#seems like a single ask was all i needed to give in

[nichuuu]

Beats Me - 7: Emails I Can’t Send

ft. Kim Minju

Word Count: 10k+

The first few minutes of your meeting are spent by Yeji and Yuna to catch up on life. 

You sit by the side, detached from the conversation as you sip on the latte (what did they put in this thing? It’s so damn good). They relive some highschool memories, ask each other what they’ve been studying—the usual stuff. The croissants at the counter look really good, and you’re wondering if they’ll taste as good as they look. Maybe you should buy one later. 

Yuna reminds you of Ryujin, only if Ryujin looked friendlier and less intimidating upon first glance. Her voice is distinct, her laugh even more so as she does that thing where she moves her feet like she’s running while she doubles over. Her eyes stay focused on her senior who—for the first time since you’ve seen her—is smiling. Yeji’s lanky fingers stay affixed to the straw, moving every now and then to disturb the ice as she stirs the drink. The coffee swirling in milk leaves light brown streaks against the side of her glass, creating these streaky patterns that look like they probably belong on an art piece. There are some details in her life that she briefly touches on but never delves into, probably because you’re there next to her.

Then it’s finally time. You’re dragged back into the conversation when Yeji says, “So you want to join the band?” and suddenly the cat that’s situated just outside the glass door doesn’t have your attention. Yea. Been looking for a chance to play, is Yuna’s reply, I saw you guys play at that bar the other time. You guys were great. 

Eunbi should be here. She would’ve been ecstatic to hear that.

Yeji nods her head, stirring her drink idly as she silently looks at her junior. You hope that Yuna’s stratagem to enter isn’t just flattery. A sinking feeling tells you that it just might be, judging from the way she’s shifting under the gaze of her senior.

“Remind me Yuna: how many years have you played the saxophone for?” Yeji inquires. Yuna’s response is quick, almost rehearsed—five years now. Never stopped playing for a single moment in my life—and Yeji seems rather pleased by it. Yuna sips on her grapefruit ade, casting a glance your way as Yeji drums her nails against the table. You shoot the younger girl a reassuring smile, and hopefully she gets the message that she’s doing great in your books.

Then Yeji unfolds her arms, taps a nail before your crossed arms that rest on the table to get your attention. The same nail points towards Yuna, and its owner simply gestures with her chin. You get what she wants you to do, though you would’ve appreciated it if she’d just told you what she wanted, and you clear your throat while sitting up a little straighter. 

“Um… Yeji kinda has me here to… Talk about my experience.” You internally cringe at your opening statement. What is this? An alumni sharing session? you chide yourself, all while you’re continuing on to whatever it is you have to say, “When you join this band, do expect yourself to be pushed a little. The hours aren’t all that taxing, but you gotta be able to… You know, strike that work life balance, as they say.”

And that’s just about all you have to say. Yeji neither smiles nor glares at you, only giving the smallest of nods as she focuses her attention on her junior. “If we give you a chart, you better learn it by heart by next practice. If we have a gig, practice will get more intensive. There’s a lot of things you need to be able to do Yuna. You can’t just think that you’re up to it; you have to be sure that you can shoulder all of these responsibilities.”

She’s making this sound like military recruitment, you’re thinking. Yuna’s definitely feeling a slight shift in atmosphere, and she’s fiddling with her glass as she stares straight into Yeji’s eyes. If you’re being honest: Yeji is definitely exaggerating the rigor of the band, and it’s probably scaring the poor girl. Your guitarist’s gaze isn’t at its peak intensity, but it’s enough to make Yuna purse her lips in silence, her smile fading from her face. Yeji greets her junior’s silence with a grim expression.

“So. Let me ask you again.” This time, Yeji’s tone is the furthest thing from gentle. “Are you ready to join us?”

Yuna stares at the melting ice in her glass. She takes a sip of her coffee, lets it sit in her mouth for a bit, and then swallows. “I’ll… I’ll text you when I’ve made up my mind.”

And all at once, it feels like all the happiness in the world has been sapped out of this cafe. Yeji stands up, leaving the rest of her latte untouched as she shoulders her bag and pushes in her chair. 

“I’ll pay you for the latte,” she says, albeit a bit too nonchalantly after she’d single handedly brought down the mood. “Text me how much it costs, then text me again once you’re sure that you want in.”

She doesn’t even wait for you, doesn’t even look at you; she just turns on her heel and leaves. And for a moment, you sit there in awkward silence with Shin Yuna. You can’t help but feel bad for the poor girl who’d just been subjected to unwarranted coldness; and you want to comfort her, but you don’t know how. With a sigh, you take the straw out of your cup, bring the glass to your mouth and down the rest of your latte. Yuna’s eyes stayed trained on her own latte, which was close to untouched. She watches as a single drop of condensation rolls down the side of the glass, landing on her coaster and getting absorbed into the material. 

“The band’s… Not as bad as she makes it sound,” you pipe, pausing for a brief moment to consider your words carefully. “Yeji tends to be a little… Mean sometimes.” Now that she has her eyes on you, you can’t help but feel a little shifty in your seat. She’s the type of girl that turns heads when she walks down the street, the type of girl that could probably get scouted by a model agency just by standing at a bus stop and looking at her phone. Not that her gaze is piercing or anything, but it’s just that she’s a little too breathtaking to make you feel okay sitting opposite her in a one on one. “Don’t think too much about it. I think you’ll make a great fit in the band.”

And then you decide to leave. It’s with great embarrassment that you state that you should take your leave, and it’s with great clumsiness and lack of grace that you stand up, bump your knee against the table, mutter a small and push your chair in before making a beeline for the door. The bell on the door chimes as you pull the door open, and it chimes again when you step out, and again when you close the door shut behind you—almost like it was laughing at you. So much for not being awkward. 

“Thought you’d stay in there for a little longer.”

Hearing Yeji’s voice makes you jump, and you turn to find her petting the cat at the windowsill of the cafe. She isn’t even looking at you, not even a glance in your direction as you walk up to her and stop just before her. 

“What the hell was that in there?” you can’t help but question. “You make us sound like we’re a fucking concentration camp while simultaneously making her feel like shit. How the fuck do you even do that?”

She gives the cat one last scratch between the ears, and the feline purrs under her touch. She rises from her squatting position and looks you in the eye. “That’s why I brought you here: to make her feel better.” She lets that linger in the air for a bit. “Okay. I’m going home.”

And she walks right past you like you aren’t going to be traveling in the same direction as her. A grunt of frustration slips out of your lips as you turn and catch up with her, matching her pace step for step. 

“Did you seriously think,” you ask as you match her stride, “that a small ‘it’s alright’ from me would be enough to make her join?” 

“Yep.”

“You’re fucking unbelievable.”

“Same goes for you.”

“What?”

The two of you stop at the traffic light, and she takes the time to adjust her hair over her shoulder and crack her neck like there isn’t someone talking to her on her immediate left. At this point, you are as good as a ghost to her.

“Why can’t you just be nice for once?” you don’t bother hiding the aggression in your tone, nor did you ever intend on doing so. “Is it really that hard? Do we have to go through a trial to earn your kindness?”

The light turns green and she puts away her phone. “I’m only nice to the people I trust, and neither you nor Yuna fall into that category.”

You bite your tongue, and you stay where you are as she walks across the road. She doesn’t look back, and you never expected her to. This conversation is hardly worth your time and emotional battery. You’re better off talking to some moss ball behind a dumpster, and the silence that you’ll receive is more welcoming than anything Hwang Yeji will ever say.

And so you walk elsewither from where she’s going and you just walk. You know for a fact that there’s no point in fuming over her behavior, and there’s definitely no point in figuring out how to get to her. Instead, you walk down a stretch of shops, letting your eyes wander across the various items that are being displayed at the windows: the jewelry, the clothes, the facial products, the bags, the—

Someone calls your name, and her voice is all too familiar. You’ve heard it just recently, over the phone with club music blaring over her voice. So yeah: you don’t need to turn to know who's made you stop in your tracks, but you do just because you need to see it to believe it

Kim Minju looks dazzling in her outfit:a set of black and short shorts that cover up the skin that’s exposed beneath the shirt-dress she wears. The lime green knitted Prada bag she has in her hands is a little bit jarring, a tad out of place on her monochrome outfit, and you guess that she probably grabbed it in a rush to get out of the house. Still: it looks like a purposeful mismatch, and perhaps your sense of fashion is just so bland that you simply just can’t appreciate the complexity of her outfit.

“Hey,” she greets—a mix of shock and surprise and glee on her face as she takes small steps towards you. It isn’t that big of a distance to cross, and she’s right in front of you in two-to-three small steps. She stops for a moment, lets her eyes wander across your face for a bit. “Didn’t expect to see you again so soon.”

“Same goes for you,” you tell her. “Thought we’d just rub shoulders in the club and call it a day.”

Minju giggles, fidgets a little with the strap of her bag that sits nicely on her small shoulder. “You uh… you going somewhere?”

“Well um…” it’s hard to phrase what exactly it is you’re doing right now, because: a) you don’t exactly have a set location in mind and; b) you don’t know how to tell her that you were going away from somewhere that you were going to just now—ugh, it’s confusing to even think about. In the name of reducing the complications of your explanation, you opt for the best response you can possibly give at the moment: “No. Not really. How about you?”.

It’s not a lie; it’s half of the truth… Sort of? Ah fuck, why bother fretting over it?

She smiles, a toothless one where the corner of her lips gets tugged up by a set of invisible strings. It’s a charming little smile, and you have to admit that you love seeing the way it makes her eyes glimmer a little. “I just met my groupmates, and before you ask: it was a horrible session.”

You chuckle. “My condolences.” You rub your palms against your jeans as you speak, “must suck to be the smartest person in the group.”

She’s consistently been the brightest person in the room, perfect GPA, Valedictorian and everything. Sure: she already stands out because of her looks, but her smarts make her the whole package deal. The whole reason you met her in the first place was because you were failing Chemistry so badly in your first year that the teacher had to get her and her straight-As to step in and tutor you. She did a pretty good job, pulled your marks up from an E to a B and kept it there. 

“Oh shut up,” she sighs, though the smile on her face never fades, “you know I hate it when you say shit like that.”

“Do you? Could’ve sworn that you lived off compliments back then.”

She clicks her tongue in annoyance, slaps your shoulder with the back of her hand. She hasn’t changed one bit. “Fuck you. You always were too damn cheeky.”

You shrug in response. She pushes back a strand of hair.

“You wanna grab a coffee?” Her question is one you’ve expected from the moment you bumped into her. 

“I just had a latte, but I wouldn’t mind getting a Croissant.”

***

“You were one mark away from an A—this close to breaking your B streak.”

“It was an A in technicality. Careless mistakes that fuck me over don’t count, Minju.”

“Tell that to the Chemistry department then.”

“I think they would've dunked me in a vat of acid.”

“What type of Acid? Can you still remember which ones can melt skin off bone?”

“Welcome back Little Miss know-it-all.”

“The information will save you one day, mark my words.”

“Well I doubt I’ll ever come into contact with skin-melting Chemicals any time soon.”

“Don’t jinx yourself.”

“Hey, don’t tell me that when you were the one who was dubbed ‘bearer of bad news’.”

“It’s not my fault that I always have to relay the bad news to the class! I was the fucking class president!”

“Oh right.”

“Oh right. You sound so stupid.”

“Says the one giving me a lecture.”

“I’d hardly constitute this as a lecture.”

“Look at you using big words.”

“I’m going to throw this fucking coffee at you.”

“It’s a good latte. I wouldn’t recommend you wasting your money like that.”

“You’re a child.”

“Aren’t we all young at heart?”

“Young at heart is one thing. Immaturity is another.”

“I’d argue that you’re the immature one here.”

“Says the one who’s always getting himself involved in some shit every other day.”

“I wouldn’t blame that on my immaturity.”

“So you do admit that you’re immature.”

“Now you’re just putting words into my mouth.”

“It’s not my fault that you say stupid things.”

“But it’s you that uses my stupid things to… Fuck. That won’t sound right.”

“Did you just lose your train of thought mid sentence?”

“I was running what I was about to say through my head.”

“You do that while you speak? You’re so weird.”

“Oh so you’d rather me spit out nonsense all the time?”

“Yea, so I can insult you over it.”

“Ugh. You’re so kind Minju.”

“Thank you. I pride myself with my heart of gold.”

“The same one that made you a pushover with your ex?”

“We both know that he manipulated me.”

“And you kept making excuses with him because you refused to see the bad in him.”

“Okay, I admit that that was a bit of a misplay on my end.”

“You dated him for two years.”

“I didn’t want to be lonely, okay? Everyone in the damn friend group was dating, I felt left out!”

“But we were in healthy relationships. Yours looked like the physical embodiment of type two diabetes.”

“Oh. So you’d consider your relationship with Kim Chaewon a healthy one?”

“It was till… You know.”

The silence that follows is deafening, and Minju’s smile fades.

“Shit. I went a little overboard with that one,” how apologetic she sounded made you feel bad. Not that you ever intended to be a wet blanket, but the hesitance in your voice must have killed the mood or something. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

You waved it off. “All jokes,” you assure her with a forced smile. “Nothing was or has been taken to heart. I promise.”

She purses her lips, and when she parts them, they make a small smack. You take a moment to take another stab at your croissant and send another bit into your mouth. And yes: it does taste as good as it looks. 

“How are things with you and her anyway?” She asks, setting down her half-full glass of latte. “Are you guys doing alright? Talking now?”

You imagine the look of shock on her face when you tell her that you made out with your ex and fucked her after you took her home, and make the executive decision to skip the details and give her a more vague (and untrue)  answer: “We’re uh… Reconciling I guess.”

