#please don't let me make an absolute fool of myself

[kingdomoftyto]

...BIG FEELS AND BIG PLOT DEVELOPMENTS AT THE END OF THAT BOOK, HUH

[butyoudidthis4what]

No Man's Land

Jack Abbot x f!Reader

5.1k || All my content is 18+ MDNI || C.W.: mentions of blood, mentions of guns and shootings, mentions of death/dying/coding, CPR, anxiety about partner's safety, Jack's traumatized, reader's traumatized, mentions of dissociation and compartmentalization, poor description of medical events, potentially incorrect medical descriptions/knowledge, very very light smut, angst, age gap kind of implied with Jack but not explicitly referenced, no use of y/n or related, not proofread, no beta, I think that's all but if I missed any please (nicely) let me know.

Summary: This is my Pitt-Fest-But-Not fic. Development of your relationship through vignettes of the past and conversations between Jack, Dana and Robby. There's a shooting where you work. Jack is at the ED when the dispatch comes in and is terrified when he can't get in touch with you.

A.N.: If my Robby reads like John Carter I'm sorry, except that a little bit I'm not. I feel like I'm struggling with my Jack characterization but can't tell if that's just me hating everything I do. This is my take on one of my fave tropes where reader is in mortal danger. I needed a physical location that could be associated with reader and settled on a courthouse, but what it is reader does there is not described. Probably (definitely?) needs a part two. If you get the nickname, thank you, I feel seen. If you don't I explain it at the end. This is absolutely something I would call him, in part to fuck with people who know his real name. I would love to know if you enjoyed and to hear any thoughts you'd like to share.

“He has a girlfriend,” Robby smirks at Dana. 

She blinks at him. “I’m sorry, I thought we were talking about Jack Abbot.”

“Oh we fucking are.” Robby stifles his smirk and forces his lips to remain closed and as neutral as possible. 

“You’re shitting me.” Dana’s incredulous look breaks Robby a bit and he starts to laugh, tries to turn it into a cough when both he and Dana look up to find Jack staring at them as he takes his snow dusted beanie off. He gives Robby a ‘really?’ look even though he knew Robby would rat him out to Dana the second Robby had dragged it out of him. 

Dana looks back at Robby. “Who? How did they meet?”

Robby holds up his hands. “You now officially know as much as I do about her.” Dana makes a noise of vague discontent but knows Jack well enough to know Robby is telling the truth. That’s all that’s been revealed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It’s not worth it,” you whisper. Jack blinks and looks around, unsure if you’re talking to him. He has no idea who you are, has never seen you before in his life but it appears that you are in fact whispering to him in the middle of this bookstore. 

He raises his eyebrows. “It’s not?”

You shake your head, give him an almost conspiratorial smile. “No, he must have gotten a new ghost writer. It’s really bad in comparison to his other stuff. Save your time and money. I’ll give you a summary right now for free if you’re that curious.”

Jack smiles to himself a little bit as he sets the book back on the shelf. There’s something about you, your smile, the way you just randomly spoke to him. He’s drawn to you. An alarm goes off in some part of his brain telling him to ignore it, ignore you, he could get hurt. He pretends to weigh his options as he turns to face you fully. “How about for a cup of coffee?”

Your brows furrow in confusion for a moment. There’s simply no way this unfairly attractive man is asking to buy you a cup of coffee. “The summary?” You clarify. “That I’d give for free. You want it to cost a cup of coffee instead?” You let out a nervous laugh and some part of his heart aches because you’re so adorable. “I just want to make sure I understand before I potentially make an even bigger fool of myself.” 

“Yep.” He can’t help but laugh a little. “You give me the summary over coffee. Actually, you know what? You’re going to have to give me a recommendation too because now I’m going to have nothing to read.” He clicks his tongue at you. 

“Well,” you laugh out, all breathy as you try to pull yourself together. “You drive a hard bargain but I think I’m willing to accept those terms…” you glance at his name badge, “Dr. Abbot.” You give him a full smile and Jack knows then and there he’s totally fucked in the best of ways. 

“Jack.” He smiles at you as you both begin walking towards the café. “Call me Jack.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everything quiet enough after handoff, Robby walks out with Jack into the morning sun that does little to warm the breeze pulling leaves off the trees. “Any chance you can cover a shift on Thursday night?” Robby is asking, yes, but he knows it’s not really a question, Jack is always willing to work.

“Can’t.” Jack says simply, shrugging his shoulders. “Sorry.” There’s an expectant silence that hangs between the two as they keep walking.

“Care to elaborate?” Robby finally asks.

“No.” Jack turns and smirks at him. “It’s none of your and Dana’s business.”

“Ha!” Robby laughs. “So it’s her, it’s about her! The ever elusive girlfriend. Will we ever get to meet her? Or does she not want to meet us? Is she real?” Jack stops walking and gives Robby one of his looks. “Holy shit, is it someone here?”

Jack snorts at that. “No it’s not someone here. She’s not even in the medical field.” He sighs, half longing and half resignation of some kind. “She’s honestly dying to meet you guys, especially you and Dana, but I’m trying to protect her from this hellhole. It’s hard with schedules too, to find a time.”

“That’s such fucking bullshit,” Robby laughs. “Are you afraid to truly commit? Think bringing her here will make it too real?” 

It’s a valid question but one that Jack nevertheless resents. “No, actually, if you must fucking know Thursday is our one year anniversary. We have plans. So you’ll have to find someone else to cover. But I’ll bring her around soon,” he laughs through his nose to himself at your stubbornness, “if I don’t she’s liable to just show up one of-”

“A year?” Robby laughs, incredulous. “A fucking year? How the hell did you hide it for three months before I dragged it out of you?”

Jack ignores him. “Also, I’m moving to days. It’s better for us.” He’s so nonchalant about it, just states it like he’s saying the sky is blue, like it’s not going to make Robby’s eyes widen and mouth drop open like it does.

“I don’t,” Robby huffs a laugh, “I don’t even know where to fucking begin.”

“Then don’t.” Jack smirks, starts to walk again while Robby stays frozen, running a hand through his hair. “Go do some actual work.”

“I thought you found comfort in the darkness?” Robby yells after him. 

Jack slows and turns around but keeps walking backwards, one hand holding the strap of his backpack to keep it over his shoulder. He glances down at his phone and the photo of you that is now his wallpaper. He smiles to himself a little, yells back. “Guess I find it somewhere else now.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You giggle, honest to god giggle and Jack could lose his damn mind as he nibbles at your collarbone. “You know if my anatomy class had been this fun, I might have become a doctor too.” 

You’re laying on your back in bed as Jack kisses your sweat slicked skin all over as you both come down from your last round. He’s taken to 'teaching you anatomy' like this, identifying different parts of the human body with his mouth.

“Hmm,” Jack hums against you. “I’m glad it wasn’t then. Fuck doctors.” He starts to kiss down your chest. 

“That has become quite the favorite pastime of mine, yes,” you smirk. “Fucking one specific doctor, actually.” 

“Getting fucked by one specific doctor more like it,” he murmurs into your sternum. He kisses laterally, lips hitting your breast and moving towards your nipple. 

“I think we’ve established what those are,” you moan softly as he takes your nipple into his mouth. You let your hands run through his salt and pepper curls that you adore so much. 

“Can never be too thorough.” You giggle at him again and can feel him smile against you. “But fine, you want something new?” You nod, let your nails scratch gently at his scalp. 

“Nipple,” he kisses your nipple and then down your torso to right above your belly button, “to navel is no man’s land.” He continues to lavish kisses on the soft skin of your stomach before looking up at you when you don’t respond. 

“I can’t tell if you’re fucking with me or not.” You eye him with mock suspicion. 

He laughs and it’s your favorite sound in the whole world, you swear. Well maybe second, only behind hearing him tell you that he loves you. 

“I’m not. Nipple to navel is no man’s land. It’s a real thing. It’s one of the worst places to get shot or stabbed because there’s so many organs that could be hit and the place we’d expect to get hit would depend on whether the person was breathing in or out at the time, whether their lungs were inflated or deflated. And we generally have no way of knowing. It can be difficult to get clear imaging.” He starts kissing lower, down below your belly button, rubbing his stubble along your skin to tease you as he gets lower and lower. “It’s never a good time. Lots of poor outcomes.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s supposed to be his day off and yet Jack finds himself staring at the board and running a hand over his face. “It’s still so fucking weird seeing you here during the day and it not meaning something catastrophic has happened.” 

Jack turns to look at Dana. “I’ve been working days for a month now and it’s my day off.”

“You can go, we’re fine for now,” Robby nods at Jack. “Thanks for the brief assistance brother.”

“No, no,” Dana interjects, “he’s not allowed to leave until we nail down a time to meet his girl.” 

Robby raises his eyebrows and starts to tilt his head and open his mouth to agree with Dana. A dispatch comes through before anyone can say anything else and Dana grabs it, pinning Jack down with her eyes, daring him to leave before discussing meeting you. 

“Saved by the bell,” Jack huffs, taking his stethoscope off and starting to walk away. 

“Shooting at a courthouse,” Dana relays to Robby, “not a mass cas, just a few people, two a little iffy, one they’re already doing CPR on, a few caught in the race to get out. Two dead on the scene.”

It takes a few seconds for Dana’s words to truly register with Jack, but when they do his hearing fades to only a sharp ringing in his ear. This wasn’t happening. He’d been so reticent at the beginning of your relationship, waited so long to give in and define it and hand his heart over to you, terrified he’d lose you because of himself and who he was, his imperfections, his past, his trauma, his PTSD, his baggage, as he thought of it. He feels so stupid now, in the moment, not having worried about how he could lose you from a random act of violence, that in the moments he can’t be there to protect you somebody could come in and rip you from him. Just like that. With the pull of a trigger. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You know, I can confidently say this is the most unique date I’ve ever been on,” you tease Jack. 

“Hey,” he pants, “me teaching you CPR is a great date.” 

“It would be better if you took your shirt off,” you whisper and wink at him before letting your eyes linger on his arm. 

“If I did that you’d be so distracted you’d learn nothing,” he smirks at you, sweat glistening on his skin just a little. Just enough to drive you nearly feral for him. 

 “I think I’ve got the compressions part down, but I may need more help learning the mouth to mouth part.”

He rolls his eyes at you. “You’re ridiculous.”

“You fucking love it,” you shoot back at him, leaning into his space and bumping him with your shoulder. 

He can’t help but kiss you. “Yes,” the word is muffled against your lips, “yes I do.” He gives you a firmer kiss this time before he pulls away. “But really. You should know how to do it, just in case. It will help you feel in control in the moment if the need for it ever arises. You’ll know what to do.”

You bite your lip and smile at him. 

“What?” He eyes you with suspicion. 

You shrug. “Nothing, I just love you so much. Sometimes it overwhelms me, how much I love you.”

He can see it in your eyes, how much you love him, can almost feel it physically squeezing him like a tight hug. He’s really not sure what he ever did to deserve you or your love. “I love you too, Doll.”

“I love you more, Peter.” Your face pulls up into that usual self-satisfied and silly grin you get sometimes when you call him that nickname. It’s a recent thing. You’re calling him it more and more though, it’s becoming a natural way of referring to him. From anyone else he would hate it, hearing it between another couple would make him roll his eyes. But from you? He loves it more than you’ll ever truly know. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack spins around.

“Jack you can still go, we’ve got it covered.” Robby looks at Jack for a minute and then meets Dana’s eyes as she looks to him after taking her own look at Jack. 

“What courthouse?” Jack asks. It’s quiet, controlled and clipped and almost missable in the chaos of the ED. He’s not looking at either of them, staring past them at a wall with a chest heaving more and more by the second as his face grows paler. 

He tries to keep it together. Dana will say the name and it won’t be your courthouse and he’ll go straight to your actual courthouse, grab you, take you home and never let you leave. A perfectly reasonable reaction, he thinks.

“Jack-”

“What fucking courthouse?” It’s louder this time, almost enough to pause the chaos of the ED. 

Jack’s voice drips with what sounds like rage to most of those who hear him but is unmistakably fear to Dana and Robby. 

Neither of them have ever seen Jack like this, this scared, struggling this hard to keep it together, truly raising his voice for anything other than to quiet down an unruly patient. His eyes find Dana’s and they’re glassier than she’s ever seen them, the intensity of his gaze making it painfully clear he’s hanging on every word and the wrong ones will shatter him. 

She swallows and opens her mouth and Jack knows what she’s about to say before she even says it. And she does. The name of your courthouse. 

“I’ll triage.” He says it before Dana has even finished, the words hollow and breathless and commanding all at once. He spins and starts off to the bay doors with nothing more. He obviously knows from the report Dana gave that they won’t need triage. He just needed to get out of there and try to create an excuse to stay in the ambulance bay. He knows Robby won’t let him, that Robby and Dana already know you’re at that courthouse, could be a victim. 

Robby and Dana share another look, So you work at a courthouse. This courthouse. “Fuck,” Dana mutters, “I really hope we don’t end up meeting her today.”

Jack’s hand dives in his pocket as he strides to the ambulance bay. He already knows in his heart that there’s not going to be a text from you saying that you’re okay. He hasn’t felt his phone buzz. He never even kept his phone on him until you. 

Even though he knew he wouldn’t have any messages, waking his phone and seeing none hits him like a freight train all the same, right in the chest. It threatens to bring him to his knees, make him sick, but he can’t. He sets it all aside. If you do come out of one of the ambulances he can hear in the distance you’re going to need him at his best. But what if you’re one of the two people dead at the scene? He has to shove that out of his mind too, can’t give into the complete panic that threatens to consume him. 

Disassociate. Compartmentalize. Do the job. ABC. Assess. Stabilize. Repeat.

His fingers fly across his phone automatically, calling you having become so routine. He prefers it so much to texting, hearing your voice, communicating more directly. “Call me,” he starts, “the second you get this message. Or fucking text me,” his voice breaks, “please. Fucking please.” He hangs up and calls again, knowing he’ll get your voicemail again but trying anyway because it’s all he can do. 

He’s helpless, powerless, he can’t do anything to try and save you and that threatens to swallow him whole. 

Your voicemail recording telling people to leave a message plays again and all Jack can wonder is if this is all he’ll have left of your voice in his life. Your voice on your mailbox, maybe some voicemails you’ve left him, videos, voice memos you’ve sent. All distorted by recording, not your real voice. He can’t remember what your real voice sounds like all of the sudden. What your laugh sounds like, how you sound when you’re sleepy or in the throes of pleasure or telling him you love him. God, did he even tell you he loved you the last time he saw you, when he said goodbye? 

“I need you to call me,” he says into the phone again, pauses. “I love you.” He takes a ragged breath in and speaks through his teeth. “I love you so fucking much, so you have to be okay and you have to fucking call me.”

He sends a series of texts asking you to call him or text him or call the hospital or do anything to let him know you’re okay, asking if you are okay, asking where you are as though you’re going to respond. He already knows you’re in the back of one of those ambulances because of fucking course you are, because he’s not allowed to have anything good in his life apparently. How could he be so stupid to think differently?  

“Hey, we don’t need triage for this. The numbers are controlled.” Robby walks out to stand next to Jack in the ambulance bay. “If you want to stay you can, but you can’t wait out here to see who shows up, you have to-”

“Yeah, yeah, jump on the first patient that pulls up, I know, I got it,” he interrupts Robby. 

There’s a silence as Robby passes him a gown and ties for him before he does the same for Robby. 

“Jack, if she’s in one you cannot-”

“Like fuck I can’t.” It’s just a statement. Cool and collected and a projection of indifference. It scares Robby more than if Jack had yelled. 

“No, actually brother, you can’t. I’m telling you right now. You’re not working on her. We don’t work on family, on significant others, and you would tell me the exact same thing. It’s too risky, you’ll be too clouded.” Robby watches Jack’s jaw clench and roll as he stares out at the street. 

He wants to argue that of course he’ll be clear, he’ll be focusing on saving you, he’ll have never been so clear in his life. But part of him knows that seeing you like that on his trauma table, your blood all over the table and him and his hands might make him freeze.

“Fine.” Jack whispers. “But if she’s,” Jack has to pause and take a shuddery breath. “If she’s gone or really going and it’s inevitable you have to let me in. You have to let me try to save her. You have to let me code her, Michael.”

He can taste the rising bile in his throat just at having to talk about coding you.

The first ambulance pulls up before Robby can respond and Jack’s on it so fast Robby’s surprised Jack doesn’t get smacked in the face by the door opening. 

It’s not you. It’s someone who is very much not you and is clearly one of the iffy ones. 

Disassociate. Compartmentalize. Do the job. ABC. Assess. Stabilize. Repeat.

Jack forces himself to go emotionally numb as he listens to the paramedic rattle off vitals and history, trying so very hard to focus on this, something he can do, even if it’s not for you. By the time they hit trauma one Jack’s fine and in full swing, running it like he would any other trauma. Nobody on the team in the room with him suspects anything is amiss.  

He hates the way he can’t see the other’s who come in, that he has to stay with this patient until they’re stable and can’t go looking for you. He chastises himself for not having brought you here before or at least having you meet Dana and Robby. They don’t even know what you look like, couldn’t identify you.

“Jack!” He glances at Dana who stands at the door as he preps for the chest tube. “What’s her name?”

He yells your name at her, impassive and stoic as he reaches for the scalpel, ignoring the looks everyone throws each other at the slightest tremor in his voice.

“I’ll look for her.” Dana promises. He doesn’t respond. He can’t. He’ll fall apart. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The restaurant you’re at has to be the fanciest place you’ve ever been to. It’s the hottest place in the city and you have no idea how Jack snagged reservations here for dinner to finish out celebrating your one year anniversary. 

The lighting and low hum of other patrons talking to each other and glasses and silverware and plates tinkling is cinematic. You feel like the main character. But then that’s always how Jack makes you feel. 

“I got you something.” He pulls out a wrapped rectangular object. 

You click your tongue and tsk at him. “We said we’d do them at home! I didn’t bring yours!”

“I know. I have something for you at home too.” His eyes sparkle in the flickering candle light, a little smirk pulling up. “I didn’t mean for it to be a double entendre, but both are true.” You snort a laugh at him and take the gift from him. “Open it.” He’s still smiling, eyes still sparkling,  but there’s something there. He’s nervous. It makes you even more curious. 

You carefully unwrap the object until it reveals itself as a hardcover book. That same one Jack had in his hand a year ago and that you told him was bad and gave him a summary of over coffee. 

“Oh, Jack,” you say softly, eyes getting a little watery. It’s so perfect. So sweet and sentimental. The book that brought you together, that gave you each other. It’s almost like a physical representation of the foundation of your relationship in a way. 

“You have to open it,” he instructs you in a whisper.

You raise an eyebrow but do as he says. 

‘Move in with me?’ is written on the blank first page. 

You look between the page and Jack. “Is this?” You look back at the page and then up at him again. “Are you really asking…?”

He nods. “Move in with me. Or move somewhere with me, we can get our own place, it doesn’t have to be my apartment. We basically live together anyway at this point. Let’s just make it official, yeah? Wherever you want, you can decorate however you want. Just as long as it’s our place.”

You bring a hand to your mouth for a second before using your napkin to dab at the inner corners of your eyes to stop the tears from falling and look back at him. 

“You’re a romantic, Jack Abbot,” you hum all dreamily. 

“You better not tell anyone. Can’t have you ruining my street cred.” He smirks, but his expression and the way he fidgets show he’s still anxious. “So?”

You realize then you never actually answered him. Sniffling a little laugh and letting a few tears fall you give him his answer, voice thick and full of emotion. “Yeah, I think I’m willing to accept those terms. I’d love to move in with you… Peter.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He hears you counting to yourself before he sees you. “One, two…”

It’s not loud, just said in a normal voice, softer if anything because of how you’re panting, but Jack is so on edge and so desperate to find you he’d subconsciously been listening closely to his surroundings, military training kicking in. His head snaps to you and he doesn’t even know what to think when he sees you being rolled in on top of a gurney, performing CPR that would rival the quality of his own. 

“Why is she..?” He hears Robby question the paramedic as you roll in. 

“She was performing them just as well as we could and it was better to just scoop and run,” the paramedic explains. “She must have had one hell of an instructor.”

“Peter!” You yell, without looking up, not sure if he’s still here. You’re so used to it by now that the nickname is just what comes out of your mouth as you look for him. He’d texted you to let you know he was going in for a bit.  

Jack could sob and the entire team in the room with him can feel a crushing tension shatter. Maybe he does get a little teary just from the sheer relief. He tells himself it’s sweat in his eyes.

“Yeah Doll?” He yells back, not giving a fuck about everyone hearing him call you Doll, and you calling him Peter, knowing full well he’s going to have so much explaining to do about this entire situation, the confusion in the room palpable. 

“I’m okay!” This time he does laugh to himself. 

“Yeah I’d say so,” he mutters, smiling. He’s still anxious to see you, get his own eyes on you, feel you with his own hands. 

It’s only about thirty more seconds before his patient is stable enough and he can rip his gloves and gown off and start putting fresh gloves on as he walks into the trauma room you’d been wheeled into. Normally he’d yell out for someone to talk to him or ask what they’ve got but not this time. This time he doesn’t even care about who’s on the table, only the person who came off it. Only you. 

You’re standing to the side now, watching Robby and the rest of the team work, impassive as pink tears stream down your face from the dried blood on it. You’re just so fucking overwhelmed by everything and now that you’re not doing CPR everything that’s happened is hitting you at once. 

Jack says your name as he moves to you, needs his hands on you. 

