#rest in paradise bro

[miaoua3]

Stay Forever?

Pairing: CEO! scoups x f!reader

Genre: smut (MDNI), slight angst, p in v sex, unprotected sex, slight choking, possessiveness, cowgirl, spanking, cheol punches a guy once, soft sex, yuta of nct used as a bad guy (sorry bro)

Description: being with cheol was like being in a paradise. but what happens when a troublesome past comes to haunt you?

OR

Part 3 and final part of Stay The Morning? And Stay The Night?

Notes: sort of sad to see this series come to an end. but that just means there’s a new one coming👀

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

3 months later

you smile to yourself as you walk down the street, your steps having a bit of an extra skip in them as you try to get to your destination as quickly as possible.

it was a warm spring day, sun getting absorbed by the black lenses of your sunglasses, your black dress swinging with each step you make.

finally, you see the cafe that sana, jihyo and you have decided to meet up at, pushing the heavy door open.

scanning the cafe, you find the two women sat at your usual table, sana talking animatedly to what seems to be...herself, while jihyo, who is obviously bored, is scrolling on her phone, absentmindedly answering your other friend.

you smile at the scene, making your way to them.

they quickly catch your silhouette, both smiling back at you. jihyo jokingly teases you "well, look which lovebird finally decided to show up."

chuckling, you answer "sorry, there was...traffic? yeah, traffic on the way here."

sana immediately calls you out, snorting as she fires back "oh is that the new nickname for your boy toy that we are using from now on?"

feeling your cheeks heat up at this scarily accurate call out, you "accidently" kick her leg under the table, setting your bag on the free space in the booth beside you.

you try to deflate and start the conversation with the usuals 'how are you's', but sana, yet again, cuts you off.

"cut the crap, my friend. we all know why we are here. use the time without your little boy toy to actually tell us how it's going for once. i will literally die if i don't hear about it."

you stop to nervously, yet with a smile on your face, look down at your lap, fidgeting with your fingers as you hesitate to tell them anything, knowing that saying the things out loud makes them seem...more real.

sana, ever the angel that she is, kicks you harshly under the table, her pretty face set in an angry frown as she adds "speak now or i will fight you behind the dumpster."

jihyo, the actual angel in this friendship, swats sana at the back of her head, warning her "calm down and let her gather her thoughts first. i mean seriously, how many times do i have to hit you for you to finally calm down?"

sana just mumbles something inaudible to herself.

shakily exhaling, you say "it is...going good."

seeing your shy smile, jihyo questions you "just 'good'?"

you groan as you hide your face in your hands.

"better than good. he is so good to me, and kind, and he takes care of me. he always asks to see me, almost every day, yet it doesn't feel overbearing whatsoever. and he is such a gentleman too. i can't remember the last time i opened the door or tied my shoes while with him. and he is also-"

you suddenly stop, realising that you have been rambling about cheol for a solid minute, all while sana and jihyo smirk happily at you, both their hands used as a rest for their chins as they look at you.

a flash of embarrassment burns you, eyes wide in shock due to your own behaviour. quickly looking back down, you lamely add "but, um...yeah, i-it's going, i, it's going well..."

your two friends chuckle at you, jihyo teasingly adding "well, glad to hear that he's treating you well and that you are already in love with him."

eyes immediately snapping back up, you defensively say "i am not in love with him."

sana snorts as she responds "sure doesn't sound like that."

you just mumble to yourself, something among the lines of "fake friends" and "why am i even friends with them".

sana twirls her straw around the glass, almost looking like she's about to ask the most normal question ever.

oh boy. if only you knew.

floating out of her mouth, the words "but does he fuck good?" come out, making you choke on your drink, violently coughing as her words still slowly load in your brain.

for a second, you just stare at her, eyes wide as saucers, totally caught off guard.

i mean...the answer is pretty obvious, no?

so why do you feel so shy about admitting it out loud?

sana just raises her eyebrow, kind of as she's asking 'well?', impatiently waiting on your response.

your cheeks are burning, so much so that you have to fan your face with your hands as you look out of the window.

jihyo, teasingly yet lovingly, questions "is that a yes?"

turning your head back towards them, you catch them both smiling at you, knowing your answer before you even said it out loud.

covering your face with your hands, you shyly admit "you have no idea. i didn't even know sex could feel so good, that it could make me feel so...insatiable."

a whistle comes from sana's side of the table, quickly adding "well damn girl. how does it feel to not be celibate for once in your life?"

you snort as you take a sip of your drink to cool down, mumbling against the rim of the glass "you have no idea just how good."

suddenly, your two friends look behind you, knowing smiles spreading across the lips. their reactions got you curious, making you slowly turn around to see what made them smile like that.

well. it's not a 'what'.

it's a 'who'.

cheol, ever so handsome, looks cutely around the cafe, eyes scanning for you. once he spots you, a huge and loving smile spreads across his face, his legs carrying him to you before he even realises.

ah yes, the man that is the whole reason behind you meeting up with your friends.

sana has been asking (read: harassing) you about if they could meet cheol, saying that they, and i quote, "want to meet the guy who has got you looking so stupidly happy".

cheol, ever the enthusiast, immediately said yes, an invisible tail wagging behind him as he excitedly looked at you at the idea of finally meeting the girls that are your dearest friends, and who were there the night you two met.

and so, here you are.

he quickly jogs over to you, bending down towards you. his hand immediately gently grasps your cheek, a breathtaking smile greeting you as he lightly says “hi” before he quickly pecks your lips, catching you off guard.

you shyly say ‘hi’ right back at him, moving a bit in the booth so he can have more space to sit down.

cheol, completely ignoring your attempt at making space for him, immediately slides next to you, thighs and sides touching as he slowly wraps an arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his body.

when you look over to your friends, they are looking at the two of you with shocked eyes but gentle smiles. it’s not the bad kind of shock, but rather the type that says ‘this is so stinkingly cute i am about to puke’.

their reactions make you shyly look at his face, only to find his eyes already looking at you, gentleness mirroring in his warm brown eyes.

you lightly elbow him in his side, signalling with your head towards your friends and that he should greet them.

cheol looks over, and has the ‘oh, right’ kind of reaction, quickly focusing on them as he stretches his hand out.

“hi, i am so sorry. i’m seungcheol, nice to finally meet you. heard a lot of great things about you both.”

sana looks at him with a raised eyebrow and an impressed smile, almost like she’s saying ‘nicely done, girlie’. jihyo on the other hand, just shakes his hand with a friendly and proud smile, introducing herself right back.

you smile at the interactions, feeling a bit fuzzy at seeing your favourite people finally meeting each other.

before jihyo can even utter one singular but casual question, sana quickly cuts in, a serious look on her face.

“right. i’ll cut right to the chase, lover boy. what are your intentions with our girl?”

cheol, even with shocked eyes, automatically answers, not wasting a second.

“to make and keep her as happy as it is humanly possible.”

his answer stuns all three of you into silence, blankly staring at him as he sneakily and ever so casually steals a sip of your drink, clueless to the chaos he has caused.

sana, going back to her obvious act, responds right back.

“mhm. well, don’t think i won’t cut your balls off just because she likes you, shall you ever hurt her.”

cheol, getting a bit more serious, looks her right back in the eyes as he says

“i don’t ever plan on letting myself hurt her. i would rather cut my hand off before i allow myself to do anything bad to her.”

for a few seconds, the two of them have a stare off. it’s kind of like watching two guard dogs have a silent stare down, fighting for dominance.

after a few seconds, sana just lets a little ‘hm’ out before she picks up her glass and takes a sip of her beverage.

you feel your eye twitch at her behaviour, mildly annoyed that she would do that to him within the first two minutes of him getting there.

which is exactly why you ever so slowly put your foot on top of hers-and twist it. hard. paying special attention to her bare toes, pressure increasing with each second.

she yelps an "ow!" as she pulls her foot away, looking at you as if you have killed her hamster. not hesitating a second, she kick you in the shin, an angry pout painted on her lips.

you gasp at her audacity, ready to kick her right back again.

cheol starts chuckling a bit before he slowly uses his arm that is wrapped around your shoulders to pull you into his side. his lips kiss you cheek, right beside your ear, so he can whisper in his deep and sultry voice "calm down, baby. i'm okay, she didn't mean anything bad. she's just looking out for you."

you pout as you relax in his hold, an arm wrapping around his soft tummy. mumbling to yourself, cheol hears your pouty voice "she's being mean to you..."

chuckling once more, he kisses your temple as he reassures you "let her, i can handle it."

the conversation resumes, your friends gently grilling your...cheol, which he responds to with ease. the entire time, his thumb gently rubs your arm, making you feel even more relaxed. so much so, that you lean your head on his shoulder and feel your eyes slowly closing ever so often.

you were only a passive listener in the conversation as it is, so you didn't think anyone would notice.

which was a wrong assumption.

because not even a minute after your eyes finally fully closed, you feel seungcheol's finger slowly push your hair back, tucking it behind your ear before the very same finger lightly pokes your nose, making you open your eyes.

his soft smile and gentle eyes are the first things that greet you, making your heart skip a bit at that sight.

soft voice orders you "don't go falling asleep on me, baby."

you just snuggle a bit deeper as you shyly say " 'm not...i'm just...resting my eyes."

cheol laughs deeply at your absolute lies, entirely too amused by it.

jihyo takes a sip out of her glass before she puts it down. her curious eyes directed at cheol as she asks him.

"so. any plans today for you two lovebirds?"

before you can even open your mouth to say something along the lines of 'oh, just a casual night in, probably to watch a movie and such', cheol's voice cuts you off.

"oh, so many things. actually, we might need to get going soon, sorry to cut this short. it's just that we have a reservation that we need to get to, and there's quite a drive to the resta- uhh, place."

you immediately raise your head, looking at him with excitement but confusion as well "we do?"

his eyes look in your direction the moment you start speaking, a mischievous and proud smile pulling at his mouth's corners.

"yeah, wanted to surprise you but...well, here we are."

you immediately smile in excitement, asking him "where are we going?"

cheol chuckles as he pinches your nose teasingly, responding "i just said that it's a surprise, missy. i am not telling you, you will have to be patient and see."

you pout at his response, ready to start whining jokingly, knowing that it will work on him and that you will get your way with it. but just as you were about to do so, a warning cough "ahm, ahm" coming out of sana's mouth before she starts acting as if she never did it, looking out of the window like it's the most interesting thing ever.

another 10 minutes of talking are spent between you and your friends before cheol and you gather your things to make an exit, hugging the two women goodbye before you head for the door.

but of course, sana wouldn't be sana if she didn't like stirring shit.

which is why she almost yells across the half-full cafe at cheol teasingly "don't get her pregnant yet, i'm too young to be an auntie!"

you look at her as if she were a psych ward escapee, ready to pretend that you don't know her.

cheol, ever the cocky and handsome bastard that he is, just smirks as he calls right back.

"kinda hard not to when she basically begs me to."

you gasp loudly, head snapping in his direction as you stare at him in betrayal. your hand immediately flies through the air before you strike him on his back, so hard that it leaves a handprint behind.

a loud snap crackles through the air, cheol's loud cackling mixing with it before he yelps "ah! that hurt!"

basically pushing him with your foot in his ass, you quickly exit the cafe shop, embarrassment visible in your wide eyes.

cheol chuckles as he wraps an arm around your waist, quickly pulling you into his side despite the resistance from your behalf.

his lips try kissing your lips as an apology, but you purposefully roll them into your mouth so he can't have access to it. quietly mumbling 'm sorry, you feel your resolve crumble with each second and each kiss that he presses to the corner of your mouth.

eventually, you just roll your eyes before you allow him one singular kiss, that he gladly steals and enjoys to the fullest, before you push him away and order him "whatever. we need to go, no? let's go then, we have no time to waste."

he just chuckles for the nth time that day as he responds "yes, ma'am."

like always, he opens the door for you and waits for you to put your seatbelt on before he closes the door and walks over to his side of the car.

his hand finds your thigh, comfortably rubbing your thigh as he starts the car, an arm stretching behind your seat as he looks back so he can safely reverse out of the parking spot.

trying to keep your panties as dry as possible, you brace yourself for the long drive that is ahead of you, trapped in a car with the sexiest man alive.

he then quickly looks at you before he winks, a "reassuring" hand grabbing your hand again after he finished switching the stick.

lord, help me.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

turns out-seungcheol was a really big romantic, even more so than he initially let on.

the place that seungcheol decided to take you to was a restaurant.

but not just any.

this restaurant was the kind of restaurant that let you know it was high end from the very first second you set your foot inside.

the ceiling was so high, they comfortably let plants cover the entire surface of it, hanging in such a beautiful and raw way.

the lights weren't too bright, which you really appreciated.

(it actually occurred to you only later that you actually did let cheol know about your hatred towards really bright lights, which made him picking this restaurant all the more sweeter.)

the whole place was so beautiful and expensive looking-the brown-ish wood mixed with black furniture and accents of green made it look very cohesive.

overall-it made you look at cheol with even more lo-uhh, affection than you already did.

he was a perfect gentleman too.

although he was noticeably nervous for whatever reason, he was still so engaged with your conversation, asking follow-up questions, laughing at your jokes, and talking quite a bit as well.

the entire time, he was so touchy, but in small and cute ways, so it wasn't all too much on the nose to the other customers. his hand was softly playing with your on top of the table, fingers intertwining and untangling ever so slowly and gently, paying attention to your pretty long nails (that he paid for!!! a fact that he is very proud of). his feet were also tangled up with yours, teasingly not letting them go even when you said you had to get up and go to the bathroom.

the food was even more delicious, thanks to cheol who knew what to order. luckily, he has taken you out so many times, he now knows your tastes so well, he doesn't even have to ask you what you would like.

he was just in the middle of talking, his adorably big eyes looking at you as he did so.

"so i told jeonghan-remember him? the unusually pretty but a bit evil guy?-anyway, i told him that he can't do that to the clients wife, no matter how much of an asshole he was-"

you were both so enamoured with his story, that you didn't even notice a figure walking over to you, not until he stood right by your table and spoke in that condescending and annoying voice of his.

"well, well, well. would you look at that."

the unfortunately familiar voice sent a shiver down your back, your eyes looking up at him. the cockiness in his eyes, the arrogant yet slightly angry look in his eyes.

it all pissed you off.

"you sure do move on quickly, babe. hasn't even been 4 months since you left me, yet here you are. on a "date" with another man."

yuta's voice made your hand that was held by cheol's ball up in a fist, your brain sending rapid signals to control yourself, as jail shouldn't really be the place to spend the night.

coolly, you take a sip of your wine before you look up at him through your eyelashes, a certain coldness in your voice as you shoot right back

"you mean almost 4 months since you decided to be a manchild and cheat on me? yeah, no wonder i moved on so quickly-i actually wonder it even took me that long."

a sarcastic smile overtakes your mouth as you look for yuta's reaction.

his nostrils immediately flare up, fists balling up next to his body as he looks at you. his cheeks redden in embarrassment, clearly humiliated by your call out.

cheol makes a little 'ah' sound, looking at you and acting as if the man standing in front of you is all but real, saying "so this is the piece of shit who had the nerve to cheat on you. didn't know that men who look..." he pauses for a second to give the cheater a disgusted once over, lips curling in disgust as he says "so peculiar were your type. but i guess we all have dark pasts."

you snort at his comment, trying your hardest not to snort in your wine as the words left his mouth.

yuta didn't like that very much.

"who the fuck do you think you are, you-"

cheol's dark voice and even darker eyes stop him from talking any further, words poisonous like snake venom as he warns him.

"careful with what you want to say next. i can guarantee you it won't end up good for you."

you realise this is a very bad time to get a lady boner.

but you can't even control your thighs as they squeeze at the scene in front of you.

cheol, in his black and slightly unbuttoned dress shirt, looking up at the scum that is your ex with eyes that promise to kill.

all while he is still holding your hand on the table, his expensive gold watch reflecting under the restaurant lights.

fuck, he's hot.

but, of course, yuta has never been the smartest cookie, which is why he doesn't take seungcheol's threat seriously and scoffs before he asks him.

"wow, was she so hard to get into the bed? so hard that you now feel the need to defend her so she will sleep with you again?"

cheol's chair scrapes loudly against the floor before you can even blink, catching the attention of other guests.

getting all up in yuta's face, cheol uses his height and broad and strong build to his advantage, ultimately making yuta take a step back as cheol tries to get even closer in his face, threats flying out of his eyes.

"what did you just say about her?", a clear warning rattling in cheol's unnervingly calm and quiet voice.

instead of keeping quiet, yuta decides to smirk right in seungcheol's face and respond back.

big mistake.

"i said-is this whore so hard to get into the bed, that you have to go so far and defen-"

before you can even get up, cheol's fist swings from the back and straight into the man's face, loud crack echoing through the otherwise very quiet room.

you, along with many other observing guests, gasp, getting up from your seat.

seungcheol looks darkly at the man laying on the ground, clutching to his bloody and now broken nose as he wails in pain.

he carefully crouches down next to his body, looking at him like he was an experiment. his hand quickly grabs yuta's collar, bringing him closer to his face.

in what must've been the scariest voice you have ever heard him use, cheol warns yuta

"don't you ever call my girlfriend a whore again. or i will kill you. and that's a promise."

before he gets up and quickly heads for the exit, his whole body trebling with adrenaline as he walks out.

you stand there frozen for a second, wide eyes staring at the door that cheol's body just disappeared behind just a second ago as you process his words.

girlfriend...?

snapping out of your trance, you quickly grab both your and cheol's things, throwing a few dollar bills on the table, jogging slightly for the exit, before you abruptly stop, taking a second to decide if what just crossed your mind is a good idea.

after a second, you just say 'fuck it' before you turn back around, and jog back to yuta.

he's just trying to get up from the floor, his white button up now mostly red. he has trouble standing properly, eyes squeezed in pain, so he doesn't even see you coming.

which is perfect, as you are about to cause him even more pain.

before he can even react, you grab his shoulders and swing your leg so high, your knee connecting with his family jewels so hard, he immediately groans in pain, falling to his knees again.

you loudly exclaim, so the whole restaurant can hear you.

"that's for cheating on me and making my boyfriend angry! fuck you, i hope you stay miserable.", before you start running after your man.

you breathlessly open the door, a swoosh of fresh evening air making goosebumps rise on your arms as you look for seungcheol.

only to find him sitting on a curb, elbows leaning on his knees, and his head in his hands.

as you walk over, you notice his hands still shaking, heavy breaths coming out of his mouth in puffs.

you kneel in front of him, hands softly rubbing his shins as you softly talk to him.

"cheollie. can you look at me please?"

at first he shakes his head no, but after you say 'please?' even softer than you spoke initially, he slowly looks up at you, visible fear in his eyes as they meet yours.

smiling gently, you say something that shocks him.

"thank you."

he looks at you confusedly, not understanding why you'd thank him.

instead, he says.

" 'm sorry."

confusedly, you question

"what are you apologising for?"

he rakes his shaky hands through his hand as he looks down, too embarrassed to face you any longer.

"for acting so...out of hand. and losing my temper. it must've been scary for you to witness it..."

you smile a little at his quiet voice before you grab his hands, bringing them between your bodies as you crouch in front of him.

"there's nothing to apologise for, baby. it wasn't scary at all. you were so...cool, for defending me like that. no one...ever did something like that for me."

cheol looks at your face as you focus your eyes on his rough hands, your soft touch a total opposite of what he's used to, a soft smile stuck to your lips as you run your thumb over his bloody knuckles.

before he can even control himself, he frees his hands in the name of grabbing your cheeks and pulling you to himself, so abruptly that you have to grab his thighs to brace yourself.

and then he kisses you.

roughly, yet so softly, it had your wide eyes closing soon after his upper lip parts your lips.

after a few seconds of kissing, he pulls back so slowly, it has you breathing out a shaky breath as you focus on his big brown and sparkly eyes.

he takes your hands before he suddenly gets up, pulling you up as well with his hold on you, before he softly says.

"let's go home."

and you follow him wordlessly, like always.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

carefully balancing the two mugs in your hands, you walk over to where cheol is sitting on the couch with his head in his hands, yet again.

bending down, you slowly place your teas on the coffee table, all while looking at the man that is still in a bit of a distress, thinking how you could make the situation better.

he has kind of refused to look at you ever since you two got in the car, despite having kissed you just a minute prior to that. it's not like he's embarrassed about it, but rather like he was almost...afraid to look at you.

well, you can't have that.

carefully kneeling in front of him, your hands start softly rubbing his knees, voice gently calling his name.

"cheollie. can you look at me? please?"

he sighs for a second before he raises his head slightly, sparkly eyes and a big pout greeting you as he does so. you smile at this, fighting the urge to attack him with kisses because he looks so damn adorable.

you grab his hands in yours, rubbing the back of them in comfort as you ask him.

"mind telling me what's on your mind now, honey? you look a bit distracted."

yet another sigh escapes him, eyes closing as he tries to gather his thoughts.

"it's just...i know you said that it was okay, but i am still sorry for just...losing it like that in front of you."

you sigh a little, sitting back on your feet more comfortably as you say.

"there's nothing to apologise for...especially not when i found it really attractive."

this info makes his eyes snap open, looking at you in shock.

"you did?"

you just nod, shyly looking at his hands.

"no one ever stood up for me like that, especially not a man. my exes would mostly stay quiet, saying i could defend myself. the thing is-i can, and i did...but it's nice to see someone go out of their way to defend my name like that..." looking up at him, you finish "your protectiveness over me is very attractive to me. it means you've got my back, at all times."

cheol blushes a little, trying to hide his proud and somewhat cocky smile at bay.

suddenly remembering his other words, you raise yourself on your knees, bringing your face right in front of his. slyly, you question him.

"also-girlfriend? i don't remember you exactly asking me to be your girlfriend."

cheol laughs a bit, embarrassed about his automatic response to that asshole's words. he rubs the back of his neck a bit, kind of like he's considering his next course of action, before he brings that very same hand to his pocket, searching around for a bit, before he brings out a violet velvet jewellery box, presenting it to you elegantly.

"the plan was to ask you that very question tonight after we finished with the dinner and took a little walk to the pier, but that...thing just had to get in the way of my plans."

he gently opens the box to reveal a beautiful bracelet, a pendant of a sun hanging from it.

you gasp in awe, gently caressing it with one finger, a small smile building on your lips slowly the longer you look at it.

cheol takes the bracelet out of the box, opening the clasp before he takes your wrist and turns it around. with careful fingers, he clasps the bracelet shut, turning your hand back around to look at how the pendant is resting on your soft skin.

you look at it with adoration, holding your own wrist with your other hand as if it were the most precious treasure. you bring your hand close to your chest before you look him in the eyes.

"thank you, it's so beautiful. i love it so much."

cheol smiles shyly as he watches at your reactions.

"it's a sun. i was thinking which charm is most fitting to you, and i picked that one."

you look at him questioningly, a bit of confusion evident to his answer.

"why?"

cheol grabs that very same hand and brings it to his lips, soft lips kissing the back of your hand with a feather-light touch, before he answers.

"because before you, there was no sun in my life. it was all just an illusion-the successful life, all the wealth with no one to spend it one. even on the hottest days, my life seemed so...gloomy. that is, until i met you. you brought light to my life, one smile at the time. you...are the most wonderful person that has ever willingly walked into my life, and i don't want you going anywhere, ever."

you look at him with shock, your heart beating at thousand miles per minute. no one had ever been so open with their feelings for you like he is. no one had ever adored you so openly and loudly like he did.

no one had ever been the perfect man for you, like he is.

grabbing his face in your hands, you immediately kiss him as you wiggle yourself from the floor and onto his lap, his hands basically picking you up with ease and setting you to sit on his thighs, your legs squeezing around his thick and wide thighs.

his arms immediately wrap themselves around your waist, hands finding their home on your ass as he uses his hold to pull you deeper into his body.

his lips are kissing you slowly, sensually. tongue opening your lips so he can have access to your warm mouth, the very same tongue meeting your own half way before he retracts it back, lips softly sucking on your bottom lip, before he repeats the same action over and over again.

your hands find home in his longish black hair, nails scratching his scalp the way you've learned that he loves whenever you do it.

with back as straight as an arrow up until this point, you feel yourself relax in his hold, body sinking in his arms. you feel the same thing happening to cheol as well, slowly letting your bodies weigh him down until his back meets the couch.

the kiss continues for while, cheol sighing every few seconds in content, his hands now underneath the skirt of your dress, massaging the softness of your ass, periodically squeezing it hard before releasing it, only to do it again at the slow speed.

almost like it hit him suddenly, he lets your lips separate for a second, foreheads leaning on each other, just so he can cheekily ask you.

"does this mean you are my girlfriend now? is that a yes?"

you smile widely, whispering softly to him.

"it means you need to shut up because i want to kiss my boyfriend now." before you dive back into that kiss.

cheol's smile is so wide, he completely gives up on kissing you, instead letting your lips travel over his chin, cheeks, jawline, before they settle on softly sucking on the skin of his neck, one hand firmly holding his jaw in place, while the other travels between your bodies so it can rub his soft tummy, dangerously close to his belt. this action gets him to throw his head back against the backrest of the couch, eyes closing as he lets you take control over the situation.

his hands are still on your ass, a fact that you really enjoy at the moment, as he's teasingly playing with the lacy material, purposefully stretching it out a bit just to let it snap back against your skin, arousing a low moan out of you.

you bring your face in front of his again, his hazy eyes looking at your own, blown out pupils making his eyes appear almost completely black. his cheeks are a bit reddish, probably due to arousal that is slowly building beneath the material of his black pants.

at the same time, your lips come back onto his to give him the sloppiest kiss ever, saliva smearing against his chin as he reciprocates your dirty kiss, while also sitting fully on his semi erected dick, grinding the material of your panties against his bulge.

cheol moans as he feel the warmth of your core against his hard cock, hands immediately going from playing with your ass to slowly pulling on the hem of your dress, signalling to you that he wants it off.

the kissing stops for the few seconds it takes him to fling the dress of your body and throw it to the side. his breath catches in his lungs at your matching black set-the set that he bought you just a week ago and that he didn't get the chance of seeing you wear.

using his distraction, your hands busy themselves with unbuttoning his dress shirt, heavy breathing echoing in the otherwise quiet room. when your hands reach the buttons on his stomach, you forcefully pull the shirt of of his pants, unbuttoning the rest of the little buttons before you open the shirt, revealing the most beautiful view that his strong but soft body.

his pecks have grown due to him working out extra hard this last month, using the time where you are busy with work to distract himself a bit. but despite him working out more, his tummy has still grown a bit, looking so soft and beautiful. he has gained a bit of weight as a result of you two eating almost all meals together, every day, all day. cheol wasn't used to eating this much, usually settling on a half assed dinner with his partners, but ever since he met you, he would either bring takeout or there would be a warm meal waiting on him due to the curtesy of you cooking for him.

and honestly?

he looked so much hotter like this.

sure, you loved how strong he looked before his weight gain, but now, he looked even...bigger, stronger.

he looked like a man.

his shoulders alone looked so much broader, you had trouble wrapping your arms around them whenever he decided to fuck you on the kitchen counter.

or bathroom sink.

or in his car.

well. the sex life is still going strong, that's for sure.

he wraps one hand around your throat loosely, using the hold to bring you back to him. his lips immediately attack your own, tongue finally taking over the dominance, kissing you at the speed that he likes, which is a bit faster than you usually go at.

your hands immediately go to unbuckling his belt, a bit clumsily due to the urge to get him naked as soon as possible.

his hand stays around your neck, pressing the sides a bit every now and then, keeping you in his control.

once the belt is off, you get down to unzipping his pants, revealing the band of his black calvin klein boxers, a stain from the precum visible on the dark material.

you feel the walls of your pussy squeeze around nothing, wishing he would push his cock inside already. it's actually embarrassing just how wet you feel your inner thighs are, dripping juices all over his lap from a kiss only.

you whine against his lips, a clear sign to him that you are getting more desperate for him.

he suddenly pushes you back with his hand on your neck, making you throw your head back at his action.

his dark eyes carefully scan your form, from your fucked out face, to the rapid rase of your chest from heavy breathing, to the way your perky nipples poke at the black lacy material of the bra, to how your hips are unconsciously grinding just a teeny tiny bit against his own, thighs helplessly squeezing around his wide legs.

fuck, you looked like a work of art.

bringing you back to him just as suddenly, he doesn't let your lips touch his yet, as the urge to say something takes over him.

your eyes desperately look in his, begging him to do something.

ignoring you for a second, he instead tells you in his deep and raspy voice.

"you are mine now. no one is allowed to touch what's mine, are we clear? i will literally kill any man who dares touch you, no matter his intentions. if there's so much as a missing hair on your hair, i will make them pay." swallowing for a bit, his stormy eyes look at yours, continuing with talking once more. "you are mine, and i am yours. and i will make sure that everyone knows that."

you have a short second to think to yourself fuck, that's so hot before he suddenly kisses you messily, taking hold of your hips so he can move them against his own, making your grind against his rock hard cock now.

a loud moan escapes you, hands clutching his shoulders as you feel yourself get lightheaded from his actions and words, the urge to have him inside you so strong, that you helplessly beg him "fuck me, claim me, please, just -ah!- do something."

cheol, not one to leave your wishes unfulfilled, uses his hand to take his dick out of his boxers, his hard cock standing proudly against your tummy.

you raise yourself on your knees, impatiently waiting as you feel him move your panties to the side, and instead of just pushing his dick inside, he uses the very same hand to tease your folds a bit, gathering your precum on his fingers. he pauses the kiss in the name of pushing his fingers inside his mouth, groaning at the taste.

all while maintaining eye contact with you.

once his mouth is free, he brings your desperate little lips back to his, kissing you harshly and quickly as he distractedly tries to pump his dick a few times, before he brings his member to your folds. he rubs the head against your wet lips, teasing your clit a bit just so he can hear more of those sweet moans leave your mouth and flow directly into his.

he feels your nails dig into his naked shoulders, meaning that you are slowly getting impatient.

showtime.

carefully, he pushes the tip inside your pussy, the walls immediately squeezing around it so much, cheol feels himself lose all air in his lungs.

your sweet, sweet moan is so loud, it has cheol squeeze the meat on your hip hard. you let yourself slowly sink down the rest of his length, taking your sweet time as you do so. your walls convulse around his hard dick, feeling every little vein scrape against your walls.

after almost a minute of you struggling to take in his thick length, you feel his dick bottom out, a moan mixed with a sigh of relief as you do so.

cheol feels his eyes roll into the back of his head at the raw feeling of your pussy, breathing in and out deeply as a way to stop himself from cumming inside of you so embarrassingly quick.

instead of guiding your hips like usual, or even fucking upwards into you, he slowly brings his lips next to your ear, and so, so sensually tell you.

"go on-take it. if you want it, work for it. be a good girl-make yourself cum."

you want to whine in protest, a complaint on the tip of your tongue, but stop at the look in his eyes.

it's not even an order.

it's his wish that he wants you to fulfill.

you use the hold on his shoulders as an anchor, and rather than to bounce on his dick, you drag your hips forward until your tummies are touching, and then roll them right back, your ass dragging against his thighs. you repeat that action over, and over, and over.

cheol watches you, your little concentrated frown, wet and parted lips, your perky tits that sitting so prettily. your pretty neck almost calling his name to hold and choke it a bit.

fuck, your moves may be devilish, but you sure to look like an angel.

you continue rolling your hips like that, his dick almost falling out whenever you roll your hips forward, only to slip right back in once you move backwards. the tip is deliciously teasing you, almost tickling your sweet spot but not quite there yet.

his hands finally come back to hold your ass cheeks, slapping the right one whenever he notices your moves faltering, a murmured 'keep going' being the only thing he's able to say.

cheol's eyes are completely focused on how his dick exits and enters your pussy every time you move, hypnotised by the way your hips roll so smoothly.

you slowly start feeling your legs and feet cramp up, but nevertheless, you continue riding him like it's your very last chance to do so.

cheol's little encouraging words such as 'good girl', 'keep going', 'atta girl' and 'fuck, just like that baby' enter your ears but don't really register in your brain, instead completely focusing on bringing him the upmost pleasure.

but almost like he can sense it, cheol quickly grips your ass better, and positions his feet better so he can finally give it to you the way you want him to.

his strong hands completely control your movements, now making you bounce on his cock. his dick slides in and out so easily, all because you are so wet, he actually feels your wetness drip down his length and balls, drenching the couch beneath him.

you moan so loudly at his movements, finally relaxing and letting him do whatever he wants and pleases with you. his fingers grip the soft skin of your ass so strongly, you feel yourself only get wetter because of it.

he is so strong, he could pick you up with ease and manoeuvre your body any way he pleases. he could break you. but he adores you so much, instead he treats you so gently and lovingly, only going as hard as he thinks you can handle.

you wrap your arms fully around his shoulders, letting your head fall on his shoulder as he bounces you on his cock. your sweet moans go directly in his ear, which just makes him groan more, harshly slapping your ass as he praises you.

"moan so pretty for me baby, i could listen to you all day. fuck, i will listen to you every day, you are mine now. fuck, all mine."

cheol feels your walls tighten impossibly hard around his member, making him close his eyes as he gasps at the sensation, barely keeping his release at bay.

"fuck, pussy so tight it almost made me cum. you like that, sunny? like that you are all mine now?"

you are so out of it, affected by the constant stimulation to your g spot by his tip, that you only have it in yourself to moan as a response.

at that, cheol delivers a much harsher slap to your ass cheek, a warning present in his voice as he says.

"i asked you something, answer me."

you almost scream at his particularly hard spank, gathering your thoughts for a second before you say "fuh-fuck, yes, love tha' so much- ah- i'm all yours."

cheol groans at your sweet answer, slapping your ass once more.

"fuck, yes you are. all mine. my baby, my darling girl. mine to protect and fuck. my girl."

you love his words so much, they make you feel...whole in a sense.

but they also awaken some similar feelings inside of you.

which is why you suddenly bite his neck harshly, sucking on that very same spot in hopes that it will leave a mark.

seungcheol moans at your action, the loudest moan of the night escaping him actually.

you darkly whisper in his ear "you are mine-ah!- mine too. want you all to myself. my cheollie."

groaning at your words, he grabs the back of your neck to pull you back, only to clash his lips with yours messily, tongue immediately winning the battle of dominance.

he doesn't even have to help you all that much to bounce on his cock; you do it all by yourself at this point, desperately chasing your high.

he pauses the kiss for a second it takes him to say against your lips "fuck, love it when you are possessive baby, i'm all yours, just as you are mine. never gonna let that piece of shit near you again, he's never gonna have you again. you are mine."

at that, he brings his hand between your bodies, his expert fingers quickly finding you clit and rubbing it, putting enough pressure that you feel your toes curl, quick movements from right to left as he's ordering you "cum f'me, make a mess on this cock, baby."

and you do, unconsciously bringing his body closer to your by your hold around his shoulders.

his own arms wrap themselves around your waist as he chases his own orgasm, sound of skin slapping against each other echoing throughout his own living room.

finally, he groans as he pulls you down on his dick harshly, the warm liquid spilling inside your pussy, making you moan at the feeling.

he lets himself fall back against the couch, bringing your own body with his, just letting you breathe a bit.

you close your eyes and play with the material of his dress shirt that is still hanging loosely around his shoulders, the material now completely soaked through. knowing that he hates the feeling of sweaty clothes against his skin, you barely make an effort to move but still slowly pull it down his arms. he makes a little sound of confusion before he lets his arms fall from your waist so you can take it off, chucking it some where to the side.

his hands immediately come back around your waist, his nose contently sighing against the skin of your shoulder, eyes closing at your natural smell.

cheol doesn't like immediately pulling out of you, instead making the post orgasm time your little bonding time. he can't really explain it, but he just feels that much closer at those moments, no urgency or arousal behind his actions as he gently caresses your skin, his dick still twitching a bit inside of your warm pussy.

after a few moments of silence, you start smiling to yourself at the realisation, making you softly kiss his cheek as you happily hug him tighter.

he makes a little 'hm?' sound at this, questioning your sudden happiness.

you pull back just enough until you are face to face to each other, noses almost touching as you do so. he unconsciously starts smiling after seeing your own smile, hands gently pushing your hair back so it's not in the way.

you smile even wider at his gentle actions, making you raise your hand and softly cup his chubby cheek with it. almost like you are testing the words, you say "my boyfriend." to him, thumb gently rubbing his warm and rosy skin.

the immediate smile as a reaction makes you coo at the man beneath you, his pearly whites coming through from how big he's smiling at your words.

just as gently, he says back "my pretty and beautiful girlfriend."

giggling a bit at his words, you hug him closer to yourself again, before you bring his body away from the couch rest and make your bodies kind of awkwardly fall back onto the couch, his body hovering over yours as you try to pull him completely onto you, craving that feeling that him laying on top of you with his whole weight gives you.

you groans a bit as his dick slips out, a half hard on looking for a way back in.

he jokingly says "well aren't we a bit needy tonight" as he gives you what you want and lays himself completely on top of you, head tucking in your neck and kissing the skin there as he had nothing better to do.

you sigh contently, eyes closing on their own. replying back, you ask him "can't a girl just want to have her boyfriend as close as possible?" before you start running your fingers up and down his back, making a trail of goosebumps where your fingers touch his skin.

cheol chuckles at your words before he questions you back "you are never going to stop calling me that, are you?"

you intertwine your legs together as you answer "considering i have been waiting for you to ask me to be your girlfriend for literal weeks now-no, i don't think i can stop calling you my boyfriend."

swallowing a bit, cheol kisses your jawline softly as an apology before he answers "i was just waiting for the appropriate amount of time to ask you that. plus, i wanted everything to be perfect, which considering how tonight went, maybe shouldn't have been the deciding factor."

you chuckle at his response.

"cheollie, i literally spent the night the very first time we met each other. i don't think we are the type of couple to follow the rules that other couples do."

this makes him raise his head from your shoulder, a teasing smile playing on the edges of his lips.

"does that mean you will move in with me?"

your eyes almost fall out of their sockets at this, immediately replying.

"wow, slow down, romeo. one big question per day, please. plus, my lease won't end for another 6 months, so. if you still feel like that, ask me when that comes to an end."

he looks at you adoringly, pushing non-existent hair out of your face as he responds.

"i just...want you by my side at all times. i hate having to think if you got home safe after you leave my house. i hate having to ask you where i should go to after work, in case you might be too busy to have me over. i want to come home to you every night. i want to share everything with you."

he stops for a second, but before you can open your mouth to tell respond back to him, he continues.

"i realise that's a bit crazy to feel after just a few months of being together, but...i am not getting any younger. and...i have never met someone who had this much affect on me. you...enchanted me, with your big eyes and soft smiles, and warm hugs and comforting words. i can't fight the urges anymore-i just want to be with you."

you watch as he shyly plays with your hair, cheeks red at his words.

you find his words...touching, your own cheeks burning at how sweet and honest he is with you. which is why you gently grab his cheeks and pull him towards yourself, lips meeting in a gentle press.

you let the kiss naturally finish, finally responding to his little rant with.

"ask me in 6 months, and i will say yes."

cheol looks at your eyes, only to find nothing but honesty in there.

almost like he is in a trance, he lets his lips find your own again, kissing you with so much gentleness, all while he's thinking to himself.

fuck, don't tell her yet, it is too soon to confess your love to her. she hasn't even been you girlfriend for 2 hours, control yourself you maniac.

clueless at the inner turmoil he's dealing with, you kiss him right back, arms wrapping around his shoulders as you let yourself relax.

cheol feels the metal of the bracelet around your wrist softly dangle against the skin of his shoulder, making him softly grab your arm and bring it down so it's resting on the couch. he then goes to intertwine your fingers, firmly holding your hand down.

you slyly open your legs so he can settle between them, an obvious sign as to what you want from him.

he happily obliges.

cheol ever so carefully-finally- removes your bra and panties, kissing the newly bare skin of your chest a bit before he comes back up to kiss your soft lips.

using his free hand, cheol slowly brings your leg up, wrapping it around his hip as he settles between your legs.

his erected dick is standing proudly against his stomach, waiting to finally be inside you again. directing his hips a bit, he slowly slides his dick between your folds, the tip deliciously rubbing against your already tingling clit as he does so.

a soft moan leaves your mouth, your glassy eyes half lidded as they stare up at cheol, waiting for his next move.

cheol himself being impatient, doesn't waste any more time, and with his dick in his hand slowly directs it to your gaping hole.

and then he's pushing inside of you.

the air around you two has shifted this time. there's no sense of urgency or the need to claim each other, to mark each other. instead, your touches, your sounds, your actions-they are...softer.

the first round was you two fucking, trying to get all of these big and somewhat ugly emotions out of the way.

now, however?

now you two are making love.

his movements are slow, controlled, rolling his hips in a way that it feels almost suffocating. his hand is still intertwined with yours, in a way anchoring you to the reality.

and his lips?

they are gently kissing you, going from your lips to your cheek, pressing deep yet soft kisses all over. he also hasn't stopped softly talking to you, just little things like 'my girl' and 'doing so good for me'.

you cling to him, the one free arm wrapped around his back, as well as your legs around his waist. you need him to be as close to you as possible, this unusual need to have him almost under your own skin never stronger than in this moment.

he's professionally rocking his hips against your own, slowly and softly doing so. he wants to appreciate you now, to make it known how much he values you.

your walls pulse around his length, desperate to have him reach the depth that you crave. to be completely honest, your pelvis hurts hurts a bit from how wide you have to spread your legs, but you endure it, in the name of having your man as close to you as possible.

his chest presses into your own, so you can feel just how wildly fast his heart is beating. you even bring the free hand to his chest, gently pressing into his peck. you break your kiss so you can whisper a little "relax, love, breathe for me" before going back to kissing him slowly, your lips softly sucking on his bottom lip as you do so.

cheol exhales deeply through his nose, his hold on your hand getting tighter as he does so. shyly, he whispers back through the kiss "you make me crazy, i can't calm it down even if i wanted to."

you moan at his words, the honesty of his words making your walls squeeze around his cock.

cheol's pace picks up a bit, just enough so that he can chase your highs at a somewhat comfortable pace.

your whole body is shaking, legs trembling against his hips as you feel your orgasm slowly approaching. you are sensitive from the first round as it is, which makes this one all the more stimulating.

your boyfriend's breathing is slowly getting irregular, almost like he's getting any air the longer he continues to fuck into you.

he hasn't stopped talking the entire time, saying all these little comments to you that are supposed to be encouraging.

but one comment in particular catches your attention.

while being so lost in the pleasure, seugcheol almost lets it slip out, saying "fuck, i just lov- mmh-" before he pushes his face into your neck, pretending that it never came out.

but it did.

and you heard him.

and god, how you did want him to say it.

which is probably why you encouragingly whisper in his ear.

