#part of the reason i keep it on me is because it always wins the bad id photo contest
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rimatsu · 2 days ago
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ok now onto the bucktommy portion of my asks.
i thought most of you didn't expect tommy to appear in 817 anyway so what's with the switch-up? 🤔
i don't feel like writing another essay repeating what has been said a hundred times before, but yes, the only thing that makes narrative sense after 811 and 815 is still a reconciliation down the line. of course, i’m approaching this with the belief that logic ultimately prevails in the writing room when that's not always a guarantee, but still: deliberate writing choices were made to keep tommy involved in 8b. setups imply payoffs. buck's ex wouldn't have been brought back thrice for nothing.
i fundamentally disagree with anyone saying that it's over. 806 could've acted as a conclusion. the door was by no means firmly shut but it could've been left as is. they had a “parting” conversation and tommy walked out the literal door with a goodbye. rn the bucktommy storyline isn't open-ended. it's unfinished. unresolved — one of the dangling threads that need to be wrapped up. their last on-screen interaction had tommy openly admit he was risking his career for buck before being interrupted by the military and then tragedy. there's no way to sell that as an end when it functioned as the opposite: a prolongation of their will-they-won’t-they.
and i don't believe they'll drag it out to s9 after 12 episodes of uncertainty.
now i understand the skepticism. i do: the reason why i was expecting/hoping to see tommy in 817 is because there's only so much you can fit in 43 minutes when half of that time will probably be dedicated to the emergency. buck and tommy haven't spoken since 815 and as much as the seeds have been planted by the helicopter scene, it's not a sufficient set up for a satisfactory reconciliation. but then i remembered that 911 is rarely satisfying and often rushes through resolutions. a reunion doesn't need to be elaborate or take more than 3 minutes, tops.
every main character will close the season with an individual win (baby han, athena's finished house, mara's probable adoption, eddie and chris moving back to LA) so i expect one for buck as well and tommy has been positioned as his price. after all, he’s the one character who took care of buck for a change all season.
lfj's interview where he spoke of vulnerability and commitment post-funeral still exists. so, until opening credits roll without his name listed amongst them, i'm not wavering or despairing. i'd rather be wrong than preemptively disappointed.
what do i envision? buck reaching out to tommy after the building collapse in a scene that mirrors their coffee date, showing up with a basket of baked goods and saying something along the lines of "i should've called. every time i baked instead of dialing your number was a waste of time and we only have so much. i want to try again. actually try, this time. if you still want me." -> "wanting you was never the issue, quite the opposite," followed by said expression of vulnerability. maybe a callback to "why be apart when we can be together?" as well. and then a brief cameo during the (time-jump?) ending montage (potentially living together since buck has moved out of eddie's old place according to that one bts). tada. short and sweet and effective 🤞
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mythtakens · 2 days ago
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the thing is when you want to see something in bad faith of course you always will, when you set out to compare two completely incomparable characters whoever you wanted to win in your head always will. and you can dress it up as something it's not and villainize one thing and romanticize another until the end of time to your heart's content and I'm sure it makes you feel good and morally superior. but at the end of the day 100% any day of the week I'd rather see a real fleshed out human character (of which this show has many to choose from) handle a situation too emotionally and cross a line and have to make up for it than a shell of a character with no real connection to a situation hypothetically always do the perfect thing in my head. it's not the story anyone cares to tell for a reason. the messy imperfect handling of intense grief weighing on people because they have YEARS of connection and shared experiences and love built between all of them is what makes any of it matter. "my blorbo wouldn't do xyz" well if they aren't even part of the equation of the loss they're all sharing then yeah I guess they wouldn't ever have a feelings first reaction about anything here? that's probably pretty hard to imagine, you got me there. being an outside observer they would have no real clue of the magnitude of what is putting these people adrift or the wrongness of not being able to breathe until they can remember how to grab hold of each other and keep their heads above water like they always have before. that kind of trust is something all of these well established characters have built together over time. I'm sure your high horse feels tall, but it's also not there. EVERY TIME the story I want to see, the story worth telling, and the story 911 tells over and over is the one that is earned, and makes these characters feel like real flawed interesting people who are allowed to be messy and guilty and petty and caring and selfish and angry and numb and heartbroken and all the complexity and enormity that comes with unthinkable situations and unfathomable grief, and in the end still reaching for each other to muddle through the best they can. they don't have to get it right every time and they often won't, but the mistakes aren't tallied and their relationships aren't a zero-sum game because the love they've built is actually the point.
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cattofwatt · 2 days ago
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The Headcanon’s! Part 1
Guess what I finally have these headcanon’s ready. Now these will be in a more “what they would do” headcanon’s rather than “what they are” headcanon’s. As I’m better with the former and I’m too basic to do much with “what they are”, and these will only be the party members and basically just anything that can be in Sam’s apartment.
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Starting with the man himself!
1-he really really wants to get away from the term NEET, and will absolutely deny it whenever it’s even implied.
2-listen this apocalypse is the most he’s brushed his teeth and showered in weeks, look at him
3-he isn’t constantly upset his face just kinda looks like that, and his voice, and his demeanor, and-
4-I like to believe he’s just absolutely unaware (or in denial) about his stalker Lyle. He had no idea any of this was happening until this all started. Up to you to say if this upsets him or turns em on-
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Ah the woman who everyone I’ve seen play the game go “that’s a woman?!” And change their entire demeanor to her
1-Imagine being the first person ever to see a creature in space yeah she was not quiet about it to her friends at all
2-she and Jasper both are/were ignorant to their feelings, in a comical way
3-she tried to ignore the changes in her in the months of viewing the visitor
4-I like to believe now she’s mainly just the pink sludge and it’s just in the walls everywhere in the apartment (she did say she didn’t “feel” the apartment change when Henderson did his ptsd thing. Implying that normally she would feel it)
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Our child!
1-it just loves life and living in it. Look at that dumb grin nothing could ruin that
2-even when it was still a baby it understood completely what was happening in the room with the hole who wanted to eat it. It now doesn’t trust Sybil that much because of how she’s in a wall.
3-that hat and backpack is old stuff Sam used to wear when he was a little kid
4-In the denial ending it is living a very good life with its new Eldritch dad
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Teeth boi!
1-fuzzy was a toy Ben (or even the little sister doesn’t matter) got for him and it’s his most precious item
2-he does still have that urge to bite but luckily he just does it to bad people. And counters, and anything chewable
3-he was already best friends with Sophie before all this, he was there for her at school when all of her dad stuff was happening
4-when he grew up he worked to help other cursed who have mutations that are infectious in nature and aren’t exactly controllable
5-he still thinks there is hope for his little sister
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MY GIRL!- sorry this gal just loves this freak
1-she was always kinda twitchy and “weird” even before all this. She was the type to do the knife hand game for fun
2-her cursed form is basically just all her pent up store clerk anger let loose
3-her love of fighting and competition comes from never being good or better in her eyes, always seeing herself as lesser for some reason
4-that grin is permanent now but she doesn’t care one bit
5-only friends with Morton because he has sharp things
6-admires Hellen in the “crush me” way. But only to then try to win whatever situation that would be
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Jason looking motherfuck-
1-she is a amazing gardener obviously
2-has no romantic feelings for anyone else, her plants have already taken that role-
3-she didn’t grow in size because of being cursed, it was really only the face thing, she was always built like this
4-(as we know) she is the type to answer a paragraph of text with “k”
5-nowadays (denial ending) she just gardens like regular,
6-oh this is a good one. The plant apartment may just be hers and she left it when it started becoming like it is now
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Little rascal
1-is the type to say “ah crud” and then say something absolutely disturbing
2-if you give her to her cursed mother she just kinda ends up in a catatonic state being “forever held” by her mom (someone draw that)
3-nowadays she’s friends with everyone and tries to keep up with them, still close with Joel and helps him with whatever he wants
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The..*gag* streamer
1-had a bad experience with Sam (because Sam identifies him as “creep” even before really talking to him. That could just be judging his appearance but that’s boring)
2-he is the type to do controversy videos on absolutely nothing.
3-he isn’t cursed (unless you get the random chance of course) he just kinda looks like that
4-is the kind of person online of when any female character exists he has to make a hot joke
5-his life has not changed after all of this
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Grasshopper
1-minor kleptomania but he can resist it good enough
2-he can hop like a grasshopper but he finds it deeply embarrassing to do that so he never does
3-deeply unbothered by everything going on, he just wants his spoons please
4-he does what salad fingers does to spoons, just less in a creepy way more of a fidget way
5-can say some really offensive stuff but it’s never on purpose, likely just stating what he observes
6-he just explores nowadays getting junk
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I’ll be honest he’s not that interesting to me for some reason
1-dnd lover. He has to be the dm though
2-also a LARPer, and he’s fucking amazing at it
3-he hates Roaches so much. Like just actual despair and distraught seeing it. The hate is not mutual
4-he was the best janitor on the job and the fungal area did mess with him more than he wants to admit
I will continue this soon!
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thefirstlioveyou · 13 hours ago
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The State of Mike's Safety & What He Needs in S5
a part of s5 is gonna be them finally realizing they need mike. i mean, it makes sense. you have a character who feels like nobody needs him. wouldn't he need to discover that everyone needs him? in order to believe he is needed by everyone, he needs to see it for himself and not just from a single person's words.
and if it's true that he is needed by everyone like will, the duffers, and shawn levy claim, who we have no reason not to believe, then wouldn't whoever "everyone" is need to have a plot changing moment where they all collectively realize that? as of right now, he still flies right over their head. something major needs to happen for them to finally realize he has been the key this whole time. they need to lose him in some way. it's kinda like how you never know what you have until it's gone or it's almost too late.
with people still doubting mike being in danger.... why on earth wouldn't vecna take away the one thing that makes them all fall apart?
the show's literally spoiling s5 right in front of our eyes. the twist is in our face. they lost. they fell apart and were always bound to lose no matter what. why? because they lost the heart (mike). it's why mike keeps getting mentioned for NO reason in plots that don't even concern him. the answer is right in their face but the characters keep missing it.
when vecna tells el "you have already lost," it only makes me think that he had already done something that solidified his win a long time ago [side-eyes that damn vine]
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s3 kept bashing the audience over the head through weird ass dialogue and blocking that mike's important. he is key. he is also "flayed." s4 just bashes you over the head even more that it's almost too late for mike, much similar to how it was for max.
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now, this shot is incredibly important. nancy hugs jonathan instead of hugging mike. the show wants us to notice the flaw in this.
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i think after what we saw in the bts video, one of nancy's priorities next season will be connecting with family, especially mike.
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one of the points of mike in s1 was that nobody knew anything about him because they didn't put the effort to. he wasn't a concern to them until government was involved and they didn't know where he was. he was invisible until he was actually "missing" momentarily.
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his mom didn't fight for answers the way she did for nancy the whole season. nancy didn't know where he could've been because they don't talk and she's clearly embarrassed to admit that. she proposes they never hide anything again but that doesn't last long. karen doesn't say anything about the scab on mike's chin when all it'd take is a line or two to write in that acknowledges it. even EL noticed it and asked. meanwhile, without hesitation, karen asks nancy about the sweater she was wearing with full concern. then the infamous cliff scene just. it never happened. he's never even thanked in any capacity for it and all the credit turns to el. a 12 year old boy stepped, not jumped, stepped off a cliff. he didn't bother begging or fighting for an alternative. he just accepted it. totally normal scene, right? and it just never gets mentioned.
karen refuses to go to mike herself. she expects him to come, but mike isn't gonna do that. there's a reason why we never see him actually open up with her and only hugs her, the same way jonathan and joyce only hug but never actually talk about what actually needs to be talked about. karen and nancy don't ever hug once the whole show because the love karen has for her is shown through her actual actions and efforts.
this "he'll come to us when he's ready" bullshit is the opposite of what season 4 was trying to say with max. waiting for someone to come ain't gonna work, at least not in this universe. it just ends up horribly.
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they need to look harder.
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there needs to be someone fighting for him.
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it's been so clear what the show is trying to do with mike since the beginning. he is constantly shown to be running out of time or being late just like vecna's victims. he is invisible up until he's in danger, just like max. karen waits for him the way lucas waited for max, and he learns from it. the "i just tripped" excuse from vecna's victims ties directly back to mike. so if you think about it, in a way, mike's been living in his own version of vecna's curse the entire show. it's just a slowburn version of it and nobody's noticing. that's why they lost.
if they say we are coming back in a circle, then that only means mike has to finally be visible to them now. he has to be one of their concerns. they need to care and be given a reason to. we are finally gonna see into his head again, and likely more than we ever have before. finn's also already confirmed s5 will dive more into his mental health.
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the last 20 minutes of s4 is basically screaming at you how screwed mike is, but it's also a line up of the people who are likely the ones gonna be fighting for him. he gets a personal scene with his mom, who tells him he is staying right there. it matters that he's there. he has his scene with hopper. nancy tells jonathan she's glad he was with mike (and adds on will as an after thought. interesting writing choice there. they're doing too much to single him out this entire ending bit).
we're even shown that will is the light in mike's life, the same way mike and will's family was will's light in s2 during his possession. will is drowning in sunlight while mike's sits right at the edge of it.
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they need to reach out to mike. mike needs to be fought for in some way next season rather than him only fighting for someone else again, which only feeds into his toxic cycle. if he saves someone, he's needed. but that's not it. that's not how it should be. that is the same logic that holds him down. he was confronted with a dying el and max again in s4, paralleling s1. the pressure was on him to get to her fight and do something, or else she'd die... again... because he failed (in his eyes).
and i'm not saying mike won't be a hero - he definitely will be. he will get his moment. i'd like to think the love he'll receive will fuel his will to fight back and win against something finally. but first, he must find worth in his own life in order to do that. he needs to realize he himself is worth fighting for.
mike is clearly a target next season and has been since the start. thinking the antagonist has nothing to do with the main character... respectfully cope harder. as if it wasn't both nancy and mike's best friends who went missing. as if holly wasn't moments away from being snatched by a demogorgon. as if karen didn't have a moment with a flayed!billy. as if it isn't mike that is vecna's "friend" and him that wasn't grabbed a vine we have never seen before. as if it isn't nancy who vecna chose to give his message to. is mike really just there to sit there and look pretty and be perfectly safe to some of y'all? that makes sense to some people??
it is obvious it's max, then it's mike. they aren't even being discreet about it.
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so all in all, mike needs to be valued and loved next season. and clearly, that's what the writers want you to do as well.
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"but he's been a complete jerk!! he needs to earn this by apologizing first!! they shouldn't be doing this first."
ok let's think for a second why they're doing that in this order because it is odd. why is mike being met with so much love, care and concern before we even get an understanding of why he's been the way he's been? why are they making us worry about mike? why is it almost like he's getting a pass? why are they working backwards?
it's simple. if they're trying to get you to gather sympathy for this boy before a proper """redemption arc""" or apology, before getting a single glimpse into his pov, all while wholeheartedly saying he's the heart despite the last 2 seasons failing to give him the chance to be that... it's only because they know something that we don't. there's a massive plot twist regarding him that's gonna recontextualize everything.
this is another big reason why i think it's very likely possessiongate may actually be real. the way they're setting it up like this makes it seem like mike never did anything at all. when a character messes up in this show, it does not go this way. you don't seem them get rewarded with a painting that tells them how great of a person they are. there is something very off about the way this is being structured if mike is truly at fault.
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tags (i'm gonna assume the likes were also yes' 😭):
@itswhatyougive @apocalyptic-byler @lazylama9 @beepingmemesauce2727 @gimmiecandy @will-teehee @girly-eldritch-screeching @lemons-woo-yeah @bylerposting @luhvtan875 @thecharliechip @80syaoi @ivermyri @my-coven-is-claudia @bulionzkury @heroesbyler @directorfinnwolfhard
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vogelmeister · 7 months ago
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showed my brother my dutch id card and he started laughing.
i know its a bad photo but that’s rough.
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burger-goblin · 1 year ago
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#girl help i'm romanticizing a relationship that i was in over a decade ago that left me emotionally bruised and stunted#a very toxic relationship in which i was abused in every way a person can be abused#i always would tell myself that i wouldn't take him back after he would cheat on my and i would be tricked into it because i really thought#that i could change him and he could be better#but i realized much later that the reason i was so easy to win back wasn't just because i was in love with him‚ but also because#i really loved his family. i loved the love they gave me‚ and how-- despite how poor our relationship was-- they were on my side#and always cared for me. even when we weren't together‚ his mom was always checking in on me#he and i reconciled years after our very‚ very messy final breakup and maintained a good friendship#however he started getting radicalized and was leaning further and further right‚ so i distanced myself and removed him from my socials#last year‚ around this time‚ i started having dreams about him over and over‚ so i took it as a sign to reach out to him and check in#turned out that his mom had been hospitalized and it wasnt looking good. i reached out to her as well. thankfully‚ she went home#and he asked me how i was‚ like he wanted to keep in touch‚ and i never replied. i wanted to keep that distance between us#but i would still be near if they needed me‚ and for some reason‚ i just assumed the family knew that#fast forward to now. his mom is gone and it's weighing heavily on me. he's told me he never wants to talk to me again#and that's also weighing on me. i wish i just knew the direct reason why he feels that way#like if it's specifically something i said‚ if it's that i remind him of all the wonderful times we spent together with his mom‚ or#is it because of his new wife#i don't think i was that much on an influence on his life considering how often he used me and cheated on me-- i'm not a threat#like to their marriage. so i'm inclined to think it's because i remind him of his mom#but not knowing for sure is the worst part of this‚ i think. i know he's hurting‚ and he knows i know what it's like to lose a parent#i want to give back to the family that gave me so much‚ but now that he's shut me out‚ i'm not sure how to do that anymore#ah‚ flea. you'd know what to say. i wish you were here to tell me.
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bunnis-monsters · 4 months ago
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Late night thoughts about incubus husband…
He’s such a flirt. Every time you go out he dons a different human disguise. It’s always annoying seeing him flit about the bar, changing himself to cater to whichever person he’s talking to.
Really, your husband just wants to make you jealous. He’s a bit of an attention whore, and usually you’d just tug him away and ride his cock until he’s sensitive and crying, begging to fill your cunt with his cum but being denied because of how bad he was.
But he went a bit too far tonight.
You were finishing off your drink when you spotted him across the bar, his fingers twirling a woman’s hair. Already this was a bit much for you, and you stood to stop him.
But you froze in place when his eyes glanced towards you before he wrapped an arm around her waist. “Looks like I’m taking home a pretty lady tonight. Don’t worry, my wife won’t mind.”
He glanced back to gauge your reaction, excited to face some kind of kinky punishment for being a flirty brat… but instead he was met with your teary eyes.
Instantly the woman was forgotten as he followed you out. “W-wait, please, you know I wasn’t being serious, right? I was just-“
You turned on your heels, pointing a finger into his chest. “Maybe to someone like you marriage is just some kind of fun game, but it actually means something to me! I don’t exactly enjoy you treating my love for you like a joke!”
His eyes went wide with shock and hurt, his disguise disappearing as he reverted back to his original form. The sight of his tail twitching nervously almost made you soften… almost.
“My love… that’s not-“
You swatted his hand away, storming off. “… find somewhere else to sleep tonight. I… need to rethink some things.”
Your husband stared at your back as you left, his chest aching in a way it never had before. Could this really be the end of your marriage? No, no of course not. You loved him, and he would do anything for you. There’s no way such a small issue could divide the two of you that easy… right?
Oh how wrong he was.
When he attempted to come home the next night, his clothes and personal items were packed up on the porch, and the locks were changed.
This wasn’t something he could just smooth over with a few kisses and a good fuck. You were genuinely upset, something he could barely comprehend.
Upset? Why, because he was being a bit of a brat? His view only changed when he was complaining to a friend through tears and a glass of wine.
“Well, what would you do if she did the same?”
The glass shattered in his hand, his pupils turning into slits. The image of you walking up to a man, cooing and attempting to seduce him right in front of your husband made his heart boil in a jealous rage.
So that’s how you felt…
“I’m an idiot…” he murmured, looking at your picture. When he married you, he swore off ever having sex with another person. You were his sole source of sustenance and love, his only reason to breathe and live.
If he lost you, what would he even do besides sob until his heart stopped?
If he wanted to keep his beloved, he’d have to win you back…
Fortunately, the incubus knew just what to do.
Part 2? And should I go the yandere route or normal route?
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NSFW TAGLIST: @avalordream @icommitwarcrimes @bazpire @im-eating-rn @anglingforlevels @kinshenewa @pasteldaze @yoongiigolden @peachesdabunny @murder-hobo @leiselotte @misswonderfrojustice @dij-ology @i8kaeya @lollboogurl @h3110-dar1in9 @keikokashi @aliceattheart @mssmil3y @namjoons-t1ddies @izarosf1833 @healanette @lem-hhn @spufflepuff @honey-crypt @karljra @zyettemoon1800 @exodiam @vexillum-moeru @imperfectlyperfectprincess1 @enchantedsylveon @mysticranger575 @readeryn68 @danielle143 @kittenlover614 @filthybunny420 @annavittoria-mm @makimamybelovedwife @blubearxy @omglovelylaila @toocollectionchaos-universe-blog @fruk-you-usuk-fans @wil10wthetree @hammerhead96-blog @slightlyusedfloormat @bubblez-blop @sunshineangel-reads @heroneki-neko @soapybabyboop @anonymouskiwi
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dollfacefantasy · 3 months ago
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caleb x fem!reader
you and caleb used to play fight a lot, but things are different now that you're older
cw: nsfw (18+), smut, fauxcest, dry humping
a/n: um hehe just a small drabble cause i've been thinking... also i like the pipsqueak thing idgaf kiss me about it. imagine this takes place when she’s staying with him.
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"isn't this around the time you'd usually cry mercy, pipsqueak?" he breathes, his smooth voice warming the air next to your ear.
a small grunt escapes you as you try to lift your arm to shove him off. your effort is pointless though. his grip tightens around your wrist, and he brings your limb back down to the floor without much effort.
“caleb, quit it!” you whine.
he just laughs at you. his body doesn’t move away an inch. he stays right where he his, hovering over your smaller frame.
the two of you used to play fight all the time as kids. you’d squabble over the remote or your toys. whiny arguments would morph into a small scuffle, a test of wills. so it felt natural today to lunge at him when he held the book you wanted to read just out of reach. getting physical made sense. you’d been so agitated with him keeping you here, you needed to blow off some steam. it just didn’t feel so good when reality set in as he wrestled you down to the floor like always.
“it’s not funny,” you say and try to jam your knee up into his abs.
he dodges the move and continues to smirk at you. “maybe not to you. but it’s pretty funny from up here. pretty cute too,” he teases.
you scowl, squirming some more. in your younger years, you’d always been able to fight back a little. you’d lose in the end, sure, but victory had been in reach a few times. now, caleb is stronger. he’s bigger, and he doesn’t fight like a scrappy high school kid but rather someone with training. you’re starting to realize you have no chance now, and part of you wonders if you ever did. or maybe he’d been going easy on you.
as if to taunt you, he slides your arms up above your head and grabs both your wrists with one hand. even with his other one free, he keeps you pinned with the same amount of force. it’s fucking humiliating. you feel your cheeks starting to heat up as he drags the back of his fingers along your jaw, cooing at you.
“you always used to get so angry like this too. so frustrated. you’d think you would’ve learned not to start fights you can’t win,” he mocks.
his thumb comes to sweep along your cheekbone, back in forth in slow strokes. he stares into your eyes while he does, almost studying you. it gets you heated for a whole other reason you don’t even want to acknowledge.
“get off of me,” you squeak, your voice much less aggressive now.
“maybe i will if you beg enough,” he taunts, “if you use your manners and say please like a good girl, i’ll consider it.”
“shut up!” you say. you kick a few more times and buck your hips to try and get loose.
in response, he grabs your hip with his free hand and slams it back to the ground. you let out a little growl, assuming you’ll have to restrategize. but then he pushes his pelvis down on top of yours.
you gasp. all the fight leaves you in a harsh blow because now, unlike any of the other times you play fought with him, you feel a solid bulge pressing between your legs.
your eyes widen, and you sputter. you’re sure you look totally stupid right now. but you don’t know what else to do. there’s no question about it. he’s got a boner, and he’s rubbing it right up against you.
“i told you. you’re not gonna win. might as well surrender,” he says. he speaks in a completely even tone, as if nothing is different.
“c-caleb. what are you doing?” you start, “don’t be weird.”
“i’m not being weird,” he defends with feigned innocence, “we always used to mess around like this. what’s got you all shy now?”
you know why he’s asking. because he knows you won’t say it. the answer is so easy, yet you can’t bring the words to leave your lips.
“you know what,” you whine softly.
he chuckles and leans in even closer to your face. “maybe i do. but i don’t think that it’s weird. we’re not kids anymore. you can’t whine and wriggle around like that and expect me not to react,” he murmurs.
your heart beats harder in your chest. you can feel every thump. before you can say anything in return, he grinds his hips again, rolling his hardened length right up against you. and this time, it feels good.
“i- caleb- we can’t,” you whimper, biting your lip.
“we can’t? we can’t what? we’re not doing anything,” he says before grinning at you, “it doesn’t count if it’s over the clothes.”
you want to smack him, but both your arms are still immobile.
“it’s still weird. we’ve never- i don’t see you like this,” you insist, though the last statement is a complete lie.
he tsks and shakes his head before pushing his erection between your legs for another time. this one draws a whine out of you. his hips jump forward at the sound, but he doesn’t let his face show that burst of desire.