“Are you hurt? Were you hit?” He rushes out. His voice brings you back and you look up at him with wide, terrified eyes. He goes to look you over but you latch onto him, hugging him tightly, shaking a bit. 

“I’m fine, I’m okay, I’m, I’m sorry,” you start to rattle off, fisting at his scrub top and clinging to him like he’s the only thing keeping you tethered to reality. In the moment he might just be. 

He hugs you back just as hard, kisses the top of your head. He doesn’t care who sees right now, all he cares about is you. “It’s okay, you have nothing to apologize for. I’m just so fucking glad you’re okay. I thought… I thought you were…” He doesn’t have to finish, you know what he means. “I can’t fucking lose you. I love you way the fuck too much.”

You’ve been so wrapped up in each other neither of you have noticed that Robby’s patient, the one you were doing CPR on, has started to code again. “Abbot, need you here!”

You let him go, nod at him. “Go on,” you whisper, “I’ll be right here. I’m okay. I love you more.” Jack nods at you and walks over, jumping in and assisting Robby.

It’s once you’re out of Jack’s arms, away from his warm body and more grounded in reality that you notice how cold you are, how you’re swaying because he was supporting you far more than you realized, how lightheaded you are, how your abdomen and chest really fucking hurt. You chalk it up to the adrenaline wearing off and being sore from the chest compressions you just did. 

On the other side of the room an instrument tray gets knocked over, metal hitting the floor in a loud clang. It startles you, makes you jump and twist quickly to see what it was, if it was another gun, another shot. You feel something almost tearing, a sharp pain across your abdomen and lower chest, a feeling of sticky warmth against your shirt.

You sway a little, start to realize how much worse the pain is now. It’s bad enough that you can’t even make noise to express the pain. There’s no air in your lungs, you swear. You realize your lightheadedness is now much, much worse, that you’re shivering from how cold you are. Or are you just shaking? You can’t tell. It doesn’t make sense. The room isn’t even that cold. You shouldn’t be so cold. Not unless.

You pull your shirt up slowly and look down and run your hand over your skin and sure enough, there’s a bullet hole seeping blood, about half way between your nipple line and belly button, skin now covered in a dark bruise. 

You cough a little, it’s quiet. It starts feeling like there’s water in your lungs. Like you can’t get any oxygen in even though you’re in a room full of it. The metallic taste in your mouth is what manages to seep into what’s left of your consciousness next. You cough again, into your hand, and feel something wet hit your skin. Blood. 

It hits you. You’re drowning in your own blood. That’s why it feels like you can’t breathe. You’ve been shot. In a bad place, one of the worst places, Jack had told you that night. You get scared, feel your heart pounding. It feels like you’re dying. You don’t want to die, don’t want to leave Jack. You’d just finished moving into your new place together, were going to spend all weekend unpacking and painting and getting furniture where you wanted it. You were going to make your home.

Time. You were supposed to have more time together.

“Hey, Jack,” you slur softly, struggling to keep yourself standing. Luckily he hears you. Your use of his first name and the slur to your voice has him panicking again already. Time slows as he turns around to take you in, eyes going from your face and the blood coating your teeth and trickling from your mouth as you try and smile reassuringly at him, down to your torso where you’re still holding your shirt up just enough for him and everyone else in the room to see the bullet hole and bruising marring your skin. “I think, I think I’m not good, it’s not good.” Your vision tunnels so fast you can just barely see Jack’s expression of sheer abject unadulterated horror and panic as you get out your last words. “Nipples to navel… no man’s land.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peter. Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. Yes, I worked in a bookstore through college.

Part Two is up!

[st3f13ily]

Dating The Impossible

• Reverse Romance Trope

• Instead of Fake dating, everyone is convinced you aren't dating.

• Itoshi Sae x Influencer Chaotic Reader

• Sorry, I don't really know how this will goes, probably gonna be confusing and all, I just put whatever is on my mind.

"You know how some people say their life is a rom-com? Yeah, no. Mine is more like a chaos-com. I wake up tangled in bedsheets like a burrito, burn half my breakfasts, and trip over absolutely nothing at least once a day. But hey, at least I make it look cute. Or so my fans say."

"You've probably seen me online."

"The loud, over-the-top influencer with an obsession for bubble tea, oversized hoodies, and singing off-key on live streams. Yeah, that's me. Sunshine's personality is a human disaster, and I'm proud of it. My life is like an endless string of events, collaborations, photoshoots, and the occasional scandal where people assume I'm dating half the industry just because I smiled too wide in a selfie."

"But... plot twist. The rumors were all wrong. The truth? I've been dating Sae Itoshi."

"Yes. That Sae Itoshi."

"The national heartthrob, soccer prodigy, king of the resting deadpan face. The man who kicks balls for a living and somehow looks like he invented the concept of "too cool to care." That's my boyfriend."

"Shocking, right? I know, I know. You're probably making the same face my best friend did when I told her."

"Mouth open, brain error, blue screen."

"But!—ah, ah, ah—before I spill the tea on how that happened... let's rewind."

"It wasn't on a fancy red carpet or an exclusive afterparty."

"Nope. The universe had something more... clumsy planned."

"It was just another Tuesday. I was running late, of course, because of punctuality and I have never been on speaking terms. Sunglasses perched on my head, iced coffee in one hand, and phone in the other, trying to post a "good morning" selfie to my feed without walking into traffic. Multitasking: my toxic trait."

"And then, boom."

"Literally. I slammed right into someone."

"My coffee went flying, my phone almost joined it, and I stumbled back like a cartoon character. I looked up, ready to apologize to whoever the poor soul was and there he stood."

"Tall. Cool. Expression flat enough to rival the moon’s surface."

"A guy in casual clothes, baseball cap pulled low, hands stuffed in his pockets like he’d rather be anywhere else."

"And me? The clueless fool who thought. Huh. Cute stranger."

"I had no idea I'd just bumped into Itoshi Sae himself. And him? Oh, he definitely thought I was just another random, overly smiley girl with zero spatial awareness."

"Funny, right?"

"But, I'm getting ahead of myself again. You want the real story, don't you? The how, the why, the wait, really? moments."

"Well... hold tight. Because that, my lovely little chaos crew, is a story for another day."

"And speaking of stories, my livestream timer's blinking at me. Time to hit the "Go Live" button and let the circus begin."

"Story starts now: me, my camera, my fans, and one accidental love story I never saw coming."

.....

.....

.....

.....

Beep.

Beep.

BEEEEEP.

You swatted your alarm clock like it had personally insulted your family name, groaning into your pillow. Five more minutes. Just five more, universe, please. But the sun was already slapping you across the face through your curtains like it had a personal vendetta.

Reluctantly, you peeled yourself from your cozy blanket cocoon and rolled out of bed emphasis on rolled because grace was never part of your brand. You did a little zombie shuffle toward the bathroom, catching sight of your bedhead in the mirror.

"Wow. A masterpiece." you mumbled to yourself, finger-combing your tangled mess like it would magically fix anything. Spoiler: it didn't.

Your morning routine was a wild mix of chaos and caffeine. Face wash? Check. Skincare? Check—uhhhhhh—mostly. Coffee? Priority number one. You fired up your machine and did a little dance while waiting, humming off-key to whatever pop song was stuck in your head. You were halfway through pouring your coffee when your phone buzzed.

[Your BFF]: 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲??

You grinned, sending back: 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆. 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱.

You flopped onto the couch with your mug and pulled out your phone, opening your livestream app. Your followers were already leaving comments on your last post:

"You're late today, queen!"

"She lives!! What's the chaos plan for today?"

You snorted into your coffee, holding up your phone for a quick selfie.

"Good morning, chaos crew!" you chirped to your camera. "Guess who overslept again? Spoiler: it's me. But plot twist, today I have a story. And it's about a certain someone."

You paused, flashing your most dramatic grin.

"But before that, let's talk about the day I met him. Because wow. Absolute definition of 'meet-cute,' minus the cute, mostly just me being a hazard to society."

You leaned back, letting the memory replay in your head.

It was an ordinary day. Well, as ordinary as your life ever got. You had a brand meeting to rush to, and as usual, you were running late because you couldn't pick an outfit. One minute you were posing for mirror selfies in your oversized hoodie, the next you were panicking because your Uber was two streets away and you couldn't find your left shoe. Classic you.

With only two brain cells firing on pure iced coffee and hope, you dashed out of your apartment, phone in one hand, drink in the other, and zero focus on the sidewalk ahead. You were too busy typing a caption for your next post, something about the universe always testing your time management skills, when the world decided to humble you.

Crash.

You slammed chest-first into someone.

Your iced coffee did an Olympic-level flip, your phone wobbled dangerously in your hand, and you stumbled back two steps, blinking like a deer in ring light.

"Whoa—sorry, I wasn't looking!" you blurted out, brushing imaginary dust off your clothes and finally daring to look up.

And there he was.

The stranger.

Tall, and lean, hoodie, cap pulled low, and hands in his pockets like life was just a long waiting room. His expression? A mix of boredom and 'Why is this human in my personal space?'

At the time, you didn't recognize him. To you, he was just another person having the misfortune of existing on the same chaotic sidewalk as you.

But him? Oh, he definitely looked at you like you were just another hyper, overcaffeinated civilian with no spatial awareness. Probably filed you away as background noise and kept walking.

You, being the ray of unbothered sunshine you were, had just smiled wide and waved, as if you hadn't nearly caused a traffic accident with your face.

"Have a good day, mystery man!" you chirped before bouncing off, completely unaware that you'd just met Sae Itoshi.

The Sae Itoshi.

The soccer prodigy. The media darling. The human iceberg.

And soon-to-be... your boyfriend.

You grinned at the memory, shaking your head as your chat flooded with emojis and question marks

"But—ah, ah, ah—that's just the beginning," you teased, sipping your coffee dramatically. "You thought I’d spill all the tea in one sitting? Pfft. Stay tuned, chaos crew. You know I live for the plot twists."

You winked at your camera, stretching your arms with a happy little hum.

"So, where were we? Right—me, being a disaster, and the world's most unexpected love story. But that's for the next stream."

And with that, you ended the live, leaving your fans screaming in the chat for more.

You sort of love it when your fans suffer.

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

You were lounging on your bed, blanket wrapped around your legs like a burrito, phone propped up against a water bottle, livestream running full blast. The chat was already exploding with:

"You left us hanging last time!!"

"Tell us about the first REAL conversation!!"

"DID YOU FALL OR DID YOU FLY?? Spill!!"

You laughed, cheeks hurting from smiling.

"Okay, okay, okay, calm down, gremlins." You raised your hands like you were surrendering to the internet police. "So last time, I told you about the day I bumped into him. Literally. But you thought the universe would let me off with one accidental meeting? Oh, honey. No, no."

You shifted to lie on your stomach, kicking your feet behind you.

"It kept happening. Like, a lot. I thought I was the main character in a bad rom-com."

You tilted your head back, replaying the memories like your own private highlight reel.

The second time was the most random. You'd been at that cute little coffee shop you loved, the one that did those overly fancy heart-shaped lattes you always pretended to hate but secretly adored. You were waiting for your order, nose buried in your phone, when someone brushed past you.

You looked up, and there he was again. Mystery Man. Hoodie, cap, same blank expression. For a second, you thought your brain had glitched. Wasn't this the guy you’d run into like, a week ago?

He didn't recognize you, or at least, if he did, he was very committed to pretending he didn't. You'd watched him leave with his black coffee like some kind of aesthetic Pinterest post, and you'd stood there clutching your caramel frappé like, Huh. Weird.

But it didn't stop there.

A few days later, different place, the same weird coincidence. You'd been out at the park, earbuds in, walking your snack-fueled guilt off when you spotted him again, sitting on a bench, casually scrolling his phone as if he belonged in the background.

At first, you thought, Okay, world, nice try. People exist. Whatever. But by the fourth time, when you ran into him at that tiny sushi place you swore no one else but you and your bestie knew about. You couldn't take it anymore.

You'd straight-up stared at him across the room, your mouth half full of rice, eyebrows raised so high they nearly left your forehead.

And the moment your eyes met? He raised his brow right back.

So you did what any reasonable, mature adult would do.

You marched right up to his table, planted your hands on your hips, tilted your head, and blurted out:

"Are you stalking me or do I just have main character syndrome?"

Silence. Dead silence. The poor waiter passing by almost choked on air.

And for the first time, the guy cracked the tiniest, barely-there smile like you'd just told a joke only he got. He tilted his head, lazily resting his chin on his hand and replied, "Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing."

You had stared at him, blinked, and then dramatically pointed a finger at him like some bootleg detective.

"Hah! Suspicious!"

Your chat was going insane by now, spamming.

"SHE LITERALLY SAID ‘STALKER’ LMAO"

"HE SMILED?!? That's a world record!"

"He was so calm too, I'm wheezing."

You grinned at your phone.

"Yeah, I know right? The man was so calm like his entire personality was set to 'unbothered.' Meanwhile, I'm the one flailing through life like a caffeinated pigeon."

You sipped your drink, shaking your head at the memory.

"At that point, I didn't even know who he was, not really. Just thought he was some suspiciously attractive stranger who clearly had a talent for showing up wherever I existed. Turns out... well, you guys know the plot twist already."

You let out a dreamy little sigh, flopping onto your back.

"But that was just the start. You think that's the cute part? Oh, no, no, no, chaos crew. The universe was just warming up."

You flashed a wink at the camera.

"Next stream, I'll tell you the part where I found out the truth. About who he really was."

You raised your glass like a toast.

"And spoiler alert: my jaw hit the floor. See you next time!"

You ended the live, still smiling like an idiot, heart full of those silly, sweet memories.

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

You tug your hoodie over your head, slumping deeper into the cold, unforgiving airport chair while the distant hum of suitcase wheels and boarding calls blend into background noise. One earbud dangles loose, the other blasting your "waiting-around" playlist at a volume slightly unhealthy for your eardrums.

Your phone rests against your knee, the livestream chat already buzzing like a hive of nosy bees.

"WHERE are you going?? Stop gatekeeping."

"Tell us, tell us! Your airport fit is 10/10 tho."

"Are you going somewhere or is this Kidnapping??!! Blink twice if you need help!!"

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING??"

"Airport fit check pls??"

You chuckle under your breath, stretching your legs out until your sneakers nudge your suitcase.

"Yeah, yeah. I know you're all dying to know, but I'm not telling you yet. Let's just say... it's gonna be a long few hours, and the flight's not boarding anytime soon."

You leaned back, stretching your legs out, sneakers tapping against the floor.

"So I figured, since we're all here, stuck together in digital purgatory, why not tell you the rest of the story? The full, uncut, slightly embarrassing tale of how I ended up with Sae Itoshi."

The chat exploded again, and you snorted, holding up a hand.

"Calm down, calm down! You already know about the 'Are you stalking me?' moment." You grinned at the memory. "But that wasn't the last time we crossed paths. Oh no, the universe was playing the long game."

You licked your lips, settling in like you were about to spill ancient gossip.

"Turns out, I was working on this brand deal, you know, usual influencer stuff, smile, wave, pretend I don’t trip over my own feet in front of professional cameras. My manager told me there was this promotional event, super casual, nothing fancy. Show up, look cute, shake hands, snap photos. Easy."

"What she forgot to mention was that it wasn't just some small event. No, no, it was one of those 'shared space' promo collabs. You know, influencers meet athletes, actors, streamers, the whole 'everyone's famous except you' type vibe. I was barely surviving the social anxiety."

You gestured at your own face, chuckling.

"And then, guess who walks in. The same guy I called a stalker—Sae. Freaking. Itoshi."

You paused for dramatic silence, watching the chat spam screaming emojis and caps-lock confessions of second-hand embarrassment.

"And the worst part? I still didn't know his full name. Not until the event started, and the host announced it like it was some royal entrance. 'Football star Itoshi Sae, everyone!' And I just—I swear my soul left my body."

You covered your face, laughing into your hands.

"I was standing there holding a plate of free desserts and staring at him like I'd seen a ghost. He? Oh, he was perfectly fine. Cool, calm, like this was just Tuesday for him."

You shift in your seat, tugging your hood lower, and let the memory pull you under.

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

The sky had been that weird, in-between colour, not quite sunny, not quite cloudy, just hanging there like it couldn’t commit to a mood. You were half-jogging, half-power-walking toward your favourite café, craving something sugary and caffeinated to survive your schedule.

Just five minutes of peace, you'd thought, before the next shoot, the next meeting, the next 'smile for the camera.'

The second you pushed the café door open, the little bell above the frame jingled and there he was. The same guy. Cool expression, soccer-star hair, the casual posture of someone who was definitely not expecting you either.

You froze mid-step, recognizing that sharp jawline and those ocean-glass eyes.

No way. No freaking way.

And he glanced up from his drink, raising one eyebrow like he'd just spotted a UFO. No fanboy moment, no awkwardness, just that signature, unimpressed Sae Itoshi stare.

You blinked, too stunned to even remember your coffee craving. "You again?" you blurted, before your brain could filter the words.

He sipped his drink like you weren't real. "Should I be asking you that?"

The universe clearly had jokes, because this wasn't the last time either. After that café, you saw him at a restaurant, same casual lean against the counter, the same unreadable face. Then at the park. Then at a bookstore. Every time you locked eyes, it was the same little pause, like both of you were waiting for the punchline.

The fourth or fifth accidental meetup, you'd finally folded your arms, tilting your head at him, amusement bubbling out before you could stop yourself.

"Alright, are YOU stalking me?" you'd asked, deadpan but half-laughing.

For the first time, his lips twitched into something dangerously close to a smirk.

"No." he'd replied, gaze flicking to you and back. "If I were, you'd never catch me."

And you had stood there, flustered, annoyingly charmed, and wondering if he'd always been this infuriatingly smooth.

But the real twist came later, your manager dropped the bomb about the upcoming event.

"A crossover gig." she'd said, breezy like it wasn't life-ruining. "You're going to meet some athletes and shoot some promo stuff. Super chill."

You'd thought nothing of it, until you showed up at the venue, makeup barely set, nerves barely managed, and there he was. Again.

This time, his name wasn't a mystery. The host's voice boomed through the speakers like an announcement in some royal court.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Itoshi Sae!"

And you? Standing there like an absolute clown, holding some candies you snuck into your bag without your manager looking. Staring at the man you'd mistaken for a random guy for weeks.

I am going to dig a hole right here and move in.

The worst part wasn't even the reveal, it was how unbothered he looked. Smooth, sharp, camera-ready. Until the event wrapped, the photos were done, and he passed you in the hallway, hands in his pockets.

"Still think I’m stalking you?" he murmured, voice low enough that only you could hear.

Your heart had done a perfect backflip right into your stomach.

I'm doomed, you'd thought, completely doomed.

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

The airport speakers crackle, calling out some other flight and the chat floods your screen like you'd just dropped the juiciest scandal.

"OMG stop, the candy part got me dead."

"YOU MET HIM SO MANY TIMES AND DIDN'T KNOW??? Girl."

"How are you not married to him already, I'm crying."

You snort, flipping your phone so the camera only catches your eyes, full of fake dramatic regret.

"Yup, that's the story. The universe was practically waving a red flag in my face, and I still didn't get it. But hey, I never said I was smart."

You grin, voice going soft.

"That was the beginning of the mess, though. Things only got weirder, funnier, and... well, better from there."

You glance at the flight board, the 'Delayed' sign still glowing. Plenty of time to keep the story going.

"Should I tell you what happened after that event?" You tilt your head, teasing. "You might wanna grab snacks for this one."

You rested your chin on your palm, the corners of your lips twitching upward at the memory.

"But noooope. Plot twist, we kept running into each other even after that. Like, the universe wasn't done embarrassing me."

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

It started with the afterparty.

You weren't even supposed to stay long. Your manager had warned you: "Just smile, mingle, and leave before anyone asks awkward questions." But you'd stayed for the free food. Because of priorities.

You were swiping the last mini cupcake from a passing tray when you noticed him, standing alone by the balcony doors, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. Same suit, same cool stare, but there was something... so normal about him when he wasn't surrounded by flashing cameras and interviews.

You hadn't meant to walk over. Honestly. Your feet just moved.

"Hey, stalker." you'd greeted, cupcake half-raised to your mouth.

He glanced your way, eyebrows lifting slightly.

"You've got the roles reversed." he murmured, sipping his drink, "I was here first."

You'd grinned around the cupcake. "Pfft. Technicality."

It was small, that first conversation. You talked about nothing, the music, the cheap wine, how awkward those ‘stand here and smile’ photos were. And when you'd finally left the party, you were sure that was the last of it.

But then came the run-ins. Again.

At the bookstore. At the same street-side ramen place. At the stupid laundromat of all places.

Each time, the same exchange.

You: "Okay, this is getting suspicious."

Him: Deadpan. "I live here. You're the one following me."

The universe was clearly shipping you two harder than your entire fanbase ever could.

But the real kicker came a week later when your manager ambushed you mid-photoshoot with a new assignment.

"Big commercial gig. Big brands, crossover style, you'll be working with athletes again."

You didn't even flinch this time. Please let it be someone normal, you'd prayed silently, half-joking.

Spoiler alert: it wasn't.

The day of the shoot, you arrived early, coffee in hand, only to find him sitting on the armrest of the studio sofa, completely at ease, scrolling through his phone like he owned the place.

The second your eyes met, he locked his phone and gave you the faintest nod, almost amused.

"Guess you're stuck with me again." he muttered.

You'd raised your cup like it was a toast. "Could be worse."

