#shes actually naturally a red head with curly hair but her hair care and bleaching technique leave a lot to be desired lol

[cottageivy]

hairstyle meme

i was insanely late on this when i did the screenshots, and even later when i finally put them in the template and i wasnt even tagged. but! im dumb and have hair lore about eliza that no one cares about so really im doing this for me lol

[dise7se]

you can’t make a mistake (on these kind of ice skates)

by spideysforce

It begins like this: MJ and Ned show up to his and May’s apartment first thing in the morning, their incessant knocking on the front door with ushered whispers, “Peter!” followed by even more knocking. HIs heart is beating fast and he gets out of bed, whispering-shouting back at his friends to not wake Aunt May up.

Regrettably, they do wake Aunt May up at 7AM on her Saturday morning off after working 9 shifts in a row at the hospital. May still pulls Ned and MJ into the apartment, telling them she missed them, hugging them good morning and giving Peter the glare for not opening the door sooner. She may be allowing the squad to venture off on their own the winter break of their senior year, but she lays down the ground rules for their trip to the mountains outside of the city, streaked with frozen lakes they’ll venture out to skate in; She expects no blood, no blunt traumas, death, or ice all over the floor of the car. 

He felt like a little kid ten years ago, a couple of years living with Aunt May and Uncle Ben. He had recently become accustomed to living with them, they began their own traditions. After celebrating Hanukkah and when Peter got out of school for the new year, they would drive out to the mountains to sit in scenic view parking lots, an early morning radio playing exclusive MET players in winter leagues content from their practices. May would set up the trunk, and they’d all squeeze in with the door propped open, huddling close and watching the trees sway. It was breathtaking; Ben usually stood too close to rocky cliffs to capture the perfect photo, propping him up on his shoulders to get the higher angle he couldn’t score himself. The same excited feeling from the night before, the excitement and him not being able to sleep, his stomach does leaps while he watches his friends tow their bags in. It was a meteorshower visible in the night sky, digging his fingers into fresh dirt in the spring, the first snowfall of the season.

    “May, are you sure you can’t come with?” Peter asks once more, slouching and pouting his lips. He needs to raise the dramatics, she’s the best ice skater he knows. 

“Sorry, baby. It’s my day off, and you three deserve your own fun little trip.” She fastens his puffy jacket on, zipping it up to the top, yet never snagging his chin. He groans once he catches MJ hiding a laugh behind her hand. 

“You two are next,” May smiles in a knowing way, “don’t you think I’m going to let my kids go outside in the freezing cold with their jackets unzipped.”

“Of course, Aunt May,” Ned replies with his manners by the Leeds family never failing, standing happily besides Peter and chewing on his morning bagel. MJ sips on her coffee, grabbing Peter’s blue and white snowflake-knitted hat with a pom pom on the top. 

“Please, no, MJ,” Peter complains, shaking his head to dodge the hat in her hand, May turning her gaze to Ned and huffing about kids, when Ned shrugs in agreement. “Seriously, you’re messing up my hair that I work so hard to naturally stay this luscious and wavy.”

“You know who you sound like?” 

May turns to Peter to give him a very pointed look with a raised eyebrow, and he knows exactly where this is going. “Just like Tony. Always worrying about the hair, the sunglasses, how muscular you look in the Spidey suit.”

“May,” Peter shrieks, his face turning scarlet red while the room erupts into laughter from his friends who are totally betraying him right now. “That was one time in front of the mirror! Don’t get me wrong, I am very muscular in the suit, but you can’t just--”

“Can you just finish putting your hat on and get out of here already, go take your film photos for your photography project,” May presses a kiss to his forehead, gasping and taking a step once she realizes she needs to stay on the tip of her toes to reach him. 

“Yes, May,” he says mildly, “ice skating, photos, and back home. No shenanigans.”

With that, she ushers the three of them to the door, reminding them no web fluid experiments in the middle of the woods, skating where they aren’t allowed, or no fighting unsolicited sea monsters, or any monsters at all  like last summer. She exhales, her shoulders slumping and she’s giving him the same look that Happy and Tony give him before their spontaneous lectures, notorious anecdotes included. She says more ‘love you’s, sending them on their way.

---

MJ, Peter, and Ned drive May’s 1989 Revolvo outside of the city, taking the open highway to the mountains about an hour out. Peter took the driver’s seat, Ned in the front, and MJ opting to sit in the back with all their skating equipment. The car is full of laughter, music, and chattering in their ears on the drive to the lake, in true Peter Parker ADHD style, MJ and Ned Facetiming Flash and Betty, asking them to meet them on their hike.

The first thing he notices that gives him butterflies is MJ rolling the window down the second they reach the George Washington bridge, letting her curly hair- that usually smells like coconut oil and shea butter- sweep through the wind. His stomach flutters, watching her through the rearview mirror with a wide grin splat across his face, a laughter probably bubbling in her chest like his and Ned’s are full of. 

As if his big, doey heart eyes aren’t big enough, he finds Uncle Ben��s old film camera he gifted to Peter secure around her neck, snapping photos across the moving bridge. Of the sky, of him, of Ned, the car besides them on the right that honks angrily at them. He hastily laughs, asking her to get back inside the car before her face freezes.

Why is his heart beating so fast? Why is he beaming so hard at his best friend beside him, pretending to reprimand his best friend in the back of the car?

Once they’re outside of the city, Ned passes a stick of gum to each of them the moment their ears pop from the change in pressure. They argued the entire way about their school advisors, not really knowing what to do next on their way to college. They all remind him of himself in their own way, and he’s starting to miss them already. MJ wants to study law and criminology, with a forensic biology minor. After Ned graduates he wants to study computer engineering, and Peter wishes he was so sure of himself like they were.

He doesn’t offer much.

It’s fine, because his friends have been helping him figure it out, hence them pushing him to apply to this photography scholarship and contest. Every time he dares to bring up a double major in STEM and photography, his advisors laugh in his face and shut him down. They make it nearly impossible to talk, but his friends are there for him and remind him he can go at his own pace, reminding him he has his alter-ego to worry about.

Peter pulls the car off into a dirt road, surprised he even knows how to drive as a Queens dweller. They follow a path, Ned gripping onto his door handle. “Oh, G-d, Peter. Be careful! Look, there’s a squirrel!”

“Ned,” he gulps, Michelle smirking at their cowardice from the backseat of the car.

“Come on, it’s just dirt,” she suggests, and quirks her brow from an idea. Once the car is silent besides the lowered music, she jumps out and yells in Ned’s ear to watch out.

He jumps, yelling, “that isn’t cool!” and throws something back at her while Peter finds a spot on the side of the mountain. He slams on the brakes to shut them up, their petulant arguing coming to an end once they see the scenic rest stop.

As promised, his friends let him push them around and guide them like cattle to get the perfect shots. He crouches across the parking lot away from them, hearing their hushed whispers and laughters about how ridiculous he looks. “It’s for the aesthetic, okay!”

He opts for the colored film, replacing the entire roll of 50 they used just on the drive here. He shuts the back of the film camera, reeling the film roll until it catches, and finds the perfect shot of his friends whispering and slowly becomes entranced by the actual scenic view. He captures the sky from a new perspective, blocking out all of his surroundings.

He shows his friends the sky, he shows them the car headlights shining on their hearts, and the sun shining on their faces. He captures the muddled sunshine through Michelle’s curls, a blush forming on her face from the camera being too close along with Peter holding it.

His heart skips a beat every time he photographs Michelle, finding a new beautiful thing about her to be lovestruck over.

He takes portraits of the both of his best friends, planning on printing all of these photos 100 times to hang them in his room, to give to them, and to place all over the photography critique and display wall. He sat on the cold gravel road and his friends had to dust him off. His photos look how he feels swinging off of buildings at night, finding one billboard sign, like outside of Matt’s apartment that illuminates the entire block in oversaturated neons. There weren’t iron bars and concrete filling the frame like his photos from the city, it was green trees with branches draping above them, brushing across their faces, a palette of turquoise, grays, and greens.

Peter brought color into the achromatic, washed out world.

There was a photograph he knew he was going to print to become poster-sized, the subject blown up huge because he wanted to reach out into the photo itself, not yet developed. He imagines his hands in the chemical infested waters, bleach and fixer pouring down his hands. 

Ned and MJ both hang their abdomens off of the large metal railing, rockfall barriers they wrap around, the mountains blurred horizontally in the back. MJ’s hair carefully drapes over the edge of the railing, blowing in the wind. Ned stares past him, suspended in air right behind Michelle. The bars are set impossibly straight, but MJ and Ned’s body destroy the thirds in a beautiful, alluring way. Their arms dared to swing over the edge of the mountainside, throwing them into the flesh if the barred metal wasn’t holding them. Too close to the edge, too close to the sky.

“I got it,” he pants, unbelievably bashed at the one click of the shutter. The focal point is always set to 50mm and an aperture of 1.8. 

It was like chemistry, physics, it was Murphy’s Law; Whatever can happen in his film roll, will happen. 

He lowers the camera down from his face, MJ and Ned already out of there poses, he finds them smiling at him.

---

As promised in an unsaid way, MJ, Ned, and Peter cling onto each other to get the hang of skating. They each hurt themselves at least once quickly leaning over to lace their own skates leaning out of the car, parking nearby the lake and hiking across the icy-snow to get to the icy lake. The area is empty, and the mountains hover above them through the trees, sending a chill their way.

Not before long after testing the ice themselves and deeming it safe by the signs, they’re gliding along the icy lake and pulling each other down in each desperate tug to stay upright.

Ned points out, “I thought you were good at ice-skating! You’re Spider-Man!”

“Exactly!” he shrieks back, his left leg gliding in front of him causing him to flail his arms to find balance. “I web-swing! I don’t ice skate for a reason.”

Peter clears his throat, gliding over to MJ who watches Ned with a relaxed smile while he skates around the perimeter. Out of the three of them, he picks skating up the quickest, naturally fleeting over the ice with precision. “It’s not nice to hover, you know.”

He whips his head to the side to look at her, his ADHD brain reminding him it’s a joke and she’s messing with him before he falls into his own spiral of self-doubt. He smiles at her, her beige puffy coat covering her chin and she smiles into the enclosed space, looking up at him. Her hands are in her pocket, and he reaches playfully to warm his own hands up in the jacket.

“Uh, so--” he clears his throat, “it’s so cold out, right? I mean, the temperature is around freezing and we spent an hour in the mountains--”

“Yep, cold.”

“I had a lot of fun, like, I know we’re best friends and all and I’d do anything for you guys, but what you both did-- I got the perfect shot. I really did it,” he talks lamely, wondering how he still stumbles over his words around his crush he kissed in Europe. “You know, I’m probably just.. I think I’ll go take more pictures? I’ve never felt so alive and nostalgic taking pictures, and like Uncle Ben used to tell me-- Okay, I can’t take you looking at me like this.”

Amused, MJ smiles with his face too close to hers while they share body heat, hitching her shoulders. “You know I can hear your inner monologue, right?”

“It’s just-- you know, we’re hanging out. It’s not totally lame with me ruining it, we can forget this happened..”

She leans forward, leaning her forehead to his. “Do we have a reason not to?”

Right, yeah. They can do this, he thinks.

The feelings between them are confusing, and even though they’ve kissed, that was probably just a spur-of-the-moment thing, right? He did save her life and their friends, they were scared. And holding hands? That’s what all friends do-- 

His brain almost can’t process this all at once, and he thinks his cheeks can’t redden even more despite the cold and he’s sure she can see the tip of his ears burning pink-- 

He scrambles, nearly reeling back in the ice when she plants a kiss on his cheek. Her grin is huge, and she gently takes his hands out of her pockets and skates away, his heart rate struggles and he thinks this is how he’ll faint. From tachycardia. 

Ned’s voice fills overhead, and he grabs his camera from the side of the frozen lake to join them again. Persistent chills run down his spine, the misty freeze coming from the ground. They let Peter stand in the middle, lacing their hands together to skate in a chain, disastrously. It was at this moment the teenagers truly regretted not taking skating in Central Park seriously until last year, their skills unabashedly catastrophic, giving it up after they realized they can celebrate winter break inside, baking for everyone in the apartment building. 

The three of them realized Peter has his web-shooters equipped to their wrists when Ned clung onto him, nearly slipping and he tugged him up, and in their laughter released a web that shot into the snow across the lake. They stoof, starstruck, and could anyone blame them and their impulsivity? And so, what had started as simple skating to shoot film, documenting their lives beyond a surface-level way.

Ned retreats back to the sidelines, sitting a few feet away in the car on the side after skating for nearly an hour. The three of them pant in exhaustion, massaging their own limbs and stretching. Michelle attempted a jump on the ice while he went to go check on Ned, screeching and landing in an almost-split. 

He decided to keep quiet about the slight buzz that begins forming at the back of his head, crediting it to nearly slipping every five seconds on the ice. 

“Come take a break with me, I’m about to eat one of our many junk-food snacks until we can get lunch,” Ned offers after, he thinks he noticed the concern on his face from the haywire senses and doesn’t want to alert Michelle. He must suspect the way he starts shivering, too, so he sits in the passenger seat that faces the lake, besides Ned.

Ned looks at Peter, and he simply smiles back because he doesn’t want to worry his best friend. He chucks off his gloves, cleaning the camera from where it sat in ice and says he’ll be right back to take pictures in the smaller icy lake away from them.

He drags himself along the snow, taking big steps to account for the heavy skates on his feet towards the tiny icy lake besides them. He sees Ned and MJ gesture to each other, Michelle nodding her head towards him in concern, who makes eye contact with him and crosses her arms and makes a shivering motion in question. He shakes his head, sending a thumbs-up that he’s okay.

He’s reached the other side of the lake, taking pictures of Michelle skating from another angle in a snow covered patch. He shivers, the incessant cold gripping him. He feels it - a hitch, but it isn’t a shiver from the cold. He’s immediately retreating back when he hears a crunch, a kr, gripping his camera a bit tighter before throwing it to the side and he turns frantically, trying to locate the alert from his legs--

Closing his eyes, he listens to the noise of small ice particles separating, deciding where the safest spot to jump to is, letting his sense direct him somewhere else. He knew he was away from the mini lake, the frozen pond for this reason. It’s technically off the lake, but there must be a small terrain of water and he stumbles around the ice.

His skates are heavy on his aching feet, the snow seeping in from the sides that’s a few inches high, his heart racing in pure adrenaline. “MJ. Get off the ice now. Get off.”

“Peter, what--”

The glaze, icy surfaces are cracking beneath him, atoms shaking. His senses won’t stop screaming at him frantically, not guiding him except for up, and it might be too late to send his web-shooters above him, the shooters in the car with his gloves. He doesn’t have enough time to warn them to grab his web shooters for him before he’s crashing into the ground, through ice and water.

He suspends in the water, the cold engulfing his entire body, it’s unlike any cold he’s felt before, even after being trapped in snow after a fight with Mysterio. It’s unthinkable, striking his entire body. He blindly panics, pitch black in his vision and his throat burns raw as he screams. 

Get up, get up, get up-- swim, swim-- 

His body is being carved out by millions of pinpricks, the cold seeping into his body and chilling his bones and the shock gouges his brain. The skates cause him to be less buoyant, his heavy legs scraping ice and getting stuck with each desperate kick and flutter to get to the surface.

He watches the bubbles rise up in the water from his mouth, screaming he can’t hear himself underwater. He didn’t have the chance to suck in a breath, his exhalation running out and twisting and tearing at his lungs. Each cell screams breathe--

He can’t hear anymore. 

