Not knowing what to say. 

“I’m sorry I laughed,” He says nervously, “I just- am really bad with feelings.”

“Yeah, you are,” You laugh. Moving to wipe the tears collected in your eyes. He smiles carefully. “You really are you, idiot.”

“No need to keep insulting me,” He chuckles. You sigh as you look over him. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too,” You say, “I didn’t mean to snap at you- I just felt like such an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot for having feelings,” He says, “even the strong have feelings.” You smile at him using your own words. “So uh- what do we do from here?”

“I’ll let the great Saturo Gojo come up with that,” You say as you readjust your bag on your shoulder. You turn to walk off but he’s a beat behind you.

“Oh, so I’m great now?”

“Stop pushing it Saturo-”

“Mmm, I love it when you say my name like that.”

“You get one confession and you become insufferable.”

“Yeah maybe- but you love mee!”

“I never said love-”

“You never denied it either.”

“What did I get myself into.”

“A lifetime of Saturo Gojo!” 

“That’s not as great as you think it is,” You say firmly. But you don’t mean it and he knows it. The big smile on your face reveals just how happy you are to have him by your side. 

[notebooks-and-laptops]

OKAY blackwall and my feelings about the first cut scene when you get to Skyhold (if you're in a romance with him).

I have a LOT of emotions about this scene. In it, Blackwall is adamant that nothing can happen between himself and the inquisitor. He acknowledges the mutal attraction/pining they experienced at Haven but makes it clear that this can go no further because Blackwall cannot let himself be seen as 'more important' than the other soldiers flocking to the Inquisiton to fight for its cause.

And I think this reveals some of the very deep anxieties Blackwall has about his place in the inquisiton as a whole, not just how he views his personal relationship with the inquisitor. Because Blackwall has been lying about his identity now for years, yet its never truly been a lie that effects anyone. He has been living life alone and indepdent of anyone else mostly just out in the woods. But now! All of a sudden! He's in the inquisiton! And they're not just using him as a soldier they're using him as a warden. As soon as he's acquired he's given a free pass into the inner circle AND the inquisitons leaders are ACTIVELY using grey warden treaties to recruit and win over others. His lie is spiralling outside of his control, in a pretty serious way. He's suddenly special and he's special SPECIFICALLY because he's a grey warden and that means that the inquisition can claim to have the support of the order, because it has one of the order in its top ranks. And when they reach skyhold? Well shit. This inquisiton isn't just going to sort out the mage/templar conflict and then close the breach and disband. Its got an ancient magister god to fight. A magister who is clearly tainted by the blight AND has an archdemon flying around. The real grey wardens are bound to get involved sooner or later and Blackwall is going to get called upon more and more to help with these issues he actually knows very little about.

And THEN you bring in the personal relationship with the inquisitor. While none of the flirting in Haven explicitly implies that the inquisitor is flirting with Blackwall because he's a Grey Warden, the very fact that they are getting close is built upon the fact that he's in the inner circle. Even a chatty inquisitor who stops to talk to all those in Haven avaliable to talk to, can't get close with everyone. No, the inquisitor only has the time/space to get seriously close with the fastly forming inner circle. She makes time for Blackwall at first because Blackwall is IN that inner circle by virtue of his Grey Warden status, regardless of whether or not that is why her interest continues.

So in that first scene in Skyhold, Blackwall is basically saying: I'm not special. Please. I'm not special, I'm just another recruit like the other soldiers you MUST treat me that way. Its his feble attempt to put up SOME boundaries around the lie he's created, and also probably stems from a belief that if the inquisitor knew he wasn't actually a Grey Warden, then she wouldn't want anything to do with him: professionally or personally. In fact, if the lie came out it would be devastating in both ways: personally due to his betrayal of her trust, and professionally due to how much the inquisiton leaned on the support of their resident Grey Warden.

And that's SO CLEVERLY DONE AND WRITTEN AND IT GIVES ME SUCH EMOTIONS ABOUT OUR BOI THOM RAINER AHDKDLFL

[upsidedownwithsteve]

right.

am i spiralling? who's to say. not me. anyways, i can't promise i'll actually settle on anything sent in but honestly, i'd love some help rn with ideas for the camp eddie fic.

originally i had the idea of some mutal pining, maybe reader having a 'no boys over summer' rule because she got out of a bad relationship? i might still go with that who knows. does anyone have any thoughts, opinions, ideas for tropes they'd like to see with eddie?

pls. thank u 🧡

[iminye]

Random Coffee Shop!Au Headcanons nobody asked for

I came up with this AU a while ago, in which Elrond and Elros work at a coffee shop and Celebrían is one of the regular costumers. Elros suffers through Celebrían's and Elrond's mutal pining.

Elrond and Elros are Maglor foster children for reasons I haven't actually figured out yet

Maybe their parents are dead, maybe they didn't think they were capable of raising twins or ready yet and decided to give the boys into foster care because of this

Elrond studies medicine, Elros law and politics

Both of them went to military service after High School, which is why they started studying when they were around 24

Celebrían is her parents only child but when she was fourteen Celeborn took in the ten year old son of a distant cousin who couldn't care for him anymore

Amroth and her have some differences but they generally get along pretty well

She studies art and design

Elrond has been going through a bisexual crisis ever since he met Gil-Galad for the first time (who wouldn't?)

When he was sixteen Elros decided that he didn't want long hair and shaved it all off

Maglor nearly had a stroke when he came home to a lot of hair in the kitchen and Elrond crying in the bath room

Despite popular belief Elros was actually the better student in High School in everything except for languages

The twins work at a coffee shop on campus to earn some money on the side (Elrond for some books he wants to buy, Elros probably for a video game or something)

Celebrían goes to said coffee shop to study because the library is too full for her liking (aka the places near the windows are always occupied)

Gil-Galad is the adoptive son of Maedhros and Fingon

He's is in his final semester

He studies child psychology and education

Elros still has a huge amount Trading Cards from TV show he last watched when he was like ten but they have like emotional value to him

Elrond thinks it's ridiculous while still holding onto every single postcard he ever received

Both of them have their strengths but neither can draw

Out of all of them Gil-Galad has the best and Elrond the worst handwriting

Elros makes the best coffee, Elrond just has a very very good eye for decoration and aesthetics

They share a flat near campus that Maglor rents for them

Their style is a mixture of IKEA and secondhand stuff they found at the flea market

Speaking of flea markets: They go there like every weekend after work. It's their bonding time and they never leave with empty hands

One time Elros brought back the ugliest stuffed monkey ever

He named him Mr Charles and he now lives on their couch

Elrond hates that thing but doesn't say anything against it because it makes Elrond happy for some reason

Celebrían loves it but only because she's into really weird stuff

Gil-Galad never sits on the couch when Mr Charles is there NEVER

He'd rather poke a hornets nest

Gil also spends more time at the twins place than his own unless his boyfriend comes to visit during the holidays

(In case anyone's interested his boyfriend is my OC Aracundo but I don't think he has that big of a role)

Celebrían still lives with her parents because Galadriel and Celeborn live in a reasonable distance from campus

She makes her own clothing something she learned from her grandaunt Findis and earns herself a little money on the side with this

Elros plays Horror games despite hating it when he gets scared but he feels like he needs to prove himself something

Elrond rarely gets scared by anything

There's still Finwean family drama going on but like their generation just doesn't care about it lol

[theoreticslut]

✨🎉TheWeasleySlut’s Birthday Writing Challenge!🎉✨

Hello loves! I’m so excited to be doing this!! I’ve wanted to do a writing challenge for awhile now, but I just wasn’t sure when was a good time. I’ve been back and forth on it for ages. With my birthday coming up at the end of this month, however, I figured why not just go for it. So below, you can find the rules, deadline, and prompts! Hopefully you’ll consider taking part in it, but if you don’t that’s cool. Hopefully you’ll enjoy the fics written for it! Xx

✨ Rules;

- You can choose 1-2 tropes/au + 1 song + 1-3 dialogue prompts each

-> meaning each trope/au prompt can be taken by THREE (3) people & each song prompt can be taken by TWO (2) people; dialogue prompts will have NO fill limit

- Please send me an ASK with what prompts you’d like to use & which HP character you’ll be writing for!

- Can be written for any Hp character - golden trio era or maurauders era, male or female!!

- Can be fluff, smut, or angst; all I ask is you add proper warnings

- When prompts become filled they will be struckthrough

- Tag me @theweasleyslut & use the tag #theweasleyslut’s bday wc when finished

- If possible, I’d like to have a deadline of June 6th so I can make sure I get them all in and put into a masterlist; that gives you 3 months to choose a prompt and write a fic (I hope that’s enough time)

Notes: I will make a separate masterlist for the the fics that I will tag here (when it’s made)

✨Prompts;

tropes/au -

~ enemies to lovers |

~ friends to lovers |

~ fake dating

~ childhood friends |

~ unrequited love

~ roommates |

~ next door neighbors

~ soulmates

~ bed sharing/only one bed ||

~ secret relationship

~ forbidden relationship

~ friends with benefits

~ mutual pining |

~ unrequited love

~ blind date |

~ arranged marriage

songs -

~ kiss me by ed sheeran

~ give me love by ed sheeran

~ would you be so kind by dodie |

~ second best by younger hunger

~ sweater weather by the neighbourhood

~ do i wanna know? by arctic monkeys

~ I wanna be yours by arctic monkeys

~ teenage dirtbag by wheatus (or any cover thereof)

~ heather by conan gray

~ wish you were sober by conan gray

~ all I wanted was you by paramore

~ still into you by paramore

~ ain’t it fun by paramore

~ thnks fr th mmrs by fall out boy

~ pierre by ryn weaver

dialogue -

~ “This is the opposite of what I told you to do.” |

~ “I can’t believe you talked me into this” |

~ “You give me a headache.”

~ “Stop stealing the blankets!” ||

~ “Good thing I didn’t ask for your opinion”

~ “I heard that!” / “You were supposed to”  

~ “We have a problem” / “Let me guess, you caused it?”

~ “Tell me that you love me.” |

~ “Apparently all our friends have a bet going that we end up together” |

~ “I turned out liking you a lot more than I originally planned.” |

~ “I love you and that terrifies me” |

~ “that’s going to hurt” / “it hurts now, actually.”

~ “I’ve always been the second choice.”

~ “There’s people here” / “I know”

~ “We’re…just friends”

~ “Are you two going to play dumb for the rest of your lives?”

~ “The things I want to do to you, baby” |

~ “I bet the neighbors know my name.”

~ “It’s not a double date, we’re just third and fourth wheeling.”

~ “Why is it always me that gets dragged into your plans?”

~ “You can’t banish me! This is my bed/bedroom (too)!” |

~ “How much of that did you hear?”

~ “I’m going to marry you one day” ||

~ “I really want to kiss you right now.” / “Then do it.”

~ “I need to tell you something”

~ “Not everything is a joke” / “I’m not joking” ||

Tagging some mutals that I know/am pretty sure write for HP -

Don’t feel like you need to take part in this at all, but I’d really appreciate it if you helped spread it around! Xx

@teawiththeweasleys @cruciostyles @darthwheezely @ch0colatefr0gs @lumos-barnes @justmesadgirl @gcdric @whizboingies @wand3ringr0s3 @valwritesx @onlyfreds @accioweaslcy @weasleyclaw @weelittleweasley @sunflowerdarlingx @parseltongueswriting​ @quadrupledeckertaco​ @love-peachh​ @lupinsclassroom​ @fredweasleypls​

[yoichichi]

Power Couple Playlist

for my love @ikigaitooru , please enjoy Shawty :)

warning: slight timeskip!oikawa spoilers

Relationship Head cannons 

I am not joking when I tell you you guys would be the definition of a power couple, like the kind where when people see you together they definitely get a little nervous assjjjdjsakaka

The team adoressss you too, like you are constantly clowning Oikawa and he’ll just be there like 🧍‍♂️ while the rest of the team loses their minds

Don’t let him fool you though! Oikawa clowns you just as much as you clown him definition of a petty queen

But also let literally anybody else say something to either of you, y’all just go innn on them (unless it’s Iwaizumi of course)

But as much as you two bully each other, you guys are infatuated with each other like you guys got each other on the brain constantly

IMO you guys definitely started off as flirty bullies, to flirty jackass friends to lovers 😶 (I’ll go more into detail with the playlist ;))

Your relationship definitely gives off summer fling type vibes but it just ,,, never ends lmaoo

You guys are LITERALLY the king and queen of the zodiacs and I feel like Oikawa would bring it up constantly “who cares babe we rule the world, let’s do what we want 😩” headass you cannot tell me he wouldn’t say this shit slightly unironically

Stares at you any chance he can get, he loves it when you’re hanging out with someone and you’re doing most of the talking so he can just watch you (will get embarrassed and sheepish if you notice though)

His favorite is when you’re smiling or laughing really hard and then look at him to talk or wait for his response shit gives him butterflies every time

Totally the type to wipe your face with a napkin if you guys are out and you got something on it and then just smile at you like 😊 got it

OKok i dont know much about smoking but he’d DEFINITELY be the giggly type probably horny too but you didn’t hear that from me

Boasts about you literally all the time whenever he gets the chance pls, whenever he gets interviewed at his games in Argentina he relentlessly finds ways to bring you up

Definitely let’s you do his makeup, no questions asked

Sometimes you’re aggressive and chaotic and it scares but also excites him in the best way

OKOK Playlist time!!

(the title is a joke pls don’t come for me asjfkdllsjs)

I kind of made this playlist as a soundtrack to your guys’ relationship and did my best to have it align with your music taste even though I feel like I did horrible job of that 

I really hope you enjoy it and if you need me to change anything please tell me!!

1. Song for Me - Greer: Ok here we go, friends to lovers gang!! Y’all definitely trying to deny it, but you’re catching stupid feeligs stupid fast. He can really talk to you about these big dreams and you just listen and talk with him so intently that it makes him feel something he can’t explain at first it’s called romantic feelings dumby. And hearing him talk about his dreams with you and just really want to talk with you really makes you so happy; and you can’t help but imagine getting to be by his side with him while he does this and- hold on, did you really just think that? Yeah cue 2:37 of the song 

2. This Side of Paradise - Coyote Theory: Yeah, so you guys mutally realize that you like each other and do NOT know what to do. You guys kind of start to dance around it and aren’t sure what signs are real or made up lmaooo. You’re both so playfully flirty it’s like 😏 ahahahah.. 👀👀 bimboz anywayyy cue the side glances from Oikawa and his relentless staring as he slowly falls more and more for you

3. Heavenly - Cigarettes After Sex: UGH DID SOMEONE SAY MUTUAL PINING, pls I feel like this would go on for a fair bit with Oikawa, he’s so dramatic. This song is just the definition of you two just wanting each other. And the fact he’s so nervous to screw it up with you just makes him more nervous cause he’s like oh shit, I really like her. Iwaizumi talks it through with him though knocks some sense into him “If she’s so great why wait until someone else recognizes that and want’s her all to themselves? As a matter of fact I’m sure-” “IWA PLEASE I GET IT” literally runs to your house out of breath after practice to confess to you assjfjdkkd

4. Violet - Hippo Campus: Ok so you guys are definitely together now, and this song just reminds Oikawa of you so hard. It played on his way home from your first date and now he just completely associates with you. Sometimes if he’s feeling extra nervous before a game he’ll listen to it and immediately feel better, it’s like your theme song for you in his mind right now, not that he would tell you that. Whenever he see’s you in the stands at his games this song is like a backtrack in his mind and it just gets him so extra pumped them serves are definitely extra terrifying

5. Michelle - Sir Chloe: Ok we’re gonna get a teensy bit angsty in here 😶 this song is definitely about Oikawa. He’s just so perfect and you hate it, you can’t help but start to love him and it’s so frustrating? He’s just gonna ruin you and you know it. You wanna try to fight falling in love with him so bad but you know there’s just no way that’s gonna happen. It’s like, who are you to be falling for him? It’s intimidating to fall in love with someone you can’t help but see as literally so perfect, knowing practically everyone wants him. He would obliterate you if he heard you think this way but who has to know

6. Sweet - Cigarettes After Sex: This is it, this is the song Oikawa realizes he’s in love with you to. Not just loves you but like in love with you. It starts playing in his headphones while he’s on a run and it makes his heart stop. He just can’t stop thinking of you alongside every lyric (1:45-1:53? Oh yeah) and it makes him so soft; while also scaring the absolute shit out of him. He’s just so in love with you.

