#my laptop is whining from all the work i put her thru

[amuyyi]

venus .

synopsis; you're going on your third year of university, and your friend kazuha invites you to an end of the year ball. parties have never been your thing, but for her? youll make an exception.

trope; non-idol!kazuha x f!reader, friends to lovers, fluff, suggestive, kinda smut? ball/fancy party ! university au!

wc; 6.3k

cw; kinda suggestive, kinda smut? cursing.

a/n; i decided to try writing something suggestive for the first time and next thing u know im 6k words in and i started going thru burnout near the middle/end >< apologies, just wanted to get one last fic out before i disappear to china for 2 weeks!

Your eyebrows knit together with immense concentration as your eyes shift between the notebook on the picnic table and your laptop propped up in front of it, your hand gripping your pen with an unbreakable grip. It was a wonderful day out on the university campus quad, with perfectly warm but not too hot temperatures and a light breeze, and you decided to take advantage of the perfect study environment to finish up the last homework assignments you had. You could see people from the corner of your vision, some were walking with friends, others lounging within hammocks they propped up between trees, you could even spot a group of boys playing pickleball. There were squirrels either digging within the dirt or rummaging through nearby trash cans, and birds singing from the trees. These were perfect conditions to allow for optimum problem solving. You look back at your work. Now, if you just had the correct formula and numbers, the answer should be…

“y/n!”

Before you could even process who had ripped your focus away from solving your chemistry homework, a colorful piece of paper was shoved directly into your face. With the way it was aggressively being waved around and how close it was, you could already tell who the concentration-culprit was.

“Kazuha, what am I looking at?” You ask aloofly, trying to move your head away so you could actually read the parchment. As you make your futile attempts, you catch a quick glimpse of the Japanese girl, seeing that she's made her way to sit on top of the picnic table instead of on the actual very much open seat with her long legs crossed as she beams at you.

“Can’t you read it?” Her voice was sweet and upbeat, as if the answer she was expecting was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Not when you have it literally 2 inches from my face and you won’t stop shaking.”

You can see Kazuha roll her eyes playfully as she pulls the parchment away, placing it on top of your notebook to allow a proper view of its contents. “It's a ball!” You hear Kazuha say excitedly as you skim over the information on the page, “The university’s hosting it as a sort of end of the year celebration. It's gonna be at this fancy castle place that rich white people used to hold masquerades and all that kind of stuff at back then.”

“No.” Your response was almost instantaneous, and you can immediately see Kazuha’s face turn into a frown and then a pout as she whines, leaning forward above your laptop screen, “Whaaaatt? Why not?”

You cross your arms and shrug, shifting your gaze over to the other students enjoying the weather as you speak, “Parties just aren’t my thing, Zuha. They’re loud and cramped, and more often than not I somehow always end up alone.” The way you spoke would’ve sounded quite pitiful if you weren't so firm with your words. What you said wasn’t some opportunity to gain pity from your friend, it was merely fact. Whenever you went to any sort of party or dance with your various groups of friends throughout the years, sooner or later they would break into their own little mini groups, and you were left floating amongst their conversations, left out. You simply didn’t want to relive that experience again with your current college friend group.

Kazuhas frown deepens as she closes your laptop, crawling closer to you from the top of the picnic table as she puts on her best puppy eyes, “come onnnn… Please? The girls already bought tickets, and it's almost our last year of uni! ” She begs, and you try your best to mask the smile that's threatening to form from the corner of her mouth as you repeat your answer, “no.”

She inches closer to you, grabbing you by the shoulders as she lightly shakes your body back and forth, as if that would help get her words from her mouth into your brain and into your heart. “It won't be the same without you!! Yunjin and Chaewon will likely end up hardcore drinking the whole night together, and Sakura is gonna be babysitting Eunchae the whole time!!! You’re the only person I’d genuinely want to spend all night with. I haven’t even bought my tickets yet because I’ll only go if you go!! ” You bite back laughter as she continues to whine, words spilling out of her mouth at rapid speed.

“It’ll be just like prom!”

“I didn’t go to prom.”

“Exactly!”

Hiding your grin was starting to become pretty difficult. Frankly, it felt nice to be wanted. Especially by Kazuha. She's always been so kind to you ever since freshman year, and has always tried her best to include you in social events with her friends. Even so, despite her quite literally saying she wants you there you still can't shake off the feeling that you’d end up alone just like always. You look back at Kazuha and see her desperately trying to win you over, her eyes almost sparkling with a cartoonish glint as she frowns… Still, you’d hate to be the reason why the other girl doesn’t go to an event she is so explicitly excited for.

Letting out a defeated sigh, you rub your temples as you give in, “Fine, I’ll go.”

You watch as Kazuha immediately lights up at your response, pulling you into an all too tight hug as she gleams, “Yes!!! You’re the best!”

“But! Only on one condition,” You pull yourself away from Kazuha and stick up your index finger in her face, forcing her back as she looks you in the eyes, nodding to indicate she was all ears. “You won’t leave me alone.”

The taller girl rolls her eyes as she scoffs, swatting your finger away dismissively as she speaks, “That was already part of the plan, silly. You wont leave my sight the entire night.” The gives your nose a light tap with her finger as your face scrunches up, not appreciating the gesture before shaking your head, beginning to shoo her off the table and onto her feet.

“Okay, okay. Now go away, I need to finish my work.” You allow yourself to smile fully this time, unable to truly keep up the cold and dismissive persona as she winks at you, “Meet me at my place on friday, we’re gonna go dress shopping!” You watch as she spins on her heel and merrily walks down the quad, chuckling at the sight before you return to your work.

…Did she turn off your homework program when closing your laptop?

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Soon enough, Friday had come and you swiftly made your way to the front of Kazuha’s apartment. You had decided to wear a simple white tank top and skirt paired with a bolero top to make changing a quick and efficient process. In all honesty, you were both a little bit excited for this experience but also dreading it for multiple reasons. On one hand, you really didn’t want to go to this ball. The idea of a majority of the university being put into a castle where you could easily get lost and lose sight of your friends was not an ideal situation. On the other hand though, Kazuha did promise you that you wouldn’t be alone this time. The idea of her having all of her attention on you throughout the night didnt sound all too bad…Plus, you did enjoy dressing up and feeling pretty. You sigh as you quickly send Kazuha a text.

Y/n [14:05] – Here.

Zuha [14:05] – come in ^w^ im still getting ready

You laugh a little to yourself at the text, Kazuha was always so punctual until it came to you. You didn’t take any offense to it though, you soon learned over the years that it was a sign that she felt comfortable to take her time with you.

You open the door and you’re greeted with a welcoming living room, ambient light illuminating the sight as you take it in. Kazuha most definitely pays a fortune in rent for this place, the walls lined with large bookcases and a generously sized couch pressed up against the wall. The interior of the apartment was various shades of gray and white, yet somehow still managed to exude a comforting warmth despite the cooler tone. There were blankets and pillows scattered charmingly on the couch and the bookshelves not only held actual books, but also little trinkets of all kinds, including rocks, figurines, and origami figures. The kitchen table had a bowl of fruit freshly put out, and you take notice of a pair of ballet shoes placed next to the door. There have been many nights spent here with the other girls before, whether it be movie nights or drinking, and you can appreciate Kazuha in keeping the space clean for your arrival.

You immediately make your way to the couch, the plush fabric giving into your weight as you get comfortable. A few minutes of aimless scrolling on your phone pass before Kazuha emerges from the nearby hallway, her long black hair ruffled in an intentional way as she wore a black tank top and jeans with a matching jean jacket that slightly slipped off her shoulders, exposing them. You find yourself staring a little longer than usual, taking in the sight before you. Of course, Kazuha was always beautiful— all of your friends were, but something about her outfit and hair and light makeup she put the effort into doing for a simple girls day out with you made your throat unexpectedly run dry.

In all honesty, ever since you first met Kazuha you have always thought she was incredibly attractive, and her kindness and bright personality that came out as you two got closer made her even more desirable; but the idea of ruining the first friend you made in college with a dumb crush immediately steered you away from making any moves beyond platonic. Most of the time you can forget that you even felt anything towards her in the first place, with schoolwork often taking up most of your brainspace— but not this time, apparently. You try to not let your eyes linger on her for too long before she speaks up.

“You ready?” She asks, snapping you out of your trance as she smiles, twirling her car keys along her index finger. You get up from your seat, clearing your mind from your previous intrusive thoughts as you nod, following her out of the apartment and into her car.

The ride to the boutique was enough to completely make you forget about whatever ideas you had before, the pair of you singing all kinds of songs as the world seems to pass you two by on the road. Kazuha had an impressive roster of j-pop music queued up for the ride, and you found yourself silently admiring her as she loudly sang the lyrics out the window as she drove, giving the sky a performance that could never be replicated.

You always seem to forget that the girl was practically born for the arts— from dancing to singing or just general charm, Kazuha was a perfect candidate to become a celebrity or the other. She was beyond good at what she did. It was only reasonable for her to pursue a performing arts major, and you were certain that after graduation you’d see her on the big screen, dancing and singing for the whole world to see. You could only hope that out of everyone in the world who would listen, she’d still find you. You try to follow along with her singing, but you don't know even a fraction of Japanese, and Kazuha can't help but laugh at your efforts. Smiling, you look out the window to try and hide your blush.

Once the two of you arrive at the boutique off campus, Kazuha was quick to drag you towards the wide variety of dresses lined up on the walls, “so… what kind of dress are you thinking?” She asks excitedly, already rummaging through dresses while constantly looking between you and the rack, “I think you should go for something that's gonna enunciate your curves, you got a hot bod.” The comment was so lighthearted and so painfully platonic, yet it still made your cheeks warm. You can’t be feeling these things right now. You dismissively wave your hand as you respond, “don't tease me, Zuha.. besides, aren't you supposed to be looking for dresses for yourself?”

The taller girl furrows her brows as she grabs your forearm, giving it a firm squeeze, “I’m being serious y/n, you’re crazy hot. Give yourself some more credit!” She shifts her attention back to the dresses and her eyes catch sight of a bundle of blue fabric, pulling it off the rack she shoves it into your arms and guides you to the dressing room, “try this on, I’m gonna find some more dresses for you!!”

You were left dumbfounded by Kazuhas words within the changing room for a moment before you pat your cheeks, forcing yourself to focus on the task at hand before trying on the dress. The way she spoke to you felt way too much like a girl talking to another one of her “girl friends” and it made your stomach churn, but you repressed the feelings as you slipped on the blue fabric. It took a bit of effort, but after fighting the tightness you were able to get the dress on. It definitely hugged your body well, being a bodycon style and all, but you felt like a ball at a castle calls for a more dramatic and elegant look.

You step out of the changing room, looking around for your friend as she quickly shuffles her way back, her face partially masked by the comically tall tower of clothing she carried within her hands. Her eyes scanned you from top to bottom, eyebrows raised as she takes in your appearance, smirking a little at how shy you become. “I… don't think this one is good for the ball, it kinda feels like I’m going to the bar?” You sheepishly comment, suddenly shrinking and trying to hide your body from your friend as she places the dresses on the bench nearby.

She places a finger on her chin and her other hand on her hip as her eyes glaze over you again, deep in thought as she nods. “Yeah, youre right… but you still look great, you should wear something like that for my birthday,” she smiled mischievously, but you could tell she was being serious with her words. You try to stop your heart from practically racing out of your chest as you quickly grab another dress from the pile, disappearing into the changing room as Kazuha giggles.

Soon enough, you and Kazuha are practically going through a real life movie montage, with you trying on every dress she suggests and her sitting down and giving you her opinions. You had tried on a flowy red dress that was off the shoulder, and the color was great but Kazuha wasn’t much of a fan of the shape. There was a champagne dress that was very princess-like, but was just simply too much. The layers and the itchiness and overload of glitter made you want to die. This continued on with just about every color and style of dress until the ravenette hands you a long white dress, throwing you a thumbs up and a wink as you disappear back into the changing room. Honestly this was all fun, but if this wasn't the piece for you after going through what felt like thousands before, you were just going to show up in a t-shirt and shorts.

As you slip on this dress, you notice the amount of detail put into it. It was an off the shoulder dress with a leg slit in which the fabric twists around your hips almost like if it were a flower. It hugged your body well, but it wasn't suffocating whatsoever, and the fabric was surprisingly comfortable with a shimmery sheen on top. It was beautiful, but you couldn't manage to zip up the back of the dress by yourself. You poke your head out and meet the gaze of Kazuha, waving your hand to beckon her over and into the room with you.

You couldn't help but notice the way her eyes widened when she saw you, and how they eased over every part of your body for just a little bit too long. You let out an uncomfortable yet soft cough and she snaps her attention back to you, “This.. This might be the dress!” She says, putting on a smile as you laugh at her response, “yeah? You think so?” And she nods, shooting you a comical double thumbs up as you continue, “I need help with the zipper, though. Do you mind?” You turn around and expose your bare back to the other girl.

You try to keep your gaze downwards as you feel her fingers trail down your back, all too scared to accidentally make eye contact with her while so vulnerable. Still, it seemed like the harder you tried to not do it, the more prompted you were to do so. Sparing a glance into the mirror it's nearly impossible to notice how Kazuha bites her lip, her fingers shaking as she zips up the dress for you, almost as if she was scared to touch you. You can feel her breath on the back of your neck and you shiver, realizing she's gotten closer. Her eyes dart up to meet yours within the reflection, and you’re left there frozen like a deer in the headlights. Her hands slowly trail down your sides and firmly land on your hips as she once again drinks in the sight of you, but this time, there's nowhere to go.

All of a sudden it became very very hard to think. For the first time, you see Kazuha’s eyes darken, and you cannot figure out what could possibly be going on in her mind. Hell, you can barely figure out what's going on in your own. She still hasn't broken eye contact with an unreadable poker face as she wraps her arms completely around your hips, pulling you closer and completely pressing your bodies together. You gasp at the sudden contact, feeling heat shoot through the entirety of your body, your ass pressed up against her core. What is she doing? What are you doing? You close your eyes, unable to look at the vulgar spectacle before you. She leans down and gently places her chin on your shoulder as she leans into the cook of your neck, and you feel the ghost of her lips hovering over the sensitive skin, waiting. The sensation causes the quietest whisper of a whimper to escape your lips.

And just like that, it was as if a switch flipped. “You look so pretty!~” she cooes, squeezing your body and rocking the both of you side to side in a playful (and very platonic) embrace as she grins, “You’re going to catch so many eyes at the ball. I’ll let you change and we’ll buy this dress then head out, yeah?” The words flow out so fast, Kazuha manages to slip out of the small changing room before you could even process what happened.

As soon as you hear the sound of her footsteps fading, you press you back up against the cold mirror, hand on your chest as you feel your heart threaten to give in. You squeeze your thighs together as you try to calm every nerve in your body that was working over time (it was all of them.)

Sweat forms on the top of your forehead as you shakily breathe out, “fuck…”

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The next few days following the “dress incident” as you very originally named, went by painfully slow. Seeing as it was the end of the school year, you had already finished all of your finals and you were simply left sitting alone in your apartment trapped within your thoughts as the days passed. There isn't any more schoolwork to keep you distracted, but frankly, you dont think even all the assignments in the world could keep you from thinking about what happened in that dressing room. You haven't texted Kazuha since. How could you? What even was that? There had to be a logical explanation for… whatever that was, surely. You’ve known Kazuha for around three years now, and not once has she ever done anything to show you she may like you more than platonically.

The situation left you so distressed, you sought out solace in the form of your roommate, Sakura. You’re left restlessly pacing the living room, biting your nails as you retell the story, the older girl’s eyes following your every move. After seeing you do about 30 rounds around the coffee table, Sakura finally decides to speak up. “Y/n… you do know Kazuha has always treated you differently than the rest of us, right?”

Almost comically, your neck snaps towards your roommate as you dash over to her, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders as your eyes widen, staring her down with a stress driven craze, “what.”

Sakura immediately raises her hands in defense, dropping her phone as she is practically pinned against the couch by your unexpected strength. “I-I’m just saying..! Kazuha has always been a pretty shy and reserved person. I mean, she can hold conversations well with just about anyone just fine. But with you? I've never seen her so outwardly affectionate to anyone. She's always touching you and being… silly? I don't know. At least with me, she’s upbeat sure, but she's usually so much quieter, never latching onto my arm, whining, or always trying to get my attention in any way… I'm sure it's the same for the others too…”

As the older girl’s words trail off, your grip on her loosens, and you can see her sigh in relief as you collapse on the couch next to her, lost in thought. Did Kazuha really treat you differently? “But I thought she was just, I don't know, treating me like one of her girl friends? Gal pals or whatever?”

Sakura simply shrugs at this response, “Maybe to her, you’re more than that.”

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You sit in the passenger seat of Sakura’s car as you wait in front of Eunchae’s dorm building. Alongside the dress from the store, your hair was tied up into a low bun held in place with a white floral hair stick and accented with a gold arm cuff and necklace that crawled up your body nicely. Sakura had a light pink mermaid style dress on with pearl accents, and you can catch a glance of Eunchae waddling her way over, her hair in an adorable high ponytail to match with her puffy blue dress.

You exchange pleasantries with the younger girl before turning your attention to your phone, nervously nibbling on the pad of your thumb as you quickly send a text to the girl whos been driving you crazy.

Y/n [19:56] – Kkura, Eunchae, and I will be there in five.

Zuha [19:56] – yay!! can't wait to see you in that pretty dress <33

You bite the inside of your cheek, feeling the blush rush to your face.

Y/n [19:57] – What dress are you wearing btw? I didn't see you buy one at the boutique.

Zuha [19:58] – its a surprise～～ (^з^)-☆

“Who are you texting??” Eunchae’s voice rings out, and you immediately shut off your phone in a mild panic as she leans over your shoulder, frowning at the black screen before her.

“Just letting Zuha know we’re on our way– and put your seatbelt on.” You realize how much you sound like a mother in that moment, and it shows on your face, cringing at yourself as Eunchae snickers, returning to her seat as you make your way to the castle.

To describe the venue as grand was an understatement. Your eyes are met with towering spires that stretch dramatically into the sky. The castle was constructed entirely of stone, its walls weathered from the centuries of its existence, dark green ivy leaves crawling up its exterior, giving the fortress a sense of timelessness and majesty. “Wooaaah!! This looks even prettier than the pictures!! They must’ve paid a fortune for this place,” Eunchae’s upbeat cheer interrupts the serene experience as you and Sakura look at each other, laughing as you guide the younger girl down the cobblestone path and toward the crowd.

It felt like all of the university was here at the castle, the courtyard becoming a hive of activity as people shuffled their way in and out through the main doors and from the main hall. The dimly lit grandeur of the hallway before you left you awestruck, casting long shadows that helped illuminate the faces of the individuals passing you by. You spot Kazuha almost too quickly within the crowd, her hair placed elegantly along her bare shoulders as you finally get a look at the dress she picked out for this occasion. She chose the color black for her dress, almost as if to intentionally match your own. The dress was strapless, showcasing her shoulders with a sweetheart neckline that had a hypnotic type of allure to it. The top was fitted, hugging her body and torso to excellently showcase her slim figure before flowing out into a multi layered floor-level skirt. Alongside this, she wears a pair of long black gloves and a pearl necklace that enhances Kazuha’s beauty tenfold, her aura emitting a sense of timelessness and grace. She looked beyond gorgeous, like a black swan. You feel your ears grow hot and your stomach do flips as Sakura gives you a reassuring squeeze on your hand, smiling softly as she guides you and Eunchae towards the group.

Yunjin and Chaewon hold Kazuha in conversation, and you can see a small smile form on her lips as she listens to the duo intently. As the three of you approach, you lock eyes with Yunjin, who grins at your arrival, playfully moving past Kazuha and Chaewon as she wraps her arms around your neck, pulling you into a warm embrace. “y/n!! You made it!!” You get a whiff of her perfume and are immediately hit with a woody scent with a mix of citrus, which you think is fitting with her short green dress and bright orange hair. You laugh into the hug, giving her a light squeeze before looking over at Kazuha.

You swear you see her eyebrow twitch for a millisecond before Yunjin glances at the other girl. Giggling, she leans in and whispers into your ear, “She’s been talking about you all night, by the way.”

Cheeks now embarrassingly flushed, Yunjin pulls away, and you can see Kazuha glaring daggers into the back of Yunjins head as Chaewon sighs, pulling her partner away from you and linking their arms together. The bob-haired girl wore a blood red maxi dress, with matching stiletto heels to boot. She had an authoritative energy to her tonight, and if she wasn’t your friend, you think you would’ve been a little intimidated. “Let the girl breathe, Jen.”

You sheepishly smile as Yunjin sticks her tongue out at the shorter girl, beckoning for Sakura and Eunchae to join as they chatter amongst themselves, leaving you and Kazuha off to the side. After exploding Yunjin with her mind, Kazuha’s gaze softens as she walks up to you, her breath hitching as she opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. You giggle at the sight as she grabs your hands with her gloved ones, looking you in the eyes as she speaks, “you look stunning tonight, y/n,” and the words held a completely different meaning this time. She’s complimented you before– countless times really, but they held a different weight now. It was different now that you could feel an unseen electricity between you two. It was different now because of what she did (or didn't do) to you in the changing room that day.

Blushing, you squeeze her hands, “You look beautiful as well, Kazuha.” Your words were breathless and shy, and you think about how embarrassing it is to say that she quite literally took your breath away with her look tonight. You’re not too sure how long you and Kazuha stood there in the middle of the hall, simply staring at each other as the world seemed to no longer exist around you, but the sound of a cough brings the both of you back down to reality.

“Wanna go to the dance floor? They also have food and drinks,” Chaewon suggests, already leading the group as you can now clearly see how flushed Kazuha’s cheeks are, and you melt at the sight, intertwining your fingers with hers as you follow the group onwards.

The rest of the night was spent dancing and enjoying your time off with your friends. Eunchae was socializing with just about any person who crossed paths with her, Sakura having to hold her back to ensure she didn't get lost. As expected, Yunjin and Chaewon had actually already pregamed the event, but still had more alcohol hidden within their dresses. They offered you a shot, but you declined (much to Yunjins dismay.)

Despite Kazuha being rather introverted and soft spoken most of the time, she definitely had more friends than you realized. Almost every five minutes she would be approached by some group of girls or a lone guy and she’d end up in a conversation that would leave you off to the side. Despite this, Kazuha was an expert at staying true to her word. She always held your hand within hers, sparing glances back at you and playing with your fingers while socializing, almost as if silently saying, “I’m still with you.”

The gesture was sweet, and you really did appreciate it all. But as the night wagered on, you couldn't help but feel that familiar prickling feeling creeping up on you once again. The amount of people brushing up against you made your skin crawl, and the music seemed to be all consuming and suffocating despite the large size of the room you were in. Even holding onto Kazuha's hand was beginning to feel like too much. You frown.

You watch as Kazuha chats with a girl you recognize as Danielle, and you tug a little bit on her arm, catching the taller girl’s attention as she leans over to you, offering an ear as Danielle continues to ramble on. “I think I’m going to get some air!” You try to speak over the music, and it takes a moment for the words to register in her mind, “Do you want me to come with you?” She asks, her eyes caring as she looks into yours, and you want to say “yes, always,” but the rhythm from above begins to shift, and you watch as Danielle’s eyes light up as she grabs hold of Kazhua.

“Oh my god. I love this song, we HAVE to dance, come on!!”

Soon enough your hands break away from one another, and you try to give a reassuring smile to Kazuha who tried to make her way back to you, but ended up getting swept away by Danielle into the sea of people rotating to the dance floor. The smile on your lips drops as soon as she is no longer in sight, and you take a moment to look around. The other girls were nowhere in sight, and there were only strangers surrounding you as you awkwardly mumbled half hearted apologies, desperate to be anywhere but here.