Loud ringing replaces his senses, he reaches blindly upwards and his heart rattles in his chest. The freezing temperature below the ice seizes his body. He jackknifes upwards, realizing his movement is clumsy and unreflexive.

His left skate becomes stuck in a chunk of ice, and he’s back in Europe for a moment. Heat blindly covers his face, the sensation all lost. Behind his closed eyes, a hot summer heat casts over him, but he’s being burned from Mysterio sending fire his way. He’s on Titan again, cells ripping to shreds again.

He lets himself succumb to the drowsiness, reaching up once last time to feel around as the opening of the ice flees. Even if he did make it out, his lungs feel too full in his chest, he’d need to get rid of all the liquid from his lungs fast, hoping he doesn’t asphyxiate.

He thinks he sees shadows dancing above him in the water, he’s hopeful his friends would dare reach inside for him, but it wouldn’t be fair for him. He’s drifting, he slowly diminishes away and he’s so far away from them, a dizzying sunlight blinding him and allowing him to close his eyes once more. His brain shuts off, and his senses stop screaming and allow him to let go - the panic leaves him.

He thinks he’s dreaming when he feels a hand in his, another grabbing his wrist. This can’t be right, he’s about to fall asleep into the world of unconsciousness. He’s too weak to fight the tug upwards, seeing stars all in front of him. A black canvas streaked with colors, twinkling in the night sky. He thinks he hits the air again, but he can’t take a breath in so it must not be real. He feels his body being tossed down onto the ground like a ragdoll, dragging through the snow that feels hot, lava on his skin. Is he eulogizing himself, a cynical last vision that he truly did live?

His vision comes back, he thinks, unable to cough and his legs feel ready to burst inside his body. He’s turned to his side, snowflakes falling from the sky. He thinks he can see very single snowflake in front of him, dancing for him, he thinks behind the ringing he can hear shouting, wake up! 

He wants to listen to each voice, millions of seconds passing between each frantic shout. He.. he must be allowed to close his eyes.. He wants to be taken back to the lake after succumbing to rest. He falls, stars accompanying him.

---

MJ’s boots begin to slip on the edge of the ice, bits of icicles falling into the water where Peter thrashes. “Shit, shit, shit,” she cries out, perching herself safely to grab onto his hand in the water with Ned searching frantically for his web-shooters and anything else they can use to pull Peter out of the water with.

After a minute, she’s dragging him out of the water with newfound strength, watching his blue body retreat from the water and she screams out, sobbing now. She won’t give up. She won’t give up on him, Aunt May, or on them.

“Hang off, babe, I’ve got you,” she says, looking down at him as he desperately tries to gasp for air. She begins chest compressions, unable to think. She never thought she’d be fast on the spot for an emergency, but she thinks she screams at Ned to call 911, forgetting he’s still on the line with them.

Once she gets a pulse, she and Ned carry Peter to the car. They frantically cover his body in every coat and blanket they find, thanking G-d May has spares in the trunk in case of an emergency. She shrugs her coat off, leaving her sweater on. She springs herself into the backseat, Ned doing the same in the front with the heat already blasting. She’s frantically explaining to whoever is on the other end of the phone, voice breaking as she begs for help. “He’s- he’s breathing on his own now, but he’s blinking at us. What do I do--”

A few minutes pass, she’s not sure how she hasn’t passed out yet. May’s murmuring in her ear through the phone, that Tony is talking to Ned while he drives and that he’s going to talk to her next. She’s pretty sure she agrees, but she’s curled up around Peter, his body on her lap. She gives him warmth, listening to Tony spew medical terminology at her and how to treat hypothermia. 

“You’re gonna be okay. I promise. You can’t die on us,” she whispers into the air, the car engine roaring.

--

Once Peter returns, he wonders if he’s dead when he’s conscious again. His brain registers warmth and lumps beneath him. He blearily opens his eyes, the action too much, his head is in someone’s lap. They run their hands gently through his cold hair. He feels hands around his socked-feet, and he furrows his brows in confusion. He begins to shift a little, feeling a gentle pressure on his arm and leg. There’s warmth all around his body, which is heavy but safe, it's as safe as May’s arms, Ben’s arms during a thunderstorm that shook the building, Tony’s arms after Titan. He closes his eyes, moaning and he’s ready to drift--

“Peter Benjamin Parker,” May sighs above him.

His first thought is to gasp for air, coughing and feeling his lungs clattering in his chest, his sternum erupting in pain. It feels like a hacksaw to his sternum when he breathes. 

He whimpers quietly, hearing soft shushing above him. It’s a different sound from the constant headache of the ringing, but he hears the familiar whirr of the refrigerator and picks up four familiar heartbeats. His heart feels surmounted by grief, over the sea, left far away.

He blinks his eyes open past tears, recognizing the bookcase in front of him in the living room of the apartment, with a warm body at his feet on the couch. He’s in May’s lap, “Peter, hey,” May says softly, grounding him by placing a hand on his back. “You’re okay. I’m right here.”

She places her chin to his hair, sighing, and he sags into her arms. He thinks his feet are in Tony’s lap, his foot catching his side.

“Oh, kiddo,” Tony soothes, squeezing his foot gently. 

“MJ? Ned?” He rasps out, no voice there and he turns frantically.

“Don’t worry, baby,” May says softly, he almost didn’t catch it. “MJ’s asleep in the chair besides Tony, Ned’s asleep in the other. We’re all crashing from adrenaline.

His head pounds at his movements, his arms feel sluggish, but he pushes himself off of May to find his friends, safe. “Oh-- fuck. Thank, G-d.”

“Language,” May admonishes kindly, settling him further into the couch comfortably by shifting pillows. “How are you feeling?”

Noticing hers and Tony’s eyes on him, searching, both their phones to the side of them and the window allowing pink and purple streaks inside, painting the furniture and the gold illustrating each facial feature of theirs. His friends sleep in the shadows, covered in soft blankets.He switches gazes between them. Tony moves him gently, wrapping his blankets tightly around him.

He’s guessing May removed some of his soaking clothes, exchanging his clothes and he notices the fresh white cotton t-shirt on his body, smelling of fresh fabric softener. 

“Kid, you’re going to give me an aneurysm one of these days. Or, better yet, you’re going to burst my arteries yourself.” He fixed Peter with a pointed look, sighing. “I mean, you’re almost in college. I shouldn’t still be doing this.”

Everything he says comes off lightheartedly, but every word is laced with concern. He desperately wants to get argue back, but he knows today is his fault. He ignored his senses, and he doesn’t have a good enough excuse. Would he have been able to save his friends if it happened to them?

Like Tony can sense exactly what he’s thinking, he continues to assure him. “You’re hypothermic. You were blue, Pete, but your dislocated knee mixed in isn’t the worst you’ve done..”

He sighs, looking away from Tony and opting to listen to the kettle in the kitchen, May shifting his head off of her lap and into the couch cushion to it off and stares at Tony’s phone on the table.

“It was stupid, I know. I’m so sorry, everyone,” he finally says, none of the words being announced like he wants, his throat tender and unhealed, lifting his head off the pillow and moans in pain. He’s able to sit up, leaning heavily against a pillow with his elbow propping him up. He ignores the piercing pain in his ribs. ”I checked the water. I-- I wasn’t thinking, I guess.”

Tony sounded as frantic as he did back when he first yelled at him after the nearly-disastrous ferry incident. “That’s part of the problem. You are thinking, kid. You’d never do this willfully. You always jump the gun, which is something also great about you.. It can also be a great flaw.”

“Did they get hurt?” he whispers, turning back to the two teens on the smaller one-person couches.

“Nobody except for you, kiddo,” May reassures him, walking back in with a steaming mug in her hands. He takes this moment to redirect his gaze to his arm when he grabs it, his stiff elbow poked with a needle. “IV, baby. Needed to warm you up with warm saline.”

She sighs, sitting on the glass coffee table in front of him and not bothering to move the newspaper. “We’re worried, Peter. I can’t protect you like I need to, want to.” 

He collapses back down into the pillow, oblivious to May and Tony’s secret communication with each other. May, nodding for Tony to sit beside her and in front of Peter. It probably isn’t comfortable for him, but he looks over to May for answers. She furrows her brows, her mouth set in a line.

He almost smiles, seeing the two of them in front of him again when he’s not dying. The relief quickly turns to worry when he remembers what happened, guilt refusing to subside. He’s huddled in the couch, like a cold, rejected dog, signs of frostbite all over him. It’s his own fault - he didn’t listen to his sense. The dark, insidious fear of death looms over his head once more, he really scared his friends today. And himself.

Murphy’s Law comes back to his head, an anxiety swirling in his stomach. It’s an ugly, black hurricane feeling, especially seeing the dejection and defeat written on both their faces. 

“I--” he can’t manage, but the two of them see hesitation flicker across his face, voice too quiet and broken. “I’m just- I messed up. T’ny ta-taught me so much, I didn’t listen--” he cuts himself off, his voice unrecognizable, eyes widening in surprise, a realization.

“It was all my f’ult. I sc’red them, badly.” Pressing himself deeper into the corner of the pillow, tears overflow his eyes, hot streaks across his face he doesn’t expect. A shiver racks through him, not from the cold.

Tony leans over closer to him, his breath warm even through the blankets and on his exposed arm, his own hand hovering above him in hesitation, the inhibition set across his face. His mentor takes a deep breath in, gently grabbing the back of the couch and placing a kiss to the top of his head. He must’ve really fucked up today, he thinks.

He watches the fear streak across Tony’s eyes, too familiar to Titan. Peter feels deeply rooted in the couch, frozen solid from his core. He doesn’t know what the end of the story is, fear ebbing away, and he really looks at Peter face on. “I’m sorry.”

Peter feels frustrated again, just like the morning when half the world that died was brought back, feeling alone. 

He lets his tears take over him, letting May hold him on the couch, feeling too weak to do anything else. She ends up pulling Peter into her lap again, rubbing circles on her shoulder and letting her own tears escape from her eyes, some falling onto his white t-shirt. He trembles under her, Tony reaching over to squeeze his hand, the arm with an IV. He soothes small circles with his thumb, drawing patterns on his skin and turns to May with owlishly wide eyes.

“It’s alright, kiddo,” Tony whispers. “We’ve got you. May’s got you. Your friends are right here. You’re right here.”

It takes some time, but eventually Peter falls asleep like that, May and Tony’s vice-like grip never once loosening on him.

[dxlansfxck]

Saints & Sins [G.D] Part 4

“Yes, mum, I’m fine, but I really can’t come home these holidays. What? Oh, yeah, I need to learn so much, exams are coming up and I want to pass this year. No, I don’t miss any lessons, studying just became a bit harder. Yes, I’m learning a lot with Grayson, he’s really good in Math’s and Physics, he can help me a lot. Yes, I’ll tell him, mum. Love you too.”

She hated lying to her mother, but what was Y/N supposed to say? “Hi mum, I can’t come home ‘cause I’m kinda addicted to pills and you’d kick me out if you knew”? Nah, that wasn’t an option. So she decided to head wherever Grayson went, tagging along, spending some extra time with him. 

“I don’t like that, Gray. I hate lying to her”, she rolls her eyes at the black phone screen, then looking over to her so called boyfriend. “You needed to, babe. Now c’mon, I’ll help you forget your mother”, Grayson pulled his angel onto his lap, kissing her like he knew she likes it. Once they started to have sex, they solved every little argument with a quick fuck. Not enough weed? Sex. Someone looked at a different guy/girl? Oral. Y/N not going home because she was high all the time? Making out and fucking again.

And Y/N could finally understand what Grayson meant when he was saying that nothing compares to the feeling of feeling so close to someone, but she always thought that was just the side effect of all the drugs she took. She was currently lying under Grayson, feeling as his orgasm comes over him, but not feeling anything herself. Her thoughts were wandering to her family and friends at home and not seeing them for the next few months, missing them already. And well, thinking about that while being fucked is nothing that turns you on. Grayson rolls off her, building another blunt, still out of breath.

“But what if she gets why I’m not coming home? I’ve never just stayed here, always went home. She’s not that stupid, Gray. Shit, she’ll know. She’ll take me off college.” “Fuck, angel, shut up, will you? Here, take another hit, you know, everything gets better after that”, he hands her the lit blunt, and damn, he was right.

-

“Fuck, Toni, what’s up, dude?” Grayson runs up to the tall guy, pressing his lips on top of his. Y/N was too high to care, too high to be angry, too high to feel anything. She stares at Toni, his blue curly hair, brown eyes and the slight stubble on his chin and cheeks. His eyes had lost their glow, his skin was red and oily.

“Toni, this is my girlfriend, Y/N. Angel, this is Toni, my best friend.” And his best friend was very attractive, not gonna lie. “Hey.” She wasn’t interested in small-talk, nibbling on the skin around her blue nail polish while starring into the woods. They had arrived at the train station a few minutes ago and Toni was the one that was supposed to pick them up. Instead, they met at some random field, surrounded by trees and a little sea, not knowing why. Y/N was tired, hungry and somehow not in the mood for anyone besides Gray. “Y/N, isn’t there some nickname for you? Y’know, I’d love to call you something special. Like a street name, Y/N doesn’t fit your new self. Like…Diamond.” Y/N rolls here eyes, huffing. “Do I look like a stripper? Use my real name or don’t talk to me at all.” Toni laughs. “Damn, babygirl is feisty. Mhh, I kinda like that. Babygirl.” Now it was Grayson’s turn to step him, growling. “Don’t. Call. Her Babygirl. She’s mine.” The blue haired boy stepped aside, hands up in defense. “Okay, okay, G. Y/N is it, Y/N it stays. Let the little pumpkin live a little. PUMPKIN IT IS!” He held his hand out to high five the young couple, but neither of them made a move, instead rolling their eyes in annoyance.

Y/N walks a few steps away, throwing some pills into her mouth and swallowing them dry, exploring the bit of nature she was able to see. “Throw those away, Pumpkin. I’ve got something better, here you go”, Toni stopped besides her, holding out his hand. She gave him the most bored glare she had to offer but opens his hand as well. He handed her a little paper, Chesire from Alice in Wonderland printed on it. “Put it on your tongue, have fun on your adventure, it’s a pleasure meeting you, Pumpkin.” Toni winks at her, while Y/N looks over to her boyfriend that had a knowing grin plastered on his face. Shrugging her shoulders, she does as she was told and kept on walking deeper into the woods, wanting to spend her trip alone.

 She doesn’t know what was on that paper, but she felt better than she ever did. Laying on a neon green field, the flowers were so colorful she couldn’t stare at them without squinting her eyes together. The sky was super bright, the sun smiled at her so beautifully that she couldn’t do anything besides smiling back at is. She didn’t want to stand up, but she wanted to explore the entire forest, maybe even talking to some deer and bunnies. Oh, and she wanted to be with Grayson so bad. Where was he? Probably with Toni, which Y/N liked now, he was nice.

“Fuck, angel. Why are you laying on these branches? We’ve been searching you the entire day, and why the fuck are you smiling at me?” Grayson seemed to be angry, but our angel didn’t care. She wanted to dance, swing around, listen to music. She couldn’t do that in the woods, but did it anyways. “Babe, can we go clubbing? I really, really want to dance, but here’s no music. I want to drink alcohol. Whoop, you’ve turned me into such a bad girl, you should spank me for that.” She laughed while twirling around her boyfriend, dancing like she was the happiest person on earth, which made Grayson generously smile before narrowing his eyebrows. “I shouldn’t just spank you, I should handcuff you to the bed and torture you, angel. But not now. And we can’t go clubbing in the woods, c’mon, let’s get you out of here. Toni, what did you give to her?” Y/N got bored of their talking, she kept walking, not caring about what Toni actually gave her.

