#or plot & then i would come in w all this enthusiasm & then get nothing in response

[kusatta]

respectfully, if you don’t match my freak during plotting, it’s going no where.

[milkpup]

｡⋆ʚ♡ like father, like son

›› chapter 4 ›› nsfw 18+ ongoing multi-chapter fic!

artist: 百分二之一 / https://pin.it/7suU92k

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ʚ ao3 ɞ / ʚ kofi ɞ / ʚ fic masterlist ɞ

›› toji fushiguro x reader ›› megumi fushiguro x reader ›› toji x reader x megumi (mfm) ›› 18+ f!reader ›› started: 12/6/23 : updated: 1/29/24 : status: ongoing

‹𝟹 summary: You and Megumi are best friends. You've known eachother for almost your whole life. His home has become your second home. As time passes and life happens, Megumi slowly develops feelings for you, even though he's unaware of it. To complicate things further, you're now living with him and his father, who has also taken a liking to you.

‹𝟹 fandom: jjk, jujutsu kaisen

‹𝟹 genres / warnings: au - no powers, college au, power imbalance, pseudo-incest (they both want y/n, nothing w/ eachother), dubious consent

‹𝟹 tags: good cop bad cop, fluff, smut, angst, toji has a big dick, dilf toji, toji is his own warning, toji tries to be a good parent, toji is an asshole, toji is trying okay?, daddy dom toji, daddy kink, porn with feelings, porn with plot, friends to lovers, spit / spitting, spit kink, spit as lube, breeding, vaginal sex, vaginal fingering, double vaginal pen, double pen, anal, making out, making love, love triangles, praise kink, degradation, light masochism, light sadism, emotional sex, cuckolding, jealousy, jealousy kink, smoking, smoking kink, emotional manipulation, manipulation, polyamory?, father and son share you, protective megumi fushiguro, megumi needs a hug, megumi has a big dick, AGED UP CHARACTERS, dead dove: do not eat, finger sucking, large cock, cum swallowing, blow jobs, first time blow jobs, under desk blow jobs, fingerfucking, face sitting, face riding, 69, mutual masturbation, threesome mfm, lots of smut, loss of virginity

‹𝟹 notes: ch 5 is being written, however i've taken a break on this while i finish my other fic (it's coming soon :D). this is the most up to date chapter i have on here and my ao3. this chapter is FIREEEEEEE tho !!

!! - again, PLEASE READ TAGS BEFORE CONTINUING - !!

! - ALL CHARACTERS ARE 18+ - !

Chapter 4: Impulse

--

Toji took the opportunity to smoke a cigarette while you were taking a shower. The crisp morning air was cool on his skin as he took a long drag of the cig. He puffed it away, lost in thoughts about what you guys should do today.

The clouds were starting to roll in, and it looked serene from Toji’s balcony. They didn’t live anywhere fancy or expensive, but it was nice being able to feel the peace of the breeze and the comfort of the sun’s warmth. He didn’t want to keep taking things for granted. He would accept and appreciate with enthusiasm from now on.

He inhales more of the smoke before snuffing out the cigarette in an ashtray. There were errands for the house you both needed to attend to, but he also wanted to make it a fun adventure into the city.

--

The steaming hot water of the shower soothed your aching body. You took this moment to think about the past few days and what had transpired. Messing around with Megumi, Toji acting uncharacteristically nice, and the heat of Toji’s gaze as you walked towards the shower. You could feel his eyes glued to your back as you walked away. You didn’t know what to think of it, but your body sure as hell did.

The attention was kinda nice. You liked feeling wanted, even in this fucked up way.

You foamed up your soap before washing your body, quickly finishing up your shower. You still had to get dressed and do your hair and makeup, and you didn’t want to make Toji wait.

You got out of the shower, wrapping the towel around your body. You leave and make your way towards your room, dripping and only covered by a measly towel. The steam escaped the bathroom, clouding the surrounding area.

Megumi isn’t paying much attention to his surroundings as he walks towards his room. Mindlessly scrolling through twitter, he bumps into you. He startles you enough to where your towel shifts in place, revealing your cleavage.

It’s not enough to see anything substantial, but for Megumi, it’s more than enough. He knows what’s under there anyway, and seeing you dripping wet with only a towel to cover yourself was sending explicit thoughts straight to his brain.

He blushes, apologizes, and quickly walks away towards his room, head down in embarrassment.

You shrug, not really putting much thought into it as you reach your room and close the door behind you. You don’t want to dress up for a simple errand run, so you decide upon black leggings and a fluffy, oversized sweater. You can’t choose between fuzzy boots or simple converse, but ultimately choose the latter.

Brushing your hair and putting it up into a claw clip was simple enough for the look. Light makeup, nothing too crazy, maybe a little eyeliner and you’re done soon enough.

You grab your bag and phone, leaving your room. You see Toji waiting for you, sitting on the couch talking about pointless stuff with Megumi. He sees movement out of the corner of his eye and looks up at you.

The contrast between a cute, fluffy, and oversized sweater with tight leggings that hug your hips is extremely pleasing for him. Toji is already getting up, making his way towards the front door.

You quickly walk over to where Megumi is sitting on the couch and rustle his hair a bit. “Bye Gumi, text me if you need anything from me!” You smile at him and walk away, towards Toji.

Megumi notices the exact same details of your body as Toji. Like father, like son of course. He’s thinking back to when he bumped into you, almost dropping your towel and revealing yourself. He licks his lips. And now? Watching you walk away, perfect ass in those tight as fuck leggings? He was already envisioning how he wants to rip those leggings off and take you right there, in front of his dad.

--

You and Toji are heading into the city, running errands, but also just keeping each other company. You both agreed grocery shopping should be last so you could head home right after; so now Toji is driving you both to the shopping plaza.

He plays “dad rock” (think: Nickelback, Green Day, AC/DC type of stuff), but you find it endearing anyways. Not much needs to be said, you sit without speaking much just appreciating each other’s presence. You admire how nonchalant he seems, one hand gripping the steering wheel as the other rests on the center console. His clothes don’t do much to hide his muscular build, scars covering most of his body. The ruggedness of his scars and the rigidness of his muscles are hard to look away from.

Toji notices you staring, but he says nothing. He lets you have his moment, as he lightly smirks while watching the road. You avert your gaze after what feels like eons, feeling embarrassed at your obvious oogling of the man in front of you. You flushed, looking away. You felt wrong and immoral, “This man is like a father to me” kept replaying in your head, louder and louder. Despite this, you were helpless to control the heat you could feel making its way between your legs. You felt ashamed, feeling this way about a man who was basically your father.

--

You both arrive at a shopping plaza, numerous stores and shops packed full with other customers. The weekends were always the busiest, especially around lunch time. Toji parks the car and gets out before opening your door for you. “Princess,” he speaks out, his voice sweet like honey. He would sometimes call you that growing up, but it was very infrequent now at your grown age.

You blush a bit at the sudden usage of your nickname and thank him. “You’re always so kind to me, thank you.” You can’t meet his gaze, but you know it’s locked on you. “Where do you wanna go first?” You ask as you step out of the black sedan.

“Wherever you’d like, doll.” Your mind starts racing at the new pet name he has for you, but you try to not let your face turn more crimson than it already has.

“O-okay… let’s just start walking and browse until we find something!” You probably said this more for you, so you could take a few steps ahead of Toji and hide your face. He follows behind you, allowing you to lead the way.

--

Your shopping spree is pretty uneventful, full of buying some basics like tank tops, t-shirts, leggings, and the occasional plushie. You pass by a lingerie store, and some of the new designs catch your eye. You start gravitating toward the shop’s entrance, telling Toji he could wait in the main area if he’s uncomfortable, but he shakes his head and keeps following you.

Your cheeks are heating up again at the idea of Toji following you around in this intimate setting. You brush it off and keep walking through the displays and counters of bras, bralettes, and other cute lingerie. You pick out a white lacy set of a bralette with matching panties; it’s soft to the touch and dainty.

Toji clears his throat. “Those are nice…. But what about this?” He’s holding up a pink babydoll slip. “It’s cute.” He’s weirdly averting your gaze while holding up the garment.

“Yess!! That’s adorable!!” You take it from his hands, admiring the ruffles and lace adorned with a few bows.

“I’ll get it for ya, if you want, doll.” He’s meeting your eyes again, looking into your soul as you’re practically melting in front of him. You’re convinced you are a blushing mess, and honestly, that’s not the only mess right now.

“Thank you… but you don’t have to…” You’re looking down at the dress again, unable to face him out of embarrassment.

“I want to.” You weren’t sure, but you thought you saw him lick his lips as he made that statement.

You nod. You make sure the size is correct and start making your way to the checkout counter. You’re called to the register as the women greets you.

She tries to make small talk about how cute the set is when she notices the dress. “This is so cute! My boyfriend loves when I wear this too!” You freeze when you realize she assumes you and Toji are a couple.

Toji chuckles a bit. “I see he has good taste as well. I’m looking forward to seeing it later…” He finishes, his voice deepening a bit. You can’t mistake it now, he is definitely playing with you. As much as it confuses you, it excites you tenfold. Thoughts of him admiring you, touching you, maybe more… are rushing through your head making you lightheaded.

He pays for the items and you both leave. The plaza is an open shopping center, and storm clouds had already been accumulating. Shortly after stepping out, it starts to lightly rain. You both rush to take cover next to a building adjacent to the shop you were just in.

You’re both against the wall, with you lightly panting after the slight workout. You’re giggling now, humored that you didn’t read the forecast and thoughts like of course it would rain right now. You closed your eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. You hadn’t even noticed Toji was no longer by your side until he was right in front of you, hand place above your head on the wall.

He was immensely close, and you could feel his free hand snaking up your body to grab your chin. “You’re so adorable when you laugh, doll.” He reaches down and places a kiss on your lips, gentle and hesitant at first until he gradually increases his intensity and aggression. He’s kissing you like a man starved of affection, like you’re the meal for the last supper, savoring it as if it was the only good thing to ever happen to him again.

You’re shocked at first, but soon melt into the rhythmic pace of the kiss. Tongues meeting each other, swapping saliva as if you were trying to drink each other fully. Toji bites your lip, eliciting a sweet moan from you. He pushes his body against you, moving his thigh in between your legs. You’re unsure if he can feel the heat emanating between your legs, but you know it’s overwhelming intensity.

You can feel his cock pressed against your abdomen through both of your soaked layers. You move your hand on top of his bulge, pressing against it firmly. The rain lessens momentarily, and

you break contact from the kiss only to whisper “please” to him. That was all Toji needed to hear before practically dragging you back to his car.

--

Toji never forgot his manners, and despite the circumstances he still opened the door for you and laid out a blanket over the cold leather seats of the back of his sedan. However, there was a sense of urgency as he put everything together, finishing and gently pushing you into the back seat. Although the car was pretty spacious, the moment Toji climbed in after you, the absolute behemoth of a man made the car feel pretty cramped. Despite this, he tried to ensure your comfort.

“I know it’s not ideal, princess, but I can’t wait until we get home. And it seems like you can’t either.” His sultry voice teases you, as he starts pulling off some of your wet clothes. He leaves kisses in a trail down your neck, then your chest, and stopping above your waistband. “Do you want this, doll?” He questions as his hands start tugging at the band of your leggings. Your body should be cold with the wet clothes, but you only feel heat radiating in your core. You nod your head, meeting his hands and trying to hurry and take the rest of your clothes off.

Toji clicks his tongue. “Good girls use their words.” You feel a surge of what felt like electricity as the words ‘good girl’ left his mouth.

“Yes.. daddy.. please…” You try to hide your face in your elbow, anything to save you from the embarrassment.

“Good girl.” He whispers into your ear, thumbs hooking the waistband of your pants. “You sound so cute when you say that, doll.” He pulls off your leggings, leaving you with only the thin, but soaked, fabric of your panties.

He plants more kisses on your inner thigh before teasing you with a finger, panties still on. He rubs your wet slit, noting how soaked you are. Your little moans are music to his ears, as he continues rubbing your cunt through the thin fabric.

“Please, fuck, daddy… more…” You squirm under his touch, trying to press against him for more friction.

“Someone’s an eager little slut, isn’t she? You want daddy that bad, huh?” He taunts, pulling your panties to the side in a lewd attempt to expose your cunt. He spits on his fingers before slipping one inside – not that he would need any with how much you’re dripping for him.

His thick finger is about a knuckle deep and he can already notice how tight you are. “Fuck, baby. Are you a virgin?” You look up at him with wide eyes, nodding. He leans down to give you another kiss. “Perfect.”

He is gently fucking you with his finger, trying to loosen your tight hole a bit. He inserts another finger, feeling you stretch to accommodate him. “You’re doing great, sweetheart.” He purrs as he picks up speed, drilling into your cunt with ferocity. His other hand moves to your core, before his thumb flicks over your clit.

He rubs your button, watching as you make the sweetest faces and the cutest noises. He draws circles around it, causing your hips to buck forward as he continues to fingerfuck your hole. He’s watching you intently, studying everything about you and taking you in.

Any pain or discomfort you felt while he was stretching you quickly disappeared and was replaced by mind numbing pleasure, bringing you closer and closer to the edge. His skilled fingers played your body like an instrument, every movement perfect in its speed, angle, and intensity.

“Who’s my good little girl?” He asks you, expecting an answer while looking down at your already fucked out face.

“I am, daddy!” You answer back, not wasting any time. His fingers curl inside of you, pushing a moan out of you.

His hand on your clit pulls away to lift your chin. “You’re what? Answer me fully, slut.” He says as he spits in your mouth. “Swallow it like a good girl, then answer me properly.”

You do as you’re told. “I’m your good girl, daddy.” He smirks at this, before resuming his touch on your clit. His fingers inside of you hit your sweet spot, pushing you over the edge and causing you to tighten around him.

“Is my slutty little girl gonna cum for me? Yeah? It’s that good already?” His words do nothing but edge you on, forcing you to cum harder than you ever have.

You’re panting by the end of it, already dazed at how amazing it felt. But Toji is just getting started. He pulls down the waist band of his pants, with his briefs following right after. His cock springs free from its confinement. He groans as the cold air touches it.

Normally he’d need more foreplay, but playing with your body and the taboo of the situation were more than enough to make his cock leak precum, anxiously awaiting your cunt. “Daddy has been waiting for this… be a good girl and show him that you love him, doll.”

He wastes no time in pushing the head of his cock against your entrance, spitting on his cock before slipping inside. The tip alone is enough to stretch you beyond what you thought were your limits. Despite the size, he makes sure to take his time for you to get used to it. He can tell it hurts with the tears that are forming. He leans down to place a gentle kiss on you, caressing your cheek as he pushes his large cock ever so deeper inside.

“You’re taking it so well already, sweetheart. It’s like you’re made for me.” He groans as he feels you relax around him. He’s about halfway in now. “I know what you and Megs did….” Your eyes grow wide at his comment. “It’s okay, princess, I know you’re a little whore who can’t get enough. I’m just glad I get to be the first to fill you.” He grins as he forces the rest of his thick cock inside. “It’s almost like you were waiting for me, huh? My little girl, so patient for her daddy…” He coos.

The pain slowly subsides, albeit not completely. You’re too heated in the moment to care about the pain as he quickly picks up pace, pulling out and slamming back in. You whimper every time, only driving Toji wilder with how perfect you are for him.

He starts to ram into your tight cunt as he reaches over and places a hand around your neck. He grips it tightly, enough to put pressure but not completely block airflow. “Such a good fucking toy… take it like a good girl, yeah?” He purrs, bruising your womb with the tip of his cock. He releases his grip on your neck after a few moments, letting you catch your breath again.

Toji fucks you faster, groaning at the tightness of your walls. He pulls your legs up to his shoulders as he presses deeper into you, matching your out of breath state. He’s drilling into you, chasing his own end as he feels your walls tighten around him. “Gonna cum again, darling. Such a dirty girl.”

He reaches his hand to your chin again. “Open,” he commands as he spits into your mouth. “Good girl.” His dominance delivers you your second orgasm of the day, and Toji feels your body tense up as you do so. “Fuuuuck baby, it’s like your cunt is trying to milk my cock-“ He can barely finish his sentence as he feels his cum come gushing out. You feel your walls being painted white, getting filled up with his cum.

“Such a good girl,” he praises. “Are you on the pill?” You nod. He probably should have asked that first, but who cares, certainly not you in your fucked out state. He kisses you again before pulling out and and pushing your panties back in place. “Try not to spill any, doll. And just so you know, I don’t mind if my little girl wants to play with Megs. As long as you remember that you belong to Daddy at the end of the day, you can have as much fun as you’d like, doll.”

--

‹𝟹 notes: ch 5 soon! lmk what y'all think!! feedback is always appreciated <3

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‹𝟹 notifs: @vvxxccaa @arylaa @starshipxoxo

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(･ω･)つ divider creds to @/cafekitsune and @/eloquentreverie

[lowkeyremi]

I found you (Yazukza Eren J x fem!reader)

Basically, you've been messing w his yakuza group anonymously, n he finally finds you (why did i think of the "me when i fucking get you" meme)

Content: Angst, eren's a bitch, suggestive, kidnapping, language, cocky-ish reader, a lil fluff, plot twist btwn u n eren

Oml this prob the darkest thing I've written

banner by: cafekitsune

It hurt to open your eyes, so here you are in this dark environment; more specifically a cold floor. There's a blindfold over your eyes, not that it matters because once again it hurts to open your eyes.

The smell of mold is so powerful that it's the only thing you take note of. Where the fuck are you? You aren't even sure how long you've been— where ever this is.

