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lesinquietes · 16 days ago

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Summary: Alucard thinks the dreams he crafts for you are delicious. And they feel so real, don’t they? Maybe they are. Maybe all of this is. In the end, only you and him will know.

Pairing: Yandere!Alucard x AFAB!Reader

Warning: 18+ (minors, don’t interact), angst, horror, mentioning of noncon, sexual themes

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ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ

really love the idea of alucard messing with reader in her dreams 🥰 and the power of friendship — even tho its not enough to stop the horrors that await them all

The Basement’s Monster II

“Find me, trandafir… or I'll find you.”

You wake up in a foreign land. It’s dark. There’s a nip in the air. Alert and frightened, you glance down. You're standing upright. Your bare feet are encased by snow and ice. The frosty dust travels all the way up to your ankles, scratching your raw skin. Around you are tall evergreens, their skirts hiding more than ice beneath them; you learn this almost immediately.

As you guide your gaze down their branches, you catch a glimpse of something in motion between them. You take a step back. Suddenly, growling is heard to the left of you. With a gasp, you whirl to face the threat. It leaves no trace. You hear the same noise again, closer this time. You can’t catch the culprit, regardless of your wit.

Unmoving, you listen to the ambiance of the eerie site. You want to freak out. It takes every fibre of self-restraint to not. But inwardly, part of you does. Part of you spends several seconds attuned to your heartbeat, believing that cardiac arrest will kill you before the monster does. Inside, you claw your hair out in chunks and howl like a werewolf into the cloudless sky. You close your eyes and beseech for a swift end, because giving up is easier than the prospect of failing, or running into the abyss, of getting lost in this Carpathian forest.

A soft growl emerges from behind you once more. Hauntingly, the beast’s breath dances across your bare shoulders. Your hair hovers on end. Jesus Christ; this thing is close enough to touch you.

Your survival instincts kick in. Thoughtlessly, you bolt forward. A sitting duck certainly doesn’t stand a chance; a running duck might.

The snow crunches under your toes as you dash. The crescent moon poorly illuminates your path while you clumsily dodge trees, dead shrubs, and pitfalls, panting feverishly. No one has treaded this section of the woods yet. There’s no indication of where to go, or where you could be headed. All you know is that you're being hunted.

You stumble to a halt when your lungs burn, begging for reprieve. Collapsing to your knees, the powder beneath you cuts into your skin. You barely feel the slices; you’re too cold to notice.

You swallow laboured pants and kneel in silence, attending to the earth. You count to sixty three times. In that span, you don’t hear anything.

It’s odd. There are no animals in this area, prowling about in the guise of night. You seem to be the only living creature out here. A cryptic realization strikes you. Animals and insects can detect predators more effectively than humans.

Climbing to your feet, you survey the circumference around you. The shadows remain in place this time. Still, there’s an unrest in the pit of your stomach that prompts you to move on. Staying here will do you little good.

You trek forward, rubbing your arms to keep warm. The walk feels like it lasts for an eternity. Maybe it does. But even eternities die hereafter.

There's a wooden post pitched awkwardly near a hulking tree. At the top is a carved arrow pointing to the right. You can’t read the words that are scratched into the jaded wood. You reach up to wipe off the snow. Unnerved, you discover that the characters are in a different language.

Nu intrați.

You look in the direction it’s signifying. You squint through the blowing snow, straining your eyes to scan the visible distance. There’s no path in sight. You don't know what you were expecting. You do notice something else, though. Through the thick trunks and thorny bushes, the small hills and frosty terrain, you see a light. It’s dim and foreboding. It’s also the only lead you’ve got. Reluctantly, you embark.

At your rear, the darkness is steadily closing in over your shoulder. Is it you, or is the void getting closer? You can no longer conceive the larger details of the woods behind you. It's inky and devastating. You get the sense that you'll be consumed if you don't pick up your pace. Right then, your stride transforms into a brisk jog.

Utterly disoriented, you reach the light source. Your icy fingers coil around the post. This one has a lantern dangling from its upper axis, swaying ominously in the arctic gusts; that must be what you saw. You shift to get a glimpse of what was pursuing you. Nothing. It cowers from sight, skirting along the hem of light, as though fearing what will be revealed.

Next to you, on the opposite side of the post, there are items dangling from a hook. They appear to have been planted, given their relatively clean state. Strange, based on the lack of footprints. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to determine that this is bait from the predator chasing you. Upon further inspection, it's a cloak and a pair of boots. Gear to survive this landscape — a grim confirmation that he doesn't want this charade the quest to finish prematurely. Mournfully, you may have no choice but to adorn them if it means getting out of this polar nightmare alive.

You snatch the cloak and toss it over your figure. It’s made of a white silky fur, instantly enveloping you in a toasty hug. There’s a thicker pelt lining the garment, barring the wind from gaining access to your nudity. The length of the fabric lands below your knees, guarding most of your body. Surprisingly, it's weighted.

You put the boots on next. They’re precisely your size. Creamy white fur lines the collar, cushioning your glacial feet. They stretch a few inches above your ankles. You're better equipped for the expedition ahead. The relief that hits you is instant. It offers the physical security you required to commence.

Leaving the light is petrifying. You don't know if the creature is going to pounce on you the moment you're out of safety. Graciously, it doesn't. That's how you know there's more for you to see.

Your destination remains unclear. You're aiming for the direction the arrow suggested, but you haven't seen a sign post since. You wonder if you missed the path somewhere. You suppose you'll never know; it's more likely you'll perish out here.

Minutes turn to hours. You're relentless. Exhaustion perches on your shoulder like a dreadful gargoyle, slowing you down. In your perspective, stopping would mean giving up. You won't do that. And thus, your aching soles hike further than they ever have.

A deviation in the scenery finally gathers your attention. Weaving through the trunks and canopies, you notice grey rock. At last, a clue as to where you might be, and how you can reach civilization. You rush, fast approaching what you seek.

The moon shines just right. Your jaw drops. It's a towering cliff face. The trees thin out, and you capture a set stage fresh out of a sinister fairy tale. Evacuating from the forest, you lay witness to a castle at the edge of the massive stone mountain. A shallow layer of snow decorates the path leading to its gigantic archway, unlike the mounds you treaded through on your trek. This place is distinctly habitated.

The gates are several metres taller than you, made from a ferocious oak. There are twin knockers on either door. You can't make out what shape they are. You feel drawn to enter.

A wave of anxiety chokes you. Intuitively, you believe it would be a grave error to trespass further. The beast has other plans for you, however; he didn't bring you all this way to have you turn back.

He slithers up behind you — where he's been hovering for your entire odyssey — and digs his feral nails into your bicep. The sharp tips puncture your flesh, extracting blood. You open your mouth to scream. Everything settles into a muted chaos. The last thing you witness is the vampire running his tongue along his finger, tasting your life force.

You jerk into an upright position. Sweat pours down your face, dripping from your wrinkled forehead. Eyes watering and lips trembling, your gaze darts to and fro. Soon, your vision stabilizes.

There’s no forest. There’s no snow. There’s no castle. You’re in your bedroom. Panic becomes background noise as you hash out the questions in your mind.

When did you fall asleep? You didn’t want to pass out, but you must have lost the battle. You can’t blame yourself; it was late. The last thing you recall being conscious for was reading about Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Must have been a little dry.

How long have you been asleep? Afternoon sunlight beams through your curtains. It’s definitely past noon. Then, what happened during your slumber? Your memory is fading upon awakening. You’re already forgetting several key portions of your dream, such as the event which caused you to run further into the unpredictable woods. The final details are fuzzy, as well. You know something must have startled you into consciousness — but what?

You throw off the sheets and scrutinize your form. There are no scratches. Bruises aren’t decorating the skin of your ankles, nor are there markings from the cuffs of your boots. The threat of frostbite didn’t directly affect you, either, sparing your flesh from decay.

Perplexed, you get out of bed. What was that land you were in? And that language. You wish you could remember what the sign said. There’s no hope of deciphering lost words.

You tug your robe off its hanger and slide your arms through the wide sleeves. You’re going to shower and brush your teeth. Then, you’ll go downstairs to have a meal. There’s much research to be done. You need to feel fresh and energized if you want to keep up.

You leave your bedroom. Peeking around the corner, you notice there’s more life than usual in the house. Everyone seems to be home. Nelly is in her bedroom, talking to a friend. Cree is listening to music at a moderate volume, singing along occasionally. Downstairs, Ericson is likely in her chamber or lounging in the living room. It’s a nice change.

Quietly, you move down the corridor. The bathroom still bears uncomfortable memories for you, but you can’t avoid it. Hygiene is too important. You dip inside and close the door.

Washing up goes immaculately. You’re able to groom yourself for the day without qualm. The vampire doesn’t show himself. In fact, you’re safe until you’ve stopped expecting the worst.

Robe tied firmly at your waist, you open the bathroom door and release the steam that’s been built up. The cool air is refreshing as you step outside of the humid space. A soft sigh escapes your lips. It’s silent. Mournfully, your peace doesn’t last.

You pass Nelly’s room. Strangely, her door is open. Filled with natural curiosity, you glance inside. She’s not talking on the phone anymore. She’s sitting on the edge of her bed, head hung low. Her short red box braids dangle in front of her face, shielding her features. Instead of chocolate skin, you see something else. Dark tendrils are crawling along her exposed flesh.

What the fuck?

You grind to a halt. You’re inches away from your door. You want to pretend you never saw that. Unfortunately, you can’t. If Nelly’s in trouble — if the monster has enough gall to lay claim to her — you have to do something.

You clamp your eyes shut. Your breathing is dysregulated and chaotic. It’s impossible to soothe your grieving heart. You really don’t want to do this… but Nelly has shown up for you countless times in the past. It would be a disservice if you abandoned her.

With sheer motivation, you veer in the direction you came. You adjust your robe and creep closer to your comrade’s door. You purse your lips. Now, it’s closed halfway.

“Oh, god.” You whisper, practically frozen with fear. “I can’t fucking believe this.”

You open the door prudently, using your whole arm. The scent of cinnamon and almonds — her favourite body spray — warms your spirit temporarily. Nelly’s no longer on the bed, though. In fact, there’s no trace of her at all.

“Uh… hey!” You call out. “You okay?”

Not a sound. Worry grows thicker in your chest. You wander into the room. The window is closed and none of her usual electronics are on. It’s as though she was never present to begin with. But you know you heard her before showering. And who was that on her mattress?

Your earlobes tingle. You pick up on a gentle noise. Initially, you think it’s movement.

“Nel?”

But it’s not shuffling; it’s sobbing. And it’s coming from her closed closet.

The twin wicker doors are menacing. There’s darkness in their confines, meaning if Nelly’s in there, she’s sitting on the floor in pitch black, crying. That’s not like her.

Tears prick the corners of your eyes. You shake your head, stepping away from the source. There’s no goddamn way you’re searching in the closet for your friend — not alone. You have to get out of here and find someone to help you, now.

The crying ceases abruptly. You don’t stick around to find out why. Barrelling towards the ajar door, you throw it open. The knob flies into the wall, breaking its stopper and lodging the ball into plaster. You’ll apologize later.

You whirl into the hallway and cut to the right, smashing into someone in the process. You trip backwards and catch yourself on the wall. Holding your head, the person is blurry for a short eternity, until he reacts.

“Woah!”

A friendly male voice penetrates through your tunnel vision. Amiable hands grasping your upper arms crush your apprehensiveness. You unravel, breathless.

“Cree!” You gasp, seizing his shirt with quivering fists. “We gotta— we need t—“

You can’t summon the words. There’s embarrassment as much as there is urgency. Although you don’t have the ability to prove what you experienced, you need him to believe that you’re telling the truth.

“Hey!” He cooes. “Calm down, girl.”

He folds you into an embrace, large arms boxing you against his firm chest in an expression of care. He recognizes how frazzled you are. And his efforts aren’t lost on you, despite the influx of anxiety that’s pumping through your veins. You spend a few moments huffing and puffing and wailing. There’s no time for hugging, and yet, it’s what your nervous system craves. You lean into him.

Cree has been your friend for a while. He’s only let you down once. It was when he was smudging his grandmother’s home. He accidentally lit your hair on fire with the white sage. You didn’t talk to him for days after that. This is different, though. Would he scorn you for being spooked?

“There’s something in this house.” You croak, going all in. “I keep seeing it, and hearing it, and it’s trying to hurt our friends.”

His hold tightens. He strokes your back and shushes you gingerly. The gesture ought to be comforting; instead, it disheartens you. He doesn’t seem to grasp your admission. Maybe you were wrong; maybe there’s no one you can trust with this horrible secret.

He shuffles so that his arms are outstretched and his hands are clasping your shoulders. There’s confusion carved into his face. He explains himself.

“I heard scratching on my wall. If I wasn’t lying in my bed, I wouldn’t have heard it. It was steady, like nails on drywall.”

Your watery eyes widen. The head of his mattress rests against the wall corresponding to Nelly’s closet. A shiver scrambles up your form, causing you to cringe. What would have happened if you’d opened the wicker doors? You dread considering the gruesome outcomes.

“It stopped, and shit was quiet for a while. Then, someone was crying.”

You tremble. It was the monster luring you into its clutches. Cree nearly overheard your demise.

“I-I-I thought I s-saw Nel.” You stammer, rattled. “S-she—“

“She left for work this morning.”

You whine. You’re grateful she’s alive; nevertheless, this news has you questioning your reality. You might be losing it from the level of psychological warfare this bastard is inflicting upon you. Regardless, you know that whatever you heard talking on the phone wasn’t your friend. Whatever you observed sitting on the bed, with tentacles for legs, wasn’t your friend, either. The monster has been hunting you from the second your eyes opened.

"I thought I saw her when I walked by her room." You gesture to your robe. “As you can see, I just finished showering. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, looking kinda sick. I went in the find her, but—“

You can’t stop thinking about what was in that closet. It was luring you, like a scumbag uses candy to snatch kids. He tempted you in the realms of curiosity and goodwill, effectively poking at your moral code. You have to admit, scurrying out of the bedroom didn’t feel great when you thought Nelly could’ve been in there.

Your exhale is noticeably strong.

“—but I heard someone crying in the closet.”

“And you ran.”

You nod, failing to restrain a waterfall bursting at the gates. You bawl into Cree’s shirt. He lets you, all while stroking your back and rocking you in place. He knows there’s nothing to say to a grieving soul, and so, he simply holds space for your pain. Your break down lasts for a good five minutes.

Alucard stands by the doorway of Nelly's room, observing the scene with envious eyes. If you turned around, you wouldn't catch him savouring your misery. He's undetectable to the human gaze.

It was him in the closet, luring you into his clutches. He shapeshifted into one of his various forms and embellished his usual theatrics. You took the bait flawlessly. If you were an idiot, he would have captured you there. He isn't certain what he would have done with you, so perhaps it's better for your health — and the longevity of his game — that he didn't fall for his trickery. Still, he doesn't care for the result augmenting before him.

The one you call Cree has his hands on you. He may prove to be an obstacle if he's not removed. You could be driven closer to the boy as you grow more frightened. If that’s the case, he'll have to speed up the process of isolating you from the others. They have you to blame for the cruel measures he’ll engage with to enact total control over his future queen.

He refrained from caressing you last night, in the dream he fabricated. He could have tackled you into the snow and taken you if he wanted. He’s more of a gentleman than that, though; tactics such as animalistic, dehumanizing rape is a method most commonly employed by the Catholic church. He, on the other hand, will lay claim to your body when you give him permission; he won’t have you until then.

In your sleep, he permitted you to venture closer to his castle, to work for the life he’s ready to give you — albeit unknowingly. He was impressed by your perseverance. He’s witnessed mortals give up after being chased by Baskerville. You chose to push on. You are proving to be very worthy. This was accentuated by the taste of your blood. He was fortunate to relish in a few drops.

When there's fresh, delectable blood available, a part of him — one who's incredibly juvenile — tends to coax him into indulging. In his younger years, he would have. He's learned since then, however. Watching his greedy counterparts drain humans dry and suffer the brutal consequences, it cemented the idea that feeding carelessly results in an untimely demise. He wouldn't be the apex predator he is today if he didn't heed his cryptid instincts.

The others died; he’ll live forever. Hopefully with you by his side.

Cree doesn’t explicitly indicate whether he believes you or not. What he does do is offer his support. He tells you to call him when you’re nervous. If he’s at work, and the cafe is dead, he’ll be able to chat with you for a bit. It’s an incredibly sweet gesture. Part of you wishes he volunteered himself to help you battle the monster in this house. Doesn’t he comprehend the gravity of letting this creature roam free?

He invites you into his room. You listen to music until Nelly comes home. He tells you that all of you are going to sit down and have dinner with each other this evening. Before leaving for work, the redhead told him and Ericson — both of who were already awake for the day, themselves — that she's going to bring home a few pizzas. After that, he's going to search the basement.

You don't know how he does it, but Cree manages to take your mind off the situation at hand. By the time Nelly arrives, you're laughing together about misheard lyrics from a song he showed you. Her advent is a reminder of sinister activities. Your mood is sapped the second you hear her keys jingle.

By six-thirty you're in the dining room, seated at the table. It's massive and made of a solid mahogany. Around it are six chairs. Two more sit off to the side. You recollect how adamant Nelly was about purchasing the set.

“We can’t have a house without a dining table. Might as well not have a damn house at all.”

This is the first place she's ever called home; you don't blame her for wanting it to be perfect. She's invested. You wish you could follow her lead.

You reach for a slice of your favourite pizza. Once everyone has food on their plate, the devouring commences. You didn't understand how hungry you were. You skipped breakfast and lunch today, but Cree gave you small candies to tide you over. Right now, this meal feels like the best thing you've eaten in your whole life.

You munch in silence. Cree pipes up between chewing.

"Yo, I heard some shit in the basement today."

You swallow, staring at him intently. He didn't tell you he was going to do this. Is he sparing you the embarrassment of having to bring up what occurred earlier?

“Oh yeah?” Nelly drones, biting into her food.

“Yeah. I thought it was someone crying.”

“What is it with everyone getting creeped out by the basement?” Ericson asks genuinely.

"Dunno." Cree shrugs. "Anyone wanna come check it out with me?"

Nelly hums, curiosity evident in her tone. She mulls the idea over in her head. You notice the rings beneath her eyes which resemble cattails in their colour. She tried to cover them with makeup, but it must have faded after a full day of working. Your friend seems exhausted.

"Sure." She concedes with a shrug, focusing on her food. "But give me time to eat and digest before this little—" She pauses to gesture at Cree, who's visibly animated in his seat. "—adventure."

"Sweet!"

Something you've come to realize about your comrades during this ordeal is that they're exponentially compassionate towards one another, yourself included. Your collective dedication to friendship is admirable. Each of you have different personalities, and yet, you mesh well on a united front.

"I'll come, but I won't go down." Ericson chimes in. "It's too cold."

"You sure that's why?" You lift a teasing brow. "Or are you scared?"

She head rolls around the back of her neck. She faces you with an exasperated expression. You crack a simper.

"Girl." She scoffs. "You're asking me if I'm scared when I busted in the washroom to save your ass from a peeping tom?"

"Nah, that's a human!" Cree interjects, grinning. "What about if (f/n) said she saw a ghost tryna get at her?"

Nelly snorts, almost choking on her food.

"You're acting like the ghost is tryna fuck."

"Maybe it is!" Cree snickers.

"Hey, if I was dead for decades, I'd be pretty horny." Ericson asserts.

As funny as it is, once removed from the reality of the circumstance at hand, you barely giggle. It stirs anxiety in your chest. The threat to you is tremendous. And what if the vampire is trying to fuck? That's an outrageous demand you don't want to give into.

