#sometimes he���ll be right in the middle of attempting to make a gesture and then he’ll collapse mid movement… darn

[curiousconch]

Chase You / Chase Me (Pt. 2)

Part 2: Before I dive right into you

Catch up here: Series Masterlist

Chapter Summary: In the aftermath of their pretend wedding in Las Vegas, Gabe begins to unravel his growing feelings for Alex. But as he attempts to bring his past to light, someone from Alex's previous life casts a shadow on the future.

Book/Pairing: Choices - Laws of Attraction / Gabe Ricci x MC (Alex Keating)

Words: 2.4k+ (sorry 🙈)

Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / alcohol consumption, some swears

Disclaimer: Most of the characters as well as some dialogue belong to Pixelberry. I am merely borrowing them.

A little after 1 AM, Las Vegas

Gabe can't help but smirk at the look of mischief in Alex's eyes as they stood by a quiet spot in the middle of Las Vegas. With her in that glittery dress, he somehow can't bring himself to part from her yet.

He knew it wasn't only him who felt that tingling in his fingertips when he brushed her cheeks, her breath smelling strongly of martini. He was very aware that Alex felt the same when she stared back at him, standing at that cramped cheap chapel while an Elvis impersonator stood nearby. The moment she stepped away when he said that it's just all pretend made Gabe's heart ache with regret.

So here they were, standing awkwardly after he shot down her advances again.

But he was sure he didn't want the night to end here.

After calling for a car, he shoved his phone inside the pocket of his slacks and turned to Alex.

"I was serious when I said I wanted a celebratory drink," he glanced apologetically to his side where she stood. "Our hotel bar offers my favorite scotch."

Alex raised her head, smiling. "Knew you had it in you, Gabe."

A car ride and a couple of glasses of Lagavulin later, there they were, lounging on stools at their opulent hotel bar, warm lights and jazz music providing a backdrop on the casual atmosphere.

"And I could not believe the rat thing worked! Who would've known they kept a rat in there as a pet? Like really?" Alex raised her glass to her lips, as Gabe sat on the barstool beside her, cradling his own drink.

"Beginner's luck, I would believe," he chuckled in reply, leaning forward, tie loosened and his coat hanging at the back of his chair.

"I am so offended," Alex gasped as she shoved her hands flat on her chest in mock disbelief. "I'm not only the boring nerd when I was in high school, Gabe. I was that nerd who sang and dance at the drama club!"

Gabe shook his head, his lips pursing. "That makes so much damn sense, Alex." He took another swig of his third shot, fighting for dear life from laughing his heart out. Not wanting to give her that satisfaction, he threw a sarcastic dig at her remark. "That's so believable, seeing you could snatch an Oscar from Meryl Streep herself and the no one wouldn't even bat an eye."

"Ah, law was plan A, sir." she saluted, placing her empty glass on the bar counter. "Acting was a fallback in case it didn't pan out." she giggled.

Gabe grinned as he rolled up his sleeves, beckoning the bartender for another round. "You should have made it your plan A, seeing how you turned out," he teased, bringing up the fun bit they did to retrieve a copy of Lydia Rothswell's marriage certificate. The very same act that almost made Gabe kiss Alex in the middle of The Strip.

"Aww, Gabe, finally found a better lawyer than you? Feeling threatened yet?" Alex leaned in, snickering as their glasses were refilled. "Don't worry, I' ll settle for being a Junior Partner for now," she said as she reclined, before throwing in a playful wink.

"Well someone's head just became bigger," he gave her a smug look.

"Just trying to keep up with all the cockiness in the room," she smiled coyly, watching Gabe's stupefied expression. It was clear then that she scored a slam dunk at the championship of comebacks, laughing at his astonishment.

Gabe finally gave up, joining Alex in her laughter. As their joy receded, he let himself take in the sight of Alex without any inhibitions. What he was beginning to see was the extent of her wit, her ability to keep her cool, and the sharp humor that matched only his.

Under the warm light of the lounge, she brilliantly shone. He couldn't focus at what she was now saying as he danced at the appeal of them becoming more than colleagues. Perhaps he resisted his own feelings long enough that he was past the point of denial. Or simply because he was starting to get drunk.

Though before he can even begin to consider that, he was still sober enough to know that he first needed to tell her the truth.

The truth that sometime long ago, their paths have already crossed. And that he did something very horrible.

Call him cynical, but he wasn't kidding when he admitted he was an all-or-nothing kind of guy. And that meant laying down all his cards on the table. Because for him, Alex was more than the occasional one-night stand. And he can't be certain of how long he could keep himself from his budding feelings, all stakes be damned.

What better time to be honest when there was enough alcohol in his system to prevent all rational thinking? It's now or never, he figured.

"Alex, I -"

"Alessandra? Alessandra Keating?" a deep voice came from behind him, interrupting Gabe. He cocked his head to get a clearer view, as a man with slicked back blonde hair approached from a private booth nearby.

Without hesitation, the tall stranger in the dark suit stepped forward, his striking features Gabe would have easily recognized anywhere. That face was almost in every blockbuster movie in the last five years.

"Julian? What are you doing here?" Alex asked, as abashed as he was. Gabe saw how she clammed up the very second she recognized the man.

"Oh my, it really is you!" the man stopped beside Alex's bar stool, welcoming himself to their company. The way he was looking up and down at her made Gabe's jaw clench so hard, his teeth gritted. But the man's next movement stunned him all the more. In front of him, the man embraced Alex, making Gabe suddenly want to combust. His tumbler could've shattered if he tightened his grip on it a little more.

"Uhm, Julian, hi," Gabe surveyed Alex as she writhed within the man's arms, waiting for any signal from her so he could do something, anything, to make this man go away. But she assured him with one look, shifting a little, making the man who wedged himself between them release her.

"It's been so long! When was the last time I saw you, like, 12, 13 years ago?" the man exclaimed, his annoying smile making Gabe want to slam his fist somewhere. And it wasn't on the bar counter.

Gabe heard Alex scoff, fighting hard to regain her composure. "Yeah, high school," Her icy demeanor took over, one that Gabe only saw in the courtroom. She brushed her dress as she tilted her head to Gabe's direction.

The man turned to Gabe, the surprise evident as he acknowledged Gabe's presence behind him. The two men sized each other up sending an undercurrent of tension between them. Before Gabe could even consider acting out of impulse, Alex cleared her throat to diffuse his temper.

"Julian, this is Gabe. Gabe, this is Julian, my -"

"Ex," Julian interjected, before turning his attention to the lawyer. Apparently, this guy had a habit, Gabe observed. "We were together senior year. Alessandra, my angel, we had the best time together, didn't we? We looked good together, at least after Alex thought to improve her image here. Sadly, we had to break up. Teenage romances, you know?"

The picture couldn't be any clearer; this was the person Alex was speaking about during their dinner back in New York. And hearing the way he talked, no wonder Julian got under her skin. He was a damned manipulative pretentious liar. Gabe could hear the dishonesty between the words, not an ounce of authenticity in sight while the blonde hotshot rambled on.