Creak, thump, thump, thump. That tiny voice was telling you to pick your head up because someone is coming, the louder voice was reminding you that you answer to no one so you will not pick your head up.

The blindfold was removed and you let out a groan. The light hitting your eyelids already feels bad enough, opening your eyes is going to be a pain in the ass.

"Open your eyes." A soft spoken voice commands. You do so out of curiosity, and boy, are your findings humorous.

"I refuse to believe I was kidnapped by a thin, blond, boy such as yourself." You attack him with your words. Those baby blues widen, the blond smiles maliciously.

"I didn't kidnap you, my friend did. I'm just here to get answers from you." The blond runs his hand through his short hair.

"So you're supposed to torture me? How cute." He only has shown enthusiasm to your behavior, which pissed you off a little.

"Precisely, I may not seem all that scary but I know how to get answers from people." He say intimidatingly.

You say nothing in return because you don't believe him at all.

"F/n, L/n, is it? That little sister of yours is very pretty. Wonder what would happen if I sent some guys-"

"My sister is more than capable of kicking ass, she learned from the best." You imply yourself as the best.

You're twenty-three while your sister is twenty. She's learned self defense and offense attacks in case of an emergency.

"Interesting, most people crack when a family member's life is at stake." He grins.

You are a little bit worried, but you know your sister better than anyone. She can handle anything thrown at her.

Armin, you learn, keeps asking questions, trying to get information out of you.

"You might want to just tell me because my buddy Connie isn't as nice as I am." He threatens.

"Let's hope he doesn't hit like a sissy." You respond.

Armin laughs like he's crazy. Then once again asked, "why have you been stealing our shipments and sabotaging our missions?" His voice no longer held any softness it had earlier.

"Like I said the last time, because I wanted to." A smirk creeped onto your face. Armin was getting impatient with you and your annoying back and forth with him.

He clicks the little earpiece and starts talking, "should I send in Connie or Mikasa? She's refusing to cooperate."

He was silent while the person on the other end spoke.

"Oh... alright I'll wait for you to arrive." Armin smirks at you an evil look in his eyes.

"You've done it now, have fun speaking to him." Armin crosses his arms and begins to whistle.

Excitement flows throughout your body, who are you going to encounter next?

Within a few minutes a man with long brown hair, emerald green eyes, and a well fitted suit walks in with a woman who has short black hair and a red scarf, the other man has a growing buzz cut and a nasty scowl on his face.

"It still surprises me that one woman has been able to cause so much chaos in my group." His velvet voice shook your soul.

"Never underestimate a woman, Eren." The black haired girl speaks, she has the voice of an angel.

"You can go Armin, thanks for the help." The brunnette dismisses him.

"Of course, if you need anything I'm in the main building." Armin smiled at you as he walked out, it was more of a childish 'you're in trouble now' kind of smile.

"Do I look familiar to you?" Eren asks.

You knew an Eren when you were a young girl, that was a long time ago. This man doesn't look the Eren you knew.

"No, am I supposed to recognize you?" Eren looks at your chained arms and he chuckles.

"You should recognize me, does 'Eren's famous mud pies' ring any bells?" He asks folding his big bulky arms.

"I didn't want to believe it was you." Is all you say sighing.

"What was your reasoning, if you didn't know I was the head of this group?" When Eren had found out his childhood crush was antagonizing him, he thought that you were trying to get his attention.

"Your father." Eren's eyes widened.

"My father?" He asks.

"Yeah, at first I thought he just didn't like my family. Recently though, from the test results it turns out he killed my father and once attempted to murder me in my sleep. I was only returning the favor. Seems the old geezer retired and put you in his place to save his ass." Before Eren could respond Connie spoke up.

"How do we know she isn't lying?" He asks.

"That would be a very sick thing to lie about." Mikasa counters.

"So Dad wasn't lying about that..." Eren whispers more to himself than to anyone in particular. You hear it anyway and your eyes squint.

"You knew?" Betrayal starts to seep through your body, even if you haven't seen Eren in a long time he was still somebody you used to trust your life with.

"Well yeah, but when he confessed it sounded too ridiculous to be true but now that I know it's true, I'm angry. I can't believe he tried to fucking kill you." The look on his face is lethal. You understand his anger but it makes you upset that he's more concerned about you than the fact that Grisha killed your father.

"It doesn't matter to you that he killed my dad?" Venom is laced in your voice, Eren's emerald eyes flicker your way and they soften for a moment.

"That's not what I meant. Of course I'm mad he killed your father. I'm... I just- I'm pissed he tried to kill the girl he knows I love! Even if that bastard is my father, he's going to pay." Eren blurts his love confession to you and everyone else is shocked, including you.

"Love? Eren what the actually fuck? Why didn't we know about this?! I thought we were like family!" Connie shouts he sounds more betrayed than angry.

"Yeah Eren, what the hell? Saying you love me won't bring my dad back." You're smug now, it hurts thinking about him but you won't cry, especially not in front of the son of the man who killed him. That would only make his death more pitiful.

"You can't seriously be implying you don't feel the same way." Eren's voice holds none of that comfort from earlier.

"Eren, don't do this. Not everything will go your way." Mikasa reminds him calmly.

"I wasn't fucking talking to you Mikasa! Answer the damn question!" He screams at you.

It seems he's the same as he's always been, your little maniac.

"Eren you are so pathetic, why obsess over someone like me?" His hands ball up into fists and it looks like he might bust a vein.

"Quit stalling, you can't tell me you don't love me after all those years we spent together." Connie grips his shoulder, but it does nothing to ground Eren because he's lunging at you in rage.

"No Eren, I don't love you. How could I? You and your asshole father can rot in hell." You're lying straight to his face, you want nothing more than to kiss him right now. It's not possible, maybe in another life where your father is still breathing.

Mikasa and Connie use all their strength to pull him back. You watch as they escort the love of your life out of the basement. He's screaming and cursing at you. The only thing you seem to tune into is, "This isn't over! I know you love me! You can't punish me for something I didn't do! I still love you." The last part was spoken quietly.

Your heart was beating loudly in your chest from everything going on. When he's out of sight, you mouth, "I love you too."

pt 2??? maybe?????

[the-queen-and-the-king]

3-Eager

Summary: Emily is back in America, Doyle has been killed and she is now free to knock on Aaron's door after three month without seeing each other.

Characters: Aaron Hotchner x Emily Prentiss (+ Jack and Jessica)

Contents: a tiny bit of angst, but it's most of all smut with plot. MINORS DNI/NSFW.

This text is a part of a "What if?" self-challenge named: Seven days only. The pitch is: "What if Aaron discovered all by himself that Emily was sent to France when she was under witness protection and decided to tell her the truth about his feelings for her?" I limited myself to seven texts for this AU in a nutshell. Hope you'll like it. :)

PS : English is not my mother language so they are necessarily mistakes. Sorry about that.

___

When the doorbell rang at dusk, Aaron frowned. But a smile stretched his lips as he caught sight of the figure in the peephole. Unlocking the door, he opened it to his surprised guest. Her expression of joy at seeing him was echoed on his angular face, and they dispensed with words. He stepped out of the way and, with a wave of his arm, welcomed her home.

“Emily! Exclaimed Jack jumping up from his chair. You’re back from your trip!”

He rushed towards her, hair blowing in the wind, and she knelt down to embrace him. The little boy was as delighted as his father to see her again, but undeniably not for the same reasons. The day before, the whole situation that had led to the young woman's forced exile had come to an end. She had set foot back on American soil to complete the file she had been dragging like a ball and chain for too long. Aaron was also back in the homeland after a tumultuous stint in Pakistan with the Army. The two had exchanged a look that spoke volumes of the relief they felt but had gone no further. In the evening, overcome by jet lag, the director returned to his home, gave his son – who had also missed him – an interminable cuddle and then collapsed into bed until the next day.

Emily had struggled to keep her eyes open at the party thrown in her honor before abdicating to crawl into her sheets. Professional, they attacked the next day like any other working day. With the exception that they were dying to talk face-to-face and that he had to spend all his time at headquarters in Washington DC to report on his mission to the higher-ups. When she didn't see him reappear after six o'clock, she decided to make an unexpected visit.

“When did you get back?” asked Jack with a burst of enthusiasm.

“Two days ago,” she replied, touched by the warm welcome.

The child worshipped the BAU profilers as demigods and was always very enthusiastic when he came across them. But she certainly wasn't expecting such an outpouring of energy. And she doubted he'd be so affectionate when he found out why she was here.

“Where were you? What did you do? Did you take pictures?” He continued, barely breathing between questions.

“Jack, calm down. At least let Emily say hi to Jessica.”

She only noticed the presence of Aaron's ex-sister-in-law. It was she who had taken care of the toddler during his father's absence. His resemblance to Haley was as striking as on the day they first met, and Emily wondered how he managed not to see it. He had assured her that there was nothing more than friendship between him and her – and she believed him – and Jessica had always been very gracious to her. But the ambassador's daughter feared that their relationship would become more complex as soon as she realized that she and the giant shared more than just a professional bond.

“Good evening, Emily,” she greeted her with a smile.

“Good evening, Jessica, she said, trying to relax. Sorry to drop in unannounced, but I... I had something to say to Hotch. Aaron, I mean.”

The latter turned his gaze on her, clearly surprised. She felt like telling him to use his brain, as the father of the family could easily be both very intelligent and very stupid. He went from the second state to the first when he realized it was just a pretext. What his neurons envisaged for the rest of the evening triggered a reaction in his body that he had to counteract quickly by thinking of something else.

“I guess you two need to be alone, then,” deduced Jack's aunt in a tone that electrified Emily.

She was suspicious.

“Oh, I don't want to chase you away, asserted the federal agent. If… if you need to say something to Aaron or… if you want to stay a little, it… it’s okay. I… It can wait.”

“Everything’s fine. I have an obligation somewhere else.”

“Is it true? She reacted, too cheerfully. O… okay. I… Have a nice evening.”

“You too. See you on Monday, sweetheart,” she said, crouching down to take Jack in her arms.

“See you Monday, Jess!” he said, giving her cheek a long kiss.

“Have a good weekend, Aaron,” she continued, rising to her feet.

“Have a good weekend, Jess. And thanks again.”

“You’re welcome. Good evening, Emily.”

“Good evening, Jessica.”

After giving her one last suspicious glance, Haley's sister left the premises. The profiler could feel her heart beating beneath her skull. She turned her attention back to the two boys, and it was clear to her that they hadn't noticed a thing. Aaron smiled at her, and all her anxiety vanished. She narrowly avoided jumping on him to kiss him.

“Dad! Is Emily staying for dinner?”

“I don’t know. Ask her.”

“Emily, are you eating with us tonight?” he asked, his eyes full of stars.

A flush of warmth invaded her.

“If you want to, yes.”

“Yes! I want! He shouted, ecstatic. And afterwards, would you like to see the movie with us? Because I want to!”

“Well, it seems to be a good idea.”

“Yeah! Exclaimed the youngster, overjoyed. Did you hear that, Dad? She stays to eat and to see the movie.”

“Yes, I heard,” confirmed his father, his gaze fixed on his guest.

He wanted to ask her a question, but his instincts told him he already knew the answer. He was looking forward to this part of the evening. In the meantime, they dined in the kitchen – a dish prepared by Aaron's mother –, their irises constantly crossing as Jack gushed about his adventures, extraordinary from the height of his five-and-a-half years. Emily had to control herself to avoid playing footsie with the agency manager under the table, as a preamble to what was to come. But after settling down on the sofa, with the kid between them, they took advantage of the fact that he was so absorbed in his cartoon – almost falling off the sofa – to take each other by the hand. A seemingly innocuous contact that excited them far more than it should have.

Three months. It had been three months since they'd last seen each other, and this was having an impact on the way their bodies behaved. The slightest touch, the slightest breath, the slightest eye contact fanned the fire in their innards. Snatches of memories of their lovemaking surreptitiously returned to their minds, fueling the furnace of their desire. They were starving. At that moment, they would have given anything just to feel each other's skin again, its smell, its taste, its warmth, its moisture. They wanted to become one again, which was impossible as long as Jack was awake.

With the film over, Emily watched the entire bedtime ritual from afar, impressed by Aaron's apparent calmness given the night's schedule. She spun like a caged lioness in the living room, her heart pounding against her sternum. In the boy's room, the profiler watched his son’s attitude out of the corner of his eye. He hoped to see his eyelids flutter and his shoulders gradually slacken, clear signs that he was falling asleep. But this was a new story, and his descendant was more attentive than ever to the sound of his voice. The man guessed that his visitor was getting impatient in the other room, as he himself wanted to join her as soon as possible. Knowing she was so close, yet so far away, altered his diction, and he had to gather his strength not to let anything of what he was feeling show. His listener was a walking emotion detector, and anything that intrigued him. However, fatigue eventually got the better of his desire to hear the rest of the story, and his eyes gradually closed.

Emily jumped to her feet when she heard a floorboard creak at the end of the corridor. Aaron gently closed the door behind him as the young woman looked on. Feverishly, she waited for him to approach at last, a smile frozen on her lips. Without making a sound, the tenant of the premises took the steps that separated them, and she whispered:

“He’s sleeping?”

“Yes. Or he’s a very good pretender.”

She held back a burst of laughter.

“Do you still have something to tell me?” he asked, with a grin that she now well recognized.

“More than ever,” she confirmed, a mischievous expression forming on her red face.

“… Wait for me in the bedroom, I have to turn off all the lights and close the door.”

A sudden impulse crossed Emily’s chest. For half a second, she wanted to press him up against the wall to capture the mouth she'd been dreaming of for months.

“Don't take too long,” she said instead, backing up to the threshold of the master bedroom.

Aaron obeyed. He hurriedly flipped all the apartment's switches after locking the only access point. His excitement reached such proportions that he had difficulty walking normally. However, he did what was necessary to avoid waking his son by returning to the corridor and joining his lover. Well, if she still was. Nearly ninety days had passed since their last romp, and her feelings may have changed. A part of him chastised him for believing such nonsense – shouting that all the signs were there to prove him wrong – but another reminded him that reading the behavior of normal people was not his strong point.

Emily stood between the bed and the front door, stiff as a board. She had just taken the initiative of removing her shoes. She watched her host gently push the door open until she heard the discreet click of the latch. Then he turned to her and stepped closer. She felt like she was on the verge of a heart attack.

“What did you have to tell me?”

The idea of hitting him to teach him how to be such an idiot popped into her head, but a more burning desire immediately annihilated it. She caught the titan's face in her hands and kissed him fiercely. He answered in an instant, holding her close and mingling his tongue with hers. She stepped aside:

“Make love to me.”

She took his lips again, the time for a heartbeat, and blew.

“Make love to me, Aaron.”

They shared another kiss, then he replied:

“At your service.”

In two steps, she was lying on the mattress, and in less than two minutes, all their clothes were strewn around them. He slipped his fingers between her thighs and realized there wasn't much more he could do. His partner was ready to receive him, exactly as she had suggested. He lay on top of her to kiss her and entered her not without some trepidation. He prayed inwardly to live up to her expectations. For her part, Emily bit her lips as she felt Aaron's extremity insinuate itself into her vagina after having to make do with her only souvenir for so long. Their muscle memory soon overcame their ability to cogitate, and their bodies began to move in unison, as they had done during the last days of that torrid week.

Hands clutching pillowcases, Elizabeth Prentiss's daughter, eyelids closed and mouth open, took in the waves of pleasure that rose from her lower abdomen, shook her organs, rolled under her ribs, and overwhelmed her brain. Jaws clenched in exertion, the BAU director strode energetically back and forth, repressing his urge to surrender to the intoxicating sensation that would reward him at the end of the road. He had to hold on no matter what, even though he was struggling to catch his breath; even though his arms were trembling under his own weight; even though his heart was threatening to break. After three months without any contact, he couldn't disappoint her by giving up the first.

Emily gave Aaron the encouragement he needed as she closed in around him. She was on the verge of the ultimate orgasm and knew that these last movements would require more concentration than ever from her lover. He wished to come inside her and that's all she wanted, but she desired to enjoy it as much as he did. More, she mused, emitting a whine louder than the previous ones. More, she reiterated, clinging to her benefactor's sweaty shoulders. More, she thought as she blurted out his first name. His pelvis collided with hers and fireworks exploded in her lower abdomen. The blast swept away all her thoughts and drew a mute cry from her. A warm surge spread through the hollow of her loins, Aaron finally surrendering after this hard battle with himself.

She pulled him to her breast before he moved away and kissed him again and again to show her admiration. He finally lay down beside her and they exchanged a long kiss, as tender and affectionate as a kiss between two lovers separated for too long.

“I imagine you'll want to sleep here,” he surmised as they resumed normal breathing.

“Stay for the night, yes. Sleep… not yet,” she stressed, meeting his gaze.

Aaron smiled and placed his lips on Emily's. One of his hands began its exploration of the hills and valleys of his accomplice's anatomy. He got the message perfectly.

___

Hope you've enjoyed your trip! :D

Next >>

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi lovely! I was wondering if you have any fics where Sherlock buys John gifts? Maybe a new coat or something adorable and thoughtful? Anything really! Gift giving is my love language so would love to see it with my favourite couple!

Hey Lovely!

AHH it's mine too! I love making people happy, so it hits right, hahah :)

Ah, ones I can immediately think of:

Sibling Rivalry Or Fighting Over John Watson By Jessa7 (T, 8,085 w., 1 Ch. || Romance / Humour) – Mycroft is just as much of a genius as Sherlock is. He keeps randomly kidnapping John for chats, and the locations get better. Cue Sherlock’s younger sibling complex rearing up and jealousy ensues.