"tell me in the morning. if you feel that way, tell me once the sun's out."

from that point on, your mind becomes so hazy, that everything becomes a bit blurry to you. his pace picks up, yet you still feel every vein on his dick as you clench around it, his tip quickly hitting your sweet spot repeatedly.

his hand yet again finds your clit, rubbing it even faster than the first time, trying to bring you to the finish line even faster.

his lips are so desperate, moaning and whining against yours as he chases his orgasm, so very sensitive from the first round.

and then, like a tsunami, your finish hits you so hard, you don't even notice that you squirt onto him.

your finish triggers his own, his cum painting your insides in spurts, deep moans filling the shell of your ear deliciously, before he lets himself fall on top of you, officially too spent to move.

your eyes closed sometime between squeezing his hand so harshly that you leave little crescent moon shaped markings due of your long nails, and letting your legs fall away from his hips, stretching them out so they don't cramp up.

feeling so very satisfied but tired, you just let yourself get picked up by cheol a few minutes later, nuzzling closely in his neck as he carries you to his room.

you go in and out of consciousness as he gently wipes your juices away, cleaning you completely before he pulls on a pair of loose shorts of his and a shirt.

you aren't too sure when, but shortly after that he got into the bed with you, hugging you to his front as he kissed your neck softly.

and then your consciousness faded away, entering the dreamland as you distinctly heard him whisper some things against the back of your head.

the next time you wake up, it is because the early morning sun is shining directly in your eyes, making you immediately close them and shuffle closer to the naked human wall that is your boyfriend.

feeling his eyes on you, you open one sly eye to see what he wants, only to see him lovingly look at you, gently pushing your hair back.

he smiles at you as he greets you "good morning, love."

your own smile ends up being shy, responding back "good morning." before you shuffle even closer, tucking your head under his chin as you wrap an arm around his soft stomach.

cheol hugs you right back, one leg slipping over both yours underneath the fabric of the comforter.

both of you stay quiet for a few minutes, but you can feel cheol's heart racing under your cheek, making you wonder what it could be.

however, despite the racing heart, you don't question him what's wrong. instead, you wait for him to confess it on his own.

finally gathering enough courage, he swallows harshly before he asks you.

"can i say it now?"

you play dumb, asking him "say what exactly?"

"you said to tell you...that in the morning if i feel the same; and i do. so can i say it?"

you don't respond, instead, you shuffle back a bit, until you are laying nose to nose.

before he can even see it, you lean in just a tick more, lips finding his in a soft kiss. but you don't let it go beyond that one kiss, instead, you order him.

"say it. so i can say it back."

breathlessly, almost like he ran a marathon, cheol finally confesses.

"i am in love with you. i love you, so, so deeply."

you roll on top of his body as you kiss him yet again, this time with more urgency than ever before.

his strong arms wrap themselves around your waist, easily bringing you so you are laying on top his big body.

breathlessly, you whisper against his lips.

"i love you. i love you, too. god, how i love you, choi seungcheol."

there, underneath the early morning sunlight, in his warm embrace, you knew.

you knew that this was just a start of something everlasting.

a start of forever.

[tinycoffeeroom]

just friends | lando norris

face claim: none ♡

request: here !

part 2 !

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📍 sass cafe, monaco

👤 bffstagram, landonorris liked by bffstagram, landonorris and 59,203 others

y/nstagram dj lando came out of retirement for the night🤠

landonorris 😎 only for you xx ↳ y/nstagram i'm honoured mr norris 🫡 ↳ fan i love my besties who don't know they're my besties

bffstagram bro my tummy hurts ↳ y/nstagram i'm coming round with coffee and croissants you big baby ↳ bffstagram i love my gf ♥️ y/nstagram

fan i wanna party with y/nlando so BAD dude ↳ y/nstagram if you ever find yourself in monaco hmu xx

user ew flipping off the camera so ladylike ↳ y/nstagram idk your mum quite likes my fingers 🫶 ↳ fan ☠️☠️☠️ i love her

fan bffstagram is so hot, i need her ↳ bffstagram thank u babycakes 💗

liked by bffstagram, lilymhe and 69,928 others

y/nstagram rainy days in monaco 🌧️

lilymhe i deserve financial compensation for the emotional turmoil tfios sent me through ↳ y/nstagram don't,,, sat and sobbed my eyes out at the last 100 pages

fan how to lose a guy in 10 days... tfios... who hurt you y/n? ↳ y/nstagram hahahah nothing like that! i promise i'm all good!

bffstagram i still have a headache from crying at that book, next time i choose what we're reading for book club ↳ y/nstagram BORINGGGGG who doesn't love doomed romance? ↳ fan you guys have a book club? thats so cute 😭 ↳ y/nstagram yep! it's me, bff, kika, lily and flavy!! ↳ alexandrasaintmleux and no one thought to invite me?? ↳ y/nstagram come join us babe!! ❤️

landonorris wow, didn't take you for a sappy romance reader ↳ y/nstagram there's a lot you don't know about me comment deleted ↳ y/nstagram tfios can make even the iciest bitch cry (it's me, i'm the icy bitch)

landonorris also answer ur damn texts ↳ y/nstagram sorry idk how to read suddenly ↳ fan The Lando Norris gets aired, there's hope for the rest of the bitchless community ↳ landonorris dude...

liked by fan, fan and 103,028 others

f1gossip Eagle eyed Sass Cafe goers managed to capture Lando Norris getting cosy with an unknown blonde girl. Rumoured girlfriend Y/N L/N was nowhere to be seen. Trouble in paradise for the young duo?

fan delete this rn y'all are fucking up my y/nlando chances

fan rumoured girlfriend?? i thought they were just friends ↳ fan that's what they both say, but they're always very close whenever they've been seen out together ↳ fan i'm pretty sure there was like a super grainy photo of them kissing but you can't really tell if it's either of them ↳ fan hey how about we don't speculate on people's love lives???

fan y/n has been absent from social media for like a month too ... its so over for us y/nlando'ers

fan her instagram is girlstagram! from what i could see before she went private, she posted a selfie of her and lando and they looked very close ↳ fan damn the fbi needs to hire you or smth

liked by bffstagram, estebanocon and 65,928 others

y/nstagram thuggin it out (i've listened to your best american girl 34 times today i think bffstagram is about to smother me with a pillow)

fan um who hurt my bestie ???

fan whoever hurt y/n must die at the hand of my sword

fan lando norris i am in your walls FIX THIS

bffstagram i would never smother you xx also come out of ur room it is boring as FUCK out here ↳ y/nstagram damn cant a girl go through it in peace? ↳ bffstagram absolutely not, i have wine and nibbles get out here NEOOWWW or i'm breaking into ur room ↳ y/nstagram the door is open babygirl

fan ik this is a parasocial friendship but are you ok y/n? ☹️ we love you ↳ y/nstagram oh sweetie ❤️ i'll be fine, sometimes you just gotta be a lil sad y'know? thank you for asking, ily ❤️ ↳ fan ily, take care of yourself 🥺 ♥️ y/nstagram

estebanocon chérie, i don't know what's wrong but i hope you're ok! lets grab coffee soon, flavy misses you! ☺️ ↳ y/nstagram thank u este 🫶🥺 text me when you're free! tell flavy i love her 💗 ↳ flavy.barla i love you too 💕 ♥️ y/nstagram

fan no lando like, i have one (1) fear ↳ fan do not even speak that into the universe

fan after f1gossips post, i have my speculations ↳ fan dude, if he fumbled y/n he really will be lando nowins

liked by flavy.barla, francisca.c.gomes and 10 others

y/npriv absolutely not thuggin it out lads

flavy.barla chouchou (sweetheart) 💔 that's it, me and este are taking you out for lunch tomorrow ↳ y/nstagram nooo don't let me ruin your date time!! ↳ flavy.barla nope it's already done! este's booked that little restaurant you like on pl. du casino ↳ y/nstagram le salon rose?? oh i could do a little weep, i love you guys 😭 ↳ flavy.barla we love you so so much y/n 💕

lilymhe i will hit him with my golf clubs ↳ y/nstagram i haven't even mentioned anyone? ↳ lilymhe we all know their name rhymes with bando borris ↳ y/nstagram wdym we all know? who else knows? ↳ flavy.barla ... me ↳ alexandrasaintmleux ^ ↳ francisca.c.gomes ^ ↳ lilynzeimer ^ ↳ heidiberger_ ^ ↳ carmenmmundt ^ ↳ kellypiquet ^ ↳ iamrebeccad ^ ↳ y/nstagram ok ok i get it damn

kellypiquet want me to ask max to rear end him with his race car? ↳ y/nstagram as if max would ever be behind lando ↳ kellypiquet 😳😳😳 ↳ y/nstagram i may l*ve him but i am also a realist ↳ y/nstagram ok no i do feel bad

y/nstagram uploaded to their story

[caption 1: love of my life, apple of my eye, the thelma to my louise 💖 @/flavy.barla] [caption 2: damn stole my girl from right in front of me 😔 @/estebanocon @/flavy.barla]

seen by landonorris, flavy.barla and 67,394 others

flavy.barla mon ange (my angel), you know you're the only one for me 💕 ↳ y/nstagram tell that to your giant of a boyfriend :(

estebanocon i'm not a giant 😠 ↳ y/nstagram stop reading flavy's messages weirdo ↳ y/nstagram but on a real note, thank you for dinner, i really needed it ↳ estebanocon of course, i'm not sure what lando's done but we hate seeing you so sad ↳ y/nstagram who said it had anything to do with lando? ↳ estebanocon whenever me and flavy have an argument she pulls out the mitski lyrics, i know the signs ↳ y/nstagram that's different, you and flavy are dating ↳ estebanocon and you and lando aren't???? ↳ y/nstagram what? no? we're just friends ↳ estebanocon oh mon amie naïve (my naive friend) friends don't look at each other the way the two of you do

landonorris can we talk? seen

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anyone interested in a part 2?

[fullscoreshenanigans]

#ive literally never thought of emma and oliver before but ur giving me ideas

yeeesss Emma & Oliver has always felt like one of the most pertinent dynamics to come out of Goldy Pond alongside Emma & Violet with the amount of focus each are given individually as effectively the leaders of the Grace Field escapees and Goldy Pond kids, respectively, and together. The latter is significantly less, unfortunately, but Oliver usually acts as Emma's point person when she needs to confer information/plans and Norman and Ray won't work for the situation because symbolically the scene calls for a representation of larger group cohesion with the kids she didn't grow up with.

Also, after losing so many older siblings at Grace Field and becoming the big sister/leader of them, it's nice to have her regain that kind of relationship with any of the Goldy Pond group; Oliver just happens to have more panels dedicated to it lol

Few scenes below the cut:

(Chapter 69)

(Chapter 110 & 111)

(Chapter 122; this moment is so minuscule, but again we have Oliver acting in a leader role and Emma using him as a point of reference to confirm that taking it easy in this new place is wise and safe for everyone. If even Oliver thinks it's okay to act like this—to say nothing of the way he tells her so gently and in so few words—then she can rest a little more soundly.)

(Chapter 161)

(Chapter 179; he's not the only one given focus here, but I like that he's the one this bit ends on to drive the point home to Norman and Ray about Emma.)

And then this piece by @nagaikei-ajin is my favorite of the two of them for the intensity and parallels.

i want to believe emma and oliver are carrying on yugo and lucas’ will and even got a pair of gloves for remembrance... 

Grace Field Kids Edition Other Platonic Duo Polls Suggestions Post

[annievrse]

the special t-shirt

roronoa zoro x reader —ᡣ𐭩 blurb a/n: just a little stupid thing i wrote to get away from the angst of labyrinth

“Dude, c’mon.”

You blink, your chopsticks full of rice pausing halfway to your mouth. The crew continues chattering around you. “What?”

“What?” Zoro gives you a deadpan look, food pushed into the side of his cheek. "This is serious."

Robin watches you two across the table, a smirk playing on her lips. She watches Zoro furrow his eyebrows at you as you ignore him.

"I said I was sorry," You say. "What else do you want me to say, bro?"

"Bro?" Zoro scoffs, turning his body toward you. He props his elbow on the table and leans to the side to glance at your face. "Call me that again... see what happens."

You shake your head, your laugh is humourless. "You're unbelievable."

Zoro makes a sound of indignation. "Me? You called me bro. I'm not your bro."

"Yeah, and you called me dude! What's the difference?"

You barely notice the chatter slowing down and coming to an abrupt halt as you and Zoro glare at each other.

"Hey," Franky says, nervous laughter following. "What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing."

The crew eyes you wearily, Nami jabbing her thumb over her shoulder. Luffy tilts his head in confusion, and the rest get up quickly, their plates forgotten.

"Oh!" Luffy giggles. "Trouble in paradise, huh?"

"You idiot!" Nami whispers harshly, pulling him to stand by the collar of his shirt. "Hurry up."

You watch her drag Luffy out of the galley, Chopper and Brook sulking as they follow everyone else out. Sanji hovers in the doorway, eyes on Zoro.

"Don't fuck this up, mosshead."

Zoro scrunches his face, opening his mouth to retort, but Sanji's gone before he can. "Dick."

You sigh deeply, rubbing your forehead with your palm. "Zo'."

"Hate that guy—"

"Can you please tell me what's wrong?'

Zoro's eyebrows raise, and he shrugs one shoulder. "Yeah."

You wait for him to speak, but when he says nothing, you poke him.

Zoro swats your hand away, face set in a deep scowl. "You used my favourite shirt to wipe the ink off your hand."

You blink, sighing as the guilt rises again. "I know, I'm sorry. The ink pot spilled, and it was so close to the logbook; your shirt was the first thing I saw, and I panicked. I—I'll buy you a new one—"

"No," he mumbles, eye cast down to his lap.

You purse your lips, your throat thick with emotion. "Sorry..."

"Besides, you have no money."

You gape at him. "Do, too! Who do you think buys all your alcohol?"

Zoro's eyes soften, and he tilts his head like he's trying to get a better look at you. But before he can get too sappy, he rolls his eyes.

"Anyway, the point is that you can't buy me a new one."

"Why not?" You reach over to pick a piece of fluff off his shoulder. He lets you, his gaze on you. "It's a plain white shirt. They have those everywhere."

"Because you can't," Zoro shrugs, his fingers fidgeting in his lap.

Chewing your bottom lip, you know there's more to this than he's letting on.

"Zoro," You say, resting your palm on his cheek. "What's this about?"

"I—uh, the shirt... it was. No," he shakes his head. "It's nothing."

You've rarely seen him this nervous, especially around you, in all the years you've been together. It scares you.

"Please," You whisper, sliding down the bench. "If it's bothering you this much, it's more than nothing."

Zoro huffs and looks to the ceiling before closing his eye. His hand circles around your waist, pulling you near. Your shoulder is under his armpit when he's done getting comfortable—as comfortable as you can get on a wooden bench.

"It's my favourite shirt."

You nod, urging him to go on. "Mmhm."

"And it happens to be the same shirt I was wearing when... when we... you know."

A smile spreads across your cheeks. "Say it."

Zoro scoffs lightly, a blush dusting his cheeks. "When we first met."

You make a sound of pure happiness. "You little sap!"

"Shut up," he mumbles, though his words have no bite. A sheepish grin pulls at the corners of his mouth.

But your joy is short-lived when you realise the problem. "And I ruined it."

Zoro shakes his head. "Don't be stupid... it's not like it still fits me. You know, since I've gotten bigger muscles and chest and all that..."

"Yeah, your tits are huge."

"They're pecs."

You laugh, kissing his cheek. "I'm sorry."

"You already said that," Zoro mutters, face warming when your lips meet his skin.

"I can wash it," You say. "I'm sure I can find some super, powerful soap that'll wash the ink right out."

Zoro shrugs. "If you want."

You tilt your head as you consider him. What he really means is, yes, please.

"Wanna come with me? You can sit pretty on the sink while I wash it."

He scoffs, rolling his eyes.

You stand from the bench with an eyebrow raised. "What?"

"I don't sit pretty. That's your job."

You ignore the comment and step out, holding your hand out. "C'mon."

But before Zoro can clasp his fingers around yours, the galley door swings open, the crew comically crowding the doorway.

"We good?" Franky asks, voice tight. Chopper, Brook, and Usopp hold their breath, and Nami and Robin smile. Sanji rolls his eyes and Luffy bursts through everyone to get back to the food.

Zoro's soft expression morphs into a scowl at the sight of them. "Yeah, not that it's any of your business..."

"Good! I'm starving," Luffy exclaims, plopping himself down at the table and scoffing down food from the remaining plates.

"Hey! That's mine!" Usopp yells, rushing over to Luffy before pulling him into a loose headlock.

You wrap your hand around Zoro's bicep and tug him toward the laundry room below deck.

After scrubbing at the t-shirt for an hour, the water murky and the soap almost empty, Zoro holds the too-small shirt against his torso. He gives you a gleaming smile, one reserved for you, and despite the sparse grey splotches visible, he's more than content with the effort. Zoro leans down to press his lips to your forehead, mumbling about his gratitude.

Safe to say, the following morning, Zoro stretches the shirt onto his body, the seams cracking and the hems cutting off the circulation in his arms. The crew laughs at him, but he smiles proudly when he sees your giggles.

You didn't ruin his shirt but added a new memory that he will treasure until the end of time.

[makiwife]

Bali side mission CL16 Driver’s Soft Launch Series

Charles Leclerc x RedBull Driver! Verstappen!Reader

A/n: AHH decided to make this au into a series and I’m lowk living for it. It’s so fun to make and I have so many ideas for this. All pics are from Pinterest & Charles’ insta, hope you enjoy!! ps: leave a comment if you wanna be tagged next time I post

Warnings: Cursing, sexual themes

previous | next

charles_leclerc posted on their story

landonorris, carlossainz55, lewishamilton, and 279,348,391 others viewed this story

Y/nverstappen replied to your story: mon bébé I was gonna post that too😔

charles_leclerc: we can post it together ☺️

Y/nverstappen: I though you wanted to soft launch each other😑

charles_leclerc: oh right…oops🙃

carlossainz55 replied to your story: are you ever going to post her??

charles_leclerc: just hold your horses Mr.Nosy

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Y/nverstappen

Liked by kellypiquet, badgalriri, estebanocon, lilyzneimer, and 3.2 million others

Y/nverstappen Island gyal 🏝️💕

View comments…

charles_leclerc: the prettiest view i've ever seen😁 the sky looks nice too ig

↳ Y/nverstappen: very cheeky of you 🥰

alexandrasaintmleux: so stunning

↳ Y/nverstappen: ALEX LEMME GIVE YOU A KISS

maxverstappen1: pull the strap of your dress UP😑

wrldofy/n: MOTHER IS SO ENCHANTINGLY BEAUTIFUL

favy/nredbull: UM CHARLES' COMMENT??? MYSTERY GUY CONTESTANT???

↳ ferrariheartluv: MAYBE HE'S JUST BEING NICE??? i feel like he wouldn't go for someone like her

↳ mclarengirl55: me when I lie to myself:^

landonorris: bro belongs on the beach

↳ Y/nverstappen: what can I say? I'm one w nature

lilymhe: SHE IS A GODDESS ON LAND😍😍

↳ lilyzneimer: the prettiest one at that

↳ Y/nverstappen: LILYS PLS I LOVE YOU BOTH😘😘😘

mommyy/n: HELP WHY IS OCON IN HER LIKES😭😭

↳ danielriccardo: so fucking weird

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charles_leclerc

Liked by carlossainz55, scuderiaferrari, Y/nverstappen, and 2.5 million others

charles_leclerc Train, Rest, Eat, Sleep, Repeat. Japan soon 🤍

View comments...

mrsleclerc93: MR LECLERC WHO ARE YOU HOLDING HANDS WITH?!?!?!

carlossainz55: she's finally posted

↳ Y/nverstappen: she looks hot from the back

↳ landonorris: ok buddy

↳ charles_leclerc: she's very hot from the front too

ferrarigirly2: ITS LIKE WE'RE ON THE OUTSIDE OF AN INSIDE JOKE PLS I WANNA KNOW WHO THE LADY IS

maxiey/nleclerc: wait isnt it weird how both Y/n and Charles are both at a beachy place AND soft launching their significant others??

↳ mercedesbby: girl you're onto something, they're acting so weird in his comments too..

↳ Y/nverstappen: not as weird as ocon in my likes

↳ oscar.norris: BAHJDRJK

hottieforleclerc11: didn't know he was smooth like that tho

——————————————————————————

Y/nverstappen

Liked by francisca.cgomes, danielriccardo, redbullracing, and 3 million others

last day on paradise:( back to work tomorrow 💪

comments have been limited..

kellypiquet: very very beautiful place

↳ Y/nvertappen: P would love it here ☺️

redbullracing: See you tomorrow winner 🫡 🏆

francisca.cgomes: soft launch getting spicy 😳

↳ pierregasly: Ig she's confident people wont know who that beautiful man is

iamrebeccad: you guys are soso cute

↳ Y/nverstappen: not as cute as you n carlito 😍

Y/nfavwag: WAIT THEY ARE SUPER CUTE WHAT

f1y/n123: WHOS BACK IS THAT???

↳Leclercsainzz4: ok idk what i was on on twitter but that is NOT mr sainz' back.

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Y/nverstappen posted on their story

Comments have been disabled

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charles_leclerc posted on their story

pierregasly, carlossainz55, landonorris, and 698,456,980 others seen your story

maxverstappen1 replied to your story: quit getting handsy with my sister🙄

charles_leclerc: APOLOGIES EMILIAM it won’t happen again 🫡

pierregasly replied to your story: i know max wants to throw hands w you so bad😭

charles_leclerc liked this message

Y/nverstappen replied to your story: hand placement will get us in trouble w big bro verstappen

charles_leclerc: I just love touching you mon amour, I can't help it 😘😘

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A/N: A shorter one this time but the next part will be JUICY trust🙏. Jealous Charles will make a lovely appearance, so get ready!! also thank you guys so much for all the love you showed on the first part. I LOVE YALL. I hope you enjoyed!!!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Tagged: @d3kstar @whydowesleepeachnight @escapism-writer

[seospicybin]

TOO HOT TO HANDLE.

PART I

Hyunjin x reader. (s)

Too Hot To Handle Masterlist

Synopsis: You and Hyunjin become contestants in a reality dating show, Too Hot To Handle. (20,4k words)

Author's note: This is the beginning of an end to the series so please enjoy x

HOST: Lana is back! And she's got a team of hot, sexy singles. This group of people hook up so fast but nothing compares to how fast they run from commitment and their world will fall apart when they find out their dream vacation is in fact a sexless retreat hosted by the world's biggest cock-blocker. With a $200,000 prize at stake, will they learn to have deep, meaningful relationships? Or will temptations still be Too Hot To Handle?

-

Hyunjin doesn't know what to expect.

The show is the first of its kind and it's also his first time being a part of it. The fact that the staff got him blindfolded doesn't help him relax, a staff holds him by the arm to lead him somewhere. He obviously can't see anything but he hears the lapping waves from his right side and in the background, he hears low chatters from behind and in front of him.

The staff eventually tells him to stop walking and turns his body the other way, he doesn't know what to do next except to wait for further instructions. They make him wait for a minute until a voice comes, a distorted, robot-like voice from somewhere close to him.

"Conquerors, you can now remove your blindfolds!"

Hyunjin immediately reaches for the back of his head to untie the blindfold and keeps his eyes closed until he takes it off. The sun blinds him the second he opens his eyes, he quickly shields his eyes with his hand and squints to adjust them to the bright light.

He hears a few chuckles from next to him and girls squealing across from him, it's when he lowers his hand he can finally see the girls standing on the opposite side. For a split second, he feels ecstatic to be the only guy there but then he turns his head side to side and realizes that's just his wishful thinking.

While the girls are huddling around and hugging each other, he exchanges handshakes and side hugs with the other male contestants.

"Hyunjin," he introduces his name around with a friendly smile.

"What's up, bro?" The one with an impeccable mustache and a sheer Spanish accent, Diego says.

After the males are done introducing themselves to each other, they walk over to the girls to do the same to them.

"It's hot, huh?" Says the guy with long blond hair and pale skin, Andy.

Hyunjin can't tell if he's talking about the sunny weather or the girls, either way, he agrees with him. He can't even decide which one to look at. they're all so attractive that it feels like his eyes are having a feast right now.

To get girls, Hyunjin never really has to work hard for it, just a little stare and a little smile, then he gets it. He does just that as he tells his name to the girls, oozing with confidence and charms. The eyes he's getting from a couple of girls... oh, he can tell that he makes just the right impression on them.

Before he can make any moves though, the voice comes back. He finally learns that the voice is coming from the gate of what he assumes is where he'll be staying for the rest of the show.

"Conquerors, welcome to paradise!"

Everyone is cheering in response to that and Hyunjin is excited as well even though he never really learned how the show is going to work, they only told him that it's a reality show and he'll stay in the villa with the other contestants, having fun and enjoying himself so he signed up for it.

"Each of you has a particular skill and so you were selected for a mission: conquering this paradise."

Another wave of cheers and exclaims bursts out of everyone as they stand facing the gate while the voice continues talking.

"Behind you, there are some buried treasure chests, and inside one of them is the only key to the gate. By finding this kiss, you'd be allowed to enter paradise."

Hyunjin turns around almost in unison with everyone else, he sees that there's a big circle around a plot of sand and two crates filled with shovels for everyone to use.

"You have ten minutes to finish the task. Good luck!" The voice concludes.

-

HYUNJIN: I look like a Disney prince but I am no prince [Smirks] I have no time for relationships. I work as a model, I meet a lot of people and there are always parties and after parties. Sometimes there's a kiss, sometimes there's something more [laughs] That's why people described me as a spoiled playboy [grins]

-

"I joined this show to do some manual labor," said no one ever.

You stare at the pile of shovels before reluctantly picking it up, this is not how you want to start the show but it's the only way to win, so you put your gloves on and start digging. When you think you're the worst one here, you see a girl holding the shovel the wrong way.

"Guys, I don't know how to dig," says the short, blond-haired girl with freckles, Edie.

"Like this!" The curly-haired girl with round big eyes, Frida says, showing her how to properly dig the sand.

The girls are digging at the same spot so you walk to the other part and start digging there. While two guys already found two chests, the other two guys are standing on the sideline not far from you.

"Thank God we're here, man," the guy says to the other.

The other agrees with him with a fistbump and then says, "So many hot chicks, it's crazy."

You keep digging the sand while pretending not to hear them and eventually, you hit something hard so you use your hand to take it out.

"I found one!" You excitedly announce even though you haven't successfully taken the chest out of the sand yet.

"That's amazing!" Edouard praises, you can easily identify him from his French accent.

He then kneels next to you to help you pull the chest out and hands it to you.

"Thank you," you mutter with a smile.

Ten minutes have passed and the voice returns to tell everyone the time is up. Everyone is more than glad to stop digging and get rid of the shovels.

"Let's see if you found the key."

The staff makes everyone who obtained the treasure chests line up in front of the gate and take turns to open it.

The guy on the farthest left gets to open his chest first and turns out it's empty. The second guy takes his turn but it's also empty. You shake your treasure chest to know if the key is in yours but it's useless to find out when the third guy found the key in his treasure chest.

"Congratulations! You've conquered the first stage. You may access the villa."

To say that you're disappointed is an understatement, it's not so much about the key, it's how you obtained the treasure chest that gets you a bit upset.

Pablo, the guy who found the key, steps forward and uses the key on the big padlock. He throws the padlock aside once he successfully opens it and pushes the big gate that reveals the luxurious villa.

"Welcome to my house, guys!" Pablo jokingly says as he leads the group further inside.

Everyone is in awe of what they're seeing, a big swimming pool, yards, and the big villa that sits in the center of it all. You've never seen such a lavish piece of property, it's so big that you possibly need a day or two to learn your way around.

The sound of the champagne pops open startles you and a girl links her arm with yours, a beautiful girl with long dark hair and sleeve tattoos on both of her arms. You rake your brain to recall her name, Vic.

Everyone eventually grabs a glass for themselves and patiently waits for their turn for Edouard to fill it with champagne.

You catch the guy standing next to you having a sip before the toast, "Drinking before toasting is bad luck, you know," you tell him.

Hearing you say that, the guy turns to the side to face you and it's baffled you how beautiful he is, the kind that would make anyone the slightest bit intimidated by it.

The introduction everyone did earlier was too fast and too brief, you can't remember most of everyone's names because of it. However, there are only two long-haired guys here, one is blonde and his name is Andy so that makes him the other one and you're sure his name is Hyunjin.

Hyunjin has a small face yet his facial features delightfully complement each other and the eyebrow piercing should be a violation of such otherworldly visual but instead, it gives him that edge.

"It's not bad luck when I'm here and having this drink with you," he says, clinking his glass with yours then bravely takes another sip.

His stare is the opposite of the sweet smile he's giving you, it's bold and confident. You shouldn't be afraid of superstitious, you should be afraid of the type of guy that breaks your heart and he's standing right there in front of you, daring you to take a sip of bad luck.

"The hell, right?" You nonchalantly say then you bravely sip your wine.

His eyes don't stray away from you even after you return his dare to him, he keeps staring at your face with his mouth slightly parted open and his tongue peeking out on one corner of his mouth.

"Let's make a toast!" Edouard says, being the first to raise his glass in the air.

-

YOU: I think my shine bothers people a little but I'm not here to please anyone [grins] I play tennis in my spare time so I am quite competitive. I think I have the biggest chance to win this show... I will be the first person to score [giggles] and I always get what I want.

-

A big splashing sound startles you this time and it's coming from Pablo who jumps into the swimming pool. Soon, the other guys join him in the pool while the girls remain on the side, not wanting to risk ruining their hair or their make-up.

"Are you girls going to stand there?" Pablo asks, squinting his eyes to look at the girls.

"You have no idea what it's like drying this hair," Frida says with a subtle eye roll.

"It takes me forever to do my hair, I'm not getting it wet now," Marie adds.

You also remain on the side by sitting on the edge of the pool next to Vic with your feet dipped in the warm pool water.

Not long after, the males join the girls on the side of the pool to drink more champagne, talking about random things from the strangest places everyone has had sex to everyone's sexual preferences.

You're draining your wine glass empty when the question aimed at you, "How about you? Are you bi?"

"I think everyone is bisexual here," Edie playfully remarks.

You decide to swallow your drink first then wipe your lips after, "I've kissed girls but I don't know..." you doubtfully answer.

Vic puts her drink away and turns her head at you, "Let's test it then."

She grabs you by the chin and slowly brings your head closer so she can place a nice peck on your lips. You let out a smile when she lets go.

"That's nice," you genuinely say.

"I want some too," Pablo says who happens to witness the kiss.

You and Vic simultaneously burst into laughter at his sudden request but then she signals you to give him a peck together with her. You happen to want to fool around so you play along with her and give Pablo a quick three-way kiss with Vic.

"We could do better!" Pablo says, teasing for another go at it.

Vic laughs and puts her hand on your thigh, "Come on! You can do better!" She says to you.

Feeling challenged, you lean in first to kiss Pablo and Vic joins in a second later, you can feel their lips on you and the occasional tongue licks in between. You pull away first but Vic gets her hand on the nape of your neck, not letting you pull away from her kiss yet until she lets go.

The next thing you know, Diego and Frida are kissing and so are Andy and Edie, not caring that you're sitting next to them and trying so hard to ignore them.

-

YOU: I think our silly little kisses stirred things up and made everyone horny [chuckles]

-

Not going to lie, Hyunjin likes seeing you kiss another girl. Not the part where Pablo is involved but the part where Vic latched onto your lips after you pulled away from the kiss, that's just hot it gets him a little flustered.

All he can think of right now is when he's going to have his turn to kiss you.

"Are you guys going to stay in the pool? Because I want to see the bedrooms," Frida says, encouraging everyone to start exploring the villa.

"Oh, yeah. I want to see the bedrooms," Diego says, hurriedly getting out of the pool.

Hyunjin follows the majority by heading to the bedrooms even though he wants to stay in the pool a little longer, leaving a trail of wet footsteps behind him.

From the back, he can see that some couples are forming. First, there is Diego and Frida as they lead the group, walking hand-in-hand to the bedrooms. Next to him is Andy and Edie, walking side by side while cutely smiling at each other.

Hopefully, the third couple would be you and him, he can imagine how powerful would that be but before that, he has to take care of Pablo who has had his eyes on you ever since you shared a kiss with him.

The girls are squealing the moment they set their feet in the bedrooms but Hyunjin gets it why everyone is so excited at the sight of the beds.

"Guys, there's only six beds and there's ten of us," Frida says, making it even more obvious to everyone,

"Then we'll have to share," Andy innocently says.

"Who sleeps with whom?" Frida asks a provoking question.

Vic climbs onto the bed and takes your hand to join her, then starts to jump on it while holding hands.

Hyunjin randomly picks a bed and sits on it, ignoring that his trunks are dripping wet from swimming just to watch you bouncing on the bed like a kid having a sugar rush. It's a delightful thing to see until he hears the sound of the bed breaking down and the two of you abruptly stop jumping on it, collapsing onto the bed just to break into laughter.

"Guys, there's another way we could break the beds," Marie scolds you both.

But that only heightens the hilarity and you both break into another wave of laughter together.

After a moment, you go to another bed and lie down. Hyunjin wants to use this opportunity to make you his bed partner but Pablo beats him to it.

-

HYUNJIN: Everyone wants to have someone to cuddle with tonight and I know who I want to share the bed with [smirks]

-

While the boys are gathered in the gazebo in the backyard, the girls choose the lounge to gather with drinks have been served on the wooden table. What else is there to talk about but the ones that aren't in the room with them: The boys.

"A toast for us girls!" Edie initiates a toast with the glasses filled with chilled wine.

The girls then take a seat on the curved sofa and get comfortable talking about their choice of guys, unlike you who still need time to openly share things with them.

"I'd hook up with everyone but the one I like best is Edouard," Vic says.

"For me, it's Edouard, Hyunjin, and Andy..." Edie cracks a laugh at herself and continues, "I think we should all kiss each other."

You see that Edouard is quite popular among the girls and you can see why, he's tall, he has that chocolate skin and a great smile, plus he talks in a sexy accent, everyone wants a piece of that French man.

"Okay then we should jump on Edouard and everyone gets a kiss," Edie says with a hysterical laugh.

Everyone is free to be with whoever they want to be and this doesn't bother you at all but if everyone kissed your man, you don't think you'll like it that much.

"You can kiss anyone except my Diego," Frida says, putting her ownership over him already.

"I think you two look great together," Vic says while holding her glass close to her lips.

"But girl, I want to hook up with him too," Marie says, in the most unapologetic way.

"Oh, girl..." Frida awkwardly sighs, deciding not to respond to that.

It suddenly turns quiet and awkward in here, worse is you're sitting between Frida and Marie, your eyes glancing side to side to see if there's a potential to be a catfight here. Thankfully, things stay civil but you need a big gulp of wine.

Today is only the first day in paradise and you can see some things happening already. Some people are forming couples but you think everyone should get to know each other first. While the others are scattering around to make a move on their person of interest, you decide to have a moment for yourself to truly enjoy the paradise.

All of a sudden, someone comes from behind you and interrupts the peaceful moment.

"May I sit here?" Pablo asks.

He doesn't wait for your answer but takes a seat on your sunlounger and forces you to scoot to the side to make space for him.

"Yeah, sure," you awkwardly say.

He puts his arm around you and makes you rest your head on it, sharing the sunlounger.

"Miss me?" He asks.

"It hasn't been that long," you jokingly say with sheer sarcasm.

"Come here to tell you I can't stop thinking about our kiss," he mutters to you.

You did the three-way kiss with him to fool around but it seems like he's the only one thinking it's more than that, "Yeah?"

He has his hand on your jaw and turns your head to the side so he can kiss you. You let him have a kiss then quickly pull away.

He then presses his mouth close to your ear and whispers, "I think we should share the bed so we can do more than a kiss tonight."

You turn your head the other way and laugh it off, pretending to fix your hair when you're actually trying to put a space between you and him.

He senses that too but instead of letting you have that space, he pulls you closer and kisses your cheek, "Are you scared of getting too close to me?"

"No..." you weakly answer.

Pablo is what you call a textbook player, you recognize the games he's playing but what gives you the ick is how clingy he is. You don't know how to say that to him without hurting his ego.

"I like to talk. I talked to the other guys and all, and I want us to talk too," you say to him.

But Pablo doesn't want to do that, he comes for you for one thing only and it's not talking. He suddenly turns quiet and reclines on the lounger, he stares out at the view, letting the silence turn awkward.

"It's a gorgeous villa," he says out of the blue.

"Mmh, yeah."

"I think I want to see the rest of it," he says, getting up from the lounger to explore the villa.

-

YOU: With Pablo... [sighs] I think he came on too strong and we're lacking in conversations.

-

Pablo had his chance at you and he blew it.

That doesn't worry Hyunjin. He always has a good aim so he won't hesitate to take his turn to take a shot at you. He knows it's the right time to make a move on you since you're alone, lying inside the hammock while looking at the view of the sea.

Hyunjin makes his arrival known by coming from the side and showing you the bottle of wine he brings with him to show you that he comes in peace. He sees your smile when you notice him coming.

"Do you mind if I join you?" He politely asks.

"Only if you intend to share that bottle with me," you answer with a sweet smile. You make space on the hammock for him and keep your feet dangling on the edge.

Hyunjin opens the bottle with a loud popping sound and the wine fizzles as it gets exposed to the air. He immediately hands the bottle to you, "You can have the first sip."

You look at him then at the bottle before taking it from his hand.

"What do you think about all this?" He asks while watching you drinking wine straight from the bottle.

You let out a gasp after taking a sip and hand the bottle to him, "It's a bit overwhelming and intense but I like it, it's fun."

He allows himself to have his first sip as he thinks of another thing to ask you, "But you're ready, right?"

You let out a low chuckle and look him in the eyes, "Well, I am, I'm open for anything. I can be a bit emotional but I respect boundaries."

You take the bottle from his hand to take a swig and wipe your lips after, "I just don't want to force anything. Things should come naturally."

"You don't have to worry about that," he pauses midsentence to take his turn to drink wine, "We have that connection."

From the smile that grows bigger on your face, he can tell that Hyunjin is pulling all the right moves. He has that right balance between being a lover and a player, but more importantly, he keeps it real, there's nothing fake in everything he does or says.

"You're so beautiful," he compliments with an intense stare into your eyes to let you know he means it, it's not just a sweet nothing.

"Thanks," You wipe the drop of wine escaping the corner of your mouth and compliment him back, "So are you, you are absolutely gorgeous."

It's hard to concentrate when all he can think about is how badly he wants to kiss you and the wine that wet your lips is not helping him.

Hyunjin tilts his head slightly to the side and asks, "What do you like about me?"

You trail the mouth of the bottle with your index finger as you think of an answer.

"The whole thing, I guess,” you answer with a delighted laugh but fiercely stare back into his eyes, “But the eyes, especially."

It's cute that one second, you're shy and the next moment, you're this confident woman who stares right into his soul. He touches his lips to make you avert your attention from them and murmurs, "How about these lips? These lips do work, you know."

He teases you more by touching his lips with his fingers and doubles the intensity of his gaze into your eyes.

"Yeah?" You shyly smile again.

He props a hand against his head and drops his voice as it turns low and sultry, "Want to try them?"

You let out an amused laugh and hold down your hair on your shoulder from the wind, "Well, we drink from the same bottle, may as well..."

Once he notices that you're slowly leaning in, he hurriedly tilts his head upward to let you easily land your lips on his. He kisses you to show you how much he wants it, gently yet passionately. He places his hand on the nape of your neck to deepen the kiss and puts a little more tongue to taste you more.

You taste of wine and sunshine, of sweet, heavenly things. Your kiss is intoxicating yet he can't get enough of it.

"Not bad," you coyly comment once you pull away from the kiss.

Hyunjin thinks he likes you the best when you're both shy and confident at the same time.

-

HYUNJIN: I was really attracted to her immediately. She's hot, she's wonderful, I just couldn't help it [smiles]

-

God! Hyunjin is truly something.

You've been taking gulps of wine to help you calm down, but instead, you get a little tipsy from the accumulated amount of alcohol you've consumed so far. Or it could be from Hyunjin and his dizzying kisses. Oh, the kiss!

Hyunjin is devastatingly beautiful, you feel uglier the longer you see him but at the same time, you can't stop looking at his face. He has those crinkles in his eyes, long dark hair and he has that lean body, but underneath that dreamy look, there's a guy who knows how to get you all hot and bothered.

You hand the bottle of wine to him and then rest your hand on his chest, how his shirt is flapping open from the wind.

"I remember the girls were talking about you guys, we were joking around and then Edie said she wants to hook up with you," you randomly share with him.

He smiles with his mouth full of wine, he swallows it down before talking, "And you're jealous?"

You lightly chuckle and start playing with the button on his shirt, "I mean, we're all free to do whatever we want and if it doesn't happen for us… It's fine with me."

There's a crease formed between his eyebrows, he seems to disagree with your latter remark, "It's happening, no way it won't," he confidently says.

You kind of expected he would say that because that's just a typical answer that you probably heard so many times only that they were in different forms.

"That's sweet," you tell him, "but that's something a player would say."

Hyunjin lets out a low laugh, feeling caught by what you said. He then grips the neck of the bottle and the rings he's wearing clinking against it as he hands it back to you. You feel a little nervous as he intently watches you take a long sip of wine.

"Stop staring at me," you say with a gentle push on his chest, feeling flustered from how he stares at you non-stop.

Yet it only makes him keep doing it, he stares deeper into your eyes and coyly says, "How could I not?"

You slump down in the hammock and use his arm as a pillow, "I'm not used to this. Sending signals is my thing."

Teasing, flirting, seducing... these are your areas of expertise and now, you're the one on the opposite end of these things which makes it feel a little strange. Or it could be Hyunjin being too good at it.

Curious if Hyunjin is still staring at you, you turn your head to the side to only get greeted by his yet another intense stare. You crack a smile because it's the only way you know how to react to it.

"I can't take that smile," he says with adoration fills his eyes.

Without having to touch your cheeks, you know that they're heating from his sweet compliments.

"I like your smile," he compliments again.

"Thank you," you simply respond to him.

He leans in close enough that you can smell his alcohol-tinted breath as he says, "And I really like your kiss."

Hyunjin is truly something. There's nothing more sexier than a guy who knows what he wants and goes for it. The sexiest part of it is he makes you feel wanted.

"What about—"

Without letting you finish your sentence, he crashes his lips against yours. This time, his kiss is more intense than the previous one, it's deeper and hungrier, he doesn't stop his hands from wandering around your body and leaves searing touches on your skin like he's trying to light your body on fire.

Good thing that you don't mind getting burned alive by his desire.

-

YOU: The kiss was kind of romantic but at the same time, I was on fire [chuckles]

-

How this show works is still unclear.

However, the staff have been letting everyone have fun as much as we want and tonight, they're throwing a party in the villa. Even with the lack of context on the show, this is indeed a paradise.

