#strangers to ugh-not-lovers to friends lmao

[steddieunderdogfics]

Today is all about @spicysix! In today's Mod Spotlight, we're highlighting Lui and all they bring to this space!!

Lui handles our Challenge Monday and Theme Weekend Days! They queue up and handle any initial recs for those days, as well as keeping track of how many recs we need for each day!

lui (she/they) has discovered fandom life over 13 years ago and went through multiple fandoms since then. currently focusing on Stranger Things, they're an occasional writer and avid reader, and a multishipper at heart - but Steddie is her favorite ship to read in the ST fandom. she took a role as a mod on Steddie Underdog Fics trying to embrace a side of fandom that they haven't before, and it's been a great to be a part of it!

Having Lui on the team has been a blessing! Not only is she easy to work with and so kind, she's really helped level up this space in so many ways. I'm so glad I get to work with her! - ohstars

As a part of our mod spotlight, Lui answered some questions from you all and our team! You can read them below.

Be sure to stay tuned for more recs and future mod spotlights in the future!

What drew you to Steddie?

The opposites-yet-so-similar situation they have going on. Rich guy versus poor guy? Popular versus the loser? Jock versus nerd? But both with hearts of gold… Self sacrificing idiots…. Older brother figures… Smart in some ways but stupid in others… Stuck to high school ideas and dynamics… All of it is tasty.

What is your favorite thing about modding this page?

Getting to know many new fics! My TBR list has grown over what I can manage since I’ve started modding. My companions, Stars and Shane are also amazing and it’s great working with them.

What are your favorite tropes to read?

Probably strangers or friends to lovers. Or like, a one sided rivalry (usually comes from Eddie, who haaaates King Steve while Just-A-Guy-Steve never thought about Eddie before the UD shit lmao). I’m also a sucker for Soulmates AU; and anyone who knows me knows this: my favorite EVER is the timeloop. Ugh. My beloved.

What is your preferred way to read and find fics?

I usually read (or put on my TBR list) whatever shows up on my timeline. From friends, mutuals, or reblogs. When I go straight to the Ao3 ship tag it’s usually to find a specific type of story to read before I sleep,, so I usually set the filters to completed, under 10k words, and no Explicit and go through whatever shows up.

What’s your guilty pleasure trope?

I no longer feel this feeling, but I have once been found feeling guilty for reading monsterfuckeries of omegaverse stuff. Omegaverse is not exactly my cup of tea, but sometimes it can be fun. Anyway, embrace the cringe.

What makes a fic an instant yes for you to read?

Well, timeloops as I’ve said, mutual pining, a good ol’ roadtrip fun. And happy endings. Sorry, but sad endings are a no-go to me.

Anonymous - Is there any older or lesser-known Steddie event from the past few years that you particularly love (if ongoing or recurring) or loved? Did you participate in any?

Hmm no, not that I can think of! Our fandom is very creative so we have amazing events all year round, thankfully! I also haven’t participated in any Steddie specific events because, funny enough, Steddie is the ship that I write the least for (even though it’s the one I read the most! lol)

@sidekick-hero - What makes a fanfic stand out for you?

I think characterization and lots and lots of emotion. With big ships like Steddie, it’s easy for us to fall into different characterizations and sometimes we write them almost as OCs - and that’s not a problem at all, I’m in the team “write whatever you love”, I wouldn’t even call it “mischaracterization”. But when a fic is able to stay within the character’s traits, it tastes better lmao Especially if the side characters are well written – it’s often hard for people who focus on a specific ship to be able to write well the side characters or even care about them and in a fandom like ST specially I think the other relationships are just as important as the main romantic one. I also really love when a fic makes me cry until I have a headache.

@worldswcollide - What advice would you give to someone who is interested in becoming a mod in the future?

Only do it if you know you have the time to dedicate to it. It’s very upsetting to rely on someone only for them to never dedicate themselves fully to a commitment they made on their own choice. You also have to like what you’re doing. If you’re on a project like ours, you have to like this reccing interaction. If you’re on a bigbang project, you have to like being that leader and organizing dates and putting people in contact with each other. And it goes on, but you have to enjoy what you’re doing or you’re gonna resent it and other people involved will know. We always do.

Anonymous - Do you participate in any other fannish activities, like making playlists, gif edits, fanart, podcasts, Pinterest boards, etc?

Not anything that I share, no. I sometimes do moodboards or playlists specifically for my own fics, but besides that, writing and modding, I don’t do any other type of art (bc I lack talent and/or will to learn lol).

@sidekick-hero - What motivates you to mod for steddieunderdogfics?

The idea of shedding a spotlight on fics that can pass by unnoticed, I think. In a big ship like Steddie, that’s easy to happen because we’re two years past Eddie’s first appearance and we still get dozens of fics posted per day!! Being more in touch with the community in this way is fun!

@worldswcollide -  Are there skills you’ve learned as a mod that have helped you in your everyday life?

I think every time you have to work in a group you learn something new, because it’s always new people and new ways to work with them. But I can’t think of anything specific, you know?

Anonymous - Have you had a particular favorite Challenge Monday or weekend theme so far (maybe because of the theme, the recs, or the engagement, or for some other reason)?

Well. Timeloops Theme Weekend for starters of course lmao. I also loved all the engagement and recs we’ve had for fics with podfics challenge, even though I don’t listen to podfics (or podcasts at all lmao) I was happy to see people showing our podfic people the due praise! Fics with colors in the title was also a challenge that we’ve had so many recs we’re still queueing them till this day basically lol. It’s always amazing when we receive a lot of recs and responses.

@sidekick-hero - What do you like best about fandom?

That’s a hard one. But I think the general sense of so many people of different ages and places in the world come together to show love to an art or artist. There’s something so simple and beautiful about that. Dedicating our free time to talk, praise, watch, listen, create fanart for something! It gives me the good chills.

@worldswcollide - If you absolutely HAD to choose—enemies to lovers or friends to lovers? (At least when it comes to Steddie)

Ohhhhmygod why would you do this to me!!!!!!! I’m gonna go with friends to lovers because that is also what I love the most in real life I think – the mutual pining, the obliviousness, the potential angst while they don’t confess, all the little moments they have together, the always presents “you are so dense and blind and stupid and dinguses” from Robin… Love that, yeah.

Anonymous - Has your experience as a fic rec mod changed your perception of fandom (positive or negative, though I do hope positively!), either as a whole or specifically for the Steddie fandom?

Oh, I definitely have a lot more respect for modders now lmao Not that I didn’t before, but it’s always different when you see it/do it yourself. It takes a lot of dedication and organization.

@sidekick-hero - What makes modding fun to you?

Honestly in this specific case, I absolutely love the routine process of formatting the recs lmao I genuinely have fun with it. But also, to see the interactions, how people talk about the fics they’re reccing on their asks, and also I love going through the tags on reblogs and seeing people praising the fics or seeing the author so happy with the recs. It all warms my heart.

@worldswcollide - What has surprised you the most since becoming a mod?

How this fandom is still so alive!!! It’s insane to think Eddie was first shown to us two years ago already and people are still in love with him and the idea of making him and Steve kiss. The creativeness of this fandom, the many fics we get with so many different tropes, AUs, all the different situations we keep putting those blorbos in. How, even within the same trope, different authors can always put their own little things onto their fics and even when they’re similar, no two fics are ever written the same way.

Anonymous - Do you find yourself engaging in reading and writing differently now (for any fandom) because of your work as a mod, or have you changed how you interact with others in fandom spaces?

I feel like I comment more, especially on fics that have less comments or interactions overall.

@sidekick-hero - What makes you fall in love with a fanfic?

I think I said in a previous answer, the characterization but also the way a fic is written. Like, if it’s through Eddie’s POV I love when authors use a kind of fast paced writing with no pauses and many thoughts happening at the same time while he has a hard time thinking about something specific or focusing on only one thing and and and– cause I feel like Eddie’s head is a mess like that. When it’s a fix-it, how the author manages to save everything, how they pass on the grieving and bad feelings of being part of an apocalypse. When they remember the characters are all just kids. When they give them a break. If it’s an AU, how they put our boys out of the apocalyptic situation, how they make Steve still be Steve when he’s just a baker or a teacher or a nurse and not a high school jock with a savior complex anymore. Those little big details.

Anonymous - Do you try to read through every rec or have you found yourself wanting to read more recs than you can keep up with?

Absolutely the second option lmao Also there are a few themes/tropes that are not my cup of tea, so they don’t go to my TBR list, but the list is still huge anyway lmao But I love learning about new works and writers even if I don’t have the time to read them!

Today, all of our recs are from @spicysix specifically! You can always see their recs on our Fic Fridays by checking our #mod lui rec tag.

[sailorrhansol]

hi!! its the same anon who sent the svt x reader x bts love triangle ask HAHAHA i saw ur post about writing fwb to lovers seungcheol and since i just finished bridgerton s3, i have another scenario question hahaha

i was curious which tropes would you give/love to write for or see for each svt member without repeating? hahaha

(basically like how each bridgerton sibling has a diff trope)

HI HI HI.

Okay so it's crazy that you ask this because I was considering doing like a little writing/request event specifically as it relates to SVT and doing classic fic tropes so your question is actually one I have heavily thought about. I've never actually seen Bridgerton but I assume it's like - a classic trope for each character? If so, I think... this is what I would pick.

This is super long so I'm hiding it under the cut!

Seungcheol - Sibling's best friend. Something about him just screaaaams older sibling's best friend and I think about this a lot. I actually do not have siblings so maybe the siblings best friend thing is not it outside of fic but like - something about Seungcheol having always sort of been in the background and being a loyal figure and like very familiar with the way someone works is my favorite thing. Also getting to see that journey of inner conflict with him between like the ethics of dating a friend's sibling and what that looks like and like the emotional rollercoaster of that is so !!!!!!!!! I want it!!!!

Jeonghan - Unlikely allies to lovers. I know this one is a little weird but he strikes me as a 'we teamed up for common interests but we don't always see eye to eye and now we're in love' kind of pairing. I love a good battle of wits with him, too. It's not really frenemies to lovers or enemies to loves but its something like - we would be enemies in another life but because we are united I will respect you and now that I've spent all this time with you.... I genuinely see so many amazing things about you I don't think you see yourself kind of thing.

Joshua - Love at first sight. I don't know how to explain this one but I just see a story with him as someone who instantly feels the connection and it sticks and it's very epic romance and ugh. Like I know this might be putting Joshua in too much of a box so I hope it doesn't read this way but when I think of him, he really invokes feelings like The Notebook and Titanic and these very deep romances. He's a lover your honor.

Jun - Fake dating. The vision of Jun somehow getting looped into a fake dating scheme absolutely gets me going and I am literally obsessed with the idea of him somehow having to keep up this facade of dating someone unexpectedly lmao. Like just the idea of reader grabbing Jun at random and being like 'this is my boyfriend his name is....' And Jun is like 'Ummmm his name is Jun...?' like odigjdoigjsroifj he's also just so fucking easy to love and I think he'd want to help despite being way out of his depth.

Hoshi - ENEMIES TO LOVERS. I will die on this hill, I love Soonyoung enemies to lovers, I cannot pick anything else for him. The number of enemies to lovers ideas I have written down for him is barbaric. He is SUCH a lover boy but I also love the side of him that is stubborn and competitive. I hope this doesn't sound like I'm putting him in a box or like pinpointing one think about his personality, I'm just so stuck on him being like the perfect balance of I will fight you on this vs. I see so many redeeming things in you.

Wonwoo - Stranges to lovers but like very specifically this stranger you keep running into somewhere super specific at the same time. Like a convenience store at 1 am every Saturday at the same time and he's always in the same hoodie and buys the same thing and one day he and reader have to fight over the last of that thing. And it's like - he literally never says anything and now that you're taking the last of this specific thing off the shelf he's like??? No??? Gimme that???

Woozi - I'm going with friends to lovers but very specifically the friend who has always been quiet and in the background and not BEST friend, but someone just in the friend group who has always inexplicably clicked but not been "considered" for a relationship. These are the people who move at the edge of the same circle and a circumstance makes them view each other differently and it just... makes sense.

DK - SLOWBURN. Oh my god slowburn. Two people who are infinitely perfect for one another but take time to build that foundation and who fall in love slowly but hard. Literally DK slowburn is my favorite thing to brain rot on because I think it would be such an amazing read and the idea of him like... dating his time and sort of pining while also being unsure what to do AHHHH I will rip my hair out :)

Mingyu - HOLIDAY ROMANCE. I don't know why I'm screaming in some of these but HOLIDAY ROMANCE with someone you meet at a ski resort and the weather is bad so everyone is stuck and snowed in but Mingyu is there and he is funny and sweet and warm and romantic and the idea that it's all just happening in a little bubble and not the real world and you don't want to go back to reality because you've found him and this perfect little !!!!! I swear this man was made for hallmark romance and feeling warm around the holidays.

Minghao - Literally was made for the opposites attract role because I love the idea of him being paired with someone completely opposite of him but in a way that is the perfect balance. Minghao who is quiet and kind and gentle and soft-spoken and reader who is loud and hot-headed and a little rough around the edges. Some of my favorite pairings are like two people who on paper make no sense but are so in love that everyone else has to look the other way when they smile at one another because you feel like you're intruding and I literally love that trope for him. Just totally in love with someone loud and chaotic and who keeps him on his toes.

Seungkwan - I don't know if you'll hold it against me if I say fake engagement because I used fake dating so I will say maybe fake engagement/marriage of convenience because the idea of Seungkwan being tied to someone who frustrates him but he has to lean on for something specific to be successful makes my brain go brrrrr. I love frustrated but compliant Seungkwan who is going to do the thing because he has to, but is going to complain the entire time and make sure everyone else suffers lmao. Like the idea of him maybe being fake engaged or fake married for like.. inheritance is soooo good to me and then actually falling in love and discovering a lot about himself and the way he understands his family is so !!!!! to me

Vernon - My beloved is so campus crush coded I can list nothing else for him. There are probably other tropes I would give him too but Vernon is THE person who I'm always like - he gives just some guy vibes. So like just some guy in your class that you get paired with who is very cute and also just sort of an enigma. Literally the most relaxed person in the world and so unwaveringly kind that you can't help but absolutely fall for him and Vernon who doesn't really do relationships because he hasn't given them much thought but knows that he likes spending time with you and would like to keep doing so. AHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Chan - Literally childhood friends to lovers coded I will accept zero other answers for this because he is THE childhood friends to lovers tropes for me. Someone who has always been there and been your biggest champion, who knows everything about you, who fiercely and loyally defends his partner and!!!!!! Who is too shy to say anything and is too afraid to ruin what he has and values the friendship more than anything else in the world but is !!!! so!!!!! in!!!! love!!!! AH!!! I could pull my hair out.

[uc1wa]

my music taste is all over the place like I listen to country rap kpop metal you name it

SO SOME OF THESE RECS ARE LIKE well one you might already know them but also like they vary depending on what you’re into

like some pop-y stuff (I think???? it’s just kinda upbeat )

Magdalena bay, theyre synth pop, they did kill shot and recently I have been listening to their song how to get physical and it’s just so like wow

Aurora ave, they’re indie pop, pretty new, also from my home city 🤭, their main singer for their earlier couple of songs Dominique is so good but she went to japan to continue her studies, and their new lead singer Samara is also SO GOOD. Ugh that whole group is so talented

Kero kero bonito, another group you’ve already heard probably like their flamingo song, and imma be honest I personally do not like a lot of their discography but I DO specifically like swimming / open road and the song only acting

ZEPH. my friend has been the biggest zeph fan for years and i’m not really big on her but if you’re into kinda experimental hopeless romantic stuff you should deft check her out, also her twitter (hatsunemitski) is so fucking funny

Adam Melchor, I saw him live at the laufey concert the other day and he’s so funny like he’s so genuine and UGHH I CANT. His voice is also so angelic??? like??? sir???? probably my favorite opener I have ever heard, he also just released an ep which has some really great and sweet songs

Superfan, pop (?) psychedelic vibes idk, heard their song onetime in a starbucks and shazammed it LMAO, very cool, wish I had motivation to look into them more

Some more like Rnb lofi hip hop type stuff

Limbo, her song airplane mode really blew up in like 2020, such a banger, but the rest of her discography is also really good she’s definitely one of my fav feel good melancholy like idk romanticizing my life

Going to the exact opposite of her LMAO, freddie dredd also blew up on tiktok and goes viral every couple of years but his music is a little more loud and he uses a lot of portuguese samples (i think i knew the reason but i don’t remember maybe he’s brasiliano or portuguese??) anyways you may have probably already heard him but there are some good stuff from 2018-2019 that aren’t as popular too if that’s what you’re into I used to play him as like pump up music for my hockey games

Montell fish, very popular for good reason, his album her love still haunts me like a ghost is so good and goes really well together imo, like pretend lovers is a great interlude between songs on my playlists, very sexy music

ENTRO//, no lyrics for most of his music, but it’s all very cool lofi with jazz influences and I like to listen to it to chill yk and some of it can start to raise my energy but generally it’s like i’m not asleep but i’m not running laps

Okay so their name is Sorry and technically they are trip hop (a quote from them) but ngl this is a pretty broad category so they’re just going here too… I don’t really fw most of their music just hasn’t interested me to look further into them personally but their two most popular songs starstruck and cigarette packet are really cool

sad indie stuff

this group called loving, they’re kinda like idk their songs make me cry but they’re also kinda uplifting??? they like pull you outta that state ykwim, like stranger to yourself is the song I play after allat

leith ross, great voice, and I once fell asleep to their song we’ll never have sex, woke up the next morning and my friends texted me asking me why I had listened to it over 1000 times

Rap

Jayworthy, got recommended his song wait on you on spotify on one day and UGH I LOVE HIS SHIT, like it’s so cool and interesting and like I just ugh get the best feeling walking and listening to him

J-pop, now i’m not as into this category BUT

Chai, they opened for a mitski show I saw and they WERE SO COOL. They sample mario sound affects and shit and are just so fun and I got their vinyl at that show they’re just yeah very fun and cute

some stuff I listen to who are artists who are like on the radio all the time and stuff like just kinda self explanatory

Dominic fike

Cody Johnson

Rob Zombie

Erykah badu

There’s also more I just kinda don’t feel too motivated to write more and also I don’t know what you listen to so like yeah there’s a good chance you know all of these and if that’s the case i’d love to talk to you ab them anyways 💗

ALSO NOTE I GOT SUPER LAZY WITH MY GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION KINDA COULDNT DECIDE OR COMMITT TO ONE OR THEBOTHER

first of all im in love w you, THANK U FOR RECOMMENDING ME SO MUCH IM SO SERIOUS!!! i queued all of this while i was writing a paper actually! thoughts under the cut!!

first of all i hope its okay i posted this since ik it was so much, but again thank you sm luv bug seriously, i loveee new music. aurora ave is so light and cute. i def liked cinema&swimming&open road (i think u recc'd all these LOL) by kero kero bonito, loveee this type of music to study to. liked adam melchor too! babe pls...u r my music plug now. i actually had a song saved by superfan already, but ur recc made me check them out more!! i liked cigaraette packet by sorry too!! will be running&skating to this song hehe. LEITH ROSS IS CUTIE!!! i like jay worthy's flow, will def listen to more of him. AND OMG CHAI HAS A SONG W GORILLAZ (lurvvvvv gorillaz). ive honestly never rklly listened to too much jpop either (im dead jp too LMFO), but loving chai theyre so cute and chill!! love erykah bday always and dom fike. again thank you sm love for all the reccs, i read and listened to them all!! pls dont be surprised if i hit up ur dms in like.2 weeks when i get bored of my music again LMAO

[kurosaaki]

<3

hot pink: ugh i love sunshine x grumpy trope and strangers to best friends to lovers (i know, boring)

flamingo: i am clingy but just the right amount to not annoy the person hopefully lmao

cherry pink: honestly both (? it depends on the person

peach syrup: i have had a crush on a moot who unfortunately deactivated months ago. she was so sweet, talented and one of my fav fanfic writers ever. she was also very pretty🏃🏻‍♀️

ask me !!

[carolyncaves]

It has been a minute, but have an installment of ace!Jiang Cheng ‘The Bachelor’ fiasco. 2080 words, Jiang Cheng &/ OC Lu Lian, strangers to a betrothal no one wants, feat. Jiang Cheng’s plan (which does not survive contact with the enemy)

previous / previous / previous / this / next / next

Jiang Cheng felt like he was young again, and trying to figure out how to have a pretend real fight with Wei Wuxian, when all he'd ever had before were genuine trivial ones. He didn't know quite how to play the role he'd written for himself, and was not accustomed to acting at all. But it would achieve a good outcome for him and for her. It was the scene Nie Huaisang had established. Jiang Cheng was Sandu Shengshou, a sect leader, A-jie's brother and legacy and the last Jiang left. He would deliver.

“Thank you all for coming,” he started. It was too dispassionate, too aloof. Of course, that aligned with his earlier demeanor. "I know some of you travelled a long way to attend this matchmaking conference. I know there were reasons to think unseriously of your invitation. To be honest, I thought I had put all notions of partnership behind me, but seeing my old friend Nie-zongzhu so contentedly married motivated this final attempt." This was true literally, in terms of cause and effect, if not emotionally on any level. "And it has been both fruitful and stymieing. Because I have found the person I would want to marry, but I know she does not want to marry me."

There was a ripple at this – through the suitors, the chaperones, his staff. Who was he referring to? What did this mean? None of the other suitors seemed too upset – which was for the best, clearly he hadn't left too great an impression on them – though a few exchanged significant glances. He wondered if any of them knew each other, or if they’d just gotten acquainted while awaiting their turns. Several of the chaperones looked unhappy. Jiang Cheng was a sect leader – it was easy to hope your daughter or sister might marry him, even after he turned out to be sour and unpleasant.

