#plays the line from the musical in our head

[kaces-graham-crackers]

Sweet Foundations - Christmas Special

Jenna Ortega x Reader

Summary: A holiday party, a gingerbread competition, and a little too much icing—what starts as playful chaos turns into something neither of them expected. In the glow of Christmas lights and whispered confessions, some foundations prove sweeter than they seem.

Word Count: 1.5k

Los Angeles wasn’t exactly known for white Christmases, but that didn’t stop my apartment from looking like something straight out of a New York holiday window display. Warm string lights draped across the ceiling, twinkling against the garlands woven with red and gold ribbons. A Christmas tree stood in the corner, its ornaments catching the glow of the fireplace video playing on the TV, crackling sounds and all. The smell of cinnamon, vanilla, and fresh pine lingered in the air, mixing with the cocoa and gingerbread cooling on the counter.

The night had settled into something easy—familiar, even. Everyone had arrived hours ago, bringing that infectious, chaotic energy that came with a group of actors who barely had time to see each other outside of work.

But now, the gingerbread competition was underway.

“Okay, everyone, listen up,” Percy announced dramatically, clapping his hands as he stood at the front of the living room like a game show host. “You have exactly twenty minutes to construct a masterpiece. No shortcuts. No store-bought frosting magic. Only skill, determination, and the Christmas spirit.”

Emma crossed her arms. “You’re only saying that because you and Hunter stacked your walls together like Lego bricks before we started.”

Hunter shrugged, unbothered. “Survival of the fittest.”

I glanced at Jenna, who was already methodically arranging the gingerbread pieces in front of her, eyes sharp with focus. “You take this way too seriously.”

She raised a brow. “There’s no too seriously when it comes to gingerbread architecture.”

Joy smirked from across the table. “She’s been this way every year, by the way. Christmas competitions? It’s like her Super Bowl.”

Jenna rolled her eyes, but the small twitch of her lips betrayed her amusement.

I shook my head, grabbing a piping bag of icing and squeezing a dollop onto the edge of a gingerbread wall. “Fine. Let’s do this.”

We worked quickly, each team focused on their own creations. The living room buzzed with holiday music and scattered conversation, interrupted only by the occasional muttered curse when someone’s house collapsed (looking at you, Emma).

Jenna, true to form, was building with the precision of an architect. The walls stood perfectly straight, her lines of icing clean and even.

I, on the other hand, was struggling to get a gumdrop to stay on the roof.

“You have the structural integrity of wet cardboard,” she murmured, barely sparing me a glance as she piped another perfect snowflake onto the side of our gingerbread house.

“Excuse me,” I shot back, grabbing a handful of mini marshmallows. “Some of us are here for the vibes.”

She smirked. “And some of us are here to win.”

Without thinking, I reached over and swiped a streak of icing across the tip of her nose.

For a second, she just blinked. Then, slowly, her lips curved into something dangerously playful.

“Oh, you are so dead.”

Before I could react, her fingers found a container of rainbow sprinkles.

“No—Jenna, don’t you dare—”

A shower of sugar rained down onto my hair.

Gasps filled the room.

“Oh my God,” Emma whispered, eyes wide in mock horror.

“Not the sprinkles,” Percy added.

Laughter erupted around us as I tried (and failed) to wipe the icing and sprinkles from my face.

Jenna, smug, leaned back, arms crossed. “That’s what you get.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Oh, it’s on, Ortega.”

Before I could grab the bag of powdered sugar for revenge, Joy cleared her throat. “I hate to break up whatever this is, but we still have a competition to finish.”

I exchanged a glance with Jenna, breath still caught somewhere between laughing and plotting.

She was close—closer than I’d realized, cheeks slightly pink from the warmth inside, a dusting of powdered sugar lingering on her sleeve from earlier.

She nudged me with her knee under the table. “Truce?”

I exhaled, pretending to think about it before giving in. “Truce.”

And somehow, neither of us moved away.

The Christmas playlist hummed in the background, a mix of jazz renditions and the occasional pop cover of classics. Emma had taken over DJ duties, dramatically belting out All I Want for Christmas Is You into a candy cane while Percy recorded from the couch.

Hunter had somehow ended up half-buried in Christmas pillows, still tangled in the tinsel that was supposed to go on the tree.

Joy was sipping hot chocolate, perched on the arm of the loveseat, watching the mess unfold like an amused narrator.

Jenna was next to me on the couch, cradling a mug of cocoa in her hands, but her focus wasn’t on the chaos around us anymore. 

“Hey,” Joy’s voice cut through the easy hum of conversation, pulling everyone’s attention back. She leaned forward, her smirk barely hidden behind her mug. “So… which one of you wants to admit it first?”

A pause. Then Hunter groaned. “Oh, here we go.”

Joy grinned. “I just love a good Christmas confession.”

The room stirred with amusement, but it wasn’t until she turned her gaze in my direction that my stomach flipped.

“You know what I’m talking about, Y/N,” she said smoothly. “The crush.”

Laughter bubbled up from the others, some leaning in, waiting for the reaction.

The room collectively turned, and suddenly, the warmth of the fireplace video was nothing compared to the heat crawling up my neck.

Jenna shifted beside me. “Wait, what?”

Joy’s smirk widened. “Oh, come on Jenna. You know how this works. Someone always has a holiday crush.” She took a sip of her cocoa before tilting her head. “So? Who’s the lucky person?”

Emma gasped. “Wait. Oh my God. Is it someone here?”

Jenna stiffened. It was subtle, but I felt it—her shoulders went rigid, fingers tightening just slightly against her mug.

“Yes, I do have a crush on someone here…No big deal,” I muttered, attempting to brush it off, but the damage was done.

Conversations shifted soon after, the topic buried under the sounds of more laughter and Hunter’s tinsel-related accident, but I knew one person who wasn’t letting it go.

I noticed the way her eyes lingered on me, thoughtful, almost hesitant.

Then she stood, stretching slightly before catching my eye.

“Hey,” she murmured, voice soft, “can we talk for a sec?”

The cold hit first. A crisp December wind swept through the city, carrying the distant hum of car horns and muffled Christmas music from somewhere below. The view stretched for miles—twinkling lights, high-rise buildings, the glow of holiday decorations reflecting against glass.

Jenna leaned against the railing, arms wrapped around herself. The soft glow of the city caught in her eyes as she exhaled, breath visible in the cold.

“So…” she started, voice careful. “Who is it?”

Fingers curled around the metal railing, the coolness grounding against the warmth buzzing under my skin.

“Who’s who?”

She rolled her eyes. “Your crush.”

She hesitated. “Emma thinks it’s Percy,” she continued. “But I kind of thought… maybe Joy?”

The laugh escaped before it could be stopped. “Joy?”

Jenna’s lips pressed together, cheeks slightly pink.

Shaking my head, the words came before second-guessing could creep in. “It’s not Joy.”

She hesitated. “Then who?”

A breath. A decision.

The distance between us was small, but suddenly, it felt monumental.

Reaching up, a thumb brushed against the corner of her sleeve, the same one dusted with powdered sugar from earlier.

Then, finally, softly, “It’s you.”

Jenna stilled.

Her breath hitched, lips parting slightly as if forming a response, but none came.

Panic crept in, but before it could fully take hold, her voice cut through.

“You idiot.”

The disbelief in her tone made me blink. “Excuse me?”

She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “I thought you had a thing for Emma.”

“Emma?”

“She kept saying you were always texting her, and I saw you talking—”

Groaning, a hand ran through my hair. “I was literally asking her for advice on you.”

The space between us felt charged now, thick with something unspoken but impossible to ignore.

“Say it again,” she murmured.

Pulse roaring. “Say what?”

“That it’s me.”

A step closer. “It’s you, Jenna.”

And then—she closed the gap.

Soft. Warm. Familiar in a way that made no sense, yet perfect all the same. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla clung to her sweater, the press of her hands against my jacket grounding and electric all at once.

When she pulled back, her nose bumped against mine, a small, breathless smile tugging at her lips.

“About time.”

The laugh came naturally. “You’re one to talk.”

She rolled her eyes, but the grin stayed. “Shut up.”

“Make me.”

She did by kissing me again. 

When the two of you finally re-entered the apartment, the warmth of the party greeting you once again, Emma’s gaze snapped to Jenna’s slightly flushed face, then to yours. Her eyes widened.

“No way,” she gasped, pointing an accusing finger. “I knew it.”

Hunter groaned, tossing his hands up. “Damn it, I had money on Percy.”

Jenna just smirked, sliding her fingers discreetly into yours before shooting Emma a look.

“Guess you don’t know everything.”

You laughed, squeezing her hand.

Christmas had never felt warmer.

And that’s how the night ended—wrapped in fairy lights, laughter echoing from inside, and the warmth of something new, something electric, settling between us.

[tikosblogg]

Who Am I..?

Warnings: drug use, verbal abuse. I think that’s it for this chapter.

A/N: IM SO EXCITED THAT IM ABLE TO GET THIS POSTED TONIGHT!! WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WRITING THIS STORY FOR MONTHS. @millersgirl80 IM SO EXCITED WE GET TO WRITE IT FOR YOU GUYS❤️

Taglist- @lacy1986 @theanarchymuse95 @lyschko666 @rumoured-whispers @pathion @alwaysfightforwhoyouare @xxkatsatwatwafflexx

Lemme know if you wanna join the tag list!!❤️

ALICE

The bass drum thumped through the soles of my worn combat boots, a seismic pulse that vibrated right up into my chest. Mayhem. The name itself was a promise, a beautiful, glorious lie about contained chaos. We’d finally arrived, me and my band Nightfire. The 2025 Mayhem Festival, the field a sea of black leather, ripped denim, and enough piercings to set off a million metal detectors. A year ago, we were scraping by, playing dive bars where the air hung thick with stale beer and desperation. Now? Now, we were here.

Sweat already beaded on my forehead, not from the heat, but from the electric buzz that simmered beneath my skin. I am a walking, breathing contradiction, covered head to toe in ink that told a story I'd lived. Each one a reminder of a moment, a feeling, a fight that made me who I was today. The small woman with the voice that could shake the rafters.

We trudged through the throngs of fans, the energy palpable. I could feel it thrumming around me, Ben, my Best-friend and drummer, bounced on the balls of his feet, practically vibrating with excitement. Jett, my other Best friend who played guitar for us, kept his usual stoic face, but I saw the glint in his eyes, the one that said he was just as wired as the rest of us. We were a family… and this was a milestone.

Then I saw it. The stage. Ours. It was colossal, a metal leviathan rising above the crowd, bathed in the harsh glow of the midday sun. Banners bearing the Mayhem logo flapped in the breeze, a herald for the day's carnage. I stopped dead, the noise fading, replaced by the roaring in my own ears. It was more than I had ever imagined, more than I had ever dared to dream. Eight years of late nights, broken strings, and the ever-present doubt that came with chasing something this big, and here it was, tangible as the sweat on my palms. We’d made it.

A wide, involuntary smile stretched across my face, a grin so big, I probably looked like an idiot. In that moment, I felt like I was floating, suspended somewhere between my past and the future we were building. Then, the bubble burst.

“Let’s go, you gotta get ready.” Ryan, his voice sharp, slicing through my euphoria like a rusty knife. He was looming over me, his six-foot frame casting a long, unpleasant shadow. He was handsome, in a harsh, sculpted kind of way. Dark hair, sharp jawline, the kind of guy that always looked like a disappointed Roman statue. My boyfriend turned manager of eight years.

My smile plummeted, the knot in my stomach tightening. I forced a roll of my eyes, trying to hide the jolt his words always gave me.

I started walking towards the back of the stage, the excitement replaced by a dull ache. Was I ever going to be good enough for him? Ever going to meet his suffocating expectations? I tried to shake it off, focusing on the show, the crowd, the music yet to come. But the air felt heavier, the energy dimmed.

His long fingers wrapped around my arm jerking me to a halt. His grip on my arm tight. The warmth of the sun suddenly seemed miles away. He stared down at me, his eyes intense, his mouth set in a hard line. "You got something to say?"

My heart hammered against my ribs. Why? Why did he always have to do this? To chip away at every inch of joy I managed to scrape together? My voice was caught in my throat, a knot of fear and resentment. I shook my head, the word "no" dying before it could reach my lips. The back of my neck prickled with irritation.

He released my arm, but the damage was done. The heavy feeling clung to me, a weight that dragged on my already frayed nerves. I didn't meet his eyes, turning and finally escaping to the backstage area, Ben and Jett looking at me. Jett wrapped an arm around my shoulders with a soft squeeze. “Fuck him. We got a festival to play.” The brief moment had been enough to drain me, a reminder of the quiet war I fought everyday.

The backstage area was a controlled chaos. Roadies were rushing past, tuning guitars, arranging equipment. The air buzzed with anticipation and the clatter of metal on metal. I forced myself to focus, to breathe, to find that spark again.The guys were watching me with concerned looks, Ryan’s actions towards me being nothing new, but they knew better than to ask. This was our life now. The constant battle between the music and the man.

I dropped my bag, pulling out my pack of cigarettes and lighting one up. I took a long drag, the familiar weight settling in my lungs, grounding me. I ran my fingers through my hair, my anxiety rising. This was it. This was what mattered. The music, the energy, the chance to scream my heart out, even if it was in front of thousands of strangers.

Turning my head, I glanced out towards the crowd. The seemingly never ending crowed of faces was a kaleidoscope of expressions, all eager, all hungry for the music. It was a beautiful rage , waiting to be unleashed. And we were ready to conduct the storm. The knot inside me loosened, if only by a fraction. I would do this. For me, for my band, for the dreams we’ve chased for so many years. I'd find my fire, even if Ryan, wanted to snuff it out. We are Nightfire, and tonight, we were going to fucking burn.

Jett nudged my arm, making me look up. “we’re going back to get ready, you coming?” I nodded, putting out my cigarette and handing him my bag.

“Yeah I gotta go to bathroom real quick, I’ll catch up.”

He nodded throwing it over his shoulder, as they all made their way to the green room. I made my way down a long hallway, ducking into the cramped, dimly lit backstage restroom, the fluorescent hum a stark contrast to the roaring outside. The smell of piss and disinfectant hung heavy in the air. I leaned against the grimy sink, staring at the reflection staring back at me. The girl in the mirror was a stranger. Black choppy layers, framed a face that was both too pale and too heavily painted with black eyeliner. I saw a mask, a performance piece carefully constructed over the years. But beneath the smudged mess, the wide, almost manic eyes, I couldn't find Alice. Where was she? When did she disappear? I ran a hand over the cold, damp countertop. Twenty-five. Twenty-five years old, and I felt like an empty shell, all edges and no center. "Get it together, Alice," I muttered to my reflection, the words sounding hollow even to my own ears. It was always the same pre-show pep talk. A robotic mantra I'd repeated countless times.

Then came the banging. Loud, insistent, a fist hammering against the door. "Get your ass out here, Alice! We got shit to do!" Ryan's voice, thick with impatience, ripped through the thin metal door.

My jaw tightened, frustration flaring. "Give me a minute!" I yelled back, slamming my hand against the door in response. The energy of the festival was seeping into my own, and it was not calm.

Turning back to the mirror, my gaze fell upon my necklace. It was a simple silver chain with a heart-shaped locket. A stupid little thing really, but it grounded me. Before every show, I would do this, my own ritual, a way to clear my mind. With trembling fingers, I twisted the top of the locket, revealing the tiny spoon nestled inside. A quick dip, a small scoop of the fine white powder, and a barely audible sniff. I did this quickly, in one fluid movement. The rush hit me, a sharp prickle tracing its way across my skin. A brief moment of numbing blankness. Then I was fine. Better even. I rubbed my nose, making sure there was no evidence left, and put the locket back together, the heart resting against my chest. The heavy weight was somehow comforting. But the banging came again, much louder this time, almost violent.

"ALICE! OPE-"

I took one long breath and plastered a wide smile on my face, almost psychotic if I was honest. Showtime. I yanked the door open, almost hitting Ryan in the face as I did so.

"What the fuck?!," Ryan said, stepping back. He stood tall with a perpetually annoyed look. It was one of the things that had once drawn me to him, that rebellious edge that mirrored my own. But now, it just felt like another layer of the performance.

"Ready to rock, baby?" I said, my voice dripping with false enthusiasm, and wrapping my arms around his waist, reaching up to give him a quick kiss. I couldn't even feel it.

He grunted, his eyes narrowing. He grunted, gripping my face with his hand, staring into my eyes, "what the fuck did I tell you about snorting that shit?" He released his grip, pushing my face away in the process. “You’re gonna fuck everything up tonight.”

I rolled my eyes and stepped back. "I’m fine Ryan." I said, forcing a smile. "Now, let's get this show on the road."