“what do you see me like then?” he whispers.
silence fills the air between the two of you as you fail to answer. you know what you see him as. you know your crush on him goes back years. you know what fantasies fill your head at night when you’re alone.
but you also know how you want to see him. what you’re supposed to see him as. what you’ve tried to limit his role to for so long.
“it’s ok,” he finally says, “i won’t make you say it if it’s that hard. but i know you like this. i know you, remember?”
he grinds against you again, but this time it’s not only once. now he sets himself into a rhythm, consistent swings of his hips against your center.
“i know when you’re happy, when you’re sad, when you’re ashamed,” he says, “i know when you want something, but you’re too scared to ask.”
ducking in, he kisses your neck. you moan in response, putting no effort into suppressing the noise now.
“that’s right, princess. your big brother knows you better than anyone, doesn’t he?” he coos mockingly.
“caleb!” you whine. you internally cringe at both titles, but outwardly, your face still contorts with pleasure.
“what?” he laughs, “that’s what you were gonna say before, wasn’t it?”
“but i didn’t,” you whimper.
“but you thought it, and it’s all the same to me,” he teases.
he refocuses his mouth on your neck again. his lips move over the column of your throat while his cock continues pressing right on your pussy. it feels better by the second. maybe it’s because he’s kissing your neck too, you’re not really sure. all you know is the hot, sparkling feeling in your stomach is building.
nipping at your pulse point, he then sucks on the skin like he wants to leave a mark. his tongue laves at it for a few moments before he pulls off.
“i’m gonna let go of your arms. you’re gonna behave, ok?” he mumbles against your skin.
“mhm,” you whimper and nod. the overt submission feels pathetic, but losing the feeling of him would be even worse.
“good girl,” he praises.
he keeps his word and releases his hold on your wrists. the air feels cool on your skin that’s all warmed up from his hands. now with his other arm in use, he can snake one around your ass and boost your hips. the new angle allows him to thrust against you harder.
“fuck, baby,” he grunts. you feel his lashes brush your neck as his eyes flutter.
your arms loop over his shoulders, pulling him impossibly closer. more little mewls spill from your lips. you can feel his stiff length sliding right up against your folds through your clothes. every swipe brings a blissful burst of friction to your poor throbbing clit.
“there you go. i got you. big brother’s got you,” he mumbles mindlessly. he chokes out a moan into your shoulder as his hips move like they have a mind of their own.
your body starts to squirm more. that hot feeling inside is reaching a boiling point. you clutch at his shirt, your nails digging in so hard they threaten to tear the fabric. the constant push and pull of his lower half is nearly hypnotic. it seems like you’ll be under him forever while also on the brink of letting go.
after a few moments more, he pulls back to look at you. his eyelids hang low, heavy with his desire for you.
“god, you’re so pretty. so fuckin’ beautiful now,” he says and presses his forehead to yours. his eyes shut while your breaths mingle. “i knew you wanted this too. just look at you. almost falling apart, and i haven’t even really touched you. i knew no one else could do this better.”
all you can do is whimper softly and cling to him harder. you pull on him as if trying to pull him into your body, to meld your two beings into one. the pressure down below feels dull and muted, but it’s blooming nonetheless.
“yeah… you’re gonna cum all over your pretty panties,” he mutters, “get ‘em all nice and wet so i can have some fun with ‘em later.”
“caleb…” you whine, useful words falling out of your grasp in this moment. one of your hands flies up and laces in his hair. your fingers clench into a fist, giving the strands a sharp tug.
he groans and bucks his hips extra hard. “c’mon. cum for me, baby. let me make my sweet little angel cum,” he murmurs.
it really doesn’t take much to get you there. the friction burn he’s rutting you both into works, and you feel yourself hit the high. euphoria rushes through you. a little breathy whine erupts from your lips. your back arches off the floor, but he keeps you cradled against him securely.
the whole time you’re cumming, he’s still humping you like his life depends on it. it’s when you start to come down, that he finally explodes. he buries his face in your neck, letting out the loudest moan you’ve heard so far. his arms tighten up around your frame as his fingers dig into your malleable flesh.
his hips jolt forward in random twitches now, chasing the last remnants of release while he spills inside his pants.
when he’s done, his breaths are harsh and labored. he nuzzles the crook of your neck before kissing your cheek and receding off your body. his palm runs over his face lazily.
“fuck, i gotta change now,” he says, not bothering to look down at the dark patch at the front of his pants.
without even really thinking about it, you reach forward for the waistline. you’re already craving more of him. but before your hand can get there, he takes your wrist.
“not so fast, pipsqueak. i think you should actually beat me before i let you have the real thing,” he smirks.
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lowkeyren · 5 months ago
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in which : alhaitham speaks to you in 5 different languages, unaware that you understand every word he says.
wc 7.3k (pls give it a chance lol), academic rivals to lovers, unrequited hate, attempt at humor, college au, denial + pinning.. crazy ik, he falls first (and harder), tw stalking by a drunkard, a genius on paper but a total dumbass when it comes to crushes, lil smau at the end!, ft. sumeru gang. art by @/gamegatchihaja on x.
ps. translations ay nasa maliliit na titik, katulad neto!!
ps. translations will be in small letters, like this!!
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PROLOGUE: GOD I HATE THIS GUY! (DOES HE THINK IM STUPID?)
the semester is nearing its conclusion, and the imminent approach of finals marks the most critical period of the year; students rush through the halls, clutching their notes and textbooks like lifelines, while you pour every ounce of effort into your studies —not just for your grades, but also to surpass a certain arrogant scholar. 
alhaitham. 
the name tastes like spoiled milk on your tongue, a sour reminder of all the times he’s bested you, even if it’s just by a small margin, leaving you dumbfounded when the difference between your marks during the last exam was a mere 1%. 
you were groveling in front of your professor, “please, just round the marks up?” you could practically feel your dignity slipping away. and the worst part? you were so desperate that you started mentally calculating how many odd jobs you’d be willing to do just to sweeten the deal. 
(maybe you’ll help organize the office, run around the campus to buy him drinks every day, or even wipe down the windows of his car…)
disclaimer: he ultimately said no, but he did compliment your impeccable taste in coffee so, a win is a win? 
anyhow, alhaitham’s nonchalance only adds to your frustration, especially when he switches to a different language mid-conversation. it feels like he’s rubbing salt in your wounds, why of course you can understand him perfectly —after all, you aren’t majoring in linguistics for no reason, plus he's not the only one who’s fluent in multiple languages.
though you keep that to yourself, perhaps because the things he says in those languages, which he assumes you don’t understand, are far from innocent, unknowingly letting you have a glimpse into his true feelings. 
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ACT I: WHOLEHEARTEDLY, I DETEST YOU. 
alhaitham would never fall in love —such irrational and illogical emotions held no value to him. 
that was what he always believed, but then he saw you. 
the way you laughed so unapologetically at cyno’s jokes, how you always stood firm by your beliefs, your refusal to compromise who you are; you were a breath of fresh air in a world that often felt stifling.
as much as he tries to act unfazed, he can't help the heat prickling his skin nor the way his composure falters just slightly in your presence. and when his heart raced for the first time in what felt like forever, he knew —he was completely, utterly screwed.
(“fix me, kaveh.” / “hah. who do you think i am, ‘y/n’?”)
when kaveh told him that he just had a simple “crush”, he nearly rolled his eyes so hard he thought they might get stuck there permanently.)
likewise, this ugly arrogant handsome bastard here, is one you’ll never fall in love with. 
he’s infuriating, completely insufferable, and yet there’s something about him, something hidden beneath that arrogance, that draws you in. the idea that you could ever fall for someone like him seems laughable, impossible even. he's exactly the kind of person you should avoid and you know better than to be charmed by someone like him. yet, there's that nagging feeling, deep down, that perhaps you’re not as immune to him as you think.
by some stroke of luck, you’re in the same major, same year, and even enrolled in the same lecture periods, which means you end up in the same place at the same time more often than not.
but you can’t deny that, in some twisted way, you admire him. his intellect is beyond impressive, even if it annoys you to admit it. so surely, in his eyes, you’re still inferior, and you often wonder if he even considers your ideas as worthy of attention.
(they are.)
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ACT II: YOUR WATCHFUL EYES, I CAN’T IGNORE.
your pen glides across the pages as you jot down notes, fully absorbed in your studies, barely registering the faint sound of distant chatter.
unbeknownst to you, a group of students has gathered just outside the lecture hall, peeking in from the door with curious, amused expressions. they’re clearly there for you, exchanging glances and murmurs, waiting for the moment you step outside.
you don’t notice, but alhaitham, seated a few feet away, certainly does.
his eyes narrow slightly as he takes in the scene. he doesn’t say anything at first, but his jaw clenches ever so subtly. as you begin to pack up, you glance up to find him standing in front of you, his tall figure effectively blocking the group outside’s direct line of sight to you.
with a discreet glance over his shoulder, he shoots them a cold, unmistakable glare. they visibly shudder, seemingly getting the message as they awkwardly shuffle away. 
“what was that about?”
alhaitham leans against your desk, “nothing important,” his tone is dismissive, laced with irritation, his gaze still fixed on the now-empty doorway. 
you narrow your eyes, unimpressed. “really? you just scared them off for no reason?”
“just getting rid of some… distractions,” he says casually, turning his attention back towards you. you raise an eyebrow, clearly not believing his words. “distractions? they weren’t bothering me.” 
his expression remains impassive, “khi họ cứ để ý đến em như vậy… em thấy không phiền, còn tôi thì có.”
“seeing them constantly paying attention to you… you're not bothered by it, but i am.”
“bởi vì cái cách mà em chú tâm hoàn toàn vào một việc gì đó…  nó quyến rũ vô cùng.”
because the way you completely focus on something… is truly mesmerising.
you blink, feeling a momentary flush of confusion and surprise at the words slipping from his mouth. did he just—? but before you can fully process it, he continues.
“vậy nên tôi cũng không thể trách họ khi họ muốn nhìn em gần và lâu hơn được.”
so i don’t blame them when they want to look at you closer and longer.
his words linger in the air, a moment passes before it clicks —he doesn’t think you understand. that’s why he’s speaking so… freely; letting slip things he’d never say outright in a language you both speak fluently.
“nhưng mà… chắc không ai trong số bọn họ có thể sánh ngang với tôi, em nhỉ?”
but… none of them can compare to me, right?
your chest tightens as a surge of warmth courses through you. 
his detached attitude only fuels your irritation. but there’s also a certain satisfaction in knowing something he doesn’t: you’ve understood every single word he’s said.
feigning ignorance, you raise an eyebrow, meeting his gaze with what you hope is a neutral expression. "what are you going on about?" you ask.
his expression remains as stoic as ever, not a single crack in his mask. he simply shrugs, eyes still on you, "just telling you to focus more.”
your grip on the pen tightens, there's a part of you that wants to wipe that smug look off his face, to show him you're not as clueless as he assumes. but not yet —you’re curious to see just how far he’s willing to push.
"right," you mutter under your breath, tapping the pen against your notebook. "focus. got it."
he leans down slightly, one arm resting on the back of your chair while the other presses against the table, effectively caging you in.
"you're wasting time, finals are coming up." he takes a brief pause before continuing, "i wish you the best of luck, you’ll need it.”
your eyes snap up to him in a glare, “don’t you have somewhere to be?" you bite back.
alhaitham straightens, giving you a final glance before turning towards the door. “naturally, i have studying to do.”
“bởi vì tôi sẽ chứng minh cho em thấy rằng chỉ có tôi mới xứng tầm làm đối thủ học thuật của em, không một ai khác.”
because i will prove to you that only i am worthy of being your rival, no one else.
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why did he frame it as if it’s a privilege only he can claim? or is he trying to… flatter you?!
you shake your head, no way, that’s ridiculous. finals are coming up, there’s no time to dwell on whatever mind games he’s playing. though if the almighty alhaitham wants a rival, then you’ll show him exactly what it means to stand at the pinnacle.
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ACT III: IN MY DREAMS, I SCORED HIGHER THAN YOU.
you’re tired, the kind of tired that seeps deep into your bones. every blink stretches longer than the last and you find it increasingly difficult to focus on the words in front of you. stifling a yawn, you feel the pull of sleep tugging at you, whispering sweet promises of rest.
there’s still time till your next class.
maybe you'll take a moment to close your eyes, just for a few seconds…
did you not get enough sleep last night, or did you stay up late studying again? alhaitham watches silently from across the room, his eyes narrowing as your head droops lower, your exhaustion becoming painfully obvious with each passing second. his gaze lingers on the way your pen pauses mid-sentence, the line on your notebook trailing off as your hand grows heavy.
he pushes himself up from his seat, and approaches your desk; he notices the sunlight streaming through the window, harsh and unrelenting, hitting right over the table where you’re sitting. he looks at you —eyes closed, with the faintest crease of discomfort on your brow.
without a word, he reaches out and slips the pen from your grip, the slight shift causing your fingers to twitch, but you don’t wake. 
for a fleeting second, he considers waking you. but then, as you shift again, settling more comfortably into your chair, he decides against it. what good would that do, anyway? you’d probably just brush him off and keep going until you collapse from sheer fatigue. typical.
instead, he adjusts his stance slightly, positioning himself just right to make sure the sunlight is fully blocked from your face, casting you in a cool shadow. 
you mumble something incoherent, and he can’t help but roll his eyes at your state. did you really think burning yourself out like this would help you focus?
“stubborn,” he mutters under his breath. 
you're always like this, pushing yourself past your limits, and while part of him respects your determination to outdo him, he won’t allow it to come at the expense of your health.
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you stir from your slumber, lifting your head, your gaze lands on a familiar figure standing to the side of your table. his back turned, facing the sunlight that streams in from the window. 
alhaitham. 
he’s close, so close that his broad shoulders completely block out the sunlight from the window. the sight sends a rush of confusion through your already sleep-addled mind. did he… stand there the whole time? why? 
you shift slightly in your seat, your movement catching his attention. without turning, he speaks in that low, steady tone of his, “you’re awake.”
“alhaitham?” you murmur, your voice still thick with sleep.
he glances over his shoulder, just enough for you to catch a glimpse of the calm expression on his face. “you’ve been out for a while,” he comments, a hint of amusement in his voice. “i was starting to think you’d sleep through your next class.”
you rub the sleep from your eyes, “why didn’t you wake me up then?”
his shoulders shift slightly as he shrugs, still facing away from you. “you looked like you needed the rest. besides, it’s more entertaining to see how long you’d stay asleep.”
a flicker of annoyance courses through you as you roll your eyes, “oh, so you mean you care?”
he turns slightly, and you can see a hint of a smirk on his lips. “don’t read too much into it. i just prefer my competition functioning at their best.”
you wish you could roll your eyes harder because this man has an uncanny talent for grating on your nerves while somehow being insufferably charming at the same time.
“ah yes —because you need me to keep up with you,” you remark sarcastically.
“exactly.” you let out an exasperated sigh as you lean back in your chair. “you really think so highly of yourself, don’t you?”
“mushiro, kimi no koto o hijō ni takaku hyōka shiteiru yo.”
if anything, i think highly of you. 
your brows knit together in surprise, and you can’t help but scoff. “what was that? i didn't catch it.”
“i said i won’t go easy on you.” oh, the audacity. he’s lying again, and he knows it.
the corners of your mouth twitch in disbelief as you scrutinise his expression. there’s that familiar glimmer in his eyes, a spark of mischief that tells you he’s enjoying this too much.
“whatever,” you retort, crossing your arms defiantly. “not like i want you to anyway.”
despite your words, you can't deny that his actions earlier were surprisingly endearing. you wonder how long he intends to keep this up. perhaps it’s time you let him know.
“ii ne, kimi ga iraira shite iru toki wa kawaiikara.”
good, because you’re cute when you’re all riled up.
you feel a blush creep into your cheeks at his words, okay maybe you shouldn’t let him know. you instinctively look away, as if avoiding his gaze can help you regain your composure.
cute? what does he mean “cute”?! he thinks he can get away with calling you cute —well… well, there’s not much you can do about it, you’re not ready to confront him about this either.
the mere thought of asking him directly makes your stomach twist with a year’s worth of embarrassment. yet, as you try to refocus on the book in front of you, you find yourself biting your lip, struggling to suppress a smile that threatens to break free.
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ACT IV: I WOKE UP TODAY, AND A DREAM CAME TRUE.
the hallway buzzes with excitement as students gather around the large announcement board, eager to see the results of their theses. you push through the crowd, heart pounding, the low hum of chatter filling your ears. 
when you reach the front, you quickly scan the list; the moment your eyes land on your name, your breath catches in your throat.
there it is, in bold red ink at the top of the board —a score higher than you’d ever hoped for, higher than his. and your name, on top of his.
alhaitham.
you glance over and spot him approaching the board, approaching you. his expression is, as always, unreadable. but you know him well enough by now to catch the slight pause in his movements, the brief moment where his eyes linger just a second too long on the board.
you try not to think too much about it as you collect your thesis, with alhaitham following closely behind, his fingers nearly grazing yours as you both sift through the stack of papers on the table.
you take in the glowing praise from your professor, each word making you feel like every all-nighter was worth it. you clutch the paper, resisting the urge to grin like an idiot. 
glancing sideways, you wait for him to say something, maybe some backhanded comment, but he remains silent. your eyes meet, and there’s a shift in his gaze as the usual sharpness in his eyes dulls ever so slightly, your smile lingering like the first light of dawn breaking through the night's embrace.
it’s subtle —just a flicker —but you catch how his gaze falters, softening, if only for a heartbeat. the edges of his stare blur, drawn to the warmth of your expression as though it’s something he hadn’t meant to witness, yet can’t look away from. 
at this moment,
"looks like i finally beat you," you say, not bothering to suppress the grin spreading across your face now.
he feels like
there’s no scowl, no sign of frustration —just the slightest raise of an eyebrow. “hmm. by a point.” he pauses, studying you for a second longer than necessary before returning his gaze to his paper. “enjoy it while it lasts.”
he's in heaven.
it’s as if he’s not bothered by the outcome at all. in fact, if anything, he seems... satisfied?
"hindi dapat ganito kalala ang epekto ng ngiti mo sa akin."
your smile shouldn't affect me this badly.
“—huh?” your mouth drops slightly open at his words; out of everything, you didn’t expect him to say that. it catches you off guard, making your heart race just a little faster. if you peer closely enough, you might catch a glimpse of the gentle arch of his lips, a ghost of a smile. 
the silence stretches on for a beat too long before he clears his throat and shifts his gaze away from you. “ang iyong ngiti ang pinakamagandang tanawin ng aking araw.”
your smile is the most beautiful sight of my day.
“what?” the word slips from your lips, barely a breath, a soft gasp that hangs in the air. it feels almost surreal and you wonder if you’ve misheard him.
each heartbeat thunders in your ears, a rhythm that matches the erratic flutter in your chest. why is he saying these things, what for in a different language…? there’s no way that he—
"—tulad mo na ang hinangad ko na ligawan, ngunit sa bawat ngiti mo, halip ay mas lalo akong nahulog para sayo."
—like you, who i wish to court, but with every smile, i instead found myself falling for you. 
your breath hitches as your heart stumbles, the implications of his words washing over you like a wave. a rush of heat floods your cheeks, “what… did you say?”
his shoulders stiffen, and there’s a subtle tension in the way his fingers curl against the paper he’s holding. “see you tomorrow, [name],” he mutters, his voice low but hurried, and before you know it, he’s already walking away.
two strange things happened today: 
1. you finally beat your sworn enemy!
2. said enemy… complimented you? 
huh, it’s as if the words slipped out before he could catch them, as if he’s been holding them in for far too long, as if… you notice the way his neck reddens, even as he turns away.
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behind the door, alhaitham lets out a quiet breath.
“gago… nagkamali ba ako?”
stupid… did i make a mistake?
to his dismay, an annoyingly familiar voice cuts through the silence. kaveh, who had been waiting just down the hall, notices him standing there, a little too still. 
“oh, what do we have here?" there's a slight pause, followed by a raised eyebrow. "is that—no way, your face is red!” kaveh teases, amusement dancing in his eyes. “what happened there?" he leans in, clearly enjoying himself. "come on, spill the tea..!” 
"not a chance," alhaitham retorts, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms defensively.
just then, kaveh spots cyno and tighnari; grinning, he waves them over. “what’s going on? did alhaitham finally crack under pressure?”
alhaitham would rather reorganise the entire library than listen to kaveh recount what happened.
“i’m leaving.” 
"no, i'm afraid you're not getting out of this one.” cyno steps forward, blocking alhaitham’s path; and tighnari, who has been quietly observing till now, chimes in, “don’t leave us hanging.”
“you’re outnumbered.” 
alhaitham sighs and shakes his head. he hadn’t even thought it was physically possible for him, of all people, to do something as ridiculous as blushing —until today.
(on the other side of the door, their banter echoes through, and you can’t help but chuckle to yourself at alhaitham’s misery.)
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ACT V: PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY, YOU SAY? BUT EVERYONE CALLS IT FLIRTING.
“i think alhaitham likes [name].”
the whole table falls silent before kaveh dramatically slams his glass down on the table, causing a splash of alcohol to spill over the edge. “oh finally, it’s so obvious! have you all seen the way he looks at them?” 
across the table, tighnari taps his fingers absentmindedly on his notebook, his attention only half on kaveh’s (incoming) rant but clearly invested enough, as shown by the slight twitching of his ears, to be listening. 
cyno snickers, “you’re telling me the man who can dissect any philosophical argument can’t handle a little crush? that’s rich.”
kaveh waves a hand dismissively. “come on! remember that time they were partnered up for a project? he was so... uncharacteristically patient! i’d almost say it’s cute if it weren’t alhaitham we’re talking about!”
right, it’d be almost endearing —if it weren’t coming from the most stoic, intimidatingly aloof guy in the entire school. it’d be adorable —if it weren’t alhaitham, who instinctively covers the corner of your table with his hand when you drop your pencil, ensuring you won’t hit your head as you bend down to retrieve it.
oh, you don’t notice (of course not). but your friend dehya, sitting nearby, catches the whole scene out of the corner of her eye. she raises an eyebrow, nudging the girl beside her. 
(“candace, do you see that shit.” / “yeah.”)
“a soft spot for [name], you say? well, i’ve got a story of my own, too.” cyno glances around, ensuring no one else is within earshot, then lowers his voice conspiratorially.  “have you noticed? he doesn’t wear his earphones when he’s around them.”
kaveh pipes up, nodding eagerly.
“he’s got those earphones practically glued to his head, he doesn’t hear anything he doesn’t want to, and he certainly doesn’t talk unless he’s forced to. but around them?” cyno pauses, pretending to think for a while. “not once. he’ll put them away entirely, like he’s actually willing to be… present.”
sure it’s small, subtle, the kind of habit no one would pick up on unless they were looking closely. but to anyone who knew alhaitham well, it tells them more than words ever could. 
for him, actions speak louder than words, even if he often doesn’t realise the meaning behind his own gestures.
his earphones slide down, resting forgotten around his neck, all so he can be close enough to catch the delightful lilt of your laughter. his chair inches a fraction closer, seemingly by accident. a subtle upward twitch at the corner of his mouth, so fleeting and often passing so quickly if one weren’t paying attention.
for him, it’s a language without words.
dehya laughs softly. "for someone who supposedly ‘doesn’t like being bothered,’ he sure seems invested in whatever [name] has to say."
and what sealed their suspicions? 
definitely the time when kaveh complimented nilou’s new bracelet. he glanced over at the man beside him, nudging him lightly. “what do you think?”
alhaitham gave the bracelet a cursory glance, before replying, “it’s nice.” though his gaze flickered back; and almost absently, he added after a pause, “[name] has the same one too.”
oh… oh? well that was oddly specific. kaveh’s eyebrow quirked as he fought to suppress a grin.
alhaitham had noticed a detail seemingly insignificant about [name] —the kind of thing he never cared to show the slightest interest in when it came to anyone else.
the glint in nilou’s eyes seemed to mirror kaveh’s unspoken thoughts, silently agreeing with his suspicions.  
now they’re certain —100% sure, in fact —that alhaitham has a crush on you.
“well, speak of the devil… lovely seeing you here, alhaitham,” kaveh quips. tighnari, ever observant, gives him a pointed look. “your jacket’s missing.”
“someone took it,” alhaitham replies, his tone as composed as always, giving nothing away.
—nothing until you walked past. draped over your shoulders, unmistakable, is alhaitham’s jacket. you don’t notice the way every pair of eyes follows you, or the way kaveh barely stifles a triumphant laugh.
...make that 110%.
(translation: he means he borrowed his jacket because [name] was cold.)
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ACT VI: IT’S YOU, WHO COMES TO MY RESCUE. 
the quiet night hangs heavy, the road empty and bathed in the dim glow of distant streetlights. you weave through the streets, but no matter how many twists and turns you take, that weirdo just won’t leave you alone.  
he’s been trailing behind you for blocks now, his persistence grating on your nerves, cornering you with endless “compliments” and invasive questions. you’ve tried to shake him off, but his determination far exceeds your patience.
"come on, just give me a chance," he insists, stepping closer, a little too close for comfort. you take a step back. the smell of alcohol reeks from his breath, and his grin is making your skin crawl. 
"i told you, i’m not interested," you say firmly, keeping your voice steady, but the panic was starting to creep in. you glance at the empty bottle in his hand —he’s definitely drunk out his mind.
“you sure?" he completely ignores your clear discomfort. "how about you just give me your number, yeah?" he slurs out.