She nods, and you can’t tell if it’s one of approval or one of disappointment. She’d been the number one supporter of your relationship with Chaewon; imagine her shock when you told her one fine morning over the phone that the two of you had broken up.

“Forgive me for continuing on this subject, but,” the addition of that but really spoke volumes of how she wasn’t gonna let you interject, even if you really wanted to just stop talking about it. She’s not one to be self-centred, but when she has something to say, you have a guaranteed earnings if you bet on the fact that she’ll get it out one way or another. You always let her get away with it, only because you have a bit of a soft spot for her, and she has a bit of a soft spot for you too—you did spend a large amount of time in your first year of highschool in the library with her after all. “I always thought that you and Chaewon would be, you know, a ‘forever couple’.”

“Well I’m sorry we ruined your drama fantasies,” you reply, trying to bring the conversation back to the light-hearted talk it was just a couple of minutes ago. “Some things just don’t work out in the end—the relationship was just one of those things.”

This time, you decode her nod as one of understanding and sympathy. “Well… As long as you’re okay now.” she rolls her straw between her forefinger and thumb, watching as it twists left and right in her fingers and disturbs the latte before her. “You seem to be doing well with your whole band gig and all.”

“You could say that.” You set down your fork and dab the corners of your mouth with a napkin while you swallow the rest of your croissant. “Chaewon and I will learn to… Coexist eventually. I hope so at least.”

“You guys better sort it out,” she muses. “I doubt I can keep baby-sitting her at the club for much longer. I have a life too, you know?”

“I feel like that’s more of a problem for her to settle than us.” you’re barely hiding the disdain in your voice as you stare at crumbs that are left on your plate. “It’s not my problem if she gets drunk. She made the choice to go drinking herself.”

“But you made it your problem just a day ago,” Minju points out. 

“Only because it was the only way to get her out of that damn club.”

“You could’ve chosen not to come.”

“And leave you guys to deal with her?”

“It was me and Eunbi. We could’ve dragged her out.”

“But—“

“Just admit that you actually cared. You and I both know that you’re too much of a fucking sweetheart to ever let someone struggle when you can help.”

And she stumps you with that one, because you don’t know how to reply to that. Is that a compliment or an insult? Frankly, you didn’t know, but you do know that you’re surprised by the fact that anyone can ever use the word sweetheart in such an aggressive manner. It’s like telling someone you love their outfit before punching them in the face. 

Okay, maybe not that extreme… But you get the gist.

“Maybe I did have a soft spot for her,” you mused. It’s half self-realisation, half-reply. “But even so: you guys would go through all nine circles of hell just to get her up and out of the club.”

Minju draws her lips into a thin line. She lifts her straw to her mouth, lets it hover just in front of her lips for a bit, then places the glass back down on the table heavily. A small, substantial thump sends a small tremor through the table. She stares into her glass. “What even happened when you took her home anyway?”

You shrug and put down your fork to wipe your mouth—actions that mask the fact that you want to cringe at yourself over what happened. You’ve done a lot of lying today (what would your mother say?), and you’re pretty sure that all of this will come back and bite you in the ass some day. But for now, you’d like to save yourself some embarrassment as you say, “Helped her with her hangover. Gave her a meal. Then she left.”

Minju looks at you for a moment. Then she sighs and shakes her head.

“You’re too kind for your own good,” she mutters. Her fingers stay wrapped around her glass as she speaks, beads of condensation slowly running down the clear walls of her cup and sliding down her knuckles. She raises her head, just enough to establish eye contact with you. “Then again: your soft little heart was the reason I had a crush on you.”

Okay. She skipped a lot of ground there.

You blink. You blink again. She stares straight into your eyes throughout—doesn’t break eye contact or anything. Not that you didn’t take her seriously, but just that you were a little… Well, stunned.

“Bottom line: you care about her. Don’t let her manipulate you okay?” Minju tells you, finally raising the star to her mouth and taking a nice long sip from her latte. When the straw is released from between her lips, she smacks her lips in satisfaction and leans back in her seat. You’re still staring if anyone’s asking, and yes: you are indeed thinking, what the fuck?

Minju shoots you a look of disdain. “What?” she asks as she straightens the collar of her shirt dress. “Why are you looking at me like that? Cut it out.”

Okay: aside from the fact that you’re shocked by the fact that she isn’t addressing the elephant in the room (the one that she placed there by her damn self), you’re reeling over the fact that she’s just casually dropped this hell-of-a piece of news on you like it was just an update on life or something; oh I used to like, you know, see you more than just a friend, but no biggie.

You blink. You blink again. She grabs the straw and tosses it out of the glass, gulps the rest of her latte in a single swallow and wipes her lips with the back of her hand. 

“If you’re wondering if the feelings are still there, the answer is no,” she tells you, picking up a napkin to clean up the corners of her mouth. “The keyword was had you big dummy. Stop thinking so much about it. You look stupid.”

The faculties to reply return to you, but you can’t do much but sputter a very confused wha? as Minju examines her nails for a bit. She smirks, then grabs her bag and rises from her seat. 

“If my news is killing you that bad, why don’t we talk about it over a nice dinner?”

***

True to her word, she does open up about everything over the course of the meal, albeit after a couple of glasses of wine.

“You were so cute and so damn loveable,” she muses, unashamed as she pours herself another glass. She took you to some nice restaurant a few streets away, and you’re kinda regretting your decision to eat that croissant for tea because fuck does the food here taste good. Minju settles into her seat, glass in hand as she stares at the scarlet liquid. “You bought me dark chocolate on my period, got me a snack after we had a session because I was hungry… You’re pretty fucking handsome too, you know that?”

All of this is, of course, news to you, and you���re struggling to internalise the fact that she would ever think about you in such a way. Your own wine glass has remained full for the entire duration of your meal, and you choose this time to take a sip to help you process all of… Well, this. 

“So… How long did you, you know, like me?” you can’t help but ask. Not that it was the first question on your mind or anything, but more of the fact that you needed to say something to prevent this conversation from descending into awkward silence. Comfortable was the last word you’d use to describe how you feel. 

“Huh…” Minju mutters. She swirls her glass for a bit. She takes a sip, swirls more. Her gaze turns inwards and her mouth moves in a soundless count. “If you don’t count the summer break where I figured out that I wanted nothing more but to kiss you? About a year and a half.”

You do the maths in your head and come to an epiphany. Minju beats you to it and verbalises your thoughts: yea, yea… I liked you while you were dating Chaewon, which means that I liked you when I was dating that deadbeat baseball player, which meant I was unfaithful by technicality, but I stuck with that sick fuck to try and make you jealous.

Frankly, you’re not too sure why you are being thrown into emotional situations with people of your past over the course of the last two days. You want this to be some sort of dream, and you want, so badly, for Minju to burst out laughing and hit you with a, this was all a joke! I just wanted you to accompany me for dinner, that’s all, and call it a day. Maybe you two could get ice cream afterwards, laugh this silly prank off on a bench somewhere and then bid farewell for the night. But judging from the way Minju stares solemnly at her plate, you can pretty much infer with full confidence that she means every word she says. Even as she chews her steak slowly, you can feel her lingering on some thoughts that she won’t verbalise—not now at least. Maybe she’ll text you about it a couple weeks for months down the road, and all of this will just resurface for, like, a day or two at most. Bottom line: she’s pretty serious about everything she just said, and she’ll most likely remind you of this conversation in this nice restaurant that you can never come back to again. The food is nice but it's nowhere in your tax bracket. 

“So uh,” Minju brings your attention back to her. She leaves you hanging for a bit as she pokes a cherry tomato with her fork and sends it into her mouth. You hear a soft crunch as she chews, and you can’t help but feel a little bit uncomfortable with the presented silence that follows. She dabs the corners of her lips with a napkin. She swallows. “About what happened with Chaewon after you took her to your place: did you leave out the part where you fucked her in the ass on purpose? Or did she drug you and you forgot everything?”

And it feels like time freezes as she picks up her wine glass and gulps down the rest of the scarlet liquid in there. When she looks at you with those piercing, knowing eyes, you wonder how much she knows about you and Chaewon; what does she know and what are the details she has sitting in some locker in the corners of her mind. 

“Chaewon has a pretty big mouth you know,” Minju remarks, a small—almost mocking—pout on her lips as she plays with the vegetables on her plate. “She tells me just about anything and everything that goes on in her life, just saying.”

So that’s enough to tell you that she knows more than she should. You wonder if there are any other people Chaewon runs her mouth to.

“If you’re gonna call me a loser, just do it,” you mutter. You suddenly find the urge to down the rest of your wind irresistible. You act on your impulse, and you grimace a little as the alcohol burns your throat on the way down. It’s probably not recommended to consume liquor the way you are drinking it right now, but you couldn’t care less at this point. You kind of need this drink right now. This day has been full of unexpected things: unexpected meetings to unexpected feelings to god knows what else is on its way. “But before you say anything, she started it. I was the victim.”

Minju chuckles. You don;t really find anything about this entertaining right now, but there will certainly be an element of humour to this conversation that you will probably discover after some hindsight. Minju sets down her cutlery and folds her arms. “I understand”, she tells you, making sure to hold your gaze as she rests her cheek in her palm. “Trust me. Calling you a loser is, like, the 2nd thing on my mind right now.”

“And what’s the first?”

She looks left, then right, then leans in a little. “Was the sex good?”

Honestly, you shouldn’t be shocked. She’s always been a bit cheeky in nature, a little bit lickerish and maybe a little indecent. You’ve seen it, heard it, known it for the longest time—yet you can’t stop yourself from raising both eyebrows when she drops the question on you. MAybe it’s the lack of hesitance; the question coming right at you like a fastball after you gave her your end of the situation. It’s a little devious: the way she just gives it to you straight without any room for silence and pondering. You’ll give her that.

“I mean,” she continues, not even giving you time to even try and rationalise the question. “I imagine that her pussy’s already tight as fuck. Her ass? God I can only imagine what that was like for you.”

Now it’s getting a little confusing. The lines between wry and genuine interest are being blurred here, and you’re not even sure if this is really a conversation you’re having with her right now. Her bluntness and lack of consideration towards you is a little appalling given her remorse in the cafe. Maybe it’s the wine. Yea, it’s probably the wine…

“What the fuck?” Is all you can manage as you affix your gaze on her with a look of shock that could probably win you an award if this was a movie. Minju pushes back some hair, fingers deftly tucking them behind her ear as she fixes you with a look. You have no idea where this conversation is going, and you really, really hope that she doesn’t continue on this line of talk. Of course, you have a bad track record of getting what you wish for. 

Minju leans in even more, gets even closer. You’re not sure if you should move or do anything at this juncture. She cocks her head a little, smirks.

“Wanna find out if I’m a better fuck then her?”

***

Why did you follow her back to her apartment? You don’t even know. Best guess: you weren’t really thinking after she spoke and just went with it. Or maybe: you might have looked at her all weird and somehow ended up agreeing (she’s a sweet talker and you certainly wouldn’t put it past her). There are about ten possibilities that you can think of—eleven if you added the one that just formulated in your brain about a second ago—all of which are equally confusing and hard to fathom. It’ll take some time and probably a cup of coffee or two to figure out.

But focus up: there are a lot more pressing matters right now, matters like the fact that her lips are firmly pressed against yours while your back is against the closed and locked door of her apartment. Frankly, you don’t even know how the hell you two got locked in this kiss; could’ve sworn the two of you were just talking at the restaurant a couple of minutes ago. Everything’s a little hazy, and it’s a little worrying considering that you only had one or two… Maybe three? Yea, probably three… Let’s just say there was a couple more glasses of wine after she asked if you if she could potentially be a better fuck, and here you are now. It seems like your relationship with alcohol and women all lead to the same destination. It’s a problem for sure, but you can settle that later. 

There’s a rather loud smack as she removes her lips from yours—for air of course. Gazing deep into your eyes, she smiles as she tells you, god I’ve always wanted to do that, before she re-establishes the connection of lips. The kiss is aggressive: nothing short of fervent and definitely not holding back on the restraint. If there was a way to properly kiss someone, Kim Minju was certainly taking it up another step. Her tongue pokes through your lips, invades past your teeth and pushes itself deep into your mouth till it dances with yours. It’s starting to get a little messy, a little more raunchy and, uh… Well—you get the gist. Your brain’s certainly not functioning the way it should be. 

Are you drunk? Probably not.

She starts to pull you by the shirt—away from the door and towards the living room. Her place is pretty big, and there's enough space for the two of you to stumble and fumble around till you find a flat surface that you can proper her up on and spread her legs. The surface in question is a table. It’s probably her dining table, and it creaks as Minju undoes the clasp of her sheer shorts that really shouldn’t be classified as shorts in any world. The article of clothing comes off together with your jeans, and they’re both tossed aside before your hands are on her hips and pulling her towards you. Her ass slides over the wood, hissing as her skin drags along a small distance so that she can grip your face in her palms and crash her lips against yours. You close your eyes, enjoy the feel of her warm body pressing against yours while those gentle hands sink fingers into the flesh of your cheeks. A dark part of you takes a little pleasure in the pain.

“Fuck.” You love the lilt in her voice after she breaks the kiss. “I see why Chaewon likes to kiss you now,” she lets her hands roam across your face, brushing away the bits of your hair that fall in front of your eyes, almost as if she wants you to see her and only her. “You kiss so well. Feels like I’m kissing a marshmallow with lips.”

“Do I even want to know how you came up with that analogy?” you question. She grins.

“Just trust it. I did get a higher score than you in just about every subject except music.”