The theme for the party is nautical and you pick a costume out of the selections provided by the staff. You settle on a blue and white striped cropped top and a white mini skirt, and you add a small sailor hat on the top of your head for the accessory.

The beach has been decorated according to the nautical theme but what gets everyone hyped is the round of shots served on the table. Everyone gets their hands on it and Edouard leads the toast to finally allow everyone to take it in one go. You quickly chase it down with a glass of juice to eliminate the bitter aftertaste, trying to stay sober for the rest of the night.

One round of shots is enough to make everyone loosen up and dance to the fast-paced music playing in the villa, Vic makes you dance with her and you're struggling to keep up with her energetic moves.

"Guys, guys, there's a party going on here!" Edie says, pointing at Diego who's having a body shot on Frida's chest.

Everyone is howling at them and not long after, following suit by doing the same thing to each other, you find yourself just standing there witnessing them having a wild time.

Hyunjin eventually comes up to you with glasses of shots in his hands, "Love shot?"

The plan is to stay sober but one more tequila shot shouldn't be a problem, right?

"Sure," you take one from his hand before linking your arms together for a love shot.

In this proximity, you can see the faint mole under Hyunjin's left eye and it's such an endearing thing to know. When you feel his eyes on you though, you get that flutter in your stomach.

"Together in three, two, one..."

You tilt your head as you drain the alcohol in one gulp and you feel it burns down your throat as you swallow it, you can't help but wince again at the bitter aftertaste.

Hyunjin lowly laughs seeing you with your nose scrunched up, he takes the empty shot glass from you and puts them away.

"I know how to make it sweet," he says, cupping your face in his hands before leaning in to kiss you.

His kiss is more intoxicating than the alcohol you consumed and screws the plan! You want to get drunk on his kisses even though you have to be on your tiptoe and cling to his shoulders for support. He keeps you steady by holding you close, wrapping his arms around your waist, and at times, hoisting you against him to deepen the kiss.

For a second, you forget that anyone can see this and only notice it when you pull away from the kisses to find everyone hooting at you.

The party comes to a halt when the music stops playing and the voice returns.

"Hello, Conquerors. I hope you're enjoying the party."

Andy with his cheeks blushed and bleary eyes, loudly whistling to show how much he enjoyed the party.

"In a few minutes, you'll have a special guest, a special international star," the voice announces.

That gets everyone intrigued and they start throwing random famous names around, hoping that one of their guesses is true.

"Enjoy the party!" The voice finishes.

The lights dim and the spotlight appears, beaming on the gate, raising everyone's anticipation about who the special guest is. You don't have any expectations but with everything you experienced so far in this villa, you reckon it's something special indeed.

The gate slowly opens only to reveal a cone sitting atop a barrel which you instantly recognize who she is and the actual show you're in.

"Oh, God, no," you mutter to yourself in denial.

"Look at— It's Lana!" Edie hysterically says, making it obvious to everyone.

"Yeah. It's her. It's Lana for real," Vic confirms.

As if that wasn't enough to make it real, the cone chimes and lights up, making her presence known to everyone.

"Fuck it. Let's kiss one last time," Edie says

She impulsively goes around kissing everyone, including you and everyone else doesn't want to miss the last chance at it and do the same. You must admire her boldness for that but you get a little jealous when she kisses Hyunjin, especially after knowing you can't kiss him whenever you want.

-

YOU: I know it's all too good to be true [sighs] This paradise has turned into hell.

-

When Hyunjin sees Lana, his mind goes blank.

First, it's a cone. Secondly, he doesn't know it has a name and it's Lana. And thirdly, Lana is going to ban everyone from doing sexual stuff which goes against his plan.

How did he end up here? Wait, no, he doesn't regret being here but he regrets not knowing what he put himself in which is a sexless retreat. Imagine being an alcoholic and you came looking like a bottle of fine wine, then he got told that he's not allowed to drink it. He can't be the only one seeing how messed up this is.

"As you know, I'm Lana, the hostess of this retreat. I'm back and fully updated for this season," the cone introduces herself with a different robot voice.

A few are clapping in response but the rest are still in shock at the turn of events, except Andy, who is too drunk to even process this much information.

"According to my data, all of you are real players who wouldn't be allowed in any paradise."

"Wow, she's sassy!" Vic comments.

"She's Lana, she can be sassy as much as she wants," Frida says, crossing her arms in front of her in defeat.

"Therefore, my goal is to offer a good environment for your personal development."

Hyunjin looks around to see not even a single face is looking happy about this, especially Edouard, he's been quiet and Hyunjin believes he is in a state of shock right now.

"As part of your social development, I have allocated a prize of $200,000."

"Okay, now we're talking," Pablo says.

That gets everyone cheering up a little but that doesn't mean they're not dreading the terms and conditions that come with it.

"And the prize will be decreased every time one of my rules is broken."

There goes the catch. Nothing ever comes off easy, especially with that much money. Maybe it's easy for some people to choose money over sex but for a bunch of horny people like them, it's doubtful.

"Tell us the rules then," Pablo says, being the only one enthusiastic about all this.

"No physical interaction aiming at sexual pleasure is allowed," Lana informs.

"Well, shit!" You and Vic mutter at the same time, then burst into laughter together.

"Does cuddling count?" Diego asks but his question remains unanswered as Lana continues with the list of rules everyone needs to adhere to.

"The following are forbidden: kissing, heavy petting, and any kind of sex."

Edouard recovers from shock only to descend into another state of shock after hearing the rules. He holds his head with both arms, completely devastated by it.

"This also applies to any form of sexual gratification, by yourself or together."

"Fuck, no!" Hyunjin reflexively reacts.

He thinks this one rule goes against his rights, his body belongs to him therefore he should be free to do whatever he wants with it.

"And since you didn't respect my arrival, $20,000 has been deducted from the prize fund," Lana comes with the most shocking announcement of all.

"Oh, fuck!" Pablo curses out loud.

"No, come on!" Vic complains.

Everyone suddenly regrets having that one last kiss and losing that much money when the retreat has barely begun yet.

'The prize fund now stands at $180,000."

"Oh, no man," Diego sighs.

Edie, the one who initiated that open bar of kisses innocently says, "Just let it go, guys."

"Welcome to Too Hot To Handle," Lana concludes, marking the party is over for everyone.

-

HYUNJIN: [Laughs] I have to laugh so I don't cry [sadly chuckles]

-

Once Lana has shown herself and revealed what the show actually is, the parts of the villa that were off-limits are now accessible. You get to see the dressing room and the girls are taking their time in here, wiping their make-up clean while enjoying what is possibly the coziest part of the villa.

"I think we all should chill tonight," Frida suddenly says as she ties a scarf around her curly hair.

The girls are giving her the side eyes, questioning the meaning behind her words.

"We already spent twenty grand so..." Frida reminds everyone.

"Yeah..." Vic half-heartedly responds.

Frida has a good intention but you're not sure if everyone is going to obey her words just because it's the right thing to do.

You're not going to deny the fact that you had those kinds of impulses and most of the time, you went with them without thinking so trying to not do that habit will be a struggle for you.

Thankfully, you're sharing the bed with Vic tonight and you think that's a safe option for now, you don't want to jump on the bed with any of the boys yet.

As you make your way to the bed at the end of the room, Pablo stretches his hand out at you, gesturing you to come to his bed. You thought he wanted to chat but he makes space on the bed for you, asking you to climb into the bed.

Noticing the puzzled look on your face, he asks, "Aren't you sleeping with me?"

As far as you remember, Vic is the only one who asked you to be her bed partner and you didn't mention anything about it to anyone else, especially Pablo.

"I'm sleeping with Vic," you answer him.

The warm expression on his face turns icy in a second, he pulls the duvet to his chest and clutches at it, "So this is how it's going to be," he says like a fussy child.

"It's only the first day," you simply explain which should be enough to let him know that the bed arrangement is not permanent.

But Pablo's mood is way too off for you to salvage, "Are you staying away from me?" He wildly accuses you.

You immediately shake your head, "No."

"I want to sleep with you but you're making me sleep alone," he grumbles.

"There will be other days," you tell him.

"Are you sure about that?" He says with an unkind stare.

You don't see why he has to be this upset about the bed situation while everyone else can sort it out without having to throw a tantrum like this.

Still, you choose to keep your calm and respond with a light chuckle.

Pablo shifts on the bed and clutches his duvet up to his neck, "Goodnight," he says with an angry tone.

"Are you mad?" You meekly ask.

"No," he replies then ends the conversation with yet another angry goodnight.

You didn't notice that Frida is witnessing all of this on the next bed and you feel embarrassed even though you're not the one acting childish.

Not wanting to make him more angry, you get to your bed and Vic is already there, sitting cross-legged and wearing a cropped top and boy shorts as her sleeping attire.

You sit on the end of the bed facing away from Pablo's bed, "I think we found the worst one," you tell her with a repulsed expression.

Vic laughs and is open to listening to your rant about what just happened between you and Pablo, and how childish the whole situation is.

Then she uses her eyes to gesture at Pablo's bed, "Diego and Frida have to deal with his bad mood now," she lowly mutters.

You take a few seconds before glancing over your shoulder to see Pablo talking about it to Diego and Frida on the bed next to him.

When you look back at Vic, you both let out a laugh at the same time.

-

YOU: Here I thought I was intense but jeez... [chuckles] Pablo is too intense.

-

The cone chimes and startles everyone in the room who's barely awake from their sleep yet.

"Good morning, everyone," Lana greets.

"Morning, Lana girl," Edie replies with a hoarse voice.

"How was your night?" Lana asks.

Everyone is answering with groans and grumbles, there are just too many complaints coming all at once.

"This is a reminder that this show is no longer Conquerors of Paradise and the only thing left for you to conquer is your sexual urges."

Another series of groans is coming from everyone and echoing in the room in response to Lana's announcement. It's obviously not the kind of thing everyone wants to get in the morning: a reality check.

"We lost 20k you guys," Pablo says, squeezing the cushion on his lap.

"He keeps reminding us," Edouard says with a light chuckle.

"It was epic. Everyone enjoyed it," Andy comes in defense even though he looks groggy with his bleary eyes and his blond hair stuck to his face.

"Yes, but we lost 20k for doing that," Pablo says again.

Hyunjin lets out a chuckle at how Pablo doing exactly what Edouard said, reminding everyone about the money, and after a while, he's aware of what he just did.

"We started on the worst possible way," he makes an argument.

"No, dude. It's the best!" Diego disagrees with him.

Pablo shrugs and brushes his wavy hair to the back, "I mean, financially."

Edie points at Pablo and says, "Look everyone, we got ourselves a bookkeeper."

That amuses everyone, well, except Pablo who strongly shakes his head in disagreement.

"I won't be that person," he remarks.

Edie lets out a sarcastic laugh and says, "Yeah but there's always a bookkeeper."

Whether there'll be a bookkeeper or not, it seems like it won't stop anyone from breaking the rules, including him. But Hyunjin only has one person in mind to do that with and sadly, he's not sharing the bed with you yet. He gets it that maybe you want to keep your options open for now and you don't want to be haste on a decision.

He feels relieved though that you're not sleeping with another guy which means that he still has a chance to have you as a bed partner and he's ready to make that happen.

-

HYUNJIN: When I feel like it's something I really want, I'm going to go for it [smirks]

-

A session of yoga with Frida and two glasses of juice helped you to sober up completely, you feel less like shit after a shower and even better once you dressed up for the day.

You decide to spend the afternoon sunbathing by the pool and on the way there, you spot Pablo already occupying one of the loungers.

It reminds you of what happened last night and how it feels unpleasant whenever you recall it, you hate that things went awry between you and him so you decide to try to talk about it with him.

"Hey, mind if I sit here?" You ask, taking a seat on the next lounger.

Pablo squints his eyes to look at you and stays reclining on the lounger, "Nah."

You want to approach things kindly to not get misunderstood again so you carefully pick your words before letting them out.

"Okay, so... I think last night we had a miscommunication and after that talk, I don't like how it created tension between us," you begin by assessing the issue head-on.

He wipes the sheen of sweat on his forehead and turns his head at you, "Yeah."

"I want you to know that I didn't get on the bed with you not because I didn't want to," you calmly explain to get your message across, "I just don't remember having that conversation about the—"

"I wanted to talk to you about it but I don't like pulling you away from the others, it's annoying," he cuts you off and gets defensive.

This is what you don't like about him, he's not even letting you finish your explanation first and you doubt he even listened to you at all.

"You know what, you're free to do whatever you want, we can finish talking—"

It's your turn to cut him off and get defensive, "That's not it. You don't listen. You don't let me speak."

"Everyone gets to know me a little but you, you're always distant," he starts an argument yet again.

"We both know that everyone has their own way of getting to know someone," You're losing a bit of your cool as you said it.

"I can talk to everyone but I can't talk to you," he remarks.

That sounds like Pablo has made up his mind, he doesn't want to either listen or talk, he wants to stop interacting with you altogether and it sounds final.

"For me, I think we just have to stop talking about it," you try to salvage what can be saved from it even though you're not really that confident about it.

"It's over," he finalized it on his own.

It's such a shame that he closes himself immediately without giving himself a chance to be open, even to keep things on good terms between you and him.

"Okay, then," you say in defeat, choosing to leave because your presence seems to bother him.

-

YOU: Despite everything, I wished to remain friends with him but it seems like that won't work either.

-

With Pablo constantly avoiding you, you don't have to worry about bumping into him or starting a conversation with him and the fact that he's the one who broke it off only makes you feel less guilty about it and somehow liberated. You're hanging out in the firepit with Vic and Edie, just chatting and drinking wine in between, enjoying the warm night.

In the middle of Edie delivering a funny anecdote, Hyunjin comes into view and she abruptly stops talking. There's something about him that makes people couldn't help but look at him and he's taking everyone's attention with how impeccable he looks tonight.

Hyunjin is wearing this printed shirt that would look tacky on some people but he pulls it off just fine, more than fine to be exact. He looks dashing, overflowing with charisma.

"Hey," he says to everyone but his eyes landed on you in the end.

You would have mistaken him for a statue if he weren't talking, you hurriedly get ahold of yourself and say hi back to him.

"Can I borrow her for a minute?" He asks either Vic or Edie.

Vic puts her arm around you and pulls you closer, "No, you can't," she jokingly says to him.

Hyunjin sheepishly smiles and offers his hand at you once you break free from Vic's hold, taking his hand to help you get up from the sofa.

"See you guys later," you say to Vic and Edie as he leads you in the direction of the beach.

The beach offers a different view with the pale moonlight that shines down on the sea and the surface of the water reflecting the starry night sky at you. He takes you to sit on the bench next to him and you take a moment to get rid of the sand caught in your shoes, doing it quietly to not ruin the moment.

"You look amazing," Hyunjin compliments with a sheepish smile.

"You too. I like the shirt," you compliment back and it's not a hard thing to do when he looks that good.

A gust of wind blows your way and it makes your hair fly around so does Hyunjin's, he can easily brush it to the back and it won't make a big difference while you can only hope that you don't look like you just rolled out of the bed.

He catches the stray hair floating around your face and safely tucks it behind your ear, his hand lingers there for a moment before he lightly touches your necklace.

"I like this," he murmurs.

You hold your breath even though his finger touches the pendant on your necklace and makes no contact with your skin whatsoever.

"Thank you," you mutter.

It's so quiet except for the constant sounds of the waves lapping the seashore and it seems like Hyunjin takes his time to talk and just be alone with you. After a moment passes you and him exchanging cryptic gazes at each other, and he finally begins talking.

"Can I be honest with you?"

"Yes," you reply, curious about what he wants to share with you.

"I don't know how to say this but you're just my type," he pauses to lick his lips, making them wetter and tempting you to do something about it.

"You have everything that I like about a girl. You're super attractive, and you're a bit shy but at the same time, you exude confidence which I eat that up."

Like it isn't obvious enough, Hyunjin boldly remarks, "Dare I say that you're my dream girl."

You remind yourself to keep your cool even though this beautiful man just told you that you're his ideal type of girl and it takes everything in you not to let out a hysterical scream.

"Do you have anyone you fancy here?"

You thought it was obvious to him but of course, he needs to hear it from you directly, "Well, I want to get to know you."

"But do you fancy anyone else?" He asks again.

You see that Hyunjin is here to make sure your head is not turning anywhere else, you want to keep your options open but for now, he's number one on your list. Still, you don't know what he's playing at so you stay cautious about it.

"You're my number one right now," you openly share with him.

A smile blooms on his face and Hyunjin nods in approval, his hand secretly inching closer to yours.

"What do you think about sharing a bed with me?" He asks with eyes that are filled with such intensity.

"Sharing a bed? With you?" You ask him back instead of answering, just so there's nothing lost in translation.

"Yes," he hastily answers.

You pretend to consider it for a while before nodding and coyly saying, "Okay."

He looks at you and the moment your eyes meet, you both crack a laugh at the same time like two teenagers in love.

"That leads me to another question," he continues.

You tilt your head to the side and hold all of your hair on one shoulder, "Yes?"

 "The rules are set, but that doesn't mean we have to follow them," he says to you

You always know that he's not giving a single fuck about the rules or having any intentions to follow them, and that scares you but in an exhilarating way.

"What would it take to get you to break the rules?" He asks with devilish glints filling his eyes.

That sounds more like a threat rather than a question but you don't feel threatened at all, you feel thrilled instead.

"Let's make it happen," he seductively says with inviting eyes and his teeth faintly biting his lower lip.

His words really are enchantments and you feel like submitting to his wishes without thinking, however, your conscience leads you the other way.

"I want to make it happen," you honestly tell him and because it's true, there's nothing you want more than kiss those luscious lips he occasionally lick and bite, and quench the thirst you have for this man.

"But we can't be the first," you continue.

There's no denying that at one point, you and Hyunjin will break the rules but you refuse to be the first to do that. The amount of shit anyone will get for being the first to rule break makes you shudder.

"We'll see," Hyunjin says with a nod.

He suddenly backs away and his hand flies to his lips, index, and middle fingers rubbing them as he's looking at you with observing eyes.

A thought crosses your head and it makes you think if Hyunjin suddenly loses interest after you indirectly rejected him and you start to overthink it until he leans in closer than before.

He tilts his head downward and looks at you through his lashes, then softly he says, "You're going to rule break with me."

-

YOU: This just feels like "Ooh..." I get a little chill from it. I need more.

-

This is the time to be afraid.

You're sharing the bed with Hyunjin tonight and those impulses will likely appear, and you're a hundred percent sure going to struggle to not go with it.

A smile rises on Hyunjin's face when you come and climb onto the bed. He throws the extra cushions onto the floor and pats your pillow before letting you rest on it.

"Thank you," you mutter, lying on the bed next to him.

Initially, you planned not to jump on the bed with a guy yet but something tells you that you may have something more with Hyunjin and you want to cultivate that further. He endearingly puts away the hair covering the side of your face so he can nuzzle his head into the crook of your neck.

"Mmh... you smell really nice," he sighs with eyes closed.

It's not much about the praise but the way he said it, softly yet seductively. And the warm breath that fans your neck isn't helping you to think of something to say back to him.

Somehow, you end up lying facing him on the bed and his face is merely inches away from yours. While the others are having a chat in the room, you both just look at each other and hold hands under the cover.

"I'm already dying to kiss you," he lowly mutters, not letting anyone else hear it.

You smile at that and are still unable to think of something to say when he's constantly having your eyes locked in a gaze with him.

"How am I going to kiss you?" He asks in a whispery voice.

He brings his head closer to you until his forehead meets yours, "I can't do it. I'm fucked," he whispers.

It seems like what he said to you triggered an impulse out of you and he best believes that you want to kiss him so badly too. However, you decide to have a little control over your impulses.

"We can do it like this," you suggest an idea by kissing two of your fingers then transfer the kiss by placing them on his plush lips.

Hyunjin chuckles and grabs your hand, he laces his fingers with yours before pushing it close to his chest.

"That's not enough," he says with an adorable pout.

You slowly lean in and place a sweet kiss on his cheek, letting go with a smile on your face.

"If you can go a little to the left and a bit further down, I'd really appreciate it," he playfully says.

You giggle at his creative effort to make you kiss him and as the lights switch off, Hyunjin overlaps your body with yours, then carefully, rests his head on your chest.

You put your hand in his dark locks and feel them slipping between your fingers as you brush them with your fingers.

"Your hair is so soft," you murmur.

"My lips are soft too," he murmurs back to you.

You lowly chuckle at his another effort to make you kiss him and instead of giving him that, you give him a gentle pat on the head.

"Goodnight," you murmur.

Hyunjin places a kiss on your neck and murmurs back, "Goodnight."

Even with your eyes closed, you're constantly battling your impulses not to kiss him or think of his body being on top of you.

-

YOU: I’m used to be the one getting the attention but all the girls here are stunning and finally, someone interested in me and it’s Hyunjin. [smiles]

-

Hyunjin feels the need to pinch himself on the cheek to know that it's not a dream.

He wakes up next to you and seeing your face the moment he opens his eyes this morning, you look so peaceful as you soundly sleep next to him that he doesn't dare to wake you up.

It's when the lights are on, that he sees your eyes fluttering open like a pair of butterfly wings, a mesmerizing thing to see in the morning.

"Morning," he softly says to you.

You sleepily smile as you rub the sleep of your eyes and slowly hoist yourself up to have a sip of water from your tumbler.

Everyone else is also waking up from their slumber, looking disoriented and sleepy, but not you, you look so angelic with a bare face and tousled hair.

"You look really good in the morning," he compliments you.

You grin with your mouth full of water, then mutter your gratitude once you swallow it. You probably think that the compliments he's giving you are just sweet nothings and that's okay, he understands if you think that way but that won't stop him from doing it.

"Morning, my man!" Hyunjin says as he makes eye contact with Andy who sleeps on the next bed.

He foolishly grins at him with his messy blond hair, "How was your sleep?"

Hyunjin uncaps his water tumbler while looking at him, "I had a boner all fucking night last night."

He wishes he was joking but it's true, he didn't have any problems when he shared the bed with Marie on the previous night and he thinks it happens because he's physically attracted to you. If only you knew how much he refrained from not kissing your lips or touching you all over when your body lying so close to him and molding against his body.

"What do you usually do in the morning?" You curiously ask while tying your hair into a messy bun.

How can he concentrate on answering your question when it's mesmerizing to see how you gather all of your hair at the top of your head, exposing your beautiful neck to him?

"Swimming," he finally replies.

Spotting a strand of hair escaping your bun, he tucks it for you behind your ear.

"What about you?" He asks back.

"Uhm... watching you swim," You answer with a cheeky laugh.

"I'd go skinny dipping then," he jokingly says.

"I'd love that even more," you joke back.

You're just too cute, he feels like squeezing you like you were a plush toy but instead of that, he nuzzles his head into your neck trying to tickle you.

Hyunjin does what he planned, he goes swimming on the beach instead of working out with the other guys and has breakfast after. He changes into a sleeveless top and swimming trunks, he is about to find you when he gets the notice that everyone gets called to the cabana.

Seeing that you're already wedged between Vic and Frida, Hyunjin has no other choice but to share the small sofa with Edouard on the side of the room.

Lana chimes shortly after everyone settled on their seats, "Hello, everyone."

"Hi, Lana," everyone replies at the same time in various tones.

"I regret to inform you that the rules of my retreat have already been broken," Lana announces.

Hyunjin doesn't know why everyone acts surprised when every single person in there has contributed to the first rule break that costs $20,000 at the beginning of the retreat.

A minute passes in silence as everyone tries to guess who has done these rule breaks.

"Okay? Who is it?" Marie asks around with her eyes scanning for any guilty faces.

Unbeknownst to him, the guy sitting next to him raises his hand. His first thought is who Edouard got it with? He can't know for sure with these people but he hopes it's not with you.

"We had a moment and we took it," Edouard says.

"Who's we?" You ask him with a knowing glance shot at Vic.

Okay, now he knows who Edouard got it with and playfully elbows his side to tease him.

"Vic and I," Edouard calmly answers, "It was nice, it's exactly what I wanted it to be and I'm open to seeing where things go with her."

Instead of complaining, everyone is cooing at him and admiring how earnestly he handles it. Hyunjin must admit that he's being a true gentleman for coming clean immediately.

"The kiss has cost the group $3,000," Lana informs.

And that isn't the worst one yet as Lana continues to reveal more rule breakers, "They were not the only ones to break the rule."

"Oh, stop it!" Marie says with the thickest British accent he ever heard coming out of her mouth.

For pure entertainment, Hyunjin tries to guess who else has broken the rules and he notices that Andy is exceptionally quiet right now when everyone knows he's the most talkative one.

"You've been hella quiet, Andy," he teases him.

In a second, the calm on Andy's face shatters, and he starts grinning out of panic for being caught hiding something.

"With Edie, yeah," he finally admits.

"There we go," Pablo mutters then lets out a heavy sigh.

It seems like Edie has been holding her breath the whole time when the truth finally out, her shoulders slumped as anxiety exits her body.

"I'm sorry, I did want to tell you guys, sorry," She says to everyone.

"The kiss has cost the group $3,000," Lana further informs.

Hyunjin thought he was the only one struggling to resist temptations but these rule-breakers have proven that he's not that bad after all.

-

HYUNJIN: Damn! I'm missing all the fun here [chuckles]

-

You keep teasing Vic for secretly having a kiss with Edouard and not telling you about it, she keeps giggling as you ask for details from her in whispers.

You can tolerate Vic and Edouard's rulebreak because you know how much Vic fancies him and it's great that Edouard fancies her back. Meanwhile, Andy and Edie's rule break, there's Edie in the equation so it's bound to happen but that'll be it, right? Because people would have said something by now if they did something.

Right?

"That is not all," Lana shockingly reveals.

Oh, you and your mouth. Honestly, though, what can you expect from these people who spent 20k when the retreat had hardly begun?

"There was one more breach of the rules," Lana informs.

You look from side to side, observing the people you're sharing the sofa with and then you see Frida fidgeting next to you.

"Shit," she lowly mutters to herself.

Diego and Frida are just too horny for each other so that's a given, but you're going to give them the chance to own up to their mistake.

"Just come clean and we'll keep our trust in you," Marie says to make anyone confess to their rulebreak.

Frida lets out an annoyed sigh then turns at Diego, "We should tell them!"

It annoys you too that Diego chooses to stay silent the whole time only to prolong the process not only for himself but also for everyone here.

Vic gently taps Frida's knee and asks, "Just a kiss?"

Frida sighs again and then meekly answers, "Two kisses."

But it annoys you still that Diego hasn't said anything but keeps his mouth shut while Frida is taking all the blame herself.

"Diego, say something!" You urge him.

Diego puts on a stupid grin and innocently says, "Surprise!"

Now, you wish he would keep his mouth shut, you roll your eyes at him and get more upset than before.

"These multiple kisses have cost the group $6,000."

One, or two kisses are acceptable but once everyone finds out how much a kiss costs, they're not sure if those kisses were worth it.

"That was expensive," you grumble out of reflex.

"What's done is done, guys," Diego coyly says, taking these rule breaks lightly like it didn't get everyone penalized for it.

"The prize fund now stands at $168,000," Lana comes up with the final bill at the end.

At this rate, you're not optimistic about having any money left at the end of the retreat.

"With 50% of you having already broken the rules, you have left me with no choice. From this point forward, all fines will be doubled," Lana comes with another shocking announcement like it isn't hard enough to accept today's financial loss.

"That's just great," Pablo sarcastically comments.

"Goodbye," Lana concludes with a grim goodbye.

-

YOU: It was hard to resist temptations, as I did with Hyunjin but what's the point if people are going to act like this?

-

Is it possible to get a boner from holding hands? Hyunjin thinks it's possible because he's close to having one as the two of you walk to the beach hand-in-hand, and you're swinging it back and forth as you go.

"I'm a bit nervous," you mutter to him.

"Why?"

"I don't know," you innocently reply with a giggle.

It's just a workshop and you shouldn't be nervous but he doesn't mind seeing you being this cute when you're nervous. Arrived at the beach, everyone gets greeted by a lady who he assumes is going to be one leading the workshop.

"Welcome to your first workshop in the retreat," she says to everyone.

The staff tells everyone to pair up and take places on the platforms provided for everyone. Obviously, Hyunjin is paired up with you because he wouldn't have it any other way.

"Hello, I'm Jax and I'm a relationship expert," she introduces herself with a courteous smile.

Everyone gives her a round of applause to warmly welcome her.

"It is obvious that everybody here has a lot of sexual energy and that is preventing you from achieving meaningful connections so what I'm going to teach in this workshop is new ways to channel that energy," she explains what's the aim of today's workshop.

Hyunjin notices the bowls of paint on the side of the platform and guesses that the workshop has something to do with them.

"So the goal right now, instead of doing what you might usually do and look for that physical release, you are going to grab the paint and transfer all of that sexual power and make a piece of art like you've never made before," Jax further explains.

"You'll notice that you're standing on blank canvases and your bodies are the brushes. Are you ready?"

"Yes!" Everyone replies in unison.

Jax senses everyone's excitement and smiles, "Alright. Let's do it!"

Hyunjin brings the bowls of paint over to the middle of the big canvas you both standing on and sitting there, can't decide what to do first.

"What color do you want?" He asks you.

"Uhm... pink?" You randomly choose out of the three different colors.

He picks it up and before he dips his fingers in them, an idea crosses his mind, "Lay down for me," he tells you.

You obey him without complaint but first, you have your hair tied into a high bun to not letting the paint all over it. You carefully lay yourself down and immediately shield your eyes from the bright sun with your hand, "What are you going to do?"

Before answering, Hyunjin sits next to you with a bowl of paint in one hand, "I'm going to do this," he says, rubbing the paint on the tip of your nose.

You scrunch your nose in reaction and playfully laugh, it seems that it works to help you loosen up.

"I'm going to draw the outline of your body," he finally tells you his plan.

"Okay," you say in approval.

Using his big hands, Hyunjin diligently works his drawing of the outline of your body on the canvas, intentionally nudging some parts of your body while doing it but what he anticipates the most is drawing the space between your legs.

"Can you pass me the blue, beautiful?" He sweetly asks since the paint is only an arm's length away from you.

You glance to the side and drag the bowl with your fingers until it's close enough for him to reach.

He scoops the blue paint with his hand and slowly draws the outline of your legs, he maintains eye contact with you as his hand climbs up the side of your legs. He can see that you're slightly arching your back as the back of his hand brushes the skin of your inner thigh and you raise your knee as his hand is inches away from that thing between your legs.

Then he abruptly stops and quickly retracts his hand from you, instantly depriving you of his touch. He hears your low, disappointed sigh and smiles in satisfaction at that, he decides to hover above you, shielding you from the sun with his body.

"Let's spice things up a little, yeah?" He murmurs with his face only inches away from yours and you're looking at him with wide, open eyes.

Before you can think of a response, Hyunjin lathers the remaining paint on his hand onto your chest. You gasp as the sticky texture of the paint makes contact with your skin then he drags it down to your abdomen.

He has to hold the urge to drag his hand further down and stop as his hand meets the straps of your bikini bottom, tugging at it before dragging his hand up your side.

"I'm not the canvas here," you remind him.

Oh, but your body is a canvas to him and he wants to paint you with his kisses, his touches, his bites, his marks, and his—

Splat! You unknowingly splash yellow paint onto his abs and laugh from successfully catching him off guard. He immediately catches your hand and puts it on his stomach, making you smear the paint with your hand around his toned abs.

"Guys, less on the body, more on the canvas!" Jax shouts, getting everyone back on track with the true purpose of the workshop.

"It's my turn on the top," you say to him with a sly smile on your face.

-

HYUNJIN: This is my chance to keep her focus on me. Also, this is a great excuse to get physical [smirks]

-

"Your partner is here to get your sexual energy up as high as possible before you can apply that energy to the canvas," Jax informs while she walks around to check on everyone's work.

But does everyone need the encouragement though? Because it seems like they know what they're doing, using this workshop as an excuse to get physical with their partners. You start to doubt if this is what Jax wants to see, the painting is nowhere close to being called an artwork but the tension keeps building and everyone is only getting hornier and hornier by the second.

And you're about to have your part of the fun as it's Hyunjin's turn to lie down on the canvas.

"Do we have more paints?" You ask while crawling around to find them.

Hyunjin props his elbows against the canvas, helping you to look for them, "I think it's on..."

As he turns to the side to check if you have found them, your crawl back and your asscheek bumps into his head, sending him collapsing onto the canvas.

You immediately turn around and reflexively apologize, "Oh, I'm sorry."

But Hyunjin looks rather enjoying the little incident as he's laughing with his hand on his chest, "No problem at all."

You gather all the bowls of paint close to you and begin to do the outline of Hyunjin's body with the red paint, you start from the bottom since it's going to take more effort to draw his long legs.

Once you're done with that, you decide to tease him by putting your whole weight to sit right on his crotch, making him groan in response.

"You did that on purpose," he says as he looks up at you.

You slyly smile and coyly respond, "You're pretending like that's a problem."

You continue by outlining his upper half body while straddling him while he gets to enjoy seeing you on top of him.

"What are you drawing now?" He curiously asks.

"I'm drawing a crown on top of your head," you answer while keeping your focus on the task at hand.

While you're busy drawing on the canvas, Hyunjin dips his fingers into a bowl of paint to draw on you. He goes for your neck, making small drawings on it with his index finger.

"Are you giving me a neck tattoo?" You ask as you pick different colors of paint for the drawing.

He then makes another small drawing on your chest and finally answers to your question, "Just marking places where I'm going to kiss you later."

That makes you stop for a second and glares at him as he makes another drawing, a little star on your inner thigh which makes you think of his lips getting on that very skin he draws on and it sends a tingle down your spine.

After spending too much time working on him, you get off him and let him inspect your work. He looks at you and places a hand on your back.

"You're quite the artist, babe," he praises with a smile on his face.

One praise is enough to make your cheeks heat and you tend to say stupid things in a situation like this so you only respond with a smile and immediately think of something to avert your attention to before it gets too hot in here, literally and figuratively.

"I think we should start filling the empty spaces," you suggest.

At first, you both go on your way to draw the empty corners of the canvas until he comes over to you, gets behind you, and puts his hands on yours. He puts all of your hands into two different bowls of paint at once and then draws on the canvas together with him.

It makes your brain short-circuit for a while as you can't decide which to put your focus on, on the drawing or how his body molds against yours.

"Let all your sexual energy out..." Jax continuously encourages everyone and notices she's coming over in your direction.

When you think she's going to call you out for not going through the proper way of the workshop, she likes what she's seeing instead.

"Yes, there we go, that's what I want to see!" Jax says.

With that being said, you feel more encouraged to do it and let Hyunjin draw while using your hands as the brushes. He puts your hands in the bowls of paint again and he lathers more paint up your wrists all the while his head is resting on your shoulder.

"Mmh..." you lowly whine as he slips his fingers into you inside the bowls of paint.

The half smirk appears on his face and he takes you to the other side of the canvas, working on it with the same position of him guiding you from the back.

You can hear his constant heavy breathing with the way his head lies so close to yours, but it's the whispers of the praises into your ear that get you flustered.

"Oh, I like that."

"You're doing a good job."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Keep going."

"You're so good with your hands."

The embarrassing part is how you are unable to properly respond to his sweet praises, all your brain can compute the whole time are these incoherent words and mumbles.

"Yeah."

"Mmh."

"Uh-huh."

And also, the occasional low moans that slipped out of your mouth which you believe he heard every single one of it.

By the time the workshop is finished, you can't decide whether you should feel relieved or disappointed that it's over. You doubt it at first but the whole process works on giving you the release you need that you and Hyunjin collapse onto the canvas, tired and out of breath.

"Give yourself a round of applause 'cause you guys did it!" Jax says, giving everyone a round of applause for the hard work.

At the end of the workshop, Jax makes everyone pick up their canvases to show their works for everyone else to admire. Hyunjin puts his hand on the small of your back as the two of you look at your painting while standing next to each other.

You can see yourself and him, the burst of colors, and it may be not a piece of artwork but it is beautiful to you, special even because you and Hyunjin made it.

"What do you think?" He asks.

You take the hand resting on your back, using it to pull him closer to you, "I think we did a good job!"

He smiles and pulls you into a hug, it feels nice and comfortable despite the paint that tainted both of your bodies. He pulls away just enough to look at you and softly says, "Thank you for making this masterpiece with me."

Physical things aside, he made you feel so involved and appreciated, and that shows a lot about his true personality. In other words, you like him a little bit more today.

-

YOU: I am quite convinced that Hyunjin only has eyes for me and that makes him way more attractive than the rest of the boys here.

-

If there's something Hyunjin can take from this workshop is that the sexual tension between you and him is out of this world. There's no other reason for it because all he can think about is how your body felt against him and how beautiful the noises you made when that happened.

Good thing he still has some self-control in him or else... he doesn't even want to think of the other possibilities. But tonight, he wants to try and explore the other possibilities and see if you're up for it.

He patiently waits for you, checking the dressing room once in a while to see if you're done getting ready. He sees an opportunity as you check yourself in the mirror and with a drink ready in his hand, he comes up to you.

"Get you a drink," he says.

You turn to the side and smile, taking the glass of wine from his hand, "Thank you."

You take a small sip while fixing your hair in front of the mirror and Hyunjin takes a stand next to you to get his reflection in the mirror.

"We're kind of matching," you point out.

He doesn't even notice the colors of your clothes because his eyes are busy lusting over your body, only noticing that the tight pants you're wearing match the colors of his shirts.

"Oh, yes, we are," he says, grinning as he likes what he's seeing in the mirror.

Then he remembers his plan for tonight, he places his hand on your back and asks, "Are you done?"

"Uh-huh," you say as your mouth is full of wine.

"Can you come with me?"

"Sure."

The bedroom is empty just like he checked a moment ago and he takes you there because getting you alone is the first thing to do to execute his plan.

He goes to your shared bed, getting on it while you sit on the end of the bed, quietly sipping your wine while he gets to look at you as much as he wants.

He likes your frilly white top as it exposes your beautiful shoulders but what he likes the most is how you don't wear a bra underneath, he can see your nipples subtly poking through the fabric.

"You look good in everything you wear," he sweetly compliments because it's the second thing to do on his plan.

You smile as you take another sip of your wine, half-heartedly taking his compliment and he gets it that you get used to guys complimenting you like this.

"You can pull anything off," he compliments again.

You lick your lower lips after taking a sip and ask, "How about nothing?"

His brain can easily picture you naked in a second and he gets so overwhelmed by it that he lets out an overwhelmed sigh, not hesitate to let you hear it.

"Oof..." he's shaking his head and props his hand against the mattress to lean close to you.

"You absolutely can pull that off too," he adds with a sly smile.

-

HYUNJIN: No one is going to stop me tonight [smirks]

-

How Hyunjin ends up lying between your legs is a mystery but it makes you a little nervous at how his head hanging low so close to where you want him.

He rests his cheek against your inner thigh and fiercely gazing into your eyes, "My god! You make me want to misbehave," he says with a sultry voice.

The glass of wine you have drained is not enough to calm you, it makes you feel a little lightheaded instead, especially seeing Hyunjin run his hand up and down your thigh.

He leans in and you can feel his breath on your exposed midriff, it feels hot on your skin. You feel the need to put on a space so you prop your elbow against the bed only to send his head close to your chest.

"Oh, my God," he mutters with a heavy sigh as his eyes shot at your breasts.

You only put yourself more in the situation but seeing Hyunjin up close like this, oh, he's just so beautiful that you hesitate to touch him. You put away the hair falling over his face and put it away, then gently cup his jaw in your hand.

He looks up at you with his eyes that shine for you, "You're fucking irresistible," he says with his voice dropping lower than before.

There's nothing arouses you more than a guy who openly shares how much he wants you and it stresses you so much that you can't do anything about it.

Without warning, he crawls over and forces you to lie back on the bed as he hovers above you, his hand lifting your leg and hooking it around his waist.

It's getting harder to breathe with how much you're holding yourself back, you suddenly get so hot all over and you look away like it would help you regain your senses.

"I'm so horny," you shamelessly admit.

You hear him lowly laughing then feel his hand grabbing your chin, turning your head at him again. He leans in for a kiss but you're quick to dodge away from it.

"Stop..." you mewl, covering his mouth with your hand.

Hyunjin knows you both want it and that doesn't stop him from going for another try. He keeps touching your exposed skin, lightly with just his fingertips and it's only about time until you fold again.

He places a soft peck on your cheek and mutters, "We can put Lana in the cupboard for a few minutes."

You take a long, deep breath but it's not helping you to calm down, if anything, it only heightens the tension in the room.

"We don't have to think about the rules now. We can think about it tomorrow," he persuades you.

His words are just so sweet and you can easily eat those up.

"We can think about it when it's time," he murmurs as he squeezes the flesh on your waist.

And he just keeps getting sexier and sexier by the second, you can't hold on for too long.

The next thing you know, you grab the nape of his neck and pull him for a kiss. You can tell how much he wants it from how hard and how deep he kisses you, apart from that, he knows how to use his tongue and to bite your lip in between the kiss to spice things up.

Your eyes stay closed even after a moment the kiss ends and find his eyes looking at you, but the first thing you notice is how your lipstick got all over his mouth.

"Oh, no..." you gasp, hurriedly wiping it off his lips.

It's best to wipe the evidence clean to keep this rule break under wraps and not risk becoming everyone's enemy.

"How about my face?" You ask him.

His eyes are looking nowhere but your lips, "You got a little something..." he says, swiping his thumb across your lips only to plant his lips on you again.

Hyunjin is good, he is so good that you don't have anything in you to resist him anymore.

"Oh..." A moan slips out of you as he parts your mouth open only to deepen the kiss.

Fuck it! You can worry about the money tomorrow but now, you're going to enjoy every bit of his kiss, letting yourself so immersed in it that you lost track of time and when he finally let go, you're gasping for air.

"That was really good," you breathlessly tell him.

"That's because you're a good kisser," he coyly says as he gently wipes your lips with his thumb.

"So are you," you whisper back.

The sound of footsteps in the hallway sent Hyunjin collapsing to the side of the bed and gasping in surprise.

"Fuck..." he sighs while running his hand through his hair.

You hurriedly get away from him and sit cross-legged on the bed, finding something to do to make it less suspicious. You end up holding your empty glass with both hands while looking in the direction of the door, anticipating whoever it is about to come into the room.

When the door opens, you put on a calm face and keep yourself busy by playing with your hair, brushing the end with your fingers.

It turns out to be Edie and Andy, they seem to be surprised to see you there too.

"Hey," Edie says, "What are you guys up to?"

Hyunjin is squeezing the cushion on his chest, "We're just chatting," he calmly answers.

It's impressive how Hyunjin can lie in such ease like that but at the same, you feel a bit alarmed by it.

Andy dives headfirst into the bed while Edie sits on the sofa bench in the middle of the room, crossing her legs by the ankle.

"Awesome," Edie responds.

"Pablo is going around telling everyone to not break the rules tonight," Andy says, his blonde hair is swept to the side and makes him look dapper.