Lu Lian was looking at him directly for the first time in their extremely brief acquaintance. Her expression was searching and hard.

Jiang Cheng continued with his remarks. He’d had no way to conspire with her in advance, so he had to lead her down the path he’d scouted. "My honored father was a good man, and he held some exceptional views. He believed people should follow their hearts in life, and that included in marriage. Many people of all walks marry for practical reasons or at the behest of their families – but he would never have asked me or my sister to enter a marriage we did not want, and neither will I, with any bride.”

She did not look mollified. She actually was beginning to look a little horrified. Did she not understand what he was saying? He would not let her uncle force her hand. He would make sure she was able to decline. By invoking the memory of his revered and dead father – his chest ached, for a moment, with old, dormant grief – he could politely decline her hideously eager uncle, and the uncle would have to be gracious about it.

“Sect Leader,” his advisor murmured at his elbow. She seemed crestfallen. She must think she’d failed. “It’s not necessary to reach a hasty conclusion. We can arrange another round of meetings with these guests, or seek out alternate suitors …”

“No,” Jiang Cheng said. “I will not take an unwilling spouse, and I will not make one either. The person I want to be with is Lu-guniang, and I will marry no other.”

All in attendance looked from him – probably rumpled and irritable after those teas, his attempts to conceal it aside, surely it was absolutely ridiculous to think he might have suddenly and inexplicably fallen in love – to Lu Lian’s place. Her uncle behind her looked happy but confused, as if he’d just been told he’d won a prize he didn’t remember entering for. Lu Lian herself had looked away. Her posture was stiff, her hands wound together tight in her lap.

Ridiculous or not, he was a sect leader and people couldn’t accuse him of lying – if Jiang Cheng said it was so, it would be treated like it. He needed to get quickly through the next part, the part that was good for her. Then this could all be settled. “As I’ve said, Lu-guniang’s dislike of the prospect of a match between us is clear, and I will not ask her to reconsider.” The uncle was shaking his head eagerly, but Jiang Cheng ignored him. “All I could ask is not to see her wed to another. If she and her family will agree, I will pay her bride price, as well as …”

“No,” Lu Lian said.

No? Jiang Cheng tried not to glare at her. He wasn’t certain he succeeded. “Lu-guniang … Begging your pardon, what do you mean, no? If you … would refuse this request because your heart belongs to someone else, I suppose …”

“No, Jiang-zongzhu. My heart belongs to no other.” She lifted her face to him, to the room, and it was morose and streaked with tears. “You are mistaken in your other assumption. I will gladly marry you.”

A frozen silence took the room. Jiang Cheng felt his mouth open, but he had no words ready.

She sat there – quietly, rigidly, furiously miserable. She obviously didn’t want to do this. He certainly didn’t. But he had said he would, in front of all these people, this idiotic assembly that was supposed to bear witness to his permanent abdication of any eligibility as a bachelor – and now so had she.

People looked between them, in subtle horror, in growing discomfort and concern. This was awful. He had to … there had to be a way to stop it.

“Lu-guniang. There’s no need to agree hastily.” He realized he was parroting his advisor. He felt like a complete fool. “We will hold a few more meetings, to get to know one another better. We will speak more personally.” He would explain to her explicitly he was trying to get them both out of this, tell her to play along.

“It’s not necessary, Jiang-zongzhu,” Lu Lian said, taut, almost a challenge. “If your word is good and you will marry me, I will do the same.”

If his word was good. What was she trying to do? Of course his word was good! He was Jiang-zongzhu!

Jiang Cheng had been wrong. Nie Huaisang was not anyone’s friend. He was a curse on the entire world, and Jiang Cheng had simply been unlucky enough to catch his attention.

/

Jiang Cheng could not get Lu Lian alone so they could talk.

She had to be doing it on purpose. She always had either her uncle’s servant or her uncle with her – who always looked like the cat with both the cream and the canary, to such an extent that his being around Jiang Cheng was probably hazardous to his own health, not that he seemed to know it. When she saw him coming, she turned and went the other way. When he entered a room she was in, she left it. When he asked to see with her, through various intermediaries, he was each time turned away.

If this was how she would conduct herself once they were married as well, maybe it would be no disruption at all and he should just let things follow their course.

This continued throughout negotiations over the particulars, three whole days of them, to the point that Lu Lian was going to leave Lotus Pier the following morning to return to her uncle’s manor with plans to travel back as a bride a week later without the two of them ever having spoken once. Broadly, this was not necessarily unorthodox, but in their particular case it was a gigantic problem because Jiang Cheng did not want that to happen and, despite her maddening lip service to the contrary, Lu Lian’s demeanor of doomed resignation made it clear she agreed.

So Jiang Cheng found himself skirting a night-darkened Lotus Pier – climbing over railings, hiding from servants and disciples, sneaking around his own home as if he were an interloper and not sect leader of Yunmeng – until finally he dropped down from a gable onto the porch outside her guest room. The open water was at his back. There was a glow on the other side of the thin door – she still had a candle lit. Hopefully she was still awake so they could talk about this like reasonable people, and he could get her to agree for him to just pay her uncle the bride price and a stipend like he’d planned, and when she went home tomorrow, she could not come back.

He tapped at the door.

There was no reply. Maybe, maybe, there was a sense of movement inside.

He tapped louder. “Lu-guniang. Lu-guniang.”

The shadow of a figure appeared. Then there was a noise. She had latched the lock.

“Lu-guniang, please let me in, we need to speak.”

“You would force your way into a maiden’s room at night?”

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. It was probably a good thing she couldn’t see him. “If I wanted to force my way in, I would not be here in the middle of the night tapping meekly at a door of my own estate like a pauper.”

Silence.

He sighed. The window a few feet away was ajar. He shuffled over to it. “But if you prefer it, we can talk like this, through a cracked window as if we were engaged in some bizarre subterfuge, because we must talk.”

He heard her shift as well. When she replied, it was quiet but nearby. She was right on the other side, at least willing to engage with him this infinitesimal amount. “Why?”

“I could ask you that! Why did you agree?”

“There are great benefits to marrying a sect leader.”

“Don’t give me that. You obviously didn’t want to even come here. With your age, I assumed you didn’t want to marry at all – I was trying to arrange it so you didn’t have to, so neither of us would. I said it before, if I misunderstood, if there’s another …”

“I told you that wasn’t the case,” she said. “In the hall that day. If you’ll recall.”

“You could have been lying. You’re lying now, about wanting to marry me.”

“I’ve never said I wanted to marry you. Only that I will.”

Jiang Cheng wanted to tear his hair out. “If you don’t want to, why did you agree?”

There was a long pause. “It would be impossible to discard such an offer. For the sake of my uncle and aunt.”

“Your uncle,” Jiang Cheng sneered. That was rude, he was her family, but he couldn’t help it. “A man who is so hard-pressed too see you go he couldn’t schedule the wedding quickly enough. He would have gotten your bride price anyway.” Maybe that wasn’t enough. “I could set you up in your own residence. I could pay your aunt and uncle some additional favor. I could …”

“The renown and status of marrying their niece to Jiang-zongzhu cannot be matched with favors. If you will not rescind your offer, I will not rescind my acceptance. I will honor my relatives. I owe them this.”

Wei Wuxian’s voice echoed in his ears – that is what I owed the Jiang sect – and Jiang Cheng ruthlessly smothered his rage, suddenly aware of the molten threads of the incandescent golden core that usually flowed inside him without his notice. “I’m not going to rescind my offer. What kind of man would that make me?”

There was a long pause. “My husband.”

Jiang Cheng sighed harshly. There really was no way out of this. She wasn’t going to yield. She was going to make them follow this course to its bitter end.

His mother had done it – been married, and resented it. His father had handled being begrudged and resented. Jiang Cheng would learn from their errors, adopt their strengths. It was only one part of the rest of his life.

He supposed it would put the matter permanently to rest for both of them, if in the precise opposite way from what he’d intended.

“Fine,” he said – tight and empty of heat. He left the way he’d come, up over the gable of the roof. If she ever replied, he wasn’t there to hear it.

[here2bbtstrash]

look down on me like that - 5 (explicit)

genre: slow burn enemies to lovers hatefucking coworkers au, smut (w some eventual angst)

pairing: yoongi x reader

summary: your asshole coworker min yoongi has made it his personal mission to ruin your life.

word count: 11.4k (you're welcome 😌)

contains: ~explicit sexual content~ !! *deep breath in* YES THERE IS ACTUAL FUCKING HAPPENING - EVERYONE REMAIN CALM. also i promise this is the most unhinged reader gets lmao. alright let's go: one night stand/stranger sex, semi-public sex (bathroom of a bar), fingering, spanking, a truly gratuitous blowjob, orgasm denial, a smidge of dirty talk/namecalling, finger sucking?, protected sex, semi-awkward sex lmao, the hatefucking is HERE 🙌🏻 plenty of alcohol mentions as always,, so much alcohol. this chapter also features a couple fun cameos - kihyun of monsta x and wonho 💜

A/N: hope y'all enjoy this absolute CHAOS!! i have so many lovely friends who cheered me on while i was writing this, far too many to name, but i fucking adore you all 🥺🥺 and i do want to specifically shoutout @kiestrokes because the ~spicy twist~ in this chapter would not be HALF as good if it wasn't for her and her big beautiful brain. srsly she took a half-baked idea i had and made it insane. god i love that woman. ALRIGHT ENOUGH BABBLING - ENJOY!!!!!

read on AO3!

chapter four | masterlist | chapter six

~*~

“Try this.” Jimin yanks an emerald green dress off the hanger and chucks it over his shoulder, nearly hitting you.

“Ugh, I hate this one,” you groan as you hold the offending item up for inspection, pinched between index finger and thumb. “The fabric is so itchy.” 

Your best friend whips around, hands on hips, when you question his taste. “I’m sorry, did I just hear you going back on our agreement? Is that what this is?”

You groan, flopping over onto your bedspread, doing your best not to mess up your hair. Jimin had, understandably, been pissed when you’d called him immediately upon leaving the office last night, hands still shaking as you cradled the phone against your cheek. You think you have permanent hearing damage from the anguished wails your best friend made as you finally admitted everything you hadn’t told him. And you certainly could have done without the appreciative noises he made after he forced you to describe Suga’s dick in explicit detail. 

It’s not like you aren’t constantly thinking about it, anyway.

Especially now that Yoongi has specifically told you everything, everything he wants to do to you. The words swim back to you in pieces whenever you aren’t actively trying to suppress the memory. Finger that tight little pussy. Spank you until you bruise. Fuck you like the slut you so clearly are.

God. You’ve been horny for 24 hours straight. This can’t be good for your health.

Jimin had nearly disowned you for letting secrecy infiltrate your friendship for the first time in over a decade, but then he’d realized how truly distraught you were as you just kept babbling into the phone about Suga, too far gone to make any sense.

“Jesus fucking christ, it’s not the end of the world!” He’d finally interrupted with a frustrated groan. “You really think Suga is the only man in the world who can fuck you senseless? He was probably overselling it anyway. Having a pretty dick doesn’t guarantee he knows what to do with it.”

At this point you’d stumbled onto the bus home, and you remember smacking your forehead against the cold glass of the window with a whine at the words pretty dick, your mind already departing on another Yoongi spiral.

Jimin’s peal of laughter rang in your ears. “I’ve never heard you down this bad in my life, good god girl! We just need to get you laid so your fucking brain can work right again.”

“Please,” you’d grunted.

“Alright, I’m coming over tomorrow, and we’re going out.” He’d paused then, and you knew there was more even before he continued. It was like you could hear his evil smile. “And I get to pick your outfit.”

You’re snapped out of the memory as a second dress is tossed your way, this one hitting you square in the face.

“Either the green or this one. You’re still in the doghouse, ma’am,” Jimin reminds you.

You pull the second option up to examine it, already grateful for the softer feel of the material. Jimin loves to put you in shit that you’d never wear— usually dresses that he bought for you, or bullied you into buying. You think you already dress pretty racy when you go out, but Jimin likes to take it to another level, always encouraging you to show more skin, more tits, more ass. He’s definitely responsible for this number even being in your closet: dark burgundy in color, it’s tight, short, and the cutouts leave very little to the imagination.

You whine softly despite yourself. “Do I have to? I’m going to freeze to death.”

Jimin has already moved to sit at your desk, examining his hair in the mirror you use to do your makeup. He’s in one of his favorite going-out shirts, one he claims “makes even the straight boys look twice”, a blue and white striped button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He doesn’t even bother making eye contact with you as he peers at his reflection, fiddling with the silver hoops in his ears. “I dunno. Depends on whether or not you value my friendship.”

You roll your eyes at his dramatics. “I can’t stand you.”

“Will you shut up and put your damn freakum dress on already?” He rummages through your makeup bag without asking until he finds what he’s looking for, a tube of Fenty gloss that he dabs in the center of his bottom lip.

“That is not what freakum dress means,” you say with a laugh as you stand to strip out of your sweats, but he’s already reaching for his phone that’s connected to your Bluetooth speaker, another requirement for the evening in order to keep your friendship intact. Beyoncé starts to blast as you pull your shirt over your head and suck in for dear life.

“So, what exactly is the plan?” You ask as soon as you swallow down another shot, nearly shouting to be heard over the noise of the bar. Jimin made you do a couple in your kitchen before you left, and though you haven’t even been out for an hour, you’re already straddling the line between tipsy and drunk.

He shoots you a look. “Don’t act so innocent, like I haven’t personally seen you go home with random dudes.”

Your gaze flits over the mass of bodies out on the dance floor. “I mean, yeah, but…” You shrug, grimacing slightly. “I don’t know, it’s been a while. And we’re not in college anymore.”

“What about him?” You look back at Jimin and he nods his head behind you. You do your best to be subtle as you glance over your shoulder to see two guys a couple of tables away.

“Which one?”

Jimin makes a face like it’s obvious. “Are you kidding me? The absolutely built daddy with the red hair?”

You examine them more closely, scrunching your nose up a little. He’s cute, big as hell, and you certainly notice his bubble butt in those tight pants. But it just doesn’t feel right. “I don’t know that he’s my type.” When your gaze lands on his friend, dressed in all black, dark hair skimming over his eyes as he leans in to say something, your heart flips in your chest. Now that could work.

Turning back to Jimin to say as much, you realize that he’s already brushing past you. “Well I’m not stupid,” he scoffs, and you scramble to follow after him as he stalks confidently across the room.

He’s already talking to them when you catch up. “Hi boys. Care for some company?”

They glance at each other, and you can tell Jimin’s presence is clearly unexpected but not unwelcome. He wasn’t wrong: nobody can resist him in that damn shirt.

“Sure,” red-haired daddy says with a shy giggle, and you have to bite back a smile. You were not expecting a guy that built to react so softly, and you already know your best friend is going feral on the inside. There is nothing Jimin loves more than a man he can fluster. Especially one who can make him pay for it.

His friend flags down a server and orders a round of shots for the table, then gives you a small wave as Jimin takes the liberty of giving his name and yours. “I’m Kihyun.”

“Hoseok,” Jimin's target is clearly squirming under his intense gaze. “But my friends call me Wonho.”

“Can I be your friend?” Jimin purrs. You’re nearly laughing at how quickly he lost the plot of trying to get you laid, but he’s also such an intense flirt that it nearly works as a wingman maneuver, in its own weird way.

You scoot a little closer to Kihyun as Jimin and Wonho disappear into their own conversation. Up close you can really admire how attractive he is, full lips and a wickedly sharp jawline.

“Hi,” you say with a smile, surprised to find yourself slightly nervous despite the alcohol coursing through your system.

“Hi,” he says back, and he looks like he’s about to say more when the server reappears with a tray of four shots.

“Thanks again for these,” you say as you reach for one, and he waves it off. You glance over at Jimin and Wonho, assuming they might want to toast as a group, but Jimin is already hooking his elbow around Wonho’s ridiculous bicep and making a not-at-all-subtle comment about how big he is, intertwining their arms before they each throw the shot back.

You look at Kihyun again, who is biting his lip nervously, and you can feel your face heat up. You’re no Jimin, so you settle for gently tapping your shot glass against his. “Cheers.”

He echoes the sentiment and you down your drinks simultaneously. You shiver a little as you swallow, but you’ve had enough that you don’t even feel the burn of the alcohol.

“So,” Kihyun’s eyes flit over to Jimin, then return to you. “Do you two come here a lot?”

You shrug. “We rotate. Jimin likes this place more than I do. You?”

He laughs softly. “Not really. Honestly, we’re both homebodies, but we try to get out every so often. Always nice to meet new people.” It’s so quick you nearly miss it, but you swear his eyes jump down your figure and back up again.

You try to ignore the little voice in your head reminding you of another pair of eyes; dark, calculating, wandering over your body. Not now.

“I couldn’t agree more,” you say, because it’s true: a new person is definitely what you need in this moment.

Before you can ask a follow-up question, you hear Jimin, talking loudly so that he’s audible over the music. “Your thighs look so good in those pants!” You have to resist the urge to smack your head against the table when you look over to see him attempting— and absolutely failing— to wrap his small hands around the circumference of Wonho’s leg, who is giggling like a schoolgirl.

You glance back at Kihyun, who is equally enraptured. “I’m so sorry,” you say quietly. “He is unfortunately always like this.”

“You know where else those thighs would look good?” Jimin’s voice lowers as he asks the question, and you watch Kihyun’s eyes go wide.

“Do you want to dance?” You say quickly, and he nods so fast you think his head might fall off. You start to break away from the group, his hand slipping to your waist, when Jimin smacks the table so loud that it makes you jump.

“Hey!” He yells, and you turn back, but he’s pointing at Kihyun, who instantly looks terrified. He leans in, as if to divulge confidential information, and Kihyun takes a tentative step towards him.

“Just so you’re aware,” Jimin starts, and you know it’s going to be bad. “She needs to get dicked down. Severely. Hope you’re ready.”

You close your hand around Kihyun’s wrist and drag him towards the dance floor, eager for a distraction to keep you from murdering your best friend.

Now that you’re actually in motion, you can feel the last couple of shots quickly catching up to you, the room blurring slightly at the edges. At the center of the dance floor, the thudding bass is loud enough to make it hard to think, which is exactly what you need right now.

You’re grateful not to have to force any more conversation, both of Kihyun’s hands slipping to your hips as you start to move in time to the music. It gives you free reign to admire him up close, and damn, he really is gorgeous. He’s only a little taller than you in your heels— probably about the same height as Yoongi, though his frame is slighter, smaller. You watch as his dark hair falls into his eyes again and he reaches up to sweep it off his forehead— Yoongi’s hair is a little longer, and he certainly has much better hands, but other than that—

You have to squeeze your eyes shut when you realize what the fuck you're doing. The whole point of this encounter is to stop thinking about Yoongi. Not pick apart this absolute stranger in comparison to him.

You desperately wish you could get another drink, but you know that would push you all the way into “drunk” territory. As much as you hate admitting it, Jimin was right: you really need to be able to consent to sex tonight. You’re gonna have to get through this the old-fashioned way, with sheer fucking willpower.

“Are you okay?”

Your eyes flutter open to meet Kihyun’s concerned gaze. “Yeah, yeah, sorry. Just, uh. Thinking about work.” Not a complete lie.

“Well, don’t,” he says with a soft laugh. “It’s the weekend. You should enjoy it.” His hands press a little tighter, pulling you close until your body is flush with his. His breath ghosts over your neck as you hear his voice in your ear. “That dress looks really good on you.”

A different voice echoes in your mind before you can stop it. Spread your legs for me. Show me what’s under that dress. You can’t help but wonder if this is what it feels like to literally go insane, and then you grab Kihyun’s face with both hands and kiss him in a desperate attempt to not think anymore.

You can feel him freeze, clearly not expecting it, but after a second his mouth starts to move against yours. His hands slip further down towards your ass, and fuck, it occurs to you that you are still incredibly horny. You need this to happen as soon as possible.

Pulling away and sliding your hands to Kihyun’s shoulders, you tilt up to speak into his ear. “Do you live near here?”

His eyes go wide for at least the third time tonight. “Y-yeah, not far.” You see his tongue dart out to lick his lips.

“I don’t know how to say this politely,” you admit with an embarrassed smile. “But my friend wasn’t wrong. About… what I need.”

He pauses for a moment, and your stomach twists as you prepare for rejection, the reasonable reaction considering you basically jumped this man like a crazy person. But then he smiles, leaning into you so he can keep his tone soft. “Come on, then.”

You follow Kihyun as he guides you towards the exit, keeping one hand pressed to the small of your back. It’s hard to miss the other half of your group making their way through the crowd— Wonho is large enough that people quickly shrink to get out of his way, but his gaze is entirely transfixed on Jimin’s ass in front of him. You nod in their direction and Kihyun follows as you push past bodies to reunite.

“Are you leaving?!” Jimin asks, and you can only nod. His eyes jump to Kihyun. “I told you, you better give it to her!” He shouts it so loudly that people standing behind him glance over their shoulders, but he is fully unfazed, now brandishing his cellphone. “And I always have her location on, so if you murder her, I will come find you!”

With a roll of your eyes, you lean across the circle so that Wonho can hear you. “Take good care of him, okay?” When you pull away, you swear he’s blushing as red as his hair, and he nods sheepishly.

You turn back to Kihyun. “Ready?”

The door to Kihyun’s apartment barely has time to close behind you before you find his lips with yours again. He presses you up against the wall of the entryway, and you waste no time in moving your hands over his body. His shirt and pants hit the floor in quick succession.