I pushed past him, heading toward the green room a strange sense of disassociation washing over me. My heart was pounding, but not with nerves. It was almost like a motor, revving higher and higher, waiting to be unleashed. I could feel the powder seeping into my bloodstream, washing away everything but the performance. The hallway felt like a sweaty, vibrating tunnel. Bass thrummed up through the floor, a physical reminder of the craziness simmering just beyond the cinderblock walls. My boots echoed a dull rhythm against the linoleum as I navigated the swarm of stagehands, and other musicians all heading in different directions. It’s starting. The Mayhem Music Festival of 2025 and my heart was doing a goddamn drum solo of its own.

I pushed through a heavy door marked "Green Room" and found a relative oasis of calm amidst the storm. Well, as calm as it could be with a dozen half-eaten pizza boxes and discarded water bottles scattered across every available surface. A couple of guys from another band were slumped on the threadbare couch, nursing beers, but otherwise the room was mercifully empty.

I ignored the low murmur of chatter and headed straight for the corner where my stage clothes were waiting, a battered canvas duffel bag with more character than half the people I knew. Ryan had insisted on hiring a whole team to handle my hair, makeup, and wardrobe. “Image is everything, Alice,” he’d sighed. “You have to look hot out there.”

The thought of letting some stranger touch my face, let alone dictate my entire look, made my skin crawl. Besides, I preferred my own interpretation of ‘hot’. The kind that looked like I’d just wrestled a bear and won.

I unzipped the bag, spilling its contents onto the floor. Black fishnet stockings. An old as dirt oversized band shirt that had definitely seen better days. A simple black pair of leather shorts that probably cost five dollars at a thrift store, but always made me feel… me. Everyone else had already left the room as I tugged them on, the familiar fabrics a welcome comfort against the nervous flutter in my stomach. Finally, I laced up my boots, the leather worn soft from years of stomping on stages far smaller than this one.

I caught my reflection in the mirror on the wall. My hair, a mess of black angles, needed a little more… life. I ran my fingers through it, ruffling the already unruly strands, and added a final swipe of thick eyeliner, carefully smudging it just so. Yep, that felt right.

Ryan’s voice boomed from somewhere outside the door, “Alright, stop wasting time let’s go!”

I rolled my eyes, ignoring his presence entirely to keep from absolutely losing my shit on him. “Ready?” I asked the guys as they came in, and gathered their things. Jett gave a nod. Ben was already vibrating with nervous energy, practically bouncing off the walls. We'd been playing together for years, these two were my brothers.

We walked out of the green room, each step resonating with mounting tension. The roaring of the crowd hit me like a wall of heat, a primal sound that made my skin prickle. The backstage area was a blur of frantic activity - stagehands scurrying, technicians fine-tuning equipment, and the air thick with the smell of sweat and spilled beer.

As we approached the stage, I could feel the adrenaline and drugs fully starting to kick in. I watched as the sound crew busied themselves connecting me to my mic, slipping the in-ear monitors into place. The sound of the crowd amplified through the monitors; a roaring beast, hungry to be fed.

We mounted the stage to a deafening roar. The lights hit me, blinding for a moment, and then I could see them. Thousands of faces turned towards me, a sea of humanity pulsating with anticipation. I grinned, a genuine, wide-mouthed grin that felt like it was splitting my face in two. I raised a hand and gave a wave, a small rebellion against stage fright, against the fear of being exposed. It was our moment.

I adjusted the mic, the cold metal a welcome touch against my lips. I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears, a rhythm that seemed to match the heavy bassline thumping from the amps.

“Hello, Mayhem!” I shouted into the mic, my voice amplified and distorted. Another roar erupted from the crowd, a wave of energy that surged through me. “Y’all ready to fuck some shit up tonight?” I smiled, lightly laughing at the crowds animalistic screams.

I felt a surge of confidence. This was where I belonged, where I was truly alive.

“I’m gonna start tonight with a new song I just wrote,” I announced, the crowd quieting slightly, a collective breath held in anticipation. "It’s called..Fire, Fire.”

The first chord of the song ripped through the speakers, sound that set the stage ablaze. Ben's drums crashed in, Jett’s guitar a low, undercurrent, and then the melody – a raw, emotionally charged melody that poured out of me like a confession.

I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the music wash over me, the sound vibrating through my bones. Fire, Fire wasn't just a song, it was a release, a cathartic explosion of everything I felt simmering inside. It was about the burning anger, the frustration, the lies, fire that pushed me forward, the fire that threatened to consume me. It was about power and vulnerability.

I opened my eyes again, my voice rough and raw, and as I sang I looked out into the crowd. People were jumping, singing along to the lyrics I hadn't known they had learnt, screaming their own stories along with mine. The energy was electric, a physical hum that coursed through the air, connecting us all.

The song built to a crescendo, the guitars screaming, my voice pushing to its limits, and the drums pounding like a heart about to break. I threw my head back and let out everything, feeling the music surge through me, a wild, untamed force.

Then, the song ended, abruptly, leaving a moment of breathless silence before the crowd erupted into cheers. They were with me. They understood.

I grinned again, that same wide, genuine smile, a little less nervous this time and a little more empowered.

The roar of the crowd still echoed in my head, a dull hum overlaid with the frantic rhythm of adrenaline. Cocaine jitters danced under my skin, a manic energy that both fueled and threatened to unravel me. Jett, Ben, and I were a sweaty, grinning mess, limbs tangled in a celebratory hug after our set. It was amazing.

Suddenly Ryan's hand clamped down on my arm, a vise grip that yanked me out of the moment. “What the hell?” I snapped, pulling away. His face was tight, eyes blazing with a possessive rage I was growing to despise.

He grabbed my face, fingers digging into my cheeks, forcing me to look at him. “What did I fucking tell you? Your voice was off tonight.” His voice was low, venomous. "Nobody likes watching a fucking junkie screech into a microphone!"

The words fucking stung. He never missed an opportunity to tear me down any chance he got. "Fuck you, Ryan!" I ripped my arm from his grasp storming away, back to the guys when I was stopped again.

But not by Ryan. Standing there, radiating a quiet intensity that cut through the post-show frenzy, was Noah Sebastian. Noah fucking Sebastian. The man whose voice had haunted my headphones countless nights, the lyricist who’d ripped his soul open and laid it bare for the world. The lead singer of Bad Omens.

My heart stuttered. He extended a hand, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "Hey I’m Noah. You guys were fucking incredible. Definitely a fan."

My brain short-circuited. “Wh-what?” I stammered, eloquence completely abandoning me. I managed a weak smile, the coke and adrenaline warring for control of my facial muscles. "Alice. And…we’re huge fans too. Seriously.”

A genuine smile touched his eyes. We stood there for a beat, suspended in a shared appreciation of the art that consumed us. A strange feeling flickered in my chest, he said he’s a fan. He likes my music. 

“You guys are seriously talented. You have a really unique voice, I like your writing style. It’s fucking deep. I really connected with them.” My smile grew bigger, my lips struggling to form words. 

“Wow..that really means alo-“ my words were cut off when an obnoxious ear-splitting whistle ripped through the air.

Ryan swaggered over, scanning Noah with blatant disdain. He threw his arm around my shoulders, a territorial gesture that made my skin crawl. "You can get her autograph later, man." The condescension dripped from his voice. Noah let out a quiet chuckle, but not responding.

My eyes widened in horror. "What the fuck, dude?!" I elbowed him hard in the ribs, but the damage was done.

I could feel my face burning with embarrassment. I offered Noah an apologetic smile. "I’m so sorry. It was great meeting you Noah. Can’t wait to watch you guys perform.”

Before I could say anything else, Ryan was pulling me back towards the direction of the green room. I shot one last curious glance over my shoulder, catching Noah’s eye. He looked… disappointed. But there was something else there too..

[terrortwinunicorn]

And So The Story Continues....

Damian's POV

Last night certainly was a dream come true. Marrying y/n, and now waking up this morning with my wife snuggled into me, a smile on her face, was definitely what dreams are made of.

I gently brush the hair from her face as her eyes flutter open, hooking her chin and tilting her face towards me.

"Buenos días, Señora Martínez," I whisper, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Buenos días Señor Martínez," she murmured against my lips as she cupped my cheek before we broke the kiss. I rested my forehead against hers. Our eyes met. "We better get dressed before Demi and Matt arrive. We don't need her using her key and jumping onto our bed again."

I chuckled as I give her a quick kiss "Agreed we better get ready and eat before our little eager beaver gets here," I smirk. Making y/n roll her eyes.

We reluctantly leave the bed and dress. I head downstairs before Y/N as she was finishing getting ready. I made breakfast. One of Y/N's favorites, three little pigs omelets, with ham, pork breakfast sausage, and bacon, onions, green, red and yellow peppers, and tons of cheddar cheese, wheat toast, fresh orange juice, and a strawberry and banana protein smoothie.

She came downstairs with her brown hair tied back in a messy bun, a Damian Priest t-shirt, and jean shorts.

"Mm. Everything smells and looks delicious Babe," she smiles as she kissed my lips "Gracias mi dulce esposo."

"De nada, mi dulce esposa," I said against her lips as I had her Love Under the Stars playlist playing, as we hadn't taken Spotify off our TV last night. Just shut it off. God, Your Mama, And Me by Florida Georgia Line, and Backstreet Boys play throughout the house. As I wrapped an arm around y/n's waist as she held my shirt as we held the kiss a beat longer before my hand slipped to her ass cheek, cupping it before patting it "Come on let's eat before it gets cold," I held the chair and she sat before placing a napkin in her lap. She's softly singing along to the song. Making me smile.

I looked at y/n while sitting across from her. Wow, my best friend was now also my wife, I thought to myself as she picked up the orange juice, taking a long greedy drink. She licks her lips, and her eyes rise to meet mine, a smile on her coral lips.

"What?" she blushes, bringing the napkin to her lips, patting them dry.

"Just thinking," I replied as I rest my chin against my hand as I just stare at y/n.

"About?" she inquires, tilting her head slightly, looking at me as By Your Side by Sade began.

"How incredibly lucky I am to get to call you not only my best friend and my lover but now also my wife," I took her hand in mine. I caressed the back of her hand as we looked into each other's eyes.

"Amor, it is I who am incredibly lucky. I get to call you my best friend and lover but now also my husband," she smiles, as Through The Years by Kenny Rogers filled our house. "Now we should probably eat. You, after all, worked incredibly hard on this marvelous breakfast."

I smile as we begin eating, listening to a list cultivated by y/n of all the love songs that she loves, no pun intended.

"I do hope you enjoyed the breakfast, Amor," I smile at her as silence, with the exception of the music, filled the air. As we had finished eating, Y/N places her fork and butter knife down onto the plate.

"It was delicious, Corazón," she smiled, patting her mouth with the napkin. "But then again, you have always been an amazing cook and baker." She took a drink of smoothie, closing her eyes and savoring the flavor for a moment before her green eyes opened and she laid them upon me.

Dreaming of You by Selena began. Our first dance last night was to this song. Our first real dance as thirteen-year-olds was to this song. I stood up after we finished breakfast and held out my hand, "May I have this dance?" I asked.

"Yes, you may," she placed her hand into mine before rising to her feet. I took her into my arms and we began dancing in our kitchen.

I dip her, making her laugh lightly before I bring her back to an upright position. We danced as the song wound to an end. We stop, and she smiles at me, "Te amo y/n." I smile as Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) by Frank Sinatra filled the house.

"Te amo, Luis," she smiles as we stayed in each other's embrace. "We should probably clean up before our guests arrive," y/n states as Good Morning Beautiful by Steve Holy began.

"We should. Demi said they'd be back at twelve noon, and well," I checked my watch, "It's currently ten forty-five in the morning. We can clean up and then dance, at least until they arrive."

"I would very much love to dance with you, my husband," she grins at me as I took her hand, kissing the back of it.

"And I you my wife," I spin her. She giggles before we cleaned up. Placing our dirty dishes into the dishwasher.

🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷

Little Things by One Direction plays. I know it's a weird selection for two forty-two year olds, but we happened to hear it the day of our first official date at our favorite restaurant. When Y/N Shazams the song, we knew this had to be added to Y/N's Love Under the Stars playlist.

She smiles up at me as the doorbell rings just as Change Your Name by Brett Young begins. I took the clicker from the table, shutting off the song and then the TV before we went to answer the door.

Demi, Matt, and their three dogs as well as a large piece of luggage were at the door.

"Oh look y/n. They're herrrre," I say the 'they're here' like the little girl from the movie Poltergeist. Demi rolls her eyes.

"Can we come in, or do we have to pay an entrance fee now?" asked Demi.

"At least they should for you. The way you constantly interrupt them," teased Matt. Demi flipped him off as y/n and I stood aside. Bella, Luna, and Barry came charging into the house as Demi entered, followed by Matt pulling the suitcase in.

"Matt, just take the suitcase to the guest room," says y/n with a small wave of the hand. "You know where it is."

"I do. By the way do I smell coffee?" quizzed Matt.

"You do. Made a pot just for the two of you," I gesture to him and Demi.

"Ah thanks mate.," he smiles before ascending the steps to the second floor where all the bedrooms were located.

Demi helps herself to the coffee, pouring herself a mug and Matt one as well, as y/n and I still nurse our protein smoothies.

"I can't wait to hear about the welcome party for Angelo and Ginger. Of course, nothing will top yesterday's events," grins Demi, making both y/n and me smile at her before y/n turned to me, and I pressed my lips to hers. She smiles softly against my lips. "I'm going to let this slide seeing as you two are newlyweds, but um, remember it's still very awkward standing here watching you two making out."

Y/N cupped my face before we broke the kiss laughing. "Sorry about that sis," smiles y/n.

"Pft. No worries," Demi smiles as Matt came into the kitchen and Demi hands him the mug of black coffee.

"Thanks Babe," he smiles taking a drink of the coffee.

"Shall we get comfortable?" I asked.

Without another word, Demi and the dogs head to the living room, Matt following as Y/N glanced up at me, a smile curling her lips.

"It might not beat last night," she wrapped her arms around my neck as I placed my hands on her hips and smiled down at her.

"Baby, nothing is ever going to beat last night," I press a kiss to her lips as I slowly snake my arms around her, pulling her flush to my body.

"But the welcome party really was fun," she smiles as I lean in, pressing my lips to hers.

"You got that right," I chuckled as I rested my forehead against hers. I reached up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Y/N," I smiled softly.

"Y/N! LUIS! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?" yells Demi.

"We better go before she comes in and carries us into the living room," y/n giggles.

I chuckled before pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "You're right," I smiled as I snaked my arm around hers and laced our fingers together.

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"Okay so where did we leave off?" I smirk as y/n giggles lightly as I tap my chin.

"¡La fiesta de bienvenida estúpido!" says Demi exasperated. ("The welcome party, stupid!")

"Oh right. The welcome party," I nod as Demi shoots me a look.

"Well, the weight of the previous night still hung in the air the next morning;" I began.

Thursday, June 30, 2005

I woke up with y/n still sound asleep beside me. She was wearing one of my t-shirts as pajamas. She had gotten sick when we got home from One Eyed Jack's and thrown up all over her regular pajamas, so I gave her one of my t-shirts to sleep in. She was shivering lightly beside me, so I wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to me. She sighed contentedly as she settled into my body. I grinned to myself. I couldn't help but notice how perfectly she fit into me like a puzzle piece. I buried my face into the curve of her neck, and my eyes slowly closing, and I fell back asleep rather quickly.

Waking back up about two hours later, we were still tangled up in each other. My arm wrapped around hers like a vine, our fingers laced together. A smile spread across my face as y/n's eyes slowly open. She moans lightly as the sunlight hits her face.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Stupid sun," she pouts. I chuckle softly as I bring a hand up shielding her eyes.

"Better?" I asked.

She nods softly as I kissed her cheek "Muy bien," I said my lips brushing her ear making her shiver.

"That tickles Luis," she giggles.

"What?" I smirk.

"Your breath against my cheek," she murmured.

"Mm," I moved my lips to her neck "Better?"

"No. Luis that tickles even more," she giggles as I ghost my lips along the curve of her neck causing more giggles to fall from her lips as she squirms beside me making me smirk against her neck.

"Oh, it does?" I ask with a tilt of enjoyment in my voice. I leave a trail of kisses along the curve of her neck. I am well aware of what I am doing but when a soft moan replaced the giggles something awoke in me. I turned her and I pressed my lips to hers. She let out a soft moan against my lips as she wrapped her arms around my neck as I wrapped my arms around her pulling her flush to my body. The kiss turning passionate quickly. My hands slowly moving the t-shirt off her hips. I slowly moved us laying y/n onto her back and me on top. She looked up at me. Her eyes meeting mine. No words exchange but she knew what I was asking. She bit her lip and nods cupping my cheek before pressing her lips to mine. The kiss turning into more with each passing second until my bedroom door is knocked on. I pulled away so fast that I sent myself off balance, and the momentum sent me to the floor. Y/N sat up as I pulled myself up into a sitting position. "Come in," I called as I got off the floor and sat on the bed.

