#that explains why their city is like that
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steddieprompts · 3 days ago
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some years after everything and Steve and Eddie are basically the only ones left in Hawkins. They got an apartment together. They are very tight friends.
They are out together one early summer evening at Melvalds doing some shopping. Steve leaves the store first, Eddie still has his nose buried in a magazine he fully does not intend to buy.
"Steve!" Steve looks up from assessing the contents of his shopping bag to see none other that Tommy Hagan.
"Hey, Tommy. You're back in town." Steve tries to sound amicable without it being forced.
"Yeah just visiting the family. I heard you were still hanging around here. You should come visit in New York! Donna would love to meet you."
"Donna? What happened to Carol?"
"Shit, I guess I haven't seen you in a while." Tommy replied with a sharp smile that made Steve set his teeth. "She couldn't handle New York, you know. She missed her mom and didn't like how busy the city was," he explained dismissively. "She got all... moody. Depressed. She was a real downer so I told her she should just go back home and rot away if that's what she wanted... No offence," He tacked on without much remorse.
"Is she doing better? I haven't seen her around." Steve asked, hearing the tension in his voice.
"Beats me. Haven't heard from her," Tommy replied flippant, his gaze drifting off over Steve's shoulder. "Holy shit is that Munson? I should have guessed the freak would still be here."
Before Steve could figure out what to say to that besides punching Hagan in the face, Eddie was next to him, nose still in the magazine, grocery bag handing from his right elbow. "Stevie I had to buy it, you will not believe what they're saying about Ozzy... Hagan."
Steve could hear the life drop out of Eddie's voice as soon as he realized who he was standing in front of. He hated it.
"Jesus, is he crazy? Is he stalking you or something, Steve?"
"What?"
"Munson, you can chase Steve all you want, but he's not on your team, Freak." Hagan said, sniggering at Steve, like they were still in high school, like Steve was still that person.
Steve snapped.
Dredging up the suave Steve from all those years ago he draped his arm over Eddie's shoulder, making sure to give Eddie's shoulder a gentle squeeze as he did, his thumb brushing over the skin of Eddie's neck.
"I'm not sure you really know me any more, Hagan," Steve responded, cool and collected. As he said it he felt Eddie relax against him. Picking up on his plan immediately, Steve felt Eddie's arm come up behind him, his hand settling just above the hem of Steve's jeans.
"Oh, no," Tommy said through a sarcastic chuckle, "There is no way that Steve Harrington went fa--"
"If you finish that word I'll punch you so hard your freckles fall off," Steve bit out. "Have a nice trip back to New York."
With that he and Eddie turned toward his car, still holding tight to each other and not sparing Hagan another look. When they got to the car Steve pressed a kiss to Eddie's hair before they separated, Eddie's hand trailing along Steve's back.
They got in the car quietly and Steve backed out of the space, staring back toward their apartment, neither of them saying a word until they had driven a few blocks.
"I'm sorry," Steve finally gritted out into the quiet of the car.
"For what?" Eddie asked, confusion making him look over at Steve.
"For that. For him," Steve said and Eddie noticed how hard he was gripping the wheel.
"Steve, pull over." Steve sighed and pulled the car over to the side of the road; forest on one side, sleepy houses on the other. "Why are you apologizing for him?"
"Just..." Steve let out a sharp breath. He hadn't looked at Eddie yet. "Seeing him again. Hearing that garbage we used to..." Steve wrung the steering wheel like he was trying to break it "It was like I was back in high school calling Jonathan... that, and... Hagan just brought all of it back! All the shit!"
"Hey! Okay, Stevie, hey," Eddie reached out to gently touch Steve's arm, trying to bring him back. "That's him, not you."
"It was me!" He yelled, finally turning to Eddie.
"Was, Steve, was," Eddie replied, turning in his seat so he could face Steve. "You are not the same person you were in high school, not by a long fucking shot."
Steve hung his head and took a deep breath.
"And you're are not Tommy Hagan." Eddie added and then waited. Waited while Steve calmed. He gave a slight nod of his head.
"I'm sorry I used you like that," Steve finally said.
"What?"
"Pretending we were together. It was the only thing I could think to do."
"Stevie, I am never opposed to having a stud of your caliber on my arm." Eddie grinned as he watched Steve try to fight off a smile. "Besides, the only reason I didn't try to rip his face off is 'cuz your arm was around me. One more second and Carol would have needed a new boyfriend."
"He left Carol."
"What?"
"She got depressed in New York and he dumped her."
Eddie was silent for a while. "That's awful."
Steve nodded.
After a moment Eddie shifted so he was sitting straight in his seat. "Let's go, Stevie. The ice cream should be in our stomaches by now."
Steve nodded and pulled back onto the road.
"Thank you, by the way." Eddie added.
"My pleasure." Steve smarmed at him.
"Oh I bet it was. You can't resist all this, I know." Eddie said, tossing his hair over his shoulder.
"Oh, baby! Ow!" Steve hooted as Eddie cackled. "Oh I am so telling Robin about this on our next call," He chuckled.
(possible part 2 where they realize their feelings but like... don't hold your breath)
(lmao couldn't stop thinking about it, here's part 2)
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misaerabl · 1 day ago
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Pierced
CONTENT: wc…3.7k ✦ vampire reader x vampire hunter vi, vi being a good girl for reader teehee, biting, tit-sucking, a lot of sexual tension, vi calls reader a monster, reader calls vi a good girl (multiple times), vi was drinking a bit but she's still completely sober and aware, bloodsucking (not proofread at all, SORRY) SUMMARY: Vi has spent years hunting you, a vampire as beautiful as you are dangerous. She swore to put an end to your existence, yet every encounter ended the same—you taunting her, slipping through her grasp like smoke. But tonight is different?
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She had been hunting you for years.
Vi didn’t know when it became an obsession—when the chase stopped being just about duty and started sinking its claws into something deeper, something darker. At first, it was simple: a vampire terrorizing the city, leaving behind bodies drained and discarded. A job for a hunter like her. But then she saw you.
Demonizingly beautiful. Unholy in the way that no creature should be. A face carved by something cruel, something that wanted to see men—and hunters—fall to their knees. Vi wasn’t weak. She told herself that every time she tracked your movements, every time she found herself too late, standing in the aftermath of your existence. She should’ve hated you. And she did.
But hate didn’t explain the way your voice haunted her long after you disappeared into the night. The way your taunts replayed in her head like a song she couldn’t shake.
“Poor Vi,” you had once cooed, perched on a rooftop above her, lips stained red. “You chase me like you don’t already belong to me.”
She almost got you that night. Almost. But you were always just out of reach.
Until now.
She was alone in her apartment, the silence pressing in as she nursed a drink and thought of ways to trap you, to finally end this sick game. But the air shifted. A prickle ran down her spine.
And then she saw it—your figure standing on her balcony, illuminated by the faint moonlight.
You had come to her.
Vi didn’t hesitate. The moment she saw you, bathed in the silver glow of the moonlight, she reached for the dagger at her belt. Silver. Blessed. The only thing she trusted against something like you.
She rose from her chair, movements fluid, controlled—only the sharp inhale of breath gave her away. She stepped outside, the night air cool against her skin, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her weapon.
And there you were.
Beautiful as ever. Too beautiful. Your crimson eyes locked onto hers, piercing, knowing, as if you could see straight through her—through the anger, the obsession, the flickering, unspoken thing that lingered beneath it all.
And you smiled. Gentle. Soft. So out of place on something as monstrous as you.
Vi’s grip tightened, but her feet felt heavier than they should.
"You’ve been thinking about me," you said, voice like a whisper, like a lullaby meant to ensnare. "I could feel it."
Vi exhaled through her nose. "Shame. I was hoping you’d feel this instead." She lifted the dagger just enough for you to see, the silver catching the moonlight.
But you didn’t flinch. Didn’t move at all.
"You won’t use it."
Her jaw clenched. "You wanna test that theory?"
You tilted your head, amusement flickering across your face. "If it helps you sleep at night."
Vi hated the way your voice slithered under her skin, the way the space between you felt unbearably small despite the distance. She had spent years trying to kill you. So why did it feel like you were the one in control?
Vi’s voice was steady, sharp as a blade. “You’re a monster.”
You didn’t react. Not at first.
“You kill,” she continued, taking a slow step forward, dagger still poised. “You prey on people—innocent people. You feed on them like they’re nothing.” Her voice turned to steel. “And you expect me to believe that smile?”
A gasp left your lips, soft and exaggerated. You pressed a hand to your chest, fingers splayed over where your heart should be beating. The movement made Vi’s eyes flick down, just for a second—just long enough to notice the dried blood beneath your nails.
“Oh, Vi,” you sighed, tilting your head. “You wound me.” Your lips curled into something almost pouty, but the amusement in your eyes was undeniable.
Vi clenched her jaw. “You don’t get to act innocent when you still have someone’s blood on your hands.”
You glanced down at your fingers, examining them as if you’d forgotten. Then, you dragged one nail against your palm, smearing the blood slightly, before meeting her gaze again.
“I was hungry,” you admitted with a shrug. “Can you really blame me?”
Vi’s breath came a little too fast, her body too tense, her grip on the dagger too tight.
God, she hated you.
Or maybe—maybe she hated whatever it was you were doing to her.
You took a step forward, slow and deliberate, your gaze never leaving hers. Vi’s fingers twitched around the hilt of her dagger, but she didn’t move.
Didn’t run. Didn’t strike.
Didn’t do a damn thing as you closed the distance between you like a shadow creeping under a door.
“I bet you taste so good,” you murmured, voice low, dripping with something too dangerous to be called teasing. Your eyes flickered down, tracing the curve of her throat, the rapid pulse beneath her skin.
Vi swallowed, her grip tightening. "Try it, and I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you ever do."
You only smiled, stepping even closer. She could smell you now—something faintly sweet, something intoxicating, something that made her head feel too light.
"You say that," you mused, tilting your head. "But your heart is racing, Vi. Just a little."
Her jaw clenched. "You don’t scare me."
"No?" You reached out, fingers ghosting over the collar of her shirt, and Vi flinched. Not because it hurt. Because it didn’t. Because your touch was light, deliberate, like you were savoring the moment. "Then why haven’t you stopped me?"
She should’ve shoved you away. Should’ve driven the dagger straight into your ribs.
Instead, she stood there, breathing too hard, letting you lean in until your lips were just barely brushing the air between you.
And then you whispered, “I wonder if you’d let me.”
You moved even closer, so close that Vi could feel the faintest shift in the air between you. Your lashes fluttered as you took a slow, deliberate inhale, letting her scent fill your lungs.
And she just stood there.
Frozen. Like she hadn’t spent years chasing you, swearing she’d kill you the second she got the chance. But here she was, dagger clutched tightly in her hand, and she wasn’t using it.
Vi exhaled sharply through her nose. “You really don’t value your life, do you?”
You let out a low hum, tilting your head. “Oh, I do. I just know you won’t take it.”
Vi let out a short, humorless laugh. “You think I won’t kill you?”
You grinned, fangs just barely peeking past your lips. “I think you’d miss me too much.”
Vi scowled, but you saw the way her throat bobbed as she swallowed. The tension crackled between you, thick and electric, coiling around her like a serpent waiting to strike.
And then, with the slow grace of something that had all the time in the world, you leaned in—your lips hovering just above her pulse.
Vi sucked in a breath, muscles locking, but she didn’t pull away.
Didn’t move.
Didn’t stop you.
Your tongue flicked out, warm and deliberate, tracing a slow, languid path along her neck.
Vi shuddered.
Her grip on the dagger faltered, just slightly.
And you—oh, you smiled against her skin.
You pulled back slightly, just enough to meet her eyes again. They were darker now, filled with something you couldn’t quite place—something she probably didn’t want to name.
“Is that what you really think of me?” you asked, voice smooth, velvety. “A monster?”
Vi’s jaw tightened. “You kill people.”
You hummed, tilting your head. “So do you.”
“That’s not the same.”
“Isn’t it?”
She didn’t answer. Couldn’t, maybe. Her breath was uneven, her pulse still hammering beneath her skin—so loud, so alive.
You leaned in again, not bothering to hide your smirk as your tongue flicked out once more, dragging along the spot you’d just teased.
Vi exhaled sharply through her nose, a muscle in her jaw twitching.
Your voice was barely a whisper against her skin.
“Funny,” you murmured. “You taste like you don’t want me to stop.”
Her entire body tensed when you leaned down, her heart skipping a beat at the feel of your nose brushing against her neck. It was embarrassing—how her skin tingled at the simple action, how her breath hitched against her will. She forced herself to look at you, to keep her head straight, when every part of her wanted to tilt—wanted to give you more access.
Your voice was a purr against her ear. “Do you think you could quench my thirst?” Your lips barely grazed her skin, your breath warm, teasing. “Darling, you just look so good…”
Vi shuddered. She hated this. Hated how her body responded, how she wasn’t pushing you away, wasn’t lifting her damn dagger to stop you.
“Stop.” Her voice came out strained, uneven. “Please… stop.”
Yet she did nothing.
And neither did you.
Your hand rested on her shoulder, your fingers curling slightly, grounding her in something that felt like both comfort and possession. And then—soft, barely there—you kissed her neck.
Vi let out a sharp exhale, her fists clenching at her sides.
God, she already tasted so good.
You hummed, inhaling deeply, savoring the scent of her—warm, alive, something utterly intoxicating.
“Stop,” she whispered again, weaker this time.
You pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “Do you mean it?”
Silence.
Then—so quiet, you almost didn’t hear it—
“…No.”
Vi exhaled shakily. “Don’t stop.”
Your grin was slow, fangs glinting in the dim light.
You were both vulnerable, at each other’s mercy. It was almost ironic. You could tear her apart, sink your fangs into her skin, and drain her in mere seconds—and she, she could ram her dagger into your heart without hesitation. But for some reason, neither of you moved.
Everything was so messed up, yet, in a twisted way, it made perfect sense.
Vi swallowed hard, her chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. She looked up into your eyes, her own filled with something she refused to admit—something she couldn’t hide. The need. The desire.
It was all there.
"Will you let me… taste you?"
Your voice was a whisper, smooth and intoxicating, wrapping around her like a spell. Vi hesitated—just for a moment. She shouldn’t want this. She couldn’t want this.
And yet… she did.
“Yes,” she breathed.
A slow, satisfied smile spread across your lips. “Good girl.”
You leaned in, your breath warm against her skin, savoring the moment before finally sinking your fangs into her neck.
The moment your fangs pierced her skin, warmth flooded your senses—rich, intoxicating, utterly consuming. Her blood was unlike anything you’d tasted before, sweet with a hint of something electric, something alive. It burned as it slid down your throat, like the finest of wines mixed with the very essence of her—strength, defiance, and something dangerously close to surrender.
Vi’s breath hitched, her body going rigid beneath you before melting, a sharp gasp slipping from her lips. Her fingers curled into fists, nails digging into her palms as if she could fight against the way her body reacted—the way heat coiled low in her stomach, the way her pulse fluttered under your lips.
You drank slowly, savoring every drop, your tongue brushing against the wound as if soothing the sting, as if pretending this was something gentle. But it wasn’t. It was possession. It was hunger.
And God, she tasted divine.
Her head fell back, her body going limp against you, and you caught her with ease—one arm wrapping around her back, the other cradling the back of her head. You held her like something precious, like something yours.
“God…” she moaned, voice breathless, the sharp sting of your bite mixing with a pleasure she didn’t dare name.
You pulled back after a few seconds, your tongue sweeping over the fresh wound, lapping up the remnants of her blood. Some of it still dripped from your lips, warm and rich, and you swallowed it down as you stared at her.
She was panting, her chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. The look in her eyes was a tangled mess of disbelief and want, like she couldn’t comprehend how much she had needed your touch—how much she still craved it.
When you leaned in again, dragging your tongue slowly over the bite, she let out a soft, helpless whine. Her neck stung, her body ached, but none of it mattered.
You’re a monster.
The thought rang in her head, clear and sharp like the blade she still grasped in her trembling hand. She should drive it into your chest, pierce through flesh and bone, end this before she lost herself any further. It’s what you deserved. It’s what she had sworn to do.
And yet… she couldn’t.
Her grip on the dagger tightened, but her other hand—traitorous, desperate—clung to you instead. Her body burned where you had touched her, where your lips had lingered, where your fangs had torn into her. It should have made her sick. It should have filled her with rage.
But all she felt was need.
She needed more of you.
The beautiful, haunting creature before her—so utterly inhuman, yet so devastatingly real—had her wrapped in something she didn’t understand. You were terrifying in your power, in your hunger, in the way you smiled at her like you knew every thought racing through her mind.
And God, maybe you did.
Vi swallowed, her breath unsteady, her body betraying her as she leaned into your touch instead of pulling away. You were beautiful. Beautiful in a way that was wrong, that was twisted, that was broken.
And she wanted more.
