#second chorus he jumps on the table

[orpheus-has-lyreizz]

might never finish this but. wip

[ghost-with-a-teacup]

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧

Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x F!Reader

Summary: Everyone at HQ was convinced there was something going on between you and Miguel. Just...no one knew what. But one group of spiders were determined to figure it out.

Warnings: None! Just a lot of goofiness and a whole lot of fluff :3

When you have a superhuman with superior senses, they’re bound to be perceptive to their surroundings. Now when you have an entire lobby the size of multiple football fields filled with superhumans with superior senses, very few things will go unnoticed.

It’s why people very quickly realize that you and Miguel have…something between the two of you. It’s just that no one is quite sure what.

Camaraderie? Maybe, you were one of the first spiders to join the society.

Friendship? Perhaps, but it was known that Miguel wasn’t one to do friends. Not with the amount of loss he has gone through.

A relationship? This one seemed the most unplausible. Miguel was, well, Miguel. Stoick, cold and calculating. Meanwhile, you were you.

You had a light that drew people in, kindness that knew no bounds and warmth like a fire on a cold winter’s day.

Everyone knew the saying ‘opposites attract’, but it was like comparing night and day with the two of you. Regardless, a small little group within the society were set on trying to figure the two of you out.

~

“Ain’t no way the two are together, she’s too good for him!” Hobie argues, his legs kicked up on the table in front of him.

“I don’t know, maybe that’s why they work together. Because she makes him better?” Miles says, but his tone of voice failed to hide his skepticism.

“I think you should just leave the two of them be. Besides, what happens if you figure it out or not anyway?” Peter says, feeding Mayday as he does. Immediately a chorus of arguments breaks out from the group.

“OKAY! Okay, forget I asked,” he says with a shake of his head, while Mayday just laughs at the commotion.

They spot the two of you walking into the cafeteria making conversation none of them could make out.

“Look at them,” Gwen says, “have you ever seen the guy happier than he is with her?” she asks, and Hobie snorts.

“C’mon mate, you call that happy? Mans got that frown tattooed on his face, can he even be happy?” he says, but they all continue watching intently.

You glance over to the table they were surrounding, and they all brush off your gaze pretending as though they weren’t just studying the two of you like specimens under a microscope.

You wave your hand, a bright smile on your face while Miguel only glances over for a moment before continuing to walk. You jog to catch up to him, grabbing a tray and picking up things you wanted for lunch.

They watch as they see Miguel pick up the empanada, the last one left. He pauses for a split second, holding it before turning to place it on your tray. Almost as though they were straight out of a cartoon, they freeze at the interaction.

You seem to be slightly surprised as you, saying something to him but he only brushes you off before continuing on.

“Did…that just happen?” Pavitr asks. Everyone at HQ was aware of Miguel’s fondness for the food (even if he did hurl one right at Miles when they first met), there was no way he would give one away so easily for just anyone, right?

“Somebody pinch me,” Gwen says, and Hobie jumps at the request.

“OW!”

~

Miguel never lets anyone help him out when he’s injured. That was just a known fact. He could walk into HQ battered and bruised and wouldn’t even look in the infirmary’s direction once. After depending on himself for so long, he wasn’t going to stop now. Besides, what were First Aid kits for after all?

The only way he was going to the infirmary was if someone dragged his unconscious body there themselves.

Well, unless you were there.

“Miguel O’Hara I swear to god, you better get your ass to the infirmary or so help me I will tie you up and drag you through the halls myself,” you say sternly as you both reemerge in the Lobby. The rest of the Spiders there continued with what they were doing, but their attention was zeroed in on you both.

“I’m fine,” he says, glaring at you as if trying to say ‘Just try’. Had you been anyone else, you would have backed down by now but you didn’t.

“You wanna test me right now? That was a nasty hit, I will not be letting it get infected under my watch,” you retort, and he puffs.

“This is nothing, I’ve dealt with worse,” he scoffs, and in an instant your finger shoots out, making contact with the side that got hit with the anomaly’s flames. Miguel can’t help the sharp intake of breath as the pain from the impact hits him.

Your eyebrow raises, an expression of disbelief on your face before it softens. Murmuring softly, you say something that only he can hear.

For a moment he studies your face before sighing, finally relenting. With a triumphant smile, you place a hand on the man’s broad back, leading him towards the infirmary with a gentle but firm hand.

There, Pavitr is laying in bed recovering from an awry mission of his own. The doctors had ordered bedrest for the next 2 hours at least. Superior healing or not, they were not going to risk it. So there he lay, slinging his golden bangles up and down bored before he hears the two of you come in.

“Mr. O’Hara-" a doctor’s voice can be heard, but he is quickly interrupted.

“She’s got it from here,” he says, Miguel’s tone final. A small “yes, sir” can be heard before footsteps fade away, the doctor’s office door closing once more.

“You know, you should really let the professionals help you,” your voice can be heard.

“You dragged me here, you can deal with the consequences,” he says, and you just laugh fondly before your voices quieten, murmuring too quietly for Pavitr to hear.

Curiosity builds as he recalls the conversation he and his friends had, and before he can stop himself he shifts silently to the side, just enough to be able to catch a glimpse of you both from the small gap between the hospital curtain and the wall.

There, Miguel sat on the bed, a disgruntled expression on his face but his eyes were soft as he watched you fuss over his side.

He only watches for a few seconds before pulling away, this being a clear invasion of privacy, and his boss’ privacy no less.

It wasn’t going to stop him from telling everyone else though.

~

“This is a bad idea. This is a really, really bad idea,” Miles says, grasping onto the ceiling like his life depended on it.

“It’s only a bad idea if we get caught, so Shut. Up,” Gwen says sharply, hanging from her place on the ceiling as they watched the fight from above.

Gwen had come up with the mighty fine idea of sneaking into a mission between the two of you. It wasn’t often that it happened, Miguel more often than not only went on missions with only Lyla by his side. But when he needed a partner, it was always you.

“Why did you have to bring me with you,” he whispers, “Miguel already doesn’t like me. He doesn’t need more of a reason to.”

“Because I needed backup and you can turn invisible. And let’s be real, Hobie would be laughing his ass off getting us caught, Peter would bring Mayday which would get us caught, and Pavitr is already on a mission, now shhh,” she whispers, turning back to watching the scene below.

You swung from pillar to pillar in the abandoned factory with practiced ease, a carefree laugh escaping your lips as Miguel stands on the ground fiddling with his watch.

“The anomaly’s last known location was here,” Lyla’s voice echoes out, and you let out a sigh.

“Why can’t villains have easy powers. Maybe a giant blob that is easy to take down? Why do they have to be so complicated? What’s this one again, a freaky shadow monster?” you think out loud.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Miguel retorts, glancing up toward you for a moment before turning back to Lyla. “Do a scan of the place, will you?”

“What do we say~” Lyla responds, and you giggle softly while Miguel huffs.

“Please,” he mutters.

“What was that?”

“Please, Lyla,” he says a little louder now, irritation growing in his voice.

“Already done,” the AI snickers, and he groans out loud as your laughter bounces off of the walls, a fist held out for Lyla to bump.

“The two of you will be the death of me,” he says lowly.

“Oh, don’t be like that, grumps. You’d be too stubborn to die,” you retort before tensing up, the hairs on the back of your neck rising with the familiar feeling of your heightened senses at work. The moment you sling yourself up is the moment a loud thud sounds out from where you once stood.

“Oh, I forgot to mention that the anomaly was in the far right corner,” Lyla says before disappearing.

“I really need to do a rewrite of her code,” Miguel mutters to himself.

In your previous spot emerges a dark figure, plumes of smoke emerging and dissipating from its form and allowing it to disappear into the shadows with ease.

With a simple nod, you get to work. Like a well-oiled machine, you work in practiced synchrony, bounding across the walls and slinging webs.

And just like that the anomaly is captured, the force field around it effectively trapping it for the ride back to HQ so it can be sent back to its own universe.

“That was…kinda lame,” you snicker, pulling off your mask

“Told you so,” Miguel says as he opens up a portal for you both, dragging the anomaly behind him.

“Don’t say that to me,” you pout.

“What, can’t handle the truth?” he retorts, a smirk playing across his lips as your bickering voices fade through the portal.

“…was that a smile,” Gwen asks as she watches the spot where they both had stood.

“Was that what it was?” Miles asks, a shudder racking through his body.

~

It was late at night at the HQ, and at this time everyone else had already gone back to their own universes. The few that lingered were the ones finishing up after a late-night mission.

Or, you were Peter B. Parker frantically searching through the kitchen for a bottle of milk for Mayday after a playdate with a select few spiders that went on for way longer than expected.

Mayday was an easy baby. Always happy and smiling, but that all disappears when she was hungry and you did not want a spider baby on a rampage.

“Alright, alright, give Daddy a few seconds to warm up your milk please?” Peter pleads as Mayday continues to babble angrily, crawling all over him.

She pauses for a moment, attention drawn elsewhere as she hangs off of her father’s back before leaping.

“Hey, lil spider!” You say with a laugh, catching her in your arms. “What are you doing here so late?” you ask.

“Playdate with Miles, Gwen and Hobie. Time really flew and she refused to leave until now,” Peter sighs tiredly, and you pat him on the back before putting her up onto your shoulders. “What are you doing here so late?”

You shrug, grabbing two mugs from the cupboard.

“Working late. Like you said, time really flew,” you say, but Peter knew that wasn’t the full truth.

“Working so hard that you need two cups of coffee?” he asks, holding out the bottle for Mayday to take, which is what she does happily as she snuggles up in her father’s arms.

“What can I say, caffeine doesn’t really work on me,” you grin, pouring the coffee from the machine. “Goodnight, Peter, Mayday,” you say, ruffling her red hair fondly.

And as quickly as you appeared, you disappear.

~

People didn’t often disturb the big boss man Miguel when he was working. Not if you wanted to stay on his good side.

It was even less often that someone barges into his room full of screens as he monitors the Archno-Humanoid Polymultiverse, let alone a group of them.

“We heard you talking to someone! And laughing,” Gwen says hesitantly as if she couldn’t even believe it herself. But she was invested in figuring out what the deal was between the two of you now.

“Well, do you see anyone around?” Miguel deadpans, his arms wide and gesturing around broadly. You could barely stifle the giggle as you sat on a beam high up on the ceiling, going unnoticed.

“W-well, no…But!” she says, and Miguel raises an eyebrow which makes Gwen shrink in her spot slightly before recovering. “But we heard you. There was someone here, wasn’t there?”

Hobie, ever the perceptive one tracks his eyes along the ceiling before spotting you swinging your legs with an amused look on your face. It seemed as though no one else had noticed though.

Miguel watches Hobie spot you and his eyes narrow in his direction, as if saying ‘I dare you to say anything’ to which the spider only raises his hands in mock surrender.

“No. There wasn't." He says, his tone final. "If that’s all you’re here for, I have important work to get to. So why don’t you go bother someone else, yeah?”

~

“I give up,” Gwen says, slumping in her chair. “We’re never going to figure it out.”

“Figure what out?” Jess asks, walking up to the group.

“Whether or not there is something going on between those two,” Miles says, nodding towards you and Miguel talking over in the corner of the room.

Jessica only hums, a knowing look in her eyes but she doesn’t say anything. Only asks a simple question.

“What makes you think so?”

“Everyone here knows that there’s something there, even if they want to admit it or not. She’s one of the few people he tolerates, they’re together almost all the time and he actually seems happy around her,” Gwen reasons.

“You could have just asked, you know,” you say, coming up on their conversation with an amused look on your face.

Their expressions range from flustered to simply amused and you can’t help the laughter that bubbles up as you make eye contact with Jess.

“And to answer the question,” you reach down your suit, pulling out a simple chain with a ring dangling off of the end.

“We’re actually married.”

The group goes silent for a moment, eyes wide as they stare at the necklace in your hands, trying to process your words.

Then, all hell breaks loose.

A/N: Hehe, I'm quite happy with this one :3 This is my first attempt at writing Miguel, sorry if I butchered him but I am absolutely hyperfixating on him after seeing ATSV in theatres yesterday.

Based on the prompt by @imslightlycreative though slightly changed :)) I hope you all enjoyed <3

Part two out now!! Read it here.

[thebearer]

nothing in the world belongs to me |carmen berzatto x reader|

prompt: still new in your relationship, you show up to the bear for dinner unexpectedly, surprising carmen and the others.

based off this prompt from the other day :)

contains: fluff lol. really, it's just fluff. established-ish relationship (the others don't know). carmen being a little nervous and possessive but mainly cute <3 language.

“Alright, listen up,” Richie stood next to Sydney, flicking through the piles of tickets that were ringing through by the second. It was normal now, an expected task in their routine. “We need to walk the focaccia to table seven, please.” 

“Yes, Chef!” A chorus of nearly robotic voices rose from the sizzling hiss of the lamb searing in Carmen’s pan, lifting the spatula to tip the meat over, before giving it back to the chef on the line. 

“And for table nine, we’ve got a shellfish allergy, alright? So let’s triple check the cross contamination on that. T, can you handle that one?” Richie moved from his leather bound book of notes back to the ticket. 

“Yes, Chef!” Tina chimed, pulling a freshly washed pan, filling it with the veal stock. 

“Table nine, is that- that’s the senator?” Carmen turned to Richie, tasting the roux bubbling on Victoria’s station, giving her a curt nod of approval. 

“No, that’s table eleven.” Richie hummed, looking back at his notebook. “Nine, is… a birthday. Booked online.” Carmen had already begun to drone him out, mind racing with a million other things as Richie listed the guests name. Until he got to one. 

The name Carmen was sure he was hallucinating. The name no one knew- How would they know? How could they possibly know your name? 

You and Carmen had been seeing each other for a little while. A few weeks that were slowly turning into months. A casual thing that was slowly turning more serious. Dates and meetups are becoming more frequent. You’d even invited him over to your place a few times, he’d spent the night last week. 

Still, Carmen hadn’t managed to tell anyone. Selfishly, he liked that you were all his for now. Privacy was not guaranteed in the Berzatto house, in Carmen’s life still. He knew they meant well, they always did- he knew it wasn’t purposeful, the intrusion that almost always led to a demise. Carmen wasn’t ready for it, not yet, he still wanted you all to himself. 

“Carmen?” Sydney’s voice pulled him out of his panicked trance. “Chef, are you- are you good?” Her voice lilted with that familiar suspicious quip, the one always accompanied with her lifted brows. 

“What?” Carmen blinked, hands buzzing, heart thumping. He could see the window, Richie’s frame blocking most of it. “Sorry, yeah- yeah, I’m good, Chef.” 

Sydney watched him carefully, a slow nod before she continued calling out orders. Carmen could feel Richie’s eyes on him, narrowed with curiosity. Carmen tried to be nonchalant, crossing the kitchen back towards Tina, his eyes cutting carefully, looking out the window. 

There you were. 

Sitting pretty at the middle table, surrounded by friends, some Carmen recognized from your Instagram. He’d actually logged in to the app, looked you up after the first date, consumed every photo of yours in the dark of his room. Cheeks burning with excited heat, stomach fluttering in a way he hadn’t felt since junior high. 

“Alright, walk five salads to nine.” Sydney called out. “Where’s our runners? God, Richie, can you run-” 

“-I got it.” Carmen called, the urgency in his tone making Tina jump behind him. Carmen took the tray before Gary could, his hands shaking as he lifted it. 

“Cousin, I can get it.” Richie frowned. 

“No, I-I got it.” Carmen nodded, swallowing down his fluttering nerves. His eyes cut to your table through the window, heart skipping when he saw you. “I got it. I’ll be- I’ll just be a second.” 

“I don’t- I can’t even handle that one right now.” Sydney sighed in exasperation. “Alright, Chefs. Let’s get back on track.” She announced, shaking her head. Richie frowned, pulling out his phone. 

Sugar’s cell buzzed against the hostess stand, excusing herself to check it. 

From: Richie 

‘Look at table nine.’ 

Sugar huffed. 

To: Richie 

‘Why? Is there something wrong?’ 

She stepped back, casually turning to scan the room, eyes landing on the table. A small group of girls, younger, and amongst them- Carmen? 

To: Richie 

‘Is something wrong with the food? Do I need to comp it?’ 

From: Richie 

‘No. Cousin wanted to go out there.’ 

Sugar frowned, angling her body behind the large plant near the front as casually as she could. She watched through the leaves as Carmen passed out the salads, each girl grinning widely, but their eyes always cut to one on the end. 

Carmen saved your salad for last, hoping the lowlights of the restaurant would hide his boyish blush, setting the bowl in front of you carefully. “Hey,” 

“Hi,” You smiled sheepishly, looking to meet his gaze. “Everything looks so good.” 

“Yeah? Thanks.” Carmen nodded. “I-I didn’t know you were comin’ tonight.” 

“I’m sorry.” You cringed softly, embarrassed heat flooding through your veins. You knew better, knew you shouldn’t have done this- showed up at his restaurant unannounced. 

“I, uh, it’s my friend’s birthday.” You nodded towards Alicia at the end of the table. “And I was telling them about that pasta you made me, and they really wanted to come try it.” Your nerves bubbled, rambling in nervous peals that seemed to pour out before you could stop them.  