When he reaches for the hem of your dress, you cover his hands with yours to stop him. “Do you— is it okay if I keep it on?”

“Yeah,” he murmurs, breathless. “Yeah, okay.”

He kisses you again and you let him guide you backwards through an open door into his bedroom until you feel the mattress hit the backs of your knees. You perch on the edge of the bed and glance around the room, taking it in. It’s clean, if minimally furnished, and your stomach flips when you see a nondescript work desk tucked into one corner.

You look at Kihyun when you feel his hand gently rub your thigh, encouraging you to spread your legs.

“Kihyun?”

“Yeah?”

Your gaze jumps to his desk, then back to him. “Do— uh… Do you think you could bend me over your desk?”

He seems a little dumbfounded, and takes a second to find words. “Wh— I— yeah, yes, I can do that. I just—” he clears his throat. “Do you need, like, foreplay, or…?”

You stand up again, knees shaking slightly. “I’ll tell you what to do, does that work?”

It must, because he kisses you, eventually starting to move towards the desk. When you’ve gotten far enough, you feel him tug at your hips, encouraging you to spin around so your back is flush with his chest. His hand slides up to your shoulders to gently press you forward, and you brace your forearms on the desk, already breathless.

“P-pull my dress up,” you manage to instruct. His hands caress over your thighs, then move to the hem of your dress, pushing up until your ass is fully exposed for him.

Get a good look at that ass you were tempting me with, the voice in your head finishes for you. You squeeze your eyes shut, trying to focus on this moment, this man. Not any others.

You look back at Kihyun over your shoulder in an attempt to stay present, spreading your legs a little wider. “Touch me.”

He slowly moves a hand from your thigh up towards your core, and you feel his fingers just barely brush over the fabric of your underwear. The rush of contact after so much anticipation is enough to make you shiver slightly, but his touch is so light, so gentle.

Gentle is not what you need right now.

Keeping yourself held up on one arm, you reach the other behind you to forcefully tug your panties to the side. “Your fingers, Kihyun,” you hiss.

You tip your head forward and swallow down a whine of relief as he presses a digit into you and starts to rub circles. “How’s that?” His voice purrs in your ear, and you whimper as you nod.

It feels good, especially when he adds a second finger, but it’s not enough. He’s too soft, too tentative.

You look back at him again. “Can you spank me?”

You’ve officially lost count of the number of times you’ve surprised this man tonight. “I— what?”

“Like, smack my ass?”

“Like this?” He asks, but you barely feel it when he brings his hand down over your ass.

“Harder,” you say almost instantly, realizing after the fact that you could probably stand to be a little nicer to this random stranger. “Please.”

Kihyun’s second attempt is better, enough to make you groan softly as the sensation of the sting mixes with the movements of his fingers pressing against your front wall. He does it again, harder still, and you wiggle your ass back towards him— you need more, more than his hands can give.

“Kihyun,” you gasp, “want you to fuck me.”

“Yeah? I’ll fuck you right here,” he grunts. At least he seems to be genuinely into it, you think to yourself gratefully. He smacks your ass a final time and you bite down on your lip as he withdraws his fingers. “One second.”

You hear the sound of him opening a drawer somewhere in his room and retrieving a condom, and you let your eyes flutter closed until his hands brush over your hips again.

“Ready?”

“Yes, Kihyun, please,” you beg, your head dropping down onto your forearms. “Please fuck me.” Desire is wound up so tight inside you that you can’t think about anything else; you need this so fucking badly.

He makes a strangled whine as he presses into you, and you move your hips back onto him, gasping slightly at the stretch. “Fuck.”

“God, you feel so fucking good,” Kihyun groans, and he starts to roll into you with steady thrusts that brush the head of his cock right over your g-spot. You push backwards, matching his rhythm, and he’s not wrong: it feels good.

But it’s not enough.

“Harder,” you groan, your voice muffled in the crook of your elbow, and you hear Kihyun grunt as he picks up the pace, hips snapping against your ass. Better, but somehow still not what you need.

“Please, Kihyun,” you encourage again. “Fuck me like a slut.”

“Jesus,” he breathes, and for a second, you wonder if you’ve finally broken him. But then his hand cracks over your ass, hard enough to take you by surprise, and he starts to thrust even faster.

“Is this what you want?” He asks, and his voice is tense, almost angry; something about it makes your walls start to flutter. Your orgasm is so frustratingly close, yet somehow beyond your grasp.

And then you hear that all-too familiar voice in your head. I want to make you come so hard that your legs shake. Before you can help it, you moan a little at the memory. The way Yoongi leveled his gaze on you as he spoke so calmly, in a way that had you believing every single word. You can feel your core starting to tighten at the very thought, and once your brain realizes that’s what will get you there, it’s like the fucking floodgates open.

“Oh fuck,” you groan, and you can hear him grunt in agreement, like he’s close, too.

You’re helpless to stop it now, too desperate to come. Yoongi’s voice, his face, his tongue, his hands, his cock. It’s all you can think of. You gasp as everything inside you tightens and starts to pulse.

“Shit, shit, I’m gonna come,” you whine. So hard that you have no choice but to scream my name as I wreck you, the voice in your head finishes, and you dig your nails into the desk beneath you as you reach your climax.

Your back arches, pleasure washing over you, and you cry out. “Yes, Yoongi, yes!”

There’s a moment where his hips stutter, and then he pushes all the way into you one last time with a grunt of effort as he comes, too. Your heartbeat starts to slow.

And then it occurs to you that the man fucking you is absolutely not named Yoongi, and you smack a hand over your mouth.

“Oh my god,” you say softly, voice muffled, and you remove your hand as you start to straighten up. You can hear Kihyun still breathing heavily behind you, but he’s otherwise silent as he releases his grip on your hips and slides out of you.

“Kihyun,” you turn to watch him cross the room to the en-suite bathroom, where he briefly disappears to dispose of the condom. Face burning with embarrassment, you awkwardly maneuver to readjust your underwear and pull your dress back down over your ass.

When he reappears in the doorway, you try again. “Kihyun, I am so sorry. I—I don’t—” you fumble for what to say, knowing full well you don’t have a good explanation. At least not one that doesn’t make you sound insane.

“It’s cool,” he says, but he’s clearly uncomfortable. “I mean, you know. Shit happens.”

You glance around nervously for your phone before realizing it’s back on the table in the entryway where you tossed it in the throes of passion. You shoot Kihyun a weak smile. “I should— let me call Jimin. I can get a ride home.”

Kihyun laughs dryly. “Yeah, I’m gonna take a wild guess that he might be a little busy. I can take you home. It’s not a big deal.”

As much as your pride wants to refuse, you don’t exactly have a backup plan. “I would really appreciate that,” you murmur.

The drive is silent and painfully awkward, Kihyun turning up the music just loud enough that you get the indication that he doesn’t want to talk. As the lights of the city stream by, you can’t help but wonder how everything got so fucked up.

When Kihyun pulls up to your apartment complex, you indicate where he can drop you off, and he reaches over you as the car slows to a stop to politely open the door.

“Have a good night,” he says firmly, and you can barely manage a word of thanks before you slip out of his car and head up the stairs to die of embarrassment.

Jimin shows up at your door late Sunday afternoon, a takeout bag of haejangguk tucked under one arm, gushing incessantly about the various ways Wonho threw him around all night. It feels like he babbles for an hour, until he finally takes a break to sip from his own container of soup, and prompts you with a raise of his eyebrows.

“Your turn. Was your mission successful?”

You keep your gaze firmly planted on the floor as you recount what happened.

“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

~*~

Jimin decides that you’ll try again next weekend, promising he’ll be less distracted. You’re not positive you’ll survive that long. You preemptively text Jungkook asking to take the week off from boxing class - your stomach is such a fucking bundle of nerves that you barely sleep at all Sunday night, and you know the next five days spent in constant fear of running into Yoongi is only going to make it worse.

Those same nerves creep up into your throat when you unlock the doors Monday morning, Jungkook waiting patiently behind you with his hands wrapped around the straps of his backpack.

Dread blooms inside of you as you move to place your purse on your desk, and then you make a split-second decision, spinning back to face Jungkook.

“Hey, JK?” The nickname is unplanned, just sort of comes out, but you see him visibly brighten. “Are there any open desks on your side of the office? I think I need a change of scenery.”

He nods, eyes wide. “Yeah! I’m actually all by myself right now. Sunye is on maternity leave for the rest of the month. You can use her desk.”

You gesture for him to lead the way and he does, heading past the break room and walking backwards down the hallway to keep talking to you. “Is there something wrong with your normal desk? We can always put in a work order.”

“Uh, no,” you scramble, trying to find a good excuse. “It can just be a little distracting, you know. People coming in and out all day. I’ve got a lot of stuff I need to be heads-down on this week.”

The excuse sounds flimsy and false to you, but he seems to buy it. “Yeah, makes sense! I’ll try not to distract you too much.”

He does a full 360-degree spin on his heels as you turn the corner at the end of the hall, and it’s enough to make you laugh softly despite yourself. There’s a small alcove with a desk pressed against either wall, and you don’t even have to ask which one is Jungkook’s. The standing desk is dotted with tell-tale signs of Baby Star Candy: an empty shaker cup, a mini tub of protein powder, several fidget toys tucked beneath his monitor. A small collage of polaroids is taped to the wall where you see him smiling with friends, throwing up a peace sign in nearly every single one.

Sunye’s desk is mostly empty, save for a few framed photos of her with her husband and two young kids. You drop your purse down and take a seat as Jungkook chucks his backpack under his desk, both of you reaching to retrieve your laptops.

Outlook hasn’t even loaded before he’s turned around and talking to you again. “So how was your weekend?”

You grimace reflexively at memories you’d rather forget, and Jungkook misinterprets the look. “Oh, sorry, no distractions. I’ll be quiet.”

“No, no,” you shake your head. “It’s not you. My weekend was fine. What about yours?”

He laughs, looking a little embarrassed. “I mean, honestly? I’m super addicted to this new mobile game that just came out. I feel like I blinked and lost two days.” He’s already reaching for his cellphone. “Want to see?” You roll your chair across to his side of the room as Jungkook leans over to show you the little island world he’s nearly 500 levels into. After a few minutes, he seems to remember himself.

“Shit, you specifically said you came here to focus. I’m sorry, I really will leave you alone now.”

You bite down on your bottom lip. “No, it’s okay, JK. I— honestly, I wasn’t being entirely truthful when I said that. I don’t mind the distraction at all, actually. It’s kind of complicated, but… it would be nice if I could hide out here for the foreseeable future.”

He looks at you, clearly surprised. “Of course. Whatever you need. Is everything okay?”

You wince a little, with no idea how to answer that question.

His voice drops. “Is it Suga?”

“It’s complicated.” You repeat with a sigh.

An unfamiliar emotion flashes in Jungkook’s eyes. You’ve never seen him angry before, but you’d guess this is what it looks like. “Hey, seriously, if he’s being aggressive with you, we should do something about it. Report it or something.”

You have to suppress the urge to laugh in his face. Like Yoongi being aggressive with you isn’t exactly what you’ve been fantasizing about for days.

“No, it’s not like that,” you reassure him. “I think we’re just two people who are better off kept apart from each other. That’s all.”

Jungkook nods slowly, and it’s clear from his expression that he wants to pry more, but is forcing himself not to. “Okay.”

There’s a heaviness of unasked and unanswered questions in the air, but the two of you manage to lapse into corporate smalltalk as you roll back over to your desk and dive into your workday.

Jungkook eventually has to peel off for a few virtual meetings, and watching him work is its own source of entertainment. If it’s a meeting that requires his focus, you can tell because he leans in close to his monitor, staring at spreadsheets or data visualizations with a look on his face like he’s using every single brain cell he owns. 

You can also tell when he’s put on calls where he clearly isn’t needed, because he’ll spin in a full circle at his desk with a glazed over look in his eye. There are even a few times where you glance up to see him silently doing what you vaguely recognize as TikTok dances, and you have to clap a hand over your mouth to keep from outright laughing.

The day rolls on, and you’re neck deep in drafting a communication when Jungkook’s voice breaks your concentration. “Do you like ramyeon?”

Your head snaps up to see him lean down under his desk to grab his backpack. He unzips it to retrieve two containers of instant noodles, and when he offers one to you, you give an approving nod. “I usually bring two in case I get extra hungry. I’ll make it, come meet me in the break room when you finish what you’re doing.”

You genuinely believe him on the first day, but when he just so happens to bring a second lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, you start to get a little suspicious.

Friday has you stuck on a working session straight through your usual lunch hour, and Jungkook disappears without a word, returning as you’re pulling your headset off with two to-go salads in a plastic bag.

“I ordered one, and they gave me two. Crazy, right?”

You quirk an eyebrow at him to signal that you don’t believe a damn word, but you still thank him as you follow him down the hall to the break room.

“You’re coming out tonight, right?” He asks over lunch, and it takes you a second to remember the planned happy hour your boss has scheduled for the office. You’re torn between never wanting to see the inside of a bar again, and the overwhelming desire to drink as much as you can on the company’s dime. Ideally enough to obliterate the brain cells that store your memories of last weekend.

In the end, your cheapness wins out. Plus, given that it’s a social work event, you’d bet your entire salary that Yoongi will be nowhere to be found. You figure it might actually prove to be a good distraction. “Sure, yeah. At least for a couple drinks.”

“Cool,” Jungkook smiles a little as he spears a piece of chicken on his plastic fork. “Let me know when you’re done for the day, we can head over together.”

As much as you’d like to blow off early, a phone call that was supposed to take fifteen minutes ends up lasting over an hour. You mute your headset briefly to give a loud sigh, and shoot Jungkook a silent pout in apology when he meets your gaze, but he just flips his phone around to show you the progress he’s making on his island. At least he’s good at keeping himself entertained, you think with a smile.

Finally the person leading the call seems to come to the extremely delayed realization that no one is going to make any more progress on the issue after 5 PM on a Friday, and things wrap up pretty quickly after that. You and Jungkook gather your things and head for the front, and the office is a ghost town.

Your eyes drift down the opposite hallway towards the Genius Lab, your pulse quickening a little. You’ve checked the lab every evening this week and have luckily only found it empty, but you’re nearly an hour ahead of schedule today. And you don’t exactly have a great track record with Yoongi when it comes to Fridays.

“I should probably…”

“I can do it,” Jungkook cuts in softly. You’re hit with the automatic urge to say no, to shield him from this chaos in any way you can. But it would be really nice to not have to deal with Yoongi for one fucking day.

“I would appreciate that,” you reply, and Jungkook is already striding down the hall. You pretend to busy yourself on your phone as you hear a knock, then the electronic beeps of him punching the code into the door lock. When you glance up, you see him push the door open and stick his head inside, then promptly close it again.

“He’s gone. Let’s get out of here.”

The bar your boss has chosen is only a few blocks away from the office, and Jungkook holds the door open for you to enter first when you arrive. You don’t see your group right when you first walk in, and you have to round a bend in the layout of the building before you spot the long table of familiar faces.

You move to take a step forward, but Jungkook nearly imperceptibly brings a hand to your elbow to stop you. He says nothing, which is unlike him, and you start to ask a question.

“Wh—” the words die in your mouth when you see Yoongi smiling politely into a glass of whiskey, seated at the table next to your boss. His gaze flickers up to meet yours. Your stomach twists as you watch the smile immediately drop off his face. 

“We can go,” Jungkook says quickly, but you know you can’t give him the satisfaction.

“It’s fine,” you say, and it comes out a little more harsh than you mean it to. “We don’t have to sit near him.” Jungkook follows your lead to the opposite end of the table. When you take your seats, he almost immediately gets sucked into a conversation with some of the audio engineers. You do your best to at least act like you’re following along, but it feels like the room is spinning despite the fact that you’re entirely sober.

That absolutely needs to change, you quickly determine. You’re sitting at the corner of the table, so it’s easy enough to slip out and get to your feet. Jungkook glances up when you do.

“I’ll be right back,” you say, and your tone must be direct enough that he doesn’t ask any follow-up questions or offer his company. Which is fine, you think to yourself as you cross the room. You’re perfectly capable of walking to the bar and ordering a drink on your own.

At least it feels that way until you sweep your gaze across the room, waiting on a bartender to acknowledge your presence, and realize Yoongi is headed straight towards you, empty glass in hand.

Fuck fuck fuck.

You set your jaw, determined not to let him smell your fear, and renew your conviction to flag someone down and get a drink as fast as possible. When Yoongi takes a seat at the barstool next to you, you will your face not to react. But you’re not quite fast enough to remember to tell your mouth to stay shut, too.

“What are you doing here?” You snap, refusing to look him in the eye.

“I wanted to talk to you,” he says, voice even, and you blink hard. You don’t know what you were expecting, but it wasn’t that. “I figured an event with free alcohol was a good place to start. Let’s hope no one wore their good shoes tonight.”

Setting your jaw has turned into fully gritting your teeth, and you’ve never been more grateful to see a bartender when one approaches. You order quickly, and see Yoongi silently lift his empty glass as a request in your periphery.

“What do you want, Yoongi?”

When he hums and doesn’t respond right away, you glance over to see him running a finger around the rim of his finished drink. Just his fucking hand is enough to send a shiver up your spine, and you tear your gaze away.

“Well, for one, I honestly have to say I was surprised when HR didn’t personally escort me out of the building Monday morning.”

Your head snaps up to look at him again as you parse out his meaning. “Really?”

Yoongi’s gaze meets yours, his brows slightly pinching together as if he’s surprised that you’re surprised. “Uh, yeah.”

You’re so shocked it takes you a minute to form words. “I— I mean, it’s not like it was unprovoked.”

He makes a face as if he’s considering it, shrugging a little. “I suppose.”

As you drop your gaze to the wood grain of the bar, you can’t help but wonder if that was meant to be an apology. You barely have time to process that thought before the bartender returns, setting your drinks down, and you reach for yours like a woman dehydrated. When you take a sip, it’s strong— exactly what you need in this moment.

You’re already halfway off the barstool, very ready to get back to your seat at the table, when Yoongi speaks up again.

“Do you want to hear a funny story?” Something in his tone makes you pause, and he keeps going.

“I heard from an old friend a few days ago. We used to be really close, but lately I don’t think we’ve talked in…” He shakes his head in disbelief, like he’s trying to think. “God, probably years. I’ve been so focused on work. You know how I get.”

You physically recoil at his strange candor, how comfortable he suddenly is with implying that you know him. Your stomach is already starting to turn, though you can’t put a finger on why. It just feels like he’s playing with you.

Yoongi rolls his glass between his palms as he continues. “So you know, we catch up, ask how life is going, all the usual shit. And then my friend— Kihyun, that’s his name— Kih starts telling me about this crazy hookup he had last weekend.”

You nearly drop your drink as your blood runs cold. Yoongi continues the charade, pretending like he’s telling you something you don’t already know first-hand.

“He said he got approached by this super hot girl out of nowhere, and that she was fucking desperate for it. Barely said two words to him before she was asking him to take her home. And once he did, he said the sex was wild. I mean, it definitely sounded great to me when he gave me the play-by-play.” He pauses for a moment, and when he speaks again, there’s a new tone to his voice, almost aggressive. “Straight out of one of my own fantasies, really.”

You take a nervous gulp of your drink in hopes that it might help cool down your burning face— whether it’s from shame or rage, you can’t tell.

“And get this.” Yoongi’s voice is grave now, all pretense of telling a funny story gone as he turns to fully face you. “You’re never gonna believe whose name she cried out when she came. Because it sure wasn’t Kih’s.”

The shock of his words, at the fact that he knows this, is enough to freeze you where you stand. You’re nearly shaking with the chaotic storm of emotions swirling in your brain, and it takes every ounce of willpower you can muster to keep your voice steady as you fix him in your gaze. “I don’t see that it’s any of your business who or how I fuck, Yoongi.”

“Oh, I think it’s absolutely my business when you’re calling them my fucking name. And I don’t understand why you’d settle for imitation when you could have the real thing.” Despite how livid you are, you don’t miss the way your pussy flutters at the smug look on his face.

“Maybe it’s because your friend doesn’t come with all the strings attached that you do.”

“Strings?” He quirks an eyebrow. “I wasn’t planning on dating you, sweetheart.”

You can’t believe how dense he is, and you slam your drink down on the bar. “No, Yoongi, but you’re my fucking coworker. Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘don’t shit where you eat’?” He chuckles dryly into the rim of his glass. “It’s a bad fucking idea.”

He examines you as he takes a sip of whiskey, then finally speaks again. “Here’s the way I see it. We are both sane, consenting adults, very capable of being rational about this.” You scoff in disbelief at how calmly he can say such a thing as you take another long pull from your drink. “There’s obviously a lot of pent-up feelings going on. I’m not saying we have to be friends. Hell, we don’t even have to like each other. Sometimes it’s more fun when you don’t.”

Not expecting that commentary, you nearly choke on the ice in your glass. Yoongi gives you a moment to recover before continuing.

“It seems to me like we could establish something that would be mutually beneficial. Get some of that energy out. If anything, I think it might help both of us actually focus on our work, and that would in turn benefit everyone. It’d certainly be a lot better than the two of us running around like a couple of horny teenagers the way we have been lately. It’s not a purely selfish thing.”

You hate that his stupid logical argument makes sense to you. You hate it so much that you finish your drink in one swallow.

“Look, I’ll make it easy for you,” he says, eyes locked on you, his voice dropping into a lower register. The tone immediately takes you back to the last time you were in his lab. The things he said to you. The things he wanted to do to you. Heat pools in your belly before you can tell it not to.

“I’m going to head back to the group. You get yourself another drink, come join us, and take some time to think about it.”

