#not entirely the same but i was tempted to watch a show just bc the girl i liked posted about it so i get it
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT as CAMERON JAMES 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) dir. Gil Junger
#10tihayedit#10tihay#10 things i hate about you#cameronjamesedit#cameron james#joseph gordon levitt#jgl#tuserkaren#mialook#ohwarnette#userkate#dailyflicks#filmedit#*mine#*mygifs#i completely understand him bc i too would learn french for a pretty girl#not entirely the same but i was tempted to watch a show just bc the girl i liked posted about it so i get it#+ i was kicking my feet ! twirling my hair ! giggling when he popped up on my screen age 15#nobody mention how inconsistent my coloring is please and thank you <3
186 notes
¡
View notes
Text
anxiety level: imma cry at the thought of finally having 1 hour to myself to just vibe đŻââď¸
(time to write)
#lamb loose liveblogging#sneaky niki#ngl to yâall... Iâm over ch 11 & 12#I wish I could just overlook the details and be done with them already but no#no bc KOJ decided to make a surprise visit and idk what to do with this man anymore#also. sidenote. I am tempted to watch that drama where the actor plays Nina ;-;#but ik deep into my genderfluid ass I will cry my eyes out and idk if Iâm emotionally stable for that#also I donât really vibe with dramas set in the military world#any variation of it tbh#fun fact: my dadâs hyperfixation is watching every season of ncis on repeat#i can probably quote some eps by heart from proximity to him alone#on the one hand Iâm too exhausted to explain to him why that amount of copaganda is bad#on the other who am I to interfere. ik I would not appreciate having him snoop in my business about fictional criminalsâs mating rituals#but like............ Iâm over it. any more military dramas and I might quit consuming media entirely#also who am I kidding. I got no time to drama watch#Iâve had the same page open on 3 body problem for months at this point#all I do is study and write. and I want to finish both activities in 2 months max#so. yeah what was I talking about?#ah yes KOJ#this kid is /this/ close to show up under SDYâs window with a boombox Iâm telling you#HDS is not amused
6 notes
¡
View notes
Note
[Small Rant!]
(Hope this is alright!! Sorry for my ask being so long and all over the place, but I just had so much to say!)
I honestly might leave the fandom, I'm REALLY tempted to at this point. Because, I don't know how much more of this toxicity, the behavior of Envy and V stans (NOT ALL, BTW) and the Nuzi hatedom, I can take..especially knowing that Envy and V stans are doing the same thing they did back when episode 6 released, attacking and harassing Liam Vickers + sending death threats...it's absolutely disgusting and unacceptable and shouldn't be normalized, AT ALL. These individuals who are doing this aren't real fans of the show and don't care about it, they don't give a shit about the love, dedication and care that goes into Murder Drones or all the hard work that goes into the show. They only care about wether their ship becomes canon or not and if they don't get what they want, they start harassing and shitting on the crew behind the show, especially the creator (Liam) and say they don't wanna watch the show anymore and it just proves they were probably NEVER fans in the first place and only cared about shipping and that's just so damn sad, it's especially pathetic and childish how some of these fans act..
I've said it before and I'll say it once more, SHIPPING ISN'T EVERYTHING, STOP MAKING IT A BIG DEAL. There's so much more to love and appreciate about the Murder Drones and there's so much to love about the show and shipping shouldn't be something you should even go into and look forward to when getting into any piece of media, MD isn't even a romance show. I'm overall just so damn tired and sick of this fandom, like REALLY TIRED..it's just so damn draining and exhausting especially when the same arguments are used again and again. The fandom just sucks and I fear it'll only get worse and I really don't know if I can stay for much longer. (I'm seriously missing the pilot-era days when the fandom was small and not that bad) but even though the community isn't the best, I'm glad we have some respectful and caring individuals in the fanbase like you and others, I honestly don't think the fandom isn't as bad here as it is on both TikTok and Twitter, the MD fandom side of things on Tumblr is more tame compared to the other social medias I mentioned.
Overall, MD is such a comfort show for me and has had such a huge impact on me, it's seriously one of my favorite shows, I'm not even joking. I'm incredibly thankful and happy for it's existence and also thankful to Liam, GLITCH, the animators, the VA's and just the entire team as a whole for making such a great and wonderful show! It means so much to me and I'll never stop loving it despite it's ups and downs + the community not being the best at times, I'm truly thankful for this show and those I've met in the fandom. â¤ď¸đ
Hey you Dorky goober
No need to apologise for the long rant. Generally I adore long rants so win win for both of us (if anyone does need to rant about something then Iâll totally be here for you, I know what it feels like to not rant about something but you really do)
With you thinking about leaving the fandom due to the toxicity honestly I would not blame you at all. Iâm someone whoâs comfort ship is Nuzi so just seeing any hate would make me think about it for the rest of the day
Usually what I do when I see any toxicity is just laugh at it, laugh at how stupid their take is. Recently I had a fight with this Lesslie person and all I did was laugh at how silly it was like bro was getting aggressive bc people preferred Nuzi
Iâm trying not to dogpile on toxic V fans + Envy shippers cause I donât want to seem too obsessive over drama but for some reason it always gets worse
There are toxic Nuzi shippers but there arenât as many as toxic Envy shippers like never in my life have I seen an Envy shipper getting doxxed because they like Envy. For some reason itâs always the toxic Envy shippers that make this fandom miserable
I donât think they even know that theyâre toxic shippers and desperately need to leave the fandom, most of them are kids but that never excuses any actions that they do because itâs the internet, once you post something itâs there forever
Murder Drones has so much in store than just romance and Iâm saying this as someone who mostly posts Nuzi related things although I really do want to post more about the lore and I even planned for a full post on the details (I was pretty busy so I didnât complete that but itâs in the drafts lol)
Not only the lore but just Murder Drones in general, the romance is great but so is the show, just everything about this show is filled with so much love and you can tell just by all the silly things they put in the backgrounds and the writing by Liam
Like the N x Uzi scenes are just small scenes like theyâre put in different places but it works because the show isnât focused on romance. I do think people forget that the N x Uzi scenes are quite literally important for the plot as well, itâs not just there for fanservice. Liam knows what heâs doing and anyone that tells him otherwise can go fuck off honestly
There are bad people but there are also a lot of good people in this fandom, a lot that do appreciate Murder Drones for even continuing. Screw whatever those 13 year olds on Twitter say, they donât know crap about respect
48 notes
¡
View notes
Note
ahhh the jhumka post was so cute, i couldn't even study properly bc i've been giggling over it the whole day đđ like omg having them search for their name in ur mehendi, teaching them bollywood dance moves, re-watching classics like DDLG, having pani-puri competitions, having matching kurtas, saying the most cheesiest lines to them in ur mother tongue bc ur just too shy ahhhhhhh this brain-rot is going to kill me
your đ¤ brain đ¤ is so đ¤ smart đ¤ i will eat you (with love) đ¤đ¤đ¤đ¤ this was so fun to think about and write about !!!!!!! aaa i love you anon !!!
anyway, warning: lots of messy thoughts about this under the cut !!
âżâ Â â it's actually so easy for you to put sae's or rin's name in your mehendi, like usually i've heard people put in initials but honestly putting their entire name in is so easy and when you do it, your mehendi wali didi who's drawing his name in will definitely smirk at you like "kaun hai ye, hmmm?" [translation: who is this, hmmm?]
and when you finally do it and ask sae to find it (you didn't say his name was in ur mehendi, but just told him that there's a surprise thing he should try and find) he'll be so confusedâ but at the same time he finds this very interesting so he'll just take your hands and let his eyes wander over your palms with a blank expression. it takes him a few minutes because the way it's written is so small, but when he does find it, he's gonna give you the most incredulous look ever followed by a light shrug to play off the fact that his heart is beating really fast !!! âĄ
"cute. i don't get why you did that, though."
"because i love you, sae." you huffed, rolling your eyes. "maybe i should replace it with somebody else's name if you don't get why iâ"
"don't be stupid," he cuts you off with his low voice, before kissing the exact same spot on your palm where his name is as you caress his cheek right after. "only my name."
same goes for rin, except he's so much more flustered than his brother is !!!! the poor boy will take quite a lot of time to find the "surprise" you were talking about, because obviously he knows nothing about mehendi and you really just told him to go in blindâ you'd have to show him yourself. when you do, he'll kinda go stiff at first as he reads the three letters of his name, and then look up at you with this adorable expression that makes your heart race.
"....that's my name." he says, a confused yet surprised tone to his voice as he looks at you with slightly wide eyes.
"yup," you giggle, continuing to point at the tiny writing on your palm as you stare at him with loving eyes. he bites his lower lip gently, running his fingertip over the skin. "people usually hide their lover's name in their mehendi and i wanted to do it with yours." you explain softly.
his reaction is too cute. the way he can't find anything to say in response to this is enough to satisfy you and make you feel happy. "i like that. does it, like, stay forever?"
"no, baby." you laugh. "mehendi goes away in days. it depends."
"oh, okay," he nods. "makes sense, but i kinda want it to stay there forever. can you get it done again or something?" his eyes shine with admiration as he asks with a slightly smug expression. he likes the idea of his name on your skin a little too much, it seems.
âżâ Â â also, teaching reo bollywood dance moves ?!? yes. he surprisingly hasâ makes time for it. he's all in. will definitely be a tease about it, thoughâ especially when you're teaching him how to 'thumka' jsnshdbsjd im blushing like hell rn. he will definitely stare at you with some type of look when you do itâ and he might even feel tempted to just hold your waist as you show him the move. (he probably gives in to the temptation very quickly, reo can't really control his hands that well).
"damn, i didn't know you were that good with your hipsâ"
"reo!"
âżâ  â having pani puri competitions with rin?!?!?? he would get the spiciest one and 100% tease you if you ask for sweet or medium !!!!! he will find it hot if you have a high spice tolerance i think ;) also if you're eating pani puri in general, he'd be the type to eat like two from his plate and tell the pani puri guy to give the rest to you :( ALSOOOOO oh my god. if the pani puri water drips down your chin (it's happened to me before don't judge) he would already be wiping it off for you. also he will move away annoying strands of hair that are interrupting your pani puri session. (kinda gives me easily annoyed gf and chill bf vibes) has the guy give you a sukhi puri before you can even ask !!!!!!! â ⥠and if you want to go eat golas right after, he's all for it !!!! you have to guide him w the flavours though, telling him like "ok we hate this flavor but this other flavor is our bestie." and he's gonna nod and try whichever one you like the most. (my bestie is kala khatta HEHE)
âżâ  â ALSO DHWNJDSKKDMF i would DEFINITELY say some things to sae in hindi. because i am shy, and also because he's so fucking intimidating that honestly i don't want to compliment him to his face. whatever you say, he'll be like "what?" because obviously he doesn't understand and after a while as you continue to speak to him and compliment him in hindi with your shy smile, he gets super super super irritated because he can't understand and he wants to know what you're saying about him so bad. he wants to hear your compliments. your voice is so sweet and soft and the way you look at him as you talk in your language makes him feel thingsâ he wants to know !!! he would remember some words and search them up later to piece it together (but instead of making the guy do so much work, just translate, pls) when he finally gets to know some of the things you said to him in hindi, he'll have to look away to stop himself from kissing you âĄ
#idk if i should out tags on this agssismks#put*#val.answers.anon#blue lock#blue lock x reader#itoshi rin#itoshi sae#mikage reo#can u tell these guys are my top three..... bye#i would've written for more bllk characters but đ¤ just my soft spot for these three makes it difficult
43 notes
¡
View notes
Note
I swear i thought i replied to some of your questions a few days ago but iâm starting to think that I mightâve forgotten to and now i feel bad. But to summarize it: When we first started watching, he thought that Gale looked a little bit like Ashton Kutcher (but older version) and it was the funniest thing ever to me. He did only talk about it in the pilot though. Btw I am more and more tempted to later on give him Galeâs out of the box interview to watch. Or Randyâs podcast. He has been asking me about the actors a lot lately and if they still act and where are they and if theyre all still friends and Iâm avoiding answering because well, one of them abandoned his podcast and the other one we dont even know if heâs still alive until we get a new photo. But I do wonder how he will react when he finds out Gale is straight ngl because right now he fully thinks Gale is gay irl.
Also yes, he has been going on and on about Brianâs growth and how heâs changed since he clocked it around 4th episode. He is so happy that heâs growing and allowing himself to be happy and in love even if he doesnât want to admit it, that i just know the second 5x01 will start, he will have a mental breakdown and it will be very valid of him.
Your celebrities/therapist story actually made me curious now because how can a celeb that is well known, even get a therapist then without weirdness. I had no clue this was kind of a thing. And yes! My brother would absolutely launch into a discussion about Gale without shame, heâd have pictures and everything ready for it. I mean his confidence when it comes to talking to literally anyone about anything in his life (usually interests and shit heâs done thats funny to him or in this case the show) is impressive as fuck but also for an innocent bystander like me? actually a nightmare to be around that. He truly doesnât give a single fuck and has zero shame and all the confidence in the world and idk how he does it. He just tells anyone who will listen (not in a trauma dumping type of way but like his interests and such? No shame) to give an example: when he was in high school he made an entire poster presentation for his class to talk about his love for the movie School of Rock and HE DID IT BY SINGING A FAKE ROCK N ROLL SONG (id give anything to remember the lyrics). Mind you, the presentation was supposed to be about current events in politics/world and School of Rock came out like a year or two prior. So you best believe he would do the exact same for Gale or more importantly QAF/Brian/Britin. And as someone who does shy away from talking about qaf just because it is a lot, he on the other hand truly gives zero fucks. Because when we started watching the show, he was fully explaining to the nurses/doctors/anyone that listened(our parents!!!) about how the show is AND HOW BRITIN MET! He TALKED ABOUT THE RIM JOB! I NEVER EVEN FUCKING TOLD YALL THAT! HE TALKED TO OTHER HUMANS ABOUT THE RIM JOB! AND HE WAS FULLY EXPLAINING IT bc he was shocked and surprised at how they filmed it and couldnât figure out if that meant gale really did do it or not. So if you ever feel like maybe youâve overshared about something you like and it keeps you up at night. Fear no more because my brother has for sure shared even more and has zero regrets about it.
It is hard to believe Gale is straight because he is that good of an actor and just went fully into the role and really thought deeply about who Brian is. Ugh it hurts my heart to think about just because itâs so full of appreciation for Gale and Randy.
I think you could show him any media that was released while the show was airing. But maybe avoid anything more current? Until heâs done and his heart is broken. He is going to be so upset by all the back pedaling in s5. Which is the correct reaction.
(I kinda love how as a fandom weâre like this is on the writers because Brian would never. Justin would never.)
I have a specific approach I take when I have celebrity clients and I think I could be a therapist to someone Iâm a casual fan of. I could never be a therapist to someone Iâm actively in a fandom for. I would have to leave the fandom, for starters.
HE TOLD PEOPLE ABOUT THE RIMMING SCENE!?! Oh my god. Anon you have to at least have him listen to Randyâs podcast episode about bottoming where he essentially said that Justin was too naive to do any prep and therefore someone experienced would have never rimmed him without making him at least shower first.
However I will feel so much better about over sharing now. Because holy shit Iâve never overshared like that.
#ask winderlylandchime#dear sweet anon#queer as folk#a straight man watches qaf us 2000 in the year of our lord 2023
3 notes
¡
View notes
Note
Hi! I was wondering, for requests, maybe something fluffy for either Enoch or Nathan with him being a little lovestruck over the reader? Pick whichever one you think fits the prompt better or you think youâd have more fun writing!! Thank you!!
this feeling
Nathan Hale x reader
& Enoch Hale x reader
[a/n: hello! dear anon, please know that I love you. and bc I love you so much, I am doing both bc I love this prompt, and literally any Nathan or Enoch request have my entire heart. xoxo.]
Nathan:
Itâs the simple things, for Nathan at least, where he is standing in the room and watching you with bated breath. Itâs enough that you havenât quite heard him yet, and heâs allowed to admire you for a little longer.
As if he doesnât show it enough, or say it enough, the man is simply head over heels in love with you. To him, youâre perfect, even with your own few flaws that every human has, he can knowingly overlook them in moments of weakness.
Itâs a joy, to have you in his life, and he swears it that he wouldnât be the man he is without you.
Youâre humming to the song on the radio, hips swaying back and forth a bit as you continue mixing whatever was in the bowl in your arms.
Itâs suddenly become a little more difficult to not sneak up behind you and immediately have you in his arms. Nathan is stalling as long as he can to keep this going.
He thinks back to all those times where his mind has wandered to, where he realizes how much he needs you. Youâre so kind, so smart, just so overall beautiful, and he couldnât ever get enough of you if he tried.
Nathan Hale had his own flaws, but you always seem to have a way of pushing his worries away.
âHow long have you been standing there?â
Heâs been on his feet in the kitchen for a little longer than a good while, and he canât fight the rosiness that tints his ears in embarrassment.
âNot long,â
He tries, moving closer to you, noticing that the bowl was empty and the pan was gone, meaning whatever was in your arms prior was now being baked, and was in the oven.
âI feel like thatâs untrue,â
You smile, not able to fight it as he squeezes you into a hug, kissing your forehead with as much fervor as youâd expect from the man.
âNo, y/n. Definitely true, I promise.â
He hasnât let you go just yet, appreciating you up close. Nathan is smiling lovingly at the flour across your cheeks, a bit of batter on your chin, half tempted to kiss them away.
âWhatâs up with you?â
âNothing! Why canât I just admire you? I love you, so, so much.â
âAw, well, I love you so, so much too.â
You hold him tightly, arms resting on his hips as his arms reach around your shoulders.
âDonât know what Iâd do without you.â
He mumbles into the crown of your head, lips brushing against your skin as a shiver runs down your spine.
âSame here, Nate. Lifeâs better with you in it.â
He couldnât agree with you more.
Enoch:
For Enoch, itâs more of a moment in passing. Heâs getting ready to leave for the day, buttoning up his shirt as he shrugs on his overcoat, watching you as you brush your hair.
ââŚdidnât forget, did you?â
You ask, catching his gaze in the mirror, and the brunette raises his brow, realizing that heâs been caught staring and not listening.
âSorry, I didnât quite catch that,â
Enoch mumbles, crossing the room to stand behind you at the dresser. His hands come to your shoulders, holding them gently as he stares over the top of your head, waiting for the response.
âI was just asking if you had remembered that I will be home late tonight.â
His nose twitches, frowning slightly at the sentence. YesâŚhe had forgotten.
âOh, you had mentioned it earlier this week. Yes, I remember it now.â
Itâs hard to believe that the emotionally stiff man could ever be so down bad for you, but in true reality, Enoch isnât entirely sure what he would be doing if you werenât here.
When he had told Nathan about you, his brothers jaw had nearly fallen to the floor, absolutely absorbed in the fact that his elder brother had been so love-sick on someone.
Itâs a change of pace for him, but heâs here for it.
âDonât be so sad,â
You say, watching his eyes move downwards do the floor as he begins to work on his collar, hands moving from you.
âIt wonât be super late, I promise.â
âI understand, y/n, and please do not rush on my behalf.â
Enoch watches the way your smile forms, biting at your bottom lip to contain the laughter surely bubbling in your chest.
âI wouldnât dream of it, E.â
He loves every single thing about you, and if anything, the most gorgeous trait of yours is that you must have the biggest heart heâs ever known.
You are so kind, so caring and compassionate. You understand him, taken the chance to get to know himâ
Realistically, he could never ask for a better partner. Itâs you that has him wrapped around your finger, and though he would never say it, you know just the same.
And yet, you never abuse the fact. Pouting doesnât work on him, heâs got nerves of steel. You do know his one weakness, and thatâs what youâre doing right now.
âHmm. Must you, so early in the morning?â
âWhat? What did I say?â
Youâre lying, you know exactly what you did.
The silly nickname.
Itâs said with so much love, and to be honest, heâs never had such a heartfelt way of someone addressing him.
It makes him miss you even more, even though you have not left yet.
âStop it, y/n, or else I am not going to wait up for you tonight.â
You gasp, turning erratically from your spot as the man walks away, going to grab his bag from his desk.
âNo, wait. Iâll stop it.â
He smiles to himself, facing away from you, as you stand, grabbing your bag as well, almost ready to go.
âMhm. I thought so.â
âGoodbye, E.â
You say, slipping out the bedroom door, laughing as you hear him shout.
âI will be in bed, asleep when you get home!â
Heâs bluffing, surely, but you canât help the way your chest tightens when you hear him huff and hurry after you.
