#take bets on the number notes this is gonna get | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

neocitylights · 10 days ago

Text

SUMMARY: Despite the city’s fast-paced scene of street racing—in which you happen to be the name to be beaten at every race—getting to know Jeno is a steady, quiet affair. Breaking the mechanic’s walls between races and late-night rides, the two of you slowly grow closer, unknowingly surrounded by secrets neither of you are ready to reveal. Still, in a world that’s driven by speed and adrenaline like yours, surprises are inevitable—even those that end up breaking your heart before mending it. GENRE: Romance, fluff, action, street racing au WORD COUNT: 16k WARNINGS: Cursing, suggestive themes, implied sexual content, depictions of violence

NOTES: Yay to the official start of the NCU series with a Fast & Furious inspired Jeno fic! Please let me know what you think!! It’s gonna make my day!!

The atmosphere feels heavy with energy, the smell of motor oil and burned rubber lingering in the air as the hum of engines blend with the pounding bass of whatever music’s currently playing in the warehouse.

A row of neon-lit and vivid colored cars line up all the way outside, the buzzing audience placing their bets as they mingle with the racers and crew alike.

Despite its overwhelming chaos, the environment wraps you like a second skin with ease—laced with nothing but familiarity and comfort, race nights always feel like your personal sanctuary. Under the sounds of revving engines, roaring crowds and blaring music, you’d found your own twisted kind of peace, a vicious sense of belonging that only racing could give you through its unpredictability and adrenaline.

It also doesn’t hurt that you’re good at it.

After all, there’s a reason why your name currently holds the highest number of bets and has been for the last five races, no competitor coming close to dethroning your streak of wins.

While a handful of racers walk past your car, their wandering eyes occasionally lingering over the red Mazda RX-7 gleaming under the warehouse’s bright lights, anticipation slowly builds in your chest as you meticulously check the final details before the official start, brain already racing ahead through the layout until a familiar voice calls for your name.

Startled, you look up just as Gigi approaches with rapid steps. The pink-haired girl quickly intertwines your arms, pulling you closer with a grin that characteristically only means one thing, especially when knowing her antics.

“Oh, here we go,” you tease, raising an amused eyebrow at your fellow racer turned best-friend. “I wonder what piece of gossip I’m gonna have to roll my eyes at this time.”

“I mean, if you don’t want to know about the new guy from Neo Tech that just signed up to take you…” Gigi starts, offering a nonchalant shrug with a mock dramatic touch lacing her voice. “We can totally talk about something else, if you want?”

As the words hang in the air for a second, your amusement shifts to confusion as you scan Gigi’s face for any traces of exaggeration. “What?”

“You heard me, Cherry,” she continues, excitedly cozying up to your side as her grin returns with your peaked curiosity. “Jaemin says he’s been around for two weeks—”

“There’s a new guy at Neo Tech?” you cut in, furrowing your eyebrows before offering the racer an exasperated huff. “Also, why are you making it sound like I’m having sex with him? He just signed up to take me?”

Gigi bursts into a laugh, giving you a look as mischief takes over her eyes. “I’m not. You’re the one thinking of it!”

“I’m not the one who said it,” you argue, playfully rolling your eyes at her in an attempt to play off the curiosity suddenly gnawing at your thoughts. “Who even told you this?”

“Didn’t I just say Jaemin?” she taunts, holding back another laugh at your half-hearted glare. “Apparently, Taeyong’s short on crew since Mark and Hyuck are still in Seoul, so he’s been pulling in new blood.”

Although you don’t necessarily worry about your victory streak nor being challenged for it, the new information does sound… interesting. Since Neo Tech’s more than just a regular garage, the crew notoriously known for building damn near perfect cars for a few lucky racers in the city—a short list that includes you—it’s not unusual to find one of Taeyong’s mechanics listed up for a race every now and then.

Given their knowledge, it’s always fun racing with them, which you’ve already done several times against Mark, Jaehyun and Yuta specifically.

As you’re about to fish more details from Gigi, the low growl of a particular engine pulls your attention to the far end of the warehouse. A green Nissan Skyline GT-R turns a few heads as it crosses the lot, the car’s polished, pristine exterior looking nothing but sleek under the lights. It comes to a smooth stop just a few spots away from you, the driver’s door soon swinging open under the crowd’s attentiveness.

It’s almost impossible not looking at the guy, his tall figure turning as many heads as the car did. With a glance around the bustling place, holding a posture that looks entirely too relaxed for a first-timer, his dark eyes suddenly land on you, lingering for a second too long to be just a coincidence.

Instinctively straightening under his gaze, your curiosity doubles as he walks over to the corner where the Neo Tech’s guys are usually posted on, almost as if he’s done this a hundred times before.

“That’s him!” Gigi murmurs, oblivious to the blasting background music while gently elbowing at your side. “That’s the new guy from Neo Tech!”

You hum softly, finally breaking your gaze from him to shoot your best-friend an inquisitive look. “Do you know his name?”

“What for?” she asks, raising a suspicious eyebrow as a knowing smirk tugs at her mouth. “Why are you suddenly so interested? Don’t tell me that you actually want him to take you—”

“Do not finish that sentence, Gigi!” you interrupt, scoffing at her words as warmth spreads through your cheeks. “I just wanted to know who I’m racing against, that’s all!”

The pink-haired racer snorts, shaking her head as she gives you a side-eye. “I don’t know his name, sorry. Maybe Jaemin told me, but you know I can’t ever remember shit, so…”

Johnny’s voice suddenly echoes over the speakers, calling the racers to the starting line with one of his quick-witted remarks. Exchanging one last look with Gigi before she leaves to her bright pink Honda S2000, the warehouse’s mood has already significantly changed, a competitive streak flaring the audience into life.

Pulling your Mazda into position on the makeshift track marked outside the warehouse, your fingers tighten around the steering wheel as you exhale, ignoring the crowd outside calling out your nickname.

Still, you can’t help a brief glance as a certain green Skyline slides right beside you, catching Neo Tech guy’s gaze through the window. As a silent acknowledgement of the challenge set between both of you, he gives you a small, almost imperceptible nod as the corners of his mouth hint a tight-lipped smile.

It takes Johnny to break the moment, the man hyping up the crowd before starting his usual pre-race discourse, listing a handful of rules and warnings to the racers.

“You know the drill, folks!” he remarks, finishing the speech with a grin at the racers, though it seems somewhat too directed at you. “Our current five-win streak means five grand to whoever ends it!”

The words immediately light the audience into life, engines equally roaring as the sound reverberates into the night, the flag now in Johnny’s hands.

As you focus ahead, adrenaline settles on your stomach—whether you keep the streak or give five thousand to another racer, it doesn’t really matter. You race for yourself, not for the money, not for the praise, and most definitely not for anyone else’s ego or expectations.

Your hands tighten on the steering wheel, foot hovering over the pedals, waiting for the signal.

Johnny raises the flag high, his voice cutting through the roaring engines and the buzz of the crowd.

“Three!”

You inhale deeply, pulse racing as strongly as your car’s engine.

“Two!”

Your foot presses lightly on the accelerator, the cherry red RX-7 growling in anticipation.

“One!”

Johnny drops the flag.

The car launches forward, tires screeching against the asphalt as the racers surge ahead. Despite the force pining you back, your grip is steady, holding firm enough for the car to quickly take the lead.

As you pick up speed to a stretch of free road ahead, Neo Tech’s guy edges right behind you, purposefully touching the rear of your Mazda a few times. Despite your annoyance—it took Jaemin a long time to perfect the cherry tone you begged for—you can’t help chuckling at the attitude, definitely impressed with his skills.

The first turn comes fast, your hands moving with precision as the car makes a perfect curve, tight enough for you to accelerate further with the bend. With the new guy matching the move, it takes a second for him to hold the Skyline side by side with you.

You dare a brief glance at him, catching a glimpse of his focused, determined expression. It’s clear that he’s in to win it, instantly making you wonder what’s truly driving him to it—if it’s the money, the challenge or just the sense of triumph that comes from a rookie victory.

You do also admit to yourself that he’s… stupidly good-looking.

Once you barrel into the return stretch, both looking for an opening to overtake each other, your muscle memory takes you ahead with a slightly wider inside curve, foot heavy on the accelerator as the RX-7 takes the lead again. It’s not enough for the guy to give up, his GT-R somehow pushing harder as you approach the final section of the course. As you pour everything into the last seconds of the race, heart pounding against your chest, the finish line comes into view.

A blur of green and red cut through the finish line together, the audience erupting in stunned and thrilled reactions as Johnny waves the flag for a second time, signaling the end of the race.

As you slam the brakes, the car skimming to a stop into the swarming crowd, your breath’s still heavy as realization strikes—without the need for Johnny’s confirmation, you know Neo Tech’s new guy just broke your infamous five-win streak.

Once you step out of the car, adjusting your skirt with an eye-roll at Johnny’s mock astonished face, the dark-haired guy quickly emerges from his Skyline, his expression nothing but calm, almost unreadable. The mass of people around opens the way for him as he walks towards you, watching the scene with curious eyes.

Taking the lead, you reach out a hand before offering your name, a playful smile curling on your mouth as he frowns for a second, visibly skeptical of your light attitude.

“It was a cool race,” you start, smile widening at the way his eyebrows raise upon the words. “Neo Tech guys are usually fun to race against. Good to know you are, too.”

“It was a tough one,” he answers, pausing for a second before finally taking your hand with a polite nod, the tone of his voice neutral before introducing himself. “I’m Jeno.”

The simplicity of his interaction shifts something within you. As you’re left staring bemusedly at the calm, laidback confidence in the guy’s words and body language, maybe the loss should sting… for a little, at least.

It’s a known fact between the racers that you aren’t the type to obsess over winning, proving a point or whatever that comes with the territory of racing. That’s exactly what leaves most contenders sore about their loss whenever challenging you—while they’re racing specifically to beat you, winning has always been just a bonus for you, instead racing for the fun and your passion for cars.

Now, Jeno has not only beat your streak, but also has properly acknowledged you as an equal competitor.

Even though he did race to win, he’d raced with you, not against you.

So for the first time in a long time, you suddenly find yourself wanting the win, for whatever twisted reason your brain has fooled you into.

“Well, enjoy it while it lasts, Jeno,” you say, smiling mischievously before letting go of his hand, purposefully locking eyes with him. “I’ll take you for a rematch if you’re back next time.”

The corner of his mouth lifts just slightly, gaze unwavering from you as he nods firmly. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

As you turn around to leave, heading toward Gigi and the rest of her crew, you can’t help glancing over your shoulder. Already surrounded by a few of Neo Tech’s guys and curious spectators, Jeno’s eyes meet yours for a second before you disappear into the crowd again.

Entering his third week at Neo Tech, Jeno has already grown accustomed to the garage’s bustling routine, the controlled chaos entirely familiar by now.

With Tayeong running the crew under a sharp eye, it’s not a secret that the place holds an unique energy that’s equal parts professional and chaotic—the exact reason why the garage is so sought after in the first place, besides the highly qualified crew that works on and off the streets.

After the race, the buzz of his win is yet to quiet down, especially with the stream of racers that stop by the garage for either routine check-ups or simply to scope out the new Neo Tech guy who’d taken a certain racer’s five-win streak. Despite the attention, Jeno keeps his head down, choosing to only acknowledge the crew’s interest every now and then and focusing on work instead.

Still, that’s not to say that he isn’t curious himself about you.

Even if he deliberately avoids the crew’s knowing glances towards him when your Mazda suddenly pulls up at the garage a few days later.

The familiar hum of your engine immediately pulls Jeno’s attention from his work, the RX-7’s contrasting cherry red easily catching his eye from outside.

You climb out of the car with a flair to your step, coming to a stop at the entrance as you briefly scan the space, exchanging casual greetings with some of the guys on the way. As soon as you spot Jaemin hunched over a rebuild project, a grin immediately spreads across your face.

Jeno discreetly watches as you sneak up behind him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders in a back hug that visibly startles the ever nonchalant mechanic.

“Hi, Nana,” you greet, teasing Jaemin with a gentle squeeze while pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Did you miss me?”

“Do you really want me to answer?” he says, giving you a dry look over his shoulder despite the warmth in his voice. “Took you long enough to show up this time, didn’t you?”

“I know you missed me, but I’m a very busy woman,” you quip, flashing him a grin before jumping up to sit on a workstation nearby. “Besides, you of all people should know I’d never let my baby unattended if something had happened.”

Jaemin shakes his head with a chuckle, side-eyeing you suspiciously for a second. “Then why are you here, Cherry?”

“Just thought I’d drop by to see you,” you answer breezily, shrugging as your fingers fiddle with the two red hearts locked to your car’s keys. “We didn’t really talk last time and Gigi’s crew left the race earlier than usual, so…”

With a hum, Jaemin raises an eyebrow in his direction before turning to you again, eyes gleaming with purpose. “I take it you’ve met Jeno, then?”

As the mechanic gestures towards him, Jeno can’t help the tension from spreading through his body, caught off guard over suddenly being pulled into the conversation. For a moment that feels too long, it almost feels like he’s being sized up as your gaze lands on his frame, sharp and assessing.

“Yeah,” you admit, a laugh escaping from your lips when catching the slight surprise on his face. “What’s up, Jeno?”

He nods politely, pursing his lips in a half-hearted, hesitant greeting. “Hey.”

“I bet you’ve had a lot of visitors dropping by to check you out after the race, right?” you ask, teasing him as your tone shifts to a mischievous one. “Are you sick of it enough for a rematch yet?”

Still holding your gaze, Jeno simply shakes his head. “They’re not here because of me.”

Despite his deadpan delivery, the way your eyes immediately flicker in understanding isn’t lost on Jeno, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of your mouth as the implication behind his words settle between you.

“Taeyong sure knows how to pick a crew,” you muse, mostly chuckling to yourself before raising an eyebrow towards him. “Have you been racing for a long time?”

Turning his attention back to the engine in front of him, Jeno nods vaguely. “A while.”

As you watch him, maybe a little too attentively for his liking, a mix of amusement and exasperation take over your face. “You don’t really talk much, do you?”

Jeno doesn’t immediately respond, instead keeping his eyes fixed on the tools spread over his workstation. As he gives a half-hearted shrug, the silence instantly serves as an answer for you.

“Right,” you mutter, chuckling softly before curiously peering at his engine from your spot. “That’s a cool V8 you’re working on, by the way.”

He quickly glances up at your words, his hands pausing the screwdriver in his grasp as a hint of intrigue replaces the indifferent attitude. “You know your way around cars.”

“It comes with the territory,” you answer, an amused smile widening on your face at his reaction. “Also, I’ve had good teachers… Vic taught me a lot about it, too.”

The name catches Jeno off guard, a frown betraying the confusion on his face. “Vic?”

As the loud, unmistakable rumble of a Dodge Charger R/T suddenly resonates through the garage, heads turning to the entrance over the black, pristine 1970’s model stopping outside Neo Tech, the question stays unanswered.

For a second time, Jeno catches himself cautiously watching you—as the puzzled look on your face shifts to a smile of recognition over whoever’s arrived, you’re quick to jump off Jaemin’s workstation, hurrying outside with a demeanor he can’t quite figure out.

Behind the Charger’s wheel, sits a man that looks somewhat familiar, his appearance seemingly fitting around early to mid fifties given his rugged presence.

As you share a high-five with him, leaning against the window of his car for a chat, Jeno notes how the man seems to hang onto your words, a visible sense of camaraderie laced to the interaction. Despite your childlike excitement, it doesn’t take long until he playfully waves you off, a giggle escaping from your lips while you quickly climb into your Mazda, soon leaving right behind him.

It’s only when Jaemin clears his throat that Jeno breaks away from the scene, looking back to find the mechanic grinning knowingly at him.

“That was really interesting,” he starts, leaning back against a nearby tool cart before crossing his arms. “Cherry doesn’t usually have to work for it.”

Ignoring the insinuation of Jaemin’s comment, Jeno plays it off with an amused scoff. “Is there a reason for that nickname?”

“Everyone’s been calling her that for as long as I’ve known her.” Jaemin shrugs, chuckling fondly. “She owned up to it when she started racing, so we painted the RX-7 red to match her.”

Jeno hums, briefly shooting him an inquisitive glance. “You two seemed close.”

As he seems to understand the catch, the grin on Jaemin’s face grows even bigger. “Oh, it was a long time ago,” he explains, sounding annoyingly reassuring for no reason. “We mutually decided we’re better off as friends, so don’t worry about it.”

“I’m not,” he counters bluntly, frowning at the fellow mechanic before turning back to the V8 again. “Who was that in the black Charger?”

“That’s... Victor Torres,” Jaemin answers, seemingly puzzled at the question. “Vic’s a bit of a legend around the neighborhood. He’s been racing, mentoring a few racers around here for a while. Cherry’s one of his star pupils.”

Jeno pauses briefly, his eyebrows furrowing in thought over the memories from that night. “I don’t think I’ve seen him at the race.”

With a curious smirk curling his lips, the mechanic shakes his head. “The old man was out of the city for a dealership,” he explains, squinting his eyes in his direction for a second. “You’re settling in pretty quick for new blood.”

A half-hearted smile tugs at Jeno’s mouth, the answer measured with a nonchalant shrug. “Things aren’t too different from what I’ve done before.”

“So you have raced before,” Jaemin notes, an inquisitive edge to his voice despite the humorous gleam in his gaze. “I don’t think you’ve mentioned that when you signed up last time.”

“Nobody asked,” Jeno replies, looking up at the mechanic again with a taunting glance. “It didn’t seem important.”

Amused by the off-putting answer, Jaemin studies him for a beat before clicking his tongue. “Maybe you shouldn’t have raced against Cherry,” he says, shooting him a playful wink. “Winning against everyone’s favorite tends to draw attention.”

As Jeno stands up from his workbench, subtly signaling the end of the conversation, a touch of finality hangs to his voice. “I’m not here to impress anyone.”

“Fair enough,” Jaemin counters with a chuckle, backing off with a lazy shrug. “Just don’t think we’re not all wondering, though. People are paying attention.”

Though Jeno doesn’t react outwardly, the weight of Jaemin’s words linger over his head for the night.

Settling in at Neo Tech truly had been smoother than he’d expected—maybe a little too smooth, now that he thinks of it. Jeno knows he’s playing a careful game, but days like this make him feel like the pieces are shifting faster than he can anticipate.

Despite being as old as time, The Bluebird is considerably packed for a Friday night, the few worn-out tables of the diner all taken as you walk past through the door.

As the jingle of the bell announces your arrival, the smell of frying bacon and fresh coffee immediately surround you, welcoming and familiar as a childhood memory.

Nestled on the corner of the neighborhood’s busiest street, The Bluebird is the kind of place where the food is deliciously greasy, the coffee a little too strong and everyone knows your name even if you don’t. Though it’s not the case with Daria, one of the diner’s waitresses that has pretty much seen you grow up over your visits for their milkshakes and cheeseburgers.

She’s quick to spot you through the diner’s buzz, gesturing for you to sit by the vacant counter with a smile. You rush through the tables, softly returning the older woman’s smile.

“I didn’t know you were back, Daria!” you start, sliding into a stool with a curious glance at her. “How was your trip? Did you see your grandkids?”

“It was wonderful!” she says, her face lighting up with warmth before setting the menu in front of you. “The little ones are growing so fast, it won’t take long until they’re taller than me.”

Leaning against the counter, you smile at her between mischief and curiosity. “What about your boyfriend? Did he go with you?”

“You know that an old woman shouldn’t kiss and tell,” Daria jokes, though her face quickly shifts as she shoots you a knowing look. “What about you? Don’t think I haven’t heard about your little things with Taeyong’s boys.”

You quickly avert your gaze to the menu on the wall, feigning a cough under her amused scrutiny. “Oh, I think I’m ready to order?”

Daria chuckles, visibly unimpressed by your poor attempt to change the subject. “I’m sure you are,” she teases, pulling a notepad from her apron. “Let me guess. A cherry milkshake, cheeseburger and fries, like always?

As you nod eagerly, a grin tugs at the corners of your mouth. “You just get me, Daria.”

The older woman laughs, jotting down your order just about to head towards the kitchen when a familiar voice cuts through the chatter around you.

“Add it to my tab.”

The sudden intrusion makes you glance over, eyes instantly locking with Jeno’s as he sits a few stools away, casually holding a steaming mug of coffee. The faintest hint of a smirk plays on his lips as he notes your surprised features, having been oblivious to his quiet presence until now.

Daria raises an eyebrow at him, suspiciously glancing between both of you. She hesitates, tapping a pen against the notepad as if weighing whether to prod further or leave her curiosity alone.

With a playful shrug, you laugh reassuringly at the waitress. “You heard the man, Daria. I’m having free dinner tonight.”

She hums, looking nothing but unconvinced as she side-eyes Jeno for a second. “Alright, then,” Daria says, ultimately tucking the notepad into her apron again. “I’m watching you two. Don’t cause trouble, I’ll bring your food soon.”

As she heads towards the kitchen, leaving you two alone in the diner’s bustling atmosphere, Daria doesn’t resist smirking knowingly at you.