"no, i have a boyfriend." you lie through your teeth, hoping that would be enough to make him back off.
unfortunately, he’s as insufferable as he is persistent.
he snorts dismissively, "yeah, right. a boyfriend? you’re just playing hard to get."
you sigh, you aren’t in the mood for this, not here, not now, and especially not with someone like him. "i already told you, i have a boyfriend," your voice now tinged with frustration. "so please, just leave me alone.”
"oh, don't be like that," he steps in front of you, blocking your way. "prove it. call your boyfriend. show me you’re not lying."
your heart races as the man reaches out for you, dodging his hand, you take the chance to look behind him for an escape. just then, you see an all-too-familiar figure in the distance. 
alhaitham. 
you barely manage to suppress a relieved sigh as you wave frantically in his direction. he spots you almost immediately and without hesitation, he rushes over.
"what, this your boyfriend?" the guy sneers with derision, still sounding a little too cocky for someone who was about to get a reality check.
alhaitham steps beside you, you can feel his eyes on you for just a brief moment, the faintest flicker of worry flashing across his face. it’s subtle, almost imperceptible, but you catch it—and it makes your chest tighten.
his voice is low, unmistakably carrying a warning, "yes, i’m their boyfriend. and if you don’t want things to escalate, i suggest you leave." 
the man’s face twists as anger flares in his bloodshot eyes. he takes a step forward, his grip tightening around the neck of the bottle, the glass slightly cracking. "you think you can tell me what to do?" he slurs, gaze wild and unfocused. “y-you think you’re some kind of saviour? *hic* a-and you! how… how dare you reject me?!”
alhaitham doesn’t move, his expression cold and unbothered, and that only seems to make the man angrier. his frustration boils over, and with a snarl, he clumsily swings the bottle in his hand, aggressively lurching towards your direction. 
the world seems to slow for a moment. though before you can even react, alhaitham pulls you firmly behind him with one swift motion, his other arm instinctively rising to shield the both of you from the blow. the sound of glass meeting his forearm is sharp and jarring —you can hear the high-pitched tinkle of glass scattering, the jagged shards bouncing off the pavement, and some skittering across the ground.
but he doesn’t even flinch, his stance unwavering as the man stumbles back, glass crunching underfoot. you’re still frozen from shock, your heart racing in your chest as you watch the scene unfold. 
“big mistake,” he starts, and the man visibly falters. “harassment, assault —keep this up, and you’ll regret every choice that brought you here tonight.”
the man shifts around, clearly disoriented. his eyes dart between you and alhaitham, but it’s clear that the fight’s already left him. “you— you can’t do this!” the man stammers, trying to regain some semblance of courage; unfortunately for him, the tremor in his voice is unmistakable. 
“do you really want to find out?” alhaitham asks, to which the man shakes his head vigorously. “get lost,” he mutters. the man, looking more pathetic than threatening now, quickly stumbles away, mumbling incoherent curses under his breath.
you’re breathless, still clutching the edge of his jacket, fingers trembling slightly as the adrenaline courses through you. 
"are you alright?"
you nod, forcing a small, unconvincing smile."yeah... i’m fine. thanks to you." 
alhaitham’s eyes narrow slightly, scanning you for any sign of injury. you follow his gaze instinctively, glancing down at yourself. that’s when you notice it —not on you, but on him.
streaks of red stain his forearm, where jagged shards of glass must have cut him during the confrontation. the gash bleeds steadily, a dark line of blood seeping through the fabric of his jacket.
"wait," you breathe, your heart sinking. "you're bleeding."
your stomach twists with guilt.
"why didn’t you say anything?" you exclaim.
he shakes his head, a dismissive gesture that does nothing to ease the knot forming in your stomach. "it’s nothing," he says, but the slight furrow in his brow and the tension in his jaw betray his words.
"nothing?" you fix him with a hard glare. "idiot… you just blocked a glass bottle with your arm, don’t try to downplay this."  
you grab his sleeve, tugging it gently but firmly, the fabric sliding beneath your fingers as you pull it up. “—and unless you think an infection is ‘nothing’, you’ll let me take care of this."  
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"hold still," you murmur as you settle beside him on the couch, your supplies spread across the coffee table in front of you.
the scent of antiseptic fills the air as you take a disinfectant wipe and gently dab it against the gash. the sting of the alcohol makes him flinch slightly, but he doesn’t pull away. you mutter a soft apology, your movements slow and deliberate as you try to be as gentle as you can.
you open a tube of ointment, squeezing a small amount onto your finger before smoothing it carefully along the edges of the cut. the cool gel glides over his skin, and you can feel the tension in his arm ease ever so slightly under your touch.
“nǐ zhème guān xīn wǒ, huì ràng wǒ wù huì de.”
if you care so much about me, i might misunderstand you.
your fingers pause briefly, the words catching you off guard. you glance up at him, but he only averts his gaze, his eyes remaining fixed on a distant spot beyond the room.
misunderstand? misunderstand what, exactly?
the bandage wraps securely around his arm as you smooth it into place. as you tuck the end of the bandage, his voice comes again, just as soft, but no less clear. 
“—wù huì nǐ duì wǒ yǒu gǎn jué.”
"—misunderstand that you have feelings for me."
your brain short-circuits, and in your shock, your hands jerk. in turn, the bandage tightens way too much, causing him to wince and tense up. before you can apologise, he lets out a light chuckle.
“suǒ yǐ nǐ dān xīn wǒ… nǐ shì bù shì gù yì ràng rén xīn dòng de?”
“so you're worried about me… are you purposely trying to make my heart race?”
his words only make you more flustered, and you find yourself fumbling to fix the bandage. “i’m sorry! i didn’t mean to—”
his chuckle only grows softer, and you catch the glint of amusement in his eyes. “it’s fine.”
you quickly finish adjusting the bandage, trying to focus on anything other than how your heart is now racing. (ironically) 
“you seem flustered,” he comments casually, as if he isn’t the one who just made your head spin. “did i say something wrong?”
you shake your head quickly, hoping to hide the flush creeping up your neck. "no, not at all.”
his lips twitch into the faintest hint of a smirk.
"nǐ bù bì yǎn shì, wǒ xǐ huān nǐ hài xiū de yàng zǐ, tǐng kě ài de.”
“you don’t have to hide it. i like seeing your flustered expression, it’s quite cute.”
(oh this bastard!!!!)
you try to speak, but the words get stuck in your throat. what do you say when someone’s teasing you so openly —and they think you don’t even realise it?
after a long moment, he stands, “it’s getting late, i should get going.” alhaitham gives you a small, almost imperceptible nod, his eyes meeting yours for a brief moment —and there it was, that trace of softness reserved only for you.
he heads toward the door, you watch him, feeling a strange sense of emptiness when he turns away.
“i’ll see you,” he pauses. "...and thank you for tending to me."
you watch him leave, the door clicking softly behind him, and the silence settles back into the room.
you blink, taking a deep breath. what a rollercoaster of a day. yawning, you turn to start tidying up, but your eyes land on something on the couch.
it’s his jacket, draped over the armrest. you notice a tear on the sleeve, just where his injured forearm had been. what truly catches your attention, however, is a folded piece of paper slipping out of the pocket. 
intrigued, you unfold it, revealing his neat, precise handwriting. 
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ACT VII: THE SECRET I’VE ALWAYS KNOWN. 
To [Name],  I once believed you to be little more than a nuisance. A bright, well-meaning nuisance, no doubt, but a nuisance nonetheless. One who seemed intent only on striving for perfection, always seeking to best me at every turn, not out of malice but out of some earnest desire to prove your worth. In my arrogance, I mistook your relentless pursuit for a need for recognition, as if you sought my attention in some petty rivalry. Though very quickly, you made me think otherwise.  You saw the world differently, you also saw me differently. You didn’t treat me with the reverence others seemed to, nor did you shy away from challenging me. You refused to be seen as anything other than yourself; and that, in itself, was what made me admire you —what made me long to understand you more. Now, I find that I am standing with half a heart and an emptiness I never knew I could feel, because you showed me what it truly means to crave something more, something I never thought I deserved. You may think I’m a coward for not expressing my feelings more directly, perhaps you are right. I am a coward for fearing to lay bare the vulnerability of my heart. But even in my cowardice, know that my thoughts have always been of you.  If you have seen through my silence and hesitation, if you understand my actions when my words fail me, then perhaps you have already known this truth. I care for you, more deeply than I can fully express. Though I may never be able to say these things as openly as I wish, I’d like you to know that my actions have always been my confession. Even now, I’m still a coward for you. So please, if you decide to give me a chance, I’ll be waiting at nightfall. Helplessly,  Alhaitham. 
you absentmindedly trace the edges of the letter with your fingers while your eyes skim over his writing for the nth time, the ink seeming to blur together with your thoughts as you try to process everything. your fingers curl around the fabric of his jacket, a foolish smile creeping onto your face.
tomorrow’s nightfall feels impossibly far away, yet you can’t wait for it. 
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alhaitham lays on his bed, his arm aches slightly from the injury, but it’s nothing he can’t ignore. plus, the bandage you had carefully wrapped around his arm is enough to keep the discomfort at bay. 
(originally, he had only planned to meet you, slip you the note, and be on his way. things didn’t go exactly to plan, but either way, he hopes you’ve read it by now.)
of all the possibilities, he’s never accounted for the one he’d be at mercy of his own emotions; he had always prided himself on his rationality, his restraint. but now? he’s reckless, absurd, foolish even —he can admit that to himself. but he finds he doesn’t care in the slightest.
for as much as he is a coward in your presence, he is just as much a fool in your absence.
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ACT VIII: UNDER THE RAIN, I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. 
“alhaitham isn’t really an expressive person, so don’t worry if he comes off as distant or uninterested. it’s not that he doesn’t care, he just… shows it differently.”
ah well, ‘differently’ indeed.
“—most importantly, alhaitham doesn’t waste time on people he doesn’t care about, so you must mean a lot to him.”
maybe you didn’t mind how your heart raced when you heard that.
“don’t fuss over it [name], you’ll know when he’s in love.”
how so? 
if he was in love, what would it look like? would you be able to tell, or would it be just another one of those things you had to catch on to?
you wrapped the his jacket tighter around yourself, a faint smile tugging at your lips. it wasn’t the answers to those questions that mattered, but asking them in the first place —that was what made you realize you already knew all along.
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the evening air is cool against your skin; a gentle breeze stirs the trees, their leaves rustling quietly, and your heart beats louder than ever, urging you forward.
in the distance, you spot him, standing still in the dim light. and without a second thought, you quicken your pace.
“haitham.”
the sound of your voice catches his attention as he turns to face you; you can’t help but notice how his gaze flickers down for just a moment, his eyes taking in on how his jacket looks on you, before meeting yours. 
his posture is unnervingly perfect, rigid almost to the point of stiffness …is he nervous?
“hey,” he finally says, clearing his throat. “there’s something i need to tell you… though you’ve probably already figured it out. you’ve always been sharp.” 
“i… ” he falters, and it’s the first time you see him hesitate. “i’m not sure how to put it… since i’m not exactly great at this.”
you tilt your head, subtly urging him to continue. 
“but you’ve managed to make me care about things i never thought i would. and now i can’t seem to stop thinking about it —about you.” his voice lowers, softer now, but there’s a rawness there that’s unmistakable.
“i’m telling you this now, because not saying it... doesn’t feel right anymore."
suddenly, you feel a soft mist that barely kisses your skin, a slight chill against your cheeks, then a few tiny drops,  until they start to gather in your hair, the beads of water slipping down the back of your neck, but you don't move. neither does he.
his hair is damp, sticking to his forehead, droplets trailing down his temple. his clothes cling to his frame, soaked by the rain, yet his attention remains solely on you.
“[name], i am irrevocably in love with you.”
you stand there, the rain falling relentlessly around you, the pitter-patter mirroring the frantic beat of your heart. the water trails down his face, but it’s hard to tell if it’s just the rain, or something else.
his lips part, as though he wants to say more, but the words seem caught in the storm, swallowed up by the downpour. the rain is cold, but his gaze? his gaze feels impossibly warm. 
it’s only when you feel the dampness of his jacket beneath your fingers, that the words finally come. “you don’t need to convince me of that.”
you take a step closer, and for a moment, the world outside seems to disappear.
“i’ve known,” you add. “but hearing you say it,” you pause, allowing yourself a small smile, “makes all the difference.”
reaching up, your fingers graze his damp skin as you gently push a wet strand of hair from his forehead, the warmth of your touch lingering against his cool skin. 
“'uhibuk aydan, alhaitham.”
i love you too, alhaitham.
a single droplet slides down his cheek, tracing the line of his jaw before falling to the soaked fabric of his collar. another follows. and then another. his breath catches in his throat, and a shaky exhale leaves his mouth.
you wrap your arms around him, and he sinks into your embrace, his hair tickling your cheeks, as his chest rises and falls against yours.
“you’re gonna make me cry too, idiot,” you murmur, burying your face in his chest, your eyes glassy. “you really are a fool,” you tease softly, a slight smile playing on your lips. “but only for me.”
slowly, his hands rise, trembling slightly, until they cup your cheeks, gently stroking it. 
“la yujad 'ahad akhar 'urid 'an 'akun 'ahmaq min 'ajlihi.”
there’s no one else i’d ever want to be a fool for.
his palms are surprisingly warm despite the weather. his thumb grazes your cheekbone as he leans in, and the world falls away —nothing but the warmth of his presence and the soft press of his lips against yours.
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“this is my first time in ten years seeing this guy cry! can you believe it?!” kaveh whisper-shouts, peeking out from behind the shrub. 
nodding along, cyno agrees, poking his head out just right below the blond’s. “[name] is truly exceptional. though i must say, seeing alhaitham cry is quite tear-rifying.”
kaveh rolls his eyes in exasperation. “ugh, you and your puns.” he mutters under his breath while zooming in on his phone, which is currently recording the whole scene.
“quiet down, you two!” a voice hisses from behind them —tighnari, face flushed with panic. “they’re literally right there, and you’re making more noise than a herd of goats.”
“relax, we’re out of their line of sight anyway!” kaveh raises his phone higher, almost giddily, eyes glued to the screen. “and damn this is a good angle.”
tighnari exhales sharply, “you’re incorrigible.”
“look who’s talking,” cyno raises an eyebrow at tighnari… who’s also peeking out from behind the bush. (what a hypocrite)
“they kissed oh my g—” kaveh’s voice rises in disbelief, but cyno quickly covers his mouth with a swift hand. the three of them scramble to duck behind the bush just as you turn to glance in their direction.
(“is that… senior kaveh?” you squint your eyes, “cyno, and tighnari?” 
alhaitham clears his throat before glancing over at his friends with a deadpan expression. “yes and unfortunately, they’re very invested in my personal life. so please don’t mind them."
you laugh, finding the whole situation a bit too amusing. “not in the slightest, but i’m sure they’ll never let you hear the end of it.”)
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EPILOGUE: IN EVERY LANGUAGE, I HEAR LOVE YOU.
“how long?”
you blink, feigning confusion. “how long what?”
alhaitham’s eyes narrow slightly, an expression you know well. “how long have you understood everything i’ve been saying?”
you bite back a smile and offer a small shrug, “...ever since you started?” 
his lips press into a thin line, and for a moment, you can’t tell if he’s upset or impressed. then, he sighs, almost amused. “and you let me embarrass myself all this time?”
“you were being honest,” you shrug, a smirk forming. “plus i knew you’d figure it out eventually.”
he huffs a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “may ideya ka ba kung ano ginawa mo?"
do you have any idea what you’ve done?
"mas lalong umibig sakin?"
made you fall in love with me even more?
you tease, but there’s a tenderness in your voice that softens the edge of your words.
“yes, and you really are insufferable,” he mutters with no malice. his tone is different now. softer. warmer, even.
you lean in slightly, a playful glint in your eyes. “that’s not what i heard you say before.” your fingers graze the skin of his cheek before you tenderly pinch it, giggling softly at the reaction you provoked.
in one smooth motion, he catches your hand before you can pull away and tugs you towards him, closing the distance between you in a heartbeat. you tilt your head back to meet alhaitham’s gaze.
you’ve often thought he’s the most-perfect boyfriend, undeniably handsome in every way —but there’s really just one flaw: his height.
“ugh, you’re too tall," you grumble, rubbing the back of your neck. "i’m having a neck sore just looking at you."
he quirks an eyebrow at your sudden words. “you could use a stepstool.” 
"or," you counter, "you could get on your knees and save me the trouble.”
he slowly lets out a breath, his lips curling ever so slightly. 
“'akida, 'antaziri hataa 'ashtari alkhatama.”
sure, just wait till i buy the ring.
"wh—" 
he crosses his arms, "what’s wrong? isn’t that what people expect when someone gets on their knees?"
you roll your eyes, half-smiling. "fine, then i’ll eagerly wait for that day.”
his gaze softens as his hand reaches up, brushing a stray lock of hair from your face; his eyes drop to your lips for a moment, and you know what’s coming even before he speaks.
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this fic was not sponsored by duolingo, but with the help of my beloved friends!! wouldn't have been possible w/o em please give them a round of applause xx
vietnamese — @https-sourlimes
tagalog / filipino — @vxnuslogy
arabic — @ughscara
chinese, japanese — me!
ty @mitsvriii for proofreading, love u all <3
and thank you for reading!! reblogs are appreciated ^^
pspspss check out the cool fanart / comic based on this fic here by @rei-plswork 🤍
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MASTERLIST.
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kaiyunsim · 2 months ago
Text
serendipity —
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pairing : spider-man!jake x gn!reader
summary : a late night studying session with shinyu results in a weird stalker following you home… but wait, he’s webbed to the wall..? by… SPIDER-MAN? what’s even weirder is that you find yourself running yourself running into the hero more often and begin to see some similarities with… jake sim?
warnings : FLUFF, very very oblivious reader, jake is SUCH a loser here (i crave a loser bf guys… he’s just a nerd), jake is popular, shinyu as a friend of the reader
a/n : omg everyone thank @writhyv for getting me back to writing for jake ! ALSO for getting me to write a hot loser jake (i love it very much) GIFT FOR HIM !! thank u pook ilysm.
queueing… : serendipity - laufey, sweet - cigarettes after sex, safety zone - leehi, blue - kai (not yung kai)
— wc : 7.5k — not proof read —
jake sim is the kind of guy who could ruin your entire life without even trying.
he’s the hottest person you’ve ever seen in real life. like, actually hot. perfect hair, perfect smile, broad shoulders under whatever hoodie he always throws on like he didn't just accidentally win the genetic lottery. he’s popular in the way that feels effortless, always surrounded by people who seem to orbit around him like he’s some kind of sun.
the whole school loves him. teachers, athletes, the kids who sit in the back of class and never talk. jake sim could probably trip and faceplant in the middle of the hallway and people would still clap for him.
the only weird part is that he’s also… kind of a loser.
you don’t really know him, just know of him. he’s in a few of your classes, close enough to be a familiar face but not close enough for either of you to actually talk. if anything, he’s just background noise in your life, one of those people who exists on the edge of your universe without ever really crossing into it.
except sometimes, every now and then, you feel like he’s acting a little… strange around you.
not that you think too hard about it. probably nothing.
the first time it happens, you don’t even clock it as anything weird.
it’s in english class, some group discussion where nobody’s actually talking, just pretending to think really hard about the book none of you actually read. you’re flipping through the pages when you feel someone staring.
you glance up, and there he is. jake sim.
he’s sitting diagonally across from you, elbow propped on the desk, eyes locked on you like he’s trying to figure out the meaning of life or something.
you blink at him.
he blinks back.
and then, like he just got caught committing a crime, he whips his head down, pretending to scribble something in his notebook with the intensity of someone writing their final will and testament.
...okay. weird, but whatever.
the second time, it’s in the hallway between classes.
you're digging through your locker, minding your own business, when you hear someone clear their throat behind you.
“uh—hi.”
you turn around.
jake sim is standing there, clutching his textbook like it's a lifeline. up close, he's even hotter, sleeves pushed up to his elbows, hair falling into his eyes.
he's also… kind of red in the face?
“hey?” you offer, confused.
he opens his mouth like he’s about to say something, then immediately shuts it again.
“never mind,” he mutters, spinning on his heel and walking away so fast you'd think the hallway was on fire.
...what the hell was that?
it keeps happening.
little moments that should probably add up to something if you actually paid attention, but you don’t, because jake sim is jake sim, and you’re just you.
he stumbles over his words when you ask to borrow a pencil. drops his entire water bottle when you accidentally brush past him in class. one time, you catch him fully tripping over absolutely nothing when you make eye contact with him across the cafeteria.
but for some reason, your brain just files it all away under wow, popular guys are weird sometimes and moves on.
if anyone ever asked you what you think of jake sim, you’d probably just shrug and say he’s nice.
you don't know that he’s been in love with you since sophomore year.
you don't know that every time he tries to talk to you, his brain completely shuts down.
and you definitely don’t know that the same guy who turns into a stammering mess around you spends his nights swinging across the city, cracking jokes and saving people as if confidence is something that comes built into the suit.
the third time you actually talk to him is in chemistry class.
the teacher pairs you up for some experiment, something involving measurements and burning stuff, and jake ends up at your table, tapping his pen against the notebook like he’s trying to act casual.
"can you pass me the beaker?" you ask.
he freezes.
his eyes flick to the beaker, then to you, then back to the beaker like it's a bomb he’s been assigned to defuse.
"...yeah," he says, voice cracking on the single syllable.
you don’t think anything of it, just reach for the beaker when he hands it over. your fingers brush against his, and he drops it.
it clatters against the table, rolling onto the floor with a loud clink.
"oh."
jake looks like he wants to melt through the floor.
"it's fine," you say, bending down to grab it. “at least it didn’t break” you joke to lighten to mood.
he doesn't move, just sits there gripping the edge of the table like it’s the only thing keeping him tethered to the earth.
you offer him a small smile when you straighten up, placing the beaker back on the table.
"chill," you joke. "it's not that serious."
jake visibly short-circuits.
"chill," he echoes, like it's the first time he's ever heard the word in his life.
if someone told you jake sim had a crush on you, you’d probably laugh.
guys like him don’t go for people like you.
guys like him date cheerleaders or instagram models or the kind of girls who know exactly how to flip their hair and laugh in that effortless, pretty way.
not people who half-ass their homework and accidentally fall asleep during history lectures.
definitely not people who would rather have deep conversations on rooftops than go to parties.
but what you don’t know is that those are all the exact reasons jake likes you.
he likes the way you always stick your tongue out a little when you’re concentrating. he likes how you always hum to yourself when you think nobody’s listening. he likes how you talk to everyone the same, never acting like anybody’s above or below you.
he likes you.
and it’s ruining his life.
"do you think jake sim is... weird?"
shinyu raises an eyebrow. "weird how?"
you frown, trying to find the right words.
"i don’t know. like... awkward? around me?"
he snorts. "he's awkward around everyone."
"not really."
shinyu pauses, eyes narrowing like he’s finally catching onto something you've been missing this whole time.
"...wait." he leans in. "do you seriously not realize he's into you?"
you blink.
"what?"
"oh my god." he gape at you like you're the dumbest person alive. "he's had a crush on you since, like, forever."
you genuinely laugh at that, because there's no way.
right?
meanwhile, across the cafeteria, jake sim is currently choking on his water because he saw you glance in his direction for half a second.
sunghoon pats his back, looking vaguely concerned.
"bro, you have superpowers, but you can't even talk to your crush?"
jake coughs harder. he’s so, so doomed.
you don’t try to stay out late. it just happens.
sometimes it’s because you lose track of time, caught up in the city’s glow. sometimes it’s because you’re walking home after a long study session, brain fried from trying to shove too much information into it at once.
tonight, it’s the latter.
shinyu yawns next to you, stretching his arms over his head as you both step out of the library. “i swear, if i have to look at one more page of notes, i’m throwing my entire textbook into the river.”
“you say that every time,” you point out.
“and one of these days, i’ll actually do it.”
you snort, tugging your hoodie closer around you. it’s late enough that the streets are quieter than usual, the hum of distant traffic the only real sound. most of the shops have already shut down, save for the 24-hour convenience store at the corner.
shinyu pulls out his phone. “should i call a cab?”
“nah,” you shake your head. “i’ll just walk.”
he frowns. “are you sure? it’s kinda late.”
“i always do this. i’ll be fine.”
he hesitates, clearly debating whether or not to argue, but eventually sighs. “alright. text me when you get home, though.”
