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[teddybeartoji]

toji hating his life the moment he has to take his daughter to her first ballet class because he could be at home and instead he’s freezing his ass 30 minutes away from home but his grumpiness is gone the moment he sees you, his daughter’s ballet teacher. like a dumb dog just staring at a bone and he stays like that for a hour and a half until you just go to him like “oh you must be mr. fushiguro!!! your daughter is lovely <3” while he’s silently trying to guess the size of your ring finger

NONNNIEEEEEE🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 THIS IS SOOOOSO FUCKING CUTE ARE YOU KIDDING MEEEEEE HE IS SUCH A GRUMP BUT THEN HE SEES YOU MAKING HER LIL GIRL LAUGH WHILE TEACHING HER AND HE'S JUST GONE HE'S SOOO SOFT LIKE HE REALLY IS HE IS A WEAK WEAK MAN HIS HEART IS STUTTERING AND SHIT and omfg when his little girl points to him and you meet his eyes from across the room and give him a smile? OUUUUGHHHHHHHH h's genuinely feeling a little flustered bc he didn't think he'd get this sort of attention today. or at all i guess.....

but yeah omfg i love this concept sm!!!!!!!! it's so fucking sweet i love smitten toji<333333333333

[halcyone-of-the-sea]

hello! i hope you’re doing well! i would like to request something for alex keller! could you write something about sunshine!alex being absolutely smitten by his girlfriend who’s a grumpy!reader? sorry if this request doesn’t give a lot of ideas. love ur fics btw!!!! <3

Sun and Stars

Pairing: Alex Keller x F!Reader

Synopsis: Bloodied, the two of you find yourselves alone in a mountainous forest, surrounded by the termite-eaten walls of a lone shack. But Alex always finds a way to make the world brighter.

Word Count: 3.6k

Warnings: Canon typical gore & themes, blood, a teeny tiny bit of angst, lots of fluff, banter, sunshine and grump dynamic

A/N: This is a bit shorter just because I wanna understand Alex's character more - take this as a test fic lmao. Enjoy, Anon!

*I do not give others permission to translate and/or re-publish my works on this or any other platform*

He was peeling back your skin like layers of paint on a canvas, gripping at the dried bits and ripping them to the side. Growling as your teeth sink deeper into your boyfriend's leather belt, your eyes swirl with hatred that you direct to the man kneeling beside your propped-up form; digging the bullet out of your left arm with all the delicateness of a rhino. 

“Stop,” Alex grunts under his breath, “squirmin’ for me.” The tweezers go deeper, trying to find the sweet spot where the metal pellet had dived into your flesh at high velocity. Of course, it had been where the thick kevlar of your vest hadn’t been able to stop it – flew right to the place where the skin was uncovered. 

Alex’s breaths are steady as you stare daggers, minutes away from yanking him off of you and doing it yourself. He was so damn slow, sending concerned glances every other moment with a furrowed brow and concentrated eyes. From under your makeshift gag, there so you won't bite off your tongue, you grumble with pain lacing your barely understandable words.

“Hurry up and get the fuckin’ thing out of me, Alex!” It didn’t sound like that, obviously, but the general heat to your words made – hurrey uh ahn geh tha fuhking thing ou of meh, Ahlex! – clear enough. 

The light-haired man clears his throat, gripping your arm just a little tighter with his blood-stained gloves as his mustache rotates, scrunching his nose. His eyes are locked onto the entry wound, lids scrunched in a way you would have found comedic if you didn’t want to smack him upside the skull. Lord, could he just hurry up?

“I’m gettin’ there, Hon…just quit trying to make my head explode with your mind over there, yeah?” Alex dares to smirk when you take your free hand and slap his heavily tattooed forearm. You’re shaking your head to the side with displeasure that would transcend any barrier known to man.

A velvety chuckle leaves your lover’s lips before he leans close to your shoulder, placing a kiss on the fabric of your shirt in apology as your narrowed eyes don’t let up an inch. He pulls back and continues his exploration of your gaping puncture with focused eyes.

Prick. You chuff through your nose like a cat, fingers twitching in your lap as you fight the pull to bring it into a fist.

Sweat travels down your nose only to plop on your bunched abdomen, and in the back of your throat, you force your esophagus to hold back a whimper of restrained pain. Everything burned like your flesh was being placed on a hot spit – like you were a sheep carcass slowly rolled around and around and around–

“Here we go.” The pressure dissipates at the heavy whisper, and without even realizing it had happened, your head had tilted back into the wall and your eyes had ground themselves shut. Opening them quickly and blinking away the black dots, the soft face of your boyfriend pops into view; beaming as you deadpan up at him. The man holds up the tweezers in one hand, showing off the red-dripping metal almost lazily with a tilt of his head and a raised brow, speaking slowly. “Told ya’ I could do it faster than you.” 

Letting the belt drop from your mouth with a metallic clink, you rotate your jaw at the ache your clenching had caused. You settle with a simple, “I said I could do it better not faster. What the hell were you looking for in there anyways – gold? My whole damn arm’s numb.” 

Alex chuckles, rolling his eyes with an easy smile. To anyone else, the two of you would look like the strangest couple in the world. Covered in blood but you still have the time to bicker back and forth like a married pair. The Agent’s eyelids crinkle.

“Yeah, alright, Miss World-Class,” he motions with two fingers and a smug look, “scoot upwards so I can pack that wound before blood gets stuck in your gear. Can’t have my girl bleeding out in the middle of nowhere, now can I?” He huffs, placing the tweezers and bullet on the floor of the safe house before taking off the ruined gloves with his teeth as his neck muscles peek out from his scarf. 

His gear was all covered in fluids – blood, mud, you name it the two of you were drowned in it. The Op could have gone better, to say the very least, but, hell, when does an Op go well? It had been too long since you and the man had a break and it was starting to weigh on you. Long nights and little sleep, it was like SAD was trying to go get you both killed with all the orders being given. Do this, do that…and what happened today? You feel a weight in your chest. 

But the bullet wound wasn’t what was bothering you. 

Sighing, you take a deep breath before grunting, forcing your back farther up the wall with shaking legs and a weak stomach to comply with Alex’s request. Your arm still blazes something awful, but the numbing agent your boyfriend had been insistent on you having was finally starting to work.

“Blood loss sucks ass…” You growl under your breath, lips twisting into a frown as you force away the haze in front of your eyes with fluttering eyelashes and sheer spite. The man spares you a pitying glance as he grabs fresh gauze from the medical punch on the floor. 

Inside your chest, your heart warms despite the outward hatred you feel for getting put in a situation like this. Blinking at him, Alex tilts his head to the side as he sits up, one knee on the floor as the other behaves as an elbow rest.

“I know, Sweetheart, I’m sorry. Just bare with me, alright? I’ll take such good care of you, ya’ won't even feel a thing.” You roll your eyes with an infectious smile, head tilting back to rest on the dilapidated wall once more, and say nothing.

“Hey, now,” your boyfriend teases with tell-tale amusement in his voice, and you mumble a half-assed ‘quit it’ under your breath that goes unheeded. “I saw that smile there – you can’t get past me that easily.” 

“Keller, shut up and patch me before I bleed out.”

An amused pause makes your cheeks hurt from holding back laughter.

“...Yes, Ma’am.” He says it so smugly you can’t help the exasperated chuckle that leaves your lips. The man’s hands caress your stained skin like you were formed of glass, rubbing soothing circles as he pushes back your shirt sleeve just the tiniest bit more to see what he’s working with. 

Alex was quite good at keeping his emotions in check, knowing how to act when he needed to, and even how to change his personality to get the job done with minimal hiccups. But there were small tells – the way his hands held your skin slightly tighter, the flickering of his eyes over the crimson-coated skin. He was used to blood, but he didn’t think he could ever get used to yours. Swallowing saliva in this mouth, the man focuses on the thrumming pulse of your heart; your skin. 

She’s right here. Alex tells himself. I’m gonna fix her up, and she’ll be just fine. 

If he had the chance to shoot the man that did this to you again, he would do it in a heartbeat.

The story of how you two met was one mentioned often by friends and coworkers back in the CIA-SAD headquarters. It never got old, apparently, and as Alex gets to stuffing and wrapping your wound until the extraction team comes with proper supplies, he hums a song under his breath softly. The song.

When Alex’s presence presses nearer, you tilt your head to the side, watching the wrinkle in the large man’s brow as his careful hands fix your marred skin with the patience of a saint. Unlike him, you were more than content to bask in the silence of each other's company, gazing with hidden love at the twitch of his large nose or at the way his hair stuck every which way. 

“You remember how I asked you to dance at that ball while Frank Sinatra was playing? The one in Washington back in ‘02.” Alex asks, looking up at you with a small smile under his mustache, skin peeling back to show perfect teeth. You nod, transfixed, as the light from outside gets dimmer, watching the dying rays play in his eyes that shine like shades of blue sea-glass, “God, I thought you were going to laugh straight in my face. I swear you nearly did.” 

“The stupid corporate thing that Laswell made us go to? Yeah, I remember it,” you frown at the accusation, annoyed, “and I would never laugh at someone asking me to dance.”

He raises a light brow, and after a brief staring contest, you concede with a scoff. 

“Okay, I’d never laugh at you asking me to dance…Better, Sunshine?” Alex laughs and you swear you nearly melt into the floor, cheeks feeling hot. 

Oh, when he laughs.

“Maybe, I don’t know yet. We’ll have to go dancin’ to make sure.” 

“I hate dancing,” you tease, only biting your lip when the knot he ties in the gauze makes your blood pump faster. “Thought I told you that the first time you asked?”

“You did – but I like when you’re swayin’ in my arms. Plus,” running his hands over the bandage, pulling at the fabric to make sure it’s secure, his blue orbs sparkle with his unique mischief you’ve come to tolerate. If only for the fact that it was his. Your face softens. “I did get you to join me eventually, if my memory’s correct.” 

Smirking, you bring your hand up to his chin, tilting it towards you without hesitation. Alex complies easily, setting some of his weight onto the limb as a particularly smitten glimmer sparks over his face; he stares down at you with his mustache twitching. 

“As I recall,” your blank words echo out over the small shack, “I only said ‘yes’ so you would stop following me around like a lost dog in search of its owner.” 

“Is that it?” He jibes, a smile so wide on his face you feared he would rip his lips open.

“Hm,” leaning closer, you watch Alex’s breath stutter not a second later with satisfaction singing in your blood like a hymn, “you had that same look on your face too…Absolutely whipped.” 

“And is that such a bad thing, Sweetheart?” He whispers, not missing a beat, breath fanning your cheeks as the scruff of his beard hairs scratches your flesh. “I don’t see you complaining when I make you dinner every night.” 

Scoffing, you squeeze his chin, “how could I? Your mother blessed you with her culinary skills. I’d be a fool to pass it up.” 

Alex’s chest rumbles in a purr.

“So you’re usin’ me?” He asks, his smooth voice tilted in a tone of bold cheekiness. Like a steady wave rocking a boat.

“Would it be unethical if I was?” You counter, staring dead on into his eyes without blinking. His lips nearly brush yours when he speaks.

“Incredibly.” 

“Hm…Pity.” You release his chin and lean back into the wall, murmuring complaints under your breath about the weakness of your arm and the sweat that makes your clothes stick to you. The regular grumpy frown on your lips re-takes its place where the easy smile had once been, unknown to you.

Alex’s heart beats loudly in his chest, but he refrains from showing his disappointment at the lack of lips pressed to his, only happy that you were still acting like your normal self. It would take more than one bullet to keep you down, he knew, and his admiration only continued to grow. 

His girlfriend was a badass. 

“Here – let me.” You allow the Agent to loop his strong arm under your shoulder, taking your weight like it was nothing and helping you to your feet. The comfortable conversation slips to the back of your mind when your feet are connecting to the ground. 

Alex keeps a hand on the small of your back to make sure you don’t fall, whispering a small, “steady,” as your feet momentarily stumble.

“How far out is Evac?” You force through gritted teeth, the back of your neck heating in wounded pride. 

You loved Alex - you really did - but if anything made you feel powerless it was not being in control of your own body. In the corners of your vision, black dots swirled like paper mache puppets, their phantom bodies leaving long streaks of mist behind as they danced from one position to another. The man at your side watches closely, face going tense; ready to catch you if your legs give out. 

After a moment’s hesitation, you once more gain control over yourself and clear your throat, shaking your head from side to side. The light brunette takes a step forward so his body brushes yours, leading you to blink and look up at him with curious eyes. 

“I’d say about three hours, give or take.” You can’t help the utter annoyance that enters your expression, eyes going half-lidded as you turn to stare at the barricaded door. 

No one would be coming after you from the city – and the safe house was so far off into the mountains, no one would want to try. If your thoughts hadn’t been running so fast, you would have reveled at the situation; Alex and you alone with no one coming for hours. Now that was a blessing in disguise. 

But there was something wrong. 

She’s not acting right. Those sea-glass eyes narrow, optics flickering to try and find what exactly you were staring at, but lands on nothing but an old door with moldy wood before he gravitates back.

Concerned confusion builds in Alex’s chest. 

Now that he thought about it, you had been more snappy on this mission than the others; less open to letting his jokes and quick quips curl your lips or soften your constant scowl. He’d refrained from mentioning anything due to the fact that he knew some days were worse than others – in this line of work sometimes it was best to take a breather than to blow up. But this was different. When those days came around, you always told him about it first thing – there hadn’t been anything this time.

“Sweetheart?” Alex asks, tilting his head forward to stare at you. “...Something going on?”

“No.” Straight-faced, your hands go to work the straps of your vest, peeling at the velcro at your sides. The man’s eyes widen, taken aback, and his soft smile freezes as his eyebrows pull in. You go back to shoving away pouches and hucking off your weapon, setting it to the floor before righting yourself.

Continuing, Alex feels his worry grow tenfold. 

“Would you–” he laughs heavily in his chest to try and dispel tension as you try harder to force the vest over your head, scowling. Your arm was ripe with needles, static living under the skin as your gauze turns more red. “Would you just let me take care of you?”

“...You shouldn’t have to.” 

A moment of brain-shattering silence. 

Fuck, you curse with a burning face, did I say that out loud? He wasn’t supposed to hear that–

“And what if I want to?” Alex utters, feet carrying him in front of you and sighing. You slow your still unexplained actions, avoiding his eyes and feeling your chest tighten. He continues, bringing his hand up to your cheek to tilt your head up to him. Losing some of that tension instantaneously, you glare at his collarbone instead. “Accidents happen, Hon. We can’t always come out of this at one hundred percent. I’m not disappoint–”

“We don’t get second chances, Alex,” you interrupt loudly, motioning around you at nothing, eyes flashing as they lock with his. The man just runs his thumb over your cheek – leaving molten heat behind. “Not us. Not when every mission could be it.”

Alex halts, body suddenly going stiff and muscles bunching. His forearms seize, the vibrant tattoos that you love to trace with your fingers jerking as if being lifted from the sun-kissed skin. His thumb ceases.

What?

“...Where’s this comin’ from?” You turn away quickly, moving back a step with your hands at your side bunching into fists, “hey,” Alex follows after, hesitant, but when you don’t move away he lays both of his hands on your shoulders. “Hey. Talk to me, Sweetheart. Tell me what’s wrong.”

You shouldn't, but Alex just makes everything so much easier. It was like the words just fell out of you; whispered like a prayer. 

“...If someone would have snuck up on you while I was down…I…Y-you would have…” Your tongue bunches, catching on syllables and finding walls embedded in the vowels. God, you couldn’t even say it. 

Alex had become so important to you – the thought of something happening to him while you were unable to help…It broke you. 

What would have happened if even one more hostile was there; if he was outnumbered? And all I could do was watch. Your jaw clenches tight, throat holding back a growl.

No one had ever mattered this much to you, and that made you incredibly nervous. 

The hands at your shoulders tighten, a gentle squeeze before you’re being brought into a warm embrace without another word. Immediately, you reciprocate, the one wounded arm remaining at your side as the other digs past pouches and spare ammo to curl over Alex’s back, where you latch onto his shirt like a child. This was unlike you.

But it wasn’t like that mattered to Alex.

His body kept you close, security leaking from the locked position of his hand on the back of your head and the even swelling of his lungs. Home could mean many things to many different people, but for you, it would always be here. Colorful tattoos and a well-groomed mustache. Kind eyes. 

Sunshine smiles and sea-glass blue. 

Your lips thinned, keeping the glossiness in the corners of your vision away as you bury your head into Alex’s neck and suck down a deep breath. You both stay like that until the last light of dusk stops making shadows of the termite-eaten furniture, content to listen to each other's heartbeats and in the warmth of living skin. 

He speaks in whispers.

“How about we take a vacation? Just the two of us – take a breather from all of…this.” His words move your hair, spreading over the skin of your scalp as he presses his lips to it, murmuring into your skull with utter devotion. “You said something about Iceland to Laswell once, yeah?” 

Alex knew just as well as you did how draining this job was; how it was bad most days and horrible the next – never having choices, doing things that made an identity crisis seem like a holiday in comparison. There were some things the Agent would never tolerate, and that was you going off the deep end and him not being there to fish you out as you do with him. Being together meant fighting for one another when the battles were physical yet more so when they were unseen. 

All you had was each other. 

He feels your fingers grip his shirt slightly tighter, and a mocking laugh.

“You remembered that?” Your voice is garbled by his gear, but the vibrations spread over his skin as he fights the closing of his eyes; weaving his fingers just a little more through your locks. When you press kisses to his neck, Alex swears he’ll bend to one knee without hesitation.

“‘Course,” he smirks softly, lightly beginning to sway the two of you back and forth despite your half-hearted protests. “I remember everything my girl says. But if we’re goin’,” the Agent leans back, prompting you to look up at him with fatigued but bright eyes, “you owe me a dance first.”

“Alex,” you roll your eyes, chest lighter and mild panic gone. Funny, how the man could make everything disappear so simply. “We don’t even have any music.”

“You’re insinuating that we need music, Sweetheart.” 

“...You’re exhausting, Keller.” 

“Shush – you’re getting me off beat.”

“There is no beat–!” He presses his lips to yours, and the melody of your heart becomes song enough. Your eyes flutter shut as the scratch of Alex’s mustache leaves you grinning, his own lips peeling back in a smile in answer. 

A great bout of chuckles spills over the room, separating your supple flesh but never making you move far apart.

“...Just be careful. I’m still sore.” You hum your admittance, and he connects your foreheads together more gracefully than butterflies wings. 

Sea-glass blue. 

“Yes, Ma’am.”

The stars might have been out, shining through the dusty window of that old shack in the middle of nowhere, but you didn’t need the illumination from them to guide your unhurried steps. You had a sun of your own to light the path, and he was keeping his arms around you; squeezing as if you’d leave. 

As if. 

Gentle laughter spills out from under the doorway, seemingly making the rocky forest outside come alive. Birds sang songs to their adoring mates, deer grazed in lush green meadows in contentful calm. Wood Nymphs frolicked to and fro on fast feet, but would pause near the ancient forgotten building with termites living in the frame; taking quick peaks inside through murky glass and pressing moss-coated fingers to lips. 

They watched the two lovers dance with awe-filled expressions. For they had seen many lifetimes but had never once glimpsed such a sight as this – proof of every principle that Eros had preached as he and Psyche became inseparable. A love so pure and giving, some would call it divine.

The immortal beings watched just a little longer, lichen-lips parted into smiles.

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[jesterwriting]

Yahallo~ I was wondering if you might write something for Crocodile x reader where reader is sweet and bubbly and affectionate. So, I've had a scenario in my head for awhile where reader is his wife and she goes to visit him at his casino one day just because he hasn't been home in a while and she misses him. Except she's never actually been to the casino before, much less introduced to most of his crew because she's Crocodile's happy little secret. So the bouncers don't let her in and reader decides to cause a commotion, which draws Crocodile out and I'm never actually sure what happens from there. Lol I'd like it to be mostly warm and fluffy, though. I love the idea of a big cold man being warm only for their lover.

I hope you have a lovely day. You're a beautiful honey bun. ♡〜٩(ㆁωㆁ)۶〜♡

pairing: crocodile x gn!reader

contents: established relationship, fluff, secret relationships, kind!reader, smitten!crocodile, crocodile calls you doll, kind of implied the reader tops him later which i personally think is very powerful of them

word count: 1.3k words

note: this is such a cute and funny idea <33 i took some liberties with this, there is no big scene at the door, just because the kind personality of the reader i was going for clashed with that a little bit. and i went a gender neutral route just because it's easier for me. i hope you still enjoy anyway! i absolutely love secret relationships and would love to do more with crocodile and this trope :3

playlist: diet mountain dew - lana del rey

Not once did you care that you were one of Crocodile’s best kept secrets. You understood why such precautions were necessary. Your husband was a powerful man with countless enemies, to have his one weakness known to all would be a terrible oversight on his part. Not only that, but it would also put you in a considerable amount of danger. You were soft, you weren’t ashamed of it. To remain kind in a cruel world took strength. In your opinion at least.

Sometimes, however, it took more strength than usual to remain understanding. This was one such occasion.

You had your own life outside of your husband, much to his dismay. It was half the reason he insisted on keeping your union under wraps. If Crocodile had it his way, you’d be by his side 24/7, or at the very least, surrounded by bodyguards everytime you left his line of sight. He was a cautious man by nature. One did not achieve the power he had by being reckless, especially not with those he loved.

That said, Crocodile hadn’t been home in days and you were starting to get worried. You knew his work was dangerous, keeping Alabasta safe from pirates was not what you’d call an ‘easy’ job. Instead of waiting around for him to return home on his own — inevitably to grump about the kisses you placed upon his facial scar, or the tender way you ran your fingers through his hair — you decided to seek him out. If there was one place where he would be, it would be at the casino.

Unfortunately for you, they wouldn’t let you in.

