#once upon a tory | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

zoofzoofxx · 6 months ago

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—The art of eyecontact—

Pairings ; Axel Kovacevic x fem!reader

Summary ; Upon arriving in Barcelona with your group, Miyagi-Do, to participate in the prestigious Sekai Takai tournament, you encounter a tall and formidable opponent. Your initial meeting is less than ideal, leaving both of you with a poor first impression of each other. However, everything changes when you uncover a surprising secret about him. This discovery shifts your perspective entirely, prompting you to confront him. What begins as a tense interaction unexpectedly evolves into a deeper understanding, and the two of you gradually grow closer in ways neither of you anticipated.

Trigger warning ; Physical abuse, violence, emotional abuse.

Pt. 1

୨୧・・・・♡・・・・୨୧

After arriving at the hotel, exhausted and looking as though I haven’t slept in weeks, I pick up the key to my room, which I’m sharing with Sam. I give her a quick nod to let her know I’ll head up to the room, and she simply nods back, already engrossed in a conversation with her boyfriend, Miguel.

With my suitcase in one hand and my bag in the other, I put my AirPods back in and turn on my music before stepping into the elevator. The ride is quiet, and I find myself zoning out until the familiar ding signals that I’ve reached my floor.

Pulling the handle of my suitcase, I step out of the elevator, scrolling through my phone without bothering to look up. Before I know it, I collide with someone and fall to the ground, one of my AirPods tumbling out in the process. Startled, I look up, ready to apologize for not paying attention—but before I can say a word, he beats me to it.

‘Watch where you’re going,’ he says, rolling his eyes in obvious annoyance

‘I’m sorry,’ I say quickly, standing up and grabbing my fallen AirPod.

He sighed, his gaze feeling as though it pierced directly into my soul. He appeared cold and tense. ‘Just don’t let it happen again,’ he said, not giving me a chance to respond before walking away.

I exhaled slowly, gathering my belongings and glancing at my hotel card to find my room number. As I looked around, I realized I had ended up right in front of my hotel room. With a soft sigh, I stepped inside, taking a moment to settle myself. I reminded myself that I still had two hours to prepare before we needed to leave for the city tour. The quiet of the room allowed me to relax for a brief moment, and I moved calmly to unpack and get ready, focusing on the next part of the day without letting the earlier encounter distract me.

—

As I stood in the bathroom, the cold water from the shower running over me, I couldn’t help but think about the guy from earlier. He was likely my opponent. He was tall, with striking blue eyes and brown hair. There was something about him—he seemed unbothered, almost arrogant, yet calm and tense all at once. The mix of qualities made him difficult to read.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a knock on the door. It was probably Sam, letting me know she had arrived back at the hotel as well. I turned off the shower, quickly blow-drying my hair before slipping into a simple white long-sleeve shirt and grey Nike sweatpants.

Walking out of the bathroom, I grabbed my makeup kit and sat down, ready to get prepared for the evening. The calm of the moment allowed me to focus, shifting my attention away from the earlier encounter and onto the night ahead.

—

‘Team events will begin tomorrow,’ Sam remarked as she adjusted her outfit in the mirror. I sat quietly, scrolling through my phone, waiting for her to finish and let me know when she was ready to head out. After a few moments, she signaled that she was all set, and we made our way to the lobby to continue with our plans for the evening.

‘So… are you feeling a bit stressed?’ Sam asked, her tone casual as she glanced at me. ‘With the fact that Tory is now in Cobra Kai and you’re the captain?’

Tory had left right when she was about to win against Samantha, which led to me having to compete against Sam for the captain’s position. In the end, I came out on top.

‘No, I’m just worried about Tory, that’s all,’ I replied, stepping out of the elevator. As soon as I did, I felt a pair of eyes boring into me. It was the guy from earlier—the one I had bumped into. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and I quickly looked away, feeling a sudden wave of discomfort wash over me.

I turned to Sam and told her about the encounter, and she glanced at him quickly before nudging me with her elbow, a playful smirk crossing her face.

‘Ow,’I exclaimed, flinching from the sudden nudge, and Sam responded by wiggling her eyebrows mischievously.

I raised an eyebrow, giving her a look that silently reminded her she had a boyfriend. Sam simply raised her hands in mock surrender, grinning, and then walked off toward the bathroom. I waited outside, shaking my head.

—

The photographer announced that he wanted a group photo with just the captains. I stood next to Robby, both of us smiling for the camera. The photographer then said something about the guy in the back, urging him to smile as well. I glanced over, and there he was—smiling at the camera before his gaze shifted to meet mine. A sigh escaped me as I quickly looked away, a familiar nervous feeling creeping up once again.

—

The next day, I felt the weight of stress settling on my shoulders—today was the first day of the tournament, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wanting to shake off my nerves, I left the hotel early to give myself a chance to warm up. As I made my way toward the locker rooms to drop off my things, a voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts. I turned, and there he was—the mysterious guy from yesterday.

He was training with his sensei, who was urging him to move faster. The guy struggled to keep up, failing repeatedly, much to his sensei’s frustration. Unexpectedly, the sensei struck him multiple times, demanding he try again. The guy made another attempt, but once more, he failed and took a few more hits. As he turned to face me, our eyes locked for a brief moment.

I quickly looked away, eager to leave without drawing attention. I hurried into the locker rooms, hoping he hadn’t noticed me. The encounter left me unsettled, and I stood there in silence, trying to process what had just happened. I didn’t know how to feel about the situation.

—

The first competition ended in a swift, crushing loss. As I left the court, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on me. I kept replaying the match in my mind, second-guessing every decision and wondering if I had let my team down. It felt like the entire tournament might slip away because of me. Despite my best efforts to stay calm, the guilt and stress gnawed at me.

I was the first to retreat to the locker room, hoping to find some solace and a bottle of water to clear my head. But as I opened the storage, I saw that all the bottles were empty. I sighed, trying to steady the nervous energy bubbling under the surface. Deciding to head to the canteen, I reminded myself that there were still two hours before the next event. That gave me time to regroup and pull myself together—or so I hoped.

As I entered the canteen, my eyes landed almost immediately on him. He stood near the fridge, tall and poised as ever, with his hair styled perfectly, as if he hadn’t just come from the chaos of competition. My stomach tightened, and my heart began to race, though I desperately willed it to stop. Of all people to see right now, it had to be him. I didn’t want to face him—especially not now, when I felt like a failure. My shoulders tensed as I resolved to stick to my plan: grab a bottle, stay invisible, and leave as quickly as possible.

I moved swiftly to the fridge, avoiding eye contact and keeping my head down. My thoughts were a swirl of self-consciousness and unease. Did he notice me? Was he going to say anything about the match? Every moment I spent near him felt like an eternity, but, to my relief, I managed to grab the water and make it to the line without incident.

As I stood waiting my turn to pay, I tried to focus on anything but the awkwardness still lingering from the match. My hands were fidgety, and I shifted my weight slightly, anxious to get out of there. Then, as if the universe had decided I needed one more challenge, my opponent from the earlier competition lined up behind me. I could feel his presence without even turning around— it was palpable, a stark and unwelcome reminder of the loss I was already struggling to push from my mind.

When it was finally my turn to pay, I reached into my pocket and froze. My wallet wasn’t there. A cold wave of panic swept over me as I realized I’d left it in my bag back in the locker room. Feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment, I quickly turned to the cashier and asked if she could give me a moment to retrieve it. Her response was curt and final: the line was too long, and she couldn’t wait.

Humiliated, I had no choice but to leave the canteen empty-handed. The sting of rejection added another layer to my already fragile mood. I stepped outside into the crisp air, taking slow, deliberate breaths in an effort to calm myself. I stretched, more out of habit than necessity, and tried to regain a sense of control.

Even as the fresh air began to soothe my nerves, the doubt lingered. It felt like everything was spiraling, and I couldn’t help but feel that it was all my fault. Still, I reminded myself that there was time to turn things around. The tournament wasn’t over yet, and I couldn’t let this moment define the rest of the day. Though the insecurity remained, I resolved to keep pushing forward, however shaky my confidence felt.

—

After returning to the locker room, I sat down quietly next to my bag, letting the silence of the space settle around me. As I unzipped the bag, my eyes were drawn to two ice-cold water bottles lying inside, their surfaces glistening faintly. I paused, blinking at them in mild confusion, trying to piece together how I hadn’t noticed them earlier. I looked up, my thoughts momentarily scattered, unsure whether to feel relieved, amused, or simply puzzled by the discovery.

‘Was anyone here?’ I asked Demetri, holding up the bottles of water and glancing at him with a mix of curiosity and confusion. My voice was calm, but my mind raced slightly, trying to make sense of their sudden appearance.

‘Yeah, the girl from Iron Dragons, Zara, I think,’ Demetri explained quickly. ‘She said you needed some water but forgot your wallet, so she brought these for you.’

The Iron Dragons—that was the team the tall guy was from. From what I knew, Zara was their captain. I hadn’t expected her to do something like this, but I couldn’t help feeling a slight wave of gratitude. I decided I would thank her later, once the next competition was over. For now, I just needed to focus on what was ahead.

I grabbed the water bottle, a quiet wave of gratitude passing through me. It was a small gesture, but it made a difference in that moment. Taking a deep breath, I decided to search for my teammates and gather them together. I needed to rally them, give them a motivational speech, even though, deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the loss in the first competition was mostly my fault. Still, I knew I had to set that aside and focus on getting everyone back on track for the next round.

—

It was time for the next event, and the pressure was mounting. There were different categories, but we lost almost all of them. The only victories came from the 2vs1 match, where Miguel secured a win, and the Bojutsu (staff technique/ art of stick fighting), where I managed to come out on top.

The following day brought a small victory—we won once, but it came with its own challenges. Our task was to force the opponent to fall from the podium, and only Miguel managed to win and stay on it. The weight of it all hit harder when I saw our team nearly at the bottom of the standings. The stress was becoming overwhelming; we were running out of time, and the gap between us and the top seemed to grow wider with each passing moment.

The next event was the elimination phase of Sakai Taikai, and as the moment drew closer, an overwhelming sense of anxiety crept back into my mind. I couldn’t shake the thought that I might lose because of my own small mistakes, and it was a nagging feeling that seemed to grow stronger with each passing second.

It was a 2v2 on a high platform, a challenging setup that added to the pressure. The Iron Dragons went first with their demonstration. The tall guy—who I knew to be an exceptional competitor—was flawless. He moved with such grace and precision that he wasn’t even touched once by his opponent. I couldn’t help but watch in awe as he maneuvered effortlessly across the platform, his every movement exuding confidence and skill. Before I could think much more about it, I overheard Demetri and Hawk talking nearby. Their conversation snapped me out of my thoughts as they referred to the tall guy as a “monster” because of his skill. The words hit me differently than I expected—guilt crept in. It didn’t feel right to hear them speak about him behind his back like that, especially when he was right there, demonstrating his abilities so effortlessly. I felt a pang of discomfort, as if they were undermining his talent. I couldn’t let it slide.

‘Don’t call him a monster,’ I exclaimed, my voice firm. ‘You don’t know him or what he deals with.’

They exchanged glances before looking at me, their expressions softening. I could see the apology in their eyes, and for a moment, the tension in the air seemed to ease. They nodded slightly, acknowledging what I had said, and I felt a small sense of relief. It wasn’t right to judge someone so quickly, and I wasn’t going to stand by and let it happen.

They announced that it was our turn. Roby and I were the first to step onto the podium to fight. As I climbed the stairs, the height of the platform hit me all at once, and my knees felt like they might give way, soft as cotton. Despite the flutter of nerves, I focused on doing my best, trying to shake off the unease.

Then, suddenly, our eyes met—the tall guy again. For a brief moment, I froze, distracted by the connection. My opponent saw the opening and almost pushed me off the platform. Just as I was about to lose my footing, Roby took a risk and managed to eliminate two opponents at once. The crowd erupted in cheers, and I heard the rush of feet as the other competitors came charging in, with Sam joining me on the platform.

Time passed, and it all came down to the final two opponents. Now, it was Miguel’s turn to step in and help me finish it. As we worked together to eliminate them, I felt a small surge of pride. I hadn’t fallen once, and that, in itself, was enough to bring a little bit of happiness in the midst of the chaos.

—

Everyone in our group was cheering after the competition. We were relieved and excited that we hadn’t been eliminated and that we still had a chance to continue in Sakai Taikai. But amidst the celebration, Miguel was nowhere to be found.

Just as Robby and I were catching our breath, we were called to the side by our Senseis. Their faces were serious, and I could feel the shift in the air as they delivered the bad news. One of our Senseis, along with Miguel, had to leave immediately. Miguel’s mother had been hospitalized, and there were complications with her pregnancy.

The weight of the situation hit me hard. Not only were we down one Sensei, but we were also losing a teammate. I couldn’t help but feel a deep concern for Miguel’s mother. I hoped she would pull through and that everything would turn out okay. It was hard to focus on anything else when I knew Miguel’s family needed him, and I hoped she’d recover quickly.

—

While everyone else was out partying at some random club in Barcelona, I found myself binge-watching a film series. After a while, I decided I needed a change of pace and thought a walk along the beach might clear my mind. I threw on a white hoodie and some black leggings, grabbed a bottle of water for the walk, and headed out. The evening air was cool, and I was ready for a little solitude by the ocean.

—

I walked for a moment, my thoughts still lingering on the events of the day, until I found myself at the beach. As I looked around, my eyes landed on someone standing nearby, shirtless. I blinked, and as I drew closer, I realized it was the tall guy from earlier.

The brown-haired boy was diligently practicing a series of movements, each one executed with remarkable precision and fluidity. Despite my exhaustion and the haze clouding my thoughts, I couldn’t seem to pull my gaze away. There was something captivating about the way he moved, as though every motion was deliberate and purposeful. My fatigue seemed to fade into the background as I became mesmerized by his focus and technique. It was almost as if everything around me disappeared, and I was entirely absorbed in watching him. I couldn’t help but wonder about the discipline and dedication that went into mastering such skills, but at the same time, I felt too drained to even process the thoughts fully. But then, my attention shifted when I noticed some red marks on his back. They stood out against his skin, drawing my gaze away from his fluid motions, and I couldn’t help but wonder how they had gotten there.

Suddenly, he executed a move that caused him to turn and face me directly. His expression shifted from focus to surprise, and for a moment, he froze, caught off guard by my presence. It was as if the sudden shift in direction had momentarily thrown him off balance, and we stood there in an awkward silence, both taken aback by the unexpected encounter.

