#so right now i have a day this week and a day next week open and i won't book any more until AFTER those days

[humanjarvis]

the world when you're with me

synopsis: you seek out sylus for comfort after realizing you were wrong about him.

tags: comfort, fluff, implied avoidant!reader learns to trust sylus, implied avoidant!reader clings to sylus, sylus takes care of reader from afar, sylus has mephisto and the twins follow reader but wbk pairing: sylus x reader, reader is mostly mc word count: 802

a/n: is this the peak of literature? no. did i need to write it after the day i had? yes. did i need to post it today? no, because i’m trying to stagger my posts more, but here we are. anyway 4k caleb pwp coming tomorrow 

For the first few weeks after you’d infiltrated the N109 Zone, you’d avoided Sylus Qin like the plague. 

After being scared out of your wits by the first version of him you'd met—the cold, unavailable criminal mastermind who’d forced you to shoot him within 5 minutes of knowing one other—you were unashamedly wary of working with him again. 

But Sylus’s intel was unrivaled. More and more often, you found yourself visiting the N109 Zone to meet with him, eventually not even bothering to book a place to stay. There was always a guest room at the Onychinus base prepped for your arrival.

As you spent more time with Sylus, he’d noticeably changed his approach to interacting with you. Rather than forcing you to resonate with him, he’d explained to you how his Evol worked, letting you aim his hands at some training dummies to test it out yourself. Instead of unceremoniously shutting you out when he was tired, he’d drag his robe-and-slippers-clad self to sit beside you on the sofa, answering your cautious questions by practically giving away all his secrets. 

His shift in attitude hadn't stopped there. Sylus had clearly been using that endearingly incorrigible crow to keep tabs on you, but for the strangest reasons. 

Whenever you had a bad day at work, some building-wide maintenance emergency would magically appear, forcing your team to cease operations for the rest of the day. He’d text you a couple hours after your early dismissal, saying he was in the city and inviting you on an evening joyride to clear your head.  

The day after you’d lugged a case of water up the stairs to your apartment, having to pause a couple times to catch your breath, you came home to see your fridge mysteriously stocked with groceries. The only traces left behind were the masked twin figures you spotted scurrying away from your window. 

When a new phone showed up at your doorstep one day—you never even told him you’d shattered your screen, you thought—you’d decided that Sylus wasn’t as bad as you’d once assumed. Not anywhere near as bad, in fact. He was thoughtful, generous, and helped you without taking credit or forcing you to ask for it. You’d never had that before.

Which is why, somehow, you find yourself standing in the doorway of his armory, studying him silently as he polishes an antique-looking gun.

When he notices you, Sylus looks up, raising a delicately arched eyebrow. “Something wrong, kitten?” he drawls, subtly checking your body for injuries. 

Mind numb from your absolutely dreadful day, you stay silent while Sylus looks at you expectantly, his hands forgetting their earlier task. 

But for the next minute, you remain hovering in the doorway. You expect him to get annoyed—you almost want him to, so you have an excuse to go back to relying only on yourself—but all you see on Sylus’s face is patience.

When you start shuffling toward him, that patience mixes with a glimmer of anticipation that he visibly tries to suppress. You need him to be calm right now—an anchor, he thinks. If he loses his composure, if he startles you with his excitement at your approach, you might bolt at any moment. 

Sometime during his inner struggle, you reach him. Meekly, you stand before his chair, briefly opening your mouth before closing it. 

“What is it, sweetie?” he asks softly. “Tell me, and we can figure it out together. I’ll personally track down whoever seems to have stolen your words from you.”

At his offer, you break, collapsing into his lap. His large, warm hands immediately encircle your waist, and you bury your face into his neck, inhaling his leather and spice cologne. 

“Aw,” he coos in his baritone voice, rocking you slowly in his embrace. When he lifts your head an inch, you resist, letting out a soft whine. Gently, he guides your head back to his chest, his quickening heartbeat thumping in your ears and grounding you in the the moment. 

After several moments of silence, your deep, shuddering breaths the only interruptions, Sylus murmurs into your ear. “When I noticed you never ask for help, I was worried the world may not be treating as well as it should. You must be very tired, hmm?” he asks, rubbing his chin against your hair. 

Tightening your arms around him, you sit there for a while, his steady breaths seeming to mend a decades-long rift in your heart.

The next time Sylus tries to lift your head, you let him. He pulls your face from his neck so he can look into your eyes, hoping his gaze conveys his sincerity, before pressing a tender kiss to your forehead. 

“You don’t need the world when you’re with me,” he promises. “I’ll treat you better than it ever could.”

[mattscoquette]

reader going through perv!matt’s journal

“i’ll be back in a sec, i just need to run downstairs and help chris with something really quick.”

that’s what matt told you over ten minutes ago, and he’s still gone. you were over at the triplets place hanging out with nick, when matt insisted he show you both his new pc set up. it only took nick five minutes to be over it, but you felt bad when you saw matt’s defeatist expression after nick went back to his room. you decided to stay, but soon after matt abandoned you to go do something with chris.

you could’ve gone back upstairs with nick, but you let your curiosity get the best of you, and somehow you were going through matt’s bedside drawers, seeing what he had in there.

you knew matt had a thing for you, he made it very, very clear. although those feelings weren’t really reciprocated, it was fun to tease him. like, really fun.

before you could stop yourself, the leather binding of matt’s journal was in your hands, itching to be opened and read. you thumbed through the pages, reading matt’s chicken scratch handwriting while he wrote about whatever. you didn’t want to be too invasive, but his journal piqued your interest a lot. you wondered if he ever wrote about you, or if he only kept those thoughts in his head.

your eyes skimmed up and down the pages, nothing really standing out to you until you saw your name.

today y/n came over to see nick. she had on this rly short skirt, i think they were going out to a bar or something later. i don’t really care. i overhear her talking to nick about the guys she gets with. i could be so much better than them. i would make her feel so good, where she’d be begging me for more. god her moans are probably so fucking pretty.

your cheeks got hot as they blushed a deep red, fingers flipping to the next entry.

it’s been a few days since i saw y/n, i miss her so much. i’ve probably touched myself to her more times than i can count in the last day or two. i don’t know what it is with her, but she just gets me so worked up. she doesn’t even have to do anything and i’ll literally get hard from her. a couple weeks ago we were at her place and i heard her in the shower. it turned me on so much i couldn’t handle it. i want her so bad.

there’s gotta be something seriously deranged about me. every time that y/n sleeps over here, i always sneak up to nicks room and take a pair of her panties. she has to have noticed by now. i can’t help it though. i use them to get myself off. sometimes she has really pretty lace ones, other ones are really really skimpy. i don’t care though. i wonder what they’d look like on her. she’d probably think im a fucking creep if she ever really found out. i wonder what she’d do.

at this point, your stomach was doing somersaults, and your thighs were pressed together, trying to relieve the ache that had grown in your cunt. maybe it was weird what he was doing, but the level of obsession was turning you on. bad.

you were quick to find a pen somewhere in the bedside drawer, popping the cap off and scribbling underneath the entry in your loopy handwriting.

you naughty boy. you didn’t learn that stealing was wrong? i would probably punish you and not let you cum. i would tease you, get you all wound up and make you hold it. id use my pretty pink panties around your cock to get you off and let you cum in them after edging you for so long. maybe i’ll use my hands too, or my mouth if you’re really good for me.

you grinned to yourself as you shut the journal, drawing your bottom lip in between your teeth before returning the notebook to its rightful place, exactly how you found it.

you knew that matt wouldn’t do anything about it, either. he would see the note, and probably get off to it a million times, but never actually reach out to you. until then, he’d just have to learn how to keep pleasuring himself alone.

© mattscoquette | taglist

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬. ⋆˚꩜｡ inspired by this fic from my girl @st7rnioioss ♡︎♡︎ perv!matt is soooo back i miss that freak

[omgfangirlland]

The Shadows That Nurture 19

It's the 27th not the 28th but close enough :)))

Masterlist || First || previous<< Chapter 19 >>next

While Nolan needed about a week to get better, Mark was fine, he was just whiny to be babied. Not like you argued. You both babied each other while the man was healing, needing it. Now, while Mark visited him every day, you only did it twice, unable to look at him for long without your blood pressure increasing and unable to stand how softly he held your baby brother, cuddling him into his side, how gently he spoke to Andressa. It was a side he never gave much to you or Mark and Debbie.

Those sentiments were of no use to you. So, you buried them and the little flashes of memories that reminded you of Bruce always being soft with the others but only giving you this cold, distant look, if even that, and began distracting yourself by using your architecture classes and starting to rebuild with the other Thraxans.

It kept the thoughts of how easy it was for men to up and have whole other families, families they took greater care of away, it kept the insecurities of you truly not being enough for anyone away- you knew those weren’t true- you did! Mark and Debbie truly loved you. Eve and Amber were great friends who didn’t shy away from showing physical affection. They loved you and you loved them all so much… But the doubt somehow was stronger.

What if they were faking? You always heard Dick and Tim complain that the kids at their school were snakes who were after Bruce’s money. But they didn’t know you still had access to his money. It couldn’t be your powers. What could they give if it couldn’t even sway Nolan enough to not attack Mark? Were you just someone not worth loving?

Thoughts over thoughts filtered through your brain. Sentiments and thoughts and memories- all bottled up, put away, hidden in favor of working. It helped keep you preoccupied, helped keep your mind off Bru- Nolan, it did. Until you couldn’t help but subconsciously add him and Andressa to one of the many murals the Thraxans insisted on.

“I think it’s crooked.” Mark said from behind you, your head snapped from him back to the mosaic mural, arms crossing over your chest as you tilted your head to the right. “Huh. It is a little crooked.” You grab a spatula and shrug. “Well, time to redo it all-” At your words, Mark immediately panicked, words spewing out of his mouth to tell you that it’s fine, a little human error, only stopping when you started laughing.

“Chill.” You hum as you use the spatula to straighten the few pieces that were askew. “I was joking. They have this slow-drying solution that only hardens immediately when water is sprayed. Nifty thing.” You turn to look at Mark, dead in his eyes. “I think it’s their vomit, to be honest.”

“Eww-“ Mark cringed, whining at the thought. “Thanks for the image.” He mutters, half-heartily glaring at you as you snicker. “Shut up.” He gently slapped your arm. “Shut up? You shut up, free baller.” You slap his arm back. “Hey- I have boxer under-“ He pouted as you mocked him, repeating his words in a goofy voice and exaggerating his movements. “Alright, you’re asking for it.”

“Alright, you’re- Hey!” Your teasing was stopped as you dodged some of the goop you had used for your mosaic pieces. Before you could say anything more, he blew a raspberry at you and flew away, yelling that you couldn’t catch him. You just huffed, smirking as you opened a portal.

Appearing in front of the laughing Mark made him let a scream as he almost crashed into you. You just moved slightly out of the way before tapping his foot. “Tag, you’re it!” Mark groaned as you flew away, the sonic boom messing his hair. “That’s not fair! You used magic!” he yells before going after you, laughing at the schemes you pulled to avoid his touch.

Nolan and Andressa just watch the two have their fun, the chubby baby on her hip cooing with gleeful wonder at the laughing young adults flying through the air. “You need to talk to her.” Andressa told him, eyes meeting his. “It doesn’t matter what you want, Nolan.” She interrupted him. “She’s hurt, Mark too. But she always gets this sad, scared look when she sees you interact with us compared to him.”

“I don’t know what you did or didn’t do. I don’t know what she went through. You’re quite secretive.” She only smiled at the guilty look he gave her. “As a whole species, we forget, forgive, and move on because of our short lives- we blink as babies and open our eyes as elders. You have eternity in comparison. Do you want her to stew with whatever she’s feeling for that long?”

“No.” Nolan sighs. “It’s just- I haven’t made the right choices-“ Andressa puts a gentle hand on his arm. “Then tell her. Not me. I wasn’t the one you wronged.” And yet, the man couldn’t help but feel like he did. Her, Debbie, his kids- the ones that actually made him feel alive, like he wasn’t just another soldier who could be replaced. He just nods. She was right, after all.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

“And this is why I strongly believe you should let me go on this school trip without supervision.”  Damian finished his presentation by pressing a button on the remote to present the final slide of his PowerPoint presentation. Jon was standing near him, holding the last physical card that simply stated that Lois would also be there while smiling brightly. “Chum-“ Bruce sighs, rubbing at his tired eyes. “I don’t think-“

“Father. For years, you have made me try to fit in with the other kids, with a range of people that I initially deemed beneath me. I’m sixteen now, almost seventeen. It’s normal for others my age to crave independence. Granted, I won’t be entirely alone, not only will there be the teachers, but the Kents have also taken on the job of supervisors. Do you not trust them, or do you not trust me?”

Damian knew it was a low blow, but he was strategic in everything right down to when he asked Bruce. The man had a headache, was too tired, and pulled in all directions, from the Viltrumite problem to the Sorceress killing Joker to the rogues still not letting up. Batman was too tired to notice anything askew, couldn’t even think of the possibility.

Bruce sighed deeply, shoulders slouching as he gave a defeated nod. He did trust him. He also trusted the Kents, and he had always insisted for Damian to take in any moments of normality he could. “Alright, give me a pen.” Damian smiled at the triumph, doing as he was told. He also handed over the papers, deliberately ignoring how Jon’s smile wobbled and how his worried eyes seemed to scream at him.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Nolan had been practicing for a few hours on what to say, only when Mark caught him red-handed in the middle of his speech. He wanted to talk to both of them, but talking first to Mark was better. His boy had mellowed out- somewhat. He was still angry, still hurt, but he knew you’d be the one who was having the real war. And while Mark left him to deal with his daughter on his own, he pitied him enough to give him some advice.

“She’s hurt, she’ll ask questions, she’ll say hurtful things because she is hurt by the thing I said. Be quick, be honest, and don’t dance around, she’ll take that as dishonesty, as a lie.” Nolan muttered to himself as he flew about, trying to find you. “Be careful of what you say or be ready to get punched-“ His breath caught in his throat as he finally noticed your figure high in the sky. He forgot everything he had rehearsed.

Your eyes scan around. You weren’t sure if you were trying to memorize the landscape or if you were just paranoid and looking out in case the Viltrumites were trying to test your patience. You were looking for a fight, to be honest- anything to not pay attention to the emotions boiling under your skin.

The voice of Nolan softly whispering your name made your body tense, spine straightening. This wasn’t the kind of fight you wanted. You slowly turned around to face the man, remaining quiet as the man stuttered through whatever he was trying to say. Your eye twitched. “Jesus- just spit it out.”

Nolan takes in a breath as he senses your temper rising. “We need to talk.” At his simple statement, you just huff. “What’s there to talk about? You found yourself new pets to keep you entertained. Good job.” The older man just sighs, slowly floating closer under your suspicious eye. “What I said while fighting Mark-“ you quickly corrected him and he didn’t miss a beat in repeating your words. “-while beating up your brother- was out of fear, out of doubt and fear.“

“You called mom a pet!” you yelled at him, unable to hold it in anymore. “You did that- nobody made you! What were you afraid of anyway?! The Viltrumites? You weren’t alone, Nolan. The Guardians were your friends, all you had to do was come clean- they would have helped, hell, The Justice Leagues would have helped-“

As you grew angrier, Nolan tried to remain calm. “The League ignored every tip I sent in.”  The scoff that you gave was quick. “Yeah? And I’m supposed to believe you?” Your hands were shaking, you wanted to believe him- you did- but you just couldn’t. “It’s the truth.” He kept his voice soft and even, trying his hardest not to trigger a fight. “I kept trying to contact them for weeks, I sent in anonymous tips, tried to talk to them in person, I tried everything- killing the guardians was a desperate act-“ He raised a hand when you tried to interrupt. “Let me finish. Killing them and turning you and Mark to the Viltrumites' side was the only thing I could think of that would have kept you two and Debbie safe-“

“You still could have told Cecil- You still had us!” Your yelling makes Nolan flinch- a small movement you didn’t quite notice. “You didn’t think Mark and I loved you enough to give you the chance to do better? You are our dad, we would have fought for you! What? Did you think we are like you? Fucking cowards who run away when they doesn’t get what they want?”