Later that evening, Cree and Nelly disengage the locks and open the door to the basement. You and Ericson gather around to watch. You can tell Nelly has some reservations about the impending endeavour.

“I’m telling you right now: if there’s a demon down there, I’m getting terminating the damn lease.”

While you nod in agreement, pleased by her willingness not to trifle with the supernatural realm, Ericson rolls her eyes.

“Chill.” The brunette groans. “I swear, you guys are freaked out by the house shifting and the pipes rattling.”

“Darkness, too.” Cree adds with a coy smile. "Don't forget that."

He flicks on the light switch. Abruptly, the bulb blows. Its deafening snap has you covering your face in terror. Ericson shrieks.

“What the fuck!” The man cries. “Shit, dude! That could not have happened at a worse time!”

“What a coincidence.” Ericson mutters, weary.

“Yeah.” Nelly grumbles, face twisted in disapproval. “But I feel like that was too much of a coincidence. I say we keep that door locked tight. Like, I’ll wait at the top of the stairs while you guys investigate, kinda thing.”

You get why she doesn’t want to put herself at risk. She’s smarter than most. A bad omen is a bad omen.

“I mean… I don’t want Cree going by himself, so I’ll go, too.” Ericson volunteers.

She’s genuinely concerned for his safety. You are, too, but you can’t set foot down there. Guilt rises. You punch it down so it’s mere background noise.

Cree scoops his phone out of his pocket. He turns on the flashlight app and regards Ericson. He flickers the beam beneath his chin.

“‘Kay. You ready?”

The young woman replicates his moves.

“Sure am.”

Ericson trots down the stairs after Cree. You stand on the stoop and gaze into the abyss. It’s haunting to remember when you were here on the viewing day, tempted to meet the monster. You believe he blew the bulb. Does he plan to screw with your friends while they’re in his domain?

Suddenly, nausea bubbles in your gut. You shouldn’t have let them go. He doesn’t seem capable of harming you on the other floors of the house, but what if he’s more powerful in the basement?

A hand drops onto your shoulder. You yelp at the impetuous contact. Thankfully, it’s Nelly.

“Are you okay, hun?” She inquires, perturbed. “You’ve been hella jumpy lately.”

She hasn’t been noticing the noises. She hasn’t been privy to his growing vitality. The closest she got to him was today, when the lightbulb blew. If she knew, she would be frightened, too.

“Cree isn’t the only one hearing noises.” You admit. “It feels like there’s something else here with us.”

She bobs her head slowly, digesting your confession.

"You're saying you heard noises?"

"Yeah."

"In the basement?"

"That's right."

"And we sent those two down there?"

You bite your tongue until you taste iron. That's precisely what you were pondering when she confronted you. In a sick way, you're content that's you're not the sole one concerned about their trek into foreign territory.

The clock in the kitchen cycles two and half times. Just then, footsteps echo from the stairwell. Unknowingly, you and Nelly hold your breath. They’re gradual and intentional. It could be your friends or the beast. Graciously, Cree’s head appears. Ericson is there, as well.

"Nothing at all is down there, guys." He announces, securing the door behind Ericson. "Just dust."

"Yup." His counterpart corroborates. "We split up and didn't see anything weird."

Relieved, you huff. It doesn't mean that he's a figment of your imagination, or that he's not surveilling you; it means that your friends made it back up alive. He didn't trifle with them.

"Whew!" Nelly bellows. "Y'all had me worried there for a sec, I'm not gonna lie."

"Like when the light went out?"

Ericson rags on her in jest. She laughs.

"Yes, exactly!"

The brunette turns to Cree.

"Are you satisfied?"

He stares at you. It's in indication that he wants to know your answer to Ericson's probe. With the smallest of smiles, you nod discreetly. You can't rely on them to take down a vampire. It's enough that no one got hurt. Cree mimics you.

"Totally, dude. Thanks."

With that, everyone disperses. You decide to retire to your bedroom for the evening. You have a lot of work to do. Cree turns in, too. He’ll probably stay up and play games with his friends. Nelly heads for the bathroom to shower and hit the hay. In her words, seven in the morning comes fast. You think this is a positive ending to the night.

Ericson moves towards her chamber. She's the last to go. Once she's inside her room, she locks the door. Then, she removes an amulet from her back pocket. The jewel is crimson, as though filled with blood. It's encrusted with gold. She found it down there, when her and Cree were searching for any sign of life. It was tucked away on a ledge in the cold room, at the furthest corner of the house. She spotted it because she thought she saw something when she scanned her flashlight over the small space. Upon further examination, she discovered this mysterious treasure.

She grins. This will be her little secret. She can’t explain why she doesn’t want to tell you or the others about the jewel. Does she think you'll steal it from her? She has no reason to. Years have dictated that none of you are thieves.

It's peculiar...

...but a voice in her head — distant, yet demanding — implores her to keep this to herself.

#18+ minors dni #the basement’s monster #alucard hellsing #yandere alucard x reader #hellsing x reader #alucard x reader #yandere vampire x reader #afab reader

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thesharkwhalewhoohooooo · 3 months ago

Text

Bridget x fem! Oc

10977 words 💪💪💪

"Hello darling." Jess smirked as she appeared behind Bridget, twirling the girl and evading when Ella tried to pull her away.

"Jess! Good to finally see you again." The princess smiled, nudging her with her shoulder.

"Mhm, of course... princess." She grinned, side stepping and catching Bridget by the wrist just when she was about to collide with the ground.

"Ulianaaaa!" She called out to the sea witch, alerting her of Bridget's position.

"Bridget, that's not your friend." Ella snatched her from Jess, who rolled her eyes.

"Of course i'm not! Could you imagine?" She cackled, her vibrant pink and purple hair illuminating the dark hallway as she dissolved in strips of the two colours.

"Have a nice day princess..."

"Hiiiiiiii~" Jess called out to her fellow wonderlandian, lounging on a branch as if she'd never fall off.

"Oh? Hello Jess! How are you doing?" The girl skipped over, standing under the tree so Jess only had to tilt her head down to look at her.

"Nothing much...." She lazily smirked, tracing eights on the bark.

"Mind if I join you?" She merely hummed, shifting to lay on her back and let her legs and arms dangle, carefully balancing her weight over the branch so she wouldn't fall either way.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself all alone? Didn't think you'd do anything like that, you know, with your desperate proclamations of being friendless?" Bridget reached up and jokingly tugged on her hair, which got her an annoyed glare.

"Don't be so silly! I'm not always saying I have no friends, besides, Ella is my friend! And you are-!"

"Nu-uh." The girl smiled up at her, nodding.

"Of course not!" Jess jumped down, landing perfectly in front of her and clasping her hands together behind her back.

"So, what are you doing in the woods? You know the creatures that dwell here." She circled her, placing a hand on her shoulder as she held out her arm alongside the other, gesturing around, bright pink and purple sparks revealed shadowy creatures that chased human silhouettes.

"Oh dear! That doesn't seem all too good now does it? How about we go and have some tea? I got us Twisted Turnarounds, I know it's your favourite." The Cheshire thought about it for a while, still holding onto her shoulders but this time also putting her chin on it.

"Mh, for once, i'll join you."

"Ha ha haaa! Oh shapes and twisted spheres! Always such a pleasure." Jess grinned as she spun around in the air, everything in the room contorting into spirals or spheres, Bridget clinging to her chair desperately as she stared at her teacup filled with the swirling green and purple tea.

"Oh dearie, I don't think this is all that pleasurable." She muttered under her breath, carefully glancing up at the girl who was happily flying around her room.

"Why would you drink it if you don't enjoy it? You still have the Hearts and Harlot one don't you? You had that once, it was hilarious!" Jess appeared behind her, placing her hands on her shoulders and flipping over her head, twirling through the air before slowly coming to a stop.

"Don't remind me of that, it's embarrassing. Also, it's impolite to not drink the same tea as your guest."

"That or you're just asking me out." Bridget blushed and looked down, the effect of the tea wearing off.

"But what's the name again-? Sweets of the Spineless? Spice Hectic Carnaval? The one with the bomb of sweets?" She slowly circled around Bridget in the air, sipping her tea as the princess rested her chin on her palm.

"Mh, would you like to switch to Wonder Under?" Jess grimaced, but turned around and placed her cup down on the table.

"Sure..." Bridget smiled up at her before the Cheshire turned back around to float on her back.

"You know, it's not that nice to float around with your back turned when you're a guest." Bridget pointed out, holding up the cup to Jess, who let her hand trial up her arm before she took it from her.

"Mh, is it? Haven't noticed." She turned around with a smirk, staring at the princess.

"You can turn around! I get it!" She looked away with a blush, bringing her cup to her lips.

"M'kay. Have you heard what the hare and Hatter saw when they passed the castle?" Bridget leaned closer, intrigued by her words.

"What'd they see? Did my mom hand out another beheading? Honestly it's so outdated, coming here has really opened my eyes to that, when I'm queen I'll limit my beheadings- yeah no sorry." She sheepishly smiled, accidentally going on a little rant, getting a look from Jess to shut up.

"Not a beheading, even though I'd love to be there for that, your parents were taking a stroll in the woods without guards! And! They were going towards the Rabbit hole! Without guards!... wait I think he said it was a carriage...." Jess hummed in thought, Bridget's eyes widened.

"A carriage?!"

"Yep! Just like that, they had Rabbit make a portal to me to break the news. Also apparently my dad pranked the captain of the guards so I should be cautious when I see him and not try anything, which is so rude! At least tell me which one! It was probably Jack of Clubs, he always has something against us, also, tell your mom to stop favouring the heart cards, it's bullshit because the Jack of Hearts gets to make dumb arrests for nothing!" Bridget wasn't listening around halfway through, too busy frantically tidying her room to pay attention to the girl floating above her head.

"You do realise I can clean all this up in a millisecond?" That got her to snap her head up to her, eyes wide.

She reached out to Jess, who watched her movements out of the corner of her eye, and grabbed onto the back of her collar, pulling her down and moving her hand to the front of her sweater's collar.

"Mh?"

"And you didn't tell me earlier?!"

A mere few hours later, the Hearts family had arrived at Merlin Academy, expecting to surprise their daughter.

Obviously, Jess saw them, as she was laying on a pipe that ran across the roof, containing the hot water for the school.

"Bridget~!" She called out to the girl, running a clawed hand across her back as she landed behind her, placing an arm around her shoulders and leaning closer.

"Her imperial majesty is here." She whispered into her ear, softly biting it with her canines after.

"Huh-?" Bridget squeaked out, flushing red as she felt her teeth, before she realised what she said.

"Mom's here?! Okay- act surprised!" She spun around to the entrance of the library, placing down her book on the chair she was about to sit in before Jess spoiled that.

"I mean I won't, but if you rush up to her it'll look like someone snitched..." Jess sat down on the arm of the chair, pushing back her cuticles.

"Oh yeah! Of course- i'll just sit! Right here... and wait...."

"You want to go greet her desperately don't you?" Bridget quickly nodded, but sat down nonetheless, opening her book and leaning against the pillows, and even though she was giddily waiting on her parents, she still felt relieved she didn't have to leave the warmth of the fire.

That, and the fact that Jess had just sprawled herself over her lap, softly scratching her nails down her arm, eliciting a giggle from Bridget's lips.

They sat there in comfortable silence, Bridget's hand eventually finding it's way into Jess' hair, who had leaned closer to it with a content smile, softly purring from deep within her chest.

"Bridget!" Her mother eventually came bustling in, her dress as magnificent as her empire, and her crown as sparkly as -her smile- the brightest stars.

"Mom!" Bridget smiled brightly, almost knocking a drowsy Jess out of her lap if it wasn't for her floating a mere centimeter above the ground.

"Oh wow, the hospitality here is wonderful." She grumbled, floating into an upright position and turning to face the three royals, Bridget's father smiling at her as his wife and daughter hugged.

"Hello Jess, your father raised quite the stir the other day."

"Mhm, as I've heard... but i've also heard that the Jack of Hearts has been harassing a few innocent citizens, care to chat about him?" The man held back his sigh, instead looking at his daughter.

"Hello bridget, how is it going at school?"

"It's going great! I finally befriended Jess for one-!"

"No you didn't."

"-And I was just studying for Physics! How is it all going back home? Jess only tells me about trivial matters." She shot the cat a look, who responded by shrugging.

"Can't tell me those matters aren't funny."

"Oh it's going absolutely wonderful! The last few weeks have gone absolutely flawless!" Jess snorted at the Queen's words, that woman did not know about the new tea -drug- running around.

"Apart from James doing a few minor damages to a new bridge." The woman shot a light glare at Jess, who was contemplating leaving if she was only going to get accused of stuff her father did.

"Bridget~?" The cat purred from behind her, softly scratching her nails along her shoulders as she rounded the couch, Bridget grinning at her.

"Hi! What's u-?" She stopped herself, Jess plopping herself in her lap and sprawling herself out sideways, her head tilted up by the armrest.

"What a charming position." She joked, Jess smirked, elongating her nails and jokingly scratching at her nose.

"If you keep this up i'll be even more disturbing to your 'studies'." She glanced at the cookbook, Bridget's cheeks flushed red, she had been caught.

"I never said I was studying, did you happen to see Ella on your way over? I missed a bit of Merlin's class." Jess turned around and slid down a bit, laying face down in Bridget's lap.

"I saw her, she didn't see me... wait no she did, she told me 'fly away you maniacal butterfly.'." Bridget shook her head with a giggle, tangling her fingers in Jess' straight hair, scratching her scalp.

"Sounds like her, I'll ask her later then."

"Wassup Queenie." Jess smirked, appearing in stripes above the Queen's throne, Bridget frowned when she heard her voice echo through the throne room.

"What is it Cat." She didn't bother looking up, knowing that Jess was most probably just lazing around, melted over the throne as if it wasn't poking in her back.

"Mh, I just adore how you greet me. I've heard from a little birdie that you've given the order to find me, dead or alive." Bridget gritted her teeth, her glare locked straight ahead, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of looking up.

"Not that I needed to do that, seeing as you dwell the shadows of my castle." She bit back, her grip on her scepter tightening as it itched to be used to slam Jess down from up there. "But seeing as I never seem to catch you, I thought they'd maybe try kill you in your slumber."

Jess hummed, one of her hands reaching out and plucking a strand of hair out of the meticulously styled updo, her hand dangling tauntingly above her head.

"Of course, well, i'm here now. Also, did you hear about your marriage?" That got the queen's attention, and she begrudgingly looked up at the vibrantly coloured cat.

"Well? Spit it out!" Jess smirked down at her, pulling her hand back and floating down from the throne, sitting down on the armrest, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Your dearest parents seem to think you're taking too long, and they've arranged your marriage to the lord of Cloves through a tournament, he's... certainly someone." Jess held back her snort, which Bridget noticed, of course.

"And that means?" Jess sighed, leaning forwards so she could look Bridget in the eye, who was sitting frigidly straight.

"First of all, loosen up, you'll get a stroke if you keep up like this, second of all, i'll tell you if you stop the search, I'd like to take a catnap in peace, i'll throw in coming by to give you some information every now and then."

"You mean coming by with information whenever you get it."

"Mh, sure, whatever. That Cloves man is so weird, like he's so boring, and he's boring in a 'Why do you not have a life' way, he does not have any friends, goes to brothels, doesn't have any hobbies. Besides maybe going to brothels... he probably just paid your parents a lot and the tournament was a coverup for it." The queen staid silent for a moment, then the doors opened and the announcer started introducing someone, which made Bridget knock Jess off of her throne, the woman floating in the middle of the air, because the throne was heavily elevated above the actual floor.

"Your Royal Imperial Majesty! Introducing the Lord of Cloves from Cloveville." Bridget held back her disappointed sigh at the man's face, he really was nothing out of the ordinary, and she meant that in a bad way, there was literally nothing about him that she found even lightly attractive.

"Is everyone in your town as short as you?" Her cold tone rang through the room as her icy glare pointed at him, the man bowing before her.

"I mean from what I gathered that was the only unordinary thing about him." Jess was back above the throne, lounging there as if it was a couch.

"If I may ask, your majesty, who is that?" The man spoke up, earning him a light scoff from the queen, and Jess' cat eyes zeroing in on him, narrowing as she smirked.

"He seems awfully chatty too, you sure you don't want to do the good old swinger?" She referred to the beheading, a fate he will most likely have after a few years, tops.

"Let's see who my parents picked out for me, they must be desperate if they do something like this without telling me." Bridget waved her off, the man seemed offended but didn't show it much.

"I'll leave you two to it then, don't be too swayed by his ordinary charm Darling."

"How awful has it been?" Jess draped herself over Bridget's desk, which was almost empty anyways.

"A bit more and he won't be in my way." The Cheshire grinned at her, reaching out to boop her nose.

"Seems reasonable, in the meantime, I figured out why your parents would ever doom someone to such an early grave." She casually twisted her back so the letteropener wouldn't dig into her abdomen, rolling over into the redhead's lap instead.

"You should really stop the death threats, they're kind of annoying." She turned into a cat, sprawling herself out on the fabric of her dress.

"Turns out they just want an heir, scared you'll turn into too much of a cat lady." The cat smirked at her reference, Bridget rolling her eyes with a scoff.

"I can't believe the nerve those two have!" Jess yawned, stretching before rolling up, closing her eyes to leave Bridget with that information.

"Oh yeah, the man has made himself comfortable in his quarters, has asked quite a few maids if they would be interested already." She threw in, placing her head on her paws, feeling the Queen stiffen up.

"What? He doesn't even have the respect to wait until after we're married to continue his harlot ways?" Jess rolled her eyes behind her closed eyelids, shuffling a bit closer to the Queen's stomach.

"Off with his head!"

"That certainly didn't last long." Jess chimed up from above the Queen, floating a bit less than a meter above her crown.

"Her Imperial Highness shall take her leave now!" The announcer announced, the throne got carried back to the throne room, where she'd switch thrones.

"Really, was he that bad in bed?" Jess pried for more information, flying on her back besides the throne, looking at the Queen, who had her icy stare pointed straight forward.

"Gods if you're this grumpy he must've really been a weak one." She snorted out a laugh, grinning when the Queen finally glanced at her with a displeased frown.

"Don't frown so much, wrinkles." She pointed at her forehead, twirling backwards so she could fly up to the throne on her stomach, waiting for the Queen of Hearts whilst sitting on the armrest, crossing her arms with a smirk when she arrived and glared down at her.

"So?" The woman let out a quick huff, leaning with her elbow on the other armrest, placing her chin on her palm.

"Dispose of his body the usual way, he is not worth of the respect of a funeral." She waved off the servants, then looked at Jess from the corner of her eyes.

"He was indeed not worth my time, nor was I his, apparently." She fished out one of her cards from one of the folds of her dress, holding the card up to the cat, who smelled the blood on it before she saw the red splattered across the ace of hearts.

"Oh wow, you're actually pregnant? You do realise you usually don't see that this fast right?" The Queen gestured for her to think further.

"You waited to execute him... smart." She let out an agreeing hum, inspecting her shark red nails in disinterest of the subject.

"Got a name?"

"Red Baccarat of Hearts." Jess shrugged, throwing the card back onto her lap, placing an arm on her head and leaning onto it.

"Well, not my kid, not my problem."

"Hello my little Red." Jess cooed, crouching besides the crib, sticking her fingers through the gaps and grinning when the little baby took ahold of her fingers.

"Aww, look at how cute she is!" She looked up at the Queen, who looked down at her disapprovingly.

"If you don't want her I'll take her." The cat smirked at her, getting kicked in her ankles for it.

She stumbled a bit, leaning on the crib for support, and standing up to avoid losing her balance again.