“Yeah, no, that’s really nice. Thank you.” Carmen nodded, giving a half smile to your friends, hoping they didn’t see the way he wiped his clammy hands on his apron. “Why didn’t- Why didn’t you just call me? Tell me you were comin’ in.” 

“I didn’t want to bother you.” You muttered softly. “I honestly didn’t think you’d even see us here, I swear. I didn’t mean to bother you or anything-” 

“-You’re not bothering me.” Carmen’s voice dropped to a coo, accompanied with a soft smile that had your head spinning. “Never a bother, but, uh, next time? Bother me, ok? Wanna make sure you get the best seat in the house.” 

Your cheeks flushed with heat, your friends excited giggles only intensifying the rushing heat blanketing over your body. Carmen’s own cheeks heated, tongue rolling on the inside of his cheek to hide his grin. 

“Alright?” Carmen added, and in a complete act of shocking boldness, his hand squeezed your shoulder affectionately. A small gesture on the outside, but for Carmen, it was huge. 

“Alright.” You grinned, leaning into his touch, your hands sliding over his. 

“How’s everything so far?” Carmen turned to the table, nodding at the excited gushes of compliments, not missing the way your friends cut their eyes to you with animated glee. 

“Just let me know if you need anything, ok?” Carmen turned to you.

“I will.” You nodded, starry eyed with love sick affection. 

“Good. I’ll see you before you leave, alright?” Carmen muttered, ducking down towards you. His lips brushed over your cheek, your perfume clouding his senses. “You’re not botherin’ me. ‘M glad you’re here.” 

Your cheek pressed to his, a gentle, affectionate rub before Carmen parted. Both of your features painted with shy delight. 

Carmen could feel everyone’s eyes, through flickering gazes and lifted brows. Sydney’s gaze lingering over him skeptically, still counting tickets. Fak’s wide grin from the corner, loading trays to take out. 

“Hey, uh, Marcus.” Carmen ignored Richie’s raised brows, a teasing, questioning remark on the tip of his tongue. 

“Yes, Chef?” Marcus muttered, looking up from the cannolis he was garnishing. 

“Table nine has a birthday. I was thinkin’ maybe the chocolate ganache, punch it with the little circle to make it look like a cake. Add a candle?” Carmen muttered, hand rubbing across his face. 

“Yeah, Chef, I can do that.” Marcus nodded. 

“Thank you.” Carmen nodded. “And Chef? Let me know when it’s ready before you walk it.” 

Marcus frowned. “No, it’s not- I just wanna walk it, ok?” Carmen shook his head. 

“Alright.” Marcus nodded slowly. “Heard, Chef.” 

Richie smirked, leaning against the stainless steel table. “So,” Richie hummed. “There a complaint or somethin’? Need me to go talk to ‘em-” 

“-No,” Carmen snapped, the possessiveness in his tone startling the both of them. “Sorry, it’s- No, I-I don’t need you to do that, Chef. Everything’s good.” 

Richie nodded slowly, passing the dishes to Gary with a nod. “You gonna tell me what that was about?” 

“No, Chef.” Carmen clipped, an edge to his tone that was teetering on annoyed. “But, uh, there’s not gonna be a check on table nine.” 

“What?” Richie frowned. “Did you mess somethin’ up? Seriously, Cousin, if something's wrong it’s my job to know-” 

“-No, it’s not-.” Carmen huffed, eyes pinching closed, running a hand over his face in frustration. “Look, that’s… The girl on the end? I-I’ve been kinda seein’ her, ya know?” He muttered. 

Richie gawked, blinking in disbelief. “No shit.” He grinned. “No shit? You-You’re serious?” He turned to look out the window. 

“Don’t fuckin’ look.” Carmen hissed. “Look, it-it’s not a big deal, alright? Just don’t-don’t say anything o-or do anything.” 

Richie swallowed back a teasing remark, a reactive reaction from years of being with Mikey. How the two of them used to tease Carmen endlessly, until they were fighting on the front lawn, Mikey howling with laughter while Carmen was red faced with mortified anger. 

This time, Richie held back. He wasn’t sure why, call it divine intervention, a gut feeling maybe, but it felt different this time. 

“Alright.” Richie nodded slowly. “No ticket for nine. Heard.” 

Carmen’s foot tapped anxiously. “I mean, right? Th-That’s what I should do right?” Carmen looked over his shoulder out the window. “That would be shitty to give her a check? Be a complete jagoff move to charge her?” 

“Yeah,” Richie scoffed lightly. “Jagoff of the fuckin’ year. Makin’ your girl pay to come to your place.” 

Carmen’s heart swelled at the term- your girl. His girl. You were his girl. 

“Walk four Pappardelle to nine. Walk one Pappardelle vegetarian style to nine.” Sydney called. 

Carmen dipped the spoon in the glaze, garnishing the plate before sliding it towards Sydney. “So, you gonna take these out?” He muttered. 

“No,” Carmen huffed. “Gonna wait until the cake.” 

“Yeah, good idea, Cousin.” Richie nodded with a proud smile. “That when you’re gonna tell them no check tonight?” 

“No,” Carmen shook his head. “I don’t- It would feel weird comin’ from me.” He looked up at Richie. “I was gonna let you do it.” 

“Yeah, I can handle that.” Richie smirked. “And I won’t say anything, Cousin.” He stopped Carmen before he could say it. “I got you, Cousin. I won’t fuck it up, alright?” 

Carmen nodded slowly, a strangled thank you on the tip of his tongue. The door swung open behind Richie, and for a second, Carmen caught a glimpse of you. Smiling and laughing, leaned in over the table, no doubt giggling with your friends about him. Carmen’s heart squeezed, but this time, without fear. No, there was no dooming fear that you were mocking him, making fun of him. This time, he felt the content rush of adrenaline filled love. A change in his routine, yes. Unexpected, sure, but he was glad for it. Glad that you were there- here, with him.

[tender-rosiey]

“KEEP THE PRIEST! WEDDING NO.2 STARTS!”

— gojo, sukuna, nanami, geto & toji when you catch the bouquet at a wedding (f!reader)

a/n: if you don't have a cousin then now you do and thanks for being patient with me everyone! <3

GOJO SATORU:

 a family member of yours was finally getting married—something you never thought would happen since she was always complaining about all her boyfriends, but hey at least someone finally did it.

anyway, naturally, you took your dear boyfriend as your date.

the wedding was going smoothly, drinks were exchanged, food was distributed, and cakes were eaten—much to your lover’s delight.

another thing that kept happening is people trying to introduce their daughters to satoru.

his instant response was to wrap an arm around your shoulder and pull you close to him, kissing your cheek and chirping a “sorry, but I am happily taken!”

now it was time for the part that a lot of people wait for: the bouquet throw.

your cousin was already crazy, so she has been waiting for it so she can throw the bouquet with all her might. on the other hand ,you and the other ladies were lined up and patiently waited.

one swing, two swings, one faint throw, and finally the bouquet was thrown into the air, heading towards its next owner.

a chorus of ‘its mine! mine!’ filled the room, but relentless, you maneuvered your way into finally catching the bouquet in your hands.

you’ve won the battle.

but wait. it seems like there is a contestant that won’t back down.

“let go of that bouquet, young lady!”

you look behind you and gasps, it is—“satoru?!”

“yes, satoru!” your boyfriend huffs, making his way towards you.

he firmly takes a stance in front of you, contrasting his intimidating position with his infamous pout, “it’s not fair for you to take the bouquet!”

you sway your hip to the side sassily, “does it make a difference? we’re getting married either way!”

your boyfriend shakes his head, “no, babe!” he places his hands on his chest, pushing his theatrics till the top, “I need to be the star!”

he crumbles to the floor and you merely stare at him in silence.

you see your cousin approach you and your boyfriend, “first of all, I am the star, and second, if you don’t stop fighting, I am taking the bouquet back.”

your boyfriend gasps clinging to your legs, “babe, your cousin is super mean!”

you pat his head with a sigh and he happily presses a kiss to your thigh. what a taxing man to be with.

“sweets, I wanna pee.”

taxing child.

RYOMEN SUKUNA:

your boyfriend was—surprisingly—invited to a friend’s wedding, which he hated as he was planning on taking you to a stargazing sight because you’ve been talking about it ever since you saw it multiple times on tiktok.

so, here you are with your boyfriend put into a suit by force.

you’re pretty sure that he is going to rip it any moment, but you would rather he does that when you’re both alone: you don’t necessarily mind a show.

anyway, you are sat with your dear lover who hasn’t stopped frowning since you’ve entered the darn hall.

the only good social thing he has done so far is greeting the groom and the bride. other than that, his hand never left yours and he stuck by you.

it’s cute, though, even if he argues that he is anything but.

you hear them announce that they’re finally throwing the bouquet so you give sukuna a quick peck then run to reserve your space.

now, you get very competitive in certain things, and this is certainly one of them. you will be going home with that bouquet.

and true to your goal, the moment the bouquet is at a height you can reach, you jump at it, holding on for dear life.

your feet reach the ground once again, and you raise your hand in victory, “I did it!”

you don’t see sukuna rolling his eyes fondly and with a proud grin that screams ‘that’s my girl’.

after a bit of applause, you quickly turn to your boyfriend and walk towards his table, radiating with confidence.

you place the bouquet on the table then you lean on your elbows, “I caught the bouquet,” you wink, “what do you think?”

“of course, you would get it,” he hums, “you’re mine, and I don’t settle for less than the best.”

you roll your eyes and lean towards him, swirling the drink that you stole from him, “it’s quite the commitment that we’re getting into,” you then look and lock eyes with him, “think you can handle that?”

“there’s nothing I can’t handle, loser.”

you giggle before cooing, “aww, you love me so much,” he gently shoves you, before his arm is wrapped around your waist, pulling you back towards him.

“I tolerate you.”

“so love!”

“no.”

NANAMI KENTO:

jingling bells, clicking heels, steaming food, and loving couples including you and your dear boyfriend fill today’s wedding hall.

a mutual friend of yours and nanami finally tied the knot with their lover, and you were happily invited.

it was a never ending party of laughter and happy tears—that you efficiently hid by burying your face in your boyfriend’s chest.

things calmed down a bit, leaving you to fangirl about how cute your friend is to nanami.

“but kento, she looked so cute! she is so pretty! he better not hurt her!”

nanami keeps munching on his bread, “I think she is capable of handling that herself.”

you cross your arms with a huff, “what do you mean?”

“she is carrying a shotgun.”

“oh, you right,” you acknowledge, before running towards the dance floor when you see your friend about to throw the bouquet, “f/n, you better not throw that until I tell you!”

“if you don’t get then you just have a major skill issue!”

you gasp, taking a battle stance in the middle of the of the dance floor. you hear your friend giggle, before she finally throws the bouquet into the air.

from then, it’s a cat fight between you and the rest of the people.

however, you come out as victorious then excitedly running towards nanami, “kento! kento! did you see me?”

“mhm, you looked lovely as always,” he chuckles, giving you his full attention.

you giggle, taking a seat beside him. you start talking about your fight(?) to get the bouquet while nanami stealthily takes a plate of your favourite snacks from the buffet and slides it to you.

you gasp, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek, “thank you, love!”

he hums, eyeing the bouquet, “you know,” then he says, fidgeting with his watch a little, “I can get you a better bouquet if you want—with a side of a ring, of course.”

you were about to finally dig in, but your brain quickly short circuits at his comment, “oh.”

slowly, you turn to him, feeling your face get warmer by the second.

he laughs lightly, hand coming to rest on yours, “I am not joking,” he pulls your hand up for a small peck, “I am just waiting for the right time so please be patient with me.”

GETO SUGURU:

the moment the vows were exchanged, music was blasted to the roof, and everyone was partying to the max.

your cousin, the bride, is dancing to the beat with vigor and excitement you’ve never seen before.

you would like to join her, but geto just won’t let you since he knows that you will somehow end up drunk off your mind and dancing on one of the tables.

so you’re sat with him right now, sulking and glaring at him.

“babe, don’t be so sad now, please? I am only doing this so you don’t accidentally hurt yourself.”

you huff and turn your back on him, “I am a full-functioning adult; thank you very much!”

his hand slowly inches towards yours, “the prettiest full-functioning adult,” he smiles, pulling his chair closer to you. “and the smartest too, did you know that?”

you almost give into his advances—his charming smile is far too lethal—but you’ve developed a bit of immunity to his actions.

so instead, you face him with a teasing smile, “I would love if you tell me more—after I successfully steal the bouquet.”

“steal?”

you roll your eyes, “acquire.”

he laughs lightly, and you take it as your cue to run towards the group of women huddled behind your cousin.

you stand proudly, “c/n, throw your bouquet!”

“no!”

“what?!”

“just kidding!”

and so the bouquet flies and ‘accidentally’ lands in your hands—it’s no accident; you’ve been training your entire life for this moment.

people whoop and applaud, and you bow to audience, before scurrying to your darling boyfriend.

you wave the bouquet in your hand, and he nods knowingly, “guess you’re never get rid of me,” you muse, hugging the bouquet to your chest, “what a pity, right?”

he looks at you confused then sighs with a smile, “I never planned to, but okay.”

you beam at him and throw your arms around him, and he laughs, hugging you closer.

you trace shapes on his back and murmur, “you’re way too cute for your own good.”

“I need to charm you one way or another, you know,” he replies, motioning for the waiter to get you two more drinks.

he stays silent for a moment, “you can go get hammered—“

“not!”

“okay, not hammered with your cousin.”

“yay!” you scream joyously and run away.

guess who ended up drunk and dancing on a table.

FUSHIGURO TOJI:

toji and a wedding?

it’s a combination most would not expect, but it isn’t his wedding anyway, so he can’t complain about it being too much commitment right now.

the only thing he can complain about is being put into this ‘suffocating’ suit—a sight you love.

“do we really have to stay till the end?”

you turn towards him, mortified, “this is literally your best friend’s wedding.”

he shrugs, “so?”

with a shake of your head, you drag him further down the hall to your assigned seats. at least, holding your hand is enough to pacify him.

the wedding goes as you would expect, aside from toji almost falling asleep.

you are now just standing beside the clearly expensive and delicious buffet—your true love.

toji is happily indulging in the food laid out in front of him, and you are about to do the same, but you notice that the bouquet throw is about to happen.

so you dash out of your seat just in time to catch that rogue bouquet. you raise your hand, announcing yourself as the now rightful owner of this bouquet.

that’s why you excitedly search for toji to show him your new prize.

you rush towards the table that you left your boyfriend at, “toji, I got it!—toji?”

a look left, a look right, your eyes widen. did the darn guy leave the moment you caught the bouquet? no way his fear of commitment is this intense.

you take note of the groom—toji’s bestie—shaking his head.

feeling embarrassed, you frown and yell for him, “toji fushiguro!”

suddenly, you feel a presence behind your back. you feel the person lean towards your ear a bit, and they whisper a small, “hey.”

you gasp, spinning to smack him square on the shoulder, “I hate you!”

he teases, almost like your hit was never there in the first place, “now now, that isn’t something you say to your future husband,” he grins and you scrunch your face in disgust.

you turn on your heel to walk away from him, “kill yourself.”

“what a foul mouth,” he whistles, following you until you finally give up and are given the chance to punch him in the stomach to make for the scare he gave you.

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do not copy or plagiarize or you will be reported

[interstellarflare]

A Cinderella Story || Anthony Bridgerton

-PART ONE-

Summary: Have courage, and be kind. Words that you tried to live by ever since the passing of your parents. Though your step-mother and step-sisters did everything in their power to hide you and your status away from the rest of the Ton, you never expected to catch the eye of Viscount Anthony Bridgerton himself.

Authors Note: This is my first Bridgerton series! I had an absolute ball writing this, and I hope you enjoy it! There is a tag list open if anyone wishes to be kept updated for future parts. Gif by @greengableslover

‘The Prince smiled, extending his hand towards her with grace and ease.

“May I have this dance, my lady?” he asked lowly, his eyes meeting hers with a kind yet mischievous twinkle. There was something about the Prince that made her heart flutter, that made her place her hand into his and reply-‘

The sound of hurriedly approaching footsteps and a chorus of shouting caused you to stuff the book beneath your pillows, a small panic settling over you as you quickly jumped out of your rickety bed and threw the old sheets over the mattress to at least make it look as if you hadn’t been lying in it mere seconds ago.

The door to the attic swung open, violently ricochetting off the wall and with a loud ‘bang’. You flinched, a shaky breath escaping you as you turned your gaze towards the form of your stepmother, her piercing greyish-blue eyes staring intently at you as she entered. She held her head high, the permanent scowl on her features examining every little aspect of the small space with precision. Her eyes landed on the small wooden table beside your bed, narrowing on the melted candle with the wax spilling over the sides.

“You were reading again, weren’t you?” She growled, her lips pursing in annoyance. Fiddling with your hands in front of you, you shrugged your shoulders slightly. “It wasn’t all night, Lady Worthington, I swear-“

“Nonsense, I can see the candle clear as day girl!” She shouted, a look of disapproval forming on her features. You held her stare, a small sense of guilt settling in your stomach the longer your stepmother remained in the attic. With a long and annoyed huff, she brushed he black-greying hair from her shoulder, looking you up and down with a look of disgust. “Get yourself cleaned up, and once you’re done start with breakfast. My girls are hungry, we have a long day ahead of us” she ordered, gathering her deep purple skirts and storming out of the room.