Alex wasn't showing any sympathy either, her brown eyes staring daggers at him, as he went on about his monologue, emphasizing on how she was his back then. She was clearly infuriated by his attempt to own her, as well as his lack of shame. As Gabe quietly considered her reaction, he deliberated on a strategy to put her out her misery. The moment an idea came to mind, he gave Alex a subtle look asking her to back his play.

Alex nodded, sitting a little straighter. Finding the instant shift in her, Gabe made his move.

"Sweetheart," he slowly raised his voice as he said the endearment, enjoying the contempt from the other guy when he was interrupted. "You never told me Julian Wintour was your ex."

Alex smiled smugly, appearing pleased with the nickname Gabe chose, a clear pun on the whole high school sweetheart trope. "Never crossed my mind, babe. It's such an unimportant detail in my past," she waved her hand dismissively.

"Ah, nonsense," he finished his drink and gestured for the bartender to clean up. "Mr. Wintour's history would have made a good conversation starter." Gabe straightened his vest and stood, collecting his coat. He sauntered towards Alex, circling around the now speechless Julian. He draped his jacket over her shoulders, clearly making a statement before he reached for her hand, wrapping it in his.

"Why? Isn't the shiny nameplate of Senior Partner not good enough?" Alex expertly rode along, locking eyes with her former flame before gazing back at Gabe enticingly. "Forgive him, Julian. My lovely boyfriend here has a bad hobby of underselling himself," she smiled warmly, the irony of her statement eluding her ex. Gabe was about to smirk with her ingenuity, stopping when he felt her arm slowly wrapping around his waist. He barely stifled a groan at the intimacy of her touch.

The other man went beet red at the gesture. For embarrassment or infuriation or both, Gabe didn't fucking care. All he cared about was for Alex to slap this douche's face, metaphorically speaking.

"Anyway, Julian, it's been a pleasure. It's been a long night, and we're about ready to retire at our penthouse suite," steadily, she got up from her seat. The command in her was undeniable, forcing anyone to feel nothing but regret the day they decided Alessandra Keating wasn't good enough for them. Then with a flourish, she turned around as she let Gabe take her away from her past lover's scrutinizing gaze.

Inside the elevator, Gabe caught Alex's exhale of relief, probably thankful that Julian was out of her sight. Gabe still held onto her hand, though Alex didn't seem to notice. As they began their ascent, he waited for her to break the silence, deciding that the questions running in his mind can wait.

"I would have traded my rankings for the look of disbelief in Julian's face," Alex said turning to him, to which Gabe arched his brow.

He smirked devilishly, knowing Alex could take the hint. "I believe I could offer a sight better than that."

She grinned at the innuendo, further lightening up the mood between them. "One day, Gabe, I'll take you up on that," she said, crossing her legs as she leaned on the polished wall behind her. "Though I'm sure you're dying to know... How did I end up dating the Julian Wintour?"

Gabe pondered before answering. "Hmm, actually not the first one that comes to mind, no." He tapped against his temple. "I doubted you would ever bat an eyelash to his direction."

Her eyebrows rose. "Ah, you think so highly of me." She chuckled, shaking her head at his reply. "But yes, he was my ex. And yes, he was the red on my ledger. He was my first love," she admitted. "That ideal, once in a lifetime, true love everyone's talking about? Julian was it, or at least I thought he was." she sighed, glancing at her reflection on the polished metal panel beside her. "But when things started to go downhill for me, he was the first one to walk out," she paused, taking a deep breath. "By cheating on me."

Gabe's body went rigid, clenching his fists so hard until his nails dug unto his palms. What the fucking hell? I know I should have punched that guy's perfect teeth! He decided against airing his vengeful thoughts, staying quiet as he glimpsed at her image on the walls.

"Joey reminded me how Julian made me doubt myself. If I'm really over what he's done to me, if he's still in my head," she continued, rubbing at her nape. Gabe felt her gaze fall on him, which he reciprocated. "But after walking out from him tonight, I am much more certain that I made it out, after all."

Gabe felt her squeeze his hand as she said those words, and his heart somersaulted inside his chest. "So thanks. I needed that little nudge," she said in finality.

He turned to beam at her as he relished the triumph in her words, hoping that it was enough to convey that he was proud of her. And to be part of that discovery about herself, about who she always was in his eyes - someone who was his equal.

When they arrived at her floor, she gently freed her hand from his grasp invoking a sharp exhale from him. She stepped out of the elevator, her gait as undeterred as ever. But then she turned, her soft expression dimmed by the lack of light. "And while we're on the subject of appreciation," she uttered, before dropping one last revelation.

"Thanks for that save you also gave me ten years ago," Alex glanced up at him with half-lidded eyes, her words laced with meaning.

It took him a few moments before he could even comprehend what she was trying to convey. He searched her eyes for some explanation but found none. "What do you mean, Alex?" he said, managing to find his voice.

"I know exactly who you are, Gabriel Ricci."

With that, the doors slowly closed in front of him, her sly smile fading from his sight until he can only see his own reflection. He examined her last sentence, repeating the words over and over in his head. There was only one plausible explanation: she only knew half of the truth. His body sagged against the wall as he shut his eyes, angry at himself.

No Alex, I think you really don't.

Author's Notes: Thank you for your continued reading! As some of you may have already noticed, this part was written purely in Gabe's POV because I wanted to expose his conflicted feelings for Alex. It's probably my own version of revenge, with PB stretching that slow burn as much as they could 🤭 Share your thoughts in the comments, I'd really appreciate it! 💖

Taglist: @adiehardfan @pixelnutrookie @starryjieun @fucking-random1 @sarcastic01lily @spookycolorpeanut @ophrookie @suitfer

@choicesficwriterscreations

It's my first time tagging a couple of folks, so please inform me if I missed including you. Also, want to be added or removed from the tag list? No problem - just let me know 😊.

[captainkippen]

A History of Two • A Reddie Fic

Eddie Kaspbrak's first crush came in middle school. It was on his best (and only) friend, Big Bill Denbrough. Bill was the kind of boy who made everyone he spoke to feel special - a leader right down to his bones. He could have any friends he wanted in the whole world even with his stutter, that much Eddie was certain of, yet he still chose to hang around with the short asthmatic kid he'd met in the park when they were five. This was a mystery to Eddie who was not blind to the fact he wasn't exactly the coolest kid around.

He was on the smaller side size-wise. His mother, liked to call him 'delicate' while everybody else called him 'scrawny'. When he went outside he would be laden down with an aspirator and a fanny pack of medical supplies, and God help him if he came back with so much as a scratch on him or his mother would haul him down to the emergency room in a second. This had had the rather depressing effect of making Eddie a target for bullies.

At school, older boys would laugh and call Eddie names, they'd shove him around and sneer at him, often asking Bill if it got annoying having his little boyfriend following him around like a lovesick puppy all the time. Bill never laughed along with them. He never defended himself either - never yelled "I'm not gay!" or put deliberate space between himself and Eddie even though they both knew he'd have an easier time of it if he did - something which Eddie was eternally grateful for. Instead he'd flip those boys the bird then turn to Eddie and joke "Don't worry, I know you could do much better than me."

Eddie would smile back and roll his eyes, pushing down on the urge to blurt out how wrong he thought Bill was about that.  