"You were so kind..." she grumbled out, leaning over the crib to take the kid into her arms, softly cradling her and bouncing her.

"Well, that little girl is dead now, so get used to it you flea invested beast." She made no move to take Red from the 'flea invested beast', so she shrugged it off.

"You're going to be such a little rascal! Just like your mommy!" She quickly floated up to the ceiling when she saw Queen readying another kick, her pointed heels were no joke.

"Calm it lady! My god-."

"I am dealing with sore breasts and pain everywhere, I'm still standing, you can handle a little kick to the legs." The woman fiercely glared at her, gritting her teeth in anger.

"Mhm, of course I can, just not when you're wearing pointed heels, right baby? You're such a cutie!" She cradled her face in her hands, awwing at how she held onto her thumb.

"Hello little Rascal." Jess smirked, walking along the ceiling, approaching the redheaded 7 year old.

"Jess! Don't tell mom!" The cat looked down-up?- at the princess, placing her hands on her hips with a grin.

"Sure I won't little princess, if you tell me where your mother is." Red sighed in relief, Jess dropping down to stand in front of the little kid.

"She's in her office, how did you not know that?" Jess rolled her eyes, patting the kid's head before she disappeared in a swarm of pink and purple stripes.

"Hello dearest." She whispered into the Queen's ear, softly biting it after, the woman's hand snapped up and gripped onto Jess' hair when she was about to pull away, roughly pulling her to stand next to her instead.

"What do you think of this." She directed her head towards a document, wait- no, a letter.

"People write to you? You don't even have friends." The grip of her hair tightened, and she swore she could feel it ripping out of her scalp.

"Answer me you circus beast." Her nails dug into her scalp, Jess groaned as she tried to get her head out of her grasp.

"The letter." She reluctantly read it, glancing over at the Queen with a confused frown.

"I know you're not used to social interactions, but if you think something's wrong with this you might have actual issues with it." The Queen rolled her eyes, forcing the cat to crouch down so she didn't have to hold up her arm that far anymore.

"It's a threat to go to war." The explanation did not help Jess at all.

"Okay? I mean his kid's going to be ming in a few weeks right? Why bother?" She gritted her teeth, glaring at Jess, picking up the letter and pointing out the last sentence with her clawed thumb.

"He's doing it in a last ditch effort to get us to join Auradon, which is ridiculous!" Jess nodded, letting out a yawn, covering her mouth with her hand.

"He thinks he can just win the war in a few weeks!" Jess nodded, getting comfortable on the ground. The Queen's grip on her hair tightening once more, making her jerk her head closer to it to try and relieve the pain.

"I mean we have magic, which he banned, and a bunch of refugees that have to use magic to survive, so I don't think we even can lose." Her grip loosened, allowing her hand to slip out of her hair as Jess stood up.

"Mh. Right." She hadn't thought of that, which shocked Jess more than the threat of war.

"You hadn't thought of that?" She let out, baffled at the fact. She hopped up on the desk, crossing her legs as the Queen leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.

"Well, it didn't seem relevant." Jess shrugged, gesturing her hand over the desk, a teaset appearing in a bunch of spiralling ribbons.

"Tea?"

"Well that was disappointing." Jess mused, watching from above the Queen's throne as the battlefield reddened, the Auradonian army quickly thinning out into merel specks of blue.

"It is, I had expected a bit more of a struggle." The Queen had wanted more entertainment, but was bitterly disappointed.

"Anyway, would you like to take back the rabbit hole now?" She circled the throne, floating in front of her face with a grin.

"Mh, I suppose, but Fairy Godmother would never allow such slacking, go try it and report back." Jess sighed, flipping backwards to fly over the red fields, flooded with cards fighting the weakened Auradon troops.

"Oh my!" She smirked when she saw the king by the burrow, her grin growing unnaturally, freaking him out, not the princess he had dragged along though, her screams for help stopped and instead she started crying as she tried to get out even harder now.

"What? Can't handle a bit of resistance?" He gritted his teeth, growling at her.

"Wow! Hostile!" She teasingly held up her hands, the man's grip on the Princess' arm tightening, who looked like she'd been crying for a while.

"Nice distraction, not good enough though." The man tried running through the rabbit hole, presumably to close it again and abandon his men here, but Jess swooped in and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him up high.

High enough that if he dropped, the least it would do is break his legs.

"Hello princess." She smirked at Red, who had bitted the king and fallen out of his hold, Jess catching her and letting the man drop down to his demise.

"Mom!" Jess froze, but quickly let it go when Red started sobbing into her shoulder, gripping at her shirt and skin like she'd disappear.

"I'm here now darling, I'm here." She carefully held her up under her thighs, Red's legs wrapping around her waist tightly, clinging to her like a koala.

"He- he was suddenly there- and- and then he-!" She tried to explain, but her hiccups stopped that, and she buried her face into her neck even further.

"He can't reach you now, literally, he just closed the burrow." She pointed down, and Red hesitantly parted ways with her neck to look down, where the rabbit hole was bolted up again.

"Let's go see how it's going with your mother now, all right?" The princess glanced down at where the sea of soldiers were turning back into cards, all returning to one person, and shook her head.

"I don't wanna go back! She's mean and doesn't even care about me! Take me back to your forest Jess, please!" She wrapped her arms around her torso, digging her nails into her skin in an attempt to force her to take her with.

"I'm fine with that, but your mother would have my head-!"

"She can't capture you for long enough to do that silly! Bow take me back to the forest where you've hidden the hare." Jess' smile dropped, looking into the girl's eyes with her own wide ones, blown with disbelief.

"Are you blackmailing me?" The little smirk she got in response spoke volumes, and the cat sighed, she didn't have much of a choice now.

"All right."

As much as it physically pained her to abandon the woman who held her thoughts captive, she had to keep her people safe, even if it meant 'kidnapping' the princess.

"Don't eat anything unless you know for sure it won't do anything." She warned, passing the caterpillar who frowned at her.

"Why say such things to her? I can't play that way." He lazily slurred, leaning on his elbows as he held his pipe up to his lips, puffing out a red circle into Red's face.

"Catter, this is Willow, don't try anything." She hissed the last part at him, the March Hare hopping up to them with a grin.

"Jess! Jess you have to try the new tea we found! Oh-! Who's this?! A new participant!" He cheered, covering the caterpillar's tantrum about how he doesn't do anything ever and he's the most innocent caterpillar ever.

"Oh of course! Willow, you have to meet March Hare, he and the Hatter keep the teashop running! Even though it changed locations constantly." Red looked up at her with wide eyes, then grinned brightly.

"I love it here!" She giggled as she ran after the Hare, meeting Mallymkun and Bill, who had been fixing up one of the broken teacups for the Hare.

"Hey Bill, how's the pottery coming along?" The lizard had taken up pottery, since he couldn't do much fixing up as a refugee.

"Absolutely terrific! I've just finished a new teapot for Maddox!" He referred to the teen, who was sitting on the twisted roof of the teahouse and attempting to balance his handstand on the tip of it.

"Maddox!" She yelled up at the 15 year old, who looked at her and jumped down with a grin, landing on his hat and putting it back on.

"Jess! How's it going in the tea-less spectacle?" He mentioned the Hearts Castle, and Jess grimaced.

"I'm not going to be able to go there anymore, but anyways, meet Willow! Isn't she just a cutie!" Red got pulled back to Jess by the collar of the dress the maids had forced onto her, waving at the boy with a matching grin.

"Cheshire! Come get your tea before it gets hot!" Hatter called out to her, holding up the cup with the swirling frozen mist above it.

"Will do Hatter!" She placed both her hands on Red's shoulders and turned her around when Maddox joined his father and the Hare. "Your name is Willow here, I found you in the castle and you were freshly orphaned, I saved you from becoming a card soldier."

"Hero complex much." Red scoffed out, but agreed to the pinky promise Jess held out to her. "Sure, I'll do that mom, no worries." She slipped it out unconsciously, and didn't even notice, giddily joining the other three for tea as the caterpillar slowly approached the frozen cat.

"You've brought the princess to us?" He arched a brow at her stupidity, "why would you lure her right to your doors?"

"She doesn't really show how much she cares for her, I'll keep her until she sees how much she missed her mom and then I'll take her back." The bug rolled his eyes, leaning on Jess' shoulder as he puffed out a cloud of blue.

"I don't see that working out, believe me."

"I don't believe you."

"How dare you!"

That 'keeping her until she sees she's better off in the castle' didn't work out, and after 8 years of the cards raiding the forest periodically, Red running around and angering the cards, and Jess having a constant crisis about how to get the love of her life to forgive her -and realising how deeply in love she is with the Queen-, Jess had finally gotten Red to agree to returning, but only after the tea shop had almost gotten caught 3 times and the cards realising who had been dwelling them and stealing their rations.

"Okay- guys! Willow's going back to the castle now- because she's actually princess Red and I'm ditching her!" Red slapped her on the back of her head with a grin, then wrapped her arm around her shoulders and leaned forwards.

"Don't miss me too much!" Mallymkun squealed and jumped onto her, climbing up till he got picked up by Red and held up to her face, hugging her cheek as his squeaks of sadness worsened.

"I already knew all of that." Maddox proudly raised his hand, his father chugging his tea and slamming down the cup before pointing at Jess.

"You and your tomfoolery had us all baffled beyond our own madness! You dare defy our laws of knowledge!" Jess just stared at him, then at the Hare, who had jumped over the table and was hugging Red tightly.

"You'll always have a place with us Willow, even though I knew about you being the princess since the beginning." The caterpillar patter her head, but the Hare pulled him into a group hug, which Hatter couldn't refuse and rushed to join.

"Bill! Join us!" Jess grinned at the man, who quickly joined them wi the Maddox, all three hugging them all tightly.

"We'll miss you kiddo." Maddox jokingly ruffled her hair, which Jess had spend far too long on to be messed with, so she slapped his hands away with a glare.

"No! I took too long for you to just do that!" He rolled his eyes, Red doing the same.

"You're 15 now-."

"And you're 23, old ass grandpa." Red shot back at the hatter, who squared up for a fight.

"You want to fight?! Come here then!" They both tried to launch at the other, but their parents held them back with a sigh.

"Kill him after I return you to the Queen." Jess patted her hair down, and Red crossed her arms with a huff.

"You have to visit!"

"I will Bill, don't worry, I'll break loads of stuff for you to fix."

".... Or don't visit, I'm fine-."

"Queen." Jess' grin was the first thing visible, hanging before the Queen's face mockingly.

"Cheshire." She gritted out, glaring at the face that appeared soon after.

"I got you something." It took everything in the Queen to not use the scepter in her hand to impale the woman right then and there.

"And what is that? Betrayal? Treason?" She instead shoved the cat back from being in her face, but since she was floating she only managed to make her more backwards a bit.

"Mh, better. Red darling!" She called out to the redhead, who appeared in one of the heart-shaped windows near the glass dome of the ceiling.

"Red...." The Queen gasped softly, eyes wide as she saw her own daughter jump down the tall walls, to her own demise.

If not for the springs of ribbons launching her over to the throne, and her mad grin as she flew through the air at them, she would've thought she was hallucinating.

She was caught just before she fell off the small platform of the throne, Jess holding her hand and pulling her back to stand in front of her mother.

"Hi mom." It sounded weird to her, and maybe Jess too, to hear herself call someone else than Jess her mother.

"Red. You've returned." Her facade of heartless rose quicker than the cupcakes she used to bake, and Jess felt her heart get ripped out a bit further from its cage.

"Glad to see you haven't changed." The princess scoffed, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms.

"I'm not glad to see how much Jess has changed you, vandalising my soldiers and my parlour?! I should behead you right here and now!" The woman stood up, and Jess had to float away from the platform to not stand with their faces pressed together. -when it wasn't on her terms she would flush red-

"And for you to betray me by taking my daughter from me! I thought you were in Auradon!" Jess' eyes widened a bit, did she... care? Was she worried about her?! Did she actually feel something else for her?! Did she finally have her chance to-?!

"I never thought you'd stoop so low, honestly, you did not even care to return to report if the burrow could be kept open, why did I keep you around then?! For nothing?!" Jess nearly looked down, but instead she faced her head on with her own mad smirk, identical to the one Red had given them before.

"Maybe, not like you could do anything about me being around though." She saw her clench her jaw, then look over to her daughter as if she dismissed whatever Jess had said.

"Well, since you've returned now, go back to your room and do whatever, I'll call for you when needed." She saw Red's expression falter, locking eyes with the girl who she considered a daughter, seeing the hurt behind the carefree curtain of mischief.

"M'kay, I'll be off then, c'mon m- Jess!" She stumbled over the words a bit, but quickly covered it up, grabbing Jess' wrist and dragging her with.

"Leave her." The Queen ordered, and Red glanced at Jess, who shrugged, before continuing on her way without her.

"Where did you take her." She started off strong, Jess sighing as she floated up and sat on an imaginary chair.

"Everywhere the eyes can see and only the path between them is where I was to be seen." She grinned, the Queen rolling her eyes at her words.

"Of course you'd respond like that. I could have you hung and quartered for treason and you say such nonsense." Jess took the time that the Queen needed to close her eyes and rub the bridge of her nose in disappointment to stare at her perfect features.

She hadn't changed a bit, her hair still as red as the blood she shed, her eyes had the same unforgiving glaze, her crown still sat rigidly, shining a light through the night to bring sailors to their doom.

Never in her life had she expected this to end up the way it did, if she knew she would've fled long ago, maybe then she could've convinced herself that her one true love wasn't that, that she had someone else waiting for her.

Who was she kidding, she was doomed. The moment she locked eyes with that girl who she taunted relentlessly when they were kids, she knew she'd never need anyone else in her life.

She could've staid in the dark besides her, be her shadow for as long as she needed, but this- this tyranny, she almost wished she had just spoken up and said something, anything, that could make her not float above her, playing the strings of her crown in the hopes that she wouldn't find her friends, but at her side, holding her hand as she makes the decision to burn down Auradonian troops.

It's not her fault that the girl she knew had stoled her heart, refusing to give it back even when she lost her name in the midst of her anger, when she lost her anchor, and thereby her mind.

The Hearts family were the royals with the curse, Wonderland would never allow one to rule above others without repercussions, it's always a trade, power for sanity, whether they manage to keep their madness in control or not is the true question.

"What matters is that she's back now, I can go back to training my soldiers for war." Jess wanted to just kiss her right then and there, beg her not to, beg her to keep Wonderlandians out of it, beg her to keep her forest out of this war she planned.

"Do what you want Queen, can't imagine what the new king has done in his time." She grinned, the Queen glared at her as her body loosened into ribbons.

"Don't get in too much trouble, and if you come back, visit us first." Jess had managed to pull Red into a corner of the courtyard, where they had a bit more privacy.

"How did you even manage to get here?" Red frowned, they hadn't taken Jess with.

"Doesn't matter, you stole Maddox's time machine, do you have it with you?" Red looked like she had been caught, but slowly nodded.

"Your mother is going to stage a coup, and it's only going to anger her more in the end, she'll have even more soldiers and flood us out of our woods, please go back and stop this madness Red." She held her hands, her own claws sharpening as she got emotional, not that you could see that though.

"All right, I don't even know what you mean by that but-...."

"Red! Why are you talking to nothing?" The Queen stood behind her suddenly, and she shot around, eyes wide.

"Uh- I wasn't." The Queen narrowed her eyes, then rolled them and gestured for her to follow to their seats.

As Jess had said, the Queen had staged a coup, and Red had taken her and Chloe into the past, to Merlin Academy.

"Why are you so... nice?" Red asked, astonished as she saw her mother smile.

"Why not? You get more with sugar than salt!" She grinned, jumping with a squeal of surprise when someone traced a clawed hand up her spine.

"Hello Bridget...." Jess smirked as she saw Bridget's flushed face, looking away from the girl as she slapped her arm.

"Stop that!" She grinned, then she caught sight of the new girl, turning her head to face her with a grin and sly eyes, cautiously eyeing her up and down as her arm around Bridget's shoulders tightened.

"And who might you be?" Red arched a brow at the cat, who mirrored the action, her other hand reaching out for a handshake.

"I'm Red, you?" She shook her hand, the clawed fingers almost ripped open hers, which she didn't seem apologetic about in the slightest... did she do it on purpose?

"Jess Cheshire." She rolled her eyes before facing the princess again, grinning as Bridget turned to face her fully.

"Can I copy-?"

"Jess! Do your own homework!" Bridget half whined half scolded, slightly frowning.

"You look as frightening as a glitter cupcake." Jess pinched her cheeks, careful not to maul her face.

"Stop that!" Bridget full on whined now, slapping her hands away with a pout.

"All right! Got it!" Jess held up her hands, stepping away from her, sending Red a warning glare before dispersing into ribbons.

"Hey Bridget! Was that Jess?" Ella called over to them, Merlin completely ignoring all the yelling in his classroom.

"Yeah! She asked for my homework! Hey-! Not more than one!" She slapped the invisible hand that was reaching for another cupcake, and it slowly revealed Jess standing over Bridget with a grin, making her flush bright red.

"Why not?" Leaning closer, she tried to get one again, but Bridget snapped out of it and grabbed both of her hands.

"Don't! They're for the others!"

Red had never felt as disgusted as when she saw Jess practically throwing herself at her mother.

Her mom horning over her bio mom was not on her bingo card, nor did she want it to be.

"This is so awkward." She whispered to Chloe, the both of them sitting in the courtyard with Ella, just waiting for Bridget to finally detach Jess from her and join them.

"Why? They're so cute!"

"That's my mom and the woman who birthed me, and one of them is deeply in love with the other." Chloe grimaced at the thought, but she couldn't see the sexual implications Jess was making, so didn't really see the problem fully.

"Jess! Stop doing as if you're some guy and let Bridget join us over here!" Ella called out to them, getting a fierce glare from said girl, whilst Bridget smiled at them and skipped over, Jess lazily walking after her and sitting down next to her, slinging her arm around her shoulders and leaning closer.

"I can't wait for castlecoming!" Bridget squealed, and the two time travellers shared a look.

"Mh.... Maybe-." Jess cut herself off, smirking and leaning closer to Bridget when she turned to her to ask what she wanted to say, bumping their noses together.

Bridget's eyes widened, her cheeks dusting pink as she ducked and found refugee in her hands, Ella smirking at the two.

"Ohhh, so missus Fleabag has found someone to take to the big night! How exciting." This time Jess turned red, eyes wide as her ears turned red too, moving up and down happily.

"I-I don't have a date..." she shakily shot back, glaring at the girl, who gave her a mischievous smile.

"'Course you don't, nobody wants to go with a fleabag." Red threw in, smirking as Jess gasped and held her chest.

"How dare you!"

"She's not a fleabag! Also! I want to go with this fleabag!" Bridget suddenly burst out, shooting up and pointing at the cat who was staring up at her with wide eyes.

"What?" Jess's wide eyes flooded with adoration for the adorable link princess of hearts, whose eyes only filled with horror at the thought of being caught.

She tried running, fumbling out of the seats of the picnic table.

"I mean- I wouldn't mind...." Jess continued when Bridget had one leg over the chair, she froze, staring at the girl in front of her with those wide adorable brown eyes.

"W-what?" She managed to squeak out, and Jess smiled, still incredibly nervous because this is the girl who she had known since forever and pulled some pretty horrible pranks on.

"I wouldn't mind going to Castlecoming with you."

"We just saved Auradon!" Chloe cheered, "with only one sentence too! I'm sure Jess'll protect her when they try turning her into a monster." Red slowly nodded, still worried about Uliana.

"You're still worried?" Red looked away, she had been caught, and turned around on her bed to hide her face into her pillow.