"Yeah?" You ask while trying to sound casual.

You wish you still had some wine left in your glass to drink but it's empty and you slightly feel nervous, afraid that either Edie or Andy will get suspicious of you.

Hyunjin drops his hand on your knee, his thumb making lazy circles on it as a way to comfort you.

Edie smacks her lips together after taking a sip of her drink, "Yes and that's why we came here," she answers.

Andy rolls over and rests his back against the headboard of the bed, "How are you guys doing?" He suddenly asks.

Hyunjin lets out a low chuckle and turns his head at you, making you answer this one for both of you.

"So far so good," you manage to sound casual this time.

"Don't worry! We got this under control," Hyunjin adds with a convincing smile.

All of a sudden, Edie throws herself onto your bed and squeezes herself between you and Hyunjin. She glances at you and then at Hyunjin, your heart is beating so fast thinking that she caught on to your lies until she whispers.

"Guys, I have some gossip to tell you!"

You and Hyunjin exchange a quick look with each other knowing that none of them suspect anything and with that, you can let out a sigh of relief.

-

YOU: Well, [sighs] Hyunjin is just too irresistible, I— I just couldn't help it.

-

Hyunjin has broken the rules twice now and the fact that neither Edie nor Andy suspects anything only makes him think of how easy it is to break the rules.

Now he knows how sweet that forbidden fruit is, he feels like having another bite.

While everyone else is already tucked into the beds, Hyunjin goes to the dressing room knowing that you're there. He finds you standing by your closet and taking out your clothes. Even with your face already bare and your hair tied into a messy bun, you look just as attractive.

Planning to surprise you, Hyunjin quietly gets behind you and hoists you against his body, taking you with him to the small space wedged between the two huge closets.

"What are you doing?" You ask half giggling.

He turns you around and pushes you to the wall, pining you with his body.

"I'm about to kiss you," he says, leaning in for a kiss.

You look the other way, mewling in disapproval and a while later, look at him to say, "We can't break more rules."

Hyunjin takes your hands and puts them around his shoulders as he closes the gap between your bodies, impossibly close he can feel your chest heaving against him.

"Hyunjin..." you mewl again as he leans in again but he lets his lips land on your neck, trying to tease you another way.

The way you grip the nape of his neck and lowly whimper as he nibbles on your ear, Hyunjin can tell that it's working so he slowly drags his lips up the column of your neck.

To make sure you're not avoiding his kiss again, he gently holds your chin and plants his lips on yours. He takes his time, kissing you slowly yet deeply while feeling your body against him.

A moment later, you break the kiss with a gasp and then bury your head in his neck.

"Everyone is going to be so mad at us," you mumble.

Hyunjin doesn't even think about anything else at this moment, all he can think about is you and your body, and how he wants to ruin you in so many ways.

"We can stop," he says but his hand glides up to your chest and his fingers lightly trace your nipple against the fabric, making it hard for you to say no to him.

He intensely stares at you and waits if you're going to say anything to stop him from doing anything but he gets nothing but the same lustful eyes from you.

He pulls the strap of your top down your shoulder, sending your breast spilling out of it and he quickly takes it into his mouth. As he sucks on it, you let out a breathless whimper with your nails dug into his shoulder. Feeling mischievous, he takes more of the flesh and sucks harder, making you yelp in pain.

"Oh, fu—" You can barely finish your word. You hurriedly plant your mouth on his neck to keep yourself quiet.

Hyunjin knows he can't leave a mark so he stops himself from doing it, slowly pulling away while looking up at you with a string of saliva connecting his lips with your nipple.

Not letting the camera catch you half-naked, he immediately fixes your top for you while blocking you with his body.

He presses his mouth to your ear and softly whispers, "You're so fucking sweet."

You look down and shyly giggle in response.

Something about you being shy that makes him want to ruin you more, makes him bolder by the minute that he doesn't hesitate anymore to crash his lips against yours and kisses you harder.

-

HYUNJIN: This kiss is worth every penny and every amount of shit that I'm about to get [grins]

-

If breathing wasn't necessary, you believe Hyunjin wouldn't stop kissing you.

He reluctantly breaks the kiss with a low groan and then buries his head in your neck, putting all of his weight against you.

You steadily hold him and put your hand in his silky locks of hair, scratching at his head with your fingertips. If it weren't for the other people, you would have stayed in there and probably continued the make-out session. However, you're aware that the longer you two are absent from the bedroom, the more suspicious they'll get.

Before he gets to do anything else, you put your hands on his chest and slowly push him away from you.

"It's getting late," you murmur at him.

As he reacts with a pout at you, you place a kiss on his cheek to console him and a quick ruffle on his hair. He slips his arms around you to hug you one more time to finally obey you.

It's a little nerve-wracking to walk back into the bedroom together, you try to act normal and try not to make any eye contact with anyone in the room as you walk to your bed.

You look at Hyunjin and he looks calm as if he didn't just kiss the life out of you back in the dressing room. He throws the decorative pillows onto the floor and pulls the duvet now, climbing onto his side of the bed.

It puts you at ease that no one is suspecting anything or that's what you see as they're busy chatting with their respective bed partners. You can't tell if you should consider it as luck because you slightly fear that Hyunjin is going to get bolder now, especially once the lights are out.

"Goodnight everyone," Edie sweetly says in the dark.

You look over your shoulder to the bed next to yours, "Night, Edie."

She outstretches her hand at you and you grab at it, "Night, sexy babe," she says back at you.

You pull the duvet to cover your legs and when you rest your head, Hyunjin's arm is already there, offering it as your pillow. He pulls you close once you lay down and kisses your neck.

"Mmh... so tired," he hums.

You slip your hand into the gaping hole on his sleeveless top and rest it on his back, "What have you been doing all night, mmh?" You poke fun at him.

He chuckles hearing your question and plants a kiss on your bare shoulder. You cautiously track his hand movement as it's dangerously going down your spine.

"Want to kiss you again," he whispers into your ear.

Your guess turned out to be right so you prepare yourself to anticipate his next move, but there's not much you can do with how tightly he holds you.

The second he leans in, you hurriedly tilt your head down so that his lips land on your eyebrow and you laugh at how he failed to kiss you.

"Oh, what did I kiss?" He asks in pure confusion.

"That's my eyebrow," you answer while still laughing.

He retracts his hand from your back and places it on the nape of your neck to keep your head steady as he leans in again and he goes on a kiss rampant all over your face.

You're quick to cover your lips with your hand but once he realizes you have your hand blocking his lips from kissing yours, he continues to ferociously kiss you.

Hyunjin eventually gives up but keeps you close to him, putting a safe space between your bodies but resting his hand on your waist to not let you get away from him.

Your hand returns to his back again, caressing his warm skin with the back of your hand, and doing it helps you calm down.

Sensing that he's getting drowsy too, you place a sweet kiss on his cheek and say, "Goodnight."

Even in a dark room, you can see him smiling at you as he says it back to you with a gentle squeeze on your waist and it feels nice.

-

YOU: I feel bad that we broke the rules but it was for a good cause.

-

The first thing Hyunjin does when he wakes up is put his arm around you and nuzzle his head in your neck.

"Morning," you mumble to him while putting his hair away from covering his face.

"I had such a good sleep," he murmurs to you.

"Did you?" You say with a sly smile.

After those kisses, you realize that you're not just physically attracted to him, you genuinely like him and it only convinces you to keep building this connection with him.

"Good morning!" Andy shouts into the room and you don't know where he gets that burst of energy this early in the day.

You look at Edie who's slightly disoriented and coo at her, "Morning, Edie baby!"

She pouts and runs her hand through her messy blond hair and twists it in her hand before securing it with a hair claw.

"I heard giggles last night," she says to you.

"From here?"

"Yeah," she answers.

"I feel like you guys broke the rules yesterday," Frida accused you two out of the blue.

 Somehow, you manage to calmly respond to her, "No, we didn't."

Hyunjin lifts his head to look at Frida and backs you up, "We did not."

You bravely look at Frida in the eyes to convince her as you add, "Just cuddling all night."

What you said seems to assure the group for now, but you know that people are starting to get suspicious of the two of you. In defense, you didn't lie, you're just withholding the truth,

-

YOU: I'm not lying, I'm just... withholding the truth [shrugs]

-

To say that you're jealous of Vic and Edouard getting a date tonight from Lana would be an understatement.

However, you're more scared of the reason why you don't get a date with Hyunjin. Lana sees everything and she knows that you break rules, in fact, she's going to expose you for it sooner or later.

You're on your second glass of wine when the call to the cabana comes and frantically searches for Hyunjin since he's the other person who knew about the rule breaks. You reunite with him on the way to the cabana and he probably knows how nervous you are from how cold your hand is as he holds it.

Like it isn't obvious enough, you tell it to him once you're both seated on the sofa, "I'm nervous."

"I know," he calmly says.

You don't know how much money you and Hyunjin spent but you know for sure that everyone is going to hate you for it.

Lana chimes and you feel like your heart just dropped to your stomach.

"In order to incentivize you to follow the rules, yesterday I doubled the fines and organized a workshop to help re-channel your sexual energy in healthy and creative ways."

It's not a good thing when Lana skips the greeting and goes straight into business, you understand why and you feel faint the closer you get to the truth.

"It seems these measures failed on every level."

"What did she say?" Marie asks.

Everyone else stays quiet as they still processing Lana's words and a moment later, the whodunit game begins. The first one to get accused of doing this is the couple who just came back from the date.

"Swear to God, we didn't do anything," Edouard immediately cleared himself and Vic from any accusations.

Andy has a bad poker face and gives himself away for everyone to see, he has no other option but to admit it right away.

"Yeah, we kissed."

"We had some time alone and we kissed, all right?" Edie explains.

"So that justifies it?" Pablo asks with a disapproving look.

"It doesn't justify it," Edie agrees with him.

"We had to go all day without knowing anything," Pablo says.

Seeing everyone's reaction to Edie and Andy's rule break only makes you anxious about what's coming to you.

"This kiss has cost the group $6,000," Lana announces the new price for a kiss.

-

YOU: I don't want to deal with everything they're dealing with right now.

-

Hyunjin does a calculation in his head. He can't even remember how many times he kisses you but if a kiss costs $6,000, the sum of what he did last night is going to be so expensive.

"That's expensive," Vic comments.

Everyone is going to know how expensive it will get when they find out how much he spent last night. He sure as hell knows there was more than one kiss.

"However, this was not the only breach of the rules," Lana continues.

Hyunjin gulps air because he knows his time has come. He gives everyone the time to prepare themselves for the truth. He looks to the side and sees you're fidgeting, he knows he can't stall it anymore.

It's time, he grits his teeth and does it, "Okay guys, listen, the first time we kissed—"

"Wait, what? The first– you kissed more than once?" Frida aggressively attacks him for it.

Shit! He shouldn't have said that, but he doesn't expect anyone to notice it either. Things are not going well with everyone going hostile on you and him all at once.

"Did you guys do something else?" Vic asks.

That's not the question Hyunjin needs right now, he gulps air again but it feels like he's trying to dry swallow a big pill.

"Look, it's—"

"Oh, my God!" Frida disappointingly says.

"What is it? What did you do?" Vic asks.

"Just touching, there was fondle... I-I don't know," you stammer while trying to explain.

"Are you serious?" Marie hysterically says.

The more he tries to explain, the worse it gets so he gives up on saying anything but waits for Lana to see where it goes.

"These rule breaks have cost the group an additional $30,000," Lana announces.

Everyone reacts in the same disappointing tone of groans and moans.

"The prize fund now stands at $132,000."

Hyunjin doesn't expect it's going to be that expensive, oh well, now he sees the consequences of his actions and is ready to accept his punishment.

"I'm sorry, guys," you apologize to everyone.

"Me too. I'm sorry," he adds with all sincerity.

"We've lost almost half of the money and it hasn't been a week," Marie scolds.

He sees it now that you're both walking on the fine edge and everyone's trust is on the line. It gets worse as Lana calls both of your names.

"Although you are displaying early signs of a deeper bond, you are spending too much energy concentrating on a physical connection rather than an emotional one."

Lana sounds mad and that's not good, Hyunjin can only hope that she doesn't kick him out this early on the retreat.

"And as you have cost the group the most money, I am setting you an additional test."

Test? When it comes to Lana's test, Hyunjin can only think of one thing and it can't be it, right?

"You will spend the night in the suite."

One thing for sure is he's relieved to not get kicked out of the retreat and for the rest... he's not sure he's going to do well on the test.

"This is your chance to show the group that your connection is more than just physical," Lana says.

Looking at everyone's doubtful look at him, Hyunjin feels the need to say something to them.

"If resisting is going to earn your trust back then I'll do it," he remarks.

Pablo sneers and says, "You lied to us. Your words don't mean until you prove it."

Ouch, that offends him but it gives him just the right motivation to prove them wrong.

"You may now leave," Lana orders.

He gets up first and offers his hand to help you, holding your hand as he exits the cabana to go to the private suite.

-

HYUNJIN: We have to earn everyone's trust back. The problem is, I have no self-control.

-

The private suite is the small guest house located not far from the main villa.

Once you get inside, you can see that the interior isn't that much different either, it's cozy and spacious. What gets your attention is how the staff decorated the room with scented candles lined up on one side of the wall, and rose petals scattered on the bed.

"What do we have here?" Hyunjin says, scanning the room for interesting things.

"Champagne, roses..." he goes to the side of the bed and picks up a furry handcuff.

"Sex toys, condoms, lubricant, oils oh..." he groans as he lists everything he finds on the bedside table.

You walk up to the bed and sit on the end of the bed, chuckling at Hyunjin's expression as he explores the tray full of various sex toys.

"You just want to make trouble, huh Lana? You want to see shit go down," you loudly shout, knowing that Lana is watching everything.

As Hyunjin walks up to you, you hold out your leg at him and rub his shin with your foot.

"Take my shoes for me, please?" You sweetly ask.

"With pleasure," he says, squatting on the floor to do what you ask. He patiently unties the laces of your heeled sandals and takes them off of you.

As he gets up from the floor, he keeps holding your legs by the ankle and lifts them, sending you lying down on the bed. He stands by the edge of the bed and holds your legs close to his chest, he runs his hands up and down the side of your legs while looking down at you.

"Is this how we're going to do it?" You playfully ask.

"Oh, you don't know what's coming for you," he seductively says, parting your legs open then puts himself in between.

There's no denying that Hyunjin is beautiful but it's only now that you have the chance to take a good look at him. You notice his shiny dark hair which he tied into a messy bun, the necklace dangling around his neck, the muscles on his arms and the veins coiling around them, and a pair of big hands with rings adorning his long fingers.

You like his hands more when they're on you but they're now propped against the bed as he hovers above you and you're about to crumble under his lustful gaze.

"The bed is perfect," you try to talk about something else entirely.

"When the lights go out it'd be like this," Hyunjin starts bouncing himself on the bed and sending the bed quaking.

He eventually stops and has you pinned under him again, burying his head in your neck, and attacking you with ferocious little kisses.

You would be lying if you said it does nothing to you, it makes the butterflies fly around in your stomach.

It doesn't take long for his kisses to turn harder, deeper and he begins to move his hand around your body. You badly want to keep him going but you know better you should do the opposite.

"At least pretend like you have some self-control," you mutter to him.

He abruptly stops moving and lightly chuckles, he pulls away to look at you, "Yeah, we're better than that."

He puts himself on top of you again, letting you hold him close and play with his hair. A moment later, he gets up while unbuttoning his shirt with one hand, completely unaware of how attractive he is for doing that.

"I'll get the bath ready," he says.

"Okay."

-

YOU: I don't think I can hold back. I want to be bad, so bad [Smirks]

-

Hyunjin dips his hand into the water to check the temperature, making sure it's not too hot or cold. Getting the temperature just right, he turns the faucet to stop the hot water and walks out of the bathroom.

"The bath is ready," he announces, finding you drinking a glass of white wine on the bed.

You nod and drain your glass, putting the empty glass away to start unbuttoning your blouse.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

"Taking my clothes off," you innocently answer, taking your blouse off and setting it aside.

He thought that you would go to the bathroom first to do that, not that he minded it but seeing you taking your clothes off on the bed makes his mind go wild, all sorts of lewd thoughts rushing through his head as you sit on the bed while hugging yourself with both arms to cover your breasts.

"Do you mind helping me with my skirt?" You ask for another while unzipping the skirt.

He didn't realize he'd been staring at you and quickly getting ahold of himself, "Yes, sure."

The skirt is a little tight and tugging around your hips, he has to use his strength to take it off. You lift your hips so he can easily pull it down, revealing the black lacy underwear you're wearing underneath.

The sight of your naked body splayed on the bed makes him salivate and it stresses him out that he's not able to do anything about it. He keeps licking his lips as his throat gets dry the more he thinks about touching you.

You get off the bed and go to the bathroom with both hands crossed in front of your chest, "Come on, the water is getting cold," you remind him.

Hyunjin brings the bottle of champagne and the bowl of strawberries to the bathroom, putting them on the side of the tub. He hands you your glass so he can fill it with the white wine.

"Thank you, baby," you mutter and have a sip of wine.

He puts the bottle down and leans down with his hands gripping the edge of the tub, leaving only a few inches of space between your faces.

"Let me see..." he says, taking a moment to look at you.

He doesn't fill the water high enough to get to your chest and he can see your breasts, wet and moist from the scented water. He so badly wants to cup them and see how they fit perfectly in his hands.

His eyes travel back up and looks at your face, sighing in delight as he finds you smiling at him. He allows himself to lean in and kiss your neck, a kiss on the column of your neck and another one on the skin behind your ear.

"You're so beautiful," he praises you.

You lean forward to softly place a kiss on his inner arm, "Get in, quick, don't make me wait," you tell him.

It's not hard to be confident when he has all of your attention on him, he knows he has to make it a good show for his special audience.

He maintains eye contact with you as he unbuckles his belt, he swiftly unzips his fly and tugs his fingers into both his jeans and boxers, planning to take them all off at once, exposing himself to you.

He catches the wild glints in your eyes and the way you swallow air as your eyes dart to the thing between his legs, knowing that being in this room with you is enough to cause him a semi-hard.

"Oh, man," you say to yourself, finishing your wine in one long sip as if the sight of him makes you thirsty.

That gives him a boost of confidence, he carefully gets into the tub and lowers himself down, letting the water engulf him in warmth and floral scents.

He gropes around underwater for your feet and puts them on his chest, playing with them as he looks at you from the other end of the tub.

"I'm down to whatever you want to do," he says to you.

You hold your hand out at him, "Do we have a deal then?"

He gladly grabs your hand and shakes it, "Deal!"

To seal the deal, you both clink your champagne flutes together for a toast and have a sip.

"I want to sit on your lap," you tell him.

"Do what you want," he says with such ease, ignoring that the proximity is not going to do him good.

You're slowly making your way to him, not wanting to send the water sloshing out of the tub and sit on his lap like you wanted.

The sudden rise in the temperature is not from the bathwater, it's from the tension that keeps building between you and him.

"How am I not dying right now?" He sighs, looking up at you with your hands around his shoulders.

You lean in until your nose meets his in the middle, "Why is that so?"

He's his hands on each side of your waist and resisting to go lower than that, then sighs again, "Because you're so fucking hot."

You crack a laugh and put the hair escaping your messy bun, you notice the bowl of strawberries on the side of the tub, reaching for it.

"I want one," he requests.

You pick one and feed it to him but he tugs it between his teeth, gesturing you to take a bite of it. You slyly smile then lean in, taking a bite of the strawberry and cautiously doing it to not make contact with his lips.

Hyunjin shoves the rest that you can't bite into his mouth and chews on it, he spots the chocolate dips inside the bowl of strawberries.

"Dip it into the chocolate next," he orders.

Even though you're still chewing, you reach for the bowl and pick a strawberry, dipping it into the melted chocolate like he asked.

You immediately bring it into his mouth, not risking the chocolate to drip into the tub and he hurriedly opens his mouth for you.

The bathtub is safe from chocolate but it gets all over his chin, you wipe it with your thumb only to smear it all over his mouth.

"You did it on purpose," he teases you, half laughing.

"Licking is not against the rules, right?" You doubtfully ask yet go for it without waiting for the answer.

Your tongue feels hot and slick on his chin, and somehow, it feels way more sexual than a kiss as you land a long lick across his lips, then use your thumb to clean the rest.

"All good now," you inform.

Spotting your fingers coated with chocolate, he takes them into his mouth and gently sucks on them, making you watch him doing it as he looks at you through his lashes.

"More champagne?" You offer.

"Yes, please," he answers, holding your glass for you and his for you to refill.

He initiates another toast, he takes a quick sip so he can watch you drink your wine. You're tilting your head to have a long sip and accidentally sending it dribbling down your chin, then onto your chest.

"You made a mess, baby," he tells you.

"It's your turn to clean it up for me," you playfully dare him.

Feels challenged, he pulls you closer and leans into your chest, not hesitating to lick it clean for you. He gasps when he pulls away and grins in satisfaction, anything that requires him to make physical contact with you is a win for him.

An idea crosses his head and he follows up to that by spilling his wine onto your chest.

"Oops..." he mischievously says with a sly grin.

You put on a sassy eye roll at him and put your hands on his chest, holding him by the neck then without warning, bringing his head to your chest.

Hyunjin is more than glad to be there, drinking and tasting your skin as you pour more wine down your chest. All this drinking won't quench his thirst for he has an endless thirst for you.

The next thing he knows, he's holding you close until your breasts squashed between your chests, nothing in between, skin to skin. This level of intimacy is new to him yet he feels exceptionally at ease.

He places a hot kiss on your neck and brings his mouth close to your ear, "I want to kiss you," he whispers.

You place your forehead against his and sweetly smile, "Let's save it for later, mmh?" You tell him, then softly kiss his nose.

Now all Hyunjin can think about is when he kisses you, it'll taste of strawberry and champagne.

-

HYUNJIN: I don't know if I trust myself right now [shakes head]

-

The slap on your asscheek startles you as you brush your hair in front of the sink.

"Giddy up! Let's get to bed," Hyunjin says, ogling at your ass and tempted to land another slap.

"Just a second," you tell him, patiently brushing the end of your hair before turning around to face him.

You throw your arms around him and he catches you right away, hoisting you against him to take you to bed. You tightly cling to him and put your legs around his waist.

"Oh!" You loudly moan as he throws you on the bed and puts himself on top of you next.

To not put his whole weight on you, he props his elbow against the bed and looks down at you, he plays with the thin strap of your silk camisole, twirling it around his slender finger.

"For fuck's sake! Can you stop looking so sexy?" He says with a heavy and erratic breath.

You watch his hand go down the front of your body, holding your breath when it gets dangerously close to where you want him.

At the same time, you feel like teasing him because it's fun to see him trying not to fold. You open your legs as his hand reaches your abdomen and he stops moving.

"Don't open your legs!" He demands.

You shut them and open them again the next second, spreading them wide, showing off your thin white underwear that barely covers your private part.

"Oh, fuck!" He curses out loud, struggling to not touch you there.

Before his intrusive thought wins, you take his hand and place it around your waist as you lay on your side, facing him to stare at his beautiful face.

You let your hand run down his bare chest, caressing the skin with your knuckle. You badly want to place kisses all over him so you go for it, going for his neck first then his chest next.

Hyunjin lays back on the bed and lets you continue, tracing the outline of his abs with your hand while your lips are busy placing searing kisses across his chest.

"How am I meant to resist?" He sighs as he takes a fistful of your hair in his hand.

You go for his ear, nibbling at it and taking a gentle bite at it, laughing when you see his reaction.

"Oh, I'm fucked," he groans yet with a grin on his face.

Hyunjin hovers above you again, looking at you with eyes wide and dark with desire, almost like a predator about to eat his prey.

You softly scratch the nape of his neck and then both of his ears which you notice are reddening as you play with them.

"I'm only waiting for you to say the word," he murmurs to you.

The word is on the tip of your tongue, it has been since the moment you step into the room and being alone with him. But there's too much at stake, the money and the trust you need to earn back.

Hyunjin is just good at doing that, distracting you with his plush, luscious lips. The long kiss he's planting blurs your judgments and makes you forget what is right and wrong.

The hand resting on your stomach steadily holds you down as he keeps kissing you all over your neck and chest, making you hot all over.

"Just say the word and I'll do it," he whispers to you.

This is such a dilemma. You want to be good but the bad in you keeps wanting to come out and play, especially with Hyunjin on top of you.

"I think it'll be the most expensive suite of the season," you say.

He detaches his lips from your jaw and says, "I'm more than happy to make that happen."

Caught between two choices, you think hard for a moment, considering all the pros and cons of both choices. But how your judgment is going to be fair when Hyunjin starts to go down on you, planting kisses down the front of your body?

He places a long, heavy kiss on your abdomen just right above the waistband of your underwear, then he lifts his head and asks, "How it's going to be, mmh?"

Gosh! How can you resist this sexy man? Even if you can, do you have the will to? You put your hand in his hair and tug at it.

"Let's give Lana something good to watch," you answer with a smirk.

-

YOU: Sorry, Lana but you put me in this situation.

-

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[sulumuns-dootah]

I just saw the upcoming Christmas card with Luci and I'm shocked, how come the rest of the healers are present at my Christmas dinner??? They are turned away and tied up, but they can still hear everything and use their wild imagination. How would the demons of Paradise Lost react to this scene?

Paradise Lost demons' thoughts during the Lucifer(Blow) card

⟡ Masterlist ⟡

A/N: Hi, sorry this took a while U.U I sadly don't have the card, so I'm kinda assuming what happens during it T-T

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

I think it's safe to start off by saying that they are ALL HARD :D

Morax

Above everything, Morax is content that his king is happy

And you already know, that if Lucifer praises you for your skills or anything, Morax's dick is twitching like crazy

Still, I imagine that he's just there to be there and mostly tries to zone out to give those two behind him at least some privacy

       ༺☆༻

Gamigin

Gamigin is jittery asf

On one hand he's also excited for his big bro

But on the other, he wishes it was him instead

It's kinda hard for him to not try and at least look over his shoulder so he can think about it later on his own

       ༺☆༻

Buer

'Think happy thoughts... Happy thoughts...'

Just like Morax, he's trying to give you two as much privacy as he can

Unlike all the others, however, it doesn't even cross his mind to look over his shoulder

Patient-doctor confidentiality and all that

       ༺☆༻

Marbas

Oh boy

It takes all Marbas' strength to not turn around and cure your Christmas Cold on his own

He doesn't know whether he should try to zone out like Morax and Buer or if he should listen for every wet squelch and gagging sound coming from you

Listening to those sweet sound makes it harder for him to restrain himself, but he'd hate himself if he were to miss any one of them

[bitchlessdino]

scream your heart out (m)

🔪pairing: fem!reader x seventeen (???) 🔪genre: horror, slasher, smut 🔪tags: DISCLAIMIER!!! MAY NOT SUIT MOST AUDIENCES, Graphic sexual and violent imagery color coded in pink, abrupt changes in text color, features/mentions members (Chan, Seungkwan, Wonwoo, Minghao, Seungcheol, Seokmin, Junhui, Soonyoung, Joshua), established relationships, scream au!seventeen, Hybristophilia, erotophonophilia, homicidophilia, graphic images, mention panic attacks, smoking, mentions disfigurement of faces, severed body parts, knives, guns, threatening phone calls, face masks (horror), knife wielding, blood, gore, death/murder, knife play, bloody handjobs, cum mixing with blood, consensual sex but nonconsensual murder, HONESTLY SOME REALLY FUCKED UP SHIT AND IM SORRY BUT YALL SHOULD BE READING THE WARNINGS, sexual innuendos, kitchen sex, daddy kink, unprotected sex, cream pies, cuck! (??) member, voyeurism, exhibitionism, breeding kink, PLS LET ME KNOW IF IM MISSING ANYTHING PLS 🔪word count: 6.8k 🔪summary: you and your friends get caught up in a classic horror slasher movie, only it's in real life. Now you're off to fend for yourselves in Seungcheol's million dollar home. The question is, did you keep them out, or did you just lock them in? 🔪author note: thank you @multi-kpop-fanfics and @wonwussy for beta reading for me <3. here's some of their notes “I’m scratching my face to not fucking scream” “WELL SHIT BRO WHAT THE FUCK” -Zeta “It definitely does capture that slasher essence” -SJ this was so fun yet mind numbing to write but this is way more extreme than anything I’ve ever written like I lost a lot of sanity writing this. FR one of the most fucked up things I’ve ever written. I hope it was worth it. ENJOY EVERYONE and even tho it came out late HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Ever since the murders over a week ago, everyone in town has been on edge. All including the individuals most closely involved.

You had lost three core members of your eight. 

Joshua, someone you’ve known since grade school who was sliced open from the back before being stabbed 8 times to the point of excessive bleeding. He had just gone out to walk his dog, the poor creature being the only reason they found his body at all. If not for the dog’s bloody paws, and the trail of blood they left behind finding help, Joshua’s cadaver would’ve lost deep in the woods.

And then Chan, your long-time boyfriend, was stabbed fifteen times in the chest. His face was so disfigured from obvious violence and what looked to be burn scars, that he was practically unrecognizable if not for the fact he died in his own home. Police are still looking for his severed arms and legs to this day with no luck.

And finally, Seungkwan, who hadn’t died but lost to the paranoia festering in his blood like a disease. That caused him to take the train to the furthest destination possible to attempt to escape death if at all possible, leaving the rest of you with only the reassuring texts he left in his wake.

All that was left was you, Seokmin, Seungcheol, Minghao, and Wonwoo; the core five.

“Okay, absolutely no one is leaving this house for the time being. Until the psycho is caught behind bars, dead, or whatever the fuck! We’re safe here.”

Seungcheol, the eldest, did just as expected: contacted the rest of you into a personal prison. Luckily, he was loaded. The prison happened to be six thousand square feet of space with countless rooms, amenities, and a housekeeper to boot. From the looks of it, it’s paradise, but it’s definitely a prison.

“Holy shit, you have an indoor basketball court?”

A prison with an indoor basketball court. And a pool apparently.

Seokmin wasted no time to enjoy these features, breaking out of his clothes and cannonballing in his underwear. If you knew any better, Seokmin didn’t even look like he went through any trauma at all. It looked like every other day for him.

“There's a murderer and you’re doing butterfly strokes?” You asked, baffled.

The golden man scoffed, reaching the edge of the pool and resting against it with his forearms. “What am I gonna do? Wallow, crying to my mom, worrying about dying, and not taking advantage of this gorgeous mansion we’re staying in?”

“Thank you, Seokmin,” Seungcheol grinned.

Seokmin winked back at him, “Of course, daddy.”

“How are you both so unserious about all this?”

Wonwoo left a kind hand against your shoulder, looking back at you with warm eyes and a small smile. “They’re grieving. Just in their own way.”

You sighed, crossing your arms. “They’re being ridiculous. We shouldn’t be here. We need to be at the police station or something.”

“You were there when I got the call. The creepy voice said no police or you all die. Remember?”

You shuddered, hands over your sides to relieve your chilled skin. “Of course I do, but we’re sitting ducks here. This isn’t any better. We need protection.”

It was Seungcheol’s turn to scoff then. He strutted in front of you, flaunting his wing span before flexing his arms and then crossing them over his chest. “Well, you have me.”

“And me,” Seokmin joined. “Pure muscle right here.”

“Maybe pure laughing gas, not sure about muscle. We’re actually living in a horror movie right now and you’re all making jokes.”

“Hey,” Wonwoo stroked your head as his soothingly deep voice serenaded you, “Don’t say that. We’ll make it out of here.”

His arms come around you, forearms pressed against your collarbones, and his chin crooked over your shoulder. “You have me too. I would run through that knife before it could get to you.”

You genuinely smile for the first time being there, your hand stroking over his embrace. Wonwoo delicately kissed the temple of your forehead, reminding you what it was like to be constantly adored.

You were grateful for what he had become in your life. Wonwoo had kept you company in your time of need. In the absence of Chan. He had come to your house with whatever he thought you might need, lent you his shoulder that you could cry on, lent his ears so that he could listen, lent his body that you could heal. In more ways than one.

“You’re right. You are.” You turned to face him, wrapping your arms around his body and meeting his eyes framed in specs of hard plastic. “You’re the first person I can sacrifice if we face them head to head.”

He mused at you. “Ooh, now look who’s pulling jokes.”

“Who said I was joking?”

“You two are disgustingly cute,” Minghao commented coming through the back door. “Horror movie rules: they get killed while having sex.”

You punched the new face right in the arm, watching him scurry away to your other friends laughing.

“Not funny, Hao.”

Minghao sneers at you, a jester smile still on his face. “Ease up, princess. Wonwoo, watch your girl.”

“Only because she’s so pretty to look at,” he briefly grinned down at you before directing his attention to Minghao sternly, “but come on. We’re all a little psyched right now. Cool it with the murder talk. Alright?”

Wonwoo pulled you aside into the dining area, ignoring the careless laughter outside. His thumb stroked against your knuckles, lips pressing sweetly against your cheeks. His grin sunk deeper in his cheeks the further he made it past your jaw and then down your neck. He felt your throat vibrate against his lips. “Wonwoo…”

“I can’t have all these guys get you heated like this. That’s my job,” he teased with a rasp.

You slightly pushed him off, your arms swung over his shoulders. “You’re so ridiculous right now.”

“Anything to put that smile on your face.”

His lips reconnected with your neck, nipping at your skin. His humming sent tingles down your spine, and he took your body to press you against the side of the counter. Your hands grasped his baggy shirt, lip close to his ear, fanning your breath against his face. You smiled like a girl in love. Obsessed.  “Daddy…”

“I love it when you call me that,” he mumbled, just as love-struck, if not more. Your giggles brought out the pink on Wonwoo’s ears and cheeks while tightening the groin of his pants. You noticed immediately, cupping it in your palm, and running your finger along the seam. Your eyes skimmed over his taken expression, leaning your full weight into him. “I know there’s something else you really love.”

“Do you now?”

You nodded, your bottom lip caught between your teeth. “But do you really want to do it here? Risk getting caught?”

He leaned into your touch, allowing your fingers to take apart his pants. “Try new things right? Like you always say. Plus you’re scared. Gonna turn that fear into pleasure. Make you feel good, just what my baby deserves.”

“You're so good to me, Daddy,” you moaned.

His hand finds the hem of your shorts, pulling them down to expose yourself to the cold air. He fingered through your panties and slid two digits through your folds. He felt your breath hitch as he squeezed your clit, eliciting your soft whines. “You’re so wet down there, baby.”

“Just waiting for daddy to fuck me where anyone can find us and watch.”

Wonwoo eagerly pulled down his pants, kicking them and yours aside, but not without pocketing your underwear. He lifted you up slightly from the ground, his exposed cock hitting at your hip. “Look what you do to me.”

Your throat went dry at the sight of him, hand aching to wrap your hand around his girth and have him shoved inside you.

He didn’t let you wait a second long, and pushed in slowly inch by inch, burying himself in your pussy until he was nearly balls deep. You grasped his shoulder in a gasp, savoring the fire burning in your stomach. The girth of his cock stretched your molten walls, allowing them to melt all around his cock as he spread your legs. You writhe in his embrace, your limbs closing around his lean and toned build, already blissful from the few seconds of him being inside you.

Wonwoo’s words kissed your lips, flushed your skin, and left a permanent smile on your face. It swelled pride in his chest, better than any physical trophy would have. His hips slowly rolled against yours, letting you adjust to his size. He massaged the flesh of your side through his fingers, mentally reassuring himself you were his and his alone, but his names on your lips became more than proof.

Your hips buckled towards him in heat, matching his pace before the carnal side of him decided to fuck you like an animal. His cock then plunged sharply inside you, and then again, a whimper coming out of your lips. Your hips stuttered the harder he pounded, arching your back, you felt his hand above your ass, pushing you against him.

“Daddy…”

He lost control when it came to you, addicted—religious—the second your body came in contact with his. He loved how your fingers ran through his hair, not caring how his glasses fell off his face in the process. With drool out of the corner of his lips, he could feel the blood rush up to the surface of your skin, making him feel warm at home inside you. Throbbing, he only got harder feeling how perfectly snug you were, pricking his clammy skin with goosebumps as he bottomed out.

“You’re sopping, precious,” he murmured with a sly grin.

He had you begging, flustered, and beautiful. Your hand clasped his face as your other arm looped around his neck, swallowing his lips, anxious and thirsty for his breath. You craved every part of him viscerally. “Cum in me, daddy. Please…”

He scoffed, lips ghosting over yours. “Will you take every bit of daddy’s cum, hmm? Hold my cum inside you.”

You nodded gingerly. “Yes, yes. I promise, daddy. Give it to me please, I want you to spill your cum inside me and make me yours…”

“Hold on to me.”

You obliged, met with the hot stream of his climax, yours quick to follow. He embraced your sides, devouring your lips and muffling your whines. His loads pumped into you in erratic thrusts, fucking his cum back into you and making sure you drained him of every ounce. His fingers dug into your flesh, feeling you just come apart for him, undoing the tension that festered earlier.

But that tension was needed. It was necessary to survive. Everyone let themselves forget the current predicament, basking in the glow of the sunset until dinner time arrived. Despite the housekeeper that supposedly exists, she hadn’t been around since all of you stepped foot in the house, like a ghost presence. Seungcheol scrambled to find her—reminding you of his peculiar obsession with the woman—as he wondered when dinner would be ready since a rise in temperature or a savory scent couldn’t be found in the kitchen.

“That’s strange. She’d be finished with a whole chicken by now,” the homeowner commented, noticeably picking his nails.

“Aww,” Seokmin groaned, “Well, is there anything else to eat?”

“I mean…you can look around.”

You narrowed your eyes at him in disbelief. “This is your house. You don’t know what you have in your own house?”

“You try navigating a five-story home with countless cabinets!”

“Buy a smaller house, you prick!”

“Guys!” Minghao chimed in. “Breathe in…and out. We’ll just find food. Seungcheol, your maid, your house, your search. She’s probably fine.”

Your hands slammed against those pristine marble counters. “We are NOT splitting up right now. This is what the killer wants. She’s probably already dead and we’re fucked.”

Wonwoo came to your side, laying a cool calm over your shoulder, and rubbed your sides. You let yourself melt in his touch, his sweet voice soothing you effectively. 

Seokmin sat up from his stool, “Okay, okay. I will help Seungcheol and you guys stick together.”

“That’s still splitting up!”

“Better than alone.” Seungcheol rebutted. “You guys stay.”

Despite your protests, they went on their search. Your head banged against Wonwoo’s chest, muttering in anguish about how everything was going wrong and that it’d only get worse. Meanwhile, Minghao seemed to regain some of that tension but masked the fear with the bright light of his phone, scrolling through TikTok. You didn’t know what was more annoying, sensation of imminent death possibly behind any door, or the same five songs replaying on Minghao’s feed.

After 15 minutes when they were nowhere to be seen, your patience had run thin. You picked yourself up from Wonwoo’s lap and dusted yourself off. “Fuck this. We’re finding them.”

You felt his hand on your shoulder, a concerned glow in his gaze. “Babe, hey. They’ve got it. Trust them.”

“Wonwoo, you know I can’t do that. Let’s just find them, hmm? Together?”

“Not a bad idea,” Minghao agreed. “Better in groups right? We go together, eliminate us as any potential suspects.”

Your boyfriend sighed, collected your hand, and laced his fingers through yours. “Fine.”

You were all joined together by the hip, making sure you were each other's sights. Through the wider than wingspan hallways, past the ridiculously expensive sculptures, you kept your eyes out for your estranged friends. Silence couldn’t have been more loud in these cavernous spaces, only hearing the gut feelings in your stomachs that’s churned in trepidation. Every step taken was the group closing in on the killer. 

Fortitude meant nothing if the danger was already inside.

Before turning around the corner, Minghao—reluctant to lead the group—crashed into a human-sized obstacle, causing the stumble of your entire party. You all faced a wide-eyed Seungcheol with the missing young housekeeper walking hand in hand with him. Suspicious, but besides the point.

“Holy shit, we said we’d come back!”

“It’s been 20 minutes, Cheol! You guys could’ve been dead for all we know.” You retorted.

“Wait, where’s Seokmin?” Wonwoo asked, noticing he didn’t see him nearby.

“He went ahead. He needed to piss or something and meet up later.”

“You idiot.” Your eyes burned a frustrated rage. “I said don't split up. DON’T SPLIT UP! That’s the number one rule of horror movies. You’re going get us fucking killed. He could be the murderer for all we know.”

Seungcheol scoffed, shaking his head. “Seokmin? No way. He’s the last person to even think to do that.”

“Well, do you see him? No! Probably he’s off someone being Ghostface reject with his stupid little voice modulator and cheap party city costume.”

“I told you—“ Before he could finish, his phone went off in the nick of time. When he pulled it out to saw Seokmin’s caller ID on display and the owner of the device wouldn’t help but smile. “See the bastard is even calling.”

He picked up and put him on speaker, eyeing you cheekily, amped to prove you wrong. “Seok, you little shit. How long does it take to piss, huh? Just say you wanted to take a dump.”

“Oh yeah, I took the shittiest, stinkiest, fattest dump. You could probably smell all the way from the other end of the hall.”

Instead of Seokmin on the other line, all of you were met with the eerie voice that had called you multiple times before. The voice that felt like spiders crawling up your legs. The voice that had you second guess whether you locked the front and the back door. The voice whose owner had killed countless people already. 

Seungcheol held the phone in a vice grip swallowing, fear stilling in his unsteady eyes. “You—Where the fuck is Seokmin, you son of a bitch?”

The morphed voice on the other end laughed, sounding bone chilling as nails against a blackboard. “What’s to say? Why don’t we play a little game to find out?”

“Mother fu—“You grabbed the phone from Seungcheol to answer in his place, cutting the older man off. “Why go through with this?”

“Why, I just want to help you find your beloved friend. All out of the kindness of my heart.”

“If it was all kindness, you could tell us where he is.”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“Psycho,” Minghao muttered under his breath, eyes wide in shock and fear, as if registering the idea of death for the first time.

“And if we refuse?” Wonwoo interjected.

“Seokmin dies, rock for brains,” Seungcheol gritted.

“Ding, ding, ding. Or should I say, chop, chop, chop, since that’s what'll happen if you get any of my questions wrong.”

You scoffed, coming down the stairs with your friends to follow. “Have at it then, you freak.”

“Hey, hey, play nice. Maybe I’ll get too excited and decide to cut him up early.”

Seungcheol glared at you briefly before taking back the phone, storming down the stairs, and reaching the ground floor. “Ask away, as long as Seokmin is safe.”

“First an easy one. What’s your favorite scary movie, Seungcheol?”

His feet stopped at the end of the couch in his living room, stammering to answer. “What kind of fucking question—uh, The Ring?”

“Don’t lie to your friends, Seungcheol. You know that’s not the answer, that’s just what you say to anyone that asks. Say the real answer.”