“Well, news flash, Nolan- not everyone does what you do- some of us like to fight for the people we love- oh, but you didn’t love us- you thought of us as pets!” Your words, hissed and loud, cut deeper than anything ever could. “I did love you, I still love you-“ Your fist meeting his jaw cut his sentence short. “Shut up, you lying bastard!” You hissed before lunging at him again.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Mark and Andressa watched with different levels of worry. “This is fine.” He mumbled, nibbling on his nails. “She is beating him up.” Andressa looked at the young man. “She’s pulling her punches. The first time around, she almost crushed his skull.” Andressa’s eyes just widened as she turned back to watch her lover get his ass handed to him. “And she’s not using her elemental powers, so that’s good-“ Andressa's jaw dropped at the information.

“As long as nothing starts glowing neon green, they’re fine.” Mark shrugs, barely believing himself. “I’ll… go check on your brother.” Andressa sighs, slowly turning away as Marks starts floating off the ground. “Mhm, I’ll go closer- just in case.”

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

“-and to think you want me to believe anything that comes out of your mouth!” You growl, punching and kicking, only getting madder when Nolan just takes it. “I know, I’m sorry. I love you.” Nolan kept repeating himself after every insult, every jab, every truth you threw at him. “Stop saying that!” Your voice cracked as tears finally fell down your face, and you lunged at him once more, this time crashing him into a deserted place quite a distance from the city.

“You don’t love us! You left us all alone!” Your already weak punches grew weaker, barely making him grunt in pain, tears blurring your vision. “You don’t love me- you left me just like-“ You couldn’t finish, not your sentence or the punch you threw. Your body was shaking with sobs as you simply crumbled, covering your face with your hands to hide your crying face.

“You changed for them- why didn’t you for us?” You whimper through your sobs. “Were we not enough? Was I not good enough? I could have been- I could have changed-“ Nolan quickly wrapped his arms around you, muffling your sobs and words by burying your face in his chest.

His hold was tight, suffocating, but even as you weakly struggled to get out, he wouldn’t let go. “You are perfect. You, your brother, your mother- you are all amazing and did nothing wrong. I was the one in the wrong.” He whispers as one hand keeps you close while the other tries to soothe you. It only made you cry harder.

“I wasn’t afraid of the Viltrumites. I was afraid of you three rejecting me once you found out the truth.” Nolan’s eyes met Mark’s once he quietly landed just a few steps away. “I should have trusted that all of you love me just as much as I love you.” You grunted when Mark almost fell on top of you, one of Nolan’s arms wrapping around his eldest as he squeezed him to his chest just as tight. Nolan could wash the snot off later, this was more important. “My kids… My babies.” He hummed as he kissed both of your heads.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

“I’m sorry for beating you up… again.” You mumble as you snuggle closer to the sleepy baby who woke up because he was hungry. Nolan only laughed, ruffling your hair as he pressed a cold pack to his jaw. “I deserved it. Besides, it’s nice knowing some of my training stuck.” You give a half-hearted hum of acknowledgment while letting your head fall against his shoulder when he takes a seat next to you on the grand couch. After all that crying, you were just numb and tired… Your anger will still be present, you were sure, but now you just wanted a nap.

Mark pouted as you moved closer to Nolan, choosing to lay his head on your shoulder instead of letting go. “How come you get the cool armor, and I get the toga?” Mark whined, poking at his baby brother’s chubby cheek, making the little guy babble. “I’m more badass, you fool.” You stick your tongue at him, Mark gasping dramatically and placing his hand over his heart. “How dare… You wound me.”

Your eyes move to Andressa as she’s ready to feed her baby, your eyes squinting at her, making her slightly nervous. “Your antennas make a heart shape when you’re around dad- that’s cute. I’m sorry if that’s rude to point out.” The poor lady immediately relaxed at your words, relief washing over her knowing you weren’t angry with her as well. “Oh! That’s okay- Thank you. I didn’t notice.” Her antennas move around before settling back into the slight heart shape.

Mark gasped softly as he saw how the baby was fed, your eyebrows raising as you watched her feed him like a bird feeds its baby. Well… Like ants feed each other. You hoped that would not continue as he ages.

Your eyes drifted back to Nolan. It still hurt… But maybe you could forgive him… Maybe. “Is it really true? The Justice League ignored you when you tried to warn them?” Mark frowned at the questions with confusion all over his face, looking at Nolan as the older man got more comfortable on the couch. It’ll be a long night.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Batman shivered as he knocked out another goon, his whole body shaking for a second while Robin frowned at the man. “What was that?” Bruce stays still for a few more seconds before looking at his youngest. “I don’t know… It just felt like something bad is happening.” Robin just gave him a look, waiting for him to elaborate. The boy scoffs as the man just moves on. Batman grimaced. It felt like he was being warned that he was losing something. Or someone. His eyes moved around as the jumble of whispers tried to get his attention. He moved on, grappling to a nearby rooftop.

Tag list: @bat1212 @trashlanternfish360 @shycreatorreview @syrooo @a-lurking-fae @alittletiredcry @kittzu @plsfckmedxddy @blackhood1229 @nxdxsworld @leeiasure @dandelion-delusion @lovebug-apple @sillysealsies @tsxukikami @enchantingarcadecreation @alishii @d3nnji @itsberrydreemurstuff @yuyuzi-ling @welpthisisboring @1abi @mxvoid26 @persephone-kore-law @bluevenus19 @ryuushou @asillysimp @aalunar @cxcilla @sirenetheblogger @pinkluv29 @br33zy-blizzardz @victoria1676 @of-poetry-and-dreams @djpuppy-kittens @wizzerreblogs @galaxypurplerose @burningkittenprince

[deadpanjisung]

⁎⁺˳ ✧༚ ˎˊ˗ ♡  ult ♡ˎˊ˗ ༚ ✧ ˳⁺⁎

pairing: seo changbin x afab!reader 

MDNI!!!

wc: 5.6k

☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆..。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆..:・°

general cw: swearing, smut!!, fluff, cats, allergies, a lil humor, use of y/n.

smut cw: making-out, descriptive sex, changbin is a simp, teasing, unprotected sex (pls don’t), mentions of oral sex, cre4mpie.

a/n: this was supposed to be a Valentine's Day fic but i couldn't find the mood to post it till now. feedback is encouraged ◡̈

i hope you enjoy♡

-˚₊‧꒰ა ginny ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・☆.。.:・

Copyright Ⓒ 2025 by deadpanjisung

All rights reserved. Translating, Reposting or any type of appropriation is not permitted.

☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°

You were sitting at your usual meeting spot, feeling the cold, metal park bench against your exposed thighs. It was later than your usual meeting time, the lamp posts illuminated you and the passing families on their way to the philharmonic performance. You debated meeting him at the stage instead, but it felt wrong to you. This bench had been your meeting point ever since you met Seo Changbin while sitting on it more than a decade ago. Changbin was very different to you, he was a natural charmer, undoubtedly a born performer. You always shied away from being the center of attention (“my quiet little mouse” Changbin remarked).

You were sitting on that same bench when Changbin sat next to you and asked if you were okay. Then, he asked why you were alone. He talked your ear off that afternoon. You were still in high school by then, he talked about his training to be an idol, his family, his friends. You listened attentively; it was strange for you to meet someone your age who had such a busy lifestyle. Your sister went to find you when it got too late, and you still hadn’t arrived at your house. Changbin waved you off with a quick, “nice to meet you!”. 

You returned the next afternoon and to your surprise, Changbin was already sitting there (“Ah! I’m glad you came back! I forgot to ask if you wanted to hang out again. You looked comfortable here yesterday, so I figured I’d come back.” He said with a smile). You were even more surprised at the fact that he wanted to see you again. You gave him your number and agreed to meet there thrice a week after school and between his practices. It took you a while to open up, you weren’t used to feeling seen or heard by someone. But Changbin knew how you felt with just a look.

Your meetings at the bench became more limited after he debuted. Being reduced from thrice a week, to once a week, to once a month to once every few months, to once a year, if you were lucky. You and Changbin still texted occasionally, and even more rarely called each other for your birthdays or other important events. Changbin was there for you through your biggest achievements and your biggest losses, and you were there for his, even at a distance. It had been two years since you last saw Changbin, your schedules hadn’t lined up for you to meet. You were shocked when he asked you to meet over the summer, when he had some time off to stay with his family. 

“HEY, Y/N!” He shouted, sprinting over when he spotted you. You stood up and extended your arms with a blush rising on your cheeks. He hugged you tightly, lifting you up and spinning you around, placing a sweet kiss on your head.

“I think this is the second happiest time I’ve been to see you here.” He said as he lowered you down to your feet. 

“Oh really? When was the first?” You asked as he sat down on the bench.

“The second time I saw you here, when I didn’t even have your number or know where you lived or studied or if I’d see you again!” He remarked, you smiled at that and signaled him to get up.

“I was shocked when you came back that day.” You said and you started walking next to each other. “I missed you, Bin. How have you been?” You took a second to look at him, the same light posts you had seen many times before illuminating his features. It seemed to you that he was bulking up, his hair was dyed a dark purple color, he was dressed in all black as you expected him to be. 

“‘M good! Tired but it’s been nice.” He replied. “And you? I love that skirt on you! It’s so cute, you almost looked like an idol.” You blushed at that comment. It was a blue floral summer set, different from your usual attire.

“Ah, thank you. Well, I’ve been better, if I’m being honest.” You said, looking at the floor in front of you. “Work has nearly been killing me so I’m glad to have some time off this summer.” 

“I’ll make sure you rest well. I can take care of you.” He said, proudly. “I take care of my members all the time now. I’m their favorite chef.”

“Oh? You are?” You asked in disbelief. He looked away, embarrassed. Changbin placed a facemask over his mouth and nose.

“WHAT?  You don’t believe me? Well, okay…. maybe I’m their second favorite chef…” He mumbled; you chuckled. You looked in front of you to see the stage already full of people. You walked the rest of the way in silence and stood in the far back to avoid drawing attention to yourself. He wrapped his arm around your shoulder. “I missed being here with you. I love you, Y/N-nnie.” 

“Me too, Bin. It’s been a while. I’m happy to see you looking so healthy.” He smiled at that comment, you knew Changbin took a lot of pride in taking care of himself. 

The performance started, you and Changbin didn’t speak again until it was over. 

“Did you walk here?” He asked. You nodded. Your family’s house was close to the park and your apartment was even closer. “Can I drive you back?” You nodded again. “I know it’s late but, are you hungry?” He knew you had a habit of skipping dinner when you had plans.

“Just a little… I ate before coming.” you replied. 

“My sister recommended a stand that makes good tteokkochi at the end of the street. We can walk by it and I’ll take you home.” He spoke. You nodded.

“How was the tour?” You asked. He started talking about the places he went to, the songs they played, how he got sick once and had to skip a performance, how he went to a concert on one of their free days, The songs they worked on, how Seungmin made him angry one day and he had to apologize for lashing out…

You arrived at the stand, it looked a bit run down but an auntie was making and serving the tteokkochi, so you knew it would be good. She asked you what you wanted, you both got two servings.

Changbin insisted on paying for the food, taking out the precise amount before you could protest. You rolled your eyes, but it usually went like that. Changbin would never let you pay despite your insisting. You often repaid him by delivering food to his studio sessions when you were close by.

He walked next to you in comfortable silence. During the decade that you’ve known each other, you have met hundreds of times at this same park, and you talked each other’s ears off. Nonetheless, you also learned to feel equally pleasant in moments of silence. The streets were illuminated mostly by different shop’s led lights. You looked at your feet as you walked while Changbin looked at you. 

“Do I have something on my face?” You asked and giggled. Changbin’s face reddened. He nervously laughed.

“No, you don’t.” He answered. “I’m realizing that I’ve missed you a lot.” It was your turn to blush. 

“Me too, Bin. This is the longest we’ve been without seeing each other, I think.”

“And way too long. I should take more time off.” He added. 

“So, my sister just had a baby. He’s about as old as your nephew.” You said, as you walked forward, spotting Changbin’s car in the distance. 

“Really? Congrats, auntie!” He exclaimed. 

“Shut up! I’m not that old yet!” You protested, he gave a hearty laugh as he took his keys out of his pockets to unlock his car. 

You slipped in the passenger seat of his sports car, wondering why someone would have a car this low. He smiled when he saw you struggling. 

“I forgot you don’t like sports cars.”

“I absolutely despise them.” You agreed. There was silence, the sounds of the night where barely noticeable; the faint music coming from the radio was almost identifiable. 

“So, are you still seeing that guy? The French guy that worked at the hospital.” He asked, nonchalantly when he drove off.

“Louis?” You corrected him. “No. He moved back to France last year when he finished his residency.” You shrugged it off. You and Changbin rarely spoke about your flings unless they were serious. He had casually met Louis the last time you saw each other when you ran into him at the park. 

“Are you still seeing the makeup artist?” You asked, he shook his head. 

This was the first time in the last five years or so that you and Changbin had both been single at the same time. You felt nervous, like your heart was dropping. You had always had a bit of a crush on him, but you were sure that he never reciprocated your feelings. You tried burying your crush for him, but it wasn’t as easy when you were right next to him. You felt your palms get sweaty as he pulled up at your place.

“Hey… Can I come in?” He asked suddenly, making you snap out of your thoughts.

“Yeah.” You smiled, “It’s a bit messy, but I was going to ask you anyways.” He smiled at that. You hadn’t openly planned to see him again during the summer. You feared having such a short meeting after two years without seeing him. 

He opened the car door for you, you didn’t expect anything less from Seo Changbin, professional gentleman. Changbin had an extra key to your house, as your closest friend. Nonetheless, he had never used it to let himself in.

You walked up to the front door with your best friend close behind you, hands buried in his jean’s pockets. Your hands trembled as you unlocked your old-fashioned door. You stepped in; suddenly conscious of the empty glass of water on your counter, the coat you discarded on the floor, the mess of books on your coffee table, the scattered toys your cat left. Did you take out the trash before you left? Did you clean the litter box? Where is Alfred? Will Changbin be deathly allergic to him? Why did you forget to mention you had a cat?

He stepped in behind you and took in your house, feeling coziness and a twitch in his nose.

“Ah, Binnie, I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you that I have a cat now! Do you want something for your allergies?” You asked.

“Yeh. Weren’t you more of a dog person, though?” He replied. “Where’s the little fella anyways?” You walked towards your medicine cabinet and took out a generic allergy pill for him.

“I love dogs too.” You answered. “My sister found Alfred in front of her office and asked if I could foster him because she was super pregnant at the time… and after, like, a day I fell in love with him.” He laughed.

“You’re always so sensible. That’s probably my favorite part of…” He interrupted himself by chugging down the pill with a glass of water. You blushed and you spotted Alfred apprehensively approaching the kitchen. The bright, long-haired orange kitty stood out amongst your darker furniture and decoration. 

“There he is! He’s shy at first so don’t make too much noise.”

“Are you calling me out for being loud?” He asked and chuckled but kept down his voice to your request. You tried to approach Alfred, but he ran away to his favorite hiding place, inside the hallway closet. “Is he scared of me?” Changbin’s demeanor changed, looking almost disappointed. 

“Cats are pretty different from dogs, so he probably is scared of you, but to no fault of your own.” You answered. “You’ll win him over by giving him some space.”

“Ah, even better. You know I’m scared of the cats anyways.” He said and sinking down onto your familiar sofa. “So, how have you been?”

“I’m okay, I think… I think I had told you last time, but I work at a different library now, you know, the one that’s inside the University...” You spoke.

“I remember you telling me that you changed jobs, but I don’t think you told me it was at the university library.”

“Ah, well, yeah. I’m the director now…. But I started when I still didn’t have my master’s.” You added.

“Right! You graduated last year, right?” He asked, raising his voice a little bit. You nodded. He reached into his bag and took out a small, black pull-on pouch. “I saw Han Jisung wearing one of these and I asked him to get you one… It’s not much, but it reminded me of you.” He placed the small bag on the couch, in between you two. You opened the bag to see a box with the writing ‘Vivienne Westwood’ on it.

“You didn’t!” You exclaimed. He smiled, feeling more confident after that. You opened the box to see a collar with black beading and the characteristic Vivienne Westwood pendant. “Thank you. This must’ve costed you a fortune, you didn’t have to get me something so expensive… I appreciate anything you do for me.” 

“I know. But I also know that you’ve been eyeing one of these for years.” He replied. “I’d get everything I could for my closest, bestest friend.” You blushed.

“Ah, Binnie. I appreciate this so much. But I could never ever repay this…”

“I never expect you to repay anything to me.” Changbin interrupted. “Your friendship is way more valuable to me than any silly material thing I’ll ever give to you. This is just a teeny tiny gift for all you’ve done for me.”