Couple of hours later, they were sitting in some house full of Grayson’s and Toni’s friends. Whatever Toni gave Y/N, she felt nothing of it anymore, the effect was completely gone, and she was on her daily low. She decided to sit outside, curling up in front of some creek and watching the water flowing, not caring about the party, just waiting for Grayson to look after her.

“Yo, Pumpkin, why don’t you come inside? The last few lines are gone and I have the last bag of the good stuff saved. I’m sure you don’t wanna spend time with GrayPal when you’re sober, c’mon in”, Toni pads her shoulder before running back inside, her sad body following him. As soon as she was inside, she sees Grayson, his bleached mop of hair bent over the table, a roll of money in his nose, snorting whatever is on the table. Raising her eyebrow, Y/N remembers about him telling her he’d only do weed and pills, him snorting coke was nothing she wanted to see. She grew nervous, not knowing what he’d be like on this high, so she kept watching the situation before sitting down next to one of his handsome friends, another roll of money in her hand.

Seconds later, her nose was burning as hell, but the feeling went away soon enough to be replaced by a sudden high. She felt like the king of the clouds, not being able to sit still. “What are we even doing here? Let’s go celebrate our lives!” Dragging a happy looking Grayson with her, everyone went to a house party in the neighborhood where one line followed another, Y/N didn’t want to stop, didn’t want to feel small again.

“Grayson, I fucking love you. I’m so happy we came here.” They were dancing like a 70-year-old couple, holding each other tight, his head laying on top of hers. “Mh, love you too, angel. Want to feel ya, c’mon upstairs”, he mumbles into her ear while grabbing her hand and leading her into the first empty bedroom, closing the door. Of course they fucked, Y/N riding Grayson who had no strength left to pound into her like usual, both coming to their highs, before Grayson fell asleep underneath his angel. Suddenly, the walls started to move towards Y/N, the room getting tinier. “Gray, can you see that? Gray? Grayson!” She panicked, probably the drugs, probably her paranoia, but Toni was soon next to her naked body. “Calm down, Pumpkin. Breathe. Gray’s just sleeping, let him be, don’t miss the party! C’mon!” He gave her another mouth full of pills which she swallowed without even asking. She then put the blanket over Grayson before getting dressed, suddenly feeling pumped again. Toni was right, the party has just started, why let it be over again?

She had left Grayson sleeping in this room, went downstairs and has been dancing ever since. She can’t even remember, with whom she danced, doesn’t even know their names. At first, Y/N kept standing in the doorframe, watching the crowd but after what seemed like an eternity, some red-haired girl with lots of cute freckles came up to her, grabbing her hand and laid in onto her naked breasts. She was naked like most of them, her bright green eyes watching her carefully. Y/n couldn’t stop staring at her beautiful body, her face and those bright pink lips. Neither of them used words, all that the unknown girl did, was intertwining their hands and leading our girl into the group of people.

Another girl went straight towards them, this time pale with brown locks, but still as beautiful as the other girl. She kinda reminded Y/N of how her religion teacher always described Eve. It felt like it was her destiny to get down on those girls, enjoying and praising the female body like the garden Eden. The only problem she had, was which of those girls to kiss first, Eve or the fairy like goddess? As if it took her too long, they took the situation in their hands and started to undress the angel first, while some other person took advantage of her lips. All she felt was stubble and rough hands, but she didn’t want to know more about this person. Getting lost in a wild tongue fight, saliva soon dribbling down her chin, their kiss came soon to an end. As Y/N opened their eyes, the guy was nowhere to be seen. On the other hand, she didn’t know what he looked like, so she didn’t know whom to search.

Her eyes scanned the crowded room, people getting off together, her being almost jealous about the open minded atmosphere. Her hands slowly made their way down her now naked stomach, two fingers lightly pressing down onto her clit, making her squirm and let out a strangled moan. This situation was more than just a turn on, her pussy wet and drenched in Grayson’s cum from before. Eve and the fairy pulled Y/N out of her thoughts when she felt their lips roaming her naked body, which lead her into closing her eyes again, fully sinking into this moment.

Plump lips sucking on her clit, tongues exploring her folds and fingertips brushing over her sensitive nipples brought Y/N to heaven. She grabs Eve’s hair to hold her close to her pussy, bucking her hips onto her needy tongue. The ginger girl came back with a bag full of pretty pictures printed on paper, putting one on her tongue before kissing Angel. She felt it stick onto her tongue before ending the kiss and swallowing what was left in her mouth before smirking at her. Y/N’s kinky side set free, so she decided to push the fairy-like girl also on her knees and presses her face into her cunt as well. They played with each other’s tits, which made Y/N come pretty quickly, squirting on those pretty faces. Then, they decided to lay down on the couch, eating each other out, fingering and playing with their wetness, before being overwhelmed by another orgasm. Y/N felt like she was in some kind of pervert porn, while watching those girls lick of their wetness from each other’s faces. People around them clapped, whistled and soon Y/N was the one on her knees, sucking different cocks and being cummed onto. The point was, she couldn’t say she disliked it. She loved the feeling of being loved by so many people, loved being the one to give all the love she had in her body to all those people who made her feel those pretty things.

[restlessmaknae]

Those damn smirks

Part III of my series called That damn thing we call love.

Part 1 :: Those damn boots :: Boy meets that damn thing we call love.

Part 2 :: Those damn lies :: Boy meets that damn thing we call heartbreak.

Part 3 :: Those damn smirks ::  Boy meets that damn thing we call second chance.

Part 4 :: Those damn words ::  Boy meets that damn thing we call confession.

Genre: fluff, comedy, slice of life, a bit of angst

Setting: high school!AU

Words: 10.6k

Main Characters: Jeon Jungkook x OC

It was an exceptionally beautiful August with the sound of cheerful birds singing on top of trees and golden rays of sunshine painting the mackerel sky.

As far as Korean students were concerned, the school year had already started despite the beautiful weather and the effort to spend outside as much time as they could. Miyeon was also pouting sadly, looking up at the picturesque sky dotted with tiny cirrocumulus clouds while listening to Taeyeon’s enthusiastic chattering about her attempt to taste the well-known Peking duck.

They were walking side by side after taking the same bus, recalling those good old days before Taeyeon had left to China. Now, her student exchange program had come to an end and she was back again to start the new school year with Miyeon. Well, with one little twist; she was attending the junior’s classes because her mother insisted on repeating the grade as her Chinese trip was just a once in a lifetime cultural experience and not an educational course. As a result, they weren’t in the same year, so Miyeon would have to take the CSAT one year earlier than her best friend.

“Believe me, that guy is seriously way too gentle to be real,” her best friend stated with awe and shifted her attention to the girl walking beside her. Taeyeon suspiciously raised an eyebrow in question, making her doubt clear. Miyeon blushed ashamedly as she realized that she was totally lost in thought and tried to puzzle up the words she had said. “You have no idea who I was talking about,” she went on and her lips slowly curved into a teasing smile. Her chocolate brown eyes were filled with playfulness and sparkled like two little diamonds. That was what she had missed the most; when she was way too happy and couldn’t suppress her beautiful, angel-like smile. That girl was seriously too beaming to live in this degenerate world.

“Well, not really,” Miyeon admitted, nibbling her lips and cautiously shot her a timid smile. Taeyeon couldn’t hold herself back anymore, she immediately burst into laughter.

“Alright, I was talking about Mark, our new exchange student, but who cares about him when your favourite boy is coming just our way,” she started in a mocking tone which immediately turned into the typical ‘I exactly know what’s going on’ Taeyeon tone. She nudged her and pointed to a bunch of boys who were walking towards the school’s entrance door. They were chattering loudly and joyfully, sometimes bumped their fists together or slightly hustled each other but totally ignored everyone around them, they were just having fun.

Unfortunately, Taeyeon chose time moment to leave her alone because she noticed Byun Baekhyun pushing the entrance door and hastily ran after him. She watched as her silhouette faded away and let out a heavy sigh. She knew that there was a lot for the two to talk about but she really had to disappear at such an unfortunate timing?

She understood her because the couple had lots of quarrels regarding Taeyeon’s student exchange program which she signed before she got closer to him. Yet, they still got together and she still insisted on going to China. They had a serious fight on the day of her departure and didn’t even talk until she got back a week ago. Now, everything was a little bit awkward and confusing for them but it was obvious that they still liked each other. Plus, they had a lot of time to puzzle out their feelings and spend more time together as they were classmates from that year because lucky Byun Baekhyun was one year younger than her. Not to mention that he was one of Chanyeol’s best friends.

Marching on alone, the encounter was inevitable. It must have been fate but Miyeon and the squad reached the entrance door at the same time, thus they had to decide who would go first. It was a little bit embarrassing as the boys’ conversation suddenly stopped and it was followed by an awkward pause. Miyeon caught sight of the subtly smiling Jungkook and felt her face turning red. He got even more attractive during the summer break and looked manlier than ever. Nonetheless, when he shot his typical bunny smile and his cute cheekbones exploded, he was the same old Jungkook who she was so fond of. Not that she didn’t like him waggling his eyebrows or giving a smug smirk directed at her but she fell in love with that innocent-looking Jungkook who looked at her so dearly when they spent their birthday together a year ago.

“Miyeon-ah, so good to see you!” exclaimed Taehyung, grinning from ear to ear and subconsciously hugged her. It was a rather clumsy but affectionate hug but she was so startled to get such a warm welcoming that she could hardly speak.

“Good to see you, too, Taehyung,” she patted his back and waited for him to let her go. She noticed Jungkook gulping a little bit too edgily but shook off the thought right away.

“Please, Taehyung, just let her go unless you don’t want this poor girl to suffocate!” Hoseok joined in, rolling his eyes in disbelief but one of his trademark grins was forming on his lips. He looked exactly the same with his obsidian-black, slightly curly hair, smiling eyes and sloppy jeans. He was still good-looking but couldn’t defeat Seokjin who had probably got a new haircut because his hair looked a little bit shorter and it was just as neatly-cut as he had come from the hairdresser’s.

It came as no surprise that Yoongi now changed his hair colour from bleached blonde to mysterious grey but it actually suited him. Jimin was no longer the redhead but opt for the natural look with fluffy, brown curls which actually looked better than anything else before. There was no change in Namjoon’s hair colour or behaviour, he kindly waved at her direction but cautiously glanced at Taehyung who finally let her go.

Lastly, she couldn’t forget about the seventh boy who was coyly smiling at her, his jet-black eyes shining like attractive black little holes while his intense stare seemed to pierce into her soul. Oh boy, was he even aware of the fact that he was so appealing that it was almost illegal? He was like an addiction, a drug or the most dangerous sickness of all times; as you were spending time with him, you impulsively wanted more and more.

“It’s been such a long time since we last saw you,” Jimin ran his hand through his chocolate brown hair while the others nodded in agreement. “What have you been up to?” he asked and the curiosity in his voice didn’t go unnoticed. Everyone else also stared at her with their eyes wide open and shining with fondness. Miyeon couldn’t help but peeked a bit at Jungkook’s direction but immediately turned her face away when he shot her one of his typical smirks. That boy was unbelievable!

“Nothing much,” she shrugged but continued, noticing the boys’ disappointed glances. “Visiting my grandparents, reading a lot of mangas, watching animes and finishing an English course.”

“An English course?” Namjoon raised one of his eyebrows in question but after her confident nod, he flinched appreciatively. Hoseok was clapping heartily, Seokjin shook his head saying that she was way too good at everything, Jimin and Taehyung were grinning proudly as if they had finished the course themselves while Jungkook started at her open-mouthed. She wouldn’t think that it would be a jaw-dropping mark but for him, it seemed that it was.

“Maybe you should teach Jungkookie,” Taehyung blurted out with his totally innocent look which resulted in the golden maknae’s irritated grumble. The eldest immediately comforted him by saying:

“He’s not that bad.”

“I remember vividly that the first English sentence which I’ve heard from him was ‘I like you,’” Namjoon recalled the memory with a playful twinkle in his pitch-black eyes while the other guy’s cheeks suddenly flushed. He looked so embarrassed, exactly the opposite of the way too charming guy during dance practices. Miyeon giggled a bit but tried hard not to show her huge grin. She was having so much fun.

“Omo, what a cheeky boy!” Hoseok said, patting the youngest guy’s back and cheerfully guffawed. She looked at this almost ordinary situation and wondered how precious these guys were. They could never get offended at whatever the others said and even comforted each other during hardships. She almost forgot how much she liked the boys but whenever she almost did, they always showed up and reminded her that the feeling in her heart was still steady.

“I’m sure you’ll nail the CSAT,” Yoongi added rubbing his chin and suppressed a yawn. She felt delightful from the thought of him not even changing a bit because she liked the way he was. After his reassuring statement on the haters’ issue, she respected the boy even more and considered him as someone who she would go if she needed a piece of advice.

“Nah, don’t mention it on the first day of school, please,” she pouted sadly, thinking of the exams which felt closer than ever but still a little bit further at the same time. She always got goose bumps when she realised that it was her senior year. The last year with the class, the last year in high school and the last year with the boys. The last year with Jungkook.

“How about you? What’s up with you, guys?” she made an attempt to change the subject because she got nervous all of a sudden. However, the squad didn’t seem to mind her request and started sharing their stories about visiting relatives in Busan, trying out a new kimchi recipe, building a bird house, writing some poems which were published in a magazine or even making new choreographies. The golden maknae was characteristically quiet but proudly smiled at all his friends’ achievements.

Suddenly, someone cleared his throat and it turned out to be Jackson Wang who wanted to get to the entrance door but they were in the way. Of course, he teased them a bit as they bowed ashamedly and decided to continue chatting in the hallways but didn’t take the situation too seriously as he wasn’t that kind of guy. He even joined in and she soon found out that he was actually a quite talkative person.

“You guys are performing on the dance festival, right?” Jackson raised his eyebrows while looking mostly at Jungkook, Hoseok and Jimin. Miyeon knew that the three boys were at the same dance association, in the same team but never really saw them performing on a festival. She recalled the memories when the golden maknae let her watch some of their practices and made her even more speechless. That guy was exceptionally talented, small wonder why he wanted to be a dance teacher. He was a totally different person while dancing but she couldn’t mind it. He was charismatic, charming and undeniably sexy. Miyeon was surprised to see the change in his behaviour after coming up to her with his usual bunny smile and giving her a sweaty hug.

She shook her head to get away from the memory because now looking at him, it stung right at her heart. She had the chance to be her girlfriend but she was a coward and let him go. She didn’t deserve him but he still acted so affectionately!

“Yeah,” Hoseok responded with his joyful grin. “It’ll be our last performance, though. You know, before the exams,” he added with a little whimper and let out a weak sigh. Jungkook was staring far ahead, probably lost in thought and averted his eyes elsewhere but the others’ face.

“I can’t wait for it. I’m sure you’ll kill it!” Jackson threw his hands in the air in an excited manner which made the boys either bashfully smile or smugly grin.

“It would be hard to do better than you guys,” Jimin complimented immediately, making the blonde guy almost blush before he waved the idea away. Miyeon looked at them, totally confused and helplessly glanced at Jimin who was considerate enough to explain the whole situation. “Jackson and Jinyoung are also at the same association with us but in a different team. And these guys also have some killer moves, so we should practice harder in order not to get ashamed of our own performances.”

“Hmm,” that was all she could master, shifting her attention to the cheerfully giggling blonde one who she knew from school but never imagined that he would be capable of dancing. However, she believed Jimin and accepted the fact that he was pretty good.