You chuckle. She goes in for a kiss; you make a beeline for the column of milky skin at her neck, savour the sharp inhale that sucks air through her teeth and sounds like more of a hiss. You kiss her jaw, trail it up to her neck then back down to her collarbone. Every touch of your lips on her skin makes her sigh.

“Try not to mark me where people can see,” she whispers. “There’s only so much skin that makeup can cover without ruining my outfits, and foundation is really fucking expensive these days.”

(Now there’s the debate of whether that was a challenge or a precautionary measure. She’s always been a bit of a cheeky one: trying people on and giggling as she does so. You’ve been the victim of her antics before, but it’s kind of hard to deduce whether she’s telling you, don’t do it or inviting you to leave hickeys all over her neck and wherever you could get your lips on.)

“And if I do?” you can’t help but ask. Minju chuckles and pushes you away by your shoulders.

“Don’t.” She’s firm when she says it, almost like she’s chiding you for ever considering it. For a moment, you look each other in the eye as your breaths poke holes through the silence. It’s a little chilling yet a little thrilling, and you can’t help but take in the way she looks in the dim light of the night. In the midst of stumbling in, neither of you ever considered turning on the lights. She’s painted in soft strokes of moonlight, eyes shimmering in the gentle glow of night. Beautiful. She’s always been so beautiful, but never this beautiful. “I know you want to, but don’t,” she reiterates. You’re a little disappointed, but there are, of course, other ways to leave your mark on her.  

And so your hand snakes down and finds its way between her parted legs. Your other hand slithers around that small waist, and it holds her in place as your fingers press against the fabric of her panties. In your arms, she tenses—bristles as you start to feel the outline of her lips against your fingertips. You increase the pressure against her heat. Minju tilts her head back and moans.

Fuck. You don’t think you’ve ever heard such a sound: angelically filthy, airy and soft. It’s already hard enough to grasp the concept of her, one of your closest friends that you haven’t seen in a few good years or so, propped up on her own dining table while you trace the outline of her pussy through her panties and leave her squirming atop the wooden surface. Add the small choked up cries she’s making into the mix and by God do you have a recipe for a haze. Where to begin? This situation shouldn’t be real at all; none of this should be real, this should be a dream. This heat against your fingers. The sight of her mouth parted and her body twitching with each stroke of your fingers. The very realisation that this is as real as it gets, and it’s unfolding right before you by the second.

“Why are you so fucking wet?” you ask, noting the way she shudders as you let your finger hover over the base of her opening for a bit. Her thighs—pale skin painted in the lightest shades of moonlight—twitch in anticipation, almost as if the blood in her veins is loading up inside there and would shoot forward the moment you start moving again. She can’t predict what you’re gonna do next, and it’s killing her in a way that brings you this sick satisfaction. Minju whimpers; you chuckle. “Do you really want it this bad Minju? Has no one touched you like this before?”

(Her bottom lip quivers as she struggles to compose herself. She breathes: raspy and staccato. Strands of hair hang in front of her face, the same one that has this pleading look superimposed over bratty frustration. It’s hot, really satisfying and really challenging you take some liberties with her. Sure: it’d be really fun to just stuff her full of cock and just have your way with her right here and now, but where’s the fun in that? You’ve known her as this smart, preppy girl who’s always gotten what she wants because she’s smart and rich. You can't remember the last time you saw her fail. Maybe she did face a bit of a setback when she was starting out in university, but as far as you’re concerned, she’s in need of a bit of humbling.)

It’s all enough to drive anyone mad really. So you can’t really blame her when she cries oh god just fuck me already! at a volume that would probably get her a noise complaint from one of her neighbours. It’s a little jarring, and it makes you stop and look at her for a second or two. She looks back at you, giving you those fuck me eyes that you didn’t know she was capable of as she starts to bite down on her lower lip. 

With that face and that aura, she—whether unwittingly or not—painfully reminds you of Chaewon. That same bratty persona mixed with that undeniable look of need—it’s killing you to look her in the eye a she starts to grind herself against your fingers, pleading you to get on with it—please, please, please just strip me and fuck me and make me your good little toy—while she fixes you with that pleading look. Her doleful eyes coax you, and it feels dangerous to even look into them, let alone gaze into them as pulls you closer with her legs and grabs your shaft through your underwear.

“Tease me all you want later,” she squeezes your cock—sweet, sinful pleasure. Those weapons of a pair of eyes slice into the deepest depths of your mind, appealing to the darker part of you to let loose and take control. She wants it, needs it more than anything else right now. “You can finger me, eat me, whatever… Just put this fucking cock inside of me and make me scream before you do anything else.”

She’s given you a list of priorities, and they really speak volumes of her personality. Funnily enough, it’s pretty in line with her character: goal oriented and focused on that success rather than the process. You wonder what would happen if you refused to give her that final goal she so desperately craves; what it could do and to what extent would it break her. You take some time to consider this as you slip your hands into the spaces between the upper buttons of her shirt.

“Minju.” You call her name out of politeness in wake of what you’re about to ask her. “How much was this shirt?”

The glint in her eye when she catches your implicit message is enthralling. She pushes her bottom lip behind her front teeth; fixes you with this look that tells you that she's' about to say something that’s gonna satisfy your desires just because she can and she gets off on it.

“It’s Prada,” she tells you. “But I can always get another.”

You grin, and with more strength than intended, you pull against the fabric of the shirt. Unfortunate buttons go flying as the fabric parts forcefully like velcro ripping apart. Nothing tears (surprisingly), but the shirt is most definitely unwearable for a while. You hope she knows how to sow.

She gasps when the cold air of her apartment suddenly hits her skin. You can’t really blame her — it all comes in a rush after she is stripped from her sole piece of clothing. She takes a moment to assess the damage done to her clothes. Her eyes wander along the naked strip of fabric her shirt buttons once called home. Then she looks at you, smirks.

“Hot,” she muses, lowering herself down till she’s on her elbows. “But I think you can do better than that.”

You like a good challenge. And with not too much kindness in your voice, you tell her to get rid of the rest of her clothing. There’s a smouldering look in her eye, and a smirk on her face as she tosses her hair out of her face. Then while she holds your gaze, she hooks her fingers into the waistband of her panties and pulls them down — keeps going till there somewhere far enough down those long, creamy legs for her to kick them aside. 

“That was a limited edition piece, can’t have you tearing that,” she explains, looking at the freshly discarded article of clothing. “My bra though? I got it at a convenience store in Japan. Do your worst.”

The bra doesn’t survive. It’s a shame really… It looked kinda nice. 

And basking in your gaze is a very naked Kim Minju, her skin practically glowing on top of her table as she looks up at you with those eyes of want. You take a moment – admire the supple curves in all the right places and the way her skin seems to ripple a little as she shudders. Three’s no doubt in your mind that the surface she has her back against is cold as hell, but  Fuck… this probably was the best place to have her like this – she looks like a fucking meal.

“You know,” you whisper, your index finger roaming up her body – starting from the base of her belly button and making its way up an imaginary line that you’ve drawn on her body. “You’re kinda fucking perfect.”

She chortles. “Um… Contradictory much?”

“Spare me the lesson,” you mutter, cupping her cheek firmly yet tenderly. You have no idea what this feeling in your chest is right now, but you do know that it’s gonna take you down a path you never explored before. “Now I just wanna make a mess out of you.”

You don’t wait for a reply. Heck, you don’t even give her time to craft a reply. No teasing, no testing the waters; you just get your cock in your hand, line it up with her slit and pump yourself into her for the first time.

And even though she has this look of offence on her face, you know that this is probably the hottest thing she’s ever experienced. It’s a non-verbal statement that tells you that: her eyes burn with a heat you often see in Chaewon when she’s just being a downright bitch, yet her lips part and her head tilts back to let a moan be drawn out from the deepest parts of her. You don’t quite know how you’re processing these cues with the novel sensation of her hot cunt around your cock (it squeezes and pulses at just the right places that make you twitch inside her and it’s like… So fucking hot in there) that welcomes you into the depths of the woman beneath you. Every little thing is just hitting like a fucking sledge hammer now. You can feel her heat around you, burning like fire in this cold apartment. Alcohol must really be setting in.

Minju takes a moment to collect herself, and after she does, she looks at you to send another non-verbal cue your way. 

This one means fuck me.

This whole situation is far from sophisticated; a little more filthy than you care to admit. It’s not what you’re used to with the other women you’ve been with. Eunbi likes teasing, Ryujin likes to play around a little; Karina is just downright submissive, Yeji a little more subservient than she lets on; Chaewon is… well, Chaewon – bratty and really whiny when she fucks.

But Minju? This is a whole new chapter for you. 

First impressions tell you that she’s just downright needy; a little bratty like Chaewon as she starts to whine a little while you start pumping in and out of her slick heat. Her legs lock around your waist, feet crossed behind your back. She pulls you in each time you thrust into her – pulls you deeper into her warmth and moans a little louder when you hit the right spot. You match her speed, and soon you're thrusting her with firm, fast strokes. It makes her throw back her head for a bit, a cry leaving her straining throat as she sets rolls with this tempo.

Her torso remains supported on her elbows, her small breasts that sit proudly atop her chest bouncing with each smack of your crotch against hers. She realigns her gaze with yours. Her eyes stay wide open, gazing right into yours as she holds your attention with this debauched gaze that makes your mind fill with wild, wild thoughts. You’re fucking her on the table, but you’re thinking about what it’d be like to have her against the wall, against the counter, on her knees; riding you on her couch, jumping on your cock on her bed…  

This woman is gonna fucking ruin you.

“Chaewon said that the dick was fucking good,” she’s quipping between her moans, and you know it’s taking considerable effort for her. She has to close her eyes when she speaks, and in doing so she frees you from her hypnotic gaze. “No that it’s actually filling me… I think she could be downplaying how good you feel.”

And you have to smirk. “You think so ?”

Her eyes snap open, traps you yet again. “Do you have any idea how fucking hot you feel inside me?” she gasps. You have to admit that it sounds a bit more like she’s demanding you to figure out how good she feels right now/ ow fucking good your dick feels in my pussy? How–ngh… How good you fuck me?”

Emphasis on ‘fuck’ tells you that she likes this pace, this no-nonsense playing field that you’ve established from the moment you filled her for the first time. She never struck you as one to like it rough, someone who likes it when it kinda stings when you fill her. Then again, you didn’t expect her to hold feelings for you either, so you guess the world just has a bunch of mysteries that you have to unpack in your own time.

Currently, you’re just trying to unpack how fucking good she feels around you.

“You’re fucking filthy,” you hiss through your teeth. “Never knew Miss valedictorian liked being railed like this.”

She smiles through her pleasure – a half-curl upturn of the corners of her lips as she lets the sighs and gasps freely depart from her open lips. It would be a cute smile if it weren’t for the fact that you’re literally fucking her on the same surface she eats on. Not that she has any problem with it; it’s just kinda telling of how badly she wants you right now. Pretty hot honestly – feels a little dark but you like the fact that she just couldn’t wait and just found the nearest flat surface she could spread her legs for you on.

“I’ll let you in on something,” and it really looks like she’s pushing back moans in her throat. She isn’t very successful. Effort is commendable though. “As sweet as any girl looks, we all kinda like being fucked like a slut.”

You manage a chuckle. “And does that apply for you?”

You love the way her eyes gleam. She lets herself lie flat on her table. 

“That’s for you to find out.”

And you understand why she’s laid herself across the table for you. It’s an invitation to her body, a request for you to touch the parts of her and hold her like she’s yours. She’s watching you intently, waiting to see what you’ll do while you keep pumping in and out of her. You respond by grabbing her shoulders, pulling her up straight till her chest flushes against yours. Her hands wrap around your neck, her breath in your ear.

“Come on you pussy,” she drawls. “I’m not Chaewon or Eunbi, so stop fucking me like you’d fuck them.”

Your hands find purchase in the firm flesh of her ass. Your fingers dig into the skin.

Then you’re fucking her – hard, fast. It takes her by surprise, by storm. Her gasp is strained, her voice louder in your ear now that she’s dug her chin into your shoulder. Her arms tense around your neck, her thighs tighten around your waist. You can feel her start to tremble as she struggles to keep herself upright. She holds you tighter, closer. She starts to moan more than she gasps. Her sighs turn to whines, her whines to cries and then to keening. 

In a matter of seconds, she’s found herself lost in her own pleasure, willingly and blissfully letting herself slink beneath the steadily growing stream of perverse want and need that flows from her mouth. She doesn’t have any smart quips left in her, no lessons or lectures – just this burning ache for you and the meat between her legs. You can feel the throbbing in her pussy, hear the squelch of your cock sliding between her lips getting louder as you go faster. You want—so badly—to lose yourself in her warmth and her heat. You want nothing more than to just put your lips on hers and kiss her through this wave of passion you’re feeling. 

So—against her wishes—you put your lips on her neck, starting sucking. You sense hesitation in her body, but it quickly fades and she tips her head to the side. She lets you have your way with her, relenting against you and letting you nibble on her skin as you piston yourself in and out of her. 

“I hope you’re giving me something no other girl will experience,” she rasps. She’s shaking a little, her nails starting to dig into your back. “Fuck me like I’m the one that matters. I need it.”

You lift your lips off her neck. The skin is starting to change colour. “Minju,” you don’t know how you manage, but you just do. “You’re the best woman I’ll ever fuck.”

“Mhm?” she hums. It’s a little shaky and it’s high-key hot. “Is—mphm… is my pussy better than Chaewon’s?”

And there’s that common thread between her and your ex: that desire to know that they’re better than someone else. You’ll please her for tonight. “So much better.”