He leans in to speak the next part directly into your ear, his voice quiet. Every nerve ending in your body lights up at the feeling of his breath against your neck. “Then I’m going to get up and go to the restroom. I’ll give you three minutes to discreetly excuse yourself and join me. If you don’t show, I’ll drop all of this and leave you alone. Promise.”

Yoongi pulls away, shooting you that trademark smirk, knowing full well that he doesn’t have to explain what will happen if you do decide to join him. He already has. Then he slips off the barstool, glass of whiskey in hand, and strides back towards the table.

When you order the next round, you ask for a double.

You do your best to act like the world isn’t ending as you return to your seat at the table. The conversation continues around you, without you; you can only stare dumbly at the empty space between two of your coworkers as you take a long swig of your drink. You’re vaguely aware of discussions of upcoming mixtapes and the Grammy’s, but your brain can’t process anything over the roaring in your ears, the pounding of your heartbeat in your gut— and a little lower.

You feel insane, enraged, and deliriously aroused.

You have no concept of how quickly time is passing, no clue if it’s been an instant or an hour when you see movement from the other end of the table out of the corner of your eye. There’s no self-control left in your system to keep your jaw from going slack, to keep you from unabashedly watching as Yoongi gets up from the table and strides confidently across the bar toward the restroom. He doesn’t so much as glance in your direction.

“Are you alright?”

You whip around at Jungkook’s voice, having completely forgotten there was anyone else in the room. It takes a second for you to snap your mouth shut, and then you realize you have to open it to answer his question.

“I— uh—” You can barely string a sentence together. “My drink is really strong.”

“Do you need some water?”

When you nod, he’s up in a flash, heading towards the bar, and you realize as you watch him disappear that it might have been a bad idea to let yourself be left alone. Because now you have no distraction from the way every cell in your body is screaming at you.

It’s obvious that there is a right choice and a wrong choice here. And you’ve tried so hard, for so long, to be smart. To deny the truth, to say no and go home, to channel the energy out in any other way. But none of it has worked. You still want this terrible man to do terrible things to you, maybe now more than ever. And you’re so fucking tired of making the right choice.

So tonight, you resolve with a final sip of your drink, you’ll make the wrong one. Fuck it.

You slip away from the table before Jungkook returns, following the same path Yoongi did towards the back of the bar. When you reach for the handle of the restroom door, your pulse is racing, enough that you nearly jump out of your skin when the door swings open before you can even touch it. You glance up to find yourself face-to-face with an equally shocked looking Yoongi.

“Your three minutes are up,” he says dryly. Rather than bother with a response, you bring your hand to his chest and firmly shove him back inside the single stall room. You hear him laugh a little as you follow after, pulling the knob and turning the lock into place behind you.

When he takes a step toward you, there’s nowhere for you to go except flush against the door. You watch his eyes drop down your body and back up, taking his time, shameless. His gaze lingers on your mouth.

“Didn’t think you’d really do it,” he murmurs, eyes glinting.

“Call it a lapse in judgment.”

There’s something about the situation that makes you feel like Yoongi has the upper hand— like he expects every part of this to go according to his plan. That, you decide, simply will not do. And then you drop to your knees in front of him.

“Oh my god,” Yoongi breathes, taking a small step back to give you room. “You’re a whore.”

You do your best to shoot a death glare up at him. “I don’t have to do this.”

He smirks. “I meant it as a compliment, honestly. Respectfully.”

That’s it. You’re determined to suck that smug fucking look off his face. “Hands to yourself,” you say firmly. “If you touch me, this all ends.”

Yoongi’s eyes widen, as if he wasn’t expecting you to be giving any orders. But then he nods, raising both hands in the air as if to indicate compliance. You lower your gaze and realize he’s already straining against the fabric of his joggers, which do nothing to hide how hard he is, the thin material clinging to every inch.

In one swift motion, you tug both his pants and boxers down his hips, and you have to actively suppress a soft sigh of appreciation. Yoongi’s ego doesn’t need any more feeding, but damn, his dick is even better up close: long, pale, and pretty.

Glancing back up at him, you maintain eye contact as you lean forward to teasingly trace your tongue along one of the prominent veins that runs the length of his shaft. His eyes are dark with lust as he watches you. Despite being on your knees, a thrill of sheer power runs through you when you see him swallow hard, his Adam’s apple jerking in his throat.

It occurs to you that you are extremely ready to torture this man.

When you reach the tip, you just barely slide your lips over it in an open-mouthed kiss to the head of his cock, your tongue swirling in sloppy circles. You can hear Yoongi breathing now, clearly trying and failing to suppress his shaky exhales at your work.

Tilting your head to find the right angle, you take more of him into your mouth, then bring a hand to his shaft to guide the head of his dick to one side. You don’t miss the quiet groan you elicit from him as you let him press against the soft wall of your cheek to create a bulge. He makes the same sound again, louder, when you rub your tongue firmly along the underside of his shaft while you do it.

His hips jerk under your touch as you start to move the hand wrapped around him in slow, deliberate strokes. You recenter him in your mouth and bob your head along his length in time, now sucking firmly. Yoongi’s breath catches on a moan as you keep your tongue pressed tight to his shaft and match the movement of your head to the deliciously slow pace of your hand.

The sound only encourages you, and you lean forward to take even more of him until his cock briefly brushes against the back of your throat. You hold him there for a second, then swallow.

“Fuck,” Yoongi hisses. You can feel him twitch a little in your mouth, taste it as he leaks precum onto your tongue. You tip back for a few more shallow thrusts, just tormenting him, then repeat the action, humming this time as he hits your throat. His knees nearly buckle.

You glance up at Yoongi as you pull back again, lashes fluttering, and you have to keep yourself from laughing around his cock at the look of pure distress on his face. Now that you’re watching him, you realize his hands are flexing desperately at his sides— it’s clearly taking everything in his power to follow your no touching policy.

Good, you think, and then you lean forward to swallow him down and keep him there, taking as much as you can until your nose is nearly flush with his pelvis. You bob your head, guiding him up and down your throat, choking slightly but too determined to stop even as your eyes start to water.

“Oh my god,” you hear him groan, and your eyebrows raise at the sound of a loud smack. When you look up, still working him in your throat, you realize that he’s helplessly banged a fist on the bathroom door and is now bracing himself against it. You watch as he rakes his other hand through his hair, his head tipping back with a gasp as you increase your pace in response. His hips shudder as he starts to buck softly into your mouth. “Y-yeah, keep doing that, oh fuck, fuck—”

At what feels like the last possible second, you pull off his cock with a soft, wet pop, swallowing down the precum in your mouth. You wipe at the corners of your lips before getting to your feet, legs shaking a little more than you’d like from how long you’ve been on your knees. As you meet his gaze, now at eye-level, it seems you’ve certainly achieved your mission: Yoongi’s usual smug appearance has been replaced with a look of frustrated desperation, courtesy of one denied orgasm.

“Why should I let you get off that easy?” You ask simply, and he makes a noise low in his throat, something between a groan and a laugh.

“Fuck, you are such a bitch.” He advances towards you, and you find yourself backing up, this time until your ass is pressed against the countertop of the bathroom sink. He’s staring at your mouth again, looking at it with what seems to be a little more reverence now that he knows what it’s capable of.

“Am I allowed to touch you yet?” His voice is so low, his mouth so close to yours, that it makes your core ache. The noises you sucked out of him have unfortunately only turned you on even more. “Or are you going to make me beg?”

As much as you’d love to see that, the desperate throb that’s been steadily building between your legs has now overtaken your desire to tease. “Yes, Yoongi, you can touch me.”

The words have barely left your mouth and his hands are already on your hips, firmly spinning you around. You have to clutch the edge of the countertop just to stay upright, but you only feel yourself getting that much wetter at the rough way he handles you. You shiver as he shoves the hem of your dress up to expose your ass, and you can’t help yourself, leaning forward to give him the best possible angle, too desperate for anything less.

“Fuck,” Yoongi breathes, and you’d swear he almost sounds appreciative.

You don’t even have time to process that thought before his hand cracks down over your ass, so hard that it nearly knocks all the breath out of your lungs. You inhale a shaky gasp, your mind reeling in its attempt to catch up, but Yoongi is already pulling your panties to the side, perfect fingers sliding between your folds. There’s no hiding how drenched you are; your upper thighs are starting to stick together with arousal.

Without warning, he presses two fingers firmly into you, and it’s enough to make your jaw go slack. You outright moan when they find purchase against your g-spot, rubbing in tight, expert circles. He could make you come right now if he wanted to.

“You’re so wet for me,” Yoongi’s voice is low and smug, and you don’t need to see his expression to know that cocky smirk has returned to his face. “Been ready for it all night, huh?” You whimper a noise that isn’t disagreement.

“Good,” he says firmly, pairing the word with another smack to your ass. You’re too far gone to try and hold it back now, not with the way his fingers are working inside you, and you moan again. “Because we can’t take too long,” Yoongi continues. “Don’t want anyone getting suspicious. Which is really a damn shame, because there’s so much I want to do to you.”

When he smacks your ass one more time, even harder, and couples it with an insistent press of his fingers against your front wall, you have to grip the edge of the sink for dear life. Your cunt squeezes around him; the noise you make is practically a sob.

He huffs a laugh as he withdraws his fingers, and you glance up to see him retrieving a condom from his pocket and tearing it open. “Wrecked already? And I haven’t even fucked you yet.”

You try to compose yourself, but just watching the way his hands work as he rolls the condom over his leaking cock has you aching, clenching around nothing. You really are fucking wrecked— nothing has ever come close to this.

Yoongi’s hands come to your hips, pads of his fingers digging into your skin, and you feel the head of his cock against your entrance, sliding lazily through your folds but purposefully not pressing into you.

“Yoongi,” you whine. You’re too far gone for this teasing.

“You have to tell me what you want,” he says, his voice dark.

You can barely even think a sentence, and you try to push back on him instead, but he keeps you held firmly in place, hands squeezing into the flesh of your hips. “Tell me,” he insists.

“I want you to fuck me,” you manage, and you look up to meet his gaze in the bathroom mirror.

He licks his lips, and you realize that he’s having just as hard a time restraining himself. “That much is obvious,” he says, and you can hear the unsteadiness in his voice now. “How would you like to get fucked?”

You’ve had enough alcohol to brazenly tell the truth. “Like you hate me.”

It may be the first genuine smile of his you’ve ever seen.

“Gladly,” he replies, and then he thrusts all of himself into you at once. You collapse forward on the countertop, crying out at the feeling.

“Yeah,” Yoongi grunts, a little breathless. “You like that?” He pulls nearly all the way out and slams into you one more time, pressing his hips flush with your ass until you feel overwhelmingly full. Then he starts to properly thrust, moving at a pace that can only be described as ruthless.

“Oh, fuck,” you gasp, your head dropping down as you scramble to brace yourself against the counter. You practically yelp when his hand cracks over your ass again.

He leans forward; you can feel his chest graze over your back, his hips still snapping into you as he grabs your jaw with one hand and forces your gaze up to look at him in the mirror again. You watch as he runs two fingers along your bottom lip in an unasked question. You let your jaw go slack to allow him to slip into your mouth.

When your lips close around his fingers, you find yourself a little grateful to have something to keep you grounded to reality. Your eyes flit up to Yoongi’s face, and his gaze is piercing, eyes totally fixed on you.

“You look so good like this.” His voice is hoarse, strained from effort, and he continues to drive into you, never slowing. Your own hip bones dig into the bathroom counter, shocks of pleasure-pain rippling through you with each thrust. Little moans and whimpers spill out from your mouth around his fingers at the sensation, and you can feel your climax starting to build.

Yoongi withdraws from your mouth, that same hand moving down your body to slip into your panties and circle your clit, earning a gasp from you. His other hand keeps a death grip on your hip as he thrusts, and he straightens up again, the head of his cock now rubbing so perfectly over your g-spot that you hiss.

“Did Kihyun fuck you like this?”

The question catches you off-guard. “N-no,” you gasp, and the hot coil of your arousal tightens in your core. Yoongi’s cock stroking into you, his hand working your clit, the feeling is overwhelming, dizzying. “Oh, god.” Your head presses into your forearm as you give yourself over to the pleasure. You can only distantly hear Yoongi’s voice continue, somewhere between coaxing and demanding.

“I didn’t fucking think so. So why don’t you say it? Tell me who fucks you right. Tell me who you fucking hate.”

The fingers on your clit are unrelenting now, and your edge approaches fast and hard.

“Y-Yoongi,” you breathe, and it feels too good to say his name and mean it. “Yoongi, fuck, Yoongi.” A loud moan rips through you as your legs start to shake. “Oh fuck,” you gasp, “I’m coming, fuck, yes—” You nearly sob as your climax hits you hard, and your walls flutter around Yoongi’s cock over and over in what feels like an endless orgasm.

The pleasure rolls through you, and you look up in the mirror to see Yoongi grit his teeth as he picks up the pace of his hips. A look of desperation paints his face, not unlike the way he looked when you were blowing him, and you know he must be close.

“God fucking damnit,” he grunts, each word punctuated with a thrust, and then he tips his head back and pushes all the way into you with a moan as he comes.

For a moment he pauses like that, gazing up at the ceiling, chest heaving with effort as his dick twitches inside of you. “Holy shit,” he breathes, and then he starts to laugh softly in what appears to be disbelief. “Fuuuuck.”

You haven’t fully recovered, so you can only watch, still gripping the countertop for dear life, as he slips the condom off, chucks it into the trash can, and pulls his boxers and pants up. He gives his reflection a once-over in the mirror, running a hand through his hair, and you’re amazed at how quickly he’s put himself back together. The only indication that he was literally just railing you is the way he’s breathing heavily.

Yoongi notices you watching him and gives your ass one more firm slap, hard enough that you flinch a little.

“Wait a minute or two before you head out,” he instructs, and you nod dumbly. He crosses the room, opens the door, and slips out, all before you can even so much as think a coherent thought.

It takes several more minutes for you to get your shit together, but you eventually manage to readjust your underwear and smooth your dress down, though your legs are certainly still unsteady when you make your way back to the table. You can’t help but shoot a glance over at Yoongi as you pass, and you’re shocked to see him laughing and chatting it up with the group of coworkers seated around him. You see clear expressions of surprise on their faces, too— because he’s never like this. Except, apparently, mere minutes after fucking you.

You don’t even bother to sit down, instead grabbing your purse off the table and slinging the straps over your shoulder.

“Wow, there you are,” Jungkook’s voice drags you out of your thoughts, and the look of concern on his face just makes your stomach turn. You genuinely have no idea how long you were gone for. “Are you okay? Your face looks flushed.”

You don’t know how to answer his question, so you don't. “I think I’m gonna go home.”

“Do you need a ride?”

You shake your head quickly. “I’ll call a friend.”

Perched on the curb outside, you clutch your phone for dear life as you pull up Jimin’s contact to call him. The line rings and you realize you’re shivering; you don’t think it has anything to do with the weather.

You don’t even give him a chance to say hello when the call connects. “Can you come get me?”

He groans on the other end of the line. “Why? I already took my pants off for the night.”

“Baby mochi, please.” You whine, but you know only the full explanation will get him out of bed. You drop your voice a little. “I just hatefucked Suga in the bathroom at the company happy hour. I need you to come pick me up immediately.”

Jimin’s apartment is a ten minute drive away, but you swear he makes it in five.

“Well, well, well,” Your best friend’s voice is smug as you slide into his passenger seat. “If it isn’t the company whore.”

“Shut the fuck up, Jimin.”

~*~

Come Monday morning, you’re racing down the hallway to the conference room, quietly cursing yourself for being late. You’d seen the email from your boss moving the usual Tuesday pull-up to first-thing Monday, but then you’d gotten so tied up with other projects you’d forgotten about it entirely. It was only once you were in the break room, trying to get your caffeine fix in, that you’d glanced up at the wall clock and realized it was already ten after.

Focused as you are on getting to the meeting quickly— and just as importantly, not spilling any of your coffee— you’re completely unaware of your surroundings until it’s too late. You nearly smack directly into Yoongi as you approach the conference room simultaneously.

He smirks as you jump back in surprise. “We have got to stop meeting like this.”

It’s the first time you’ve seen him since Friday; you’ve been hiding out in Baby Star Candy’s corner all morning. “We’re late,” you say, flustered enough to state the obvious, and he shrugs like he can’t disagree.

“I got distracted.”

Yoongi must notice the way your eyes start to widen. “With work,” he clarifies quickly. He reaches around you to place a hand on the conference room door, and you hear his voice low in your ear. “Amazing how much easier it is to focus today, huh?”

Straightening up to put some space between you, he pushes the door open and gestures for you to go first. You swallow hard and try to keep your composure as you enter the room, briefly apologizing for being late. Yoongi follows behind you silently, slumping into the open seat across the table. You take a sip of your coffee to settle your nerves, which turns out to be a horrible idea when your boss speaks.

“There they are, perfect timing. You’re the very two people my next announcement concerns.”

You just barely manage to keep your drink in your mouth. When your gaze flits to Yoongi across from you, he looks similarly shell-shocked. You can’t help but wonder if you’re about to get fired in front of the entire team.

“We’ve managed to secure funding for the Grammy’s at the end of the month,” your boss says brightly. “We’ll be flying Suga out to do a press circuit as well as attend the award show and surrounding events in-person. We think it will be a great opportunity to network with American artists, try to get his name out there and work on our international appeal.”

“And of course,” your boss’ gaze lands on you, “we all know that our Suga isn’t the most extroverted, or good with schedules, for that matter. We figured he needs a wrangler, and who better than our very own admin?”

You swear your heart stops beating. Your boss keeps going, reminding the team to connect with you about temporarily taking back any deliverables you’ve been handling while you’ll be out of pocket for Grammy’s weekend and subsequent travel time, but you barely process a word. This can’t be happening.

An entire weekend of forced professionalism, in Los Angeles, with the man you just hatefucked in a bathroom. What could possibly go wrong?

chapter four | masterlist | chapter six

[alwaysxlarrie]

my fav fics masterlist part 2 (N-Z)

here we are! i genuinely thought this list was going to be slightly shorter than the first one, and i can honestly say that i have no idea if it actually is. again, alphabetical order. hope u find a fic on this list that u end up enjoying :)

needing you more and more, let’s give love a try by supernope (mpreg harry, best friends to lovers, pining, angst, fluff, domestic fluff, protective louis, harry foams at the mouth over louis’ strength & honestly? same, dom/sub undertones, lawyer louis/photographer harry)

no one likes to be alone by @lululawrence (nesting, alpha louis/omega harry, protective louis, getting together, awful disregard for omegas’ safety, distressed harry, strangers to friends to lovers)

never be by @cherrystreet (studying abroad au, strangers to friends to lovers to exes to friends to lovers, slow burn, dom/sub undertones, quite a few heaps of angst, complicated relationships, harry’s obsessed with louis what’s new, minor louis/omc, minor harry/omc, louis is a little shit, american louis/british harry, this fic is gonna make you fight for your life through the angst but you’ll make it out to the happy ending !!)

no bunny but you by @crinkle-eyed-boo (oooo i love this fic!! bartender harry/artist louis, strangers to lovers, bathroom sex, dom/sub undertones, louis is an absolute minx and harry falls in love the moment he lays eyes on him, 

no pressure, no diamonds ‘verse by @karamelised  “there’s so much to say i don’t even know where to start but thief louis/grifter harry, slow burn, complicated relationships, criminal au, strangers to fwb to enemies to lovers -- or something like that LMAO -- eventual getting together, there’s just. a lot. but the suspense is so good!!)