[a/n: I always call Nathan, âNateâ, and i thought Enoch might faint if you started calling him âEâ affectionately like that. He probably doesnât like babe, baby, or anything else, maybe âEâ is just the same thing for him. anyways, thank you nonnie, love you endlessly <3]
#sul writes#the dreamer comic#Nathan hale#Enoch hale#nathan hale x reader#captain nathan hale#nathan hale headcanons#the dreamer#idw the dreamer#Enoch hale x reader
5 notes
¡
View notes
Text
GOD sorry. i am once again thinking about how tragic kiryu is as a character bc it's hurting my feelings. idek if I've made this post before but fuck it I'll make it again.
he just wanted to protect the ppl he loved. he just wanted to love and be loved and that's literally it his entire life and everyone who despised him did so because he was too good or because he hurt them by protecting himself.
he swore up to prove something to his foster father with his childhood best friend. when he got into hot water by chance and that same best friend tried to kill him to save him from torture, he accepted it blamelessly. and when he came back to save kiryu, he welcomed him, despite having pushed him away after the whole attempted murder thing. when that same bestie shot their patriarch to protect their other childhood friend (who they were both in love with), kiryu took the fall, went to jail for ten years, and accepted the title of patriarch killer. all to keep himself from having to figure out a world without nishiki, or to have to watch him suffer like that. and when he got outta jail there was no one (minus majima) to welcome him. suddenly the daughter (presumed niece) of his love shows up and he's got to seek yumi out. in the process he loses friends in shinji and reina, his father in kazama, his love in yumi, and, of course, nishiki. basically everyone in his life is dead and he's about to go to jail before date tells him he's gotta step up for haruka because she needs someone. no matter how badly he wants to tap out of life and go back to wasting away in prison, he's got a responsibility to yumi's daughter, now his.
so despite living one of the worst possible months of his life, he takes her in. he's traumatized, obviously. he moves away from kamurocho (idr if it's out of kamurocho or just further away from the center, but it's not the same spot) and tries to raise haruka somewhat normally. he doesn't want to get wrapped up in further tojo business. he's the ex-chairman and a legend, but he's got a daughter to raise and he's very aware of how simply being around him can endanger her. but if he doesn't help the tojo, a lot of people are gonna die. so he has to help. has to find daigo and get him out of his funk. legit i don't remember the plot of yk2 that haruka's kidnapped again despite his best efforts. he gets stabbed. he's almost blown up. ryuji (supposedly) does, as does... idk.. that racist cop? there's probably someone else. point is him moving a bit away wasn't enough and he needs to cut things off entirely.
so he decides to leave. he moves cross country to okinawa, leaving the tojo (and thus his son daigo) in majima's capable hands (one of the few friends he can trust to take care of himself). he starts an orphanage, a dream of his stemming from his own childhood as an orphan. he just wants to give back, to help these vulnerable children. and for a couple of years it's alright he adjusts to raising 8 children. he thought he was in danger by the local clan, but he smoothes that conflict out relatively easily. it's alright. things are peaceful here. and then the local patriarch is shot. and daigo. his son is in a coma. and people are trying to take the land his orphanage rests on. so he's got to go back to protect his new life. he reconnects with majima and date and the others, and it's so tempting to stay, to be with them. but the orphanage is destroyed. rikiya is killed. it's been a couple years since someone's died in his arms and you can just feel that "oh god not again" feeling in that scene. daigo wakes up just in time to watch his boyfriend most trusted friend due by suicide for their sakes as redemption for almost killing him. after declaring his love for him of course. kiryu is stabbed, but recovers back in his rebuilt home. it is a little emptier, but mostly still intact.
i also legit forget 4's plot but like. a stranger washes up on his shore in a position kiryu was once in. he has to help him. and he just so happens to be majima's sworn brother. so he helps him back. then due to reasons i do not remember he's back in kamurocho and immediately finds out majima's getting arrested. it's daigo's doing and he has to beat him up about it. yasuko dies. idk it's a mess. he gains new allies but he is once again dragged back in. knowing this series he probably has another fakeout death idk
so, he's had enough. haruka wants to pursue her dream, and he's told outright that he can't be in the picture if she's to succeed. so he leaves. he moves far away to work on his own and provide for the orphanage from afar (unsuccessfully sneakily). he adopts a fake name. he drives a taxi. it's okay. he has a framed photo of the orphanage that he keeps facedown on its table. he's fine. daigo hops into his taxi one night. he did not want to be found. he can't do this again. he gives clipped advice. daigo disappears and kiryu is sought out to explain it. and suddenly he's back in it. again. and for the first time in the series he says outright that he cannot escape being yakuza. it's a part of him, and it will follow him forever. he's trapped. no matter what he does, sooner or later, he's going to get dragged (kicking and screaming) into a new conflict. he will be hurt and scared, and he will watch people die. people he could have saved, and failed to. the only thing he can do is run away from it all as fast as possible, because then, at least, the people he loves might be outside of the splash zone. and then majima dies. kiryu wasn't even in the same part of the coutnry as him, but he could have been... and now he has to investigate. and then he gets tied into a plot involving his daughter. they're trying to kill her this time. he cannot support her, even though she's come so far. she is so strong, and so like her mother. he can't even go near her, but he has to protect her, no matter the cost. and he fights. he fights incredibly hard and he's injured. his daughter finds him, having sacrificed her career and endured public scandal to reunite with him, because she doesn't think it's right to abandon her father for her career. he is bleeding out, and has nearly frozen to death. he doesn't believe she's real. he's hospitalized.
he doesn't even get to see some of his visitors before he's hauled off to jail. it's another few years. he can handle it. he waits, and he waits, entrusting the orphanage to haruka. her career is ruined, in a way, because of him. in the way mirei told him it would when she found haruka, when he agreed to leave. eventually, haruka stops visiting. just like the others when he was in for a decade. it's probably nothing. it's nothing. at the very least, he can't do anything about it now. and he finally returns to his children after three years in jail and months before that in fukuoka. and haruka's missing. she hasn't been there in years. so, immediately, he has to leave to find her, and bring her home. what's the point of sacrificing everything for family if you can't be together? so he does a bit of digging and it turns out she's in a coma. she was hit by a car. and she has a baby. she is around 19. kiryu is now a grandfather. no one knows who hit haruka, why (if there is a reason), or who the father is. child services doesn't recognize him, and is going to take the baby away, his baby's baby. so he kidnaps haruto. he starts seeking out answers. suddenly people are after the baby. of course they're after the baby. god, he's so tired. he gains a few more ducklings to chase after him and call him aniki. this hasn't gone well the past few times. one of them is haruto's father, unbeknownst to anyone but their patriarch. kiryu punches him through a glass door for being irresponsible. he goes on this big fucking thing to help everyone out yadda yadda. the patriarch dies. haruka wakes up and he and haruka, haruto, and yuta reunite. yuta promises to take care of her. he scolds her for leaving, even though it's a classic kiryu move. and it's here that he sits down and pens a letter to daigo. his will. it is here that he decided to die or fake his death, and leave it all behind. to cut himself out of their lives and their love completely, so that haruto, at the very least, could grow up in peace, with the loving family he deserved. no violence, two parents. a dream he could not provide haruka, or daigo, or any of the morning glory kids. they'll be okay now. he does not ask if he'll be okay. it doesn't matter anymore. he pens a letter to daigo admitting he feels as though he is daigo's father, and that he is a shitty one. he gives him one last piece of guidance before he disappears. it's a confession. (unbeknownst to kiryu, daigo reads this letter. he begins to refer to kiryu as his father directly. kiryu will never know his feelings are reciprocated by his son. he will never know the fondness the letter inspires in saejima and majima, two of his closest friends). he watches someya die for nothing, then another friend (the mama?? idr her name) die (he doesn't know she survives). he is tortured. he's getting too old for this. he fights, and it's bloody and desperate. it doesn't really matter if he dies anymore, because he'll be as good as dead soon anyway. he "dies" in his daughter's arms. he negotiates the faking of his death. and he returns to morning glory one last time to see haruto begin to walk. they don't need him anymore. it may be hard, but they are beginning to walk on their own. he's got to trust that they'll figure it out, eventually.
and that is the last time he lets himself see any of them. he's gone.
idk what his role in y7 is because i haven't gotten that far, but ik he's there. the trailer for y8 has him (w his kpop hair jdhsj) so it's not like he's disappearing completely. but at the very least during the kiryu saga that's it for him. that's the end of his story. god.
kiryu, a character defined by his love for and loyalty to others, is torn between protecting his two families, and someone always, always slips between his fingers. he is such a deeply passionate and warm and thoughtful perosn. literally all he does is try to help people dude. but because he's too fucking good at helping people everyone's in danger all the time. he is constantly torn between protecting the people he loves and the greater good, and he distances himself further and further from his loved ones because he just can't stop pulling them into hurricane kiryu. so he tries to separate himself from the love that's kept him going to the point of abandoning them completely just to protect them. in the fight between love and duty, love lost. he decided he wasn't able to protect them, and he left.
idk man.. i just think it's sad. he tried so hard and he definitely fucked up but so mucb of what happened was not his fault, not really. but does it matter when people's lives are at stake?
they're better off without him, anyway.
(p.s. i think this is part of what makes kiryu and majima such interesting foils when it comes to this kind of sacrifice. with makoto, majima quickly decided that she was far safer without him, and cut her out of his life. his entire adoption of the mad dog persona, to some extent, could be him keeping others distant for fear of entangling them in violence again. kiryu, on the other hand, tried desperately over and over again to protect people and failed until he finally came to the conclusion that majima did, that people like him are dangerous. that the noble thing to do is to avoid company out of love, to sacrifice your own happiness for others. to view that companionship as selfish. majima resigned to the fate kiryu fought for decades, and lost to. and once saejima's out of prison, majima slips right back beside him. and he cares for daigo, as promised. and he cares for kiryu. he's becoming closer to the people around him as kiryu's drifting away. (y3 is really where they intersect most in this, which is also why it's the most gay kazumaji-wise). god they just really won't let themselves be happy or love people even though they're such naturally caring people. what the hell. and part of why they don't quite distance themselves from each other is because they're both super duper strong. there's a safety there that numbs their protective instincts bc they're true peers. gah anyways love them)
#rgg#ryu ga gotoku#yakuza#kiryu kazuma#rgg analysis#god sorry i love him so so so much#kiryu is not perfect but he is trying so fucking hard and he's not having a good time of it
4 notes
¡
View notes
Text
more thoughts on this bc im insane:
- in many ways fran is sort of the opposite jane which works because jane eyre is a dramatic gothic romance & mystery whereas the nanny is a romantic comedy family sitcom.
- jane eyre was written by charlotte brontĂŤ and contains a lot of herself in it (source: the secret history of jane eyre, any charlotte brontĂŤ biography). the nanny was mainly created/written by fran drescher herself who played fran fine; even if she didn't write every line/episode, it seems like she not only invented the character entirely herself (even having the same name as it) but had final say over much of the creative process. so both are very influential female characters written by bold women who incorporated their lived experiences into their work. fran drescher wanted to give insight into the lived experience of working jewish women in nyc and their sense of humor whereas charlotte was a governess and wanted to explore that story. charlotte also famously wanted to write a heroine that was conventionally unattractive because she said that never happened back then. fran wanted the same but for women who often (especially in the 90s) are totally left out of the comedy scene.
- religion is a huge element of both heroines identities and can also explain alot of their differences. fran is jewish in the late 1900s USA and jane is christian in the early 1800s UK. i think they can be seen as representing the differences in womens experiences not only in time/place but also in their religions. im not christian or jewish so this is out of my grasp but it would seem that judaism is objectively a bit more accepting of women's power/sexuality (ie importance of matrilineal descent in judaism). jane's belief in redemption/forgiveness, her stoicism, and her leaving rochester to avoid the temptations of extramarital sex, as well as other major points in her arc, are all heavily informed by her religious beliefs. this matches pretty well with fran fine's jewish new yorker identity informing various aspects of her character and many running gags on the show like her brave outspoken nature, her passion for fashion, her love of good food, her love for & loyalty to her family which is what leads her to bond with the sheffield family so atrongly, etc.
- another contrast but i feel an important part of comparison is their unique relationshios to sexuality. i think both are ultimately empowering portrayals of female sexuality. this is also culturally dependent but fran is inherently sexually liberated and sex positive and that's a huge part of her character & the running gags in the show; she's confident, sexy, flirtatious, and sure of herself, even with sheffield mostly. i just looked it up and apparently its mentioned in the show that she was celibate for a few years before she marries mr. sheffield but she does go on hot dates and talks a lot about boys with the girls. as a child watching the show i just assumed she was sleeping with a lot of her dates but the reverse i can also see making sense and i find this more empowering now that im an adult because its a subversion of what most audiences would expect. anyway jane's history with sexuality is a bit different because its more about her struggle with sexuality regarding her inexperience compared to mr. rochester and her leaving him partly because she doesn't want to have extramarital sex with him but is obviously tempted (see: her comments on the potential of her being his "mistress" which directly allude to this, and her stopping herself from fantasizing about going off with him to his "pleasure villa" in france, among their kissing and basically all the subtext in their time together before she left). but jane does have an empowered view of sex in the way that she leaves st john partly because he lacks passion and lust for her which is what she partly desired in rochester (reciprocation of feelings in general but also specifically sexual feelings). you can argue like many do that rochester covets her virginity and that she's woefully repressed or even prudish. call it wishful thinking, but i think they'd probably have a really positive and explorative sex life, and i do think he would care about her pleasure and that she would be curious and positive about sex in general. i think charlotte partly implied this in the end when she talks about how they got married as quick as possible and had such a great time of it and immediately had a child.
- both are loving mothers and wives.
- both call their partners mr. (mr. sheffield, mr. rochester) and are sort of weirded out by calling them by their first names. its a whole thing in both stories.
- both have important relationships with their maternal relatives. but whereas jane's experiences are negative (she never knew her deceased mother, and her "adoptive" mother, her aunt reed, is abusive), fran's are positive (her mother/grandmother are very influential in shaping her to be the family-devoted and strong-willed woman she is).
- whereas jane is modest in the christian sense and shuns fashion (this being actually a really important source of tension which foreshadows her leaving rochester), fran is all about fashion to an overwhelming extent.
relevation: the nanny is jane eyre if it was a lighthearted TV sitcom set in 1990s nyc
you've got
- slow burn age gap romance between confident unique young poor woman who becomes an employee/nanny for a rich british asshole who has a soft side and the couple bonds through their funny banter. heroines are both clearly presented as having other romantic options aside from their employers and both consciously grapple with the pros and cons of pursuing the relationship before going for it
- plotlines about how heroine acts while adjusting to life after marrying the rich man
- heroine slowly becomes more mature/responsible as story progresses
- sweet growing bond between heroine and the child(ren) she looks after
- an entertaining housekeeper who knows too much
- a scheming woman who is close to the romantic hero and is a rival to the heroine
and i'm probably missing stuff...
#the nanny#sitcoms#comedy#literature#analysis#books#shows#tv#fran drescher#fran fine#jane eyre#charlotte bronte#charlotte brontĂŤ#comparison#contrast#my analysis
41 notes
¡
View notes
Text
heart-on.
âł your one-night stand definitely isnât relationship material, but maybeâjust maybeâyour managerâs son is.
â hoseok x reader â smut | strangers to lovers!au â 10.1k [1/1]
ââ my boss is always telling me how perfect her son would be for me and she promises heâs coming to the next holiday party and donât worry heâs heard all about me too and ALSO thereâs this dude i slept with once a couple of months ago and sometimes he still sends me dick pics when i ask him to at 3 in the morning cause seriously dudeâs got a good dick ââ
notes: welcome to the first installment of the serendipity series! weâre starting with hoseok, because, well, have you met me? đ¤ŁÂ be warned, however, that this isnât anywhere near as edited as iâd like so iâll probably give it another read/edit tomorrow but for now!!! here it is!!!
⢠series masterlist. | inspired by this post.
warnings: dirty talk bc hoseokâs got a bit of a mouth on him, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it, kids!), sexting. dick pics, obvi. brief mention of a dead pet goldfish :(
Youâre refilling your mug when you hear it. Voices filter out from the kitchen, floating past the coffee station where youâre pouring yourself another drink and hanging in the open air of the hallway that leads back to the rest of the office. Theyâre familiar voices, tooâvoices that belong to the resident gossips of your workplace. Lottieâs pitchy, nasal tone melds with Hyejinâs higher one, their conversation interrupted every so often by an exaggerated exclamation or gasp from Sandra, the third and final member of their trio.
âHavenât you heard? Carolynâs divorce was finalized over the weekend, the poor thing.â
âI canât even begin to imagine how sheâs feeling. I mean, getting back into dating at her age? Goodness!â
âAnd now sheâll be all alone at the holiday party, too. How sad is that?â
âItâs tragic. Poor thing.â
Rolling your eyes, you grab a packet of sugar and tear it open, upending it over your mug and watching the crystalline granules fall into the dark liquid within. You know for a fact that Sandra and her husband canât even stand to be in the same room for an extended period of time, considering how theyâd spent most of last yearâs holiday party talking to entirely different groups of people. Youâd sat two tables away from them during dinner, and they hadnât even made eye contact once. And as for Lottie and Hyejin, well, youâre certain that their relationships arenât much better. All three of them are miserable people as far as youâre concerned, and you make a mental note to check in on Carolynâa sweet woman in her thirties who always keeps chocolate bars in her purseâon your way back to your desk.
âSheesh. Vultures, the lot of them. Donât you think?â
You whirl at the sound of your managerâs voice. Kyunghee Jung is a dark-haired woman in her late fifties, and she laughs when she sees your startled expression, her eyes crinkling at the corners. âEasy! Youâll spill your coffee if youâre not careful.â
âIâll probably have a heart attack first,â you reply, pressing a hand to your chest. âWhat was your job before this? Some kind of intelligence operative? Are you a super spy?â
Kyunghee laughs again and joins you at the counter. âNothing even remotely as exciting as that,â she answers, plopping her mug down beside yours. Itâs decorated with what looks like every color of the rainbow, a massive smiling sunflower taking up the majority of the surface, and the only remnant of the ceramicâs original color is on the very edge of the handle where thereâs a lopsided little patch of white. The piece is clearly handmade, and a stark contrast to the simple mint green cup that houses your coffee. Looking at it, itâs impossible not to smile.
âI love that,â you remark, inclining your head at her mug. âWas it a present from one of your kids?â
âHoseok,â she confirms, running a fingertip along the imperfect handle fondly. âIâve told you about him beforeâheâs right around your age.â
You chuckle. âRight, I remember. Thatâs why heâs the perfect match for me, right?â
âCome now, thereâs more to it than that,â Kyunghee defends, waving a hand. âBut yes, to answer your question. He gave it to me as a birthday present when he was eight.â
âWell, you never told me he was an artist,â you tease. âDoes he have an Etsy? Can I buy one of these off him? Does he do custom orders, maybe?â
Normally, your manager is more than happy to play along with your jokes, but today Kyunghee fixes you with an uncharacteristically serious look. âWhy donât you ask him yourself?â she asks. âHeâs coming to the holiday party, after all. I figured you could finally meet.â
You blink. Kyunghee has been making offhand remarks about how well you would get on with her son, Hoseok, for over a year now, but youâve never even come close to broaching the topic of meeting him. You donât even know anything about the man beyond the fact that his name is Hoseok and that he works somewhere downtown. He also favors tall socks and yellow suspenders if the framed photograph on Kyungheeâs desk is any indicationâor at least, he certainly did when he was still in diapers. Whether he still does, is anyoneâs guess.
âWow, I had no idea he was even interested in coming,â you manage when youâve recovered from your surprise. âDid you bribe him?â
If Kyunghee notices that your voice is a few pitches higher than usual, she doesnât remark on it. âOh, you know. I just told him that this would be his last chance to score free booze on the companyâs dime.â She laughs. âThree more months and itâs going to be all beaches and sunshine for me. I might even become a cruise person in my retirement.â
You gasp and slap a hand to your heart. âKyunghee! Think of the environmental impact!â
âI said I might!â she retorts immediately. âSheesh. Even in my old age, itâs hard to conveniently forget how shitty and unsustainable those damn boats are.â
You pick up your mug and raise it in a salute. âWell, the oceans thank you.â
âMy husband doesnât,â she answers with a sigh. âHeâs been dying to book one of those trips that stop all along the Mediterrannean coastline, and I canât exactly blame him.â
âThat is tempting,â you admit. âYouâll have to send photos, if you do end up going.â
âYouâll be sick of me and my photos before the first day is even up,â she promises. Then she pauses, her eyes darting toward the kitchen where silence has fallen in the last few minutes. âSpeaking of being sickâyou think the vultures are still hovering around in there? I havenât had lunch yet, and I need the microwave.â
Obligingly, you edge a little closer to the kitchen doorway and poke your head around the frame, scanning for Lottie and her sidekicks. âCoast is clear. Enjoy your lunch, Kyunghee.â
She nods and raises her mug at you, returning your salute. âI always do.â
///
As soon as the work day ends, you fall into your usual routine. Your commute home is easily walkable on nicer days, and though the winter weather is brisker than youâd like, you decide to walk for the sake of stopping at the convenience store on the corner of the block.
Once you arrive back at your apartment, you change into your comfiest sweats and a loose tee. You turn on some music while you throw together some dinner, and settle onto the couch half an hour later with a full plate and Netflix. Television is a welcome distraction from the events of the workday, and you manage to get through three full episodes of your current show before your pesky brain decides to revisit the events of today, replaying the conversations that youâd both had and overheard.
Thereâs no denying that youâve been single for quite some time now, and for the most part, itâs been by choice. Ever since graduating from university, youâve chosen to focus more on your career, and itâs paid off both in terms of the important position you hold in your company and your above average salary. And yet, you canât help but think back to the gossip youâd overheard earlierâabout the supposed tragedy of being single and attending the upcoming holiday party alone. Your mind wanders to Kyungheeâs son, Hoseok, and how heâll be in attendance this year. You wonder what heâs like, and whether he really is perfect for you, as Kyunghee seems to be so fond of mentioning.
And then your mind goes to Jay.
You met Jay two months ago, on a well-deserved night out after a hellish workweek. The bar was crowded, and the music coming from the neon dancefloor in the back was just loud enough to drown out your inhibitions. That, combined with the alcohol swimming through your system, made you bold. You sashayed your way across the dancefloor, dodging inebriated bodies and swaying limbs as you fixed your attention on the head of pale lavender hair and deliciously broad shoulders that awaits you just behind the bar counter. The bartender is nothing short of gorgeous, and youâve thrown all caution to the wind. Sure, several other women are eyeing him like heâs their next mealâseveral men are, tooâbut you need another drink. And while he prepares it, you plan to flirt.
A lot.
The bar counter is sticky with spilled liquor, but you donât pay that any mind as you lean across it, the wood digging into the narrow strip of exposed skin left by your cropped top. âHi!â you call, and the bartender looks up from where heâs just finished pouring a round of shots for a group of raucous young men.
âHi yourself,â he says, his pillowy lips stretching into an easy smile. âWhat can I get you?â
You pretend not to notice the way his eyes flicker down to the dip of your cleavage and instead put on the sultriest smile you are capable of mustering. âVodka soda,â you tell him, injecting a bit of purr into your voice. âA bit of lemon too, if you have it.â
âTrust me, I have it,â he assures, his smile growing as he reaches for a clean glass and a clear bottle. âNameâs Jin, by the way. Iâm here all night, if you need anything eââ
A loud clatter and the sound of breaking glass interrupts the rest of his sentence, and all eyes at the bar go to the source of the disturbance. Conversations stutter to a halt, and even the thumping bass of the music seems to dull. Jin darts to the other end of the bar, where you can see that one of several barstools has fallen to the ground. Thereâs a man on the ground as well, surrounded by shattered glass and spilled dark liquor, and your eyes widen when you realize that you know him.
And arguably, a little too well.
âFuck,â you mutter under your breath. People are starting to lose interest in the spectacle, turning back to their own conversations and continuing on as if nothing had happened at all. The man is beginning to clamber to his feet, and a few people lend a helping hand as Jin begins barking out orders for everyone to step back so he can sweep up the broken glass. You seize upon the opportunity, latching on to the nearest arm and pulling them close so you can hide behind them. Vaguely, youâre aware of them sputtering in surprise, but you only have eyes for the man who had fallen off his stool, watching him carefully as he brushes himself off and tries to play it cool despite the sizable patch of whiskey soaking his white shirt.
âHey, uhâŚâ Your human shield is speaking. âAre you okay? Youâre squeezing me pretty tight.â
That draws you out of your daze. Abashed, you loosen your grip on his arm and look up into his face, your throat going dry when you realize how handsome he is. His black hair is parted over his forehead, a stray strand falling into warm brown eyes set above a straight nose and an inviting mouth. Thereâs a freckle above his top lip, just shy of the center, and your inebriated brain wonders just what it would be like to kiss it.