“You know what?” Hoseok suddenly clapped his hands in excitement and made poor Kookie bounce in caution. Miyeon couldn’t suppress her chuckle, seeing the boy’s cute reaction. “If you have some free time, you can come and watch our performance. I’m sure you’ll have a great time,” he announced enthusiastically which immediately caused a huge combustion within the boys. They were all in favour of his idea and showed their approval of the plan, even Jackson assumed that she should come and see them. Miyeon listened to them, her heart thumping in bewilderment imagining the boys – and especially Jungkook – on stage, performing one of their incredible choreographies.

Nonetheless, she still cautiously waited for the golden maknae’s reaction who caught her staring at him and his lips slowly curved into a smile. His jet-black eyes were sparkling with beautiful blossoming flowers and shiny shooting stars. He nodded in agreement and although it was just a small sign, it was undeniably a small sign of love.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” she exclaimed happily, making a mental note to herself to remember not to make any plans for the 27th of August when the performance would take place. The boys shared all the details and she couldn’t help but smiled like an idiot. Was it a chance for her to make things right? Or it was just a friendly invitation?

Whatever the case might be, she was sure that she would do anything to attend that festival.

 ▌▌

 The following weeks flew by so quickly. She only realized that the dance festival’s day had come when she was staring at her figure in the mirror while trying out different outfits. As she was rummaging the clothes in her wardrobe, flashbacks and thoughts were scrambling in her head.

August was exceptionally quiet and peaceful as nothing extraordinary had happened. Her heart was finally at peace, knowing that her best friend made up with Baekhyun and was happier than ever. Plus, the squad slowly started acting just as naturally as they did before their break-up and it came as no surprise that they got along pretty well. She wouldn’t let herself believe that she deserves to be happy and surrounded by friends who would keep her company but they were good friends. Sometimes, they even accompanied her and Taeyeon at lunchtime, always making the other girl hysterically laugh who was getting used to the boys’ presence. Well, his boyfriend wasn’t happy about that but they spent pretty much every single second together, so lunchtime was only for the girls. And sometimes the squad’s, too but Taeyeon admitted that she didn’t mind having them around. She even acknowledged that it was impossible not to love them and suspiciously glanced at her, whenever Jungkook was around. She knew her well, so Miyeon didn’t even have to tell her everything; she had already become her relationship consultant.

“Ah, you two are so dense!” her best friend rolled her eyes in annoyance one time, after she saw her waving at the golden maknae’s direction who immediately gave her one of his cutest sheepish smiles. “You still love him and he obviously still loves you! I don’t see what the problem is!” she flung her arms in the air, childishly whining. Even though Taeyeon was in her shoes not too long ago, she acted like a real expert now. Miyeon just nudged her and let out a sorrowful sigh as she continued.

“I don’t want to hurt him, okay? I’ve already broken his heart once, I don’t want to cause more pain,” she nodded her head in great disapproval and tried to shift her attention to the floor of the school’s hallway and not her best friend’s face. She would easily read her and she didn’t want that. Both of them already knew that it hurt like hell to say things like that but this is how things worked for couples who broke up. They still carried their wounds and even if their own scars healed, they weren’t sure about the other party’s condition.

“And what’s with his confession?”

“What confession?” she blinked innocently, although there was one particular conversation which she couldn’t forget so easily. His words were still as soft as a fluffy blanket and covered her with their fondness and warmed her heart. She got goose bumps, every single time the flashback popped up in her mind and couldn’t shake off that hopeful thought that maybe, just maybe it might have meant something.

“Even stars lose their ways sometimes,” Taeyeon quoted with her sweet tone and it sounded so different this time. “So poetic, by the way.” she mumbled to herself, examining her nails, probably thinking how that Byun Baekhyun guy had never said such a thing.

“That was a long time ago,” she resisted, still trying to persuade herself that he probably didn’t mean it that way. It could have been a reassuring comment of a friend, he didn’t mention anything about love or ex-girlfriends.

“Alright, maybe,” she rolled her eyes in frustration and ran a hand through her blondish curls.  “But if he didn’t like you, he wouldn’t invite you to the dance festival.”

“He didn’t invite me,” she added, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her right ear. She didn’t intend to be rude but wanted to make everything perfectly clear. Hoseok was the one who came up with the idea of her attending the festival and she was more than happy to give in. “One of his friends did.”

“But he didn’t protest,” Taeyeon pointed out and she knew that there was no point in disagreeing; she obviously lost the battle. She couldn’t deny that she was absolutely right. Jeon Jungkook wasn’t a toddler anymore; if he didn’t want her to be there, he would have said it. Yet, he didn’t.

Suddenly, there was a determinate knock on the door which made her bounce in surprise. As she was walking towards to open it, she made an attempt to snap out of her thoughts.

“Hey!” yelled Chanyeol with a joyful grin as she finally discovered who the owner of the knock was. “Have you seen my sketchbook? I literally can’t find it anywhere!” he tried to glance into her room and when she looked at her again, his eyes rounded and he let out a surprised squeal. “Oh, wow, where are you going? That dress isn’t something that you usually wear,” he commented, examining her from head to toe which made her blush so deep. He didn’t want to bump into her brother around the time of the festival because she didn’t want to explain the whole story. Why was she even going? Because her friends were there? Or it was all because of Jungkook? Well, she wasn’t even sure about her feelings, so she didn’t want to get tangled up in weird conversations.

“I’m going to a dance festival,” Miyeon answered after she had realised that there was no point in lying to him. His little brother just curiously raised his eyebrows in response and couldn’t suppress his teasing smile when he next started speaking.

“You’re going to see Jungkook, right?” he waggled his eyebrows and didn’t even budge when she slightly hit his shoulder, rather offended.

“I can wear dresses like that even if I don’t meet up with a boy,” she sniffed and gave him a frowning look. He couldn’t mope over her little act as he was having so much fun, seeing her Noona’s reaction out of defence. She was way too obvious.

“Hmm, I see what’s going on,” he rubbed his chin and acted like a total know-it-all. “He’s trying to get you back,” he cooed eagerly while twirling her around for a closer look. She was wearing a pretty, white dress with laces which was once a Christmas present from her granny but she never actually tried it on. Miyeon didn’t even think that there would be an occasion when she would wear it but this dress was the one that caught her attention while she was rummaging in her wardrobe.

“No!” she squealed huffily and shook her head in disagreement. From Chanyeol’s point of view, it was acceptable that he misunderstood the whole situation as he didn’t know that Hoseok was the one who invited her. He wasn’t the only one, though, who acted like that. Everyone seemed to misinterpret their case, even Taeyeon insisted that Jungkook wanted to get her back. Not like she would mind it but instead, she decided to wave the idea away. Why would he even do such a thing? “So, you say that it’s a bit too much?” she asked curiously, looking down at her dress and then up at his little brother. Oh, how she wished that she could wipe off that small smirk on his face.

“No, no, not at all,” he raised his arms in defeat and gave her an affectionate smile when he continued. “You look beautiful, Noona,” he stated in his usual, loving little brother tone and playfully ruffled her hair. His compliment made her heart leap and couldn’t even suppress the smile that crept onto her face. “Should I be worried?” he raised one of his eyebrows in question but her instincts told her that he didn’t even take his own question seriously. “Someone might attack you on the way to the dance festival, you know. Nowadays, there are several creepy freaks on the streets.”

“I can take care of myself,” she stated mildly and her confident response set him at ease. His shoulders loosened and his lips slowly raised into a grin. Miyeon suddenly pinched his cheeks, simply out of amusement but he didn’t seem to mind it. He just laughed at her while his warm, caramel-brown eyes formed happy, little crescents.

“Take care.”

“I will,” she nodded joyfully and waved at the boy who decided to go back to his own room.

Miyeon closed the door while her mind seemed to dwell on those sorrowful months when things were terrifyingly different. When Chanyeol wasn’t her lovely, little brother but almost a stranger who she couldn’t reach out to. Luckily, those weeks didn’t last forever as Baekhyun convinced Chanyeol that Dara was lying and Miyeon was right. He eavesdropped when Dara was once messing with her, blurting out that she didn’t even love the guy, she only needed him to hurt her. It was not until the weekend – the same weekend when Jungkook stayed in her house while Chanyeol was with his buddies – when the beagle line played “Truth or dare” that everything was revealed. After that, as soon as his little brother frantically got home, he bowed ashamedly and asked for her forgiveness. She was so startled that she couldn’t even say a thing. Instead, she let him embrace her while listening to his whispered sorrys.

That day changed everything and the two started acting like nothing had happened. After that weekend, Chanyeol even made a scene with Dara and told her off for lying. She didn’t see him being so furious for the time being but silently gloated at her victory. His brother’s movement resulted in the tranquillity of the following days and weeks. There was no more bullying, no more scoffing and no more rumours. Nothing.

Nonetheless, she wasn’t brave enough to consider making up with Jungkook. Not then, not when her scars hadn’t healed yet. But now, starting the new school year, boosting her self-esteem during the summer break, she knew that the time had come. She was pretty brave, or at least brave enough to give it a try.

 ▌▌

 Everyone was buzzing around the stage of the Big Hit Dance Studio’s Autumn Dance Festival which was held outdoors. She excitedly bounced as she arrived but started to dread the sight of the huge crowd and tried to peek over people’s shoulders. She was craving for a familiar face and pouted sadly when she realised that it was almost a dead case. There were so many people, she suddenly felt so small and elegantly dressed compared to the hip-hop lover spectators who wore shabby trousers and colourful T-shirts.

All of a sudden, she felt a slight pat on her shoulder and when she turned her heel, she saw a familiar face, standing right in front of her.

“Oh, Seokjin, thank God!” she let out a relieved sigh and her face slowly dissolved into a half-smile. The handsome guy looked puzzled for a moment, not knowing why she was so grateful that he showed up but then, he gave one of his cutest proud grins.

“I know, right? Every single day, I thank God for my handsomeness−“ he started smugly but was cut off by an excited scream.

“You came!” Taehyung exclaimed, slightly shoving the elder guy who rolled his eyes but not in annoyance. Soon, Namjoon and Yoongi showed up behind the childishly giggling Taehyung who insisted that he had noticed her from several hundred meters and ran to welcome her as soon as possible. The other two guys were walking in their usual pace but got there on time when they started discussing Miyeon’s dress.

“You look pretty.”

“You’re literally stunning,” Taehyung joined in after Seokjin’s compliment that both made her face turn scarlet-red. She wasn’t used to such nice words because she was either wearing her school uniform or a pair of trousers with a nice T-shirt. The boys rarely see her without the uniform, small wonder why they were so dumbfounded.

“I hope Jungkookie won’t faint when he sees you,” Namjoon added, his eyes hinting at his amusement. She felt her cheeks flushing and her heart beating in bewilderment. Although she forced herself not to think of it, she blushed deeply at the thought of Jungkook seeing her like that. A weird kind of confidence had taken hold of her as she was wearing the pretty, white dress, knowing that the guys approved of her outfit. On the contrary, she almost regretted opting for a dress over an aesthetic blouse with jeans because it was quite windy and she would definitely have to stand there for a few more hours. It was already the end of August, a lovely Saturday afternoon and the dance festival was perfect for that day but maybe not for her outfit.

“When will they perform?” Miyeon inquired, her chocolate-brown eyes shining with curiosity.

“They’ll be the last to perform,” Yoongi responded with a bored yawn and averted his eyes to the stage where staff members had already started fidgeting. She let out a frustrated whine because she was on the edge; she wanted to see the boys’ performance as soon as possible. But that was her luck. Of course, they would be the last.

“Ah, I feel you,” Taehyung caught her disappointed flinch and patted her shoulder sympathetically. “I’m so excited to see what they’re coming up with. And honestly, I can’t wait to tease them if they make a mistake,” he added, mischievously waggling his eyebrows. Namjoon gave him a frowning look, Seokjin mildly smiled at his childish threat and Yoongi shook his head like he knew him too well and was totally aware of the fact that he wouldn’t do so.

“May I have your attention, please?” a husky, confident voice filled the air which resulted in the audience’s excited buzzing. Miyeon turned around to face the stage where a middle-aged man held a microphone with a stern look displaying on his face. As he started talking again, it turned out that he was Bang Si Hyuk, the founder of the Big Hit Dance Studios.

After his greeting, the dance festival officially started. The next one hour was filled with constant surprises and gummy hustle-bustle. She saw several jaw-dropping performances and didn’t even make an attempt to hide her awe. The dancers’ moves were always on point, so precise yet so passionate. They were beautifully elegant and mysteriously attractive at the same time. Everyone was exceptionally talented but she couldn’t shake off that lingering feeling as she only wished to see one particular performance. Her heart always missed a beat whenever the MC announced who would come next and felt a bitter kind of disappointment when he didn’t say the guys’ names.

Luckily, although she could barely notice one or two familiar faces on the stage, Taehyung and Seokjin always mentioned who was giving a performance.

“That guy is a genius. His name is Kwon Soonyoung and he dances so well. He’s like the leader of their hip-hop group but the others are also pretty good.”

“NCT is already the girls’ favourite, even though it’s their second festival so far.”

“Now, that is a killer combination. A roundoff backhandspring! Yah, Jackson knows how to do a good show.”

They were constantly talking without a pause and she tried to remember the names and groups and feedbacks but got lost after a few. So instead, she decided to let them talk and a genuine but ‘I don’t even know what’s happening here’ smile was evident on her face. Taehyung was in the middle of giving a summary about Jongin’s dance skills when the MC appeared on stage and announced the festival’s last performance. Miyeon felt her cheekbones exploding and her heart thumping, beating like a drum. Pleasant kind of chills ran down her spine, giving every of her cells a huge overdose of excitement.

Suddenly, the stage went dark and the spotlight was only shining on one person: Park Jimin. He was in an impressive, white shirt and showed his contemporary side through soft and precise moves. The song was a beautiful, slow melody with piano instrumental, small wonder why she got goose bumps right away. It was so enjoyable to just look at him but she couldn’t deny that she wanted to see someone else. After Jimin dropped to the floor and got up again, Hoseok and Jungkook also walked onto the stage and a funky, playful jazz song started playing. It was Hoseok’s turn to show what he was capable of and gosh, that guy was totally amazing! He danced so naturally and moved while grinning from ear to ear. Then, as expected, Jungkook came next and she realised only then that he was wearing a white suit with a white shirt and a black tie. He looked so damn attractive, she was the one who nearly fainted. She eyed him top to bottom, examining him as he enjoyed his stage. Without doubt, he was a completely different person while dancing than in real life. Just like any other times when she peeked his practices, he was so manly, confident and totally immersed into the moves, ignoring everything else around him.

If she thought that the first part of their performance almost gave her a heart attack, she could voluntarily die during the next one. She immediately knew the familiar song because whose mother wasn’t into Shinhwa and chanted Perfect Man while cleaning up? But the three guys in those outfits and their cheeky moves took the song to a whole new level. The stage was on fire, the guys were dancing like professionals while the audience seemed to lose their minds; all girls around her were screaming so loudly, especially when Jimin got off his jacket. Maybe Jungkook should have done the same, Miyeon thought crossly but blushed deeply after realising what she had wished for. She couldn’t take her eyes off the boy but gulped innocently whenever he made an intimidating move. Not to mention those damn smirks! He wasn’t even aware of the fact that his damn smirks could do such odd things to the state of her heart; they weren’t only resulted in her crazily racing heartbeat but also gave her goose bumps. Oh boy, she was out of words. She unconsciously fell for him. Again.