And honestly? It could've. The more you worked together that day, the more the weirdness of ‘Itoshi Sae the world-class footballer’ faded away. He was sharp, calm, and maddeningly good at making your heart do cartwheels with a single glance. But also... surprisingly soft-spoken, and just the right amount of sarcastic to match your chaos.

When the cameras weren't rolling, the two of you sat on the studio floor, sharing a pack of sour candies you’d stashed in your bag, the conversation flipping between random nonsense and quiet silences.

At some point, you caught yourself thinking.

Huh. This isn't so bad. Actually... it’s kinda nice.

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

You blinked, pulling yourself out of the memory, stretching your arms overhead like the story had physically weighed on you.

"Yeah." you muttered into the mic, "That's when things got... complicated. After that shoot, we started texting. Then hanging out. Not the usual ‘post it on Instagram and make it obvious’ kind of way. Just... quiet."

Your thumb swiped the chat, watching your fans lose their collective minds.

"I KNEW IT. Texting is the gateway to the heart."

"You two were so private, we thought you were single fr."

"So you're telling me this was a soft slow burn all along?!"

You smiled to yourself, your heart swelling just a little as you stared at the screen.

"Yup. No fancy announcements, no PDA, no hints on social media. Just... us. And honestly, I liked it that way."

You leaned back, glancing at the flight board again.

"But I'm getting ahead of myself." you teased. "If you want the full tea—the real ‘how we actually got together’ story—you're gonna need snacks, drinks, maybe a pillow, because that part?"

You tilted your head toward the camera, grinning wide.

"That's a whole saga on its own."

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

You leaned your head against the cold airport window, watching planes blink through the foggy glass while your phone rested comfortably against your knee, still live, your chat buzzing like a beehive.

You were mid-sentence, rambling about the "friendly" phase, when your brain hit that memory, the moment things stopped being just friendly.

Your lips twitched into a soft, secret smile.

"Alright, alright, so here's the part everyone wants." you chuckled, stretching your legs out in front of you. "You've all been dying to know how it went from texting, hanging out, to... official, right?"

The chat exploded with caps and emojis.

You rubbed the back of your neck sheepishly.

"Yeah, the thing is... he never actually asked. Like—no ‘will you be my girlfriend?’ no rom-com confession under the rain, no dramatic gestures. It was just... Sae being Sae."

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

It had been months.

Months of quiet coffee shop meetups, walking side by side with your hands brushing but never quite touching, late-night texts about the dumbest things, and his deadpan humor paired perfectly with your endless chaos.

And then one ordinary night, the two of you were sitting on his apartment balcony, the Tokyo skyline stretched out before you like an endless string of stars. You were bundled in his oversized hoodie—correction: permanently borrowed hoodie, sipping canned peach soda, while Sae scrolled through something on his phone, utterly relaxed.

The silence wasn't awkward. It never was with him.

Out of nowhere, without even looking up, he spoke:

"You know my schedule, right? Next season's gonna be worse."

You glanced over, raising a brow. "Yeah, your manager already sent me the doomsday calendar."

His lips curved into a faint smirk. "Then you'll have to deal with it."

You blinked. "Deal with what?"

"You. Being stuck with me." He finally tilted his head, looking at you sideways, eyes soft but so unreadable. "You're already here all the time, anyway."

The soda can slipped slightly in your hands.

Wait... is this... is he... asking?

You tilted your head, squinting suspiciously. "Are you... asking me to be your girlfriend without asking me to be your girlfriend?"

His expression didn't even flinch. "If you need me to spell it out, you're dumber than I thought."

You gasped, mock-offended, shoving his shoulder lightly. "Excuse me?!"

But before you could launch into a dramatic fake argument, he reached over, pulling you back gently by the sleeve of his hoodie. His hand stayed there, warm and steady against your arm, anchoring you in place.

"That wasn't a question," he added, voice low but steady.

And just like that, that was it. No grand announcement, no perfect moment. Just simple, real, and entirely him.

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

Your fingers absentmindedly fidgeted with the zipper of your jacket, the memory lingering like warmth in your chest.

"Yeah... that’s how it happened," you told your audience, your grin softening. "No dramatic confessions, no fairytale scenes. Just him deciding we were already together without me even realizing it."

The chat blew up in every direction.

"HE JUST CLAIMED YOU LIKE THAT???"

"Sae Itoshi pulled the ‘you're mine, you just don’t know it’ move?? I'm screaming."

"Girl that wasn't even a question. That was a declaration!!"

You laughed, stretching out your legs again, letting the warmth of that night sink in all over again.

"Yeah," you whispered, half to yourself, half to the stream. "That's just... him."

The airport speakers crackled with another delay announcement, and you groaned, flopping back against the chair like your soul had just left your body.

"Guess I've got plenty of time to spill the rest now," you told your phone, your live stream still going strong, chat still wild, even though you were only halfway through your long-winded, slightly embarrassing love story.

You twisted your fingers into your hoodie strings, eyes flicking toward the camera, a little mischievous spark dancing behind your smile.

"So, here's the fun part. When we finally decided to tell people... no one believed us." You let the words hang for dramatic effect.

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

You flopped face-first onto your bed, phone dangling from your hand, notifications still blowing up your screen like a mini firework show. Your social feed was chaos—memes, clips, conspiracy theories, fan edits— and all for the same ridiculous reason.

The public didn't believe you and Sae were actually dating.

You groaned into your pillow.

"Why. Why is the world like this?"

Just earlier that week, you finally decided to post that one photo, the soft, cozy one of you wearing his hoodie, feet propped up on his coffee table, his unmistakable blue-and-white game jersey draped on the back of the couch in the background.

The caption was simple:

"Soft launch? Nah. Full send."

And Sae, the man of zero social media energy, actually liked it.

But instead of hearts and celebration, the media? The fans? The blogs?

𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚌?

𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚜𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚝?

𝙰𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚌𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚝?

They refused to believe it. Your chaotic, sunshine personality, the influencer who couldn't sit still for five seconds, with Japan's most stone-faced, deadpan soccer prince? They weren't buying it.

Truth was, you avoided his matches like the plague.

Sure, you loved seeing him play, but you didn't love the VIP section. You hated the constant camera pans, the forced smiles, and the announcers awkwardly mentioning you every five minutes like you were the main event instead of him.

And even if you could handle that, the crowd wasn’t much better.

"Why do you even go, if all you do is get stared at?" you remembered Sae asking, poking the straw in your drink lazily as the two of you hid in a quiet little ramen shop once.

"Exactly! I don't," you shot back. "You wanna know how awkward it is to sit there, every second feeling like I should wave or pose for the camera? I'm not tryna be the soccer wife template, okay?"

And as usual, Sae just nodded, no offense taken, no guilt tripped, just casually accepting your boundaries without blinking.

And the interviews? His manager probably sent him a dozen pre-approved questions about you every week, and he still answered the same way:

"Private life's got nothing to do with the field."

"Next question."

"No comment."

You loved him for that. But the world? They took it as proof you were all for show.

You rolled onto your back, clutching your phone to your chest dramatically.

"I want everyone to know you're mine, damn it!" you whined out loud, even though Sae wasn't even in the room.

Your phone buzzed, and speak of the devil, his name flashed across your screen.

A text, short as always.

Sae: 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭?

You typed back furiously, thumbs moving like you were fighting for your life.

You: 𝐘𝐄𝐒. 𝐈 𝐚𝐦! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥�� 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐈𝐦 𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐞-𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮! 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬? 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬!!

A few seconds passed.

Another buzz.

Sae: 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞.

You let out the most dramatic gasp, holding your chest like you’d been mortally wounded.

He doesn't care. He's so... him.

But even in the middle of your whiny pout, your phone vibrated once more, and his last message made your stomach flip

Sae: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬.

Your lips twitched into a defeated smile.

Yeah. That's true.

Bonus: Later that week, you caught him scrolling past some article about your "fake" relationship. His only reaction?

"Tch. They're dumb."

And then he slid his phone back into his pocket, grabbed your hand, and squeezed it liked the whole world could fall away and he'd still be fine, as long as you were beside him.

It wasn't just the fans.

It wasn't just the media.

It was everyone.

Even your own best friend.

You sat cross-legged on your couch, phone balanced on your knee, holding back a groan while your bestie's voice played through the speaker like the most supportive but suspicious customer service rep on Earth.

"So… Sae Itoshi, huh?" they hummed, voice full of that polite, careful tone people use when they think you’re about to tell them you joined a pyramid scheme. "You're really serious about this?"

You flopped onto your back dramatically, one arm tossed over your face.

"Yes, I'm serious! Why does nobody ever believe me?!"

Your best friend laughed, soft but teasing.

"It's just... you only post about him once or twice a week then it's just you with your routine. You're always hanging out with me or working. And he doesn't mention you in interviews either, so…"

You sat up and grabbed a throw pillow, clutching it like a lifeline.

"Because we like being private! You know how insane people are about celeb couples. We don't need the world crawling up our noses."

Your best friend didn't sound mean about it, or even doubtful in a harsh way, just unconvinced in that "I love you, but I’m side-eyeing this" way.

"Well, if it's real, I'm happy for you. But I'll believe it when I see him at a family dinner or something."

You froze.

Family dinner. Right. That wasn't helping your case either.

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻

Your family was no better.

Every group call, every visit, every holiday, someone always asked the same thing:

"Are you still seeing that soccer guy?"

"Yes, I am!"

And always, the same suspicious, supportive-but-totally-judging smile.

"Mhm. Must be hard, dating a busy man like that. You two probably don't see each other much, huh?"

You wanted to yeet your phone across the room every time.

It wasn't their fault.

They weren’t being cruel, or bitter, in fact, they were probably trying to avoid sounding jealous.

But they hadn't seen Sae show up at birthdays, or in your Insta stories, or on the group vacations.

And every time you'd try to explain the situation, the words sounded faker and faker even to your own ears.

"He's busy with training."

"He doesn't like social media."

"We like keeping things private."

"It's not that serious to everyone else, but it is to us."

You knew it was true. You knew Sae wasn't some trophy boyfriend for display. But you also knew how invisible your relationship looked to the outside world.

The meet-and-greet was in full swing. Flashing lights, smiles so wide your cheeks hurt, laughter so loud it made your ears ring — you were in your natural habitat, bouncing from fan to fan like a hyper, overcaffeinated puppy.

You signed merch, posed for selfies, gave out warm hugs, and listened to all the sweet things your fans had to say.

"You're literally the best person ever."

"You make my day so much brighter."

"You're my comfort streamer, always."

And then, the classic.

"So… are you really dating Sae Itoshi?"

You smiled, the same smile you'd mastered over the past few months. The yes-it's-true-but-nobody-believes-me-anyway smile.

"Yup! Totally. 100%."

Cue the polite giggles.

They didn't mean it in a mean way. In fact, you loved how playful your fans were about it. But deep down, it still poked at you like an itch you couldn't scratch.

They were so sure it was fake.

Why wouldn't they be? You and Sae were barely ever seen together unless a manager forced it. You hated attending his matches. He hated social media. It all lined up too perfectly, like the plot of every fake celebrity romance scandal.

You'd whined about it to him just last night. Practically buried your face in his chest, grumbling like a five-year-old.

"Why won't anyone believe me? I want the whole world to know you're mine!"

And like always, he'd just ruffled your hair, kissed your forehead, and said.

"Let them think what they want. I know what’s real."

But apparently, Sae Itoshi had a limit, too.

Because while you were grinning at the next fan in line, mid-conversation, halfway through signing your name on a hoodie, the room shifted.

There were gasps, murmurs, and the kind of hush that only happens when someone so unexpected, so untouchable, walks into the room.

You lifted your head and froze.

Standing casually near the back, hands in his pockets like this was the most normal thing in the world, was Sae Itoshi himself.

Your jaw dropped.

Before you could even string a single thought together, he was walking toward you, eyes locked on yours like there was no one else in the world. And without stopping, without saying a word, without hesitation.

He leaned in and kissed you.

Soft but confident. No over-the-top drama, no staged posing. Just real. Simple. Certain.

When he pulled back, the silence was deafening. For once in your chaotic, noisy life, you were speechless.

Your fans were quiet, wide-eyed, some blinking like they’d just been hit by the plot twist of the century. But not in a bad way. No hate. Just pure, I-can't-believe-I-just-witnessed-that energy.

You blinked up at him, your voice breathless but happy, giddy from the surprise.

"What are you doing here??"

Sae tilted his head slightly, his signature deadpan expression softening at the corners.

"You kept whining about nobody believing you."

A pause.

"I can't take it anymore. So here I am, making sure they're convinced we're together until the end."

You wanted to melt into the floor.

The fans, finally breaking out of their stunned silence, burst into soft claps and cheers. No screaming chaos, no wild frenzy, just a wave of warm, supportive acceptance like, "Well, damn. Guess it was real all along."

And just like that...

All your whining finally paid off.

You couldn't stop smiling even as the meet-and-greet wrapped up, Sae waiting nearby like the world’s most casually overprotective boyfriend, hands tucked in his pockets, eyes glancing toward you every few minutes.

And this time, when you scrolled through your notifications later that night, the headlines weren't speculating with assumptions anymore.

Confirmed: Itoshi Sae And Our Influencer Queen Are Officially Together. For Real.

You stretch your arms above your head, rolling your neck side to side as the loudspeaker overhead calls out another delayed flight. Your phone, propped up against your coffee cup on the little table, is still going strong, the live stream timer blinking away.

The screen is flooded with hearts, emojis, and comment after comment, your fans practically vibrating through the chat.

You let out a small yawn, your voice light and teasing.

"—And that, my friends, is the full story. Yup. That’s how your favourite chaotic influencer and Mr Ice-Block Sae Itoshi became a thing." You grin at the camera, lifting your drink for a little toast. "No fake dating, no PR stunt, just real-deal feelings and a very stubborn soccer boy who took his sweet time making everyone believe me."

The comments start rolling in faster now that you finally stopped talking, and you lean closer, eyes flicking across the screen.

"OKAY OKAY I BELIEVE YOU NOW MY QUEEN I’M SORRY."

"THE WAY I DIDN'T BELIEVE YOU FOR MONTHS I FEEL SO DUMB."

"I KNEW IT! I FREAKING KNEW IT! You two are so real I'm crying."

"Plot twist: Sae is the softest boyfriend behind the scenes."

"Her telling the whole story at an airport like a rom-com main character."

You chuckle under your breath, heart swelling a little at the waves of support finally pouring in. The very people who doubted you for so long were now spamming apologies, excitement, and even edits waiting to be made the second this livestream ended.

You leaned back in the chair, looking out at the huge glass windows where planes rolled slowly across the runway. Your lips curl into a smile, fingers tapping against your cup.

"See?" you mutter under your breath, knowing full well Sae isn't here to hear it. "Told you they'd believe me eventually."

The screen blinks again with another message from a fan.

"Now tell us, where are you flying off to, Queen?"

You smirk playfully at the camera, pressing a finger to your lips.

"Ah, ah, ah—that's for me and a certain someone to know. Spoilers, you know?"

And just like that, the screen explodes with more theories, more hearts, and more love.

You close your eyes for a moment, listening to the soft airport hum, your mind wandering to the boy who'd flipped your world upside down without even trying, the boy who wasn't so icy, once the cameras stopped rolling.

You're still grinning at the endless flood of comments lighting up your phone screen, fans spamming:

"WHERE YOU GOING?"

"IS SAE PICKING YOU UP??"

"TELL USSSSS."

When suddenly—A voice from behind, smooth and slightly amused, cuts through the airport noise.

"So that's why you didn't greet me."

Your breath catches, and your whole body stiffens for half a second before you whip your head around. There he stands, casual as ever in a hoodie and cap, hands in his pockets, Itoshi Sae.

You blink like your brain short-circuited.

Oh.

He's here.

The chat explodes the moment the camera catches the hint of him standing behind you, leaning over slightly to glance at the screen. The comments spiral into full-blown chaos:

"IS THAT SAE?????"

"WHAT THE ACTUAL—"

"NO WAY NO WAY NO WAY."

"SAE APPEARED IN THE FLESH. CONFIRMED."

"I CAN'T BREATHE."

You laugh, cheeks heating up as you tilt the phone slightly toward him, watching as Sae raises a brow at the scrolling flood of reactions. He gives the camera the most casual glance, like he hadn't just walked into your live stream unannounced, and then looks back at you.

"You done?" he asks.

Because, of course, he knows you've been here talking about him for who-knows-how-long.

You roll your eyes playfully, bringing your hand up to brush a strand of hair away from your face. "Almost," you reply with a soft grin, turning your attention back to your fans, who are practically foaming at the mouth at this point.

You lift your left hand, casually wiggling your ring finger right in front of the camera, the glint of a sleek, simple ring catching the light. Your grin widens when you say, sweet as ever:

"Oh, right. Almost forgot to mention—we're engaged."

And with that, you reach over and hit the "End Stream" button, the last thing your fans see being your smug little wink and the chat blowing up so fast the app almost lags.

Phone off, you glance back at Sae, who—for once—lets out the softest huff of a laugh.

"You just had to drop that like a bomb, huh?" he mutters.

You sling your bag over your shoulder, nudging him lightly. "You didn't want me whining anymore, remember? Plus, I love it when I leave my fans with cliffhangers."

And without another word, he reaches for your hand, lacing his fingers with yours, as the two of you stroll off toward the gate, away from the flashing cameras, the exploding comments, and the doubters.

Just the two of you.

Till the end.

[h3rmess]

SAVE A HORSE, RIDE A COWBOY

Written by @h3rmess ✰

navi☆

-> cowboy!satoru x afab!reader x cowboy!suguru

warnings - SMUT! use of swear words, use of some spanish (im not native so please correct me if I got something wrong!!) Spanish translation at the end!!

notes - im literally screaming satosugu as cowboys have me in a CHOKEHOLDDD - smut is not usual from me pls don't cringe, or I'll cry

Wandering into the unfamiliar town, I looked around for anything that could indicate my next move. My horse, Lucky, was worn out beyond belief. The summer heat was like no other as she trotted through the desert. I dismounted, spotting a stable a few steps away from us. I led my girl into the stable, the shade it provided, relieving us instantly. I looked around to see if anyone was there.

"Hello? Anybody here?" I hollered, receiving no reply. With a huff, I stroked Lucky's head, comforting her, urging her to hold up a little longer.

A whistle echoed through the stable, catching my attention instantly.

"Well, ain't she a beauty!" His boots clicked on the ground, his hands in the loopholes of his jeans as he made his way in front of us.

"She really is." I looked at Lucky, petting her as she shook her head, neighing.

"I wasn't talking about the horse, muñeca." His voice deepened, igniting something in me.

He made his way closer towards me, inspecting me with careful eyes, his long black hair flowing out of his hat.

"What's a beauty like you doin' 'round here?" He neared me, his slender eyes making me feel like I had to submit to him.

"Oh! I - uh, got a lil' lost." I tried my best to maintain composure.

"Well, don't worry, amor, we'll take good care of you." He slung his arm around me, the proximity only worsening the heat I felt.

"W-we?" I stuttered, causing him to chuckle and turn his head to look behind him.

"Satoru!" He shouted.

As if on cue, a man came in riding a gorgeous brown horse, looking absolutely majestic.

"Yeah? Oh my!" He exclaimed, immediately jumping off his horse and walking towards me. "Who's this?" He asked the black hair man.

"She hasn't told us yet. What's your name, guapa?"

Me breath hitched before I told him, a satisfied hum leaving both their mouths.

"Pretty name for a pretty lady." The man with white hair spoke, taking his sunglasses off to reveal his huge, blue eyes. The colour mesmerised me, causing me to freeze in place, completely unable to move.

"¿Qué pasó, princesa? Cat got your tongue?" The person who I figured to be Satoru taunted, moving closer to me.

My heart beat quickened and I began to swear, thinking only one thing about these men ; they are so fuckable.

"What did you come here for, hm?" The black haired man spoke, his tone making me want to drop to my knees.

"My- uh- m-my horse, Lucky. She's dehydrated, and I wanted to get her some food, water, and rest." I stumbled over each word, making a fool of myself.

"Hear the way she's stuttering, Suguru!" Satoru nudged the black haired man as they both chuckled.

"She truly is precious. Can't let a gem like you get away now, can we?" Suguru's hand found its way to my chin, holding it firmly and lifting my head up to look into his eyes. "We'll get ya all fixed up, alright? Don't you worry, linda."

I nodded dumbly at the two men, following them into where the horses were kept, leading my girl on behind me.

They kept to their word, making sure Lucky had enough food and plenty of water and then allowing her to sleep. I was so grateful to them for lending us their resources out of the kindness of their hearts.

Those same hearts that I hadn't known wanted nothing more than to bend me over.

"She's all rested now, alright?" Satoru spoke, taking his hat off and taking a seat in a room separate to the stable. His legs were spread apart as sweat leaked down his semi-exposed chest. I tried to look at any modest part of him, but no matter how hard I tried, he managed to turn my thoughts lewd time and time again.

He sat on one side of me, Suguru, on the other in a similar position.

Would I be able to take them both? They both look so damn sexy right now. I wonder how big they are...

My thoughts caused my thighs to squeeze together. I thought about how they would manhandle me and I wouldn't complain. I yearned for friction, anything to give me a little bit of relief.

"¿Qué estás haciendo, muñequita?" Suguru asked, his hair out of its prevous bun and now falling sluttily onto his shoulders. It only made the heat between my legs grow, my thighs squeezing closer together.

I hadn't noticed, but I was staring. Intensely. I was undressing him with my eyes.

A finger snapped in front of my eyes, which happened to be Satoru's.

"You okay, querida?" He asked, his voice playful.

"Huh?" I replied simply, turning my head to face him.