“Bin…” You said. “I feel bad for not having anything for you.”

“How about a big warm hug, then?” He negotiated. 

You complied and wrapped your arms around Changbin’s neck. He wrapped his warm arms around your waist. The position was a bit awkward, since you were both sitting down but you felt comfortable. Your heart was beating faster than usual, with his familiar warmth calmed you down. You felt his big, warm hands on your back where your shirt rose up. His palms were sweaty against your skin. The hug lasted more than you expected, the light smell of his perfume was nice and comforting to you. His chest was soft against yours and he gently caressed your back with his calloused hands. He placed a soft kiss on the shoulder his head rested on, which brought goosebumps to your skin. He surely felt them on your back because he stopped caressing it. 

His breath briefly ghosted on your neck as he pulled away from the hug. You let go of him and took your time pulling away. His eyes met yours as you both leaned back. You felt butterflies in your stomach for the first time in years. Changbin nervously chuckled and he slouched on the couch, sighing. 

“Y/N?” His voice was barely a whisper, opposed to his usual loud self. “Have you ever thought about… kissing… me? Forget I said anything, I’m crazy!” He cut himself off. The question took you aback, you didn’t expect such a direct interrogation. 

“It depends…” You decided to tease him. “Have you ever thought about kissing me? Am I really that unappealing that you think you’re crazy for thinking that?” 

“No! You’re amazing, the best. You’re my favorite person in this whole world. I think about kissing you all the time.” He confessed with a crimson blush on his cheek. 

“Okay. Good.” You said. “I think about kissing you all the time as well.” 

“R-really?” He asked, eyes wide in disbelief. 

“Well, duh. You’re an absolute dreamboat.” You replied. His shyness turned into a smirk. “Sweet, talented and cute, too? I’d be dumb not to want to kiss you.”

“Stop it! You’re making me melt!” He shouted. “You’re so pretty, so smart… You’re my best friend. You know…”

“Just best friend?” You asked.

“No, Y/N. Not just my best friend. I like you a lot.” He replied sweetly, averting your gaze. You reached for his hand. 

“Hey. I really like you, Bin.” You added, he looked into your eyes again. 

“Yeah?” He smirked, maintaining eye-contact with you. His brown eyes were glossy.

“Yeah.” You replied and leaned towards him. Changbin met you in the middle and pressed his lips on yours. 

His beautiful doll lips were soft against your, admittedly, chapped ones. You were sure that your matte lipstick made your lips feel weird, but you didn’t mind. Changbin rested his warm hand against your left cheek. He lightly caressed your cheek as the kiss deepened. His taste was bitter, you could make out that he drunk a beer before meeting with you. He broke the kiss. 

“I planned to tell you tonight, by the way.” He commented. “But I was really nervous…”

“Bin… How could I not have feelings for you?” You remarked. “You were always ‘the one that got away’ for me. I kinda had no hope that you actually liked me back.” He chuckled.

“We sound like teenagers, don’t we?”

“We do. It’s weird how we went from casually saying ‘I love you’ to barely being able to say ‘I like you’.” You said in between laughs. He giggled. 

“It is so weird.” 

“I love you and I like you too.”  You said. “I’ll always love you as my best friend in the universe.”

“I think it’s safe to say that I’ll always love you too.” He added. “And that I really like you too.”

He leaned into you and softly presses his lips on yours for a quick peck. 

“So…” 

So…?”

You grabbed his face in your hands and kissed him again. This time harder and deeper. He kissed you back and placed his hands on your waist. He used his hand placement to guide you to sit on his lap. He moaned into the kiss when he felt your body against his. Changbin kept his hands on your waist, sliding them up and down your plush sides. You experimentally ground your hips against his crotch. You could feel his growing erection even through the heavy material of his jeans. You gasped into the kiss when Changbin when he grabbed at your waist. 

“This feels surreal.” He said, looking straight into your eyes. “My heart is beating so fast.”

“Oh, Binnie… I am so lucky to have you in my life.”

He moaned into your mouth as you kept grinding your hips against his. Changbin’s jeans felt heavenly against your thin underwear. Changbin thrusted upwards to meet your hips while his lips captured yours in a passionate kiss. He moved his hands under your skirt, looking at you in search of approval. You nodded. You felt his hands cup your almost-bare ass, since your panties had ridden up from the grinding. You moaned at the feeling of his familiar touch in such an unfamiliar place. He squeezed your ass, encouraging you to keep grinding on him. You quickened your pace and Changbin let out a hearty grunt. 

“O-oh… Oh... b-baby, I need you to stop.” He whined. “I need you to stop or I’ll cum. I want to be inside you, baby. I … can’t.” You obliged, halting your movements. Changbin pressed his forehead against yours, sweaty and panting. “Thank you, darling.” You blushed, taking in the absolute vision in front of you.

Changbin looked beautiful like this, so raw, so messy. Unlike how you usually saw him lately: with his hair full of hairspray and a face full of makeup. He had his face bare; his lips were swollen and his hair was curling up from the sweat and humidity. 

“Is everything okay?” He interrupted your thoughts. You nodded, making him sigh in relief. “Good. I thought you were regretting it already.” You chuckled.

“As if! You’re stuck with me now, sorry.” You replied.

“Sorry? That’s like a dream come true, baby.” He placed a gentle kiss on your lips. 

“You’re making me blush so bad, Bin. I feel like a schoolgirl again.” You remarked. “Like when we met, I was so giggly and dumb.”

“Are you kidding? I could barely get a reaction from you at first! It took like ten minutes for you to laugh!” He disagreed.

“I couldn’t let my guard down that easily.” You said, he placed a kiss on your shoulder. “Bin?”

“Hm?”

“I love that we’re reminiscing and all. But I’m, like, super wet…”

“Oh!”

“Yeah…”

“Your wish is my command, darling.” He said, “To be fair. I’m hard as fuck, too.” You chuckled.

You stood up and extended your hand to him, he took it and stumbled as he stood up. You led him into your bedroom, not missing Alfred’s scrambling from inside your closet. Changbin sneezed as he walked by. Your heart fell a little bit, you can’t really imagine life without Changbin or Alfred. Could they eventually co-exist?

“Hey.” He said, looking at you. You stopped in front of your room to stare at the closet where Alfred spent most of his time at. “I know what you’re thinking. I don’t really like cats but, I’ll try super hard with him! I promise. Minho hyung taught me about exposure to reduce my allergies. I guess I’ll have to meet his cats when I’m away from here so I can build up my strength!”

“Thanks, Bin. That means a lot to me.” You said with a sigh of relief. “You’re really sweet.”

“Of course! I know you, you love him, so I’ll love him too. Even if I must get scratched and drink ten allergy pills every time I come here. You know I love a challenge.”

“Shhhh! You’ll make me cry.” 

“Okay, okay! Let’s get sexy again.”

You chuckled as he took the lead to open your room’s door. Your room was cozy, the bed was well made and adorned with different pillows. There were three bookcases filled with books of all types of genres. Changbin had never been in your room before, limiting his visits to your kitchen and living room. You had a rosemary odor eliminator that attempted to cover the old book smell that wasn’t too appealing to your own allergies. You crouched down to grab a book that, seemingly, Alfred knocked down. 

“Sorry in advance for the upcoming messes you’ll see. Alfred loves throwing things on the floor.” You said, he chuckled, smitten to be able to see such an intimate side of you. Your bedroom. You had a chair next to one of your bookshelves, a reading nook, he supposed. 

“C’mon! Did you ever visit the 3Racha dorm?” He asked. “My dorm is only presentable now because Hyunjin cares about aesthetics or whatever. You’ll have to come visit us soon. Hyunjin asks me about you every other day.”

You smiled. You loved the fact that Changbin was already planning for you to spend time with him back at his place. You had only been able to visit him a handful of times when he lived at his old dorm. You visited Changbin whenever his group had a concert or fanmeet in Korea. Nonetheless, the last two years of your grad school life wouldn’t let you see him. 

“Okay. I said sexy time, right? That’s not too sexy.” He remarked with a smirk. You chuckled. 

“Okay! Let’s concentrate. We can do this!” 

He laughed. You still wanted him, of course you did. But you were so enamored with the idea of starting a new relationship with someone you had liked for such a long time that it made the sex shift to a second place. You had a feeling that he was going through something similar. You laid down on your bed and he followed your suit. You shifted to your side and looked over at him. 

He leaned over to you and kissed you once again. You deepened the kiss and took your chance to tug at his shirt. He took it off, in silent agreement. You nearly drooled when you saw his bare chest. His muscles were defined, yet soft. His shoulders looked even broader with his shirt off, his pecks were big and defined. His abdomen was strong, with a trail of hair that led to his pants. 

“Like what you see?” He smirked, raising his eyebrows at you. You nodded, unable to come up with a snarky comment. “Can I?” He placed his hands on your own top. You nodded again. Changbin swiftly took your top off with your assistance. He gawked at how your breasts sat in your bra. 

“You’re staring.” You snarked. 

“How can I not? Have you any idea how much I’ve waited to see your boobs?” He said, making grabby hands at them. You chuckled and took his hands in yours, leading them to feel your breasts. His hands were warm and clammy against the skin that spilled from your bra. 

Your nipples were hard against the thin, silky fabric of your bra. You were sure that he could feel them, when he started caressing them specifically. You reached behind you to unclasp your bra. Changbin looked almost cross-eyed when he first saw your bare chest.

He took no time in leaning forward, capturing one of your hard buds in his mouth. You moaned at the feeling of his hot lips around your cold nipple. He moaned around your nipple, and you felt your wetness spread through your folds. Your panties were completely soaked when he reached to stimulate your other nipple, tugging it harshly.

You moaned at his touch. Your body felt ablaze against his touch. He leaned forward without separating from your breast. You laid on your back as he hovered above your figure. His free hand reached under your skirt to caress your inner thighs. 

His digits found their way to press against your wetness. His lips shifted from one of your breasts to the other, sucking dark marks into them. He slipped his calloused fingers into you, slow and softly. Your body melted into his touch, accepting the foreign feeling of his fingers inside of you. You moaned at the feeling, unable to suppress your moans. 

“Do you like that, darling? Am I making you feel good?” He praised, his voice was raspy and breathless. You responded with a gasp. His lips found yours and you, once again, moaned into the kiss. You felt him smile against you. Changbin quickened the pace that his fingers, slipping in and out of you. The stretch of his fingers inside of you made you moan hard. Changbin stopped and checked up on you. You gave him a thumbs up.

“B-Binnie, d-don’t stop, please. I’m so unbelievably close.” You pleaded; he didn’t move. He had a thoughtful expression.

“Sorry, baby.” He said as he slid his fingers out of you. “You’re only cumming around me tonight. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.” Butterflies eroded in your stomach when you heard him. “Is that okay?” You nodded quickly, tugging at the waistband of his dark jeans. 

He obliged, undoing the button and zipper that held them together. You didn’t pay mind at his underwear as he slipped them off swiftly. He smirked at your reaction. You gawked at his dick; it was thick, veiny and very, painfully hard. Your fingers danced against it, and it twitched in response, leaking a generous amount of pre-cum. You opened your mouth, sticking out your tongue for him. He shook his head.

“I won’t last a second if I go there.” He said. Changbin reached over to his jeans and took out his wallet. “Ah, Y/N-nnie… I forgot, I kind of… gave my last condom to Jeongin-ah… as a joke.” He blushed. 

“Let me see if I have any.” You spoke. You turned over to dig inside your night table. “Shit. I gave the ones I had here to a friend because they were about to expire…”

“Fuck.”

“I mean…” You said as you slammed the drawer. “I’m clean and I drink birth control as a, uh, habitual thing…” 

“Are you suggesting that I go in raw?” He asked, you nodded.

“Only if you’re okay with it, of course.” You added. He stared at your pussy for a second, caressing its folds. 

“Okay, yeah. Fuck it. I’ll just pull out.” He said, grabbing his dick with his free hand. You laid back down. He positioned his dick against your sticky folds, dragging his angry head against your puffy clit. You whined at the feelings of his pre-cum on your own wetness.

“Baby. I want you inside.” You begged. “At least let me suck your cock.” He shook his head once again, instead positioning his hard member at your entrance. He gathered your wetness, not that he needed to.

He realized how truly drenched you were when he started sliding into you. Even with his impressive girth, his cock slipped in with ease and eagerness. You both groaned at the unexpected feeling. He bottommed out inside of you, the foreign feeling incited him to whisper sweet nothings in your ear in between kisses.

He took his sweet time to adjust to your tightness, you clenched your hips in order to feel some friction. He was holding his weight with his arms on each side your your head. Taking his time to enjoy your expressions as well, even forgetting that he has to thrust to feel maximum pleasure.

Changbin was never good at multi-tasking, but this time, he felt nirvana just by being inside of you. A feeling so strange, so lovely and so mesmerizing. He felt unable to move, he wanted to remain inside you for eternity. You squirmed underneath him and he, involuntarily, thrusted harshly. He earned a sweet, sultry moan from you. He was sure that listening to you moan is his favorite sound.

“B-bin. Please move, baby. I’m going to cum if you don’t.” You cried. He started thrusting, softly; he didn’t want to hurt you. Your head already felt fuzzy, full of Changbin. What a beautiful timeline, one that you and Changbin loved each other. You felt unbelievably close to him, the closest you’ve ever been to anyone in your life. 

“F-fuck, darling You’re taking me so well. You’re really soaked, my baby.” He panted against your ear, his hot breath made you shiver. “Have you been waiting for me for long?” It didn’t seem like a question to you, more like an affirmation to himself. “You’re my gorgeous angel. I’m never letting you go, you do know… fuck...” You moaned against his lips, capturing them in a heated kiss. You felt dizziness, knowing that your climax was impending. 

“B-bin. Binnie. Changbin.”

“Yeah.” He moaned. “Say my name, baby!”

“Binnie! I’m going to cum.”

“F-fuck! Me too. Can I cum inside you? I promise it’ll be the last time.”

You nodded fervently; the heat of the moment took the best of you. He thrusted deeper and faster, as he came over the edge, spilling thick, hot ropes of his seed in the depths of your core, of your soul.

You rubbed your clit, but feeling Changbin’s ardent cum inside you was more than enough to take you over the edge as well. You spasmed against him, your vision blurry and your orgasm lasting more than usual. Once you rode your orgasm, Changbin carefully slipped out of you and laid down next to you.

“Are you my girlfriend now, by the way?” He asked with a laugh, panting as he caught his breath. He looked at you expectantly. 

“Are you asking me?”

“I don’t know if it’s too soon, but yeah.”

“Hm...” You pondered. “If we didn’t know each other like we do, I think it would be too soon.”

He stayed silent.

“In other words: yeah, I’m your girlfriend.” You confirmed. He gave you a sheepish smirk.

“Han Jisung is not going to believe this.” He sang. You looked at him, confused. “He’s been wanting to ask you out for, like, ever.”

“Oh, nice. I know who I can go to if we break up, then.” You joked. He groaned. 

“Baby! That’s not funny at all!” He whined but laughed.

“I’m just kidding, Bin. Do you know who’s cum is inside me right now?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me or I’ll get hard again! What an artwork.” He said, pressing his head into your neck. “I have no self-control around you.” You snickered. 

“Trust me, me neither.”

“Ah, Y/N-nnie. I hope you don’t regret this.”

“I won’t.”

That was all the reassurance he needed. Changbin carried you to the bathroom and helped you wash up. He kissed you good night and prayed that what you had would last forever. He felt a sense of completion, like he needed to thank the universe for this moment. Changbin held you all night, though he could barely sleep. 

You woke up early in the morning, with an empty space beside you. You rubbed your eyes and hesitantly made your way out of the room. You could smell eggs and onions and rice. Changbin was serving an omelette with rice for you.

“Ah! wakey wakey, baby! I was going to surprise you with breakfast in bed!” Changbin shouted. You smiled at him.

“This is even better.” You said, in all honestly. You noticed that Alfred was standing closer to Changbin today.

“Who would’ve known that feeding him would make him like me!” Changbin added. You chuckled.

“Binnie, I missed you too much.” You walked over him. 

He placed a kiss on your lips, softly, and you felt the universe. 

☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・☆.。.:・

Copyright Ⓒ 2025 by deadpanjisung

All rights reserved. Translating, Reposting or any type of appropriation is not permitted.

☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°☆.。.:・°

[hellvst]

OFFSEASON – quinn hughes

featuring ; quinn hughes x fmc (sydney gray)

✮⋆˙ warning & content ; swearing

✮⋆˙ word count ; 4.7k

✮⋆˙ previous chapter – series masterlist – next chapter

a/n ; quinn is playing + canucks won yesterday against la? we are soo back! i kinda forgot to give simon a face claim...oops! but, i did have an idea or picture him to look similar to kevin fiala or roman josi, i just can't find a face claim for him. it's up to your imagination as well! happy reading <3

CHAPTER TWO

SYDNEY

My alarm went off multiple times within the past fifteen minutes, and kept hitting the snooze button each time it did. So much for wanting to wake up early this morning.

I fluttered my eyes open, adjusting to the natural light through the window.

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the dull ache in my right leg. It wasn’t a sharp pain–more like a persistent stiffness, reminding me that no matter how much progress I made, and lots of physiotherapy sessions, I wouldn’t always feel one hundred percent.

There was no point in dwelling on it. I had a busy day ahead, and self-pity wasn’t on the agenda. Not today.

I ungracefully got out of bed–did some stretches, single-leg squats, and hopped on one foot.

Nothing some movement wouldn’t fix.

The discomfort usually disappeared once I got my body moving. Truly odd, but if it got me through the day, I was not going to complain.

I moved through my morning routine with muscle memory. A quick shower, skin care, matching black compression set, an oversized hoodie thrown on without much thought, and tied my hair into a ponytail.

By the time I made it to the kitchen, the coffee machine was already doing its magic. As I waited, I flipped the TV on in the living room out of habit as I did every morning. 

The post-game analysis was still running from last night’s Canucks-Oilers’ game. I wasn’t surprised that this was the first thing that popped up on the screen, considering it’s been a while since my hometown, Vancouver, had made a playoff appearance. It was a huge deal for the city.

I caught a whiff of the last few minutes after getting home late from the studio–just in time to witness the whole debacle unfold. 

My brother, Simon, and his teammate.

The miscommunication. The puck hitting the post. The loss.

A blown play that cost them a ticket to conference finals. 

Now, every analyst, reporter, or fan was commenting and dissecting it.

“This was a complete breakdown,” one of the reporters began. “Simon Gray and Quinn Hughes were on totally different pages the entire game. You can’t have your best forward and your top defensemen out of sync in the most important moments–”

I turned the TV off and took a sip of my coffee, already knowing how that played out. My stomach was tightening at the sight of Simon after the buzzer went off.

Before the game, I sent him a short and simple ‘good luck!’, and haven’t heard from him since. Fair enough, given the outcome of the game.

Simon was going to be miserable for days, maybe weeks, more likely the entire summer. My brother was going to be impossible to deal with after that. And if history has taught itself, he was going to blame others for his mistakes. He always did.

I looked at the time, almost choking on my coffee, “Shit.”

I was running late for my first private session of the day, and Phoebe–one of my regular clients–was going to get there before me. Again.

If someone had asked me years ago what I saw myself doing, being a Pilates instructor wouldn’t even make the list. But life has a way of throwing you in places you’d never expect.

It started after the incident, I don’t talk about it much–there was nothing left to say. It happened. It definitely changed things. And for a very long time, I felt lost in my own body, like going through motions without purpose.

Doctors and my physiotherapist gave me exercises, stretches, and a never-ending list of things to “try”. Nothing clicked. Nothing felt right.

Until, I stepped into my first Pilates class. I remembered feeling a bit skeptical at first, convinced it was another trendy workout–the one all the girls tried out. It was the first time in a long time I felt connected to myself again. 

I kept going. I got better. And then I got really good. Good enough that one day, the owner of the studio I’d been training at, pulled me aside and asked if I ever thought about teaching. 

I laughed at the time, but the idea lingered that it stuck. And here I was: an instructor at Lumé Wellness–the top studio branch in Vancouver–fully booked for the summer, doing what I love.

The studio wasn’t that far from my apartment, twenty minutes tops without traffic which most days I was thankful for.

By the time I made it to the studio, sure enough, Phoebe was already inside one of the private rooms, stretching on the mat.

She raised an eyebrow at me as I put my bag down. “Would it kill you to be on time for once?” Phoebe teased, pulling her dark curls into a bun.

I rolled my eyes and started stretching beside her. “It’s five minutes.”

She shrugged and wiggled her brows, “Five minutes that I spent wondering if you were late because a guy kept you up last night.”

“Oh my God,” I groaned with a smile. “Don’t start this again, Phoebe.”

All she did was grin, absolutely delighted at the sight of my suffering. Phoebe was in her late forties, a social butterfly with too much energy for the morning slot, and too much curiosity for her own good. 

Plus the fact she was newly single and thriving in the chaos of her impending divorce, loved to poke at my non-existing dating life. She was a sucker for drama, and if my love life–or lack thereof–could provide her entertainment, she’d without a doubt take it.

“Oh come on, humor me, Syd. There has to be someone,” she said, settling onto the reformer. “You’re giving off the ‘I’m seeing someone new’ glow.”

I scoffed at her. “That ‘glow’ you’re referring to is just the new overhead lighting.”

She snorted then sighed dramatically as I adjusted her stance, “You know, you should really make time for some fun.”

“I have fun.” I argued.

“Pilates and binge-watching The Office at home doesn’t count.”

She got me there.

We continued on with our session. Usually with Phoebe, time flies so fast when all she did was rant about her life–pestering me about mine–but she eventually let it go once we began the harder exercises.

I barely got a moment to breathe before moving on to my bigger group session. To my luck, this group was breeze to get through as they followed my exercises on the reformer with ease. Not to mention, the music blasting through the speakers in the studio allowed them to get into that rhythm which was helpful as well.

Just when the last song ended, the group of ladies’ chests heaved, the room was filled with breaths of exhaustion, and a few went straight for their water bottles.

“Alright, ladies! Great work today! Hope to see you in our next class.”

They all left one by one, saying ‘bye’ on their way out, until I was the only one left.

Two or three classes to teach in the mornings usually had me working around lunch.

And by then, I was starving. 

My routine was pretty much the same, there was not a lot to do with an hour break. But, most days consisted of grabbing a quick meal at the nearest bistro or cafe with my closest friend. As I was about to pick up my things off the floor, my phone in my pocket buzzed.

Speak of the devil herself.

“Hey, Diane,” I answered, tucking my phone in between my ear and shoulder as I packed.

“Are we still on for lunch? I’m already at the café.”

I heard the faint lively sounds of the city of Vancouver in the background. “Yeah, I’m about to leave the studio and make my way–”

“Sydney?”

Right as I was trying to make a beeline to the doors, I turned to see Grace–the owner of the studio–peeking out her office door. My stomach dropped.

“One sec, Di.” I lowered my phone, ending the call. “Everything alright, Grace?”

“Can you step into my office for a minute?”

Fuck. This cannot be good. 

I followed her inside. It was a rare sight to see any of the studio employees in Grace’s office, she usually came to talk to me after my classes, never the other way around.

She never gave off vibes that ever intimidated me. I have never seen her upset with anyone, unless they truly pushed her buttons. The word ‘nervous’ wasn’t enough to express how I was feeling right then and there.

“Have a seat,” she gestured to the empty chair across from her. I gave her a smile, but beneath that was a wave of anxiety washing over me.

I tried to figure out what I might have done wrong. Did someone complain? Did I mix up the schedules or bookings? Did Phoebe finally rat me out for showing up late most of the time? The idea of me getting fired was not on my list of things today.

Grace sat behind her desk, clasping her hands together. “I have some news for you.”

Oh God. This is it. I was getting fired.

“I know your lunch break just started, so I’ll just get straight to it.” Grace had always been forward when she spoke. “There’s an opportunity with the Vancouver Canucks. Their management reached out about a summer cross-training program. They wanted us to coordinate it.”

I blinked at her, “And…?”

“And I told them you’d do it.”

As if my eyes couldn’t get any wider than it was. I stared at her in complete and utter disbelief, waiting for some sort of punchline. “You’re joking.”

Grace smiled, “Nope.”

I would have never imagined she’d say those words. This might be worse than getting fired.

There had been a few occasions when I had worked with soccer clubs, and a few college football players for cross-training. But, I had never done a session with the professional leagues such as the NHL. This was way different.

“Grace, I’m flattered but–” I thought about my words carefully, “I have a full schedule this summer and–”

“I am aware of your busy schedule,” she said, waving a hand. “I already adjusted your schedule accordingly to accommodate for this.”

Of course she did..

I opened my mouth, then closed it. This conversation was already headed towards the direction I dreaded. “There are other instructors here that I think are more qualified–who have worked in this studio for much longer that are more deserving for this job.”

Grace raised a brow at me, “Do you think I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t think you were more than qualified?”

Shit. I had that coming. I basically dug that hole myself. 

I stayed silent for my own good, Grace knew she was right and she sighed. 

“They want you,” she said simply.

“What? Why?”

I answered a bit too quickly, unknowingly raising my voice an octave or two. I shift in my chair, clearing my throat having just panicked in front of my boss.

“Well, given that you have a good background on hockey, I thought you were perfect for the position. Not to mention that their head coach, Rick Tocchet, had also referred to you. And if it helps, it’s not the entire team you will train with. Just two of their players.” Her lips twitched as she leaned in her seat. “One of them being your brother.”

My stomach twisted. I should have seen this from a mile away. Why didn’t I make that connection instantly right when she said ‘Vancouver Canucks’?

After all, my older brother Simon was one of the top forwards for the team.

Although, he may be my family and I would do anything for him–I wouldn’t train him or anyone on his team for that matter. Hockey was Simon’s thing, and I had my own so we stayed out of each other’s lane. And we like to keep it that way.

Plus, I wasn’t all that into men that played hockey. They weren’t my go-to type. But, I would be lying to myself if I didn't think there were some head-turners, but nothing too crazy of the sort. I have never dated a hockey guy.

I blinked, tapping out of my short trance. My brain was processing the fact that I was going to spend all summer with my brother and his teammate. 

Which led me to another question for Grace. 

“So, if I’m training my brother–” I said, dragging out the last word. “–who is the other?”

She took a moment before she replied, “Quinn Hughes.”

That brought me to a full stop. What?

My eyes were nothing but bloodshot, “Quinn Hughes?” There was absolutely no hiding my distraught expression, even if I tried my hardest to contain it. “That’s asking for the impossible, Grace. It would take a miracle for those two to work together.”

Shocked doesn’t even begin to cover what I was feeling.

Simon hated Quinn Hughes. I have spent the last few years listening to him ranting about how Quinn came in a year after he was drafted and ‘ruined’ everything–climbing the ranks, breaking franchise records as a defensemen, and taking the spotlight. 

I never truly understood the obsession. Simon had never acted this way growing up, especially towards another teammate. Now, he’s spent years resenting Quinn, blaming him for everything that has gone wrong in his career. I have asked multiple times specifically why he hated him so much, all I got was some half-assed answer.

And I’ve never met the guy, but from what I’ve seen, he seems alright.

“Your job is to make sure they don’t kill each other,” Grace continued. “I told Rick Tocchet you’d do it. And of course, you will be paid. More importantly, the Canucks’ are willing to invest in our studio. We’re growing and this would help fund more studios to expand, Sydney.”

Wow. It would be a great deal for Lumé Wellness now that I think about it. After adding the brand new Pilates reformers and more intensive sessions, our class attendances shot through the roof. The space in our studio was limited and we were growing in numbers as waitlists were piling up. 

What kind of Pilates instructor would I be if I didn’t want that for the studio?

I exhaled a sigh, “What about the media? They will be a problem–”

“We will handle it,” Grace cut me off. “After what happened last night, there’s no doubt that the press will track two of their star players’ moves throughout the summer. That’s why Rick, the Canuck’s team, and I will ensure that we will keep the training sessions on the down-low to prevent the media from talking.” 

That reassured me to an extent, but I was still skeptical. This was a bad idea.

It was easy to figure out why this arrangement was set in the first place. Those two, especially my brother, needed to stop acting like children and start acting like grown adults. Play like real professional hockey players. 

After the loss last night, it was only a matter of time when their team did something about it. I was surprised that it took them long enough. A few years ago, I wondered why they hadn't forced them to be stranded on an island together. Maybe surviving off an island together surely would have allowed them to work together at least.

The look in Grace’s eyes were telling me that there was no way out of this. Even if I came up with more excuses or tried to find a replacement, her (and apparently Rick Tocchet) mind was already made up.

I leaned back in my chair, my head was spinning in constant circles. “Is there any way for me to get out of this?”

“No.”

Damn. A complete shut down.

“Of course not,” I mumbled.

She gave me a knowing look, “Everything will be fine, that I can assure you, Sydney. Sessions will begin in two weeks.”

And just like that, my fate was sealed. Great.

I nodded my head as Grace dismissed me out of her office, gave her a small wave. I stepped out of the studio, took a deep breath trying to process what just happened in the last few minutes. I still couldn’t believe it.

My phone went off. Four missed calls and numerous text messages from Diane.

I called her back, and the second she picked up, she was already yelling. “Where the hell are you?”

A dull throb in my temple ached. “I got held up, I’ll be there in ten.”

“What happened?”

I sighed and began walking down the sidewalk. “You’re never going to believe me if I told you.”

The café was already packed by the time I got there, the low hum of conversation blending with the clinking of cups and the hiss of the espresso machine.

I spotted Diane almost immediately, she sat by the window, with a half-eaten bagel and small bits of crumbs on the table. She glanced up just as I approached her and instantly raised a brow.

“You’re late,” she said, pointing at me with her bagel in hand. “Again.”

“Sorry, I got held up.” I told her as I dropped into the chair across from her.

She playfully scoffed and held up her now empty cup, “Enough that I already finished one latte.” She smirked before setting it down. “Alright, spill. What was so important that you hung up on me and left me hanging here?”

“Grace.”

Diane’s eyes widened at that. She knew how rare it was for me–or anyone in the studio– to get caught up in Grace’s hair to get sent to her office. There were only good things I have told Diane about my boss over the years. Like the time she gave all the studio employees a gift certificate to the infamous spa in the north side of the city. It was generous of her, but it was quite expensive.

I took a deep breath before explaining to my friend of my new summer plans. Having to say it all out loud made me realize how real this was. It was going to happen and I wasn’t just dreaming in that office.

“Wait. I’m sorry, what?” Diane nearly choked on her coffee.

“Yep,” I popped the ‘p’, and nodded at her. “You heard me.”

For a split second, there was silence. 

Her face lit up accompanied with a squeal. Oh no. Here we go.

Diane’s expression was something between shock and excitement, “Syd, are you serious? That’s freaking nuts!” Unaware of her volume, she earned the glances of other customers in the café. We were both quick to give them apologetic nods. She leaned closer across the table, her voice quieter this time, “That’s huge, Syd!”

I scoffed, “I wouldn’t call it that.”

Diane grinned, “Are you kidding? You get to train professional athletes. NHL players. Do you know how many people would kill for that opportunity?”

She was right. It’s not everyday that you get to work with athletes in the big leagues. Anyone in the studio could have easily taken this job and taken the news a lot more lightly and professionally than I did. But no, oddly enough I didn’t have any other choice or say in the decision.

I shook my head at her, slumping into my seat. “It’s not that simple.”

Diane tilted her head as if I grew another pair of eyes, “What’s not simple about that? You get to train with your brother and I don’t think that’s all too difficult, right? Shouldn’t it be easier since he is your brother?”

As much as I loved my brother, we liked keeping our lives separate from each other. He had his career, and I had mine. Not saying that I wasn’t proud of him or embarrassed that my brother was one of the hockey stars in the league. I was very proud that he achieved his dreams, why wouldn’t I be? I just liked supporting him from the sidelines. 

“Me and Simon are close but–” I paused, tracing the rim of my coffee cup with my finger. “We don’t mix our careers or get involved in each other’s business. Now, I’m being thrown right into it and it just…complicates things.”

Diane watched me carefully, “Is that really a bad thing?”

I hesitated before answering her. “I’ve never really been a part of his hockey world, this was totally unexpected. Hell, I don’t even know if he knows about it. He hasn’t texted me since yesterday before the game.” 

“Okay, so you’re only training your brother. Big deal. It’s not like you’re training with the whole team.” She waved a hand, acting like that was the only issue I was dealing with.

I shot her a look, I accidentally left out a big piece of information while explaining to her.