“Again, the casino is closed to all outside patrons for an event. I can’t let you in if your name isn’t on the list.” The doorman was starting to get frustrated with you stubbornness. You understood why, really you did. This was his job and you had been pestering him for the better part of thirty minutes. While you had patience, you were no saint. This whole situation was starting to get on your last nerve.

Pinching the bridge of your nose, you let out a sigh. “And I get that, but I’m looking for my husband. I know he’s in there, can’t you go get him for me and we can talk outside the venue?”

The doorman hummed, considering the option. Finally, he gave you the smallest of smiles, the first you had gotten from him the whole night. “That’s doable. What’s his name so I can send someone to fetch him?”

You chewed on your bottom lip. This wasn’t going to go well. How many people tried to sneak their way into events using your husband’s name? For all this man knew, you were another lovesick fan, trying to get a whiff of the hero of Alabasta’s cologne before you were escorted out by security.

Whatever. It wouldn’t hurt to try, you thought.

“Um. Crocodile?”

The doorman burst out laughing, head thrown back and tears spilling down his cheeks. “Listen, you’re a looker, but you’re not that good looking. Now scram, I have a job to do.”

With a deep breath, you tried again. “I’m serious, he’s my husband. Please let me in.”

“Yeah, and I’m the king. Don’t make me call security on you.”

If Crocodile found out that the doorman called security on you, the man’s job would be down the drain before he could say ‘sorry.’ You didn’t want that, even if in your current irritation, you’d feel quite a bit vindicated. It was people like him that kept your husband safe, even if he did so in a rather frustrating manner.

You shuffled your feet, blinking a few times at the man who laughed in your face. Okay, maybe you did want him fired, but you were better than that. Kinder than that.

There was a commotion coming from the casino. You peered behind the doorman to see your husband surrounded by a hoard of Alabastan citizens, all clamoring for his attention. Your heart swelled at the sight of him, relieved to find him safe and sound. As much as you wanted to give him a piece of your mind for worrying you so much, the doorman’s glare was starting to get to you. Now that you knew he was alive, you could wait a little bit longer for Crocodile to return home.

“Well, thank you for your time,” You said as politely as you could. Even then, the words came out forced between clenched teeth.

The doorman merely rolled his eyes in response. Right before you turned your back, you caught your husband’s gaze. Crocodile’s eyebrows shot up at the sight of you, surprise replacing his previous annoyance. Flashing him a small smile and a wave, you turned to make your way home. You barely made it a few steps before Crocodile’s hand was on your shoulder, his grip firm enough to hold you in place. The crowd that surrounded him was gone, off to find someone else to celebrate with — or pester, as Crocodile was prone to say.

“What are you doing here, doll?”

Whipping around, you slotted your hands on your hips and hit your husband with the worst glare you could muster. You tried not to be disappointed when all you were met with was a glimmer of amusement. “Looking for you. It’s been days since you’ve been home, I was starting to get worried.”

Crocodile shrugged and took an inhale of his cigar. “There was no need for you to come here, I was coming home tonight.”

“And how am I supposed to know that if you don’t tell me. I’m not a mind reader,” You shot back.

Crocodile sighed, a cloud of smoke accompanied the action. You really wished he would quit, but you weren’t naive enough to believe you could convince him. The doorman coughed a few times, drawing both you and your husband’s attention. He looked absolutely dumbfounded at the scene playing out in front of him. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, and you had hoped he had enough wherewithal to keep himself hidden so as not to earn your husband’s ire. Evidently not.

“I am so sorry,” The doorman started, hands numbly raised in surrender.

Wow. This man was the biggest idiot you had ever met. Crocodile slowly turned in his direction, a single eyebrow raised.

“You’re sorry?” Your husband's expression split into a furious glower, and for the first time that night, you felt truly sorry for the doorman. “And what are you apologizing for? I better like the answer.”

Before the man could speak, you placed yourself between them. “He was just doing his job, love. No need to get all fussy. Why don’t you walk me home and we can talk more? I’ve missed you.”

Crocodile’s expression softened when you grabbed his arm and leaned into his side. With his flesh hand, he wrapped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you flush against him. Before you left, Crocodile reached around you and into his breast pocket. When he removed his hand, there was a wad of beri in it, a fatter stack than usual. He tossed it at the doorman’s feet.

“Forget what you saw here.” Crocodile narrowed his eyes, his hook glinting in the dull lamplight. “Or I’ll be seeing you again. Privately.”

“Don’t flirt with the poor man, he looks like he’s about to wet himself.”

Crocodile merely grumbled — affectionately, you knew that grumble anywhere — as he started in the direction of your shared home. “I don’t flirt and I don’t fuss, you know this, doll.”

“Bold of you to lie to my face when I’m still not sure if I’ve forgiven you yet.”

You had. It was hard to keep the grin off your face when Crocodile was warm against your side, the scent of him filling your nostrils until your head was fuzzy.

Oh, how you couldn’t wait to kiss him pliant in the comfort of your bed later tonight. For all of Crocodile’s power, you had him absolutely wrapped around your little finger.

[myfavoriteficss]

Wednesday Masterlist

This Masterlist includes all of the Wednesday fan fiction I have reblogged. Enjoy.

Updated: 12/30/2023

Masterpost

1. Wednesday Addams

Written by: @anonymousewrites

A Good Day for Death: (1) A Good Day for Roommates - (2) A Good Day for Plans - (3) A Good Day for Festivals - (4) A Good Day for Death - (5) A Good Day for Strategy - (6) A Good Day for Competition - (7) A Good Day for Fudge - (8) A Good Day for Ruins - (9) A Good Day for Statues - (10) A Good Day for Shopping - (11) A Good Day for Dances - (12) A Good Day for Family - (13) A Good Day for Birthdays - (14) A Good Day for Arguments - (15) A Good Day for Diaries - (16) A Good Day for Apologies - (17) A Good Day for Death - (18) A Good Day for Resurrection - (19) A Good Day for Until Next Times

Valentines Day Special 2023

A Good Day for Death Pride Special 2023

A Good Day for Death Halloween Special 2023

Written by: @basichextechml

(1) Details - (2) Revelations

Wet Braids and Ribbon Ties

The Leaded Question

The Beat of your Heart (The Cry of my Own)

Did You Want Flowers?

Written by: @breaddwoo

(1) Bloody Kisses - (2) Smitten - (3) Vanilla

Written by: @brotherblaze

Double Black: Part 1 - Part 2

Written by: @celiastjamesoscar

To Be Alone

Like Real People Do

Written by: @chaeyoungies

Slipping Through My Fingers

Written by: @crazyoffher

paranoid.

Written by: @danzaloreley

Indée Fixe

Written by: @dysphoros​

(1) Who are you now, You fool? - (2) Beauty Is in the eyes of the beholder

Interview with a vampire: (1) Interview with a Vampire - (2) Hunger - (3) Resfeber - (4) Dissimulate

What are my lips for if to not meet yours?

Written by: @extinctspino

Teamwork

Written by: @fleetingvow

‘ Bitter Solitude.

Written by: @ghostlynachopanda

(1) Nevermore’s Guardian - (2) Warmth - (3) The Weathervane - (4) The Walk - (5) The Talk - (6) Solution

Marks: Part 1 - Part 2

Till Next Time: Part 1 - Part 2

Patch Up

Like a Charm

Kiss

Study Date

Close

For You

Envy

Hurtful Words

Third Wheel

Rest

jacket

Music

Written by: @house-of-lovin

grouch

be mine?

cuddle bug

Written by: @i984

(1) I Want to be Yours - (2) Finally Hers

(1) Sweet Words Make a Lovely Shade - (2) A Scarlet Touch - (3) Not So Peachy of a Trick - (4) My Thoughts Echoing Your Name

Ran Out of Paper

Festival Trouble

Grump Black Cat

Your Love, My Religion

Dreams of Lavender Confessions

I Love You- Wait, What?

Snowy Escape

Blazing Promises

Sweet, Foolish

A Letter to the Yearning Moon

Wounds, Not Dreams

In Sickness and In Health

Tonight, the Moon is Yours

Mattress Laid, No Questions Asked

Written by: @jazzyoranges

Recognizable

Written by: @liminal-space-lesbian

Summer Concussions

Written by: @lowkeyerror

Falling Fast: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Epilogue

Written by: @lucianslover

10 Things I Hate About You

Written by: @luthorgarbage

Wednesday’s Web: One

Written by: @makncheese12

Alkaline: Part 1 - Part 2

Written by: @may-fanfic

Safe With You

Written by: @midnightmoonkiss

Sweet Dreams.

Written by: @mikavlcs

(1) Reverie - (2) Elysium

Loveless

Paralysis

Heaven in Hiding

Had Enough

Ricochet

Absence Persistent

Breathe

Flowers

Heaven in Hiding

Sweater Weather

Static Patterns

Spotlight

Heaven Sent

White Flag

Astraphobia

Dinosaur Talks

Whispers in the Dark

Rebels and Renegades

Dog Days

Not On My Mind

Written by: @missmonsters2

Wednesday’s Dictionary of Emotions: (1) Adronitis - (2) Monachopsis - (3) Jouska - (4) Opia - (5) Agnothesia - (6) Liberosis - (7) Flashover - (8) Nighthawk - (9) Ambedo - (10) Kairosclerosis - (O.S) First/Second Date Jitters - (O.S) Want Your Slow Dance

Just Last Lifetime: One - Two

Oblivion

Just Like Silk

Lips Over Your Nightmares

Written by: @mrtwizz

Snow On The Beach: Part One - Part Two - Part Three

Written by: @msgorillagripcoochie

(1) Nonsense - (2) Butterflies in my stomach

Written by: @rainbow-hedgehog

Exchange Student

Written by: @sleepinthrumyalarms

(1) To Tame a Demon - (2) The Perfect Girl 

Protective Instincts

Your Teeth Don’t Scare Me

Weird But Lovely Trophies

Daddy Issues

After Dark

Good Little Girl

Hard to Keep my Cool

Kiss It Better

Loving the beast, loving it whole

Their Affair, Bloody

Written by: @softgreengrass

Sun to Me: Part 1 - Part 2

Covert Narcissism

Written by: @spaghettiposts

Video Games

Written by: @specialagentlokitty

Restore the Balance: Part One - Part Two - Part Three

Soft For You

Never Again

Just a Tiny Hint

Written by: @stirthewaters

Too Sharp to Touch: Part 1

Written by: @talesofesther​

Scorch Marks: Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3

Sweet Calamity: Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - (O.S) Pretty Secrets - Chapter 10 - (O.S) Birthday Girl 

Don't Know How to be Something You Miss: Chapter 1 - Chapter 2

(1) I told the moon about you - (2) Darling darkness

Yours Only

Deep Devotion

Crimson and White

Cinnamon and Spice

The Hearts that Matches Mine

Dark Trees are Better

Find the Beauty

Golden Ballads

Love the Way You Love Me

Tender as the Rain

I guess that's love

Written by: @theunreliablewriter

Clumsy Defender

Written by: @toddxhavez

My Eyes

Written by: @toournextadventure

Everyone But Her: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14 - Part 15 - Part 16 - Part 17 - Part 18 - Part 19 - Part 20 - Part 21 - Part 22 - Part 23 - Part 24 - Part 25 - Part 26 - Part 27 - Part 28 - Part 29 - Part 30 - Part 31 - Part 32 - Part 33 - Part 34 - (O.S) The Cave (18+) - Part 32 - (O.S) They Didn't Know - (O.S) A Fair Trade - (O.S) Revenge - Part 33 - Part 34 - Part 35 - Part 36 - Part 37 - Part 38

Would You Love Me?

you simp

l’appel du vide

we match

im no poet

Trouble Maker

Written by: @vorsdany

When I Dream (Of Dying): (1) (Not So) Colorful Buzz - (2) Watch Out! - (3) Freeze! You’re on Fire - (4) Good, Bad Impressions - (5) Harmonious Danger - (6) When I Dream (Of Dying)

Golden Eyes and Melted Hearts

Violescent

Meant To Be (Alone)

Shots For They Heart

Names On Your Tongue

Ink Over Your Soul 

Take Me Home 

Sea of Stars

Nights Like These

A Luminous Jewel

Bloody Woes

A Vexatious Creature

Warm My Frozen Heart

Just This Once

Of Dying Days

Written by: @vulpe-fox

Where Shadows Meet

Shadow’s Keeper

Written by: @wandaromanova

enigma.

never did.

obvious

Written by: @ykiwrite

Kiss of Death

Written by: @70svampyr

Wednesday Addams Relationship! Headcanons

2. Enid Sinclair

Written by: @specialagentlokitty

Peace With You

Protect You

Not Getting Hurt That Easy

Written by: @toournextadventure

Thunder and Lightning

3. Yoko Tanaka

Written by: @euoniaroses

Jealous? Please,

Written by: @mrsfrenchie

Touch

[moonchildstyles]

Okay here me out !!!!

Would you ever consider doing like a grump nail tech!harry. Like he’s such a grump and has a permanent put pout but deep deep down he’s a pure softy (but only for y/n 😉). And like when him and y/n first meet (at a nail appointment) she’s really shy and embarrassed because she has bitten nails because of her anxiety, and she’s so sweet apologising for the state of her nails. Even though he’s just met her , he’s already smitten so instead of chastising her (like he would for normal clients ) the lowly whisper “it’s okay , I get it” and like 🥺🥺🥺🥺. Then once he becomes her new nail tech permanently, he cannot wait every 3/4 weeks until he can see her again. The people he works with even notice how gentle he is with her, teasing him and what not. And eventually, he’s still a grump to everyone but to her he’s sweet and kind and their relationship just keeps on blossoming.

Bestie you KNOW as a nail girly I love this idea:( I’ve thought ab something similar to this and it’s def sometning that’s on my list:( love the idea of her being insecure ab her nails and like apologizing to him just for him to get a little soft:( teaching her how to keep her nails healthy and everything so she won’t want to pick and bite and everything:( I just:((((( nail stories mean something to me:(

[ellenchain]

Valentine's Day is coming up - what do you think Lucas does? My money is on being a grump, hating the commercialization, the vapid emtpiness of vain promises, a meaningless hyped up money pit. Then he gets a single red rose and is smitten, turning into a gooey mess. 47? Pulls put all the stops. Chilled champagne, 5star meal, private music, carriage/gondola ride, self made chocolate with gold flakes.

.....not that I think of it, that could be perfect as a hitman mission. Murder at the Valentine Resort.

Oh that's a really GOOD question! First of all - totally, a mission at a Valentines resort would be really cool, a bit like Haven Island but maybe more like in a spa in the mountains, really romantic, and 47 can wear a pink fluffy dressing gown hihi

I think it depends on whether our men are in a relationship (no matter with whom, I would say)!

Lucas hates holidays like these, I totally agree with you. Just buying something soulless? That's pure commercialisation and capitalism in its final stage. Disgusting, nobody should ever get involved in something like that. But that's probably only the case when he's single. That man seems hard to get to me, but once you've got him, you've got him for life. And then he's a loyal soul. He'll do everything he can to make you feel good and loved. And THEN I can well imagine him being the most romantic person ever. He probably won't buy you champagne or anything too expensive, but he'll give you a great day out, with a trip, a nice meal and a homemade treat, flowers and one of the best massages you've ever had. He'll hug you more than usual, give you kisses on every part of your body and make sure you know he loves you very very much. Like, he'll be the sweetest person you've ever seen so you'll both forget for a day what "terrible things he has done" (his words).

Lucas' idea for a nice date at home, basic and personal:

47? Hard to say, but I think if he's single, he wouldn't even think about Valentine's Day. He'd probably be working, not giving it another thought. Just another day in the year, whatever. However, if he's in a relationship, he would spend days researching what the normal customs are on such a day and probably only buy expensive things, like you said. With him, it will be less personal because he doesn't really know what to do with the holiday itself (and is certainly the more reserved one in relationships as well). But I can imagine that after 2-3 years he'll get the hang of it and know exactly which flowers you like, which is your favourite chocolate and which champagne you like to drink. He'll book private areas in spas and make sure you have fun.

Probably 47's idea of a (successful mission) great evening:

And at the end of the day, both men will probably be satisfied with a bit of cuddling ❤

What do you think?? Maybe I got it all wrong and 47 is the super romantic type who can't wait to bathe in a hot tub full of flowers 🌹 whereas Lucas, even in a relationship, would insist on not celebrating Valentine's Day because it's too commercial (after all, you love each other every day, no special day needed) 💔

[pyrettawychwiggin]

10 Characters, 10 Fandoms

In no particular order, I now would like to present to you - 10 of my own fictional 'crushes.'

(Let me be clear - I live in my little fantasy worlds, and escapism is my crutch; I have far more than ten).

Let's goooooo!

1. Julian "Ilya" Devorak (The Arcana: A Mystic Romance)

I mean - obviously. As amazing as the main six are, Julian will probably be my hands-down favourite. He's dramatic, he's witty, he's dashing, he's romantic, he's hilarious, and he can pull off an eyepatch better than anyone I can think of.

Also, he has that sub energy in a way that made me realize that I am, in fact, into that - especially in his case.

Look, I get that most of the NPCs and traveling companions in Skyrim have the character depth of a puddle, but gods-dammit, if I didn't fall hard for this one.

2. Farkas (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)

Aside from the fact that he is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the most attractive characters in the game, he's also kinda sweet.

You can bet that if I'm playing Skyrim, this werewolf will always be end-game for me.

Yes, yes - I know. Of all the characters from this universe I could have been drawn to, THIS is the one that turned my head? I dunno what to tell ya.

3. Sandor "The Hound" Clegane (A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones)

He is likely to be one of the most 'toxic' ones on my list, and of course, if any man were to pull half of what he probably would in real life, I'd kick him to the curb in a heartbeat, but something about this character just works for me.

He's built like a brick shithouse, he's protective to a fault, he's dark and brooding, he's a big ol' grump, and he was there looking out for Sansa and Arya when he could have easily just left them to their fates.

I adore this character. ♡

4. Beelzebub (Helluva Boss)

When Helluva Boss came out with this character, I was instantly smitten. The universe Vivzie Pop has created is full of characters that could have been on this list (Cherri Bomb, Alastor, Carmilla Carmine, Lucifer, Lilith, etc), but this character, even having only appeared in a single episode, left a lasting impression! ♡

She's the life of the party, and a sweetheart to boot - and I am here for it.

Astarion had me reeling well before I'd even had a chance to play the game for myself. Between the writers, the character designers, and the legendary voice actor (Neil Newbon), Astarion truly stands out even in the game's incredible, all-star cast.

5. Astarion (Baldur's Gate 3)

Yeah, yeah - call me basic. But come on - I mean, this character is absolutely irresistible.

Look, Sinbad is cool and all, but Proteus was always my favourite. He's handsome, he's responsible, he's loyal to a fault, and he's the type to always do the right thing, more concerned with the spirit of the law over the word of the law.

That, and truth be told, I'm a sucker for a good vampire romance - and that leg hook. ♡

6. Proteus (Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas)

I mean, I like a bad guy a lot of the time, but this man has a heard of gold, and I adore that about him.

I know, I know - two characters in one entry may technically be cheating, but I honestly couldn't choose. And this is my damn list entry, so bite me. 😜

7. Charon/Fawkes (Fallout 3)

Keeping with my odd habit of falling for... unconventional characters, these two are fitting in their own ways.

Then, there's Charon - look, my first impression of this Ghoul is hiring him and watching him immediately blast Ahzrukhal to bits with a point-blank shotgun blast to the face - and that's just fine by me. From that point on, he was my main companion throughout the majority of my playthrough, and for some reason, he grew on me fast. Don't get me wrong, Cooper Howard is ✨️ foine ✨️ but I like to think that Charon (and for some, Hancock) walked so Cooper could run.

On one hand, Fawkes (despite being a bit ol' super mutant) is such a kind, thoughtful and heroic character with a great head on his shoulders, despite his circumstances. It does also help that I feel much safer in the game with him as a companion - and super mutants and ghouls deserve love too, dammit (well, okay, not all super mutants because the other 99.9% of them are about as bad as they come, but you know what I mean). That, and with me being a tall person who typically does the protecting in real life, it's nice to have a character that could make me feel small.

He's tough, he's sarcastic, he's misunderstood, and I adore his dynamic with Rebecca throughout the game. Resident Evil 0 may be pure cheese, but I am here for it.

8. Billy Coen (Resident Evil 0)

Let's face it; the Resident Evil universe is chalk-full of damn well godlike attractive characters, but Resident Evil 0 was one of the first games I ever played in the series, and right from his first appearance in the game, I was completely smitten with Billy.

Now the poor guy's basically been born into a n Awoken vessel with zero context of why people just want to shoot him in the face. Did you know his ghost sings him lullabies?

9. Crow (Destiny 2)

I know, I know. 'b U t H e K i L L e D c A y D e - 6' - *slap* No. Uldren killed Cayde - Crow is NOT Uldren. That's just how the lore works.

Oof - my heart. Poor baby bird. 😭 Despite everything that's happened, and how tragic things have been for him ever since the moment he opened his eyes, he still has so much try. He wants to be better. He wants to help. He wants to take responsibility and accountability for actions that weren't even his, but he's seen the impact and the effect Cayde's death has had on others, and he's stopping at nothing to just be the beat version of himself that he can. He makes mistakes, he tries to get better, and that's all any of us can do. And I love him for it.

To wrap up the list, I wanted to go with the very first fictional crush that I can remember having! I was head over heels for this character for a loooooong time, and even now, almost 25 years later, he's still got it. ♡

10. Kakashi Hatake (Naruto)

10 Charachters, 10 Fandoms

Thank you @rowanisawriter for giving me the opportunity to fangirl about my fictional crushes.

Tagging @spacejammie-eimmajecaps, @ashamefulplace and @the-lastcall (and anyone who wants to tune in).

I wasn't sure if I should do this chronologically, or in order of how much I've simped for these people, so let's just get to it:

P.S.: you'll get kudos (and maybe candy) if you pick up on the common themes here.

1. Zuko - ATLA

He was my first fictional crush.

