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writerofsorts · 2 years ago

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Right Place, Right Time

(image creds: to the owner)

pairing: jason dilaurentis x female reader.

summary: 1x09 “the perfect storm” episode imagine/rewrite.

warnings: none... wilden being a jerk?

*read previous part here!

—————

“Where is Spencer with my mozzarella sticks?” Hanna groaned, dropping her head on top of her book that laid open in front of her, and [Y/N] chuckled at her friend’s antics.

Currently, [Y/N] and Hanna found themselves in Spencer’s kitchen, sitting at the island, as they studied for the SATs.

“Relax, Han, I’m sure Spence is on her way here,” [Y/N] replied while working on practice questions. “Remember she had to pick up Aria on her way?”

“Yeah, I remember,” Hanna groaned yet again, facing [Y/N] this time with her cheek pressed against the cold page of her book.

[Y/N] was so engrossed in her studying that she didn’t notice the sudden mischief that lit up Hanna’s eyes.

“Until they get here, though,” Hanna began, lifting her head up and sitting straight again with her hands clasped in front of her. “We have something very important to talk about.”

“Talk about what?” [Y/N] asked, her eyes turning suspicious as she noticed the teasing glint in the blonde’s eyes.

“About the past few days,” Hanna replied. “About Jason.”

“What about Jason?” [Y/N] asked, her eyes dropping to the pages in front of her again as she tried to remain nonchalant about the topic.

“[Y/N] [Y/L/N], you know exactly what I’m talking about!” exclaimed Hanna.

“Nope, I don’t,” [Y/N] answered, flipping the pages of the book because she couldn’t concentrate on the practice questions anymore.

Hanna, who understood this, was quick to pull the book away from [Y/N] to which the latter let out a ‘hey!’

“[Y/N/N], did you really not see the way Jason’s eyes lit up when he saw you after he said hi to me the day he came to discuss the memorial with us?” Hanna asked, ignoring her friend’s protest to grab the book again.

“The way he hugged you and to me, it looked like he only let go when you pulled away from him first,” Hanna continued and [Y/N] remained silent, no longer trying to get her book back. “He also stood closer to the side you sat by at this very spot. He was all polite and business until he brought up Ali’s picture, and you replied that it was our favorite. Not to forget, you speaking up totally calmed him down when we pretty much nagged him about why Jenna wanted to speak at the memorial.”

[Y/N] played with her fingers as she processed Hanna’s words. She would be lying if she disagreed with Hanna because she had made the exact same observations about Jason. However, she was afraid to hope that there was more – that Jason somehow returned her feelings.

“Also, let’s not forget the extra large frown on his face when Eric hugged you after the memorial,” Hanna added.

“Wait, what?” [Y/N] asked as this was the first time she was hearing about this.

“Yes!” Hanna exclaimed. “I mean he probably knows Eric’s your ex so he was very much likely jealous.”

“Han,” [Y/N] sighed. “Are you sure you’re not imagining things?”

“Of course not,” replied Hanna. “I’ll have you know that I’m a very observant person.”

[Y/N] couldn’t help but chuckle before sighing.

“Hanna banana, nothing is going to happen between Jason and me. So, you need to forget about Jason and I, and focus on the SATs we have tomorrow.”

“Hey, I’m multitasking!” Hanna reasoned, making [Y/N] laugh yet again.

“But, Han, I’m serious,” [Y/N] replied. “To Jason, I’m prob- definitely just a friend of Ali. One of the powerpuff girls as he used to call us.”

“I’ve just… never seen you look at a guy the way you look at Jason,” Hanna said softly. “I mean I know you were with Eric and you two liked each other, but I don’t know. I’ve always thought you two were better off as friends.”

“That’s why we ended things but we are still good friends,” smiled [Y/N].

“I hate that I’m nagging you about Jason, but I just… I want you to be happy,” Hanna shrugged.

“I am happy, Han,” [Y/N] replied, leaning over and squeezing Hanna’s hand reassuringly.

Before Hanna could say more, they heard the sound of Spencer’s car.

“Let’s not talk about Jason anymore,” [Y/N] said. “Can I have my book back please?”

“Ugh, fine,” Hanna rolled her eyes dramatically and handed [Y/N] her book again. “Our conversation isn't over [Y/N/N]!”

...

The day of the SATs was awful to say the least.

Veronica Hastings had driven Spencer, Aria, Hanna, and [Y/N] to the school. Spencer’s mother didn’t let the girls out of her sight until she verified with someone the test was definitely taking place and not getting canceled due to the storm.

“Test is on today,” a woman, one of the proctors, told Veronica. “Rosewood students should register in the library.”

“Half of the school isn’t even here,” Hanna said.

“And, they may never make it,” Veronica added. “We saw this huge tree down on Sawmill Road and they’ve closed off York street.”

“That wasn’t because of the storm,” a familiar voice replied from behind them and the four best friends looked at each other in alert. Detective Wilden was the last person they wanted to see at the moment. They, along with Veronica, turned to face him. “York Street has been closed since last night.”

“Why?” Veronica questioned.

“Somebody decided to pay a visit to Alison DiLaurentis’ memorial and destroy it,” Wilden informed them, making the girls’ hearts drop. “Shattered the tiles, broke the bench.”

“What?” Aria and [Y/N] whispered in shock.

“When did this happen?” Spencer questioned.

“We had to cordon off the area, there’s an investigation going on,” Wilden stated, eyeing the girls rather suspiciously.

“Spare them the details,” Veronica interrupted before Wilden could continue. “They’re about to take their SATs.”

“Right,” Wilden nodded, slowly backing away from them. “Good luck on the test, ladies.”

“We should get to the library,” [Y/N] said quietly and walked ahead with Hanna as the others followed.

...

The exam still hadn’t started and [Y/N] found herself alone in the music room after a while. She was seated on the window sill and leaned against the window with her eyes closed as she listened to the sound of the rain and winds.

She felt exhausted with everything.

First, one of her best friends, Alison, disappeared a year ago only to be found murdered a few months back. Then, Jason DiLaurentis – her dead best friend’s brother and the man she had feelings for – returned to town to plan a memorial for Ali. Now, the memorial they put their hearts into was destroyed.

It also didn’t help that Emily was acting pretty strange. She hadn’t joined the rest of the girls the previous night to study for the exam, explaining that she didn’t get out of swim practice till late. Except, when Wilden had questioned about all of their whereabouts, Emily told him that she was with her friends to study for the exam. And, now, Emily was upset with them for questioning her on her lie and had stormed off.

Everything was taking a toll on [Y/N] and all she wanted to do was go home, snuggle in her covers, and shut the world out for a while.

“[Y/N]?”

The call of her name startled her and she snapped her eyes open, turning her head to face the doorway. To her complete surprise, there stood the man, who had captured her thoughts and more.

“Jason?” she asked, her voice indicating her surprise, as she moved her legs down to sit up straight. “What are you doing here?”

“Wanted to have a word with Detective Wilden,” Jason replied, walking further into the room, and his wet raincoat hung on his right arm. “Went to the police station and found out he was here.”

“Jason, it’s terrible out there,” she couldn’t help but say in concern. “You shouldn’t have driven in this weather. It’s dangerous.”

“I know, but I had to,” he said, pausing a foot or two away from where she was sitting. “I don’t know if you heard but Ali’s memorial was destroyed.”

“I heard,” [Y/N] whispered, dropping her gaze from his. “Detective Wilden told us.”

“I’m sorry,” Jason said a few moments later and [Y/N] looked up at him again in question. “I know that you and your friends worked really hard on it. I can only imagine how upset you guys must be.”

[Y/N] shrugged with a sad smile.

“You can sit here if you’d like,” she said when she noticed Jason was still standing in front of her. He complied, sitting next to her with a small ‘thanks.’ “I’m sorry too.”

“For what?” he asked, confused.

“For everything that’s happened since Ali’s disappearance,” [Y/N] replied. “It feels like… she can’t rest.”

“More like Rosewood won’t let her rest,” Jason added with a bitter smile.

“I’m still having a hard time processing this, to be honest,” [Y/N] commented. “Rosewood has always been a strange little town. Yet, it’s hard to believe that such a heartless person is out there who would destroy a memorial.”

“Do you or your friend know of someone who would want to hurt Ali?” Jason asked and [Y/N] froze in her spot. “Someone who must hate Ali to such an extent they’d go as far as to destroy a memorial for her?”

In [Y/N]’s opinion, the list of people who disliked Ali was rather endless. Unfortunately, her deceased best friend wasn’t the nicest person. She had bullied almost half of the school and had made more enemies than friends. One of Ali’s victims definitely had to be their faceless tormentor, A, and they had to be responsible for destroying Alison’s memorial the previous night.

But, of course, she couldn’t exactly reveal all of this to Jason.

“[Y/N]?” Jason called when she didn’t reply for a long time and the girl looked at him again.

“I’m not sure, Jason,” she shook her head. “I have a feeling that there are probably a lot of people out there who didn’t- well, don’t like Ali and us. But, I don’t know anyone specific who could’ve done this.”

Jason seemed convinced and nodded at her answer. He was well-aware of the type of person his little sister was. Yet, it broke his heart that even after her death, someone was holding grudges against her.

“Are you ready for the SATs?” Jason asked [Y/N], changing the topic from Alison.

“I- I guess so,” she shrugged with a low chuckle.

“Hey, it’ll be okay,” he said reassuringly, understanding how stressed she must be feeling. “Don’t think about anything now. Just focus on your exam, okay? I’m sure you’ll do great.”

“Well, it’d be greater if the exam gets canceled,” she said, causing him to laugh. “But, thank you, Jason.”

“Of course,” he said, still smiling. “And, I hope for your sake that the exam does get canceled.”

She laughed, shaking her head, before meeting his eyes. The two of them felt lighter for a moment despite the chaos that awaited them outside the classroom. The moment was soon interrupted when [Y/N]’s phone binged with an incoming text.

“Excuse me,” she said, moving to grab her cell phone from her bag, and Jason nodded, looking away. [Y/N] instantly tensed when she saw that the message was from none other than her and her friends’ faceless tormentor.

Define 'desertion.' Seems like you're about to lose Emily. Who's next? - A.

Just like that, the calmness Jason’s words and presence brought [Y/N] disappeared. She abruptly stood up, startling the man next to her.

“[Y/N]?” Jason called her name and she turned to face him while wearing her backpack. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes,” she breathed out, nodding her head rapidly. “I have to go.”

“Are you sure everything’s okay?” he couldn’t help but ask, having noticed her rapid breathing.

“Yes, yes, I just really have to go,” she replied, already walking towards the door.

“Uh, okay, can I walk with you?” he asked.

“No, no, it’s okay,” she said quickly, already out of the classroom. “I’ll see you later.”

Before he could reply, [Y/N] was already out of his sight. He was confused and a little suspicious by [Y/N]’s sudden anxious state. Soon, he walked out of the class too, hoping to find Wilden and also to check up on [Y/N] if possible too.

...

[Y/N] walked to the locker room to join the rest of her friends, who were all there except for Emily.

“[Y/N/N], where were you?” Hanna asked in concern.

“I- I just needed some time to myself,” [Y/N] answered and her three friends nodded in understanding. “Where’s Emily? Is she okay?”

“She’s right behind you,” Aria replied and [Y/N] turned around to see Emily walk towards them.

“Hey, Em, where were you?” Spencer asked gently when Emily stopped a few feet away from them.

“I was looking for my purse,” replied Emily, not meeting her friends’ eyes.

“Maybe it’s still in the library?” Hanna suggested.

Before the girls could talk further, they were interrupted by Wilden.

“Emily, we found something that belongs to you. Could you come with me, please?”

Without waiting for Emily’s reply, Wilden began to walk off while Emily turned to her friends, looking scared. [Y/N] held Emily’s hand in hers, nodding at her, wordlessly telling her that they were in this together.

“Emily, let’s go,” Wilden pressed sternly and the five girls walked behind him, annoyed and worried.

They followed Wilden to the library and their eyes widened when Wilden stopped by a table, where Emily’s bag sat.

“Perfect, we can all be together for an update,” he said in mock excitement as the girls stood in front of him.

“What’s going on?” Spencer asked first with her arms crossed across her chest. She wasn’t about to let Wilden intimidate her and her friends easily when they did nothing wrong.

“Did you tell your friends where you were last night?” he asked, facing Emily with a smirk. “When you weren’t studying for the test? See, because I got these really interesting photos…”

Wilden passed his phone to the girls and they were shocked to see the pictures of Emily at the site of Alison’s destroyed memorial.

“And, I see that you didn’t get a chance to clean your shoes either,” Wilden stated, looking at Emily’s muddy shoes.

“It wasn’t me, I swear,” Emily said in a shaky voice as tears ran down her cheeks.

“Oh, really? Were you there to cover up Toby’s tracks then?” Wilden questioned sarcastically.

“I found it like that,” Emily continued tearfully. “It was already destroyed when I got there.”

“And, this,” Wilden ignored Emily’s words and pulled out a piece of paper from his coat pocket. “Would you like me to share this with your friends or would you?”

Emily looked horrified and tried to snatch the paper from Wilden, but he held it away from her. Meanwhile, the rest of the four girls looked on, feeling confused and helpless.

“Go ahead and tell them, Emily,” he said with what [Y/N] would call a purely evil smile. “Tell your friends about the angry letter you wrote to Alison.”

“You had no right to read that,” Emily said tearfully, wrapping her arms around herself, [Y/N] instantly side-hugged her as she was standing next to her.

“What’s in the letter, Em?” Spencer asked softly.

“Tell her, Emily,” Wilden snarled. “Tell her how you wanted to punish Alison for rejecting you. Tell her how you felt relieved at her funeral.”

“I went back to the memorial to say that I was sorry,” Emily said as [Y/N] rubbed her back. “I wrote that letter in anger and- and I didn’t mean the horrible things I said to her. I- I loved her as- as more than a friend.”

Emily looked down as she finished speaking, leaving her friends in surprise. They had no idea that Emily was in love with Ali.

[Y/N] held Emily tighter when she felt the latter shake in her arms. Her hatred for Wilden was increasing day by day. She couldn’t believe he would go ahead and reveal such personal information about Emily. It should’ve been totally up to Emily on when or if she would’ve preferred to share this with her friends.

“Give her the letter back or I swear to god–” Hanna demanded, facing Wilden with fiery eyes.

“Sorry, can’t do that,” was Wilden’s smug reply as he kept the letter back in his coat pocket. “We’re not leaving the room until Emily here tells me why she was carrying around pieces of Alison’s memorial!”

“Detective Wilden,” a familiar voice called and their heads turned towards the doorway of the library to see Jason standing there.

He walked further inside the library, towards the detective and his sister’s friends. His eyes were narrowed and suspicious as he looked at the familiar faces gathered there. His suspicion soon shifted to concern when he noticed a teary Emily being held by [Y/N]. He looked at [Y/N] in question while she looked back at him helplessly.

“What’s going on here?” he asked sternly, turning to Wilden. “Shouldn’t they be with the other students?”

“It’s good that you’re here too,” Wilden smirked, taking Emily’s letter to Ali out of his coat pocket again. Then, he proceeded to show Jason the pictures of Emily at Ali’s trashed memorial, the figurines in her bag, and the letter.

“Stop,” [Y/N] interrupted before Wilden could explain the contents of Emily’s letter to Ali. “Jason, Emily didn’t do this, okay? She would never!”

“I believe you, [Y/N],” Jason replied instantly. “Emily or you girls are the last people I would expect to destroy Ali’s memorial.”

“The proof is right here, Jason,” Wilden scoffed in disbelief.

“Just because you can’t find the ones who committed the crime doesn’t mean you can go around and accuse my sister’s friends,” Jason said back. “Besides, you shouldn’t even be talking to these girls without their parents present!”

While Wilden was staring down Jason, Hanna was quick to grab Emily’s letter from his hand before moving back and the detective glared at her.

“Spencer?” another voice called and they turned around to see Veronica Hastings walk into the library, observing the people present there, especially Jason and Wilden rather cautiously.

“Who are you?” Wilden questioned, annoyed. He was already in a foul mood as Jason hadn’t believed his accusations against Emily.

Veronica was not at all fazed by the detective’s rude tone and her face was a mask of calm as she came to stand next to Spencer.

“Her mother,” she replied simply before her eyes fell on a crying Emily, then she turned to her daughter. “Honey, why is she crying?”

“Detective Wilden accused her of killing Alison,” Spencer replied.

“What?” Veronica asked, baffled.

“He also went through her purse and continued to accuse her,” Aria added.

“Hold on, you’re questioning minors without an adult?” Veronica questioned the detective angrily. “What police department do you work for? What century are you in?”

In the next few minutes, Veronica Hastings successfully shut Wilden’s mouth, causing him to leave the library in irritation while she proceeded to take the girls back to the locker room.

[Y/N] slowly trailed behind her friends and Spencer’s mom. She knew Jason was standing behind them and could feel his eyes on her. A part of her wanted to thank him for standing up to Wilden for her friends and her, while the other part was nervous to do so with a mini audience.

With these thoughts swirling in her head, she was already outside the library when a hand held hers, stopping her. She looked to her right to see Hanna giving her an understanding smile.

“Go talk to him,” she said softly. She glanced at Aria, Emily, Spencer and Veronica, who were walking ahead of them.

“Han,” [Y/N] protested weakly.

“Go, I’ll cover for you,” Hanna interrupted. “Just be quick.”

“Thanks, Han,” [Y/N] said before turning around and walking to the library again. Once she reached inside, she saw Jason still standing in the same spot, staring at the ground and lost in his thoughts.

“Jason?” she called softly, not wanting to startle him.

He looked up at her, surprise evident in his eyes.

“[Y/N]? Is everything okay?” he asked in concern, walking towards her and she met him in the middle of the library.

“Yes, yes,” she breathed out, nervously fiddling with her fingers as her gaze moved around the library for a few moments before finally meeting his attentive, green orbs. “I just wanted to thank you. For standing up to Wilden for Emily… and the rest of us.”

His lips pulled into a small smile as he looked at her.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he replied, shaking his head. “Wilden had no right to accuse Emily and intimidate you girls.”

“We’re kinda used to it by now,” [Y/N] shrugged with a humorless chuckle and Jason’s smile faded.

“Has he been bothering you and your friends?” he asked, a protective stance taking over him. “Do you want me to file a complaint against him?”

“No, Jason, don’t worry about it,” she shook her head. “I’m sure Mrs. Hastings scared him enough. You saw the way he kinda ran out of here, right?”

“Yes, but still…” he sighed.

“I’m sure he won’t bother us anymore,” she said, smiling reassuringly at him.

“Okay, I believe you,” he finally nodded, smiling back at her.

“I should go now,” she said, slowly walking backwards. “Thank you again.”

“Anytime, [Y/N],” he answered and she gave him one final smile before walking out of the library.

Once [Y/N] was out of his sight, Jason sighed and looked down at the carpeted floor of the library, wondering if it was right to feel the way he did for his deceased sister’s best friend.

—————

*read next part here!

#jason dilaurentis x reader #jason dilaurentis x female reader #jason dilaurentis fanfiction #pretty little liars #pll fanfiction #drew van acker #reader-insert #jason dilaurentis #jason dilaurentis x oc

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awordsmith · 21 days ago

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Secrets and Liars

Chapter Three

----

One Year Ago

"Hey, mind if I use your laptop?" Ali hopped on my bed.

"For what?" I walk around the room, picking up leftover clothes from our earlier fashion show.

"I just have a burning question, and I need to know this answer." She grinned and tilted her head, that little twinkle of mischief she always had in her eyes ever present.

I shrug, "Sure whatever, hey I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick, can we pick this up when I get back?"

"Yeah," she nods, watching me head out the door, "of course."

I came back a few minutes later to her spinning in my desk chair, "You know what's funny?" She sighed, a content smile floating on her face and she tilted it back to look up at me.

"What?" I had raised an eyebrow as I moved to sit criss-cross on the edge of my bed, in front of her.

"Even when you delete things, they're never completely gone."

My heart dropped in that moment. She couldn't know. There's no way she could have known. But she did know, and she had already sent the proof to herself.

"You know, I didn't think you had it in you," she hummed, "Kitty Kat."

I narrowed my eyes at the nickname. Jason called me it endearingly, but coming from Alison's lips, it always sounded like a mockery, something made to knock me down a peg.

"What are you talking–"

"Oh, don't act dumb," she half scoffed, half-laughed, "honestly, I'm kind of proud. To think, all this time I thought you were the most innocent out of the girls," She made a face and shrugged, "Well, you were competing with Hannah, eh."

"Please don't tell anyone," I pleaded, eyes watering.

She stood up then, walked over to me, and wiped my tears, "Oh, don't cry sweety," she'd pouted, "I'm not going to say anything. We're friends, we share secrets; we keep secrets." She'd said something similar to that the night of her disappearance. I remember because my heart had dropped. I'd thought she was going to tell the other girls what I'd done.

"You're really not going to say anything?"

She had scoffed again, "Why should I?" Was her only response, "Now let's clean these clothes up before your mom has a cow..." she'd winced, "too soon?"

Present Time

"Hey," Spencer calls, "you going home?"

"Sorry, I'm not."

"That's fine," she nods, "but...do you think I could come with you. I don't really feel like being home right now either."

I let out a breath, "Fine, but only if you promise to be quiet."

"Promise," she salutes, jumping in the car, "so where are we going?"

I glance at her and she nods, tight-lipped, "Right shutting up now."

I almost laugh, Alison would have, she would also have a snarky quip leaving her mouth the second it popped into her brain. We burn rubber with the windows down until we hit Brookhaven.

"Have you ever been here?"

Spencer shakes her head, pressing her lips together again, "can't say I have."

I nod, "Me neither." But Ali did, and I don't know why I don't say that part out loud, but I choose to keep it to myself. I don't know what I'm doing here, don't know why I even let Spencer come along, but we're here so, "wanna walk around?"

"Why not?" I park near a playground, and kids run back and forth between us, we watch them for a while, then take to walking on the sidewalk.

"It's warm today," she hums, kicking a rock in front of her.

"Yep," I reply, blocking my head from the son, "let's go in here," I turn into a bookstore.

"It's cozy," she smiles.

"It's empty," I frown, running a hand along a shelf of books, "where's the owner?"

"Maybe they're not open?"

"Maybe they should have locked their doors." I slide behind the desk, running my hand over the computer's keyboard. A light flicks on, asking for a password.

"Katherine!" Spencer shrieks, "What are you doing?" She turns her head, making sure we're really alone."

"Nothing," I frown, what would an old librarian keep as a password? Ugh, whatever, I give up.

I turn and bounce behind the desk again, next to Spencer, "what were you doing?"

I stare at her, "I told you, nothing."

"That didn't look like nothing."

"I was bored," I shrug, "what were you looking at?"

She eyes me for a little longer, then shakes her head, finally dropping the topic, "Nothing, just the log."

I run a hand down it, finding nothing of use. "Come on, it's getting late we should head back."

"Yeah, it's almost 7:00," she says, checking her watch.

"You got a new watch," I tilt my head, eyeing it.

"Yep," she pops the p, "it was a gift."

"Right," I say, "Happy late birthday... Sorry..."

"It's fine," she throws me a small smile, "Happy late birthday to you too.."

We head back to the car, making minimal small talk. I think I know now why I let Spencer come along.

When we get in the car, I start it but leave it in the park for a little. "Katherine?" She frowns, "what's wrong? Why aren't we moving?"

I sigh, resting my head on the steering wheel, "Spencer, I need to tell you something." I pull out the note from my pocket, but I don't hand it to her. No one can know–can even suspect it was me who posted those pictures.