“And Quinn Hughes,” I added flatly.

Diane’s jaw dropped to the floor, “Wait–Quinn Hughes? As in, the captain of the team and the best defensemen in the league ‘Quinn Hughes’?”

As far as hockey goes for Diane, she had no interest in the sport, unless there was eye-candy on the team. When it came down to the NHL, the only names she was familiar with were the ‘good-looking’ guys, my brother, and Quinn Hughes. 

I nodded, then took a quick sip of my coffee, “Apparently, my job is to make sure they don’t kill each other during the summer.”

“Wow. That’s definitely…something.”

“Exactly.” I crossed my arms. “I barely know Quinn. But, Simon? He’s been going off about the guy for years. And now I’m supposed to train them. Together? That’s a shitshow waiting to happen.”

Diane shrugged her shoulders, looking at me thoughtfully. “Or maybe it’s an opportunity.”

My brow raised at that, “To do what? Watch my brother have a meltdown? Yeah, no thanks.” 

“But–”

I groaned, “Diane.”

She was teasing, and she never fails to get away with it. “I’m just saying, maybe this isn’t the worst thing. You’ll be challenged. You’ll make new connections. And–” She paused. “Who knows, this might just be the most interesting thing going for you right now since the accident–nevermind, sorry.”

Ouch. That stung.

But, Diane was right. As much as I’d like to think that my life was perfect and everything was going the right places, deep down, I knew it wasn’t. Ever since I got hurt and went through months of recovering, the course of direction my life was heading towards took a hard turn.

Now, I have ended up here. But, I wasn’t not grateful as things could have been worse, very worse. Over the years, I had to learn how to go with the flow and accept it.

I knew she didn’t mean to say that with bad intentions. Diane always wanted what was best for me, and I was glad that she felt that way since I would do the same with her. She was my longest friend for as long as I could remember.

She gave me an apologetic smile, “If anything, maybe your brother can introduce you to his teammates or–”

I playfully shook my head, then stood up with my empty cup in my hands. “I’m getting more coffee.”

She laughed, “Fine. But, I am not done talking about this.”

I gave her a look over my shoulder before heading over to the front counter. The café was even busier now, and I had to squeeze past a few people waiting for their orders. I handed my cup to the barista, tapping my fingers against the counter as I waited.

Diane’s words lingered in my head. Maybe this was a big opportunity, Maybe I was overreacting. But there was still that anxious feeling in my stomach, my subconscious telling me that I was not ready for this.

The barista handed me the the refilled cup, and I turned back towards our table–

Only to be met with a sudden, solid force.

The next thing I knew, the warmth of hot coffee spilled down the front of my hoodie. I sucked in a sharp breath as the heat seared against my skin right through the fabric. “Fuck!”

The impact rattled me, as I staggered back, barely managing to keep hold of the cup and maintaining my balance. I looked down at the damage, dark brown stains spread across the pale gray fabric.

I clenched my jaw. Just perfect. 

“Shit, I–”

I glanced up, ready to give whoever it was a piece of my fucking mind and–

I froze. No, it can’t be.

Quinn fucking Hughes.

Stood right in front of me, low and behold, looked just as surprised as I did.

Up close, he was taller than I expected–maybe I was just short– lean but solid, his broad shoulders filling out his fitted black hoodie effortlessly. His dark hair was slightly tousled under his hat; damp at the ends like he’d just finished practice or a workout, and completely blended with the crowd of people as if he wasn’t one of the biggest NHL players in the league.

I blinked, my brain lagging for a second. I’ve seen him on TV, many times before, in clips that Simon had angrily sent me after a few bad games, but seeing him up close was different. Very different.

He had his own unique attractiveness, I won’t lie. He had the light scruffy stubble around his jaw–sharp jawline, and piercing greenish blue eyes that made him look intense, but there was a softness in the way that he blinked at me, momentarily thrown off.

What was he doing here of all places?

He didn’t seem to realize that I wasn’t saying anything and ran a hand through his hair, looking somewhat embarrassed. “I, uh–” He hesitated, looking vaguely horrified at the sight of my hoodie. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I wasn’t paying attention.”

I exhaled through my nose, forcing myself to calm down despite the feeling of coffee soaking into my hoodie. “Yeah, no kidding.”

 He pulled a handful of napkins from the counter and offered them to me, “Here.”

“Thanks.” I took them from his grasp and attempted to clean the stain, knowing it wouldn’t do much but tried anyway. 

“I can buy you another one,” Quinn offered, nodding towards the counter. “Or, at least a new hoodie?

I shook my head, frustrated that the napkins were making my hoodie worse. “I don’t need anything from an NHL player, alright–”

Oh shit. My eyes widened as soon as the words slipped from my mouth. 

That caught him off guard, and so had I.

Quinn’s expression lit up and brows furrowed instantly at that, curiosity flashing in his eyes. “So, you know who I am?”

“Yes, I do.” I said in a tone indicating that it wasn’t a good thing. 

He studied me for a moment. Probably thinking that I was a hockey fan or whatnot.

“Can I at least get your name or number?” He paused, scrambling to rephrase what his intentions were behind that question. “To replace your hoodie or pay for dry cleaning, anything to fix what I caused.”

He sounded pretty genuine and his intentions were nothing but pure, hopefully.

I gave him a look, “I’m not making you buy me a hoodie. I can take care of this–” I looked down at the mess. “–myself. So, I think I’ll respectfully pass up on that offer of yours.”

As I was about to turn my back on him, his fingers found the material of my sleeve, and swiftly pulled me back. “Hey look, I’d feel really bad if I left here without making it up to you.”

“Oh, really?” 

He only nodded, which amused me.

“I think I can survive without your help, but thanks.”

Quinn’s lips twitched like he wanted to smile, but thought the better of it before I turned around.

I felt his eyes linger on me as soon as I made my way back to Diane. She watched the whole thing and she looked like she was about to lose her damn mind once I sat down.

I glanced over my shoulder back to where Quinn stood. I was so lost in that interaction that I hadn’t noticed two other of his Canuck buddies were standing behind him. I watched them laughing–most likely teasing him–about what they witnessed. Great, that was just great.

“What the actual fuck just happened, Syd?” 

I wish I knew.

all rights reserved © 2025 hellvst. please do not copy, translate, or modify my works in any platform.

[littlestl4mb]

valentines day with luigi and he's come down with a cold but refuses to acknowledge it and still tries to take you out to dinner, do fun things with you/care for you etc and you're like bRO you need to take care of yourself!! u literally have to force him on the couch with tea otherwise he won't ever rest

omg bro YES. i think that man was raised on the notion that he has to be on 100 mode all the time. if he’s not busy, he feels like a failure. he hardly lets himself rest; he grinds his gears until there’s no grease left to sustain him— until the machine of his body is grating upon itself just to keep sustaining its momentum. 

in love and relationships, he’s definitely like this too. well, he thinks he has to be this way anyways. thinks that it’s what has to be done— putting others first without second thought for himself. 

with all his work, hobbies, and busying himself with you— he doesn’t realize he’s pushed himself past his physical limits until there’s a sudden accompanying ache in his body. a sore throat that hardly lets him swallow. a pounding head that allures to the cold that’s brewing in his system. and still- he disregards it. ‘there’s no time to be sick right now.’ he tells himself. he convinces himself he can push off whatever ailment he’s harboring until next week. when it’s not valentines day, when he doesn’t have an elaborate day planned. when he doesn’t have to worry about letting someone- well the most important person to him- down. he tells himself he’ll load up on DayQuil and theraflu today and reward himself with a long nights sleep afterwards. because surely he can control whether or not he gets sick. right.

when he shows up knocking at your door with an extravagant bouquet of roses in hand, a dainty box of chocolates tucked between his top and bottom teeth, and a little gift bag dangling from his wrist, he’s so certain that he can make it through today. besides, he thinks the pain and discomfort is worth it when you open the door a few seconds later. he wishes he had another hand with a camera in it just to capture the look of delight and surprise on your face. 

“happy valentines day, baby” he mumbles, the box still tucked between his teeth while his other hand wraps around the heavy vase of the flowers again. he’s hardly trying and yet he looks so puppy eyed standing at your door with his arms full of the largest bouquet of flowers you’ve ever laid eyes on. 

you’d usher him in and help him put everything he’s carrying down onto the counter. and kiss his repeatedly while thanking him for the thoughtful gifts. the little gift bag, as it turns out, has a printed itinerary of your plans for the evening (you know, a walk together through your favorite park, two tickets to a museum, and then a mini menu of the elaborate dinner he’s planning to make you later that night). oh, and a casual gold locket necklace that has a photo of you two printed out and glued inside of it. (the engineer in him deff went CRAZY making sure the image was the perfect size and that it fit perfectly). 

and surprisingly! luigi makes it through a good part of the day without you knowing he’s sick. he maybe lets a sniffle get out here or there, and his voice sounds hoarse on occasion, but he tells you it’s just his allergies. which you’re skeptical of, but you give him the benefit of the doubt. and besides, he’s so determined to celebrate the day with you that you can’t stop him. 

…..well…. until things suddenly take a turn for the worse. 

it hits him like a brick wall when you’re at the museum. the pounding in his head returns and this time it’s ten-fold. his body heats up with a flame that somehow can’t quell the immense coldness he feels. his body practically vibrates as he’s struggling to contain the sudden shivers he has.

“oh, look at this painting of the two birds curled together on the branch. it’s so us, don’t you think?” you point to a painting that you’re looking at, your head turned away from him. when you turn to look back at him to see his response, you’re met with a ghastly version of luigi. he’s pale like he’s seen a ghost, and his eyes are glossed over. his curls are starting to stick to his forehead from how warm he is despite his shivers :(

“hm? oh yeah,” he croaks out and nods his head in agreement. 

and you don’t know how you missed it before, or how he was so good at hiding it. it leaves you feeling guilty knowing he must’ve been feeling unwell for so long, and yet he pushed through it so selflessly for you. 

“oh my god, lu. are you okay? we need to go home,” you frown, your smaller arm looping around his while you guide him towards the nearest exit. 

getting home is more or less of a black screen to him. he knows he gets into the car at some point, and that you two get back to your apartment at another point. maybe there’s a stop made along the way, but he’s not too sure about that. and despite it all, the man still tries to waltz into the kitchen, determined to make the dinner he planned on making for you. he’s stubborn that way. 

“luigi, can you please lay down? you can make dinner another night,” you insist. the back of your hand presses softly against his forehead, which he hums almost deleriously at. the sign of a fever burns brightly against your own skin. 

“no, i’m fine. really. i’ll just make the risotto and then i promise i’ll go lay down.”

you shake your head at him, but say nothing. you busy yourself with boiling some water for tea. only leaving luigi’s side to grab some bottles of vitamins and nyquil from your bathroom medicine cabinet. 

when you return, he’s leaning against the counter with his fingers pressed into his temples. desperate to quell the throbbing in his skull. “can we turn the heat up in here? jesus, it’s freezing,” he mumbles. (the thermostat is at 73, you know things are bad because that man definitely runs warm as it is, usually he's asking for you to turn the heat down)

you set the medicine down, and reach out to wrap a hand around his bicep. with a soft squeeze, you tug him away from the kitchen counter. he’s too tired, too achey to even fight back anymore. his body submitting to the fact that maybe he should just listen to you. 

you take the opportunity and guide him to the couch. he doesn’t protest when you take out a pile of soft blankets and layer them on top of him. he’s too tired to. and he can’t lie to himself— getting tucked into your couch makes him feel a whole lot better. it’s kind of funny how fast he gives into being taken care of. he pretends like he doesn’t want it because he’s so used to being the one to take care of things.

when you stand up from his side, he lets out a pitiful whine of protest, “noooo, where are you going?”

“i’ll be back,” you assure him. true to your word, you do return. a cup of lemon-ginger tea with honey in one hand, and the bottle of nyquil in the other. you sit yourself by his side as you give him the cap of dark blue liquid. once he’s downed it, you hand him the cup of tea and tell him to drink it, that it’ll soothe his throat. and once he’s done that, you make him take a handful of vitamins too. 

“will you be okay if i get up and make some dinner? was thinking of making that one chicken noodle soup recipe. y’know, the one from scratch.” 

luigi pouts in his typical way but gives a little nod of his head. your fingers lightly graze through the mess of curls on his head for a few moments in attempt to comfort him. he looks so soft sometimes that it almost hurts. he doesn’t let many people see him so weak either but he has a lot of trust in you <3 

and then when you’re making him the soup, you make sure turn on a light hearted movie for him to watch. intermittently you check in on him to make sure he’s doing okay. his fever start dying down, which helps your worrying. he’s constantly trying to thank you, and also apologize for “ruining” valentines day :( but you shush him each time. 

i think he really starts to lean into being taken care of in the following days. like if you’re doing something in another room he calls out “babyyyyy, where are you? this cold is so bad” and no doubt he’s still feeling sick but he also starts to use it to his advantage. he swears he’s dying, that he needs you to run your fingers through his curls again to make him feel a little better. he’s pouty and whiny and needy. and you don’t even care because that’s your sweet baby lu and if he needs to be babied then so be it! he deserves it! so if he asks for more blankets, you bring him more. if he asks for more tea, you brew him some immediately. if he asks for you to just sit by his side, there’s no hesitancy from you at all. 

ngl i wouldn’t be surprised if he also pretended to be sick way longer than he actually is just for a few extra days of being pampered by you 

[o-batll3]

Please write part 2 of truths or just something really cute and sweet with lena oberdorf!

truths pt2 - l. oberdorf

warnings - make out

a/n - sorry i have been SLACKING in posting i’ve had a humongous break due to school work but hopefully i’m back!!

you don’t know when it started feeling different.

maybe it was the way she started looking at you—not like a friend, not like a teammate, but like you were something more. or maybe it was the way your heart started skipping when she did something as simple as slinging an arm around your shoulder, or flashing that stupid, cocky grin after beating you in a sprint.

whatever it was, it’s been building for a long time. and now, stuck in the same room for a week at camp, it’s getting unbearable.

—

by the third day, it’s ridiculous.

she’s everywhere. in your space, in your head, in your skin.

when you sit down at meals, she sits next to you without thinking, your knees bumping together under the table. when you finish a drill and reach for your water bottle, she already has it in her hand, passing it to you with a smirk like she knew you’d need it.

you train together like you’re connected, like you’ve been playing side by side forever. passes are effortless, movement instinctive, and she feels it too—you can tell by the way she grins when you pull off something perfect, by the way she watches you when she thinks you won’t notice.

but you always notice.

and it’s killing you.

—

by the fifth day, you’re losing your mind.

because it’s not just training anymore. it’s the little things. the way she leans against you when she’s tired, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. the way she lingers in the doorway when you’re alone in your room, like she’s waiting for you to do something. the way her gaze flickers to your lips when you talk, for just a second, but long enough to make you dizzy.

just tell her.

you repeat it to yourself every night before falling asleep, staring at the ceiling, listening to her breathe in the bed next to yours.

but you don’t.

—

the last night is the breaking point.

you’re the last two on the field after training, the floodlights buzzing overhead, the air thick and warm from the summer heat. you’re both exhausted, sweaty, sore, but neither of you moves. neither of you wants to move.

“you keep looking at me like you want to say something,” she murmurs, kicking the ball between her feet.

your stomach twists. you force a smirk. “so do you.”

she exhales sharply, shaking her head. “god, you’re impossible.”

“so are you.”

the ball rolls to a stop between you.

she looks up at you then, and it’s different this time. heavier. like she knows—like she’s finally, finally figured it out.

“tell me i’m wrong,” she says, voice barely above a whisper.

your heart pounds. “about what?”

“about this,” she murmurs. “about you and me. about what’s been happening this whole time.”

you should say something. you should stop this.

but you don’t.

instead, you take the last step forward, closing the distance between you, until she’s right there, until you can see every freckle, every fleck of gold in her eyes, until you can feel the heat radiating off her skin.

her breath hitches. her fingers twitch at her sides.

“tell me to stop,” she whispers.

but you don’t.

because you’ve spent years wanting this, years pretending you didn’t, years thinking you could ignore it.

and now she’s here, right in front of you, waiting.

so you grab her by the collar of her jersey, yank her forward, and kiss her.

and she kisses you back.

it’s not soft. it’s not slow. it’s desperate, reckless, all teeth and heat and years of frustration finally, finally breaking open. her hands are in your hair, her body pressing against yours, and it’s too much but also not enough.

she gasps against your lips, and you swallow the sound, pull her closer, dig your fingers into her waist like you’re terrified she’ll disappear.

she doesn’t.

she won’t.

because she’s wanted this just as much as you have.

and now, there’s no going back.