The door opened and pops pokes his head around it "Oh good you're up," he smiles "I made breakfast. The three little pigs omelette you enjoy, y/n."

"Oh," smiles y/n "Gracias Señor Martínez. We will be right down."

"Good," he smiles as he looked at me with a smile before closing the door.

I turned to y/n and she laughs lightly before nodding.

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"OH MY GOD! You two nearly slept together sober?!" gasped Demi.

Matt rolls his eyes "And this is why they need to charge you admission," he sighs.

Demi shoots him a look.

"Yes," y/n answered "He didn't even have to ask. I knew but," she looked at me.

"Yeah Pops sorta interrupted it," I sigh.

🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷

We walked downstairs, and Pops had the table set with three plates of omelettes at three chairs. Orange juice sat in a pitcher, and wheat toast was placed on a plate in the center of the table, with butter and a butter knife beside it.

"Oh wow, Señor Martínez, everything looks amazing!" smiles y/n as I hold her chair as she sits. She has pulled on purple and black lounge pants and is still in my t-shirt.

"Thank you y/n," says Pops sitting. I sat to y/n's right.

"She's right, pops; it looks and smells phenomenal," I comment.

"Gracias mi hijo," he smiles

I pour orange juice for y/n and myself as I was about to pour a glass for pops. He waved me off. He held up a cup of tea.

"Gracias, Luis," y/n smiles as she took a long slow drink of orange juice.

"De nada, y/n," I smile at her.

"So did you two have fun last night? I know I heard you two come in about two this morning," said Pops.

"We had fun," I smile as I glanced at y/n and she nods in agreement.

"I know dancing with you was fun," smiles y/n as she placed a hand on top of mine. "And thank you for holding my hair when I got sick almost as soon as we got back."

I reach up and brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear, cupping her cheek. Her eyes meet mine and after a long pause, I say, "Hey, you're the Baby to my Johnny," I smile.

She blushes lightly as her eyes fell away from mine "Luis," she giggles.

"What?" I ask as I turn her face to me gently, as her green eyes rise to meet mine.

"Seriously, I'm the Baby to your Johnny?" she laughs.

I grin at her. "Absolutely," I boop her nose as she smiles softly at me. My heart stopped, and my stomach did about fifty somersaults.

Pops clears his throat and we both look at him. "You two may want to stop flirting and eat. You have a welcome party to get to in Jersey in a couple of hours," saying it as more of a command than a suggestion.

"We are," y/n looks panicked I can see the wheels in her head turning trying to form the right words, "We are not flirting," blushes y/n.

"Exactly. It's playful banter," I agree.

Pops giving us the 'I wasn't born yesterday' look. "Uh huh, sure you two aren't," he says, sipping his tea.

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"I knew there was a reason I love your pops," Demi grins evilly.

Y/N and I both roll our eyes "We know we were both obvious," we laugh.

"In all fairness, you two had sex together once and were going to do it again had your," Matt points to me, "pops not interrupted."

I raise a hand as I drape my arm around y/n's shoulders.

"Okay that's true but," I began.

"No. No buts. The first time, okay? You two were blitzed. The second time? You both were stone cold sober!" Matt fairly pointed out "So he looks at you," he points to y/n "Doesn't say can I, we have sex? No. But yet you knew of what he was asking with his eyes! And she," he gestures to y/n as he looks at me "agrees to the sex without a single word exchanged. And yet? You two didn't know you liked no scratch that were in love with one another?!" he threw his hands up but he wasn't waving them like he didn't care "What was this going to be labeled? Friends with benefits?!!"

Demi gives Matt a bemused look. "Wow. And I thought I was invested?!"

Y/N tries to cover her giggle with a cough, but to no avail. The same goes for me; my smirk gave me away.

" Okay. I'm invested but I don't interrupt at least," Matt shoots back at Demi.

" But you're invested!!!" she gleefully pointed out.

Matt rolls his eyes "But really what would you two have called this one? Friends with benefits? And just blissfully went about just fucking each other and not realizing it also involved feelings?!"

"Matt. Trust me. It's no use trying to figure out why Luis and I were stupid back then. Let's focus on how we eventually came to our senses and now," she held up her

left hand as I lifted mine.

" We have and everything is now right in the world," I finished.

Demi smacks Matt on the arm "Now if you don't ask stupid

questions I won't interrupt," she says.

Matt's eyes widen "You have a deal!" he says before looking to us "Hurry this may not last long!"

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"Pops we aren't flirting!" I blush "Y/N and I," I glance at y/n "We are. Um. We are having playful banter."

"Luis, I may have been born at night but it certainly wasn't last night. It's just not the words leaving your lips. It's the gestures and the looks you two do! It's not a bad thing. You two can flirt all you want. You're adults. Flirting is not against the law regardless of what I or anyone may have told you two as kids," Y/N and I exchanged looks before both of us began laughing, making Pops smile as he had told ten-year-old us that flirting would get us locked up in prison.

"We know," y/n offers him a sweet smile "Although ten year old me was terrified that if we even looked at each other crossed eyed the police would arrest me."

Pops chuckled, "Sorry about scaring you like that y/n," as he pats y/n's hand.

"Señor Martínez, trust me. It was what we needed. Granted, I kinda wish I could have just listened to you back when I was sixteen," her voice trailing off as her face grew somber.

"The choices we make help us learn and grow," Pops offers. "And well, that was a lesson that helped you learn and grow, y/n. And they have made you an even better person because you're already a pretty amazing person. I understand how my son loves you as much as he does."

"Thank you Sir," she smiles.

"Pops is right y/n," I smile, taking y/n's hand in mine. "And we can't change the past, but we can look ahead to the future, and I want you in mine for as long as you will have me in yours."

"Siempre y para siempre," she smiles as her eyes fill with tears.

I don't even think twice before reaching up and cupping her cheek as I wipe away the tears from her face.

"You got it," I whisper softly as I lean over, pressing a kiss to her forehead. I hear a soft sigh leave her lips, making my heart swell. I place my forehead against hers, our eyes meeting as she gives me a smile.

"Your pops is right, though we should eat. I still have to shower before we leave."

I chuckle lightly because she had a point. We began eating. The only sound was that of utensils hitting the plate every once in a while. The birds' song drifted from outside.

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I am driving to Cape May, New Jersey, as that's where Ginger's grandparents have a mansion and where the welcome party is being held. Now y/n and I didn't plan it but we wound up matching. She wore a black cocktail dress with cap sleeves with a lilac sash at the waist. I wore a black suit with a lilac tie.

Y/N giggles lightly as she watches the world go by out the passenger window. I smirk before turning my head slightly to look at her.

"What's so funny?" I chuckled.

"How we unintentionally match," she says looking at her hands in her lap "You know I would've changed."

"Y/N. I could've too. I mean, I could've borrowed a tie from my pops," I shrug lightly as I keep my eyes ahead of me on the road. Before I took my free hand, I placed it over hers. "I mean, we are paired together for the wedding on Monday anyways, so why not match?" I glance at her, giving her my cheesiest smile, making her giggle lightly before rolling her eyes.

"Luis. You're a giant ass dork. I do hope you know that," she teased me as I pull up to the security station at the gate for Ginger's grandparents mansion.

I rolled down the window trying to not chuckle at what she said.

"IDs and state your business!" said the gruff-looking security guard.

Y/N reached her hand across me, handing the security guard her driver's license. He looked at the license and then at Y/N. She gave him a small, innocent smile. He checked a list in his hand, making a check mark before handing her back her driver's license.

I finally grabbed my wallet and handed the security guard my driver's license. He studies it before checking his list and making another check mark. He hands me my driver's license back before stepping onto the platform that the security guard house sat upon. He hit a button and the large intricate iron gates open. I pull forward my license still in hand.

"Okay, that guard was scary," y/n says, looking over her shoulder.

I nod as I drive up a winding driveway. An immaculate house sat at the end of the driveway.

"That's their vacation home?!" I exclaimed.

Y/N let out a low whistle as she leans forward "I-I wow," she said.

"Right?" I said as I looked at my old suit before looking at y/n. "And suddenly, I feel completely underdressed."

Y/N glanced down at her dress before looking at me "Same amigo."

We both looked at the house again as I pulled up to a valet stand. They opened the doors and we got out. I quickly made a beeline for y/n as she was being gawked at by a couple of the valets. I protectively wrapped an arm around her while glaring at them.

"Do we have a problem?" I sneer. "I would recommend removing your eyes from my girlfriend," y/n's head snapped towards me, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly agape. "Unless you want me to remove them for you," I step behind y/n, placing my hands on her shoulders before steering her towards the mansion.

We get to the stairs and immediately come to y/n's side, draping an arm around her shoulders. We climb them as y/n looks at me, her face still set in a small state of shock.

"Luis, what was that back there?" she glanced behind us as I did the same. The valets quickly removed their eyes from y/n.

"That?" I point my thumb behind us "was me seeing you uncomfortable and me protecting you."

"Thank you Luis," she said as a man dressed in a tuxedo opened the door for us.

"You're welcome," I smile, escorting you into the house by the small of her back.

Angelo comes up to us with two flutes of champagne.

"You guys made it," he smiles.

"Well no shit dumb ass," said y/n sipping the champagne "A I'm family and B we are a bridesmaid and groomsman. We are kinda required by law to be at the welcome party for the wedding," y/n laughs making me chuckle.

Angelo shook his head, "Mingle. I have to get," before we hear a squeak and a small brunette comes running towards us.

"Y/N!! Uncle Luis!!!!!" screamed Layla as she crashed into my legs, making me stumble backwards, but Y/N grabbed my hand without hesitation, steadying me.

"Layla Jolene Ottomano, what have we told you about playing linebacker?" scolded Angelo. "Apologize to Uncle Luis."

Layla looks up at me with the same green eyes y/n has. "Sorry Uncle Luis," she says before turning to Angelo. "I was just happy to see them."

"I know, but we walk calmly towards people," explained Angelo as I stoop and picked up Layla. She threw her arms around my neck before kissing my cheek.

"I really am sorry, Uncle Luis," Layla nods emphatically as she turns to Y/N with a huge smile on her face. "Y/N, you and Uncle Luis match! Does that mean you love each other?" Angelo nearly choked on his champagne.

Y/N blushes as she polished off her first flute of champagne before grabbing another from a passing waiter, flawlessly putting the empty one on the tray. "It was a happy accident," says y/n quickly taking another drink of champagne making me chuckle. Y/N gives me a look and I hit her with the grin I knew made her weak. I see the smirk form on Angelo's face. Y/N mumbles under her breath making me smirk even more.

"Layla Jolene?!" calls Ginger.

I kissed the side of Layla's head before putting her on the floor. "You better go. Your mom is looking for you," I said. Layla quickly hugs Y/N before running off. I shook my head as Y/N looked at me before she walked further into the house. I followed her. I gently grabbed her hand, pulling her into a small alcove off the living room. "You okay?"

"Yeah why wouldn't I be?" y/n asked.

"Squish I saw your face with what Layla asked."

"And she's three. She doesn't understand," Y/N shook her head. "Luis, I'm good," she reached up, cupping my cheek. "I promise. With everything I am," she offered me a smile, immediately making me weak-kneed. "Okay. Let's go mingle."

"But," I begin to protest as she gave me a simple look, one I knew meant the discussion was over and I was simply not to bring it up again. "Okay. Fine. It's dropped," she left the small alcove and I followed.

🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷

A while later....

Y/N and I were talking with Bianca and her boyfriend, Anson Mckinney when I see Bianca's eyes grow wide and y/n does too. She quickly turned to where Bianca was looking. It's Lucia!

"What the fuck is she doing here?" y/n hissed at Bianca.

Bianca shrugged, "I honestly do-" Bianca stopped as Lucia hugged Ginger's mom, Karen. I think our mouths dropped at the same time.

"I'm not drunk nearly enough for this," y/n shook her head before heading to the bar poolside. Bianca quickly followed her. Me? I'm rooted to the spot as Lucia sees me. A smile passes her lips before she exchanges some final words with Karen. She saunters towards me as Anson looks at me before looking at Lucia.

"Well look at that. My watch is telling me it's time to get the f out of here," he quickly hurried off outside.

Chicken, I thought as Lucia stepped in front of me. She wore a fake smile that almost matched her fake everything else.

"Luis. What a surprise," she bats her eyelashes as I roll my eyes. "I didn't expect you here. Mrs. Fitzpatrick didn't say anything about you being here."

"Oh come off it Lucia. You knew damn well I would be. You know Angelo is one of my closest friends and I'm a groomsmen. You work at the bridal shop Ginger got her gown at."

Lucia laughed as she tried to touch my forearm, but I took a step back. "Oopsie, that's right," she stepped closer to me. I tried to step around her, but she blocked me. "Oh come on, Luis. This is fate. Two times in as many days of us seeing each other. We're meant to be."

I scoff as I look at Lucia before my eyes moved to find y/n. She was at the bar with Bianca watching us.

"Read my lips. You," I point to her, "and me," I point to myself, "are never getting back together. I would be a damn fool if I did. So please don't flatter yourself."

I walked around her as I started walking away, "Luis, all you will ever be is street trash!" she yells. I looked up and saw the flash of anger pass over y/n's face. Bianca did too as y/n set her drink down before making a beeline straight for Lucia, Bianca closely at y/n's heels.

I put one arm out, wrapping it around y/n's waist as Salvatore and Bruno escorted Lucia out. I carried y/n straight to an empty room off the massive living room. I set y/n on her feet as I shut the door.

"Why did you stop me?" she asked, her eyes still burning with anger.

"Well, let's see. You, um, take Lucia out; you have a room full of witnesses that could and most probably would testify against you, especially Ginger's family members. Two, you don't want to ruin Angelo's day, do you?"

"I might. What was that bitch even doing here in the first place?" y/n asks exasperated.

"I got a feeling Karen arranged it."

"Because of course she did," y/n's face contorts in anger "If she wasn't Layla's grandma."

"I know. Bang. Boom. Zoom. To the moon," I said as I wrapped y/n in my arms. She is physically shaking with anger. "Hey, it's going to be okay. Sal and Mr. Ottomano took her out already."

Y/N giggles as she has her face buried in my chest. She picks her head up and looks at me, "You know you can call him Bruno, right? He has literally given you permission to do so."

She keeps her arms around my torso as she smiles up at me. I look at her, and a smile of my own reflects back at her. "I know, but he is my friend's father. My parents have always.." She placed a finger to my lips.

"I get it. And it is really really sweet how you still do it," she stood on tip toe before pressing a kiss to my cheek. As the door opened and Bianca walked in.

"There you two are. What the hell happened?" she said to me. "Why did you stop, y/n?"

"Didn't want to see her get arrested," I admit, as Bianca hands y/n her drink back.

"Fair," nods Bianca as Anson walked in.

"Um, they need you three for pictures," he gestures to y/n, Bianca, and me.

"And so it begins," Bianca sighed, as we left the room, following Anson as he took us to a garden where professionally done photos were being taken of Angelo, Ginger, Layla, their families, and the wedding party.

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"Wait, so you're ending it there?!" asked Demi, as Matt looked at her. Y/N had been passed out the better part of an hour on my lap. Bella, Luna, and Barry joining her in slumber-land on the floor.

"Babe, it's one thirty. I think this story is over," Matt explained, and I nod sleepily. "Besides, y/n crashed out over an hour ago. Dogs too. I'm about to. Let's go to sleep!"

"But!" protests Demi.

"Later we can tell you about Layla's fourth birthday party at the amusement park and how y/n and I got trapped on top of the ferris-wheel, but for now, let's focus on something else, like sleep," I said.

Demi pouts but reluctantly nods her head "Fine," she murmured as Matt and her leave.

I gently scoop y/n up, shutting the lights off before ascending the stairs with y/n tucked safely in my arms as I make my way to our bedroom. Yes, another story was told and later a new one would begin, but for now, now it's sleep o'clock.

Tag List: @eringobragh420 @magicalbuttertarts @madhatterbri @keekee-23 @loki69zowens @caramara3 @bloodlinesbabe93 @miss-kuki-nz @surdelcielo

[electricneonvalkyrie]

Two things. I made the colossal mistake of turning all my gym buddies into fans of TLOU.

Now, my phone is blowing up with “IVES! Can you believe this? No WAY they have this tiny actress playing Abby. Tell me it’s not true.”