oh glory by @alivingfire (olympics au, swimmer harry/gymnast louis, closeting, mentions of zouis, getting together, dom/sub undertones, slow burn, sexual tension is immaculate, angst)

opulence thrills by @brightgolden (dom/sub undertones, sex club au, auction au, mentions of past relationships gone awry, miscommunication, bsdm elements, slow burn, getting together)

our lives, non-fiction by @indiaalphawhiskey (famous louis/famous marcel, writer louis/fan fic writer marcel, virigin marcel, book tour au, strangers to enemies to fwb to lovers, miscommunication, angst, learning about how to navigate healthy relationships and sex! we love to see it!, fluff, domestic fluff)

one day to believe in you by @mediaville (magic elements, canon elements, friends to lovers, implied getting together, poor louis can’t catch a break, confessions, angst)

only reason by @letsjustsee (fake identity au, stolen identity au, idk it’s one of the two lol, strangers to lovers, conventions, louis makes a fool out of himself in the name of love and harry is endeared)

only thing that can quench my thirst by eyesofshinigami (kink exploration, established relationship, this is written so well in terms of louis’ confusion, denial, uncertainty, harry’s acceptance, and then louis’ acceptance ugh)

our chromosomes in sepia tones by orphan account (sculptor harry, homeless louis, famous harry/non famous louis, angst, guarded louis)

play the odds by @alivingfire (bet au, best friends to lovers, college/university au, lots and lots of kissing, light angst, love confessions, getting together, concerned liam & niall)

plenty of time by @juliusschmidt (alpha louis/omega harry, sexual tension, responsible louis, desperate harry, strangers to lovers, implied getting together)

picture this by @kingsofeverything (bouncer harry, club goer(?) louis, mentions of covid/pandemic, surprise assholes, getting together, misunderstandings, light dom/sub undertones imo)

precious little thing by mercutionotromeo (phone sex operator louis, university/college au, daddy kink, kink exploration, poor harry is just trying his best, bdsm elements, harry is louis’ baby, getting together, light angst)

pulling on your heart to push my luck by mercutionotromeo (ugh i love this fic sm, phone sex operator louis, dom/sub undertones, phone sex, harry is louis’ baby, amazing dirty talk, ambiguous ending)

peppermint and lavender (and coffee) by @2tiedships2 (coffee shop au, alpha louis/omega harry, employee/customer if u wanna get techincal, soulmate au, possessive/protective louis, niall is over louis’ shit, breaks of the fourth wall, getting together)

packed lunches, sticky fingers, and accidental levitation by @londonderrytea (normally i’m not a huge fan of fics that spend 90% of the fic world building and like less than 50% on larry, but i really do love this one so much, witches au, potion maker harry/cultural interpreter louis, single dad harry, kid fic, pixie zayn, the humor/crack in this is pheromonal i love)

renegade by @littlelostpieces (now look acab right however this is fiction so we allow it u feel me anyway, cop harry/criminal louis, louis is a minx, banter, teasing, slow burn, this is so cute i adore it)

ready to fall by @crazyupsetter (minx louis, bathroom sex, acquaintances to fwb to lovers, harry is obsessed w louis & his ass, courting, determined harry, semi phone sex, slow burn kinda)  

right now (in the nick of time) by @nudistyles (skater louis/fan boy harry, he’s not a formal fan but essentially he is, roller derby au, strangers to friends to lovers, competitive louis, car sex, this fic is so cute but funny at the same time, slow burn, sexual tension)

red brick heart by hazmesentir (this fic is a rollercoaster of emotions as are most of this author’s fics lol, sexuality crisis, college/university au, student louis/student harry, mentions of louis/omc, mentions of alcohol, mentions of homophobia, slow burn, eventual happy ending, lots of angst but also lots of fluff and banter)

raise a glass to the four of us by @2tiedships2 (we got each other’s baggage au, is that the formal name idk, strangers to lovers, new york au, omega louis/alpha harry, airplane sex, louis and harry join the mile high club what a time to be alive, the ending is so cute i love)

say i hate you but i always stay by @liltinylouis (enemies to lovers but with a twist, football player louis, teasing/banter/all those things, implied smut, getting together)

set alight my veins by whiskeyinthejar (blind date au, punk louis/nerd harry, crack internal monologue if that’s a thing, mentions/occurrences of bullying, paranoid harry, i do love the author’s note at the end tbh)

say something by @kingsofeverything (alpha louis/omega harry, older harry/younger louis, divorced harry, homie is v much using cognitive dissonance for about 70% of the fic lolol, supportive/protective louis, heat/ruts, heaps of angst, slow burn, kink exploration, pregnancy kink, mpreg harry)

stranger stars by @sunshineandhisrainbows (the sexual tension in this!!!!!, tour guide/leader louis/lawyer/singer/songwriter/photographer harry, travel abroad au, safari au also works i think, mentions of louis/ofc, sexuality crisis, they kinda share that really, complicated relationships, mentions of internalized homophobia, mentions of homophobic laws, slow burn, this is so good & worth the read)

sail across me by @canonlarry (pirate au, prince harry/captain louis, slow burn, protective/posessive louis, they kinda share that really, angst, mentions of violence)

strip that down by @chloehl10 (college/university au, student louis/student harry, thigh fucking, pain kink, hickey kink, idk if that’s a thing but if it’s not it should be, bathroom sex, waxing, mentions of alcohol, implied getting together)

secrets don’t make friends by @thedevilinmybrain (ugh love this fic!! college/university au, student louis/student harry, established relationship, feminization, dom/sub undertones, light angst, implied homophobia, top tier smut & dirty talk)

steal my heart; whatever it takes to get you off by @artxghoul (liiiisten i love this one but the last chapter gives me a run for my money w the angst, dom/sub undertones, office au, coworkers to fwb to lovers, talks about homophobia, coming out, office sex, spanking, bsdm elements, hurt/comfort)

single bells ring by @absoloutenonsense (christmas fic, alpha louis/alpha harry, sexual tension, slow burnish, puns, fluff, implied smut, implied getting together)

sometimes you just know by @2tiedships2 (omega louis/alpha harry, exes to friends to lovers light on the friends tho lol, angst, learning healthy communication, mentions of louis/omc, protective harry, fluff, getting back together)

starbucks lovers by @jaerie (strangers to implied lovers, bathroom hookup, idk what to tag this homie just goes into a starbucks to find a hook up and finds one lol)

sun-kissed hurricane, perfect storm by @canonlarry (high school au, popular louis/nerd harry, tutor harry, lots of poetry, classmates, student harry/student louis, this fic is overall so cute i love the progression of their relationship)

so kiss me by @harryventura (kiss cam au, strangers to lovers, innuendos, football player louis, supportive harry, this is just so cute i cry)

sit next to me by @allwaswell16 (famous harry/famous louis, plot twists, miscommunication, implied getting together, there’s angst but it’s overall a cute and lovely fic)

somewhere only we know by @icanhazzalou (hurt/comfort, desk sex, office sex, implied gettting together, sexual tension, slow burn kinda, i love how their relationship progresses in this one too ugh)

stood up by panda_bear21 (famous louis/famous harry, blind date au kinda, implied smut, mentions of closeting, sexual tension, implied getting together, i love their dynamic in this too ugh!!)

sound like a song by @allwaswell16 (puns so many puns, post high school au, teacher harry/coach louis, getting a second chance au, getting together, idk man just read it i love it)

send me your pillow (the one that you dream on) by flowercrownfemme (omega louis/omega harry, nesting, distressed harry, worried louis, hurt/comfort, established relationship)

stars will align for us by @2tiedships2 (omega harry/alpha louis, courting, college/univeristy au, football player louis, determined/protective/caring louis, getting together) 

somethin’ bout you by @missandrogyny (heist au, thief louis/government agent harry, complicated relationships, enemies to friends to lovers, dom/sub undertones, angst, getting together)

so hot, give me your gasoline by ballsdeepinjesus (actor louis/fanboy harry, implied getting together, semi public sex, virgin harry, top tier smut & dirty talk)

sonic sounds by orphan account (canon fic kinda, x factor era, humiliation kink, kink exploration, under negotiated kink, ambiguous ending)  

smell the sea, feel the sky by @lightwoodsmagic (light angst? kinda?, friends to lovers, spanking, dom/sub undertones, sexual tension, slow burn, getting together)

santa baby honey by @sadaveniren (crack fic, christmas fic, boss/employee, ceo louis/employee harry, slow burn, under negotiated kink exploration, sex club, secret santa au, the sexual tension build up to smut & dirty talk is so good, getting together, light feminization)  

‘sup by @mediawhorefics (divorced harry, anxious harry, cute-meet, coffee shop au kinda, fond louis, implied getting together, i just love how louis reacts to harry uggggh)

save a dolphin, ride a... by @londonderrytea (college/university au, loud louis, distressed harry, look just read it. u won’t regret it)

said i’ll always be a friend by daddylouist  (girl direction, dubious consent in a way, friends to lovers, it’s cute & hot what more do you want)

skip the small talk by @sadaveniren (omega louis/alpha harry, dom/sub undertones, bdsm elements, wax play, spanking, negotiated kink, breeding kink, mating kink, top tier fic !!) 

sing when you’re winning by hazmesentir (football player louis/journalist harry, coming out, mentions of closeting/homophobia in the sports industry, eleanor is louis’ pr manager, angst, slow burn, sexual tension, louis just wants to fuck harry and doesn’t know what to about it LMAO, getting together, uncomfortable work environments)

show me yours and i’ll show you mine by awriterwrites (look i don’t condone cheating but i do love this fic and at least louis cheats with harry & not on harry, office au, coworkers to friends to lovers, angst, coworkers au, getting together, office sex, secret relationships)

the melody you never heard by @anylessreal (mentions of past hook ups, enemies to friends to lovers light on the friends tho lol, camping au, angst, miscommunication, mentions of alcohol, mentions of vomit, getting together, slow burn, boat sex)

them butterflies by @gaycousinlarry (words cannot express how much i love this fic !!!!, graphic designer louis/social worker harry, navigating healthy communication, sexuality crisis although there’s really no crisis tbh, smut as a means to character development iykyk, one homophobic situation, strangers to fwb to lovers, mentions of past louis/omc, dom/sub undertone

the night sky is changing overhead by orphan account (strangers to fwb to lovers, bsdm elements, dom/sub undertones, daddy kink, office sex, desk sex, sex toys, top tier smut & dirty talk, world building, tattoo artist harry/teacher louis, choking, angst, kink negotiation, un negotiated kink, possessive louis, this one has it all tbh 

take me higher than i’ve ever been by @ireallysawanangel (office au, coworkers to friends to lovers, virgin harry, fluff, domestic fluff, harry is louis’ baby, light dom/sub undertones, miscommunication, getting together)

the lonely planet guide to second chances by @1diamondinthesun (travel abroad au, teacher louis/graphic designer harry, exes to friends to lovers, getting back together, light dom/sub undertones, mentions of alcohol/weed, light exhibitionism, angst, learning healthy communication, harry is louis’ baby)

three french hems by 100percentsassy and gloria_andrews (crack fic, designer louis/singer harry, fluff, light angst, coming out, getting together, bathroom sex, louis loves harry’s thighs we been knew)

the brightest lights by @all-these-larrythings (actor louis/actor harry, side niam, mentions of suicide for the movie, tw for james corden, secret relationship, mentions of closeting, coming out, older louis/younger harry, getting together, strangers to coworkers to friends to fwb to lovers, v sweet fic overall)

the sound of your voice from far away by pukeandcry (lots of angst imo, canon fic, friends to fwb to lovers, complicated relationships, road trip au, mentions of closeting, coming out, it’s hard to get through the beginning bc angst but the ending is sweet)

the orchards of jessop by @jaerie (mentions of covid/pandemic, older louis/younger harry, sexuality crisis, smut as a means to character development, miscommunication bc lack of communication, mentions of death in the past, mentions of louis/ofc, getting together, mentions of past homophobic situations)

that boy’s got my heart in a silver cage by orphan account (canon fic, obedience kink, humiliation kink, praise kink, bdsm elements, dom/sub undertones, established relationship, mentions of closeting, light angst, implied coming out)

the shirt you hate by @isthatyoularry (mentions of past toxic relationship, background sophiam, exes to lovers, angst, courting, artist harry/ceo louis, getting a second chance au basically, attempted office sex lol)

this thing upon me (howls like a beast) by @sadaveniren (alpha louis/omega harry, strangers to fwb to lovers, heat/rut, pregnany kink, slow burn, getting together, mentions of danielle - just had a moment of self awareness of how weird it felt to type that when one of my friends was friends with her while she was louis’ beard but such is life lmao - anyway, negotiated kink)

the king and i by @canonlarry (gang au, criminals au, gang leader louis, poor harry’s just trying his best, side niam, office sex, strangers to coworkers(?) to lovers, boss/employee relationship, betrayal, angst, dom/sub undertones)

the lion man by @canonlarry (vampire louis/human harry, med student harry, miscommunication, implied cheating, moral dilemmas, getting together)

the risen by @creamcoffeelou (cult au, dark fic, cult leader louis/journalist harry, omega harry/alpha louis, hypnotism, emotional manipulation, mental manipulation, forced bonding, exhibitionism, public sex, brainwashing, louis’ fuckin good at what he does & he’s so sexy while he does it tho ugh, dom/sub elements, dirty talk imo at least)

the library universe by @allwaswell16 (i! love! this! fic!, librarian harry/installation coordinator louis, slow burn, harry’s in denial, sexual tension, miscommunication, louis is a tease, puns, getting together, niall & harry cook together)

to lure a hummingbird (you had me at moonstruck) by @broken-beaks  (amazing plot twist towards the end, neighbors au, enemies to friends to lovers, personal trainer louis/photographer harry, mentions of alcohol, angst, slow burn, getting together, harry is louis’ baby, hurt/comfort)

take our bodies higher by @littlelouishiccups (phone sex operator harry, student louis/student harry, university/college au, dom/sub elements, secret identity, getting together, healthy communication, negotiated kink) 

then we kiss (all i wanna do is have a good time) by orphan account (boss/employee relationship, writer harry/writer louis, harry is louis’ baby, slow burn, crack fic imo, getting together, office sex, it’s so cute ugh)

the clock strikes christmas by @jacaranda-bloom (homeless harry/rich louis, anxious harry, mentions of abusive past, harry is louis’ baby, kinda sugar baby au, except harry insists on being independent, hurt/comfort)

tastes like strawberries by @sadaveniren (nesting, alpha harry/omega louis, distressed louis, implied getting together, mild hurt/comfort, such a cute lil fic)

the one where harry really doesn’t have ten cats by LoadedGunn (pet sitter harry/actor louis, famous louis/non famous harry, slow burn, puns and innuendos, miscommunication, cats on cats on cats on cats, getting together, implied smut)

tangled up in you (you and i collide) by trustingno1 (mentions of harry/omc, canon fic kinda, famous louis/famous harry, sexual tension, slow burn, pain kink, harry is a minx & louis has had enough™️, mentions of past rejections, implied getting together)

the money mark by @brightgolden (sugar baby au, omega harry/alpha louis, hostile work environments, exes to fwb to lovers but like sugar baby edition, miscommunication, independent harry, i love how like..casually louis progresses their relationship ngl)

taken by the wind by @scrunchyharry (witch harry/human, poor harry is just trying his best once again, neighbor au, halloween au, louis basically stealth courts harry it’s my fav, fond louis, getting together)

to the ends of the earth by @aliensingucci (angst angst anst, flashbacks, exes to fwb to lovers, dom/sub undertones, post hiatus au, mentions of beards and closeting, i looooove the ending of this, learning healthy communication, getting back together)

this is my jam by @disgruntledkittenface (gay bathhouse au, mentions of aids/hiv, ambiguous ending, dom/sub undertones, exhibitionism, possessive louis, harry becomes louis’ baby in 2 seconds we love to see it, implied happy ending, safe sex) 

tell me what you need by @disgruntledkittenface (coffee shop au kinda, barista louis/photographer harry, side ziall, harry is a gay diaster, fond louis, louis is a tease, implied getting together)

talk dirty to me by @briannamarguerite (mutual masturbation, dirty talk, mentions of harry/omc, best friends to lovers, smol lil plot twist at the end, harry is louis’ baby)

there’s always another option by anonymous (dubious consent, discussions of cheating, somnophilia, prefnancy kink, getting together) 

this is not my cat by @londonderrytea (hybrid harry/human louis, crack fic, i love this sm it’s so cute and funny)

the flower that blooms in adversity by @hershelsue (alpha louis/unlabeled harry, camping au, new years eve au, this fic is amazing read it rn, praise kink, pain kink, humiliation kink, pregnancy kink, the dirty talk is top tier)

vampire au by orphan account (vampire au, vampire harry/vampire louis, harry is louis’ baby, dom/sub elements, stubborn harry, scared harry, mentions of abandonment, spanking, getting together)

want it flowing through my streams by @screwstyles (wimbledon au, omega harry/alpha louis, courting, heats, bad boy louis au, harry is louis’ baby, dom/sub elements)

what do you mean he’s coming? by @mediawhorefics (louis is gemma’s best friend au, wedding au, photographer harry/actor louis, famous louis/non famous harry, getting together, this is adorable i’m obsessed)

wasn’t expecting that by @yourpricelessadvice (sexuality crisis, single dad harry, construction worker harry/teacher louis, harry is louis’ baby, angst, hurt/comfort, harry’s trying his best but he figures it out)

watch him as he goes by loadedgunn (police officer louis/photographer harry, mentions of violence/blood, slow burn, sexual tension & innuendos, getting together)

whirlwind by @haydolce (actor harry/football coach louis, famous harry/non famous louis, childhood friends to lovers, this is cute. i love it. read it asap)

we are ghosts amongst these hills by orphan account (this fic makes me miss a 17th century soulmate i don’t have goodbye)

we’re still going, eight in the morning by @nooelgallagher and @yoursongonmyheart (dj louis/baker harry, slow burn, phone sex, fluff, light angst, harry is louis’ baby, read this!!!)

whatever you like by itiswhatitisbutterfly (sugar baby au, dom/sub undertones, getting together, daddy kink, praise kink)

we’re watching a television with no sound by orphan account (kiss cam au, just a cute lil fluff fic, implied getting together)

weigh us down (we’re in love) by orphan account (strangers to best friends to lovers, larry throughout the years, harry is louis’ baby, just overall so much fluff ugh)

whoever, however by @twopoppies (director louis/pornstar harry - to some degree anyway, praise kink, posessive louis, exhibitionism, voyeurism, implied getting together) 

wrapped in light, in life, in love by orphan account (childhood friends to lovers, louis’ gemma’s best friend au, mpreg, doctor louis/teacher harry, harry is louis’ baby, fluff fluff fluff)

welcome back from the friend zone by @2tiedships2 (best friends to lovers, fake marriage au, omega louis/alpha harry, hurt/comfort, fluff, domestic fluff, getting together)

waiting by @allwaswell16 (omega louis/alpha harry, best friends to lovers, louis takes care of harry and then harry takes care of louis, getting together)

waste the night by @wicked-archer (famous louis/non famous harry, one night stand, implied getting together, porn with plot basically)

want you more than a by @donotdialnine (best friend’s brother au, dom/sub undertones, orgasm denial, harry is louis’ baby, nerd harry, occurrences of bullying, hurt/comfort, obsessed with their dynamic in this fic)

you’re my favorite bird by supernope (strangers to lovers, ornithologist harry/camera shop owner louis, world building, i love how their relationship progresses in this too, louis calls harry his baby need i say more????)

yours in fractions by @kingsofeverything (strangers to fwb to lovers, miscommunication, christmas fic, fluff, domestic fluff, getting together)

you’ll breathe me in (you won’t release) by loadedgunn (dom/sub undertones, `bdsm elements, strangers to friends(?) to lovers, moral dilemmas, discussions of power dynamics, pain kink, praise kink, orgasm denial, daddy kink, harry is louis’ baby, older louis/younger harry, overstimulation, there’s too many to tag but i love their dynamic & the smut & dirty talk)

you take me over, you’re the magic in my veins by supernope (magic au, royal au, prince louis/prince harry, forbidden love, arranged marriage, supportive gemma, possessive louis, mpreg harry, sexual tension, world building, marriage proposals, harry is louis’ baby)

you are my favorite place by soleilouis (famous harry/non famous louis, body worship, mentions of closeting & beards, getting together, harry is louis’ baby)

you smile like the sun by softspoken (fluff fluff fluff fluff, marcel au, read this asap)

you come beating like moth’s wings by supernope (travel abroad au, strangers to friends to fwb to lovers, world building, getting together, slow burn, angst, hurt/comfort)

you’ll be home for christmas by @2tiedships2 (omega louis/alpha harry, heats, getting together, louis is in denial what’s new, protective harry, best friends to lovers)

young hearts on the chase by @polaroidlouis (omega harry/alpha louis, courting, fluff, light angst, getting together, valentine’s day fic, this is so cute i cry)

you’re like a sponge (abrasive and colorful) by @londonderrytea (look louis’ just trying his best, coworker au, insults are compliments, getting together, fond harry, crack fic)

you’re stumbling like the nazarene by sarcasticfluentry (porn with plot, priest louis/church goer harry, idk if church goer is a term but it is now, orgasm denial, getting together, fwb to lovers, religious kink, praise kink, dom/sub undertones)

you make the world taste better by @loveislarryislove (fairtyale au, dark fairytale au, plot twists, descriptions of violence & death, getting together, strangers to friends to lovers, bittersweet ending)

you can be the boss by lourries (boss/employee relationship, ceo louis/intern harry, office sex, desk sex, spanking, daddy kink, dom/sub undertones, porn without plot)

there it is !! hopefully there’s little to no mistakes lol. thank you to all of the talented authors for creating such lovely fics !!! if you end up reading any of these fics & like them, let me know! i love hearing what people think about the fics i recommend :)

[kitxt]

TXT as stupid love tropes i like

╭┈ ↷

│    ༝ pairing ༝  txt x gender neutral reader

│    ༝ warnings ༝  fluff

│    ༝ note ༝  i'm a sucker for these tropes so...