I would write self insert fic about him (which never saw the light of AO3 thankfully), and I would rewatch all of ATLA just to his character go from "I can fix him" brat to adorkable edgy brat.

2. Bill Cipher - Gravity Falls

He had what I at the time called the "sexy British accent". I never even joined the school of thought "he'd burn the whole world down but me". I was chill with burning.

3. Bucky Barnes - MCU

And the bad boy parade continues. I firmly believed that I could fix him, and going back to the (once again thankfully unpublished) self insert slash fics of the time, I realise that I had no idea what in him needed fixing.

4. John Hancock - Fallout 4

Nothing makes me fall harder for a sad meow meow than him going "I'm gonna stop bugging you with my problems, I know I'm too fucked up to love".

I have a save file right before that convo, and I like to revisit it every so often.

5. Egor Serling - Deathloop

While on the topic of sad meow meows, let me introduce you to mister "I've been invisible my whole life 🥺". He's pathetic and slightly unhinged, what is there not to love? ( y/n in my fic about him agrees).

6. David Sarif - Deus Ex

It's hard to pick only one character from the DX games, but I think "Daddy Sarif", as I affectionately call him whenever he's brought up in conversation, belongs here.

He is rich, smart, and believes the illuminati want to tear down his company (and has 0 evidence to back that up).

7. Crosshair - Clone Wars: the Bad Batch

A sad meow meow, a bad boy, and white hair? Can a man be more perfect? Well he's also a sniper ...

He's like Egor, but he'll talk back when you tell him to get on his knees, you know?

8. Billie Lurk - Dishonored

You know the jist by this point, sad, with questionable morals, daddy issues, and missing an arm.

My favourite thing about her is how she goes "this is a robbery" with an audible smirk, as she robs a bank. And also that she kept the creepy art project her girlfriend gave her a decade ago. How sweet is that?

I need to write a self-insert x her fic. But I don't have any Dishonored OCs :/

9. Alyx Vance - Half Life

She was my first girl crush. And I still remember the exact moment I went "damn that chick is cool". It was shortly after reuniting with Barney, when I had to shoot my way through some stupid combine stronghold, and Alyx just crawled through the vents and waited for me on the other side.

(She is the reason I have £500 saved to one day buy a VR set)

10. Bo-Katan Kryze - the Mandalorian (no this isn't cheating, it's a different sub-fandom XP)

Is she just a mommy version of Alyx? Maybe. But the Mandalorian (the TV series), sure helped with the popularity of her character... (I'm talking about that one ass scene).

She also has that sad kitty side to her, when she sits alone in her massive space castle after all her friends have left her.

[eppysboys]

A letter from Stuart Sutcliffe to Astrid Kircherr, whom he addresses as ‘Darling Angel-face, Astrid, my love.’ The first paragraph is in Sutcliffe’s broken German, a language he was then learning; the remainder is in English. Undated. 

(In part, translated) Today is terrible, but I arrived back home this morning…. Everything I am about to say is quite unimportant and only between the two of us. My youthful bustle … is filling one room with transparent string noodles - I am always the elephant in the china store - the frosty elephant in the mirror…. 

(In English) Dearest, darling Astrid, In this moment I am so unhappy, everything is wrong for me and I need you so much to talk to and be a bit angry with (my little chats (darling)) The customs man was so horrible and took all my things and I have stand [sic] one hour and he said I must leave the camera with him … till I go home, now I can’t make beautiful photographs like I have wish [sic]. I am so sad angel, because when you were here then all would be different and I would not be intersted [sic]. You must not be frightened about the camera, when I come home I have it again. He said I must pay £18!! to take it into the country, but I won’t tell you everything, I will wait till I come back to you, my little angel. I hope you are not big cranky, I am so angry with these stupid people, because they make me so nervous and hysterical and then I write horrible letters to you ... In the train still my angelic little princess, and how much I miss you already. You can’t count the sighs, or know how small I feel without your love. So sad, a little girl with her mother sits by me, the little girl is only a baby but she seems to know how to make me think about you. She drinks her orange so quickly (like you, when you drink the cold milk from the ice-box) and her eyes so big and happy and she holds her little stomach ... I have open [sic] the case and see your terribly sad little letter, my heart is so ashamed and lies in broken pieces in my stomach...

[sweatandwoe]

Roaring 20s au?

Oh heck yea - Secret Ingredient 20s AU

Silco is the owner of The Last Stop, an Inn that's more of just a cover for his speakeasy, The Last Drop, that is hidden away in the basement

Obviously gangster. Wearing pinstripe suits, carries his cigars everywhere. Has the enforcers in his back pocket to turn a blind eye to the serving of alcohol

He got his bad eye and scar back when he was a solider in WW1, when he was betrayed by his brother in arms.

His time at war was successful, and he be and feared for his brutality.

Silco uses that same brutality to start a gang, even before prohibition happens. After it goes through

Reader is the caretaker hired to take care of his daughter during the day, feeding and teaching Jinx

She grew up probably in an orphanage still, and spent her time apprenticing under the matrons, and eventually trained to take over

It changed when she found a lil blue-gaired girl scared and alone one day and managed to get her back to her dad.

He offered her the job a few days later and she accepted

Things are kind lull and fall into a pattern between them. The both crush on eachother's physical traits but have no idea the others personality

After a job goes wrong, he is also put under reader's care for a few weeks

At first he hates her, hates the situation he's in

Just ultimate grump

But over time he realizes she's just trying to care for him and he starts to become horribly smitten

Worse when she starts taking care of his eye meds too.

He's the most dangerous man in the city and he's blushing as she holds his face.

After a hard day, when she puts extra care into helping him, he kisses her.

Which leads to a few more kisses.

And then more.

And then to his bedroom where he realizes he can't ever let her go.

Shes such a good mother to Jinx and he wants her to be his and only his.

They date for a few months, she's known in the club to be his girlfriend. Anyone calling her something lesser meets with his knife.

Because of the time period, they'll get married fast.

Probably 2 to 3 months of dating. And then he pops the question because like hell is he gonna have anyone think his girl is anything less than that

Married and take care of eachother throughout the 20s

There are attempts on lives but the family survives and Silco's reputation grows

Once prohibition is lifted, Silco's crime life still remains. Organized crime now ingrained in him

They might have a couple more kids but they're also happy with just Jinx

Eventually retire from the life and go out to live in the countryside, where they remain for the rest of their lives

[victoriareyloficlists]

26/11/2020 Additions to Reylo Work Environment

These fics have been added to the Enemies-to-Lovers list located here.

Boss/Employee Relationship

The Christmas Conundrum by Zoa (AO3 2019  Rated T Complete, 9 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: After getting fired from her job right before the holidays, Rey is accidentally mistaken for an abandoned baby’s mother and is forced to take care of him. Ben Solo is the boss guilted into giving Rey her job back. Confusion, chicanery, and romance ensue.) that's where you take me by blessedreylo (AO3 2020  Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Single dad Ben asks his daughters nanny Rey to live with them during quarantine so she can help take care of her while he works remote. Lots of domestic proximity and mutual pining ensues.) Clumsily Yours by Hellyjellybean (AO3 2020  Rated M Complete, 3 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey is injured at work. She is shocked when her boss Ben Solo carries her to his car and takes her to hospital much to her embarrassment. He is over-bearing and over-protective of her during her stay and Rey doesn’t understand...although it is sort of sweet in a way...could it be that the big bad executive Ben Solo actually likes her?) Threads by Hellyjellybean (AO3 2020  Rated M Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben Solo is a cantankerous boss known for throwing away any gift his underlings give him. When newbie Rey decides to knit everyone a scarf for the start of fall, she's warned that Solo will not appreciate it. Everyone is surprised when he shows up the next day wearing it.) Go And Catch A Falling Star Chapter 5 by Ayearandaday (AO3 2020  Rated G Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben reluctantly helps his friend Kaydel pick up lingerie. In the dressing room, he runs into his intern Rey as she's trying out some items.) You Make Me Weak by Hellyjellybean (AO3 2020  Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey decides to faint to get her boss's attention.) Not your omega by riseofskyloren (AO32020  Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey Johnson and Ben Solo cannot stand each others, she's way too joyful and he's just so cynical. They're definitely not mate material, not a chance. But what happened when the person you despise the most in the entire world becomes the one your body's craving?) Anonymous by andabatae (AO32019  Rated E Complete, 4 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: At the annual Halloween office party, Ben and Rey hook up, but neither one knows who the other is because of their costumes.) He Made It Through the Wilderness (somehow he made it through) by LovesBitca8 (AO32019  Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey has a one night stand with Ben Solo, her hot, moody, and cocky coworker. It's the most awkward lay of her entire life.) Devil Spawn by OptimisticBeth (AO32020  Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: After a hot anonymous encounter at The Annual Organa Halloween Ball, Rey realizes she slept with the horrible guy who is her new boss. But he doesn't recognize her! And he asks her to track down his mystery hookup, which she totally agrees to do (wink wink, haha, she's lying). But then she finds out she's pregnant! ) Unmasked by SageMcMae (AO32018  Rated E Complete, 5 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: When Rey meets a masked guy at Maz's annual Halloween party, she is instantly smitten. Her mystery man is perfect -- compassionate, protective and a dedicated Star Wars fan. It's like he was made for her. There's only one problem. She doesn't know Kylo Ren is actually her asshole coworker, Ben Solo.) Miss Johnson & the Professor by ElegyGoldsmith (AO32020  Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Professor Ben has his TA Rey accompany him to a conference in Japan but she accidentally booked a single room.) If You Can't Beat Em'.....Join Em' by PrinceofDarkness15 (AO32020  Rated E Incomplete, 4 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: "I really fucking hate you." She grits. "Oh, sweetheart believe me." says Kylo with a sensual smirk that makes her cunt clench. "The feeling is entirely mutual.") The Elevator by someonesbeenhere (AO32020  Rated M Complete, 6 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: A dirty one-shot turned multi-chapter fic. Hard working Tech Support Rey is working late one evening when she gets stuck in a broken elevator with a complete stranger. He manages to distract terrified Rey through some rather promiscuous means. Unfortunately for Rey, her seductive saviour isn’t a random from another department but none other than the CEO of the First Order company, Ben Solo himself.) Coworkers

Lizzy Solo by Hellyjellybean (AO3 2020  Rated M Complete, 3 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Its bring your kids to work day and little Lizzy Solo meets Rey for the first time. "Are you the same Rey that my dad told Uncle Hux he was half in love with?") A Child and a Mortgage by AverageEpaulet (AO3 2020  Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: It was bring your child to work day. Whoever came up with that bright idea had a special place reserved in hell for all Ben Solo cared. He loved his daughter, more than anything, but that didn't mean he liked flaunting her around like a trophy with ”Got laid at least once” engraved on it.) A Reylo Christmas Carol Chapter 2 by altargaryen (AO3 2019  Rated T Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben and Rey find themselves under some mistletoe.) A Reylo Christmas Carol Chapter 3 by altargaryen (AO3 2019  Rated G Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben wants to know what Rey wants for the office Secret Santa.) In Bloom by Celia_and (AO3 2020  Rated E Complete, 4 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: The flowers that bedeck her skin don’t lie. Ballet dancer Rey is in love with her partner, Ben. But the years go by and his skin stays resolutely, devastatingly blank. He doesn’t love her. But when his hands are on her body, she can pretend.) Spending Valentine's Day Solo by jyn-z-solo (jynzandtonic) (AO32020  Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey has the hots for her coworker, Ben, and decides to send him a Valentine's Day card. While at the shop choosing one, she bumps into him. Too embarrassed to confess it’s for him, she lies about the intended recipient. Ben is in love with Rey and gutted the card is for someone else!) let's taco-bout it by kylorithic (AO32020  Rated M Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey invites Ben Solo, resident HR grump, to eat tacos. things escalate from there.) User Not Found by violethoure666 (AO32018  Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: It's not Rey's fault that her computer literally never works, but tell that to the grumpy IT guy who never leaves the basement.) Give in To Me by LoveofEscapism (AO32018  Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: At the office Christmas party, Rey has one too many wines and ends up spilling her darkest secret to none other than her sexy co-worker Ben Solo. Hilarity and some sexy bathroom shenanigans ensue.) Sensual Storytime by andabatae (AO32019  Rated E Complete, 7 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: When Rey Johnson starts a new job, her initially antagonistic relationship with Ben Solo from IT turns into friendship... and maybe something more. Little does she know he also moonlights as Kylo Ren, the creator of her favorite audio erotica. One day at the office, worlds collide, and she realizes the sweater vest-wearing nerd of her dreams is also the tattooed fantasy man she listens to while getting off every night...) Ben, You Ignorant Slut Chapter 1 by JJJJ12 (AO32019  Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey Johnson is forced to sit across from irritating salesman Ben Solo. He’s arrogant, prone to temper tantrums, but worst of all, good at his job. To complete the prank of all pranks, she sends him a love letter hoping to turn his world upside down.) Tits v. Porny by jeeno2 (AO32019  Rated E Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Ben Solo and Rey Johnson are attorneys, working together to defend their client against claims of plagiarism and copyright violation brought by a published author of original A/B/O fiction. It involves them having to read a lot of online porn and leads to some pretty awkward moments.) Trapped by jeeno2 (AO32019  Rated E Complete, One-Shot, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey stares at him as she processes what he’s telling her. Then, in spite of herself, she starts to laugh. Ben Solo, the nightmare of every junior associate and paralegal in this firm, somehow got himself stuck in the copier. And now he needs her help to get free.) Client Relationship

Matchmaker, Matchmaker by meeda (AO3 2019  Rated E Complete, 10 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: Rey Niima Compatibility Application Results - NEAR PERFECT MATCH If her brain wasn’t so busy being shocked, Rey probably could’ve calculated how much of a statistical anomaly this result truly was. There in black-and-white was the name of the unlucky bastard that had the honor of being her match: Benjamin Organa Solo.) say it with a braid by reylo_mo (writermo) (AO3 2020  Rated T Complete, 2 Chapters, Modern AU, Quick Synopsis: An AU where hairdresser Ben loves to style actress Rey’s hair in braids for events. There’s even a particular type he always goes for.One day Leia texts to ask him why he hasn’t brought his fiancée over for dinner. Thing is... he’s been giving Rey Alderaanian wedding braids.)

[ask-the-clergy-bc]

Do any of the Papas and Copia (Popia? How do we refer to him now?!) play Animal Crossing, and if so what are their towns and play styles like?

I still love the name ‘Popia’! XD

Also, two of my greatest loves! Animal Crossing and Ghost! <3 Hope you enjoy!

Papas + Copia playing Animal Crossing

Papa Nihil: Never got into video games- even when they were brand new. He’s played his fair share of Asteroids and Pong, but didn’t really see the appeal past social bonding. Animal Crossing is easy enough for him to understand and control! Luckily someone downloaded Pocket Camp for him, as it’s the only one he will play. Nihil is so charmed by the cute characters and how easy going it is. Sometimes it’s a little too saccharine and childish for him- but it’s delightful and helps him relax. 

Nihil doesn’t play often, but it’s something he can do when he’s particularly bored or needs something to focus on. His pocket camp is pretty average, if not littered with very expensive special items (you know he’s casually dropped $50 to get the fortune cookies he wants!) All of his campers are incredibly happy- and he has a ton of friends on his list. Also does all the events and is very pleased to display and show off any trophy items! 

Papa I: Unintentionally the winner of Competitive Animal Crossing. Papa picks up video games once in a while when he has time- he thinks they are modern wonders of story telling and symbolism. He already has a penchant for JRPGs and any open world gaming. He’s the type of person who does all of the side quests on a video game, get perfect scores, and knows how to get the best armor and skill tree combos. Animal Crossing has always been a chill break for him. 

Almost immediate five star island on New Horizons. His entire island is almost a DIY perfect copy of his home cathedral. Even the villagers have all taken clergy uniform designs he meticulously recreated in the Able Sister’s shop. Has gold roses but prefers the black ones. His island is definitely one of those incredibly detailed and styled ones that barely look like an animal crossing one anymore. Sometimes he grumps at the fact you can’t switch colors or the layout of the NPC shops and areas. They break the flow of his island! Once he gets his museum full, all his debts paid, and everything 100% he’s a bit bored of the game and moves onto the next one. 

Papa II: Not the biggest on softer video games, or most games in general. Papa has always been a man who prefers cards or some type of board game- something he can do with others and be more entertained. But he’s not entirely opposed to playing a bit just to see what the hype is about! Video games have just never been his style even if he can appreciate the technology advances from when he was a young man. He’s picked up a few different systems, mostly at the encouragement of his brothers and tried to play. He’s pretty decent at puzzle games and some shooters, believe it or not. 

Animal Crossing is something Papa appreciates for being super calming, but he does not like the cutsey style of it. Papa likes that there is so much small stuff you could do, but whenever he plays he just feels like he could be doing it in real life. Like yes, he can make this immaculately decorated little house on this cute little island... or he could finally buy that vacation home he wanted on a REAL island and decorate it with furniture that isn’t limited to color and style! Now THAT’S fun! Will play Animal Crossing for at least one long flight before shrugging and randomly the entire Switch to a random kid he sees at the airport. 

Papa III: Absolutely a big Animal Crossing fan- believe it or not! He’s not an HUGE gamer by any means, but he loves games when he gets a chance to play them! There was a few times he would sneak off Clergy grounds to go take friends to an Arcade back in the 80′s! Papa always likes to try something new and Animal Crossing was something he picked up when New Leaf came out and he bought a 3DS to help with touring boredom. Papa was immediately smitten with it and thought it was amazing and gushed about everything from the atmosphere to the little characters. The ghouls were definitely sick of hearing Papa figure out all the nice things you can do in video games by the end of it! 

Papa is the type to ALWAYS make your villager look as close to himself as possible (in any game he makes the PC look like him!) With his ACNH Island it is a perfect mix of him. His house is full and upgraded to the best of his ability. He’s got a room for different occasions- decorating a whole closet, sitting room, trophy room, and recreating his personal bedroom. He makes sure all of his villagers love him (and you KNOW for a fact he went out of his way to populate his island with villagers HE likes.) The island itself is beyond 5 stars with an entire garden, stage, fountains, and as many black, gold, and purple flowers you can get! Super extra, and he loves showing it off! Will slap you in person if you pick his flowers without permission.

Cardinal Copia/Papa IV: Actually doesn’t mind playing video games, he just doesn’t have the time for them! Animal Crossing has always been a good series, because you don’t have to sit down and play three hours just to get ahead in a complicated plot to enjoy the game! It’s a nice way for him to unwind. Funnily enough, as skilled as he is with so  many things he is actually very bad at video games. So he’s never gotten into platformers or shooters, or even MMO’s. Visual novels and minecraft/harvestmoon types are far better for him! 

Copia’s Island house would be very modest. He COULD upgrade it and make it super nice like Papa III’s- but he feels like all of his bells should go back into the village. 10/10 the guy who would NEVER sell anything gifted to him by the villagers, and ALWAYS keeps projects or items THEY want on the island. Copia wants all of his cute little animal friends to be happy. At the same time, his Avatar looks exactly like him. He painstakingly recreated his Papal attire and wardrobe for the game. He still wants everyone to know he’s in charge! IT’s honestly endearing when he talks about ‘leading’ the village as well as he does the clergy. 

[eyesfixedonthesun22]

Black Coffee: Part 3

Summary: Coffee aroma surrounds you as you prepare for a long day of studying in your favorite coffee shop. Your focus is shattered by a handsome stranger demanding a very large favor-pretend to be his girlfriend. Pairing: Bucky x Female Reader Warning(s): Cursing. Innocent fluff. Word Count: 1,613 Beta Reader: My darling honey bun, @supersoldiersruined-me Notes: I wasn’t planning on making this a series...and yet there are now 4 parts to the story in my drafts. ;)

Your body, previously heated at the growing fondness for Bucky, feels chilled as you stir. You hear your name called over and over. It sounds like it’s being called down a long echoing tunnel. The sounds refuse to be made crisp and clear.

Warmth.

Two sources of heat frame the sides of your face. The words start to behave and form sentences.

“Open your eyes, doll. You okay? I need you to tell me you’re okay.” The warmth travels paths up and down your arms. Is someone shaking you? “I’m gonna kill that child.”

“Who are we killing?” Your eyes open and immediately shut.

Ouch. Too bright.

You sit up with Bucky’s help. From the new angle you’re no longer blinded when you open your eyes. “What the hell happened? Why am I wet?”

“Peter thought it would be funny to attack us all with water balloons.” Steve said.

“Only problem is the little asshole has invented a water balloon gun and the calibration was off. Too forceful and rapid fire.” Bucky grumps and glares at Peter.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Barnes. I didn’t even hit her.”

“Don’t apologize, Peter.” You wince a little, moving to a standing position. Bucky’s still examining your head. “I thought it was funny. I’m just the clumsiest person on earth. Next time, aim for the boyfriend.” The word felt foreign on your lips but brought you a stupid amount of joy. Did you have a concussion?

“You tripped, hit your head, and somehow managed to fall into the pool.” Clint snorts.

“Sounds about right.” You shoot him a finger gun. “Really I’m fine.” You try to push Bucky’s examining hands away. Your body sways unconvincingly, completely undoing your attempt at downplaying the injuries.

“No, you aren’t. Let’s go patch you up and get you out of these wet clothes.” You’re ready to protest but Bucky’s steering you back inside toward the elevators. Ruby follows behind.

In the elevator you lean into Bucky’s side. The warmth he radiates feels even more needed now in the A/C cooled interior. His soft shirt against your cheek soothes you. The fabric is saturated with a comforting fresh smell you’d already come to associate with Bucky.

“Wait! How the hell are you dry if I fell in the pool?!” You shoot him an accusing glare. “You didn’t try to save me!?”

“Before I ran over, Ruby was already hauling you up the steps.” You glance down at the pooch. Her previously fluffy fur is plastered to her skin. It drips rivulets onto the elevator floor.

“You must have made a good impression on her, doll.”