Maybe it was the blood loss. Maybe it was the heat still pulsing through her veins from where your lips had been. Maybe it was the way you looked at her—head tilted, eyes glowing, licking her blood from your lips like she was the finest thing you’d ever tasted.
Oh, God, forgive her. She wasn’t thinking straight.
Her dagger still sat heavy in her grasp, her fingers curled around the hilt like it was the last thread tethering her to reason. But reason felt distant now, slipping through her like sand, replaced by something darker. Something warmer.
“You did so well for me,” you purred, your voice dripping with satisfaction, with something she couldn’t name. “Such a good girl.”
She shouldn’t have felt that shiver down her spine.
She shouldn’t have been staring at your lips, still stained with her blood.
She shouldn’t have wanted to hear more.
Her hand slipped beneath the fabric of your elegant, long dress, fingers trailing over the bare skin beneath your low-cut top, feeling the cold skin of your breasts.
You gasped, caught off guard by the sudden heat of her touch. The dagger she had held so tightly fell from her fingers, clattering to the ground, forgotten. In that moment, you knew—she was yours.
Her guard was completely shattered. She no longer cared about the blade, the danger, or the consequences. All that mattered was you.
Her hands roamed over your skin, pulling you closer, every touch telling you what words could not. She was lost, consumed by the need you had sparked in her. And you could feel it. Every tremor in her fingers, every breath she took, spoke of a desire she couldn’t fight anymore.
She was completely undone. And she didn’t want to be saved.
She pushed you gently, the sudden pressure forcing you backward. Your lower back collided with the cool railing of the balcony, the edge digging into your spine, but you hardly noticed.
Now both of her hands remained on your skin, trailing with deliberate slowness beneath the cloth of your dress, exploring, caressing. The sensation was electric, every touch setting your nerves on fire as she grew bolder, her fingers brushing over every inch of exposed flesh.
You could feel the heat radiating from her, the desperation in the way she touched you, as if she couldn't get close enough. The world around you faded, leaving only the sound of her breath and the feeling of her hands, relentless and tender at the same time.
And still, she didn't stop.
You could hear her heavy, desperate gasps, each one shaky and uneven, but she didn’t break the kiss. Not even for a second. Her lips were pressed to yours with an urgency that left no room for hesitation, no space for restraint.
Every breath she took mingled with yours, each one more desperate than the last, as if she was trying to inhale all of you, trying to drown in the very essence of you. Her hands continued their exploration, her touch frantic now, but still gentle—like she was afraid of breaking you, even as she pulled you closer.
But you could feel it—the hunger. The desire. It was raw and uncontained, and you couldn’t deny that you were just as lost in it as she was.
Her skilled fingers traced patterns on your bare skin, moving up to cup your breasts perfectly, causing a whisper of a moan to escape your lips. She broke the kiss only to trail her mouth along your jawline, nipping gently at your earlobe before moving down to your neck.
Her lips found the sensitive spot where your neck met your shoulder, soft at first, then slowly growing bolder as she began to suck, the pressure sending waves of shivers through your body. You gasped, your spine arching slightly at the sensation, every nerve on fire as she worked her way down your neck.
Her hands, relentless and sure, continued their path, moving over your chest, massaging your breasts with a delicate yet insistent pressure. Her thumbs circled over your hardened peaks, each motion slow and calculated, driving you to the edge of madness. She was so careful, so deliberate, it was as if she was savoring every second.
You could feel your heart racing beneath her lips, pounding in your chest as her kisses grew hungrier, more urgent. She nuzzled against your collarbone, breathing you in, her scent mingling with yours in the air. Then she kissed her way down your collar, open-mouthed, leaving heated trails of pleasure behind.
Her fingers tightened possessively around your breasts, and it felt as though she was claiming you, marking you as hers.
For a moment, the roles seemed reversed. She was the hungry one, the one consuming, devouring every inch of you with an intensity that made you dizzy. And you couldn’t help but let her.
Vi's hands left your breasts to tangle in your hair, holding your head still as she continued her kisses down your collar, leaving a trail of warmth against your skin. She buried her face against your chest, breathing in deeply.
Her mouth moved lower, capturing one hard peak between her lips and sucking deeply. You moaned, your fingers finding her hair and pulling slightly. She released the first breast only to capture the second one, her tongue flicking against the hardened nub before she sucked again, alternating between your breasts hungrily.
One hand remained on your other breast, pinching and rolling your nipple between her fingers as her mouth moved from one breast to the other, alternating between gentle sucking and tender biting. The sensation made you arch your back, pressing yourself further into her mouth as one hand found its way into her hair, pulling her closer.
You tossed your head back, your hair flying behind you as she continued to worship your breasts. Her free hand roamed your body, feeling your curves, your waist, before settling on your other breast, squeezing and kneading it as she sucked hard on the other, making you cry out in ecstasy.
You were panting now, your chest heaving as she continued her dual attention on your breasts. She looked up, seeing your face contorted with pleasure, your mouth open in a silent 'O' as she alternated between sucking and biting gently, her hands never stopping their kneading and squeezing.
The cool night breeze was a sharp contrast to the heat that simmered between you two. It swept across the balcony, tousling your hair, the wind grazing your skin like a tender, fleeting touch. The chill seemed to only intensify the warmth that pulsed between your bodies, an electric tension that refused to dissipate, no matter how soft the breeze was.
Suddenly, a rustling sound from just outside snapped you out of the moment. You instinctively pushed Vi back, and the look she gave you was almost childlike—a mix of confusion and disappointment, as if you had taken away her favorite toy.
"Do you hear that?" you asked, your voice low and tense.
She grunted, clearly frustrated at the interruption. "It’s probably just an animal," she muttered, but before you could respond, she quickly leaned in again, trying to close the distance between you.
You stopped her, lifting your top back up with a teasing smile, as if reminding her of the world outside the bubble you’d both created. Her eyes flashed with a mix of irritation and desire, but you could see the fight leave her as she stood there, waiting for the next move.
"God, you taste so good," Vi murmured, her voice desperate, and you smirked, enjoying the praise. "As did you," you replied smoothly, savoring the moment.
But just as you were about to lose yourself in the moment with her, a voice called from the hallway. "Vi! Are you with someone up there?"
Vi didn’t answer, her eyes still on you, but the voice repeated, "I’m coming up!" Footsteps could be heard approaching the stairs.
Her face twisted in frustration, but her desire for you was overwhelming. "It’s nothing. They’ll leave eventually." She tried to reach for you again, clearly not wanting to be interrupted.
You stood firm, cold and unyielding, watching the door as you said, "Go."
Vi hesitated, the want in her eyes clashing with her need to keep you close. But eventually, reluctantly, she left to answer the door. You could hear her barely muffled voice as she spoke to the person on the other side.
The loud knocking sounded again, followed by the unmistakable sound of someone stepping inside. And then the voice—sharply—spoke, "Is that a bite mark on your neck, Violet?"
You knew it was time to disappear.
Without another word, you slipped out of the balcony, vanishing into the night, your figure swallowed by the shadows. You didn’t look back. You never did.
Vi, however, would be left with nothing but her own confusion and desire, and you knew she would find her way back to you.
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[Text below taken from previous post^^^ for ease of searching]
4 year-olds
Have trouble with close visual activities like reading and writing
Fine motor skills are not well developed
Often very clumsy
Energetic and active
Friendly and talkative
Need adult help finding words to express their needs
Easily redirected from unwanted behavior
Imaginative
Experiment with language (including swears they hear adults use)
Short attention spans
Can learn responsibilities like room cleaning but need guidance and models
Typically can't read but they do understand stories and often display complex thinking
Thinking is almost exclusively concrete (what they can see and feel
5 year-olds
Typically go through a growth spurt
May write letters and numbers backwards
Better control of lange muscles but still frequently fall out of chairs
Still struggle somewhat with fine motor skills
Want adult approval
Classes in Kindergarten are usually 15 to 20 minutes
Interpret words literally
Older fives like to explain things that have been explained to them
Poor sense of time (they have no idea how long 5 minutes is)
Ranely see things from another person's view
Abstract concepts like "fairness" are confusing
Vivid imagination and limited life experience lead to leaps in logic (my toys are alive / the trees move when its windy so the tress make wind
6 year-olds
More developed fine motor skills
School work is often rushed because they care more about the product than the process
Highly competitive and sensitive to criticism
Typically begin forming closer friendships (first best friend)
Love jokes and guessing games
Very curious and ask a lot of questions
Better understanding of time (can understand historical events relative to present-day)
Usually can read simple books independently but they frequentty misspell words (city becomes sity)
*These younger years have a lot of development so there is a huge difference between a kid that just turned five and a kid that's five and a half.
7 year-olds
Improved gross and fine motor skills
Often begin preferring video games to outdoor games
Empathetic and sensitive to others feelings
Prefer working alone or with one friend
May worry that nobody likes them (increasing awareness of others thoughts)
Strong sense of right and wrong
Bothered by mistakes and try to perfect their work
Still en joy being read to even though they can read independently
Rapidly increasing vocabulary
Some may still read out loud but most kids can read silently now
8 year-olds
Play hard and tire quickly
Growth spurts can cause them to be clumsy
Ad just well to change and bounce back quickty from disappointments
Want peer and adult approval
Form larger friend groups than 7 year-olds
Tend to exaggerate
Enjoy responsibility but may not complete assigned tasks successfully
Like adding things to school assignments but not revising previous work
Can maintain attention for long periods of time but may forget instructions
9 year-olds
Start of puberty (typically closer to 10 but can happen)
May twist hair or bite nails to relieve tension
More individualistic and beginning to experiment with different personalities and styles
Often worried or anxious
Very critical of themselves and others (including adults)
Like to negotiate and make deals (this is the age I accidentally made my own pyriamid scheme)
Curious but less imaginative (ike to know the how and why)
Rather than learning to read, school focuses on reading to learn (textbooks)
10 year-olds
Lower body muscles are developed but typically not upper body
Frequent rest periods and snacks benefit their quickly growing bodies
Generally happy and friendly
Quick to anger and to forgive
Appreciate being noticed and rewarded for their efforts
Typically have sloppier writing than 9 year-olds because they are in a hurry
Listen well and can appreciate other peoples perspectives
READ A LOT
Increasing ability to think abstractly
11 year-olds
Middle school and team sports usually begin around this time
Need lots of food and physical activity (also usually don't get enough sleep)
Impulsive and often talk before thinking
Use social media a lot
Concerned with thier inclussion or exclusion from social groups
Become more skilled at abstract thinking and deductive reasoning
Like to challenge rules and test limits as they move towards independence
Imitate adult language
Can be sensitive and self-absorbed at times
12 year-olds
Adult personality begins to emerge, but they may still try out others
More reasonable than ll year-olds
Capable of self-awarness and empathy
Care more about peers opinions than adults
More able to think abstractly about complex moral issues
May begin to excel at a subject or skill
Want to make money from jobs at home or in their neighborhoods
13 year-olds
Puberty is in full swing and hygiene becomes a big concern (acne and body odor)
Males typically e jaculate for the first time before or during this time
Have a Sex Ed class in school which is embarassing for them and may lead to silly or rude behavior
Moody and sensitive
Tend to travel is small packs and become very concerned with popularity
Increasing levels of sarcasm in humor
Likes and dislikes become more pronounced
Like to challenge authority
Struggle to put their ideas into practice (they are concerned about social justice but also are mean to each other)
14 year-olds
Females are typically fully developed physically
May become sexually active
Loud and rambuntious
Dislike adult lectures and feel they know what will be said after the first few words
Better at figuring out cause and effect
More willing to admit error and try things a second or third time
Adult personality continues to develop
I am so sick of fic writers making 10-year-olds talk like babies.
I work with children and have taken numerous classes on adolescent development. Here's some of what I learned because I might actually kill someone if I read another fic where an older child is essentially a four-year-old. (No hate to anyone in particular. Children are confusing.)
(Slight trigger warning for 13 & 14 year-olds. Puberty/sex mentioned)
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(Most info is from Chip Wood's Yardsticks: Child and Adolescent Development Ages 4-14)
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qwibkwib · 1 day ago
Text
Deception
Series: Promised 9 Chapter - 2
Chapter 0 | Chapter 1 Baek Jiheon (Fromis_9) X Male reader Word Count: 11.1k+
a/n: It might look inconsistent but bear with me. i omitted the reader's given name this time. Recap: After a long shift, you left your bag at the Golden Brew café and returned to retrieve it—only to stumble upon a secret gathering of nine women, some familiar, some famous. The next day, your memory was hazy, but the illusion shattered when Chaeyoung confronted you. With a veiled threat, she led you to a hotel, ensuring a sleepless night.
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You stir awake to the soft rustle of fabric and the faint, lingering scent of lavender. Morning light seeps through the curtains, casting the room in a muted gold. Every muscle in your body protests as you shift beneath the tangled sheets, memories of the night before flickering like fragments of a dream.
By the window, Chaeyoung stands wrapped in a silk robe that clings to her frame like liquid. She gazes out at the city below, her expression unreadable—calm, distant, almost detached. But when she notices you stirring, a sly smile tugs at her lips.
“Finally awake?” Her voice is a low purr, amusement dancing in her eyes.
You sit up, raking a hand through your disheveled hair. “What did you mean earlier… about it being a long day?” Your voice scrapes raw, throat dry from lack of sleep.
She turns, gliding toward the bed with effortless grace. “You’ll see,” she says, deliberately vague. Her robe slips slightly off one shoulder as she leans against the bedpost, watching you.
You glance at the clock on the nightstand and freeze. Shit. “What time is it?”
“Thirty minutes past your last alarm,” she replies, tracing a finger along the edge of the bedsheet.
“You looked so peaceful. I thought I’d let you sleep a little longer.”
“Peaceful?” You groan, scrambling for your clothes strewn across the floor. “I’m late for my shift. Gyuri’s going to skin me alive.”
Chaeyoung tilts her head, her smile sharpening. “Relax. I’ll call her. Tell her you’re… detained.”
You pause mid-motion, shirt halfway over your head. “But they’ll know I remembered everything. The meeting, the Nine—”
“They already know, silly.” Her laugh is light, almost musical. “You’re not as subtle as you think.”
You glare at her, but she only smirks, unfazed.
As you yank your shoes on, her voice stops you at the door. “Oh, and if any of the girls ask why you were with me…” She pauses, her gaze sharpening. “Just tell them Saerom will explain.”
You frown, adjusting your bag. “Saerom? The one you called earlier? Is she your… captain?”
Chaeyoung’s lips twitch. “You could call her that. Trust me, it’ll be enough.”
You hold her gaze, searching for answers she’ll never give, before turning away. Her soft laughter follows you out like a ghost.
~~~
The bell above Golden Brew's door jingles as you slip inside, the café's warmth enveloping you—rich coffee, buttery pastries, the hum of morning chatter. But the comfort evaporates the moment Gyuri's voice slices through the noise.
"You're late."
She stands behind the counter, arms crossed, her usual warmth replaced by a frosty glare. The air around her crackles with unspoken tension.
You duck behind the counter, fumbling with your apron. "Sorry, I was—"
"With Chaeyoung?" Her tone is sharp, eyes lingering on the faint mark peeking above your collar.
Your cheeks flush, guilt and shame mingling. Of course she'd notice. "Look, I can explain—"
"Save it." She cuts you off, turning to aggressively wipe down the counter. "I trusted you to be professional. To respect this workplace."
You catch what you think is hurt in her voice, and your stomach twists. Great. Now Gyuri thinks you're fooling around with Chaeyoung instead of working. "It's not what you think. Chaeyoung, she..." You swallow hard. "She said Saerom would explain everything."
The name hits like a thunderclap. Gyuri freezes mid-motion, the rag clenched in her fist. "Saerom?" she echoes, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"That's what Chaeyoung told me," you say, watching her reaction carefully.
The anger in Gyuri's face transforms into something else entirely – fear? She sets down the rag with deliberate slowness, her hands trembling slightly. "Of course she did," she mutters, more to herself than you. When she looks back, her eyes are haunted. "She dragged you into this, didn't she?"
Your confusion grows. This isn't the reaction of a jealous boss anymore. "Into what? It's not like I had a choice—"
"You always have a choice," she snaps, then catches herself, voice softening to something almost desperate. "You could've come to me first. I could've... protected you."
The words hang between you, heavy with meaning you can't quite grasp. Your earlier assumption about jealousy crumbles, replaced by creeping unease.
"Protected me from what?" You step closer, frustration boiling over. "From them? From whatever this is? What aren't you telling me?"
Gyuri's expression shutters closed, professional mask sliding back into place. "You're a good kid," she says flatly, already turning away. "Like you said... Saerom will explain."
The dismissal stings. Before you can retort, she's already vanished into the kitchen, leaving you alone with the echo of her silence.
Your phone vibrates. Reaching into your pocket, the blue screen flashes your eyes, you find messages from a familiar name.
"Where did you sleep? I went to your dorm this morning you weren't there."
The message feels oddly natural. "I'm sorry, I didn't sleep in the dorm, something unexpected came up"
"okay I wont ask more..."