[writeriguess]

Kiribaku having kids (twins boy & girl) they start kindergarten and into the year they notice the kids are sadder when they come home they’re more quiet and in a certain day kiribaku and reader (secret girlfriend) are out on a date while the kids are at school and they get a call they need picked up asap cause something’s wrong so they all three go not thinking about it and the kids meet her Sav’s a few months go by and the kids finally say the issue was not having a mommy but now they have one

A Missing Piece

Kirishima and Bakugou had always known they wanted kids. It had been a long journey—filled with paperwork, home visits, and nervous waiting—but when they finally brought home their twins, Ren and Aiko, it was like their lives truly began.

They tackled fatherhood like they tackled everything else: with passion, dedication, and an unshakable love for their children. They weren’t perfect, but they always made sure Ren and Aiko knew they were safe, cherished, and cared for.

So when the twins started kindergarten, it was a huge milestone—not just for them, but for their dads.

The first few weeks were amazing. Every afternoon, the kids would come home brimming with stories, bouncing with excitement as they recounted every detail of their day. Bakugou and Kirishima would listen intently, grinning at their enthusiasm, feeling a sense of relief that their kids were adjusting so well.

But slowly, things started to change.

It was subtle at first. The twins weren’t as chatty when they got home. Their excitement dimmed, their energy lowered. They weren’t causing trouble like usual, weren’t filling the house with their infectious laughter.

Kirishima noticed it first, his sharp observation skills picking up on their quiet moods. He tried to bring it up to Bakugou, but at first, his husband brushed it off.

“They’re kids. They’ll have bad days.”

But then bad days turned into bad weeks.

And when Aiko, their usually fiery and opinionated daughter, pushed away her plate at dinner one night without saying a word, even Bakugou knew something was wrong.

That night, after tucking the twins into bed, Kirishima leaned against the kitchen counter with a deep frown. “Something’s up, man. They’re different.”

Bakugou exhaled heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah… I see it too.”

“We should talk to them.”

“Tch. Like they’ll tell us anything,” Bakugou muttered, but the frustration in his voice wasn’t directed at the kids. He just hated feeling powerless.

They decided to give it a little more time, hoping the kids would open up when they were ready.

But weeks passed, and things didn’t improve.

Then the call came.

It was supposed to be a rare, peaceful day off.

Kirishima and Bakugou were on a date—something they hadn’t done in way too long. Between hero work and parenting, moments alone were hard to come by.

They were walking through the city with you—Bakugou’s secret girlfriend.

He hadn’t told the twins about you yet, not because he was ashamed, but because introducing someone into their lives was a big step. He and Kirishima had agreed that when the time was right, when things felt solid, they’d take that next step.

Right now, though, all three of you were enjoying a carefree day. You laughed at Bakugou’s usual grumbling and leaned into Kirishima’s easy warmth. It was comfortable, effortless.

And then Bakugou’s phone rang.

“Mr. Bakugou, we need you to come pick up Ren and Aiko immediately.”

His entire body tensed. “What? What happened?”

“They’re very upset. We think it’s best you come in.”

Kirishima and Bakugou didn’t waste a second. The date was forgotten as they rushed to the school, you tagging along without hesitation.

When they arrived, the twins were sitting together in a small, quiet room, curled into each other like two halves of the same soul. Their tiny hands were clenched, eyes downcast.

It hurt.

Kirishima stepped forward first, crouching beside them. “Hey, little ones.” His voice was soft, careful. “What’s going on?”

Ren sniffled but didn’t speak. Aiko peeked up at them, then hesitated when her eyes landed on you.

You stayed quiet, offering a small smile, not wanting to overwhelm them.

“They’re not talking much,” the teacher explained gently. “But we think something has been bothering them for a while. It might be best if they tell you.”

Bakugou crouched beside Kirishima, his red eyes soft with concern. “Come on, brats. Tell us what’s wrong.”

It took a moment, but then, in a tiny voice, Aiko whispered, “The other kids said it’s weird that we don’t have a mommy.”

Silence.

Kirishima and Bakugou exchanged a glance.

“They… what?” Bakugou’s voice was dangerously low, but Kirishima nudged him gently to keep him in check.

Ren wiped his nose on his sleeve. “They laughed at us when we said we have two dads.” His lower lip trembled. “They said all families are supposed to have a mommy and a daddy. And that maybe… maybe our mommy left ‘cause she didn’t love us.”

Kirishima felt something in his chest crack. He pulled the twins into a hug without hesitation. “Hey, don’t listen to that, okay? That’s not true. You are so, so loved.”

Aiko clutched at his shirt. “But we don’t have a mommy…”

A beat of silence passed.

And then Ren glanced at you again.

“But… do we now?”

You froze.

The question hung in the air like an unspoken wish.

Bakugou and Kirishima both looked at you, their expressions unreadable. It was a moment they hadn’t planned for, hadn’t expected—but maybe, just maybe, the kids had seen something they hadn’t fully realized yet.

Your heart clenched as you met the hopeful, tear-filled eyes of the twins.

You knelt in front of them, keeping your voice warm but careful. “Families come in all shapes, you know. But if… if you’d like, I’d love to be a part of yours.”

Ren hiccupped. “You would?”

Aiko’s eyes were wide.

You smiled, holding out your arms, giving them the choice.

It only took a second before they crashed into you, burying themselves in your warmth.

Kirishima swallowed hard, blinking rapidly. Bakugou turned away, rubbing at his face with a grumble, but his shaking shoulders gave him away.

The twins held onto you like a missing puzzle piece finally clicking into place.

“Yeah,” you whispered against their hair, holding them tight. “You do now.”

And just like that, their family became whole.

[thatguywrites]

Vienna

Max Verstappen x Male!Reader

When Max is overworking himself to the bone in the preseason, and you need to talk some sense into him before he burns out

A/N I'm back after my one week break! I'm gonna try and write more fics to create a WIP list so that that doesn't happen, but I also encourage people to send in asks cause I'm gonna run out of ideas at some point :)

In the bustle of the preseason chaos, you hadn't had much time to spend with your lovely boyfriend. Between the incredibly boring F175, and testing instantly starting in the week following, Max was too busy running around, working out, taking calls, and providing feedback. It seemed the only times you saw him anymore were in the mornings and late at night, when he would slip into bed with you, muttering thanks for the certainly cold dinner you had left him, before he collapsing into sleep.

Finally, one day you managed to have him to yourself for a whole evening, as soon as his morning workouts were done, you would be able to push him into bed for some snacks, and movies, and boyfriend time. But, when Max arrived home, he was clearly still in work mode. Flurrying around the house, taking notes of things about the car that he hadn't told the engineers the day before, before hopping into the sim to do lap after lap in the model car Redbull had sent him.

Your kinder bars, fruits, and Netflix left untouched, you waited on the couch for him to finish. Maybe he just wanted to figure something out. Everyone gets like that; when something nags at them and they just need to get it right. He would be done by dinner.

By the time dinner came, you'd lost hope that he would come to bed naturally. It began to seem that you would have to do something yourself to get Max to eat with you and to finally relax. Walking over to his rig, you placed a kiss on his cheek, pulling his headphones back, "I'll be on the balcony, ok?"

Without looking away from the screen, he nodded, before shooing you away.

Once on the balcony, sitting down, you finally felt at rest. For a break moment you didn't have to worry about Max, or how he was working himself to the bone and you by extension. It was you, and the cool air of Monaco.

You got lost in your thoughts, but it could have been two or twenty minutes before you heard the door behind you open, and Max sit next to you, placing a blanket around your shoulders.

"You looked cold, in just a T-shirt" He said, softly. You noticed you could see his breath. Maybe it was cold.

"Didn't notice"

"Why out so long?"

Your own puff of breath appeared infront if you as you leaned back against your apartment, looking up at the now visable stars. "Thinking. Why were you on your sim so long? Isn't today supposed to be your day off?"

Max looked down, maybe ashamed. A small part of you felt good about that. That he felt bad about hurting you. But the rest of you just wanted to scoop him into a hug and never let go.

"I mean, last year's car worried me. And Lando's improved, and I'm sure Oscar'll be up there too this year, so I'm doing my best now to make sure we end up with the best car." You could feel his eyes on you, a nervous energy in your previous safe space, his warm hands wrapping around your cold ones, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for worrying you, and ignoring you. I'm sorry that I haven't been prioritizing us at all. I'm sorry that I spent my entire afternoon off working." He pulled you into his arms, resting his head on yours, and pressing kisses atop your hair.

"I didn't want to push you, I know your work is important to you. I don't want to act as if I'm above racing to you, I know it's your life, but I want to be a part of your life too." At your words Max jolted away, eyes wide, with a small pout on his lips.

"No! No, no, no, racing is a huge part of my life, sure, but so are you. I'm sorry I haven't made that clear, I love you. I just worry that I'm not trying hard enough for the world sometimes, that I'll fall behind on track because of it", He trailed off, looking down into the busy streets

"Well, I'm sure the fastest man on Earth, who works harder than anyone else I've ever seen will manage to pose a threat, even if he takes a break for one night, no?"

Breaking out into a smile, Max responded, "Yeah"

Taglist (Comment or DM to be added)

@koalapastries @justaf1girl @spoonfulofmilo @lokisen

[5targh0st]

NUMBER ONE GIRL

78. don’t kick his ass (written)

prev // m.list // next

Looking at the ceiling, still feeling something between numbed and overwhelmed, Yeonjun convinces himself that he did what he had to do. It’s just a little break until he manages to get Yuna to stop harassing him. Once she’s out of the picture, all those feelings will go away. Once she’s gone again, he can go back to the life he’s worked so hard for, right? He knows he’s hurting the person he loves most in the world, but it’s all for a good reason. Surely, you will understand. He will explain and you’ll understand. Just not right now. Not when his old wounds are wide open and you can see his pitiful soul covered in blood. He just needs a few days, maybe weeks, and everything will be okay again.

He really wants to believe that, because it’s been just a couple of days and he’s already dying to talk to you and go back to how things were; how they’re supposed to be.

“Can you please calm down?” Dahyun sighs yet again.

Joshua’s been angry and anxious ever since he saw those posts. Just what the fuck is Yeonjun doing.

“I can’t!” He’s beyond exasperated right now. “She literally said nothing’s going on and yet has gone radio silence ever since. I need to know she’s okay, and she won’t talk to anyone. And I can’t go to Seoul ‘cause we’re closing an important deal and those fuckers insist on seeing me.”

“Hansol says he’s going,” she tries to reassure him.

“That’s way worse!” He complains.

As if sensing they were talking about him, Halson walks into the living room. He looks like he’s ready to kill someone.

“I’ll call you as soon as I get there.” He announces while he makes sure he has his passport with him.

“Just don’t kick his ass right away,” Dahyun pleads.

“I’m not making any promises,” Hansol rolls his eyes.

“She’s gonna hate us if you do,” Josh reminds him. “Just make sure to get both sides of the story.”

“We’re literally meddling in her private life, she’s gonna hate us regardless.” Sarcasm drips from his voice. “So I have to at least land a good punch on that fucker.”

Joshua can’t help but sigh again. Contrary to popular belief, Hansol is way more prone to be a lot more overprotective than he is, and that already says a lot. Of, course, Joshua knows he’s intense and kind of abrasive, but he’s never one to resort to violence. Josh admits he’s the bark, and Hansol is the bite. That’s why they make such a good team. And that’s why he didn’t want him to go alone.

“I really hope you guys don’t regret this,” Dahyun says hugging his waist.

“I think we will.”

During the flight, Hansol tries to think about something else. He really, really tries to write a song and even read the book he always carries around which title he’s already forgotten. He can’t. His mind goes back to his little sister and, by extension, to Josh.

He still remembers the day they met, they were both five and trying not to die of boredom at one of the fancy dinners their parents used to host all the time. Joshua’s chubby cheeks and proud grin are still clear in his mind, “I’m gonna be a big brother soon,” he remembers Joshua bragging. That summer, they met every day and Joshua would say he’d be his big brother too. He was bossy, even more than now, but he was fun. Joshua would try to teach him stuff and care for him, he really enjoyed flexing those few months between their birthdays. Hansol has to admit that he was a little jealous of Joshua’s unborn sister, he liked the attention and felt that the little girl would steal Joshua from him.

And then he saw her. So tiny and fragile, she stole his heart. “Can I be a big brother too?” He remembers asking Joshua. And it’s been like that ever since. He was there as much as he could and tried to help here and there. He thought little Yn would interfere with his time with Joshua, but it was Joshua who’d always tried to cut short his time with the little girl. He loved attending her tea parties and letting her and Karina paint his nails. He’s loved her ever since he first saw her, he’d give up his life for his sister. Blood doesn’t matter, that’s his sister. And he’s gonna make sure Yeonjun understands.

That’s what made him lose his mind in the first place. He was the first to welcome Yeonjun to their little family and even encouraged him to finally ask Yn out. He was really grateful for his presence in his sister’s life. He never expected that he would do something like this, especially completely out of nowhere.

“What the hell is going on?” He mutters looking out the window. There’s nothing to see, though, not besides some dark clouds in the distance.

Three days. It’s been three days since Yeonjun said he needed some space. You still can’t make sense out of his words. You tried texting him, calling him. You haven’t shown up to his place, though, you don’t think you could handle such a direct rejection if he refuses to see you even then. Where did it all go wrong? Everything was going great, better than great even. Everything was perfect.

Were you too pushy? Too clingy? Just too much? Or maybe he got scared? This was his first relationship after a really long time, after all. Maybe everything got way too serious way too fast. He did say he wanted to take things slow, see where it goes. But you thought you were on the same page, you thought you both had the same goals and desires. What if he was just trying to please you? What if you were just a means to an end? What if he was just trying to prove that he could be in a relationship?

But he said he loved you? Loved? When did you start to think about him in past tense? Isn’t he your present and future? Fuck. Everything is a little too overwhelming.

“I need to get out,” you say before grabbing your keys and going out.

You walk around for a few hours but turns out that that’s not enough to ease your mind. Your thoughts are still driving you crazy. Your heart still aching. And Yeonjun’s still missing. When did you get so used to him being around? You miss his jokes, his laugh. His yapping, his random stories. Every single part of him became a part of you. How is it possible to love someone that much in such a short time? His little quirks are engraved in your mind. And you miss him.

And then you see the best way to forget about everything. Even if just for a little while. You just want to forget. Life would be easier if you could just disappear until everything is right again.

“Just one drink,” you say before making your way into the bar.

Very bad idea.

notes:

please tell me you get the modern family reference 😭

joshua trying to be reasonable is my favorite thing ever

han is a real one

if you don't hate my writing and storytelling, you can help me choose my next story here lol

taglist: open! (3/50)

@estella-novella @poetryforthesad @lisaswifey @angelzforu @ihrtlix @gloriousqueenking @domfikeluva @conwunder @miniature-tragedy @jeonginplsholdmyhand @sh0dor1 @yourenzoo @tkshairband @realrintaro @castingjinx @amara-mars @hwangrfrnd @nujeskz @jisungs-iced-americano @zeizeisjy @va1entinaa @beomgyusluver @to-toad @akindaflora @hoefororeo @mandydxndy @nyanamii @delulu4-life @thatonexcgirl @starsunoo @4lndr17 @nbjch05 @borahae-reads @mrsstayfox @beomieeeeeeeeeeees @mrsminseochoi @velvetmoonlght @night-storm7 @lilbrorufr @hyunjinstolemyheart @mangojellyyy @ihrtantn @lausnotverybright @hwangism143 @wa1kinggh0st @skz-ot8-stay @athens-09xx

[raven-dor]

tell me you love me

in which bucky barnes is told some startling news on the phone…

PAIRING: bucky barnes x reader, bucky barnes x avenger!reader

WARNINGS: miscommunication, nosy roommates, sass, sam wilson teasing peter parker, fluff ending

WORD COUNT: 2.6k

🎶 : two hands - tate mcrae

AN: literally one of my favorite fics i've ever written!! also, this is a Avengers live in the tower AU, no civil war ever occurred, so yay!! ALSO - let me know if you want to be on my taglist!! i'd love to have you!!

It had been out of nowhere. You hadn’t even realized the gravity of the situation until you were met with silence from the other line. 