The Devil You Know by PipMer (T, 9,300 w., 1 Ch. || Jealous Sherlock, Romance, Friends to Lovers)- Mycroft flirts with John. Sherlock gets jealous. John’s just along for the ride.

Licence to Kiss by fellshish (T, 13,739 w., 4 Ch. || Post-ASIB, Sort-Of Bondlock, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, Angst and Humour, Bed Sharing) – Sherlock loves John, and John loves... James Bond. He only made Sherlock watch every single film. Tedious. And now John's birthday is coming up. Sherlock can't tell him how he feels, but he can organise an amazing gift: John's very own spy adventure. Sherlock begs Mycroft for a real case with some extra gadgets. And perhaps some actors pretending to be criminals. What could possibly go wrong?

Our Enthusiasms Which Cannot Always Be Explained by withoutawish (M, 32,961 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Post-TRF, Case Fic, Mild Gore, Sherlock Whump) – The list that is tacked haphazardly on the refrigerator of 221B reads, ‘Kidney(s), and/or a full cadaver (preferably male, late 30s, under six feet tall), bag of fresh toes, sixteen cow’s eyes (corneas retained), dual exhaust hand –held flame thrower, an unopened first edition copy of Joseph Conrad’s 'Heart of Darkness', and no less than ten abhorrently gruesome murders in the upcoming month.” The one neatly hanging next to it simply reads, “Sex.” One of these lists is not John Watson’s. If John Watson were to put what he really wanted in list form, to live in a land somewhere beyond ‘almosts' now that Sherlock Holmes has indeed returned to him, he would never be able to look his flatmate in the eye ever again.

The Wedding Garments by cwb (E, 105,390 w., 36 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Alternate Future AU || Alternate First Meeting, Dating / Arranged Marriages, Romance, First Kiss/Time, Heavy Petting, Cuddles, POV Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn / Falling in Love / Dev. Rel., Nervous/Anxious Sherlock, Jealous/Cranky Sherlock, Hiking, Vacation Homes / Honeymoon, Sherlock’s Family, Horny John/Sherlock, Patient John, Massages, Hand Jobs, Assassination Plots, Oral Sex, Case Fic, Emotional Love Making, Bath Time Fun) – This is the story of a young consulting detective who wants nothing to do with marriage and an army doctor who wants to find true love. It's 2020 post-Brexit England and the British government is encouraging arranged marriages. Candidates meet through state-run agencies and date in hopes of finding love (and tax benefits). Sherlock doesn't need or want a spouse, at least not until John Watson shows up. Hesitant to give in to his more carnal urges because of the way they derail his mind, how will Sherlock progress toward the more intimate aspects of a relationship? The answer lies in a very special wedding gift.

------

Ah, you can also probably check out these few lists that will obviously have gift giving:

Christmas Fics (Dec. 2017)

Christmas: Oblivious That One or The Other is In a Relationship

Christmas 2019 Part 1 (All Bookmarks XMas and New Years)

Christmas 2019 Part 2 (Marked for Later)

G / T / K+ Rated Christmas Fics (Dec. 2018) (Updated Dec 2021)

Community Recs: Christmas 2020 (Updated Dec 2021)

Birthdays

I know I'm missing a TONNE MORE, and I know I've read some and can't remember what they're called... so if anyone can add some more, please do, because I would love to add them here!

[girl-next-door-writes]

Of course I have some Eddie for my dear friend @fandom-princess-forevermore under the cut.

A: Aftercare, B: Body Part, E: Experience, F: Favourite Position, I: Intimacy, K: Kink, N: No and W: Wild Card

A: Aftercare; what they're like after sex.

Eddie would like to be the perfect gentleman, he really, truly would, but he has just put everything he had into what you just did and you're lucky if he has enough energy to roll off you. In his head, he would help you clean up, whisper sweet nothings, tell you how wonderful you are and how amazing what you just did was, but the reality is him just pulling you close and mumbling incoherent sounds as he drifts off to sleep.

B: Body Part; their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner's.

Although he quite likes his hair, Eddie's favourite body part is his fingers. They are expressive and dexterous and he can play you almost as well as he can play his guitar. Yeah, he is incredibly proud of what his expert fingers can accomplish.

When asked what his favourite body part of his significant other's is, he will grin cheekily and say 'have you seen that ass'? But in reality, he thinks the best bit about you is your lips. You can make him weak with just a smile, can make him ache with a soft pout. His gaze often lands on your lips and sends his mind racing to create a whole load of incredibly filthy scenarios.

E: Experience; how experienced are they? Do they know what they are doing?

What this boy lacks in experience he makes up with enthusiasm. He may not have had many sexual partners, but he is a kinaesthetic learner so he takes every opportunity to get some practical experience in. He takes his time to plot out what gives you the most pleasure with the precision of one of his DnD campaigns and boy does that attention to detail pay off.

F: Favourite Position; this goes without saying.

Eddie is absolutely feral for you on top. In this position his hands are free to explore your body and being able to look up and watch you take charge, knowing you want this as much as he does, it blows his mind. There are times he still can't believe you are with him, so being able to take you in from this position is like a dream come true each and every time.

I: Intimacy; how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect.

The only time this boy breaks eye-contact is when his lips are trailing over your skin. He is a hopeless romantic and that side of him definitely comes out when he is between your thighs and buried deep inside you. Holding your hip with one hand as his other caresses your thigh, his forehead pressed to yours, his gaze a little cross-eyed due to the close proximity as the tip of his nose grazes yours, soft, sweet words of adoration falling from him as he makes sure you are enjoying this as much as he is. Eddie really is so soft for you in all the best ways.

K: Kink; one or more of their kinks.

Eddie is definitely down for a bit of roleplay. He is a dramatic fuck anyway, but if you showed up dressed as an elven princess, asking to be rescued by the big brave hero, well... honestly he is gonna be lost for words and then have a mad scramble to get into character, but the idea that the two of you would end up together in alternate universes where you were the Arwen to his Aragorn, that really gets him in a way nothing else does.

N: No; something they wouldn't do, turn offs.

Pain is a nope, he's also not keen on degradation. The poor boy has been through some shit in his life and the last thing he wants in an intimate moment of passion between the two of you, is a flashback to some childhood trauma he's managed to keep buried.

W: Wild Card; a random headcanon for the character.

It takes a while before Eddie finally seals the deal. It isn't that he doesn't want to, hell no! It's that he wants it to be special for you and, try as he might, he doesn't think his stained mattress in his uncle's trailer is the romantic setting you deserve. Neither is the back of his van. In fact, he spends quite a bit of time saving up so he can get a hotel room. Not some dingy motel room, no, he wants to really make the effort, even if that means waiting a little longer as he scrapes the money together.

[boomboombakugou]

can i request like shoto, bakugou, and midoriya meeting their girlfriend’s ex boyfriend. but like she’s still good friends with him. i wanna see some jealous bakugou 🤗 sorry if this doesn’t make sense ,:)

this is so fun omg

Big 3’s Reactions to Meeting Your Ex that You’re Still Friends With

Pairs: Midoriya x Reader, Bakugou x Reader, Todoroki x Reader

Warnings: swearing

~Izuku Midoriya~

Midoriya loves going out. Going shopping with you, going to the movies with you, going to get food with you. He says that you already spend so much time at UA, so going out is fun.

You don’t mind. You just love spending time with him. He heard about this new ice cream place opening up just a few blocks away. You guys planned to walk their after school.

“I heard they have like cotton candy flavor. Which sounds kinda gross, but people have different tastes.” He blabbed the whole way there. He always sounded so anxious yet excited about everything. His voice is one of your favorite things around him.

You get to the building and hear a family voice, “Y/N? Oh my god- Y/N is that you?” You turn around and see him. Kai. You’re ex boyfriend from before you even went to UA.

You guys also dated a while, while you attended, but the distance became too much and it just didn’t work out. You remained friends because you had been friends for so long before that, and you wouldn’t let this ruin it.

You had told Kai about how you and Midoriya were planning to come here, but that’s all you did. You just told him. You didn’t invite him or anything.

“What are you doing here?” You ask confused. He claims he was just “passing by” but he lives nowhere near here. You’ve known him long enough to know when he was lying and he was.

Deku asks who he is. He seems more excited than he does worried tho. You explain to him that Kai is just a childhood friend who you still keep in touch with sometimes.

Kai wraps his arm around your shoulder, “And ex boyfriend. Yeah we had a thing. We were each others first loves.” He says giddily. You sigh and scoot away, causing his arms to drop.

You saw Midoriya’s face drop, but it quickly went back to a smile. He was faking it. “O-oh. That’s nice! And you guys still keep in touch? Wow that- that’s nice. How coincidental that you’re here too.” He squeaks out, hand scratching his neck.

You stand uncomfortably. Kai is just smiling and not giving a single care in the world about how awkward he just made things. “Come on! We’re here to get ice cream right!” He says, ignoring Midoriya but inviting him at the same time.

You stay back and try to tell Kai that you don’t want to. This was your special time with Midoriya. Midoriya widens his fake smile, “No! It’s fine. Let’s go. Y- you guys can uh- you can catch up! I don’t uh.. and I third wheeling or? We could all three go in.” You knew he didn’t want to. He was so uncomfortable, but he just didn’t want to dismiss your old childhood friend because he doesn’t want to make you sad.

You sigh as Kai grabs your arm and drags you into the shop. Midoriya following behind. You order your stuff and sit down at a table.

Midoriya tries to speak first but Kai overlaps him, “So you guys are dating? Weird. I never saw you to end up with the... you know- him, type” Midoriya laughed. Awkwardly.

“W- what’s the me type?” He tried to make it seem like he was joking, but you could tell he was genuinely curious and worried.

When you and Kai were dating, you would always talk about how you could never date a “nice guy” or a “good guy.” You didn’t use to want to be a hero. In reality though, Midoriya is your perfect match. You don’t want to be with guys who can’t take anything serious or are super selfish. You love that Midoriya wants to help people. He inspires you.

“Oh you know.. crybabies. ‘I wanna be a hero’ type beat.” Kai mocked. He squeezed your eyes tight. Why did he have to show up. Midoriya’s eyes dimmed, “Oh.... yeah. Haha.”

You looked at your phone and pretended to be shocked, “Oh! Wow would you look at that. Momo just texted me. Special hero training starting in 5 minutes. Gotta go. Come on Izuku.” He looked confused because he knew you didn’t have anything to do today, but complied without question.

You didn’t even say goodbye to Kai. You just left in a hurry.

The walk back was silent. His enthusiasm was gone. “Izuku. I’m so sorry about Kai. The whole crybaby thing was so unnecessary. I don’t know why he showed up. I’ll stop talking to him.” You said softly.

He half smiled, “No it’s okay. That’s your friend. I don’t wanna ruin your friendship. You’ve known him longer than me.” You could hear the pain in his voice on the last line.

He sighed and took out your phone.

• Y/N: don’t ever talk ab Izuku like that again. Don’t contact me anymore xoxo

And just like that, you blocked him. Midoriya protested but you assured him that it wasn’t his fault. Kai was problematic and you didn’t want him in your life anyway. This was just the last straw.

“We can go back tomorrow. Maybe I’ll try cotton candy.” You say as you get back to the campus.

~Katsuki Bakugou~

UA was hosting a little “party” for any students who were interested in attending next year. As the spotlight class of the year, Class 1-A was assigned to the welcoming booths.

Luckily, You got paired up with Bakugou. He didn’t want to do it at all, but was less mad when he found out you guys would be together.

Basically all you had to do was greet the people and answer any questions they had. Pretty boring, but you didn’t mind. You liked new people.

After like 20 minutes of greeting and answering, you heard your name being my called. A fingers got closer and closer in the distance and the voice got louder.

“Hey Y/N. I was looking all around for you.” He said out of breath. You were confused, “Kian? What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were thinking of applying here.” Bakugou stared at both of you. He looked so annoyed.

Before he could even respond, Bakugou interrupted, “Who are you?” he always sounded so intimidated. Kian wasn’t easily intimidated tho. He always stood there with a goofy smile like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“I am Y/N’s ex boyfriend. We had a pretty big thing. Each other’s first loves. Whatever, no biggie. Don’t be getting all sweaty by my presence.” Kian said, leaning into the booth.

Bakugou scoffed, “Nothing about you makes me nervous. Run along.” Kian laughed and said he had questions about the school. You rubbed your forehead. You could tell when he was plotting something. And he was.

Bakugou gave him a blank glare. “So... who was that guy they chained up that the sports festival? I got second hand embarrassment through the screen. Weird-o.” Kai mocked.

You could feel Bakugou getting warmer next to you. “Katsuki. Please just-” You started.

Kian cut you off, “Oh! This is Katsuki? Bakugou? Yikes Y/N. What a downgrade. How are you not embarrassed walking around with him?” He always made things seem like a joke

Shut your fucking mouth extra! Don’t call me Katsuki! You’re nothing, but an insignificant speck in society! Talk to me when you’re a real fucking hero.” Bakugou snapped.

Kian backed up in fake intimidation. “Woah calm down boom boom boy. The Leauge of Villians might here and kidnap you again.” He said.

You could hear, see, feel, and TASTE bakugou’s anger rising. He grabbed the guy by his collar and shoved him against the wall, “I’ll blow your ass into shreads if you say one more fucking word to me or my girlfriend. I’m not afraid to kill you.”

You knew he wasn’t. All Kian did was smile, but he was scared. You could tell.

Bakugou’s hands lit up red. He was still holding the boy.

“What the hell!” Bakugou yelled as his quirk was erased. There Mr. Aizawa stood. On the other side of the room. You slapped your hands over your face in embarrassment.

Kian looked over at you with as he faked holding in a laugh. “Bakugou. Go to your dorm.” He dropped Kian, slightly throwing him, and stormed off. Kian was on the floor, still with the goofy expression.

“Tough crowd?” He tried. You rolled your eyes and ignored him then tailed bakugou back to his room.

You didn’t bother to knock, but Bakugou didn’t acknowledge you as you walked in. You say beside him on the bed quietly.

“Why the hell are you still talking to him? I could beat his ass in 5 second if i wanted to.” He yelled breaking the silence.

You sighed, “He’s... I don’t know what’s wrong with him. I’m never gonna talk to him again after this. What an ass.” Bakugou looked at you. He was angry, but also relieved that you weren’t still in love with Kian.

He asked why you never told him about Kian since he was your “first love.” You didn’t answer for a while, trying to come up with the proper response.

“Why would I? You’re the one in my life now. You’re the one I’m with and the only one I want to be with. He’s not important. The only reason we still talked was because we were childhood friends. In all honesty though, I’ve wanted to cut ties with him for a while. This is a perfcet ending.”

Bakugou scoffed again, “If you say so. I could totally kill him if I wanted to.”

“Yes you could.” You responded.

~Shoto Todoroki~

You and Todoroki were out shopping for snacks for a little end of semester party. He was assigned to get it, but he didn’t know what everyone liked, so he asked you to come.

Right as you were about to check out, you heard a voice call him. “Yo! Are you Endeavor’s son?” The voice called, as it got closer.

“I am Shoto Todoroki. Son of En-” He started, but the boy gasped. “Y/N! Along time no see.” It was Shoyo (ironic right?), your old childhood friend/ ex boyfriend.

You checked in on eachother maybe once or twice a month. You hadn’t told him about you and Todoroki. He knew you were in the same class, but not that you were dating.

“Wow! You never told me you were friends with Endeavor’s son.” Shoya exclaimed. “I am Shoto Todoroki; Son of Endeavor. Please refer to me as Shoto Todoroki though. I’ve pacing my own path.” He finished.

Shoyo’s eyes widened in amusement as he laughed at him. Truth is, you didn’t really like Shoyo. You had a good time in the past, but now you just found him annoying and you were pretty sure he still liked you.

“Okay, come on babe. It was nice seeing you Shoyo.” You tried to move along, but he stopped you guys. “Woah! ‘babe? You guys are dating? Remember when we dated Y/N? Wow. I did not think you’d fall for such a bland guy. Must be in it for the title. You know since he’s Endeavor’s son. Shoto Todoroki.” He said, mocking Todoroki at the end.

Todoroki stood in place. You exhaled heavily. Why did this have to happen right now. “So what’s it like? You know? beint the son of one of the like least friendly heroes ever? Seriously bro- I would never wanna be a hero if my parent was already one. You’re basically set for life already.”

Todoroki stood in silence, thinking of which question to answer first. “I’m not like my father. I want to become a hero for my own reasons. Is this the end of the questioning? We have to get back to school.”

There was a little bit of tone, which you were happy for. Todoroki’s bluntness always made him intimidating for others. Before Shoyo had another chance to speak, you scooted away.

“Oh. Well bye! Tell Endeavor I said hi!” He yelled from behind. Todoroki looked back and glared at him.

(A/N: okay sorry Shoto’s is so like- short and kinda boring. I feel like he wouldn’t really let things get under his skin, and if they did, he wouldn’t blow up or shut down like Katsuki and Deku. Anyways, great request!)

[ambermondy]

Title: Doki Doki Connection

Pairing: Male!Monika x Fem!Reader

Wc: 1170

Art by: MisterZei

Doki Doki Connection Masterlist: 🖋

Main Masterlist: 🍫

Chapter 4

You were uttery confused. If your memory serves you right, Monika—or in this case, Moniko—followed the script until the day of the festival where he's supposed to make a joke, which you did not appreciate, about Satori's death.