“That’s the movie though!” he started to shout, visibly shaking.

“Just say it, Cheol!” Minghao pushed.

“Stop playing around Choi Seungcheol! Just say it,” You joined.

“Fine!” He faced the friends, evidently swallowing his pride as he choked up on his answer. “I never watched a goddamn scary movie! Is that what you want to hear? I get panic attacks every time I hear one in the background, why do you I’m always going off smoking when you guys put one on,” he confessed through his tears.

“Congratulations. Your first right answer. Now was that so hard? Pussy boy?”

“Fuck you,” Seungcheol sputtered, tossing the phone back to you.

“Next question. ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ Leatherface is known for wearing a mask when it was in fact several. How many and what were they in the original movie?”

“Who the fuck would know an answer like that?” Minghao croaked in disbelief.

“Three. A ‘Killing Mask’, an ‘Old Lady Mask’ and a ‘Pretty Woman Mask.’” Wonwoo calmly answers, garnering horrified looks all around. “I wanted to be a filmmaker, remember?”

“Correct. Next question. What Was Freddy Krueger's serial killer nickname before he died?”

“It’s on the tip of my tongue,” you said slightly panicked, “Wonwoo?”

“The Springwood slasher.”

“Wow, Another amazingly correct answer. Hold on to that one, Y/n. He’s a keeper. He’s smart and fucks your brains out to the point of you screaming bloody murder? What a catch.”

You didn’t respond, impatience seething on the tip of your tongue, “Just tell us where this is all going.”

“Patience, sweetheart. Last question. What exact kind of knife does Ghostface use in the Stab movies? Here’s a hint: it’s the same one I’m holding in my hand against Seokmin’s throat. (Help me please...)”

“S-Seok.” Seungcheol gasped.

Seokmin’s voice could barely be heard on the other end, weak and afraid, only staggering breaths audible.

“Wonwoo, please,” Seungcheol begged, tears falling past his neck. “He’s our best friend.”

Wonwoo swallowed, gears visibly creaking in his head, “I know he uses a hunting knife, b-but—“

“Oh…” the voice cooed, “Well, that’s just not enough, is it? Seokminnie, say goodbye to your friends (Please, no…).”

“Seokmin!”

“Wait!” You barged, clutching the phone to the point of it almost bending. “A modified Buck 120. I remember now. It’s coming back to me. Now, let Seokmin go!”

The line went dead and in turn, light cast in the evening darkness of the poolside. All your eyes shot back at the change of light, startled at the sight in front of them. Seokmin was seated in a chair, bruises against his sides, bleeding from the splices on his forearms, and duct tape over his mouth. Yet the most frightening part was his closed eyes.

“Seokmin!”

You all rushed towards him, swinging the porch door in a panic. Seungcheol tried slapping him awake, pleading he’d be alive. “Seokmin please, please, wake up…

The poor victim's eyes start to flicker open, mumbling through the adhesive over his lips.

“Buddy,” Seungcheol ripped the duct tape clean off him, his ear coming up to his friend’s lips. “Speak to me…”

Seokmin’s voice came out in croaks, hardly incoherently, all except, “Be…hind…”

Minghao spat up blood, doubled over as Ghostface was revealed right behind him, and fell right into the pool. You and the housekeeper both let out a blood-curdling scream. The masked intruder wiped off the blood using his black rope, anticipating a lunge towards their next victim. 

“Run,” Wonwoo breathed out. 

He took your hand and ran with it. Taking a second to look back, you see Seungcheol and the housekeeper try to escape similarly before she was tugged right back towards the killer and she was stabbed right in front of him five times, each one faster than the last, having the poor Seungcheol paralyzed and fallen on his knees. The sounds of suffering were loud enough to hear throughout the neighborhood.

Wonwoo dragged you back upstairs, his survival instinct telling him to seek haven high and far up the house. 

“You left them there to die,” You proclaimed.

“He said he could manage it. You’re more important.”

“You actually believe that? Ghostface snuck up on Minghao with neither of us looking!”

“We’re going to have to. Secungcheol can handle himself.”

Finally, he finds the room, closing the door behind him and pushing heavy furniture in front of it for more time to stall. “We’ll be ok for a little bit here. Let’s look for weapons.”

He started rummaging through drawers, looking for anything strap, blunt, heavy, anything worth using. He was red in the face, sweat drenching his entire body. The only thing running through his mind was keeping you, the most important person in his life, safe. 

“Wonwoo, I don’t know if we’re going to find anything. Fuck. I’m so scared right now.”

He recognized the panic in your eyes, the bounce in your step, and the quiver in your voice. “Hey, hey, baby. Look at me.” He grasped your face in his hands, wiping your tears away with his thumb. 

“I’m here, hmm.” He kissed your closed eyes. “You’re alright.”

Then your tempered cheeks. “We’ll get through this.”

The tip of your nose. “I love you like hell.” 

Finally your trembling lips. “I’ll keep you alive.”

“Promise?” You managed to breathe out.

“Scouts honor.”

The banging resonated from outside the locked door, only getting louder and closer every passing second as if teasing you to death. You shook in Wonwoo’s embrace, burying your face in his chest. “I don’t want to die here, baby.”

“You won’t. Not with me.” One arm wrapped around your body, and another had his fingers locked around the base of a lamp, tugging it from the outlet. Pitch darkness joined you, only having to rely on the dim-lit sky through the peek of the windows.

Whomever on the other side cracked through the wood of the door, breaking it piece by piece as it fell to the ground, knocking over the dresser that blocked 

“Shit, shit, shit.” Wonwoo pushed you behind him.

Finally, your barrier came down with a final kick, rendering it useless. Wonwoo let out a battle cry, charging at them with the lamp above his head. He swung his weapon while Ghostface swung theirs, both missing simultaneously. Gritting his teeth, Wonwoo pulled forward, aiming for the head.

They crash against the wall in the process, but not without mutilating the midsection of Wonwoo’s stomach. The visually impaired man fell back to the ground, groaning in agony as he clutched his stomach, while blood trickled through his fingers. “Mother fucker...”

Wonwoo’s vision started to fight against him with the loss of his glasses, dimming images before him, and slowly processing the murderous figure trodding before him. Wonwoo’s determination picked him right back up slowly, picking up his lamp once again, trying to take another move toward the perpetrator. And by pure luck, the lamp crashed against the crown of their head.

Ghostface stumbled back, quick to recover but visibly agitated.  Soon enough, they plunged the full length of the knife right into Wonwoo’s gut, sticking it deep and long before kicking him off of it. Wonwoo lands on the hardwood, blood gushing out of him like a public water fountain. “Fuck, fuck!”

“Wonwoo!” You come by his side, clutching at his wound desperately. “No, no, no.”

The sinister figure approached once more, hand creeping against the edge before he pulled it over and off his head. His eyes stared back at you both maniacally. His grin stretched from both ends freakishly before overtaking in deep chuckles. “Happy to see me?”

“…C-Chan?” Wonwoo managed to gasp.

“Hi, bestie.” His signature smile, once warm and inviting, reflected horrifyingly as if out of a film, one with too much bloodshed and betrayal to imagine. “Well, didn’t think you’d see me again, huh?”

“Chan, what the fuck?” You screeched. 

“You’re supposed to be dead.” Wonwoo voiced panic-stricken. “What, how?”

One foot over the other, Chan carried himself with conviction, ease, and the confidence of a man who slaughtered countless amounts of people. 

“You guys don't know how easy it is to fake my death. I was surprised by how incredibly stupid police officers are. Find a body that’s my height, my build, cut off their hands and arms to not get their fingerprints, singe their skin and face to the point of unrecognition, and plant them in your own home. I’m a fucking genius.”

“S-Seungkwan,” Wonwoo wept, his adam’s apple, “You actually—”

“It was beautiful. Masterful.”

“Why?” Wonwoo stammered. “Your best friend—“

“He was an imbecile. Weak. All bark and no bite. You will never understand how good it felt to stick the knife inside him and watch the blood burst off of him like a sprinkler. Like the knife going in and out of him surged power throughout my entire body. So, I kept doing it. And doing it. And doing it. And doing it. And doing it. And doing it. And doing it. AND DOING IT.”

His smile. That violating smile.

You sobbed, covering Wonwoo’s wound with your hands. “Y-you monster.”

“This was all just fun for you?” Wonwoo bared his teeth. “You get your kicks from lying, deceiving, stabbing your friends? You think you’re some Billy Loomis?”

“Of course I have fun. I had lots of fun. We had so much fucking fun.”

“We?” Wonwoo repeated.

“What the fuck do you mean we?” You asked horrified.

Chan started to chuckle to himself, chest heaving exuberantly before he stood completely still. Dreadfully still. 

“Well, I'm not the one that killed Joshua, am I?”

A million guesses ran through Wonwoo’s brain. None made sense the more he thought about it. “Your Stu Macher? Seokmin…Seungcheol…?”

Your eyes turned to him fearful, before it melted into something else, something familiar. Something terrifying. “No…” your lips drew close to his ear. “Me…” 

Your hands squeezed around his wound, gripping, earning his moans of anguish, screaming at you to stop, before you retrieved the knife hidden behind your boot and drove it into his shoulder. Wonwoo let out the loudest scream he could ever muster, feeling the blade sharply cut his nerve whilst pain shot into his chest. He tapped his heel incessantly on the ground, tears streaming from his eyes, looking at you in disbelief, overcome with hurt.

“And he was a good fuck too until the knife I put through his back made him scream like a little bitch.”

You pulled out the knife from him, seeing how the pain he felt in his body only complimented the suffering pooling in his heart, his mind, his soul. His lips quivered in your direction, sucking in his breath. “Y/n…Why?”

You simply shrugged. “Why does anyone kill these days? They’re bored, daddy. Same reason why things can change in the bedroom, to spice things up. The flavor of life is murder now, darling.”

“You’re killing people.”

You drove the knife one more time into his thigh, savoring his scream of agony. “And we’re more alive than we ever have been,” you said, twisting the knife before pulling it out.

You walked toward Chan, helping him pull off his robe. “And so is our sex life.”

“So, Junhui, Soonyoung…Joshua, and even Seungkwan.” Wonwoo asked, catching his breath.

“Every. single. one,” You chuckled. “Draining their cum out of like having a second puberty until life is literally drained out of their bodies. What a bunch of pussy boys. So obsessed with sex, they didn’t see the knife coming their way.”

Your hand reached for the ottoman and pushed Chan there to be seated, underdressed in the black tank top and black jeans he hid underneath with his momentarily abandoned bloody knife at his side. You unbuckled his pants single-handedly, your knife still in your other hand. “And Chan just gets so fucking hard with all the bloodshed. Like a bloodthirsty animal.”

“You just look so fucking sexy with blood on your hands,” Chan moaned, “Touch me how I like it, baby.”

“Mmh, my pleasure.” Your hand used the blood covering it as a morbid form of lube, closing around the girth of his cock to squeeze and lightly stroking it from base to tip, softly thumbing over the small slit on top. 

His stomach flexed, bucking his hips in your direction as he bit down on his bottom lip, beaming like a child on Christmas. Horny for your touch, Chan couldn’t help but squirm in his seat, warning up to your touch. He was absolutely growing at a rapid pace. “Like that baby, like that.”

“That feel good, daddy? You like how the blood is covering your entire cock? Seokmin’s blood, Minghao’s blood, Seungcheol’s blood? Wonwoo’s blood?”

“Fuck. Yes.”

“You two,” Wonwoo’s shock couldn’t stagger from the scene in front of him, unable to process all this information at once.

“You’re massaging our friends into my cock so good, baby.”

“Yeah?” You traced your fingers over the details of his shaft, your nails prodding at the veins as your hand slowly picked up pace. You rolled him in your fist, letting him rut in your defiled hand as he moaned your name like an animal in heat. “I’m getting so wet watching fuck in my hand covered in blood. You’re just a sick lunatic obsessed with killing your friends and fucking my sweet pussy. I love that about you, Daddy.”

“Fuck,” he screamed, hands gripping the ottoman in restraint, brimming with passion, “Wanna mix Wonwoo’s cum you kept inside you with the blood. Sit that sweet pussy on my cock for me, lover.”

You nodded invitingly, not missing a beat. You never did replace the underwear from before, making it easy to remove your shorts and sliding him inside your warm walls, massaging his length as you rolled your hips against his. You held the knife you still had in a death grip, stabling against the reliability of Chan’s shoulders. You mumble his name pleased, arching your back as you grinded down on his lap. “Your cock feels so good covered in blood, daddy.” 

“Your pussy feels even better knowing how much fun you had stabbing Wonwoo for me.”

“Of course, daddy.” You turned to the body mutilated and defenseless on the ground, grinning as Wonwoo was forced to watch. “That look good, Daddy Wonwoo?” Your ass bounced purposely in Chan’s lap, the jiggle showing off the splatter of blood left from the handjob.

Everything in Wonwoo told him to look away but he couldn’t, like a train wreck or a car crash, he couldn’t part with the mess of a situation he was witnessing. He wasn't sure what this meant for him, mentally nor physically.

“You like watching Chan fuck me, Daddy? His bloody dirty cock fucking me like you did a hour ago, fucking me like a nasty little whore.”

He hissed through his teeth, right the strange feeling surging in his pain-stricken body, “Shut…the fuck up.”

You laughed obnoxiously. “You love it. You love being a little cuck, watching other guys fuck my pussy. As if you hadn’t peeped on me and Chan fucking when he wasn’t ‘dead’.”

“It’s not true, you bitch.” The twitch in his trousers told him otherwise.

“You’re such a liar a dirty, dirty liar like I’m a dirty, dirty fucking whore.” You groaned loudly taking Chan’s cock, bouncing against his lap as you felt him pulse around your walls.

“That’s right baby take my cock.” Chan’s hand came over your bare cheeks, striking them with his full palms while his hips jerked up your body. “Taking the murder fueled, hard fucking cock.”

“Daddy, your cock is making me so fucking wet, stretching my pussy the way you sliced open our friends,” You growled.

“Fuck you’re such a little succubus, baby. Bouncing on my cock, coating yourself in blood. And I’ll kill more and more for you. I’ll do anything for you.”

“Yeah,” You began slowing your pace, drinking in his every word. “You’d do anything for me?”

“I’d kill the entire human population for you.”

That left you smiling from ear to ear, the tension coiling in your stomach. Your chest pressed against his, pushing against his thrusts. “Yeah? Would you cum in me, Daddy? Mix our dirty mess inside me. Let me take your cum, daddy.”

“I’ll let you drain me of every drop, my little psychopath.”

“Cum daddy cum, make me full and breed me with our homicidal baby daddy. Make you a real daddy.”

Chan shuddered, overwhelmed with immense arousal. His hips found life of their own, hammering into you at top speed, and watching the pleasure morph on your face and the staccato rhythm of your breath leave your lips, all while the load threatened to burst out of his sack. “I’m cumming, baby, all for you, ah—“ then it exploded inside you. His cum launched out of his cock like a hose, he painted your wall in milky white, turning pink as it seeped out of you.

“I’m so close, daddy…”

Chan threw his head back to catch his breath, hands possessively finding purchases on your hips. “That’s it, baby. cum for daddy.”

“I’m cuming daddy, I’m—“ You gripped your knife, taking Chan’s abandoned one before plunging both in his head. His smile dropped, a small and weak, “baby” leaving his sweet lips before spitting up blood on your chest and he fell limp. 

You didn’t stop, however, given the fact that your orgasm had just arrived the mere second Chan tasted metal in his mouth. Your moans could’ve been mistaken for anguish if not for the smile on your savage face. “I’m cumming all over your cock, Daddy, fuck! You’re so good to me, you do so much for me. I love you so much. Hitting my spot even in death.”

The wave of climax finally started to fade, unlike your smile, wretched and demonic. “Thank you for your sacrifice, Daddy. I’ll miss you so much.” You kissed deceased Chan’s lips, coming down from him, and fixing his pants before fixing his pants before pulling your shorts back on your body.

“Y/n…what the fuck?”

Watching you pull the knives out of Chan’s head, Wonwoo's expression was a mix of confusion and horror, struggling to back away as you approached him calmly, almost serenely.

“Chan has served his purpose,” You answered plainly as if obvious. “It was his time.”

“You did that, all that, with him, and you MURDER HIM? Your partner in sick, sick psychotic crime?”

“I told you spice was necessary, plus I’ve grown rather fond of you.” You bent down to his level, eyes noticeably just a deep pit of disparity. “I couldn’t let him kill you, so I beat him to it. Good thing too, because that was the best orgasm I’ve ever had.”

Wonwoo whimpered under your touch—well, the knife’s touch—as the tip of it dragged over his jaw, drawing out a shudder. “Y-you’re letting me live?”

Your smile. That damned smile. You and Chan were mere reflections of each other. How had he not seen this sick image sooner?

“As long as it's with me, because you love me right? That’s what you said. You’ll always love me and keep me alive. You promised.”

You pressed the blade against his neck, “You’re cold-blooded. Fucking your dead friend’s girlfriend, leaving your other friends to die to save me, and taking on a mass murderer just for me.” Your other hand caressed over his face. “That’s hard fucking core, baby. I love that so much. You really love and want me. Well, I want you just as bad.”

“Like you wanted Chan?”

You scoffed, using the knife to point at the abandoned soulless body on the ground. “Chan was disposable. He was already fucked up in the brain. I can nurture you, let you prove you’re that you’re mine and only mine. Then I’d have no reason to kill you. Not at all…say you’ll be with me forever.”

“…yes, sweetie. O-of course I will.”

You sighed a breath of relief, your harmless hand coming over to stroke over the stray hairs on his head. “That’s my daddy. My one and only. We can be the finals. Together. Only us—”

“Hello! Wonwoo! Y/n!” Miraculously, Seungcheol found their way to you, barely alive it sounds like.

Rage filled your eyes. “Holy fuck how is he still alive,” you mumbled under your breath. “I’ll take care of him.”

You held the knife to your side, standing by the door and away from its open view. “Cheol! In here! We caught the killer!”

Seungcheol managed to find the defaced door, peeking through the rubble to see a disheveled Wonwoo, panting and close to death. “Wonwoo!”

“Cheol…” Wonwoo grunted. 

“Hang in there, buddy. I’ve got you.”

“To…your…right.”

You glared at Wonwoo, betrayal in your eyes before launching yourself at the hero, who hardly had a scratch on their body. Seungcheol, taking his friend's warning in consideration, built up a wall of defense. His eyes caught you just in time and held up your arms, pinning you against a wall. His eyes finally registered on your face, and his grip on you only tightened. “Y/n, you evil little bitch.”

You chuckled tauntingly, struggling against his weight and strength. “Hi, Cheol. I know you always wanted to stick something in me, mind letting me do it first?”

“You—wow, you’re actually mentally deranged.”

“You don’t like that? Maybe my knife through your skull can change your mind.”

He kicked you in the groin, having you plummet to your knees, cusses streaming out of you like a river. “You pussy. Ass. Bitch.”

“Seungcheol,” Wonwoo groaned, painfully cheering him on.

You managed to kick Seungcheol down in your distress, crawling on top of him to gain leverage. “I know you liked to be topped.”

You held the knife, hands wrapped tightly around the handle before striking. Meanwhile, Seungcheol’s hands were wrapped around your wrists, the tip of the knife tickling his nose. Sweat beaded against his forehead, struggling harder than he thought he would as you smiled still.

“This would be a lot sexier if you let me run my knife inside you, baby.”

“Fuck you and your demented punk ass,” he grunted.

“I would if you’d just FUCKING DIE!”

A gunshot follows soon after and the blood gushed from your neck, pouring from both ends and falling lifelessly against Seungcheol, who let out a shrill scream.

“I found a gun,” Seokmin proclaimed weakly from the door before fainting to the ground.

Seungcheol rolled your body off of him, sick to his stomach. “Sick crazy bitch.”

He looked towards his friend who remained helpless his entire journey before his eyes got caught on the dead body he only realized now. “Is that…”

“Yeah,” Wonwoo whispered.

“And they…”

“Yeah.”

“Fuck, dude.”

Seungcheol went around to pick up Seokmin from the ground, grabbing the gun. Meanwhile, Wonwoo’s eyes lingered over your body, in disbelief it was alive a mere second ago, then he saw something strange, causing his eyes to fly open. “Cheol behind you!”

Another gunshot. Right between your eyes and your body that stood for hardly a second longer than it should’ve—of course with the knife still in your hand—fell right back on the ground.

“They always come back,” Wonwoo quoted.

Seungcheol let out a deep exhale, loosening his grip around the gun. “And aim for the head.”

“Sorry about your house.”

“…sorry about your girlfriend.”

“Me too.”

post reading a/n: always like me to insert chan into anything fr. i have no excuses

Tag: @shiningstar-byulxx @misssugarlips @tommolex @hoeforhao @homerunhansol @goblinvern @dkakapizzaboy @junhui-recs @svtup @buffhoshi @meowmeowminnie @caratochan @lovebot4han @6969lilithcat @camisun93 @emmmui @toruro @jeonride @novalpha @nvmrljk @feat-sun @tinkerbell460 @aaniag @tacosandbitch @smileysuh (felt fucked up not to tag you bc you’re fucked it just like me 💕)

[innerfare]

Zoro Fluff // Angst Compilation 

Summary: A compilation of Zoro angst and fluff from my multi character posts (You're Wounded, Brushing Your Teeth Together, Flowers, Type of Date, You See His Cabin, Fighting and Making Up, Paradise, Nightmares, I Love You, You're Jealous).

Genre: Fluff // Angst

CW: None // SFW

———

You’re Wounded: 

Lectures you on your fighting form, tears into you for taking any unnecessary risks, gets on your case about not seeking medical attention fast enough. Tells you to get some rest, sits at your bed side until you’re better, claims he’s not there for you and is just resting his own eyes. 

Brushing Your Teeth Together: 

Reaches for whichever toothbrush is closest. If it’s his, it’s his, and if it’s yours, it’s also his. He’ll also talk to you while he’s brushing his teeth and get annoyed when you can’t understand the muffled words. 

Flowers: 

He won’t really think to buy you flowers until one day you mention that camellias are pretty. He takes that to mean you like camellias, specifically, and not that you’d like to receive flowers in general, so he always buys you camellias, and you think it’s so sweet that you never correct him. He’s not actually a proponent of apology flowers because he thinks a ‘bribe’ cheapens it, but he will bring you flowers when he knows you’re having a hard day. He might also buy you a small bamboo plant that you two end up treating a bit like a pet, giving it a name and everything. 

Type of Date: 

He’ll take you to play laser tag, and don’t think for a second you’ll be playing on the same team. You’ll be on opposite teams, and he will not be going easy on you. Zoro doesn’t believe in letting people win. He’ll be briefing his team beforehand, drawing up a strategy because he is determined to win. If you beat him, he won’t propose, but he will decide he’ll be marrying you one day. Would also be content to go see an action movie. 

You See His Cabin For The First Time: 

Your first thought is, why does it smell so freaking good in here? You expected dirty laundry strewn around and the stench of sweat and maybe a hint of metal from those blades he was always sharpening. And sure, there is a hint of metal in the air, probably more from the many weights against the wall than his swords, but it also smells fresh, like laundry detergent. He has his own wanted posters on his wall- not just the current one, but the old ones, too, all of them lined up in order so you can see his increasing bounty. He also has a collection of unique booze bottles from all over the world, his equivalent of keeping a map with pins in the locations he’s visited. Oh, and there’s an anatomy coloring book and some markers that belong to Chopper that Zoro keeps in his room because sometimes when Chopper is having a bad day, he wants to chill with his dad big bro. 

Fighting and Making Up: 

Stubborn bastard. Refuses to admit that he’s wrong. You guys argue over lots of little things, usually directions, that don’t really require either of you two to apologize; there’s just some near-constant bickering in your relationship that is your love language. More seriously, you’ve fought because, for lack of a better term, Zoro doesn’t exactly have a bedside manner and can be overly blunt. You’ve also fought over the fact that so many women are clearly attracted to him and he’s completely oblivious. He’s not the type to flirt back, but it bothers you that he doesn’t notice because you feel like he doesn’t shut it down when he should (though he argues that by not noticing, he is, in a way, shutting it down). Not one to apologize with flowers because he feels that cheapens it, a bit like a bribe. He’ll just say sorry and that’s that. Sometimes you end up fighting again because he was ready to apologize but you weren’t ready to hear it and he thinks you’re being childish by giving him the silent treatment. 

Paradise 1: 

Waking up to fresh powder blanketing the ground and jumping out of bed, barely getting your boots and one of his coats on before you’re outside, romping through the snow. Falling into a snow bank with your arms out, giggling as you make a snow angel, grinning even wider when he surprises you by laying down beside you and doing the same, letting his inner child show through for a brief moment. 

Paradise 2: 

Tossing and turning in bed, waiting for the clock to strike midnight, sneaking out as soon as it does and meeting them at the spring just inland. Stripping out of your clothes and diving into the warm water with him, splashing each other and floating on your backs, losing track of time and hurrying back to the ship when the moon dips below the horizon. 

Nightmares: 

It was an accident, and he watched it happen. If he’d been just a little stronger, a little faster, a little better, it never would have happened. It was an accident, but it was his fault. He stared down at your lifeless shape covered by a funeral shroud, grinding his teeth in rage at the sight of all those flowers left by mourners. You would have loved to have seen those flowers, to have picked them up, buried your face in them, and inhaled deeply. You would have loved the weather that day, too, bright and sunny, as though the universe was taunting him. When he wakes up, he’s in physical pain from the amount of tension in his muscles. 

I Love You: 

To your surprise, it was Zoro who said it first. Though Zoro seems the type to bottle up his emotions, he’s actually not, he just doesn’t seem emotional because he’s really good at dealing with his shit. And he knows all too well how temporary arrangements can be, how quickly life can be snuffed out, how easily the people he loves and cares about can be taken away from him. So one late night when he’s alone in the shower, washing his hair (using Nami's expensive shampoo and conditioner because she left it in the shower and Zoro just uses whatever's within his reach) and thinking about you, he realizes how he feels, and he doesn’t even consider not telling you. He climbs into bed afterward in just his boxer briefs, his hair still damp and smelling extra good, shakes you awake, kisses you a few times, and mutters that he loves you in your ear before passing out, not even waiting for you to say it back. He doesn’t say it often after that because he doesn’t thinks actions matter more than words, but he always says it when one of you is injured or after an argument. 

You’re Jealous: 

He didn’t mention Perona was also at Mihawk’s castle for those two years until a few months after the crew gets together. He tells a story that features her, and you realize there was a woman keeping him company. Your heart drops into your stomach. Zoro insists he didn’t mention her because he didn’t think she was relevant; the only thing Perona did those two years was annoy him. He’s actually the one who won’t let it go, not you (even though you are pretty jealous). Whereas you’d prefer not to talk about it, Zoro is wracked with guilt because he’d never considered the whole thing in a relationship context. Him fretting constantly over it actually heals your jealousy because you realize you’ve never seen him panic over the prospect of hurting anyone else’s feelings.

———

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want more, you can check out my masterlist here!

[loveharlow]

SYNOPSIS‧₊˚ [9.6k] based on 1x01.

WARNING(S)‧₊˚ swearing, mentions of drowning, mentions of death

˗ˏˋ series masterlist ˎˊ˗

NOW PLAYING‧₊˚

"THAT’S ABOUT A THREE-STORY FALL TO THE DECK? I give you about a one-in-three chance of survival.” Pope theoreticized from below. John B was balancing himself on the roof, beer in hand and not a care in the world. 

Licking his finger and holding it up in the air, he spoke. “Should I do it?”

“Yeah, you should jump! I’ll shoot you on the way down.” Pope joked, electric drill gun pointed up in the brunette’s direction. 

“You’re gonna shoot me?” JB mocked the boy below him with fingers guns as Kiara emerged from inside the unfinished home, interrupting their shenanigans.

“They’re gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers.” She said, mildly disgusted.

“Of course they are,” JJ chimed in. “Why wouldn’t they?”

“This used to be a turtle habitat,” she continued on, looking the house up and down. “But who cares about the turtles, I guess…”

“Can’t have cold towels…” 

“Do you even use towels, JJ?” You chimed in as you rounded the corner, earbud in one ear and even from the roof, the four of your friends could hear your music blasting faintly. “I thought you shook yourself off like a dog when you got wet.”

“Ha ha.” He fake laughed before he chucked an empty beer can in your direction. You dodged it with an annoyed sneer before picking it up and chucking it back ten times harder, hitting the side of the blonde’s head.

“Ah- ouch!”

“Could you please, not kill yourself?” Kiara stared up at John B with concern in her eyes.

“And don’t spill that beer! I’m not giving you another one…” JJ warned his best friend. His words almost like a trigger, JB dropping the beer right after, hearing the metal clank against the deck as the remaining liquid splattered on the wood.

“And of course he spills the beer.” You couldn’t help but speak as you slid down one of the wooden fixtures to sit against it.

“Hey!” A new voice bellowed. That’s when your eyes found Pope leaned over one of the banisters. 

“Security’s here. Let’s wrap it up.” He said, voice wavering slightly as he pat the deck and turned around.

John B got down from the roof, following behind JJ as you all picked up the pace. You all made your way into the house, quick in your steps to avoid the officers.

Rushing down the stairs, JJ was in the front. “Right turn, J!” You shouted. But of course, he still made a left turn, coming face to face and just narrowly missing one of the officers as you all went right. “I said right turn, dumbass!” You yelled over your shoulder.

“They’re going out front!”

You, Kiara, and John B had already managed to jump into the van, watching as JJ and Pope hopped the gate and landed flat on their stomachs. John B honked the horn to urge them on. “Bus is leaving!”

With the last two of the group in the vehicle, John B practically stomped on the pedal, sending the vehicle forward.

He drove the van as fast it could go, which wasn’t all that fast for the record. The side door was still open as you, along with JJ and Pope, mocked the officer who was chasing after the busted van. 

“Check out Gary, gunnin’ for a raise.” Pope mocked, eliciting a chorus of giggles inside the van. 

“You little pricks!”

JJ waved a beer can out the door, shaking it in the mans face. “You’re so close, you can do it! There you go.” He said as he tossed the can in the running officer’s direction. “They don’t pay you enough bro!”

The officer fell behind just as the van hit the bridge, passing the welcome sign to The Outer Banks. ‘Paradise on Earth.’ The natural habitat of you and your friends.

The Pogues. Pogues, pogies, the throwaway fish.

There’s JJ, one of your best friends out of them all. He’s about as local as they come. He does the dumb, risky things none of the rest of you will and you actually find him quite funny, not that you’d ever let him know that. He's tries to act all wreckless and tough-guy but you all know that he's just a loyal friend who tries to do the right thing in the wrong way.

Then there’s Kiara, or Kie as she would prefer to be called. She’s been your closest and dearest friend since forever. Your fathers were as thick as thieves and you and Kie seemed to follow in their steps being best friends since pre-school, even though you lived on two differen't sides of the island up until recently. Her family owns The Wreck, this Outer Banks institution and her parents love you. The others? Not so much… 

And you can’t forget Pope, the brains of the operation. Finalist for the Luther T. Vanderhorst Merit Scholarship. And the smartest person you know. Little bit of a weirdo but who isn’t. His father’s sort of.. strict, but he gives you free seafood. He says you're the 'least negative influence' his son keeps around.

Then, of course, There’s John B — legally, John Booker Routledge. You all have a myriad of nicknames for him though — John, JB, Bree, Jombee. You all typically hang at his place, The Chateau as his dad used to call it. Speaking of his dad, he disappeared at sea nine months ago, looking for a shipwreck and his mom split when he was three. You’ve all been doing your best to look out for him but it was an extremely difficult situation…

Last is you, the Pogues resident Pogue Princess. Well, former Pogue Princess. You moved to Figure Eight about eight months ago, after your dad died and your mom’s lawyer career skyrocketed seemingly out of the blue. But you hate it there, you spent her whole life on The Cut. Plus, your dad’s death caused a bit of a strain on your relationship with your mother. Things just haven't been the same.

WAKING UP TO HARSH POST-HURRICANE WINDS IS NEVER PLEASANT. Especially not for someone who isn’t much of a morning person. You’d barely had time to rub the sleep out of your eyes when your mom came into your room, in a rush as she was running late to meet with a client, reminding you to turn on the backup generator and ordering you to help out Kiara and her father at The Wreck.

“Is that all of it?” You asked, mouth half-full of french fries that were hot and salted to literal perfection. Kie stood in front of you, apron covered in food scraps and hair in a messy bun. 

“As much as we’re gonna be able to get today.” She sighed, eyes scanning over the crates and boxes littered amongst the floor. “Here,” She started, walking towards a couple of coolers stacked in the corner. “We’ll take these coolers out on the dock. The guys should be here soon.”

“M’kay.” You hummed, jumping out of the chair you were sitting backwards in and clapping your hands together to dust them off. She grabbed the cooler off the top and you grabbed the one underneath, following her out to the dock. 

It had gotten hotter in the short time you both had spent cleaning The Wreck, sun hitting you directly in the face as you walked out onto the damp deck, eyes squinting from the harsh beam of sunlight. Your hair was thrown up and out of your face into a high ponytail. You had discarded your flannel, tying it around your waist in front of your shorts, leaving your top half in only a bikini.

“Top o’ the mornin’ to ya.” JJ greeted. 

“Good morning.” Kie replied, shielding her eyes from the sun.

“Whatcha got? Some juice boxes?”

You lifted the lid and peeked inside as you and Kiara continued walking towards the boat. “Looks like, carrots? And… yogurt?” You looked to Kie for some assurance. She smirked.

“I have his kind of juice boxes in this one.” She assured, wiggling her cooler in the air. 

The boat stopped at the end of the dock, the guys helping you both inside. Once you and her were all arms and legs inside, John B sped off. Kie opened up her cooler handing everyone a beer who accepted, which was all except for John B, who was steering, and Pope who opted for baby carrots.

“Salud!” You all cheered as the three of you clanked bottles.

“HEY POPE, CAN YOU GO A LITTLE FASTER?” JJ asked, now standing at the forefront of the boat, beer in hand. Pope had taken over as driver when John B joined in drinking with the rest of the group.

“Dude, nooo, not this again. It fails every time.” You tried to stop the blonde from trying this borderline ritualistic party trick that never worked. 

“Have some faith, will you?” He shot back sarcastically. “It’s gonna work!” He spoke over the rev of the engine as Pope idiotically listened to him and sped up the boat. JJ tilted the beer bottle back enough to splatter beer into his mouth, and in Kie’s hair, and on John B’s cheek, and on your lips. 

“Alright, alright!” Pope tried. “Alright, stop!” 

It happened out of nowhere, the boat coming to an aggressive and abrupt stop. The last thing you saw was JJ flipping forward into the water, JB and Kie falling off their seats, and Pope tumbling back before you were submerged within an endlessness of dark blue, a harsh stinging-sensation blooming on your back and thighs. You couldn’t tell what was up and what was down. Too disoriented from the fall, your brain didn’t catch up with your body, attempting to inhale in your panic before getting a mouth full of water. Then, within seconds, you felt a hand on your back, seemingly feeling around to make sure you were what they were looking for before two hands were under your arms and pulling you up.

You coughed as your eyes were met with the harsh light of the sun, but you were grateful for it. You could hear JJ’s voice behind your ear as you coughed up water. “I got her! She’s fine!”

He swam in front of you, his hand rubbing and patting your back as your coughing fit slowly became less intense. “You alright? You took a nasty fall.” You managed to strain out a hoarse laugh. 

“You guys okay?” Pope shouted over the edge of the boat. 

“Almost drowned but yeah, we’re just fine.” You and JJ joked back, swimming back to the boat.

“Pope, man, what happened?” JJ inquired, treading water next to you. 

“Sandbar. The channel changed...” 

“No kidding.” You said, voice still scratchy from the Marsh water. 

“Guys…” Pope started, staring in confusion over the edge of the small boat. “I think there’s a boat down there.”

“Yeah, okay...”

“No, I’m serious. There’s a boat down there. For real.” You and JJ gave each other a glance, still treading in the water as you watched the remaining three peer over where Pope was staring. “There’s a boat!”

Kie quickly turned around. “Holy shit, he’s right.” You and JJ began paddling towards where your friends eyes were glued before as they shed their clothes and jumped in with the two of you. You all took one last glance at each other before dunking your heads below the surface and diving to the pristine, white boat that stood stuck in the middle of The Marsh.

When the tips of your fingers touched the surface of the boat, you swam around it, examining the structure. This wasn’t an old shipwreck, it was too clean. This had to have happened during the hurricane. As you kept swimming, you recognized the layout, the structure, the fixtures. There was no way this was what you thought it was…

Coming back up to the surface, JJ’s voice was the first one heard. “You guys saw that, right?” He asked breathlessly, a smile on his face as he shook his wet hair from in front of his face.

“That’s a Grady-White.” You added, still catching your breath. “That’s like a half a million dollar boat, just sitting there.” You all swam back to where the HMS Pogue swayed, climbing back on all at once. 

“That’s the boat I saw when I surfed the surge. Maybe it hit the jetty or something.” John B spoke. Both you and Kiara turned to him, your faces falling from excitement to dismay.

Kie was the first to speak, a quiet question. “You surfed the surge?...”

“Yeah.” JB spoke carelessly, barely paying any attention before answering.

“That’s my boy. Pogue style.” JJ encouraged him, slapping a hand against his shoulder.

“Well that was dumb.” You immediately protested, siding with Kie. “You could’ve gotten killed.” You added seriously. What the hell was he thinking? Surfing a surge isn’t uncommon in the Outer Banks, but waves like that? That’s a death wish, for sure.

“I’m still here, aren’t I?”

There was brief, tense eye contact between the both of you before you scoffed and turned around, walking off.

“Wait. Do we know whose boat that is?” Pope asked. 

“No, but we’re about to find out.” John B spoke up. 

“Dude, it’s way too deep.” JJ pointed out. He was right. It was too deep, especially for someone with no diving experience. Diving experience that you happened to have. No matter how pissed you were at him for surfing the surge, letting John B make another dumb mistake was just as bad. Also, mildly hypocritical.

“Oh, for the weak and feeble, JJ.”

“I’m not resuscitating you.” JJ reminded. “I’m just...making that clear up front.” He told him, scrunching his nose and shrugging his shoulders.

“That’s fine.” John was now standing on the edge of the boat, anchor in hand with a smile that was much to happy for someone doing something so dangerous.

“Diver down.” Pope saluted.

You turned around, about to offer to go down yourself. That was, until JJ pushed John B off the edge of the boat himself.

“JJ!” You shouted, hands out. He turned to you, blue eyes wide and wandering. 

“What?” You just shook your head and groaned.

You just opted to stand on the other side of Kie, watching and waiting for John B to emerge again. 

Seconds passed, seconds that felt like minutes. “He’s been down there too long.” You eventually vocalized, breaking through the tense silence. 

“Should we go get him?” Pope suggested. Just then, the brown haired boy sprung up out the water, shaking his head side to side flinging water on the four of you. You all shielded your faces, mutual groans leaving the four of you on the boat.

“Dude! C’mon…” Pope complained, wiping droplets of water from his forehead and peering over the edge of the boat. “Any dead bodies?”

“No.” John B answered. “I found this motel key.” He continued, holding up a small, silver key with a yellow tag attached. 

“A key...” Pope said unimpressed. 

“Great! We… salvaged a motel key.” JJ continued mocking as they helped John B back onto the boat. Pope resumed his position behind the wheel as John B examined the key, you sat back with your earbud in one ear, still able to listen and chime in on the conversation. 

“Guys, we should report the wreck to the coast guard. Maybe we’ll get a finder’s fee.” 

POPE DOCKED AT THE COAST GUARD, THE PLACE BOMBARDED WITH ISLANDERS. Some searching for their spouses, pets, and family members. JJ and John B walked inside to find someone while Pope, Kie and yourself waited outside the maze of tents.

“It’s the day after a hurricane. They’re looking for old people and children, not boats. Besides, would it really be that bad if we just, didn’t report it?” You voiced.

“I don’t know,” Pope expressed, hand on the back of his neck. “What if there’s a body down there and we just, I don’t know, missed it.”

“And,” Kie started in that motherly tone that could make you question all bad judgment. “Reporting it is the right thing to do. No matter what.”

Just then, JJ and John B came back out of the tent. JJ shook his head. “No luck.” You couldn’t say you were surprised. Or disappointed. All heads turned to John B who stared out at nothing. He fiddled with the key before voicing his thoughts. 

“...I think I know how we’re gonna find the guy who owns that boat.”

“No, no, no,” Pope stressed, pointing at the key as if the object was to blame. “No bad ideas. We don’t know whose that is.”

The two boys ignored him, JJ taking the key from John B’s fingers and tossing it to Kie. “I’m in.” He declared. 

“Come on,” Kie urged Pope. “I’ll be lookout.”

You shrugged, following behind them but talking to Pope as you walked backwards. “At least we tried.” You turned to walk forwards, JB trailing behind you. 

“Finder’s fee, just sayin’” You heard him say. “And hey! At least you’ll only be an accomplice.”

Pope sighed before you heard his footsteps join the group. “Man…”

“Come on, bubba.” John B comforted, throwing an arm over the dark-skinned boy's shoulders.

THE FIVE OF YOU ALL STOOD, NOT MOVING, AS YOU SILENTLY JUDGED THE MOTEL COMING INTO VIEW IN FRONT YOU AS THE HMS POGUE DRIFTED CLOSER TO IT. 

“This is place is a shithole.” You were the first to say it out loud. The cloudy windows, the overgrown vines on the, what you guessed used to be, white walls, and the overgrown weeds. 

“I thought The Chateau looked bad...”

“Motel or Meth-lab?”

“Doesn’t look like the type of place someone with a Grady-White would stay.” John pointed out the obvious.

“It looks like the type of place someone with a Grady-White would get mugged.” You mumbled as JJ winded up the rope and jumped off the front of the boat, tying it down to anchor it in place. 

“We good?” John B asked as the chipper blonde wrapped the blue and white rope around the anchor point a couple more times for good measure.

“Good to go.”

“All right,” John B said. “Here goes nothing.”

“Hey.” Pope uttered, pointing a finger at JJ but maintaining eye contact with JB. “Don’t let him do anything stupid.”

“I’m not making any promises.” Was all John B said, you and Pope simultaneously rolling your eyes.

“Be careful…” Kiara spoke softly, handing John B the key. “I mean it.” John B kept his eyes on hers until a small smile crept up on his sun kissed cheeks. He let out a soft, almost school-girlish chuckle.

“Yeah...” He muttered as he turned to walk away with JJ. 

Seconds passed as you watched the boys disappear, already knowing nothing good could come out of those two. It was only a small matter of time before Kiara spoke up, eyes on you as she fiddled nervously with her fingers.

“You should go with them.”

You could feel your expression morph into one of of confusion, looking on both sides of you. “Me?” You asked incredulously, pointing a finger at yourself. “Why me?”