“yes, mom.”
he rolls his eyes, flicking your forehead before heading off in the opposite direction.
you stuff your hands into your pockets and start walking.
your route home is familiar, same streets, same flickering streetlights, same little shop windows reflecting the glow of the city back at you. you don’t feel unsafe. if anything, you like walking at night. there’s something peaceful about it, something that makes the world feel a little softer around the edges.
but then—
you hear footsteps behind you.
at first, you don’t think much of it. there are always other people out and about. but as you keep walking, the sound stays steady, just far enough behind that you can’t tell if it’s a coincidence or something else.
your stomach twists. ‘who the fuck is walking around the same route as you at 2am..?’ you think to yourself.
you glance over your shoulder.
a man. mid-thirties, maybe. hood pulled up over his head.
the moment your eyes meet, he quickly looks away, pretending to check his phone.
your heart beats a little faster. you’re probably overreacting.
but then you turn the corner, and the footsteps turn with you.
you pick up your pace.
so do they.
your chest tightens. okay. okay. you’re not imagining it.
you scan the street for other people, but it’s mostly empty. the nearest open shop is too far ahead, and the alley you just passed is—
wait.
your stomach drops.
you didn’t even hear him move, but suddenly, he’s not behind you anymore.
he’s right there.
you barely have time to react before he grabs your wrist, grip too tight, breath too close. “hey—”
before you can even think to scream, something flies past you—fast, sharp.
and suddenly, the man is yanked backwards.
one second he’s gripping you, the next he’s pinned to the alley wall, struggling against thick strands of white webbing wrapped tight around his torso.
your breath catches in your throat.
what.
your brain barely has time to process it before—
“hey,” a voice calls.
you turn, heart still pounding.
and standing there, perched casually on the edge of a lamppost, is spider-man.
your mouth goes dry.
he hops down, landing lightly on the pavement, head tilting slightly as he glances at the guy still stuck to the wall. “yeah, i don’t think so,” he says.
the guy grunts, struggling uselessly against the webbing.
spider-man sighs. “not your best move.”
you just stare.
you know who he is, obviously. everyone does. but knowing about spider-man and actually seeing him in front of you are two entirely different things.
he turns to you. “you alright?”
you blink at him, mind still catching up. “uh.”
he tilts his head. “i’ll take that as a yes?”
“y-yeah,” you stammer, clearing your throat. “yeah. i’m fine.”
“good.” he gestures vaguely toward the guy. “i’ll leave him here for the cops. but, uh—maybe don’t walk alone this late?”
you exhale sharply. “yeah. got it. solid advice.”
spider-man lets out a soft chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck.
for some reason, that tiny, almost shy gesture is what actually makes your brain start working again.
because up until now, he seemed untouchable, fast, sharp, the kind of person who moves like he already knows the next ten steps ahead. but now, standing here, he’s shifting his weight slightly like he’s not sure what to do with his hands.
and for some reason, that makes him feel real.
“do you, uh,” he starts, then hesitates. “want me to walk you home?”
your stomach flips.
“oh,” you say. “you don’t have to—”
“i don’t mind,” he says quickly. “just to make sure you get there safe.”
you bite your lip. you really should say no. he’s probably busy, and you don’t want to take up more of his time.
but also.
spider-man just offered to walk you home.
what kind of idiot would turn that down?
“…okay,” you say finally.
you can hear the smile in his voice. “okay.”
when you finally get home, he hangs back by the streetlight, watching as you unlock the door.
“thanks again,” you say, turning back to him.
he nods. “anytime.”
you hesitate.
“…do you do handshakes?”
he lets out a soft laugh. “not usually.”
“oh.” you lower your hand, a little embarrassed.
but before you can pull it back completely, he reaches out and bumps his knuckles against yours.
it’s such a small thing. so stupidly small.
but for some reason, it makes your heart stutter.
you glance up at him, but he’s already moving, gripping the edge of the nearest rooftop, hoisting himself up with an easy strength that makes your stomach flip.
and then, just before he disappears—
“goodnight,” he says.
your breath catches.
and then he’s gone.
you collapse onto your bed the second you get inside, phone buzzing with a text from shinyu.
shinyu: you home yet? you: yeah shinyu: good
you hover over the keyboard for a second, debating.
and then—
you: hey. what do you think of spider-man?
his reply is instant.
shinyu: idk. kinda cool? you: ...yeah.
you stare at the screen. your heart is still racing.
and for some reason, all you can hear is his voice.
stupid voice with that stupid accent you recognize but look over.
it’s become a thing now.
you didn’t plan for it, but somehow it has.
spider-man keeps showing up.
at first, it’s just the occasional late-night save, that charming but awkward conversation at the end where you thank him profusely and he gives you a weird little knuckle bump before disappearing into the night.
but then...
you start seeing him more.
you start to notice that he seems to be where you are, just when you need him.
it happens AGAIN one night when you’re walking home after another late study session with shinyu.
you’re tired. drained. your brain feels like mush, and shinyu, though he’s usually the one full of energy, seems to be on the same wavelength.
"i swear," he mutters, "if i see one more page of equations, i’m going to just… yeet this textbook into the nearest river."
you snort, nudging him. "don’t tempt me. i’m kind of considering it myself."
you both chuckle, but it's tired. the kind of tired where you can’t even muster the energy to fake your usual enthusiasm.
the streets are quiet again, just the sound of your footsteps echoing in the night.
and, as usual, that familiar feeling creeps in, like you’re being watched.
you brush it off. it’s probably just a shadow, the way the streetlights flicker and make things seem closer than they are.
but then, in the distance, a small rustle.
you freeze for a second, but quickly continue walking, convincing yourself it’s nothing.
you turn another corner, and then, there he is.
spider-man.
you blink, more than a little surprised.
“oh, hey,” you say, trying to act casual. "what's up?"
he’s leaning against the side of a building, arms crossed, but when you notice the way he’s watching you, you can’t shake the feeling that maybe he’s been here for a while.
he straightens, suddenly looking a bit... embarrassed? "uh, nothing much. just making sure you're alright."
you blink, a little confused. "i’m fine? why wouldn’t i be?"
he gives a small shrug, like it’s no big deal. "you know, just being careful. you’re walking kinda late, and i’m... well, i’m always around."
you raise an eyebrow. "you just 'happen' to be around whenever i'm out late?"
he looks sheepish. "yep."
you stare at him for a second.
“are you stalking me?” you joke, but it comes out a little too serious.
his eyes widen, and he starts shaking his head quickly, scratching at the back of his neck. "no! no, of course not. just... making sure you're safe, y’know?"
you chuckle softly, rolling your eyes. "right. sure."
he seems to relax when you don’t push it further. “anyway, i could walk you home if you want. just in case, you know?”
you shrug. it’s not like you mind. "okay, but only because you’re weirdly persistent."
he grins, clearly relieved. "wouldn’t dream of letting you walk alone."
it’s an awkward, quiet walk. mostly because spider-man doesn’t seem to know how to start a normal conversation. his silence is comfortable, though, like there’s no need to fill the space. just walking with him feels nice.
by the time you’re at your front door, you’re laughing over something dumb that shinyu had said earlier. you feel strangely at ease.
"thanks for walking me home," you say.
he shrugs. “it’s nothing. just doing my part.”
you smile, heart skipping a beat. "goodnight, spider-man."
"goodnight," he replies, his voice soft. then, as usual, he’s gone before you can say anything else.
the routine builds quickly after that.
it becomes normal to see him around whenever you’re out at night.
he always seems to be around, sometimes just dropping in for a casual chat, other times swooping in to rescue you from the occasional shady character or two.
but it’s the quiet moments you start to cherish.
there’s one night where you and shinyu are hanging out on the rooftop of your building, talking about life as you always do. the sky is clear, the stars twinkling, and it feels like a moment frozen in time.
shinyu is sprawled across the floor, pretending to sleep, while you’re sitting with your legs dangling over the edge, arms resting on your knees.
“so,” he says suddenly, breaking the silence. “what’s the deal with spider-man, anyway? you two talk a lot now.”
you freeze for a second, eyes narrowing. “what do you mean ‘talk a lot?’”
he raises his hands in mock surrender. “i’m just saying. you two have some weird dynamic. are you, like, dating or something?”
you laugh it off. “what? no! it’s just... he’s, uh, nice. i don’t know, he’s just been around when i’ve needed him, that’s all.”
shinyu sits up, raising an eyebrow. “oh, really? just ‘happens’ to be there. that’s cute.”
you roll your eyes. “he’s cool, okay?”
he gives you a knowing look. “if you say so.”
before you can respond, you hear the familiar sound of whoosh above you.
spider-man drops down onto the roof, landing lightly beside you with an easy smile.
“hey, guys,” he says casually, like he hasn’t just flown in to join the conversation.
you smile at him, your heart fluttering a little. “hey, spider-man.”
shinyu squints at him, grinning. “so, we’re just hanging out, huh? that’s cool. do you want anything to drink?”
spider-man looks at him in confusion. “huh?”
“i mean, you’re here now. should we get drinks?” shinyu gestures to the corner store below. “i’ll go down and grab something. you want anything?”
spider-man glances at you first, and then back at shinyu, his expression unreadable for a moment.
“uh, sure,” he says, his voice a little uncertain. “i’ll just have whatever you’re getting.”
shinyu gives a little nod before standing up and heading down the stairs to the convenience store.
you and spider-man are left alone again.
the air feels different this time, like the space between you has changed. you both sit there in silence for a moment.
he clears his throat. “so, uh... how’s the studying going?”
you laugh softly. “honestly? i want to burn my textbooks.”
he chuckles. “yeah, i get that. same.”
you glance at him, curious. “you study too?”
he shrugs, looking awkward. “well... when i’m not being, you know, spider-man. i try to keep up.”
you nod, smiling. “cool. you seem smart.”
he looks away, rubbing the back of his neck. “yeah, well, it’s all kind of a... blur, y’know?”
you laugh again. "yeah, i know exactly what you mean."
and suddenly, you realize something.
you’re actually... comfortable with him.
not just the whole superhero thing, not just the awkwardness, but the person behind it. you don’t need to be on edge around him.
and somehow, that makes you feel both lighter and a little strange.
later, shinyu returns with drinks, and the conversation picks up again. spider-man relaxes a little more, though he still seems a bit fidgety.
you can’t help but notice how, even now, when he’s around shinyu, he still doesn’t seem to know how to act. there’s an ease to his awkwardness that’s almost endearing.
shinyu teases him a little, asking if he’s ever had to take his suit off after a long night of “saving people” and spider-man just shrugs awkwardly, mumbling something about the suit being “perfectly breathable” as if that’s the most casual thing in the world.
it’s a weird dynamic, but it works.
and for the first time in a long time, you don’t feel quite so... lonely.
when it’s time to leave, spider-man walks you home again, which is literally downstairs.
you’re still laughing from something shinyu said, but when you glance over at spider-man, you notice him looking at you more seriously than usual.
“you okay?” you ask, surprised by the shift in his mood.
“yeah,” he replies, his voice quiet. “just... it’s nothing. just wanted to check on you.”
you smile softly. “you do that a lot.”
he shrugs. “it’s my job, right?”
and even though he says that, you can see the hint of something more. something deeper.
you’re not sure what it is, but you feel it.
you smile to yourself, wondering if maybe you’re starting to understand him a little better.
when you get to your front door, you wave goodbye, but this time, he doesn’t leave immediately.
he lingers.
“goodnight, spider-man,” you say quietly.
“goodnight.”
he’s gone before you can blink.
and you can’t help but feel like there’s something he’s not saying. something important.
you’re at school, sitting with shinyu during lunch, lazily picking at your food as the two of you chat about the usual, homework, annoying teachers, and how much you’d rather be anywhere else.
and then, somehow, the conversation lands on him.
"so, spider-man," shinyu says, taking a sip of his drink. "you never really told me. what’s the deal with that?"
you blink, caught off guard. "what do you mean?"
shinyu shrugs. "i mean, you guys talk a lot. what’s he like?"
you pause, considering it. "well... he’s nice. kind of awkward, but in a cute way. and, i don’t know, i feel like i can actually talk to him, you know?"
shinyu raises an eyebrow, clearly amused. "so you like talking to him."
"obviously," you say, rolling your eyes. "he’s funny, easy to be around, and—"
you pause for half a second.
shinyu waits.
"... and?"
you shrug, acting like what you’re about to say is no big deal. "and he’s kinda hot."
it happens instantly.
a loud choking sound from the table next to you.
you both turn your heads.
jake sim, golden boy of the school, is currently dying.
he’s hunched over, violently coughing, his drink abandoned as he tries to catch his breath. his friends, some of the other popular kids, are just watching him, either concerned or mildly entertained.
"bro, what is wrong with you?" one of them asks, patting jake on the back.
jake wheezes.
you stare at him, blinking. "... you good?"
he looks up at you, eyes wide, mouth slightly open like he just realized he made a scene.
"uh—yeah! yes! i’m fine!" he blurts out, too loudly.
you and shinyu exchange a look.
"uh-huh," you say, unconvinced.
jake quickly grabs his drink again, pretending like nothing happened, but you can see it, how his ears are red, how he’s suddenly so focused on stirring his drink with his straw like it’s the most interesting thing in the world.
weird.
shinyu, being shinyu, decides to push it.
"wait, you were listening to us?" he says, grinning.
"no!" jake says, way too fast. "i wasn’t listening! i just— i mean— i heard something, but it wasn’t on purpose—"
he stops himself, as if realizing he’s making it worse.
you stare at him, trying to figure out what his deal is.
jake sim is, objectively, very attractive. everyone at school knows it. he’s the kind of guy who could probably get away with murder just by looking at someone the right way.
but right now?
right now, he looks like a glitching NPC.
shinyu smirks. "so, which part made you choke? the part where spider-man is easy to talk to, or the part where he’s hot?"
jake makes a strangled sound, like he just swallowed his soul.
"i—" he starts, then stops, looking deeply uncomfortable.
you narrow your eyes at him.
"wait," you say suddenly, realization hitting. "do you know spider-man?"
jake freezes.
his eyes dart around the table, as if searching for an escape route.
"i—uh—no?" he tries, but it sounds more like a question than an answer.
"that was very convincing," you deadpan.
"thank you," he says automatically. then, realizing what he just did, he groans and drags a hand down his face.
you just stare at him.
what is up with this guy?
shinyu snickers. "dude, you’re acting real suspicious right now."
"i am not," jake says, still looking very much suspicious.
you and shinyu both just keep staring at him.
jake, unable to handle the attention, suddenly stands up. "gotta go!" he announces, grabbing his tray and practically sprinting away from the table.
... what.
you blink. "okay, what was that?"
shinyu just laughs. "no clue, but that was hilarious."
you shake your head, still baffled.
jake sim is weird.
that night, like clockwork, spider-man appears.
you’re outside, walking back from the convenience store, a bag of snacks in your hand when you hear the familiar thwip of a web.
you don’t even flinch anymore.
“oh, hey,” you say as he lands beside you. "you’re early tonight."
spider-man, who seems slightly fidgety for some reason, clears his throat. "uh, yeah. just happened to be around."
you nod. "right. as always."
there’s a beat of silence as the two of you start walking.
then, spider-man casually goes, "sooo... you think i’m hot?"
you freeze mid-step.
"what—"
he panics immediately. "i mean—! not that i heard you say that or anything, but like— well, let’s say hypothetically you did say that, and hypothetically i overheard—"
you narrow your eyes. "did you overhear?"
he hesitates for a full second before blurting, "no!"
"uh-huh."
he coughs. "but if you did think that— i mean, just out of curiosity, uh... what part exactly were you talking about?"
you stare at him.
he shifts, looking way too eager but also like he might die on the spot.
you decide to mess with him.
"i dunno," you say, pretending to think. "maybe the mask? keeps things mysterious."
"mysterious," he echoes.
"or maybe the whole... ‘hero of the city’ thing," you continue. "kind of hard not to find that attractive."
"oh," he says weakly.
you glance at him.
his shoulders are tense. he’s definitely blushing. even through the mask, you can tell.
you bite back a grin. "why do you ask, spider-man? you interested in what i think?"
"wh—no! i mean— i guess? maybe? i just—" he stops mid-sentence, suddenly frustrated with himself.
you laugh. "wow. you get flustered really easily."
"i do not," he lies.
you grin.
he’s so bad at this.
but... it’s kind of cute.
he clears his throat, clearly desperate to change the subject. "so! um! anyway! totally unrelated question—"
"uh-huh?"
"—but, like... have you ever thought that maybe you already know me?"
you blink. "what?"
he shrugs, trying to sound casual. "i mean, like, what if i wasn’t just spider-man? what if i was, i dunno... someone you see every day?"
you frown, confused.
"... but you’re not," you say simply. "i’d recognize your voice."
spider-man pauses.
"oh," he says.
like he just remembered that’s a thing.
you keep walking, completely missing the way his entire body slumps.
"why?" you ask, glancing at him. "are you secretly my math teacher or something?"
he lets out a weird, awkward laugh. "pfft. no! definitely not. that’d be, um. weird."
you snort. "right... mr. lee..?"
spider-man sighs, clearly realizing this isn’t going anywhere. "never mind," he mutters.
you just shrug. "okay. anyway, are we getting snacks or what?"
he perks up instantly. "yes! let’s do that."
he’s back to normal.
but inside, jake sim is screaming.
when you get home, you fall onto your bed, thinking about the conversation you just had.
weird.
he was acting weird.
but it’s probably nothing.
meanwhile, somewhere across the city, jake is lying face down on his bed, aggressively kicking his feet like a teenage girl in a romcom, absolutely mortified.
his friends are still roasting him for what happened at lunch.
he’s never going to live this down.
rooftops are underrated.
shinyu agrees.
“this is the best place to complain about life,” he says, stretching out on the rooftop ledge. “no teachers, no school stress, just the city and the stars.”
“and potential death if you slip,” you point out.
“adds to the thrill.”
you laugh, taking a deep breath as the cool night air brushes against your skin. it’s peaceful up here, the hum of the city below feeling distant, almost like background noise.
this is your favorite part of the night, escaping the weight of the day, letting yourself exist without expectations.
shinyu, lounging beside you, throws a crumpled snack wrapper at you. “so. be honest. do you think mr. lee is actually grading our essays or just randomly handing out scores?”
“random,” you say immediately. “there’s no way he read mine. i wrote a whole paragraph about how pigeons should have jobs and still got an A.”
shinyu nearly chokes on his drink. “what?”
“i was sleep-deprived, okay?”
“bro.”
you grin, nudging his shoulder. shinyu’s dramatic laughter echoes in the open air, and for a second, it feels like nothing else matters.
but then—
thwip.
a familiar sound.
you don’t even flinch.
shinyu, however, does. “bro,” he says, staring at the figure that just landed on the rooftop. “your weird little superhero friend is here again.”
spider-man straightens up. “hey,” he says, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his hoodie over his suit.
“oh, great,” shinyu mutters. “now i have to third-wheel whatever this weird thing is.”
you roll your eyes. “it’s not weird.”
spider-man, beside you, shifts. “wait. what’s not weird?”
shinyu smirks. “you and them.”
spider-man nearly trips over his own feet. “what?”
you laugh. “ignore him, he’s just being annoying.”
“i’m just saying,” shinyu teases, standing up and stretching, “i feel like a chaperone. anyway, i’m heading home before mr. lee assigns another test. try not to die.”
you wave him off, watching as he climbs down the fire escape.
the second he’s gone, spider-man sighs dramatically. “your friend is kind of scary.”
“he’d love to hear that.”
he chuckles, shaking his head. “so. you just hang out on rooftops for fun?”
“why not?” you shrug. “it’s peaceful. no school, no responsibilities, no—”
you shift slightly on the ledge—
and your foot slips.
for a split second, your stomach drops.
but before you can even process it—
strong hands grab your waist, pulling you back to safety.
your breath catches.
you don’t even have time to think before you’re pressed against him, his hands still firmly holding you, your faces way too close.
your brain short-circuits.
spider-man tenses.
his mask hides his expression, but you can feel the shift, the sudden awareness of just how close you are.
your hands are gripping his arms, his hands are still on your waist, and for a moment, neither of you move.
the air is thick.
his breathing is a little uneven.
he’s calm on the outside, but inside?
jake sim is losing his mind.
because oh my god.
he is touching you.
holding you.
you’re close enough that he can see every little detail, the way your lips part slightly in surprise, the way your eyes flicker down for a second before meeting his again.
he’s panicking.
but he cannot show it.
so he clears his throat, trying to sound casual. “you, uh. good?”
you blink, snapping out of it.
“oh. yeah. thanks for—” you gesture vaguely, still hyper-aware of his hands.
spider-man nods, though his brain is still buffering.
he should move.
but his hands don’t move.
why aren’t they moving?
he’s gripping your waist like you’re going to fall again, like he has to keep holding on, and it takes everything in him to not scream.
you tilt your head.
“... you okay?”
"me? oh! yeah! totally fine! absolutely not freaking out or anything!”
you squint at him.
"... you sure?"
"yep! totally! one hundred percent normal behavior happening right now!"
he still hasn’t let go.
you raise an eyebrow.
he realizes he still hasn’t let go.
"oh! right! my bad!"
he snatches his hands away like he just touched fire, stumbling back a step.
you blink at him.
he looks like he just had an out-of-body experience.
"... you’re acting weird," you say.
"no, i’m not!" he says, voice cracking.
you stare at him for another second before shrugging. "okay."
you sit back down like nothing happened.
spider-man stands there, physically trying to reboot.
the next day at school, jake sim is a mess.
he is so weird about it.
you don’t even notice at first, too busy going about your day, but then, little things start adding up.
like how he keeps running into walls.
or how he drops his books every time you walk by.
or how, when you pass him in the hallway, he does a 180-degree spin and walks the other direction like he just forgot where he was going.
it’s like he has no motor skills around you.
and the worst part?
everyone notices.
"bro, what is your deal?" one of his friends asks after jake nearly trips over thin air.
jake just groans, aggressively rubbing his face. "i don’t wanna talk about it."
his friends exchange a look.
"you’ve been acting weird since yesterday," one of them says. "what happened?"
"nothing!"
"are you sure?"
"yes!" jake says, too fast. "i’m totally fine! absolutely normal! definitely not thinking about anything that happened on a rooftop last night!"
his friends blink.
"... what?"
jake.exe has stopped working.
"i gotta go," he says, shoving his books into his bag and sprinting away before they can ask any more questions.
meanwhile, you, completely oblivious to his entire breakdown, sit down with shinyu at lunch, happily eating your food.
"hey," shinyu says, nudging you. "you notice how jake’s been acting extra weird today?"
you pause mid-bite. "huh?"
"he keeps running into things. i think you broke him."
"... what did i do?"
shinyu shrugs. "no clue. but it’s hilarious."
you glance across the cafeteria.
jake is at his table, looking stressed.
you don’t think much of it.
meanwhile, jake is sitting there, gripping his drink, replaying last night’s moment in his head like a broken record, absolutely suffering.
there’s something weird about jake sim.
not in an obvious way, he’s still the school’s golden boy, still effortlessly good-looking, still surrounded by people who seem drawn to him like he has his own gravitational pull.
but ever since you started talking to spider-man, something feels... off.
and the more you think about it, the more you realize...
jake and spider-man are kind of similar.
not in every way, obviously.
spider-man is cool in a nerdy, awkward way. jake is just awkward.
spider-man is confident until he’s flustered. jake is flustered until he’s more flustered.
but there are little things. things that stick in your mind and refuse to leave.
the way they both stutter when they’re flustered.
the way they both react too strongly when you mention something embarrassing.
the way spider-man somehow always reacts to things you say about jake sim a little too specifically.
you wouldn’t normally care.
except now you do so you decide to test him.
the opportunity presents itself in the middle of lunch.
shinyu is ranting about his math teacher, and you’re half-listening, half-watching as jake sits at his usual table across the cafeteria.
he looks tired.
his friends are talking, but he’s zoned out, poking at his food with a fork like it personally offended him.
for once, no one is paying attention to him.
so you turn to shinyu and casually say,
"hey. you ever think jake sim is kinda... spider-man-y?"
shinyu blinks. "what."
you shrug. "just saying. they kinda act the same sometimes."
"what kind of reach—"
you don’t get to respond.
because across the cafeteria, jake, mid-bite into his sandwich, freezes.
like, completely.
his jaw locks, his eyes widen slightly, and for a second, he just sits there, bread still between his teeth, looking like he’s buffering.
it’s only when one of his friends elbows him that he starts moving again, slowly, mechanically, chewing like he suddenly forgot how food works.
you watch this unfold with mild amusement.
shinyu squints. "okay, that was weird."
"right?"
you decide to take it further.
"also, if you really think about it, their voices are kind of similar," you add, casually sipping your drink.
jake, still trying to recover from his sandwich malfunction, visibly flinches.
his friend frowns. "dude, are you good?"
"mhm!" jake squeaks, before quickly stuffing more food into his mouth to avoid talking.
his ears are so red.
shinyu glances between you and him. "...did you just break jake sim?"
"interesting," you say, watching as jake forces himself to act normal, failing spectacularly.
very suspicious.
that night, spider-man shows up like always.
you’re sitting on your usual rooftop spot, legs dangling over the edge.
he lands beside you, slightly out of breath.
you tilt your head. “you good?”
"yep!" he says. "totally! just... busy day."
you hum.
"...sooo," you start, watching him closely, "something really funny happened today."
spider-man tenses. "oh? uh. what?"
you grin. "i was talking to shinyu about how jake sim kinda reminds me of you."
he flinches.
"oh?"
"yeah," you say, leaning in slightly. "you both get flustered really easily."
"what? no, i don’t!"
you raise an eyebrow. "you’re literally flustered right now."
"no, i’m not!"
you squint.
he shifts uncomfortably.
"also," you continue, "you have the same little mannerisms sometimes. like how you rub the back of your neck when you’re nervous."
his hand immediately drops from the back of his neck.
you stare.
he stares back.
"...okay, that was suspicious."
"what was?"
"that!"
"what?"
"you just—" you gesture vaguely. "you’re acting weird."
"i’m always weird!"
"true," you admit.
he sighs in relief.
but you’re not done.
"also, your voice kinda sounds like his."
"what?!"
"just a little," you say, watching him panic. "not enough for most people to notice, but still."
"n-no it doesn’t!"
"you sure?"
"positive!"
you hum.
"you definitely don’t have anything you wanna tell me?"