"Come sit down, Y/N! We made room for you at the table, so you can sit next to me or Moniko," said Satori with a huge smile on hs face. "I'll get the cupcakes," Satori stated in a sing-song voice.

Naruki quickly stood up from his chair. "Hey! I made them, I'll get them!" He ran to the corner of the room.

Satori laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, I got a little too excited."

Yuri then decided to spoke up. "Then, how about I make some tea as well?" He stood up and walked towards the closet.

I smiled as I watched the three. It feels so different seeing them performing the actions other than reading it from MC's perspective, and just seeing their sprites different emotions, and actions inside a screen.

You turned your head to both Satori and Moniko. Unlike what the original protagonist did, you decided to take the seat next to Moniko.

"It's surprising that you took the seat next to me," he suddenly spoke up.

You quickly turned to him. "H-huh?" You were taken aback by his statement.

He chuckled and leaned closer to you. "I said, it's surprising that you chose me."

You faked a cough and regained your composure. "I didn't know that the club president likes to flirt."

He chuckled and leaned back to his chair. "I'm not flirting," he gave you a smile. "I'm only taking back what's mine." He winked.

Your eyes widened. "What-"

"Okaaay, are you ready?" Naruki cuts your statement off while holding a tray in hand. "Ta-daa!" He cheered.

"Woah!" Satori cheered.

Naruki lifts the foil off the tray to reveal a dozen of blue, fluffy cupcakes decorated to look like little cats. The whiskers are drawn with icing, and little pieces of chocolate were used to make ears.

"So cute!" Satori reached out to get his own cupcakes.

You raised your hand and reached out to Moniko, wanting to ask more about his statement but he quickly stood up, too fast for your own taste, and stated a familiar line from the script.

"I had no idea you were so good at baking, Naruki!" He commented.

He let out a proud laugh. "Well, you know." He motioned to the cupcakes. "Just hurry and take one!"

Satori grabs one first, then Moniko followed.

"It's delicious!" A huge smile is plastered across Satori's face as he took a huge bite off his cupcake.

You stared at Moniko as his eyes lightened up when he took the first bite of his treat. You guessed that he probably knew how it tastes like the back of his hand—considering how the game loops over and over again.

"Hey." You turned your head to Naruki who has his arms crossed out, a frown visible on his lips.

"Hmm?"

"Aren't you going to eat? Don't tell me that I baked all of this for nothing?" He pointed out.

"Oh, right!" You let out a nervous chuckle. "Sorry, something's been bugging my mind since this morning. I'd love to try your cupcakes, Naruki."

He grabbed one cupcake from the tray and handed it to you. "Then go and eat it!"

You mentally rolled your eyes. "Geez, okay." Not wanting to start an early fight with the tsundere, you reached out to take one cupcake and took a bite.

And oh, gods, your mind ran out of words to describe how delicious is it. The way the game's mc describe it can't even do justice on how amazing this cupcake taste!

"I'm not gonna lie, Naruki. This is probably the best desert I've ever tasted in my entire life!" You complimented. "Thank you!"

His cheeks turned red but a proud smile is visible on his face. "W-Why are you thanking me? It's not like I-"

"Made it for me or anything?" you cut off his famous tsundere line. "Yeah, I know!" You chuckled. "It's not like you can predict who's Satori's going to bring, right?"

Naruki's face turned a darker shade of red. "I-I-" he fumbled with his words. "I'm gonna go check on Satori! Hmp!" He pouted and turned away.

You heard a snort next to you and saw Moniko looking at you with pure enthusiasm in his eyes.

"Really?" He mouthed.

You shrugged. "What? I'm only telling the truth."

"Not actually the best thing you can say," he commented.

"But still... it was a good one." You winked.

He chuckled again and pinched your nose. "Uh-huh, but you have got to say, Naruki's cupcakes are amazing."

"Yeah! He probably should join a baking show or something."

"Competition, not show," he corrected.

You rolled your eyes. "Nah, same thing."

He flicked his finger on your forehead. "They're not."

"Hey!" You caressed your forehead that was assaulted by Moniko. "I'm going to report this to the principal, you meanie!"

He laughed hard, his hand holding his stomach. You pouted at the sight of him not taking your threat into consideration.

Suddenly, a thought in your head reminded you of something. "Hey, you're still not spared of your words earlier!"

He stopped laughing, wiping a fake tear on his eyes but his huge grin is still there. "H-huh?"

"The whole-" you copied his voice. "'I'm only taking back what's mine.' thing!" you changed back to your voice and held out a finger.

"First, that was really clichè, no kidding. I practically almost always read that line from every romance novels! If you want to win my heart, then do something original! Second, what's up with that line? There's really something going on with you..." you deducted.

You don't know why, but talking to Moniko felt so normal and comfortable that you just have the urge to open your mouth and say something. It felt so normal to the point that it became a familiar feeling the moment the two of you teased one another.

And looking from an outsider perspective... It's pretty unnerving.

Something just doesn't seemed to add up right... and it scared you.

Moniko gave you a sweet smile. "Original? You want original?" He then leaned down and whispered to your ear.

"Surely hanging out with Sayori really is original, don't you think?"

Your body ran cold at his sentence.

Sayori...

He said Sayori, not Satori!

Your face went pale as the both of you stared at each other, his emerald green eyes held different kind of emotions to the point that you were unable to figure out which is which.

"Y-you-" you were unable to finish you sentence when he turned around to face the rest of the club members.

"Alright, everyone! I have an idea for our club activity!" He then turned to you and winked. "But first, let's get to know our new member more."

You are so doomed.

- - -

A/N: Okay... I honestly don't know if I'm doing this right but I would like to thank everyone who keeps reading this story! If you have any concerns, opinions, or request, feel free to send a message!

Things might seemed be confusing but it'll all make sense as every chapters proceed, I've honestly already planned it out. And if you ever guessed what the plot is, then great! It's not like I'm really trying to hide this or something... Ahahaha. I honestly just wrote this story out of craving for more DDLC Boys content.

[ofgentleresolve-a]

❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ !!

these are cute ferre thinks they should get some :D ( ft. mun positivity meme w/ anon )

❤️ - talk about one of your mutuals/partners and why you enjoy them and their blog!

first of all anon, you're so sweet, THANKS FOR LETTING ME GUSH ABOUT SOME OF MY WONDERFUL WRITING PARTNERS!!

first, i gotta start with LENA ( @mythvoiced ) who's so nice?? so sweet?? ngl when i first started following her, i didn't know someone could be that openly supportive of all her mutuals :'D but!! it's always a joy to see her on my dash; her enthusiasm and cheer is infectious and yet she's also very thoughtful of her mutuals...it's not often i see that kind of active caring and concern for her partners on this hellsite. that and she shows genuine curiosity and love for her partner's muses and i really really appreciate that about her <3 it makes writing and plotting with them such a joy!! but onto her writing tho!! her cast of characters are all distinct?? and also every single one of her bios are like detailed- i can get a very clear impression of each and every one of her characters just from reading their bio alone. i'm so excited about our interactions and already and not me also scheming to see how i can get my muses to interact with all of hers JFKLSDJF also her writing?? lemme kiss it, it's LYRICAL AND FLOWS WELL....i'd like to steal some for miself please!!

i don't think we talk enough about how sweet @etherealve is!! i absolutely adore how open they are about supporting their writing partners via commenting/liking their mutuals' posts. it really shows i think, the care and interest they put into their partners not just as writers but also as individuals. they're also very down-to-earth and super fun to watch them banter on dash with our mutuals...and i haven't even gotten to their writing yet. i really really love their ocs or at least the ones i've met!! jay, from what i've seen, is very balanced...like he might've had a rough childhood, he's not angsty. but he's also not completely naive either. he's someone who i don't think can be pinned down with one trope ( despite mana nicknaming him lover boy...sjdfklsj ) as we're already seeing he has multiple layers and sides that come out depending on who he's interacting with. i absolutely love what we have going so far writing wise and i can't wait to see where it goes!!

laney ( @guttersniper ) is also a darling to see on my dash!! they're super chill and friendly which is refreshing see in a space that can get cliquish...laney doesn't play by those rules though and i love how open they are to interacting with all kinds of muses!! but onto mutt, it's difficult and time-consuming to develop any character but to do it for a child muse especially on this hellsite?? that's amazing in and of itself. laney puts so much love and care into mutt's character and it shows. mutt is so realistic and i can tell laney put a lot of thought into how a child would realistically act especially considering the sheer amount of abuse and abandonment mutt has already endured...that and mutt in general?? so much fun to interact with and also so much fun to just watch exist?? and live?? nothing but respect and care for these two really!!

and last but certainly not least synnie ( @eternasci )!! synnie is an absolute joy to see on all my blogs and I'M SO HAPPY I GET TO INTERACT WITH THEM AND LUCI WITH MANA NOW TOO!! they were actually one of the first few people I started writing with when I initially came back to rpc and they were just so chill and sweet?? very reassuring for me since i was a nervous wreck back then sjdfklsjdf anyways, i love how while they are laid-back, they also go hard with character development for luci, sweet bird child who is just so, so wonderful?? first and foremost, i love luci's boundless optimism and their steadfast belief in assuming the best of people- but what really draws me to them is that their character arc puts that to the test and just, wow- that's a character to admire a lot!! but also synnie's writing- also gives it a chef's kiss- it's v lyrical and metaphorical as well, which is something i'd love to try out more in my own writing <3

[valdomarx]

so i kno everyone in fics loves to make jaskier like super chatty during sex b/n him and geralt which i get but i think since a majority of geralt’s sexual partners are sex workers who’s job is to please and titillate their company, he would have picked up some really good dirty talking skills? and before their first time together, jaskier assumes sex w/ geralt will be a fairly quiet affair (for the witcher @ least) but then geralt is dropping the filthiest lines in the bard’s ear

It’s a night like any other: a small town tavern, a rambunctious crowd cheering for his filthiest songs, a little more ale than is strictly advisable. With his performance complete and coin collected, Jaskier heads over to join Geralt at the table in the corner.

Except this night is not like any other, because on this night, for some utterly unknown but most definitely welcome reason, instead of letting him sit on the bench Geralt pulls Jaskier into his lap, fingers digging into his hips with just a touch too much force to be called playful. Jaskier barely has time to huff out a little oh of surprise before Geralt buries his face into his neck and inhales, possessive and carnal.

“You smell goddamn intoxicating,” Geralt growls, and it’s just as well Jaskier is sitting because his knees go watery at that. “Want me take you to bed?”

Jaskier’s mind comes screeching to a shocked halt, but luckily his mouth has never needed his brain’s input to function. “Hell yes,” he answers, far too fast to pretend he hasn’t been dreaming about this for fucking years. He has no idea where this has come from but he isn’t going to waste this opportunity. “Posthaste and with great enthusiasm, my dear witcher.”

Geralt growls, and Jaskier feels the reverberations through his chest. He stands and practical drags Jaskier up the stairs to their room, and Jaskier has never been happier to be manhandled.

Jaskier is expecting – well, he’s spent more time than he’d like to admit fantasising about this, so he has quite the variety of scenarios plotted out in his head – but broadly, he’d expected Geralt to be as taciturn in sex as he is in every other part of his life. He’d imagined coaxing soft gasps from Geralt’s mouth, little choked-off moans, perhaps, grunts of effort as they fucked.

He had never imagined Geralt tossing him onto the bed like he weighs nothing, pinning him down, and moving to whisper in his ear: “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, bard.” Geralt grinds against him, and he’s obviously both huge and hard, and Jaskier counts his blessings. “Do you know what is does to me, watching you perform those dirty songs? Listening to you sing about all those filthy things?” Geralt nips at his ear and Jaskier hisses. “I’ll give you something to sing about.”

Jaskier is going to come back with a witty response to that, he really is, but Geralt precedes to ripping both of their clothes off and Jaskier is thoroughly distracted by all that muscle and, looking down, all that cock. “Gods, Geralt,” is what he manages, his voice shaky.

Geralt chuckles, the smug bastard. “Silver tongue deserted you? No matter. I bet we can find another use for your mouth.”

They do. Jaskier nearly chokes a few times, but let it never be said he isn’t willing to fully commit to a challenge once dealt. As he licks and sucks, Geralt tells him how much he wants this, how good it feels, how he’s thought about this so many times as he’s brought himself off, and Jaskier is clearly no blushing virgin but the words coming out of Geralt’s mouth make even his cheeks heat.

“Such a talented mouth,” Geralt says, heaving Jaskier back up to face level and wiping a thumb along his bottom lip. “Now I’m going to open you up, wait until you’re good and wet and loose and begging for it, and then you’re going to ride my cock like the hungry slut we both know you are. Sound good?”

Jaskier’s throat is raw. He makes a noise like mgnnahhh which they both know means abso-fucking-lutely yes.

And while he sets about his task, Geralt keeps talking. “Is this what you wanted?” he asks as he teases at Jaskier’s rim. “You’ve been waiting for this, haven’t you?” as he twists a finger inside, making him clench and moan. “Taking it so well, you’re going to feel amazing around my cock,” as he slides a third finger in, and all the breath leaves Jaskier’s lungs in one great huff.

By the time Geralt deems him ready and pulls him into his lap, sweat is pooling on Jaskier’s brow and fire is racing under his skin with the need for it. “Are we ever going to get to the action?” he pants, doing his best to wrestle back some control of this situation. “Or are you just gonna talk me off all night?”

Geralt shows his teeth. “Little bard, what makes you think I can’t do both?”

[mintseesaw]

Aurora | 4

Pairing: general!jungkook x reader!princess x prince!jimin Genre: angst, fluff, historical au, forbidden love affair au Word count: 8.3k Warnings: themes of abduction and insurgence, imposing abortion as a punishment, story setting is heavily patriarchal // rating: 18+

translations of unfamiliar words will be provided below ^^

*unedited

masterlist

Previously...

“Did you miss me, Princess ________?” You heard him greet from behind. The sultry yet sweet tone of his voice, compelling you to face him as if your unwillingness to meet him so suddenly wasn’t there, anymore.

With a graceful turn, your solicitous expression caused by your unintended tryst last night gone in a flash tipping your chin forward to display a false confidence in front of the prince.

The amusement on his face widens, taking notice of the exceptional glow radiating from the princess. Have you been dolling yourself up just for him? The certain strangeness in the dark of your orbs igniting fire in him before he blinks and it vanishes, gone without a trace of acknowledgement from the weight of your stare.

He crosses the offending distance, smiling sweetly before he took hold of your hand and kisses your knuckles with an ardent gaze clashing against yours that harbor the coldness he had grown accustomed with.

“My lord,” an old man hurriedly attended to Jungkook just as he took an empty table without a word. Must be the owner of the stall. Uttering his request, the owner bobbed his head low before vanishing from his line of vision.

He was supposedly going to have breakfast with you after having tediously cooked the dishes, himself. The lack of light in your eyes and your dead enthusiasm had spoiled his appetite, and severely wounded his soul. Nothing could probably ease the ache sitting beneath his ribcage. Not when the intimacy he shared with you the night before and your cold treatment of him earlier painfully reverberated in his head like a roaring thunder in the sky.

You, giving him mixed signals, confused the hell out of his weak, young heart. 

What am I supposed to do with you, Jagiya?

Perhaps, it was the uncertainty that was instigated by your emotions. That must have been the only reason.

Shortly after, the old man came back with an empty cup, pouring it full with rice wine from the bronze pitcher he brought with him. Jungkook mumbled an audible thanks before chugging down the alcohol like an angry man on his bad day.

“This isn’t something we both have a choice of.”

Your voice echoes in his head. A sweet, delicate voice that could easily slice his heart into two with your mere heartless words. A smirk made its way on his face, despite the amusement never reaching up his eyes.

There is nothing left to decide on because you’ll be with him in the end. He wouldn’t leave you, again. He wouldn’t lose his only chance he has to claim you as rightfully his. When he almost lost you back in the days you were young, right in his arms, before his eyes— it was the day he promised to show you what his heart truly desires. Whatever the cost may be.

He had never been that frantic in his life. Not even when he saw with his own eyes the deep cut in his arm gushing too much blood when he was young. Not when two poisonous arrows almost killed him in the battlefield.

When he stripped the covering off of the suspicious cart in search of any sign of you, the last thing he was expecting to see was your unconscious body, with your restrained arms and a piece of cloth stuffed in your mouth. With your aristocratic braids gone, he couldn’t see much of your face as your hair hung loose covering half of your face as your body lied down in a foetal position, as if you tried to make up with the little space the average sized cart provided which was filled dominantly by materials of what looked like rolls of linens of various colors.

He knew it was you.

Despite the filth covering your attire down to the skin of your bare hands, and your seemingly thinner frame, the mere sight of the body screams everything about you.

At the time, his younger self was almost sure he was going to explode at any moment from the excruciating constriction in his chest.

His eyes were livid while they scanned over the blood bathed bodies scattered around the cart that were slain by the sharp edges of his sword, looking for another sign of danger. When he was certain that none of the rebels on the ground were moving, he dropped his weapon.

“Princess!” He calls out, his bloody hands leaving imprints of the dirt-covered article of your hanbok as he shook your shoulders none too gently, desperate to wake you.

To no avail, you remain unconscious. The sight of you in a devastating state dreaded him. His younger self thought his world right there and then was collapsing, his surroundings slowing down and his gaze shrinking and focusing into you alone. Not even a pittance of fear shook him despite killing a group of rebels, none of the fact that he stood there alone fighting for his life did. None. Not until he pulled the bamboo mat off of the cart.

Where the fuck is that old man?