You run a hand through the damp hair at her ear, scratching lightly. Silently you thank her extra training. You wonder if Bucky takes the time to teach her himself. It’s not much of a thank you, but her thumping tail lets you know it’s welcome. Rufus probably would have just stood at the edge of the pool and barked; that is, if he would have moved at all. Bucky leads you off the elevator through a richly decorated living space down a long hallway. You follow along wordlessly, taking in the surroundings until you reach his bedroom.

“Ruby. Go lay down.” Bucky commands softy. She shakes herself dry once more before curling up in the giant plush dog bed in the corner of Bucky’s bedroom. “Let’s get you out of those clothes.”

“So that was your plan all along, Barnes.” He’s rifling through his dresser but pauses. “If you wanted me naked in your room, all you had to do was ask.”

The gulp he swallows is audible. “Darling, I didn’t mean- I swear I just- Fuck.”

“I’m messing with you.” Fresh heat rushes to your cheeks realizing how much your chiding had shaken him. Now you were thinking about actually getting naked. Naked for other circumstances. Damn your wandering mind.

He hands you a pair of neatly folded grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt. Even without them near your nose, you can bet the same fresh scent clings to their fibers. Bucky’s smell.

“Bathroom is through there.” He gestures vaguely. He’s not meeting your eyes. “Just let me in when you’re dressed so I can look at that gash on your head.”

Your hand reaches instinctively to touch at your temple. Ouch. That was a mistake.

In the safety of the bathroom, you let out a breath you didn’t know you had been holding. A quick glance in the mirror has you recoiling at your reflection. The fall into the pool had transformed you into a drowned rat. Your makeup was a lost cause. Sitting in a decorative basket is a collection of towels. You grab a washcloth and wipe the remnants away. Your hair would have to airdry. You tousle it a bit and comb out any knots the best you can with your fingers. You strip off the sopping clothes and hang them over a rail in his shower. After toweling off the rest of the dampness, the soft fleece of the sweatpants and clean cotton feel heavenly against your skin. It was the same feeling you’d always loved as a child. After a day at the beach or pool, changing into soft, clean clothes always felt better against your sun-soaked skin.

You opened the bathroom door. Bucky was laying on his bed spread eagle. His eyes were closed allowing you to study him undetected. He’d taken off the jacket he’d worn earlier today. What you’d previously thought was a white t-shirt underneath was a tank top. One of his arms was tanned a deep brown like the rest of his skin. The other glinted the light from the window in splintered patterns on the wall. He was gorgeous. You wonder how it would feel to see him like this more. What would it be like to walk into a room and see your “boyfriend” snoozing on the bed? Ruby shifts to acknowledge you. Her movement alerts Bucky.

“Nap time?” You ask. Hoping the warble of pitch doesn’t somehow betray your daydreams.

“Sometimes this much socializing takes a lot out of me. I love ‘em. But the quiet is nice.” You smile warmly not expecting such an honest answer. “Let me get a look at your head.”

He has you sit on the toilet while he gets out the first aid kit from under the sink. Thankfully the gash looks worse than it is. No stitches needed he had said with certainty. Bucky kneels in front of you while he cleans the cut. In no time at all, it’s covered with a bandage and antibiotic ointment. He’s still on his knees. The silence between you is pleasant and agreeable but something is nagging at the back of your brain.

“Bucky?” You ask. He’s rolling up the long pant legs of his sweatpants to a suitable length for you. Occasionally, the pads of his fingers graze against your skin. “How long are we going to do this?”

His fingers pause.

“Don’t wanna stay my captive forever?” Despite the joke his expression is guarded. He speaks more to himself than you, “Sam’s bound to figure out I can’t actually land a girl like you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Doll, seriously. You’re kicking ass in school, have an amazing future lined up for you, and you’re way out of my league. All things that are great for rubbing in Sam’s face, but this isn’t right.”

The silence returns.

“It’s not right?”

He scoffs. “Understatement of the year.”

“Wow. I guess I didn’t realize how not right I am. Thanks for enlightening me.”

The vulnerability this stranger had managed to pull out of you in a day was terrifying enough but to have him laugh at you was unacceptable; backhanded compliment or otherwise. Clearly, you’d been delusional earlier and the bump to your head must have knocked you back into reality. He considers me good enough to flaunt to Wilson but not good enough for him to actually date. You stand and stomp towards the door.

“Darling, wait! What did I say?”

“Enough!” you snap. His eyes go wide; putting together the pieces. “Enough cute names, enough fake dating, I’m done.”

“You misunderstood. I meant that you deserve more than a fake relationship and you certainly deserve more than me.” You pause in the doorway. “You’re beautiful and smart. I’ve known you for less than 24 hours and you’ve had me a sputtering mess for nearly all of them. I’m just some guy who asked you for a stupid favor this morning because I told a pathetic lie to my friends. Every fact I learned about you, every quirk, has made me realize how thoroughly inadequate I am.”

Your brain, formerly full of rage fueled quips, struggles to form words.

“I’m not stupid enough to think this is love, but damn if I’m not smitten with you, doll. I scoffed because with every skeleton in my closet I’ve been waiting for you to bail.”

“I did try to drown myself.” You attempt to contain the smirk playing at your lips but fail.

“Gonna have to do better if you’re gonna hang around a gang of superheroes.”

“I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”

“Next time?” He closes the distance between you and hugs you tight to his chest. He can smell the notes of your shampoo mixing with the chlorine as he presses a kiss to your scalp. There’s a short warning boof before the two of you are tackled by Ruby in her own fashion of a hug.

“Can I take you on a real first date?”

“Was this one not lively enough for you, Barnes?!”

[bymoonchild]

Set On You (M)

Pairing | Jungkook x Reader

Genre | Fluff, smut / volleyball!AU, college!AU, setter Jungkook x manager reader

Warnings | Light smut, detailed thigh-riding, thirsty nsfw thoughts, alcohol consumption, swearing and a whole lot of hopeless pining and soft moments because it’s soft uwu hours 24/7 

Word count | 18.1k

Summary | Sports has never been your thing, so when you find yourself in a sports hall that reeks of perspiration and cologne and in front of a group of volleyball players whom you’re supposed to be managing (heck, you can’t even manage your own life), you know that you’re in Deep Shit™. 

Especially when Jeon Jungkook, the golden setter of the team aka the boy who holds stars in his eyes, starts to occupy your reveries, slowly becoming both the quiet and pandemonium of your heart.  

The repeated squeaks of sneakers and harrowing smacks from the contact of palm against ball reverberate across the court, sounding awfully similar to the erratic thumping of your heartbeats, but they do nothing to drown out the thudding in your eardrums. Cowering meekly behind the door of your school’s daunting indoor sports hall, the perspiration on your palms is getting way out of hand and your legs almost threaten to take you back to your dorm, but the palpable, icy-cold air that greets you halts you in your tracks.

Clad in their renowned black and red jerseys, you watch the volleyball players manoeuvre effortlessly all over the court, giving their all to keep the ball up in the air. They almost look identical – radiating with a peculiar charisma and indomitable grit – if not for the designated numbers on their backs.  

More volts of panic pulse through your veins. You’re intimidated out of your wits, but even for a person who’s allegedly allergic to sports, you can’t deny the ferocity of their match – it’s pretty enthralling. Thinking about it, this is actually your first time catching your school’s volleyball team in action and you have to admit that their teamwork is quite something.

Sports has never been your thing, let alone volleyball. In fact, you would very much rather be cooped under your quilt in the comfort of your air-conditioned room at this very moment. How you’ve landed yourself in a humid and stinky indoor sports hall that reeks of perspiration and cloying cologne, facing a group of really tall and sweaty college boys with that signature awkward grin of yours is beyond you, and something you definitely didn’t foresee yourself doing in your second year in Seoul National University.

You should have trusted your gut feeling when you thought that agreeing to be the student manager for the school’s volleyball team to earn extracurricular points for your scholarship would be a terrible idea. Gosh, this is all on Hoseok, your English Lit seatmate and also (surprisingly) the captain of the volleyball team. Curse him and his manipulative ways of convincing people.

According to your very wise friend, 1) you desperately need to join a club ASAP because the only club you belong to is the Sunshine Club – no, it’s not a real club, it’s just a pejorative term for students who alternate between home and school, and that certainly earns you zero extracurricular points, 2) you need to get out of your comfort zone more often because this is college and in college, you fuck things up for the fun of it, and 3) a student manager could really do good for the volleyball team because the new season is starting really soon and they’re gearing up for first place this season after their demeaning loss to Hanyang University last year, oh and also, the boys have been praying everyday to have someone (new and well, fun) other than their coach on the team because the old man sure can be a little grump.

You don’t question the last point because it’s a known fact that the volleyball team is your school’s pride and joy. When they were beaten at their own game last year, the entire school went in mourning for a whole damn week. It’s pretty hilarious, the more you think about it, that the competitive sport is basically just a more intense game of “don’t let the balloon touch the floor”. But almost everyone finds the sport cool because somehow or other, the players also happen to be naturally tall and also attractive – though the latter is highly subjective and does not include your terrible friend.

Albeit not knowing the players personally and being able to match their names to their faces, you’ve seen the gang in school, perpetually flaunting their black and red jerseys that can be spotted from miles away and drawing attention to their rambunctious selves.

The number of people who admire (and worship) them don’t escape your notice too, including your smitten professors who all have a mutual soft spot for Hoseok whenever he falls behind or sleeps in class. It seems like everyone is oddly bewitched by their charms – you’ve heard stories about the appalling number of girls who’ve confessed to them and hooked up with them at parties, only because Hoseok can’t stop gloating about the increasing count. But whether they’re just plain ole rumors or facts, you’d rather not be involved in their social politics because Hoseok is your own Gossip Girl and that’s more than enough, really.

“Guys, gather up!”

Coach Kim blows his whistle and literally the entire team comes scrambling to swamp the two of you. A wave of panic washes over you, draining colour from your face as they start to look you up and down inquisitively. You’ve never felt that inferior about being vertically-challenged before, but being surrounded by a group of volleyball players who could appear to be almost a good 2 meters tall? Definitely not up your alley.

“We finally, yes, finally,” you don’t miss the enthusiasm and relief in Coach Kim’s voice, “have a student manager on the team!”

At that, everyone explodes in loud cheers, their gruff voices filling up the court and you shudder at the resonance of their voices.

“Hi,” you give a little wave to the tall towers before you, trying to make things less menacing for you. “I’m Y/N, a second-year Psychology major. Nice to meet you! I’ll be the student manager from today onwards. Hoseok dragged me here—”

“Yay, welcome Y/N!” Hoseok interrupts your intention of throwing shade at him with an overzealous whoop of excitement and his teammates divert their attention to their loud captain. “You guys be nice to her or you’ll be catching these hands.”

They all roll their eyes, before grunting out an okay. After taking turns to introduce themselves – honestly, your brain could only be loaded with so many names, you’d definitely need more time to digest and remember their faces, the players soon disperse and resume their usual rotational drills.

Turning to you with an eerily wide grin, Hoseok then leads you to the perimeter of the court and hands you a clipboard. “Okay for today, just familiarise yourself with the positions and the guys. Easy peasy, I know we’re all good-looking—”

You interrupt his narcissistic statement by faking a gag.  

“Rude! As I was saying before I was rudely cut off, we’re all good-looking, but it’s easy to distinguish us. Unless you mix Seokjin-hyung and Jungkook up, which is fine because they look quite similar. Both ugly.”

“You just said—”

“The entire team is present except for Jungkookie. He’ll come later because he’s taking a test now. When you see a tall guy who looks like an overgrown, emo baby bunny, just mark Jungkook present.”

You hum mindlessly and glance over to the guys who’ve already taken their respective positions.

“Now, now, don’t gush over the guys. They’re fucking gross. They sweat a lot and stink like rotten meat after practice.”

“As if you don’t too! I’ve sat beside you in class after your practice before and I had to hold my breath the entire class.”

“Excuse you!” He clicks his tongue in annoyance, “I’m already pretty hygienic compared to the others… Anyways, it’s too late to back out.”

“Oh shit.”

“I’m kidding! We’re really nice, a little intimidating maybe because of our heights but that’s only because you’re short as fuck, but we don’t bite… unless you want us to. Come! Let’s go through the positions together.”

Being the volleyball neophyte you are, Hoseok walks you through the various volleyball positions. You learn that there are four main positions and only six players are allowed on the court, though the entire team is 14 members strong. There are three wing spikers in total – Hoseok, Taehyung, and Yoongi – and they carry the defensive workload. Namjoon and Seokjin are the middle blockers, while Jimin is the libero who wears a different coloured jersey since he can conveniently switch in and out of the game (usually with Seokjin) and lastly, the setter, who is none other than Jungkook. Hoseok calls him the backbone of the team.

“Okay, this isn’t that hard. I can do this,” you think to yourself after Hoseok leaves to join his teammates, a dry attempt to spur yourself on.

Maybe it’s because you haven’t done much besides committing their names and faces to memory and learning about the different positions, but the first thirty minutes of practice have been going surprisingly well, until—

“Jungkookie!” Hoseok shrieks while looking past your shoulder towards the door.

“The overgrown, emo baby bunny?” You quote your friend, before turning your head to look at the latecomer.

And damn, you wish you could take back your words. Standing before you is a boy who’s unfamiliar to your sight, but a dazzling one in appearance. His hair is a black mop of soft tousled locks, his onyx eyes are doe-like and his lips take on a soft rosy pink tint.

Upon your words, Jungkook doubles over with a boyish chuckle. “Hyung! What did you call me?”

Ignoring the latter and swatting him away, Hoseok continues with a beam, “Yep, this is Jungkook, our golden setter. Great, now you’ve met everyone on the team!”

He then turns back to Jungkook, while offering you a pat on the back, “Jungkookie, meet Y/N, our new student manager. Treat her nicely or I’ll break your fingers.”

Jungkook takes offense at the threat (his dearest fingers…) and glowers at his captain. He then turns to you and you notice that his facial expressions soften for a moment, before his face starts to scrunch up. With a contrived smile, he extends out his hand, “Hello, nice to meet you.”

You draw in a furtive breath, painfully aware of how he practically looms over you.

“H-Hi, I’m Y/N.”

You instantly curse yourself, red threatening to dot your cheeks because Hoseok literally just said your name like 10 seconds ago.

Even from where you’re standing, it doesn’t take much for you to notice how his eyes take on a sharp, mesmerising glow. Like stars glistening in the velvet night sky, vying to out-glow one another.

And so, you panic.

“Nice to meet the overgrown, emo baby bunny,” are the words that follow your already embarrassing introduction and you grimace upon hearing yourself, wishing to swallow your stupid words back. Your mouth just lives to sabotage you whenever you’re nervous.

The awkwardness starts to saturate the air, uncomfortable in the way it clings onto the two of you, minus Hoseok who’s drinking everything in with confusion. Jungkook’s eyes rest on your embarrassed features, blinking owlishly and this is when you know that you need to leave, stat. Embarrassed, you bite your lower lip and mutter, “I have to go… help Coach. Bye!”

Spinning on your heels skittishly, you jog past hoarse hollers of nice serve and chance ball to join Coach Kim at the sidelines and you swear you’ve never speed-walked this fast in your entire life before. It literally takes every ounce of you not to freak out even when you can still feel holes being bored on your back. Not even an hour into practice and you’ve embarrassed yourself already? So much for beating your personal record.

“Well, that was painfully awkward,” the captain taunts with a smile full of mirth.

“Urgh h-hyung, stop it!”

Besides the brainwork of remembering the players’ names and positions, your agenda of tasks also includes physical labour, much to your dismay, of refilling water bottles, picking up stray balls from all corners of the court and being in charge of the dreaded grimy storeroom aka your new hiding place away from the sausage fest outside.

You don’t really get to watch today’s full six-on-six match, too busy scrambling all over the court to gather the stray balls and when you’re finally done, the boys have taken a five and are sprawled all over the floor, grumbling loudly in fatigue.

Joining Coach Kim on the bench, your eyes sweep quickly across the court and you see Jungkook lying on the ground with his eyes closed, chest heaving up and down rhythmically in tandem with his breathing, like an empty boat blobbing on gentle early-morning waves. What catches your attention is how apparent his jersey sticks to his abdomen, slightly exposing his torso and warmth violently flares in the full of your cheeks, tipping your ears pink. You can’t unsee it, but you desperately want to. Beside him, Hoseok has his shirt rolled up to his chest, baring his well-sculpted front, but you don’t feel a thing. 

As if on cue, a raven black mop of dishevelled locks rises up from the ground, swiftly meeting your eyes in the process. He freezes like a rabbit caught in a snare, eyes wide and shoulders rigid. But it’s not like you’re any better. You stare back at Jungkook blankly, trying your best not to panic because he just caught you staring at him like a creep and it’s only your first day.

Uh oh.

A disconcerting feeling starts to stir in the pit of your stomach, so you quickly pry your eyes away because you’re that good at pretending that you didn’t see shit.

From your periphery, you realise that he’s still looking straight at you and you shudder at the weight of his piercing gaze, feeling hot all of a sudden.

Eventually, you decide to muster up some courage and turn back to him. You see that his eyes are still dead set on you and this throws you off kilter. Forming a thin line on his lips, he suddenly throws himself back onto the ground with a thud, causing his teammates to rise up instantly and wonder what the heck is wrong with their setter.

The way Jungkook stares at you remains etched in your mind even after practice. If this is what you’re going to face three times a week from today onwards, you’re going to need all the luck you can have and probably also some calming tea for your unsettling nerves.  

You arrive at the sports hall punctually the next practice, a tad excited, albeit the nerves in your stomach. Instead of reporting straight to Coach Kim, you decide to greet the few players who are already warming up, but almost retract your footsteps when you see Jungkook part of the warm-up circle.

He’s already staring at you with that same gaze of his, but the boys don’t sense your hesitance and beckon you to join them. It’s a little too late to back away, so you saunter over with a bubbly façade, ignoring the fact that Jungkook is still relentlessly boring holes onto your face.

“Hey!” Taehyung chirps and scoots over to make space for you. “Sit here, Y/N!”

“Hi Y/N!”

“Did you come from class?” Hoseok pipes, spinning a volleyball with his finger.

“Yeah, it ended 10 minutes ago.”

“H-Hi.”

You hear a soft murmur beside you and turn your head, only to meet Jungkook and his brown doe eyes. Seated only inches away from you, his breath fans out across your cheek and warmth scatters over your skin in the rise of gooseflesh at the proximity. He doesn’t break eye contact with you for few seconds, as if you two are the only ones in the court, before he blinks away and continues stretching like he didn’t just stutter.

“Hey, Jungkook,” you mutter in a slight daze of confusion, wincing when your words come off as a gasp, so you quickly turn back to somewhere safe – to the sight of Hoseok doing push-ups with the derpiest face ever. If Jungkook has heard your silly gasp, he’s sure being really nice for not laughing about it or bringing it up.

Once Coach Kim finally enters the court, you run up to him in relief because you’re dying to break away from Jungkook’s gaze, and Hoseok invites you to join their discussion about the strategies for their practice match. Foreign terms like “quicks”, “back-row attacks” and “jump float serves” are being strewn around vivaciously, but you dutifully scribble whatever you could decipher on your clipboard, though the technicalities are starting to get pretty overwhelming.

Mid-way into the discussion, a particular chuckle floats over to your direction and you can’t help but draw your gaze to the middle of the court. You see Jungkook goofing around with his teammates, spinning a volleyball deftly with his hands, and the edges of your lips curl up at the sight of him having fun. It’s strange how he’s so uptight whenever he’s around with you, all rigid limbs and awkward glances.

Practice starts promptly after the discussion and things start to change half an hour into practice, contrary to their chill warm-up session. Taking their respective positions, nobody’s cracking jokes or slacking off, all committed to ensuring that the ball stays afloat and honing their skills.

The shift in Jungkook’s demeanour is especially evident to you. From the shy and awkward boy he is around you, he’s now focused and charismatic. His gaze doesn’t break away from the ball, always on the lookout and poised to set.

The boys practice for another two hours, constantly refining their moves and providing feedback to one another. Besides listening to Coach Kim’s never-ending commentary and laments about the boys, you also move around the perimeter to observe each player and take notes on your clipboard.

You somehow find yourself standing near the net, where Jungkook is positioned in his fully immersed glory. Hoseok calling him the backbone of the team comes to mind. After researching more about the different positions, you’re aware that the setter controls the flow of the game and orchestrates the attacks, but what intrigues you more is knowing that Jungkook is one of the best setters in the zone. You wonder if he’s really that amazing as what they make him to be, so you decide to take a break from your clipboard and pay full attention to the boy in front of you.

The ball arches over the net from the opposing team and Jimin springs into action, diving on the ground without hesitation. He grunts loudly when he manages to save it, pumping it back up in the air. A rolling receive, you recognise. From behind, one of his teammates screams an exasperated “nice save”.

The ball glides over to where Jungkook’s at and he extends his arms, as if inviting it to rest in his cupped hands. You can’t help but be mesmerised by his figure that’s positioned at a breath’s gap from the net, his back arching into a parabolic shape and thigh muscles rippling as he uses just one hand to slightly push the ball over the net with great aplomb. His effortless move sends the ball diving straight onto the ground, untouched by his stunned teammates from the other side.  

“A dump!” Taehyung hollers excitedly, “Holy fuck!”

“What the fuck, Kook!” Namjoon from the opposing team shouts in frustration, but seems to be equally impressed by Jungkook’s sly move. “You’re a devil.”

Jungkook lets out a satisfied chuckle at their dumfounded reactions and the edges of your lips quirk up involuntarily. His sun-kissed skin shimmers with a thin sheen of sweat on his neck, while his dark eyes sparkle with intensity. He looks almost idyllic being on the court, phenomenal even – it’s like he belongs there, like he was born to play and shine on the court.

There’s something about his contented smile that’s enamouring – there’s something warm, soft and child-like beneath it. Something very much like a young boy playing hide-and-seek, hidden deep within him and hoping to be discovered and resurrected.