7. I Love You - The Post Nobles: OK IM SORRY A LITTLE WITTLE BIT OF ANGST! I do see falling in love scary period, and I do feel like it would kind of scare Oikawa for a second, like he’d really have to sit with his thoughts for a second and be like?? I love this girl? Oh god what if I mess it up? What if I lose her? What would I do? What if she doesn’t love me back? It would just be so much easier if I didn’t love her. So this song is more to himself like, fr my guy?? You love this chick? Wanna take it back? Nope. He can’t believe it but he’s in love with you and has no choice about it, it’s scary but he would let you ruin his life and he ultimately wouldn’t want it any other way. 

8. Pretty Boy - The Neighbourhood: I mean c’mon, this SCREAMS falling for Oikawa vibes. But it’s kind of like your song to each other like fuck it, we’re in love and we can’t do a damn thing about it. ~acceptance

9. Hot Faced - Margaux: I don’t know how to explain it but this is definitely you and Oikawa?? (”King” C’mon now 🙄) I have a feeling people are easily intimidated by you (you look like someone I’d be scared to talk to you) and Oikawa is so charming and inviting, like everyone loves him. So I’m sure there’s people who are like 🧍‍♀️ she’s intense, how’d he just get her like that? And she got him? Power Couple

10. Driving - Donna Missal: Honestly, this is totally just a ~vibe time song for the two of you :)

11. Burning Pile - Mother Mother: Ok TELL me you two wouldn’t blast this song, singing your lungs out together when someone’s had a bad day or is particularly stressed out? Definitely becomes somewhat of a ritual between you two 🖤 you guys are so cute I love you

12. Sunrise - Kevitch: This song is just the definition of your guy’s infatuation and love for each other. People are definitely jealous of you two cause it’s just so obvious on your faces you love each other. 

13. The Girl - City and Colour: Don’t hate me - slight Oikawa angst 🧍‍♀️ It’s Oikawa, he’s angsty. I strongly HC he’ll just never feel quite good enough for his s/o. He just feels like he’s dragging you around so he can chase his dreams and he hates how selfish he feels for doing that to you, but he just couldn’t imagine loving anyone but you. He has these big dreams of becoming a professional volleyball player, and even when he makes it to Argentina with you he feels like he constantly needs to do better for you and just loves you so much it hurts, and he just hopes that that’s enough for you :( 

14.  Cover Me in Roses - Holden Laurence: Intimate much?? Oikawa would most definitely make you slow dance to this song with him. It plays in his head if he wakes up before you, or if you fall asleep before him, all while he just can’t help but look at you and feel so so soft while he caresses your face and just thinks: this is it, this is all I need to make it through anything.

15. I Wanna go to the Beach - Algernon Cadwallader: Did someone say laughing and dancing in the hot night air or Argentina in nothing but your underwear inside your house with all the windows open? Cause that’s what I heard.

-----------

OKOK THAT’S IT BABES, I really hope you liked it, pls tell me if you’d like any changes.

And if anyone else see’s this I’d be more than happy to do this for you, too! Just send an ask with your music taste, tell me about yourself (a fair amount pls lmaooo) and whether or not you want someone or want me to pair you up! (haikyuu only please!)

[dancing-the-hellfire-rumba]

Tell Me Everything

Pairing: Chris Evans x Fem!Reader Word Count: 3k Summary:  Reader works as a costume designer in Marvel. She's currently working on Endgame, designing the costumes for each superhero (but especially her favorite one), when Chris stops by. Later, he tries it on. Mutal pining goodness and fluff all throughout :) Warnings: None :) A/N: It’s been a while. I’ve written for chris once only, and I already miss it. Here’s some fluff.

Earphones plugged in deep in her ears, blocking every other sound apart from her music. The side of her hand is dirty with pencil lead, leaving occasional smudges on the paper that she forgets to erase. It’s- there’s a lingering fatigue she can’t really shake off. She’s beyond exhausted, working so late in the night, still in her office, but doing this, right here, it feels so damn good. It doesn’t matter that she should be heading home, because all her repressed creativity is bleeding in the paper, flowing as if it’s pouring out of her veins . Finally, finally , doing the thing she’s great at, the thing she loves.

Her music is deep, dark, has a strong but slow beat to it, and she bobs her head along, uncaring of the strands of hair that are furiously escaping her ponytail. She gets lost in the design, vigorously making swooping lines and hard edges, scribbling to her heart’s content, erasing a line and coming back in. The tedious process of adding details makes her settle just a little.

These past few years have been incredible. Working for Marvel was a dream she didn’t even know she’d had, the opportunity of a lifetime, truly. During the time spent working with all these amazing people, she’s learned, she’s grown, she’d developed as an artist and as a person. She can say nothing less than she’s happy, truly happy here. She means, designing and creating costumes for this franchise has been a job she couldn’t have even dreamt of. It may get tiresome, sometimes boring and tedious, but right now, designing… she feels like she’s been born to do this and just this.

It’s been a while since she’d gotten so lost in a design. It may be the fact that this particular one, and the actor that’s supposed to wear it, is her favorite. She may be biased. But she’d had amazing ideas and she was so eager to just make them come to life.

She’s coloring the last of the star in the center of the chest, when fingers tap her shoulder. Having been so lost in her work and music, she feels like someone poured a bucket of water over her without warning, and she jumps, pulling her earbuds out by their wire and swiveling her chair to look at the intruder.

Chris smiles down at her, all teeth and soft eyes. His hands are in the air flamboyantly, It’s me!, dark grey, long sleeved Henley loose on his biceps, and dark wash jeans hugging his thighs tightly. His hair is grown longer, tucked behind his ears, his beard is… new , and very nicely trimmed. Her heart thumps a little louder at the sight of him. If anyone were to ask, she’d blame the jumpscare, but she knows better.

“Chris!” Excitedly getting off her seat and throwing her arms around his shoulders in a friendly hug. His own wrap around her tightly, squeeze her to him, if only for a second, and she exhales.

“Hey!” He tells her, just as excitedly, and she pulls back. “I’m sorry I scared you, I knocked and there was no answer.” She waves a hand to show him it’s okay and plops back on her seat unceremoniously.

“What are you even doing here?! I thought the cast was gonna show up next week, for the fittings?” A strand tucked behind her ear and she’s suddenly kind of self-conscious of her disheveled state. Chris leans his hip on her desk and crosses his arms over his chest casually, looking like one of those bad boys in 2000’s coming-of-age rom-coms. She tries not to stare, but it’s a struggle, and a funny thought crosses her mind. If she were looking at him for the first time, he’d be screaming trouble. He still does, but less because he’s scary and a heartbreaker, and more because she’s hopeless when it comes to being functional around him.

“I had some business up here in New York, and the Russo’s asked me to drop by. Something about paperwork.” He shrugs lightly and she ‘ah’s, accompanied by a nod and a brief eyebrow twitch to show her understanding.

“Well, I’m happy you dropped by. It’s been a hot minute, hasn’t it,” she smiles at him, and Chris nods, a bit of an apologetic, regretful almost, look in his eye.

“So,” he says and shifts his weight a little, “whatcha working on?”

“You, actually.” Lead-stained fingers pull the sketchbook under the light a little better, closer to him, and he gets off his hip, places his left hand on the back of her chair, leaning all his weight on his right, on the desk. His chest is suddenly so close to her face, her shoulder brushes his torso and she’s holding her breath , because he smells so good –cologne and aftershave?- she might fucking faint . She can feel her face heat up. She wonders if he’s doing it on purpose, if he knows at all. She watches his expression.

“Waddaya got?” It’s all interest in his voice, and he doesn’t seem to intend to move. Damn.

“Well,” she takes a shaky breath, “I figured, y’know-“ a mindless shrug, and his shirt is exceptionally soft and fairly thin, two layers between their bare skin, and- oh gosh, she's supposed to be explaining things. Focus! “Cap needs a new suit, and he’s a fugitive now, right? He doesn’t really care to get a new one tailored.” Chris exhales a chopped, amused breath and nods sideways, as if saying You have a point there . “So the old one would have to do.

“But it’s different now, because he can’t have the same exact one, completely untouched, and he’s a different man now anyways.” Scooting the chair closer to the desk on instinct- and fucking great , now she’s literally pressing into the bottom of his ribcage lightly with her shoulder. It’s getting harder to breathe. She can feel his exhales on her face, Jesus. “So basically,” a steadying, shaky breath, “I made it dirtier- that’s why the colors are darker. It’s supposed to be aging fabric. But it’s also more comfortable for you.

“The sleeves will end right here-” without giving it much thought, she traces a line under his right elbow, the one on which he’s leaning, and he follows the motion with his gaze intently, “and you’ll wear some fingerless gloves with buckles on them.” He nods, eyes still not off her design, occasionally flicking to glance at her. “But,” she begins.

“The detail I’m most excited for is this,” a tap on the star in the middle of the uniform- or rather lack thereof. The space where the plastic white thing once resided is now dark blue like the rest of the uniform. She grins up at him when his features twitch in interest. “I pitched this to Joe and he really loved it. Basically, my logic is that, as we said, Cap’s a fugitive, yeah?” Chris nods, attentive as ever. “He’s gone against every government official he knows, against a big chunk of his own team. The news have probably said awful things about him and painted him as a superhero gone rogue or something. So what does he do? He rips off the star.

“He no longer fits the Captain America title, in the sense that he doesn’t want to be associated with the government’s lap dog, their dancing monkey. Instead of faithfully following orders as a soldier, he’s his own self, still a Captain, but on his own terms. It’s symbolic! He’s carving his own  path, leading like he was always meant to, and he’s dramatic enough to have done this- ripped off the star I mean. The suit should feel more familiar to him now.”

She’s been rambling for a while, her mouth is drier, but she was so excited when the idea manifested in her head. A big sense of pride washed over her, she couldn’t wait to design and implement it in the costume.

And Chris, well… Chris is looking at her with this small little smile that grows the more he considers it. “I…” he shakes his head, a grin stretching his pretty lips, “I fucking love it,” he tells her, with so much genuine warmth in his tone. She’s never heard him this confident and proud , like a parent almost, glowing at her like she’s something brighter than a star. “That’s brilliant , Y/n, holy shit ! The fans will go nuts!” He leans close to inspect the design again with the new parameters in mind, shaking his hand as if disbelieving, smile remaining on his face. “You’re amazing .”

A hot, red blush spreads across her cheeks fiercely, and there’s a lingering urge to sit up straighter, to square her shoulders in pride and happiness, because she’s so happy he liked it¸ but she is now acutely aware of how close he is, still not having moved away from her since she pressed into him accidentally. She resorts to a one shouldered shrug. “Thank you,” her voice is meeker than she’d like it, but Chris doesn’t mention it. Instead, they share a smile.

=

“Ready?”

“I’m, unf, gimme a sec- I’m coming.” Some shuffling, and then the sound of the curtain being pulled back, and she puts her phone away, swiveling in her chair and- oh Christ.

“Chris… ” she says, eyes racking from the tops of his shoes, up his legs, his thighs, his belt. The way the comfortable material stretches over his fit stomach, up his curved chest, and extends up to the base of his neck- it’s, fuck, he looks so good. His veiny forearms are exposed to the warm lamp light in the room, and he’s not wearing the gloves, seeing as they’re sitting on her desk.

The dark blue of his suit makes his newly dyed hair look golden .

“How do I look?” He says with a grin, striking an exuberant pose just to make her smile, and she grins.

“I’ll give you like,” she pretends to think for a second, “a six out of ten.” A shrug and a bitten back smile, and his hand goes to his chest dramatically, thick eyebrows furrowing and blowing out a breath.

“Damn,” he tells her with a look in his eyes that she can’t really place, something teasing, but like they're sharing an inside joke of some kind. “Harsh critic,” it’s teasing and happy, and she chuckles, because yeah. This is quite  perfect. She grabs his gloves off her desk and gets off her chair, going up to him and holding them for him to squeeze his hands in. She tightens some buckles, smooths a hand over the leathery material, making non-existent creases disappear.

A step back, she inspects the way the material hugs his thighs so nicely, but is also still baggy, to give him some freedom of movement. His boots are almost knee high, and- it actually looks like it might be a bit tight in the neck. She steps closer to him, barely tests the two buckles in front of his shoulders, checking that there’s give for him to move in. “It’s good? Comfortable, I mean?” A finger dragged between the collar of his top and his neck, purely professionally she swears, it was a subconscious move to check how much space there is for him to breathe and move his neck. And that’s the moment stupid Chris chooses to hum and she feels it in the exhale hitting her face, the vibration of his throat.

God .

Her lips purse and she squints a little, pulling back her hand. I can make this better , she decides. “Don’t move,” she orders and heads to her desk, grabbing some needle and a thread that matches the color of his suit, along with a small blade. She walks back up to him again and, with a careful hand on his chest and the threaded needle carefully placed between her lips, she makes a few, strategically placed rips near the star with the blade.

“Don’t stab me,” he says, tone low for a reason she can’t understand but makes a shiver run through her.

“Don’t give me ideas,” she counters, and Chris’s stomach shakes a little with a short, contained laugh. Continuing, she distresses the fabric, and patches up the edges so they won’t tear further during filming, allowing a string or two to stick out.

She is absolutely, of course, not ignoring how she can feel every single one of his breaths, and how he’s so good and still, and his hands are only a handful of inches away from her waist, his face hellishly close to hers.

A released exhale and a nod to herself. “Perfect,” she says quietly. She wraps the threaded needle around the handle of the blade so as to not lose it and throws it back on her desk haphazardly, to put away later. Unmoving from her spot near him, she gazes at the rips and decides it was a good addition. For just a second, it seems she forgets exactly how close he is, and now she looks up to him for approval, finding that same intent stare, straight into her soul from only three inches away.

There’s a sudden urge to shrink and disintegrate, confidence gone. Clothes she can handle. Chris she really can’t.

Baby blue eyes are watching her, standing perfectly still for her to do her thing, but there’s a, dare she say , affection of sorts in his gaze, and she’s very much struck with it. “You look great, Cap’n,” breathy and quiet, because she can’t fucking sit in silence when he looks at her like that. Chris smiles.

“All thanks to you.” A grin at the praise, at the lowered tone of his voice, as if he doesn’t want to break the moment with loud words. She should step back, b- but she physically cannot. Her muscles are seriously unwilling to move. This is her being weird, right? She’s crossing a line by taking advantage of his proximity, right? Why- He’s not showing any signs of awkwardness or discomfort though.

She’d like to know how one stretches a moment to eternity, a piece of knowledge she'd most certainly use right now. His cologne is the same as last week, when he visited in her office, comforting and musky, and he’s- he’s just looking at her with his beautiful eyes boring into hers, his warmth just centimeters away.

“You’re very close to me,” what a stupid thing to say , she scolds herself, but she just- she doesn’t know what else to do. Is it normal to feel such heat radiate from his body, or is that her mind playing tricks? She wants to curl into him, into said warmth, bury her nose in his neck and nuzzle there. It’s an urge that hits her like a tidal wave, and it almost makes her stagger on her feet. Her heart beats faster, inflated and full, adrenaline coursing through her veins all of a sudden. Chris swallows a little and nods. “What are you gonna do about it?”