She quite literally twitches at that, reeling in the thought that she’s taking cock better than her friend ever would. “Ngh– am I tighter? Am I wetter?”

You move so that you can look her in the eye. “Shut up and let me fuck you, would you?”

The look in her eyes tells you that she’s proud of what she’s done. She lets her forehead press against yours. Her eyes close. “Okay… But only because I still kinda love you.”

How are you going to deal with her? With this?

You don’t. You dive back into the crook of her neck, lengthen your strokes into her. It’s all too much to handle right now. Too many emotions are in play; too many thoughts need attention. You just want her, no strings attached and no need to spout all this nonsense about love and wanting to be loved. You kinda hate her for it, so you fuck her harder. You don’t like that she’s bringing feelings into this like Chaewon, so you fuck her harder and harder till she’s almost crying. 

She loves it, every second of it.

“Yes,yes,yes…” you can tell that she’s trying not to lose it all together, or maybe you’re just projecting. You can’t shake the feeling that your silence in response to her confession tells her that you’re gonna let her live this fantasy down right now. “Oh god you… Oh my fucking god.”

For long minutes, there’s nothing on your mind except her. You love the way she tenses and relaxes in your grasp, how she lets her body respond freely to your movements; the way her milky, smooth skin starts to bead with sweat, her hair sticking to her back; how her voice is kinda hoarse, how her lips claim your earlobe and she bites a little. As much as she’s frustrating, she’s entrancing. She’s hot, admittedly tighter than some of the girls you’ve fucked but also charming in her own way. Her moans aren’t the guttural type you get out of Karina or Eunbi, but more like a gentle yet kinda sordid exclamation of pleasure. Her breath is hot on your skin, a little hotter than you expect, but hot nonetheless. Her slim figure rocks against you, jolting when you get yourself nice and deep in her cunt, turning her into a nice bundle of nerves.

“I… Fuck… I’ve wanted this for so long,” she gasps. “But you’re here, actually here and… Fuck you’re just so fucking hot.”

And you know that’s her way of telling you that you’re better in real life than you ever will be in her wildest dreams. She’s turned on by the fact that you’re here, in the flesh and fucking her the way she likes it. Even though she surrenders to you, she’s gotten her way tonight. You’re fulfilling her desires just by being here, and your rock hard shaft drilling its way inside of her is really just a cherry on top.

(She’s kinda right: as sweet as she is, she likes being fucked like a slut.)

Even though it’s kinda her fault, Minju is your distraction, your break from it all. You give in: lose yourself in her smell, in her skin, in her flesh.  You let yourself get absorbed in it all — her gasps, her cries; the way her pussy only gets tighter, the way her legs shake around you; the fire in your chest that drives your cock in and out of her cunt in firm, long strokes; the heat of her body against yours as she starts to tense in your grasp.

Then she’s cumming — a hot mess on her dining table as cock spears into her through her orgasm. Her walls clench around you, her nails claw at your back. She cries your name. She says she loves you over and over and over till the faculties of her speech give way and she goes a little slack in your arms. You revel in it, do your best to block out the parts that make you ache a little on the inside; fuck her through the wave of an orgasm she goes through and relish the feel of her tight pussy getting tighter and wetter. You don’t know how to put it into words, but all you can really say is that she’s fucking beautiful through it all – smutty art or maybe even straight up porn. 

When you join her, you don’t even ask if you can cum in her; she’s gotten enough of her way tonight. With a final few pumps into her, you relent to the tingling in your shaft and bury yourself inside her. Your grunt is rather guttural, your load hot inside of her slick wet cunt. She sighs, almost as if she’s welcoming it into her body. You savour the moment. It’s a treat for yourself. 

You stay like that for a bit — leaning against Minju and panting while you gather yourself again. She gently strokes your hair as she smiles at you, more than happy to keep you with her as you regain your bearings. 

And just because she can, she kisses you on the cheek.

You can’t meet her gaze much longer. You turn your gaze downwards as you remove yourself from her pussy, watching as the mix of your juices flow out of her freshly-fucked cunt. She hums as it flows down from her slit. 

“Forget what I said okay?” she requests, sounding remorseful as she takes your cheek in her hand. “You’re good at not taking things to heart, so do that for me, would you?”

You manage a small smile and nod. 

Then she kisses you, softly. 

“Thank you…” she breathes. “You just helped me delete some emails to you that I can never bring myself to send.”

***

You’re kinda in shambles to be honest.

Minju’s showering, which means that you have enough time to think about what your life has become. All these emotions are coming forth so suddenly, so quickly. You barely have time to process your school work and now this has come along and fucked you sideways. It makes your head hurt.

You decide to leave before she can get out of the shower. You can’t bear to see her again, but you do drop a text—Thanks for letting me crash. See you around—once you’re out of her apartment complex. You’re ashamed, but you were raised to know better than to leave without saying anything. But even though you do what you feel is right, something about what you’ve done doesn’t quite sit well with you. 

And you’re in the park when the realisation hits. On the bench, you bury your head in your hands.

You’ve done to Minju what Chaewon did to you.

Had this one sitting in the drafts for quit some time. Realised I actually never posted it so here it is I guess. Happy New Year everyone! Have this unedited work as a gift while I work on another fic because I can.

[karinamariee]

celibate

pairing: drew starkey x fiancé!fem!reader

summary: you’re as innocent as it gets, promising celibacy. but when your boyfriend drew comes into your life, you can’t help but yearn for him.

warnings: smut w plot, mdni!!

authors note: this is my 100 follower special, plus it is such a hot idea, i love it

—————————————————————————

drew first was admired by you when you stepped in one of his acting classes, taking him by surprise. it wasn’t your face (though it was beautiful) or your body (which made him instantly hard), it was the fact that you walked into the acting classes, dressed in all pink, and you walked into there with such kindness and respect that drew immediately needed you.

it took drew months to get you to go on one date with him, it was actually fucking with his pride, but he didn’t give up. eventually, you ended up going on a romantic date with him where he brought flowers and your favorite (though you never told him, he just assumed) chocolates. how could you say no to that?

but oh, when drew kissed you for the first time, he knew he wanted forever with you. he knew he wanted to get married, to have children, to grow old together. he wanted every single flaw, insecurity, fear and pain, and he would take that and throw it all into his heart.

he had just wanted all of you.

so he asked you any question under the sun like: “what’s your favorite color?” in which you answered pink. “who’s your favorite music artist?” in which you said gracie abrams. “what’s your favorite thing about yourself?” eyes. “why do you wear pink all the time.” i love wearing pink. all those questions were answered, and he immediately knew, you knew how to not be shy, being as open as your are.

by the time three months hit, he got down on both his knees, arms wrapped around your torso, cheek on your belly, your hands in his hair, and telling you how much he loved you. your response had been what he needed: you loved him too.

by ten months, you had been able to sit in silence, enjoying each others company.

by one year and a half, you two both officially moved in with each other, finally planning your life together.

by two years and three months, he proposed to you in which your answer was yes.

everything seemed perfect, but one thing kept on flashing in drew’s mind, and oh did he feel so dirty. he always wonder what it would be like to see you naked, bent over the kitchen counter, fucking you from behind as you moaned his name. so when he did think of those thoughts, he would shake his head.

“are you a virgin, y/n?” drew got the courage to ask one night.

you turned to him, closing your clothes drawer, and you walked to him, standing on your side of the bed.

“oh,” you said, “i guess i never told you this. im celibate, which means—“

drew quickly crawled over to your side, grabbing your waist, resting his head on your belly. “i know what it means, babe. it was just a question.”

but it got harder and harder for him, having seeing you in those mini skirts and dresses, seeing you in heels, seeing you change, seeing you do anything turned him on so much he had to jerk himself off in the bathroom.

but little did he know, it was hard for you too.

—————————————————————————

“please,” you whispered, “make sure to go slow. i’ve never done this before.”

drew snorted. “don’t worry, baby. you’re gonna have the best time with this.”

you nodded as drew took his cock out of his underwear, throwing them to the side. you looked down and audibly gasped.

“it’ll fit,” said drew, “trust me.”

he slide himself inside of you very slowly. going inch by inch, listening to when you told him to go. eventually he started thrusting slowly in and out of you. you got into the rhythm of it, moaning when he was at a perfect pace.

“fuck, baby. you feel so good around my cock.”

you moaned loudly at that, pulling him closer by his buttocks. you couldn’t get rid of this feeling he was giving you. he was so good at this, so good that he threw his head back, going faster, but not that much.

“faster,” you demanded.

“fuck.”

he quickened the pace, hitting that spot that made your toes curl, your head throwing back into the pillows. you had never felt a feeling like this before.

“drew…”

“fuck i’m close.” drew said.

you moaned loudly, scratching on his back as he quickened the pace, on a mission. he repeated himself over and over again and you started whining, tears falling down your cheeks.

you came all over his cock, toes curling, never feeling like this.

“i guess you’re not celibate anymore,” said drew later that night.

you laughed, turning to him. “i love you.”

“i love you too.”

[synvil]

anytime, anywhere // bsf! roommate! rafe cameron

a/n : this is mix blurb and oneshot? enjoy.

warnings : nsfw! dark-ish content (( well not really )), free use! sex, dub-con, penetration, no protection, etc. porn without plot basically

“fuck, [name], you take me in so well.”

The way he slides into your velvety walls, the way you clench around him subconsciously while you lay flat on your stomach and playing your game, it’s almost enough to drive him insane.

You don’t have a care in the world, not batting a second glance to the fact that he’s using your body for his own pleasure, having entered your room and yanked your bottoms down along with his sweatpants. He hovers behind you and teases your clit for a few seconds, watching and feeling it throb with need before he pushes in in an instant.

You whimper slightly at the sudden action, feeling filled up as you attempt to maintain your focus on your game, but it’s too late.

“Damn, lost again.” You groan out in frustration as you lose your game for the nth time, restarting your level while the man behind you moans out in ecstasy, his hips rutting into yours a few times before he releases his load into you, slowly sliding out with a plop, at his cum continues to spurt onto your skin.

“Thanks, [Name].” He exhales in satisfaction as he finds a random rag on the ground and tosses it your way before leaving your room, leaving you alone to clean while you stay distracted with your game.

this was your relationship with your best friend and roommate.

you’ve been single for so long, and desperate for any touch, any sort of excitement in your life, and your friends decide to take you out to distract your mind.

unfortunately you got so drunk that you don’t seem to recall the text that occurs between you and your best friend rafe, who you’ve been attracted to for so long.

“fuck rafe, you’re so fuckin’ hot.. you should totally just fuck me everywhere”

“[name]? what’s going on?”

“stupid.. i’m so lonely and all i want is your cock in me”

“i’d do anything if you’ll use me forever anytime you want n no one elsereeee”

“fuck, are you being for real, [name]?”

“how could i lie to someone like you sexy <3”

and things have changed between you since.

the next morning when you returned home, rafe took care of you and by the afternoon, he asked if you remembered anything from last night. let’s just say you were completely mortified but rafe didn’t seem to be opposed to the idea.

“who would’ve thought..” he teased as he crawls over the bed atop of you. the way your cheeks flush and the excitement in your eyes makes him know that you really want this too.

and my god did he give you what you’ve been waiting for.

and now its just a daily common occurrence.

some examples of your daily life..

In the middle of a movie, it’s just you and him cuddled up on the couch, until you go to get up. In the midst of doing so, you knock the remote off your lap and bent over to pick it up, wearing spandex that rises up your thighs when you do.

rafe’s eyes flicker from the screen to your ass in a split second, and his erection begins to form.

once you stand straight, before you can go anywhere, rafe already has his hands in your waist and pulling you back down onto his lap. you protest, attempting to stand but his grip is firm. “rafe, i’m getting a drink-“

“funny, i’m getting thirsty too.” he murmurs into your ear as he lifts you just a tad, enough to slide down his shorts and pull out his hardened cock free and he prods it at your clothed entrance. “c’mon, [name].” he huskily breathes and you huff, sliding off your spandex and panties. once you do, rafe doesn’t waste another second as he slides right in and you mewl, leaning back against him as he fucks you.

his hands reach the remote that you had grabbed and he clicks play on the movie, resuming the film as he murmurs small hushes into your ear every time you make a noise.

“shush, i’m trying to watch.”

when you’re in the middle of a call with your friends, rafe doesn’t hesitate to step right into the room.

he watches as you laugh at something a friend said, spinning simply on your chair by your desk and he comes over, going down to his knees. he manages to catch you by surprise when he spins your chair to face him but he sends a warning look and you keep quiet, focusing on the voice of your friends on the other line.

and when rafe slides your bottoms off, and his tongue pressed flat against your pussy lips, your hand occasionally reaches up to bite down on your fingers, eyes unable to leave his. he ravishes every taste of you, devouring your pussy as he buries his nose deeper, rubbing your clit that’s throbbing for more.

‘don’t you think so, [name]?’ someone on the other end hums and you manage a weak laugh. “yeah, it’s pretty crazy.” you respond, turning back to your monitor and clicking on some things to distract yourself.

it doesn’t take long before you’re cumming, your juices gushing down your thighs and leaking onto your chair and down his chin as he licks every drop clean.

rafe smirks in satisfaction as he pulls back, giving a slow lick to his lips before he winks and leaves to clean himself up, leaving you alone in a breathless state.



rafe coming home from work, seeing you in the kitchen making dinner for the two of you, it stirs something in him. maybe he’s just frustrated and exhausted from work and he needs a relief, but either way, there’s something about the way the apron is wrapped tightly around you waist, accentuating your curves, it makes him hungry.

but hungry for dessert was more like it.

you’d be in the middle of cutting some vegetables on the countertop, listening to your playlist that plays on the speaker and don’t notice rafe pulling up behind you.

when his hands place itself on your hips, you jump, turning your head. “oh rafe, i’m almost finish with—“

“doesn’t matter. i’m hungry for something else right now.” he mutters as he pushes your back downward so you bent over the countertop, and he pulls at the hem of your pants. he pulls them down, along with your underwear and uses his fingers to rub your pussy softly, feeling as it gradually wets.