You turn back to work, focusing on the morning rush. The steam wand screams as you foam milk for a cappuccino. Another message.
"Can you grab my textbook from your place when you're done with work?"
You pause. Her textbook? Right – the calculus one she left last week when you were studying. The memory feels hazy, but it must have happened.
"Sure, which one was it again?"
The morning blurs between orders and conversations. A businessman wants his Americano extra hot. A student spills her latte. Your phone buzzes.
"The blue one! Don't tell me you're using it as a coaster again "
You smile, remembering the water ring on her– wait. When did that happen?
"I would never," you type back, uncertain why you're playing along.
The cafe fills with the lunch crowd. While preparing a sandwich, another message arrives.
"By the way, I cooked seaweed soup for you, to bad you weren't there this morning, you know the one that you kept asking me to cook?"
You blink. You were craving for some seaweed soup recently . Though you don't remember asking her for it. But there's that image – her concentrating, in the kitchen one hand om the ladle the other on her phone, trying out the recipe– No. That couldn't have happened. Could it?
"I'm sorry," you reply simply, not wanting to seem ungrateful.
More customers. More drinks. More messages that feel like pieces of a life you're not quite sure about.
"Hey, I can still stay over this weekend right? You promised." (Have you agreed for her to sleep in your dorm?)
"Don't forget your umbrella today!" (How did she know about the forecast?)
Each message slots perfectly into your day, filling gaps you didn't know existed. The strangest part is how unstrange it feels.
When lunch break arrives, you check your messages one last time:
"Let's grab dinner at the usual place? 7pm?"
You stare at the screen. The usual place. Of course – that small restaurant around the corner. The one with the red awning and the owner who always gives you extra–
You stop yourself. What usual place?
"Sounds good," you type anyway, wondering why your response feels so automatic.
You unconsciously find yourself scrolling back at your conversation, seeking comfort after the tense morning with Gyuri. The messages flow past your screen, and something warm unfurls in your chest. Of course – the usual place. That hole-in-the-wall restaurant near the engineering building where she always claims their kimchi stew tastes just like her grandmother's.
Three months ago: "Made it to Prof. Tan's seminar! Saving you a seat " Your lips curve into a smile, remembering how she'd dash across campus between classes just to sit together in Advanced Economics. The way she'd slide her coffee over when yours ran empty.
Six months ago: "Still up for study group? The midterms are killing me" The memory settles in naturally – hours in the library's third floor, her head bent over statistical models, the way she'd explain complex theories with perfectly simple analogies. That was before you picked up the cafe job, wasn't it? But the timeline feels right somehow.
A year ago: "Thanks for helping with my research paper! Dinner's on me " The quiet booth at the back of the restaurant, her excited chatter about her findings, how one dinner turned into regular study dates – everything feels right. Why were you questioning this earlier? The memories slot into place like they've always been there.
Your thumb traces over her messages, each one a reminder of shared moments between classes and coffee runs. The morning's uncertainties fade away, replaced by a gentle certainty. Of course she's worried about where you slept. Of course she checks on you. Of course she remembers which days you have back-to-back lectures.
Suddenly a hand taps on your shoulder.
"Hey, take your lunch break." Gyuri's voice carries that familiar warmth, her smile back as if your morning argument never happened.
You nod, already reaching for your phone to tell her you're heading out for lunch. How strange that you felt confused earlier. Must be the lack of exhaustion from everything that has been happening lately, you think, as you type out a quick "On break now, can't wait for dinner "
"Your on lunch break? Where?" she quickly replies.
"Probably just by the nearby konbini, by the campus, why do you want to have lunch together?" You ask her.
"I would love to, but my lecture just started" she replies.
The konbini's automatic doors slide open with a familiar chime. You grab your usual lunch combo – instant noodles, a triangle kimbap, and milk. The perfect trio. The cashier barely looks up as you pay, already familiar with your routine purchases.
Outside, you find a quiet spot on one of the concrete benches. The noodles steam in the cool air as you stir them, your phone silent now that she's in class. The sky above is a brilliant, crystal blue – the kind of blue that makes you think of clear water, of deep ocean trenches, of falling...
A peculiar heaviness settles over you as you finish the last of your milk. Your eyes drift upward again, drawn to that hypnotic blue expanse. It seems to pulse gently, like a heartbeat, like a lullaby. Your thoughts begin to blur at the edges, memories swirling like cream in coffee – the morning rush at the cafe, Gyuri's smile, messages on your phone, that familiar name, those shared memories that feel more real with each passing moment...
The empty milk carton slips from your fingers as your eyelids grow impossibly heavy. The last thing you see is that endless blue sky, beautiful and terrifying in its perfection, before darkness claims you.
~~~
You wake up with barely enough time before your shift starts. Gathering yourself, you rush back to the Golden Brew. You were already late this morning – being late again in the afternoon will definitely anger Gyuri, especially after the sour conversation you had.
As you run towards the cafe, you realize the nap left you feeling unusually refreshed, more than any normal rest could provide. The body aches you'd been expecting to endure all day have vanished. Your thoughts, heavy with recent events, now feel unexpectedly light.
Your mood lifts further as you step into the cafe. The familiar coffee scent, the cozy atmosphere, the gentle hum of the coffee machine – everything feels right.
You greet Gyuri with a smile, only to find her eyes already fixed on you. There's something different about her look, something you've seen before – her eyes sharp, searching for something.
"You're back. You seem happy." Her voice carries a concern that feels deeper than usual. "Did you meet with someone?"
"No." You smile at her specific query. "Just grabbed lunch at the konbini, got a short nap afterwards."
"Nap? At the konbini?" Gyuri doesn't look convinced. She studies you for a long second before nodding, though the furrow in her brow remains. "If you say so," she murmurs, but there's an edge in her tone that suggests she isn't letting this go.
You clock in and don your apron, moving behind the counter. Seoyeon catches your eye, still in her usual spot, focused intently on her laptop screen. You'd been about to wonder where she was – and there she is, as if summoned by the thought.
Between customers, you reach for your phone to continue your earlier conversation, but the front door's bell interrupts you. Regular customers enter – the usual trio, except they're missing someone. Your eyes automatically search for the third, and an unexpected disappointment settles in your chest.
"Good afternoon, just the two of you?" you ask as you serve their orders.
"Why, are you looking for her? Disappointed it's just us?" One of them teases as they both giggle.
You smile, unable to mask your honesty. "Yeah," you reply shyly. "Where is she?"
"She said she can't come with us, their professor doesn't want to end the class," one explains.
"Also, why are you asking us? You could ask her yourself," the other quickly adds.
"Maybe I should. Thanks," you say, taking their advice.
Back at the counter, you pull out your phone, opening the messages. 'I would love to, but my lecture just started' was the last message of your conversation.
"Hey, heard you're still in class. Your friends were just here. Have you eaten yet?"
'Seen'
The notification catches you off guard. It's not unbelievable, but it's something she rarely does.
"Jiheon?"
You message her name just to be sure.
"Sorry, I was packing up my stuff, the lecture just finished," Jiheon replies.
"I didn't have lunch yet. I'll just wait at your dorm, I'll be eating the soup I left there earlier," she continues.
"Can I?" she asks for permission.
"Of course, I'll finish my shift then go home," you reply.
"I'll be waiting," comes her final message.
“Hey…” Gyuri’s voice pulls you back to the present. “You’ve been fiddling with your phone. Is something wrong? You never do that.”
You blink, realizing you've been staring at your screen for too long.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to.” You bow your head slightly, but her words linger—You’ve never done this before.
You slip your phone into your pocket, exhaling softly. A warm contentment settles over you, pushing away the earlier unease—the confusion about Jiheon’s messages, the odd gaps in your shared memories, all of it dissolving like morning mist.
Of course, Jiheon would be waiting at your dorm. Of course, she'd eat the soup she made.
Of course, everything is exactly as it should be.
The afternoon light streaming through the cafe windows takes on that same crystal blue tint from your lunch break, but you hardly notice it now. You're too busy thinking about getting home.
~~~
You barely reflected on it, but now as each step brings you closer to your dorm, the weight of your guilt feels heavier.
Hesitant until the last moment, you finally knocked on your own door. No response.
“Jiheon?” You called out.
You step inside, closing the door softly behind you. Each movement feels heavy, like the air itself is resisting you. Jiheon lays there, her chest rising and falling gently, her face serene, untouched by the chaos inside you. She looks so delicate, so trusting, and it only deepens the ache in your chest.
Your thoughts swirl relentlessly as you stand frozen near the door. How could you do this? How could you betray her like that? You clench your fists, the guilt eating away at you. It wasn’t just Chaeyoung’s fault, or your inability to resist—it was you. You crossed the line, and no excuse could absolve you of that.
Taking a deep breath, you slowly walk to the edge of the bed and sit down carefully, not wanting to wake her just yet. The sight of her so peaceful and vulnerable makes it harder to hold everything in.
“I’m sorry,” you whisper under your breath, the words meant more for yourself than her.
But as if she’d heard, Jiheon stirs, her eyes fluttering open. She blinks a few times, disoriented, before her gaze lands on you. A soft smile spreads across her lips, one that feels like both a comfort and a dagger to your heart.
“You’re home,” she murmurs, her voice groggy but warm. “You okay? You look… tired.”
“I am,” you admit, though the exhaustion isn’t just physical. “Did you eat yet?”
“Yeah, I saved you some soup,” she says, stretching as she walks toward the kitchen. “I'll heat it up for you.”
As she busies herself with the soup, you watch her familiar movements—the way she hums while stirring, how effortlessly she navigates your cramped dorm. The domesticity of it all should bring you comfort, but instead, it leaves you feeling even more unsettled.
When the soup boils, she turns off the stove and brings the pot to the table, gently guiding you to sit down.
She scoops some soup with a spoon, blows on it, and holds it out to you. “Come on, eat. You've been asking for this all week,” she says with a soft smile.
“Jiheon, we need to talk,” you start, the heaviness in your chest almost unbearable.
She sits across from you, brushing her hair out of her face. “Is something wrong?” she asks, her tone light, though her eyes search yours with quiet concern.
You hesitate, the words catching in your throat. Her care, her worry—it makes the guilt even sharper. You don’t deserve this. You don’t deserve her.
“I—” you begin, but she cuts you off, placing a hand gently over yours.
“Whatever it is,” she says softly, “it can wait. You’ve had a long day.”
“No, Jiheon.” You shake your head, pulling your hand away gently. “I need to tell you something. About last night.”
For a moment, her expression falters. A flicker of something unreadable crosses her face, but she quickly forces a soft smile—one that feels more like a shield. “Last night? You mean after work?”
You nod, barely able to meet her gaze. “Something happened, and I—”
“Stop.” Her voice is gentle but firm, cutting through your confession. She leans forward, cupping your face in her hands, forcing you to look at her. “I don’t need to hear it.”
“But—”
“Please.” Her voice trembles slightly, her thumbs brushing against your cheeks. “Let’s not… let’s not talk about it, okay? Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. I just need you to be here. With me.”
“I shouldn't, Jiheon. I’ve wronged you…” you begin, your voice cracking under the weight of your guilt.
“No, you could never do that, okay?” she says, her voice trembling now. “You could never wrong me.”
“Whatever happened that night, I forgive you,” she says, her panic slowly building. “Just… just forget about it, okay?”
As you glance away, the soft glow of the kitchen light catches the steam rising from the soup, refracting faintly against the walls in muted blues and silvers. For a moment, the reflection dances across your peripheral vision, subtle and natural, like a ripple in the air. Your gaze lingers, and without realizing why, you feel the tightness in your chest loosen.
It’s a fleeting, delicate moment—the kind you might’ve ignored on any other night—but it soothes you. The guilt that felt immovable now feels lighter, as though the air itself is urging you to stay, to let go of the weight pressing on your heart.
“We’ve… we’ve been through worse. We can move past this, right?” she reasons, her voice pulling you back. Her words carry the same desperate edge, but the calm from that fleeting moment lingers within you.
“You know I love you, right? Nothing’s going to change that.” Her voice cracks, and tears begin to swell in her eyes.
“No matter what happened, it’s fine. Just don’t leave me… You know I can’t live without you. Please…” she begs, her voice breaking into sobs. Your heart aches as you reach for her, pulling her into your arms.
“I’m sorry, Jiheon. I shouldn’t have thought of leaving. I’m sorry,” you whisper, realizing the mere idea of it is what hurts her most, the guilt now quieted by something warmer, more resolute.
You press a kiss to her forehead and lock eyes with her, tears pooling in your own. “I’m sorry,” you repeat, knowing it will never be enough, but hoping—praying—it can at least start to mend the cracks.
As the tension lingers in the room, Jiheon’s sobs soften, her hands clutching at your shirt as though afraid to let go. You hold her closer, your chin resting on the top of her head.
“I’m here,” you murmur, your voice soft but firm, as if trying to convince her as much as yourself.
Jiheon slowly pulls back just enough to look at you, her tear-streaked face lit with a bittersweet smile. Her gaze searches yours, still heavy with unspoken questions, but she says nothing. Instead, she cups your face with trembling hands, her thumbs brushing gently over your cheeks.
“Promise me,” she whispers, her voice raw. “Promise me you won’t leave.”
You nod, your forehead pressing against hers. “I promise.”
Her breath hitches, and before either of you can second-guess the moment, her lips find yours. The kiss is soft at first, hesitant, as though she’s testing the waters. But as the seconds stretch, it deepens, her desperation and longing pouring into you.
You respond in kind, your hands slipping to her waist, pulling her closer. The room feels smaller now, the world narrowing to just the two of you. The weight of guilt and exhaustion begins to melt away, replaced by the warmth of her touch and the comfort of her presence.
Her fingers wove into your hair, tugging gently as her lips pressed against yours, moving with a hunger that made your pulse race. Her breaths quickened, shallow and uneven, mingling with yours as the kiss deepened. When you finally broke apart, just enough for air, she rested her forehead against yours, her lips swollen, her cheeks flushed, her half-lidded eyes brimming with emotion.
“I love you,” she whispered, her voice trembling but resolute, the words carrying a weight that made your chest tighten.
“I love you, too,” you replied, the confession slipping from your lips effortlessly, as though it had been waiting to be spoken all along.
Her lips crash against yours again, fiercer this time, fueled by an unspoken urgency. Your fingers find hers, weaving together in a silent promise, gripping tighter as the intensity builds. Her soft, breathy moans are swallowed into the heat of your kiss, felt more than heard, trembling against your lips.
Your tongue slips past her parted lips, tangling with hers in a slow, deliberate exploration. Gasps mingle in the space between you, each one drawing you deeper, pulling you further into the feverish heat of her touch. The air thickens, the world beyond this moment blurring into nothing as the kiss deepens, as the fire between you ignites into something undeniable.
Then—clank.
The sound slices through the tension like a needle through silk. The cup tumbles from the table, liquid spilling in a slow, creeping pool across the floor. Jiheon’s hand, still hovering where it knocked the cup, twitches slightly—caught between embarrassment and the lingering heat of your touch.
You both flinch, startled, eyes locking in shared surprise. For a moment, the intensity lingers, crackling in the air between you. But then, Jiheon giggles—a soft, melodic sound that melts through the weight of the moment like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.
That once heavy, almost unbearable atmosphere shifts. Her smile—warm, unguarded—disarms you completely. There’s no frustration, no regret, just her, basking in the moment, unbothered by the mess, as if the only thing that truly matters is you.
Her laughter is contagious. Before you know it, you’re smiling too, drawn into the simple joy of being here, of being hers.
“Bed?” you ask, your voice low, laced with something deeper.
She nods, without hesitation.
You take her hand, guiding her gently, deliberately, until the backs of your knees hit the bed. You sit first, looking up at her, eyes tracing the delicate curve of her face, the way her chest rises and falls with each breath. Then, with a soft pull, you lead her onto your lap, her body settling perpendicular to yours, her warmth pressing firmly against you.
As the mood settles, the tension thickens once more. There’s no hesitation when your lips find hers again—no second-guessing, just the raw, undeniable pull between you.
The kiss deepens, slow yet hungry, your hands moving on instinct, fingertips grazing the soft curve of her breast. The fabric between you is a mere formality, a fleeting barrier that does little to dull the warmth of her skin beneath.
Then, suddenly, she pulls back.
Her breath is unsteady, her lips parted as she struggles with her words. “Aren’t I… aren’t I heavy?” Her voice is barely above a whisper, uncertainty flickering in her gaze.
You don’t hesitate. “No…” The answer is quick but gentle, steady, reassuring. Your fingers tighten slightly on her waist, a silent promise that she is wanted. Still, you sense the hesitation lingering in her, the quiet vulnerability she won’t voice aloud. So, without another word, you shift.
“Here, let’s move you.”
With care, you ease her onto the bed, her body sinking into the mattress beneath her. You hover for a moment, watching her, taking in the way her chest rises and falls, the way her fingers curl slightly as if unsure where to place them.