It’s been hours since Lord Min suddenly came up to his residence, forcing him out of his slumber at dawn without telling him the purpose of his abrupt disturbance.

When the scholar said he found another lead, Jungkook only took it lightly—not knowing it would turn out to be the key to finally locate you.

Lord Min led him to a trail behind a group of merchants who were supposed to exchange goods on the capital’s port with Mongolian merchants. When the suspicious group split into two directions— it left him and the scholar no option but to part ways as well. However, Jungkook insisted on following the merchants who particularly brought their supposed cart of goods.

As soon as he took his outer layer of robe to cover it on your shivering body, the morning breeze hits him mercilessly. Discreetly, he gathers you in his arms. As he sets you on his lap on the ground, he removes the cloth in your mouth, while pressing a trembling hand on your chest to feel your heartbeat.

“Your Highness,” he tried once more when he sensed a faint beating against your chest. His hands shuffle to remove the tie around your wrists.

“Come on… open your eyes for me, Princess.” He whispered desperately, tears freely rolling down on his cheeks without him ever noticing.

He gasped when he caught the slightest bit of movement from you. He thought he might have been hallucinating out of his desperation to see you alive. But then, you proved him wrong as your heavy eyelids slowly peeled open, before they closed shut, again.

“Your Highness! Please… do you hear me? Can you open your eyes again?”

You did, and with your slightly parted mouth, you drew a breath in heavily.

“W-Who are you?” you managed to rasp, almost inaudibly. However, he was too close not to miss what you said. Too close to be deemed righteous around the lady he desires. He didn’t care, because your cold body needed as much as heat from him. Nothing else mattered more to him than to save your life.

“It’s me, Jungkook. I am Prince Taehyung’s friend—“

“I-I… must… be dreaming,” you croaked in between dry, painful coughs.

“You’re not dreaming. Please, don’t talk. It's hurting you.” He chokes back a sob.

“Is this real? You finally noticed me,” you pause, only to breathe through your mouth once more. “I’m… tired, I want to rest,” you say without opening your eyes. But the moisture pooling out of your eyes meant one thing to him. You’ve been suffering from immense pain.

“No, no, no. Please, stay with me. Lord Min is coming to get us. He’ll be here soon,” he coos, not caring how he sounded a little more desperate, taking your cold hands up in his mouth to warm them up.

Jungkook continuously rocked your shivering body back and forth on his lap, never removing his eyes on you. He wanted to embrace you tight, cover you with his body to protect you from the horrible cold of the morning weather but he was afraid he would crush you.

He waited, waited and helplessly waited. Lord Min would come find him. That was what he reminded Jungkook as before they parted ways in the woods.

It was him and Lord Min who found you, even when the King had ordered a mass search for his missing daughter.

---

Although your disappearance was largely perceived as abduction, neither evidence nor eye witness was found to support the claim, hence stirring the urge to find you, himself. Roughly 10 days after you were last seen, not even a single trace of your whereabouts had been identified. Something was definitely off with the way the case was being handled. The lack of progress on the investigation drove the King in extreme desperation as well as the court in anguish due to the King’s adverse political decisions.

In spite of the rumors of insurgence spreading like a common gossip story in the villages surrounding the capital, the rumors fall on deaf ears in the court on the possibility that your disappearance was plotted by the rebel forces. As if the missing person was not a princess whom the rebels could use as a pawn to bend the King on his knees.

Jungkook spent most of his days in the capital, inside the gambling houses, pretending to play with men of all sorts of class. On some days, he visited the courtesan’s house capital marketplace under the disguise of an interested guest due to the rumors that some gisaengs, at the time, were avid followers of the insurgence. At nights, he pieced together the collective stories he tediously gathered during the day.

One day, he decided to make progress on his investigation, spying on a group of merchants trading with Jurchen merchants who were pretending under the guise of Mongolian heritage. It was Mina, a gisaeng whom he somehow befriended when his visits at the courtesan’s house had frequented, who shared her discovery of a Mongolian merchant accidentally revealing his identity when he fluently spoke a dialect she distinguished as her mother tongue since she was a Jurchen-born immigrant.

He didn’t find any suspicious or illegal goods being traded on the port nor could he confirm the real heritage of the merchants. However, on his way back to the capital, he was cornered by a man he recognized as one of the merchants in the port.

To his surprise, the merchant was strangely skilled enough to defeat him in a fight— scoring a severe cut on Jungkook’s side. He didn’t think the merchant would be merciful enough to let him live when Jungkook fell to the ground after what seemed like several minutes of intense sword-to-sword combat. Strangely enough, the merchant was forgiving and instead of ending the life out of him, the merchant took his time to scrutinize every item inside the satchel Jungkook brought with him. By then, he had already sensed that the man was anything but a mere trader.

Breathing heavily, he pressed his hand hard to his bloody waist as he watches the merchant curiously unfold a piece of hanji. It was the trade map he had drawn a few days ago, alongside the location where the camp can be found.

Jungkook knew it was over for him as he saw a glint of recognition in the eyes of the merchant.

After what seemed to be a long moment of silence, the merchant looks at him. “What is this map for?”

Jungkook laughed dryly and as his shoulders shook a little, a surge of pain shot in his core. He winces as the sensation doubled over his effort to make fun of the act the merchant was pulling in front of him.

“Are you one of them?”

If the merchant understood what he meant, he simply chose to ignore it. “I’m asking you a question, kid.”

“You’re one of them, are you not? I’m most certain you know what that map is.” Jungkook gritted through his teeth as the pain on his side intensified, spreading like a magma on his midriff.

By now, the merchant’s focus zeroed in on him. “You know about the camp? Who do you work for, kid?” The merchant interrogates, further. Though the man remained passive, Jungkook found it odd to notice the slightest bit of awe in the eyes of the strange man. 

“You tell me, you act like you know my every activity.”

The merchant only raised an eyebrow. “Well, here’s the truth. I’m not a rebel. I’m not a merchant, either. I will help you if you tell me what you have gotten about the camp so far.”

Jungkook darted a glare at him. “As you can see, I’m heavily wounded, literally. You think I still care?”

“You’ll live,” the merchant dismisses nonchalantly, which made Jungkook scoff in disbelief.

“Look kid, I’m not going to kill you. But in exchange for your life, you’ll help me follow the movement.”

“It’s not like you gave me an option to decline.” Jungkook weakly contended.

The merchant effortlessly helped him up from the ground, “Come on, my grandfather is a physician. He’ll tend to your wound.”

Jungkook learned that the merchant who introduced himself as Lord Min turned out to be a scholar. He was writing a case relative to the alleged insurgence centering mostly in poor villages in the capital. Although he didn’t fully trust the scholar, sparing Jungkook his life was enough reason for him to disclose the true nature of his investigation to the scholar who was, at the time, penning colloquial stories about the insurgence.

Lord Min paused his scribbling, throwing a look of surprise at his new-found friend. “Did I hear you right? You believed the princess was abducted by the rebels?”

Jungkook only shrugged, already concluding what the scholar would say next. “It’s not the first time someone thought I was going crazy for telling them that.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I have been following the movement for months now,” Lord Min asserted, which prompted Jungkook to look back at him. “And since I heard about the sudden disappearance of the princess, it was the only theory I could come up with. Unless…” Lord Min trailed, taking notice of the interest glinting in Jungkook’s eyes.

“Unless?” Jungkook echoed expectantly.

Lord Min pretended to be in deep thought before adding up, “There is a lover involved.”

In disbelief, Jungkook threw a scornful look at him. “There’s no man in her life, I’m sure of that.” He remarked with conviction, folding his arms in his chest.

To his surprise, Lord Min hollered into fits of laughter, only severing the look of disdain on Jungkook’s expression. “For a young soldier like you, you seemed to be a little more concerned about the princess.” The older man remarked, meaningfully.

---

“Isn’t it too early to be drinking on your own, kid?” Taunts a voice, forcing him out of his reverie. With a lift of his head, his eyes landed on a commoner seemingly older than him adorned in a daffodil shade of a simple robe. Half of the man’s face was covered in conical shaped hat and just as the man tipped it high with his fingers, Jungkook immediately recognized the person standing across his table.

Your breath hitches on your throat as the warmth of his mouth sends tingles straight through your veins. With a subtle tug of your hand from his hold, the prince almost didn’t take your silent plea, not without his companion guard clearing their throat that snapped him out of daze.

If there’s particularly one thing that stood out to him aside from his aristocratic, --almost polished physical features, it was his forthright admission of his feelings on you. The was the he had made a move in regards to feelings. You appreciate the way he had not once tried to break into your boundaries for his satisfaction.

After what had happened, the least person you expected to see is him. The only man who had the guts to be with you despite the rumors that tainted your reputation. Guilt thrums heavily through your veins more than the throbbing of your muscles in your body.

Jimin deserves someone far better than what you can offer. Not with your heart, and most definitely not with your broken chastity.

“Your Excellency,” you greeted, tilting your head low in a subtle bow. Your eyes stayed firm on the ground, refusing to return his stare as you murmur, “I trust your journey has not been too much for you?”

You missed the way your concern roused a smile up on his flawless face or you would have flushed right away. “It was as expected. I am an impatient man, but it was worth the trouble now that my reward is standing in front of me.”

Taken aback at this teasing remark, your mouth unconsciously parted. You didn’t have the time to retract from the proximity he initiated just as he extended his arm, his palm meeting one of your cheeks as he tilts your chin up to meet his gaze. The pad of his thumb feather lightly caresses the softness of your skin there.

The abruptness of his move left you immobile for a moment, the heat coming from his hand involuntarily eliciting goosebumps to come out on your covered arms.

“Have you been well, little flower? I couldn’t be at peace knowing your health is not in the best condition. I was a thread of breath away from forcing my way into your quarters just to check on you myself, but you may never forgive me for if I ever disrespect your privacy.”

“There’s nothing to worry of. Mayhaps... my body has not been reacting too kindly to the cold weather. I had since taken herbal teas to help me recover.” The lie glided smoothly out of your tongue, piercing your lower lip with your teeth to prevent yourself from throwing up out of disgust.

The way his head bobs up lightly made you believe he bought your excuse. “Very well. Will you allow me to accompany you?” He whispers, as if it’s possible to turn down a powerful man like him. 

“Of course, Your Excellency.” The smile you plastered on your face was enough to conceal your fears for now.

At your answer, the court ladies immediately hurried towards the recreational area, pulling the wooden chairs for you and the prince to sit on.

You take the opportunity to pull back from his touch as an excuse to occupy one of the chairs. 

Mimicking your move, he settled on a seat, one that was the closest to yours. He then motions a dismissive wave on the watchful eyes of his guards, giving him and the rest of the court ladies a silent order to leave you two alone. With a bow, everyone retreated back down onto the ground, obediently.

As he turns his attention back at you, he asks, “Do you like to tease me, Princess?”

“W-What do you mean?” Your stutter evoked a subtle grin to reappear on the corners of his mouth. While your insides are a mess, the delight shining in his eyes lets you know he couldn’t see right through your miserable heart.

The subtle smile on the corners of his mouth stretches wider, “You know I like it when you call me by my name.”

His teasing once again scores a twin stain on your cheeks. Although you remain placid with his remark, he didn’t miss the immediate rush of blood coloring your face that, in return, earned a smirk from him.

Blinking, you straightened your back. “Why are you not appropriately dressed for the season, Your Excellency?”

Prince Jimin beamed in your attempt of changing the subject, eyes glimmering in glee. “My attire is fine. Mayhaps, if you are concerned, I can put on another layer of thick robe.”

Quickly, you shake your head. “There’s no need for such if you don’t feel like the weather is too much for you. Winter has just begun and only a few weeks more before the weather becomes unbearable, especially for envoys like yourself.”

“I can only imagine how our departure would be like.”

“You chose to come to the kingdom during the winter. Is there something that’s urgent on your purpose not to delay it until the weather has calmed down?”

”The only urgent thing I found was to see you. Have I not made it clear from the beginning?”

You purse your lips, afraid to voice out your thoughts. On the other hand, Jimin was way too deep in the subject to notice the slightest bit of trouble reflecting in your eyes.

“I didn’t think any woman would stir my interest after having my heart broken when I was young. You know, my brother—the Emperor gifted me a marriage in exchange for my service in the military. I was supposed to leave the palace for a while to visit my bride. The Emperor halted my plan only to have me represent him on his behalf during the coronation of Queen Soheon. If I didn’t come here, I would have been married by now.”

Burying your trembling hands on your lap, you distracted yourself with the beauty of the winter blooms on the pond, swallowing the gasp that threatened to spill as an involuntary reaction. His revelation left a lasting impact on you. In your head, you could hear yourself screaming the truth in front of him. He shouldn’t be this infatuated over you.

“Perhaps, you are well enough to company out of the palace? You still owe me a tour to the capital.” The prince posits all too suddenly.

Swiftly, he stood up and offered a helping hand in front of you. The sun is barely out, concealed with the thick layers of clouds to which is a great opportunity to wander around in the marketplace. Your false confidence slowly faltering as seconds turn to minutes with his gaze sweeping on your whole length. You accepted his hand, granting his wish. It was the least you could do to make up for him travelling a thousand miles to see you.

The following day, an event is set to be held in Changdeok to pay tribute for army’s victory in defeating the rebel forces in one of the borders in Joseon. Hours earlier than the customary outset in the palace, the finishing touches on the day’s festivities have already been wrapped up by the court ladies even before the sun rises on the east.

Historically, the day held no significance to the royal court nor to any prominent military figure in the nation. However, some weeks prior to the present day, the king received a letter from the young general relative to the army’s arrival to the capital, hence, the sudden establishment of a dogam to organize a jinchan for the returning heroes from the northern border.

With the anticipated attendance of the royal family in the morning banquet, you were forced to rise at dawn to prepare for your participation for the festivity.

Shortly after the attendants have finished braiding your hair, your morning tea was served just before you are set to leave your quarters.

“There will be two more banquets after the event in the morning, Your Highness.” Hyowon, one of the court ladies attending to your daily nourishment answers when you absentmindedly voiced out your thought as she pours a tea on your cup.

Fortunately, you were not foolish enough to utter the name of the man who’s been haunting your dreams since time immemorial. She may only be a distant relative of Jungkook, but the same blood runs thick in their veins and you wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of anyone, much less to anyone related to him.

You nodded, taking your cup and hold it up to your lips.

Traditionally, the nighttime festivity is said to be the most anticipated from all sorts of celebrations as the audience who are commonly from noble descent look forward on the performances of high-class entertainers. Jungkook is obligated to attend all the events for the day as one of the honorary guests of the jinchan.  

The supposed banquet is going to be your first attendance in a political gathering ever since you were given the title of a gongju on your seventh birthday. The thought was making you uneasy in some way in case something unforeseen transpires during the celebration, that it would be denunciated by the curse you were forced to live with in your lifetime. However, the thought of him present in the same room with you brings more in disarray. 

A court lady from the dogam came to escort you to the reception afterwards. And not long after the arrival of Queen, the massive doors of the dining hall flew opened, revealing the King as he enter the premises.

Perhaps, you would still have had a clear view on whole expanse of the dining hall if not for the ivory article covering the totality of the platform where you and the rest of the royal palace women.

Meals have been simultaneously served just as the King had announced the ceremonial toast indicating the beginning of the celebration. An instrumental piece played by the musicians proceeded after, keeping the atmosphere pleasantly solemn despite the audible chatters in the hall.

From your seat, you could only see the king’s back as he led the banquet—sitting at the head of the table while the rest of the state and military officials sat in two long sets of vertically-arranged sobans. Despite the barrier, it was not difficult for you to locate where the man of your thoughts was settled at just by the mere sight of his silhouette. There he was beside Prince Taehyung, seemingly fascinated with the performances on the center if not occupied with something Prince Taehyung was telling him.

You could never change the way you treated him so poorly, yesterday. Your hostility was uncalled for, but perhaps, it was enough to displease him enough to lose his interest in you.

“You are not eating your meal, Gongju. Are the dishes not to your liking?” Princess Consort Sooyoung asks. Unlike you, your sister-in-law seems to enjoy the sumptuous serving on the soban, as opposed to your lack of enthusiasm on the food.

“It’s not that. Perhaps, it was too early for me to consume anything solid after I had my morning the tea.”

You drag your hand up on the table, picking up the pair of chopsticks to nestle them in between your fingers. To ease her worry, you attempted to touch the sweet flavored delicacy among the servings.

The banquet progressed rather slowly. As hours passed by, your legs grew numb from the lack of physical movement. It didn’t help that the remnants of muscle aches from your intimacy with Jungkook still lingers. Your sister-in-law caught the discomfort in your expression.

“Gongju,” Princess Consort Sooyoung calls for your attention, once more.

Tearing your gaze away from Jungkook, you tilt your head on the side to meet her solicitous eyes.

“Is your breathing alright? I noticed your heaving has frequented.”

“Uhh...I’m alright, Bubuin.” You falter. Instinctively, your eyes flew back to where he was situated. Your sister-in-law followed the trail of your gaze, and it was only then that she had pieced together the reason.

She chuckles softly, “I thought you were having difficulty with your breathing.”

Your face incredibly flushed with her words.

She didn’t attempt to speak to you after that, seemingly distracted in one of the ceremonial performances of the banquet.

Three hours later, the first phase of the jinchan had finally come to conclude to your relief.

When it was your turn to be escorted out of the hall, you couldn’t help but skim your eyes across the expansive lot. Of course, the chances of running into him are very slim to none. Not only that he was in a rush to leave the reception, but he would also take the path on the west out of the palace while you would take the opposite direction to go back to your quarters.