╰──────────────────────────────────────

Yeonjun

↳ Enemies to Lovers

don't ask me why, i see him as the perfect troublemaker

like, you're the bookworm and he is the bad boy

he would tease you every time he see your face

both of you are in the same classes every year and you want to strangle whoever does that

actually, you have a soft spot for him

you are painfully aware of his charisma, everyone finds him attractive and you can't deny that he is

"i hate you"

no you don't

he would miss one week of school and you'll be like ??? why does it feel like something is missing?

would come back with bruises everywhere

and the teachers would choose you to help him catch up

his smirk which annoyed you before would start to warm you up

catching yourself daydreaming about him and freaking out

he would defend you but only when you aren't around

deep conversations instead of studying

he would fall asleep one day and you would find him cute

how do i get rid of those feelings ???

a weird routine sets in where you read while he sleeps

you can't go back to the way things were, being with him changed everything

you balanced each other out

you would finally accept a date with him

"this may be the worst decision i ever made"

it is not

Soobin

↳ Forbidden Love

ugh, this one is so good

like imagine you as an idol in another agency

even better if you're a male

your fanbases hate each other

would constantly compare you, your songs, your dances, your performances, etc...

you two would meet for an interview

it's love at first sight

pounding hearts and shy glances

after the interview: both of you would search for the other name on the internet

would create a fan account on social media just to stalk the other

i imagine a love square like in miraculous ladybug, he loves you!idol, you love him!idol but also he loves you!fan account and you love him!fan account

ambiguous relationships

twists and turns all around

you would probably end up sharing selfies after some heartwarming confessions

*surprised Pikachu face* and fangirling/boying lmao

secret rendezvous

"what would you do if you weren't afraid?"

intertwined hands and shy smiles

it gives me winter vibes too

like warm beverages, sharing a scarf, intertwined hands in pocket, pink noses and cheeks

Soobin probably out your couple stupidly

thankfully the fans were amazing about it

Beomgyu

↳ Strangers to Lovers

soft plot™

you have no idea what txt is

you like to make people happy with little gestures

like paying the order of someone in the coffee you are in

or stopping your car to give your umbrella to someone who doesn't have one

it's probably what happens with him

you gave him your umbrella and disappeared right after

he would be like wtf just happens???

your number would be on the umbrella's label so he would text you

it's common for you so you wouldn't be surprised

you'll end up texting each other until morning

sharing memes and pictures of your day

he would quickly understand you have no idea who he is

you would decide to meet each other because he would want to give back your umbrella

a break from the idol life for him

and from the boring life for you

for real, this boy is tireless, you'll laugh until you die

cute and discreet dates meetings

it's not dating, you are friends!

bro is on his knees for you but anyway

it will take some time before he tells you about his career, he doesn't want to scare you

please, understand his fears, he likes the simplicity you both share together

he would get it if you need some time to digest but would feel selfish and dumb

hug and reassure him, kiss him to show you care more about him than his career

Taehyun

↳ Childhood friends to Enemies to Lovers

you grew up together because your parents were besties

it would be like your brother, your best friend

i feel like you would have a stupid fight

such as, you helped him with his studies and he has a better mark than you

it would end up as a competition

not in a bad way, just like sibling bickering

but then he would move out of town

some years later, you two would find yourself in the same college

because after all this time you still have the same goal, the same dream

occurs a competition for the best grades in your share classes

maybe even in the entire school

side eyes, judging faces, and annoying smirks

everyone can feel the tension between you two

you would tease each other for everything

he got a girlfriend? you would find yourself a partner just to annoy him

both would break up with the two of you because you don't care about them, you always think about your rival

honestly, people would be fed up with your bickering, like kiss already

i can see your friends locking you up in a classroom for a whole night or finding a way to force you two to talk

talking as having a real conversation and not just glaring

both of you would figure out you didn't change that much

you would reconnect pretty fast

friends who bicker just for the sake of it

probably end up making out aggressively after a dumb fight

HueningKai

↳ Best friends to Lovers

soft plot 2.0

make it even softer because it's Kai

shy smiles, stolen glances, and pounding hearts

casual affection and platonic cuddling h36

cute nicknames you both share since childhood

night talks on the bed of one or another

your comfort person for when you have a bad day

inside jokes and finishing each other's sentences

sharing clothes because why not

sharing i love you but both thinking the other one means only as a friend

hurts to be that close but also hurts to be away for more than one day

dying inside each time the other has a date

both of you would think you aren't enough

even if, when one dates a person all they are searching for are things the other has

what do you mean you don't like plushies????

sad smiles when people ask how long you've been a couple

bro, someone needs to make a move

probably Huening thanks to his hyungs

he would take you on a date, you wouldn't think about it because you go out together often

baby would be so embarrassed, with red cheeks and stuttered words

you'll probably start crying tears of joy, making him freak out

please reassure him, kiss him

[lighthouseas]

HI I am a pokemon mutual but pls tell me about your otp!!! it doesn't have to be pokemon because I know you like byler (I know nothing about that show but it makes me happy that they make you happy) so please- tell me either why you love byler so much and what your favorite byler moment is (not that I'll understand), or tell me about your favorite pokemon ship and why you love it!!!!

OMG THIS ASK IS SO SWEET I AM ABOUT TO CRY RN. THANK YOU ANON WHOEVER YOU ARE

ok so...i have a LOT of otps, not just byler. byler is obviously all im fixating on right now, but i do have others, from other fandoms, believe it or not! byler are just very special to me <3 both will and mike are very relatable as characters and they're also really fun to analyze lol

favorite byler moment would have to be the final scene of s4...it was so beautiful and tragic with SO MUCH symbolism and they should have held hands imo. it also basically confirmed byler canon. i will never ever shut up about the final scene ever

as for pokemon. oh boy. i have a lot.

i absolutely ADORE rocketshipping. they are. so special to me. i think it's because i was shipping them even before i knew what shipping was. all of jessie and james' little moments throughout the series just absolutely make the ship and the fact that they were canon in the manga makes it even better

i also love amourshipping. not in a weird way like i know a lot of people do. i just unironically love ash and serena as individual characters and think they would be great together. i don't engage in ship wars, obviously, if you ship ash with other pokegirls i really could care less honestly lmao. amour has just always been a comfort ship to me. both ash and serena are such cinnamon rolls and the way ash cares so much for serena and serena for ash...ugh. my heart. childhood friends to strangers to friends to lovers supremacy

ikarishipping is another one. kinda unpopular, i know, but it was the fanfiction and fanart that sold it for me (ie. heroes grace, lock and key, lost in you, etc) paul is also a character that i obsess over for whatever reason. lol. i just think dawnxpaul have a really interesting dynamic that can be explored so much and the writers in the ikarishipping community are all insanely talented so that helps too :)

other ships in pkmn that i adore:

journeysshipping (ash x goh)

palletshipping (ash x gary)

contestshipping (drew x may)

literally any of the alola ships honestly

hikakoha (dawn/hikari x chloe/koharu)

there's definitely more but yeah! tysm for the ask <333 you are loved and appreciated

[fuckmymunson]

💫 this charming man

i’ve been told by all of my friends that i’m super intimidating before they met me and were scared of me (which frankly i don’t think i’m that scary tbh) i’m really into alternative subcultures like riotgrrl, old metal, nu-metal and goth! i have a different hair colour every week HAHAH i currently have blue hair and i dress alternatively, ie: fishnets, baggy black pants, bunch of rosaries and occasionally black skirts and shorts when it gets warm. i get told i’m funny and people usually warm up to me pretty quick, however i have a couple walls built up and i need time to warm up to people, but i’m always friendly to people who haven’t given me a reason to dislike them LMAO. i have adhd so i’m very impulsive a lot of the time with spontaneous trips. also i’m a very passionate person, i love classic literature and i often write character analysis and can read through people pretty easily, i’ve been studying psychology and psychiatry in my free time through textbooks and whatnot.

im unlabelled and non binary! and for the fandom stranger things!

Thanks for the ask! I feel like you are literally describing me, I have blue hair too and it changes every month istg…

🤍Join the celebration!🖤

I match you with… 🥁

Eddie Munson!

For real, are you kidding me? You guys are meant to be.

I can see it, perfectly. The library okay? He spots a pretty lil' thing waking through his favorite aisle, because I truly hc Eddie as an active reader, why? Because that man is full of creativity and he needs the tools to make works of art.

He's head over heels over you, the moment, no, the millisecond he meets you. To Eddieboy, you are a dream come true. He loves your style, your overall vibe, everything about you Just. Simply. Attracts. Him. Little study sessions become little nights talking on the phone, while you EVEN help him build a new campaign, the characters, the villains, the heroes, the scenery, every single word that falls from your lips has him spellbound. I can see him having a bit of a hard time understanding how you perceive yourself, I mean its the 80's, but what he lacks of knowledge he compensates it with effort! That man is willing to fight ANYONE who disrespects you or makes you uncomfortable!

Eddie loves matching his outfits with you, he loves exchanging necklaces, earrings, jackets, ANYTHING just to have a little piece of you close to him. You spend your weekends listening to cassettes he makes SPECIALLY for you!

Ugh, to be Eddie Munson's lover.

[post-modern-prometheus]

On the topic of songs, there are so many I'd want in Stranger Things, but they didn't come out until later in the year of '86 or years later. I've been losing my mind over The Promise by When in Rome and Hold on To My Heart by W.A.S.P for weeks and I may just have to break down and make edits or a fic myself based on them. Even True Colors by Cydni Lauper wouldn't release until the fall of the current year! Anywho, what songs would you want to hear in show if not locked to pre spring of '86?

oh ho BOY OH BOY I LOVE TALKING ABOUT ST AND MUSIC

tracy chapman's fast car. number one choice. i can picture mike and will driving around town, with this blasting over the radio, planning their escape from hawkins, stealing glances at each other, singing at the top of their lungs during that bridge.

if i say the twin peaks theme.........

who wants to live forever by queen if someone dies. or if they're all maybe prepping themselves to maybe die. that whole part about touching my tears with your lips. i can see everyone glancing at each other as they gear up, not sure who will live to see the end of this.

i know it's over by the smiths. ik the queen is dead came out in 86 but idk if it was pre-spring but yeah. this just feels sooo bittersweet ending. sorry for putting the smiths on this list.

nirvana's cover of the man who sold the world. idk when or why but that is just mega ethereal.

iris by the goo goo dolls. this feels so 90s bc it literally came at the tail end but oh boy does it make me feel some type of way.

getting into actual recent songs i'd have to say i know the end by phoebe bridgers is prolly the most st song for me. that whole part about "a haunted house with a picket fence" is so wheeler core, but that whole weird long verse is just sO stranger things. "the billboard said 'the end is near'".

the white stripes are cool bc unlike those last two, their music feels like it would fit. i would like smth with the party and/or byler of we're gonna be friends. bc it kind of does have a childhood friends to lovers feel but i put that song on when i want to cry over how much i love my friends.

also i NEED maya hawke to sing a cover of fell in love with a girl and that sing feels so robin idc.

dreams by the cranberries !!!

lazarus by bowie. i cannot listen to this song. but i feel like it is so will byers and ugh ouch uh ow no fuck.

OK I WENT SO OVERBOARD SORRY LMAO TY FOR THIS

[mo2k]

hello bambam :>

do you have any favourite ships from people you follow? like people's selfship and all? i see them on my dash and smile when i see them, so i was wondering if you had any that made your heart warm too! take care lovely

Oh hello to you too dear anon ! ❣︎ And oohhhh yes I have ! <3 Tbh I kinda love everyone’s selfship ! But I’m gonna choose only a few I could think of here (but remember that I love all of your selfships ! And they are all my fav ! 🥺💗) Also I can totally understand that ! Seeing others selfship make my heart warm too !! And awie — pls take care as well ! ♥️

My fav’s ship + random thought I had ab. it ♥︎ :

@quirrrky — tetsurei (kuroo x rei) : This one’s… Are you kidding me ?? They’re practically soulmates like she always got him in her matchup or quizzes, their mbti even clicked ! They’re meant to be — yeah, I shipped this two v. much ♥︎ I also have the thought of kuroo teasing you non stop, trying to get you mad and flustered, and then apologize to you by giving you kisses & cuddles — oooooo

@madeofsaltiness — dabisey (dabi x sey ?? I’m sorry but I have no idea ab. your ship name T^T) : Yeah I know I once give sero to you. But I’m just so terrible at matchmaking and that I completely forgot ab. lov at that time whoops — nvm let’s not talk ab. it, anyway after I got to know you better, learn your type and stuff — I now shipped you w. dabi my bby シ A random thought I had ab. you two… dabi would hugged you tight when you fall asleep (maybe due to his bad past or something— so he’s kinda want to make sure that you’re safe :D), kissed the top of your head while mumbling a good night (??) Lol I somehow got this thought out of nowhere bahahaha ! 😂

@moon-mars-ikemen — mars x fat gum (I’m so sorry 😭🙏) : You both will be such a v. cute couple ! You are such a sweetheart & fat gum is one of the best boi ever uwu. I lowkey have the cute thought about you two going to the local market looking for some delicious food for a date asdfghjkl —

@koushisbutterfly — anasuga (anastasia x sugawara) : Yeah, they’re perfect for each other. Although I love suga too but they’re just so perfect for each other 😔👏 I bet suga must be dying to hear you play the piano (might eavesdrop too if you don’t let him — lmao imagine him putting his ear against the door just to hear you playing, and then got caught by the door slammed against his face bc you’re gonna go the bathroom bahahahaha !! 😂) bc you’re just so talented and have such an amazing person. 💕

@just-pepperbean, @joykamado , @yui-san0 — the triple tanjirou’s stan, I love them all v. much :> And I’m sure this precious bby boy will be whipped for you three too bc ya’ll are just so kind and sweet, and it’ll be v. adorable, too !! >w<

@samu-sorbet — faesamu (fae x osamu) : eh… I’m so sorry but I just couldn’t ignore the urge to include you, fae ! I wanna tell you that I love this ship so much ! It’s so so cute ahhhhh — trope I wanna give you two ; strangers to lovers. Samu met you in one of the local ice cream’s shop, you could practically sense that someone’s eyes were glued to you even when you don’t turn around. After a while you confronted him since he’s been making you uncomfortable, he then apologized profusely and offer to walk you home, what a cute lil love story huhu —

@maipxilia — maitsuki (maia x bakugou) : there’s one trope I wanna give to you both, and that’s opposite attract. You are so caring & sweet and bakugou is a tough on the outside (soft on the inside but there’s no way he’ll let anybody see that side of him, well *cough cough* you is an exception, of course *cough cough*) He’ll def look away from you to hide his blush when you’re being too cute ! Which is almost all the time but that’s just — ugh — >////<

@tooru-luvs — ahh zizi, I remember that you said once that you simp for nanami. If I’m not remember wrong, and I often had this random thought when I think ab. you & him… imagine nanami sometimes become distracted bc he’s been thinking of you <3 He know he should focus on work more, but he just can’t, and ended up come over to your house to confess his feelings to you that night bc he can’t just keep it anymore. Wow —

@kitacharm — nat ! my fav’s ship for you could be no one else but kita. Yeah yeah ya’ll fit each other so much and I can practically see kita simping hard for you but have no idea how to convey or say his feelings nor did he know how to come and talk to you hahahaha. Might also try to throw some flirty jokes — as he’s been advised by the twins & the team. but end up failing miserably and embarrassed himself, bby boy face would be so red & suna would take a quick pic of it and secretly send it in the team’s secret group chat whoops —

@animated-moon — ooh yes, moonten (moon x tendou) & @shirari — riri x shirabu, I’m kinda surprised (but in a good way, I’m excited too, actually —) at first that you both simp for character that came from shiratorizawa. Bc there’s not a lot of ppl (or at least for the ppl I’ve met before) who love character that came from shiratorizawa, they’re so underrated T^T. But overall I think you will be such a lovely couple ! (moon x tendou & riri x shirabu)

Riri — I think shirabu will silently ask (beg) to see your artwork bc they’re all so beautiful !! By giving you the looks that only you will understand. With his face shaded in light pink ofc, he’s too embarrassed to say it out loud but he really wants to see them ! (Both you and I know that he’s v. stubborn and not in the million years will he even try to voice his feelings *sigh* :<)

Moon — Awie, you & tendou will def practice volleyball w. each other !! And you both will go to each other’s game to cheer one another !! And it’ll be so cute asdfghjkl — tendou’s eyes would go soft, and he would also grin and winked at you when his eyes landed on you <33

@mysterystarz — keinova (akaashi x nova) ofc, could not think of anybody else ! I shipped you two v. much !! I have a feeling that bokuto would encourage (nah pressed) akaashi into confessing to you, being such a fantastic friend he is. And akaashi’s face would heat up & get flustered everytime bokuto bring this up ! >w< “Bokuto-san ! I told you to keep quiet ! She might hear you !” Ooh ooh lal laaaaaa~

Okay okay, enough — I might turn this into a short scenarios, might. Stress on that part, might. I’m not sure but I’ve been lacked in inspiration lately… nvm, anyway pls take care and have a great day everyone !! Remember ya’all are v. amazing & important !! I luv u so much for just the way you are !! ♡´･ᴗ･`♡

- With love, BamBam 🦢🌙

[1800-fight-me]

k i haven't watched stranger things at all but eddie has the TIGHTEST grip on me 😤 and so does the best friends to lovers trope.

there needs to be a childhood besties to reunited friends to lovers fic asap!! he's just so gentle and kind n the most lil wholesome person 🥺

the yearning is too real lmao

god yes you’re so right bestie eddie is THE only man ever

ugh best friends to lovers is my all time fav trope and it fits eddie so so so well!!

can you imagine all the desperate yearning?? both of you in love with each other but too scared to ruin the friendship?? god yes it would be exquisite

eddie deserves all the sweetness and tenderness!!!!

[4dtk]

stuck with you

pairing: enemy!journalist!haechan x journalist!reader

genre: angst, fluff, humour, enemies to lovers (hope i did the trope justice tbh TT)

warnings: cursing, f words lmao, i mention stranger things a lot in this??? mainly bc i just finished watching it w a friend. i also only use ‘haechan’ when narrating the story so i don’t get confused! the timeline for this is Very Weird as well bc like i didn’t consider how long a pandemic would last…… so Uhm. pls just excuse the weird ass time sequence. also referenced yangyang’s bastard child behaviour from dream plan where he packs his things messily and kun had to mf intervene and yangyang had the audacity to go like “see, this is how u get ppl to pack for you, now i don’t have to do anything” 💀

word count: 8k (a headache to proofread...)

A/N: first time trying an e2l trope and im not sure if it was done ok??? i didn't want it to feel too rushed so i tried to spread out the days as much as i could!! i also included small snippets of their life w the other so it won’t seem like the fic is just focusing on the e2l concept! was inspired tons by the lyrics of stuck with u by ariana grande and jb, so that song is definitely something you can listen to if you read this! hope you enjoy ^^

[day 1]

"you're insufferable," you groan, reluctantly handing over the remote control for the hotel's television after some unsuccessful scrolling.

hotels never exactly had much range anyway. 

you were very much already dreading the time ahead with the male, sadly having been stuck in quarantine not even half a day with haechan. 

offering to go to a neighbouring country to report on the rising covid-19 situation, you didn't expect your rival to tag along, no doubt seeking to craft up a better story than you would.

and so, you were now nudging the remote control into his waiting palm with a roll of your eyes. you hoped it emphasised your annoyance with him even a little, standing up to prepare a cup of tea before bed. 

"are you going to keep watching television while i sleep?" you ask a genuine question, peeking at him through the mirror of the vanity that sat outside the bathroom.

he just shrugs with a tired sigh, turning his attention back to the cartoon playing in front of him. 

"okay, well, keep to your side of the bed and i'll stay in mine. we need to be social distancing, anyway."

there's a hint of "okay, loser" mumbled under his breath, but you pay it no thought as you finish your tea and brush your teeth before you skillfully set up a fortress made out of pillows.

"ow! what the hell?" 

"your leg was in the way, jeez! move it, and i'll stop annoying you," you said, putting up the last of your requested pillows beside where haechan currently sat. 

taking one last glance at haechan, you wondered when the lockdown in your country would last before they start letting people fly in. for now, you were trapped with the nightmare himself in a sad hotel room, with only a bed to share.

"goodnight," he tells you, but the sardonic way he says it irks you to the point where you settle for silence instead. the only thing that drones on are the voices of the cartoon, soon fading as you feel into a dreamless sleep.

[day 4]

"this virus thing is probably driving me insane by day, and you, lee haechan, are adding on to it!"

"no headlines, no idea what style to write in, minimal pictures-" the doorbell to the hotel room interrupts your current rant, prompting you to storm off to answer the call with an annoyed look. 

"what now?" taken aback by your quick response, the housekeeping girl retracts with downturned eyebrows and a voice hesitant to speak. your roommate comes to the rescue almost immediately when he's heard the commotion.

you watch as he sends her a smile and a wink, deflating when he's let her in to clean up the room. you're not sure why you can't keep your eyes off the both of them as they converse, blaming it mostly on your hatred for the male.

with the last of her duties fulfilled, you offer to help her with the cleaning supplies as an apology, but she cuts you off almost immediately. there's a linger in her step, however, as she walks the short hallway to the door, evident in wanting haechan to send her off as he received her.

turning back to call him, he holds up a hand as he types down his opening lines to an article, prompting you to shoot the housekeeper girl another apologetic look.

"sorry again," you mumble, letting out a sigh at how this was all playing out. day four and you were already making enemies with the hotel crew.

"maybe day forty-one is where i fall in love with lee haechan," you scoffed, perhaps listing down all the unfortunate things that could happen while you were in quarantine.

one of them was catching feelings for your rival.

rolling your eyes, you settled on the bed to catch a few Zs as he continued to work on his article, though you weren't exactly sure about the weight your words held.

[day 9]

"haechan, what is this?" you ask with an eyebrow raised, his dirty boxers barely hanging off your finger. 

haechan only groans at that, knowing you were relentless in the laundry. even in a pandemic, he was sure you'd prioritise your clothes first.

"jesus! don't go picking up my underwear just like that!" he snatches it from you, folding it neatly and placing it next to where his luggage sat. unfortunately, yours was right beside his. 

"you think just because you're doing the laundry you're able to look through a man's prized possessions-!"

your jaw drops, "it was near the sink, haechan! i don't want to look at the checkered pattern on your boxers when i brush my teeth. i don't want it near my face either." 

haechan groans yet again, running a hand through his hair in frustration before turning back to the computer, a blank document opened up in front of him.

despite gathering findings, interviewing healthcare workers and serving the public alongside frontline staff, he had deleted every attempt at writing.

there's a rumble from the bathroom, perhaps from your upset stomach or the choked pipe, but sometimes they sounded too similar he couldn't tell it apart. haechan stifles a laugh when there's a "fuck!" echoing behind the door, though unsure if he should help you or not.

when haechan hears another crash, he comes running without hesitation with a face morphed into furrowed eyebrows and a tilt of the head.