As the performance came to an end and the boys bowed to each side of the audience, Miyeon joined the claps and the screams. She was so proud of them, they put on a wonderful show, she couldn’t even describe how brilliant they were. They didn’t even make a mistake, they were in perfect harmony and totally nailed the festival.

“Well, I didn’t expect less,” Yoongi cleared his throat beside her and his sudden confession made her bounce a little. She was so immersed into the dance and the combustion around it that she wasn’t prepared for starting a conversation.

“Ah, these kids can really dance,” Seokjin added vigorously and smiled like a proud daddy. His reactions were always fun to watch as he couldn’t hide his amazement and during the last two hours, his jaw dropped several times. He also shared with her that he gave up dancing after a few attempts, so he absolutely respected the guys for trying so hard to do their best. Maybe he wasn’t a good dancer but he was incredibly supportive; he was almost like their number fan. Seokjin was the one who brought his home-cooked meals to the boys after training sessions or bought them dinner.

“Guys, I’ve got the password!” announced Taehyung excitedly and looked up from his phone. Miyeon looked puzzled but Namjoon explained that they had to come up with a password to pass by the guards and go backstage to meet the boys.

“What is it this time?” Yoongi asked knitting his eyebrows in question and looked at the younger boy who grinned so proudly, it was almost guilty.

“Infires, man!” he answered smugly and the response was sudden. Everyone burst into laughter while she just slightly chuckled at the boys’ reaction. On their way to the backstage area, Seokjin was considerate enough to tell her the whole story about the saying ‘Infires, man!’. It was a tiny mistake that Yoongi made while doing an English listening task in class when he misheard the word inspires as infires but the boys were more than pleased with using it as a teasing.

Miyeon was laughing uncontrollably because after this flashback, Taehyung and Namjoon decided to have a fierce battle of sharing the most embarrassing story regarding the seven friends. They were in the middle of analysing the failure of Kim Seokjin’s beatbox lesson when an over-excited figure literally jumped in front of her.

“We were amazing, right?” Hoseok yelled, waggling his eyebrows and soon, his two dance partners showed up as well. They were all still sweating but changed into a more comfortable and natural outfit, Jungkook for example was wearing grey sweatpants with a white T-shirt and his favourite dark-blue jumper. Still, Miyeon felt like she could faint anytime soon.

“Yeah, of course, of course. I’m proud of you, guys!” Yoongi started the compliments which went on and on and she didn’t want to miss the opportunity to congratulate the guys on such a sensational performance, so she also accentuated her opinion.

“You were amazing! No doubt that you were the best of all the participants. You were unique and brilliant and your moves were always on point. It would have been a shame if I had missed it. So, thank you so much for inviting me, it was the greatest dance festival which I’ve ever attended.”

“Thank you for coming!” Jimin grinned seeing the girl’s enthusiastic chattering but she wasn’t in the mood for holding herself back. There were so many emotions rushing through her body and so many thoughts on her mind that she just wanted to share them as soon as possible. “You look lovely, by the way.”

“Yeah, I agree. You are undeniably the highlight of the festival,” Hoseok ran a hand through his obsidian-black, slightly sweaty hair and gave her a big, bright smile. Miyeon wasn’t good at getting compliments and immediately blushed in embarrassment. The guys also noticed the change in her behaviour but nudged Jungkook to say something to her. As far as he was concerned, he looked so dumbfounded, his lips slightly parted and he stared at her for a few seconds. His jet-black eyes were playing tricky little games with her vision; once she saw them shining with insecurity and other times she thought that they were just cute, little clouds hovering on the mackerel sky; so pure, innocent and calm.

“Uhmm, well, thanks,” he cleared his throat, obviously responding to her fangirling and that made her slightly disappointed. She was a girl, she was craving for the boy’s compliment who she had a crush on and when she didn’t get what she had expected, she couldn’t help but huffed lightly.

“Oh, come on! You dance like that on stage and still can’t say some nice words to a girl?” Hoseok whined in a high-pitched tone and gave him a ‘Don’t you dare to do this with me’ look. Seokjin patted the energetic guy’s shoulder and clapped his hands to make sure others shift their attentions to him.

“Don’t embarrass him, Hobie,” he warned the dancer, knitting his eyebrows but when he next continued, he was affectionate and proper just as expected from Kim Seokjin. “We have more important things to do. Get your stuff and we’ll go a restaurant to celebrate your amazing performance! The bill’s on me, guys!” he promised while a kind smile was forming on his lips. The boys started cheering almost wildly and it didn’t even take too long to get all the seven guys together to head to their favourite restaurant. Miyeon was also invited to the celebratory dinner but she was quite reluctant at first. She only gave in when Jungkook stated that she can’t miss it and gave an attractive smirk directed at her.

 ▌▌

 They ended up having dinner in a cosy, little restaurant which she had never been before but the boys insisted that they should go there as it was their favourite place to eat. As soon as they arrived, the squad swiftly sat down around a random table, so in the end, she had no other option than to plunk herself down beside the one and only Jeon Jungkook. She was aware of the fact that it wasn’t fate, it was obviously on purpose; the guys were definitely up to something.

Luckily, waiting for their food to arrive wasn’t boring at all. What is more, Miyeon laughed so much that she had already forgotten that she was as hungry as a wolf. The seven boys didn’t intend to stop broaching more hilarious and more remarkable moments of their friendship and the more stories she heard, the more she realised that they were such adorable human beings. They were lovely even one by one but when they were together and casually enjoyed themselves, it was the best. She felt a pleasant kind of warmth hanging around her the whole time; it seemed that the boys’ joy and high spirits were so gummy that she also couldn’t stop smiling. She wanted to get lost in that feeling, she wanted it to last forever.

Being with the boys made her realise how much she had missed these moments: the fun conversations, the loud laughs, the little bickering and the cheerful giggling. Her anxiousness which she felt in the beginning flew away so quickly, thanks to the squad’s amicable attitude. Not to mention that they were such gentlemen; when she pulled out her wallet to pay back the money which Seokjin paid for the food, he shook his head violently.

“No, no, no, no!” he emphasised every single ‘no’, it was almost like an overreacted feedback of a restless fangirl. “Do I look like someone who would make you pay for the food? Oh no, Miyeon-ah, I’m not that kind of guy.”

“No, he’s not that kind of guy,” Taehyung imitated Seokjin’s reaction which lead to another round of laughter. Even the latter guy slightly chuckled and ruffled the younger one’s hair in amusement.

“Just let him pay it!” Namjoon motioned with a dimpled smile. “Or else, we’ll have to listen to his whining all weekend!”

“Okay. Thank you for the food, then!” she gave in, putting her wallet back into her bag. Seokjin let out a relieved sigh and finally paid the bill, a total amount of 78.000₩.

„That’s a lot of money.”

„Well, kids eat a lot,” the mommy figure elucidated naturally but the others weren’t safely out of hearing range, so they heard it, too. Yoongi simply suppressed another yawn, Namjoon nodded in agreement, Hoseok grinned brightly as always but the maknae line was actually kind of offended. Jimin sulked over it by wrinkling his nose, Taehyung let out a grumble while Jungkook knitted his eyebrows. Surprisingly, the golden maknae was the one who wanted to point out that they were just few months younger than the eldest guy.

“We’re not kids, you know.”

“Say it when you finally turn 19!” Hoseok guffawed amusingly and pinched his cheeks just like a grandma would do to his grandson. Miyeon laughed at Jungkook’s reaction who caught sight of the giggling girl and a dangerous smirk started to creep onto his face.

“You’re also underage!” he blurted out childishly and she felt a need to whine but instead she just stuck her tongue out at him. No doubt that he was right as they both had their birthday on the same day, so they were both still 18. But 1st of September wasn’t that far away. To be precise, it was only 4 days away.

“Come to think of it, how will you spend your birthday?” Namjoon inquired while curiosity filled his eyes. He directly looked at her, so it was obvious that the question was for her. Still, she pondered over the thought before she finally said it out loud.

“Nothing really special. Maybe a birthday cake but nothing more extraordinary,” she shrugged absent-mindedly because she had no intention of celebrating it in any special way. Her birthday would be on Thursday when both Chanyeol and Taeyeon had after school activities and she also had to attend her CSAT preparation classes. On top of that, her parents usually worked until late at night, so this birthday didn’t seem to be so interesting. At least, not as interesting as the last one.

“Well, we’re celebrating Jungkook’s birthday on the 4th if you would like to join,” Jimin said, rather smugly that he was the first one who came up with the idea. She couldn’t deny that the invitation piqued her curiosity but she still wasn’t sure whether it would be a good idea to spend more time with Jungkook or actually a terrible one.

“I’ll think about it,” she finally mustered while her eyes were glued to the golden maknae. He didn’t show any sign of relief, so she knew it would be the best to suppress the intense beating of her heart which almost seemed like a passionate composition.

Soon enough, the boys had to go home as parents’ concerned phone calls occurred one after another and Miyeon also knew that it was time for her to go. Although she was having so much fun and literally had the best time of her life, she bid her goodbye and headed home.

She started roaming alone, dwelling on flashbacks of those good old days when she didn’t even spend a day without seeing these seven guys. The bittersweet nostalgia consumed her and she couldn’t prevent the painful melancholia from engulfing her thoughts. She tried to snap out of it by shifting her attention to the scenery around her but it didn’t help at all; it rather made her feel agitated. The city was picturesque and its lively streets were swimming in the tangerine waterfall which was created by the beautiful sunset. Memories of Jungkook and her watching sunsets popped up in her head and the sudden rush of loneliness slightly broke her heart.

After marching towards for a few minutes, she heard hasty footsteps from behind and a tall, slim figure suddenly caught up with her.

“Do you mind if I come with you?” Jungkook asked with a shaky voice and started walking beside her, still kind of short of breath. It looked like he was running until he saw her and this observation triggered getting nervous butterflies in her stomach.

“No, not at all” she shook her head decisively. “Are you at your dad’s this weekend?” she asked out of curiosity because his dad’s house was the one which was close to hers but immediately wanted to bite her tongue. She realised how painful this question might have been for the boy and mentally gave herself a good slap for acting like a total idiot. Luckily, Jungkook didn’t get offended and just nodded in agreement.

The next 15 minutes were spent in comfortable silence which neither of them wanted to break. Maybe for a period of time, it could have been exceptionally awkward but that day changed something. The border between them seemed to shatter after that particular day in March when Jungkook got beaten up and spent the evening in her house. They didn’t stammer anymore when they bumped into each other or had to do a pair work in class.

Nonetheless, they didn’t even get closer. Miyeon didn’t exactly know why. She wasn’t sure about her feelings, not to mention the golden maknae’s intentions as he didn’t say anything offensive but neither anything that would give her hope. Yet, false hope was the cruellest of all kind of cherished feelings; it was poisonous, believing in something for so long and didn’t get it in the end. She wanted to prevent herself from that painful disillusion. Which also meant that she had to force herself not to fall in love with him again. But it was already too late now; her border was totally ravaged.

Walking the same path as they used to do after such a long time was a new kind of experience. It was weird, refreshing and somehow reassuring at the same time.

“Oh, look!” she suddenly exclaimed, noticing the Banpo Bridge which was illuminated by hundreds of lights and she immediately walked faster to get closer to the bridge fountain, which citizens commonly called as the Rainbow Fountain. “I guess we’re just on time to see the show!” she bounced happily and stopped at the barrier to enjoy the colourful water show which was taking place in front of her.

It was weird to think of it that this was the bridge which they crossed when they celebrated their birthday together. Small wonder why Jamsu Bridge – and Banpo Bridge which was on top of it - had a special place in her heart and she felt that she had a strong connection with this place. It wasn’t just her favourite sight but also a lot of Koreans and tourists liked it. It was the world’s longest bridge fountain and held wonderful fountain shows several times a day when dancing, rainbow-coloured jets of water could be seen in the air in synchronization with the music. It was breath-taking and she couldn’t get sick of it, even though she had seen it several times before.

“Despite the fact that I see this show almost every day, I’m still amazed. It’s so beautiful!” she trailed off with her mouth agape and couldn’t take her eyes off the view. Jungkook also said something but he muttered so quietly that she couldn’t understand it. Miyeon shifted her attention to him and gently asked him to repeat what he had said.

“You’re beautiful, too,” he merely blurted out and the dimples deepened with his cute bunny smile. She had to look away not to look ridiculous because she was sure that she was blushing deeply. Well, maybe it was more sincere and heart-warming than if he had said it in front of the other boys and in all that noise and combustion during the dance festival. All that disappointment and bitterness vanished from before as if she hadn’t even felt it at all.

“Thanks,” that was all she could muster after a pause that lasted longer than she intended. She gave him a bashful smile and they were gazing at each other for God knows how long. She was lost in his beautiful jet-black eyes which had that adorable, prominent glint. The black and white completed each other so well that they resembled little dominos. Not to mention that his stare was almost like a cage; it locked her every single time their eyes met. Jungkook was dangerous and addictive but the best of all kinds of wrong.

“So, this was your last time when you danced before the exams?” Miyeon cleared her throat and tried to pacify her thumping heart and scrambling thoughts.

“Yeah,” the golden maknae nodded and a sheepish smile was forming on his lips. “I have CSAT preparation classes and I think it’ll be too much to attend both of them. I want to do my best on the exams, so until we’re finished with them, there would be no more dance practises, nor performances,” he continued and it was an uncharacteristically long answer from him. The enthusiasm in his voice didn’t go unnoticed and his eyes were shining with undeniable passion. She loved this side of Jungkook, so much that it almost hurt. He was so immersed into talking about dancing that you could see the slight twinkles in his eyes. Maybe she was in love with him just as much as he was in love with dance.

“I’m pretty sure you’ll secretly dance in your room, though.”

“How did you know that?” he chuckled and looked rather amused. It was so good to see him like that, it melted her confused heart. “Yeah, probably. You know me well,” he admitted while forcefully grasping the barrier. His eyes were staring far ahead and he looked totally amazed by the fountain show. Nonetheless, she could read him pretty well and knew that he wasn’t thinking about the beauty of those water-jets but something completely different like the time they had spent together.

She exactly knew that feeling; that insecurity and fear which was triggered by the joyful memories. That kind of fragility was something she wasn’t afraid of when she was a kid. But as years went by and she grew older, she understood why the elderly had that bitter expression every time they were prattling about a fond memory. She had been through it all: getting hurt and hurting others; falling down and keep running again; trying to break down someone’s wall but building up her own and loving someone and making them hate her. She had been through a lot since she met Jungkook but she was so thankful for him. Immature as she was, she couldn’t consider herself an adult even a year ago but he changed her. He taught her how to chase her dreams no matter what, ignore others’ expectations but her own and he also taught her about love. He was definitely a chapter of her book, a very decisive one.

“But even though we know each other well, I still don’t know your answer,” he stated out of the blue and finally turned to face her. He slightly raised one of his eyebrows in question while she merely looked at him, totally dumbfounded.

“What answer?”

“Your answer concerning whether you still like me or not,” he said right away and gazed at her, not letting Miyeon avert her eyes elsewhere but his face. It would have been an understatement to say that she was shocked because she was at the verge of fainting. She was extremely devastated, didn’t even know whether to drop her jaw, hug Jungkook tightly or run away from him. Even her heart decided against her will and started to thump like a ticking time-bomb which would explode any minute. She didn’t even think that he remembered for that night just as vividly as her, not to mention the fact the she left his question unanswered.

Miyeon blinked a few and coyly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her right ear. As she noticed the desperate anticipation in his eyes, she knew it was now or never. She had to tell him the truth unless she didn’t want to live her life miserably thinking about those what ifs. So, she cleared her throat and let out a faint, fragile sigh before she started speaking.