You moan gently, eyes fluttering shut and rafe chuckles, pulling his fingers back and bringing it to his lips. he sucks on his index finger for a moment before he licks his lips. “delicious..”

he then leans down to meet your ear and grins. “but while i satisfy my hunger, you should finish cooking, [name]. you’ll need to eat later too.” he then laughs as he licks your neck. “but make sure you have room for dessert after.”

and as you try to focus on cutting the rest of the veggies, rafe is pounding into you from behind; his body thrusting in and out of you while your body and breasts bounce, making it difficult.

and you loved every second of it.

it was practically a no strings attached, friends with benefits relationship. but you didn’t care, if it meant you were rafe’s exclusive free use doll.

but to think this started, all because of a drunken text.

well, it was worth it. you were his, free to use anytime, anywhere.

a/n: porn without plot idk i did this last minute without thinking but that’s bc id love to be rafe cameron’s free use toy <3

hope you enjoyed. :p this wasn’t my best work~

synvil™️ do not copy my work :)

[mythicmanuscripts]

“In conclusion, that little fucker is lucky he's cute.” is the most Aegon thing ever. This is the energy that attracted me to eggxreader and I didn’t even know it. Amazing

It really does describe him perfectly, utterly insufferable but he's too cute. I'm gonna write a little bit about all the shit Aegon gets up to and gets away with, and then of course also why he can get away with all that chaos.

This is mostly SFW but considering it's Aegon there's no way for this not to have implied sexual content, so I'll hide it behind a cut just to be safe. Enjoy lads!

Aegon's reputation preceded him by a country mile. You had heard all about the king, about his behaviour, his audacity, his taste for wine and just about every woman in the keep and that's just to name a few. You knew marrying him would be signing up for a lifetime of entertaining every whim of an absolutely little bastard with a crown on his head.

And well, you certainly werent wrong about all that. What completely shocks you though, is that you actually enjoy it? Sure there's a few awkward months of trying to figure him out, but once you realise how easy it is to make him absolutely DELIGHTED your relationship improves significantly.

And once he realises you may actually entertain his whims and listen to him? Well now you have a shadow. A shadow who demands your attention and will whine and pout and push things off tables until you finally meet his gaze and listen to whatever he wants. Most of the time he just wants to tell you something absolutely useless, but the entire kingdom will be brought to a standstill if you don't give him your full attention and listen to him telling you about the bird he just spotted on the windowsill.

No one really understands how on earth the two of you arent always at each other's throats, or at the very least how you arent just barely getting along. Aegon seems to worship the very ground you walk on, and then also seems to lay himself down flat on that very ground and scream until you sigh and go to him. Often he'll call you and just ask for a kiss. That's it. (He has interrupted multiple engagements and meetings because the king would like to kiss his queen and this is obviously the most important matter to attend to in all of the seven kingdoms.)

It's definitely worth noting that this isnt one sided either. Aegon will go out of his way to do whatever you want, even if most of the time you havent even told him you wanted it. You once commented on how pretty a certain flower was in the gardens when you were walking with him and for the next three months there was always a fresh bunch of those flowers on your bedside every time you came back from dinner. Every single time. He literally appointed a servant whose role was JUST to ensure the flowers are always perfect and replace them when needed.

Everyone keeps on waiting for the moment where you react to his requests with more than just an amused smile before entertaining whatever he's asked you about. But it never happens. You always just smile and go to him, kissing his head, holding his hand, rolling your eyes as he complains about a lord who is literally still in the same room as him.

All these ridiculous requests and high maintenance needs don't mean that he won't obey you, because he will. Your word is law to him, far more so than any deal or offer or responsibility he could ever have or receive. He will NEVER disobey you, ever. Which is something the entire castle is so relieved about. If anyone else tries to tell him no he won't take it laying down, but if you do? He'll just bat his eyelashes and demand a kiss as compensation.

This of course also means before long you have the entire small council seeking you out after every small council meeting to tell you all the things they need you to stop Aegon from doing and all the things they need you to make Aegon start doing. Aegon is well aware of this by the way, he knows they all scurry off to find you and you essentially get a debrief of the same meeting by just about every person who attends it.

Aegon never tells his small council that he knows all about their little trick, mostly because he'd much rather listen to you than them. Sure he heard their thoughts at the meeting, but he doesn't care about that! They arent his queen! So when you relay the same message he just smiles and nods and then just beams at you when you praise him and thank him for agreeing.

So yes, he's an utterly insufferable little bastard gremlin creature who follows you round, tugging at your dress and nipping at your ankles until you eventually agree to hear the same story you've already heard at least eight times. But... he's certainly cute, that can't be denied.

[kaynanarie]

Eyes of Gold (Part 9)

(A WukongxReader story inspired by Beauty and the Beast and Lutung Kasarung.) (First) (Prev)

            “I think it’s just up ahead!”

            The trees lining the trail were starting to thin out, more sunlight streaming in where the forest ended. Excitement tingled your fingers and lightened your feet. An hour of walking had finally led you to the edge of your home.

            You rushed down the path, pulling Shihou by the hand. He let himself be dragged along, easily keeping pace despite the heavy basket he carried for you.

            “Slow down, the village isn’t going anywhere,” he chuckled. As the last of the trees fell away and the sky broke through, you both slowed to a stop.

            Where the Monkey King’s domain ended, so did the forest. The wall of emerald greens came to an abrupt break at the foot of Fruit and Flower Mountain. Beyond it was a sparce field dotted with thorny brambles and spindly trees stripped bare by winter. A single, winding path led from the mountain down to the village nestled in the valley.

            “There it is!” you breathed, tears welling up at the sight. Everything looked so tiny but familiar; you couldn’t wait to see it up close again.

            “This is as far as I go, then.” Shihou set the basket down and unfolded a heavy mantle stored inside. “Put this on. Once you cross over, it’ll be winter weather the rest of the way.”

            You nodded, pulling the cloak over your robes. The fabric was thick and warm, making you sweat in the summery heat. It was only made worse when Shihou hoisted the basket onto to your own back. While the fruits inside were invaluable, their combined weight was nothing to scoff at.

            After the last of the straps were secured, Shihou laid a hand on your shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked, unable to hide the concern in his gaze.

            “I’ll be fine,” you assured him, grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Just a quick visit to the elder so she knows I’m safe. Then I’ll drop off the fruit and leave before my sister finds out.”

            Shihou didn’t seem convinced but nodded all the same. “One more thing.” He grasped your hand and held it out before you. Plucking a hair from his head, he quickly tied it around your wrist like a bracelet. It was thin, nearly invisible; only seen when light glinted off its golden-brown sheen.

            You raised a brow at him, biting back a confused smile. “Thank you?”

            “Just a little piece of me to carry with you,” Shihou explained, one hand sliding up to brush your forearm. “It’ll keep you safe when I’m not around.”

            Shihou had fussed and fretted for days following the wolves’ attack. Personally changing your bandages and checking for infection, he insisting you postpone your village visit until your wounds fully healed. Even after the scratches had faded to barely-there marks, you frequently caught Shihou staring; a haunted, regretful look dulling the brilliant gold.

            A moment passed as he continued to hold your hand, fingers caressing soft and sweet over your skin. It was like when he comforted you after the attack, cuddling you close and lulling you to sleep in his embrace. The memory burned through you and flushed your face with embarrassment.

            You kept reminding yourself it was innocent; just kind reassurance for a friend in need. Shihou was a perfect gentleman the whole time and didn’t impose you in the following evenings. Part of you wanted to invited him back, knowing he would accept in a heartbeat. The other part held yourself in check, wanting to sort through your flurry of feelings first.

            Shihou’s voice broke through your yearnful thoughts. “Are you ready?” You met his curious gaze only to quickly look away, blushing bright red when you saw him smirk out of the corner of your eye.

            “Yep!” you squeaked out, hiding your burning face with a nod.

            “What time will you be back?” he asked, giving your cloak a final adjustment. It sounded casual but there was a subtle reminder hidden in his question.

            “I need to return by sundown.” You glanced at the sky, calculating the journey to and from your village against the daylight left. “But it shouldn’t take that long.”

            Shihou smiled, all soft fur and gilded eyes that set your heart aflutter. “Alright. I’ll be waiting right here.” He backed away, fingers reluctant to release their gentle touch. “See you soon.”

            With a final, bashful nod, you turned away and marched over the boundary of the demon mountain.

            The shift from pleasant summer to icy winter left you dizzy and shivering. White puffs poured from your mouth with every breath. Your fingers, toes, and nose started to go numb, nipped by the chilling wind. Tugging your cloak closer, you set a brisk pace towards the village.

            You don’t know how long it took but you were exhausted when you finally arrived. The basket seemed to get heavier with every step, throwing you off balanced as you hurried between the buildings. As much as you wanted to visit home, the threat of your sister was still too real to tempt. Instead, you took the longer route through the village, sticking to secluded paths and empty alleys. Soon, you arrived at the elder’s door, knocking with a weary, shivering hand.

            Elder Gran was one of the most respected members of the village for both her wisdom and compassion. Many times, she had brought issues and grievances to your father on the villagers’ behalf. When your sister took over as the new overseeing noble, the elder had been less than impressed, criticizing her decisions without fear of retaliation. If there was anyone you could still trust in the village, it was Elder Gran.

            She looked quite surprised to find you on her doorstep, dressed in strange clothes and carrying a wicker pack. “You’ve returned! Everyone thought you dead! Quick, come inside out of the cold!”

            You were ushered in and bundled by the fire, your basket removed and set aside. A blanket was thrown over your shoulders and a warm drink pressed into your hands as Elder Gran tutted and chastised your frozen state. Finally, she sat as well and pinned you with a hard stare. “How did you survive the mountain, child?”

            And so, you told her everything. Getting lost immediately after your banishment. Meeting a strange monkey named Shihou. Discovering the source of your rash was poison ivy. Being cured and offered a safe place to stay. Hearing the Monkey King himself had invited you as his guest raised the elder’s brows to her hairline but she said nothing, only nodding along with your story. Finally, you opened the basket and showed Elder Gran the fruits inside.

            “Sun Wukong said I could bring these for the villagers. I trust you to give them to those in need.”

            “It’s been many years since the Monkey King allowed the fruits of the mountain to be shared,” Elder Gran pondered, eyeing the food suspiciously. “What does he expect in return?”

            “He asked for nothing,” you said, latching the lid close. “He also said if the village needed anything else, he would do what he could to help.”

            The elder shook her head in disbelief. “That’s quite generous of him. The village has struggled under your sister’s rule but it’s nothing we can’t handle. If things become dire, I shall keep the Monkey King’s offer in mind.”

            “Thank you.” You stood, handing back the blanket and empty mug with a grateful smile. “Now I must go before my sister discovers me and does something extreme.”

            “You don’t plan to stay in the village?” the elder gasped, clutching your robe as you turned to leave.

            “No, I promised to return to the mountain,” you explained, patting her hand in comfort. “I hope to visit again soon and bring more food to see you through winter. Until then, take care.”

            Giving Elder Gran a final hug, you slip out the door and out of sight. Immediately, you missed the warmth of the hearth as you traced you way back out of the village. The sun was starting to set when you reached the field again, time moving much faster than you had anticipated.

            You raced down the path, wind whipping your face and cold burning your lungs. As the light grew dimmer, the green of the forest grew closer. Soon, you could see the invisible border and Shihou waiting just on the other side. In a final burst of speed, you launched yourself over the boundary just as the last rays of the sun dropped over the horizon.

            Shihou caught you in his arms, holding you close as you recovered your breath. Between his warmth and the balmy breeze of the jungle, the chill of the winter you left behind quickly melted away.

            “Made it!” you panted, giving Shihou a triumphant grin. He only shook his head in bemusement, smiling softly to himself.

            “Welcome back. Was the running leap really necessary?” he teased, setting you back on your feet.

            “I promised I’d be back before sundown,” you said, glancing at the evening sky. “I don’t know why but it seemed important.”

            Shihou tilted his head with a smile. “Maybe because you can’t see in the dark?”

            “Oh.” The obvious and mundane answer made you blush. “I guess that makes sense,” you muttered.

            “Lucky for you, I can see just fine.” Shihou grabbed your hand, gold eyes glowing in the growing darkness. “Just stay by my side.”

            Feeling bold, you laced your fingers with his, the burn of your blush reaching all the way down to your toes. You couldn’t see Shihou’s face but felt him startle at the touch. After a moment he relaxed, pulling you closer by your clasped hands as he led the way through the night.

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

I almost made this two small chapters but figured one big one would be better. Enjoy some village lore and more Shihou feelings.

Thank you for reading! Happy New Year!

[fuck-customers]

This is a genuine question that I would like any theories or insight anyone has about this, because it does not make sense to me at all.

Does anyone know why the hell managers spout on an on about "not having the hours" (during the holiday season. Really?) and give us all the bare minimum hours on paper, but when the store inevitably gets slammed, they ask their employees to extend their shift, as if that isn't the same thing?

I greatly prefer to have prior notice of an 8 hour shift, so that I can plan accordingly and bring my own snacks/lunch and enough drinks, etc. It also helps me to mentally prepare for being at work for x hours and when my shift gets unexpectedly extended, it messes me up. vs. coming in for a short shift to have it extended the day of.