Shifting on your seat to face him, you regard the racer’s laidback posture with narrowed eyes. “I can pay for my own food, you know.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jeno answers, an unexpected hint of amusement lacing his voice as he shrugs lightly. “I’ve got five grand sitting in my bank account, figured some courtesy wouldn’t hurt.”

“Oh, we’re going there now?” you argue, a scoff escaping from your lips. “There’s another race in a few days, should I expect a rematch?”

He hums, taking a sip of his coffee before offering a teasing, small smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I actually would,” you say, crossing your arms over the counter with a mock challenging glare at him. “Aren’t you talking a little too much for new blood? That entire race was mine.”

Jeno quirks an eyebrow, setting the mug down as the smile on his face widens discreetly. “Pretty sure I crossed the line first.”

“By a hair,” you counter, slumping back against your seat just as a deliberate, easy grin tugs at your mouth. “I might’ve lost but I know I made you work for it.”

“Yeah,” he mutters, the admission edged with a touch of honesty that catches you off-guard. “You really did.”

As he holds your gaze for a second longer than necessary, all traces of playfulness slowly shift to a more thoughtful mood, a touch too serious for the moment. The air seems to shift between you—somewhat charged with something you can’t pinpoint, though neither of you back down from it.

Before the sudden tension stretches for longer, Daria steps in, breaking the conversation’s lull with your order in hands.

She glances between you and Jeno with an amused frown, lips twitching for a grin. “Flirting or fighting?”

Jeno snorts. “Neither.”

“Fighting,” you fire back.

Answering at the same time, the coincidence draws a snicker out of Daria before she hurries away to another customer, quickly leaving you for a second time.

“So, Jeno...” you start, attempting to lead the conversation back into your own curiosity’s territory. “What’s your deal? Taeyong’s usually so picky about his crew, I was surprised to hear there was a new guy at Neo Tech.”

Jeno takes his time to reply, almost as if weighing what to say. “Not much to tell,” he says, shaking his head before exhaling a laugh that doesn’t reach his eyes. “He needed someone on short notice, I needed the job.”

You pick up a fry in between bites of the cheeseburger, twirling it between your fingers with a hum. “How’d you get into racing then?”

“I grew up around cars. My dad used to work on a few for fun, so I spent a lot of time in our garage with him,” Jeno explains, looking suddenly a bit nostalgic. ”I started tinkering around, learning a bit. Racing just felt like a natural step.”

As you nod, a small smile curls on your lips over the straw of the milkshake. “Sounds like me, except it was my brother.”

He raises an eyebrow, visibly surprised by the words. “Does he race?”

“Nope,” you quickly answer, glancing down at the plate in front of you to pick on the few fries left. “Not anymore.”

As if sensing something there, Jeno chooses to not press further as he nods. “If it’s worth anything, you’re really good at it.”

You blink, feeling warmth spreading through your neck for a moment before quickly recovering, shooting him a mischievous grin instead. “Why did you decide to challenge me that day, by the way?”

Jeno pauses, lips threatening a smile as his fingers brush over the edge of his mug. “I wasn’t going to,” he confesses, chuckling humorlessly. “I wasn’t even thinking about racing that day.”

Unconsciously leaning closer, your curiosity now piqued, you frown at him. “Then... why did you?”

“I heard some racers talking about you—how you don’t race for the money or actually winning,” he starts, his tone somehow caught between amusement and exasperation. “Doing it against someone like that just seemed... fun. Just racing for the sake of it.”

Your grin returns a little wider, mischief slipping back into your tone. “All I’m hearing is that you’re signing up for the next one.”

His lips twitch, Jeno taking a last sip of his coffee under your intrigued gaze. “If you get a ten-win streak, I’ll think about it.”

You snort, feigning a peeved glare. “Is that a challenge?”

He tilts his head, the corners of his mouth curving into a small, teasing smile. “I don’t know.” Jeno chuckles quietly, a hand casually running through his hair. “Is it?”

The sudden shift in his behavior—from the guarded, almost apathetic Jeno you met at the garage to the current playful, teasing Jeno from today—has definitely given you a bit of whiplash. The easy smiles, his gentle confidence and the way he’s been quietly coaxing reactions out of you are a stark contrast to the unreadable, aloof man from days ago. Leaving you to wonder what else he’s possibly hiding underneath his layers, the change only spurs you further.

There’s something there, a growing curiosity that you can’t ignore, making you eager to figure him out even if you’re not entirely sure why.

As your phone buzzes inside the pockets of your hoodie, Vic’s name flashing on the screen once you pick it up, Jeno’s face quickly changes to a more reserved expression, politely turning away in an attempt to give you a little privacy. The call doesn’t last long, Vic ultimately bidding you goodbye as the line clicks off.

You pocket the phone into your hoodie again, turning back to him with an apologetic shrug. “Sorry, I’ve gotta go.”

Jeno nods, his light-hearted demeanor now eased into something more neutral. “Guess I’ll see you around, then.”

“Yeah,” you reply with a small smile, lingering for just a second longer than you mean to before standing up from your stool. “Try not to miss me too much, okay? I’ll see you at the race.”

He doesn’t reply, instead only offering you an amused smile watching you skirt around the tables on the way to the door. You send him a quick, playful wink over your shoulder before finally stepping outside, holding back a smile of your own upon noticing the way he laughs.

Heading towards your car, the glow of The Bluebird’s neon sign fading through the street, you shake off the wandering thoughts.

Back at the warehouse again, surrounded by the roar of engines and the usual heavy atmosphere that marks race day, Jeno watches the bustling crowd with attention.

It hasn’t been long he’s arrived, parking his Skyline at Neo Tech’s usual spot as a few racers stop by every now and then, attempting to find out whether his name was at the starting grid for the night.

Though the crowd quickly turns his name into one of the most anticipated contenders once they clock his presence, Jeno knows better than racing tonight. After last time, unexpectedly battling with the scene’s most loved racer, keeping a low profile seems like the safest option for now.

As he leans against the hood of his green GT-R, taking in the line-up of cars over the warehouse, a familiar cherry red shadow easily catches his attention—except you aren’t the one behind the wheel this time. Jeno frowns, straightening slightly as he tries to recognize the figure through the windows of your Mazda until Johnny’s sudden call makes it impossible, the crowd erupting into chaos at his blasting voice.

Pushing off his car, he quickly weaves through the audience outside the warehouse, surrounding the starting line for a better view.

The pre-race procedure stays the same with Johnny listing the rules, giving a quick run-down on the night’s track before hyping up the winning prize, the crowd attentively hanging onto his words.

“We’ve got a bit of a twist tonight though,” Johnny adds, his voice laced with a cryptic touch despite the thrill on his face. “Two of our favorite racers have switched cars for today’s race.”

Before the crowd pieces it together, Jeno raises an eyebrow at his own realization.

“In the RX-7, we’ve got Gigi taking the wheel—” Johnny pauses abruptly, grinning at the sudden cheers and whistles of both surprise and excitement coming from the audience. “—and in the S2000, we’ve got Cherry in command tonight.”

“That’s new,” Jaemin says, chuckling as he steps beside Jeno, glancing between the two cars at the far end of the line-up with interest. “I don’t think Cherry’s ever done that.”

Following his eyes, Jeno finally glimpses your focused figure inside the pink Honda. “She seems to know what she’s doing.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that,” he replies casually, arms crossing over his chest as a grin slowly grows on his face. “It’s not about the car with her, but I am curious as to why she’s doing it tonight.”

Jaemin gives him a sharp glance, expressive enough that Jeno immediately gets the picture he’s painting.

Though he doesn’t respond, it feels like his silence speaks volumes.

As Johnny finishes his speech, the roar of the engines revving up adds to the building tension. The crowd surges forward once Johnny raises the flag, pressing closer to the edge of the track as it blazes under bright headlights.

The flag drops.

Despite being at disadvantage at the corners, you easily push through with Gigi’s Honda, tires screeching against the pavement as the car takes the lead.

At his side, Jaemin lets out an amused whistle. “Yeah, she’s definitely pulling it off.”

It doesn’t take long until the cars are doubling a corner after the first long straight, the blind spot simmering the crowd with anticipation for a few minutes. As a commotion at the outskirts of the grid catches Jeno’s eyes, his attention momentarily shifts to a familiar figure stepping into the chaos.

Victor Torres walks through the cluster of people, thoroughly scanning the place in the company of two broad-shouldered, stone-faced men right behind him.

Jaemin notices the shift in Jeno’s attention, curiously glancing around until a puzzled sound escapes his mouth. “Oh? Vic usually doesn’t show up unless he’s got a reason.”

Trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible, Jeno clears his throat. “So he doesn’t usually watch her race.”

Though the question sounds more like a statement, the mechanic still shakes head with a thoughtful hum. “Not anymore. He could be here for literally anything, though.”

As the sounds of running engines approach, getting louder by every second, the audience quickly flares up waiting for whoever’s currently leading the race. Jeno can’t help but grin as the S2000 makes a perfect curve into the final stretch, leaving you seconds ahead as the first racer to reach the last bit of the course.

The blur of pink easily blazes across the finish line, the atmosphere erupting with cheers and applause. Behind you, the cherry red Mazda follows close as Gigi skillfully holds the second place.

Jeno watches as you slow the car into the surging crowd, climbing out of the Honda with a thrilled glow on your face. Despite the swarm congratulating you, your attention seems to be on something else, eyes scanning the faces until unmistakably locking with his own. A grin immediately curls on your lips as you push through the handful of people, walking towards him with a poised stance.

You cast a mischievous glance at him as you approach, arms crossing over your chest. “Are you really backing out of our rematch?”

Jeno chuckles, holding a hand out for a surprise high-five. “Congratulations. That was one hell of a race.”

Jaemin clears his throat dramatically at Jeno’s side, watching you reciprocate the gesture with a frown on his face. “Oh, sure, don’t mind me,” he grumbles, rolling his eyes. “I mean, I wasn’t really here rooting for you the whole time, it’s fine.”

“Don’t be like that,” you coo at him, stepping closer before throwing your arms around Jaemin’s neck, hanging onto his figure with a laugh. “You know I love you, Nana.”

The mechanic hums, letting you go with a teasing side glance. “Do you?”

With a slap to his arm, an amused scoff escapes your lips. “You’re a menace,” you say, giving Jaemin a light, playful push. “You should go, Gigi’s probably wondering why you’re not hovering around her yet.”

Jaemin grins, ruffling your hair in retaliation before stepping back with an exaggerated bow. As he disappears into the crowd walking over to Gigi’s parked Honda, there’s a subtle change in the air now that you’re left alone.

Despite the hectic post-race, heavy music now echoing from inside the warehouse as Johnny takes the DJ stand, a few curious eyes are still watching both of you, conversations pausing momentarily to become hushed mumbles. Whether it’s about your win over Gigi, the fact that you’re openly engaging with him of all people or something else entirely… Jeno can’t really tell.

As you turn to him again, your expression shifts to a mix of confusion and excitement. “Why did you come if you weren’t racing tonight?”

“To watch you,” he replies, the blunt answer clearly catching you off guard as your lips twitch, resisting a smile. “I told you, I don’t really race that much anymore.”

“Well, maybe you should,” you argue, offering a light shrug with a coy glance at him. “At least it’d be more fun for me.”

Jeno regards you knowingly, lips pursing in a small smile. “I’m pretty sure you were holding back on the straights tonight,” he notes, huffing a quiet laugh at your guilty wince. “How long have you known Gigi?”

“We went to school together,” you answer, fondness suddenly lacing your voice. “If my brother and Vic taught me everything I know, Jaemin and I taught her everything she knows.”

“She had a good teacher, then,” he says, still smiling with a thoughtful nod. “Seems like you’ve got a lot of people in your corner.”

You smile in a way Jeno hasn’t seen yet, a hint of pride flashing in your eyes. “I’m the luckiest to have them.”

As he studies you for a second, your expression unexpectedly wavering to a sheepish one, Jeno can’t help a soft chuckle from escaping his lips. “I can tell.”

A beat of silence passes before you break it with a playful sparkle in your eyes. “So… where’s your car, anyways?” you ask, glancing over your shoulder towards the warehouse. “I’ve never driven a Nissan before. When are you giving me a chance to drive that beauty?”

Jeno raises an eyebrow, his lips curling into a teasing smile. “You sure you can handle it?” he asks, crossing his arms in a laidback gesture. “It’s not exactly a car for amateurs.”

“Are you calling me an amateur?” you provoke him, taking a step closer before playfully raising your chin at him. “If you think I can’t handle it, then let me take a ride to show you what I got.”

Though he laughs at the words, warmth slowly spreads through his body as Jeno leans closer to you, just enough to subtly tower over your figure. As his heart picks up, your dazed face just inches away from his, Jeno can’t help his eyes from dipping to your lips.

It feels like something snaps in his brain as he suddenly looks up, instantly finding Vic near the entrance of the warehouse, the man’s gaze fixed intently on both of you. His posture is tense, arms crossed as if he’s been watching for a while.

Jeno takes a step back, exhaling sharply at the way your expression falters, looking genuinely confused by his sudden attitude.

As his voice falls into indifference again, he offers you an apologetic glance. “It’s getting late, you should probably go home.”

You huff a short laugh, a mix of bewilderment and defiance crossing your face. “Right... I probably should.”

Before Jeno can say anything else, you quickly turn around to leave—not before giving him a final, lingering look with arms crossed over your chest. As he watches you cut into the remaining crowd, your name slips from his mouth before Jeno can consciously stop it.

“You’ll have to buy me dinner before I let you ride it.”

A grin slowly tugs at your lips before you offer him an eye-roll.

“We’ll see about that, Jeno.”

The streetlights cast dark shadows over the rows of cars parked outside Neo Tech, its large doors already halfway closed as you slowly come to stop, the engine of your Mazda humming gently in the silent neighborhood.

Inside, you can spot Jeno’s figure still moving around, his back towards the entrance as he seems to finish up for the night, clearing his workstation with a relaxed posture.

As your fingers tap the steering wheel, you debate with yourself for a second—you hadn’t exactly planned on stopping by the garage this late, yet you’re still there with a takeout bag ready to be shared, unpretentiously anticipating his reaction over the surprise.

After the race, Jeno had left you feeling something deeper than just curiosity, especially with a certain little moment lingering at the corners of your mind for the following days. Given how much he’s changed since first meeting him at the garage, you can’t help the growing expectation inside your chest, though you’d never be one to openly admit so.

Though before you can talk yourself out of it by overthinking, the sound of a door rolling open draws your attention.

While throwing a few goodbyes to the crew over his shoulder, Jeno steps outside, eyebrows instantly furrowing in surprise as he spots you. Closing the garage behind him, shrugging a black hoodie jacket on, he walks towards your car with a knowing smirk breaking into his face.

As he approaches, Jeno bends down to your window, holding an arm over the car’s roof. “If you’re here for Jaemin, he left a few minutes ago.”

“I’m here for you, actually,” you say, holding back a grin of your own at his bemused expression. “You said I should buy you dinner first, so that’s what I’m doing.”

His eyebrows shoot up briefly, the smirk widening into something caught between disbelief and amusement. “Dinner, huh?” Jeno repeats, tilting his head as if to get a better read on you. “Didn’t take you for someone who’d keep tabs on promises like that.”

“Well, I’m trying to keep things interesting for you,” you quip, starting the engine again before looking up at his figure, still leaning against your car. “I’ve got food and I know a place. Are you coming?”

Jeno just shakes his head, laughing softly as he steps back towards his GT-R. “Lead the way, let’s see what you’ve got.”

You can’t help the spark of satisfaction warming your chest as his car rumbles to life, soon pulling onto the neighborhood’s main street right behind your RX-7. Glancing in the rearview mirror every now and then, Jeno’s got the same expression from the day he’d raced you, serious and focused enough that you almost don’t resist suddenly pulling him into a challenge.

The road stretches out ahead to a highway shortcut, the city glowing in the distance as both of you escape from it for the night.

As the buildings and bright lights start giving way to rolling hills and open fields, you lead Jeno onto a dirt road, following it until a secluded, almost undetectable clearing. The space’s quiet, surrounded by trees, with a clear view of the stars above and the city’s skyline far ahead.

Jeno steps out of his Skyline first, looking around with attentive eyes. “Nice spot. How’d you find this place?”

“My brother,” you answer, the diner’s bag in hands as you join him with a small smile. “He used to bring me here when I was a moody, grumpy pre-teen.”

Taking a seat on the hood of his car, Jeno hums softly. “Not anymore?”

Debating with yourself as you watch him for a moment, the words slip from your mouth with surprising ease. “He passed away, so not really,” you say, snickering softly at the quick change in his expression. “It’s been a long time though, don’t worry about it.”

“I’m still sorry,” he starts, voice shifting to a quieter tone. “Can I ask what happened?”

You sigh wistfully, moving to sit beside him on the GT-R’s hood before starting to set up the food between you. “Would it be weird to say that I have no idea?”

Jeno frowns, visibly caught off-guard by the odd answer. “What do you mean?”

“I still don’t know what happened,” you repeat, humorlessly huffing a laugh as you pick up a fry to start. “He just… went out of town for a race one day and never came back. Vic was the one to break the news to me.”

A flicker of something you can’t read crosses his face, though he quickly recovers by offering a half uneasy, half reassuring glance. “I’m not sure what I should say—”

“It’s fine, Jeno,” you interrupt, deliberately lighting up the mood with a growing grin on your lips. “We should probably talk about how you’re letting me drive your car back to the city today.”

As Jeno chuckles, his gaze is steady but softer than usual. “You really don’t waste time, do you?”

“What can I say?” you joke, taking a sip of your milkshake with a coy shrug. “I’m a very focused person and right now my focus is exactly getting behind the wheel of your GT-R.”

Still not breaking eye contact, he shakes his head to resist his grin from growing. “So you win a few races and suddenly think that earns you the keys to my car?”

Your fingers are playing with the straw of the cherry drink as you smirk at him, tilting your head for added effect. “I mean, I did buy you dinner like you asked,” you counter, clicking your tongue. “The least you can do is uphold your promise.”

“Was it a promise?” Jeno asks, feigning confusion with a quirked eyebrow. “I don’t remember that.”

“Do you want me to remind you?” you shoot back, leaning just a little closer to taunt him. “You said that I should buy you dinner before you let me ride it. Remember that?”

As he huffs a quiet laugh, shaking his head again, there’s a subtle hint of a blush dusting Jeno’s cheeks. “You’re relentless.”

You smile teasingly, leaning back on your hands against his car. “Well… you’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”

You barely finish the sentence before Jeno suddenly leans over your frame, closing the distance between you without hesitation. The kiss catches you completely off guard, your breath hitching as his lips meet yours. For a moment, your mind goes completely blank, overwhelmed by his unexpected action.

Jeno’s hand firmly holds your jaw, anchoring you in place with the same intensity as he’s kissing you—almost as if he’s acting on an impulse after holding himself back. You can’t help giving in, something warmer and deeper quickly melting the surprise as you instinctively kiss him back, your fingers tightening around his hoodie.

As he pulls away, exhaling a laugh against your mouth, his forehead lingers close to yours. “Sorry, that wasn’t part of the deal.”

You blink at him, trying to pace yourself again as heat rushes through your cheeks. “Not really,” you admit, grinning softly with a light-hearted shrug. “I’m not complaining, though.”

Jeno rubs the back of his neck, the action laced with a hint of bashfulness that contrasts with his usual composure. “Maybe I shouldn’t have—”

“I hope you’re not implying I’m a bad kisser,” you cut in, squinting your eyes in mock annoyance before pulling back with an exaggerated gasp. “By the way, was that you giving your car to me or is this just an attempt to trick me out of it?”

He laughs, the sound coming off low and genuine, his eyes almost sparkling under the dim light. “What if it’s both?”

A grin immediately tugs at your lips before you lean forward, pressing a quick smooch to his mouth with a giddy laugh. “I’m racing your GT-R next time then, just so you know.”

Jeno shakes his head, holding back a smile as he purposefully looks away to the city’s horizon in the distance. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

Your laughter softens as you settle back against the hood of his car, attentively watching his profile. “So I’ve been told a few times,” you answer with a playful shrug. “I prefer to think of myself as ambitious, though.”

He smirks, glancing sideways at you with raised eyebrows. “Ambitious is definitely one word for it.”

“Oh, come on,” you tease cheekily, bumping your shoulder lightly against his with a smile. “I know you like me, it’s okay to admit it.”

Jeno hums, shaking his head as something akin to tenderness flashes in his eyes for a second. “I’ll admit you keep things… interesting.”

The weight of his words subtly change the mood, especially as your heart takes the lead by racing annoyingly fast for your liking.

As the night stretches on, the two of you fall into an easy rhythm of conversation in between bites of your usual order from The Bluebird, exchanging a few stories and memories here and there. The night air feels cool against your skin by the time both of you finish, momentarily falling into a comfortable, yet charged silence.

Jeno breaks the pause with a deep breath, glancing at his watch with a touch of reluctance. “It’s late,” he says softly, offering you a knowing glance. “We should probably head back before someone finds us here.”