You place your hand on her breast again, fingers tracing over the soft curve, your palm molding to the warmth of her body as you knead gently. Her breath hitches, her chest rising beneath your touch. “Babe…” she calls out, her voice a little shaky, heavy with something unspoken.
You pause, your thumb circling lightly over the fabric covering her skin. “Huh… what’s the matter?” Your voice is soft, laced with concern, but you don’t pull away just yet.
Jiheon exhales deeply, her fingers tightening slightly where they rest against your shoulders. Her lips part as if to say something—but then she shakes her head.
“No… never mind… it’s nothing,” she dismisses quickly, exhaling sharply, as if trying to steady herself.
But you see it—the way her body tenses, the subtle way her fingers clutch at your shirt, like she’s caught between desire and hesitation.
You don’t ignore it. You don’t push, either. Instead, your voice drops to something softer, something meant only for her.
“We can stop if you want,” you murmur, brushing a thumb over her side. “You don’t have to force yourself.”
Her eyes flick up to meet yours, searching, uncertain for just a second—until she shakes her head. “No, it’s not that,” she whispers, hands coming up to cup your face. Her touch is warm, grounding, and when she smiles, it’s small but genuine.
“Please… continue,” she pleads, voice barely above a breath, yet somehow deafening in the quiet space between you. “I like it too…”
The words ignite something deep in your chest.
Your hands move, trailing down from her chest, fingers hovering just above her skin. When they finally meet her bare midriff—her top having ridden up slightly from all the movement—she shivers under your touch.
The warmth of her skin is intoxicating beneath your fingertips, soft and inviting. You pause, letting her breathe, letting her feel every second of your presence.
And when she doesn’t pull away, when she leans just a little closer, you know—she wants this just as much as you do.
Your hands slip beneath her shirt, fingertips gliding under the fabric, slipping past the lace of her bra until they find her chest. You tease her nipples, feeling the way her breath hitches, her body reacting instinctively to your touch.
Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, you lift her shirt fully, discarding it, leaving her bare beneath you.
You pause.
Your eyes drink her in, taking in every detail—the way her skin flushes under your gaze, the soft rise and fall of her breath, the vulnerability in her expression as she watches you carefully.
She hesitates. “It may not be the bigge—”
“Jiheon,” you cut her off, your voice firm but warm. You meet her gaze, letting every word sink in. “You’re already sexy as you are. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Your hand continues to tease her breast, rolling her nipple between your fingers, feeling the way it hardens under your touch. At the same time, your other hand moves lower, slipping beneath the waistband of her pants, fingertips gliding past the last barrier of her panties.
The heat there is intoxicating, warmer than anywhere else on her body, as if this is where her desire has been pooling all along. You press gently between her thighs, fingertips brushing against her, and feel the dampness already beginning to gather.
“Ah!” she gasps, her body jolting in surprise.
Then she laughs, breathless, cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry… I just wasn’t expecting it.”
You pause for a moment, watching her, feeling the way her thighs twitch beneath your touch. But she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she exhales shakily, her voice barely above a whisper.
“It’s fine… continue…”
Her cuteness drives you wild—the way she bites her lip, the tremble in her voice, the way her body instinctively presses into your hand despite her shyness.
You obey, rubbing slow, teasing circles against her sensitive spot. Her warmth spreads, her womanhood gradually growing slick beneath your fingers, the dampness deepening with each stroke. She shudders, her breath catching, her moans no longer muffled but clear, soft, needy.
Then, carefully, you push one finger inside, slow and deliberate, your eyes locked onto hers, reading her every reaction.
“Mmnnngg… it’s in… your finger… you’re inside…” she mutters, her voice trembling, surprise laced in every breath as she clenches around you. The way her body reacts, instinctively drawing you in, makes your pulse quicken.
You move, easing deeper, pulling out just enough before pushing back in, curling your finger inside her, coaxing new sounds from her lips.
“Babe… it feels… weird… I… can’t—mmnngg,” she whimpers, words cut off by the moans spilling from her throat.
You can feel it—how she’s growing wetter, how her body is adjusting, how each stroke pulls another shiver from her. Slowly, you try to slide in another finger, wanting to stretch her just a little more—
But before you can fully press in, her hands fly to your arm, gripping you tightly.
“Babe… don’t… please… it’s too much… I can’t…” she pleads, her voice so small yet so desperate.
You freeze immediately. “I’m s—”
Before you can even finish apologizing, she shakes her head, stopping you with a single glance.
“Instead…” she whispers, her hands now hovering over your pants, fingers brushing against your length, feeling the heat trapped beneath the fabric.
Even through the layers, you feel the way she hesitates—curious, nervous, but undeniably wanting.
Excitement courses through you, anticipation crackling between you like static. You strip off your shirt first, then your pants, Exposing your hardness completely before reaching for her waistband. Your fingers hook into the fabric, tugging gently.
“Jiheon, lift up a little…” you murmur, your voice husky.
She nods, her breath unsteady, pushing up just enough for you to slide them down. The fabric glides over her smooth skin, peeling away inch by inch, revealing more of her bare thighs, her soft curves.
And then—there she is.
Her most intimate place bared to you, glistening with anticipation, the soft folds parting just slightly with each shallow breath she takes.
You freeze.
Your eyes drink her in, utterly captivated, completely mesmerized.
Jiheon shifts slightly, noticing your stare. “Why are you looking at it like that?” she asks, her voice laced with curiosity.
You blink, snapping out of your trance, heat rushing to your face. “Uhm… it just looks pretty,” you confess, unable to tear your gaze away.
Her cheeks flushed a delicate rose as her smile bloomed, a beacon drawing you in. She reached out, her hand a soft invitation, cupping your face. Her thumbs traced gentle circles against your skin, a featherlight touch that sent shivers down your spine. Then, with a deliberate grace, her thumbs moved to your lips, gliding from the curve above to the fuller bottom, lingering there, a silent question hanging in the air.
The anticipation was a taut string, vibrating with unspoken desires. You lowered your gaze, your focus drawn to the place where your bodies met, where your tip pressed against her entrance. A low thrum of need pulsed within you.
"Jiheon…" you murmured, your voice thick with the urgency building inside. "I'm putting it in."
Her eyes, dark pools of longing, met yours. She nodded, her breath catching in her throat. "Slowly—" she began, her voice a breathy plea.
But the hunger was too intense, the pull too strong. Before she could complete her request, you plunged into her, your shaft claiming its rightful place within her.
"Ah—" she gasped, her body jolting, a sharp intake of breath as you entered her. Her nails dug into your shoulders, a reflex of surprise, her muscles clenching around you, a hot, tight fist gripping your throbbing flesh with an intensity that stole your breath. She held you captive.
Not fully inside, she was already breathless, on the edge. You tried pushing deeper, but her passage tightened, a stubborn resistance that made you pause.
“!… Ah… nngg… it hurts,” she yelped, a small, pained cry that vibrated against your skin. Her body trembled beneath you, a delicate tremble like a struck bell. You pulled back slightly, a slow retreat, her heat clinging to you, her inner walls pulsating.
Seeing the flicker of pain in her eyes, you decided to be gentler, teasing at the entrance.
You thrust again, a slow, deliberate slide. “Nnng…” a moan, softer this time, escaped her lips, a sound of surprised pleasure.
You pulled back again, leaving her wanting, a frustrated gasp escaping her.
“Hnngg!!”
Only to plunge deeper than before, filling her completely with a surge of heat.
“ngh…” she moaned, her head falling back, an unguarded display of pure sensation.
As you started to draw back, her hands flew to your arms, digging in this time with purpose. Her grip wasn't pushing you away, but fiercely pulling you in, demanding more.
You thrust once again, this time with more force.
“Nhhgg” she responded, eyes wide and fixed on you, her mouth agape, gasping, her body, still trembling slightly, was surrendering to the pleasure.
“Are… you okay?” You asked, a note of concern in your voice.
"Yeah... I'm okay..." Her hands tightened on your shoulders, a flicker of desire igniting in her eyes.
"Please... continue," she whispered, her voice husky with urgency.
You deepened your rhythm, the pace accelerating. Each thrust met with a muffled moan, her grip on you tightening with each movement.
"Babe..." she gasped, arching her back as you filled her. Your hand moved to her breast, gently caressing the taut skin. You couldn't fully enter, her body still tight with anticipation.
"Hnnnnn..." she moaned, a wave of pleasure washing over her.
You moved within her, finding the sweet spot where pleasure met comfort. It wasn't enough to cause pain, yet it was enough to send shivers down her spine. "It... hurts," she breathed, her tongue darting out to catch it. "Kiss me."
You leaned in, your tongues meeting in a passionate dance. Her moans were muffled against your mouth, but you could feel the vibrations deep within her. As you moved your hips, your tongues entwined, exploring every corner of each other's mouths. You felt her body begin to loosen, yielding to the deepening kiss. Finally, you parted, your tongues lingering for a fleeting moment before breaking free.
Your face moved to her chest, your mouth finding her erect nipples. You gently suckled on one while holding the other, eliciting a soft gasp from her. Her hands tangled in your hair, pulling you closer.
"Don't suck too hard..." she whispered, her voice breathless.
You moved your mouth away from her breast, replaced by a gentle pinch.
"Nnggf..." she gasped, a shiver running through her.
"Jiheon, your breasts are beautiful," you murmured, admiring their shape.
"Haaa... Really?" she asked, a playful lilt to her voice.
Your hands began to massage her breasts, gently kneading the soft flesh. You moved them closer, teasing her nipples together, rubbing them against each other.
"Babe... I'm sensitive there..." she panted, her breath catching.
You pushed her nipples closer, feeling their sensitive tips brush against each other. Then, you lowered your head, licking them together, savoring the taste of her arousal. The sensation sent a jolt of pleasure through you, causing you to thrust harder.
"Ahhhhh!" she cried out, surprised by the sudden increase in your pace.
"Jiheon, you feel so good," you groaned, lost in the moment.
Her hips arched upwards, meeting your thrusts at a new angle.
"Does it still hurt?" you asked, your voice rough with desire.
A smile spread across her face. "No... you're making me feel so good right now."
Her words were like a trigger, shattering your remaining control.
"Then... Jiheon, I'm going deeper this time," you informed her, your voice low and urgent.
"Deeper?" she asked, surprised. "You... weren't—"
You didn't wait for her to finish, plunging deep inside her. Your length was fully buried within her, her body tightening around you like a vice.
Her hands instinctively reached for the front of your pelvis, stopping you.
"Ah— Babe! I can't... please... Don't move... I can't breathe..." she wailed, her body trembling violently.
"Then... shall we stay like this while you adjust?" you offered, your voice a low rumble in the quiet room.
You leaned in close, your hand slipping beneath her head as you pulled her closer, enveloping her in your embrace. You could feel her hot breath fanning against your neck, frantic and now slowing down as she relaxed against you.
As the room settled, you throbbed gently within her, her body embracing yours, making it feel as if you were meant to be there, a part of her. A part of you yearned to remain still, to savor this moment of perfect union.
She whispered against your ear, "Isn't this more lewd?" she asked, a hint of a smile in her voice. "Us... in this... embracing each other, feeling each other's heat through our connection?"
You shifted, wanting to see her face now that the room had calmed. As you gazed down, you saw her smiling beneath you, her hair spread across the bed, some strands framing her face. Her beauty was radiant, enhanced by the sheen of sweat on her skin.
You couldn't resist leaning in to kiss her again, a slow, lingering kiss that deepened with each passing moment. As you deepened the kiss, you resumed your rhythm, your movements slow and deliberate at first, teasing her with each gentle thrust. Her body, now relaxed and receptive, met your movements with a growing eagerness.
You moved your hands to her back, tracing the curve of her spine, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath your fingertips. You lingered there for a moment, savoring the feel of her before continuing your exploration, your hands moving lower to cup her buttocks, pulling her closer.
"Mmm..." she moaned softly, her eyes fluttering closed.
You quickened your pace slightly, each thrust becoming a little deeper, a little more insistent. Her moans grew louder, more urgent, as she met your rhythm with increasing fervor. You could feel the heat rising between you, the tension building with each passing moment.
"Please... continue," she whispered, her voice filled with a desperate longing. "I'm ready now... take me..."
Her words were the final invitation, the key that unlocked the floodgates of your desire. You surged forward, your movements now more forceful, more demanding, as you pushed her closer and closer to the edge.
You grasped her legs, and she slowly lifted her hips towards you, her body mirroring your own peak.
"Jiheon, I'm close..." you murmured, your voice thick with desire. "I'll finish in your stomach."
"I feel weird..." she whispered, trying to maintain her composure, her words punctuated by soft moans. "I think... I'm close too."
She pulled you closer, her lips meeting yours in a passionate kiss, a kiss that spoke of shared desire and impending release. You shifted your hands to support yourself as the rest of your body surrendered to the wave of pleasure.
"Ahhhggg... Babe!!!" she cried out, her voice a mixture of pleasure and surprise.
Her body tensed, her arms tightening around your neck, her legs locking around your hips. Her core pulsed, squeezing you tightly, drawing you deeper into her embrace.
"Jiheon, I can't hold it in anymore," you groaned, your control slipping away.
You tried to pull back slightly, but as she held you close, her peak intensifying its grip, your release had no choice but to erupt within her, your fluids mingling together.
"Hmmmgg..." a moan escaped her lips as she accepted your warmth, her body filled with a deep sense of satisfaction.
Her eyes half-open, you caught a flicker in their depths – a spark of joy, of satisfaction, and a hint of mischief, as if she'd done something she shouldn't have.
You collapsed beside her, the aftermath of passion leaving you both breathless
For a moment, you lay intertwined, catching your breath. Jiheon was the first to recover, snuggling closer, her arms embracing you, her cheek resting against your arm.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to finish inside you," you apologized, a hint of guilt in your voice.
"Don't..." she murmured, her voice soft. "I'm more at fault. I didn't let go of you." She paused, then added reassuringly, "And it's fine... it's my safe day.”
You absently ran your fingers through her hair, but your mind was elsewhere – a nagging feeling that something was amiss.
"Jiheon?" you murmured, feeling her shift slightly against you.
"Mmm?" Her response was drowsy, content.
You hesitated, trying to reconcile the fragmented memories in your head. "Tonight felt... different."
She tensed almost imperceptibly before relaxing again. Had you not been so attuned to her, you might have missed it. "Different how?"
"You seemed..." You struggled to articulate the feeling, not wanting to upset her. "It felt like your first time."
Jiheon lifted her head, meeting your gaze with a soft laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Are you saying I'm not usually this responsive?" Her fingers traced distracting patterns on your chest.
"No, that's not—" you frowned, trying to grasp your elusive thoughts. Fleeting images flickered through your mind – your supposed first time together, other intimate moments – but they felt strangely distant, blurred, like looking through frosted glass. "You were in pain."
"Maybe you were just particularly passionate tonight," she teased, pressing a kiss to your jaw. Her voice held a practiced lightness. "Besides, it's been a while since last time."
You tried to recall your last encounter, but the memory slipped away, elusive as smoke. "I suppose..."
"You think too much," she whispered, curling closer. Her hand cupped your cheek, turning your face toward hers. "Just be here with me now."
As you gazed into her eyes, the questions swirling in your mind began to dissipate, replaced by a comfortable haze. She was right – you were overthinking things. Everything was fine. Everything was exactly as it should be. Or so it seemed.
As the night deepened, your whispers faded into soft breaths, and you drifted to sleep together, the unsettling feeling lingering somewhere in the back of your mind, a secret you couldn't quite decipher.
~~~
The morning sun filters through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. You wake up to the soft sound of Jiheon’s breathing beside you, her back turned slightly away. The sight of her, the way the golden light catches in her hair, makes your heart swell.
Smiling, you shift closer, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a soft kiss to the back of her shoulder. “Good morning,” you murmur against her skin.
She stiffens, just for a second, before relaxing under your touch. “Morning,” she says, but her voice lacks its usual warmth.
You don’t notice at first. Instead, you prop yourself up on one elbow, brushing her hair away so you can see her face. “I still have time before my shift start,” you say, voice laced with affection, “We didn't get to go to our usual place last night, how about we get brunch there?”
She gives you a small smile, but something about it feels... off. “Yeah… that sounds nice.”
You lean down, pressing a kiss to her forehead before getting up to change clothes. Jiheon watches you from the bed, eyes clouded with something unreadable.
Your hands move, trailing down from her chest, fingers hovering just above her skin. When they finally meet her bare midriff—her top having ridden up slightly from all the movement—she shivers under your touch.
The warmth of her skin is intoxicating beneath your fingertips, soft and inviting. You pause, letting her breathe, letting her feel every second of your presence.
And when she doesn’t pull away, when she leans just a little closer, you know—she wants this just as much as you do.
Your hands slip beneath her shirt, fingertips gliding under the fabric, slipping past the lace of her bra until they find her chest. You tease her nipples, feeling the way her breath hitches, her body reacting instinctively to your touch.
Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, you lift her shirt fully, discarding it, leaving her bare beneath you.
You pause.
Your eyes drink her in, taking in every detail—the way her skin flushes under your gaze, the soft rise and fall of her breath, the vulnerability in her expression as she watches you carefully.
She hesitates. “It may not be the bigge—”
“Jiheon,” you cut her off, your voice firm but warm. You meet her gaze, letting every word sink in. “You’re already sexy as you are. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Your hand continues to tease her breast, rolling her nipple between your fingers, feeling the way it hardens under your touch. At the same time, your other hand moves lower, slipping beneath the waistband of her pants, fingertips gliding past the last barrier of her panties.
The heat there is intoxicating, warmer than anywhere else on her body, as if this is where her desire has been pooling all along. You press gently between her thighs, fingertips brushing against her, and feel the dampness already beginning to gather.
“Ah!” she gasps, her body jolting in surprise.
Then she laughs, breathless, cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry… I just wasn’t expecting it.”
You pause for a moment, watching her, feeling the way her thighs twitch beneath your touch. But she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she exhales shakily, her voice barely above a whisper.
“It’s fine… continue…”
Her cuteness drives you wild—the way she bites her lip, the tremble in her voice, the way her body instinctively presses into your hand despite her shyness.
You obey, rubbing slow, teasing circles against her sensitive spot. Her warmth spreads, her womanhood gradually growing slick beneath your fingers, the dampness deepening with each stroke. She shudders, her breath catching, her moans no longer muffled but clear, soft, needy.
Then, carefully, you push one finger inside, slow and deliberate, your eyes locked onto hers, reading her every reaction.
“Mmnnngg… it’s in… your finger… you’re inside…” she mutters, her voice trembling, surprise laced in every breath as she clenches around you. The way her body reacts, instinctively drawing you in, makes your pulse quicken.
You move, easing deeper, pulling out just enough before pushing back in, curling your finger inside her, coaxing new sounds from her lips.
“Babe… it feels… weird… I… can’t—mmnngg,” she whimpers, words cut off by the moans spilling from her throat.
You can feel it—how she’s growing wetter, how her body is adjusting, how each stroke pulls another shiver from her. Slowly, you try to slide in another finger, wanting to stretch her just a little more—
But before you can fully press in, her hands fly to your arm, gripping you tightly.
“Babe… don’t… please… it’s too much… I can’t…” she pleads, her voice so small yet so desperate.
You freeze immediately. “I’m s—”
Before you can even finish apologizing, she shakes her head, stopping you with a single glance.
“Instead…” she whispers, her hands now hovering over your pants, fingers brushing against your length, feeling the heat trapped beneath the fabric.
Even through the layers, you feel the way she hesitates—curious, nervous, but undeniably wanting.
Excitement courses through you, anticipation crackling between you like static. You strip off your shirt first, then your pants, Exposing your hardness completely before reaching for her waistband. Your fingers hook into the fabric, tugging gently.
“Jiheon, lift up a little…” you murmur, your voice husky.
She nods, her breath unsteady, pushing up just enough for you to slide them down. The fabric glides over her smooth skin, peeling away inch by inch, revealing more of her bare thighs, her soft curves.
And then—there she is.
Her most intimate place bared to you, glistening with anticipation, the soft folds parting just slightly with each shallow breath she takes.
You freeze.
Your eyes drink her in, utterly captivated, completely mesmerized.
Jiheon shifts slightly, noticing your stare. “Why are you looking at it like that?” she asks, her voice laced with curiosity.
You blink, snapping out of your trance, heat rushing to your face. “Uhm… it just looks pretty,” you confess, unable to tear your gaze away.
Her cheeks flushed a delicate rose as her smile bloomed, a beacon drawing you in. She reached out, her hand a soft invitation, cupping your face. Her thumbs traced gentle circles against your skin, a featherlight touch that sent shivers down your spine. Then, with a deliberate grace, her thumbs moved to your lips, gliding from the curve above to the fuller bottom, lingering there, a silent question hanging in the air.
The anticipation was a taut string, vibrating with unspoken desires. You lowered your gaze, your focus drawn to the place where your bodies met, where your tip pressed against her entrance. A low thrum of need pulsed within you.
"Jiheon…" you murmured, your voice thick with the urgency building inside. "I'm putting it in."
Her eyes, dark pools of longing, met yours. She nodded, her breath catching in her throat. "Slowly—" she began, her voice a breathy plea.
But the hunger was too intense, the pull too strong. Before she could complete her request, you plunged into her, your shaft claiming its rightful place within her.
"Ah—" she gasped, her body jolting, a sharp intake of breath as you entered her. Her nails dug into your shoulders, a reflex of surprise, her muscles clenching around you, a hot, tight fist gripping your throbbing flesh with an intensity that stole your breath. She held you captive.
Not fully inside, she was already breathless, on the edge. You tried pushing deeper, but her passage tightened, a stubborn resistance that made you pause.
“!… Ah… nngg… it hurts,” she yelped, a small, pained cry that vibrated against your skin. Her body trembled beneath you, a delicate tremble like a struck bell. You pulled back slightly, a slow retreat, her heat clinging to you, her inner walls pulsating.
Seeing the flicker of pain in her eyes, you decided to be gentler, teasing at the entrance.
You thrust again, a slow, deliberate slide. “Nnng…” a moan, softer this time, escaped her lips, a sound of surprised pleasure.
You pulled back again, leaving her wanting, a frustrated gasp escaping her.
“Hnngg!!”
Only to plunge deeper than before, filling her completely with a surge of heat.
“ngh…” she moaned, her head falling back, an unguarded display of pure sensation.
As you started to draw back, her hands flew to your arms, digging in this time with purpose. Her grip wasn't pushing you away, but fiercely pulling you in, demanding more.
You thrust once again, this time with more force.
“Nhhgg” she responded, eyes wide and fixed on you, her mouth agape, gasping, her body, still trembling slightly, was surrendering to the pleasure.
“Are… you okay?” You asked, a note of concern in your voice.
"Yeah... I'm okay..." Her hands tightened on your shoulders, a flicker of desire igniting in her eyes.
"Please... continue," she whispered, her voice husky with urgency.
You deepened your rhythm, the pace accelerating. Each thrust met with a muffled moan, her grip on you tightening with each movement.
"Babe..." she gasped, arching her back as you filled her. Your hand moved to her breast, gently caressing the taut skin. You couldn't fully enter, her body still tight with anticipation.
"Hnnnnn..." she moaned, a wave of pleasure washing over her.
You moved within her, finding the sweet spot where pleasure met comfort. It wasn't enough to cause pain, yet it was enough to send shivers down her spine. "It... hurts," she breathed, her tongue darting out to catch it. "Kiss me."
You leaned in, your tongues meeting in a passionate dance. Her moans were muffled against your mouth, but you could feel the vibrations deep within her. As you moved your hips, your tongues entwined, exploring every corner of each other's mouths. You felt her body begin to loosen, yielding to the deepening kiss. Finally, you parted, your tongues lingering for a fleeting moment before breaking free.
Your face moved to her chest, your mouth finding her erect nipples. You gently suckled on one while holding the other, eliciting a soft gasp from her. Her hands tangled in your hair, pulling you closer.
"Don't suck too hard..." she whispered, her voice breathless.
You moved your mouth away from her breast, replaced by a gentle pinch.
"Nnggf..." she gasped, a shiver running through her.
"Jiheon, your breasts are beautiful," you murmured, admiring their shape.
"Haaa... Really?" she asked, a playful lilt to her voice.
Your hands began to massage her breasts, gently kneading the soft flesh. You moved them closer, teasing her nipples together, rubbing them against each other.
"Babe... I'm sensitive there..." she panted, her breath catching.
You pushed her nipples closer, feeling their sensitive tips brush against each other. Then, you lowered your head, licking them together, savoring the taste of her arousal. The sensation sent a jolt of pleasure through you, causing you to thrust harder.
"Ahhhhh!" she cried out, surprised by the sudden increase in your pace.
"Jiheon, you feel so good," you groaned, lost in the moment.
Her hips arched upwards, meeting your thrusts at a new angle.
"Does it still hurt?" you asked, your voice rough with desire.
A smile spread across her face. "No... you're making me feel so good right now."
Her words were like a trigger, shattering your remaining control.
"Then... Jiheon, I'm going deeper this time," you informed her, your voice low and urgent.
"Deeper?" she asked, surprised. "You... weren't—"
You didn't wait for her to finish, plunging deep inside her. Your length was fully buried within her, her body tightening around you like a vice.
Her hands instinctively reached for the front of your pelvis, stopping you.
"Ah— Babe! I can't... please... Don't move... I can't breathe..." she wailed, her body trembling violently.
"Then... shall we stay like this while you adjust?" you offered, your voice a low rumble in the quiet room.
You leaned in close, your hand slipping beneath her head as you pulled her closer, enveloping her in your embrace. You could feel her hot breath fanning against your neck, frantic and now slowing down as she relaxed against you.
As the room settled, you throbbed gently within her, her body embracing yours, making it feel as if you were meant to be there, a part of her. A part of you yearned to remain still, to savor this moment of perfect union.
She whispered against your ear, "Isn't this more lewd?" she asked, a hint of a smile in her voice. "Us... in this... embracing each other, feeling each other's heat through our connection?"
You shifted, wanting to see her face now that the room had calmed. As you gazed down, you saw her smiling beneath you, her hair spread across the bed, some strands framing her face. Her beauty was radiant, enhanced by the sheen of sweat on her skin.
You couldn't resist leaning in to kiss her again, a slow, lingering kiss that deepened with each passing moment. As you deepened the kiss, you resumed your rhythm, your movements slow and deliberate at first, teasing her with each gentle thrust. Her body, now relaxed and receptive, met your movements with a growing eagerness.
You moved your hands to her back, tracing the curve of her spine, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath your fingertips. You lingered there for a moment, savoring the feel of her before continuing your exploration, your hands moving lower to cup her buttocks, pulling her closer.
"Mmm..." she moaned softly, her eyes fluttering closed.
You quickened your pace slightly, each thrust becoming a little deeper, a little more insistent. Her moans grew louder, more urgent, as she met your rhythm with increasing fervor. You could feel the heat rising between you, the tension building with each passing moment.
"Please... continue," she whispered, her voice filled with a desperate longing. "I'm ready now... take me..."
Her words were the final invitation, the key that unlocked the floodgates of your desire. You surged forward, your movements now more forceful, more demanding, as you pushed her closer and closer to the edge.
You grasped her legs, and she slowly lifted her hips towards you, her body mirroring your own peak.
"Jiheon, I'm close..." you murmured, your voice thick with desire. "I'll finish in your stomach."
"I feel weird..." she whispered, trying to maintain her composure, her words punctuated by soft moans. "I think... I'm close too."
She pulled you closer, her lips meeting yours in a passionate kiss, a kiss that spoke of shared desire and impending release. You shifted your hands to support yourself as the rest of your body surrendered to the wave of pleasure.
"Ahhhggg... Babe!!!" she cried out, her voice a mixture of pleasure and surprise.
Her body tensed, her arms tightening around your neck, her legs locking around your hips. Her core pulsed, squeezing you tightly, drawing you deeper into her embrace.
"Jiheon, I can't hold it in anymore," you groaned, your control slipping away.
You tried to pull back slightly, but as she held you close, her peak intensifying its grip, your release had no choice but to erupt within her, your fluids mingling together.
"Hmmmgg..." a moan escaped her lips as she accepted your warmth, her body filled with a deep sense of satisfaction.
Her eyes half-open, you caught a flicker in their depths – a spark of joy, of satisfaction, and a hint of mischief, as if she'd done something she shouldn't have.
You collapsed beside her, the aftermath of passion leaving you both breathless
For a moment, you lay intertwined, catching your breath. Jiheon was the first to recover, snuggling closer, her arms embracing you, her cheek resting against your arm.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to finish inside you," you apologized, a hint of guilt in your voice.
"Don't..." she murmured, her voice soft. "I'm more at fault. I didn't let go of you." She paused, then added reassuringly, "And it's fine... it's my safe day.”
You absently ran your fingers through her hair, but your mind was elsewhere – a nagging feeling that something was amiss.
"Jiheon?" you murmured, feeling her shift slightly against you.
"Mmm?" Her response was drowsy, content.
You hesitated, trying to reconcile the fragmented memories in your head. "Tonight felt... different."
She tensed almost imperceptibly before relaxing again. Had you not been so attuned to her, you might have missed it. "Different how?"
"You seemed..." You struggled to articulate the feeling, not wanting to upset her. "It felt like your first time."
Jiheon lifted her head, meeting your gaze with a soft laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Are you saying I'm not usually this responsive?" Her fingers traced distracting patterns on your chest.
"No, that's not—" you frowned, trying to grasp your elusive thoughts. Fleeting images flickered through your mind – your supposed first time together, other intimate moments – but they felt strangely distant, blurred, like looking through frosted glass. "You were in pain."
"Maybe you were just particularly passionate tonight," she teased, pressing a kiss to your jaw. Her voice held a practiced lightness. "Besides, it's been a while since last time."
You tried to recall your last encounter, but the memory slipped away, elusive as smoke. "I suppose..."
"You think too much," she whispered, curling closer. Her hand cupped your cheek, turning your face toward hers. "Just be here with me now."
As you gazed into her eyes, the questions swirling in your mind began to dissipate, replaced by a comfortable haze. She was right – you were overthinking things. Everything was fine. Everything was exactly as it should be. Or so it seemed.
As the night deepened, your whispers faded into soft breaths, and you drifted to sleep together, the unsettling feeling lingering somewhere in the back of your mind, a secret you couldn't quite decipher.
~~~
Entering The Golden Brew, your steps feel heavy, weighed down by lingering worries.
“Hey… I’m sorry about yesterday,” Gyuri says softly, approaching as you prepare for your shift. “You seem really down. Is it because of what happened?”
“No, it’s not that…” you reply, though your voice lacks conviction.
She studies you for a moment before pressing on. “You know you can talk to me, right? Are you sure everything’s okay? You’ve been acting strange—especially after your lunch at the konbini.”
Her words hang in the air, but before you can find an answer, the front door bell chimes—customers waiting at the counter.
The afternoon drags on, each minute stretching endlessly, yet somehow, before you realize it, night has already fallen.
“Hey… I’ll head out first. You can close up, right?” Gyuri asks, slipping off her apron.
You nod, offering her a faint smile. “Yeah, I got it.”
She returns your smile, though it’s laced with concern, before stepping through the door and disappearing into the night.
You step out of The Golden Brew, locking the door behind you with a quiet click.
A flash of light catches the edge of your vision. You turn—and there it is. The same sleek, sapphire-blue Porsche, parked just a short distance away.
Chaeyoung.
Your breath tightens in your chest. You know why she’s here. You know what you need to do.
Pushing down your hesitation, you walk toward the car, your footsteps firm, determined. You have to end this—end the guilt that clings to you like a shadow.
You rap your knuckles against the tinted window. Before you can tell her to get out, the glass slides down smoothly.
“Get in,” she says, smiling.
You sit in the front passenger seat, slamming the door closed, refusing to face her as your gaze fixes straight ahead through the windshield.
Her smile is wide enough to reflect in the window. "Miss me?" She asks teasingly. "You're not even going to look at me? I've been waiting ever since Gyuri left."
"Why are you here?" Your voice comes out stern, cold.
"I think you know why." Her hand moves to your thigh, rubbing through your pants, slowly inching upward.
You grip her arm, trying to stop her advance. Surprised at first, she battles against your resistance as you try to push her hand away.
"Aw... is our pretty boy shy?" She teases, pushing harder against your grip. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle this time."
"I can't betray her any further..." The words come out strained as you struggle against her persistence.
"Who's 'her'? Do you have a girlfriend or something?" Her movements slow slightly, but don't stop.
Your silence speaks volumes.
Her strength wavers. You finally overpower her, swatting her hand away as you turn to face her. Her smile fades slowly. "This was a mistake," you say firmly. "This... entering this car... it was a mistake then, and it's still a mistake now."
"You actually have a girlfriend?" Disbelief colors her voice, confusion twisting her features. "Gyuri told me you never had one..." Her expression shifts to panic. "You were supposed to have no attachments!"
You exhale sharply. "Whatever this was… it’s over."
Your hand reaches for the door, but she grips your arm with surprising strength. Her face now shows clear desperation.
"No, it's fine. It's okay." The words seem more to reassure herself than you. "You— you could just break up with her... you— just forget about her..." Her words stumble over each other.
"This has to end. That night was a mistake, one I won't repeat." You stand, opening the car door.
She pulls you back into the seat, eyes flashing with anger. "Mistake? Let me make something clear – that wasn't just some simple one-night stand. I warned you, and you still continued. You cannot just back out. It's too late to regret it now. You agreed to it—"
"Whatever game you think this is, I’m done playing it." You meet her gaze, unflinching. "I won’t hurt her like this."