After running through what felt like endless hallways, you burst through a set of wooden doors. Your face is hit with a cool breeze and you finally feel like you can breathe.

You sigh and rub your head, taking in the cold night air as you try to calm yourself down. How ironic. You were so insistent on not being left alone on this night, and when you get what you want, you choose to return to the familiar feeling of solidarity.

Taking in your surroundings, you realize you have ended up on an unused balcony, the stone flooring facing out into the forest beyond. The faint flickering of fireflies emerge from the darkness, and you take a moment to simply just take it all in— to ground yourself. The muffled booming of music from inside lingers, and you close your eyes, leaning over the balcony in contentment.

“Y’know, I don’t think we’re allowed here.”

Kazuha’s warm voice rings out, and you twirl around, finding the taller girl smiling at you softly. She joins your side, staring off into the forest before looking back at you. “Are you okay?”

You hum in response, nodding as you breathe out, eyes focused on the fireflies ahead. “yeah, it was just getting really overwhelming in there…”

Kazuha stays silent, also staring off as a comfortable silence drapes over you two. You can't help but let your mind linger again to the changing room instance, and you look back at the ravenette. She seemed completely unphased by the situation, and you start to wonder if it even happened at all. You open your mouth, wanting to ask what exactly you two were, but the sound of the music inside slowing down catches Kazuha’s attention.

Her ears perk at the tune, and she shifts her gaze back to you, offering her gloved hand just like she did at the very start of this night. “May I have this dance?”

The question catches you completely off guard, and you can't help but laugh, all tension within your mind and body letting loose. “What?? Right now?”

Kazuha gives a gummy smile, “yes. I’d like to dance with you. Right here, right now.”

Your laughter continues and rings out into the night, it’s a wonderful feeling. “Zuha, you know I can't dance,” you chuckle, and despite this truth, you still allow her to take your hand in hers.

“Then just follow my lead.”

You’re pulled into her body, and its a softer experience than before. She guides your free hand onto her shoulder before she places hers on the small of your back. You ease into her touch as she leads the way, taking the first steps and guiding your body to follow. It was clumsy and messy at first, with several instances of you stumbling on your feet and needing Kazuha to keep you up, but it didn't matter at all.

How could it? How could anything else matter in the world right now when the moonlight above framed her face so perfectly? When the shine of the fireflies are dull compared to the woman before you right now?

The both of you laugh as she twirls you in sync with the muffled tune of the song, and you can't help but let out a surprised yelp as she dips you, your hair flying back as you are given a clear sight of the canvas of stars just above the two of you. It was stunning, romantic, even. Kazuha lifts you back up, and suddenly your lips are centimeters apart. You feel her hot breath against your lips, and you suddenly feel like you’ve been transported back to that cramped room.

You feel Kazuha hesitate, before she asks, in barely a whisper, “C-Can I…?”

You would have laughed at the question, the words being so upfront yet so scared coming out of her lips if you didn't so desperately want it as well.

“Please.”

Kazuhas lips immediately press against yours, and it's sweet. It's intentional and tender, full of pent up emotions that threaten to overflow, but the need in the way she tightens her grip on you is strong. She's waited so long for this, and she wants to enjoy it all, but she's holding back, scared that you'll slip away again. Her lips taste like cherries, and it's a wonderful flavor. A flavor you’ve waited three years to taste. You find yourself licking your own lips as you pull away, your arms wrapped around her neck as your faces remain close.

“Is this what you wanted to do when you cornered me back at the boutique?” You whisper, your lips teasingly hovering over Kazuha’s, pulling back when she tries to meet them. You smile mischievously as you see her grow impatient.

“Something like that.”

She's suddenly latched onto you again, lips pressing against yours with more pressure as you gasp, your hand instinctively flying to her hair as you dig your nails into her scalp. A sound you’d never expect to ever come out of such a quiet girl erupts from Kazuha’s throat.

A growl.

You feel that all too familiar heat shoot throughout your body once again as the taller girl pushes you against the stone railiing, her lips trailing down your jawline and onto your neck. Her teeth graze the skin and you cant help but let out a moan, your voice egging her on even more as she begins to mark your neck.

You really should stop her. You’re still out in public, and there was no way you would be able to cover any hickeys she may leave on you with a dress that was very much made to remain off your shoulders. But when she presses her knee in between your legs through your dress and her hands find their way to your chest, who are you to stop her?

Kazuha was nowhere near finished with you.

[cellsshapedlikestars]

So I'm not creative to think of prompts on my own but I saw an underated prompt thing on tumblr and see if you'd like to take a crack at it:

Music Student Playing Violin Each Night On the Quad X Fellow Student Who's Goin Thru It Right Now But the music student picks a different alcove/corner each time, and the fellow student can never figure out where the music is coming from

Student Skipping Class to Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender On Their Laptop In the Cafeteria X Student Who Stopped To Sit At The Table Behind Them and Watch Along

Puts Things Into The Microwave Irresponsibly" X "Lives Across The Hall From The Person Who Puts Things Into The Microwave Irresponsibly" "Can you tell me in the future when you're about to use the microwave so I'm not in the shower when the fire alarm inevitably goes off"

Take your pick or do them all if you're feeling inspired, I thought I'd give options so you don't feel like you have to force inspiration. But now reading them I wanna see it all so the struggle of not being creative enough to write my own and having to poke other authors... Annnnyyywayyyyyssss, I know you write when stressed and as much as I've been loving the updates, I hope things are better now! Summer has begun so hopefully you get a bit a of a breather at least

oooh boy, I'm trying to bust through some of my writing woes by working on some prompts! That's genuinely why I love doing these - they're light and fun and there's no pressure.

Thank you for sending these! They were super fun, but I had to choose one, so I chose: Puts Things Into The Microwave Irresponsibly" X "Lives Across The Hall From The Person Who Puts Things Into The Microwave Irresponsibly"

read on ao3 here:

ephemera, chapter 32

.

Jon stands in the quad and stares at the students still filing out of the dorm building, fire engines idling in front, their lights flashing. Luckily it's the middle of the day, so most students are in class, but there's still quite a few people standing around watching.

“How long is this going to take?”

Jon turns to look to the right and slightly behind him, to a girl in a bathrobe, her wet hair gathered over and soaking one shoulder.

“Hopefully not as long as last time,” he answers when he realizes there's no one with her, and so she must be talking to him.

Except, no, she seems to startle, and when she looks at him, he realizes she was talking to herself. Still, though, she gives him a tentative smile and steps forward, and he realizes her feet are bare.

“You must be freezing,” he says, trying to ignore the way her robe gaps a bit when she crosses her arms over her chest. It's too thin for the early spring weather, and she's pretty clearly wearing nothing under it.

“I panicked and ran out without thinking,” she admits, a reddish tint to her cheeks as she looks down at her state of dress. Jon unzips and pulls off his sweatshirt and hands it to her, though it's only when she wrinkles her nose ever so slightly that he realizes he's been wearing that sweatshirt since yesterday afternoon and it probably smells a bit musty. Still, though, she pulls it on over her robe, so she must really have been cold.

“I heard someone lit a microwave on fire,” she says after a few moments of silence, and Jon tries to keep his face neutral.

“Oh?”

“What kind of moron lights a microwave on fire?” she whines. “I don't even know how you'd do that!”

“Aluminum foil,” he answers, and when she looks at him, he backtracks and says, “or, that's what I've heard. You know, metal in microwaves?”

“Right,” she nods. “I didn't realize that would cause an actual fire.”

“Apparently.”

“What floor are you on?” she asks after another few minutes of silence. He's getting the picture she isn't someone who likes silences, always needs to fill them up. Not that he minds – he's always preferred people who can do all the talking for him. As proven so far in this interaction, he's not the best with social stuff.

“Four.”

“Three,” she responsds, and gives him another smile. Then it falls and she says, “wait, I think the fire came from the fourth floor.”

“Did it?” he asks, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his heels, unable to look at her. He keeps his eyes fixed on the building, where the firemen are currently doing a sweep of the whole thing before they're allowed to go back inside.

“Makes sense,” she says, a teasing tone to her voice now. “Obviously some idiot boy started the fire.”

The floors are single-gendered and alternating, though there have been discussions about changing that recently to be more inclusive, but for now it remains.

“You aren't going to argue?” she asks, a smile still on her lips as she looks up at him.

“Argue about what? We're pretty stupid up on four.”

“Stupid enough to start three fires in the last month,” she says, no longer teasing. She just sounds annoyed.

“You don't know they were all the same person,” he argues. “This one was a microwave fire, the other two were trash can fires. Different Mos. Two different people.”

“How do you know that?”

“Oh,” he looks around the quad, but doesn't see Sam. “One of my best friends is an RA, he told me how the other two started when they happened.”

“Can he find out who set this one? I'd love to give them a piece of my mind,” she grumbles, looking down at her soaking wet hair.

“I'm sure it was just a mistake,” he protests, hands still shoved deep into his pockets, and he tries not to fidget too much.

“A mistake?” she scoffs. “How does one mistakenly put so much aluminum foil into the microwave that it causes a full on fire?”

“You know, if they were really tired,” he says, still staring at the building and not looking at her. “Like if they just got back from a morning calculus lecture after working a night shift and not getting any sleep and all they wanted was late breakfast but they were so tired, they forgot to take the foil off their leftovers and then they left the room for just a second to pee...” he trails off when he realizes she's staring at him. “Hypothetically.”

“Right,” she says, narrowing her eyes at him. “So, who do you think it was?”

“What?”

She keeps her suspicious eyes on him. “Well, hypothetically, the firestarter should be around, right? They would have had to evacuate with us.” She gestures at the quad, the students standing around and waiting to be let back in.

“Maybe he ran,” Jon shrugs, still not quite able to meet her eyes. “I'm sure he's really fucking embarrassed.”

She makes a humming noise and says, “so he's a coward, too?”

Jon's shoulders bunch up around his ears in a shrug.

“I'll just have to keep my eye out for hypothetical calculus students,” she says.

“Physics,” he corrects. “Calculus is a pre req class.”

She lets out a burst of laughter when he realizes what he's admitted. “Are you sure you're a physics major?” she giggles. “Aren't they supposed to be really smart?”

He can feel his face getting hot and he turns back towards the building. “You would think,” he mutters, which only makes her laugh more, and she puts a hand over her mouth to stifle it.

It's then that a firefighter announces they're alright to enter the building again, and Jon takes the opportunity, hurrying back towards the front entrance so he doesn't put his foot even deeper in his mouth and embarrass himself any further.

It doesn't work, because she catches up to him at the elevator. He should've taken the stairs.

“I'm Sansa, by the way,” she says, as they crowd on with a load of other returning students.

“Jon.”

“Here, you can have this back.” She pulls his hoodie off and he, once again, tries not to stare at the neckline of her robe that pulls dangerously far apart with the movement. “Thanks for keeping me warm, Jon the hypothetical physics major.”

The elevator dings at the third floor and then she's off, and Jon wishes the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

A week later, after harassing Sam into giving him her dorm number, Jon finds himself in front of room 3-12, and he hangs a shopping bag from the handle. Inside is a new fluffy robe instead of that thin terrycloth one she'd been wearing, along with a note.

To keep you warm, hypothetically

-firestarter

[dewykth]

—CYBΞRSΞX (m)

pairing. jeon jungkook | female reader | park jimin genre & au's. smut, humor / camgirl!reader, camboy!pjm, rich boy!jjk word count. 10.213 warnings. please read ! multiple explicit sexual scenes, masturbation (f + m), porn, sexting, nudes, jk in a thong (bc yes), ice play, sex toys, face sitting, sub!jk, (soft) dom!reader, sub!jm, [18+] note. AHH it's finally here!! thank you to everyone who liked the teasers, i hope you'll enjoy this baby! this went thru a lot of editing, rewriting, and deleting, but i’m finally happy w it !! feedback is vv much appreciated <3!! note two. and yes, i did take the opportunity to write subby bts, bc i can, and we need more of it. thats it. sub jk rights! 

—shoutout to vira ( @periminkle​ ) for beta reading and making me laugh w her reactions <3 ily

[teaser #1] ♡ [teaser #2] ♡ [playlist]

synopsis. there are three rules you set for yourself when you signed up for cybersex.com. one, separate work from your personal life. two, do not get involved with any cyberboy, no matter how stupidly & unfairly gorgeous he is. and three, do not, under any circumstance, fall for a client. they're very simple, and very easy to follow. so why are you about to get in bed with park jimin, cyberboy extraordinaire, in order to spite a loyal client of yours?

 [ :: LOADING... my strange addiction :: ]

The hot pink log-in screen of cybersex.com is a sight Jungkook is embarrassingly familiar with. Frankly, he’s afraid to admit how many times he’s logged on this past week. It takes him no longer than a minute for him to input his account information, quickly searching for the sole reason he’s still on this site at all.

Jungkook glances at the time. He might still be able to catch a bit of your show tonight. Even if it were only for a few moments, it’d be enough for him until he actually got to talk to you tomorrow. Hopefully. 

Jungkook knows better than to think he could ever get enough though.

● LIVE!: sittin here undressed...

By Sweetheart666

83,938 viewing now

The screen goes black for a second before you appear, sitting on your bed with a pink pillow between your thighs. Jungkook sucks in a breath, feeling his dick twitch in his sweatpants. Your hands are on your chest, playing with your nipples and whining softly. Your sounds spur Jungkook further, his eyes glued to the completely fucked out expression on your face and (too soon) his dick is fully erect. He doesn't know how you're able to get him like this so quickly every time.

There's sensual music in the background, but Jungkook only focuses on the pretty sounds falling from your lips. Jungkook begins to palm himself through his sweats just as you tease your fingers over the band of the mesh shorts barely leaving anything to the imagination. Jungkook's skin is hot to the touch, and he can feel the sweat building on his forehead. 

“Oh? Do you guys want this off?”

Comments fill the screen quickly, all fervently voting in favor for removing the sheer white fabric. But this isn’t Jungkook’s first time, and he knows better than anyone you like for them to beg.

“Show me how bad you want me to take it off.”

v_steponmepls_ tipped 2,000 hearts!

secretly1ntoXhibitionism tipped 5,000 hearts!

bbybun14 tipped 1,600 hearts!

“Aww, is that all? Guess you don’t want it that much...”

Your fingers leave the band of your shorts, choosing to fiddle with the heart chain around your neck as you wait. Jungkook chuckles, knowing that the comments were all probably whining at your teasing. But as previously mentioned, Jungkook was a bit more experienced in your realm. His fingers dance on the keyboard of his computer.

nj_94 tipped 10,000 hearts!

Tiny red hearts fill Jungkook’s screen as he smirks, lying back against his headboard. He sees the way your eyes flash, before you’re smirking at the camera, as if you could see how desperate Jungkook was. 

“So needy, aren’t you, nj_94? Alright, I guess I can give you a little something then...”

Jungkook suddenly feels warmth on his face, and he realizes he’s fucking blushing at your attention. There was something about you acknowledging him in front of almost ninety-thousand people that made his chest swell with pride. He’s so fucking whipped, a thought that crosses his mind momentarily before his focus is back on you. When you finally remove your flimsy shorts, Jungkook moans loudly at the sight of your dripping core. Oh, how he wishes he could stuff his face in between your thighs. 

He pulls his sweatpants to his thighs, letting his dick spring free. Jungkook gathers his saliva, spitting into his hands before leisurely stroking his shaft. You play with your clit, moaning softly. He can see your juices dripping onto your mattress, leaving a mess. Jungkook briefly wonders how you would taste on his tongue. 

nj_94 tipped 15,000 hearts!

“Wow, straight to the point huh?”

When you slip two fingers into yourself and whine, Jungkook’s strokes begin to speed up. He moans, uncaring of the fact that it was past midnight. Jungkook is mesmerized by the sight of your small fingers pumping in and out of your entrance. Your moans begin to grow louder, and he can tell by the way your hips are grinding along your hands that you're getting closer to your release. Jungkook can feel his coming as well, his strokes becoming sloppier. 

“Fuck, I wish those were m-my hands instead of yours,” he mutters, lost in the way you’re making him feel. You moan louder, almost as if you could hear the words coming from Jungkook's mouth. It's impossible, but Jungkook lets his imagination wander. 

“You’d probably make me beg for it, w-wouldn’t you?” he chuckles breathlessly as you grind down on your hand. “I-i don’t m-mind, though,” Jungkook is sure he’s mumbling nonsense, yet he can’t find it in himself to care when he’s so close to his release. “I l-love begging for you.” His voice sounds echoey, but in his lust-ridden mind, he can’t make sense of anything else other than you, you, you. Jungkook watches through lidded eyes as your hips stutter. You thumb your clit a couple more times before a loud whine rips through you, and you're reaching your climax. 

Jungkook keeps his gaze on you, stroking himself a few more times until he too is spilling his seed all over his abs with a low groan. He’s left breathing harshly, lying on his back as he stares at the ceiling in a post-orgasmic haze. It takes a couple of minutes for Jungkook to fully recover before he looks at his computer screen again, realizing your live has abruptly ended. He sighs wistfully before closing his laptop shut.

Until tomorrow.

[ :: LOGGING IN... computer (almost, but not really) luv ::]

[ENDED]: feelin a bit bratty tonight?

By Sweetheart666 

106,729 viewers / 202,728 hearts

jacker82: sailor moon cosplay plssssss?

i_swallow_: feet?

James Miller Jr.: would love to take you to dinner some time!

_tittystan_: OH MY GODDD PLSS PUNCH ME IN THE FACE T-T

catdaddyXoX: ur so hawt yumm XD

Scrolling through the comments section and reading them out loud always made you giggle to yourself. They were either always some absurd comment or a simple compliment thrown your way. And you’d be lying if you said doing these videos didn’t make your confidence go up tenfold. During the past few months you’ve been a Cybergirl, you’ve been steadily growing a following. Your past three videos have done exceedingly well, but it was always your lives that got the most attention. 

It started as an easy way to get money to pay your bills. A lonely night in your apartment spent drinking cheap wine and crying about how pathetic you felt, because you couldn’t keep a job to save your life, led you to the hot pink sign up screen of Cybersex.com.  You told yourself it would be just for you to get yourself back on your feet, but as you began to post more and see the numbers in your bank account go to the triple digits, you grew a penchant for the website. 

All it took was a bit more effort into your videos for it to become your main source of income. You’ve grown much more comfortable around the camera than when you first started, and with that you've also been able to claim your place on the Hot200. It was undemanding work, for the most part. As expected, there was heavy competition between the cybergirls, which only worked to fuel your desire to chart. You had to come up with new and creative ideas for every video, and if you were being honest, you’d say you were pretty fucking good at what you do. And of course, there was no way for you to get fired.

To put it in simpler words, you loved being a cybergirl.

But, the best part, if you had to choose, were the personal clients. The ones who would pay an additional price in order to be able to talk to you directly, maybe even get a private show or pictures if they gave a bit more. You had yet to give a private show to anyone, which was pretty expensive depending on the popularity of the cybergirl.  Not that you were complaining, there were enough message requests to keep you pleased and your pockets full.

An alert appears on the corner of your screen, signaling the low battery of your computer. After plugging it in you opt to clean your cam set-up, putting away your toys and equipment. You check the time on your phone, noting that you had time to shower before your upcoming session. One that you had been waiting impatiently for all week. 

When you emerge from your bathroom, you pick up your phone again, scrolling through the messages until your eyes fall on one in particular. You look at the time. Punctual as always.

[𝟷:𝟹𝟶 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ʜᴇʏ ;)

Him.

Nj_94 was your most loyal client, but he only messaged you twice a week. It’d been almost four months since you first started talking to him and you’d be lying if you said his messages didn’t leave you feeling giddy inside. Granted, you’ve never met him, nor do you even know what he looks like, but it didn’t exactly matter to you. Getting to know him over the soft pink message threads of the Cybersex app, you've definitely grown a soft spot for him. There was something about his cute, albeit awkward, self that sometimes had your mind brewing up visions of him beneath you, quivering and begging and-

You digress.

Your back hits the soft silk sheets of your bed, deciding to make him wait a bit. If there was anything you loved more than your little sessions with nj_94, it was teasing him. 

[𝟷:𝟹𝟺 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ʜɪ…

There’s not a moment for you to put down your phone before there’s a chain of pings! echoing through the quietness of your bedroom.

[𝟷:𝟹𝟺 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ʜɪ 

[𝟷:𝟹𝟺 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ᴍɪssᴇᴅ ᴜ 

[𝟷:𝟹𝟼 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ɪs ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴏ?  

[𝟷:𝟹𝟼 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ʏᴇs. ᴠᴇʀʏ.  

ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺 ɪs ᴛʏᴘɪɴɢ… 

ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺 ɪs ᴛʏᴘɪɴɢ…

The text appears and reappears several times before his message finally graces your screen.

[𝟷:𝟹𝟾 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ᴅɪᴅ ᴜ... ᴍɪss ᴍᴇ?

Of course you did, but you’d never tell him that. You sit up on your headboard, playing with the frill of your shorts for a few moments before typing out your message.

[𝟷:𝟺𝟷 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ʜᴍᴍ... ᴅᴇᴘᴇɴᴅs

[𝟷:𝟺𝟷 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴅɪᴅ ᴜ ᴅᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ᴜ?

On the other side of the screen lays Jungkook on his bed, eyes wide as he stares at your message. He knew you were going to ask him about it, but he didn’t think you’d do it right away. Of course he listened. And he enjoyed it an embarrassing amount, something he’d never be able to admit to anyone except you. Shaky fingers tap on the screen of his phone, typing out his response before he clicks the send button.

[𝟷:𝟺𝟸 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ʏᴇs ɪ ᴅɪᴅ  

[𝟷:𝟺𝟹 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ʜᴏᴡ ᴅɪᴅ ɪᴛ ғᴇᴇʟ ʙᴀʙʏ?

His heart quickens when he reads the sentence. It wasn’t uncommon for you to call him pet names, but it usually meant he was in for the night. And probably on your good side.

[𝟷:𝟺𝟹 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ɢᴏᴏᴅ. ʀʟʏ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ.  

[𝟷:𝟺𝟻 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴏʜ ᴄᴍᴏɴ ʙᴀʙʏ... ɪs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ?  

[𝟷:𝟺𝟼 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ɴᴏ ɪ 

[𝟷:𝟺𝟼 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ... ʀᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ ᴛᴡɪᴄᴇ

A blush appears on Jungkook’s cheeks almost immediately after he types out the message. No matter how many times he’s texted you the most indecent and lewd words, he’ll probably never be able to fight the shyness that accompanies it.

[𝟷:𝟺𝟾 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴏʜ? 

[𝟷:𝟺𝟾 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ ʙᴀʙʏ… ᴀʀᴇ ᴜ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴡᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ ɪᴛ?

Jungkook glances down at his bare thighs, where the thin fabric wraps around his hips. He gulps.

[𝟷:𝟺𝟿 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ʏᴇs. 

[𝟷:𝟻𝟶 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: [ɪᴍᴀɢᴇ𝟶𝟾𝟹𝟺.ᴊᴘɢ]

There’s a moment where your mouth hangs open, watering at the sight of his salacious thighs. But, the thin black lace barely covering his prominent bulge is what makes you squeeze your thighs together. If his texts weren’t enough to show how desperate he was for you, this unexpected picture definitely got the point across. God, he was such a—

[𝟷:𝟻𝟷 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ɢᴏᴏᴅ ʙᴏʏ. 