Though you know that nobody’s going to find the secluded place so late, you hum softly before hopping off the hood of his car. Just as you’re about to take a step towards your Mazda, Jeno holds you back by the arm. You watch as he silently takes off his hoodie, draping the fabric over your shoulders with a satisfied nod.

Before you can thank him, he gently grabs one of your hands, pulling it out of the long sleeve with a chuckle.

Then—the keys of his green Skyline GT-R are in your palm.

Your jaw drops as you stare down at them, blinking in both disbelief and excitement. “Are you serious?”

Amused by your reaction, Jeno smirks challengingly. “You wanted to drive it, didn’t you?” he asks, leaning closer as his voice drops. “If you make it to the city in under 10 minutes, I’ll let you actually race it.”

You can only snort, tiptoeing to press another kiss to his lips. “We’re on.”

Driving his car through the highway as you head towards the city again, watching him closely follow behind with your Mazda, you can’t help but feel like the night has set something in motion—something you’re more than ready to see through now.

Looking around, Jeno can’t remember the last time he’s been in a conference room.

The place smells like burnt coffee, the hum of its fluorescent lights almost serving as white noise to mask the unnerving silence surrounding him.

As he sits in the large, secluded corner at the agency for the first time in three months, Jeno can’t help nervously clasping his hands over the table, waiting for Doyoung to arrive.

The walls, covered in bulletin boards that display very specific files and photos, are a twisted reminder of the reason he’s there in the first place. A folder lies in front of him, his jaw tightening at the sight of it every time he glances at the worn out edges and stained cover.

As the door suddenly clicks with a loud sound, Doyoung is quick to step inside, his sharp, intimidating features immediately softening upon seeing him in person again. Holding another handful of files, the oldest manages a brief side-hug, offering a pat to Jeno’s back before settling on a chair at the head of the desk.

“It’s good to see you in one piece,” Doyoung starts, leaning back against his seat with a knowing glance in his direction. “Sorry that we pulled you out on short notice, the order came from high-up—”

Jeno shakes his head, pursing his lips in a tight line. “It’s fine, I was probably up for a check-in anyway.”

The agent regards him for a second, humming in agreement despite the flicker of reservation in his eyes. “You were,” Doyoung admits, nodding curtly. “We’ve been looking into your intel, and it adds up with what we have so far.”

“I thought we’d already established that the last time we talked,” Jeno answers, glaring at his co-worker impatiently.

“We did,” the man agrees, resting his elbows against the desk before huffing a peeved scoff. “Except Victor’s not a middleman like we thought, he’s actually the head of the entire thing.”

Jeno leans back against his seat, the weight of the information settling in after a second. “You’re telling me Vic’s the one running the smuggling operation?”

Doyoung nods again, sliding a file over the desk. “Everything points back to him—the money trails, the coded messages, the shipments’ timing,” he explains, his expression seemingly hardening by each word. “He’s not just managing the cargo, he’s intercepting it and passing it forward internationally.”

His jaw tightens, eyes quickly scanning the pages. “What’s his deal with the races?”

“Recruitment ground, maybe? That’s what we gathered from your intel, anyway,” Doyoung clarifies, offering a shrug. “He needs good drivers, fast ones. What’s a better way to have that than making them yourself?”

The memories of his conversations with Jaemin instantly resurface in Jeno’s mind.

Despite the relationships you’ve built through your brother, most with the guys from Neo Tech, Victor has still played a key role in your life by guiding you, eventually molding you into one of the best racers in the city. The connection isn’t just a passing detail— now it feels deliberate, purposeful.

If Victor’s been intentionally shaping and recruiting racers, then his investment in you isn’t just about talent and skills alone.

Jeno exhales slowly, voice giving away a hint of stress. “What’s the next step then?”

“There’s new shipment coming next week. They’re planning to take it out of the city, so we’ll be looking out for that,” Doyoung starts, leaning back with an apologetic wince. “I know it’s not what you want to hear, but we can’t bring him in without solid evidence... we’re getting close, Jeno.”

“Can I join the team on that?” he asks, his expression hardening.

The agent raises an eyebrow, clicking his tongue at the request. “It’s risky but I’ll see what I can do,” he answers, hesitating for a second before shooting Jeno a meaningful glance. “I know I’ve asked before, but I just want to be sure we’re still on the same page about—”

Even though he knew it was coming, Jeno’s stomach still twists at the mention of your name. “She’s not a problem,” he firmly cuts in, body quickly growing tense. “She’s just there to race, nothing more.”

The oldest studies him carefully, visibly cautious despite the insistence. “Are you sure about that? Victor needs good drivers, and if she’s the best one in the scene—”

“I’m sure,” he interrupts again, his fists subconsciously clenching under the desk. “She’s not part of the operation.”

“You know that I trust you, Jeno,” Doyoung says quietly, though not looking entirely too convinced. “I hope you know what you’re doing. If you get too close, it’s not just you who could get hurt.”

“I’m just doing my job,” Jeno argues, glaring at the agent in a way that looks too forceful to feel genuine. “I’m undercover and she gets me closer to the scene, that’s all. I’m not about to compromise the investigation, Doyoung.”

The agent simply nods, sliding another file across the desk. “We’ve also got something new from the surveillance team. Do you recognize these names?”

Scanning the list of names printed on the paper, Jeno points at the last two ones. Shotaro and Sungchan. “I’ve seen these two race before… Vic’s drivers?”

“It seems like it, at least for the next shipment,” Doyoung confirms, regarding him with a knowing look. “If you can scout anything about them at the garage...”

He nods, closing the file before roughly pushing it over. “Sure, I’ll get back to you.”

As Doyoung gathers the files together, a deep exhale suddenly escapes from his mouth once silence settles in the conference room again.

“Now, I’m asking you as a friend, not as a co-worker or an agent,” he starts, almost sounding exasperated under his characteristic concern. “It’s been three months. Are you sure you can keep doing this?”

The agent watches him attentively, his cranky professional facade slipping for a moment as Jeno clocks a hint of apprehension on his face.

Doyoung has always been more than just a co-worker, having stepped into an older brother role from the moment he’d joined the agency as a fresh-faced, out-of-school rookie.

Over the years, the oldest had become a steady presence in Jeno’s building career as one of the top agents in the team—whether through a firm warning when he pushed too far on something or simply seeing his potential when no one else would, there isn’t a single doubt that Doyoung holds a significant place in his life now.

Still, Jeno can’t help hesitating over the question, ultimately nodding despite the weight behind his words. “I’m fine.”

The agent doesn’t answer right away, watching him as though waiting for something. “Well, you don’t really seem like it,” Doyoung counters, standing up from his seat with the files in hands again. “You look like a guy who’s starting to lose sight of what side he’s on. I’d know about that.”

As the oldest steps aside to leave, the silence feels heavier than before, settling between them like the unspoken truth that Jeno’s been tightly safeguarding. Opening the door, Doyoung squeezes his shoulder in reassurance, nodding firmly despite the softness in his eyes.

“You’ve got this, Jeno.”

The sound of tires crunching against the gravel outside your place immediately draws your attention, a familiar engine’s hum echoing through the quiet evening. A small smile tugs at your mouth as recognition settles in, the sound almost unmistakable by now. Peering outside the window, you watch as Jeno’s green GT-R comes to a smooth stop into your driveway, a quiet warmth blooming in your chest.

It’s been a couple of days since you last saw each other, both staying busy enough with work and life between race days.

In the three months since Jeno first challenged you, your relationship—or whatever that you can possibly call it—has slowly become something that’s been lingering in a space with no definitions or expectations.

Though neither of you are entirely sure of what to call it, even under the occasional teasing quips from Neo Tech’s crew, you’ve come to realize that you don’t really mind it. There’s a certain comfort in not overthinking it, trusting Jeno to exist in your life in the way he does—steady but gently, with an ease that feels very characteristic of him.

The evening chill rises shivers on your bare legs as you step outside, smirking at the way Jeno’s figure is sitting on the hood of his car, hands tucked into the pockets of a bomber jacket. His head lifts slightly at the sound of your quick footsteps, a groan escaping from his lips as you jump against him, arms wrapping around his neck in a tight hug.

“Hello to you too,” Jeno starts, sounding nothing but amused as you pull back, a hint of surprise giving him away for a moment. “Didn’t think I’d get this kind of welcome today.”

“Why? Did you think I’d only do that when we’ve got an audience?” you ask, your tone playful as you stand between his legs, arms now loosely holding him. “I’m a loyal girl, Jeno Lee.”

He nods solemnly, a sudden flicker of seriousness catching his eyes. “I know you are.”

“You could’ve texted me,” you argue, sighing dramatically as you give him a glare. “We could’ve gone out if I knew you were coming tonight.”

Jeno smiles, his hands lightly squeezing your hips before pulling you closer. “What if I wanted to surprise you?”

Rolling your eyes, a grin spreads through your face before you can stop it. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood today,” you tease, taking a step back again as you reach for his hand. “We can order some dinner then, I’ll know just the place—”

“I can’t stay tonight, Cherry,” he cuts in, gently stopping you with an apologetic glance. “I’m leaving town for a few days, I just wanted to see you before I go.”

As the words catch you off-guard, you blink confusedly at him. “You’re leaving? What for?”

“Family stuff,” Jeno answers, a heavy sigh escaping from his lips. “It came up suddenly but I’ll only be gone for a few days, a week at most.”

You frown, pursing your lips in a pout before giving him a playful curious glance. “Family stuff? That’s all I get when there’s probably gossip?”

Jeno laughs, shaking his head in amusement for a second. “Gigi’s been rubbing off on you,” he teases, voice soon dropping to a mix of reassurance and tenderness as he exhales. “It’s not that exciting, I promise. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“You could’ve told me earlier,” you mutter, your fingers playing with the zipper of his jacket, purposefully avoiding his gaze. “The next race’s gonna suck if you’re not going to be here.”

His fingers grasp at your chin, lifting your face up until your eyes meet. “You’re the main part of these races, so I doubt that’ll happen,” he counters, clicking his tongue with a sly, playful grin tugging his lips. “I’d let my car with you but I’ll need it, so…”

With a scoff, you half-heartedly swat his chest. “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”

He doesn’t answer, instead pausing the conversation for a moment with a soft brush of his thumb along your jaw, the warm touch contrasting against the evening. You lean closer first, but Jeno’s quick to capture your lips in a kiss that’s both tender and lingering, his hand moving from your face as he gently cups your neck.

In the comfort of his arms, you completely lose track of time—the sounds around you become white noise, fading into the background between his embrace and the softness of his lips, one kiss turning two, then three, and so on.

The loud rumble of a specific Charger pulls both of you from your shared bubble. Jeno’s arms drop slightly, though his hands remain resting at your hips as Vic suddenly comes into view on the street. The atmosphere instantly changes it, Jeno subtly tensing while watching the man pull up beside his Skyline.

You don’t seem to notice the skeptical look on Victor’s face, greeting him with a smile once the car comes to a stop. “Vic? What’s up with you guys surprising me tonight?”

“Great minds think alike, Cherry,” Victor says, glancing between both of you with a grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Just came by to say goodbye before I head out for a job.”

As Jeno’s eyes harden at Vic’s words, the quiet shift in his demeanor isn’t lost on you. There’s something in the way the two men regard each other in that moment—not hostile, but definitely not friendly either, leaving curiosity to gnaw at you.

With a half-hearted huff, you ignore the edge in their interaction, instead glaring at both of them. “Great, I’ll just ignore the fact that you’re both suddenly leaving and just wish you a safe trip, then.”

The man’s eyes flicker to Jeno for a second, a look of subtle recognition in his gaze. “I’m sure we’ll be back soon,” Victor answers, eyes returning to you again in a sharp glance. “You and I’ll talk when I get back.”

Puzzled by the striking weight in his tone, you hum with a hesitant nod. “Take care, Vic.”

It doesn’t take long until Victor’s car disappears down the street, the red tail lights slowly growing smaller into the evening. Jeno remains quiet in front of you, his hands still resting lightly on your hips, almost as if he’s distracted. You glance up at him, noting the tension in his jaw and the way his gaze’s been fixed towards the direction Vic’s just headed to.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, you raise an eyebrow as he glances back at you again, a touch of agitation in his eyes. “You okay?”

He blinks, expression softening slightly at your touch. “Yeah,” Jeno replies after a beat, his tone calm but not entirely convincing. “Just thinking.”

“About what?” you ask, gently hoping to pull him from whatever had him so lost in thought.

As he stands up from the hood of his car, moving both of you by a step, a half-hearted smile curls on his lips. “Nothing worth worrying about.”

“Everyone’s running off tonight,” you say, sighing in mock exasperation upon realizing that he’s leaving soon too. “Should I start taking it personally?”

“You should go visit Jaemin at the garage while I’m gone. He’s been missing you these days,” Jeno jokes, brushing his fingers against your cheek. “I’ll be back before you can even miss me.”

Not resisting the faint smile that tugs at your mouth, you roll your eyes. “Bold of you to assume I’ll miss you in the first place,” you taunt, though a little softer than intended. “Fine, I guess I’ll have to go bother him then.”

He’s the one to lean down for a kiss again, though it’s a gentle, soft one to your forehead first. It’s enough for you to tug him by his jacket, pressing your lips to his with a sigh against his mouth. When Jeno pulls back, he regards you for a second, almost as if he’s trying to commit your features to his mind.

You watch as he climbs into the GT-R, the engine roaring back to life in its familiar growl. Giving you one last look through the open window, a faint smile plays on Jeno’s lips.

“I’ll see you soon, Cherry.”

Crossing your arms, you smile tauntingly at him, the words slipping with a touch of fondness.

“We’ll see about that, Jeno.”

Outside the windows of his apartment, the city’s skyline is casted with a deep orange glow as the sun sets, drawing a picture that Jeno rarely indulges in whenever he’s at home.

Now that he’s back, the sight quietly tugs at the strings of his heart, especially after everything that has happened in the last few days. It sets a strange, confusing impression in his mind—one that makes him distinctively remember Doyoung’s words from last time.

The whiplash of feeling at home without really being at home rings several alarms in Jeno’s head, even if he’s been purposefully ignoring them for a while now. He still doesn’t know how to feel about the ease in which he slips in and out of… whatever this is supposed to be, having been toying so effortlessly with the line that draws his two personas.

Still, despite the noise in his head, you’re the one thing that Jeno’s felt recklessly sure about. He might not know what the mission can possibly mean to the future, but he knows what it means to him, at least for now.

The knock at the door leaves him anticipating something Jeno can’t quite tell.

It almost feels like he hasn’t seen you in months, his lingering eyes getting caught as you step into his place, walking past him with a smirk on your lips.

“Hi,” you say lightly, the familiar teasing touch in your voice pulling at his chest. “Did you miss me?”

“I don’t know,” Jeno counters, raising an eyebrow as an amused chuckle betrays him. “Did you miss me?”

As you pause for a second, your gaze suddenly hinting a mix of softness and apprehension, the last thing he’s expecting is to feel your arms wrapping him in a firm, almost distraught hug. The suddenness of it takes Jeno by surprise, his hands hovering in the air for a moment before settling reassuringly against your back.

“Hey, look at me,” he calls, pulling back just enough to catch your eyes as his voice drops to a concerned tone. “Is there something wrong?”

You’re quick to shake your head, offering a half-hearted smile in an attempt to brush it off. “It’s nothing,” you say, stepping back from his embrace with a glance around the place, expression shifting into something lighter. “What are we having for dinner today?”

Despite his hesitation at the moment, Jeno reluctantly moves on, the dinner eventually starting off easy enough with you raving over your love for the take-out menu he’s picked. It feels that way for a while as he listens to you recount updates from the crew at Neo Tech, your win at the last race that’s just marked your second five-win streak, a few tidbits about Jaemin and Gigi fooling around with each other.

Still, even through your laughs and the way you accept his touch every now and then, there’s a quietness about you today, an edge to the smiles that doesn’t reach your eyes.

The subtle pauses between your words, the heavy way your eyes linger on his figure whenever you think he isn’t looking—Jeno knows there’s something on your mind, even if you’re not saying it.

It isn’t until later, after the plates are cleared and the hues of oranges have faded to a blue evening outside the windows of his place, that your voice breaks the silence of his room.

“You’re not really a mechanic, are you?”

The soft flow of the bedside lamp casts a warm glow to your features, seemingly devoid of any emotion. With your head resting against his chest, your fingers have been idly tracing patterns against his skin, though it immediately stops as you feel his sudden tension.

The question hangs in the air for a second, Jeno’s heart beating hard enough that he’s sure you can hear it.

You lift your head to look at him, your eyes quietly searching for answers. “I mean… you’re good at it, you’re an amazing racer, but—” you pause, exhaling deeply despite the ease that you continue. “It just doesn’t add up, Jeno. I think you’re something else, and… I think I know that.”

It’s clear that you’re giving him a chance to deny, to tell you that you’re wrong. The tiny hint of hope in your eyes slowly fades away as his silence stretches, serving more than a spoken confirmation as it quietly tells you everything.

“Vic told me,” you say, voice barely a whisper. “He said you’re an agent.”

As you acknowledge the truth in the open, Jeno’s stomach sinks, a wave of unease crashing over him. He’d known that this moment would come, but not like this, not there or today or with you looking up at him like that.

“Is he telling the truth?” you ask, arms wrapping around knees as you sit up. “Is that why you’re here? Is that why you’re… with me?”

Jeno can’t seem to find the right words to answer, hating himself the longer his silence grows between you. It seems to be your breaking point too, leaving the bed to stand up a few feet away from him.

A look of exasperation settles on your face, sharp eyes glaring at him. “You’re not denying it, Jeno,” you urge him, your voice breaking for a second before you huff a bitter laugh. “Are you kidding me? Was any of this real or just part of your job?”

The answer is quiet, his voice almost cracking. “It’s not like that—”

“Right, then what is it like?” you snap, raising an eyebrow in a mock challenge. “I’m sorry, but it looks like you’ve been lying to me the whole time.”

Jeno exhales shakily, a frown set between his eyebrows. “I didn’t have a choice.”

“Didn’t have a choice?” you repeat, an ironic chuckle escaping from your mouth. “You had a choice to not approach me at all, you had a choice to lay me off ages ago, you had a choice to tell me the truth. How’s that for you?”

“It’s not that simple,” he argues, running a hand through his hair, jaw tensing for a moment. “I wanted to tell you, but… I just couldn’t. It’d put you in risk and I wasn’t about to do that.”

“So what? You just use me instead?” you start, anger crashing down as you suddenly grow quiet, your voice trembling. “Get close to me because it’d help with whatever you’re doing here?”

Jeno’s fists clench upon the tears brimming in your eyes, his breath turning shallow as he avoids your gaze. “No,” he mutters, firm enough to contrast against the flicker of dejection on his face. “This is not what this is.”

For a moment, he wonders if you’ve picked up the white lie, your expression unreadable as you simply watch him. He hates himself for lying to you, for letting you get close when he knew he couldn’t give you the truth. More than that, he hates how much he cares—how much losing you is feeling like losing something more important than his own job, than the entire investigation itself.

Shaking your head with a finality that’s almost meant to defy him, you harshly wipe the tears off your eyes. “Let’s just not do this anymore.”

Once the words click, Jeno can’t help but freeze for a moment before panic surges through him as you walk around the room. With shaky hands, you quickly gather your clothes, not sparing a single side-eye towards his direction.

“Look at me,” Jeno calls, voice raising to a rougher tone as he sits up, trying to get a look at your face. “Hey, look at me!”

Your movements remain frantic as you shrug a jacket on, continuing to ignore him as if you hadn’t noticed the hard change to his demeanor. Without a word, you head straight to the door, the tension between you thick enough to feel suffocating. Jeno groans, his chest twisting in frustration and regret as he scrambles off the bed.

Just as your hand reaches for the doorknob, his hand closes around your upper arm, pulling you back with a careful force.

You finally turn around to face him, hurt and anger laced to your features. “What?”

“I don’t want to see you at the next race,” Jeno orders, the weight of his stony eyes visibly surprising you for a second. “Don’t go.”

As you frown, your confusion is evident, body almost relaxing under his touch. “What?”

With a glare, he makes sure that the words are not a request, but rather a command. “Don’t come to the next race, Cherry.”

The anger in your gaze hardens into something more painful as you pull your arm from his grasp. “Fuck off, Jeno,” you say, the venom in your words cutting deep as you open the door, this time without hesitation. “I’m the one that doesn’t want to see you at the next race.”

The door closes with a simple click, sounding miserably loud to the silence of his apartment now.

Jeno’s fingers curl into fists at his side, a ragged breath escaping from his lips as he stares blankly at it. Though the thought feels just as hollow as his lies, Jeno tells himself that maybe it’s better this way. After all, the job does demand sacrifice—relationships, connections, anything that can possibly jeopardize his missions.

Now left with the company of his heavy heart, Jeno wonders how many times he’ll have to tell that lie in order to convince himself instead.