You step out of the car. Behind you, the driver’s door slams shut, heels clicking rapidly on the pavement as she follows. Her voice is sharper now, edged with something you don’t want to name.
"You don’t understand what you’re doing. This isn’t something you can just walk away from."
"How great is she?" The words drip with venom. "You made a promise—to me, to us. Aren’t you a man? Then keep your word." She’s throwing anything she can now, anything to make you stop. Then, her voice shifts, silk over steel. "Who is she?"
You don’t answer.
She stops in her tracks, watching you, a slow smirk forming. "Tell me, or I’ll find out myself."
You hesitate. That smirk—she’s toying with you, and you know it. But you also know she’s not bluffing.
"...Jiheon," you say at last.
Something flickers in her expression. "Jiheon?" she repeats, almost to herself. Then, realization dawns. "You said you only met her the day before—" She cuts herself off, as if she’s said too much.
Your stomach tightens.
When she looks back at you, the panic is gone. The desperation wiped clean. That smirk returns, sharper than ever.
She closes the distance between you, fingertips grazing your jaw, trailing lightly down your neck. "Jiheon, huh?" she muses, voice dipped in honey. "Would she really mind? You've already done it once… what’s one more time?"
There’s something else beneath her teasing—something darker, something she shouldn’t know.
You step back, gently pushing her hand away. "Enough."
Her smile doesn’t falter. "Are you sure?" she murmurs.
"I wasn’t in my right mind that night." You turn away.
Her laugh follows you, light and knowing. "What makes you think you’re in your right mind now?"
The words freeze you mid-step. There’s something in the way she says it—casual, amused, but laced with certainty.
Before you can turn back, before you can demand what she means, her heels click against the pavement, the Porsche’s engine purring to life. And then—she’s gone.
But the chill she leaves behind lingers.
Your dorm room feels different when you return—heavier, somehow. Jiheon is already there, perched on the edge of your bed, fingers twisting nervously in her lap. The moment you step inside, she looks up, and something in her eyes makes your chest tighten.
"I was worried," she says softly, but she doesn’t move to embrace you like she usually would.
You sense it immediately—something isn’t right. But the silence between you feels fragile, and you hesitate to break it.
"Did you have dinner yet?" you ask.
"No. I... I cooked for you."
"Jiheon—"
Before you can say another word, she’s in front of you, pressing her lips to yours. The kiss is desperate, almost frantic. Her hands clutch at your shirt as if she’s afraid you’ll disappear.
You pull back, startled by her intensity. "Jiheon, what’s—"
Her breath ghosts against your lips, warm and pleading, fingers curling into your shoulders as she tries to draw you back in. But you resist—just long enough to watch the frustration flicker through Jiheon’s dark eyes, her lips parting with a needy little whimper. A flicker of something else, too, something that looked suspiciously like guilt, crossed her face before she masked it with a determined set to her jaw.
“Please,” she whispers, voice trembling with want. “Just let me…”
Before you can answer, she’s already moving, trailing a line of feverish kisses down your throat, across your collarbone, until her mouth finds its way lower. Her touch is both tentative and daring, fingertips skimming down your torso, tracing the hard lines of muscle, the sensitive dip just above your hips. It felt almost… rehearsed, you thought vaguely, as if she were following a well-worn script.
You feel her breath against your stomach, hot and uneven, as she kneels between your legs. Her eyes flick up to yours, smoldering beneath those thick lashes, seeking permission she doesn’t really need. Her hand wraps around the base of your cock, firm yet soft, squeezing just enough to make you throb against her palm.
“Let me make you feel good,” she murmurs, her voice sultry, dripping with desire. But there’s a slight edge to it, an almost desperate undertone that makes you wonder what she’s trying to prove.
Her lips brush over the tip, soft as a whisper, before her tongue darts out, flicking across the sensitive head, tasting you. You can’t help the low groan that escapes you, hands sliding into her hair, gripping gently—not to guide, just to feel that silky texture between your fingers.
“Fuck, Jiheon…” you breathe, the words spilling out before you can catch them.
She grins, a wicked glint flashing in her eyes before she sinks lower, taking you into the wet heat of her mouth. Her lips stretch around you, cheeks hollowing as she sucks, her tongue pressing firm against the underside, tracing every vein, every ridge. She starts slow, savoring each inch as she takes you deeper, her throat relaxing, her breath hot against your skin. There’s a frantic edge to her movements, as if she’s trying to erase something, or perhaps prove something to herself.
“Just like that,” you murmur, voice rough. “Take it all.”
She moans around you, the vibration sending a jolt of pleasure straight to your core. Her hands find their rhythm, one pumping slowly at the base while the other grazes up your thigh, nails dragging lightly, making you shiver. Her touch is almost too much, too insistent, as if she’s trying to compensate for something unspoken.
She pulls back just enough to catch her breath, a string of saliva connecting her swollen lips to your glistening cock. Her eyes stay locked on yours as she leans in again, her tongue swirling around the tip before she plunges down, faster this time, her head bobbing as she builds a steady, relentless rhythm.
“God, Jiheon,” you gasp, your hips bucking slightly, pushing deeper into her eager mouth. Her eyes flutter shut, a blush creeping over her cheeks as she takes you even further, her throat flexing around you. The sensation is intoxicating, the wet, tight heat pulling you closer to the edge. But even in the throes of pleasure, a small part of you can’t shake the feeling that something is off, that Jiheon’s intensity is driven by something more than just desire.
You can feel yourself teetering there, the pleasure coiling tight in your stomach. Your grip in her hair tightens, and she responds by sucking harder, her cheeks hollowing, her tongue working you mercilessly.
“Jiheon, I’m close,” you warn, voice strained. But she doesn’t slow. Instead, she takes you deeper still, her nose brushing against your abdomen, her throat swallowing around you as she hums in encouragement. The vibration tips you over the edge, a shuddering groan tearing from your chest as you spill into her mouth, waves of pleasure crashing over you.
She holds steady, swallowing every drop, her tongue still moving, milking you for everything you have. Only when your grip loosens does she pull back, licking her lips, a satisfied smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
“Mmm,” she purrs, her voice husky, eyes gleaming with pride. “You taste so good.” But the smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes, and the pride seems… forced. She wipes a stray drop from the corner of her mouth with her thumb, popping it into her mouth with a mischievous little grin. It feels almost… practiced, you realize.
“Did I do good?” she teases, her gaze challenging, playful. But beneath the surface, you detect a hint of vulnerability, a desperate need for reassurance. You can’t help but chuckle, breathless and dazed. “You did more than good, Jiheon.”
She crawls back up your body, pressing herself against you, her lips finding yours in a slow, heated kiss that tastes faintly of you. As she pulls away, her smile softens, a hint of vulnerability beneath the bravado.
“should we continue in bed?,” she whispers, resting her head against your chest, the steady beat of your heart beneath her ear. “I just want to make you feel good.” The words hang in the air, both a promise and a confession. You realize, with a growing sense of unease, that she’s trying to make up for something, trying to assuage a guilt she hasn’t yet voiced.
But something clicks in your mind—the desperation in her kiss, the sudden intimacy, the guilt in her eyes all day.
"This isn’t about what happened with Chaeyoung, is it?"
She flinches.
"I thought you were acting strange because you hadn’t forgiven me," you continue, watching her reaction carefully. "But that’s not it, is it? There’s something else."
Something shifts. Like a puzzle snapping into place, memories sharpen—and unravel.
Your first kiss. It had been perfect, hadn’t it? Too perfect. Like something scripted, a scene from a movie playing out exactly as it should.
And then, fragments resurface:
"You’ve been fiddling with your phone. Is something wrong? You never do that."
"You’ve been acting strange—especially after your lunch at the konbini."
"Girlfriend? Gyuri told me you never had one..."
"You said you only met Jiheon the day before—"
"What makes you think you’re in your right mind now?"
Your head throbs, a sharp, pulsing ache as if something inside you is trying to fight back—trying to correct itself. Memories overlap and distort, tangled in contradictions. You stagger, gripping your temples, struggling to stay on your feet.
Jiheon catches you, hands cupping your face. "Stop," she chokes out. "Please don’t—"
Her eyes flash that strange cyan again. And this time, you don’t dismiss it.
"What did you do to my memories?" The question comes out softer than you expect, more hurt than anger.
Jiheon breaks. "I’m sorry," she sobs, reaching for your hand. Her touch feels both familiar and foreign now. "I never meant... it wasn’t supposed to be like this. It was just a trick—I didn’t know what I was doing, I wasn’t myself."
You pull your hand away. "How much of it is real?"
Her silence is answer enough.
Your breath catches. "The past year..." You step back, needing distance as the artificial memories begin to fracture. "Our first meeting by the fountain. The late-night study sessions. Our first kiss in the rain. None of it happened, did it?"
"I’m sorry. I don’t— I didn’t know what I was thinking," she pleads, rising to follow you. "Let me explain. I know I did wrong, but I never meant to hurt you. I just... I can’t lose you, please—"
A pulse of cyan light flickers in her eyes, and suddenly, the fog starts creeping back in. That familiar haze.
The same blue that flashed across your screen. The same brilliant sky over the konbini. The same refracted light on your kitchen wall. The same color that flickered in her eyes the night before.
But this time, you recognize it for what it is—
Manipulation. Magic. A violation.
"STOP!"
The word erupts from you with unexpected force, reverberating through the room. The haze in your mind shatters, retreating like a receding tide, leaving you clearer than you’ve felt in… how long?
Jiheon stumbles backward as if struck. "I didn't— I couldn't control it," she gasps, tears spilling down her face. "I… I succumbed to myself. I was… overcome by my emotions."
"The konbini," you say, your thoughts falling into place like tumbling dominos. "The blue light I saw there… that was you?"
She nods miserably, arms wrapping tightly around herself. "I thought… I thought it would be interesting if I became your girlfriend." Her voice wavers. "I didn’t mean to toy with you…"
"Interesting?" The word tastes bitter in your mouth. "Didn’t mean to?" Your voice rises, fury breaking through the lingering fog. "You think that’s an excuse? You didn’t just toy with me—you rewrote my life. How many of my memories have you…?" The sentence fractures before you can finish it.
"I'm sorry," she whispers, reaching for you again. "Please, let me stay. I’ll tell you everything, I’ll—"
"No." You step back, widening the distance between you. "I need you to leave."
"Please," she begs, her voice breaking. The cyan light flickers weakly in her eyes, uncertain now. "I know I can’t fix this, but—"
"Jiheon." Your voice is firm despite the chaos roaring in your mind. "You’re the last person I can trust right now."
The words land between you like a final blow.
She stands there, trembling, her tears falling silently. For a moment, you think she’ll fight, refuse to go. But then she nods, turning toward the door with slow, heavy steps.
At the threshold, she hesitates. "Will you…?" The question remains unfinished, hanging in the air like an unresolved note.
You close your eyes, unable to look at her. "I don’t know. Just… go."
The door clicks shut softly behind her.
When you open your eyes, you are alone—with a head full of memories you can no longer trust and the lingering cyan glow of betrayal still burning behind your eyelids.
a/n: As always, any feed back is welcome (needed/ preferred :))Chapter 4 coming...
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yandere-wishes · 3 days ago
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。༺ 𝓨𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓮! 𝓣𝓲𝓶 𝓓𝓻𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝔁 𝓒𝓪𝓽𝓰𝓲𝓻𝓵!𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻༻。
。༺ 𝓑.𝓞.𝓐.𝓣 𝓫𝔂  𝓔𝓵𝓲𝔃𝓪 𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓮𝓽𝓪𝓻𝔂 𝓒𝓻𝓲𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 ༻。
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Okay, so we've given all the Yandere batboys a "Cat Darling" except Tim.
[And like, could someone explain to me why people seem to hate Tim Drake?? He's literally the LOVE of my life]
Thinking her burglar name could be either StarCat or Kitten, your choice.
Anyway, his darling is probably the chronically online one. Literally iPad child. Her civilian personality is that of a semi-popular internet star, mostly in smaller niche circles like cosplay/fandom spaces/a few tech DIY spaces.
Also, this is going to sound so self-serving, but like, what if the reader had a Tumblr/AO3 where she posts  Red Robin x reader content? But after meeting him, she kinda gets stuck in a love-hate relationship with the guy...but her fics get progressively more detailed and specific. Cause like she hates him but the crush is still so obviously there!!😆😆
ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼•ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼
He's never been good at managing his obsessions. They always seem to fester fiercely within him, like tree roots feeding on hollow bones, bubbling over and spilling out from every crevice. He can't keep them inside, can't tame the infatuation, sadiate the fixation. Can't ignore the siren's calls or celestial pulls. 
No...
Tim's never been good at managing his obsessions. 
Especially this new one.
The stars seem so much brighter in your eyes. You lay spiraled out on the rooftop, leg dangling off the edge with your tablet held at an odd angle overhead. You mutter into your com-link "5 more seconds before security is down". As you chew on the end of your leather tail. 
You're the ace up Catwoman's sleeve. Her new protegee. The two of you have been hitting bank after bank. Licking up the precious gems the Gotham elite keep hidden. 
Tim's been sent to deal with you, while Batman takes out Catwoman downstairs. But he can't help but be mesmerized by your playful giggles, and sparking eyes. It's all a game to you, like playing Barbie's past bedtime. He can't help but find that almost endearing. 
You turn on your stomach, half crouched, half lying down. Like a kitten about to pounce on a toy mouse. "You're Red Robin" you squeal and Tim has to do a doubletake, knees weak at the sudden burst of attention. 
You jump, he readies his staff but the blows never come. Instead, you stand before him so close he can practically feel the heat from your body. "I'm your biggest fan!", for a second Tim thinks you're going to reach for his hand, his heart reverberates in his throat. You're cute, too cute.
"Any way I could convince you to give up your crime spree? You know since you're such a big fan and all..." You laugh, a light-hearted airy sound, and give him a clumsy twirl as you return to your edge. "Not a chance, I'm finally living my dream life!" 
You jump onto the edge eyes gleaming as they stare a him. No not him, Tim notes, the moment. You're entranced by this moment. 
The moon, the dark, the city lights, the masked man standing before you. For a second he almost sees his reflection cascading across your essence. You're him, little kid with dreams so big it's started to eat you alive. 
You tilt your head and pout your lips. Tim thinks you'd make one hell of an actress or an idol. Your clawed finger clicks your com, "All set boss!" you meow. You offer Tim a final bow before throwing yourself into the dark abyss below. Tim rushes to grab you but it's too late.
You're gone. 
His obsession only grows from there, raw and primal. He can taste nostalgia in the back of his throat every time he sees your picture. Thick and sticky like molten caramel. 
You're so much like him, so precious in your own right. Little girl playing superheroes, dancing across the night's sequence, basking in the ethereal of having the world below your feet. Disappearing into the dark, merging with the stars, high off the nectar-coated ideals behind your teeth. Savoring their melt upon your tongue. 
You'd have been best friends in the sandbox. Tim thinks. 
He's scouring the Batcomputer.
Ripping apart every inkling he finds. 
Who is this new Kitten? 
He sees you again in a sugar-spun ensemble stitched from lace and longing, draped in cascading frills and ribbons. Equal parts candygram and popcorn but ever only purple in shade. He recognizes the playful tilt of your head and the way you stare to the side when you're too deep in thought. Every move is woven in porcelain elegance. Little doll playing dress up. 
His hunch is proven right when he hears your voice.
"Do you think Red Robin would like this outfit?" you ask an invisible audience who answer hours later in the comment section, dedicating little hearts and kisses in agreeance.
His name spills from between your lips and Tim swears he sees stars. Your delicate cadence flutters through his veins pricking his heart till it dedicates every pump to you. 
Tim doesn't notice how hard he's biting his thumb. 
Doesn't notice the scarlet droplets marring the keyboard below. 
He's trying to keep you out of the Gotham National Bank's system, he can recognize your pattern anywhere. The little kitty cat errors that keep popping up. The stars that litter the screen forcing it to bluescreen. He's almost there, you're almost gone. 
Bruce, hollars commands into his ears. 
But Tim is too enthralled by the screen to notice
A single message glitches and gleams.
'It Was Fun Red Robin~♡'  
He has you caged beneath him. Fingers digging into your shoulders. You look so cute struggling to break free. So adorable that he just can't help himself. 
He presses his lips to your neck, pulling down the leather with his teeth and suckling on the ripe flesh. Stardust sprinkles into his mouth as his tongue traverses the length of your neck. Before ensnaring your plump perfect lips. His hands feel down your body memorizing every curve. He can feel you struggling. Kicking trying to break free. 
But he just can't let you get away. He needs you wholly, desperately. More than he's ever needed anything.
But he can't let you go. You taste like heaven on his tongue. Your claws melt into his back, tearing fabric and flesh. But the bloodletting feels like holy bliss from your hands, he'd gladly lick the blood from your claws and call it ichor. 
Your ethos haunts him.
He writes you love letters to you penned in his blood. 
Every quaver of his bones he dedicates to you. 