"We can always take a sneak peek at your mom’s looking glass, I mean we’ve done it before.” Chloe shrugged, and Red contemplated it.

“Allright little miss good! We gotta go visit Bridget!”

“It worked….” Red’s eyes widened when she saw her mother had completely changed, her hair was dark pink now instead of blood red, and still slightly curled. Her dress was pink and white instead of pink and black, and she still had White Rabbit as her loyal lackey, and this time Jess wasn’t hiding behind a spell or two, just hanging off of her shoulder with a grin directed at Red, who turned to Chloe, who did the same thing, both smiling, before grabbing her face and quickly pecking her lips.

She left Chloe, who stared after her with even wider eyes than before, reaching out to try and grab her wrist but was whisked away by her family to celebrate her getting into AP.

“Ohhhh, finally made it official with little miss Bluey?” Jess teased, getting a jab in the ribs by Bridget, who smiled brightly at her daughter and brought her into a hug.

“I’m so proud of you sweetheart! I can’t wait for you to make loads of friends and have them over!” Jess shook her head in disagreement.

“Nope! I’m not hosting that many kids, not doing it! The Tea House doesn’t have enough room.” Bridget let out a sigh at her antics, and pecked Red’s forehead before turning to Jess for bicker.

“The Tea House has unlimited space!”

“It’s limited by the eye of the beholder’s imagination!”

Red had been way too awkward to just ask if the two were in a relationship, so she didn’t, but now she was stuck in spring break with two women who apparently never even dated.

“Can you pass me the salt Jess?” The cat smirked, holding the salt shaker between her fingertips.

“Ask nicely~!” Bridget gave her a look, then looked over at her daughter.

“Red, sawetheart, could you give me the salt please?” The girl nodded and handed it over, Bridget smiling at Jess who looked fake upset.

Red was too immersed in how much Wonderland had changed, well, not changed.

The flowers were all kinds of colours, not only red, they still talked, so the constant complaining didn’t change, the castle didn’t have big

, tall and imposing castle walls, and the whole castle had a lighter tint to it.

All the burned villages weren’t burned and only flourished further, half the forest wasn’t burned off, the tea shop was an actual tea shop now, and Bill still had a job as a royal handyman.

All was good, better even, all but the relationship between Bridget and Jess.

She heard from Chloe, who asked her mom, that Bridget apparently thought that the date to Castlecoming meant something platonic, and Jess had been too scared to even softly paw at the idea of pursuing a relationship with the queen.

“Red? Red!” Jess threw her fork at Red, who quickly caught it, used to her shenanigans.

“Don’t throw a fork at my kid!” Bridget, however, protested, and Red honestly wasn’t sure how long she could go watching them tiptoe on the line of homoerotic and platonic.

One of them was going to become awful and tyrannical, non pun intended.

“So, how’s it going?” Chloe asked, straightening her suit jacket as her eyes scanned the Hearts ballroom, where Bridget had hosted a ball for…. They actually didn’t know what for, and invited the Charmings.

“One of them is going to snap and turn evil.” Red filled her in, the both of them standing in a corner with alcohol-free drinks in their hands, looking like they were plotting to steal all the cookies off of the plate and were planning a huge heist for it.

“Who’s going to turn evil?” Ella interrupted the two, she had crept up behind them and stepped in between them.

“Jess and my mom, they seem to have something going on.” Red explained after she got over the shock, Chloe still didn’t let go of her hands though.

“Oh right, the situation. That’s been going on for years now.” They were astonished that it actually had a name, but they quickly shook out of it again when a man approached Bridget, who had been left unattended by Jess for less than a second.

They held their breath as he struck up a conversation, holding an eye out for Jess.

The whispers around them started, about who the man was and his relationship to the unmarried queen.

They finally noticed the bright purple and pink head of hair, but it wasn’t going in the right direction.

They spotted her near the front of the crowd, in the middle of all the whispers, and had turned around with two drinks in her hands, quickly shuffling out of the big red double doors.

“Oh, I think this might just be the end, or they’ll make up and it’ll go back to normal.” Ella commented, then left the two girls, who shared a look and unanimously agreed to go after Jess.

They found her in a hallway a few minutes walking away, just enough so she couldn’t be heard by the party goers.

“Jess?” The woman’s head shot up, eyes bright, but they dimmed a bit when they connected with Red’s.

“Yeah?” Oh wait her eyes were literally glowing in the dark.

“We were just worried, since you left so abruptly.” Chloe explained, Red nodding along as she observed her former adoptive mother.

In this timeline, she was just the fun aunt, not the parent who stepped up and took her from her neglecting mother, not the woman who spend 8 years teacher her everything about the forest.

“Oh it’s nothing girls, how about you two go back in and I’ll join you after a bit-!”

“Why don’t you say something.” Red cut her off, staring into her eyes.

“I don’t understand.” She knew that she did know, but she would never admit that to her.

“Why don’t you stop all those men from asking my mom out, you can do something about it, why don’t you?” Jess stared at her for a while, then looked down at her nails.

“Not like she cares, she’s your mother, I’m not talking about this to you.” The two girls shared another look, and closed in on the cat, who noticed and arched a brow.

“What?”

“Tell us why you think that?” Chloe pried carefully, tilting her head curiously.

“You sure you want that one? She acts like a dog.” Red rolled her eyes at her attempt to deflect, and it almost worked if it wasn’t for Red snapping Chloe out of trying to come up with a rebuttal.

“Why.” Red crossed her arms, glaring at Jess, who glared right back.

“Why do you have to know, it has nothing to do with you two.”

“It’s my mom, now what did she do to make you think she doesn’t care.” Jess sighed, leaning back against the wall as she looked at Red.

“She doesn’t care because every date I’ve asked her on has been seen as platonic, even worse, I thought we were dating for almost a year when we weren’t, so not only was I embarrassed, I had to explain to my friends that I wasn’t in a happy relationship, but I had just mistaken myself.” Red grimaced, and Chloe reached out to pat her on the back.

“That’s shitty.”

“Poor you, you must’ve been so heartbroken!”

“You guys are 20 years younger than me why the living hell are you talking to me about this.”

“I’m just here for-! going to go now….” Jess stopped in her tracks, her usual ‘barge into Bridget’s room and force her to wake up and get ready, ending up with getting dragged into a cuddle session’ wasn’t going to be like that now, because the queen was up… awake… and- with a man.

Her grip on the doorknob tightened as her eyes widened, her mouth moving before her brain did, eyes wide as she saw Bridget in her robe and the man in her bed.

I mean, she’s an adult woman, she should be allowed- how else would Red be here- I mean this is totally acceptable she’s a grown woman with needs and wants like every-

She slammed the doors she had barged in through shut, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before quickly hurrying down the corridor, having been banned from teleporting in the halls because she scared a few too many servants on ‘accident’.

“Where’s Jess? She’s usually the one hoarding all the sausages.” Red frowned as she looked around the dining room, hearing Bridget’s sigh her and Chloe’s heads snapped to her from looking around.

“She may have… walked into my room this morning….” She looked so uncomfortable talking about it, and the man at the table in Jess’ spot only laughed.

“She walked in on us the morning after we had sex.” He finished, and Red nearly puked her breakfast back out, Chloe choking on her tea.

Their wide eyes met Bridget’s, who pinched the bridge of her nose.

“You know, this isn’t going to work out. Guards! Please escort him out!” She called for the guards, and the man complained and protested loudly through the hallways until he was set outside.

“So where’d Jess run off to? I thought she might be with you two?” They both shook their heads, and Bridget frowned.

“Mh, that’s strange, well, I guess I’ll send out a few guards to search for her, could you two check the tea store?” Red quickly nodded, grabbing Chloe’s hand and dragging her out of the room, waving goodbye to her mother.

“So my mom’s not gay.” She concluded in the safety of her own room, which had a door this time, and Chloe shrugged.

“You don’t know, she can still like Jess.” Chloe shrugged from her place on Chloe’s bed, staring at the girl as she paced across her room.

“This is a tragedy! How will- where is Jess even?!” Red turned to Chloe, dragging her away again as the girl groaned for her to calm down.

Tea house was a bust, she wasn’t there, so the only reasonable thing to do was to dress Chloe up in her most ‘unsuspecting girl’ outfit and send her out into the forest in hopes of getting pranked by Jess.

“I’m not doing this.” Chloe eventually set her foot down when Red was about to drop her in the woods.

“What?”

“We’re going back to the castle and telling Bridget about all of this, including the fact that Jess is missing, and that she’s madly in love with her, and then we’ll be done-!”

“No!” Both Red and Jess yelled at the same time, the woman appearing in between them with a frown.

“No telling Bridget, i’m not missing, also did she come looking for me?” Red and Chloe glanced at each other, and Chloe looked away, she really couldn’t lie.

“Yeah, she quickly checked the tea shop and the town but she had some work to do so she send us and some guards.” Jess nodded at her, grabbing both of their hands before teleporting them to the castle again, and herself into Bridget’s office.

“Hi!” Bridget jumped up with a squeal, holding up her hands with her cards between her fingers as defence, then realising who it was.

“Don’t scare me like that Jess! Where were you?” She sighed in relief, picking up her pen again to return to her paperwork.

“I was in the forest, searching for some people to play pranks on, Red found me and told me to get back, apparently you were worried~?” She teased, and Bridget looked up with a frown.

“Worried? Jess, you’re a grown woman, I’d be worried if you were gone for a week, not a few hours.” Jess’ cheeks dusted pink in embarrassment, which Bridget didn’t notice, luckily, and instead she returned to her paperwork again.

“Besides, it would’ve been extremely uncomfortable, because you walked into my room whilst I was with a man, and you reacted pretty… strongly.”

“Yeah…. Strongly.” Not like I’ve been in love with you since forever.

“You had me embarras myself in front of her! This isn’t funny Red!” Jess had burst into the girl’s room, who had huddled up with Chloe on her bed and was half asleep when she came in.

“Kind of is- not! Absolutely not!” She changed her answer when Chloe jabbed her in the stomach.

“She told me, and I quote! ‘You’re a grown woman, I’d be worried if you were gone for a week, not a few hours.’ ?!” The princess of Hearts grimaced, looking at the woman standing in her doorway.

“That’s awful, but once again, I’m a kid… and this isn’t something I want to get into, so could you cry it out somewhere else?” Jess understood that, pretty normal, I mean she was on the verge of tears about her mom so she got it.

She quickly exited the room, roaming the castle halls as she was lost in thought.

Eventually she ended up in front of Bridget’s room, the pink heart shaped doors bringing a sense of heart breaking nostalgia up her throat.

“Stupid princesses and their stupid crowns and stupid smiles.” She grumbled, turning around and hastily walking away, not wanting to bump into the woman who clearly couldn’t give a lesser fuck about her and her well being.

“Jess!” The Hare hopped up to her as she appeared in front of the tea shop, looking down at the man with a near stone impression.

“The usual? A Wonder Under? Or are you going back to-?”

“Twisted spheres and Ribbonous spirals, if you could.” She sat down at the large table, the hatter sliding the cup towards her with a grin.

“How’s it going with little miss queen?” The hare quickly did a cut throat motion to stop him from asking further, and he zipped his lips and threw away the key…. Quickly searching for it because he did want to talk.

“Apparently! I’m nothing more than a friend, I could be gone for a week and then she’ll be worried! Because I’m a grown woman, who doesn’t need her to be happy and who definitely doesn’t think about her all the time, because that’d be unhealthy and heartbreaking.” Her claws dug into her palms, the other almost shattering the cup, which trembled in her unstable hold.

“Because I’m just a nuisance who keeps barging into her room in the morning, and who holds her hand, and who-!” Her mouth was covered by a hand.

The caterpillar was stood behind her, his multitude of hands reaching for the tea cup offered to him.

“Stop your rambling, for I am here, the wide one here to heed your warnings and quell your fears.”

“That sounds stupid.”

“You sound stupid!”

“I just want her to see how much I love her, you know? Like what have I ever done to indicate I wanted to be ‘just a friend’ to her?” Jess, ever the womanizer (Bridget doesn’t agree), had gathered up a few girls in the bar she had settled in, sitting st the bar with the girls circling around her listening to her talk.

Okay- half of them were there because girls stick together and they wanted to help her get out of the life changing revelation that her best friend might actually not like her back, and they might not be just playing and too nervous to ask the other out.

The other half was also there for that reason, but stuck around not because of girlhood, but because they just wanted to see if this girl could be their future partner or not.

“So now I don’t know what to do. Do I stop talking to her? Do I keep talking to her? How can I get over her?” They let out a collective hum, one of them- Chelsea, who was here on vacation, spoke up first.

“Ditch her.”

It caused an uproar, both from the girls and the other people at the bar who were listening in.

All of a sudden the whole bar was huddled around Jess, all agreeing and disagreeing with each other on how to handle it.

“Ditch the woman! Not worth it!” A man yelled, getting quite a few agreeing yells.

“Keep in contact, that’s your best friend girl! Don’t let this get in the way!” Someone else exclaimed, once again shouts of agreement.

“But our whole relationship was basically me thinking we were just dancing around the subject of dating, and her not even knowing I was interested. I asked her out to castlecoming!” A collective gasp.

“Ditch!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“What is going on here?” Bridget herself had come down from her castle, which barely happened at night, especially not in a bar.

“Oh-!”

“The queen!”

“Queen Bridget!” The sea parted, and as if it was out of a movie, they locked eyes and she smiled.

“Jess, there you are, I had been looking for you.” There it was! She does worry about me! Why would I ever think she didn’t?

“I need your help picking out a dress! I have a date tonight with a suitor! I’m so excited!” Bridget had rushed them into her quarters, into her closet.

“Right. Suitor.” Jess gritted her teeth, glaring at her feet for being so fucking dumb as to think she’s ever want to be with someone like her.

As stupid, morally blind, neon coloured as her.

If she didn’t watch out her skin would turn bright pink, which had happened before, no queen would want to be with someone who turns pink when they’re distracted.

“So! Pink or white?” She held up both dresses, and Jess narrowed her eyes, that alcohol was kicking in.

“Yeah, I can’t really see, I’m black out drunk.” She grinned before she collapsed.

Wether it was from the rollercoaster of a day she had, or from the alcohol, she’ll never know, what she did know, was when she woke up in Bridget’s bed, there was a bucket and some paracetamol on the nightstand, and a note with a glass of water.

Jess grabbed the note, almost too quick, and her eyes excitedly scanned over it’s contents, her smile quickly dying down.

‘I don’t know if i’ll be back when you wake up, so I’ve left you some painkillers and water to ease the headache you’re bound to get. I chose to go with the pink dress by the way! I’m going on a date with a guy named Arthur, not the old one. He’s pretty nice from what I’ve heard of him. I’m trying to get more out there, you know, since Red’s gone almost all year it gets pretty lonely in the castle. Sleep loads and don’t get too sick!

Love, Your Bridget.’

Jess stared at the note for a while, before she let it fall and turned around to scream in one of the white and pink pillows, screaming until her voice was hoarse and she couldn’t make a sound or else it’d hurt.

“It get lonely in this castle!” She mocked, turned back around with a huff, frowning deeply, “what am I even to her?! Do I even exist outside of her just friends section?! And why would she give me his name?! To murder him?!” She groaned, her voice hurt, and her heart hurt, and her head hurt, and her body hurt, and her stomach- she puled into the bucket, slowly sitting up and at the side of the bed, standing up and rinsing out her sickness from the white bucket, handing it to one of the servants outside the doors, explaining that she already rinsed it but it needed more thorough cleaning, before closing the door to Bridget’s quarters once more.

“Stupid Bridget with her stupid smile and her stupid hair and her stupid face and her stupid words!” She wanted to yell, scream and cry into the woman’s face, but she couldn’t, because Bridget doesn’t know, and will never know, because with the way things are going, Jess will never even have a chance.

She laid on her back on the sheets, staring up at the ceiling, the same ceiling she had spend hundreds of nights under with Bridget, sleep overs that lasted well over a week, staring into each other’s eyes, guessing answers on their vacation homework, holding hands as they wrote essays, talking about her kingdom, sharing kisses, their fears of the future, cuddling, Bridget’s fear of being a bad mom to Red.

The usual stuff.

At least, that’s what Jess wanted to belief.

She wanted so, so desperately for all of their shared nights to mean something, that she made it mean something, to her, at least.

To Bridget, those were just her early 20s, just her exploring and living life, going to parties, getting drunk, trying random recipes that usually ended in disaster.

Now they’re almost 40, and Jess has no idea what to do, if she even wants to do anything, what wiuld she even do?

Bridget has it all figured out, she’s the queen, had a daughter, is searching for a boyfriend.

Her life is perfect, because she never cared about all that.

She never cared about Jess and her professing her love all those times, all those years ago, she only shrugged it off, she didn’t care that she got pregnant from that one night stand, she had an heir, good for her.

She didn’t care.

She lived life, she was happy because she didn’t look back too much.

Jess did care.

She cared too much.

Her whole live, all she had ever done was care, about Bridget, Ella, Red, Chloe, Chad, her friends at the teashop.

She didn’t want to care, so she put up this big act of being all that and being horrible and mean, but she cared, too much.

So much so that she’ll never find love again, purely because she cared too much about Bridget, Bridget and her stupidly pretty face.

#the depths contrapts #rise of red #ror #descendants #descendants the rise of red #descendants 4 #bridget of wonderland #ruby rose turner #bridget x oc #bridget x reader #bridget hearts #bridget hearts x reader

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vacayisland · 11 months ago

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@!; New Years Eve Imma try something a little different! Who's included?: Poppy, Viva, JD, Bruce, Clay, Floyd, Branch, Creek, Barb, Val, Veneer, Velvet, Delta, Hickory, Holly, Trollex, Synth, Lownote, Prince D, Tresillo !! all seperate!

"Tag List"! @storydays @chamille-trash @valvalentine69 @starzwithapen @ykvlanq @apieceofcathair3 @kitthefanfickat @cyb3r-st4r @esterphobic @nevaeh-jasso

ꨄ︎. WAITING (impatient, “speed this up, pls”)

You were standing outside the pod, watching as the little kids ran around and played amongst themselves. From what you caught, they were playing freeze tag, yet with some sort of infecting twist. It was entertaining to say the least, especially when one of the younger ones ran over to the nearest group of adults (where you happened to be standing) and ran around you guys to only get caught. It was both entertaining to watch and entertaining to listen to the others having to quickly change their conversations because the little kids were now here. “Looove,” But, there is always one baby that can’t seem to entertain themselves. You would stifle a chuckle as you felt them slug over, wrapping their arms around your waist and resting their head atop of yours. It had only been two hours, the two of you having gotten here since the sun went down, but you could already tell that they will be bothering you for the next half an hour to make the ‘clock go by faster’. “It’s not time yet.” You would simply tell them, leaning back into the hug as you messed with the straw in your drink. Again, you had to suppress a chuckle because of the groan you got. For the past two hours you’ve been sending them on meaningless tasks to get them to do something, or else they’ll be up your butt until the fireworks went off, but you couldn’t think of anything for them to do right now. Maybe you should send them off to play with the kids.