I thought maybe I’d share my opinions on this, but for now, let’s just dive straight into some Abby Anderson WLF GYM RAT headcanons because you know what? Our girl, without a doubt, is too busy lifting heavy ass iron plates to come to the phone right now.

Gonna have to leave her a message after the beep.

Manny lifted a shitty MP3 player from some wide-eyed recruit who badmouthed Abby when she wasn’t around.

If you've met Manny, you know he's not cool with people dissing his best friend. He proudly wrenched the device from their shaking hands and immediately hunted Abby down to present it to her.

The thing is, she never remembers to charge it.

Does she leave her earbuds in long after the battery has died, and the music stops playing? Yes. This keeps overly talkative soldiers away and blocks out the worst of their chatter, which is her intention.

She doesn’t totally hate the silent barrier, since it creates an aura of unapproachability.

She does, however, hate that Manny is the only one who never falls for it.

“You know… I went through a lot of trouble to get you that thing,” Manny says, giving Abby’s sneaker a generous kick as she repositions herself on the bench.

Abby glares up at him with a slow, deliberate roll of her eyes. “You stole it.”

“Semantics. Don’t change the subject, hermana.”

“From a recruit who was shitting his pants,” Abby snorts, shaking her head at his attempt at gallantry. She lets out a smug puff of air and lifts the barbell off the rack. “Spot me or move.”

Manny throws a hand to his chest, a theatrical sigh escaping his lips, before smoothly shifting into position behind her. “He was talking shit. I defended your honour!”

“By bullying a kid,” Abby hisses, the barbell rising and falling in a hypnotic rhythm above her chest. Her knuckles turn white from the pressure, her arms starting to shake as fatigue sets in. Her veins press against her freckled skin as she battles the urge to quit. “You want a medal for being a dick? Real noble, Manny.”

The weight strains her muscles as she lowers the bar slowly, her jaw a rigid line, teeth gritted in fierce concentration.

“For you, I do these things,” Manny gasps dramatically, his hands hovering nearby as she squeezes her eyes shut for the final rep. “And this is how you repay me?”

The bench groans under Abby's final push, the bar clanging harshly as the weight settles back onto the rack, a metallic shriek echoing through the quiet gym.

“If you spent half as much time training as you do running your mouth, you’d be dangerous,” Abby smirks.

With a sharp suck of his teeth, Manny tosses a tattered, damp towel at her head. “Next time, I’m letting it crush you.”

Speaking of things that crush, Abby exclusively carries stainless steel water bottles because they can also be used as weapons in emergencies. She doesn’t fuck with plastic. She also despises anything that condensates because it’s a sensory ick. The only time she likes her hands all slippery and wet is when—

She has multiple items in her gym bag that double as weapons, but you'll have to brave the overwhelming stench of sweat and old gym socks to find them. Despite her neat habits, Isaac's sudden assignments leave her flustered, and she occasionally neglects to empty her duffel bag. (Reason #57 that she desperately needs a girlfriend!)

Always vigilant, Abby never takes a bench or machine where someone can creep up on her. She strategically positions herself in the gym with her back to a wall, allowing her a clear view of the comings and goings of everyone around her.

If it allows her to sneak glances at you while you're deep in a squat, you’ll probably never know because you make her so nervous.

She’s in and out of the barracks showers. But when she gets the rare opportunity to shower alone, she takes her time. She loves the way her favourite pine soap lathers into a rich, creamy foam that feels cool and refreshing as it runs down her powerful body.

Also, a little birdie introduced her to the different settings on the showerhead in her apartment and with that post-workout high, her skin all flushed and dappled with sweat, she likes to… explore them.

What? Her muscles are sore. 😏

As you can probably imagine, I have about three thousand headcanons for Abby in the gym. If you dig this one, I'll happily share more. Cheers!

[leaf4e]

logged in for the first time this year

[teeth-draws]

Hhhhighschool au bus ride with trouble from @shepherds-of-haven ;;;; haha

[aromanticasterisms]

man.

[gh0stsp1d3r]

would you write dark!rafe x kidnapped!maybank!reader who’s developing stockholm syndrome & when the pogues find her shes worried about him cause jj hit him & he’s bleeding & doesn’t want to leave with them. rafe is all cocky about it but they forcefully take her home

- DEBT

div below by @/miuji, div above by @/cafekitsune

WARNINGS: kidnapping, stockholm syndrome, dark!rafe, fighting, mentions of guns, blood, like one use of the word “good girl.” Reader is hinted at to be a little naive/dumb… Yeahh… this is fucked up I love it

AUTHORS NOTE: this is definitely not an accurate representation of Stockholm syndrome, but I tried my best ! Not proofread

Technically, this wasn’t even supposed to be the plan.

Him and Barry were meant to barge in, cover both ends of the house, and steal their money back. If JJ was there, one of them would keep him down. It was a solid plan, in their opinion.

Although, they had forgotten to take another factor into consideration. You.

JJ had mostly kept you shielded from the world, despite you being his older sister, he still cared about you and wanted to protect you. You’ve already been through so much with your dad, why add onto it? You took care of him before, now he’s taking care of you.

You were sitting on the bed, a book in front of your face with no care in the world. You had your headphones on full blast, mostly to block out the noise of the broken fridge and the noise of passing cars along the road near your house.

“Looks empty.” Barry spoke, Rafe nodding at him, pursing his lips.

“I’ll cover the rooms.” Rafe spoke, his heavy footsteps walking towards the narrow hallway. He paused for a moment when he heard the sound of faint music playing through one door, pushing his ear to the door.

He pulled his gun out, cocking it, fully preparing for JJ to be there.

When he opened the door, he wasn’t met with the sight of the blonde boy. Instead, he was met with the sight of pink walls and a white bed, with stuffed animals lined all on the back.

You looked up at him, letting out a scream and dropping your book. You raced to the drawer you knew had a gun hidden in it, but he was quicker, grabbing your wrist and holding it in a tight grip.

He pinned you down onto the bed, causing you let out a cry that was muffled when he put his hand over your mouth.

“Shut up, shut up!” He whisper yelled, you looking up at him with wide eyes.

“Yo, Rafe! What the fuck happened?” Barry asked as he barged into the room, looking between you and Rafe. You were sobbing at this point, confused and fearful.

“Shit…” he said with a rather amused chuckle, “Looks like we got ourselves somethin’ better than the money.”

Rafe ignored him, turning to look down at you now.

“If I take my hand off of your mouth, will you scream?”

You shook your head frantically, him letting go and holding his hands up, still pinning you to the bed. You looked between him and Barry, fear evident on your face. ���What do you want?” You sobbed out, your voice broken.

God, you were pretty when you cried, Rafe thought to himself.

“We want to know where your brother put our damn money.” Barry spoke from behind Rafe.

“What- what money? I don’t know why you’re talking about.” You answered honestly.

Barry tsked, “It’s a nice lil room you got here, princess. Would hate for somethin’ to happen to it.” He spoke, picking a stuffed animal up off your bed.

“I’m being honest! I swear! He-he said something to his friend about him taking it somewhere, but I swear, I don’t know anything else!” You exclaimed, Rafe staring down at you, lightly shoving you further into the bed when you raised your voice.

“Don’t yell.”

“Oh, we believe you, sweetheart. But that’s the problem. See, your brother owes us a debt. A large one.” Barry murmured, “And if we don’t get our money… well… we need to take something, you know? Just to let him know we’re serious.”

Rafe looked to him with a furrowed eyebrow now.

“No, no, no, no-“ you began, “Please- I can-“

“Shh. Shh.” He told you, pressing a finger to his own lips. “I get it, you know, rough situation. But, until your brother gets us that money, I’m afraid we’re still owed somethin’. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Barry looked to Rafe, nodding. Rafe got off of you, pulling you off of the bed, and grabbed your hands, using a bandana, JJ’s bandana, off the floor, tying your arms and legs, and dragging you out of the house and throwing you into his truck.

You overheard a conversation up front with the two.

“Nah, man, I can’t keep her-“

“Bro, I live in a fucking trailer park. You live in a goddamned mansion.” Barry pointed to Rafe. “I ain’t got no room at my place. And if the cops come lookin’ for her, they more likely to trust you.”

Rafe sighed, nodding for a moment. “Shit, shit, alright.”

For weeks you fought against Rafe, screaming and yelling at him whenever you could.

You were tied up to the edge of his bed, so he could always keep an eye on you. Most of the time, he got annoyed, lashed out, and ended up putting tape over your mouth to shut you up.

You got tired, exhausted of fighting him. And you found yourself… simply letting go. It felt so much easier to do that, so much easier to listen, just so you wouldn’t have to hear his abuse.

There was ever so often he had a little compassion and sympathy for you. He would spoon feed you when you found yourself not eating or refusing to, and he would untie you when you complained about how your wrists hurt, letting you roam around the house, with him by your side, of course.

He even started to give you rewards for being a “good girl” as he said, dessert, time outside with him, little kisses on the forehead. It was his way of conditioning you.

You became dependent on him during your stay at Tannyhill, forcing you to become even closer with the boy.

And honestly, you learned to like it. Because that’s what you had to do in order to survive.

While Rafe was much more lenient now, even letting you sleep on his bed with him, though still tyed up, there was one thing he would not let you have.

Screen time.

Your face was plastered on the local news, a sweet little picture of you and your brother, your arms wrapped around each other, with a beaming smile on your face.

Shoupe even got on the news to talk about latest developments in the case- and there was only one that pointed to Rafe.

One of your neighbors squeaked and spoke about how they heard screaming coming from the house after they saw a black pick up truck drive past them. The sweet old neighbors went to check on you, but you weren’t home.

JJ spoke desperately, pointing to the picture as well, before the news switched to some other story.

Rafe clicked his teeth as he watched the news story, turning off the tv and making sure all his doors were locked. There’s no way someone would pick up on that. A black pick up truck could be anyone on the outer banks.

Sarah was the one to point out the fact that Rafe had a black pick up truck, and it was then that they realized that they had stolen from him and Barry.

JJ hopped on his bike, revving his engine and breaking a few speeding laws as he drove to figure eight.

You were sitting on the floor when Rafe walked back in, he grabbed your wrists, untying you, and making you stand up. He threw you over his shoulder, you letting out a surprised yelp at the action.

As soon as he went downstairs, he heard frantic knocking on the door, shouting and yelling of his name. Your head shot up, recognizing the voice.

“JJ?”

“Shit.” He mumbled, looking around for a moment, before looking to a closet. He shoved you in there, you looking around the large closet. He turned off the light, you looking at him now.

He put his finger to his mouth, telling you to be quiet. “Stay here, alright? You know what’s gonna happen if you don’t.”

You nodded, swallowing the lump that formed in your throat, his warning hanging in the air as he shut the door to the closet, leaving you in the dark.

He walked to the front door, looking through the peephole to find JJ, Pope, John B, Sarah and Kie all standing outside. He was outnumbered, whether he’d like to admit it or not.

“The fuck do you want?” Rafe shouted, the pausing stopping for a moment.

“We know you have my sister!” JJ shouted angrily, “Where the fuck is she?”

“What? What are you talking about?” Rafe feigned confusion. “Are you serious right now?! You- you come here, asking me for your sister, a-accusing me of kidnapping her?! With no proof!” He stammered, his back facing the door, biting his nails, a nervous habit he’d picked up.

“You’re lying! Someone saw a black pick up truck at the house. We know it was you, Rafe!” Sarah shouted now.

“Listen, if you guys don’t leave, I’m gonna call the cops.”

“Then open the door! Prove it.” John B spoke now. Rafe thought for a moment, glancing at the hallway the closet was in, and sighing. He turned around, knowing they would be relentless and wouldn’t leave unless he opened the door, and turned the door knob.

“Happy?” He retorted, opening the door wide to show the empty house, although, it was then that JJ saw a figure peeking behind the wall.

“Y/n!” He exclaimed, your eyes widening and you retreating back inside, away from the door. Rafe looked back, his jaw clenching.

JJ bit the inside of his cheek, before he balled his hands into a fist, and threw a punch at Rafe.

Rafe chuckled as he took a step back, his hands going to his face, wiping off blood from his nose.

“You wanna go, Maybank?” He sneered, towering over the boy. He stepped outside, and got punched in the face again, before the both of them tumbled to the ground, John B joining in as well.

You watched the scene, your heart pounding against your chest and your eyes locked in on Rafe, getting hit and trying to hit your brother and his friend back.

You couldn’t take it anymore. You ran outside, shouting JJ’s name. He paused, all movement stopping to look at you. JJ got off of Rafe, going to hug you before you avoided him, stepping away from him.

Rafe had a small smile on his face, standing up as well. He stood next to you, you looking up at him with a small frown on your face.

JJ watched with his jaw slack as he watched you fret over Rafe, standing on your tippy toes and using your sweater sleeve to wipe the blood off his face.

“What the fuck? Y/n! He kidnapped you!” JJ exclaimed.

“Sorry, man. Guess your sister just…” he clicked his teeth, “likes me more.” He looked down at you with a cocky smile on his face, leaning down to kiss your forehead.

You looked to JJ now, Rafe mumbling to you how he’s okay, and it’s nothing to worry about.

“Y/n… please- I know you want to go home.”

You glanced back up at Rafe, staring up at him for a moment, and turning back to JJ.

“He’s a good guy, Jay.” As soon as the words left your mouth, Rafe was grinning a like the chesire cat and the pogues looked even more confused.

“What the fuck?” John B mumbled under his breath, Sarah looking at Kiara with worry on both their faces.

In Popes mind, he was working out what this could be. That’s when it popped into his mind, the term. He’s learned it before through some book he read, his eyes drifting to Rafe.

“W-what? What are you talking about, y/n?” JJ asked, “Whatever- whatever mind control shit he did to you, it isn’t real, alright?”

“She has Stockholm syndrome.” Pope murmured, all eyes snapping to him now. Rafes eyes narrowed.

“Look, whatever bullshit you guys think I did to her, I didn’t, alright? So just..” he waved his hand, “go back to your side of the island, I don’t wanna see you here until I got my money, alright? Then we can talk ‘bout...” Rafe glanced at you. “But hey, that’s even if she wants to go back with you.”

JJ didn’t waste another moment, running towards Rafe and tumbling onto the ground with him, getting into the second fight of the day with him. You stepped back, shouting Rafe’s name, when you felt arms around your waist.

You screamed again, feeling someone pick you up off of the ground and throw you over their shoulder, you hitting your fists and kicking them.

“Let me go!”

John B threw you into the car, him shouting JJs name. They all got into the Twinkie, you being practically held down again, watching through the windows as Rafe stood up, his hand holding his jaw.

He panted, looking at the car, he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

He would get you and his money back, he’s sure of it.

Taglist:

@moonssyrup @koibleufish @anamiad00msday @wearemadeofstardust0

[blacktabbygames]

We're thrilled to announce that Slay the Princess — The Pristine Cut is releasing on PC, Mac, Linux, and consoles on October 24th! Please enjoy this animated trailer ^^

For those of you who aren't aware, The Pristine Cut is a free upgrade to the base game, that among other things:

Expands the game by roughly 35%. This means thousands of new voice lines, over a thousand new illustrations, and 17 tracks of brand new music.

Adds significant glow-ups for The Fury, The Den, and the Apotheosis, each of which has over three times as much stuff to see as they had in the base game.

Introduces three brand new Princesses that branch off of The Damsel, the Prisoner, and the Spectre.

Adds an entirely new ending to the game.

Adds a deep, interactive gallery to help you chart your progress across over 420 unlocks and that brings back your best (and worst) memories with the Princess.

Provides subtitle support for: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, European Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, German, Polish, French, Russian, and Italian.

Brings the game to consoles — PS4 + 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox! And if you're the sort who collects things, both the PS5 and Nintendo Switch versions are getting a physical release, including a collector's edition!

And for those of you who have been waiting for an EU-friendly version version of the collector's edition that doesn't get hit by a ton of import fees, we're thrilled to finally reveal that we have one! Its contents are a little different from the US version of the CE — it swaps out the statue for a poster — but it should be a much more affordable alternative!

But wait, there's more!

You know how The Pristine Cut is coming out the day after Slay the Princess' one year anniversary? Well... we've also got something for you on 

the one year anniversary itself! Join us, Jonny, Nichole and Brandon for a big ol' livestream on our Twitch channel. Abby will be drawing EACH Princess live (new Pristine Cut princesses excluded), we'll be chatting about what it was like to work on the game, and we'll even be playing through one of the many paths through an expanded Pristine Cut route to give you a little taste of what's to come!

AND THAT'S NOT ALL!

We've also got you covered on the merch front! T-shirts and optical illusion Spectre keychains are now available on Serenity Forge's website, and for all of you Pin-Heads, we even have some extra Pinny Arcade Princess pins from this year's PAX West. Get 'em while they're hot!