‘Oh… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,’ I exclaimed, taking a step closer. As I moved, the cold wind hit me, sending a shiver down my spine. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to ward off the chill, but my attention remained on him, feeling the awkwardness between us linger in the air.

‘Uhm… I’m Y/n, by the way,’ I said, tilting my head to the side, feeling a bit shy and insecure. My voice was soft, unsure of how to break the silence. I couldn’t help but feel a little awkward standing there, hoping my introduction might ease the tension, even though my nerves made it hard to feel at ease.

‘Axel,’ he said, his voice a little stiff as he shifted slightly, looking tense and uncomfortable. I could tell he wasn’t quite sure how to handle the situation either, and his unease mirrored my own. The air between us felt a little thick, and I found myself wishing I could think of something to say to make it less awkward.

‘That’s a pretty cool kata. What’s it called?’ I asked softly, hoping to break the awkward silence. My voice was tentative, but I genuinely wanted to know. It felt like the right way to ease the tension between us, even if I was still a little unsure of myself.

‘I’m not supposed to talk to the opponents,’ he exclaimed, his tone a bit stubborn. There was a hint of defensiveness in his words, as if he was trying to set a boundary, but it only added to the awkwardness. I could tell he was trying to stick to some kind of rule, and I immediately felt a bit embarrassed for having spoken up.

‘We’re not on the mat,’ I said with a small smile, feeling the blush creep up my nose. I wasn’t sure if it was the cold, the embarrassment, or my own shyness causing the heat to rise in my cheeks, but I tried to brush it off. The awkwardness was still there, but I hoped my attempt at humor might ease the tension just a bit.

‘It’s pretty late for training,’ I exclaimed, sighing as I tried to warm up my hands by rubbing them together. The cold was starting to get to me, and I couldn’t help but feel the discomfort in my fingers. I glanced at Axel, hoping to ease the awkwardness with a casual comment, but the tension still lingered between us.

‘Always time for training,’ he said, his tone firm and matter-of-fact. His words carried a quiet determination, and for a moment, I felt like I was glimpsing a side of him that was completely focused, almost unshakable.

After he said that, he reached down to grab his shirt from the sand. As he moved, the red marks on his back became more visible, standing out sharply against his skin. I couldn’t help but notice them, the vividness of the marks raising questions in my mind.

‘Whoa, whoa… what happened to your back?’ I asked cautiously as he pulled his shirt over his head, my voice filled with concern as I took a few small steps forward. I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I was overstepping, but the marks were too striking to ignore. My curiosity and worry outweighed my hesitation.

‘Uh, from the bo staff competition,’ he answered quickly, his tone dismissive as he avoided meeting my concerned gaze. It was clear he didn’t want to dwell on it, brushing it off as if it were nothing, but the marks told a different story.

‘Nobody’s been able to land a point on you yet,’ I said, my tone light but observant. His reaction was immediate—he shifted uncomfortably, avoiding my gaze even more than before. The tension in his demeanor made me pause, debating whether or not to bring up what I had seen earlier during his training with his sensei. The memory of those moments weighed on my thoughts, but I wasn’t sure if addressing it would make things better or worse.

‘I saw what happened with your sensei,’ I said softly, breaking the silence. My tone was careful, not wanting to sound intrusive, but I felt the need to acknowledge what I had witnessed.

‘My sensei wants me to be the best. It’s because of him I never lose.’ he said coldly, his sharp tone cutting through the air as he looked directly at me. His gaze was steady, but there was an edge to it, as though he was daring me to challenge his words.

‘There are other ways of teaching,’ I said, my voice laced with concern. I couldn’t help but feel worried, sensing that his sensei’s approach might be pushing him too hard. I wanted to say more, but I wasn’t sure if I should press further.

‘I mean, I got to admit, your dojo’s pretty great,’ I exclaimed, offering him a friendly smile. I hoped my words would ease the tension, acknowledging his dedication while keeping the conversation light. Despite my concern, I didn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable.

‘Thank you,’ Axel said, his tone softer, looking a little more at ease now. ‘You’re pretty… Your… Your dojo’s pretty good too.’ He added quickly, a small blush creeping onto his cheeks, though I suspected it might have been as much from the cold as from his sudden shyness. His words caught me off guard, and I couldn’t help but smile, feeling the tension ease between us.

‘We try,’ I said with a small smile, hoping to reassure him. I could see the tension easing slightly, and I wanted to keep things light. The moment felt less awkward, and I was relieved for it.

‘Mind if I join?’ Axel asked, and the question caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected him to ask, but there was a hint of curiosity in his voice that made me pause for a moment.

‘You want to switch dojo’s?’ I asked, raising my eyebrows in shock. The idea hadn’t crossed my mind, and I was curious about why he’d bring it up. It seemed like a bold move, especially given how dedicated he was to his current dojo.

‘Your walk. I was going back to hotel.’ he said, pointing towards the route I was supposed to take. It took me a moment to process what he meant, but then I realized he was offering to join me on the walk back, which felt unexpected but kind.

‘Oh, yeah,’ I laughed awkwardly, caught off guard by the offer. ‘Yeah, sure,’ I added quickly, hoping to reassure him. As we started walking, I couldn’t help but notice the height difference between us—he towered over me, and I felt a little small in comparison, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was just another thing that made the moment feel a little surreal.

As we walked along the beach, the soothing sound of the waves crashing in the background, our conversation turned to travel. We began talking about the countries we had visited, sharing stories of our experiences in different places. The gentle breeze and the calming rhythm of the ocean made the conversation feel easy and natural, and for the first time that night, I felt completely at ease. From what he mentioned, it seemed like he had traveled to every country in Europe. He shared details about different cities and cultures he’d encountered, his experiences coming across as both vast and fascinating. It made me realize just how much he had seen and done, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe at his travels. He also asked me a few questions, curious about my thoughts on Barcelona. He wanted to know what I thought of the city, what I hoped to visit, and what I wanted to do while I was here. His questions felt genuine, and I found myself sharing more than I had planned, enjoying the flow of our conversation. It was nice to talk about my plans without feeling rushed or pressured.

We laughed and enjoyed the moment, the conversation flowing easily, until one of our opponents from Tory’s team approached us with a few of his friends. The sudden interruption broke the easy atmosphere, and I could feel a shift in the air as they came closer.

‘How cute!’ Kwon exclaimed, tilting his head in sarcastic awe. His tone was playful yet teasing, as if he was trying to get a reaction from us. It was clear he wasn’t just making a casual comment, but rather trying to stir things up a bit

‘Little rival team play time, huh?’ he said with a grin, his words slurring slightly. It was clear he was definitely not sober, and his carefree smile made the situation feel a bit awkward. His tone was light, but there was an edge to it, as if he was trying to provoke something.

‘Just ignore them,’ I said with a sigh, glancing at Axel. I could feel the tension creeping in, but I didn’t want to let it ruin the moment. I hoped Axel would let it slide too, as it was clear Kwon’s words were meant more to tease than to start a real confrontation. I tried to walk past them, but they shifted right in front of me, giving me a big, smug smile. It was like they were blocking my path on purpose, clearly enjoying the chance to get under my skin.

‘Say the magic words,’ Kwon laughed, raising his eyebrows playfully. His grin widened, clearly enjoying the situation more than he should.

‘Move aside,’ I said, my tone laced with clear annoyance. I wasn’t in the mood for their games, and I made sure they knew it as I stood my ground.

‘Wrong,’ he said sternly, his playful demeanor shifting into something more confrontational. The tone in his voice made it clear he wasn’t going to let me off that easily.

‘Just leave us alone,” I sighed, frustration creeping into my voice. I was done with their teasing and just wanted to move on, hoping they’d finally get the hint. Kwon kneeled to my height and smiled, his expression mocking yet somehow amused. It was as if he thought the whole situation was a game, and I was the one missing the joke.

‘Only if you say please,’ he laughed, getting uncomfortably close, his face now just inches from mine. The mocking tone in his voice made my irritation grow, but I stood my ground, refusing to let him get under my skin.

That was the final straw for Axel. His expression darkened as his fist clenched tightly at his side. One of Kwon’s friends caught the movement and took it as a signal to strike, delivering a swift kick to Axel’s stomach. To my surprise, Axel barely even flinched, standing firm as if the attack hadn’t phased him.

At the same moment, the other friend of Kwon lunged toward me. Axel reacted immediately, dealing with his opponent effortlessly, his precision and speed almost intimidating. Inspired by his confidence, I focused on my attacker, countering their moves and managing to take them down just as effectively. The entire exchange was over in moments, leaving Kwon’s friends clearly outmatched.

Axel and I turned our attention to Kwon, who stood his ground with an overly confident smirk. ‘Come on, I’ll take you both. Let’s go,’ he taunted, his bravado thick in the air. But before he could make a move, one of his friends grabbed his arm and urged him to stop.

‘Let’s get out of here. The cops are coming,’ his friend said, the urgency in his voice cutting through Kwon’s bravado.

Sure enough, the faint wail of police sirens echoed in the distance. Without hesitation, Axel and I exchanged a quick glance and bolted in the opposite direction, heading back toward the beach.

By the time we stopped, both of us were out of breath, the cool ocean breeze offering some relief as we tried to collect ourselves. The tension of the moment slowly gave way to exhaustion, the sounds of the waves a stark contrast to the chaos we’d just escaped.

‘Cobra Kai… those assholes,’ I muttered between breaths, my frustration evident as I leaned forward, hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. The adrenaline was still coursing through me, but the tension was beginning to ebb, replaced by a simmering annoyance at what had just unfolded.

‘Nice round kick,’ he said, his tone genuine as his eyes stayed fixed on me. There was a flicker of admiration in his gaze, and it caught me off guard for a moment. I straightened up, still trying to steady my breath, feeling a mix of pride and self-consciousness under his watchful look.

‘Nice counterstrike,’ I said between breaths, managing a small smile.

Axel returned the gesture with a genuine smile of his own, his gaze never wavering from mine. There was something steady and unwavering about the way he looked at me, and it made me feel oddly at ease despite everything that had just happened.

For a moment, the only sounds between us were the crashing waves in the distance and our labored breaths as we worked to steady ourselves. The adrenaline was beginning to fade, leaving behind a strange sense of calm in the cool night air.

I exhaled deeply, glancing around to make sure the coast was clear. My eyes scanned the area cautiously, the sound of the waves in the background grounding me. After another moment, I sighed again and checked once more before turning to Axel.

‘I think the coast is clear,’ I said softly, breaking the silence.

When I looked at him, I realized he was still watching me, his expression unreadable but intent. There was something in his gaze—an almost admiring quality—that made my heart skip for a moment. I quickly glanced away, unsure of how to react to the unexpected attention.

I took a quick glance at Axel, my heart racing when I saw he was still looking at me. Our eyes locked, and something shifted in the air between us. Feeling the pull, I couldn’t look away and decided to meet his gaze.

He stepped closer, closing the distance between us. I had to tilt my head up to meet his eyes, the height difference suddenly feeling more pronounced. He gently cupped my cheek with one hand, his touch warm and reassuring. With the other, he tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear, his fingers brushing lightly against my skin. His expression softened, his eyes flickering between mine and my lips.

The closeness was intoxicating, and before I knew it, he began to lean in, his face inches from mine. My breath caught in my throat, and for a split second, I was ready to give in. But then, a sudden rush of doubt and hesitation swept over me.

‘Woah, no, no…’ I stammered, taking a few quick steps back. The air between us suddenly felt thick with tension, and I could feel the familiar rush of awkwardness creeping back, just like it had at the beginning of our conversation.

I avoided his gaze, focusing instead on the ground, unsure of what to do next. The moment that had felt so intense just moments ago now seemed like a mistake. Why had I pulled away? I had no idea, but the uncertainty left me with a knot in my stomach. Axel didn’t say anything right away, and for a second, the silence stretched between us like an unspoken question hanging in the air.

I tried to steady my breathing, hoping the moment would pass quickly, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had just made things even more awkward.

‘I-I’m sorry… I thought-‘ Axel started, his words trailing off as he struggled to find the right thing to say.

He seemed just as uncertain as I was, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and embarrassment. I could see the hesitation in his eyes, and it made me feel even more guilty for pulling away.

I bit my lip, unsure of how to break the silence. The tension hung thick between us, but neither of us seemed to know how to ease it. It felt like everything had shifted in an instant, and now I wasn’t sure how to fix it without making it worse.

‘It’s already after curfew. We should get going,’ His voice was cold, the warmth from earlier now completely gone.

The shift was immediate. The tension between us that had been so palpable moments before evaporated, but not in a way that made me feel better. Instead, it felt like we had just snapped back to some kind of awkward normalcy—where he was distant and aloof again, and I was left fumbling for the right words.

I couldn’t tell if he was still hurt by my reaction or if he was simply shutting himself off, but either way, the walls between us were up once more, and I wasn’t sure how to bring them down.

—

The walk to the hotel was silent—so silent it felt suffocating. Each step felt heavier, the air thick with unspoken words. The usual ease between us was gone, replaced by an awkward distance I couldn’t seem to close.

I stopped abruptly, feeling a knot tighten in my chest. Axel walked a few steps further before halting, turning back to look at me, his expression confused.

“Is something wrong?” he asked, his voice softer than it had been since… well, since everything had changed.

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even know what I was feeling anymore. But I could tell that whatever had just happened between us—whatever I had done—had shifted something. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it felt like the space between us had grown wider than it had ever been before.

I grabbed my phone and glanced at the clock—it was 5 p.m. In an hour, the sunrise would begin. A sudden urge to be by the ocean took over me, the need for some space, for clarity. I sighed quietly to myself and turned to Axel.

‘I’m going back to the beach,’ I said softly. ‘You can head back to the hotel. Goodnight.’

I gave him a small wave and started walking away, my footsteps steady, but my mind still racing.

But then I heard them—footsteps. I stopped, turned, and looked back. It was Axel, walking a few paces behind me. We locked eyes, and for a moment, everything else faded. His gaze was soft, unreadable, but it felt like there was so much unsaid in the space between us. He didn’t say anything, not a single word, but his presence spoke louder than anything could.

I stood still for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Neither of us moved, but neither of us looked away either. The silence lingered, heavy and familiar.

I smiled softly, then turned back and began walking toward the beach. By the time I arrived, the air was colder than I expected, A crisp chill in the air made me pull my hoodie tighter around me, trying to keep the cold at bay. I sat down, wrapping my arms around myself, trying to find warmth in the stillness of the night.