His smile is a nice sight.  

The match resumes and you continue to observe how the setter receives the ball and tosses it to his teammates with impeccable control and precision. The way his fingers cup the volleyball doesn’t go past your notice and you gulp when your eyes land on his veiny arms.

A warm tingling feeling courses to your own fingertips. You wonder how holding his hand would feel like and similar thoughts continue to invade your mind throughout the entire practice.

The following practices fly by in a blur.

You’re on the bench with Coach Kim, your clipboard in hand. You’ve soon found joy in analysing the skills of each player and coming up with strategies, and this is evident from your clipboard that’s now filled up with your messy handwriting. The exciting game of volleyball is really starting to grow on you, though what’s more captivating is watching the setter shine on the court.

Jungkook is a silent and calculating setter who pinpoints his tosses with an eerie tactical accuracy. He’s especially meticulous in estimating the average height of each spiker’s jumps and he knows how to change the speed and altitude of his tosses to complement each teammate, leaving no room for mistakes.

While you’re realising all these by yourself, the guys are still fighting it out on the court, engrossed in the last set of the practice match and Jungkook’s team is in the lead. It’s against his own teammates, but the setter’s competitive burn doesn’t seem to know when to stop, boundless when it comes to the things he’s passionate about. This isn’t exclusive to just him though – his teammates seem to have picked up his vigour too, all firing with extra vitality. It isn’t surprising as all of their efforts are dedicated to winning the championships this season.  

Seeing how the game is never coming to an end because they’ve been at match point for the last five minutes and neither team is letting their guard down, you excuse yourself from the game to refill their water bottles. Seokjin decides to join you when he watches you leave. Jimin has stepped in for the last few minutes of the set and you thank him for his help because carrying 14 water bottles is not an easy task.

From the corner of his eye, Jungkook sees you returning to the court with their water bottles hugged to your chest and he wishes he could run over to help you. But when Seokjin appears behind you, sharing a laugh with you, an unfamiliar feeling pools in his stomach – something about the sight of you laughing with his teammate puts him off. He doesn’t like it, but he softens at how brightly and effortlessly your face lights up. Seokjin’s probably telling you one of his overused dad jokes.

Sharp curses and flustered yells of Jungkook’s name fly through the air, but there’s barely enough time for him to process what is going on. He registers the blur of yellow and blue spinning in a few centimeters away from his face and before he knows it, he’s crashing on the cold hard ground from the impact.

A yelp escapes from the back of his throat. He feels like his nose just did a full-on pancake save on the ground. The middle of his face is throbbing in pain and his vision starts to blur from the tears at the edges of his eyes.  

“Jungkook, what the heck were you doing!” Coach Kim bellows and jogs over to check up on him, his creased forehead is evidence that he’s in disbelief that the golden setter is actually capable of being distracted during a match.

The blazing blur of blue and yellow is soon replaced with shadowy looming figures and gasps of horror.

“Gosh, your nose is as red as Angry Bird,” Taehyung pipes in and chortles with his phone in hand. “What the fuck, I need to capture this. This is blackmail material.”

“Dude! What was that about?” Hoseok kneels down, a tad amused by the situation. “You’re normally not like this, who were you looking at?”

“Guys, guys! Give him some space…”

A lulling voice emerges amidst the insults mercilessly thrown at his injured self and Jungkook relaxes a little.

Easing your way to the front, you squat beside him, wincing at the sight of the bloody gash. A single line of blood trickles down his jaw and then to his neck, causing a red seam on his jersey.

“Okay, kids! Thank god that we have a manager now. Y/N will take care of Jungkook and his bloody face, so get back to practice!”

You offer him a little smile as he stares at you wide-eyed silently.

“Jungkook? You’re okay. You’re fine, it doesn’t look that bad,” you coo reassuringly, hoping to lessen the pain that’s evident from his contorted expression.

Pressing the back of his hand to his nose to wipe away the blood, Jungkook flushes pink, as if his face isn’t red enough already. Besides the stinging pain on his face, he feels his heart beating a merciless staccato rhythm. He already has trouble breathing from the blood in his nostrils, but all air rushes out of him when you inch even closer to assess the damage and he shuts his eyes in panic.

“I’ll take you to the nurse after you’re all cleaned up.”

Jungkook grunts in response. With careful fingers, you cradle the back of his head and push away his sweaty bangs with your other hand, before gently wiping the area around his nose. Slowly reopening his eyes, he gazes at you quietly and you avoid eye contact with him at all costs, but you shiver involuntarily when the warmth of his breath graces your arm.

At this close of a distance, you can count the long eyelashes that frame Jungkook’s large orbs, the crooked bunny teeth that appear when he winces, the little mole under his lips and the faint scar on his right cheek that mars his otherwise unblemished and fair skin. His hair also feels soft as it tickles the back of your hand and you’re so tempted to thread your fingers through them. You have to physically shake your head to rid yourself of these thoughts.

“Okay… Slowly…” You slip out of Jungkook’s hold as he settles on the edge of an empty bed in the school clinic and the nurse approaches you two without a word, as though injuries like these are an everyday occurrence.  

“Does it still hurt?”

“Not as bad as before,” he mumbles bashfully, peeking at you through his lashes and you instantly want to melt into a puddle on the floor, especially since there’s less blood, people and space. It’s just the two of you now.

Noticing that you’re standing awkwardly by the door, he pats the space beside him and you move over, actually tired from the whole ordeal.

You two make some small talk while waiting for the nurse to return. You learn that Jungkook is in his second year too, a Computer Science major, and you tell him that you’ve never seen him in school before though the Social Sciences faculty is right beside his.

“I think I’m kind of low-key?” He states and you raise an eyebrow. He is definitely not low-key. There are probably girls gushing over him at this very instance.

“I’m always in class or at practice. Okay, I spend 30 percent of my life in class, 60 percent at practice and the last 10 percent in my room,” he explains animatedly, flinging his hands to gesture how he divides his time.

You try not to sputter into a fit of laughter, but laughter pokes its way across glassy eyes and pink cheeks when Jungkook scrunches his nose at his words.

“But I think I’ve seen you in school before? Your faculty always has fundraiser activities going on. And you performed for a talent show before, didn’t you? My friend dragged me to your faculty’s talent show. You sang an Adele song right?”

“Oh,” you squeak, a little too high to your liking, red finding its way up your cheeks. You’re nonplussed and a little touched that he remembers you from the other talented and pretty female contestants because they’re so many girls around him and you’re just… well, you’re just you.

“Oh my god, I probably sounded terrible,” you grimace, hand flying up to cover your face in embarrassment.

“No, you didn’t! I remembered your performance because it was that good.”

“R-Really?

He hums in response. 

“Okay… thank you, I guess?” You look down at your fingers awkwardly. “That’s really nice of you.”

A chuckle escapes his lips. “No – thank you. Coach would have just left me bleeding on the ground if it wasn’t for you.”

A small smile tugs at your lips and the edges of his lips start to curl up to a semblance of a smile as well. Before you know it, he has his hand up, gingerly ruffling your hair and your entire body instantly stiffens, as if zapped by electricity. Muted colours of soft pastels swirl in your head. You think that his touch on your head might actually burn more than his squashed nose.

“No problem, Jungkook.”

It’s been a month since you joined the volleyball team as their student manager and now your existence alternated between school, your dorm and the sports hall, but you’re actually enjoying every bit of it.

It’s a Tuesday, which means there’s no volleyball practice, but you’re heading to the sports hall to clean up the storeroom and do some administrative stuff for their upcoming friendlies.  

“Y/N!”

Looking up at the direction of the familiar voice, your eyes land on Jungkook who’s smiling at you and you stop in your tracks. You drink in the sight of him in a white T-shirt, ripped light blue jeans and a denim jacket. It’s nothing over the top, but he looks stunning regardless and you have to curb the lingering wisps of excitement brewing in your stomach.

This is probably the first time seeing Jungkook in school. Ever since his bloody nose incident, the two of you have started to become less uptight with each other and are now friends, if you choose to omit the awkward stares, flustered cheeks and sweaty palms. Just friends, nothing more or less.

You wave to him, trying your best to hide your surprised expression. He has never approached you directly during practice, let alone in the hallway. 

“Where are you headed to?” He breaks the distance between you and him in less than five strides.  

“I’m just going to clean up the storeroom. You?”

“Clas—oh actually, I was about to practice my tosses too.”

“Don’t you have class?”

“Um, no I don’t?”

“But you were just walking in the other direction, away from the sports hall.” You raise an eyebrow and tilt your head.  

This stops him cold. He can’t place your expression exactly – it’s a cross between amusement and confusion and this makes him even more torn between wanting to continue lying so he can go to the sports hall with you and dropping the act and running away to save himself from further embarrassment. He chooses neither.

“Okay fine, you caught me. Can we… let’s just go to the sports hall together?”

How and why is a mystery, but you find yourself nodding your head in acquiescence.    

Walking beside Jungkook is anxiety-inducing, as if you aren’t nervous enough around the said boy on a regular basis. As you pass through the hallway of blur figures, you pick up a whiff of Jungkook’s scent – it’s a comforting, clean fresh laundry scent that rests pleasantly on your nose. The soft material of his denim jacket is ticklish as it brushes against your arm, sending your heart ricocheting even more furiously in your ribcage.

There’s always been something about Jungkook that makes you feel… alive, you realise.  

It’s the little awakening tingles that shoot up your spine every time his skin comes into contact with yours, be it casually and intentionally and the momentary halting of your heartbeat and the fluster that attacks you without a warning whenever he gazes at you. It’s the little crinkle at the edges of his eyes when he’s smiling and his mellifluous laughs – both soft and loud ones – when he’s cackling up with the guys that never fail to render you breathless.

You hate how you always magically transform into an incoherent fool every time you come in contact with him. But no matter how times he has caused your heart to stop for the briefest of moments, you don’t regret the lovely loss because you’ll gladly succumb to any pain, fuzzy feeling or ramification that Jungkook brings – just because, as strange as it sounds, you like it.

You don’t realise that you’ve held your breath the entire walk to the sports hall until you reach the storeroom and that was only possible after persuading the insistent Jungkook that you don’t need his help with clearing the cabinets.

When you’re done after spending an hour in the stuffy storeroom, you find Jungkook spiking the balls against the wall in his sports attire. You swallow hard when your eyes trail down to his accentuated butt that looks too good for his own good and his thighs that flex dangerously when he moves. Your cheeks sear with embarrassment that’s hot enough to burn away your lewd thoughts.

For someone who’s painfully shy and cannot toss a ball for pity’s sake, you cannot fathom where you get the sudden surge of courage, but your mouth decides to take matters into its own hands and blurt out something along the lines of “Hey, want me to toss the ball to you?”.

You hate how your voice rises in the end, turning into an awkward squeak, but he seems to find it adorable if his dazed look is anything to go by.

Eagerly taking you up on your offer, the two of you soon fall into a comfortable pattern – you’d toss the ball to Jungkook for him to practice his tosses and spikes and this continues till the volleyball crate is emptied out. Sometimes you don’t toss high enough and he’ll laugh at your fail attempts, but he’s always patient with you and even teaches you the proper way of tossing the way with the correct push. Heck, you didn’t even know that there was a correct way of tossing a freaking ball.

After what seems like 10 hours, you sit down to catch your breath, slightly embarrassed by your lack of stamina because Jungkook looks like he can go on for another 10, looking as impeccable as ever. When he runs a hand through his hair with that lopsided smile of his, it leaves you even more short of breath. It’s as though he’s doing this on purpose.

His fitted shirt is drenched with sweat, cruelly sticking to his abs and you gulp when your eyes trail down to his thighs. The fabric of his shorts hugs his lower half like a second skin, revealing the harsh lines and sculpted muscles of his thighs. And you really need to curb your obsession for his thighs, because it’s getting way out of hand and you’ll skin yourself alive if he ever finds out about it.

“Hey, you tired?” Jungkook trudges over to sit beside the stoned you, playing with the ball in his hands.

“Oh no no, I’m okay,” you lie blatantly and begin to stand up, but he stops you.

“It’s okay, I’m pretty beat too. Want to grab some food? I’m actually really hungry.”

He looks at you with a painfully familiar glint swimming in his corneas and your breathing stutters violently at the sight.

Listen, you don’t know if you can survive being this close to him, but you decide to fuck it when Hoseok’s words echo in your mind: you need to get out of your comfort zone more often – go and fuck things up.

Deciding to heed his stupid advice, you shoot Jungkook a smile, “Thought you’d never ask.”

Somehow or other, you two end up eating at a convenience store near campus because ramen after practice is always a good decision.

“So, um, how’s school?” Jungkook starts off, picking up his noodles with regalement, but deadpans upon realising how lame he sounds.

“How’s school?” You repeat with a bemused tone, chuckling at his dry attempt at making small talk.

“I mean like… tell me about yourself? Like how’s school been like for you… Urgh, this is so embarrassing.”

He groans loudly and buries his head in his palms and then peeks at your face through the spaces in between his fingers. His heart swells like never before at your smile and the tinges of amusement dancing in your orbs.

A highly ranked and skilled setter he might be, but Jungkook knows no shit when it comes to his strange, burgeoning feelings for you. He wishes that feelings could be more like volleyball – systematic, clear-cut, and guaranteed a clear, satisfying view if you try hard enough. Human emotions bring along this ambiguity that he’s scared of approaching. He isn’t sure if he is capable of understanding it, but there’s always a first time for everything.

You laugh dryly, “I’m always clueless when I’m supposed to talk about myself. I guess I’m just a normal person with normal dreams and normal hobbies?”

He chuckles boyishly and your breath hitches, nervous as heck from the way he’s looking at you so attentively with a soft smile.

You continue, “Okay, I don’t really have a hobby and I spend a lot of time by myself in my room. I know I’m lame.”

“No, it doesn’t! If it makes you feel better, I feel normal too. With normal dreams and hobbies.”

A corner of your mouth curls up in retaliation. “Being the golden setter of SNU’s volleyball team and probably the best in this entire zone isn’t quite my definition of normal. Now I feel even more boring.”

“No! Urgh… You’re not boring. If you were, I wouldn’t be here listening to you – I swear. And I have a limited patience for boring people… like Coach. God, he is the most boring person in the world.”

“You’re just being nice to me.”

Jungkook shakes his head fervently and your heart gnaws at how disconcerted he is –he’s trying so hard to make you feel better about yourself that it’s endearing.

“Being normal is great, but there’s nothing normal about normal I feel? And you… you’re a special kind of normal. You’re nice, smart, funny, sometimes pretty awkward but still not as awkward as me, so you’re not that bad.”

You chuckle sheepishly, but your smile fades away when he shoots you a longing look before muttering under his breath, “And you make me feel normal.”

His brown eyes glimmer in the hazy streetlights, highlighting the caramel flecks in them. Your eyes dart between his soft expression and his fingers that are drumming against the table.

“Me?” You squeak, startled by Jungkook’s sudden confession. Your mouth drops agape, but it’s quickly overridden by a shy smile when you observe how the little blush on his cheeks has receded to make camp on his ears, the glint in his eyes brighter.  

“Yeah. When I’m with you, I feel normal. Not a volleyball player or the golden setter. Just me, Jeon Jungkook.”

Heat sits high on your cheeks as his words linger in your ears. The world seems to hang suspended, out of space and out of time. You try to find your voice but your tongue is suddenly terribly numb, so the two of you continue to sit in silence, staring at one another and enjoying the swim of your heads.

That night, Jungkook walks you back to your dorm and you give him a hug before saying your dreadful goodbye – a lilting whisper of good night Kook.

Hugging isn’t uncommon with the team because they’re strangely big on hugs and being their manager means that you’re their personal teddy bear that they can crush after a long tiring practice. But you don’t miss how you hug Jungkook a little tighter and longer compared to the casual ones you share with the others, relishing the warmth of the sweet honey gold that pulses through his veins. To your surprise, he wraps his arms around you as well and the two of you stay in that position for awhile in the quiet of the night. The way his broad chest heaves up and down alongside his slow, steady humming heartbeat serves nothing but as a solace to you.

You feel safe in his arms.

There is truth that you think Jungkook is cute, that you couldn’t deny, alongside the emotionally-constipated but quiet and sincere ways he cares for the people around him. He’s sincere, doesn’t sugar-coat his words and can also be quite the jokester. He doesn’t flirt excessively and make you feel uncomfortable nor does he do anything particularly extravagant to get your heart racing, but your heart still runs a fucking marathon nonetheless.

That night, you only manage to fall asleep after spending hours trying to counter your own thoughts and coax the erratic slamming of your heart against your chest. He’s a child of the cosmos. You wonder if he sings lullabies and waltzes with the stars in his slumber.

You wonder if the stars look at him in defeat, envious of the way he outshines them all. The effulgence he possesses beats the brilliance of all the other stars.

In between shy glances and awkward banter sessions, Jeon Jungkook has slowly become both the quiet and pandemonium of your heart.  

That night, Jungkook’s phone blows up with messages from his teammates and he’s this close to throwing his phone on the wall and strangling them with his bare heads, seniority and all be damned.

[minie hyung] [22:49] jungkookie is getting it [22:49] with y/n our lovely manager!!! 2 qt pies   [22:49] [Image]

[best captain in the world] [22:49] damn kid [22:49] it’s only been 2 weeks   [22:50] and i didn’t ask y/n to join the team so that you could hit on her??

[jungkook] [22:50] guys wtf I’m not hitting on her!!! [22:50] we’re just friends [22:50] and wtf jimin hyung where were you??? when did you take that pic?

[minie hyung] [22:51] when you 2 were busy staring at each other!! [22:51] i was just walking back home and passed by the store bcs I WAS HUNGRY [22:51] but you were too engrossed in looking at each other and being lovey dovey to notice me but what’s new

[yeontan’s dad] [22:51] y/n’s hella cute tho

[grumpa hyung] [22:52] yeah, really pretty and smart too

[jungkook] [22:52] lmaO say wAT [22:54] she’s mine, just saying [22:55] back the fuck off

[joonie hyung] [22:55] “we’re just friends” he said

[handsome hyung] [22:56] aww our kookie has a crush !! who knew that you were capable of feelings

[jungkook] [22:57] well someone has to take ONE for the team

[best captain in the world] [22:57] wrong interpretation of the phrase kid. [22:58] you just insulted y/n, i’m telling on you

[jungkook] [22:58] NO HYUNG PLEASE DON’T [22:58] I’M SORRY ☹ Y/N PLEASE ☹☹☹ [23:01] hyung????

“So… you and Jungkook, huh?”

Hoseok plumps his ass down dramatically onto the seat beside yours and you, for the nth time, regret choosing that seat on the fifth row on the first day of your English Lit class. Who the hell would have known that you’d sit beside the pesky and loud-as-fuck volleyball captain and end up being extremely good buddies?

“Me and Jungkook?” You tilt your head, though you already have an inkling of what he’s going to bring up. You just wish that he wouldn’t tease you too much about it.

“Yeah, you two have been awfully and shadily close nowadays. You know you’re all that he talks about, right?”

Your heart drops to the pit of your stomach at his last sentence. You had no idea at all.

Hoseok catches the flush that runs all the way down to your neck and simpers at your speechless self who’s currently mindlessly picking at your food and avoiding all eye contact.

“And the sexual tension between you two is real. Don’t think the team hasn’t realised. It’s our favourite thing to talk about now. Besides talking about our sexcapades, that is.”

“What the fuck? I totally did not want to know that.”

Shooting him an incredulous glare, you throw a fry at him. The thought of Jungkook engaging in hook-ups bothers the heck out of you and you want to vent all your frustration on your meddlesome friend. You wonder if Jungkook’s as nice to other girls as he is to you, and if there’s another hapless girl who’s in the same plight as you. The thought of it makes you sick.

“Okay, but you must have noticed how intensely Jungkook looks at you. Like he wants to eat you up. Or out.”

“Oh my god, can you not say that so loudly?”

“I speak nothing but the truth, girl.”

“Shu—”

“Speaking of the devil, look who we have here? Your lover boy!” Hoseok guffaws.

Fate is really pulling strings to get the two of you together.

You tilt your head upwards and amidst the bustling students, you spot half of the volleyball team in the middle of the cafeteria – they probably decided to grab lunch together before practice – and then your eyes land on Jungkook, who’s already looking at you with his doe eyes and boyish smile. He’s dressed in his signature look – his favourite oversized black hoodie that practically drowns his physique and grey sweatpants – and damn does he look dashing.

“Guys, over here!”

Hoseok hollers as loud as he can, much to your dismay, diverting all attention to your table and you squirm in your seat with a defeated sigh. As they make their way over, you focus on stuffing your food in your mouth, so you can hurry get the fuck out of here. But before you know it, a tray is settled beside yours and of course, it belongs to none other than Jungkook.

You scowl at your tray, knowing that the guys have obviously left that particular seat empty for Jungkook. From your periphery, he slides into the seat beside yours and your entire body tenses up. Despite having gone out for a meal with him before, you still don’t think you can handle the proximity.

He greets you with a hi and you nod back in response. He has no idea of how his mere presence fills your veins with electricity.

The boys soon fall into a conversation about their rivalry with the other schools and throwing a party before finals to relieve some stress and frustration – you honestly wonder what kind of frustration they’re talking about here.

Sitting with the volleyball players – even just half of the team – for lunch makes you wonder how the heck you agreed to becoming their manager and how you’re still with them because they’re so rowdy and embarrassing. You’d probably feel intimidated by them if you didn’t know them personally, but look at yourself now: you’re part of the team and also hopelessly crushing on their setter, who happens to be sitting right beside you.

“Oh right, Y/N! I have something to show you,” Hoseok coos from across you, wagging his eyebrows suggestively with a sparkle of mirth in his orbs. Interest rekindled, you urge him to spill and he fishes out for his phone from his pocket. At this, you notice Jungkook tense up instantly.

After scrolling through his phone for a few seconds, Hoseok beckons you to lean forward with a shit-eating grin and you have a hunch about what he’s up to.