And finally, a teaser for what's to come. I think you'll all really like what we've got cooking here >:3

Thank you all so much for your love and support — it's because of all of you that we're able to take big, ambitious swings with our work. If you haven't had the chance yet and you liked Slay the Princess, consider picking up our other Equally Good visual novel, Scarlet Hollow, which will be getting an enormous fifth episode next year!

All the best, Tony and Abby

[lyonnerileyauthor]

kicking around this idea of a bunch of satyrs crossing from the fae realm to ours for one night, on the winter solstice. they come to dance and play, their wild music filling the night air.

that's what draws you to them, hearing lutes on the wind. you follow the sound into a clearing, where the satyrs leap and twirl in a single mass around the bonfire. you find yourself entranced, swept up into their storm, and soon you're spinning and dancing along with them.

they creep closer to you, curious about this human among them. all of them are naked and so, they tear your clothes off of you, exposing you to the night air. they dance closer, their cocks emerging from furry sheaths as they circle tighter and tighter around you.

one picks you up and sets you on a stump as the music rises to a frantic pitch, the drums beating in a rough staccato. the first slides his cock into your mouth while another lifts your hips, revealing you to the sky. they take turns licking you, tasting you, marveling in that sweet, human flavor.

but then they turn needy, each of them clamoring to fuck you. the biggest goes first, slicking you up with his cum before pushing inside you. once he's emptied himself, the next one lines up, using the other's seed to make his way easier. they use you like this until you've cum so many times, the stars have fallen from the sky and landed around your head.

when the sun rises, the music slows, and the satyrs find their way back to the fae realm. you wake up on the forest floor, and if it weren't for their seed dripping out of you, you would wonder if it happened at all.

[anistarrose]

I'd like to propose a dark horse candidate for the most interesting line in The Book of Bill. And it's this near-unreadable, seemingly one-off joke from the "Skin" page:

[ID: tiny text reading: "Help! This is not Bill Cipher. My name is Grebley Hemberdreck of Zimtrex 5. I'm one of thousands of beings Bill has devoured over trillions of years whose souls are now trapped inside him. You have to free me! It's horrible in here. He just keeps playing the song "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark on an endless loop. Please, please, this is not a joke! The Zimtrexians were once a proud and mighty people, but now our spirits long for release from this..." End ID.]

Okay, so Bill devours souls who then live out a horrible existence inside him. That's just some typical and expected Bill behavior, right? Nothing to be shocked by? Maybe not, but one thing jumps out at me... and of all things, it's the way that Bill keeps playing that Beach Boys parody (correction provided by @fexalted: no, not in fact a Smiley Smile parody, but a real song!) on loop.

Because in The Book of Bill, there's a recurring motif of characters playing music for a very specific reason: to repel an unwanted presence inside their head. This is what Elias Inkwell, and later Ford, did with the "It's A Small World" parody — they tried to keep Bill out of their brains. Or, metaphorically... to drown out his voice.

[ID: a Journal 3 page with a cassette taped inside. It's titled: "The World Is Small Ever After for Always." Ford writes: "If it's war you want, it's war you'll get! If you want to torture me? I'll torture you back!" End ID.]

That doesn't necessarily mean that Bill finds the voices of devoured souls to be troubling, let alone downright haunting, does it? Well... not quite on its own. But there's a "color" code on the page about TV static that says a lot:

[ID: a code consisting of colorful squares, translated to letters that spell out: "he never sleeps he never dreams but somehow still he hears their screams." End ID] (screenshot courtesy of @fexiled)

The context of the page implies these "screams" come to Bill especially when he listens to TV static, and the broader context of the book implies that these are the screams of his destroyed home dimension, Euclydia. Therefore, not necessarily those of the souls he devoured, from Zimtrex 5 and possibly other dimensions.

Except... do those two things really have to be mutually exclusive?

The beings that Bill devoured were accumulated over "trillions" of years, plural, according to Grebley. In Weirdmageddon 1, Bill claims to have resided in the Nightmare Realm for precisely "one trillion" years. So the "devouring" habit probably extends back even further than his time in the Nightmare Realm...

Enter @acetyzias, pointing out a very conspicuous word — and one of the only uncensored words — from Bill's description of destroying his home dimension:

[ID: the word "mandibles". End ID.]

Oh, and how does Bill describe the "monster" that destroyed his home to Ford, when Ford asks about revenge?

[ID: Journal excerpt reading: "Sixer, it would eat you alive." End ID.]

For a long time, Bill's destruction of his home has been associated with fire, even when the story's told by Bill himself. But through the way the book characterizes Bill's guilt — and characterizes how the consequences of what he's done remain lurking deep inside him — I think The Book of Bill lays out the hints for another motif: devouring.

And, well, when it comes to how Bill destroys things... it wouldn't be without precedent.

[ID: screenshot of Bill in Weirdmageddon 3, taking a bite out of the Earth. End ID.]

[chamiryokuroi]

So if you guys didn’t know gentrification in Mexico is currently a big issue we are dealing with, from the “expats” raising prices of homes (expats my ass, call them what they are, illegal immigrants) to how now they are complaining that banda music should not be allowed in the beaches. It all came to a head when an hotel on the coast city of Mazatlan prohibited people from playing banda on “their” beach because it was ruining the experience for their gringo (Americans) residents.

Now here’s the thing, private beaches are not legal in Mexico, all coast lines are public and they can’t be blocked or regulated like that, so the hotel has legally no say.

That has not stopped them because money does make the world go round apparently, so the bandas are now demanding their right to play where they have for decades.

Now personally I do not like banda, I don’t hate it, but it is not my first choice of music, yet I fully support them because no gringo is going to come my country and try and control our culture.

[heavysighing-dreamyeyes]

The Alley (and Your Boyfriend?)

Minors, ageless and blank blogs do not interact. Smut written with AFAB reader in mind. ~2.8k words

Jason Todd is your ex-boyfriend. Kind of. You dated, yeah, sure. But it was in high school, years ago now. You had moved away before the school year had finished, and both of you agreed to remain friends, to keep in touch.

Life had different plans for both of you. The last time you had been in Gotham was for his funeral, so you think you deserve some leeway if you're staring at the man across the bar who looks just like him. Well, not exactly like him.

You're supposed to be celebrating your new job in Gotham, the apartment you've finally unpacked with your friends, but his eyes.

You could never forget the color of Jason Todd's eyes. Not when he was your first everything. Not when you know how his eyes would glint before he stole a kiss. How they would shine as he whispered sweet nothings and pretty promises.

(Okay, so maybe he was more to you than you're willing to admit. Maybe he wasn't just kind of your boyfriend.)

You'd probably be lost in thought over the color of his eyes for the rest of night, if his gaze didn't happen to meet yours.

Heat spreads across your face, and you duck your head. Shit. He caught you staring. The big, attractive man across the bar who has the eyes of your dead ex-boyfriend caught you staring.

That's fine. Mortifying, yes, but you quickly focus back on whatever your friends are talking about, trying to play it off.

You're finishing your drink, hoping he brushed you off, when a low voice cuts in, "Can I buy you another drink?"

Your eyes snap up to meet Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome. Your train of thought halts to a stop, he's ever prettier up close.

Before you've even managed to find your words, your friends are pushing you up and out of your seat, scrambling over each other to agree that he can absolutely buy you a drink.

He tilts his head a little at you, feet firmly planted against the ground as he waits for you to answer, "Is that a yes from you, doll?"

"I– yes. Thanks," You stumble out, and you might have gone a little weak in the knees at his grin.

He guides you over to the bar, and holds up two fingers as the bartender comes over. "Whiskey, and whatever they want."

You ask for a refill of your drink and sit beside him at the bar before introducing yourself.

He raises an eyebrow at you, "I'm Jason."

"My ex was named Jason," You blurt out, then wince. That's probably not what anyone wants to hear when they're introducing themselves. And it's definitely not what they want to hear while trying to pick someone up at a bar.

He hums thoughtfully, "I don't remember breaking up with you."

You blink at him, is that some kind of a pick-up line? "No, I meant, I really dated someone named Jason in high school."

He grins at you, "I know. I was there."

You frown a little, "Like in the same class?"

He laughs. It's a really pretty sound, if you weren't so confused, you would have swooned, "No, doll. Don't tell me you don't recognize me?"

Your gaze hardens, "If this is some kind of a joke–"

He says your name, effectively cutting you off, "It's me."

"He died," You murmur, so quiet it almost gets lost under the beat of the music.

He shrugs, and pushes your drink towards you as the bartender sets it down, "I got better."

"Prove it," You retort, fingers tapping the glass of your drink. You're this close to up and leaving. It makes your stomach churn, not knowing what game this man is playing.

He gives you a familiar, lopsided grin, "Prove that I got better?"

You scoff and go to stand up, but you waver at how he actually seems upset over it.

"Hey, hey, wait," he protests, holding out an arm to block you from leaving, "We had our first kiss in the back of Wayne Manor, in that old gazebo covered in vines. You asked me out because I was so obviously head over heels for ya, but I was too scared to ask. You said you'd wait for me when your family moved, and I said I'd wait for you too."

Your breath hitches at his rambling, it's–all of it is true. Memories you held close to your chest but never let yourself relive because of how much they hurt, the bittersweetness of it all. "Jason," You breathe out.

He relaxes, and smiles at you, "Yeah."

"How are you..." You trail off, taking in every inch of him. How much he's grown. How much he's changed.

He rubs the back of his neck, "It's, uh, a long story. It's not very nice either."

You nod slowly, "We don't have to talk about it."

He looks genuinely surprised, "We don't?"

"No, it's just good to, you know, see you," You tell him. It's the truth, whatever story he's carrying, whatever events brought him here, doesn't really matter right now. Not as long as he's alive and in front of you.

"It's good to see you too," Jason tells you, and you feel butterflies when he reaches over to touch your thigh, "Hey, am I really your ex?"

The absurdity of the question makes you want to laugh, "It has been a while since we talked, Jason."

You do giggle when he actually pouts at you, "You said you'd come back to Gotham for me one day."

"I am back in Gotham," You point out, "Got an apartment here and everything."

Interest sparks in his eyes, "Yeah? You're staying around here?"

You hum noncommittally, "In Gotham at least."

It surprises you, how easy it is to slip back into a flowing conversation with him. You reminisce about your shared past, he asks you what you've been up to, how your life has been, and before you know it, your drinks are empty and the bar is informing you of it's last call.

"Can I walk you home," Jason asks, hovering at your side, "or call you a ride?"

Your friends had long since told you they were leaving, and you have the urge to make this night last a little longer. It may be selfish, to want to stay in sight of those eyes, but you let yourself be selfish, "Walk me home?"

The way his eyes sparkle tells you you made the right choice.

You really do mean for him just to walk you home. So you're not exactly sure how you ended up making out with your ex-boyfriend in a dirty alley way.

It makes your head spin, how his hands dig into your waist to tug you closer. How he chases your mouth every time you pull back to suck in a breath.

It's desperate, needy, and you want to keep your fingers curled into the cool leather of his jacket forever. Jason crowds your space, backing you towards the wall, he trails kisses down your jaw, occasionally nipping at your skin to leave pretty, bruised marks.

"Wait–" You start, digging your heels into the ground.

He pauses, and pulls back, "Shit, I'm sorry, I didn't meant to–"

"No!" You practically shout, not wanting him to misunderstand, "it's just– the wall is dirty," You finish weakly.

He blinks, then grins at you, "Is that all you're worried about, doll? Just the wall?"

You nod, sheepish as you fidget with the zipper of his jacket.

He hums thoughtfully and kisses the crown of your head, "I got something for ya," he murmurs, tugging off his leather jacket.

Before you can ask what he's doing, he drapes the coat over your shoulders, and guides your arms through the sleeves, "There, better?"

"Better," You echo, much more willing to let him push you against the wall, to let him suck your pulse and press his hands under your clothes. The leather is soft, smells like him, and the bricks behind you don't even register as he presses against you.

You're both eager, both grasping at fabric and skin. Your eyes light up, when as you're licking a stripe up his neck, Jason tilts his head back and moans.

It's a noise you want to hear again, and when you take his ear between your teeth, you're rewarded with another sweet sound.

Neither of you waste any time to push aside the clothes you're wearing. Half-dressed and panting, you fumble with his belt in the empty alley. He doesn't hesitate to hike your leg over his hip, pressing sloppy kisses along your jaw.

"You're sure about this," Jason asks, lips hovering over the juncture where your shoulder meets your neck.

"Yeah," You breathe out, tangling a hand in his hair to steady yourself, "Are you?"

"Never been more sure of anything," he says firmly, and bites down on your skin as if to seal his words as fact.

He's hungry, as he captures your mouth with another passionate kiss, and you're just as desperate and wanting. Desire pools in your gut as you grind your hips into his, voice pitching into a whine, "Please?"

The neediness in your eyes when you look up at him nearly makes his knees buckle, "Fuck, yes, doll. Whatever you want."

He's not one to make you ask again, and shamelessly presses a finger to your cunt. "Look at you," he breathes out, slowly pumping one finger in and out, gathering your wetness, "You're dripping."

You don't bother choking back the whine that escapes your lungs, only grab his hair tighter when he adds a second finger, carefully working you open for him.

His eyes, your breath catches, when his eyes seem to darken, coveting every reaction you have, every expression that flits across your face.

"Feels good, doll'" he coaxes, scissoring his fingers. When all you manage is a hazy nod, he grins and adds a third finger, curling them as he presses deeper, "C'mon, you can use your words."

"Jason, yeah, feels good," You answer, breathless and full of desire. You squirm, bucking your hips into his hand in an attempt to get him to move faster, "but I want you."

He hums thoughtfully, and presses the palm of his hand to your clit, grinding into the sensitive flesh. When your eyes flutter and your body clenches around him, he coos in approval.

"Good," he says fondly, pressing a kiss to your lips before slowly pulling his fingers away. You almost pout at the loss, but the sight of him lewdly licking off the remnants of you in his hand more than makes up for it.

Your jaw may have dropped, and you may have looked a little more dumbfounded than you're willing to admit, but any embarrassment turns to excitement when he lines his cock up to your weeping pussy.

Neither of you looks away as he pushes into you, inch by delicious inch. It turns you into a whimpering, groaning mess as you sigh out his name, eyes half lidded.

“Yeah, pretty,” He prompts, voice a low rumble as he watches you. He can't pick which sight he likes better, the way your eyes flutter, or the way you're greedily taking in everything he has to give.

He can’t help the smug smirk that spreads over his face when you mewl out his name, clearly delighted at the effect he has on you. “There you go, Doll. Let me hear you say my name again," He coos, trailing his free hand over your thigh to find your clit again.

You're eager to chant his name again when he starts to shallowly thrust between your legs. He moans when you clamp down around his dick, and it spurs him to move faster.

Jason groans deeply as he feels your body react, his eyes darkening with desire as he pushes into you again. You both breathe out a sigh of relief and ecstasy when you take him to the base of his cock.

"Good. Doing so good, doll," he mumbles, using all his self-control to hold the pressure against your cervix for a few moments, letting you adjust, before pulling back slightly.

You tug a little at his hair, it's addicting, how full he makes you feel, how desperate you are for more, "You can move, want you to move."

He hums, and seems more interested in moving his mouth along your jaw, biting and sucking his way down your neck to leave marks on your skin. Jason sucks a prominent bruise onto your freshly bitten skin until it’s pretty and bruised and all his.

You groan, and it only encourages him to drag his hand from your folds and pinch your nipple between his fingers.

"Jason," You protest, rolling your hips to try and entice him to finally move.

“Mhm. You like the sound of my name, pretty? You wanna keep saying it while I make you feel good?” He murmurs, his voice low and rough and breathless against your skin.

He starts to roll your nipple between his fingers, pinching and kneading the sensitive peak.

"Jason, move'" You whine, almost desperate. His eyes lock on your eyes, and you're completely lost to him.

His thumb gives your nipple one last swipe before he settles his hand between your thighs again, eyes raking over your face like he wants to memorize the expression of pleasure that’s taking over at the moment, "There you go, it sounds so perfect when you say my name like that."

His other hand squeezes your thigh affectionately, and before you can protest again, he pulls halfway out, savoring how you twitch around him. You cry out in pure pleasure when he thrusts back into your heat.

He swallows your cries with a kiss, and starts to pick up his pace, steady and relentless.

You can only tip your head back and moan, as you drag your nails along his scalp, panting and trembling under his grip.

“So goddamn good,” Jason mutters, pressing himself as deep as he can go with every movement. He starts to ramble your name, driving his cock against the spot that makes you gasp over and over.

He's relentless, all consuming and you almost miss it when he murmurs against your throat, "Not your ex now, am I?"