Without a word, Axel appeared beside me. He gently draped his jacket over my shoulders, the warmth of it wrapping around me, offering more comfort than I realized I needed. I looked up, my breath catching for a second as I met his gaze, but he was already taking a few steps back, distancing himself.

He sat down a bit further away, his eyes fixed on the beach and the waves rolling in under the dark sky. The moonlight reflected off the water, casting a soft glow on everything, but I found my attention drifting back to Axel. I couldn’t help it. His quiet demeanor, the way he observed the world around him—it was like he was in tune with everything. For a moment, I caught myself admiring him, his profile soft in the moonlight, his posture relaxed yet strong.

The silence between us felt comfortable, not awkward. It was as though, in this moment, there was no need for words. We just existed together, the sound of the waves, the chill in the air, and the quiet understanding between us.

The sun was about to rise any minute, and I glanced over at Axel, who looked like he was on the verge of falling asleep. I felt guilty for dragging him out here. Standing up, I walked over to him and handed his jacket back, noticing how cold it was and how he only had a sleeveless shirt on. Without saying anything, I sat next to him, gently placing his head on my shoulder, offering him the warmth I could.

I heard Axel sigh softly, and when I looked over at him, he seemed lost in thought. My gaze drifted to the waves, and just then, the sun began to rise, painting the sky with hues of pink and orange. The sight made me straighten my posture, while Axel stretched and yawned, still staring at the horizon in silence. I couldn’t help but smile at the peaceful moment, before standing up and grabbing my phone to capture a photo of the sunrise.

I gently patted Axel’s head, feeling his messy hair beneath my hand. He looked so relaxed, yet on the verge of falling asleep. He looked up at me, and I gave him a soft smile, an unfamiliar flutter starting in my stomach. He slowly stood up, taking a few steps back before raising his phone. I turned to look at him, and to my surprise, he was taking a photo of me with the sunrise behind me. I couldn’t help but smile wider, feeling a faint blush creeping up my nose as I realized how much I enjoyed this moment.

As Axel put his phone down, I walked over to him, unable to resist the urge to give him a big hug. There were no words exchanged, just the sound of silence, the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore, and the warmth of the moment. As we pulled apart, the sunlight hit Axel’s face, casting a golden glow. He squinted slightly from the brightness, but the way the light accentuated his features made him even more captivating.

Without thinking, I reached out, cupping his cheek gently. He looked down at me with a soft, almost questioning gaze, and I couldn’t quite place the feeling swirling in my chest. Maybe it was the exhaustion from the long day, the weight of everything that had happened since the Sekai Taikai, or maybe it was just the way Axel made me feel like I was losing control of my thoughts.

I leaned in, my hands cradling his face, giving him one last, lingering look. His breath caught slightly, and for a moment, I hesitated, unsure of what was driving me. But the pull between us was undeniable. Without thinking further, I closed the space between us, pressing my lips to his.

The moment our lips met, everything seemed to pause. It wasn’t forceful or rushed, but rather soft, tentative—like we were both unsure yet certain at the same time. The warmth from his skin, the faint scent of the ocean mixed with the remnants of his cologne, surrounded me. I felt the gentle press of his lips against mine, a quiet reassurance, as though he was waiting for me to pull away if I needed to.

I didn’t.

Instead, I leaned into him just slightly, feeling the way his hand hesitated at my waist before it gently rested there, steadying both of us. His lips moved slowly, carefully, as if savoring the moment. There was a vulnerability in it, an unspoken question, and it made my heart race in a way I hadn’t expected.

Time seemed to stretch, the sounds of the waves crashing against the shore fading into the background as everything else became a blur. It was just the two of us, caught in this quiet, intimate exchange that somehow spoke louder than any words could.

When we finally pulled apart, my head rested on his chest, breathless. My heart was pounding, my body still humming from the kiss. His hand gently brushed a strand of hair from my face, his eyes soft with something that felt like understanding—maybe even a little awe. Neither of us said anything, but in the silence, there was a shared certainty. It had happened.

—

Walking back to the hotel was quiet, but not in an uncomfortable way. It was that kind of silence where everything felt right, where words weren’t needed to fill the space. We just enjoyed each other’s company, the soft rhythm of our footsteps in sync.

When we reached my hotel room, I turned to face him, my hands resting gently on his shoulders. Before either of us could say anything, he leaned in, and we kissed again. This time, it was different. It was deeper, more intense, as if we were trying to memorize every sensation in case it was the last time. The kiss held a sense of urgency, an unspoken longing. Even though we both knew we’d see each other again that evening, in that moment, it felt like saying goodbye.

We pulled back reluctantly, but neither of us wanted to let go. Axel gave me a quick, soft kiss on the lips before stepping into the elevator. As the door began to close, I waved at him, my cheeks flushed with a mix of warmth and the excitement of the moment.

The elevator door closed with a soft ding, and I turned to face my room, my heart still racing. I knocked on the door, hoping Sam would be inside, but there was no response. No sign of life from the other side. Sighing, I leaned against the door, feeling a little deflated but still smiling, the feeling of Axel’s kiss lingering on my lips.

—

I leaned against the wall for a few minutes, the silence of the hallway around me, letting my mind replay the moments with Axel. Then, my phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen, surprised to see a notification: Axel had followed me on Instagram.

A smile tugged at my lips as I quickly tapped the follow button to return the gesture. Right after, I saw the message pop up from him. My heart skipped a beat as I opened it.

‘Have a nice sleep. Thank you for today,’

I sighed, smiling to myself as I replayed the events of the night in my head. The warmth from our kiss still lingered, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of happiness that was hard to shake. But then, suddenly, a thought hit me—I didn’t have a room to go to.

My heart skipped a beat as I realized that Sam was probably still out and I hadn’t made any arrangements for the night. I glanced at the empty hallway, feeling a little lost. The idea of wandering around the hotel wasn’t exactly appealing

‘Axel, could you do me a favor?’ I typed, my fingers pausing before I hit send.

‘Of course, what is it?’ The text said and I sighed.

‘I seem to have forgotten my room key, and I don’t really want to wake up Sam. Could you help me out and let me crash in your room for the night? Just until morning,’ I texted, hitting send before I could second-guess myself.

I smiled, feeling a mix of relief and excitement as I read his message. Room 415. I quickly grabbed my things and made my way to the elevator. My heart raced a little faster than usual, but this time it wasn’t from anxiety—it was more of an anticipation.

As I stood waiting for the elevator doors to open, my phone buzzed again. Another notification from Axel.

‘Don’t worry, the bed’s big enough. You can relax.’

I chuckled softly to myself, feeling even more at ease. With a quick breath, I stepped into the elevator, and the doors closed behind me. It wasn’t much longer before I reached his floor.

I walked down the hallway, my footsteps almost echoing in the quiet of the night. When I arrived at his door, I hesitated for a moment before knocking softly.

The door opened almost immediately, and Axel stood there with a relaxed smile on his face, clearly having been waiting for me.

‘Hey,’ he greeted, stepping aside to let me in. ‘Make yourself at home.’

I stepped inside, feeling a warm sense of comfort wash over me. The quiet intimacy of the room felt calming, and I couldn’t help but feel a little more at peace.

I looked at Axel, taking in his casual yet somehow perfect appearance: a black hoodie, a white shirt underneath, and grey sweatpants that somehow made him look effortlessly handsome. There was a comfort in the way he stood, relaxed but confident.

I walked up to him, my heart pounding a little faster, the distance between us growing smaller with each step. Standing on my tiptoes, I gently cupped his face before leaning in and kissing him softly. The kiss was light at first, tentative, but as I started to pull away, he caught me by the waist, pulling me closer. His lips met mine again, this time with more urgency, more passion. The kiss deepened, our connection intensifying, as if neither of us wanted to let go of this moment.

My hands found their way to his chest, feeling the warmth of his body through his hoodie, while his arms wrapped around me, holding me close. The room around us faded away, and all that mattered was the feeling of his lips on mine, the way his touch made my heart race. It was a kiss that said more than words could, a kiss that made everything else feel insignificant.

After some time, we reluctantly pulled away, the lingering warmth of the kiss still filling the air. I yawned, suddenly feeling how exhausted I was, the weight of the day catching up to me. Axel, noticing, gently handed me some clothes, and I smiled gratefully at him before heading into the bathroom.

The shower was quick but refreshing, the hot water washing away the tension and fatigue. I quickly braided my hair, feeling a little more awake as I stepped out of the bathroom. When I emerged, I saw Axel lying on the mattress on the floor, his eyes closed, clearly trying to get some rest. His posture was relaxed, and he seemed so at ease in the room, even though the circumstances weren’t ideal.

I paused for a moment, watching him. There was something so comforting about how he looked there, in his own little world, yet still so present with me. With a small sigh, I walked over to the edge of the mattress, sitting down beside him. He opened one eye, glancing up at me before offering a sleepy smile.

‘Getting some sleep now?’ I asked softly, trying not to disturb his calm.

‘Yeah, just waiting for you,’ he murmured, his voice thick with sleepiness. ‘But, I’m not going to last long.’

I smile. ‘Why are you on the floor?’ I ask softly, gently caressing his cheek. ‘You can sleep with me if you’d like.’

Axel hesitated for a moment, his gaze softening as he looked up at me. The offer hung in the air between us, quiet but filled with unspoken understanding. He blinked slowly, clearly processing my words.

‘I didn’t want to make things awkward,’ he said, his voice low, almost hesitant. ‘I figured you’d prefer your space.’

I smiled, brushing my thumb across his cheek gently. ‘It’s not awkward,’ I reassured him. ‘You’re always welcome to be close. Don’t worry about it.’

He looked at me for a second longer before giving a small, almost shy smile. ‘Thanks.’

Without another word, he shifted, moving toward the bed, his body still tense but clearly relieved. He laid down next to me, a little awkwardly at first, but then his body relaxed as he settled in.

I pulled the blanket over both of us, my hand finding his, squeezing it gently. The warmth between us was comforting, and for a moment, everything felt right. We both closed our eyes, the silence between us now peaceful and easy, as we drifted off to sleep together.

A/N; hiii everyone, just finished watching cobra kai part 2 and I LOVE ITTT! I have such a MASSIVE crush on Axel :p I wanted to apologise for my spelling mistakes 😓 have a nice day further! love yourself and drink a lots of water :)

love ya

xoxo Z.S.

#x female reader #x y/n #x you #x fem!reader #axel kovacevic #cobra kai #sekai taikai

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beingalive1 · 4 months ago

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𝐀𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 𝐏𝐭. 𝟏

Rupert Campbell Black x Oc (Francesca Wellington)

Summary: Francesca Wellington was everything Rupert Campbell Black was and more. A successful show jumper with a title and an estate, she had it all. She was a constant reminder of the man he once was. He couldn't help but hate her for it and yet, he loved her for it just the same.

Part One: The making of a rivalry.

Part Two: here

July 1984: Los Angeles Summer Olympics

The day Lady Francesca Wellington met Rupert Campbell Black he could've been stark naked dancing around in circles and she still wouldn't have noticed him.

Standing upon a podium in the middle of the prestigious arena belonging to the Santa Anita Racetrack, Francesca felt her skin burn under the heat of the sun. Unlike in England, the sky of Los Angeles was clear. The Californian heat bared down upon her without mercy. She felt the collar of her blazer rub uncomfortably against her neck; the red material becoming damp with sweat as time continued on. Her riding hat shifted slightly as she looked upon the cheering crowd above her.

The crowd that was cheering for her.

The uncomfortable heat did nothing to subdue her feelings of utter euphoria. Her body felt like it had been set alight. Her veins were filled with fire. Sweat beaded down her forehead; its salty path flowed from the tip of her head and settled on the edge of her upper lip. Her mind was chaos: her thoughts bounced between her ears.

She couldn't think; she couldn't breathe. She didn't care one bit.

She was given the gold medal by a man. His tan fingers graced the side of her face as he placed it around her neck. It was heavy, heavy with the weight of accomplishment. She didn't look at the man, her eyes were fixated upon the medal as he briskly stepped away.

She lifted the medal from her chest and placed a cheeky kiss upon its golden side. The cameras flashed excitedly as Lady Francesca Wellington's lips grazed the cool surface of the medal in glee.

Every eye in that arena watched in admiration as Lady Francesca Wellington claimed her title as the first woman to win an Olympic gold in individual showjumping.

Every eye except Rupert Campbell Black.

The day Rupert Campbell Black met Lady Francesca Wellington she could've been Mother Theresa reincarnated and he still wouldn't have liked her.

Being given the "honour" of handing out the gold medal for show jumping in the first Olympics since he had retired felt like a knife jabbed directly into his stomach. He had been coerced into it by his old riding friends, the Tori party and a few members of the Olympic sports committee. They told him it would be good for his image as an MP to remain present in the riding community. He felt as if it was all a cruel joke reminding him of his failures.

His failure as a rider forced to retire. His failure as a husband, a father, a politician.

His failure as a man.

Rupert stood in the sand of the blistering hot arena. His ears rang at the sound of the adoring crowd as he was faced with the man he used to be. A rider, a star, a man who dominated show jumping with ease. He was greeted by memories: memories of him as a boy riding ponies around his estate to days spent galloping with his friends.

He watched her with a diplomatic smile as she claimed the first place position on the podium.

It felt as if he was bearing witness to the erasure of his legacy.

The British anthem sounded on the loud speakers as he picked up the gold medal from its designated case; the very same anthem they played for him four years prior. The soft skin of her cheek grazed the side of his hand as he placed the medal around her neck. She looked down towards her medal with glee. He looked at her with jealousy.

Only a few selected riders in the world could understand the high of winning a gold medal for showjumping. A high he would do anything to feel again. He stepped away from the podium in haste and marched out the arena, his assistant running behind frantically.

All eyes were on Lady Francesca Wellington as she reached the epitome of her riding career.

No one noticed Rupert Campbell Black walk away from his.

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victoriously-wicked · 2 years ago

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EMMA: There is no good reason why you and I shouldn’t be able to sit here together, and have a conversation.

REGINA: I got a good reason.

EMMA: Which is?

REGINA: I don’t like you!

EMMA: *raises an eyebrow*

EMMA: Really? You can’t think of one thing you like about me?

REGINA: *thinks*

REGINA: . . . I like when you’re sad?

#ouat #once upon a time #ouat humor #ouat crack #ouat incorrect quotes #incorrect ouat quotes #incorrectquotes #incorrect quotes #emma swan #regina mills #swan queen #swanqueen #jori #victorious #nickelodeon #tori vega #jade west #userstorybrooke #source: victorious

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sturn1olo-ffics · 2 years ago

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- VIOLET -

- Matt Sturniolo x Fem Reader (she/her pronouns used)

- Warnings: making out, pining, profanity, use of y/n; NOT PROOFREAD

- About: Reader has a huge crush on Matt but figures the feelings weren’t mutual due to a caption of his on Instagram. That is, until he shows up to her apartment and those thoughts are turned around.