Releasing a breath you weren’t aware you were holding, your shoulders slumped in relief. You looked down at yourself and sighed, Lady Worthington was right. The clothes you wore currently were nothing but rags, and your day clothes weren’t much better. They were either oversized or too small, but you made do with the worn black and white maids dresses you were given. After getting changed and tying your hair back with a small piece of ribbon, you quickly skipped downstairs and into the kitchen.

You could hear Lady Worthington and her daughters cackling manically in the dining room, discussing their plans for the day, and how excited they were to be invited to Lady Danbury’s ball. Lady Danbury’s ball was one of the highlights of the season, or…so you had heard anyway. It had been a long time since you had seen the dear woman, you believed the last time you held conversation with her was when you were but a child. Your father, just after the loss of your mother, had taken you to one of Lady Danbury’s balls after deciding that leaving you at home would have been unwise at this grief-stricken time.

You remembered the beautiful dresses, the beautiful debutants who smiled and waved at your curious gaze. The kind bachelors who greeted you with a dance. And a young boy, hiding behind his father’s legs, his eyes following you wherever you went. Lady Danbury had been most gracious, you remember. A close friend of your mothers, almost like an aunt to you. But when Lady Worthington came into the picture and had taken control of your father’s inheritance after his passing, you were practically forgotten and hidden away from the ton. A part of you missed it, though you weren’t envious of today’s debutants desperately seeking husbands. Lady Worthington was perhaps one of the most persistent mothers out there, aside from Lady Featherington you hear.

This would be the third season that your stepsisters, Elizabeth and Mary Worthington, would participate in. They very much enjoyed flaunting themselves before the ton, given the state of their rooms with delicate and luxurious dresses and jewellery thrown about. They did not hide their wealth, rather your father’s wealth, that their mother had inherited, and bought the fanciest dresses money could buy. It had almost worked one season, Colin Bridgerton had visited to call on Elizabeth. But upon seeing how lavishly she lived, and how horribly she had treated you upon her request for tea for the two of them, the third-eldest Bridgerton hadn’t called again.

She changed somewhat after that, you recalled. She didn’t find much enjoyment in gorgeous dresses or glittering diamonds. She didn’t speak much to you or her mother anymore either, but Mary was her confidant. Sometimes she would glance at you, a look of guilt on her face, but it briefly passed whenever her sister or mother made some snide comment about your presence.

Preparing breakfast was easily done. Keeping a portion for yourself on a separate plate, you carried the three other plates into the dining room with practiced ease. Mary squealed with delight, snatching one of the plates from your arm and almost knocking the others out of your grasp in the process. “Oh thank goodness, I’m starved!” she exclaimed, hastily digging in as if she hadn’t eaten in days. You handed a plate to Elizabeth, who seemed to nod slightly as you placed the plate before her. Lady Worthington however, merely sneered as you placed her plate on the table.

You excused yourself from the room and retreated into the kitchen, beginning to eat your portion of the remaining food whilst listening to their gossip quietly. They weren’t quiet by any means, though you supposed that it was in their nature to be loud and obnoxious.

“Mother, did you hear! I heard from Cressida that apparently Lord Bridgerton is looking for a wife this season!” Mary exclaimed, her words muffled likely by the food in her mouth. You heard Elizabeth sigh heavily “I won’t believe it until Lady Whisteldown writes about it-“

“Nonsense!” Lady Worthington cried, interrupting her daughter with a squeal, “If the rumour is true than we are going to take every advantage we can get. The two of you are going to do your damned best get his attention-“

“And what if we don’t, mother? What then?” Elizabeth spoke quietly, almost timidly. You heard Lady Worthington scoff “Oh, you will. We are going out as soon as possible to find you both new dresses for the ball tonight”.

“Oh mother, how exciting!” Mary cried, you could hear the chair scrape harshly against the wooden floorboards as she abruptly stood up from her seat, “We are going to be the most beautiful women at the Ball!”

“Y/N! Help my daughters get dressed! We will be heading out shortly, and make sure that the horses are prepared!” Lady Worthington shouted, the sound of her shrill cry causing a sense of panic to surge through you.

Coughing as you chocked on your food, you quickly wiped your mouth and fixed your skirts. “Yes, right away!” You called back, sighing heavily as you rushed back upstairs. Upon entering Mary’s room, your shoulders slumped in defeat. Clothes lay on almost every inch of the floor, dresses, undergarments, jewellery. This was going to be a tough morning.

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[estrellami-1]

Steddie Microfic

Let Down Your Guard

November prompt: guard

532 words

Rating: G

No warnings apply

@steddiemicrofic

“So, brave traveler.” Eddie sends Steve a shit-eating grin. “What do you do?”

Steve narrows his eyes at Eddie, then glances down at the table. He looks back at Eddie to say, “I flirt with the guard.”

Eddie blinks. “You- alright. Roll for initiative, I guess.”

Steve peers down at his dice, then grins up at Eddie. “Twenty.”

“Jesus fuck,” Eddie mutters to himself, then louder, “Before you say a word, the guard notices you. In a deep, gravely voice, he says, ‘I’ve seen many come around in search of the treasure. I’ve never seen anyone who outshone the treasure all on their own.’”

Steve blushes, but perseveres. “Then maybe you’d like to come with me for a bit? Find out what it’s like to have your own treasure.”

Eddie checks his papers, rolls a dice. Sighs. “‘Perhaps I will,’ the guard says, and allows you to lead him away. Henderson!” Dustin jumps. “Your turn.”

“Uh.” Dustin blinks. “Okay, what the hell was that?”

“Language,” Steve and Eddie chorus.

Dustin rolls his eyes. “Oh, lay off it, I hear you say worse than hell. Perception check?”

Eddie nods. “Roll.”

So the game goes. It finishes with the party finding the treasure and defeating the orc protecting it. The Party cleans up their bit of the mess and bikes home, while Eddie stays behind, cleaning up his part of the game and helping Steve in the kitchen. “I’ve gotta say, I didn’t expect that move from you.” He smirks at Steve.

Steve smirks back. “What can I say? I’m a man of surprises.”

Eddie snorts. “A dork of surprises, maybe.”

“Hey!” Steve says, affronted, and splashes him with water. Eddie immediately splashes him back, then jumps out of the danger zone. Steve laughs and continues washing dishes.

A few minutes later, he quietly continues. “I’ve been… talking some things through. With Robin.”

“Oh?” Eddie takes a plate from Steve and starts drying. 

“Mhm. About…” he sighs, nibbles his lip.

“You don’t have to tell me.”

“But I want to. I want to say it.” He squeezes his eyes shut, then opens them again. Turns to Eddie. “I think- no. I like guys and girls.”

Eddie smiles encouragingly. “That’s cool, man. Thanks for telling me.” They’re silent for a second before, “What made you think about all of this?”

Steve glances at Eddie. Murmurs, “You.”

Eddie blinks. “What?”

Steve shrugs, won’t look at Eddie. “Yeah. It started with Spring Break, I think, and it just… continued. I couldn’t get you out of my mind. Didn’t want to, half the time. And I know that just because we both like guys doesn’t mean anything, and I know you don’t feel the same, and this doesn’t have to change anything-”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Eddie covers Steve’s mouth with his hand, eyes wide. “Slow down on the catastrophizing there, Steve-o. Let’s take this one thing at a time. First,” Eddie chuckles, “dude, I’ve had a massive crush on you since high school. I do feel the same. And it doesn’t have to change anything, you’re right, we can take it slow if you want-”

“Hell no,” Steve says, grinning, and kisses him.

Eddie gladly kisses him back.

[aheathen-conceivably]

The tip of Violette’s foot was perfectly upturned as she hopped into the first square of the crudely drawn hopscotch board. And five, six, seven, eight… Her other foot reached the final square, pirouetting exactly in the center before she spun back toward the start and hopped lightly onto her other foot. Nine, eight, seven, six… She reached the middle of the board easily, her balance never faltering even as she bent down to pick up the stone in the fifth square.

She held it up triumphantly, jumping out of the final square with a bit too much flair for someone who already knew they had won. The girl keeping score across the way called out loudly. “Violette wins again!”

Violette set the stone back on the ground, mindful of the boys at the end of the yard who had been cheering her on. She gave them a small bow, watching Will’s cheeks grow pink like he was embarrassed she was drawing so much attention to herself. When she turned she saw her friend Daisy, arms crossed and eyes to the ground. Violette didn’t need anyone to keep track of the score. She never lost track of the count, or at least she very rarely did. She had picked up the stone from each square without losing her balance once. A perfect ten out of ten. Daisy, who came in second almost every time, still only had five out of ten. 

Sometimes Violette considered letting herself fall, just so that she wouldn’t look so defeated. But then, in the moment, with everyone’s eyes on her, her arms soared higher and her posture even straighter, so that she leapt off the final square forgetting she had ever felt bad at all. But now, seeing her again, a small pit of guilt rose in her stomach. She walked toward her, gesturing to the monkey bars, “Want to race across? See who can make it to the top?”

Daisy readily shook her head, glancing over to the table where the boys were seated before she ran to the monkey bars. Violette stood still for a moment, counting in her mind before she ran off to join her. Five, six, seven, eight….

By the time Zelda walked up to the schoolyard a choir of girlish giggles was raining down from the monkey bars. She stood unnoticed near the fence, watching the childish energy surge through the schoolyard like hummingbirds in Spring. It was heartening to see her daughter this way, so lively and comfortable amongst her peers when she herself had been so withdrawn as a child. It made her feel as though there was so much excitement ahead of her in life, and the path would present itself at her feet through her sheer will and magnetism.

But here, she was simply reminded of how much promise lay ahead for all of them, a new generation enjoying what was left of their childhoods - still yet to see what the world would hold for them or how the years would go by. It was so hopeful that it brought tears to her eyes.

“Mrs. Duplanchier!” The words had come from the schoolhouse porch, and Zelda had been so lost in her own thoughts that it took her a moment to realize they had been spoken by Violette’s teacher Mrs. Sullivan. “I’m glad to have caught you. Do you have a moment to speak before the bell rings?” 

Zelda fiddled her hands, nodding her head in nervous agreement. It took only a few seconds for the woman to walk down from the porch, but it was long enough to convince Zelda that her daughter was in trouble. She would have to reprimand her at least, or more likely, punish her. She began to panic, but before the fear could take hold Mrs. Sullivan stopped on the other side of the fence.

“I thought it might be beneficial for the children to try and get some sort of after school activity going. I know a number of the their fathers are either away on the road or out in California, as Violette’s is, and mother’s like yourself are overwhelmed in their absence. I was hoping an additional class may help ease the burden. A dance class, in particular, for the girls only, of course.”

Excited butterflies rose in Zelda's stomach, joining the chorus of hummingbirds in the schoolyard. “Dance? Do you - do you mean like ballet?”

The woman laughed quietly “One could call it that. Mostly ballet, mixed with what I’ve picked up from here and there over the years. I danced a bit before coming to teach here. Nothing professional by any stretch, but it will be nice to have reason to do it again.”

“Of course! She - she would be delighted. As would I.”

A bell sounded from above, prompting a dozen playing children to scurry from their posts to the ground below. The woman in front of her looked over her shoulder and smiled. "My apologies, Mrs. Duplanchier. I should help the children gather their belongings. And please, feel free to tell Violette. You were the last mother I needed to speak with so if she’s interested we can meet thrice a week starting next Monday.”

The bell overhead continued to ring, sounding in time to her heels as they walked away. Zelda watched her go, her own question gnawing at her mind as she bit her nails.

She gazed over her shoulder, looking at the courthouse reflecting the late afternoon sun. She tried to walk by it most days, admiring its stately columns and remembering the welcome it had given them when they arrived. It never seemed to change, despite all that had come and gone since then.

"Mrs. - Mrs. Sullivan?" The woman turned quickly, slowing her footsteps just long enough to allow Zelda to speak. "Has the book truck been by yet?"

"Why, yes. Did Violette mention it?"

Zelda kept her hands behind her back, hoping the other woman couldn't sense her nerves. "She did. But I - I was wondering if you had a chance to speak to the man who drives the truck? Goes by Mr. Barnes, I believe."

Mrs. Sullivan slowed to a stop and raised a curious eyebrow. "We didn't have much time to speak, what with the children's questions and excitement, but he mentioned that he was working out of the courthouse. Something about a government contract? But I couldn't tell you much more, my apologies."

As the sound of running children disappeared inside the schoolhouse, Zelda turned where she stood, taking a few timid steps across the sidewalk as she looked at the courthouse. Alexander Barnes, Librarian. Surely it wouldn’t be any harm for her to speak with him, just to see what this contract was or to understand more about the truck itself. Why was she putting so much hope onto this? Turning it into something it probably wouldn’t never be. It was foolish. Like any other daydream.

"Momma?" Zelda spun around, dropping down to Violette's level as soon as she realized she had been lost in her own thoughts again. "Hello, little flower. How was school?"

Violette rolled back and forth on the balls of her feet, like she was impatient to ask what was really on her mind. "It was fine. I won at hopscotch again."

"Did you! Well that's very - "

"It was." Her response was short, sending cold, quiet daggers into Zelda's heart. "It's - it's two weeks until Poppa comes home, right?"

"Oh, my love. Not quite." Violette looked down as her mother spoke, frustration and disappointment darkening her young face; because almost without realizing, she had lost the count. "I told you not to count the days. It only makes them go by slower. Trust me, okay? Besides, I think I have something that may help..."

Zelda rose to her feet, putting her arm around her daughter's shoulder and turning her full attention away from the courthouse just across the street. As they made their way home Zelda explained what Mrs. Sullivan had proposed, Violette’s face brightening every step of the way.

[peachsukii]

— one last dance

✮ content. college au. fluff. you & bakugo dance at one of mina’s parties and leave everyone cheering for more! happy belated softie sunday! I think we all need a little soft bakugo this week. 🧡

College parties are the last place Bakugo wants to be, especially one of Ashido and Kirishima’s house parties. He could be sound asleep after a successful night of studying, but here he is, sitting on the couch and nursing a beer for the last thirty minutes. He’s checked his phone ten times since he sat down, anxiously awaiting your arrival since the party started. Ashido guaranteed that you’d be here - the only reason he showed up in the first place. Why else would he subject himself to such an environment? The majority of the people at this party annoyed the ever loving hell out of him, too loud and obnoxious for his liking.

A sudden rush of air followed by someone hopping over the back of the couch startles Bakugo, juggling his phone in one hand and raising his beer with the other to avoid spilling it everywhere.

“Th’ fuck is your prob—” he snaps, stopping himself as your bright smile blinds him and catches him off guard.

“Hope I didn’t keep you waiting long!” You chirp cheerfully, leaning your full weight against him as you sink into the cushions. “Lame party, huh?”

He slips his phone back into his pocket with a grumble and switches the beer into his right hand. His left arm stretches across the back of the couch to make room for you to nestle into his side.

“S’not so bad,” Bakugo mutters, barely audible over the bass of the music flowing through the house. When the song changes to one you recognize, your eyes light up with excitement, jumping to your feet and extending your hand to him.

“I know you don’t dance, and I’ve asked dozens of times before, but I’m going keep trying to get your ass off this couch at every damn party. Dance with me, please?”

How the hell can he say no to that? He’s resisted your temptations long enough, maybe indulging once wouldn’t hurt. Bakugo puts his beer on the nearest table and stands to take your hand. “Fine, one song.”

He hopes you can’t feel the sweat beginning to coat his palm, or the trembling of his fingers wrapped around yours. You pull him into the middle of the living room alongside the others, but to him, you’re the only two in the room. The song is a mixture of slow and fast, some pop punk cover of a recent radio hit. You don’t rush Bakugo, taking your time to take both of his hands before twirling around in front of him, hips effortlessly swaying to the tempo of the song while his arms are crossed in front of you. He can feel his body radiating heat, all of his concentration centered on keeping his shit together while you glide your body around him like a feather in the wind. When the beat slows, he forcibly spins you to face him before he can chicken out, pulling you close until your chests are touching, one hand slipping to the small of your back to keep you close.

The two of you don’t realize you have an audience - friends silently gathering in the doorway to the living room to join the others in watching the two of you unintentionally take over the dance floor. Ashido, Kirishima, Kaminari, Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, Todoroki and Jiro all staring with stars in their eyes, a joint “oh my god are they finally gonna do it?” murmur amongst them.

Bakugo’s other hand rests on your collarbone, relishing in the bare skin contact for a moment before moving to your waist, shifting you to spin in tandem. He doesn’t know what he’s doing, flying blind and doing what feels right in the moment. The song is winding down, the final echo of the chorus ringing in his ears when he makes a split second choice - his free hand runs down the back of your thigh while he dips you back, watching as you instinctively stretch back to accentuate the movement. Right as the song ends, Bakugo’s got you cradled against him when someone cuts the music entirely, and suddenly…everyone is staring at you two.

“Kiss her!” Ashido yells, inciting a chant amongst the crowd. Kirishima and the others begin yelling “Kiss!” repeatedly with everyone else.