[𝟷:𝟻𝟷 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ʙᴀʙʏ 

[𝟷:𝟻𝟷 ᴀ.ᴍ.]sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴜ ᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ ɪᴛ

Jungkook's heart throbs, or is that his dick? Either way, it's almost humiliating how easy it is for you to rile him up from a few words. You just had that effect on him. And, god, did he fucking love it.

[𝟷:𝟻𝟸 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴜᴍ 

[𝟷:𝟻𝟸 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴜ 

[𝟷:𝟻𝟸 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ᴘʟssss :(

This was... new. Usually, you only allow him to be the one receiving all the attention and pleasure. Despite the waning professionalism in your relationship, this was still your job. It was only after your sessions that you'd grant yourself to come to the fresh memory of his whining and pleading. But who were you to deny him?

[𝟷:𝟻𝟹 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ...ᴏᴋ ʙᴀʙʏ 

[𝟷:𝟻𝟺 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ʀ ᴜ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʜᴀʀᴅ ʏᴇᴛ ʙᴀʙʏ?

[𝟷:𝟻𝟻 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ʏᴇs. ʙᴇᴇɴ ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴅᴀʏ 𝟺 ᴜ…

His fingers itch, his cock aching for any form of relief, but he knows better than to do anything without your permission. Besides, you make it all worth it in the end.

[𝟷:𝟻𝟼 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ 𝟸 ᴛɪᴍᴇs 𝟸ᴅᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴡɴᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ?

[𝟷:𝟻𝟼 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: sᴏ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ɴᴇᴇᴅʏ, ʜᴜʜ? 

[𝟷:𝟻𝟼 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ʏᴋ ᴡʜᴀᴛ 𝟸 ᴅᴏ ʙᴀʙʏ ʙᴏʏ

nj_94 has sent 3,000 hearts!

[𝟷:𝟻𝟽 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇᴇᴇ

You laugh breathlessly despite the wetness building between your thighs at his begging. Your hand slips behind your back, unclipping your bralette before slipping it off and throwing it somewhere in your room. You angle the camera so that only the top half of your body shows before snapping the picture.

[𝟷:𝟻𝟿 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: [ɪᴍᴀɢᴇ𝟶𝟾𝟹𝟻.ᴊᴘɢ]

Fuck. Jungkook can’t take his eyes off of the image of your bare chest. Your hand sits right above the band of your thin panties, before the image cuts off. There’s a teasing glint in your eyes as you bite your lip, staring straight into the camera. Jungkook can’t help it, he whines. His hand is pulling the black panties down to his mid thigh before he can think. He sighs at the feeling, grabbing the strawberry lube -your favorite- from his nightstand drawer and squirting a generous amount into his palm. He begins to leisurely stroke his member before a ping! from his phone interrupts him.

[𝟸:𝟶𝟹 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴍʏ ᴘɪᴄᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴜᴄʜ?  

[𝟸:𝟶𝟹 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ғғᴄᴋ ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀs. ᴜʀ sᴏ ғᴜᴄᴋɴɢ ʜᴏᴛᴛ 

[𝟸:𝟶𝟺 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ᴡɪsʜ ɪ ᴡs ᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡ ᴜ

You wish so too. To have him begging to touch you, to feel you, right in front of you? Fuck, it definitely did things to you. He did things to you. And you wanted to show him.

[𝟸:𝟶𝟿 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: [ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ𝟶𝟾𝟹𝟼.ᴍᴘ𝟺]

Jungkook’s hand falters when he sees you’ve sent a video. Not that it was uncommon, but usually he’d have to send hearts first. But, he decides not to question it, instead choosing to click on the video. It takes a few moments to load, but once the first few seconds start playing, Jungkook’s mouth drops. 

Your fingers are in your mouth, sucking and lathering them in spit before they trail down your body and under the fabric of your thin panties. Jungkook doesn’t need to see it, no, he can hear how wet you are. The sounds of your soft moaning and your fingers entering you drive Jungkook utterly wild, and he finds himself whimpering. He can’t stop watching the way you bite your lips and giggle, as if you knew exactly what you were doing to him. Of course you knew. 

Jungkook replays the video, deliberate strokes of his hand sounding through the quietness of his room. “F-fuck, ____... what are you doing to me...” There’s another ping! that seems to reverberate in his head, and Jungkook slows his movements before he can get too lost in the endless ocean of his thoughts.

[𝟸:𝟷𝟾 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: sᴘᴇᴇᴄʜʟᴇss, ʙᴀʙʏ? 

[𝟸:𝟷𝟾 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴏʀ ʀ ᴜ ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴜʀsᴇʟғ ʙᴄ ᴏғ ᴍᴇ?  

[𝟸:𝟷𝟿 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ғғᴄᴋ ɪ ᴄɴᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴍʏsᴇʟғ 

[𝟸:𝟷𝟿 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ᴜʀ sᴏ ғᴜᴄᴋɴ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛғʟʟ 

[𝟸:𝟸𝟶 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ᴄᴀɴ ɪ sɴᴇᴅ sᴍᴛʜɴ ɴ ʙᴀᴄᴋ?  

[𝟸:𝟸𝟶 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴏғᴄ ʙᴀʙʏ

A few minutes pass before your phone finally vibrates, your screen lighting up with a new message. 

[𝟸:𝟸𝟻 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: [ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ𝟶𝟼𝟽.ᴍᴘ𝟺]

You hesitate for a bit, biting your lip before you press play. The sound of his hand fervently sliding up and down his shaft fills your ears, soft whines of pleasure slipping through the speaker of your phone. If you weren't turned on before, you definitely were now. Your hand travels down your body, slipping underneath your panties. Gasping at the pool of your wetness, your hand moves along your clit expertly as his hand slides along the mess of precum and red lube. Strawberry.

Right as the video is reaching the last ten seconds, your hands speed up against your heat. Your thoughts are clouded, lidded eyes staring at nj_94’s huge cock. Right before the video ends, you hear his voice, muttering nonsense, but that isn’t what makes you cease your motions. “F-fuck, ____, see what you do to me.”

It’s clear he doesn't realize he’s said your name, your actual name. But that's not even the weirdest part. No, because the voice sounds too familiar to you. Similar to the voice of— ping!

nj_94 has sent 5,000 hearts!

[𝟸:𝟹𝟺 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ғᴄᴋ ɪᴍ ᴄʟᴏᴇs 

[𝟸:𝟹𝟻 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ʟᴛᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴄᴜᴍᴍ 

[𝟸:𝟹𝟻 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ᴘʟssss?  

[𝟸:𝟹𝟽 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: [ɪᴍᴀɢᴇ𝟶𝟾𝟹𝟽.ᴊᴘᴇɢ]

The still image of your drenching core is enough for Jungkook to spill his seed all over his hand. His hand slows as he pumps the last spurts of his cum, chest heaving harshly. He grabs a couple of tissues from his nightstand, using it to clean the cum off of his fingers.

[𝟸:𝟺𝟷 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ɴᴊ_𝟿𝟺: ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ  

[𝟸:𝟺𝟸 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴏғ sᴇʀᴠɪ��ᴇ ʙᴀʙʏ ʙᴏʏ

[𝟸:𝟺𝟻 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼:,, ɪᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜɪɴᴋɪɴɢ 

sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼 ɪs ᴛʏᴘɪɴɢ... 

sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼 ɪs ᴛʏᴘɪɴɢ...

Jungkook’s head is spinning, but he doesn’t think it’s from the breathtaking orgasm you had just given him. He’s on edge as he watches the little typing bubble appear and disappear multiple times. What could you possibly be ‘thinking’ about? Were you thinking of ending this whole thing? Oh god, were you thinking of—!

[𝟸:𝟺𝟾 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴀᴍ ɪ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴜ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ʟɪᴋᴇ?

No, this was definitely much worse. Jungkook never would have guessed how far this would have gone when he first impulsively texted you all those months ago. After the first two months, when the sexting had turned into a regular thing, he knew you’d eventually grow curious.  He knew you’d eventually ask. And, god, does he wish he had the fucking balls to tell you. 

Jungkook would be lying if he said this hadn’t turned into something more than just sexting. At least for him. He wasn’t really sure how you felt about him, though sometimes the things you’d say when you were coaxing him into an orgasm would go to his head, and he’d think, if only for a moment, that maybe, just maybe, you felt something more as well.

But after he’d come down from his high, and come down back to reality, Jungkook knew it was just wishful thinking. How could you have feelings for someone you’ve never met, never seen? Even if you did, it wasn’t Jungkook you felt something for, it was nj_94. Which, yes technically was him, but not to you. You probably thought it was, well, literally anyone except your nerd of a neighbor who was too much of a coward to tell you who he was. What the hell would he even tell you? How the hell would he tell you?

“Oh, hey, _____! You know that guy you’ve been sexting consistently through Cybersex for four months? Well, surprise! It’s been me the entire goddamn time!”

SLAP!

Yet, even in the safety of his imagination, you're fuming, ears blowing steam as you slam the door in his face. A demand to never speak to you again, and Jungkook sinks into the floor from shame and embarrassment. Sometimes, you’d laugh in his face, disbelieving, or worse, unwanting of him.

Jungkook’s mind was a weird and ghastly place.

He doesn’t know how long he’s been staring at your message, but he sees you’ve gone offline, probably tired of waiting for him to reply. His thumbs hover over the keypad of his phone, but he can’t bring himself to say anything, not even to jokingly brush you off. There have been many moments before where you’ve brought up what nj_94 looks like, but somehow this time it feels different. Jungkook can’t pin down the feeling coiling in his stomach, so he does what he does best.

He ignores it.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The blaring sound of your alarm fills the once quiet room, ripping you away from your peaceful slumber, and you groan loudly into your pillow. Your hand fumbles around your nightstand as you try to blindly reach for your phone. Once you're able to turn off your alarm, you hear the pounding at the door. You lift your head, able to make out muffled calls of your name through your clouded mind. Who the fuck is trying to knock the door down so early in the morning? 

You choose to bury your face in your pillows again, shifting the duvet over your head in order to block out the noise. Reaching for your phone once again, your eyes take a moment to adjust to the bright screen, and- oh, shit, you’re running late... again.

You throw the covers off your body, almost falling over the heap of clothes strewn over your bedroom floor. The knocking continues, and you rush out of your room, throwing the door open without sparing another glance at who’s standing at your doorstep.

“Give me five minutes!”

The figure chuckles, entering the threshold as you run back to your bedroom to throw on something presentable. “Rough night?” he says, voice sounding muffled through the closed door.

You laugh breathlessly, “More like rough weekend.” but you’re sure your voice is too quiet to be heard. Hastily brushing your teeth, you attempt to slip on your sweatpants at once. Following your successful multitasking and finishing your morning routine in record time, you emerge from your bedroom. Grabbing your keys and book bag from the living room, you pad over to the shoe rack near the front door.

“Wow, you should start waking up late every day if you’re gonna get ready this fast.”

You roll your eyes turning to shoot Jungkook a glare, “Don’t worry, I’ll start taking my time now just for you.”

Not waiting for a response, you open the door, gesturing for him to exit. He curtsies before he begins walking down the hallway to the elevator, you following closely behind.

-----

There’s something different about you today.

You’re quiet, gazing into the distance as you both walk to the coffee shop a few blocks away from your university campus. He tries to think nothing of it, chalking it up to the sleepiness still wearing off from the early morning. But usually you’d be pointing out random things on the street, or teasing Jungkook endlessly. And maybe he might miss the (albeit playful and meaningless) flirting, but he’d never say that out loud.

You reach the shop without a word, the sound of the city waking up and Jungkook’s boots hitting the pavement the only source of noise between you. When you reach the cashier, you’re still dazed, and if Jungkook didn’t know your order by heart (something he also would never admit), you’d probably forgo ordering anything.

Despite noticing all the things off today, Jungkook decides to not ask. He really doesn't want to push you to talk. And you’d come to him if there was something really bothering you.

At least that’s what Jungkook tried to do, but when you continue to be off in your own world, unknowingly ignoring his attempts at making conversation, he decides fuck that. And even though Jungkook would deny, again, if anyone would ever ask him, he does care deeply for you. Anything bothering you, bothers him.

“Alright, what’s up?” he asks, trying to seem casual despite rethinking the words a thousand times in his head.

“Huh?” you blink, coming back down to earth. “What do you mean?”

Jungkook sends you a disbelieving look, “You know what I mean. I asked you three times if you wanted a piece of my cheese danish, and you haven’t said a word since we left your apartment. So, what’s up?”

You duck your head, suddenly feeling bashful for ignoring Jungkook, but you haven’t been able to stop thinking about... him since the weird conversation you had on Friday. And to make matters worse, the fucker has been ignoring you. The only times he has bothered to text, was only to cancel your Saturday night appointment, despite the money already being transferred to your account. And when you tried to send it back, he declined the request without a word. Everything that he does leaves you more confused than before, and now you’re left to deal with these gross feelings building inside you. 

Because even if you’re trying to ignore it, and him, as much as possible, your stupid brain can’t help thinking about all the sessions you’ve had with him, and all the mundane conversations that crossed the strictly business and purely sexual line. It was all too much, and you wished you could make sense of at least some of it, but now he won’t even talk to you. You can’t help thinking that maybe you had imagined it all. That maybe you had somehow convinced yourself that he felt the same way you did.

Or maybe he felt that it was becoming too much, too intimate, too serious, and wanted nothing to do with it. But even then, why couldn’t he have just told you that? Why did he have to fucking ghost you, for crying out loud? Why did-!

“Hello? Earth to _____!”

You blink, eyes focusing on the hand waving in front of your face. “Fuck, did I do it again?”

Jungkook chuckles, and you try to ignore the way your heart skips a beat. What the hell is up with you today? “Seriously, is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just…” you hesitate, because what would you even call this? The whole situation is weird if you were to explain it to, well, literally anyone else. Not to mention the fact that Jungkook thinks you work as a coder from home. “Boy problems.” 

Jungkook clears his throat, averting his eyes and choosing to focus on the grey concrete beneath him. “O-oh,” and as much as he doesn’t want to know about the other guy who’s got you so in your head, he still asks, “do you want to talk about it?”

You’re quiet for a moment, and Jungkook thinks that you might not say anything, that you might brush him off. He almost sighs in relief but then-

“Well, there’s this guy, and well- uhm,” you stare at the iced coffee in your hands, contemplating how to word your thoughts without actually spilling your secret. “We’ve never actually met, or anything, but we’ve been talking through this,” you pause again, glancing at Jungkook, whose jaw is clenched, “dating site. And well, we’ve been talking for about four months...” 

Jungkook almost trips over his own feet whipping his head to look at you. You’re still talking, but now his brain is hazy and he can't think straight. No...  you couldn’t... you’re not... you can’t be... you can’t be talking about... him, right? There’s... there’s no way. It has to be someone else. It has to be a coincidence that almost everything you’re saying sounds exactly like your relationship with... nj_94. Right? Right, of course, you’re definitely talking about someone else and it’s all in his-!

“...and when i asked, if uh, i’d ever get to see him, he kinda ghosted me, so, yeah.” you laugh nervously, noting the way Jungkook hasn't said a thing.

But, Jungkook is more sure than ever that you’re talking about him, well, not him, but nj_94, which technically- ok, you know what? It doesn’t matter because he feels nauseous and he’s sure he’s about to empty the contents of his stomach right here on campus in front of everyone. And now you’re looking at him with worry in those beautiful gleaming eyes of yours and oh, god, he needs to do something, anything to make this go away. Jungkook opens the lid of his coffee, taking a huge gulp without thinking anything of it because- OH FUCK!

IT’S FUCKING SCALDING. OH, GOD HIS TONGUE IS FUCKING BURNING AND HE’S SPUTTERING AND SPITTING THE COFFEE BACK OUT AND FUCK, IS HE SWEATING? IT’S SIXTY FUCKING DEGREES OUTSIDE AND HE’S SWEATING? NOW YOU’RE LOOKING AT HIM WITH CONCERN IN THOSE BEAUTIFUL GLEAMING EYES- wait, isn’t that the exact reason he’s stuck in this situation? God, what were you doing to him?

Jungkook barely registers the fact that you’ve both stopped walking, and are standing underneath one of the big trees on your campus. There’s a hand on his shoulder, and he realizes through his mess of a mind that it's yours. 

“Jesus, Kook, are you okay?”

“Mhm,” he says, like a liar because no, he’s not okay, far from it actually. Because you’re fucking talking about him, and you don’t even fucking know it. God, the last thing he wanted was to make you feel like this. Truthfully, Jungkook doesn't exactly know why he’s been ignoring you. It was in a panic that he had cancelled your next session, afraid to talk to you after the sucker move he had pulled Friday night. 

And he knows, he fucking knows that avoiding it is just making it worse. And that it won't go away, no matter how much he tries to ignore it. Jungkook is at a loss for what to do, and it's not like he could go to his friends to ask for help. This whole situation was too fucking absurd to even bother explaining. But if there was one good thing coming from this, it was learning that you did actually care about him, or...erm...nj_94, at the very least. Sure, there were almost a million other things Jungkook had to figure out, but hey, he’ll cross that bridge when he gets there.

Jungkook unconsciously pouts, willing the tingling on his tongue to go away. He’s too busy glaring at the offending coffee in his hands to notice the way your worried stare turns into one of suspicion, if only for a moment.

“Awww, do you want me to make it better?”

His head whips up at that, eyes widening at your words. Innocent and insignificant, yet Jungkook can’t help but think of the videos where you use the same tone. He’s sure that he’s completely forgotten the scalding burn on his tongue now. And it’s then that he sees it. The amused glint in your eyes, and the way your lips are pursed, seemingly holding back a laugh.

You’re making fun of him.

Jungkook scoffs, pushing your hand off his shoulder. You offer him the ice in your now empty cup, but he only rolls his eyes. You both toss your drinks in the can next to you, continuing the walk to your morning class. 

And he tries to act upset, he really does, but when he sees you start to laugh, he can’t help but do the same.

 [ :: ENTER... the (cyber)boy of your dreams ::]

There’s a familiar ping! that sounds through your bedroom, making you run out of your bathroom, toothbrush hanging from your mouth as you reach for your charging phone. 

[𝟷𝟷:𝟹𝟸 ᴘ.ᴍ.] ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs: ᴄᴀɴ ɪ ᴊᴜsᴛ sᴀʏ ʜᴏᴡ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴠɪᴅ ʟᴀsᴛ ɴɪɢʜᴛ?

Trying to ignore the slight pang of disappointment in your chest, you roll your eyes at his compliment. Typing out a response, you hit send before chucking your phone across your bed, huffing as you plop onto your mattress.

[𝟷𝟷:𝟹𝟹 ᴘ.ᴍ] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴅᴏ ᴜ sᴇɴᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴛᴏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ɢɪʀʟ ɪɴ ᴜʀ ɪɴʙᴏx?  

[𝟷𝟷:𝟹𝟹 ᴘ.ᴍ.] ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs: ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴀʙʏ ;)

Jimin was a bit of an icon in the cybersex world, adored by fans and other cyberboys alike. His videos centered on a more… demanding persona, which is what got him his mass audience. It obviously worked in his favor, if a peek at his account was anything to go by.

ParkJimin 

@mincams

1,500,000 monthly viewers / 10,183,209 hearts

Most Popular: be a good girl, would you? / 7,937,937 views

And while a lot of cyberboys faked their personalities on screen, everything Jimin did had a sense of genuinity, and there was no doubt he was just as dominating in real life as he was on camera. You’d know better than anyone.

Jimin had begun texting you a few months ago, right when your videos had begun charting. It definitely took you by surprise, having only been messaged by two other cybergirls asking where you had bought your lingerie. And seeing his immense following only made you question it even more. What did he want to do with you when there were so many others who were more... on his level? 

Yet, despite you sometimes disregarding his messages due to the suspicion you had in the early weeks, there would still be a text from him every Wednesday without a doubt. This obviously led to you, eventually, texting him back, if only to satiate your curiosity. And well, he was definitely... intriguing, considering the fact that you’ve been speaking ever since. Though, your ‘acquaintance’  with him has definitely crossed that line of playful flirtiness and frisky texting.

Cyber fuck buddies was probably the best way to describe your relationship with Jimin now. One lonely, frustrating late night had led to you and Jimin exchanging some very lewd thoughts with each other. And yes, although you had broken your second rule of being a cybergirl, the intense orgasm Jimin had given you was enough for you to... tweak them a bit. 

See, at the beginning of your Cybersex journey, you had set rules for yourself, if only to make your job easier. And rule number two was to never get involved with a cyberboy. And, really, you were doing a great job at ignoring them completely, then Jimin had managed to slip his way into your life. But could you really blame yourself? Jimin was fucking hot, and you had your own desires that needed to be satisfied every once in a while. When he had just offered himself up, what were you supposed to do? Say no? It’s not like you were fucking him in real life anyway. 

So, you changed that rule to never fuck a cyberboy. Harder to actually break and straight to the point. And yet... here you were, thinking of bringing none other than Park fucking Cyberboy Jimin onto your next show.

And you know, it sounds fucking stupid because what the hell? Did you not go over your own rules just now? But Jimin was the only one that could (possibly) help you in this very... unique situation. And, no, you were not gonna fuck him. Despite how much you’ve bent your rules, you were still going to try to respect them. Besides, you had other plans for him. 

Like you mentioned before, Jimin was as demanding in his videos as in real life. Yet, there he’d be, in your direct messages, damn near begging for an opportunity to film a video with you. 

Who would have thought that Park Jimin, the one who has everyone begging for him, actually wanted to be on his knees for you. 

And at first it was easy to brush it off as a meaningless joke. Hell, you’d even respond back with a quip of your own. But when he actually explained himself, you had to say, all his points were very convincing. Something about gaining a bigger platform and a more ‘enlightening’ sexual experience. But, you had never brought anyone on your channel, and honestly, you had brushed the idea of a ‘partnership’ with him to the back of your mind. That is, until now.

Now, you needed him more than ever, for your own reasons.

[𝟸:𝟸𝟸 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ɪs ᴜʀ ᴏғғᴇʀ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴜᴘ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ... ᴄᴏʟʟᴀʙᴏʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ?  

[𝟸:𝟸𝟹 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs: ɪ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀsᴋ 

[𝟸:𝟸𝟹 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs: ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ɪᴛ ɪs   

[𝟸:𝟸𝟺 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴛʜᴇɴ ɪ’ʟʟ ᴅᴏ ɪᴛ. 

[𝟸:𝟸𝟺 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴄᴏɴᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴs.  

[𝟷𝟸:𝟸4 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs: ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ sʀs? 

[𝟷𝟸:𝟸𝟻 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs: sᴜʀᴇ...ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ  

[𝟷𝟸:𝟸𝟼 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ɪᴍ ɪɴ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ 

[𝟷𝟸:𝟸𝟼 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ɴ ᴡᴇ ғɪʟᴍ ᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴛʜɪs sᴀᴛ. 

[𝟷𝟸:𝟸𝟼 ᴀ.ᴍ.] sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ𝟼𝟼𝟼: ᴅᴇᴀʟ?  

[𝟷𝟸:𝟸𝟽 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs: ʏᴏᴜ ᴅʀɪᴠᴇ ᴀ ʜᴀʀᴅ ʙᴀʀɢᴀɪɴ, sᴡᴇᴇᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛ.  

ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs ɪs ᴛʏᴘɪɴɢ... 

ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs ɪs ᴛʏᴘɪɴɢ...

[𝟷𝟸:𝟸𝟽 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs: ᴅᴇᴀʟ. 