You curse, and shudder around him, clawing at his shoulder. It doesn't make his pace falter, if anything it drives him to push a little more, to move a little fast, to test your limits.

You feel his pleased smile form against your skin when you start to chant his name, breathless and needy and so, so close to the edge.

"There ya go, come for me, doll," he encourages, and when you do, when you soak his cock and sob his name, he fucks you through your climax.

He ruts into your fluttering hole until his own hips stutter, his fingers dig into your skin hard enough to leave bruises, and he cums inside of you. He rides out both of your releases, fucking his spend back into you even as it starts to leak and drip down your thighs.

Jason presses his forehead to yours, going still against you, his eyes dart over your face as you both pant, sticky, sweaty, and messy. He grins at you when you blink at him with glassy eyes, "You look good like this. I could see it every day, and it still wouldn't be enough."

You're not exactly sure where he finds the energy to praise you, but it makes you tuck your face against his shoulder as you catch your breath.

He presses a kiss to the side of your head, "Gonna take you home and run you a bath. Then, we're gonna cuddle till you fall asleep and I'll make you breakfast in the morning. Sound good?"

You whine softly when he pulls out of you, already mourning the feeling of him inside you, but you manage to nod.

True to his word, Jason carries you home and draws you a bath. You fall asleep with him curled around you, and when you wake up, the sound of him cooking breakfast makes its way to the bedroom.

And if you entice him to bend you over the counter before you eat, letting the food go cold, or suggest you show him just how well you fit in his lap, that's none one's business but yours.

It shouldn't surprise you, if you do encourage him to find out what you taste like on his tongue, that Jason never really leaves. Sooner rather than later, he'll make sure any use of the word 'ex' disappears from your lips.

[julieloves074]

‘A little bit… or a lot’ (Min Ho x Reader)

Summary: K.I.S.S resident Marco will not leave Y/n alone so the night at the club Min Ho comes to her rescue and they set themselves up in fake relationship to make sure the guy gets a hint, but will their friendship survive the blurred lines?

Warnings: kissing, divorce

Word count: 8.7K

(Noy my GIF :))

“Not again,” I say out loud subconsciously, Kitty and I are once again in the boys flat just studying with Q, and I lay my phone face down frustrated.

Q and Kitty turn towards me immediately, annoyance showing in their eyes, but not at me “What did he say this time?” Q asks.

I just pass him my phone; Kitty gets up from lying on her stomach and looks over his shoulder, her face twists and turns as she reads the message.

“I mean it could kind of be kinda… romantic- no?”

“What can be seen as romantic?” Min Ho says walking in through the dorm door and taking off his shoes, looking between the three of us.

I let out a loud sigh and twist to lie on my back laying a pillow over my face, “It’s Marco he keeps message me,” I hug the pillow to my chest.

Q laughs, “He’s pestering her and very clearly not getting a hint,” he says pointing the phone in Min Ho’s direction, he pulls a disgusted face as he reads the message.

“They say you are what you attract,” Min Ho says with a level of sass and walks into his room closing the door behind him.

“No one has ever said that” Kitty exclaimed in a whisper and the three of us burst into a fit of laughter.

Q passed the phone back to me and I immediately threw it to the other side of the sofa, “That guy seriously needs to chill,” Q says turning back to the textbook and question sheet.

“Honestly I’m so tired of it, I’m scared he’s gonna try something in person,” I said, both my friends shoot my empathetic looks, trying to be supportive, but it doesn’t look like Marco is going to leave me alone any time soon.

Kitty started to gather up all her resources, “Okay time to stop this,” she says getting up and putting the stuff in her bag. I try to argue with her that we’ve only done half the homework questions, but she ignores me and keeps packing.

“Look I need time to get ready for this date with Praveena, I really think things could work out between us, so I want to put the effort in,” she explains, Q and I look at each other and identical smiles spread across our faces, “Plus I’m still yet to match make you and I think it’s time you find someone for you, and it might help Marco move on,” I give her the can we not talk about this right now look but then Q agrees.

He stands up to leans against the sofa arm and looks down at me, “We’re gonna have so much fun, come on smileee,” he says reaching out an arm and pulling me up.

We agree to finish the work tomorrow and to meet in two hours to head out to the club. A new DJ was playing and most everyone in the friendship group wanted to go.

When we arrive the atmosphere is perfect, the music is energetic but cool, the lights and decorations are the exact level of out there and complimentary, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. Kitty is quickly stolen away by Praveena and taken to the dance floor.

Dae, Q and I make our way to get mocktails before also heading to the dance floor, I watch Q looking around as if he were shopping for guys, which to be fair was exactly his plan for the night- a little distraction from the stress of tomorrow’s race and I was not going to stop him. Dae on the other hand looked stiff and uncomfortable but trying to move around doing something that kind of resembled dance moves.

“Oh my god,” Q says suddenly, and I follow his eyeline only to be met with the one and only, enemy on and off the track: Jin. Q looks… frankly offended at the sight and excuses himself.

When I turn back around to Dae he’s disappeared too, I look around but I can’t see him so go back to the bar to get another mocktail, then I finally find him talking to a group of girls at the back of the club and then I find Q making out with Jin so I went back for another drink and sat at the bar just people watching, all my friends were spread around.

That’s when I heard his voice. “Y/n!” Marco said sitting down next to me, I closed my eyes for a second. Great – now him. I couldn’t have my sad song music video moment, and I had to talk to him.

“Marco,” I say and it accidentally comes out a little too high pitched.

“What is such a pretty girl doing sat at the bar by herself?” he asks shuffling his seat closer and ordering a drink, being a good friend, I wanted to tell him, by not cockblocking any of my friends but I just don’t answer.

I finish the last of my drink and turn around to put it on the counter, in turn he places his hand on the counter almost touching my arm and leans closer to me, “Did you wanna get out of here? We could go grab some food or something,” he asked and I cringed internally.

Opening my mouth to answer he interrupts me, “Come on Y/n, we can go to that barbeque palace you love,”.

I grab my bag and stand as I say, “Marco I don’t-”

“There you are babe,” someone says from behind me, I feel an arm being strung against my shoulder, I turn to see Min Ho just as he presses a kiss to my forehead. He sees the confusion, and maybe a little fear in my eyes and nods subtly to Marco.

“Yep, just been waiting for you,” I reach my arm around his middle, he pulls me closer to him.

“Bye Marco,” Min Ho says simply and turns us away from the brunette walking in the direction of the exit.

What the hell just happened.

“What the hell just happened?” I said out loud this time as the outside breeze soothed me.

Min Ho just sighed taking his arm away, “I just saved your ass, you’re welcome by the way,” he explains.

“Thank you,” I say still in the state of shock.

“He really must not talk to many girls,” he continues, “you looked, repulsed, to say the least,” then one of his brows raised, “I can’t tell who I feel worse for, you, or that poor, helpless guy,”.

I shove my shoulder into his slightly, he swayed to one side by a step, a smile playing on his lips, I shook my head in response.

“What were you doing at the club anyway? I thought you said,” and then I turned on my best Mino Ho accent impression, “The sweat and heat of those places is terrible for my skin,”. The cool January breeze was rustling against my skin, and it was a pleasant contrast to the club which was starting to feel claustrophobic.

“I wanted to hear the DJ live, I’m considering hiring her for my next party,” he says placing his hands into his pockets, I wrapped mine around my jumper.

“So how long has this guy- what’s his name Mark- been bothering you?” Min Ho asked as we walk out towards the dorm buildings.

“Marco,” I say- he knew his name just chose to be petty, then I ran my hand through my hair but didn’t look at him when I answer, “Honestly pretty much since beginning of last semester but the messaging started getting more frequent over the break,”.

“Why haven’t you told anyone about it earlier?” he asked as if I was being an inconvenience to him, I explain to him that it’s never been anything big, he wasn’t being rude or demanding he just didn’t seem to understand that I wasn’t interested and the more I was pushing the more he was latching on.

“No every man can be as good as me, clearly,”

“Clearly,” I join in on his banter, “but seriously, thank you for saving me, I know how much how that must have killed you inside, to have to align yourself with me in such a way,” I said exaggerating, of course he didn’t actually feel this way, we are friends, but it was an inside joke in the friend group that Min Ho was just better than everyone.

Min Ho stopped in his track taking in a deep breath, “Fine, I’ll be your pretend boyfriend,”.

“What?- Min Ho I’m not asking you to-” the words fell out my mouth quickly.

He brushed me off immediately, “Until Marco leaves you alone. You should be thankful that I’m such a good person,” he starts walking again. I take a few quick paced steps to catch up to him.

“Min Ho you really don’t have to, I think he’s got it,” I argued but I  agree with the words coming out of my mouth, if anything a one off like this was likely to propel Marco more, as if this were some kind of challenge for all I knew.

“You’re so ungrateful,”

“Ok fine,” I say defeated, “Thank you,” this time with more emotion.

“It was time to do some charity work anyway,” he said messing up my hair, my face scrunched up in reaction. The rest of the way home in his car was spent arguing about what the best snack for film night was, then what the best film is and soon enough we were back on K.I.S.S grounds.

Min Ho walked me to the door of the girl’s dorm, now that we were alone we discussed what this arrangement meant, and what we were going to tell our friends. The answer was nothing, we were gonna leave them in the dark, one of them was likely to blabber and this needed to seem real. We would act as a couple in front of others but mostly when Marco was around. Not going over the top but just enough to make him believe. When we got to the door we looked at each other.

“What do we tell them when they ask how this happened?”

“We say that you finally fell for my handsome look and irresistible charm,” he says running a hand through his hair, “I mean it was bound to happen, everyone does,”

“Okay Min Ho, whatever,” and then we quickly came up with our cover story.

“Night L/n”

“Goodnight Min Ho,”

Then he was walking in the direction of the boy’s dorm and I look at my phone that was buzzing mercilessly the last few minutes, a bunch of texts were shining brightly back at me.

Kitty: Where are you?

Kitty: Helloooo

Kitty: We want to leave soon

Q: Girl we’re worried answer the phone

Q: missed call (2)

Kitty: missed call (3)

Yuri: Y/n meet us by the front door

Kitty: Swear I’m going to expose all ur secrets if you don’t answer

Shoot.

I was so wrapped up in the Marco situation and then Min Ho that I didn’t even think to text any of them. Not wanting to call any of them right now I text Kitty a quick explanation, that I wasn’t feeling well and Min Ho took us home.

My reply was met with several other messages, but I just got inside our room, got changed and jumped into bed. Twenty minutes later the girls arrived in the dorm but I was  pretending I was asleep, which I almost was, so a little white lie. They would’ve wanted to know what happened and I wasn’t quite ready to fake having a relationship in front of my friends.

<3 <3 <3

Over the next few days all was pretty normal, I didn’t see much of Min Ho outside of lessons, he was busy with avoiding his father and I was busy helping Kitty figure out who this Simon guy we are searching for is. Though on Thursday morning there was some flowers delivered to our door whilst we were having breakfast, I managed to get to the card before the girls thankfully and since then they wouldn’t stop prying.

That was until tonight, our weekly movie nights, I was feelings blessed with the fact that it was finally Friday, but I also didn’t know how to behave.

“I’m dreading whatever we’re gonna watch tonight,” Yuri says as we walk through the boy’s dorm building.

Kitty is flinging her popcorn bag, “I know I hate it when the boys pick, it’s always some kind of action film,” she says.

“They’re not always that bad,” Julianna says bringing Yuri’s hand, which she was holding, up to her lips to give it a kiss.

Even though I didn’t mind the action films or the thrillers it was when they put on horror films that I wanted to run and hide- I don’t judge what people like but it’s lowkey not for me.

“Oh guys remind me to ask Jin for that smoothie recipe before we leave tonight,” Yuri says as we arrive at the door. Kitty reaches for the handle and lets herself right in, we all take our shoes off and say hello to everyone. Giving the boys the benefit of the doubt they did prepare hot drinks and brought some blankets into the living area.

“Are you girls ready to dive into Infested?” Min Ho says coming out his and Dae’s room, the latter following behind him with a closed lipped smile.

“Nooo,” I drag out and look at Q begging him for some support, he just gives me one of those pitying smiles. That night on the way back from the club I told Min Ho that I refused to go watch the film in cinemas or at all.

Dae pats my shoulder as he walks past, “Sorry Y/n it was Min Ho’s turn to pick this time,” he said taking the drinks from the counter and passing them out to those who have already sat down.

Min Ho took a place on the edge of the sofa, I helped Q grab the bowls with snacks and lay them on the table as the others chatted, Jin was using the remote to turn on the film. I look towards Kitty to go join her and sit in front of the sofa when Min Ho catches my eye.

He nods his head ever so subtly, urging me to come sit next to him, I abide with some reluctance.

“L/n” he says lifting the blanket, I sit down with my legs curled up to my body, “I really do think you’re going to hate this movie,” his smile is sadistic, I go to elbow him and he flinches away.

“That’s my opinion,” I say sweetly.

After asking if everyone was ready Jin turned the movie on, and as expected it was creepy and eerie and my mouth was curled up in discomfort within the first 15 minutes. When everyone is deeply focused on the film I turn my head to Min Ho slightly.

“Also- flowers. Really?” I whispered shaking my head.

“Do you want this to be believable or not?” he said back still watching the screen, does he actually send flowers to the girls he was dating, just because?

“Who knew you were such a gentleman,” I teased and I just watched him roll his eyes before turning back to the screen, my distraction did not want to distract me from whatever the hell was happening on the screen.

About half an hour passed before jumpscare scared me so bad that I turned my head to the side covering my eyes and almost hit Min Ho who was sat very close to me. A low chuckle escaped him, then he was laying his arm around me, I felt myself stiffening, it was unexpected, but it only took a second for my body to relax.

After Kitty returned from the toilet later on during the movie she looked at me, her eyes widening as if I’d grown another head, her eyes scanned from me to Min Ho, back to me then to him in a questioning look. After I failed to satisfy her need for answer she sat back down and pulled her phone out, then I felt another two pairs of eyes on me, but I forced myself to keep my eyes on the screen. How long did we have of this film yet?

At some point Min Ho started to brush his fingers back and forth across the skin on arm, it was calming, and if it was anyone else, in any other circumstance I’d find it endearing, romantic.

When the movie was finished, I was half asleep on the sofa, my head on Min Ho’s chest, no one said anything about our position as they started getting up and cleaning, but they did look back once or twice to check if they were seeing things right.

I got up to help washing up, putting my jumper back on after unfurling from the warm blanket.

“So don’t worry guys we’ll be back with a super cheesy romance next week!” Kitty says clapping her hands together and then hugging Q goodbye. I laid the tea towel on counter ready to go get my shoes back on too.

One step into my journey I was stopped, everyone was still chatting and getting ready to leave, as a pair of arms wrapped around me.

“Bye babe,” came Min Ho’s voice, a little louder than usual, just to make sure everyone heard, and before I knew what was happening, he was turning me around slightly, his eyes going to my lips, then to my eyes, and he clearly did not read the panic in my eyes as he leaned down and kissed me briefly.

“Bye,” I said almost breathlessly, turning back to see all our friends trying to hide their shock.

The walk back to our dorm was very quiet, Yuri complained that no one reminded her to get the smoothie recipe from Jin and Kitty was listing rom coms, but what would usually be loud was rather quiet.

That was until we were all within the space of our dorm.

“What the hell was that?!” Yuri exclaimed  

“Yeah, I think you have some explaining to do,” Kitty says fidgeting excitedly

I hang up my jacket before turning back to them, “Guys it’s not a big deal,”

“Not a big deal!” Kitty started, “Is this where you disappeared to last week after ditching us at the club

“Actually, you guys all ditched me…”

Julianna joined in “So not the point, but seriously you can’t say it’s not a big deal,”

“You and Min Ho have been butting heads all of last semester,” Yuri states.

“That’s irrelevant, what happened that night?” Kitty pestered excitedly.

I lifted myself to sit on the island counter, “He ended up coming to the club so he could listen to the DJ, he thought he might hire her for his next party, I bumped into him on my way outside, the hot air was giving me a headache and we just talked, and then came back and talked some more,” I pull my lips into a shy smile.

“Just talked?” Yuri says consciously.

“Okay talked and then, we kissed, it was an in the moment thing but then yeah, we’re just in this kind of middle ground where I don’t really know what’s going on,”

“Oh my God, so the flowers the other day were from him?” Yuri pieces it all together.

“I mean I have literally been telling you guys for moths,” Kitty says turning to the other two girl putting her hand out, palm upwards, “You both owe me,” she says. I shook my head and jumped down from the counter, Kitty had once said as a one off to me that maybe this line of annoyance with each other was more, but I just brushed her off, and now I feel bad tricking her, but it wouldn’t be for long.