There’s almost no charm in his tone, he looks borderline nervous, but there’s still some confidence in his velvety voice for him to flirt with her, the bastard and- she’s not imagining this, right? She’s not dreaming or anything? Chris actually enjoys this proximity, this closeness, he’s not pulling away. He just- he just sort of gave her consent to do something, anything. The ball is in her court, a challenge, proving she actually can do something about this.

With a shaky hand, she presses her palm flat on his chest.

A mental barrier is broken by that  touch and Chris seems to curl closer, if possible. His gloved hand goes to her waist, holding her near him, his head dipping lower, and she’s standing on her tiptoes. Noses brushing together, a challenge, emphasized in the teasing curl of his lips, sharing the same air. Beard tickling her top lip as she inches closer. A small hand on his face, and she licks her lips instinctively, parts them a little- and closes the gap between them.

It’s soft and wet and everything she’s ever dreamt of really, and holy shit , she’s dreamt of this. It’s actually happening, right now. He’s in his dumb Captain America uniform, pulling her close so now their chests are pressed together, moving his lips against hers slowly, and his hands are in leather gloves with buckles on them. The thought makes her smile a little, to the point where now the kiss is all teeth, and he pulls back for a second, as if sensing her amusement.

“What?” he asks. Her forehead leans on his chest, a sad attempt to hide her grin. His arms, one wrapping around her waist, his other hand on her back.

“I’m kissing Captain America,” and Chris lets out a single, incredulous breath, eyes rolling to the back of his head as if to say, you’re unbelievable. She grins up at him, a challenging eyebrow raised. Am I wrong though?

Teeth trap her bottom lip and she worries it for a moment as they quiet again, lost in thought and looking at him absently. She wants to kiss him again. She likes how his hands are warm on her back, how his chest is lean under her. Leaning on her tiptoes again, she smiles softly and brushes her nose on his cheek affectionately, because it’s suddenly okay to do so, the hairs of his beard scratchy against her skin. Chris is not having it though, and he turns his head to capture her lips again.

It feels so good, she thinks, as she instinctively places gentle fingers on his jawline to keep him tilted to her. It’s like the world is blooming. Like her heart is bursting through the seams, chest far too small for it. She kisses him, and he holds her just this much closer.

She’s kissing Captain America. And it’s a damn good fucking kiss.

Tags: @thegetawaywriter​ 

[inkedtae]

ignition ⇾ jjk. [A]

𝓈𝑒𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈 ⇾ all star

𝓅𝒶𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 ⇾ motorcycle racer!jungkook x rookie racer!reader (f.)

𝑔𝑒𝓃𝓇𝑒 ⇾ frenemies2l, s2l, lowkey forbidden love, series, competition, multilingual!reader, racer au, angst, fluff

𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓉𝓊𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 ⇾ BTS, Yuta (NCT), Soojin (G-IDLE), Lucas (NCT/WayV)

𝓈𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎 ⇾  The Annual International All Star Race selects six racers from fifteen randomly selected countries to compete for the all star trophy. When your sponsorships fall through, career hanging by a thread, you have no choice but to do whatever it takes to secure a position for the race. But, qualifying is only half the battle. Tempers are high between your search for a new sponsor and a pretty Busan boy. Deceit and fraud lurk behind the fast lanes and roaring engines. Your career is your everything; how far are you willing to go to save it? 

𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓃𝓉 ⇾ 19.3k

𝓌𝒶𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 ⇾ piercing!jungkook, competitive!jungkook, working out!jungkook, swearing, lowkey mutal pining, slight eye-fucking, mentions of alcohol, mentions of injury, mentions and general depictions of crashes

𝒹𝒾𝓈𝒸𝓁𝒶𝒾𝓂𝑒𝓇 ⇾ this is extremely unedited. there will be mature content in the next parts. as well, the racing details will be based on real racing regulations but are ultimately altered to fit the flow of the story. 

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇'𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝑒 ⇾ refreshing your lives with some motorcycle racer!jungkook. enjoy!

The Busan AutoMotors Stadium was the third largest stadium in Korea behind Daegu’s and Seoul’s. This year, it was selected to host the first of three segments of the seventy-fifth annual International All-Star Race. 

When you had first heard your management team discuss possible recruits from the All-Star committee looking to scout more riders for the race, you had thought that it was a joke. You’d been racing for a while, only making the big leagues, last season. The All-Stars was your dream so the thought of you even being considered for the race felt too surreal. It felt as if it was too soon in your career to even be seriously thinking about joining this race. You had only just come in third for one of the largest provincial races of your country after winning your title as Rookie of the Year. The only possible explanation was that they were messing with you.

Your parents sat at either side of you during the meeting as Allison, your manager, explained the seriousness of the topic. She had told you all that this was simply to see if you were even worth calling for the qualifying race or not. 

Your father had reminded her that you were still a rookie, one with promise but a rookie nonetheless. He was never really fond of your determination to pursue this racing dream of yours, thinking it to be too dangerous and reckless. He had told your mother countless times that he will not continue to support this, that he would not pay for more training or new parts or new suits since the day you got your motor license. However, he still showed up to every practise, every race and still shouted at you to push yourself harder from his spot in the pits. 

Your mother never paid much mind to his threats for that very reason. She had always reassured you that he was all talk and would be there when it really mattered. You were thankful that she fought for you the way she did. Had she taken your father’s side, you probably would’ve been doing all this behind their back. You supposed your mother knew this and thought it was best to know where you were and control the situation in her own way. That’s how she spoke about every racing detail, anyway. Either way, you were grateful for the support they both offered, regardless of how they showed it. 

During this possible All-Stars recruitment meeting was also the first time you heard that your sponsors were wanting out of their contract. Allison told you that they didn’t feel they had the sufficient time or resources to meet your contract guidelines. You knew what that really meant; the sponsors didn’t feel like you, a rookie, deserved the same amount of resources as their bigger accounts. You were informed that the company was doing everything they could to keep them while also looking for other sponsorships that would support you during your next series. 

This was supposed to comfort you, but it only further put you on the edge of your seat. If she was telling you all this now, and slipping the All-Stars recruitment in so conveniently, then that only meant that the sponsors had already made up their minds and management was scrambling to find something to hold you up until they could seek out another source of income to fund the rest of your career. You had shared a knowing look with you mom, and knew that she was thinking the same thing. 

You won the next race, playing all too dirty for your liking. You usually didn’t cut people off so suddenly, causing massive slips, totalling bikes and risking the injury of the rider. However, you needed that recruitment, that invitation to attend the qualifier’s race, where you raced even dirtier. In retrospect, you supposed that this was the first step you took in losing yourself, and in forgetting who you really were.

In the end, you came in fifth, only just qualifying for the All-Stars. The top six racers of fifteen randomly selected countries were chosen to compete. In a week, you met the other drivers and riders, who all watched you carefully during practises and meetings. They noticed how you raced and you knew they were trying to figure you out, trying to decide if your riding reflected your personality at all.

 Lana, your new team’s spokesperson, came in first. She was the oldest and had the most wins under her belt. You really looked up to her, following her career closely when you were just starting yours. This wasn’t information you wanted her to know, but you simply couldn’t stop blushing every time she gave you a compliment. It was hard for her not to realize how much she meant to you as a fellow racer. To have her on your team was a dream in itself. 

Yuta was the second oldest, and the quietest. He kept to himself, only speaking to offer new techniques that he thought would help others improve their driving. While Lana had the most riding wins, Yuta had the most driving ones. He was by far the most qualified of all the drivers selected for your team. You weren’t the best driver yourself, riding being your strongest skill, so you took everything Yuta said to heart. When you needed driving tips or guidence, he was the one you usually spoke to first. 

If he was busy, you spoke to Dia. Dia was possibly the closest thing you had to a friend on the team. She was around Yuta’s age and sometimes drove better than him too. You never told either of them that though, knowing it would only cause chaos that no one was very fond of. They had a tendency to argue over engines and models, each one claiming the one they had was the best. She also threw the fact that he came in third, after her, in his face every time he dragged her engine choice through the mud. 

“It was only one lap,” he would say. “I would’ve bested you in five.”

Dia would always reply with, “It only takes one lap to know, Yuta.”

Lucas found too much amusement in their arguments. He was a rider and didn’t know much about what they were arguing about, but loved to throw in random facts about cars just to see which one would agree and which one wouldn’t. He fed their flames all too often, then stood back and watched them explode. Lana always scolded him for it. He seemed to take that as part of the fun too. He was a good rider overall, bested you with your own tricks. You noticed that he was always able to adapt on the track, not only to the track itself but to the riders on it. It was admirable. 

The last racer, somehow missing the mess you had incurred behind you, was Tyler. You weren’t quite sure if he was a driver or rider, being rather awful at both of them. You figured that if you hadn’t caused so many slips, then he probably would’ve been one of the last to finish the race. However, the fact that he was able to weave through the collisons without much damage had to speak for something. He had talent, sure, but lacked skill. 

You were very thankful to the All-Star Management team your country was assigned as they made sure you were all well-acquainted and comfortable with each other before sending you off to Korea for preparations and promotions. You knew that if they hadn’t made you spend so much time together, you would have never been able to maintain your patience around some of your teammates. 

You stood amongst the five of them now in the Busan AutoMotors Stadium as it buzzed with excitement. A melody of languages collided while racers from around the world gathered for the welcoming event. A graceful smile stretched on your lips before the cameras as sponsorship interviews were being conducted. Being on the All-Stars Team had landed you a sponsorship with Solar, an energy drink brand, for the duration of the season. You were told to make connections while you were there, just in case your company wasn’t able to land you an account with Solar after the season ended. 

Lana carried the interview, answering the questions no one wanted to, while Lucas radiated the most personality. You all took turns teasing each other, as instructed by Management, to show how tight of a group you were. This was a clever idea, but you weren’t very sure that it would work. Lana had a tendency to talk over others, Yuta and Dia, though sounding friendly, would diss each other all too much, Lucas barely understood what was going on, always lost in his own world, and Tyler was far too pompous for his own good. It was this very reason that made you grateful to have gotten to know them for a few weeks before flying out to Korea.

You chuckled to yourself at the joke the Korean interviewer made, your team joining in on the laughter later as Soojin, your translator, repeated it in English. The interviewer then wished your country the best of luck during the competition and all the cameras lowered.  

Tyler stretched his neck and rolled his shoulders back. “God, that was exhausting,” he muttered. Lucas and Dia nodded, mumbling their agreements. 

You found the constant need to smile and nod rather tiring too but you still enjoyed being able to talk to your supporters and fans. You knew very well that if they hadn’t rooted for you and believed in you, then you probably would’ve never pushed yourself as hard as you did to even make rookie status. You were extremely thankful for them and if you had to smile and nod for hours on end to show it to them then that’s what you were going to do. 

Tyler just loved to complain, you’d noticed. He had ranted about how long the flight was, how he couldn’t sleep, how his hotel room was way too small, how he deserved more time with his car because it was taken apart and put back together to be shipped and he still needed to get used to that - as if all your cars and bikes didn’t undergo the same process. It annoyed the fuck out of you, making you want to tear your own ears off and shove them in his mouth just to get him to stop talking. 

Had he just been complaining for the sake of it, like Lucas did, you would’ve simply ignored him. However, you and your other four members knew very well that Tyler only complained because he felt the most entitled to. He had daddy’s money backing him up, buying him bigger hotel rooms and longer time on the track. The rich boy couldn’t believe he had to travel coach for the flight with the rest of the team. All-Star Management thought it was necessary for the six of you to fly out together in order to keep up that image of closeness and trust between team members. You probably would’ve all gotten first class seats, but sponsorships weren’t finalized yet, so Management had to settle for the cheapest seats on the cheapest flight. 

But, Tyler didn’t really care very much about anything besides his polished ass. He wouldn’t stop practically crying over the fact that there would be very little leg room and the seats wouldn’t recline. The only good thing that came out of all his whining was that he had his father upgrade all your seats too. Management wouldn’t accept it any other way. 

As you watched him mutter under his breath about how little food and drinks were offered at this morning’s event, you couldn’t stop thinking about how you wanted to smack that stuck-up attitude right out of him. You weren’t a violent person by any means, but his unappreciative rants were getting to you. How could someone be so ungrateful? The fact that he was right about the few refreshments around was besides the point. He was at the All-Stars. It had been your dream to race at this competition since you were sixteen, wanting nothing more than to experience the glory of an All-Star Champion. And here this silver spoon was, complaining about the opportunity he probably barely had to earn based on his driving and riding skills. 

You could tell your other team members were starting to get annoyed too. Lucas rolled his eyes, but nodded along, probably thinking that humouring Tyler might get him to shut up. Dia and Yuta turned to Soojin to go over some greetings and introductions the moment Tyler began to look around, knowing he was about to complain about something, anything. 

Lana was the only one that told him to keep his voice down if he was going to complain. Out of the five of you, she was the most vocal about her distaste for Tyler’s entitled habits. She had shut him down multiple times, offering the team some peace from the constant complaints.

Before he could reply to her, the hosts of this year’s competition took the stage and welcomed everyone. They had three screens behind them, displaying their script in multiple languages, line by line, as they spoke. You didn’t bother reading them however, knowing it would just confuse you. The most languages your mind could think in at once was three and there were definitely more than three languages you knew up there. It was best for you to stick with the Korean audio, keeping your mind focused on the home track language. 

“Welcome to the Seventy-Fifth Annual International All-Star Race! Are you ready for the All-Star experience?” one of the two asked. 

You replied instantly while others lagged with their screens. You had been able to contain your excitement during the last couple of weeks, discussing racing plans and schedules to adhere to once arriving with Allison, All-Star Management, and your team. But, being here, surrounded by all these other amazing racers, finally allowed the reality of the experience to set in. You couldn’t fight the wide smile on your face as you looked up at the hosts, who were all smiles too as they showered the racers with encouraging chants. 

A pulling gaze to your left drew your attention away from the stage and to a tall man leaning against one of the pillars that stood around the stadium centre. He had angelic eyes; it was the only way to describe the honey brown glow that swam within them. The light bounced off the silver hoop piercing that looped around one of his nostrils. You felt your breath hitch as his lips curled into a shy smirk. His eyes may have been angelic but his lips were absolutely demonic, something sinful lurking behind that bashful facade. It had to be a facade. No one with lips that dangerous could be safe. 

Somewhere within you, you managed a nervous smile back. Who the hell was this guy? He wasn’t wearing much of any team logo besides his black hat, which had Korea’s flag embroidered in it. Could he have been a racer too? Or, was he simply a translator? Soojin only really wore a shirt with your country’s flag on it, and other translators took to the same trend. They all wore at least one article of clothing that informed others who they were translating for in case they were needed. 

Those holy eyes of his began to dance up and down your frame, darkening with unholiness. You uncomfortably shifted your weight from foot to foot. He seemed to take every part of you in as his gaze lingering around your curves. He really was shameless, checking you out while you watched. His cheeks then tinted a light pink as if just now realizing how obvious he was being. 

For some reason, you felt a twinge of pity towards him. However, that feeling didn’t surprise you as much as your next actions did. You caught his gaze once more, then wandered your eyes down his muscular frame. His chest stood out to you first, buff and looking firmer than ever. It made your lips slightly part, but you only took to licking them when your sights settled on his thighs. They were the definition of muscle, defined to destroy your sanity, that much you could already tell. 

Wait- you weren’t supposed to go that far, stare that long. Your eyes found his again and he was watching you with an unreadable expression, mouth slightly agape and eyes vacant. You felt your entire face redden. 