So for several years, it was just the two of them. Eddie would show Bill how to fix his bike the way he wanted all the while trying not to get oil on his pants so his mother wouldn't yell at him, and in return Bill would tell him stories as they worked. Bill's stories were wonderful - filled with adventure and friendship, dashing knights and beautiful maidens. Listening to them made Eddie's heart swell. Once on his birthday, Bill had gifted him a book of those same stories written down and Eddie could've sworn his heart would burst from joy. He wondered if he would ever stop loving Bill Denbrough.

The answer was yes and no because love changes, fluidly switching between romantic and platonic as it pleases with no concern for the heart to which it is attached. Eddie would grow to love Big Bill Denbrough as a brother while the romance in his heart fell to another.

Richie Tozier was nothing like Bill and he was even less like Eddie. He was a loud brash boy with coke-bottle glasses that made his eyes look almost comically wide. He met Bill in sixth grade who in turn introduced him to Eddie, much to Eddie's own dismay. In class he would often mouth off to teachers in a fashion that suggested he couldn't really help himself. This irked Eddie, but what irked him even more was the way that Richie would call him cute and laugh at his own jokes all the while telling him to lighten up when Eddie scowled. Sometimes he would pinch his cheeks or shorten his name to Eds,  and even though Eddie did not believe in violence it would often end in him threatening to punch Richie.

So yes, Richie had the most annoying habit of grinding Eddie's gears like it was his full-time job. Consequently, Eddie spent several mornings complaining to Bill asking why they had to hang out with such a jerk, to which Bill would reply by saying Richie was cool when you got to know him. Eddie had his doubts.

Until...

"Hey, runt! You can't run from us!"

It's a good thing Eddie is so fast because it's the only reason he's managing to escape the wrath of Henry Bowers and his gang of miscreants right now. His legs carry him forward without him even thinking about it. All his focus is pointed towards getting away and surviving the afternoon.

It's a hot summer day, so hot that hazy little heat waves emanate from the surface of the sidewalks. When Eddie had left the house this morning he'd intended to head down to the Barrens, he and Bill's preferred place to play, thinking maybe the two of them (and probably Bill's kid brother George too) could play swords with some of the sticks they'd found last time. This was not to be the case though, as he learned when he knocked at the Denbrough's door. Bill and George had gone with their father to buy tools from the hardware store. Eddie didn't feel like waiting around for them to get back - Mrs Denbrough had offered a glass of milk but she always looked at him with such pity for reasons he didn't really understand and it made him uncomfortable. So he had politely declined and wandered off into town in search of something to do.

Unfortunately for him, Bowers and his gang had been looking for something to do too. As soon as they spotted him it became apparent that knocking him around would be amusement enough. Eddie had had enough sense to start sprinting.

He would have escaped entirely if it were not somebody stepping out of the corner shop door as he flies by it. The resulting collision is an epic mess of limbs and surprised shouts. When Eddie looks up he finds Richie staring back at him.

"Where's the fire, Eds?" He asks, then he spots Bowers coming towards them and his eyes widen. Quickly he's tugging Eddie up and they're running once again.

It seems hopeless. Pain shoots up Eddie's ankle and he thinks 'Oh God, another trip to the emergency room.' They're never going to get away. The gang is gaining on them now, all cruel laughter and insults, but then-

Richie kicks a dustbin backwards as they pass, he kicks it hard, and it goes flying into Bower's. There's a noise of pained rage but it's enough of a distraction for them to finally get away. The clanging and the yelling is joined by adult voices asking what the hell is going on out here, and when Eddie and Richie turn the corner they're free.

They head for Richie's house, he explains his parents aren't home, and when they get there Richie's fingers are tender as they wrap Eddie's ankle in ice.

"Gotta be more careful, Guv'na! Or 'em damn rascals 'll getcha!" He says with a cheerful smile as he pays Eddie's knee. It's what he calls his 'British Constable voice', which Eddie usually hates but this time it draws a laugh out of him.

It was in that moment that Eddie realised Richie's teasing words were not deliberate attempts to get a rise out of him but rather his own special, and slightly irritating, brand of affection. That was the first time he knew for sure that they had become real friends.

By eighth grade Eddie and Richie were no longer allowed to sit next to one another in class. In fact, they were often put on opposite sides of the room. In all honesty, this was through no fault of Eddie's. It was Richie who was unable to keep his mouth shut, and it was not Eddie's fault that the boy had a certain talent for making laughter bubble up inside him exploding in an unwanted burst of giggles. Richie remained unable to keep his mouth shut whether he was next to Eddie or not, but at least when they were apart he had less incentive to crack jokes every five seconds.

They may have been able to separate them in a classroom, but the teachers at Derry Middle School had no place preventing laughter on the playground and so it became normal for Eddie to watch the clock in class counting down the minutes until one became three for lunchtime. He, Richie and Bill would throw themselves down under the large oak tree on the playing field and share torn off pieces of sandwiches while pouring over the latest issues of their favourite comic books.

Eddie's mother did not like Richie. He was too loud for her aging ears and he had a tendency to knock things over by accident while gesturing. The Kaspbrak house was filled with many a delicate antique, or at least what Mrs. Kaspbrak liked to think of as antiques, and several had met their doom as a result of Richie's flailing limbs. Despite this, she was helpless to stop him from visiting because by that point Eddie and Richie had become EddieAndRichie, attached at the hip and seen everywhere together or not at all, and so she was forced to accept that desperately hiding her precious china when she heard footsteps coming up the porch was a tedious forever part of their lives.

Their group expanded from three to five and then on to seven when they hit high school. First to join them was Stan Uris, a neat bookish boy whom Bill had met through bird watching. He had a sneaky wit about him and enjoyed going on runs with Eddie in the morning. On group outings he began bringing along his friend Mike Hanlon, who up until recently had been home schooled. Mike gave the best advice and saw more reason than his friends, often getting them out of trouble. Eddie was grateful for his friendship.

Then along came Beverly Marsh and Ben Hanscom, two other regular victims of Bowers gang boredom. Beverly was fiesty and unafraid - she and Richie got along like a house on fire. Eddie was never sure which he felt for her more: envy or admiration. Probably the second one. He hoped it was the second one. Ben was sweet and spent many afternoons in Bill's garage with them building all sorts of strange structures. He looked at Bev like she was the sun and he would paint the skies for her. Eddie wondered if he realised she looked at him the same way or he was too blinded by his own low self-esteem to realise.

The group became his lifeline; the Loser's Club they called themselves. For the seven of them, weekends were filled with visits to the Aladdin, the local movie theatre, and picnics down at the Barrens. They would start campfires and have Bill tell stories. Richie would butt in with his terrible impressions and Ben would laugh so hard he got a stitch. Everything felt right when they were all together.

At some point during that time, though Eddie couldn't pinpoint exactly when, they had knit together and become a family of sorts. He loved them wholly and completely, and he knew they loved him back in a similar fashion. It was a blinding sort of unquestionable love, which is probably why it took so long for Eddie to realise what he felt for Richie was different for what he felt for the others.

It was in twelfth grade that Eddie Kaspbrak finally realised he was in love with Richie Tozier, and it hit him like a ton of bricks.