<3 <3 <3

We all got stuck into the semester really fast the next few weeks, lessons were harder, and Kitty was actively doing opposite of what her intention was this semester with Praveena and Yuri, but at least we were making progress on her family situation. Min Ho and I were acting like a happy couple every time we all met up or Marco was around, which was decreasing the more times he saw Min Ho with his arm around me or whispering something judgy about someone else in my ear making me laugh.

This meant we started spending more time together and I was learning so much about him, one night when everyone else went out we cooked dinner, well more accurately he cooked dinner whilst I tried helping but he just sent me away to the other side of the kitchen island and I watched him sheepishly.

“Stop looking at me like that L/n” he said not even looking up from the vegetables he was chopping, and I felt a blush rise on my face.

There was also the first time I spent time in his room, we had been texting and I was complaining about homework for one of the classes and he told me to just come over and he would help me. We were doing homework sat on his bed listening to music, his back pressed against the wall, and I was laying on my stomach facing him as we worked out the answers.

The someone creaked open the door slightly, “I want to come in so stop making out!” Dae warned and Min Ho and I looked at each other as if that was the most disgusting thought. He was not a bad kisser, in fact the last few weeks I’ve found out quite the opposite, but I wasn’t about to boost his ego.

We all also ended up going to the Moon’s cabin for the holiday weekend, unfortunately his dad didn’t come up, Min Ho said that there was something more important with his favourite son. He played it off cooly, but I could see the hurt in his eyes but he said he didn’t want to talk about it.

That first night when everyone else had fallen asleep I snuck out to the kitchen to get some water, and there was Min Ho sat on the sofa scrolling through his phone, he looked tired with the light illuminating his face in the dark.

“Can’t sleep?” I asked, but he just murmured a reply. I grabbed a blanket and went to sit down next to him, “maybe you should talk to him Min Ho,” I raised the idea gently.

He shook his head and put his head down, “And say what? Oh by the way dad thanks for not coming to the weekend getaway you wanted and always choosing everything and everyone else over me, I don’t think so” he says sharply but I know it’s directed at me. I turn his face to look at me, the persona falls then.

I put my arms around him and pull him close into a hug, running my hand up and down his back and nape as his head is hidden against my neck.

“Be careful L/n or you’ll actually fall in love with me,” he said turning his head ever so slightly to look at me.

“You wish,”

But he didn’t move away, we sat in silence for a while and when I whispered his name I got no reply, only to notice that he’d fallen asleep.

The Kitty came out the corridor to see us, I was running a hand through his hair as I was also starting to doze off, and Kitty whispered, “Is he okay”.

I nodded, “Yeah he will be,”, and then she was heading back to the bedroom with an I told you smile. Over the last few weeks, I did come to care for Min Ho more, as a friend, I got to know more about him and how he’s actually a human with his own shit going on, but he just doesn’t let people in. The rest if our time was spent, playing games and sitting in the hot tub in the evening, there was minimal drama apart from the whole Yuri, Julianna, Kitty and Praveena love letter, and Min Ho’s dad bailing but we made the most of the trip.

By the time we got back it was only two weeks until the school’s annual ball, this year’s theme was going to be ‘Blossom Ball’. In all honesty I didn’t think Min Ho and I would be keeping this thing up for so long but maybe it was time to end it before the ball, I knew more than a couple girls were hoping for my downfall so they could go with him, and in part I did feel guilty, one of these girls could be someone he could really fall for.

After overhearing another not-so-subtle conversation in one of my extracurricular classes I decided that it was time to put it to an end.

That was until I was walking through the common room area and was bombarded by 5 people with signs, pink glittery writing spread out on them, music was turned on really loud behind me, a well known Korean love song. The signs read:

‘Y/n’ ‘Will you’ ‘go to’ ‘the dance’ ‘with me?’

Then Marco burst through the crowd of guys with a single flower in his hands, dropping down to one knee in front of me.

I could feel the eyes of all the other students, and their whispers, mostly judging Marco, because like come on, from the onlooker of an outsider, who asks out a girl to prom when she’s had a boyfriend for the past two months? I could feel the frustration building up under my skin.

“Marco can you just give it a break! I have a boyfriend, that I really like for gods sake. Leave me alone!” I say with more fire than I had intended

“I guess that’s my cue, excuse me mate,” Min Ho says coming from behind Marco who is stuck with a mortified face looking towards us.

“Now that that joke of a man is out the way, will you go to the Blossom Ball with me L/n” he asked lifting the pink roses he held, for a moment something fluttered in my heart and I reminded myself this is not real, it’s for show. I just needed to get through the ball and then we could go back to the way things were, and my heart would stop doing summersaults every time he touched me or smiled at me.

I pulled the ‘are you joking face’ and a smile, a genuine smile, spreads over my lips, I can almost drown out the pathetic complaints from Marco. A but of guilt was eating away at me but not even those surrounding us were paying him any pity, still those who were looking  were looking at Min Ho and I.

“Yes, of course,” I reply and reaching for the flowers, the second they’re out of his hands both of them are on my face and he kisses me boldly and I can feel myself blush at the reactions of all the students. The thing about Min Ho was that he didn’t need big signs or loudly blaring music to make something grand and meaningful.

“Well, I hope you have a black dress to wear so you can match my suit,”

“And what If I don’t?” I asked in a challenge.

“Then I guess you’ll be going with Mr grand gesture over there,” he points his thumb behind his back and shrugs before walking away. I watch him walk away for a moment, the audacity of this kid.

“You coming?” he asked turning around briefly and I shake my head before catching up with him.

<3 <3 <3

Thankfully the dress that I bought a while back was black and I have to admit I was looking fucking hot, with my hair curled and let down, my makeup and the black and white corsage that Min Ho dropped off earlier.

“Well well well, Min Ho is being treated tonight,” Kitty says coming out from the bathroom, now too in her dress, a satin red gown, she looked absolutely stunning, anyone would be lucky to have her.

“And who are you planning on wooing tonight Miss Covey,” I said pointing up and down her body, “You look stunning Kitty, all eyes will be on you,” I tell her and she comes give me a hug, everything in Kitty’s love life was still a little bit on fire and in chaos but she was dealing with it, I was there for her. She was doing okay and we found her family, who wasn’t exactly talking to her yet but we got the letters from Peter and we would make them listen one way or another.

We finished getting ready and headed out, the ball was on the other side of campus in one of the new buildings, I couldn’t wait to see all the decorations, and the view was said to be absolutely stunning. We met Yuri and Julianna outside the dorm building and made our way over together. The air was a perfect mix of fresh but also pleasantly warm so none of us had to wear jackets.

“You guys all look absolutely fire,” Q states the second he sees us in an exaggerated voice, complimenting little things about our looks and conveying that we may burn the building down with how hot we look.

“Is it time we talk about you now diva? Come on give us a spin,” Kitty exclaims and helps him do a little twirl. Then Jin comes back with 2 drinks and drags Q to the dance floor, Julianna and Yuri follow.

“So,” Kitty says hands behind her back and looking out at the huge room, it truly was stunning, there was petals everywhere and the colour scheme mixed pink and white and black and gold, it looked elegant, and almost too fancy for a school, “Where’s the lucky guy?” she asks.

“His dad needed something from him, but he should be here soon,” I said and spotted Praveena in my eyeline, Kitty’s gaze followed mine, “Maybe now’s the time?” I suggested, Kitty has been trying to work up the courage to talk to her since everything went down at the cabin but she can’t seem to find a way and it’s been eating away at her.

She asked five times if I was okay being left along for a while and I urged her to go, she deserved to be happy, and something was telling me that Praveena might be willing to hear her out. I headed over to the bar to get myself a drink, pulling out my phone to see a message from my mom asking me to call me when I’ve got a quiet minute. A wave of anxiety passes through me.

“Hi, are you okay?” I look up at the unfamiliar voice.

“Excuse me?”

“Sorry, I’m Josh, you just started to look really pale I thought you were about to faint or something,” he stuck his hand out, the boy has dark blonde hair, and he is learning against the bar with a friendly smile.

I shoved my phone back into my little purse, and shook his hand, “No I’m okay, thanks though,”

“Unpleasant message?” he asks and sits down, I take a seat next to him and explain that my family had a poor history of messaging me something really vague things when it was actually something serious and it would make me worry, he then took it upon himself to make me laugh, in his words laugher was one of the best medicines. I found he was from the year above and originally from Canada, and that he wanted my number and to take me out.

The conversation was enjoyable, and he bought me another drink so I gave him my number, he even wanted to dance but I couldn’t not save my first dance for my ‘boyfriend’, Kitty would be devastated. When he left to go to talk to some of his friends, I looked at the time, I hadn’t realised an hour and a half had passed already.

It was then that a figure walking in caught my eye. Min Ho was wearing a stunning black and white suit, his hair in his classic style and yet it looked extra lush right now. Watching him run his hand through it felt as though it was in slow motion. Q who was stood near the entrance caught his searching eyes and pointed in my direction.

“You look… pathetic,” he says in that very Min Ho way of his as he walks over, head turning slightly to the side observing my dress.

I smile subconsciously, “You too,”.

“I’m sorry I’m so late you know how my dad is, when he’s in a good mood it’s one thing after another,” he said earnestly.

I shook my head, brows scrunching, “Oh no don’t worry, I met a new friend, so he kept me company,”

“Who was it?”

“His names Josh, he’s in the year above us,” I say but Min Ho doesn’t seem to look impressed.

He reached his hand forward, a few strands of hair falling forwards, “Come on let’s dance,” he says completely ignoring what I just said, “You think people will believe you’re actually my girlfriend if I don’t even dance with you,”.

A reminder rings in my head, “True, Marco might think it’s his time to swoop in,” I say and something about his facial expression changes ever so slightly, the change so small and sudden that I can’t read it before it’s gone.

He doesn’t say anything just takes a hold of my hand and pulls me towards the dance floor, we stand before each other for less than a second before I reach my hands to rest around his neck, a small awkward chuckle escapes him. This wasn’t new, I have been in very close contact with him, but this felt different.

“Plus, I know this is your favourite song,” he says looking right into my eyes, as if he could see right into my soul.

We talked about Kitty, and Q and Jin, and his dad, and what was going to happen with the big talent competition, and what our plans were for the summer neither of us noting that when these plans were happening this was going to be over. Without either of us realising about three songs had passed, we made each other laugh and then tried to pull serious faces but my attempts were poor in comparison to his.

“This is not fair

“I lo- I really, really like your laugh,” he says correcting himself, I brush him off and move one arm to brush my hair behind my ear. He lifted his hand and tucked the side of my hair behind my ear, then his fingers went to my chin to lift my gaze towards him, his eyes scanning my face.

“L/n” he said, and I could feel my heart rate increase.

“Y/n!” Kitty’s voice shouted out as she approached with our friends, the music turned upbeat and she was pulling my arm to come dance with them, and that’s how the rest of the dance was spent, drinking fancy looking mocktails and running around and dancing with our friends.

It was a few days later when my mom had flown into Seoul and was going to meet me in a restaurant at the edge of town, I told Min Ho that I was more than capable of going by myself, but he insisted that drive and come with me, I only let him when he agreed to stay in the car. In the car he argued at me about not telling him my mom was flying in and that she could have used his family’s private jet rather than coach but I told him he was just being ridiculous.

When we arrived at the restaurant I saw mom through the window, she was wearing bright colours and had a gleaming smile on her lips as she scrolled on her phone. Some of the anxiety that I was feeling the last couple of days started to fizzle away. I pulled the sleeves of the hoodie that I stole from Min Ho in the car up and walked in.

“Y/n honey!” my mom stood up to give me an embrace.

“How are you mom?” I asked, “I’ve missed you, and dad,” I said I took the seat opposite her.

She brushes her hair behind her ear, “Oh it’s been quite chaotic I do have to say,” she starts and grabs a menu, “But let’s order food first then I’ll explain,” she said, I swallowed down and even though I wanted to argue I chose not to, not yet.

The food arrived and it was delicious, mom was talking telling me about some work drama and my aunt’s new baby which was lovely, but she was avoiding whatever she came here to tell me about. After she laid down her cutlery and picked up her phone I spoke up.

“Mom, can you tell me what’s going on?” I asked nervously.

The look in her eyes when she looked up at me had my heart dropping, brows burrowing and worry painting itself over my face.

“Your dad and I are getting a divorce,”

The world stopped. It was like I’d heard her say the words, but they weren’t registering in my head.

“We’ve been separated since you went back to school after the break,”

“What? How long has this been going on?” I asked frantic.

Mom moved her hand over the table and grab mine, they were soft and warm, “About halfway through last semester, we- we’ve been trying to make it work but we’ve decided we’ll be happier this way,” she said, her thumb running over my skin was not comforting. In all truth it was making me feel nauseous.

I didn’t say another word, I grabbed my phone and stood up, putting it in my back pocket and ignoring my mom’s words, her calls out to me. The only thing I could see clearly was the door, I needed fresh air.

When I was outside I couldn’t stop walking, I headed towards the outside area of the restaurant, towards the back of the fenced land.

“L/n!” a voice called but I didn’t turn around.

“Y/n!” they called again, at this point I reached the end of the land looking outward tears rolling down my face.

“Y/n are you okay? What happened?” Min Ho was asking frantically looking me over.

“They’re getting a divorce,” I whispered, the phrase sounded foreign on my lips, “Which means it was all for nothing,”

His brows furrow and he steps closer, “What was for nothing?”

“My whole childhood I spent listening to them argue, being the one in the middle, smoothing out the creases, bring the common ground, it was all for nothing,” I said again and felt the tears doubling.

“It’s going to be okay, it’s going to get better,” he said and reached his arms wide towards me, I took a few deep breaths and let out a sob, before wrapping my arms around him and letting him pull me close as I cried into his chest, shaking my head in denial.

He brushed his fingers over my hair moving it out of my face, holding me tightly.

“You must think I’m such a mess. You definitely did not sign up for this,” I say trying to add a playful tone, but it came out more pathetic than anything.

“Y/n I’d be more worried if you weren’t reacting like this,” he said laying his chin on my head, “You’re” he paused momentarily, “You’re kind and caring and loyal and have had a lot of pressure put on you your whole life, it’s normal for you to feel like this, this panicking need to fix it, even when you know you can’t make everyone happy,” he explained and I could feel my heart start to slow as I followed his breathing subconsciously.

After another few moments I took another deep breath and pulled away, still holding onto the sides of his open denim jacket, and him the sleeves on the hoodie, not much further apart.

“Thank you,” I said, and he wiped the last of my tears off from under my eye.

“That’s what I’m here for,” he said and then his eyes went from my eyes to my lips and back up, I could feel him leaning closer and my body naturally reacted, as if it were a dance it knew well. Then his lips were on mine, and they were soft and warm, and moved at exactly the right pace. I kissed back without a second thought, poured everything I was feeling into it, he pulled me close to his body. That’s when the second thought came and I pulled away.

“Min Ho, stop, what are we doing?” I asked, running my hand over my forehead, everything in my head a big mixture of mixed emotions and I could feel the tears building up again, the pressure in my chest making my shoulders rise, “There’s no one here, no need to pretend,”

“Y/n”

“In fact, I think the mission has ran its course,” I started, “Marco’s not bothering me anymore, so thank you, for everything, really. But we’ve been avoiding this because we don’t want things to be weird, but I think it’s time to come back to reality,” the words felt like sandpaper in my throat, “we should head back,” I said looking at his face, such a mixture of emotions on his face that I couldn’t read them. I forced myself to walk past him, he didn’t follow straight away but then his steps echoed behind mine.

We sat in silence the whole way back to K.I.S.S and I got out the car before he could say anything, I rushed to my dorm only to be met with all three of the girls upon arrival. The second they spotted me, all faces concerned and I started to cry again. Greving my parents divorce and what felt like the loss of a friendship I so desperately didn’t want to end, my words were harsh, and I didn’t want to lose his him, but his face was a clear sign.

They all questioned what happened, Julianna made me a tea, Yuri brought in a blanket and Kitty cooed me in her arms. I didn’t mention Min Ho, I didn’t know how to go about that yet, I didn’t want to make either of us look like dickheads, ending this right after what I found out about my parents.

I managed to give myself a huge migraine, so I went to bed early, and fell asleep after crying for what felt like hours.

When I woke up in the middle of the night I looked at my phone to see the time, and what was a few messages from Min Ho.

(20:30) Posh boy: Are you feeling any better?

(20:58) Posh boy: Do you need anything? I can bring some chocolate or ice cream

(21:25) Posh boy: Please answer I’m worried about you

The last was sent a couple minutes ago,

(02:23) Posh boy: I know you’re asleep, but I’ve ordered your favourite tea and those biscuits that you love to steal from me, they should get here tomorrow

(03:00) Posh boy: Night L/n

I turned my phone back on its other side and turned around to face the other side in my bed, and forced myself to go back to sleep.