It looked like he was trying to push himself off the pillar, but it only resulted in him losing his step and falling over. You threw a hand to your lips to hold back your laughter as he caught himself just before his face hit the ground. Your shoulders shook, laughing into your fingers when his eyes met yours again.

His face was red now, nervous laughter seeming to fall from his lips. He took his hat off and ran a tattooed hand through his long, wavy hair. At first, you had thought it was a nervous reaction. However, you came to find that he was trying to regain his stoic composure, turning his non-chant charm back on. Yup, that guy was most definitely demonic. He flashed you a wider grin, as if reading your thoughts, and pushed his hair back once more before returning his hat back into its place. 

A chorus of cheers pulled you out of the little world you were in. Your attention fell back on the stage, the hosts having just wished everyone exhaustive amounts of luck. Cameras were back on you and your team, wanting to get your last minute thoughts on the event and competition before you were issued to your training.  

You didn’t let your eyes wander back to that stranger. Translator or racer, it didn’t matter. You weren’t here to play around. The entire fate of your career depended on your performance during this competition. Your status barely provided you with clout, name didn’t offer respect and skills only intrigued, never impressed. This wasn’t the time to get lost in another’s eyes. No amount of beauty was going to change the facts of your unfortunate circumstance. 

You ignored the call of his eyes, knowing they were still locked on you. Shrugging off his presence, you returned your full attention to your teammates and your country’s network interviewer. 

You had finished your portion of track-testing about an hour ago. Each team gets about three hours to practise and train. Still, you remained in the pits, watching Tyler get that extra time his father paid for. You were lucky your country was the last to track-test today as Tyler would have eaten up your chance to test with his own. 

He finally pitted, hopping out of the car and pulling off his helmet. “That last turn wasn’t the best,” he heaved, running a gloved hand through his sweaty hair. 

None of them were, you wanted to say, but instead bit the inside of your cheeks, knowing better. Driving wasn’t your area of expertise, but you knew that you could’ve done a better job then whatever the hell he was doing. You couldn’t help but wonder if he had ever really won any of the races he’d been in. He had raced enough to exceed rookie status, but had he won any? 

You shook your head at your rude thought, scolding yourself. You knew it was mean of you to think that, but the entire team was going to grab some dinner together in about an hour or two and you still had to hit the gym. Most drivers didn’t really work out that much, but riders did. You needed to at least stay lean and strong enough to tilt the bike without much fuss. But here Tyler was, being Tyler and fishing for more time he shouldn’t have gotten in the first place. 

“I have a schedule to stick you,” you reminded everyone as he spoke to Dylan, the crew chief. 

Dia looked up from her phone, adding, “we all do. Can we please go now?”

The rest of the team nodded along, including the pit crew. Dylan sighed, taking his headset off. He glanced between everyone’s unimpressed faces, looking just as annoyed with the situation himself. “Yeah, you’re all free to go,” he finally said. 

You didn’t wait around to hear Tyler grunt his protests under his breath. Instead, you grabbed your gym bag and rushed back to the golf-like carts with your teammates to ride back to the stadium centre. Each one had their phone glued to their hand, texting or calling their manager to let them know they were on their way to their next scheduled event. You were no exception, texting Alison with updates on where you’ll be until dinner. 

from alli: no group dinner tonight - all sponsors are hosting an All-Star Bash at the hotel. We need you there networking with some representatives.

to alli: you can’t be serious, i’m gonna be starving after the gym

from alli: sorry hun, you are running an hour behind schedule

Damn Tyler.

from alli: eat something during hair and make up

You locked your phone, resting back in your seat with a huff. A part of you understood why Management wanted you to stay as a team wherever you went, flying together, training together. But you honestly felt like this was getting out of hand. You didn’t like the fact that you kept having to bend your schedule to fit Tyler’s. 

Lucas rolled his eyes at his phone too from his place beside you. “Schedule’s fucked for you too,” you asked, not bothering to fully face him. He hummed his reply and, in the corner of your eye, you caught him nodding.

Lana must’ve noticed everyone else in the same state and muttered something about talking to him about it. You didn’t listen, not paying much attention to her words. You knew Tyler was going to do whatever he wanted in the end. 

You transferred to your own SUV when you reached the stadium. Your team hopped into cars that waited for them too and went off to their appearances, whatever those may be. You weren’t very familiar with their schedules if it didn’t pertain to you.

Your phone began to buzz continuously. You glanced down at the screen in your lap, reading Lana’s texts in your team chat. She was telling Tyler off after he accused them all for ruining his chances for the first segment of the race. You opened the chat just to mute it. You never really contributed to it anyways unless you had a question or something to show them. 

Right now, you didn’t want to deal with them. You just wanted to blow off some steam. That would ideally entail a quick ride on your bike, the speed lashing against you with the wind and the engine so loud and forceful that your heart would beat to the same roaring rhythm. But, that was near impossible with your bike being in the garage until your next track-test. Besides, superbikes like yours weren’t road legal; you weren’t allowed to ride them for any other purpose other than racing.

All you had left to channel your anger was the gym. You headed there the moment you got out of the car. You didn't bother going upstairs to your room to change. You had already changed out of your jumpsuit an hour ago while Tyler was still testing, both the track and your patience. You also knew you weren’t going to be able to eat before or after your workout, so there was no need to go up yet. You simply shushed the rumble of your stomach and entered the change room. You made a mental promise to eat after the party. You didn’t want to eat while others were working on your face and hair. You moved too much and liked to take your time when eating. 

Thoughts on what to have after the party began to fill your mind as you placed your bag in one of the lockers. Something off the room service menu no doubt, but you did want to try some of the local restaurants later. As you tried to remember what places Allison suggested, you looked through your bag for your earphones. An exasperated sigh left you when you couldn’t find them. Whatever - you’d just have to workout without them. You then shut your locker and made your way to the gym.

You started on some warm-up push ups after taking your sweater off. You were wearing a simple, cropped t-shirt underneath and a pair of sweats. Form wasn’t your focus today. You just went through the motions, and let out your frustrations into the machines you were using throughout your exercises. 

Every moment of this “All-Star experience” had been like a lasting mirage; you’ve been seeing it in the distance, enthralled by the charm of glory and success. However, every time you thought you’ve reached it, it just didn’t feel the same. The glory was nonexistent and the success lingered over the edge, threatening to fall into the pits of failure instead. 

Nothing was as you expected it. Your mother warned you about this, about the chase for more; more recognition, more fame. She supported every choice you made in your career, even helped pay for your first bike. Your father was proud of the clout you had earned now, but he wasn’t so fond of your choice to race before. He fed you tales of horror while your mother soothed you with tales of wonder. The Rookie of the Year was the height of your success before this opportunity. Never had the All Star committee accepted a rookie into the competition, let alone a female rookie. There was a nasty stigma around women and racing. You, Lana, and Dia, along with other powerful female racers, were breaking it. It made being competitive against them hard for you. You sincerely wanted them all to succeed in this industry, paving the way for other little girls craving the same thrill for speed as you did. 

A straggled grunt to your right pulled you out of your thoughts with a start. The weights you had been lifting with your legs smacked down against the others, echoing the sharp snap within the gym. 

There, clutching onto the high bar, hung the clumsy guy from all those mornings ago. Your eyes latched onto his figure as it slightly drowned in the grey coloured hanbok he wore. His hair, you also couldn’t help but notice, was rather fluffy, bouncing with each of his pull-ups. He was grunting as he performed the workout with impressive form. You shifted in your seat a bit, regretting not having made a show of your form too. You thought that you probably could’ve done better than him.

He caught your eye in the mirror, a tired smirk dancing on his lips. He grunted again, lips curling in while his nose scrunched up. You blushed when you noticed the little freckle centred perfectly beneath his bottom lip. He seemed to interpret that differently, growing red in the face himself and, rather visibly, trying to fight off a smile.

Swallowing thickly, you stood up and made your way to your sweater; you had left it on the ground when you were performing your push ups. You weren’t sure how long he had been there, swearing to yourself that the gym had been empty when you came in. You put the sweater back on, nonetheless, deciding whatever show he got from your just covered curves was enough.

He jumped down, rotating his shoulder as he turned to you. “Leaving?”

You raised a brow up at him. Maybe he was a translator. His accent was still lingering though, and you regretted to wonder if your accent sounded half as cute as he did when you spoke different languages. “No,” you answered politely in Korean. “I was just putting my sweater back on.”

His smile widened, and he nodded while his amused gaze fell to the floor. “So you do speak Korean,” he whispered to himself. He then looked up at you and finished his thought. “I figured you did when I saw you laugh with other Korean speakers while everyone else was struggling to keep up.”

“You were watching me?” you asked, voice feigning innocence. You thought playing dumb might excuse the fact that you checked him out back just to make him feel less embarrassed about it. 

He turned his head to the side, lips continuously threatening to break out into a full grin. He didn’t answer your question when he turned back to face you. Instead, he nodded towards the bench press and asked, “Will you spot me?” 

He was already making his way to the bench. You hesitantly followed, not completely done with your own work out yet. He seemed nice enough, however. And though you knew you couldn’t afford any distractions, you reasoned within yourself that there was nothing wrong with a bit of shameless flirting. It’s not like you weren’t already doing that anyways. 

He laid down on the bench, the weights he desired already in place. You figured he had probably been waiting for someone, who could actually lift this if anything was to happen, and settled on you instead. He gripped the bars as you stood just behind his head, hovering your frame over his face. 

“I’m not sure I could lift this,” you said, fingers grazing along the bar and accidently brushing them over his. 

His eyes shot to yours at the interaction and he chuckled. “I trust you can,” he replied, readjusting his grip as you hovered your hands under the bar. He lifted the bar out of its place with a grunt and began to steadily move it up and down. 

Your hands followed the bar, palms lightly pressed to the metal as if you were actually making a difference. In truth, your attention was all consumed by his sounds and the way his face crumpled in concentration. He always had his lip between his teeth you noticed and those angelic eyes almost looked angry. And the way his nostrils flared, causing his piercing to shake a bit, only made the image that much more deadly. 

“Thirteen,” he corrected in a straggled grunt. 

You blinked down at him, tilting your head. “Hmm?”

“You said nine a few times,” he explained, setting the bar back in his place with a loud huff. He sat up and wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his sleeve. “Everything alright?”

You redirected your gaze to the floor. “Just fine,” you replied, not yet realizing it had been in English until he switched tongues too. 

“You seem distracted,” he noted. He then stood up and fully turned to you. 

What exactly were you expected to say? You couldn’t go around telling strangers how pissed you were with one of your teammates. It was unprofessional and too stupid to even be considered a rookie’s mistake. And the fact that you were having doubts about your dreams was another thing you did not want to dive into right now. You had a hard enough time discussing it with yourself, let alone with a stranger. And the one last thing distracting you from it all were thoughts of him that you knew you were not supposed to be having. You should have smiled politely and left the moment he made himself known. Maybe your choice to stay could be easily described as a rookie’s mistake. 

When you didn’t answer, he let out a little sigh. You weren’t really sure how to decipher it. His actions, you came to realize, were rather unreadable. It made you want to get to know him more. Perhaps understanding who he was would further help you understand what all his facial expressions meant. You, on the other hand, were an open book. All your emotions shaped your face as you felt them. There wasn’t much you could hide. He probably already knew this, having watched you so much. 

“Do you want to try it?” He nodded down to the bench then looked up at you expectedly. 

You stared back with an unamused expression, one brow slightly raised as if to ask him if he was being serious. 

He shyly smiled. “Just try it one time,” he suggested. You could tell he was directly translating from Korean, knowing the original expression. 

With a defeated sigh, you circled around the bench and sat down. He practically skipped to your previous spot, hovering his hands under the bar like you did. You laid down, lost between gazing at his tattooed hand inches away from you and how his fluffy hair fell in front of his face. 

“How do I do this?” you asked, pulling yourself out of your thoughts. The last thing you needed was to stare at him for all too long again and have the bar slip out of your hands. 

He moved his hands from beneath the bar to where yours were near your face. He paused for a second, glancing at you nervously. “Can I?” he questioned, fingers twitching by yours. 

When you nodded, he took your hands in his. They were only just calloused, mostly soft. The way his skin felt against yours ignited nerves you didn’t think you’d ever felt before. The entire experience in itself was unfamiliar. You would have never let another stranger touch you like this. He just didn’t feel like any other stranger though. He seemed to act like a best friend, the kind of person who knew how to make you feel better when you really didn’t want to, when you rather sulk in your own self-induced misery. 

“Just hold on like this,” he muttered, after guiding your hands to either end of the bar. He even helped you curl your fingers around them. His eyes seemed captivated in the task, lip caged between teeth again but this time displaying little dimples in the hollows of his cheeks. “Now, just try to lift it.”

He made it sound so easy. You gave him that look again, the look that silently told him he couldn’t possibly be serious. He only smirked in reply, nodding his head to encourage you to just go for it.

With a deep breath, you tried with all your might to lift the bar. It surprisingly sprang up, feeling rather light. You positioned it over your chest like he had and did your best to follow the same form. A little groan escaped you on your tenth rep. You really couldn’t believe he did this fifteen times, your arms already tired from the strain. 

“You’re doing great,” he mumbled, as if he was straining to hold the bar too. “Don’t push yourself too hard.”

You found it kind of comforting that he, too, switched between languages so casually. A lot of your friends back home thought it was bizarre and that you were just trying to show off your vast knowledge of languages. They were all monolingual so they didn’t really understand that when a person speaks two or more languages fluently, their mind naturally goes in and out of each one, pulling on words or phrases from one language they can’t remember in another. 

Your hand suddenly slipped from the bar and you gasped, expecting it to at least tip from the lost force lifting it up. Only it didn’t. His grip on it was tight, biceps flexing once more. 

“You were holding it the whole time,” you muttered as the realization hit you. 

A guilty smile played on his lips and he shyly returned the bar in it’s place. “You really didn’t think I’d really let you carry it, did you?” he asked, eyes gleaming with too much amusement for your liking. He rested his elbows on the bar and gazed at you. 

A few moments ago, you would’ve deemed that face unreadable. However, you knew now what it really meant; he was teasing you. A little giggle escaped you as you sat up. “You really had me thinking I had super strength,” you played along. You’ve gotten this far, you figured, so you might as well entertain yourself with this distraction. 

He chuckled behind you while you stretched your arm across your chest in order to soothe any soreness you were sure would follow. “I think the only superpower we both have is speed.”

You stiffened, arms falling down by your sides. A racer. Fuck, how could you be so stupid; of course he was a racer. He was built like a rider too. Leaned and toned, his arms and thighs were thick and strong enough to turn any corner smoothly. You should have known better. You should have left. You shouldn’t have indulged in him when you first saw him to begin with. 

He circled around the bench, standing in front of you now, gazing at you the way he always did. You hated that you had been talking to him long enough to know that. His lips parted, as if about to speak, but you shot up from your seat and pushed passed him. You maintained eye contact only to glare at him. 

He followed after you, face scrunched in an odd mix of confusion and exhaustion. “Something the matter?”

“You’re a rider,” you stated, turning to face him.

“And?”

“I’m a rider.”

He raised a brow. “You’re just stating facts, sweetheart.”

You were merely annoyed at first. Annoyed with yourself because you let yourself stray from the ultimate goal and annoyed with him for not seeing how terribly bad it was for you two to be talking. You may be frustrated with your team, but they were your team in the end. And fraternizing with the enemy was not at all something you wanted them to find out about. 

But now you were angry. Was this his true nature the entire time? He had always been this cocky? Is that the unreadable characteristic about him you couldn’t quite crack until this moment? The last thing you needed was another arrogant bastard talking down to you with stupid pet names. 

You turned back to face him, glare hardening. “Don’t call me that.”

The smirk on his face told you he liked your reaction, relished in it, in fact. “I’m not sure what’s got you all riled up, angel.”

“I told you to not call me that.”