“What’s for dinner?” His gruff voice had shivers running down your spine.

“I don’t know.” You hummed, the phone tucked between your shoulder and ear as you walked down the grocery store aisles. “What are you craving?” 

“Burgers?” It was more of a question, he was waiting for you to confirm you were also craving said meal. He always did this, waiting for you to decide before he made his decision. It was not missed by you that earlier that week, you’d talked about how badly you craved a classic cheeseburger.

You laughed, the others in the aisle giving you annoyed looks, not that you minded. “You’re not as subtle as you think you are, Barnes.” 

“Oh?” You could tell he was holding back laughter. “You would think after all that time in HYRDA...” 

“Bucky!” You yelled, this time noticing the looks your fellow shoppers gave you. Whispering, you chuckled to yourself. “Don’t joke about that.” 

“Why not?” He was most certainly frowning. 

“If that’s how you want to cope…” You trailed off, looking at the price tag on the buns, eyes widening at the amount and quickly setting them back down. “You sleep well?” 

“Next to you? Always.” He sounded spirited, much more spirited than he’d been when you left him to go shopping. Good, you told yourself, he was too often found brooding alone, it was nice to hear him so… so mischievous. “You know I do, Doll.” 

Your cheeks felt like they were on fire, biting your bottom lip to keep from grinning too widely. “I know. Just wanted to hear you say it.” 

Grabbing the meat from the deli counter, you walked toward the checkout, frowning when you saw that the self-checkout kiosks were out of order. “Babe?” 

He hummed. 

“I’m gonna have to let you go, okay? The kiosks are out of order.” 

He groaned. “Again?”

You nodded as if he could see you. “Unfortunately.” 

“I’ll see you soon, then.” 

“See you soon. I love you.” The peace before the realization had been fleeting, reality hitting you like a truck. Almost instantly, your heart flipped, and your eyes widened.

Bucky had been dead silent, and you secretly hoped your voice had cut out, that the service had saved you, and he hadn’t heard it. 

Not that you didn’t mean it. You’d loved him for longer than you cared to admit, but with his past, you hadn’t wanted to rush anything. You didn’t want him to feel forced. Like right now.

“Buck?” You whispered, eyes welling at his lack of response. “Are you there?” Again, no response. You pushed the red button, hands shaking as the call disconnected.

Shit. 

Which led you to now, racing home without the food you’d promised. When the team had decided to all live in the tower together, they made a pact. If you asked anyone else, it had been more of a forced pact, thanks to Steve. 

Each Avenger would make dinner, alternating every night. Today had been your day, and now not only were you coming home empty-handed, but you were also planning to drop off the face of the Earth, which completely defeated the purpose of your job and its responsibilities. 

It was a wonder, you told yourself as you waited for the elevator doors to open, that Bucky hadn’t been there to meet you in the lobby, waiting for an explanation. Or worse, disgust on his perfect face. 

You kept your head down as you landed on the top floor, all but running to your room. Slamming the door behind you, you ordered Friday to bar everyone from entering.

The computer system spoke back, voice as posh as ever. “Does that include Mr. Barnes?” 

“Yes.” You huffed, heart thumping. “Especially Mr. Barnes.” 

“Has something happened?”

“You could say that.” Checking under your bed, the balcony, the closet, and the bathroom, a sigh of relief left you knowing that Bucky wasn’t already there, hiding.

Everything had been perfect, up until your slip. He asked to take it slow, mainly due to ‘not wanting to disrupt the team dynamic.’ You’d understood, and you’d also understood that he had another reason, one that he wouldn’t speak aloud, but that you both knew. 

He wanted to take it slow and slow did not contain saying ‘I love you’ four months after you started dating. 

A knock rang through your room, breaking you from your thoughts. Looking at the door with fear pumping through your veins, you waited for him to speak. 

“Y/N?” 

You’d almost sighed with relief. Almost. “Yeah?” 

“What’d you end up getting for dinner?” Nat called out. “Wilson’s asking.” 

“I-” Grabbing your wallet, you slid your credit card under the door. “Order whatever you want.” 

“Okay.” Nat sounded curious. “So, what happened?” 

“Why- why would you ask that?” 

“Other than the fact you won’t show your face, and Friday is barricading me from entering?” The super-spy sounded fed up. “What did he do?” 

“He?” Your voice was a mere squeak. 

“Yes, he. Everyone knows you two are dating, don’t act so surprised. It’s my job to know these sorts of things.” 

You glared at the door. “That’s not at all your job, Natasha.” 

“What’s going on?” 

You groaned, shoving your face into your pillow. At this point, the whole team would know your business by dinner. “Go away, Wanda.” 

“What’s happened?” The Sokovian whispered.

“Barnes did something,” Nat muttered. “Won’t say what exactly, but-” 

“Nat!” You yelled, lifting your head. “I can hear you, you know.” 

“Let us in, Y/N.” Wanda sounded as if she was frowning. “What did he do that was so bad-” 

“It wasn’t him.” You sighed. “It- it was me.” 

“What happened?” Wanda’s voice was gentle. “You can tell us.” 

“I really can’t.” You whined. “One second.” Grabbing a piece of paper from your desk, you scribbled down the infamous three words, slipping it under the door. “Shit, Y/L/N. Isn’t that a little soon?” 

Your eyes widened. “What the hell, you two? Why is Sam there?” 

Wanda sounded deeply apologetic. “It’s not just Sam.” 

“I’m here too.” Peter squeaked. 

“Me too.” Tony’s voice sounded much too entertained, and you glared at the door.

“Yeah!” Clint sounded suspiciously high like he was in the vents again. You reminded yourself to reprimand him when the dust cleared. 

“Y/N! Why are you hiding in your room?” Thor’s thunderous voice rang clear over the rest of the supposed crowd that had formed. 

“Thor.” Bruce sounded extremely annoyed. “We’re inside, you don’t need to shout.” 

“Yeah, what the green guy said.” Rhodey’s voice echoed. 

“Go away!” You yelled, sitting against the door. “I-” 

“What’s going on here?” Steve’s voice sounded distant, like he was walking down the hall. You squeezed your eyes shut, waiting for him to do what everyone else had done. 

But it never came. 

“Have any of you seen Buck? Last time I saw him, he was on the phone. Haven’t seen him since.” 

You were certain Nat and Tony were smirking. “Why don’t you ask Y/N.” 

“Why? Are they together?” 

Tony sounded like he was holding back tears, not from sadness, but from laughter. “After this? Questionable.” 

“Tony!” You yelled, smacking the door. “Shut up!” 

“Give me that.” Getting off the floor, you looked through the peephole, watching in horror as he read the paper. “Break it up, all of you.” Protests broke out, all of them yelling at Steve. “We’re not talking about this any longer. It’s not our business.” 

“C’mon-” 

Steve glared at the billionaire, and he instantly shut up. “Tony.” 

He raised his hands in defeat. “Fine, fine. What’s for dinner then?” 

“Whatever you want.” You yelled out. “Just use my card.”

Tony shook his head. “After the day you’ve had, it’s my treat.” 

You nodded, a faint smile gracing your lips. “Just leave the food at my door when it gets here.” 

“No.” Steve’s hands were on his hips, and you could see Peter and Wanda holding back laughter. He looked like a concerned father. “You will leave your room and have dinner with the rest of us.” 

“Yeah, Y/N.” Tony echoed, not even trying to hide his laughter. “C’mon out.” 

“Steve, please.” You begged. “I can’t see him right now.” 

“He’s not even here, дорогой (sweetheart),” Wanda yelled out. “Please come out, we’re worried about you.” 

“I am not leaving.” You shook your head. “You can’t make me.” 

The dinner table was quiet, the entirety of the Avengers (minus Bucky) staring at you with utter fascination. Well, more like a mix of pity, worry, and fascination. 

Peter cleared his throat, smiling kindly. “Don’t worry, Y/N. I did the same thing, and it all turned out fine.” 

That brought you some inkling of hope. “Really?” 

The teenager nodded. “She was very nice about it. We’re still friends.” 

Your face fell, dropping your head into your hands. The table erupted with laughter, and Peter’s cheeks grew bright red in record time. 

“Not exactly the smartest thing you could’ve said there, kid.” Tony snickered.

“Ease up, Tony,” Steve interjected. “He’s trying, unlike all of you.” 

“He meant well.” Vision finally spoke, much to everyone’s surprise. “There was no malice in his tone.” 

Clint smirked. “Yeah, Y/N. No malice. Does that bring you comfort?”

You raised your right hand, flipping him off.  

Sam shook his head. “I just want to eat, man. Eat, and see Bucky’s reaction.” 

Sitting up, you glared at the Falcon. “You’re excited for my demise, you psychopath.” 

“Not exactly.” 

“What’s-” The table turned around, dead silent as they stared at the Winter Soldier, who looked perfectly fine, content even. He stood in front of them with a bright smile, food in hand. “What’s going on?” 

“What’s going on?” Tony raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you tell us?” You wished your superpower was invisibility. Unfortunately, it was not, so you opted for sinking further into your seat. “Nothing happened recently you want to share?” 

His smile fell. “No?”

Sam groaned, standing up and pulling the food from the super soldier’s hands. “Please. I’m starving.” 

Nat laughed. “I thought you wanted to see his reaction.” 

“Reaction?” Bucky sounded confused. “Reaction to what, exactly?” 

Thor was the final push. “I love you!” 

“I love you too?” Bucky sat down, eyes brightening when he met yours. You quickly stared at your hands, which were placed in tight balls in your lap. 

“Not me. Y/N. The words Y/N-” 

Clint slapped a hand over Thor’s mouth, glaring. “That’s enough out of you, big guy.” 

“What?” Bucky tilted his head, staring at you, with what seemed to be a glimpse of hope in his gaze. “When did you-” 

“On the phone?” Nat interjected. “You were on the phone, and Y/N said-” 

“Nat.” You hissed. “Stop, please.” 

“Y/N?” Bucky looked at you. “What’s going on?” 

So the phone had cut out. The phone had cut out, meaning if you had just kept your big mouth shut, everything would have been fine. 

And if Thor hadn’t opened his mouth, maybe you could have made it out with your dignity. “Nothing, James.” Reaching out, you grabbed your order from the pile, the rest of the Avengers following suit. Bucky stayed still, staring at you intently. 

You tried to focus on your dinner, on the conversation that started after, but every time you looked up, he was staring at you with his ice-blue eyes. “Doll?” The table quieted, staring at the pair. “Can we talk?” 

You swallowed the food that you’d been chewing, nodding slowly. You felt like you were being marched to your death as you followed him out of the dining room. Sparing one last look at the dinner table, Wanda and Peter gave you a half-hearted thumbs up. 

The hall was dim, Bucky’s eyes bore into your soul as he waited for an explanation. “Tell me what happened.” 

“Nothing-” You grew small when he sighed, crossing his arms. “It’s really not that big of a deal.” 

“Yeah?” He smirked, but you could tell he was panicking. You told each other everything, you were sure he was breaking a sweat from your lack of transparency. “Then tell me.” You stayed silent, and he took a step forward, practically backing you up against the wall. “Please, Doll.” 

You were sure this was a nightmare. A horrible horrible nightmare. “We were on the phone… and I um… I may or may not have said that I love you.” He did not react, continuing to stare at you. That’d made you even more nervous, and you began to ramble as a result. “And you didn’t reply, so I panicked, and then I hung up. I came home and hid in my room and then everyone found out and then I found out you didn’t even hear it, and-” You took a shallow breath. “I don’t want you to feel rushed or forced because I want you to feel comfortable, because I really do-” You stopped, looking up at him hesitantly. “I really do love you.” He was fully grinning now, and you frowned. “Are you about to laugh at me?” 

He shook his head placing his hand on the wall above you as he leaned down. “No.” 

“No?” You scoffed, ignoring the way his eyes had darkened. “You’re smirking, and I’m being vulnerable and you’re- you-” You huffed, walking away from him. “Maybe we should just-” Escape had almost been achieved when his metal hand wrapped around your wrist, spinning you around. “Stop.” You felt trapped in a spell, a horrifyingly beautiful spell. He stared at you so intensely that your knees buckled. “Buck-” 

He was still grinning. “I love you too.” 

“I-” You smiled. “You do?” 

“C’mon Doll.” He teased, brushing his nose against yours as he reached for your lips. “Of course I do.”

“Yeah?” You whispered, still not believing this was real life. “You-” His lips were rushed; like he needed to kiss you to live. Placing his other arm around your waist, he pulled you impossibly close, your arms instinctively wrapping around his neck. He could have gone on kissing you senseless for hours, but you pulled away, gasping for air. “Buck-” 

“You are so considerate, too considerate even.” He whispered. “I did want to take things slow, you’re right.” 

You nodded. “If you-” 

“Did I-” He kissed you before you could finish your sentence. “Or did I not,” He kissed you so gently, so longingly. “Just tell you that I love you too?” 

You were positively weak in the knees. “You did.” 

“I did want to take things slow, but you…” He almost growled. “You happened.” 

“Oh?” You were grinning now, actually grinning. “I’m assuming I happened in a good way.” 

“In a perfect way.” He corrected, pushing a hair out of your face and tucking it behind your ear. “You’re too good for me, Doll. Don’t deserve you.” 

“I don’t know, Barnes.” You shook your head, kissing the corner of his mouth so lightly he could have sworn it never happened. “You’re pretty swell.” 

He rolled his eyes, pushing you away teasingly. “Never mind then.” 

You gasped, stalking back into the dining room, the Avengers observing from the safe distance the table provided. “In that case-” 

His hand wrapped around your wrist once more, pulling your lips to his instantly. Wolf whistles erupted, all of them laughing at the couple in front of them. Your hands rested on his chest, smiling as he pulled away, lips still touching. “Did you really have to do that?” 

He shrugged. “Just wanted another reason to kiss you.” 

“So sappy.” You teased. “What a charmer you are.” 

“Well,” He leaned toward your ear, whispering. “I aim to please.” 

“Break it up!” Sam yelled, mouth full of food. “I’m trying to eat here. Plus…” He pointed to Peter, laughing. “There’s kids present.” 

“I’m eighteen, Sam.” 

“Still a kid, Parker.” 

taglist:

[icefox8155]

Ch 3: And the New Neighbors Are...!

Masterlist

｡⋆｡˚ ʚɞ ˚｡⋆｡

The passing week seemed to have blurred together, it was a repeat process of trying to familiarize yourself with the new surroundings, doing research about the world around you, and looking for a job. You’re able to write up a resume with some skills of your past and you really hope your future employer doesn’t look too closely or call any numbers listed. 

Whenever you’re home you find yourself looking out the window. Its definitely not because you don’t have a t.v, not at all… It is nice just watching people be people, at least till you see a group of people carrying equipment and most likely heading to a dungeon to complete. It still seems odd to you, being in this new world but there’s no use complaining when you have bills to pay… in two months that is. Finding a job is your priority right now, and trying to find a way home. But to do that you would have to immerse yourself into the Hunter’s Society, which you really didn’t want to do at the moment.

Then, as if the universe were playing a cruel joke on you, fate throws a wrench into your carefully constructed new life. There is a knock at the front door. It makes you pause, you definitely weren’t expecting anyone. The Landlord had already made an appearance when you moved in, so who could it be? The police? The Hunters Association?? Your heart sped up at the thought, did they somehow find out you’re not native to this universe? ALREADY!?

Your panic was interrupted by another knocking at the door, this time much louder than the first time. You stood in front of your door, ready to open the door and hopefully not confront people questioning your existence.

“Uh… who is it?” you call out hesitantly, hand on the doorknob

“Excuse me! I think we’re your neighbors!” a cheerful, high-pitched voice chirps from the other side.

For a moment, the word “neighbors” flutters in your mind, easing your panic just a bit. Of course it would be neighbors and not the government on the other side of your door! You open the door to reveal a young girl with brown, (no wait is it purple?) hair, couldn’t be no older than 15 or 16, practically glowing with energy as she hops on the balls of her feet. Behind her stands a slightly taller young man with messy black hair and an expression that teeters between nervousness and weariness, but still offers a small smile when meeting your gaze. They must be siblings, but why are they so familiar?

You force a welcoming smile, internally thanking your experience in customer service “Hello there.” you say, voice a tad strained from not using it much.

The girl beams, her eyes practically sparkling as she leans forward. “Hi there! I’m Sung Jin-ah! We live next door!” She gestures broadly toward the apartment across the hall, then points excitedly to the young man by her side. “This is my brother, Jinwoo.”