"You've been looking at us like you want to fuck us since you got here." Suguru chimed in, making my face flush in embarrassment.

I tried to speak, but no words came out.

"You want us to fuck you, hm?" Satoru hummed, his sweet voice making a squirm slightly.

I nodded furiously, waiting for either of them to make a move.

"Use your words, mami." Suguru sent me over the edge as he placed his hand on my thigh, inching up closer and closer to my heat.

"Yes. Please, I need you... both of you." I mewled pathetically, embarrassed by the words that had just come out of my mouth.

With no hesitation, Suguru slipped his hands under my thighs, hoisting me up onto his lap. I felt his hardness underneath me, instinctively rolling my hips slowly over it, earning a soft grunt from him. His hands found my waist, caressing it up and down, further riling me up.

Satoru took my face in his hands, turning my head towards him and kissing me. He ate at my mouth, covering every single inch of my lips. I groaned into the kiss as Suguru's hands slipped under my skirt, holding onto the rim of my panties.

I grinned against him even harder, feeling Satoru's tongue slip into my mouth, digging its way down my throat.

"Calmate, girl!" Suguru announced, holding my hips to prevent any more movement.

Satoru pulled away from my lips, finding his way to my neck and sucking on the tender skin. I whimpered at his movements, making me grip on to Suguru's shoulders tighter than before.

His hands reached under my skirt, placing a singular finger pad on my clothed bunch of nerves. I cried out, needy and desperate, already fucked-out.

"So pretty..." Satoru whispered on my neck, the sensation paired with the praise, only making me wetter. I whined as I leaned into Suguru's chest.

"Please..." I cried as he massaged me, longing for closer contact.

"Hmm? Please what, amor?" His eyes were stuck on my tits which were squashed against his chest, making his cock twitch.

"I need you.." Satoru pulled away as I spoke, whisking me up and placing me on his lap, taking over Suguru's role.

"Need us how? Dime qué quieres, muñeca." Suguru's lips kissed my collar bone as Satoru unbuttoned my top.

I could only whimper as Satoru's left hand slipped beneath my panties, playing with my slick.

"She's so wet!" Satoru exclaimed, his lack of speech only to be blamed on him being completely immersed in the moment.

His finger moved to Suguru, who opened his mouth and sucked on it, tasting me.

"So sweet..." He groaned, palming himself through his jeans as he kissed my neck once more.

"I need to taste straight from the source. Would you like that, hermosa?" Satoru asked, pushing me down onto my back and moving himself in line with my still covered heat.

I nodded as he tugged at my panties before he stopped and looked up at me.

"Quiero oírte decirlo. Tell me that you want it." He asks for my consent as his face is between my legs, possibly being the hottest thing I've experienced.

"I want it." I tell him as he smirks, kissing up my thighs and sliding my panties down my legs.

"So pretty for us." He says, delving into my folds.

"The prettiest." Suguru adds.

TRANSLATION :

Muñeca = doll

Amor = love

Guapa = pretty

¿Qué pasó, princesa? = what happened, princess?

Linda = cutie

¿Qué estás haciendo, muñequita? = what are you doing, dolly?

Querida = dear

Mami = mommy

Calmate = take it easy

Dime qué quieres, muñeca = tell me what you want, doll

Hermosa = gorgeous

Quiero oírte decirlo = I want to hear you say it

[yumiis]

ive had this idea for a while but idk if you have already done it (if you have please tag me) but like them being lovesick? like they are so in love with you, ive have literally seen ZERO of this. please and thank you!!!

YUP I LOVED WRITING THIS bc i myself get lovesick so EASILY so this came super easy to me

｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ｡ ﾟ。 sick for you ; blake, tanner, isaac

　 ﾟ･｡･ﾟ

genre; fluff

type; headcanons

read below!

BLAKE ;

Definitely keeps it to himself, doesn't let anyone else know he's feeling the way he's feeling.

The only one that would know he's feeling lovesick would probably be Isaac. Only because Isaac catches on to the small things really easily.

Isaac catches all Blake's little glances at you, he notices when his face goes red when you're mentioned.

As for how Blake feels when lovesick, he's super confined to his own brain and tries not to hang around you a whole lot, because he's scared he'll reveal himself and how he feels.

When he has to be around you though, he's always red in the face and trying to make small conversation with you.

Whether the conversation is awkward or not, he loves every time he talks to you, because he's getting somewhere.

He likes to buy you little gifts, just because. Y'know, he's in love with you. He takes note of stuff you like, because he wants to show he cares.

When he finally asks you out, or more so whenever Isaac told him to ask you out, and you say yes, he just pulls you in for the tightest hug ever.

TANNER ;

Oh my god he's such a fool when he's lovesick. He's the kind to feel physically sick when he's crushing on someone, because it hits him HARD.

Always feels giddy and happy around you, so he makes it a point to hang out with you when he can.

He's always cracking his best jokes around you to try and make you laugh, because when he hears you laugh it makes him so unbelievably happy.

Definitely the type to leave notes around you and label them as "-ur secret admirer <3" but he alters his handwriting so you don't actually know who it was.

The type to make jokes like "What if.. What if we held hands? Ahaha, only joking!" He is not joking.

He makes it so obvious, but you'd never tell him it was obvious, it'd break his heart.

After about a year of these shenanigans, he finally builds up the courage to ask you out. When you say yes, he has to stop himself from just jumping on you and kissing you.

ISAAC ;

He's subtle, but he's also not.. not subtle.

He likes to crack jokes like Tanner, "Hey, Y/n, how funny would it be if we dated?" "What?" "Nothing."

The only one to actively seek you out; he actually calls you and texts you daily. He isn't afraid of being straightforward!

He always texts you to see if you're down to hang out, and if you say yes, he feels physically sick all day.

Absolutely loves being around you, but it also makes him feel like he's gonna vomit.

That feeling doesn't stop until you guys are actually dating.

Him and Tanner are pretty similar, aside from the fact that Isaac actually makes moves.

He peppers in some pet names that could kind of be passed off as platonic, but his heart could burst when you smile at the fact of him calling you 'dear'.

When he finally asks you out, and you say yes, he could fall to his knees right then and there.

[wannabekook]

Good Graces - Part Two

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:

Please do not copy or post my work anywhere!

(ʙᴀɴɴᴇʀ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʙʏ ᴍᴇ, ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴜꜱᴇ ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴅɪᴛ)

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:

Part One

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x Reader Summary: Betrayal is heavy even between the love they share. Though she loves him, his actions and words are more than hurtful to himself rather than others around him. Warnings: TOXIC!Rafe (honestly cannon), SEMI TOXIC!Reader, hella angst. Cannon events of s1e5. Word Count: 3.5k+ Proofread?: Yes, by @socialpsycho484 A/N: Ngl I was giggling like a fool at the amount of angst and toxicity in this part of the series and I’m so absolutely excited to start the next part but unfortunately have to put it writing on pause for the weekend due to my cousins wedding. I hope you all enjoy! Remember positive feedback is highly encouraged and requests are open! Send in any requests or dirty thoughts and I'll respond with my own as well as what that character would do. If you want to be on my taglist just send through my ask box and I'll put you down. Don't forget to follow and turn on post notifications to know when I post next. This is my reblogs, follow to see what I be reading. :)

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:

Of course I knew Rafe was being serious about me going to Midsummers with him. He had taken me shopping the other day to pick out a dress that matched his sky blue suit which of course didn’t take me long to fall in love with the first one I saw. A satin spaghetti strap that was the exact same color as his suit with a thigh split that hugged me just right. Paired with silver strappy heels to match. My hair in a bun with two pieces from my bangs framing my face. A small diamond tiara on my head as I put the final touches on my makeup. A shout from my parents downstairs telling me that Rafe was here. Glancing at my clock on my nightstand to see it was five o’clock on the dot. A soft scoff escapes my lips as I roll my eyes “Of course..” I mutter to myself, exactly like Rafe to actually be punctual. 

I make my way down the steps, holding onto the railing as I descend. Rafe standing in the foyer, his eyes immediately landing on the steps as he hears me come down. He watches as I come into view, eyes widening softly in adoration. His lips part as he’s about to say something, I look at him with a shy smile on my face. The words immediately die on his tongue as he just stares at me. I now stand at the bottom of the stairs, shifting my weight from foot to foot as we just stare at each other. Feeling strangely nervous under his gaze as I watched him with careful eyes. Rafe cleared his throat before looking away, a hand running down his face before looking back at me with his usual unreadable glance paired with his signature smirk. And just like that, the moment is gone causing me to shake out of my shy nervous state. 

“You ready?” Rafe sighed out as he walked towards me, still raking his eyes over my figure. 

“Yeah, let’s go.” I met Rafe halfway in the foyer. He extended his arm for me to hook on to which I gladly accepted with a small smile. He led the both of us out my front door and to his car. Letting go of my arm to open the passenger door for me.

“Thank you.” I say softly as I climb into the Range Rover. He nods before closing the door and  making his way over to the driver side, getting in. He starts up the truck as he looks over to me with a small smile on his face.

“You look good.” He said softly, his eyes trailing down to my thigh that’s exposed by the thigh split. His eyes making their way back to my face as I feel heat crawl up the back of my neck to the tips of my ears. “You always look good though.” he said genuinely, causing the heat to spread to my cheeks as I looked over to him through my eyelashes.

“Thank you, you look good too.” I said shyly, slightly surprising myself with how timid my voice came out. Rafe let out a slight chuckle as he turned his attention forward, pulling out of my driveway to begin the short drive to the country club.

The entire ride eerily silent, the both of us glancing at each other from the corners of our eyes. Seeming like we both are afraid to break the silence first. Before I knew it he was pulling into the parking lot of the country club. I let out a soft sigh as I looked towards the building, seeing half of the island inside and out on the patio. The nervousness slowly crept back into my system. Rafe seemingly sensed my nervousness as he placed a soft hand on my arm, pulling my attention to him. My eyes softened slightly as I tilted my head silently at him.

“Come on, it’ll be okay.” he nodded reassuringly to me, causing me to smile at him with a nod.

“Alright, I’ll believe you.” I said nervously as I reached my hand to touch his on my arm. With that he smiled widely at me and pulled his hand away. Doing the usual routine of getting out and helping me out of the car. He grabs my hand to help me steady myself as I place one foot on the ground, pulling away as I am fully out of the car. I move over to the side allowing him to close the passenger door. He held out his arm for me to take once again, hooking my arm with his as we began our way into the building. 

As soon as we made it into the building it felt like everyone suddenly stopped and turned to look at us. I sucked in a sharp breath as I looked around, slowly exhaling as it seemed like only a few people had turned their attention towards us. Rafe’s gaze immediately snapped to the side of my face when he heard me suck in a breath. His arm slightly tightening around mine, in a reassuring way. I turned my gaze to look up at him, meeting his eyes staring intensely at me. His gaze unwavering as worry filled his usually stoic expression, leaning down close to my ear.

“It’s okay.” he said against the shell of my ear, his breath hot against my skin. A shiver runs down my spine as I can only nod in response not trusting my voice at the moment. He pulled back to look at my now reddened face. I looked away as I cleared my throat and pulled completely away from him, putting distance between us. Not wanting to have those who were watching us thinking we were actually together. Knowing that it would never happen. Knowing that he views me only as his best friend. 

He watched me pull away, a microscopic frown formed on his face. I didn’t look at him back to him as I moved away from him, moving more into the room of the country club. His arm darted out to grab ahold of me before pulling it back as he clenched his fist, watching me for a moment before following after me.

I glanced around the room, trying to find Topper and Kelce. Absolutely not needing to be alone with Rafe. Not trusting myself to be with him alone in this room full of people. Rafe right on my heels, letting out an annoyed sigh. o

“(Y/N).” Rafe exhaled softly, reaching out to grab my arm. Stopping me in my tracks as soon as he touched me. I turned around, looking up at him with an unreadable gaze. My gaze caused his eyebrows to furrow before he licked his lips. “Never mind.” he shook his head dismissively  before letting go of my arm. Now it was my turn for my eyebrows to furrow. 

“No, what?” I spoke softly, only earning a head shake from him as he looked away from me. 

“Nothing. Forget it.” he huffed before walking away, further into the crowd. Leaving me standing there confused as I watched his figure retreat. A bit disappointed for the abrupt abandonment but also thankful for it at the same time. 

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The sun is about to set, the party in full swing as I lean against one of the railings outside. Watching everyone on and around the dance floor with a glass of champagne in my hand. Sarah of course on the dance floor having fun. Rafe, Topper and Kelce along with a few of their other friends standing in a circle near the dance floor talking amongst themselves. A smile on my face as I watch Rafe for a moment, tipping my glass up to my lips to take a sip. The champagne hit the back of my throat right as Rafe turned his head slightly, catching me staring. My heart stops beating for a second as our eyes meet, he smiles softly at me with a small wave. He went back to paying attention to his friends as a figure with a drink tray moving quickly through the crowd caught my attention. The blonde curls on the figure's head are easily recognizable, JJ. Worry swirled viciously in my stomach as I watched him walk past Rafe, letting out a soft exhale as Rafe didn’t seem to notice him. Knowing exactly what would happen if Rafe did see him. Confusion is now taking over me, making me wonder how he got in when I knew he wasn’t working as a server for this year's Midsummers. I turned my head towards the beach since that’s the only possible way he could’ve snuck up without noticing, shaking my head softly as I turned back to keep a careful eye on both JJ and Rafe. My eyebrows furrowed when I couldn’t spot him for a moment before finding him right as he handed something over to Sarah. Making her look confused at it as they talked amongst themselves. Whatever his reply was to her caused her to smile and walk away from him. My eyes darted around for a moment to see where Rafe was, frowning when I no longer saw him, Kelce or Topper where they were before. Panic surging as I turned to look back towards JJ who now had Rafe’s hands on the kid’s shoulders with Kelce right next to him. Both of them looked at JJ like he was some kind of prey to them. My stomach twists with uneasiness as I begin to walk over to them, setting my glass down on a nearby table. Rafe signaled for the other boys to come over as they all began to follow JJ into the building before I’m able to reach them. My pace quickened as I followed them. Clattering of chairs being pushed around and startled noises out of guests being heard as the boys busted out into a sprint as soon as they got into the building. I tried my best to keep up, apologizing softly to the people who they disturbed. Furrowing my eyebrows as I looked around trying to find them but coming up short until I heard groans coming from the men's locker room. My eyebrows shoot up as I go towards the locker room. My heels clack against the flooring as I move closer.

“Learn your etiquette, my friend.” Rafe calmly says with a sarcastic tone as JJ sounds like he’s struggling. I move to the area they’re in, letting out a loud gasp as I see that Kelce is holding JJ in a choke hold with Rafe standing in front of them. None of them realized I had made my way in as they continued to terrorize JJ. The room suddenly went silent for me as I watched in horror. JJ spat on Rafe for whatever he had said. Rafe’s fist came up about to punch JJ in the face before I sprinted to stand in front of JJ. My eyes narrowed at Rafe as I stared at him with disapproval and anger causing him to falter a bit, Kelce finally letting go of JJ. Rafe’s lips parted as he stared at me, guilt swirling in his body language for a brief second before going back to being indecipherable.  

“Gentlemen!” a security guy boomed as he flicked the lights “Is there a problem here guys?” the guy asked as Rafe moved to push me behind him. JJ of course being JJ hiked up the dramatics, making a joke of the situation. Rafe scratched at his ear while stifling a disbelieving laugh at JJ’s stupidity before scowling as JJ gets escorted out. 

“You Powerpuff Girls have fun.” JJ looks back to tease, a smirk on his face before turning back around. Rafe looks like he’s about to say something causing me to put my hand on his arm to try to get him to not say anything. But of course he just shrugs me off and steps forward with a smirk on his face.

“Tell Kiara she’s pretty hot for a Pouge.” he called out after JJ, voice dripping in sarcasm still. JJ pushed at the security guy rushing back towards Rafe before Kelce grabbed hold of him, pushing at him as the security guy grabbed JJ again. My eyes widened as I looked at the back of Rafe’s head in disbelief. Words muffled as I just stared in shock at Rafe. I see Rafe’s shoulders shake in a laugh as he turns to look at me, his expression faltering as he’s met with my glower. 

“What?” he spouted out as his look soon matched mine. My eyebrows raised as I blinked out at the tone he used on me, a scoff escaping my lips. My mind reeling due to the fact he actually used the same harsh tone he uses when he’s in the presence of someone he dislikes. 

He looks from me to Kelce, signaling with his head to get everyone out so he and I could talk alone. I shook my head at him, not wanting to hear a single thing he had to say. Putting my hand up to keep him from speaking. His lips opened and closed like a fish out of the water as he just stared at me trying to figure out what he wanted to say. I waited for Kelce to leave before opening my mouth.

“I absolutely have no words for you Rafe Cameron.” I spit out harshly as I glared daggers into him. His shoulders sagging a bit, fully knowing he’s about to hear the onslaught of my words. 

“(Y/N), please-” he starts but is cut off by my bitter laugh as I point my finger at him.

“No, absolutely not. You are not allowed to talk.” I said sternly as I pointed back at myself “I’m talking and you’re going to listen to the words I have to say.” I stepped closer as I dropped my hand to my side. Closing the distance between us as I kept my gaze locked onto his.

“You’re a real piece of shit for what you did. JJ wasn’t doing anything at all to harm anyone. I don’t understand what it is that you have against him besides him just being from The Cut.” I took a breath in as I searched his eyes for any sign of remorse but of course he built up his walls as he just stared at me blankly. I shook my head softly with a small disbelieving laugh. 

“That’s really why you hate everyone from The Cut? Because they weren’t born with a silver spoon in their mouth? Because they continually have to struggle from not having a constant source of income?” I sneered at him, pushing a finger into his chest. I raised my eyebrows at him, waiting for any type of response from him. His jaw clenched as he seemed to be lost behind his eyes, deep in thought. After a few moments of silence he let out a soft sigh.

“He’s a dirty Pogue. He’s good for nothing and a thief! He pulled a gun on Topper at The Boneyard not too long ago!” he tried to defend as I just shook my head with a laugh.

“That is not your fight then Rafe.” I say simply as I look into his eyes “If he’s just a dirty Pogue then what are you? You’re just as bad as him if you decide to use violence against someone to assert your authority. But also wasn’t Topper holding John B under the water when JJ pressed the gun to his head?” I questioned with a condescending tone causing him to let out a scoff as a scowl almost forms on his face. 

“That’s not the point and you know it. He’s-” Rafe started with the tone he used earlier before I pressed my hand to his mouth getting him to shut up. His eyebrows raised immediately as my hand touched his face.

“Gods, you’re such an absolute asshole Rafe. Do I need to remind you that your own father is from The Cut, he was able to escape that. Do I also need to remind you that I am from The Cut as well?” I raised an eyebrow before letting go of his mouth. Almost instantly I could see the immediate regret cross his facial features as he looked at me in remorse before shaking his head at me.

“You know that’s not what I meant and you live over here on Figure Eight now. You’re not like that at all.” he said in a soft regretful tone as he grabbed ahold of my hands. “You’re nothing like those Pogues.” he said softly as his thumbs stroke the back of my hands. My eyebrows furrow as my face turns more into a scowl. I pull myself away from him which causes him to feel panicked as he searches my face.

“Nothing like them? I was one when we met! But you didn’t seem to care because we were only five at the time. By the time we were ten is when I reached Kook status and moved to Figure Eight. Once a Pogue, always a Pogue. Remember that Rafe.” I spat out at him. His eyes widened as I raised my voice, a look of astonishment crossed his features as he processed my words. His lips parted slightly as tried to come up with something to say to me, looking off to the side as he shook his head before looking back at me. 

“Look, okay. I’m sorry (Y/N).” he says softly in a voice laced with sorrow as he looks back at my hardened glare.

“Save it Rafe. I don’t want to hear it.” I spoke sternly, “Just leave me alone.” I added softly as I looked away from him. His eyebrows shot up in shock.

“What do you mean?” he asked, his voice laced in distress as he tried to mentally figure out what I meant. I shook my head at him before pushing past him to walk out of the locker room. 

“(Y/N)! (Y/N) wait!” He called out after me as I ignored him, moving out the doors angrily only to see Kelce standing right outside of them. I let out a scoff as Kelce and I made eye contact, shaking my head at him. His eyebrows furrowed as he took in my irritated expression.

“Wait, where are you going? What’s going on?” He asked confused right as Rafe walked out. I looked to Rafe then back to Kelce, ignoring the both of them as I made my way back to the patio of the country club. 

A commotion outside caused me to raise my eyebrows as I picked up my pace to see what was going on. 

“Hey mandatory power hour at Rixon’s, Kie. Pope, you as well, alright?” I hear JJ speak out as I finally made it out of the glass pane doors. Looking around to see what was going on as I hear Kiara’s parents along with Pope’s dad begging them not to leave. 

“You got room for one more?” I called out as I made eye contact with JJ, catching him by surprise as he nodded his head. His eyes widen slightly as he looks behind me. Before I’m able to turn I feel a hand grab onto my arm, the grip tight.

“I don’t think so.” Rafe’s voice spoke out harshly against my ear, the hot air of his breath angering me. I yank away from him as not looking back at him, not wanting to meet his icy glare.

“Watch me.” I spoke out in a mutter as I joined Kiara and Pope in their rush to leave.

“(Y/N)!” Rafe screamed at me, causing me to laugh, running faster after the Pogues. 