But I don't need to, she knows, of course she does. She's Spencer. "You got a message too?"

"From A?" I ask, a slight smile digging its way onto my face.

"Do you think it's her?" She leans forward, all serious.

I snort, "honestly?" I turn my head, forward again, "there isn't anyone else I can think of. She mentioned something only she would know."

Spencer seems to take this into consideration. "So–what? She's messing with us?"

I shake my head, "I don't know, it's Ali we're talking about. All she ever did was mess around. Remember that Halloween?" Since she disappeared, everything that year seems to be referred to as "that" thing. Even if they weren't there, everyone seems to still know what I'm talking about. It doesn't even feel weird anymore.

I make a right, turning down mine and Spencer's street. The flashing blue and red lights startled us, we had music blasting and the windows up so we couldn't hear anything.

Now though, the music is lowered completely. We look at each other in silence. I pull into my driveway and we both step out. "Hey look," Spencer says, "there's Aria, we should go ask her what's going on."

"You go," I nod, wrapping my arms around myself as a shiver goes down my spine. There are cops and reporters and on-lookers/bystanders, nosy neighbors. I hate it.

It feels like that night.

Reluctantly, I walk toward Spencer and Aria. I don't have to say anything, my face says it all, "she doesn't know," Spencer shakes her head, "Emily's over there in the front."

"I heard they took Hannah into the station today," Aria offers.

Spencer's eyes widen, worry overcomes her, "you don't think she'd ever talk about–"

"–The Jenna Thing?" Hannah spawns beside me, keeping her eyes on the scene in front of us, "We made a promise."

"That's what keeps us close," I repeat her words. Then shiver again, it's almost like she's still here...

----

Chapter Five

Hello again, thank you for reading, I promise Jason is coming! It's just a matter of time!

#pretty little liars #pll #pll fic #pll fanfiction #jason dilaurentis #fanfic #x reader #oc fic #jason dilaurentis fanfiction #drew van acker #jason dilaurentis x female reader #jason dilaurentis x reader #jason dilaurentis x ofc #alison dilaurentis #oc insert #pll aesthetic #au

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asvterias · 1 year ago

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i’m sorry but the no good nick fandom is so dead and siena agudong is so underrated, how are there no fanfics about her characters??!! like just look at her, she’s so pretty and needs more recognition in her actress career!!! that’s it, i’m writing a fic (probably 2) about her but she’s gonna be in a different show (pretty little liars). would anybody even be interested in it, if so comment if you wanna be tagged whenever i published it.

#𓏲 📢 ࣪˖ 𝗓𝗈𝖾’𝗌 𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗌 #𓏲 🪩 ࣪˖ 𝗓𝗈𝖾’𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗌 #oc x fem!reader #siena agudong #naomi hastings #pretty little liars #pretty little liars x fem!reader #no good nick #no good nick x fem!reader #no good nick x black!reader #nick franzelli #nick franzelli x fem!reader #nick franzelli x black!reader #nick franzelli imagine

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after-witch · 9 months ago

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Sweet Valentine [wri0thesley OC Lucas x reader]

Title: Sweet Valentine [@wri0thesley OC Lucas x Reader]

Synopsis: It's Valentine's Day and Lucas has some sweet surprises planned, but things don't go as well as you'd hoped.

Word count: 3164

notes: Yandere, kidnapped reader, mentions of cannibalism, abusive relationship, mentions of violence, non-graphic descriptions of noncon and dubcon sex, reader is implied to be afab

“You… want somethin’ special for Valentine’s Day, sweetheart?”

Lucas’ voice is low and tender, and when you look up at him, you see a faint blush dusting his cheeks. It’s a familiar sight. He always gets like this, when it comes to romance. Or what he thinks is romance, anyway.

You think it’s all that vulnerability that comes along with romance; the possibility of rejection, as if you were stupid enough to outright reject anything he wanted to give you. Not unless you wanted to meet the sharp end of a glare

(Or an axe.)

But it’s there anyway, that vulnerability. In the way he sometimes glances away or the way his cheeks gain a deeper tint or the lilt in his voice. He gets awkward and when you’re feeling dark and low, you sometimes wonder what he’d do if you didn’t thank him for his gifts, if you didn’t lean into his arms when he opened them, if you wiped away his kisses, if you were as ungrateful and awful as you were currently too afraid to be.

The answer always comes swiftly: He’d kill you, moron.

Maybe not right away. But you’d chip at his goodwill, such as it was, bit by bit until nothing was left but raw steel. And where would that raw steel go? Right into your skull, stupid.

You’re a lot of things. Scared. A liar. Helpless. But you’re not stupid.

So you return his blush with a practiced meek gaze. The kind where you glance up at him and then look quickly down, and cross one arm (but never both, that’s too petulant) over your chest.

Shy, that’s what you are; or rather, what you’ve become in order to survive here.

If he thinks you’re shy and quiet and meek, it seems easier for him to brush aside the way you tremble; the way you flinch; the way you sometimes find yourself begging him to wait, just wait oh please, you’re not quite ready to go all the way yet.

And if you have to debase yourself by taking his length into your trembling hands, by letting him touch you until you trembled and came on his fingers, it’s what you’ll do to put off the inevitable for another day.

“Nothing special,” you say, voice crackling with the dryness of the morning air. He doesn’t respond. He’s disappointed, you think. Nothing special isn’t good enough for Valentine’s Day. So you add, quietly but quickly: “But maybe… If it’s not too much trouble… some chocolate?”

You glance up at him and he’s got an almost goofy smile on his face now. It makes you relieved--it makes you sick.

“Or--or we could watch a romantic comedy?” You suggest. You bite your lip then, a holdover gesture from your old life. “Oh, but you don’t really have any, so I guess we could just--”

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about that.” He pulls you close without giving you a choice and you lean your head against his shoulder, just like you ought to do. “I’ll find you somethin’ in town this weekend. Gotta go get some supplies anyway.”

You smile and press your face towards his chest, so that he feels the curve of your lips against his shirt. “Thank you, Lucas. Really… really any movie you like is fine, but if you can find one, that would be okay.”

He sighs and presses one large hand against the back of your head, trailing it down past your neck--he could snap it so easily--until he’s rubbing your back.

“You’re the sweetest, you know that, angel?”

You don’t answer, because you don’t need to, and he presses a kiss to the top of your head.

You were good. You behaved well. You did what he wanted. Did it matter that you didn’t want chocolates or to watch a movie with him for Valentine’s Day or any day at all? Did it matter that at home, your real home, you were loud and brash and your mother would have pissed herself laughing if anyone called you shy?

No. Of course not.

If only the truth wouldn’t get you killed.

You don’t want chocolates or a VHS copy of some outdated romantic comedy.

The only thing you really want for Valentine’s Day is to go home.

The chocolate isn’t great, but it’s not awful, either. There was even a cherry cordial--your favorite--and Lucas’ eyes had lit up when you told him so.

It was a nice surprise.

After all, the cynical part of you imagined Lucas showing up with a dusty box of chocolates that tasted like stale sweetness; the kind you find overpriced at drugstores, boxes that forgetful husbands pick up on the way home from work on the day-of.

But when he came home from town, he’d sheepishly handed over a bouquet of colorfully dyed flowers. A mixture of carnations that were an impossibly vivid pink and daisies with bright blue petals. It was just the kind of bouquet you used to pick out for your mom when you were a kid, because you were drawn to the pops of unnaturally colorful simple flowers more than you were ordinary red roses.

“Know you like, uh…” He’d held out the bouquet and waited for you to take it from him before continuing. “Know you like this kind of pink, so…”

You held the bouquet to your chest and felt something that might have been pleasure. It was nice to have something familiar. Something you might pick up at a supermarket on the way home from work. Real flowers were beautiful, of course, and you’d grown to love the sight of them surrounding the cabin.

But these couldn’t be found in the wilderness in which you were now settled. They were a sign that people still existed out there, people that weren’t you and Lucas and the ghosts of people who came before you.

And that made them more special.

“Honey?”

“Angel?.”

“Darlin’.”

It’s the darlin’ that yanks you out of your disassociation. How long had it been going on? You glance down at your fingers and realize you’re holding a half-eaten chocolate bon-bon. Your elbow feels stiff, you must have been holding it up for a while.

You shakily set it back down on the box and force yourself to look over at Lucas, who is cuddled up next to you, holding you in a firm but warm grip, with his arm slung around your shoulder keeping you close.

He looks irritated. Like you said something wrong again. Only you weren’t saying anything, but that might be the problem; ignoring him was just as bad (sometimes worse) as doing the wrong thing.

“You don’t like the movie?” His voice is gruffer than it should be today, of all days.

The movie?

Oh shit.

You blink and blink and slowly details around you come back into focus. The dim lighting in the cabin, to set the mood. The flickering light of the TV and the soft whir of the VCR that could only be heard faintly under the movie itself.

And the movie…

The movie was almost over. The VHS he’d found was of a vaguely familiar movie you remember seeing on TV a few times. It wasn’t a classic but it wasn’t a stink-bomb, either.

“Angel…”

He turns toward you and after a moment, takes your chin into his hands. You quickly glance down--meek, shy, feeble thing that you are--so he doesn’t see the fear that must be blinking through the back of your eyeballs by now.

“You don’t like the movie, do you? Did I pick the wrong one?” There’s none of the usual sweet compromise in his voice, though, that makes you think saying “yes” might be an option. Instead, you get the sense that he’s laying traps for you to step on. Traps meant for someone ungrateful who completely zones out during what was supposed to be a romantic evening snuggling on the couch.

Dumbass, you think. I’m such a dumbass.

“Do you…” You speak suddenly and swallow hard. Talking is awkward with his fingers holding your chin, but he doesn’t let go. “Do you want a chocolate?” You offer up the box that’s half-empty by now. The cherry cordials were gone, and maybe you should have offered him one since they were your favorite. But there’s nothing to be done about it, so you hold up the last caramel-filled piece towards him.

Maybe he’ll appreciate the gesture.

He finally lets go of your chin and huffs out a snort through his nose. That’s good, usually. A sign he’s calming down. But he doesn’t smile at you, and you can feel the heaviness in the air, a sort of sick pressure that you need to relieve before it gets worse.

“I’m not much for sweets.” He says this like you ought to know. And you do, actually, it’s just… you don’t know what else to do.

Your lips quirk downward. You lift the piece until it’s close to his mouth.

“I know, I just--wanted to share. Please? One bite?” It’s almost a reversal, really; the way he sometimes has to nudge you to eat, when your stomach is all twisted in knots from anxiety or when you can’t shove away the thought that what you’re eating is almost certainly not an animal. Sometimes he feeds you just because he’s in a particular mood, a mood where you need to be more fragile and helpless than you are, which isn’t saying much.

Lucas’ eyes widen then and he finally smiles softly at you. His voice is low and gruff but you think, not quite as irritated as before.

“All right, angel. A bite.”

He opens his mouth and you slide the chocolate forward until it’s under his teeth. He takes a bite and you pull away, caramel dripping from the half-eaten chocolate that you set back in the box.

Lucas chews with his mouth closed (he has impeccable manners when he’s not murdering people, thank God for that) but then there’s the thought of the chocolate and caramel being chewed by the same teeth that just ate a “steak” for dinner--what if there’s a stray piece of meat left in his molars and they mix?

It’s enough to make the sticky sweet flavor of the cherry cordials rise in your throat, acidic and sour from the chocolate digesting in your stomach.

“Sorry,” you murmur, nuzzling closer to him like an apologetic pet as he finishes chewing. “I didn’t mean to get distracted earlier.”

Lucas hums and pulls you tighter against him, harder than normal. He presses a kiss against the side of your head. A hint of caramel wafts in the air.

“Mind you don’t drift often again, honey.”

Lucas is still upset with you. Although you can’t quite call this “still” upset, because this is different from earlier. He’s not still annoyed that you were distracted during the movie or, at least, that’s not the real source of his irritation.

But what--what did you do? You thanked him for the flowers and chocolates. You kissed him (on the lips!) after he gave them to you. You snuggled on the couch and yes you fucked up during the movie, but you made up for it, you thought.

You set the table for dinner without being asked, you ate without hesitation and complimented his cooking… you were quiet, you helped him clean up the eggs, you made a joke about Dolly the chicken needing a Valentine’s Day card from him and he chuckled at it.

You didn’t argue when he insisted he scrub you up during the bath, even when his hand dipped between your legs and lingered on your chest. You quietly let him brush your hair and pick out your pajamas (a pink nightie, tonight) and did everything you thought he wanted.

So what in the hell did you do wrong today that has him practically glowering at you as you both sit on the bed? You’ve re-read the same page in your book a hundred times while you tried to figure it out. You can’t go to bed like this, wondering if he’s angry, wondering if you’ll wake up in the morning to find him hovering over you with a glare and a weapon. Or maybe you won’t even wake up at all.

“Angel?” There’s a gruff edge to the word tonight that tightens your chest.

“Yes?” Your voice is squeakier than you intended. You tuck a bookmark into your pages and set the book down on your nightstand, and look up at Lucas with practiced meekness that is made all the more real through the gnawing fear in your belly.

Lucas hesitates before he speaks. Emotions shift on his face. Irritation, disappointment, even something you think is sadness. They only make the feeling in your chest worse. What did you do? Why is he acting this way?

“I… wasn’t expectin’ nothing fancy, you know. But I thought you’d at least make somethin’ for me today.”

Make something for him?

Oh.

Fuck.

In all your worries about behaving perfectly, you didn’t even think about getting Lucas something for Valentine’s Day. Making him a card or throwing together a quick embroidery hoop or--something. That’s what a good spouse would do, right? It’s what he would expect from you, on today of all days. Sure, he wasn’t big on presents, and he’d told you a few months ago not to worry about Christmas (you’d embroidered a scene outside the window of his bedroom, the trees and snow and a little silver rabbit) but this was different.

It was a couple’s day, and you were part of that couple.

And you’d fucked up.

He’s not done, either.

“I went outta my way to get you everything you wanted. Drove all the way into town… An’ you didn’t even pay attention during the movie.” If you weren’t increasingly terrified, you might be able to snort at how petulant he sounded, complaining that you didn’t watch the movie well enough. But there’s nothing funny about the way his voice is starting to raise or the way you can practically feel his muscles getting tenser by the moment.

“Did you even appreciate any of it?” It’s more to himself than to you, and that scares you more than anything else has in recent memory.

Your mouth comes up with a plan the exact moment that your brain does. You’re not sure if your brain would have let you go through with it, if it had more than a split second to think.

“I did get you something!”

Lucas shifts on the bed and looks at you questioningly. He doesn’t look convinced. Not yet. There’s a swift moment in which you have to convince him and you jump into it, feet first.

“I… I just didn’t know how to wrap it, that’s all.” Your throat bobs when you swallow and you look up at him with a soft expression that’s part nerves, part hope.

“I don’t know what y’mean, darlin’.”

His eyebrows furrow and you take a deep breath before you reach over and take his hand. You give it a squeeze and shift on the bed yourself, this time leaning backwards on the pillows.

“My gift is…” Oh, you don’t want to; but you have nothing else you can give him now. You swallow again and fiddle with the end of your nightgown. It’s a flimsy thing, isn’t it?

“I’m ready to… that is--I’m ready to…”

You can’t finish the words but you don’t need to, because both of Lucas’ eyebrows raise before his lips curl into a delighted smile as he realizes what you mean.

He looks giddy. He looks drunk, despite not having a drink tonight. He looks like he’s going to devour you, and you can only be mildly grateful that it’s not in the way you normally fear.

“Oh, angel.”

In moments, he’s shifted above you, his body looming over your own, filling up all of your space with his size and warmth.

“This is the best gift you could give me.” He presses a chaste kiss to your lips, then again; a kiss to your cheeks, to your eyes that close so he can kiss the lids. “I’m sorry I doubted you. Oh, honey, you must have been thinkin’ about this all day. No wonder you were so distracted.”

There’s nowhere to go, if you wanted to go. Nowhere to run, if you were capable of running. He’s here and you’re here and this is going to happen now.

No more putting it off, no more gentle pleas, no more convincing him that you can do that and not this, not yet.

All because you forgot to make a damn Valentine’s Card.

His hands hold the edge of your nightie and begin to lift it up, exposing the soft cotton underwear underneath.

“I love you so much. You know that, sweetheart?”

He doesn’t take the nightgown off; instead he bunches it up against your neck, exposing your chest.

“I love you too,” you murmur, because you’ve had enough of your own stupidity today not to answer his declarations.

Your eyes flick up to the ceiling as he begins pulling down your underwear.

It’s going to happen now. He’ll fuck you. And once that happens, well. It’ll keep happening. Every night? Every other night? You don’t know, but he’ll expect it. Things are changing and you can’t stop them. All you can do is try to scramble for what little pleasantries this isolated, captive life can give you.

Like not-bad chocolates and bunnies outside the window.

Lucas’ hands grip the meat of your thighs and pull them apart with little resistance on your end. You don’t want to make it worse, do you? And it was your idea, you can’t even pretend to be anything but meekly nervous, can you?

He murmurs something in appreciation at the sight of your naked sex and your fingers clutch the sheets underneath you in anticipation.

You don’t want to look down. It’s like being at the doctor’s--looking away when they give you the shot. You hear the sound of his trousers being pushed down. But he doesn’t push into you just yet.

Instead, he leans down, pressing a hot, wet kiss to your mouth that opens without argument.

There’s a faint taste of peppermint toothpaste and a hint of lingering caramel--he didn’t brush his molars well enough, maybe--in his mouth.

“Love you,” he whispers against your lips. Maybe he sees the nervousness in your gaze and for once, is fine with it. It’s normal to be anxious about your first time, after all. “It's gonna feel good, I promise… I know what I’m doin’.”

Damn, you think vacantly, stomach lurching against your thoughts when you feel the unmistakable press of something hot and hard and wet against your naked thigh. I wish I saved the second cherry cordial for tomorrow.

#yandere #other's ocs #darkfic #last year's valentine's fic was also Lucas it is now a tradition #afterwitch writes #happy valentine's day!!

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asdfghjklmals · 1 year ago

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FAIRYTALES✩༶‧˚

GENRE + T/W: sfw, fluff. WORD COUNT: 1.1k words. TAGS: satoru gojo x fem!oc. boyfriend!gojo. adoptedkiddo! tsumiki.

SYNOPSIS: tsumiki thinks oc gojo girlfriend and satoru's love story is based off of a fairytale. AUTHOR'S NOTE: i kid you not, beauty and the beast came up on shuffle while i was showering and this is how this fic was born. REMINDER: if you want to imagine yourself in oc gojo girlfriend's character descriptions instead, please do!

“(y/n)! gojo-sensei!” tsumiki frantically yelled for her guardians from her bedroom. you and satoru dropped everything you were doing in a blink of an eye and ran to her room.

“tsumiki, are you okay?” you breathlessly asked, worried that she was hurt.

“(y/n)!” tsumiki excitedly screamed your name. you and satoru sat on the floor at the foot of her bed, tsumiki with her book in her hand.

“what’s going on?” satoru asked, “talk to us, sweetheart.”

“gojo-sensei! i just finished reading beauty and the beast! and it’s about you and (y/n)!” tsumiki said with enthusiasm to her white haired guardian.

you and satoru looked at each other with puzzled blue and green eyes. you both started laughing. what in the world was going on in that imagination of hers?

“haven’t you heard the song for beauty and the beast?!” tsumiki looked at you and satoru with hopeful eyes. satoru rested his elbow on tsumiki's bed and perched his cheek in the palm of his hand. he was very interested in what she had to say.

you laughed and asked your 7 year old to tell you and satoru what was going on in that pretty little brunette head of hers. “how about you entertain us, baby girl?”

“look at the song words!” tsumiki pointed at her book, getting a little agitated that you and satoru weren’t understanding her. you and satoru looked over at the page she was referring to.

‘tale as old as time, true as it can be.’

“grandpa genkei said that you and gojo-sensei are part of an old love story. something like 400 years old! that’s the ‘tale as old as time’ part!” tsumiki said with bright eyes. you looked over at satoru and started chuckling. tsumiki was referring to the legend of the water user and the six eyes from 400 years ago. your grandfather must have really entertained the kids during your last visit back to osaka.

‘barely even friends, then somebody bends unexpectedly.’

“then!” tsumiki started babbling again, “you and gojo-sensei didn’t like each other when you first met, right?”

“right.” you insistently nodded. satoru rolled his eyes at you and pushed your shoulder playfully, shooting you a toothy grin.

satoru then added with a sly smile, “—but (y/n) finally gave up and started liking me.”

“you’re such a liar.” you laughed, smacking his arm with the back of your hand. you turned back to tsumiki, “your gojo-sensei was the ‘somebody who bends unexpectedly’.”

‘just a little change, small to say the least.’

“okay, what about this next line?” you pointed at the page in the book. you were curious at how she would connect these lyrics in that 7 year old brain of hers.

tsumiki thought to herself for a moment, “i think this is about when you and gojo-sensei adopted me and megumi!”

“adopting you two was a little change, huh?” satoru scoffed, knowing that adopting the two fushiguros changed both his and your lives drastically.

‘both a little scared, neither one prepared.’

“this is also for when you and gojo-sensei adopted me and megumi!” tsumiki added, “—but mainly for gojo-sensei because he doesn’t know how to really take care of kids.”

you thought back on the time not too long ago where satoru had to learn how to do tsumiki's hair when you weren't able to in the mornings. he practiced how to braid and tie ponytails on your hair for a solid two weeks before he attempted to do tsumiki's hair. now, he was an expert at up-dos, all types of braids, and ponytails. he always bought cute hair clips and accessories for tsumiki because of it.

“you know... your gojo-sensei tries really hard to be a good guardian,” you pinched satoru’s cheek as he pouted with slight embarrassment in his face, his arms were crossed on tsumiki’s bed, cradling his head as he watched tsumiki. “—and he definitely wasn’t prepared to be a guardian, but we made it work when you two came into our lives.” you smiled at the both of them. you wouldn't have it any other way.

‘beauty and the beast.’

“okay, i have a question,” satoru began to ask once he saw the last line, “who’s the beauty and who’s the beast, tsumiki?”

tsumiki put her hand on her chin and thought very carefully about her answer. “(y/n) is the beast and gojo-sensei is the beauty!”

satoru bursted out laughing, holding his stomach as he rolled around the floor, tears in his eyes from how funny he thought tsumiki’s answer was. your jaw dropped, you looked at tsumiki in despair.

“are you sure, baby girl?” you asked, hoping she’d change her mind, satoru still laughing in the background. you surely thought satoru was the beast and you'd be the beauty. “why do you think that?”

“because! gojo-sensei is the beauty because he’s pretty! and the main character belle is pretty, all the boys like her just like the girls like gojo-sensei!” she continued to ramble, “then! you’re always scary when me and megumi get in trouble, but then you go back to being so pretty and nice after, just like the beast does!”

you bit your tongue, how could anyone be mad at that reasoning? you and satoru laughed alongside your very creative and wildly imaginative adopted daughter. you wished that she could stay young and innocent forever, just like the young and innocent love you and satoru shared.

EXTRA:

“kids and their imaginations, huh?” satoru whispered to you as you both snuck out of tsumiki’s room, quietly shutting the door behind him after she fell asleep for the night. you giggled, grabbing his hand to retreat to your bedroom across the apartment. (click here to see the apartment layout)

you playfully bumped your hip into his, “well, prince charming. aren’t you gonna sweep me off my feet?”