You thought wrong. Because the moment you arrive at the entrance of the Gyeongbok, you catch on the back of his frame on the small stretch between the library and the tall concrete wall.

Your heart instantly jumped at the mere sight of him adorned on the same uniform he wore the day before. But something didn’t make sense. What is he doing in the main palace—hiding there right after the banquet has ended?

The court lady remained still behind you as you tried to build up the courage to approach him. Perhaps, apologize for your behavior yesterday. But then as he shifted on his feet, you caught a glimpse of a hanbok across him— appearing nothing like the clothing of any man. A lady.

“You have the freedom to choose any woman in your life.”

Your own words hurriedly came rushing back on you, nearly losing your footing when the weight on your chest grew heavier. You couldn’t breathe.

“Princess—” you jumped at the sound of a low baritone voice from behind, the same voice you’ve known by heart since you were little. 

Sheepishly, you turned to face your brother, his forehead crumpled causing his eyebrows to meet into a line.

“You looked like you’ve seen an apparition,” Prince Taehyung jests, with his face remaining passive without a trace of playfulness despite his obvious teasing.

That’s because you did! You seethed, internally. With an ugly emotion slowly seeping through your veins, you find it difficult to display indifference as if something—someone was not putting you in an emotional distress.

“Your Excellency,” you greeted half-heartedly.

“You are aware about the luncheon tomorrow, right? I am expecting you in my courtyard, little flower.”

“Of course,” You briefly answered. His face finally stretched into a grin, ruffling your neatly braided hair before bidding a farewell.

When you spun back to peer at the spot where Jungkook and his female companion were standing— nothing. No one was there anymore. Jungkook is gone, and so is the lady he was with.

The scene remained etched in your brain the rest of your day. Being unable to stay still in the confines of your quarters, you decided to do readings in in the library.

You were alone, just like what you have asked to your attendants, with the exception of a guard outside. Shortly after going through the shelves in the House of Yi section, you once again stumbled upon a book of biographical sketches after secretly reading the book several years ago. The sight of it alone refreshes your memory of the things you have discovered written in the pages of the books—specifically about Princess Moyoung, your grandfather’s eldest sister who slowly died in the hands of her husband who was born from a fourth class family.

It was said to be the matter that pressured the next royal generations to marry off any king’s daughter to a yangban which was prohibited prior to the princess’ unfortunate case to avoid any arising political conflicts.

It was the same thought that bothered you even when you had gone back in your quarters, bathed, and dressed in your night robe. If your father were still living, would he insist on keeping you in the palace? Or would he allow your supposed matrimonial union with Jimin over one with Jungkook?

However, you understand that either selection is a sacrifice. Life is about losing something to gain something else. You know what will be taken from you if you were to possibly end up with Jungkook. But what could you have possibly gained if you were to lose the man who owns your soul? An extravagant life with the prince?

The ache in your heart has sat idly in your chest since this morning. Your time in the library seemed to have worsened your distress as pain starts to sear in your head.

You stood up. Your attendant mimicking your movement to smoothen the sleeves of your silk robe. “I do not wish to be followed,” you simply say. They crouched their upper body low, conveying a silent message of obedience.

As you pass through the L-shaped corridor leading to the outdoor of your quarters, the rectangular hallway making up the main pathway of the courtyard is eerily quiet and empty. With subtle luminance provided by the light torches on each post you passed by, it was just as exactly the way you expected Gyeongbok during this time around. The reason why you chose to be alone since no one else will run into your way this time of night.

However, at your third turn, just as you enter the borderline of the queen’s courtyard, you hear a distinct sound of door opening from afar followed by the heavy, collective footsteps ringing in the air. As the footsteps grew louder, you hurriedly ran to the side of the greenhouse to hide, afraid of being seen without a companion to look after your care.

“Your Majesty!”

You bite your lip as your heartbeat picks up at the sound of a male voice—assumingly the queen’s eunuch, as if in desperation to stop Her Majesty to wherever she intends to go at this hour.

You didn’t know how long you were hiding there at the side of the greenhouse but it wasn’t long enough for you to be able to hold your breath until the traces of the footsteps were fading.

When any sign of human sound was out of earshot, you finally heave a sigh out of relief, taking a solid peek through the corner of the wooden wall to confirm your guess. Considering the pathway clear and safe from any presence, you cautiously proceed back to your footpath.

Merely focused on either side of your vision, you failed to sense that someone was making their way onto your direction. Their presence became known only when your arm was snatched from behind and a calloused palm right away covered your mouth, losing your chance to call for help. Panic immediately surges through your veins, your shock causing you to freeze momentarily.

Even without having a single look at your perpetrator, the feel of his thick arm around your waist lets you know you don’t stand a chance against their immense built and incredible strength. Just as you recovered from your shock, you frantically squirmed about against their hold but the more you struggle, the tighter their arm gets around your waist, pulling you flushed against their body.

“Why is Lady Yi- being punished?” Demanded Queen Soheon the moment she stepped foot inside the King’s quarters.

King Namjoon sprang up to his feet to meet her half-way, concern stirring immediate in him at the sight of his wife, noting the way her voice unusually croaked and holding such heavy emotion. He silently curses, taking notice how upset she had seemed to be over the scandal the concubine had caused all to herself.

“Sit down, my love. You shouldn’t allow your emotions to run high, it’s not good for your condition.”

Queen Soheon is always calm and graceful no matter how grave the situation is. He had not once witnessed her lose her innate grace ever since he married her, with the exception of the times he was intimate with her.

“Why?” She repeated, her eyes burning with fire.

“My love—”

“Jeonha, please… stop with your sweet filters and answer me why you didn’t stop them from forcing her to drink the medicine?”

He sighs just as he attempted to place her in his embrace. To his dismay, she pulled a good amount of distance between them, clearly setting the line of her anger on the matter, right straight to him.

How can he possibly be sure you would never find this matter out when only a slip of a tongue can give her the idea of what transpired some hours ago.

“You know I cannot disrespect Halma-mama’s power when it comes to the women in the inner court.”

As the Grand Royal Dowager Queen holds the highest rank in the inner court, it would only be necessary to say his grandmother ordered the punishment, when in fact it was never her idea to impose a harsh discipline on the concubine. However, the appeal of the elders in the inner court to decide on the fate of her unlawful conceiving resulted in a consensus decision to abort the unborn child. Unless the queen is proven to be sterile, the inner court strictly prohibits the harem to carry a King’s child. 

“She is carrying your child!”

He knows that, very well. But he wished his wife would refrain from carrying the weight of her emotions as it might put a toll on her health and consequently affect their unborn child. “Calm down,” King Namjoon prompted cautiously.

He could never forgive himself for failing to protect his unborn child from being stripped off the chance to live in a world where his/her father rules out a kingdom. Never in this lifetime and in the next would he ever learn to spare himself the forgiveness.

“You know, Lady Li and I are both with child. If I were not your queen, you’d simply allow them to get rid of my child, would you not?”

He reaches out, once more. “No, no. Of course, not. Not under my watch.”

But the queen was quick enough to retract from the close proximity.

Perhaps, he was right. He cannot have the power to overrule the inner court, but why does his words feel insincere? It made her suddenly fear for her own child’s life despite the position she holds. When her mother warned her about the sickening life in the palace and the doctrines in the inner court, she never thought it would come to this extent.

How can she look at his family and pretend everything is alright. One wrong move and might lose her child as well.

All too suddenly, she could feel herself slowly being overwhelmed with disgust, needing the urge to throw up.  

She couldn’t stand being here, to see anyone just yet. She fixes a glare at her attendants, warning them not to follow her. Her eyes lingered on him for a second before she took a swift turn, exiting her way out of the vicinity.

With quick strides, he followed her trail, only to spin back around, skimming through each one of servants in his quarters.

“No one must follow me or the queen,” his eyes particularly burned at his eunuch. “Do you understand?” He glowered, not waiting for them to answer as he too disappeared into the halls of his royal residence.

When you felt their grasp loosening, you began thrashing out as fear dominated your senses. Even with their hand pressed firmly on your mouth, you could hear your own sobs croaking out of your throat. And as if your pellucid fear had triggered them to stiffen, their hold around your waist loosened. But the adrenaline running in your senses all vanished the moment they finally spoke.

“Jagiya.”

Your eyes went round, recognizing the owner of the voice. He lets his hand fall from your mouth. 

”J-Jungkook?” you hesitated. While you remained flushed against his body, you couldn’t be sure of their identity.

Swiftly, he spun you around to confirm your assumption for yourself. The light torches were a little far where you two stood but there was no denying it was him, judging by the little features of his face you could make out through the help of the vibrant moon lighting up in the sky behind him.

Yet, his action had already shaken you up, feeling the loud beating of your heart. All of your emotional baggage rushing all at once, you couldn’t help but lash out to him, seeing his chest as a target to release all your frustrations.

“Why did you do that?! I thought I was being kidnapped,” you anguished, horror remained etched on your face.

He took all your hits without a fight as guilt all too sudden consumed him after realizing the effect of what he had done. “I’m sorry, Jagiya. I didn’t mean to scare you,” he murmurs, drying the moisture on the corners of your eyes with his thumbs. The moon was like a spotlight focused solely on yours, giving him the clear view of your weary face.

It wasn’t long before you calmed down. Now, all you feel is shame as your anger washes out of your system with every hit of your fist against his chest. Your head bobbed lower, “Just... don’t do that, again.”

Hearing him whisper a promise not to repeat the same mistake, you all but give him a curt nod, allowing the silence to fill in the moment.

Jungkook, once again, made you upset, the second time he had gotten himself close to you after his return to the capital. Must he keep making you in anguish just whenever he’s around you? It was wrong of him to catch your attention the way he had just done when he could’ve simply called you out to do it. But after seeing the queen and her maids passing by the same path you’re about to take, he didn’t want to make an unnecessary sound in case anyone’s lurking around without him seeing through the vicinity covered in almost pitch black.

He wondered why you seemed determined to go on your way despite going on around without a company. 

“Where are you going—”

“What are you doing here—”

You stilled just as he was surprised to hear you spoke the same time he decided to break the silence.

“I saw you going out of your quarters.” He simply answered. It was true. He left the festive banquet at the east to randomly visit your residence. He knew it would be unnecessary to invite himself into the premises so he just stood there, particularly waiting for nothing to kill time before he leaves the palace.

But then he saw the outermost doors of your residence opening, revealing none other than the subject of his thoughts. Then the rest was history.

“W-What? Are you spying on me?”

“Spying?” He chuckles at your choice of your words. He would’ve honestly accepted stalking better. “The banquet’s getting too loud to my liking. I’d rather spend my time with you. Mayhaps, luck is finally on my side when I saw you just in time— going out.”

Hearing his words earned a scoff from you. Wasn't he just with a woman this morning? Not to mention, it was one of the reasons why you randomly sought the need to breathe in some fresh air on a cold, winter night.

“I guess if you’re not distracted with your prince, you would have immediately caught the sound of my footing. Where are you going, anyway? Will you go see him?”

Your mouth parted in disbelief, “You didn’t hear anything from me when you were the one hiding with a woman just this morning.”

Hiding with a woman? For a second, his forehead crumpled in thought, recalling his activities prior to this moment. He couldn’t seem to remember when he actually hid with a woman. He didn’t even talk to any woman earlier in the morning, except for a friend—

“Ahh,” He hums in understanding, “Jagi, I’m not hiding with Mina—”

“Mina?”

He recalls speaking with Mina after the latter who belonged to the group of gisaengs during the banquet who recognized him inside the reception and was only able to catch up after him at the entrance main palace. Mina enthusiastically dragged him behind the closest infrastructure to briefly speak to him in peace without potentially attracting an audience.

“I met her a long time ago. Jagiya—“

“Forget it,” you immediately dismissed, but with him not missing the way color bloomed on your cheeks. “It’s not my business to hold it against you. You’re free to do as you wish.”

Are you being serious? How can you think he can be possibly interested to another woman? 

He tilts your chin up so he can see your pretty eyes, clearly. “What are you saying, Jagiya? I thought we’ve already established that I’m yours. Have I not?”

He heard no answer from you, but didn’t miss the subtle shake of your head.

“No?” He echoes, the frown on his face deepens. Still, you refused to speak nor return the heavy weight of his peer.

“Our lovemaking wasn’t enough, was it?” His sudden brought up to the matter which should never be spoken of made you dart your eyes back up at him. There it was again, the same emotions reflecting in your eyes the morning when you put a cold shoulder at him. He couldn’t quite decipher the signals you were giving him.

“Jungkook, we’re not together anymore.”

“Then would you rather be with the prince over me?”

You look away, even though you really wanted to give an answer. 

“I haven’t seen your beautiful smile since I came back, Jagi. But you were smiling a lot around him. Gods, was I jealous when you showed him of such privilege I was deprived of.” He groans, slowly inching his face closer, as if testing your reaction to his advance.

He took your lack of withdrawal as a sign to keep going. Silently, you gave him the freedom to intrude your personal space.

“You saw us,” you murmur, confirming it to yourself more than throwing it as a question to him.

Your jaw went slack, shamelessly anticipating for his lips to touch yours. Closer. Until your noses bumping, his mouth a breath away from touching your plump lips. It almost happened. Almost. Because just as he shifts his head a centimeter forward, finally capturing your awaiting lips with his, a cry of protest loudly resonated through the air, echoing as the sound bounces back from the empty silence.

“Stop following me!” The voice was undoubtedly owned by a woman.

If Jungkook didn’t recognize  the voice, you certainly did. Her voice was too familiar for you not to identify her as the Queen, forcing you to draw back from the proximity immediately. Once again, panic courses through you, rapidly consuming your senses as fear worsened your capability to think rationally in a situation such as this.

Your wide eyes stared back Jungkook in a silent plea.

It wasn’t clear to you how far she was from both of you, but the nearing claps of footsteps tells you the queen and whoever was following her are passing by behind the greenhouse. If they decided to take a turn right across where you two stood, they will certainly not miss the sight of you seemingly in a rendezvous with Jungkook.

“I said—Jeonha!”

You gasp, slapping a hand to your mouth, utterly stunned at what you just heard. Jeonha? Does that mean she was addressing her order to your brother?

“The K-King is here...” you stammer.

He hushed you, silently telling you to keep still as he cages you against the outer wall of the greenhouse, as if shielding you from any potential eyesight. He was too close as he let his head hang low just beside the shell of your ear. You could hear his heavy breathing, the warmth oozing naturally from his body seemed to calm your nerves in some way, nearly forgetting about the predicament both of you are in, nearly missing the silence lingering in the air.

Are they gone?

Despite your pellucid reaction, Jungkook seems not one bit shaken by the fact you two are a thread away from being seen together in the dark.

Suddenly, he shifted onto your left, breaking his manmade territory around you to move further away from where you two were supposed to be hiding.

“Jungkook!” you desperately called for his attention in a panicked whisper.

Nervously, you watch his back as he extends his neck to peep behind the greenhouse. It didn’t take him long before he whirled back around, and in a flash, grapples your wrist and dragged you into the opposite direction.

“Where are we going?”

Though Jungkook could hear the agitation in your tone, he ignored your question, averting his focus to hide you and make no sound at all. The couple turned out to be closer than he had guessed them to be.

Just as he stopped in front of the doors of the greenhouse, he heard you argue about his choice of hiding spot, but ignored you for the second time.

In a calculated shuffling on the rusted bar keeping the twin panel of doors closed, he flicked it up, allowing him to push one of the doors open. The firm grip of his fingers on your waist was all you could focus on as he urged you to enter inside the greenhouse. Carefully, he pushed the door back closed, dragging you with it as he pressed your back against the cold surface. His hands on both sides of your head as he rests his forehead against the door, just above your shoulder. You couldn’t see much of the view behind him because of the lack of light inside. But the moonlight seeping through the transparent roofing of the greenhouse was enough to give you the faintest possible light to make out the features of his frame.

“It was too quiet, isn’t it? I thought the queen and king were gone.”

“We were intruding them,” he simply replied.

“W-What?”

He shifted his head to the side and before you knew it, a pair of warm lips touched yours in fervor. Jungkook has never been this bold before to break your personal space nor touches without asking your permission.

Years without seeing him, you understand that he might have grown into a persona different from what you know of him. When you saw him that weary day after four years, you picked up a sense of strangeness in his aura. Perhaps, it is his confidence or the powerful aura he naturally emits that made you speechless.

Groaning as the feel of your mouth accelerated the temperature of his body, Jungkook deepens the kiss with his tongue pushing passed your parted lips.

The way he held you in place, with his hands on your face and his torso locking you firm against the door, you didn’t expect him to withdraw from the kiss so soon which resulted in a soft breathy whine to slip out of your throat.

“Perhaps that answered your question,” he says, picking up the teasing tone in his voice. Jungkook dipped his head lower, burying his head on the crook of your neck to press a warm, wet kiss on the same spot he bruised purple two nights ago.

grand royal dowager queen - spouse of a former king; presently the king’s grandmother Halma-mama - how the royal grandchildren address their grandmother gongju - title of a princess bubuin - title of princess consort (wife of a prince) gisaeng - female entertainer yangban - any nobleman holding a government position dogam - a committee/body authorized to organize a royal event jinchan - other term for royal banquet soban - other term for a traditional table used in joseon era hanji - other term for traditional korean paper Changdeok - East Palace Gyeongbok - Main Palace/main residence of the royal family

note: after posting 4 chapters of the series, im finally opening a tag list skskssksjsj hahaahaha if u lovelies want to be tagged in the future chapters, send me your url here.

mintseesaw © 2020

[cheri-translates]

[CN] Kiro’s Colourful Date (Eng Translation)

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date which has not been released in English servers! 🍒

Disney Dates Collection: Gavin // Lucien // Victor

The date begins with MC on the beach in a foreign country for work purposes

It’s her third day here, while Kiro has been here for two weeks to produce his new album

As the sun sets on the beach, MC suddenly recalls what happened on this exact same beach and starts spluttering her soul out 

(Note: She’s referring to the Prayer Date where it’s implied they did the deed) 

Kiro suddenly appears:

Kiro: MC, are you okay?!