"don't just stand there, you moron!" 

haechan snaps out of his daze to assist you off the floor, swiftly helping you even more off the floor as he carries you to the bed with a stiff one arm. you notice his other hand hanging awkwardly, probably not knowing what to do with it before you feel the soft sheets under your butt.

he gets to work within a minute, fishing for an ointment and some bandages his mother forced him to bring. he remembers it as he always has: a caring mother looking out for her son, maybe a little too much sometimes. 

haechan is thankful for his mother, now, for the stray bandages laying around in his pouch.

you watch in silence as he cleans the cut with alcohol, wincing when his hand hadn't even touched your skin.

"my hand isn't even on your skin yet! jeez, calm down." 

you shake your head, holding onto his bicep to halt his arm, "just use water, please."

exhaling in exasperation, you wonder if you've pissed him off tenfold when he leaves for the bathroom with a side-eyed glance, though not hostile.

"problematic," haechan whispers, dabbing a wet cloth over the wound carefully before applying the ointment and securing the bandages. 

"your words contradict your actions so much, haechan. i never know what you're thinking." sighing, you pull your leg away from his hold after he's done with the bandages, making your way to the bathroom and leaving him in his thoughts.

"why do you want to know?"

haechan gets silence; the lock of the bathroom audibly turns to signal another wall put up between the two of you. with another frustrated groan, the boy plops down on the chair to work on his article with the right words forming in his mind.

even if he was the one who asked, he wasn't sure if he was ready to tell you.

[day 13]

"stranger things is freaking me the fuck out, man!" haechan whispered, ignoring your pleads and groans to continue writing. 

"haechan! give me the damn laptop! i don't even know why you brought an HDMI cable when it doesn't work with the television system here!"

"well, we got one that matches it, didn't we?" he said, eyes peeled to the screen that showed the young boy, will, in the upside-down.

"you mean you did!" you shoved him, ready to disconnect the devices before haechan held you back, clearly entranced by the next sequence of eleven being able to see will in a pool of salt. 

"ugh, god, i don't even know why people watch the show!" you spill with sourness, knowing the show was praised for its excellent acting and writing.

haechan raises an eyebrow, turning to you with a strangely slow speed. 

"stranger things have received multiple awards, and you didn't give any other reason. are you scared?"

when you struggle to find words, haechan laughs at his revelation, hiding his pearly whites behind his hand as he continues to make fun of you.

"yeah yeah, i'm scared! so what?" 

"'oh haechan! oh no~ i'm terrified, would you care to provide some comfort?' jeez, don't worry, man, i'll protect you." there's a cheeky glimmer in his eyes and a cocky smirk on his face which you very much want to wipe off with the disinfectant in the toilet.

"it's not all that bad, c'mon! give it a-" turning back to the tv, the sudden attack of the demogorgon lashing out at the camera has the male screaming, hiding behind your body in fear.

"you were saying, mr superman?" you deadpan, unlatching his arms around your waist as you sink deeper into the sheets with your phone in hand.

[day 17]

haechan thrashes in his sleep, almost knocking the wine glass you had in your hands when he crosses over the pillow barrier you made. 

"what in the hell-" you winced, keeping an eye on the male should he have any more outbursts that would ruin both wine night and the stuff you were working on for the article. 

with tipsy hands, your keyboard keys unconsciously write out a letter of disdain and confusion regarding haechan, the boy sleeping next to you with a cute drooling face and curly hair.

with beautiful tan skin like that, you wondered why he didn't model instead. with a voice as impressive as his, you wondered why he didn't sign a contract. with natural hosting capabilities, you wondered why didn't fucking get the place of a talk show host. 

because man, he can get pretty bothersome sometimes.

[day 20]

the next few days pass by with a breeze.

despite not knowing how the current pandemic will turn out, you find haechan more bearable, his habits being dumped in the past with a wave of a hand.

petty arguments occur, of course, until one of you brushes off the matter like nothing.

today was one of the days you won't back down.

there's worry evident on your face, eyes scanning through every last document on the stupid laptop. fingers travel fast over the keyboard as the realisation slowly dawns on you. 

with slumped shoulders, you take a deep breath before turning to the male.

"what do you mean you accidentally deleted my article? i know we're sharing the damn laptop, but we established that you stay on your files and i stay on mine."

the other waved his hand, "i did not touch any of your files, (y/n), i'm not sure what happened."

"how could you not know? what the hell? i had good content on it, but now i have to spend more hours reorganising the news and interview answers and everything else in my notes. thanks, lee haechan."

"maybe if you weren't so caught up in me trying to sabotage your place in the publication team, then you would've believed me." he shrugged, taking a seat on the one bed like nothing.

you scoffed, arms crossing across your body. "funny how you mention sabotage because a villain never reveals their motive. that's why you came with me, didn't you?"

haechan stuck his tongue out to the side of his mouth, eyes blinking and rolling like an 8-ball that it sickened you to the core.

"villain? i'm the villain?"

"was i not clear?" you hiss, stepping closer to the male.

"no, make it more precise, please. i wanna hear it word for word. spit it out, coward."

with every word, you plunged your finger into his chest, looking deep into his eyes. "you're set out to take my place for department editor, where you know i'm best at."

"and that department would be...?" he crossed his arms, looking down at you with scorn you wished you could slap off his face.

"the..." you gulp with his face all up in yours, eyes boring as he awaits your answer, no doubt losing confidence at your realisation.

"the world depart...ment? you love to travel, right?" you trail off, biting your lip in anxiety when you remember how he was on the plane. you don't exactly remember whether he was more excited or scared.

"wrong! try again."

"politics?" you propose.

haechan's face contorts into disbelief, with his mouth twisted with perplex and eyebrows furrowed. "me? politics?"

your mouth runs dry at the roadblock you've faced, and as that annoying, stupid smirk grows, your hatred for him increases by the charts.

"naming departments i'd rather die than join, running your mouth, accusing me of deleting your files..." haechan shakes his head dramatically, rolling his eyes and letting out a fat sigh.

"you think i wanna be stuck here with your infuriating ass? god, you're so entitled, aren't you? aren't you?!"

"talking like you own the place, talking like you're the only one in this world, talking like- mhfh-"

within three angry steps, you were across the room.

within three booming steps, your hands were on his face.

within three significant steps, you were kissing lee haechan.

"you never learn to shu..." with horror, you're brought back from the trance with widened eyes.

"oh, god, sorry. what. what the hell. what the fuck?" you whisper, pushing the boy away with both hands in a panic, trying to highlight your scorn for him by wiping your lips on your sleeve.

had you liked it?

the other scurried to the balcony in a frenzy while you collected yourself in the bathroom, although no amount of water could calm your nerves. 

with shaky words in bed, you both agreed to never talk about it again.

[day 25]

"hey, i can see your damn annotations on my article, (y/n). will you stop it?" haechan whines, making you second guess if he was joking or not.

for the nth time that day, you roll your eyes and proceed to sip from your cup of gin tonic that haechan desperately wanted you to try. it was... a refreshing taste, but hell, you wouldn't drink this even if it was the last beverage on earth.

"i'm just giving my feedback, be thankful i didn't bring up that stupid kiss five days ago. bleugh." 

haechan falls quiet at that, fingers lingering over the keyboard as he typed out some note with the speed of a sloth's. 

"hey, call me donghyuck. that's my actual name," he mumbles, glancing at you through his bangs while he awaits your reply.

"donghyuck? is haechan an alias?"

the boy shrugs, "i don't know, maybe. my friends gave it to me when i was younger, and i just stuck with it."

"full sun? your friend gave it to you, sure." you grin with a gesture of your hand, almost spilling the gin in the clear glass before breaking into small laughter with the other.

[day 28]

"hey! hey, what the hell?" you whisper, feeling the boy huddle up to you in lightning speed. 

"what is wrong with you?" you whisper-shout, nudging him off your body as his phone screen remains as the only thing illuminating his face.

"sorry, i- i was watching stranger things while i was shitting and after i cleaned up... i heard something and bolted out of there."

"so now you're butt naked? hyuck, ew!" you groan, thankful for the sheets that were covering your body and his junk. his reluctance to get off you didn't seem to bother you as much as earlier, but you still wished he wasn't literally naked against you.

"go put on your underwear, you big baby. i'll be here when you come out. no demogorgon is going to come out, for real."

"no no, i was watching season two and it was that big shadow thingy that freaked me out. can't you feel this poor boy shivering?" haechan sighed, eyes never leaving the corridor that led to the bathroom.

"i can, and i also can feel your dick. please get dressed, or you're sleeping on the floor," you mumble, pulling the sheets to cover your freezing body.

[day 31] 

your face hits something soft, cuddling into it even further because of its warmth before you realise there was only one other thing that would be warm in the room.

haechan.

your breath shakes, and your eyes widen as you pull yourself away from his embrace. your subtle movement leaves him thrashing around, though, and his arms tighten around your figure slowly and endearingly.

gulping, you will your hands to stay in their place, opting to freeze to death although there are hints of heat crawling onto your face.

when you wake up, you find that his hand's in yours and maybe you were searching for one wrong thing. an anomaly, an exception. it fit in yours perfectly, however, his tanned skin glowing lightly under the rays of sun filtering through the curtains.

you hoped he didn't realise the small shift of your fingers as they enclosed around his hand.

[day 32]

"what are you doing out here?" haechan asked quietly, peeking around the sliding door before joining you on the chilly balcony. it wasn't much, but it was still different and refreshing from the old, stagnant aircon air that was blowing in the hotel room.

"can't sleep," you whisper. you had your arms around your figure cautiously, as if it could protect you from all the bad, evil and terror in the world. at this point, you weren't sure what was it that you were feeling, but it sure didn't involve entertaining haechan's teasing. 

luckily, he bit his tongue from making the usual snarky remarks.

"it's two in the morning, what's up?" 

you shake your head in reply, watching the empty streets as the last light in the apartment across you switches off. sure, at two in the morning, pavements were dusty clean, and the birds were sleeping, but there would always be younger boys smoking along the road, or a drunken group of friends laughing about a past memory. 

now that the pandemic forced everyone into their homes, everything was pretty much dead. there wasn't that excitement you felt when you saw a late-night kiss shared between two lovers or the snug hug of a child to his father who was working overtime that day.

"nothing's up, hyuck, it's fine. you can get back to sleep if you want."

maybe today you two were the one causing the ruckus this time, though. haechan may have let his words slipped, and at that moment, you knew you regretted that bloom in your chest when his lips met yours.

"you're so hard to read, (y/n). i want you to be able to trust me, tell me what's going on."

"why do you wanna know anyway? so you can expose me of my bad habits and weak points?" you whisper, eyes trained on the flickering lamppost a few yards away.

"there you go again! again with the sabotage?" haechan scoffed, exiting the small space and stepping back into the room of mixed emotions.

"is this just about your feelings for me?" 

haechan laughed, "my feelings? might i remind you that you were the one who kissed me full on the lips twelve days ago? what was that all about? i wanna talk about it, even though we said we wouldn't! i wanna talk about why you hate me so much. i wanna talk about why your emotions are so contradictive!" 

your mouth hangs open as you sputter out a heated reply, but instead gets interrupted with a knock on the door. 

"keep quiet, you damn teenagers! i don't need your petty fights at two in the morning!" with padded feet, the guest returns to his room and slams the door to emphasise his complaint. swallowing, your mind goes blank as it focuses only on one question.

"why do you want to know so much lee haechan? what are you gaining out of this? if it's not sabotaging, then what is it?!" you whisper, standing your ground as with the first argument. 

your throat is clenched up, and your fists are balled up tightly with nails digging into your palm. your heartbeat races like a fast car and your breathing's laboured in the cold room. there's no movement for a second, though they feel like minutes on end as haechan struggles to answer your question.

"what is it, lee donghyuck?" you cry out again, the sparkle in your eyes shining brightly from the tears of your never-ending dispute. he wished it was from the moonlight, instead. he wished the two of you were laughing over the rim of wine glasses and sharing the mischievous glimmer of the moon in your eyes.

"it's nothing. don't mind it." the other turns to catch up on sleep, leaving you to bite your lip.

"now you're doing it, now you're the one doing it. just tell me, you dumbass!" you mumble, pulling on his pyjama sleeve and tugging you to him.

"i like you, okay! it's out there now, i like you a lot, but you make it feel like a crime to do it," haechan whispers, "whatever. fuck this."

"no- what- no, we'll talk this out." you propose, adjusting your grip on his wrist with the curl of your fingers.

the male shakes his head and snatches his arm back, "no, forget it, and i'd prefer if you left me alone, (y/n)."

even with the warmth of his body next to yours, your body felt frozen and stiff. even with the thick duvet cover over you, you felt out of place in the stale hotel room, with colour becoming black and white, they merge into grey as the moonlight shone without a care for your problems.

there's action on the balcony when your eyes flutter open in the morning, noticing the quiet way haechan observes those rushing to work as well as social distancing officers making their rounds.

his eyes look hopeful and youthful, different from the tired ones the night before, or rather, this morning. you hadn't forgotten the angry neighbour banging on the door, and you definitely hadn't forgotten about how much you've wounded haechan this morning.

with a soft knock, you let him know of your presence and you just miss the way his eyes soften at your bed hair and messy appearance. his gaze turns hard in a second as he turns back to the apartment across yours, the balcony door showing your reflection of how hesitant you were.

haechan wished he could take your hands in his and accept your apology in a heartbeat, but he stayed seated and waited for whatever you wanted to say.

"don't run off, please." there's a shameful hand on his shoulders, and he's dying to get up when he sees your downcast eyes in the reflection across the street.

"i was too caught up in getting department head that i... didn't consider other possibilities. even the possibility of you uhm... liking me. it's still a weird concept to me, especially with how much we bicker."

"i'm sorry i didn't stay to hear out your feelings and rather, i just talked over you instead. i'm not sure if you want to accept this or not, but i want to open up—about this, about your feelings and... i don't know how much i've masked my emotions, i just know that we need to communicate."

the doorbell interrupts your apology, but you internally thank the housekeeping for bringing breakfast for the two of you.

with silence over breakfast, you weren't sure how the other felt as he scoffed down the croissant and almost burned his tongue with the coffee he ordered.

[day 33] 

the boy barely watches the television and instead, reads over the article you were working on. seeing as it was already there when he logged on, he skimmed through it out of curiosity, finding that you were rephrasing the messy typos and sentences frantically on your notes.

haechan never forgot the way you were typing away on the laptop, eyes reading and rereading the sentences to make sure they made sense, to make sure they were clear to the reader. 

the argument had taken a toll on you, too. he sees it in the way your eyes sink when your words turn out choppy and lacking, he sees it in the way you lug your body to the bathroom after a late night, he sees it in the way you struggle to hold your smile while attending an interview. 

'haechan. you confuse me. i'm not...' the note below it trails off, piquing his curiosity at what it had in store.

'haechan.' big and bold letters it wrote, with a few dozen question marks below it. your writing skills shine through even in an informal note about your self-proclaimed rival, each line prompting the other to read more.

'you confuse me. i'm not sure what you're at but, it doesn't seem natural for you to tag along with someone you hate, right? that's what i was thinking too.'

'jeez, i remember hating when suyeon told me you were coming along. i didn't believe her one bit until she showed me your plane ticket and the hotel rooms next to each other. god, and when i came here, it was a day of interviewing before the damn government decided to close flights and force us into a room together.'

'i heard that other people had to be separated. i didn't know why we were the unlucky two that had to be put in a room together. i wished we didn't, almost. of course, you annoyed me when we first moved in. hogging the tv to no end, leaving your dirty underwear everywhere, running your mouth just like at our workplace.'

'i couldn't take it, maybe. sure, my brother has similar antics, but there was just something about you that just set me off, you know? i wouldn't have thought it was the opposite, or at least, i think so.'

'i'm counting the days. day 17 and i'm not sure why i feel this bubbling feeling inside me. of course, there's anger—i'm sure it's there, but there's also this other thing i get whenever i look at you.'

'my heart clenches up, and my hands become clammy, but it couldn't be a crush, right? i would've wasted my breath shouting, and my strength whacking your shoulder.' that makes haechan chuckle and look over at you where the soft light dances over your face.

'and then i started imagining. how would your arms wrap around me? how would your infuriating laughter, which somehow turned out to be so contagious, feel in the crook of my neck? yikes, that was cheesy.'

'what would it feel like if we fell in love for one night? where would you bring me and what would we eat? would we make out in your car like unruly teenagers?' 

'what would it be like to love you? it's dumb, isn't it? i don't know. i've liked this bickering thing we had going on, and it's amusing to see you one-up me. i'm not sure if i want that to change and i'm not sure if you want us to, either.'

'maybe i'm wrong, and i'm the only one in this thing. this is so stupid, writing while he's sitting next to me. i'll regret this, maybe. goodnight.'

haechan sighs, closing the device in thought, confused at the words he wasn't exactly supposed to read. had you done this on purpose? he was sharing the laptop with you...

the boy brushed it off, placing the laptop on the vanity before adjusting your side of the duvet, hoping he could find the right words. with hesitant steps, he keeps to his side of the bed, thinking, thinking, thinking. 

when he couldn't no more, haechan fell into the spell of slumber in the comfortable hotel room.

[day 34]

"tea?" he asks from the bathroom as the door clicks behind you, returning from the short hotel walk with a new keychain hanging from your sling bag.

"yeah sure, thanks." 

the water runs as he fills up the kettle as the constant whir of the aircon and the conversation on the television keeps you company in the vast quietness of the room. 

you weren't sure if you should say anything, but when you saw the dishevelled appearance of your roommate, you knew you had to bring up the argument and apology.

"haechan, about our... feelings. do you want to talk about them?" you whispered, a reply reaching your ears in the form of his spoon against the porcelain mug.

haechan hands you the drink wordlessly, sitting on the chair at the vanity before sipping cautiously at the tea. there are unexchanged glances between the two of you before he sighs at your expectant hand tapping the sheets.

"i think it's about time we did," he mumbled, dragging the laptop off the wooden table with anxiety. the other opened it without saying anything, catching you by surprise when the mouse hovers over your note.

"hae- donghyuck! no! what the hell?"

he holds up a hand and clicks on it anyway, making your heart drop to your stomach as he turned the device towards you.

"read the bottom." haechan whispers as you pull the laptop closer to you, settling it on your lap as he observed your expressions carefully.

'i read it, i'm sorry.' you look at him and lift up a hand to prepare to whack him, a defeated sigh escaping you before you carried on.

'was it wrong to read it? of course, and i cannot apologise more for doing shit like that when we still have unsolved tension between us in this small ass room. it was incorrect, but.'

'do you feel the same as me? is bickering all we have to do? why can't we work anything out? they're the questions i keep asking myself after i read your letter.'

'i guess i was too caught up in the fight and not wanting to be the loser that i... can't deny that i've never thought about wanting to get to know you, even if you were that sought out to be my destined enemy.'

'when we fought earlier, you kissed me. i know we said not to mention it, but, uhm, it was good. i liked it. i'm not sure if the reason why you did it was because of the reason you mentioned in the note, but at the time, i assumed it was to shut me up. i thought something would happen after, though you pushed me away and apologised right away.'

'it was a far off dream that i had, but i think it was after i bandaged your foot. you said that you didn't know what was going on in my mind, and i told you.'

'it was like, i was granted an insight into an alternate world, another universe where you didn't feel the strain, where you legitimately assumed i was going for your position.'

'you scoffed when i confessed, right then and there, on day 9. i was counting, too, and it was a scary, confusing dream. i think that's why i held it off as long as i could until your words puzzled and angered me further because you just didn't get it.'

'you scoffed and told me to get lost, pushing on my shoulders where we fought on the balcony for everyone to see. you never spoke to me, you never mentioned my article nor the interviews. we never joked over wine, and we always kept to our side of the bed.'

'i was convinced that heaven wanted me to stay away from you and your heart. maybe it was broken too many times, and you had someone up there looking out for you.'

'i feel like i'm copying off the textbook of some greek mythology starter pack, but i'm for real! no kidding.' you smiled, looking at him with nervous eyes at the small joke he put in.

'i guess whoever put that dream in my sleep really wanted us not to be together because i think i would've told you i liked you on the spot itself. i let my conscious get the best of me.'

'i know this is a lazy way of conveying my feelings, and i wished i could do it with words, but i feel like you wouldn't believe me otherwise. i rushed it this morning when you went on your morning walk around the hotel and when you let me know of your stroll in a soft voice, i wanted nothing more than to get you in my arms as we wake up to the housekeeping service.'

'i didn't want any more tension between us, and i didn't want to be interrupted by your alarm while we avoid each other more. it hurts seeing you escape the room in haste. you said it was weird for me to tag along with someone i hate, too, and that someone was you. i guess you found out why.'

looking up, you found him right in front of you, mouth dry from his reply to your letter. with a gulp, you leaned forward to meet his lips halfway.

"i'm sorry to whoever's up there," he whispers, prompting a grin and a laugh out of you.

the laptop is forgotten on the bed as haechan situates himself over you, clutching your shoulder gently while his lips move quickly, fast to make up for lost time. 

"wait wait, wait, you're not playing me, are you?" you mumble in return, reluctantly pulling away while witnessing the way his eyes soften at your guard still up. haechan shakes his head forlornly, tongue pressing up against the side of his mouth nervously.

"no, i'm not, (y/n)," he says quietly with as much sincerity he can muster, removing his hand from your shoulder with a forced smile. 

"okay." there's a shakiness to your voice, but when you bring his lips back to yours, it gives you a rush of confidence. your skin is burning up, and your hands can't stop wandering as his lips capture yours, repeatedly moving against yours like a trance.

you grant haechan access to your mouth with a whimper, melting into his embrace as his arms wrap tighter around your figure. his eagerness lingers when he pushes forward, straddling your lap as his leg nudges the laptop.