The night air feels thick with tension as Jeno comes to a stop outside the warehouse, parking in a spot away from the usual crowd and their curious eyes. The race’s just about to start, a few cars already lining up with the blasting music in the background as usual.

Race days are always charged with a raw energy that he’s grown accustomed to, one that never failed to make him feel alive—but today, it feels skeptically different.

Jeno can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong tonight, despite Doyoung having already warned him about the change of plans in the investigation after his cover was blown by Victor. For a moment, he wonders if that’s just his mind playing games. While keeping his distance from you, Jeno has been subconsciously waiting for the other shoe to drop, anticipating you to eventually expose him.

His arrival plays out as nothing out of the ordinary though, Jaemin and Taeyong waving off from a distance as he steps out of the car, walking through the swarm of people to scan the racers of the night.

A part of him knew it was futile to warn you off the race, no matter how much he didn’t want you anywhere near the place tonight, regardless of the operation falling apart or not. It almost surprises him to not spot your Mazda at the starting line until he sees you, standing a few feet away from the grid while talking to Gigi, both of you visibly bickering.

He knows that your presence’s probably making things a lot more complicated to him.

The frustration quietly builds in his chest, mostly out of his own impotence than your choice to disregard his instruction. After all, the more he thought about it, the more he realized—if Vic knows about him and has kept quiet the entire time except to turn you against him, Jeno can’t really protect you, not without giving himself away or ruining the investigation entirely.

Given they most definitely are getting too close to Victor’s home, it feels fitting for the man to pull his own strings somehow.

The man’s presence at the race today is a dead giveaway of that, standing by his black Charger with a few of his shady-looking guards, watching the audience with an air of stress to his face. Jeno can’t help noticing the way his eyes keep flickering through the lot and the racers, almost as if expecting something.

Not having enough time to prod further, Jaemin suddenly approaches with a pat to his back, eyeing him with a flicker of both curiosity and exasperation in his gaze.

“You should probably fix whatever happened between you and Cherry,” the mechanic starts, snickering almost bitterly. “If neither of you are racing, who’s going to make this entire thing exciting?”

A chuckle escapes from his lips, Jeno relaxing for a second as he shakes his head at the guy. “I bet Gigi would love to hear that.”

“Please, it doesn’t seem like it but Gigi worships her,” Jaemin discloses, the playfulness on his face quickly fading to a mock warning look in his direction. “Don’t tell Cherry that if you don’t want Gigi to fuck you up.”

Before he can respond, the cars roar to life with Johnny’s voice, revving engines interrupting the conversation as the usual procedure starts.

The crowd tenses once the countdown starts, flag up in the air.

Then, a sharp screech of tires breaks through, the sound of approaching sirens getting louder by the second, flashes of blue and red lights quickly surrounding the warehouse. The crowd scatters around in a frenzy, running off in panic while the racers attempt to break through the chaos through a few secret exits.

This is part of his job—the chaos, the unpredictability, the apprehension. Jeno knows better to keep it cool, keep the cover intact for as long as he can despite everything, even if it means keeping you out of it.

But you aren’t leaving.

With Jaemin hurrying off, shouting something about meeting at the garage and finding Gigi over the booming sirens, Jeno’s eyes easily find you in the havoc of people. You’re frozen in place, simply watching the commotion with wide, confused eyes.

“Get out of here!” he yells, shoving through the crowd as he rushes towards your direction, his outstretched hand waving you off. “Cherry! You need to fucking leave!”

You barely acknowledge him before staring at something else. Following your fixed gaze, Jeno finds Vic standing still at the same spot, unphased by the madness surrounding him.

Something about his calmness, his tranquility in the middle of the chaos doesn’t sit right with Jeno. It’s been long proved by the investigation that Victor Torres isn’t exactly on the up-and-up, but seeing him there, just watching the mess unfold in a way that feels almost detached makes a pin immediately drop in Jeno’s mind.

Whatever’s happening tonight was not an accident—it was planned.

As he approaches you, Jeno quickly grabs your arm, guiding you away from the commotion when a sudden bang echoes through the air. Over his shoulder, he watches your body suddenly lurch as something sharp seems to cross your shoulder. You stumble, your hand instinctively reaching for the spot as Jeno pulls you closer, holding you steady as his eyes frantically search for something.

The sight of blood running from your neck and down your arm surprises him, anxiety rushing through his body as he exhales shakily. “Fuck!”

“Jeno,” you call, eyes wide with shock as your shaky hands fist his jacket. “What the hell is happening?”

“I don’t know,” Jeno answers, trying to keep his voice steady in an attempt to mend the visible fear in your eyes. “You’re going to be okay, we’ll get out here.”

A burst of gunfire sends the place into mayhem again, both of you almost losing balance over your feet as Jeno half-carries you, shielding you with his body on the escape.

It feels like a lifetime until you reach his car, the way your body grows weaker by each second sending chills down his spine. He’s quick to help you onto the passenger seat, slamming the door shut and rushing to the driver’s side, barely managing to reach for his phone before emergency-calling Doyoung.

It rings once, the agent’s distressed voice coming off the speaker just as Jeno starts the engine. “What’s happening?”

“You fucking tell me, Doyoung,” he starts, the tone suddenly ragged in anger as he reverses out of the corner, picking up speed while expertly dodging the few stray racers still around. “Why the fuck is the police here? I thought the plans had changed—why the fuck are they here opening gunfire out of nowhere?”

“The police’s there?” Doyoung asks, giving away his aggravation even through the phone. “We didn’t send anyone, the plans really have changed. Can’t you identify them?”

“There’s no time for that,” he bites back, hands tightening around the steering wheel as he takes a look at your unmoving, quiet figure. “She’s been shot, I’m taking her to the hospital.”

“Shit,” the agent curses, an uncharacteristic behavior that feels fitting to the sudden weight of the situation. “I’m calling the team, we’ll see what we can do. I’ll meet you at the hospital, wait for me.”

The call disconnects as Jeno takes a back exit inside the warehouse, acutely aware of your silence. You’re gripping the seat with loose fingers, breathing uneven as you stare ahead, eyes unfocused. As his Skyline reaches an empty alley on the way out of the lot, Jeno presses the accelerator harder, feeling as if there’s not much time left.

“Look at me,” Jeno calls, the words ironically bringing a bad taste to his mouth as he presses you, still not looking at him. “Cherry, look at me!”

As you turn to him, your eyes are looking far too unfocused and dazed for his comfort. “Where’s Jaemin and Gigi?”

“At the garage,” he says, rushing to answer with an ease that he isn’t currently feeling. “They’re fine. I’ll call them—they’ll meet you at the hospital.”

Jeno feels his composure crack the longer he looks at you, taking in the blood staining your clothes and the way your breath’s slowly growing uneven. The road stretches ahead as he speeds further, though all he can focus on is the time slipping through his fingers no matter how fast he’s driving.

Pulling into the hospital’s entrance, the tires of his GT-R screeching against the asphalt, Jeno doesn’t even bother parking properly.

As he hurries to your side, his movements grow increasingly desperate upon noticing you abruptly losing consciousness. Swinging the door open, Jeno scoops you into his arms, your head falling against his chest as your breathing slows down.

The staff immediately rush to him as he walks through the sliding doors of the ER, fast to take you from his hold. The sight of your unconscious figure on the stretcher feels crushing, leaving him to just stand there with clenched fists as a sense of helplessness seems to weigh him down on the spot.

It’s just when Jeno hears Doyoung calling for his name that he breaks out of the trance, turning around to find the agent’s disgruntled, but worried figure quickly approaching him.

“Hey,” Doyoung greets, the low tone not masking the urgency laced to it. “How’s she doing?”

Stepping back to lean against the hospital’s wall, he can’t help huffing humorlessly. “What the fuck was that, Doyoung?”

“I’m still not sure, our team’s still looking into it,” the agent answers right away, sighing tensely as he glances knowingly at the youngest. “It definitely wasn’t us… but taking a wild guess? I don’t think the police were part of it.”

Jeno’s jaw clenches, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. “Are you saying that was Victor?”

Doyoung shrugs, scoffing a dry laugh. “He’s got the means for it, that’s for sure,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest with an eye-roll. “With us pushing back the operation, he had more than enough time to plan something.”

With a frustrated exhale, Jeno runs a hand over his face, features hardening into a frown for a second. “Listen, I don’t think my cover’s blown—”

“Don’t worry about that,” Doyoung interjects, cutting him off with a firm, yet reassuring nod. “We’ll handle the fall-out, Jeno.”

Over the older agent’s shoulder, Jeno suddenly spots Jaemin hurrying into the hospital. The mechanic’s eyes dart around the room for a moment until finding him, suspiciously eyeing the scene before taking a few steps closer. Noticing the shift on Jeno’s face, Doyoung follows his gaze, raising an eyebrow as Jaemin stops beside them. The agent is quick to take the hint, clapping Jeno’s shoulder before leaving with a mumble about needing coffee.

Jaemin breaks the silence first, his usual playful features heavy with a mix of concern and exhaustion. “What happened? Is Cherry okay?”

Unsure of how much to reveal given his position, Jeno can’t help hesitating. “She got caught in the middle of gunfire,” he replies, pausing for a moment before glancing apologetically at the mechanic. “I got her out as fast as I could.”

“We’ve been safe for years, the cops have never bothered us before,” Jaemin argues, nervously running a hand through his hair, frowning in confusion. “Why today?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Jeno answers, trying to keep the tone as steady as possible despite the truth behind the words. “It didn’t seem like they were targeting anyone specific, if that’s worth anything.”

As Jaemin regards Jeno for a second, a chuckle escapes from his mouth, the sound coming off sharply. “She told me.”

He feels his chest tighten, taken aback by the unexpected twist. “What?”

“You’re a cop, right?” the mechanic asks, voice down to a quieter, solemn tone. “Cherry told me everything and made me swear I wouldn’t tell anyone, not even you or Gigi.”

Shaking his head with a deep breath, Jeno feels the weight of his persona pressing down on him heavier than ever. “I’m sorry.”

Jaemin shrugs, surprising him by huffing a short laugh. “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to,” he says, a flicker of something softer crossing his eyes. “Just… whatever you’re planning, make sure it doesn’t screw both of you over more than it already has.”

The nurse’s voice suddenly cuts the conversation, Jeno faltering for a moment as both of them look up at the same time, their shared tensions immediately replaced by a sense of relief with over words.

“One of you can go in and see her now.”

The soft beeping of the monitor fills the silence of the hospital room, contrasting with the lingering, annoying buzz still echoing in your ears. The bandage on your neck feels perfectly snug, covering the bullet’s graze almost down to your shoulder.

After the chaos of earlier, you can’t help but feel misplaced once the nurse leaves, unconsciously replaying the entire night in your mind—the loud, sharp gunfire, the panic in his voice during your escape, the detachment you’d fallen into. It doesn’t take long until Jeno slowly steps into the room, features guarded despite the softness in his eyes upon meeting yours.

There’s a sense of hesitation in the way he moves, almost as if he’s unsure of his own presence around you. Taking a seat by the chair beside your bed, the silence between you holds for a second, only for Jeno to break it with a tired sigh first.

“Hey,” he greets quietly, glancing at the bandage on your neck with a touch of attentiveness. “How are you feeling?”

You shrug instinctively, the stiffness in your movements betraying a light discomfort. “It wasn’t as bad as it felt,” you say, placing a careful hand over the bandage with a dry chuckle. “It was just a graze. I’m just bad at handling stress and blood, apparently.”

Jeno leans forward, elbows resting on his knees as he looks up at you, his features looking nothing but distressed. “I’m really sorry, Cherry.”

Your lips twitch for a moment, a bitter smile almost tugging at your mouth. “For what, exactly? The cops raiding us or the lies you’ve been telling me?”

“For all of it,” Jeno answers, the words firm and steady, willingly taking the bite behind your question. “I know it’s not an excuse, but my team’s not involved in whatever happened. We’re looking into it, but…”

At the sudden pause, you lean back against the pillows on your bed, letting out a weary sigh. “Why do I feel like I know what you’re going to say?”

Jeno chuckles humorlessly, shaking his head with a grimace. “I think… I should tell you the truth about me first, right?” he begins, taking a deep breath before locking his eyes with yours again. “I’m an undercover agent. I was assigned to this case a few months ago, to investigate Victor and his crew.”

You swallow hard, doing your best to keep yourself from reacting despite the weight of his confession, the implications subtle. “What does Vic have to do with this?”

“He’s the head of an international smuggling operation in the city,” he reveals, almost looking apologetic over the words. “Everything you can think of, he’s got it—money laundering, trafficking, weapon deals. We’ve been looking into his business for a while, but it’s… complicated. He’s careful, his crew’s good.”

“Is that why you got involved with me?” you ask, the tone of your voice thoughtful, yet not particularly soft. “Did you think I was working for him?”

As he frowns, Jeno’s gaze hardens for a moment. “I’m not lying to you anymore, so I won’t say that I didn’t.”

With a hum, the words are quick to slip out of your mouth, almost too casually for the situation. “I’ve been looking into him too, you know,” you admit, chuckling quietly at the surprise on his face. “After that night, I started digging a little. I’m sure you know how easy it is to connect the dots if you keep your ears open around the racers.”

Jeno sighs, his eyebrows furrowing apologetically. “Cherry—”

“I’m not working for him,” you interrupt, frustration and disappointment laced to your broken exhale. “I don’t know what you know, but I—”

Reaching over for your hand, Jeno gently stops you from fidgeting. “I know you’re not,” he cuts in firmly, his gaze locking onto yours, the heaviness in his voice softening. “I know, baby.”

The unexpected nickname hangs in the air, catching both of you off guard. As the surprise breaks through your frustration, Jeno seems just as much taken aback, his lips parted as if realizing the slip a little too late. For a moment, the weight of the moment shifts, leaving a charged silence between you.

“So, what are you going to do now?” you ask, clearing your throat as if to recompose yourself, looking away from him. “Are you keeping the cover and continuing the investigation?”

“The investigation’s compromised now so…” Jeno hesitates, huffing a peeved laugh before slumping back against his seat. “I’ll probably have to leave. Victor knows who I am and if I stay… it’ll be just dangerous for everyone.”

You nod slowly, heart aching in a way you hadn’t anticipated. “You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” you say quietly, managing a playful smile despite the tears burning in your eyes, threatening to fall. “For what it’s worth, I don’t regret any of it. It was nice trusting you, Jeno… even if only for a little while.”

He looks at you then, his expression pained as a shaky sigh escapes from his mouth. “Cherry—”

Shaking your head, you silently fist his jacket to pull him up, Jeno immediately following as he stands up with a step closer to the bed. As he leans closer, carefully holding himself over your figure, you cup his face gently. Your fingertips brush against his cheeks, moving to his lips before you close the distance, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his mouth.

The struggle in his eyes is clear as you pull back, though Jeno doesn’t say anything. Instead, he just nods, forehead resting against yours for just a moment more before he stands up.

With a long look at you, Jeno pulls a set of keys from his jeans, reaching for your hand and dropping them into your palm. A genuine, incredulous laugh escapes from your lips over the realization, immediately drawing a small smile out of him.

“You take care of yourself, Cherry,” he says softly, the nickname carrying more emotion than ever before.

You nod, a half-hearted, teasing smile slowly growing on your face despite the ache in your chest. “I’ll see you around, Jeno.”

As the door clicks shut behind him, you know that this the end of whatever it was you’d built together—but only the beginning of something you’ll have to build alone now.

“I can’t believe this is your first vacation since joining the agency.”

Stepping out of the elevator, Jeno lets out a soft laugh at Doyoung’s exasperation, the man walking beside him as they make their way through the lobby.

Despite the cool air conditioning of the building, the bright sunlight slipping through the glass doors hints at another warm, heavy summer day outside. Jeno tugs at the tie around his neck, loosening the knot before undoing the first buttons of his shirt.

“Taking days off under orders is hardly a vacation,” he replies, his tone dry but laced with humor.

Doyoung huffs, shaking his head as they near the building’s exit. “God knows you need some time off,” the agent argues, glancing at him knowingly. “Maybe you should go to the beach these days, you could use some vitamin D—”

As his friend continues the spiel, Jeno quickly glances outside, about to step through the glass doors when his attention’s caught by an unexpected, but familiar sight.

Outside the agency’s building, the green Nissan Skyline GT-R contrasts with the muted, neutral colors from the other cars driving through the same street. Sitting at the hood of the car, flipping a cherry red lollipop between your fingers, you look like a mirage to Jeno’s eyes, maybe a vision brought by the heat from outside.

“—not listening to me?”

He blinks at Doyoung after a second, startled by the agent’s hand waving in front of his face. “What?”

With a suspicious frown, Doyoung trails his eyes in the same direction, a sound of surprise instantly escaping from his lips. “Is that who I think it is?”

He nods, resisting the smirk tugging at his mouth. “Yeah.”

As recognition suddenly flickers in the agent’s gaze, a scoff escapes from his lips over the car, his tone laced with disbelief. “So that’s where the Skyline we gave you went?”

Jeno chuckles, offering a half-hearted shrug at his friend. “I paid for it.”

“She’s technically a criminal,” Doyoung starts, more playful than anything, giving him a mock indignant glance. “You do know that, right? It might not seem like it but street racing is illegal—”

“I’ll see you later, Doyoung.”

Jeno’s voice cuts the oldest’s teasing, moving to step ahead through the door as Doyoung snickers behind him, shaking his head in amusement.

It doesn’t take long for you to notice him approaching, your lips soon curling in a soft, somehow teasing smile. Despite his surprise, Jeno doesn’t hesitate stepping closer, moving to stand between your legs in a familiar move.

“Hey,” you greet, offering a pat to his chest in a coy manner. “Long time no see, huh?”

“Seven months, exactly,” Jeno answers, giving a firm nod before raising a curious eyebrow at you. “I’m not complaining, but what are you doing here?”

You sigh exaggeratedly, tilting your head at him. “You know words are quick to get around, right? I heard your first vacation ever starts today.”

“You’ve heard it right,” he says, smirking at your antics as if the past months hadn’t happened, a sense of familiarity settled between you.

As you smile, something softer flickers in your gaze. “So I was thinking… if you’ve got some time off, maybe you’d want to spend it doing something cool,” you start, shrugging lightly. “You know, like going for a drive or racing with someone?”

For a moment, Jeno can only stare at you, still taken aback by your abrupt appearance. Then, without thinking twice, he suddenly closes the distance between you, hands reaching for your face as his lips finally meet yours again. Smiling against his mouth, you lean back as your palms rest against the car’s hood, the kiss so unhurried and lingering that Jeno almost pushes you down against it after a while.

When you pull away, his lips still following you for a split second, a smile grows on your face.

“So,” you say softly, your voice laced with amusement. “Is that a yes?”

Jeno grins, hands on your hips as he pulls you off the Skyline, arms holding you closer as if you’ve never left.

“Let’s see if you’ve still got it.”

MASTERLIST

TAGLIST: @saranghoeforanton @tywritesstuff

#lee jeno #lee jeno x reader #jeno x reader #nct fic #nct dream fic #lee jeno fic #jeno fic #nct fanfic #nct dream fanfic #neocitylights

237 notes · View notes

marypaol · 9 months ago

Text

Say You Won’t Let Go

Harry James Potter x fem!reader

Summary: Harry wants to stay with her till they’re gray and old… as long as she doesn’t let go.

Warnings: Kissing? Talk of future? I think that’s it! <3

Note: In Harry’s POV yet it’s third person. I hope that makes sense to y’all. :)

Note #2: Based on the song “Say You Won’t Let Go” by James Arthur. Not the whole song though. (Some lyrics)

Between each lyric- time skip. Lyrics in italics! :)

Masterlist

Requests closed at the moment

Also started another blog! @honeychamomile1

I pulled you closer to my chest. And you asked me to stay over, I said, “I already told ya, I think that you should get some rest.”

“I’m so tired.” She grumbled. Her body squirmed under the blankets as she tried to seek a comfortable position.

“I know.” Harry chuckled in response, his fingers traveling along the skin of her arm as he kissed her temple.

She hummed, her eyes once closed but when he responded she fluttered them open, eyes sparkling at the sight of him.

“You’re so pretty, Harry.” She laughed out, hand coming up to stroke his cheek, then reaching up to adjust his glasses.

She pulled him forward with her arm around his neck, digging her face into it, and he thanked Merlin she couldn’t see his red face then. He pulled her closer to his chest, arm wrapped around her back as she was once now flushed against him.

“You should stay the night.” She whispered, snuggling herself deeper into him as she kissed the skin of his neck.

He squirmed at the feeling, the tickle sensation spreading from the area she was kissing to his toes. He sighed once she stopped, having to stop the giggles that were threatening to leave his mouth.

He leaned back, taking his arm out from behind her back so she wouldn’t crush it and stroked her hair out of her face as he looked at her.

“I already told you,” he sighed. “you should get some rest.”

She groaned at his reminder, hands reaching up to ruffle his already messed up hair. She was gonna be honest, there wasn’t a time she saw it neat. That that she was complaining, his feisty hair was one of her favorite things about him.