[ultraviolettae]

Up and down

⇲ Pairing: Yoongi x reader

⇲ Summary: It´s a hot summer day on set and Yoongi can´t handle watching you lick a popsicle without wanting to fulfill his fantasies.

⇲ Word count: 4.326

⇲ Genre: Smut

⇲ Warnings: graphic smut.

⇲ Author´s note: This was on private but I´ve arranged it so that I can  repost it since I had to correct a few things.

It´s smutty and I´m not ashamed lol

You hadn´t planned this at all. You were supposed to be in your apartment, probably taking a nap or watching one of those movies that made you cry rivers even if you couldn´t relate to the character´s love life in any way possible. Yet when you had received a rushed and frantic call from your boss saying they needed you for today´s shoot, you had submitted to readjusting your plans and had driven all the way up to a forest in the middle of nowhere after cursing in three different languages. And now, there you were, almost whining at the lost of your day off.

On top of that, it was bloody hot. You squinted your eyes trying to block the sun as you made your way through the crowd, cameras already placed all over and staff members running across the set almost bumping into you and barely muttering an apology. There were various insects in the air that added up to the dry ambient and the fact that there wasn´t a single tree near enough to shelter under its shadow didn´t help at all. Your hands worked with a hair tie tying all the strands into a bun in an attempt to cool off and, slapping a mosquito that you had caught trying to suck your blood, a heavy sigh escaped your lips. Coming here - you could´ve rejected it, but it would only make you feel more miserable.

“Hey, you look pissed as fuck”

When you had agreed to come you hadn´t even thought about what exactly did they needed you for, but when you turned around to find Seokjin shyly smiling at you there wasn´t anything left to wonder. They wanted you to dance. Great.

“Having trouble with the choreography?”

You tried sounding as relaxed as possible. Above everything, you loved your job, no matter the circumstances. And as much as the day wasn´t going as you´d like to, Seokjin didn´t deserve your grumpiness, no less knowing how insecure he felt about his dancing skills.

“The other boys are busy having their pictures taken. I´m sorry they dragged you over here just to bare with my clumsiness”

One of your hands was placed on his shoulder and you gave him a reassuring smile. You´d sure prefer to be sprawled across your bed sipping on some kind of alcohol but, this was better for your health, you guessed. Besides, it wasn´t the first time something like this happened. Several times had you gotten your plans cancelled because the company needed some last second help.

“It´s no big deal. Let´s just find a spot where we won´t get burned by the sun and I´ll help you”

It turned out teaching the steps to Seokjin was quite fun. He had trouble with the body rolls and some of the footwork, but he knew how to laugh at himself when he made a mistake. He also had an easy way to make giggles escape your mouth, imitating the birds that were happily singing behind the branches or telling one of his dad jokes. He was about to finish one when someone appeared next to the pair of you.

“You still look like a spastic worm while dancing. Doesn´t he?”

You had been so caught up in your annoyance and in Seokjin that the thought of the other members hadn´t even crossed your mind. So, when you were met with Yoongi giving you an inquisitive look, you blinked twice. There was always something intimidating about his presence, no matter how many interactions there had been between the two of you already. The way his eyes were always dark, the slight poisonous tone of his voice, it all made it hard to be around him sometimes.

“Don´t be so harsh”

You sounded out of breath, but determined, and managed to look him in the eyes. Seokjin, for his own sake, decided to ignore Yoongi´s comment, which you were grateful for. The last thing you needed was to be included in a fight between these two, specially if you were on Jin´s side.

“Actually, Y/n´s help has done wonders. I´ll go get dressed, we´re starting in five minutes”

After thanking you one last time, he left both of you not knowing what to do as the uncomfortable silence was becoming unbearable. You were always unsure about how to act in front of him, his behavior always unpredictable. In all the years you had known the boys, he might be the one whom you had spent the less time with. The one that was less friendly, less open to establish conversation with you even when you were alone. Despite of that, you knew he didn´t dislike you. It was countless times that you had caught him staring at your body. That one time you bent over a desk to plug in your phone and you had caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror wall, his eyes glued to the rear of your ass. Or that day you wore a blouse with a bit of cleavage and had found yourself intensely blushing because of his persistent staring at your exposed skin. Each and every time a smirk on his face. You hated to admit that, even if he was just physically attracted to you, it made you feel some type of way.

But none of that mattered, of course.

He had never done anything that could make you push yourself into suppressing the crescent feelings you liked to think weren´t even there, neither had he done anything that could make you stop it. Either way, you tried not to think too much about it.

“I´ll go too. Will you be watching?”

The question caught you off guard. You fingered the bracelet around your wrist nervously, trying to find an excuse to avoid his eyes. Maybe his words were just casual, but he seemed to have an ulterior motive for them.

“Sure”

Despite the hot weather, a shiver went down your spine and you hoped he wasn´t seeing the way your cheeks were reddening.

“Good. I´ll be watching you, too”

His words pulled you out of your thoughts so rapidly your heart jumped against your chest. You could have sworn - you were sure this time - that there had been something predatory behind his words, something that you had never sensed before. As you watched him go to have his makeup retouched, you tried to brush it off. It sure had meant nothing.

Later on, you found yourself actually paying much more attention than you expected. You had seen the boys performing several times, but you had never seen them acting or behind a camera. It was quite the process, though, having to repeat the choreography numerous times until they all got it right at the same time. From the distance, you gave them some tips about how to get in sync, and you couldn´t say your eyes hadn´t drifted to Yoongi much more than they should have, your mind constantly pulled to thoughts of him. You hadn´t dared to look him in the eyes yet, but you had granted yourself a position in which you could see him up close. Letting yourself fantasize a bit, you observed the sunlight reflecting on the smooth skin of his collarbones, the mint locks of hair bouncing over his forehead. The others looked incredibly good as well, and you also directed short glances at them from time to time, admiring how graceful they all looked. And before you knew it, you were clapping along with everyone else and smiling at the thought of how good the result was going to be.

“Everyone! We´ve brought some ice cream!”

Your attention was quickly drowned to the cold treats that a manager was distributing, your mouth already watering at the sight. Taehyung approached you, holding two fruity popsicles that looked delicious.

“Here, Y/n. You´ve also worked hard”

You accepted it and a boxy grin appeared on his face, instantly lighting up yours as well. It was just ce cream, right?

“Oh, thanks”

You mumbled and nodded with a small smile, unwrapping the packaging. As you placed your tongue on the tip a smile appeared on your face. It was strawberry flavored, your favorite. When you were going to lick again, you noticed a pair of eyes boring into you. Yoongi.

You hadn´t taken what he had said seriously, until now. It was clear that he was watching you, some kind of desire written all over his eyes. You hugged yourself in discomfort, your arms pressed below your breasts unknowingly pushing them up. When his stare met them, when a smirk appeared on his face, it all made sense. He was getting turned on. Min Yoongi, out of all people you were surrounded by, was getting all riled up at the sight of you sucking on a popsicle. You decided to be brave for once. If he was going to stare, you might as well let him enjoy it.