—————————————————————————————

(Y/N’s POV):

I’ve liked Matt for as long as I can remember. And the only person who knows that is Nick. Partially because I told him and partially because he could tell. I mean everyone could tell, right? There were edits of us all over social media shipping us… he had to have known… right?

Wrong.

Matt was the most oblivious person I have ever met in my entire life. You could outright tell him you love him and he still wouldn’t pick up that you have a crush on him.

Matt was my best friend and we told each other everything. Well maybe not everything since I still hadn’t told him about my crush on him.

It was a chilly Friday night in October and I was scrolling through my Instagram feed. I come across a post from a super gorgeous girl that Matt follows with the caption: “The after party”

I didn’t think too much about it, it was just a normal Instagram post. That is, until I came across Matt’s recent post with the caption: “Was on Wilson and 73rd”

The Color Violet by Tory Lanez. One of my favorite songs. Why was he matching captions with this gorgeous girl on Instagram?? Why didn’t he tell me he was talking to someone?? My heart sank into the floor.

“Nick-” I called him, tears slipping out of my eyes on the other side of the phone.

“Hey y/n- what’s wrong??” He could tell by my voice that I was upset.

“Can you just come over?” I replied quickly.

“Let me ask Matt if he can take me. I’ll text you babe.” He ended the call.

I winced a little when Matt’s name left his mouth. Why was I hurting this much? Was this just a crush or something more?

(NICK’s POV):

“Matt! Can you take me to y/n’s house right now? She seems upset and wants me to come over.” I asked Matt.

“Is she okay?? What’s wrong?? What’s going on??” Matt threw way too many questions on me all at once.

“Why the fuck are you questioning so much? With the amount of care you have for her you’d think you were like in love with her or some shit.” I joked.

“Shut the fuck up Nick.” He snapped.

“Woah- Mattitude. You don’t have to get mad, it’s not like you like her or anything.” I stepped back before he could shove me.

“I-” Matt started, but everything clicked in my head.

“WOAHHH WAITTTT DO YOU LIKE HER?” I excitedly raised my voice.

“NICK SHUT UP BRO HOLY FUCK” Matt screamed at me.

“You should tell her.” I giggled.

“Tell her what?” Matt questioned.

“That you like her? What else dumb fuck?” I started grabbing my things.

“Nick it’s not like that- okay maybe it is a little bit but I’m not telling her. Go get in the car.” Matt replied.

I grabbed my stuff and headed towards the car before me and Matt got in and drove to y/n’s.

(Y/N’s POV):

I heard a car pull up and immediately knew it was Nick.

“The front door’s unlocked.” I text him.

After seeing Matt pull off, I hear Nick make his way up the stairs and down the hall to my room.

“What’s wrong? You good?” Nick questioned upon entering my room.

“Dude I literally just saw Matt have a matching Instagram caption with this really really pretty girl and I’m having an anxiety attack which I don’t even know why because it’s not like he even would like me back anyway-” Nick cut me off before I could continue.

“Ok first, breathe exercise, remember? Second, what?” Nick asked, obviously concerned.

I showed him the posts.

“Y/n, babe, her post was an entire day after his was posted. He doesn’t even know her in real life. She probably just copied his caption to make it look like that.” He laughed.

The weight on my chest instantly lifted.

“There is no way I got that worked up over a misunderstanding.” I laughed along with him.

“Also, what makes you think Matt doesn’t like you?” He started interrogating me.

“Girl be for real.” I ran my hands through my hair.

“I am being for real.” He stated.

“He just wouldn’t, I know.” I laughed.

The conversation soon drifted to what our Halloween plans were and what we should do for a Thanksgiving video, ending with Nick leaving my apartment when Laura came to pick him up for a meeting.

That conversation with Nick honestly made me feel relieved, even though it didn’t get rid of my crush on Matt, which I wish would’ve happened.

I had just finished dinner, turned the LED lights in my apartment to a violet color, and pressed play on a Halloween movie when I heard a knock at my door.

“Hey” Matt said breathlessly as I opened the door.

“Matt?” I was so confused.

“Can I come in?” He asked.

“Yeah, of course. It’s chilly out there.” I giggled.

We sat down on the couch before continuing the conversation.

“Y/n I’m gonna get straight to the point. I love you. It’s you. It’s always been you. It always will be. And I know you don’t feel the same but-” I didn’t even let him finished before I spoke.

“Can I kiss you?” The words fell out of my mouth and I was almost embarrassed.

“Please.” Matt responded with a deep breath.

The kiss was passionate and hungry, like we had been parted for years.

His hands made their way to my waist, guiding me closer to him, while my hands roamed his hair.

Breaking away from the kiss, I responded: “I love you too” before tilting my head and deepening it.

After a few minutes, we pulled away and leaned back on the couch.

“Please be my girlfriend.” He begged.

“I thought you’d never ask.” I responded, smiling.

“Wow these purple lights are a really good touch in your apartment.” He laughed.

“Bro I know they’re so cool.” I giggled along with him.

I think I’m gonna keep my LED lights on violet more often.

—————————————————————————————

A/N: On a real note guys I’m so tired so I’m sorry if that was ass. Anyway, thought I’d feed y’all another fic. Peace and love 😗

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cherry-rosess · 4 months ago

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The Sirens Game• kim Doyoung

♡PARING: idol Doyoung x famous reader

♥︎WORD COUNT:1,169K

♡ GENRE(S): Famous au, fighting, Scandalous, smut, angst

♥︎ SUMMARY: You find yourself at an exclusive, mysterious party one where the rules are designed to test loyalties and shatter friendships. Attending with Jaehyun, you think nothing of it until Doyoung steps into the picture. He’s always had a soft spot for you, but once you start talking, the chemistry is undeniable. You’ve never seen jealousy in his eyes before, but the moment he gets a taste of you, he’s not about to let anyone else have a chance. This party isn’t just a night of fun it’s a game of desire, and Doyoung is playing to win.

♡♥︎ WARNINGS: Smut eventually, angsty, bipolar, jealousy, toxicity

♥︎♡♥︎♡ NOTES: hii it’s my first time writing so I hope I do a decent job! Sorry for any misspelling! I got inspiration for this idea because I was listening to a song. Which I recommend to play while reading !!! It’s called In for It by Tory lanez. I’m not done with this story yet there will be a part two!! So if you want to be on the tag list for that please let me know!!! Enjoy! Part 2

Fame looks good on you. Maybe too good.

People don’t just admire you they worship you. Your voice? Addictive. Your beauty? Dangerous. They call you a siren, and honestly, they’re not wrong. With just a glance, a soft smile, or the way your lips move when you sing, they fall. Hard. You thrive on it the chase, the hunger in their eyes, the way they bend at your feet just for a second of your time. Maybe it’s because you grew up without a father, or maybe you were just born to be adored. Either way, men are nothing more than a game to you.

The young ones? Too easy. Immature, predictable, desperate. You play with them, dangle the promise of something real just out of reach, then disappear before they can even figure out what went wrong. Pathetic, really. But it keeps you entertained.

Older men, though? That’s a different story. Not too old—just enough to make it interesting. Experienced enough to make you hesitate. To make you wonder.

But nothing has ever truly held your attention for long.

Until now

It arrives after an awards show—an elegant, black envelope slipped into your dressing room. No sender. Just your name, handwritten in silver ink. Inside, a card with a web address and a single instruction:

RSVP.

Curious, you type it in. The screen goes black before white text appears.

"Enter your name."

You hesitate, then type: Y/N L/N.

Seconds later, the page refreshes.

"Y/N L/N, we are delighted to confirm your invitation to an exclusive event. This is not your typical party. You are required to wear all black, accessorized with jewelry of your choice. Heels are mandatory. No cameras, no interviews, no social media. For one night, we offer you freedom—without the weight of a scandal. Upon arrival, you will be assigned a partner for the evening. While you are free to socialize, you and your partner must reunite for specific games throughout the night. We look forward to seeing you."

Your eyes skim the message, heart picking up slightly. Games? Assigned partners? This was starting to sound… interesting.

Then, another notification pops up.

"Your partner for the evening is: Jeong Jaehyun."

You blink. The name is familiar. Too familiar. Your fingers move before your brain catches up, typing his name into Google.

"Jeong Jaehyun – member of the global sensation NCT."

Your lips part slightly. NCT…

Memories flood back—late nights watching their performances, your once-hidden crush on them before fame consumed your life. But one name, in particular, stands out in your mind.

Doyoung.

Sharp eyes, smooth voice, that effortlessly cool presence. He was the one you secretly lingered on the longest. And if Jaehyun was invited, there was a high chance Doyoung was too.

You smirk. This just got a lot more interesting

“Did you get invited to that party?” Jaehyun asks, glancing at Doyoung, who’s scrolling through his phone.

“I think all of 127 did,” Doyoung replies casually.

Jaehyun hesitates before asking, “Did you check who your partner is?”

Doyoung doesn’t even look up. “Yeah. Some girl named Ravyn Lenae. You?”

Jaehyun shifts slightly in his seat, suddenly aware of how dry his throat feels. “Uh… Y/N L/N.”

Silence.

Doyoung freezes. His phone goes still in his hands.

Jaehyun notices and lets out a small, nervous laugh. “Doyoung…?”

Doyoung snaps out of it, clearing his throat. “Oh. Yeah. Cool.”

Cool? Cool?

Jaehyun isn’t stupid. He sees the way Doyoung’s fingers tighten around his phone, the way his jaw flexes slightly before relaxing again.

Doyoung has only seen you perform live once, but once was enough. His members caught on early, teasing him every time your name popped up. He brushed it off five years older, never crossed paths with you. But then came that one interview.

When they asked about your type, you didn’t hesitate.

"I like older men. Honestly, I don’t care about looks it’s about how they carry themselves."

He ignored it at first. But later that night, alone in his room, he found himself thinking about it.

Now, here you are about to spend an entire night with Jaehyun.

Doyoung exhales slowly. “You’re lucky,” he says, keeping his voice even.

Jaehyun watches him carefully. “Look, I don’t want this to cause any—”

“It won’t,” Doyoung interrupts, forcing a tight-lipped smile. “Have fun.”

Jaehyun doesn’t believe him.

Neither does Doyoung.

The night arrives faster than expected, and for the first time in a long time, you feel nervous.

Your stylist makes sure everything is perfect. The custom black silk Dior dress drapes over your body like liquid, hugging every curve in the most sinful way. Your long, sleek hair is adorned with a diamond headpiece that glides down your middle part, resting against your forehead like a modern tiara. No necklace—just delicate diamond earrings that shimmer under the dim lights.

Your makeup? Mesmerizing. A soft, icy blue that fades into a sheer white shimmer, highlighting your eyes and beauty marks. Ethereal, untouchable.

By the time the limo arrives, your heart is pounding. The door opens, and there he is.

Jaehyun.

Dressed in an all-black tailored suit, slightly unbuttoned to show a hint of his collarbone, his silver accessories catching the light just right. He looks at you for a long second before finally speaking.

“Wow. You look… breathtaking.”

You smirk, stepping inside. “Our stylists did their job well.”

The ride is quiet, thick with anticipation. When you arrive, the red carpet is lined with flashing cameras, capturing every second of you and Jaehyun stepping out, arms linked.

But just before you exit the limo, Jaehyun stiffens slightly. His gaze locks onto someone stepping out of the car ahead of you.

You follow his line of sight and your breath hitches.

Doyoung.

Your stomach tightens. Holy sh—

Dressed in a black silk button-down, slightly unbuttoned, revealing just enough of his chest, a silver cross necklace resting against his skin. His sharp gaze flickers toward you for a split second before he looks away, walking inside.

You don’t even realize your lips have parted slightly until Jaehyun gently tugs you forward. Cameras flash, your body moves on autopilot, but your mind? It’s inside that party already.

Inside. Where Doyoung is.

The moment you enter the party, you release Jaehyun’s arm. “I’ll be back,” you whisper.

Jaehyun nods, watching as you beeline for the bar.

Doyoung is there, a glass in hand, eyes trained on his drink like it holds all the answers to the thoughts running through his head.

You slide into the seat beside him, ordering a glass of wine before turning to him.

"You looked good out there," you say, voice low, playful.

Doyoung’s fingers pause around his glass. He doesn’t look at you immediately, but when he does—when those dark eyes meet yours—you feel it.

“Thanks,” he murmurs.

You tilt your head, watching him carefully. “I’m Y/N. You must be Doyoung.”

He exhales, finally allowing himself to look at you. “Yeah. It’s nice to meet you.”

He hesitates. “You and Jaehyun looked… good together.”

A smirk tugs at your lips.

“But do we look better together?”

His grip tightens around his glass.

"Do you want to go somewhere quieter?" he asks.

Your lips part slightly. Then, you nod.

And just like that, the game really begins…

I’m so sorry for ending it here ! I’m working on part two as I post this. It was getting very long so I figured why not split it in to two parts 😓 let me know if you have any questions!!!!!