She then pouted when her eyes met his. He chuckled at her stubbornness, shaking his head at her.

“Don’t look at me like that, I have to go back to Ron.” He reminded with a teasing warning look.

“I was hoping you would stay when I gave you the puppy eyes.” She said, putting the show on again. He shook his head once again as an answer.

She pouted deeper, her eyes dropping before she gained composure again to hide the fact she was tired.

“Rude.” She muttered, dropping her hands from his hair.

He laughed on how cute she looked, kissing her pout away with a soft kiss to the lips.

When you looked over your shoulder

For a minute I forget that I’m older

I wanna dance with you right now

Oh, and you look as beautiful as ever

And I swear that everyday you’ll get better

You make me feel this way somehow

Harry could hear the shuffling from the seat next to him, his lover not seeming to be finding a satisfactory position to sit in while doing their work.

“I don’t know what to write!” She exclaimed, dropping her quill as she made movements in the air with her hands in exasperation.

Harry shrugged, peeking at the page number she was on in her textbook and turning to it in his own. The two were doing their Divination homework, Professor Trelawney wanting them to see how the next month for them will go.

“I’m about done with taking this seriously,” she started, shaking her head.

“You’ve been thinking I’ve been?” Harry added, but she continued, ignoring his comment.

“I’m making it up.” She decided, grabbing her quill and looking at her book, humming as she found a potential imaginary scenario that will most likely not happen anyways.

“I’ll….lose a bet….?” She suggested, still looking at her book.

Harry nods before realizing she’s not looking at him.

“Yeah, sounds good,” he replies. “Um…and I’ll…be unlucky for one week.”

She grinned at him. “Mine’s more believable.”

He scoffed. “My book doesn’t have any good ones!” He said as an excuse.

She laughed. “We have the same book!”

“Whatever-get me a different Divination book in the library, will ya?”

She rolled her eyes but got up nonetheless, searching the shelves for something better for the boy. Even though the book she was using was just fine.

She heard him close the book he was previously using and looked over her shoulder at him.

Harry just so happened to be already looking at her, and forgot everything he was thinking about moments prior. He forgot he was a year older since his birthday was in the summer, forgot that his mind should be focused on school work. His brain was occupied with thoughts on how beautiful she looked at the moment. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of him looking flustered just by looking at her, his bright green eyes something she easily got lost in.

He suddenly had the urge to get up and dance with her right in the middle of the library, despite his lack of dancing skills. He wanted to embrace her as a way to claim her his, despite the fact she already was.

Everyday she seemed to get more beautiful, more breathtaking, and more gorgeous.

Even after she chuckled at his act, turning away with thoughts all about him, a soft fuzzy feeling flooded Harry, making him feel all warm inside.

His fingertips became tingly, itching to touch her face her hair her everything. She just left him and he already longed for her to come back.

She did just that a couple minutes later, laying a book down for him as they exchanged smiles.

I'm so in love with you

And I hope you know

Darling, your love is more than worth its weight in gold

We've come so far, my dear

Look how we've grown

And I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old

Just say you won't let go

“Say you won’t let go.”

The sentence made her head come up from his chest, her fingers halting their movements on his hand.

She looked at him and laughed halfheartedly. “What?”

He was serious when she looked at him, and so her small smile dropped suddenly at his serious mood switch.

“Say you won’t let go.” Harry repeated.

“You know I won’t, Harry.” She whispered, reaching up to stroke his cheek, the smooth skin soft beneath her finger tips.

“Promise?” Harry asked hesitantly, doubt swarming in his stomach.

She sat up then, and for a split dying second he thought she was gonna leave, leaving him alone in the bed.

Instead she sat on his lap, his back leaning against the headboard. She sighed, legs on either side of his waist as her arms came up, sliding up his shoulders before her hands wrapped around his neck. “Harry,” she whispered, leaning closer.

“I want to stay with you until we’re grey and old. So old we don’t be able to get out of bed, so old neither of us can hear properly anymore. So old that we both have wrinkles covering our faces and even more when we smile. And I do that a lot around you.” She added, smiling as she said such things.

“Really?” Harry asked, voice barely audible. But she heard him well, nodding her head. “Yes,” she started, leaning closer and pecking his lips, sweet and soft, loving and kind. “And I definitely won’t be letting go any time soon.”

“I love you.” Harry whispered.

“And I love you.” She said back against his lips.

I hope you guys liked it!

674 notes · View notes

blackcoldcrackedheart · 2 months ago

Text

Might write it out more.

Tommy isn't religious, but he's praying to whomever can hear him that the boy,who looks barely two or three years old, is okay.

He wants to desperately curse out the parents for being stupid enough to go hiking when the Santa Ana winds were getting stronger.

Tommy picks up the kid gingerly, waiting for his team to pull the parents first since they weren't responding. The kid had a horrible open wound that Tommy was betting was a fracture but the kid's eyes were open and he seemed alert- scared really.

Something about the kid's eyes felt eerily familiar- a sense of deja vu washed over Tommy. The kid's eyes were starting blue and so animated, that Tommy was sure he could read the kid's thoughts just by looking into his eyes.

He gently pushed back the kid's blond curly hair back, pressing against the wound as the kid's eyes could only look around in fear. "Hey, I'm Tommy. What you're name, kiddo?"

"Danny." The kid slurred, his voice barely a whisper. "Mommy and daddy hurt?"

Tommy nodded, "Yes, your mommy and daddy got hurt but my friends are gonna help, okay? We're all firefighters and we're gonna take you to the hospital so you can feel better." He explained gently. He looked up to the helicopter that Lucy was piloting l. The winds were harsh and he had covered Danny's face from having to see his parents sway in the wind as they were being pulled into the helicopter.

"Firetruck?" Danny's eyes were filled with wonder and excitement, of course the kid would love firetrucks.

Tommy laughed, " When we get out of here, we can go see firetrucks with your mom and dad. Okay?"

Danny's eyes drooped close, Tommy patted the toddler's face gently, "Hey buddy, I know you're tired, but I need you to stay awake."

"I'm not tired, Tummy."

Tommy nearly snickered at that, the kid was such a cutie pie. "Hey, what if we sang a song? Want to sing me a song?"

He heard it before he heard his team yell.

The sound of the ground shifting.

"KINARD!"

Amir was ready by the doors for EMT to come through with the second party of the hill avalanche call.

The first set to come through was a couple, younger than Amir. Amir knew that they were able to get the name of the man since he had on a medical bracelet- Connor. They were both rushed to the OR due to being in critical conditions. Amir wasn't sure if either one would make it just based on the amount of blood he saw on the emt workers working on them.

He waited and saw his patient coming in.

"What do we have today?" Amir asked, taking control of the gurney that had the third adult.

"40 years old white male, lacerations on the back of the head, severe bruising on his back and legs, possible fracture on his left leg and possible crush hip." The rushed blond emt informed him, Amir's eyes followed the fourth gurney that was trailing behind them, this one carrying much smaller patient

"Is that his kid?" Amir asked, the kid looked rough and bloodied, with another nurse taking over the bagging for the kid's ventilation.

Another emt looked the blond woman worriedly, "No, he's one of ours, Tommy Kinard. The kid belongs to the parents who were rushed in earlier."

Amir sighed, "Noted, we'll take it from here guys."

The five mile run didn't do anything to calm Buck's nerves.

He still wanted to call Tommy.

More now than ever since he felt like he was losing his family again.

He wanted to be supportive of Eddie, of Maddie and Chim, and Bobby.

But a part of him felt like he couldn't.

Especially that part that saw a future with Tommy.

He chucked his headphones onto the kitchen counter and was ready to do the same with his phone when he saw a familiar number calling him.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Evan Buckley?"

Buck could already feel himself start to worry, no one typically asked that question unless it was related to something bad.

"Uh, ye-yeah, this is Evan Buckley." Buck replied roughly.

"I'm calling from Cedar-Sinai hospital, I'm calling about Thomas Kinard? You're listed as his emergency contact."

Buck felt his blood rush to his ears, he was sure words were said but he was on auto-pilot now. He understood a few words the nurse was telling him as he grabbed his keys and wallet: severe injuries, avalanche, helicopter rescue, kid.

Buck just needed to get to Tommy.

Part 2

#bucktommy #tevan #they said that run in might be awkward #so i made it awkward and angsty

211 notes · View notes

nhlclover · 4 months ago

Text

𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐄 𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐅𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 | 𝐆𝐀𝐁𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐋𝐓

— cozytober masterlist !

summary: homecoming takes an unexpected turn for gabe when he meets you and your infectious energy that takes his attention completely off the game.

warnings: brief mention of drinking, a lil kiss scene

word count: 1.65k

notes: fic number five of cozytober! based on 'had me by halftime' by morgan wallen. fall = homecoming = football games and school spirit (roll eagles)

Gabe adjusted his Boston College hat, the brim low to shield his eyes from the mid-afternoon sun as he stepped out of the Uber, scanning the sea of maroon and gold that sprawled before him. The crisp October air carried the unmistakable smell of charcoal grills and the distant hum of laughter and music. Fall was definitely here, but the warmth of the day still clung in the air, that perfect mix of cool breezes and lingering heat that made it hard to believe summer was really over.

Gabe weaved through groups of students and alumni, looking for Jacob. He had texted him earlier to meet up in the parking lot where the tailgate was going on, Gabe figuring he was already set up in the thick of it. Sure enough, he spotted Jacob, who was laughing alongside his girlfriend Olivia, and a small group of her friends.

“Hey man,” Jacob greeted Gabe, dapping him up when he approached.

Gabe returned the dap with a smile, already feeling the buzz of energy around him. "What’s up, bud?" he replied.

“You gonna get in on our pool? We’ve got a bet going about the over-under for total points.” Jacob explained.

“Don’t do it, Gabe, the buy-in is forty bucks,” Olivia warned, receiving an eye roll from Jacob that didn’t go unnoticed. “You blow money on stupid things and then lose them, Jacob, you need better spending habits.”

Gabe slightly tuned out the bickering couple, his eyes scanning the lively crowd around him when his wandering gaze fell on you. You stood just a few feet away, engaged in a heated game of cornhole with some guy, tossing playful trash talk his way. You wore a cropped Zay Flowers BC jersey slightly exposing your midriff and a sparkling stud on your bellybutton. Your hair fell in loose waves around your shoulders, and the bright smile that stretched across your face was infectious.

“You see something you like?” a voice teased from beside him. Gabe forced his eyes away from you as he realized Olivia had caught him staring. A knowing smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “That’s y/n. She’s one of my friends from bio, I’m sitting next to her in the game. I should introduce you.”

“What?” Gabe tried to play it off cool, but he could feel the heat rising to his cheeks. “Nah, I was just—”

“Staring, yeah, I know,” Emily teased, giving him a playful nudge. “She’s great, by the way. She’s super smart, a little intense but in the best way, and she’s got this whole Georgia thing going on. You’ll hear it when she talks, trust me. You should totally go say hi.”

“Ah, I don’t know…” Gabe said, looking back at you. He watched as you threw your head back with laughter, the joyous sound rising to the noise of the crowd.

“Come on man, don’t be wimp.” Jacob urged, giving him a soft shove.

Gabe rolled his eyes but couldn’t deny the spark of interest flaring inside him. “Alright, fine. I’ll go talk to her.”

He stepped forward, weaving through the crowd, trying to figure out how to approach without coming off like a total idiot. Just as you were lining up your next shot, he cleared his throat. “Pretty sure you’re making this guy’s life miserable.”

You let out a laugh, the sound melodic. “Hey, it’s not my fault he’s terrible at this,” you teased, taking your shot and sinking the bag perfectly into the hole, winning your game.

“Wow, I’m impressed,” Gabe said. “Mind if I challenge the winner?”

“You want in on this?” you asked, raising an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Alright, but just know I won’t go easy on you.”

Gabe chuckled, appreciating your boldness. “I wouldn’t want you to.”

The game started, and you made sure to keep the banter alive. As the two of you exchanged playful jabs, Gabe quickly learned a few things: you were from Georgia, which explained the slight twang in your voice and what Olivia said earlier, and you were majoring in biology. It was clear you had a contagious energy about you, something that made it easy for Gabe to be around you.

When the start time of the game neared, you shifted inside the stadium where you and Gabe ended up sitting next to each other, leaving Jacob and Olivia to their own little world. The stands were packed, the atmosphere electric as the Eagles took the field. Throughout the first quarter, Gabe tried to keep his focus on the field, but his mind kept drifting back to you—how animated you got with every play, the way you yelled at the refs, and how you’d nudge him whenever something exciting happened. Football was supposed to be the main event, but now? You were stealing the show.

Midway through the game, you pulled out a couple of airplane bottles from your purse, handing a tiny bottle of Fireball to Gabe. “Security didn’t catch these,” you whispered, winking. “Wanna share?”

He grinned, feeling a little rebellious as he took the bottle from you. “You come prepared.”

“Always,” you said, clinking your bottle against his.

And when the fight song started blaring through the speakers, you threw your arm around his shoulder, singing loudly and pulling him into it. “Come on, Gabe! You gotta show some school spirit!”

He laughed but joined in, letting you drag him into the moment, singing along with the rest of the crowd, even though he didn’t know the words as well as you did. There was something infectious about your energy, the way you were so unapologetically yourself, and Gabe found himself caught up in it.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Eagles were trailing by 3, but you were still holding onto hope, your eyes glued to the field. When they scored with just 15 seconds left, you let out a scream of pure joy and launched yourself into Gabe’s arms. His arm instinctively wrapped around your waist as he picked you up, the two of you caught up in the moment as the crowd roared around you.

“They did it!” you yelled, beaming as you hugged him tightly.

Gabe couldn’t help but smile back, caught up in your joy. There was something about the way you were looking at him in that moment, so full of life and excitement, that made him realize something. He wasn’t just into you because of the game, or because of how you looked in the jersey, or even the way you made him laugh. He was into you because of you.

As the crowd started to thin out, you hooked your arm through his, still talking about the game, about how this was exactly what the Eagles needed to turn their season around. He listened, though his mind was elsewhere — on you, on the feeling of your arm around his, on how easy it was to be around you. As the crowd spilled out into the streets, Gabe offered to walk you back to your dorm, which you accepted gratefully. The sunset bathed the campus in a golden light, casting a warm glow that made you look radiant in his eyes. You chatted the whole way back, the conversation flowing easily, like you’d known each other for longer than just a few hours.

When you reached your dorm, the orange and pink hues of the sky made you look almost ethereal. The lingering warmth of the day clung to the air, Gabe feeling a sudden rush of nerves. The conversation had slowed to a comfortable lull, and you were smiling at him, your eyes glowing in the soft light of the setting sun. Gabe rubbed the back of his neck, taking a step closer to you, feeling like now or never.

“You know,” he began, his voice a little lower than usual, “I’ve had a really great time today. Didn’t think I’d get this lucky at a football game.”

You tilted your head, grinning, “Lucky, huh? I feel like I’m the one who should be saying that. You were a great seat partner.”

Gabe chuckled, but his smile faded slightly as he searched your eyes. His heart pounded in his chest as he leaned in just a bit, testing the waters. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” you replied, your voice softening in the quiet of the evening.

For a moment, Gabe hesitated, his fingers brushing lightly against your arm. “Can I kiss you?”

The question hung in the air between you for what felt like an eternity, but when you nodded, your lips curved into a small, inviting smile. Gabe didn’t waste another second. He closed the gap between you, gently cupping your face with one hand as he pressed his lips to yours.

The kiss was soft and tentative at first, the faint taste of Fireball still lingering on both of your lips. But as you leaned into him, wrapping your arms around his neck, the kiss deepened. It was sweet and full of excitement as Gabe’s hands moved down to your waist. Gabe’s heart raced as the warmth of your body melted into his, and for a few moments, the world outside your little bubble ceased to exist.

When you finally pulled away, both of you were breathless, your faces inches apart. Gabe couldn’t help the goofy smile that spread across his face. “Wow,” he murmured.

You laughed softly, the sound sending a shiver down his spine. “Wow is right.”

You probably think that it was the kiss that did it for Gabe, that made him want to make you his. That maybe that was the moment when it all clicked for Gabe — the warmth of your lips, the way you smiled right after, or how the sunset framed you like something out of a movie.

But if you ask him, he’d tell you he knew by halftime.

#gabe perreault #gabe perreault x reader #gabe perreault imagine #nhl #nhl imagine #hockey #hockey imagine #new york rangers #boston college #bc eagles #gp34 #football #fluff #clover's cozytober

190 notes · View notes

tojiphile · 1 year ago

Text

you want to say you hate him. your academic rival, your only competition for that number 1 spot in school. you’re at each other’s throats everyday, much to the amusement of your teachers and classmates. in reality? yes, it’s a competition, but you’re not fighting for valedictorian. you’re fighting to win that stupid bet you made: whoever tops the school gets to fuck the other.

so when you waltz up on stage to reap the fruits of your labour, you can’t help but meet the his steely gaze. you shoot him a cheeky wave and laugh internally when his jaw tightens.

“f— fuck you!” he spits, pushing his spectacles up. he really tries his best to be silent, but a desperate whine escapes his lips and his knees buckle as you stuff his tight hole with your 7” neon pink strap on, fucking him into his bedroom wall.

“that’s what i’m tryin’ to do baby doll,” you coo, pushing your hair away from your face, “if you just, shut— up!”

you give his perky ass a hard smack and he can’t help but jump at the impact, grinding his hips into yours. not just a smartass, you note, covering your own mouth to stifle a giggle.

you love seeing him like this. his ears burn a furious shade of red, his usually perfectly-styled hair messed up and sweaty. and god, he makes the most pornographic sounds, whimpering and moaning like a bitch in heat. he presses his palms against the wall, trying his best to hold himself up as you thrust into him, motivated by his babbling.

“‘s too much, i can’t— oh!” he gasps as you wrap your hand around his aching cock, running your thumb across his sensitive slit, leaking with precum. “fuuuuuck!”

it hits him all at once.

“i’m c—close, please— god, don’t stop, don’t stop!” he chokes, hot tears running down his face. any pretence of pride he had was thrown out the window as his hands balled into fists and he fucks himself on your strap, sinking down fully, whining and desperate.

“that’s it baby doll,” you murmur, “take it all.”

“ahhh— ‘m cumming, cumming, cum—” you feel his body convulse against yours, shockwaves sporadic and intense as you fuck him through his orgasm, strap mercilessly slamming into his g-spot. you jerk him off even as you feel him cum over your fist, a sticky warmth covering your palm.

you pull out of him with a squelch as you catch him before he collapses to the floor. his eyes are half-lidded, his glasses are crooked and he’s heaving as he tries to catch his breath. and he’s definitely still feeling the orgasmic high. you can’t help but feel a but smug, not only because of the mess you’ve made him into, but also because of how well he took your strap.

you lay him down on his bed, take off his glasses (you’re surprised he doesn’t stop you), clean them with the hem of your shirt, then place them on his bedside table, neatly folded.

you lay down next to him, opening your arms to offer a hug. he accepts, rolling over and getting on top of you, pressing his face into your chest.

“you’re mean…” he mutters, muffled by your boobs, “next time, i’m gonna be the one that fucks you.”

you smile. “game on.”