It's December. Obviously the store is very, very busy with more customers than usual. This happens every year. It seems like it would be easier for everyone if, instead of waiting until the store gets super swamped like it does every single day and then asking your employee to stay later, just schedule them the full shift in the first place? It's the same hours, right? What am I not understanding? Unless this is a purposeful spiteful game just to pressure me and stress me out? I don't understand. Just schedule me 8 hours in the first place.

I'm still on the clock. I still get paid for those 8 hours no matter what. I do not work off the clock. Ever. I hope they're not stupid enough to take advantage of other employees and have them work off the clock, but I am very, very strict and careful about being on the clock for every drop of work I do at my job. I won't even answer a customer's question if they see me walk away from the register but I'm already clocked out. So it's not free labor. Not from me, at least.

I looks better for the manger to not have those hours on the books. (as a former manager) if I schedule that many hours (to actually cover the shift) I would get into trouble for over scheduling. But if those hours go over the schedule I can explain it as "we had an 'unexpected" rush and needed to keep people past their time." and wouldn't get intro trouble. Something stupid like if I scheduled all the people and it didn't get busy I would just be wasting hours for no reason. New you know part of the reason I am not a manager anymore.

-Rodney

[universaln0b0dy]

The chill new friend

p.o.v there is a new human student at R.A.D, but instead of trying to replace you they just make you loose your mind. (Accidentally)

(This is just a joke oneshot thingy cooked up at 12.00 pm, like one does. Also the new person is a female oc, with the name Diova. If you want you can change that, but I didn't want to just use a place holder like Notmc or something along the lines.)

The program had been widened to another student. Which isn't surprising because it did so well, you just didn't want to guide someone around. Okay no, you wanted to guide them around if they turned out to be nice.

Well, the day arrived and the new student -also chosen at random- was teleported to where you once stood.

Diavolo welcomed her, introduced her to the brothers and you, before you guy's said your names et cetera, everything went fairly well. Or so you thought.

DiovA looked at everyone held up her finger, excusing herself with the words: "Please give me a minute." Before fainting. All in all not that surprising, but you had the feeling that this could mean trouble.

Well it didn't. The new student was so quiet you occasionally forgot she existed and so did everyone else. You felt bad but it seemed like Diova had a habit of disappearing without a trace.

After the third week of getting spooked when she came out of her room you decided that you would start to hang out with her, maybe to ease your own mind. You've been appointed her guide after all.

Turns out that girl is introverted, much more than Levi. She didn't talk and just existed in her own space. But that lead to some very funny situations:

Satan:

This what has been engraved into your memory as "the cat-cident". It's no secret that he loved cats, so every time he came across a stray he would look to the side once or twice before petting it.

Well, one particular cat was a regular with Satan, they even had a set time when he would give them food. One day you were dragging Diova by the sleeve to make sure you wouldn't loose her again in the crowd. (You never actually lost her, she just went *poof*)

Along the way you came across Satan and the both of you started talking. Until he looked for the cat and you at the exchange student. Both were gone. And this time not in the "ohoho I didn't see you but you were right behind me" type of way, no, both ceased to exist.

That caused you to fall into mild crisis, because you lost a student. In hell. Not just any place. Fucking hell. Great place to loose a person in.

Okay, you didn't loose her, she walked away but you felt like you did. Satan wasn't that bothered by the cats disappearance, cats tend to so that. But he also understood your panic about the exchange student, so the both of you started searching.

For two hours.

You were hyperventilating and on the verge of tears, probably a mild over reaction, but it was one of the most frustrating searches ever. You and Satan had turned over every single stone and asked every person in sight if they had seen her only to be met with a very confused: "Who are you talking about?" Even classmates couldn't remember her.

Satan rubbed soothing circles on your back, noticing your distress. "Don't worry Mc, we will find her." You sighed heavily, realising you probably needed more help with the search. You leaned onto/against Satan for support, grumbling out some frustration.

"I feel like I completely failed as a guide." You mutter, before noticing that Satan shook his head. "Not at all, you did your best and it's not your fault she just left." He nudged you softly. "I would be a lot less patient with someone who is constantly disappearing."

You chuckle/laugh half hearted. "I wouldn't doubt it, you can be a ticking time bomb." It was funny to see how this joke would have had dire consequences at the start of your exchange, but now? With all these adventures Satan would laugh with you.

"I guess we better call Lucifer?" You ask and Satan reluctantly agrees. Before a rather quiet voice asks: "Why? Did something happened?"

You turned around, and there she stood, the stay cat sitting next to her purring contentedly.

A bunch of emotions wash over you, one one end relieve on the other anger. "Where have you been? We searched all other the campus for you!" You ask like a parent that caught their child sneaking out.

Diova looks a bit confused. "I noticed that the cat had some dirt on it's fur so I cleaned that up, only to realise that I forgot something in the alchemy lab. I went to grab it and got back here only to notice both of you were gone." She knits her brow. "But you should now about this, I wrote you a message."

You look at your device only to realise to realise that you forgot to turn on the connection. "And all this time I thought you turned into air!" You cry out half laughing half crying.

Now that it was reconnected to the hell equivalent of wife you saw a bunch of different messages.... from Lucifer.

That would be a fun evening.

The second incident was with Beel.

You had again been on refrigerator protection duty, forced to turn Beel away at his attempts of sneaking food from the kitchen. (We ignore the sandwich you'd smuggle here and there).

Beel came, at about 9pm like clockwork and you both reminisced about life for a few minutes. That's just how it was, like it's own personal routine. If there hadn't been the ghost in the dark hallway.

At first you only noticed it fleeting, it was running around the hallway. It could have been Mammon running away from Lucifer, but then he would have run to you... right? Or did he have a better hiding spot?

You were happy with it until the figure ran by a second time. This time even Beel noticed it and he immediately knew that he didn't know who that was, or what it was.

Now the situation got spooky. For you at least. Beel looked pretty calm. Though it could also just be his resting unexpressive face. You and him decide to check out the noise to see what's going on.

There is indeed a figure running around, only ever stopping shortly, before disappearing around a corner and then showing up again. Something swishing after them like a Cape.

It was almost as if it was a ghost floating around. But that couldn't be was it an intruder? That was unlikely, but still an unconscious doubt settled in your mind.

And then it came back, halting infront of you and Beel. He protectivly extends his arm and you grab it, as if you could throw it should whatever attack.

But it wasn't an whatever. It was Diova, in hoodie and baggy trousers, a blanket over her head. She was holding onto some objects and looked almost a bit embarrassed.

"Oh my Diavolo, you scared me! What were you doing?" You ask confused and she just holds up some beads.

"What are those?" You ask a bit confused. She shuffles her feet looking to the floor like a kid that was just caught breaking a vase. "I tried a summoning spell on my bracelet..." She sighed heavily.

"It broke and the beads teleported into the dining room."

You nod following along, before looking at the beads. Didn't you make a similar mistake once? "Let me guess now the beads must be transported separately or they just disappear again?"

Well the ghost problem was also just a misunderstanding it seemed. You and Beel helped her transport the beads to her room later on and you explained to her what went wrong when she casted the spell.

......

You and her sit in your room. You both got along quite well after a while and you noticed that she didn't disappear into thin air like you thought at first. She was just really quiet and timid in everything she did.

She sits on one of the many chairs in the room you had thanks to the suprise visits of the brothers, playing with her now fixed bracelet. Before looking at you.

"Thank you for being my friend, Mc." You look at her, that sounded strange. Her tone, not the words. "You don't need to thank me for that, but why are you saying that? It sounds like you will go away some time soon?" You ask a bit confused.

Diova smiled. "Did you know the origin of my name?" She asks, dodging your question. Your a bit taken off guard but say what you assume.

She shakes her head. "Its a great idea, but it's actually Avoid, just backwards." She looks a bit sad. "It's been pretty prophetic for me. I've always been the odd one out, no matter where." She shrugged. "So people tend to avoid me."

She flashes you a smile. "I thought it would be the same here.... but you made an effort befriending me." She looks back to the floor. "It's kinda sad to think that all of this is just a dream. "

Her words knock the wind out of your lungs. "What do you mean? Are you feeling okay?" But Diova just smiles sadly giving you a tight hug. You hadn't even noticed she stood up from the chair.

"Thank you for our friendship, even if you are waking up now." The girl mumbled and then you hear it. Your alarm ringing off in the distance.

......

You shoot awake and can't help but stare at the wall for a while. It's as if your brain can't grasp the fact that Diova didn't exist.

No, you wouldn't believe this.

You stand up and look around for pictures. But there are none. You look at the calendar to check the date only to realise... in the dream there hadn't been a consistent date. Only what you assumed was one.

It took an hour and a half for you to grasp that you had dreamt up a whole new friend. She had felt, looked and sounded so real! But she wasn't.

You hear a knock on your door. It Mammon. Before he can say anything you just pull him into a hug. You needed one Oh so desperately, because the dream hurt. And what hurt even more was that already, you were starting to forget.

Forget a fellow friend.....

[sjyzip]

ᯓ ✈︎ paradise found .ᐟ ˎˊ˗

⤷ 18. okay kat stratford!📍

wc: 1.8k

after a good week, all you seemed to need to place the cherry on top was a nice night out with your friends and what better timing cause yeonjun was hosting a party. things had gotten even better cause not only you and your friends were going, but also jake was going too. you got ready for the night out, feeling extremely good cause both your hair and makeup had come out perfect, giving you a huge confidence boost. once you were ready, you left your apartment to go meet with your friends and get to yeonjun’s house.

the music was bustling and could be heard from far away, yeonjun’s house was packed with people and the smell of alcohol and smoke. you and your friends entered the house, getting through the crowd, waving and saying hi to people you knew.

once you were out of the extremely crowded area you scanned the room, unconsciously looking for someone special, like jake. you didn’t realize it but your friends surely did. “you know.. i saw sunghoon and riki close to the entrance” giselle said, stirring her drink. “maybe jake is with them now” giselle continued, sipping her drink afterwards. “really? i was about to go there” you said, trying to play it casual. “mhm, it’s okay, we know you wanted to see him” yunjin said with a smile, patting your shoulder. you rolled your eyes as you took your drink “i’ll go walk around, maybe i’ll casually get to see him that way” you said with a smile. “call us if you need anything!” yunjin shouted so you could hear her clearly through the noise. you turned around and nodded your head “i will!” you shouted back before you turned around again, entering the crowd.

you walked around the house once again, scanning every single inch of it to at least catch a glimpse of jake while finishing your drink. minutes that felt like eternity and yet you hadn’t caught either jake or at least his friends. you decided to take a small break, getting another drink and sitting on a random couch, people-watching as you drank until someone tapped your shoulder, you reacted slower than usually, the alcohol from the drink already kicking in.

“yn?” a voice asked, a voice you could recognize everywhere, it was jake’s voice. “oh hey! didn’t expect to see you here” jake said with a smile on his face. “oh hey, how are you?” you asked him, taking a few sips from your drink. “i’m good, i just got here” he replied, observing you and the drink in your hand. “oh that’s why i didn’t see you before!” you giggled. “you know, i was looking for you earlier” you continued, giggling once again. jake stared at you, confused. “why were you looking for me?” jake asked, sitting down next to you. “because i wanted to see you” you replied, smiling from ear to ear. “ohh, cool” jake replied, with a shy smile. “are you here alone?” jake asked once again. “uh no, i’m here with my friends but i left earlier to go look for you.” you said without thinking, sipping your drink. “i really wanted to see you tonight” you continued. “i like to hangout with you and also when you called me ynnie” you giggled. “yeah i also like to hangout with you” jake smiled, getting flustered more by each second. “hey, can i ask you something?” you asked him. “oh yeah sure” jake nodded his head, rubbing the back of his neck. “what would you do if when you say okay so he said yes would go?” you bursted laughing even before finishing the sentence. “i think you should stop drinking.” jake said, reaching out to take your drink. “no, i’m okay” you shook your head, crossing your arms so jake couldn’t reach your drink. “come on, your face is flushed and you’re saying weird things” jake whined, still trying to reach out for your drink. “weird things like what?” you chuckled. “i don’t know, like wanting to see me” jake replied, almost whispering the last part. “but i said that because i like hanging out with you!” you giggled. “just hand me over the drink.” jake insisted. “alright..” you nodded your head, about to finish the rest of your drink before handing it over but jake took it and drank what was left.

you stared at him in disbelief for a few seconds before reacting “i was going to drink that?” you complained. “i know, but if you drank that, you would keep saying weird things” jake stated, grinning while observing the empty cup. “whatever you say.. anyways when you said that my face was flushed, your face was also flushed, so you should stop drinking too” you innocently said, patting his shoulder. “i should, huh? alright i will” jake smiled.

“i guess yn did find jake after all” yunjin chuckled. “i hope something happened between those two or ill force it” sunoo rolled his eyes. “ill text to check on her” giselle said, going through her phone.

hey, are u with jake?

yupyupyuppp iim hre with jakeyyy

don’t drink more, ill go there in a while x

dontt need tooo, jskey is taking me to my apt!! apt apt apt apt hahahahhaha

wait i’ll call you

“hello..?” giselle spoke into the phone. “heeey!!” you replied “yn, could you pass me the phone to jake?” giselle asked. “alright, hereee” you gave the phone to jake. “giselle wants to talk to youu” you told jake. jake nodded and took the phone to his ear. “giselle? yn’s with me” jake said. “are you taking her to her apartment?” giselle asked. “yeah, uhm by the way, what is the apartment number? yn isn’t cooperating much” jake chuckled. “it’s ynnie!! not yn” you complained loudly that even giselle could hear it. “it’s 615 and under the doormat there is a backup key” giselle told jake. “alright thanks, just to reassure you, she’s fine just a bit.. tipsy” jake smiled, glancing at you. giselle smiled too “okay, thanks for taking care of her” giselle thanked. “yeah, no problem” jake nodded. “wait jakey pass me the phone, pleaseeeee” you begged. “here” jake handed you your phone. “hey gigi, i’m okaaaay, jakey is doing a gooood job so don’t worry. okay bye gigi love youuuu, mwah mwah” you reassured her. “bye ynnie, love you too” giselle smiled before ending the call.