MC asks what Kiro is doing on the beach

Kiro: Because our hearts are linked as one!

Kiro blinks, turning to the side to block the view of curious onlookers. 

Kiro: I’m just kidding. I already knew you’d be here. I also know that you really wanted to see me, but didn’t want to disturb me. 

Kiro’s tender voice mixes along with the sea breeze, brushing across my ear gently. He takes a step forward, closing the distance between us even more. 

Kiro: [sighs] I had no choice but to end my recording quickly to look for you. Since I’m so considerate, aren’t you going to give me a hug?

He opens his arms wide and hugs me even before I can lift my hands. 

At this moment, the warmth I haven’t felt in a long time encases me tightly.

~

During the weekend, MC waits for Kiro at the amusement park

Kiro sends her a message: "Miss Chips, there’s a problem. Go to the small street at the right side of the entrance quickly!”

MC heads over

Kiro: Sorry I’m late. Huff... Miss Chips, you must have been waiting long.

Kiro leans against the railing. He pulls down his face mask and speaks a little breathlessly. 

A bead of sweat rolls down his temple and onto his face. He looks as though he had just been running. 

Even then, the smile he exhibits is even more dazzling than the summer sunlight.

He offers his hand to me, eyes filled with colours of anticipation. 

Kiro: Miss Chips, hurry, it’s time to go in!

Kiro explains that a bunch of reporters have been following him ever since he left the hotel

MC suggests that they leave, but Kiro refuses. He’s determined to have an enjoyable day with MC, and at the same time not have any photographs taken of him

They can’t shake the reporters off, so Kiro suggests they find some place to hide. They head to a small corner behind a shop

He removes his Donald Duck backpack and retrieves headbands and pair of sunflower-shaped cartoon sunglasses...

He helps put the Minnie Mouse headband on MC’s head

Kiro: This suits you very well - even cuter than I imagined!

After saying this, he puts on a Mickey Mouse headband, then wears the sunglasses. 

Kiro: This way, no one will be able to recognise us, right?

MC: Mm, I can barely recognise myself. 

I look at my reflection in the glass - the exaggeratedly large sunglasses have covered half of my face, yet it comes across as normal in the amusement park.

Kiro: We’ll look like normal visitors! 

Kiro leans over so our reflections are in the same window. He even does a V pose with his fingers, making me laugh involuntarily.

MC: Stop flaunting your good looks, let’s go out.

Kiro: Eh, we should take a selfie first!

The reporters suddenly appear, but they enter the shop without recognising Kiro

MC asks if they should return to the amusement park another day instead so they wouldn’t have to face the wrath of Savin if Kiro’s photos do get taken

Kiro reassures her that everything will be OK!

Kiro: Whatever I promise you, I’ll definitely do it. The only thing you have to do today is enjoy the amusement park vacation together with me!

Perhaps feeling that this isn’t enough, he walks to a staff member and purchases a double-layered heart-shaped balloon.

Kiro: I see many other girls having this too. 

As he says this, he lowers his head to fasten the string of the balloon to my wrist. 

Kiro: This is even more perfect!

Just as they decide to head to an attraction, the reporters spot Kiro from afar and shout his name. This attracts the attention of the visitors.

Tourist: 

Kiro: Don’t panic.

I hear Kiro’s calm and steady voice in my ear, calming my frenzy.

Kiro: We’ll pretend not to hear it, and walk over there. 

MC: W-we can do that?

Kiro: Trust me, they aren’t certain that it’s me.

They walk through the crowd... then break out into a RUN until they lose the reporters by entering an attraction

MC leaves her balloon with the staff, then realises they’re queuing for an intense roller-coaster. Her legs start wobbling :’D

MC: ...I didn’t expect it to be a roller-coaster.

After strapping on the safety belt, I swallow nervously and turn my head to look at Kiro, who is sitting next to me. 

Kiro doesn’t seem to hear me. His gaze is fixed on the track in front of us, his smile frozen in place. 

MC: Kiro? 

Only when I tug at his sleeve in confusion does Kiro turn his head stiffly. 

Kiro: What. Is. Wrong. Miss Chips?

His gaze is a little blank. When he talks, he sounds like a robot, saying one word at a time. 

MC: Should we...

At this moment, the attraction’s countdown resounds. Both our faces twitch.

In the next second, the shrill screaming starts. 

MC: Ahhh!

~

I drag my jelly-like legs and walk towards the exit. My desperate yelling from before makes my brain feel as though it lacks air.

MC: I can’t do it anymore...

Kiro: Miss Chips, the roller-coaster was really interesting!

In contrast to me, Kiro, despite his initial nervousness, looks radiant now.

MC remembers how they were chased by reporters earlier and voices her concerns

Kiro hints that he sought help from the a staff member i.e. disguising him as Kiro and leading the reporters away

They take a break and Kiro notices that MC doesn't look too well after the roller-coaster ride, so he buys ice-cream for the both of them

Kiro: Do you feel much better now?

Looking at Kiro’s sparkling eyes, as though waiting for a compliment, I smile and nod. 

MC: As long as I have desserts and you, it feels like all my tiredness has been completely swept away. 

Kiro: [laughs] I’m different! As long as you’re here, I’ll always be full of enthusiasm.

I see a tiny me reflected in his eyes. Under the sunlight, they look like gentle ripples on the surface of a lake. 

A small squirrel suddenly appears from a tree and watches them curiously

Kiro: Hello there, little cutie.

Pleasantly surprised, Kiro bends down, greeting the squirrel with a wave.

The squirrel tilts its head, not running off. Kiro’s eyes sparkle and he takes slow steps towards it.

The squirrel hurriedly scampers away by several steps. 

Kiro: Why does it ignore me? 

As though feeling wronged, Kiro mutters to himself. He lowers his voice and mumbles something in the direction of the squirrel. 

I can’t hear what he’s saying. The squirrel, which as been looking left and right so far, suddenly scampers back to where we are. It runs in circles around Kiro, looking very happy. 

MC: How did you do that? It’s magical...

Surprised, I take a few steps towards Kiro. As though afraid Kiro would leave, the squirrel also scampers closer to him. 

Once Kiro stops, the squirrel once again happily hops around in circles around him.

Kiro: It’s not over yet. 

Looking at my wide eyes, Kiro smiles mysteriously. 

At this moment, another two squirrels appear from the tree. One of them even climbs onto his arm, as though plotting to get the ice-cream.  

Kiro: Ah, you can’t eat this!

Watching the squirrel’s movements, Kiro hurriedly finishes the ice-cream. 

Seeing the delicacy disappear, the squirrel starts chirping and gesturing with its short paws. This adorable display makes Kiro surrender instantly.

Kiro: [laughs] There’s nothing left now, but I’ll bring all of you something delicious next time! 

The squirrel nods, as though agreeing with his words.

At this moment, I feel as though I’ve fallen into a fairytale. 

Noticing my exaggerated expression, Kiro looks at the small furry animals, then pinches his earlobe unconsciously.

Kiro: Hmm, I seem to have played too much... 

Kiro holds the squirrel up, rubbing its head gently. 

Kiro: Go back quickly. 

As though they can really understand his words, the squirrels rub Kiro’s palm before disappearing in the direction they came from.

MC: So you’re not only popular among humans - even animals like you so much.

Kiro: After all, I’m Kiro!

A smirk suddenly appears on his lips. Seeing that I don’t have time to react, he leans over, lowers his head, and takes a bite of the ice-cream in my hand. 

Kiro: The strawberry flavour is so sweet!

With the tip of his tongue, he licks his lips contentedly, but there are still traces left at the corner of his mouth. 

MC: Didn’t you just have a chocolate ice-cream? Also...

I’ve eaten this one... 

Thinking about this, my face starts flushing. 

Kiro: Miss Chips, look up!

I subconsciously lift my head. With a tightening sensation on my shoulder, the distance between us is closed by Kiro. 

The sunlight, surface of the water, the sky, the roller-coaster in the distance... and the both of us leaning against each other. 

Two smiling faces look towards the camera, a similar happiness dancing in our eyes. 

With a “kacha”, this moment is frozen forever.

Kiro: This photo is amazing!

Satisfied, Kiro sets the selfie as his wallpaper, then waves it in front of me. 

I see two people in the photograph leaning against each other intimately underneath the sunlight. It makes my face flush red. 

Kiro: But this isn’t enough. I also want freeze this moment in my memory forever!

I look towards his handsome side profile, and an insuppressible smile appears on my lips.

Right now, I suddenly feel like Kiro is really someone who knows magic. He has the magic to always make me happy. 

Kiro looks towards the park exit, then offers his hand to me.

Kiro: Since we’ve had sufficient rest, shall we leave? 

I place my palm in his hand. After a slight hesitation, I muster my courage and ask, slightly nervous. 

MC: Shall we... take the roller-coaster one more time? 

Kiro’s eyes widen in astonishment, then he laughs, revealing a smile that’s even more brilliant than sunlight. 

Kiro: So that you wouldn’t feel afraid, I’ll keep holding onto your hand this time! Quick, let’s go!

[pepperful-qt]

hi can i pls get Anything abt mr. ryunnosuke tanaka 🥺

omg yes 🥺 love my man Ryu. I ended up doing hcs for this bc I had so many ideas lol

warnings: mentions of nosebleed

strangers->friends->crush w/ Tanaka Ryuunosuke

so you "meet" on the train. you've just started additional test prep classes before and after school and it happens to line up with the times of his morning and evening practices :0

he thinks you look familiar but also he thinks you're cute 👉👈 so you catch him staring a few times and he tries to play it cool

see: fails to play it cool like he'll start whistling or lean against a pole and slip falling into another patron 🤦‍♀️ which makes you smile bc aw & it breaks the intimidating impression he gives off

so one time during winter otw to school you notice him sniffling a bunch and then his nose starts bleeding bc of the dry air ;) hey plot convenience

and bc you were watching him you immediately pull a bunch of tissues out of your bag and shove them in his face

Tanaka broke uh oh

stuttering mess poor bby this is not how he wanted any first conversation to go smh just says the most ridiculous things in a very loud voice

you laugh at his flustered state bc it juxtaposed how he looks so much and oop he died

he finds out you go to karasuno too and you're a second year like him and he's like oH that's why you looked familiar

so you tell him about the extra classes you're taking and he's like 0.0 bc o shit that means you're smart

you end up walking to school from the train stop together yk and he's surprised how easy it is to talk to you?? Like don't get me wrong he's still stumbling over every other word and saying dumb shit and lowkey hiding his blush behind the tissues bc omfg a girl is having a conversation with him

once vb comes up he turns into Cocky Ryu™ talking abt how he's a starter and a wing spiker which is the coolest position and other bragging stuff like that

and you find it refreshing to talk to someone like him bc you're mostly stuck with academic types first thing in the morning and his energy is just so,,much in a good way tho

and he's actually funny. and a dork. and you did not expect this😳 it's also entertaining to see how quick he switches from braggart badass to flustered mess at the most random things you say dirty minded ryu hello

Then at school you part ways and Tanaka goes over to the lil second year squad who are lit rally 👁️👄👁️

Nishi: "rYUUUU??!? Whomst?!??!" yk

and his poor brain finally processes and he is non functioning

you hear screaming in the distance

so you guys actually talk after that ! Mostly you tbh bc sometimes he feels too dumb to talk to you, but he doesn't let it get to him, mental stability king that he is, so he just enjoys being around you. Also likes to watch your mouth move bc he's just like that lets be honest here

Tanaka be talking about you all the time tho. Like his teammates actually want to strangle him whoops. Not like it's the first time he's had a girl obsession but like once he's done thirsting (yk it's true) he starts talking about your personality with the same enthusiasm and his teammates are 👀⁉️

meanwhile you mention him to your friends and they tell you all these rumors and stories about how he's a gang and a delinquent and all that and internally you're just: "that guy? the one that couldn't form a sentence or stop blushing when I gave him a tissue and nerds out over volleyball? that guy?? sounds fake but ok"

Then after encouragement/begging from Ennoshita he asks you (aka screams) to help him study, then immediately tacks on a "andtheothersecondyearsontheteam I mean only if you want to actually imma jump off the train now"

"Tanaka no it's moving. Also I'd love to"

You are the queen. They all love you. Nishi worships you, Ennoshita is grateful for your very existence bc even if you're not academically savvy you still know lots about studying materials and exam stuff from your classes! and they actually listen when a girl tells them

meanwhile Tanaka is a weird combo of smug, flustered, and 😍

anytime you express any doubt in yourself or your future/talent/etc Tanaka immediately turns into Hype Man Tanaka ™

negativity?? insecurity?? who are they??? the concept that you are any less than perfect INCONCEIVABLE

sidenote Tanaka would be the best hype man in haikyuu change my mind

even though he's not always the best with words (he'll apologize for that) his sincerity and genuine lovebelief in you is enough 😌

oop yea you got a crush you realize that now

one time after you were talking about your horrible day on the train home and like usual, he bashes anyone who made it worse and gets mad or sad or whatever with you before cheering you up like normal

and then you give him a kiss on the cheek😳 "Thanks Ryu"

TanakaRyuunosuke.exe has stopped working. Hard reset required.

LIKE his heart is so tender and his brain didn't even comprehend that you could feel that way?? But what if it was a kind gesture?? Nothing more??

cue Overthinking Tanaka™

and he misses his freaking train stop poor bby

can barely function around you anymore 😔🥺 lowkey you feel bad bc maybe you overstepped and he didn't like you that way? you knew he liked their manager etc so now you're overthinking aaaa

then one day he says it

"Y/N!!! I like you a lot!! If we go to nationals I'm taking you on a date!!!!"

you: 👁️👄👁️

also you: "yesomfg I believe in u" (yall the type of couple that hypes each other i-)

and we all know how that bet goes😌

***

this is so long omfg I don't know how to add a read more on mobile rip

I rlly should've written this as a scenario but o well 💕 I hope you liked it!

[fionaannenyc]

Grieving a radio programme?

On 10 September 2021, after 14 years on air at the station, Shaun W Keaveny did his final BBC 6 Radio programme.

Over the past weeks I’ve been re-listening to the eps that are still available via the Sounds App, relishing each cartwall clip, each reference to The Open Arms, each Small Claims Court, each bit of dead air (‘………………………………………..HA!’), each time he’d keep talking away from the mic. I know that after this coming Friday they’ll all be off in the ether, which radio used to be always; this makes me sad. I think much of it comes from learning that it wasn’t really his decision and TBH, 6 made a terrible error in judgement in offering him “a lesser commitment”.

I’ve loved that while his love of music is firmly planted in the classics like the Beatles, Zeppelin, Dire Straits, I cannot thank him enough for introducing me to new artists like Bleach Lab (check out their song Real Thing; go do it now, this’ll wait), Joy Crookes, and others.

I also know that he’s got several projects in motion: Rockanory, The Line Up, and later this year his Creative Cul-de-Sac; this makes me happyish. Podcasts don’t have the same feel as a radio program, which, when done well, as SWK did, become community; even so, I'll take what I can get.

As Greg James said, he is Woganarian (high praised indeed!).

I dare you to read his final link and not get weepy-eyed.

And now, then, the end bit, right?

I think it’s fair to say that when I was informed I wouldn’t be doing the show anymore I wasn’t fully on board with the idea to say the least, but since then I’ve come to accept it as part of the ebb and flow and the tide of life. Casual DAB surfers will be screaming at the Radio “It’s just a radio show you egomaniac, get over it!” and it’s partially true, I am an egomaniac.

But those people who say it’s just a radio show are wrong, it’s not just a radio show. Any show like this isn’t really, it’s a community, it’s a fellowship. It’s a very beautiful and inclusive club, and it’s taken me nearly 15 years to work this out.

For years I got sad and angry. I felt Like I wasn’t living up to my potential, you know, like, why can’t I write a sitcom or an album or a novel; something that will live forever and stand the test of time.

Radio’s just ephemeral, right? It's just steam off your…. cup of tea. Well you’re wrong, it’s a community, and we built this community together. Maybe an asylum would suit better, I don’t know…

I’m now fond of the community garden metaphor, and maybe I did get the plot, I’ve lost the plot now that’s for sure, but you all popped in, you cleared the rubbish. you planted beautiful flowers, and now look at it, it’s a verdant paradise; and I’m just a part of it, a tool if you will. By accident or by perseverance we’ve woven this sort of Bayeaux Tapestry like an alternative little existence, you know, like minds united in defiance of the ugly horrors of the world. It just sometimes is a horrible place to live, but we’re united in kindness; we love daftness, we’ve got a love of music, we’ve got a distain for over-seriousness and earnestness, a suspicion of authority, a need for honesty, but there’s a thread of sincerity all the way through it,

And in short we here at Wogan House aim ultimately to be Woganarian.

In the end I got my wish, I’ve created – WE HAVE created, something amazing. An irreplaceable thing that we must try to keep alive.