GOJO SATORU, okkutsu yuta, TSUKISHIMA KEI, oikawa tooru, miya atsumu, tendou satori, sanji, CHILDE, captain kuro, sawamura daichi, shirabu kenjiro, wanderer, thoma, geto suguru, miya osamu

2K notes · View notes

lily-onher-grave · 2 months ago

Text

okay okay okay thoughts/excited ramblings about the wicked movie under the cut bc i've seen it and now i'm insane about it again

let's be real it's kinda hard to fumble the opening number of a musical especially when that opening number is no one mourns the wicked and yet i was still absolutely blown away it was SO GOOD

the lil munchkins running, the singing in the streets, the posters of the witch (side note all the artwork was insanely good and just added so much to the style of oz i feel like) it was all so awesome

NOMTW becomes so sinister and they nailed it

obligatory emotional babbling about glinda standing alone in the crowd as everyone sings 'the wicked's lives are lonely'

before i left for the theater i was like 'take your bets on if i'll cry' and my roommate and i agreed that yeah obviously i would. but what i didn't expect is for ariana's sad face to knock me out in five minutes flat. i was done for

the effigy. holy shit. and handing the torch to glinda. i want to go see the whole thing again just so i can rewatch that scene. my heart still hurts

(also nanny! sort of not really. but i liked the childhood scenes i liked that elphaba had one (1) good thing in her life before shiz)

SHIZ okay shiz honestly shiz was the thing i was most excited for bc c'mon, we don't write about our gothic magic school all the time in fic for nothing. and honestly it was so good. the shots of the whole castle! the library design! the balcony moments and the stairways and just like the layers of architecture and the way morrible could kind of be anywhere at any time. the way it felt so grand and yet so small at the same time. idk man the vibes were good and the set was beautiful

glinda arriving by boat was magical that's all

the way everything dillamond had was tailored to him was fantastic it was so good

actually i want to shout out the library set design again and how it tied into the clockwork theme that never gets fully called out even in the musical but it's still so good

where's my time dragon clock tho

also back up the scene where elphaba loses her temper in the courtyard--when she breaks the relief of the wizard, there's old artwork of Animals behind it and i gasped out loud when i saw it

and that was the first moment i thought 'this is brilliant but i still want an hbo dark fantasy political drama tv show based on the book'

speaking of the dark fantasy political drama tv shows, the Animal meeting!! i'm so glad they put more stuff like that in there

actually as a whole the movie felt more grounded and less comedic than the musical. i think they did a fantastic job of keeping the magic and silliness and charm and wonder of the show while still adding those extra bits of drama and dire circumstances

anyway gelphie fic prank wars trope is officially canon great work everybody handshakes all around. i was cackling (silently. i promise i'm a respectful moviegoer)

the ozdust ballroom being illegal makes so much sense. it being underwater was fucking cool. boq and nessa were actually really great and i usually don't care about them at all during this scene

also i love love love nessa and i cannot wait to see more of her. but showing her multiple times on the sidelines when elphie was being humiliated was such a good choice. the tension between nessa obviously caring for her sister yet always caring for herself more is so delicious and i always want to see it fleshed out more, and i think they did such a good job with her? her and elphaba have sweet moments which i love, and her wanting to be independent and only elphaba really understanding that is so so good. and having her just watching elphaba for so long before finally saying she can't watch. god i can't wait to see her be desperate and selfish and cold in act 2, it's gonna be so good

side note boq also looking upset by elphie being bullied. i miss my brotp man

but let's talk about what's most important: the gelphie dance. because oh my god i started crying all over again. so did elphaba. and glinda wiping her tears i'm dying i've died oh my god

i always get a little bit surprised when glinda seems more head over heels than elphaba. idk why. but ariana's glinda is absolutely more head over heels than cynthia's elphaba and i loved it

(they just. freaking LEFT the party. just zipped out of there as soon as they hugged. glinda was like hmmm i just realized some things and grabbed elphaba's hand and ran off while the night was young. and fiyero stared after them knowing that he stood no chance whatsoever)

also i'm like 72% sure the guys sitting next to me were a couple? and they both cried during the gelphie dance too and it was a very unexpected but very funny moment of solidarity

i say ariana's glinda is more head over heels and i stand by it but elphaba's fond little smile when glinda was pouting about sharing secrets almost made me start sobbing again they're so GOOD they're so CUTE and she is SO heart eyes for glinda immediately!!!

i need to be sedated i swear

popular was adorable 10/10 no notes absolutely nailed it i loved every second

also glinda sitting next to elphaba in class now. my heart <3

after dillamond gets hauled away (again with this being more violent and dark and those moments of drama coming through more in the movie i loveeee) glinda doesn't sit down until elphaba does

also they had several little moments of elphaba looking to glinda and glinda either shaking her head or nodding. they've been friends for 2 days and they're already having silent conversations i love them <3

the poppy spell? was sick as hell????

another seeing of wicked, another complete sense of bafflement as to why fiyero is there

i say this jokingly but the fiyero and elphaba romance really does feel like a product of the early 2000s especially now that it's on screen rather than on stage. idk maybe that's just the lesbian in me talking though

the train design is also sick but we knew that from the trailers

okay look logically yes i knew idina and kristin would have cameos. but i'd been crying on and off and one short day's magic had already taken hold so they caught me completely off guard. it was great

the wizard stuff was really sweet. and while i was hoping for more time put toward shiz and stuff, i do think those moments did a great job of 1) showing how much elphaba just wants to be loved 2) foreshadowing the wizard being her father and 3) laying the groundwork for her briefly considering working with the wizard in act 2, which is a decision that never quiteee feels right in the show

i love that they put more lore into the grimmerie btw. very cool

the hot air balloon was random but fun. i wonder if it'll come up again in act 2

every time. every damn time glinda starts singing in defying gravity i just want someone to end it right there. glinda grabs the broom, it fades to black, and they both lived happily ever after

fuck

defying gravity taking place at sunset because it's at the end of their one short day of happiness

also UM morrible coming up and hugging glinda when she's crying. exquisite emotional manipulation i'm screaming

elphie! seeing! her! inner! child! i loved the baby elphie scenes even though i prefer creepy 'horrors' elphaba always. but seeing her come back was sooooo fucking good

elphaba only ever relying on herself, in the end

glinda's final 'i hope you're happy' took me out, as it always does, as it always should. and reaching out from the balcony? i'm sobbing again

morrible dragging glinda into the darkness while elphaba flies into the sun! someone fucking help me i'm already wrecked by these two

honestly my biggest complaint is that now i have to wait for part two, i want to see the rest nowwwww

#wicked movie #gelphie #gelphie my beloved oh my god #a bunch of my friends saw it and were like 'it's amazing everyone should see it'#and i was like yeah i mean i trust your opinion #but is it 'i was obsessed with this for some of the most important years of my life #and i hold it with such a reverence that borders on possessiveness' good?#but lemme tell you it was pretty damn amazing and everyone should see it #also side note i think nomtw is my new favorite wicked song

169 notes · View notes

sugarmuseum · 3 months ago

Text

DOUBLE KILL | L.MK, L.DH | TEASER!

PAIRING: Mark Lee & Lee Donghyuck x female!reader

GENRE: smut, horror, thriller, college!au, frat!au

SUMMARY: As the campus gets filled with a bunch of frat members dressed as Ghosface for a Halloween joke, you suddenly get dragged into your own scary movie when someone decides you’ll be the protagonist.

WORD COUNT (teaser): 873 words.

AUTOR'S NOTE: edit this fic it's taking me a little more than i expected *deep sigh* i'll do my best to post it this week but in the meantime here's a teaser!

You put down your phone and walked away to finally get on your pajamas to sleep, when it lit up with another incoming call. These guys didn’t sleep or what? This time you looked at the ID, a private number. Knowing that NCT's day of nonsense is clearly not over, you answered but put it on speaker this time.

"Hello?" You responded for the third or fourth time today, starting to undress and choosing a large, worn-out t-shirt, pulling it over your head. As no one said anything on the other line, you frowned. "Junie, you were supposed to call Yangyang, not me," you reminded him.

"This is not Renjun," a distorted voice said. You turned to look at your phone for a second, hesitating, and then continued taking off your clothes, now tossing your jeans into the laundry basket.

"Oh? So who is it then?" You asked as you rolled your eyes, feeling tired of playing this game so late. You took your phone and turned off the speaker, and turned off the lights as well. You laid down in your bed in the dark, stretching with a small sigh, happy to be in the comfort of your sheets after a long day.

"Someone else. Going to bed already?" The caller asked, sounding interested, the low and seductive voice catching you a bit off guard. It's not the playful tone that others had used.

‘’Yeah, I was just about to,’’ you replied, turning on the small flat-screen TV in your room, looking for something on Netflix while holding the phone to your ear. ‘’Although I might put on a movie for some white noise, it helps me sleep.’’

"What movie?" The voice inquired you, tone deep and low.

‘’I don't know, maybe a horror movie,’’ you murmured, putting a random one and lowering the tv volume a little. "It's Halloween season, after all.’’

"A horror movie it’s gonna relax you? People stabbed and blood does that to you?’’ The caller chuckled darkly, mocking you. ‘’What's your favorite scary movie?" He asked, the altered voice resonating against your ear.

You took a pause, thinking for a few seconds. To everyone who had asked before, you had given different answers and lies to keep up the joke and ruin the original script, but this time you decided to respond with the truth, laughing quietly at how ridiculous it would sound.

"Scream," you admitted, tossing the remote aside and curling up under the blankets, keeping your eyes on the movie. "You guys, don't you get tired of making the same calls during the day? You're all going to drain the battery of that damn thing before Halloween.’’

‘’What do you like about that movie?’’ The voice ignored your last comment.

"I find it original, I like how it mocks and pays homage to the clichés and rules of slashers," you replied, unable to prevent another big yawn from escaping. "Drew Barrymore has the most iconic scene," your attention was diverted to your door, listening to noises from downstairs. They were probably sisters returning to the building.

"Are you tired, sweetheart? I bet you were finishing your homework like the good girl you are, I am right?" The caller said, making you frown with a strange feeling forming inside you upon hearing the nickname. But you couldn't tell if it was fear or something else.

"How do you know that?" You asked, curious but a bit hesitant.

"I saw you in the library today, looking so distracted and a bit... skittish," the voice commented with a small laugh that had you swallowing hard. "Is something making you nervous?"

‘’You know what? Yes, some group of idiots are bothering students everywhere," you mocked with your eyes closed, ready to sleep. "Including me. It's annoying."

‘’Well, in that case I hope the distractions don't make you forgetful. You remembered to lock the door, right? Did you set the alarm?’’ The caller asked, taunting you.

You could only blink as you slowly sat up in bed. The atmosphere had changed, and you felt a sense of discomfort and a bit of fear from his words, especially when the voice laughed hoarsely against your ear, as if he knew something you didn't. No one knows that today it's my turn to set the security system, you thought.

‘’You should check that, baby. If the door’s not locked… maybe there’s someone’s already inside,’’ the voice said.

You remembered the noises you heard from downstairs. Did you set the alarm before, right? Wasn't the door closed? No sister could enter after curfew, you assured yourself, glancing a bit frantically at the time on your phone. Past midnight. You were so tired after a day that had started so early, then the classes and the quiz you had been answering for hours— no.

You locked the door and put the security code on. Stop, you’re getting paranoid, you chastised yourself, it's just the boys being annoying. Right?

"Are you scared?" The electronic, smooth voice asked in a mocking tone, as if it knew exactly that you were going a little crazy. "Do you want me to come and help you calm down? Just open your door for me. Maybe I’m standing behind it..."

#mark lee x reader #lee donghyuk x reader #nct smut #nct dream smut #nct scenarios #nct x reader #haechan x reader #wicked season series

137 notes · View notes

tiredfox64 · 2 months ago

Note

I have a request/idea for a thing:

What if the Reader has a mutual pining situation going on with one of the meaner MK kharacters (I’d say Bi-Han, Shang Tsung, Reiko, or Quan Chi would be good for this—whoever you want, honestly!) but neither person has the guts to say anything, until FINALLY the MK kharacter just can’t handle it anymore and practically breaks down the Reader’s door in order to confess. Then sex happens.

Pining not Pinning!

Yip notes: You know damn well I was gonna pick Reiko. That’s my scary man right there. My fiancé is so mean to him tho. Also I tried but I think I suck with that romance trope.

Pairing: Reiko x Afab reader

Warnings‼️: NSFW, biting, perhaps a bit of masochism there is some pain, vaginal sex

General Shao needs the best of the best. Reiko is one of his best soldiers, he didn’t become lieutenant by doing nothing. Reiko knows that he is on top. He basks in the glory of being Outworld’s finest soldier. But will he play nicely with someone who is just as great as him?

Well, maybe, that is for you to decide. You are the next best thing for Outworld, General Shao will tell you that. That means Reiko has his eyes on you in more ways than one.

══💤══╡°˖✧🦊✧˖°╞══💤══

There have only been two instances where a woman has left the Umgadi. Those ladies would be Li Mei and you. Of course, you left not out of shame or to avoid punishment. You left because you didn’t want to protect the royal house. You wanted to protect all of Outworld. That’s why you joined General Shao’s army. He was more than happy to accept you in, seeing that you had the skills of a warrior. He also found your desire to protect all of Outworld commendable.

You quickly rose in rankings and earned yourself recognition. A female in the army who is beating upcoming soldiers? How could the people of Outworld not talk about you! And they talk and talk and spew many thoughts about you possibly overpowering a certain lieutenant who constantly wears war paint. You know damn well who they are talking about and he has heard.

All that talk led the lieutenant to you, huffing and puffing like a mad bull. Reiko knew you joined the army but he never expected you to rise in rankings so quickly. The idea of anyone being better than him doesn’t work in his mind. Which is why you two had to spar.

“What?” You questioned the general.

“Reiko has requested to fight you since you have been surpassing everyone else.”

Speak of the devil here comes the bastard. You could see he was mean mugging you even from a distance. The closer he got the more you saw the fury that swirled in his eyes. Your eyes shifted between General Shao and Reiko. Each glance at Shao sent a message that said “Are you fucking with me?” because what made him think springing this on you was smart.

Once Reiko was next to you, he started sizing you up. Have you ever seen a snake examining its food before eating it? It’s just like that except Reiko won’t bite your head off, hopefully. Shao luckily pushed Reiko away from you since that display of aggression was embarrassing. He commanded you to get ready to spar. The other soldiers shall be watching and learning.

“I knew you joined our numbers, but I never would have imagined that you were capable of being a true warrior.” He taunted you.

“I’m full of surprises. You seem to be the same way since I’m surprised you want to fight me so badly.”

“Why? Are you afraid to lose to me?”

“Not really, I’m just worried you have a few loose screws.”

Alright enough chit-chat about how he is fuckin unstable. Put your fist up and show him a good fight. A good fight is like good sex to him.

FIGHT!

══💤══╡°˖✧🦊✧˖°╞══💤══

Punches, kicks, left hook, right hook, haymakers, suplexes, piledrivers, me oh my I think I heard something crack!

How y’all two doin, alright? No? Oh I bet. You two look awful. You got drool dribbling down your chin and his rat tail manbun is messy. Both of you need to take care of your hands because your knuckles are torn up. Don’t forget to remove the shuriken stuck to your ass. Your back hurts, huh? Yeah, that won’t be the last time Reiko breaks your back—HUH?!?

General Shao had to pull you two apart the second he saw blood dripping onto the floor. He can’t have his best soldier out of commission. You took a few seconds to catch your breath and wipe the sweat from your forehead. Just as you expected, Reiko would be a tough battle. You knew he’d leave you breathless and a sweaty, drooling mess.

You decided to be a good sport and accept that this fight was a tie. You held your hand out for him to shake.

“You put up a good fight, Reiko. It was an honor to figh—”

He walked away without saying a word. You were left stunned with your hand still out. With the way Reiko was stomping away, you could tell he was all huffy. Well shit, the one guy you admire and have the hots for probably hates you now. Fuck!

Ah, but you got it all wrong. You turned that man on so much that he had to walk away from you. I told you a good fight is like good sex to that man.

══💤══╡°˖✧🦊✧˖°╞══💤══

Now begins an endless tango of confusing emotions and miscommunication.

From that day on you fully believed that Reiko hated you. Everyone believed that after his hissy fit of an exit. If anyone tried to discuss the fight or you in his presence, he shut that down immediately. Nobody could even speak your name around him because he’d get agitated. That’s the last thing anybody needs him to be before training starts.

You did your best to make amends even though you didn’t start the fight. You made an effort to get closer to him by doing little things like asking for help with training or cheering him on. And it worked…and it didn’t work at the same time.

He’s back and forth with his acceptance of you.

The truth is…Reiko is a dumbass. He’s a clueless fool when it comes to emotions and no one can blame him. He was raised to only think about fighting. So when a strange emotion such as love, which is already a confusing emotion, is felt inside a man who thinks love is felt when he kills someone it’s no surprise that it’s incomprehensible.

You on the other hand knew you liked Reiko. You’ve known for a long time. What wasn’t there to like about him? Sure, he could be a little scary and very rough. But he was a remarkable fighter, taking hits like they were nothing. He fought for all of Outworld and wanted the best for it. You always found that honorable and looked up to him. All that admiration slowly spiraled into a crush that grew the more you saw him. Soon those sky-blue eyes that could be as light as milky white didn’t strike fear into your soul. You started to become thankful that he wore that overly exposing uniform. It’s got you fanning yourself. You ain’t the only one feeling hot.

Reiko had no clue why he got so hot with you around. His cheeks grew warm but not warm enough to bring color to his cheeks. Even if some color blossomed in his cheeks, his war paint would hide it. He got so twitchy too when he’d watch you fight. He’d rub the back of his neck or itch his arm even though he wasn’t itchy. He didn’t know what to do with his body.

The one thing you caught onto was his gaze. It was intense and his eyes followed your every move. When you’d accidentally make eye contact it felt like you were staring at each other for minutes, hours even. Nothing would be said but some part of Reiko hoped that his eye contact would tell you how he felt even if he didn’t know it himself. You’d look away the moment your face started to burn as you grew flustered. But your mind couldn’t believe that. You thought he hated you. So instead, you told yourself you were getting so scared that you grew embarrassed from being scared of him. That doesn’t make sense but you couldn’t make sense of anything.

Some of your Umgadi sisters who you still talked to had encouraged you to tell him how you felt. You didn’t have the same obligations you had before, maybe the army isn’t so strict when it comes to their soldiers being in a relationship. Oh, and they gave you the usual “the worst he can say is no” bullshit.

The least he can say is no. The worst he can say or do is laugh at you and call you pathetic. Or he might slap you in the face thinking you’re crazy for having a crush on him. OR he could tell General Shao what you confessed, and you might be kicked out of the army due to an “inappropriate” relationship with someone higher up.

No, fuck that! You’ll die with this crush of yours under lock and key and shoved in your heart. You can’t risk anything, especially since you believe Reiko hates you. The thought of him rejecting you or making fun of you breaks your tough heart. You’ve never liked or admired a man so much before and you’d like to at least be near him.

So go ahead, scream into your pillows, and wrap yourself in blankets while yelling how it’s just not fair. Why did you have to love a man who hates your guts?!

And now stop all that noise because you don’t know the truth.

You consumed his mind, clouding his ability to think straight. He tried to use that as a reason to hate you but he couldn’t. He couldn’t hate your strength and dedication. He couldn’t hate that smile you would sometimes crack when another soldier did something stupid or silly. He couldn’t hate how your eyes, no matter the color, let the sunlight illuminate them beautifully. He couldn’t hate how perfect you were in his eyes. You were someone he wanted.

But Reiko couldn’t just say it out loud randomly. Remember, he has no idea how love works. Did he actually like you or was his body just being hormonal? Was he just being a horny pervert even though he is way past that stage in life where random things would make him hard? He would never forgive himself if that were the case. Being in love might be less embarrassing.

There were only two people Reiko was willing to talk about this with: General Shao and…Rain? Yeah, Rain can be a strange choice but who else other than Shao could Reiko talk to?

He started going to Rain about those strange feelings and observations he was making. He treated the High Mage like a therapist and Rain wanted to throw a book at him. The conversations only helped, or in Reiko’s eyes made things worse, because he realized more and more how much liked you. The conversations would go like this.

“She looked amazing today during training. She barely broke a sweat even after facing ten of my men.”

“Wow, that’s impressive.” Rain would say sarcastically while flipping through a spell book.

“…her grunts made me feel something…I wanted to hear her gasp more.”

“…”

“Do you see this scepter in my hand, Reiko? Okay, now ignore it as it’s coming towards you.” Rain would lift his scepter and use it like a baseball bat to tell Reiko to get the fuck out of his room! Three out of five times he would. But at least he was the one to tell Reiko that he was simply just a man in love. Good! So not a pervert…maybe.

Shao was really no help. Rain did more by just sitting there. Shao was quick to shut Reiko down when it came to his feelings. He saw how his second-in-command was getting distracted more because of you. He would kick you out of the army if you weren’t such a useful asset. He was forced to steer him away from you. He knew Reiko would listen to him without hesitation.

So he started messing with him. Shao told him this was all a trick. Your nice attitude was meant to throw him off his rhythm so you could surpass him. Soon, all the soldiers would be listening to you instead of him. It worked a little. Reiko would get agitated again and push himself to train harder, be better. Oh but you would somehow fight your way into his heart by being a sweetie only towards him or by actually fighting him. And then he goes back to that dazed state where his mind is on you and he stares at you till you shiver.

Then Shao lied straight to his face. He wanted Reiko to think you hated him. He went on and on about how you must hate him because Reiko wanted to fight you for no reason. He disrespected you by fighting you even though that was an honor to you. Because Reiko was still so clueless about how love worked, he believed the general. He is much older and is supposed to be wiser, what he says must be true. But if that were the case why would you want to be near him? Why would you come to him for help if you believed he disrespected you? Nice try Shao, you failed again. Your lieutenant is loyal, not braindead.

He gave up. Shao didn’t try to hide that he didn’t want Reiko getting close to you. You two already had a connection going without knowing. All that was left to do was to have someone confess. But Shao said no. Even now, yes now, Shao was telling Reiko not to pursue you.

After training one day Shao takes Reiko to his office to command him to stop. Stop his feelings for you and be the soldier he was before you joined. There will be no argument about it.

“I don’t want you getting close to her, Reiko. Don’t make me regret letting her join my army.” Shao growls.

Reiko listens to Shao, he always listens. If General Shao tells him not to pursue you, even though he is starting to lose it a little, he won’t pursue you. He will continue his night like he usually does.

He lets down his hair from its bun before he washes away the day’s stress. The warm water cleanses him of sweat and war paint while relaxing his tired muscles. His hands travel down to scrub the soap against his body and his mind begins to wander. He wants to be close to you. He wants to feel your skin against his again. He wants to hear you pant and groan without the need to start a fight.