âI, umââ You clear your throat and try again. âSorry about that. I just didnât want him to see me.â
Your newfound companion raises an eyebrow and glances over his shoulder at the drunk man, who is now being ushered out of the bar by his buddies. âYou know that guy?â
You nod, cringing. âYeah, his nameâs Trent. I⌠may or may not have dated him for a few months last year.â
The man laughs out loud. âYou dated a Trent?â
âWhat, like youâve never made a questionable life choice?â you challenge. âBesides, you shouldnât judge someone based on the sins of their parents. Itâs not his fault they gave him a terrible name.â
âSure, but it is on him for going along with it,â he replies with a shrug. âI wouldâve changed my name as soon as I could if my parents had named me Trent. But hey, thatâs just one manâs opinion.â
You laugh. âOkay then, Not-Trent.â Relinquishing your grip on his arm, you let your fingers graze his hand before pulling away entirely. âWhat do you say we continue this conversation over a drink?â
The man, whose name is decidedly not Trent, catches your fingers in his and gives them a gentle squeeze. âHappily.â
One drink turns into two, and then three. By the end of the hour, you are feeling pleasantly warm, the alcohol spreading through your veins like molasses and turning your surroundings into a hazy blur. The music has grown even louder, pounding against your eardrums, and you grab onto Not-Trentâs wrist as he sets his now-empty glass back down onto the counter.
âDo you wanna get out of here?â you ask, raising your voice to be heard over the thumping bassline. âI canât even hear myself think.â
âThe parking lotâs out back,â he suggests. âWhy donât we get some air?â
You nod and stand up on wobbly legs, cursing your decision to wear heels when you stumble into your companion. He steadies you with a gentle but firm hand, and you donât miss the way his touch lingers on your lower back, his palm warm through the material of your blouse.
Together, the two of you pick your way through the throng of swaying bodies on the dancefloor. The bassline thuds in your ears, dark and hypnotic, and you can feel the reverberations thrumming across the slats of your ribs and echoing in the cavern of your chest like a second heartbeat.
Itâs almost a relief, then, when you step out into the cool night air. Your ears continue to ring for a few seconds, but it soon fades and leaves behind only the muted hum of traffic from the street and the faint sound of music from inside. At your side, Not-Trent releases a long breath and leans against the brick wall of the building, and you turn to take in the steep slopes of his side profile as he tilts his head up toward the velvety night sky.
Heâs handsome. Dressed in ripped jeans and black leather, heâs a sight to behold, and youâd be lying if you said you hadnât been craving a bit of intimacy for quite some time now. The alcohol swimming through your system makes you bolder than you normally would be, and you reach out to lay a hand on his arm. He turns toward you with a silent question glimmering in his irises, but you simply step closer, until youâre pinning him against the wall with your body and youâre breathing the same air.
âHey,â you say, your voice an airy whisper. His eyes are near obsidian in the dimness of the parking lot, illuminated only by the orange glow of the streetlamps on either end, and your gaze flickers down to his mouth before roving to the freckle that sits upon his top lip. âKiss me?â
Your companionâs eyes widen. His lips part, but no words come out, and youâre about to repeat your question when he finally finds his voice again.
âThatâs really⌠thatâs not a good idea.â Awkwardly, he clears his throat, but the hoarseness of his voice and the harsh bob of his Adamâs apple give away his true desires. âLook, youâve been drinking. We both have, andââ
You cut him off, pushing up to your tiptoes and planting a messy kiss to the soft dip just beneath his bottom lip. âDonât care,â you mumble against his skin. âI want you.â
Your companion laughs weakly. His hands find their way to your waist and pause there, as if he canât decide whether to push you away or pull you closer. âYou donât even know me,â he murmurs.
âI donât have to know you,â you reply. Your fingers drag down his chest, trailing along the delicate silver necklace that rests against the black of his shirt. From the chain hangs a round pendant, the surface engraved with the letter J. Slowly, you trace it with a fingertip, the metal shining even in the dim light, and satisfaction blooms in your heart when your companionâs throat bobs again. âI want you,â you breathe, soft but insistent. âIsnât that enough?â
âIââ He clears his throat and tries again, and you wonder if he realizes that his hands have slid down to your hips, or that thereâs a growing hardness against your lower stomach thatâs becoming increasingly harder to ignore. âLook, Iâm flatteredâreally, I am. And youâre⌠I mean, fuck, youâre gorgeous. But I donât think we should do anything when youâre clearly not in the right frame of mind to be making this kind of decision, andââ
âAnd, nothing.â You wind your arms around his neck, pressing close and grinding subtly against the bulge in his pants. You smirk when he releases a low hiss from between his teeth, and hide it by laying a trail of kisses along the stretch of bare skin exposed by the dip of his collar. âStop being such a gentleman,â you whisper. Your fingers trail down his chest, past the silver of his pendant and down to the faded denim of his jeans, teasing at the cool metal of his belt buckle. âI want this. But if youâre not interested, I can always go back in there andââ
The rest of your sentence dies in your throat. Your companion has tugged you flush against him in one smooth motion, and your gasp is cut off by the firm press of his mouth against yours. Immediately, you melt into the kiss, and a moan tears from your lips when he spins you around and pins you against the brick wall of the building.
âYouâre a spoiled little thing, huh?â His breath fans hot against your cheeks, and you shiver when you meet his eyes and see the dark promise reflected there. âUsed to getting what you want, huh, princess?â
Your breath hitches at the endearmentâsomething your companion doesnât miss. âOh, you like that?â He chuckles hoarsely, and when he speaks again itâs in a rasp that sends heat straight to your core. âWhat else do you like, hmm? You want me to be rough with you, princess? Or should I be gentle and treat you like a queen?â
You reach up, raking your fingers through his hair and skimming across the soft strands of his undercut before finding purchase at his nape. âYou talk too much,â you whisper.
And then youâre crushing your mouth back against his, whining when he immediately takes back control of the kiss. His grip slides downward, his fingertips digging into the skin just above the curve of your ass, and you squeak when he grabs the back of your thigh and hooks your leg around his waist.
âYou feel that?â he rasps into your ear, nipping at the delicate shell and chortling when you keen. Your skirt has ridden up dangerously high on your spread thighs, and you let out a soft whimper when he grinds harshly against your center. The lace of your panties and the denim of his jeans are the last barricades between you, and you wonder, vaguely, whether your companion has a bit of an exhibitionist streak when he slides one of your sleeves down your shoulder and begins kissing a trail down to the swell of your cleavage. âYou feel how hard youâve gotten me?â
You lean down, kissing the soft spot where his jaw meets his ear before letting your teeth graze against his skin. âWhy donât you do something about it then?â
He hisses out a sharp breath, his hands tightening their hold on your hips. âYouâve got quite the mouth on you, huh? I canât wait to make you eat your words.â
Any retort you may have had is interrupted by a sudden swell of music and the sound of a slamming door. Whirling to face the source of the noise, you immediately spot a familiar head of lavender hair atop broad shoulders encapsulated in the black uniform of the bar. Jin hasnât noticed the two of you yet, his attention fixated on his cell phone screen, but he looks up when you let out a little squeak of surprise and shove your companionâs chest in an attempt to create some distance between you.
âHey.â Jin raises a hand in greeting, a knowing smirk curling his lips. âThis phone call shouldnât be too long, so please. Donât stop the party on my behalf.â
Heat floods to your cheeks. There isnât much use protesting against his insinuation, considering the rather compromising position youâre in. Much to your relief, though, your companion simply huffs out a chuckle and waves Jin off. âThanks, man, but weâll get out of your hair.â Lowering his voice, he turns back to you. âComing, princess?â
You nod. He offers you his hand, and you take it gratefully, adjusting your skirt so that it drapes properly over your hips and thighs again.
âHave a good night!â Jin calls after you, amusement lacing every word. You canât work up the nerve to respond, and luckily, you donât have to. Your companion leads you around the corner of the building, where several rows of cars are parked beneath an orange streetlamp. On this side, the exterior brick wall is painted with a mural, and you admire the colorful galaxies and nebulae swirling amidst silvery white stars and the word serendipity spray-painted in pale blue.
The last car in the row is parked just beneath the letter Y, and itâs here that your companion stops. The sleek black vehicle has an almost vintage feel to it, and you glance up when you hear the jingle of metal.
âIâm guessing this is yours?â
He nods, pulling a set of keys from the pocket of his leather jacket and inserting one into the lock. âYeah. You like it?â
âItâs beautiful,â you tell him, tracing the edge of the passenger window âMakes my car look like a total piece of shit by comparison.â
Your companion chuckles, pulling open the driverâs side door, and you catch a glimpse of your reflection in the window as he presses a button to unlock the rest of the doors. Your hairâs a bit of a mess and your mascara has smudged beneath your right eye, and you hurriedly swipe at it as your companion turns his attention back to you.
âSo,â he says. âNow what? I can give you a ride home, if you want.â
Deliberately, you let your gaze drop down to his crotch, where his bulgeâalbeit waningâis still visible. âSeriously? I thought you were going to⌠what was it again? Make me eat my words?â
And just like that, itâs as if a switch has flipped. His eyes darken to obsidian, his lips settling into a stern line, and you barely have time to draw in a breath before heâs caging you against the side of his car and molding his mouth to yours. Your lips part beneath the onslaught, and he wastes no time in dipping inside to explore, licking into you until youâre both breathless.
âInside,â he breathes once youâve broken apart, and you instantly obey. You wrench the door open and all but tumble into the backseat, and he isnât far behind as he slots himself between your spread thighs. Your hands fly to his shoulders where you help him shuck off his leather jacket, tossing it carelessly to the front where it lands in a heap on the dashboard before focusing your attention on the hem of his black t-shirt. Your companion obliges you as you push it upward to expose his toned abdomen, grabbing it by the collar and pulling it off the rest of the way when your reach falls a little short in the cramped interior of the backseat.
âYour turn,â he whispers when you try to reach for his belt, his hands settling around your wrists. âItâs only fair, princess.â
Pouting, you let your hands fall limp in his grasp, and he chuckles as he leans down to pacify you with a kiss. Deft fingers find the hem of your blouse, pushing it up until you can twist out of the material. You throw it aside with no regard for where it lands on the ground, and lay back as your companion drinks you in, his dark gaze raking across the lacy black lingerie that decorates your curves and skims you like a second skin. âFuck,â he breathes, his voice hoarse with a combination of amazement and disbelief. âYouâre stunning.â
You smile, trailing a fingertip from the dip of his collarbone down to the silver necklace that sits prettily against his bare chest. âYouâre not so bad yourself,â you tell him, tracing the letter engraved into his pendant. âJay.â
Your companionânewly dubbed Jayâsmiles back. âYouâre something else, princess,â he murmurs, before leaning down to kiss you again. He explores your mouth thoroughlyâlanguidlyâbefore moving down to nip at your neck, and already, you can feel the beginnings of marks beginning to form, blossoming across your skin as irrefutable proof of your tryst.
It isnât long before Jay frees you from your bra, watching with carnal fascination as your breasts spill out of the lacy material. You whine when he reaches out to cup one, his palm hot against your bare skin, and he smirks crookedly when a pinch to your nipple makes your back arch off the leather of the seat. âSo pretty,â he rasps. âI canât wait to see how you look stretched around my cock.â
âStop waiting, then,â you tell him, trying again for his belt buckle. This time, he lets you fumble it open, leaning back to watch you work with hooded eyes and a lazy little smile. Emboldened, you push aside the denim of his jeans and free his cock from the confines of his underwear. Heâs hard and hot and heavy in your palm, and your tongue darts out instinctively at the sight of the pearlescent precum beading the tip.
âJay,â you murmur, thumbing across the head of his erection and smirking when he hisses in pleasure. âFuck me.â
Jay seems to consider your demand, mischief flitting across his features before he manages to school his expression into something more neutral. âWhere are your manners, princess?â he asks, pushing your hand away and giving himself a few long, slow strokes. âSay please, if you want it so bad.â
For a moment, you consider refusing. Jay seems to be the type of man who enjoys a good game, but between the state of his cock and the earlier interruption, youâre pretty sure heâs nearing his limit. And even if he isnât, you are. And so, you shelve your pride for the time being, and trail a hand down the length of your bared body as you bat your lashes up at him. âFuck me, Jay,â you repeat. âPlease. Want your cock so bad.â
His answering smile is equal parts amusement and satisfaction, and altogether sinful. âThatâs my girl,â he rasps, before shoving your panties aside. Lining the head of his cock up, he enters you in one smooth thrust, and you moan as your walls stretch to accommodate his girth. Youâre more than wet enough to take him in his entirety, your eyes fluttering shut when he bottoms out, and he groans hoarsely as he takes a second to relish the feeling of your walls gripping him so tightly.
âFuck. Youâre so wet, princess.â Jay dips a thumb into your slick, spreading it across your clit and rubbing a few experimental circles around the sensitive nub. He groans when you clench around him, his hips stuttering, and you squeeze around him again just to hear him grit out another curse. âShit. Iâm not going to last long at this rate.â
âDonât care,â you murmur, rocking against him and sighing when the motion sends him a little deeper into your core. âJust fuck me, Jay. Please.â
Jay leans in, a dark lock of hair falling across his forehead as he plants an indulgent kiss on your waiting mouth. âAnything for you, princess,â he breathes. Slowly, he pulls back until only the tip of his cock remains inside you. Then heâs slamming forward, and you canât even find it in yourself to care about the obscene sound of skin slapping against skin or the way the car rocks. Jayâs thumbing across your clit in tight circles that he times perfectly with the rock of his hips, and you wonder whether the rapidly building pleasure in your belly is due to your dry spell or if heâs just that good. You can feel every inch of him as he fills you up repeatedly, his brows furrowed in concentration and his dark hair flopping as he drives deeper in search of the spot that will have you seeing stars.
You know heâs found it when the pleasure in your belly spikes, your back arching off the backseat. Your skin is sticky against the dark leather and youâre certain the sweat gathering at your temples has destroyed the last of your makeup, but Jay alleviates your concerns with a particularly well-timed thrust and a harsh nip to the soft spot at your clavicle. You keen out something unintelligible, and his lips stretch into a smirk against your skin.
âThatâs it,â he encourages. âCum for me, princess.â
Thatâs all it takes for the mounting pressure to snap. Your body collapses into a searing orgasm, the pleasure flaring out like a supernova and spreading through your veins like wildfire. âF-fuck, Jayââ you gasp, your fingers scrabbling at his back for purchase and no doubt leaving scratches in their wake. âFuck, you feel soââ
The remainder of your words trail off into garbled nonsense, and Jay huffs out a strained chuckle as he begins chasing after his own orgasm, rutting against you in a way that both prolongs your pleasure and sustains his own. âShit,â he groans, his eyes fluttering shut. âFuck, thatâs it. Look at youâtaking my cock so well. So pretty and perfect andââ
Whatever he was going to say dissolves into a groan as he gives a few more erratic thrusts before his release overwhelms him. Creamy warmth floods through you, and you rub his back tiredly as his head drops onto your shoulder, his breath flaring hot against your skin as he rides out his orgasm.
It takes several long seconds for the pleasure to recede. Your legs are still shaky when Jay pulls away, straightening up and tucking himself back into his jeans. Thereâs an empty ache in your core now that you are no longer stuffed full of his cock, and already, you are missing the feeling. Still, you push that aside as you sit up, adjusting your panties and wincing at the wetness that soaks the material and sticks to your skin.
âSo,â Jay says after a momentâs silence, and you glance over at him when he huffs out a short chuckle. âThat was fun.â
âNot bad at all,â you agree weakly, an irrepressible smile tugging at your lips.
Jay grins. Itâs a bright, infectious grinâand itâs one that youâve already grown rather fond of in the short period of time youâve known him. Itâs a grin that showcases his perfect teeth and crinkles his eyes into crescents, and one that all but forces you to grin back.
âHere, give me your phone,â he says, and you watch as he punches in his number once you hand it over. âJust in case you ever wanna do this again,â he tells you, handing it back. âDonât be a stranger, princess.â
You glance down at his contact information, saved under the moniker youâd given him and affixed with a short string of emojis. âI wonât,â you tell him, chuckling. âIn fact, I just might take you up on the offer.â
-
The screen of your laptop has long since gone dark, and you stretch your arms overhead before waking it again. Rolling your shoulders, you navigate back to the main Netflix menu, hovering over the resume button and watching the trailer loop in the background.
Youâd be lying if you said you didnât think about Jay often. Youâve texted each other quite often since that night in his carâusually when youâre bored and alone and have had a few too many glasses of wine in the evenings. Youâve found yourself tapping on his name instinctively during those odd, ambiguous hoursâwhen late night and early morning meld together and youâre aching for a bit of relief.
And as if he knows youâre thinking about him, your phone buzzes against the coffee table, the screen lighting up with a familiar name.
[11:22pm] Jay đđđŚ: thinkin about u, pretty girl đ
Itâs followed by an image, and your heart rate picks up, thudding loudly against your ribs as you open it.
Fuck.
Your memories of Jayâs faceâmade all the more hazy by the alcohol and the amount of time elapsed since your first and only meetingâtruly donât do him justice. Though the photograph cuts off just above his nose, you can still admire the sharp angle of his jaw and the fullness of his puckered lips. His skin is golden against the white of his t-shirt, and you lick your lips before thumbing across your screen to respond.
[11:23pm] You: yeah? what else are you thinking about, hmm?
His response is instantaneous.
[11:23pm] Jay đđđŚ: thinking about that pretty little pussy of yours
[11:23pm] Jay đđđŚ: how good it looked in that pic u sent me tuesday đ
You barely even notice the way your hand begins trailing down your body, pushing aside the elastic waistband of your sweats. Itâs as if youâre on autopilot, as your fingers find their way to the damp spot growing on your panties.
Yeah? you write back with your free hand, already teasing at your clothed folds with the other. Tell me more.
///
Itâs an uncharacteristically warm Friday morning when you find yourself in the elevator with Jimin, a good friend of yours who works on one of the lower levels of your office building. âMorning,â he says as he steps in, a large iced coffee in hand despite the fact that itâs still very much the middle of winter. Then he squints, leaning a little closer. âOh my god. You got laid!â
âOh my god, not so loud!â you hiss, whacking him on the shoulder and jabbing the button to close the elevator doors. âAnd no, not exactly. Iâve just been texting Jay.â
âTexting, sure.â Jimin mimes air quotes around the word and rolls his eyes. âYouâre sexting him, and we all know it. How many pictures of his dick do you have saved on your phone now?â
âOh myââ You sigh, trailing off. âCan we not talk about this right now?â
âRight, of course.â Jimin takes a sip of his coffee and pretends to check his watch. âWhen would you like to talk about it then? Do you need to check your calendar? Can I book an appointment for later this afternoon?â
You stick your tongue out at him. âShut up.â
Jimin just grins, his lips puckered around his straw. âSo, howâs Jay? Have you asked for his real name yet?â
You shrug. âWhatâs the point? Itâs not like weâre friends or anything. Weâve literally only met the one time.â
âYeah, but thatâs just because youâre a coward,â Jimin points out. âWhatâs stopping you from meeting up with him again? You have his number. You have at least one photo of his dick. Ask him out already!â
âItâs not that easy, though,â you sigh. The elevator doors open to let a few more people in, and you move to the side and lower your voice so that only Jimin can hear. âJayâheâs not exactly boyfriend material. I mean, we fucked in his car the first night we met.â
âSo?â Jimin frowns and takes another sip of his iced coffee. âYou talk about things besides sex, donât you? You definitely told him about your goldfish dying, at least. I mean, you told him before you even told me!â
âYes I did, and he was appropriately sympathetic about Mustacheâs passing, unlike some people,â you sniff. âGet over it already, wonât you?â
âNever,â Jimin replies, ignoring your pointed jab. âIâm sure you only told him because you knew you could get a sympathy sext out of it. How many dick pics did you get out of that night, anyway?â
âYouâre gross,â you tell him, punching him in the arm. âNot to mention thatâs exactly why Jayâs not boyfriend material. Heâs perfectly happy withâwhatever it is weâre doing. I canât just ruin that by asking him to get dinner.â You frown, gnawing on your bottom lip. âI donât want to make this into something that itâs not.â
Jimin hesitates. âFine, okay. I guess I can understand that.â
âYeah.â
Thereâs a pause, as the elevator makes a few more stops. You watch the numbers crawl higher, and know that youâll soon have to part ways with your friend..
âHey.â You nudge Jimin with your shoulder, just as the elevator doors close and you begin the ascent to his floor. âWanna know something interesting?â
Jimin looks up from his phone, where heâs scrolling through Twitter. âAlways.â
âMy bossâ son is coming to the party tomorrow.â
Jiminâs eyebrows disappear into his ashy blond hair at your revelation. âKyungheeâs son? Hoseok, or whatever?â
You chuckle. âThe one and only. Sheâs found about a million ways to bring him up in conversation this past week. She thinks weâre a match made in heaven.â
âWow.â Jimin releases a long breath. âI wonder what heâs like, then.â
You shrug, adjusting the strap of your work tote over your shoulder. âI guess weâll find out, wonât we?â
///
The morning of the party, you wake up to an empty refrigerator. Half stale cereal and the last dregs of milk from the carton become your breakfast, and you munch on that as you mull over the contents of your closet. Youâre still in your pajamas, but you pull out your comfiest jeans and a sweater to change into after you finish eating. Then you turn to your collection of dresses, rifling through them and mentally debating the merits of each material and color.
You could go in one of two directions tonight. On the one hand, this is still a work party, and as such your attire should probably maintain a certain level of decorum. But on the other, youâre meeting Hoseok Jung for the first time tonight. You arenât necessarily looking to start anything with the man, of course, but you do want to look good. With that in mind, you eventually settle on a deep red number that you pull out of the very back of your closet, made of a silky material that skims your curves and accentuates your best assets. Laying it on the bed, you begin your hunt for a pair of matching shoes. Twenty minutes of searching and another five of agonizing later, you step into the bathroom, intent on showering and getting on with the rest of your day.
Upon exiting the bathroom, you decide that tackling the state of your refrigerator takes top priority over your other weekend errands. Sitting down at the dining table, you take stock of what you have in your pantry, planning out your meals for the upcoming week and making a list of what you need to purchase in order to make them a reality. Itâs just after one in the afternoon when you exit your apartment with a completed grocery list and your purse stuffed full of reusable canvas bags. The store is a short walk from where you live, and you decide to put in your earbuds as your feet navigate the familiar route. The temperature is surprisingly mild for winter, and the sun shines bright from its perch in the cloudless blue sky. Itâs perfect weather for a walk, and the fresh air clears your mind and eases your heart.
At the grocery store, you forego the stack of baskets and instead grab a shopping cart. Weaving your way up and down the aisles, you check items off the list on your phone one by one. Eventually, you find yourself in the cereal section, grabbing a box of granola before turning to where your favorite cereal normally sits. It isnât there, and you turn in a full circle, confused, until your gaze finally lands on the familiar box on the top shelf.
Great.