“The other day, Kookie said some things in the group chat that you might want to see.”

“Hyung!” Jungkook flares up beside you, lurching forward across the width of the table and snatching the phone from Hoseok’s grip before you could even look at the screen properly. “Fuck hyung, you’re such a snake!”

Hoseok only shrugs casually. You have to battle Jungkook yourself if you want to pursue the matter.

“Jungkook, what’s on his phone? Why can’t you show me?”

“Um, i-it’s a secret!” He panics, holding the phone high up and out of your reach.

Clicking your tongue in annoyance, you try to grab it, but Jungkook’s hand is so fucking long that you can’t get the phone within your fingertips regardless of how high you reach out.

“Kook!” You lament, leaning forward to weasel your way to find out why he’s being so shady, but he doesn’t let up and holds the gadget even further away from your reach.

Caught in a frenzy, you don’t realise how your boobs are pressed against his left arm and your other hand is propped onto Jungkook’s thigh. How and when it happened is nebulous. It’s only when your fingers find themselves kneading his thigh that you realise the dire situation you’re in.

Dragging your eyes down to where your hand is at, you halt when you realise that it’s centimetres away from his crotch. Any careless movement and you’ll be brushing against Jungkook’s dick and this very thought sends a small jolt through your body.

Fuck.

The fact that he’s wearing those grey sweats of his doesn’t make things any better as they’re proudly flaunting the distinct outline of his bulge prodding at his sweatpants. Gulping down hard, your whole body freezes up blankly.

Seconds stretch into infinity. When Jungkook realises that you’ve stop persisting, he absentmindedly turns to you and is met with a dangerous view of your cleavage conveniently pressed up against him. But he soon grasps that this isn’t the sole reason why you’ve turned paralysed. When his eyes follow your gaze and find that your hand is milliseconds away from his bulge, he flings Hoseok’s phone onto the table.

“Oh my god, fuck I’m so sorry Jungkook.”

You withdraw your hand away instantly and pry your eyes away from his crotch, though you can’t stop thinking about his bulge. Flopping back into your seat, your limbs turn into goo. You’re definitely going to hell.

He looks up to meet your eyes, fumbling frantically over his words. He wants to bury himself alive.

“It’s ok—I, um, it’s fine, Y/N. It’s okay. Shit—”

He trails off awkwardly and you almost choke at the congealing tension in the air. You swear you could slice it with a knife and then use the same knife to cut Hoseok apart because your friend sure is a devil.

“Gross. Can you guys stop flirting with each other in front of us?” Jimin pipes and you dart your eyes to across the table and see that everyone has their eyes fastened upon the two of you with amused expressions. You close your eyes and wince – maybe if you close your eyes long enough, you’ll disappear into thin air.

Jungkook clears his throat awkwardly and stares hard at his food. He takes a little peek at his crotch and dies a little more inside upon realising that he’s popped a boner in the fucking cafeteria just from your touch. Fingers tugging down the hem of his hoodie, he hopes that you wouldn’t look down and notice it.

The next few minutes of lunch pass by agonisingly with you fuming silently in your chair, looking more like an aggravated hamster than anything with your flustered face and crease on your forehead.

Every time Hoseok reaches over to pet your head, he’s attacked by an icy glare and a hard kick to his shin from the boy sitting two seats opposite him. But he also notices how Jungkook melts at the roses flaring across your cheeks. He’s so whipped. Their golden setter is so fucking whipped and he has no clue what to do about it.

It’s D-20 to the start of the season. The team needs to kick their training into high gear if they want to be ready in time for their first official match and that means absolutely no slacking and only two hundred percent during training and friendlies.

That goes the same for you too. You’ve been busy coming up with strategies for each player and organising friendlies with neighbouring schools. It’s hard to arrange friendlies due to time constraints and it took you tons of phone calls and paperwork, but you manage to secure a session with Hongik University just before the start of the season.

You’re just returning to the sports hall after walking the Hongik team to their bus when a loud bedlam from inside catches your attention. Rushing into the sports hall, you see the SNU players huddled in a circle, tension evident in the air. Arms are being recklessly thrown about and bodies are being shoved.

Squinting your eyes, you take in the breadth of the agitated shoulders and your stomach drops when your mind registers the number 9 on the jersey.

Jungkook.

A wave of panic hits you square in the chest. From where you’re standing, you watch Taehyung grab him on the shoulders to calm him down. The setter retaliates by flinging his arm, turning to your direction in the process. He is livid, cheeks flushed red with eyebrows furrowed as he proceeds to grab another teammate by the collar.

Number 1.

Hoseok.

This sends your stomach flying into a sequence of contortions.

You’ve never seen Jungkook this furious before, normally so composed with his feelings. This very sight gets your blood rushing frenziedly, especially how he’s this close to socking Hoseok in the face – Hoseok, his captain whom he respects so much.

Ignoring the fear that catches in your throat and freezes the breath in your lungs, your legs take you across the court as fast as they can.

Jungkook freezes and drops his fists instantly when he spots you approaching. The nervous flickering of your eyes doesn’t escape his notice and under your worried gaze, he feels the world crumble at his feet. He feels like he’s the shittiest person in the entire world.

You reach out for him with unsteady fingers, but he recoils at the slightest touch of your fingertips, distress and chagrin all over his face. A series of frustrated grunts and curses escapes his lips before he stomps off the court with heavy footsteps, ignoring the concerned looks of his teammates as he barrels out of the door and slams it shut.

You stare blankly at the door, bombarded with a tumult of conflicted emotions. You contemplate running after him, but you understand that Jungkook probably wants some alone time to cool down. So you choose not to, staying behind to check on Hoseok while the others fill you in about the argument.

“I kept missing Jungkook’s tosses and he got mad at himself for not tossing high enough for me, but it’s not even his fault,” Taehyung explains apprehensively. “He was in a bad mood throughout the match, so we lost. After that, Hoseok-hyung went to talk to him and Jungkook started lashing it out on him.”

His lips quiver at the thought of him causing the argument, so you put your hand on his shoulder and offer him a small smile.

“Y/N, check on him for me, please?” Hoseok walks towards you and pats your back softly. You could only nod, because knowing the setter, he’s probably beating himself up right now.

Torn ligaments, twisted joints and sore shoulders: they all heal with time, but disappointing the team is a heavy weight to carry, especially for setters.

It’s the setter’s role to bring out the best of their teammates, to know each of their strengths and weaknesses and adapt accordingly to each player’s skills. And it’s also the setter’s fault if his teammates keep missing his tosses. It’s his fault for their loss today.

Jungkook’s limbs feel so heavy that it’s as though he’s carrying the weight of the world. No one is blaming him. Not to his face, at least. But he knows that he has led them down and his self-deprecating thoughts are so loud that he can literally drown in them. He might look like a dense guy, but there’s a tenacious hurricane living in his mind.

Hunched over on a bench, he grits his teeth and locks his fists, nails digging the skin of his palms, while hot tears threaten to spill. Maybe if he practices harder, maybe if he doesn’t fuck up that often, maybe if he disappears, the team will be better—

“Hey Kook.”

He snaps out of his trance when his ears perk up at the familiar voice. Blinking his tears away, he sees you with the same concerned gaze and feels a sharp tug at his heartstrings at the very sight of your worried expression.

You lower yourself to meet him and press a cool water bottle to his forehead. The sudden coldness makes him look up and the tugs soon multiply rapidly when you smile softly at him, moving to sit beside him.

You don’t talk for a good three minutes, letting the silence weave itself comfortably into the spaces between you two. You don’t really know what to say and you don’t want to force him to talk either.

“You’re always saving my ass.”

Jungkook shatters the unnerving silence with a sigh.

Your lips curl up at his attempt of lightening up the mood. “Maybe that’s because I’m your manager?”

All hardness of his features soon disappear and he looks like a scared bunny. Honestly, you just want to give him a tight hug until you take away all his sorrows.

“I mean, beyond being our manager… You always seem to be around whenever I mess up. You’re like my personal cheerleader,” Jungkook laughs.

His laughter is a sweet symphony to your ears, prompting a small bubble of laughter to escape your lungs too. “Out of all things, I especially don’t want to be your personal cheerleader.”

Your relationship with Jungkook has developed by leaps and bounds over the past few months. From being awkward strangers who could barely hold eye contact for more than two seconds, to a cordial manager-player relationship, and to the good friends (minus the bashful smiles, burning cheeks and occasional NSFW thoughts) who look out for each other that you are today. It’s amazing how much you two have opened up to each other.

“Y/N, do you think I’m self-centred?” He asks suddenly. “I’m sorry that you had to see me like… this. I wished I had a better control of my emotions, but sometimes it’s just really hard, you know…”

His words clog in his throat and he swallows them meekly.

Your heart gnaws at the way he views himself.

“Hey, don’t say that. You’re not self-centred, Kook. In fact, you’re one of the most selfless people I know. And I know it’s hard – it’s normal to feel frustrated. Everyone’s feeling the pressure, but your feelings are valid even on bad days.”

“So… you’re not going to scold me for picking a fight with my teammates? With Hoseok-hyung?”

“You think I came here to do that?”

“Yeah,” Jungkook mumbles and looks away glumly.

“Don’t be silly,” you nudge him softly, urging him to turn towards you. “I came here because I know that you feel responsible for losing today. You’re angry at yourself for Taehyung’s slip-up.”

“Y-You know? How?”  

“Hmm, I notice a lot of things about you, Kook. You just don’t realise it.”

An acknowledgment between a whine and a ‘hmm’ escapes from the setter’s lips, so quizzical and innocent that he sounds like a bunny.

“It’s just… I’m the setter and I’m supposed to be the core of the team so if we don’t do well, it’s on me. It’s my fault… I just don’t want to disappoint them.”

The remainder of Jungkook’s sentence dies on the tip of his tongue as he shuts his eyes, remembering the commotion he caused.

“But it’s not your fault, you know that right?”

“I—”

“Do you know how much the team looks up to you? You’re indispensable. The guys depend on your skills, your experiences and trust in them. Yes, the team could have done this and that – a lot of things could have been improved – but we shouldn’t be focusing on the could haves. This is why we practice and practice. You’ll do better next time, I’m sure.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because,” you turn to him, settling your hand on top of his. “You are Jeon Jungkook and all of your teammates have faith in you. Myself included.”

“You?” Stupefied, his voice comes out as a soft whisper.

“I’m your teammate too, right? Oh, and also your personal cheerleader. I mean, this title was kind of forced on me but I’ll take it if it makes you smile – just like how you’re smiling right now.”

Jungkook merely shakes his head with a soft smile and raises his arm to ruffle your hair, stirring up a mini tornado within you. He chuckles when you jump slightly, displaying his bunny teeth in their full glory and though you would have liked to stare a little longer, you have to stop yourself, so you avert your gaze. The pink flush threatening to dot your cheeks is lethal and you can’t afford Jungkook knowing your true feelings.  

He then squirms closer, eliminating any space in between you two, and rests his weight on you. Before you know it, he’s lowering his head on your shoulder and your heart soars at the intimacy.  

He feels warm beside you. He’s always mysteriously warm and it’s the kind of warmth that brings you nothing but comfort. You resist the urge to press closer against him and tilt your head to match his, still too stricken to move a muscle. He continues fidgeting, until his nose finds the crook of your shoulder.

“It’s nice,” Jungkook murmurs and you almost don’t catch it.  

“What’s nice?”

“That you’re here.”

Golden stardust bursts within you upon his words, doing absolutely nothing for the wildfire claiming the land of your chest, but you try to conceal the joy in your voice.

“Well, you can’t get rid of me that easily. Until I get sick of managing you idiots, but I also need extracurricular points, so I’ll still be here, whether you like it or not.”

“I like it.”

Lowering his gaze to the ground, he repeats with an earnestness that wakes up the hummingbird of your heart with a gentle pat on its head. “I like it a lot.”

You can almost imagine Jungkook serenading it with a lullaby – you know he would.

There’s no denying the sudden lightheaded feeling you get from the sweet calm of his presence. You can’t ignore how your wandering eyes are always somehow meeting his sparkly ones and how they rest on you longer than they should, rendering you breathless every single time.

While Jungkook is energetic and burning with passion, slightly insecure and childlike in his own dumb Jeon Jungkook ways like a young fire, you, on the other hand, are perceptive and calm, like a soft breath of cool air on a hot summer day that sways the knee-high grass in the meadows. And maybe this is why he adores you so much, for you are each other’s opposite and complement.  

You used to be skeptical about the idea of love and hate all sorts of uncertainties, but that was until you found a new home in the galaxy of Jungkook’s eyes.

“Shall we head back?”

He stands up, looking as determined as ever. He offers his hand to help you up and you gladly reach for it. To your surprise, Jungkook slips his fingers into yours wordlessly and any hope of catching your breath fizzles out.

The two of you walk back to the court with comets dancing across your rosy cheeks and smiles brighter than the celestials in Jungkook’s eyes.

He’s hella whipped for you – that he will willingly admit defeat. There isn’t a definite time or date when he realised that he has his little crush on you, or when that little crush has graduated into a serious, ardent adoration for you. It’s a gradual plummeting; a peaceful and clandestine descent before his heart was willingly taken hostage by you.

You’re catastrophically beautiful, completely detrimental to the feeble defences of his heart. You never fail to soothe the storms in his mind with your lulling presence. No one has ever heightened such a keen capacity of physical sensation in him and to be very honest, he is utterly petrified, but he wants to try, if it’s with you.

The world around you is spinning.

As part of their team bonding efforts and to relieve some stress before the season, the team has decided to throw a party at Hoseok and Namjoon’s frat house, which only means: a fuck ton of alcohol and unruly volleyball players with no brain or mouth filter whatsoever.

After chugging seven shots of vodka and four shots of suspicious mixtures that were handed to you, you’re more than just out of it. Everything is fuzzy and ten folds funnier, liquid confidence smouldering within your bloodstream. The amount of alcohol in your system is enough to make heat pool in your stomach and send your thoughts into a frenzy.

You’re aware that you’re badly smashed, but for fuck’s sake, you don’t understand why you can’t stop having nasty thoughts about the boy sitting in front of you.

Opposite you, Jungkook is watching his embarrassing teammates sputter into a howling bout of laughter with an amused grin. From his half-lidded eyes, he’s a little out of it, but he still looks fucking good and this causes your chest to swell.

You’ve made eye contact with him for the fifteenth time within the past two hours. Much could be said in the language of stealth. It’s as though you two enjoy this little game of the push and pull attraction of two magnets. You don’t miss the twinkle in his eyes that never fails to ignite a deep fire in your bones, washing your senses away. As you imploringly pry yourself away from his intense gaze, you turn to see Hoseok flashing you his most annoying grin ever.

“Fuck off,” you mouth, knowing exactly what your idiot of a friend is about to say, but this only urges him to tease you even more and you want to sock him in the face.

Without wiping that annoying smirk off his face, he leans forward and whispers into your ear, “You two little shitheads have been eye-fucking each other the entire time.”

“Wha—”

“He probably has a boner right now. Just look at him trying to cover it up.”

Your eyes search for Jungkook. Shifting uncomfortably with a cushion planted on top of his lap, his irises suddenly dart all over the room to avoid looking anywhere near you.

You gulp down.  

He has a boner?

The voice in your mind screams at you hysterically and you can almost hear the smile in her tone. He has a boner. A fucking boner! Fuck.

How your thoughts run from wanting to tape Hoseok’s mouth so that he’ll shut up for the first time in his life to imagining yourself taking care of Jungkook’s hard-on is beyond you. The mere thought of Jungkook’s hard dick strained against his jeans gets your mind whirling with images of you kneeling on your knees, kissing the head of his dick before taking him completely in your mouth and blowing him till he comes.

Between glowing cheeks and averted eyes, you abandon the righteous battle with your morals, knowing exactly what you want.

You want him. You want him to fuck you senseless until you forget your own name.

These thoughts send a bolt of heated pleasure straight to your core, causing wetness to pool between your thighs.

Frenziedly, your eyes trail back to the setter and you notice him fidgeting uneasily under your gaze. Fuck, you’re not freaking drunk enough for this. You reach out to grab the drink from Hoseok and down the deathly concoction that he probably made with the intention of getting downright wasted. Seconds after your brave and reckless act, you wince at the burn of your throat.

Hopes of washing your cacophonous, lustful thoughts away with the burning liquor go in vain because it’s just simply fucking impossible. This has morphed into a battle of brain and heart. Your heart definitely knows what it wants: for Jungkook to take you there and then, but your brain is screaming at you to stop being so concupiscent. But since when have you ever listened to your brain? Jungkook probably doesn’t even think of you that way. Poor boy’s probably going to be mortified when he finds out how ready you are to bend over for him.  

Shoving Hoseok away in embarrassment because you’re ashamed that that bitch has caught you red-handed, you decide to hide in one of the rooms to clear your head because the living room is an intolerable place to catch your breath and rid your filthy thoughts when everyone is raucously downing shots and screaming at one another. You may be a wreck, but this place is a breeding place for hell and havoc. So much for team bonding.

After finding your way through the maze of sloppy and rowdy drunks, you spot a bedroom down the hall – yes that’s right, Hoseok’s room. Hopefully, that will teach him a lesson for perpetually feeding off your misery.

In your drunken state, it takes you a few fumble attempts to ease the door open and when you see one of the boys sitting on the edge of the bed, you know you’re utterly fucked.

Jungkook.

With a cup of vodka in hand, looking as irresistibly riveting as ever.

A whimper finds its way lodged in your throat and you’re unsure whether to laugh or cry at the absurd situation, because ending up in the same room with the boy whom you’ve been trying to avoid the entire night because you couldn’t stop thinking about sucking his dick dry is truly ridiculous.  

His eyes widen when he finds you at the door and his lips can’t help but part to expose his teeth at your surprised and shit-faced expression.

“Y/N?” He slurs, voice raspy, and you grasp that he, just like you and everyone else in this apartment, is wasted as fuck, so you should definitely leave before you do something that you’ll regret. You’re about to turn on your heels and hide from him for the night and well, the rest of your life, but the alcohol pulsing through your veins screams at you to fuck it and go against your thoughts.

“Hey,” you mumble, closing the door behind you.

“You okay?” Even in your drunken state, you can still hear the worry burning at the edges of his usually composed voice. You nod as he pats the space beside him and you amble towards him.  

“It was too noisy. Had to take a breather in somewhere quiet,” he mumbles, raising his cup to his lips.

“Me too.”

The two of you continue to sit in silence, drinking in the moment of weird stillness and suffering from the whirlpool in your heads. At the speed that your thoughts are racing at, it’s a feat how your mind is still functioning – how it can still coherently form lewd thoughts and images of Jungkook buried in between your thighs.

You need to tame the fire that’s flaring viciously within you before you lose control and pounce on him. For what it’s worth, you notice that he has been anxiously fidgeting with his cup, downing it for the nth time in the past five minutes. You’re pretty sure that he’s drinking nothing and is probably just as nervous as you.  

Deciding that anywhere would be better than being stuck in a room with the boy whom you can’t stop lusting for, you break the silence, “Um, maybe I… should go—”

When you stand up to leave, Jungkook frantically leans forward and grabs hold of your wrist, pulling you towards him. He hasn’t meant to do it, but you somehow end up toppling over, bones liquefied by the booze.

The room starts to spin even faster, your orbs flickering back and forth. Your body is planted snug on top of his thighs, your hands and boobs pressed against his broad chest and your crotch against his bulge.

Arms firm around your waist, his body heat zaps your skin with a fiery warmth, flaring up your neck and ripening your features with an unbridled lust. For the briefest of moments, you swear you feel his dick twitch beneath you and the way he gulps down his saliva hard confirms that he bears the exact same thoughts.

“Oops, sorry,” you giggle, feeling an abrupt surge of high from the alcohol. You push against him to steady yourself, but he doesn’t let up, arms still locked around your befuddled self.

Another deafening silence descends. Even in your intoxicated state, you can still hear the thumping of your heartbeat blasting in your eardrums. You two look into each other’s eyes, unmoving. You can’t tell much from Jungkook’s eyes since they’re droopy and hazy, but he’s looking at you so intensely that it sends another zap of electricity down your spine and to your arousal. You subconsciously rub your thighs together and his lips curl up into a smirk when he realises the effect he has on you.

“Y/N,” Jungkook whispers hoarsely and he leans in till he’s dangerously close, till the delicate graze of his mouth transgresses the juncture between your jaw and ear and a familiar prickle of gooseflesh tremor moves along your neck at the sudden proximity.

“You’re so beautiful.”

A cascade of warmth starts to pour into your abdomen, the intimacy of the moment suddenly drawing upon you. You can even smell the alcohol from his breath and it’s inebriating, making you wetter than ever.

“Can I kiss you?”

He breathes into your ear and you jerk your head in bewilderment, eyes wide and ears ringing. You hesitate and wonder if he’s joking, but he shows no sign of teasing; just a look of patience and sincerity.  

“Y-Yeah,” your words come out practically as a whimper and you let your eyes fall shut as he slowly inches forward.

When he presses his lips against yours, a fizzle of electricity runs through your veins. His lips are everything that you’ve imagined – soft and warm. Intoxicating.

He parts them slightly, enough to capture yours nicely, and presses in a little firmer. The tip of his tongue shyly licks at your bottom lip, coaxing you in more, and you feel like melting in honey.

Greedy for more, you chase his tongue and he chuckles in satisfaction, tangling his tongue with yours. God, he can taste the vodka and sprite on you and as silly as it sounds, he thinks this is the best mix he has ever tasted.

You whimper against his mouth, fingers threading through his hair and tugging softly at them.

“Fuck. I want to do bad things to you,” he exhales with a little whine, hands smoothing up the expanse of your back.

Despite your drunken, flummoxed state, you manage to hear him loud and clear. A deeper surge of tabooed desire runs through your veins at the thought of Jungkook getting turned on by you. You imagine him getting off to thoughts of you, desperate for your touch. You wonder what kind of risqué fantasies he has of you and if they’re as filthy as yours.