“I-I do,” she mumbled nervously and continued before he even had the chance to take a breath. “But I wasn’t prepared for all the attention we got. You know, there was nothing wrong with the fact that people recognized us but how they used my little brother to hurt me was beyond my imagination. It was bearable until they only hurt me but when they hurt him, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I thought that I could end all this if I break up with you−“

“Do you regret it?” Jungkook cut her off but it wasn’t even a bit irritating, instead she felt a rush of relief running through her body. Now, she felt like she could breathe again. Keeping secrets and never telling him the truth was undeniably poisonous, she sometimes felt a need to make sure she wouldn’t suffocate from all those nasty words.

“I assume that Chanyeol would have found out the truth sooner or later even if I don’t break up with you, so yes, I regret it now. But then, I thought that it was the best thing to do.”

“I know,” he said solemnly, nodding a bit as a sign of sympathy which set her at ease. Gosh, she was so afraid to talk to him again and not only did they talk for so long now but they also had an in-depth conversation, trying to elucidate their actions and finally make things right. “Your brother told me about it.”

“He did?” her eyes widened in surprise since Chanyeol had never pointed out that he had talked with Jungkook regarding the Dara case. Miyeon was pretty pleased with his greatly wrathful fight with his ex-girlfriend, she would have never thought that he also did such a thing.

“Yeah, a couple of days after he told Dara off. He thought that I deserved it because he was one of the reasons why you broke up with me.”

“So, you knew it all along?” she puzzled up the words the boy had said but still didn’t want to believe it. It didn’t make any sense. If he knew about it, why would he never say a thing to her? It was her initial intention to hide the truth from him as she didn’t want Jungkook to feel even worse, after realising that she had enough when Chanyeol got involved in their story. It was easier to say that it was because of all those nasty gossip and heartless bullying. Well, it was partly why she broke up with him but she got utterly pissed off when they hurt his little brother. It was alright until she was the only one who got hurt but she couldn’t let them hurt his brother. In the end, it seemed that nobody could survive the battle without wounds; Chanyeol, Miyeon and Jungkook all had to suffer the consequences of her action. Nonetheless, as time went by, their scars started to heal and the hideous pain was bearable, or they were merely accustomed to it.

“I knew. But I thought that I’m selfish if I want to hold onto you since I hurt you so much,” Jungkook admitted and his voice came out horse and extremely painful. He ashamedly looked away but she caught him nibbling his lips. She almost wanted to protest that it wasn’t true, he couldn’t blame himself for what had happened but he seemed impatient to wait for her answer and continued speaking.

“I needed you. Maybe more than you needed me. I needed someone who can accept my family background. Who I can talk to about nothing and everything. I never once intended to give you pain,” Jungkook whispered and his grievous words sounded like a pleading pray.

Miyeon’s heart immediately sunk after his confession and her whole body trembled in great shock. She was still in the abyss of his words, both lost in their shared memories and comprehending the present actions. She was examining Jungkook as he was standing beside her, digging his nails into his palms, the genial wind ruffling his hair and his whole presence displaying innocent purity and aching solace. He was so fragile; she was afraid that if she touches him or even says a single word, he may disappear.

“I know, Jungkook,” she said after a few seconds of silence. “I know. It wasn’t you. It was Dara, Bobby and all those horrible people that are jealous of others who are doing well. For some reason, they can’t stand it,” Miyeon insisted vigorously, suddenly feeling like a soldier who was ready to fight. But it was all past now, she was aware of that. She couldn’t change it, she couldn’t turn back time but she couldn’t control her aching heart either. There was only one thing she could do.

“I’m sorry that it had to be like this. You didn’t deserve it,” she shook her head, lips quivering, feeling nervous all of the sudden but all her words were sincere and affectionate. It was true and she couldn’t deny it; the one thing that hold her back from getting together with Jungkook was the shame. The shame that consumed her because she had caused so much pain and let him endure it all alone while she tried to make things right with Chanyeol. It wasn’t fair and she couldn’t help but dread his anger.

However, instead of shouting at her or leaving without answers, he merely said:

“I’m sorry that you had to get through all this,” he finally looked at her, so she faced a state-of-the-art boy whose eyes were filled with dismay and regret. The black and white in those little holes were the perfect representation of the yin yang symbol. They interconnected so well but one couldn’t exist without the other. Like light and dark or fire and water, Jungkook was also the description of duality, not just his beautiful jet-black eyes. All his little things were individually precious but added up the whole and made him even more vulnerable. Miyeon loved all of his sides, even the insecure, anxious dark side with the joyful white part and the pure, innocent white side with the inevitable darkness.

“We’re restless fighters, aren’t we?” she pointed out and a hopeful smile was evident on her face. She couldn’t bear the sight of the agitated boy, so she decided to clear the tension in the air. She even slightly nudged his shoulder which triggered his face slowly dissolving into a sheepish smile. Gosh, his smile was beyond words. “Actually, I’ve learned a lot from it. If we could turn back time, I would definitely give us another try. I believe I can handle things better and even tell them to go to hell if I get sick of their teasing,” she chattered, almost joyfully and her bold statement made his jaw drop.

“Wow! I’ve never thought I would hear such things from you,” he ran his hand through his coal-black hair while a childish giggle escaped his mouth. She let herself chuckle with him and for the first time that time, she felt weightless. It was that kind of feeling which made you feel like a butterfly that could finally fly away from its cage, far away from its problems, doubts and worries.

Yet, Jungkook’s face suddenly stiffened, so she hoped for the best and prepared for the worst. The question still made her heart leap.

“But if we didn’t turn back time, just try it out right now, would you say the same?” he asked recklessly and his eyes were pleading. Now, they were standing face-to-face, illuminated by the lights from the colourful lights of the show and gazing at each other, the closest that they happened to be in the last few months. She had to remind herself to breath because she was utterly nervous. Of course, she would, she wanted to shout, hug him while saying how much she had missed him, his voice, his lullabies, his touch, his vanilla and cinnamon scent, his beautiful eyes and those damn smirks. Gosh, how much she had missed him.

Though, she had to hold herself back and she finally opt for the most sensible option: the honest answer without showing any affection. Then, if he approved of her decision, she could hug him as much as she wanted.

“Yes, I would say the same,” she nodded decisively and the boy’s shoulders immediately loosened. He let out a heavy sigh and looked up at her, one of his typical smirks forming on his lips.

“Good. Because that’s what I was thinking, too,” he added, rather proudly and they smiled at each other, immersed into each other’s beautiful eyes and this new kind of feeling was starting to fill them up. She realised that she couldn’t hold it back anymore, so she walked up to him and hugged him tightly. Jungkook let out a chuckle as he embraced her and it felt just so perfectly right. She rested her chin on the crook of his neck while he patted her shoulder, slightly reluctantly and nervously but definitely affectionately.

“But don’t you dare to give me one of those damn smirks like you did during your performance!” she warned him, withdrawing for a few seconds to look up at him and facing a smugly smirking Jungkook. Oh boy, he was starting it again!

“Like this?” he asked as he challengingly wiggled his eyebrows and gave her the most attractive smirk ever. She blushed a bit but pinched his cheek which she knew he didn’t like. Unfortunately, Jungkook also remembered that she was extremely ticklish, so he didn’t miss the opportunity to get his revenge. She was screaming while trying to run away from him but it was a hopeless case; he was way too fast. He was tickling her while she protested that he should stop but he couldn’t take it serious. Honestly, Miyeon didn’t mind it either.

Maybe they needed those months to make them realise how much they missed and loved each other. But it was perfect this way; they grew to become a better person and learned how to stand out for themselves while they were apart. When they finally got together, they learned how to love again.

It was just right. It was all alright.

But those damn smirks were not. She had to do something about it, she made a mental note as she made an attempt to escape from his embrace. Fortunately, her attempt was a total failure.

■ ◄◄

[bebestay]

Home’s not too far

pairing: Leon Matthias x Lorita Bautista (platonic)

synopsis: Leon and Lori decide to host an impromptu VLive from their practice for a special MC stage.

“Hello!” Leon smiled as the audience started to grow. “Ate, come on! They're arriving!”

“Yeah, yeah. Keep your pants on,” Lori shouted from off-screen before she hopped into the frame with bags of food. “Hello! Sorry, I had to go get the takeout from downstairs.”

As they started to unpack the bag, Lori started to read the comments.

/What did Leo call you?/

“He called me, Ate, which means older sister in Filipino,” Lori smiled. “It was weird the first few times he called me that since I’m the youngest at home, but he actually called me noona for the first few weeks we knew each other.”

“In my defense,” Leon said, already digging into his takeaway, “I thought you only spoke Korean.” 

“I was born in Florida!” Lori laughed and took out her own box. “I can barely speak in any language outside of English. Korean is still tough for me.”

“You’re improving though.”

The two continued to eat and watched as the hearts and comments poured in. Soon, the two found themselves talking about their favorite foods and snacks.

“Okay, answer me this,” Leon said, mouth full of food. “Milo, mix first or milk first?”

“Depends on if the milk hot or cold.” She pointed out. “If cold, mix first. If hot, milk first. You?”

“Same, actually.” He set down his food to read a couple more comments. “What do you guys do?”

“You are starting a discourse in the chat, young man.” Laughing, Leon leaned against her. “Choc-Nut or Curly Tops?”

“Ooh, uh... Curly Tops. As much as I like the combination of peanuts and chocolate, Choc-Nut is a little too dry for me. It’s my mom’s favorite though.”

“Mine too. She always tries to get me to eat them when I visit or when she sends me a package. She sent me a lot of pastillas in the last box. They’re gone now.”

“You didn’t share? How dare you?” 

“Well first off, my care package. So, by default my food.”

"But Ate~" Leon whined and fell into her lap. "I thought I was your favorite."

"When did I say that to your face?" Lori chuckled, her hand petting his blonde hair. "Ugh. When was the last time you let your hair be natural? I think you fried it with that last bleaching."

"Hopefully, soon. As much as I'm honored to be the blonde one, it's doing a number on my scalp." He ran his own hand through his hair. "What about you? Gonna get rid of the red soon?"

"Probably. My head can only handle so much bleach and dye." He hummed as Lori's hand came to a stop. "We should get back to work. The performance ain't gonna choreograph itself. Bye, everyone!”

And with that, the broadcast was over.

[thiscrimsonsoul]

Omgg I want blue hair too but they told me it's not safe to bleach it because it could fall off due to my anemia (and I'm like are u kidding me... I have super thick curly strong hair, as soon as my anemia gets better my hair will stop falling off) anyways speaking of, did Wanda ever think of dyeing her hair of less realistic colors like Ariel-like red, or maybe a shade between orange and pink? I feel like she'd use warm colors

{out of paprikash} No, Wanda has never thought about dyeing her hair any weird colors, just because she never had a reason to consider it before. The only reason she dyed her hair red was because she was trying to evade capture, so she had to change her appearance. However... if she ever had any downtime where she wasn’t in some life-threatening situation or overwhelmed with grief (has that even happened for her?) I could see her wanting to go dark red, cranberry, or even purple. Maybe pink if it was a darker pink and not hot pink. I’m not sure about orange... that might be too bright for her. XD

As far as my own hair adventures (and potentially yours), I’ve put some advice and things under the cut! =)

Bleaching all around is a really annoying process that can damage your hair a lot. I have very dark brown hair naturally and on top of that my hair just... does not seem to bleach easily or take dye well. It bleaches and dyes in patches, I get some streaks that take the treatment more, some that take it less, it’s a mess, heh. If you have dark hair and/or you’re afraid of damaging it, my advice is to really be gentle with it and do it in stages. You should always do that anyway, bleach it for the minimum time suggested for the kit you get and then wait 3-4 weeks before doing it again. I’m on my 4th bleaching and my hair is still orange in a lot of places, heh. But I accept that, I just kindof get it as light as I can without feeling like I’m destroying it, and then do the blue and hope for the best. I’ve had pretty good results even without being able to get my hair fully blonde before dyeing. 

I have some recommendations for products that have worked really well for me. I’ve tried some others that either didn’t work hardly at all or really wrecked my hair, but these work well:

Bleaching: Look at the Feria line of products. They have some super platinum bleach kits available that say they lighten 7-9 shades. They won’t if you have really dark hair, heh. But that’s just how bleach works, heh. BUT... specifically look at the kits that say “no ammonia.” They’re much gentler on your hair, don’t smell as bad, won’t burn your scalp as much if you’re doing your whole head, and you can bleach again after like 2 weeks and it doesn’t melt your hair, heh. If you’re really afraid of damage, then definitely wait the full 3-4 weeks, but these kits have been really good to my hair, and they come with conditioner that leaves it really soft and shiny.

Bright color, non-natural dyes: For blues, purples, pinks, and all kinds of colors that aren’t natural, look into the Splat line of products. They have so many wonderful colors, many options available (one-day, 10-wash, 30-wash, etc. as far as how long it lasts), and they’ve always worked really well for me even with all of my hair issues, heh. The only thing is, be wary of buying online because places like Amazon will sell you expired kits that just won’t work. Buying in-store is best if you can. Also... the dye DYES THE WORLD and everything it touches, so put down towels, wear a shirt you don’t care about, wear gloves, and put vaseline on your skin so you won’t turn colors, haha. My glove broke the first time I dyed my hair blue and it looked like I had murdered a smurf for a week.

For natural colors: For natural reds, blacks, etc. that are natural hair colors, I use Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Hair Color Creme. First of all... Garnier products smell AMAZING. Your head will smell like the best flowers ever, haha. But beyond that, the dye doesn’t smell super bad, it works really well, and it actually hydrates your hair while it dyes, so you won’t end up with dry, damaged hair. I went red at one point in my life and Amy Lee level of black hair is kindof my go-to, so I’ve been using this brand for a while and it’s always been good to my hair. 

[easynaturalhairstyle]

19 Trendy black ombre hair colors

What is Black Ombre Hair?

A black ombre hair color is when your hair is gradually blended from one black hue to another hue. Typically, it is mixed from a dark color to a lighter color, starting at the top of the head and passing to the tips of the hair. If it begins with a dark color and blends into a lighter color, then it is called reverse ombre. Black ombre hairstyles create a great contrast.

Do not you think it's time to lift those dark strands and leave a stunning impression? If so, then this is definitely a hair color that is in high demand because of its high contrast optics!

How else can you have a low-maintenance but intensely glamorous hairstyle ?! As your roots naturally remain dark and shady, this distinctive coloration may last for months before you need to visit the salon again. Growing up is the last thing to worry about!

If you firmly believe that black hair should not be flat and dull, then read on to learn more about the endless possibilities with one of those stunning photos of black ombre hair colors!

Black and Dark Blue Ombre

Midnight blue is the hottest color of the season. With shiny indigo tones that stand out from your regular black hair, this model will definitely serve you looks.

Black and burgundy ombre

How would you describe this look?

This look is a deep and sultry bordeaux colored balayage! I love the depth of color because it takes on different shades in different lighting conditions. It's so perfect for anyone who wants those beautiful and deep rose / wine tones.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Things to keep in mind when considering this look. As beautiful as the burgundy, it's a fashion color that means it fades faster than your average color. So, stop with the visit to your stylist to color the burgundy finish every now and then is important to keep the vibrancy alive! Tip: Wash your hair at home less often and use cold water to keep the glowing color longer! But I think when this color fades, it looks beautiful in every phase!

Second, if you do not have Grade 1 or 2 natural black hair, you may need to do root cleans from time to time to tie the look together and keep the black ombre hair color seamless!