[𝟷𝟸:𝟸𝟾 ᴀ.ᴍ.] ᴍɪɴᴄᴀᴍs: sᴇᴇ ʏᴏᴜ sᴀᴛᴜʀᴅᴀʏ ;)

The buzz of quiet conversation fills the room, accompanied by the sounds of the documentary playing on the projector that no one could be seen paying attention to. Even the professor seemed to be falling asleep grading papers near the corner of the room. There were excited whispers of a party later tonight, but you, you were ecstatic for reasons completely different.

“Pssst! Jungkook!”

Jungkook lifts his head, looking around before he feels a tap on his shoulder. He turns around and almost jumps back in shock from how close your face is to his. 

“Uh, yeah?” he whispers back.

There’s something in your smile that throws him off, demure and something else he can’t seem to figure out. Maybe Jungkook pays too much attention to anything you do. Fuck, you're driving him crazy just sitting there.

“Are you doing anything tomorrow?”

“Uh, no... why?” he stutters, and maybe it’s just the dark lighting in the room, but he swears he sees your eyes gleam. 

“No reason,” you respond, leaning your head against your hand. Your other hand comes to toy with the necklace sitting around your neck. “But I’d advise you to stay home this weekend.”

His eyes widen. What the fuck? Did Jungkook hear you correctly? Or is he starting to hear things too? What the hell are you doing to him? “W-what?”

“I don’t know if you’ve heard about the... show,” you make sure to look right into his eyes, “playing tomorrow night. I heard it was going to be really special.”

Jungkook blinks multiple times, sure the confusion and shock is written on his face as he stares at you. Fuck, he doesn’t know if he heard you correctly, and he’s too afraid to ask. He’s only able to dumbly murmur a “what?”

You only smile, no indication that those words had actually left your mouth. Except the fact that Jungkook had seen it. “There’s supposed to be a storm tomorrow. It’s not safe to go out.”

The lights flicker back on, and students begin to get up to leave the lecture hall. Jungkook is glued to his chair, staring at the desk you had just been sitting in. He’s too stunned to even bother thinking of a response, but luckily (or unluckily) you don’t seem to mind it. Instead you rise from your seat, swinging your bag over your shoulder. 

“I’ll see you later, Jungkook.”

He glances up, swallowing hard at the coy grin on your face. Jungkook can’t help but follow your movement, watching as you pause at the door. You turn your head, making sure that you meet his eyes once again before winking at him. You take your leave, disappearing down the hallway but lingering in Jungkook’s mind.

There was... no way you knew, right? He’d been so careful not to let anything slip. Maybe you were talking about a TV show? As much as Jungkook tried to tell himself that it was all in his head, that no, you didn’t know about his not-so-little secret, somewhere, in the back of his mind, a voice kept telling him that it was futile.

He’s embarrassed to admit that once he gets into the safety of his apartment, he runs to his computer, biting his nails as he waits for it to turn on. Jungkook clicks on the pink heart icon in the corner of his home screen, inputting his memorized account information.

USERNAME: nj_94

PASSWORD: boyzwithfun97

Jungkook hasn’t logged onto Cybersex since last Saturday, but searching for your name is like clockwork. Right as he clicks on your profile, he sees you’ve made a new post. Usually, Fridays were the days you went live, but apparently things were different tonight.

[9 MINUTES AGO] SWEETHEART666 said:

no live tonight, babes. vv special video coming tomorrow <3.

Yeah, he was completely and utterly fucked.

[ :: JOINING... the valley ::]

Jungkook doesn’t know how to feel.

He doesn’t even know what to expect. It’s finally Saturday, well Saturday morning and Jungkook finds himself lying in his bed, staring blankly at his ceiling. He’s already dreading the day, knowing that all that would be on his mind today would be you, and your stupid, vague words with your stupid smirk and, fuck, let’s just be real for a second; Jungkook has never been more mortified in his twenty-three years of living. Though if anyone were to ask, he’d say he’s doing fucking peachy, like the liar he is.

He hasn’t seen you since yesterday when you almost gave him a stroke from those borderline seductive words of yours. Fuck, a “show”? What else could you possibly mean? Did you know that he watched your videos? For Jungkook’s sake, he prays to whoever is up there that that’s all you know. The walls of the apartments are thin, thin enough for Jungkook to hear you moaning every time you film, and definitely flimsy enough for you to catch the sound of your name tumbling from his lips almost every goddamn time he comes. But, god, does he really wish he knew how you felt about everything. Instead of leaving him in the dark, he wished you would have at least told him you weren't angry at him for watching your videos in secret.

Oh, how things have taken a turn.

Something Jungkook is great at is pushing away his feelings. Which, in hindsight, has definitely never ever gone even remotely in his favor. Does that stop him from burying it all down? No. But it definitely has taught him ways to distract himself from anything and everything. And one of his favorite distractions is working out. In the gym located in the lower level of his apartment complex, he’s able to filter out the world, his thoughts, and throw all the shit he’s pushed down onto the treadmill. He focuses on the loud drumming of his playlist, pressing down on the arrow button until he’s completely drenched in sweat, panting from the thirty-minute sprint. Then it's weight lifting, which isn't as distracting as he’d like it to be, but if he turns his music up louder, he can't hear the way his brain is screaming at him to just! make! sense! of! his! feelings!

But it only lasts a short hour and a half during the workout. Now, all Jungkook can focus on is the way he hasn't ridden this elevator with you in what seems like forever, and how much he misses talking to you, even if it's just as nj_94. He wonders if maybe he’ll catch sight of you walking back from doing your laundry like he always does when he comes back from his Saturday workouts. Much to his dismay, there’s no sight of you when the elevator reaches your shared floor. His shoulders deflate, and he walks with his head down, feeling completely pathetic.

It’s only when he’s a few feet away from your apartment entrance that he spots the unfamiliar man leaning against your door. He’s poised, aura oozing with confidence and nonchalance. Jungkook slows his walking. Who the hell was he?

The man in question turns his head slightly, and consequently makes direct eye contact with Jungkook. Jungkook feels his eyes widen at how attractive this man was. But, honestly, he would be more surprised if he saw you with someone who looked any less than a fucking god amongst mortals. The man looks Jungkook up and down, plump lips shifting into a smirk before he tilts his head. Jungkook tenses, throwing him a quick nod of the head. His smile widens before the door to your apartment opens, and he walks in, disappearing as quickly as the door shuts. 

Great, the last chance he had to see you before tonight was gone. No questions answered, but it was fine. Everything was fine. All he had to do was wait a bit more. Jungkook glances at his watch, sighing loudly before inputting the code, rather harshly, to his apartment.

Only five more hours.

Five minutes.

Jungkook has lost count of how many times he’s refreshed your profile page. He probably looks as crazy as he feels waiting for the clock to hit eleven. He doesn't know what he’s feeling. Excited? Unnerved? Terrified? Jungkook's willing to bet it might be all three.

The minutes seem to go agonizingly slow as if taunting him. The ticking of the clock above his bed threatens to send him into overdrive. He has half a mind to rip it from the nail on the wall and throw it across the room. Even the soft rain hitting his bedroom window makes him want to scream. But he knows every jumbled thought crossing his mind is just an attempt to distract him from the absolute fear he’s feeling right now.

Then finally, finally, after the umpteenth time Jungkook has refreshed the page, right when he feels he's about to implode and have his insides turn into mush, it appears. Right as the shorthand hits eleven.

● [LIVE!] ur fav boy on his knees... w/ a special surprise <3

by Sweetheart666

2,039 viewing now

Jungkook swears he feels his heart stop beating, and he almost doesn't click on the live, he almost shuts his laptop and walks to the corner of his bedroom to rethink his actions in shame.

Almost.

The sight is familiar, one of your dimly-lit bedroom and a king-sized bed freshly made with black satin sheets. It’s a view Jungkook has grown all too accustomed to, after spending countless late nights watching you come undone under the same light. But tonight, everything has him on edge. Even the sensual music playing quietly in the background makes his heart rate increase. 

It takes another minute before you appear in frame, wearing that damned smirk on your face again. But now there’s a flash of something he can’t seem to name, that flickers in your eyes. Jungkook must either be losing his mind, or the camera was playing tricks. You greet everyone in that same sweet voice of yours, as you always do in every video. You wait a few more moments for more viewers to join, toying with the heart that hangs on the chain wrapped around your neck. Everything seemed normal so far, and for a split second, Jungkook is able to breathe again. But before his thoughts could get any further, he comes into the frame.

“Everyone, this is Minnie. You might know him as Jimin, or mincams. He’s the first person I’ve ever brought on my channel, so please be nice to him...”

The same guy that had been standing outside of your apartment door. Jungkook should’ve connected the dots. It was all right in front of his fucking eyes, yet he was too in his feelings to even realize it. This was your ‘special surprise’. 

Jimin’s face is eerily familiar, and Jungkook realizes that it’s not from the fleeting hallway interaction. No, he’s definitely seen him on the trending page of Cybersex multiple times. He doesn’t know how he didn’t recognize him at first, having clicked on his videos out of curiosity before. He briefly wonders how Jimin, the ever dominating and controlling Cyberboy, was so willing to get on his knees for you. Then again, Jungkook knew better than to doubt your authority over anyone. 

“...unless, of course, he misbehaves.”

Jungkook almost chokes on his spit, mind failing to grasp the last few words that had tumbled from your mouth. Had he heard you right? Judging by the way Jimin’s eyes light up, he’s gonna take a wild guess and say that yes, this was going exactly where Jungkook thought it was. He looks down at his pants. Jungkook was definitely more excited than terrified now.

You stand from your spot on the floor, but Jimin stays kneeled right where he is, eyes following your movement behind the camera. Jungkook glances at the growing number of viewers, half probably from Jimin’s own audience. Just one look at the comments, he notes that this is definitely something his fans had been waiting for. 

“Sit on the bed. Strip down to your underwear.”

Even though he knows your words aren’t directed at him, Jungkook’s dick has a mind of its own. Sure, he’s watched the way you dominate during your solo shows, but seeing you order about another man, fuck, does it do things to Jungkook.

He watches as Jimin obeys immediately, sitting on the edge of the bed and almost ripping his shirt in his haste to please you. You walk into frame again, holding a piece of fabric in one hand. You trace your fingers over the slope of his nose, past his lips, and down the length of his neck. “Such a pretty face. Shame I have to cover it...” you pout, though your eyes are shining with mischief. Your hands bring the silk scarf around his eyes, tying it behind his head. 

Jungkook puts his hand over his growing bulge as you guide Jimin further back onto your bed. You turn him to the side, both of your bodies perfectly lining up with the camera. Fuck, is it driving Jungkook absolutely wild knowing that this was all happening just on the other side of the wall behind him. God, the things he’d do to be in Jimin’s place. Or just be there in person.

You’re on his lap now, nipping at his neck as Jimin’s soft moans filter through the speakers of his computer. Your hands, however, are kept at your side, only making Jimin’s pleas for your touch more desperate. Yet, you give into none of it. Pulling away from him, but not without another whine from the blinded man, you grin. “So whiny.” 

Jungkook pauses his clothed palming, waiting with bated breath as you go behind the camera once again. The sight of Jimin’s flushed cheeks and harsh breathing makes his dick harden impossibly more. You appear in frame, this time with an unfamiliar object in your hand. Your hand goes to Jimin’s chest, and he jumps from surprise, then immediately after whines at your soft caresses. Once his nipple stiffens, your other hand clamps the pink clip onto it, prompting a gasp from both Jimin and Jungkook.

Jungkook watches as you adjust the tightness while struggling to pull down his pants laying down. Jimin looks even more flustered than before, hands digging into the flesh of his thighs. “Does it feel okay?” he hears you whisper, and Jimin nods eagerly. You chuckle, “Use your words, baby.”

“Yes,” Jimin’s voice is strangled, and Jungkook can see the painful swell of his cock outline through the camera lens. “It’s perfect.” 

“Good.” you pat his cheek before pushing him to lie down on his back. Another piece of fabric comes to wrap around Jimin’s wrists, placing them above his head. You climb over his body, opting to lay over his thighs, just below his prominent erection. “Tell me, baby,” Jungkook’s eyes catch the matching pink remote in your hand and the smirk on your face. Your thumb presses down on the button, and the sudden sounds of buzzing mixed with Jimin whining sets Jungkook’s skin ablaze. “Is it ok if I use you for tonight?”

“F-fuck, y-yes, p-please use me, sweetheart.” 

Jungkook has his hand on his shaft, leisurely stroking as he watches you press the button once again. The humming stops, but Jimin is left gasping, back arching off the sheets. The sight spurs Jungkook further, and he brings his own hand to his erect nipples, pinching hard. You move to straddle Jimin’s thigh before lifting the other clamp to his mouth. “Open up, baby.”

Jimin quickly complies, opening his mouth wide enough for your index finger and thumb to enter. His lips wrap snugly around them, sucking until you tap his cheek. Your fingers and the clamp emerge drenched in his spit, but Jungkook only gets a glance before you’re shoving them beneath your thin mesh slip-on. The clamps come to life once again, you and Jimin releasing simultaneous moans of ecstasy. 

There’s a thin sheen of sweat building on Jungkook’s skin as he pumps himself harder, whining at the sight. God, he’s never wanted to be beneath you as much as he wants to now. He watches as you press the remote once again, giggling quietly at Jimin’s complaining. Jungkook stops his stroking, despite how much he wants to continue, realizing he’d probably make himself come unintentionally. And he could tell you were just getting started.

Your hand trails down the expanse of his chest, trailing down his toned stomach before stopping right above the place Jimin wants you the most. Your touches are playful, teasing as you use your other hand to reattach the wet clip on Jimin’s bare nipple. Jimin gasps when you press your hand down on his erection. “Nngh, sweetheart. It hurts.” he pouts, and Jungkook is almost sure if he wasn’t blindfolded, he’d be giving you puppy eyes. 

But you’re inexorable.

“Awww, do you want me to make it better, baby?” you’re still talking to Jimin, but you look straight at the camera, and at Jungkook, as you say it, lashes fluttering.

Now that makes Jungkook cease his motions. Even in his hunger-ridden mind, the words feel strangely familiar, like he’s heard them before, but in a different situation. Jungkook can’t seem to remember, but the thought disappears as quickly as it came. You’ve left Jimin alone on the bed again, standing beside as you slowly strip yourself of your underwear. Hearts blow up the screen as you smirk at the camera. “Everyone’s so needy today, huh?”

You crawl up next to Jimin, tracing your fingers lightly over his toned chest. “You could probably come from these alone.” Jimin voices his pleading objections, desperate to feel your hands elsewhere, but you leave his side once again, walking closer to the camera. “Hmm, let’s ask your fans what they think.”

There’s no need to even glance at the video chat, because your laugh says it all. “Looks like they want you like this, Minnie.” He arches his back of the bed, attempting to plead with you for more stimulation. “Nnngh, please, sweetheart.” Yet you only giggle quietly. Your hand reaches for the remote off to the side before you turn the clamps on once again. Jimin’s breathy moans are loud, loud enough to filter through your shared wall, and Jungkook gulps. 

Leaving Jimin alone on the bed once again, you emerge with a silver bowl in your hand. You crawl onto his thighs again, clicking the button and halting Jimin’s pleasure. Your fingers pick up an ice cube before tracing it down his chest. Jimin shivers at the coolness, but otherwise stays quiet, waiting for your next move. When you reach the band of his boxers, you leave the ice cube to melt on his abs before pulling them down and letting his cock hit his stomach. Jimin gasps at the cold wetness, tied hands digging into the mattress above his head. “Is that better, Minnie?” he only nods in response, and this time it’s enough for you. 

Jungkook glances at the mess on his lap, a mix of his precum and spit lathered all over his shaft and hand. He looks back at his screen, and he sees you’ve crawled over his chest, nearing his face. Your hand goes to cradle his jaw, using your thumb to trace his bottom lip. “Tell me, Minnie, is this mouth only good for whining and complaining?” Jimin shakes his head fervently, tongue coming out to lick at your thumb. “Hmm, mind if I test it for myself then?”

Jimin swallows, trying to find his voice. “Please.”

You push his head back onto the bed, placing your knees on either side of his head. Another ice cube finds its way to your hand, and you bring it to Jimin’s lips. “Open, Minnie.” he complies, sucking the ice into his mouth. His mouth is left agape, and you smile, pleased. “Good boy.” 

You slowly sink down, just enough for Jimin to start licking and sucking your heat. You gasp, holding your breath before letting out a small whimper. The hand that’s not steadying you holds the remote, pressing down on the button once again. Jimin groans into your clit. Jungkook watches the way your back arches with pleasure as his hand speeds up on his dick. He imagines being the one underneath you, eating you out like he’s wanted to for so long. Jungkook tries to be quiet, he truly does, but, fuck, just the vision of you spread out above him, makes him moan out loud.

“C’mon, Minnie, louder. Don’t you want everyone to know how good I’m making you feel?” Jungkook doesn’t realize how loud Jimin is until he hears his moans clearer through the wall than his computer speaker. Jungkook swallows down his whines as best he can, but when he sees the way your toes curl from Jimin’s unrelenting mouth, he can’t help it anymore. He’s sure the noises falling from his mouth can be heard as clearly as Jimin’s, yet he can’t find it in himself to care. Not when he’s so close to his own release.

Your whimpers only spur Jungkook further, and he’s too lost in the way you smirk straight at the camera to worry about his volume anymore. He groans, on the edge of ecstasy when your voice sounds through his clouded mind. “C’mon, baby boy, I know you can do it.” White flashes behind his eyelids, and he comes in spurts of white all over his stomach. Jungkook doesn’t notice the way all light in his room has suddenly shut off, leaving him with only the glow of his dying computer to luminate him. 

When Jungkook finally opens his eyes, there’s nothing but darkness, the harsh sound of rain splattering against his window and the howling noise of the wind mixing with his harsh breathing. Even Jimin’s whines and the humming of his laptop has stopped. The post orgasm haze clouding in his mind the only indication that whatever just happened was actually real.

CLICK!

[ENDED] ur fav boy on his knees w/ special surprise <3

by Sweetheart666

687,982 viewers / 2,298,836 hearts

#16 on trending 

“Fuck.” he mutters, finally grasping the fact that the power had gone out. But, it’s when Jungkook’s eyes adjust to the darkness, that it comes back to him. Something you said that sounded too familiar, and this time he knows it’s not his imagination. 

“Awww, do you want me to make it better, baby?”

It becomes clearer as his breath evens out.

“Awww, do you want me to make it better?”

You know.

© dewykth. all rights reserved. do not plagiarize, repost, translate or modify.

[mistymark]

the one where you’re someone else. [jaemin] [part I]

na jaemin x reader // 2.9k words // high school!au // body switch!au

summary; in which you wake up in someone else’s body. more than once.

warnings: swearing, confusion, mention of male genitalia

requested; nope

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. Groaning, you roll onto your side, searching blindly for the snooze button on your alarm, your head remaining on the pillow. Five more minutes. Please.

...

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. This time you squint your eyes open, sitting up in bed and rubbing your head groggily. You wonder why you feel so tired, and the remnants of your dream drift slowly into your mind.

Scenes flash through your mind in the same frightening way you imagine one would see highlights of their life before they die. The hallway of a high school that is not your own, a bright-eyed boy grinning at you before he sprints away from you, a test that you had definitely not prepared for, a cute café and delicious treats, the strange feeling of not recognising yourself in the mirror...

“Y/n!” A voice calls for you from the kitchen, and you hastily slip on a pair of slippers and make your way through the house in search of breakfast. A small frown sits on your mother’s face as she finishes making her own breakfast, “Two days in a row you haven’t been awake on time. Are you sure you’re getting enough sleep? Maybe you should go to sleep early tonight.”

“I’m fine, Mum,” you roll your eyes as she presses the back of her hand against your forehead.

“This is so unusual for you,” she mumbles, almost to herself. When you push her hand away to reach for the juice, she goes back to her breakfast, momentarily forgetting about the newspaper she had just been reading sitting beside her. “Yesterday I was starting to wonder if you’d had some kind of mental breakdown.” She looks up at you then, and you furrow your eyebrows in confusion; you’d been exactly the same yesterday, only less tired.

“It’s… been an exhausting week,” you try to find an explanation. She seems satisfied with the answer. Looking at the time, you quickly stand up to rush to your room, “Shit. I need to get ready for school.”

You busy yourself with getting ready for school, only a little annoyed at yourself for not having packed your bag last night, the simple disruption to your morning routine adding a few minutes to your normal departure time. You were sure you’d packed it last night, but your belongings scattered around your room clearly disagreed. Quickly sliding your binders, books and laptop into your backpack, you rushed around your room. Luckily, you didn’t miss the bus.

“Y/n!” Your best friend, Nina, sees you shortly after you enter the front doors of your school. Her excitement to see you is shown in the way she smiles at you, though it shortly changes to a small frown as she looks you up and down. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” you answer honestly, shying away from her assessing gaze. Her eyes scan your face.

“Nina, would you quit it?” Seungmin laughs, giving her a slight push. You hadn’t even noticed him walking up to the two of you. She stumbles, her eyes moving from you to him, narrowing. “She’s fine,” he states, turning to you now.

“You were acting so weird yesterday,” she stresses to you, still looking at you tentatively as if she expected you to spontaneously combust any second.

“What?” You frown in confusion at them, wondering why they were being so dramatic. Maybe a bad test result made you cry yesterday, but that wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary for you. Opening your locker, you tear your gaze from your friends in favour of focusing on piling your books onto the shelf. From the corner of your eye, you can tell they’re still watching you wearily. “Alright, spill it. What’s up?”

“You…” Nina struggles to find the words.

“It was like you were a different person,” Seungmin finally says. “You kept forgetting who you were, where you were, what you were supposed to be doing. We thought you had amnesia or something.”

Furrowing your eyebrows, you look between them again, “You’re kidding, right?” You think back to yesterday – Tuesday – and can’t remember anything out of the ordinary.

“No, Y/n, we’re dead serious,” Nina responds, eyeing you again.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you guys but I have a class to get to. Mrs Kim has a paper for me,” you grab your history books and close your locker.

Nina looks at Seungmin confusedly, “Don’t you have history third period?” He nods. She turns to you again, “Y/n, history is third period. We have chemistry first.”

“We always have history first on a Wednesday,” you smile, rolling your eyes. “Come on, guys, you know I memorised my schedule on the first day.”

There’s silence, before Seungmin grabs his phone from his pocket, pressing the button so the screen lights up and dangles it in front of your face, “Yeah, well, it’s Thursday, so history is third.”

The bell rings before you can dispute this. Even though, of course, what could you say? It was Thursday – your own phone said so, so they couldn’t be messing with you. How could it be that a whole day had slipped from your memory?

You drift between classes in a confused daze, only loosely focusing on the words of your teachers and peers, slowly writing half-finished notes and barely registering when the teacher was giving you homework.

Your focus was primarily on Wednesday – yesterday – and why you couldn’t remember anything. There were plenty of memorable things that happened on Wednesdays – you had gym class, your usual ice cream date with Nina and Seungmin, work. Yet, you couldn’t remember any of them.

“Did I hit my head yesterday? I can’t remember anything at all,” you frown, whispering to Seungmin while Mrs Kim drones on about the cold war.

“Maybe,” he tries to suppress a giggle. “You sure were acting like you did.”

Yawning, you turn over the page of notes you were adding to, revealing a page of messily handwritten notes that definitely wasn’t done by you. The handwriting, for starters, was a messy scrawl that frequently sloped in a downwards direction and overstepped the neatly printed lines on the page. Completely done in black ink, without any highlighting or colour coding the rest of your notes had, you dismissed it as Seungmin writing in your book.

But Seungmin used blue ink almost religiously, and the handwriting didn’t match his. Why would Seungmin write ‘who am i?’ over and over in my book?

Your name was scrawled in the corners of the pages, as if you had forgotten it and needed the reminder.