Sighing, you push up to your tiptoes, stretching your arm as far as it can reach. Your fingertips graze the shelf, but you canât quite get a grip on the box itself. Glancing down, you scan the bottommost shelf and wonder if you can step on it to give yourself a boost.
âNeed a hand?â
The voice comes from behind you, and a vague sense of familiarity sparks in your brain. Slowly, you turn around, and your entire body freezes when your gaze slides up to the speakerâs face.
âJay.â The syllable escapes you in a near whisper. âH-hi.â
âHey.â
Jay stands before you, looking like sin incarnate in a faded denim jacket, black sweatpants slung low on his hips, and not much else. At his throat, his silver necklace sparkles, the silver J pendant glinting beneath the fluorescent lights of the store, and youâre suddenly beyond grateful that you decided to put on a decent sweater before leaving.
âHere,â he says, stepping forward until heâs close enough that you can smell his cologneâsandalwood tinged with sweet citrus. âLet me help you with that.â
The sudden proximity has your breath hitching in your throat. Your heart thuds erratically against your ribs as he reaches around you, the denim flaps of his jacket gaping in a way that exposes even more of his bare chest. By the time he pulls back with your cereal box in hand, you feel almost faint, belatedly realizing that youâd been holding your breath.
âYou wanted this, right?â Jay asks, and you arenât sure if youâre imagining the innuendo underlying his words or the teasing inflection of the syllables.
âY-yeah, thatâs the one,â you manage, fighting to quell the uneven tempo of your heartbeat as you accept the box. âThanks.â
âHappy to help,â he replies. Then he leans in, close enough that you can feel his warm breath fanning your cheek as he murmurs his next sentence into your ear. âAnything for you, princess. You know that.â
Heat floods across your cheeks. Your heart skips two full beats before taking off into a sprint, and itâs impossible to ignore the way your core begins to thrum, as if anticipating a repeat of that night you first met all those weeks ago. Almost instinctively, your eyes dart up to the ceiling where the security cameras are, and Jay follows the trajectory of your gaze with a low chuckle and a soft brush of your cheek with the pad of his thumb.
âSorry, princess. As much as Iâd love to get my hands on you, Iâm kind of on a time crunch today.â
You canât stop the wave of disappointment that washes over you, even if youâre in the exact same boat. âRain check, then?â
âRain check,â he agrees. Slowly, you reach up to touch the engraved silver pendant resting against his chest, rubbing it between your fingertips before tracing the curve of the J, and he catches your wandering fingers between his and presses a gentle kiss to your knuckles.
âYou know how to reach me,â he murmurs with a mischievous wink. His gaze lingers even after heâs released your hand, and you clear your throat awkwardly before turning to deposit your cereal box into your shopping cart.
The two of you go your separate ways then, exchanging goodbyes. You finish the rest of your grocery shopping in a daze, idly going through the motions at checkout and letting muscle memory guide you back home. Your arms are aching by the time you step past the threshold of your apartment, and you heave your shopping bags up onto the kitchen counter with a relieved sigh before returning to the entryway to toe off your shoes. You throw together a sandwich as you unpack your groceries, taking a big bite as you walk back to your bedroom to look at the dress youâve picked out. Pacing over to the closet, you double-check your shoe choice. Briefly, you debate whether or not to wear flats instead of heels.
There are still a few hours left before you have to start getting ready, so you take the last of your sandwich back to the kitchen and whip up a smoothie to go with it. You scroll through your phone as you eat, browsing through the latest news headlines and scrolling through your social media accounts. Just before six oâclock, as the sun starts setting beyond the horizon and casting long shadows across your living room, you start getting changed. You snap a photo in the mirror once youâre dressed, pulling up Jiminâs name in your phone and sending it to him.
[6:13pm] You: last chance to come tonight
Your phone buzzes with a response almost immediately.
[6:14pm] Jimin: nah. iâd hate to step on hoseokâs toes.
You laugh. Not so fast, you text back. We donât even know anything about the guy yet. What if heâs boring? Or sexist?
[6:15pm] Jimin: if u think kyunghee raised a sexist youâre seriously deranged
[6:16pm] Jimin: now stop taking selfies and get your ass out the door! youâre gonna be late!!!!
///
Each year, the holiday party tends to be a little over the top, and this year is no exception. The company has bought out the entirety of a restaurant for the evening, and you glance around in amazement at the twinkling lights and lush evergreen boughs decorating the walls and strung up along the ceiling. An assortment of sparkling ornaments hangs from the massive tree in the far corner, interspersed between silver tinsel and more lights. Grabbing a champagne flute off a passing serverâs tray, you head farther into the restaurant, skirting around tables draped in creamy linen and greeting your colleagues and friends.
âIs she alone?â
âFigures.â
The voices come from the direction of the open bar, and somehow, you just know that theyâre talking about you. Lottie, Hyejin, and Sandra are clustered in the corner with glasses of wine in hand, casting glances around the restaurant and gossiping about anything and everything with a pulse. Youâre sorely tempted to grab the nearest pitcher of water off a table and pour it over their heads, but you suppress the urge and instead head over with a saccharine smile. âSo lovely to see you, {Name},â Lottie says as you approach.
âI love your dress,â Sandra adds. âVery slimming.â
âThanks,â you reply, putting on your brightest, fakest smile. âYours is great too. How are you and your husband enjoying the party so far?â
Sandraâs face sours, and you hide your smirk in your champagne flute. Maybe itâs petty to bring up her rocky relationship, but youâve been subject to snide comments from Sandra and her friends for years now and itâs become increasingly hard for you to bite your tongue. A few tables away, you spot Sandraâs husband, Rodney, take an enormous gulp of his whiskey and wince as it burns down his throat.
âWeâre all having a wonderful time, arenât we, ladies?â Lottie cuts in when Sandra takes too long to answer. âHyejinâs date is over there with Rodney, and my boyfriend is fetching himself a drink. You remember Dev, donât you?â
You nod, even though itâs a lie. âSure. Say hi to him for me.â
Lottieâs lips curve up into a smile, her head tilting to the side, and youâre suddenly reminded of a snake rearing its head back for the kill. âSo, what about you? Have you brought someone tonight, orâ?â
âHi ladies!â Kyunghee materializes at your side, her lips painted a festive red shade to match her dress. Sheâs wearing the disingenuous smile that she reserves for the resident gossips of your office, and you try not to let your relief show on your face when Lottieâs attention refocuses on your manager.
âSo good to see you, Kyunghee,â she simpers. âHave you been here long?â
âNot as long as you,â your manager replies, nodding at the near-empty wineglass in her hand. âI see weâre already making a dent in the wine supply, and youâre falling behind, {Name}. Why donât we go remedy that, hmm?â
She doesnât give you a chance to respond, grabbing your arm and leading you away. Kyunghee is surprisingly spry for a woman her age, and you follow after her with some difficulty as she marches through the throngs of conversing people, all the way to the line at the open bar.
âIâd like you to meet someone,â she says, gesturing at the man standing at the end of the line with his back to you. â{Name}, this is my son, Hoseok.â
The man turns around at the sound of his name, a warm, affable smile stretched across his face. âHi, Iâm Hââ he begins, but heâs cut off by your sharp intake of breath. His eyes go wide, his smile fading as his mouth falls open, and youâre certain youâre wearing an even more dumbfounded expression. âItâs you,â he says, his voice hoarse.
âWh-what⌠howâŚâ You trail off, speechless. The words flounder and die in your throat as your brain struggles to process this development, and you practically feel the way the gears in your head churn to a stuttering halt.
Because this man standing before you, the one that Kyunghee has just introduced as her son, is none other than Jay. He looks completely and utterly devastating in a navy waistcoat and matching slacks, a green tie shaped like a Christmas tree knotted loosely around the white collar of his shirt. His dark hair is parted, his undercut exposed, and you canât tear your gaze away from the loose strand that has fallen across his forehead.
âH-hi.â
JayâHoseokâswallows. âHi.â
Kyunghee glances between the two of you, her brows furrowing. âI take it you two already know each other?â
Hoseokâs ears begin taking on a scarlet tinge, the color spreading to his cheeks as he struggles to find his vocabulary again. âIâyeah. Yeah, weâve met.â
âRight. Do I even want to know how?â she asks dubiously, before shaking her head and huffing out a sigh. âNo, forget I asked. I donât want to know. Iâll just leave you two to⌠catch up.â
Waving goodbye, Kyunghee disappears back into the crowd of partygoers milling around. Hoseok turns back to you, sucking in a deep breath, and you fight the urge to stare down at your toes as his gaze roves across your face.
âI canât believe this,â he says, breaking the silence thatâs fallen between you at last. âMy momâs been talking about you for months, but I never imagined that itâd be you.â
âYouâre telling me,â you reply, finally having recovered your voice. âKyunghee brings you up all the time, but I never thought⌠I mean, we didnât even know each otherâs names, and nowâŚâ You shrug. âHere we both are.â
âItâs a pretty crazy coincidence, huh?â
âDefinitely.â
A beat passes, and then two. Youâre fully aware that youâre staring, but you donât dare blink, afraid that heâll disappear if you close your eyes. Of all the things that you thought might happen tonight, this particular meeting wasnât even close to making the list. Never would you have thought that the man you only knew as Jay would turn out to be Kyungheeâs son. Never would you have connected Jay to the photographed little boy in yellow suspenders on Kyungheeâs desk, or realized that they were one and the same.
From behind you, someone loudly clears their throat. Another voice calls for you to get a move on, already, and both you and Hoseok belatedly realize that you are still standing in line for the open bar. Hoseokâs eyes go wide again, and you nearly tread on his toes when you both try to move forward. âAfter you,â he says with a chuckle, gesturing for you to go in front of him, and thatâs enough to break the tension. You step ahead of him with a laugh, catching up to the line, and Hoseok doesnât stray far as he follows your lead.
âSo, what are you drinking?â he asks, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. âVodka soda with a twist?â
âActually, I think Iâm going to stick with wine tonight,â you reply, peering at the bottles lined up on the counter. âWhat about you?â
âHmm. Jack and coke, I think. Nothing else is really calling my name right now.â
Grabbing your drinks, the two of you begin searching for a place to sit. You spot Kyunghee at a table near the front, and she smiles knowingly and offers you a thumbs-up when she catches your eye. Eventually, you settle on a table near the Christmas tree, the lights glimmering off the glasses and reflecting off your knife as you pick it up to butter a slice of crusty bread from the basket in the center. Hoseok follows your lead, grabbing a piece for himself, and the two of you munch in silence for a few seconds before Hoseok breaks it.
âYou know, my mom says youâre the perfect girl for meâ he says with a dry little chuckle. âThink sheâs right?â
âI donât know,â you answer. âItâs funny, thoughâKyungheeâs been telling me the same thing. She sings your praises all the time.â
Hoseok laughs and scratches the back of his neck. âOh, jeez, thatâs kind of embarrassing. Iâm glad sheâs saying good things, at least.â
âYou donât have to worry about that,â you tell him, grinning. âSheâs only shown us one photo album from your childhood.â
His face crumples. âWas it the Disneyland one?â
You nod, fighting back laughter, and watch as Hoseok groans and lets his forehead meet the linen-covered tabletop with a dull thunk.
âI donât like rollercoasters,â he mumbles into the tablecloth, his voice muffled by the material. âThey make me queasy.â
âEven now?â you ask, and he nods.
âYep.â
The clinking of a fork against a wineglassâamplified and broadcast through an array of invisible speakers built into the restaurantâs wallsâinterrupts any further conversation. You twist in your seat to watch your companyâs leadership give their opening remarks, listening as they congratulate everyone for a great year and wish you a happy holiday season. The servers begin going out with plates of food, and you thank them as they set yours down. Hoseok does the same before raising his glass in your direction, clearing his throat and offering you a crooked little smile.
âHereâs to second meetings.â
âThird, if you count the store earlier,â you correct, and he chuckles and nods in agreement before clinking his drink against yours.
You spend the entirety of dinner chatting with Hoseok, getting to know him beyond the few facts Kyunghee has mentioned and what little youâve gleaned from texting him the last two months. He tells you all about his dance studio, Hope World, where he teaches both contemporary dance and the occasional Pilates class. You find out that in addition to rollercoasters, he also dislikes sour foods and raisins, but he loves mint chocolate and sweet and sour pork. He also has a very low tolerance for alcoholâsomething he tells you as he tilts the rest of his drink into his mouth. âShould I be worried?â you ask as he sets his glass back down, and he chuckles and shakes his head, sending the loose tendril of hair flopping across his forehead.
Dessert is served, and subsequently eaten. The music is turned up, and people slowly begin finding their way to the open space that serves as an impromptu dancefloor. Hoseok rises to his feet and extends a hand toward you, and you only hesitate for the briefest of seconds before accepting it. He leads you out amongst the other swaying couples, his hand finding its way to the curve of your waist, and you rest your hand on his shoulder as he begins guiding you in a slow, simple waltz.
âSo?â Hoseokâs voice is a low murmur, soft and gentle against the shell of your ear. âWhatâs the verdict?â
You blink. âThe verdict?â
Even without looking, you can tell that heâs smiling. You can hear it in the lilt of his voice, and imagine it in the curve of his lips. âAbout me,â he clarifies, carefully pulling back so you can spin in a circle beneath his outstretched arm. âAbout us. My mom will never let me hear the end of it if she turns out to be right, but I still wanna know. So what are you thinking?â
âAre you asking if I think weâre perfect for each other?â you ask, giggling. âI donât know if I believe in all that, to be quite honest. Destiny and soulmatesâI mean, doesnât it seem a little too good to be true?â
Hoseok hums. âMaybe. But considering all thatâs happened to us in the last couple of months, donât you think thereâs a chance that it's all more than simple coincidence?â
âMaybe,â you concede. âStill, I donât know if I can give you a verdict just yet. We havenât even gone on a date.â
âWe did do things a little backwards,â Hoseok admits, tugging you close and winding his arm around your waist. âLet me make it up to you, then. Are you free tomorrow?â
âWhat if I am?â you challenge.
âThen, Iâd like to take you out for breakfast,â he replies without missing a beat.
The prospect of a proper meal with Hoseok Jung does something funny to your insides. Still, something makes you hesitate, and you avert your gaze as you search for your next words. âI wasnât expecting to end tonight with a date,â you admit slowly. âI honestly didnât even think you were interested in⌠well, anything beyond sex, to be honest.â
Hoseokâs face creases into a frown, and you look up again when he murmurs your name. âI understand why you would think that,â he says. âReally, I do. But honestly? I had every intention of texting you and asking you out properly. I was going to play it cool and wait a few days, which was stupid in retrospect. And then you texted me first.â
âI texted yââ You trail off. âOh, god.â
âIt seemed like youâd been drinking,â Hoseok says with a shrug, and you press a finger to his lips before he can say anything more. You remember the night in question, and you remember the bottle of wine youâd consumed. And you definitely remember the photographs youâd sent of yourself, and the ones Hoseok had been kind enough to send in return.
âWait, so you were going to ask me out? And then I⌠I sexted you?â
Hoseok nods, and you groan and bury your face into his chest.
âI canât believe this,â you mutter, and you feel laughter rumble through his chest before a hand comes up to stroke along your back.
âBelieve me, Iâm not complaining,â he assures you. âBut Iâd still really like to take you out, so what do you say?â
His gaze doesnât leave yours for a second as he awaits your answer, and your heart skips a beat when you look up to see the earnestness in his eyes and the hesitant smile playing at the corners of his mouth. âBreakfast sounds wonderful,â you whisper, and the smile that blossoms on your companionâs face is nothing short of radiant.
âGood,â he says. âGreat. Breakfast tomorrow, then. Now, can I kiss you?â
Youâre already pushing up to your tiptoes, your fingers fisting in the soft hair at his nape. âGod, yes.â
///
âHey, you made it!â
You beam. âHi.â
You and Hoseok are about to commence your first date, having just sat down at a cozy little cafĂŠ for breakfast. Hoseok has pulled your chair out in true gentlemanly fashion, and you canât help but smile over your menu at the few lingering snowflakes that have yet to melt into his dark hair.
âSo, here we are,â you remark. âOur fourth meeting.â
Hoseokâs lips stretch into his signature grin, breathtakingly bright and infectious. âAnd hopefully many more.â
You grin at him. âYeah? Too bad this is breakfast, because Iâd drink to that.â
He leans forward, his grin widening. âNext time,â he says as his hand finds its way around yours, his fingers slotting comfortably into the spaces between your own. âWe can do dinner, maybe. Or I can cook for you. But for now, Iâm just happy that weâre finally doing this.â
You give his hand a soft squeeze. âMe too.â
âJust promise me one thing?â
The sudden seriousness of his tone has your brow furrowing in concern. âSure, of course,â you reassure. âWhat is it?â
He winces. âPlease donât tell my mom about all the dick pics.â
#hoseok#hoseok smut#hoseok x reader#bts smut#bts scenarios#hoseok scenarios#jhope#jung hoseok#bts#bts fanfic#bts fanfiction#bts fic#kpop scenarios#hoseok x you#strangers to lovers!au#strangers to lovers#lia writes#gonna change that stupid summary if i can think of anything better LOL#my brain went all mushy on me idk what's happening
2K notes
¡
View notes
Text
Get To Know Me Better - Tag Game
I was tagged by @friendly-neighborhood-ghoul, my love <3 Thank you for the tag, babes! (i also added some bc why not)
Relationship Status: Single, not looking for anyone. TaKeN bY jEsUS my ass. Mentally dating Billy Hargrove, however.
Favourite Color: Baby blue and baby pink, pastel colors.
Favourite Food: (I have never been so tempted to say âur momâ than I am right now) Chocolate Ice-Cream.
Song Stuck In Your Head: TBH thereâs like 20 songs going on at once right now but I have to pick one. Betty by Yung Gravy (heâs so hot for what omg).
Favourite Song: itâs basic to say Running Up That Hill right now so Iâm not gonna. It Wasnât Me by Shaggy.
Last Thing You Googled: How do I become Joseph Quinn or how do I make myself famous and likeable to date him (no results showed up lmfao :()
Time: 7:48PM
Dream Trip: My dream is to meet my best friend, @will-byers-is-my-boyfriend at some point in my life. â¤ď¸
Last Book You Read: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover (no, I havenât finished it, I just started it).
Last Book You Enjoyed Reading: Steddie Fanfiction. No itâs not a book but shush I donât follow rules.
Last Book You Hated Reading: Harry Potter. (Because JK Rowling wrote them.)
Fun Fact: I have heterochromia iridis! Which basically means my eyes are different colors to each other. My left is mostly brown with a tiny bit of blue and my right one is fully blue. Another fun fact both of my eyes were blue until I was 4, oh how I wish to be that age again. And at least I didnât get surgery to look like this, Sarah McDaniel.
Itâs bonus time!
Favourite thing to cook/bake: I love love love making homemade pizza! I also transform into Gordon Ramsay when I do which is a blessing in disguise cause heâs an icon.
Favourite crafts/things to do in your free time: Painting, drawing, writing, thinking of fake scenarios, watching booktok compilations, reading steddie fanfiction, specifically x reader smut with the both of them (and billy, and henry, and mike, andâ), makeup, oh bestie omg I watch Love Island too (all hail king davide and queen ekin-su) and Drag Race.
Most Niche Dislike: People. No literally, like I actually canât be around people for long. I want to be around people but I just canât. I have self diagnosed but thatâs the only way to do it cause itâs so hard ti get a diagnosis. Itâs called Misophonia and literally every single sound triggers something in my mind. Itâs horrible. I hate it so much. My thirteenth reason why. Also I hate my facial structure cause itâs lopsided :(
Opinions on The Circus/School (same thing): I went to school for 14 years, never again. I got bullied over something I couldnât control and that â¨traumatized⨠me, but itâs okay I got over it.
Do You Have a Sense of Direction?: Kanye West. One Direction. Up & Down by Vengaboys. Kate Upton. The entire Cha Cha Slide song. YES. Actually no, I get lost very easily.
Tags: open for everyone!! <3
12 notes
¡
View notes
Note
Uhhhh ur misogynistic gay man whose name I canât remember for that character ask meme
DJSTEJDH HELP⌠saionjiâŚ
character ask meme
What I love about them
love is a strong word when it comes to saionji đ but ill admit i enjoy watching his clownery djsgdjxb in the end i found him p compelling, i think the way the show handles both his and tougaâs positions as simultaneous victims and perpetuators of the system is rlly interesting⌠something something about how oftentimes we cling to systems that actively harm us because they also give us some degree of power over others and tempt us w the promise of even more đ err anyway, the point is i love that saionjiâs queerness and legitimate struggles that come w that donât exempt him from being taken to task for the ways he abuses what privileges he has, also itâs very funny to watch him get owned đ that being said tho i do get like đ over his part in the final duel⌠oh god oh fuck saionji weâre really in it now
What I hate about them
whatâs not to hate about this guy⌠every time he even exists in the same space as anthy i want to rip him limb from limb⌠but in all seriousness i think the most damning thing about saionji is that he proves that heâs perfectly capable of understanding the abusive dynamic between akio and his victims and even goes to weirdly touching lengths to forgive touga and help him escape, and yet he does not extend any of that kindness or effort toward anthy and actively heaps on more abuse⌠i do appreciate that a lot about the show, portraying abusers not necessarily as like fundamentally evil peopleďż˝ďż˝ďż˝ď¸ who are somehow different from everyone else and easily identifiable, but people who make the active choice to leverage their power over others, whatever the circumstances may be đ
Favorite moment/quote
im obsessed with the entire verdant hopes light novel like itâs maybe the funniest thing ive ever read, thereâs a scene where saionji runs into wakaba at a department store and drops a bottle of salad oil, which he then asks a store clerk to wrap in a pretty bow bc itâs a gift for a girl, and wakaba is like WHAT. and saionji is genuinely shocked that she thinks itâs a stupid present. second funniest moment is when touga comes to talk to him at the dojo and says âi came to invite you on a dateâ and saionji pauses before tentatively saying, âme? đłâ and touga is like âhaha a double date, i mean. donât get me wrong, i donât swing that wayâ and the narrator is like âthis was obviously a lie but saionji didnât need to know thatâ LIKE. GOD DHXGSJXBXBC
What I would like to see more focus on
im haunted over saionji being literally homeless after he gets expelled, like⌠âi have no family or friends to turn toâ WHAT? the friends part i can believe but dhgsjdbxbx what?!!?? i just think itâs kind of hilarious that we know a little about each of the stuco membersâ families but nothing about saionjiâs even tho he seems to be in the most dire situation of them all đ but maybe what he meant was that he got disowned after his expulsion⌠who knows⌠legit hysterical that no one cared enough to explain that plot beat
What I would like to see less focus on
đ¤đ¤đ¤ again i have no answer for this, i think his storyline was fine
Favorite pairing with
im not immune to tousai⌠in spite of [gestures broadly]⌠explaining why would get a little too personal ksbsjdnxbc but letâs say unfortunately i relate to some issues between those two
Favorite friendship
i think itâs p funny that nanami calls him kyouichi, i like to think she bossed him around mercilessly when they were kids
NOTP
errr idk, do ppl really ship him with anthy or wakaba? i hope not đ
Favorite headcanon
hmmmm⌠well for some reason when i picture him and nanami as kids i always imagine her just fucking biting him when she gets mad KSSHSGDH so ig just that nanami put the fear of teething toddlers in him
26 notes
¡
View notes
Text
me @ all TMA fans now that the show is over
[image ID// photo of bernie sanders with the text âi am once again asking you to watch Yu-Gi-Oh! gx //end ID]
yes yes i know recomending the cardgame anime spinoff is propably the weirdest thing i could be doing but trust me it has a LOT of thematic smilarities and depending on your reason for liking tma you may very well like gx as well
a quick bullet point list of reasons to watch gx from a tma fans perspective:
explores themes of loss, sacrifice, inhumanity, consequences, depression, the inevetability of fate, spitting in the face of said fate and all that fun stuff
subverting the traditional associations of light and dark as good and evil
âyou can still be friends with someone you want to useâ
(yes i know that one is more a81 but it applies)
GREAT protagonist character development
completely breaking the protagonist down to their bare essentials throughout the course of the series (but especially during s3)
Canon Typical Guilt Complex
strong supporting cast
characters with supernatural powers
canon non-binary character
on that note
canon nblm character
canon (?) mlnb character
european (?) character that ISNT italian, german, french or brittish for once (a personal pet peeve of mine)
the struggles of growing up and the uncertainty and fear of what the future may hold
and last but not least
the slow series long descent into despair that every ygo spinoff has to some extent but damn if season 3 didnt set a high standard it got dark
all that said i do think i should warn you that wheni say the show gets dark i mean it gets dark. the ygo series overall might shy away from a bit of blood but it is not at all afraid of diving into heavier themes and making you feel it. do not be fooled by the lighthearted nature of the first season it is not afraid to make you cry.
 which seems strange for a show thats seemingly just a childrens cardgame anime but when you take into account that ygo started out as a horror manga, and only switched over to the cardgame structure when the duel monsters arc took off, it makes a lot more sense.