“Like what?”

“Urgh Y/N, please don’t make me say it out loud. I’m drunk, but not drunk enough to tell you that I want to fuck you.”

“You do?” You ask, voice laced with a barely restrained frustration.

“I want to strip you bare and fuck you. Right. Now.”

“How badly?” You bat your eyelashes at him coquettishly. It’s almost impossible to curb the lingering wisps of excitement brewing low in your stomach.

“So fucking bad,” he groans, gnawing at his bottom lips anxiously. “B-But not today… I want it to be done properly.”

You sulk blatantly, tugging at his hair again.

Cupping your cheeks, he lowers his forehead to meet yours and chuckles, “It has to be somewhere perfect for you. N-Not in my captain’s dirty ass room.”

“But Kook,” you protest with a whine and press yourself against him. His entire body tenses up when your cold hands begin to roam, slipping underneath his shirt and tracing the hot flesh of his chiselled abs.

“God, you’re such a tease. Fuck you.”

The desperation in Jungkook’s voice is shameless and he’s this to close to surrendering at the hands of your intoxicated dirty self.

“Please do,” you whimper frivolously against his neck, licking at the tender exposed skin. The heat between your legs is so intense that it’s starting to ache with need.

“Y/N—”

“Fuck, I fucking love your thighs.”

It must be the alcohol talking, but fuck it. You’re going to follow your heart’s desire.  

“W-What?”

He stiffens underneath when your nimble fingers graze along the inside of this thighs.

“Do you know how distracting your thighs are when you wear those volleyball shorts?”

“You were staring at my thighs?” The teasing lilt caressing the edges of his voice doesn’t escape your ears.

“Your thighs are fucking thick. It’s too tempting to look away.”

The winning moment of liquid courage takes over your brain completely and you can’t help but moan unabashedly when Jungkook’s fingers slip under your dress, grazing your skin languidly.  

“I-I want to ride your thigh.”

There. You said it, embarrassment drowned in giddy anticipation and longing ages ago.

Jungkook grunts despairingly. Every single nerve-ending of his is aflame, skin tingling with ferocious desire.

You are going to the bane of his existence.

“Please?” You beg wantonly, aching to be touched.

In sly discretion, you press your thighs together, desperate for some sort of friction that will make your throbbing need easier to bear and Jungkook clicks his tongue in fake annoyance, shooting you a glare when he realises what you’re doing.

“Fuck, Y/N. You’re trying to kill me. I’ve had a hard-on ever since you arrived.”

You giggle, noticing how his normally-doe eyes darken with rampant lust and you rub your thighs even more.

“You’re so fucking pretty. So beautiful. Fuck my life.”

He rolls his lower half suggestively, allowing you to detail the thick profile of his length – underneath lies a furious red begging to be touched and sucked.

“Ride my thigh,” he instructs, eyes glassy with lust and desire, inducing another wave of lechery to consume your insides.

Without any hesitation, you adjust your position on his thigh to make yourself at home, torso melding against his and this fucking turns you on like no other. Eyes rolled back into your head, you start to grind on his thigh, shuddering blissfully at the hard ridges of muscles against your dripping core.

Pleased with your reaction, he flexes his thighs with a satisfied smirk and a shiver traverses your entire body, leaving you with a spasm of nerves. You wail his name out loud – knowing that the others outside probably can’t hear it and your whimpers increase in volume and pitch when his fingers linger around the elastic of your panties, before palming your ass cheeks to anchor you closer to him.

You moan at his touch, begging for more. The wetness in between your thighs has long ruined your underwear and Jungkook’s jeans.

“Fuck, your ass,” he grunts loudly from the back of his throat, finding purchase on your ass cheeks and kneading them with a vice-like and desperate grip.

“The guys were talking about how cute your ass is and I told them to shut the fuck up. Do you know how fucking hard I get when you bend over to pick up the volleyballs? I always have to spend hours jerking off after practice.”

You moan in response, light-headed from the mental image. Jacking off in the locker room is not anything new or a taboo among the guys. But Jungkook always spends a longer time than the others in the cubicle to curb the pulsating urges between his legs. The mere thought of you, innocently batting your long lashes at him and being so intimate with him, has always been enough to make him cum.

Wiped over by another intense surge of lust, you grow an ardent urge to touch him more. Maybe it’s the alcohol or maybe it’s the way he’s looking at you like you’re the only thing he wants to see in this world, it’s like a battle of waits between predator and prey, but you are lucidly aware of what you want.

Slipping your hand between your bodies, your fingers trail down from his toned abs to graze against the prominent outline of his clothed bulge and it grows to its full hardness almost immediately from your touch. You haven’t even seen his dick yet, but fuck, you really, really want a taste of Jungkook’s dick.

“I-I want your dick. So bad. Please, Jungkookie. Please?”

You’re so filthy that you don’t even recognise yourself. Moving your hand along his length, you stroke him through the two layers of material, but you can still feel the heat of his cock against your palm. Just as you’re about to unzip his jeans, he stops you to your disappointment.

“No, not today,” he manages to breathe out, nearly at his wit’s end. His voice is about to crack from his insatiable hunger for you, while you groan despondently in response.

Jungkook’s fingers trace along the length of your neck until they find their way into your hair and run through them as he leans down to the crook of your neck. You shiver when his breaths coast on the exposed skin of your throat before he nips gingerly on your skin, soft one moment and dirty the next, relishing how it makes you jump.

God, he can smell you at this proximity. Your favourite citrus and lavender scent. He stifles a laugh at how you can still smell so tantalisingly innocent when you’re so fucking needy for him. His dick grows even harder, turned on by the stark difference in your character and this makes it even harder for him to prevent blowing his load there and then.

He desperately wants to pin you down, strip you bare, explore your body in all of its magnificence, memorise every crevice of your body and then fuck your brains out till his name is the only thing you know. But he needs to hold himself back, not wanting it done sloppily at a party and especially not when you’re drunk, but he’s this close to joining the dark side.

White stars begin to dot the edges of his vision.

He digs his fingers into your waist to press you closer to him, thigh bouncing rhythmically so your clit brushes against a different area of his toned thigh each time. It brings a euphoric sensation to your core, the tingles spreading fast and sending you near delirious. A writhing wreck, you can only fall limp against his chest, muffling your stuttering whimpers. You wish he’d let you come apart with his fingers, but the way he’s grinding his thigh up against your clit is intoxicating enough, much more than the alcohol in your blood.

“That’s it,” he smirks, watching you grind your hips back and forth with a lustful gaze and you reach up to kiss his neck to exhibit your high.

“You like this?”

“Fucking,” you mewl wantonly, tugging at his tousled locks. The heat radiating from Jungkook’s body burns addictively and sharp intakes of air occur against your lips, leaving your throat to run dry. “Love it.”

He grins at your honesty, more spurred to make you feel good. Tonight, it’s all about you and your pleasure. Hovering over him, you let your mouth hang open and inhale each other in. His breath coasts on your cheeks when he pulls away for air, only to dive back into the pristine juncture of your throat, attacking the delicate skin, searching and starving. He doesn’t stop sucking and running his tongue across your skin till your neck is painted with lilac bruises, till he’s satisfied with his very own masterpiece.  

“J-Jungkook, please.”

With a predatory gaze, he watches how your breasts bounce with each rock of your hips and leans south to trail his tongue down your cleavage. You hook your arm around his neck, soft whimpers leaving your mouth when the pleasure overpowers you till you can’t even find your voice. Jungkook hums in satisfaction, burying his face into your chest.

Discovering the pleasant weight of your breasts and the firm peaks of your nipples against his calloused palms, he kneads them hungrily, fuelling the growing pressure that’s culminating in the pit of your stomach.

“Jesus fucking Christ, you’re so hot.”

A combination of a hoarse moan and gasp is strangled out of Jungkook’s throat from the depths of his lungs. His spine straightens as his body locks up over the sudden onslaught of pleasure. The slick noises of your folds against his thigh are almost deafening now, filthy to the core, but not as erotic as your moans. He honestly can’t believe this is happening, after his many fantasies of being this intimate with you.

“Jungkook,” you moan shamelessly when the coil inside you grows tighter and tighter, hotter and hotter. “I’m cl-close.”

“Come for me, baby.”

The smallest of smirks tugs at the corner of his mouth when he runs a finger down your clothed core, further tightening that coil in your belly. You feel so vulnerable under his command, but his dominance lights up your nerves like fireworks. You fucking love it.

Jungkook’s leg starts bouncing faster and the otherworldly sensation sends you over the edge. Your nails dig deeper into his biceps to stable yourself as your legs begin to shake, stomach knotting. You choke back a sob as you jerk your hips up, moaning an incoherent string of curse words and his name all mixed in one. The sight of your lovely face hovers over his, your swollen mouth hanging apart, eyes half-lidded in a torrent of bliss and neck messily painted in purple bruises.

Jungkook holds your hips down to help you with your high, whispering sweet praises into your ear as his hands stroke your sides. He lifts his leg ever so slightly, dragging the hard muscles against your core once again until you snap your eyes shut, your entire body briefly locked up and dispersed into a series of erratic spasms.

The idyllic blinding white fades to only a shimmer at the edges of your eyes. You slump forward, burying your face into his chest. Seconds after, he follows suit, coming untouched in his pants.

Head still buried in his chest, Jungkook wraps his arms around you to engulf you in a tight hug. He breathes heavily against his work of art on your neck and jerks up when reality hits him square in the face.

Your breath is still ragged in your lungs, forehead rested on his shoulder as he gently rubs comforting circles on your back. You’ve ridden off most of the intoxication, but you still can’t think straight. Not when Jungkook is nipping at the soft lobe of your ear, an attempt to coax you into relaxing.

“That was… wow.”

He breaks the silence with a sheepish smile as he pushes the messy strands of your hair away from your face, gingerly running his thumb over your rubescent cheeks. He leans his head down to meet your forehead, brushing the tip of his nose with yours.

“Yeah,” you breathe out softly and he can hear the gears turning frantically in your mind.

“You don’t… regret it, do you? Fuck, I’m so sorry… We’re both drunk and I shouldn—”

“No! Of course not,” you shake your head, “I-I liked it.”

“You liked it?” From the lilt that caresses the edges of his voice, he’s clearly enjoying this.

“Urgh, shut the hell up!”

Even in his post-snogging and thigh-riding state, he still looks incredible. He’s just so delicate and nice to you that it’s almost unreal – it’s like being in a dream. He looks at you like you hold the stars in the night sky with utter adoration, before pecking a soft kiss on your forehead.  

At this very moment, you realise that you’re irrevocably, hopelessly and unabashedly in love with him and there’s no turning back, not when the stars in his eyes are twinkling with nothing but love.

Jungkook and you aren’t exactly a thing. Not yet. Sure, you guys hang out exclusively and all like before, but neither of you has popped the question or sat down to delve into the daunting topic of Feelings.

The morning after, both of you wake up to tangled limbs, bad morning breaths, bashful smiles and memories of last night’s dalliance. He tells you to give him some time because honestly, he thinks he needs all the time he can have to ensure that he does this relationship thingy properly with you. The last thing he would want is to fuck things up with you. And you tell him that you’ll wait for him, because you know how hard things have been on him. Juggling between volleyball and school work is tough enough, so you don’t want to give him more pressure.

However, you realise that there have been several changes regarding the way he acts with and around you. Whether it’s because of that intimate night or stress from volleyball (or both), Jungkook has become so much touchier with you – he’s always wanting to hold your hand and keeping you by his side. Displaying of affection is also more common in front of his teammates, but it’s not like you have anything against it. He probably needs more attention and affection since the season is only days away.

After a series of friendlies, the season has finally begun and the boys have never been readier, all prepared to be crowned as champions. With your clipboard attached to your hand, you unwaveringly multitask between watching the semi-final match and taking down notes for the boys.

Their semi-final match is with Yonsei University. While you’re pale in the face standing at the sidelines, the boys are determined and embody a degree of calmness on the court, their nerves submerged by the jolts of adrenaline. They’ve got the upper hand with Yonsei and their win is guaranteed, but it’s impossible not to feel anxious.

The crowd cheers as Jungkook tosses the ball to Taehyung at a calculated height and precision and the latter spikes it down before their opponents even have time to blink. The incident from last month comes to mind. You’re glad that he has learnt to have more confidence and trust in himself and his teammates, though he dedicates this improvement to you and your calming presence.

"You're at set-point, so please focus. And don't do anything dumb," you tease, placing your hands on your hips and faking a scowl at him as he unblinkingly hovers over you. You remember how you used to be afraid by their builds, but you’ve grown slightly accustomed after awhile, though there’s one thing that you think you’ll never get used to: the way Jungkook looks at you with stars dancing in his eyes.

“I’m kidding, kiddo. You’ll do well like always, okay? I know you will. Now go there and kick some ass.”

He nods and downs the water bottle that you’ve handed to him before pouring the remaining over his head. His action doesn’t surprise you anymore as you already have a towel ready to wipe him dry.

But what takes you aback is when he grabs you by your shoulders and leans down to meet your eyes. You open your mouth, ready to lament about him touching you with his clammy hands, but retract upon seeing the change in Jungkook’s demeanour.

Despite the loud cheers from all four directions, Jungkook can hear his heart racing loudly in his ears. Just before the whistle pierces through the court to signal the end of time-out, he traces your jaw with his fingertips and whispers into your ear, his mellifluous voice softer than snow, “I have something that I need to tell you after the game.”

Tinges of affection waltzes with the stars in his pupils. He looks at you like you hold his entire world on the tips of your fingers, like he just needs you for everything to be okay.

Lacing your fingers together, warmth seeps from his palm into yours like a soft, comforting hum and you know exactly what he wants to tell you.

“Okay, I’ll be waiting here.”

With a sliver of hope, he jogs back to the court. It’s now his turn to serve. With that same palm that just held yours, he gallantly performs the best serve of his life, one that spirals off his palm to shoot through the hole between the other team’s back line, clinching a safe spot for SNU in the finals.

After five long sets, SNU wins Yonsei by a landslide and the team gets an evening off before they resume practice the next day. Jungkook seizes this chance to take you out for dinner, somewhere that isn’t at the convenience store.

The sky is already soaked in sparse hues of navy and black, and the silence of the night becomes even more endearing due to Jungkook’s mere presence by your side. He’s nervous, you can tell, even more than this morning, from the way he’s bouncing nervously on the balls of his shoes, as though he’s about to combust.

His vision zones in on how your bottom lip is caught between your teeth – a habit of yours whenever you’re unsure, so he takes you into his arms and intertwines your fingers together. You relax involuntarily when he starts rubbing circles onto your palm.

Jungkook cranes his neck up, lips grazing the shell of your ear and you shudder at his warm breath fanning against your skin, inviting the rise of gooseflesh to scatter all over your neck.

He wraps one hand around your waist and looks deeply into your orbs, as though he’s spellbound by the iridescent glint in your eyes and the roses flaring up across your cheeks under the sliver of moonlight.

And in the velvet of the summer night, he gingerly whispers, with utter adoration swelling his chest to the size of the moon. The words that you have repeatedly dreamed of him to say. The words that you’ve been wanting to tell him. The words that have been trapped hidden behind his heart for the longest time.

“I love you.”

You feel the warmth of Jungkook’s palms cradling your blushing features, while he strokes your cheeks with his thumb.

“Kook,” you breathe out softly.

“I love you, Y/N.”

He repeats in a tone three notches deeper, paired with an earnestness that gets your heart ricocheting in your ribcage.

“I knew there was something about you when you joined us on the first day… And I confirmed it after sacrificing my own nose.”

“Sacrifice? You mean it was on purpose?” A sparkle of mirth glimmers in your eyes under the hazy yellow light.

“I normally don’t get distracted, but I couldn’t help but get upset when you came back into the court laughing with Seokjin-hyung. I was still staring at you when I got hit on the face.”

“You’re so silly, but at least your boopy nose is still cute. I love your nose.”

“And my thighs, right?”

You blush fervently at the memory of that night.

“Fuck Y/N, I just confessed to you and all you do is tell me that you love my nose,” he laughs, his thumb still rubbing circles onto your cheek.

Your lips curl up into a smile. “Kiss me?”

“I will give you the entire world if you asked me to.”

His whisper is so earnest and affectionate that it makes you feel like melting.  

In a graceful sweep, he pulls you closer by the hips, finding purchase on your waist. The first touch is similar to the caress of a feather, so light that you could barely feel it. The tip of his tongue skims over the rosy flesh of your bottom lip, eliciting goosebumps that tingle along the nape of your neck. You close your eyes, feeling like you’re plummeting into a bottomless pit.

Jungkook’s lips are soft, a little chapped, as they meld to yours. He kisses you like he hasn’t kissed you before, like it’s your first time being completely vulnerable to each other, like planets condemned by gravity to collide.

Images of him moaning shamelessly beneath you as you grind on his thigh and him kneading your ass get completely fizzed out of your memory. You can only think of him kissing you, how tenderly he’s holding onto you, how sweet his lips taste onto yours and how sincere he is on stealing your breath.

You can only think of how the objection of your affection is coruscating before you as he sprinkles his personal collection of stardust onto your lips, with a love so blazingly radiant that it rivals the intensity of the sun.

You feel golden.

Like you’re lying on a bed of sunflowers, drifting alongside the movement of summer’s light towards glistening honey.

A whimper lodges itself in your throat, bubbling against Jungkook’s lips and even in the darkness behind your eyelids, you can vividly picture the crescent of his smile forming against your lips.

The tip of his tongue prods at the seam of your lips and you part your lips to let him in entirely. You reach out and caress the nape of his neck to deepen the kiss, jumping slightly in surprise when his fingers splay gingerly over your waist, tugging at the hem at your shirt languidly. Your mind has long become a labyrinth of little streets that you have difficulty navigating, sent into a turmoil by how sweet his love tastes. It’s insane how much you yearn for his burning touch.

You inch away slowly and your eyes land on his, now glistening with solar debris that sends instant palpitations to your heart. He stares at you longingly, like he can’t believe that you’re really here in front of him, cocooned up against his body and adoration swells in his chest. He feels like combusting, but he also feels like hugging you and having you all to himself till the end of time.

“You know how I feel for you, right?” You mumble, looking deep into his orbs.

Jungkook notices how your bottom lip is taut between your teeth and the hint of a blush is still glowing effervescently on your cheeks. You’re beautiful. A visual spectacle, a sight to behold. You’re so beautiful that his chest constricts, lungs taking a sparse second to remember how to fucking breathe normally again.

“Remind me?” He whispers back.

You let out a giggle at how ardently Jungkook is gazing at you and how lovely he looks right now, exhilaration gleaming like a kaleidoscope of stars in his eyes.

This time, you lean in, planting your lips on the rosy flesh on his mouth and he softens. Kissing him is akin to drinking hot chocolate on a rainy winter day, snuggling under your warm quilt after a long day and dancing in the rain. It feels like weaving through time and space.

Pulling away, he lets out another one of his boyish laughs, tugging at your heartstrings for the umpteenth time that night before dusting kisses over every inch of your blushing features, exhaling words of love against your skin. You see galaxies sprawled all over in the darkness of your closed eyelids.

“I love you Jeon Jungkook,” you breathe out, gracing the shell of his ear. “I love you so much and I swear by the stars in your eyes.”

“Are you… wearing Jungkook’s jersey from last season or are my eyes playing tricks on me?” Hoseok quips, eyebrows raised.

“Oh.”

You look down at your attire – Jungkook’s old jersey and a pair of denim jeans. “Yeah, he made me wear it and now I feel like some frat boy’s hoe.”

“I wouldn’t if I were you. Hell knows what the kid did while wearing that jersey, probably jerked off in it like a million times. Oh and he also sweats a lot – I know it’s been washed and all, but it’s literally a sweat-drenched shirt. Unless you’re into that kink…? Like Jungkook’s sweat? Hit me up, baby.”

You throw the nearest object at him – your clipboard, clocking him square in the chest, though the boy remains unperturbed.

“Listen, I’m really happy that you’re here with us. You’ve been with us for only three months, but you’ve been of such great help to the team and we all really appreciate you being here. So yeah, thank you?”

“It’s so weird that you’re being nice to me,” you chortle. “But no worries, dude. I somehow like suffering, so I like being the team’s manager.”

“Well, you have Jungkook now – take it as a thank you gift from the team, won’t you? He’s a good human sacrifice for the satanic you,” Hoseok waggles his eyebrows greasily.

“Fuck off,” you sneer back, rolling your eyes.

“Jungkook is a great guy, really, even though he’s an overgrown, emo baby bunny,” he quotes himself and you recall what happened the first time you met Jungkook. “But I’m just really happy for the both of you.”

Time really doesn’t wait for no one.

Amidst a whirlwind of tiring training sessions, worn-out limbs and bottles of protein shakes, three months have come and gone in a blink of an eye. Your first season with the volleyball team is approaching an end.

It’s finally D-day and everyone has been waiting for this since forever – their final match with Hanyang University.

The game passes in flashes of white, alongside the voices of excitement and desperation, hand signs and bruises that stacked up quicker than their attacks. They're ferociously neck and neck with Hanyang – both teams are refusing to relent, tightening up their plays and leaving fewer and fewer loopholes in their game as they vie for match point of their fifth and final set.

Your lips are probably chapped from biting on them, bearing the brunt of anxiety, as you continue to chant please, please let them win to yourself.

A risky ball returns to your side of the court and your heart stops at the difficulty of receiving it, but Jimin slides across the court in time and manages to save it, hollering loudly, “Chance ball!”

He digs it towards where Jungkook is poised, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, and everyone drops into their ready positions, all eyes on the ball and set to put an end to the intense rally.

It’s only a matter of milliseconds before the ball falls into the cupped hands of the golden setter who then pushes it back up in the air, quick and effortless, to an altitude that complements the height of Hoseok’s jump. Without even the slightest of delays, the captain is up on his feet and stretches his hand to slam the ball down ruthlessly.