The shower grows steamier and his body grows hotter. Was it the water or his mind doing that, who’s to say? Oh but that mind of his truly can’t be contained because he starts to wonder what it would be like to have you with him in the shower. To see the water drip down your body and to watch the soap flow down every curve on you. What would you two do in there? The possibilities are endless. Would you be shy and have your back to him? That’s not a bad outcome, it would just mean a surprise for you. Or would you be looking at him the whole time, letting your eyes tell him what you want? If so, it wouldn’t be a surprise if you kept looking at him as you kneel before him. You would look him right in his eyes as your hands, deadly yet so soft, start to stroke his hard cock as your tongue begins to—

Woah! Yeah, Reiko is painfully hard. He has only himself to blame yet he will pin this on you. He has to wait for it to go down while he bangs his head softly against the shower walls. Once it’s soft, or at least semi-hard, he wraps a towel around his waist and tries to wipe the smeared war paint off with another towel. Don’t think that stuff comes off easily it is made to last through the day.

Reiko keeps wiping the black paint off as he walks through the halls of the barracks. As he starts to think that he has his emotions and desires under control—HE JUST CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE! The confusion! The eyes of other soldiers! The fact that everyone is telling him not to say anything to you BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO LITTLE FAITH IN HIM AND ARE TRYING TO TRICK HIM!

That does it! He throws down the towel in the middle of the hallways before turning on his heels and walking towards your room. The war paint was not fully off so it looked like he lightly used a black eyeliner pencil around his eyes. It was hot you’ll see in a second.

Reiko wastes no time on knocking or even turning the doorknob to your room. You had only five seconds before your door was kicked in. In those five seconds you heard quick wet footsteps up to your door almost like someone literally stepped out of the shower and walked to your room. It started off light then grew heavy before a BAM.

You’re in the middle of doing your skincare routine because screw letting your pores be clogged with sweat and dirt. You see in the reflection of the mirror to see Reiko standing in the doorway. Your mouth falls open from the shock of the door being kicked open to being even more shocked that he has only a towel wrapped around his waist. He’s huffing as he slams the door shut behind him before making his way towards you and only then do you react. You turn around and try to keep your distance because you have no idea what he is mad about now. Did General Shao talk about you? Did someone taunt him? Did it even have anything to do with you?? You had no clue.

“W-wait! What?! What did I do now?” You whine as you leap onto your bed with the idea of using it as a barrier between you two.

It fails because he is quick to move to the other side of your bed. You are so scared you drop onto your bed with a little bounce. You clutch the top of your bathrobe together like they were an imaginary set of pearls. Your eyes stare up at Reiko as he creeps closer. His hands suddenly grab your face and you are a bit surprised it’s not rough enough to bruise you. And then he said it.

“I like you…I think I love you. I love the way you fight. I love your need to serve all of Outworld. You are the woman I need. Ever since we fought I knew I needed you by my side.”

“…”

“…oh…”

There is this awkwardness that takes over the whole room. You don’t say much because you are unsure of how truthful Reiko is. This could be a trick. Someone could’ve snitched and this was his way of humiliating you. But would he really go through that with only a towel on, his war paint nearly wiped off, and his hair down as it still drips with water? He is just as vulnerable in this situation as you are. You are two vulnerable lovesick fools who took too long to say something. Now that love and admiration have come dripping out.

“Are you…being serious?” You are not trying to be mean, you are genuinely asking.

His eyes narrow in anger and for a second you feel panic rising in you. But then he kisses you. It’s messy and rough and yet it feels so good. Your lips are soft compared to his slightly damaged rough lips. One hand stays on your face while the other slides to the back to hold your head. Your breathing grows heavy as the passion chokes you both before he pulls away. You look into his eyes and you know that his intentions are true.

“Any more stupid questions?” He asks somewhat aggressively, which is natural.

You nod your head no. Reiko leans back in and kisses you more, passion driving his actions. His kisses are not perfect, but you still love them. You’re not perfect with your kisses either. His body begins to press against yours until your back is pressed against your bed. His hands touch you with great curiosity and hunger, knowing where he wants to touch you but savoring every feeling beneath his fingertips. Though you hate to stop this beautiful moment as your bodies begin to heat up there is an important fact you must share if this tension is gonna break soon.

“Wait, Reiko, hold on,” you place your hands on his chest to push him back a little, “I’m a virgin.”

“So am I.” He replies casually because why should he be ashamed? He spent all his life fighting and winning battles. Do you think anyone’s gonna shame him for not having sex before this point?

There is much to talk about with this new relationship but that must wait. You two need to release that tension that has been building up for a while now. Make sure to take it slow.

══💤══╡°˖✧🦊✧˖°╞══💤══

The moans and groans of virgins can be so sweet. Skin-to-skin contact is exhilarating when the need to love one another runs through you. Oh yes and the fact that Reiko was pounding into you.

You two tried to take it slow. You especially wanted to take it slow once you saw what was behind that towel. Six inches is nothing to sneeze at. But it was the fact that it was thick and had a curve to it. That’s what made you question if it would even fit. He would make that fit, slowly but surely.

Look, he tried to do it slowly and gently but the moment the tip went in it was hard to hold back. His hands gripped your sheets as he stretched you out. The pain you felt was dull and almost pleasurable. You let out little gasps as you took in more of his cock. Your pussy clenched around him, making it even harder for him to stay calm. Reiko struggled to hold back. Your body was like a drug, and he wanted to chase that high that your warm pussy was giving him. The moment you gave him the okay his mind went blank and he started thrusting.

Whatever Shao told him before was forgotten. What did he advise him about? Reiko can’t recall. All his mind could focus on was the pleasure and heat of your body.

And now, Reiko has you right where he wants you. Beneath him and at his mercy. Except it wasn’t like before when you two fought. He doesn’t want to put you beneath him to teach you a lesson about how he is better than you. He wants you beneath him so he can give you the greatest pleasure a man could give to his lover. And that’s how he will show you that he is better and on top. Sorry, he’s competitive even in bed.

He looks down at you, your eyes closed and your mouth slightly open as you pant. Your moans bounce off the walls and slip under your door. The bed creaks with the headboard occasionally tapping against the wall. Reiko’s head reels back as he groans in pleasure like he is letting the gods know the sins you two are creating. But even if the gods don’t hear it, the barracks do. Y’all really shouldn’t be this noisy but your minds are mush. You could only focus on each other. And damn any soldier who is against you and Reiko having some fun.

His hands squeeze your thighs harshly as he keeps your legs open. His eyes move across your body, taking in every bruise and scratch you gained from training. A bit of pride creeps up into his chest as he takes in the fact that he is fucking the best female soldier he has ever seen. That pride urges him to do more. Pleasure you with the love and desire he holds for you.

He leans down and nuzzles his face against the side of your neck before biting it. Yes, biting, because kissing wouldn’t be enough for Reiko. He bites just enough for it to sting but not enough to break skin. You yelp out in pain before it gets drowned out by another moan as he thrusts into you. You can’t see it but as his teeth find another place to sink into, he has this smug smile on his face. He indulges in your reactions. More, more, give him more! Feed his ego!

He starts going rougher, pulling out till it’s only the tip left inside before slamming back in. A wet sound is made every time he pulls out. The sound of skin slapping against each other was now added to the orchestra of lewd sounds coming from your room. If you weren’t somewhat fucked out of your mind you would be embarrassed by how your body was reacting to this. Your cheeks would heat up hearing how wet you were for Reiko. Getting turned on by a man who is happily marking you, slut! Reiko’s slut!

The left side of your neck and your shoulder are littered with bite marks that will surely bruise by the time the sun rises. His lips dance across your skin to find another place to mark up. He moves lower till he gets to your tits. The way they jiggled slightly with each thrust tempts him to mark them too. Why not, what does Reiko lose from showing others that you are his lady? Exactly, nothing. That’s why he starts sucking at the sensitive skin of your tits to mark them with hickeys. Those beautiful red hickeys will take days to fade away.

You felt his tongue begin to swirl around your nipple. His hot breath tickles your skin as his warm saliva coats your nipple. His lips wrap around the sensitive bud, sucking on it as he starts rolling his hips. Your back arches from the pleasure that came from that. Every time he rolled his hips it rubbed against your clit. It works well with his curved cock as it begins to rub against your g-spot. It makes your toes curl and you get the sudden urge to wrap your legs around his waist and never let him go. The only thing stopping you was his hands which kept your legs open. Reiko is in full control and all you can do is arch your back as you moan his name.

Gods, hearing you moan his name drove him crazy. It makes him go rougher. The slapping sound gets louder as his balls slap against your ass. He sucks a little harder on your nipple until his teeth start to lightly graze it. They threatened to bite down, but not fully, he’s not a maniac. Once you start to feel a slight sting on your nipple that’s when your hand goes up and yanks on his hair. He groaned not from pain but from pleasure when you did that. He snickers before saying,

“What, are you afraid of a little pain? I thought you were tougher than that. Come on gorgeous, I know you can take it.”

“Shut up…” You whine out. You sound pathetic trying to fight off your moans when you say that.

You yank his hair again, earning yourself another satisfied groan from him. He slams into you while grinding his hips so he can rub against your clit. It works in making you weak enough to let go of his hair and pleasure you. He takes the chance to move his mouth to your other tit. His slick tongue licks your nipple before he bites down around your nipple. Teeth marks showed up around the areola. You yelp at the sting that dwindles into a light-burning sensation on your right tit. That’s definitely gonna leave a mark.

“Ow Reiko! You bastard!” You scold him.

But what’s the point in scolding him when he knew you liked it? He felt how your walls squeezed and pulsed around him. The wet sound grew louder since you got wetter from the pain. That son of a bitch chuckles from the fact that the pain he was giving you was pleasuring you. It turns him on more and you feel his cock twitch inside you.

You recognize that you are getting closer to cumming. It felt like a knot in your lower belly was growing tighter with each thrust. Your body grows hotter and your breath becomes shorter. Your hands grab Reiko’s shoulders before your nails dig into his pale skin. Red scratch marks are left behind as your grip grows tighter. He keeps rolling his hips and thrusting at an angle, your reaction letting him know he is hitting those sweet spots. Your pussy pulses around his cock until finally that knot in you snaps. This warm feeling in your lower belly swirls and consumes your body. You feel like you can breathe again but all that air is being used up on your desperate moans. That pleasure reaches your brain and it’s like everything you were worried about was gone. Your mind was clear and all you could think about was Reiko’s thick cock stretching you out.

Reiko listens to the sweet moans that slip past your lips as he keeps pounding into you. He looks into your beautiful eyes, eyes wet with tears. They were happy tears. Happy to be fucked out of your mind. His cock twitches from the knowledge that he was the first man to make you feel such ecstasy. He plans to be the only man to give you that high that everyone deserves to get.

All the emotions, the noises, the pain and pleasure, it was enough to make Reiko cum. He thrusts into your warm, wet pussy before he pulls out quickly. His lips crash against yours to sloppily kiss you. Truly, this kiss was sloppy. He couldn’t keep his mouth closed the whole time with all those groans and…oh fuck he’s moaning. Breathy low moans come from him as his cock twitches between your legs. Warm cum splatters all over your stomach and even reach up to your tits. It drips down your sides as he finally manages to close his mouth and goes back to kissing you. Some saliva drips out and dribbles down both your chins. Aw, poor Reiko, he was so pent up.

He slowly pulls away, a string of saliva still connecting your lips. He lets go of your legs. They go limp from how weak you are. You’re both panting. Your skin slightly glistens with sweat and so does his. You are soaked down there with some of your wetness dripping down onto the sheets. After a few deep breaths, one of you manages to say something.

“So, do you still think I am joking?” Reiko asks.

“Obviously not. I felt the love you have for me.” And you still do as you remember it all. Got you shivering like it was still going on.

He laughs almost mockingly as he grabs the towel that he used before to clean you up. Look at him being a gentleman and cleaning his cum off your body. Only a man who loves you would do that.

When he finishes, he throws the towel in some random corner as he lies next to you. His head lays against your pillows as his arm rests over his eyes. He is still breathing heavily as he takes in everything that happened. The feeling of your body against his and how nicely your pussy squeezed him is fresh in his mind. So fresh his cock twitches as if it were still in you. That’s what good pussy does to a man. It stays with him.

You snuggle up to him and his arm instinctively wraps around you. You rest your head on his chest as his hand squeezes your shoulder. Your fingers trace over his abs, something you thought you would never be able to do before. Your heart flutters when you realize that Reiko is yours. He is your man now. He wanted you just as badly as you wanted him and now he is yours. You can’t help but smile as you lean up to kiss along his jawline. He smiles before looking down and kissing your forehead.

“So what, you’re going to act all lovey with me now that we are together?”

“Hah, maybe in the bedroom but not on the training grounds. I’ll still beat your ass in a loving way.”

You can see the smile on his face become prouder as he says, “I’d like nothing better.”

With one last kiss on the lips, you begin to fall asleep in his arms. Your body is satisfied, and your heart is full of love. And even if Reiko is your boyfriend now, your words are true. You will beat his ass with everything you got. You’ll keep being the warrior he fell in love with, just with a few more kisses and hugs sprinkled in.

Ah actually before you sleep I’ll advise you to apologize to the other soldiers in the morning. You were not discreet at all. Even General Shao heard what you did. That’ll be fun to deal with in the morning.

Yap notes: Uhhhh yeah that was long. I should've been working on final papers but I really just wanted to finish this fic. I hope this is good because I felt uncertain in some places. Idk I just wanted to feel some joy again this semester sucks and the past few days have been awful. Anyway I freaking love Reiko. He makes me question my morals. But he is so hot. I can't play with him in front of my fiancé sometimes because he makes fun of him. On test your might to be more specific. There was one time I was looking for tramp stamp inspirations (don't judge me I just think they are neat) and we saw a tattoo and he said "that's probably what it looks like after having sex with Reiko" like hush 😭. 👇

I should get back to my papers and I hope I can just have some free time soon. This semester is killing me. Adiós!

#mortal kombat #mk1 #mortal kombat 1 #mortal kombat1 #mortal kombat x reader #mortal kombat x you #mk x reader #mk x you #mk fanfic #reiko mk1 #reiko x reader #mortal kombat reiko #reiko mortal kombat #mk1 reiko #mk reiko #reiko #mk smut

131 notes · View notes

ast4tarion · 18 days ago

Note

Overstimulating Daisuke because there is NOT enough stuff for him 😞😔

-🎺 anon

truee, sometimes you just need to imagine that fictional man getting his shit rocked for your own enrichment

notes: overstim, dom gender neutral reader, sub daisuke,

Reader overstimulating Daisuke:

like many things do, it starts as a bet

you’re curious to find out how many times he’s cum in a row

he’s a little embarrassed about it, but admits to about 4 times by himself

so naturally, you propose a bet: if you can make him cum double that number in one session, you can choose a completely new toy to use on him. if you can’t, you’ll give him a free blowjob card to cash in whenever he wants

(his eyes widen at this. you both have notoriously high sex drives and are competitive by nature, so no one really loses either way.)

you don’t want to rush into this, so you drag out the foreplay as much as possible

on your lunch break your hands are around his waist from behind, rubbing over the fly of his jeans, cupping and squeezing him until he’s half hard

he wants you so bad, all throughout his shift he’s adjusting in his chair and trying to not get hard just at the thought of your hands rubbing across his arms and stomach and mouthing at his neck

when you’re off from work and alone together he’s already waiting for you, in bed in just his boxers

at first you seriously consider making him cum in his underwear, just to watch how embarrassed he gets about being so needy for you all day

orgasm #1 comes in less then 20 minutes, the moment your mouth is on him and you’re working your tongue up and down him he’s squirming and huffing

orgasm #2 is easy with how well you know how to pump your fingers in and out of him, getting him ready to take you for as long as you please

his eyes are always wide and excited when you prep yourself, just the act of watching you lube yourself up gets his dick twitching

orgasm #3 makes you admire how cute it is to watch his cock slap his stomach as you pound into him, making him grip the sheets

after #3 he’s starting to get lost in the pleasure, nearing his own personal record

#4 is a loud one, and you pity whoever your downstairs neighbours must be when your ramming him into the mattress

“That was 4, fuck, are you going to try and go for like, what, 6?” He asks out of breath, hair stuck to his forehead and cock laying in a pool of cum on his stomach

You laugh, planting a kiss on his lips that sends shivers down his spine

“6? Dai, I’m gonna make you hit double digits.”

For #5 you switch positions from him laying on his back to him ass up, allowing you to grab his hips

You notice how the overstimulation sets in, making him twitch and jerk every time you hit his sweet spot

By #6 he’s lost all ability to string together sentences, only babbling your name as you slap against his hips

#7 and his legs are shaking, he yells every time of his cock so much as brushes the mattress, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he pants hard

“F-fuck, I-I-I ca-a-ant!” “Oh but you can, c’mon honey, just one more.”

On #8 you cum in tandem, and take a moment to admire how you’ve used his hole

Theirs sticky seed leaking out, and smeared all over his thighs, dripping out

You push it back in, sliding in easily

On #9 his legs can’t hold him up anymore, leaving you to caress his thighs as his balls tighten and he spurts again

By #10 you’re hips and hands are getting tired, but it’s so worth the fucked out expression he’s got as he wordlessly moans into the pillow, his throat surely sore from yelling your name

All he’s got is a weak dribble of cum on the 10th, and you decide that he’s done enough for the day

You admire your work as you clean him up, peppering his cheeks with kisses as you clean up the sticky mess on his stomach and ass

“My dick hurts. I think if I put on my boxers I’ll pass out.” He mutters, snuggling into you

“How was it? Feel good?”

“I wasn’t ready this time—next time, I’ll make it to 15.”

#nsft #nsft imagine #x reader #the thought zone #x reader smut #daisuke x reader hcs #daisuke x you #daisuke x reader smut #daisuke x reader #mouthwashing x reader imagine #mouthwashing x you #mouthwashing smut #mouthwashing x reader #mouthwashing imagine #mouthwashing nsft #daisuke mouthwashing

107 notes · View notes

scarletemeraldpurple · 4 months ago

Text

Kinktober day 5: Overstimulation

Wanda Maximoff x Sapphic Reader

You and Wanda had decided to find out how many orgasms you could possibly take. Really short one today.

Notes: Reader is called good girl, genitals unspecified, use of a wand, Mommy kink

It had been a long night. Wanda was nice and warmed you up with one from her tongue. She even managed to give you one from penetration alone. Then she had gotten the wand out. Which was fantastic for the first orgasm with it, and the second, after the third you were getting over sensitive.

“You’re doing so good for me baby. Just keep taking it.” Wanda cooed at you.

“I can’t even think.”

“That’s okay honey, you don’t need to think you just need to take it. You can do it. Cum for me again.”

The wand buzzed away at your most sensitive spot and you let out a cry.

“So much Mommy.”

“Ssshhh I know sweetheart.” Wanda said, turning it down to low, but not stopping.

“Are you gonna stop it?” You whined.

“No baby, Mommy’s not stopping, you’re lucky I’m turning it down. Now stop talking, stop thinking, and take what Mommy gives you like a good girl.”

She gave you a tender kiss as you squirmed underneath the vibrations. “Bet you don’t even know how many it’s been do you baby?”

“Lost count Mommy. ‘M sorry.”

“Sshh. That’s okay little love. Mommy’s counting for you. Mommy’s thinking for you tonight. Think you can give me one more baby? End in lucky number 7?”

“Y-yes Mommy. One more.”

“One more baby. Such a good girl for me.”

She turned the vibe up a notch, and in the state you were in that was enough. You came with a cry of her title, and tears started to fall from your face.

Wanda turned the wand off and through it to the side. “Good girl. You did so good for me my sweet girl. Mommy’s so proud of you. You took it so well baby. You did such a good job.”

You snuggled into her as she petted your head.

“Breathe now baby. Just breathe for Mommy. I’ve got you baby.”

#wanda maximoff smut #wanda maximoff x reader #kinktober #kinktober 2024 #my fic

146 notes · View notes

spidermans-l-o-v-e-r · 3 months ago

Text

Ketchup Bottle

Pairing: Charlie Swan x agegap!Reader

Word count: 4.8k

Notes: Bruh where tf did this come from??? Like?? What do EYE mean Charlie Swan x Reader??

P.S this title is so funny

Charlie stares at the menu in front of him, his fingers pursing his lips. If he’s gonna be stood up, he might as well treat himself.

Bella had been nagging him to “get back out there” recently.

“Mom is happy… I am… I just want you to be too.”

She knew he didn’t really need anything, but she wasn’t stupid, she knew that he was definitely not doing great on his own. So she set him up on a blind date, one of Alice’s friends that Alice promised was exactly what Charlie needed.

He should have known better than to trust her…. Alright, that wasn’t nice, if he was going to trust any Cullen it was her.

And maybe like, Emmett.

He orders himself a nice steak and is just about to hand over the menu when a girl walks in absolutely drenched from head to toe. She looks like she’d fallen into the freaking ocean. He’s about to stand up and figure out what’s going on when the hostess starts walking toward him.

“I can handle it from here” He sighs, getting up now and putting his hands on his hips.