(further talking and content warnings below the cut)
all that said heres a couple content warnings (in no particular order):
child abuse
childhood trauma
emotional and financial abuse
less than stellar family members in general
memory loss
medically induced amnesia (yes these are seperate instances)
themes of suicide
themes of depression and isolation (canon typical Lonely content but its all of gx s4)
unreality / dream logic (kinda. again, s4)
cults
brainwashing, mind control and manipulation
loss of physical and mental autonomy (of a sort)
genocide
implied death of children
confirmed death of children
mentions of real world tragedies (offhand once or twice in s2)
significant mental and emotional torment of the main character
temporary character death
permanent character death
(no neither of these are the typical âshadow realmâ ygo deaths im talking about regular dying, and not of the fun and peaceful kind either)
(yes several of these are on screen)
also please not that some of these content warnigns apply to all of, or multiple series of ygo
especially themes of suicide, child abuse, and genocide, all 3 of which are covered in every ygo series on SOME level with varying severity
it may seem tempting to skip straight to season 3, as a lot of the more tma esque content is found there (though s2 goes hard as well in my opinion) i really do recomend watching the show from start to finish, as pretty much all the characters experience some level of character development, and seeing them all change throughout the series is an absolute treat.
also on the dub vs sub debate i really do reccoment watchign GX subbed. not bc dubbed anime are nessecatily bad but bc Dub and Sub GX are practically 2 entirely different shows with the amount of changes 4kids decided to make, as well as season 4 not having a dub at all as 4kids wanted to move on to 5ds instead.
(on a semi related note if the anti establishment aspects of tma are more your jam youll propably like 5ds, which has themes of poverty, classism, said eat the rich and litterally abolished the police force by the end of the series while also being about playing cardgames on motorcycles at the same time)
(honestly i could propably make a whole post on the central themes of each ygo series they really take a theme and apply it EVERYWHERE)
also a more recent note
if you like tragedy and big sad
WATCH VRAINS
its like 1 tiny detail away from being a tragedy
i knew what was coming and it still wrecked me
#textposting#not art#i know this is my art acc but my main has like 40 followers and i need yall to listen to me on this one please#the magnus archives#tma#yugioh#ygo#gx#yes i do still stand by all these points despite being deep in the vrains pit#on the topic of vrains#if you liked the tma ending you MIGHT like the vrains ending too#flavors of both sad and bittersweet with a good amount of ambiguity
158 notes
¡
View notes
Text
drive safe (m) || bbh x reader
title: drive safe pairing: baekhyun x reader genre: brothersbestfriend!au, chanyeol!olderbrother, romance warnings: slight rated 18+ scene, but itâs short and poorly written words: 12.4k prompt: simply put, youâve been crushing on your brotherâs best friend for the longest time but he hasnât seen you in a while... and youâve grown. notes: needed something different to write :) please enjoy... i did another brotherâs best friend au bc i just love baekhyun in that kind of au lmao... I FINALLY UPLOADED!!!
He was heavily intoxicating. From the whiff of the cologne he wears to the way his lips look, so tempting and plump, all the way to the sweet melodic laugh that escapes from his throat, hand on his toned chest to contain himself.
This man was beautifulâcorrectionâ is beautiful, and has always been since youâve laid your eyes on him.
You recall those days staying in the living room until the late hours of the night; coffee table filled with loose papers and opened textbooks to cram in for your exams, room lacking a desk for you to work on. Your brother would trail into your home once the street lights turn on, friends joining him occasionally, none capturing your attention until you met him one night.
Mocha eyes that sparkled under the dim lights at the front steps, caramel hair that looked so unbelievably soft, that you had to restrain yourself down from asking him to just let you run your fingers through those locks. Jawline chiseled, cheekbones high, and ears flushing coral when he gets embarrassedâhe was just breathtakingly beautiful. And when he leans over to see what youâre currently engrossed in, supple cheeks raising as high as the sky from his smile, teeth pearly white and exposed, his gentle voice hypnotizes you to the point that you almost miss when he says his name.
âIâm Byun Baekhyun.â How the hell is he so pretty? âYou must be Chanyeolâs little sister.â
Your Cloud 9 experience disappears at the sound of your brotherâs name. Itâs like he loves to burst the bubble of any type of happiness your way. He never fails to ruin things for you.
Then again, that was back when you were 16 and he was 22. He was in college, finishing up the remaining time he had left while you were just a mere high school studentânot to mention that you were also his best friendâs little sister. This time, youâre 22 and heâs the 28 year old, finished college with a career outlined for him and youâre the one trying to finish up the last year.
So when Baekhyun stands at the threshold of your parentâs house behind Chanyeol, mouth agape at the mere sight of you, heâs in complete shock at how much youâve grown and changed in the past years. To say the least, he hasnât seen much of you around since you turned 18... and well, he was regretting missing the glow up.
âWhy are you looking at my sister like that?â Chanyeol hisses, pushing his friendâs chest back with a finger. âYou act like youâve never seen her before.â Baekhyun can only shake his head from his thoughts, clearing his throat. âI havenât seen her since she left for college.â
A hum from you fills the air, grasping the attention of the two males. âIâve been back every holiday, not my fault you havenât been around.â
Turning on your heel, you make your way past them, slipping into a pair of random sandals at the front door before greeting the rest of your family members that begin to trickle in for the annual family dinner. Every year is dreadful, but this year got interesting just from Baekhyunâs attendance.
He was every high school girlâs wet dream.
And at the same time, dream boyfriend.
Heâs cute yet heâs got this aura around him that just makes him so... sexy. You recall having high school friends over during those younger years and when Baekhyun and Chanyeol would walk through the front doors, your friends would drool at the sight of the boys. You couldnât really agree on the Chanyeol portion of that (obviously), but your saliva would run rivers length long at the appearance of Baekhyun.
What was even worse was that both your brother and dad were horrible at teaching you how to drive. This was after youâve concluded that you had a crush on Baekhyun, and Chanyeol suggests to your parents to hire Baekhyun to teach you how to drive a car.
âDad, you and I both know that weâre way too short-tempered to teach her. Why not hire Baek?â
âI donât see why not.â He nods in agreement, glancing over at your mom for approval, but sheâs already so giddy over the moon from the sound of his name. âOf course! My second son teaching my daughter? Why would I have any issues with that? Iâll pay him, donât worry.â
You want to die. âWhy canât you teach me, mom? We donât really want to bother Baek and pressure him to teach me, right?â
âActually,â Chanyeol grins; you swear every time he does itâs mischievous with a sinful plan hidden underneath. âBaekhyun is rather quite the angel and offered himself when I brought this situation to him. He doesnât even want to get paid for it, I just offered.â Are you kidding me? Of course. Chanyeol wants you dead.
You think you actually die when youâre sitting in Baekhyunâs car in the middle of an abandoned supermarketâs parking lot. The two of you. No sign of Chanyeol anywhere, and itâs the first time you wished that your brother were there.
âYeol isnât coming?â
âNo,â Baekhyun frowns, pulling the seatbelt over his body and locking it in; you mimic his actions to save yourself from getting lectured by the boy of your dreams. âHe said he was either going to die from your driving or high blood pressure.â You exhale a heavy breath. âWhy am I not surprised?â
âAfraid of being alone with me or something, little Park?â
âUh, no.â You lie. âCan I start?â
âSure, show me what you know.â Pressing a foot on the brakes, you push the key into the ignition and the car roars at the start. âAre you sure you trust me driving in your car? Isnât this girl your baby?â Thereâs an afterthought of Baekhyun getting this car; almost begging Chanyeol everyday to go by the second-hand car dealership to admire this beautyâwell that is if you consider a 2002 Lexus SC430 with the once jet black paint chipping off a beauty, then youâd be able to relate.
He nods, licking his chapped lips from the breeze that enters in before letting out a soft sigh. âShe is, so... be careful, little Park, and drive safe. I trust you to drive her. I donât even allow Yeol to let alone touch her, so consider yourself special.â Special. Can he not say such things while youâre already anxious about being in his presence, let alone his car!
Baekhyun teaches you to drive. Another great quality he has to add to the list from that occurrence: patience. Heâs the one who opened the doors exiting out of your childhood in two ways: learning how to drive and learning what it feels like to like someone. Itâs the first time youâre alone with him and youâll never forget it. It only solidified your feelings for him.
And so when youâre ready to pick up your friends for the night that you first get your license, borrowing your brotherâs car, your heart swells and bursts out of your chest when he approaches your window before you pull out of the driveway. Resting his arm on the door, joy tugs on the edges of his lips. âDrive safe, will you, little Park? I know I taught you well, but I still want you home safe and sound.â
Baekhyun might be the actual cause of your death.
âSo, I heard youâre in for engineering? Youâre finishing up your last year, arenât you?âÂ
You hum against the glass thatâs pressed onto your lips, drinking in the cold water to cool yourself from the sweltering heat. Summer was supposed to be over now, but since youâre in the off-season, the weather was currently in its moods, switching on and off like a middle aged woman dealing with menopause.
Popping your lips after releasing the cup, you nod. âFinally going to grab my degree and get to do what I actually want to be doing.â You want to be out of this conversation with this... woman; youâre not even sure who she was and what relation she had to your family. A cousin, maybe? An aunt? What do you even refer to her as?
âWow, amazing!â She exclaims as she clasps her hands together abruptly that it startles you. âMy son would be a perfect match for you, heâs handsome, young...â Her voice starts to drift off at the same time that your eyes do, skimming to find your brotherâs right hand man, and with your luck, his gaze is locked on yours.
Heâs been watching you the entire time.Â
Baekhyunâs got a red solo cup in a hand, body leaning against the white plastic fence that perimeters your deck, hair pushed back to reveal his effortlessly beautiful forehead, and just the view of the first couple buttons of his shirt let loose, you felt your knees buckle. He bites his bottom lip in light of gaining your attentionâ one heâs been trying to snatch the entire afternoon. Heâs standing besides Chanyeol, as expected since he is his guest, but they hang almost joined at the hip and just the thought of it makes you want to roll your eyes. But when his stare locks into yours and he mouths, âcome over,â youâre immediately complying with his demands.
âIâm sorry,â You interrupt the strange woman, turning to face her. âArenât we related? Are you trying to set me up with your son... who potentially is my cousin?âÂ
âOh no! Iâm just a family friend; your aunt invited me over!â With that, it only results in you clicking your tongue in disappointment, bowing to the woman apologetically. This was a waste of time. âIâm sorry, Iâm not interested in being set up. Now, if you would excuse me...â
Sheâs probably shocked, from what you can tell on the little smirk and chuckle coming from Baekhyun as you make your way toward him, arm reaching out for a side hug. âMy little Park, all grown up, arenât you?â
âWell, Iâm not sixteen anymore, so possibly.â You joke.
Talking to Baekhyun felt effortless. Almost as though he wasnât that same guy you knew when you were growing up. The crush that had looked so out of reach, too cool and attractive for you indeed seemed like he was on the same level. Bantering came easy and there were more things in common between the two of you than you previously assumed. As if this entire time⌠you were surrounding him with an image of what you thought he was but it wasnât solely who he had been.
âAh, so you agree. You think youâre handsome.â
âAre you trying to quote a âMean Girlsâ line on me?â He asks, eyes squinting in your direction coltishly. Raising both your hands up in feigned defeat, you tug your lips into a straight line. âOh, you caught me, copyright police. But I believe I merely paraphrased the movie.â He lifts his brows at you skeptically, arms crossed against his chest. âParaphrased?â
âIâm sure that the line goes like âso you agree, you think youâre really pretty.ââ
âMaybe not me, but I think youâre pretty.â Baekhyun grins cheekily. Itâs not exactly a smooth line, you admit, but anything coming from Baekhyun inflates your heart, reminiscing the old high school feelings that stirred. âMm, cute. But not exactly slick, Baek. Slimy, possibly.â
He seethes in disagreement. âOh, little Park, Iâll have you know that I am not slimy; I am very much a gentleman.â
âSome gentlemen have a slimy side of them.â You clarify with a tilt of your head.
âI can assure you that I am not slimy but rather smooth and creamy.â
You grimace. âIâm not sure this conversation is going into the right direction.â Pausing for a moment, you cluster the fortitude to belatedly ask: âSo, why havenât you been around for the holidays like you used to? My mom missed having you around during the holidays.â
Baekhyun purses his lips, taking in a deep breath before speaking up. âHonestly, Iâve always had a girlfriend during the holidays. Otherwise I wouldâve been over. Unfortunately, those four years that I havenât been at your house meant four different girlfriendâs family homes that Iâve been to instead of yours.â Of course, Baekhyun couldnât be without a girl on his arm. Just look at him!
âMmm,â You buzz in a judging tone that sharpens his focus on you. âDisappointing. Anyways,â Jumping on the tips of your toes, you lean over to peek into his cup. âWhatcha got in there, Baek?â
âWanna smell?â He brings the cup closer to your face, underneath your nose as your face twists at the strong scent of alcohol. âWhat the hell is that?â
He lets out a laugh at your expression. âIts just beerââ
ââthat is definitely not just beer. What did you put in that?â Baekhyun brings the drink neighboring your nostrils again. âItâs IPA, sometimes they have weird smells to it. Sometimes it even smells like weed.â
You take a second glance at him, hesitant about trying this peculiar drink. Youâve had beer beforeâ hell, youâd had tons of types of alcohol before, but you can safely say that IPA beer isnât one of them. The liquid hits your tongue, barely any if youâre being completely honest, and you pull away. âEugh,â
âEugh?â Baekhyun imitates your reaction. âYou donât like?â
âNot exactly.â You frown, stepping back from the drink in his hand. âHow do you even drink that? Itâs such an acquired taste to enjoy it.â
âI guess I had a lot of different kinds of alcohol while I was in University, but IPA wasnât one of them so I gave it a shot. Kinda like them now, not what weâre usually used to.â
âYou make yourself sound like youâre old.â And with that, he taps your nose with the tip of his index finger. âAnd I am old. In comparison to you, little Park.âÂ
Thatâs when it hits. Baekhyun can be sweet, kind, flirtatious, but one thing he canât be is someone who could ever reciprocate feelings for you. Even if youâve grown out of those braces, awkward puberty stages, and now an adult woman who is somewhat confident in your bodyâ Byun Baekhyun will always see you as one thing onlyâ Little Park, Park Chanyeolâs kid sister.
âRight,â You respond quickly, distancing yourself from him a bit and Baekhyun feels the atmosphere shift. âI think my dad needs me to help him handle the grill.â
âChanyeolâs over there.â Baekhyun retorts back as abruptly. âAre you okay? Is it something I said?âÂ
âNo.â You reply, prepared to turn away and say your goodbyes to the older male, but his hand grasps onto your wrist, causing you to wrinkle your brows in confusion. âBaek?â
âTalk to me. What did I say? I like talking to you and itâd be nice to keep this conversation going.â You tilt your head in perplexity. âOkay. Thatâs great and all but Iâve had a raging crush on you since I was like sixteen. Iâm kind of over this whole thing and Iâm ready to keep you as my brotherâs best friend that I had a crush on when I was entering the early stages of pubertyââ
âWait, you liked me?â
A look of incredulity spreads on your face. âYou didnât know?â He shakes his head slowly, gaze trailing to the concrete ground as if heâs trying to replay the history of your relationship, attempting to find the hints smeared throughout the years. âWell, I did, and if Iâm being honest, youâre great and everything, but I donât think I can muster enough courage to build a friendship with you if I still have these somewhat lingering feelings.â
Seconds before youâre escaping his hold, his grip tightens. âI didnât know.â He reiterates your words, eyes finally meeting yours. âWhy didnât you tell me? And why are you telling me this now? And at your family reunion at that?â
âI... donât know.â You shrug, body language signaling that youâd stay and his hand on your loosens. âI guess Iâm tired of being called little Park and seen as Yeolâs baby sister when Iâve been pining over this unrequited love.â
âYou canât even say that when I didnât even know you liked me.â
âOh, come on, Baek,â Groaning, your shoulders dropping in exhaustion from this entire conversation. âYouâre the epitome of every girlâs first crush. Not to mention that you get along with my family. Pretty much the easiest formation of a perfect guy for a girl who was just finally realizing how cute guys were.â
Baekhyun scrunches up his nose, placing his drink down on the table beside him. âYou never made it obvious.â
âOh please, I was very obvious. Even Chanyeol probably knew about it.â
âDonât say that, I really didnât know! Iâm sure your brother doesnât either.â Eventually, youâre able to step far back enough that he canât hold you back anymore. âItâs fine, Baek, I totally get it. Enjoy your night here? Iâm going to socialize a bit moreâI mean help my dad with the grill. Whichever one first, uh, you get the gist.â
âOh, wow, your son is... actually pretty good looking.â Youâre back in this discussion with the same strange woman before, but this time with your blood-related aunt who was the one to convince the lady to talk to you in the first place. Sheâs skimming through pictures she has saved of him, yet again trying to persuade into talking to her lovely son. Heâs cute, you admit. Heâs a year younger but that wasnât going to turn you away. His mom, however, is coming off a bit too strong and your aunt was trying her best to pull her back.
âSee? I told you! I invited him to come join us tonight, maybe youâd catch him here!â The woman claps her hands together excitedly, over the moon that youâd agreed to her perspective. âSpeaking of my lovely boy, there he is!âÂ
And right when you face the direction she points, you see himâsun-kissed skin with his hair gelled back, tall as a skyscraper with the longest legs everâthis guy was built like a God. His eyes skim the room, but before they can meet with his motherâs, he spots someone approaching him and a smile tugs on the edges of his lips.
âBaekhyun, I didnât know you knew this family?âÂ
Of course he knows Baek.
Theyâre exchanging a handshake, and youâre flaring your nostrils because how small is this world? Regardless, youâre not going to let Baekhyun ruin your day. No way.
âPark Chanyeolâs my friend,â He responds, placing a hand in his pocket. âAnd youâre here for?â
âMy mom is here, she asked me to come. Son duties, you know the drill.â The younger male shakes at his own statement before giving Baekhyun a pat on the shoulder. âIâll catch up with you later. She wants me to meet some girl she thought was cute, so weâll see how that goes. See you in a bit?â
Baekhyun nods in confirmation, letting him go and as he watches his figure make his way through the crowd, thatâs when he notices something. Youâre standing next to a middle-aged womanâand is... is Lucas walking toward you?
âHey mom,â The towering man smiles, giving his mom a hug. âIâm here as you asked. Iâm assuming this lovely lady...â The lady introduces you to her son, and he extends his hand. âIâm Lucas.â
Baekhyun is pissed. If you saw his expression right now, the smoke coming out his ears wouldâve been conspicuous.
Lucas isnât... the smartest guy youâve ever met but at least heâs sweet and kind?
Mommaâs boy, a big one at that and you find it charming that heâs so loving and caring towards his mother. A great son... however, as a boyfriend, you can already guess what the bigger fights were going to be about.
âSo my mom tells me that youâre almost done school, howâs that going for you?â The two of you have migrated over to one of the picnic tables in the backyard, old and wooden yet still surprisingly structurally strong enough to hold the weight of multiple people... and thankfully without his mom. Least she knows when to leave you alone.
âGoing good, I canât wait to get it over with and start working. School is dreadful.â
âOh, yeah, I know that much. Thatâs why I didnât go to college.â No college, not a bad thing, you think to yourself. After all, itâs what you make out of it, right? âInstead, I chose the modeling path.â What. Well, it made sense. Lucas is the equivalent to a God in looks, and you were starting to wish you were exaggerating. Probably another red flag if you guys started datingâheâs too pretty for his own good and girls would probably be crawling at his feet and your level of jealousy canât handle that.
âModeling? Thatâs impressive! Howâs it going for you?â
âSlow this season. But itâll pick up eventually. Iâm only twenty-one anyways. College was never for me so I figured anything else would be better. My mom always told me that I was handsome, so why not put what I already have to use, you know?â Other than the fact you wanted to correct him and tell him that twenty-one is actually peak age for modeling, you wanted to laugh a bit because he was convinced to chase after this specific goal solely from the compliments of his mother, his biggest fan who happens to be blinded by love. Either way, Lucas was lucky he was cute enough to be a model or this conversation wouldâve been embarrassing.
âIf you like it, go for it. I donât see a problem with it.â A gust of wind blows in your direction and it makes you shiver.