His smack sends it rocketing towards the other side of the court and his opponents scramble to receive it. It brushes against their libero’s forearm, but it’s almost impossible to save it from the speed and force it’s flying at, and meets the floor with a satisfying thwack of finality. Everyone freezes all at once with hitched breathes, eyes glued to how the ball dribbles obstinately in a slow motion, before rolling away from the perimeter of the court.

The last whistle breaks the static silence to announce the finality. Everyone turns to the score chart – 28 to 26.  

There and then, the gym erupts into a positive torrent of roars and it takes a few prolonged seconds before reality hits Jungkook right in the face.

SNU won the championships.

They won the season!

Consciousness comes streaming back to the players after awhile. Yoongi is the first to scream, unexpectedly, with a loud fuck yeah and this snaps everyone out of their trance. Jimin’s reaction comes next, falling to his knees to do his signature slide, both fists pumped in the air as he snarls, “We fucking won!”

The players then tackle one another into a tight group hug, all smiling triumphantly and throwing their fists up in excitement. The sound of cheering from the crowd sends a tingle up their spines and it feels so fucking good.

Coach Kim is already on his feet, running towards them with the proudest smile you’ve ever seen on him and you’re about to follow suit, until you see Jungkook break away from the huddle and barrel towards you at a speed too fast for your comprehension.

Smiling at how his face is lit up like the stars in his eyes, you throw your arms wide open and he dives into your embrace, hot tears brimming at the edges of both your eyes. He engulfs you into the tightest hug he’s ever given anyone and you wrap your arms around his waist, heart swelling with pride.

He feels like the dew on a perfectly bloomed rose in your comforting arms as he nuzzles further into the crook of your neck, relishing the warmth of your lithe body against his.  

“Kook! You did it, oh my god!” You scream in joy, but your repeated words of congratulations get muffled by his broad chest.

He leans back to take a look, a really good look of your beaming face that screams nothing but pride and love, before scooping you up in a graceful sweep and twirling you around, simply because words cannot describe how happy he feels.

A soft, feather-light peck is then pressed on your ear and a blush makes camp on your cheeks. His warmth leaves your skin after a fleeting second, the cool air of the sports hall rushing back to stroke the flaming blush on your cheeks.

Still riding the high from their win, he then leans in to kiss the beam from your lips and the open display of affection makes your heart burst in your chest. Behind you two, the entire volleyball is wolf-whistling and applauding raucously. Jungkook scrunches his nose in embarrassment at how all his teammates and Coach are gawking at the two of you, but really, he cannot find any damns to give.  

Red-faced and bright-eyed, the champions of the season make their way out of the court with a steady, triumphant gait, their bodies pumped with a brew of adrenaline and slight exhaustion. Lagging at the back of the team is Jungkook and you in your own little bubble. His fingers are interlaced firmly with yours and he registers that his heart will forever and always be set on you.

In his eyes, you see stars. You see yourself. You see the two of you.

You see love.

For the nth time that day, Jungkook leans in to meet your lips and he knows very well that this is the sweetest victory he will ever taste in his life.  

Note | If you’re reading this, hi there love! ♡ Thank you so much for reading my first piece on this site. If you liked it, hit that like or reblog button or/and hmu with feedback or talk to me here – it’ll really make my day ♡ This was beta-ed by Ali @gukseuphoria and J @glitterjjk – thank you for being my first beta readers! There’ll be more stories coming your way, check out my WIPs for more! 💫💛✨

(A special shoutout to Ayv @piedpipers for being my first friend here and for always believing in me and hyping me up 👭🌞🌸💖)

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[visionmarred-archive]

1 and 3 for lock/carth, 7 and 8 for lunakalla/felix, 18-20 for ibaisa/quinn, 36 for amethylia/bastila? (hopefully that's not too many but I have such soft spots in my heart for your ships lol)

aww it definitely isn’t, thank you! And right back at you Dani, your ships are great ❤️

Lock/Carth:

1. How do they fall asleep? Wake up? Any daily rituals?

After Carth gets up in the ranks in the Republic military, he comes home late and usually falls asleep late, at his desk. Lock will usually just smile and quietly take him to their bed and let him get some sleep, tho occasionally accidentally wake up Carth in the process (hey, nobody’s perfect). Similarly, Carth’s working early and is usually gone before Lock wakes up, but not before leaving a message on a datapad with some corny “I love you, can’t wait to see you”.Days where Carth’s not working involving them going to bed and waking up together, and both tag-teaming making breakfast for themselves and Dustil. Very simple and domestic, but it’s really everything either of them could want.

3. Are they open about their relationship? How do they feel about public displays of affection?

They’re open about it, but not much beyond holding hands and occasional kisses in public. I imagine they’re both p reserved - unless, unless, one certain Mission Vao is being a teen pest about something. Then both of them just look at each other and instantly go right into “teenagers at the drive-in” levels of smitten with each other, purely to gross her out and make her leave the room. Lots of “schmoopy-poo” and “dearest darlingest luvvy wuv” just to make her retch. That’s about the only time they’re really the PDA type lol

Lunakalla/Felix:

7. What annoys them the most about their partner? Would they change it if they could?

Lunakalla is the arrogant type who has no problem with self-esteem, and as cool as Felix usually is I’m sure there’s been occasions where her thinking she’s the greatest thing since sliced bread in space can be a bit grating. Relating to that: she has her moments of refusing to initially talk about something Jedi-related in layman’s terms when she knows that others won’t know what she means at first, and then make a bit to-do about how “Oh of course, pardon me” and then explain it again, simply. She doesn’t do this to Felix himself, but… sometimes that doesn’t necessarily make it better.Felix can be overprotective of Luna in fights. Not in every fight, but enough that it’s grated on her nerves more than once. She gets huffy at the idea that anybody doesn’t take her or her skills seriously, and while she knows that he’s just looking out for her and has her best interests at heart, it doesn’t really change how much it genuinely irks her.Would they change it? I don’t know about outright changing it so much as mentioning it to the other and trying to talk about it. I really don’t see either forcing a change, and both of them care for the other enough to deal with it.

8. What do the like best about their partner?

Lunakalla admires Felix’s cheerfulness, his general happiness and how he’s so comfortable in life. Even though he has reasons to be unhappy with his lot, he’s still good and kind to other people, and it’s something she admires enough to try and emulate in herself.Felix likes Lunakalla’s confidence, how straight-forward and hands-on she is. While she is arrogant, she’s also always sure of herself and the choices she’s making, and never looks back. If she says she’s going to do or believe in something, she will, and I feel like he’d definitely admire that quality in her.

Ibaisa/Quinn:

18. What are their dates like? How long do/did they date? Do they ever feel the need to take a break from each other?

I have this hc that Ibby really likes ice-skating? So I feel like that’d pop up a lot on their dates. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I also see them as enjoying the traditional romantic stuff, but esp dinner dates bc Ibby’s a Sith so she gets like. Priority treatment at the best restaurants on Dromund Kaas, nothing but the finest, just having a glass of wine and dinner with your cute lieutenant that you’ve been smitten with ever since he mocked a Jedi. Must be nice.Their dating lasts as long as it does in-game, I don’t really have any headcanons differently from that lol. They did take a break after the whole Quinncident, though - Ibby needed some time to rethink things and forgive him. She got to that point, but it took time. (note to self: make a “WE WERE ON A BREAK” Ross and Rachel style joke at some point)

19. What do they fight about? What are their arguments like? How do they make up?

It’s kinda bc they’re both p stoic people but I can’t imagine Ibby and Quinn fighting all that much, lol (Quinncident don’t interact). If they do have a genuine argument, they’re not the ones to shout so much as get cold. No interactions with each other unless it’s for work-related matters, and even then it’s incredibly formal and stiff. Eventually they’ll both sigh and decide it’s time to sit down and talk, but probably not without outside intervention. :^D (Vette. I’m talking Vette. She’ll tell them both separately to knock it off and go talk to each other already. She’s president of the SW/Quinn ship)

20. What does their home look like? Their room?

I will forever imagine Quinn as the “I need to run inside and tidy up before the firemen get here yes I know our house is on fire” type, while Ibby’s more of a believer in “why make the bed when it’ll get messy again tomorrow morning anyway”. Quinn mostly keeps it tidy and Ibby tries to straighten up after herself more after they get a home together, but she’s not perfect at this one. She tries though. :PIbby’s not interested in a big manor like some Sith are - to her it just attracts unnecessary attention, and so she and Quinn actually have a relatively small house. Enough defenses against any potential rivals, enough room for them to have a family at some point, but it’s not exactly a castle. Their shared room is probably kept pretty simple, bc they’re both workaholics who don’t go to their Dromund Kaas house too often, but enough of their personal effects to call it a home.

Amethylia/Bastila: 

36. What’s their greatest strength as a couple? Their weakness?

Is it cheap if I go for the Force bond they have for both? :PTheir greatest strength, I think, would probably be an understanding of the other’s personality that comes fairly natural to the both of them. Amethylia is a sarcastic grump who doesn’t care for sugarcoating things, and Bastila is a bit stuffy, uptight, and doesn’t usually joke around. I figure most people are understandably put off by those qualities and can be dismissive of them, but Amy and Bas have a good understanding of what lays underneath. Amethylia’s grumpiness and dislike for others isn’t really as strong as it can come off as, and Bastila’s lectures come from a good place, and both of them get that. They understand and they communicate p well.As for weaknesses, they might both understand each other’s personalities well but both of them can be really bad at letting the other in, tbh. When the nightmares and the guilt from their own trips through the Dark Side come up, both of them have a tendency to keep it to themselves out of fear of burdening the other. And when Amethylia’s memories of the True Sith threat come back, she takes it one step further by disappearing on Bastila outright and not even telling her where she’s going. Bastila figured it out and left that message on T3, but things might’ve been different if Amethylia had been willing to share her burdens with her fiancée. 

[robertisbisexual]

So, as mentioned yesterday @capseycartwright is having a minor confidence happiness and all that jazz moment so I wanted to wreck her emotionally one more time.

This is my list of “lorans an amazing writer and these are severally underappreciated works of art that you should all read” rec list. Ive read apl of these many many many… many times.

Also im mobile so like … you gotta deal with links and no fancy html

1. Coffee Shop AU - https://archiveofourown.org/series/741483

Do you love coffee? Do you love aus? Do you love wonderful writing and great banter and Rob being smitten with the grump ass making his coffee? Then read these. Both of them. It just is so cute and i love it to bits. Read it, love it, bookmark it.

2. Robs a writer, aarons a mechanic, theyee in love but robs also a fucking tit au - https://archiveofourown.org/works/9540836

I JUST REALLY LOVE THIS ONE. The characters are so well realized and the world feels complete and real. If you can read this and not fall in love with it you’re fkin dead inside. The conflict they have is so believable and its just … guys its just so so good.

3. The one where aaron watches Rob and his insecurities flare up - https://archiveofourown.org/works/9372758

This is just such a good view into aarons mindset and his struggles. His love for robert, what he loves about robert, and his fears tied to that. Ill fucking fight anyone and everyone over this fic. Even you Lorna, fuckin try me.

4. A mother fucking detective au series - https://archiveofourown.org/series/690684

Whu are you reading this sentence ans not already reading the first fic of the series? What is wrong with you. Its a DETECTIVE AU STOP WASTING YOUR TIME.

5. Pillow talk, its literally a pillow talk fic. - https://archiveofourown.org/works/9226025

Why does this fic not have a shrine made for it? 13 scenes. THIRTEEN SCENES. Seriously, the ultimate pillow talk fic. Shut the front door im in love.

6. And finally, last but not least, the one with a divorce… maybe. - https://archiveofourown.org/works/9994532

Aaron refuses to give up ans these stupid idiots have the hard talks and maybe find their way back together. It makea my heart feel so many different emotions. Honestly I wasnt prepared for it.

7. I lied obe more: go read magic au - https://archiveofourown.org/series/690690

Its MAGIC and robron, its literally perfection. I shouldn’t even NEED to tell you to read this.

And there you have it.

Every last one of these are SO SO SO good. Cherish them like I cherish Luanne.

[gokailyger84]

dude i got a polybomb thingie for you. so i doubt it's gonna happen, but imagine if dan and arin get to sing together, and like harmonize, right? imagine brian being one of the people who mixes their tracks together and his heart skips a beat bc they just sound SO GOOD together!! and he replays the tracks over and over even when he knows it sounds fine, just because he likes to close his eyes and listen to them sing. they're beautiful, their voices are beautiful, and he loves them so much

Those recent Sta/rbomb session pictures sparked some inspiration

(the style of music I had in mind was Nelly’s ‘Just A Dream’ and ‘Over and Over’)

Brian has a personal policy of not letting himself getdistracted at work.  It was something hehad developed when he was working towards his doctorate.  

Separating his mind from all outside distractions.  Withdrawing into that quiet place in his mindand compartmentalizing all of his thoughts in a single space.

For a person who could easily lose himself in hisobservations and contemplations, it was a way to keep his mind focused on theend goal.  

After joining Dan for N/S/P, he had to double down on thatpolicy.  Not because of anything he did.  

No.  

It was because his partner was distracting.  

Particularly his voice.

Dan was already a handsome looking guy.  Brian would have to be blind not tonotice.  

But when Dan opened his mouth and his voice filled Brian’sears, he couldn’t help but get swept away by the melodic tones.  

It had eventually reached a point where Brian had to lettheir producer do most of the voice mixing. Brian just couldn’t focus, especially after he realized his truefeelings for Dan.  

It wasn’t until years later, after they had become a couple,that Brian had built up a small immunity to Dan’s singing voice.

Who would’ve thought he’d run into the same situationagain?  

But this time with his boss/friend.  

Brian, Dan and Arin were in Texas.  They had joined up with their producer and wereborrowing a friend’s studio for their two week Sta/rbomb session.

They had all set aside time to work on the third album thathad been in the back of their minds, since the completion of Play/erSelect.  

While Brian played around with some potential melodies and goofedaround with their producer and played his Nin/tendo Switch, Dan and Arin werehard at work on their laptops, brainstorming and writing out lyrics.  

Sometimes Brian helped with the lyrics but not much.  It was mostly Dan and Arin when it came to thatpart of production.  

The first two Sta/rbomb albums were created while Brian wasstill teaching in London.  He honestlydidn’t have the extra time to help with the brainstorming.  He had to leave that to Dan and Arin.  

He would receive their lyrics and work on melodies in hisspare time and skype with them to see if any changes needed to be made.  

Even though he now lived in the states and worked with themdaily, they kept to that routine.  Itworked well for the three of them, so why change it?  

Brian glanced up from his game, looking over to the subjectsof his current thoughts.  

Dan and Arin were still sitting side by side on the couch, individuallaptops resting on their thighs.  

Arin was leaned over, pointing at something on Dan’s screen,the two of them softly discussing what they were working on.

Arin’s long hair was hanging over his shoulder, starting toobscure his view.  He quickly tossed hishead back, shaking it out of his face.

Brian had a sudden urge to walk over and run his fingersthrough the silky, soft looking strands.

Brian mentally shook his head.  He really needed to stop that.  

Taking his eyes of Arin, he noticed Dan staring at him.  A small smirk on his face.  

Brian rolled his eyes and mouthed ‘shut up’, beforereturning to his game.  He heard a smalllaugh drift from Dan and heard Arin asking him what was so funny.  

Dan just shook his head, saying it was nothing.

It wasn’t nothing.  

For a while now, Brian had started noticing things.  

Things about Arin, he’d never paid any mind to before.  

The way he carried himself with a calming strength. 

How he turned a two-man video game podcastinto a booming, successful company in only a few years.  Able to bring people together and effectivelylead them, despite being an introvert.  

How selfless he could be. Going above and beyond helping his friends out, even if there was a riskhe’d be put in a bad position.  

How he offered Brian a position amongst the team, trying andfailing to make it seem like it wasn’t a plan to bring him and Dan backtogether, so they could keep N/S/P going.

Brian knew that they didn’t need him to run the socialmedia.  Any one of the other grumps couldhave done it, especially Barry with his quick and sharp wit.  

But Brian never called Arin out on it.  

That was why he took a few months to make the decision tomove back.  

Brian may have a stable income with Arin as his boss but itwould ultimately come down to the success of N/S/P that would keep him and hisfamily afloat. 

Not that he believed thatArin would let him drown.  

It was still a gamble. A gamble, Brian was glad he took.

Arin was something special. There weren’t many men out there like him.  

Brian was surprised he hadn’t fallen for him sooner.

And while Dan may laugh at how smitten Brian currently waswith Arin, he was in the same boat.  

After all, Arin was part of the reason Dan was able to gainthe courage and confess his feelings for Brian.

Arin’s fluidness when it came to sexualities helped Danfigure his own out.  It probably wouldhave been weird if he didn’t develop feelings for Arin too.  

Brian and Dan had discussed their mutual feelings for theirshared boss but ultimately hadn’t gone further than that.  

While Arin never hesitated flirting with the both of them,they couldn’t ignore the fact that he was married. 

And although, Brian was married too, he andhis wife had an agreement, giving him exception permission to be with Dan.  

They couldn’t just assume that Arin and Suzy would be thesame and that Arin’s flirting was anything but a joke between friends.

There was a lot theycould lose and Dan wasn’t willing to take that risk.  

At least not yet.

“Alright, you ready to try this?”  Dan said, setting his laptop to theside.  Arin mirrored his movements,standing up.

“Yeah, let’s do it.”  

Brian put his Switch into sleep mode and joined theirproducer at the mixer table. 

They bothgrabbed a pair of headphones and slipped them on, as Dan and Arin entered therecording booth, putting on their own set of headphones.  

Before they had come down to Texas for the session, Arin hadexpressed an interest in doing some singing on the new album.  

Dan had been excited, knowing he and Arin had a naturalharmonization.  Brian had heard them singtogether before but it was usually on a roadtrip and always in a jokinglymanner.  

He hadn’t heard any evidence of Arin’s singing being albumworthy but Dan swore that he had the talent.

And well, Brian completely trusted Dan, especially when itcame to music.  

As their producer counted them off, Brian reached over andflipped a switch, turning on one of his finished digital scratches.  

The track was for the video game, ‘The La/st of Us and wasin a slower hip hop/ballad style.  

Arin found it to be more appropriate considering the seriousstoryline of the game.  

Dan began to sing, his soothing voice flowing into Brian’sears.  He could feel a small chill runthrough him.  His usual reaction to Dan’ssinging.  

After a few more seconds, Arin began to rap.  His head bobbing up and down to thebeat.  His voice low and smooth as thewords flowed from his mouth.  

Brian found himself becoming entranced as he watched Arin,his body rocking in sync with Dan’s.  

As Dan finished the first chorus, Arin stepped up to themicrophone, his hands lightly gripping his headphones.  

His lips parted and he began to sing the second verse.  

Brian couldn’t help but close his eyes, as Arin’s voice traveledthrough his headphones and filled his entire being.  

It was beautiful.  

There was no other word for it.  

And when Dan joined in, creating their natural harmony,Brian had to take a couple of deep breaths to calm himself.  

His chest was feeling tight from the sheer emotion he couldfeel, just from their voices.  Theysounded that good.  

It was amazing.  

When they finished the song, Brian was still staring atthem.  Arin looked up, meeting hisgaze.  

His eyes widening slightly at the heated look directedtowards him.  

Arin chuckled nervously, scratching the back of hishead.  

“What’d you guys think?” He asked, his eyes still on Brian.

Brian was sure their producer was saying something but hedidn’t hear him.  

His mind still filled with Arin and Dan’s voices, wrappingaround him like silk velvet.  

“Earth to Brian!  Comeback to us, Brian!”  Dan’s voice yelledloudly into the microphone.  

Brian winced, yanking off his headphones.  

His eyes blinked rapidly, snapping himself out of histrance.  He stood up, turning away fromthe recording booth and rubbed his hands over his face.  

“You alright, Bri?” Dan asked.

Brian looked over to see him and Arin walking out of thebooth and towards him.  

Brian’s eyes fell on Arin once more.  

Dan followed his line of sight and smiled.  He patted Arin on the back.

“Sounded fuckin’ good, didn’t he?”  

Brian nodded.  Theheat returning to his gaze.  

Arin began to blush, looking down at the floor.

“Fucking amazing.” Brian whispered.  

Both Dan and Arin’s heads snapped towards him.  There was no mistaking the raw desire inBrian’s tone.

Brian licked his lips, looking between the two.

“I think the three of us are long overdue for a chat.”  He said.

Dan’s eyes widened, looking from Arin to Brian.

“What?  A-are yousure?”  He asked, panic beginning to seepinto his voice.  

He and Brian had talked about this.  Their feelings for Arin.

But to do it now? Reveal the truth?

“I’m down.”  Arinsaid, surprising them both.  

His entire face was red but he looked determined.  He looked at Dan and then Brian.

“If this is what I think it’s about…”  He said, trailing off.

Brian quirked an eyebrow.

“And just what do you think this is about?”  

Arin took a breath and stepped closer to Brian, stoppinginches away from him, staring deep into his blue eyes.

“About you and Dan having feelings for me.”  He paused, his voice beginning to waver.

He cleared his throat before continuing.

“And me returning those feelings.”

Dan’s eyes widened further, while Brian just smirked.  

He reached up a hand and ran his fingers through Arin’shair.  Arin’s eyes slipped shut as ashudder ran through his body.

“That would be correct, Arin.”  Brian said.

Dan moved closer and hesitantly took Arin’s hand into hisown.

“Are you sure, Ar?”  

Arin opened his eyes, turning towards him.  He nodded.

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

A throat then cleared behind them.

The three men turned around to see their producer stillsitting at the mixer table.

“So, we taking five?” He asked with a smile.

Brian laughed, grabbing both Arin and Dan’s hands and beganleading them towards the door.

“Probably more than five.”

“Take your time.”  Hesaid.

Brian squeezed the hands he was holding, looking between Danand Arin.  Their own smiles spreading ontheir faces.

“Don’t worry.  Wewill.”