"wait, hyuck, wait, the laptop!" you joke, placing the device on the floor before getting back into the kiss with just as much fervour. within a minute or so, the other breaks away to say the words you so hated to hear:

"we... we need to talk. we can't just kiss the fight off, although i very much like to," haechan murmurs the last part, making you stifle a smile. 

you nod quickly, repeating the word "okay" like a robot. your hands naturally travel from his arms down to his fingers, and you clutch them like your life depended on it.

"we have... established, that i like you, correct?" haechan whispers, scooting closer as his tea-ridden breath surrounds you. from here, you could even smell the buttered croissant he ate this morning.

it made you smile, something simple as that.

"why- why are you laughing (y/n)?" he asks anxiously, eyes darting to find the reason why you found this so funny.

"no. no no no, i'm thinking of... the croissant you ate just now, and," you sigh, resting your head on his broad shoulder. 

"i'm thinking of the way your eyes light up when you show me the articles you idolise so much, and i'm thinking of the way you cuddle up to me whenever we watch stranger things." 

"i'm thinking of the way you thought i wouldn't give you a chance, even though i've been pondering on the same thing as you. i'm thinking of the things that make up lee haechan, lee donghyuck. yes, you like me, and yes i like you, but i guess i haven't told you the reason."

"i hated you, i really did. i found every reason to convince my mind to hate you. gaining trust, signing up for events you didn't know shit about, sucking up to the seniors, stealing my friends when they didn't know your personality. the personality i didn't even want to know because i was too busy in my little bubble."

"assuming you'd want to get department head was the cherry on top, because why else would you want to tag along? that was the factor that convinced me and confirmed my suspicions from day one."

you grunt in opposition, clearly not liking the truth that was spilling from your lips. haechan deserved to know, however. you kept your eyes trained on his lap where his hands were holding yours in support, crumbling from the blindness that caused your hatred. 

"so from then, the plane ride, immigration, the cab to the interview place, the cab back, the hotel room, my hatred for you boiled over." you listed, voice breaking as you looked haechan in the eye. 

"it was stupid of me to assume, to assume the worst of you when i didn't even know you. i wasn't even sure why i felt so bitter looking at you, but the way you acted, the way you whined, worked me up so much that i figured that was how you were."

"now when i'm sitting here with the curtains drawn, i can see why you're so attractable and easy to talk to and easy-going and bright that my friends keep talking to you."

"i can see why the seniors turn to you because you're reliable and hardworking without uttering a single word."

"i can see why you wanted to hop on this flight with me because you're always curious about the world and how you can expand your skill set."

and as you said word after word, haechan observes you with a soothing hand against your forearms. his eyes shine for a different reason, for the lost time he could've had if the two of you didn't have this massive barrier. a massive barrier that's been up for the longest time. 

brick by brick, the wall is being torn down. as you hold haechan's face in the stillness of the room, you feel closer to him than you've ever felt and his tears match your frustrated ones. 

choking on sobs, delayed apologies were all you could whisper.

"i'm sorry, i'm sorry, really. we fought so bad that day, and i was so goddamn insensitive..." you sigh, swallowing a lump when his hand reached up to wipe the tears. with a blocked nose, you breathe shakily as housekeeping interrupts the moment. 

you nod towards the door as he stood up slowly to reveal the same housekeeping girl. she cleaned up the bathroom and wardrobe quietly as the two of you stood awkwardly in the small space. she had left the sheets since everyone was practically stuck in, anyway.

haechan nudges you toward the door with a shove, shooting the same housekeeping girl a small smile and a bow as an apology to the previous run-in.

"he confessed his feelings?" she inquired softly, noticing the tear marks on your face.

you bit your lip, "yeah."

"that's good, he's finally not a coward." she laughs, folding the used towels and placing them with her.

you leaned against the door, asking for an explanation with your puzzled look.

"he was someone i liked, before. we had classes back in high school. it was just a dumb crush, honestly." the housekeeping girl shrugs, resting her head on her fist in thought.

"i think he liked me, and i did too, but we didn't do much except for exchange looks and flirt because both of us were just too scared." she shakes her head and adjusts the disinfectant spray bottle, fidgeting with the nozzle.

"i'm glad he had enough courage to admit his feelings." 

nodding along to her statement, she bids you farewell as her figure fades with each step, leaving you with a sense of calmness to the end of this situation.

[day 38]

"is... is this okay?" haechan asks, arm hovering over your body while waiting for your confirmation. you smile and nod, sinking into his side as you venture in the third season of stranger things together. 

"don't you think we should be working on our articles?" you whisper, looking up at him from where you were with raised eyebrows.

the boy opens and closes his mouth in thought, gesturing to the television with an exaggerated expression. 

"stranger things, ma'am."

you click your tongue and sigh with a smile, turning back to the show as you try to relax for an online interview in a few hours.

[day 39]

"what do you say about my set-up?" haechan nudges you, proud of the hangout area he prepared on the balcony. although small, he had no trouble making it look comfortable. 

with a smile, you pop open the wine to celebrate the last scheduled interview for the trip, clinking glasses with haechan in the setting sun.

the country you were supposed to return to was slowly opening up flights for those stranded overseas and as refreshing as a different environment was, you missed home and the warmness of it.

you missed the office and your desk. hell, you even missed the mediocre coffee from the pantry.

with the last of the wine finishing, haechan pours half into your glass and the other into his, clinking one last time before you one-shot the beverage.

the high of the alcohol is gradually brought down by the mellow atmosphere and colours of twilight. as pink and orange cross over on the horizon, haechan mumbles a low "c'mere" to you in the darkness.

you hum in response and get up from your seat, bringing a pillow with you as haechan shifts to make space. sinking naturally into his arms, you sigh while you try to contain a smile full of content.

"this is nice," you admit, the corners of your lips disobeying your command, prompting you to shoot him a smile. haechan nods against your hair, a comfortable arm around your waist while you trace the tan skin of his arm.

the other taps your waist repeatedly, turning in response as he whispers out a question that makes your heart melt.

"can i kiss you?" you grin, slipping a hand around his neck and pulling him in right away. haechan's caught by surprise, laughing into your lips and striving to savour the moment as much as he could. 

a shout from across the hotel distracts you from the kiss. looking up, you realise it was the apartment resident opposite you shooting you a 'rock on' gesture.

"you guys are not fighting anymore! congrats!" you both stifle a snort as you wave back to the resident, sighing in relief when their balcony door slides shut.

"should we go inside, m'lady?" haechan giggles, replying in the form of a nod, cleaning up the area while you head in.

[day 41]

"i didn't think they'd be letting flights in so early," you mumble, folding your clothes neatly as your vision shifts to haechan... shoving his fair share of apparel into his luggage.

"donghyuck... what the hell?" you roll your eyes, shoving the boy softly as you took over the task at hand. switching personalities almost immediately, haechan fakes an interview segment with exaggerated tones.

"see, everyone, this is how you convince someone to do the work for you," the boy lays on the bed with a satisfied expression, "now i don't have to do anyth- ow!"

"if we ever live together, maybe i should punish you by doing the laundry and then folding it," you grunt, working at the speed faster than you expected while you fold shirt after shirt.

"are you proposing we move in together?" haechan peeks through an open eye, curiosity dripping from his tone. he tried to feign nonchalance but awaiting your answer felt like a weight on his heart.

your next words lifted that weight, a seemingly invisible force bringing his upper body off the bed as he stares at you in shock.

"maybe, not now but... in the future, maybe," you mumble the last part, focusing on the clothes to prevent the male from seeing the fluster on your face.

"for real?" haechan sits up, biting his lip to contain his excitement as your confirmation. 

"we'll be all stupidly domestic and shit, and i'll say i love you five years from now before you go off for work if you want that and stuff," your voice goes lower and quieter, especially towards the end, biting off way more than you could chew.

"aw! i love you too!" haechan gushes, bringing you into an embrace as your hands go limp, scrambling to explain your emphasis on the 'future'.

"d-donghyuck, i meant the future, not now..." you manage to spit out, hoping you need not answer his queries any more. your mind blanks out at the current situation, wishing you hadn't said those dumb things.

he grins into your neck, "i know, i'm just answering for future me."

you groan and escape the hug with a roll of your eyes, "yuck, too cheesy!" the boy just lets out a laugh, watching the way you fold his clothes despite your initial annoyance.

[day 42]

suyeon switches between the two of you in disbelief, finger crooked at the ambiguity of "we like each other".

"wha-" suyeon doesn't get the chance to finish the sentence before you shoot her a thumbs up, grabbing haechan by the arm and your stuff with the other.

you were happy to leave the office after a quick debrief since you two had reported to the office right after arriving at the airport, relieved when you heard he'd spare a few more days for your articles to be cleaned up.

"so, (y/n), what would you like to do now?" haechan looks at you through the reflective material of the elevator, observing the nervous wringing of your fingers.

you're glad for the material protecting your face because there's a smile that you struggle to keep as his soft, gentle voice carries through the quiet space.

the anxiety ends when the lift sounds, prompting your eyes to trail down his arm. your hand moves on its own accord, grabbing his last finger with yours as you proceed into the lift sheepishly, not missing the way haechan's eyes show his bright smile behind the mask.

"maybe i'll get to know you more, lee donghyuck."

haechan lets out a gasp, "have you not learned about me enough? scandalous." 

you feign a punch in his direction, the luggage beside you tripping over its wheels due to your swift movement. the only response you get is a giggle from the other as he tightens his pinky around yours, pressing a soft kiss to your cheek right above your face mask just as the elevator doors open.

"man, i really do want to punch you now," you mutter as you let haechan lead you, wanting nothing more than to rest in the arms of your enemy-turned-friend? enemy-turned-someoneyoulike?

you weren’t exactly sure.

he doesn't answer during the walk to the main road, nor the ride back to your home, the only constant thing being the way he admires your profile in the taxi, shrugging when you counter with a playful "what?". 

"nothing," haechan grins.

[there are more days to come]

sure, day forty-one may not have been the day you fell in love with haechan, nor the day where he outwardly claims you as his lover.

but, taking it slow never hurt anyone, either.

you know it in the way he tells you he can't go in unless he's invited and you see it in the way he asks if he can switch the television on while you prepare some drinks.

like the hotel, you know it in the way he asks if he can kiss you and the way he deepens his kisses with caution.

you appreciate it in the way he quickly apologises for a personal question, while visibly relaxing as you brush it off with a smile.

with hours pass, day forty-two becomes day forty-three, and haechan remains as chivalrous as always.

days pass, and you submit your articles. weeks pass, and you get to know the boy more and more. months pass, and you feel his love in the way he plays with your fingers in the dark and pulls you close under the sheets.

even if you hadn't acknowledged the love between the two of you, that note you wrote half-drunk matched the way you felt now—with how your heart clenches up and with how your grin never leaves your face with haechan around.

there are more days to come with lee haechan, lee donghyuck, even if it meant getting stuck together in a hotel room with unsaid words.

[leonakingscholarship]

K so I wanted to do the ask about ocs thingy but I have no clue what to ask about so I used google lol

who has the bigger di-

Do they sleep with a stuffed animal and if so what is it?

Since they exist in the canon timeline, what are their friend groups like?

What is a gross fact about them? (The Madeline character you based Dior on seems to me like she’d keep her toenails in a jar ngl)

Stranded on an island, what 4 items would they bring?

What do you think your ocs smell like ? (The questions suggested on google are getting stranger but I will go with it)

What kind of memes would they send on their group-chat ?

What pickup lines would they use when flirting? What line worked on Jamil and why was it “may I slither in your bed”

And 2/3 random facts of your choice because my two brain cells have run out of ideas :>

Cleophus has a bigger d 🥵🥵

Dior:

1. Dior has a 15 inches chibi Jamil stuffed toy that he commissioned to someone

2. His friends are Kalim and Jamil. He’s also friends with Cater and Trey.

3. This is disgusting but it's supposed to be like that right? so yeah, He is willing to eat something that Jamil spat out.

4. -His Magic hat. In his Magic hat, You can pull out a tall and round table, teapots, a portable kettle that magically fills itself with water, tea bags, and a dessert stand.

- Jamil nui

- his best friend ChibiChibi (that sleeps inside his teacup headpiece)

- Chess (ChibiChibi knows how to play chess so they play it together)

5. He loves smelling like sweets, so it’s either Vanilla, Chocolate, or Cotton Candy

6. He send wholesome memes like this

7. LMAO YES IT’S “Jamil, may i slither in your bed” *twirls hair* *twirls hair*. That pick up line makes Jamil cover Dior’s mouth but deep inside he loves it.

8. - Dior and Jamil were haters to lovers. Jamil hated him since Dior is noisy as fuck. Dior hated Jamil too for being to cold but after a couple of months, Him and Jamil grew feelings for each other.

- Dior is a brat. He nags A LOT. was that a slice of banana in his dessert? Yeah he’ll throw tantrums. (He doesn’t throw tantrums to Jamil tho. He’ll just respectfully tell Jamil to never put things in his food that he doesn’t like.

- his unique magic is “Share the Voice”. By chanting “hear the melody, hear the harmony, Share the voice!!” it allows him to lend an animal a voice that can last for up to 3 hours.

Cleophus:

1. Cleophus sleeps with his cute mummy stuffed toy that his grandma gave him.

2. He doesn’t have friends. He hates everyone

3. Nothing really. He's very hygienic and easily disgusted. Do you smell bad after being sweaty in gym class? Distance yourself for approximately 0.75 meters from him

4. - A fan. Cleophus HATES being sweaty

- his Mirror

- Water.

- a big ass umbrella since he doesn’t want to get sunburns (incase it's hot and sunny)

5. He smells expensive. He smells like this perfume from bvlgari. He also probably smells like those perfumes from Chanel, Gucci and anything expensive

6. Cleophus doesn’t have friends to be in a group chat but if someone still added him, he wouldn’t really send memes. But since Cleophus is a jerk ass, he will react to memes by saying stuff like “is that supposed to be funny?”, “wow i’m laughing so hard rn🙂”.

7. He doesn’t flirt with people, people flirt with him.

8. - as I mentioned earlier, he’s easily disgusted. He HATES sweat so if ur sweaty and you accidentally touched him, he won’t hesitate to yell “UGH! Disgusting!!” at you.

- people expected Cleophus and Vil to be friends but no. He also hates Vil even if they have some things in common.

- he’s petty . One time, his classmate said something to him that annoyed him so he payed someone to put a rotten Durian in his classmate’s dorm room.

[knightofameris]

Hiii! I was wondering if you had any fluffy fic recs? If you use AO3 and have any recs from there that would be nice too! Thank you!!!

AHDJSJD. okay I honestly do not mind giving out fic recs. Just for starters tho I do have a fic rec blog @knightofreaders !! You can also search through my blog with the tag “ameris’ fic recs”

Otherwise for now I’ll rec some AO3 ones and tumblr ones rn!! Mostly AO3 because you can find the tumblr ones on my rec account. I’m just giving recs I can think of off the top of my head rn. I’m sure I’m missing some.

Some of them might actually be GN!reader and not fem!Reader. I may have fucked up when labeling. Hmm.

Also I curse a bit on this. a lot. LMAO also terrible spelling throughout. good luck. 

Fly High, Baby! by beartea on AO3

180k+ || slowburn || series ; completed || reverse harem || fem!reader

This one is one of my favorites. I’ll probably go hunting for the post (here!) I made for it but I went so hard on my lil review. It’s a reverse harem, slow burn. But they have such a beautiful writing style and their characterizations are spot on. I don’t know if anyone else have ever understood these characters this well with how they break down the characters. Literally break them down, make them raw because they’re crying and you’re crying suddenly too. The MC is incredibly relatable IMO. She has a personality while also being written where you can relate to her. I see myself in her. But I also see my friends. And my friends are themself in her. And she’s annoying. And frustrating. And she’s human. Reverse harem includes: Ushijima Wakatoshi, Kuroo Tetsurou, Sugawara Koushi, Akaashi Keiji, Iwaizumi Hajime, Oikawa Tooru.

Times I’ve cried reading: probably like at least 5x. MC does have a given last name but that is because she’s adopted. Also, I’m not an Ushi fucker at all, but tea made me like,,, just love ushi,,, a lot

Ghosts We See by Renesis on AO3 // @renesis-jj here on tumblr

200k+ || slowburn || isekai || series ; ongoing || fem!reader || reverse harem

Another masterpiece, also a favorite. I think Ren does a great job world building, she truly makes it an experience and at this point I’m not even reading it for the haikyuu boys LOL. I absolutely love how she brings us into the story (as the MC or just as a reader) and submerses us into this world she created. she does a great job showing us the world rather than telling, keeping us in the dark like MC, and guiding us through the world like MC as well. Ren also has an incredible way of understanding the characters, even their alternate forms because at the core they’re all the same. But because the ones in the alternate world grew up in a harsher environment of sorts, they seem different. Harem includes: Ushijima Wakatoshi, Bokuto Koutarou, Kuroo Tetsurou, Miya Osamu, Miya Atsumu, Kita Shinsuke, Suna Rintarou, Oikawa Tooru 

Ren has multiple side stories intertwined as well which makes it just absolutely amazing. I should ALSO mention, I was already an inarizaki fucker but Ren made me go oh shit. also the same as I said about Ushi from beartea, I was not an Ushi fucker but Ren also made me like him a lot more

Next Time by @\dorkyama (I am not tagging her I’m too shy lol)

??k+ || slowburn || exes to lovers || completed || fem!reader || Miya Osamu

UGH one of my favorite series (I keep saying that) for osamu this time. I love the way remy portrayed MC. She’s frustrating and annoying but so real. She also did a great job showing the relationship with MC and Osamu. It’s funny people were always angry at Osamu but personally I was always angry at MC. I think more so because I’d do what she’d do lol (i was going to add all the chapters word counts but lol)

Sugar Sweet series by @kuroos-babie​

parent AU??? lol || ongoing || fem!reader || multiple  

So this is actually connected to all of her single mom!headcanons. I haven’t read all of them but I DO know that the one’s I have read make my heart just throb. If you know me, you know how much I do Not Like Kids. Well it’s not that I don’t like them, it’s more like I would not want to be a parent lol. I’m fine with being that older figure someone looks up to, but not in a parent way,,, but like Chiqui makes me question it every so often LMAO. But I’d like to be the cool aunt or idk. 

embroidered hearts by memento_amare on ao3

2.1k+ || one shot || strangers to friends to lovers || fem!reader || Sugawara Koushi

This is just insanely fluffy. And. It makes my heart cry with how cute it is. Because MC is scared of love and yet,,, Suga shows her it’s okay to be scared but to let herself love. 

the comfort of your hand in mine by memento_amare on AO3

1.2k+ || one shot || childhood friends to lovers || fem!reader || Sugawara Koushi

Another fluffy one. I just loved it for the mutual pining and childhood friends to lovers and the revelation. Ugh. It’s also on tumblr now :3c

Read more because I have a lot lol.

Claustrophobia by melremade on AO3

11.2k+ || two shot || friends to lovers (?) || Sugawara Koushi || a lil spicy || fem!reader

I thought this one was cute LOL. Sugas adorable in here and it’s only a lil spicy cus it had a pretty detailed make out session

Miscellaneous by Thisisforthebest on ao3

?.?k+ || multiple parts || fem!reader || has some SPICEY moments but it’s cute fluff mostly.

This ones hard to group. This one has a bunch of stories split into parts throughout different chapters of this uhhhh AO3 fic? I’ve admittedly only read Suga’s and Oikawa’s. I love both and Oikawa’s is still unfinished. suga’s is childhood friends to lovers and ugh it’s just so cute. Oikawa’s is also cute and I wanna scream. There are also other characters on here, but I haven’t read them oops. I only was interested in Suga’s and Oikawa’s lol. 

Drop the Guillotine by rosequartsy on ao3

13.7k+ || one shot || friends to lovers (?) || a lil SPICEY || fem!reader || Miya Osamu

I’ve gone back to this fic once or twice. It’s well written and it’s obvious about the pining going on in both sides and. Well I like it kol. And idk how to talk about it without giving out spoilers

All I Want by declaraso on AO3

44.5k+ || series ; completed || slow burn || childhood friends to lovers || fem!reader || Miya Osamu

The slow burn in this one was so FRUSTRATINF. and yet I kept reading because I loved it so much. You really want to bonk MC AND SAMU.

Crush like WOAH by herecomestroublr on AO3

9.2k+ || one shot || established relationship || fem!reader || Sugawara Koushi

HINATA goes to his two upperclassmen for help on confessing. And MC and suga explain their relationship development lol. This one was just really cute cus it focuses on Mc and suga but at the same time not.

too easy by @\kuroopaisen

3.2k+ || one shot || friends to lovers || Sugawara Koushi

Another fic I go back to a lot. I JSUT love friends to lovers. And I can see how this relationship developed so well and realistically??? Because there were moments in there I could relate to with my former relationships lol

pillow fort rituals by @\kuroopaisen

3.9k+ || one shot || childhood friends to lovers || Kuroo Tetsurou

My one single kuroo rec on here. lol. Well not counting the reverse harems. Anyways this one I absolutely LOVED. it was just well written and it was another type of relationship I’d want, one that kinda eases into one from friendship. I love that shit. I also think about this one a lot. I also enjoy this one a whole lot because, well, I like the idea of a relationship developing naturally in a way where there are no declarations of love or likes. It just happens and you know it’s there and the other knows its there. and maybe eventually you both do talk about it but. it’s there. 

Can you guys tell I have a strong preference towards gray haired characters 🤡🤡 and can you tell what my favorite tropes are ajdhajjd

Anyway I’m sure some of these you may have already seen. But these are my absolute favorite. Or maybe they are ones you’ve seen while scrolling through AO3 or tumblr but never gave a chance because I dunno. Some ARE long which is understandable. But hopefully this will convince you because hngngh