He smiles. âI like that. Not a lot of people agree with the whole modeling thing. Even my âmentorâ kind of blows off the idea and pressures me to go to college to find a ârealâ career.â
âMentor, huh? Has he considered giving you trade school as an option?â
âAnd get my hands dirty? No way. These hands were made for modeling, not being someoneâs plumber and playing with pipes.â An image forms in your headâ Lucas... as a plumber? Oh... thatâs... kind of hot. His voice interrupts your thoughts in the end, and you want to frown until you see someone approaching. âSpeaking of my mentor... have you met Baekhyun?â
Baekhyun is standing at the end of the table; although he seems nice toward Lucas, you can feel the cold air coming from him. âWeâve met.â He says, words short and sharp. âKnown her since she was a high school student.â
âOh, nice, were you also her mentor, hyung?â
âWhat?â Baekhyun responds, the space on his forehead crinkles. âNo I wasnât her mentor, Iâm a friend of her brotherâs,â slightly annoyed by Lucasâ question. You canât seem to place a finger on why he would be so... discomposed. âHave you applied to those colleges I sent to you, by the way?â
âHyung, I told you that college wasnât for me. I donât get why youâre pushing me so hard.â
âLucas, youâre not going to be young forever. What are you going to do when youâre 40? Be in those Viagra commercials? Advertisements where the elderly have âfallen and canât get upâ? Be realistic here.â
Itâs Lucasâ turn to be upset, and rightfully so. âHyung, youâre embarrassing me in front of my new friend. Whoâ by the way, is very supportive of my endeavors.â Baekhyun scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief and disapproval. âSupportive? Actually, give us a moment, Luc, I have to speak with her privately.â Grabbing onto your wrist, he tugs you from your seat, and you whimper at the aggressiveness.Â
âWhat the hell! Baek, let go, your grip is tight.âÂ
Taking you inside the house, he walks through the hallways while dragging you when he sees the familiar door that leads to your bedroom, shoving it open before shutting it after the two of you are inside. He lets go of his grip. âExplain.â
You sneer at his demand. âExplain what? I didnât do anything. You should be explaining because you dragged me here.â
âJust thirty minutes before, you profess your feelings for me and then youâre talking to some guy? What the hell is that?â You jaw tightens but you want to retain your emotions since his were spilling. There was never a good outcome if two people that were butting heads are acting upon only feelings.
So you walk over to your closet, sliding the doors open in search of a sweater but this only makes him infuriated. âAnswer meâ why are you looking through your closet while weâre having a conversation?â Snatching a hoodie off the hanger, you pull it over your head. âIâm cold. And youâre the one who is having a conversation. Well, not really a conversation, more like youâre lecturing me.â
âI am not lecturing you. Iâm trying to read you and youâre not making it any easier for me.â
âWhat are you reading me for?â With the hood over your head with the end of your dress peeking out of the oversized fabric, he thinks youâre cute like this and he canât help himself. Lunging toward you, his hands cup your cheeks and before you know it, his lips are pressed yours.
Baekhyun is kissing you.
Byun Baekhyun, your brotherâs right hand man, your parents favorite non-blood related child, is kissing you. He has to force himself to pull away; he never thought that your lips would be so soft, and how right it felt in that moment.
Your fingers reach up to touch your lips and youâre left speechless for a moment before the words erupts from your mouth. âDid you just kiss me?â Heâs just as dumbfounded as you are because all he does is nod in return. âWhyâd you do that?â
âLook, I donât know if I have the same exact feelings for you like you do for me but seeing you with Lucas in that way... pissed me off. I didnât like it.â Baekhyun looks troubled because heâs letting his hands run through his chocolate locks that were styled previously. âBut I think I like you. I never really thought anything of it until you said something... but maybe we can give this a try?â
You squint your eyes at him. âBaekhyun, this isnât something you just âtry.â I donât want to be lead on. You canât just say that you âthinkâ you like me and walk in like you own me or something.â
âAt least give me a chance to make this work. Obviously something happened back there because I was ticked off enough to embarrass my mentee in front of you.â He sighs, dropping his body onto your made childhood bed. âPoor kid.â
âEh, heâll be fine. He needs something anyway. I heard he lives in his motherâs basement, which is fine I guess, but despite not going to college, he has debt?â Baekhyun glares at you from underneath his long luscious lashes, but itâs light and heâs not upset anymore. âDonât make fun of my mentee, Iâm supposed to guide him!â
âDo better.â You retort before plopping your body beside him on your bed, laying down flat on the covers. âIâll give you a chance. But we canât tell Chanyeol. If it doesnât work out, then itâs a secret and he doesnât have to worry. If it leads to more... letâs just wait âtil that time comes and we can figure something out.âÂ
You canât see him from where you are, but the sound of his voice is a dead giveaway that heâs smiling at your words. âI like the sound of that.â
âAw, look at that, my best friend and my kid sister. Where were you guys?â Chanyeol looks a bit tipsy with his hooded eyes and crooked smile, but heâs only spilling elation when he slips in his socks and into the arms of Baekhyun when the two of you exit your room.Â
âUh, I wanted to move my desk and Baek offered to help.â Yeah. Thatâs a good excuse.Â
âMm, couldâve always asked me. But of course, Baekhyun here is an angel and loves to help out my family. Wouldnât it be amazing if he was our brother?â The expression on your face cringes in disgust, the thought of Baekhyun being your brother and itâs like he reads your mind when he catches Chanyeol stumbling in his arms, pulling the taller male up. âYou donât want me as your brother, Yeol, thatâs weird. Maybe Iâll date my way into your family,â He jokes, and you mouth âtoo soon!â in his direction as he gives an unapologetic shrug shared with a smile.
âWho... her?â Chanyeol points to you with his chin, brows crinkles but releases with a laugh. âNo way, man. Sheâs not even your type.â
âShe can be my type.â The expression on Baekhyunâs face was pained, attempting to hold him up. âLittle Park is pretty.â
âMm, but sheâs the serious type and youâve had probably ten âseriousâ girlfriends in the past four years!â He exclaims as youâre guiding the two of them toward Chanyeolâs bedroom, swinging open the door. âLittle Park hasnât even brought a boyfriend home.... heh, mom thinks she canât get a boyfriend.â
You hiss. âThatâs not true.â Chanyeol sticks his tongue out at you and you get a hit of vodka coming from his breath. âI think itâs true.â He sings, dropping his large frame onto the bed, eyes heavy. âLittle Park needs a real boyfriend, Baek, not a fling!â Minutes later of Baekhyun trading Chanyeolâs jeans out with sweatpants, the two of you slowly close his door and heave out a weight breath.
âThat was exhausting. He does this every year; itâs like my family is purposefully trying to get him to drunk to make me suffer.â
âSorry,â Baekhyun mutters, hands slipping into the pockets of his jeans. âI shouldâve been there to help you.â You wave him off, shaking your head in disagreement. âHeâs my brother, itâs my responsibility.â Just when youâre about to walk away, he tugs on the hem of your shirt before you turn with a raised brow.
âYouâre not... upset about what he said, are you?â
âAbout what?â
âAbout me. Having flings, never really having a serious girlfriend. About you, never bringing anyone home.â
You shrug. âI never wanted to bring anyone home in the first place. Doesnât really matter to me.â Baekhyun chews on his bottom lip anxiously, fiddling with the fabric between his fingers. âI hope I can be that for you eventually.â
âBe what?â
âThe one you want to bring home.â
Naeun is your best friend, biggest supporter, and also the most brutally honest person youâve ever met. Itâs in her DNA to be this way and although sometimes her candidness can hurt, you know she means well. So when you tell her about your Baekhyun escapades, her jaw is dropped down to the floor in awe.
âYouâre kidding.â
âI am nothing but forthright.â
She smiles, tilting her head back in skepticism. â... No, youâre definitely playing me. There is no way he said that he likes you. Thereâs no way.â You pout. âIs it that hard to believe that a guy like him finds me attractive? Jesus, Naeun, hurt my feelings why donât ya.â
âGirl, Iâm just saying. Heâs too hot and too much of a fuck boy... so him wanting to risk his relationship with his best friend to go after her sister... unless...â Her thoughts trail off for a moment before she comes back. â... Nah, never mind. Thereâs just no way. Thereâs a catch to this, Iâm going to find it.â
âThereâs absolutely no catch.â
âIâm just saying baby girl, watch out.â Sheâs leaning back on a wooden chair in your room that you had borrowed from the dining room set, swaying on the two legs dangerously. âGirls get their hearts broken because of him. And itâs because heâs such a nice boy about it that it makes them feel bad. Isnât that crazy? What power he holds.â
âYouâre giving him way too much power just from this conversation weâre having. Naeun, if you believe that he has that much hanging over all of us, then youâre enabling him to do so!â
âSo you agree... you think heâs a playboy with a lot of power.â
âNaeun!â You holler, rolling your eyes at your friend. âHeâs nothing but a guy that I like. We keep talking about him as if heâs this being thatâs better than all of us when in actuality, heâs just a really nice guy.â
Naeun scoffs. âWho is really fucking hot, by the way. Donât forget that.â She stands up and makes her way toward your closet, slinging the doors wide open. âWhich means you should probably update your wardrobe too. You think a guy like Baek wants to date someone in hoodies and sweatpants all the time?â You purse your lips at your friend. âDonât make me feel insecure about this, he already told me he likes me.â
âOkay, but what about the competition? Arenât there girls lining up for him?â Thereâs silence for a moment, indicating that youâre almost lured into her trap before she sings your name. âCome on, wouldnât you want to try looking cute for him?â
âI try!â
âDid you meet him today?â She asks. âYes?â You respond questioningly. Why?â
âAnd you were wearing that?â Naeun gestures your attire. As mentioned before, just like your entire closet, youâre dressed in black hoodie and sweatpants. At least they matched, right? She grabs your hand and pulls you up. âYou said you guys were going to meet tonight again, so letâs get you ready for that!â
If meeting Baekhyun required getting ready 3 hours in advance, you donât know if you can date him anymore.
As planned, Baekhyun is parked at the end of the block waiting for you, shooting a text in your direction to let you know that heâs here. Slipping your phone into your bag, you heave out a heavy sigh of how tight this skirt that Naeun forced you into. âI thought I looked fine earlier,â you grumble to yourself before adjusting your blouse and snatching a jacket from the coat rack.
Attempting to sneak out of your house without gaining Chanyeolâs attention was hard. He couldnât help being nosey. It was in his nature.
âWhoa, looking smokinâ hot for who?â Chanyeol exclaims with his arms crossed in front of your bedroom door. You groan loudly. âCan you please just leave and get out of my way? Iâm trying to go out.â
Chanyeol looks astonished. âAnd with who? Iâve never seen you dressed like this before.â You push a strand of hair that gets caught in your makeup. âHonestly, I donât know either. Naeun made me look like this.â
âYouâre probably going to scare the guy away before you even get him.â You frown. âLet me figure that out tonight. So if you would excuse meââ Aggressively shoving your brother aside with your hidden Hulk strength, he slams into the wall and winces as you made a run for it.
You want to cry. You felt ridiculous, and Chanyeolâs comment only made it worse. Walking up to Baekhyunâs car, you see him leaned against the hood of his car, skimming through something on his phone. He looks amazing in dark slacks and jet-black sweater tucked in them. He lifts his head to see you, jaw dropping in shock. Your legs were out for the world to see, shirt low enough for a glimpse of your cleavage and he can only gulp and clear his throat before stuttering on his words. âWhoaâIââ
You respond with a moan. âDo I look ridiculous? Naeun came over earlier and forced me to dress prettier, and Chanyeol stopped me before leaving the house and said I looked crazy. Please tell me which one it is so I can go back and do something about it.â
Baekhyun laughs. He laughs as if the situation youâre in is funny. âI think youâre always pretty. You just look even prettier today.â You chew on your bottom lip anxiously, shoulders dropping in doubt. âAre you sure? We havenât even started the date yet and I feel like I ruined it.â He only shakes his head with a soft smile, walking over to the passenger door to open it for you.
 When heâs sitting in the car beside you, he swears his throat closes up when your skirt hikes up in your seat. Warding off the sinful thoughts of you, he starts the ignition of the car, letting the engine warm up for a bit before driving off. The last time youâd been in this car was when he was teaching you how to drive; weekend after weekend, while just you and Baekhyun in this worn down Lexus, he stole your heart bit by bit. You never thought youâd find yourself in this situation again; somehow you were the one stealing his.
âWhere are we going?â
âDinner. I heard there was this really great Italian place they opened downtown. Maybe we can get dessert after?â He glances over at you to see your reaction, only regretting because you so pretty with the sunset behind you.
âThat sounds good.â You grin.
That night, the dinner itself wasnât the most amazing thing youâve ever had, but the talks you had with Baekhyun were. There wasnât a dull moment with him, he had stories to share that made you laugh until youâre almost choking on the pasta and by the time dinner was over, you were just glad that there was still dessert to look forward to.
âThis place looks new.â You say, eyes sparkling with the countless of options listed on the menu mounted above. âThereâs so many to choose from.â Baekhyun notes that although your eyes seem youthful and the smile plastered on your face supported that, everything about you wasnât the same anymore. Howâd he miss out on this for so many years?
You wave your hand in front of his face. âBaek, you good? Have you decided what you like?â He lets out a nervous chuckle, nodding his head. âUh, yeah. Grab me the strawberry on a cone, will you?â
He slides his card to pay before you could even stop him, frowning when you hand him his cone as the two of you exit the shop. âI couldâve paid, you know.â
âI donât really trust anyone who gets mint chocolate chip⌠soâŚâ
âOh, so you donât. Whatâs wrong with mint?â
âDo you like eating toothpaste or something?â You slap his arm, and he winces, remembering that although you were small in comparison to him, your strength was impeccable. âOhâshit, Iâm sorry, Baek.â
âI forgot how strong you were. Do you lift or something?â His face contorts in pain, but heâs not in that much pain. âNo, although, now that you mention it, I should probably get into it since I know Iâd be so good.â Baekhyun winces. âHow am I ever going to stand next to you? Iâll be living in fear all the time.â
âSpeaking of, I heard you finally moved out of your parents place.â Licking your ice cream, Baekhyun has to look away or else these thoughts would creep up again. âI have. Want to come over after this? We can squeeze in a movie, and I borrowed something from Chanyeol the other day, so I can drop it off when I take you home.â
Bent over, reaching for the controller underneath the coffee table, Baekhyun swallows. His gaze drifts off to the ceiling, praying that you wouldnât notice the boner heâs supporting right now. When did you grow up? He has to shake off the dirty things heâs imagining you doing right now.
âHere.â You slap the controller in the palm of his hand before adjusting your top. âAre you comfortable? Do you wanna borrow some of my clothes?â Lips jutting into a pout, you want to tell Baekhyung, yes, hell the fuck yes I want to wear your clothes and get out of this brutally uncomfortable skirt, but the words donât leave you mouth and he can only smile. Itâs like he reads your mind because he stands from the couch and enters into his room. Seconds later, he has a pair of sweats and a hoodie for you. Your favorite dynamic duo.
Youâre barely 1/4th through the movie, Baekhyunâs arm around you with your head cuddled against his chest while wearing his clothes that smelled so good, smelled like him. This amount of comfort was never evident with any of your previous relationships, but something about Baekhyun made everything feel okay. Turning your head to look over at him, heâs breathing soundlessly as if heâs asleep, but his attention is all diverted to the television. His jawline looked tempting, skin smooth and soft, you bring your lips to kiss the bone.
He chuckles at the action, eyes down to meet with yours. âYes?â
âCan I kiss you?â
âI should be the one asking you that.â He presses a chaste kiss on your lips before giving you one last look of confirmation. Crashing his lips onto yours, you welcomed him inside with your tongues knotting and sliding past one another, you hum against him. It sent a warmth feeling down your center and you wanted know if he felt it too. Pushing the blanket off your frame, you climb over his lap, swinging a leg over before pressing yourself down on him, his hands slowly making his way to your waist, hesitating as if heâs asking for permission. Hands forcing on his in invitation, he complies, pulling you close to his body.
He lets go of your lips, a lewd smack from your kiss separating. Heâs panting like heâs just run a marathon, heart racing to the point that heâs afraid you can hear it. Thereâs a rush in him, excitement pumping through his veins and heâs never felt this before. You felt too much like home to him, and this was just the first date, how was he supposed to survive any more if you had him wrapped around his finger like this?
âI donât want to go any further if you donât want to. Itâs our first dateâIs it too soon?â He says, his voice meek and faint, the total opposite of how he usually is around you. Afraid heâd mess it up, afraid that everything that happened today wouldnât happen again if he didnât do it right.
âPlease take me. I want you, Baek, I really do. Iâve been waiting for this since I met you when I was sixteen.â You sounded desperate, cheeks flushed in embarrassment of how intoxicated you were from his kisses. âDonât make it sound like that, Iâm sorry I made you wait this long.â He whispers before leaning back into the kiss, palm rubbing your hip soothingly before you begin to grind on him. The sight of you in his clothes brought the blood rushing straight into his pants that were starting to be uncomfortably tight.
Baekhyun made you feel like a princess that nightâsprawled on his bed, arms wrapped around his neck while he peppered kisses constantly on your damp forehead, skins slapping as the headboard of the bed bangs against the wall. Soughing sweet nothings into your ears, nibbling on your lobes to help you reach your high, a hand reaching down to toy with your clit before your toes are curling, fingers digging into his shoulders while your climax was approaching. He had you in a trance, fully blissed out, and before you know it, youâre cumming, letting out your final moans and cries. It drag mustâve felt nice, because his hips are stuttering, losing itâs rhythm until he stills, long spurts of his cum splattering you walls.
He falls over, pulling you close and nuzzles his nose into the crook of your neck, gifting you a quick kiss on your sweaty skin. âStay for the night?â You nod.
You end up staying more nights with him.
Your presence meant more to Baekhyun than you ever knew. Those rough days where heâs at the office, he loves coming back to his apartment, seeing you in his dark home with only the kitchen light illuminating on the granite island with your books spread out with your notes and music blasting from your computer. There were some nights where heâd be home late hours and youâre snuggled in blankets on the couch, the only brightness in the room is from the television, shining on your face in multiple colors with you completely engrossed with whatâs playing. It was his favorite part of the day, the thing he looked forward to the most.
The night he knew that he couldnât ever let you go was when he came home just in time because you were taking out a tray of something from the oven, apron wrapped around your frame with a surprised expression on your face. âOh, youâre back?â You sound shocked, mostly because you told him you wouldnât be here tonight but yet⌠there you were.
âNot that I donât love having you around, but I thought you said you werenât coming over today?â Baekhyun asks, dropping his jacket on one of the dining room chairs. âAnd what are you making?â
You scrunch up your nose. âHonestly, sorry baby, I wanted to use your oven. Then I felt bad for using your oven without telling you, so I baked you banana bread as well. Then I lost track of time and Iâm supposed to deliver these cupcakes to Naeun for her lacrosse team bake sale tomorrow.â Baekhyun chortles in amusement, wrapping his arms around you from behind before pecking your lips. âAll good, baby.â
He doesnât even care that you came to his house without a warning. Heâs glad youâre thereâBaekhyun had the expectation that you werenât going to be there that night, so the drive home was dreadful, but just catching you in the act of using his oven⌠nothing made him happier. Heâs not letting you go.
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â You hiss, eyes darting at him. Pausing from stuffing your personal belongings into your duffle bag, regret washes over how much stuff youâve accumulated here. His place had too much of your things and having this fight alone was bringing in a lot of realizations. How could you get comfortable so easily?
Baekhyun sighs, fingers running through those locks that you had always dreamed of having your own in, but at this state, youâre fuming with anger. âYouâre only twenty-two and my best friendâs little sister. Thereâs so much to life you havenât seen yet... I donât think youâre mature enough for me.â
âIâm not mature enough for you?â Shaking your head, you continue to fill your bag. âRidiculous. Iâm twenty-two, Baekhyun, not sixteen. Need I remind you that you also wanted this? Iâm also not the one talking to other women while youâre with meâ with me! You said you liked me. But the entire time, you had someone in the back burner, ready to replace me when itâs time.â
He says your name with another exasperated breath, feeling speechless. He doesnât get to feel frustrated, you think to yourself, not today, not in this situation. âI do like you. More than you think, actually. But do you ever think of what Chanyeol is going to say or how heâd react if he knew? Iâm feeling guilty, extremely guilty. Youâre not just his sister, but youâre his little sister, which means a lot more. Heâs getting suspicious of me sneaking around with some girl he hasnât heard about yet.â
Youâre fuming. Little sister this, little sister that. Every conversation with Baekhyun always seemed to lead to that topicâhow young you were, and how experienced heâd been in comparison. âWho fucking cares? Heâs my brother, he doesnât get a say in my relationships. And who is he to you that he can decide yours?â
âHeâs my best friend, one thatâs been around for me almost forever. I canât just go behind his back and date his sister, let alone sleep with her.â
âThen letâs not make it complicated any more. Iâm leaving.â
He freezes. Whyâs he suddenly so shocked? He was watching you pack your bags seconds ago, yet itâs like reality only struck him in that moment. Baekhyun reaches to grasp onto your wrist and you push back. âWait, youâre not actually leaving, are you?â
âWhat do you expect me to do? Stay? After the way you spoke to me? What about when you called me ignorant and inexperienced? Too young for you? Should I list more things why you canât be with me and for some reason you want me to still stay?â
âI-I didnât mean it like that,â He says, stuttering in his words. âI still have feelings for you, nonetheless.â
âThat doesnât mean shit, Baekhyun.â You pull from his hold, slinging the bag over your shoulder before storming out his apartment. âI have some pride and dignity. I canât just stay with someone who looks and speaks of me so condescendingly.â He doesnât stop following you though, door left open as he chases you down the flight of stairs.Â
âDrive safe,â He says softly, watching your figure make way to your car that parks outside of the apartment complex, heart clenching at the sight of you walk away. âPlease text me when you get home.â
âAs if,â You scoff, aggressively opening the door. âDonât expect to hear from me anymore, Baekhyun.â
Heâs like every other guy youâve ever dated, have ever been with. This guyâthe one who youâve always put on a pedestal and admiredâ wasnât just a guy anymore, but rather any other one youâve ever dated. Heâd stolen your heart in your early years but in actuality, Byun Baekhyun was like any other boy. Disappointing and sleazy.
Respect and admiration, the two main characteristics you looked for in a man, and the one that you thought had them, didnât end up having them. Tears were welling up into your eyes as youâre driving; sleeves too long that they cover your hands on the wheel, and you want nothing more than just to speed past these cars on the highway.
But you knew better than to let your emotions run wild. Yet the tears just donât stop falling.
Age. Age was just a number. There were so many people that were the same age as you without the equivalent amount of experience as you held. Whether if it were more or less, the main point was evident: age didnât matter. Itâs what Baekhyun felt was a constant need to remind you when things werenât working out or when it got tough. It had been frustrating. Maybe it was a good thing to have left. After all, what would it have been like if you had to tell your brother?
Thereâs constant dinging coming from your bag, and once the traffic begins to build up, you take your attention away for a brief moment to check it.
10 Missed Calls. 30 New Messages.
All from Baekhyun.