“are you holding up okay?” jake checked on you. “yeah i’m alright, i could run the whole way back, wanna race???” you giggled, about to start running. “no cause you could get hurt and i don’t want that” jake said “fine.. but if you don’t want me to get hurt, could you piggyback me pleaseeeee?” you begged. jake stared at you for a few seconds before agreeing “hop on” jake slightly leaned down so you could get up. you got on his back, wrapping your arms around his neck. “this is sooooo fuuun!!!!” you laughed. “fun for you, you’re so heavy jeez..” jake teased you. “i’m not heavy..” you pouted. “i was joking, good news tho, we’re pretty close to your apartment now” jake said, looking at the building nearby. “awh, this was too short” you whined. “what do you mean? i can go around the block if you still want a piggyback ride” jake suggested. “no, i meant us hanging out, it was too short” you pouted “i like being with you, it’s fun and you understand me” you mumbled, leaning your head on jake’s shoulder. “i guess you aren’t sober yet.. but i also like hanging with you ynnie” jake smiled softly.

a few minutes of walking in silence to your apartment and a quick glance at you made jake realize that you had fallen asleep. the silence made him replay in his mind what you had said throughout the night, how you enjoyed hanging out with him, and he wondered if what you said was entirely platonic or not. now he was in front of your apartment building and focused again on what he had to do, get you to your apartment.

the elevator ride was a quiet one, so quiet it made jake wonder back to those thoughts but was snapped out of it with the ding of the elevator. he got out of the elevator, heading towards your apartment, once he got there he couldn’t get down to get the key so he had to wake you up even if he didn’t want to.

“yn.. ynnie” jake whispered, hoping it would wake you up, it obviously didn’t wake up and jake had no other alternative (in his mind) than to get you off his back, get the key and open the door quickly and pick you up.

and he surprisingly managed to do it. he closed the door with his elbow and started looking around where your bedroom was, once he found it, he quietly opened the door and dropped you in your bed as softly as he could. he sighed as he looked at you in your bed, sleeping peacefully, he smiled softly at the sight of you before turning around and heading to the living room. he sat down in the couch and texted giselle.

hey it’s jake, i just arrived and yn is sleeping, everything is okay.

thanks jake, i really owe you :)

your welcome and don’t worry it’s okay

jake turned his phone off and looked at the half closed door of your room. he stood up and headed towards the bedroom, looking around your desk before finding what he wanted. a sticky note and a marker, he wrote a short message and stuck it on your desk. he checked up on you before leaving to go to the kitchen, jake got you a glass of water and searched for some medicine to leave next to your bed. once he found some he grabbed the glass of water and left the medicine and water next to each other. jake checked on you once again (just in case in his words) and left your apartment.

the walk back to his apartment was weird. not because it was silent; it was because it felt odd without your presence, even if it was an extremely tiring experience to piggyback you for 10 minutes and then worrying about not waking you up. it was something he would do for you anytime; anything you asked him he would try to get it, he would do anything for you no matter what. although jake felt silly for caring for you so much when you were just friends but he just couldn’t help it. maybe that’s when jake realized that he actually needed to make a move on you or he will regret it his whole life.

previous masterlist next

taglist: @domfikeluva, @keylimejake , @starry-eyed-bimbo, @rairaiblog , @tkooooop , @right-person-wrong-time

[bekkarific]

Playing With Fire

Chapter Two: Spark

Chapter Masterlist

Pairings: Frontman/In Hi x Fem OC (Some Gi Hun x Fem OC)

It was raining. To Ji Ah it felt like it was always raining lately. An incoming sign of winter or a bad omen? That she couldn’t decipher.

They had already asked several market vendors did they know the name Seong Gi Hun, most met them with apprehensive no’s, others claimed to know him but not where he lived. Till at last they asked a Mrs Cho.

She was a kindly older lady. Ji Ah noted a framed picture of a young man in a graduation cap and grown sat atop her shop display case. Her son, Ji Ah affirmed at the proud look Mrs Cho gave her when she caught her looking. “He is a SNU graduate” Mrs Cho explained proudly pointing to the photograph “he is also single” she said pointedly looking at Ji Ah.

Ji Ah merely smiled politely, it was not the first time mothers had tried set her up with their sons. Usually they take one look at at her fair face, childbearing hips and decide she is the perfect match for their sons - some of whom she is arresting at the time - she tired to take is a compliment. However many years of dating childish, incompetent men had left her adverse from taking any mother’s recommendations on the virtues of their sons.

Mrs Cho did have the information they were looking for, Mr Seong Gi Hun, lived not far from here, as a friend of his mother she was able to give the detective’s his address - after assurance that he was not in trouble and that they just needed to ask him some questions - she was also able to slip in that Mr Seong was also divorced, looking again at Ji Ah who politely chuckled.

As they walked away, Jun Ho joked that their next great investigation should be to find Ji Ah a husband as they have a long list of suspects. Ji Ah sarcastically laughed “haha Jun Ho you are so funny, we should get you on stage” rolling her eyes. Despite the teasing, she was glad to see her friend smiling again. The last few days had taken all the humor from him, she was glad to see that lighter side returning.

Approaching the alleys leading to Mr Seong’s apartment the rain seemed to fall heavier, almost oppressively. ‘Definitely a bad omen’ Ji Ah thought.

They saw a the back of a figure, swaying, heading toward the apartment. He had no umbrella and was getting soaked by the rain.

Jun Ho picked his pace up slightly, approaching the man “Seong Gi Hun?” He asked as the man turned to face him.

He looked awful Ji Ah thought, sad in the eyes and long wet hair dripping down onto his bruised face. In other circumstances Ji Ah would have considered him handsome.

“Yes” Gi Hun asked apprehensively looking first at Jun Ho and then Ji Ah who took a step closer.

Jun Ho flipped out his police badge, as did Ji Ah who came to stand beside Gi Hun, offering him shelter under her umbrella. He gave her indescribable look as his eyes roamed her face before turning his head back to Jun Ho.

“Decective Hwang Jun Ho and Mun Ji Ah, we are following up on report you made that the station” Jun Ho started “You said a group abducted people and make them play games. You also said that some of these people where killed” Jun Ho finished, stone faced.

Gi Hun looked slightly startled, like he didn’t believe anyone would follow up. Eyes darting slightly between the two detectives before settling back on Jun Ho “Oh, all that? Yeah, I just made that up” Gi Hun lied “Yeah, a story made up when I was drunk” he nodded trying to convince himself of his own lies.

Jun Ho remained stone faced. “They sent a card to my brother” he said, trying to remain unemotional “just like the one you had”

There - Ji Ah saw it - a stutter in Gi Hun’s facade. His face twitched and shoulders dropped. She sucked in a quiet breath, unable to believe he may be telling the truth, about the games, all of it.

“I just found it, I don’t know” Gi Hun continued to lie, trying to find away of of this situation, looking between the detectives he settled on the pretty one that wasn’t giving him a murderous look “I saw it on the street and just put in on my pocket” his eyes pleading with Ji Ah to just drop this conversation.

Jun Ho interjected, “Mr Seong, you can help me” his voice starting to wavier “I need to get him back” he felt his only hope in finding his brother beginning to fizzle away.

Ji Ah felt her heart shatter at the broken voice of her friend, his face full of desperation.

“Mr Seong” she started placing a calming hand on his jacketed forearm “please, help us. Any information you have will be use” she spoke softly and calmly, trying to persuade the panicked Gi Hun who looked ready to bolt at a moments notice.

Gi Hun stared at the small hand placed on his arm, thinking it’s been a long time since anyone has touched him with warmth. He takes a breath and closes his eyes, but it all comes flooding back to him, the body’s dropping, the sound of gunfire, his debts, his mother’s illness, losing his daughter. He realises he can’t, he cannot say anything.

Resigned, Gi Hun pulls his arm from the detectives hold, almost immediately missing the warmth. “Why would you think, that I would be useful to you or anybody else” his speaks sadly as he turns to walk away.

Jun Ho and Ji Ah watch him go, unmoving. Ji Ah tries go think of a way to get him to come back, to co-operate. If she is right, and he was telling the truth about the games all of it. That means his, In Ho’s and countless other lives are in danger.

Turning to Jun Ho to ask what he thought, she stopped when she saw that determined look in his eye, something that has she has only seen a handful of times, but normally meant he was going to get his way through hell or high water.

“Jun Ho” she asked tentatively

“We need to follow him” Jun Ho replied, his voice full of resolve.

Taking a moment to look at her friend, she allowed her eyes to roam his face, taking him his hardset mouth and focussed eye. ‘We are in this together’ she thought.

“Let’s go partner” she quipped taking lead and following Mr Seong into the night.

[skyheld]

"You can't blame yourself." from asharen to ameridan

ASKBOX MEME 059 / ARCANE S02E07-09 | selectively accepting | @mercysought

It's the second time he leaves a place where he was meant to die.

Stands up on shaking legs, brushes the dust of time off his clothes and picks through the remains of his old life for things he needs to keep. There isn't much left, now. He gave most things away when he joined clan Lavellan, to the few friends he has made in the last ten years, or to the clan itself. He had no need or interest then in riches or treasure. Only a few keepsakes.

Some people watch as he comes out of the aravel. The last few weeks as his strength waned he left is more and more rarely, and while many come to visit him, there are some faces he hasn't seen in all that time --- faces of those he was never close to, or who felt too uncomfortable to sit in a room with a dying person, seeing the way life left him a little bit more each week. When he steps out now with a small pack slung over his shoulder and the staff in his hand, he stands straighter than they've ever seen him. There's strength in his legs, carrying him down the landing, and in the hand that holds his staff. His eyes are unclouded, his lungs draw deep the air of the forest around them. But he doesn't look at those faces, even the ones he loved most dearly. He's afraid they'll turn away.

And anyway, how can he ask for them to look at him? How can he deserve a heartfelt farewell from these people when he failed them so utterly? They took him in so he would be safe, so he would know peace. He risked their lives, allowing a demon to possess him. He brought them war.

Thanks to that they live, but he isn't sure that matters.

"I do not blame myself", he tells Asharen as they meet below the aravel's deck. She sees through him, of course, sees the guilt clawing at him from the inside, but it isn't blame. "I did what I did to save them. Now I live with the consequences. I just wish... I wish there'd been another choice."

Hakkon looking out through his grey eyes, seeing the things he sees and adding his thoughts and emotions to Ameridan's mind, blurring them both. Hakkon coming to him that night when the clan was attacked, Hakkon's strength in his dying body, Hakkon tearing their enemies to shreds, laughing with Ameridan's voice but not his laugh, not his joy in the killing.

He wishes the others didn't have to see it. That they didn't have to look at him now and know that the one they called hahren and bestowed the name of their clan is an abomination. That his back is straight and his hands strong and that he stands in the sunlight again because something else is standing with him.

Ameridan Talvas Lavellan, he was for a while. But he cannot use that name anymore.

"We should be off", he says. A little further away, others are waiting for them to catch up. New faces, but they seem like good people. The one they call Rook has put together a capable group. Harding. He'll need to tell her too when they reach their sanctuary.

He's not sure if it's grief or shame that wells up and fill his eyes with tears, but he turns quickly, lowering his head to brush them away. He wanted to stay here. He didn't want to die, but he was ready to let it happen as he knew it would; he got the peace he always yearned for, and if it had to end, at least it would end in the best way possible. But now all that is different, and that peace is gone.

You are making this so much harder than it is. Hakkon has been quiet in his mind, and now that he speaks it sounds like mockery. And yet he is right in a way. Staying here, thinking about what he's walking away from makes the walking harder. He needs to just leave. Without another word he brushes past Asharen and joins the others, giving a single nod of his head when Rook asks if he's ready for the walk to the nearest eluvian, if those are all his things, is he is alright---

But before they've reached the edge of the camp, where signs of recent battle are still visible, blood drying brown in the grass where Hakkon's battleaxe tore throats and chests open, someone cries out behind them. A girl has escaped her parents' vigilant eyes and come running, calling his name.

Elirin. She's lost two front teeth since last he saw her. When he was strong enough to sit by the fire and tell stories, she'd ask for ones with Da'harel in them, then curl up with her head on his leg and pretend to be a very small wolf while he spoke. Now she wraps her arms around his legs and sobs into them until he manages to untangle himself from her grip so he can crouch down and hug her properly. Her parents wouldn't want him to. They'd worry about the demon. But he can't push her away, and he knows there is no danger.

She's holding a straw hat, like the ones the members of the clan make for themselves and to sell. At first he thinks she must have just been working on it when she saw him leave --- it's clearly her handiwork, childish and clumsy and therefor lovely --- but she presses it into his hands.

"Oh", he says, as his hands close round the brim. "Is it for me?"

She nods, her face set with determination.

There clearly is no fighting that. He would hurt her if he tried to decline. Blinking away more tears he takes the hat and puts it on --- it's a little large, probably not made for him to begin with, but it stays in place if he's careful. There are places where the straw sticks out and places where the woven pattern breaks. He loves it. One of the adult's perfectly crafted hats wouldn't have filled him with as much love as this one. "Thank you", he says, voice brittle. "That should keep me safe from the sun in Antiva."