This is not how Bakugo envisioned kissing you for the first time, but he’s pined after you for so long, he can’t take a chance on missing this shot to go from friends to…something more. Shakily, his one hand stays at the small of your back while the other lays against your neck. He can feel your pulse thrumming against his thumb - maybe you wanted this as much as he did after all.

Bakugo leans in close, and the rest of the world falls silent as he whispers, “Can I kiss you?”

No one has ever asked to kiss you, they usually steal what they want and leave you for their next catch of the week. But this? This is what you’ve been waiting for, and he’s been here the whole goddamn time.

You want to say something witty, some smart remark to make this moment light hearted, but you can’t. The words won’t come out, so you settle on a cheesy smile and excited nod. With your permission, his hand moves to the back of your head and under your ponytail to pull you into his orbit. You wrap your arms around his neck as cheers begin to erupt from everyone around you. And when your lips gently touch, you can’t help the giggle that surfaces, and shockingly enough, you feel Bakugo chuckle in response. When he backs away from your lips, you tug him back in for a second, not wanting the moment to pass just yet.

“Yeah!!! Finally!” Jiro shouts, fist bumping with Kirishima and Kaminari with glee.

The crowd begins to mingle back into the swing of the party as the music resumes, leaving the two of you breathless in the middle of it all.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Wanna ditch this party and get dinner?” You ask with a grin.

Bakugo laughs while tucking a stray hair behind your ear. “Ya don’t have to ask me twice, let’s get the fuck outta here.”

softies; @slayfics @maddietries @starieqq @liluvtojineteyam

@jays-adventure3 @simp-plague @queenpiranhadon @kirishimaeijiromyman

『 #reis softie sundays 』

[believemedarlin]

The Perfect Man

Aaron Hotchner/Female Reader (3.9k words) Also available on AO3

Summary:

“You know, if you combined all the men on the team… they’d make the perfect man.”

“What?” Emily sputtered into her wine.

Penelope giggled while JJ looked intrigued

***

A drunken night out with the girls leads to some interesting revelations.

***

“Let’s play Fuck, Marry, Kill.”

A round of groans sounded from the table, but Penelope Garcia was not to be dissuaded. 

“Come on, ladies. It’ll be fun!”

Her best puppy dog eyes firmly in place, Penelope implored her friends and coworkers with a practiced look. You were holding strong until she brought out the big guns and pouted at you.

A mere ten seconds later you caved. 

“Okay, fine,” You sighed. “But can we use kick instead of kill? I always hated that option. Why do you have to kill them when kicking would be just as effective in showing your lack of interest? No death required.”

“Ooh, I like that,” Penelope immediately agreed with a nod. “You know I’m a pacifist at heart.”

She turned to the other two women seated at the table, pout back in full force. JJ gave in first, patting Penelope’s hand with an indulgent smile and a nod. 

Seeing that she was outnumbered, Emily shrugged. “Sure. But I’ll need another drink if we’re doing this. I haven’t played this since college.”

“I’ll get us all another round.” Penelope jumped to her feet to join her and they made their way to the bar, weaving through the other patrons.

It was a rare Friday night off and the women of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit had decided to go out for a much-needed night of ladies-only fun and frivolity. They had happily left the guys to sort out their evenings and escaped the second the clock struck five.

They were all a few drinks in at this point, which is most likely the reason Penelope had suggested the game. She always got a bit playful when she drank.

They returned a few minutes later, fresh drinks in hand. 

Once settled, Penelope leaned in, an eager smile on her face. “Okay. Fuck, Marry, Kick. Henry Cavill, Ben Barnes, Zachary Levi. And go!”

Emily took a sip of her drink and wasted no time in voicing her choices, followed by JJ and you. You took turns coming up with more and more outlandish options, and pleasantly spent the next hour drinking and laughing with your friends.

You had just finished giggling over Penelope’s reasoning behind her choosing to kick Willy Wonka and marry Jareth the Goblin King so she could enjoy a night with Conan the Barbarian when Emily leaned in with a smirk.

“I’ve got a good one. Hotch, Morgan, and Reid.”

The table erupted in a chorus of ooohs and laughter. 

JJ bit her lip in thought. “Okay, since we know them personally and I’m a happily taken woman, I’m going to change mine to kiss, because it’s weird to say I want to fuck any of them. So, uh, I’ll go with kiss Morgan, marry Reid, and kick Hotch. But only barely, because I do not want him angry with me.”

“Easy,” Penelope chirped. “Fuck Morgan, marry Morgan, and kick Reid and Hotch.”

You, JJ, and Emily burst into laughter, with JJ swatting Penelope on the arm. “You can’t double up like that!”

“Can too! My game, my rules. Besides, it’s special circumstances with Morgan as an option.”

Emily snorted, then grinned. “Hmm. I think I’d go with fuck Morgan, marry Hotch, and kick Reid.”

All eyes then turned to you as you stared into your drink, taking entirely too long as you overthought the options.

Eventually, Emily cleared her throat and you looked up to see her watching you expectantly.

“What?” You grinned sheepishly with a shrug. “It’s harder than you’d think!”

The ladies teased you good-naturedly until you finally said, “Okay, okay! Um, I think…” 

You blew out a breath in a long sigh. “Fuck Reid, marry Hotch, kick Morgan. No wait… Maybe fuck Hotch, marry Reid?”

Emily and JJ cackled while Penelope put on a fake offended air. “Why you gotta kick my beloved cinnamon hot chocolate Adonis not once, but twice? He’s the perfect man!”

"I mean, a lot of women would think that, yeah, but not me.”

Penelope gasped and pressed her hand to her chest dramatically. “Why, I never.”

You giggled with a shrug. “Sorry?” 

“You’re forgiven.”

“What I want to know,” JJ chimed in with a mischievous grin, “is why you can’t decide between Reid and Hotch on who to marry?”

You buried your face in your hands to hide your blush. “I don’t know! Both seem like solid choices. I think they’d both make good husbands.”

Emily smirked. “Sure it wasn’t because you couldn’t decide which you’d rather fuck?”

Penelope and JJ burst into laughter again while you groaned into your hands.

“You all are menaces. I don’t know why I spend time with you.”

“Because we’re wonderful people and you love us.”  Penelope teased.

“That’s debatable.” You mumbled.

“Oh, come on,” she leaned into your side and laid her head on your shoulder. “You know you adore us.” Penelope batted her eyes and you couldn’t help but grin.

“Yeah, I do.”

She cheered and called for another round of drinks.

The game wound down and devolved into a rather extensive list of men and women that each of the ladies wouldn’t mind enjoying some personal one-on-one time with.

You had been sitting in a comfortable silence for the past few minutes, chin in hand and elbow on the table, your mind pondering on something Penelope had said earlier. Your voice took on a contemplative tone as you mused aloud, “You know, if you combined all the men on the team… they’d make the perfect man.”

“What?” Emily sputtered into her wine.

Penelope giggled while JJ looked intrigued.

“Okay, just hear me out. Now, granted, everyone’s idea of the perfect man is different but for me… If we go by physical attributes first, you have to admit that each guy is objectively attractive on their own. I mean seriously, was it a prerequisite that everyone has to be outrageously good-looking to be a member of the team?”

The ladies heartily agreed with laughter and nods, but you gestured across the table to them. “I’m including you three in this too. Have you looked at yourselves? You’re all absolutely gorgeous.”

“Damn right, we are,” Emily exclaimed as she high-fived JJ.

You raised your glass to her and took a sip before expanding on your premise. “So by themselves, each man is handsome but combined…”

You tilt your head in thought. “For me, it would be Reid’s hair. I’ve always liked longer hair on a guy and have you seen those curls when he lets it grow out? And then add in Hotch and Rossi’s dark hair and … yeah. Next would be Morgan and Rossi’s facial hair. I don’t know about you ladies but I like a man with a bit of scruff, you know what I mean? Goatee or full beard or just a couple of days growth, hell even a good five o’clock shadow, as long as it’s maintained and not all scraggly, I like it. Oooh, remember when Hotch came back with a beard?

“Yeah,” you sighed, a bit more dreamily than you had intended, surely caused by the late hour and not the memory of a casually dressed, bearded Hotch. “Like that.”

All three ladies shared a knowing look, but you paid them no mind. 

“Though there is something to be said about a freshly shaved face. It’s so soft…” You sighed again.

“And then there’s height.” You knew you were rambling, but with the alcohol fueling you, there was little chance of stopping you now. “They’re all at least 6 foot so the height difference is perfect for both cuddles and forehead kisses.”

At this, Emily snorted. “Forehead kisses?”

“Yes,” you snipped primly. “They are the pinnacle of non-lip-to-lip kisses and they are my favorite thing. They just make you feel so adored. Now shush.”

You shooed her and rested your chin back in your hand. “Let’s see… Eyes. Honestly, I think they all have lovely eyes. I’m not picky on eye color really but I think Hotch’s stand out the most to me. I mean, have you seen his eyelashes? It should be criminal for a man to have such beautiful eyelashes.”

Another round of nods and hummed agreements sounded from the table.

“You know,” you continue with barely a pause, “I’ve never been a fan of really buff dudes, which sorry Pen, but that’s kinda why poor Morgan got kicked twice.” You shrugged unapologetically at her. 

“I’ve always preferred lean guys. Not scrawny but not bugling out his shirt, you know? Strong but not shoved in your face. But!” You sit straighter in your chair, index finger raised to emphasize your point. “That’s just looks. Personality-wise, I’m drawn to kindness first and our boys all have that in spades. And they each show it in different ways, but it’s always present.”

You met Penelope’s eyes. “And Morgan’s kindness absolutely overrides his excessive muscle mass. He’s honestly one of the kindest people I know, even if he’d deny it. He’s not humble about a lot of things, but he is about that.”

Your eyes dropped to the table as your finger ran along the wood grain. “I also like intelligence and while yes, first thoughts go to Reid, the others are all brilliant too. Like, Rossi is so wise! It seems like he always knows what’s going on with someone before anyone else, and always seems to know just what to say just when you need to hear it. And they each have strengths that I admire. I genuinely like each of them as a person and I’m proud to know them and am honored they consider me a friend. Honestly, I feel that way about all of you.”

“Aw!” Penelope sniffled. “That’s so sweet. We love you too, you know.”

You gave her hand a quick squeeze and took another sip of your drink. 

“What about lips?”

You blinked at JJ. “Lips? I’m not sure. I don’t know that I look at them much.”

Emily tilted her head. “You seriously don’t look at men’s lips?”

“Not really? I mean, I notice smiles. And honestly, how did I not start with that? It’s usually one of the first things I notice about someone. Smiles make everyone look twice as attractive. Oh, and a sense of humor! Gotta love a man who can make you laugh.”

“This one is definitely Morgan,” Emily chimed in and you nodded in agreement while Penelope raised her glass.

“Absolutely. He always makes me laugh, but so do the others. Rossi is snarky, which I appreciate as a fellow snarker. I can’t tell you the number of times he’s made me hold back a laugh during a round table. Reid can be really funny, too. Especially when we’re making Star Trek or Doctor Who references that no one else gets. Except you, Pen, but you’re usually in your lair. And Hotch—”

“No,” Emily cut in. “No way you think he’s funny. The man barely smiles.”

You tsked and leaned in, your tone turning a bit haughty. “First of all, I think it’s a good thing that he holds those back because have you seen how handsome he is when he smiles? His whole face transforms and he has dimples. Dimples . It’s ridiculous and no one would be able to focus on work if he was blinding us with his smile all the time. And secondly, yes. He’s hilarious, actually. He has a dry sense of humor that gets me every time. And he is so straight-faced about it. I laughed embarrassingly loud once at something he said and I had to leave the room because I couldn’t stop giggling. And the man had the nerve to be smug about it later.”

You shook your head with exasperated fondness, not noticing the raised eyebrows and pointed looks the other ladies were sharing.

“Anyway,” You sighed and leaned back in your chair. “Morgan is my biggest supporter, Reid nerds out with me, Rossi gives the best advice, and Hotch makes me feel safe. All things that would attract me to someone. So, with their powers combined…” You spread your hands in a sweeping motion. “The perfect man.”

“Huh,” Penelope hummed. “You know, I kinda see it.”

“See?” You grinned triumphantly. “We really do work with amazing guys.”

A cry of ‘hear, hear’ sounded around the table and the four of you leaned in to clink glasses.

Emily settled back in her chair with a smirk, her eyes focused on you. “Okay, you waxed poetic about the guys. Now, what about us?”

You grinned. “You, my darling lady loves, all hold a special place in my heart. There’s no way I could choose. You are each the perfect woman.”

Another cheer went up and everyone downed their drinks, laughing merrily.

The outing wound down about half an hour later. You each stumbled your way outside, Emily and Penelope deciding to share a taxi.

You stood with JJ as you waved the other two goodbye; you waiting for your own taxi and JJ waiting for Will to pick her up.

“You know,” she said conversationally, her eyes on the street. “You mentioned Hotch quite a few times describing your perfect man.”

You blinked. “What? I did not.”

She turned to you with a wide grin. “Oh yes, you did. No denying it now.”

You sputtered, not sure how to reply.

She chuckled and laid a hand on your arm, just as your taxi arrived. “Seems to me like he ticks quite a few of the boxes for your perfect man.” She leaned in to whisper, “So what are you going to do about it?”

JJ winked as she stepped back to open the door of the car that pulled in behind your taxi and slid in. “Just think about it, okay?”

You nodded numbly, mechanically climbing into the back seat of the taxi while Will and JJ patiently waited to make sure you were safely on your way.

You mumbled out your address and barely noticed the drive home, arriving much sooner than expected, as your mind was focused on JJ’s words.

You shook your head as you entered your apartment, determined to think no more of it. It was just a silly statement born out of one too many drinks.

There was no way you thought of Hotch that way.

No way at all.

***

The rest of the weekend was miraculously quiet and work-free. You couldn’t remember the last time you had so much time to yourself, so you took full advantage of it.

As days off always tended to do, they flew by too quickly and Monday morning arrived before you were ready for it. You greeted everyone when you entered the department, nodding to Rossi and waving at Morgan and Penelope as you settled in at your desk.

No new case had come in, so today would be an in-office day catching up on paperwork and caseloads.

You were productive throughout the day, completing most of the pending work assigned to you, and you were feeling quite accomplished with the diminishing stack in your inbox.

Only a few minutes remained in the workday when you stood from your chair, stretching your stiff back, and made your way up the stairs to Hotch’s office to drop off an armful of completed reports.

You knocked on his door, only having to wait a second before he bid you enter.

He was focused on the open file in front of him and he didn’t look up until you spoke. “These are ready for you to review, Hotch.”

His eyes shot up to meet yours before dropping to the folders in your arms. He gestured to the corner of his desk nearest you and went back to scribbling notes on the report. “You can just leave them there, thank you.”

You set them down next to another stack and grimaced. There were multiple bundles of files littering his desk. While in-office days were great for clearing your desk of work, it unfortunately always added to Hotch’s workload.

“Looks like everyone had similar offerings for you today. Will you be able to leave at a reasonable hour tonight? I’d be happy to help with anything if you need it.”

Hotch finished the line he was writing and looked up at you through his long lashes, a small, shy kind of smile curving his lips. His cheeks were just a touch pinker than usual and you blinked because you’ve never seen that look on his face before.

He looked almost bashful, a word you would never have associated with Aaron Hotchner.

But damn, was it a good look on him. He really was a handsome man, wasn’t he? Kind, funny, successful, and a great father. He was practically the perfect man.

You froze and blinked again at the realization.

“Oh, uh,” his deep voice broke you from your thoughts. “I appreciate the offer, but I’ve got it covered. I shouldn’t be here too much longer.”

“Right, of course.” You nodded and prayed he couldn’t see the blush you knew was rapidly spreading across your face. “Well, good night, sir.” 

You spun on your heel and opened the door, ready to flee as fast as your feet could carry you.

His low, murmured good night followed you out the door and you nearly shivered because holy hell, even his voice was attractive.

You quickly grabbed your things and nearly sprinted to the elevators, not wanting to stay one second longer around skilled profilers who could read you so easily, knowing they would spot your flushed cheeks instantly and want to know what caused them. Or worse, they’d already know, and that was not something you were ready to discuss with any of them at the moment.

You had fully intended on ignoring JJ’s words from Friday night, but after your reaction just now, you knew she was right.

Hotch was pretty damn close to fitting the idea of your perfect man.

Or maybe, the idea of your perfect man came from Hotch.

You sighed as you entered the thankfully empty elevator, finally admitting to yourself the truth that had been staring you in the face for longer than you’d ever care to admit.

You had it bad for Aaron Hotchner.

Oh, you were in so much trouble.

***

Aaron watched as you left his office, your face a delightful shade of pink.

His eyes followed as you rushed to your desk, snatched up your things, and darted out the door.

He hadn’t meant to overhear Prentiss and Garcia’s conversation that morning as they reminisced over their night out last Friday. He certainly hadn’t meant to linger when they mentioned you and your adorable—according to Garcia—rant about the perfect man. And he most certainly hadn’t meant to lean in rather eagerly when they whispered about just how many times his name had come up as an example during said rant.

He had been pleasantly surprised and somewhat stunned by the information. He’d never thought of himself as an ideal for the perfect man. 

Sure, he supposed he had a few attributes that some women might find appealing. He had a successful career and tried to keep in shape, though that was more for his job than vanity.