Once over to them I glanced back to find Rafe’s stare, a look of betrayal in his eyes. Kelce behind him looked completely shocked that I’m willingly leaving with the Pogues. I looked around for Topper, spotting him a few moments later. His features are unreadable. 

“So.. (Y/N)?” The sound of my name leaving someone’s lips caused me to turn to look at the group. All of their eyes mixed with confusion and untrust as well as astonishment. 

“Once a Pogue always a Pogue.” I say with a confident nod, causing them to look at each other before smiling and nodding. 

“Welcome aboard.” JJ slung his arm around my shoulder as we all began to make our way down to the boat on the beach.

Rafe’s eyes staring at the back of my head as I disappeared into the darkness. He angrily stormed back into the country club, ignoring Kelce as he rushed towards the locker room. Immediately punching the wall and letting out a bellowing scream. His head spinning with the thoughts of my betrayal as well as the thought of losing me forever. Losing the one person he loves forever.

Meanwhile I sat on the boat with the Pogues, looking down at my sky blue dress. The heavy weight of guilt and betrayal filling my chest by the thought of the person I love the most hurting so intensely.

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Part Three

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Taglist: @wearemadeofstardust0

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[notmorbid]

the reformatory.

dialogue prompts from the reformatory by tananarive due.

why'd you do a fool thing like that?

don't run barefoot.

school is holier than church.

everyone knowing your name isn't always a blessing.

i can speak for myself.

what's got into you?

you little shit.

you pushed me first.

what would ____ have done?

not all stories are suited for the ears of children.

you can only trust explosive secrets with three people, maybe four.

we should have run away when we had the chance.

you talk too damn much.

we'll get there faster if we cut through the woods.

sometimes life throws you a curveball, and you end up in places you never expected.

are the stories true?

i've never seen a more superstitious place.

there's no such thing as ghosts. that's an absolute fact.

evil is never plain to the eye.

stop fretting. just makes it worse.

sometimes the only justice is a hot meal and a bed to sleep in.

you know how to cook?

it could've been last week, for how well i remember it.

you think i don't know an evil eye when i see one?

if you're dead, stay dead.

you're scared of your shadow. always jumping.

who is it? who locked the door?

none of you can take a joke.

you seem more tired than usual.

you can talk sense when you want to.

men do evil every day and call it 'doing their job'.

i've heard all i can stand.

this is only a season, and it will pass. no matter what happens.

you don't bother me, i won't bother you.

you talk too damn much.

say you're sorry. put it behind you.

there's more ahead for you than this.

this isn't everything. there's more than this.

stories are dangerous.

if i needed you to, you'd cover for me?

no one stays nice. best to remember it.

go on. ask me what i know.

i wish i could say i had good news.

get a good cry out if you want.

you're not as smart about the world as you think you are.

no good talk starts at a bar.

mama used to say that unaired feelings ate you up inside.

i'm sorry. i've got no right to blame you.

don't tell your business on the phone.

hush that damn foolishness.

don't you be sick in my truck.

sometimes the worst thing happens. usually, in fact.

how do you believe in god, with all the bad things?

this whole world is a lie, the bad things and the good things.

you've got an answer for everything, don't you?

it's like you can see every thought in my head.

what did i ever do to you?

don't talk about my parents.

don't talk like you know anything about me.

everybody won't see. but you might.

telling the truth always breaks the peace.

one thing i've learned: everything seems fine, until it ain't. and then we come to see it wasn't ever fine.

i was never allowed to have nicknames.

____ made me feel like i mattered.

be strong. like _____. can you do that?

it'll be alright, as long as you tell the truth.

all a man has in the world is his name. your name outlives you.

i tried to tell you, didn't i?

you're so dumb. not the dumbest i've ever seen, but pretty damn close.

you don't get to ask about ____.

if you see me run, follow behind. no matter what.

please let me do something to help.

they wear you down one wrong at a time.

we should use a code to talk about it.

never give up a chance to laugh.

i'm beyond your help.

being dead isn't so bad.

you thought i didn't know?

does anyone remember you?

you need me, just like i need you.

constant worry steals everything from you.

i don't like strangers in my house.

you need a place to stay, and i have a spare room.

sometimes we say a thing to try to believe it.

i don't know what game you're playing, but it's a dangerous one.

the secret to war is the sacrifices friends make for each other.

we don't all sit around in a clubhouse. is that what you think?

let it out. but when you're done crying, we need to go over the plan.

wait a minute. just slow down.

we're no better than them.

some mistakes you don't come back from.

everything is a trick with you.

i don't want to kill anybody. not even ____.

[profundcherrylady]

YOICHI ISAGI X SAE'S DAUGHTER!READER

A/N: Y'ALL this part of the Single dad Sae series. Yes Isagi is the boy who she was making out with last time, SO this is basically like a what happens next with them. Kind of like an au where Isagi can be the same age as Sae's daughter

Warnings: None.

Description: After absolut embarrassment and staying home as a punishment, you thought your father's outburst infront of Isagi would ruin any chance you could ever have with him. To your suprise,you are proved wrong very quickly.

"Are you seriously still sulking?" you heard your father talk from the door, but you didn't respond. "I'm the one who should be mad. I saw you making out with some boy I don't know. Who knows what could've happened if I didn't intervene? You're way too young for that kind of thing. Is he even your boyfriend or anything?"

"He's not gonna be now..."

"Oh, you got that right. I don't want to see you around this boy again; you are forbidden from talking to him."

"Dad!!! Don't you think you're exaggerating a little bit?" you complained, rolling over on your bed to look at his angry face standing on the doorframe.

"I don't think I am, actually." he would've said more, but he heard the bell ring, so he started to walk away from her. "Stay there, you're still grounded."

But what he found on the other side of the door couldn't have been predicted. As soon as he opened, he saw Isagi standing infront of him, face flushed with embarrassment and hands behind his back. He spoke in a shy tone.

"Um... hello, is your daughter home?"

"Not for you." he was about to close the door right then but Isagi was quick to stop him from doing so.

"Wait! It's just that... she isn't answering my texts..."

"She's grounded." he pushed the door harder to close it, but Yoichi was holding it open pretty hard as well.

"I-I just... I brought her these!" he used his free hand to show him a little bouquet of flowers that he was hiding behind his back, and Sae stopped. "I figured she might be grounded and sad... can I at least give her these?"

"No."

"Please?" he tried his best to make the most convincing puppy eyes, but it was nothing against Sae.

However, he did make him think. His daughter WAS grounded and sad, but he still didn't trust this boy enough to see her.

"Just leave the flowers; I'll give them to her."

"Oh.. um... I was hoping to give them to her myself? It's not as personal otherwise..."

"Boy, just give me the flowers." Isagi sighed, letting Sae take the flowers he so carefully hand-picked for you, and after that the door was closed again.

Sae was disgusted, but he still went over to his daughter's room and knocked on her open door.

"What?"

"Isagi came here to see you... he left you these." as soon as you heard that name you sat up on your bed, turning around to see the flowers Isagi left you. They were so pretty; how could he be so sweet? Even after your dad made a scene infront of him, he was trying to reach out to you. Which meant he didn't mind that your kiss was interrupted, or that your dad was being really rude towards him; he still wanted to see you. The thought almost made you cry from joy, because you were about to die of embarrassment remembering the way he hit his head when you pushed him away the night before after your dad showed up and discovered you sneaked out.

You got up from your bed and walked towards Sae to take the flowers. Bright and healthy, they even smelled amazing... you couldn't help but smile like a lovesick fool at the sight and smell of these beautiful flowers.

"Did you seriously not let him in?" you complained. "It's so cruel to just leave him outside."

"He can go home if he doesn't want to stand there; he'll give up eventually."

"Why do you hate him so much?"

"I don't hate him. I just don't like his presence, and the fact that he was so okay making out with a stranger at some party." he leaned against the doorframe, completely unconcerned about your obvious annoyance. "And then he just comes here with flowers like it's the most normal thing to do? It's making me look like the bad guy. I'm just trying to protect you from someone who took advantage of a vulnerable girl."

"First of all, wrong, he was not a stranger when we kissed at the party. I met him at school; we've seen each other before." you corrected him, and he rolled his eyes. "Second. Vulnerable? Really?? I'm not six anymore, dad. I can take care of myself, but you still treat me like I'm some little kid that needs protection."

"I doubt that considering you acted very irresponsibly that night."

"And third, Isagi never took advantage of me. I was the one who started it; I kissed him."

"That doesn't make it better, did you know? In fact, it makes it worse." he stood up straight again. "You kissed him? Why?"

"Because...! I have a crush on him..." you admitted, blushing mostly from embarrassment because why would you tell that to your dad. "I've had a crush on him since a while back, and I was trying to make my move and flirt a little... and it worked but now you won't let me see him!"

"You're too young for a relationship."

"Too young? I'm seventeen. I'm on my senior year; next year I'll be in college! How am I too young?"

"Because at your age hormones are crazy and you could-"

"Oh, my god, don't talk to me about hormones! That is so gross!"

"It might be, but it's true. You might think you'll be responsible but when you're seventeen you act on impulse and do stupid things; especially when it comes to relationships. You shouldn't think about having a boyfriend anytime soon."

"Didn't you and mom get married at NINETEEN? And isn't the difference between your wedding and my birthday like six MONTHS?

"DO NOT bring your mother this, young lady!" you stayed quiet. Now you were regretting making him mad like that; you knew how sensitive he was about that topic. "Yes, your mother and I got married because she got pregnant with you. Happy? Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"No..." you looked down, embarrassed, and talked in a quieter voice. "But... did you guys love each other?"

Sae's expression softened at that, and he sighed.

"Of course, we did. And I kind of lied. Your mother and I were in a stable relationship and lived together, we were planning on getting married later in life but she got pregnant, even when we thought we were careful, so we decided we were ready to be a family."

"So I was an accident...?"

"I wouldn't say an accident. We did talk about having kids before your mother got pregnant; we just didn't think it would happen so soon." he paused. "And that's why I'm trying to tell you to be careful if you want a boyfriend so badly."

"But I know that! And Isagi wouldn't take advantage of me, really."

"I don't care. You're not allowed to see him; this flowers are the last thing you're getting from him." without letting you complain, he walked out and closed the door behind him.

You were about to lay back down in your bed and be miserable, but then you heard something. A little banging, very subtle, coming from outside your window; and peaking inside was Isagi. You rushed to the window and he stood up better to see you.

"I can't open, my dad locked the window." your muffled voices reached him through the other side of the glass. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanna see you." he explained, face blushed slightly and eyes looking at you with shyness. "I wasn't going to let your dad stop me."

"He would kill you if he knew you're here."

"I know. I kinda don't care; I needed to know if..." he struggled to continue with his thought of process, embarrassed by his own words. "If we're okay... I mean, you. Also us but mostly because of the grounding and everything, I wanted to see that you're okay and if we're... like... did you like the flowers?"

"They were beautiful." you smiled. "And I'm okay, I'll survive; it's just two months."

"That's good."

"But..." you paused, thinking about how to express your thoughts out loud. "You really shouldn't have bothered. Why go through all of this trouble just to see me?"

"Well, we kinda have unfinished business." if only you could open your window, he would try to reach out for your hand, or try to hug you, or hold your face or your body close to him for some comfort. He would brush the hair on your face away and pass his fingers though it affectionately, and maybe, just maybe, he gather up the courage to kiss you again. No a full-on makeout like last time, just a slow kiss; a gentle and soft affirmation that you felt the same way about him as he did about you. Instead, he places his hand over the glass on the window. "I... like you a lot, and I really enjoyed our time together last time, and I'm sorry if I was too forward or if I got too carried away; I was too happy when you made the first move. I've had feelings for you for some time now and I-"

"Stop." you interrupted him, making his heart squeeze with fear for a second. Were you stopping him because you didn't like what he was saying? "I don't need to hear anything else. I feel the same way about you; I just want to kiss you." you placed your hand right over his, only the glass separating your skin, and yet he could swear he could feel your warmth. You looked around for something to force the window open, and with your free hand you tried pulling it up.

Realizing what you were attempting, Isagi held onto the edges of the window and pulled as well. He first tried using only one of his hands, then you both used the two of them. He tried shaking the window a little, hoping the lock would come loose, and after what felt like the longest minutes of his life he heard a click, and you were able to open the window.

You wasted no time on grabbing his face and stumping your lips onto his. He almost stumbled, but did not bother complaining; he just let himself relish on your closeness once more.

"Does this mean we get to be a couple then?"

"Yes. I don't care what my dad says; I love you." his blush deepened at that, but his heart was filled with joy from your words. "I want to be with you."

"How though? He's going to kill me if he finds out."

"He doesn't have to find out."

Is what you were saying, but then you heard a yelling voice from the second floor, and a splash of cold water fell on Isagi's head. You both looked up. "HEY! I told you you're forbidden to see him, young lady! Get away from him this instant or you'll be in big trouble." Sae held a now empty bucket and scolded you, but you could only focus on Isagi.

"Are you okay? You should go home for now."

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little cold. See you... at school tomorrow?" you nodded. There was no way you were not seeing him at school; your dad couldn't do anything about that.

One thing for sure, it was going to be a challenge.

[mysteryshoptls]

Twisted Entertainment News ～April Fools 2024～

The Aniplex Youtube Channel dropped a parody news segment for April Fools Day, which had Kazuki Furuta (Kalim) and Kaname Futaba (Jamil) as "commentators." A full official MMD clip of Absolutely Beautiful was shown, and afterwards, Furuta and Futaba "taught" the viewers back home how to do the dance. I don't normally do transcriptions of videos, but this one made me laugh with enjoyment that I wanted to make sure that everyone else could enjoy it too, especially since I know this video is region-locked. I've highlighted Furuta and Futaba's names with the colors for Kalim and Jamil's that I usually use for their vignettes. I've also added small commentary on their movements and expressions, which is not something I normally have to do for vignettes. I also only translated the "news" portion of the video and left out the final part, which was them returning to reality and talking about the monitors in the in-game shop that could be bought for the Guest Room. I hope this transcription is enjoyable for everyone else, too! Please check it out under the cut!

Newscaster Yasuda: Good evening to Twisted Wonderland and to all those who have found themselves transported here. It’s time for Twisted Entertainment News, where we report on all the hottest entertainment topics. I have with me today two very well-known commentators who have appeared on so many of the variety talk shows as of late: Kazuki Furuta-san and Kaname Futaba-san.

Commentator Kazuki Furuta: Good evening, I’m Kazuki Furuta. I’m beyond honored to have been asked to come on this show as a commentator. Thank you very much for inviting me.

Commentator Kaname Futaba: Good evening, I’m Kaname Futaba. You know, I really dig Twisted Entertainment News.

Furuta: I do hear you say that often.

Futaba: Yeah. I watch it every week, and even record it.

Furuta: Indeed.

Futaba: I’m really hoping we’ll have a ton of great things to talk about. Thanks for having me.

Yasuda: Well, let’s get right into today’s entertainment news. First, Magical Motors is finally venturing into space. Second, are the rumors that the Mysterious Amusement Park is closing true!? And finally, the Absolute Dance is the current breakout trend. Of these three topics, the Absolute Dance is probably the most eye-catching, so, Furuta-san, Futaba-san, have you heard of this dance before?

Furuta: Very much so. It is very popular even in my circles, so not a day goes by that I do not come across it.

Futaba: I’ve known about it for some time now, too. So, I guess it feels like the times have finally caught up.

Furuta: You’re so right.

Futaba: Yeah.

Yasuda: Now then, we’ve prepared a video to show what exactly this dance is all about. Please take a look.

[Absolutely Beautiful Official Dance MMD plays while Yasuda, Furuta, and Futaba are shown in the top right corner, watching]

[clip ends, Yasuda, Furuta, and Futaba applaud politely]

Furuta: How amazing was that?

Futaba: Yeah, a great clip.

Furuta: Indeed.

Yasuda: So, this “Absolute Dance” originally comes from the dance movements of the song “Absolutely Beautiful.” It seems that thanks to the performance by Night Raven College stu－

Furuta: [interrupting] Night Raven College!

Yasuda: …Right. The students performed this song and dance at the school’s cultural festival and this garnered a lot of hype.

Furuta: [jumping in] Hype!

Yasuda: …Right. I do believe that this is a rather complicated dance that cannot be mastered just from watching it once. So, today I hoped to have our commentators, Furuta-san and Futaba-san, to show those of you watching this show at home how to perform it so that everyone can dance along.

Futaba: I see.

Furuta: Of course.

Yasuda: Furuta-san, I’ve heard that you may be a commentator, but you are also a very good dancer.

Furuta: [sounding like he wants to protest politely but is also smug at the praise] Ah, well― that is― by myself, I― [background music cuts] Yes, I am!

Yasuda: Right, thank you. And so, I was hoping we could receive an instructional demonstration from you on how this dance is performed.

Furuta: [politely but smugly trying to refute] Ah, that― Heh― Of course.

Yasuda: Wonderful, we would be so grateful.

Furuta: Of course! Now, I’ve chosen 4 specific points of the song to dance to in order to help anyone master the Absolute Dance. Those of you watching, please feel free to dance along!

[screen transitions to Furuta standing in front of the desk, with Futaba and Yasuda sitting and watching]

Furuta: Now for the first dance point: I’ll start with the opening dance for the song.

[Furuta dances Vil's movements from the chorus at the beginning of the song while Futaba's eyes widen as he watches intently]

[dance ends]

Futaba: Just hold on a sec. That’s so amazing?! I’m so shocked. Like, especially the third part of the second-eighths was really good.

Furuta: The third part of the second-eighths, you mean this movement, yes? [shows off the specific dance move again]

Futaba: It’s fantastic! And this dance looks like it moves your entire body, so I bet it’s really good for your health, too.

Furuta: Oh yes, especially that movement. It uses the whole shoulder joint so I believe it could be good for relieving any stiffness in the shoulder.

Futaba: This is spectacular.

Furuta: Thank you very much.

Futaba: Man…

Furuta: Now then, I think it’s time to move onto the second part.

Futaba: [quietly, to himself] That was shocking.

Furuta: The second dance point:

Futaba: [quietly, to himself] I’m so shocked.

Furuta: Jamil’s― [turns to address Futaba] Oh, was it shocking?

Futaba: Yeah, totally shocking. Sorry.

Furuta: I’m so glad to hear that. [turns back to the camera] I'll now dance the part with Jamil’s rap.

Futaba: [quietly, to himself] Really shocking.

[Music begins to lead into Jamil's rap, Furuta prepares himself to start dancing]

Futaba: [quietly, to himself] Man, I’m still reeling from that shocker.

[Furuta starts by dancing Ace/Deuce's movements while Futaba stares in awe]

Futaba: No way...

[Furuta continues by dancing Kalim/Rook's movements while Futaba continues watching him in awe]

[dance ends]

Futaba: This part… I mean, your dance was just astounding, don’t get me wrong. But… this voice rapping just now… I really like this voice!

Furuta: [turns to address Futaba] It’s a very familiar voice, isn’t it?

Futaba: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Furuta: [turns back to the camera] Almost like it feels really close to me, that’s right.

Futaba: It’s just so smooth.

Furuta: Smoothly, yes, the lyrics just come so smoothly.

Futaba: So smoothly.

Furuta: Yes, it just enters my mind so smoothly.

Futaba: It really gets me hyped.

Furuta: Just from the first sound, it just― [Furuta starts dancing] I can just flow with the music.

Futaba: Yeah, this’ll just get your body dancing on its own. Amazing.

Furuta: [turns to address Futaba] Would you like to dance up here together?

Futaba: [background music cuts] Ah, no, I’m good.

Furuta: [turns back to the camera] It seems he’s good, so I’ll move on to the third dancing point: The solo dances by each student during the song’s interlude. And for this― [a little out of breath] for this…

Futaba: Uh-huh.

Furuta: Well, for this part, I will be dancing Kalim’s portion.

Futaba: You’re breathing a bit hard, you good?

Furuta: [turns to address Futaba] Oh, I’m fine.

Futaba: You sure?

Furuta: [turns back to the camera] I’m not tired whatsoever. I am very used to dancing, after all.

Futaba: Then please, go on.

Furuta: Of course.

[Furuta begins dancing Kalim's movements during the interlude while Futaba keeps gazing intently]

[dance ends]

Futaba: No way, that’s so aggressive! Woaaah, this part feels like the most aggressive of the whole set!

Furuta: [turns to address Futaba] How about it, Futaba-san, would you like to dance this aggressive part with me?

Futaba: [background music cuts] Ah, no, I’m good.

Furuta: [addresses Yasuda] Yasuda-san, would you like to dance with me?

Yasuda: No, thank you.

Furuta: [turns back to the camera] Alright then, moving on! Time for the fourth and final dance point: I’ll dance from the song's hook to the end!

[Furuta dances Kalim/Ace's movements for the end of the song while Futaba looks on in amazement and awe]

[dancing ends, Futaba starts a slow clap, picks up speed, then stands up]

Futaba: EXCELLENT! PERFECT! BEAUTIFUL! Futaba-kun, you’re amazing! You’re an absolute genius!

Furuta: [turns to address Futaba] Thank you very much. Shall we share a dance together?

Futaba: [background music cuts] Ah, no, I’m good. [sits back down]

Furuta: [turns back to the camera] It seems he’s good, so for everyone else, I hope you were able to learn how to dance this song. After all the energy and effort I put into this instructional demonstration, there’s no way you can’t dance it now, I’m sure.

Futaba: Absolutely. Thank you for the dance lecture, Furuta-san.

Furuta: [turns to address Futaba] Futaba-san, I do hope you’ll dance with me on the next occasion.

Futaba: [background music cuts] Ah, no, I’m good.