"nope! nothing at all! absolutely nothing weird happening here!*"
you squint.
he is sweating.
interesting.
jake sim has fought criminals, dodged gunfire, and swung through the city at terrifying speeds—
but this is the most nerve-wracking thing he’s ever done.
because tonight, he’s going to tell you.
he’s going to take off the mask, look you in the eye, and say it, 'i’m spider-man. i’m also jake sim. and i like you. a lot.'
he’s been rehearsing it in his head for days.
except now that he’s actually standing on the rooftop where you usually meet, waiting for you, his brain is short-circuiting.
what if you get mad? what if you feel betrayed? what if you never want to talk to him again?
he groans into his hands. this was a terrible idea.
but he can’t back out now.
not when he hears footsteps coming up the fire escape.
his heart nearly leaps out of his chest.
okay, okay. just act normal. wait, no—don't act normal, you’re always awkward. act... slightly less awkward. you can do this. you got this.
he takes a deep breath.
the door creaks open.
he turns around, already preparing himself—
and then immediately panics because—
oh god. that’s not you. that’s shinyu.
shinyu blinks. “oh.”
jake freezes.
shinyu squints. “what are you doing here?”
"nothing!" spider-man blurts out. "just—y’know. being spider-man. normal superhero things. ha ha."
shinyu looks so unimpressed. "right."
jake is internally screaming. where are you?? why is shinyu here instead?? he was so ready.
shinyu leans against the rooftop railing, arms crossed. "so. waiting for someone?"
spider-man stiffens. "uh—no! no, just... hanging out."
shinyu hums.
spider-man shifts uncomfortably.
there's a beat of silence before shinyu smirks. "you’re totally waiting for y/n, aren’t you?"
spider-man chokes on air.
"what?!"
shinyu laughs. "dude, relax. you guys seem close, that’s all."
spider-man doesn’t know what to say.
shinyu keeps going, teasing. "you like them or something?"
spider-man malfunctions.
because the answer is yes, so much yes, oh my god yes, but he cannot say that.
so he just stands there, absolutely flustered, failing to form a single coherent word.
shinyu raises an eyebrow. "wait. do you like them?"
"WHAT? NO. HAHAHA. HA." spider-man's voice cracks.
shinyu stares.
spider-man stares back.
the silence is deafening.
then shinyu grins.
"oh my god, you totally do."
spider-man groans and buries his face in his hands. this is a disaster.
shinyu laughs. "don’t worry, i won’t tell."
"thank you," spider-man mutters, still dying inside.
shinyu pats his shoulder. "good luck, loverboy."
and with that, he leaves, completely unaware that he just ruined the big reveal.
spider-man sighs so hard.
he’s going to scream into his pillow when he gets home.
jake sim has been so, so careful.
for months, he’s balanced both sides of his life perfectly, being the popular golden boy at school while keeping his very obvious crush on you a secret, and being the confident, quick-witted spider-man who gets to talk to you without turning into a human error message.
but all of that completely shatters in a matter of seconds.
and it’s entirely his fault.
it’s late, and you’re heading home from another study session with shinyu.
your backpack is slung lazily over one shoulder, and you’re lost in thought when suddenly—
"HEY!"
a voice yells from the alley beside you, and before you can react, a blur of red and blue drops down from above.
spider-man.
except something is off.
because he’s standing in front of you... maskless.
his wavy hair is messy, his expression is panicked, and his wide brown eyes lock onto yours in sheer horror.
… jake sim.
"JAKE?" you yelp.
"OH MY GOD." jake grabs his head like he just realized he left the stove on. "OH MY GOD, I FORGOT MY MASK. I—I THOUGHT I PUT IT ON BUT I DIDN’T. I JUST SWUNG DOWN WITHOUT IT—OH, THIS IS SO BAD—"
he starts pacing in frantic circles, muttering a meltdown under his breath. "stupid, stupid, stupid—how do you forget your MASK? how did i even think this was a good idea? i should just move to another country—"
you’re just standing there, staring at him, processing.
spider-man is jake sim.
jake sim is spider-man.
it all clicks.
the awkwardness. the stammering. the similarities you swore you noticed but ignored.
you slap a hand over your mouth, because instead of being shocked, instead of yelling or freaking out—
you start laughing.
"you’re kidding." you wheeze. "you’re actually kidding."
jake stops spiraling and looks at you like you just started speaking another language. "wait. why are you laughing?"
you’re losing it. "because this makes so much sense now. oh my god. jake."
he goes so red. "don’t say my name like that while i’m wearing the suit, that feels illegal."
but you can’t stop laughing. "i can’t believe i didn’t put this together sooner. you—oh my god, you were literally short-circuiting in front of me at school while having full-on conversations with me as spider-man."
"please," jake begs. "please let me live."
you wipe a tear from your eye, catching your breath. "wait—hold on—" you inhale, trying to compose yourself. "so… does that mean… you had a crush on me this whole time?"
jake freezes.
his entire body locks up like you just hit him with a paralyzing spell.
you raise an eyebrow. "jake."
he doesn’t move.
he doesn’t breathe.
"jake," you say again. "do you—"
"OKAY—" he blurts out, exploding into motion. "yes! yes. i like you. a lot. i have for a really long time. and i know this is probably the worst way for you to find out but—"
you take a step closer.
he shuts up immediately.
he’s still rambling in his head, though, oh my god, they’re looking at me, they’re getting closer, what does this mean, am i going to die—
and then—
you kiss him.
it’s soft, quick, and so unexpected that it completely short-circuits him.
his brain blue-screens.
by the time you pull away, his soul has left his body.
"you just—" he breathes, voice barely above a whisper.
you grin. "you like me."
"YOU JUST KISSED ME."
"yeah." you tilt your head. "you gonna do something about it, spider-man?"
jake.exe has stopped working.
he just stands there, mouth opening and closing, until finally—
he just groans into his hands. "oh my god, i am so in love with you."
~
ty for reading and enjoying !
enha taglist : @minoouz
perm taglist : @s0shroe @minoouz
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hyuckiefluff · 2 months ago
Text
Flipped Pt. 2 | Mark Lee
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pairing: gryffindor!mark lee x slytherin!fem.reader genre: smut summary: the first time you met mark lee, you flipped his world upside down— literally. seven years later and after countless attempts to avoid you, you're still driving him insane. except now, it’s for an entirely different reason. wc: 6.3k+ cw: explicit content, cursing, loss of virginity, unprotected sex, semi-public sexual acts, oral (fem receiving) a/n: hi!! this is a continuation to my hogwarts au, so please read part one before checking this out <3 I originally wasn't even planning on adding any smut to this fic, and I think it works well without it, but still, a little smut is always a good bonus so here it is! enjoy!
By the time your seventh year rolled around, you and Mark felt like two halves of the same whole. You spent nearly every possible hour together and most of it was sweet and wholesome. He’d sit with you in the greenhouse while you tended to your plants, pretending to be helpful but mostly just watching you with this lovesick look on his face. Or sitting beside you in the library when you worked on assignments, though he hardly ever got any studying done himself. Or at the Quidditch games, where he’d celebrate his wins by flying over the stands and swooping down to kiss you.
But there were also the other moments. The ones where you simply couldn’t keep your hands off each other. Most of your prefect shifts ended in heated makeout sessions behind the statue of the one eyed witch on the third floor. Or tucked away in the Astronomy Tower when everyone else was asleep. Or in the dark staircase leading to the dungeons, pressed against the cold stone wall with his hands roaming your waist and your fingers tangled in his hair. You two found a way to use any place that offered even a little privacy.
And it was getting harder and harder to stop once you started.
You could feel the way his kisses were getting hungrier. Like that time when his hands slid under your robes during Charms class. Or the time in the greenhouse when he kissed you so deeply his knee had ended up between your legs, and you’d gasped, clutching at his robes before hastily pulling away.
And last time things almost went too far.
You’d been tucked in a hidden alcove near the Transfiguration classroom, his back against the stone wall, your body pressed firmly against his as his mouth moved feverishly against yours. His hand had slipped beneath your robes, skimming up your thigh, and before you even realized it, he was fumbling with the buttons of your uniform. His breath was heavy, and you could feel how badly he wanted you, his hands trembling slightly as he tugged at your clothes.
“Wait—” you gasped, grabbing his wrist.
Mark froze immediately, his face paling like he’d done something horribly wrong. “Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to” he pulled his hands back “I wasn’t trying to push you or—”
“No, it’s not—” you swallowed hard, trying to ignore the heat still simmering in your stomach. “It’s not that I don’t want to… I do. It’s just…”
Mark watched you carefully, still looking wrecked with guilt. “…Just what?”
You bit your lip. “I don’t… I don’t have any experience with this. I’ve never…I mean, I’ve kissed people before but not like… that. Or… y-you know.”
It took Mark a moment to process what you were saying. Then his face softened immediately, his brows knitting with so much tenderness it almost made you cry.
“Hey, that’s okay” he breathed, pulling you closer again but gentler this time. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”
You felt your face burn. “I don’t know… I guess I was embarrassed. I thought you’d expect me to…”
“I don’t,” Mark cut you off gently, his thumb stroking your cheek. “I swear. I don’t expect anything from you, Y/N. I just… I get carried away sometimes because I really, really like you. But you can tell me to stop anytime, okay?”
“Really?”
“Really,” he promised. Then he nudged your nose with his, grinning cheekily. “Besides… I think it’s kinda cute you’ve never done any of that before.”
You swatted his arm, groaning. “Oh my god, Mark.”
He just laughed, pulling you back in for another kiss.
Later that night, you were curled up in the common room with Karina when the question came bursting out of you like word vomit.
“How does sex feel like?”
Karina choked on her pumpkin juice, coughing violently as her eyes practically popped out of her skull.
“I’m sorry— what?” she spluttered, whipping her head toward you like you’d just grown a second head.
“Like… is it painful at first?” you pressed on, your face heating up. “I imagine it is. It probably depends on the… y’know… size. I mean, I read about it in a Muggle book back home but it was mostly about conception, not really the experience itself, so I—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold it.” Karina held up a hand, looking half-horrified and half-amused. “Where is this coming from… Since when are you so curious about sex?”
“Rina, I’m seventeen.... almost eighteen. It’s perfectly normal for me to start being curious about these things.”
“Oh, so it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you spend every free period snogging the Gryffindor Seeker?”
“Keep your voice down!” you hissed, glancing around the room.
“What?” Karina giggled. “It’s not like everyone doesn’t already know. I think half the school’s caught you guys in the corridors by now”
You groaned loudly, covering your burning face with your hands. “Forget I ever asked.”
“Oh no, no, no. You can’t just drop a bomb like that and then back out—”
Before you could beg her to drop it, Haechan strolled into the common room in his Quidditch uniform, hair damp with sweat, looking like he’d just finished practice. His eyes immediately landed on the two of you  and of course, he caught the tail end of Karina’s cackling.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, flopping onto the couch next to you.
Karina turned to him, grinning like the devil. “Oh, nothing. Our sweet, innocent little Y/N here just wants to know what sex feels like.”
“Karina!” you shrieked, whipping around to glare at her as she howled with laughter.
Haechan’s jaw dropped. “WHAT?” He turned to you, scandalized. “You—? You wanna know about... holy shit…”
“Oh my God, stop,” you groaned.
Haechan’s face split into a wicked grin. “Ohhh, I’m so telling him you’re asking about this—”
“Don’t you dare.”
“Why not? I think he’d love to know that his girlfriend’s getting all hot and bothered thinking about—”
“Haechan!”
“I’m kidding!” he laughed, hands raised in surrender. “But seriously. What exactly do you wanna know, huh? Like… the logistics of it? Or do you just wanna know if Mark’s packing—”
You lunged at him with the pillow. “I swear...”
“Alright, alright!” he howled, practically collapsing onto the floor in laughter as you rained down pillow smacks. “I’m just saying, if you want details, I’m right here—”
“Absolutely not.”
Haechan, despite his teasing and borderline inappropriate comments, was surprisingly chill about Mark and you. You had made it clear months ago that you had no romantic feelings for him. He’d taken it well, saying he saw it coming, and from that moment on, he treated you just like he would anyone else. He even became close friends with Mark, realizing he had more things in common with the seeker than he initially thought.
Karina, still crying from laughter, gasped, “Oh my God, you should ask Mark yourself. See how he reacts.”
You froze, mortified. “Are you insane? I’m not asking Mark what sex feels like!”
“Why not?” Haechan snickered, finally pulling himself back onto the couch. “It’s not like he hasn’t thought about it already. Honestly, I’m shocked you two haven’t done it yet, considering how often we catch you practically shagging in the corridors.”
“We do not!”
“Oh, please,” he scoffed. “You two make the entire school feel single.”
You groaned, absolutely done with this conversation. “I hate both of you.”
“But seriously. If you’re curious, just… talk to him about it. He’ll probably combust on the spot, but he’ll definitely be honest with you.” Karina suggested.
You swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a little hot under the collar.
…Yeah. Like that conversation wouldn’t end with you both tearing each other���s clothes off.
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Mark was in the Gryffindor locker room, gulping down water after finishing practice, when Peeves suddenly popped up right in front of him with a loud "Boo!"
He flinched, nearly choking on his water and dropping the bottle to the floor.
“Peeves, what the hell!” Mark coughed, clutching his chest as the poltergeist erupted into a fit of maniacal laughter, floating circles around him.
“What do you want?” Mark huffed, yanking off his gloves. He was the last one in the locker room since he stayed behind to practice a little longer for the upcoming match.
“Ooh, Peeves has a message for you! A juicy little message about your pretty girl!” Peeves sing-songed, grinning mischievously.
Mark froze mid-motion. “Y/N? What about her?”
“She’s in the prefect’s bathroom right now, calling out for you!” Peeves giggled.
Mark furrowed his brows, confused. “Why would she be looking for me there? I’m not a prefect, I can’t even go in there.”
Peeves simply shrugged dramatically, floating upside down. “Peeves is just telling you what Peeves saw! Go, don’t go, who cares! But your pretty girl seemed awfully eager to see you…” he teased before disappearing with a loud pop.
Mark stood there for a second, his heart suddenly hammering. Were you really asking for him in the prefect’s bathroom? That made no sense. But if Peeves was telling the truth… 
“Shit,” Mark muttered, quickly tossing his gloves aside and hurrying out of the locker room.
He knew Peeves wasn’t exactly known for being helpful, but what if this time he was actually being serious? Mark’s gut twisted at the thought of you upset or needing him for something.
When he reached the entrance to the prefect bathroom, he hesitated. He wasn’t supposed to be here— it was strictly for prefects and Quidditch captains— but he couldn't just walk away if you were inside asking for him. With a deep breath, he gripped the handle and pushed… but the door didn’t budge.
Mark cursed under his breath. Of course, there was a password.
He racked his brain, trying to remember if you’d ever mentioned it. But you’d never told him the password. Why would you? He wasn’t a prefect, so he had no business knowing it.
“Think, think, think,” Mark muttered to himself, glancing up and down the corridor to make sure no one was around to catch him. Then he remembered that Jaehyun, the Gryffindor team captain, also had access to the bathroom. Mark recalled how he had once bragged about how nice it was, especially with the giant bath and fancy soaps. He’d also, at some point, mentioned the password in passing. What was it again? Pine something…?
“Pinewood?” Mark tried hesitantly, his wand out.
Nothing.
He groaned and ran a hand through his damp hair, his nerves bubbling up again. Peeves had said you were in there looking for him. What if you were hurt or crying, and he was just standing out here like an idiot?
“Pineapple? No, that’s stupid. Pine scent?” Mark paced in front of the door, feeling his frustration rise. He was about to give up when it finally hit him.
“Pine Fresh,” Mark said, his wand raised with more confidence this time.
A soft click echoed from the door, and Mark felt it give under his touch. His heart thudded in his chest as he pushed it open and stepped inside. The room was warm and steamy, the faint smell of soap and fresh water filling the air. Massive white marble walls surrounded a pool-sized bathtub filled with shimmering water.
“Y/N?” he called out, his voice echoing slightly.
Silence.
Mark’s brows furrowed. His stomach sank. The room looked empty like you’d never been here at all. His gut twisted as he realized Peeves’d probably just duped him. That little poltergeist lived for messing with students, and Mark had fallen for it like an idiot. He was about to turn and leave when—
“Mark?”
His head snapped around, his heart leaping to his throat.
You were there.
You were sitting against one of the walls, your legs curled up to your chest, looking small and anxious. Your face was a little flushed, though Mark wasn’t sure if it was from the steam in the room or something else. The second you locked eyes with him, relief flooded your features.
“Oh my god, you are here,” you breathed. You scrambled to stand, your socks slipping slightly on the wet tiles as you rushed toward him.
“Wait, wha... what’s going on? Are you okay?” Mark asked quickly, meeting you halfway. His hands instinctively went to your arms, his concern spiking when he realized how clammy your skin felt. “Why did Peeves say you were asking for me?”
You opened your mouth, then closed it, your teeth catching your bottom lip nervously. Mark watched as your gaze darted around the room like you were trying to muster up the courage to speak.
“I…” You swallowed thickly. “I didn’t actually ask for you. I mean... not out loud. I just- I was in here thinking and I really, really wanted you here. And then Peeves showed up and I think he just… I don’t know, sensed it or something and—”
Mark’s stomach did a little flip. You were thinking about him so intensely that Peeves picked up on it?
“Wait, wait.... slow down,” Mark said gently, his thumbs rubbing circles on your arms. “Why did you want me here? What’s wrong?”
You squeezed your eyes shut for a second, you almost looked embarrassed. “I… I need to talk to you about something. I didn’t know how to say it and I—”
“Hey, hey,” Mark interrupted softly, his hand tilting your chin to look at him. “It’s okay. I’m here"
You took a shaky breath, and then  “I want to do it.”
Mark blinked. “…Do what?”
Your teeth sank into your bottom lip as you averted your gaze, suddenly looking incredibly nervous. “Hey, it’s okay. Just tell me,” he urged softly.
You swallowed hard, your eyes flickering back up to his wide, shiny, and filled with something he couldn’t quite place. But it stole the breath straight out of his lungs. Suddenly, you rose onto your tiptoes and kissed him.
It wasn’t like your usual kisses. It was deep and desperate, your fingers curling into the fabric of his Quidditch robes tightly. Mark instantly kissed you back, his hand cupping the back of your neck to keep you there. But just as his head started to spin from how good it felt, you broke away and before he could even ask what was going on, you blurted it out.
“I want to have sex with you, Mark.”
He felt his entire body stiffen as his eyes snapped open, sure he had misheard you or that you were joking, or that Peeves had somehow cursed his ears. But the look on your face was anything but playful.
You were serious.
“W-what?” Mark croaked, his voice cracking embarrassingly.
Your face flushed, but you didn’t back down. You held his wide-eyed gaze, your hands now clenching into fists at your sides. “I… I’ve been thinking about it for a while. And I know we’ve never really talked about it or anything, but I just—” You swallowed hard. “I want you. I really want you.”
Mark’s brain was malfunctioning. He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again like a complete idiot. “You mean like… like now?” he stammered, his voice embarrassingly high.
“I mean if you want to,” you rushed out. “We don’t have to. I just… I don’t know. I thought about it and then I couldn’t stop thinking about it and… and I didn’t know how to bring it up so I just—”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Mark interrupted, his hands shooting up like he was trying to slow down time itself. His pulse was roaring in his ears. “You seriously, like, actually want to…?”
“Have sex with you?” you finished bluntly, your voice small but certain. “Yes.”
Mark swore he nearly passed out.
“Oh my god,” he wheezed, running a hand down his face. “Are you…I mean, not that I don’t want to, but are you sure?”
“Yes,” you said quickly, your voice shaking a little. “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life, Mark. I just… I think about you all the time. And not just like—” You gestured wildly, your face burning. “not just like normal thinking about you. I mean like thinking about you. Like in ways that make me—”
Mark made a strangled noise in his throat. “Holy fuck.”
You groaned, covering your face in embarrassment. “Oh my god, this is so humiliating”
“No, no! It’s not! It’s hot,” Mark blurted without thinking. “I mean… it’s not embarrassing. Like at all. I’m just... wow.” He paced back a step like he was trying to physically process this information. “You’ve been thinking about it?”
“Yes,” you practically cried. “For months.”
Mark clutched his chest. “Oh my god. Oh my god.”
“So you… you’d want to?” you asked quietly, watching him carefully.
Mark let out a sound that was half-laugh, half-disbelieving wheeze. “Angel, if I knew you’ve been wanting this for months we would’ve done it a million times by now.”
Your eyes widened. “Wait, really?”
“Are you kidding me?” Mark choked. His face was practically glowing red now. “I’ve been... I’ve wanted you like that since forever. I just didn’t want to push you or make you uncomfortable or— oh my god.” His hands flew to his hair like he was about to rip it out. “You actually want to?”
“Yes, Mark!” you laughed, still flushed. “I literally just said that.”
“And you mean like right now?”
You hesitated for half a second, then took a deep, shaky breath. “If you want to.”
Mark stared at you. Then his gaze dropped to your lips, and then lower, and then—
“Holy shit.”
And then he was kissing you again. Harder, more desperate, like the floodgates had finally burst open and he couldn’t get enough. His hands found your waist, gripping you tight as he walked you backward until the small of your back hit the marble edge of the enormous bathtub. You gasped into his mouth, and Mark swallowed the sound like he was starved for it.
“You have no idea how much I’ve thought about this,” he groaned between kisses. His fingers splayed against your waist, digging in like he was trying to anchor himself. “Like, stupid thoughts.... Constantly. Every time we’re alone together I just—”
“Me too,” you panted, tugging his sweater up slightly so you could touch his skin. “Every time you so much as look at me, I just... god, Mark.”
“Fuck,” Mark cursed, his teeth catching your bottom lip as he kissed you even deeper. “You’re gonna kill me.”
And Merlin help him—he was ready to let you.
Mark yanked your robes off in one swift motion, his touch eager but careful, like he was still trying to convince himself this was real. Your vest followed just as quickly, and when his fingers made quick work of the buttons on your shirt, you had to bite your lip to keep from gasping. He was so quick like he knew what he was doing, and for a fleeting, horrible moment, you wondered how many times he’d done this before. 
...Had he done it with Mia?
Your stomach dropped and you squeezed your eyes shut, willing the thought away. Not now. You were not about to ruin this for yourself by thinking about that. Not when Mark was kissing you like his life depended on it, not when his hands were brushing over your skin like he needed to touch you.
And Merlin, his mouth felt so good. Soft and warm, his tongue curling against yours as his hands ghosted over your waist. Your shirt was completely open now, hanging loosely off your shoulders, and you barely had a second to feel self-conscious before Mark was already tugging it off.
“Fuck,” he mumbled against your lips, his voice strained. “You’re so—” His words trailed off into a low exhale as he pulled back just enough to look at you. His pupils were blown wide, his gaze devouring every inch of exposed skin.
Heat rushed to your face. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” Mark asked, his voice rough.
“Like you’ve never seen a girl in a bra before.” You tried to sound playful, but your heart was pounding so loud you were sure he could hear it.
Mark let out a breathless laugh, his hands finding your waist. “I haven’t. Not like this. Not you.”
Oh.
Your stomach flipped violently.
You didn’t have time to dwell on it because you were already tugging at his uniform, desperate to get him equally undressed. His Quidditch robes were a nightmare to get off, heavy and tangled around his feet, and you couldn’t help but giggle when he nearly tripped trying to kick them off.
“Sorry— sorry, fuck,” Mark laughed breathlessly, finally ripping the damn thing off and tossing it aside. His sweater followed, and then you were tugging at his tie, trying to loosen it enough to get it over his head.
“Why is your uniform so complicated?” you grumbled, your hands fumbling.
“Tell me about it,” Mark huffed, yanking the tie off himself and tossing it somewhere behind him. You barely had a second to catch your breath before his hands were on your waist again, pulling you flush against his bare chest.
And oh my god.
Your mouth ran dry. His skin was burning hot, still slightly damp from Quidditch practice, and his lean frame was ridiculous. The toned muscles of his stomach, the sharp lines of his collarbones, the veins running down his forearms. You couldn’t stop staring.
“Holy shit,” you breathed without thinking.
Mark blinked. “…What?”
“You’re, like… really fit,” you admitted, your face heating up.
Mark stared at you for half a second, and then he laughed a nervous, slightly disbelieving sound. “What? No, I’m not—”
“Mark,” you cut him off, your eyes still glued to his chest. “Yes, you are. Do you even realize how many girls at Hogwarts talk about you?”
He looked scandalized. “What?”
You laughed, your hands running over his sides just to feel him. “I’m serious ‘Hot Seeker Mark Lee.’”
Mark actually choked. “Stop— what the fuck”
“You think I’m joking?” you teased, loving how red his face was getting. “Girls love you.”
Mark groaned, his head dropping forward to rest against your shoulder. “Oh my god, stop. I’m literally trying to hold back right now and you’re—”
“Hold back?” you laughed breathlessly. “Why?”
He lifted his head, and the look on his face was almost pained. His gaze dropped to your chest, to the lacy black bra you hadn’t exactly planned for him to see, and then back to your face. “Because if I don’t, I’m gonna, like—” He swallowed hard. “I’m gonna lose my fucking mind.”
Heat flared in your stomach.
“Then lose it,” you whispered against his lips.
The second the words left your mouth he crashed his lips back to yours, messier this time. His hands gripped your waist and he pushed you even closer. Your legs instantly parted to make room for him, and he stepped between them, pressing his erection against your core.