But he never imagined that anyone would look at him and think that he was a paradigm of their perfect man. Least of all you.

You were a brilliant profiler, exceptional in the field and able to hold your own in a fight when needed, but you were also caring with the victims and their families. You were witty and kind and easygoing. You were someone who smiled freely and laughed readily and did your best to cheer and encourage the team on tough cases.

Not someone who would think of stoic, hardass Aaron Hotchner as the perfect man.

Still, he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes from drifting to the window of his office throughout the day, seeking you out.

He thought back to when you joined the BAU and how quickly you became not only an essential part of the team but a much-welcomed member of their little family. Everyone adored you and Aaron himself had to admit that you had wormed your way into his heart.

He loved the time he got to spend with you when the team got together to unwind after a case and the little moments of levity you all shared in between working. He recalled the times he managed to make you laugh and the occasions where he found himself chuckling as well. You were easy to talk to and more often than not, the two of you fell into conversation whenever everyone else was either asleep or preferred to be left alone on the jet going to and from cases.

He genuinely enjoyed your company and found himself wishing he could enjoy it more often.

His eyes wandered to the bullpen again, zeroing in on you almost immediately. Prentiss and Morgan were standing by your desk when one of them said something that made you laugh.

Your eyes squeezed shut and your mouth opened to release an enchanting sound of delight. Aaron couldn’t look away and had to admit that you really were quite lovely. Inside and out.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat looking at you but knew it was longer than appropriate. He shook his head and forced himself to focus back on his work.

He managed to shove all thoughts of you from his mind for the remainder of the day until a soft knock sounded on his door late in the afternoon.

He didn’t bother to look up from the report he was notating after giving a gruff come in until he heard your voice.

Aaron couldn’t keep his eyes from darting up to meet yours before dropping them to the large stack of files in your arms.

He gestured for you to place them on the corner of his desk next to the ones Reid had deposited earlier and thought that would be his singular interaction with you for the day.

But then your caring side came out again and you sweetly offered to help him, a proposition that both filled him with fondness and nervousness.

After all his wayward thoughts about you throughout the day, he wasn’t sure if being in close proximity with you was a good idea or not. 

Aaron looked up at you again, the late afternoon sun enveloping you, enhancing your features, and his only thought was that he’d been wrong earlier. 

You weren’t just lovely. You were stunning.

In that moment, he was completely captivated by you and his thoughts ran rampant as he cataloged every minute detail of you. Your beauty, your kindness, your brilliance, and all the little things that made you you . Everything that endeared you to him.

But his thoughts came to a crashing halt when he realized that he was staring at you. He felt his face flush and he stammered as he gently declined your help.

You bid him a good night, but Aaron couldn’t take his eyes off the spreading blush on your cheeks. It kept his attention until you were out of sight.

He blinked and dropped his eyes back to the forgotten report in front of him, a slow smile creeping across his face.

He may not have meant to overhear the conversation that caused him to think about you all day, but he was starting to be glad he had. It seemed it was all he needed to face a few truths he had been in denial about for a long while now.

He was completely and utterly smitten with you.

Now, he just had to decide what to do about it. 

Aaron sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Oh, he was in so much trouble.

[jirishnesensei]

geto suguru x reader | college au [18+]

offscript ch.1 be my lead

༺ Pairing. college au - volleyball player! geto x cinematography major! reader (f)

༺ summary - In the chaotic world of college life, you should have expected your drama production to turn south as fast as it did. When your lead actor drops out just weeks before the play, you’re left scrambling to salvage the show that means everything to you. Enter Geto Suguru—talented, charming, and the last person you’d expect to help. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and you find yourself convincing him to step into the spotlight.

༺ warnings/tags - 18+, fluff, angst, smut, fem reader, romance, pining, slow burn, friends to lovers (I guess strangers to friends to lovers), acting, college au, alcohol/drugs, injury, unrequited love, jealousy, Geto is bad at feelings, swearing

༺ status - ongoing

༺ chapters - 1/x

༺ word count - 4.6k

"You belong with me. You've always belonged with me." Emi cried. Her hand is clutched to her heart, and her voice trembles, afraid that her confession may push him away.

Kazuki looks between both her eyes with such yearning. He lifts his hand slowly and sweet, cupping her tear stained cheek as though she were some figment of his imagination.

"I love -"

The actor froze. He swallows thickly, changing his weight between both his legs, then said, "I love." You clutch your pen because he was hesitating.

The stage grew quiet, waiting for his line. You glance at the script in your hand anxiously, and when the actor looks at you, you mouth the line for him, confused because his said it a million times. He looks back at the actress in front of him and you notice how the hand that held her cheek became more rough. His eyes no longer bore weight to the scripts words, and his mouth frowns into a deep, personal scowl.

"Fuck you."

The hall audibly gasps in a chorus, nevermind he had a mini microphone attached to his cheek.

The next second the lecturer is up in arms. Your friend Mai beside you looks at the script to see if there were any line changes she didn't know about, but of course there wasn't.

Cecilia, the actress, has her lips parted just barely in a trembling frown. What you assume to be real tears start streaming down her face as she watches Jean, your actor and her boyfriend, drop the script to the floor, jump off the stage and grab his bag, beelining it straight for the doors.

"What the hell is his problem?" Your friend Mai stands abruptly beside you amidst the chaos. She glares at Jean, then rounds the table and goes straight for Cecilia and you? Well, you wish you could say you had just an inkling of moral to check up on her, but the only realization managing to bypass your conscious is the fact that your only male lead is speeding towards the exit door.

"Wait!" He starts walking faster when you call. You run to his side and grip his arm desperately. "Jean, just wait. Talk to me, what the hell happened?" You look between both his eyes for some kind of answer but now that you were in front of him, the entrance light beaming down the rows of seats, you could just make out the tears that were brimming in his eyes and I don't know, there's just something about men crying that gets you feeling like you're going to cry yourself.

"She cheated." He says, as if it were physically hurting him to pull those words out of his throat.

your eyes widen, and it's the first moment you stop thinking about your play. "she what?"

"She fucking cheated," He laughs pitifully at himself, aggressively wiping his palm against his cheek over and over to the point where it was turning pink. "And you wanna know with who?"

You fumble a couple filler words, expecting him to be rhetorical, but no, he wanted an actual answer. "C'mon, guess. There's only a few people worth fucking over a 4 year relationship for."

You flinch at his tone, "I don't know."

"It was Geto. Geto fucking... I mean what the hell am I supposed to do when she cheats on me with a guy like that?" His voice cracks when he speaks so he quickly turns his head away so you don't notice, but the damage was done, you could hear him sniffling and it made your heart crack into two uneven pieces.

"Shit...I'm..." You straighten up, standing there awkwardly now as he tries to stop himself from crying in front of you. The name he mentions is not foreign to you. Probably not foreign to anybody, really. "... Jean I'm so sorry."

"It doesn't matter." He shakes your arm off of him that you forgot was even still holding on and presses his lips tightly together as if there was so much more he wanted to say, but he doesn't. "I'm sorry, but I can't be in this show anymore. Not when she's - " when he looks at you, all the raw emotion he was letting off was thrown into your face like a reality check that he was not in the right state of mind to negotiate. As someone who does theatre work as her major, emotions were something you learned to pick up on pretty easily and Jeans... you actually felt scared standing before him with just how unpredictable he looked, so you take a step back and nod sympathetically.

"I understand."

Then he leaves. Without another word. Slamming the doors against the wall and leaving it swinging in his wake. When he's out of sight, your mind starts to pick up on all the commotion that's happening behind you. Cecilia is a crying mess on top of the stage, and everybody is out of their positions trying to comfort her or get the tea on what really happened. 

"Hey, what did he tell you?" Your friend Mai finally jogs over, concern written all over her face. You link your hands behind your neck and sigh.

"We just lost our lead."

you cancel the rest of the session. Having no lead made it immensely difficult for you to continue so you pack your bag with your script and belongings uncaringly. Most people have already left except for Mai, but someone walks up to you and you could feel yourself teetering the edge of breaking down.

"I don't know when the next rehearsal will be."

"It's me." Your hands freeze mid stuffing your jacket inside to look up at Cecilia who stood in front of you. Eyes all red and puffy, with faded lines of mascara running down her cheeks. You'd think she was the one that got cheated on. You straighten up and gesture to the chair beside you.

"Do you want to sit?" You offer but she shakes her head. 

"I just-" she takes a deep breath in, ringing her hands together nervously. "I just wanted to apologize to you. Formally. I really messed up and -" she starts to cry again and it took you by surprise, not moving for a few seconds before you quickly walk around your table to offer her a consoling hand.

"sh sh sh, you really don't have to explain."

Mai was a ways to the side, noticing you were preoccupied so she gave a sympathetic look then continued to close up the stage for you. You mouth a 'thank you' to her from over Cecelia's shoulder.

"But aren't you angry with me?" Cece is now wailing into her palms. You try and soothe her by rubbing her back, but it didn't seem to offer much, so you stretch over the table to your tote bag and grab the mini tissue packet for her. She takes it and really goes at it, "I fucked up so bad, but now I ruined your show too. I know you worked so hard on it-"

"Its fine cece." You squeeze her shoulders and bend down a little to look into her eyes. "Seriously, don't worry about it. Do you think I don't have a replacement?"

she sniffles, lifting her head up. "I thought you said you didn't prepare for one?..."

you give her a reassuring smile. "This is the biggest show of my life, of course I prepared for one."

That seems to calm her down a little bit because she's not crying anymore, but still she wipes her eyes. "If I can do anything to help, please let me know." 

You narrow your eyes at her, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "You should just go home and rest. I'll call you when rehearsal starts up again."

She suddenly comes in for a tight hug and although you work with her, you don’t really know her personally, so you awkwardly return it with a few pats on the back but then you think she probably really needs it so you squeeze her back instead. When she thanks you and turns to leave, she stops mid-step like she wants to say something.

"um, did he... did he say anything to you when you stopped him?" She can't look into your eyes when she asks. You think it's probably out of guilt, who really knows, but there's this ugly feeling in your chest that makes you think that Jean was probably telling you the truth. You don't want to get into the middle of anything, though, so you shake your head.

"Just that you guys had some problems."

She nods but leaves with a heavy cloud over her head.

---

"Cheated?" Mai scoffs beside you as you and her walked along the colonnade outside campus, a disgusted expression on her face. "And I consoled her."

You weren't listening to much of what she said since you had your own problems to figure out. Like for one, who in the world was going to replace your lead.

"So what're you going to do?" Mai sighs and frowns when she sees how despondent you look, poking at your ice cream in a cup that you bought from some fundraising group in the university. You think it's for the Volleyball team if you're not mistaken.

Despite having told Cece that you had a replacement for Jeans' role, you didn't actually have one. Something about nobody was good enough or whatever high horse reasoning you had at the time.

"do you think I could bribe Mr Sayako into giving me an extension?" You ask Mai and she shakes her head.

"Wouldn't work hun, this was already your extension, remember?"

"Okay sure, but what the hell? he saw what happened up there. How could I have planned for that?"

"I guess it's worth a shot, but what happens if he says no?"

You sigh, then take a mouthfull of your sugary treat and speak through it. "Look for a washed-up new lead, I guess,"

"What? you're just going to give up?" 

"mm," You shake your head, taking the spoon out of your mouth so you could talk, "its not giving up. I'm accepting reality."

"That's giving up." She sweatdrops, watching you juggle your envelope and ice cream in one hand while you fish in your back pocket for your phone.

"whatever." You say, taking it out and already looking for an Uber nearby so you can wallow in your bed with that entire bottle of wine you had planned on popping for your opening night, but that didn't seem like it was going to happen. Mai suddenly takes your shoulder, and it stops you from clicking accept.

"I have a crazy idea." She says. She's peeked your interest enough to make you drop your arm, but you don't respond. "Why don't you ask Geto to be your lead?" 

You deadpan. "are you insane?" it seems the more seconds that go by the more she seems convinced that she actually thought of something brilliant. 

"I went to high school with him and he did a class play once and by the gods he was fucking phenomenal."

"a class play?" You repeat like the word was foreign to your tongue. 

"yeah!"

"Like informal and for marks?"

"Yeah? Why do I feel like you're being condescending."

you look at her funnily. "oh, is that the word?" you stuff your phone back into your pocket. "You can't possibly think because he was good in a class play he'd be good to act in front of an entire audience on a stage in make up and costume?"

"You're not listening to me!" She whines and shakes your shoulders. Her excessive persistence makes you groan, flailing your one unoccupied arm at her to push her away.

"he was fucking great! Like professional great! Every acting club begged for him to join, even I begged him once but he said no cause he was doing volleyball or whatever-" she stops talking when a sports committee student randomly stops her and shoves a flyer into her hands while you continue to walk, "Sure, thanks," she absent-mindedly answers then catches up to you, "seriously, he was really good. I can guarantee you he would be much better than any random person you find now. With all the good actors taken he's your best shot."

You scoff, taking a spoon out of your ice cream again. "best shot..." you mutter then stop walking. "ok fine, lets say he actually is as good as you say he is, what makes you think I can convince him?"

You give her a couple seconds so that the gears could turn in her head, but the disappointment never hits, and her expression changes like a lightbulb flashing yellow, "You can be very persuasive." Is her counterargument.

You raise a brow at her instead of answering, so she gives you one of her meanest glares. "Why are you being so difficult right now?"

"Because I'm not in the mood to make a fool out of myself with someone I don't even know not to mention, incase you forgot, he is literally the reason my first lead quit on me!"

"and some people fuck their CEO to get a promotion!"

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

She rolls her eyes impatiently.

"You have been trying to get picked up on your writing for years now. Are you seriously willing to just throw all that away just so you can say a couple of years down the line 'at least I maintained my morals for that play'?" She looks at you genuinely concerned, and it makes you frown.

"No..."

"Then you can't be thinking about everyone else's feelings (y/n). You do what you gotta do."

"But what if-"

"Zip it." She takes your ice cream and it makes you frown harder. "It's just one audition. You miss all the shots you don't take, remember?" 

You press your lips into a tight line and narrow your eyes. Nothing you said would go through her thick skull, and admittedly, a part of you was already convinced. Mai glances down at the flyer in her hand and is about to throw it away when she gasps and starts to shove it in your face.

"You cannot tell me this isn't a sign!"

You send her an irritated look when she doesn't stop the shoving and forcibly pull the flyer out of her hand to read it. And in clear-cut bold, it says:

Volleyball Team try-outs!

The gym will be closed for the next month in order to facilitate the try-outs and training of new team members.

Trials start on the 27th of May and ends on the 21st of June

Make the time and become a part of the Todai Volleyball team!

It was professionally designed with a team photo transparently printed behind the font, too. It was a testiment to just how much the school adored their volleyball team, handing out these flyers to just about anybody that has a pair of hands, going off of the stack that was in that guys arms.

The date, however, was the most jarring because it couldn't have been more perfect, giving Geto, if he had to agree, the perfect opportunity to help you out and not clash with his practices.

Mai gasps, her line of sight just past your head. "Speak of the devil!" She grips your arm and forces your attention to the right. You feel your chest tighten when you see him in all his glory, Geto Suguru, and a few other guys you recognize as a part of the team around him. They just walked out of the econ building and you can already notice the attention they were getting.

Mai is suddenly pushing against your back fervently. "Now's your chance, c'mon! Let's go!"

"What?!" You look back at her like she's gone mental. "Now? You want me to go now?" 

"When else?!"

"I didn't even prepare anything! Don't I only have one shot?!"

"Yes and this is it! You're the most persuasive when you don't overthink anything. Just ask him and don't be a pussy about it!"

She pushes you hard, and it's enough to get you to start walking his way anxiously, looking back at her enthusiastic smile as she gives you two thumbs up like a mum sending her child off to school.

You sigh pitifully, shaking your head. What in the world has your life come to? Just now you had the perfect cast, the perfect script, and now you're going to beg and grovel to someone you've never even spoken to before? you suppose, if he does actually agree by some miracle, then you wouldn't mind. But that was one big miracle and you don't think you've done enough good deeds to warrant that.

You adjust your navy blue headband to neaten out the baby strands that were sticking out. The rowdiness of the group with their deep, masculine laughter, trying to speak over one another was becoming abundantly clear as you neared, although Geto seemed to be the only one that's not trying to scream over his teammates. You neatened your buttoned up white shirt, unrolled your black jersey sleeves, and lifted your pants up with the hoops of the waistband. 

"god... here we go," you mutter. "excuse me." you say loud enough to catch the attention of just the right person right as a guy behind him gave a solid slap on his back and exclaimed a this guys worse, dude before following the group further down the pavement, leaving you alone with Geto.

You give him your best smile, waving your hand but also mentally aware to not actually swoon over him because wow, up close you could just tell he was a man made with love. 

He’s tall, atleast six feet tall which is well above your head and there's a slight sag to his shoulders with effortless bedroom eyes. He has long, thick hair that you'd kill for, tied in a messy high bun that suggests he didn’t bother with it after his practice and he loosely grips a half-empty water bottle, droplets still clinging to the sides with one hand casually inside his long white and blue athletic pants coupled with his sports jacket that's only zipped three-quarter of the way, just enough to reveal a glint of a silver chain resting against his collarbone. The sleeves of his jacket are casually rolled up to his elbows, too, with his one arm sporting a niche black watch that looked like it wouldn't have the numbers on it. You hope you didn't pan up his physique. You just couldn't help but notice how effortlessly stylish he looked, and you started to get your hopes up that maybe Mai was onto something.