#doyoung x reader #kim doyoung x reader #nct doyoung x reader #nct 127 #jaehyun #smut #fanfic #nct dojaejung #nct dojaejung x reader #nct idol au #doyoung #fame rp #nct smut #nct smau #nct angst

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valkyrietookme · 2 years ago

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Eden relationship charts translation

Taken from "Doki Doki! Enstars Seminar"

Written descriptions for all relationships under the cut

Unit chart

Adam: Nagisa, Ibara

Eve: Hiyori, Jun

Leader: Nagisa

Nagisa -> Hiyori: My Sun

Nagisa -> Ibara: Trust. Dearly cherishes

Nagisa -> Jun: Empathetic towards. Good kid

Hiyori -> Nagisa: Friend for life. Family

Hiyori -> Ibara: At the very least recognizes him

Hiyori -> Jun: Loves. A special person

Ibara -> Nagisa: Ultimate weapon. At his beck and call

Ibara -> Hiyori: Cannot control as he'd like

Ibara -> Jun: Easy to be around

Jun -> Nagisa: Respect. Trust

Jun -> Hiyori: At his beck and call. Respect. Very grateful to

Jun -> Ibara: Wants to help

Nagisa relationship chart

Eden: Ibara, Hiyori, Jun

Adam: Ibara

Ex-fine: Tsumugi, Eichi

Hiyori: One of the members of Ex-fine

Roommates: Kaoru, Yuuta

Nagisa -> Tsumugi: Good at taking care of others

Tsumugi -> Nagisa: Harmless

Nagisa -> Eichi: A friend once upon a time

Eichi -> Nagisa: Should be able to understand me

Nagisa -> Subaru: Taught to sing by Subaru's father

Subaru -> Nagisa: Feels familiar

Nagisa <--> Wataru: Temporary unit 'Artessimo'

Nagisa -> Wataru: Happy they can understand each other easily

Wataru -> Nagisa: My partner ✩

Nagisa <--> Mitsuru: Close friends

Nagisa -> Mao: A curious kid

Mao -> Nagisa: The reason he grew exponentially

Nagisa -> Jun: Empathetic towards. Good kid

Jun -> Nagisa: Respect. Trust

Nagisa <--> Hiyori: Very close

Nagisa -> Hiyori: My Sun

Hiyori -> Nagisa: Family. Friend for life

Nagisa -> Ibara: Trust. Dearly cherishes

Ibara -> Nagisa: Ultimate weapon. At his beck and call

Hiyori relationship chart

Eden: Jun, Nagisa, Ibara

Eve: Jun

Ex-fine: Tsumugi, Eichi

Nagisa: One of the members of Ex-fine

Bloody Mary: Hiyori's pet dog

Roommates: Rinne, Kanata

Hiyori -> Tsumugi: Skilled

Tsumugi -> Hiyori: Has gotten better at caring for others

Hiyori -> Eichi: Hates less than bugs

Eichi -> Hiyori: Long time acquaintance

Hiyori -> Tatsumi: Basically an equal

Tatsumi -> Hiyori: Very popular

Hiyori -> Tori: A kid very similar to Tenshi-chan

Tori -> Hiyori: Big fan of Ex-fine. Incredible

Hiyori -> Tsukasa: Fast decision maker. From a military family

Tsukasa -> Hiyori: Connected due to families

Hiyori -> Arashi: 'Pretty 5' unmistakable ace

Arashi -> Hiyori: Pushy. Cute senior

Hiyori -> Hokuto: Earnest

Hokuto -> Hiyori: Talented

Hiyori -> Ibara: At least recognizes strength. "Venomous snake"

Ibara -> Hiyori: Cannot control as he'd like

Hiyori <--> Nagisa: Very close

Hiyori -> Nagisa: Friend for life. Family

Nagisa -> Hiyori: My Sun

Hiyori -> Jun: Loves. A special person

Jun -> Hiyori: At his beck and call. Respect. Gratitude

Also in the temporary unit "Lilith" with Jun and Seiya

Ibara relationship chart

Ibara - COSMIC PRODUCTION's vice president

Eden: Jun, Nagisa, Hiyori

Adam: Nagisa

Roommates: Midori, Tsumugi, Mitsuru

Ibara -> Hinata, Yuuta: Expects good things from. Have potential

Hinata -> Ibara: Wants to be liked by

Yuuta -> Ibara: Very skilled

Ibara -> Makoto: Quite the strategist

Makoto -> Ibara: Tactician

Ibara <--> HiMERU: Classmates

Ibara -> HiMERU: Useful pawn

HiMERU -> Ibara: COS PRO's vice president

Ibara <--> Gatekeeper: Distant relatives

Ibara -> Gatekeeper: Granduncle

Gatekeeper -> Ibara: Not one of my enemies

Ibara (subordinate) <--> Yuzuru (instructor): Don't get along. From the same same military camp

Ibara -> Hajime: Clever. Influenced by

Hajime -> Ibara: Kind. Trust

Ibara -> Hiyori: Cannot control as he'd like

Hiyori -> Ibara: At least he's skilled

Ibara -> Nagisa: Ultimate weapon. At his beck and call

Nagisa -> Ibara: Trust. Dearly cherishes

Ibara -> Jun: Easy to be with

Jun -> Ibara: Wants to help

Jun relationship chart

Eden: Hiyori, Nagisa, Ibara

Eve: Hiyori

Roommate: Kohaku

Jun <--> Makoto: Close friends

Jun -> Sora: Honest

Sora -> Jun: Hangs out and plays with

Jun -> Tatsumi: Great respect for. Idolizes

Tatsumi -> Jun: Good kid. Very upstanding

Jun -> Jin: Was dad's rival. The best worst role model

Jin -> Jun: Cheers for

Jun -> Mika: Likes because he's easy to talk to

Mika -> Jun: Super kind

Jun <--> Tetora: Training buddies

Jun -> Hokuto: Kinship. Envies

Hokuto -> Jun: Empathizes with

Jun <--> Ibara: Same age

Jun -> Ibara: Wants to help

Ibara -> Jun: Feels calm with

Jun -> Nagisa: Respect. Trust

Nagisa -> Jun: Empathizes with. Good kid

Jun -> Hiyori: At his beck and call. Respect. Grateful

Hiyori -> Jun: Loves. A very special person

Also in the temporary unit "Lilith" with Hiyori and Seiya

#enstars #ensemble stars #enstars translations #eden enstars #nagisa ran #hiyori tomoe #ibara saegusa #jun sazanami #my attempts at translation #relationship charts translations

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leohtttbriar · 2 years ago

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the vestment therein

Rating: T

Category: F/F

Pairing(s): Sam/Tory, background Tory/Robby, very background Sam/Miguel

Summary:

She can feel it coming. She knows what’s going to happen next. And it’s the one thing that absolutely cannot happen, but it’s going to.

—

After the fight on prom night, Sam loses control, and the hunt begins.

A very necessary shoutout to @leohttt, who originated werewolf!Sam in unobserved particles

#just read it and i am upon the forest floor writhing atm #sam felt SO freeee and real as mythical monster! and the tory sam relationship felt at once so Equal!#Sam with her monster teeth and tory with her general Being !!!#like the way you showed how much they understand each other thru the Action of the hunt #which is what the show does thru the action of karate #helll yeah #samtory

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imnoonejustapiramide · 3 months ago

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Chapter 2

Upon a Chance | A Sensei wolf (Cobra Kai) x OC (older, European exchange student from Miyagi-Do that has a past she's trying to run from)

Previous chapter

"Welcome, competitors, senseis, sponsors, and esteemed guests to Barcelona," Mr Brown announced, while he looked upon the crowd, before continuing.

"This year's home of the worlds greatest karate tournament, the Sekai Taikai!"

But Lena's focus wasn't on the organiser, for her attention was solely upon the girl staring back at her with uncertainty from the other side of the room,

Tory.

She then nodded to the girl she sees as a sister with a small smile, which broadens when she receives on in return.

The both of them then focus their attention upon mr. Brown once more.

"You are here because you embody all that the Sekai Taikai stands for. Leadership, respect, sportmanship. Captains step forward and tie on your headbands." He then announces all the while he moves his hands towards the competitors to do so.

The whole of Miyagi-Do then looks towards their captains, Robby and Sam, who step forwards to don their captain bands, Lena then shares a look with Miguel for a moment before they straighten their gaze forward.

They all then listened to what they'll be expecting in the Tournament.

"-Team events will begin tomorrow, each event counts, and they will all be a surprise." Mr. Brown says in seriousness, before he straightens.

"But today it's about enjoying our host city, and making new friends. Or enemies." He then continues in a low tone, all the while he raises a brow towards the room at large, which Lena raises a brow at, before she gazes towards her team gazing- predictably, at team Cobra Kai.

She then shares a look with Yoon, who nods to her, before her gaze then lands upon Tory, but not before she met the lingering gaze of Kwon, who then nodded to her with a smirk, which she tilts her head to.

But when she looked towards Tory, her gaze was firmly upon Sam and Robby.

Lena grimaces at the whole situation at hand, all the while she hopes for the tournament to turn alright.<br>

"Tory!" Lena call out with a smile, while she jogs over towards the blonde, who looks up with a small smile, which brightens when the older girl engulfs her in her arms, which she leans into.

"I'm glad you're okay, you really had me worried when I didn't see you at your home." Lena then whispers, while she tightens her hold on the other girl, her worry clear for anyone to hear.

The rest of the surrounding students gave them a wide birth, while they continued to head out, all but the two awaiting groups of both of the girls in question.

"I- I had to-" Tory then started to explain, her voice sounded rough then, but Lena shook her head, before she turned to look into the eyes of her friend, which contained a conflict of emotions, which Lena understood.

"It's alright, I understand," She told her with a small smile, before nodded her head towards a waiting Yoon, who tilted his head towards them.

"So are you friends with Yoon then, has he started annoying you yet?" She then conversationally asked Tory, who looked at her in surprise.

"How do you know him?" She asked her, which Lena then explained, while they headed over to Yoon, who then fist bumped her in greeting, before he checked up on his teammate with a glance, which Lena approved, but also expected, seeing as her friend really was a worrywart, always has been.

She was glad that, while she didn't know the full story with Kreese and Tory's relationship- that Yoon was in Tory's corner at least.

"I have to go, but will I see you lot later then?" She then asked the both of them when they noticed their senseis gaze upon them, which both gave her a nod to, with Tory turning to gaze a last time at Robby, who wore a forlorn look, his gaze already upon his girlfriend.

Oh boy, Lena then thought, having her work cut out for her it seems.

"You okay?" Lena then heard Devon ask Sam who was quiet and seemed to be conflicted.

Sam then let a breath out, "How could she go back to Cobra Kai?" she then whispered.

"I thought things had changed."

Lena then watched as Tory walked over, with her team behind her.

Robby then finally decided to head over to her, which started to nod to in approval, before she the winced at the way the elevator that Tory walked into closed on his face.

They later made their way towards where the competitors where to be expected at, which is where the captains of each team had to be photographed.

And by the expressions of her friends, they of course desliked it quite a bit, which again was to be expected, what with the way they were being showcased at that, which didn't help keep some resentments buried inside.

"They're really getting out of the way to let us know how special the captains are," Eli then grouched, which Miguel then snarkily responded to.

"Yeah, I'm getting that" Which made Lena tighten her lips against her teeth.

She really wanted to get out of this akward situation, she firmly thought to herself, that and because she was feeling drained by it all. Her gaze then turned towards some of the mingling competitors who already seemed to know one another, before she too gazed around the room.

Her gaze then met the already waiting one of her old friend, who was leaning a bit further away from everyone else against the wall next to the outside. He then grinned at her, before he nodded at her to head over, seeing as he understood the predicament she was in, which she returned with a grateful smile, before she headed over to him, all the while she patted Devon on her back, which made the younger girl then raise a brow at her in a silent question before she then nodded in understanding when she noticed Yoon waiting on her.

"You still are struggling with that, then?" Yoon then quietly asked her when she closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall next to him, all the while she let out a tired breath.

"A little bit, but I can manage it, it's at least better than when I was little," She then whispered when she turned to look at his sympathic gaze.

"Here, I have some water on me," He then told her, while he pulled out a bottle of water from one of his long trouser pockets, which Lena accepted with a thanks.

The coolness of it really did help.

She then gave it back to him, before both of their attention was once more upon the scene in front of them.

"You there in the back, smile! Show some emotion," The photographer then exclaimed towards a tall boy, the boy in question being the captain of the Silver dragons.

"He's enjoying this as much as you, I see." Yoon then chuckled, which Lena huffed at, before she playfully punched him.

"Very funny,"

But they then watched as Tory stormed off, which then brought the photoshoot to an end.

"That's my cue then, bye." Yoon then said in amusement, Lena simply nodded to him, before she rejoined her team.

She really hopes that this whole ordeal will end.

She couldn't sleep, which was to be expected, what with the nightmares; each and every one of them being the same as the other- her mother.

Looking upon the mirror in front of her after she washed her face with cold water, Lena looks upon a ghost.

Her eyes were blank, her skin pale as though her soul had been sucked from her, which seems apt.

For she feels like it.

And has been feeling like this since she was 16 years old, when it happened.

When her mother had died, the only family she had. Even if three years had passed since- Lena would never be over it.

For it was her fault.

Getting out of the center was easy enough, what with the way she was light-footed, which she had acquired growing up in a broken home.

Pulling the hood of her jacket up, Lena then started to head out, before she ran at last.

It's finally starting to be quiet.

Feng Xiao felt too confined at this place, especially after the stuffy gathering he had been expected to attend with the other senseis of the rival dojos, not that any of them were his rivals.

Especially not the American one, which his benefactor had his eyes set on.

Which really, was a joke. Especially the blonde man.

His mind then returned towards his benefactor.

He huffed at the man in question then,

Terry Silver.

He only hopes that it'll end fortuitously for him, he doesn't care for anything else.

He then turned his gaze at the night sky, while he walked upon the grainy beach, feeling at rest at last by his surroundings.

That was until he heard an annoying sound, opening his eyes, he then gazes at the purpetrator- it being a drunk harrasing a girl, which he huffs at, like of course.

Already heading over towards them, he then stops in surprise at the sight in front of him.

At the woman who can clearly handle it by herself. He watches as she twists the drunk's hand with her own daintier one, making the man scream before he falls to the ground in front of the now standing woman, who had been seated on the sand before this.

He was impressed.

"Get lost if you know what's good for you," He then hears woman coldly say towards the drunk, which the man after being let go, then did as was ordered of him.

Feng simply looks upon the sight in disgust, before he returns his interested gaze back upon the intriguing woman in front of him, who was quite a slight, little thing- who again brought a taller, and heavier set individuel down to his knees- if he could call the thing a man, that is.

He then made his presence known on accident, after his foot hit a can, which made the girl in front of him groan in annoyance.

"For fuck's sake, can't a girl just have some time to herself, is that too much to ask?" She whispered to herself, before she then continued, now much louder.

"Haven't you seen what happened to the last man who annoyed me? Or do you really want me to hurt you, because trust me, I will make it hurt." She then once more said in a colder tone, which Feng quirked his lips at- at the threat.

"Yes, I've seen that, and no- I was just walking nearby, I actually wanted to step in 'till I noticed that you can handle yourself," He then told her, while he watched as she finally turned her gaze towards him.

Pretty. He thought, while he admired the darkhaired and eyed woman with the most kissable gleaming lips in front of him.

"Oh. Thanks for wanting to help then, I guess," She then said, while she too wandered her gaze over him, which then made him unconsciously straighten at this.

"The names Wolf," He then introduced himself with a nod and a ready smirk, which the woman took notice of with a raised brow.

"Lena, is that really your name- or do you just call yourself that?" She then asked him in curiousness, which he grinned at.

"It's not my name, but it was given to me."

"I see, well then, Wolf, I'll be off then. Enjoy the night."