“Actually, you told me not to call you sweetheart - which I didn’t.” That smirk was only getting wider. 

You rolled your eyes, drily chuckling to yourself. “You’re a jerk,” you mumbled, cursing yourself for how disappointed you sounded. It gave the impression that you wished he wasn’t one. 

His cocky expression wavered as you turned around and left the gym. You had no one else to blame but yourself for the discouraged burn that festered in the pits of your guts. 

Not a single racer was committed to a sober streak before a race. Each one had a drink in their hand, chatting with sponsor executives, representatives, and interns. Some racers even chatted with a few fans that were able to talk their way into the hotel bar. There weren’t any cameras around tonight, so you figured they just wanted to let loose. You couldn’t really blame them for that. But even you knew that drinking before a race, even just a week in advance, was bad practise. You really couldn’t believe your team engaged in it as well. 

A voice in your head reminded you of the bad practise you indulged in earlier that day, scolding you for judging others when you were in no position to. You knew it was right, but didn’t want to think too much about the interaction you have been blocking from your consciousness the moment you left that gym. 

You focus for most of the night was dedicated to talking to every sponsor you could, creating the connections you were ordered and expected to make. Laughing half-heartedly at their slightly offensive jokes and charming them with the same few lines, began to take a toll on you. You were already starving, snacking on martini olives to suppress the growls of your stomach. But, now you were also tired.

You rested against the bar counter, trying to decide if you had made enough of an impression with these sponsors to go up to your room yet or not. It was then that Lana crashed into your frame, almost knocking you over. “Where have you been?” she asked. You smiled at her sudden lively personality. You supposed it came out when she was tipsy. 

“Been talking to some sponsors,” you shrugged, giggling at her confused expression. 

She really didn’t seem to care that much, immediately pleading, “Come have a drink with us.”

You looked back at your teammates, all drunk and laughing with each other. It would be nice to let loose a bit, give into the call to relax. However, you felt like you’ve given into things enough that weren’t beneficial to you or your team today. You couldn’t afford this slip up too, not when the first race was right around the corner. 

“I’ll meet you there,” you lied. Lana laughed in delight and stumbled back to the team to inform them of your arrival. You turned around the moment you made sure she got there safely and headed towards the exit. You probably should've gotten up to your room, but you left the hotel instead. 

The stadium was not your initial destination. You should have never even thought to go there. But there wasn’t any other place you could think of that was outside the city lines enough to see a few stars. The light pollution in the city drowned out their light, making it impossible to spot a single shining star even in cloudless skies.

You sat yourself on the steps of the back entrance when you arrived. It was a good walk away from the grand entrance, but you thought it was necessary since you weren’t really supposed to be here outside of your allotted hours. 

The night was quiet, clear. The sky only faintly reflected the twinkled of the stars. So much for trying to get out of the city to see them. At least you’ve got a glimpse, you told yourself. 

Your mother once told you when you were little that the stars were just the product of your achievements, shining to remind you to keep trying your best. She said they were never meant to be grasped at and kept. Rather, they were meant to light you towards your next goal and see you through it. 

Looking up at the bare night sky, you prayed those little stars would light a path to your next goal, may that be a solid sponsorship or the All-Star trophy. Maybe this act of hopeful wishing was similar to reaching out to grab the stars, to holding onto to a miracle. Or maybe you were just a native rookie, thinking that wishing on stars will result in you being one. Either way, you prayed once more. 

A distant clatter to your left made you jump. You tore your gaze away from the sky and to the garage a few meters away. A tall figure, lean and muscular, crept around the shadows. It picked up the tools it knocked out of the box and returned them to their place before fiddling with a lock and slipping under the garage door. You knew exactly who that figure belonged to having stared at it all day.

What the hell was he doing in there? The garage was supposed to be locked, banned from racers when it wasn’t their time to track-test. And all racers were expected to be at the hotel, charming sponsors and partying with fans.

A rush of panic coursed through you at the realization that he might have already known that and came here to mess around with some competior’s engine. A little voice urged you to go call security, but what exactly were you going to say to them. You weren’t supposed to be here either. And, for all you knew, that could not possibly be what he was doing. He didn’t seem like the type to cheat. Though he was being a jerk the last time you talked to him, a part of you believed that he had some honour in him, even if it may be buried deep down. 

You slowly got up and did your best to tip-toe your way to the garage. It wasn’t a very easy task to do in platforms, but you couldn’t leave this place tonight not being sure what he was doing. If he was cheating, you confidently told yourself that you would be willing to risk being scolded for the integrity of the race. But if he wasn’t then you would  be able to leave here guilt-free, without any regrets.

You crouched down and stepped into the dimly lit garage. All sections were marked by country in alphabetical order. The garage door you snuck in through started at F. You looked down both ends, wondering if he went towards Korea or not. 

A little curse met your ears, pulling you attention towards the Ks. You quietly made your way over there, hiding behind a rack of tools when you got close enough to Korea’s section. There he was in well fitted dress pants and a black shirt patterned with tiny wihte flowers. Did he come here straight from the party as well? You didn’t remember seeing him there. He had his sleeves rolled up just enough to showcase all the veins in his arms and was examining his finger. He shook it out then reached for a wrench, giving his back to you and crouching down to the gears. You should’ve been paying attention to what he was doing to the gears, but your eyes couldn’t leave his frame. His back was just as muscular as when you saw it flexing in the gym that afternoon. 

You gulped down any other thoughts about how perfectly toned his shoulder blades were and gave a quick scan around Korea’s section. The area was lined with bikes and stocked with cars. It was more than you had ever seen for a single team. There were only six of them, why did they have so many? And how were they able to secure that many?

He was squatting near a sleek black Kawasaki. One look was enough to tell you the model. It was the same model your dream bike was, the one you hoped to have one day. However, this bike was accented with deep, reflective purples, looking better than the original neon green that this particular model usually came in. It was an odd detail for it to be customized. Maybe a sponsor got it for him. But then again, he had a few others just like it. What sponsor would spend almost a quarter of a million dollars on the same superbike for one rider? 

You shifted a bit, knees starting to stiffen up in your crouched position. A little, echoing clatter at the other end of the garage drew your attention back there. The movement caused you to trip over your platforms, falling forward and pushing the tool rack away from you. You were now in the light, halfway between an awkward squat and a lying down position. 

His confused gaze snapped down at you over his shoulder. He smirked and stood up, fully turning to face you. His eyes trailed over your frame, noticing your done-up hair, tight dress and those damned platforms that busted your cover. “Did you follow me here from the party?” He asked, rubbing the grease off his hands with a spare cloth.

You fixed your greyish-blue dress and dusted yourself off as you answered, “of course not.” A stray strand of hair fell before your eyes and you nervously pushed it behind your ears.

“Care you explain why you were spying on me then?” He gave you that usual smirk of his, eyes lingering down your frame momentarily. 

You narrowed your eyes at him, immediately answering, “I wasn’t spying on you.” When he raised his brow, glancing between you and the tool rack, you sighed, “Okay, I may have been spying on you just now but that was not why I came here. I didn’t even know you were here until you knocked the tool box over.”

“Then what exactly did you come here for? Why’d you leave the party?”

You stared at him for a moment, unsure if you should tell him the truth or not. You weren’t even sure if he would believe you. “I came to look at the stars,” you muttered, avoiding his gaze in embarrassment. 

He remained quiet for a while; standing, staring. You met his eyes again, thinking he might laugh or accuse you of lying. Finally, he simply nodded. “They look better on the boardwalk,” he replied, turning back to his bike. “I like looking at them too on clear nights.”

His reply stunned you. You slightly raised your brows, eyes searching for a sign that he may be lying or mocking you. All you found was sincerity. 

“Is that what you were doing here?” You asked. You took a couple of steps towards him, wanting to give the impression that you were warming up to him. But you still maintained your distance, walking past him to look at his other bikes. You had to force yourself not to get lost in their beauty, not to examine them like you wanted you. You reminded yourself that you were here to find out what he was doing and then leave. You couldn’t risk this more than you already did. And you most definitely couldn’t get distracted.

He gestured towards the bike he was working on, putting down the cloth and digging in his pockets for his keys. “Just getting ready for a ride.” There was a thrilled gleam in his eyes. You knew it all too well, assuming that’s what your eyes must’ve looked like when it came to riding too. 

You nodded, resisting the urge to smile. Your eyes darted to the beautiful bike, taking in its features one last time, before turning to walk away. You got the information you needed; there was no need for you to stick around for much longer. And though you envied his sly ability to sneak a ride in while everyone was preoccupied by booze and parties, you knew it was best for you to return to your room. This conversation was risky enough.

“Wanna join?”

You stopped mid-stride, tensing up. He had to be joking. That, or he was extremely dense. You turned around to face him once more. That shy smile on his face was enough to tell you that he was completely and utterly serious.

“I don’t think you understand how wrong this is.”

“No one needs to know,” he shrugged, causing a blush to tint your cheeks. “It will be a quick spin around, maybe check out the boardwalk, and the bike will be returned.” 

A little defeated sigh escaped you. You scolded your heart for reading into his words and your mind for not catching onto them sooner. “I meant us talking to each other,” you clarified, stepping towards him once more. “We’re competitors; if we’re seen chatting it up I’d never heard the end of it from my team, or Management.”

“What’s wrong with a little bit of sportsmanship?” He quirked his brow up, tonguing his cheek. 

The act made you hesitant for a moment, your mind needing to reboot itself as your heart pumped an unsteady beat. “Uh-” you started, his eyes softening back into their usual doe-like form. He was silently urging you to challenge his point. “Sportsmanship is not illegally riding together on the same bike.”

“So are you saying you don’t want to? You’re really telling me there isn’t a part of you itching to ride outside of those tracks without your crew in your ear all the time?” He tilted his head at you, mimicking your annoyed stance. 

Crossing your arms over your chest, you replied, “I’m saying it’s a bad idea.”

“So you want to then?” That smile was returning to his lips, drawing you in. “A quick ride,” he added, “No one will even notice.”

It was an absolutely terrible idea, but your gaze kept falling on the bike, your dream bike. You bit your lip, tearing your attention away from the pretty machine. You kept your head down and tried to talk yourself out of whatever the hell you were tempted to do. 

His voice met your ears once more and pulled you away from your mental debate. “What’s your name?” 

You swallowed thickly before replying, “(Y/N).”

He repeated it a few times in both English and Korean before nodding, as if approving of the way it sounded rolling off his tongue. “I’m Jungkook,” he smiled. 

“Jungkook,” you muttered and he nodded again, that smile never wavering. You mentally switched off all arguments that begged you to walk away, that reminded you of the risks involved as you asked, “Got an extra helmet?”

He let out a relieved laugh, stumbling backwards to grab a black helmet off the well. “This one should fit,” he said as he handed it to you. 

You accepted it, without another word. He also handed you his helmet, saying something about having to walk the bike out the garage before being able to ride it. You weren’t very sure what his exact words were. He mumbled a lot when he spoke Korean. 

He clicked the stand back and rolled the bike down the garage. You followed along with a black helmet in each hand. There was still time to refuse all this, to tell him and his amazing bike to go to hell. You could still order an Uber back to the hotel and sleep this entire conversation off, knowing you did the right thing and that he wasn’t messing with anyone else’s bike. And though your mind kept reminding you of these facts and of the state of your career, you still couldn’t confidently tell yourself that this isn’t what you wanted. You wanted to ride this bike. And though you wouldn’t admit it to yourself just yet, you wanted to ride it with him.

He clicked the stand down again and lifted the garage door up enough to slip the bike out. After getting the bike out and locking the garage, you handed him his helmet. His hand reminded held out towards you however as you pulled off the clip that held your hair up, letting it fall over your shoulders. 

Jungkook let out a little sigh at your confused stare to his hand. “The clip,” he said, pointing to it. 

“Oh,” you muttered. Hesitantly, you placed it into his large hand and avoided his eyes as he smiled at you. “Thanks,” you mumbled before putting your helmet on. You stayed behind him and pulled up your dress a bit. It had ended just above your knee before you pulled it up. The hem now rested against your mid thighs.

Jungkook kept his gaze trained on the floor whether or not you were behind him as you situated yourself. After putting on his own helmet, he threw his leg over the bike and kept his feet on the ground. You hesitated a bit, staring at his muscular back. You weren’t sure what was going on with you, why you felt so alone and like you didn’t know who you were. This just wasn’t like you. You knew riding would grant you some answers, but the cost still hovered over your heart.

He looked over his shoulder, waiting patiently for you to hop on. You swallowed whatever doubts you had and figured that riding around with another racer was better than getting drunk so close to a race. In reality, both choices were just as bad. But you were a rookie; what was your team’s excuse? 

You hopped on. 

“Do you want me to hold your shoulders or waist?” you asked in such a quiet voice, you even surprised yourself.

He shrugged, “Whatever you find to be the most comfortable.” 

Your hands hovered around his waist. You weren’t sure why this made you so flustered. He must’ve sensed your hesitance, for what felt like the hundredth time that night, because he reached back to pull your arms around him. A part of you really hated how he was able to read you so well without even looking at you. 

“Hold on tight.”

He switched on the ignition. The rumble of the engine trembled your body against his. You adjusted your grip to tighten around his waist. With your body practically flushed against his, you could smell his cologne. It was a floral, musky scent, mixed with hints of gasoline and asphalt. He tapped your hand once, letting you know that he was going to move now. You squeezed his waist to silently let him know you were ready. 

He began propelling the bike with his leg, pushing it forward before zooming down the road. You didn’t need to look at the speedometer to know he was riding under seventy. You could feel it in the wind and in how you were able to catch glimpses of the road around you without it looking like a blur of colours.

You looked over your shoulder with him as he checked his blindspot before merging into the main road. It was out of habit, and you were sure he knew that. Even still, Jungkook chuckled to himself. You could feel the vibrations of his laugh, just above your arms, in his ribs. You tighten your grip to let him know you weren’t impressed. He only laughed harder. 

You rode for a while, the cold wind nipping at your exposed arms and legs. You shuddered against him, tightening your grip subconsciously. 

Jungkook looked over his shoulder as you reached a stop light. Cars surrounded you, gazing at your frames against each other. “All good?”

“Yeah,” you called back to him.

“It’s just around the corner,” he promised before the green light illuminated over his black helmet.

He sped off once more, turning with the other cars. You leaned into the turn with him, letting your leg dangle as well. It was all a habit. Your foot was no were near the clutch, but the act of dangling before a turn was practically second nature to you. If he noticed this time, he didn’t say anything. 

The boardwalk he spoke about started to come into view. It was huge, following the length of the ocean before it. Though dimly lit, you could still see all the food vendors and little pop up shops that lined it. There was even some entertainment, or so you assumed as you saw some people gathered around one section of the boardwalk. 

Jungkook slowed the bike down as he entered a parking lot across the street from all the fun. He found a small space for bikes and turned off the engine. You hopped off first, pulling your skirt down to it’s normal length. He clicked the stand down and followed your actions, hopping off as well. His eyes, once again, remained on the ground while you fixed your dress. The act was small but you really appreciated it. It almost made you regret calling him a jerk in the gym. 

You pulled your helmet off, knowing your hair was a mess. His wavy hair somehow remained looking just as flawless post-helmet as it did styled. You ran a hand through your hair, hoping to tame it a bit before he looked over. 

His eyes slowly trailed up your leg, checking to see if you were done fiddling with your hem. Once he was sure you were, he met your gaze and held out his hand to accept the helmet. You gave it to him, watching as he lifted the seats to shove both helmets in. You were sure they weren’t going to fit but he made it work somehow. He shut the seat then turned back to you. 