You notice he looks a bit pensive by your sudden approach, a light crease forming in his eyebrows as if trying to recognize you, but it quickly disappears the same moment his eyes flicker to your hands that still hold your small admissions envelope that you got signed to book out the hall for your shows opening night.

“I don’t think you know me,” you say, and he naturally switches into this approachable demeanor with a light smile, shaking his head that makes his bangs sway gently.

“No, I don’t think I do.” He turns away from his retreating friends to give you his full attention, and his voice catches you so off guard. You suppose, there’s a delicateness to him that you hadn’t anticipated.

“I’m (y/n),” you introduce yourself. He nods, acknowledging you. “Geto.” he says as if not everybody already knew who he was.

You tuck a strand of hair behind your ear and exhale, suddenly feeling nervous.

“So, listen... I don’t want to waste your time, so I’ll just cut to the chase. I’m producing this show, and I’d really like for you to audition to be my lead -" Your words trail off as you notice his expression change.

"A show?" He repeats. There’s suddenly an intensity in his gaze that makes you want to apologize for even asking because it feels like you’ve wronged him somehow. You just nod. "Yeah...or like a play, whichever works..." 

“Oh.” You hear the disinterest in his tone, but he covers it up with a polite smile, “Thank you, but I’ll have to decline. I’m really busy with volleyball practice.”

"I know you're busy," you cut him off, taking a step closer but remember you can't come off as desperate despite how much you actually are. "my play's opening night is June 23rd, and I know your practices are on hold now for the next month with the trials starting up."

He stares at you for a few seconds, almost like a deer caught in headlights and then he chuckles.

"You really did your homework."

You give him a weak smile, shrugging. "If I'm going to ask you I think it's only safe measure to know my information, right? This wouldn't be just for me either. This would be really good exposure for you too. I have pretty top end agencies attending the play and you never know. They may just be interested in what they see."

He hums, crossing his arms and getting more comfortable on his feet. It takes everything in you to not glance at how nice his arms probably look across his chest.

"But I'm pursuing volleyball, what need would I have for acting agencies?"

"Well, they're not just looking for actors," A gust of wind blows some of your hair over your lips, so you lift your hand to hold it to the side. He notices the movement. "they could use you for the sports magazine, publicize your skills, your credentials. It could easily bring nationwide attention for you to be on that."

You feel a sense of pride when Geto’s demeanor shifts subtly from uninterested to genuinely intrigued. You’ve cast the line, and now you just need to reel him in.

“Hm,” he exhales, shoulders dropping slightly. “How long is it again?”

"one month. Give or take a few days."

"and you want me to audition?"

"Yeah, any day this week is cool but preferably as soon as possible."

He raises a brow and by the tug of his lip you're assuming he found something amusing. "So wait, you are producing what sounds like the most important play of your life and you're only now looking for a lead?"

You flush at his comment, looking away sheepishly at the students exiting the campus doors. Sharp as a knife this one...

"That's a... It's a really long story, but you don't have to worry about that, I have a complete team that's ready to go at a moments notice. I just need my lead."

He taps his finger over his bicep, nibbling on the inside of his cheek as if he's thinking about it and you think you might have convinced him, but then he shakes his head again and this time he's halfway turning around with a hand raised.

"Sorry, but I'm just not interested. Good luck with your search though." then he leaves, catching up with his friends. Your jaw literally drops. He asked all those questions just to fucking say no?! 

In his defense he was surprisingly polite, but you couldn't care less about that as you feel your frustration start to fester, all the events of the day coming to a boiling point. Without thinking and with really nothing to lose, you yell:

"You owe me, you asshole!"

and he turns, so damn fast you're surprised he didn't get whiplash. His face was just screaming for you to repeat that and you did. Gladly.

"You think I don't know? sleeping around with girls that are already taken!?"

you don't even know when it happened or how in the world he moved so fast but you're suddenly pushed back into campus with a very strong hand, dragged into a random empty lecture hall as if you weren't a fully grown adult yourself and then despite how much Geto tried to whisper, he echoed in the large room.

"What the fuck is your problem?" He demands while looming over you and usually you'd be intimidated by a man as dominating as him but in this current moment you could only glare and channel every nerve of frustration into the conversation.

"What the fuck is your problem?!" You press a finger into his hard chest. "Sleeping with someone that's already taken- Do you have any idea how hard I worked, how long I slaved away at this show just to have it ruined because you couldn't keep it in your pants for someone that's available?!"

Geto’s eye twitches, and for a moment, you think he’s going to yell back at you. But instead, he takes a step back, running a hand through his messy hair and forces himself to stay calm.

“Look,” he says, “I don’t know what you think you know, but whatever happened between me and... whoever, it’s not my fault your show is falling apart.”

You let out a bitter laugh, looking away and shaking your head. “Cecilia. And of course, it’s not your fault. It’s never the other person's fault, right? You just waltz into people’s lives, do whatever the hell you want, and leave them and others to deal with the mess.”

Geto’s jaw tightens, his eyes narrowing as he stares down at you. “I didn’t ask that girl to be unfaithful, I didn't even know she was, and I sure as hell didn’t ask to be dragged into this drama. So why don’t you stop blaming me for your problems?”

“oh, my bad, you’re right. You didn’t ask for this so that just means all of the problems you had a hand in just fall away." You take a step closer, teetering the edge of calm and blowing a fuse, " I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but your actions have consequences you know. Whether you like it or not, you’re part of the reason why things went south. Why I don't have my lead anymore. You could at least try to be an adult about it by taking some responsibility instead of just acting innocent.” Your phone starts buzzing in your back pocket, and you see it's Mai texting you, but you quickly turn it off.

You don't see his expression soften slightly, the tension in his shoulders easing as he considers your words. “And you really think being in your play is going to make up for it?”

Your ears perk when you hear the opportunity in his voice and you look back at him, noticing how he seems to be considering you, “It’s a start,” you plead, “I know it’s a long shot, but it’s all I’ve got. I’ve worked so hard on this, and I’m not ready to give it all up when I'm so close to the end."

You watch his chest rise and fall with a deep breath as he turns his head to look away from you and instead at the empty seats in the lecture hall. Long lashes flutter against the top of his cheeks every time he blinks. You hate the fact that you think about how unfairly attractive he is in the moment. After a long pause, he finally looks back at you, his expression unreadable.

“Fine,” he says quietly and your eyes widen. “I’ll audition. But that’s all I’m promising. If I don’t like it, I’m out.”

You can't control how shocked you look when he acquiesces. Honestly, you didn't expect anything out of this after calling him out the way you did and just started running your mouth to let off some steam, but maybe he really did feel bad. “s-seriously? Oh my god, thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” he warns, the seriousness in his tone cutting through your relief. “Like I said, this doesn’t mean I’m committed. I’ll give it a shot, but if I’m not into it, that’s it.”

“I understand,” you say, quickly nodding. “That’s all I’m asking.”

Geto takes a step back, leaning on the edge of the lecturers table with one palm holding his wrist. “So when should I come in to audition?”

"Uh-... " Your mind runs blank, you hadn't expected to come this far. You scramble for your phone to check the schedule you’d painstakingly put together, but not a single slot was available. "How's tomorrow afternoon?" You look at him.

Geto raises an eyebrow. “Afternoon works. What time are we talking?”

You tap on your phone screen with your painted nail, trying to appear confident despite the nerves. “How about 4pm?”

“Sounds good," he tilts his head and his eyes get smaller like he's plotting something. "but only if you agree to one condition.”

"condition?”

"yes," a witty smile plays on his lips. “I want an iced coffee,"  His shoulders raise as he shrugs. "It's the least you could do after nearly tarnishing my name out there."

You blink, momentarily taken aback by such an innocent request. “uh, yeah sure. I can do that. Is that all?"

He gives you a pointed look before he walks over to you. You feel yourself straighten by the approach. "You make it sound like that's an easy condition, but I'm a very hard man to satisfy." He stops in front of you, and you have to crane your neck to keep eye-contact. "But for now, yes." his eyes flicker between yours and the faint smell of cologne consumes you. "That's all."

You get a bit overwhelmed by his unwavering eyes so you look away into your tote bag. You swear he becomes just a little bit smug by it. "And, um, here’s the script." You pull out your personal script since it was the only one you had on hand. When Geto looks at the worn-out, slightly crumpled script covered in handwritten notes, annotations, and sticky tabs, his gaze softens, and he takes it tentatively from you.

“I know it looks like a mess, but it’s got all the notes and directions you’ll need. Just ignore the scribbles if they get in your way—most of it is just me trying to make sense of everything.” You adjust your bag strap sheepishly while Geto cards through the pages with his thumb. 

"You're really passionate about this." He glances at you and you're not even paying attention to him anymore. Your eyes are trained on the script in his hands like it was your holy bible and it might as well have been.

"Hm, I've been working on it since the start of the semester. I'm hoping to get picked up with this bad boy." You look back at him, and you're suddenly giving off a much softer vibe. He thought how strange it was that you saw no issue in handing over probably your most prized possession to a complete stranger. He sighs and then tucks the script to his side. "I’ll see you at the audition, then.”

You smile back at him. "hm, see you then. And thank again. Really."

he hums and walks past you to the door, brushing his arm against yours where you could feel the cold fabric touch your skin, the tension in your chest finally starts to ease. Just as he reaches the exit, he pauses and glances back at you.

“And for the record,” he adds, his voice carrying easily across the empty room, “you’ve got guts. Not many people would call me out like that.”

With that, he leaves, the door clicking shut behind him. You stand there for a moment, still processing everything that just happened. Your heart is still racing, but it’s no longer from anger or frustration. It’s from a strange, tentative hope that maybe, just maybe, things might work out after all. When you leave the class you're surprised to see Mai just a meter away, gnawing at her nails with the most horrified expression on her face. When she sees you she doesn't waste time to grab your arm and drag you out of the campus building. "I told you to convince him to audition, not fucking call him out, you idiot!"

You laugh at her, holding her hand that's on your forearm. "Do I have some good news for you."

✧You're all caught up!

[mnnuni]

Not just sex

Jay Halstead x Reader

Summary: Jay and reader live the evolution of their relationship Warnings: smut Words: 2491 Author's note: I actually don't know if i like the ending and I think there may be some typos, sorry

"I swear to you, the chief's face at that" (Y/N) was practically crying while she told the story "Otis was covered in flour from head to toe, we never understood how it happen"

"Because he's an idiot sweetheart" Hermann said while passing her table and handing her the beer she ordered; she pointed at him "very true, but still"

Jay loved seeing her laughing so much.

"wait wait wait" Adam was chuckling too, "if it was just flour, why did you hear a- how did you said it?"

"a BOOM" she moved her hands to simulate an explosion. She knew he was only asking her to make fun of her, but she laughed at that too.

They were all hanging out at Molly's, as per usual; everyone talking with everyone, about everything, bit (Y/N) could only think of how amazingly blue were Jay's eyes in front of her;

At some point during the evening, (Y/N) send Capp to the smiling blondie across the bar -Lord knew he needed to get laid and that woman was willing on doing it-

Just half an hour later Adam and Kim disappeared too, and they left (Y/N) and Jay alone. The tension was palpable.

They didn't last long like that, swirling their beers through their fingers, looking at each other... (Y/N) hoped noone could notice the true intentions under their eyes, Jay thought they were so obvious with their glances that everyone knew about them and were only waiting for them to confirm anything. Either way, when they got to that point of the night, neither could care less of anything other than each other.

(Y/N) got up to announce she was going to head home but Jay caught her arm, he brought her near him pretending to hug her goodbye to whisper "I'll take you home" and lightly bite her ear; he did it so naturally that noone noticed, but the goosebumps (Y/N) got from just that...

She tried to contain herself, to walk normally through the bar and act like she wasn't going to scream Jay's name in a few minutes but Jay took her hand the moment they stepped out of the bar.

It was so natural.

Too natural. (Y/N) left it and began to walk to the cars, Jay scoffed but was smiling at her.

When they got in Jay's car the air shifted in an awkwardness that didn't belong to them; (Y/N) had a feeling Jay wanted to kiss her and couldn't comprehend why he wasn't doing it. Jay really really wanted to kiss her, but maybe rushing things wasn't a good idea: he didn't want "just sex" with her, and she had to understand it.

Jay leaned over and turned the radio on, "oh my God I love this song" (Y/N) beamed and started to sing. She was so fucking beautiful like this: comfortable and happy in Jay's presence. He loved it. At the chorus of the second song, Jay finally put his hand on her thigh. He could practically feel the internal battle that (Y/N) was fighting between giving in or pretend his touch didn't affect her so much. Jay loved this too.

"I have to say, I really want to stay the night tonight"

It was a simple sentence, but from the way he put it (Y/N) knew it was more than that. He didn't say "I want sex and you're the only one who wants it with me" -which (Y/N) swore multiple times that wasn't true and that there was a very long line of women anywhere he was- no, he wanted to let her know that she made him hard with just a look and he couldn't even think to rest his hands from her but was more than happy to just sleep in the same bed if that's what she wanted.

Don't get her wrong, (Y/N) wanted to jump his bones off, but tease him like this was so fun... So she pretended he didn't say anything and kept signing until they got to her apartment.

She kept her act going smiling at him and kissing his cheek as a thank you for getting her home, she got out of the car and started walking to her flat.

It got him the time that (Y/N) arrived to her door to show up, while she was searching for the keys she felt his hands on her waist. "Took you long enough" she looked up at him and finally looked him in the eyes again. Jay didn't let her say anything else, slamming his lips to hers and devouring her on her porch. When she felt his tongue pushing at her lips she couldn't control herself anymore and opened her mouth to let him do whatever he liked. In their little bubble of hands and mouths they forgot where they were and only returned to reality when (Y/N)'s keys fell from her hands and made a noise. The pair got away from eachother, Jay got the keys and opened the door but it was (Y/N) that pushed him inside and blocked him at the door to kiss him again.

Jay pushed her away with his hands on her waist, (Y/N) was ready to have sex on her couch but he had other plans. He lifted her shirt and turned her around, flashing her back to his chest and while he kissed her neck gently and unbuttoned her jeans he guided her to her bedroom.

When (Y/N) turned to look at him, Jay was shirtless too and was pushing her to the bed to make her sit.

He was so handsome.

He left her in her underwear and was gently pushing her legs apart now, he got on his knees and started kissing and biting her thighs. (Y/N)'s breath stopped in her throat when Jay got to her panties, grabbed them with his teeth and proceeded to take them away with his mouth.

He had a wonderful mouth.

"So wet for me". He knew it was only for him, but liked the reminder. (Y/N) settled on her elbows to look at him better but when he finally licked a stripe she closed her eyes and put a hand in his hair. Jay kept licking her up and down until he heard a whimper and knew it was the moment to start sucking on her clit and massaging her lips with his fingers;

"Jay" she breathed out, he was looking at her through his lashes and she clenched at his look. He entered her with both fingers and (Y/N) moaned again; Jay was fucking smirking on her her pussy. When she tightened her grasp on his hair Jay became a hungry man and devoured her all, "please don't stop".

Oh he would never...

(Y/N) was a mess of moans and screams and Jay wanted so desperately to cume with her, but she was the priority now.

"I-I'm" she couldn't resist anymore, "I know baby" a suck "let it all go" a pump of his fingers "cum for me baby" a last lick. And then it all went away because (Y/N) was a panting wreck and Jay was eating her orgasm out until she calmed down.

When she slumped on her back on the mattress Jay slowed down and started to clean her, slowly, gently and kissing every part of her now red pussy.

After he was done he got up, took off his jeans and boxer and lay down with her. He didn't expect to do anything else, he just wanted to be near her and feel her. (Y/N) turned to him and smiled, she got closer and whispered a content "hi", Jay chuckled at her "hi baby".

Looking at him in all his naked glory, after an orgasm, made her want more, (Y/N) bit her lip and got even closer "I want you". Jay thought she was even hotter when she spoke her desire out loud, but he also knew that her pussy's lips were swollen "you sure?", she travelled her hand from his chest to his dick. (Y/N) squeezed his tip making him hiss, "positive".

Jay smiled and turned to her nightstand to pick a condom while (Y/N) kissed his back and caressed his shoulders. When he got back he already opened the package but she stopped him, "what- something wrong?" she shook her head "I want to do it". She already got the envelope in her hands and Jay's eyebrows never shot up so fast, "if-if you're okay with it", Jay seemed to come back to earth "I-I-I- of course!" she smiled "you're so fucking hot" he confessed kissing her again. While they kissed (Y/N) picked the condom and slowly unraveled it on Jay, he moaned in her mouth and swore he never experienced something hotter.

They lay back on the bed and Jay started to grind on her, "don't tease" she hissed and he smiled.

He loved to tease her.

Jay entered at a slow pace, he wanted to feel every inch of her stretch to his dick. (Y/N) wanted to scream from the first instant he started to move, but she put her hand on her mouth to muffle her noises. Jay didn't agree. He put her hands on top of her head and purred in her ears at the sign "I want to hear you while I fuck you". She would definitely moan now.