"Do you have a history with martial arts?" He then quickly asked her, seeing as he really was curious, what with her quick and firm movements from before.

Lena looked at him for a moment, before she then nodded at him.

"I do," She then simply told him, which he smirked at, at the way she was rightfully guarded.

"Say, do you want to let loose?" He then asks, before he relaxes his form in front of her.

"It'll be fun." He then continous when he sees her expression turn to incredulousness.

She then watches him in quietness for a moment, before she tilts her head at him.

"You're a strange one, okay why not, it'll be a good exercise either way, it's your own fault if you get hurt." She tells him, before she also loosens her stance, and watches him for his next move.

"Perfect," He then grins, before moves around her in study, which she then matches, not letting him get out of her gaze, smart.

This will be fun.

Daeng these weirdos, did you expect this for a first meeting because I didn't.

But Imma roll with it, do let me know what you thought of it! Like pls don't be a silent reader <3

NEXT CHAPTER

#cobra kai #sensei wolf #sensei wolf x oc #sensei wolf x reader #Upon a Chance #ch2 #Spotify

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sweetbunpura · 8 months ago

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No. 1: RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK (Word count: 857)

Search Party | Panic Attack | "If only we could hold on.” (Icysami x Renegaderr, Strangers.)

“What do you mean you can’t find her?”

Crowley sweats as he’s met with the various glares of the dorm leaders. He had called to give them all important information, which turned out to be the fact that Yuu was missing.

“Y-you see.” Crowley clears his throat. “After a talk with our dear prefect, she left my office and disappeared. I have no idea what could’ve caused it.”

Leona’s eyes take in the office, Crowley hadn’t had much of a chance to clean up given that there were things thrown all over his office in what looked to the beastman to be in a fit of anger. A chair was missing and judging by the splintered wood and hole in the wall, Leona could piece together what happened.

“It’s unlike Yuu to do something as dangerous as this.” Riddle spoke. “What did you tell her, Headmage?”

“I was just handing her the weekly allowance I allotted her with.” The fae speaks as he nervously clicks his metal finger accessories together. “It was-”

“Listen.” Leona interrupted him as all of their attention turned to him. “Stop dancing around the subject and tell these guys what you’ve been doing to Herbivore.”

“W-Why, Mr. Kingscholar, I have no idea-”

He let out a low growl. “I ain’t got time for you to be pussyfooting around the issue of starving her right now.” Leona turned on his heel and marched out of the room just as it exploded to demands to tell them the truth.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, his ears were pinned to his head and his tail lashed angrily behind him. Leona already knew for a fact that Yuu wouldn’t have stayed anywhere in NRC if she ran... but he had a clue as to where she might be going. Wordlessly, he started on the path towards the front gate, where he opened it and departed from the school grounds. The woods surrounding the base of the school were massive, birds and other animals fled upon seeing a very angry lion making tracks through everything.

“She wouldn’t be in the woods, even if she does love nature...” Leona grumbled as he flicked a piece of foliage off his tail. “Too many places to hide and she ain’t one to turn tail.” He paused as he heard the sound of a river flowing nearby. “By the water maybe...”

Leona followed the river to where it led out of the dense thicket and sloped down to a medium sized lake nearby. He stood at the top of the slope, his eyes scanning the ground until they locked onto someone sitting at the edge of the water. Quietly, he approached them and lowered himself to sit down next to them.

“This is fucking bullshit.” Yuu speaks as she glares at the water. “He cuts the money every time someone new joins Ramshackle. He did it with Rollo and then he did it again with Fellow and Gidel.”

“What excuse did he give?”

“He said they had money to pay and thus I didn’t need a full check anymore.” Yuu’s hands dig into the grass and she tears out clumps of them. “Rokudenashi Tori.”

Leona glanced over at her as she started muttering in her native language, his eyes shifted to her bloody knuckles that had splinters in them. The beastman gently took her hand and started to pry the slivers out.

“Don’t do this to your hands.”

She viscously tugged her hand back. “Fuck off.”

“Can’t do that.” He pulled her hand back and continued. “You’re too proud of what you can do and you’re letting someone tell you what you can’t.”

“Leona, I don’t have any money to feed Grim, or Rollo, or Fellow and Gidel.” Her voice is soft. “Anytime I ask him for anything, he skirts around the subject. And then I’m supposed to help everyone out with their problems, I don’t have time to myself. I can’t say no, or he holds Ramshackle over me, reminding me of the fact that he so “graciously” let me stay.”

Yuu starts sobbing. “I’m so tired, I want to go home, I don’t want to be his worker ant anymore. I want to rest for once and not worry if part of Ramshackle is going to break while I sleep. That I won’t have to be called on to fix another one of Grim or Ace’s mistakes. I’m tired of spending a majority of my money on a bottomless pit of cat who only way of thanking me is getting into more fucking trouble!”

She suddenly stands up. “Overblot after overblot, scar after scar. When is it going to be e-fucking-nough? Is this going to be the rest of my life here at this shitty excuse of a school?! Cause if this is what I was handed, then take it the fuck back!”

Leona gets up and silently watches her, Yuu digs her hands into her hair and sobs out. His heart tightens as he wraps her in a tight hug, they both fall to their knees as Yuu clutches onto Leona’s vest and sobs into his shoulder.

#Whumptober 2024 #no.1 #twisted wonderland #Yuu homura #leona kingscholar

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necroangelz · 3 months ago

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☆ ❛ STREAM ALERT !! ❜ NECROANGELZ is streaming ♡ ⁓⁓ Come watch ?

❛ once upon a time, there were two girls who ruled the world—but the world never knew their name. ❜ —- SAD LESBIANS.

♡ NOW WATCHING : Shooting Stars / Aradia x Tori (Yumeship) Layout ☆ ⁓⁓ Enjoy the stream !!

—- self-indulgent & made for my yumeship blog @stolenstars, all art is from commissions

—- happy Valentine's Day <3

—- i fear maybe it is redundant to post the blog's layout after sharing it but i want to post and archive my work okayyy. i do what i want

—- alt dividers under the cut

—- likes and reblogs are always appreciated. feel free to use as inspo. thank you for supporting the angelic streamer.

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ewanmitchellcrumbs · 3 months ago

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Hate to Say I Told You So

Pairing: Declan O'Hara x OC x Rupert Campbell-Black Warnings: Explicit smut, m/f/m threesome. There are horrible 80s British politics, but also this is so unnecessarily lewd. I hope Jilly Cooper would be proud of me. Word count: ~8k

Summary: Political activist, Lori Price, is campaigning to discredit the Conservative Party. When she hears that TV journalist, Declan O'Hara, will be interviewing her local Tory MP, Rupert Campbell-Black, she leaps at the opportunity to ensure his humiliation. Little does she realise the size of the egos she's involving herself with.

Author's note: A (very belated) birthday gift for @bottlesandbarricades <3

Lori lounged in the armchair of the sitting room, back pressed against one arm rest, while her legs dangled over the other. Her long, dirty blonde hair was still tousled from sleep, falling around her shoulders in messy waves. She hummed contentedly to herself, licking strawberry jam from her fingers as she swallowed down the last of her toast crust. She was not focused on her breakfast though, her eyes were glued to the screen of the small TV that sat upon the lace tablecloth draped over the sideboard, mere inches from where she sat. The Corinium Morning News held her captivated, just as it did every day, but this morning there was a particular segment she was eager for; the news of Margaret Thatcher’s shops bill that would allow Sunday trading.

She bristled as the broadcast cut to footage of Margaret Thatcher waving to the press as she moved from her car to the door of 10 Downing Street.

‘Horrible, old cow,’ Lori thought to herself.

Allowing her slipper to fall from her foot, she reached her leg forward, pressing the volume button on the front of the television set with her toe, in order to turn it up, as James Vereker began his reporting of how the bill had been voted down due to backlash from the Christian right.

“I’ve told you not to do that,” Lori’s mum tutted from behind her, as she came into the room cradling a steaming mug of tea, “you’ll push the buttons through with your feet!”

“Shhh!” Lori hissed, not tearing her eyes away from the screen, though she drew her foot back. “I’m trying to listen!”

“You know Rupert’s going to be on Declan?” Mary Price asked, paying no mind to her daughter’s request for quiet as she came to stand behind her. “Rupert Campbell-Black, that is.”

Lori scowled at the mention of their local Tory MP, twisting her upper body around in the armchair to look up at her mother, blue eyes narrowed in suspicion as she stared up at the older woman. “How do you know? I’ve not seen it advertised anywhere.”

Mary huffed, leaning over Lori to retrieve the empty toast plate from her lap. “I saw James Vereker’s wife in the post office the other day, overheard her saying so. I don’t think it’s been announced officially yet.”

“Lizzie,” she interjected, reaching her foot forward once more to turn the TV off, earning another annoyed tut from her mother. ‘Good’, she thought, she was glad to have annoyed her, she hated how old fashioned her mum could be, reducing women to the mere counterparts of the men they were involved with. She often wondered how much of an identity her mum considered herself to have, outside of being a wife and a mother. “Her name’s Lizzie, Elizabeth Vereker, and she’s a published author, not just a wife.”

“Oh, my darling girl,” Mary sighed, as she turned and walked back towards the kitchen, “I will be all for your demands of equal rights when you’re as prepared to stick your hands in a sink full of washing up water as you are to poke your nose into politics.”

Lori hadn’t always been political. It had only been in the last couple of years that she had become an activist for left wing ideals. Her father had been a miner, and had taken part in the strikes in Yorkshire when Thatcher had moved to close the mines and abolished the unions that were supporting them. He had been in poor health, and Lori was certain that the stress of losing his livelihood had contributed to his rapid decline and eventual death. She had grown to despise the Conservative Party and all it stood for, though this had exacerbated when her grandmother had passed away. Her grandmother had left her house in the sleepy little Cotswolds village of Rutshire to Lori’s mother in her will and, wanting a fresh start, Mary had upheaved them both from the grey skied familiarity of Maltby and moved them down to the rolling green hills and middle class pomposity of the Cotswolds. Lori was twenty, old enough to stay behind, but having suffered so much loss already, her and her mother were keen to stay close, rather than at opposing ends of the country. The South felt like another world to Lori. She enjoyed the fresh air, the quaintness of her grandmother’s cottage, but she hated how unfriendly the people were and she loathed their politics even more. Those that lived in the village all seemed fairly normal, though it was obvious they weren’t cut from the working class cloth of terraced houses and industrial estates, it was people who lived further out in the countryside that got under her skin. They were the people that held the real power in Rutshire, lording it over the common folk who delivered their milk and newspapers from their acres of farmland and mansions, the listed status of which prevented them from being renovated into any state other than dilapidated.

Lori’s opinion of Rupert Campbell-Black was not a good one, the one and only encounter she’d ever had with him had not been a good one. When she had first moved to Rutshire, she had decided to visit him in the hopes of convincing him to vote no to the privatisation of British Gas, and had received a less than warm welcome.

She prickled at the memory, her brow furrowing involuntarily into a scowl as she clenched her teeth. The anger burned hot and humiliating, just as potent as it had on the day she'd first met that smug bastard.

Her mum’s tiny car that she’d borrowed had manoeuvred its way around the tightly winding, hedge lined country lanes of Rutshire. Lori had craned her neck over the steering wheel, her fingers gripping it so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her heart thudded at the prospect of meeting another car head on, or worse yet, a tractor – there simply wasn't enough space for her to pull any further over, and she didn't trust the posh twats that lived in this area not to speed around the roads as though they owned them. She supposed, in a way, they did.

When she'd finally made it to the address she had found listed for Rupert she was disgusted yet unsurprised by the sprawling estate his enormous stately home was settled upon. It was every bit the indication of old money, of someone whose standing in society was so far removed from that of the working classes that they couldn't possibly ever understand the rights and quality of life they were voting to strip away from them -- they'd never be affected by it.

She had been taken aback by who had answered the door – she had anticipated a blustering, red faced toff who appeared as ugly as his moral compass, instead she was met by a tall, dark and handsome man, whose gaze had raked so slowly over her figure that it had made her flush crimson, squirming under the intensity of his gaze.

“And how may I help you?” he’d drawled with a smirk, when she failed to say anything.

She had blinked, realising that she was gawping, and stumbled over her words. “Oh…um…right, sorry! I’m looking for Rupert Campbell-Black..?”

“You’ve found him,” he’d replied, studying her intently as he crossed his arms over the crisp white shirt pulled taut across his chest and leaned against the doorway.

Her eyes widened in surprise and she didn’t miss the predatory flash of pearly white teeth as a flicker of amusement passed across his features. “I wondered if you had a few moments to talk about the privatisation bill?” she’d asked, composing herself, “If I might open your mind to the possibility of voting no against it?”

All friendliness had left him and he’d straightened, pulling himself to his full height as he’d looked down his nose at her with narrowed eyes. “Are you one of Kinnock’s lackeys?”

She shook her head. “N–no…my name’s Lori…Lori Price. I just wanted to ask if you’d taken time to consider how putting British Gas into the hands of shareholders would lead to unregulated–”

“Bugger off, before I have you arrested for trespassing,” he’d coldly interrupted, before slamming the door in her face.

Lori had since learned that Rupert had no real place in politics at all – he was an ex-Olympian show jumper, whose wealth and status were inherited, and he had bought his way into politics when his Olympic career had met an abrupt end.

She knew his appearance on Declan would be an explosive one – Declan O’Hara wasn’t a man who minced his words, and he had built his reputation as a chat show host who made his interviewees squirm when in the hot seat.

Struck by an idea, Lori sprung up from the armchair, bounding into the kitchen. “Mum, if I do the washing up, can I borrow the car this afternoon?”

A few hours later, Lori leaned against her mum’s navy blue Mini in the carpark of the Corinium studios. She had no idea of what time Declan O’Hara arrived for work each day, or even if he was here already, she just knew that here was the only place she had any guarantee of running into him.

Almost an hour had passed as she leaned, drumming her fingers against her jeans, when the door to the building finally swung open and Declan stepped out. Lori sighed audibly in relief – she was dying for a piss, and had gotten bored of waiting around almost as soon as she’d put the car into neutral.

She rushed towards him, and Declan paused, eyeing her suspiciously as she stopped breathlessly in front of him. His thick moustache framed the tight smile of his tired looking face as he looked at her. “I don’t have a pen if it’s an autograph you’re wanting,” he said gruffly.

“Actually, I have something I’d like to give you,” she said, producing a folded up sheet of paper from the bag that was slung over her shoulder.

“Oh?” he raised an eyebrow, eyes moving from the paper to her face, “And what might that be?”