“i’d love nothing more, princess.” satoru grinned with satisfaction. he liked what he was hearing. your white haired, blue eyed prince charming swiftly lifted you into his arms. you planted a sweet kiss on his cheek as you held his face in the palm of your hands.

“i love you, mr. beauty.” you giggled, sneaking another kiss.

satoru admired you and your cheeky smile before bantering back, “i love you too, my little beast.”

DIVIDERS PROVIDED BY @/ANLIAN-AISHANG

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d1xonss · 8 months ago

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Desert Rose

Series Masterlist ~ Seasons 1-5

✧ Media : The Walking Dead

✧ Pairing : Daryl Dixon x OC

✧ Status : Ongoing

Warnings : Mentions of blood, death, gore, swearing, sex, violence, etc.

Prologue ~ When a zombie apocalypse breaks out and wipes over half of the population, Rose is left alone to take on this new world as it unfolds. She knew it would be difficult, for things to not work out the way they once did, turning in ways she never would've expected. But what she really didn't expect was to come across more survivors like her. Not only that, but the journey that would come right along with it.

Disclaimer ~ This is a fan fiction I wrote that follows the TV show The Walking Dead, Seasons 1-11. This mainly follows the entirety of the plot of the show, but there will be little changes here and there that I've added on my own. There may be some disturbing topics in some chapters, but there will always be a warning at the top before you read. I don’t own any of the characters in the series except for my OC. As of now the story is not complete, but there will be weekly updates. Let me know if you would like to be added to the taglist!

Hope you enjoy!

Character Moodboards

Pre-Apocalypse Headcanons

Season 1 ~ Moodboard

Chapter 1 - Introductions

Chapter 2 - Who the Hell are You?

Chapter 3 - Opening up

Chapter 4 - One Long Day

Chapter 5 - Decisions

Chapter 6 - Metallica

Chapter 7 - Overthinking

Chapter 8 - Panic Room

Season 2 ~ Moodboard

Chapter 9 - Sophia?

Chapter 10 - Darkness

Chapter 11 - The Farm

Chapter 12 - Cherokee Rose

Chapter 13 - Hey Stranger

Chapter 14 - Thank you

Chapter 15 - Heart Attack

Chapter 16 - It ain't like that

Chapter 17 - Guitar lessons and confessions

Chapter 18 - Gone

Chapter 19 - Goodbye

Chapter 20 - Stay

Chapter 21 - Randall

Chapter 22 - Scars

Chapter 23 - Broken

Chapter 24 - Good Mourning

Chapter 25 - The Herd

Chapter 26 - Reunited

Season 3 ~ Moodboard

Chapter 27 - New Beginnings

Chapter 28 - Stranger Danger

Chapter 29 - Shit happens

Chapter 30 - Three little words

Chapter 31 - Happy Birthday

Chapter 32 - Avoiding Me

Chapter 33 - Woodbury

Chapter 34 - Come with me

Chapter 35 - Hey Jude

Chapter 36 - The Attack

Chapter 37 - Welcome Back

Chapter 38 - Worries and Apologies

Chapter 39 - Going to War

Chapter 40 - The Deal

Chapter 41 - Peace

Season 4 ~ Moodboard

Chapter 42 - Wildflower Wildfire

Chapter 43 - The Honeymoon Phase

Chapter 44 - Little Things

Chapter 45 - All Good things Must come to an End

Chapter 46 - I’m Here

Chapter 47 - Infected

Chapter 48 - In Sickness and In Health

Chapter 49 - Blood runs Thicker than Water

Chapter 50 - Bring me to Life

Chapter 51 - Liar

Chapter 52 - We’re Okay

Chapter 53 - The Pretty Purple Clip

Chapter 54 - Claimed

Chapter 55 - Moonshine and Memories

Chapter 56 - Alone

Chapter 57 - Found

Season 5 ~ Moodboard

Chapter 58 - As Deep as a Wound

Chapter 59 - The Priest

Chapter 60 - Just Married

Chapter 61 - White Crosses

Chapter 62 - Deafening Cries

Chapter 63 - Death’s Deaf Ears

Chapter 64 - The Rain

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chimivx · 2 months ago

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That one fucked you over last year, this one is fucking you over this year, you had no idea she was involved with him, someone over here has been lying to you, you didn't mean to end up in that ones bed, he told you he loved you... Does anyone even trust anyone anymore?

👫 -> college!teez x fem!reader/oc {frat/sorority} #️⃣ -> 16k exact. (part SEVEN of ten) good luck. ‼️ -> 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, heavy angst, infidelity adjacent moments, mean boys, mean girls, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

{ there are names & faces in here that come from NMWID <3 }

september 23rd ~ monday ~ 11:20 a.m.

“I’ll take a shot of vodka, or something else, whatever you’ve got.”

Theo smiled, then shook his head, leaning over the counter toward you.

“You can get that later down the street,” he said. “Want me to surprise you if you aren’t gonna make a decision?”

Clasping your hand over your hoodie you shrugged. “Please.”

Getting to work, he sent the occasional glance over his shoulder. “You’re in a weird mood, what happened?” He wrapped his hand around a large sized cup and took it to the espresso machine. “What’s happened since Friday, I should say.”

A lot, you wanted to say. You’ve realized you’ve fallen in love with a boy who was your best friend, said boy has snuck onto your roof and confessed his love for you, you’re both set to ‘break up’ with people you aren’t even together with, and all the meanwhile the boys girl has started a lie that has now spread throughout the ITZ house.

Nothing has been said to Yunho or Tori as of yet, you were meeting Tori for lunch after your noon classes so you would tell her there. The video had to still be up on Chan's profile, those things lasted for twenty four hours. She was a liar, Mina was. Though you can’t piece together at the moment why she would lie about something like this. Chan is her brother, and he’s apparently been through many struggles in his lifetime.

Your father has been through many struggles in his lifetime, never once do you ever use his shit as an excuse for your behavior, nor would you ever use his shit as a way to warp people’s minds, their feelings. The beings in both houses knew little of your dad, aside from Yunho, Tori and unfortunately Wooyoung. You’re sure Mingi knew a little something, he’s dating Tori, but you don’t care what he knew. If he’s trustworthy enough to date Tori, he’s trustworthy to know who and what your father is.

Mina’s pretty, she’s smart, she comes from a good family. Why would she lie?

Pulling out your phone you open a thread of messages and type away.

[you]: we have to talk about something questionable

It took him three seconds to respond.

[youknow everythin]: This is how you answer my good morning text? What did you just wake up?

[you]: i’m at blend i have a class in thirty

[you]: i’m sorry i didn’t answer, i read it before i got in the shower

[youknow everythin]: Take me in the shower with you, duh

[you]: you are such a boy

[you]: any mina updates

[youknow everythin]: She’s hurting. I told you last night what she was saying, her brother and all that. I got the full run down. She was keeping a lot from me this summer.

You tried real hard to not let those words tug at your heart.

[youknow everythin]: You know what it made me think of? That psych thing or whatever it is, the invisible child thing? Where one childs needs are so great that the other kid kind of goes unnoticed? But… Not totally unnoticed, they’re just more self sufficient? I feel like that’s Mina. She just needs someone to see her.

That made your stomach feel weird.

And not because of his last sentence.

Because you understood.

You didn’t have any siblings, but you had to grow up pretty self-sufficient.

[you]: damn i didn’t think of it like that

[you]: makes me feel like a bitch for what i’m about to say

[youknow everythin]: Tell me

“You are so out of it,” Theo said, handing the beautifully decorated coffee over to you. With whipped cream on the top he swirled caramel around it. Looking up at him, he gave you a smile and stepped away from the counter to take care of another customer who had appeared beside you while you were focused on your screen.

“I’m sorry,” you sighed.

[you]: i think she’s lying about her brother

“The drama never ends,” you whispered, picking up the coffee to take a sip of it. It was equally sweet as it was caffeinated. “Oh my god,” you groaned after a swallow. Theo smirked over his shoulder. “I’ll text you the money,” you said, tapping away to open his messages, but he stopped you.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, flipping the other person's coffee over to shake it. “Someone left you an allowance. I think you’re good for the rest of the semester to be honest.” He chuckled as your brows rose. “You have another friend down at ATZ, and I assume he’s told you all about me.”

“Soul,” you mumbled, and Theo shot you a look that did little to warm your heart. “Yeah, he, uh, he told me.”

Popping a lid on the small sized cup in his hand, he slid it over the counter to the person next to you and muttered, “Three eighty seven,” and took the cash as they handed it over. “I don’t want to tell you to stay away from him,” Theo said to you, giving the person their change, “He’s really not that bad of a guy.” Shifting back over to your side of the counter, he leaned over on his elbows and looked up at you. “He’s just been through some shit.”

Rolling your eyes, you sipped your drink and tried not to laugh. “Seems to be the theme of the day.” Theo flattened his lips into some sort of smile. “What was her name?”

He closed his eyes and released a breath. “Soojin.” When his eyes met yours he laughed at your pout. “Don’t, it’s okay. She was a year below me in school, they had another year of high school together, I was here, it wasn’t a big deal.”

With another sip, you tried to hide behind your straw when you asked, “When did it happen?”

Theo smirked, assessed his surroundings and the little people that were inside his cafe. “She was a senior, he was a sophomore, I was a freshman trying to get into the prestigious ATZ. I was upset when it happened of course, she and I were still dating, but, when you really look at it, what kind of senior in high school takes an interest in a sophomore…”

“Oh my god,” you sighed, your eyes going wide. Theo grinned.

“Yeah, so I ended that quick,” he nodded once, standing up to clean up behind his counter. “And, I made sure Shota was okay, even though he was all smug about it. He was sixteen, he had every right to think he was hot shit for sleeping with a senior, but brotha’ was a victim.”

Soul’s dark eyes that never seemed to have a thought behind them came to mind, and you were gutted. “Tae, oh my god,” you said and he shrugged, wiping down his machines. “He told me that you hate him for it.”

Theo huffed a laugh, then hung his head for a few seconds. “If that’s what he wants to believe, I’ll take it. I don’t hate him,” he turned to give you a look. “He’s impressionable. Don’t take this the wrong way, but he’s not… all there,” he came closer to you. “His parents are… were… kinda messed up. You can’t tell him I said any of this,” Theo pointed at you, his eyes going stern.

“Promise,” you whispered, holding up a hand.

Theo tapped his fingers on the counter, watching them for a moment. “He was in therapy for a while.”

“Weren’t we all?” you attempted to lighten the air, smiling, and he laughed.

“I guess at some point,” he breathed. “I mean, I was after my parents got divorced, so… No, but, Shota, he’s been into a lot of things kids shouldn’t get into. This ability for him to… attract… that kind of attention, like with Soojin, I don’t know, it’s…”

“His eyes,” you whispered, and Theo never looked at you faster. Sheepishly smiling, you said, “He’s been following me around for a little bit now, Tae. He showed up to ITZ one night.” Theo’s eyes shot open wide. You nodded. “Yeah, he’s persistent. I can kinda see why he’d so easily coerce someone… Not saying that’s what he did, or has done, but… Yanno?”

Theo thought about it, then asked, “So, you were catchin’ a crush?”

“No,” you said, hushed and rushed. “I have way too much happening to have a crush on a freshman. That makes me Soojin, just many years later.” He smiled, popping his brows. “And, now that I know he’s your little brother? That’d be weird. You and I were dates at Date Night last winter, my allegiance is to you, Taeyang.”

“I’ll never forget Wooyoung's face when we got picked,” he said, and you both shared a smile. “He was pissed.”

Names were chosen at random between the sorority and the fraternity, pairs made for the night. Date Night, one of the more exciting events thrown between the houses, kicked off with a bang though neither house raised enough to put toward this current year. Still, it was fun, and you were paired with Theo who drank your required liquor when you couldn’t stomach anymore. The two of you danced, you laughed, you hung out with Tori and Yeosang, her randomly chosen date, and you partied until the next morning.

The kicker… You were strapped together at the wrist. You physically could not leave your date alone, and if someone else wanted to talk to you, you had to talk to their date, too.

Vernon was paired with Isla.

Yuna and Jongho were matched up.

Ryujin and San.

Chaeryeong was paired with a senior, as well as Mingi, like you and Theo.

Hongjoong had a senior from ITZ on his wrist.

Seonghwa and Lia both had freshman recruits.

Yunho got lucky enough to have Mina follow him around.

And, Wooyoung had Yeji.

You could say that was the start of the downfall, that Yeji and Wooyung were paired up together, so who knows if that night they hooked up as well, but you’ve stopped letting the thought bother you.

“It was fun,” you gave him a small smile.

“It was.” He returned it. “Are you guys gonna do that again? I know that one’s like tradition, right?”

“Tori has it on the schedule,” you said. “She’s stuck it sometime in October now, I think around Halloween? It might land on her birthday, I’m not so sure.”

“Well,” he stood up straight, having leaned over the counter again, and slapped his hands on the vinyl. “If you get paired with Shota, keep an eye on him.”

“Think I might do that regardless now, Tae,” you said, lifting your drink a bit to signal your exit. “Thanks again.”

Theo smirked and watched you leave the cafe. “Thank my brother.”

september 23rd ~ monday ~ 1:47 p.m.

[youknow everythin]: Rory there’s nothing there though, we can’t just assume, can we?

“It was here yesterday!”

Sitting forward, you laid your phone on the table beside your plate and groaned in frustration. Tori, cross legged with her waves over her shoulders, watched you with a raised brow.

“He deleted it, he had to have deleted it,” you whispered, refreshing Chan's profile three times before giving Tori a look of dismay. “When we were at the library, he posted it.”

“It’s been a day, it’s not going to be there anymore,” she said, picking up her fork. “I want to believe you, though.”

Eyes bugging out of your head, you attempted to refresh the page again. “You don’t believe me? How?” When you met her eyes again the taste in your mouth went sour. “Tori, I’m not lying to you, I swear to God, she is lying to us.”

“What person would lie about their brother like that?”

“That’s what I’m saying!” you shouted, and many heads turned your way. The two of you were at a small table toward the front of the sushi restaurant you stormed out of over a week ago. “Yunho thinks she’s got that invisible child thing. You know, where they pry for attention, or something.”

Tori, sipping her water, rolled her eyes. “Listen, I want to believe you, Ror, but now that you’ve got this thing with Yunho, it looks like you’re trying to make her the bad guy.”

Right, she was still miffed about the whole situation.

“I know what it looks like, okay?” You squeezed your eyes shut. “I’m not trying to… Win the boy, or whatever it is you think I’m doing. I have the boy. It’s not about that.”

Tori sat back in her chair and folded her arms. “You do, do you?” You nodded and she pursed her lips. “Then, what is it about? If she is lying like you say she is, what’s the point of calling her out for it? Just let it go, all shit comes out eventually.”

She was right.

Letting her go back to her sushi, you swiped back to your messages.

[youknow everythin]: She has been giving me specific updates, Rory

[youknow everythin]: I don’t think she’s lying

september 24th ~ tuesday ~ 2:44 p.m.

In four days you and your sisters would be walking through the doors of ATZ with your recruits. The two houses would come together for dinner, an introduction of sorts, a welcome to the life type of night. There have been freshmen in and out of the house since yesterday morning, touring the property, meeting the board, sucking up to Yeji who spoke to them all with the fakest smile you’ve ever seen.

Standing in the foyer now, your new dark blue ITZ t-shirt on and tucked into the waist of your jeans, two girls walking through the door in sundresses caught your eye. Wide eyed and excited, they gasped to themselves as they gaped up at the ceiling, the two of them arm in arm, linked together. It reminded you of you and Tori. They joined the few girls already walking the first floor, taking in the photos on the wall, reading every description, every story that lived on the white paint.

Ryujin, in the same t-shirt, stood beside you. Nudging her side, you gestured toward the girls.

“Those are the two I met at ATZ,” you whispered. Ryujin scanned the group, then found them and squinted. “They’re freshmen, and I think they come as a pair. Can’t buy them separately.”

“Like you and Tor,” Ryujin mumbled, and you smiled. “My gaydar is going off looking at the shorter one, I can probably make some magic happen.” Fluffing her shaggy hair, she adjusted her shirt to be a bit more frumpy, letting it hang over the waist of her wide legged jeans. She was gone in seconds, flashing a sideways smile to both girls who shook Ryujin’s hand with caution. Sure enough, the shorter one let her eyes slip up and down the seniors frame, but that could mean anything. Ryujin was walking sex appeal, if you swung that way you’d be sneaking out of her room every morning instead of an ATZ bedroom.

Taking a quiet moment for yourself, not being bothered by freshman looking to kiss ass, you pulled out your phone and checked your messages.

[youknow everythin]: How's it going over there? These freshman are ridiculous

Smiling, you worked your fingers on the keys.

[you]: at least you don’t have to listen to a trillion female empowerment stories

[you]: think every girl in this house right now has told the same story

[you]: i think i love it though, they all have something to prove, it’s admirable

[youknow everythin]: Does it remind you of your recruitment?

[you]: totally, i was coming from a single father who lived paycheck to paycheck, i had to be obnoxious and prove myself. i’m seeing a lot of yeji’s and chaeryeong’s in this crowd. money money money

[youknow everythin]: Same over here, lots of guys flashing their bank accounts. And why is everyone a business major?

[you]: hey, don’t diss

[youknow everythin]: Not what I meant <3 <3 <3

[youknow everythin]: Have you talked to Seonghwa about anything yet? I assume not because he’s been nice to me all day

[you]: no, we should just wait a little bit. shit isn’t hitting the fan right now, we’ll be better off later. you haven’t said anything to mina yet?

[youknow everythin]: Not with this brother thing happening. Plus, she's VP so she’s got a lot on her plate at the moment.

Glancing up at her now, the Vice President, it was written on her t-shirt that she tucked into her denim skirt. Jeans were the dress code for this day, but apparently any denim was acceptable. She was smiling ear to ear while she spoke to a group of girls that gazed up at her with starry eyes. Admitting to yourself that it was impressive she was Vice President already, a sophomore, it didn’t make the feeling in your gut lessen.

Something was off.

It made you wonder if she heard your conversation with Tori the other day.

[you]: understood. keeping shit undercover

[youknow everythin]: It’s been hard to keep Mingi quiet. He’s so nosey. He wants to talk about us all the time.

[you]: us

[youknow everythin]: Us

[youknow everythin]: <3

“Great turn out today, don’t you think?”

Chills ran down your spine. Shoving your phone into your pocket, you turned over your shoulder and plastered a smile onto your face.

“So great,” you said. “I was just thinking about how there are so many like minded girls in here that have something to prove.”

Yeji pierced you with her fox-like gaze, attempting to look through you, into you. In all of the past weeks you’ve never had to be one on one with her, you’ve only had to deal with her in meetings. Her ombre hair curled perfectly laid over her shoulders, tucked behind one ear, showed off the diamonds she was wearing in her lobes. In her t-shirt and skinny jeans, she topped off the fit with strappy black heels and thin silver and gold bracelets on her wrists.

“Like minded?” Yeji asked, letting her eyes leave you for only a second to take in the group. “Explain.”

Swallowing, your mouth had gone dry, you nodded. “Their grades are fantastic, first of all, which you know to me is the most important of all.” Yeji narrowed her eyes. “But, the stories they’re telling us, what they’ve gone through to get here, some being told they’ll never make it to this school, that they’ll never get far… And, they’re here.” She bobbed her head, and smiled once you said, “It makes me think of Mina.”

“Does it?” she questioned, taking a peek at her second speaking with the girls.

“It does,” you whispered. “Everything with her family, yanno? She’s here, at Nasara, and she did that for herself. It’s incredible. I mean, even Isla, she wanted to do something for herself and she’s-”

“Leaving us in a day or two,” Yeji muttered, and your heart stopped. Taking in the shock on your face, she nodded, her stone cold expression never changing. “Don’t worry, she’s not being kicked out. Her brother has been in contact with us. He’s going to come get her, she needs his help. I’ll be sharing the news with Ryujin tonight, so if you could do me a solid and not tell anybody?”

Looking for the senior, the unsuspecting girl laughing it up with the two girls you met at the party, the walls seemed to tighten around you a smidge. She had no idea she was losing her roommate of the last three years. The two met on this day, Ryujin a sophomore, Isla a freshman. They clicked, they understood one another, they became best friends. Ryujin has done so much for Isla within the last year, and now she’d have to go through her most important year alone.

“She’s withdrawing?” you asked Yeji.

“She’s done,” the president nodded. “Withdrawn from classes, from the sorority, from Nasara entirely.”

“Where will she go?”

“With DK,” Yeji shrugged. “We don’t have the ability to help her here. She needs her family. That’s important, you know that, right? Family?” The look she gave you before she scampered away to greet some more freshmen wandering into the house was unreadable.

february 14th ~ thursday ~ last semester ~ 11:21 p.m.

The ball hit the edge of the cup and bounced onto the floor, a choir of groans echoing throughout the crowded living room. Bumping into Tori, your pong partner, you grabbed onto her arm and voiced your own disappointment. Across the table, the two boys you were playing simply laughed.

“Leave us alone!” Tori shouted playfully. “She’s not good at this, okay, we know this!”

Blushing, you laughed aloud, too drunk to care that she had half roasted you while trying to defend you. “I suck!”

“You do, is that the best you’ve got?” Yunho grilled, wearing a devious smirk on his lips. Poking his tongue out the corner when you looked at him, he raised his brows and motioned toward himself with his fingers.

Mingi elbowed him, smiling at his girl from across the table doused in beer and liquor. The room was dark, people in the crowd around you were using their flashlights on their phones to light up the table for you four. You were both down to the last three ups on either side.

“She doesn’t seem so bad, you guys are tied.” A voice that wrapped around your heart made you smile. Turning around you bump into Wooyoung who wrapped an arm around your shoulders, tucking you into his chest. Bringing his lips to your ear he said, “Stand up straight, keep your elbows to yourself and throw without thinking too hard.”

Pulling away from him, he kept a hand on your back, he smiled at you and pressed a quick kiss to your cheek. Following his instructions, standing up straight, you made eye contact with Yunho who now wore a scowl. Music flooded your ears, peoples shouts from everywhere in the house threatened to pull your liquor fueled brain elsewhere. Wooyoung took his hand around your waist and gave you a squeeze.

“Breathe,” he said, and you listened. “Look at the cup… Good.” You turned your chin to look at him and he laughed, using his other hand to maneuver your focus back to the table. “Look at the cup, baby, you can do this, prove them wrong, I know you can.”

“Don’t think someone’s allowed to touch the player while they throw,” Yunho called out, and Mingi laughed. Tori shut him up with a glare.

Wooyoung curled his lip. “Shut up.” Moving behind you, putting both hands on your waist, he cradled his chin into your neck. “Throw it. Show them.” His lips ghosted your skin and you longed to drop the ball and spin around in his arms, but the way Yunho was glaring at you made you want to throw the ball at his head instead of the red cups waiting for you.

“Any day now,” Yunho complained, tipping his chin backward.

“Ro, shut this guy up,” Wooyoung said loud enough for him to hear. Smiling, feeling his hands press into your waist, you pulled your hand back and released the ball. It went into a cup and swirled around in circles, and the three of you on your end of the table cheered for half a second.

Yunho dipped his fingers inside and flicked it out, both him and Mingi laughing together. The crowd was impartial, no one knew who to be happy for.

“Are you kidding me?” Wooyoung spat, pulling you away from the table, planting his hands on the edge. Yunho raised a brow, a shiteating smirk on his lips.

“That’s the game,” he said.

“You’re a piece of shit, just let her have it,” Wooyoung said, throwing a hand toward the cups left in front of the boy many inches taller than him. “It’s one cup.”