The top part of your pink wet tongue met the ice again, flattening against it. You licked it once, twice without breaking eye contact. You continued doing that for a while, enjoying the taste as if you were eating it the traditional way. Then, you took as much of it as you could in your mouth to immediately take it out, slowly, your lips getting plumper because of the cold. All through it, staring at each other. Your mouth wrapped around the popsicle several times, your cheeks hollowing, swirling your tongue teasingly, all done at a slow pace. When the size of it had gone thinner, you concentrated on melting it, so that the liquid would spill down your fingers. After you had looked around enough times to see that no one was paying attention to the little interaction between the two of you, your fingers scooped some of the pink substance and you introduced them in your mouth, sucking it off with a gesture that clearly had a sexual nature. You stayed in that position for as long as you could, making the most out of it. And then, you removed them with a loud plop.

Whatever had gotten into you, you  liked it. It was fun to see him so stiff, his fists balled up and his lips parted in surprise. It was as if the thought of you being in control of Yoongi thrilled you, making you want more. You proudly smiled to yourself as you watched him finally move from his spot, his face as red as a tomato. After all, he kind of deserved it after all the times he had made you feel small under his hungry stare.

The events of the afternoon had completely extinguished your bad mood and you stretched your arms after having helped clean up the place. The sun was setting, there were only a few boxes left to put inside the vans and you were already fantasizing about arriving home to enjoy what was left of your day off when a member of the staff approached you.

“Y/n, have you brought your car?”

You gestured toward your black Volkswagen, nodding with your head and fearing where the conversation was going.

“Yeah, is anything wrong?”

He smiled at you as if he was already thanking you, even though he was aware of you not knowing what he wanted.

“We don´t have room in our cars for everyone, we´re missing one seat. Would you mind driving him home?”

That implied you arriving to your apartment later than expected and missing the first episode of your favorite drama, but, if you were in the situation, you´d like someone to do you the favor.

“Sure, and who will that person be?”

Before the staff member could say anything, someone appeared next to him and you didn´t need to look to know who it was.

“Me. That will be me”

Yoongi, again. His lips were curled up in a smirk and you wished you could smack it off his face. Suddenly you didn´t feel so good about the little display of pent up frustration you had made earlier, and blood crept to your cheeks. Why was it that as soon as he came close to you your whole body felt defenseless?

“Perfect! Then let´s get going”

You watchedthe staff member disappear and once again, you were left alone with Yoongi. Except that this time, you felt trapped under his stare, his black orbs not living your face.

Every single car left, the place now looking empty and showing its true nature without all the technological devices and human bodies that had been there just moments ago. All you wanted was to run away or climb up a tree, anything that meant not being in his presence. You were even tempted to run to your car and dump him right then and there so that the wolves could eat him in the middle of the night. But if that happened, they´ll probably sue you and you´d lose your job.

You inhaled deeply. You weren´t even making sense. It was just Yoongi. The fact that he had been able to get you turned on just because you had sucked off a piece of ice while looking at him didn´t mean anything.

“M-my car is over there”

He followed you, and his silence was only making you more uncomfortable. You wanted to fill it, but at the same time you were unable to articulate a single word.

By the time you had started the car, your hands were trembling. All the time you were driving he kept staring at you, even if the view behind his side window was breathtaking. You lowered your head avoiding a sun ray and your eyes met his momentarily before focusing on the road again.

“Can you stop looking at me? It´s making me nervous”

The words escaped your mouth before you could stop them and regret instantly swept over you. Even though you couldn´t directly see it, you knew he´s head was tilted to the side, that lopsided smile you hated so much plastered on his face.

“You didn´t seem so eager about it earlier”

An involuntary gasp left your mouth and your eyes widened. You hadn´t expected him to bring it up that way or being honest, to bring it up at all.

“What do you mean?”

Then, he placed a hand on your thigh, his slender fingers resting against your smooth skin as if that was the most natural thing to do. Your grip on the steering wheel tightened with strength you didn´t even knew you had in the first place. You regretted wearing a dress, you regretted what you had done earlier and you regretted that you secretly loved the way his hand brushed against your skin.

“Tell me” His voice had turned huskier that you were willing to admit and you tried to think about driving and nothing else “Do you think it´s alright to do that in front of me” The hand he had placed on your leg was moving up your thigh at a dangerous speed, now playing with the hem of your dress “and not expect a punishment?”

As much as you tried, there was nothing you could do to deny the heat that was growing in your core. You bit on your bottom lip. Focus on the road. Focus on the road.

The tip of his thumb met your lacy underwear and started massaging the spot. You reprimanded yourself for not having bought a car with seats five meter away from each other. Fuck. Those didn´t even exist.

“Y/n. Tell me if you want me to stop”

Hell no. The last thing you wanted was the warmth of his finger ,now brushing against your clothed clit, massaging it in slow circles, to leave you. You jumped in your seat, too startled by his touch and you had to suppress a tiny moan. As an incentive, you shook your head. You didn´t want him to stop. Not at all. This kind of situation would probably make you wake up tomorrow regretting life in general but, you were getting carried away. It was as if Yoongi had some kind of mind control over you. And the fac that he was asking for consent, it made your insides turn. Yoongi never worried about what you thought or, in that case, might want.

“Good girl. I´m sure that by now, you are aware of how much I want you”

You had to remind yourself how to breath, and this time you couldn´t control your whining. A moan left your lips, and he had done nothing but speed his movements against your now swollen bud. Yooongi, who gave you dirty looks all the time during dance practice when you corrected him, who always ignored you was suddenly teling you he wanted you. But, in which way?

“And by how wet you already are, I bet you want me to”

That was it. It was as if days, months of supressing your needs had been suddenly removed. You wanted him, right then and there. If he could make you feel that way only by rubbing your womanhood, fuck, you didn´t even want to imagine what having him inside you would feel like. Almost against your will, you parked the car literally in the middle of nowhere and you turned to face him. His hand was still buried between your folds, and you arched your back when a particularly strong stroke met your clit.

“Why are we stopping?”

You knew he knew the answer and you knew he wanted to hear it from your mouth. A wave of pleasure was sent through your core, and you tried to act composed and oblivious to it.

“Because” You tried not to moan again “If we are going to do this” He sped up his pace even more “I-I´d rather not die in a car accident while orgasming”

He let out a chuckle and his hand stopped moving. It was the first time you had made him laugh - that you knew about - and for a moment you regretted it had to be in an atmosphere like that.

“No problem, then. I can think of another million ways to punish you”

And before you knew it, your body moved automatically, awkwardly shifting between the seats and the numerous gadgets placed between them. As if he had been waiting for you, his hands immediately met your waist to help you accommodate on top of him, his hands hiking up your dress leaving your blue underwear exposed.

“If I knew you´d be this obedient, I would´ve done this way earlier”

Everything he said was a turn on. You liked his voice, the slightly seductive edge that had appeared only for you. His fingers dug into your ass, grabbing the flesh and cupping it roughly.

“I love your ass”

He almost moaned it, and you bucked your hips into his growing erection. The sudden compliment made your heart swell with pride, and you had to remind yourself that what he felt for you was pure sexual attraction.

“By all the times you had openly stared at it, it´s no surprise”

His eyes were darker than ever, his hands fidgeting with the fabric of the dress revealing more and more of your body while he was still fuly dressed.