“You wanna talk in back? Maybe get you into something dry?”

“T-that would be nice”

He leads her back to where they busy to find her something warm. A chair is brought over next to the giant ovens and she sits gingerly on it, trying not to lean too close to them, the owner promises to come back with something dry.

“You wanna tell me your name? And maybe about what happened?” He’s in cop mode as he puts his coat around her shoulders and she snuggles down into it. He removes a little leaf from her hair and flicks it away.

She’s pretty, he notices. A young thing compared to him, dressed nicely, must have had a date.

“I’m Y/N” Your teeth chatter with each word and he has you scoot a little closer to the oven while rubbing your arms. He crouches down to get a good look at you, you’re not in too bad of shape… a few bruises here and there, little scrapes but you seem to be intact.

“Alright Y/N, you able to tell me what happened?”

“Nothing that would involve the Sheriff” you sigh “It was just an accident”

“That would be something to involve a Sheriff with” He raises an eyebrow and you shift uneasily. He reaches out, taking your hand a bit awkwardly, and rubs the back of it, trying to warm you up, and hopefully soften you a bit in the process.

“My phone died” You mumble and he nods understandingly.

“Alright, I got a phone you can borrow… and?”

“I got rear-ended-“ you tug at the roots of your hair nervously and he holds your hand tighter, trying to calm you down “And- and they literally sped off?? It wouldn’t start after that and I had to leave my car on the side of the road and start walking and then it freakin’ started raining-“

“Were you able to get a plate number?” He asks it calmly, hoping to soothe you a bit and it seems to work as you sigh and let your head fall back

“Man you bet I did… and I had a date tonight!! He probably thinks I stood him up!!!”

He reaches into his pocket for his phone and unlocks it before handing it over. “How late are you? Maybe I can get you a police escort”

You giggle a little at his joke and start dialing the number you’d learned by heart from the little piece of paper your friend had given you.

“We were supposed to meet here at around 7? And it’s literally 8:30 now… I’m sure he’s gone.” The number goes straight to busy and you pout.

“Do you know what he looks like?”

“No…blind date. I’m not from around here” You try dialing again, but it goes right to busy. “But I know his name!”

“What is it? Maybe I can help ya find him.”

“Charlie Swan?”

Charlie stares at the floor as you change into some clean pajama pants and pull a shirt over your head. He didn’t say anything about the fact that you were his date apparently… he just took you home with him because honestly he didn’t really know where else to take you. He bought you dinner there, had it boxed up so you could leave together-

Seriously? You?

He couldn’t deny you were pretty, your hair was so soft and bouncy now that it was somewhat dry, and you so weren’t lying when you said you weren’t from around here, your skin was too sun-kissed to have been from around here.

Still…

What the hell were those two thinking? And okay a better question, one he wasn’t even sure he wanted the answer to.

You were friends with Alice?

Did that mean…?

“Thanks again” You sigh as you come out of the bedroom, Bella’s old room, while using a towel to scrunch your hair. He’d all but shoved you into the bathroom for a hot shower while he picked out a few things of Bella’s for you to wear. He called her to make sure it was cool and he heard Emmett screaming some less than great ideas for clothing.

“Yeah it’s no problem…kinda my job” He watches you plop down at the kitchen table and rub your hands together while laughing evilly before opening the takeout container in front of you. He smirks a little at that while grabbing a couple beers from the fridge.

“Figure maybe we can get your car tomorrow? Tow it in… I know a guy who can fix it for ya”

He sits next to you, watching you eat. You’re eating human food, but didn’t he hear that they did that anyway? To fit in?

“Penny for your thoughts?” You pop a fry in your mouth and he shrugs, slouching in his chair a little and tilting his head back.

“It’s nothin'” He shrugs and sits up again, grabbing the mail from the table and perusing distractedly. “What about you huh? You doin any better?”

“Yeah” You shrug back “I guess”

“You guess?” He sets the paper down and waits for you to chew your burger before grabbing your beer

“It’s stupid”

“Oh, I doubt that” he crosses his arms over his chest, giving you his full attention and you look down at your box for a second.

“He didn’t call… to see if I was okay” you smile a little sadly “I know I accidentally stood him up… but he never asked if everything was okay”

Charlie is… definitely starting to grow a bit of a soft spot for you. He sighs and melts into his chair miserably before slapping his hands over his face.

“He knows you’re fine”

“And just how does he know? The jerk never checked in. Can you believe that?? He never even asked where I was! What if I was in a ditch!!”

“Were you?” He interrupts and you huff

“Luckily no…”

He snorts and you roll your eyes “He could have called”

“He knows you’re fine” he repeats himself and now you cross your arms over your chest.

“That’s not helpful”

“Have you tried calling him again?”

“Why? It all goes straight to busy… I think- I think he blocked my number.”

He can hear the sadness in your voice and it just about breaks his heart. He reaches over and gently moves a curl from your face.

“I didn’t-“ he has to take a breath before he continues “I didn’t block your number, Y/N. We’ve been so go-go-go I didn’t really get the chance to introduce myself, you just sort of fell in my lap”

You narrow your eyes and purse your lips “Hmmmm yeah you know I’m startin’ to realize “Mr. Sheriff guy” isn’t exactly a name…”

“You literally went home with me” He runs his hands through his hair

“You’re a sheriff-“

“Chief”

“Now you wanna correct me? And anyway, everyone you know… seemed to let it happen!! so!!”

“Is- is this really how you live??”

“Says the guy who never told me his name.” You scoff and cross your arms and it’s his time to narrow his eyes at you.

Maybe you were friends with Emmett.

“Okay. First, you never asked. Second, again you know it’s been kind of a busy night and-“

“Shouldn’t the first thing you do be to introduce yourself?”

“Okay we- we are not turning this around on me-“

“You brought a stranger home!!!”

“Did you want to stay in the jail??”

“I’m a stranger! What if I murder you!!”

“How did we get here?” Charlie looks at his hands as his phone starts ringing, he pinches the bridge of his nose and gives you a sassy look before answering it.

“Hey… yeah she’s here, I’ve got her”

“Oh, so you are gonna murder me!” You point accusatorially and his mouth drops.

“I’m not gonna murder you!! Jesus- here just, just take the damn thing.” He hands over the phone and gets up to give you some privacy.

How in the hell Bella ever thought this was a good idea is completely lost on him.

You creep into the living room, your head down as you shyly pass him his phone back.

“Some first date huh?”

Alice had… a good laugh at your expense when she realized you didn’t know who Charlie was or where you were. You wanted to slam your head into the table over and over when she slowly walked you through the entire thing.

You’d been hanging out with Emmett entirely too much.

“I’ll say” He pats the couch and you sit next to him, leaning back into the cushions.

“I didn’t stand you up” You mumble and he grins, putting his arm over the back of the seat.

“Yeah, I know”

“I wanted to be on time, I- I took so long to get ready” You sigh, letting your head fall against his arm and he looks at you.

“For a drowned rat, I think you looked pretty nice for what it’s worth.”

You swat his chest and roll your eyes playfully as he chuckles. He runs his hand over your hair, before pulling you a little closer to him.

Is he… really putting the moves on you? And why does it feel natural? You lean into him easily, coming closer to him. He can’t tell if it’s because you want to be next to him, or because you’re cold. He grabs the throw blanket from the back of the couch and tosses it over you. He lets out a surprised grunt when you pull your legs up on the couch and snuggle into his side, putting some of the blanket over him too.

“So what are we watching?”

He hands you the remote and you put on some reruns of Murder She Wrote.

“Gonna have it all figured out before she does? Chief Swan”

He knows you’re messing around and he thinks it’s funny, but it’s the way you said his name like that, the title that literally everyone calls him that just feels… different coming from you. He shifts a little but flicks your arm as a distraction.

“Shut up”

You both start to nod off after a while, his head falls on yours and he swears his dreams get sweeter, his body feels lighter, and the usual anxious ache in his shoulders is gone… it’s kind of odd, but welcoming.

You wake up a bit, and readjust yourself, prodding at him lightly to lay down. He finds himself easily doing whatever you want, as he puts his legs up on the couch and you nuzzle into him, your body slotting in between him and the couch. He’s never been the cuddling type, but when your head lays on his chest he can’t help but wrap his arms around you and softly rub your side, soothing you back to sleep.

The next morning is…Awkward. His eyes flutter open and you’re still there, sleeping soundly on his chest. You’ve got his shirt gripped tightly in your fingers, your thigh over his torso. He’s not sure how he’s going to get out from under you without waking you but he needs to do it, and he needs to do it fast. He knows the second you wake up you’ll feel it… and he’s not sure whether it just happened or if it had something to do with you but god has he never hated being a man more than in this moment.

You shift a little with his movements and he freezes, taking time to make sure you settle back in before moving your arm off him, he sits up a bit and starts to slide out from under you when you startle and push away from him some.

“Charlie?” You mutter and he freezes again

“Uh…yeah?”

“Where are you going?” Your voice is so small and feminine, and there’s that sleepy little rasp and it’s- it’s been too long since he heard that specific sound. He gulps and stays where he is, hovering in a weird position.

“Just… just to the bathroom?”

“Oh… come back fast okay?” You turn away and curl up under the blanket and he sighs in relief before rushing off to the bathroom.

“So I thought after breakfast we could go out to where you left your car… you remember where that is?”

He looks down at the steaming cup of coffee in his hands, you’d insisted on making breakfast as a thank you and after much protest, you shoved him down into a chair and he let you do what you wanted.

He’d nearly choked on said coffee when you came into the kitchen, wearing one of his t-shirts. The band logo stretched across your chest and it hugged your curves better than anything he’d ever seen.

“Sorry I kinda went through your laundry, your daughter’s clothes are nice! Honestly!! They’re just…. A bit small?” You gesture awkwardly to your chest. He hadn’t even noticed that you might be having a problem with the clothes, you were both so tired.

He nodded dumbly as you set the cup down in front of him with a little wink and turned toward the fridge to find the eggs. He kept his cup to his mouth suspiciously long as you bent down to grab a few from the carton on the bottom shelf.

“I think I remember, sure works for me”

“Alright, we just gotta pick up a friend on the way”

Charlie grips the wheel tightly as he drives down the road you’d directed him to. Billy had spent the last 20 minutes cheerfully learning all about you, the second he got in the car, Charlie knew this was the biggest mistake he’d ever made.

“So what happened to your hot date last night” Billy snickers as Charlie helps him into the car.

“Hot date huh?” You pop out from between the seats and Billy smiles, shaking your hand as you introduce yourself.

“Yeah, big man over here finally got himself a date. Between you and me, I’ve been telling him he needed to get la-“

“Okay! Okay, this was fun! But you know Y/N why don’t you just buckle up okay? Thank you.”

“He’s just being shy” Billy completely ignores Charlie trying to signal him to shut the fuck up and continues. “I bet she went home with a smile on her face and a wobble in her step”

You burst out laughing and Charlie steps out of the car, he legitimately pulls over and steps out for a minute. You and Billy cackle at his blush, pointing and laughing when he smacks his head against the cool metal of the hood of the truck.

“I apologize for the… vulgarity” He chuckles, wiping his tears. “Nothin’ gives me more joy than harassing him”

“Oh trust me, this was great”

Charlie gets back into the truck, flexing his fingers on the steering wheel as you and Billy giggle to yourselves. He’s silent as he pulls up alongside your car and you hop out. Billy lets out a low whistle and Charlie sets his forehead on the steering wheel.

“Is that one of your shirts?”

“Yes.”

“Did she find that herself or did you give it to her”

“She found it.” He takes off his seatbelt and reaches for the door handle.

“What did you tell your date? Did she see you with her?”

“She was my date.”

Charlie leaves Billy in the car to stew as he comes over to yours, he opens the passenger side and gets in, watching you rifle through some papers.

“Is he dying inside”

“Oh yeah definitely” He shuts the door and you look at him, grinning.

“Yeah I thought you’d really like your sweet revenge when it came”

“You wanna point at him now and laugh”

“Oh a hundred percent”

He watches you gather up a few things before you sigh, your travel makeup box in your lap.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m just… disappointed my hard work went to waste” You smile sadly and he reaches over, his hand cupping your face.

“I already told you, you looked pretty.”

“You really think so?” You lean into his hand “I mean Alice told me all about how cool and impressive you were”

He’d have to thank her for that.

“I just… kinda wanted to impress you too you know? I had on my best heels and everything!” You reach in back and pull them upfront.

He shifts a little, his jeans tightening. They are nice shoes, they’re black and shiny, he’s sure he could see his reflection in them.

“I had to change my shoes to start walking” You frown and he takes one from you, looking it over.

“Would you have asked for a second date?”

You look over at him, he’s got a lopsided smile and you can’t help but smile back at him.

“Would you like? A second date… I’ll admit this wasn’t much of a first”

“I dunno” he shrugs “I had a nice time with you, breakfast was good” you giggle and lean your head against the headrest. He likes you, he realizes and that’s kind of weird for him, a grown-ass man having a crush. But here he is, feeling like kicking his feet every time you smile at him like that smile is meant just for him maybe.

“Let me make dinner for you tonight”

He’s inviting you on a second date, ever since Bella had moved away she constantly told him he nodded a hobby, and in an effort to get his nagging loving daughter off his back, he decided to enroll in a cooking class.

“Okay, I’d like that. And Charlie?”

You open the car door and then lean over the center console, kissing him softly. It’s such a surprise it takes him a second before he kisses you back, his finger hooks under your chin and he holds you in place, knowing you want to run away from him.

He’s… well versed you realize, as you melt under his warmth. And truly he doesn’t want to admit.. it’s been a while since he’d done something like this, you make him feel like a teenager again as he cups your cheek, pulling you closer to him. You’re just reaching to put your arms around his neck when suddenly the truck horn blows and you scream. Charlie groans and reaches into his pocket for his phone that’s ringing.

“What. Do you want?!”

“If you guys are gonna have sex can you like… turn me in the opposite direction”

Billy has apparently recovered from making an accidental ass out of himself as you climb into the front seat of the truck while Charlie handles the tow truck and paperwork.

“You like him?” Billy asks as you watch Charlie, his hands on his hips.

“A lot, he’s really nice, kinda sarcastic, kinda funny, and he smells- soooooo good”

“Okay. Didn’t need to know that part”

“Are you gonna tell me I’m wrong??”

“I don’t smell my best friend? Like. Ever?”

“Inhale”

“What no I’m not gon-“

“In. Hale!!!”

Billy is a full-grown man. He’s been through more than anyone ever should in their lifetime.

And he inhales when this little girl tells him to.

He inhales slowly while you’re nodding your head up and down.

“Oh yeahhhh”

“….. Well shit”

Charlie opens the door as you’re shaking Billy by the lapels of his shirt and you’re both screaming about how good he smells.

“Uhhhh do you guys want me to go?” He points backward and you smooth out Billy’s shirt and hop from the truck. Charlie opens the back door for you and you give him a little salute as you climb back in.

“We’re cool… we’re good, we’re cool”

“We’re normal” Billy shrugs.

Once you’re back at his place, you decide to go take a little nap. You leave him and Billy downstairs chattering away like they did in high school and slip into his room. To be honest you’re not all together sure it’s okay that you’re in there… but the large neatly made bed is calling your name.

You remove the ill fitting pants you’d borrowed from Bella and crawl under the covers, curling up into his pillow and inhaling slowly. Yup, still smelled delicious.

“She’s really into you”

Billy stares at the TV while Charlie grabs a couple beers. He rolls his eyes and hands him one before plopping down on the couch. He sighs as he leans back, resting his head along the back.

“Is this what we’ve come to? Gossiping about my love life?”

“Sarah would be eating it up and you know it”

Charlie grins a little at the memory of her and nods.

“S’pose so”

“So… what about you?”

“I barely know the girl… she’s, nice. She’s fun… but I barely know her”

“Are you actually going to take the time to get to know her? Or are you going to let her walk away? She’s a real catch, Charlie”

“You’ve spent an hour with her!”

“And that’s all it took for me to see that… maybe Bella was right, I think she is good for you, I think she’s what you need to brighten this place up. The sun has finally come back to Forks.”

You wander out of the bedroom around 3 and head back downstairs, you rub at your eyes sleepily as you stumble down the stairs.

“Hey sleepy head, how was your-“

You stand in front of him, doing a little stretching. The shirt rides up around your hips and he blinks slowly, taking in the soft buttery skin of your thighs. He can just see a hint of your pink panties before putting your arms back down.

“You okay?” You move to stand between his legs and he looks up at you, slightly in awe

“Yeah”

“You sure?”

He takes a breath before taking your hand and pulling you closer. You straddle his lap and he takes a second to smooth his hands over your thighs, feeling them in his grip. He seemed so into the softness of your body, your plush curves.

“I’m sure”

“What’s this all about huh?” You giggle quietly and wrap your arms around his neck, he leans you closer into him and you feel his hands grip your ass. Your mouth falls open and he smirks.

“I think it’s time I finally start thinkin’ about myself again.”

So maybe he’s going a little overboard with Billy’s advice right now, to just relax and have fun with you. But he can’t find it in him to care when you nuzzle your nose against his. Is he going way too fast with this? Yes. Had he just met you? Also yes.

But he’d be damned if he didn’t get at least a little sun while it was shining.

“Sounds like a plan to me” You smile against his lips and he rubs your sides slowly, feeling you up. You blush and scoot closer, settling down in his lap, and he can’t help but think about how the only thing separating him from feeling you is a pair of jeans and a thin pair of panties.

His hands slide up under your shirt, feeling your bare skin against his fingertips and you tilt your head, deepening the kiss with him at the same time your hips move forward a bit more. His hands freeze in place as you start to roll your hips against his clothed cock, they stutter slightly as you feel just how large he is.

“O-oh my god” You whisper and he pulls away to look at you

“What’s wrong?”

“Y-your really um-“ You pause for a moment, completely flustered when the front door suddenly opens.

“Charlie? dad thinks he left his-“

Charlie practically launches you off his lap as Jacob comes through the front door. You fall to the floor with a squeak and he stands up quickly, throwing the blanket over your bare legs while you’re still floundering to get up.

“He-uh he left his what??” His voice is high-pitched as he tries to step in front of you but it does little to stop Jacob from staring.

“Is she okay?”

“She’s fine”

“I think I broke my spleen”

“So your dad left something??” Charlie clears his throat and Jacob looks up at him

“Uhhh yeah… he thinks he might have left his meds in the couch or maybe the truck or something… do you uh-“ He’s trying not to snicker “You want me to check the truck first?”

Charlie pats his pants pockets and fishes out his keys, tossing them over to him.

“That would be nice, thank you.”

“I’m Jacob by the way” He tells the bundle of blanket on the floor and your little hand sticks out, waving in the wrong direction

“Y/N”

“She’s cute” Jacob mouths with a double thumbs up and Charlie has to refrain from going to grab his shotgun.

As soon as the front door closes again he turns to you, pushing the blanket back. You’re glaring up at him, your arms crossed.

“Are you ashamed of me?”

“Of course I’m not” He pulls you up from the floor and you flop down on the couch, sniffling a little.

“You shoved me off of you”

“You’re barely wearing any clothes”

“And?!” You huff and he rolls his eyes

“And… that’s Billy’s son”

You think about it for a moment, still pouting and looking away from him and he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose before looking at you again

“Will a kiss make you feel better?”

Your head turns so fast he thinks you’ve got whiplash from it, he himself can’t even believe he said it.

“Maybe…”

He holds your chin in his fingers before kissing you again, it sends a jolt of electricity down your spine when you feel his other hand on your torso, pushing you down onto the couch again.

“I’m so sorry honeybee’” He whispers, his hand sliding between your thighs, your heart flutters as he rubs higher and higher, you can feel his hand brush against the front of your panties when there’s a loud knock at the front door again.

“Is it safe??” Jacob cracks the door and Charlie closes his eyes, letting out a long sigh before getting up and tossing the blanket back over you.

“Yeah, it’s safe”

You snicker as he comes in, shaking the bottle of meds and tossing Charlie back his key.

“Got em, thanks”

You sit up, swinging your legs off the couch and getting up, the blanket falls from your form and Jacob’s eyes widen.

“I’m feeling kind of cold… I’m gonna go take a shower okay?” You lay your hand on his chest, purposely putting your body against his and his cheeks redden.

“Uh…okay sure. Yeah”

Your hand slides down his torso and you let it settle on his hip.

“Come up soon?” You whisper, but there’s no point, because Jacob can hear it anyway

“Okay” He kisses your forehead before you finally pull away, holding his hand until you can’t anymore

“It was nice meeting you Jacob” You give him a little wave and he smiles, tipping his head as you walk up the stairs.

“It was nice to meet you too. Maybe we can have you two over for dinner soon.”

As soon as he’s sure you’re out of earshot he comes over to Charlie, holding his hand up for a high five

“My man” He laughs and Charlie slaps his hands over his face and falls onto the couch.

What was he going to do with you?

#words by rhys #rhys writes #charlie swan #charlie swan x reader #twilight #Twlight x reader #how tf do i tag this #Billy black #uhhhhh

114 notes · View notes