“Well, they’d just rope Pope into whatever dumb decision they make, so he’s not an option.”

“Hey!” Pope threw his hands up in a poor attempt to defend himself. His mouth opened and closed, trying to find words before eventually surrendering to the fact that what she said was at least somewhat truthful.

“And what about you?” You asked, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow. “Any chance for some extra time with John B, right?” You teased, edging towards the girl as she rolled her eyes.

“Will all of you stop saying that?” She looked away, playing with her bracelets. "I just get worried..."

You laughed and playfully pecked her cheek. “Yeah, worried. More like hot and bothered.” You played with the girl, hopping off the boat and landing just barely on your feet. You hadn’t made it but two steps before you heard her voice again.

“Hey!” You turned around. “Don’t forget your phone.” She reminded, tossing the small device your way as you caught it between your palms. A slight look of uncertainty on your face.

“Aren’t the towers down?”

Both of them shrugged before Pope spoke. “Couldn't hurt to have it.”

You pondered on it for a moment before letting the thought go. It wasn’t long before you caught up to the boys, the two not even noticing your presence behind them over their own conversation.

“...super sexy island chick that can play guitar and loves dogs. And her mom’s a hotshot lawyer, dude! Do you know how many guys on this island alone would jump at the chance to hit that?”

“I’d jump at the chance to hit you.” You disrupted whatever direction that conversation was going in. “I don't even want to know.” You snarked when he stuttered to defend himself, their heads turning back, JJ blubbering like a fish with his eyes wide.

“Where the hell did you...”

“Just, sh.” You dismissed him with your palm, John B chuckling under his breath. 

“It’s like, every girl who has a heartbeat you’re just like…” John B made a semi-sexual motion with his hands and let out some ancient, elderly groan. 

“It’s not a big deal.” JJ defended, the topic of conversation dying as the three of you approach the end of the walkway.

“Is this us? Twenty-nine?” You piped up, pointing to the motel door that was scuffed up entirely, paint chipped and scratches all over. 

“This is it.” John B declared, staring at the key in his palm. JJ knocked in a rhythm on the wood, pretending to be housekeeping with a high pitched voice. 

“Should we try it?” John B looked at JJ for a green light, JJ saying something in Spanish as you looked around before giving JB a nod as your signal of agreement. The door creaked open as we stood in the frame. Needless to say, the room looked better than the exterior. There was a decent sized duffel bag on the bed closest to the door, it was clear to see that the room was actually occupied for a considerable amount of time. 

“I’ll check the bag.” JB directed, using the flashlight to search through the bag. “Definitely over 50, he’s got New Balances…”

You shot him a dirty look that he couldn’t see. “I have New Balances…” You mumbled.

JJ was leaned over a map on the nightstand, scanning it curiously. “Maybe this is where they were fishing.” He declared, John B and you crowding around him on either side. “Right there?” He pointed with his finger at a spot on the map.

“No, that’s off the continental shelf.” John B argued. 

“That’s the Big Swell. No one fishes there.” You informed.

JJ continued looking over the map for a bit as you saw John B lift a piece of paper that was ripped from the motel notepad, a series of numbers written on it. You couldn’t see what numbers they were exactly but they didn’t seem important as he sat the paper down and both boys backed away from the nightstand.

You used the flashlight on your phone to continue scouting the room. It was what you’d expect out of a motel room — chipped walls, dust particles visible at every turn, the faint smell of sweat and what was either mildew or mold. Or both. 

“Oooh...” JJ could be heard from the bathroom.

“You find somethin’?” You inquired, walking into the space he was in and watching him rifle through a small black bag on a shelf.

“Just a dopp kit Bree won’t let me steal.” He whispered before peeking his head through the doorframe and pocketing a bottle of pills.

You swatted his chest, prompting him to clutch his chest like an offended old woman. “We aren’t stealing.” You scoffed and rolled your eyes. “Put those back.”

“Whoever’s it is won’t miss them. They’re probably dead somewhere-”

“We’re not taking anything, JJ. Just put them back-”

“You know how much these could sell for?”

“I don’t care-”

“What are you guys doing?” JB was standing in the doorframe, flashlight by his side as he eyed the both of you back and forth. You both pausing and looking at John B, then each other.

You rolled your eyes and brushed past him, heading for the main bedroom. John B followed, crouching down in front of a cabinet that held a safe before he began punching in numbers.

“That will literally take forever.” You reprimanded, eyeing him with confusion as you shifted your weight behind him. 

“One, one, one, two?...” He ignored you as he continued punching in combinations.

“...Or try the piece of paper you picked up not even two minutes ago?” You told him as if was the most obvious thing in the world, face twisting as you threw your free hand out to the side. He paused in his number-punching, his head craning to the side before he stood up and looked at you.

“Maybe you are good for something.” He spoke absentmindedly, walking past you to get the piece of paper as JJ reviewed the map once again. 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean…” You mumbled to no one in particular as he brushed past you once again to go back to entering codes into the safe, this time you crouching next to him, watching as he punched ‘61666’ into the keypad. You watched as the door unlocked itself. 

Your eyes widened when John B fully opened the safe, revealing wads of cash secured with rubber bands, a folder, and a gun. 

“I don’t think we should…” You started.

“Holy shit.” John B proclaimed in awe, picking up one of the stacks of money.

“..touch, any of that.” 

“JJ, you’re gonna wanna see this.” The boy called the blonde over, waving the money behind him.

JJ made his way behind the both of you. You could hear his gasp of “no freaking way” before his hand was reaching to grab the one thing in the safe all of you knew better than to touch — the gun.

“Why would you do that?” You whisper-shouted with wide eyes, standing up alongside John B as JJ played around with the firearm.

“Dude, don’t touch it!” John B warned.

“This is a fucking spendy-gatt man! Blat! Blat!” JJ geeked like a school girl, pretending to shoot the gun at the wall. “Just take a picture of me, man.”

“You want me to take a picture of you? With a gun?” John B asked as if JJ was an idiot. Just then, you heard something hit the frame of the window above the nightstand, speed walking over to it and peeking through the blinds to see a frantic Pope and Kie pointing to their left, mouthing what you thought was the word ‘cops’.

“What is it?” John B and JJ said almost simultaneously as you pushed through both of them to peek out of the window next to the motel room door, spotting Deputy Shoupe and another officer making their way to the room.

“Cops.” You spoke monotonously. “Go. Now. Hide.” You urged as the three of you scattered like mice throughout the room. 

“Kildare County Sheriff’s Department!” A manly voice boomed on the other side of the door when you decided to lift the window, urging the two boys to follow you out onto the roof as quietly as possible.

You could hear the officers enter the room seconds later, telling one another to look around. John B got a little too curious, peeking his head slowly around the corner before you grabbed the ends of his hair that poked out under his baseball cap to snatch his face away from the window.

“Ouch!” He whisper-yelled, hand going to the back of his head.

“What’re you, five? Stop peeking.”

The three of you waited, hearing the muffled chatter of the officers inside as now both John B and JJ attempted to peeked inside, little visibility with the blinds being closed. For some odd, unknown reason, JJ decided to try and retrieve the gun he shouldn’t have touched in the first place from his pocket, the metal slipping through his fingers and clattering against the roof you were standing on.

You all cringed at the noise, giving JJ a side glance and thumping your head against the brick wall. 

Your heart jumped in your throat when the blinds were suddenly drawn up from the inside, Shoupe peeking outside of the window carefully. The three of you waited, anticipating the worst thing to happen until he spoke, voice deafened from the wall between you.

“No one’s here. Let’s go.” You allowed yourself to breathe a sigh of relief. 

“WELL, THAT WAS FUN.” JJ spoke with a chipper tone.

“The cops took everything like it was a crime scene.” Pope spoke up. “Did you guys even find anything?”

“Did we find anything? No, I don’t think so…” JJ mocked, reaching into his pockets. All you could do was roll your eyes as he whipped out the gun and a wad of cash. “Oh, yeah, we did.”

“What the hell?” Pope said, anger in his voice. “Why would you take that from a crime scene?!”

“My thoughts exactly.” You reprimanded under your breath, glancing at Pope who looked at you for a brief second. 

“Better than the cops having it.” JJ tried to justify, shrugging nonchalantly.

“Are you serious?” Kie added. 

“I’m gonna lose my merit scholarship.” Pope worried, JJ pulling him into his side and putting the gun to his lips as he shushed him.

“At least you have us, right?” JJ tried to remedy to which Pope, as well as the rest of you, gave him a deadpan look, shoving him off.

“I’m living a nightmare.”

It wasn’t long before you’d made it back to the docks where it was now swarmed with emergency services. The coroner’s had a man’s body on a stretcher as they questioned another. You all watched on the sidelines with another group of teens as a middle-aged woman ran up to the body, cradling his face.

“Who’s that?” JJ asked.

“Scooter Grubbs. He was out during the storm.” A random blonde girl replied. “Check out this pic I got. Dead Body.” She mocked, shoving her phone into John B’s face.

“...What kind of boat did he have?” JJ piped up randomly, most eyes turning to him.

“Somehow,” The girl started. “That dirtbag copped a brand-new Grady White. Everyone’s out looking for it.”

BACK AT THE CHATEAU, POPE CAME THROUGH THE DOOR, FRANTIC AS HE JOINED THE REST OF YOU ON THE PATIO. “Okay, so we didn’t see anything and we don’t know anything. We need to have total and complete amnesia.” 

“Actually, Pope’s right, for once.” JJ chimed in from his place on the chair farthest from the rest of you. “Deny, deny, deny…” 

“Guys, we can’t keep that money.” Kie interrupted as if the thought had been plaguing her mind.

“Okay, not all of us can afford unlimited data plans, Kiara.”

“That’s not fair, JJ.” You added from your place next to John B, leaning against the post that held up the house.

“Coming from another person who can afford an unlimited data plan.”

“Why are you acting like we didn't live down the street from each other like, eight months ago?” You criticized.

“But you don’t live there now, do you, princess?”

“Don’t call me that." You warned, chucking a pillow at him as he dodged it. "You know I hate when you call me that-”

“Guys.” Pope stopped your childish bickering, allowing Kie to finish her thought. 

“We have to pass it off to Lana Grubbs. Otherwise, it’s bad karma.” 

You shook your head in disagreement. “If anything, giving her the money is bad karma. This whole thing is sketchy and those wads of cash literally scream drug money.”

“I agree.” JB finally spoke. “This is Scooter Grubbs we’re talking about. Same dude that’s buying individual cigarettes at the Porthole. One time, I saw this dude begging for change in the Save-A-Lot parking lot.”

“I can attest to that, I saw him doing the same outside of a Shopper’s once. He didn’t have a shirt on. It was disturbing.” You added absentmindedly.

John B threw his hands in your direction as if saying you were proving his point further. “We are talking about a dirtbag, marina rat who’s never had more than 40 bucks in his pocket and somehow managed to get a brand-new Grady White. Think about it—how does a marina rat get a Grady White, Pope?”

The boy sucked air in through his teeth, tilting his head to the side. “Prostitution?” John B shook his head in disagreement.

“Uh-uh. Square groupers, bro.” He claimed, using his hands for emphasis. “Flying under the radar, no aerial surveillance. They don’t do that stuff during a hurricane. Which means? JJ?” John B handed off the invisible mic to the blonde.

“They were straight smugglin’.”

“And I guarantee there’s a serious amount of contraband in that wreck.”

“For the record,” Pope began to tell the four of you in that overly-intelligent tone, fiddling with the wad of money. “If that is a smuggling ship with illegal contraband on it, it probably belongs to someone else. Someone could come looking for it. Taking it would be catastrophically stupid.”

“Right,” JJ added, taking the stolen stack of money from Pope’s hand. “But stupid things have good outcomes all the time.”

“But usually not in our case…”

“Not helping, Princess.” JJ quipped, head tilting in your direction. You took steps in his direction, smacking him upside the head and snatching the wad of cash from his hands, counting it as you spoke.

“Ouch- dammit!” He exclaimed, caressing the back of his head.

“I warned you once. Listening is fundamental.”

“We need a way on to the ship.” John B added, ignoring you both with that distant look in his eyes. “But for now we gotta lay low.”

“Right…and how exactly do we do that?” JJ inquired, leaning back in his seat.

Sharing a glance with Kie, you both looked back at the boy in front of you before speaking at the same time.

“Kegger?”

THE BONEYARD WAS CROWDED, TO SAY THE LEAST. With Kildare being such a small part of the Outer Banks, news spread quickly. The beach flooded with tourons, pogues, and kooks alike. Beer sloshing, girls dancing.

You’d all went your own sort of ways when it started to kick up — JJ chugging beer with some chick, John B chatting up another, Kie educating a group of girls, and Pope scaring off some poor girl with dead body talk. You’d just gotten off the keg, lightheaded as you stood back up the right way from where two strangers were holding your legs as everyone around you chanted, wiping the beer from your lips when Kie approached you with a snarl on her face.

“What is she doing here?” Your eyebrows pinched together, your eyes following hers to find what had her wound so tight.

It was no other than Sarah Cameron — stood on an old beach post with her loyal dog of a boyfriend, Topper, right behind her. You couldn’t help but internally groan, turning back to Kiara with an eye roll that set into an annoyed expression. 

“God, why is she everywhere?” The brown-haired girl complained as your eyes drifted across the beach, landing on the puppy-eyed friend of yours whose own eyes were fixated on the blonde near the shore. Even from feet away, you didn’t miss the glint in his eye. But there was no way JB had a thing for Sarah Cameron, right? He knew how you and Kie felt about her and he didn’t like Kooks. There was no way.

Nudging Kie’s shoulder, you spoke again. “Better question is, why is John B looking at her like that?”

Kiara’s attention drifted to John B, watching him like he was watching Sarah. A look in her eyes you couldn’t quite decipher — somewhere between disappointment and betrayal. Your own attention was pulled back to the aforementioned couple who were steadily approaching the crowd of teens.

If this were a house party, you’d shun them at the door. Unfortunately, this was public beach and nothing could be done to stop them from joining in.

THE SUN HAD GONE DOWN AND WHAT ONCE WAS A KEGGER IN FULL SWING WAS NOW A BEACH FULL OF TEENS CROWDED AROUND BONFIRE. The four of you were sitting near one another, the only one missing being JJ.

“I’m just saying, it was ninth grade guys. Maybe she’s changed.”

“Ninth grade or not, Sarah Cameron is still a bitch.” You shot at JB who was suspiciously defensive of a girl who really only knew of through his job, Kiara, and yourself. The topic of conversation kept drifting back to Sarah throughout the night, watching her frolic and gawk at the crowd of people as if she’d never been to a party before. Topper glued to her side per usual.

You all watch from the side as Topper grabbed her hand, helping her up from the log they were perched on as it seemed they finally decided to call it a night just as JJ had come back with the beers he’d went to go refill for John B and himself. 

John B stood up and approached his friend, ready to take the cup when Sarah and Topper walked by, gaining the attention of a drunk JJ Maybank who wouldn’t let them go unnoticed. If Kooks had one-hundred haters, JJ was the leader of them. If Kooks had no haters, JJ was dead. 

“Wait, Sarah!” He stopped them in their tracks. “Can I interest you in a tasty Milwaukee beverage?” He slurred. Sarah looked him up and down before politely declining the offer. You, Kie, and Pope watched the interaction silently from your places in the sand. “What? Is it not fancy enough for you?”

“We were just leaving…” She sassed, throwing her hair over her shoulder.

“Y’know what?” Topper mused. “I’ll take it. Thank you, man. ‘Preciate it.” You could tell this wasn’t a genuinely civil interaction, the remaining three of you in the sand watching from the sidelines sparing one another a weary glance.

“That’s a nice gesture, Topper, but I didn’t ask you.” JJ retorted, the smile dropping from Topper’s face quickly. John B was already attempting to step in between the two. “If you said ‘pretty please’? Maybe. But you didn’t. So…”

“Oh, pretty please?” Topper shot back unbelievably. 

JJ dismissed him, turning back to Sarah and once again offering the drink when Topper suddenly smacked the drink away, the beverage splattering all over JJ’s face. The beach of teen’s attention was suddenly pulled to the four of them in the middle of the beach as you, Kiara, and Pope stood from your spots in the sand.

JJ was quick to snatch Topper by the collar of his button-up before John B pushed him back in an effort to calm down his friend. He was speaking to JJ, words no one could hear until Topper shouted ‘dirty pogues’, stealing John B’s attention in a matter of seconds as the boy whipped around to march towards him.

John B pushed Topper’s shoulders back, the action not doing much. The three of you still standing figured it was time to step in, dispersing from your places and getting in between the four of them — mainly the three guys as Sarah stood off to the side. . 

You saw it coming before you heard the connect, Topper edging towards John B before striking him in the jaw.  “Hey!” You shouted, jogging in their direction with Kie by your side as you watched Topper kick your friend while he was down.

“Guys? Guys!” You heard Sarah shouting. 

“Don’t make me drown you like your old man, alright?!” Topper spat. If you were any further back in the crowd that all watched like this was a professional brawl, you wouldn’t have heard it.

The statement obviously struck a nerve within JB, the boy finding strength in his state of anger to get up and tackle Topper into the shallow water. You usually weren’t one to condone violence, but JB was standing his ground and Topper deserved it.

The two boys circled each other, taking turns throwing punches. The odds were in John B’s favor, until they weren’t, Topper taking the opportunity to flip him onto his back into the water. 

You couldn’t tell what was happening immediately until you finally registered what was going on. Topper had John B pinned by the back of his neck, face down into the shallow sea water.

“Topper!” Sarah shouted over and over, her whining making your fists ball.

“Sarah!” You turned to her. “Will you shut the hell up and get your psychotic boyfriend?!” All the girl could do was shoot you a mean glare, turning back to the sight in front of her and continuing her chant of Topper’s name.

“He’s drowning him.” You heard Kiara speak behind you. Your eyes scanned the beach for something, anything — landing on a thick piece of driftwood, you wasted no time in sprinting over to it, picking it up almost like a baseball bat. You could hear your three friends calling your name as you ran up behind Topper, wielding the piece of wood like a weapon, ready and fully prepared to knock his ass out with it.

You were feet away from the angry, rich blonde before JJ had beat you to it, holding a gun to the back of his head. You stopped in your tracks, the piece of wood falling to your side as your jaw went slack and your eyes wide.

“JJ!” Kiara yelled.

“Dude, chill!” Pope shouted, walking up behind his erratic friend.

“JJ! Put the gun down!” Sarah tried, finally deciding to actually step in with the rest of you. The blonde girl shouted you and Kie’s names. “Will you check your psycho friend, please?!”. You and Kie simply ignored the girl.

“We’re good! We’re good!” Topper surrendered, releasing John B’s neck from his hands. You, along with Pope and Kiara, wasted no time in rushing over to aid your friend, kneeling in the wet sand and salt water next to him as the three of you sat him up.

“Everyone listen up!” JJ continued. “Get the hell off our side of the island!” He yelled, shooting stray bullets to the sky. You flinched slightly at the unexpected, ear-ringing sound.

“JJ!” You yelled at him, louder than you had the entire night. The crowd of teens dispersing, running every which way in between the trees. You made sure Kiara and Pope could take care of your wounded friend themselves before shooting up from your crouched position and approaching JJ, snatching his shoulder back to face you before pushing his chest. “What the hell is wrong with you?! Do you have any idea what you just did?!”

“I was saving his life, okay?!”

“By firing a gun you stole?!”

JJ had no idea the trouble he’d just created and the argument didn’t go much further than that when the four of you heard a splash and turned back to find John B, who’d collapsed, unconscious, back into the water. 

“I’M CALLING IT OFF.” Was the first word said between any of you. It was the next morning and John B had called you all together at The Chateau, the five of you spread out in the yard. There was a cloud hanging over the group, a tense silence. The only noise being a ball JJ kept tossing back and forth. “Peterkin said that if I stay out of The Marsh, she’ll help with DCS.”

“And you believed her?” JJ asked as if his friend was the biggest dunce in the world. 

“Yes, I believed her, JJ, she's the Sheriff. All I have to do is stay out The Marsh for a few days and she’ll help me out.” He repeated. “It doesn’t help that your ass was the one shooting a gun!”

JJ scoffed, shaking his head side to side. “Y’know what? I should’ve let Topper drown your ass.” 

“Yeah, because Topper was really going to drown me.”

“It sure looked like it. I mean, have you looked in a mirror?” JJ shot back, leaning against a wooden post of the outdoor structure. “They always win, don’t they, man? They don’t want us in The Marsh which means there’s something valuable down there.” JJ tried to reason, eyes pleading with the rest of you. “I understand why you don’t wanna go.” He pointed at Pope. “You’re the Golden Boy, too much to risk.” Then his eyes were on Kie. “And you’re rich as fuck, anyway. Why would you bother?” She ignored him, rolling her eyes as his own blue ones landed on you. “And you? You-”

“Don’t go there, JJ.” You warned him, eyes connecting with his, a serious expression plastered all over your face. You stared at one another, a bitter exchange without words. Then, he was looking at John B.

“We got nothing nothing to lose. And I know it didn’t use to be that way for you.”

“I don’t wanna talk about this.” 

“I have plan John B, just listen,” JJ started, staring at the tense back of his best friend who wouldn't face him. “You got the key to Cameron’s big boat, right?”

“No, dude-”

“There’s scuba gear!” The blonde protested, standing right next to John B now. “We borrow that, go down to The Wreck this afternoon-” Your eyes met Kie and Pope’s as you mockingly mouthed ‘borrow’, the jab followed by an eye roll. JJ Maybank was never known to just ‘borrow’ anything. “And that’s what going to save you. You don’t see rich kids going into foster care, do you?”

“AND WE’RE SERIOUSLY LETTING JOHN B STEAL FROM THE LION’S DEN?” You questioned as the remaining four of you lounged around the boat. “I mean, what if he gets caught? I doubt Ward will just let him go.”

“He won’t get caught.” JJ exhaustedly reassured you for the millionth time as he unanchored the small motor boat from the dock.

“And how do you know that?”

“Well, judging by the lanky bandana wearing boy waddling towards us with his hands occupied by oxygen tanks, I’d say he did just fine.” Everyone’s attention was now drawn to John B, climbing one leg over the other into the boat, letting the tanks clank against the floor of the water vehicle.

You were the first to snatch them up, shooting JJ a mean glare for his sarcasm. It was only seconds before you scoffed and let your head fal back, zoning your sights in on John B. “Good job, you scored empty tanks.”

“What?” He proclaimed breathlessly, a look of sheer confusion written across his face as you continued looking at the meters on the tanks.

You held up one of them on display. “This one's a quarter-full. That’s only enough for one of us. And judging by the look on your faces, I’m going to assume I’m the only one here who knows how to dive?” They all averted their eyes. “Great.”

“It’s kind of a kook sport…” JJ mumbled. You supposed he was right but for you it was just a skill that your dad had spent years teaching you, being a professional diver himself. “Plus, how hard could it be anyway. You put the thing in your mouth and breathe.”

“Well,” Pope started. “If you come up too fast the nitrogen could enter your bloodstream and you could get the bends.” 

“The bends? Like bend over?-” JJ tried to joke before being cut off, his body in a half bent position.

“The bends kill you.” You and Pope both corrected simultaneously, both with the same amount of annoyance in your tone. Shaking your head, you stood up with the semi-full tank in hand and made your way over to Pope.

“You’re the only person I trust to help me with the math on this.” You proclaimed. The boy’s eyes widened, nearly jumping up from his feet, a notepad and pencil in his hand that seemed to almost appear out of thin air.

“Yeah, yeah, I can help,” He stammered. “The boat’s about thirty-feet down. So, at that depth, it’ll take twenty-five minutes. Which means you need to make your safety stop at about ten feet. For two minutes.”

“Got it.”

“When you’re down there,” JJ started, key in hand. “Look for the cargo hold, stick this thing inside, twist and pull-”

“I know how to use a key, JJ.” 

“I- y’know you have been very sassy today, little miss thing, and I don’t appreciate it, alright?” He started ranting in mock-offense. “That’ll be the last time I try to help you.” He muttered, pouting next to Pope. You chuckled before picking up the oxygen meter, trying to make sure you would have enough air to decompress. And you did, just barely.

“Hey,” Pope announced. “If we get caught in The Marsh, we’re basically screwed, so…”

“Is this your way of telling me to get my ass into the water?” His eyes looked around as if he were thinking deeply, a small nonchalant shoulder shrug before he was replying.

“Mmm...Basically, yeah.” You snickered at the boy before stripping down to your bikini, pulling the tank over your shoulders and the mask down over your face before jumping in. Once you were in the water, you gave one last look to your friends before letting the air fill your lungs and going completely under. 

You started to make your descent, slowly. Making your safety stop at what you estimated to be about ten feet as Pope has advised. Stopping for those two minutes before continuing to dive further down.

The water was dark, foggy, and murky — a lot different from diving in ocean water. It was like walking through an abandoned mansion with only a lighter to see. Nonetheless, your eyes landed on the cargo hold within the sunken boat. It was a small struggle trying to fit the key into the hole with the water swaying your hand in different directions but you managed after a couple tries.

Twisting and pulling as JJ had directed, the cargo holds door came up, floating gracefully to the side, revealing what was inside. A black duffel bag and even in the water, it was still decently heavy. You couldn’t waste time examining what was inside with the amount of oxygen you were running on, so you started to swim your way back up, careful not to move too fast.

Following the length of the bowline, the boat came into view the closer you got to the surface of the water. But then so did another, a slightly larger one. You stopped, squinting trying to make out whose boat it could be but it was pointless. The meter on your tank told you that you had about a minute before you were out of air. 

You waited for what felt like minutes but what had really only been about fifteen seconds. Your heart thumped out of your chest when you saw a figure standing on the edge of your friend’s boat through the water that was far too buff to be any of your friends. And you could’ve sworn it was Deputy Shoupe.

You were still but you didn’t feel still enough, as if any slight movement might make the man able to see through water. To see you. You couldn’t get caught in The Marsh. They couldn’t know Scooter’s boat was here. One wrong move and you could screw this all up. Despite your nerves, you looked frantically at the meter in your hand — fifteen seconds of air left.

And it just kept getting lower.

You were mentally screaming at whoever that figure was to get the hell out of here. Ten seconds. Then five. Four. Three. Two. One.

Zero.

You had no air left and your only option was to hold your breath and hope for the best. And maybe a little hope was all you needed because by the grace of God, the figure retreated not long before the boat was speeding away. You wasted no time in swimming towards the surface, bursting through the waves and snatching the mask off as fresh air filled your lungs.

You heard sighs of relief as your chest filled and your hearing returned to normal. 

“Don’t scare us like that!”

“Scare you?” You breathed out, treading water while looking at your four friends. “I thought I was gonna die!”

“What’d you find?” asked Pope.

“I don’t know but it’s something.” You started swimming back towards the boat, throwing the bag overhand towards JJ as you climbed up the ladder. 

“You good?” Pope questioned, concerned. “You scared the shit out of us. The cops were up here but we took care of ‘em.” So it was Shoupe, you thought as you plopped yourself down on the boat, wasting little time in shrugging the tank off of your back when you spotted another boat coming in your direction.

“Guys? Bogey, two o’clock.” You announced, breathlessly. 

“Anybody recognize it?” Pope asked, prompting collective ‘no’s’ to sound out. 

“What’re they doing here? The Marsh is closed…” John B questioned silently.

"Maybe they don't know?" You threw out.

“My vote’s on not sticking around to find out.” JJ advised, going straight for the bowline as fast as he could to unanchor the boat. John B began steering the boat before the anchor was even completely out of the water. 

“Go into The Marsh. Go.” Pope commanded firmly. At that moment, the opposing boat followed the HMS Pogue and you could’ve sworn it sped up. 

“They’re definitely following us.” Kie voiced worriedly. Looking back, there were only two men on the boat. Two faces you’d never seen in Kildare before.

“Gun it, JJ!” John B shouted. There was no doubt that you all were being followed at this point and you didn’t want to know what would happen if they caught up. Your hand was gripping the edge of the boat as it sped through the shaky waters, the small boat practically zooming past everything in sight but the two men remained on your tail. Suddenly, the man not steering the motorboat behind you pulled out something — a unmistakable object.

“Guys, get down!” Was the last thing heard and the only thing you could shout before a shot rang out in the air, a stray bullet clanking against the structure of John B’s boat but failing to puncture anything severe, everyone ducking except the boy himself. 

“John B, get down!” Another shot followed, zooming right past your head. So close and so fast that you didn’t even see it, the only sign being the sound of wind breaking next to your ear and a stinging, burning sensation at the top of it.

“Jesus!” You shouted, slouching against the inside of the boat, smooshing yourself in between Kiara and Pope. Your hand went up to hold your ear, pulling it back to reveal a small amount of blood on the tips of your fingers. You doubted you got fatally shot, it couldn’t have been anything more than graze.

“Are you okay?” Kie asked as you drifted your own eyes to meet hers, a genuine concern swimming in her gaze. Your sights roamed her face for a moment before nodding and touching your ear slightly.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be fine.”

Then a third shot was sounding out. “Shit!” yelled Kie, her own eyes were focused on some netting laying in the boat. You watched as she got up and grabbed the material, throwing it over the back of the boat just as the fourth, and hopefully final, shot rang out. The boat that had been following you all spun out once it the net, the trap causing their engine to fail, sending you miles ahead of them in seconds.

You all stood up and stared back at the male figures disappearing behind you, chuckles leaving you all one by one until the boat was nearly shaking with triumphant laughter. You turned to JJ, giving him a victorious double high-five.

“Oh, damn,” His smile fell as his gaze turned to the left side of your face. “Did you get hit?” He asked, his hands reaching out to trail his fingers down the length of your neck, pulling them back to reveal the red substance decorating his fingers.

“Barely. I’ll be fine.”

“You’ll have a sick scar, though.”

You scoffed at this. “A girl can only dream.”

THE SUN HAD SET BY THE TIME YOU ALL HAD REACHED THE DOCK. The four of you had all but flew off the boat and onto the wooden platform, John B rushing to unzip the duffel bag you’d retrieved, still shivering slightly from your damp state. You’d thrown your t-shirt back on at some point, using your shorts to soak up the blood from your ear which made them un-wearable.

“It’s gotta be money right?” You expressed, shaking the remaining water from your damp hair.

“That or a couple of keys with street value from the low to mid-mills.”

“Can we please just open the bag?” Pope blurted quite aggressively. The group turning to him in shock and amusement.

“Wow, Pope. That’s a… rare outburst of emotion.” John B added. 

“You guys are literally killing me with anticipation.”

“Same.” You added in your two cents. “I almost drowned for this.”

“We all almost died for this.” Pope cut in.

“Yeah, that too, I guess.” You dismissed him playfully.

John B finished unzipping the bag, revealing a metal container about the size of a human thigh. Anchoring the object between his knees, he grunted and groaned as he attempted to twist it open until it popped, allowing him to twist off the top and reveal…

“A compass?” Kie said unamused, almost disgustedly. Pope threw his hands over his head and JJ scoffed.

“Great job, everybody. We found a compass.” The blonde threw out. But John B saw something. He was looking at this object as if it meant the entire world to him, and that look prompted you to kneel next to your best friend and set a hand on his shoulder.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” You asked softly, eyes fleeting back and forth between John B’s watery gaze and the dingy compass.

“...This was my father’s.”

next chapter>

[nubiawrites]

chapter six

Pairing: Aaron Pierre x Black Original Character

Warnings: Slow burn. 18+. Smut. oral (giving). toyplay.

Summary: a night in with Aaron has Iriye ready to risk it all as production of Paradise Lost hits a snag.

Notes: I'm still thinking about Aaron's sleeve. Please let me know what you think about this chapter and where things are going. All the love that has been shared with me excites me.

MASTERLIST

Focus was something Iriye was lacking at the moment. Completely. Especially when she was in the kitchen with the fine specimen, currently chopping up onions on the special marble cutting board in her kitchen, and her eyebrows knitted together as Aaron worked. His glasses slid down the bridge of his nose as he worked, and Iriye stopped going through her fridge to move over to him, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

Aaron turned to face her, a small smile coming on her face. She returned the smile, returning to grab the chicken she had seasoned earlier for the rasta pasta she had planned to make.

“I didn’t take you for someone who was such a good cook,” Aaron teased. Iriye playfully glared at him.

“Well, I’m not going to oversell you, but I can at least cook to survive,” Iriye said, moving to find her wooden cutting board. And by cooking to survive, I can call my mom and ask her for help when I’m flailing. " This might have been the night before when Iriye called, needing the pasta recipe her mom often cooked when she was a kid.

“I respect that,” Aaron said, moving the onions into a bowl she set aside. “I hope I didn’t send you into a tizzy when I asked to see you tonight,”

“You didn’t. I was glad you wanted to see me again,” Iriye admitted. “I mean, after the night we had… and the morning,” She was trying to be cool about it, her mind thinking about how he woke her up,”

“Turn over for me,” Aaron breathed. Iriye raised an eyebrow but did what he said, remembering she only wore his shirt. He pushed the material up, moving to reveal her bare backside. Aaron moved behind her and pulled her hips up till she was on her knees, back arched. She felt his hand spread her cheeks, giving him a peek of her pussy.

“Aaron…” She moaned in anticipation, wanting to know what he would do. But she didn’t have to wait further when he began licking at her lower lips from behind…

“That was quite the morning,” Aaron mentioned, and Iriye felt her cheeks warm as he looked at her as if he would eat her again. A girl could hope. 

“It was,” Iriye smiled. “How has shooting been for Lanterns,” The grin that appeared on Aaron’s face lit up the room and she listened as the man began to yap on as they cooked the rest of their meal.

Iriye and Aaron sat at her dining room table, plates finished as they continued talking.

“Do you think you’ll ever get used to being in the limelight?” Iriye asked him, his hand playing with her fingers.

“I don’t know, honestly,” Aaron admitted. “Everyone’s at the top one day and the next, they’re yesterday’s news,”

“I doubt that for you,” Iriye shrugged. “You’re good at this. Acting. You put your whole soul in it. Like, I can tell you enjoy what you do. What you bring to a scene,” 

A small smile crept up on Aaron’s face at those words, and he lifted her hand and kissed its back. 

“I’m glad you think so,” Aaron kissed her hand again. “But sometimes I wish I could just do my job and go home. Not to deal with the extra,” He said.

“Being toted around like a show pony,” Iriye stated. “You know how many agents and managers I had meetings with before I signed with my current one? Eighteen. I felt like none of them saw me. I was just some diversity quota to fill up their clientele roster. And then I met my current manager, Devery. I thought he was this total gym bro, and then he told me one of the details I put in a script. A little tradition my mom and her people would do back in Kingston. And he loved it. Of course, I thought he was about to ask a question about it. But he researched it. It seems tiny but it meant everything to me. After that meeting, I wanted him to sign me, and we’ve been working together ever since,”

“Well, it seems he has your best interest at heart,” Aaron said, Iriye shrugging.

“He does. To have someone that has your back along the way. It's worth its weight in gold,” Iriye explained. She moved to take their plates to the kitchen, feeling his hand trailing against hers as he let go. She came back, seeing he was quiet. She placed her hands on his shoulders. “Whatcha thinking about?”

Aaron kissed her hand and pulled her around to stand before him. 

Aaron nodded. “I just want to make sure I do right by you, Tamara, Nelly, and everything Lanoire Productions is with Paradise Lost. " 

“You are going to kill it, Aaron,” Iriye tilted his head to look at her, his hazel eyes peering at her dark brown ones. “This story is going to flourish on the big screen with you in it, and I’m not just saying that to stroke your ego,” 

Aaron smiled, his hands smoothing up the back of her thighs, his hands almost catching the silk dress she wore.

“You have a call time, tomorrow,” Iriye stated, remembering him mentioning that he had to be to the lot.

“I know,” Aaron nodded, his hands moving to cup her ass, pulling her till she was straddling his lap. Her hands touched his neck, slowly scratching at the skin, and she licked her lips as she heard him groan. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything?” Iriye said.

“This doesn’t bother you? You know… staying in,” Aaron asked. Iriye looked at him. “I don’t want you to think I like us in these four walls only,”

“You only like me when we’re alone. Well damn,” Iriye teased.

“I like you everywhere, Iriye,” Aaron said. “I want to take you on a proper date one of these days… if you would like to,”

Iriye felt her cheeks warm at the words.

“You’re making it hard to find the red flags, Aaron,” Iriye admitted. She moved to stand up. “So? Are you going to ask me on a date?”

Aaron shook his head at her as he watched Iriye look at her wrist, acting as if she was checking the time. He stood up, his six-foot-three towering over her five-foot-eight frame.

“Will you let me take you out on a date, Iriye?” He asked.

“Of course, Aaron,” She answered quickly. “You have a call time,”

“I know,” Aaron kissed her softly, his hands gripping and squeezing her waist. Iriye moaned as she felt him grabbing her.

“My place is further from the lot,” Iriye reasoned between kisses. “You need… you need a good night's sleep. Because you’re playing a beacon of class and strength,”

“Yo!” Aaron breathed out, Iriye giggling.

“I’m serious. You got a long drive from Baldwin Hills to your place,” Iriye mentioned. “You need to rest,”

“Then put me to bed,” Aaron suggested, raising an eyebrow at her. Iriye bit her lip before leaning on her toes, pressing a tender kiss against his. “We’re going straight to bed. No funny business,”

“No funny business. Scouts honor,” Aaron raised his hand like a boy’s scout, and Iriye rolled her eyes. Iriye took his hand, and he pulled her back into his body as they walked together into her bedroom.

Iriye felt some distance was needed, and while she showered, she left Aaron to his imagination while he was in her room. He made himself comfortable, taking in the most intimate space Iriye had for herself. He set his two alarms on his phone so he could get up and stripped down till he was left in his boxer briefs. He didn’t want to impose on her space, but he took in the different photos and trinkets.

On her bedside table, Aaron saw a picture of her with a woman with the same features as her but was slightly older. He picked up it was her mother as he noticed different photos of them around her room. He smiled because they shared the same smile, finding the beauty in them both. Random pens littered the nightstand, and charging cables were entangled. It was homey and right for Iriye.

The bathroom door opened, and steam billowed out as Iriye shut the door behind her. She opted to change in the bathroom, knowing she would be distracted by him if she got dressed.

When Iriye saw Aaron on her bed, she moved to the right side, where she had slept. She grabbed her scarf and tied it around her head. She then opted for a crop top she had cut herself and sleep shorts to ensure this man got to bed for his call time.

“You need more pillow cause I have some in the chest,” She asked.

“I’m alright, love,” Aaron said, slipping under the covers with her. She settled under the covers, mirroring him as they lay on their sides. “Come here,” Iriye tried to resist, but Aaron snaked his hands around her waist and pulled her close.

“Hi,” Iriye breathed. “Can you turn off the lamp?” She asked. He turned to switch it off, and the room was engulfed in darkness except for the moonlight peaking slightly through her blinds. Even through the darkness, she felt his eyes on her, his hand massaging her hip with his thumb. They were in a comfortable silence, and she loved it. “You didn’t go snooping through my draws while I was showering, did you?”

“Never would dream of it. Don’t want to encroach on any secrets you might have,” Aaron teased.

“Not even my panties drawer,” She teased. 

“Definitely not that,” Aaron chuckled.

“Hm. Too bad. You would have found something really interesting while snooping,” Iriye moved to turn her backside to him. “Night, Aaron,” Though she knew they needed to sleep, like clockwork, he pressed his hands on her hips, and she felt him growing harder against her ass.

“You can’t say stuff like that and then tell me to go to sleep,” Aaron complained, knowing he meant it teasingly.

“You know nothing good comes this late at night,” Iriye nuzzled into her pillow, trying not to let out a gasp as feeling him against her backside.

“What was it?” Aaron asked, whispering against her ear. She could feel the heat radiating from his chest. Iriye tried her best, but this man behind her drove her crazy.

“Turn the lamp on,” Iriye said. He quickly reached out to turn it back on. She shuffled over to her side of the bed and opened the drawer, pulling the device and holding it close to her chest. “Okay. You gotta promise not to laugh,”

“I promise,” Aaron spoke, turning to lay on his stomach and look at her. Iriye turned and showed him the device, and seeing his eyes widen at the vibrating wand was something else.

“Something to help me sleep at night,” Iriye admitted. She was nervous. Not because of her healthy sex life with another person or even solo but because Aaron was silent. His face was blank as he looked at her vibrator. “I think I broke the boy from South London,” 

“Can I see it?” Aaron asked. Iriye raised an eyebrow at him. “I wanna see it,” She handed it over to him, chuckling.

“What are you up to,” Iriye asked. A slight grin came on Aaron’s face. 

“Lay back,” Aaron pushed the covers further down to the end of the bed. She eyed him before propping herself up on the pillows. He set the vibrator to the side and moved to tug his fingers into her shorts, pulling slightly to ask to take them off. Iriye lifted her hips to help him, her lower half now bare. It didn’t help that her pussy was growing wetter as she felt his eyes on her. “Take off your top,”

Iriye didn’t waste time taking her pajama top off, leaving her bare before Aaron. She laid back, spreading her legs as he got between them. He made sure to put her spread legs on his thighs so he couldn’t escape.

“I’ll go to sleep after I get to play with your beautiful pussy,” Aaron stated. Iriye couldn’t even control herself. She pulled him close, her lips on his as she arched her body against him.

Aaron’s tongue licked against her lips before slipping inside her mouth, tongue fighting for dominance as they made out against the bed. Her hand grasped at his hard dick, Aaron groaning against her mouth. He pulled away, seeing her nipples growing harder, and he moved to kiss down her body, his mouth wrapping around her right nipple and sucking it softly.

Iriye whined out with every pull from his lips on her nipple. Aaron let it go with a smack before moving to the neglected one, sucking it as well. She felt every pulse going to her center, her body aching for it and for him. 

“Fuck Aaron…” Iriye pressed her breast closer to his mouth. Aaron pulled away, and she pulled him to kiss her again, her hips rolling up and pressing against his clothed length.

“Relax,” Aaron breathed against her lips. Iriye hummed, nodding at him. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of him as he grabbed the vibrator, configuring it quickly to start at a low hum. Iriye reached for it, but Aaron pulled it from her. “I thought you were going to let me have control,”

“I am,” Iriye whined.

“Then we are going slow, baby,” Aaron gave her a grin before he moved the vibrator over one breast, her nipple hardening even more under the vibrations. Her back arched, and she felt him move to her other nipple, the vibrations steadily making her grow wetter.

Aaron bit his lip as he watched Iriye rolling her hips towards the vibrator in his hand. Lips parted as moans spilled from her; Iriye was feeling like he was torturing her. She was used to going fast and hard most nights when she knew she would be busy. She wanted to get off those nights. But Aaron was determined to make her feel.