“Y/n,” you were snapped out of your thoughts by Mrs Kim, who was handing out a worksheet. She smiles at you, “Ah, so you remember your name today?” Seungmin snickers beside you and you elbow him swiftly, effectively shutting him up. “Did you read my notes on your essay?”

You blush, embarrassed and guilty, “No, I’m sorry. I haven’t had the ti-“

Mrs Kim gives you a warm smile, “That’s okay. Let me know when you have.” She walks away, moving on to another student.

Seungmin leans closer to you, his eyes remaining on the teacher, “I’m surprised she didn’t mention the fact that you dodged her yesterday after class.”

“Huh?”

“She wanted to talk to you about the notes on your essay, and you completely ran out! Not as if you had any place to be; Mr Park was late to calculus again.”

“Oh. Oh, right,” you mutter, lowering your chin to the desk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Where the fuck is my essay?” You groan in frustration. Hyunjin, the poor soul whose locker is right beside yours, startles at your sudden outburst.

“Are you okay?” He shuts the door of his locker gently, leaning against it as he looks you up and down, concern on his face.

“Mrs Kim gave me an essay yesterday and I must’ve misplaced it.” Your locker isn’t exactly messy, so there are very few loose papers in there. A quick flick through the few documents stashed haphazardly in your locker proved it wasn’t in there.

“Don’t you have some intense filing system?” His eyes flicker down to the binder in your hand, dividers neatly sectioning off different parts. “Is it not in there?”

“If it were in here, I wouldn’t be searching my locker,” you mumble sadly. His eyes widen.

“Right... Seungmin has history with you, right?” Hyunjin’s attention shifts to something behind you, and he waves a hand, gesturing for someone to come over. “Hey, Seungmin!”

“Hey, dude,” Seungmin greets. “What’s up?”

“Y/n is missing a history essay,” Hyunjin helpfully explains. When Seungmin’s eyebrows furrow in thought, Hyunjin takes it as an opportunity to leave, and quickly departs down the hallway in search of his own friends.

“Didn’t you throw it away?”

“I don’t throw away my essays.”

“I’m pretty sure you did. After you walked out yesterday. I saw you put something in the bin,” his eyes flicker to yours. “I just assumed it was rubbish.”

You groan, pressing your forehead against Hyunjin’s locker, whining, “No.”

“I’m sure Mrs Kim would redo her notes if you asked her. You typed it, didn’t you? Just reprint it.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” you pout. He smiles warmly at you.

“You’ll be fine, Y/n,” Seungmin rests a hand on your shoulder, attempting to steer you away from the row of lockers and towards the cafeteria, closing your locker door with his foot. “But now, lunch.”

******************************************************************************************

The rest of the day flies by and, before you know it, you’re in Seungmin’s car as he drives you home. The town rushes past you in a flurry of houses and small grocery stores, drive thru restaurants and gas stations, and you struggle to stay awake.

“Hey, sleepy head, you’re home,” Seungmin tries to suppress his laughter, giving you a light nudge. “Get out of my car.”

Groaning, you slump away from the door, clumsily finding the door handle and almost falling out of the car, “Fine! I’ll see you tomorrow, assface.”

“Yeah,” he smiles warmly. “See you then.”

The hours of the evening are mostly taken up with homework, as you try and get as much done as possible before the weekend. As it steadily approaches midnight, you find youself getting more and more tired, eventually getting to the point where you can’t keep your eyes open anymore. And from there, darkness consumes you.

******************************************************************************************

RING! RING! RING! The alarm is loud and so annoying. You wonder why you chose to wake up to this, rather than your usual alarm, and turn to your side, fumbling around for the snooze button, your eyes still shut tight from exhaustion. Your eyes open when instead of hitting your bedside table or your alarm, your hand slams into a wall, eliciting a loud grunt from your mouth. For a second, you’re shocked at how deep your voice sounds, but your shock turns to fear when you realise you’re not in your bedroom.

You’re in a bedroom, but it’s certainly not your own. The walls are white, covered in posters and photos and a huge wall hanging that has plants growing out of small pots, leaves cascading down the wall. It’s homely, cute, but not where you expected to wake up – and due to that last fact, horrifying.

You clamber out of bed in search for your clothes, your shoes, your bag, anything that belongs to you. Unable to recall when or how you got here, you wonder if you’re hungover. But you didn’t go out last night - on a Thursday - you didn’t drink last night, and your head isn’t at all sore. Despite the lack of a headache, you still reach a hand up to your head, rubbing it. Your eyes widen at your hair – well, the lack of hair. It’s short, and you can feel the way it’s sticking up in all directions from sleep.

You rush to the mirror in the corner of the room, screaming when you realise you don’t look at all like how you normally look, and screaming louder when you realise your voice is so deep.

You’re a boy.

Ew, you think.

Wait, you look in the mirror. This is some crazy ass dream.

You take a look around the room, seeing the face in the mirror in the photographs, recognising the familiar brown hair and sparkling eyes. Reaching a hand up to touch your face, you push and pull the skin, watching it move in the mirror. You almost expected it to stay rigid, as if you were wearing a mask. This is so weird.

“Jaemin! Are you getting ready for school? Jeno’s going to be here in any minute!” A female voice calls from – presumably – downstairs, and you quickly look around the room. A uniform is hanging on the back of the door – one you don’t recognise – and you move to get changed, though something stops you.

You wait a second before responding, in case the voice was calling to someone in the house. When no one responds, you take a leap of faith, “Yeah! I’m getting dressed now!”

You look down briefly at the cold grey pyjama pants you’re – Jaemin’s – currently wearing, and take a deep breath, clenching your eyes shut as you pull the material down. I hate this. I hate this. I hate this.

You decide you have to open your eyes when you pull the school shorts on backwards (and you can feel that it’s backwards in ways you could never begin to explain as a girl) and try your hardest to think about anything else. You find the bathroom, which was thankfully located opposite the bedroom, and go about your normal routine as best you can.

The school bag slumped against the wall is empty, and you look around the desk for anything you might have to take with you, packing a few notebooks, a laptop, a pencil case (if you could call it that – it appeared to be a plastic bag with a few pens in it) and a water bottle.

“Hey, sweetie,” a beautiful woman greets you as you bound into the kitchen with a lot of energy. Why am I so hyper?

“Hey… Mum?” You cringe as the greeting comes out more like a question, hiding your face in the fridge.

Luckily, she just laughs. “I know, I know, I’m not normally in the kitchen.” She notices the way you scan the fridge, “Hey! Aren’t you and Jeno going to get food before school?”

You freeze, “Oh, um, yeah. We are. I’m just… browsing.”

“Okay, well, I’ll see you tonight, Jaem. Have a good day at school,” she kisses you on the top of the head, swiping her hand through your hair before leaving. You try your best to fix it, letting it flop down messily over your forehead.

Spotting an apple and a brown banana in a cracked dish on the counter, you slide the apple into your backpack and begin zipping it up when you hear a honk outside that almost makes you drop everything. You stop to listen, and two more honks follow. Confused, you wait. There’s the familiar sound of a car door slamming shut, and then you hear footprints on the front porch of the house. The doorbell rings.

The doorbell is monotonous, and you don’t wait for it to finish ringing before you pull the door open, instantly meeting the soft face of a boy your age, a confused look on his face. You’ve seen him somewhere, but you can’t place him. “Dude, I honked, like, three times. What’s going on?”

“Oh,” you say, dumbly. You surpise yourself by sounding even dumber with the question that follows, “Jeno?”

“Yeah?” His eyebrows draw nearer as he frowns at you. “Are you playing that ‘I don’t know who I am’ joke again?”

You force out a laugh, “No, I’m just messing with you.” You give him a light punch on the arm, trying to act like every douchebag guy you’ve seen in a high school movie. It’s tragic that you suddenly can’t recall how real boys act. “Let’s go,” you push past him, sighing in a way that makes it seem like he’s the one acting weird and not yourself.

His eyebrows raise in surprise, but then he shrugs and heads back to his car, waiting for you to finish locking the house (after much confusion over which key it is).

Once you’re in the car, you pull out the phone that had been sitting beside the bed you’d woken up in and thought thankfully that there was a finger-print unlock feature. Quickly scanning through a few messages, you learnt that Jeno was probably Jaemin’s best friend - and you were in a few group chats; ‘the Bros’, ‘chemistry lab group’, ‘mark’s birthday plans’, ‘Mum & Dad’, and a few others.

“So, I was thinking, Hyuck’s having a party at his place tonight, right?” Jeno begins talking, and once you realise you’re going to have to go to this party, too. “Hyunjin is coming, and he’s bringing a few girls from his school – you know, that guy we versed in lacrosse a few weeks ago? His parents know my parents and – whatever, it’s not important. He’s bringing a few girls and I’m hoping that girl from the game is- Hey! Are you even listening?” Jeno’s eyes flit between you and the road, and you turn to him.

“Yeah, yeah, sorry. Did you ask him?” You’re dying to know if he’s talking about the Hyunjin you know – the real you knows – but you’re too self-conscious to ask too many questions, wanting to just get through the day with as little confusion as possible.

“Nah, I don’t really know the guy. He’s friends with Hyuck, though, I think, so maybe he’ll know.”

“Can you ask Yuck today?”

Jeno laughs, “Are you bringing back his middle school nickname? He’s gonna hate you so much for that. But I will, yeah. We have PE together today.”

He pulls into the parking lot of the school, and you vaguely recognise the school, maybe from posters or newspaper adverts, but you’re glad Jeno drove you because at least now you have someone to follow. And, you were unsure whether you’d been able to get to school without him.

You trail after Jeno through the main doors, but he clearly sees someone he knows, because he takes one look back at you before he runs off to catch them, “Catch you later, yeah?”

And it’s right then that it clicks; you know exactly where you’d seen him before: in your dream. You’d been here before. You’d seen him before. You’d been Jaemin before.

Fuck.

[ranger-jedi-knight]

A New Hero ch 7

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20887313/chapters/53462290 Tag List: @vixen-uchiha

Ok, so that other fic I was talkin bout? Fell thru. Lost inspo for it. Maybe i’ll get the inspo back, we’ll see. But, here’s the next the chap!! So, Mari is NOW 15. I’ll do a few chaps of her bein 15 tho n dealin with HM’s douchiness. Also, Lila appears, but this isn’t canon Lila. I don’t remember who or where I saw this idea, but basically, Mari’s nonna took Mari with her to Italy and she met Lila. Long story short, they became best friends. Lila is an inspiring actress n deals with her mother sorta abusing her thru neglect. So that comes into play here. I hope that makes sense. So, I hope you enjoy this new chap!!

“Lila!” Mari shouted happily and ran over to her Italian friend. The Italian grinned and ran over to Mari and the two hugged inside the bakery. “What are you doing here? I thought your mother was going to England,” Mari asked and Lila shrugged in response.

“I’m not sure. The embassy decided to send her here instead. And, I’ll be going to your school, Mari!” she said excitedly.

“No way!” Mari beamed at that. She then dragged her friend up to her room.

“So, I saw the short film your class made,” Lila began as Mari started braiding Lila’s hair. Lila undid the small sides and braided them as she talked. Mari hummed when she heard that. “I was wondering, could we do a film together?”

Mari’s fingers paused briefly at the question but went back to work. “I don’t see why not. We just gotta ask Nino and Max. What would it be about?” Mari asked as she tied off the braid and Lila turned to her.

“Well, I remember the stories you said about the school not doing anything about bullying when we were younger. Is that still happening?” she asked with a tilt of her head.

“Yeah. not so much in our classroom. But, ya. Chloe’s been getting evidence for a couple of years now,” Mari replied and Lila smirked.

“Well then. We make a movie about it. But they don’t know. We get permission from the whole staff and parents and videotape everything that happens.”

“What do you mean they don’t know?” Mari asked as Lila sat down next to Mari and crossed her legs on the chaise.

“We have a few people that have scripted lines, but its mostly outlines. The rest is improved. They say what they feel is real. As for the staff. We tell them we’re making a film, but need to be recording a lot, explain that it happens during class. But we don’t tell them what it’s about. Especially not Damocles and Bustier. Only tell a few teachers we trust what’s going on,” Lila explained and Mari nodded at that.

“And it would be shown to the school board with Chloe’s evidence?” Mari asked and Lila nodded. “Ok, let’s do it.”

“Ok, so the basis is that I’m a new student at the school. But I lie about everything. Only a few people know that. And one of them knows because I lie about being friends with Ladybug, she knows cause she is Ladybug and has never met me. The others saw the confrontation and know. And so, they try outing me but with a few sugary words, the principal and teacher don’t do anything to me and get angry at the victim, as they’ve always been doing,” Lila said and Mari nodded.

“Ok, before we start casting the few main characters with lines, we should ask Nino and Max if they’re ok with filming and then get permission,” Mari added and Lila nodded agreement. “Ok, I’ll call them over and we can ask them.” Mari picked up her phone and got the two to come over quickly, with Chloe, Kim, and Adrien following behind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were able to get the two to agree quickly and asked that principal after that. Thinking the film would help their reputation, Damocles agreed quickly and made sure all the staff knew what would be happening. So then, it was just figuring out who would be the main characters. “So, Adrien, would you mind being the one my character is trying to win over?” Lila asked and Adrien smiled.

“I don’t see why not,” he replied and Lila smiled.

“Great! Mari, could you be the girl that’s actually Ladybug?” Lila asked turning to Mari who looked embarrassed while the others sans Max snickered.

“W-why me?” Mari asked and Lila just beamed at Mari.

“Because! You’re so kind and helpful just like Ladybug! Please!?” Lila asked and Mari looked at her friends who nodded agreement. Even the ones that knew were agreeing with Lila.

“It’ll be fu~un,” Chloe said in a sing-song voice. Mari groaned, rolling her head back and looked at the ceiling.

“Fine. How’d we go about it?” she asked and Lila cheered.

“It’ll be very simple! If we can, it’d be amazing to have Ladybug help do this,” Lila said and the four friends smirked at Mari.

“Oh, I think Mari can get her to agree,” Chloe replied and Lila smiled with a nod.

“Of course. Anyways, during moments when Ladybug is needed, like when I first lie and Ladybug comes to out me, Mari will be nearby talking a little and then find somewhere to hide and the real Ladybug will appear to tell me off and then go back to the alley Mari’s waiting in. So that’s how it’ll go. Whenever Ladybug is needed, Mari will hide somewhere and Ladybug will appear. Of course, though, we can’t get Ladybug to do every scene or be recorded leaving the place Mari went,” Lila explained and the group nodded.

“Who else?” Mari asked and Lila hummed.

“Chloe would make sense as another person that knows,” Lila began and Chloe nodded agreement. “Adrien, would you mind being the other? The one that my character tries impressing?” she asked and Adrien smiled as he shook his head.

“I’m fine with that. It could even help me,” Adrien replied and Lila tilted her head in thought.

“How so?” she asked.

“My dad hasn’t exactly been following child labor laws. He’s been trying to find a way to get me to do what he wants again. This....this would help him dig his own grave,” Adrien said and Lila smirked.

“Oh, that sounds great. He won’t get away with that,” Lila replied and the group smiled at that.

“I’m all for helping take down Mr. Agreste. Now, did you want to lie about some celebrities? Cause we would need to tell them what was up since not everyone will know we’re filming a movie,” Mari said and Lila nodded.

“Yeah, we don’t want them to get hurt. Or try suing me. That doesn’t sound fun,” Lila agreed. “Are there any you’d recommend?”

“Well, I personally know Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, the Wayne’s and I’ve met Prince Ali. But I don’t talk to him much, plus he’s really busy. So if I get those two to agree you can do some lies regarding them. Prince Ali, perhaps just talk about helping in a few of his family’s charities. Nothing big, but it implies that you help,” Mari said and Lila nodded.

“That sounds great! How do you know them?” Lila asked and Mari blushed while her friends smiled happily at her. Only Max was also curious.

“She’s designed and helped Jagged, Clara, and Ali. Ali will occasionally call to see if she could design a logo, but that’s not often. The first two regularly commission items. The Wayne’s are a family friend. Or maybe mo~re,” Chloe explained and Mari’s blush deepened a bit.

“That’s sooo cool!” Lila gushed grabbing Mari’s hands and shaking them. “And what do you mean by that, Chloe?” she asked, a slightly teasing tone in her voice.

“It looks like Mari-bug here has a small crush on Bruce’s youngest son, Damian,” Chloe replied.

“And it seems it might be returned!” Kim added happily. Mari’s blush deepened once more.

“Guys!” Mari whined out and they just smirked at her.

“You go ask them if it’s ok while Max sends out the email to the class saying what’s going on,” Chloe said and Mari nodded agreement. Max pulled out a laptop and got to work while Mari stood up and walked away to talk.

“They’re ok with it! Just don’t do too much, ok? Just tell mostly white little lies. We don’t want to risk their reputation,” Mari explained and Lila nodded understanding.

“Sounds good. What lies would Jagged be ok with?” Lila asked as Mari went to her computer and opened up her mail.

“He’s ok with most anything. But the one thing that you would have to get permission for is saying he wrote a song for you. That’s something that can hurt him. Especially if the supposed song isn’t known about by your mother. So for that one, if you so wish, do that one in private, to be really safe, only use that one for one of us. Ok?” Mari replied and Lila nodded.

“Ok, that’s fair,” Lila replied and looked over Mari’s shoulders. “What’s that?” Mari glanced over at Lila before looking at the email once more.

“Their lawyers sent this. It’s an agreement of sorts. It allows us to mention and lie about them as long as we agree to keep the lies fairly simple. Should a lie get out to the public, either party that is asked about it is to immediately say it is a lie made up for a film we students are making. The people who’ve agreed to let us do this have already signed to it. We just have to sign it ourselves and send it back to them. We also need to keep a detailed record of any and every lie said to make sure once the film is done, we can dispute any lies spread from overhearing the filming,” Mari explained as the papers printed. The group nodded understanding at that.

“Who all needs to sign it? I highly doubt we all need to sign it,” Chloe asked and Mari nodded.

“The lawyers ask that the directors, filmers, and the person saying the lies sign it. For extra, I will sign it too. Adrien, would you mind signing it too?” she turned to the blonde in question and he nodded agreement.

“Marinette, a lawyer needs to be present when this is signed to make it legally binding, otherwise any one of us could not heed to it,” Max said and Mari nodded slowly at that.

“True. But I trust everyone here to heed it,” Mari replied and Max nodded at that. “Did you put in the email to not actively talk about the lies in public where anyone can hear?”

“Yes, I figured that would be good. Do you wish to read over the email before I send it out?” Max asked as he turned the laptop toward Mari.

“Sure, here, sign these while I look it over,” Mari said handing the papers to the four. As they each signed the papers, Mari went through the email and made sure it said everything important to know. “Ok, this looks good Max. Go ahead and send it.” Mari handed Max his laptop and took the papers back and quickly signed them before scanning them once more.

“There. We’re all ready for Monday,” Max said and Mari smiled as she finished sending the copies back.

“Good. I’m going to give these to my parents for safekeeping,” Mari replied and they nodded and started talking while she left her room.

“This’ll be interesting,” Tikki whispered as they made their way to her parents in the bakery.

“It will be. But it’ll be good. The school needs a wake-up call,” Mari said and Tikki nodded her agreement. They soon reached the bakery and Mari smiled at her parents. “Maman, Papa,” she greeted and the two smiled at her.

“What is it, sweetie?” Sabine asked leaning against the counter as a break appeared in the bakery.

“My friends are filming a movie that has some celebrities being mentioned. We signed a disclosure for safety and I thought you’d know the safest place for our copy,” Mari replied and her parents smiled.

“Of course, dear. I’ll call our lawyer over and he can hold onto it,” Tom said taking the papers from Mari and setting them on the clean counter next to the phone.

“Thank you, papa,” Mari said pressing a kiss to her parent’s cheeks before running back upstairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Father, Mari is planning on bringing her partner here when she next visits,” Damian called walking into the Batcave where Bruce was sitting at the computer there working.

“Thank you for the heads-up, Damian. Has Mari gotten any intel that could help pinpoint Hawkmoth’s location?” Bruce asked turning to his son who simply shook his head.

“Not yet. They haven’t encountered anything that could possibly help. But if she or one of her friends does, they’ll email it over as soon as possible,” Damian replied and Bruce nodded at that.

“Alright. Was that all, Damian?” Bruce asked and Damian nodded.

“It was, father. I’ll be going now.” With that, Damian left the cave to find Jon to talk.

Mari-aculous @MDC_Designs

Had a great time with my friends! Made some new designs and made plans to make a film. This is gonna be great! Got ice cream to celebrate! #awesome #thisllbegreat #icecream *selfie of Mari holding ice cream with Chloe and Adrien hugging her with Lila, Nino, Kim, and Max holding their own with big smiles looking silly behind them*

Ok, so here’s the next chap! That was pretty quick. Don’t get used to this, who knows how often this’ll happen. This was fun. So I hope you like my take on Lila in this. Don’t get me wrong, I hate canon Lila with a passion. But this isn’t canon Lila. Tho there WILL be class salt here. You’ll see, hehehehehehe. Anyways, I hope you liked it and until next time!! -Love Willa<3<3<3

[henry-hart]

The Secret Gets Out s1 ep3

Some quality Charlotte in this ep. Yay!!!!

ooh I know what happens in this one :))))

yay for that bb chenry content

Jasper just taking over the tv screen when c x h won’t watch his clip ajsklsj same

“CM’s big fail” man they do not go gentle with these video titles. really going for the throat

“Hey, look! My bellybutton!” Hen, sweetie. You need to work on your distractions 

Ray looks hella good. just saying. ;)

poor CM. his face when the news lady says, “once again escaping capture from CM.” HE’S TRYING, LADY.

“CM, isn’t it true that the phone shark has been attacking ppl’s phones for over a year now?” “Uh, yes that is true.” askjlk y does he sound like he’s on trial???

“So why don’t you catch him?” “Well, KD and I have been trying.” “But you keep failing. Doesn’t that bug you?” “Yes.” we always talk about Hen’s sass, but Ray has his snarky moments

AJSLKSLKJ JASPER BAD-MOUTHING KD AND HEN JUST STOPS DRINKING HIS DRINK AND IS LIKE, “One more time???” like, the pg version of “tf did you just say???”

“Just saying, I’d be way better at catching bad guys than KD.” “You couldn’t catch butt warts!!!!” Hen u couldn’t be anymore obvious if you tried aksljsjksjl 

“Why are you getting all mad?” “Because Jasper’s being unfair, and I think it’s unfair to criticize m--that...that KD guy when he’s probably doing the best he can. And people should be fair. Fairness. I’m pro-fair.” THAT’S RIGHT BB. U DEFEND YOURSELF. YOU ARE DOING YOUR BEST AND I AM PROUD OF U 

his lil pouty face after he gives his little speech is TOO CUTE

can I just say, once again, s1 Hen is the cutest thing ever 

@jace how were u this cute at 13??? I didn’t even look human when i was that age aksjlksj

[MY DRAMATIC DAUGHTER, ENTER STAGE RIGHT]

Pipes blackmailing Jasp with that cup song video alksjslksj (no wonder her parents assumed it was her who was arrested in that xmas ep lolol)

“I NEVER DID THAT!!!! Why would I do that? I NEVER DID THAT!!!!”

Pipes just shoved Hen out the way to sit on the couch aksljslk

Henry didn’t put up much of a fight against Piper in these earlier eps (I mean, when does he ever anyway lol).

jasp....i love u...but...that video is really cringey....