“I hear you’re going to be interviewing our local Tory MP,” she replied, holding out the piece of paper for him to take, “and I’ve got some questions I think you should ask him.”

Declan scoffed, eyes crinkling in amusement as he held up his hands in polite refusal. “I think I’ll be fine in that department, actually, it’s my job after all.”

“Please just take them,” Lori insisted, thrusting the paper towards him, “I know Rupert knows nothing about politics, if you ask him these you’ll make him look stupid, people will see him for how incompetent he really is.”

He relented, taking the sheet of paper from her and unfolding it, his eyes scanning over the page.

“You don’t have to ask all of them – or any of them,” she added hurriedly, “just say you’ll think about it? My name and number’s at the bottom in case you wanted to talk any of them over.”

“Lori…” he said the name slowly, as though trying out the feel of it in his mouth, before turning his attention back to her.

“And you’ll think about it?” she asked, as she began to walk back towards her mum’s car.

“I might,” he answered, his expression unreadable as he folded the paper back up and slipped it into the inside pocket of his blazer.

It was two days later when the phone rang, the sound of it shrill and unpleasant in the afternoon quiet of the cottage. Mary had popped out into the village to go shopping, meaning Lori had the place to herself.

She walked to the phone table in the hallway, lifting the receiver to her ear. “Hello?”

“These questions are terrible,” a thick Irish accent snapped back at her.

Her stomach did a flip at the realisation it was Declan calling her. He’d read her questions. “Which ones?”

“All of them,” he huffed through the receiver, “you do realise that they come across as incredibly anti-Conservative?”

“Yeah, that’s kind of the point,” she admitted, shrugging though she knew he couldn’t see it.

“What are you thinking? All of Rutshire are Tories, Tony fucking Baddingham, the man who pays my wages, who owns Corinium is a Tory. He’ll pull the plug on this if I ask any of these.”

She toyed with the coiled cord of the phone, twirling it around her index finger as a sense of disappointment washed over her, making her shoulders sag. “Why bother phoning if you can’t use them?”

“I don’t want to not use them,” Declan admitted, his tone softening with a sigh, “they just need some work. Are you free for some rewrites?”

“Yeah, but my mum will be back from shopping soon and she’s a fan of yours, so best not to do it at my place.”

“That’s fine,” Declan told her, “you can come to mine.”

Having scribbled his address down with a promise not to share it with her mother, Lori hauled her bike out of the shed and made her way to Declan’s house. If she had thought trying to navigate the country lanes in her mum’s Mini had been scary, it paled in comparison to traversing them on two wheels. She pedalled as though her life depended on it – and, in this case, it genuinely did, afraid that she would be launched into a ditch by a Land Rover at any moment. By the time she reached the stately home, her legs were shaking, both from exertion and from the fear of being mown down on the cycle there.

Lori did her best not to gawp as Declan led her through the house towards the kitchen, but the place was enormous and it was impossible not to turn her head, her eyes sweeping over the vaulted ceilings and parquet flooring. There was a grand sense of opulence and antiquity that made her feel as though she was walking through a museum, and not someone’s home.

He gestured for her to sit at the table, once inside the kitchen, before producing a bottle of Irish whiskey and two glasses. Lori gratefully accepted hers, taking a large swallow of the amber liquid in the hopes of calming her fright from the ride there. She regretted it almost immediately as it burned the back of her throat and she fought the urge to cough.

“Do you live here alone?” she asked, keeping her hands wrapped around her whiskey as her eyes wandered the kitchen, trying to get a feel for the man opposite her.

“Just alone for today,” he responded, sliding her sheet of questions between them, the creases from where it had previously been folded now spread flat. “My wife’s gone to London, my youngest is away at boarding school, and my eldest is out with the dog.”

Lori nodded, drumming her fingertips against the glass, feeling awkward as she realised she didn’t know what to say. Her eyes met his, and a moment passed in silence, as he stared at her with a scrutinising intensity with eyes so dark she worried she’d fall into the depths of them.

“So, what’s your agenda against Rupert?” Declan finally asked. “You look a bit young to be someone he’s done the dirty on.”

Her mouth dropped open at the insinuation, her skin heating up with shock and embarrassment. “I haven’t…I wouldn’t…does he…does he do that?”

Declan grinned in response, before sipping from his own whisky. “He’s a virus that all wives catch sooner or later, according to local legend.”

“Well, I’m not a wife,” Lori said haughtily, straightening in her seat, “I’m a political activist.”

“Rupert’s no politician,” he said with a quirk of his eyebrow.

“I’m well aware, and this isn’t personal, even though he was bloody rude to me the one time I met him, but I need for people to see that the members of parliament tasked with looking after their interests are incompetent. I need people to wake up to what’s happening in this country. There’s a general election next year, and things could change, maybe…”

Lori trailed off her voice began to wobble, feeling herself growing misty eyed, and took another swallow of her whisky. This one burned less.

The neck of the bottle chinked against the rim of her glass as Declan topped it up. “That’s heavy stuff. I’m not sure a single talk show episode will quite achieve that.”

“So, what are you hoping to achieve then?” Lori asked, “What’s your axe to grind with Mr. Campbell-Black?”

She heard his tongue click against his teeth, before he lifted his glass to his lips, and Lori leaned across the kitchen table towards him. “Is he a virus that your wife caught?”

There was an anger that flashed so intensely within Declan’s eyes, that fear ran in an icy chill up Lori’s spine, making her regret the question the moment it had left her mouth. He set his glass heavily down upon the kitchen table, swallowing thickly.

“I know she’d like him to be,” he finally admitted quietly.

A wave of sympathy washed over Lori, her head tilting in sadness for the man sitting opposite her. She longed to reach out, to squeeze his hand for comfort, but knew it was too forward of a gesture for a person she was only meeting for the second time. Instead, she reached for the question sheet, sliding them towards herself.

“Right, let’s get cracking on these questions then.”

By the time afternoon had bled into early evening, Lori and Declan had drank two thirds of a bottle of whisky, and settled on two questions to use of the ten she had offered him originally, with slight rewordings - they now read ‘what assurances can British Gas customers be provided regarding the stability of prices now that the company has been privatised?’ and ‘what measures are the government taking to provide affordable housing?’

It was a happy compromise - Lori was satisfied that the questions were complex enough to subtly discredit the Conservatives on live television, and Declan had retained autonomy of his interview, while feeling confident that Lori’s input would provide adequate humiliation for Rupert.

Her cheeks were flushed, her mind fuzzy from the effects of the alcohol as she slipped her original sheet of questions back into her shoulder bag, while Declan walked her to the door, the heat of his hand burning like a brand through the fabric of her t-shirt as it rested on the small of her back. She knew it was unwise to cycle home while tipsy on unfamiliar roads, but Declan had been drinking too, so she couldn’t ask for a lift, and there was no way she’d ring her mum and ask her to fetch her – it would mean giving her Declan’s address.

“You should come,” Declan said, glassy eyed with inebriation as they both hovered on either side of the open front door, “to the interview. Come to the studio and watch.”

“Yeah?” she grinned, blue eyes lighting up as she grinned up at him, “I’d really be allowed?”

“I can’t see why not,” he shrugged, looking fondly down at her.

“I’d love that, thank you.”

She rose up onto the balls of her feet, pecking a drunken kiss against his cheek before turning and walking to her bike that she’d left leaning against a hedge in the driveway.

Her balance was wobbly on the country roads going home, her centre of gravity fighting against the heavy desire in her body to simply slump to one side. She was clear minded enough to know to cycle in the middle of the road, not trusting herself to go too far over to the side, in case she wobbled her way into a farmer’s field.

She cursed under her breath at the roar of a car engine and the dim glow of low lit headlights illuminated from behind her. Attempting to shift to the side to allow the vehicle to pass, it was too late before she noticed herself begin to lose balance and she hit the ground with a dull thud against the grass verge, the air forcing its way from her lungs with a forced ‘oooft’ sound. Her bicycle wheels span uselessly in the air as it lay on its side next to her, and she huffed frustratedly, slowly pulling herself up into a sitting position, as she unclipped her helmet and looked bleary eyed at the papers that had fallen from her shoulder bag and were fluttering softly across the tarmac.

“Christ!” a familiar voice called from behind her, “Are you alright?”

She had failed to notice that the car she had attempted to pull to the side for had stopped when she had fallen from her bike. She turned slowly, looking up into the handsome face of Rupert Campbell-Black. His trademark smirk was nowhere to be found, instead replaced by a look of concern that furrowed his brow and widened his eyes ever so slightly.

If he recognised her, he didn’t make it apparent as he crouched down beside her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Are you hurt?”

Lori giggled softly, tugging her helmet off of her head. “I’m okay…don’t think the contents of my bag are.”

Rupert drew back, regarding her with a cock of his head, his eyes studying her as a cat might look at a mouse before swiping at it. “Are you drunk?”

“I’d hate for this to be how sober feels,” she groaned, raking a hand through her hair.

He chuckled softly. “Get off the road and sit in the car. I’ll retrieve your things and then we’ll get you home safely.”

“You could be a sex attacker,” she slurred.

“I am a member of Parliament,” he said with mock earnestness, placing a hand over his heart.

“Exactly,” she grinned, earning one from Rupert in exchange.

“So, what were you doing cycling pissed in the middle of the road?” Rupert asked, as they drove back towards the village. Her bag now rested by her feet in the footwell of the front passenger side of the car, its contents now back in their place. He had loaded her bike into the boot.

“Was coming back from a friend’s,” she murmured sleepily, her head propped against her hand as she rested her elbow on the window ledge of the car door, her eyes fixed on the blur of scenery as they drove past it.

Drunk as she was – though slightly more sober since she had toppled off of her bike – it felt strange to have accepted help from a man she was supposed to hate, stranger still that he would offer her help at all in the first place. She always assumed that Tories were the sort of people who would sooner mow cyclists down than pick them up off of the roadside when they fell.

“They ought to have called you a taxi,” he said, glancing over at her disapprovingly, “terribly unkind to leave you to fend for yourself like that. You’re lucky I found you.”

“Mmm, lucky me,” she muttered, earning an amused smirk from Rupert. They spent the rest of the short drive in silence.

“You’ll be alright from here then?” Rupert asked, setting Lori’s bike down in front of her as they stood in front of the cottage she shared with her mother.

“Yes, thank you,” she said with a tight smile. The more she sobered up, the more embarrassed and uncomfortable she felt.

“Well, goodnight then, Lori,” he said with a polite nod, stepping back towards his car.

“How do you know my–”

“I’m your local MP, it’s my job to know,” he interrupted, shooting her a wink before climbing back into his car.

She felt annoyed with herself for accepting his help, for not seizing the opportunity to give him a piece of her mind. How dare he come to her rescue?!

“Bloody Tories,” she muttered under her breath as he drove away.

A week later, the day of Rupert’s appearance on Declan arrived. When Lori turned up at Corinium studios, she was met at reception by a bespectacled lady who introduced herself as Deidre. Her demeanour was almost as sharp as the shoulder pads of her jacket as she walked the younger woman quickly through a labyrinth of corridors. Lori had to hurry to keep up with her, feeling that if she hesitated for even a second then Deirdre wouldn’t wait for her, and she’d be lost to the seemingly endless maze they navigated.

She was led to a windowless meeting room, white walled and grey carpeted, with the Corinium logo plastered across the far wall of the room. A large circular table was placed in the centre, with multiple office chairs positioned around its circumference. Off to one side was a wheeled TV stand with a large television set resting atop it.

“Declan asked that you watch the broadcast in here,” Deidre said, not bothering to look at her as she wheeled the TV stand to the head of the room, so the screen faced the table. “He’ll come and find you afterwards.”

“I’ll be in here by myself?” Lori asked, watching with uncertainty as Deidre switched the TV on.

“Yes, he requested that you not be seated in the audience, and we wouldn’t simply allow a fan backstage to watch from the production area,” she said, her tone clipped with annoyance as she fiddled with the remote control, adjusting the settings.

The more Lori thought about it, the more sensible an idea it seemed. If Declan had sat her in the audience, there was a chance that Rupert would spot her and recognise her, better she was kept out of sight. There was a part of her that wondered if she might have been more comfortable just watching at home, suddenly feeling overdressed in her two toned black and navy blue mini dress. She was quick to silence the thought, tugging at the hem of her short chiffon skirt as she reassured herself that it was exciting to watch a live TV show in the very studio that it was being broadcast from.

“I see, thank you,” Lori replied with a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Deidre nodded, walking back towards the door. “I’ve set the TV up so that the program will play automatically as soon as we start the broadcast. Ladies is three doors down on the left. Are you alright for refreshments?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine, tha–”

“Wonderful, enjoy the show,” Deidre interrupted, before hurriedly closing the door behind her.

Lori stood frozen in the empty meeting room, as she listened to the older woman’s footsteps grow quieter as she retreated along the corridor.

‘She seemed nice,’ she whispered sarcastically to herself.

Taking a seat at the circular table, she tapped her fingers impatiently against the laminate wood surface as her eyes fixed upon the standby screen of the TV. She wondered what sort of preparation both men were putting into the impending interview, whether Rupert felt nervous at all, and how far down his list of planned questions Declan had placed her ones. She suddenly felt nervous herself, filled with a restless energy that left her wanting to pace the length of the room, as though there was static crackling through her veins. However, she remained rooted to her seat out of fear she’d miss the interview. It was due to start at 7pm, but she had no idea how much time had passed since she had arrived at Corinium.

‘What sort of a meeting room doesn’t have a clock?!’ she thought unhappily.

Eventually, the TV screen flickered to a countdown from three, before the opening music and logo for the show appeared on screen with rapturous applause from the audience. The camera zoomed in on Declan, and Lori was unable to fight the small smile that tugged at her lips as she watched him sitting comfortably in the onset chair, looking smart in a crisply tailored black suit, one leg crossed over the other to reveal a lurid pair of yellow socks. Lori’s smile turned to a grin. She leaned reflexively closer to the TV set, her chest pressing against the table’s edge as her forearms rested atop it.

Declan introduced himself and the show, before teasing the audience regarding who he would be interviewing. Lori’s eyes narrowed as Rupert walked out on set to applause and even wolf whistles.

‘Is there not one fucking Labour voter in the whole of Rutshire?’ she muttered to herself.

As much as she hated to admit it, Rupert looked good. He was dressed impeccably in a well tailored black suit, similar to the one that Declan wore, the only difference being the royal blue tie that blazed bright around his neck – Tory Blue. She wondered if she were to slice him open if blood of a similar colour would spill forth from his veins.