Yunho glanced down, then scoffed. “Yeah, it’s one cup,” he parroted, and Wooyoung rolled his eyes. “She’ll get it again, though she’s missed the last ten shots.”

Tori circled the table and ended up somewhere around Mingi, her boyfriend craning his neck down to press kisses to her cheek. Waiting behind Wooyoung, not knowing what the hell was going to happen, you turned around and found San making his way through the crowd. Raising your hands in the air, you shouted for him.

“Sannie!”

His face lit up. “Ror!” Elbowing past bodies, he found your side and groaned. “Oh no,” he slung himself over your back when you turned around to face the table. “What happened? Why’s he mad?”

Pointing at Yunho, your best friend giving you two ounces of attention, scrunching his nose at San, you said, “He was talkin’ shit, I threw the ball like Wooyoung said, I made it in, but Yo knocked it out.”

San shook his head. “No, you’re kidding, shit move, Yunho!” He looked back at you and San at the sound of his name. “You always play girls like that?”

Wooyoung smiled at San and held up a hand. “Hang on.” Pointing at Yunho, he said, “Own up to it. Or, you give me the balls, and if I make it in the other two cups, the girls win and you both forfeit for the night. I’m tired of seeing you both standing over here.”

Yunho and Mingi shared a look. From beneath his arm Tori said, “You don’t have to be a jerk, Wooyoung.”

Giving your roommate a look, he quirked a brow. “You wanna take their side over your own sisters? Damn, Tori, that says a lot about you doesn’t it?” San snickered behind you, his hands tangling over your chest. Wooyoung turned back to Yunho. “Balls,” he wiggled his fingers, and the boy obeyed, rolling them across the table. Clutching them both, Wooyoung rolled them in his hands and smirked. “I make it in those two, the ones she didn’t touch, they win. You’re done.”

Yunho crossed his arms and tilted his head back, the smug look in his face doing something to you. “Do it,” he scoffed. “If you don’t make it you have to leave for the rest of the night, how about that?”

Wooyoung threw both balls, one right after the other. They landed in both cups, the ones you didn’t touch, with a splash. The room lost their minds. Yunho and Mingi dropped their arms in shock.

Wrapping an arm around you, acquiring you from San, Wooyoung flashed them a sweet smile. “I was planning on leaving anyway.” And he whisked you out of the living room, leaving the boys dumbfounded behind you.

Barreling through people, both of you laughing, you babbling on about how crazy of a shot that was, you were seconds away from telling him he got lucky when he pressed you against the wall in the hallway, just short of the stairs.

Almost nose to nose, he placed a hand on the wallpaper and the other to your cheek, dragging his thumb over your skin. He wore a smile, his lips closed hiding his perfect teeth. His hair hung over his forehead, the waves having been pushed side to side all night.

“Did you like the way he was talking to you?” he asked, letting his fingers dance into your hair, pushing it gently off your shoulders that were bare in Tori’s strapless top you borrowed.

Blinking, getting lost in the depths of almond eyes, you took a breath. “Who, Yunho?” Wooyoung nodded, the smallest gesture. “Not really, but it’s Yunho, he never really means what he says. He could talk all the shit in the world and then seconds later his mood changed.”

“It wasn’t cool, Ro,” he said, his hand taking to your shoulder, not dropping any further. “I didn’t like it.” His lips formed a pout. “He was talking about my girl.” Your cheeks warmed, and he smiled, flashing you his perfect teeth. His beauty was indescribable, you couldn’t put words to it. So unique, so undeniably gorgeous. He was a wanted man, and he was here in your arms.

“Your girl,” you whispered, eyes flickering down to his lips. “Since when am I your girl?”

Laughing to himself, he brought both of his hands over your neck, his hands taking to your chin, tilting you upward. His grip was gentle, everything about how he dealt with you was gentle. “I want you to be my girl,” he whispered. “But you get hung up on jackasses, just pay attention to me, Ro, these other guys don’t matter.”

Blinking a few times, you muttered, “Wooyo, I’m drunk.” Exhaling heavily, you wiggled in his grip and he let you go. “I pay attention to you, what’re you talking about?”

Having taken a step backward, his hands were to himself. “You do,” he said. “I just mean… Nevermind.”

This time you came closer to him, sliding your arms around his neck, pulling him in. He walked backward so he could lean against the wall. Taking his arms around your back, he gazed down at you, studying you, taking in every little piece of you.

“We can talk when you’re not drunk,” he whispered, dipping his chin down to brush his nose against your own. Whispering your agreement, he smiled, then tilted his chin and pressed his lips to yours. In mere seconds your hands were in his hair, holding onto him like he’d soon run away. You yearned to melt into him, to stay here forever with his lips on yours, taking your time as if it was the first time you’ve found yourself here.

He treated each kiss like it was fragile, like if he moved too fast the moment would end. Soft lips pulling you under, his tongue meeting yours to deepen it further. There was no rush, no hurriedness about it. By now one would figure you’d be pulled upstairs and stripped to nothing, but, not with Wooyoung. Not now.

Neither of you crossed that line. Neither of you wanted to, not yet. Though many, many make outs, like this one, have ended with sweaty skin and the need to change your pants, both of you, the drive to go further always pulled you both back. Wooyoung had always been quicker to stop it, to stop you if your hand fell to the button of his pants, or if you seemed to fall into some sort of conditioned way of moving about him.

At first it was strange, him wanting to take his time, but for a couple months now you’ve both been reeling in the build up, in the excitement of what’s to come, the two of you unspokenly going about this thing like it were your first time ever.

“Aurora,” Wooyoung whispered, touching his forehead to yours. Looking up at him through your lashes you smiled. “So beautiful,” he kept his voice low, just for you. “Promise me,” he said, and you lowered your brows. “Promise me you’ll stay away from them.”

“Away from who?”

“Don’t let them pull you into their games,” he said, shaking his head. “That’s how this shit works, this life. They won’t stop until they win.” His hands slipped into your hair, pushing it away. Pausing, he studied you once more and kissed you. “They’ll snuff out anything standing in their way.”

september 25th ~ wednesday ~ 7:15 p.m.

[you]: hey, hope its okay tae gave me your number… you didnt have to do this, but thank you. i’ll blame you for the caffeine addiction next semester

[soul]: come to atz to thank me in person

[you]: too much to do, sorry friend. i’ll see you on saturday, right?? you used your brain instead of your wallet, yeah?

[soul]: yeah…… something like that.

[you]: good. keep it up.

[you]: do me a solid?

[soul]: anything for you

[you]: tell yunho to answer his phone if you can find him, he’s supposed to meet me somewhere and i think he’s drowning in books right now

[you]: hope those boys arent giving you too much of a hard time

[soul]: not at all :)

He was fifteen minutes late. That’s extremely unlike him. Yunho was a cluster fuck, but he was a punctual cluster fuck.

The two of you were finally meeting at Blend. You had secured a booth in the farthest corner, not that the place was buzzing with life anyway. Away from the windows, away from the door. You weren’t looking to create any problems. All of your board members were busy situating girls to rooms anyways, all of the details needing to be mapped out by Friday morning when all of the new recruits would arrive.

Tori let you in on the secret, there were maybe ten at max that made it through all the way. There were only a couple set aside for now, needing a couple more details set in stone before they could move forward.

Not needed around the house, actually trying to stay out of everybody's way, you were able to corral Yunho to agree to come out this evening. Unfortunately it looks like homework may win again, however. You wanted to unpack this month with him, unpack what had happened on the roof, discuss Mina when you both weren’t delirious and half asleep.

Sending him the second ‘where are you’ text, you locked your phone and tossed it to the table as the door to Blend swung open. Heart hoping it was Yunho waltzing inside with a hilarious apology, you’re surprised to see Seonghwa, in all black of course. He had his hair pulled back in a tie, hanging low on his neck. It took him three seconds to find you, his eyes scanning the room as if he smelled you the second he walked in.

“Ror,” he said, his voice and his smile giving you some sort of comfort.

“Hey,” you said quietly, toying with the straw in your cup. Seonghwa gave the smallest wave, if you could call it that, to Theo, then he changed his course and came over to you, leaving the barista dumbfounded as his eyes followed him over to you. “What are you doing here?”

“I don’t know,” Seonghwa half laughed, sliding into the booth across from you, leaving his legs dangling out the side, his feet touching the floor. He slid his hand across the table and brushed his fingers over yours. “I’ve been feeling a little off, think I wanted something warm to drink.”

Raising a finger, letting him slip one beneath yours, you tilted your head. “Feeling sick?”

He shifted in his seat, swinging his legs underneath the table, his knees bumping into yours. His height was unreal. “No, not sick,” he muttered. “Just… off.”

Hooking your finger onto his, you pouted. “Is there anything I can do to help?” Nodding toward the counter where Theo worked behind it without a sound, Seonghwa glanced over there. “Get a drink,” you smiled. “It’s on me.”

Blinking once, he moved his eyes to you, then he released a laugh. “Now that I can’t do.”

“Why not?” you asked, watching him lace his fingers within yours.

“Because,” he whispered, his lashes fluttering as he spoke.

Leaning over the table, you lowered your voice and flipped your brows. “You helped me, now let me help you.”

Seonghwa mainted face. “Did I?” His voice was a whisper. Eyes sharp, the sudden vulnerability swallowed you. A lot has happened since you slept with him.

At least it felt like a lot.

“I mean, yeah,” you said with a small shrug. Clenching his jaw he glanced at your hands.

“Then you won’t be upset if I tell you he went to see Mina tonight?”

You yanked your hand back, tucking it into your lap with the other. Nausea filled your gut, you could get sick in front of him right here.

“She’s been having a hard time, I've heard, they talk everyday.”

Gulping away the lump in your throat you dropped your eyes to the table and sucked in a shaky breath.

He told you he’d be here.

He promised you that you would talk, about everything.

He hasn’t said that word since he snuck onto your roof.

“Ror?” Seonghwa tapped one of his fingers on the table, pulling you from your thoughts that didn’t circle as much as you thought they would. It was simple. “You okay?”

Rolling your shoulders back, sitting up straight, you sighed and smiled at him. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Seonghwa tried to smile, but his lips could only crinkle as the corners lifted.

“You sure?” he whispered.

The space between your lungs tightened. “No,” you breathed, lifting your hand back onto the table, touching your finger tip to his. Seonghwa looked down at them for half a second. “I thought…”

He bit the bullet and folded his hand within yours again. “Tell me.”

The rub of his thumb over the back of your hand soothed the hurt. “Just thought I really had him this time.”

His brows lowered ever so slightly. “What do you mean?”

Tightening your grip on his hand, his thumb stopped moving. “Hwa, you can’t get mad,” you whispered, poking out your bottom lip a bit, praying your shining eyes would persuade him enough.

“Why would I be mad?” he questioned, his voice going deep.

“Because,” you said, and he narrowed his eyes. “Tori told me you do this… thing. Well, really, Mingi told her.” Seonghwa blew air out his lips and let his eyes close for a second. “I’m serious. You gave me a crazy ass hickey, Hwa. Apparently that means I belong to you.” Ignoring how his eyes darkened, you smiled when he did.

“A man can’t just do it ‘cause he likes it?” he snickered, shaking his head. Shrugging your shoulders, his thumb resumed its dance over your skin. “Ror, you don’t belong to me. Did I love our night together, fuck yes, you know how to ride a dick.”

“Hwa!” you giggled, glancing around the cafe, taking a peek at Theo making a drink behind the counter for a customer not present. He didn’t hear him.

“You're cute when your cheeks go all pink,” he mumbled, bringing your attention back to him. “When did you guys happen? At the next one?”

“Jesus, Seonghwa, I’m not an animal.”

“I am,” he smirked, getting the exact reaction out of you he was hoping.

Calming your smile, you squeezed your eyes shut and shook your head vigorously. “Stop,” you laughed, “I think it was like a week after, or something. You picked me up and brought me to the party where it all… went to shit, I guess.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“No, it’s not your fault, come on.” Wiggling your hand in his you forced his eyes to yours and you smiled what you could. “I should’ve listened to you.”

Seonghwa took a breath and adjusted himself in his seat. “I mean,” he smirked, “Technicaly you did, I said fuck him.”

Laughing with him, you groaned. “Bad idea. Bad idea.”

“It was?” he asked, leaning forward. “I thought you really liked him.”

“Unfortunately I think I do,” you said. “But, at the same time, and I said this to Tori… I don’t know what that feels like.” Seonghwa zoned in his focus and slowly nodded. “I’m… attracted and all that, but I don’t know what it feels like to… be in love with somebody.”

“Love, sheesh,” he muttered. “Who uses that word anymore?”

“Yunho,” you whispered, giving him a sheepish look, one he raised his brows at. ��Yeah,” you sighed. “Don’t spill that to anybody. I trust you.”

Seonghwa smiled. “I know you do, that’s why you let me-“

“Stop,” you cut him off with a wide smile, your tone singing a song. Laying your other hand on top of his, you took a deep breath. “We’re not gonna talk about that, okay?”

“Okay,” he said with a bow of his head.

The door to Blend opened, not nearly as confident as when Seonghwa came in. Turning a bit to peek at who it was, your nerves shook themselves awake.

He didn’t see you until he was at the counter, grabbing onto the small white cup that Theo slid over to him.

“Wooyoung,” Seonghwa said loud enough to get the boy to turn. He wore a leather jacket, one hand shoved inside a pocket, and dark blue denim jeans. The shirt on the inside was black.

Kicking your foot into his shin, you shot Seonghwa a glare. Wooyoung turned, confused as hell, but once he processed it was the two of you, you swore he rolled his eyes.

“Since when did you come here?” Seonghwa asked, sharing an equally confused look with his brother.

Wooyoung sipped his drink and lifted the cup in answer. “I’m here every Wednesday night. Last semester I was here every Tuesday night.”

“And the semester before that?” you questioned, slightly teasing him. He moved his eyes over to you and you felt the earth shake beneath you. Both of you were sober, facing one another for the first time since the end of last year.

“I was here every Monday night.” His gaze hardened.

“Why?” Seonghwa twisted his brows, looking the boy up and down. Wooyoung took two steps closer to the table.

“‘Cause,” he started, lowering his chin, balancing his cup in his hand against his bottom lip.

“Chai tea,” you mumbled, and both Seonghwa and Wooyoung looked at you. The boy across from you raised an eyebrow. “And Blend has the honey your mom uses at home.” Glancing at Wooyoung, he watched you. Subtle shock lived in his face, but he wouldn’t show it.

“You remember that?” he asked quietly.

Nodding with a shrug, you said, “Yeah, you told me about it when she called you to yell at you about your psych grade last year.” Seonghwa, in awe, released your hand. Wooyoung took notice.

“Why these specific days though?” Seonghwa shook his head.

You spoke before either of them could. “It means his hardest classes are today…”

It took you a couple seconds to work up the courage to look at Wooyoung again, but you did, and you found him thinking, his brows pointed and his eyes somewhat soft. Parting his lips as if to speak, he bit down on his bottom one instead and turned to walk out the door, telling Theo, “Thanks, Tae, I sent the money.”

Seonghwa’s eyes were on you, hot. The moment the door was closed and Wooyoung was gone, he started to laugh.

“Don’t start,” you whispered, looking up at him.

“How can I not?” He shook his hair and sat backward. “That was entirely too adorable, Ror. Remembering his order? Remembering why he came here? You’re a real lover girl, aren’t you?”

Averting your eyes to the table, you pushed your drink aside, feeling too sick to drink anymore. “I just remember,” you shrugged. “It’s important to me. Remembering. Especially things like that.” You looked at him. “If you care about somebody, you tend to remember those things.”

At the word care he scrunched his nose.

Your phone buzzed on the table, both of you glancing at the screen that lit up with Tori’s name. Beneath her message was one from Yunho. Picking it up, you opened his first.

[youknow everythin]: Oh my god, I forgot. Rory. I’m so sorry, holy shit.

You flickered your eyes up at Seonghwa momentarily.

“What happened?” he asked.

He went to see Mina tonight.

“Nothing,” you whispered, focusing back on your screen.

[honey sweetie light of my life (no she didn’t make this her own name in your phone)]: get to the house NOW

[honey sweetie light of my life (no she didn’t make this her own name in your phone)]: ryujin losing her shit hurry hurry i cant get her to stop yelling at yeji

[honey sweetie light of my life (no she didn’t make this her own name in your phone)]: isla is gone, no one knows when she left, her stuff is gone

“Seonghwa, I gotta go,” you mumbled, barely giving him another look, leaving him at the table. Not a word was spoken elsewise. He let you go.

It took ten minutes to walk back to ITZ. Placing a hand over your racing heart, you barreled up the stairs and paused. Through the door, through the walls, Ryujins voice echoed into the outside. It sounded like things were being thrown, there were voices on voices and bangs on bangs.

Pushing the door open you’re greeted by a shoe falling to the floor in front of you from the second floor. Shutting the door with your back, you snapped your neck up and found the back of Yeji, standing against the railing with her arms folded over her chest. The shouting was coming from up there, Ryujin.

“YOU NEVER SAID SHIT YEJI! She’s GONE, where the FUCK did she GO!?”

Bending to pick her shoe up, finding many more littered about the floor, a hand grabbed your wrist and stood you up. Tori, eyes wide and brows high, shook her head and gestured toward the upstairs. “Don’t bother, she launches them back down. Yeji’s dodged almost every sneaker she owns, if we bring them back we’re only supplying her ammo.” She pulled you toward the stairs, out of the way of unidentified flying objects.

“What the hell is happening?” you asked, keeping your voice low. Ryujin still screamed, every profanity possible. Turning to Tori, she cringed. She had been crying, her eyes were glassy. Glancing upstairs, the other girls were either in their doorways or on the other side of the staircase, out of the way of Ryujin’s rage.

“Isla’s gone,” Tori whispered, the tears welling up in her eyes. “All of her things are gone, all of her belongings, her furniture, it’s gone. There isn’t a trace of her in that room. Ryujin came home from class and lost her shit.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” you muttered. “No one’s tried to stop her?”

Tori gave you a look. “That’s her best friend, Ror. If this happened to you, and I suddenly disappeared, wouldn’t you freak the fuck out?”

Your heart sank. “Suddenly? What do you mean suddenly?”

She shrugged, a few tears falling down her cheeks. “No one knew, she didn’t tell anybody.”

“Who?” you whispered. Tori gave you another look, her brows meeting in the middle of her forehead.

“Isla,” she sighed. “She didn’t say anything, she just… left. Quietly, too, no one knows how she did it.”

Gritting your teeth you took a breath and turned your attention to the senior on the second floor telling Yeji exactly what she thinks about her, and the president was unmoving. Still, not frozen, but still, Yeji watched her. Watched her scream, watched her sob, watched her throw whatever she could at her, and she didn’t say a word.

Now you could be sick. Now you could fall to the floor, your knees weak. Grabbing onto Tori, your best friend wrapped a hand around your back, laying her chin on top of your head, sniffling.

Yeji knew how she did it. Yeji knew how she left. She knew when she left.

And so did you.

september 28th ~ saturday ~ 6:00 p.m.

Twenty five boys stood on the front steps of the ATZ house. Most of them wore smiles, and neatly buttoned shirts and pants, their hair styled to perfection, standing tall as you and your sisters approached the porch. Whispers moved through their group, the boys excited, and hungry. They had outdone you. ITZ was only bringing ten more girls.

Nineteen of you. There would’ve been more, but those girls you met at the party, and some others, didn’t make it past the cut. Turned down, Yeji signed five letters telling them they weren’t eligible for advancement into the sorority. You weren’t even able to protest without exposing to Yeji what you’d done, having attended the party, and met them in the kitchen when you were plastered. As much as you’d love to have those girls here with you, have them add a little more muscle to your sisterhood, this past month has been too much. You couldn’t risk anything at this point.

Tori, beside you in a little white dress, she slid her arm beneath one of yours and smiled. Her boyfriend was on the porch, standing in front with the original nine of ATZ. He’d already spotted her, the way he teetered back and forth on his feet shifting his weight while he waited patiently for her to find him entirely too adorable. They hadn’t seen one another in a few days, none of you have been here for a few days, both houses have been too busy preparing for this moment, and thankfully so.

Yunho stood next to Mingi, his shirt buttoned in totality, unlike his best friend who left the to one undone. The corners of his lips were turned up. A smile of sorts, but he seemed nervous. His eyes gave him away. The text he sent you Wednesday night, before rushing home to calm Ryujin- which you did- you never answered. He’s sent you a message everyday since, only two, you didn’t get one today, but it didn’t matter.

He forgot to meet you, or he was lying like his stupid girlfriend and he went out with her instead, comforting her and her allegedly real situation. For days she’s moped around the house, taking longer to talk on the phone, hanging around Yeji more than she’s ever had. She’s even taken Tori from you on a few occasions, and your roommate would come back in twenty minutes with some sort of update, telling you that Mina wasn’t feeling any better about the situation.

If she was telling the truth, she had every right to be upset. You understood that more than anybody. You’d go days without hearing from your dad sometimes, it was scary, even if you knew they were coming back. Some days it felt like they never were. Since he’s been back from his work trip in Contramano you’ve heard from him twice. A text when he returned, and then the shortest video call so he could see your smiling face.

Some days you wished you could tell him everything, that he’d be the kind of dad who would listen, and understand. Maybe he’d even give you some advice, tell you how to handle the shitshow you were swept inside of, but no. He’s taught you how to wear false emotion on your face and gave you the skill of juggling multiple situationships at once. Like you, your father didn’t know what love was. You like to think he gave you the best he could, that whenever he told you he loved you, that you were his everything, that he was telling the truth.

Maybe that was enough. The two of you trying your best to be the best people you could be for one another, knowing that at the end of the day it was just you and him. He didn’t want anything to happen to you, and though you longed for him to be detained maybe just one more time so he’d change his life, you didn’t want anything to happen to him either. He did try his hardest to be the best dad, and you could admit you gave him too much shit, but he couldn’t blame you for that. Your father has been through hell and back, a hell that he’s somewhat protected you from, a hell that he’s been learning from. Almost.

Old habits die hard.

Hongjoong stepped down from the porch with his head held high, extending a hand toward Yeji who stood at the front of your group. Smiling, his confidence exuding him, he took her hand and shook it, bowing his head as he did. Yeji returned his smile, matching his energy, and smiled. They exchanged a few words between themselves, the presidents moving with poise and juxtaposition. Hongjoong in a dark suit, his jacket buttoned with no shirt beneath it, and Yeji in a baby blue dress, her hair curled and her skin covered properly. Two halves of a whole, their knowing eyes reading one another with a careful tenacity. No one could deny their power, their own energy almost too much for themselves.

Up on the porch on the other side of the stairs stood Seonghwa, a being most of the girls behind you whispered about. A being that could have any girl in this group. All he’d have to do is point to one, and he’d have them crawling up the stairs. But, his eyes were on you, gentle and soft. When you met them he smiled. Trying to return it, your eyes fell to Vernon standing in front of him.

Brows low, his eyes were sharp, on alert, scanning your group from left to right, and back again. He tilted slightly side to side to get a glimpse of some of the girls hiding behind others. He was looking for something. Someone. When he met your eyes he questioned you with a raise of his brows, the action so small it’d go unnoticed by someone out of the know. Shaking your head, pulling your lips into a frown, you could feel the hurt that cracked his usual stoic expression in half.

Quickly composing himself, he glanced away, focusing on Hongjoong who turned back to his house, but then he narrowed his glare and shot it toward Yeji. Beside him, Wooyoung put a hand on his arm and whispered something to him. The boys spoke back and forth for a second while Hongjoong introduced himself to your sisters and new recruits, Wooyoung taking a peek at you every now and again while Vernon whispered to him.