A radio show is NOTHING without the enthusiasm and acceptance of its audience. It simply doesn’t exist without that. That’s why they’re so hard to build. You can be as funny or innovative as you like, do as many great features as you want, but until the audience lets you in, you’re just a silly tit acting daft. You gave this show life and you gave it meaning so it’s not just a radio show.

Your words and your time your funny and silly, sad emails in your heart, and I’ll always have it in my heart.

Thanks for everything.

I love ya.

I’m going to the pub now, and I’m not going to swear.

And this is my show stopper, and this is what I want to leave you with, because it’s the truth.

We’ve only just begun, guys

Better yet, listen to the last few moments of the program, which some kind soul took the time to upload.

#catsingangs #ThisIsYorkshirePeopleAreSensible #bloodyrubbish! #onions!

[fluffypeachwriting]

Welcome to the first installment of my Hypmic Burlesque AU (definitely inspired by the 2010 film)! This is only an introductory chapter but it won’t be the last so I hope people stick around for more installments! It won’t be like a full fic with a coherent plot, just little snippets of the AU, so updates won’t be as regular or in chronological order.

Edit: I’ve uploaded it to Ao3 (in case anyone prefers reading there) with the title Show Me How You Burlesque! I’ll include links in future updates too!

The song sequence Ramuda performs, Guy What Takes His Time, is this one, and Tough Lover, mentioned near the end is here!

Rating: Mature/No Warnings Apply

Words: 1740

A guy what takes his time, I'll go for any time I'm a fast movin' gal who likes them slow Got no use for fancy drivin', want to see a guy arrivin' in low. I'd be satisfied, electrified to know a guy what takes his time

Backup dancers let Ramuda take the spotlight as it turned on, and he revelled in it, puffing out his chest with the swell of music. This was by far not his first performance of this particular song but the first chords of the song resonated in him like he had never heard them before. The pink feather fans parted to reveal him perched on the piano, like a clam opening to reveal the treasure inside. It was planned to be this way, with the pearl costume and its subdued colours bringing out the natural beauty that was contained within.

Natural, though nothing close to pure.

His nickname would suggest that. His fans called him the ‘lamb’ of the burlesque stage. It wasn’t just a small play on his name, as he was frequently seen adorned with his favourite fluffy white coat when he wasn’t dancing, usually holding onto the arm of a rich hotshot that took his fancy at a party that night. But he was anything but a weak animal, as he was just as deceptive as he was cute. His dainty little body was seen at every big party and club in town, buttering up everyone who caught his eye, never seen hanging around alone. He lived fast and hard.

He wasn’t past stepping on the spines of his rivals in stiletto heels to reach for the crown.

Ooh. Maybe I should make a king themed costume. Yeah, something super lavish and shiny.

A real wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Not only that; the manager had threatened to ‘cook and serve him with mint garnish’ when he got on her nerves, along with other more colourful insults. He knew she loved the club really, so pushing her buttons from time to time wouldn’t do too much harm.

In his heart Ramuda loved the club as well, and everyone else too. The other dancers and their strange banter was kind of endearing to him, the band was reliable as always, the bar and tech staff taking care of the behind the scenes stuff, and… he did love the manager too. In an odd way. There was nothing remotely intimate about their relationship (save for a very drunken night soon after Ramuda’s employment but bringing that up would have him incinerated on the spot) as they spat all kinds of insults at each other daily while knowing that if worst came to the worst, they would have each other’s backs.

I really do mean, the worst.

And they would be together to see it, like a weird package deal. They went back too far for him to get fired on the spot, if ever. Though that wasn’t to say that he never caused any trouble in the club. Always teetering on the line, laughing whatever predicament he caused off while applying his make-up while the other dancers dealt with the fallout. They had no idea why the manager put up with him for so long at first, until they saw him dance. She had scooped up his talent and put him to work early on as the club’s first full-time dancer. And he was showing no signs of stopping soon.

You could speculate that he was built for doing this, even from one glance at him. It was almost uncanny. His hips swerved through the air as smooth as whipped cream and his shoulders shook with laser precision, every movement constructed to entice the viewer and pry more money out them night after night after night.

Lustful intensity oozed from his body language while he mimed as if he was singing; he’d asked the manager if he could sing during the performance, pouting when he was met with a firm ‘not yet’. Ramuda was known behind the scenes for being notoriously bratty when he wanted to get his way, and with the amount of money he brought into the establishment it wouldn’t be a surprise if the costume was actually composed of real pearls.

As if anyone could ever refuse his demands in the first place.

His look was finished off with dramatic pin-up style make-up and pearl jewellery to match the costume. He was undoubtedly radiant. Every inch of flawless skin was shimmering with the powder puff he’d meticulously applied just a few minutes ago before rushing onto stage and claiming it as his.

This was his speciality, commanding every head in the room with a sultry but oh so deliciously unattainable aura. It was the fact that he was always out of reach that made him such a tempting treat for the eyes.

As he gracefully lounged upon the piano the audience was being scoured by his all-seeing gaze, and you wouldn’t be able to tell if he was just acting or if he was searching for someone. It was a total cinch for him, maintaining a watchful eye over everyone while executing a perfect performance. Either way, he was the predator and they were the prey, being devoured by the small man. When he flashed his teeth in-between lines, there was a glint of malice that sparkled with a twisted form of integrity.

He sold undeniable perfection without letting it slip out of his possession.

Right now his mouth was curved into a cheeky smile as he mimed singing. He couldn’t be more content with the crowd wrapped tight around his finger, like how one hand was wrapped around the neck of the champagne bottle and tap tap tapping in time to the song. You could say that they were in a strong chokehold, but he wouldn’t be that mean.

Usually.

He tipped his head back just as he tipped the bottle towards the glass, spilling the alcohol everywhere except the glass (intentionally) and setting it down with a satisfied smile. The words he mimed were asking for a slow lover, not a tidy one.

Ramuda himself had yet to find a lover that suited his needs and wants. For now he was happy with a life of self-indulgence and luxury, holding onto the arms off all kinds of people. The kinds that had lots of money to throw around.

That led his mind to wander and remember another man who wished to dance at the establishment, a man who didn’t look a day over 20, who’d seen Ramuda perform a few times and stopped him to ask for his advice. The young man was in for a rude awakening when Ramuda told him the harsh, bitchy truth of the job. That was a few weeks ago now, but he could remember him and the young man standing in the cold rain just outside the building like it was yesterday. The man didn’t look completely deterred after that, despite the rain soaking through to his skin.

Perhaps he would be coming back soon, Ramuda hoped. He would be a fun one to mess with.

He hopped off the piano giggling to himself, then ran one hand up his neck and through his hair, relishing in the small moment before the next section of the song.

His strikingly icy blue eyes blew wide open in fake shock as the upper half of his costume was tugged off by a string, flying off-stage. He snatched one of the giant feather fans from a backup dancer and held it close to his chest (as if he wouldn’t be happy to bare it all, but burlesque was all about the foreplay and nothing more, and Ramuda was a tease at heart) and continued to strut his stuff.

His hair, pin-curled just for today, bounced around his face as he tottered around the band members, the pearls on his lower half shimmying over his soft skin with each perky little step. The stage lights were close to being unbearably warm but he walked with a cool aura that would send a hot chill down your spine if you approached the stage. It was a wonder how anyone kept up with him.

The two other dancers accompanying him tonight were considerably bigger in stature and build than him yet they were completely outshone. This specific fact was something Ramuda thought was hilarious. A duet had recently been choreographed to Tough Lover for them after being in such high demand from the audience, some even mentioning it directly to the manager, but they had yet to agree to it. Ramuda knew they would crack soon enough, it was only matter of neither man wanting to say yes first at the risk of their bad-boy exteriors wearing off. The two men were so alike in dignity and enthusiasm yet they fought in a typical cat-and-dog fashion at every opportunity. This, Ramuda thought, could be the reason they clashed so often. Whenever Ramuda (as cute as he thought they were) silenced them because they got too annoying, they were practically at his knees without question or thought.

He didn’t know exactly why. Maybe it was because Ramuda had had others fired before for less.

This certainly wasn’t an admired quality. On the few occasions during the songs that he made eye contact with either of them Ramuda could sense their envy of being the man to rake in the most money and attention.

What Ramuda couldn’t sense, surprisingly, was the man sitting in the shadows near the back of the hall. A past dancer of the club who was let go a few months back.

He was sitting there out of envy.

Staring Ramuda down with a deep-seated contempt that he hadn’t felt quite to this degree before.

Hate watching, you might call it.

Ramuda settled into the finishing pose of the song, his costume pulled completely off now with some miscellaneous musical equipment covering the goods. A quick wink earned him a long whistle. Each hoot and holler from the crowd was fuel to the fire.

Hate watching?

No… he was studying.

The lamb disappeared from view as the lights dimmed and the other man left the building just as fast. He didn’t want to think of it as cowering, but he did nonetheless.

He was a real sheep in wolf’s clothing.

Things were about to get interesting around here.

[laemony]

What I’ve read in 2020!

Welcome back to this thing I started in 2017 and still don’t know WHY it should matter!

2017  2018  2019

This year has been a shit show but I must admit I’ve read quite a lot (who knew that staying at home with nothing else to do, except watching the world burn, could lead to this?!) Anyway! This is it, enjoy!

WAR AND PEACE, L. TOLSTOY – biggest book I’ve ever read in my life, I don’t know how but it’s never boring, I loved the characters and I adored the historical knowledge; the two subjects mix, when people are at war they miss peace, and when they are at peace they miss and look for war; it’s full of time skips in a very Russian fashion… only thing it bothered me, in my edition at least, all the paragraphs written in French didn’t have a translation, I hope I didn’t lose too many infos lol 8,5/10

PERSUASION, J. AUSTEN – this book! A surprise, a revelation, a discovery! Brilliant! Funny! Lovely! Anne’s expressions of her family are hilarious; one of my favourites so far, even if “lost love who is not as forgotten as you thought they would be” sounds way too much like the story of my life 10/10

THE YEARS, V. WOOLF – it felt lonely, yet lively; a bit hopeless, but not too sad; the chatter, the teasing, is all very familiar, as if she wrote about my own family; simple in its day-to-day life; felt like autumn (if it makes sense????) 8/10

THE DEAD SOULS, N. GOGOL – ridiculous characters, ridiculous conversations, I loved the ironic way it depicts Russian society and its people; the last chapter is a mess, I couldn’t imagine how it could end and to be honest I still have no idea 7,5/10

THE PROCESS, F. KAFKA – no time-line; not a single emotion, not from the characters neither from the author; a cold, indifferent depiction of a series of facts, which are everything but clear; not an inch of silence, just words; it tired me out, I just needed a bit more silence 5/10

THE WHITE GUARD, M. BULGAKOV – I simply love how he writes (wrote??) and his characters are always so unique and interesting; I adore the references to Tolstoy and Dostoevskij; this book has more of a painting than a book; it’s an impressive recount of a fundamental historical moment; the end is not clear but beautiful 9,5/10

THE HANDMAID’S TALE, M. ATWOOD – I thought I wouldn’t have been able to stomach it, and then I found out that there’s a right way to tell a story about violence and she mastered it; cruel people are just that, no craziness, no dark past, just thirst for power and the confidence of knowing what’s best for everyone; it gave me chills, it made me angry; I love how she writes, it’s the first time a first person pov doesn’t make me want to tear my eyes off my face… people who watched the series: do you know what’s the real name of Offred? I need it 10/10

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, J. AUSTEN – as usual, her books must be read in one breath; Jane and Charles’ story is my favourite; I love Mr Bennet as much as I can’t suffer everyone’s sisters (except Miss Darcy of course); it has an amazing mix of characters, I absolutely love the drama that follows Mr Darcy; I honestly expected a more dramatic confession at the end but it was great 9/10

NOTES FROM A DEATH HOUSE, F. DOSTOEVSKY – a bit too auto-biographic for my tastes, but I adored his depiction of a humanity which is often forgotten; it’s very disturbing in its actuality if you stop to think about it; he never tires himself saying that those “criminals” are also and foremost human beings 7,5/10

ASYLUM, P. MCGRATH – the first part is fast-paced, it leaves you breathless and with an anxious need to keep on reading; then it started to be a little more psychological and it kinda bored me; I liked the narrator very much, it was really disturbing 7,5/10

DOCTOR ZIVAGO, B. PASTERNAK – every Russian book I’ve read gave me a glimpse of Russian history and culture, yet they’re all different and I think that’s often underappreciated. Now, this book. This book is, simply put, breath-taking. The landscapes are immense and colourful, the talent of this man is unparalleled; it has a devastating end, it’s a book I’ll probably read over and over again just ‘cause reading it is “such a sweet sorrow” 10/10 (this rec is shorter than what it should have been in my mind, but I’d probably end up talking about this book and only this book so that’s it, it’s called self-control)

EMMA, J. AUSTEN – at first I was annoyed by Emma’s character, but then she proved herself so oblivious it started to become pretty funny; I can’t get over how much people talk in this book, the irony is SO on point, I love it; I probably like it more than Persuasion, because there are so many twists that the ending left me really surprised for once. And let me tell you, Jane Austen is THE BEST at depicting insufferable people 10/10

UNO, NESSUNO, E CENTOMILA, L. PIRANDELLO – look at me, reading Italian literature, world must be ending… to be honest? I don’t remember much of it? And I didn’t take notes as I usually do? I must’ve been bored out of my mind… I’ll give it a 6/10 on trust alone because I know Pirandello is great lol

HIS DARK MATERIALS, P. PULLMAN – finally got to this and it left me pretty confused; the first book is great, I loved the characters and the scenery, but in the other two I felt like too many things were left unexplained and Lyra’s character too lost some of its greatness; the end brought very little clarity, if at all, and of course I hated it with a passion; I don’t think he expressed the maximum potential of the world he built, but I liked it alright 7,5/10

1984, G. ORWELL – saying I was disappointed might be an understatement; I like how it’s written but the story in itself is frustrating, frankly boring, and disappointing, especially the end; you don’t build so much tension just to end it like that! Tho, maybe that’s exactly what he wanted to convey; everything is pretty much hopeless, made me angry 7/10

CARRIE, S. KING – first of his book I’ve ever read, AND I LOVED IT; it’s not a style I like very much, letting us know how it will end since the beginning, but it was great, magnificent, empowering; I don’t know if I’ll ever have the patience to read the others (they’re all so big) but this certainly got me curious 9/10

JACOB’S ROOM, V. WOOLF – confusing, very confusing, more confusing than anything of hers; of course it’s very beautifully written, but I have no idea what happened there 6,5 maybe 7/10?

THE WITCH, S. JACKSON – my personal Halloween challenge begins with this; short, CREEPY, VERY CREEPY, to the point (what point?); absolutely loved it 8/10

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, S. JACKSON – listen, creepy houses are my jam, they’re the best; my first impression of the characters went like this: they’re all batshit crazy, I love them; it honestly gave me nightmares; I wish I would’ve read it in English tho 8/10

THE ABC MURDERS, A. CHRISTIE – the queen of plot-twists herself, she never disappoints; not my favourite, mind you, but it was great how she built the story of the murderer just to… well, you’ll have to read it 7,5/10

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, E. A. POE – I love when short stories such as this leave so much space around them to build whatever plot your imagination can come up with; it’s great, even left like it is 8/10

THE PENELOPIAD, M. ATWOOD – whatever guys, this woman has the ability to write the worst things in such a delicate way simply out of this world; I ADORE HER 9/10

THE UNCOMMON READER, A. BENNETT – hilarious from start to finish, kinda frustrating in the way only royal etiquette can be; I love how the Queen relates to others and I adored her inner monologue; the end is brilliant and the whole book (more or less 100 pages) feels like a breath of fresh air 8/10

THEATRE

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, W. SHAKESPEARE – funny, brilliant, it became one of my favourite comedies (and there aren’t many of them) 8/10

CYMBELINE, W. SHAKESPEARE – nice little thing, with all the ingredients of a tragedy but with a happy ending; for a moment I thought it would end in a King Lear’s way, glad it didn’t 7,5/10

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, W. SHAKESPEARE – the first of Shakespeare’s plays that I didn’t like at all, and I think the reasons are pretty clear to whoever has read it; it kinda felt “out of character” for him, but maybe I’m just an ignorant 4/10

POETRY and LETTERS

ARIEL, S. PLATH – raw, powerful, sad, everything I expected of it, I also have the best edition ever, she’s great 8/10

POEMS FROM THE MOOR, E. BRONTE – the talent, the power of this woman; I’ll cry the loss of the Gondal’s saga for the rest of my life 8/10

LETTERS TO A YOUNG POET, R. M. RILKE – amazing, the thins this man could write even in such a trivial thing as a letter, I love him 10/10

MARINA CVETAEVA – I must admit, I like her prose better than her poetry; her letters are heart breaking yet so full of enthusiasm you can’t help but feel for her; also, she loves Boris as much as I do, her letters to him are my favourite thing in the world 9/10

BORIS PASTERNAK – this man was the best present this year could give me, do yourself a favour and go read him 10/10

SPECIAL MENTION: THE SECRET HISTORY, D. TARTT – I may have a problem with her books, but I’ve started this in January and never got the patience to finish it; chapters WAY too long, characters that are so insufferable they can’t be real; pretentious, boring… I can’t give it a rating because I didn’t finish it and I’m not a monster, but the bar is very low

This is it I guess! I hope I gave you a little bit of entertainment, this is something I usually do for myself but I’m glad to share with you every year. I wish you a better end of 2020 than the whole, stay strong and stay safe!  A virtual hug to everyone 💚💚💚