Furuta: [turns back to the camera] It seems he’s good.

Fin

[scimagic]

☆ RTV!PUZZLEVISION TOUR [Part One] ☆

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Mischief is afoot with this group!

Featuring @michaelscorneroftheinternet (who made the drawing this time!) and @selfshippinglover, with small mentions to @vextheallay and @fenicearts420! <3

[ @rtv-puzzlevision-studios ]

As the tour participants vote for the starting department, Scripted and Sci turn to note the positions of the security team. Swag and Chris to the sides while Lucian takes charge of the back. Absolutely surrounded, as one should expect.

The Siren turns away and blows a quiet raspberry, crossing her arms as she begins to note everything and everyone else in the room with a nonchalant look. Some she recognized, some she did not. All possible opportunities for success or failure, as much as the Director thought they were all possible disasters waiting to happen.

Speaking of— Out of the corner of her eye, Sci notices a blonde person with a blue mark over their eye, blue wings and tail adorning their form while they stare at the bot beside her specifically.

Well they look mad.

Snickering, she turns to Scripted and bumps his elbow, making a small motion with her head to make him look over.

“Seems RTV isn't the only one with fans here, Director.”

Scripted furrows his eyebrows and cautiously glances over her shoulder, analyzing the person for a moment only to look away and murmur back to the Siren.

“Not a clue. They don't seem that interested but keep an eye out.”

Sci raises an eyebrow and scoffs, yet nods regardless. If it wasn't Scripted then it was Michael, but what the hell did Michael do? She didn't know he had enemies! Actually, she finds that very hard to believe. Michael? Having enemies? With THAT face? HAH!

Ah well.

Once the voting seemed to end, RTV spoke through the chatter once more, catching the trio's attention.

“THANK YOU ALL FOR VOTING! LOOKS LIKE WE WILL GO TO THE ART DEPARTMENT FIRST! IF YOU WOULD FOLLOW ME, PLEASE!”

An option they didn't choose but one they will have to reluctantly take. Save for BB, who's excited to see more of the facility and actually participate on the tour. As the tourists begin to ascend the stairs, Sci notices a dragon fly up to the rail and land close to RTV, causing her to scoff with an amused smile.

Bold move, Marie. But she garners the Siren's respect.

… And her attention away from the messed up stairs. Her foot gets stuck on the edge of the very last step, causing the fish to trip and stumble in her walk but she’s quick to regain her balance. Maybe looking like an absolute fool with her arms stretched out and her boss and co-worker looking back at her, but she’s fine nonetheless! The Siren stands back up straight after a pause and a nervous smile, puffing out her chest as she continues walking as if nothing had happened, “cool— cool— all cool, we’re chill.”

Scripted rolls his eyes and sighs, resuming their walk through the hallway as RTV led the tour group. He hums, quietly murmuring to his lackeys once more as they look around.

“Let's start falling back. BB, you can go ahead of us when we get to the art department, Sci and I will take care of Lucian.”

The bunny and fish nod, one with enthusiasm and the other not so much.

“Aye aye!”

“Roger.”

And as told, Bunnybot begins to step towards the front of the group while Scripted and Sci fall back, separating to keep their plans in motion as they get to the art department. The Director doesn’t pay much attention to the guide, the Siren, however, does as she multi-tasks keeping an eye out on possible useful things like her boss AND admiring the work of the production. She was an artist, damn it! She wanted to know more about the studio process too! Even if she had personal experience working for another Puzzlevision Studios. Sue her!

The duo continues to look around until a new employee is introduced.

“Oh, you’re already here! Oh sh-should I introduce myself?”

“Colores, head of our Art department and funny enough the younger SISTER of Lucian over there.”

The Siren’s fin flicks as she glances up at Colores, then glances over her shoulder at Lucian, watching as he waves and is painfully ignored. She winces, shooting a pitiful look at the neon sign head that probably doesn’t even notice amidst the crowd. Looking forward again, the fish looks down at the floor in thought, tuning out the rest of the talk as some memories pass through her mind.

She doesn’t even notice when the group begins to move again, not until Scripted lightly clears his throat and snaps her out of her thoughts. Sci glances over at the bot, who glances back with a raised eyebrow and an expectant look. The fish blinks and realizes it was time for the next part of the plan.

Her part.

She frowns at the Director, letting the other participants walk around them as they stood still for a moment. Scripted frowns back with a glare, the both of them having a quiet conversation with just their expressions until Sci lets out a silent resigned sigh. The duo begins walking again; this time, however, the fish and the bot separate. With Sci trailing behind everyone, she eventually becomes the very last person to rally up in the tour and the closest to Lucian.

God, she didn’t want to do this… I mean, she DID but starting conversations was never her strong suit. But she had to! For the sake of progressing and not getting Scripted on her ass yelling at her.

Actually she’d much rather take a lecture from him right about now—focus.

Taking a deep breath, the fish looks behind herself and steps next to the head of security, talking a bit quietly to not disturb the conversations happening up on the front or garner attention.

“Hey. Lucian, right?” The fish person meekly starts, looking up at the neon sign with a friendly smile. “I’m Sci, SciMagic.”

Lucian snapped out of his thoughts that he had temporarily lept into, before his sign head turned to look at Sci. He recognized her as the fish-person that had been hanging out with the doppelganger and the creepy glasses.

“That’s me”, he meant, putting one hand on his hip as his head started to spell out [Hi!]. “Though I will have to disappoint you, I’m afraid I don’t recognize people as well as my boss. What’s up?”

"Oh. Pssh," the fish flicks a wrist at Lucian, dismissing the disappointed claim. "Nah, don't worry about that, I don't think I'm uh— that interesting of a subject to be known by people. Let alone by your boss—"

She murmurs that last part with a raised eyebrow, but she shakes her head after.

"Anyway, I just wanted to chat a bit. You seemed like a cool guy."

Lucian seemed slightly surprised by that, giving the crowd around them a glance before making a gesture for Sci to continue. He supposed he could spare a few minutes, it wasn’t like much was happening right now.

“Thanks and sure.” He shrugged. “I’m guessing you have a few questions? Not sure I can answer them, but I will try my best.”

The fish smiles up at him with small delight, "thanks, 'ppreciate that."

Sci hums as she goes through the questions in her head. Definitely not a studio layout with secret parts included right off the bat.

"Mm, what's it like working here? Any fun?"

Almost immediately his sign head blanked out as he stopped it from accidentally displaying any of his actual thoughts. Happened a few times before and it wasn’t fun.

“Ah- the work? Well, I suppose it’s fine…” he replied, rubbing his neck as he tried to come up with something that sounded like he was somewhat enjoying his current occupation. “Sometimes it gets tough, security and all that, ya know? But the thrill of figuring out these difficult situations makes it fun again. Trust me though, the other departments? Way more enjoyable. Well, aside from the janitors I guess…”

The fish snickers lightly, "so I've heard..."

She shoves her hands in her pockets, casually leaning back as she continues to chat.

"And I hear ya, I'm— actually on the line of security too…! Tough job but I guess it's given to the toughest for a reason."

Lucian slightly perked up at that, his interest rising.

“Ya don’t say? What line exactly if I could ask?”

At her indirect compliment he simply huffed amused. Yeah, sure. RTV gave him this job because he wasn’t shy of hurting people, alright. Not exactly because he was careful.

"Personal bodyguard," Sci answers with a close-eyed smile, faltering almost immediately as she looks to the side with a bit of a grimace, "though— for the most stubborn person ever that doesn't know when not to get into fights..."

He couldn’t help but chuckle at that, making a vague gesture over to RTV.

“Feel ya there, sister. I also have to play that role sometimes when a certain someone decided to make public appearances. When your boss has a sharp tongue it never gets boring at least.”

Sci groans out loud and rolls her eyes, smiling with annoyance and also relief at the shared sentiment.

"Ugh! Tell me about it! It's like they have a knack for pissing off the people that CAN actually kill them! Talk about poking the belly of the beast."

”Yeah, sometimes you think they do it on purpose…”

He muttered, though the previous amusement had slipped from his voice as the word ‘kill’ came up. “‘suppose they just love hiding behind us. The strong muscle.”

"Mh-hm..."

Sci hums before she stays silent for a moment again, turning her gaze back to the front as she hears it’s time to participate in another group vote.

“Oh, and don’t think about SNATCHING something that belongs to the studio, as great as some of the artist tools and merch look. Camera sees ALL and that jazz.~”

Her eyes discreetly glance at said cameras, taking a quick look at them before diverting her gaze back to normal again. A bit of a twitch on her eyebrows as the vote begins once more.

She crosses her arms and glances off to the side, a hesitant look on her face as she begins talking to Lucian again.

"... Sometimes it's the dirty work that gets me, y'know? I can fight, sure, but what he asks of me..."

The fish frowns, fins falling slightly as she mutters.

"Can't exactly say 'no', though…”

Lucian listened for a second to what RTV was rambling before his attention was turned back to Sci. Ah, hilarious. Someone who was in the same situation as him? A funny coincidence…

“So your boss got ya on the hook too? Tough luck,” he sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I would love to tell you that you shouldn’t blame yourself, but well, a bit of humility never hurt anyone, right? Second you try to justify, you may have crossed the line completely.”

There was a sound akin to someone exhaling, before his voice slightly lowered.

“Patience is a virtue. You never know when your chance comes, so don’t give up.”

And there it is...

'Dirty work'.

Sci hums at his advice, her smile now completely fallen as she gets a more serious maybe even a bit saddened look. It was good advice... She appreciated it from someone she could relate to. But nevertheless, she got what she needed. Unfortunately.

The fish lightly scoffs, tone lowering as she gives a side eye to the object head.

"Hope you haven't given up yourself then."

She turns her body to Lucian, looking up at him with caution as she tries to turn her head away from the crowd’s eye. "I don't wanna get you in trouble... Ocean Gods know that's the last thing I wanna do to someone in the same situation as me. But your boss and mine aren't the best of buddies and I'd appreciate a little bit of help."

Sci shrugs, "you help us, you get that chance to bring down RTV."

”Never…”

He hummed. Last thing he was going to do was give the TV the satisfaction of breaking him.

The object head didn’t show a reaction at Sci’s offer, having kind of seen it coming. Someone trying to bond with him, with the same experiences, it seemed a little too perfect. Well, he couldn’t really bring up the energy to feel hurt.

“First of all I suggest you never mention all that again. It’s your one way ticket to disappearing..”, he replied, his tone a bit colder now. “I doubt you can achieve your goal, but who am I to not help out a participant?”

He now turned his back, shielding Sci and himself from the view of the camera. The same camera he now pointed at.

“I can’t move or the boss will come to drag me back personally. What I can do though is keep the eyes off you for a small time frame. Not forever though, the thing that’s watching ain’t stupid.”

The Siren gives him a sheepish smile, "had to get you in somehow. But fine,” she nods. "I can work with that. Thanks. I'll probably signal when we need it."

”Mh-hm.”

He just turns back again, ready to walk off now.

“Just warning you. When you get caught I ain’t bailing you out.”

"Naturally..." The fish sighs quietly, about to take a step away only to turn back with a final thing to say, looking up at Lucian with a guilty and hopeful look.

"Ah... Good talk... I really hope we can have more in the future. Preferably when we're not busy..."

... She really wanted that. Not be burdened with their jobs or plans, with the chains around their ankles from their TV headed superiors. Make an actual acquaintance for once. He seemed cool, after all…

“Maybe. We will see how it goes”, he muttered, before stepping away. He didn’t really have much hope for this to work out.

Sci’s face falls once Lucian steps away, fins laying flat as she gets lost in her emotions for a second or two. But once she snaps back to reality and remembers what she’s supposed to do, she lightly shakes her head, her eyebrows furrowing back to focus mode as she scans the crowd for her… boss.

She steps up next to Scripted once more, arms crossed as Sci looks off to the horizon, not even looking at the bot as she mutters her small success.

“No need for bargain… But we got it.”

The Director hums quietly, a small sly smile tugging at his lips. “Makes it easier for us then, good.” He glances over at the Siren, his smirk falling when she turns her head away from him. The bot silently scoffs, looking forward again and away from Sci too, unbothered to deal with her sentimentality.

[thehypnone]

Symbol on the Surface Chapter 3

WC: 2,8k

Relationship: SwissAlps

Tags: Transmasc Swiss, Pregnancy, Mentions of Vomiting, Medical Quintessence, Panic Attack, Nausea, Food Repulsion, Gender Dysphoria, Very Brief Abortion Talk, Hurt/Comfort

“Does that fit what you were thinking?” “I’m…actually pregnant?”

Notes: Tysm to @jimothybarnes for beta reading :3

Chapter 1 here or on AO3.

Read chapter 3 under the cut or on AO3.

Swiss all but runs to the infirmary, wanting to get there before he changes his mind.

He feels stupid for even considering it.

Hoping?

Either way, something is really wrong with him and he has to get himself checked out.

The way he stumbles into Omega’s office makes the older ghoul jump behind his desk and furrow his brows; instinctively looking for injuries on Swiss “Are you okay, what’s on fire? Or who’s on fire?”

“No, no fire–or no, fire’s in my fucking guts and it’s driving me crazy,” the multi ghoul pants, slumped against the door frame. The trip shouldn’t have tired him as much as it did, “like–you know how you’re hungover and want to puke, but–that’s just nausea, but I’m rarely nauseous and lately it’s been just, oh my lord below, you know, it’s like–”

“Swiss…”

“No, no, I know, I know I sound crazy, but–my skin feels weird, my insides feel weird and my everything is so messed up,” he continues his ramble, “and I feel like absolute shit, you know when it’s like a train ran you over? Yeah, so I usually don’t care, but now I’m losing my mind ‘cause I’m low-key scared and now–now I’m here and Mountain’s asleep ‘cause I think I left a lung in the fucking toilet so–”

“Swiss!” Omega’s raised voice finally snaps the multi ghoul out of it. “Calm down and tell me what’s wrong.”

“I’m sorry, can you just–check me out for…everything?”

“Everything?” Omega questions. “Why won’t you just tell me what your concerns are?”

“Because even though I doubt it’s possible my brain decided to fixate on it and I don't want to make even a bigger fool out of myself, so just please, scan me over with your quintessence, or something, and just tell me what you see.”

The quintessence ghoul is currently more concerned with the other’s mental state, rather than his physical one, but he will do what Swiss is asking of him. After all he’s there to help, whatever the issue may be and however he has to discover it. Omega stands up and points at an empty gurney on the other side of his office. “Why don’t you sit down, try to relax a little.”

Swiss obeys, although it’s not so easy to just relax. He tries his best, taking a few deep breaths as Omega puts on his glasses and walks up to him.

“I’ll put one hand on your shoulder and the other one on your chest, is that okay?” Swiss nods. “Alright, then, let’s see…”

Omega’s quintessence flows into him and makes his entire body tingle as it travels through his veins and along his nerves and penetrates layer after layer of skin.

Swiss becomes uncomfortably aware of every single piece of his mortal vessel and tries to take a deep calming breath; it only makes him strangely aware of his lungs, too.

It’s the longest five seconds in the multi ghoul’s life, he thinks, as he feels the other inspect him whole, looking for–

Omega tries to stay professional and not make his internal shock external.

Surely not, it can’t be.

He grits his teeth and goes to double check.

How…?

“Oh…” he finally mutters, pulling back.

“‘Oh’ what!?”

“Do you, uh…” Swiss doesn’t like Omega’s confused and frankly scared expression at all, “do you want to see what I see?”

“Uhm, I guess…” He shrugs, chuckling nervously and trying his very fucking best to keep his composure. Omega steps forward and puts his hands on either side of Swiss’ head, fingers pressing lightly into his temples.

“Okay, let me in.” Swiss does—it’s easy; the anxiety is making his walls lower and thinner. He closes his eyes to focus on the image the quintessence ghoul is showing him. “So this is how I normally see a ghoul, the light is their energy, their essence. Not a soul, just…energy.”

It’s like a vague human-like shape in a darkness, in a void. The edges of the form are fuzzy and it’s filled with a faint colorful light, but what stands out is a blindingly bright orb of pure light in the middle of the shape’s chest.

“Okay. What’s wrong with mine?”

“Nothing. But this is how I’m seeing you now.” The image shifts and…three more lights, so much duller and smaller than the first one, show up in the area of Swiss’ lower abdomen.

“Oh…”

“Yeah,” Omega sighs, “does that fit what you were thinking?”

“I’m…actually pregnant?” Swiss chokes out. The words nearly get stuck in his throat, because…how can it be real? “With three kits?”

“You are,” the quintessence ghoul confirms and the ringing in Swiss’ ears gets deafening.

“H–how is that even possible?” he hears himself asking, but he can’t feel his mouth moving.

“Good question. I have no idea, I guess the best answer is that you’re a walking miracle all over and Lucifer decided to grant one more. Or rather three.”

“Can you, uhm…” his voice cracks; this is getting way too much too quickly, “can you get Mountain for me?”

“Of course. Baby daddy?”

“Yeah, I–I suppose…he’s the only one who–who gets in there,” Swiss admits, making Omega chuckle despite everything. He’s trying to stay composed, but this is a first one for him, too. He’s not as scared as the multi ghoul—obviously—but it’s…tense.

Swiss is absolutely freaking out.

“Holy–holy shit, what the fuck, oh my–oh Lucifer, what the fuck!?” he mutters under his breath. Or maybe it’s just in his head?

He doesn’t know how much time passes before they hear the door to the infirmary slam open.

“What happened? What’s wrong, my heart, are you alright?” Mountain barges in demanding answers; a strong smell of worry reaching Swiss and Omega before the earth ghoul himself does. He’s completely disheveled; it’s clear he jumped straight out of bed to come for his mate.

Swiss just stares at him, though, with glassy eyes and mouth slightly agape.

Mountain gets even more worried—it’s rare his mate is speechless. He turns to the other ghoul in the room, “Omega, what’s wrong with him?”

“Nothing’s wrong, he’s just…a little overwhelmed,” Omega replies. Mountain gets to them and immediately takes Swiss into his arms. “Swiss, do you want to tell him yourself or do you want me to?”

The multi ghoul tries to come back to earth, get himself together to consider the question that he’s just been asked.

“I–I can, uh…” he stutters and pauses to take a big breath, “I’m–I’m…pregnant. We’re…we’re having kits, big guy.”

Mountain’s jaw drops. “Wh–this…what? Are you–you’re not joking, right? That would be really cruel, please, my heart, tell me it’s not a joke, I need–we’re gonna have kits?”

His immediate excitement changes the air in the room and gives Swiss something…something positive to cling to. Physically he is clinging to Mountain already, but he finds breathing a little easier now.

“We’re gonna have kits,” Swiss confirms. His mate’s heart is pounding and he looks between the multi ghoul and Omega with his mouth agape.

“You’re both in shock right now, and understandably so,” the quintessence ghoul says, “so I’ll let you go and just text Mountain some information. I’d like to see and talk with you both about some important things to consider as soon as you feel up to it, okay? Now off you go, I’m prescribing a good meal and long sleep for both of you.”

Swiss doesn’t really register leaving the infirmary, walking through the Abbey’s corridors and getting back to the Den. Mountain all but carries him all the way, chewing on his own lip; he’s an absolute wreck inside, but has to stay strong for Swiss right now. He’ll give himself to all the emotions later, when his mate is taken care of.

They get to the ghoul’s kitchen and the smell of food makes Swiss realize where he is. It makes another wave of nausea hit him, though, and he only takes a few sips of water Mountain poured him.

“I can’t eat now,” he mumbles, “I’m sorry,”

“It’s okay, I understand,” Mountain sighs, rubbing his back as he drinks, “it’s, uh…very stressful right now.”

Swiss nods and empties the glass. He only speaks again when they’re in their bedroom.

“How do we…what about the pack? They’ll notice, how can we–we can’t not tell them.”

“Not now, darling, try not to think so much, let’s try to get some sleep.”

He’d like that—he’s exhausted—but there’s so many things flailing around in his brain; it’s impossible not to think. Swiss doesn’t even notice he starts getting hotter and breathing heavier, but Mountain does; unfortunately familiar with his mate’s panic attacks.

“Hey, hey, look at me,” he grabs him with care to get his attention. “I’m scared, too, look at me, darling.”

It’s a little while before the multi ghoul can make eye contact, but once he does the fresh-grass-green of Mountain’s eyes makes him grow calmer and calmer by the second.

“I’m sorry,” he mutters before falling face first into his mate’s chest. He feels so stupid for all of this.

“No, my heart, don’t be,” the earth ghoul reassures. “I told you: I’m scared, too, but we’ll be alright.”

The embrace of Mountain’s strong arms makes Swiss’ exhaustion finally take over and he feels his eyes closing. The earth ghoul manhandles him into a cuddling position and holds him close.

A feeling akin to disgust creeps up on Swiss before he manages to fall asleep, though. It’s that strange sense of dread and wrongness he knows very well. It’s telling him this is all wrong.

Men don’t get pregnant, so it must mean he’s just—still—a girl in a pathetic disguise.

Swiss swallows against the bile rising in his throat, focuses on his mate's heartbeat under his ear and wills himself to fall asleep.

He wakes up calm. He doesn’t have the urge to throw all his guts up—at least at the moment, he doesn’t want to jinx it. He stretches a little and snuggles further into Mountain and–

Oh. It’s not morning and–

That happened.

The multi ghoul tenses up and his hands instinctively clench to grab at his mate. He’s awake and kicks up a purr in an attempt to soothe Swiss a little, “Hey, darling, it’s okay, don’t stress.”