Thereâs an urge within you to want to call him back but you know better. If you heard his sweet, soothing voice over the phone, youâd unconsciously turn your car around and drive directly back to his apartment. Itâs how it always was.
But from now on, it was different. You canât put Baekhyun on a pedestal anymore, you canât put him as this picture perfect guy for you. He wasnâtâ he was human, and that was okay for you, more than just okay, but he proved at that very moment that maybe you werenât right for him.
Another blind date.
Youâve been on countless of blind dates since you officially announced to your family that the guy youâve been seeing wasnât... well, you werenât seeing him anymore. Because of this, your mom thinks that youâre bitter and lonely, fearing that youâll never find someone. âYouâre only twenty-two and canât even keep a man? We have to start early while we still have time!âÂ
Luckily, Chanyeol tried backing you out of this one but thereâs no argument against your mother. So he suggests doing the matching. You pray heâs not trying to get back at you for stealing the last yogurt cup in the fridge back in 2011.
Getting into your âluckyâ signature black mini dress was a bit harder than usualâ you want to blame it on the relationship weight gain but you admit that your healthy habits have been lacking. After sucking in a deeper breath, the dress finally zips. Smoothing out the crevasses on the skirt of your attire, you give yourself a last check in the mirror before giving yourself a grin and a thumbs up. âOK, I got this.â
The door bell rings; assuming itâs your date, you quickly slide open your closet doors to find your heels until a familiar laugh perks up your ears. Itâs none other than Baekhyun.
âYou... look like you were standing by the door waiting for someone and Iâm pretty sure I made this a surprise visit.â Peering out into the hallway, you can see his figure standing at the door frame, dressed in a hoodie, ripped jeans, and a trench coat... why does he make it so hard to hate him?
Chanyeol shakes his head, standing aside for his friend to enter. âJongin is supposed to be here sometime soon.â
âOh, you made plans with him?â
âNah, setting him up with my sister. Iâm free for the rest of the night. You tryna hang?â Baekhyun gives Chanyeol a dazed look of bewilderment. âYouâre... setting up your sister with Kim Jongin?â He nods with his lips pursed, confident with his response that his friend seems to question uncertainly. âYeah. My mom has been on her case lately about having a boyfriend since apparently the guy she was seeing dumped her. She thinks that little Park has some personality issues and itâs going to take some time before she meets someone. I figured Iâd give her an easy date, at least Jongin isnât a dick like the past few guys.â
Baekhyun feels queasy. Were you really moving on that quickly? It was barely a week since heâd last seen you and the visual of you walking away that night haunted his days. âHow long ago since itâs been since she and the guy broke up? Couldnât have been that long, right? Why are you guys already setting her up on dates so soon?â
Chanyeol shrugs his shoulders. âNot sure. Whyâs it matter anyway? Jongin is a nice guy anyway and could use some stability in his life.â
âThat guy rides a motorcycle and races almost every weekend. You think heâs good for your sister?â His tone spilled in flabbergast. âYou donât think heâs going to influence her?â
âSheâs an adult, she can handle herself. I highly doubt he would be influencing her though, pretty sure she would more than likely be influencing him.â Baekhyun can agree to thatâ after all, heâd fallen victim to that. But he didnât like the idea of you being with someone else and he definitely wasnât a fan of seeing you look pretty for a guy like Jongin. âWell, what if I took her out on a date?â He suggests.
Chanyeol can only let out a laugh, leading Baekhyun into the living room. âYeah right, donât kid around, Baek. My mom is strict about her looking for suitors; weâre looking for serious inquiries only.â
The doorbell finally rings. âOh! I think itâs for meâ Iâll get it!â Baekhyunâs head pivots to see you rushing out of your room, slipping into your heels the last second with a black leather jacket folded over your arm. He feels the breath stolen from his lungs.Â
âOh. Hey Baekhyun,â You say, a weak smile upon your lips. âI got the door.âÂ
Standing at the door with a loose dress shirt tucked in his slacks, with a couple buttons undone; Jonginâs sun-kissed tan skin is exposed from underneath, hair slicked back in gel with a bright grin on his face. âHey, pretty.â Voice deep and smooth, goosebumps appearing on your arms. âHi.âÂ
âJongin.â He startles you from behind, bumping you aside before giving his friend a handshake. âTaking little Park out? Per Chanyeolâs request?â Jongin only nods, and he doesnât take his eyes off of you. âYes, but... I did it willingly. After all, look how beautiful she looks.â Baekhyun snaps his fingers to regain his attention. âWhere are you taking her?â
âSurprise.â He says nonchalantly, noting Baekhyunâs sudden possessiveness. âWhereâs Yeol? Told him Iâd say my goodbyes before I take her out tonight.â Saved by the presence of Chanyeol, you finally let go of the breath you didnât realize you were holding. Despite the height difference, Baekhyun was attempting to size up Jongin, although lacking a bit from the towering younger male. âWhoa, whatâs going on here?â
âNothing,â They both say in unison, but Chanyeol only chuckles at the sight of his two friends. âWell, thanks for doing this for me Jongin, Iâm sure you made both mine and my sisterâs night a little easier.â
âWell, drive safe when you go.â Baekhyun says through his gritted teeth. Words that were once so affectionate and caring now had a different meaning behind them.
Standing by the door with his arms crossed on his chest, Baekhyun scowls while Chanyeol leans against the frame. Jongin hands over to you the spare helmet on the backseat of his motorcycle (which by the way... hot) before hopping on. Settling comfortably behind him, he lifts up his arms and although Baekhyun canât hear what Jonginâs saying, he already knows the words. Wrap your arms around me so you donât fall off. Right on cue because your arms snake around his frame, gripping on as tight as Baekhyunâs jaw clenches.
The restaurant he takes you to is way out of your comfort zone.
There was a comment here and there from Chanyeol that Jongin was from old money, however there wasnât much brought up after that. Where he brings you on your first date is evident of this; itâs lavishly decorated, dark lighting with a candle that illuminates just the table, freshly picked flowers from their own garden, linen tablecloths and napkins, and to top it off, a classical band plays in the corner.Â
âWow... after telling me to hop onto the back of your motorcycle, I really didnât expect you to take me here.â He lets out a low snicker, the corners of his eyes crinkling. âA beautiful woman like you deserves a luxurious date as this.â
Jongin is a gentleman. He pulls out your chair for you, opens the car door for you, and when thereâs goosebumps on your arm and you shiver at the cool air blowing down at you, heâs observant enough without you saying and asks the waiter to turn off the air.
âBaekhyun Hyung seems like have a thing for you, doesnât he?âJongin asks, picking up his knife to saw his steak. âI saw how... protective he was of you.â
âEh, just an instinct. He and my brother are close, so Iâm sure it rubbed off.â You lie. Itâs easier to lie.
Jongin isnât convinced. âNo, Iâm pretty sure he was giving me daggers with his eyes. Like... boyfriend daggers. As if I was stealing his girl or something.âÂ
âIâm not really anyoneâs to claim,â You say, fork pushing your pasta around. This conversation wasnât fun and you werenât in the mood to be in it. After all, you were at this date because Baekhyun didnât want to be yours in the first place. âHence why weâre on this date, right? Thereâs no Baekhyun.â
But for the rest of the night, Jongin doesnât let it go. He keeps bringing it up, as if Baekhyun is now his competitor and theyâre both fighting for a mate.Â
You call it a night. Saying that you mightâve eaten something bad during lunch and it wasnât sitting well in your stomach. So much for an easy date.
âYou look... really stressed out dude. Maybe we should go out for drinks tonight or something.â Chanyeol suggests, stirring the sugar in his iced coffee with the plastic straw. âWhatâs up with you?â
He canât get you out of his mind. He canât go to bars, clubs, restaurants... pretty much anywhere;Â he canât go anywhere because everything reminds him of you. Baekhyun only agrees to meet up with Chanyeol because he doesnât want to seem any more suspicious, but it seems that showing up didnât do much of a difference either.
âCan I ask you something? And you not be mad about it?â Baekhyun blurts, leaning forward in his seat with his arms against the table.
âUh, sure.â Chanyeol responds, brows furrowed in confusion. âI guess I canât really control my anger if youâre asking something ridiculous, but shoot.â
âNo, I really need you to not be upset about it.â
â... Uh, okay, then I guess continue.â
Baekhyun takes in a deep breath and exhales, so deep that it takes him a while to recover in order to continue the conversation. âI... Would be upset if I told you that I might have feelings for your sister?â
Chanyeol raises a brow. â... Do you really? Youâre not joking, right? Because thatâs some sick jokeââ
âNo? At least, I donât think I am.â Baekhyun says quickly, shaking his head. âJust... can you stop setting her up with these other guys?â His best friend takes a sip of his drink, cringing at the taste before opening the lid to pour more sugar into it. âOkay, I wonât anymore. So what are you going to do now?â
âYouâ youâre not mad about it?â
Taking a sip of the coffee, he nods in content before closing the lid. âWell, yeah, why would I be mad?â He pauses for a moment, eyes gazing up at Baekhyunâs tired ones. âWait... youâre not telling me that sheâs the reason youâve been so stressed out, are you? Dude, I sent her out with Jongin! Whatâd you do?â
âI... I donât know.â He responds, still appalled by Chanyeolâs calmness surrounding the situation. âBut we dated for a bit and I ruined it by telling her that you might not be as supportive about this.â
âDude...â He clicks his tongue in disbelief. âWhy didnât you just tell me before? Did you already fuck up before it even really started?â
âWhat else am I supposed to do? What if you said no? Was I to pick between the girl Iâm in love with and my best friend?â
âBaek, stop being difficult. Sheâs old enough to decide things herself. What do you think this is, the Medieval times? Women are capable of making their own decisionsâ even if sheâs my baby sister and something in my stomach really wants to punch you for even laying your eyes on her, but I canât do that.â Then, thereâs a pause. âDid you say you love her?â
âUh...â He sighs, standing up in his seat and gestures Baekhyun up as well. âCome on, letâs go fix this mess.â
Baekhyun declines, slouching. âIâve already fucked it up to the point of no return. She blocked my number, doesnât respond to textsâ I couldnât even come to your house this past week because I knew she would ignore me. I look like a crazed boyfriend with how much Iâm trying here.â
âYou are a crazed boyfriend, you literally fucked up your chances with her.â
âWhich is why I think I should completely give up.â
Rubbing his face in his hands, Chanyeol frustratedly groans. âHonestly, if youâre going to give up so easily, maybe you donât deserve her.â Baekhyun swallows, anxiously shaking his leg under the table. âWhat am I supposed to do? Stand outside her house until she has to come out?â
âWell, for one thing, you got her brotherâs permission and acceptance of the two of you being together. Isnât that something? Wasnât that one of the reasons that stemmed from the conversation?â
Baekhyun grunts, hands furiously ruffling his hair. âIt wasnât only that. I called her immature, Yeol. I told her that she wasnât mature enough for me.â His best friend stays silent for a moment, so quiet that you could almost hear him blink. âDo you really believe that?â
âOf course not. Sheâs the most mature twenty two year old Iâve ever met. She has most of her life together than I do, not including the fact that she has more self-assurance than I ever did at that age. But she doesnât make me feel bad about it either; she wants me to bask in my childish behavior and be myselfââ
ââstop talking and save it for her, will you?â
His palms are incredibly sweaty. Wiping the excess moisture on the fabric of his jeans, he tightens his jaw but follows with a deep inhale and exhale afterwards. âWhy are you so nervous? I thought you said you liked her and were comfortable with her?â Chanyeol is shuffling through his pockets and filing through the many keys he has for the front door of your parentsâ place before a familiar voice is heard behind the wooden material.
âI think itâs Yeol, Dad! I got itââ The door swings open and the sight of you clenches Baekhyunâs chest.
Youâre so pretty; so fucking goddamn pretty. Hair tied back in a loose bun, oversized grey hoodie and black shorts yet the simplest outfit has Baekhyun almost gasping for air. It makes the acidity in his stomach grumbleâ or his intestines in a knot; heâs not quite sure. One thing he was certain of was that knowing that he was the cause of your tired and sad eyes made his heart drop.
âOh, hey Baekhyun.â That stung. He missed hearing you call him your baby. âYou guys coming in?â
âIâm coming in. But you? Stay out here and talk to Baekhyun.â A blank expression on your face, you blink profusely. âIs everything okay?â
âApparently not. Seemed like my friend is rather smitten with you. Whatâd you do? Drug his drink?â
âWith what? You think I have to drug your friends to think Iâm somewhat pretty?â
âNo, I think you have to drug their drinks to get them to fall in love with you. Heâs crazy now; I donât think I want to be around him anymore. You keep him.â His words donât have an underlying tone that you can pick out but he ends it off with a soft smile before patting your shoulder and walking into the house.
Itâs just you and Baekhyun.
âWhyâs he talking like that?â You say, ultimately shattering the glass of silence. âHeâs acting like I have all his friends by a leash.â
âYou have me by a leash.â Itâs a quiet again. A heavy empty space of stillness settled over the two of you, thicker than the awkwardness and tension that had never been there before.
âWhy are youââ
âYouâre home early.â Baekhyun states the obvious, gathering enough courage to speak up. âBad date?â Sucking in your cheeks, youâre tempted to tell him that itâs none of his business, yet you play along to his game anyway. âNo... he was great. He just had a lot to offer when it came to money and I knew I couldnât reciprocate nor live that life.â He nods as if this information was helpful, knowing that regardless of the turnout of the date, he would still be having this conversation.
âI told Yeol.â Your eyes widen; this is the most of a reaction he has gotten from you in a while and he admits that he misses it. âYou what? Are you crazy? It was supposed to be meticulously plannedââ
âHe said he was okay with it.â Blinking blankly, youâre still hesitant about what to say next. âThat... that doesnât change where we left off.â Distressingly raking his hair with his fingers, he nods. âI know it doesnât make up for any of the things I said but I still want another shot. I said it in the moment of panicâ I had to pick between you and Chanyeol, and I didnât know what to do.â
âSo... what are you trying to say?â
âThat what I said the other day, I didnât mean it. I guess, calling you little Park like Iâve always done made it easy, knowing that I didnât have to choose between my best friend and the girl Iâve been head over heels for. It gave me enough time to figure out what I wanted to do and... I just ended up ruining it for myself.â
Youâre quiet the entire time, hands twiddling with the fabric of your hoodie. Unsure how to feel and uncertain of what to say, you just swallow any words that want to leave your mouth, not wanting to be too easy and let him back into your arms so easily. âPlease, say something, say anything. Iâm in love with you and honestly, I never thought Iâd be in this position. All those girls Iâve datedânone of them made me feel in comparison to you.â His voice is wavering; you assume itâs from him being nervous.
âBaek, I donât want to get hurt again.â You say softly, almost in a whisper. âYou made me feel so stupid that day. I put you on this pedestal, I thought so highly of youââ
âDonât do that,â He interrupts, stepping closer to you. âDonât think so highly of me because I already broke your heart once. I made you wait so long and never realized your feelings for me. Youâre the one that I should be putting on a pedestal.â Tears begin to well in your eyes againâBaekhyunâs the reason again, but itâs the opposite from before.
âI picked my nose before opening the door and wiped it on the doorknob before coming out because I knew Chanyeol was going to touch it. Are you sure about that?â He laughs, arms wrapping around your frame before pulling you against his chest. âExactly what I looked for in a girlfriend. Someone who would torture my best friend.â
âI think Iâm ready to move out.â
âOh wow,â You say, slightly impressed. âYouâre like what, 29? You probably should have your own place by now. Instead, youâve been living at your parentsâ house, trying to steal your sisterâs last can of coke from the fridge. And you didnât even bother to replace it!â Baekhyun chuckles at the siblings arguing, rubbing your back soothingly.
âNobody asked you to drink so much of it. Itâs bad for your heath.â
âYouâre just saying that because you canât handle my hits. You want me to be weaker.â
âRightfully so.â He attacks back, sticking his tongue at you. âMan, ever since Baek started dating you, he wonât even stand by me anymore. I felt like I had more confidence knowing that he might back me up.â His friend shakes his head. âI never did though, I let you guys just fight.â Chanyeol groans. âWhatever. Anyway, I think I should look for a roommate temporarily before completely moving out on my own.â
Baekhyun sits up on the couch. âYou could always come live with me, you know.â Your older brother scoffs, shaking his head. âNah, not after you started dating my sister. Iâm only half okay with this, Iâm not sure how Iâd feel hearing your bedpost banging on the wall.â
âWhatâ why would you even bring that up!â
Chanyeol sighs disappointingly, leaning back. âMan, I miss when Baek used to date other girls. Heâd talk about how wild some of them were, how his flings were⌠he lived the life I wanted to liveâouch! Did you just throw the controller at me?â He winces, rubbing his head. âWhat was that for?â
âAre you seriously talking about his past sexual encounters in front of me, you asshole?â
âOkay but Baekââ Baekhyun raises his hands in defeat. âI donât know if Iâm cool with you bringing this up with my current girlfriend, dude.â
âThis is a losing battle, isnât it?â
#baekhyun#baekhyun fanfic#reader x baekhyun#baekhyun x reader#exo#exo fanfic#exo fics#baekhyun & reader#baekhyun&reader#exo smut#baekhyun smut#gyukultfics
657 notes
¡
View notes
Note
hiii! I was wondering if u could write something from the same âuniverseâ as Lazy Days bc itâs my favorite fic of yours!!! Maybe they go on a picnic or something? I have no clue but itâs one of my all time favorites! If you canât I understandđ have a wonderful day Lordy!đ
A Day at the Lake- Din Djarin x Reader
@jedi-jesi coming in clutch with another amazing moodboard. Like how does she make them so perfect?!?
A/n: Awww hello! I am so happy you enjoyed Lazy day so much becuase I had a blast writing it. You guys are just fueling my baby fever. I hope you have an amazing day too! I hope you like this one!Â
This is a continuation of my fic, Lazy day, which can be found here. :)
Warnings: Children, pregnancy.
Masterlist
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
âArms up.â Your daughter flings her arms up above her head and waits patiently for you to take her dress off. She giggles and squeals when you tickle her exposed tummy.
âMommy, stop it.â Laughing yourself, you fold her dress and stuff it into the backpack.
âAlright, go join your brother. But be careful and do not go any further than your waist. Make sure you stay next to him.â She gives you a thumbs up and runs off to the shore of the lake. Biting your lip, you watch as the two children splash each other in the warm water.
âTheyâll be fine. Stop worrying, remember how I taught them how to swim and float?â Your husband grabs your hips and brings you into his chest.
You sigh and lean into him, eyes never leaving your two bundles of joy. âI canât help it. Theyâre my babies.â
âMmm I know cyarâika. Here, come sit down with me and Grogu.â
At the sound of his name, the child lifts his head and smiles. His arms lift up towards you and he coos, wanting you to snuggle him. Letting out a shaky breath you give one last glance at your son and daughter and walk over to the blanket.
Itâs a wonderful day for swimming and your children begged you and Din to let them go to the lake. The sun shines bright in the sky and the bugs chirp in delight. Blades of grass twirl in the slight breeze and flowers brighten the small meadow.
You rest your back against your husband's chest and place the child in between your legs. One large palm trails away from your hips to rest on your swollen stomach.
He was so happy when you informed him for the third time that he is going to be a father. Although, youâre not quite sure why he was so shocked, because he had you in his bed for a whole weekend.
His helmet rests on your shoulder as he peers at his kids, hand moving and searching for his newest. As if on cue, a foot is pushed up against your stomach.
âCyarâika! Did you feel that?â He sounds so happy and pure, as if this was your first pregnancy. His fingers try and grab the foot, however your unborn child seems smarter than him. The child kicks another portion of your stomach, almost taunting your over excited husband.
âDin, love, you seem to have forgotten that the little beast is in my stomach.â
You can hear the smile in his voice as they both prod at your skin. âHmm, heâs a warrior.â The child will kick a spot and just before Din can grab it theyâll kick another spot.
âHe?â Amusement leaks from your voice from his assumption. âWhat makes you so sure?â
âI just have a feeling.â
Before you can say anything else a small wet body launches onto your husbands back, flinging water droplets onto you. âDaddy come play!â
Tiny hands slap all over his helmet while your daughter runs into your arms. âOh no no no, youâre wet!â But before you can stop her, she plasters her tiny body against your own, soaking your shirt.
The mandalorian bursts out in laughter and throws his son over his shoulder. âBe right back cyare.â Standing up from behind you, he jogs towards the lake. Loud laughs come from your son as he pounds on his fathers back, his legs kicking up in the air.
âDaddy! Donât hurt him!â Your daughter launches from your arms and bounds after them.
Din grunts as he throws his son over his shoulder and into the flowing water. âCome here you little princess.â Grabbing your daughter under her armpits he tosses her in right after.
A loud battle cry comes from both your children as they try and bring your husband down and into the water. Groguâs ears perk up as he watches and he squeals in delight. Soon enough, the great man falls and creates a large splash that all three kids gleam at.
The child looks up at you and points at your three goofballs. âHmm wanna go join them?â He nods and flashes you a toothy smile. âAlright.â Sighing, you wobble your way up onto your feet. Itâs always a struggle picking the child up, adding your round belly does nothing to help.
Finally, when he is secure in your arms, you walk over to the shore. The children are taking turns jumping off of your husbands shoulders into the deep water. All four of them are laughing about as hard as they can.
âMommy, look how far I go!â Your son eggs you to look at him while he stands on the beskar. âMommy! Mommy!â
âI see you. Go ahead, show me.â At your confirmation, he takes a giant leap and plummets into the water. When he emerges you greet him with loud claps and many words of affirmation.
âMommy, watch me! I can jump too!â Your daughter, ever the competitor, tries to get your attention. When she sees you watching her, she grabs your husband's outstretched hand and flings herself off his shoulders.
âWow, both of you are so good! Who knew I had such little fighters?â
They gleam under your praise and run over to envelope you in a hug.
âWait for me.â Wadding over to you, your husband's large arms wrap around your entire family. Youâve given up on staying dry at this point, the sun will warm you anyway.
***
âYou sure wore them out.â Your hushed voice flows to him as you look at both children asleep in each of his arms. His armor is off, including his helmet, so you donât miss the way his eyes soften at you. Grogu has already been placed in his hammock above the kids bunks.
A soft chuckle falls from his lips as you sit down beside him. âThey had fun.â Leaning over you press a kiss to your daughter, her only acknowledgement is the way she snuggles in further to his embrace. âLet me go put them down.â Nodding, you press another kiss to your son.
His eyes open slightly, âNight mommy.â
Your heart swells with love and you brush his hair away from his face. âGoodnight my love.â You watch as your husband carries your children away to their beds.
When he emerges back from the ladder without children in his arms you let out a content sigh and smile at him. He smiles back and leans down to press a kiss to your lips. âHey handsome.â
He hums at you and sits down in the pilot seat, spreading his legs in an inviting way. âCome here meshâla.â
Standing up, you situate yourself atop his thighs. Your hands cup his cheeks and rub at the scratchy stubble. Pressing his face, you squish his cheeks together making his lips pucker up. A loud giggle breaks from your mouth and you throw your head back in laughter.