Jay on top was so good: he kissed her neck and mumbled dirty things in her ears. And he had so much control of his thrusts, he could almost hit her g spot.

But (Y/N) wanted to be in charge too. It was her on top now and she loved how one of Jay's hands was on her hip and the other on her breast, flicking and squeezing her nipple from time to time. When she was on top they both were a mess of moans and grunts because she was able to grind her clit too and Jay loved the sight of her tits so near his face when she jumped up and down. This time (Y/N) swore Jay didn't moan, he said "I love you". She stopped for a second.

Nahh it couldn't be.

"Jay I-" her movements were becoming sloppy, Jay put both his hands on her hips to steady her "I know baby, I know". She couldn't keep it anymore, so Jay pushed her back on the bed and started to thrusts into her so hard they were both screaming. When Jay came he didn't stop until (Y/N) closed her eyes and finally let go.

After some moments he gently pulled out of her and let her breathe. He threw away the condom and got his boxers again; (Y/N) was happily watching him go around in her room to find her "sleeping t-shirt" from the bed. He sat on the bed again and put it on her, kissing every part of her during the process.

"You okay?"

He always asked her after. She always said "more than okay" and then she stretched her arms to him to make him hug her and sleep with her. He didn't need the grabby hands, he would have done it anyway, but Jay loved seeing her so cozy around him.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Jay Halstead slept so well that night and had a wonderful breakfast with (Y/N) the following morning that he didn't realise what he did up until he heard Adam whisper "I love you" to Kim before she left for a few hours the precinct.

"Oh shit"

Yeah he screwed up big time.

"What?", Adam was already laughing at his face, Antonio was rather concerned instead "what'd you do Halstead?" "I told (Y/N) I love her". He didn't realise what he'd done now either, he was too in shock. Nobody knew about them and he just confessed his love to everyone.

"You did what?" , Antonio's concern shifted to confusion; that seemed to shake Jay to reality "Um-", then they started with the questions "(Y/N) as in (Y/N) (Y/L/N)? The firefighter?" "How long have you two been seeing eachother?" "I knew there was something when-"

"Halstead"

He never thanked God enough for the call from Voight, "Sarge?" "I need you at the 51, Boden already knows what I need, go talk to him", yeah and that's why he didn't thank him.

Adam burst out laughing at Jay's petrified face, "is there a problem, Halstead?" "No Sarge".

He got up and started going like he was doing the walk of shame.

Now Antonio's expression was one of pure amusement.

When he finally arrived at the firestatione, everyone was there. Perfect, he thought, he was gonna embarass himself in front of a platoon of firefighters whithout them even understanding why. He tried to act as cool as possible, asking Severide to see their chief and everything was going smoothly. That was untill he passed Boden's door and saw (Y/N) sat on the couch in the chief's office.

"Ah Detective, I know why you're here", Boden started the search for some documents and Jay could only look at (Y/N); she nodded and saluted him with a short "detective" and a smirk.

Jay wanted to be swallowed by the abyss of the Earth.

Boden handed him two folders and thanked him for the help his unit was giving him to... something- he didn't really listen to anything other than his thoughts.

"Can I talk to you?" he asled (Y/N) when he was sure Boden had finished. She was rather confused but agreed nonetheless; (Y/N) led him to the lockers to be sure of have some privacy. She sat on a bench and he sat next to her, (Y/N) couldn't understand why Jay wasn't looking her in the eyes...

She took his hand to shake him from the visible spiral he was getting himself into and made him look at her.

Three seconds had passed, only three seconds and Jay exploded just because he finally looked at her "I love you"

(Y/N) felt the world stopping, the floor under her feet collapsing and the sky opening.

HE WHAT?

"I'm sorry, I imagined saying it in other circumstances but just before coming down here I realized I actually told you yesterday- which is even more terrible, I am so sorry, telling such a thing while you're on top of me is so... but it slipped and now that i saw you I couldn't wait anymore because I-I feel like I ruined everything"

(Y/N) couldn't decide if she was going to cry or laugh at his face.

"You love me?"

Jay wanted to crawl on the floor and never see the light again, but then he saw her tearing eyes and little smile of amusement and breathed a sigh of relief; "yes, (Y/N). I love you so much"

Yeah now she was crying for real.

She jumped at his neck and kissed him with an emotion he though he never felt.

"I love you Jay Halsted".

[purplephantomwolf]

Love in Motion

Chapter Six

Synopsis: You are a normal college student until you get a wrong number text.

Note: This is not an accurate portrayal of how the real people in this act. I do not know them personally, so I will not be portraying them accurately.

Previous chapter: Chapter Five

Masterlist

May 7, 2022

      You slam your hand down on your phone as your alarm wakes you up. “I don’t want to go to school,” you mumble, half asleep. You sit up and look around, realizing that you’re not in your room. It takes you another second to remember that you’re in Miami and now officially work for Red Bull. “Holy shit,” you jump out of bed, rushing around the room to get ready. You’re so excited to get to work. You head down to the breakfast area, grabbing a bagel to eat. You look around the room, trying to find a place to sit among the AlphaTauri and Red Bull employees. 

     “Y/n, over here,” Jane calls, waving a hand in the air so you can spot her. You make your way to her, weaving between the tables. 

     “Good morning,” you greet the table, sitting down between Amber and Jane. You get a chorus of good mornings from the three photographers. 

     “Did you go over your contract last night?” Jane turns to you. You nod your head taking a bite of your breakfast. “Are there any questions you have?” She asks. 

     “Yes, this moving stipend that’s mentioned, will that come before or after I move?” You ask. 

     “Before. It’ll just be a total sum we pay you, and then you use that to help you move,” Jane explains. You let out a sigh of relief, nodding. The stipend is enough for you to pay to move your things across the world and to get you to your first paycheck for rent. 

     “Perfect, thank you,” you smile at her. You finish up breakfast before heading into the hotel lobby with the group. 

     “Since your start date isn’t for another month and a half, you can just watch the race from the garage with us, Y/n. We’ll be leaving in about an hour for the track,” Jane tells you as you wait for the elevator. 

     “Sounds good, thank you,” you say, climbing into the elevator. Taking the elevator up, you head inside your room. Finishing up getting ready, you sit on your bed to wait. 

     While you wait, you text Luke. 

You: Hey, how’s your morning going?

Luke: Good! Getting ready for an event today. 

You: Oh nice! Good luck!

Luke: Thank you! Since it’s been a month of us talking, would you possibly want to meet up after the race? I’d love to finally meet you face to face.

You: I’d love to do that. We can meet up in the paddock after the race?

Luke: How about we meet behind the McLaren motorhomes? That way we have some privacy?

You: Okay! Sounds good to me!

Luke: I look forward to meeting you tomorrow. 

You: Me too. Good luck with your event today!

Luke: Thank you!

     There’s a knock at your door and you glance at the clock. It’s about time that you leave. You open the door to Jane standing there. “Time to go?” You ask her, grabbing your purse and camera. 

     “Yes! Excited for qualifying today?” Jane asks, as you step out of your room. 

     “Definitely, hoping Max does good today,” you say, strolling towards the elevator.

     “We all are,” Jane says, trailing after you. 

     You ride the elevator down to the lobby and take a cab to the track. You stroll around the paddock, taking pictures. 

************************************************************************

May 8, 2022

     You gasp and your hands fly to your mouth as Lando and Pierre come into contact with each other. Lando’s tire rolls across the track and you internally pout for Lando. Lando wasn’t in the points, but not finishing the race is never fun. You just know he’s disappointed with himself. 

     After five laps under the safety car, racing starts again. You cheer as Max holds the lead. You continue cheering as he holds the lead for the rest of the race. 

     The garage lets out a loud cheer as he crosses the finish line. The mechanics are hugging and high-fiving each other. You get some good shots of the celebrations, excited to be included in these celebrations soon. 

     Jane drags you along with her to the parc ferme, as Max is parking his car. Max gets out of his car and hugs his mechanics. You capture a picture of Max laughing, being lifted by his mechanics. It’s your favourite photo you’ve taken this weekend. 

     Max heads to the podium ceremony, and you wait for him under the podiums. You take pictures of him as he heads out onto the podium. He shakes the champagne and blasts everyone else that’s on the podium. You laugh as the champagne rains down. 

     After the podium ceremony, you head to the office with the other photographers. You spend some time going through your photos and uploading them to the social media folder. 

     By the time you’re done, the others have left. You check your phone to see a text from Luke. 

Luke: Want to meet in 15 minutes?

     This message was sent 10 minutes ago. 

You: Yes. I’ll see you in 5 minutes.

     You quickly rush to the bathroom to check your outfit and hair. Everything looks good, so you head for the McLaren motorhomes. 

     You walk slowly, hoping you take five minutes to get there, but you arrive a minute early. You anxiously wait, nervous about being in a place you’re probably supposed to not be. 

     “Excuse me, what are you doing here?” You turn around and see Zac Brown. 

     “Oh, I’m, uh, meeting someone from McLaren named Luke here,” you squeak out. 

     He looks you up and down. “There’s no one at McLaren named Luke that I know of, and I know everyone.” You blush and mutter apologies. 

     “She’s here for me, I’m assuming!” You turn around and spot Lando Norris rushing towards you. 

     Your eyebrows knit in confusion. “No, I’m here for -” 

     “Luke. I’m Luke,” Lando interrupts you. 

     You’re even more confused now. You see Zac slip away. “What do you mean you’re Luke?” You turn to him. 

     “I wanted to get to know you for you. And I wanted you to get to know me for me, not Lando Norris. So I lied about who I was before I even thought about it. I’m sorry, I know it was wrong of me, and I shouldn’t have done it. I was in too deep before I could back out of the lie.” Lando rushes out. 

     You’re shocked when you hear the truth. “I’m angry at you for lying, I’m hurt.” 

     “I know, I know. I’m sorry, I should’ve told you before now. But I screwed it up,” Lando says, looking apologetic.

     You sigh, running your hand through your hair. “Okay. I’m mad at you, and you’re going to have to make it up to me.” You smile softly. 

     “How about a date to make it up to you?” Lando suggests, smiling at you. 

     You just know Lando can see the shock on your face. “A date? You want to go on a date with me?” You stutter out.

     Lando nods, “I do.”

     “I think that’s a good way to make it up to me,” you laugh slightly. 

     “Sounds good. Text me your hotel and I’ll pick you up at 6:30,” Lando tells you. You nod and grab your phone, quickly texting him the location of your hotel. 

     “I’ll see you at 6:30 then,” you say. You walk away, stewing on the fact that you’re about to go on a date with Lando Norris.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Taglist:

@sol3chu

@faithshouseofchaos

@freyathehuntress

@hadids-world

@doofenshmirtzevil-inc

@delululeclerc

@anotherapollokid

@neferaskingdom

@a-beaverhausen

[ferrarifan4ever]

Then there was five.

Pierre Gasly x Leclerc! Reader

Warnings- Swearing(allot of it) , overprotective brothers,childhood games & maybe some kissing?

Summary~ Y/N Leclerc is the third born Leclerc child and was regretting all decisions they had made that day. Why they let Charles drag them along to go clubbing with the rest of the grid and a few extra people,we will never know. But very quickly chaos ensues as most of the drivers get drunk and Y/N realises that their thoughts can be really annoying.

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"THAT'S SO FUCKED UP GEORGE,NO!" It was absolute chaos. The entire grid including a few extra people had decided to all go to a club in Monaco during the summer break, however, some people were regretting the decision to let their brother drag them along. And by some people I mean Y/N Leclerc. Don't get me wrong, they loved their brothers company but....this was a bit much.

Zhou had decided to bring up an old game that they used to play as kids;Kiss,Marry,Kill. So naturally, everyone wanted to play. All 30 of them. Like I said earlier,there was some people who weren't on the grid that were invited,as follows: Ollie,Arthur,Jack,Kimi,Lorenzo,Y/N, Logan,Carmen,Lilly and Alexandra. I don't know why Charles invited BASICALLY everyone he knows,but here we are. "Hmmmmm Yuki,"Carmen stared Yuki down "Kiss,Marry,Kill...erm...Pierre, Fernando & Checo."

Silence.

All eyes flicked to Yuki,then to Pierre and Fernando then they landed on Checo.

Still silence.

Then after the longest 20 seconds of their lives, Yuki spoke up. "Kiss Checo,Marry Pierre and Kill Fernando.Sorry Nando!" The reaction was insane,some people trying to shove Yuki into Pierre and some just a bit to stunned to say anything. Now it was Yuki's turn to pick ,"Lando, ki-" Yuki looked over at Lando. He was asleep with a pint of what looked like straight vodka ( it was from truth or dare earlier guys, relax!)in his hand. "Right....okay ,not Lando then. Y/N ,Kiss,Marry,Kill.....Carmen, Arthur or Pierre?" Y/N was shocked. They had known Pierre basically their whole lives,and kinda sorta liked the French driver. But on the other hand, Arthur was their little brother (your older than Arthur but younger than Charles). Your mind had been made." Kiss Pierre,Marry Carmen and Kill Thur." The chorus of people aww-ing didn't seem to end. It was one of the most embarrassing things you had ever done.

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The game dragged on into the night and slowly {somehow} morphed into truth or dare. People started leaving,so there was only like 12 of you left,including Lando,who Carlos and Oscar were trying to wake up. And miserably failing.

All you could think about was Pierre,which was unusual for you,as all you could normally think about was Holly Jackson books (seriously her books are incredible check them out). The look he gave you earlier when you said 'Kiss' kept flashing up in your head. It was frustrating you to another level that you couldn't pinpoint what the look was trying to say. Was it a look of disgust or the complete opposite? Fuck knows.

You were abruptly brought out of your train of thought by Max trying to climb on the table, after Ollie and Kimi had said that they thought Max was kinda overrated (sorry fellow Ollie and Kimi stans....they might not make it out of this one). " NO YOU TWO! I AM SUPERIOR! I DON'T CARE IF YO-"

'Clunk.'

You all stared down at Max as he glared daggers at Ollie and Kimi from the floor. "This isn't over you dickheads ,I'm gonna ram you into the wall next season... SO YOU CAN SUCK MY D-" Daniel quickly jumped up and shoved his hand over Max's mouth."Max, mate the kids are only 18 and 19,calm down.Okay, me and Max are leaving now...i am so sorry Oliver and Andrea." Then there was 10.

Ass the night slightly quieted down you couldn't help but steal glances at the French driver, praying that your brothers didn't see you doing it though. As Oscar and Lando (The whole Max,Kimi and Ollie situation woke him up) walked outside for a minute,mainly so Lando didn't throw up because of the vodka , the seating in the booth switched around. Y/N ended up lodged between a surprisingly awake Ollie and a really sober Charles. You tried to look anywhere but next to you,as you were afraid that Charles had seen you looking at the Frenchman earlier. You glanced up to see what unfortunate person had been sat in front of you and your face turned redder than the Monza grandstands. It was Pierre. And he was looking straight at you. Smiling. And winki- oh my god he just winked at you. Your face gew fifty shades darker (if that was possible) as you sweetly smiled back at him. It was times like these that you really wanna just confess your undying love to him. Little did you know, Pierre was having the exact same thoughts.

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The night felt like it would never end despite the fact it was only half eleven. "Okay guys,it been fun but I've got to go ,otherwise Rebecca will wonder were I am. Bye!"

Then there was 9.

"Yeah on that note, me and Kimi need to go. It's been a blast though guys!"

Then there was 7.

" I think it's best if I try and get Lando back to like, any bed so he doesn't wake up on the side of the road so ...bye."

Then there was 5.

Just like that five people had left, within the span of three minutes leaving just you,your brothers, Pierre and your thoughts. Which was a terrible match, because Pierre was there which tells your brain to act on the fact he's there,but also stops you from doing anything because all three of your brothers were still there . Your brain was eating itself alive. What to do? Sit in silence ?Ha,no.Act on it of course.

================================================

AN~

Part 2?

Also I'm so sorry it took so long to post, I tried ages ago when I originally said I would post it and it deleted everything,it was allot longer and with school starting up again and the fact I have currently got like 13 bits of homework waiting to be done is.....yeah. Made it a bit difficult to find a time to do this. Also reading it over, I've only just realised how bad it is so....let's try and keep hate to a minimum :)

[ducktoo]

Syncing Dream [Aespa x M!Reader]

7. Company Dinner

Note: final chapter of arc 1! Enjoy!

Masterlist here

The restaurant buzzed with chatter, laughter echoing through the private room where aespa, their dancers, and the staff gathered for a well-deserved company dinner. The mood was celebratory—relief and excitement still hanging in the air after their stunning performance at MAMA the previous night.

Y/n sat at the end of the long table, feeling a pleasant mix of exhaustion and pride. MAMA had been a whirlwind, and he was still trying to process how everything had gone so smoothly—despite the near disasters backstage. He took a sip of his drink, grateful that the year-end madness had subsided, even if just for tonight.

“You seem lost in thought again,” Winter’s voice pulled him out of his reverie. She was seated beside him, her signature smirk teasing at her lips. “Let me guess, you’re already planning how to avoid next year’s MAMA?”

“First off, I’ll be fired if I do that.” Y/n chuckled, shaking his head. “Second, I’m just still processing how none of you broke anything backstage. I was one misplaced costume away from a heart attack.”