He smiled a bit at the state of your hair, shaking his head to himself. He shoved his hands in his pockets and began walking through the parking lot, towards the boardwalk. You rolled your eyes and you followed after him as you tried to fix your hair again. Once your strides matched his, you lightly nudged his shoulder. You knew he barely felt it, muscles all too firm to feel anything that light. Still, he played along with your shove, moving his shoulder like you were strong enough to make an impact. 

As you crossed the street, you wrapped your arms around yourself, rubbing the goosebumped skin from the cool breeze of the summer night. It was a small price to pay for giving into your temptations.

“Cold?” He asked as you reached the other end of the street. 

You shrugged, “doesn’t really matter. We’re here just to see the stars.” You weren’t sure who you were reminding; him or yourself. 

He let his gaze linger on you. He had a habit of staring, you noticed. “It’s not just about the stars. It’s the experience. How could you be able to fully experience a starry night when you’re too cold to focus on it?” 

You spared him a sidelong glance, only just meeting his innocent eyes. When his sweet smile widened, you fully turned your head to him. He had this weird ability to look absolutely heart shattering while holding some purity in his features. He’d have long strands of his hair in his face and that nose piercing highlighting his sharp features while his eyes were wide and sincere, and his smile always coaxed your own. There was no other way to describe it besides charm.

He raised his brows at you, waiting for an answer. You blinked, turning away from him. “It’s not that big a deal,” you finally replied.

Jungkook didn’t answer. He remained quiet for all too long. He usually had a reply ready, and a cocky look in his eye to match his cocky words. You turned to face him again, thinking his face might have something to say, like it usually did. However, he wasn’t by your side. You stopped and turned around, looking for him within the crowd behind you. 

He finally emerged behind a little family, holding a soft pink shawl that matched your dress all too well. You furrowed your brows at him, slightly shaking your head as he returned to your side. You continued to walk with his hand extended in front of you, urging you to take the shawl. 

“What is this for?” you questioned using the most formal version of speaking. 

He watched you carefully. You had been using a casual polite form of speech when you spoke Korean, switching to English when you wanted to give bitter answers or hint at the fact that you weren’t interested in speaking to him in any other matter but plain speech. You didn’t want to be too insulting though, knowing that talking casually with a stranger in Korean, especially if they were older than you, was another level of offensive. 

Jungkook seemed to interpret your complete switch to the utmost formal form to be just as offensive. All usual easiness in his face faded, slightly hardening. He didn’t say anything for a long time, retracting his hand from you and letting it fall to his side. You watched as he tongued his cheek, an act you’d come to acknowledge had too much of an effect on you. 

You couldn’t completely register those effects though, knowing he wasn’t very pleased with your tone. You bit your lip and took the shawl from him. He didn’t resist the action, releasing his grip on it. You placed it around your shoulders then flipped your hair out from under it. He still didn’t say anything though, and his features remained just as blank. 

“You didn’t have to do that,” you tried to explain, switching back to casual polite form. He didn’t even look at you. “I just feel like I owe you something in return now.” 

He sighed, shrugging. “I’m older. I should be paying for things.” 

You were well aware of the custom. It was similar to your culture’s. The oldest person around was treated with the most respect and paid for almost everything. You were actually used to fighting over the bill with your family and friends, even though you all knew the oldest person was going to pay. It just shocked you that he would go out of his way to buy you something, and all because you forgot to grab another layer before leaving. 

“Thank you.” You matched his causal tone, not even adding the polite endings. 

He finally smirked, casting you an amused glance. “Any time.” His face then lit up, looking at something over your shoulder. “Shall we get some?” he asked, nodding to something behind you. 

You looked over your shoulder at the spicy rice cakes stand. You licked your lips as your eyes fell on the rather big portions. You had forgotten how hungry you were since you saw him sneaking into the garage. 

Jungkook chuckled at your silence. “Is that a yes?” 

You looked back, slightly blushing. You were embarrassed for some reason, tugging your shawl further around your shoulders. You nodded, causing him to smile and display his teeth which strangely resembled that of a little bunny. The similarity was endearing, drawing you further into him. 

He began walking to the stand, greeting the old man that was cooking. He gestured for two as you followed after him, standing by his side. He reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. You felt a twinge of guilt tug at your heart. 

“I’m sorry,” you muttered, face flushing a deeper red than before. 

He shrugged your apology off, handing the man the money. He refused the change, which you recognized was a lot, and turned back to you while your food was being prepared. “Did you forget what I told you already?” He chuckled, shoving his wallet back into his pocket. 

You shook your head at him, watching your food be prepared. You figured it was safer since staring at Jungkook only made your blush even more. “I don’t usually let other people pay for me.”

“I’ll tell you what,” he started, fully shifting his body to face you. You met his gaze out of curiosity, slightly raising a brow. “Next time we go out, I’ll let you pay.”

You snorted, the result of an awkward cross between a scoff and a chuckle. He tilted his head at you before laughing all too hard at that. You watched him hunch over as his eyes crinkled and nose scrunched a bit. You rolled your eyes at him, ignoring all thoughts that pointed out how cute he looked when he was this happy. 

“What makes you think there will be a next time?” you asked once he settled down. 

Jungkook looked at you, smile softening a bit as he stared. “Just a hunch.”

The old man then called at him, gesturing him over. You followed after, accepting the food with both hands and bowing. You muttered a respectful thank you then started walking back down the boardwalk again with Jungkook by your side. 

Silence fell between the two of you as you ate your rice cakes off their sticks. You tried your best not to get it all over your face, licking your lips after every bite. Your pink lipstick was probably non existent now, but at least you were finally fed. However, you knew you were probably going to wake up with a slightly puffy face tomorrow for eating so late into the night.

He tossed his plate and stick out when he was done. You did the same, finishing up as well. You ran a thumb under your lip, cleaning up what was left of your lipstick. The two of you had reached the end of the boardwalk. It extended into the ocean, waves crashing beneath your feet. 

You looked up at the sky. He was right; the stars somehow shined brighter here than out of the town above the stadium. You watched them twinkle, winking down at you. You had forgotten Jungkook was beside you until he sighed. 

You spared him a glance to find him already staring at you. He had a playing smile on his lips as you turned to face him. Did he purposefully sigh to get your attention? You decided to give into him, asking, “How do you know about this place?”

“I grew up here,” he replied, his smile still beaming brightly at you.

You furrowed your brows. He didn’t speak in dialect so you assumed he was from Seoul. He must’ve known what you were thinking, chuckling quietly as he explained, “I dropped the dialect so you could better understand me.”

You hummed, nodding a bit. “I see. But, you should know that I could understand you just fine either way,” you replied in Busan dialect, making his eyes widen. 

He let out a little chuckle out of disbelief. He shook his head a bit, looking out into the ocean before back at you. “How can you speak so well? It took me forever to learn English.”

You blushed, proud of yourself for impressing him this much. You looked back up to the stars, knowing that if you continued to stare at him, you wouldn’t be about to stop the colour tinting your cheeks. “I used to be friends with all the exchanged students back in high school and learned some of their languages to communicate better with them. I thought it was selfish of me to not meet them halfway.” 

He stayed quiet for a long time. You chanced a glance at him to make sure he was still there. His eyes never left yours, watching you with an unreadable expression as he studied your features. You turned back to the sky and tried to fight off the smile that wanted to settle on your lips.

“Why are you so obsessed with stars?” he suddenly asked, leaning against the railing. 

The sudden change in topic shocked you a bit. Still, you sighed and mumbled, “I’m not obsessed.”

He shrugged, following your eye-line to the sea. “Whatever you say,” he sighed. From his tone, you could tell he was provoking you, attempting to draw the answer out of you. 

You gave him a tired look, rolling your eyes at his antics. “I don’t really know,” you finally replied. 

“So are you admitting to being obsessed with them- Ow!” he hissed, rubbing his arm. 

You knew your little punch barely affected him so you didn’t feel too bad about it. “Why do you always have to be a smart ass?”

He gave you a cocky smile. “Because, hun, you’re cute when you’re angry.” 

There he went again using pet names other men have used to talk down to you. No matter how sweet it sounded coming from him, it still reminded you of those sexist assholes. You gave him a warning stare. 

He paused.

“You don’t like that one too, huh?” He turned around and leaned his back against the railing. As he looked up to the sky, he brought a finger to his head, pushing his hair out of his face a bit and scratching his scalp. “How about sweetie?”

You quirked your brow up at him. A sharp exhale left you as you couldn’t figure out why he was so determined to call you by some stupid pet name. 

“Baby, babe, princess, darl-” he cut himself off, watching you closely. “Princess,” he repeated, chuckling to himself when you wouldn’t meet his gaze after your breath hitched the first time. He smugly smiled, satisfied with himself. 

No one had used that name to make you feel inferior. Coming from Jungkook, it actually empowered you a bit - a conclusion you quickly threw out of your mind. You turned and began to walk away, regretting to feel a smile playing on your lips. 

He rushed after you. “You all done with stargazing, princess?” He teased as he caught up. 

You sped up. He did the same. You kept picking up your pace until you were both running after each other down the boardwalk, pushing between others as you raced back to where you started. You were just about to reach it when your new shawl got caught in the wind. It flew out of your grasp, twirling in the current. A huff escaped you as you turned to grab it. Jungkook beat you to it, reaching up to grab it and dashing past you to the end. You tried to get there first, but he had longer legs and practically hopped to the imaginary finish line. 

You glared at him, causing another amused smile to settle on his lips. You noticed you’ve been staring at them a lot. “That’s not fair,” you breathed.

He handed you the shawl. “That was plenty fair,” he argued, lips forming into a small pout as he spoke. “I bested you, princess. Just admit it.”

You narrowed your eyes at him before gently pushing his chest. Fuck, it was so firm, almost too firm. You have noted before that his torso was pretty fit, chest definitely buff. But you didn’t think it would feel this hard under your palms. 

Your amazement must’ve been clear on your face because Jungkook immediately blushed. He didn’t even pretend to be affected by the shove like he always did. He turned his head from you, turning to cross the street the moment the light came on to. Your own cheeks flushed as you followed, keeping you head down while you trailed after his steps back to the bike. 

The night drifted into silence from there. You tied your shawl around your hips when you got to the bike, not wanting it to fly from the harsh lashes of the wind during the ride. You took your helmet in silence, put it on in silence and climbed behind him in silence. Your arms trembled as you wrapped them around his waist again.

He didn’t speak much either, performing all his tasks without a sound as well. You were only sure he was still acknowledging your presence when he tapped your arm to let you know he was ready to leave. You squeezed back. Then he was off. 

The ride back was somehow more comfortable then the ride there, even with the awkward interaction you two exchanged. You pressed yourself to his chest like it was a usual passtime, like you two always went on late night rides like this. His body was relaxing into yours as well. Everything about the moment should have made your gut twist with guilt, shame, and anger. But it didn’t. You melted into him and ignored the cold wind nipping at your arms and legs. 

You hopped off the bike when you got back to the garage, slightly feeling colder without his warmth against you. Your heart wanted to string you along after him as he lifted the door, but your mind hushed it this time. Your senses seemed to have returned to you in the same place you lost them. You had your fun tonight, but it was all over now. 

You took your helmet off and didn’t make any effort to move forward. He looked back at your still figure, pushing the tinted visor of his helmet up. His features looked even more precious squished in the helmet. The nose piercing regained a bit of his gothic roughness though. “Leaving?”

A breathy chuckle escaped you, recalling that first time he told you that in the gym. You nodded, stepped forward to hand him his helmet back. “Thank you, Jungkook,” you smiled as you ran a hand through your hair. 

He returned the smile with a small nod. “Any time,” he shrugged. You fought a grin at the way he was trying to play everything off. You couldn’t believe this was the same guy who got upset with you because you didn’t accept his gift right away. 

The gift, you thought, untying the shawl. You were going to hand it back to him, but he gave you a look that told you that if you did, he wouldn’t forgive you for it. You wrapped it around your shoulders again, smiling sheepishly. 

“Need me to call you an Uber?” He asked, reaching back into his pocket again. 

You quickly shook your head. “Please don’t. I have my phone. I'll wait for it by the stadium.” 

He furrowed his brows at you, looking up and down your frame. You wrapped your arms over your chest, a little blush flushing your cheeks. You were thankful for the darkness that masked it up for you. He fell silent, all expression from his face falling as he understood what you meant. You stiffened a bit as his eyes lingered on your breasts. 

Jungkook blinked his attention down to the bike. He cleared his throat then said, “I guess I’ll see you around the track.”

“You will,” you nodded. The tension was only thickening between you and you couldn’t really handle it anymore. “You’ll see me win,” you smirked, starting to backpedal away from him. 

His face lit up bright enough to light your path back to the stadium. He chuckled and turned around, “whatever you say, princess.”

Your breath hitched again, hoping he didn’t hear it this time. He didn’t look back at you and you took that as a good sign. It would have been cruel of him to toy with you like that if he did. You gave him one last look as he entered the garage, then turned around, click-clacking your way back to the stadium steps. You pulled your phone from your bra and ordered an Uber. 

Throughout the drive back to the hotel, you kept the shawl wrapped tightly around you. It smelt faintly of him. Every moment of him replayed in your mind in a loop you couldn’t break. You looked down at your phone. It unlocked as it recognized your face and stared back at you. Your thumb hovered over the google chrome app, debating if you should or shouldn’t do what you really wanted to. You thought it wouldn’t hurt to just check, and clicked it, typing Jungkook’s name in next to Busan and Racer. 

Countless images of him and a few other pretty attractive men showed up. He was very photogenic, not that you were really surprised by that. You searched through his results, noticing a bunch of headlines about all his wins. He really was an All-Star, winning every race he’d been in. Apparently, he’d taken up racing on a whim. He borrowed his friend’s bike and joined a competition out of boredom. He had no idea what he was doing and ended up winning the entire race. It was only about twenty laps, so a pit stop wasn’t necessarily. Park Jimin, the friend who lended him the bike, then referred Jungkook to his management team. 

He rode like a natural. You weren’t very surprised by the contents of the article. You clicked on another article announcing Korea’s All-Star team. He stood in a photo with his other five teammates, laughing like they had known each other all their lives. Jimin also made the team, standing beside Jungkook with his arm around his shoulder. The seventh person on the far right was Kim Namjoon, their crew chief. He looked the proudest of his team, smiling the widest. It was really cute, bring a smile to your face too. 

As you continued to read, you noticed that they had lots of sponsors, not just one or two, but about six or seven. They were all very talented and well-known that sponsors fought over them. It made sense why they had so many bikes and cars just sitting in their section. You would drop that much money on them as well if you were a sponsor. 

Sponsors. You locked your phone and wondered when the fuck it all became about sponsors. You hoped you had made enough connections tonight, but could never really be sure unless they called Allison. You still felt just as disheartened about your circumstances after the ride as you did before it. Going for a ride always cleared your head. Maybe being with Jungkook had something to do with it. Then again, it wasn’t like you had a terrible time. That was actually the first time you’d been out in a while. Your focus was always devoted to the next race. 

You unlocked your phone again and stared at his picture before closing the app. You tried, and failed, to erase him from your mind as well.

“Is right here okay, miss?” the driver asked, looking back at you.

You locked your phone, looking into the rearview mirror, and nodded. “Thank you so much. Please leave well and have a goodnight.” You smiled, lowering your head before opening the door and hopping out. 

The doorman held the door open for you as you rushed inside. You didn’t stop by the party again, making your way to the elevators. The night wasn’t really over until you got back into your room. The moment the door shut, you leaned against it and pushed every thought about Jeon Jungkook out of your mind. You didn’t have the energy to scold yourself for all your stupid choices through out the night. That would be the first thing on your list tomorrow morning, that’s for sure. 

You tossed the shawl over a random chair near the window. You sighed as you got ready for bed, putting all tonight’s memories to rest as well. 