Swiss doesn’t reply, he just takes a deep breath of Mountain’s fresh scent—the smell of the first days of summer. It’s okay.

“Ready to talk?” the earth ghoul asks after a while, when Swiss is fully awake again. He nods, sitting up.

“First of all, uh…I got that text from Omega when you were asleep and he said it’s not too late to…you know,” Swiss’ stomach turns a little at the unsaid part. He appreciates having the choice, but he can’t. “You don’t have to keep them.”

“I want to, I can’t get rid of them! I love them already, they’re our babies,” he admits and the earth ghoul’s chest warms up at the words. “And you got so excited!”

“I, uh…well, yes, I did,” he chuckles nervously. “I've always wanted to have kits and I want nothing more than to have them with you, but you have to be ready. You can't make this decision because of how I feel, it's your body.”

“No, I know, but…” Swiss sighs and drags a hand down his face. He’s so tired. “I want them, I really do.”

“Okay. Well, then, we’ll do our best to keep you safe and comfortable so that their growing spot is all cozy and when they’re here we will be the best parents that they could ever have. Right?”

“Right.” The multi ghoul nods and…that’s it. Their talk is done, their decision is made. Swiss gets a thought, though, “But what if–”

Mountain doesn’t let him finish, cutting him off with a smile on his face. “We’ll worry about ‘what if’s if any show up. Let’s go try to get some food in you now, alright?”

“Okay…” Swiss agrees, even smiling slightly himself. They climb out of bed and put on some presentable clothes to head down to the kitchen. Swiss really doesn’t want to see anyone, so they quickly grab something and all but run back to their room to hide again.

“Do you want to see Omega again today so all the inevitable stress is packed into one day and then you can relax when that’s done?” the earth ghoul asks once the food is gone. Swiss didn’t eat much—his appetite nonexistent the last few days—only nibbled at stuff here and there, but it’s better than nothing.

“Yeah, I think so,” he agrees, so Mountain texts the quintessence ghoul. He asks him to come down to the Den, to have the talk in the comfort of their own space, for Swiss’ sake. Omega, of course, doesn’t mind and is happy to do it like this.

The earth ghoul gets a chair by the bed for him and once settled in it, Omega begins his lecture. “Ghoul pregnancies are really short, only seven months. The kits come out tiny, but they grow rapidly for the next while and at around six months old they slow down and carry on like a one year old human baby would. It makes it more comfortable for a ghoul pregnant with a litter to carry on in the Pits, not be slowed down much and weaker.

However, this can look very differently Topside. This has never happened before and even though I know all about pregnant ghouls and kits in Hell and all about pregnant humans on Earth, I have no idea what to do with you.

What I know for sure is that you need a lot of rest, no weed, alcohol or caffeine. We’ll be meeting once a week to check on both you and your kits. Their elements will be a mystery until they’re born, but it seems like there’s a lot of water to them. I just hope for your sake they won’t take much earth or quintessence, at least not now.”

“Why?” Swiss asks with a frown. He doesn’t want to think about all the other things Omega has just said, it’s all so…scary and so much.

“Because it would be very dangerous for all parties involved if they got as big as a typical earth or quintessence kit,” he explains. The multi ghoul can feel his hand being squeezed by his mate. “At this point we have to be mentally prepared for anything. It’s a miracle and a mystery, anything can happen.”

Swiss and Mountain are quiet, waiting for even more scary information, but the quintessence ghoul stands up and walks to the door. “That’s, uh–I think that’s it. We should make a little group chat for the three of us and keep in contact at all times. Remember my emergency twenty-four seven number, too.”

Omega stops before he crosses the threshold and turns with a slight grimace. “One more thing…as I said, it’s a miracle. I would…wait a bit before announcing it, at least outside of the pack. As hard as it is for me to say, there’s a big chance they won’t live.”

The face Swiss makes at the words is easily the saddest thing both Omega and Mountain had ever seen. The latter brings his mate closer

“I’ll do everything in my power to help you two. Well, all five of you. I want to see those kits born and healthy in your arms,” Omega promises before leaving. The silence that surrounds Mountain and Swiss once the door is shut behind the quintessence ghoul is deafening.

“I asked the pack to give us a few days to process,” Mountain says to break it. “I didn’t say what, but you know them, nobody’s prying. They respect our need for space.”

Swiss nods and turns to bury his face in his mate’s neck.

“How about we go to the cabin for a few days?” the earth ghoul offers. “A nice week off just for us to think and relax, hm?”

“Yeah, that’d be nice,” Swiss admits and even musters up a soft little smile. Mountain can’t see it but he knows exactly how a smile against his neck feels with his mate’s stubble.

“We’ll be alright, my heart,” he whispers into his ear, “all five of us, we’ll have a little family. Everything will be okay, I love you so much.”

“I love you, too,” Swiss mumbles and shuts his eyes. His hand instinctively goes to his stomach—he’s been feeling the urge to protect it for the last few weeks, but it makes sense only now.

Mountain looks at Swiss’ hand splaying over his little bump and smiles; it’s all terribly scary, but he’s so excited and happy and proud at the same time. He puts his own hand over his mate’s and nuzzles his face into his hair.

They’ll be alright.

Taglist: @arkeusruin @skele-bunny @everybodyshusband @ratsummer @jazz-bazz @mac-and-thefox @karmicbias @wine-irytatus

[a-livingcorpse]

A/N- I'm running off an hour of sleep, half a pot of coffee, antidepressants, and spite as I write this.

Fem! Y/N x older boyfriend! John Price

NSFW (18+ plz)

"He cheated...again...knocked her up... moved out...now I'm living paycheck to paycheck." You say with sniffles, unintentionally dumping on him a bit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You don't remember when you started living with him, you just did. You dated his son for a while, but he consistently cheated on you, and eventually moved out of your shared apartment, meaning you pay all bills plus rent, which now leaves you living paycheck to paycheck from the shitty factory job you have that just happens to make you the most money in the area you live in, but somehow none of this was relayed to his father, John Price.

"Love, what's wrong? What has that Muppet done now?" He asks softly as he stands in your doorway, gently wiping tears from your cheeks. It shattered his heart to see the trear stains and runny mascara. He had shown up to what was supposed to be a dinner you planned months ago... before you found out Leon knocked up some side chick.

"That little fuck, I swear... I'll skin him alive...leaving you all alone and broke like this..." He mumbles to himself as he comes into the apartment, closing the door behind himself. He embraces you, pulling you into his chest, upset and angry, not only on your behalf, but at the fact his own son would have the gall to do something like that so someone as sweet and loving as you.

"Mr. Price-" you try to protest, only to be cut off by him, now in a firm tone with no room for argument "Y/N, you're going to live with me for now. I'm not going to allow you to live alone and struggle to survive just because of that little Muppet. You deserve to live with someone and be cared for." His tone gentle at the end. He lets out a soft sigh "and please, call me John."

After a moment of scilence he pulls back slightly, having you look up at him. "I'm not letting you stay here by yourself, and I'm not going to sit back while you struggle to make ends meet. That's not happening. Not on my watch."

There's a small pause. "Talk about little... ...he was never good in bed, and all he cared about was himself, I always had to finish myself and fake it for him... it's a wonder how he got one of his mistresses pregnant." You admit with a sniffle, tears flowing here and there as you blink.

John’s jaw ticked with irritation as he listened to you, clearly wanting to punch the lights out of Leon. He was silent for a few moments, his expression full of anger, before he spoke again.

He pushes some hair out of your face. “He’s an utter fool. He didn’t appreciate you, didn’t treat you right. Now he’s gone and knocked up some slag and left you alone. It’s clear you’re far too good for a bastard like him.” He says in a comforting way before giving you a forehead kiss

And from there, things just snowballed. One thing let to another and you ended up under him for a good while, showing you how a real man loves his woman. You were now his woman, and now you get to share a bed with a man who loves you for you, and God, he loves you. Every. Single. Inch. Spending time, making sure he worship you like the goddess you are. He absolutely loves watching you squirm under him as he touches, praises, and talks you through everything he's doing as he takes it nice and slow.

After that night, you gradually moved in with him, leaving some clothes at his house here and there, some of your older things still there from when you were with his son, other things just gradually coming in.

You don't remember when you started living with him, you just do.

[ellemaru]

College!Richard Grayson and his Horrid Case of Pinning

Words | 585

Content Warning | mild swearing , fem reader

Dick Grayson who you think is just being his normal, unintentionally flirty self as he stops you, darting around you to lean on the brick wall, right after you’ve completed your ever-so-sacred, routine morning drink run. He gives you that jaw-dropping, world-stopping, blinding white, perfectly on-brand Dick Grayson smile and you’re already groaning. Being cheerful at 7 am is the last thing you need this morning. You’re about to just walk around him before he stops you, gripping your bicep gently and slowly pulling you back to stop in front of him before he grabs your drink out of your hand, taking a sip of it before handing it back to you.

“Hey! What’s your de-”

You were about to protest until you realized that his taking that sip caused him to have a mustache of sorts, courtesy of the contents of your cup. Your expression was grim and your eyes that were glazed from sleep only moments ago had not converted to your lips twitching as you held back a smile and eyes lighting up mischievously with delight. Being a forensics major, that slight expression change doesn’t escape his perceptive gaze and his face of confusion quickly morphs into a smile as well.

“What? Do I got somethin’ on my face or is it just my devilishly good looks?”

You roll your eyes before leaning in, Dick reciprocating the motion a few moments after you move. Before you know it, the proximity you two have would have been enough to have plenty of people, men and women alike, getting flustered due to not only his boyish charm but also his status. To you though, he’s just Dickie, your best friend, and not Richard Grayson, the adopted son of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. You reach your hand up, gently wiping away the mustache that the drink left with your thumb, careful to not let your acrylic nail scratch his face. Your eyes are trained on the spot under his nose as you delicately do that motion, not noticing the eyes full of absolute adoration that he’s looking at you with. Those pretty blue eyes practically sparkling with love and something else, something deeper. The fear unknown to every soul on the very Earth, the fear that if one day he was a fool enough to confess, you wouldn’t feel the same, and not only will he lose his best friend, but the one person he loved so deeply would finally be out of his reach for the rest of the time. He would fall out of the very orbit of the star he revolved around, you. Once he caught himself, he quickly shook himself out of his mental daze, putting back on that devilish smile as your thumb retreated from the gentle and chaste expedition it had above his lips.

“Ya know-”

“Shut it”

“I could’ve wiped that off myself-”

“Dick”

“However, it seems like someone just can't get enough of me and just couldn’t resist touching me”

“Oh my God shut the hell up please”

He laughs loudly at you before throwing his arm over your shoulder and bringing you in tightly to his side, causing an “oof” to be forced from your chest and your drink to spill a little bit. You grumble under your breath before you look up at him, your eyes meeting his, which crinkle up from that bright smile of his, the one that only you draw out of him, as the two of you walk side by side.

A/N | Sorry if this isn't super fleshed out I promise I'll make it better once it actually is the day time and not 1:30 in the morning LMAO. If y'all enjoyed please let me know and don't be shy to leave requests either because I really enjoyed writing college!Richard !

[arivsxq]

Meddle about chapter 3

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader

Theme: strangers to lovers, angsty shit

Warnings: smut, hookup, fwb, mdni, maybe slow updates

Word count: 4,6k+

Songs: Meddle about-Chase Atlantic

Heartbeat-Childish Gambino

A/N: Wrote a longer chapter this time as a little apology for the few people who waited so long. Sorry again but I try to upload more regularly this year:)

The next morning, I was running late. Again. I'd hit snooze one too many times, and now I was shoving books into my bag with a granola bar hanging from my mouth, cursing my existence. I barely had time to throw on a hoodie and sneakers before rushing out the door. It was the second day in a row where I looked like a homeless person. If my parents saw me like this they would definitely scream their guts out.

By the time I got to campus, I was already exhausted. The philosophy lecture hall was halfway across campus, and I knew if I stopped for coffee, I'd be even later. So, against my better judgment, I powered through, speed-walking like my life depended on it.

And that's when it happened.

One second, I was focused on not tripping over my own feet. The next, I slammed right into someone, sending both of us stumbling back.

"Oh, shit—"

I barely had time to process before strong hands gripped my arms, steadying me before I could fall flat on my ass.

And of course. Of course.

It was Jungkook.

Because why wouldn't it be?

He looked down at me, eyebrows raised in amusement. "You good?"

I blinked up at him, momentarily thrown off by how close we were. His hoodie was slightly oversized, sleeves covering part of his hands, and his dark hair was tousled like he'd just rolled out of bed. The morning light caught on the two piercings on the corner of his lips, and—

Nope. Absolutely not.

I stepped back quickly, clearing my throat. "Yeah. Fine. Totally great."

He gave me a look, like he didn't quite believe me, but he didn't push it. Instead, he smirked. "Running late?"

I huffed, adjusting my bag. "What gave it away?"

"The fact that you almost knocked me and yourself unconscious."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, please. You barely moved."

"Strong reflexes." He grinned. "Perks of being me."

I hated that I almost laughed.

Instead, I shook my head, moving past him. "I gotta go."

"Wait."

I paused, reluctantly turning back. "What?"

Jungkook tilted his head slightly, eyes scanning my face like he was debating something. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable yesterday," he said finally.

I blinked, caught off guard. "What?" I said again.

"The coffee thing." He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I wasn't trying to push anything. Just... wanted to talk."

Guilt twisted in my stomach. I let out a slow breath, suddenly feeling very aware of how awkward I'd made everything.

"I know," I admitted. "I just had..." I hesitated. "two cups of coffee"

Jungkook studied me for a second before nodding. "Okay."

That was it. Just okay. No guilt-tripping, no passive-aggressive remarks. Just acceptance. It threw me off more than anything else. Before I could say something else—what, I didn't even know—Jungkook took a step back. "I'll see you in class," he said, and then he walked away, leaving me standing there like an idiot.

"wait-"

He turns around with a questioning look on his face.

"What about later? I-I mean... after the lectures. Only if you have time, we don't need to-"

"yeah, sure" he smiles and disappears after.

Did I just stutter???

***

By the time I slipped into my seat next to Carla, the professor had already started scribbling something on the board. I tried to act casual like I hadn't just made an absolute fool of myself five minutes ago, but Carla's sharp gaze immediately landed on me.

"You're late," she whispered, leaning in.

"Tell me something I don't know," I muttered, pulling out my iPad.

Carla ignored my bad mood, her eyes narrowing. "Why do you look like you just saw a ghost?"

I hesitated for half a second too long, and that was all she needed.

"Oh my god," she gasped, her voice a little too loud. "Is this about Jungkook?"

My entire body stiffened. "No," I lied instantly.

Carla's smirk grew. "So if I turn around right now, he's not gonna be looking at you?"

I refused to take the bait. "I don't care what he's doing."

Carla, being the absolute menace she was, twisted in her seat anyway. I heard her inhale sharply. "Oh. My. God."

I sighed. "Carla—"

"He's staring at you."

I groaned, dropping my forehead onto the desk. "I hate you."

Carla giggled. "Oh, babe, you love me."

I peeked up at her, only to find her grinning like she'd just won the lottery. I knew that look. It meant trouble.

"What did you do?" I whispered harshly.

"Nothing," she said, way too innocently. "I just think it's interesting that you rejected coffee yesterday but suddenly have plans after class today."

I glared at her. "How do you even know that?"

Carla rolled her eyes. "Please. I saw your face when you walked in. You look like someone who just did something completely out of character."

She wasn't wrong.

"Annnnddd I overheard Jungkook telling Namjoon"

I sighed, resigning myself to the fact that Carla would never let this go. "Fine. I might have... invited him to hang out."

Carla's jaw dropped. "You invited him? As in, willingly?"

"Would you keep your voice down?" I hissed, glancing around.

Carla's expression turned gleeful. "This is huge."

"It's really not."

"It is." She paused, then gasped. "Oh my god, do you like him?"

I choked. "Absolutely not."

Carla narrowed her eyes. "Liar."

"I literally just met him."

Carla smirked. "And yet, here we are."

I wanted to argue, but the professor shot us a pointed look, forcing Carla to finally shut up. I exhaled in relief and focused on the lecture, but my brain refused to cooperate. I was too aware of the fact that Jungkook was sitting just a few rows away.

And worse? I could feel him looking at me.

***

After class, I practically sprinted out of the lecture hall before Carla could interrogate me further. I had a break before my next class, and Jungkook was nowhere in sight. Maybe he'd forgotten about my invitation. Maybe he changed his mind. Maybe—

"Hey."

I nearly jumped out of my skin. Spinning around, I found Jungkook standing there, looking amused.

"Jesus," I muttered, clutching my chest. "You need to stop sneaking up on me."

He raised an eyebrow. "I literally just walked up."

I huffed. "Whatever."

Jungkook chuckled, then nodded toward the campus café. "Still down?"

I hesitated. "For what?"

His lips twitched. "To hang out? You did invite me, remember?"

I internally cringed. "Right. Yeah. Sure."

Jungkook gave me an amused glance but didn't push it. We made our way to the café in comfortable silence, and I tried not to overthink the fact that I was willingly spending time with him.

Inside, we grabbed drinks, him, an iced Americano; me, a caramel latte, and found a spot near the window. I wrapped my hands around my cup, suddenly unsure what to say.

Jungkook beat me to it. "So, what's your deal?"

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

He smirked. "You seem... hard to read."

I frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged. "You act like you don't care, but I don't think that's true."

I stared at him. "That's a bold assumption."

Jungkook sipped his coffee, unfazed. "Am I wrong?"

I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it. Annoyingly, he wasn't. I did care. I just hated admitting it.

Instead, I deflected. "And what about you? What's your deal?"

Jungkook tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

I gestured vaguely. "You just randomly show up at my friends' dinner, stare at me in class, and now you're analyzing my personality like it's a project."

He smirked. "So you did notice me staring."

I groaned "I walked into that one."

Jungkook laughed, a soft, genuine sound that caught me off guard. When I looked up, he was watching me, his expression more serious than before.

"For real, though," he said, voice quieter. "I think you're interesting."

I swallowed. "You don't even know me."

"Not yet," he said simply.

I didn't have a response to that.

Jungkook didn't press me for one. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, sipping his coffee like he had all the time in the world. I stared out the window, watching students hurry past, my thoughts a tangled mess.

"I think we would make great friends" he interrupts the silence.

I blinked at him, unsure if I had misheard. "Friends?"

Jungkook nodded, completely unfazed. "Yeah. You know, the normal kind. People who hang out, talk, maybe send each other stupid memes at 2 AM. Friends."

I squinted at him. "Do you usually pursue friendships with people who actively avoid you?"

He chuckled. "You haven't exactly been avoiding me."

I opened my mouth to argue, but he had a point. I could have ignored him and shut down every attempt he made to talk to me, but instead, here I was, sitting across from him, sharing coffee.

I sighed, stirring my drink absentmindedly. "You're persistent, I'll give you that."

"I prefer determined," he said, smirking.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips. "Fine. Friends."

Jungkook raised his cup like he was toasting. "Friends."

We fell into an easy conversation after that. Turns out, he was surprisingly easy to talk to. He told me about his photography projects, his love for late-night drives, and his weirdly specific obsession with collecting vintage film cameras. In return, I told him about my art major, my stress over exams, and my terrible habit of procrastinating until the last possible second.

"So basically," Jungkook said, resting his chin on his palm, "we're both disasters in different ways."

I snorted. "Yeah, pretty much."

The time passed quicker than I expected. Before I knew it, my break was almost over, and I had to get to my next class. I glanced at the time and groaned. "I gotta go."

Jungkook stretched, standing up. "I'll walk with you."

I hesitated for a second but didn't protest. We stepped out of the café, the campus buzzing with students rushing to their next classes. The air was crisp, the sun casting long shadows across the pavement.

As we walked, Jungkook glanced at me. "So, do I get a contact name in your phone now? Or am I still 'Unknown Number'?"

I huffed a laugh, pulling out my phone. "Fine. But if you send me dumb memes at 2 AM, I'm blocking you."

Jungkook grinned, typing his number into my phone. "Noted."

I saved his contact, glancing at him. "Happy now?"

He grinned wider. "Very."

As we reached the building where my class was, I turned to him. "Guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah," he said, stuffing his hands into his hoodie pockets. "Later."

I walked into the lecture hall, feeling oddly lighter than I had in days. Maybe having Jungkook around wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.

***

Who would've thought that four months later, Jungkook would be one of my closest friends? But here we were, sitting in his living room. My legs were stretched out over his, tangled in the most casual way, like we'd been doing this forever. His feet rested on the other end of the L-shaped couch, his laptop perched on his thighs as he absentmindedly scrolled through something.

The room was dimly lit, the only real light coming from the TV, playing some random movie neither of us were paying attention to. A forgotten bag of chips sat between us, and my half-empty iced coffee was precariously balanced on the armrest.

Jungkook suddenly let out a dramatic sigh, closing his laptop with a soft thud. "I'm so over this assignment."

Not even looking up from my phone I respond "You say that about every assignment."

"Because they all suck," he shot back, tossing his laptop onto the floor beside him. "Seriously, who thought writing an essay about 'the emotional depth of visual storytelling' was a good idea?"

"Uh, your professor?"

He gave me a flat look. "I refuse to acknowledge that man's existence."

I laughed, nudging his leg with my foot. "You just need a break. Wanna order food?"

Jungkook perked up instantly. "Now you're speaking my language."

"Pizza?"

"Obviously."

I reached for my phone to make a call but then I see a message from my father.

Father:"Were invited to dinner by the Kim's."