Hen telling Pipes not to put the video on line :)))) my sweet son :)))))

Piper mocking Jasper in the video alkjlsk 

“Why does your watch beep like that?” “It means they need me at work....bye!” “Wait! It’s Sunday. Junk ‘n Stuff is closed on Sunday.” “Right....I better go tell the customers.” Henry you are a terrible liar

which is expected bc he’s sweet and a mess. not a combo that makes for a skilled liar alkjslkj

“There is something up with that boy.” YAS CHARLOTTE YAS my smart/observant daughter (tho hen does make it easy with his crap excuses lolol)

“I’m so tired.” “Oh, quit whining. It was only 4 miles.” “Yeah, 4 miles there and 4 miles back!” ajkjslk poor J

“Uuuggghhh I’m gonna die.” “NOT in the house! If you’re gonna die, do it outside!” Piper does not care. at all. 

so, what??? Char’s just been chillin in Hen’s room in the dark waiting for him to sneak back in??? lolol

poor hen had a mini heart attack ajklksj

Char clearly knows. she’s just asking all those questions to hear Hen’s bs lolol

“I like your shirt.” nice try hen. it’s not working, but nice try.

Char really covered all the bases. she called the store to see if Hen was really there. girl doesn’t mess around when she’s figuring something out. r.e.s.p.e.c.t.

“You wanna know the truth? I’m a jazz musician. I don’t tell a lot of people, but secretly, I play jazz. A-a-and the only time the jazz clubs are open is late at night.” Hen...who taught you how to lie????

God, P x H are such antipodes. You have one sibling who blackmails others with embarrassing secrets to get what they want and then you have the other sibling who can’t come up with a better lie than “I play jazz late at night” aksjslk

“That’s where I was---at a jazz club. Blowing jazz. On mah horn.” i love the way he says this lol

“That’s because YOU’RE Kid Danger!” and a hush falls over the room...

Hen, make as many weird noises and mock being KD all you want. It’s not working. aksjlskj

you know, even if Char wasn’t an uber smart cookie, hen makes it unbelievably easy to figure out

“And I guess you must be Beyonce.” AJKSJKSLJ AN ICONIC HENRY LINE TO PUT IN THE BOOKS, GUYS.

“Okay, this is really big, what I’m about to tell you.” “What? That you’re KD?” “Shuuut UUUuuuUUUpppp!” akljslkj

“I’m KD.” “I know. I figured that out.” CHARLOTTE YOU ARE MY QUEEN

“I swear I’m never gonna tell anyone.” “Thanks.” “Can I tell Jasper???” “Wha---NOOOOOO!!!!”

I love the way he says this in his lil 13 yr old squeaky voice aksjlsksj 

also Char wanting to include J from the get-go :’))))

Ray was so light and cheerful in this season. he’s all “Henry, I didn’t know you were working today. Did I butt-beep you???” whereas now he’s all “YoU cAn’T bE sIcK. yOu’Re ObViOuSlY lYiNg To Me!!!!” ugh

:(((( you can tell Hen is having a hard time telling Ray that Char knows

props to him tho. i would’ve put if off until it eventually just came out at the worst time possible jakjslskj

“Can I talk to you about something?” “Uhhhh....babies come from the baby store!!!” oh Ray

“What’d you tell her?” “That I am KD.” “Ohhhh.” “You’re not mad, are you?” “No, I’m not mad.” “Oh, good.” “You’re fired.” jkalsjlk RAY YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TERRIBLE HE IS AT LYING. IT WOULD’VE BEEN SO MUCH WORSE IF HE KEPT UP THE LIE

also Hen’s face is causing me pain. he’s so sad :((((

Ray’s being so serious....I’m not used to this. 

“When trust is broken, it can never be fixed.” “Yes it can!” “Read this fortune cookie.” “’When trust is broken, it can never be fixed’....” “Let’s not argue with the Chinese.” aksjslk 

also Ray is really that next level extra. he has fortune cookies to prove his point lolol a legend

Henry listening to jazz and downing a bottle of chocolate syrup alksjslk is this the pg version of drowning your woes in alcohol???

“You’re not gonna find the answer at the bottom of a bottle of chocolate.” *takes bottle away* *Hen takes out a second bottle* “I won’t know if I don’t look.” 

my poor bb. he really thinks he’s a lousy KD

I WANT TO HUG HIM THRU MY LAPTOP SCREEN.

HEN YOU SAVED CM ON YOUR SECOND DAY ON THE JOB. YOU ARE A GREAT KD. 

klajdkl Henry singing a sad version of the cup song

they played a cheering sound effect while he sang omg

(I remember watching a vid where Jace said he doesn’t sing and it’s “probably for the best.” aksjslkjs)

classic pouty/depressed hen laying on his couch. :((((

it’s kind of playing tricks on my mind bc i remember when he did that after he couldn’t defeat Drex, but he looked SOOOO much older in that ep lolol

Jasp having to do Piper’s chores lol

“Henry, come to the Swellview Park right now.” “Nooooo. I’m not in the mood for trees.” jaklsj it be like that sometimes

Piper: “AHHHHH!!!! HEN-RYYYY!!!” Henry: *sighs like ‘here we go again’* akjslk

I LOVE THESE PIPER X HENRY INTERACTIONS (even if it’s her yelling at him lolol)

“Is that makeup on your face???” jokes on you, Hen. you’re all wearing makeup.

i love the faces Hen makes while Piper yells. they’re great

gotta hand it to Ella. she was really committed to this part

“To a club with mah gurlsss.” PIPER NO

“Club 11″ god can u imagine a whole place dedicated to 10-11 yr olds??? i have siblings that age and it’s the worst. possible. age. ever. 

I don’t even understand them most the time. you think i would be able to considering how in tune I am with my kid side, but the stuff they do/say/like is lost on me

sorry for that sidebar

okay, Piper has a fake ID??? a fake license, a fake ID. HOW R U AND HEN EVEN RELATED???

Hen’s out here fighting crime while his lil sis is committing them akljsslkj

I love Hen’s overall indifference??? Like, he’s just like “you better hope mom doesn’t find out” he’s not threatening to tell on her. he just like “not my problem”

even when she’s yelling at him he’s like “whatever. i gotta go.” ajlskjlk I love him

j now has blackmail of his own. oh, how the tables have turned. 

“THIS IS NOT OKAY!!!!!” NEITHER IS YOU TRYING TO GET INTO CLUBS UNDERAGE, PIPER!!!!!

Char is so awesome. instead of just feeling bad about getting hen fired, she’s out her actively trying to help him out, and she’s not doing it for him. she’s just guiding him. she leaves all the redeeming to him. what a stand up character. wow. i lover her. 

wedding crashers chenry style aljksjsl

duh it looks like the phone shark, hen. HE HAS METAL TEETH.

“Now go do CM a favor and catch the phone shark.....Kid Danger.” I squealed. we love supportive bffs here

Hen’s got that pep back in his step 

“What up with the gum?” aksjlsklsj 

OKAY ABOUT THIS GUM THING

I thought Schwoz made the gum???? If he did, then how does Hen have a tube with his own gum for his costume??? Ray and Schwoz are estranged at this point in the show. Schwoz doesn’t even know Ray has a sidekick let alone who Hen is, so how??? does he??? have it????

are they trying to tell me Ray made it???

i love him, but no. 

maybe Gooch??? 

I don’t know

“In sickness and in health, in fitness and obesity, as long as you both can stand it.” these wedding vows are more accurate than the traditional ones, honestly

Henry. looks. so. cute. in. his. lil. costume. like. a. baby. duck. trying. to. be. a. superhero. :)))))

okay, so phone shark guy bites phones, but why??? like, does he eat them, or does he just enjoy biting them??

homeboy is looking at hen’s phone like it’s a whole snack....so he does eat them???

i need to know. 

“Mmmmmm gotta love that new phone smeeEEeeellll.” akjslkj jace was so goofy in the earlier seasons

Charlotte......y do u have binoculars??? this is all happening ten feet in front of you.....???

HEN JUST JUMPED ON THE BACK OF A MAN WITH METAL TEETH. I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ANYONE DISSING HIM AS A SIDEKICK OR ANYTHING ELSE. 

omg the phone shark spun hen and his feet clocked the bride in the face ajklsjlksj

yo wedding gifts are expensive af and Hen just made the phone shark wreck all of them lolol oops

EVERYONE IS CHEERING FOR KD. YAS. YAS. YAS. GIVE HIM THE RECOGNITION HE DESERVES. 

omg Hen’s lil celebration dance is so cute :))))

he. gave. CM. all. the. credit. can. u. believe. my. son. is. such. a. good. person.

“It was really my boss, CM.” “Interesting. Can you tell us more?” “.....No....” lololol

Ray’s all “you gave me all the credit” in this awed voice DAWWWWWW

y is he suited up as CM tho???

“Well everyone’s been giving you a hard time about catching the phone shark. I figured I’d help you out.” YA’LL I AM SOBBING. THIS IS THE SWEETEST BOY.OL

“Uhhhhh excuse me? I’m the one who found the phone shark.” 

TELL. THEM. CHARLOTTE. Like, who are you to go giving credit??? I’m the one who found him???

Ray doing one of those full body groans that he always does. dramatique

“Charlotte, Charlotte, Charlotte. What am I going to do with you?” “I think it’s pretty obvious: give me a job here! You guys need me.” GIRL YOU DON’T KNOW THE HALF OF IT.

srsly how many times does Char save their a**es??? too many times to count. hiring her is one of the best things you’ll ever do, Ray.

HENRY IS SUCH A LIL BEAN COMPARED TO`RAY. LIKE, THEY’RE STANDING NEXT TO EACH OTHER, BOTH WEARING THEIR SUPER SUITS, AND JUST---HENRY. IS. SO. TINY. O. M. G.

Char explaining how she found the phone shark and making it clear how obvious her thought process was while Ray x Hen are just like “.....”

“I called some dentists...” “We should’ve called some dentist!” “We totally should’ve!” “Then I went online...” “We should’ve gone online!” “What is wrong with us???”

they feel so dumb for not thinking of cheCKING DENTAL RECORDS FOR SOMEONE WITH METAL TEETH. HONESTLY YOU TWO. HOW HAVE YOU GOTTEN THIS FAR????

if it wasn’t obvious before that you need Char, is pretty obvious now. 

“Off to my cousin’s wedding. Hope they serve phones for dessert. LOL.” “She’s good.” “She is.” COME ON GUYS. I AGREE, CHAR IS GOOD, BUT HOW DO YOU NOT PIECE ALL THAT OBVIOUSNESS TOGETHER????

Honestly, Ray getting a younger sidekick makes the most sense to me because can u imagine Ray trying to navigate social media??? or going through the internet like char did??? or hacking into anything??? No.

dude needed some gen z kids to help him out with the modern world aljskljs

“She could really help us out around here.” YOU AIN’T LYING.

“Us???” “Oh, right....you fired me.” “Well you broke the oath.” he sounds like such a pouty manchild akjslkjskj

wow hen ur already on a first name basis with your boss

i don’t know why i’m just pointing this out

homeboy was calling him Ray within a few hours ajlkjsklsj

Hen was so happy when Ray hired him back :))))))

DAWWWW HEN X RAY JUST SHARED THE CUTEST HUG!!!!!!!!

Char: “Cough cough cough.” lolol

“What are you going to do about Charlotte???” “UUUuuuuuUUUggggGGGhhhHHH well, she knows you’re KD. She knows who I am. She knows where the Man Cave is because you brought her down here!” I laughed so hard here. poor Hen was too excited about his job well done so he just took Char into their super secret hideout akljslk

“Sooooooo what does that mean?” “That we either have to kill you, erase your brain, or give you a job.”

REALLY RAY. REALLY. YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR SIDEKICK’S TRUSTWORTHY BFF SPILLING YOUR SECRET, BUT WHEN A VILLAIN. WHO. WANTS. TO. DESTROY. YOU!!!!! ESCAPES WITH BOTH YOUR IDENTITIES, YOU JUST LET HER GO???? YOU NEVER TRY TO FIND HER AGAIN???? TF?????

“I vote job.” “We can really erase her brain???” “Dude!” cuties

“Alright, she can have a job here--” *C x H celebrate* “--IF--” *C x H jump* “--she can pass the pickle test.” *C x H share similar ‘tf???’ expressions* 

BORK!!! MY MAN!!!! (i just realized Gooch wasn’t in this one)

I wish they’d give Bork more of a role. :( they just have him kind of....grunt....and that’s all.

I do like in the green finger ep where he just dumps Ray out of the shopping cart though bc same jkajlskjl (Ray was being such a baby in that ep and I would’ve done the same)

“You have to prove you’re clever enough to work for CM.” “I found the phone shark.” “Well anyone could do that.” “Not you two.” “Well, you know what--” “Okay, let’s not go there.” aksjdlkj

not gonna lie, when Ray was like, “get the pickle out” the first thing I thought of--before Char did it--was to just break the jar alkjslksj great minds think alike, Char ;)))

“How much time does she have?” “Exactly five min--” *shatters the jar* “Here’s your pickle.”

“That was Bork’s favorite jar.” pfffff

“So, wait, is Charlotte hired???” “Yeah....yeah she’s hired.”

they’re little celebratory high-five was too. cute. 

i love my smol happy bbs

Henry being all excited to show her the tubes :)))))

“Hug me.” *side-eyes him* “Just trust meee.” CLASSIC CHENRY MOMENT AJLKSJLSKJ

BORK COMING BACK TO GET HIS JAR AND SEEING IT BROKEN AJKLSJSLK THAT DRAMATIC LOOK OFF INTO THE DISTANCE WHILE A SINGLE TEAR FALLS DOWN HIS CHEEK. GET THIS MAN AN OSCAR ALKJLSKJ

Piper scrubbing J’s feet lolol that’s karma, P.

another wholesome episode that left me all smiley and happy :)))))

i love early Henry. he was such a little cutie who was excited about everything

there was some GREAT Char content this ep---she was one of the biggest parts

<3333

[earpdearp]

not just a long day

Wherein Waverly and Nicole deal with a delinquent Doc, a grumpy Calamity Jane and a very hectic evening. A few moments of peace in an otherwise crazy day. At least Nicole is in a good mood. 

Takes place at the end of 1x10 to showcase what the heck Waverly and Nicole might have been doing while Wynonna/Dolls/Willa took care of business.

Also on AO3. Approximately 8,007 words.

Other WayHaught “not just friends” fics in this series: not just any first date | not just a secret | not just heavenly

A tired ache rippled down Waverly’s spine, the result of too early a morning and too little sleep fretting over her absent sister. She stifled another yawn.

Drumming her fingers on her laptop, Waverly worried at her lower lip with her teeth. A handwritten note sat next to her bearing a list of 10 names underscored by a big bold “HELP“ at the bottom (a “gift” from the recently returned Wynonna).

Wynonna paced the small office, her haggard blue eyes making her look like a caged animal. She sighed in anger as she put her (brand-new) cellphone to her ear again. “Voicemail,” Wynonna scowled. “Which Dolls never listens to because he says it’s antiquated.”

That’s… a rather specific thing to know about Dolls, Waverly thought with a nose-wrinkle as she cross-checked the next name on the list. The sinking feeling in her chest was growing with each hit to the police database.

“Yo! Dummy! Stop being a dingus and call me back!” Wynonna barked into her phone. “…and please be okay, also…” She trailed off with an eyeroll and an awkward hand-wave before throwing the phone down.

Jeez she’s bad at this.

“Are you all right there?” Waverly asked softly. She dragged a finger down her cheek to mimic the pair of angry black lines around Wynonna’s right eye. “What is that?”

“It’s like Sharpie, it won’t come off.” Wynonna whined as she wiped at her eye again then checked her fingers (still no residue). She poked Waverly in the shoulder. “Find anything?”

Nothing good.

Sighing, Waverly tapped her finger on her laptop. “Every single girl on this list? Found dead. Scattered around the Ghost River Triangle.” She pushed open one of Nicole’s files where ugly photos showed gore and meat and little else. “Autopsies say that they were ‘toyed with and then killed by animals that had gone rogue,’” Waverly quoted from the topmost report.

“Rabies?” Wynonna asked, eyes narrowing in worry.

“No, just… torture.” The wording alone was starting to make Waverly a little sick to her stomach. “Like, every single bone in their body broken, their skin licked off.”

Wynonna’s face contorted in exhausted defeat. “This is why I don’t do pets,” she said simply.

“Have you seen the last word on the list?” Waverly asked with a point to the scrap of paper bag the names had been written on.

“Yea. ‘Help.’ Eve and the rest of those girls are still out there.” There was a tired determination in Wynonna’s voice.

“Yea. With Lunatic Lou,” Waverly agreed.

Shaking her head, Wynonna looked over the girls’ photos and reports spread out on the table. Her eyes were hooded. “Delinquents and runaways. I mean, it could have just as easily been me back then that got sucked into this asshat’s scheme.” She frowned.

Waverly reached out and patted Wynonna’s thigh propped up on the table edge.

“Whiskey Jim said he has a weapon…” Genuine worry crossed Wynonna’s face.

“So do you,” Waverly said encouragingly. “A big gun.” Her eyes flicked to Wynonna’s belt.

Wynonna cringed, her eyes deliberately not meeting Waverly’s. “Which I lost. In the Pine Barrens.”

“…What?!” Waverly’s voice was a squawk of outrage.

“Along with my partner,” Wynonna continued. “…why is he not back yet??” She slapped her thigh impatiently and glanced around the office with a huff.

“Maybe they didn’t drop him in Purgatory,” Waverly suggested.

“Which means he’s alone. In the woods. Which he hates.” Licking her lips in a scowl, Wynonna jumped off the table and scooped up her phone before hauling ass out the BBD office door. A loud, deadpan “Shit!” echoed down the hallway.

Waverly started to follow, but made eye contact with Nicole at the police desk. Plus, part of her was—frankly—pissed at Wynonna. Especially after being sick with worry for the past day (a worry that turned out to be well-founded, since there was a frickin’ cult in the woods kidnapping girls).

And to make matters worse, Wynonna had lost Peacemaker: the one thing that could break the curse. And the Pine Barrens were a big place. A needle in a haystack made of needles.

Waverly felt a tremor of despair join the tired ache in her shoulders. She let Wynonna tear off down the hall and instead leaned over the desk in front of Nicole to brace herself.

That exhaustion lightened a little when Nicole smiled at her, brown eyes sparkling with eagerness.

“Okay,” Nicole murmured as she set down the clipboard she’d been working on. “So where were we? Because I seem to think it was something about, like, candles… you trying to get me into a sexy… black… dress…” Nicole trailed off when she noticed Waverly’s withdrawn expression. Her eager grin sobered to concern. “…Something’s wrong.”

Oh shit. Shit! We were supposed to go out!

But Peacemaker! And Dolls! And those girls!

Shit!!

Groaning inwardly, Waverly’s eyes searched the desk as she pensively clasped her hands in front of her. “A lot of things might be wrong. Dolls and Wynonna and her gun…”

Nicole, still on the chipper side, furrowed her brow in confusion. “Okay, what is the deal with that gun, anyway?”

The dispatch radio at the end of the desk crackled to life. The female Ghost River Triangle operator sounded bored. [“We have reports of a pink, four-door sedan driving erratically on Highway 81. Please respond.”]

Waverly’s head shot up to glance at Nicole. She felt a brief twinge of anxiety. “…did she say pink?”

Oh God, he had to do this now?

…this is all my fault.

A tight frown accompanied Nicole’s confused look before she arched her eyebrows in question.

Face scrunching with apology, Waverly offered a pleading, toothy grin. “Please? Can we go check it out? It’s important.”

Nicole squinted back, but Waverly could see her resolve weakening. After a few seconds, Nicole rolled her eyes good-naturedly and sighed (with a small smile). She reached over, grabbed the radio and clicked the call button. “10-4. Officer Haught responding.” She nodded at the exit for Waverly to follow as she gathered up her jacket, gloves and Stetson from the coat rack (after telling Phillips she would be out on an 11-95).

Bundled in a brown jacket, scarf and ear muffs, Waverly met Nicole out front of the station. That tired weight still lingered in Waverly’s shoulders, but being with Nicole woke her up with a familiar, giddy feeling in her chest.

“Just so you know…” Nicole muttered quietly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “…it’s not really standard operating procedure to bring a civilian for a ride-along on a traffic stop.”

Offering a wide, crinkling smile, Waverly skipped slightly as she teased back with mock-confusion, “And here I thought this was a date. Is it not?”

“God I hope not,” Nicole smirked with a breathy laugh. “It’s definitely not what I, personally, had in mind? Unless there’s something you’re really not telling me.”

Chuckling, Waverly nudged at Nicole’s shoulder with her own. “Buy you lunch on the way over and I’ll explain?”

Pulling off her Stetson and holding it to her chest, Nicole raised an eyebrow. “This is a date. Or else you’re bribing an officer, Waverly Earp. Tsk.” She shot Waverly a dramatic frown before stepping into her cruiser.

Getting into the passenger side, Waverly brought up her phone to try and formulate an intercept strategy. “Less of a bribe, more of a—just that this is… kind of… sort of… probably… my fault?” She cringe-smiled, brows furrowing in apology.

Nicole squinted back at Waverly with skepticism but angled her cruiser down the main thoroughfare. “Somehow I doubt that. …Drive-thru Sam’s Samwiches okay?”

Waverly nodded as she studied her phone. It only took about 5 minutes to hit up the deli sandwich drive-thru and be on their way to I-80. A light snowfall sprinkled on the windshield, which sent a pang of worry through Waverly about where Wynonna (and Dolls) had run off to. She crunched on a salt-and-vinegar potato chip as she thumbed around the map app.

Where are you going, Doc Holliday? You big dummy.

Taking a sip of her steaming coffee, Nicole asked, “So what’s the deal? Who’s in the pink sedan? …Can’t be Wynonna, cuz I saw her with you five seconds before the call came in. …how’s she’s doing, by the way?”

“She’s okay… for Wynonna. She lost Dolls in the woods so she went to go look for him,” Waverly said with a worried frown.

“Oh dang. Does she need some help canvassing?”

The thought of Dolls throwing a fit over Nicole bringing the cavalry to track him down in the woods almost made Waverly laugh. It’d serve that big, lone-wolf stiff right.

“I doubt he’d appreciate the fuss, but… you never know. Maybe be on standby? Is that a thing you guys do?” Waverly wrinkled her nose.

Nicole repeated the question back, “Is that a thing the Purgatory Sheriff’s Department does? Not usually.” Drumming her gloved fingers on her steering wheel, Nicole turned on to the I-80 on-ramp. “…is that something I’d do because you asked? Of course.” She winked at Waverly.

That giddy feeling lurched slightly. Waverly smiled back. “Thank you. And thank you for those files from yesterday, by the way. I think we mighta cracked that case. More or less.”

Mouth tightening into an impressed line, Nicole started to say something before the police scanner crackled to life.

That same bored, female dispatcher. [“Another sighting on the pink sedan, this time northeast just past FM 4592. Staties clocked the vehicle going 140 in a posted 50. Officer Haught respond.”]

Yes! And we’re heading in that direction! Waverly tugged at Nicole’s sleeve, who nodded back. The cruiser sped up slight with a thrum of the throttle. Dusty snow billowed around them on the near-empty highway.

Pulling up her radio, Nicole brought it to her mouth with a click. “10-4, Haught responding and in pursuit. Did they get a license number on the vehicle?”

[“Vanity plate. Sierra-Tango-Oscar-November-Echo-Charlie-Oscar-Lima-Delta.”]

“Copy that. Haught out.” Nicole’s brow furrowed as she put the radio back. She glanced over at Waverly. “’STONE COLD?’ Seriously? Who is this?”

Waverly just grimaced. “So, um… yea. It’s—it’s Doc.”