You entered your team’s pit as the last team finished up their track-test. Dia smiled at you as you stood beside her, watching the six feed screens deep in the pits. They presented different angles of the current team’s practise, cars strategically zooming passed each other. 

“Korea might win this,” she muttered to you as she watched. 

You resisted the urge to react. It's been days since you last saw Jungkook. You hadn’t seen him around anywhere, the only proof of his existence being that shawl you hadn’t touched since you returned to your room that night. You had successfully pushed all thoughts of him out your mind, returning your attention to the race and your career. You only just got back on your A-game, training harder and better than anyone on your team had. 

“We’ll see,” you muttered as they all began to pit. They parked their cars behind each other, shutting off the engines before hopping out. 

Your eyes immediately fell on Jungkook, the cameras catching his best angles. All his teammates looked great in their jumpsuits, but the material just sat differently on Jungkook. It hugged his frame sinfully, perfectly defining every flexing muscle in his thighs when he walked. 

You tore your gaze away from the screen. This was ridiculous. You weren’t supposed to be drooling over him like that. You only spent a night with him and nothing serious even happened. You reminded yourself that it was just some ride. There was nothing more to look into. 

He walked with his team towards your pit, eyes only locked on you. You tried to ignore his gaze, but failed, catching it anyway. He smirked at you, giving you a knowing smile. You felt Lucas and Lana look between the two of you with confusion written on both their faces. 

Panic coursed through you and you reacted to the first thing that came to mind. You glared at Jungkook, slowly dragging your gaze away from him and back to Yuta. “Which car will you be racing with tomorrow?” you asked him. 

Yuta looked up at you from his place on one of the chairs. He pulled his water bottle away from his mouth about to answer when Jungkook began to speak. “Hyung, I thought this was a competition. Is this the best the race could provide?” His loud voice was dripping with arrogance, as he pointed at your team. His teammates chuckled to themselves, looking over at your pit crew. Namjoon rolled his eyes at Jungkook and kept his face neutral and professional. 

Lana glanced at you. You met her gaze, shrugging as you feigned confusion. “Where’s Soojin?” She asked Dylan. 

He looked up from his clipboard long enough to reply, “Restroom probably.”

“Yah, even their engines don’t have confidence in them,” he laughed as one of the crew members worked on the engine Tyler fucked up last time. He had run into the wall after braking too late before turning and practically destroyed the entire engine. “It has given up on them,” he laughed pointing at the ruined piece of machinery. 

“What’s he on about?” Tyler asked as the team fell into another fit of laughter. 

You drily chuckled, glare hardening at Jungkook. You knew he was just retaliating because you blew him off, but you weren’t too annoyed by that. If anything you were relieved that he was finally taking this seriously, ignoring the little voice that recoiled with disappointment at his behaviour.

You raised a brow at him as he passed you. “It doesn’t matter,Tyler. He’s just spitting out the shit he ate for breakfast,” you replied as you maintained eye contact.

Dia fell over laughing with Lucas and Tyler, Lana curled her lips inwards, trying to suppress her laughter out of respect but failing terribly, and Yuta spit out the water he just sipped on, moving the bottle aside as he choked on his laughter. 

Jungkook’s eyes darkened, drowning in anger. You’ve never seen them this mad. The most was when he wouldn’t talk to you after you refused to accept the shawl the first time. His nostrils tinted a light pink, flaring as he walked back to you. One of his teammates, who you recognized from the pictures to be Taehyung, pulled him back. 

“It’s not worth it,” he said, pulling Jungkook’s towering frame away from you. 

“Nothing’s worth that,” he spat at you, turning away and catching up with his group. 

You were thankful that he gave you his back before your eyes softened. You started this; you shouldn't have been surprised he’d take it that far, but to have him deem you worthless was uncalled for. You had never insulted him to that degree. 

Yuta stood up, watching you closely. It was then you realized that everyone around you had fallen silent, including the pit crew who needed to be fixing an entire engine right now. You looked around, meeting everyone’s gaze, stiffening when you caught Soojin’s eye. She gave you a pitiful smile as a means of comfort. 

“Do we need to go talk to him?” Lucas asked, walking towards you and nodding at Yuta. Tyler stood up, courageously including himself into the equation too. Yuta and Lucas shared a look that meant they both knew he was full of shit. At least, the thought was pretty sincere. 

You shook your head. “We have a race to focus on,” you replied, flashing them a fake smile you hoped would reach your eyes. 

Dylan cleared his throat and the chatter resumed, the pit crew getting back on their tasks as their tools started up again too. “There will be no more talking to the competition,” he ordered. “Not even to retaliate.” He gave you a pointed look then ushered everyone to their places. 

You spent the entire practise telling yourself that Jungkook was the worthless one, even if you knew it was an utter lie. 

“What a beautiful day for racing! The sun is shining, spirits are high. The fans are all out, excited to see a great race.” Soyoung announced from her place up in the stands. 

Her co-commentator, Wan, continued, adding, “The racers seem excited too. We just hear from a few wishing their fellow team members good luck. One of whom being the first rookie racer to compete in the All-Stars. (Y/N) (L/N) is an alternate for this race, but if two out of her three teammates end the race before the two hour mark, we will get to see her race in the next segment.”

The camera panned on you as you stood in the pits by Dylan while he spoke to you. Wan continued, “Here she is with five time winning crew chief, Dylan Hanson. What do you think Hanson is trying to get at here, Soyoung? Do you think he doesn’t have much faith in his rookie to carry them through the first segment. Is one hundred laps too much for (L/N)?”

“Not at all. (L/N) had secured the title of Rookie of the Year. She is more than capable of keeping up with the competition. Driving is simply not her area of expertise. She is a rider, Wan. Hanson is doing the right thing with keeping her as an alternate. It is always a good idea to save your secret weapon for the right moment.” Soyoung replied. 

You just finished speaking with Dylan about some refreshers on the details of the race that you and your team went over during the pre-race meeting a few hours ago. You sat back in the pits, only just in view of the cameras and looked at the screens with Lana and Lucas when you caught what Soyoung was saying about you. You had to read the subtitles too to make sure you were hearing all this correctly. You blushed a bit, not thinking of yourself as much of a secret weapon. Lucas poked your cheek while Lana chuckled at your slightly flustered face. The cameras panned at the three of you. 

“Besides Korea’s All-Stars, (L/N)’s team seems to be the closest.” Wan noted. 

Soyoung laughed at Lucas’s smile and your deadpan face as he still had his finger pressed against your cheek. He waved at the camera, mouthing, “Hi mom.”

“They both seem to be having a good time. Let’s check out how some of their other teammates have to say about the race.”

Yuta, Dia, and Tyler were front and centre on the track by their cars. The camera panned on Yuta first and he spoke like a natural, despite his usually quiet demeanor. He smiled to the camera promising to perform his best this morning for his fans, team and country. He looked excited to start racing. The sight brought a smile on your lips. You knew he kept to himself often and didn’t easily show his emotions so to see him looking this happy and open must have meant he was really excited. 

You clapped in your seat when Dia was next. She gave the camera her cute smile and wished her teammates the best of luck. She thanked Solar and her other sponsorships and promised to do her best as well. You clapped again, commenting to the others how cute she was. 

“The cameras love her,” Lana agreed before the camera fell on Tyler. 

The three of you watched silently while he spoke mainly about himself and how he believed he could really win this race. In the end of his ramblings, he thanked his sponsors and his father for all his support. The interviewer sent the cameras back to Soyoung and Wan. They thanked her and began talking about Korea’s All-Star team.

 Lucas shifted in his seat. He was still really upset with what Jungkook had said to you. In fact, your whole team was. You were surprised to find that they cared so much. You had originally thought that they were just putting up with you, the rookie who didn’t really know any better. You noticed that wasn’t the reality of the matter when all five of them would glare at Korea’s team whenever they were close. You didn’t bother looking at them. You knew all their expressions simply mirrored your teammates’. Besides, looking at Jungkook was a dangerous act. He had a way of pulling you in and you had one of letting him. 

“Korea has an impressive line up, and are holding out on their golden boy. Number seventy-seven, Jeon Jungkook, has been announced as an alternate. Could Jeon be Korea’s secret weapon?” Wan asked. 

The cameras panned on Jungkook, Jimin, and Taehyung sitting in the pits watching the screens as well. They smirked up to the cameras waving. From your seat, you could hear the crowd roaring. Your team members seemed surprised but you really weren’t based on the search results you remembered finding. All seven guys, including Namjoon, were extremely attractive and they had such remarkable talent. 

“We know they will make Korea proud.” Soyoung declared, sounding a bit dazed herself. You didn’t blame her. 

The cameras panned on Namjoon and he waved before going back to talking to the pit crew. The screen switched to the other three members now all talking about making Korea proud and performing their best. You weren’t paying much attention to him, watching the screen in the far left that presented an image of Jungkook gazing at the screens in front of him, smiling at his hyungs. 

“Remarkable words from Korea’s best.” Wan said after their interviews finished. “Now, it’s time to look at those hot spots!” 

The main screen switched to an animated version of the track, flashing red spots on the turns the sportscasters believed would be difficult for the racers. You agreed with a few of them, nodding along with Soyoung’s explanation of her projections. 

“Turns 2 and 4 will definitely be hard to get by without even some bumping,” she finished. 

Wan continued, “I agree. Drivers will need to pay extra close attention to the cars around them during these turns.” 

The crew around you began to rush to their places and Dylan took his seat in front with other crew engineers. They all wore headsets, asking each member if they were okay and ready. You couldn’t hear their replies but knew it must've been “yes” since Dylan wasn’t looking like he might need to usher a pit crew member out there.

All racers got in their cars with their helmets on, zooming down the track one by one for a warm-up lap. You watched your teammates keep up with each other like they had practised, smiling with pride. Your foot bounced against the foot rest of your chair from excitement. 

All cars lined up behind their marks, revving their engines as a crew member waved a yellow flag and walked before the cars. The drivers couldn’t see another green flag waving behind them to signal to the track control team that all was set and ready here. The red lights stayed on until the green flag was lowered. 

“And they’re off!” Wan exclaimed as the red light turned off and all cars took off at high speeds. “One hundred laps in two hours. Think Korea could make it?”

“I know they can. Oh- here comes the second turn and Italy has fallen back from third to ninth. Jung Hoseok slipped right through there securing the third place pos- Oh, Dia Fyes has just passed him, Yuta close behind her. Jung is back in fifth with Tyler Rogers.” Soyoung energetically narrated. 

You smiled, shouting praises at your team members with Lucas. Lana raised a fist in the air and whispered her agreements to herself as she watched Yuta hold Hoseok off from overtaking him. 

“Kim Seokjin is doing an extraordinary job leading the racers into their third lap now. Already beating his fastest personal lap.”

“It’s such a shame we can’t see his handsome face while he’s racing,” Soyoung jooked, earning a hearty chuckle from Wan. 

She wasn’t really wrong but you weren’t going to tell your team that, especially with how Lucas scoffed and Lana rolled her eyes. 

Ninety laps and just over an hour in, Yoongi was leading the cars, Jin and Hoseok close behind him. Yuta and Dia had been battling for third with Hoseok for the last few laps, never being able to fully overtake him for long. Dylan kept telling them to push themselves when they could and watch for cars behind them for any bumper tapping as others got closer. 

Tyler was lost somewhere in thirteenth place after messing up around the fourth turn. He slid off track, thankfully not crashing into anyone or anything. It was just a bad turn, Lana had reassured you all and Dylan coached him back onto the track. He was slowly making his way up in the last few laps, now resting in sixth place. 

“Rogers has stolen sixth place from France’s Mina Beaudoux. Looks like- OH! Our first pile up!” 

You gasped with the fans watching as Italy’s Francesco Bianchi’s engine stuttered, slowing him down enough to have the cars behind him crash into the rear of his car. He was in eighth place, all your teammates and Korea’s team missing the crash completely. 

“The pits! Get to the pits!” Dylan shouted into the mic as the red flag was waved. 

The entire race came to a stop and the respective pit crews and track marshalls ran out to the road to get their drivers out. Bianchi’s car was on fire, the entire front torn off. You watched closely with Lucas and Lana as Yuta, Dia, and Tyler arrived in the pits. The crew was not allowed to work on their cars during a red flag, but they were allowed to come out. They rushed to the screens near you and pulled off their helmets to properly watch what was happening. 

Drivers were being pulled out of their cars and sprayed down with fire extinguishers as per regulation. From the screen before, you saw the replays, your hand brought up to your lips as you watched his car stop and become the reason for the pile up behind him. No one got through it without serious damage to their car. You knew they were going to issue alternates and everyone was to return to their standing before the crash. An extra half an hour was tacked on the two hour marker as overtime to give racers a chance to make up their laps without having to worry about the time. 

Dylan called for Yuta, Dia and Tyler to put their helmets back on and get ready to drive again. You wished them all good luck and ran a hand through your hair. You were used to seeing crashed, being in a couple of them yourself, but this was insane. Throughout your entire career, you’ve never seen all cars involved in a pile up get completely destroyed. Usually a car or two would make it through; this time none did. 

Crews began raising thumbs up, letting everyone know that their driver was okay even though they’re alternates were still getting ready to take their place. You let out a sigh of relief, thankful no one was injured beyond the point of recovery. 

Soyoung and Wan called a commercial break while the speedway was cleaned of all ruined cars and debris. The cameras fell on the pit crews and members in the pits. Everyone looked equally shakened. Your eyes drifted to the screen that flashed Jungkook’s nervous face. He sat back in his seat while Jimin and Taehyung talked with serious expressions. The audio of their conversation was not provided but you could tell it was about the pile up. Your eyes couldn’t leave Jungkook’s teansed frame. Thoughts about rubbing his shoulders to help him relax filled your mind. You sighed and shook your head, trying to push those thoughts far, far away. Before you could further scold yourself for your irrational thoughts, the race was being broadcasted again.

Cars got issued back in the order they were in before the accident. As Yoongi, the car leading the race, passed the line a green flag waved overhead, letting all the racers know the race was officially back on. With ten more laps to go, the cars whizzed by trying to gain speed over each other. They needed to finish before the two hour and a half mark but their position upon finishing added to their team’s points. 

Yuta reached second during the ninety-eighth lap when Hoseok turned too widely. Dia tried to sneak in through the same way Yuta did but noticed that if she did then she’d end up running into Hoseok. The white flag waved as they passed the line. There was about five minutes left. All cars weaved around the other, trying to get ahead of each other. If they all made the two hour and a half mark, the committee would base the next segment’s qualifications on collective team points. Out of the fifteen countries, only ten could proceed to the next segment in Daegu. 

“Keep it steady, Yuta,” Dylan advised as Yuta rounded the last corner. He was gaining on Yoongi. Dia was right behind Hoseok, gaining on him as well while Jin followed after her. 

The checkered flag began to wave with Yoongi coming in first. Soyoung and Wan went crazy up in their box with cheers as the Korean national anthem began to blare over the speakers. 

Your team still finished in the top ten places. You jumped up with Lucas and Lana as you cheered for your team. Dylan was trying to keep his calm demeanor but couldn’t fight off the smile on his face. 

“We qualify! We qualify!” he reassured the drivers. He finally chuckled, probably hearing their cheers through the headset. 

Korea’s team drove into the victory lane after doing a few victory laps with the other cars. Their crew and members were already there, having rushed over when Yoongi passed the line. You watched through the screen as Yoongi hopped out with a gummy smile and Jungkook picked him up on his shoulders. He was the youngest but you weren’t surprised that he could carry a grown man on his shoulders. The team jumped around, giving Yoongi, Hoseok, and Jin high fives and hugs. They all posed for some victory pictures, Yoongi still on Jungkook’s shoulders. 