JD, SYNTH, Velvet, BARB, Val, branch, Tresillo

ꨄ︎. WAITING (impatient, “bouncing off the walls”)

“And that’s when I said, nu-uh he better not!” You were talking to your little friend group in the kitchen, as one of them was trying to make Flan and the others decided to just migrate with them into the kitchen. You tagged along. Sure, you wanted to stay outside to keep an eye on the kids, yet you were reassured that they were in good hands no matter what. But hey, at least it was more quiet inside since all the speakers blasting music were outside. That was a big relief. “He did not, did he?” Another one of your friends asked as you took a sip of your drink, glancing outside the door to notice your love rushing in with some of the kids. They were all giggling and rushing around, pushing the couch forward to hide behind it, hiding inside the pantry, bathroom, etc. Before you could ask any questions about what they were doing, you assumed playing hide and seek, your lover rushed over to you in a fury. They pecked your forehead, “Love you, Dove, don’t rat any of us out! Melody is it.” And they rushed off again, scrambling to find somewhere to hide despite being a little too grown to shove their way into cabinets, like some of the other kids were doing. Well, someone’s excited for the fireworks!... that or they were doing this to get on your family’s good side… or the kids kidnapped them into playing this.

BRUCE, POPPY, VIVA, val, barb, veneer, Holly, TROLLEX, SYNTH, Lownote

ꨄ︎.WAITING (patient)

Having come early to help with the party, it was a good few hours until midnight and the New Year. The family and friends invited to the small event had been slowly showing up, some even offering to help up with the final little details and some just placing down the food they brought before going to socialize. The kids were put into the gaming room, for now to keep them all entertained, and the adults were all socializing either outside or in the living room. Hours flew by and you found yourself standing outside with your lover, their arm around your waist to hold you close. All the adults were laughing and chattering and having been kicked outside of the house since the kids took up the living room to play their games. Your smile wobbled a little as you glanced up at your lover, and you couldn’t help but whisper to them: “Hey, sorry we had to be here so early. Thanks for being so patient.” Which caught your lovers attention instantly, as they glanced down at you with a curious look before smiling. They would lean down, placing a rather sweet kiss on your lips. “Anything for you, love.”

DELTA, Trollex, BRANCH, Tresillo, barb, HICKORY, holly, Viva, CLAY, FLOYD, CREEK, LOWNOTE, PRINCE D

ꨄ︎. MIDNIGHT KISSES

“HAPPY NEW YEARS!” The shouts of many filled the small house just as the counting that took place earlier, as big grins spread upon people’s faces and couples paired up to kiss one another. Some of the kids would recoil and yell yuck, grabbing a cup of candy or grapes before giggling and rushing away outside to get the firework show started! They knew that someone had to follow them outside or else there would be a repeat of last year; There would be no fireworks to set off because someone doused them in water! You were laughing, about to follow the kids out with a shout, “Wait up you buggers!” Yet before you could exit the door an arm snaked around your waist and pulled you back. You would let out a yelp, not having expected it, nor having expected to be twirled around and dipped. Your lover would chuckle seeing your flushed face staring right back up at them, they just couldn’t help it! You look all too cute being so flustered. “Did you forget you got someone to kiss now on New Years, love?” They would tease, the biggest snicker upon their face. You wouldn’t even get a chance to respond before their lips met yours, in an oddly steamy yet enjoyable kiss; Even if most of the kids were shouting in disgust in the background.

HICKORY!!!, CREEK, TROLLEX, JD, Branch, Velvet, DELTA, Barb, lownote, TRESILLO, clay, Viva

ꨄ︎. MIDNIGHT KISSES (v. 2!)

“Three!” You and the others would count down, watching the closet clock that had been brought out for this exact purpose. Your love was standing right next to you, counting down just as excitedly with you. It was going to be a new year and no way were they going to be anywhere other than your side tonight! The kids were bouncing excitedly, basically off the walls, and some adults were two as the next two numbers were called: “Two!- oNE! HAPPY NEW YEARS!!” We did it, another year around the sun was completed and a New Year had started. Cheers and applause erupted from everyone as couples kissed their lovers and some tried eating their cup of grapes for good luck that year. You couldn’t help but giggle, noticing how your lover was glancing over at you with expected eyes. They were too cute! So, before they could make a move to meet your lips, you would cup their cheeks within your hands, squishing them together, before you pull them down to meet your lips. You didn’t realize how shocked they were at first, though you couldn’t help but giggle at this fact as they soon melted into the kiss and accepted it, hugging your waist with their arms to pull you closer.

Creek, TROLLEX, FLOYD, BRANCH, Clay, barb, Hickory, POPPY, VIVA, PRINCE D., Lownote, Veener

ꨄ︎. MIDNIGHT KISSES (fucked up)

You were trying to hold back your laughter, turning your head away from your lover as they held you firmly within your arms. It was 12:01 o’clock in the morning, a minute into the New Year, and you were already denying your lover the kiss they wanted badly! You could hear the others call for the children to be rounded up so they could launch fireworks while others laughed, playfully, at your lover’s misfortune. “I was a minute late, babe, please!” They would beg, looking at you with the biggest puppy eyes they could manage. You swore if there weren't any other people around that your lover would be on their knees, begging for you to spare them one kiss. “A minute!” You protested, biting back your giggle, “A minute! And I was calling you to come here because we were going down. I called you when there were ten, eight, five, two, and one minute left but you were too busy outside!” Your tone was playful, your lover knew you were slightly upset with them but still couldn’t help but be amused at their antics. “Then I’m just going to have to take it from you!”

CREEK, JD, trollex, Barb, anyone else you think fits here?

ꨄ︎. BURNS THEMSELVES ON FIREWORKS

“Be careful!” You would shout to your lover, standing off to the side with the rest of the family; You weren’t sure exactly how this happened, your lover being voted as the one to light the fireworks, but it happened. At first you had tried to tell everyone that it wouldn’t be a good idea to let them do such a task, pointing out a few things but they were confident enough to tell you: “Don’t worry, love, I got this!” Before rushing over to help light the fireworks. Honestly, you were a little surprised at this fact, even more surprised that the family was able to step away from the big gathering to be able to have a small celebration of their own. But now, you were thinking you would rather take the crowd than this. Especially since you knew- “OW! OW, OW.” There it was, your lover shouting because they burnt themselves on the lighter while trying to light fireworks. You honestly expected some bigger freak accident, like them getting hit by a firework or something like that, but you were glad that didn’t happen. You didn’t need a trip to the ER today, no matter if this came about due to their own stupidity. Either way, you rushed inside to grab them mustard and ice to hopefully quell the burn. (You also weren’t surprised to hear the laughter of others as you left.)

JD, BRUCE, POPPY, Barb, SYNTH, Velvet, val.

ꨄ︎. WATCHING FIREWORKS

The kids waved around their sparklers and ran around the yard, which was clear of any of the bigger fireworks, waiting anxiously. There were three adults helping set up the fireworks and, thankfully, your lover wasn’t one of them. Nope, thankfully, they stood next to you with one hand in their pocket and the other around your waist, holding you close. It was really moments like these that made your heart beat, moments that were peaceful and just pure loving. “Alright everyone, stand back!” The shout was given from one of the three in the front as a lighter was sparked. Not even a few seconds later did they all rush back from the igniting fireworks as kids gathered around in front of their parents to watch the spectacle. Your lover would place his pocketed hand on top of your kid’s head, holding you ever so closer, as one of the fireworks shooted towards the sky and exploded in a colorful burrage. After the first one, everything else seemed to go off in a slightly chaotic but systematic rhythm, allowing their color to paint the skies in ways you never knew you missed until this time of year rolled around again. Yet, what you didn’t notice is that your lover would barely catch the fireworks with their own eyes, as they would much rather watch them through yours; You and your lovely face, oh they could just smooch you right now!

BRUCE, FLOYD, CLAY, Creek, veneer (watching the fireworks), Prince D., Lownote, DELTA, Barb, val, VIVA, poppy (also watching the fireworks then notices your face), BRANCH!!! (has the most puppy-love look ever), jd (ig /j), TROLLEX (AND NO ONE CAN CHANGE MY DAMN MIND!!), Synth.

ꨄ︎. MISSES THE FIREWORKS

You were standing outside with your kids, holding them close in a big hug while you guys watched the fireworks together. Your lover had been stuck in the restroom, saying that they had to have eaten something bad to upset their stomach so much. You had offered to stay with them, saying how one of your siblings would watch the kids so they could experience the fireworks, yet they told you to go on without them. To enjoy the fireworks with the kids even if they couldn’t be there. So you did, leaving your lover with a glass of water and medication for their ill stomach, and went to watch the fireworks with the kids. When it was over, you would give then a kiss before playfully shooing them off to your siblings before you would rush into the house to check on your lover. They were still in the bathroom. You gave two gentle knocks. “Honey?” You would hear a groan of pain, to which you had to suppress a small giggle. “Yes, Love?” You playfully asked back. You couldn’t miss the complete devastation that rang from their voice moments later, “I missed the fireworks, didn’t I?” As you turned your face away, the smell from inside slowly hit you like a stink bomb. “Yes.. but maybe now you’ll listen to me when I say you shouldn’t have eaten all those burritos my aunt cooked.” “But they were so good!”

JD (and you cannot change my mind, yes this is slander /j), SYNTH, hickory, BARB, Val, JD (saying this again to DRIVE THE POINT HOME), branch (I see it).

ꨄ︎. KNOCKS OUT ON THE COUCH

“Love?” You called out before you entered the home, looking around for your lover. They had told you they were going to go lay on the couch inside, claiming that they needed a little rest before the fireworks due to the kids running them ragged. They had told you they would be outside in time for the fireworks, so you guys could watch them together! But they weren’t outside, nor did they seem to be making their way outside. You had asked one of the kids where they were and all they did was giggle, so you had to go investigate on your own. Upon walking inside, not even ten steps in, did you see your lover asleep on the couch. And upon walking closer to them, did you notice why all the kids had been giggling when you asked; There were marks in bright, colorful markers and glitter glue all over their face! Well, if they didn’t wake up to that, you guessed that they really needed the sleep. You couldn’t help but giggle a little though, taking a picture of the scene before walking off to get some baby wipes. You were cruel enough to take a photo of the moment, not cruel enough to leave them like that.

JD, Bruce (on accident), synth (on accident), HICKORY (on accident, or someone spiked his drink), val, creek

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hoshologies · 1 year ago

Text

ALL GREEK LOVE, LEE H.

synopsis — you spent the entire summer telling your family that you weren't going to join a sorority. now not only are you an initiated member of delta eta sigma, but you've been elected to the social chair position for you chapter. that's all well and good until heeseung lee, the newly elected social chairman for lambda rho and well-known in the greek community, reaches out to you to start planning runouts between your respective chapters. and now you're spending a lot more time with the cutest boy you've ever met.

genres &&. warnings — romance, fluff, meet-cute, smut, strangers to friends to lovers!au, college!au, greek life!au &&. underage drinking, afab!reader, tipsy sex, dry humping, oral (f!receiving), fingering, overstimulation.

word count — 15.7k.

from the author — not to be totally sorority girl, but the way i see greek life depicted in college au fics is CRAZY. now that i'm back hardcore into my kpop stan era, i rewatched the drunk-dazed mv and was like hmm... so the ultimate plan here was to write heeseung filth but also portray greek life a little more accurately because even if i'm not a huge fan, one thing about me is i'm gonna make sure y'all KNOW that greek life isn't just parties every weekend.

jokes aside, i really hope you enjoy this fic and my first real return to writing. likes, reblogs, and feedback are always welcome. and honestly, if you have any questions about greek life that you just have to know the answer to, i'm an open book.

if you enjoyed it, feel free to buy me a ko-fi!

the entire summer before starting your freshman year of college, you had told your family that you weren’t going to join a sorority. in your mind, there was a specific mold that one needed to fit into to join a sorority and quite frankly, you checked none of the boxes of those stereotypes.

yet here you sit, months later, in your sorority’s chapter meeting. and you’ve just been elected to the social chair position of the chi nu chapter of delta eta sigma.

truthfully, you’re not quite sure how you ended up here. you hadn’t formally rushed the week before school, but a couple of drunk girls at a frat party at the beginning of the semester had told you that you should rush their sorority. maybe you’d been a little desperate to branch out or maybe you were just a little curious of what rushing looked like, but a few days later at the student organization fair, you’d found the booth for the sorority the girls had told you they belonged to, delta eta sigma, and signed up for their informal rush.

by the end of october, you had been extended a bid, assigned a big, and promptly initiated into the chapter in what you jokingly referred to as a cult ritual (how could you describe it any other way? all white outfit? candles? promises to not divulge secrets about rituals that happen behind closed doors?).

and now, just three weeks after officially joining the chapter, you’ve ended up on the programming board somehow. you’d gotten a call from the selection board while sitting in the drive-thru of mcdonalds, waiting impatiently for your order of fries and a sprite as a treat for doing well on your gen psych quiz. the girl who’d called you said you’d made “quite the impression” on the sorority since accepting the bid and that they (including the chapter advisor) thought you’d be the perfect fit for the social chair.

“it’s a solo position, so you won’t have a co-chair like community service does, but given your grades so far this semester and the impact you’ve made on the chapter already, we would really love to see what you can do in this position! would you be interested?”

so really, how could you say anything but yes? you still don’t think you fit all that perfectly into the chapter, but they were giving you an opportunity to get involved and to make yourself fit. your name is announced for the social chair, one of your senior pictures pasted up on the powerpoint, and the girls around you smile and snap their fingers. from the executive board seats up front, your big smiles at you, eyes sparkling with something akin to pride.

a few days later, as you’re getting lunch at the student union, your phone screen lights up with a notification from groupme. a name you vaguely recognize is paired with a message that gets cut off after a few words.

heeseung lee: hey! this is heeseung from lambda rho and…

as you sit down with your salad and dr. pepper, you click the notification and read it in full. at the very top of the new message thread is heeseung’s picture and it clicks where you recognize him from. he’s friends with your big and he’s involved in a few of the bigger student organizations on campus, namely the activities board, so you’ve seen him in the student union fairly often.

[1:36 pm] heeseung lee: hey! this is heeseung from lambda rho! i’m friends with liv and she told me that you just got elected as the new social chair for your sorority. i just got slated into the same position for my frat.

[1:36 pm] heeseung lee: i know we won’t start running things until next semester, but i just wanted to reach out and touch base with you. i’m really looking forward to planning runouts with you next year :]

[1:37 pm] heeseung lee: sorry. i hope that wasn’t too weird. i guess i’m just a little too excited and want to get a bit of a headstart on things. have a good day!

you laugh to yourself, shaking your head as you set the phone down to take a bite of salad. before getting involved in greek life, you always assumed sorority girls and frat guys were airheaded and mean, people who peaked in high school, trying desperately to drag those glory days out. obviously since then, you’ve come to realize that while it is true in some occasions, most times, greek life members are the opposite.

heeseung, who you’ve never spoken to before, is proving that.

[1:42 pm] hi heeseung! not weird at all, i promise. and i’m really excited to plan events with you next semester too :]

by the beginning of february, you haven’t done much with your position. granted, the semester has only really been in full swing for about a week and a half and you have two full semesters to do plenty of things, but you’re itching to start planning. the binder you were given after the officer transition ritual has so many good ideas, everything from runouts with frats and sororities to both formal and semiformal.

while you’re brainstorming ideas for potential social events late on a tuesday night, your phone lights up from its spot on your nightstand, the short bell sound ringing out. you reach for it absentmindedly as you finish writing down the idea you had (rent out skating rink??? check budget). since the beginning of the school year, you’ve become desensitized to the groupme icon when it appears in your notifications, so much so that you barely register heeseung’s name upon first glance. it takes a second look for you to realize who’s texted you.

[9:12 pm] heeseung lee: sorry for texting so late. i just wanted to see if you wanted to meet up some time and start on some ideas for a runout?

[9:12 pm] heeseung lee: obviously not now!! but if you’re free some time this week, we could meet somewhere and talk. i spent all of winter break brainstorming stuff, so i’d really like to run it by you if that’s ok.

[9:14 pm] hi again heeseung. i was actually planning on getting lunch tomorrow at the student union after i’m done with class at 11 if you’re free then?

the second you press send, you immediately start second guessing yourself. does it come off like you’re asking him to have lunch with you? because that wasn’t your intention. really, you just meant that you’re going to be on campus proper for a little bit and wanted to offer to meet before you got lunch. not that it would be a bad thing if he asked if you could get lunch together; liv likes heeseung well enough and you’ve seen him around, and he really does seem nothing but nice, so lunch really couldn’t hurt— okay, take a breath. it is not that serious.

you take a deep breath and then let your muscles go lax as you exhale. better.

it feels like ages pass before he texts back. you’re worried you’ve scared him off, but it really shouldn’t be that stressful. it’s just a text and he’s the one who wanted to meet up in the first place anyways; you just offered a time and location. but finally, your phone dings again and his name lights up your screen.

[9:21 pm] heeseung lee: actually that works perfect!! i get out of class at the same time and usually grab lunch at the u before heading to the activities board office. wanna meet by the dining area next to the office?

[9:21 pm] sounds like a plan!! i’ll see you then!

heeseung, you realize as you set your phone down and put away your binder for the night, is the only social chair of any of the greek organizations who has reached out to you to start getting the ball rolling. he seems to be just as anxious as you are about doing this job well, which makes you feel at least a little validated. nervous and jittery though you may be about meeting him for the first time tomorrow after only having chatted with him over text twice, the idea of him feeling the same as you brings a strange form of comfort. with enough of it, you actually start looking forward to seeing him tomorrow as you lay down to sleep, mind running a mile a minute with what it’ll be like to meet him after all of the things you’ve heard about him from liv. by the time you slip into the embrace of sleep, anxiety has boiled down into anticipation.

at 11:02 the next morning, heeseung nearly scares the hell out of you when he shows up at the designated meeting spot. you’re so invested in your twitter scroll that you don’t notice when he walks up. it’s not until he says a soft “hi” that you jump and almost drop your phone in the process. when you look up, there’s a worried look on his face.

“sorry! i didn’t mean to scare you!”

after a moment to catch your breath, you shake your head and wave his worry off, though the gesture doesn’t do much to make that worried look on his (undeniably pretty) face. “it’s okay, heeseung. really.”

to really seal the deal, you shoot him a gentle smile, trying to prove that your heart isn’t about ready to give out anymore. you feel blessed when he returns it, all quirked up at the corners and smile lines and soft, plush cheeks. silence falls, the two of you smiling and staring at each other like idiots until heeseung shakes himself out of his stupor.

“anyways…” he clears his throat and moves his gaze towards the food court. “what did you want to get to eat? my treat.”

you look up at him, at the way he’s pointedly not looking at you and instead examining the restaurants just beyond the dining areas. you know, the restaurants that have been the same for the last five years probably and will be here for another five, the ones he’s grabbed food from at least a couple of times since the semester started and even more since the beginning of the school year.

“you don’t have to buy me lunch, heeseung. it’s-”

he finally turns to look at you again, that same easy smile still pulling his features into a soft form of happiness. “it’s no problem, really. just an act of good faith. all greek love and whatnot, you know?”

you laugh a little at that, conceding but allowing him to choose where he wants to get lunch from since he’s the one paying and you don’t really have a preference. by the time you’re sat opposite each other at a table with meals from the burger stall, your stomach is rumbling. you’re about half of the way through your burger when heeseung looks up from his fries, clearing his throat to get your attention.

“so…” he starts. it’s clear he hadn’t planned what he wanted to say before catching your focus, so an awkward silence settles over him, eyes on you but focused somewhere off behind you like he’s looking through you instead. you tilt your head, lean in close, which snaps him out of the trance and he restarts. “right, ideas for events. i have a binder from the last social chair of my frat with a bunch of things he did during his time.”

“oh! i do, too!” you interject. “there’s a bunch of stuff that the last girl did and then things some of the girls before her did too.”

heeseung’s grin breaks back across his face, bright and warm; you swear, a smile from this boy alone could break up the threatening winter storm currently hanging over campus. “there’s a bunch of good ideas in mine. but i’m not quite sure how well they’d work right now because of the weather.”