“I wasn´t trying to be discrete”

You noticed his bulge pressed against you, and you rubbed your core against it. At this point, discrection was the last thing you needed.

“Don´t be”

The words seemed to have an impact on him, and he hungrily attacked your lips. He tasted good, making you want more even though you had just started. It took you a while to realize that it was the first time you were kissing him, his lips feeling as if they had been made specifically for you, as if you had already kissed before and you knew exactly what to do.

You separated to breathe and you spotted a protuberant vein on his neck, not hesitating a single second before burying your head in it and starting peppering kisses along his jaw line. You started rocking your hips against him, anxiously wanting to feel some type of release.

“Fuck. Keep doing that”

For once you were the one to smirk, the desperate tone of his voice activating something inside you. You wanted to kiss his neck again but, as you were about to place your lips on his skin, he pulled you back by your wrists.

“What’s wrong?”

Truly concerned about having done something unpleasant to him you furrowed your brows, but the amused expression on his face was telling you otherwise. He had something in mind.

“Ever heard of dry humping?”

You blinked, not expecting to hear that term at all. You had never thought about Yoongi being into that. Well, not that you had ever thought about Yoongi’s kinks.

“Yeah. Is that what you like?”

He lifted an eyebrow, a playful gesture that made him look oddly cute for the situation.

“Usually not” He found the zipper of your dress and he deliberately pulled it down along with the straps “But, it’s your punishment. I had to watch you sucking on that stupid popsicle” Your bra was now completely visible and he unclasped it without difficulty , your flesh meeting the fresh air. You didn’t complain, your eyes locked with his “Imagining it was my cock inside that pretty mouth of yours. You kept tempting me, and I couldn’t do anything. You got me so hard I thought my balls would explode”

One of his hands started massaging your breasts, the tips of his fingers pressing against your hardening nipples. His words only turned you on more, he didn’t have to swear he had been, and was, rock hard. You could feel it for yourself.

“Rub your pussy against me until you come”

Your mouth hanged open at his request and when you saw him place his arms on his sides, completely away from your body, you understood he was serious. You hesitated at first, but the way his eyes were roaming over your body encouraged you to do it. Your hips moved against the fabric of his pants, the friction causing you to get even more aroused. As you noticed his body relaxing under yours you sped up, alternating between thrusting and moving your hips in circles. His head fell backwards and he moaned, guttural grunts repeatedly delighting you ears. Your hand reached for your clit seeking for more pleasure, but once again, he stopped you.

“Play with your breasts instead”

At that point, you would’ve done anything he said. You cupped both your breasts as tight as you could, your hand reaching for your pussy wetting them with your juices only to spread them across you nipples. His dick twitched inside his pants, and you weren’t going to last much longer if you kept rubbing against it so hard. You kept repeating the same action, coating two or three fingers in your drenching core and rubbing the hot liquid all over your breasts while moaning loudly. Apparently, it turned him on beyond belief.

“Fuck Y/n. Now I want to come all over them”

His words were exactly what you needed to reach your orgasm, and you grabbed the sides of his jacket as your body convulsed, the pressure that had been built up in your lower stomach suddenly exploding. He obliged to touch you again, holding your waist to steady you between shaky breaths.

“That was fucking hot”

Your head rested against his shoulders, and you were not sure about what was going to happen next. You wanted him to touch you, to feel your body as he had done before, but all you got was his right hand lightly slapping your ass.

“You did great. But we’re not finished. You still owe me”

He signaled you to move back to the driver’s seat and you obeyed. Your legs were still trembling a bit because you just came, hard enough to make you feel dizzy.

“I don’t like the idea of your lips wrapped around something that isn’t my dick”

Even though you were aware about what you had just done and you yourself were naked, you blushed when he unzipped his pants, lowering them past his knees followed by his boxers. His erect member was now proudly standing in front of you, the tip redden and covered with precum. You could tell he wouldn´t be able to last much longer, and you wanted to help him. There was nothing preventing you from touching it.

“Go ahead. Suck me off”

You didn’t hesitate to spit on your hands before wrapping them around his length. He hissed, his thighs tightening and flexing at your touch. You gifted him a kitten lick before taking the whole thing in your mouth, your lips stretched to make sure you properly tasted his cock.

“Keep going like that and I´ll come soon”

He grabbed the hair on the top of your head and pulled you back, so that he could have a better view. In no moment did his eyes leave yours, as if he wanted to remember every single moment of him entering you for the first time. When you realized he was so worked up he had started doing his part of the job, your hands left his dick to rest on your thighs. He didn´t stop pushing inside of you until his tip met your throat, your voice muffled by him repeating the movement. You took every inch as best as you could, breathing through your nose, too caught up in the thought of you giving him pleasure to care about the pain. The only thing audible was the lewd sound of his skin hitting the back of your throat and some moans occasionally coming from him. His fingers dug harder into your scalp, making tears appear on the corner of your eyes that were going wider with every moment that passed, lust torturing them with each glance he directed at you.

“Fuck. I´m going to come…”

He suddenly pulled out of you and as he held his dick with one hand you saw him shoot his release, the hot liquid landing mainly on your breasts and some of it on your mouth. The sight turned you on even if you had just come.

Finally, he removed the cum from your lip, gently, and held it up for you to see.

“Open up”

Your mouth followed his command and you immediately swallowed, too fascinated by his bluntness. You watched him collapse against his seat as he put back his clothes and removed the sweat that had appeared on his forehead. With him fully dressed you suddenly felt too exposed and quickly reached for your clothes. Once you were back in your dress and you had brushed your fingers through your hair, you realized you didn´t know what to say. It was as if after both of you had fulfilled your fantasies about the other there was nothing left, nothing tangible to hold onto between the two of you. You should´ve had known that the fact that you had just had sex with Yoongi wouldn´t change anything, and it didn´t have to.Your lips were parted, your cheeks flushed, and your heart beating faster than usual. Yoongi had just given you the best orgasm ever, he had told you he wanted you...why did something feel so wrong then?

“That was great. I´ll take you home now”

If your smile had looked as forced as it had felt, he didn´t acknowledge it. Except for the reddened tone of his cheeks there was nothing that could hint that the two of you had just done something that intimate. The ride was short and silent, and he barely muttered a goodbye before exiting your car.

Back in the road, you wanted to hit yourself for being so stupid. He hadn´t even kissed you, or touched you the way you had dreamt about,  how it was supposed to be after you slept with someone. He hadn´t even thanked you. You sighed. It was just sex. Pure physical attraction. After today, Yoongi had made it clear: that was all he felt for you.

[purrincess-chat]

Lady Luck CH3

Sorry it took a little longer, I work until 5 everyday and I had a meeting last night, but here’s the next chapter of LL. We’re learning a bit more about our little clueless children. ft. The Umbrella Scene™

FF | AO3

Chapter 3

“What do you think of this one, buddy?” Adrien asked, holding up a shirt and tie for approval from a very fluffy black cat lounging on his bed. The cat in question blinked and let out a soft mrrow, and Adrien pursed his lips and sat beside his plump companion. “Yeah, you’re right. Too much.”