Yeji introduced herself to the boys on the porch, the majority of the newbies visibly drooling over her. Some took their time with each face, marking their prey before it even stepped through their door. Soul was up there, leaning over the railing to the left of Seonghwa, his two freshman friends with him. The cocky one, Jongseob with his eyes set on Tori, and the shy one, Intak, who wore a smirk, eyes set on a girl somewhere behind you.

Soul had his eyes on you. Smiling at him, his smirk deepend and he stood up straight, ripping his eyes from you to look at your president.

Both houses recited their mission statements for one another, whipping you into shape quickly, pulling your attention off the boys, and then, you were in the house.

Dinner for the most part went smooth, to plan, as it should have. The boys let you and your sisters into the house first, their greetings respectful and kind, likely the doing of Hongjoong and Seonghwa. It was how they all moved through dinner as well, respectful and kind, treating the nineteen of you like important guests in their home, serving you, proving themselves. Soul had been the one to bring you a drink, something without alcohol in it.

That was for later.

This was all an act.

The recruits with you expressed their shock, their surprise that the frat house wasn’t a mess, not dirty in the slightest, and you wanted to let them in on a secret, but figured they’d see it soon enough. As soon as the clock struck ten the house flipped over.

For the majority of dinner Yunho kept to himself, hanging around Yeosang who gave you nothing more than a smile, though he hugged Tori. The first of many questionable things to happen within the hours before the party started.

Yunho didn’t say hello, he was actively trying to keep his eyes off of you. Finding something else to occupy him if the two of you got too close, usually another boy or a plate to clean up or a drink to fill.

Seonghwa checked in with you, noticing how Yunho avoided any interaction with you. In front of a group of his freshmen following him around, Soul included, he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and smiled. Soul made sure to touch your shoulder, giving you a shake before they walked away.

Vernon hovered in a corner focused on his phone for most of the dinner, his nails finding themselves between his teeth as he tried to listen to people speak, the higher ups giving tours and sharing makeshift speeches with anyone who’d listen. He couldn’t even entertain the ATZ freshmen when they’d ask him about baseball, he was totally disconnected, and he hadn’t been able to get you alone to ask you what had happened, at least not yet.

Tori and Mingi hung onto one another with class, answering the freshmen’s questions of ‘Are you together?’ with smiles and happy nods. Mina found herself beside them often, Mingi now involved in the comfort Mina project.

Wooyoung hung around the outskirts of the dinner, like he would at any of his parties this semester it seemed. A complete change from how he’d act in the past, outgoing, loud, the center of attention. It didn’t click with you until you heard your friends speak about not being able to find him when they’d come here, that he’d hide. Hide, or just know how to not be seen. Even on social media he’s gone quiet, only the occasional post going up to his story, nothing big, not since that first party when he got you in trouble.

Hongjoong walked around with Jongho, the two of them seemingly becoming partners in crime this semester more so than Hongjoong and Seonghwa. The pair were almost comical, the muscle behind the beauty, like a bodyguard, stopping anybody if they got too close to his president. The sophomore did find himself with Yuna at some point, her chocolate brown curls melting his hardened exterior in seconds. Sharing a job, Yuna would often argue, since last year, that they spoke mainly about work, but the eyes never lie. There was something there.

San, well, he was San. A polite dinner party would not stop him from waltzing around the house without a care, taking after his president, wearing no shirt beneath his suit jacket that he unbuttoned as the night drew on and on. Shamelessly flirting with anybody who’d entertain him, not even knowing he was flirting, he accidentally collected a following, boys and girls alike who some would fall victim to later on.

Somehow you collected your own following. A few of the ITZ recruits found it comfortable at your side, asking you questions about the house, about the boys whenever one would pass by you and shoot you a wink. Ryujin accompanied you, lingering close by with a scowl on her face, and rightfully so. She didn’t want to come tonight, but contractually she had too. Avoiding Vernon for now, she unspokenly clung to you.

When the clock did strike ten, however, everybody changed. The entire house flipped over, and it happened fast.

Red cups littered the place within the hour of the party starting. The lights were shut off, the music had been turned up to a volume one had to shout over, and boys jackets and girls sweaters were draped over any furniture in the vicinity. Pong tables were going in the back of the living room, shouts coming from there, Mingi and Tori’s included. Both you and Ryujin didn’t know what to do, sipping your first drinks of the night, gathering some of the girl's belongings that had been strewn about, you weren’t sure whether to chaperone or drink away your sorrows.

As the first hour progressed, Ryujin decided on the latter. Flopping onto a couch amongst the brothers and sisters chattering away, dancing around the living room, she requested a full cup from an ATZ recruit and he obliged. At least you’d know where to find her, but now this meant you were on your own.

september 28th ~ saturday ~ 11:23 p.m.

“How is Yeji okay with any of this?” Vernon said, walking with you toward the living room, dodging drunk recruits wandering to the kitchen latched to one another's arms. Glancing over your shoulder at the boy and the girl laughing, you sighed.

“It’s tradition,” you suggested, giving him a shrug. “But, it’s funny though, right? She can ban us, but then allow everybody to run free tonight. It’s a tease to these new girls, they’re gonna be so disappointed.”

Taking up a spot on the vacant stairs the two of you sat side by side, Vernon sipping from his cup, his first and only of the night. You were on your second, taking your time, not wanting to be delirious for the whirlwind that already was this night.

“You know,” Vernon started, looking over into the archway of the living room.

San was on the back of the couch, shirtless, with his tongue down an ITZ recruits throat. You believed she was a sophomore so you didn’t feel the need to run in there and put an end to the way her hands ran over his muscled chest without a care. Even if she was, you weren’t Yeji. The fun would commence, but you’d still keep a watchful eye over your sisters, old and new.

Vernon shook his head. “I don’t even remember what I was gonna say,” he turned to you, “I thought this night was gonna go one way, but it’s gone the exact opposite since you guys got here.”

Twisting your cup around in your hands, you took a breath. “I know,” you said. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault,” he mumbled, knocking back what was left in his cup. “I just don’t know why she wouldn’t tell me she was leaving.”

Thinking about that night and Ryujins freak out, you circle back to the day before, when Yeji told you that Isla was withdrawing from Nasara and leaving with her brother. It was supposed to make sense, it should make sense, but for some reason, like the rest of the vague bullshit that occurred around here, it didn’t.

“She didn’t tell you anything at all?” you asked, and he shook his head, his brown curls dancing on his forehead.

“Nothing,” he nearly whispered. “I mean, I get it, she doesn’t owe me anything, we only hooked up once and she leaned on me for help, even though I genuinely wanted to help her…”

Letting him vent, you smiled once it was over. “She was still your friend, Vernon. That stuff hurts, and her not telling you that she was leaving should hurt.” He bobbed his head, letting it hang. “When did you guys… If you don’t mind me asking? I didn’t know you guys were like that.”

“Me either,” he admitted with a huff. “She, uh, showed up at my practice Monday night, and you know my coach keeps me late because of the scouting and wants to make sure I’m ready before I go up to triple A. She stayed and watched me hit, watched me work first base, bullying me the entire time- though she has no right ‘cause her brother is a pitcher and I am not, but whatever,” you both laughed, “It was really late, she helped me get my stuff together, followed me into the locker room which she’s done before, but… Something about this time she just… She got me.”

“I’m going to ask you something, please don’t take it the wrong way, okay?” you said, and he nodded. “Was she sober?”

“Completely,” he spoke fast. “Trust me, Ror. Wouldn’t have let her undress me if she wasn’t.”

“You two were really out there living every high schoolers fantasy,” you said with a giggle. “Sex in the locker rooms after baseball practice.”

He shared in your laugh for only a second. “Yeah, and now she’s gone.”

“You can always track her down,” you offered, bumping him with your elbow. “Instagram? Text? She’s with her brother, work your baseball magic and get her.”

He looked at you, his eyebrows lowering over his big brown eyes. “She’s with her brother?” A tiny spark of nerves ignited in your chest. “How do you know that, you’ve heard from her?”

“No, she hasn’t talked to any of us.”

His tone was slowly turning sharp. “Then how do you know she’s with her brother?”

“Yeji,” you whispered, unable to lie to his pretty face. “No, Vernon, wait!”

Leaping from the stairs, Vernon dropped his cup to the ground and barreled into the living room, ignoring your shouts for him to come back. Following him, jumping onto your feet, a hand landed on your shoulder before you could cross under the archway.

“Let me go,” you spat, turning around in haste. “Oh,” you sighed, and the spark of nerves turned into a flame. “What do you want?”

Yunho parted his lips as you tugged your shoulder from his grip. “Can I talk to you?”

“I don’t think so,” you said, and he scrunched up his face. “Go talk to Mina.” Spinning around to follow after Vernon, Yunho yanked you back again. “Let me go, Yo!” Facing him, he tried to put both hands on your shoulders but you swatted him away.

“Rory, can I just-”

“She said to let her go.”

Shooting a glare over your shoulder, Yunho dropped his hands to his sides and said, “You think you really have room to speak here?” Backing up from between them, you glanced at Wooyoung who glanced at you at the same time before piercing Yunho with his glare.

“A girl just told you to take your hands off of her twice, Yunho,” he said. “You think Hongjoong would be pleased to hear that?”

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you Wooyoung, you really think he’ll listen to you?”

Wooyoung smiled. “Regardless of what my supposed reputation says about me, what all these people will say about me, never once have I ever been involved in a situation like the one you’re presuming I’ve been.” Yunho clenched his jaw. He caught a glimpse of you, but you were locked in on the boy speaking. “Maybe I’ve done some shitty things, but I know basic respect and consent.”

“Wooyoung, it was only this once,” you muttered, and he looked at you, his eyes swallowing you whole.

“It doesn’t matter, Ro,” he said, his tone calm as he spoke to you. “This is how it starts.” Gesturing behind him with his head, telling you to move along, you listened, and heard Yunho protest as you wandered off into the living room.

“Aurora! Aurora!” San shouted at you from the couch he was on, the sophomore in his lap now, waving for you to join them. There were bodies around them, everyone talking over everyone, taking shots they’d pour with any of the multiple bottles of liquor on the table in the center of the furniture, offering you one as you stepped over their bare legs and sweaty bodies.

“How the fuck did this turn into this so fast?” you breathed, taking the cup from an ATZ recruit, flopping onto the sofa beside San who slung an arm around you. Pressing the cup to your lips you gulped down the, you think, vodka, with a cringe.

“You’re not drunk enough,” San said, grabbing the sophomore by the waist, lifting her with him as he reached for the bottle on the table. She yelped and giggled, grabbing onto him in some way to stay on his front. In the extremely dim light you could make out her pretty face and the several purple marks on her neck from San already. “Why are you not drunk enough? There’s no rules tonight, Ror. Look at what’s happening.”

“I’ve seen what’s happening, Sannie, half of our recruits are being corrupted by yours,” you smirked and he laughed, pouring straight vodka into the cup you held out for him. “You’ve taught them well.”

“I haven’t taught them a thing,” he said, giving you a look. “They came that way. It’s not our fault every single one of you is fuckable.” Twisting the cap on the bottle he tossed it to the other side of the couch and settled his hands on his girl's hips, digging his fingers into her curves. “You know, your girls aren’t totally innocent, they know what they’re doing. They want it too.”

Sipping the liquor, you licked your lips and leaned into him, your noses centimeters apart. His breath hitched in his throat, his eyes darting down to watch your tongue. “It’s not our fault every single one of you is fuckable.” With parted lips, he sighed.

“Wanna join us?” he whispered, poking his tongue out to wet his lips. Honestly weighing the possibilities, the liquor doing nothing to keep you logical, it was possible. “Holy fuck, Aurora,” he muttered. San had an unnatural ability to figure you out, to figure anyone out. It’s how he always got what he wanted, most of the time. That and his physical appearance alone.

“Find me after I finish another drink,” you whispered, and he started to smile. Reading your mind, he met you in the middle and kissed you, your tongues moving in between it all. You’ve kissed him before, once on a dare, and then again on your own. It was all purely platonic, a fact he knew as well.

Ryujin, still planted on the couch across from the other with a girl on her lap now, she watched the three of you.

“Wait, are you serious?” he asked, calling after you as you parted from him and rose from the couch.

Sipping from the cup, you shrugged and said, “Don’t know yet, just come find.” Winking at the girl on his lap smiling at you, you spun around and continued your venture through the house, almost tripping over feet and shoes thrown about, giving them their moment back. If tonight went to shit, if you ended up with nobody, which you were somewhat hoping for now that you were on drink number three, you could possibly want to end up with San. For nothing more than just pure fun.

Tonight was a night for that, for fun. Legal, allowed to be having, type of fun.

Approaching the archway into the second half of the living room, you almost froze. Yeji was coming toward you, her eyes on watch, patrolling the property. As you passed one another her smile grew, and it was anything but comforting like your president's smile should be. It was menacing, the liquor twisting it into something to be afraid of.

“There she is, Ror!”

That was Soul’s voice. Escaping from Yeji you turned to follow the freshmans call, finding him holed up in a corner with a few others, his friends included.

“Come here,” he said, waving you forward with his hand not holding a can. Wandering toward him slightly sideways, he laughed and shook his head, holding open an arm for you to tumble into. “Where’ve you been?”

“Around,” you said, sipping your drink. Soul gave a look to Jongseob to his left and smiled.

“What are you drinking, babe?” he asked, taking the cup from you easily, tipping his chin back to take a sip. “Jesus,” he groaned. “Straight?”

“No, gay,” you said, narrowing your eyes and the boys around you laughed. Soul smirked, pressing you into his chest for a few seconds. “Here’s your fuel.” Handing the cup back to you, he watched you take a bigger sip this time around. “Where are you on your way to? Seonghwa?” Two of the boys snickered, Jongseob and Intak. Turning in Souls arms you gave a look to Jongseob, but then took your time with Intak, watching him clam up beneath your interrogation.

He wore a suit tonight like the rest of the boys, his hair styled neatly on top of his head. His white button up beneath the black jacket was slightly disheveled, a few buttons undone from the top, not like it was hours ago. Holding a drink, he sipped it and blinked feverishly, his cheeks flushing as you pushed yourself out of Souls arms and wobbled over to him.

“Intak, catch her,” Jongseob muttered, and the boy listened, holding open his arms. Latching onto him, you smiled up at his brown eyes.

“Is this the chick you were telling us about?” An unknown voice said from behind you. One of the boys they were standing here with. Twisting in Intaks arms, pressing your back to his front, giggling at how he tensed, you found the stranger's face and audibly sighed, expressing your contentment with his appearance. Curly ginger hair shamelessly let his eyes roam about your body.

“Who are you?” you asked. “I’ve never seen you before.”

The boy looked into your eyes and smiled, his even more charming than Jongseobs. “Jiung,” he said, and the name flowed off his tongue with grace. His suit was tailored perfectly to his form, showing off exactly what you’d get beneath it.

“Damn,” you breathed, laying your head onto Intak’s chest. “Why are you all hot?”

The boys broke out in laughter, making you smile. Intak slid an arm around your waist, keeping you close to him.

“Yeah, this is the chick you were telling me about,” Jiung said to Soul.

Looking at him, you asked, “What’s that mean?”

Soul faced you, put a hand on your cheek and pinched your skin. “Don’t worry about it.” Sharing a look with his friend that you pushed your ass against, he raised a brow. “Remember what you said about Intak?”

“I do,” you said. “How could I forget, Soul, he’s so cute.”

“He is, isn’t he?”

“Yeah,” you said quietly, with a smirk, “So are you.” Soul’s smile was satisfied. Looking at Jongseob you said, “And so are you, and you.” You added a glance to Jiung as well.

“Aurora, where’s your friend?” Jongseob asked, ignoring your compliment. “The tall one, brown hair, big eyes… Boyfriend.”

Your brows shot up. “Tori?” you snickered, putting your hand over Intaks, sliding it higher on your torso. Soul and Jiung watched it move, both shocked and disappointed you stopped before it reached your chest.

“Yeah, Tori,” Seob’s eyes flashed with something dark.

“Me?” Her voice was heard before she was seen, and in a flash she was glaring around at the boys and snatching onto your wrist, pulling you off of Intak. “What’s going on here?”

“We’re just talking,” Soul said, tucking his hands behind his back. Intak shoved a hand into his pocket quickly. Tori looked him up and down and scoffed.

“You guys are disgusting,” she sneered. “Welcome to ATZ, you fit right in.” Her eyes found Jongseob last, and when he winked at her her entire body reacted, shivering as she held onto you. “I can have Mingi over here in seconds.”

“Do it,” Jongseob challenged, and Tori’s eyes shot open wide.

“Leave me alone, Seob,” she said, her tone packing a punch. “Come on,” she said to you. “How are you messed up already, who’s making you drinks?”

Watching her while the two of you walked toward the back of the living room, rather, while Tori supported your body weight as she walked toward the other room, she didn’t seem all that drunk. She could hold her drinks better than you could, that was a fact, but at this point in the night she’d be a giggling mess under Mingi’s arm.

“Are you drinking?” you asked.

“Of course I am,” she said. “I’m just not drinking fast,” she glanced down at you. “I didn’t think you wanted to get drunk tonight.” Moving around the crowd around the tables focused on the dual games going on, Mingi towering over the crowd around one end, Tori maneuvered you onto one of the leather couches pushed against a wall. A couple of other girls sat close by.

“Not drunk,” you mumbled, and Tori sat next to you with a laugh.

“Okay, then what are you?” Her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Horny now,” you said, laughing and she slapped a hand to her mouth, holding back her own laugh. “Have you seen all of these boys?”

“I have,” she said. “Jongseob has been flirting with me all night, and unfortunately he’s really good at it. I’m seconds away from telling Mingi to stand in front of me for the rest of the night.”

“Where have you been? In here?” you asked, taking a bigger gulp from your cup, almost finishing the liquor in it. Tori nodded, her eyes scanning the room.

“Me and Mina were playing over here not too long ago,” she said and your stomach sunk. “She’s still upset, I’m trying to keep it fun for her tonight.”

The light feeling your drunkenness was giving you fell flat, like you just crashed through several floors of a building. “She’s a liar.”

Groaning, Tori tipped her chin back. “Don’t start with this, Ror.”

“No,” you said, a little louder. “I think I will start with this, ‘cause it’s all… screwy, Tor.”

“How?” Your best friend pressed her lips together and put her hands in her lap.

Holding up a finger, you said, “First of all, I saw that video, her brother is at home.”

“Okay?” Tori shrugged. “Maybe he was missing that morning, and then he came back home. She can still be upset.”

“For this long, though?” you questioned, twisting on the couch to face her entirely. “Get over it already, man, it’s been a week. I once didn’t hear from my dad for a month, you think I let that hang over me once he came back? No!”

Tori tilted her head, sliding a hand over your leg. Not picking up on her attempt to comfort you, you continued.

“And, not for nothing, but it really seems like she’s milking the whole thing. Her brother had problems, we know this, don’t we all have problems?”

Tori glanced up behind you, behind the end of the couch and sat up straight. “Ror, hang on, Ror.” Grabbing onto a hand she held out to you, you shook your head. “No! She’s, like, using it for attention. Who in their right, conscience mind would use their own brother for their own personal gain? He has problems, Tor, and she’s using them to her advantage. My god, she’s already Vice President, what, does she want to take Yeji’s job? No one wants Yeji’s job. Either way, she’s lying!”

“Aurora,” Tori whispered, her eyes wide. “Stop talking.”

“Everyone wants to shut me up,” you grumbled, messily slipping out of her grip. “Can’t do anything, or anyone in this place without being burned at the stake for it.” Standing to your feet you turned to walk out of the room, but froze in place.

Her eyes were as wide as Tori’s, but not as full of shock. Instead they were pointed, and angry.

“You think I’m lying?” Mina spoke through her teeth.

Downing the rest of the contents in your cup, you dropped it to the floor and started to smile. “I don’t think you’re lying, I know you’re lying.”

“Aurora,” she said. “You think I would do that?” Nodding without a care, you crossed your arms. “Why?” Breathless, she spared Tori a glance who stood up behind you.

“Because,” you started, then laughed when Yunho conveniently appeared behind her. “Of course,” you threw a hand toward him, “Thanks for showing up.” Looking at Mina you pointed at Yunho. “That’s why.”

Mina looked at him, her brows screwing up on her forehead. “What!?” She whipped her head back to you, her bob swinging beneath her chin. “You think I would lie for Yunho? He has nothing to do with this.” The boy's eyes shot open, catching on.

“Not for him, Mina, to have him,” you said, speaking slowly, chopping up your words like she was a child. “You need his attention so bad that you’ll lie to keep it, ‘cause you have some sixth sense that tells you that he’s been-” “Aurora!” Tori shouted, taking your wrist, tugging you backward.

Mina grit her teeth. “You’ve been jealous since last year, Aurora.” She threw a hand behind her to touch Yunho’s chest. “He would tell me all about it.”

You met his eyes, his worried, anxious gaze.

“The complaints, ugh,” Mina rolled her eyes, looking up at him. “Don’t deny it, Yo. Remember in the summer?” She looked at you, her glare hot. “You wouldn’t leave him alone, Ror, it was pretty desperate.”

You felt like you’d been kicked in the gut. Yunho couldn’t say a word, he could only watch his world burn in front of him.

“I’d have left him alone if he told me he was with you,” you spat, testing your limits in Tori’s grasp, attempting to lunge forward. “Your boyfriend didn’t tell me a thing.” Mina shared a look with him.

“Aurora, don’t you dare say anything you’re gonna regret,” Tori whispered to you. Some people had their heads turned toward you and Mina’s shouting, watching the scene take place. “Don’t be stupid.”

“You know he complained about you too, Mina,” you said, cocking your head to the side. Grinning, you laughed aloud. “Is she why you always needed two rounds, Yo?” Something flashed across her face, but you couldn’t read what. Yunho, though, looked like he’d been shot. “He’s been fucking me since May, Mina,” you curled your lip. Her face went unchanged. Gasps were heard around you. Lunging in Tori’s hold again, you laughed. “He kisses you but he’s inside of me.”

Tori attempted to walk away with you, but your feet dug into the floor. This was entirely too much fun, better than joining San and his latest conquest into his bedroom. She spoke to someone behind you, but your ears were ringing, you could hear your blood pumping.

“Just wait till you get him like that,” you said. “If you ever get over yourself and let a boy touch you.” Stumbling over your feet you headed toward the archway with Tori. “Ask him to get on top, you’ll love the face he makes!”

september 28th ~ saturday ~ 1:10 a.m.

[hbic]: She confessed. Straight up. Word for word.

[seonghwa]: What the fuck, now what? If she outed herself, no sense in us doing it all over again.

[hbic]: Yeji is expecting it from us. I’ll tell her what happened. Will let you know what we’re doing.

september 28th ~ saturday ~ 1:13 a.m.

“Stay here.” Tori’s tone was stern, her hands firm on your shoulders as she propped you in the corner of the empty kitchen. Everybody danced about the living room, or the hallway, even the upstairs. There wasn’t much for them here except for a quiet space. “You’re insane, Ror, insane.” She hurried from the corner, your voice stopping her for a few seconds.

“Where are you going?” you asked, peeking at her from around the fridge. Her hair flipped over her shoulder, her eyes ablaze.

“To clean up your mess.”

Laughing as she walked away toward Mingi waiting in the doorway glaring at you, you attempted to run through what had just happened, what you threw in Mina’s face, what you had done to you and Yunho’s relationship, and you couldn’t comprehend it. You couldn’t figure out why you did it, why you said what you said, but it felt really good to say it to her face. To finally be rid of a secret that was becoming too heavy to carry. Last you heard, he was with her anyway. He could comfort her if she was upset, if she was hurt. Though, she didn’t show much of that.