He's sprawled out on his bed reading your latest story. It's about him, as they always tend to be.  You call him such mean words all laced with a saccharinee undertone of idolization. You have him call you 'darling' and 'kitten'. Have him treat so roughly yet so lovingly. Is that how you want him to act? 
Did you really mean it when you said you're his biggest fan? 
ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼•ฅ≽(•⩊ •マ≼
There's also another delicious little inkling I want to leave you guys with. Imagine reader starts receiving PR from Janus Cosmetics. Imagine Roman starts to take note of the cute little kitten showcasing his company's newest products. Starts to relish in your babydoll act, enjoying you twirling around in your cute skirts and curling your hair around your finger. Imagine Roman Sionis falling for catgirl! reader as well. Imagine poor little reader trapped between Yandere Tim Drake and Yandere Roman Sionis...Poor little kitty cat, whatever will you do? 
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finelinevogue · 3 days ago
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personal heating pad
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summary - you have endometriosis but you're lucky you also have aaron
pairing - aaron hotchner x bau!endo-reader [1.2k]
a/n: i was listening to 'try' by p!nk and inspiration hit plus i am on my period and hating every minute of it... might make this a series? cw: she/her pronouns used
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"Son of a..."
You keeled over yourself as another strong, stabbing, pain came across your lower abdomen. You blew out a deep breath before attempting to stand back up.
Periods sucked.
They sucked even worse when you had a condition like endometriosis.
The pain was doubled - sometimes you couldn't even get out of bed. You constantly had a heat pad on your lower abdomen throughout your cycle and you were constantly downing cocktails of medication.
Nothing helped you more - maybe not literally, but at least emotionally - than Aaron Hotchner though.
Your fiancé of 4 months now, Aaron knew all about your battle with endometriosis and yet he still had stuck by you all this time and had even gotten down on one knee.
Previous relationships had always failed because of the knowledge that endometriosis means there's a low chance of having a baby. Aaron chose to stay, though.
"I have Jack and I have you. What more could I need?" You remember Aaron telling you.
"Fuck." You swore as another cramp tore through your happy thoughts.
You had been on the way to get a shower, but even that seemed like too much of a task now thanks to the pain. You sat at the bottom of the stairs in your house, back to the wall as you closed you eyes and breathed through the pain.
Your phone started ringing.
But it was ringing from another room.
Your face scrunched in frustration as you cursed yourself for leaving your phone out of reach. There was no way you were moving from this spot for at least half an hour - you physically couldn't.
<.><.>
On the other side of the city Hotch was pacing in his office.
He sighed as he pulled his phone away from his ear as he heard your voicemail click again.
A knock on the door pulled him away from his internal panic.
"You okay?" Morgan asked.
Hotch sighed again, tucking his phone into his blazer pocket. "Y/N won't answer her phone."
Morgan frowned, "That's not like her."
"No, I know. That's what worries me." Hotch ran his hand over is jaw as he contemplated the next step.
"It's her day off right? She could be out with a friend." Morgan tried to reason with his stressed boss.
"No, it's... She..." Hotch frowned. He couldn't exactly explain why he knew you weren't out with a friend without explaining your condition - something you hadn't told the team and it wasn't his news to spread.
"Okay, well, uh, I'm sure Rossi and the rest of us can hold down the fort if you wanna go check on her." Morgan suggested.
Hotch just gave a meaningful nod in return and didn't waste another minute before leaving his office.
<.><.>
You felt yourself come around as the front door opened.
You hadn't even realised you'd gone to sleep until your eyes reopened. It was hard to know how long you'd been sat on the stairs for now without a clock nearby, but judging by how cold you were you'd say it had been a while.
When Aaron rounded the front door you could tell he was readying to bellow your name, until he saw you sat there.
His heart nearly broke seeing you.
It was so unfair that you had to go through this every month for over half of the month. He would never be able to comprehend how you were so strong to carry on through it.
"Hey sweetheart." Aaron spoke softly.
He came and crouched down in front of where you were still sat on the bottom step. One of his hands came to rest on your knee, whilst the other checked your temperature against your forehead.
"Hi." Your eyes were still heavy. Your arms remained wrapped around yourself as if that would somehow lessen the pain.
"How long have you been here for?"
"How long ago did you leave for work?" You joked.
Aaron smiled along with you but it you could tell it was out of pity more than anything.
Aaron quickly shuffled off his blazer and moved your body slightly so he could wrap it around you. You shivered under the new found warmth, the remanence of his heat still lingered on his jacket.
"You taken any medication?" He asked more seriously.
"No."
"Honey..." Aaron's frown shifted to one of disappointment.
"Don't give me that look." You sighed.
"It's only 'cause I care about you. You know that." Aaron leaned forwards so he could delicately kiss your forehead, careful not to knock you in any way that would hurt you.
"I hate this." You said quietly, tears forming in the corners of your eyes.
"I know." Aaron said, knowing that trying to say anything positive to fill in the sadness was worse than saying nothing at all. You hated it when people tried to spin a positive on this, because there really wasn't one. All you needed was someone to hold your hand through it and you were lucky that that someone was Aaron.
"Thank you for being here."
"Anytime, sweetheart."
<.><.>
It was hours later and you were in your happy place.
Aaron had helped you up the stairs and into the shower. He'd helped you shower and then get into bed without any troubles.
You were enveloped in a large hoodie of his, hood pulled up over your head as you laughed at something Aaron had just said. Both of you were nestled in your bed under the warm light of your salt lamp.
Aaron laid beside you, watching you closely, one arm draped across your waist whilst his fingertips traced soothing patterns against your skin.
You know he hates seeing you in pain, but Aaron knows that distraction—especially his laughter—can sometimes help more than anything else.
“You know, for an FBI unit chief, you’re a surprisingly good nurse.”
A cup of peppermint tea was still warm on your bedside table. You could tell that Aaron was keeping a mental note on how long the tea had left before he would need to go an re-warm it for you. He was too sweet. Your meds were stacked on the side too next to a fresh glass of water.
Aaron chuckled at your silliness, “I'm going to take that as a compliment.”
You turned your head to look at him better, wincing when the movement created a flare up in your lower tummy, “You shouldn’t. You have the same energy as a dad who's trying to help but is just holding out a bottle of ibuprofen like, ‘This fixes everything, right?’”
Aaron shook his head at you, but knowing he had no leverage on reprimanding you right now.
“I am a dad.”
“Jack probably gives you the same ‘you tried’ look I’m giving you right now.” You gave him a deadpan look - trying your best not to laugh.
“Not true. Jack thinks I know everything.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And yet, you’re still here.”
As if you could move anywhere even if you did want to, you thought to yourself.
“That’s because you’re warm and I refuse to give up my human heating pad.” You brought his hand from your waist to push it down just above your panties.
Aaron knew what to do immediately. He spread his hand over the skin there and it immediately felt like you had a secondary heating pad on - it was magical. There was something so intimate about the situation that was more personal than any sort of sexual act.
The moment was ruined seconds later, “So you’re only using me for my body?” Aaron asked.
You snuggled closer to him, preparing to cash in for the evening, “Obviously.”
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scho17 · 3 days ago
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OH MY GOD YOU FUCKING GENIUS HOLY SHIT 
Cackling at the thought of a bleary-eyed Tim waking up on a farm next to a cow licking his face and there are two older Jasons right there in front of him bickering ("I told you the cows would wake him up!" Why are there cows? Why the hell not is the real question). 
And then he's finally fully waking up and it hits him in the head like a fully loaded semi-truck and half a bag of bricks of oh! OH! Because those are Not Jason’s in front of him. That’s Peter and Danny Todd. Two people the bat computer have profiles on connected to the Red Hood, one a Lieutenant - who was actually the Red Hood they’d come to find out -  and the other an associate of the gang by proxy. 
Wait hold on something in my Tim “stalker” Drake agenda is telling me that Tim would absolutely already have a theory on Peter being Jason because, well, he’s Tim, but alas I also am in love the idea of Tim being totally clueless and just going ??? because last he heard from the bats Danny was allegedly dead and Peter was his brother. 
But. Danny is right there. Very, very, very alive if the roughhousing he and Peter are doing is anything to go off of.
Tim being very apprehensive about everything because hey I just got kidnapped to go frolic in the fields of a farm what the ever loving fuck. But ‘Peter’ and Danny are nothing but kind and understanding if very odd. Tim kind of feels like a nervous rescue dog in a new home.
HA. Meanwhile in Gotham, it's a complete shit storm. Nightwing and Batman are regressing, tearing apart the city, leaving no gargoyle unturned. Alfred has aged thirty years just watching it happen, Barbra is stressing the fuck out and no one is anywhere near Okay. 
Giggling so hard.
Todds + Tim: *having a farm family get away bc Gotham™*
The Bats: *screaming, crying, throwing up*
I’d like to think that because of how sudden Danny’s death day stuff shows up they don’t get a chance to fully explain to Tim whats going on and just yoink him. Like it works out in the end but if they had a yelp review service Tim would rate it two point five stars out of five. Not his first time being kidnapped but what the hell man.
DC x DP - Two of a Kind
Danny running away from his home dimension for such and such reasons (GIW, bad reveal, etc, etc) cue him stumbling around Gotham because holy mother of ambient ectoplasm, Batman.
So anyways he’s just chilling in crime alley, as a struggling guy in Gotham does and then. And then there’s someone else. Looks exactly like him. Not like how he and Dani look similar, her features just softer and rounded with babyfat, no, no, this guy looks exactly like him. Down to the barely there scattering of freckles on the nose bridge.
It’s Jason Todd. Danny is his dimensions version of Jason Todd.
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overadores · 2 days ago
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જ⁀➴°⋆ Love Me Like A Friend
When Katseye’s main dancer, Daniela Avanzini makes her debut, no one is aware of her secret friends-with-benefits arrangement with chart-topping producer and singer Y/N L/N—a relationship they’ve kept under wraps due to Daniela’s strict no-dating rule. However, as rumors circulate about Y/N’s supposed affairs with other women, and her enigmatic song lyrics appear to reflect Daniela’s mixed signals, tension starts to build. With public speculation intensifying and jealousy brewing behind closed doors, their closely guarded secret is on the verge of unraveling, compelling them to face what they truly mean to one another.
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chapter 37 - tsunami
Daniela had never been good at saying no. It was in her nature to say yes—to managers, to friends, to strangers who barely knew her name but wanted a piece of her anyway. It was easier that way, easier than disappointing people, easier than explaining why she hesitated when commitment knocked on her door.
But somehow, the one person she could never say yes to was Y/N.
Maybe because saying yes meant giving in to feelings she wasn’t ready to acknowledge. Maybe because letting Y/N in meant watching her leave one day. Maybe because Daniela had never been good at love, at holding on to something real, and she didn’t want to hurt Y/N the way she knew she would.
But she did anyway.
And now, Y/N was gone.
It shouldn’t hurt this much. They were never supposed to be serious—just friends with benefits, just stolen nights and unspoken words. But somewhere along the way, things got messy. Somewhere along the way, Y/N started looking at her like she was something more, and Daniela let her. She let her, knowing she could never offer the same in return.
And yet, when she saw the cold finality in Y/N’s expression that night, it was like the air had been sucked out of her lungs.
Daniela wished she had just stayed in her room. She wished she had ignored the invite, had kept her phone tucked away instead of letting her face be captured in that one picture—the picture that ruined everything. She never knew how powerful the media could be, how a simple misunderstanding could tear her life apart. She had been caught at the park, someone was walking beside her, a guy reaching out to hold her hand, it was nothing, just a friend leading the way, but the internet didn’t see it that way. Neither did Y/N.
But it was never just about that one night.
Daniela had always known Y/N was patient—more patient than she deserved. Y/N had endured every whisper, every grainy instagram story, every moment that should have sent her running. Because Y/N believed in her. Believed in the unspoken explanations, the quiet reassurances, the idea that Daniela would always come back.
And she had.
Until Y/N had enough.
She had never felt this kind of loneliness before.
And the worst part? She hadn’t even realized how much she had been hurting Y/N all along. How every mixed signal, every hesitation, every night spent pretending their feelings weren’t real had chipped away at something fragile.
Y/N had always been good at understanding her. At waiting. But patience had its limits, and Daniela had taken too much for granted.
She didn’t even know if there was a way back.
Her fingers hovered over her messages, muscle memory tempting her to type out something—anything—that could fix this.
But Y/N wouldn’t see it.
Not anymore.
Maybe that was the part that hurt the most.
Daniela had spent so long running from the idea of love, convincing herself that keeping things casual meant she wouldn’t have to lose anything. That keeping Y/N at arm’s length would somehow protect them both.
But now she knew better.
Love wasn’t just about holding on—it was about showing up.
And she had failed.
The city outside her window blurred as she fought back tears, her mind looping the same memories over and over—late-night drives, shared laughter, Y/N’s hand on hers, the way she always knew when Daniela needed comfort without her having to say a word.
There was no one else she wanted.
No one else who made her feel the way Y/N did.
She had been a coward.
Daniela had spent so much time convincing herself she didn’t need Y/N.
Now, she wasn’t sure how to exist without her.
She let out a breath, shaky and uneven, gripping her phone tighter. Y/N was done with her. That much was clear.
But Daniela had never been the kind of person to give up easily.
And she wasn’t about to start now.
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⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺ masterlist next
taglist: @sunshinez4 @haerinkisser @altaroflux @kristalag@1luvkarina @p1hbrook @xochitlisbest @peanutbutterlover05 @goofymickeyr @ourlovesarang @meizinisnumberone @linnnsworld @bandaidss320 @meiphobic @yeetaberry127 @urmom2314 @chaepu @leotapes @gtfoiydlyj @ratzeye @cassiespoiler @wtfisthisnoclueman @bowforgodjihyo @skz-xii
a/n: very recommended to the song cuz it hits me in the feels while i was writing it.
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ficsbyrike · 2 days ago
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Your Possessiveness Will be the Death of Me
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pairing: caleb x reader
TW: graphic descriptions of blood and injuries, toxic relationships
Summery: caleb won’t let you go to the hospital
Word count: 3,833
Notes: I promised someone that my next Caleb fanfic would be fluff but apparently I am incapable of writing anything happy 😭😭 might be a little ooc
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A wanderer. Claws. The stinging feeling on your abdomen. The rest was a blur.
The city had recently become more dangerous with an increase of wanderer sightings. You thought—foolishly—that because of your hunter training, this wouldn’t affect you in any significant way. More on site work, perhaps, but nothing more than a minor inconvenience. It never occurred to you that you could become a victim of a wanderer yourself.
You had been walking down the street when out of nowhere, in a cruel sneak attack, a wanderer had jumped out and ambushed you. Rendered defenseless for a few moments, it was able to leave a pretty nasty gash on your abdomen before it was promptly dealt with.
It stung badly.
It felt as if the sky was very low. It was cold as shit out. You could see your hot breath rise up in puffs of white through the inky black sky, and as if the universe conspired to spite you even more, it had begun snowing.
Your blood glistened brightly in the neon lights of the city.
It was around 2:30 in the morning. You have to be up early tomorrow. God…
You raked your brain for a moment. The warm blood seeping between your fingers made it hard to focus.
Linkon Hospital was too far away for you to walk to without collapsing half way through. And, in some cruel joke, your phone had been smashed on the pavement while you were fighting the wanderer so there was no way you could call anyone for help.
You only had one option. But it was your last resort.
Caleb lived close by, but he didn’t want to see you. It wasn’t just a hunch or a feeling, you knew. Although he didn’t outright say it, you ended on pretty bad terms last time you saw each other. Regrettable words were thrown, tears were shed. Even though Caleb tried to explain himself—why he left, why he lied about being dead—you called the conversation there, saying you weren’t in the mood to fight anymore. Since then, Caleb has sent you countless text messages in hopes of staying in touch. At first, he would apologize continuously. Then, when he perhaps realized that his attempts were futile, he resorted to simply sending short messages about how his day went, what interesting things he saw today, and good morning good night texts. You pridefully ignored all of the messages. They angered you, even. You felt as if he was trying to guilt you into forgiving him by using his status as a long-time best friend and pretending like nothing was wrong.
He knows what he did. And you couldn’t forgive him that easily.
With those thoughts in mind, you promptly blocked his number until further notice. Although sometimes you wondered whether he was still sending you messages despite knowing they weren’t getting through to you.
If you showed up at his door now, would he turn you away? Even if he was angry at you, he wouldn’t turn away a shivering, injured woman. Right? But even if he didn’t, it would be so awkward to confront the issue with him again. Perhaps you just won’t say anything unless he brings it up himself. Still, he could simply shut the door in your face and leave you on the street. And he had every right to do so, with the way you’ve been treating him. You probably would have done the same in his situation. Probably.
Swallowing your last bit of pride, you began shuffling over to Caleb’s residence, your hand pressed tightly against the fresh wound. He had sent you his new address during one of his routinely text messages, and you had unconsciously memorized it because it was a part of town you always passed by to get to the train station.