He moves his lips like a fish and you only laugh harder. Deciding his mouth looks too tempting to leave alone anymore, you press a kiss to him. He hums in approval and tries as hard as he can to move his lips against your own.
Smiling against him you finally give him mercy and release his cheeks. âI love you.â
You feel his mouth twitch up into a grin and he rests his forehead against your own as you both catch your breath. âLove you too cyare.â
The two of you stare at each other for a while, just getting lost in each other's eyes. His hands trail over your body, memorising your skin. Your own lace into his soft curls and scratch at his scalp.
âI need to cut your hair soon, it's starting to peak out from your helmet.â
Totally disregarding your comment, he looks down at your stomach. âIâm sure heâs a boy.â
Laughter bubbles up from you and you look down at his hands that rub over your belly. âBut if theyâre a boy then itâll be four against two.â
âGuess weâll have to make another then.â
âDin!â You slap his arm at how matter-of-fact he sounded. His eyes wrinkle with how wide he is grinning. Shaking your head you kiss him again, a smile working itself onto your own features.
He leans back and wiggles his eyebrows at you. Giggling you tuck your head into the crevice between his chin and his shoulder. His hands rub at your lower back, trying to ease your pain.
âI love you, you oversized tin can.â
His chest rumbles in laughter and you feel him press a kiss to your head. âNi karâtayl gar darasuum, cyare.â
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part three: Delivery DayÂ
Okay so I loved writing this. I hope you guys liked it!Â
Feedback is always appreciated.
Love, Lordy :)
MasterlistÂ
Taglist:Â @ficthots @along-the-lines-of-space
If you want to be added to my tag list just send me an ask or comment saying you want to! :)
#din djarin#the mandalorian#din djarin x reader#din djarin x you#mandalorian x reader#mando#mando x reader#the mandalorian x reader#tw: pregnancy#pregnant!reader#x reader#tw: child#lovely anon#anon reply
281 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Kiss Him You Fool - Willex Oneshot
aka willie and flynn are best friends and sheâs done with this mutual pining bullshit. (boys are alive bc i didnât feel like thinking about ghost logistics today lmao)
so i didnât get to participate in willex week nearly as much as i wanted to so this is my song fic/au fic (i guess? since the guys are alive? idk) for free day since i didnât get the idea till last night at 1am. anyways i also didnât sign up for the gift exchange but i still wanna dedicate this fic to @fairygclds for hosting this week bc she did an amazing job and i love her v much, ty mari <3
title is from Kiss Her You Fool by Kids That Fly, cute song highly recommend
rbs and comments appreciated :)
âââ
âââ
That was real right? He didnât make that up in his head? That happened. Right?
Willie was abruptly knocked out of their thoughts as his board hit a crack in the sidewalk, sending him onto the pavement, scraping his knee. Although, the stinging did help them snap out of the daze he was in, making him realize that yes, this is real life, and yes, he and Alex Mercer almost kissed.
***
âStop, youâre not allowed to be that good at everything.â Willie teased as Alex just barely completed a loop around him.
âI feel like we are experiencing different timelines here or something.â Alex let out a shaky laugh as he flailed his arms in an attempt to regain the balance heâd just lost. Luckily, Willie held out their arm for him to grab just in time.
âCome on, youâre doing great! Just need to have a little more faith in yourself.â Willie smiled gently, offering extra support with his free hand.
Alex scoffed. âI think Iâm a roller skating kind of guy.â
âWell, I disagree but if thatâs how you feelââ
Alex rolled his eyes, making Willies stomach flutter. He helped him off the skateboard and they sat down on the couch in the studio. Willie ignored the fact that despite having the entire couch to themselves, they sat right up against each other, and he especially ignored the way their knees touching made his heart beat faster than normal.
âActually, I think solid ground is where itâs at.â Alex said, only half-joking.
âI guess, but the wheels add some spice that solid ground could never live up to.â
âExactly. You know exactly what youâre getting with solid ground. Me and wheels have a complicated relationship.â
âOh really? You guys have a falling out?â Willie teased.
âHa, yeah. There was some falling.â Alex gave a sarcastic laugh.
âBut thatâs the fun part! You can get some pretty rad scars from skating.â Willie pointed out.
ââRad?â What, are you from the 80âs?â
âListenââ Willie shushed him, shoving his shoulder into him playfully.
They laughed for a moment before falling into a comfortable silence. Willie was really tempted to lay his head onto Alexâs shoulder, or hold his hand.
His hand was right there. It would be so easy... But instead he grabbed their own hand and started messing with their fingers.
âSo, what are your plans for the rest of the day?â He asked lamely.
âWeâre rehearsing for our gig tomorrow night. Luke and Julie are going over the set list one last time right now but we should be starting pretty soon.â Alex replied, checking the time on his phone before looking back at Willie. âActually, if you wanna hangout while we rehearse, I donât think theyâd mind.â
âOh, yeah! That sounds great!â Willie smiled.
âCool.â Alex nodded, and maybe he was seeing things, but Willie couldâve sworn his cheeks were turning pink. That made him giggle.
âSo, whatâs the set list then?â They asked curiously. He shifted his body so that he could look at Alex, only mildly upset about the loss of contact, but being able to see the faded pink in Alexâs cheeks made up for it.
âWell, usually we start with Edge of Great, but Julie and Luke wrote this new song that is perfect to open with and I just know everyoneâs gonna love itââ
Willie stared at Alex as he rambled on about the show and they couldnât help the soft smile on their lips. Alex noticed almost immediately and stopped talking, almost embarrassed.
âWhat?â He asked.
âNo, itâs nothing.â Willie said, waving his hand for them to move past it.
âNo, I feel like youâre judging me!â Alex giggled.
âNo! Iâm not judging you!â Willie reassured. âYouâre just really cute when you talk about music.â He said softly.
Alex went bright red. âOh.â He replied in the same tone.
The air around them went quiet again, but this time filled with a different feeling. The feeling that there was nothing else in the world but the two of them. And suddenly their faces were a lot closer than Willie had realized. His eyes flicked down to Alexâs lips subconsciously and then back to his eyes, which he found were doing the same thing. There was nothing stopping him, all he had to do was lean in just a little bit more...
âWHOâS READY TO MAKE SOME MUSIC!â Reggie called excitedly as he entered the garage, making Willie and Alex jump apart. Reggie eyed them suspiciously. âOh, hey Willie.â He said, eyebrows pulled together like he was piecing together what just happened.
âHey.â Willie breathed uncomfortably. He felt like he couldnât get enough air.
âAre you gonna hangout for rehearsal?â Reggie asked.
âActually, uh, I gotta get going.â Willie sputtered before his brain could catch up to his mouth. They stood up and grabbed their things messily.
âI thought you saidââ
âI just remembered I have to do something.â Willie cut Alex off. âIâll see you tomorrow though?â
âYeah. Yeah, okay.â Alex said quietly, failing at hiding his disappointment and making Willies chest ache.
âCool.â Willie said. âSee ya.â He threw an awkward peace sign at Reggie (who gave him one back) and skated out of the garage as fast as he possibly could.
***
âYou are a disaster.â Flynn scolded, grabbing a dinosaur band-aid out of her desk drawer.
âI know!â Willie yelled into her pillow. She plopped down onto the bed in front of him.
âWhy didnât you just kiss him! You had the opportunity and he clearly wanted to kiss you too!â She yelled.
âI donât know!â Willie whined, throwing the pillow back down into his lap. âI wanted to but I froze! And then Reggie showed up and I couldnât stay after that! What if he didnât want that to happen, what if he hates me now!â
âHe doesnât hate you! Heâs very clearly in love with you, I donât know what youâre not understanding about this.â She peeled the paper off the band-aid and carefully stuck it to Willies knee.
âYou donât know that.â He huffed.
âWho do you think youâre talking to? He likes you. When have I ever been wrong?â
They hated to admit it, but there have been very few times Flynn has been wrong.
âFine. But what am I supposed to do?â
âGo back there? Ask him on a date or kiss him or just literally do anything.â
âI canât go back! Heâs rehearsing! I donât wanna barge in while theyâre rehearsing. And I left so fast itâd be so awkwardââ
âStop making excuses!â Flynn shook their shoulders, as they pouted. âCall him and say you forgot something.â
âI didnât forget anything.â He said plainly. Flynn shot him a look.
âDuh! I know that, but if you tell him youâre coming back to get something then you canât chicken out.â She explained, exasperated.
âOh! Well what should I say I forgot?â
âYour phone, that's a reasonable thing youâd need to get back.â
âOkay. Okokok.â Willie mumbled to themself pulling out his phone and scrolling through his contacts before Flynn snatched it from them.
âWhat are you doing?â
âCalling him like you said!â
âUse my phone dummy! If you call him from your phone heâll know you didnât leave it there!â She opened her phone and before Willie realized what was happening, the phone was ringing on speaker.
âHello?â Alexâs voice cracked through the phone.
Flynn looked at Willie and then back to the phone when he just sat there mouth agape.
âUm, hi. Itâs Willie, not Flynn, I, um, left my phone in the studio and Iâm on my way back to grab it.â They stuttered, hitting his head at his awkwardness.
âOh alright. See you soon, then.â
âYup. See ya.â Willie threw his head in his hands, their face turning bright red. Flynn ended the call and leaned against her wall with their arms crossed.
âYou really are a disaster huh.â She teased.
Willie threw his pillow at them playfully and jumped off the bed. âI hate you.â He laughed.
âLove you too.â She grinned slyly. âNow, go tell your boyfriend heâs cool and you wanna kiss him!â
Willie groaned as he grabbed his things as Flynn shooed him out of her room.
***
âHeâs coming back.â Alex said quickly. His friends shared the same look as they all âoooooooâd at him.
âGuys stop! What do I do!â He cried.
âMan calm down, itâs alright.â Reggie consoled him.
âWhyâre they coming back?â Julie asked turning her keyboard off so she can lean on the keys.
âSaid they forgot their phone.â Alex replied.
âMhm, right. Sure he did.â Luke teased. If he were closer Alex wouldâve shoved him but he felt like he was glued to his seat.
âWhat do I do?â Alex asked again.
âI mean, we can keep rehearsing till he gets here if thatâll take your mind off of it?â Julie suggested.
God bless Julie. Alex nodded.
âI donât know, it seems like he and Willie have some unfinished business.â Reggie winked.
âNo! Nothing was happening! Nothing happened, itâs nothing. He just needs his phone back.â Alex tried to ignore his friends snickering but his mind flashed back to Willie on the couch in front of him. He really thought Willie had wanted to kiss him, but if how he left says anything, Alex mustâve misread the situation. They probably hated him.
âDude, I can practically hear your thoughts and I promise you, he likes you.â Reggie assured him.
âYou canât know that for sure.â Alex mumbled, watching his drumstick twirl through his fingers.
âMaybe not but, weâve all noticed how they look at you.â Luke cut in.
âItâs not exactly a secret.â Julie said sweetly.
âI just... I care about them a lot and what if youâre wrong and thatâs just how he acts with his friendsââ
âNo, dude, weâre not letting you talk yourself out of this one.â Luke laughed.
âSeriously, Alex, you should go for it!â Reggie said encouragingly, walking around his drums to clap his shoulder.
Alex thought about it, he really did. He really thought for a second that he could do it, he could just lean forward and kiss him and theyâd live happily ever after. But he over thought it, as usual.
âI donât know. Maybe someday.â He shrugged.
âYou canât just wait for someday! You gotta go after what you want!â Luke exclaimed. Julie nodded.
Alex smiled at his friends. He appreciated their support but he couldnât help but be afraid. Deep down, he knew they were right. He knew if Reggie had been just a minute later... But he still didnât want to get his hopes up too high. Because thereâs always that what if that wonât leave him alone.
There was a gentle knock on the garage doors as Willie stepped into view, he was hugging his arms and had a soft smile on his face. They carefully waved at everyone before he made eye contact with Alex, and suddenly it felt just like they were on the couch again. Just the two of them.
You know what. Maybe itâs time for someday.
Alex stood up from his drums and walked over to Willie, trying to act nonchalant. He heard Julie clear her throat to get the other two to stop staring at them and at least pretend to do something else.
âHey.â Alex breathed.
âHey.â Willie replied. âCan I actually see you, out here?â He asked shyly, nodding his head out side.
Alex nodded and followed Willie out of view of his band mates.
âSorry, I probably shouldâve looked for your phone before you got here butââ before Alex could finish his sentence Willie had cupped Alexâs face and pulled him into a kiss.
Alex felt like his heart had just exploded and he wasnât completely sure if he was real anymore, but then he felt his hand rest on Willies cheek and he could confirm that yes, this was happening.
It didnât last longer than a few seconds before Willie pulled away again. Their eyes searched Alexâs face for any sign of his emotion but Alex had completely stopped functioning and didnât quite know what to do until he felt Willies grip on his face loosen.
âIâm sorryââ He tried to retract his hands but Alex held them in place, and he couldnât help but laugh. He saw Willieâs worry fade and Alex pulled him back into a kiss. This one much softer, less rushed. No longer a question, but an answer.
They pulled apart and Alex noticed Willie shrinking down a bit and smiled to himself.
âDo you have to stand on your tiptoes to kiss me?â He asked cheekily.
Willie raised his eyebrows. âThatâs the question you have right now?â
Alex nodded, his smile unmoving.
âIâm glad you have your priorities set.â Willie laughed.
âDefinitely.â Alex whispered. âPriority number one, make you stand on your tiptoes to kiss me again.â
âYouâre mean.â Willie pouted. Alex laughed and Willie gave him a playful shove before Alex pulled him back onto his tiptoes.
âItâs about time.â Reggie whispered as he Luke and Julie peeked around the door and watched their friend.
âLuke,â He stood up straight and held out his hand.
Luke groaned and fished for his wallet in his pockets, handing him a $20 bill.
âThank you.â Reggie said smugly, pocketing the cash.
Julie laughed and shook her head at her friends and they all made their way back to their respective instruments. Julie pulled out her phone.
Flynn: did he do it??
Julie: yup. reggieâs $20 richer
Flynn: about time!! took those fools long enough, geez
Julie: really tho
Alex walked back into the studio a blushing smiley mess and sat at his drums again, not saying a word despite his friends staring at him expectantly.
He scanned their faces from his seat behind his drums.
âFrom the top?â
âââ
âââ
a/n: let it be known that reggie used that $20 to buy a fish and he named it Gil and he is the best fish dad ever
#idk if the description is accurate like it is but i also donât know whatâs going on i wrote this in one day#hope you enjoyed anyways lol#i love them#and this song is them idc#willex week#willex#willie jatp#willie wilbur williamson#alex mercer#julie and the phantoms#jatp#willex oneshot#willex fic#netflixwewantjatp2#renew julie and the phantoms
73 notes
¡
View notes
Text
let's talk about lily evans. she's an interesting characterâor rather, the case surrounding her character is quite interesting.
i honestly don't know if i can say i dislike her. by all means, she should be a fan favourite, and she is... but for some rather intriguing reasons.
for one thing, due to the fact she's hardly expanded on in the series, certain parts of the fandom have been forced to either take the few qualities that she displays canonically and amplify them to the extreme (eg. immediate righteous anger at the slightest hint of injustice in fic) or create an entirely new personality (eg. no, i didn't actually disapprove of your pranks, it was just sexual tension). of course, the option of creating a new personality is much more tempting when you can just add amplified canon traits on the side.
for another, her relationship with james sometimes seems likes it's being weaponized against snape and his fans. i've seen arguments that go like "haha, snape just wanted to fuck lily, but james got her in the end anyway, sucks to be you", and not only does it entirely reduce her to an object, it feels like they don't even care about the relationship, the dynamics or the characters. she's basically a plot device.
and thirdly, half of her characterisation in fic is to be a peter stand-in. we don't like the rat man, so let's take the pretty girl and put her in place of the guy who was canonically a member of the marauders, even up until he was named secret keeper. suddenly, she's a prankster and an enabler.
but, snek, you may say, all of that is fanon lily, tho. you just explained that people seem to like her because they just put any personality they want into her as long as she's at least vaguely a good person. you would be right.
let's look at canon lily. she's described as the brightest witch of her age, most everyone speaks favourably of her. in fact, the only people we see actively disliking/being upset with her are petunia, out of jealousy and the invasion of privacy concerning her letter, severus, who lashed out and used a slur that also applied to him in a moment of serious distress and apologised after, and well, pureblood supremacists by virtue of her being muggleborn. interestingly enough, even this dislike manages to develop everyone's character more than it does her own.
as a teenage girl myself, let's look at her actions as a teenage girl. not necessarily in chronological order because I'm writing this at 2am and my memory is already mediocre at best.
1. she's done well enough in school to be considered trustworthy and responsible enough to be a prefect.
okay, i can respect that. a good few of the prefects at my school were really just appointed based on how much the teachers liked you, but at hogwarts, there's so few of them that they must put at least a little effort into it, so i'll move on.
2. she does not press for details when informed that her best friend's life needed to be saved by someone who has been publicly tormenting him for years
now, see, there's no reason why she needs to play therapist. it's not her job, she's just a girl, and we know that snape wasn't supposed to talk about the incident, so he would've been stuck if she had asked for an explanation. however, i also feel like she doesn't seem particularly concerned about his wellbeing, and when he brings up his concerns about lupin, rather than ask for proof, she dismisses it. which, fair enough, i would hate to listen to someone talk about the same thing over and over and over, but, i also feel like the fixation on a theory like that would be cause for concern.
3. she dismisses the actions of a group known to play tricks that harm people and have specifically been tormenting her best friend on the basis that they don't use dark magic
first, i'm going to establish what i usually assume dark magic refers to. aside from jinxes, hexes and curses, i also include anything that produces an effect similar to any of the unforgivables (takes away your life, your free will or your ability to feel safe in your own body, such as when you're in excruciating pain), and magic that would require a sacrifice of some sort.
when snape tries to point out the danger in what the marauders do, she insists that they don't use dark magic. and they don't... but they do use illegal magic. she then argues against the company that snape keeps, which, again, to be fair, is justified considering mulciber's done something to mary macdonald... it's also not a particularly realistic ask. snape probably shares a dorm with these guys, and he's a poor half-blood so he's already on the outs. as far as he knows, any dissent will be met with him getting hexed in his sleep. but, i digress.
given that the marauders have been shown to be doing extremely dangerous with little regards to anyone's safety, and actively tormenting her best friend, i disagree with her choice here. on the other hand, she's made her own friends in gryffindor and perhaps she sees a nicer side of them that we don't get to. she's justified in her actions, but i still disagree.
4. she intervenes when her best friend is hung upside down by a spell of his own invention at the wands of the people who have tormenting him for years
she does object to the marauders' treatment of him, and she does try to get them to let him down. if i were in her position, i would absolutely do the same. i respect the decision to stand up for her friend.
5. she does not seriously attempt to help him or punish the marauders
i do not respect how she handled it. at any point, she could have drawn her wand. but, snek, you say, perhaps she didn't want to get involved physically. she wanted to follow the rules. in that case, at any point, she could taken points, assigned detention, or sent someone to get a member of staff. she does none of those things and i viscerally disagree. if we were ever friends and someone tried to hurt you, i can assure you that i would try to at least see to it that they'd be punished, even if it wasn't immediate or by my own hand. lily, however, chooses to argue rather than take action.
6. she smiles when severus gets hung upside down
chances are, it was more than likely an involuntary reaction, like laughing when your friend has fallen over. however, the fact that it was intentionally written in seems like it's mean to be an indicator that the friendship was already falling apart.
7. she comments on her best friend's poverty and uses a name that's been used to make fun of him after he calls her a slur that also applies to him
she was 100% within her rights to be upset by being called a slur. it is never okay to use slurs. the only situation in which a slur could possibly ever be appropriate would be if you were an oppressed group attempting to reclaim said slur which is not at all what snape was doing here. he was experiencing cruelty, being humiliated, publicly, for no reason beyond existing and he was in distress, choking on soap and upside down. it was damaging to his pride, especially when james suggests that he needs lily to fight his battles for him (paraphrasing) which is an emasculating statement to make, especially to a teenage boy. so, snape lashes out with the most hurtful word he could think of, which happened to be a slur that also applies to him. lily was 100% justified in being upset about this, and she retaliated in kind. she was very much allowed to say what she said. i understand that she was hurt and angry and i respect that, especially as i can't guarantee that i would not have been just as upset in that situation.
8. even when the threat of sexual harassment is made, she still does nothing
i get it, at this point, she's hurt, she's mad, she wants him to suffer since she's a teenage girl and teenage girls hold grudges like it's nobody's business, but... i definitely couldn't just stand by and watch it happen. she basically just let them go through with it.
9. she does not accept her best friend's apology for calling her a slur that also applies to him, effectively burying the friendship
she is, by no means, obligated to continue being friends with him. however, if i were in that position, and the apology was sincere, i would take the friend back.
10. she goes on to date and eventually marry the guy who bullied her former best friend for his entire school life
no. i disagree. but, snek, you say, james changed. no. he didn't. we know, that at this point, james was still going after snape behind lily's back. you can say that she didn't know, but that means that she would have allowed james to lie to her and that doesn't sit right with me bc a relationship built on lies is a relationship that is going to fall apart, especially when your partner has been disappointed by your actions before. you can say that she did know, and that proves that she simply didn't take her responsibilities as head girl seriously enough to stop the head boy from harassing people when she explicitly told him not to. the point is, no. there is no way that this would have worked out as a long term relationship. james is too comfortable lying to her. i can't even say she was justified. there is no circumstance where i personally see this as okay for anybody involved.
alright, so, essentially teenage lily was justified in (most of) her actions, even if i find them questionable.
adult lily dies at 21, while saving her son, but her death also helps save the wizarding world. good job. she, as expected, did what any good mother would.
and that's canon lily.
my thoughts: she's a perfect example of why writing tips are so adamant on making sure people try to show and not tell. we were told that lily is meant to be good and pure and lovely, but the author never bothered to actually prove that, so what we're left with a dissonance between what we see and what we know.
as a result, i still don't know if i truly dislike her. her actions are justified, but they don't match with what we've been told, and we don't have any other information to go off of. at best, i can say for certain that i disagree with many of her choices, despite understanding why she would have made them (except for marrying james potter, uggghh, the only good thing to come out of that was harry and the saving of the wizarding world by extension, ig).
thanks for reading all that, btw! hope it made sense :)
#meta#lily evans#lily evans potter#anti lily evans?#just to be sure#james potter#severus snape#harry potter#thoughts#my opinion#not sure what i should tag this as#im tired and have to get up for work in like#five hours lol#anti jily#im sorry but i really can't do jily
123 notes
¡
View notes