She didn’t show much of anything.

Sliding down to the tiled floor, your smile dropped, and you took in the quiet. A sound so loud, even with the bumping of the music across the house. Alone with the room spinning, you took a shaky breath and felt the familiar lump in your throat.

“Why am I gonna cry?” you mumbled to yourself, attempting to blink away the tears welling up in your eyes.

Don’t cry, you thought. She deserved it.

You suppose Yunho deserved it, too. This whole time, bouncing back and forth between the two of you, even if he made the whole thing out to be him not so interested in Mina, and very much interested in you. Your closest friend of almost three years now, playing you like a fool. Confused, because it didn’t seem like he wanted to be playing you, you’re reminded of what you thought of when Mina was telling you about how good Yunho was that first week back.

Yes, him.

Yes, Yunho.

You should’ve taken your own advice.

Tears fell steadily now, staining your cheeks, falling onto the sundress you wore. You could’ve stopped it, you had all the power in the world to put an end to you and Yunho, but something kept you going, and you’re not sure if it was him or if it was your own fucked up perception of love. He spoke empty words, and you took it like he was giving you the stars from the sky. Depth didn’t exist. He didn’t remember. He never remembered.

You took his crumbs and were content with starving. For what?

“Ro?”

Lifting your head, going dizzy, you tried to wipe your cheeks but it was no use, the tears were replaced in seconds. Blinking, you found Wooyoung making his way through the kitchen, a certain hurriedness in his walk.

“You’re gonna make this worse,” you cried, squeezing your eyes shut.

He paused in front of you, squatting down. “Ro, I don’t want to make it worse, I want to help.” His voice mimicked the way he was just walking, quick and rushed, all while trying to stay calm.

“Why do you want to help me?” Opening your eyes, he wore that face he’d give you months ago.

“Because you’re really drunk,” he said carefully. Reaching out a hand, two of his fingers touched the hem of your dress and tugged it over your legs where your knees were pulled into your chest. “You don’t have to like me, you can hate me all you want right now, but please, just trust me. Let’s go outside.”

Sliding your legs out straight, your feet touched his ankles. Sighing, you shook your head and let out a cry. “It’s because of you.” Wooyoung raised a brow. “You did this.”

He held back his smile. “I got you trashed and on the floor of the kitchen?”

Holding back your own smile, you sniffled and whined. “It started with you, all of this, you’re why it’s a mess, you’re why this is happening. I was trying to get over you, and I made a mess.”

Glancing away for a second, Wooyoung held out a hand and released a breath. “Okay, let me make it up to you then, please. Come outside with me.”

“Why?” Giving him a look, he returned it.

“Because,” he said, looking toward the entrance of the kitchen. “There’s people who aren’t nice in this house.”

“And you are nice?”

Wooyoung sighed, shaking his outstretched hand he wanted you to take. “I’m trying to be nice.”

Scoffing, you shook your head. “Nice for what?”

He took a breath and looked you dead in the eyes. “Because you may have gotten over me, but I am not over you.”

He may as well have sucker punched you in the chest. You couldn’t feel your body. You were drunk, but you were not expecting those words to come out of him.

“I don’t believe you,” you whispered, and he cringed.

“I don’t expect you too, not after what you’ve been through,” he muttered, shaking his hand for the last time. “Not after what they’ve put you through.”

What?

“I told you, Ro,” he said, his voice tiny. “These people will snuff out anything standing in their way of what they want. They will get what they want, that’s why we need to leave.”

“What are you talking about?” Finally taking his hand, he sighed in relief and helped you to your feet, but it was too late.

“Oh, good,” Yeji said, turning into the kitchen with Mina and the rest of the board, from both houses, behind her. Even Tori. Even Yunho, and Mingi. “You’ve got her, good work, Wooyoung.”

He shook his head and moved in front of you. “No, I didn’t get her, I didn’t find her. We’re leaving.”

Hongjoong, with his hands folded in front of him, laughed. “I don’t think so.”

“Aurora,” Yeji took the attention back. Peeking at her from over Wooyoung's shoulder, you stepped to his side and tightened your grip on his hand. Tori’s tear filled eyes glanced at them, then let out a quiet cry. “Something has been brought to my attention.”

Taking in the other girls, Yuna was in shock, her hands planted to her chest. Chaeryeong and Mina though, they were smiling. Tori clamped a hand over her mouth and looked at Mingi for help. Her boyfriend could only shake his head. In disappointment? In disapproval? You weren’t sure.

“What has?” you asked, hoping to play dumb, but these girls were smarter than that. Yeji was smarter than that.

Towering in the archway, Seonghwa hung his head low, piercing you with his gaze. Jongho stood behind Hongjoong as usual, wearing some form of shock like Yuna. Then Yunho, jaw tight, eyes glassy, he couldn’t look at you.

“Not only have you broken a brand new rule that’s been set into place, you’ve also broken the trust of several members of both houses,” she took a few steps into the kitchen. “Not only that, but it’s been going on for a while. Since we’ve been back, is that right Mina?” She glanced over her shoulder and the sleek brown bob gave her a nod.

“I didn’t mean to,” you whispered, throat tightening. Grabbing onto Wooyoung's arms with your other hand, you pressed your fingers into his skin. A few recruits wandered up behind the board members, curious. “I promise, I didn’t mean to.”

“That doesn’t matter, unfortunately,” Yeji said, a ghost of a smile haunting her lips. “There are consequences.” She shifted her eyes over to Wooyoung and batted her lashes. “Wooyoung, you’re not needed any longer, you can leave.”

Your heart burst into pieces. Tears thickened, you let go of him, but he didn’t let go of you. Looking at you, Wooyoung gulped, then shook his head.

“No,” he said, and Yeji’s demeanor faltered.

“Wooyoung,” she said, her voice dripping with venom. He shot her a look and fully laced his fingers with yours.

Shaking his head again, he said, “No.” Taking a few steps forward with you, he said, “Let us through. We’re leaving.” Jongho stepped around Hongjoong, coming closer to the two of you. Wooyoung looked up at him and snickered. “Come on, man, let us through. I don’t feel like making a mess of anyone's kitchen tonight.”

“Wooyoung,” Yeji snapped. “Let her go, and leave the room.”

He half listened to her. Taking his hands off of you, he clenched his jaw and walked up to her. Entirely vulnerable before all of them, you wrapped your arms around yourself and dug your nails into your skin.

“Good job,” Yeji smiled at him. She lifted a hand to touch the bottom of his chin. “Your work here is done.”

Smacking her hand away before it could touch him, Chaeryeong gasped and Mina narrowed her eyes as Wooyoung opened his mouth. “It is, Yeji. My work here is done. I’m done playing your game. I’m done being a puppet.”

“Wooyoung,” Yeji whispered, her fists clenching at her sides. “Watch it, you know what’s going to happen.”

Looking back at you, Wooyoung shrugged. “I think it’s pretty worth it.”

“You don’t even know if she’ll want you,” Yeji said, her voice never breaking. “You’ll lose all of this,” she gestured to everyone behind her. “You could make it out of this with nothing, or, you could walk out of here with us on your side. You take your pick.”

He smiled at her. Looking at his brothers, he nodded. Hongjoong stared him down, his eyes flickering to Yeji for a few seconds. When Wooyoung turned to come back to your side, you let him take your hand. He was wearing that face again. That I care about you face.

“Wooyoung,” Hongjoong almost shouted.

“You have several other pawns to play with,” Wooyoung snapped at him. Then he looked at you. He made sure you were looking at him when he nodded. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, and you couldn’t feel your knees. “I want you to believe me, but I understand if you don’t, okay?”

“Okay,” you whispered.

“Last semester,” he started, and the nausea must’ve been apparent on your face because he slid a hand over your cheek as tears fell. “What you thought happened? What you think we did? Me and Yeji?” You took a shaky breath and he brushed away tears beneath your lashes. “It didn’t happen. It never happened.”

The boys in the archway whispered to one another, turning into a circle while Yeji, Chaeryeong and Mina watched them, waiting for something.

“What?” you gasped, eyes shooting open wide.

Wooyoung nodded. “It wasn’t real. It was made up, it was a lie. I never slept with her, she made it seem like we did.” Making sure you kept your eyes on him, he squeezed your hand. “Aurora, I was hurting. You were clearly in love with him, and I was watching it happen. I wanted to give you… everything. I’ve never felt like this about somebody, ever, and I barely even had you.”

There weren’t any words you could piece together to give him any sort of answer. Beside yourself, you could only coach yourself to take deep breaths.

“I fell into their game, and it was easy to do, you know what everybody thinks of me,” he said, and that hurt your heart more than it should. “I don’t understand how I’m sluttier than San, but that’s besides the point.”

“What’s the point?” you whispered.

Wooyoung took a breath. “You were supposed to be the president, Ro.” Your legs almost gave out. Moving his arms to your waist, he held onto you. “She paid them off. They wanted you. The others wanted you. When the houses came together to decide who’d move up, who’d get the spot, your name was on the list.” He gestured his head toward the archway. “They still have the fucking papers, I’ve seen them.”

“Tori,” you whispered, and Wooyoung listened. “Tori knew? Yuna?” You both lifted your heads to look their way. Chaeryeong, Mina and Yeji joined the group of boys. Tori and Yuna were against the wall, holding onto each other. They didn’t know. Your best friend pleaded with you with her eyes to believe her. Mingi moved from the group, his own eyes wide, joining his girlfriend who pushed him away.

“Ro, they wanted to get you out,” Wooyoung whispered. “I’ve been watching all of this happen since last semester. I know that makes me not a great person right now, I could’ve told you, but there was a lot at stake. A lot that I’m not afraid to risk right now, because this is ridiculous.”

“What is it? What’s going to happen?”

“He’s done, Aurora,” Hongjoong said, loud enough to cut into the bubble you and Wooyoung were creating around yourselves. “He’s out. No more ATZ for Wooyoung.”

NU home ✧ nice for what masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ thank you for reading <3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

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lambsouvlaki · 1 year ago

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For the Hell of It - Pampering

Characters: Jason Todd x fem!oc

Rating and warnings: G, mention of violence between Bruce and Jason.

Word count: 750

Summary: She looks after Jason after he has a bad fight with Bruce.

Masterlist

Jason leaned his head forward, his expression hidden, as she massaged his tense and knotted shoulders. His hair was going frizzy in the steam of the bath, and his skin was buttery from the products she melted in it. Music played softly through the walls from the living room of his apartment.

He was usually bullish about letting her pamper him, or letting anyone look after him at all, but he was emotionally wrung out tonight. He gave only token resistance before caving.

He and Bruce were fighting. It was much worse than she had seen before. To her horror, everyone else was grieved but nobody was surprised.

Jason had dark bruising around his eye and his wrist was in a splint, elevated above the water. The bruising had bloomed so colourful it could only have been earlier in the week, but he didn’t actually tell her at the time. He didn’t know how to talk about the painful things, outside of throwing them back in people’s faces when he felt vulnerable.

She had to hear about the fight from Babs.

He made a soft noise as she steadily worked the broad expanse of muscle. She kneeled outside the partially sunken tub. The tension had been slowly seeping out of him since he sank into the fragrant, milky water. Coco-butter, vanilla, and sandalwood coaxed him into letting go.

She had known him long enough to know there was a rhythm to his relationship with Bruce, and his family as a whole. Like a tide, it ebbed and flowed. Sometimes it flooded, breached the barricades and destroyed things, sometimes it withdrew and exposed all the little things normally hidden beneath the waves.

And given time, it always rolled back. Even if she wished it wouldn’t.

Now wasn’t the time to be obnoxious about her opinions on his family. She was pretty sure he knew anyway.

He turned very quiet as she worked out the last of the tension from his upper body, then smoothed her hands over his skin. She pulled him gently to lean back against the back of the tub. She got up to fetch the shampoo.

His splinted arm reached out as she returned. He wrapped his hand around her leg and tugged her closer.

Hearing the silent request, she swung her leg around to sit behind him on the lip. A bare leg sank into the water on each side of him. He pulled one over his shoulder and held her calf. He pressed a kiss to her knee.

She poured hot water over his hair with a jug, carefully shielding his eyes with her other hand.

He began to silently cry.

She didn’t say anything. She worked up a lather and massaged the shampoo into his scalp.

“Why do you stick with me?” he asked, his voice rough.

Because I love you.

She bit her tongue.

“You make me happy.”

He scoffed wetly. “You can do better.”

“I can do a lot worse.”

He moved his head as though to look away. Only there was no looking away, no escaping her here. His hand on her leg flexed.

“I can’t promise you forever,” he said, tone hard with self hatred. “I can’t even promise next week. Or tomorrow.”

She gently rubbed little circles into the base of his scalp, just behind his ears, as she thought that over, and tried to hide away the ache in her heart. There were no rings or white picket fences in their future, she always knew that. But he would be at her side with just as much dedication as if there was. She knew that beyond any doubt. Jason didn’t know how to abandon people. If he did… he wouldn’t have two black eyes and a shattered helmet.

It wasn’t fair. To him, first and foremost. She hated it. He couldn’t promise what he did not have.

“Nobody can promise forever,” she said eventually.

He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. “Well, liars and fools can. But I don’t want empty promises.”

He grasped her leg tighter.

She rinsed the lather out, shielding his eyes again.

He tilted his head back against her. His eyes were shut, with shiny tear tracks down both cheeks. The last vestiges of resistance gave out and he went boneless in her grasp.

She leaned down, trailing her hands down his scarred body to rest over his heart. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and counted the beats, while he fell apart.

Next>>

#Jason's selfhatred vs Andys loyalty: fight #acts of service as love language #jason todd #red hood #jason todd x oc #red hood x oc #jason todd x fem!reader #jason todd x reader #for the hell of it #my fanfic #dc #fluff #hurt/comfort

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melissacameron4 · 2 months ago

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the one with the jenna thing part 2

warnings: warnings: (some but not limited to) death, implied death, sex, lying, swearing, angst, smut

"Dad, I'm telling you, she slept with that detective!" I informed my father.

"Well, even if she did, she did it to save Hanna's ass. And let me tell you something, if you ever do anything illegal, I will kick your ass so hard, especially if you don't tell me." I thought of The Jenna Thing. Should I tell my dad the truth? Just then, my phone buzzed.

I pulled it out, looking at who it was from.

"Thinking about telling Daddy about Jenna? Might want to

consider all the other beans you'd have to spill... starting

with this one." The picture attached, was a picture of Noel

and me hooking up in his car.

- A

Crap.

"Hello?" My dad called me. "Anybody home in there?" I snapped out of my gazed and looked

to him. I quickly put my phone away.

"Yeah, yeah. What were you saying Dad?"

"Who was that?" Crap.

"Just, just Spencer." I said quickly.

"Spencer? I thought you guys weren't friends anymore?" Dad asked, confused.

"We... We started talking again." I said absentmindedly like it was nothing.

"Okay." He said, suspicious of my behavior.

We turned to the morning news, where Detective Wilden was making a statement to the press. "The coroner did release his findings this morning, and although Alison Di Laurentis' body did show signs of a blunt-force head trauma, the cause of her death was suffocation." Dad shut the TV off.

"Enough of that. Is Noel picking you up today?" Dad questioned.

"No," I said absently. "He's got practice so Hanna is."

"Then why is she picking you up?" Dad asked, confused. "Lily! For God's sake put your phone away!"

"What?" I asked him, startled, looking up from my phone.

"Put the phone away and have a conversation with me."

"Okay."

"Well?" He asked, waiting for me to respond.

"Well, what?" I asked him, confused.

"Why is Hanna picking you up?"

"Oh, because Hanna doesn't do sports and Noel has early morning practice. Noel is bringing me home after school. That, and we have a biology test tomorrow, and I don't know anything that's going on in that class."

"I presume that's one of the five classes you have with Noel?"

"Yep, and while science is not his forte, he definitely knows more than me. And enough to help me."

"Okay," Dad nodded. "I work late tonight, so I'm going to see if Hanna and Ashley can come over."

"What?" I demanded. "Why?"

"Because I don't want you two home alone together." Dad said plainly.

"Dad!"

"What?"

"I thought we got over this."

"We did. Until I found out you were having sex."

"Dad!"

"Well, you are."

"I'm going to kill Hanna."

"I'm getting you birth control, one of us can pick it up tomorrow at the pharmacy. But until then, I don't trust you two alone."

"Oh my God, Dad."

"When you decided to have unprotected sex you lost my trust."

My phone buzzed.

I'm here

- Han

"Hanna's here." I snapped at my dad. "I'm leaving."

"I know that you're mad at me," Dad started to say.

"That's a freaking understatement."

"But I'm doing this because I love you."

"Ya know, maybe you should talk to Mrs. Marin again, and this time you can tell her that you took away my life." I slammed the door behind me and all but ran to Emily's car.

"You're being dramatic!" He yelled out the open window.

"Where do you think I get it from?" I yelled straight back at him.

"What's got you in a mood?" She asked as I got in, giving me her concerned look.

"You're mother."

"What?" She said, puzzled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just drive, before my dad takes any more of my life away."

After we got to school, I beelined straight to Noel, who was at my locker.

"We're going to study tonight, right?" He asked, hugging me.

"I'm going to try. Dad said we aren't allowed to be alone together." I sighed, still completely annoyed with the situation.

"Why? I thought we got past that months ago?"

"We did." I deadpanned. "But Hanna saw me ditch the other day and long story short, her mom told my dad and now my dad won't let us be alone together."

"That's," He started to say but I cut him off.

"Don't say it. Okay? Just, don't." I rubbed my forehead. "Let me talk to Hanna. Maybe we can do a study night at Sean's and we can slip away for a while, okay?"

Noel slid his hands into my back jeans pockets, thumbs close to my back. "If not, we can always skip health class again," He whispered in my ear. "Or history. Or even a whole day." between each sentence, he kissed me. When he finished, my hands were at the nape of his neck and I was breathless. I pulled him close to me and just as we started to kiss, the intercom interrupted us.

"Will the following students please come to the office : Emily Fields, Lily Grey, Aria Montgomery, Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin." I groaned and pulled away from my boyfriend.

"Talk to Sean please." I begged him.

He nodded at me. "Promise."

"Okay, good!" I kissed him again, before Spencer grabbed my hand and dragged me away from Noel.

As we caught up with the other three, Aria's phone went off. "Wait, it's from - A."

Hanna looked over Aria's shoulder and read the text aloud. "Dead girls walking."

Once we were all in the office, we were interrogated by Detective Wilden, who was easily becoming my least favorite human being.

"So let's see..." He said, looking at the file before pointing at Spencer. "You thought you heard her scream?"

"I - I said that, yeah."

"And when you four woke up in the barn, Alison was gone, and so was Spencer?" He asked the rest of us. I wiggled in my spot. I hated this. I squeezed closer to Hanna and Spencer.

"Yes, I woke up before them." Spencer saved us from having to talk. "And I realized that Ali was missing, so..." She trailed off.

"So you went looking for her." He filled in the blanks.

"That's what happened." Spencer said with a fake smile.

"I got that. So," He said, looking at us. "Was this a slumber party, or...?" I did not like this man. How on earth did he become a cop, much less a detective?"

"Is this an interrogation?" Spencer asked him.

"It feels like an interrogation," I mumbled to the girls.

"No, just a routine follow up. Why did you guys fall asleep?" He asked another question, making this really feel like an interrogation.

"I guess we were tired," Aria told him.

"Tired? Really." He didn't believe us. "Is that how you remember it? Hanna? Lily?"

"Yeah," We said in sync, quietly.

"Yeah, you guys were tired." He said in that same condescending tone as before, like we were lying about that night. But little did he know, we didn't lie about that night, just a different night.

"Look," Spencer said, trying her best to sound like her mom. In her defense, her mom was a lawyer. "We've told you everything we know, just like the night she went missing."

"I know, and you see, the thing is, it's almost exactly what you said last year -- almost like it was rehearsed." This man was getting on my every last nerve.

"Like Spencer said, we've told you everything we know." Aria added.

In the cafeteria, we were all together again. "He knows we're lying." Aria stated the obvious.

"No shit, Aria. You should be a detective." I snapped at her.

"Lying is not a crime." Hanna said.

"It is when you're giving false statements to the police. It's called obstruction of justice."

"And it is a crime." I added as an afterthought to Spencer's statement.

"Oh please!" Hanna snapped. "We lied about drinking. But the truth that matters is we don't know anything about what happened to Ali that night." She, like me, was losing her temper. It was never good when the two of us lost our tempers about the same thing.

"We also know about someone who might have wanted to hurt her." Spencer told us.

"We should have told the police the truth about Jenna's accident the night it happened." Emily scolded, as if none of us had wanted to tell the police.

"We wanted to," Hanna explained, pointing between the two of us. "Remember?" I nodded in agreement. We did want to tell the police when it had happened, but Ali had talked us out of it.

"We had a chance to do more than just tell the truth. We had a chance to stop Ali." Aria revealed, as if we actually had a chance to stop Alison from doing anything she wanted to do.

"But we didn't." Spencer interrupted my thought. "And telling the police now about what happened to Jenna isn't going to make her see again. It'll just ruin our lives."

"Will it? If Jenna knows that we weren't involved and that we genuinely feel bad about what happened to her, it might make her less angry about the situation." I explained my thought process.

All of a sudden, we heard a cane tapping on the floor. Jenna. Aria stood up and walked over to Jenna.

"Jenna?" Aria asked her. "It's - it's Aria. Do you.." She tried to find her words. "Want to come sit with us?" I glanced across the table to Hanna with a WTF look.

"Sure."

"So you're gonna be between Hanna and Emily. Spencer and Lily are right across from you."

"Thank you." Jenna told her. "So... This would be Alison's chair, right?" She sat down and Spencer nudged me.

I cleared my throat. "No," Emily said. "We're not even sitting at that table."

"We don't sit there anymore." I commented.

"You know, she came to visit me in the hospital after the accident." I looked down at my lunch. I knew that. Alison told me after the fact that she went to see Jenna. That was another reason why I thought that Alison didn't care why Jenna was in that garage that night.

"Alison did?" Spencer asked, confused. I glanced at Spencer before looking down again. Hanna kicked my foot from under the table. I looked up at her and gave a small smile.

"Mm-hm," She hummed. "Everyone misunderstood Alison, but I knew exactly who she was." That was weird. Why would she say something like that to Alison's best friends? Nobody would know her better than us.

Spencer changed the topic away from Alison and back to Jenna. "When did you get back Jenna? We heard that you were in Philadelphia, a school for the... visually impaired."

"You can say blind Spencer." She laughed a little. "It's not a dirty word." Que the awkward silence. I locked eyes with Emily and she bit her lip. "Wow. It's so quiet. You guys used to be the fun table. What happened to you girls?"

flashback

We were in Emily's bedroom, clothes were everywhere. We were having a fashion show. We were giggling, having fun. Not a care in the world.

"I see you!" Alison yelled, making us all stop. "Oh my God, I can't believe it." She raked the curtain close to her bedroom.

"Who was it Ali?" Emily asked her. "What did you see?"

"He was in that tree, spying on us! I'm so creeped out!"

"Who was it?" Spencer prodded her to tell us the name.

"It was that perv, Toby Cavanaugh."

"Are you sure?" Aria asked, wanting to confirm who it was before we did anything.

"Yeah, Alison. Are you sure it wasn't just a shadow from the tree?" I asked. I really didn't want to ruin anybody's life, if she didn't know who it was.