<3 <3 <3

I barley left the dorm for days, at the end of the weekend I sent an email to Alex explain the situation and explaining that I needed a few days, he accepted the request if I kept on top of the work. On Wednesday I went back to lessons, I hadn’t spoken to Min Ho since that day, he was probably avoiding me, just like I was avoiding him.

Josh and I had been texting a load since the night of the ball and I was staring to feel like maybe it could go somewhere, he respected that I needed some space right now but was already planning on some activities for us to do when I was up for it. It was making my heart hurt a little less.

When Friday rolled around, I knew I would have to face him: move night. 

The girls got in their comfies in the evening and were grabbing the snacks we bought earlier in the day, ready to head out to the boy’s room. I was dreading it and if the girls realised, I was being quiet they didn’t say anything.

When we arrived all was pretty normal. We made hot drinks and put out the snacks. Min Ho didn’t say anything to me and I hadn’t engaged either. He was sitting in his usual spot on the side of the sofa but I took a seat on Kitty’s side and laid my head on her shoulder, she quickly laid her arm around me and put her head on mine, rubbing my arm to soothe me, to tell me she’s got me. I think they all knew something was off between Min Ho and I too, that it wasn’t just the divorce I was upset about anymore, but they we’re giving me time.

I paid very little attention to the film and was ready to leave as soon as it was over. When we were back into our room Kitty sighed and turned around to me, “What’s going on with you and Min Ho, you guys seemed off tonight?” she asked.

I turned to her quickly, “We’ve ended things,” I say quickly “I think we’re figuring out how to behave around each other again,” I said earnestly.

Kitty looked both confused and worried, “Did something happen? Don’t get me wrong I love the guy but if he hurt you, I swear,” she started coming over to sit on the edge of my bed.

I gave her a sad smile, “Kitty, we just didn’t work,” I said and everything about the look on her face said she didn’t believe me, but she took the hint when I slid down my pillow and wrapped myself up in my duvet.

On Monday when I was walking to Mr Moon’s class for managers when I overheard Kitty and Min Ho talking inside, I quickly stepped back and listened from outside.

“Min Ho you’re losing her, she was so happy, literally glowed when you guys first got together, what happened?” Kitty demanded, “and don’t tell me things just didn’t work out because I’ve already heard that excuse, be honest with me,”.

I could hear a shuffle, and Min Ho taking a deep breath, “I don’t think she’d want us to be having this conversation right now,” he said.

‘Min Ho whatever you did I can see in your eyes that you care for her, so fix it before it’s too late,” Kitty says softly this time, then there’s a silence, “Oh my god,” she continued, “It wasn’t you, she ended it,” Kitty said.

“No, Kitty come on, it was a mutual decision,” he tried to argue, he tried to put in some conviction into it, but the lie was coming out weak.

“Min Ho,” Kitty said with conviction, “If you care for her you’ve got to fight, one thing I’ve learned from Lara-Jeans is that love isn’t easy and doesn’t always start in the way you expect it to, but it is worth it,” she said.

“Oh, hey Y/n,” Praveena said coming up to me, I could hear shuffles in the classroom “I wonder what Mr Moons has planned for this lesson,” she said completely ordinarily.

“Sorry I’ve got to go,” I said walking away quickly.

Later that afternoon after lessons had finished, I was leaving the main building to head back to the dorm, we were all having dinner in the boy’s dorm tonight and I was already running late because I had to tutor and bless the girl, but she was clueless. I was trying to use my arms to shield my face as much as possible from the rain that chucking down.

Then I heard a voice shout out, I turned around to see Min Ho, waking towards me.

“Y/n!” he called out and I stopped in my tracks, “finally you give me the time of day,” he says sharply, his tone makes me stand up straighter, “firstly so much for staying friends and acting normal,” he said and then ran a hand through his hair, water dripping down his face, “secondly-”

I interrupted him, “I’m sorry,”

“Y/n/”

“Look I’ve been talking to Josh and I-” this time he tried to interrupt me but I prevailed “Min Ho, he’s a good guy and I think,” I sighed, running my tongue over my lips, “I could really like him, and there’s plenty of girls waiting for you to give them a chance, but this thing between us, we blurred the lines and we need to stop” I said with the frustration coming through, rain falling harshly down my face, this is already hard enough, to know this is going to end, so why is he making it harder, giving my heart beats of hope, “We both deserve something real,” I sounded tired, even to my own ears.

“Y/n I don’t want this to end,” his voice came out just above a whisper, and I felt my heartbeat triple.

“What?” I asked, quieter than I expected.

“Look I know this was not the plan, but- I went to the club that night because I saw Marco and his buddies leave and they were teasing him about finally making a move on you, so I followed them, but I didn’t know why yet, then somewhere in this whole situation I realised that I was jealous, then it became real and I realised I didn’t want it to end, and ever time you’d bring up that we we’re doing it because of Marco it crushed me,” he said and I just stated at him.

“I think I fell in love with you,” he said looking at me, the rain pouring down his face, “A little bit… or a lot,”.

My eyes scan his face frantically. Min Ho had fallen for me. Just like I had fallen for him. Before he could move or say anything else, I fling my arms around him and kiss him passionately, holding him as close as I possible could, and that was still not close enough.

“I love you too,” I said after I pulled away, laying my forehead against his, I could see him smile before I closed my eyes again and he pulled me into a tight embrace. It felt like the relief was coursing through both of our bodies.

“It’s good to hear you finally admit it,” he said back to his natural cockiness, “Everyone eventually falls for me, it’s my charm unfortunately,” he said.

“Well stop using it on other girls or I might get jealous,”

“You know what? That does kind of make me feel some sort of way, I quite like my imaginary version of you jealous and it’s quite hot,” he muses, and I just pull him in for another kiss, running my hands through his hair. His hands on my waist pulling me close.

Then when we came back into the building, whilst still soaked, we came clean to our friends, and whilst most of them were shocked Kitty was very offended, but all in all they were glad we worked it out because it was obvious long before this that there was something bubbling under the surface.

“I can’t believe you pulled a Lara-Jean on me! Now I’ve fallen for it twice,” Kitty said running her hand over her forehead.

“I think this means Y/n is taking over the title of chaos queen,” Q said shaking his head, and everyone started laughing, Min Ho had his arm around me, and I naturally leaned into his chest as I giggled, and he kissed my forehead.

[babyimyurs]

𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞, 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

~

Hwang in-ho ( the frontman ) x reader.

A/N: this will be a multi series. haven’t proof read

Warnings: nothing. I’m sure if you watched squid game you’ll be fine with this.

opening: you have been working alongside gi-hun for years after he came out of the games, after hearing his story it connected a few dots from your older brothers disappearance. After arriving at the games you found out that both of yours and gi-hun’s tracker implants have gone missing, you came face to face with your biggest nightmare… playing the game.

-

After playing red light, green light you hoped that you didn’t have to wake up the next day, you had no clue that a simple children’s game could have that amount of blood and death in it. After agreeing that you would join gi-hun’s plan, he told you all about the rule that ‘when your eliminated, your gone for good’ you didn’t really believe him but now you definitely do.

a part of you also wondered how long your brother survived.. a day? two? three? you wish you could of just slapped him silly and got him a job in your coffee shop. But- here you was awakening by the sound of classical music playing out of a speaker and metal squeaking as all the players started to move around in their bed.

you woke feeling not tired at all, not even doing the usual ‘rubbing your eyes and yawning’. Probably due to your lack of sleep or the amount of trauma you got from the day previous.

“y/n.. hey.. y/n” you heard a voice, a familiar one.. a frantic gi-hun was standing next to your bed, tapping your arm. “gi-hun, you okay?” you said which gi-hun replied with a shrug as he looked around at the players. “your telling me that everytime we wake up we’re going to hear that music?” you huffed, looking up at the speakers. “trust me, that should be the least of your worry.. I still can’t figure out how they managed to get our tracking chips” gi-hun said, now looking at you with a face of absolute confusion.

“players please line up in two cues to get breakfast” a woman’s voice from a speaker said in her usual happy tone. “come on, maybe a bite to eat will make us think” gi-hun proposed hitting the metal post of your bed, waiting for you to get up and join a line.

upon waiting in the cue, you and gi-hun got a load of looks and whispers.. few that said “look there’s the mad man” , “do you think they are a couple?” , “a nearly died because of that punk shouting”. you both ignored them and soon enough you received a bread roll and a carton of milk.

“hey y/n.. take my milk, you know my stomach doesn’t take it well” gi hun said, handing over his carton as you both took a seat on some steps next to jungbae and dae ho. you got to know the guys after red light, green light, gi-hun introduced jungbae to you saying that they were friends outside the game and well dae ho.. introduced himself to group after hearing over the discussion on what the next game could be which will now happen after the big vote that went on. That’s right. The vote. most of the players after red light, green light started begging to let them go and it ended with a massive vote to either stay or go and of course majority said stay.

“excuse me..” a voice approached the group, your wasn’t very familiar with it but after looking up it was the guy that came over to gi-hun after the vote, young-ill his name was.

“you all wouldn’t mind if I joined this group? a lot of players are talking about the next game being a team game. most of the groups formed already are teams of five and there are only four of y-“ young-ill said before getting dramatically cut off by dae ho “yes! you look very strong and have good thinking! reminds me of a pal i had when i was in the marines!” he said, putting his arm around his shoulder and patting his head.

you laughed, finding the situation of how dae ho was younger than young-ill and still acting like the oldest funny. “of course, take a seat” gi-hun said, his tone not one hundred percent certain on this guy as he gave you a look of ‘keep a eye on him’.

“I say why not! what about you y/n can 001 join us?” Jungbae asked to which you just shrugged and looked over at the group “I don’t mind..” you said which got a kind smile off young-ill.

“Well welcome welcome double one!” dae ho said, looking over at young-ill as he took a bite out of his bread roll. “ah.. Thank you” young-ill replied, taking a look at everyone but lingering on you suspiciously long. “I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation before.. wanna take my milk too? I’m in the same situation as 456” young-hill said, looking over at you.. passing his carton of milk over to you.

You looked at him for a moment before shaking your head with a smile “thank you, but I think dae ho wants it more than me” you replied, pointing over to dae ho who was staring at the milk carton like he was an lion eyeing up its prey. Young- ill understood and nodded passing it over to dae ho instead.. his smile dropping almost like he was planning to give you the milk from the start.

“All players please make your way to the game hall.. the next game will be starting shortly” an announcement called out from the speaker which gave you a fright, spilling the milk that you was drinking on yourself. “fuck!” You groaned out of annoyance, taking your zip up jumper off and throwing it besides you as you and your team stood up.

you started to walk to the game hall before young-ill couldn’t help himself but approach you “you’ve got some- may I?” He said, pointing to your chin which had a white stripe of milk running down it. how embarrassing. Before you could answer young-ill had already brought his jumpers wrist and wipe it off for you.

“there you go..” he said, looking at you with a kind smile. “thank you, I didn’t realise- that could of been embarrassing” you said getting a little too flustered in the moment, you couldn’t lie to yourself he was attractive. “ah.. it was nothing, don’t thank me.. okay?” he said, looking up at your eyes before glancing down to your lips in a quick motion. you nodded, noticing the look and shaking the intimate motion off completely by hitting his shoulder and walking ahead “we’re going to be late! come on!”.

young-ill watched you walk off out of the door, now being left in the holding room with a bunch of guards. “whatever you do, keep that one safe..” he said, which in return got a bunch of nods and with that he walked out the door too.

Part two

// ahhh! okay this was my first ever fic on here and why not make it a inho x reader because that man is the death of me at the moment. hopefully part two won’t take long to come out since I do have coursework to do and all but also let me know if you guys have any squidgame one shot ideas you’d want to request me to write :)

[jadeshifting]

— DON’T FEEL GUILTY FOR YOUR MAIN CHARACTER SYNDROME

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

on “the fact that i scripted this is so embarrassing” “ew you’re y/n in your DR” “scripting for attention” “why do you have to be the center of attention in your DR” in all it’s glory, why it’s completely normal, and why you should STOP being embarrassed about it

FEELING UNIMPORTANT IN YOUR CURRENT REALITY

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

current reality? sometimes it’s just not it. maybe you’re feeling like an NPC in your own life—just another face in the crowd. it sucks, but guess what? that’s the old script. shifting? it’s your big rewrite. becoming aware of an infinite amount of realities where you’re not just noticed—you’re impossible to ignore

in this reality, people might miss the little things—your killer sense of humor, your kind heart, or how you’re way smarter than people give you credit for. but in your desired reality? everyone’s clocking it. your talents, your quirks, your whole vibe—it’s finally getting the standing ovation it deserves

in your desired reality, your name stays on people’s lips. you’re the plot twist everyone’s been waiting for. no more feeling like an afterthought; you’re finally front and center, with the spotlight right where it belongs—on you. you’re no longer the underrated gem. people are lining up to appreciate everything about you, from your sharp mind to the way you light up a room. it’s not about changing who you are—it’s about stepping into a reality that actually sees you for the star you’ve always been

in a world that works so hard to devalue especially women, and brush past even the qualities you’ve worked the hardest to have, don’t let anyone make you feel bad for using the control you have to finally get the recognition, admiration, and attention you deserve

EMBODYING THE CINEMATIC ENERGY WE’VE ALWAYS IDOLIZED

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

we allllll know the scene where the main girly walks into a room, and everything slows down—the music swells, heads turn, and she’s indisputably it? shifting is the awareness that you can become the star of your own cinematic masterpiece. we’ve spent our whole lives watching them, not only worshipping them ourselves, but watching everyone else worship them too—why wouldn’t we want to emulate them? stand on that pedestal ourselves? see what it feels like to be the star, rather than just a planet in it’s orbit

your life becomes a montage of iconic moments—sipping lattes at golden hour, dramatic declarations of love, perfectly-timed witty comebacks. “directed by Sofia Coppola,” with a sprinkle of “scored by Hans Zimmer.” the mundane? not in this reality. you don’t have to romanticize it, it’s effortlessly romantic regardless. every day is a movie, and you’re the lead

FEELING LIKE YOU HAVE TO EARN THEIR LOVE (after all, you’ve loved them for how long?)

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　

let’s talk about it—so many shifters have spent hours obsessing over their comfort characters. like, not just casually liking them, but worshipping every single thing they do. from their messy hair to their stupid one-liners to how they hold a coffee cup—clocked it all. you’ve been practically crawling through the desert for their every move, memorizing their quirks, and feeling tsunamis of emotion over the tiniest details. they yawned? perfection. they glared? iconic. they exist? life-changing. i don’t have to explain this to you, you get the picture

so when you shift your awareness to your desired reality and meet them—right in front of you? yeah, it’s a whole new ball game now. you’re face-to-face with this person you’ve basically put on a pedestal for years, and suddenly it’s like, “i’ve gotta play catch-up now?” because seriously—you’ve already poured gallons of love and energy into them, but they’re just meeting you for the first time. they don’t have the context, the fanfiction, or the Pinterest boards. they don’t know you’ve been their day-one, silently adoring them from across realities (well, depending on what you script of course. maybe they do *shrug*)

it’s completely natural to feel like you’ve gotta put in the work to even things out. you’re out here thinking, “how do I make them see me the way I see them?” through your script you’re trying to charm them, show off your personality, and make sure they fall as hard as you already have. you might feel like every move has to be flawless, like you’re auditioning for the role of Most Important Person in Their Life

gentle reminder that your comfort character isn’t just a walking aesthetic—they’re layered, real, and perfectly imperfect (which, tbh, is probably why you fell for them in the first place.) and once they catch even a glimpse of who you are, it’s game over for them. they’re gonna feel that energy you’ve been radiating for years, and it’ll be magnetic (they’re gonna be sooo glued to you you’re gonna be looking at them like they’re crazy.)

so why does it matter? at the end of the day, script whatever you want the people in your DR to feel about you, script experiences to bring you closer until your fingers fall off and your head pops—their unconditional love for you is inevitable, so why should anyone be concerned about the rest stops on the trip there?

FINALLY HAVING ACCESS TO WHAT YOU DESERVE

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let’s cut to the chase: shifting is likely the first chance you’ve ever been aware of to claim what’s always been yours. you’re not asking, you’re taking. whether it’s love, fame, adventure, or just a life that feels like a dream, shifting found you, and it’s your time to reap the rewards

this isn’t about being selfish or having a need for attention—it’s about self-love. you’ve waited long enough, played it small long enough. now, you’re stepping into a world where you don’t just survive—you thrive. no guilt, no apologies, just you living the life you’ve always deserved. main character energy? that’s your birthright, babe. go claim it

love u all immensely :^) xx

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