“Mark,” you gasped, your brain short-circuiting. “Your pants—”
“Oh, right” Mark breathed, realizing he was still half-dressed. His hands fumbled with his belt, but his fingers were clumsy from how badly he was shaking. “Fuck, can you—?”
“Yeah, I got it,” you said quickly, reaching down to unbuckle it yourself. Your hands brushed against the prominent bulge in his pants, and Mark whimpered. 
You froze. “Did you just...?”
“Don’t,” Mark groaned, his head dropping onto your shoulder again. “I’m barely hanging on right now, please don’t.”
You bit back a laugh. “You’re so cute.”
“Agh, stop laughing” Mark whined, his face burning.
“Sorry, sorry,” you giggled, finally managing to unfasten his belt and push his pants down his legs. They pooled around his ankles, and Mark practically kicked them off in desperation. Now you were both down to your underwear, and the sight of the outline of his arousal straining against his boxers made your mouth water.
And apparently, Mark was having the same reaction because his eyes were glued to you. His chest heaved, his jaw slack, his gaze devouring every inch of bare skin like he couldn’t believe it was in front of him.
“Fuck,” he whispered, his voice wrecked. “You’re so fucking pretty.”
Your smiled shyly. “You think so?”
“Do I think so?” He exhaled sharply, his hands skimming over your bare thighs. “Angel, I’ve literally had dreams about you. Fantasies. Every time I see you in those stupid little skirts—” He broke off, his hands gripping your waist tighter and pushing you impossibly closer.
Mark’s gaze snapped to yours, and you swore his pupils somehow dilated even more.
“Can I touch you?” you both blurted at the same time, and then immediately burst into breathless laughter.
“Jesus—” Mark groaned, his head dropping as he laughed. “We’re such losers.”
“Losers who are about to have sex,” you reminded him, grinning.
Mark laughed harder, but his amusement quickly dissolved into something primal when his hands slid up your thighs again, fingertips skimming dangerously high.
“…Please,” you breathed, your voice barely audible.
Mark’s hands were shaking slightly as he tugged at your panties. Your breath hitched in your throat when you felt him start to pull them down, and for a moment, you almost closed your legs instinctively, but his gaze was full of a hunger and a kind of desperate focus that made you feel weak in the knees.
He paused for a second, his eyes flicking up to meet yours. “I’m gonna make you feel so good, I promise, pretty girl,” he whispered, the words low and heavy.
You felt your pulse quicken at his words, the rush of heat between your thighs making everything feel too much, but all you could do was nod. You had no idea what you were doing, but the need to have him all over you was enough to make you forget any uncertainty.
With one last look to make sure you were okay with this, he dropped to his knees and dove between your thighs. You gasped, your legs trembling as his tongue licked a long, clean stripe up your already wet core. It felt too good, too overwhelming, and your hands scrambled to grip at his hair as his mouth moved over you, sucking on your clit with a fervor that made your eyes roll back in your head.
“Oh my God, Mark,” you moaned, your body involuntarily trying to press closer to him. Hehummed against you, his hands caressing your thighs.
His mouth wasn’t slowing, even when your thighs tried to squeeze around him. Every flick of his tongue made you feel like you were floating and falling all at once. You couldn’t help the moans that kept escaping you, the tightness in your stomach that was building up with each second.
Your breathing was erratic, and your body was trembling from the pleasure, all you could think about was how badly you needed him—how badly you needed to feel more of him.
“Mark… please,” you whimpered, but you didn’t need to say anything more. He knew exactly what you wanted.
His hands gripped your thighs tighter as his tongue continued its delicious work. You were already so close, your body coiling tighter and tighter with each second.
The pleasure built slowly at first, a steady, insistent warmth curling in the pit of your stomach. It coiled tighter and tighter with every flick of Mark’s tongue, every soft hum that vibrated against you. Your fingers clutched at his hair, unsure whether you wanted to push him away or pull him closer.
It was too much, too intense, and yet you couldn’t stop chasing it. The sensation crackled through you like static, lighting up every nerve in your body, making your breaths come in short, desperate gasps.
Then—something inside you snapped.
Your body tensed, your legs trembling as a strangled moan tore from your lips. You had never felt anything like this before—like you were shattering and unraveling all at once, floating somewhere between pleasure and something dangerously close to madness.
Mark didn’t stop. He kept his mouth on you and his hands firm on your thighs while you trembled through the aftershocks. Your body twitched, hypersensitive. He only pulled back when you gasped out his name in a broken plea. His lips were glistening, his eyes blown wide with awe and the sight was almost sinful.
You pulled him to you, crashing your lips against his, tasting yourself on his tongue. He groaned into your mouth, his hands kneading the flesh of your ass, pulling you impossibly closer. It wasn’t until you felt him—hot, heavy, bare against you—that you realized at some point his boxers had come off too.
The realization made your breath hitch, and when you pulled back slightly to look down, your stomach clenched.
Oh.
You’d never seen him naked like this before. You’d imagined it, sure, but now that he was here completely bare in front of you, flushed from head to toe, his cock hard and pressing against your slick folds; you felt a different kind of heat spread through you. He was beautiful. And big. Your throat went dry, your fingers twitching against his shoulders.
Mark must have noticed your sudden hesitation because he stilled, his forehead pressing against yours, his breath ragged. “You okay?” he murmured, his voice rough but gentle.
You swallowed, forcing yourself to meet his gaze. His pupils were blown, his lips swollen, but there was something tender in the way he was looking at you—patient, waiting.
“I just…” You exhaled a shaky breath, fingers drifting tentatively down his torso, feeling the hard planes of his stomach. “You’re… um.” You bit your lip, heat flooding your cheeks.
Mark let out a breathless laugh, his hands smoothing over your waist. “Yeah?” His lips brushed the corner of your mouth, teasing. “What about me?”
You swallowed again, your eyes flickering back down. “You’re just… bigger than I thought.” The words tumbled out before you could stop them, and as soon as you realized what you’d said, you squeezed your eyes shut in mortification.
Mark choked out a laugh, his head dropping against your shoulder. “Jesus, Y/N,” he groaned, his hands flexing on your hips. “You can’t just say stuff like that.”
“Ugh... sorry” You buried your face in his neck, burning from the inside out, but you couldn’t stop yourself from giggling.
Mark pulled back slightly, tipping your chin up so you’d look at him again. His expression had softened, though his eyes still burned with desire. “You’re sure you still want this?” he asked, thumb brushing your cheek.
You took a deep breath, letting yourself take in the sight of him again—his flushed skin, the way he was holding himself back, the way he was looking at you like you were the only thing that mattered.
You nodded, heart pounding. “I want you, Mark.”
That was all it took.
Mark groaned, capturing your lips in a heated kiss. His hands guided your hips, and you felt him rut against you, his cock sliding against your slick folds. The contact alone made you gasp into his mouth, your fingers gripping his shoulders.
“Fuck, baby…” he groaned, his voice breaking as he fought to keep himself together. His teeth grazed your bottom lip, pulling a whimper from you, and he swallowed it like he was starving for more of you.
Your head was spinning and your body was still sensitive from your first orgasm, but the ache for all of him only grew more unbearable.
“Please, Mark… I need you,” you begged, your fingers gripping his biceps.
Mark squeezed his eyes shut trying to control himself, keeping in mind that you’d never done this before and he needed to be careful. But the way you were pleading for him made it nearly impossible.
“Shit—okay, okay, angel,” he promised, his voice cracking under the weight of his need. His hand slid between you, gripping himself at the base, and you gasped when you felt the hot, blunt tip press right against your entrance.
His breath caught. “Tell me if it’s too much, okay?”
You nodded quickly, your chest heaving. “I will… just—please—”
And then he pushed in, slowly, carefully, like he was afraid you might break. The stretch burned, a sharp sting that made your breath hitch and your nails dig into his shoulders, but you didn’t ask him to stop. Mark’s face contorted, his brows furrowed like he was in pain just trying to hold himself back.
“Fuck…you’re so tight,” he gasped, his head dropping to your shoulder as he pushed in a little more. Your walls clenched around him involuntarily, and his whole body shuddered. “God, Y/N—”
“You’re so big, Mark,” you whimpered, your thighs shaking as you tried to adjust to the overwhelming stretch.
“Angel, you’re doing so good,” Mark gritted out, his voice strained as he stilled inside you, trying to give you time to adjust. His fingers were digging into your waist like he was using all his strength to not start pounding into you. “Just tell me when, okay? I don’t wanna hurt you.”
You sucked in a shaky breath, your body slowly accommodating him. The sting soon melted into a dull ache, and the pleasure started creeping in. You rolled your hips experimentally, and the friction made you both groan. 
“I’m okay,” you breathed, your voice shaky but sure. “You can move.”
Mark let out the most wrecked sound you’d ever heard and then he did. He pulled out just a little before sinking back in, the drag of his thick length against your walls making you throw your head back against the tile. 
“Holy fuck,” Mark rasped, his grip on your ass tightening as he thrust into you again, a little deeper this time. “You feel so…so fucking good” 
The pace he started was slow but there was no mistaking the sheer desperation in his touch. And you were losing your mind. Every stroke made you gasp, the head of his cock brushing places you didn’t even know could feel that good, and the tension in your core was already building again. 
“Mark, faster...please,” you whimpered, wrapping your arms around his neck. The ache had turned into pure bliss now, and you needed more of him. 
“Fuck…yeah, okay—” Mark practically growled, and his pace quickened, his thrusts becoming rougher. His hand slid between your bodies, his thumb finding your clit.
Your body jerked in reaction, your walls clenching down around him so tight it made his hips stutter. 
“Shit… do that again, baby. Please—” Mark begged, his voice cracking as he pounded into you harder. The sound of skin slapping filled the steamy bathroom, mixed with the high-pitched whines leaving your throat and the desperate grunts coming from Mark.
Your nails raked down his back and he hissed. “Mark… I’m—oh my god—I’m gonna—”
“Cum for me, angel,” Mark growled, his thumb rubbing harsh circles on your clit, his thrusts losing rhythm. “Please—fuck—I need to feel you cum on my cock.”
And that was it. Your body tensed as the coil in your stomach snapped again. You sobbed his name, your walls clenching down so hard around him it made his hips falter. Mark cursed loudly, his thrusts growing erratic before he finally stilled inside you, his whole body shaking as his own orgasm ripped through him. 
“Fuckfuckfuck—” he gasped, his face buried in your neck as he came hard, his fingers bruising your hips as he emptied himself inside you. 
For a moment, the only sound in the room was your ragged breathing and the distant hum of the castle. Mark stayed inside you, his arms still trembling as he held you against him. 
“You okay?” he finally rasped, his voice hoarse and breathless. 
You managed a soft, blissed-out laugh. “I think… that was the best thing to ever happen to me.”
Mark pulled back just enough to look at you, his flushed face breaking into a dazed grin. “Yeah? That good?
You leaned up and kissed him softly, smiling into his lips. “I don’t think I can get enough.” 
And Mark laughed, his nose nudging yours as he kissed you again. “Fuck… me neither.”
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The train wheezed as it prepared to depart, and you and Mark stumbled onto the platform, both breathless and disheveled from sprinting to catch it in time.
Your hand was still clutching Mark’s as you tried to straighten out your clothes. Your skirt was askew, your shirt half tucked in, and your hair a mess from the rushed… activities prior. Mark didn’t look any better, his tie crooked, his shirt rumpled, and his hair sticking up in odd directions.
“What were you two freaks doing?” Haechan called through the open window as you approached. Karina was beside him, smirking like she already knew the answer.
“Um…” you fumbled, glancing at Mark for backup. “I forgot my… uh… thing, and Mark was helping me find it,” you stammered, tugging at the hem of your skirt in a poor attempt to look composed.
Haechan scoffed. “Right. And I’m the bloody Minister of Magic.”
“Right,” Karina snorted, her eyes narrowing with amusement. “So you’re telling me you two weren’t shagging in the empty dorms while everyone was on the train?”
“What?” Mark drawled, trying to sound appalled but his voice cracked halfway through. “That’s… ridiculous. Do you really think we’re capable of such.. depravity?” 
You bit your bottom lip to keep from laughing, but the little grin trying to peek through made it impossible to sell your innocence.
“Mate, your shirt is literally on backwards,” Haechan deadpanned, pointing at Mark’s disastrous state. “Just get on the train, you bloody nymphos.”
Your face burned, but you couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. Mark, always quick with his mouth, gestured wildly. “This is a gross violation of our characters, honestly.”
“Yeah, yeah, get in before we leave you,” Karina waved dismissively, biting back a laugh of her own. “And fix your clothes, lover boy.”
Mark squeezed your hand, grinning like an idiot as he led you onto the train. The two of you practically collapsed into the first empty compartment you found, still a little breathless, and when you finally caught your reflection in the window, you burst out laughing.
“God, we look a mess,” you giggled, trying to smooth down your hair.
Mark plopped down next to you, his head falling back against the seat.
“Worth it though,” he mumbled, a small smile playing on his lips.
He turned his head to look at you, his soft brown eyes melting with affection as he took in your flushed cheeks, swollen lips, and hair still a mess from his fingers. His chest tightened with the overwhelming urge to kiss you again, but he just smiled instead. “So worth it.”
The train began to move, and you turned your head toward the window. The castle was still visible in the distance, and your heart clenched at the sight of it shrinking away. 
You felt Mark watching you, his thumb brushing absentmindedly over the back of your hand. “You okay?” he asked softly.
You swallowed the lump in your throat and nodded. “Yeah. It’s just… hard, you know?”
Mark’s gaze flicked to the window, watching the last of the castle towers disappear from view. “Yeah… it really is.”
For a moment, you let yourself mourn it— the end of an era, the end of childhood, the end of the place that had been your entire world. But then you felt Mark squeeze your hand, and when you turned to look at him, he was already smiling softly at you.
“But hey,” he said, nudging you gently. “It’s not really the end, we’ve got plans, remember? Summer at mine, then we’ll find our own place. Maybe a flat in London, or  I don’t know… wherever you wanna go. We’ve got forever now, Y/N.”
Your heart swelled at his words, and you smiled through the sting in your eyes. “Forever?” you repeated softly.
“Forever,” Mark promised, lifting your intertwined hands to press a lingering kiss to your knuckles. “I mean, if you’ll have me, obviously.”
You scoffed, giving him a playful shove. “Mark Lee, we literally defiled the Gryffindor dorms fifteen minutes ago. I think you’re stuck with me now.”
Mark let out a loud laugh, his head tipping back, and it was like the heavy weight in your chest finally lifted. Because yes, you were leaving Hogwarts, and yes, things would never be the same again but you had Mark now. You had forever. And that made it all okay.
“Goodbye, Hogwarts,” you whispered under your breath. “Thank you for everything.”
And just like that, the castle disappeared from sight.
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asjkjdh i loved writing this so much :(((( i could literally make a whole hogwarts series
1K notes · View notes
the-secret-formulaone · 6 months ago
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prompt: you and max have been secretly together for years. neither the fans or the media have a clue. what happens when you and max are neck and neck for the drivers championship and you get the unexpected news that you’re pregnant?
pairing: max verstappen x ferrari! reader
word count: ~7.6k
warnings: 18+, cursing, mentions of sex but no real smut, mentions of miscarriage, some mention of blood
a/n: hello, i'm brand new at writing fanfic for f1. i've had this idea for a while and it was eating at me so i hope you enjoy. i thought it would be cool to have it be like a normal fic with a bit of that social!au content that the fandom loves.
this is pt.1 of how everything is going down and then the next and final part will be what happens after, her pregnancy and what reader does this time around. along with some fan social media mayhem.
id love to hear your thoughts!
enjoy!
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LAS VEGAS, USA | NOV 2024
The nausea settling in the pit of your stomach is unbearable, it gets worse with each lap you complete. You're confident you can push through and finish the race without throwing up in your helmet, until the track begins doubling and tripling.
You haven’t felt this dizzy since you crashed in Spa three years ago due to rain. There were no stakes then as you were having a bad race weekend and started P7. Today you’re P1 and the gap between you and Max is getting shorter as you slow to try and compensate for the nausea and dizziness.
You hear your team in your ear, asking you if the car's giving you trouble since there’s no apparent reason for you to be slowing down at this point. Especially with ten laps to go.
“The car is fine,” you say through gritted teeth, trying to relax your abdomen to keep the nausea at bay.
“Then what’s the matter? Are you okay?” Riccardo, your race engineer, asks. His tone is stern yet concerned.
“Yeah, I’m perfectly fine. My head feels like it’s spinning is all.” You're nonchalant but deep inside you’re panicking. This race means so much to you and your team. Now is not the time to get sick.
“Can you finish the race?” His filtered voice asks through the radio.
“Yes, I’m finishing the bloody race,” you curse, pressing on the gas pedal and tightening the hold on the steering wheel.
“If you continue feeling this way, box immediately,” he orders, not wanting to risk the safety of his driver, “By the way Max is 2 seconds behind you.”
“Fucking hell.” After all the work to create a 10 second gap Max is catching up because your body decided to get sick.
There’s rage building inside of you, keeping Max away is the most difficult part of racing. It took pure skill to keep him at a distance, he’s only catching up because you’re slowing. You're letting yourself down.
It’s been a battle of pole positions and fastest laps for you two. The championship is within your reach, threatening to break Max’s two year streak. It's why Max is giving everything he has to get ahead of you. If he wins this race he’ll be on top once more.
Another bout of nausea takes over your body, shivers running down your spine. Why are you nauseous and dizzy? You were hydrated before the race, the temperature in the car is warm as always but it’s cool outside, unlike Singapore, and you felt perfectly fine earlier.
It’s most likely karma for teasing Max this morning and leaving him with a raging hard on.
You notice Max in your peripheral vision. He’s ready to attack and regain P1. You accelerate and block him as best you can but nearing the turn you miscalculate giving Max the perfect opportunity to pass you.
He settles right in front of you, mocking how he got ahead so easily. If you didn’t love him and felt the bile coming up your throat you would’ve cursed at him. You were famously known for insulting the men driving the other cars.
At this point, you weren’t driving straight and your race engineer, Riccardo was telling you to pit and pull out of the race.
“I promise you I’m good enough to finish the race,” you say after a moment to swallow the bile coming up. You'd rather die than DNF'ing with a handful of laps to go.
“Norris is catching up. Let’s finish this race quickly so you can get checked.”
You’re glad you created a gap at the beginning of the race, otherwise Lando and Charles, your teammate, would’ve caught up already.
You see Lando trying to overtake you but you surprisingly block him and go as fast as you can. It’s not your best work and the FIA will have something to say about it but you make do.
Finally, down the final straight you press on the gas and cross the finish line. You finish the race out of pure muscle memory since you can’t rely on your distorted vision. Ignoring the celebratory cheers, you pull up on the spot marked #2. No one says anything about the askew parking job.
Your hands are clumsy, pulling out the steering wheel and standing. One of your teammates is right there giving you the hand you clearly need as you sway and almost fall straight out of the car.
Max is none the wiser, calmly getting out the RB and running over to his team who congratulate and scream his name. In his head, you lost control of your car, giving him a way to pass you. That's how F1 works.
You pull on your helmet and all the straps fast, the Ferrari team member helping you when he sees your urgency. As soon as you pull off your balaclava you bend over and empty the contents of your stomach.
Privacy be damned.
It’s not pretty. You’ve been holding this in for 20 laps and it’s not going to stop any time soon. The cameras focus on you as you push away the Ferrari team and finish throwing up. Ready hands catch you and you’re sat on a wheel chair as they roll you over to the medics. You close your eyes and throw your head back, everything around you spinning.
The murmurs of the crowd and the media cause Max to notice. He catches sight of you being wheeled away into the back. He takes a tentative step towards you, itching to be by your side but remembers the agreement you made to keep your relationship a secret.
Sometimes he hates how stubborn you are. At this point, the world should know you two are together, married even. Yet he understands your hesitancy with how cruel the media and the fans can be.
Max stays rooted on the spot, watchful eyes and dozens of lenses noticing every movement. Lando gets close to Max trying to avoid the cameras.
“What happened?” Lando asks referring to you.
“No idea, mate,” Max says, staring intently at the door you were just rolled through. A sleuth of Ferrari members following.
“She wasn't driving straight,” Lando shakes his head. He knew something was off when he caught up to her. “It was so unpredictable it made it harder on me to battle it.”
Max didn’t think much when he pulled up behind you but he did think it was strange how easy it was to overtake you. You always give him the hardest time.
He remembers this morning when you were in bed kissing him, touching him, teasing him. You were so cheeky, his length in your hand as you sweet talked him. 'Convincing' him to throw the race. Not like he’d ever do it. You were simply having your fun with him.
There wasn’t any sign of sickness then. It’s not like you spun out during the race either. You had been flawless out on the track until you weren’t.
“I'm going to check on her,” Max tells Lando, motioning with his head and wondering what exactly is wrong with his wife.
"Just wait," Lando stops him with a hand on his chest. They notice Charles in the Ferrari garage, heading to the back where they have you. "If you go, it'll stir up rumors."
Max tenses his jaw and looks away. With a roll of his eyes he turns to get weighed. He doesn't like it but Lando is right. He doesn't give a damn about his reputation only yours and the promise he made you.
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f1_news tweeted: Ferrari’s Princess is transferred to hospital after race. It was heard through their radio she was having severe motion sickness, giving Max Verstappen the lead. Not many details are known as of this moment. More updates coming soon!
comments:
user2: hope she’s doing okay! she needs to come back to kick max's ass and take the championship from him 😮‍💨
user3: bet max is celebrating
-> user4: he looked very concerned when he saw her in the wheelchair
-> user14: who wouldn’t, she looked like death 💀
user4: did ya'll notice max disappear after the ceremony?
-> user5: lol he was making sure his favorite rival was okay 🤣
-> user101: no point in staying if he can’t rub it in her face 🤐
user6: our ferrari princess 👸 looked out of it. not sure how she made it out the car
user7: the podium felt so empty without her in it 😓
-> user8: did you notice max kept looking at the spot she was supposed to be as if expecting her to suddenly appear
-> user9: she’s like his best friend and his enemy wrapped in one. can’t live with her, can't live without her
-> user10: i swear he’s in love with her. 🗣️ it’s not normal the way he looks at her
-> user11: please, she’s married. you guys need to stop being delusional and stop shipping her with every guy on the grid
-> user10: not every guy, just max and maybe charles… -> user76: let's take a moment to appreciate charles immediately asking about her and leaving the track to see how she was. it's a win for us predestined x princess shippers
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In the hospital, they quickly take you into a private room. The nurses retake your vitals and give you a shot to help with the nausea. A doctor comes in relatively quickly, asking you an array of questions to help him figure out why you got sick.
"The nurse should be in quickly to draw blood. I'm not too worried about this being anything other than a virus but we just want to make sure you're all good before leaving."
"Thank you, doc," you respond, lying back on the bed. They've given you one of the flimsiest hospital gowns in existence but you've gotta admit it's more comfortable than your race suit.
It's awfully lonely in the hospital room but it gives you time to relax and wind down. Fred and Riccardo were extremely concerned for your well being- not related at all to the fact you're on the run to win the championship-forcing you to go into the hospital.
Their stressed energy, the ambulance ride and then the nurses fussing over you was overwhelming. It would've made your nausea worse had it not been for the shot.
You're snoozing off when the door opens and your husband walks in. Max has a backpack slung over his shoulder with a set of clothes for you, along with your phone and other personal belongings you left at the paddock. He hurries over to you, dropping the bag and wrapping his arms around you.
"I was so worried, schatje," Max says in your ear, kissing your temple. The softness of his hoodie and the familiar scent he carries is comforting.
"I'm okay. You should keep your distance though, doc says I have a virus," you tell him, slightly pushing him away.
He’s stubborn as he keeps hold of your hand. "I don't care if I get sick. We've got two weeks until the next race, plenty of time for me to get better." Max sits on the chair next to your bed, asking you what happened during today’s race and listening to every word you say.
"What did they do for podium?" You later ask curiously, turning on your side to get more comfortable. Max props his head on his hand as he leans on your bed, getting closer to you despite your protests.
"Riccardo was there to accept it," Max tells you, kissing the back of your hand. He had been really worried. A part of him kept checking his surroundings for any sign of you.
It’s days like today where he wishes your relationship wasn’t secret. Max wants to express how worried he was about his girlfriend wife. He wanted to say ‘fuck you’ to all protocol and go after you.
He understands your reluctance and the need for privacy in your personal life. He knows what it’s like to have his privacy invaded and Max agrees that good things have come out of keeping your relationship a secret but you’ve also had to miss out on others. One day, you’ll have to come clean to the public to be able to live your life to the fullest.
The doctor returns before he can vocalize this. He knocks on the door as he steps into the room, a tablet in his hands. “Results have come back. Would you like the gentleman to step out or is it okay if he stays?”
“He’s my husband,” you tell the doctor.
You're used to people not recognizing you outside of Formula One but Max is more known than you. You wait for the doctor to react at the sight of Max, except there’s not an ounce of recognition in his face. Good, or else, you’d have to rely on his patient-doctor confidentiality.
“Let’s get into it then. Lab’s show dehydration which is normal for the state you came in like. In addition, to the fact, you had just finished a physically demanding race. Surprisingly they also showed that your quantitative hCG levels are high meaning—"
“I’m pregnant?” You pan, shocked. Max's hand tightens around yours. Last year's endeavors left you with enough knowledge to know what that term means.
“Yes, you are pregnant,” he nods.