He’d woken up that morning with nervous butterflies for his date later that evening. It was all he could think about, and as a result, he’d spent a good portion of his morning and early afternoon sifting through every piece of clothing he owned. Marinette was into fashion, so he had to look perfect if he wanted to impress her. He smiled a little at the thought of spending time with her one-on-one, and he hoped that she could see him for who he really was instead of who everyone said he was.

The cat rubbed against his hand letting out a low purr in protest of not being petted, and Adrien quickly rectified that situation by scratching his head. All he wanted was someone to like him for him. Most of the girls he dated were all the same, but Marinette was the first girl to show any sort of reluctance toward him. Pretty face, loads of money, he was most every other girl’s dream. But Marinette didn’t seem interested in that at all which is why he sincerely hoped that things could be different between them. Maybe this could be a turning point for them.

“I have a good feeling about this one, Plagg. She’s not like all the other ones,” He cooed, rubbing the cat’s squishy belly. Plagg’s ears bent to the side, and he let out a disgruntled mowl. “I know I always say that, but I really think that this time. She’s…stubborn, but hopefully I can change her mind tonight, huh, whatcha think?”

The ball of fluff purred contently as his master worked his hands over his body, and Adrien let out a sigh. He really hoped that this time would be different. That someone could finally see something more than just material gain in him. Everyone else seemed to find people like that no problem. So why was he any different?

***

“Okay, so let’s review. If you’re getting weirdo creepy vibes, text me with an x, and I’ll call you and make up some excuse to get you home immediately. If you’re seriously worried then text me the number 1, and I’ll call the police,” Alya recited as Marinette slipped in a pair of earrings. She’d opted for what Alya calls the “Sexy, but don’t you dare touch me” look in a form fitting dress and low heels.

“Got it,” Mari nodded as Alya gave her a once over.

“Turn,” She ordered, and Marinette twirled around obediently. “Looks good. I will stay up until you come home. My volume is on as loud as it will go, and I’ll keep my phone by me all night. Be safe.”

“Thanks, Alya. You’re such a good friend.” Marinette hugged her neck tightly and took a deep breath. “Wish me luck.”

“Take as much as you need, girl.”

Naturally, she was dreading the evening quite a bit, but she was determined to put whatever inkling of a chance Adrien thought he had to rest. For both her personal and professional sanity, she was going to suffer through one evening alone with him. How bad could it be? It was just dinner. It would be over in a couple hours, and she could say she tried then hopefully he’d accept it and move on. Of course, there was the off chance that she would change her mind and find that he was really sweet and charming, but she highly doubted it. Besides, she was amped up with enough stubbornness to evade whatever he threw at her. Tonight, she was a solid concrete wall.

“Good evening, m’lady.” His impish and charming voice caught her a little off guard when she reached the front steps of their building.

He was dressed in a nice black shirt with the first two buttons undone and slacks, hair ruffled just enough to look messy but not unkempt. She had to give him props because he was one of the most beautiful men she’d ever seen in her life. Still, his presence outside her apartment building was a little vexing as she was banking on the lone walk to the park to mentally prepare her for the evening.

“I thought I told you to meet me at the park,” She chided, folding her arms over her chest.

“A gentleman always picks a lady up at the door,” He took her hand and kissed it softly, a giddy grin on his lips. “Shall we go?” He gestured to the expensive town car parked on the curb with quite possibly the largest man she’d ever laid eyes on standing patiently beside it.

“Isn’t the subway faster?” She cocked a brow as he opened the door for her, eager to spend as little time with him as possible that evening.

“I thought driving would be a little bit more intimate. Besides, the restaurant isn’t that far.” He extended a hand to help her inside, but she ignored it, reluctantly crawling in on her own and situating her dress as he moved around to the other side and slipped in beside her. Fortunately, the car was rather roomy on the inside, and he didn’t stray into the middle, leaving a reasonable gap between them. It didn’t stop him from angling himself toward her and forcing conversation, however. “You look beautiful, as always.”

“Thanks,” She muttered, buckling her seatbelt as his driver pulled off.

“So, are your classes going well?” He asked as they got moving.

“Yeah.” She nodded curtly, staring out the window and doing her best to seem disinterested which was very hard to do because on top of being unnaturally gorgeous, in such close quarters, she could smell him, and damn if his cologne didn’t smell amazing. She sincerely hoped he couldn’t tell how deeply she was inhaling to capture as much of it in her lungs as she could, and after a moment, she kicked herself for being so easily entranced and reaffirmed her mission.

“Oh, good. I’m glad. So, are you designing a lot then?”

“I guess.”

“I’d love to see some of your work. Maybe I could model something for you sometime.”

“Maybe.” She shrugged, and he pursed his lips.

“The city is really beautiful at night, don’t you think?” He asked, glancing out the window briefly before turning back to her. “Is that why you can’t take your eyes off of it?”

“It’s preferable for me to look at, yeah,” She answered, and he twiddled his thumbs in his lap with a small sigh.

“Paris is an amazing city, I-I can’t say I blame you,” He murmured, ego deflating considerably.

“Mmhmm,” She hummed, and Adrien shifted.

“So, what else do you like besides fashion?” She offered a shrug, so he turned to his lap with a frown. “A one trick pony, I suppose then.” Another shrug. “Do you like animals? I have a cat. He’s kind of a grump, but he keeps me company.”

“Oh.” She said flatly as they pulled up to what she supposed was the restaurant.

Adrien slumped from the car, moving around to open the door for her, but she opened it herself and climbed out. He attempted to shake it off by extending an elbow for her, but she folded her arms over her chest, so he just led the way inside quietly. The silence between them stretched on until they were led to a table, and Adrien pulled out a chair for her. Instead of taking his gesture, she sat in the other chair, and his face fell a little more as he sat awkwardly across from her.

“Have you ever been here before?” He asked as she lifted the menu to hide her face.

“No,” She answered, glancing at the prices. It actually kind of hurt her soul a little bit how expensive everything was. Her measly boutique check was crying in the distance.

“The duck is excellent, and I get a craving for their chocolate mousse every now and then,” He said, folding his hands in his lap.

“Oh.”

It was honestly one of the most painful experiences she’d ever had. He kept trying for a while, but once their food arrived, he accepted that one-word answers and shrugs were all he was going to get out of her so they ate in silence. The food was exquisite, but for the price, she expected it to be. At one point, she glanced up at him to see his crestfallen expression as he pushed a pea around on his plate, and she felt a little remorse for how she was treating him. This wasn’t like her, and Adrien didn’t exactly fit the stereotypical jerk trope that she’d pull this ice-queen routine with usually.  

She sat back and pursed her lips considering for a moment why she was being so bitter. Adrien certainly hadn’t done anything malicious, though forcing her to stare at his dick for two hours came pretty close, and he seemed to have really been looking forward to their evening. It was honestly kind of…sweet. If she was going to rule him out, couldn’t she at least try a little? Seeing him look so pitiful made her chest feel heavy. Ugh. She hated her conscience sometimes.

“Your check, monsieur,” The waiter said, presenting a small black notebook.

“Thanks.” Adrien offered up a weak smile. He slipped in the appropriate amount of cash and stood up. “Ready?”