“Aaron,” She breathed, her hips rolling against the vibrator as he kept pressing it against her clit, listening to her gasps and moans so he could move the toy to what spots were making her react. She wanted to shut her legs, but he was between them. “Please, Aaron,”

“You want me to turn it up,” Aaron teased, leaning down to kiss her lips, his thumb brushing against her bottom lip. “Talk to me, love,”

“Turn it up,” Iriye breathed. She whined out as he pressed the buttons, and the vibrations came faster.

Aaron watched how her body rolled towards him, his hand slipping to hold her down against the bed by her stomach. He was so hard, his length begging to feel her, but he wanted to make sure she got hers first. He pressed down a little, flicking the wand against her, and Iriye moaned louder.

“Fuck,” Iriye moaned, pressing closer to her toy. Aaron groaned as he could hear her getting wetter as the vibrator worked against her. She was all breaths and moans, her hands moving to her breast, squeezing and teasing her nipples.

“Take the vibrator,” Aaron ordered her. Iriye took it in her hand, and she felt Aaron slip his fingers inside of her. She whined as he caressed his fingers inside of her, touching her g spot, and she whined. “God, you’re so fucking wet,” Aaron leaned over, his lips colliding with hers and she moaned into his mouth. One hand trailed to cup his cheek as his fingers, caressing the spot inside of her that made her go wild inside of her.

“Mhm,” Iriye moaned, his teeth pulling on her bottom lip as she felt him moving his fingers in and out of her. She wanted more. She needed more. 

Aaron’s lips trailed down to her neck as he continued to thrust his fingers into her, feeling her walls fluttering more and more around his fingers. His lips went to nibble and bite at her collarbone, nibbling at her collarbone. He wanted to leave his mark on her like Iriye was slowly leaving on him. Her whimpers and moans ringing through his ears and him looking up at Iriye to see her head in the pillow and her body rolling sensually against his as she got closer to her end.

Aaron’s hand went over Iriye’s and he took a hold of the vibrator, watching as she peeped her eyes to look at him.

“I’m… close,” Iriye let out between a moan. Aaron began moving his fingers more to fet her closer to her hand. “More…” Aaron took her words and he pressed it to the next setting on the vibrator, the buzzing louder and faster as more moans, whimpers and cries left her mouth. He focused his attention on m oving his fingers faster, testing the waters and slipping a third finger inside of Iriye.

Iriye wanted to pull away when he pressed a third finger in, the stretch feeling so good amd him testing the waters as he watched her. Aaron kissed her again, moaning into her mouth.

“I wish I could feel you wrapped around me,” Aaron whimpered against her lips. Iriye kissed him back, her tongue pressing to lick inside of his mouth. 

“I want you, Aaron,” Iriye moaned. His fingers moved inside of her faster, his finger tips pressing just the write way as she could hear how wet her pussy was around his fingers. She was so close, that edge right there and with a certain flick of his wrist as he pressed back into her, she felt her body fall over it.  Iriye cried out her orgasm against his lips as he focused on making sure she got every bit of it.

Aaron wanted it all. He wanted every moan of hers. Every cry that graced her lips. Every moment of pure pleasure she had to offer. He continued pressing the vibrator against her, his fingers fucking every whimper out of her as he prolonged her orgasm till she weakly pushed him away. 

“Aaron,” Iriye breathed weakly. He pulled the vibrator away to turn it off, slowly pulling his fingers out and licking the essence that covered them as he watched her blissed out face. Iriye worked onc atching her breath, pussy still throbbing from aftershocks. “I want you,” She whispered.

“I want you too, love,” Aaron said. Iriye kissed him again and he wrapped her up closer to him but she stopped him. 

“I want you to fuck me,” Iriye whined. A grin took over Aaron’s face, his hand moving to her chin. She pressed closer to him and he grasped her hips. “As much as I want to, we won’t leave this bed,” Aaron stated. “I’ll want to taste every inch of your body and leave no patch of skin untouched,” He caressed her thigh and she whimpered. 

Iriye moaned at his words and he kissed her, his tongue slipping into her mouth. 

“I promise, it’ll be worth it,” Aaron said, trailing a finger between her breast. Iriye looked up into his eyes and she could tell it would be worth it. She nodded and he sealed it with a kiss.

The thoughts of the night before replayed through Iriye’s head, knowing she should be focusing on Tamara’s words as she spoke to her and Nelly during lunch. But all she could think about was when she and Aaron would fu-

“Earth to Iriye,” Tamara raised a brow at her friend. “You listening,”

“Yeah, I am,” Iriye looked between a concerned Tamara and smirking Nelly. “What?”

“You’re chewing the hell out of your food. Thought you might bite your tongue or something,” Tamara chuckled. “So, the camera test footage looks good but the executives want to float someone else into the mix for Nora,”

“But we like Sam for Nora,” Iriye tried her best not to be annoyed.

“Well it landed with someone. Vivian Kincaid,”

“Shut up,” Nelly whispered. “I love that  talented messy bitch,”

“Vivian Kincaid? No,” Iriye shook her head. “I get it. She’s the wonder girl for WB but at this moment, we’re locking in Sam,”

“They want her and Aaron to test together. See how it goes,” Tamara said. “I don’t think they will touch what Sam and Aaron did but she reached out Davis directly he said. I guess she’s looking for a more serious role for a comeback,”

“But this could be a breakout for Sam,” Iriye stated. “She’s worked jsut as hard as us to get to this point,”

“I think it’s more of a formality of letting Vivian throw her hat in. I wouldn’t worry,” Tamara said. She checked her phone when it rang. “It’s Jay…” Iriye tried her best not to roll her eyes at the mention of her ex. “He asked to talk about some camera shit. I’ll keep it short and cute,” Tamara stood up, pressing a kiss to Iriye’s head and leaving her with Nelly.

“So…” Nelly said. Iriye rolled her eyes playfully. 

“Ask away,” Iriye said.

“I didn’t tell anyone what I saw with you and Mister Pierre,” Nelly teased. “What is going on with you two?”

Iriye tried not to smile too hard as she thought of the man who she shared an innocent shower with earlier that morning. The one who she walked down to his car because she wanted to make sure he go to the studio on time, kissing him slowly against his car in the early dawn of morning. But she couldn’t help it.

“We’re just… taking things slow,” Iriye admitted, even if she was ready to spread her legs for him if he asked in a hearbeat. 

“Taking things slow my ass,” Nelly teased. “But it’s cute. I’m happy to see you having fun. And if he’s not showing you a good time or treating you right, I’ll kick his ass. I don’t care if he’s six foot two,”

“Six foot three,” Iriye corrected.

“I knew you were obsessed with him,” Nelly shook her head.

After lunch, Iriye made it back to the production office, seeing a bouquet of lilies waiting by the door. She smiled, picking them up and heading inside of her office. She knew Tamara and Nelly were busy on the lot and she would have the afternoon to herself so she put the flowers at her desk. Finding the card attached with them, she read it was from Aaron and smiled to herself.

Iriye picked up her phone, sending him a text along with a thank you for her flowers. It ook him a few minutes but he called her, Iriye putting it on speaker.

“I’m glad you enjoyed the flowers. I figured I should properly court you,” Aaron’s voice flowed through the phone.

“Properly court me?” Iriye laughed softly.

“Yes. I’m kind of disappointed I didn’t send you flowers before getting a taste of your personal garden,”

“You better be in your trailer,”

“I am. But let me focus. By properly courting you, I was wondering what plans you have Friday night,” Aaron asked. Iriye hummed, pretending to check her schedule. “Nothing at the moment,” Iriye replied.

“Good. May I take you out Friday night?” Aaron asked. “I promise. You won’t regret what I have in store for you,”

“Yes, Aaron. You can take me out Friday,” Iriye smiled to herself. Even with the nerves she felt, it was refreshing and terrifying but Aaron was someone she wanted to see the end of this journey with.

@wildwomanalereyia @teenage-aria @skvrpion @absentmindeddreamer @blackpinup22 @liv10002 @styleismyaddiction @jungwonsgfs @hooliemooliedonutshawp @hippiesandpeacesigns @blowmymbackout @justagirlwho-believes13 @caribbeangyalsworld @melovedorks @moihasarrived @ashanti-notthesinger @xx-mintyxx @iluvchrisbrown @ash-ketchumzzz @deijalee @pyramidlight @xosharieee @kaylaahisthebestest- @chaniceandrea @kimmivlixx @saveadanc @kaylalb @queenbritbrat @kceeee @naughtynolly-blog @myawesome56 @chainingxday @nononoks-blog @kinginwithbreezy-blog @apple123cg @jazziejax @lauren1000000 @withoutmusiclifewouldbflat @venusincleo @loveschrisbrown20 @brwnskingirlll @iamfredtina @cozyashhh @modelmemoirs @kimiasinterlude @rpayn22 @mscarter123 @lolola22267 @thesweetestdrug @valarghoulis @nyifly22 @zimsilandela @teheeboo @blveeeeeee @5starsirl @yassbishimvintage @23jammy @prettiegal @vadeadiugularis @gabbywontlose @pinkkycherrish @slashervalley @aqueenwasmadehere @lee-jennie @wuzzzgoood

[ippilulu]

What do I do with myself when you go where I cannot follow? - a Caleb x MC fanfic

Author note: I was listening to Weightless Paradise (this one) on his birthday as one does cause that song is a BANGER (I once texted my friend like 5 paragraphs dissecting the song and musically what each part meant- I am crazy crazy) and there was this one part that made me think of a sad coming-back-to-reality after being happy moment, and I was like huh. 'You know how Caleb and MC spent nearly a year apart (if this isn't canon btw I apologise), so that means he spent a birthday without her. What do you reckon would have happened on that day?' And this was born. Decided last minute not to post this on his birthday cause that would have been too angsty for even me- bro deserves so much better. Anyways, I'm sorry in advance.

Caleb relaxed his jaw as he put his car into gear, slowly driving out of the square, away from the people casually strolling and enjoying the warmth of the summer days that were only going to become more frequent as summer eased into Linkon. Her laugh still echoed in his ears- despite it being seemingly impossible considering the distance he had been careful to maintain between them lest her instincts sense him (because just like he always had a sixth sense for her, so did she).

He didn't need to hear her laugh for him to remember it, after all- after all these years, merely seeing a picture of it would ignite it in his memories. And oh, how happily he would burn in it, if he were allowed to. But the blinking light in his car's holographic display served as a reminder of how he couldn't- how he shouldn't- if he were to fulfil the vow he'd made to himself that day when he'd held her small, cold hand after the 13th cycle in the labs.

Caleb switches it off- a child's stubborn instinct to not face reality, not yet- and drives to an address as familiar as his breath. He almost expects to see the old house he'd spent most of his life in as he turns the corner… but of course there is nothing there.

For a few months after the incident, he'd notice flowers and various trinkets scattered in the remnant of the ashes- all that was left in the explosion that killed Josephine, that should have killed him too. He could never bear to stay for long, not after the few times he saw her there, silent and cold and unlike herself- so much so that his eyes had passed over the small figure in a familiar raincoat and umbrella- until he'd realised that that figure was as recognisable to him as his own.

He didn't bear the right to see her in her grief- even if from the outside it seemed like there was a lack of it. So he'd give her space, leave her alone. Caleb only wanted her to smile and laugh like the little meimei of his memories did in every idle dream he had. He protected these idle dreams with all the force of a black hole, refusing to let them become collateral in the everlasting struggle he waged- all to protect her, all for her.

For now, he was succeeding, barely. He was doing everything he could to fight against the chip- and even then all he could do was keep it at 93%.

7%.

That number haunted him sometimes, made him stare into the mirror longer than he should- late at night when the world was asleep, when he should have been asleep as well. But he couldn't rest, one thought keeping him awake beyond the fragile limits he'd managed to create for himself in his new role, his new life.

If he ever got the chance to see her once more, would she even recognise the soul behind his eyes as his? Or would the tiny 7% that remained be overshadowed by the 93% that had already been stolen from him?

Was there even a point to this struggle? Sometimes when he saw the familiar sterile white of the lab once more in the space between his nightmares and reality, he couldn't find one. It would be so much easier to let go, to give in…

But no. Even if he never met her again, he must do this for himself- he could not lose any more of himself than he already had. He would fight them until the end.

Even if it ended up being futile, his struggle still had meaning. For he'd have tried.

(For someone so used to success, this was a bitter pill to swallow. But it was either this or oblivion, and he knew which one he'd choose.)

Caleb blinked his eyes open, looking at the dim clock hovering above his car's dashboard. It was later than he'd planned- somewhere along the line his depressing thoughts had lulled him to sleep.

No nightmares this time, huh? He cracked a smile at the shadows beneath his eyes that never seemed to reduce, but froze as he looked outside.

Because there she was. The girl he'd dreamt of every time he closed his eyes, the one he'd put the little he had on the line for… The girl he loved.

His hand hesitated over the controls.

He should drive away.

Obviously she was there to talk to him- the version of Caleb in her head who she didn't even have the luxury of burying six feet in the ground. In no delusion his mind could come up with did he ever even think he deserved to see her like this.

He shouldn't even be seeing her at all, in fact. Not after what he did, not after what he chose to do every single day in his continued silence.

But there was a small, soft voice within him- was it from his current self or the child he'd buried deep within?

It's… It's your birthday. You deserve to be happy too, Caleb.

He lowered the window just a crack.

"… -out today, gege… I even got that cake you always said you didn't like but did- all because it was too expensive. It was delicious, but-" There was a pause, he could hear her crumpled breath echo across the small distance between them. …She was crying.

Caleb heard a small crack beside him and looked down, distracted. His car door's handle had given way under the force of his metal arm, and the implications of that made him bite his lip until it bled. The taste of blood in his mouth was a familiar one, and somehow it made the guilt less all-consuming as he looked back at her.

"I wish you were here. I know it's selfish, I know maybe you'd be in pain from your injuries… but your meimei has always been the most selfish when it comes to you. I can't help it, gege. I'd let the guilt eat me alive for it, but I'd still take advantage of your nature. Because… it was mine to take advantage of. And now… there's nothing of yours left for me."

Another deep breath. Caleb's jaw was so tight that it would have snapped if it were metal. He hastily wiped the wetness on his cheeks away, all of it blurring the rare image of her in his vision.

"All I have is this-" Something silver sparkled in the dying rays of the evening, and his left hand automatically took out his own copy of it, the metal cold enough to remove every trace of warmth from him- as if it knew it were not the original- as if it knew it were a mere copy that he'd made in his grief and desperation that could never even live up to the original.

"You broke your promise, gege. You promised me you'd never take it off, but you left it behind here- you left it behind with me." She slowly sat on her knees, and this seemed to be what hurt Caleb even more than the knowledge that she was crying.

"Caleb, ew! Don't sit there- you don't know what's been on it!" "I'm not sitting on the ground. I'll get a mat next time. And don't even think of sitting on my bed after this until you've changed your clothes!"

"I know I shouldn't- it wasn't… it wasn't your fault. But I feel so abandoned, Caleb. I feel so terribly lonely-" Another choked sound and he wasn't even sure which one of them made it this time- "It's not your fault, it's not- but still I blame you, gege. I'm so sorry- I'm so sorry-"

A phone ringing shocked them both out of the reverie they'd found themselves in- her sitting there sobbing softly, Caleb watching her like it was his personal punishment. He watched her wipe her face with her sleeves, raise her face to the sun and blink a few times, smiling brightly and singing a few notes, before she put the phone to her ear, a bright happy "Hi!" on her lips like it belonged there. A few seconds pass as she seems to be listening to the caller.

"Oh, that's so- it's so sweet of you to ask, haha! But no… I'm fine. Just watching a few old movies that both of us loved to remember him… My popcorn got over so I'd just stepped out to get some more. How's it going for you, Tara?"

Tara- the girl with black hair and purple eyes who always hung around her since she'd joined the Hunters' Association- and even more so after the explosion. The file he had on her life and history flashed in his mind- safely tucked at the house the Fleet had given him. But seeing her in front of him, guilt weighed him down.

This was not how a normal gege would behave. Or a normal anything- who keeps updated files of all the people their meimei interacts with just in case?

Even if he'd never thought of her as that for a long, long time now. But all those years ago, it'd been the fastest way to make her realise he wasn't one of the people who'd hurt her each time she came back. The fact that his child self had unknowingly bound himself in these chains of duty by doing so was something no one would have anticipated at the time… especially in the place they were in.

"- I'll see you tomorrow then! Yes yes, sure. I'll get some of those biscuits for you- sometimes it really does seem like you're only here for them, hmph." Her laughter rang out but he couldn't even smile.

When did she get so good at pretending everything was okay?

She was too good at it for it to be such a recent development. Or perhaps it was, and her loss had forced her to become good at it too soon.

He didn't know which one hurt less.

The phone was put down, now forgotten as she looked back at the plot that had once housed the only childhood home they'd ever known- and bent down to kiss one of the flowers that were near her. "I hope you like these, gege. I thought you'd like the scent- wherever you are. Take it as my apology… Because even if I love you, I hate you- just a little bit. Big dummy Caleb. Happy birthday… I love you."

The small smile on her face as she walked away felt like she'd personally slashed the shape of it into his heart.

…Happy birthday, indeed.

ending notes: I like using gege and meimei when talking about Caleb and MC despite playing the game in english, because I feel like it's the only word that can come close to describing the relationship they've shared with each other since childhood. In no way does this mean that I think of them as blood siblings, or that MC and Caleb in my fics think of themselves as related that way either. In case you do, that's great! I love all sorts of Caleb and MC fics. I just like to think of them romantically in mine :D Also! The small thing she did before she picked up Tara's call is something I always do when I need to hide that I've been crying haha... apologies if it seemed unusual!

[foreverisntenough]

‘Act II’

Summary: Attraction is like a gravitational pull that is undefinable and unavoidable. Unbeknownst to you, Jude had been keeping an eye on you since he caught a glimpse on his best friend’s girlfriend’s Instagram but he’s been loving his single life. You always were independent and know how to swim on your own but maybe you have been just treading water. Could the tides change on a holiday in Greece when you finally meet? It might get a little rocky but maybe you could be his paradise.

Index

Warnings: This series is 18+ MDNI

Note: Thank you for reading! Please be sure to like, comment, or message me what you think of the series! ‘Act II’ is interconnected to the 'You’re Mine' and 'Ours' Series but can read it independently.

Chapter 24- 'Falling Into Place' | ‘Act II’

word count - 11.5 k

After the game, you settled into the car, just you and Jude and Louis joining too, the tension from the match finally beginning to ease. Jude sat beside you head resting on your shoulder, an occasional kiss to your shoulder still processing the loss, but trying to shake it off with his usual lighthearted attitude. 

“So, nothing to say after the match? I’m bracing myself for it.” Jude smirked. He was expecting some teasing remark, knowing Louis wasn’t one to hold back especially with a France win, but instead, Louis surprised him. He gave Jude a firm pat on the arm. 

“You actually played really well, mate. Nothing to joke about this time.” He said with genuine sincerity. You could see the surprise flicker across Jude’s face as he looked at Louis, a smile breaking through his usual post-loss seriousness. 

“Really?” Jude raised his brows. Louis nodded, completely serious. 

“Yeah, bro. No joke. It was clinical, honest. Next stinker I’ll be on you though.” Louis laughed. You couldn’t help but giggle along with him, leaning into Jude’s side as he absorbed the rare, unfiltered praise from your brother. It was a moment you didn’t see coming, and you knew Jude appreciated it more than he let on. The warmth of the moment made you feel even closer to him, especially knowing that Louis had finally given in and really liked him. “Harry Kane’s performance though…Ouah, absolutely. Now that was a disaster class.” Louis cracked a grin teasingly. Jude held his hands up in innocence. The three of you laughed, the tension from the game melting away with the easy banter. Soon, the mood shifted from somber reflection to hunger as you made plans for a late dinner. Jude’s mood lightened even more when Aurelian opted to join the group, eager to poke fun at the evening’s results. You’d tried to convince Whitney and Trent to join you for dinner, but they were heading straight back home to Engladn to see Teddy. So, it ended up being just you, Jude, Louis, and Aurelian at a cozy restaurant. They all agreed to a simple rule for the night: the loser pays. Which, of course, meant Jude was footing the bill after England’s defeat. As the conversation flowed over the table, Louis shared stories from your childhood that made Jude laugh, while Aurelian added his own banter to keep things light. The four of you tucked in the back of a small warm restaurant. You couldn’t stop smiling, feeling this unexpected sense of closeness. There was something comforting about seeing the men in your life—Jude, Louis, and even Aurelian—enjoying each other’s company like old friends. Even though Jude had just experienced a tough loss on the pitch, the warmth of the night, the laughter, and the company of the people he loved seemed to overshadow the disappointment. You snuggled closer to him as the night wore on, feeling content. Everything felt right, and Jude, even with the sting of defeat, was right there with you, his arm draped protectively over your shoulder. 

“Lou, so your dad gave me permission to propose.” Jude lowered his voice. He was sitting across from Aurelian and Louis after you excused yourself to use the bathroom. As soon as you left, Jude leaned in toward them. Louis raised an eyebrow, his typical calm demeanor breaking with a hint of surprise. 

“Seriously? Félicitations” he asked, with a smirk slowly forming. Jude nodded, looking proud but a little anxious. Aurelian, catching on, immediately mocked betrayal that Jude didn’t ask for any help finding a place to ask your dad  

“Bro, how could you not tell me? I would’ve helped you pick the perfect spot in Paris!” he exclaimed, only half-joking. Jude shook his head with a grin. “Louis, où l'a-t-il emmené?”  [Louis, where did he take him?] Aurelian’s gaze flashed to Louis inquisitively.

“I’m fine, mate. I managed. Got my yes already.” Jude beamed proud.  Louis leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, still processing what Jude had just said, a slow smile spread across his face. He knew Jude was asking, they’d spoken prior but he didn’t tip your dad off. He looked genuinely impressed, but his teasing nature quickly took over. 

“Well,” he began, giving Jude a playful glance, “one yes down… but you still need the other one.” Jude rolled his eyes with a grin, but the nerves flickered again beneath the surface. 

“Yeah, I know,” he admitted, running a hand over his hair. He glanced toward the direction of the bathroom, making sure you weren’t on your way back yet. He wanted to make sure this conversation stayed between him, Louis, and Aurelian, who was now listening with keen interest from across the table. Aurelian, who had been quietly partaking in the conversation while sipping his wine, set his glass down with a soft clink. He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the whole thing. 

“Wait—honestly….so you’re telling me you had already planned this whole thing out and didn’t think to ask for my help? Not at all?  I would’ve found the perfect spot to ask him. Set the whole thing up for you.” He looked at Jude offended. Jude chuckled, shaking his head at Aurelian’s faux indignation. 

“I didn’t need your help, mate,” he teased back. “I’ve got my plan, and more importantly, I got my yes from her dad. That’s all that matters.” Jude quipped. Louis smirked, leaning forward and giving Jude a playful nudge with his elbow. 

“You better hope that’s all that matters. You’ve got the hard part out of the way, but the real question is… does she even suspect anything?” Louis lowered his voice to a point where they could barely hear it in the restaurant. Jude’s eyes flickered with a slight smirk, his nerves melting into that mischievous confidence you adored so much. 

“Not a thing,” he said, a hint of pride in his voice. “She’s completely in the dark… I hope.” He smirked. Aurelian laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. 

“You’d better hope, bro. Pulling all this off without her catching on? That’s impressive. But hey, if you need any backup, I’m just saying… I know some great spots around Paris for the proposal.” Aurelian raised his brow almost begging to be included. Jude raised an eyebrow, his playful smirk returning.

“Actually,” he said, leaning in slightly, “I’m thinking Greece.” He grinned proudly. Louis’s eyes widened, and a dramatic scoff escaped his lips. 

“Greece? You really want to make this hard for yourself, don’t you?” he teased before his eyes flicked to Aurelian. “C'est difficile.” He switched to French with a playful jab. “You’re really going to make her travel all the way to Greece just to say yes?” Louis asked. Aurelian grinned, catching onto the playful teasing in French. 

“How exactly do you plan to get her there without tipping her off?” he asked with genuine curiosity.  Jude paused for a moment, a knowing smile creeping onto his face. 

“I’m working on it,” he said simply, the weight of his plan hanging in the air between them but Jude’s confidence in himself rarely faltered. “It’s gonna take a little finessing, but I think I can pull it off.” Jude explained vaguely. Louis laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. 

“You’re mad,” he muttered, “but if anyone can do it, it’s you.” He smiled. Aurelian leaned back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face. 

“Greece, huh? Well, you’re lucky she puts up with your shit.” He teased. “I wouldn’t fly all the way there for you bro… So you’ll ask Y/N in Greece.” Aurelian repeated just to confirm what had been said. Jude gave a small nod. 

“That’s the plan,” he said, a glint of determination in his eyes. “I want you guys there though… like everyone will be there.” He cooed sincerely. Louis snickered, shooting him a teasing look.

“Well, I don’t know if I’ll be available, mate,” he joked sarcastically, feigning a busy schedule. “I might have some really important plans to not be at the biggest moment of my sister’s life.” He smirked. Jude gave him a playful shove, rolling his eyes. 

“Nah, you’re not missing it. Fuck off. You’ll be there” Jude laughed, reinforcing that Louis better be there, jokes aside. Just as they were starting to laugh a little more,  the sound of your heels echoed back toward the table. The three of them straightened up slightly, and Jude quickly shifted gears, returning to casual conversation. You slid back into your seat, none the wiser to the conversation that had just transpired, and smiled at the group.

“What did I miss?” you asked, looking at the three of them curiously. Jude quickly flashed you a grin, his nerves now perfectly masked. 

“Nothing important, angel” he said smoothly, reaching for your hand. “Just boring match analysis.” He cooed. Louis and Aurelian shared a quick glance, both barely containing their smirks. You narrowed your eyes at them suspiciously but eventually shrugged, choosing not to press the issue. Jude squeezed your hand before raising it to his lips for a kiss to your skin, a silent promise in that touch—a promise that very soon, everything was about to change. And you didn’t even have the slightest idea.

Thankfully Madrid had a short break after Christmas. Jude had arrived in New York to come stay with you just in time for Winnie’s New Year’s Eve party, and from the moment you saw him, something felt off. He seemed on edge, his usual cool demeanor replaced by an almost jittery energy that made your stomach twist. You couldn’t figure out why, but you felt it—something was different. You welcomed him into the apartment and his nervousness became more apparent, and your mind couldn’t help but spiral. You had begun to worry that maybe he had come to the US to end things. You couldn’t think of any other reason he would be acting like this, it could only be that.  The thought plagued you with every glance he gave, every half-smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. A million scenarios raced through your mind. Was he going to break up with you? Did he feel trapped? You hated how much you over thought it, but his unease was so palpable that it was hard not to. You slipped into a gold Carolina Herrera sequined mini dress with silver florets all over it. You should’ve felt glamorous but you felt hollowed, nervous tonight was going to be some sort of final act.

As you and Jude stepped out of the elevator, the hum of a lively New Year’s Eve party buzzed through the air. The hallway leading to Winnie’s New York City apartment was lined with sleek, modern decor, a soft glow emanating from the warm lighting that spilled from the open door. You could already hear the low thrum of music mixed with the sound of laughter and conversation as you reached the entrance. Winnie’s apartment was breathtaking, like something straight out of a luxury lifestyle magazine. The large floor-to-ceiling windows offered a stunning panoramic view of the skyline, where the city lights twinkled beneath the inky night sky. Inside, the party was a perfect blend of elegance and casual fun—the soft amber lights onto marble floors rippling aura, while guests mingled with champagne flutes in hand, their laughter bouncing off the high ceilings. The space itself was expansive, with an open-plan living room that stretched into a beautifully set dining area, adorned with chic decor. A large, sleek bar dominated one corner of the room, where bartenders mixed drinks effortlessly, and a DJ booth was set up on the far side, spinning smooth beats that kept the energy just right. As soon as you stepped inside, the warmth of the party enveloped you. Jude’s hand found the small of your back instinctively, his fingers lightly brushing your skin through the fabric of your dress. You smiled up at him, catching the excitement in his eyes as you both took in the ambiance. He looked dapper, effortlessly blending into the crowd of glamorous partygoers, but he had that quiet air of someone who didn’t care about the glitz—he was here for you, and whilst you knew that, something faltered in the way he touched you now.

“Winnie really outdid herself this year,” you whispered to Jude, eyes scanning the room. The apartment, with its grand style and vibrant guests, was the perfect backdrop for a New Year’s Eve celebration, and yet, you still couldn’t help but be distracted by the feeling of Jude’s presence beside you. He chuckled softly, leaning in close to your ear. 

“Yeah, she knows how to throw a party. But I’m more interested in who I’m spending it with.” His voice was low, that familiar teasing edge in his tone, making you smile despite yourself. And even though you felt smitten by the line there was something about it that felt contrived. As you moved further into the room, Winnie spotted you both and made her way over. Dressed in an impeccably fitted gown, her face lit up in a warm smile as she saw you. She shrugged  doing a twirl for you in a black sequin dress that made every man in there in a trance and you were not exempt. She loved unreal. She came over and pulled you in for a hug, her arms squeezing you tightly. 

“You two made it!” she beamed, pulling back to give Jude a cuddle. “And you look amazing, as always. Prettiest people I know and that’s saying something considering my sister and brother in law.” She giggled.

“Thanks, Win,” you said, laughing as she quickly scanned you from head to toe. “This place is unreal. How do you keep topping yourself every year?” You cooed as a member of the waitstaff handed you champagne.  Winnie waved off the compliment with a modest shrug, though clearly pleased.

 “Oh, you know, just a little something I threw together… you know and boredom without a man this year,” she teased. “Cheers! To a year of love for you to continue and for me to find.” She smiled sweetly.  You clicked her glass gently. With a glass of champagne in hand and Jude’s arm comfortably around your waist, the night began to unfold in waves of laughter, music, and easy conversation. The vibe was perfectly set for a night that would ring in the New Year with both elegance and intimacy. As you and Jude mingled through the crowd at Winnie’s party, surrounded by friends and the glitter of Manhattan’s skyline, you kept sneaking glances at him, trying to read his mind. He was being kind, attentive even, but the nerves underneath were like a current of tension. You knew him well enough to sense it, and it was making you anxious.

At the party, the energy was lively, champagne flutes clinking, people laughing, and the glow of city lights filtering through the large windows. You were trying to enjoy it all, but something felt off. Jude was by your side, but he wasn’t really there. He hadn’t been all night. As the countdown to midnight came and went, you leaned into him, wrapping your arms around his neck as the clock struck midnight. 

“Happy New Year, baby,” you whispered softly, pressing a kiss to his lips. “Think we’ll have a good year?” You smiled at him, but his response was muted, almost distant. He just hummed in response, offering a half-hearted smile before pulling away slightly. The warmth you were used to—the way he usually lit up when you were close—was missing. It was starting to gnaw at you. You weren’t used to this, to Jude being so… disconnected. His eyes would dart away when you looked at him, and the usual easy flow of conversation between you both had stuttered into awkward silences. He’d hold your hand, but it didn’t feel as reassuring. Everything felt wrong. It was like the champagne was making you both more emotional; you hurt, Jude nervous. You found Winnie near the bar, sipping her drink and chatting with a few friends. You pulled her aside, the frustration boiling up inside you. “It’s like… I thought things were good,” you said, exasperation creeping into your voice. “But he won’t fucking talk to me.” You snapped. Winnie looked at you, her brow furrowed in sympathy. 

“Do you want me to lie?” She asked you with a sympathetic smile. You shook your head no. “I mean… I noticed when you walked in,” she admitted, her eyes flicking over to where Jude stood, off by himself, seemingly lost in thought. “He’s been keeping his distance. It’s weird. Like it doesn’t feel like it’s a big thing, anything more than tonight, but it’s odd.” You sighed, running a hand through your hair, trying to make sense of it. Jude was never like this. Sure, he’d get quiet sometimes, but never with you. He was always open, always eager to talk things through when something was bothering him. This was different.

“I don’t get it,” you muttered. “It’s like he’s lying to me or something.” You sighed feel defeated and mildly too drunk now. Winnie bit her lip, glancing back at Jude again. 

“Maybe he’s stressed. You know they’re mid season, the England performance...” She tried to justify it. You nodded, but it didn’t feel like stress—not the usual kind, anyway. He wasn’t talking about football or the usual pressures that came with his career. He was just… closed off. In reality, Jude was starting to get nervous. Very nervous. Every time he thought about the proposal he had planned, his stomach knotted up, and the fear of spoiling it by slipping up was making him act weird. He didn’t know how to hide the excitement, the anxiety, and the pressure of keeping such a big secret from you. But you didn’t know that. To you, it just felt like distance. Like something was wrong, and he wasn’t telling you.

“Jude, are you okay?” you finally asked in a quiet moment, pulling him aside to a quieter corner of the party. You tried to keep your voice light, but the worry crept through. “You’ve been acting… weird.” You nervously explained.  He ran a hand over his hair, his eyes darting for a second before they met yours. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, angel,” he said, but it wasn’t convincing. Your heart raced. 

“Okay…Are you sure? Because I can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong. You didn’t… come here to break up with me, did you?” You asked bluntly your question laced with champagne confidence. Jude’s eyes widened in shock, and suddenly, the tension shifted. He let out a soft, disbelieving laugh, shaking his head as he grabbed your hands.

“No, Angel. God, no,” he said, pulling you closer, his voice earnest now. “I didn’t come here to end things. It’s the exact opposite.” He told you with a grin. You blinked, confused. 

“Then what—?” You asked. He sighed, rubbing his thumb over your knuckles, his eyes softening. 

“Just let me be in my feels, baby.” He teased a bit, you could sense the joke but he still wasn’t answering your question. “Kicking off another year together. It’s nice just has me thinking.” You raised your brow. Jude could tell you didn’t believe him. “And I’m jet lagged, angel. Promise, I’m okay.”  He reassured you. Maybe you had one too many glasses of Dom because now your apprehension transitioned to excitement. He was thinking about the future. It felt like you were floating suddenly, trying to grasp onto the reality of the moment. He wasn’t leaving you. Maybe… just maybe he was planning a bigger future with you. Jude smiled, his nerves melting into something more tender. “Jet lagged and in love with you. No worries. Hmm?” He cooed once over, kissing your hair. 

“I thought you were going to break my heart,” you murmured against him, your voice shaky torn between excitement and relief. He held you tight, pressing another kiss to the top of your head before he started laugh. You could feel his chest begin to vibrate. 

“Never leaving. I’m here to stay. This year will be good for us… promise.” He cooed. After his clarification any stolen glances at Jude throughout the evening came with a sense that, no matter how luxurious the party or stunning the view of the city, the real magic was in the quiet moments between the two of you. The worry faded, replaced by a quiet, shared anticipation. And so, the New Year began, you looked at Jude with a new sense of certainty. This was it—your future was right in front of you.

When you got home from the New Year’s party, Jude’s mood had shifted so much since the party, it left your head spinning. All night, he’d been distant, distracted, and now since he told you he was fine,  it was as if he couldn’t bear to let you go. As soon as the front door clicked shut, he wrapped his arms around you from behind, pulling you close before you could even set your bag down. His chest pressed against your back, and his hands rested firmly on your hips, his warmth enveloping you. At first, you froze, surprised by the sudden change. You turned slightly, trying to catch his eye. 

“Jude, baby?” you asked softly, your voice laced with confusion. He didn’t respond immediately, just buried his face into the crook of your neck, inhaling deeply like he was trying to breathe you in. You gave a half-laugh, half-sigh, raising an eyebrow. “You’re being clingy,” you teased, turning in his arms so you could face him properly. “It’s making me nervous… what did you do?” There was a playful tone in your voice, but deep down, you felt a bit uneasy. The way he’d been acting earlier had already put you on edge, and this sudden affection was a sharp contrast to the distance he’d maintained all evening. It didn’t make sense. Words of certainty aside, his body language had you confused. You studied his face, searching for clues, but his expression was unreadable, his eyes soft but holding something back. Jude let out a small, nervous laugh, but it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Nah, just missed you,angel,” he mumbled, his voice quieter than usual, almost shy. His grip on you tightened slightly, his arms wrapping more securely around your waist. He gave you a soft smile, but there was something in his gaze—a flicker of something you couldn’t quite put your finger on—that made you pause.

“Uh-huh, sure,” you said, your tone skeptical but light. You studied his face a little longer, trying to figure him out, but he wasn’t giving anything away. His hands slipped to your lower back, pulling you closer until there was no space between you. He leaned down and kissed your temple, then your cheek, before resting his forehead against yours. His touch was tender, his body language needy, like he couldn’t stand the idea of not holding you. Despite your suspicions, you felt yourself softening, your heart melting just a little at the way he clung to you. Maybe he really had just missed you. It wasn’t completely unlike him to be affectionate, but this was different. The way he held you tonight felt more intense, more urgent, like he needed you in a way he hadn’t before. You let out a small sigh, leaning into him, accepting his sudden clinginess even though the shift was still nagging at the back of your mind. “Alright,” you murmured, giving in. “Come on, let’s get to bed, needy boy.” You cooed. Jude’s eyes lit up, just slightly, as if relieved you weren’t questioning him any further. He took your hand and led you to your room, his fingers intertwined with yours, his grip still firm. You couldn’t help but notice the way he kept glancing at you out of the corner of his eye, like he was making sure you were still there, like he was afraid you’d slip away if he let go. When you got to the bedroom you went straight to the mirror to try to unzip your dress yourself but Jude followed close behind, crawling next to you, his body immediately pressing against yours. He wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you flush against him. You could feel his heartbeat, steady but just a bit quicker than usual, as he buried his face in your hair. “You sure you’re okay?” you asked quietly, your fingers trailing lightly over his arm. You didn’t want to push him too much, but you needed to ask one last time.

“Yeah,” Jude whispered, his voice soft but sure this time. He kissed the back of your neck, lingering for a moment. “Just… wanted to be close to you tonight.” His words melted away the last of your suspicions, and you let yourself relax fully into his embrace. His warmth, his touch, it all felt so familiar, so comforting, that you couldn’t help but lean into him more.

“Okay,” you murmured, letting your eyes flutter closed momentarily. “I missed you too.” Jude tightened his hold on you, pressing another kiss to your shoulder. You couldn’t see it, but behind you, his face was a mixture of relief and nerves. He knew he had a plan, something big, something that was making him act weird—but for now, in this moment, he was just happy to have you in his arms.  Jude's hands lingered on your bare shoulders, tracing the delicate fabric.

"You looked so fucking good tonight, angel," he whispered, his lips moving to brush against your ear, sending shivers down your spine. It wasn’t Jude’s plan to have sex tonight he wanted to kick off his plan in full swing but he couldn’t resist now that he was home alone with you. His hands traveled down your arms, leaving a trail of goosebumps, before reaching the zipper at the back of your dress. With a slow, deliberate motion, he slid it down, exposing your bare back. Your breath caught in your throat as you felt the cool air on your skin. Jude's fingers danced across your shoulders, gently pushing the dress off, revealing your flawless skin. You stood before him in nothing but a pair of lacy black panties and a matching bra, your boobs straining against the delicate fabric. Jude's eyes darkened with desire as he took in the sight of your naked curves. "You're unreal," he whispered, his voice hoarse with need. He reached out, his fingers gently grazing your nipples through the lace, making you gasp. "I want to taste every inch of you." With that, he dropped to his knees, his hands gliding up your thighs, pushing your panties aside. Your breath quickened as you felt his warm breath against your wetness. Jude's tongue teased your clit, circling it slowly, sending waves of pleasure through your body. He explored your folds with his mouth, sucking and licking, driving you wild. You gripped his hair, urging him closer, your hips moving in rhythm with his tongue. His fingers joined the dance, slipping inside your pussy, finding your sweet spot, and thrusting gently. You moaned, your head thrown back, as he brought you to the brink of ecstasy.

"Jude, I'm gonna cum," you whispered, your voice breathless. He increased his pace, his tongue flicking relentlessly, and you exploded in a burst of pleasure. Your body trembled as the orgasm ripped through you, and Jude's mouth devoured your cries, his fingers still working their magic inside you. After your shudders subsided, Jude stood, lifting you into his arms. He carried you to the bed, his strong body cradling yours. Gently, he laid you on the soft sheets, his eyes never leaving yours. He kissed you deeply, his tongue mimicking the rhythm of his earlier touches. Your hands roamed over his muscular back, feeling the heat radiating from his skin. With gentle hands, Jude removed your bra, freeing your tits. He leaned down, his mouth capturing a nipple, sucking and teasing it until you arched off the bed, moaning his name. His hand replaced his mouth, squeezing and kneading your sensitive flesh as he kissed his way down your stomach, leaving a trail of kisses.

"I want to feel you around me," he whispered, his voice thick with desire. He positioned himself between your thighs, his hard cock pressing against your pussy. With one swift thrust, he filled you, his length stretching you deliciously. You cried out, wrapping your legs around his waist, pulling him deeper. Jude began to move, his hips thrusting in a slow, steady rhythm. He gazed into your eyes, his expression filled with love and passion. "You feel so good, angel," he murmured, his voice strained with pleasure. He withdrew almost entirely and then thrust back into you, hitting that sweet spot deep within. You matched his rhythm, your bodies moving as one, the friction building to an intense crescendo. Jude's hands gripped your hips, guiding you as he pounded into you, his pace increasing with each thrust. You felt your orgasm building again, an overwhelming tide of pleasure.

"Jude, please, oh fuck,  I'm so close," you whispered, your breath coming in short gasps. He leaned down, capturing your lips in a hungry kiss, his tongue mimicking the rhythm of his hips. You climaxed, your pussy clenching around him, rippling along his length, and Jude followed, his body tensing as he filled you with his hot cum. As your orgasms subsided, Jude collapsed onto the bed beside you, pulling you close. He wrapped his arms around you, his chest rising and falling rapidly against yours. You could feel his heart pounding, matching the rhythm of yours. He kissed your forehead, your cheeks, and your lips, sweet and tender kisses that spoke of his love.

"I love you, Y/N, so so much," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. "Happy New Year, my angel." You snuggled closer, feeling the warmth of his body and the softness of the sheets. The night had been a whirlwind of passion and pleasure, a bit of confusion, but if you knew one thing it was that Jude knew just how to make it all feel alright when you got into bed. Jude laid beside you pulling you into him. “Did so good for me. You always do so good. So fucking proud of you.” He cooed gently, peeling you off him ever so slightly so he cooed see your eyes. He kissed your forehead before he let you bury your face back into his neck to cling to him. 

“I love you, don’t leave me.” You whined with a pouty bottom lip, Jude could feel against his skin. He chuckled. The feeling of relief of Jude fucking you feeling incredible, but the fear of his behavior earlier still looming pulling you out of your haze.