“are most of the ideas outside?” you inquire, taking a sip of your soda while he confirms your suspicions. when you put the cup back down, you wave off his concern. “no worries then. almost all of mine are ones that can be inside, so we could go through those if you want!”

heeseung nods and smiles that morning sunlight smile of his, and you can’t move quick enough to pull the thin pink binder out of your tote bag. he clears away some of the trash from the table so you can lay out the binder, intro page on full display. for the next five minutes, the pair of you pore over the pages upon pages of ideas, sleek white cut through with black ink that lists the idea, the locations, how much it costs.

you’re so invested in going over everything with him that you hardly acknowledge when heeseung stands and moves into the open seat beside you so neither one of you is craning your neck. you simply adjust the binder so you can read through the pages comfortably. it isn’t until heeseung points one out excitedly and you look up in startle that you finally notice that he isn’t a foot away but inches, noses just centimeters apart.

right now, this is the most compromising position you could possibly be in with a boy you hardly know and you find yourself praying that nobody from either of your chapters decides to walk by. of course, neither of you have anything to hide – this is a simple brainstorming session, of course, absolutely nothing more – but liv and your small group of friends would never let you live this down if they saw it.

heeseung clears his throat after seconds that stretch into years and you break your gaze from his painfully (how can you be blamed for staring? he’s that soft kind of pretty that hypnotizes). “um… so i think rollerskating could be fun…”

it is a good event that your sorority has done with the other frats and sororities in the past, one that you were playing around with as a potential plan to pitch to him. the fact that he picked it out on his own accord makes you bristle with something akin to pride, a feeling so warm and comforting it has you leaning just a little closer to him.

let the girls see me, you think as your sweater-clad shoulder brushes against his own. there are worse things they could catch me doing.

“actually… this was one of the ones i was going to suggest if you didn’t find any that you were really interested in…” you say quietly, voice nearly lost in the din of the dining area of the student union.

heeseung looks at you, blinking slow and round and soft, as if each flutter of his eyelids is a moment of his brain processing your words. “really… maybe it’s a sign…?”

his voice is just as soft, matching your energy in one swift go. you wonder if he’s thinking the same thing as you, if he’s feeling that it seems like you’ve known one another forever despite only knowing each other for fifteen minutes max; it seems like your souls themselves are in complete synergy, so why would it be so farfetched to wonder if maybe you knew each other in a different life to have caused that synchrony?

you laugh a little and shrug, shoulder brushing against his softly; the movement is short and sweet, but your heart rises in you like the high tide, washing through your veins with foam and salt and the kind of breeze only the ocean can bring, chill and warm all at once. “maybe so.”

silence settles over the table like sand stirred on the ocean floor, the both of you lost in your own worlds. heeseung has dragged his soda to this side of the table and sips absentmindedly, gaze focused miles beyond the horizon of the hallway. he’s completely checked out when your consciousness wanders back into your body and you take the moment to study him a little: the even slope of his nose, high cheekbones paired with plush skin, long eyelashes that brush the apex of his cheeks when he blinks, a flutter of dark against light.

there are worse boys you could be caught staring at.

you’re still thinking about your lunch with heeseung hours later, even when you’re out getting your weekly tuesday night ice cream with your big. liv is going on about how her professor for her linguistics class pissed her off during lecture today, but you’re not absorbing a single word of any of it. you remember vaguely that he openly disagreed with her during the lecture and they got into a debate in front of the whole class, but beyond that, you don’t know much else.

“god, he’s just the worst. i can’t believe– alright, you’re in the stratosphere right now. what’s going on?”

you snap back to reality, eyes wide and goosebumps prickling up under the sleeves of your sweater. you shake your head, trying to brush away the conversation she’s trying to prompt, even though it’ll be futile because liv can’t let things go for the life of her. “nothing! everything’s fine, i swear.”

liv’s eyes narrow and a single dark eyebrow quirks up. “yeah, i’m not buying it.”

you glare playfully at her, eating a spoonful of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. when you swallow, you answer with a pointed, “when do you buy anything i say? really, liv. it’s nothing.”

“did someone say something to you? i’m part of panhellenic and on the all-greek council. if someone did something, i can handle it.”

you shake your head earnestly and wave a hand for extra emphasis. “olivia. seriously. nothing happened.”

your big is silent for a few moments, studying you intently. her shady blue eyes, usually wistful and giving the impression of being miles away herself, cut right down to your very bone, as if she’ll find the answer she’s looking for written into your skin or soul, carved into your heart. eventually, she sighs and slumps back against the booth.

“alright, fine. i’ll believe you this time,” she says in a voice that hints at disappointment. “but you’d tell me if someone did say something to you, right? i’m serious about getting things taken care of if someone does something like that to you.”

you smile, reach across the table, rest your hand over her. “yes, liv. i would tell you if somebody treated me badly. you’re the only friend i have who would be willing to go to jail if needed. but i promise the situation doesn’t call for that right now.”

she perks up a little at your words and takes a deep breath, nodding. she’s back to her bubbly self, resuming her rant about her asshole linguistics professor who definitely shouldn’t have tenure. the whiplash her behavior gives you definitely just secured her an award for “most melodramatic” at formal in april (which, fuck you have to start planning that soon too).

you remain checked into liv’s rant, assenting when she asks you for your opinions on this professor who you’ve never met and never plan on meeting, and offering advice when she wants it. but you still find yourself wandering off at times, mind focused on heeseung.

you’re not sure why you don’t want to tell her about meeting with the boy earlier; she’s one of his friends and she’s always spoken so highly about him, so you shouldn’t feel embarrassed. in fact, she’s mentioned in passing a couple of times (mostly when she’s undeniably hammered) that she thinks you and heeseung would make a cute couple, even though she’s never seen the two of you interact, let alone exist in the same room.

but there’s something special about the thirty minutes you shared with heeseung. you met in a public place, sure, but something about it felt and still feels so sacred to you. it’s something you want to keep a secret for at least a little while. that soft sunshine smile and the low tide brushes of shoulders are things that, for now, belong solely to you and heeseung. it won’t kill liv to be left out of the loop for a while.

“do you think we should have it closer to midterms?” heeseung’s voice is pure static, like he’s going through a tunnel, even though there��s only half a campus worth of distance between you.

the two of you have graduated from groupme dms to phone calls over the course of three days. heeseung is saved affectionately in your phone as sseung with the deer emoji, one that you picked out as he sat across from you after you’d exchanged numbers; he doesn’t know about it, but he reminds you often of a deer caught in headlights with the way he stares at you all wide-eyed when you try to catch his attention.

“maybe? but people have to study. i’m not sure how often your guys are in the library, but i see at least thirty girls at the library every single night, so i’m not sure how willing they’d be to give up a night of studying, even if it is only for an hour, that close to midterms.”

heeseung’s small, thoughtful hmm is audible over the speaker and you smile to yourself over a basket of clean laundry. you’ve spent maybe three hours max with him over the last couple of days and already you have a pretty decent grasp on his personality and habits. right now, you can picture the way he likely looks up from his phone or planner and stares off past the beige cinderblock wall of his dorm room, turning possibilities over in his head.

“no, you’re right about that. i didn’t even consider it.”

you shrug as though he can see you, folding a pair of sweats and setting them to the side. “i’d definitely like for it to be soonish though. it doesn’t have to be planned super far in advance, you know what i mean? we’ve still got… what? a month until midterms?”

“i think so, yeah.”

you nod to yourself, hanging up one of your shirts. “okay, so what about two weeks from now? that lands us right in between now and midterms, so it’d be a happy medium.”

he’s silent on the other end of the line and you pause in your hanging of another shirt, worried that he’s thinking you’re stupid. of course, heeseung would never think anything like that about anyone because he’s the sweetheart to end all sweethearts. still, you worry because what this boy thinks of you is ridiculously imperative to your day to day functions.

three days, you remind yourself. you’ve known him for three days. there’s no reason for his opinions to hold this much weight.

you wonder if heeseung knows just how easy it is to like him, to be around him; if he knows just how much you want to see him all the time because he’s completely taken over your every waking thought. liv’s comments about him made in passing never could have truly captured just how amazing he is, nice and caring and so so pretty. you’re almost embarrassed to be this head over heels for him, but when he laughs over the phone or focuses all of his attention on you over a table in the food court, that mortification burns away into something soft and sweet and slow.

“i think that’s a great idea. not too soon, so we can make sure our chapters know it’s happening, but not too late that it disrupts any midterm studying.”

you breathe a sigh of relief and smile to yourself, resting your hands against the lip of the laundry basket. the rational part of your brain knew he was going to agree, but the part of you that so desperately craves his approval was disgustingly terrified that you wouldn’t receive it. now that you have, though, a heat rushes through you, pride warm and bright because you offered a good solution to the minuscule obstacle.

“yeah, exactly!”

you can just imagine the grin on heeseung’s face right now, delicate like freshly fallen snow. the image fills you with the giddiness of a high school girl, glad to be the one to have caused such a beautiful sight. “okay, cool. i’ll talk about it with the executive board, get it approved and whatnot, but i think we should be set, besides who’s paying for what.”

“what do you mean?” you question, brows furrowing as you finish up the last of your laundry.

“what do you mean?” there’s a playful, teasing edge in his voice. “someone has to pay to book the rink and the shoes, and don’t you think there should be snacks?”

“oh… yeah, i guess so.”

“so i was thinking we’d cover the booking and you could cover the food… but only if you’re cool with that! obviously, it’s not a big deal or anything, but i figured we should get that in order too so we can a specific date set and everything.”

“no, no! that works fine for me! i honestly hadn’t thought that far ahead, so it’s a good thing you did.” the line falls silent for a few moments, static crackling softly between you. there’s just something about the idea that you’re so close yet so far from each other, physically distant but holding each other close like this over a quiet cellphone line. it’s comforting to have him like this, you find.

“but yeah…” you break the stillness with your voice soft so as to not completely shatter the tranquility you’ve cultivated here. “that’s… that’s good thinking, heeseung.”

“hanks…” his own words mimic the same volume, nearly lost in the haze of the phone. “so… i’ll run it by the exec board and let you know?”

you hum a quick mhmm and tell him that you’ll do the same. there should be no reason that you’ll be denied, but the fact that liv, seeing as she’s vice president of programming, is part of the exec board and will find out that you’ve been, at the very least, talking to heeseung on a semi-regular basis (see: every day this week since tuesday afternoon) is a little nerve wracking, mostly because you’re ninety-nine percent sure she’s been hinting at trying to set the two of you up.

and when you say hinting, you mean pointing him out on campus or at parties and saying something like “really, i think you two would get along so well! you should go and talk to him.”

she was right about that, but the last thing you need right now is her finding out that you are catching feelings, all without her meddling. but you’ll make peace with the fact because you have to.

liv sidles up to you two weeks later on a thursday night, knit-clad arms crossed over her chest. you don’t even have to look at her to know she’s wearing a smug expression right now. “so…”

you don’t even physically react to her presence, instead choosing to gaze out over the rollerskating rink in your little college town. “so… what, liv?”

she nudges you with her shoulder and leans with her back against the wall separating the rink floor from the carpet of the sitting area. “you and heeseung, huh? i’ve been telling you for ages that the two of you would get along!”

you scoff playfully and roll your eyes, finally turning your head to look at her. “can you not start sentences like that?”

“like what?” she asks innocently.

“like heeseung and i have something going on. all we did was plan one runout together. we’ve only met, like, one time in person.”

you regret the words almost as soon as they leave the tip of your tongue because the second she hears the phrase “in person,” she’s already causing a scene. even though her voice is somewhat drowned out by the music blasting over the speakers, the absolute tenacity with which she gestures with her entire body draws more attention than it should. melodramatic as per usual.

“in person? when was this? and why was i not informed?” the questions liv asks a million times come out more like exclamations than anything else, too caught up in melodramatic distress to adjust the tone of her voice correctly.

you shrug absently, turning your head back towards the rink. heeseung is standing on the opposite side, talking to a few of the guys from his frat. he looks nice in his blue and green sweater and loose jeans, brown hair tousled from the winter breeze outside. “a couple weeks ago. and i didn’t tell you because it just wasn’t that important. we literally only had lunch just to talk about ideas for this.”

liv whines your name and stomps a foot like a child throwing a tantrum. “yeah, but i’m your big. i wanna know these things! and i’ve also been trying to set you two up forever! you didn’t think i’d want to know that you’d finally met him, even if it wasn’t because of anything i’d plan? my feelings are hurt.”

“first, this is exactly why one of the awards for formal this semester is going to be most over dramatic and exactly why you’re going to win,” you start, shaking your head and rolling your eyes. “second, i knew you would want to know, but i also knew this is how you’d react. i didn’t think you’d want to know about us setting up an event together, like… there’s no tea to spill or whatever. it’s just boring stuff. i don’t even know him that well.”

a bold-faced lie if you’ve ever told one; you know heeseung down to the cologne he puts on every morning. and maybe there was a little more to the event planning sessions. at least five times over the past two weeks, heeseung has approached you either in the food court or at the library, and taken the seat opposite of you to chat and study a bit. not to mention, you’ve texted every single day since the two of you officially met for the first time.

but again: nothing liv needs to know. heeseung, for now, is just your little secret. the conversations you’ve shared, the little details you know about him, the sweater he’d given you a few days ago when you’d gotten cold at the library and your own sweater had gotten soaking wet due to rain and your lack of an umbrella, those are your things, special and personal and entirely yours.

“ugh. the two of you are so boring,” liv moans dramatically, tipping her head back. “i hope you hang out more after this, but only if you tell me about it.”

you shrug and glance back across the rink. heeseung has shifted positions, his arms crossed over the railing and by some stroke of luck, he’s looking at you, looking otherworldly under the shifting blue and purple lights. he smiles softly, just a quick phantom of a grin, and the only think you can do is return it with that same gentleness and warmth.

“maybe,” you say, glancing over at liv and then back at heeseung. “i guess we’ll just have to see.”

a week later, you’re sitting in your dorm room on a friday night, finalizing edits for a midterm paper, when there’s a banging at your door fifteen minutes before ten.

“heyyy! let me innn!” liv’s voice is airy and slurred through the door, so you can already guess what she’s here for.

with a heavy sigh, you stand and make your way to the door, opening it and finding your big leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the hallway. she’s dressed in her usual party attire: ripped jeans, black tank top, dirty shoes reserved specifically for the sticky basement floors of frat houses. she’s holding a metal water bottle in her hands; you can only guess what she’s mixed in it tonight.

“what’s up, liv?” you ask, leaning your shoulder against the doorframe, even though you don’t need an answer. you hadn’t anticipated her being here, so you’re already decked out in your comfy night clothes, prepared for a night in only.

“lambda is throwing a party and you’re going with me,” she says peppily, practically jumping up and throwing herself into your room.

“liv-“

she whips around on her heels to face you, eyes glowing in the soft gold of your fairy lights. “no fighting me on this. you’ve been working hard and you need a break. so you’re going to dress like the hot bitch you are and then we’re going to lambda.”

liv is rooted to the spot, though she sways a little on her feet, and makes it known without words that she is not moving until you get ready for this dumb frat party. eager to get her drunken glare off of you, you sigh and nod, closing the door behind you, shutting off your desk light, and moving towards your wardrobe, rifling through the hangers to find a proper outfit.

you’ve been to lambda rho’s house before and it is nothing to write home about… unless, of course, you’re talking about how absolutely filthy the basement is; they have the best sized basement out of all of the frats on campus, but you swear they have never done anything to clean the floor. the first time you went, you’d been having a great time drinking well-mixed jungle juice and dancing to the best songs of the 2010s when you noticed that every step you took sounded like velcro. the floor was so sticky that you were literally having to put pressure behind pulling your shoes from the concrete. it totally killed the vibe.

but the jungle juice and occasional jello shots are great, so you persevere. besides, lambda throws the best parties on campus and you’re clearly the person to trust on party hot takes since you only go back to frats you have a good time at (sorry, sigma pi).

plus, heeseung is in lambda rho and he has to be there since he’s the social chair and all, so… you note that out of the maybe five parties you’ve been to there since the beginning of the school year, you’ve never once seen him. granted, he’s only required to be at any parties hosted while he’s the social chairman, so maybe he just didn’t go to any last semester. or maybe he’s a wallflower like you, choosing to stand on the outskirts instead of in the center of attention.

lost in your haze of heeseung thoughts, you don’t really register that you’ve finished dressing and that liv has sat you down at your desk to fix your hair. somehow, while very much drunk, your big has an easy time styling it. she’s focused intensely on the task at hand, but also manages to carry on a one-sided conversation, not realizing that you’re not responding to her. but when she moves her hands from your head and sets them on the back of your chair, you’re amazed; she’s always been good at styling and fashion (hence why she’s been in charge of the homecoming student org dance and cheer competition every fall for the last two years), but you weren’t expecting her skills to be up to par while buzzed to hell and back.

“there we go, ready to wow heeseung,” liv says matter-of-factly, a proud look on her face. when you glare at her through the mirror, she smiles and shrugs lazily, reaching to grab her water bottle and phone from your desk. “what? he’ll be there tonight and i’ve heard through the grape vine that he might have a little crush on you, so…”

you whip around at her words, hands braced against the back of your chair. something like liquid anxiety prickles under your skin, sending goosebumps across your arms. liv is friends with just about everyone in greek life, so “the grape vine” could quite literally mean anybody, but who did she find that out from anyways? when did heeseung say anything like that? did he even actually say that or is she just deadset on shipping the two of you together until it either happens or falls through?

“what?”

she looks back at you over her shoulder, one hand resting on the doorknob and your dorm keys in the other. there’s a mischievous glint in her dark eyes and your heart drops; how did you get such a schemer as a big? “oh, yeah. i was hanging out at the lambda house the other night with yeonjun. you know? heeseung’s big? and he maybe mentioned something about it. why do you wanna know?”

she sidles back up to you, pulling you out of the chair by your shoulders. “do you maybe… i don’t know… like him back? why are you so nervous?”

you shake your head, trying to will the goosebumps on your arms and lightning in your veins away. you’ve claimed a million times over the last few weeks that there is nothing more going on between you and that boy, no matter how pretty or sweet you might think he is. heeseung is just a friend, someone you just so happened to click really well with and just so happened to plan a really fun event with. there’s nothing else to say about it or the way you get excited when his name shows up on your phone or how your day immediately gets better when he walks up to you at the library without texting you first, your favorite snack and coffee in hand and a smile on his face.

there’s nothing there to unpack. you think.

“i’m not nervous. and i bet yeonjun just misheard heeseung. the two of us are just friends. i’ve told you that a million times and i’m sure he’s said the same thing.”

liv just laughs and ushers you towards the door. “okay, okay… sure, sweetheart. let’s get over there before they run out of alcohol.”

jay, the self-appointed dj for every lambda rho party, is blasting year 3000 by the jonas brothers when you and liv arrive in the basement. there’s already a large group of bodies on the dance floor, but the bar area is still pretty crowded and getting worse. liv links her arm with yours so that you won’t get separated, even though there’s no chance of you getting lost or anything.

the two of you make your way towards the bar where yeonjun is “bartending,” a term he insists on using despite the fact that all he does is pour cups of vibrant red jungle juice. blonde hair hangs over his forehead and his skin is glistening with sweat already, looking weirdly ethereal under the colorful lights that fill the room. when he sets eyes on you and liv, he smiles brightly and leans against the bartop.