"Yes, I'm sure!" She said getting angry. "He was right there! I bet he saw all of us naked." Okay, ew. I didn't want anybody to see me naked.

"Should we tell someone?" Aria asked. We were all wondering what we should do next.

"I mean, we could. But I have a better idea." She smirked, devising a plan.

Fireworks were blasting. Everybody was having fun. Nobody noticed the six girls sneaking around, planning an awful prank.

"Are we sure he's not in there?" Aria asked for the millionth time.

"He's not, okay?" Alison soothed. "You've got the lighter, right Spencer?"

"Let's wait a second." Emily pleaded.

"What, Emily?" Alison asked her, exasperated.

"I don't want to do this."

"Fine. Go back. You're on your own." Once Alison got an idea in her head, she went through with it. The consequences didn't matter. And it was up to us to fall in line, or get out. There was no in between.

"Okay, maybe Emily's right. We should just call the cops. They'll take care of it." Aria chimed back in.

"Where's the fun in that?" Alison questioned us. "Girls, Toby Cavanaugh is a freak, and we need to teach him a lesson. If he thinks he can come and spy on us while we're in your bedroom, Emily, he needs to know that his little domain is no longer a safe little hideout. Who knows what he does in there all day?" She asked rhetorically. "That little freak."

"Are you sure it was Toby?" Spencer asked one last time, wanting to make sure it was him before we did anything.

"Ali, are you sure? Because this has consequences, if it ever gets out."

"Yes! And it's a stink bomb, for God's sakes, Lily. We're not nuking the place. Now, let's do it. Give me the lighter." Spencer hands Alison the lighter and I sank back next to Hanna.

"I don't like this." I told her quietly.

"I don't either." She agreed with me.

Alison threw something in Toby's garage and whatever she threw in there, it exploded. Alison ran back to us.

"Ali, what did you do?" Spencer demanded.

"Come on, let's get out of here." She told us.

"Let's go," We all said and ran off.

Our phones all rang at the same time and I took a deep breath. None of us moved to look at the message until Jenna said, "Aren't you gonna get that?"

If only she could see how guilty you look

- A

#fanfiction #pretty little liars #pretty little liars x oc #pll #pll fanfiction #noel kahn imainge #noel kahn x oc #noel kahn fanfiction #noel kahn #pretty little liars series #pll series

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awordsmith · 19 days ago

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Secrets and Liars

Chapter Five

----

I think we were all a little freaked out, and after that cop, I just wanted to go to sleep. Instead of heading to Spencer's after the funeral, we all took the day to process. I went home... But it wasn't home, not without him. Why–why won't he just...

Tears.

I cried myself to sleep last night, so I wasn't looking forward to getting up this early. I find Aria, Hannah, Emily, and Spencer at a table inside The Brew. I take a deep breath and push open the door.

Spencer spots me first, waving me over. I pull my hoodie's sleeve further down my wrists, taking a seat at the head of the table. "Why was Jenna there?" Aria looks between us.

"I guess she's back," Spencer mumbled.

"I'm more concerned with these messages," I state, pulling out my phone and sliding it in the middle.

"Do you think it could be here?" Emily frowns.

"How?" Hannah scoffs, "She's blind."

"Someone could be helping her–"

"Uh–Like who?" Hannah cuts Aria off.

"Her brother," Spencer looks up as if she's just caught onto something. "Let me see that." She takes my phone in her hand, flipping it to face her. "Do any of you guys remember what Jenna sounded like?"

"Like–her voice?" I quirk a brow.

"Guys, this is crazy," Hannah shakes her head, full of skepticism, "Jenna is not texting us!"

"Can you–lower your voice?" Spencer looks around the coffee house, making sure no one heard Hannah's loud statement.

"Ugh–never mind," Spencer slides my phone back to me, holding her head in her hands.

I hesitate a moment before deciding to ask the girls, "Did you guys know Petra Li was back?'

"No way," Hannah leans back in her chair, taking a longer sip of the tea she'd ordered, eyeing me expectantly.

I avert my eyes, but Aria responds, "Yeah, no I think I saw her in the courtyard Monday."

"No, I didn't," Spencer rolls her neck, trying to message it slightly."

"I don't know why she'd even want to come back. It's horrible–what happened."

"I mean, it is kind of her fault though," Hannah frowns at Emily, to which I agree. If she had never rigged that competition, I would never have gone out of my way to get back at her.

"I just can't believe it turned out to be true, though," yeah, and how was I supposed to know it would turn out to be true!? It's not like I did research on her sexual history before deciding to spread those rumors!

"Yeah–but–you have to agree, whoever posted those photos of her is seriously twisted." Emily points out–to which I find my eyes rolling.

"Maybe they're the ones texting us."

"It's something Alison would have done," though it was me, what I said still rings true, I see them accept it with both their silence and averted eyes.

Spencer sighs and stands, "I'm gonna go get another coffee, do any of you want anything?"

"Iced White Mocha please," I say, happy to switch the subject.

"Add another shot?"

"And make them blonde, pretty please?" She half laughs and shakes her head at me batting my eyelashes.

"Hannah!" Aria whisper-shouts.

Hannah shrugs, "it's medicinal," Aria rolls her eyes, "cramps."

"Yeah, right," I snort, pulling my phone back to me.

"It is!"

"No offence Han, but it's quite literally, 7:00 in the morning."

A notification makes my phone go off. I feel the air around us tense. The girls watch as I type in the password on my phone. A sigh of relief falls from my lips, "it's just Romeo." I wave it in the air so they can see.

Sighs float around the table as Spencer sits back down, "what's I miss?"

"Nothing," Hanna takes a sip of her now-alcoholic drink.

"Yet," Aria scoffs.

"Okay, I still don't get it," Emilt leans into the table, "how does A know something about me that only Alison knew?"

"Ali knew all of our secrets but–" Aria frowns, "–we never knew any of hers."

"I knew some," Spencer eyes the table.

"Go on," Aria urges.

"Talk," Hanna presses.

"I can't," she says and I wonder if I should say anything.

"No–you're not gonna drop a bomb like that and just clam up!"

"She'd so kill me if I told you." My heart drops and I look away, trying to focus on the breathing techniques Dr. Kierson taught me.

"She's dead–"

"Hannah." I glare.

Spencer sighs, setting her cup down, "Ali was seeing someone that summer."

"I knew she was keeping something from me–from us." We all glance and Emily.

"Well, why didn't she want us to know?" Aria asks.

"Because he was an older boy and he had a girlfriend." Spencer shrugs.

"Who was it?" Emily again, but I'm more curious as to Spencer's answer. Did Ali really tell her more than she ever told me?"

"She never told me his name."

"Okay, that's only half a secret." Hannah clarifies.

"Well, it's more than you ever got from her."

Out of nowhere, I find myself blurting, "Ian." The girls spin to me, I avoid their eyes, "That's why she was interested in field hockey. She wasn't there for the sport, she was there for the coach."

"Okay–what?" Spencer asks, "No–there's no way."

"Spencer, "I hold her eyes, "Ali was seeing Ian that summer."

----

The sky ahead of me is still blue. I'm so over summer, autumn can't come soon enough. We still went to school today, had an awkward conversation with Jenna during lunch in the cafeteria, and Aria got another message from A.

As soon as the bell rang, I hopped in my car and started driving, At first hadn't a clue as to where I was headed, but then the streets started fading, and the city I'd known so well just a year ago started appearing before.

I needed to find home one more time–and no–this isn't exactly home but it's as close as I may ever come to it again.

I park outside the stone building, watching strangers come and go. I miss him. I think it's selfish, but I do, and I don't know why.

I don't think it ever occurred to me that I could lose him. I grab my phone, purse, and keys, open the door when it's clear, and step onto the sidewalk.

I wonder if any of these people recognize me. I wonder if I hold a place in their mind. I wonder what's on his...

I pull open the doors without hesitation, instantly feeling calmer. I want to hug the air around me. It's so quiet, so unlike the street bustling with noise. I've always loved the city, but I'll always love the quietness of The Piece.

This is where Jason would take me when I needed to get away–an art gallery. Any small issue, argument, or fight, he'd pull on my arm, and say, "TP?" and I'd always play fight him on it, "Could you clarify? Use it in a sentence, please."

This was our place. No one can ever take that away from me, not even him.

My smile tugs downward at the memories that race across my mind. So many scattered across this small gallery. I approach the sign-in sheet, the owner should be around here somewhere, at least someone might remember me.

I pause, the pen almost dropping as I read the last name that was signed.

"Katherine?"

My heart speeds to a stop. I spin on my heels, using the desk behind me for support, "Jason?" I barely get the name out without my voice wavering.

He wears a sad smile, "hey, Kitty Kat."

----

Chapter Seven

Hello again, I am pleased to announce Jason has finally entered the chat! I'm feeling like I might post two chapters tomorrow! Keep reading!

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asvterias · 1 year ago

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𝖲𝖾𝖼𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗌 𝖮𝗎𝗍 ~ 𝖭𝖺𝗈𝗆𝗂 𝖧𝖺𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌

Naomi Maria Hastings (Faceclaim as Siena Agudong)

This storyline is set in early season 5, so the liars are 18 years old so Naomi & Y/N are 16. This was just an random idea in my head that I put into words.

Warnings: Steamy Scene, Hickeys & Mentions of Cyber-Threats

Pairings: Fem!Black!Fields!Reader x OC!Naomi Hastings, Fem!Black!Fields!Reader x Platonic!The Liars x OC!Naomi Hastings

Summary: Maintaining a secret relationship with Naomi for 2 years was challenging but you made it work. Too bad, A’s always seeking and wrecking havoc, just for the confrontation of secrets to their enjoyment.

Tag List: @lvc-lv @cyansadness @ashreblogsnow @helovesthisgorillagripper

Word Count: 3.5k+

Author’s Note: Kinda got inspiration from @redhairedwolfwitch with one of her PLL storylines.

GIF credit: violetsbaudelaire-archive

(Y/N) Fields was a reserved girl, allowing others to know what you wanted them to know. You were the baby sister of Emily Fields by two years and the youngest child of Pam and Wayne Fields. Despite being adopted by the Fields family, they loved you unconditionally as their own.

Your skin tone was an entrancing cocoa brown that pierced the sun beautifully and glistened underneath the moonlight. Your hobbies consisted of drawing and photography, all sketched things related. From young, you had a natural talent for your artistic and photographic skills and it only blossomed throughout your growing childhood.

At first, Naomi had called you over for a study session but then that quickly steamed up into a makeout session instead. The faint pop music was used as part of your study mechanism, which was seemingly being drowned out by both of you.

Textbooks and notebooks were splayed out everywhere, laying across Naomi’s bed. You thoroughly examine your Physics notes as Naomi studies her English notes. She decides to tease you, randomly having the urge to kiss you.

“You look so pretty when focused,” Naomi mumbles, leaning over to kiss your neck. Her gentle neck kisses were ticklish to the touch, making you squirm at first but you sighed in contentment.

Limbs tangled together, constant swooning with each other through quick stares, and the faint giggles erupting from both of you filled the quiet atmosphere.

“We have to focus,” You giggle at her wholehearted sensitive kisses, “Well, I have too at least, not everyone can be born Hastings.”

You pulled her away from those magnetic kisses and she shuffled closer, “Oh, believe me, sometimes being a Hastings is more of a curse than a blessing.”

“Then, I don’t know how you and Spencer manage to handle it every day.”

“Oh, we struggle a lot with that…” She lowly bites on your neck, earning a surprised moan as she looks up at you with admiration floating in her dilated pupils. “But I have a very magnificent girlfriend to keep me grounded.” She smirks, analyzing your relaxed face, and observes the forming hickey.

“Oh, I feel special. Another Hastings who loves me.”

“Another?! Who’s this other lucky Hastings?”

“Your dear sister, Spencer.”

“Now I’m feeling jealous all of a sudden.”

“Don’t worry, sweetie. You know that you’ll always be my number one girl.”

“I better be,” She playfully teases, trailing her fingers down to your thighs. You shiver at the sensual sensation that she dominantly radiated.

Her temptation overwhelmed you and just like she’d hoped, you gave in to her needs. Taking the initiative of resuming the passionate kiss, Naomi releases a shocked hum, reciprocating your kiss back. Your mouths were trapped in a hypnotic dance as you steadily straddled her lap, not breaking the kiss once and her hands wrapped around your waist.

A thud from downstairs breaks you out of your intense makeout as you both turn your heads at the door at the same time. You quietly gasped, tightening your grip on Nicole’s hand for reassurance and you both stayed silent. Staring at the closed door for a few minutes before looking back at each with nervous gazes written on your faces.

“Your door is locked, right?” You questioned, turning your attention to her.

Her eyes connected to yours and her arched eyebrows bunch together. “Yeah, why?”

“Then we have nothing to worry about,” You pushed your girlfriend on her back playfully, climbing onto her body as your lips ferociously captured hers again in a luscious manner.

/////

Back downstairs, Alison, Spencer, Emily, Hanna, and Aria walk in, settling themselves in the living room. Alison accidentally hit one of the moving boxes, resulting in a loud noise that was heard from upstairs. The girls had recently just gotten an A message, and as per usual, it freaked them out. However, this message lured them to Spencer’s house, which was very peculiar, even by the girls’ standards;

You aren’t the only teen liars in town, you have some living in your houses, right under your noses. Hint!! Hint!! It’s (Y/N) & Naomi…and if you wanna discover their huge secret, go to Spencer’s.

— A

“I just don’t get why A would bring (Y/N) and Naomi into this. They did nothing wrong!” Emily worriedly states, biting her nails anxiously.

“It was only a matter of time that A would bring them up, Em.” Aria frowns trying to reassure her best friend.

“Yeah, it totally sucks!” Hanna scoffs, “It’s not fair that A gets to dog-walk us whenever they mention our families.”

“Let me see that message again.” Alison grabs Emily’s phone, rereading the text message. Suddenly, all of their phones ring as they nervously all exchange glances, picking up their phones and looking at the new text.

Well Emily and Spencer it turns out that your sisters can keep a good secret, perhaps even better than all of you combined. Maybe they should join your little posse, and spice things up for a change.

— A

“Ugh, I’m so over that bitch.”

Just then, you and Naomi walked downstairs, snuggling in each other’s embrace, blissfully unaware of the girls, lounging around the living room.

“Hey, guys..” Aria greets you with a smirk plastered on her face, observing the lovestruck aura that was displayed by the two young teen girls. You jumped at their sudden presence as Naomi subtly moved away from you.

“Were you two guys home alone?” Spencer questions with a hidden smirk as you both walk into the kitchen.

“Yeah,” Naomi shrugs, getting the glasses from the cabinet and you take the orange juice out of the fridge. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the skeptical eyes of her sister and her friends. “What? Is that a crime now, I live in this house too!”

“No, no, not a crime at all.” Spencer awkwardly whistles, analyzing her sister’s movements. Very discreetly, Naomi’s stare was seemingly drifting to you, unable to keep her eyes off of you.

Much to Naomi’s dismay, she was refocused on her sister’s questions as she lazily pulled her eyes from you. “So, what were you guys doing up there?”

“Jesus, Spence, I didn’t realize that this was 21 questions.”

Aria squints her eyes, zooming in on the huge bruise on your collarbone and shoulder nudges Hanna to look at it as well. Naomi notices the hickey showing out in the open that everyone can see. You catch your girlfriend’s eye by the clearing of her throat and you discreetly cover it with your oversized hoodie.

“Just studying, Spence.” You grin at her. “Although, did I tell you guys that Liam tried to talk to me?”

Hanna, Aria, Alison, and Spencer were like older sister figures to you and you appreciated the sisterly bond that individually formed with each of them. They huddled in closer, eager to hear how your conversation with Liam went, their overprotective nature kicking in.

“Wait, Liam talked to you?” Naomi hurriedly asks with a tone of possessiveness.

“Liam, Liam? Not Liam Ross, your ex!” Allison exaggerates, rolling her eyes, “And he’s still alive because…”

“Yeah, but I deleted his number and he cornered me when I was out on my morning jog.” You shrugged, drinking your orange juice.

“I swear to god that I will run him over.” Spencer groans.

“Can it be soon?” Emily scowls at Spencer. “I’ll help you bury the body.”

“Wait, didn’t you break up with him?” Hanna inquires. “Why did you guys break up?”

“Yes, she did, Han. Like two years ago, he stupidly cheated on her.” Aria says, remembering the day like a distant memory.

“You ignored him, right?” Alison points out, “Did you use that taser that I brought you?”

“You got her a taser?” Emily asks her girlfriend.

“For protection purposes, like these experiences,” Alison advised.

“Well, what did he want?” Naomi came closer to you with a curious but jealous glint in her eyes. “What did he say? Did he hurt or threaten you?”

Out of the corner of your eyes, you recognized her proximity and gently nudged her backward, giving you some distance, as a form of dialing it down a notch. Obviously, they don’t call Spencer smart just for show, and sooner or later (and you’d rather later), Spencer was catching onto your friendship.

You failed to notice the exchanged glances between Emily and Spencer at your body language towards Naomi. The atmosphere was tense

“Are you guys dating?” Hanna was always classical with her timing, bringing thought back into the kitchen. Shocked by the sudden random question from the blonde, your eyes widened as you avert your gaze onto the kitchen floor. Naomi’s gaze fell on you instantly, and you knew that she was trying to silently reassure you without physical touch.

You briefly graze over her hand in gratitude, watching a thin-lipped smile appear on her face.

“Hanna!” Aria yells.

“What? It’s just a question and besides it’d be kinda cute.” Hanna defends herself, trying to explain her logic, “Mini Hastings dating Mini Fields so then we wouldn’t have to worry about stupid boys breaking their hearts or them being teen mothers. Either way, it’s a win-win!”

“Come on, Hanna. They’re both too smart to get recklessly pregnant.” Spencer rolls her eyes at her friend.

Quickly, your eyes caught onto Naomi and they wandered over to Emily who just raised her eyebrows in question, searching for an answer.

“Well, are you?”

“Are we what? Dating or pregnant?” You questioned, tilting your head to the side. It wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t a clear question that your sister had asked.

“(Y/N) maybe you’re a mini Hanna instead.” Alison counters.

Naomi stifles a laugh, in an attempt to cover it up but you heard it. You turned your head swiftly to your secret girlfriend, eyes peering at her in annoyance. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, nothing, (YN/N).” She shakes her head, trying to suppress her amusement at your confusion about the situation.

You faced your older sister. “You didn’t clarify the question, Em. How am I supposed to suddenly know which answer you want.”

“She has a point! That question would confuse me.”

“Here, Hanna!” Spencer hands her blonde best friend a cookie, “Eat a cookie!” She inspects the cookie before yanking it out of Spencer’s hand and munching on it. Aria just shakes her head at Hanna and Spencer’s interaction.

Emily looks at you, her eyes twinkling with concerned curiosity, “We both know which question I mean.”

You inhaled sharply, facading a blank expression as you prepared to shamelessly lie to your sister and her friends. Surprisingly, you were interrupted as Naomi spoke and lied on your behalf. “No, we’re not dating.”

“Well, are either of you pregnant?”

“Hanna, for god’s sake!”

“Give it a rest Hanna!”

“We’re just clearing that up!”

“Why is that always your most overused question?”

The rest of the girls shouted to Hanna, clearly frustrated with her logic of understanding.

“No, neither one of us is pregnant.” You informed her, laughing at the thought of being pregnant terrified you to the maximum and Naomi would never put that much trust in a hormonal teenage boy.

Hanna, Aria, Alison, and Spencer were like older sister figures to you and you appreciated the sisterly bond that individually formed with each of them.

“There, happy, Hanna?”

“Geez, just checking, no need to overreact.” She scoffs, grabbing another cookie.

“You do know that you can tell me anything, right?” Emily said, walking over to you. The rest of the girls disperse into the living room.

“Yeah,” You nodded your head in agreement.

“Good, because no one’s forcing you to come out. Come out when you’re ready.” Emily reassures you, and purposely looks over at Naomi, “Both of you.”

“Em!” You whisper shout at your older sister, dragging her into a private area away from everyone else.

“What? Please don’t tell me that you thought that you were being so secretive. Anyone with eyes could see that you and Naomi are in love, I’m just surprised that our parents haven’t figured it out yet.”

You sigh, looking down at the ground, awkwardly shuffling on your feet, “Thanks for not telling anyone, Em.”

“Of course, what are sisters for?” Emily nudges you in a comforting hug and kisses you on the head.

“Em, we need you,” Alison states, gesturing her over. She heads back to her group of friends.

When you made sure that their attention was purely focused, you sneaked up and hugged her from behind, rocking as you did so.

“Thanks for taking over.” You smiled in acknowledgment, feeling her squeeze your hands in response. She turned around, her hands caressing your face and stroking her thumb over your cheek lovingly as you pulled her in closer by the hips.

“Of course, anything for you, babe.” She pecks your lips, her heart melting at your beautiful smile. All of sudden, a rapid knock on the door brings you out of your stupor with your beloved girlfriend.

Naomi refused to let go of you, already demanding that she’d miss your warmth but you managed to escape her embrace.

“Wanna go back upstairs?” Naomi suggests with an apparent smirk.

“To study?” You arch an eyebrow at her seductive suggestion. Spencer pasts you to answer the door as you and Naomi continue to murmur your conversation.

“Definitely to study.” She winks and drags you upstairs for the privacy of her bedroom.

#𓏲 📂 ⋮ 𝗆𝗒 𝖿𝖺𝗏 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄𝗌 .ᐟ #oc x fem!reader #siena agudong #naomi hastings #no good nick #no good nick x fem!reader #pretty little liars #pretty little liars x fem!reader #nick franzelli #nick franzelli x fem!reader #nick franzelli x black!reader #nick franzelli imagine #naomi hastings imagine

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demigoddessqueens · 4 months ago

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Masterlist 11

Writing Drabbles

Intimacy

avert your eyes

SFW writings

Match up pairings - Valkyrie // Trevor Belmont // Alucard // multi-fandom pairing //

Song 🎶 fics - Vax fic // Percy fic // Grog // Caleb // Cadeuces // Grog - fic 2 //

Song fic: multi-party - Pike/Jester/Laudna //

Pretty Little Liars 💋/Original Sin 🔪- being mouse’s sibling //

Genshin Impact - Neuvillette flirting //

Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon 🐉- aegon + writing prompt // aemond headcanons // incorrect quotes // jock 💪 aemond //

Ewan Mitchell - Martin (in the modern world) //

The Decameron - Dr Dioneo fluff // Dioneo and the artist //

Hades - making out with Moros //

Marvel

MCUniverse - Namor + female general // Paradox ⚡️ headcanons // incorrect quotes // incorrect quotes 2 // incorrect quotes 3 // incorrect quotes 4 // incorrect quotes 5 //

Werewolf by Night - Jack Russell fluff //

X-Men - relationship headcanons //

Bridgerton - Benedict SFW (+ NSFW) //

Fallout - found family + Lucy //

Dune - Chani + sister!figure //

Ultraman Rising - kenji x male!reader //

A Quiet Place: Day One - dating Eric //

Monkey Man - writing prompt ask //

Blood of Zeus ⚡️- ares x Hindu!god!reader // Dionysus with pregnant!reader + twins // hard to get Ares // can’t carry a tune 🎶 // Hermes and Apollo twins // sneaking with Poseidon // childhood friend // rise of Venus 💕 // friends of monsters // plus size reader //

Critical Role 🎲

Vox Machina - thicc thighs // (my darling) yandere // grog + sorcerer!reader // Percy + harpy kiss // yandere Vax and Percy // bard oc + scanlan // kidnapped?! // wild witch 🧙// domestic + affectionate //

Mighty Nein - hold my ale // you get separated // flirting as a bard 🎵//

Bell’s Hells - constellation Druid //

Other -

Dungeon Meshi - toshiro headcanons //

Castlevania/Nocturne 🌙 - once upon a December // Fae healer lover // fall asleep on their shoulder // Trio + modern au // lover’s voice kink // divine paladin, cleric // roasts and insults // richter + elf!reader // sugar 🍬 rush //

Assassins Creed - Kenway friend // drunk Haytham // Connor and author s/o // the cuddling type // gyaru reader // altair and day off // Altair and eagles // Malik headcanons // markings of Eden // supportive Altair //

Codexmonthly prompts

July “magic”

August “rooftop”

September “leap”

Baldurs Gate - linking pinkies // peck 💋 on lips // practicing “I love you” // Gale + insecure!body reader // blue dragon in the rain // too close to call //

Batstarion 🦇 Week 2024 - day 6 // day 7

Star Wars - Rey skywalker + reader with anxiety //

NSFW writings

Twisters 🌪️ - sweet darlin //

Critical Role 🎲

Multiparty - match freak //

Vox Machina - lover & giver // ride of your life //

Mighty Nein - your reward + round 2 //

Bell’s Hells - braius fic //

Castlevania - you taste good (ft C.R.) //

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fourormore · 1 month ago

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[Image description: A polyam flag with the words “four or more fic-a-thon” on it. To the left of the infinity sign, there's a post-it that says "4 weeks to go". End description.]