Professional tip: Ombre should always look good when you're standing, but if you curl up or wiggle your balaged hair, you'll be thrilled! The curls show so much dimension in the color of your hair!

Black to silver

How would you describe this look?

I love the high contrast of this look! Of course my client has dark, level 3 hair. This platinum silver balayage is really jumping against its natural root. We gave her a decent cut a loose, stranded wave to finish her look here.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Because of their natural color, which is quite dark, I warn customers with similar hair that it can take several laps to reach that level of buoyancy. The maintenance of hair health should be a priority! In fact, this customer had been following a "platinum blonde" dream for about a year before we could safely achieve her goals. What you see here is your decision to stop root canal treatment every 6 weeks to get a mixed, rooting look with less maintenance. In this way, we can give her hair and wallet a break while she still looks fantastic! You can expect to receive a toner and skin care treatment every 8 weeks and a highlight every 12 weeks for this look.

Teal and black ombre

How would you describe this look?

The look is a black to teal ombre. My favorite is the contrast between the colors, which makes the teal really popular! This color looks great curly or straight out!

Any advice for someone considering it?

It's much easier than before to get vivid colors because the big hair color manufacturers have begun to sell durable fashion colors. For Annie I used permanent mermaid tea from Matrix Socult – it's permanently dyed, so it lasts much longer!

Annie takes great care of her hair. It washes it in cold water every 3-4 days, uses colourfast shampoo, uses dry shampoo to extend the time between washes, and comes to the salon every 8 weeks. Annie also uses a color-specific conditioner that is available in many different colors and is very reasonably priced. She specializes in piercings in a tattoo shop here in town, so she really rocks funny hair colors!

Breakdown of the products Annie uses: Hydrates Shampoo and Conditioner from Pureology, Hydrate Air Dry Cream from Pureology, Pillow Proof Dry Shampoo from Redken, and when she curls or straightens her hair, she always uses Iron Shape from Redken.

Black and dark brown ombre

How would you describe this look?

In this look, the color blends from a deep and dark brunette root to a natural brunette ash balayage ombre. In this particular case, the client had the previous balayage on her hair, which I could apply with a toner / shine for that natural tone without compromising the integrity of her hair. I love the subtle dimension in this color and the amount of cool and beige tones it contains! It takes the boring out of a traditional solid color!

Aside from the color, her hair is incredibly thick with a medium texture, so I've incorporated several layers into the haircut to remove weight from hanging at the bottom of her hair and to help the curls stack nicer. This client also has naturally wavy hair, so the cut will help on days when she chooses to wear her hair naturally. I'm also always a big fan of beautiful face frame pieces, especially with long hair, because they emphasize different facial structures and give more volume. It is also another way to unblock the hair. This is what helps the hair to lie in a U-shape in the back, rather than in a straight line. The curls are just so beautiful, if the haircut is just right!

Any advice for someone considering it?

This hair color is certainly easy to clean. It's great for the dark-haired ladies who do not want to be in the salon every 6-8 weeks. With Balayage you can get away with 3-6 months without having to rework it, especially with this color because it is so subtle. I always recommend a colorfast and a sulfate-free shampoo. I love the Amika hair care line because each of their shampoos and conditioners is sulfate and gluten free. Besides, they smell fantastic! Due to the thickness and texture of your hair, I recommend the Repair Shampoo and Conditioner for added hydration.

I styled her hair with a 1 1/4 inch curling iron. After curling each piece one by one, I used a working spray for light hold and a shiny serum for frizz, then I combed her curls with my fingers to get a softer look. This lasts a bit longer in the morning, so it's not a "wash and go" style, especially with this amount of hair. However, with thick and medium structured hair, I do not recommend washing your hair daily, so the style is perfect for the hair of the second day! You can just wake up in the morning, use some dry shampoo, maybe brush up some curls and get started!

Black to red ombre

How would you describe this look?

This look has a "girl on fire" touch in the color with a softly highlighted fade. What I love most about this look, of course, is the color itself. How it came from very dark hair to achieve that glowing red.

Any advice for someone considering it?

This look will suit anyone brave enough to pull it off. Instead of the balayage technique, I have made some highlights between the balayage work to leave some dark pieces at the ends to give it a more natural transition for less maintenance and a fuller look at the ends.

For someone with damaged dark hair, I would not recommend it because it needs to be lightened to a level of 8-10 to bring the color to life. So I would not recommend bleaching / lighting this hair instead of performing some treatments before.

This look would look good on a shoulder length bob with many layers for that nervous look. Product appropriate, professional, colorfast shampoo and conditioner are sufficient. For the care and the long use I would take home some Semi-P and of course some gloves. When styling, whether straight, wavy or curly, use some light hair spray and Eufora beautifying serum.

This color would be neatly curled or curled to look straight so anyone can peel it off with a little layering to show the dimensions. It can also be worn directly to show the transition of the colors. As long as you give it the right care, this lively Balayage / Highlight is sure to serve you the best.

Black to brown ombre

How would you describe this look?

I love this look for my darker, naturally colored customers. It's actually one of my favorite sounds that I can work with. My client has beautiful thick hair, and I love that this color gives her luscious curls so much dimension! We kept the cut with a longer lobe with some longer layers to reduce the severity.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Remember that it is a very warm tone. Make sure the tone matches your skin. I love this style, it is very easy to maintain with the Root Shadow / Ombre effect. I always recommend a moisturizing shampoo / conditioner with one of my Ombre customers to get the shine after lightening the hair.

Light brown to black reverse ombre

How would you describe this look?

I love this inverted black, ombre hair color! I love that it is a little nervous and yet very easy to care for my client. I started putting her baby lights through the top to create more contrast and blending myself to a level of 2N at their ends. For her cut I gave her long, mixed layers and then styled her waves with a 1.25 barrel.

Any advice for someone considering it?

This black ombre hair color is ideal for a customer who wants something other than the norm and does not want to damage his hair with lots of bleach. You will want to use a sulfate free color shampoo and conditioner to keep your color fresh! I also recommend a silky mist or serum, depending on the hair texture, to get the shine. I think every style and hair texture could influence that look.

Black to gray

A beauty trend that lasts forever. Deep black hair has a cool companion of silver ash hair.

Black to blue ombre

Change your look with a new hair color! This blue-dipped end is a color transition of deep black roots that you do not want to miss.

Black to purple ombre

Stunning black to chubby fade that ends in waves, never goes out of fashion. Enigmatic elegance in a modern twist.

Black to white

Cruella de Ville is in town! Show the beautiful monochrome finish without the villainous aura.

Pastel pink and black ombre hair

Add this to your top list of to-do hairstyles as colorist Natalie shows you how pink and black ombre hair color is made!

Black to rose gold ombre

Wavy hair hanging from the shoulder adds character and form to your dark to red ombre. Rose gold is a popular supplement for black, ombres hair.

Black to lavender

Beautiful lavender ombre works with any previous hair color. With your natural black roots, the growth of hair is no problem.

Green and black ombre

An unlikely couple that gives birth to a great child of deep ivy curls. The colorist Mishane has outdone herself!

Black to maroon hair color

The damn black is back! Pierced red and black curls look phenomenal for every hair type.

Black to purple

Go back to black (and purple) while using this color combination to blow up super long hair!

Black to blonde ombre

Coffee-dipped ends are coming your way! Wear this revitalizing look suitable for any occasion!

19 Trendy black ombre hair colors

[qualitytacolover]

19 Trendy black ombre hair colors

New Post has been published on https://www.easypromhairstyles.com/19-trendy-black-ombre-hair-colors.html

19 Trendy black ombre hair colors

What is Black Ombre Hair?

A black ombre hair color is when your hair is gradually blended from one black hue to another hue. Typically, it is mixed from a dark color to a lighter color, starting at the top of the head and passing to the tips of the hair. If it begins with a dark color and blends into a lighter color, then it is called reverse ombre. Black ombre hairstyles create a great contrast.

Do not you think it's time to lift those dark strands and leave a stunning impression? If so, then this is definitely a hair color that is in high demand because of its high contrast optics!

How else can you have a low-maintenance but intensely glamorous hairstyle ?! As your roots naturally remain dark and shady, this distinctive coloration may last for months before you need to visit the salon again. Growing up is the last thing to worry about!

If you firmly believe that black hair should not be flat and dull, then read on to learn more about the endless possibilities with one of those stunning photos of black ombre hair colors!

Black and Dark Blue Ombre

Midnight blue is the hottest color of the season. With shiny indigo tones that stand out from your regular black hair, this model will definitely serve you looks.

Black and burgundy ombre

How would you describe this look?

This look is a deep and sultry bordeaux colored balayage! I love the depth of color because it takes on different shades in different lighting conditions. It's so perfect for anyone who wants those beautiful and deep rose / wine tones.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Things to keep in mind when considering this look. As beautiful as the burgundy, it's a fashion color that means it fades faster than your average color. So, stop with the visit to your stylist to color the burgundy finish every now and then is important to keep the vibrancy alive! Tip: Wash your hair at home less often and use cold water to keep the glowing color longer! But I think when this color fades, it looks beautiful in every phase!

Second, if you do not have Grade 1 or 2 natural black hair, you may need to do root cleans from time to time to tie the look together and keep the black ombre hair color seamless!

Professional tip: Ombre should always look good when you're standing, but if you curl up or wiggle your balaged hair, you'll be thrilled! The curls show so much dimension in the color of your hair!

Black to silver

How would you describe this look?

I love the high contrast of this look! Of course my client has dark, level 3 hair. This platinum silver balayage is really jumping against its natural root. We gave her a decent cut a loose, stranded wave to finish her look here.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Because of their natural color, which is quite dark, I warn customers with similar hair that it can take several laps to reach that level of buoyancy. The maintenance of hair health should be a priority! In fact, this customer had been following a "platinum blonde" dream for about a year before we could safely achieve her goals. What you see here is your decision to stop root canal treatment every 6 weeks to get a mixed, rooting look with less maintenance. In this way, we can give her hair and wallet a break while she still looks fantastic! You can expect to receive a toner and skin care treatment every 8 weeks and a highlight every 12 weeks for this look.

Teal and black ombre

How would you describe this look?

The look is a black to teal ombre. My favorite is the contrast between the colors, which makes the teal really popular! This color looks great curly or straight out!

Any advice for someone considering it?

It's much easier than before to get vivid colors because the big hair color manufacturers have begun to sell durable fashion colors. For Annie I used permanent mermaid tea from Matrix Socult – it's permanently dyed, so it lasts much longer!

Annie takes great care of her hair. It washes it in cold water every 3-4 days, uses colourfast shampoo, uses dry shampoo to extend the time between washes, and comes to the salon every 8 weeks. Annie also uses a color-specific conditioner that is available in many different colors and is very reasonably priced. She specializes in piercings in a tattoo shop here in town, so she really rocks funny hair colors!

Breakdown of the products Annie uses: Hydrates Shampoo and Conditioner from Pureology, Hydrate Air Dry Cream from Pureology, Pillow Proof Dry Shampoo from Redken, and when she curls or straightens her hair, she always uses Iron Shape from Redken.

Black and dark brown ombre

How would you describe this look?

In this look, the color blends from a deep and dark brunette root to a natural brunette ash balayage ombre. In this particular case, the client had the previous balayage on her hair, which I could apply with a toner / shine for that natural tone without compromising the integrity of her hair. I love the subtle dimension in this color and the amount of cool and beige tones it contains! It takes the boring out of a traditional solid color!

Aside from the color, her hair is incredibly thick with a medium texture, so I've incorporated several layers into the haircut to remove weight from hanging at the bottom of her hair and to help the curls stack nicer. This client also has naturally wavy hair, so the cut will help on days when she chooses to wear her hair naturally. I'm also always a big fan of beautiful face frame pieces, especially with long hair, because they emphasize different facial structures and give more volume. It is also another way to unblock the hair. This is what helps the hair to lie in a U-shape in the back, rather than in a straight line. The curls are just so beautiful, if the haircut is just right!

Any advice for someone considering it?

This hair color is certainly easy to clean. It's great for the dark-haired ladies who do not want to be in the salon every 6-8 weeks. With Balayage you can get away with 3-6 months without having to rework it, especially with this color because it is so subtle. I always recommend a colorfast and a sulfate-free shampoo. I love the Amika hair care line because each of their shampoos and conditioners is sulfate and gluten free. Besides, they smell fantastic! Due to the thickness and texture of your hair, I recommend the Repair Shampoo and Conditioner for added hydration.

I styled her hair with a 1 1/4 inch curling iron. After curling each piece one by one, I used a working spray for light hold and a shiny serum for frizz, then I combed her curls with my fingers to get a softer look. This lasts a bit longer in the morning, so it's not a "wash and go" style, especially with this amount of hair. However, with thick and medium structured hair, I do not recommend washing your hair daily, so the style is perfect for the hair of the second day! You can just wake up in the morning, use some dry shampoo, maybe brush up some curls and get started!

Black to red ombre

How would you describe this look?

This look has a "girl on fire" touch in the color with a softly highlighted fade. What I love most about this look, of course, is the color itself. How it came from very dark hair to achieve that glowing red.

Any advice for someone considering it?

This look will suit anyone brave enough to pull it off. Instead of the balayage technique, I have made some highlights between the balayage work to leave some dark pieces at the ends to give it a more natural transition for less maintenance and a fuller look at the ends.

For someone with damaged dark hair, I would not recommend it because it needs to be lightened to a level of 8-10 to bring the color to life. So I would not recommend bleaching / lighting this hair instead of performing some treatments before.

This look would look good on a shoulder length bob with many layers for that nervous look. Product appropriate, professional, colorfast shampoo and conditioner are sufficient. For the care and the long use I would take home some Semi-P and of course some gloves. When styling, whether straight, wavy or curly, use some light hair spray and Eufora beautifying serum.

This color would be neatly curled or curled to look straight so anyone can peel it off with a little layering to show the dimensions. It can also be worn directly to show the transition of the colors. As long as you give it the right care, this lively Balayage / Highlight is sure to serve you the best.

Black to brown ombre

How would you describe this look?

I love this look for my darker, naturally colored customers. It's actually one of my favorite sounds that I can work with. My client has beautiful thick hair, and I love that this color gives her luscious curls so much dimension! We kept the cut with a longer lobe with some longer layers to reduce the severity.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Remember that it is a very warm tone. Make sure the tone matches your skin. I love this style, it is very easy to maintain with the Root Shadow / Ombre effect. I always recommend a moisturizing shampoo / conditioner with one of my Ombre customers to get the shine after lightening the hair.

Light brown to black reverse ombre

How would you describe this look?

I love this inverted black, ombre hair color! I love that it is a little nervous and yet very easy to care for my client. I started putting her baby lights through the top to create more contrast and blending myself to a level of 2N at their ends. For her cut I gave her long, mixed layers and then styled her waves with a 1.25 barrel.

Any advice for someone considering it?

This black ombre hair color is ideal for a customer who wants something other than the norm and does not want to damage his hair with lots of bleach. You will want to use a sulfate free color shampoo and conditioner to keep your color fresh! I also recommend a silky mist or serum, depending on the hair texture, to get the shine. I think every style and hair texture could influence that look.

Black to gray

A beauty trend that lasts forever. Deep black hair has a cool companion of silver ash hair.

Black to blue ombre

Change your look with a new hair color! This blue-dipped end is a color transition of deep black roots that you do not want to miss.

Black to purple ombre

Stunning black to chubby fade that ends in waves, never goes out of fashion. Enigmatic elegance in a modern twist.

Black to white

Cruella de Ville is in town! Show the beautiful monochrome finish without the villainous aura.