“hey, you two! glad you finally showed up!” he shouts over the music. “jungle juice?”

liv nods enthusiastically, mimicking his posture and crossing her arms on top of the counter. “yes please! any chances you have jello shots tonight too?”

the boy looks around before he leans in closer to answer. “don’t tell anyone else, but i made some just for you two since you’re my favorite customers.”

liv rolls her eyes and swats at his bicep, but she’s smiling anyways. “we’re not customers, jun. you’re not even getting paid to do this. when are you gonna stop acting like you’re a real bartender, huh?”

he clenches his hand over his heart and stumbles backwards, feigning pain. “you wound me so, liv. i did something nice for you and this is how you repay me. i can’t believe this!”

but in the midst of his monologue, he bends over to open a mini fridge behind the bar and returns with a couple of jello shots. he tells you to take them here while he gets your drinks and hide them the best you can so nobody gets up in arms that he’s providing something outside of the night’s menu. he’s always been especially nice to you, mostly because of liv and his undying love for her (though platonic or romantic, you’ve never been exactly sure about), so it’s all you can do to thank him and listen to his pleads for secrecy regarding the contraband jello shots. when he’s back above bar, you switch off, him discreetly tossing the small cups in the trash.

liv, finally armed with her precious red solo cup, turns to talk to some other friends, leaving you and yeonjun alone. the music is so loud you can hardly keep your thoughts straight, which is great for keeping your mind off of what liv said earlier, but doesn’t last long when yeonjun leans in ever closer, his cologne enveloping you entirely.

“you should thank heeseung for the jello shots, by the way. i honestly hadn’t even thought to make some for you and liv because i was busy with other stuff, but he asked about making some since he knows they’re your favorite.”

your heart clenches a little at the idea that heeseung wanted to make sure that you had things you liked at his frat’s party. it’s nice to have someone looking out for small things like that, even if it means breaking a rule or two. yeonjun rests his hand on top of your head and pats gently, a knowing look in his eyes.

“listen, i know that you swear up and down the wall that you and him are just friends, but for what it’s worth, he likes you a lot. he just won’t say it. you know him. he’s kinda bad with words. it’s not really my place to make his confession for him, but just… you know. give him a chance.”

you nod dumbly and give him a half-baked smile when he pulls his hand off your head. a few girls walk up, vying for their own drinks, so you take that as your cue to walk away, red solo cup cradled in your hands. any hope of not thinking about heeseung lee has been completely undone by both liv and yeonjun.

suddenly, you are far too sober.

two hours later, you’re five drinks in, only kept track of by the cups you have in your hand, and you’re feeling pleasantly buzzed. the lights are a little brighter, the music a little louder, liv’s arm hot and grounding around your shoulders. she’s completely gone, despite the fact that she’s only had three cups of jungle juice. she’s serenading you with dancing queen by abba, somehow getting every single word wrong.

“fuck, i’m way too drunk for this,” she says, breaking off a line in the middle of the second verse. “i’ll sing for you next time. promise.”

you laugh and lean against her, shaking your head. “okay, livvie. sounds good.” you’re content to end your sentence there, but you have an increasing awareness of how hot it’s gotten. the amount of people packed into the basement, especially in the center of the dancefloor like this, has contributed greatly to the heat and you need some time to cool down before it makes you sick. “listen, ‘m gonna get some air. ‘t’s getting really hot.”

liv nods and hugs you to her, voice chipper but slurred heavily. “‘kay! i’ll see you in a few.” she lets you go and breaks out into the next song, somehow worse than dancing queen.

you slip out of the crowd, already feeling a little cooler now that you’ve escaped from the hot press of bodies. standing on the outskirts of the dancefloor, you consider your options. there’s the open window that a cool breeze passes through or the door by yeonjun’s bar, which you know leads directly outside with a staircase up to the back deck. while you initially planned to be within arm’s reach for liv’s sake, your ears are starting to ring from the loud music and the choice is made for you.

you wave to yeonjun as you make your way towards the door. he pauses and leans over to ask you if you’re leaving, looking a little concerned, but you shake your head and tell him what you told liv. and then you tack on the information that she’s incredibly drunk, so he should watch out for her because knowing her, she’ll be tapping out sooner rather than later. he nods in understanding and lets you go, turning back to the two frat guys, jake and chan, that are standing at the bar.

the temperature difference between the basement and outside right now is jarring, but welcomed nonetheless. you carefully traverse the stairs, not quite confident in yourself to take them confidently, seeing as your sight is currently swimming a little and your head is light. getting to the top is a feat and you feel immediately better once you’re on the back deck.

you’re so out of it that you don’t realize you aren’t alone as you lean against the railing, reveling in the way the wood digs into your forearms and the chill bites at you through the sheer long sleeves of your black shirt. you’re still very much buzzed, but you feel a little more clear-headed now that you can hear yourself think.

the sound of your name startles you and you swear you jump ten feet in the air before you whip around, hand against your heart. heeseung is halfway out the back door, a cup in his hand and that deer caught in the headlights expression you’ve come to know well over the last month or so.

“jesus, heeseung. you scared the shit out of me!” you say, catching your breath and leaning back against the railing.

“i’m sorry! i didn’t mean to!” he finishes stepping out of the house and onto the deck with you, the door swinging shut behind him. he’s so earnest in his apology that you can’t help but smile, dropping your hand and instead taking a sip from your drink that you carried out here with you.

“you have a habit of sneaking up on me, huh?”

he joins you at the railing, leaning against it the way you are, and raises his own cup to his lips (perfect and plush and pink… enough of that). he shrugs as he drinks, wincing when it goes down rougher than he expected. the liquid that sloshes against the side is not the same color as yours, so you can only assume that one of the guys gave him something a little stronger than whatever they threw together for the jungle juice.

“i guess so,” he says through a small cough. “i don’t mean to, if that makes it any better.”

you laugh a little, nudging him with your shoulder. “it’s not a big deal, if that makes you feel better. i think it’s kinda funny.”

heeseung smiles at that and nods, keeping his eyes trained on the drink in his cup. it’s only when you’re committing his side profile to drunken memory that you realize the blush that’s crept up the back of his neck onto his cheeks and the tip of his ears. except, that sober voice inside your head argues it could just be from the cold.

but neither of you have been out long enough for that to be the case. it’s not even that cold out here, just a little bit chilly. drunk you is having sneaking suspicions, ones that sober you would never entertain, and this is the first time you’re seeing heeseung at one of his frat’s parties, so you might as well take advantage of it all as much as you can.

“yeonjun told me what you did… the jello shots for me and liv, i mean,” you clarify the second you realize how the first sentence sounds without context. “thanks. i didn’t think you were really paying attention to that kind of stuff.”

heeseung turns his head to look at you, eyes a little wide but that soft, perfect smile offsets it nicely. he looks a little surprised that you found out about it, but not upset that yeonjun mentioned it.

“well… i mean, of course i do. that’s kinda… what i do, you know?”

he’s beating around the bush. yeonjun was right; heeseung never talks about his feelings and he sure as hell won’t offer you the words you’re waiting to hear right now. so, drunk you reasons, why is the only way to confess through words? he’s shown you how much he cares, he’s been doing it for weeks now. maybe you were suppressing your own feelings to keep liv off your back about it all, but in doing so, you’ve been diminishing heeseung’s own attempts at telling you.

this whole thing with him has never been simply friends. love at first sight feels a little much, but you certainly have something between you and you have for weeks on end at this point. maybe it’s time to reward this beautiful boy for being so patient with you.

just as he’s beginning to turn his head away to look back towards the house, you set your cup on the railing and capture his face in your hands. there’s no moment for either of you to process what’s happening, just that one minute there’s a platonic amount of distance between you and the next, your lips are on his and it is warm and unpracticed and still unbelievably perfect. heeseung goes pliant and soft under your touch, his free hand resting gently on the small of your back. his fingers curl gently into your shirt, tethering himself to you. his other hand is still grasping his solo cup and you find yourself wishing he’d just drop the damn thing, even if it means the both of your shoes get soaked in whatever he’d been served (whiskey, you’d guess, from the smokey taste on his tongue).

he’s the first to pull away, eyes still closed for moments after. his breaths come shallow and his cheeks have gone impossibly red, his hand still against your back. you study him from this angle, closer than you’ve ever been, and somehow, you’re finding him prettier than ever before. maybe it’s the alcohol talking or the sudden lovesickness for him, but you don’t care because you finally kissed heeseung lee and left him breathless.

“what- um… what was that for?” he asks quietly, eyes fluttering open. his pupils are blown wide and awestruck (you think that’s the right word in your jungle juice induced haze).

you shrug, inching yourself a little closer towards him. he turns to meet you so your bodies run parallel to each other and finally sets his offending cup on the railing next to yours. “got tired waiting for you t’make a move.”

he makes a sound in the back of his throat and turns his head to look elsewhere, as if looking at you might make him drop dead. any doubt you had from earlier in the night that he’d told yeonjun that he liked you is swept away in a single moment; he can deny it all he wants now, but you already know the truth, so what’s the point?

“liv told me that she heard through the grape vine that you liked me…” you say softly, voice trailing off into the muffled sounds of a kesha song blasting in the basement. “is that… true?”

you watch as he draws a deep breath, squeezes his eyes closed, steels himself for whatever answer he’s about to give. with all your liquid courage now, confessing might not have been a big deal, but you know that if you’d been sober, it would be just as hard as this. but you swear you saw him drinking jungle juice down in the basement an hour and a half ago, and now he’s drinking something stronger, so he must be so naturally shy that not even alcohol can wipe it out.

finally, he lets his breath out and focuses his attention on you again, his eyes soft and pleading. don’t break my heart. please.

“yeah… yeah, i got a little drunk last weekend and told yeonjun that i thought i had feelings for you when he got me back to my dorm. i’m sorry if that makes you uncomfortable or if it ruins our friendship. i j–”

you kiss him again, hot and heavy and full of longing and words you don’t dare voice because you’ve liked him for a long time too; you were just too afraid to admit it to yourself. but now he’s spilling his heart out and you’d rather walk barefoot through broken glass before you let him go on thinking for a second longer that his feelings aren’t reciprocated tenfold.

you step impossibly closer, your bodies pressed tight and heavy, the seam unbreakable. heeseung’s hands (both thank god) rest on your waist, holding you close. he bristles under your touch as you leave one hand on his shoulder and the other sneaks around to the nape of his neck, fingers curling into the fine, soft hair there. your nails scratch lightly against his scalp and his chest shudders against yours, some small, refined gasp of approval passing from his mouth to yours as he takes his turn to kiss the breath out of you.

it’s a tiny noise, barely noticeable, barely passing as a soft breathy moan. but you hear it and it’s embarrassingly enough to have your knees going a little weak. well, it’s not just that minuscule noise; it’s everything, it’s the way heeseung’s lips move against your own with an uncharacteristic amount of surety, the way his fingers have slipped under your shimmery black top (a “donation” from liv’s closet last homecoming), the way you can feel his body coming alive under your attention. if this is going where you think it’s going, the dreams you’ve been having about him at least once a week since you first met are about to come true.

heeseung is the first to break away again, but he looks less nervous than the first time. no, this time he looks flushed and tousled and so attractive it should be illegal. when he shifts his weight from his left to right foot, his body brushes against you and the heat of him is unmistakable. even if you couldn’t feel it, you can see the way his eyelids flutter and feel the way his chest shudders against yours. you can’t help yourself; you need him.

“come back to my dorm,” you whisper breathlessly, words manifesting physically in a cloud of fog. “please.”

the boy squeezes his eyes shut again, looks up towards the sky, draws that deep breath he’s so fond of right now. you almost back out, almost say it was a joke; he just confessed his feelings and you kissed twice, so maybe it’s all a little much for him. you really like him and you don’t want to scare him off; besides, what you’re feeling right now is nothing you can’t take care of on your own back in your dorm room. just as you’re about to tell him that he can say no, he’s seemingly talked himself up enough because he looks down at you, smiles, kisses you on his own accord, and then takes your hand.

“lead the way,” he says.

you and heeseung stop at least five times on the way back to your dorm room to makeout, giggling into each other’s mouths as he presses you against a tree on the greens or as you pull him into the pools of darkness between streetlamps. every moment has him growing more confident, more certain that this isn’t just a hookup or a dream.

somewhere along the way, you text liv and tell her that you’re heading home because you’re not feeling well. it’s not farfetched, seeing as you’d broken away from her in the first place because you were feeling too hot. what happened between your departure and when the text is sent is entirely irrelevant right now. what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her and she’ll hear about it sooner rather than later anyways.

it takes you maybe a full twenty minutes to reach your building, a feat considering how drunk you are and how obsessed you’ve been with heeseung for the last half hour. you fully expected it to take longer, but now, you stand under the golden glow of the entry to your dorm building, heeseung unlocking the door for you because you’re a little too gone right now and unwilling to take your hands off him,standing next to him, your arms hugging his free one while you lean your cheek against his shoulder. he fumbles with the key, muttering about how they should change to a keycard system instead, but he gets it eventually and you’re in.

after that, it’s practically a mad dash up to your dorm room on the third floor. your hand is twined tight around heeseung’s as you lead him up the stairs, too impatient to take the elevator right now. somewhere in the back of your mind, you’re glad that you took the time to clean your room today after class; heeseung will see a polished side of you, one that puts laundry away as soon as they’re out of the dryer, one that has glowing golden fairy lights above the window that gild your room in warmth, one that leaves books and binders stacked neatly in the shelf on your desk. not that he’ll be paying attention to any of it anyways, what with the way you can feel his cock pressing incessantly against you as you unlock your bedroom door, hot and straining.

agonizing seconds stretch into what feels like even more agonizing hours, but eventually, you get the door unlocked and guide him inside, stepping into the glow of your string lights that you’d left on before you left. you don’t even have to turn yourself around to look at him because he does it for you, turning you by your waist, pressing you fast against the back of the now-closed door.

his mouth is on yours in an instant, tongue swiping over your bottom lip, no doubt tasting the fruit punch yeonjun had added to tonight’s jungle juice recipe concoction. his hands are on your waist, curling hot into your skin, black mesh of your shirt scratching against you. it’s nice, how respectful he’s being right now, still ever the gentleman he’s been for the last month, but you don’t want nice and respectful right now. you’ve had literal dreams about this since you met him, driving your attraction to him higher with every one; you want mean and messy and rough, and that’s what you’ll get if it’s the last thing you do.

so in a bid to urge him towards where you’re really hoping this night goes, you grab at one of his wrists and drag his hand up to your chest, pressing his palm against your breast. you can feel his breath hitch against you and you smile into the kiss because how can he still be so shy when he’s kissed the breath out of you at least five times in the last forty-five minutes? either way, he gives a tentative squeeze and it feels mind blowingly good; you’ve never been one to really care much about attention focused on your tits, but heeseung makes it feel like maybe you should.

you get lost in the feeling of his lips on yours, one of his hands kneading at your chest, the other slowly slipping under your top, rough fingertips drawing up and down the skin of your stomach, so far gone that you don’t notice the thigh he’s slotted between your legs until he grinds it up against you. it’s sudden and so well-earned, some much needed friction that you’ve been craving since that second kiss on the deck in lambda rho’s backyard. he does it a second time, the hard plane of his thigh coming up hard against your clit, and your knees buckle a little, dropping you further onto him. you moan sweetly into his mouth, tilting your head back against the door as the hand on your waist works your hips against him with a scary but uncharacteristic practiced certainty. he takes the absence of your mouth against his to trail kisses on your neck, his teeth dragging along the sensitive skin, nipping and leaving love bites in his wake.

a well aimed grind of your hips, guided singularly by the boy in front of you, has you falling forward against his chest, your forehead pressed into the junction between his shoulder and neck. you keen against him in frustration, the crest rising but not breaking, no matter how hard to try to get it to.

“seung,” you cry against his skin, fingers curling tight into his sweater. “need more please.”

you almost sob in relief when you feel him nod against your neck, more so when you notice his own hips are stuttering against your leg that is bracketed by his. it’s enough to make you moan, the idea of him needing it just as much as you that he’s trying to hold himself back from getting off on your thigh too.

pressing your palms flat against his chest, you guide heeseung backwards in the direction of your bed (which you’re very suddenly glad you haven’t lofted). when the back of his knees hit the edge of the mattress, he makes quick work of kicking his shoes off and then scrambling up so that his back rests against the wall. you follow suit, toeing off your party shoes and crawling onto his lap where he’s waiting patiently, his eyes wide and the browns of his eyes drowned out by his pupils. he’s breathing hard, chest heaving.

he looks up at you as you situate yourself, his hands coming to rest on your waist again. the expression on his face is nothing short of worshipful, like you’re a deity here to wrench your well-earned respect from his hands. and he is clearly ready to hand it over without a single fight. he guides you down onto him and you follow his hands willingly, your thighs straddling his and your clothed cunt just barely grazing against his hard-on until you settle down completely in his lap, not a centimeter of distance between you. the friction and pressure have both of you gasping wordlessly and heeseung tugs desperately at your hips. you fall into him, arms around his neck and pulling him to meet you halfway, lips locked once more. you give a tentative roll of your hips and heeseung moans into your mouth, just the reaction you were anticipating.

“fuck,” he moans the second time you do it. “you’re so good.”

you’re already hot, seared through to the bone, but you feel yourself go even warmer under heeseung’s praise. you’ve imagined this a million times over the last few weeks, but nothing could ever compare to the real thing. you kiss him harder, breathe him in deep to prove to yourself that this is real, that heeseung lee is under you right now, bucking his hips up into you and matching your movements, about to make you come just from a little bit of dry humping. it would be embarrassing if you weren’t both half-gone and ridiculously desperate.

you continue to rut against him, panting hot and heavy into his mouth as he swallows every single moan and whimper you let out just to return them tenfold, his hands working you over him with a rushed ease. every roll of your hips is met with his own presses upwards. he’s working you higher and higher with each move, closer to the precipice, and while you’ve never before thought you’d find yourself in a position like this, if heeseung makes you come without taking a single item of clothing off either of you, then so be it.

as if he’s read your thoughts, he presses you back and away from him. you open your eyes for the first time in minutes and take him in: messy hair, flushed cheeks, bruised lips. no wet dream could have ever prepared you for how beautiful he looks right now.

but no matter how pretty you think he is in this moment, the sudden absence of friction has you whining loudly, pitched high and tight. when you speak, your voice trembles out of frustration. “heeseung, why’d you stop?”

he sucks in a breath and moves to push at your shoulders some more. “don’t- fuck- don’t wanna come yet, not like this.”

if you weren’t already so fucked out, you would have giggled, but right now, you just feel exasperated. he’s right; you don’t want to come like this either, but you’d also come to terms with it because it would mean that you would at least be getting the release you’re so desperately craving. and that’s been ripped away from you, at least for the moment. but when he looks up at you again, his eyebrows furrowed and eyes still wide with need, you fold immediately.

“tell me what you want.” he’s practically begging you and it sends a thrill through you, liquid lightning straight to your heart. “please.”

and how can you deny him when he’s asked you so sweetly or when you’re just as needy as he is? at this point, whatever he’d offer, you would take gladly. he’s gazing at you now, waiting anxiously for an answer, not that you have a set one; you want him in any way he wants you, nothing else matters more than that. but you take in his swollen lips and lithe fingers and your mind is off to the races.

“i-” you start, but stumble over your words. you’d been incredibly forward when you’d kissed him first, but you’ve lost all of that fire now. you can’t bring yourself to ask for what you want, even though you’re certain he’d do anything you’d ask of him.

“c’mon,” he coaxes, fingers kneading into your shoulders to ground you. “whatever you want.”

the sound of his voice is earnest, nothing short of honest, and it makes you want to trust him more than anything. so you do. you draw in a steadying breath and curl your hands into his sweater as you work yourself up to it.