Your mind reels as the name echoes in your ears, Sung Jinwoo. For a split second, your brain short-circuits. You had literally just promised yourself to steer clear of the main plot, acknowledge the possibility of not returning home again, and were ready to live like a mouse hiding from the cat or a panther in this case. And yet here he is, standing right at your doorstep.

Before you , you manage to choke out, “Uh… nice to meet you. I’m, uh…Y/N er– L/N Y/N. Please, just call me Y/N.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Y/N!” Jin-ah exclaims brightly, completely oblivious of the internal panic buzzing inside of you. “We just wanted to say hi and welcome you to the building. I saw you move in a few days ago, but didn’t want to bother you right away.”

Jinwoo’s voice is meeker in comparison, not quite shy but more of being tired. “That’s right,” he side-eyed Jin-ah, probably having stopped her from immediately trying to welcome the new neighbor. “But, we thought we’d give you some time to settle in first.” Jin-ah’s smile turned sheepish but then returned in full power. This makes your own smile turn softer before remembering who's in front of you. Sung Jinwoo, pre-shadow monarch… This can’t be good can it?

Jin-ah’s bright voice cuts through your thoughts. “So, how do you like the apartment? It’s not super fancy, but it’s nice, right?”

You force a laugh, trying to sound casual. “Yes, it’s nice. A bit small, but it’s cozy.”

Her enthusiasm is contagious as she nods vigorously. “That’s good to hear! And, um, if you ever need anything, like help unpacking or a recommendation for food spots, just let us know! We’ve been here for a while, so we know all the best places.”

“Thank you, I really appreciate that,” you reply, your smile now more genuine, feeling more at ease than when the first knock appeared at your door. It’s unnerving to think that you’re now living next door to the main character and his little sister.

“Well, we don’t want to keep you,” Jinwoo says after a moment, glancing at his sister with a knowing look. “We just wanted to introduce ourselves.”

“Yeah! We’re right next door, so don’t be a stranger!” Jin-ah chirps, giving you a quick wave before rushing back to their own living space.

You nod, feeling a bit tired as you watch them leave. Once the door clicks shut behind them, you lean against it, trying to process the absurdity of the situation. A higher being is just throwing curve balls at you, is your suffering funny to them? Are you just a small jester to them in the grand scheme of things!?

You had planned to avoid the main characters, to stay as far away from the plot as possible. And now you were living right next to them. You groaned inwardly. How were you supposed to avoid getting involved if they were literally a door away? It's not like you could move either, not enough money.

For the next hour, you paced around my apartment, your brain running through all the potential implications. You knew what was coming. In just a little under a year, Jinwoo would enter that double dungeon, and it would change everything about him. But for now, he was still just an E-ranked hunter. He’s the weakest hunter in the world right now.

Could you really stay out of this? Just let him suffer through all of it alone, knowing what you knew? The hardships and grief that didn’t have to exist if you did something?

You slump down onto the couch, staring at the ceiling. Still, the thought of seeing Jinwoo suffer through those horrific experiences, would being a bystander really be the best choice. Maybe, just maybe, you could help in small ways. Nothing too major, nothing that would alter the course of events too drastically. But little things that might make his life easier before the real shit storm hit.

With that thought in mind, you decide that it wouldn’t hurt to know the new neighbors better. After all, you couldn’t avoid them forever, but maybe, just maybe, you could offer some small comfort to them before everything hit the fan. After all a little support can go a long way.

｡⋆｡˚ ʚɞ ˚｡⋆｡

The following day, a familiar knock at your front door breaks the rhythm of you scrubbing the floors. (they nasty ok!) You put the supplies down and head to the door. On the other side is Jin-ah with an ever vibrant smile.

“Hey Y/N! I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner tonight?” she asked hands clasped together, “It’s nothing fancy, just a home-cooked meal. My brother is out doing a raid right now but he should be back by then.”

For a moment you considered turning down the invitation, but then you made the mistake of looking in her eyes… You know, you didn’t have any plans for dinner anyways.

“Sure, as long as its alright with your brother,” you reply in defeat.

Her face lights up even more, “Great! Come over sound six!” with that she practically skips back to her own place. You are left with some nervousness. This wasn’t just dinner with the sung siblings, it was also stepping into the world you didn’t get a chance to avoid. But it wouldn’t hurt to make some friends.

｡⋆｡˚ ʚɞ ˚｡⋆｡

That evening, you stand before the door, too late to run away now. You knock softly, deep down hoping no one answers but alas Jin-ah opens it, smile wide as she realizes its you.

“Come in!” she says opening up the door for you. The sung apartment is basically the opposite of yours. There are pictures along the wall, the furniture is cozy and just has a warmth to it your own apartment does not have.

Jinwoo walks into the room holding some plates and sets the table. He glances up and sees you,

“Hey,” he greets in a gentle voice.

“Hello,” you reply, settling into a seat and allowing yourself to relax. Soon, Jin-ah begins to fill The table with an array of comforting dishes: tangy kimchi, savory bulgogi, and a bowl of steaming soup that fills the room with its heartwarming fragrance. 

“I hope you like the food!” Jin-ah says cheerily, her eyes sparkling as she sits down next to you.

“It smells amazing,” you answer, your voice soft with gratitude.

Jin-ah beams, and she adds, “Most of it is store-bought, but my brother actually made the soup. He’s pretty good at cooking, believe it or not.”

Jinwoo offers a modest shrug, a small, self-deprecating smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I’ve had to learn. Jin-ah burns water,” he jokes, eliciting a playful protest from his sister as she attempts to whack him.

You laugh along with them, and in that moment, the weight of your aloneness seems a little lighter. Their easy banter and the warmth of their conversation eats away your loneliness. You feel full, not just with actual food but human interaction as well.

As the meal continues, Jin-ah asks about you and how you’re settling in. You offer vague answers about still figuring out your work and adjusting to your new surroundings. When you ask about them, Jin-ah explains that she’s still in school, while Jinwoo, though only an E-ranked hunter, fights day in and day out to support their little family. The conversation seems to halt not quite picking up since the food was about gone.

After dinner, as you help clear the table, Jin-ah turns to you with a bright grin. “You should come over more often! It’s so nice having someone to talk to, and I think Jinwoo really likes you.”

A warmth fills your chest at her words, and you manage a sincere, albeit modest, laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind,” you reply.

Jinwoo, drying a dish, gives his sister a teasing look. “Jin-ah, don’t say things like that,” he chides lightly, and she retaliates with a playful pout, before disappearing to her room.

You leave soon after, Jinwoo gives a short wave before focusing on his task once again. Ok so this wasn’t as horrible as you thought it would be.

[aedollie]

´ཀ`  bloody huzz ::  17 .. 

 ♰  or  it was karina’s turn to hunt for animal blood late at night, she gets hit by a car and swore the person who did it would pay.

evb wants to see me (half written: 0.8k)

masterlist   ♰   next

MANON WALKS INTO YOUR ROOM, snacks in hand, as her face etched with concern. you haven’t seen manon this dispirited since her first breakup so you could tell this was serious.

sitting down on the edge of your bed, her gaze fixed straight ahead, watching your tv as you both sat in silence. the silence felt heavy, like a weight being dropped from fifty feet above—heavy. you were not liking the vibes right now.

after the moment of silence, you gathered the courage to speak, your voice coming out a bit hesitant—nervous to hear what was going to come next. “manon?”

“mm?” the girl replies, her tone distant, as if she was on another planet right now. she was really zoning out.

you gently move up closer to her, rubbing a hand on her back to encourage her to speak, “whats wrong? i’ve never seen you like this before?” then you thought about the last time you’d seen her, which was at the party—talking to jaemin.

“was it jaemin? did he turn you down?” you ask, your tone remained soft but your voice was laced with concern, the question slipping out accidentally after the thought, worrying you even more.

“more like tried to take me down.” manon jokes, letting out a small chuckle. this wasn’t humorous at all, your eyes widened.

“he did what?!? oh so i DO need to get the police involved!” you shout letting go of her, you haven’t seen her or stella for days, who knows what happened to stella and she won’t even let anyone know, well except renjun.

manon stops you from dialing the three numbers and began speaking again, “you dont need to do that yn, just listen to me please.”

two weeks earlier….

after settling in at the party, manon, yn, and stella were just chilling, having a good time. until manon saw the man of her dreams, the light of her life, the future father of her kids—

anyway, she left stella and yn to talk, walking up to jaemin who was just standing, holding his drink. “hey handsome, looking for anyone?” manon spoke as she walked up on jaemin, a little tipsy but its whatever.

letting out a airy chuckle, looking over his shoulder. jaemin smiled at manon, glancing down at her exposed collarbone, then back to her eyes. “i am now, and you are..?”

“im manon, i study nursing at HYBEU.” she replies, returning his smile, as she happily held conversation with the boy.

a few minutes passed before jaemin was tired and hungry from the party, asking manon if she wanted to get food, which she complied.

once they were outside the party, manon could remember moving at lightning speed, not even feeling a gust of wind. one moment her eyes were closed the next she immediately ended up in the woods, she was confused.

she opened her eyes to see jaemin, smiling at her, and his eyes, his eyes were mich different from before. “whats going on?” manon questions looking around at her surroundings just incase she’s been kidnapped.

“dont worry, im just getting my snack. this will all be over soon..” jaemin answers. manon watches as his teeth grew 2 inches longer and they appeared more sharp, like fangs.

she was absolutely mortified. was she about to die? how the hell did not notice? oh fuck.

making an attempt to push him off, she thrashed around yelling, begging for her life. he didn’t budge but he was getting slightly irritated.

holdning manon still, jaemin looked into her eyes, about to speak, but couldnt because of the piercing headace he recieved, immediately dropping to his knees, covering his ears.

he let out agonizing screams, but it didnt stop there. manon raises her hand, in an attempt to do something—which she did, after watching jaemin being pushed backwards into a tree.

she looks at her trembling hand in shock, heart pounding nonstop, and then back at the screaming jaemin. halting her train of thought, she made a run for it without looking back. jaemins screaming becoming more and more distant.

´ཀ`

yn looked at her bestfriend in utter shock, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing right now? jaemin trying to eat a human? manon pushing someone without physical force? sick.

“wait but then.. are they real? like—vampires and witches? its true isn’t it.” you ask, laying back in your bed, eyes focused on the ceiling.

manon mimicked your actions, letting out a sigh. “yeah, its real. and im scared, i dont know what to do.. do i tell my grandma? do i tell our friends? the police? everything is a mess right now.” she rants, closing her eyes.

you turn over and lay ontop of her, hugging her as a action of reassurance. “im scared for you, you should talk to your grandma about it though. thanks for sharing with me.”

manon hums in response, the both of you falling into another silence, this time a comforting one. and she eventually falls asleep from your embrace.

okay now evb lore out the way.. lets continue with the main plot…

huzzlist open! ♰ @eun-luv @saysirhc @ihugsnoopy @llotvkmj @wintersgff @lascvitae @pxnklover @stvrriki @kristalag @yeetaberry127 @kyakpack @bugcattie

[tales-of-wocdes]

Not gonna lie, I love the snippets you write but I was wondering if you are okay with writing so many snippets?

Thank you for the concern! Currently I feel it is pretty good :D If I feel like it is too much, I will of course close the asks. I did do it once... for like a week.

The snippets I write in like 2-5 min pieces, they involve no coding, and don't really get revised. So it is a rather different kind of thing than the actual IF, requiring a lot less focus. Almost a breaktime activity :D

You know, I think in October-November of last year, I had a queue that was like 30+ posts, that went out like 4 times a day, then 3 times. It was a lot, but the IF was new and I was having fun.

Then I announced that I am closing down the inbox in early December since I had written like 20 k words in snippets, and that posts would be going out 1 per day :D Then I opened it again when I released the first "Tales Of the Past" :D Because I did not get flooded with asks and one post per day felt nice and slow compared to what I had done, I left the asks open.

Now, the 3-4 posts per day was not sustainable for too long :D

Now, it has been ~2+ months with one post per day. I stopped caring so much about putting them int the queue in the "right order" i.e. the order of arrival. It is still pretty correct, but I get these periods of many, many snippets and some questions so I vary them a bit... Sometimes :D

Currently I have posts for about the next week, and the snippet collection is about 34 k words long, including the asks.

[alittlegiraffe]

Title: Lose Yourself in Us (Part 7)

The first few days of bed rest are frustrating. The next few weeks are unbearable.

You were never the type to sit still, especially not when there’s so much to do before the baby comes. But now, even the simplest things—getting up to grab a glass of water, stretching your legs—are off-limits. The doctor gave you five minutes out of bed each day, just enough to shuffle to the bathroom and back. Anything more is a risk.

Marshall tries to make it easier. He takes care of everything—the cooking, the cleaning, the nursery. He brings you meals in bed, rubs your back when the aches get too bad, even sets up a little tray with your favorite snacks and drinks so you don’t have to ask.

He doesn’t complain, not once. But you see it wearing on him.

He’s exhausted. You hear it in the heaviness of his steps when he walks down the hall late at night. You see it in the dark circles under his eyes, in the way his jaw stays tight, like he’s holding something back.

You try to lighten the mood, cracking jokes about how he’s officially your personal assistant. Sometimes it works—he’ll roll his eyes, smirk, mutter something sarcastic. But most of the time, he just gives you a small nod and keeps going.

And then, one night, he doesn’t come.

You wake up in the middle of the night, your throat dry, your back aching. Normally, Marshall is right there, his arm draped over your waist, his body warm beside yours. But tonight, the bed is cold, the space beside you empty.

You call his name softly. No response.

Something uneasy settles in your chest.

You know you’re supposed to stay in bed. You know you only have five minutes to move. But something tells you that this is one of those times you can’t just lie there and wait.

Carefully, you push the covers back and swing your legs over the side of the bed. Standing makes your head spin, but you grip the nightstand, steadying yourself.

One step. Then another.

Slowly, you make your way down the hall, using the wall for support. The house is dark, silent.

Then you see the faint glow coming from the nursery.

The door is slightly open. You nudge it wider, and your breath catches.

Marshall is sitting on the floor, his back against the crib. His elbows rest on his knees, his hands gripping his face. His shoulders rise and fall unevenly, his breath ragged.

He’s crying.

Your heart clenches. You’ve seen him angry, seen him frustrated, even seen him shut down completely. But this? This is different.

“Marshall,” you whisper.

His head snaps up, eyes red and glassy. “What the fuck are you doin’ up?” His voice is rough, thick with emotion.

You step inside, ignoring the way your body protests. “I woke up, and you weren’t there.”

He rubs a hand over his face, looking away. “I just—” He exhales sharply, shaking his head. “I needed a minute.”

You lower yourself carefully onto the floor beside him, resting a hand on his knee. “Talk to me.”

He doesn’t speak at first. Then, so quietly you almost don’t hear it, he says, “I’m scared.”

You squeeze his knee gently. “I know.”

His jaw clenches. “I don’t know how to do this,” he mutters. “I don’t know how to just sit here and watch you go through this, knowing there’s nothing I can do to fix it.” He shakes his head, staring at the crib. “And what if—” His voice breaks. He swallows hard before finishing, “What if I lose you?”

Tears sting your eyes. “You won’t.”

He lets out a hollow laugh. “You don’t know that.”

You take his hand, threading your fingers through his. “I know that I love you. And I know that no matter what happens, you’re not alone in this.”

He turns to you, his blue eyes filled with something raw, something broken. “I don’t wanna do this without you.”

You cup his face, brushing away a tear with your thumb. “Then don’t. I’m still here, Marshall. I’m right here.”

For a long moment, he just looks at you. Then, finally, he nods, exhaling shakily. He leans in, resting his forehead against yours.

“You need to go back to bed,” he murmurs.

“So do you.”

He huffs softly, a ghost of a chuckle. “Yeah.”

Slowly, he helps you to your feet, his arm steady around your waist. And this time, when you go back to bed, he holds you a little tighter, like he’s afraid to let go.

[lazylittledragon]

hello!!! exciting exciting news!!!

MY BOOKS ARE OPEN!!! sort of

i'm starting a waiting list for completely free tattoos and i'll be booking people in over the next couple of months!! pls note i am based in central london so obviously this is only for people who are able to travel

i have a lot of flash up on my tattoo instagram and i can do custom work as well so please message me with your idea/chosen flash + size + placement if you're interested!!