Declan stood, greeting Rupert with a firm handshake before the two men moved to their respective seats. Declan placed the ankle of his left leg across the knee of his right, leaning back in his chair with his question cards held loosely towards his chest. Rupert kept his legs outstretched, crossed at the ankle, as he practically lounged, his hands resting comfortably upon the arms of his chair. He looked like he owned the set, there were no nerves at all in his body language as his eyes moved slowly over the audience, a lazy smile upon his face. Lori was suddenly glad she was shut away in a meeting room, hidden from the predatory look that always seemed to twinkle in his eye.

You look a bit young to be someone he’s done the dirty on.

Declan’s words from their previous meet-up echoed in her mind. She wondered precisely how many women Rupert had ‘done the dirty on’. He could so easily; he was handsome in a way that was disarming, and charming in a sense that meant that even when he was being vile he could get away with it. How many hearts had he broken and then left the women feeling as if they were at fault? As he made small talk with Declan, answering non-committal introductory questions about himself, Lori found herself thinking that she could very easily allow Rupert to use her. It made her shudder to remember how readily she had accepted his help, how eagerly she had climbed into his car, and all he had had to do was smile and pretend as though he cared about what happened to her.

The tone of the interview shifted, and Declan’s line of questioning focused more on Rupert’s political career. Lori’s ears pricked up, practically holding her breath as she stared at the TV, trying not to blink, as she waited for the moment her questions would be asked.

“I’m sure everyone is now aware of the fact that British Gas is no longer a Government owned entity,” Declan began, “with the utility company now privatised, what assurances can you provide customers who might be worried about the potential instability of gas prices?”

This it was. One of her questions. Excitement fizzed inside of Lori, her entire body going rigid as her fingernails dug into the tabletop, waiting with bated breath for Rupert to flounder, to embarrass both himself and the Conservative Party on live television.

Rupert smiled, and Lori felt dread form a sickly pit in the depths of her stomach. Why was he smiling? Why did he look so calm?

“Well, customers can now buy shares in British Gas, so in passing the company into the hands of shareholders it allows customers to benefit in the long run. If higher prices mean that British Gas is turning a profit, then so are the people making use of its services.”

Rupert cast an appraising glance towards the audience as his response earned a few claps, before he smirked and turned his attention back to Declan.

Lori’s lips parted in shock. It was a terrible, cookie cutter press response, but it was a competent one. She was stunned. He wasn’t rattled at all.

The second question never materialised, as Declan’s line of questioning moved towards Rupert’s show jumping caree. Lori seethed. Why hadn’t Declan asked the second question? And how had Rupert managed to answer so competently?

She paid no attention to the remainder of the interview, simply wanting to leave. She didn’t remember the way she had come though, and Deidre had made it seem like she wasn’t even supposed to be here.

He’ll come and find you afterwards.

Remembering Deidre’s instructions, Lori sighed, slouching back in her seat as anger stewed hot and volatile inside of her.

What felt like an eternity passed, but as soon as she heard the door handle move, she sprung to her feet. Cooped up in the meeting room, with nothing but Rupert’s smug, self aggrandising interview for company, had allowed Lori’s anger to fester. It radiated off her in waves as she stood, facing Declan head on as he entered the room.

“What the fuck was that?” she spat, barely giving him a chance to close the door behind him, before she advanced upon him, blue eyes wide with fury as she stared up at him.

“Calm down,” Declan attempted to soothe, reaching for her forearms as she raged at him.

It had the opposite effect, further incensing Lori as she backed away from him, raising her voice. “Calm down?! You didn’t even ask both questions. I can believe you, is your ego so big that–”

He crowded into her space, grabbing her waist and backed her up until the backs of her thighs hit the edge of the table. It silenced her immediately, but Declan stared into her eyes, ensuring he had placated her before he spoke. “It was Tony, okay? I had Tony in my earpiece telling me he’d pull the broadcast if I kept the questions political, it wasn’t the agreed upon angle of the interview. I didn’t have a choice.”

Lori sagged against him, grasping the front of his shirt – somewhere between the set and the meeting room, Declan had dispensed with his suit jacket. Her voice was smaller, weaker sounding, and wobbly with emotion as she spoke. “How can I ever make a difference now? It was all for nothing.”

Declan moved a hand from her waist, gently grasping her chin between his thumb and his forefinger as he tilted her face up towards his. “Do you think I’d be where I am now if I’d let myself give up after the first setback?”

Lori didn’t answer. She just knew she felt sad and defeated, and wanted something to distract herself from the sensation inside of her that made her feel insignificant and useless. The man currently standing in front of her, who had taken a chance on her political ideas, who was being nice to her and comforting her in the face of her failure seemed like the perfect something. Before she could talk herself out of it, she stood up on tip toes and pressed her lips to his.

She had anticipated that Declan would feed further into her self loathing, push her away, ask her what on earth she thought he was doing, tell her he was happily married and had no interest in her. Instead, he used the hand still on her waist to tug her closer against him, as the other cradled her jaw, his lips pressing back insistently against hers.

He smelled of musky cedarwood, the heady scent of his aftershave almost intoxicating as she wound her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss with a soft sigh as he lifted her to sit upon the edge of the table. His tongue licked against hers in a sticky click of saliva, as the hand that was upon her waist now inched up the skirt of her dress as her inner thigh pressed against his hip.

“This looks cosy.”

Declan sprang away from Lori, leaving her breathless and wanting as her hands dropped uselessly back to her sides and she remained seated upon the table. Her heart hammered in her chest as she looked upon Rupert with a mixture of shock and annoyance.

“Well, don’t stop on my account,” he smirked, closing the door behind him with a quiet click as he moved towards them both.

“What the fuck do you think you’re playing at?” Declan demanded, running a hand over his dark curls in an attempt to compose himself.

Rupert huffed a soft laugh, raising an eyebrow at Lori, before focusing his attention back to Declan. “Forgive me, I should probably do away with the preamble and just get to the point. I know what you two have been plotting behind my back, and I can’t say I’m best pleased about it.”

“What are you talking about?” Lori asked, flustered, attempting to pull her skirt back down.

Rupert sighed, coming to stand beside her, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. The brief contact sent a shiver down her spine. “Your little sheet of questions, darling,” he drawled, “I found them when I was picking your things up off the road the night you tried to cycle home drunk.”

Lori’s eyes widened as bile rose up in her throat, and Rupert grinned, though there was no friendliness to it.

“A sheet of questions proves fuck all,” Declan interjected angrily.

“Oh, I think Tony might disagree with that, considering you asked one of them on tonight’s show,” he said, casting a sideways glance at the other man as he ran the tip of his finger down Lori’s arm. “It wasn’t hard for me to put two and two together, considering the nature of the questions and the direction Lori was cycling from the night I gave her a lift home. Tony’s a smart man, I think he’ll reach a conclusion perhaps even quicker than I did.”

She hated the way her body betrayed her. She loathed this man and yet the slightest of touches from him had every nerve ending screaming for more.

“What have you told him?” Declan asked, a hint of uncertainty creeping into his voice.

“Oh, nothing yet,” Rupert replied smugly, “I’ve been busy ensuring I had my responses prepared for all of your thoughtful questions. Isn’t it a pity you only asked one?”

“Rupert..” Declan glowered, a silent warning in the angry narrowing of his eyes as he stared down the man standing before him.

Rupert chuckled, his eyes lighting up in a way that suggested he’d just uncovered something he enjoyed immensely. “Oh, was it Tony whispering in your ear that made you stop? Imagine his reaction if he knew you’d been colluding with a socialist to get your interview questions. You’d lose all credibility.”

“Please don’t tell him,” Lori begged, her voice barely above a whisper, as she gazed up at Rupert with imploring eyes. “I don’t want Declan to lose his job.”

“How adorable,” Rupert said, cocking his head, as he addressed Declan instead of her. “It appears our little leftist has developed a soft spot for you, old chap. I wonder what Maud would make of that? I’m assuming she’s aware of your little meeting room trysts?”

“You are the very last fucking person that should be passing comment on my fidelity,” Declan gritted out.

“Whatever it is, whatever you want, I’ll do it, please, just keep all of this to yourself,” pleaded Lori.

Rupert finally looked at her then, and what she saw in the depths of his hazel eyes caused a throbbing between her legs despite the fear that fluttered wildly in her chest.

“Good girl,” he murmured, moving closer. He trailed his hand up her side, leaving a blaze of heat in his wake, before roughly turning her so that her back was pressed against his chest, while she still perched upon the table. “At least one of you has the sense to listen.”

In spite of herself, Lori found herself leaning back against Rupert’s chest, her body chasing his touch. He chuckled quietly, before shrugging out of his suit jacket and draping it over the back of the nearest chair. He placed his hands on Lori’s hips, giving them a firm squeeze, before turning his attention back to Declan.

“Now, here’s what’s going to happen if you want to keep my silence; I’m going to do something about the ‘fuck me’ eyes that this one’s been shooting at me since the day she came knocking at my door, and you can leave, stay, join in for all I care, but you’re not going to try to stop me. Is that clear?”

Lori’s breath hitched at the realisation that he did remember her. Her eyes fell upon Declan, he stood uncertainly before her, a shadow of shame hanging over him, though he didn’t move to stop any of what was happening.

“Is this what you want?” Declan asked her.

Yes, god, yes, more than anything

She wouldn’t dare speak that thought aloud, even if this was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to her in her life, so she simply nodded. “If it means you won’t get into trouble because of me.”

Declan simply nodded, to which Rupert manhandled Lori onto all fours on the table, dragging her by her hips towards its edge. Her cheeks blazed with heat as she tried her best to disguise her mounting arousal, keeping her eyes fixed upon Declan. His gaze was soft, almost sympathetic, though he could do little to hide the growing excitement that strained against his zipper.

Lori sucked in a sharp breath as Rupert pushed the skirt of her dress over her hips, before running his index finger over the seam of the gusset of her tights. She squirmed beneath his touch, uncomfortable at the stickiness gathering in her underwear, though the sensation was rapidly replaced by shock as fingers latched into the material, ripping the nylon open.

She whimpered as the cool air hit her bare skin, and reached a hand forward towards Declan. He quickly took it in his own, giving it a reassuring squeeze. As Rupert hooked his index finger into the elastic of her knickers and tugged them to the side, Lori swallowed a moan as he dragged the digit through her slickness, humming in approval.

“Is this all for me?” Rupert asked, roughly palming the globe of her arse as he examined her wetness, “Or can O’Hara take some of the credit?”

She bit her lip, her flesh felt ablaze with shame. She wanted him to stop, but at the same time she was sure she’d die of the primal need he’d stoked within her if he didn’t keep going. Her fingers clung to Declan’s like a lifeline.

“I don’t really expect an answer, don’t worry,” Rupert whispered softly, and Lori tensed as she heard the clink of his belt being undone behind her.

She wanted to focus on literally anything else, not to think about how turned on she was by a man she ought to despise. Letting go of Declan’s hand, she palmed at his erection through his trousers, earning a soft grunt from him. Encouraged by his reaction, her fingers moved for his zipper as she felt the head of Rupert’s cock line up with her entrance.

“Are you sure?” Declan murmured, placing his hand over hers, stopping her momentarily. He let go when she nodded.

Freeing his hardened length, she didn’t even stop to admire it, simply wrapping her lips around its swollen head, humming softly at the salty taste of him upon her tongue.

“Starting without me?” Rupert tutted, pressing forward, causing Lori to moan around Declan’s shaft as he stretched her open. “That’s very impolite.”

He kept a firm grasp of her hips as his pelvis settled against her rear, pausing and giving them both a moment to adjust. She felt impossibly full, the tip of him almost kissing the opening of her cervix when he pushed to the hilt.

“Jesus christ,” he hissed through his teeth.

It spurred Lori on, and she bobbed her head faster along Declan’s shaft, almost gagging as he repeatedly knocked the softness of the back of her throat. He sighed softly, his hand coming to tangle in the hair at the back of her head. He didn’t force her movements, simply allowed her to take things at her own pace, as she reached up a hand to stroke the thick base of him.

When Rupert began to move, Lori’s vision flashed white, the sensation of him drawing all the way back just to slam back in again almost too much for her to bear. She whined around Declan’s cock, feeling him twitch against her tongue as Rupert set a steady pace, pistoning into her as he began to pant softly.

“It doesn’t matter the political stance,” he said, voice breathless with pleasure, “red or blue, they all feel incredible to be buried inside of.”

Lori hated the way her core squeezed around him in response to his filthy degradation, her watery eyes lifted up to meet Declan’s, who stared intently down at her as she serviced him. He gave an affection tug to her hair as she continued. “You’re doing so well for me.”

She keened at his praise, which earned her a sharp swat to the bottom from Rupert. Pleasure-pain blossomed hotly against her flesh, and he chucked at her muffled squeal, his thrusts becoming harder and more rapid. He was getting close.

‘At least he hasn’t made me come’, she thought. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing she was enjoying this.

As though Rupert could read her mind, he snaked a hand around the front of her, his fingers seeking out her sensitive bud, and began to rub tight circles on it. She gasped and gagged around Declan’s cock, and she knew from the tightening of his hand in her hair that he was close too.

The knowledge that she was pleasing him, combined with the way Rupert touched her so expertly, caused the coil in her lower belly to tighten rapidly. As Declan’s head fell back with a groan and she tasted the first spurts of his release upon her tongue, the coil snapped and Lori came. Her world narrowed to the white hot sensation of pleasure that wracked her body in waves of warmth, as she tightened and spasmed around Rupert’s pistoning cock.

With a strained curse, Rupert pulled out of her, stroking himself to his finish across her lower back. As her senses returned to her, Lori swallowed down Declan’s seed, pulling off of him with a wet pop as she felt the warmth of Rupert’s spend against her skin.

Declan was quick to tuck himself away, gathering Lori’s trembling form into his arms as he slumped down into a chair. She clung to him, curling up in his lap, feeling vulnerable and dirty for what she had just indulged in. Wordlessly, Rupert redressed, shrugging back into his suit jacket.

“I hope my performance means that the Conservatives can now count on your vote next year,” he said to Lori with a playful wink.

Rupert didn’t wait for a response. Declan’s angry glare followed him out of the room as he left, closing the door softly behind him.

Lori remained cuddled against Declan, clutching his shirt. Just as she’d known she would, she had allowed Rupert to use her. She just had to hope that he had had his fill of her, as she knew that if he were to proposition her again, she’d cave just as easily as he had this time. She didn’t think it was possible, but somehow it made her hate the Tories even more.

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