Max instantly turns towards you in complete shock. There’s part of him that’s happy but then there’s another that’s concerned. Personally, he’d love to have a child but it would mean you would have to sacrifice the championship.
You stare at the doctor with parted lips and furrowed brows, “That’s impossible. I have an IUD.” This couldn't be happening at a worse time.
“All methods of contraception have a percentage of failure,” the doctor sighs. “Your pregnancy explains today's sudden dizziness and nausea.”
“Do you know how far along she is?” Max asks, holding your hand tightly to show his support.
“We would need an ultrasound for that but based on her last menstrual period it can’t be more than 6 weeks.”
“Six weeks,” you breath out. You could only hear your pounding heart and the air coming in and out of your mouth. God, you've been training and driving the whole time. For fucks sake, just two weeks ago you had been celebrating your win with lots of alcohol.
You hardly hear the doctor excuse himself, leaving you and Max alone. Tears brim your eyes at the cruelty of the universe. You have in your hands the two things you want most in life. A shot at the championship and the opportunity to become a mother.
Max sits on the bed, wiping away your tears. He doesn’t say much, at a loss of words. There’s not much he can say to make this better but he thumbs away your tears and pulls you into a hug.
You fist his shirt in your hands, crying onto his shoulder, “This is not fair.”
“I know, schatje.” Max is at a loss. He understands the conflicting feelings you have. It’s no easy thing especially after everything you and Max went through.
“I can’t go through this again,” you sob, remembering the painful memories of the previous year.
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United Arab Emirates | Nov 2022
The last race of the season has come quickly, deeming Max the World Champion for the second time running. He’s at the top of the podium as the Dutch national anthem plays. You look up at him from the third position, smiling at him proudly.
You’re frustrated that you weren’t able to catch up to him but you’re confident your time will come. Every year you’ve spent in the grid you’ve been able to rise through the ranks and get great contracts.
Mercedes took a chance on you this year and you’ve made them proud. It was a challenge against Ferrari and Red Bull but as the only woman you’d say you did brilliant.
You’re going to miss this next year but a break is due. After years of hard training and dedicating everything to your career you’ve decided to focus on your personal life.
It’s been nearly a year since you’ve married Max and the conversation surrounding children becomes more constant. It's a nagging sensation in the back of your head. A longing you can't stop.
Feeling at peace with your performance, you decided to take this next year to become a mother. You’re young so in two years you’re sure you can come back stronger than ever and give Max a run for his money.
As the ceremony comes to an end, the party begins and the champagne bottles are brought out. “Don’t run,” Max laughs, spraying the frothy liquid in your direction.
You fight back, shaking the bottle and spraying some at Max and Charles. They gang up on you as Charles blocks your way and they both spray you. That will keep the fans making edits for months to come, the implication of the action clear.
“Come on, sweetheart,” Charles yells over the cheers when you aim the spray at his mouth.
Getting off the stage and into a private room, Max takes off his hat and pulls you in by the waist to press his sweet tasting lips against yours. You giggle, wrapping your arms around his neck, tilting your head to deepen the kiss. “Congrats two-time world champion.”
“Thank you, schatje,” Max responds, brushing back the hair sticking to your forehead.
“Get a room you two,” Charles huffs, knowing you forgot he was there.
“Sorry,” you say with a blush.
“I’m not,” Max laughs, stealing another kiss.
Outside, reporters of all kind were waiting to interview all three of you. They want Max’s celebratory words and you and Charles’ disappointment and regret. They live for the heartfelt promises you'll make for next season.
“Over here!” A reporter calls you, handing you a microphone. “What’s the plan for next year? Are you renewing with Mercedes or is there another team making offers?”
“I come with sad news,” you pout at the camera, “I won’t be on the grid next year.”
The reporter stares wide-eyed at you. This is the first time you've said those words out loud. “Could you share with us why?”
You nod at his question, fixing your hat as you speak the words you rehearsed many times before. “Since I was young I was prioritizing racing and getting into Formula One. I love how far I’ve come but I want to take a step back and enjoy my personal life for a little while. As you know, I got married a year ago and I want to enjoy that newlywed life. I will be back though,” you say with a smile and a wink at the camera.
“Is there a chance you’ll tell us who the lucky guy is?” The reporter questions, not really expecting you to answer. That the one thing you won't disclose.
You laugh, shaking your head at him, “No chance. I like to keep my personal life private.”
“Worth a shot," the reporter laughs with you. "Thank you for your time and we hope to see you soon!”
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youtube upload: The Grid's Princess QUITS
thumbnail 📸: Toto Wolff looking angry and yelling at a Mercedes staff member. Lewis Hamilton with an arm around an upset looking reader.
comments:
user25: our queen is leaving? 😫 user30: who is going to keep the boys in check -> user5: i bet that’s why she’s taking a break, it’s not easy keeping charles and max under control user6: aren’t we curious as to who this mystery husband is? 👀 -> user17: i bet it’s either someone old or a billionaire, or both, i mean did you see the rock on her finger? -> user 46: oh they must be loaded to win over the grid's princess -> user96: i'm sorry but until i see proof of this man i will continue to set her up with charles user59: please, use a more dramatic title user48: i'm ready to fight 🤺 whoever made her stop racing. she's the only reason i watch them go in circles. who else is going to learn french to curse out charles properly? user55: *sigh* guess it’s time to rewatch all of the edits of her and max on repeat until she returns user104: let’s make a game. take a shot every time max and charles mention her next season.
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Monaco | March 2023
When you temporarily retired, you thought you'd become pregnant in a matter of weeks. That is not the case.
Movies make it seem so easy to become pregnant, when in reality, it’s a challenge. It took nearly four months and multiple doctor visits for you to become with child.
The Winter break was spent tangled in sheets, keeping warm in each others embrace. Max was insatiable and so were you. Any chance you had you’d be dragging him somewhere private, his hands pulling at your underwear to tug them off...or to the side.
Max's voice would be in your ear as he spoke of how good you take him. He'd encourage you with words he'd never otherwise use. His cologne would intoxicate you, putting you in a trance.
His hold was firm and steady, making you shake and arch against him. His length sinking into you until you came with his name on your lips and his seed inside you.
Then, it finally happened. A positive pregnancy test in your bathroom counter. The alarm rang loudly, making you and Max share a nervous glance.
“You look,” you say with a shaky voice and shakier hands. Your period was late, followed by your tender breasts and the morning sickness. You fear your body was making it up because you wanted it so much.
“Before that,” Max says, cupping your face, “Don’t be disappointed if it’s negative. We’re just getting started and we have a whole year to try, yeah?”
You place your hands over his and nod with a small smile. Max presses a kiss to your forehead before he picks up the home test.
Max erupts in a smile, nodding and showing you the word positive. You scream, falling into his arms. He spins you around, kissing all over your face.
You and Max are over the moon, giddily waiting for every appointment with your doctor. Every ultrasound was recorded along with the babies heart beat.
Max is ecstatic. He's been wanting to have a family with you since he realized you were the one. He thought it wouldn't happen for a long time but then you revealed you wanted it too and soon despite your career.
It took a long conversation to figure out how to go about it with both of your careers being at their peak but you came to an agreement. He was ready be a father and you were ready to be a mother, even if it meant putting your career in pause.
Your desire to bring a child into the world was greater than giving the championship another shot. Whenever you're ready to return to F1, he'll take a step back and support you.
Max planned a dinner with the whole family where you told them you were expecting. Plans to decorate the nursery littered your coffee table and your internet browser history was filled with shop links with cute clothes and baby items.
Weeks later, it happened. Something felt wrong, off.
“Maxie,” you breathe heavily, feeling wet between your legs. Cramps littering your lower abdomen.
“What's wrong?” Max sits up in bed, sensing your distressed state. His gaze fixes on the red stain forming on the white sheets.
“I’m scared,” you cry, afraid to move or do anything. Cramps squeezing your insides like a bad period.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m here,” Max reassures you, “Let’s go to the bathroom, yeah? I’ll call the doctor.”
A quick trip to the ER confirmed it. You miscarried.
You couldn’t look at Max that night, hugging yourself tightly as he drove home. You ignored all the glances he threw your way, shiying away from the hand that reached out for you.
All that happiness you felt drained out of you, leaving complete sadness behind.
Max was sad about the baby but he was more focused on you and the toll it took on you. It was always a possibility. The doctor spoke about what to expect on the first trimester and this was one of the things he mentioned. You both chose to ignore it at the time.
Max kept most of the lights off in the apartment. Remembering the bags with baby stuff from your online shopping. He kept the spare bedroom closed, where you were planning how to arrange it and paint it to transform it into the nursery.
He’s never seen you this devastated. After years of knowing you and dating you he never had the chance to see you at your lowest. It breaks his fucking heart.
Max holds you that night while you're in pain and bleeding. He rocks you as you cry, tears spilling from his eyes too as all that new hope is crushed.
You need him. Max is all you have at the moment because while he goes to race on the weekends and clear his head, you stay home with the weight of losing a baby.
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Zandvoort | August 2023
With medical clearance and a couple of months to heal mentally. You and Max got to trying again.
You aren’t quitters and again you both desperately want a child. There's lots of sex, more than before. Something reignited in the relationship, like when the relationship began. Nothing could keep you away from Max back then.
He would fuck you wherever he could. Often times risking being seen. It was a moment where neither of you cared about being caught or being exposed to the whole world.
The Two-Time World Champion and the Grid’s Princess. Happily Married and Horny for Each Other.
The second time you found out you were pregnant was in Zandvoort, Max’s home race. You weren’t traveling as much trying to give your body rest and hopefully encourage it to take but this was a special track for Max so you tagged along.
Similar symptoms were arising so you waited to arrive at Zandvoort to take the test with Max. You were once again in the bathroom, sitting on the counter. He was between your legs, his head on your chest, waiting for the four minutes to be over.
“If it’s negative?” You asked, your fingers in his hair, scratching at his scalp to relax him.
“Then we try again and again and again,” he says cheekily, grabbing onto your thighs and kissing you.
“You’d like that wouldn’t you,” you giggle, pulling at his roots to make him groan.
“Perhaps but I’m not the one yelling out my name,” he smirks, recalling the other night when he had you with your legs up on his shoulders as he entered you slow and deep. If he closes his eyes he can hear your whiny moans begging for him to tip you over the edge.
“Poor Checo had to call the front desk and fill in a complaint,” you giggle, hiding your face from Max with your hands.
“It’s not my fault I didn’t see his text,” Max shrugs, not having a care in the world.
He was in his suite with his wife, having fun and trying to conceive. It’s not his fault he was making you feel so good you felt the need to scream his name and it’s not his fault Checo’s bedroom was right next to yours. Blame the Red Bull team for reserving two suites right next to each other.
The triggering alarm sounds, making your heart race. This time you grab the test, deciphering what the faint lines mean. You ran out of the good pregnancy tests and you were too lazy to go out and get new ones.
“It’s positive!” You squeal, showing the home test to Max.
Max’s eyes widen, “We did it!”
“I'm so happy,” you tear up from joy, hugging Max’s shoulders. Nothing is stopping him tomorrow on the track. He’s going to ride this high as long as possible.
Max grabs your thighs, forcing you to wrap your legs around him. He carries you over to the bed, kissing your lips, your neck, your chest.
Max was going to make you scream out his name again.
There was little celebration. You and Max kept the news to yourselves for a while longer. You took every precaution on the book. You stopped traveling with Max afraid it was one of the causes of your first miscarriage. You took care of your diet, you did minimal exercise, took every prenatal vitamin you could find but much like the first time, it happened again.
This time you felt so defeated, like something was wrong with you. Like maybe you weren’t meant to bring a child into the world or become a mother.
Max found you on the balcony one night after it happened. It was freezing outside so he got a blanket and wrapped it around your shoulders.
“‘I'm sorry,” you sniffle, not meeting his eyes. Your tears were cold against your cheeks.
“For what?” Max asks, watching you carefully. Your eyes red rimmed and nose runny.
“There’s something wrong with me and I can’t give us a baby,” you cry softly, wiping away at your tears.
You feel so ashamed and embarrassed. Having a baby shouldn’t be this fucking hard. You’ve done so much in life and this simple thing you can’t do. Something your body was designed to do.
“Hey, no. You know what the doctor said. There’s nothing wrong with you and there’s so many other ways we can have children together,” Max chides you, pulling his chair closer and grabbing your shoulders so you look at him.
“If there’s nothing wrong with me why does it keep happening?” You ask as your eyes well with more tears. They haven’t stopped in a good ten minutes.
“It’s not our time yet.” It’s the only thing Max can say. He doesn’t have all the answers in the world but there is one thing he’s sure of. “I love you no matter what.”
“I don’t want to go through this again.” Your bottom lip wobbles as you speak. The words getting caught on your throat.
It’s not like you don’t want children because you desperately do but you can’t go through another disappointment. More pain and more blood. More false hope.
“You don’t have to,” Max tells you, comforting you the best way he can. He picks you up, settling you on his lap as he wraps his arms around you. He kisses your head, coming up with words to make you feel better.
He doesn’t want a child if the process is going to cause you so much suffering. It’s hard seeing you like this when he’s used to seeing you be this independent strong woman, who broke barriers in a field of men.
He’s discovering a new side to you deep into your relationship. He loves you but it’s shocking to see you be this vulnerable when a lot of times you love to handle things on your own. In a way, he’s happy he’s able to be here with you and help you.
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Monza | November 2023
In Formula One rumors spread like wildfire. Within the teams and its members and riders the reason for your break didn’t remain a secret for long.
It didn’t stop certain teams from reaching out and persuading you into joining them. As far as they know you’re not pregnant yet and you did promise to return one day.
As the only woman in the grid you pull in lots of sponsors and the media and fans love you. Having you on a team is a win all around, considering you also bring in trophies.
Ferrari is a big team showing their interest in you. They’ve sent your manager multiple invitations for you to come and visit Ferrari Headquarters. No strings attached just a simple tour and meeting.
It’s tempting. Driving for Ferrari is every F1 racers dream and to be invited to test out their car and talk business is an honor.
You went quietly to the meeting, undecided if it’s the choice you want to make. Mercedes awaits your return whenever you’re ready, having led them to victory many times alongside Lewis.
Oh, Toto Wolff has you in his sight constantly. If he knew you were at Monza he’d probably fly down and get you out. You’re one of his biggest assets yet.
“There's our princess,” Charles greets you, running up to you and giving you a big hug.
He missed having you around. The fans never let him forget of all the good times, constantly tagging him on instagram and twitter.
“Hey Charles,” you laugh as he sways you from side to side.
“I missed you,” he says as he guides you over to the garage.
“Missed me kicking your ass?” You quip, playfully pushing him.
“Please, competing against Max on my own is exhausting. Too much responsibility,” Charles admits.
“He’s having the time of his life.” Max has the most fun when there are challenges and Charles has proven to be a worthy one. Insults and all. He loves getting a rise out of him.
The Ferrari team sets you up with a bright red race suit, giving you a visual of what your future has in store.
The feel of the baclavla is familiar around your head and the weight of the helmet comforting. It’s been a year since you last wore the uniform and it feels like home.
You step into the car, slidding in the steering wheel. The crew gives you the signal to pull out and you do with a push on the gas.
The rumble of the engine is exhilarating as is the blend of colors around you. It comes back so naturally, knowing when to push the car when to break. Learning this car is easy, like it’s made for you.
It has the potential to be a winner, to help you achieve the goal of becoming world champion.
“Ready to join Scuderia Ferrari?” Frederic Vasseif asks you once you get out of the car. There’s a smugness to him. He knows you enjoyed it and you’re itching for more.
“I don’t know. Carlos seems to be doing really well,” you try to play it cool, taking off your helmet and baclavla to shake off your hair.
“He’s good but you’re the greatest,” Fred says, giving you a knowing look.
“If I accept it’s because I want to win the Championship,” you negotiate. Charles is the first driver and it makes sense he stays there since he’s been with the team longer but you will not sacrifice yourself for him.
“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” Fred agrees, extending his hand to shake yours.
“The predestined and the princess?” Charles smiles, wrapping an arm around you.
You smile and bite your lip, “It’s time to take down Max Verstappen.”
No wonder the fans think there’s a long standing rivalry between you and Max. You talk a lot about taking him down and winning the championship. With the trust you two have he bites back with words of his own. It makes for quite a show. They’re going to lose it once it’s revealed you’re joining Ferrari.
Your joy returning home is palpable. Max notices it the moment you walk into your shared home in Monaco. The cats notice it too as they weave between your legs asking to be pet.
"Hi, love," Max greets you, placing his hands on your hips and kissing you. You wrap your arms your his neck loosely, smiling into the kiss.
He doesn't let you go when the kiss breaks, his thumbs caressing your back. You smile at him, a hand on his face, as your fingers brush over his stubble. He leans into it. “How did it go?”
“It's top secret," you say cheekily.
"Really?" Max follows along amusedly, "You can't even tell your dear husband Max Emilian?"
It's been an inside joke since you started dating that the person you're dating is Max Emilian and not Max Verstappen. Helps keep things separated to a certain degree but mostly it's funny.
"Well, if it's Max Emilian asking I can tell him that I've just signed with Ferrari and that Max Verstappen will have some serious competition next year," you tell him as your smile widens.
“Congratulations!" Max exclaims, hugging you tightly. You laugh is music in his ears. From the moment you stepped in he knew something changed. You were laughing and smiling like a weight was lifted off your shoulders.
“I’m a Ferrari girl now and I’m going to take that title from you,” she boasts, playfully pushing him.
“That’s a big statement,” he says, playfully caging her in his arms. Max adores that her competitive streak is back, it's one of the things he fell in love with when you began dating.
Being married means being there in the bad and the good, in sickness and in health. He'll be by your side through it all but he'd rather have you be happy and competitive than depressed and anxious.
“What you think I can’t do it?” You laugh when he tries tickling you. Your this close to elbowing him if he doesn't stop.
Finally letting up, he cups your face and looks into your eyes as he says, “If there’s someone who is going to do it, it’s you. You're my girl after all.”
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f1 posted on instagram: The Princess is back and in red. Everyone bow down. 📸: Reader wearing a Ferrari race suit posing in front of the new Ferrari SF-23. Comments: user8: holy shit she’s back
user95: this was not on my bingo card, but it was in my dreams every night since she left -> user57: like a wise woman once said in rome; this is what dreams are made of
user72: guess she had enough of that married life and is back to wreck these boys
user14: i might actually fucking cry. our queen is back and in ferrari red -> user98: red is definitely her color. -> user67: you know who's color it is too? charles... ->user53: you know who likes charles? max... ->user17: i can't with you 💀
user67: i want to see max squirm with both charles and her against him -> user55: please if anything it’ll turn him on -> user45: hell even i'm turned on
user88: wait does this mean she can’t curse at charles anymore? -> user68: don't worry, the second charles gets in her way it's coming. don't you remember that one time she almost crashed with lewis and she let him have it? -> user 90: i've never seen lewis be that fast outside of a car
user12: i’ve got my editing program ready, i’ll get all the edits. max x princess, predestined x princess, max x charles, i got them all -> user56: i'm not picky, i'll help -> user02: you should do one where she's walking in like in those wwe fights with the dramatic music
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Monaco | Nov 2024
The conversation about the pregnancy is kept on pause. You and Max wait till you're back home in Monaco to continue it. It's fresh in your minds though as you try and make sense of he timing of it all.
There's only two more races to the season, you are so close to the end. You wish you hadn't found out till much later, they do say ignorance is bliss.
You're filled with fear and uncertainty. What if this pregnancy ends up like the rest? What if you give up the championship for something that might not even happen? But what if you chose the championship and give up a viable pregnancy?
The morning after arriving at Monaco you're in the kitchen with your laptop in front of you as you schedule an appointment with your doctor. The cup of coffee you made earlier is now cold as you could barely drink it with so many thoughts in your head.
You cover your face with your hands, groaning at the headache forming so early in the day.
Max finds you like that and he knows it's time to talk. He comes up behind you, pressing a kiss and resting his chin on your shoulder as he hugs you from behind.
"What's on your mind, schatje?"
You take a deep breath, focusing on him to try and gather your thoughts, "I don't know what to do, Maxie. What do I do?"
"I can't tell you what to do. I can tell you that I want to have a baby with you but I don’t want you to go through all that pain again or feel pressured that you need to do this for me. I love you and I want you to be happy. If it's choosing your career I'm here for you. If it's starting a family I'm here as well," Max says as he hugs you tighter until you relax against him.
You shake your head, lacing your fingers with his as they lie on your midsection. "It's the fact that the first two didn't end well and it was such a horrible experience. If I knew for a fact I was going to give birth to this baby I would drop the championship in a heartbeat."
"I'm happy with whatever you choose. Even if you decide that carrying a baby isn't for you. Later on we can try surrogacy or adoption."
It's 2024 and there are tons of options out there in the case you want to become parents. It doesn't have to be one way or no way. Plus, they are young and have their lives ahead of them.
"Really? You couldn’t be like one of the awful men who insist women need to have a baby? You’re making this hard on me," you lightly joke, bringing his hand to your lips to kiss it.
Max laughs along with you. He knows you've made a decision even if you haven't realized. He's only there to guide you. “You already made a decision, schatje.”
Your eyes return to your laptop where the appointment with the specialty clinic is displayed. “I need to give this pregnancy a chance. I mean think about it. I've raced, I've drank alcohol and it's still here. It happened against all odds, Maxie. What if it’s a sign? That the timing is right,” you say, recalling the conversation you had with him a year ago. “I just hate I need to withdraw from the rest of the races.”
Max made a decision that same moment, “I’ll pull out from the races too.” It feels shitty that because you're a woman you have to pull out the races for your safety and the baby's while he continues on like nothing has happened.
“What? That’s insane Max,” you exclaim, staring at him bewildered.
“It’s only fair. You have to do it to have OUR baby, why do you have to be the only one who quits?”
You laugh and shake your head, placing your hands on his chest, “You’re not doing that, Max. This is F1 and it’s ruthless which is why you’re so good at it. Besides, with last Sunday's race you're already ahead of me and there's no chance the others are catching up with two races to go. The title is yours," you reassure him, kissing the corner of his mouth, “It’s not my time to be a world champion yet and maybe it never will. I have to accept that."
Max scoffs, poking his tongue on his cheek, “No, you will be. Once you have this baby you’re coming back even if I have to give away my seat in Red Bull.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” you hum, looking into his eyes.
“You beat me on your rookie year,” he reminds you.
Back when you started in F1 and neither you or Max were on the top you had friendly battles in the midst of the races. It wasn't for podium but it kept the fans entertained and recruiters eyes on you both. Max beat you most times but there was one day you beat him on a wet race which is unheard of.
“Once!”
“Once was enough!” He insists. Max fell in love with your competitive side, it didn't matter if you beat him or not. That day when you approached him with that big smile and malicious intent in your eyes he was done for.
“How will we handle the media?” He steers the conversation a different place. He's not sure how much longer he can keep the relationship a secret with a baby on the way.
“Same as always. They can’t know about us yet, Maxie. They will throw your name on the ground and say horrible things.”
If the media finds out that you're pregnant with Max's baby they will say it's sabotage cause he felt threatened that you were going to take the title from him. They don't care for details.
“I don’t know how much longer we can keep this a secret,” he confesses, trying to reason with you.
“Not long okay? After the baby comes,” you promise him. After the baby comes you will tell the world everything.
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F1_news tweeted: The Grid's Princess is withdrawing from the rest of the races this season due to her health. Not much is known yet. Carlos Sainz to take over her seat.
comments:
user56: not again please -> user97: i'm in tears -> user57: alexa play 'see you again' by charlie puth
user64: i hope she's doing okay and is able to return next year. she was so close on getting the championship
user76: i love the queen but i'm happy to get charlos back again! -> user34: it's very bitter sweet isn't it? -> user57: i wonder if she'll be back with ferrari next year? -> user45: well her contract is for two years so if she's okay when the next season starts i don't see why not -> user08: contracts mean nothing in F1 user04: get ready to witness a pouty max -> user 87: these next few races will be a piece of cake and he hates it -> user72: i love lando and charles but there's no way they are going to give him a hard time
user46: this is the end of the princess, who is going to want her back? -> user 43: get the fuck out of here you hater -> user345: who asked for your opinion?
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F1_fanpage: The Grid's princess seen walking out of a clinic specialized in complicated pregnancies. 📸
user45: holy shit, it all makes fucking sense she’s pregnant -> user58: i didn't want to say anything but dizzy and nausea? it’s textbook pregnancy
user67: our queen is having a prince(ss) -> user176: who is the fucking dad? -> user404: he needs to be a part of F1 for her to still be around when she should be home resting
user47: she's glowing
user68: not her audibly rooting for carlos on the latest race -> user99: well it is only temporary and it's not like they kicked her out. she left because she had to -> user55: we love a supportive queen either way
user88: did ya'll see her interacting with max and charles after the race? they were so careful with her. it makes so much sense! -> user44: i'm hyperventilating we got a max hug! -> user 67: better yet we got a charles hug! -> user12: opening up my editing program as we speak
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Part 2 Coming Soon
The world is aware you're now pregnant. You got a job working for the F1 social media and interview team during your pregnancy. Rumors keep spreading about who your husband and baby daddy is. Fans keep shipping you with Max and Charles. Max might just explode if he doesn’t tell everyone, but will he?