“Um, yeah,” She mumbled with a wince as he led the way back out where his driver stood dutifully next to the car on the curb. How he knew when to be there was beyond her, but Adrien paused at the door, head hung low.

“Look, I know you didn’t really want to come out with me tonight, but I appreciate that you did anyway. I get it now. Gorilla will drive you home, and I promise not to bother you anymore,” He said in a low-gravelly voice. As he turned to head up the street alone, she felt the pressure building in her lungs until she couldn’t take it anymore and the words burst from her lips.

“Adrien…wait!” She sighed. He stopped and turned to her, eyebrows raised in surprise when she approached. “I’ve been really unfair to you, and I should apologize.”

“Really?” He turned to face her fully, blinking in shock.

“Yeah.” She bit her lip. “This isn’t me. I’m not some colossal bitch, I just…I’ve been burned in the past, so I have a hard time trusting people.”

“I can understand that.” He winced.

“Wanna go get some ice cream? Then maybe we can sit and talk?” She offered, and his face brightened a little.

“I’d like that.” His gaze softened as she extended her elbow to him which he graciously linked his arm through, and they headed up the street. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. If I hadn’t been such an ass we wouldn’t be doing this,” She chided with a guilty wince.

“I know, but thank you for changing your mind,” He repeated, and Marinette smiled.

“I’m a sucker for big, sad eyes,” She admitted.

“Noted.” He smirked, and she sighed.

Several minutes later, they found themselves on a park bench with a cup of ice cream and two spoons, huddled together as they shared their frozen treat. He seemed much more relaxed now that she was being amiable, and she had to admit she wasn’t having a terrible time either.

“So, tell me about your grumpy cat,” She began, taking a small spoonful, and Adrien chuckled.

“His name is Plagg. He’s a Persian, black, total grump, always demanding attention, picky eater, and he’s my heart and soul,” He explained.

“That’s so sweet,” She cooed, and Adrien bit back a smile as he secured a chunk of ice cream for himself.

“I’ve gotten pretty attached to him. He grows on you.”

“Something he has in common with his master, I’ve noticed,” She teased, taking a bite to avoid the smile coming over her lips when his gaze softened.

“So, how long have you been into fashion?” He asked.

“Oh, gosh…As long as I can remember. I think I started picking my own outfits when I was two, and my parents bought me my first sewing machine for my ninth birthday,” She mused, remembering the day fondly.

“Wow,” He said, face falling a little. “That’s incredible.”

“Can I ask you something?” She shifted closer. “Why me?”

“What do you mean?” His gaze flicked up to meet hers as he licked a small bit of cream from his spoon.

“That night at the club there was a room full of girls dancing, and you approached the one at the bar who was clearly disinterested in being talked to,” She clarified. “Why?”

He shrugged. “You looked passionate about your work, and I admired that. I’ve never really had a sense of what I’m meant to do or where I’m supposed to be, so I’ve always envied people who have it all figured out. I guess, you’re the type of person I wish I could be.”

“I seem to remember you were quite the active one up until recently when you quit everything,” She recounted, tapping her lip with the spoon.

“I’ve tried a number of different hobbies and activities, but none of them have ever felt like something I wanted to do forever. More like…they were expected of me.” He stared down at his lap, and she placed a reassuring hand over his so he continued, “I’ll spare you the gory details, but my mom died when I was little. She was in an accident, and my father took the loss pretty hard. I understand it more now, but at the time, all I wanted was someone to care about me. Instead my dad threw himself into his own work and gave me a bunch of stuff to do to keep me occupied and right where he could see me.”

“Oh my god. I-I’d heard about your mom before, but…” She covered her mouth with a hand, and he lifted her chin.

“It’s alright. It was a long time ago, and things are different now. We don’t talk much me and him, but we never did. His one stipulation when I left was that I keep Gorilla around.” He nodded to the driver standing patiently at the entrance to the park. “He’s actually my body guard.”

“Gorilla?” She cocked a brow.

“I didn’t know his name when I was a kid, and he’s big and quiet just like a gorilla. The name just kinda stuck,” He said, and she let out a laugh.

“I see it.” She nodded approvingly. “So, what? Is this like your late teenage rebellion phase?”

“I guess you could say that,” He chuckled. “Though I’m fairly tame, I think.”

“Are you?” She gave him a skeptical smirk.

“I don’t get around as much as people think I do,” He said. “I’ve told you before I’m not exactly a player, more like…a playee.”

“Seriously?” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “With a face like yours I thought you’d have girls falling at your feet left and right.”

“I do, but…when you’re wealthy and good looking, people don’t always flock to you for the reasons that you want, and what I want is unusual I guess.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “At least for someone of my position.”

“And what do you want?”

“I want someone who likes me for me. Not just because I’m rich or good looking. Not someone who just wants to hook up with me and brag about it to their friends. I want a partner. A friend. Someone I can curl up on a couch with and watch a movie on a rainy day. I just want someone who cares.” His gaze flicked back to hers, and she felt her heart lurch in her chest.

Shit.

Those sad green eyes told her everything she needed to know. Adrien was someone who had been rejected when he needed love the most. One who had been used and abused his whole life. Someone who was tired of being hurt, and who desperately searched for light among darkness.  She realized all of those things on that park bench as her heart pounded in her chest, aching for him. All that time she pushed him away, and he just wanted to be accepted by someone. How could she have been so cruel?

“Well, you’ve heard the Adrien Agreste sob story now which is more than most girls can say. I should get you home before it gets too much later.” He stood up. “It felt nice to talk to you.”

“I feel like an even bigger jerk than I did before.” She covered her face in shame, but he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Trust me. I’ve dealt with worse.” She linked her arm through his as he led them back to the car and helped her inside politely.

It was strange how much her perspective changed in only a few short hours. After all, Adrien wasn’t the one who broke her heart, so she shouldn’t blame him for someone else’s mistakes. He was sweet, and she realized now that she wasn’t the only one carrying emotional baggage. Not even close. In fact, Adrien had her beat by several miles, and she wondered how anyone could still wear a smile after going through what he had. It was for that reason that Adrien Agreste captured her heart.

“I had fun tonight,” She said once they made it to the door of her building. “On the second half.”

“Me too,” He chuckled.

“Maybe next time I’ll be less of an ass for the first half.” She caught herself, cheeks flushing pink as a wide grin stretched across his face.

“I’ll look forward to it,” He smarmed, and she covered half of her face to hide her own smile. “Good night, Marinette.”

She bit her lip slightly, contemplating her next move carefully before she stretched up to peck his cheek. When she pulled back his face softened, and warmth filled his gorgeous green eyes as if the gesture meant the world to him. Marinette stepped back and rubbed her burning neck, clearing her throat awkwardly.

“Good night.” She gave a polite nod before turning and escaping inside, rushing up the stairs quickly until she reached her door.

Her face felt hot when she paused outside to catch her breath before going in to face Alya, but her heart was pounding wildly for more reasons than the three-flight climb. The night hadn’t gone exactly how she planned, but in a way, she was actually extremely grateful. Maybe this could be a fresh start for both of them which she knew she desperately needed, and it seemed like Adrien needed it too. As stubborn as she was about her impressions of people, just this once, she’d never been happier to be wrong.