Karina, across from him, gave a small, knowing nod. “Considering the disasters you averted, you did well, Y/n. Much better than I thought you would.”

Giselle leaned in, grinning. “Much better than the time you nearly sent our mics to the wrong stage. Or when you tried to call Karina ‘boss’ and nearly had a meltdown.”

Y/n laughed, a light flush creeping into his cheeks. “Yeah, yeah, I’m still learning. But I think we’ve all grown a bit since then.”

“Well, except Ningning,” Winter added, poking her cheek. “She’s still a menace.”

“Hey! You’re in this too, Minjeong-unnie!” Ningning shot back, pretending to be offended before flashing a mischievous smile. “Menace or not, I know how to make a show work.”

The conversation flowed easily, with everyone reflecting on the hectic moments leading up to MAMA. The dancers shared their own anecdotes from rehearsals, and even the staff couldn’t help but throw in a few teasing jabs at Y/n for his rookie manager mistakes. Despite the jokes, there was a shared warmth and camaraderie—proof of how much they’d been through together.

As the dinner progressed, the topic naturally shifted to dancing, with the dancers discussing favorite moments from past performances. And then, as if sensing an opportunity for fun, Giselle leaned in, eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Speaking of dancing…” Giselle began, glancing at Y/n. “Back then, we made Y/n danced to Drama. And honestly, he actually killed it”

Y/n froze, his eyes widening in surprise. “Oh sh- not that one, Aeri!”

Winter immediately jumped in, her face lighting up. “Oh,yeaa that one? We should've recorded it instead. Even though he was a trainee ages ago, his skill is still there”

Y/n’s face flushed as the table erupted in excitement laughter. He tried to backtrack, but the girls weren’t letting him off the hook so easily.

Karina’s smirk grew wider as she chimed in. “One time, I walked in on him practicing the chorus of ‘Next Level’ in the practice room late one night. He looked like he was preparing for his own debut.”

The table howled with laughter, and Y/n buried his face in his hands, groaning. “I wasn’t practicing! I was just… stretching and want to burn the midnight oil.”

Ningning shot him a disbelieving look, barely containing her amusement. “Stretching? While doing the entire routine, perfectly in sync?”

Winter was practically in tears at this point, leaning against Y/n as she caught her breath from laughing. “I knew you had it in you. Trainee instincts never die.”

Y/n sighed, knowing there was no escaping this. “Fine, fine. Maybe I was practicing a little. But you guys are pros—I had to at least keep up when I’m watching rehearsals. Plus, you guys made me pumped up.”

Giselle raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Oh? Does that mean you’ve been secretly hoping to dance on stage with us, idiot?”

The teasing was relentless, but before Y/n could protest again, the table erupted in cheers and calls for him to show his moves.

“No way, Minjeong” he said quickly, waving his hands. “Guys, not happening.”

But the girls weren’t backing down. “Come on, Y/n!” Ningning said, practically bouncing in her seat. “You killed it during our first practice we made you do. Don’t pretend you’re rusty.”

Giselle joined in, pointing towards an open space near the table. “Yeah, no more excuses. Let’s see what our secret dancer has got.”

Y/n groaned as all eyes turned to him. “You guys are going to regret this. Play Next Level and let me ruin your song.”

With a deep breath, he stood up, mentally preparing himself for the impending embarrassment. The girls cleared a small space, eager to see what he’d do.

Y/n took a moment to shake off the nerves, trying to ignore the amused glances from everyone around him. Then, with a smirk, he started moving. The familiar beat of “Next Level” played in his mind as he hit the moves he had been secretly practicing, one after the other.

Surprisingly, the rhythm came back to him effortlessly. His body responded on instinct, the fluidity and sharpness in his movements surprising even him. The table erupted in cheers and laughter, and Y/n, finding his confidence again, threw in a few extra moves to finish with flair.

When he finally stopped, out of breath but grinning, the entire room clapped and cheered, with Giselle whistling loudly.

“That was awesome!” Ningning exclaimed, her eyes wide. “I didn’t know you still had it in you!”

Winter patted him on the back, still laughing. “See? We knew you’d been holding out on us.”

Karina, arms crossed but a smile tugging at her lips, nodded approvingly. “Not bad, Y/n. Guess you’ve still got a few tricks up your sleeve.”

Y/n flopped back into his seat, grabbing his drink. “Alright, that’s it. No more dance requests for the rest of the night. And please don't feed their ego, guys.” He jokingly whined to the dancers.

“Deal,” Winter said with a wink. “But only because you’ve earned it, idiot.”

The night continued with more stories and laughter, and eventually, the conversation returned to their performance at MAMA, with the dancers sharing their own highlights and the girls recounting the nerves they’d felt before stepping on stage.

As the evening continued, Winter nudged Y/n again, her expression softening as the teasing atmosphere quieted. “Ya, you really held everything together last night,” she said, her voice sincere. “Thanks for being there for us.”

Y/n smiled, feeling the warmth of her words. “It’s my job. But, honestly, I’m proud of all of you. Especially you, crybaby.”

"Tsk. Said the one who messed up the prop." Winter pouted, which made Y/n laughed.

They had each other’s backs, both on and off the stage.

-

The company dinner had wrapped up later than expected, the restaurant buzzing with the sounds of laughter and celebration long into the night. As the group filed out of the private room, it was clear that not everyone had paced themselves as well as Ningning, who was casually chatting with one of the dancers, completely unfazed by the alcohol. In contrast, Karina, Winter, and Giselle weren’t exactly in top form.

Y/n stood at the exit, eyeing the scene before him with a growing sense of dread. He had never been much of a drinker—actually, he hadn’t touched alcohol at all. As a former trainee, it was always drilled into him to stay focused and avoid distractions, so the idea of drinking had never appealed to him. Meanwhile, these girls were in varying stages of tipsy.

Karina, who had remained composed throughout dinner, was now giggling softly to herself, eyes half-lidded as she leaned against the wall.

Giselle was busy trying to say something, but the words kept coming out in broken fragments as she waved her hands around in animated confusion.

Winter was a different story altogether—normally cool and composed, she was now slumped against a chair, occasionally giggling and mumbling random things about the universe and her unspoken love for bougee ramen.

Ningning, of course, looked fresh as a daisy. She glanced at Y/n, her mischievous eyes gleaming. “Looks like it’s up to us, Y/n-oppa.”

Y/n sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Why do I feel like I should’ve expected this?”

Ningning grinned, clapping him on the back. “Don’t worry, I’ll help. I have superhuman alcohol tolerance.”

To remind everyone, this girl had multiple shots of whiskey and vodka. Plus, she downed a bucket of beer.

“…I want to ask how but I'm glad you do.” Y/n muttered, glancing at Karina, who had started humming a tune while tracing patterns on the wall.

Y/n took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for what was surely going to be a long journey home. He crouched down next to Winter, who was now quietly mumbling something about the stars.

“Jeong-ah,” Y/n called softly, shaking her shoulder gently. “Come on, we need to get you home.”

She blinked up at him, her normally sharp eyes now glassy. “Y/n,” she slurred, her voice slow and thoughtful. “Did you ever wonder... why your ramen is so perfect?”

Y/n bit back a smile. “I’ll tell you all about it on the way home, okay? Let’s get up.”

With some effort, he managed to get Winter onto her feet, draping her arm over his shoulder. Ningning, meanwhile, had corralled Giselle, who was still trying to string coherent sentences together.

“I don’t understand how the world... like, exists, if something like the Shibuya Incident happened” Giselle was saying, her words trailing off as Ningning guided her out of the restaurant. “It’s just... Like legit imagine it.”

Y/n was about to follow when he heard Karina’s voice. “Y/n...”

He turned to see her still standing against the wall, looking at him with an expression that was somewhere between confusion and amusement. “You’re... really nice.”

Y/n blinked, thrown off by the sudden compliment. “Pff. Uh, thanks, Jimin. You too. Now let’s get you home, yeah?”

Karina nodded, though her feet didn’t quite follow her brain’s instructions. She stumbled slightly, and Y/n rushed over, catching her before she could fall. She looked up at him with a slightly dazed smile, and for a moment, the tension that had always existed between them seemed to disappear.

“Thanks, Y/n,” she mumbled, leaning into him.

Y/n’s face heated slightly as he helped her steady herself. He had never seen her this... vulnerable before. Usually, she was all business, cool and composed. It was strange, seeing her like this—but also oddly comforting, in a way. She was human, after all.

“Let’s go,” he said, keeping his voice steady as he led her out of the restaurant.

The drive back to the dorms was slow, but thankfully not too eventful. Y/n and Ningning managed to keep everyone in line, despite the occasional hiccups. At one point, Winter started singing a nonsensical song about ramen, which Giselle tried to harmonise with, but ended up laughing too hard to continue.

Ningning, the ever-efficient helper, stayed by Y/n’s side the whole time, making sure none of the girls wandered off or tripped over their own feet when heading towards the car and eventually the dorm.

“You know,” she said as they neared the dorms, “you’re handling this a lot better than I thought you would.”

Y/n shot her a tired look. “That’s because I have no other choice.”

Ningning laughed. “True. But you’re still doing great, oppa.”

Y/n and Ningning managed to get the girls inside without too much trouble, though Winter did insist on stopping by the vending machine to get some ramen snacks, which Y/n had to gently steer her away from.

Once they were inside, Y/n helped Karina to her room. She had been mostly quiet during the walk, her usual sharpness dulled by the alcohol. When they finally reached her door, she turned to him, her expression soft.

“Thanks,” she murmured, her voice low and sincere. “For everything.”

Y/n paused, surprised by the tone of her voice. “It’s no big deal. Just part of the job.”

She nodded, but there was something more behind her eyes—something he couldn’t quite place. Before he could think too much about it, she smiled again, though this time it was a bit more teasing.

“You should drink with us next time,” she said, her words slightly slurred but playful.

Y/n laughed softly. “I’ll think about it. Now get some rest.”

With that, he gently closed the door behind her, exhaling a long breath. As he turned, he found Winter standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall and looking surprisingly alert for someone who had been so out of it just minutes ago.

“Thanks, Y/n,” she said, her voice soft. “For taking care of us.”

Y/n smiled, feeling a warmth spread through him at her words. “Anytime.”

She gave him a sleepy grin before retreating to her room, leaving Y/n standing in the hallway, alone with his thoughts. He couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of accomplishment—not just for surviving the night, but for how far they had all come together.

Just as he was about to head home, Ningning appeared beside him, looking completely unbothered by the chaos of the night. “Hey, Y/n-oppa,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Good job tonight. Maybe next time, we’ll let you handle it all on your own.”

Y/n laughed, shaking his head. “Please don’t.”

Ningning winked before heading to her room, leaving Y/n standing in the dimly lit hallway, smiling to himself. Despite the exhaustion, despite the chaos, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for nights like this.

[cal-flakes]

╰┈➤ “accidents happen angel”

warnings: light swearing, just fluff.

summary: rafe comes home to a tearful y/n and stained rug. (this was an anonymous request, but i accidentally deleted it instead of answering it.)

her feet jumped around the room as she twirled in another bout of pent up energy. the playlist she’d put on echoed through the house as she sang along breathlessly.

she’d had quite a boring day, rafe was out doing business with barry, so she used the time alone to clean his house. having gutted every single room, putting things in new places, moving furniture, she finally decided to take a breather. which in her eyes, was dancing around the living room until she was completely out of breath.

smooth operator blared through the expensive sound system as she gesticulated furiously, mindlessly acting out a music video as she whirled around the coffee table.

just as the chorus was coming up, she let out a yelp as she knocked into the coffee table, knocking her coffee off in turn. “shit! shit!” she froze in place for a split second, unsure of what to do before running the the kitchen.

grabbing armfuls of cleaning products, she rushed back through to the living room. sucking in a harsh breath, her and the now coffee stained, white rug had a minor face off, the costly material taunting her.

she fell into a cross legged position beside the stain, half-arsedly reading the instructions on the backs of the various bottles now scattered around her.

she began scrubbing furiously, attempting to lift the stain before it dried, but she only seemed to be making it worse.

some time had passed before her arms began to quiver, worn out from the frantic cleaning.

she didn’t know what to do, her heart pounded in her chest as she repeatedly checked the time on her phone, nearing the time rafe usually came home.

tears brimmed along her waterline as a suffocating panic washed over her. it felt as though the room was closing in on her, and the music still blaring didn’t help at all.

her fingers brushed against the once-soft fur rug, grabbing at it in an attempt to ground herself.

her chest only tightened further when she heard the front door open and close, his footsteps getting dauntingly closer.

she could hardly see through the hot tears as they cascaded down her flushed cheeks. she must’ve looked a mess, curled up on the floor against the couch, her hands covered in cleaning products.

his footsteps came to a halt in the doorway, his eyes widening at the sight. “y/n?”

her heavy breaths and sniffles gave her away immediately. rounding the couch, he looked between her and the stain, furrowing his brows in confusion. “y/n, what happened?” he asked, concern laced in his voice.

struggling to string a sentence together, incoherent babbles fell from her lips as she looked up at him, the skin around her eyes red raw from rubbing.

he placed a gentle hand on her cheek, cupping it as he knelt beside her, not caring for the brown liquid seeping through the leg of his suit pants. “angel, i can’t help if i don’t know what’s wrong..” he muttered, guiding her to look at him.

unsuccessful in his attempt to calm the sobbing girl, her blubbering only continued, her hair now falling from the bun she’d carefully crafted earlier. “i-i..”

“shh, baby. deep breaths m’kay? can you do that for me?” he cooed. she nodded slightly, mimicking the deep breaths he also began to take.

after a couple minutes, she reached a hand up to wipe her nose as she avoided his gaze. “i..i spi-stained the rug..i kno-knocked my coffee..” she sighed, her thoughts still slightly jumbled.

“i can see that angel. are you hurt? where’s the glass?” he questioned, his attention now drawn to the rug, scanning it for loose shards. “i had to put it in the trash, it-it smashed..”

“that’s okay princess, as long as you’re okay..” he mumbled, pulling her head into his chest. twisting her face, she met his eyes. “b-but the rug..i ruined it..” she whimpered, tears threatening to spill once again. “i don’t care about the rug baby, i didn’t like it anyways”

“pinky promise?” she whispered, tilting her head at him. chuckling to himself, he withdrew his hand from her cheek, reaching his little finger out to interlock it with her. “i pinky promise angel, we can go into town to buy a new one tomorrow, m’kay?”

shaking her head in agreement, she leaned into his touch, inhaling his scent, allowing it to invade her senses. “come on, why don’t we have a shower?” he suggested, pulling her to her feet.

“are you saying i smell?” she frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.

“like bleach” he joked, poking fun at her misuse of the surface cleaner.

[bbina]

the restaurant eunseok chose for this week’s friday nights escapade (as eunseok likes to call it) was a bit odd to say the least

especially when you two are decked out in fancy clothing rather than your usual drip which basically consisted of eunseok’s stolen hoodies

you two were in the middle of a fancy restaurant eating the free complimentary bread the restaurant offers

“seok.. can we really afford to eat here?” you hushed as you leaned closer to the table to avoid any neighboring tables to eavesdrop on your conversation. it’s been like 30 minutes and you still haven’t ordered anything with the exception of ordering another round of free bread and water

you thought eunseok was out of his mind when he pulled up to this five star michelin restaurant knowing damn well you both have $50 to your names combined

“yeah watch this” he prompts, suddenly getting up from his seat and kneeling to the ground.

eunseok gets up on one knee and pulls out a velvet box out of his pockets. inside was a silver ring

‘he can’t be serious right now’ you mentally face palm as you put two and two together

this fool was about to “propose” to you in the middle of the restaurant to get free food

“y/n, i have loved you for many years and i think it’s time to put our relationship to the next level.. will you… marry me?” eunseok says slowly but surely. loud enough for the people in the vicinity to hear

claps and cheers errupt around the two of you. the waiters and waitresses halting their operations as they all watch you in awe

eunseok looks like he was seconds away from bursting out laughing but managed to control himself. following his insane act, you jump into his arms yelling, “yes!”

he wraps his arms around your body as he sways you around for show.

“she said yes!” eunseok exclaims in joy, holding his fist up in the air for everyone to see.

the crowd all chorus a “congratulations!” to the both of you as you showed off the ring in front of everyone with eunseok beside you, an arm wrapped around your waist smiling so proudly of this little engagement moment you two have shared

when you got back to your seats, the manager of said restaurant came by and sent his personal regards about how they’re so happy that you guys chose their restaurant to get engaged in. so much that he gave you guys free dessert and a glass of champagne on the house

“you’re an idiot, song eunseok” you laughed as you both feast on your free meal

eunseok smiles smugly, cheeks full of cake. he holds up a finger indicating to wait as he swallows his food

“it’s called being a genius. look we even have a free drink. champagne at that” he smirks, taking a sip of champagne.

“more like a cheapskate” you mumbled under your breath but loud enough for him to hear causing him to yell “hey!”

he then clears his throat. you look at him puzzled. maybe there was another plan in his head that you did not know about. eunseok raises his wine glass up front

“to more fake proposals in different restaurants with you” he cheers, motioning you to follow suit. with a sigh and an eye roll, you clink your glasses together