“Doc? Doc-Doc. That guy living on the Homestead that looks like he fell out of a Western? The one Wynonna is… you know…”

“Banging?” Not anymore.

“That’s the one,” Waverly agreed with a sigh.

Nicole’s fingers splayed on her steering in an attempt at an exasperated hand motion. “…I have so many questions, I don’t even know where to begin.” She chewed her cheek a moment, her neck stiffening. “…are you gonna ask me to go easy on him? Or sweep this under the rug?”

“What?” Waverly tilted her head, semi-offended. “Oh! No! God no, Nicole! Doc definitely deserves whatever it is you’re gonna do to him. And then some. No, I just want to be able to yell at him when you do.”

A breathless exhale of a laugh as Nicole grinned back. She narrowed her eyes for a second. “Wait, I thought you said this was ‘sort of’ your fault? But you’re going to yell at him?” Her head bounced back and forth as she digested that thought.

Waverly played with another potato chip in her fingers before slowly replying. “I’m the one who suggested he… learn how to drive yesterday. And I definitely didn’t teach him, and Wynonna wasn’t around. Sooo…” Popping the chip in her mouth, she crunched with a sheepish smile.

“Ohhhhhh.” Nicole drew out the word with pursed lips. “Wait, he doesn’t know how to drive? Then why—how does he have a—?”

“Oh! There it is!” Waverly shouted as she saw a pink speck in the distance. She patted at Nicole’s elbow in excitement.

“I see it,” Nicole said as she put the call in over the radio. A flick of her thumb on the dashboard turned on the lights and siren.

Admittedly, this was actually kind of exciting for Waverly. It drowned out the gnawing anger she was feeling towards that stupid cowboy for a minute or two.

That pink speck grew to a distinct Cadillac backend with the red glare of taillights. Nicole did have to come up alongside the sedan, which was thankfully no longer going 140 but still weaving erratically on the snowy surface. She had Waverly lean back so she could point an emphatic finger to the side of the road, which Doc did manage to oblige.

The Cadillac slowed down and pulled off to the side (Doc probably didn’t know how to use his hazard lights). The cruiser came to a stop just behind the sedan, the noisy siren turned off while the red and blue flashers remained. Powdery snow swirled around them in heavy gusts.

Sliding a ticket pad out of her center console, Nicole glanced over at Waverly (who was glaring at the other car, her anger rekindled).

“Stay here?” Nicole asked as she snapped the pad into her metal clipboard. “I need to do my job.”

Waverly just nodded, still staring ahead.

There was a click of a door latch as Nicole stepped out of her car. She set her white Stetson on her head before adjusting her gloves and coat. Waverly admired the view for a moment. There was a calm confidence to Nicole’s walk, and she could practically hear the woman’s soothing voice when saw Nicole’s head tilt as she approached the driver’s side window.

Watching the two exchange words made impatience build in Waverly’s chest. She chewed over her family’s dealing with that Goddamn Doc Holliday since he’d showed up. Most of the time, he’d been trouble.

But he’d been our kind of trouble… Wynonna’s kind at the very least. And he seemed sort of loyal, at least to the Earp name? What the hell, Doc?? One little spat with Wynonna and you just bail?!

Unable to take it any longer, Waverly popped out of the passenger side. She wasn’t gonna stop Nicole from giving him a ticket (oh please arrest him please please pleeeease), but she was gonna give that flighty hustler a piece of her mind.

Waverly stomped towards Doc, fire in her eyes. She saw his terrified expression in the side mirror as she approached. Her voice was an indignant, high-pitched shout. “How about a frickin’ explanation, huh?!”

Nicole shrank back slightly at Waverly’s rage, but a please smiled curled her lips. The Officer just continued writing her (very straightforward) ticket and stayed out of Waverly’s way.

Waverly heard Doc’s soft Southern drawl from inside the car. “If there is any kindness in you: you will arrest me, and quick.”

“Sorry there, Stone Cold. Not getting off so easy,” Nicole drawled back as she ripped out the ticket from her pad. A long list of fines was spelled out on the paperwork (failure to have valid ID, failure to have valid registration, speeding 90 miles above posted speed limit) for a grand total of $630 and a court date for late December.

Serves him right.

Nicole stepped away and gave Waverly a cringing smile (and a wide berth). She whispered, “I’ll give you two a minute” before crunching back in the snow to her cruiser. Through the windshield, Waverly could see Nicole taking a bite of her sandwich and a sip of her coffee. The woman tipped her hat in acknowledgement.

Setting her arm on the driver’s door, Waverly ground her teeth as she studied the man. Doc sat back in defeat as he examined the strip of carbon-copied paper. His moustache twitched in confusion before his eyes sheepishly glanced over at Waverly in his periphery.

“So where do you think you’re going?” Waverly asked sharply.

“Well, I thought I’d visit my Mama’s grave in Valdosta. ‘Bout time, I reckon.” Doc’s gaze was far-off and fond. He almost sounded sincere.

Waverly didn’t buy it for a second. “…Bullshit, you’re headed northeast.” She pointed down the highway. Valdosta was southeast.

Those blue eyes softened as Doc shrugged back at Waverly. “I have vanquished my enemy. I have taken her horse. I am finished here, Waverly.” He gestured with an apologetic hand.

“This was your plan the whole time,” Waverly said, voice hard with accusation.

“No, this was your plan,” Doc retorted with a familiar, smug smile. “You told me to learn how to drive.”

That made Waverly scowl, mostly because it flared up the guilt already rattling in her chest. “I didn’t mean ‘leave Purgatory without a word!’”

He wasn’t wrong. She could have put off going to the library yesterday. She could have stayed and taught Doc how to drive. He was hurting over Wynonna and she knew it (even if he’d never admit it). But part of Waverly had wanted to punish him for sleeping around with her sister, for always keeping secrets… For always being so full of bullshit.

“I do hate goodbyes.” There it was. For just a second, there was a flash of heartbreak in Doc’s eyes. He gave an acknowledging nod before his gruff façade returned.

“Look… we need you, okay?” Waverly pleaded. When Doc gave Waverly a scoffing smile, she continued, “She needs you.”

Doc rolled his tongue over his teeth, his tone laced with bitterness. “Well, she has Dolls.” He arched his eyebrows significantly at Waverly before his eyes returned to the road.

Oh shit… really, Wynonna?!

Waverly was running out of steam… and solid arguments. “…can’t you at least try?” she asked softly. Her eyes flicked back to the cruiser behind them. A visible Nicole had her radio to her mouth, though she waved a finger at Waverly with a smile. “…I mean, I’m trying with Nicole.”

It was the first time she’d actually told another person, out loud.

“I’m with Nicole.”

And of all people, she chose Doc. She couldn’t trust the man as far as she could throw him… but This… she knew he understood This. And she knew he understood This wouldn’t always be easy, but you still tried anyway.

Please try, Doc. For once in your miserable, selfish life. Try to be something better.

Doc managed an appreciative smile… before his expression hardened. “Difference is: she adores you back.” With a tilt of his black hat, Doc turned the ignition. The engine sputtering to life, that pink Cadillac struggled with the icy road for a second before it rumbled off down I-80.

Waverly stared off after Doc, her anger cooling to a sense of loss. She wished she knew what to say. As much as Doc frustrated her, Waverly knew deep down there was a good man in there. She’d seen it. He was a part of this whole Earp Curse mess—a part of Wynonna—no matter how much he tried to run away.

If only he knew it.

Shivering in the snow, Waverly slipped and slid her way back to Nicole’s cruiser. As she settled into the blessedly warm car, her phone pinged with a text message.

[Unknown says: “found dolls & peacemaker!! going after that shitstick lou. wish me luck babygirl! …….christ I need a drink or ten when this is over”]

Adding Wynonna’s new number to her phone, Waverly texted back a fond good luck. She could tell her sister about Doc later. Hopefully the man would come to his senses on his own.

“Everything okay?” Nicole asked with a final bite of her sandwich. She eyeballed the retreating vehicle. “Technically, I probably should have had him impounded. Serious lack of ID.”

Waverly shot Nicole a sad smile. “If he comes back, I’ll make sure he gets a license and stuff.”

“’If’ he comes back?”

Nodding, Waverly buckled herself in and dug into her own sandwich (she’d been too filled with rage to eat earlier). She wrapped one hand around her own cup of coffee and savored the warmth.

Nicole tilted her head. “Do you mind if I ask: what is Doc’s deal?”

That’s a big question.

“What do you mean?”

Gesturing wide with her hand, the woman gave an exaggerated head shake. “Like his whole deal? He dresses like a card shark from the 1800s. He’s also got no ID, no prior record, no hint that he even exists. …And is Doc short for Doctor?”

“Yes,” Waverly confirmed with a suppressed smile.

Trust me. I went through this whole gambit of emotions when I first met him.

Nicole made a soft sputtering noise in the back of her throat with dismay. “What in God’s Name is he a doctor of?”

Waverly had a brief mental image of all the Earp history she’d absorbed over the past decade. The file on one Dr. John Henry Holliday was quite extensive. “He was—is a dentist, actually.”

Like 145 years ago, but still.

“That Gambler rip-off is a dentist??” Nicole made a horrified face. “I’ll stick with my bi-annual cleanings in the city, thank you.”

“Probably for the best,” Waverly confirmed with a chuckle, as the mental image of Doc trying to use modern dental tools was priceless. She waved her phone at Nicole. “I heard back from Wynonna. She found Dolls. And her gun.”

Laughing lightly, Nicole agreed, “Well as long as she found her gun.” She winked at Waverly as she shifted the cruiser into drive and made a U-turn back towards Purgatory.

“So I—I don’t think we can go to the city tonight. For ice cream and… stuff.” Waverly winced with apology, fretful that Nicole would be upset. “I’m really sorry. It’s just—I don’t know. I just don’t think we can.”

A worry settled in Waverly’s stomach like it always did when Wynonna went out. She had escaped Lou before, though. But Waverly didn’t know how taking down Lou might impact Wynonna. Wynonna seemed to take those kidnapped girls pretty hard, so it was a 50/50 chance she’d either want to talk about it or just drown her sorrows in a bottle all alone somewhere.

And she was already promising needing a drink or ten… Ugh, I can feel the hangover already.

Waverly wanted to be there for her sister, regardless. That was what family did, after all.

But… it meant disappointing Nicole. That Wynonna Worry was mixing together with the fear of screwing up her new relationship. Bailing on dates, lying about the Earp Curse, hiding things… what if—what if it became too much to deal with? She chewed her cheek in consternation.

Looking over at Waverly, Nicole’s brow furrowed as her lip jutted out in sympathy. Nicole cooed with a slanted smile, “Oh, baby. …you have been dating too many shit-heads.” Her tone was mirthful with an almost patronizing understanding.

Sucking in an angry breath through her teeth, Waverly opened her mouth to protest… then stopped. She then snapped her mouth shut and her cheeks puffed out from a defeated exhale. Scowling, Waverly gave a weak nod. “No, I—Okay… Maybe?”

A hand found Waverly’s wrist and stroked it reassuringly. “Waverly, you—and Wynonna and Dolls—your work is complicated. And I’m a cop. We don’t always get to pick a good time for stuff. We just… make it work when we can and hope for the best when we can’t. That’s all we really can do. Okay?” Nicole’s smile was gentle.

“Okay,” Waverly agreed softly. She placed her other hand over Nicole’s on her wrist. Her thumb traced along the back of the woman’s hand. “…just so you know, I was really looking forward to it.”

“Yea?”

“Yea.”

“Me too,” Nicole replied with a warm smile. “Though I’ve gotten spoiled seeing you pretty much every day this week since we started… all this.” She gestured between them with her other hand. “Which is pretty amazing.” Nicole gave Waverly a determined look. “But I’m not in any hurry. I just… want you to know: there’s no hurry. Okay?” Nicole looked like she wanted to elaborate, but she just waited.

Maybe… maybe I want to hurry, Waverly thought with a wicked smile. But she just nodded back in acknowledgement. “Okay.” She gave Nicole’s hand a firm squeeze before releasing it.

“I know we can’t go like out-out, but… would you be free later? Just dinner?” There was a hopeful lilt to Nicole’s question.

Just then, Waverly’s phone rang. She held up a hand with a “Hold that thought.”

Aunt Gus?

[“Waverly! Are you at the Homestead?”] The older woman sounded out of breath.

“Nope, I’m… out.” She glanced over at Nicole whose cheek twitched with a smile.

[“Okay, well I’m comin’ by later with some stuff. The tools for your shed we discussed and some of those books and things you picked out yesterday at the house.”]

“Okay. Did you need me to let you in?”

[“Nah, don’t fuss, girl. I’ve still got your spare key that I’d best be returnin’. …Wynonna around?”] There was some worry in Gus’s voice. Even after all these years, those two still had trouble getting along.

Waverly peered out the window to look at the cloudy afternoon sky. “No, she’s… out on a case. Probably won’t be home ‘til real late. If at all.”

[“Still can’t believe someone saw fit to give our Wynonna a badge and a gun.”] Gus gave a disbelieving chuckle.

Well, just the badge. The gun came with.

“She’s pretty dang good at it, Aunt Gus,” Waverly reminded the woman.

[“I’m sure she is. You eat yet?”]

Squinting with one eye in a wince, Waverly said, “I, uh… was gonna have dinner with someone. But I can meet you at the house after? If that’s okay?”

Nicole looked over, eyebrows arched. Her lips formed a little line of suppressed joy.

[“That’s fine, honey. Don’t fuss. I can keep myself busy. I was gonna bring by some leftover stew I’d made. You should have some… You’re lookin’ like skin and bones these past few weeks. You eatin’ enough, girl?”]

Waverly sighed in exasperation. She looked down at herself, insecurity flaring up. “I don’t think I’ve lost any—I don’t look that bad, do I?” She shook her head, not waiting for an answer. ”…I’m fine, Aunt Gus. I’ll see you at the house, okay? Pick you up your favorite beer. …and don’t say ‘don’t fuss’ cuz I’m gonna fuss,” Waverly warned in a severe tone.

[“Okay okay.”] Gus relented with a dry laugh. [“See you at the Homestead, kid. Love you.”]

“Love you too,” Waverly replied then swiped to disconnect the call.

When she glanced over at Nicole, the woman seemed to be smiling to herself about something. “…What?”

“I—nothing!” Nicole said as she cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. When Waverly glared at her expectantly for a few seconds, she opened her mouth and licked her lips in an awkward stall tactic. “I was—just… I don’t think look you bad.”

Squinting at how terrible that sounded, Nicole tried again (very slowly). “I… just meant… that… I think… you look… good. …Amazing, actually.” She glanced back at Waverly with a cheesy grin.

“Oh!” To say Waverly was pleased was an understatement. She grinned back. “Thank you. You look pretty amazing yourself.”

Clearing her throat again, Nicole asked, “So… um… I’m off at six. If you wanted, you could hang out at my place til then? If you’re not busy?”

“Oh, that’d be great! I definitely don’t wanna go home yet. Knowing Gus, there’s a million things in the house we didn’t fix right and she’s gonna tell me every. Single. One.” Waverly smiled to herself at the thought of hanging out at Nicole’s. “And! It’d give me and Calamity Jane a chance to bond.”

“Good luck with that,” Nicole quipped with an eyeroll. “I’m not saying it’s impossible. I’m just saying you’ve got your work cut out for you.” She winked. “But if anyone can do it on the first try, it’d be you.” Her smile was small and unreadable.

Nicole had to address a few radio calls on their return to the station, which gave Waverly time to think. She kept stealing furtive glances at the woman, who was still cheerful despite everything. Even the dispatcher’s needling or the threats of more desk duty didn’t dampen Nicole’s mood.

How was she so effortlessly sweet?

It made Waverly ache a little in her chest. She was used to Champ’s brand of sweet that accompanied a pause to have it acknowledged. Like a “I did good, huh?” type of attitude.

It was like… Nicole just was. Without any hidden motive or expectation. It was comforting.

Thanks… baby.

When they returned to the station, Nicole turned over her set of house keys to Waverly. Nicole thanked her profusely for taking care of Calamity Jane til she got home. With a small kiss, they parted ways just outside Nicole’s cruiser. The snow finally started to lighten up, too.

Waverly made a very long detour to the liquor store near Nicole’s house after coming up with an ingenious idea. It took her about two minutes to find a six-pack of the seasonal Molson that Aunt Gus loved, but about twenty minutes to gather the other items on her list. Luckily, she did eventually find everything she was looking for, all wrapped in a decorative bag. She clutched both tight as she made her way back to her Jeep.

And no tiny whiskey bottle this time. No jangled nerves. Just that giddy happiness in Waverly’s chest.

She managed to make it to Nicole’s on the first try, remembering the weird, hidden side road leading to the small blue house. With a click of the deadbolt, Waverly headed inside after kicking the snow off her boots. She stowed away her gifts in the kitchen for later.

The house was a little cold for Waverly’s liking, but she didn’t want to be a rude houseguest and start messing with the heater. She did remember where Nicole’s side closet was that held spare blankets, though, and grabbed a couple. The blanket she’d used a couple nights ago still sat folded on the couch arm. Just waiting for her to return.

Before building a blanket nest on the couch, Waverly walked a circuit of the house and cooed for Calamity Jane. The ginger cat was nowhere to be found, and Waverly had a brief stabbing worry that she was missing or had escaped.

Squinting her eyes in consideration, Waverly made her way back to the kitchen and started a sweep of pantry and cabinet doors. In the lower pantry, she found an open bag of dry cat food and a small stack of tins.

I… probably should have asked how much to give her.

Oh well. This is a goodwill ambassador mission. Gotta build that trust with the lady of the house.

Grabbing a handful of dry food and one of the flat cans, Waverly made a repeat of that cooing noise.

She sprinkled the pellets loudly into one end of the dual food bowl and waited a moment.

Nothing.

Waverly slowly tapped the top of the can before giving the lid a slow peel. The metal creaked loudly as a weird, heavy salmon smell hit her nose. By the time she finished removing the metal lid, there was a hopeful meow at the entryway.

Calamity Jane stood just at the corner’s edge, staring back with honey-colored eyes. She watched Waverly very carefully as the woman upended the can before surging forward to start eating. She allowed a tentative stroke of her fur before swiveling around to glare when Waverly tried again. A paw was readied to swipe.

“Okay, you big grump. You will love me, eventually. You’re just delaying the inevitable.”

Only a glare in response as CJ went back to eating.

During Waverly’s sweep she also found an opened bottle of zinfandel which made her smile. Waverly knew they’d finished off the one she’d brought the other night, which meant Nicole had picked this up on her own. She poured herself a small glass and went to work building her blanket nest on the couch.

It felt weird, being in Nicole’s house without Nicole. Waverly wasn’t sure where she belonged, or if she was messing anything up. Leaning over, she scooped up the copy of Little Women she’d loaned Nicole.

Based on the bookmark, Nicole was nearly done already. Waverly smiled and opened to see what part she was at before tucking it back into place. It couldn’t hurt to reread it again. Maybe they could talk about it when Nicole finished.

Settling into her pile of blankets, Waverly stretched out on the couch with her book and took a deep sip of wine. She started to read.

Chapter 1. Playing Pilgrims.

“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

“It’s so dreadful to be poor!” sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

The front door opening awakened Waverly, followed by a soft “Hey, you.”

Bolting upright, Waverly looked around. It was dark outside. The house was dimly lit except for her reading lamp. A ginger cat was perched at the end of the sofa back, stretching lazily as it looked up at Nicole.

“Hey! …What time is it?” Yawning, Waverly stretched. Her little nap had been rather refreshing.

“After seven,” Nicole said apologetically as she slid her jacket onto the wall coat rack. “Judge Cryderman’s secretary just loves to talk.”

“Dolores? Oh yea, you’re lucky you made it out alive,” Waverly agreed with a chuckle. She stretched out her hand to Calamity Jane, who sniffed her fingers. After a moment, the cat gave her hand a brief face-nuzzle before jumping off the couch. “Did you see that?!”

Nicole laughed as she reached down where Waverly couldn’t see. The motion of her arm indicated she was giving the cat’s thick fur a good scratch. “I did! You worked a miracle.”

“And you doubted me,” Waverly said seriously, feigning offense.

“I said you’d have your work cut out for you,” Nicole reminded her with a wink. “And I was rooting for you.”

Smirking smugly, Waverly stuck out her chin. “Mmmhmmm.”

Waverly beckoned the woman over with a finger, who eagerly obliged as she made her way around the coffee table. After patting the blanket pile to figure out where Waverly’s legs ended, Nicole flopped down on the couch with a grin. “You look very comfortable.”

Not saying anything, Waverly pulled Nicole into a deep kiss. Her hand trailed around the back of Nicole’s now loose French braid. She felt a hand search around her side for the edge of the blanket before slipping underneath to her bare abs with a gentle stroke.

Running her fingertips along Nicole’s jaw, Waverly flicked her tongue over Nicole’s lips with a wicked grin. The woman exhaled in a light laugh through her nose before responding in kind. Nicole leaned into Waverly which pushed her back against the couch into her blanket pile. Their heads had to switch tilt for a better position, their noses bumping along the way. It was Waverly’s turn for a breathy laugh just as Nicole pulled at her bottom lip with a nibble.

They pulled apart for a second, eyes searching the other’s face. Waverly saw quiet wonder in Nicole’s eyes. She wasn’t sure how she looked, but whatever Nicole saw made her smile wider. They dipped back together for a slow, soft kiss. That hand at Waverly’s side shifted and stroked upward, tracing its way up her ribs.

With an impatient whimper, Waverly dropped her hand down and tugged at Nicole’s uniform shirt. The button-down pulled loose from Nicole’s belt, giving Waverly free reign to slip her own hand to find bare abs. Her skin was so soft and warm. The was a slight flinch and a brief chuckle when apparently Waverly hit the wrong (right?) spot.

So. She’s ticklish.

Nicole pushed back with a deeper kiss, tongue flicking along Waverly’s upper lip and teeth. She felt an answering whimper from Nicole as the woman’s head dropped. That hand roaming her ribs ghosted over a breast before sweeping up to her neck. Lavishing kisses down Waverly’s jaw, Nicole trailed down her neck before that hand started to push her green top’s shoulder down. She started sliding Waverly’s bra strap down with it, a kiss in place of the elastic.

Fumbling with Nicole’s shirt, Waverly’s thumbs picked at the bottom-most button. She couldn’t seem to undo it, especially from such a low, sharp angle. She let out a light hiss of frustration. Instead, Waverly let her fingertips wander to Nicole’s belt and attempt to work there.

A sharp, judgmental meow made Waverly open her eyes. Glancing over at the coffee table, a ginger cat sat pompously swishing its tail. Just past Calamity Jane, Waverly’s eyes caught the time on the DVR.

8:10PM.

Shitballs!

Clearing her throat, Waverly smiled sheepishly. “I should… probably get going. Aunt Gus is waiting and she usually goes to bed early.”

Nicole’s head tilted with a frown of apology. “Aw, no time for dinner? Well shit. I’m sorry, Waves,” she replied, rolling off of Waverly’s hips.

…That’s it? No argument? No convincing me to stay?

It felt unfair to make the Champ comparison, but he was Waverly’s most recent frame of reference: Champ would have begged and bartered and guilted for her to stay. She was so used to that sort of pushback that Waverly wasn’t sure what to do about this.

Was she offended by how quickly Nicole had conceded? Or was it refreshing to make a decision and not have to spend the energy rationalizing it?

“Are you… okay with that?”

Nicole shot Waverly a wide-eyed, tender look. “Of course! I just feel bad that you didn’t get to eat first. Since you’re wasting away to nothing, apparently.” Her gaze lingered downward, but her appraisal was nothing but complimentary. Brown eyes snapped back up to Waverly’s with an accompanying smile. “I should have picked something up on the way home. Sorry.”