“will you-” another breath. “would you eat me ou-”

“yes,” he immediately answers. you don’t even get a chance to finish the question. “fuck. i thought you’d never ask.”

he moves his hands to cup your face and pulls you into him, kissing you sweetly, his nose bumping against yours. the minuscule break in sexual tension, while in most situations would be a mood killer, is nice because it just further cements that this isn’t some random one night stand; you want to see him every day for the rest of your life after this, if he’ll let you.

somewhere between the kiss and when he breaks away from you, he’s maneuvered you so that you’re laying back against your pillows. you’ve also managed to discard your shirt (thank god, the glitter and mesh combo was starting to irritate your skin something fierce) and he’s working to get your pants off, fingers fumbling with the button; it’s as frustrating as it is adorable and he swats your hands out of the way when you reach down to help him, deadset on doing it himself, which he does manage (eventually, after a few incredibly long moments). you help him shimmy down your jeans and panties by lifting your hips a little and then you are inarguably bare in front of him, a position you’d never imagined you would be in.

and maybe heeseung is a little wonderstruck too because for a few long seconds, he sits there and stares at you in all your naked glory (or nearly naked glory, seeing as you haven’t taken your bra off yet, but he doesn’t seem to mind). you’re starting to get a little bashful and have to nudge him with a bent knee to pull him out of his stupor. he’s impossibly red at the tips of his ears as he murmurs a sweet apology that comes accompanied by a “you’re just so pretty.”

before you can muster a reply, he’s situating himself between your legs, hands pressing softly against your inner thighs to draw them apart, set eyes on his real destination. you lift your head just a little bit, watching as his eyes widen as he takes all of you in, his breath hot against your folds. his fingers curl tight into the soft skin of your thighs and you whimper at the sting, equally painful as it is exhilarating. he makes an indistinguishable groan in the back of his throat before he’s completely devouring you.

plenty of your wet dreams about the boy between your legs right now have included this very scenario: his nose bumping carelessly against your clit, a suddenly confident tongue making a show of licking up all of your arousal, your thighs already trembling. but they never could have prepared you for the actual thing because he’s giving you what is quite possibly the best head you’ve ever had.

heeseung is eating you out like a man starved, it’s absolutely obscene. his tongue works you up fast, every little moan he lets out only contributing. somewhere in the midst, he says something that sounds like “you taste s’good,” but his words are drowned out by your own moans and the sound of his mouth working you over. every pass of his tongue over your folds is as close as you’ve ever gotten to heaven, but you’re lacking something to really shove you over that precipice; and now you know heeseung is so whipped he’ll do anything you ask him to.

“seung,” you gasp out breathlessly, untangling one hand from your comforter so you can wind your fingers into his hair. he looks up at you, doe eyes big and wide and glimmering with his eyebrows drawn together, a questioning look without pulling away to speak. you’re about to ask him when his nose bumps hard against your terribly sensitive clit and your word breaks off before the first syllable can even leave your lips. “fuck— seung, can you— can you add your fingers?”

you’re not quite used to asking for what you want, at least verbally; maybe it’s because any previous partners weren’t keen on getting you to verbalize, maybe it’s because they never particularly cared and just did what they thought was good. but heeseung is pliant and willing to please in any way he can, so you feel less embarrassed this time around because he’s made it entirely clear that your pleasure is his main priority.

he doesn’t nod, doesn’t say anything, just closes his eyes again and goes back to work. you almost think he either didn’t hear you or is straight up ignoring you before you feel it. he pulls his hand from your right thigh slowly, letting his fingertips drag lightly against your skin; the menace is teasing you, where did that come from? but you don’t even have much time to internally complain about him holding out on you because he’s suddenly slipping two fingers into you, long, deft limbs that expertly seek out that spot inside you. he presses against it once, twice, three times, each one drawing out a whine from you.

it’s just what you need, the extra friction pushing you up that incline, closer and closer to the dropoff. when your back arches off the bed and your thighs close around his head, boxing him in against your pussy, heeseung knows he’s got you right where you want to be and then he doesn’t let up. it’s an onslaught of pressure, four different points of sensation, and you’re on the verge of tears. he’s making a complete mess of you, utilizing all he can to get you over that edge. you’re whining his name like it’s the only word you know, “yes” and “fuck” and “oh my god” getting lost in your slurred speech; he’d be evil incarnate if he denied you what you’re so beautifully begging for.

he presses incessantly at that spongy place inside you, nose bumping against your little bundle of nerves, moans growing more frequent, all while his tongue tries to catch every single drop of arousal. and then there you go, ecstasy taking over like liquid heat in your veins. his name sounds like pure euphoria on your tongue, mixed with your moans and whines. he thinks he could come just from this alone, your cum in his mouth and your thighs pressed tight around him, but he holds off because there’s only one place he wants to leave his release (if you’ll let him, that is).

“shit.”

you sound fucked out, completely gone and heeseung swears he’s never heard anything sexier. you tug at his hair a little bit, feeling completely overstimulated but still so good, a shock to your system as he pulls his fingers out of you and lets his tongue work over you just a little bit longer (to make sure you’re clean, he reasons to himself).

eventually, he does pull away and you have to fight the urge to whine again. his eyes are unfocused and glossed over, his chin practically dripping in your arousal. hell, his tongue darts out to get the last little bit of your cum at the corner of his lips and you nearly orgasm all over again.

“was it good?” he asks softly and you barely hold yourself back from laughing. he just made you come harder than any previous partner ever has, given you the best head in the world, and he’s asking you if it was good? he’s insane for thinking it was anything short of perfect.

but you don’t say that. you reach for his sweater, fingers curling tight into the cotton and tugging him down towards you. he catches himself by his hands, his arms bracketing you easily, before he completely crashes into you. there’s a long moment where he just stares down at you, lovestruck and pretty, before he lowers himself to kiss you. you can taste yourself on his lips, on his tongue, and you moan a little bit, feeling a little embarrassed, but one of his hands moves from its place on the mattress to cradle your cheek and that alone drives it away.

one of your arms sneaks over his shoulder, your fingers tangling into the damp hair at the nape of his neck, while the other sneaks under his sweater, the shirt he wears underneath until the tips of your fingers brush the soft, pliant skin of his stomach. you can feel the gentle ridges of abs and a small piece of you shivers with giddiness. regardless, you enjoy a few seconds of running your fingers over his stomach before you push a little more incessantly at the offending pieces of material. he takes it for what it is: a plea to get rid of the clothes. after all, it’s not fair that you’re almost entirely undressed and he hasn’t taken a single article off.

you watch dazedly as heeseung sits back onto his heels, your eyes following his arms as he crosses them over himself, grasps at the hems, pulling them over his torso, his arms, his head before they land haphazardly on the floor next to your bed. every inch revealed to you makes your mouth water, his skin taut and soft and glowing in your fairy lights. you can’t help but remind yourself that dreams and an overactive imagination could never live up to the real thing because he’s very much the most beautiful person you’ve ever seen.

you’re entirely prepared to continue your makeout session, but heeseung seems to have other ideas because once his tops are discarded, he begins making work of his jeans. you make a soft noise in the back of your throat when you realize what he’s doing and he looks up at you, fingers stilling at his belt, his eyes wide.

“is something wrong?”

he sounds so sincere, it kind of makes you want to cry. but you shake your head earnestly, propping yourself up on your elbows so you can look at him better. “no, no! everything is fine. i guess i just wasn’t expecting you to take your pants off so soon.”

he quirks an eyebrow at you and dons that pretty little smile of his, teasing but not really. “well, you’re almost completely undressed. figured it was only right that i do the same, y’know?”

and you laugh a little because it’s true and because he’s just so cute, he laughs too, soft and quiet. you generally think sleeping with someone is fun, but you’ve never had as much fun as you are right now. maybe it’s because it’s with heeseung and you like him so much already, so the playfulness comes easy; it doesn’t feel tense the way it has with others.

so you watch him handle his belt, the button on his jeans, the zipper. you watch, mouth watering once more, as he slips out of them, leaving his boxers, which have a dark wet patch on them. the sight alone would make you groan, but you can see the outline of his cock and you almost lose it completely. so you decide to resume the impatient act because you are still very much so; as cute as the playful routine is, you haven’t forgotten the exhilarating rush of trying to get to your dorm as fast as possible and the unpracticed fumbling that’s followed since then.

you reach for him and he doesn’t hesitate, letting you pull him on top of you by his shoulders, fitting your mouths together in a messy kiss, all teeth and tongues. your hands are in his hair again, his own slide underneath you to make work of your bra, unclasping it and then pulling the straps away from your shoulders, down your arms, making you let go of him for a quick few seconds so that he can pull it off completely and toss it god knows where in your room.

you’re distantly aware that you’re entirely bare to him now, but his mouth is working at your throat, dragging his teeth along the sensitive skin of your neck (he is strangely good at distracting you, you’re learning), so you don’t feel as shy as you did just a handful of minutes ago. either way, he’s sucking hickies into your shoulders, your collarbones, any skin that has a little bit of give to it that lets him leave love bites in his wake. so lost in the haze, you realize a little too late that he’s working his way towards your chest, but it doesn’t even matter, not when he has one hand kneading at one and his mouth at the other, tracing lines over your skin to quell the sting of each pinch, each little nip of teeth. your nipples pebble under his attention and while this never usually does much for you, you still find yourself getting antsy because it’s heeseung. everything he’s done for weeks has gotten you worked up, why would that stop now?

it doesn’t help that he’s grinding against you, his hips canting against your own for any semblance of friction. your arousal is no doubt contributing to the wet patch on his boxers and the idea of it almost has your eyes rolling into the back of your head. his cock feels hot and heavy against your folds, the head bumping against your clit, and all of it feels so delicious that you let out a crisp, high whine, twining your fingers into heeseung’s soft hair and tugging gently.

he pulls himself away from your chest and when you look at him, you almost moan. his lips are swollen, slick with spit, and his gaze has gone misty. he looks at you expectantly, blinking slow and lips pouted as he waits. you’re not even sure what you want from him right now, at least nothing specific because you want everything from him. you’re about to tell him to go back to doing what he was originally because it did feel good, but then he lands a particularly well-timed grind against you and you’re gasping.

“fuck,” you whimper, tossing your head back a little. your fingers tighten in his hair and from somewhere south of you, he laughs a little, light and easy and airy.

“that what you want from me?” he questions, pulling himself up over you, catching your chin between his thumb and pointer finger. in any other situation, it might come off as intimidating and teasing, but heeseung is all doe-eyed and halfway to heaven right now, so it comes off more desperate to please than anything. either way, you nod. “all you had to do was ask. you know that.”

you nod and pull him down to kiss you by the fingers you have twisted in his hair. he groans against you, moving his hand from your chin to your jaw, angling you just so. somewhere in the kiss, you murmur a soft, “seung, i want you,” and he groans a little, nodding against you. he pulls away and you chase after him, but he’s sitting up, moving lightning quick to get his boxers off, abandoned somewhere on the linoleum floor with everything else.

and then it hits you that you’re both completely bare. you lean back on your elbows, looking him over once more, though your focus lingers mostly on the skin newly revealed to you. his thighs are toned and sturdy, the skin plush, and while you’d love to stare at them a little bit more, your attention is quickly drawn to his dick. it’s big, the head an agitated red and leaking precum, and your mouth is watering at the thought of getting him in your position and giving him the best head of his life.

you actually start to move to do so, but heeseung anticipates it and moves quick, pressing you back into your mattress. his dark doe eyes are drowning in desire and you shudder under his gaze. he’s on you again instead, hips melded to yours in your nth kiss tonight. he’s got his weight rested on one elbow beside your head while his other arm is free to move around, his hand tracing from your shoulder, your chest, smoothing across your stomach.

his fingers eventually land on your thigh, curling into the soft inner flesh, and he hikes it up around his waist before dropping his hand to his cock. his lips trail from your lips to your neck and shoulders, nipping at the skin as he jerks himself off. you toss your head back against your pillows, whimpering at every little graze of his teeth against your skin.

but what’s really driving you crazy is the heat of him against you. the head of his cock bumps against your clit, this time with no fabric barrier separating them, and you’re not sure if heeseung is even meaning for the touch, but it has you feeling hot all over again, slick leaking out of you again. you’re getting impatient, heel pressing hard into his lower back and your fingernails biting into the flesh of his biceps.

“heeseung,” you whine out, canting your hips up against his; you hear him suck in a breath through clenched teeth, a hiss of air. “need you.”

he shivers against you, a teary whimper of “need you too” granted in return as he pulls his face from your neck so that he can watch you as he finally gets to what you’ve wanted since this whole thing started. on a short teasing streak, he taps the head of his cock against your clit and you whine, turning your head into your pillow and curling your fingers into his arms, which earns a laugh.

“stop playing,” you tell him, rolling your hips upwards and into him.

he hisses again and bites at his bottom lip, nodding. he slips from your clit to your entrance and even just the little shred of pressure you get has you wanting to moan out for him. but then he starts pressing in all the way, slipping into your cunt with ease and you are not prepared for just how full you feel. your back arches and he lets off a tempered moan, stifled through a lip bite. when he bottoms out, his hips flush with your own, you release a breath as you adjust to the size of him, which doesn’t take long.

“seung,” you drawl, grabbing his attention. “move please.”

and he does as you bid, pulling out before he thrusts back in. it takes a few moments for him to find a pace that works, but when he does, it’s perfect. his hips roll against yours delectably, the sounds of skin meeting skin and your shared moans filling the small dorm room. he’s shored up over you, one elbow pressed deep into the thin mattress holding him up, and when your eyes aren’t squeezed tight in ecstasy, you watch the way he bites his lip, furrows his eyebrows, shudders as you clench around him.

“god, you’re s’tight. feels so good,” he whimpers at one point, his head hanging over your own as he tries to keep a steady pace. his words are shattered, breaking off in the middle or slurred together, a verbal manifestation of how you physically feel.

one thrust hits that just right spot inside you and you can’t hold but moan loudly, back arching off the mattress and your head pressing into your pillows. heeseung inhales sharply above you as you clench tight around him and then, with you still keening, you feel him sit up, taking his warmth with him. his hands are on your hips seconds later and he’s angling you, doing everything in his power to replicate it again and again.

“fuck, i’ve wanted this for so long,” he says, one hand on your thigh and the other working deft fingers on your clit. he’s a quick learner it seems because all of it is coming together to whisk your orgasm closer, a wave of white heat washing over you. “saw you at my frat’s halloween party ‘nd thought you were so pretty. woulda come up t’you that night if i knew you felt this good.”

your breath hitches more than it has all night and you cant your hips upwards in an attempt to meet his thrusts. somewhere in the midst of your pleasure, you tell him you’re going to come and he nods fast, fingers going into overtime to get you there. that knot inside you winds up tight and then snaps like a rubber band stretched too thin, hot and fast. your pussy locks around his cock and then he’s there above you, bracing himself with his hand, to swallow the particularly sharp whine of his name you let out and any stray too-loud moans that might slip away and wake the neighbors (as if you haven’t already).

when your vision finally clears and your thighs stop trembling, his hips are still snapping into yours to seek his own release, pushing you into the territory of overstimulation, but any pain you have bleeds into pleasure until you can’t tell which is which; the only thoughts you can manage are that heeseung feels heavenly inside you that it’s almost blinding and you don’t know if you even really want him to stop.

but his hips begin to stutter, his cock twitching against your fluttering walls, and you faintly register that he’s about to pull out of you. blindly, your hand searches for any part of him to pull him back over you, legs locking around his waist. he protests, some flurry of words about how he doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable (not a single one intelligible), while you whine and pull him towards you by his shoulder.

“wanna feel you, seung,” you say, a limp arm winding around him and inching him closer until your noses are brushing and you can feel his breath fanning across you, still smelling faintly of his alcohol from earlier. “don’t worry about it, ‘kay? y’said you’d do anything, so please. i wanna feel you s’bad.”

that seems to be enough to egg him on because he nods and you catch him in a messy kiss before he groans against your lips as he finally comes. he lands a few more sharp thrusts that have you whining, fucking his cum into you, before he finally falls still. his breath is hot on your shoulder as he recovers.

usually, once you’re done, your select partner of the night pulls out, maybe cleans you up, and then leaves. it’s been a while since you’ve had someone who wants to stay (at least, you hope heeseung wants to stay) and you’re not quite sure where to go from here. there hadn’t really been much discussion about where your relationship was going to lead after this, even with all of the lingering glances on campus and your impromptu study sessions at the library, so you’re worrying a little about what comes after.

stuck in your own head, you don’t even notice that heeseung has pulled his head from your shoulder and is looking at you until his thumb works your bottom lip out from beneath your teeth and then wipes away some of the sweat at your hairline. the furrow of his eyebrows carve deep lines into the space between them as he studies you, looking like an angel with the way the fairy lights strung up above him give him a faint golden halo.

“what’re you thinking about?” he asks softly, brushing his fingers across your cheek. it’s a wholly different energy than just a few minutes ago, but the change isn’t unwelcome.

you shrug, blinking up at him and reaching to push some of his hair out of his eyes, the strands matted to his forehead with sweat. “just wondering what we do now, i guess.”

heeseung’s eyes crinkle at the corners as he smiles a little, his shoulders shaking with a breathy little laugh. you almost punch at his shoulder for laughing at you when he cranes his head down to kiss you gently, the first that isn’t rushed in some way. he nudges your nose with his when he pulls back just a little bit.

“can we worry about all the big stuff later?” he questions; you feel the words as much as you hear them, his lips barely brushing your own as he says them. “for now, how about we clean up first and then… i’m hungry. are you?”

it’s your turn to laugh, but you nod. you’re still a little drunk, your however many cups of jungle juice compared to his measly one whiskey.

“so we clean up and then go get taco bell? it’s, like, the only fast food place still open at this hour.”

“you do know that the line is gonna be insane, right? like, half of campus goes there after getting drunk.”

heeseung lets another quiet laugh loose and sits up, pulling you up with him and then into his lap, his dick still snug inside you. the feel of it doesn’t wind you up again like you thought it might, but it’s a nice reminder that he’s here, that this all actually happened. he rests a hand on your thigh and lets his thumb trace lines into the skin there absently.

“then i guess we’ll have time to talk about what you wanna do now,” he says sincerely, the smile on his face soft.

you have so many words you want to say, a million sentences tornadoing in your head right now, all jumbled up and lacking any sense of coherency. so instead, you cup his cheeks in your hands and return the kiss from just a few moments ago. he meets you halfway, all soft and pliant and giving, everything you could have dreamed up.

“wanna shower?” you ask when you pull away, giggling when he chases after you for another kiss. “feel like it might be a little more effective than a rag.”

the boy raises an eyebrow and eyes you suspiciously. “you tryin’ to go for a round two? because that’s what it sounds like right now.”

you push at his shoulders and laugh when he catches your wrists in his hands, pulling you into a third kiss. “wasn’t my intention, but i won’t turn down the idea.”

“i’ll think about it,” he responds as he taps at your hips and lifts you off of him. his seed starts to leak out with his cock no longer there to hold it in and you feel incomplete without him, but when he stands and offers you a hand to help you out of bed, suddenly the feeling of emptiness isn’t as oppressive.

you teeter across your room, opening the wardrobe to pull out the two towels you have and your shower caddy. heeseung accepts the towel you extend to him graciously, wrapping it around his waist. when you’re done securing your own towel, he’s already waiting for you by the door, one hand on the knob and the other reaching out towards you once you get close enough to him. and then you’re two people walking down the hall hand in hand, wrapped in matching pink towels towards the unisex bathroom. it’s a little unconventional, maybe, but you don’t think you’d have it any other way.

liv probably would though, but what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. heeseung’s your little secret after all.

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