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2K notes · View notes
hedgehog-moss · 2 months ago
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My chickens have not been lucky this winter—the youngest one, Louise Michel, despite her revolutionary name, was eaten by a fox earlier this year. At least this new year was off to an auspicious start for this fox and her family. It made me think about Fantastic Mr Fox and how this book indoctrinates small children into directing their empathy towards the beleaguered fox family, while the hen characters are complete non-people—they are even called stupid at one point, even though they are just sitting in their coop, doing their chicken job!
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Anyway. Dru survived the fox attack unscathed and non-traumatised, which made me respect her even more than I already did. Drusilla is quite old by now, and she has survived everything—the fox attack that killed her first coopmate, Cordélia; several air strikes by birds of prey; Pandolf trying to scare her to serve his own dog interests... Even though she has long stopped laying eggs, she is a precious asset to my chicken coop: I am going to get new baby hens in the spring and I need Dru to teach them her strategies to win the Darwinian struggle for existence. As an elderly hen, her job is no longer to provide eggs, but wisdom.
And then I heard Dru cry out one afternoon, as if she had been attacked by something.
I felt confused as I ran out to rescue her—I'd seen her just five minutes before when I went out to distribute hay, she was near the pasture gate hanging out with the llamas, donkey, and dog. There's no way a fox would attack a chicken surrounded by such a security detail. I quickly found her, sitting just outside the pasture, in her normal brooding position, she didn't seem hurt—but Pandolf ran towards her as well, and she didn't move out of his way. That was very unusual. Pandolf runs at things and people like a fluffy corrida bull, happy to knock you over with the force of his love (there's a reason the French equivalent of "like a bull in a china shop" is "like a dog in a bowling game"), and Dru always makes sure to jump out of his way, boosting herself with her wings if necessary.
I wondered if she had a broken wing, but when I started examining her she made a very eloquent "urghh go away" gesture at me with both of her wings, so she could move them. Her legs didn't seem injured either, but she refused to get up. I ended up carrying her back to her coop so she could sit in peace and process her feelings, but she wasn't feeling better the next morning. She clucked at me amicably when I visited her but she didn't go outside all day, so I had to leave food and water outside her room like a bemused parent trying to accommodate an angsty teenager.
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Since I hadn't been able to detect any injuries and she was eating normally, I thought she might be depressed. Maybe it had taken her some time to understand that she had lost her friend and was all alone in her coop, and then the realisation had hit her, and her normal chicken activities suddenly felt meaningless. That didn't really explain the sharp cry I'd heard the day before, though.
(I hadn't noticed until I took a closer look at the above photo that there is a dirty stain on the wall of the laying box! Embarrassing. But to my defence, chickens are not very clean creatures and keeping their coop clean is a Sisyphean task. I guess I always focus on cleaning the parts where the hens sit and walk, and hadn't leaned over to look at the inside wall. I've now cleaned it up with a brush—but I almost regret doing so, because a friend gave the stain a beautiful and mystical interpretation:
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I waited a couple of days to see if Dru's agoraphobia got better, but on Day 3 of her refusing to leave her coop, I decided to take her to the vet.
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The farmer who was sitting next to Dru and me in the waiting room seemed very puzzled about my decision to bring a chicken past her prime and no longer laying eggs to the vet for a diagnosis. At first he assumed that I hoped to have her diagnosed as Safe To Eat.
I told him about how this hen is very good at surviving, and I want her to pass on her knowledge to future generations.
Dru looked cranky at the vet, maybe because there was a poster on the wall that said "What's for dinner tonight?" and she took it personally.
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Fun chicken fact: the rounder a hen is, the angrier. She may look like an adorable cream puff, but she is a ball of rage:
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The vet noticed that her leg was a bit swollen, and said it could be an infection, or maybe some heavy animal had stepped on her foot. He gave me antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and then I had fun trying to make my cranky chicken take her meds every day. Do you think getting a cat to take a pill is difficult? Try it with an animal who evolved from raptors.
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Here are screenshots from a video (which my wifi refused to load)—Dru wasn't having a good time, but trust me, neither was I. It was a daily struggle. On the other hand, I discovered that she loves cherry tomatoes! I had a cherry tomato plant in my greenhouse that was only here to keep the aquaponic system going in the winter, I wasn't eating the fruit as they were bitter February tomatoes, and for some reason it didn't occur to me to offer them to my chicken until I was walking around the greenhouse looking for some insect to reward her for taking her medicine. The daily tomato treat delighted her a lot more than some boring insect :)
Well, we are reaching the end of this adventure—Dru will get new coopmates soon (and hopefully start teaching them her secrets immediately) and the vet visit was very worth it 😊 She still has trouble going down the ladder of her coop so I go get her every morning and carry her near my house, but she is walking and, more importantly, scratching around for food again! Here's a little video:
Oh, no, wait, we aren't done—I must ask everyone to take part in the Trial of Pirlouit.
The vet did say it looked as if some heavy animal had stepped on Dru's foot... Considering the llamas are very delicate walkers, and Pandolf is a reckless brute but isn't heavy enough to break a chicken's leg, this makes Pirlouit the main suspect.
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dollishmehrayan · 5 months ago
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# CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS WITH BATBOYS! ── .✦ ( how you celebrate Christmas with different batboys )
a/n: merry christmasss! I took a small christmas break so enjoyy this one this was supposed to be on drafts but tumblr deleted it for NO REASON. Anywayss enjoyyy, tags: (batboys x fem!reader)
© dollishmehrayan — ( all rights reserved to me. These works cannot be reposted, translated, or modified. Thank you for understanding dollies! )
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DICK GRAYSON ── .✦
Dick is all about family and making you feel like part of his world. He drags you to Wayne Manor for the annual Christmas gathering.
“You’re not just meeting them you’re officially part of the chaos now.”
He insists on matching Christmas sweaters—preferably something embarrassing but endearing, like sweaters with reindeer antlers or Santa hats.
When you two decorate the tree, he’ll lift you up to put the star on top, even if you don’t need the help. “It’s tradition!”
Christmas morning involves him waking you up early with hot cocoa and a million kisses before unwrapping presents.
He loves going ice skating with you after all the festivities, holding your hand and showing off his acrobatic spins. “Bet you didn’t know I could do that, huh?”
JASON TODD ── .✦
Jason keeps things quiet and low-key, preferring a cozy Christmas at home over big gatherings. He’ll grumble if you insist on dragging him to the Manor but secretly enjoys seeing you happy.
“If Alfred offers you eggnog, don’t drink it. Trust me.”
He’s surprisingly thoughtful when it comes to gifts. He’ll give you something heartfelt, like a first-edition book or a piece of jewelry with a story behind it.
Jason will absolutely read you a Christmas story by the fireplace. He tries to act like it’s no big deal, but you catch him smiling when you lean against him to listen.
Baking Christmas cookies together turns into a disaster. He somehow burns half of them but insists on eating them anyway. “It’s the thought that counts, right?”
At night, he takes you on a walk through Gotham to see the Christmas lights, keeping you close to shield you from the cold and doing that sidewalk rule thingy.
TIM DRAKE ── .✦
Tim’s idea of a perfect Christmas is you, him, and a stack of holiday movies to binge-watch while wrapped in a blanket fort.
“We’re staying up all night. Sleep is for New Year’s Eve.”
He’s a last-minute shopper but somehow always gets you the perfect gift. He’ll blush when you open it and say, “I just… figured you’d like it.”
Decorating the tree is a fun and chaotic process because he tries to turn it into a competition. “Whoever hangs the most ornaments wins bragging rights for the year.”
He insists on taking a cute selfie in front of the tree to commemorate the moment, even if you’re in pajamas and your hair’s a mess.
You exchange heartfelt letters as part of your gift exchange, and his words always leave you teary-eyed.
DAMIAN WAYNE ── .✦
Damian is a bit awkward about Christmas traditions at first, but he puts in effort because he knows how much it means to you.
He surprises you with a beautifully wrapped gift, probably something rare or unique that shows he knows you well. “I trust this meets your expectations.”
If you’re at Wayne Manor, he’ll grumble about the chaos but secretly enjoys seeing everyone together. He stays close to you the entire time.
You two spend part of the day at the animal shelter, helping out with the holiday rush. Seeing him with the animals melts your heart.
At home, he’ll insist on making hot cocoa for you. It’s surprisingly good, and he pretends not to notice your impressed look.
Late at night, he plays piano for you by the fire, begrudgingly admitting that Christmas music isn’t entirely awful.
BRUCE WAYNE ── .✦
Bruce makes sure Christmas is magical for you. The Manor is decked out with elegant decorations, and Alfred ensures everything is perfect.
He gives you a tour of the massive Christmas tree, explaining how each ornament has a story. “This one’s from the first Christmas Dick spent here. It’s… special.”
Bruce is incredibly thoughtful with gifts. He doesn’t just buy something expensive; he finds something meaningful that shows how much he knows and cares about you.
You spend part of the day helping him and Alfred deliver gifts to shelters and hospitals. It’s a tradition he holds close to his heart.
In quieter moments, he’ll hold you close by the fire, watching the snow fall outside. “Thank you for making this Christmas so much better.”
He surprises you with a slow dance to soft Christmas music, making you feel like you’re in a fairytale.
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isuckatwritingsobenice · 1 year ago
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𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞.
Synopsis: What I think Alastors wife would be like, if he had one of course.
Warnings: mentions of blood, pinning, harassment?, Alastor being himself, not in a specific time period but at some point shifts to hell? Let me know if anyone is interested in a part two!!
Navigation!! // Masterlist!! // Serendipity Writes (event)
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Alastors wife probably didnt like him at first, and that’s a guarantee. He likes a challenge, but Alastor also likes being liked by people. It fills his ego, makes him feel good about himself. He likes to watch people stumble and fall but quite literally cracks under the pressure of doing just that when it comes to winning you over. Chances were he was constantly trying to figure you out, for two reasons. One, being that he didn’t understand how you couldn’t like him. I mean come on, look at him! He’s got the charm, the manners, the style and the class, the status. What more could you want? The second reason being, the more you denied him, the more he took it as a challenge, the more he wanted you.
Well, surprise surprise, you dont like people with an image to keep up; and to his dismay, that’s exactly what he does. He projects an image. One he refuses to change, and even after marrying you, still doesn’t drop the image, but starts to become more real and honest with himself.
“People who project an image of themselves to others are just trying to fool themselves into being someone they aren’t.” Was what you told him.
Alastor had also asked you out multiple times before you finally said yes. Everyone knows Alastor is very picky with the people he chooses to surround himself with. Everyone he associates with is either there to serve him, or to provide him with something, even if they’re unaware of it. Which only made you trust him less. What purpose did you serve him? What if one day he found you no longer useful and tossed you to the side? Well what were you to do then?
Denying him proved to be a challenge in itself, seeing that he’s quite literally everywhere all at once.
He’d try cheap tricks first. Buying you gifts, constantly showing up at your doorstep with a bouquet of flowers or a stuffed animal. One time he even got you a whole gift basket of your favorite treats. How sweet~ if it was actually about you and not him just trying to patch up his ego. Well at least that was what you thought on the matter.
If that didnt work he’d resort to going ghost. After all, people only miss you when you’re gone right? Well not in this case. He had left you alone physically, at least to your knowledge, but he had still kept a close watch on you. Why, he just knew it would bother you that he suddenly stopped! Until he overheard you speaking with a friend about how happy you were to finally get some peace and quiet. Well that simply wouldn’t do. After all, you should always make an impact, and what kind of impact would he be leaving on you if you went back to your old boring life? No no that just wont do dear.
He’ll start showing back up at your doorstep, taking you on surprise outing to force you to spend time with him. He’ll take you on a walk around a nearby park, a restaurant one day, the picture show the next. He has a long list of places to take you, so you’ll never go to the same place twice! Get your dancing shoes because he’s gonna take you out to the town for the night, after all the city never sleeps! This is when he becomes less forceful, but more of a decent calm. He begins to listen more when you speak, and you actually begin to care about what he’s saying, what a shock!
It’s almost like a switch flips after your outings. He’ll take you to an orchestra show, snickering to himself when he sees your eyes begin to water as the show closes out. He’ll force you to hold onto his arm as he walks you across the street on a rainy night, making sure you don’t slip or trip on the wet pavement. If you ever do, he’ll try his best to catch you and if he doesn’t? Oh what a nightmare, it seems he’s fallen too! For you that is~
You two begin to feel closer, not only physically but emotionally. He gets you to open up about your personal struggles, and in turn, he’ll share some of his own, but not too much. He doesn’t allow himself to be fully and completely vulnerable with you, not yet. But he does try his best to sympathize with you when you share your piece of mind with him. He feels accomplished to know this part of you, and his ego is the last thing on his mind anymore, but instead you take up all the space.
He doesn’t use pet names for you, not cute ones anyway. He’ll call you his devilish belladonna, especially if you love flowers. His creepy spider Lillie. He’ll often speak in the ‘language of flowers’, and will educate you on it if you don’t know so you know exactly what he’s talking about.
He’s the type of person to correct people in public to make them feel stupid, but he never does that with you. Instead he’ll wait until it’s just the two of you and tell you jokingly how wrong you were. You’ll get upset because he let you look like a fool, but in his mind he’s just protecting your feelings. If anyone else corrects you, they’ll have their mouth sewn shut that’s for sure!
He never gets you the same bouquet of flowers. They’re always different, and every week or so you have a new one. He keeps a separate batch for himself so he knows when to get you another. That being said he also makes the bouquets himself, he does not buy them for you already made.
When you finally take Alastor up on his offer to court you properly, he is over the moon about it! Finally, you seem to be coming to your senses dear! Though you quickly follow that comment up with a “Let the blood rush to your head first.” He just bats his lashes at you with a smile. You always know how to make him feel so loved!
Gets very jealous very easily. If he sees you laughing with someone that isn’t him, he’ll size them up before deciding if they’re a threat or not. Heaven forbid anyone actually put their hands on you and uh oh! Limb of the floor someone come get it!
His possessive nature is rooted in abandonment, and thus being said, he has deep attachment issues to you. You are never out of his sight when you two begin dating, and you’re hardly ever far from him in general. You two dress similarly too, especially if you’re from the same era. He’ll switch up your wardrobe slowly so it complements his.
He isn’t one for strong PDA unless he feels like he needs too or just has a strong want too. Usually it’s an arm around your waist, or you hanging onto his arm loosely. The most he’ll ever really do is a kiss on the back of your hand or to your temple. That being said, he’s like this for various reasons.
One, he has a lot of enemies, which means that not not only does that put you in danger, but if you’re also a powerful overlord, it puts him at risk too, though he doesn’t care much about that part.
Second, he doesn’t like physical contact much, and though he always makes an exception for you, he has his image and pristine reputation to keep up. Which you extremely dislike but tolerate because it’s Alastor and if he hasn’t changed much in centuries, nothings going to change ever.
Alastor is very very fond of you, whether you believe it or not. Your fiery attitude has him whipped more than he likes to admit. He’ll joke with other sinners that he’d sacrifice you to save himself but you both know that isn’t true, his nervous ticks prove it to be false, if you do say so yourself.
He’s very fidgety. He’ll tug a piece of your clothing or twirl a strand of your hair between his claws. If you claim he’s messing up your hair he’ll cast a tornado of shadows around you to fuck it up even more, and then smiling at you lovingly when you threaten to cut his ears off because you can’t tell if they’re his hair or just furry ass ears. You always give him a good laugh.
Other sinners are actually convinced you both hate each other, but turf wars on the news show that you two are the most in love when you’re wreaking havoc on innocent sinners for no possible reason other than the fact you two had an argument and the best way to settle it? Dancing in the rain, which actually isn’t rain, just blood falling from the sky because you like to kill people for fun.
“My darling looks the best in red if I do say so myself! Especially if she’s dressed by another’s remains, oh the beauty!”
Alastor has and will continue to get in his feelings about you and his mother getting along so well. He loves you both to pieces, so seeing his two favorite people together makes his dead heart swell with joy.
He’ll ask you to accompany him to the tailors, he values your opinion more than others so you often make adjustments to his suit and he’s just like ‘Whatever she says that’s what’s going on the suit.’ You also make him your personal dressing doll, trying different patterns and styles on him for fun. Alastor is a true skinny jeans hater and he will die on that hill, again. He really appreciates the 60’s style, but prefers to stick to his own decade.
He will take you out hunting with him, and the two of you share breakfast together with the fresh meat you’ve caught. He only gets the best quality for you because he refuses to have you two ‘eating like chums’. A restaurant tried to lie to the two of you, saying their meat was high quality and fresh. Alastor killed everyone in it and you two shared remains like a true power couple. Hells finest of course. ;)
He’s very critical of picking out jewelry for you. Hunting for the perfect ring for you took him ages, mainly because he knew exactly what he wanted but no jeweler had what he wanted all in one ring. So instead he forces them to make him a custom one. Torn limbs and bloody parts later, you have the ring that Alastor worked so hard to give you. He proposes to you Extermination day, claiming he’d love to spend another year in hell with you before the angels come to rip you two apart from each other. It was such a sweet day, at least to you it was.
The type of relationship where he plays the piano and you sing. He loves when you sing and will gush about you to anyone in sight even if he doesn’t know them.
Is very needy in private. He’s a stage 10000 clinger, and will stick to you like his life depends on it, but will be damned if anyone catches him. You don’t tell anyone about it, you like the private life.
You two have cook offs all the time. You make the hotel staff judge, and ultimately Niffty is the tie breaker because she’s brutally honest. Once she told Alastor he should stay out of the kitchen because women were better at it for a reason… harsh!
He was fine though, he got her back by ridding the hotel of bugs. He knows she likes chasing them around and for that she sobbed at his feet for ten minutes asking him to bring them back. It didn’t take much actually, Sir Pentious brought them back on his own, much to Charlies dismay.
He loves to read with you. You two often read a book and once you both finish you have a tea session over it. It starts off being about the book and then somehow shifts to just gossiping and talking shit about the other overlords, except for Rosie, we love Rosie in this household.
Speaking of, Rosie is usually where you get your clothes from. She’s a sweetheart when she isn’t picking pieces of muscle from her teeth, that sharp smile is a killer! She loves to talk about Alastor with you, and usually she’s where you go after you two have had an argument. You’re also her personal Barbie doll. She puts you in outfits and she and Alastor judge over them. Nine times out of ten you leave her boutique with a new wardrobe every time.
Now let’s talk about Vox.
Honestly the whole reason Vox knows about you is probably because he was digging through Alastors shit. But when he sees you? Oh lord, this man is HOOKED.
He doesn’t even know how Alastor managed to get you entangled with him. He finds out about you when you and Alastor aren’t dating yet, and he basically jumps at his chance to try to be with you.
Vox will forever consider you the one that got away, you can’t change my mind.
Alastor has proven time and time again that he’s basically better than Vox. He took a seven year back, came on the radio one day and boom all his viewers were back. In Alastors mind there’s no competition, just Vox being obsessed with the fact Alastor said no.
Valentino uses it against Vox all the time, and it will always make Vox buffer.
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bjlipss · 16 days ago
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— 12:37, family dinner .
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nanami’s been adjusting his tie for the better part of ten minutes.
first in the mirror. then in his reflection in the microwave door. now he’s using his phone’s selfie camera like it personally offended him and he’s considering cutting ties.
“kento,” you say gently from the doorway, arms crossed, amusement in your voice, “if you keep strangling yourself like that, we’re going to have to call it a night before we even leave.”
he pauses. looks down at the neat, sharp knot he’s tied, and sighs. lowers the phone. but the way he smooths his palm down his front, tugs at the cuffs of his sleeves, tells you the tension hasn’t left his body. it’s coiled tight under his skin, humming low and constant.
“they’re not cruel,” he says after a beat, like he’s had this line rehearsed. “just… very particular.”
you hum. “you’ve mentioned.”
he doesn’t answer. just gives a humorless little breath through his nose, and turns to check the coat rack.
“and my mother’s the kind of woman who’ll tell you your shirt is lovely and also that it would look better in a different color, because ‘not everyone can wear that shade of navy, dear.’”
you walk slowly toward him. he’s doing that thing where he pretends not to watch you approach, but you can see the way his shoulders shift, just slightly, when you’re close.
“i like navy,” you say, reaching up to fix the tiniest wrinkle in his lapel.
he doesn’t laugh. just gives you a look—something wary and a little pained, like he’s caught between reason and instinct. you reach up, cup his cheek.
“kento,” you murmur. “are you embarrassed to bring me?”
his eyes fly open wider. “no. no, of course not.” he catches you around the waist like it’s involuntary. “that’s not what this is. it’s not about you.”
he pauses. swallows hard.
“they’re just a lot sometimes. and i don’t want them to make you uncomfortable. or say something that makes you feel… unwelcome.”
your voice softens. “and if they do?”
he frowns. like the very idea twists something in his chest.
you lean up, brush your lips against the corner of his mouth—barely a kiss. just warmth, just the weight of a promise.
“i’ll win them over,” you whisper, smiling. “just you watch.”
he watches you the entire train ride.
not like he’s trying to memorize you, not exactly. like he already has—but he’s checking over the lines again, like a man reading his favorite book for the thousandth time.
your hand rests on your lap, fingers curling lightly around his. you tap his pinky with yours once. he taps back twice.
when you point out a corgi in a baby stroller, laughing softly, he just stares at you. lets the sound settle under his ribs like sunlight.
he doesn’t speak. but when the train doors open, he shifts to stand in front of you, gently shielding your body from the push of the crowd.
always.
his mother opens the door wearing a floral silk blouse and that vague look women get when they’re already cataloging everything about you.
but the second you smile and say, “your earrings are beautiful,” her whole face lifts. the suspicion drains out of her eyes like she’s been holding her breath and just remembered how to breathe.
“oh, these?” she says, a little flustered. “my husband always said they were too flashy.”
you grin. “he was wrong.”
she laughs. actually laughs. “you’re trouble, aren’t you?”
you just shrug, all sweetness. “depends who you ask.”
you slip off your coat. compliment the smell of roasted soy and simmering ginger that’s wafting in from the kitchen. she practically beams.
nanami stands behind you like a shadow—silent, steady, his hand brushing yours. not grabbing. not clutching. just there. like a lifeline.
you glance at him. he doesn’t say anything, but his eyes are warm. when your fingers curl slightly, he hooks his pinky around yours without hesitation.
the table is long and cluttered with food, wine, delicate dishes stacked too high. cousins and uncles and an aunt with sharp eyes and louder opinions gather one by one.
there’s laughter. overlapping voices. the kind of comfortable chaos nanami never quite fits into, even though he grew up in it. but you—you slide in like you’ve always belonged there.
“so what do you do?” someone asks, and you explain your work clearly, simply, without the need to impress.
“oh, you’d love my friend yumi,” his aunt says suddenly, nodding. “you’d get along like a house on fire. she’s got the same sparkle.”
“sparkle?” you echo, laughing.
“you’ve got kind eyes,” she says matter-of-factly, like that explains everything.
across the table, nanami nearly chokes on his drink.
a cousin retells the time kento got stuck at the top of a rollercoaster when he was fifteen and didn’t speak to anyone for two hours afterward. you giggle into your hand. nanami sighs, dragging a palm down his face.
someone’s uncle asks if nanami’s finally going to settle down, and his aunt jokes, “if she’ll have him.”
you glance at nanami across the table, and he’s watching you again. quietly. like he’s never seen you more clearly.
he barely touches his food.
you’re halfway through a slice of orange chiffon cake—soft, airy, citrus-sweet—when his mother reaches out and gently touches your wrist.
“he seems lighter with you,” she says.
you blink. “sorry?”
“kento.” she folds her napkin neatly. “he’s always been so serious. since he was a boy. but tonight—he’s different. smiling more. more relaxed.”
she looks at you with a softness you didn’t expect. something grateful in the lines of her face.
“you’re good for him.”
you nod slowly. “he’s good for me too.”
the apartment is quiet when you get back. the click of the lock echoes in the stillness. you start to take off your shoes—
and then his hands are on you.
not rough. not rushed. just sure. like a man who’s been holding himself back all night and suddenly can’t anymore.
his lips find yours in the hallway, then again against the door, then again against your cheekbone like he’s making up for every minute he didn’t get to touch you. one hand cups your jaw. the other is splayed warm and wide across your back, keeping you steady as he kisses you like you’re air, like he needs you to breathe.
you let yourself melt into him. let your fingers twist in his collar, tug him closer.
he breaks only when your breath hitches. your lips part, dazed and pink, and you whisper, “kento…”
he rests his forehead against yours. exhales hard.
“you were incredible tonight,” he murmurs. “i knew you would be. i knew. but…”
his voice cracks a little. his hand moves to your waist.
“…i didn’t expect them to fall for you like that.”
your smile is slow. teasing. “jealous?”
he laughs softly. “grateful,” he says. “so fucking grateful.”
your fingers brush through the back of his hair. he leans into it.
“for what?” you whisper.
he looks at you like you’re everything.
“for you,” he says. “for saying yes to coming. for being exactly who you are. for fitting into a piece of my life i didn’t think would ever make sense.”
he presses a kiss to your temple, to your cheek, to the corner of your mouth.
then, quietly:
“i love you,” he breathes. “so much. i think i’ve been in love with you since the moment you told me off in that grocery store.”
you blink. “you mean the time you took the last basket and didn’t offer to share?”
“yes,” he says, unashamed. “you were so—” he kisses you again, “—angry,” another kiss, “—and beautiful.”
you laugh into his mouth, hands fisting in his shirt. “you’re ridiculous.”
“i know.” he presses his forehead to yours. “but i’m yours. if you’ll have me.”
you answer him without words. just kiss him again. kiss him like you already do. like you always will.
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