“Angel… I told you earlier. I’m not going anywhere. Please, believe me. Love you more than anything.” He cooed gently massaging your tired muscles. You still couldn’t shake the emotions that had stirred up throughout the evening. He went silent for a while, just holding you close, but he could feel the way your body still tensed, the way your mind hadn’t fully settled. He kissed your temple, pulling you tighter into his chest, his warmth surrounding you. “I’m not leaving you,” Jude whispered softly, his breath warm against your skin. “Ever. You changed my life, you know that, right, baby?” You hugged him, feeling a sudden rush of emotion again, tears welling up in your eyes before you could stop them. You didn’t understand why they kept coming, but there was something overwhelming about the way he said those words, how certain he sounded. Maybe is was lingering effects of champagne, maybe it was a new year, maybe it was just Jude. You pressed your face into his chest, the tears falling quietly, and Jude noticed immediately.

“Why are you crying, sweet girl?” he asked, his voice gentle but laced with concern. He had a pouty smirk on his face knowing it couldn’t have been something too bad. You laughed through the tears, wiping your eyes.

“I don’t know,” you admitted, feeling a little embarrassed by how emotional you were.  “I think I’m just… happy. Scared? All of it?” You giggled tearfully. Jude chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair from your face, his thumb stroking your cheek.

“Well, if you want to stop crying for me,” he teased lightly, wiping another tear, “how about coming with me for work this week? We can travel together.” He cooed. You looked up at him, blinking away the last of your tears, and nodded immediately.

“Yeah, okay. I don’t want to be apart, Jude,” you said, your voice soft but firm. You didn’t want even an inch of space between you two right now. The thought of being apart made your heart squeeze uncomfortably. Jude smiled, kissing your forehead. 

“Good,” he murmured. “Because I hate when you cry, and I hate when we’re apart.” He smiled. In reality, though, what you didn’t know was that this trip wasn’t just work. It was the start of Jude’s master plan, the beginning of something much bigger than either of you had ever experienced. He held you close, knowing that the next few days were going to be some of the most important of his life. But for now, all he wanted was to keep you close, to keep you happy and loved, as the first steps of his proposal were about to fall quietly into place. As you drifted off to sleep that night in each other's arms, you couldn't help but wonder what the new year would bring, knowing that with Jude by your side, it would undoubtedly be filled with love, passion, and unforgettable moments.

When Jude asked if you’d travel with him for the week, you hadn’t thought much of it at first. You thought it was you two just being clingy and mushy. He had mentioned it was going to be a busy time for work—promotional appearances, some interviews, the usual whirlwind of his life. You were in New York already, so it felt easy enough to say yes. But there was something in the way he asked, something in his eyes, that made you feel like there was more to it. You didn’t have much time to dwell on it, though, because the next thing you knew, you were getting dressed for dinner. Jude had planned something special. 

You were sitting at the vanity in your ensuite, half-done with your makeup, when Jude came into the room, his reflection appearing in the mirror behind you. You were concentrating on the contour of your nose when you felt his hands gently grab your cheeks, squishing them together playfully.

“Jude, baby! Please!” you whined, laughing, trying to pull away without messing up your makeup. 

“Angel,” He just cooed softly, in that sweet tone that always made you melt, so you stilled, curious as to what he was up to. He leaned down, his face close to yours. “Can I ask you a question?” He asked to ask. His voice was soft, but there was something in it that made your heart pick up speed. After the conversations with Whitney the other week at Parc de Prince, you were suddenly hyper-aware of every little thing he did. You were overthinking and then underthinking things and right now you thought, Oh my god, not like this. Not in his sweats and your makeup only half done, hair a mess, and wearing no bra. Was this it? He took a deep breath, his thumb rubbing along your cheek, and your heart felt like it was about to burst out of your chest. “Do you want to go on a date with me tonight?” He cooed. You blinked, a little taken aback. That wasn’t what you expected. You let out a breathless giggle, your heart still racing from the build-up. 

“I thought we already were?” you teased, raising an eyebrow at him. He grinned at that, but there was something serious in his eyes.

“Nah, I mean a proper one, angel. I want to take you out. Like, really take you out. Dress up for me, yeah?” You couldn’t help but pout a little at how sweet the gesture was. But then your expression shifted into a real frown when you realized you didn’t have anything nice enough to wear. Your mind was already racing, thinking about whether you could pull something together last minute when Jude, ever so in tune with you, spoke up before you could voice your worry. “Relaxxxx.” He teased with a glint in his eyes. “The carrier’s supposed to drop off your dress by five,” he said with a soft smile, watching your expression change from concern to surprise. You giggled again, your heart swelling at how well he knew you. He had planned this out. You turned around fully in your chair, standing up and wrapping your arms around his waist and pulling him closer, kissing the side of his neck. 

“Okay,” you whispered against his skin, swaying with him. “I’ll go on a proper date with you.” You giggled. “Thank you.” Jude hummed in satisfaction, hugging you back, his hands smoothing over your hair. 

“Good… you’re welcome, beautiful,” he whispered back, his lips brushing your temple. You could feel him smiling against your skin, and the thought of what was in store for the evening left you feeling giddy. So you found yourself in a black satin Prada mini dress, just right, just for you from Jude, seated across from him. The night was perfect—too perfect, in a way that made you feel both excited and unnerved. The city lights twinkled around you, casting a glow over the intimate setting, but all you could focus on was Jude. He looked at you with such intensity, his eyes reflecting a depth of emotion you hadn’t quite seen before. As you sat at that table, your legs intertwined beneath it, Jude reached across and took your hand. His thumb traced gentle circles over your skin, grounding you in the moment. He smiled softly, his gaze never leaving yours. Then, in a voice that was steady but filled with emotion, he started to speak.

“You know… I don’t say this enough, but I’m so in love with you,” he began, his words hitting you with such honesty that it felt like they were carving themselves into your heart. He did say it enough but you liked the way he just said it. ��You’ve changed my life, angel. I can’t imagine any part of my future without you in it.” He cooed. Your heart fluttered wildly in your chest. You felt exposed, like you were sitting there naked under his gaze, vulnerable in a way you hadn’t expected. Jude wasn’t usually this open, not like this—so raw and unfiltered. And all you could do was hum in response, nodding, but you couldn’t quite find the words. You weren’t used to this level of openness, and the way he was speaking, you should be after being with Jude for so long but the way he held your hand like you were his lifeline, made it hard to breathe for a moment. You could feel his love in every word, in every gentle squeeze of your hand. He was laying his soul bare before you, and it was both terrifying and exhilarating. Jude continued, his voice a bit softer, “I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before. I mean, I’ve loved you since the beginning, but now… it’s different. You’re my home. You make everything make sense.” His confession hung in the air between you, heavy with meaning. Your throat tightened, and you squeezed his hand, trying to communicate through your touch what your voice couldn’t at that moment.

“It’s just a little scary, isn’t it?” you added finally saying something but wishing it was anything but that. “How someone can just come into your life and change everything.”

“It is, angel., innit” Jude smiled reassuringly. almost reading your mind. “But I wouldn’t want it any other way.” You bit your lip, trying to steady yourself. Jude had completely turned your life on its head from the moment you met him. And now, sitting here, hearing him tell you these things, it was almost too much. The way he was looking at you—it felt like he was holding your entire heart in his hands. “I’m not just saying this,” he whispered, leaning in slightly. “I mean it. You’re everything to me.” His words, the sincerity in his eyes, the soft glow of the city lights—it all felt like a dream. But you were wide awake, feeling more exposed than you had ever felt. And yet, despite the vulnerability, there was something calming in knowing how deeply he felt for you. 

“I… I feel the same way,” You took a deep breath, finding your voice, though it was barely above a whisper. “It’s just… a lot. You’re a lot.” You gave him a wry smile. You managed, your voice shaking slightly with the weight of the emotions surging through you. Jude smiled back , a small, understanding grin, and gave your hand another gentle squeeze. 

“Yeah, I know,” he said with a soft laugh. “But I think we’re good together. Don’t you?” He cooed gently. You nodded, your heart still racing. 

“Yeah,” you whispered. “We’re good together.” You concurred. You were doing everything in your power not to think about the gravity of this dinner, what it was, what it could mean. As you sat there, his words echoing in your mind, you couldn’t help but wonder what all this meant. The way he was speaking, the intensity of his emotions, the fact that he’d rented out an entire rooftop for just the two of you—it felt like something big was coming. But you pushed the thought away, not wanting to spoil the moment with overthinking. For now, you let yourself relax into the evening, letting Jude’s love wash over you like the warmth of the night air, holding onto the feeling of being seen, being cherished, even if it made you feel exposed. And then… 

That was it. Nothing just dinner, a good wine, some ‘I love yous,’ and then you were home, Jude under the duvet cover eating you out, new designer dress on the floor. In theory it should’ve been perceived as a good night. It was a good night, a perfect night so why did you feel disappointed. 

And so, disappointedly, over something you couldn’t quite label, you and Jude had left the chaos of New York behind, following him on what was supposed to be a work trip. Your hardened heart softened when you arrived in Birmingham. It was for work, you were told but even so, you quickly realized there was more to it than the usual business. Jude had been acting different—more reflective, quieter, as if returning to his hometown had brought up emotions he wasn’t sure how to navigate but you were trying not to think about it too much. One cold, foggy morning, you decided to take a walk together. The air was crisp, biting at your skin as you crossed through a park. Jude was beside you, holding your hand tightly, keeping you close to him as the winter air wrapped around you both. His breath, warm and steady, hovered near your temple, occasionally pressing a soft kiss there as you walked in comfortable silence. The park was beautiful in the winter, the trees bare but dignified, their branches stark against the grey sky. You noticed how the fog clung to the ground, wrapping around the trees and giving everything an ethereal feel. It was quiet, the kind of quiet that allowed thoughts to drift freely, unfiltered and raw. He slowed down for a moment, glancing around the park with a soft smile. 

“You know… this is where Jobe and I used to play football when we were kids,” he said, his voice low, tinged with nostalgia. You looked around, imagining a younger Jude running around with his brother, laughing and carefree. It was a far cry from the man standing beside you now—the one with the weight of the world on his shoulders. You smiled, leaning into him, glad he was sharing this part of his past with you. “Sometimes I think about that kid, you know?” Jude continued, his gaze distant. “The one who used to kick a ball around here for hours without a care in the world. I wonder what he’d think of me now…” You could hear the uncertainty in his voice, the vulnerability he rarely showed to anyone. Jude didn’t like to reflect negatively. If he was going to be introspective he wanted it to be positive. This didn’t feel that way. He sounded… worried. He wasn’t talking about the footballer the world saw. He was talking about the boy he used to be—the one who dreamed big but never knew what was coming. “As cliche as it sounds, I just hope he’d think I’m one of the good ones,” Jude added softly, his gaze fixed ahead, though you knew his mind was far away. “Not just on the pitch, but off it too. I don’t know… I hope he’d think I’m still cool.”You squeezed his hand gently, your heart swelling with affection for him. 

“He’d be proud of you, Jude,” you reassured him, no teasing just genuine feeling behind you’re words. “You’re everything you wanted to be and more. And yeah, you’re actually pretty cool—off the pitch too.” Your voice ever so slightly laced with amusment  He turned to you, a hint of doubt still lingering in his eyes. 

“Yeah? You think so?” he asked, his lips curving into that familiar teasing grin.

“Absolutely,” you said, matching his smile. “You’re one of the most genuine people I know. It doesn’t get cooler than that.” You told him earnestly.  He chuckled softly, a warmth spreading across his face. 

“Well, I know one thing—he’d be gassed to know I’ve got a girlfriend that looks like you.” He cooed with a grin. You laughed, shaking your head at his joke.

“Oh, would he now?” you teased, nudging him playfully as you walked.

“Fuck yeah, I’m still a little in awe myself,” Jude said with a chuckle, clearly enjoying himself. “Little Jude wouldn’t have known what to do with someone like you. He probably would’ve frozen up, all shy and awkward.” You hummed inquisitively, having a hard time imagining Jude go shy. You hugged him tightly, pulling him close and resting your head against his chest, the warmth of his body seeping into you despite the cold. 

“Good thing you know how to act now,” you teased, looking up at him, the light in your eyes mirroring the soft glow of the morning around you. Jude smirked, wrapping his arms around you and pressing a kiss to the top of your head. 

“Barely… Still just trying to impress you,” he joked, his voice full of affection. But underneath the playful banter, you could sense the deeper layers of his thoughts—his desire to be more than just the footballer people saw on the surface, to be someone worthy of the dreams he had as a kid. “You know, sometimes I think about what I’d tell that kid if I could,” Jude said, a serious tone creeping into his voice. “I’d tell him to dream, and not in a school way, in a way that people will tell him he needs back up plans, not to let anyone tell him he can’t do something.” He cooed and you hummed in agreement. Jude’s whimsy and aspirations were something that drew you to him because you rarely thought outside the confines of societal expectations. “But I’d also remind him to enjoy the little things, like just playing for the love of the game. I wish I could play one more match on this like Jobe and I versus our friends. I wish I remembered the last one.” He told you and you felt a little said hearing it. You nodded with a pout, understanding the weight of his words. 

“Jude… You’ve come a long way. I wish you could remember it too but I don’t think you’ve lost that. I think it’s something that sets you apart in all this. You genuinely like what you do. It’s a job and you’ll perform because you’re an adult working but you also go out there excited to play. I envy how much you love work.” You paused and Jude felt his heart slow. He never had someone really see him. Sure, Jobe, people like Trent understood it because they lived it but to have a partner who really got made his chest ache in a way he couldn’t define. “And you still have that love for the game. I see it in the way you play, in the way you talk about it. It’s still there, even with everything else that comes with it.” He smiled, looking down at you with that gentle affection that made your heart race.  You continued blabbering not knowing you were providing him a comfort he always longed for.

“Thanks, angel. You know… for saying that. It means a lot,” he replied. “Sometimes, it’s easy to get lost in all the noise. But with you, I just can block it all out. Just need you in my ear.” He cooed gently. 

“Right here.” You tapped on his angel tattoo behind his ear. He hummed in agreement.  You squeezed his hand tighter with your other, feeling the warmth radiate between you. “I’m always here, baby,” you promised, leaning in closer, enjoying the way he felt against you, solid and real. As you continued your walk, the fog started to lift, revealing a clearer view of the park. The sun peeked through the clouds, casting a warm glow over everything, and you couldn’t help but feel a sense of hope blossoming in your chest.

“I’m glad we’re here together,” Jude said suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence. “Not just for my work," he lied but you didn't know that, "but to share this. I don’t get to come back often and in a weird way, even though you’ve been home with me… this park, it’s home for me. It feels special to get you here.” He smiled.

“It is special,” you replied, looking up at him. “Just like you.” He paused, a serious look crossing his face. 

“You know, I want you to be a part of everything in my life. This place, my family… everything.” He told you. Your heart raced at his words, a thrill of excitement mixed with a tinge of apprehension. He reached into his jacket pocket and your heart stopped. You could feel the weight of what he was saying, the unspoken promise hanging in the air between you.

“I want that too,” you said softly, your eyes locked onto his. You tried to slow your heart but you couldn’t and then you let out a breath as he pulled out his phone assumably. You felt dumb for a minute but when Jude kissed your temple you returned to the present.  And in that moment, as you stood together in the park where Jude had played as a child, you felt a deeper connection form—a bond that was as strong as the love that had already grown between you. The future felt uncertain, but with him by your side, you knew you could face anything together.

You left Birmingham, with no ring but you felt closer to Jude in a way that as much as he was a professional footballer, he also was your Jude… Your Jude who was once  little Jude Bellingham, a brummie boy in the park with his brother. Your Jude who you were now onto your next destination with, the worlds biggest footballer right now, in high demand. You arrived in Paris, the air was crisp and inviting, the kind of cold that made you feel alive. You’d warmed up next to Jude, not complaining yet. It was nice to be in a place that held so many memories, especially now that you were sharing it with him. As you strolled hand in hand, you passed by that little café, the one you and your mum used to visit, the one you had gone to with Jude as well.  You couldn’t help but smile, recalling the laughter and warmth that had filled those moments. The café had a timeless quality to it. The cobbled streets outside, the soft chatter of Parisians in the background, the way the light filtered through the windows and cast a warm glow over everything—it all made you feel like you’d stepped into a memory. But this time felt different, because Jude was here, every time Jude came to France, his presence made everything more vibrant, more real.

“Here?” you questioned, pointing the cafe out to Jude. He nodded eagerly, his eyes brightening at the thought of getting to experience a piece of your past again. As you stepped inside, the familiar aroma of fresh coffee and pastries enveloped you, instantly making you feel at home. Jude found a cozy corner table, and you both settled in. He ordered a bundle of everything—croissants, pain au chocolat, and something that resembled a small fruit tart. You chuckled, watching him interact with the barista in his charming yet butchered French, letting him fend for himself. The warmth of the café contrasted with the chilly air outside, creating a comfortable atmosphere where you could relax and enjoy each other’s company. As you waited for your order, Jude pulled you onto his lap, wrapping his arms around you to keep you warm. 

“This is dumb,” you giggled, feigning annoyance even as you melted into him. But you didn’t mind; you loved feeling his warmth against you.

“Hey, it’s practical , I’m cold. I need you, angel,” he retorted playfully, his breath tickling your ear. “Besides, it’s the perfect excuse to be close to you.” His voice was low and sincere, and you could feel the flutter of your heart at his words. You nestled into him, feeling safe and cherished as he tightened his grip around you. The bustling sounds of the café faded into the background, and all you could focus on was him. He looked at you, a soft smile playing on his lips. “Angel, can I say something serious…” You nodded sheepishly. You hadn’t clocked this would be the third emotional monologue in a third sentimental pIace. “I’m so grateful you let me in,” he said quietly, sincerity lacing his tone. “Getting to see your world, to experience places with you… it’s different. In your world, your Paris.” He cooed  Your heart swelled at his words. You had shared countless stories about your memories in Paris, but hearing him acknowledge them made everything feel more tangible. You watched the steam rising from your coffee, swirling upward, mixing with the cool air as it escaped into the open space of the café.

“It means a lot to me that you want to be a part of it, that you even want to be with me in these places,” you replied, looking up at him. “This city, this cafe, holds so much of my heart. Sharing it with you always make it feel even more special.” Jude’s expression softened as he gazed into your eyes, a mixture of love and admiration reflected back at you. 

“I’ll be honest… I wasn’t crazy about Paris before, hearing Aurel and Cama yap on and on about how great it is… but with you,” he said, gesturing toward the café, then to the view outside where people walked by, laughing and chatting. “Not too bad, angel.” He smirked. The barista brought over your pastries, and the moment shifted back to lightheartedness as Jude’s eyes lit up at the sight of the food. You took a bite of the flaky croissant, savoring the buttery flavor as you watched him take a big bite of his pain au chocolat. He grinned at you, chocolate smeared across his cheek, and you couldn’t help but laugh.

“Tu es un désastre.”  [you're a mess.]  You teased, reaching up to wipe the chocolate smudge away. He leaned into your touch, a playful glint in his eye.

“Oh, did you say I’m beautiful?” He smirked teasingly mocking you knowing that certainly wasn’t what you said. You rolled your eyes.  You both spent the next hour indulging in pastries and sharing stories, the café’s warmth wrapping around you like a cozy blanket. Each moment felt like a treasure, a glimpse into the life you were building together. The conversation flowed easily, filled with laughter and playful banter, creating a tapestry of shared memories you would cherish forever. As you finished your coffees, Jude took your hands in his, looking serious again. “I hope you know how important this place is to you. But whether it’s a place, a thing, a job, a person… Anything that is important to you…I will care about just as much you do, angel. You are the most important thing to me.” You smiled, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over you. 

“That means a lot to me…” You meekly told him feeling a bit pouty about the sentiment. At one point, it used to feel like Jude's world consisted of Jude's things and you were just in it before but Jude had made such an effort to show you that's not how things were.

“I know often it feels like footie is the most important thing in the world to me… but it’s not, angel.” He leaned in, capturing your lips in a sweet kiss, the café around you fading away once again. In that moment, surrounded by the scent of coffee and the soft murmur of conversation, you knew that Paris would always hold a piece of your heart, but it was Jude who made it feel complete. Jude’s hand, warm and familiar, rested on your knee beneath the table, and you smiled as he absentmindedly traced small circles with his thumb. The city was so alive outside, but here, with him, it was quiet, as if the world had slowed down just for the two of you. You glanced around, taking in the details—the chipped paint on the wooden tables, the faint hum of jazz playing softly from the speakers, the soft murmur of voices around you. This café had always been special to you, a piece of your childhood tucked away in the heart of Paris. It was a place where your mum had brought you, where you’d sat at these same tables as a little girl, sipping hot chocolate and watching the world go by. Now, though, it held something more. It wasn’t just your past anymore—it was becoming your present, your future. You and Jude sat here together, creating new memories in a place already so rich with them. You took a final  sip of your coffee, its warmth spreading through you, and glanced at Jude. His face was soft, his gaze focused on you, and it made your heart ache in the best way. He always had this way of looking at you, as if you were the only thing in the world that mattered.

“It’s nice here, isn’t it?” you said, your voice gentle as you broke the silence. “Reminds me of my mum but being here with you. Adding more memories to this place… always makes me really happy. ” You smiled.  Jude smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, but before he could respond, a flood of emotion welled up inside you, and the words you hadn’t planned on saying slipped out. “I don’t think I could survive if things fell apart now.” You admitted almost unwillingly. You hadn’t meant for it to come out that way. It was too raw, too honest, and the vulnerability of it hit you like a wave. You blinked, your gaze dropping to your hands as you traced the edge of your cup, suddenly unsure of what to do with the emotions bubbling inside you. The fear of losing him, of losing everything you’d built together, had been sitting quietly in the back of your mind for some time, but saying it out loud made it real. Jude’s hand stilled on your knee, and for a moment, the world outside felt impossibly far away. You risked a glance up at him, your heart pounding in your chest. His face was serious now, his eyes searching yours as if he were trying to see into the very depths of your soul. This conversation was swinging like a pendulum and with real force. You weren't sure why but lately your dependency on Jude and your love for him had you terrified by the thought of loosing him. You bit your lip, suddenly regretting your confession. What if it was too much? What if you’d laid your heart bare, and it scared him away? But then, slowly, Jude set down his coffee cup and leaned forward, his hands reaching out to cradle yours. His touch was warm, grounding, as he gently turned your hands over in his palms, his thumbs brushing over your skin in a way that sent shivers down your spine.

“Hey,” he whispered softly, drawing your attention back to him. His voice was low, intimate, as if this moment were just for the two of you, tucked away from the rest of the world. “You’re not going to lose me, angel. Not ever. Never.” The weight of his words settled between you, heavy and comforting. You swallowed, blinking back the emotions that had risen too quickly. His grip on your hands tightened, and you could feel the sincerity in his touch, in the way his eyes stayed locked on yours, unwavering. “I love you,” Jude said, his voice stronger now, more certain. “I protect the things that matter to me the most. And you, us, this relationship—this is everything to me.” Your breath caught in your throat as his words sank in. The fear that had been sitting in your chest for so long, the worry that had been eating at the edges of your happiness, slowly began to dissolve. You hadn’t even realized how much you’d needed to hear those words until now. You felt like you knew that. Everyone around Jude knew he care about the people closest to him but in the chaos. It was nice to hear… no, it was everything to hear. Jude’s hands moved to your face, gently cupping your cheeks, his thumbs brushing the soft skin beneath your eyes. “I promise you,” he murmured, his voice tender, “I’m not going anywhere. I protect this because… this is my life. You’re my life.” You closed your eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of his touch and the truth of his words wash over you. The café, the city, the world outside seemed to fade away until there was nothing left but the two of you, sitting together in this quiet, intimate moment. When you opened your eyes again, Jude was still watching you, his face soft, full of love. 

“I love you too,” you whispered, your voice barely audible, but in the quiet of the café, it was enough. You leaned forward, pressing your forehead against his, your breath mingling with his in the cool air.  Jude’s lips found your temple, his kiss soft and lingering as he pulled you closer. His arms wrapped around you, holding you tightly, as if he could shield you from all the fears and worries that had been swirling inside you. It didn’t really matter about what came next because the present was perfect. And in that moment, you realized that this was what it meant to be truly safe. Not just in this café, or in this city, but with him. You stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other, your coffee forgotten, the cold outside kept at bay by the warmth of your connection. And as you sat there, the memories of your childhood, of your past, seemed to weave seamlessly with the life you were building now, with Jude by your side.

“Thank you for letting me in,” Jude whispered against your skin, his voice full of emotion. “For letting me be part of your world.” He cooed once more for good measure. You pulled back slightly, just enough to look into his eyes, your heart full. 

“Thank you for being in it. I like that it's ours now," you whispered back, and in that moment, everything felt right. When you left the cafe, the air was crisp, a chill that made you pull your coat tighter around you, but the streets of Paris glowed with a golden warmth that made everything feel magical. You and Jude walked in comfortable silence, the quiet hum of the city around you like a soft melody. The world seemed smaller, cozier, when you were with him, like no matter where you went, he was the one that made everything feel like home. Paris had always held a special place in your heart, but tonight, it wasn’t the city that was giving you that sense of belonging—it was him. You glanced at Jude, watching the way the streetlights cast soft shadows across his face, making him look even more handsome, if that was possible. He caught you staring and grinned, that lopsided smile of his that always made your heart skip a beat. You couldn’t help but smile back, feeling a rush of warmth that had nothing to do with the chilly night. As you reached the corner of the street, you impulsively grabbed onto the lamp post, swinging around it playfully, the cold metal cool against your hands. 

“Did I ever tell you how much I like you?” you teased, your voice light, playful, as you spun to face him. Jude stopped in his tracks, raising an amused brow as he took a step closer, pulling you into his arms. The light from the streetlamp bathed the two of you in a soft, golden glow, and for a moment, it felt like the rest of the world had faded away. You were only aware of the warmth of his body pressed against yours, the smell of his cologne, and the way his hands rested on your hips, grounding you in the moment.

“Like me?” he repeated, his voice teasing but low, full of affection. He leaned in closer, his lips hovering just above yours. “As in, like me as a person? Or…” He trailed off, his eyes twinkling with mischief. You giggled, the sound escaping before you could stop it, and he smiled wider, pulling you even closer. 

“I mean, I love you despite the things that should drive me crazy,” you teased back, trying to hold onto your composure but knowing full well he saw right through you. Before you could finish your thought, Jude kissed you, silencing your laughter with a soft, lingering press of his lips. His hands slid up to cup your face, his thumbs brushing lightly across your cheekbones as he deepened the kiss. The cold air nipped at your skin, but with Jude’s body warm against yours, it felt like the perfect kind of contradiction—cold night, warm heart. When he pulled back, his eyes were still locked on yours, his face soft and open. 

“I like you too, angel,” he whispered, his voice almost reverent. There was something so pure in the way he said it, like it held a deeper meaning than the words themselves. You swayed together under the streetlight, wrapped in each other, the world spinning gently around you as if it were dancing along with the two of you. The golden light flickered across Jude’s face, casting shadows that only made him look more breathtaking. You leaned into him, your head resting against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath your cheek. It was a sound you could get used to, the comforting rhythm that told you he was there, with you, no matter where you went. Drunk on love and the magic of the night, you let out a soft sigh, feeling a happiness that seemed to bubble up from the very core of your being. It wasn’t just Paris that felt perfect tonight—it was this moment, this connection, this love that wrapped itself around you like the softest, warmest blanket. With Jude, every place you visited, every street you walked down, every moment felt like home. It didn’t matter if it was Paris, Madrid, or somewhere you’d never been before—he was the one who made the world feel right. And this very feeling was exactly what Jude was striving for… It was exactly what he wanted you to know. You lifted your head to look at him again, your heart swelling at the sight of him, illuminated by the glow of the streetlamp, looking at you like you were the only thing that mattered.

“I love you,” you whispered, your voice soft but filled with the weight of everything you felt. Jude’s lips curled into a smile, and without saying a word, he leaned down and kissed you again, the night wrapping itself around you both as if sealing the promise of everything that was still to come.

🪩🫶❤️‍🔥🍹🌞🍒 Thank you for reading! Please like, comment, or message what you think of the chapter 🍒🌞🍹❤️‍🔥🫶🪩

Next part - The Final| Chapter 25 - Fiancé xx

[yellow-computer-mouse]

Introducing ... The Bloodbane System. (Old intro, out of date)

Collective Info ꩜ .ᐟ

꩜ Call us Bloodbane or Bloodbane& collectively. Bane as a nickname. We ask that you refrain from calling us our user or IRL name. Our IRL name is the name of our core, and it feels strange to be called by his name.

꩜ We use they/xe/it plural pronouns collectively. Each of us has our pronouns in our tag, and we ask that you respect those individually.

꩜ We are not a human. We are not a being. We are a thing. We are an it. Respect this or die by our blade. (/lh, srs)

꩜ If you believe that any system origin is invalid, do not interact. If you are a radqueer or transID, do not interact. If you are anti-lesboys, do not interact. If you are a pro/com/darkshipper, do not interact. You will be blocked. We will answer questions with the same respect you ask them.

꩜ We are bodily a minor. We don't mind any age interacting, but please follow your own boundaries.

꩜ We are greyromantic, achillean, and asexual. We are dating our wonderful boyfriend @ihateasthma <3

System Info ꩜ .ᐟ

꩜ We are traumagenic, with greyout amnesia that appears to be worsening. We are open about our trauma, but we are not comfortable talking about it unless we trust you. You can ask, but do not expect an answer. We barely know what happened.

꩜ We have NPD, BPD, and HPD, as well as autism, ADHD, ARFID, RSD, and anxiety. If we are replying shortly or leaving things unanswered, we are most likely having some kind of episode. Always interact kindly.

꩜ We are very fictive-heavy, with brainmades never sticking around very long. We are all perfectly fine with all sourcemates and doubles.

꩜ We love talking about ourselves (/npd). Please, ask questions about any of this.

꩜ Frequent fronters are a very private thing for us, for private reasons. You can ask if we're close, but we do not want to divulge who we consider "frequent."

꩜ We have individual trigger tags. If you would like to know them, please send an ask off anon or DM us. Do not share these triggers with others, no matter what. If they want to know, we will tell them ourselves. Triggers are HIGHLY private information, especially for us. If you share our triggers, you will be blocked, and we will likely never speak to you again. Consider this your one and only warning.

꩜ We are headmates. Occasionally, we call ourselves members. You do not call us this. You call us headmates. We are not alters. We are not parts. We are headmates.

Tags ꩜ .ᐟ

꩜ #not skeletons - Not UTMV or Undertale related.

꩜ #not dragons - Not WoF related.

꩜ #not art/#not my art - Self-explanatory.

꩜ #yellow scribbles - Our art.

꩜ #yellow writes - Our writing.

꩜ #yellow academy - UTMV high school AU.

꩜ #yellow polls - Our polls.

꩜ #yellow's stash - Things we want to save.

꩜ #yellow! in the ask box - Our asks.

꩜ #mutuals <3 - Our mutuals.

꩜ #i love isopod <3 - Isopods. We LOVE isopods. Bug hate of any kind will not be tolerated here. We will trigger tag them for you. Our bug blog is @yellow-loves-bugs.

꩜ #thinking with portals - Portal.

꩜ #i love will woob <3 - Will Wood.

꩜ #rip my paradise bro - Rot in Paradise.

꩜ #just gooping around - Slime Rancher.

꩜ #that's the way the cookie crumbles - Cookie Run Kingdom.

꩜ #this is pretty epic - Epic: the Musical.

꩜ #mmm mouthwash 🤤 - Disused Mouthwashing tag. Our Mouthwashing blog is @number1daisukefan.

꩜ #[name] [emoji] // [pro] . [noun] - Headmate tagging system.

Sideblogs ꩜ .ᐟ

꩜ Our system blog is @teeth-and-bones-and-blood.

꩜ Our age regression blog is @little-bloodbane-nettles.

꩜ Our religious blog is @dearolympusabove.

꩜ Our blog for our Epic headmates is @my-name-is-nooobody.

꩜ Our blog for our Mouthwashing headmates (former system blog) is @tulpar-transmissions.

꩜ Our blog for our Cookie Run Kingdom headmates is @put-the-cookies-back.

꩜ Icarus's blog is @come-rest-your-bones-next-to-me.

꩜ Ryan's blog is @iwaitforyou001.

꩜ Apollo's blog is @alwayssummerwhenhesaround.

꩜ Deicide's blog is @de1c1de.

꩜ Sin and Crescent's blog is @bow-to-your-king.

꩜ Dust's blog is @two-coffins-for-sleep.

꩜ Our WoF ask blogs are @ask-hs-jade-winglet, @wof-adoption-au, and @wofsidequesters.

꩜ Our Jimmy roleplay blog is @everyones-favorite-co-pilot.

꩜ Our gimmick blog is @your-fave-hates-billionaires, run by Sin and Crescent.

Please keep in mind that many of these are outdated.

Servers ꩜ .ᐟ

꩜ Bloodbane Thicket, our age regresson server.

꩜ Bloodbane Brackens, our general syscord server.

꩜ The Lotus Eaters, our Epic: the Musical server.

[brodygold]

The Captain's Call

This trip was everything I needed. After weeks of grueling training and relentless matches in soccer, baseball, hockey, and many more, Spring Break had finally arrived, and I’d decided to treat myself to some well-deserved R&R at a resort straight out of paradise. Sun, sand, and a poolside chair by the ocean – the perfect combination for utter relaxation.

I stretched out on my lounge chair, my hair still damp from a refreshing dip in the pool. Closing my eyes, I let the sound of waves crashing in the distance lull me into a half-dreamy state as I was working on my tan. But before long, the sun was too much, and I needed another drink.

Grabbing a cold bottle of water from the bar, I made my way back to my spot. That’s when I saw it – a shiny gold envelope resting on my lounge chair. My name was written on it in smooth, elegant cursive. The strange thing is I hadn't told anyone where I was staying. Who left this for me?

Curiosity got the better of me in the end. I tore it open and slid out a card embossed with the unmistakable crest of the Golden Army. My eyes widened as I read the message inside.

“Brody, you are cordially invited to compete in the Golden Army Beach Volleyball Tournament. Pack your bags and return to the stadium. We’ll be waiting. Remember teams of two will be competing”

A surge of excitement rushed through me. The Golden Army had always been about pushing boundaries, challenging ourselves to become the best versions of who we could be. But a beach volleyball tournament between the bros? That was new. And it sure sounded like fun.

Without wasting a moment, I dashed back to my room, tossing clothes into my bag like my life depended on it. Relaxation could wait. There was competition calling my name and I knew just who to partner with.

The plane ride back felt like forever. But the moment the stadium came into view, all those restless jitters transformed into pure energy. I slung my bag over my shoulder and hurried inside, my feet instinctively guiding me to the captains’ office.

I rapped my knuckles on the door before pushing it open. Sure enough, there he was – Scott, lounging at his desk like he owned the place (which he kinda did. Captain perks). His British charm and cocky grin were all too familiar.

“Well, well, well. Look what the tide dragged back in,” Scott said, kicking his feet off the desk and standing up to greet me. “Heard you got the invitation.”

“Damn right I did, bro. And I’m ready to show our bros what the Golden Army is made of,” I replied, flashing him a grin of my own. “You in?”

“Always, bro."

“Exactly. We’re gonna crush it.”

The nearest beach was only a short drive away, and the sun was still high in the sky when Scott and I made our way onto the hot sand. I tossed my shirt aside, letting the warmth hit my bare skin, and looked over at Scott. His competitive glint matched my own.

“Alright, mate,” he said, smacking a volleyball into my hands. “Let’s see if those golden reflexes translate to the sand.”

We started practicing with a ferocity I hadn’t felt in a long time. Diving, blocking, spiking – every move fueled by the desire to prove we were the best. Scott’s banter kept me on my toes, his sharp wit and relentless focus making sure I could keep up with the best of them.

Sweat poured down our bodies, muscles aching in that beautiful way that only hard work could provide. And the more we practiced, the more we found our rhythm. Two captains who knew how to work together. Two players hell-bent on showing their bros why they were the captains. We got our titles for a reason.

As the sun finally started to dip below the horizon, Scott and I finally collapsed onto the sand, laughing and out of breath.

“We’re ready, Brody,” Scott said, his voice steady and sure. “Those poor souls competing against us won’t know what hit ‘em.”

I laughed, the adrenaline buzzing through me like fire. “You’re damn right.”

The tournament couldn’t come soon enough. A little competition never hurt anyone, after all.

[selineram3421]

Song Rec: Source by Fever the Ghost

Isekai'd

Part 16: Red Flowers

Part 15

~

Vash (Tristamp) X Reader

Warnings ⚠

⚠ gn reader, mention of drowning, mention of choking, mention of death, Italics= thoughts, drowning, blood mention, weapons-guns (pew pew), child getting shot in memory alteration, sprouting flowers. ⚠

When you were younger, you were told by an old woman that you would die by drowning or choking. Your mom cussed the woman out so much that she switched to a different language.

But like any child, you were scared and took it to heart.

So you made sure to chew your food thoroughly, drink your drinks slowly, learned how to swim, and made sure to watch your step whenever you were near the water. But you never imagined that you would be choked and then thrown into the water.

"Might as well.", Knives said.

You were picked up and tossed into the same water he dumped his brother in.

There was barely any time for you to take a breath and then you were submerged in the water. Your limbs felt heavy and your arms hurt too much to move. Maybe...you should have prepared for a situation like this.

You sank deeper into the water, red trails of blood followed after you and a few bubbles escaped from your lips.

Then you felt a tug at your wrist and you were pulled into someone's embrace. Lifting your head, you saw the blurry image of Vash. He put a hand over your mouth to stop the rest of the air from escaping.

Another splash, and then you hear the echo of Knive's voice.

Vash swims backwards, hitting away the multiple knives that his brother was moving towards him, but they stab into his back.

"AH-!", you shout but soon struggle to breathe.

The blonde's Plant markings glow and he stops moving. You try to tug the blades out of his back but end up cutting your hands instead.

Shit, shit, shit! You keep trying but more blood spills out from you. I have to stop this!

Everything hurts, and then your lungs start to burn due to the lack of oxygen, but you need to get Vash out. You need to stop it. You need to stop Knives.

Then you finally reach the last straw.

You swallow some of the water and claw at your throat, it feels like too much at once, the water rushing into your lungs, the burning, the aching.

Then you slip out of his hold and sink down.

Vision fading to black, you try to reach out and hold onto the red coat, but you lose consciousness before you get to.

Your last thought being.

Wake up..

.

Vash opens his eyes to see the ship where Knives turned his back on the humans entirely and killed a few.

"This place..", he mumbled.

"Fitting this is the first memory I come to.", his brother said walking up from behind him.

"And why's that?", Vash glared at his twin.

"Remember the vow I made that day?", the platinum blonde asks. "They'll be free. Paradise is well within my reach, but my world of Plants isn't complete without you.", he reaches his hand out. "Join me and we shall save our kind."

"They don't abuse plants because they want to.", Vash looks away. "It's because they are stuck on this barren planet! It's our fault!", his voice echos.

"I see...", Knives lowers his hand. "Then dawn your crown of thorns and prepare to die in your precious sinners stead.", he says and snaps his fingers.

The floor underneath Vash wobbles like water and he sinks down, falling as the floor breaks completely.

Then, he's somewhere else. The sand blows in the wind, the voice of Rosa, then he sees Tonis with a missing arm. As he places a hand on the boy's shoulder, he turns into Rollo.

"You promised you would save me.", the brown haired boy glared at him.

"Rollo?", Vash said in surprise.

Vash caught the boy as the child was shot in the head.

"You think we are better off as monsters than we are dead, huh?", the voice of Wolfwood said.

The blonde looked back at him before looking down at Rollo, who was now older, now turned into the large gun man.

"That's damn selfish of you blondie. Couldn't save him then, so do it now.", then the man in black turned into his brother. "Put him out of his misery."

Rollo asked to be killed while coughing up blood. Vash said no, but the man kept coughing.

"That's enough!", the man in the red coat shouted.

Knives shot at the figure and Rollo turned into red geranium flowers that scattered in the wind. The man's body disappearing little by little.

"You're no hero strong enough to save them.", his brother said. "You're a coward too weak to see them die. I can see straight through you."

"Where'd you bring me Nai?", Vash asked before noticing his hand was normal and not the prosthetic one. "My hand!", he was surprised but quickly shook that thought out. "None of this is real, is it? It's a lie!"

He stood and then began walking through the desert. It was daytime before it quickly turned to night. "There's got to be a way out.", he told himself and ran into a random direction.

When he stopped, he saw the debris of a wrecked ship.

"This is..", he started before looking up to see his brother the age when the ship fell.

"The big fall.", little Nai said. "You did all of this you know? What happens when they find out."

Vash turned to see three humans. The two reporters and the medic.

"Well, one of them already knew.", Nai said.

The figure of the medic disappeared into red flowers.

"Don't lose sleep over it." Vash heard from right next to him and looked down.

"They aren't like us. Their lives are so short.", Nai said with his hand covering the side of his mouth as if telling a secret. "They'll barely last a century or so. They don't matter."

Flowers took over the two figures that stood near the ship a little ways from him.

The blonde furrowed his brows in pain before holding his head.

"Wait.. Who were they?", he asked.

A dust cloud of sand brushed by as he fell to his knees, holding his head in pain with both his hands. "Agh!"

"It's time to release your power! Our brand new world begins today!", Nai said happily with his arms spread out.

Then there was a petal in Vash's hand. A vibrant red geranium petal that he could recognize from anywhere.

"It's her.."

.

✴

"You've got to wake up!"

There's someone trying to shake you awake.

"Please! Wake up!", they ask again, practically sobbing it out.

You open your eyes to see the Geodome, the glass cracking and the geranium flowers were exploding. Looking up at the person shaking you, you see it is Rem.

"We don't have enough time! Get up!", she said.

The dome was falling apart as you sat up. Pieces of glass stabbed into the grass as it fell.

"Where is Vash?", you asked as you lifted yourself up to stand.

"In another memory.", the black haired woman said. "Please, I need you to get to him quickly."

"I'm going.", you said. "I'll be there."

Entering the "Gate" felt as weird as last time. The Plants were brighter than usual as you ran passed them to get to the black star.

"Damn it Star boy!", you shouted as you pushed yourself to speed up. "I need you to wake up!", you kept going. "We need you to wake up! The Plants need you to wake up! I NEED YOU TO WAKE UP!"

You finally got to him and held him by the shoulders.

"Remember Rem! Remember what she told you! What she promised!", you said. "VASH! WAKE UP!"

Then you saw his form start to dim, that's when you realized that he got away from Knives.

"You did it! Keep going! I believe in you-! Ah?", you looked down at your abdomen that suddenly flared up in pain, the side that was bleeding earlier was sprouting roots and blooming red aster flowers.

Staring down at it in surprise, you held onto the coat in your grip tightly.

"What..?"

✴

*sweating a bit as the plot is now off the rails* Shit...

~Seline, the person.

Next: Part 17

Taglist@

@summerdazed @lunar-archangel @+?

ML Vash | ChL Isekai'd