Pastel pink and black ombre hair

Add this to your top list of to-do hairstyles as colorist Natalie shows you how pink and black ombre hair color is made!

Black to rose gold ombre

Wavy hair hanging from the shoulder adds character and form to your dark to red ombre. Rose gold is a popular supplement for black, ombres hair.

Black to lavender

Beautiful lavender ombre works with any previous hair color. With your natural black roots, the growth of hair is no problem.

Green and black ombre

An unlikely couple that gives birth to a great child of deep ivy curls. The colorist Mishane has outdone herself!

Black to maroon hair color

The damn black is back! Pierced red and black curls look phenomenal for every hair type.

Black to purple

Go back to black (and purple) while using this color combination to blow up super long hair!

Black to blonde ombre

Coffee-dipped ends are coming your way! Wear this revitalizing look suitable for any occasion!

[trendhaar-blog]

Hairstyles 2017 New Haircuts and Hair Colors from special-hairstyles.com

New Post has been published on https://trendhaar.net/hairstyles-2017-new-haircuts-and-hair-colors-from-special-hairstyles-com/

Hairstyles 2017 New Haircuts and Hair Colors from special-hairstyles.com

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push( google_ad_client: "ca-pub-8946428665621856", enable_page_level_ads: true );

Hairstyles 2017 New Haircuts and Hair Colors from special-hairstyles.comBest Runway Hairstyles from PFW 2017Men’s Street Style 2017: Best HairstylesModern Braided Hairstyles to Rock in 2017Trendy Runway Hairstyles with Bold Accessories for 2017Met Gala 2017; Hottest Hair Trends for Blondes2017 Casual Hairstyle Ideas to Rock on the BeachTop-Listed Pixie Haircuts 2017Best Street Style Hair Trends From Coachella 2017New Bun Hairstyle Trends to Use in 20172017 Most Popular Bob Hairstyle Ideas

http://special-hairstyles.com Thu, 18 May 2017 10:09:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.5 http://special-hairstyles.com/runway/best-runway-hairstyles-from-pfw-2017/ http://special-hairstyles.com/runway/best-runway-hairstyles-from-pfw-2017/#respond Thu, 18 May 2017 10:09:20 +0000 http://special-hairstyles.com/?p=7574 Our team really likes to take a look at the latest standout looks from the posh runway shows. This time the turn is for the best runway hairstyles from PFW 2017.  Models representing 2017’s spring/summer collections at the Paris fashion week were also a great inspiration for trendy hairstyles. These stunners are ready to give you high-fashion hairstyle ideas.Louis Vuitton SS 2017: Side Swept Curls Hairstyle

It’s the high time for you to brighten up your hair color with a lovelier shade of brunette, brown or red. Look at this cutie. She has enhanced her red hair color with a shinier tone of auburn. It looks very natural thanks to her curly hair. Just pick up a modern side swept hairstyle and match it with this shade. Then go for a bold makeup. You are ready to rock the party.Sonia Rykiel SS 2017: Shaggy Bangs Hairstyle

Medium layered or lob haircuts are now offered with shaggy effects and bangs. When you add bangs to this length you become more youthful and beautiful. Bangs have the power to refresh any haircut. They look fantastic with a variety of styles and compliment different hair textures. In this case, Sonia Rykiel comes up with shaggy hairstyles that seem to be perfect for spring and summer. You can get the desired hairstyles with hair styling products such as sea salt hair spray or curling iron.

]]> http://special-hairstyles.com/runway/best-runway-hairstyles-from-pfw-2017/feed/ 0 http://special-hairstyles.com/mens/mens-street-style-2017-best-hairstyles/ http://special-hairstyles.com/mens/mens-street-style-2017-best-hairstyles/#respond Mon, 15 May 2017 09:21:00 +0000 http://special-hairstyles.com/?p=7565 Stylish men following the latest trends keep up with the trendiest haircuts and hairstyles too in order to get complete fashionable looks. If you are one of them then keep on reading to find out the best hairstyle for you according to your hair type and length. These guys are going to inspire you to change up and refresh your style. whether you like new changes or just go for cool updates these men’s hair trends for 2017 are the most popular to make your choice between.Natural Curls for Men

Men with natural curls stand out in the crowd and 2017 is the ear to rock the most beautiful curly hairstyles from short to long. In case you like looking younger curls will surely do the job instead of you. Although curls are cute and lovely they can also look manly if you choose the right street style to match with them. What about this trendy look? It’s a super retro style with modern breathe and touch.Medium Blonde Hairstyle for Men

Lately many men dye their hair in light platinum blonde shade as it creates a big contrast with their skin tone and eyes. Therefore, they look more eye-catching and stylish. This trick works well with medium haircuts. Your hair will become very soft and subtle in such a light tone of blonde. However, you need to be careful with it as it requires deep bleaching when hair is naturally dark. So, make sure you are ready for such a big transformation and then bleach out your hair.

]]> http://special-hairstyles.com/mens/mens-street-style-2017-best-hairstyles/feed/ 0 http://special-hairstyles.com/braided/modern-braided-hairstyles-to-rock-in-2017/ http://special-hairstyles.com/braided/modern-braided-hairstyles-to-rock-in-2017/#respond Thu, 11 May 2017 09:12:45 +0000 http://special-hairstyles.com/?p=7557 Braided hairstyles are great as they not only keep hair out of the face but also make your style more interesting and fashionable. Women with braided hairdos look more feminine and seductive. Are you a big fan of braided hairstyles? If yes, then you are in the right place to discover the latest modern braided hairstyles for 2017. If you don’t like braids, you are going to start thinking of them after reading this article.Dutch Pigtail Braids

If you think that pigtail braids are kids’ hairstyles then have a look at this stunner. Does she look like a little girl? Her style is more seductive than the majority of stylish girls. This Dutch pigtail braid hairdo is something more attractive than many other hairstyles.Faux Undercut Braids

What about a bit of fun? Let’s consider the faux undercut braid hairstyles are ideal options for evening parties. They are eye-catching and trendy at the same time. This hairstyle is achieved in a variety of ways. It’s ready to satisfy any taste and interests. Start thinking out of the box and style your hair into the most extravagant braids to impress people around you.

]]> http://special-hairstyles.com/braided/modern-braided-hairstyles-to-rock-in-2017/feed/ 0 http://special-hairstyles.com/runway/trendy-runway-hairstyles-with-bold-accessories-for-2017/ http://special-hairstyles.com/runway/trendy-runway-hairstyles-with-bold-accessories-for-2017/#respond Mon, 08 May 2017 10:00:11 +0000 http://special-hairstyles.com/?p=7548 Every year we are offered new and bolder hair accessories to beautify our hairstyles. Whether you like wearing hair accessories or not they make any hairstyle prom-ready and more attractive. Have a look at this unique collection of trendy runway hairstyles for 2017 with hair accessories. Runway stunners always rock the latest trends no matter they are popular or not. They are just the hottest women that tell us what’s fancy these days.Ponytail with Cute Accessories

Heart and star-shaped hair accessories with cute effects and combinations look perfect with simple ponytail hairstyles. No matter your hair color, they are always ready to bring it out and highlight your shade. If you have dark hair you can use light accessories placing them on the sides of your head or near the pony tie. The cozy ponytail hairstyle can become festive just with this simple trick. Use it whenever you are in a hurry and need to get a prom-ready look.Faux Bob Hairstyle with Accessories

Any kind of bob haircut looks very girlish with shiny accessories placed on one side of the hair. In case you have long hair but still want to get a bob style without cutting your hair off there is the fake bob. This is another festive hairstyle for all hair types. Once you wear the lovely accessory on the side of this hairstyle it becomes more ravishing and exquisite.  Prom Updo Hairstyle with Transparent Net

Transparent hair accessories are actually very interesting and feminine. They hide your eyes and some part of your face making you more mysterious. These accessories are mostly used with updo hairstyles and even if you rock a simple bun hairstyle it will look very romantic and eye-catching with such a creative trick.

]]> http://special-hairstyles.com/runway/trendy-runway-hairstyles-with-bold-accessories-for-2017/feed/ 0 http://special-hairstyles.com/celebrity/met-gala-2017-hottest-hair-trends-for-blondes/ Thu, 04 May 2017 09:26:00 +0000 http://special-hairstyles.com/?p=7538 Met Gala is one of the most expected events of the year not only for celebrities but also for their fans. We are really thankful for the organizers of the Met Gala event as it gives us the opportunity to see so many glamorous looks, ravishing styles and extravagant fashion solutions. This is the case when celebs appear with totally new ideas and everyone does her best to win the title of the best dressed celebrity of the evening. However, today we are here to inspire blondes with the latest best Met Gala 2017 hairstyles. Keep on reading to discover more.Kate Hudson Blonde Knot Hairstyle

White blonde? Yes, Kate Hudson has finally decided to amuse us with her cool transformation, this time her choice is the super white platinum blonde. Unlike the majority of celebrities who pair it with downdo hairstyles she has gone for a tight and sleek updo. It’s a classy top knot that allows her to draw attention to her sophisticated and seductive face.Kylie Jenner Blonde Bob Hairstyle

Lately the popularity of short and edgy bob haircuts is increasing more and more. We see stylish fashionistas with super short and vintage inspired bobs. However, they add modern touches to these cuts to look more fashionable. Kylie’s choice is the following platinum blonde bob haircut for Met Gala 2017. She is very cute and inspiring in her sleek and polished hairstyle. it adds more elegance to her lavishing style.

]]> http://special-hairstyles.com/women/2017-casual-hairstyle-ideas-to-rock-on-the-beach/ Mon, 01 May 2017 10:16:50 +0000 http://special-hairstyles.com/?p=7529 Whatever comes in and goes out of style casual hairdos are always the most required. You are getting prepared for the hot beach season then take a look at this fancy string of casual hairstyles for 2017. They are ideal especially for the hottest summer days. From the loveliest hat hairstyle to the coolest updo here are your favorite hair trends for carefree and busy beach days.Short Beach Hairstyle

I would like to start with the trendiest short hairstyle for the beach as many women rock short cuts these days. Here is an excellent example of a short hairstyle to wear on the beach. Actually you can get the same style without too much effort but if you have straight hair then use sea salt air spray to style loose waves. Wavy side swept bangs will complete the final result.Pigtail Braids Hairstyle

Pigtail braids are no more kid’s hairstyle. They are big hair trends for seductive women with medium to long hair. This hairstyle grabs attention and brings out your unique taste. Besides, it’s a cozy hairdo for the beach. You can rock it with or without hats as they are beautiful even in messy and carefree styles. The choice of the braid is up to you. The main idea to get pigtail plaits. They can be tight and French-inspired or quite loose and messy. If there is a single solution to look both innocent and feminine then it’s a combination of a girlish and cute hairstyle idea with fresh touches.

]]> http://special-hairstyles.com/short/top-listed-pixie-haircuts-2017/ Thu, 27 Apr 2017 09:58:15 +0000 http://special-hairstyles.com/?p=7521 From the classic pixie cut to the most extravagant look here are the 5 top-listed pixie haircuts for 2017. These are considered as the most popular styles in Hollywood and all over the world. Women have taken the short haircut trend to the next level with more attractive touches and solutions find the solution that compliments your hair type and shade.Tavi Gevinson Boyish Pixie Haircut

Tavi Gevinson is one of the bravest celebrities who is not afraid of bold haircuts and serious transformations. Of course, she is very lovely with her medium haircuts but the super short and boyish pixie haircut has perfectly brought out her killer facial features and face shape. It seems as if this is her most convenient haircut and she feels quite confident in it. It’s beautiful in its blonde shade and looks thicker thanks to the created tons of layers on the top.Maria Borges Natural Pixie Haircut

Maria Borges is a stunning model that inspires many black women with her haircut and hairstyle ideas. This time she is here with her natural pixie haircut in a super cozy style. It’s her most eye-catching haircut that keeps all eyes on her shiny eyes. She doesn’t even need to dye her hair a light shade to stand out in the crowd; her style is just unique and unrepeated. She proves that sometimes the simplest haircut can be the chicest.

]]> http://special-hairstyles.com/hairstyles-2017/best-street-style-hair-trends-from-coachella-2017/ Thu, 20 Apr 2017 09:12:57 +0000 http://special-hairstyles.com/?p=7512 Coachella is not only about the most extravagant looks and styles but also stylish haircuts, hairstyles and hair colors offered by fancy celebrities. Today we’ll take a look at the best street style hair trends for 2017 from Coachella. If you seek for a crazy hairstyle inspiration then keep on reading. You are going to meet your favorite starts with playful haircuts and hair colors.Braided Hairstyles

Coachella 2017 is full of braided hairstyle inspiration. These days we see many young ladies rocking French pigtail braids, messy box braids and a variety of new braided hairstyles with modern twists. Here are some of the most popular hairstyles to choose for the beach season. Different types of tight braids can make you feel comfier while loose braids can bring out the charm of your locks. The choice is up to you and it mostly depends on your current hair state, length and texture. Colorful Box Braids

As for box braids, they are taken to the next level. These hairstyles are becoming more and more requested among back women who have the right hair type for it. You can see many more stylish looks on the streets with colorful box braids. In order to get these playful shades on your black or brunette hair you should use special hair accessories. Try to match them with the rest of your accessories.

]]> http://special-hairstyles.com/bun/new-bun-hairstyle-trends-to-use-in-2017/ Mon, 17 Apr 2017 10:01:06 +0000 http://special-hairstyles.com/?p=7505 The versatility of bun hairstyle makes it a timeless hairdo for a number of special occasions and casual evening parties. Whether you like rocking bun hairstyles for parties to look elegant or choose them as you are headed to the gym you always need to look for the latest trendy bun hairstyle ideas for 2017.  It’s the best time for you to change up your look with new hairstyles, modern twists and more delightful hair styling ideas.Multiple Twisted Buns Hairstyle

Look at this cute hairstyle. It grabs attention from the first sight thanks to its creative style. Anyone with thick, medium or long hair can style her locks into multiple buns if she is tired of the same ow bun.How to Style: Separate your hair into three or four or even more equal parts depending on the thickness of your locks. Brush them separately and rub some hair cream or oil to make hair sleek. Then twist each part into a low tight knot and secure with elastics or bobby pins.

]]> http://special-hairstyles.com/bob/2017-most-popular-bob-hairstyle-ideas/ Thu, 13 Apr 2017 10:46:20 +0000 http://special-hairstyles.com/?p=7497 It’s beyond doubt that bob is one of the most popular hairstyles for the moment. Many women prefer this length and style as it matches most face shapes and facial features and gives us the chance to find the freshest cut for our hair. There are various bob hairstyles and in order to know which are the most popular bob hairstyles for 2017 I have created a special article with the best collection of stylish looks. Keep on reading if you have decided to join the coolest group of girls with bob cuts.Long Bob Hairstyle

Probably the most requested haircut trend for the moment is the long bob or the popular lob haircut. It’s a cozy and fresh haircut for all hair types. Anyone with long or medium hair can update her style and look younger, fancier and nicer with this attractive haircut. It is styled in super straight and middle part hairdos as well as in shaggy and voluminous waves and curls. You can pair it with tow-tone hair colors too such as ombre . Layered Bob Hairstyle

The layered bob haircut is a timeless style as it is mostly combined with thin hair to make it look fuller and more voluminous those shaggy layers add depth and freshness to fine locks. They look even cooler with thick hair. If straight cuts are too simple for you then layered options are always the best choice. Start the coming season with anew haircut and style your layers into messy side swept hairstyles or something trendier to look as stylish as possible. Don’t forget about flattering bangs if you want to have them.  

]]>