Satisfied, Elirin turns to run back to her parents. Ameridan straightens up. The straw hat casts a shadow over his face until he turns back to the others, facing the sun.

Ameridan Talvas Lavellan. Maybe he keeps the name, at least for now.

"I'm ready", he says, and this time he feels it. "Let us go."

[mushroominaforest]

Aw man, it’s not looking good for me chat

I guess it’s time for a long ramble vent post, on the off chance it’ll help. Nobody needs to read this, I just think maybe articulating this might make me feel better

Every single night, I seem to have a breakdown. For the past three weeks, it’s been every night. Last three months it’s only been like, once or twice a week. I’m scared that I’m falling apart. I just want to be okay.

I hung out with my creepy friends because I guess I’m so desperate for attention and for someone to want me that I don’t really care anymore. I thought I didn’t care anyways, but now I feel sick and like I never want to have to see them again. I don’t even know why I’m friends with them. They’re racist, one of them is homophobic, and they don’t give a single shit about my boundaries. I actually said that- “Why am I even friends with you two”- while I was there, and it hurt their feelings and now I feel terrible about that. I probably shouldn’t but I feel like an awful friend for that. An awful friend to a homophobic girl who’s assaulted me a bunch of times cause she thinks it’s funny. And somehow I’m the bad friend, cause I was rude.

I don’t even know if it’s still assault at this point anyways. It was only the one girl this time, the other one (the tall one) wasn’t that bad. And like, I knew full well that stuff was gonna happen. I willingly went to a sleepover with people who’ve assaulted me. I barely even bothered saying no this time- so it feels wrong to call it assault. It’s definitely my fault.

I have an 81% in chemistry right now. I’m so fucking stupid that the best I can get is a B, and I’m supposed to be good at science. I’ve probably lost my physics A by now, and definitely my English one because I’m worthless and I can’t get anything done and it feels like I’m trying so hard but I just have nothing to show for it. This was my only chance at actually becoming a scientist, and I’ve failed. I need at least a 90% in chemistry 11 to even have a hope at getting into a science program at university. I don’t want to give up, but there’s no way I can get my grade up by 9% in three weeks, and I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to do chemistry related stuff anyways, I want to focus on biology. But I only got a 95% in bio 11 and that doesn’t even matter because every single course pretty much only looks at your chemistry grade. I’m so good and smart at anything related to mycology but I’m never going to get to study or research that because I’m stupid and lazy and my mental health being too shitty to get a decent chemistry grade as a 16yr old is going to fuck up the rest of my life. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive myself for that. I’m trying my best but it’s not good enough and I don’t think it’s ever going to be

My relationship with my parents is… eugh. My mom’s always mad at me and I just wish that I could tell her about everything that’s been happening but I can’t. I’d settle for asking her for a hug but I’m too scared to do that. My dad is my dad. He’s fine, but we’re definitely very far from being close.

I miss my brother and my best friend so fucking much that it hurts. Like actually. I can feel it. The two people that I’m closest to in the whole world leave my life at the same time, right before I start grade eleven, and I just can’t handle all of this alone. I need someone, and of course that led me to turning to my creepy friends, but that’s another mess. I miss my brother. I need him because my house feels so wrong without him. I’m so lonely without him. My best friend promised to be there for me when he moved out. She ducking promised. We’ve been best friends for nine years.

and when I actually really really really need her, she suddenly just disappears. I haven’t seen her in months. And she lives next door.

There’s a bunch of other stuff but I think those are the biggest things that are messing me up rn

if you read this whole thing, I’m very sorry

[little-pondhead]

I would like to hear the lore about your deep sea mermaid and her daughter with a prosthetic tail. I would like to hear it very much.

Well, you've convinced me! Here's everything I have on her. :)

Everyone can blame @elizabethemerald for the info dump about this post.

---

Let's start with some background! The two mermaids from my last art post are one of my many (many) OCs. They belong to a version of Earth that would best be described as science fantasy, I believe. There are equal amounts of science and aliens as there are magic and fairies. The world system isn't completely thought out yet, so we can come back to that later. The point is that there's a lot of stuff shoved into this one world. To me, it's basically one giant puzzle trying to figure out where science stops and magic begins.

For the mermaids, most of them are deep-sea based. This is because, as of right now, less than ten percent of the ocean floor has been properly explored, so it makes sense that the depths of the sea are where they're hiding. In the concept notes, a large disaster happens to Earth that floods parts of the world with new resources. This disaster stirred up the creatures living on the ocean floor, causing some to evolve and grow. This is what happened to the mermaids, who were already the top predators alongside the cliché sea monsters you find in myths. If you factor in the several decades of the planet trying to stabilize and recover from the disaster, by the time [HUMANS] found mermaids, these aquatic folk of the deep are now too big to visit the surface properly.

The last bit of backstory is that there are now many different species of intelligent life living on Earth and beyond. These beings are split up into different classes, depending on what they are. Mermaids belong to the [MYTHEON] class, as they can trace their origins to human mythologies. Other classes include [BEAST FOLK], who possess both human and animal qualities but do not trace their origins to mythologies, or [ALIENS], who originate from beyond Earth's solar system.

Onto the mermaids!

I'm gonna be honest, I came up with the mother's design on the fly. She doesn't really have a name, but I like to imagine that, at some point, she has to go to the surface, and everyone meeting her is just in awe of her size and beauty. I just think it'd be neat to draw. :)

Now her DAUGHTER, oh boy. She's one of the main OCs for this story I have cooking up. Due to the mermaid's natural habitat, they have their own language, similar to whale song. However, when roughly translated into English, her name is Marina! (Creative, I know. I like very literal names.)

Marina is based on an anglerfish, one of the most well-recognized fish in the sea. She's one of many who scuttle around the Midnight Zone. Her mother is several decades old, so Marina has a lot of siblings. The angler mermaids are recognized by their distinct lure, bioluminescent glow, and monstrous mouths. (For an easier time, I made it so the mermaids could close their mouths, so I wouldn't have to draw it open all the time.) Most anglerfish have incredibly poor eyesight, so the mermaids share this trait as well.

Marina is special among her siblings because she was born with no tail. As you can imagine, this makes it incredibly difficult to survive in the ocean. Once she's a few days old, Marina is slowly acclimated to the different pressures of the surface world and taken in by an old couple who owns a fish hatchery. Marina becomes one of the first mermaids in history to have a permanent residence on the surface, and so she's subject to lots of healthcare studies as she grows up. When she reaches the appropriate size, Marina is fitted with custom prosthetics that allow her the same walking power as a human!

And even further down the line, someone makes her a prosthetic tail, which allows her to freely swim like any other mermaid.

Below is the first sketch of her new tail.

You can see it's not connected all the way. My idea for her prosthetics is that she has thigh prosthetics permanently attached to her lower body, so she can switch out the lower part depending on her needs. The prosthetic attachments use the ball end of the thigh, which acts as a knee. She switches between her prosthetics depending on what she's doing, and I usually draw her with running ones on.

Her purpose in the storyline is still a little fuzzy. Marina has two jobs. She works as a hatchery technician for her adoptive parents, and in my notes, it also says she's a sidekick of the superhero kind. I don't know where the superhero bit came from, I think I was going through a phase in high school, but the point is she's a fighter and works for some kind of law enforcement. She had to be physically strong to survive on the surface, so she's buff as hell, and she's proficient in ice magic, which is especially useful in disaster situations.

Here's a few quick sketches of her designs over the years so you can see how she's evolved!

I created this character in 2021 and wasn't very good with complicated designs yet. This is reflected in the sketch, which is more human than mermaid. She has fins on her arms and legs, which are real, and therefore her outfit is limited because I didn't want to cover up her fins. (Please note that in these designs, Marina wears clothes meant for fighting, not everyday wear.) At first, I tried using a light color palette to signify her lawfully neutral alignment, but it came off like I was trying to make her some sort of saint. Marina is supposed to be the tank of the party. Her ice abilities make great shields, and her huge size makes her an easy target. She doesn't need to learn fancy maneuvers if her whole job is to just sit there and take attacks head-on.

With these facts in mind, my 2022 design is much closer to what I want her to be. She's gained prosthetics here, looks sturdier, and has actual armor. The armor is made from seashells and other things taken from the ocean. To be honest, I'm scrapping this design because I don't think the armor flows together well, and I also really don't want to draw seashells over and over again. It's a cool concept, but just not for this. I might reuse the seashell armor for something else. Her staff acts as both a weapon and a guide. Due to her poor eyesight, Marina has been declared legally blind and uses her staff as a cane to move around.

As a backup, Marina is also contracted with a minor water spirit, whom she named Sally after the famous seashell tongue-twister. The water spirit acts similar to a seeing-eye dog and also provides the water she needs to create ice structures when she's fighting. (Marina does not have the ability to create ice out of nothing, and her water manipulation is very poor. Contracting a water spirit was a way to fix her weakness.)

Overall Marina is the strong, silent type. She has the unique privilege of being a person of both water and earth, which has advantages and drawbacks. While she was adopted by a pair of human parents, Marina loves to visit her mother in the depths and show off what she knows. This just got easier when she got fitted for a new tail. Marina loves the town she lives in and protects the people who have accepted her as one of their own with fierce loyalty. She doesn't speak much due to her teeth and mouth shape but has the most elegant handwriting you will ever see. She likes to eat soft things, and her favorite food is pudding. She's allergic to tuna but likes raising them. Her hair has a pink tint and floats on land like it does underwater, but no one really knows why. (It's Sally's fault.) Her childhood friend is a coconut crab she found on the beach, and her parents were too scared to tell her to put it back. Marina is very large, over 6'5", and is expected to grow much larger as time goes on. Right now, she's barely 20 years old.

Everyone knows there will be a time when she must return to the ocean, however. Someday she'll be too big to survive on land.

---

Oh lord, I think that's all for now! (If you read this far, have a cookie. That's some dedication right there.) I kinda just word-vomited up everything I had about her, and honestly, that's not much compared to other characters. Marina was supposed to be one of the side characters in whatever story managed to crawl its way out from under my bed, but now I'm obsessed with drawing her and pushing the boundaries of my character design abilities. I know there are some puzzle pieces I left hanging, but don't worry about it. At some point, I'll get off my ass and flesh out this story world properly.

[icewindandboringhorror]

Lineup of all of the characters that appear long enough to need a visual representation of them in the game lol

[iwoulddieforienzo]

I never play Genshin with audio on bc I hate Paimon’s voice and she never stops TALKING

This is not helped by the fact that Genshin fully thinks you are a helpless idiot

[kavehater]

Gosh maybe it’s for the best that I don’t watch shows bc seeing people even if they’re fictional having such profound friendships gives me serious fomo 🙁

[is-not-a-bell]

Sleepy King

The Justice League Dark caught wind of a cult trying to summon the Ghost King. A being with power so terrible and great, that all of the chaotic Infinite Realms feared him. A true tyrant. Long ago it took the effort of ghosts equal to gods to seal him away into a permeant slumber.

And now this cult wishes to wake him and bring him to the living realm. It was a race against the clock to find the ritual site and all members were called on board, magic or not. Even Constantine looked stressed.

They did find the site.

But it was too late, the ritual was completed. The entire inner circle of runes glowed before being swallowed in a column of green light. The air filled with static and a ringing that made Supergirl crumble to the ground.

The light dissipated, but there was no great figure or being of pure evil. Instead there was a boy, a teenager. He laid on the ground curled up in his sleep. He was a ghost no doubt, dressed in regal clothing.

Despite this when he stirred, everyone froze. It seemed the cold hard ground woke him up. He got up slowly and yawned, revealing his sharp fangs. Once sat up he opened his bleary eyes to look around. He looked confused and tired, really tired.

"Where am I?" He mumbled. "I was trying to get some sleep." Constantine internally screaming, latches onto that last sentence. He glances over to Batman. He caught that last part too. Batman approaches calmly and crouches down in front of the boy king. Hardening his resolve, Batman takes on a gentle tone.

"Hey kiddo, sorry we woke you. Lets get you back to bed yeah?" The boy nodded in agreement. He pulled himself to his feet before looking around in a circle. "Where did my blanket go?" He asked rather sadly. Batman is quick to shed his own cape and drape it over him. "You can borrow my cape until we get you a new one." He nodded again, pulling the black fabric around himself.

John quickly summoned a portal door, while Batman led the King through it. John threw looks around at everyone. Everyone could tell he was mouthing the words. 'Find me a fucking blanket now'

Running on the logic of getting the king away from Earth, away from graves and the undead, that could give him power. The portal led to the Watch Tower.

Batman took advantage of the King's bleary state to send a base wide alert for all noncritical members to evacuate immediately. With a priority that death adjacent members leave first. "The stars are pretty." Bruce looked at the boy staring out the window in wonder. He almost looked like a normal kid, almost.

"Yeah they are, it's pretty late so we should get you back to bed." He nodded, going along with Batman's gentle coaxing.

He takes the boy to an unused bedroom. Making sure the room isn't dusty and that lights are dimmed. He glances back to see about a dozen different leaguers all holding blankets, one thought to bring extra pillows. The bed was pretty barren with only a single pillow and a thin bedsheet. So Bruce took a thick duvet, one of the fluffier blankets and a second pillow from his team before shooing them away.

The boy ended up keeping his cape, mumbling how it was warm. He tucked the boy in, before quietly exiting the room and turning off the light. He was pretty sure the King fell back to sleep before he even reached the light switch.

After the door shut, he made direct eye contact with John. "Constantine." They needed to figure out what the hell was going on.