I guess I have been dating a lot of shit-heads.

“It’s okay. I’ve still got stew waiting for me at home. Gus’ll be thrilled. …What are you gonna do?” Waverly asked.

Just as she was about to reply, Nicole’s phone rang.

The woman scowled, but when she checked her phone her eyes widened in shock.

Waverly nodded at Nicole’s phone. “Who is it?”

Nicole tucked a loose strand of red hair behind her ear. “Nedley.” She shot Waverly a worried look before answering.

The man’s voice on the other end was far too low for Waverly to pick up. All she caught was Nicole’s side of the conversation.

“This is Haught… …Just got home… …What’s going on? …Yes, sir. …Yes, sir… Okay, sir… I’ll be up there soon. Okay.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Waverly commented as she adjusted her shirt and bra back into place.

“It is, actually,” Nicole said as she stood up. She started to tuck her shirt in. “They found a whole slew of girls in some crazy cult. Mostly runaways from around the Ghost River Triangle.”

Wynonna!

Nicole continued, “I guess the Feds took down the leader in a sting, so now they need help getting the girls back to their families. Be more comfortable with a female officer present to help process and take statements.”

“Oh, uh… that’s great! I mean, it sucks you have to go back to work, but that’s great you get to be a part of it.” She chewed her cheek and avoided eye contact.

God, I hate this. Am I allowed to talk about this, Dolls? I didn’t get a frickin’ rule book.

Nicole stopped getting ready and tilted her head at Waverly. “…this is what you were talking about earlier, isn’t it? When you said you cracked those cases I gave y’all. This wasn’t ‘the Feds,’ this was Wynonna and Dolls,” she stated.

“Um…” Waverly trailed off. She shrugged with a cringing smile. “…Kind of. Probably. …Yea.”

Nicole stared at her phone for a moment. “I don’t know how Wynonna did it. I don’t understand how she does what she does… and I know you know more than you’re letting on, Wave.” Nicole’s eyes flicked up to Waverly’s, her expression slightly wounded.

A pang of guilt stole the air from Waverly’s lungs.

Then Nicole’s gaze softened with a smile. “But… please keep doing what you’re doing. I’m glad there are people out there like Wynonna… like you.” She leaned over to rest her forehead against Waverly’s. “Just maybe let us cops help every now and then, okay? I promise we’re good at it.”

“Okay… I mean, I’d have to ask Dolls… it’s kind of his show,” Waverly said with an apologetic wince.

A breathy laugh in response. “Right.” Nicole leaned forward to kiss Waverly before heading for the kitchen. “Well, I see you found the wine. I think I still have some leftovers. Sure you’ll be okay?”

Before Waverly could answer, she heard a distinct crinkling of a bag. Nicole called over, “Hey, what’s this?”

Grinning, Waverly stood up and leaned against the kitchen door frame. She nodded towards the bag. “Just a small gift. You can open it.”

Nicole’s mouth tightened to an impressed line. “Wave… you didn’t have to…”

Reaching a hand in, Nicole pulled out the largest item first: a bottle of moscato. Nicole turned to her, raising a suspicious eyebrow. “How did you know?”

“You’d be surprised what Mickey over at Lucky Liquor remembers. I did some asking and found out that ‘that red-haired lady cop’ buys a lot of this moscato. And I found out your other favorite ice cream to boot.” Waverly tossed her head in the direction of the refrigerator.

“You didn’t…”

“Oh, I did.”

Nicole yanked open the freezer door to find one pint of chocolate chip cookie dough, one mint chocolate chip, and one Cherry Garcia stacked neatly in a row. The woman made a deep, appreciative exhaling sound. “This is dangerous to leave alone with me.”

“Next time, then,” Waverly said with a grin. She stuck her chin out at the bag again. “There’s more, too.”

Digging at the bottom of the bag, Nicole held up a pair of dangling charms: a unicorn and a cowboy hat.

Leaning over the kitchen table, Waverly rested her head on her hands. “I thought they were cute! For our wine glasses!”

Nicole nodded, her smiled slanted and pleased. She pulled an empty glass out of the cupboard and snapped the cowboy hat charm on hers and set it next to the moscato. “For next time, then.”

The last item in the bag had been extremely difficult to find at a liquor store. Luckily, it shared space with a small general store that had a seasonal discount section. A small glass jar containing a dark gel and a wick: a candle.

Her mouth an intrigued line, Nicole brought the candle to her nose for a sniff. She nodded in approval. She turned to Waverly, lips parted in question. But her eyes suddenly widened before she spoke, “…Is this… what I think it is?”

Waverly bit her lower lip and smiled through her eyelashes. “It’s… a promise.”

“Waverly… you don’t have to promise me anything. We just… see what happens.”

“I know I don’t have to. I still want to.”

“…Okay.”

“Okay.”

Leaning over the other side of the kitchen table, Nicole captured Waverly’s lips in a gentle kiss. “Call you tomorrow?”

“You better.”

A light laugh. Nicole straightened and grabbed a Styrofoam container from the fridge. They left Nicole’s house together. Waverly locked up and tucked the keys back into Nicole’s pocket. Sharing a goodbye kiss, they parted ways in Nicole’s driveway.

Waverly opened her front door with a sliding click. Following a suspicious rattling sound, Waverly made her way to the kitchen where Aunt Gus hovered over a steaming stewpot on the stove. She was picking through their upper cabinets. Her neck turned when Waverly knocked on the doorframe.

“Just giving you girls some better pots and pans. The good stuff, not this new plastic shit that doesn’t last a year.”

“Okay, Aunt Gus,” Waverly said distractedly as she set down her purse and coat.

Standing upright, the woman’s dark eyes looked her up and down. Gus asked, “Where were you?”

Waverly smiled to herself. “I was… unsticking my wings.”

A nod of approval from Gus. She flicked her tongue over her teeth with a sucking sound before narrowing her eyes. “…is she worthy of you?”

Waverly tilted her head thoughtfully, a slanted grin pulling at her cheek. “I think so, yes.”

A different nod, an impressed one. Gus gave Waverly a soft smile. “Hopefully she does, too. Otherwise…” That smile hardened to a stern glare.

Chuckling lightly, Waverly went over and kissed her aunt’s cheek. She accepted the bowl of stew offered in exchange for the six-pack of beer under her arm. Gus made an intrigued hum sound in the back of her throat when she saw the label.

The two women traded stories about the Homestead for the next few hours. Wynonna’s talent for breaking things, Waverly’s short-lived hobbies, even some of Willa’s scuffles with the neighbor boys.

Gus didn’t ask any more questions about Nicole, but Waverly was still pleased. This was the second person she’d more or less told: “I’m with Nicole.”

All that was really left to tell was… Wynonna.

Maybe after the stuff with Doc blows over?

Hearing the crunch of tires on the gravel driveway, Waverly leapt up from her spot on the couch. She’d been mentally preparing for how to explain to Wynonna that Doc had skipped town. And again, didn’t have a great answer. She had settled on softening the blow.

She was relieved to see to see her sister, though her odds on Wynonna’s mood were way off. She had hoped Wynonna would be her usual snarky (but upbeat) self, maybe with a celebratory drink in hand.

Except the elder sister was anything but.

Wynonna jumped out of her beat-up blue truck with a clouded expression. Her posture was stooped from a long couple of days. The black smudges over her right eye were mostly gone and Peacemaker sat on her belt, at least.

God, she looks tired.

Shivering in the night chill, Waverly stuttered out, “Hey… so… listen, you gave Doc a car, and… well… the thing is that when you give someone a car—“

“Not now,” Wynonna interrupted, holding up a hand.

Tired and grumpy.

Her sister gestured to the other woman who stepped out of her truck, an imperious figure laden in a white dress and furs. Wynonna waved her forward. The woman had a familiar look that Waverly couldn’t place.

Wynonna’s tone was soft and uncertain. “This is one of the women we helped today. I said she could crash here for awhile.”

Nodding, Waverly offered her most welcoming smile. She started mentally calculating how the Homestead could accommodate (since Gus was also staying over).

Spare blankets? Check.

Pillows? Probably gonna have to move some around.

She looks like Wynonna’s size, so maybe they can share pajamas. Ooh! Or maybe some of the clothes Gus brought over might work!

I could probably bunk with Gus and she could stay in Wynonna’s room if Wynonna slept on the couch? It seems wrong to make someone living under a Revenant for years sleep on a couch…

Do we have enough food? I think we have enough for breakfast and maybe lunch. If I go to the store early, we should—oh I should ask her if she has any dietary restrictions. She lived in the woods, right? I wonder what kind of stuff she—  

Wynonna approached with her hands in her pockets. She gestured with her shoulder. “Waverly, this is—“

The screen door flew open with a bang as Gus strode outside. “Would you girls kindly get your butts in here and—and—“ The older woman ground to a halt, the beer bottle in her hand shattering on the front porch.

Her face ashen, Gus stared past Waverly at the new arrival. “Willa.”

[izzy-b-hands]

On mobile so I can't put a read more, but I'm going to try and tag well--I need to vent. ----------- So today has been the worst day dealing with my mom in awhile. Like we've been in an okay patch where she hasn't been giving so many mixed messages and orders, but that came roaring back today for some reason. It starts out crappy because we head to my tattoo appointment, but my artist was sick and had to reschedule (though please note I'm not mad at him in any way, I'm glad he was going home rather than suffering sick thru work, because I know how much that sucks no matter what your job is. It just made me sad that I wasn't getting tattooed today and those appointments are like spa days for me.) Before we left for the shop though, she was super pissy and generally making me not want her there at the appointment because I didn't want her bugging my artist or being fussy at having to wait for my appointment to be over (which she's done at past tattoo appointments that I did offer to go to alone by getting a cab or taking the bus.) Anyway, after the tattoo shop we decide to go run a quick shopping trip, and our interactions go down hill. We're both struggling financially right now, but I've been buying a lot for the both of us the past week. But she asks me to get this trip, so I say yes because it won't do any good to say no. Then we get there and she's grabbing extra stuff not on our list, half assedly asking if it's okay even when the thing is in the cart and we're eight aisles away already--like, I'm not gonna argue and say no at that point, cause she'd just get pissy. The store was busy too, so we were both starting to get upset in general. Now, I will note that my fragile emotional state today wasn't all due to her. The whole 'you're still stuck at a shitty job in ND and haven't totally gotten your writing off the ground' thing has been hitting hard for a couple weeks, but especially today. But I wasn't complaining or bugging her with it, I was just trying to ignore those feelings. At the end of it she's rude to the teen cashier, (she knows that behavior is something I don't tolerate), but we get to the car. I offer to buy lunch out from a place we both like because at that point I was more treating myself than her. Like, I'm on the verge of emotionally overwhelmed tears in the car from the day and stuff building up for weeks and she's just hopping cause she gets her fav food. I was literally crying (quietly though) as we left the parking lot and she keeps going on about what sandwich she's getting. At first I thought she didn't notice, but then she looks over and goes "Oh," and that's it. So she noticed, and normally would at least be like, "hey, you're crying, is everything okay?" Not at that moment. In the drive through I started crying more, because I honestly couldn't help it (that hasn't stopped either, I'm on like my tenth cry of the day right now) and then she finally showed concern. I couldn't tell her anything she had done to cause it (in the past that's earned me shouting and 'ungrateful brat' kind of comments that she swears later she didn't mean) but I did explain the wanting to move and earn my primary income from my art frustrations though, and she surprised me by being kind and supportive. I thought we were okay then and the day would be okay. Wrong. We eat, she decides to nap cause she was getting a headache, I decide to play GTA V for an hour or two. The cat wakes her up in about that time (I tried to get Nish to let my mom sleep, but she wanted both her humans awake and wouldn't take any food or toys I offered.) Mom's mood is wildly different then. She's angry. She complains about clothes being ready to hang in the washer (I didn't see or hear her put them in, or I would have taken care of them) and goes to do that. I follow, and try to fix things by taking the basket and offering to help. As soon as we get in to the room we hang the clothes in to dry, she's even angrier. First I'm taking the dry clothes down too slowly, then too quickly when I hang up wet ones in their place. Then I'm hanging the clothes wrong on the hanger. I tried for a bit to make it work, but she was ripping clothes out of my hand, tossing the laundry basket around, and pushing empty hangers to the floor in the same way an angry toddler would. So I get her the extra hangers from my room, hang up my dry clothes in my closet, and go back to my laptop in the living room, and turn it all off. That was the breaking point for me--I knew she'd be pissed at me next for playing a game (that's the usual cycle of these situations no matter what I'm doing--if I'm just sitting there doing nothing then I'm still doing something wrong) so I closed it down. Here comes the mixed messages. She asks when she goes back to the couch, suddenly really quietly, why I'm packing my stuff up. I tell her I have a headache and want to be in my room (partially true, though it isn't a bad enough headache that I'd go lie down) she acts sad, but let's me go and I leave trying to figure out her 360 emotional spin. Fast forward a few hours of me crying quietly in my room, panicking over how she might act for dinner and how even though my psychologist said to stand up for myself and call out her behavior and how she'd be totally pissed at me if I'd acted like she had all day I still can't bring myself to say anything because I'm afraid of my mom yelling when I do that. There's a quick, tense discussion on what to do for dinner a bit later, and dinner itself wasn't awful, just uncomfortable (in part because we had pizza and I had to eat all the pieces left, or she'd do her usual spiel about how I don't eat left overs fast enough so I shouldn't leave them, yet she can leave them because she's formally dieting and I'm not.) I try to go back to my room and she stops me. "Bye," she says in a voice equal parts sad and offended. Now, no matter what I'd done here would have been a problem. In past moments like this, there have been some where she guilted me to staying in the living room (but then acted nasty towards me if I fell asleep and didn't wake her up to help remind her to take out her contacts or get her to bed at a decent hour) and some where I've gone back to my room (and she'd pop in every couple of hours to ask if I still wasn't coming back out, glare at anything I might have on the floor, and sigh even when my room is clean--the issue I've found there is that it isn't clean in the way she'd clean it, so it pisses her off, no matter how much I try and clean 'her way' even when executive dysfunction makes it hard.) Tonight, I chose my room, which brings us to now. She already popped in once, as I was typing so I had to hide my iPad so she wouldn't see this post. I already know she'll have fallen asleep in the living room, so I can't fall asleep yet in case she doesn't wake up by ten or elevenish on her own to go into her bedroom. And I get her headache might be making her feel like shit, but here's the rub-- We've been having these moments and situations since I was four. I know everyone has days where they act shitty cause they don't feel well, but why does she expect me to just ignore her on those days when she never lets me have a day like that. If I acted how she did today, she'd have yelled and been angry with me (even tho she stresses now how we're just as much roommates as mom and kid since I'm an adult, so we should treat each other more like roommates.) I was the one who was gracious and asked my artist if he was okay to check out my healing before he left (which he happily did, and he said he was glad I let him check because it showed responsibility as a tattoo owner that he doesn't always see) while she whined that we shouldn't have to pay for the visit and embarrassed the hell out of me (they didn't charge because we didn't tattoo today, and none of the artists at the shop have ever said they'd charge for a literal 'roll up your sleeve for two minutes and let me look' thing, tho I think they probably could and should--I'm willing to hand over my money to people who care about me and the art on my body.) I was the one who kept us on track during shopping and got us home at a decent time, with lunch, even tho my anxiety was at an all time high and I was already an over emotional mess. And I was the one trying to find a way to make her happy, even after she'd made me cry a few times over. I just wonder how long I'm going to go thru this with her. My five year plan now is to save up to move to California, but it's killing me I can't go now. To be closer to other artists and collab and share my art with them (one book in the series I'm writing is nearly done with my editing, the second books first draft is written, and I started writing the third books first draft this week, and I didn't even plan on it becoming a series); to be away from my mom and my family's bullshit; to be in a state that will protect my orientation and gender identity (they can still fire u for that first one in ND)--it all feels so close yet so far away and days like today I just feel so tired of living the way I am, yet I don't have the money or options to change anything yet. This got way too long--if u read it all, thank u but also I'm sorry. U can tell it got too long cause I've given up typing as formally as I usually do. Anyway, I should take this moment to thank u all for still following me and reading my blog--writing and rants alike. It's a small comfort, but it makes me feel less alone. And on days like today, that's one of the few things I have. Here's to hoping for easier days with family, for me and any of u guys that might be struggling with similar issues right now. If any of u ever need to vent, my ear is ready to listen (and comfort if u want.)

[lashofer]

Resolve

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I'm in the passenger seat next to Ruby. Her fingers are white on the wheel, and her eyes are fierce. I haven't seen her in a long time.

Bruises, the latest ones,

are in blotches that run down the side of her neck and

disappear into the collar of her plain, black t-shirt.

Her dark hair is in a ponytail. She is silent as she stares at the oncoming road. Pepper, her Chihuahua, keeps looking at me like she doesn't know who I am. A bright red cast is around Pepper's right foreleg.

"That's it." She mumbles it like she's done before, but her eyes are bright. I can tell that she means it this time. She doesn't address me; nobody ever does.

Brian's Jeep isn't in the driveway, but we park the old Volkswagen Bug along the street anyway. She scoops Pepper out of my lap. Pepper whines, and she kisses her on top of her balding head. "Nobody's gonna hurt you."

A large chip of white paint comes off the town house's front door as she opens it. She looks at it for a while. She knows that this place needs some work, but it took her until now to notice how truly run down it is. How many years has she lost to this place? She can barely remember them all. The front entrance smells of cigarette smoke and spilled booze.

Kicking aside the liter of vodka,

she makes her way to the bedroom. She sets Pepper down on the bed and opens the closet. An old backpack from university lies in the far corner, but she keeps looking; she doesn't want to look like she's leaving. Her hands grab the largest purse she owns instead. She doesn't need much, just enough clothing to last a couple of days. The underwear drawer is ignored; anything in there will only serve as a reminder of him. Her actions are methodical; she hardly notices what goes in the bag. Three random tops. The jeans that Brian always found too tight. Pepper's stuffed duck and leash goes in too. She'll grab dog food along the way.

The bathroom is next: toothbrush, flattening iron, deodorant, tampons. She knows she's forgetting things, but doesn't care. She opens the makeup drawer, something she hasn't done in a long time.

The mascara feels innocent and small in her hand, not whorish or provocative.

She unscrews the cap and brushes some on her upper lashes. It's clumpy from sitting in the drawer for so long. There's a lipstick tube in the far back, behind some heavy foundation. She puts some of that on too.

She stares at her reflection for a full minute. Her blue eyes are doll-like, large and vulnerable.

She turns to the side, placing her hands on her flat abdomen. All she's eaten for the last two weeks is salad: a cup of spring greens, a teaspoon of balsamic vinaigrette, and ten kidney beansthrown in to make it more filling.

Pressing her lips together to spread the red dye, she hardly recognizes herself. That suits her just fine. Pepper moves around from the bedroom; Ruby can hear her trying to dig around in the blankets. How her cast gets in the way.

Ruby snaps away from her reflection. Brian will be back any minute.

The door opens with a bang.

I feel myself fading.

She zips the full bag closed, swings it over her shoulder.

"Ru?"

She emerges from the bedroom with Pepper on her hip. Pepper struggles when she sees him, so she sets her down behind the couch.

Brian looks relieved. "Babes, are you alright?" Something is different, but he doesn't know what.

She looks at him directly. She's tried to stand up to him hundreds of times, but I was never there. I am now.

"I'm so sorry." His fingers dance over the purple and brown splotches on her neck. He kisses them softly and lifts her up with strong, tanned arms so he can bury his face in her shoulder. He's careful not to press too hard. "I just … get frustrated. Work is insane, and I don't mean to take it out on you. You never give up on me." Tears well in his eyes. "You're the only one who hasn't."

Ruby melts into him. His words are maple syrup, and fill her whole again.

I'm almost gone.

Ruby catches a glimpse of Pepper trying to lick the fur under the cast, and her resolve strengthens. Her anger is tangible. Hot steel lines her stomach.

"I need to go back to the vet," she lies, and does her best to keep her voice light. "They said to pick up the prescription in an hour." He nods and sets her down. "Take my Jeep."

"No, the receipt is in my glove box." With the challenge of his authority, his demeanor changes. She hurries on. "Want me to pick you up anything?" Good. Make him think you're coming back.

"Your dog spilled my shit." He eyes the vodka bottle.

It takes everything she has not to let her anger show. She hates him, and hasn't realized how much until this moment. "I'll stop by the liquor store on my way back."

She grabs Pepper and a throw blanket from the couch, and heads out the door without saying goodbye. Her arms are full, and she fumbles with the keys.

H e r    ha n d s      s h ak e,   and she misses the keyhole twice. I sit in the passenger side again, and Ruby spreads the throw on top of me, making a nest where Pepper can nestle in.

"God, I'm starving."

Air flows in as the window rolls down, and Ruby rips the elastic out of her hair. The long strands blow around us like dancing shadows. We pull into the McDonald's drive-thru. A Double Big Mac for her, a kid's meal for Pepper. Through a mouthful of grease, she belts out the lyrics from a popular music station, and hands Pepper fries over the shifter handle.

The Interstate exit is coming up. It looms ahead, and she struggles with indecision.

I give her a nudge, and she jerks the steering wheel at the last moment. Angry horns blare behind us. A funeral home passes on our right, and

I feel a tug.

I'm in the back pew next to Mitch. I guess Ruby doesn't need me anymore. A closed casket lies at the front of the long room, adorned with a picture of an older gentleman and large bouquets of white flowers. A podium stands behind it, where a preacher addresses the crowd in somber tones.

Mitch doesn't believe in God. At least, he doesn't think he does. Mitch believes in facts, and the fact is that the man in that casket is dead. He's not floating around the heads of the people in the pews like a trapeze performer.

He's angry. Jule, his sister, called him two days ago, and he was in the midst of a breakthrough. He works at CERN, and doesn't have time for this. The plane ride was terrible. A couple sat beside him, and brought their newborn child on the flight. It wouldn't stop screaming. He couldn't stand the movie that was playing; nobody knows how to write a goddamn thing anymore. The pseudo-science was laughable at best. He tried to open his laptop and work instead, but his ear buds wouldn't drown out the child.

Being in people's heads can be exhausting sometimes.

Jule is in one of the front pews like the rest of Mitch's family. He hasn't seen anyone in five years. He doesn't know if he can face them right now, but I'm here for a reason. I wouldn't be here if he hadn't made up his mind.

The preacher asks if anyone else has words to share.

Mitch stands and brushes off his pants, the scribbled paper clutched in his fist. I follow him. A gasp comes from his mother as she sees him walk by. He pauses and gives her a tentative kiss on the cheek. He smiles at Jule, and pushes back the guilt. He's here, and that's enough for now.

The casket is large, and stained a dark cherry. Mitch brushes his hand over the wood, and picks up the picture frame.

The man sits on the porch in a rocking chair, drinking spiked lemonade. He wears a Hawaiian shirt, and white socks peek underneath his Velcro sandals.

A stone drops in his chest. He was the one who took the photograph.

Wind forces me back towards the exit. I grab a pew bench to stop. My hands are translucent, and my feet are swept out from under me. I force them back down to connect with the floor. Mitch still stares at the photograph, frozen.

I know he can do this. I won't let him down. Working my way from bench to bench, I latch myself onto the casket.

I grab Mitch's hand.

He sets the picture down.

His shoulders shake, and I take them. Turn him around. He walks up to the podium on his own. The crowd stares at him, most of the faces familiar. The wooden ledge is tight in his grasp. He takes a deep breath.

"My father was a wonderful man."