Jungkook finally put him down and hugged his other members, congratulating them as well. The revving of engines ceased to your left as Yuta, Dia and Tyler returned to the pit. You rushed over with Lana and Lucas to greet them. You all stood in a circle, jumping and chanting your country’s name. Yuta looked into the camera, which was struggling to get shots of your chaos, and held his helmet in the air, yelling the country’s name on the top of his lungs. You leaned against Lucas, laughing your ass off at Yuta’s hyped alter-ego. 

Dylan called all of you to the screen, shouting, “The results are coming in!”

You looped your arm with Dia’s as you all rushed to the screens to see who else made the cut. Your country’s flag was second, displaying Yuta’s number as the MVP of your team for this segment. The entire team, including the pit crew, shouted his name. He threw his arm around Dia and Tyler, one of his hands resting on your head as you were hugging Dia. He ruffled your hair playfully. You would’ve told him off for it if he hadn’t just granteed you a chance to race later. 

All cheering died down a bit as the screen enlarged the last five countries. You clapped at their good effort along with your team. It was an intense race and the fact that they finished was rather astonishing. 

Soyoung and Wan offered those countries kind words and congratulated them for their hard work. they quickly switched back to their happy shouts when the screen flashed on Yoongi, Hoseok, and Jin who were all ready to give their victor’s interview. 

You noticed Jungkook in the background with that smile you had let yourself become familiar with. A part of you wished it was directed towards you. Your guts twisted with guilt as Lucas rested an arm around your shoulder. How could you be wanting your competitor’s presence when you should’ve been loyal to your team. 

Still, you stared and craved his attention all over again.

Soon after clearing the first segment, Dylan promised to take everyone, including all the crew, to a victory dinner on the last day in Busan. He managed to seat your entire country’s team in one of the three private rooms in a local restaurant. You had heard that it was one of the best rated ones around. You were expecting a good time until you got seated between Yuta and Dia. You silently sat in your seat, trying to stay out of their argument as you read the menu. Soojin was helping Lucas read his since he wasn’t listening the first time. He was too busy spurring Dia on Yuta with things Yuta had said about her driving when she left the table. 

“Not true!” Yuta sighed, looking over at you. “Ask (Y/N). She’ll tell you I never said that.”

Dia looked at you, expecting you to back her up instead, but you simply shook your head. “Keep me out of this,” you muttered, earning an annoyed sigh from both of them. 

“Wait,” Dylan said into his phone. Conversation around the table ceased as all attention fell on him. “Are they sure? Alright, well thanks for letting us know. Take care.” He hung up and looked up to find everyone staring at him. 

“Well,” Lana said as he remained silent under everyone’s curious gaze. “You gonna tell us what that was about?”

Dylan sighed and set his phone down on the table. “Italy ran a diagnostic test for Bianchi’s car and found some inconsistencies with the engine that could only have been done manually. They issued a report to the All-Star committee suspecting foul play.”

Your brows shot up, and mouth hung out. Even the rookies you’ve raced with knew not to do that. You weren’t really sure how to respond. Someone actively tried to injure another racer. That pile up could have resulted in someone’s death. Those cars went up to a hundred and ninety miles per hour and when they crash it is brutal. Images of the pile up flashed in your mind as you set the menu down.

“What does that mean for us?” Tyler asked, breaking the stunned silence. 

Dylan shrugged. “Right now, we are still moving onto the next segment. The committee is still discussing how they should proceed with an investigation.” 

Another moment of thick silence fell over the room. Dylan cleared his throat and picked up his menu. “That’s an issue for tomorrow. Let’s focus on the win,” he practically ordered. Everyone picked up their menus again, Yuta grumbling something under his breath that only Dia seemed to catch. She huffed and they began arguing again. 

You sat back, rubbing your temple. You felt a slight headache coming on while trying to think about what Dylan had said and block out Yuta and Dia’s voices. Without another word, you got up from the table and walked towards the restrooms.

Thousands of thoughts on how and why someone would do that ran through your head as you turned the corner. Your eyes instantly met Jungkook’s. He seemed to have just come out the restroom himself, looking just as shocked as you. 

Your eyes danced up and down his frame as if you were having trouble deciding what handsome detail to focus on first. His long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, a few strands framing his face. He was wearing ripped jeans that showcased portions of his muscular thighs and a baggy black hoodie. You let out a shaky breath as you met his gaze again, watching it harden on you. 

Oh right... he hates you, you mentally reminded yourself. You gave him a little smile as you shifted from foot to foot. “Congrats,” you whispered. 

His glare slightly softened to a confused gaze. He cleared his throat and nodded. “You too,” he replied. “Your team did well.”

You nodded along with him. “I suppose we were worth something after all, right?” you sounded more hurt than you had wanted to. You thought it would trigger him to retaliate with something just as bitter but he rubbed the back of his neck instead. 

“Sorry about that,” he whispered, walking towards you. “It was completely uncalled for. You know, I don’t actually think you’re worthless. You’re obviously worth something to me-to the team-your team,” he stuttered over his words, ending his ramble with a defeated sigh. 

You raised a brow at him, causing a blush to creep up his neck. He scoffed and rolled his eyes. You bit your lip, unable to deny how much of a hot sight that was. “You know what I meant,” he chuckled. 

You offered a little smile and nodded, not trusting your voice after such a sight. 

Silence settled between you. Jungkook rocked on his heels, staring down at you with a little grin. You swallowed thickly, feeling yourself shift under his gaze. You needed to stop staring at him. You knew that if you continued to you’d only admit more things about him that you had been denying since your first interaction. 

You redirected your gaze to the floor before asking, “so did you hear about the suspected foul play?”

“Yeah, it’s insane,” he sighed. “How does someone even do that?” 

You were about to tell him you didn’t know when a thought you hadn’t considered before crossed your mind. You met his gaze again, furrowing your brows at him. He stopped moving and tilted his head at you, watching you just as carefully as you were watching him. 

“Can I ask you something and have you answer honestly?” you asked. 

He smiled and nodded. “Anything, princess. I’m always honest with you.” 

You ignored the flutter in your stomach at the pet name, reminding yourself that he could very well be a suspect himself. “How often do you visit the garage after hours?”

He opened his mouth to reply when his entire frame suddenly tensed. He stared down at you, drily chuckling as he shook his head. “You’re crazy. Are you seriously accusing me of putting another racer’s life in danger?” He raised his voice a bit, making you take a step back. 

“I asked a simple ques-” you started only to have him cut you off again.

“You asked a leading question, meaning you were leading onto something.” He corrected as his glares returned.

You watched him carefully. Was he playing you or was he really upset? Did it really matter though? You knew he had a key to the garage. You saw him using it himself. “You don’t think it’s sketchy to have a key to the garage?” you asked. “You don’t think-”

He cut you off again, walking towards you. “Clearly, you’re the one that doesn’t think. Every racer knows how you got this spot, princess. We know all the crap you caused during the qualifiers.”

You stiffened in your place. He knew. Everyone did. And though that detail hurt your pride, making you red in the face with shame, it was his use of that pet name that caused your heart to drop. If he noticed, he didn’t seem to care. 

Your hands curled into fists by your sides. “That has nothing to do with this,” you gritted through your teeth. “You had a key, Jungkook. You went in there like it was something you always did.”

“I can’t believ- Is that what the whole shy act was about just now? You were trying to gain my trust again just to find out more information?” He was only a step away from you now. The pout he argued in seemed deadly paired with the hard look in his eye. 

You shook your head immediately, and crossed your arms over your chest. You needed to focus on his words, especially when it seemed like he was avoiding the question you first posed. “I noticed you still hadn't answered the question?” 

Jungkook retracted all emotion from his face as he took multiple steps towards you. You took several back until your back hit the wall behind you. He towered over your cornered figure then seethed, “That night was the one and only time.” The hurt seemed evident in his voice, like he didn’t even try to hide it. 

You looked up at him, slightly cowering under his harsh eyes that only seemed to project hate towards you. Every part of you began to question why you ever doubted his character to begin with. You knew he would never do that. You knew the kind of guy he was, the kind of guy that would buy a stranger a shawl because she was cold or pay for her food and never ask for anything in return.

You opened your mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out. Jungkook shook his head at you, eyes flickering to your lips before giving you one last harsh glare. Without another word, he left. 

You let out a shaky breath and watched him walk away.  Slowly, you pushed yourself off the wall after a moment or two. You couldn’t figure out why you couldn’t just apologize, explain that you didn’t think it through. Why couldn’t you let go of your pride? You realized that maybe a part of you didn't want to be wrong. If you were right about what he was doing, then it would’ve been easier to hate him. 

Well, that wasn’t much of a problem now, was it? He hated you. And you couldn’t really blame him because a small part of you began to hate who you had become as well. 

note; please do not leave hate towards me or any other readers. please do not copy, repost, or translate any of my work without my permission.

[spinedog]

some mutal pining bumbleby?

Y’all ever been gay in a girl’s dorm room before

///

In the books, it always seemed like stumbling across a shirtless person was a scandalous, lustful moment. She’d never actually caught Adam shirtless, or really anyone she’d ever been interested in. Even since coming to Beacon, she’d kept her eyes averted even on nights like last night, when the warm air nessesitated sleeping in little more than a bra and shorts. She’d always thought that if she did, she would react like one of the many characters she’d read about - blush furiously, avert her eyes, and focus on taming her own wild thoughts.

In reality, Blake was the last to notice that she was staring.

Sunlight streamed through the window, the sun still clawing its way above the horizon. Yang’s back was to her, attention focused on hunting through the closet. Her tattered sports bra hugged her ribs, boy’s boxers low on her hips. Blake wasn’t supposed to be awake yet - it was Saturday, it was early, and Weiss and Ruby were still snoring on the other side of the room. Which was probably why Yang had felt comfortable enough to get dressed in full view of the bunk beds.

She stretched, toned muscles gliding underneath scar-spangled skin. Yang’s back and shoulders flexed past the mess of golden hair, pronouncing the mixture of curves and angles that formed the slopes of her sides down to her hips. A joint cracked; a groan and a content sigh followed. Her arms dropped back down and Yang rolled her shoulders with a yawn. One arm came up again to paw through the closet, quietly pulling hangars away from each other, hunting for one of the few casual shirts that she wore on weekends.

Blake watched scars catch the sunlight and shine against her skin, and thought Yang should stay in the exact outfit she was in now. Ideally for the entire weekend. Maybe longer.

Yang’s head turned slightly, looking towards the mirror on the dresser. A pause. Then a whisper. “Morning.”

For a moment, Blake thought Yang was talking to her own reflection. Then her eyes flicked to the mirror, and found a pair of bright lilac eyes staring back at her.

All of a sudden, the books were accurate again. “Morning. Sorry, I-” Blake felt her face flush as she sat up, trying not to shiver in the cold morning air. But she didn’t let her eyes leave the toned, entrancing form in front of her - it would be more suspicious if she suddenly looked away. Find an excuse for staring, find an excuse for staring, find- “- are all of the scars from Grimm?” She managed to whisper, somewhat lamely.

“Yeah, most of them.” Yang’s eyes, she realized, were still on her, but a bit lower. “Are yours?”

Blake blinked, and realized that she was sitting up in bed, her own torso clad in only a black sports bra. Old reminders glinted on her own absomen and arms - not as toned as Yang’s but smoother, sleeker. “...not all of them.”

When she looked up, she caught Yang’s eyes still on her body before they snapped back to the closet, cheeks slightly red.

A sheepish smile pulled at Blake’s mouth, watching a similar one form on Yang’s face as she finally pulled a shirt out of the closet and pulled it on, hiding the artwork beneath. “You cold?”

“A bit.” Blake held out her hand and easily caught the shirt Yang tossed her way, pulling it over her own skin.

She was almost releived to see the split second of dissapointment on Yang’s face, before a sleepy groan split the air and both girls were forced to focus elsewhere.

[uraviitys]

mha imagines #3

todo, bakugou, kaminari, and kirishima mutual pining things :v

oh man okay i am not dead just going through some serious creativity block man, i keep rewriting the second part to memories and i can’t get it right it’s pissing me off so have this instead :v 

Bakugou 

the fact that you two are totally in love with each other is obvious to everyone but you guys. 

for real, the two of you think you’re being totally... not obvious about it.

everyone just kind of plays along though because they don’t want to get on either of your bad sides.

it’s mainly just lingering glances when each other aren’t looking

and just continuing to stare when you catch each other’s eyes

you guys have that effortless conversation thing too, where you could talk for a good hour or two before you realize that you’re alone and actually having a nice conversation.

then it gets super awkward and silence ensues until someone else comes in or you guys just go about your day.

lowkey snuggling when you’re sitting next to each other on the couches in the common area

bakugou likes to take up a lot of space when he’s sitting down though, so him stretching an arm and laying it on the cushion behind you looks fairly natural. 

though to anyone that actually knows him, normally he’d just yell at whoever it was to get up so he had the freedom to stretch out.

you getting flustered as hell, and him getting more pissed than usual whenever someone calls the two of you out for flirting

one time kaminari got so fed up with seeing you two basically eye-fucking each other, he just yelled: “just fucking date already!”

he was running for his life for a good 20 minutes

kaminari 

obviously he flirts with you a lot

i mean he’s kind of a self-designated fuck boy 

that’s just his way of showing he likes you.

instead of being like most girls and just slapping him when he made advances, you actually flirted back a little bit.

okay... a little bit is an understatement. 

after a while, he eventually stops flirting with other girls. 

you don’t really notice lol

he doesn’t either actually

it’s just something that kind of happens

anyways the two of you were actually starting to flirt with each other so much that your friends would start fake gagging every time you two were in a room together. 

you guys would joke about going on dates together and stuff, like “we are going to see that movie tomorrow right?” 

that lowkey hurt both of you though because you did actually want to go on cheesy dates and stuff but this whole thing just seemed like one big joke and of course that couldn’t happen

kirishima

okay, let’s be honest, there wouldn’t be much pining. almost as soon as he knew he liked you, he’d tell you. 

it is the manly thing to do after all. 

but for the purpose of this: 

even though he’s always really nice to everyone, he’d go out of his way to be a lil gentleman to you. 

it’s kind of hard to tell though, on your side at least. 

it was just the little stuff

opening the door for you, letting borrow his stuff.

one time he let you borrow his hoodie which was really sweet, but he never asked for it back and you were both pretty forgetful, so now you had a hoodie in your closet that was like twice your size that you thought was actually yours for some reason.

he remembered you still had it when you wore it one day because you didn’t have any other clean jackets

he didn’t say anything about it though because it looked cute on you

you were sort of uhm... independent, so you weren’t a big fan of people trying to help you out/do stuff for you

so you’re way of unknowingly showing him that you liked him was just saying thank you when he did little stuff like thet

todoroki

okay, this would be the most cliche and adorable one out of all of these boys.

todo is just baby and he desperately needs love and validation, and since you’re one of the people who actually gives him that, he fell head over heels for you. 

it’s super obvious you two like each other, but not in a gag kind of way.

it’s actually really sweet and you guys have a really shippable vibe.

you’re both extra supportive towards each other and it s h o w s.

he makes sure you know you’re the best and vice versa

there’s a lot of; looking at each other and then blushing and looking away

also the occasional brushing of hands when you’re passing each other something. 

you guys really bring out the best in each other ^-^

one time, during one of your training sessions, he fell on top of you and you both just laid there for five minutes until someone came in

you two jumped up with bright red faces and continued training

of course this is mutal pining

obviously he’s the prettiest boi

you glance towards him a lot, even for the quickest second.

you also kind of go out of your way to like... brush your shoulder against his or something small like that.

todo is lowkey touch starved so i mean he doesn’t mind it at all.

it’s actually one of those things that makes him fall harder for you.

you guys get shipped a lot

everyone’s got a ship name for you guys

arguments about what your kids would be like happen frequently

when you’re not around ofc