THE FOUR OR MORE 2024 FICATHON HAS ONLY 4 WEEKS LEFT — Prompts by fandom

AO3 COLLECTION | SQUIDGEWORLD COLLECTION

Whether you've been itching to write something for that one prompt that you've been chewing on since day one or you're just hearing about this event and your curiosity has been piqued, this is your chance to see if someone has requested a fandom you're interested in. And if no one has requested your fandom, why not go ahead and leave a prompt. You never know who's watching.

Fandoms listed alphabetically with links to the respective prompts below the cut. Don't forget comments can have more than one prompt.

THIS LIST CONTAINS PROMPTS LEFT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 21st 1:30 pm GMT/UTC -4. Want to know if maybe someone has left more prompts after this? Check the main Ficathon post for more info.

A fandom you've never written before

Ace Attorney

Angel the series

Attack on Titan

Babylon 5

Buffyverse (Part 1)

Buffyverse (Part 2)

Chicago Fire

Chicago Med

Days of Our Lives

Doctor Who

Doom Patrol TV

Fate/Stay Night

Final Fantasy VII (Part 1)

Final Fantasy VII (Part 2)

Final Fantasy VIII

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Friends

Full House

General Hospital

Grey's Anatomy (Part 1)

Grey's Anatomy (Part 2)

Grey's Anatomy (Part 3)

Gossip Girl

Monster Prom

Pretty Little Liars

Psych

Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Saved by the Bell

Sense8

Star Ocean 2

Teen Wolf

The Murderbot Diaries

The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System

Twisters (2024)

Warhammer 40000

Women's Murder Club

X-files

Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS

Multiple fandoms or crossovers

A League of Nobleman, Tian Guan Ci Fu, The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System

Ace Attorney, Any fandom, Amphibia, Doctor Who, Dracula, The Owl House, Pokemon Horizons, Stardew Valley, The Great Ace Attorney, Star Trek AOS, Star Trek DS9, Star Trek Lower Decks, Star Trek TNG

Animator Vs. Animation, Any fandom, Deltarune, HfjONE, Omori, The Demon Headmaster (2019)

Angel the series, Buffy the vampire slayer (Part 1)

Angel the series, Buffy the vampire slayer (Part 2)

Any fandom, Angel the series, Buffy the vampire slayer

Any fandom, Charlie's Angels

Any fandom, Chicago Med

Any fandom, Danganronpa, Team Fortress 2

Any fandom, NU: carnival

Any fandom, Pitch Perfect

Any fandom, Love Between Fairy and Devil, Marvel, MDZS/The Untamed

Any PreCure Series, Delicious Party PreCure, Star Twinkle PreCure, Tropical Rouge PreCure

Beast Wars: Transformers, Detective Conan/Magic Kaito, Leverage, RWBY

Bridgerton (TV)/Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare or 1993 movie)

Caos, H2O, High School Musical: The Musical The Series, Outer Banks, Teen Wolf, The OC

Critical Role, Star Wars

Dead Boys Detective Agency, Julie and the Phantoms, Sense8, Star Trek Voyager, The Raven Cycle

Dishonored, Dragon Age

Final Fantasy VIII, MDZS, Teen Wolf, Voltron (2016)

General Hospital, MCU

Kamen Rider (various series), Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger, Samurai Sentai Shinkenger, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS

MDZS, Star Trek, The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System, Voltron (2016)

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us.

#polyships #poly shipping #polyam shipping #polyamorous ships #polyamory #writing event #ficathon #admin post #fourormore #OT4 #OT5 #OT6 #star trek #final fantasy #teen wolf #buffyverse #yugioh #polyamoryinfandoms #prompts

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plasticfangtastic · 1 year ago

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American Royalty ch. 5

A Homelander X F! Reader and Dadlander fic.

A/N: prev. chapters available in my pin post, if ya like to be added to my taglist feel free to drop a comment with a request. I wanted to post this tomorrow but yeah am a liar with ADHD UwU.

Tags: mild gore, angsts, lots of angst, slow burn, fluff, oc characther, child neglect, dadlander, romance... i guess i should also say unhealthy/toxic relationship.

Chapter five

Thick lines.

Ryan and Helena were exhausted, most of the obstacle course had been partially destroyed, the walls damaged quite severely, and the ceiling was dented, Homelander had learned two things: 1) Ryan holds back too much– too afraid to harm, too afraid to break things, too afraid of his own powers as if they would come right-back around and harm him, and 2) Helena’s forcefield could take a beating, it had taken Ryan quite a bit of rage for it to start cracking, the girl continued to taunt hi, calling him inept, throwing insults without care before it cracked down.

She had learned her limits, making notes for future reference.

So here he was putting pressure on her arm, as she bled profusely.

Ryan was crying blaming himself, while Homelander took her to the labs. The girl didn’t cry much, seemingly just angry, only wincing as her father squeezed her arm with curses in her lips.

You had run out of the kitchen, guards refusing you entry to the labs, while you demanded entry Homelander had emerged and ordered them to step aside, throwing daggers at them as he took your hand.

You cried as you saw the bandages on her arm, you cried harder when she wrapped her arms around you, bawling and shaking underneath them.

Homelander calmly explained that she ended up with twenty stitches and some blood transfusion, but she was fine, no bone had been touched and her body was healing slowly.

You barely listened.

When was the last time you saw her cry? She was a quiet baby, a perfect baby, by the time she could talk, crying seemed redundant when she could simply spell it out for you.

“What did you do!?” You picked your child, retreating from him– I fucking qu–

“It was my fault…” Ryan said drying his sobs– I’m sorry.”

“It was an accident. The kids got a little heated during training… I should’ve stepped in earlier.”

Homelander took Ryan under his arm.

You stared at the kid, then back at your own.

“Helena did you–” You stroke her back– Sorry that my daughter antagonized you… It won’t happen again.”

Your voice was quiet, unable to look at either child.

“Let’s go get your stuff. My apologies, Homelander but I won’t be able to continue my work today. She won’t be a cause of future concern…” You wanted to quit and leave this tower forever.

He lets you go, no doctor tried stopping you either, but you wouldn’t let your daughter stay at Vought, a nurse informed you to come back to change the bandages in two days but you rather take her to an actual hospital.

You looked at him knowing he was going to come around.

Coffee already on the stove and biscuits on the table already waiting for him.

“How is she?” He was genuine.

“She says it's too itchy… but her arm is alright.” you scratch at your head.

“You look tired.”

“I haven’t slept for almost a decade… that’s just my face now.”

“You didn’t quit.” He sat beside you on the big round-table, turning pale as you saw him sit on his cape, his eyes reddened as he tried to look calm– are you quitting?”

“I dunno. Helena can be pretty abrasive. I’m sorry your son fell for it, she doesn’t mean it… she just thinks that people are going to be cruel, so she’s cruel first.”

“Why?” He presses taking a quick glance at the livingroom and the misplaced toys.

“Try being in a classroom full of teenagers and be the smartest one in the whole room, they just see a smug midget who thinks she’s better than anybody else– they’re mean… kids in general are mean… but she eventually just scares them enough… there were other kids she’d hurt, nothing too severe.”

You stayed in silence not knowing if you should ask him to leave or not. If you should let him be privy of those events.

“She knows.”

“You!”

“She either figured it out or used her powers to find out.” He rested his elbow on the table stroking his tired eyes– I didn’t tell her but she would’ve noticed there was something going on.”

You yawned, taking a couple sips of coffee as he copied you. The silence unbearable and your eyes heavy and aching, gawking at him made you think of her.

“Your eyes and lips are identical.” That was an unusual smile on your face– when she was born that was the first thing I noticed, the second was that mop of hair on her head… she had so much hair and it was so long, but those were your eyes… sadly, you know I always thought your nose was your best feature but she got mine.”

You stood up asking him to follow you to the living room with a finger, taking a seat on the same sofa you refused to throw away.

“Tell me about her… Becca never had the chance… I cleaned that house and found pictures and trinkets, but without the stories I can only speculate. I don’t know his first words, the first time he walked, his first time riding a bike… I don’t know anything. She never wanted to tell me.” He leaned closer, his hand close to yours but never touching– Ryan is sorry, he was quite shaken.”

“Her first word was ‘morning’.” You spoke wanting to indulge, wanting to seem better for some reason.

You told him stories, there had been a time when you fantasized sharing all these moments with him, when you were younger and stupider. When you two began to get too serious, when he had called you baby, darling and honey with genuine affection, when you watched him sleep and caressed his hair awake. You’d dreamed of drinking wine while your kids slept by his side at one point and in this forced intimacy you could be as deluded as he was just in case he was holding something nefarious over your head.

You let him know about her silly things, about her first love… the chemistry set you bought her when she was five. About how she lived in their local library and everybody knew her by name, about how some of the kids expected her to become Brooklyn’s finest, about her hatred of pistachio and strong emotions about bird keeping.

You never expected to talk to him like this after everything, but today has been a rollercoaster and you simply hadn't been in you to fight, not now when your daughter knew, you were doing this to yourself so you couldn’t fight it, you gave him morsels and crumbs because you had no one to talk about this things.

“Is Ryan alright?” You asked leaning away from him, the night was so dark and only the kitchen in the back lit the house– it must’ve been so scary.”

“He was pretty shaken. Took me a lot to get him to stop crying…”

“Helena won’t hold any grudges… I think… I got an idea… has Ryan ever been to Coney Island? Maybe we can take the kids to the boardwalk, have hotdogs and hit the aquarium, Helena will not misbehave in there.” You put your empty cup on the coffee table– they can make up.”

He gave you a tired smile, knowing he had to head home soon but wanting to talk some more.

“Are you angry at her?” He asks weakly.

“She would’ve hurt Ryan. I figured out she was forcing him to attack when you said things got a little heated, that’s how she dealt with bullies in the past.” you looked him straight in the eyes– I am upset.”

He found a way to touch your hand, giving it a light squeeze.

“Don’t be… I think Ryan would like the aquarium, he’s never been.” He seemed ashamed of that statement.

“Remember when we used to sneak out to Central Park?” You said suddenly with a chirp in your voice.

“Those were long nights.” He dares give you a flirty look.

“No… those handful of times where we went during daytime… ditch the suit… more witnesses, more likely to behave.”

You tried ignoring those sharp fangs, he was so good looking still and it had been so fucking long since you got laid, being forced to remember him, to interact with him, to let him touch you… some people like to be used… Helena had said it best, and in this nice house he bought you, and the nice stuff he got you all around you, you remember what he was trying to get out of you, and that was to play a role.

At the doctor’s office, Helena cried a lot when the doctor took her stitches out, it had taken a day to heal but she was left with a gnarly scar.

“Phantasma” You sit next to her while she eats some ice cream, she really did not like getting the stitches out, the visit had reduced her to an actual little girl, even after her words were incoherent, skipping words as she cried all the way out to the ice cream shop, Helena’s skin was hard not like her fathers but it was near impossible to penetrate it with a needle, forced to proceed without real anesthesia– sounds better than ‘Ghost Girl’, no?”

She looked up.

“Sounds cool. Why?” she sniffed hard.

“Your father did ask about it…”

“Huh?”

“Honey. He told me you figured it out. How?”

She licked her ice cream cone, as you tucked her under your arm. Scooting her closer on the park bench.

“I used Elmo to break into his apartment. I turned us both invisible and I went up there.” You pulled on her ear– ouch!”

“Helena!”

“He’s been following us for weeks!” you let her go– I was curious as to what he was doing… I was suspicious of his intentions, found the paperwork in his office and played stupid for a couple days.” She handed you her slobbered cover ice cream– Is not appropriate for a grown man to be following little girls.”

“You shouldn’t use Elmo like that!”

“You aren’t mad I broke into his house?” She looked perplexed.

“Nah… I could have given you the passcode it's the first thing they gave me when I started work. Don’t involve the kid!” You took a bite– Jesus Helena! You being invisible is hard enough… I don’t want you ending up like Translucent! Guy was so mentally ill.”

“You knew translucent?” her ear perked up.

“He would walk around naked in the bathrooms– I’ll explain to you when you’re older, honey.” you handed the ice cream back, your lips tight under your teeth– I knew your father for three years… So I got to meet some of The Seven. Either way leave the kid alone and for all intents and purposes you never told me about the stalking…”

“You got something in mind?”

“We’re going to play his game. You’re his daughter… so that tower should be yours, no?”

“There’s my older brother to worry about, too.”

“He’s just a little boy, riding thru life with only nepotism as his anchor” You stroke her hair pushing her bangs away from her beautiful eyes– but he’s not you.” You leaned into her ear– you are my daughter.”

Her smile was sickly sweet.

Here you were waiting for him at the entrance of the boardwalk, when you felt a light touch on your shoulder.

He looked uncomfortable and maybe too dressed up for the occasion, you took the lapel of his suit jacket. It was the nicest fabric you’ve touched in your entire life, surprised to see his hair not as gel-up and his eyes hiding behind versace sunnies.

“Did you raid Kendall Roy’s closet? I swear I saw this jacket in season 3.”

“Is a good show.” he laughs looking painfully stiff, his eyes moving rapidly behind his lenses– and yes.”

“Wait, is this actually from the show?”

“I just said yes.”

Your mouth dropped slightly, but you did like the feel of the jacket.

“You’re more Shiv.”

“Not Logan I hope?”

You snorted in horror, your daughter pretended to be confused by his appearance trying not to look at Ryan, who looked like a deer in front of a hummer.

“Are you doing okay, little guy?” You asked, making sure to lift his hat playfully– Ever had a Nathan’s glizzy? Is an institution.”

The kid looked so shy.

“No, I never had one…” He was one bad word away from sobbing.

“Is okay. My arm is all good again” Helena's adult size hoodie had a big enough collar for her to pull down and reveal nothing but a scar– I am not mad at you. It was an accident… Besides, you can’t be a supe if you’re afraid of getting boo-boos.”

Ryan seemed more shaken than anything, but before he could do his best sad little orphan boy impression, Helena took his hand and dragged him forward, telling him that he needed to try Nathan’s before doing anything, rambling about how good they are, and that she couldn’t wait to see the Aquarium.

Both you and Homelander stood a few steps behind as your daughter gave the kid no time to rest.

“She’s always been this pushy?” He whispered into your ear.

“She just found out that’s her brother… She's a tad excited.”

“You had the talk? Without me!?” He looked upset, staring at his kids with a bit of bitterness.

“I was ambushed. I swear to god you need to figure out a weakness with her damn bubble.”

“What's the limit before she runs out of oxygen?” he asks.

“1 minute and 46 seconds is her personal best.” you whispered back.

“What did you tell Helena was happening today?” He wrapped his arm around your waist pulling you close.

“That it was a play-date, to try to mend the situation… after all she instigated it.” You leaned against him tugging on his jacket with a cheeky smile– not whatever you were thinking this was… now… get your hand off my ass, John.”

“I told you. I have a story to sell. Both kids are in the same school, now they can start being friends and she knows I’m her dad. Let’s just skip to the good part.”

“You want to pretend we are dating?” If your teeth could separate and let you talk with ease, you would bite his nose off before finishing your next sentence– Did you run that past your team? Sure I wouldn’t rank higher than Maeve or Starlight in the fake girlfriend department… I think even Taylor would rank better… she did make a great single out of you.”

He cringed at that comment.

“You’ll do great in the fake mother department– The team has concocted something extra juicy, a real page turner. Way above Hallmark channel christmas movies, we are talking award circuit instead.”

You both did that fake little laugh that sounded more like a growl as your kids turned around after spotting the white, green and yellow hot dog restaurant.

As Helena headed to the line, with Ryan in tow. You played your role, Helena would have what she deserves– if he wanted to force you and her into his life, you were going to wrap those chains so tight around his neck, he would forget he ever lived without it.

Your mouth met his for a brief moment, startling him enough that his hand left your hips, he was left stuck in place as you went after the kids.

The breeze tousled his hair, as you looked back at him with a saddened smile.

“I haven’t forgiven you… but I want to give you a second chance… I want to put all those things behind us… if you are going to be here for her– for us.” You whispered from afar out of your kids reach as Helena took your wallet, knowing full well he was listening attentively– I’ve missed you. Even if I don’t want to admit it.”

The seagulls squealed as he took his place beside you, wrapping his arm again around your waist just to kiss you yet again.

The moment Helena saw a fish tank it was game over. All her ‘Wednesday’ facade had melted as she became an over excited amateur marine biologist, giving his eldest no time of rest as she explained as many animals she could to the child, he had learned an awful lot about corals and kelp as they moved from exhibit to exhibit, admittedly Ryan was having fun, hanging out with other kids as school had been a bit difficult, his socialization skills were poor from years of isolation and homeschooling but this was nice.

Homelander could only see a kodak moment ruined by the myriad of The Deep billboards staring at him.

It was a bizarre game of stealth kisses happening behind the kids, he was starving for you, a desire he had put down in the cellar and today he found again, excited to play this game with you.

Wanting to feel your comfort, happy that you took his offer, now he only had to tell Ryan.

As you left for the bathroom he was left alone with the two kids, Ryan fixated on some animals and his mind elsewhere when Helena pulled at his sleeve.

“You look like you want to rip your skin off.”

“I don’t usually wear clothes like this?” he says politely– what about you? Why are you wearing that giant hoodie again? Don’t you own other stuff?”

It was big enough for an adult, her sleeves had been rolled up quite a bit and its length still touched her knees making her appear shorter than she already was, this had been the fifth time he had seen her in this fit, she wore black hoodies most of the times on top of her normal clothes– cheap thrifted clothes and hand-me downs somethign that irked the man; But this ridiculous hoodie seemed to be a favorite. The newest and nicest thing she owned was a pair of A-T Force 1, it pissed him off to watch her wear those shoes– why worship that fat slob when her father was the fucking Homelander! he thought.

“Is really nice… found it in an old box mother had with her while we were living in one of her cousin’s garage.” She stretched her arm urging the man to have a feel of the soft cotton fabric– She didn’t wanna throw it away ‘cuz she could sell it but I ended up wearing it a lot. I like it.”

The fabric was worn down but it was evidently of good quality, he spun the little girl around as he looked at the size tag, only to see the name of the brand… Brunello, his eyes widened as he noted that this hoodie easily cost over 1000 dollars, but as the girl glared at him a light sob escaped his lips as his eyes tingled– this had been his sweater.

Of the few items of clothes he had owned over the years, he knew this was his.

In those secret dates in central park and escapes to Paris and Seoul, where he was forced to hide who he was just so you two could hold hands without causing a scene, he had bought this, you liked it enough to steal it from him from time to time.

Homelander had become John Gillman for you, he had never needed a secret identity before he met you, not even mulling on the idea for long. He only had to be the Homelander, but he had become a mild-mannered executive named Mr. John Gillman, to be with you– forcing himself to wear strange clothes and mingle with lowborn folks, just to hold your hands and kiss you.

This stupid hoodie that he had ordered an intern to buy only to arrive a size too big, that had gone missing years prior, now stood here wrapping his daughter.

“How did you find out about me?” He asks with shaky lips.

“After you showed up at Lucci’s… thought it was weird that you showed up at my house not long before… I suspected you knew my mom, and after she told me that she worked at Vought. Well, I looked at her resume and did some math. I only really began to suspect it after you broke into my house” She raised her chin– you left the window open by two inches, not enough to matter but enough for me to notice as I always leave them close all the way… you left my hairbrush in the sink’s and not the trolley. Why would you touch my hairbrush? Wonder what you could get out of it…”

The little shit turned around to spot her brother still admiring the clover reef while they waited for you.

“I was taking a gamble when I called you a ‘deadbeat’, dad.”

Homelander's heart skipped a beat when her mouth uttered the word, unsure if she was mocking him or otherwise, from her it was hard to tell.

“You don’t want him to know about me, right?” Her voice was quiet, a knot buried itself in her throat.

“What? No!” He said in a panic, getting on one knee to see her eye-to-eye– Helena… I … I want us to be a family, Ryan will understand but I have to wait… he’s not like you or me… he’s… sweet.”

She looked away squishing her little fist, hiding her beautiful kyanite stones behind those long bangs, his hand lifted her hair, trying to peek further into those beautiful skies, feeling the creamy skin under his palm, her warmth as her cheeks turn a new shade of pink.

“You’re my daughter… my blood… I am sorry… I was… I was an asshole for what I did, but I just want to be there for you now… so If I can… you can call me ‘Dad’ if you like.”

His voice quivering as he spoke, she was frail, he could feel it under his touch, how easy it would be for him to hurt her.

Little girls were to be handled with much more care, dainty things they were, she was a peony blooming in his hands, so he had to be soft and strong for her. she rested her cheek against his hand, his so warm and soft, surprised at the way he looked at her-- there was a twinkle of desperation behind his gaze.

She rested until her eyes didn’t sting anymore.

As you left the bathroom, you spotted the curious scene, biting at your lips as your guilt finally catched up to you, you didn’t need it, you would not allow yourself to be harmed but as you saw your daughter play her role, you knew… she would be lost inside the character… She was a lonely child, deprived of you and without him ever in the picture... she had a weakness.

You let them mingle from afar as they walked around towards some river exhibition, while Ryan made his way towards the duo, their hands intertwined as he turned calling for his boy.

For a moment you saw a glimpse of the life you always wanted… Revenge was a nasty game… could you really play it? You wondered as you fixed your clothes.

Before you could say anything, your sight followed a faceless passerby.

A service dog in tow.

The passerby had simply bumped into Helena, the dog had been just close enough, you didn't worry immediately, she had gotten used to dogs and you were certain she had been good and taken her allergy meds.

You were sure.

Helena turned but it was too late.

With a single sneeze the gates had opened.

The walls rumbled, as the pale blue wave of sharp wavering light exploded out of her body.

Everybody swallowed a shared gasp, as the glass began to crack.

taglist: hope y'all like the chapter @fromforeigntofamiliarity @immyowndefender @demodemo909

#Homelander #Homelander x reader #Homelander x you #the boys oc #american royalty #personal #my fic tag #the boys fanfiction #homelander fanfic #homelander x F! Reader #I have so much energy right now and am riding the high.#barely proofread so sorry for any spellign errors

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