I roll my eyes. My thoughts get interrupted by Jungkook's voice calling me.

"What's with the eye-role?" he tries to tease.

"Just my father. We're invited for dinner by the Kim's" if my annoyed face doesn't tell what I think about the plans my voice definitely does.

"Which Kim's exactly?" Jungkook hesitates.

"Your smart ass friend Namjoon?"

"Oh these Kim's"

Jungkook smirked, leaning back into the couch. "So, what's the problem? Namjoon's cool."

I groaned, throwing my phone onto the coffee table. "Yeah, but his parents are the problem. And also mine but that's not the point. They're like... I don't know, fancy? Pretentious? The kind of people who judge you based on how well you hold a wine glass."

Jungkook chuckled. "So like your family"

"True but shut up"

He shrugged. "I mean, I could come as your emotional support."

I snorted. "Oh, sure. I'd love to see my father's face when I show up with you. That'd go over well."

"Hey, I can be classy." He sat up straighter, clearing his throat before saying in an exaggerated deep voice, "Good evening, Mr. Kim. A pleasure to see you again. The duck confit is simply exquisite."

I burst out laughing. "Oh my God, stop."

Jungkook grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "I'd fit right in."

"Yeah, until you start talking about video games or making fun of Namjoon's philosophy books."

"Fine, fine. But really, is it that bad?"

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "It's just... my dad has this weird thing about the Kim's. Mr. Kim and dad have a long history of business dealings and stuff. Like, they're this perfect family in his eyes, and I always feel like I have to act a certain way around them. You know, be 'proper' and 'respectable' or whatever. It's exhausting."

Jungkook nodded, his playful expression softening a little. "I get that. But hey, if it makes you feel any better, Namjoon's probably suffering through it too."

"He is" I sighed. "I know him since I was 6. This guy doesn't have a great poker face"

"You got this," Jungkook said, bumping his knee against mine. "And if it gets unbearable, just imagine them all in clown wigs. Helps me get through awkward situations."

"That explains a lot"

"Hey"

The rest of the evening passed in comfortable laziness. We ordered pizza, half-watched a movie, and talked about everything and nothing until it was late and I had to drag myself off the couch.

***

The moment I stepped into my walk-in closet at my parent's house, I knew I couldn't just throw on any outfit. My parents took these dinners seriously, and showing up in anything less than polished perfection was practically a crime in their eyes. So, instead of my usual laid-back style, I went for a sleek black dress, nothing too extravagant, but just enough to say, yes, I belong in this ridiculous world of power plays and social niceties. A pair of delicate diamond earrings and designer heels completed the look.

By the time I made it downstairs, my mother gave me an approving glance, my father barely looked up from his watch, and we were ushered into the car.

When we arrived at the Kim estate, a sprawling mansion that made even our home seem modest, I sighed inwardly. The moment we stepped through the grand entrance, Namjoon and his parents greeted us with the usual warmth laced with underlying expectations. My mother was already deep in conversation with Mrs. Kim about some charity gala, while my father and Mr. Kim exchanged firm handshakes and business talk.

And then, just as I was about to zone out, my phone buzzed in my clutch.

Jungkook: "How's the royal banquet?"

I bit back a smile and texted back.

Me: "Currently contemplating my existence between a five-course meal and a conversation about hedge funds."

Jungkook: "Sounds thrilling. You need a rescue?"

Me: "Always"

Jungkook: "I'll send a helicopter"

I rolled my eyes but felt strangely lighter. If nothing else, at least I had Jungkook's sarcasm to get me through the night. The dining room was an opulent display of wealth, all crystal chandeliers, gold-trimmed dinnerware, and a floral centerpiece so large it practically needed its own zip code. I took my designated seat between my mother and Namjoon, the latter offering a polite smile as I settled in. Across from me, his younger sister, Jihye, was already scrolling through her phone beneath the table, clearly just as thrilled to be here as I was.

"So," Mr. Kim started, his deep voice carrying over the soft clinking of silverware, "I hear the expansion in Singapore is progressing well."

My father nodded, always the composed businessman. "Yes, though we had to make some last-minute adjustments to accommodate new regulations. Nothing we can't handle."

I tuned out almost instantly. Business talk at these dinners was as predictable as the perfectly plated gourmet meals in front of us. The first course, a delicate amuse-bouche that looked more like art than food, was placed before me, and I forced myself to take a bite, despite my complete lack of appetite.

I stole a glance at Namjoon, who seemed equally unenthusiastic. Despite his reputation for being a genius, he was, at the core, still just a guy who had been shoved into this world whether he liked it or not.

"How's university treating you?" he asked, voice low enough that it didn't interrupt the ongoing corporate negotiations happening to our left.

"Oh, you know," I sighed, "thriving under capitalism, questioning my existence, the usual."

Namjoon chuckled. "Sounds about right. Jungkook keeping you entertained?"

I nearly choked on my water. I cleared my throat, trying to play it cool. "Why would you assume that?"

Namjoon arched a knowing brow. "Because he's Jungkook. And you're... you."

I narrowed my eyes. "Care to elaborate?"

Before he could, Mrs. Kim turned her attention toward me, her carefully poised smile in place. "Darling, your mother was telling me about your latest art project. How wonderful that you still find time for such creative pursuits."

My lips twitched. "Yes, still clinging to the last remnants of my soul."

My mother shot me a warning look, but Mrs. Kim merely laughed, as if I had said something utterly charming rather than laced with sarcasm.

"Well, creativity is important," she said smoothly, sipping her wine. "Though, of course, I'm sure you're also considering more... practical applications for the future."

There it was. The inevitable nudge toward "real-world" aspirations, the ones that involved boardrooms, mergers, and an existence carefully molded into the expectations of high society.

I didn't get the chance to respond before my phone buzzed in my lap again.

"Uh yeah but I actually want to presume art"

My mother lets out a fake laugh and says "Young people and their imagination. Of course, she has other plans for the future. After all, she is the heir of a million dollar company"

Bitch.

She shoots me one last look before I look at my phone.

Jungkook: "Tell me you've at least been served something edible."

Me: "If by edible, you mean a piece of asparagus decorated like a museum exhibit, then yes."

Jungkook: "Tragic. Need me to smuggle in a burger?"

Me: "Tempting. You'd get past security?"

Jungkook: "For you? I'd find a way."

A warmth spread through my chest, but before I could type a response, my mother's voice cut through my thoughts. "Darling, put your phone away. It's rude during dinner."

I bit back a sigh, slipping my phone back into my clutch and returning to my untouched plate. Across from me, Jihye smirked knowingly, clearly having caught on.

The second course arrived,some kind of seafood dish with a name too long to remember, and the conversation steered toward future prospects. Mr. Kim, ever the strategist, turned to Namjoon with a measured look.

"Have you given more thought to your role in the company after graduation?"

Namjoon's smile was tight. "Of course. Still weighing my options."

"Options?" Mr. Kim repeated, clearly unimpressed. "Your path has always been clear."

I didn't miss the way Namjoon's grip tightened around his fork. I felt a sudden, sharp pang of sympathy. The weight of expectation in a family like this wasn't just heavy, it was suffocating.

"I think Namjoon should have the space to explore his interests," I interjected, drawing attention back to me. "After all, wouldn't you rather have a CEO who actually enjoys his work?"

There was a beat of silence before Mrs. Kim gave a tight-lipped smile. "Of course, dear. But responsibility is a privilege, not a choice."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "Right. How could I forget?"

"Y/N!" My father warns me but I could care less.

As the courses continued, so did the thinly veiled expectations, the strategic questions, the careful way my mother kept nudging me to say the right things, to act the part.

By the time dessert arrived, I was more than ready to escape.

Another buzz.

Jungkook: "Still alive?"

Me: "Barely. Might fake an emergency. Thoughts?"

Jungkook: "Dramatic fainting. Classic. I'll give you a 9/10 if you commit to it."

I stifled a laugh, but Namjoon caught it, shaking his head in amusement. "Tell Jungkook he's a bad influence."

"Oh, he already knows."

As coffee was served, my mother turned to me with a pointed look. "We'll be attending the charity gala next weekend. You'll be expected to join...and your manners too."

I sighed internally but nodded. "Of course. Wouldn't miss it."

She smiled, satisfied, and returned to her conversation.

Jungkook: "What are your plans for next weekend?"

Me: "Apparently, I'm being paraded at a gala."

Jungkook: "Sounds fancy."

Me: "Sounds exhausting."

Jungkook: "I could always crash it."

I hesitated for a split second.

Me: "You wouldn't."

Jungkook: "Oh, baby. Don't challenge me."

I stared at the message, something dangerously close to excitement bubbling under my ribs.

Jungkook at a high-society gala? Now that would be a sight to see. As the evening dragged on, my patience wore thin. Just as I thought I might actually lose my mind listening to another story about market trends, Mr. Kim turned to me.

"Have you given any thought to internships? I know your father has some excellent connections. It would be a wonderful opportunity."

I hesitated. "I have some ideas, but nothing concrete yet."

My father, who had been mostly silent on my personal matters, decided now was the time to weigh in. "She needs to start focusing on more stable prospects. The art thing is fine as a hobby, but—"

There it was. The inevitable dismissal of my interests, as if they were just a passing phase. I clenched my jaw, forcing a polite nod instead of the biting retort I wanted to unleash.

Before I could say anything, Namjoon smoothly interjected, "Actually, Jungkook was telling me about an artist he's been following lately. Some really impressive work."

I shot him a look of gratitude. Namjoon, ever the diplomat, had just steered the conversation away from my impending existential crisis.

Mr. Kim hummed in approval. "Ah, Jungkook. Always an interesting one."

My mother's lips pursed ever so slightly. She wasn't the biggest fan of Jungkook, something about him being too carefree, too unpredictable. The irony, considering how much they admired Namjoon, who happened to be one of Jungkook's closest friends.

As the night wore on, I found myself feeling less suffocated, despite the setting. Maybe it was Namjoon's subtle interventions, or maybe it was knowing that, on the other side of my phone screen, Jungkook was keeping me grounded in my own way.

By the time we finally left the Kim estate, I let out a breath of relief. The car ride home was silent, my parents satisfied with another successful evening of networking but also angry at my behavior.

As soon as I was back in my room, I collapsed onto my bed and checked my phone again.

Jungkook: "You made it out?"

Me: "Against all odds."

Jungkook: "Proud of you. Wanna celebrate your survival with a coffe at my place"

I hesitated for a moment, then smiled.

Me: "Fine. But only if you make breakfast too"

Jungkook: "Why? We can buy something on the campus"

Me:"okay see you in class"

Jungkook:"Ugh fine, I'll make breakfast. Anything for the Chanel princess"

I set my phone down, feeling a little lighter. Maybe these dinners would never be easy, but at least I had people who made them bearable.

***

The next morning, I woke up to the soft ping of my phone, signaling a message from Jungkook.

Jungkook: "I'm up. Suffering. Hope you're happy."

I grinned, stretching lazily before replying.

Me: "Very. Now get to work, chef."

Jungkook: "Bossy. I like it."

Shaking my head, I rolled out of bed and grabbed a change of clothes before heading to his apartment. I had barely knocked when the door swung open, revealing Jungkook in an oversized hoodie, his hair still messily tousled from sleep.

"Morning, Chanel Princess," he greeted, stepping aside to let me in.

"Morning, Michelin-star chef," I smirked, peering over his shoulder. "Where's my gourmet breakfast?"

Jungkook scoffed, leading me into the kitchen where a pan of slightly burnt pancakes sat on the stove. "Listen, I never promised quality."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're lucky I'm too hungry to care."

As I grabbed a plate, he leaned against the counter, watching me with an easy smile. "So, how bad was the aftermath?"

I sighed, stabbing at my pancake. "Silent treatment from my parents. My mother is convinced I'll grow out of my 'art phase' and my dad thinks I need a reality check."

Jungkook frowned. "And by reality check, they mean...?"

"Corporate servitude." I rolled my eyes. "Yay, nepotism."

He snorted. "Yeah, you don't really scream 'corporate drone' to me."

I pointed my fork at him. "Exactly! But try telling them that."

There was a beat of silence before Jungkook said, "You know, you don't actually have to do what they want."

I looked up, meeting his gaze. It was such a simple statement, yet it held so much weight.

"Yeah, well, try convincing them of that."

Jungkook shook his head. "No, I mean it. You're the one who has to live with your choices. Not them."

I swallowed, unsure how to respond. Because as much as I wanted to believe that, the pressure was real. The expectations, the responsibilities, the constant reminder that I had a role to play in this carefully curated world my parents had built.

Jungkook must've sensed my hesitation because he reached across the counter, lightly tapping my wrist. "Hey. You have options. You just have to be brave enough to take them."

I stared at him, something warm blooming in my chest. He always made things sound so simple, so possible.

Before I could overthink it, I sighed dramatically. "It's not that easy."

Jungkook grinned. "Oh come on. If your parents disown you, you can sleep on my couch"

I scoffed. "I think I've suffered enough for your amusement."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Nah, you keep things interesting."

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't fight the smile tugging at my lips. For now, the weight of last night felt a little lighter, and the future was a little less suffocating. At least I had people like Jungkook in my corner.

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Absolute Submission to the Queen

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors.

Blank, and ageless blogs will be blocked.

I did everything I could to help Emma, even to the point of being ridiculed as a "dog" when she injured her leg.

I held her in my arms wherever she went so she would never walk, and I always stayed by her side in case she needed something.

Of course, that may not have been what she wanted, but I unexpectedly enjoyed it.

It wasn't that I was happy to kneel in front of others.

(What I like is...)

Silvio: "I'll serve you thoroughly throughout the night."

To fulfill her command, I just had to bathe her and change her clothes.

However, when I tried to put her in the bath, she resisted and struggled.

Emma: "P-Please close your eyes."

Silvio: "Ha?"

Emma, completely naked in my arms, covered her face and issued a new command.

Silvio: "Are you kidding? If I close my eyes, I won't be able to do anything."

Emma: "You can do it."

Silvio: "I can't."

(If I did that, I wouldn't be able to enjoy your embarrassed reaction.)

Even though she's usually sassy, she got shy and flustered when I tried to serve her.

I enjoyed it more than anything, so closing my eyes would defeat its purpose.

Emma: "You said it's okay to rely on you."

Silvio: "I also said I might not listen depending on the content of the request, remember?"

Emma: "Are you sure you really can't?"

Emma: "Even though I'm used to being seen, being naked like this is still embarrassing."

Our eyes met through the small gap between her fingers.

Her face went red due to embarrassment, and that oddly turned me on.

(Damn it. Is she doing this on purpose?)

I felt like I might end up making a fool of myself if I continued to stare at her.

Silvio: "Tch. Fine. I just have to close my eyes, yeah?"

Emma: "Thank you so much!"

Unable to back out now with her looking so pleased, I closed my eyes and confidently made my way to the bathroom.

Emma: "Prince Silvio, can you really not see anything?"

Silvio: “I’ve closed my eyes as you instructed.”

Emma: “Yes, but despite that, your steps seem pretty confident.”

Silvio: “I can manage short distances.”

Silvio: “But from here on, I’ll have to feel my way around.”

I navigated the space with my hand and gently placed Emma in the bathtub.

Now, the real challenge began.

Emma: “You can go back to the room.”

Silvio: “Denied. I’ve decided to serve you, remember?”

Silvio: “Besides, you should’ve resigned yourself to it by now.”

Emma: “Ugh...”

(Where's the soap? Oh, here it is.)

Even though I couldn't see, I managed to mentally map the area as I moved around.

After gathering all the stuff, I returned to Emma's side and heard a splashing sound.

Silvio: "Don't run away. Come here."

Emma: "Eek! Just for today, okay?"

The bathwater rippled again, and I felt her presence nearby.

I reached out and felt something soft, and Emma suddenly pulled back.

(What was that just now?)

Emma: "Where are you touching!?"

Silvio: "I can't see anything, so what do you expect?"

Silvio: "Besides, you shouldn't be running away like this, especially when it's not your first time."

Emma: "No matter how many times I experience it, I'll never get used to this!"

(That's such a cute thing to say.)

Emma: "Prince Silvio, can you help me?"

She reached out and grabbed my hand.

Emma: "My back is here."

I touched the spot she guided me to and slid my fingers along her spine.

Silvio: "Then, let's start from here."

I lathered the soap on the cloth and glided it over her back.

(She's trembling.)

Of course, it wasn't fear that caused her to tremble.

I tried to move beyond her back and lightly grazed a soft spot on her skin with my fingers, causing a sultry sigh to escape Emma's lips.

(Is she aware that, despite her shyness, her body seems to be anticipating this?)

After finishing her back, I moved on, gliding my fingers over her arms, shoulders, and chest.

Emma: "Prince Silvio..."

Silvio: "I'm not looking."

Emma: "That's not the point... Ah!"

I pinched her pointed peaks, and the water splashed loudly.

After thoroughly attending to that area, I inserted my hand under her arm and lifted her up.

Emma: "It's okay, you can stop now!"

Silvio: "What do you mean it's okay?"

(Even with my eyes closed, I can tell.)

After tracing the lines of her body, I moved and rubbed my hand into the space between her legs, and a different sensation entangled with my fingers.

Silvio: "Hey, open your legs more. I can't wash it like this."

Emma: "I don't need you to wash it anymore."

Silvio: "I'm still not finished."

Emma: "I don't care if it's not yet finished! You're acting weird."

Emma: "I couldn't bear it anymore."

(.........)

Emma: "Please carry me to the bed like this."

Silvio: "I guess I have no other choice."

(Even though she's acting shy, she...)

Suppressing the surging desire within me, I wrapped her hair and skin in cloth as she emerged from the bath.

Despite being tempted by the sultry sighs I occasionally heard, I managed to carry her to the bed.

Silvio: "So?"

Emma: "I don't feel like sleeping."

Silvio: "Why?"

Emma: "My body feels hot."

Silvio: "Should I let some air in?"

Emma: "You know that's not it."

Silvio: "Then give me clear instructions. How do you want it?"

I fumbled around her body, but she suddenly grabbed my hand and guided it to her breast.

Emma: "P-Please make me feel good."

(You should be clear like this more often.)

(That way, your body can only rely on me.)

With my eyes closed, I took her nipple into my mouth and rolled my tongue around it.

I continued to lick her entire body like a dog and buried my face between her legs.

Emma: "Ahhh…ahhh…"

Silvio: “Does it feel good?”

Emma: “.........”

Silvio: “Can’t you hear me?”

I licked and flicked my tongue to lap her nectar. However, I couldn’t see her reaction as I had my eyes closed.

Silvio: “Can I open my eyes now?”

Emma: “.........”

(Silence means yes, right?)

(I’ve been following her orders so obediently up to this point, so rebelling just a little bit should be fine.)

I opened my eyes and peered into her face, where I saw her sexy, blushing cheeks and longing eyes that shot through me.

Emma: “Please don’t look at me.”

(Ah, damn it.)

(It’s impossible for any man to not want to see this face and devote himself to it.)

(This is why I want to serve you, even if I have to become a dog.)

I penetrated her bath-fresh body as she desired, and she completely surrendered herself to me.

(Once you’ve tamed a dog, you should take responsibility for it until the end.)

Part 1╎Part 2╎Premium End╎Special Story

[shallowseeker]

You know what my favorite thing about Sam is? Even though he and Cas butt heads and don't exactly get along, Sam usually takes Cas's side. It's hilarious.

Sam would absolutely stab Cas in the back, and THEN turn around and take his side.

Kind of like [OMITTED]

8x22:

SAM: Dude, go easy on Cas, okay. He's one of the good guys. DEAN: Dude, if anybody else – I mean anybody – pulled that kind of crap, I would stab them in their neck on principle. Why should I give him a free pass? SAM: Because it's Cas.

Or back in 7x01, fresh off stabbing him in the back BTW:

SAM: Dean, look, I know you think that Cas is gone -- DEAN: It's 'cause he is. SAM: He's not! He's in there somewhere, Dean. I know it. DEAN: No, you don't. SAM: No, I don't. But, look, I was pretty far gone sometimes myself...

///

SAM (praying): Hey, Castiel. Um... Maybe this is pointless. Look... I don't know if any part of you even cares, but, um, I still think you're one of us, deep down. I mean, way, way, way off the reservation, but... Look, we still have till dawn to stop this. Let us help. Please.

On the one hand, it's easier for Sam not to take Cas's betrayal so personally. He saw the betrayal coming, so he wasn't made a fool of. And also, Sam's not in love with Cas, so that helps him keep the emotional pain at something of a distance. There's not the same kinda tension.

On the other, Sam has a niggling core... a rebellious-coded "child" who remains vulnerable to authority figures for much of his run, (SEE: with how fanboy he was over the angels+ feeling kinda happy having a past-in-common with John Winchester).

Sam loves to see himself IN the father figure, and he loves to make excuses FOR the father figure. It's one of the most delicious things about Sam (and Lucifer, via his own words about "rebellion" in s13).

I think Sam has a tendency to take the father's and the husband's "side," really, even in that one episode with James Marsters 7x05 Shut Up, Dr. Phil.

Which makes me think about how Lucifer is rebellious in terms of behavior, but says he actually always wanted to belong and please his dad:

LUCIFER from 13x13: No. No I always wanted to fit in, please a father I couldn’t please. And now I’m gonna be a father. Probably screw it up like he did.

AND I can't remember of find the episode, but I know Lucifer starts speaking of God differently after he has a son on the way, suddenly cutting him a whole lot of slack. (I think he does this in Exodus, too?)

I love Sam and Lucifer's twin struggles. So crunchy!