With every step you took, you felt pressure in your wound. It would open up again and again and fresh blood would seep in between your fingers. This only made you more antsy and you felt your heart speed up.
After what felt like an excruciatingly long walk, you finally stood at the front door of Caleb’s house. It was cute. A townhouse surrounded by similar looking buildings in the middle of the city. Even though the others had distinctions about them—flower beds hanging out windows, chairs and fairy lights dotting the balconies—Caleb’s house was the one with the least character. It stood there, gray with no lights in any of the windows, as if he had only just moved in a few days ago.
You brought your hand up to knock on the door, but then you hesitated. You were angry at him, but that was fine because you knew that sooner or later you would forgive him. But you couldn’t have the same assurance that he would forgive you.
You shook your head, eracing the image of Caleb’s darkened eyes from your mind, and knocked.
Whatever happens happens.
For a few moments, there was silence. It would only be natural if he had gone to sleep, considering the deep hours of the night. But then, to your surprise, you heard the noise of shuffling coming from the inside, followed by another short silence. Just as you thought that he was ignoring you, the door swung open, revealing Caleb’s tall frame in the doorway.
He was a bit paler since the last time you saw him. And a bit thinner too. You guessed it was just in your nature to worry about him, as you had done so many times in the past.
It was still cold as shit out. Your thin hunter uniform is doing little to protect you from the chilly air. But somehow, your skin still felt hot. Snowflakes still slowly glided down into your hair.
You cleared your throat, “Caleb.”
Just as the words had left your mouth, you wished for the earth below you to open up and swallow you whole. You come to his front door in the middle of the night looking like hell—exhausted, dirty, blood pouring out of your side and your nose—and the only word you can manage is his name? Were you stupid?
You scanned Caleb’s eyes for any emotions. Was he angry? Or at least disappointed in you?
He didn’t speak for a moment, his gaze falling onto your wound. You shifted self consciously.
“What happened to you?”
His question caught you off guard, prompting you to look up at him again.
“I got into a fight.”
“Yeah, I can tell. You look like shit,” he said, and you sighed.
Surely this was the same Caleb you knew. He wouldn’t just leave you out here.
“Does it hurt?” He asks.
You swiftly shake your head.
“It's minor. I’m not crippled. I’ll live,” you lie through your teeth, “can I crash at your place? I’ll be out of your hair by morning. It’s really cold out here.”
You dragged your one of your hands against the bottom of your nose, smudging the blood pooling there.
Caleb stepped aside, a familiar smirk decorating his face, “be my guest.”
***
Caleb’s residence was just as barren inside as it was outside. Only the bare necessities scattered his living room. But it was warm.
You tried taking off your shoes, but with your wound, it was a little hard to do. Once Caleb saw you struggling, he quickly leaned down and helped you.
“Thanks. Do you by chance have any disinfectant? And some gauze?”
“I thought you said it didn’t hurt.”
“No. It seriously doesn’t.”
“Don’t lie to me missy. You’re not getting rid of me that easily. Go sit on the couch.”
You did as he commanded, stumbling over to the couch before sitting down. Momentarily, there was the sound of running water and soon enough, Caleb came back with a clean, wet towel. He tried to gently lift up your shirt, but your hand stopped him.
“I’m fine. Really. Can I sleep on your couch? I’m really tired.”
Caleb’s worried eyes met yours, “you are not fine. You’re bleeding all over my floor. Stop being so stubborn and work with me here, yeah?”
He spoke in that same friendly voice, but it was obvious that there was concern in his expression.
You gently let go of his wrist with some hesitation, biting your bottom lip as he pulled your shirt over your head, discarding it somewhere on the couch next to him. Your wound was now completely exposed, along with your bare stomach. You knew he wouldn’t do anything to hurt you, but just having the wound out in the open was enough to put you on edge.
He inspected your injury. His brow furrowed before he brought the damp towel to your skin. You hissed and recoiled slightly. Caleb flinched, but held the towel gently in place.
“Sorry pipsqueak. It’s gonna hurt no matter what. Just… squeeze my arm if it gets too much.”
You didn’t say anything.
Caleb’s touch was warm. You felt his soft fingers on the tender skin of your side. It almost made you shiver.
“Why didn’t you call me sooner? Any later, and you would’ve bled out on the goddamn street,” he murmurs, and for a moment, you didn't know how to reply.
“My phone broke,” You say dumbly.
Then there was silence for a few moments. It was quiet. The only sound was his steady breathing and the clock ticking as the seconds slipped by.
“Are you angry?” You ask when he didn’t say anything.
Caleb shook his head, “no. You have every right to want to avoid me,” he sighed, “I just wish I wasn’t your last option.”
Silence again. Tik-tok… tik-tok…
“I thought you might turn me away,” you finally admitted.
“You know I wouldn’t let you bleed out on my doorstep. No matter how angry I get at you.”
“No, I don’t know that,” you whisper, “I feel like I don’t really know you anymore…”
Caleb finally looks up at you, a hint of hurt betrayed in his eyes, “Do you think… you think I changed that much?”
“I don’t know. But the Caleb I knew would never pretend to be dead for a whole year, leaving me by myself. So, yeah… I guess I don’t really know you anymore.”
“You had other people to turn to for help.”
“Sure. But in the end, who’s taking care of me?”
Caleb sighs again and turns back to your wound. Although he is trying to seem preoccupied, you can tell that he has a lot on his mind.
“We’ll continue this conversation later,” he finally says, “for now, let’s take care of your wound, yeah? The bleeding hasn’t stopped yet. I’ll need some water to wipe you down and see how deep your injury really is. Let me take you to the bathroom. It’ll be easier to do this there.”
Caleb helps you up. Then, he helps you walk over to the bathroom, his arm wrapped around your upper torso firmly but gently. Then, when he’s sure that you are able to stand upright on your own, he meticulously picks out the temperature of the water, making sure it’s not too hot or too cold.
He soaks the towel under the thin stream of water. Your old blood dyes the sink red, leaving a gruesome sight.
You feel dizzy from the blood loss. And slightly sleepy too. You grab onto the edge of the skin in an attempt to pull yourself together. The dim, buzzing light and the splashing of water continuously lull you to sleep.
Finally, when Caleb decided that he got most of the blood out from the towel, he wrings it, and brings it up to your wound again.
You take a sharp breath, colorful curses spilling out of your mouth unchecked, “haah… Caleb…”
He gently wipes away at the edges of the wound, trying hard to be as tender as possible. Despite this, he cleans up your wound with practiced efficiency leaving you to wonder how many times he has patched himself up during dark nights like these.
“You’re doing well,” Caleb says, running the towel under clean water again.
The cycle repeats a few times. By the time Caleb deems that he had cleaned the wound thoroughly enough, you are standing there, subtly trembling in pain. The sink, the floor, and both yours and Caleb’s hands are covered in your blood. You hope that it looks worse than it actually is.
“How is it?” You ask finally.
Caleb rustles through one of the storage compartments, and takes out fresh white gauze. However, your blood on his hands stains it as soon as he touches the bandages.
“It’s pretty deep. You’ll need to take it easy for a while,” he says.
Gritting your teeth as he wraps the gauze around your abdomen, you hold your breath.
“Relax,” Caleb utters, “the worst part is over.”
He wraps the gauze around you a few more times before securing it with a little bow at the end.
“There. Good as new.”
He lets out a sharp sigh, dusting his hands off like a mechanic, and straightens out to look at you again.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better. But I’m worried. Should I go to the hospital?”
“No need. I’m here to take care of you, right?”
You nod.
You didn’t know what came over you then, but your body acted faster than you could think. You placed your hands on either side of his face and planted a small kiss on the edge of his lips.
He seemed stunned for a minute.
“You know I missed you, right?” You whisper, your fingers gently running through his raven hair.
“I thought you hated me,” he breaths.
“I do. But I can do both at the same time. These two things aren’t mutually exclusive.”
“I missed you too.”
“I hope you never leave again. Because I won’t forgive you a second time.”
Caleb’s eyes flicker before he leans in closer and presses a firm kiss to your lips.
God, it was as if you were made for each other.
All of these years of yearning to the most recent worries that plagued your mind came bubbling up to the surface until they finally exploded like a volcano.
He wraps his arms around you. The need for him to be closer to you became stronger, to the point where it was almost animalistic. Your exhales became his inhales as he pushed you up against the skin, deepening the kiss. Your fingers tangled within his hair, and his hands slowly mapped out the bare skin of your back. You couldn’t help but shiver.
You hated him so much. But God… it was impossible to stay away. You were drawn to him like a moth to a flame, knowing that nothing good was going to come out of this. Maybe he would hurt you again. Maybe you were stupid to come running back to him at the first sign of affection. But that didn’t matter at this moment. Right now, you only knew him. He was your world. And you were his.
“Wait, wait. Caleb,” you gasp suddenly, “fuck.”
Caleb immediately steps back as if he was burned.
“What’s wrong?”
You look down at your wound. It was still bleeding. A faint dark red color peaked out from behind the bandages, a signal to it probably opening up again.
“Shit, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
“It’s okay. It’s very late. We’re both not in our right mind,” you say, heart still hammering in your chest.
Caleb hesitantly nodded. His face and t-shirt was smudged with the blood that undoubtedly came from your hands.
“Maybe I should go to the hospital,” you say again.
A dull throb pulsed over where your wound was, and although you trust that Caleb did a good job of cleaning it, you knew that he wasn’t a medical professional. Maybe you needed stitches. It would be a shame if you bled out in Caleb’s apartment for no reason other than your own carelessness.
“Damn it,” He curses, “I should’ve been more careful, you’ll bleed through these bandages too.” Frustrated, he ran his fingers through his hair. “You’re probably right, but I’ll be honest, I’m not really comfortable with letting you out of my sight just yet. I just… just let me try to add a few more layers of gauze, yeah? And if that doesn’t work, we’ll figure things out from there.”
Caleb takes out more gauze and wraps it around your lower torso again, a bit more tighter this time. He steps back to inspect how much of the gauze has already been bled through, his brow furrowing.
“Damn it…” he mutters.
You put your hand on his arm to stop his continuous fidgeting, “Caleb. Calm down.”
“You’re right. No… I just… You’re bleeding. How are you still bleeding? I’ve never seen you be this chill about an injury before. You remember when you were learning how to ride a bike when we were kids? You would cry so hard when you so much as scraped your knee against the pavement and would run to grandma so she could comfort you.”
“I remember. You were not the best teacher. It’s a miracle I haven’t gotten my front teeth knocked out.”
“You were sensitive as a kid.”
“I grew out of it.”
“Apparently.”
There was another pause. It seemed that every time you and Caleb found a common ground, there was something that would always bring you back and remind you that everything had changed. He was not the reckless little boy from your childhood that you remember. And, in turn, you were not the sensitive little girl that he remembers.
When did everything become so different?
Caleb’s apartment suddenly became cold again.
Caleb shook his head before speaking, “never mind. Have you had dinner? Are you hungry?”
“I don’t know if I can stomach anything right now.”
There was a beat of silence again, as if Caleb was choosing his words carefully, “not even rice? Or maybe some broth?”
“I don’t know.”
“Come on. I’ll order you something. Whatever you want.”
***
Caleb lended you one of his shirts since yours was stained with blood.
As promised, he ordered you takeout from a place that worked late and forced you to eat dinner. Even though you felt a little sick, you still made yourself eat.
He didn’t have a dinner table, so you sat on the couch while Caleb fed you.
“Why don’t you have a dinner table?” You inquire, “haven’t you moved in months ago?”
“I just haven’t gotten around to it.”
It was nice to catch up with him, even though it was a little awkward at times. You would talk for a few minutes before falling into silence again. Then someone would say something and the conversation would strike up again.
No one mentioned the kiss from earlier.
The familiar and slightly domestic atmosphere was almost enough to make you forget your previous worries. Almost.
There was a slight buzzing in your head, and then a wave of dizziness overcame you, harder than before.
You calmly, although wobbly, got up from the couch, and looked down at Caleb.
“Caleb, take me to the hospital.”
Caleb followed you up, “Hold on. Wait.”
You started walking towards the door, feeling like you could collapse at any moment. Caleb beat you to the front door, blocking it with his body.
“You’re not in the condition to go anywhere. Look at you. You can barely stand!”
“Then you take me!”
“Listen. I’ll take care of everything. You can’t go anywhere, even with my help.”
“But—“
“Don’t argue with me on this, pipsqueak,” He grabbed your arm a little more forcefully then he intended, “You’re not leaving in this state. No one will take better care of you than me.”
You bite at your bottom lip. What has gotten into him? Was he really just willing to let you bleed out just because he didn’t want you to leave?
Mustering up your last bit of courage and strength, you forcefully tug back on your arm that Caleb was holding, causing him to stumble forward a few steps. The plan was to get around him when he was caught off guard, however, when you retreated your arm in such a sudden motion, the muscles on your abdomen contracted, causing you to shudder in pain.
You collapse onto the floor, unable to put up a fight any further.
“Damn it, pipsqueak. I told you not to argue with me on this.”
Caleb gently helped you up, not minding your little stunt. He helped carry you to his room, tucking you into bed, bringing the covers all the way up to your chin even though you were hot. His scent enveloped you.
He planted a gentle kiss on your forehead, “you know I only want what’s best for you.”
You nod.
You realized that perhaps you should’ve seen this coming from the very beginning. The way he clung on to you when you first came, the way he never let you out of your sight. He wouldn’t let you go now. No matter how much you struggled against him. And you couldn’t say that you hated the idea. This was the person you loved the most. The person who knew you best. The person who would take care of you better than anyone.
He was the person you turned to at the end of the day.
Caleb respectfully sat down on the floor across from you, resting his head on the edge of his bed. Lost in thought, his fingers met yours. Then he brought them up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss.
“I’m mad about you,” he whispers, “I think I’ll die if you ever continue to ignore me like you did.”
“I won’t.”
“Good. Sleep tight, pipsqueak.”
It was four in the morning and the door was closed and Caleb's breathing gradually evened out. The light sound of cars passing on the street below was the only sound. In the haziness of the deep hours of the night, you were back in grandma’s house for a moment. You had snuck into Caleb's room again because you were scared of the sound of cars outside and the shadows on the wall of your room.
The pain in your side is unbearably excruciating. You carefully peel the blanket up to see Caleb’s sheets covered in blood. Your shirt had completely soaked through, and there was no doubt that your gauze had done little to prevent the blood flow. You felt unbearably hot, and your heart was thumping out of your chest.
Without thinking much further, you covered yourself with Caleb’s blanket and turned to the side, scumming to deep sleep shortly after.
At least you were with the person who knows you best.
At least you were with the person who loves you the most.
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diushek · 18 hours ago
Text
One day, Airplane sends a message to Peerless Cucumber, something like "Hey bro!! I promise not to doxx you. In fact, [redacted] is my name irl. What's yours?! :D"
Shen Yuan is curious and intrigued, so he decides to answer him truthfully. After all, Shen is a very common surname. So common that even the damn Scum Villain uses it.
A few hours later, in his inbox, Shen Yuan has a poor imitation of a marriage certificate that Airplane made for him, something like marrying him to Luo Binghe to stop him from crying and complain, and be considered an honorary harem member. Obviously Shen Yuan sends him to hell and back.
Moving forward, Shen Yuan is now Shen Qingqiu, and he is with his very real and not fictional at all husband Luo Binghe walking in some pretty city. So, they find an old fortune teller who seems to be right about very specific things about their pasts and histories together, then, the next thing she says can only be true. And the next thing she says is:
"Oh, this blackened lotus... I can see how his soul is intertwined with someone beyond the understanding of this world. He has been married to this soul in a way beyond what we know."
Luo Binghe, simple and pompous at the same time, says something like: "Of course, Shen Qingqiu is my husband."
And the old fortune teller, looking at Shen Qingqiu, just smiles and says, "No. You have married a soul twice, but it is not Shen Qingqiu's soul."
And Luo Binghe doesn't understand anything at all. But... it must be true, right? From how nervous his Shizun looks about it. And Shen Qingqiu insists that they leave, ignoring that old lady's expression and calling her a bit of a liar about it.
Shen Qingqiu distracts his husband, but despite this, Luo Binghe can't stop thinking. And think, and think...
And somehow, Luo Binghe comes to a conclusion: the soul now inhabiting Shen Qingqiu is his soulmate that comes from another world. He could assume that Other Worlds exist, after all, that Binghe double of his exists, so… Why couldn’t there be another Shen Qingqiu? Or another Shen-something? And, think that maybe this Shen Qingqiu (which, surely, is another name, but he won't go into that) had wanted... another chance? Another life? If they were married in another world as the old woman said, and the other Binghe had a harem, maybe he was one of those harem wives? But why had he thrown him into the Abyss then? It made even less sense now.
Luo Binghe is not clear about it. He wakes up very early and goes to talk to the fortune teller, secretly. The woman just laughs at him:
"Of course, if we look at it in some way, the soul you married could be part of a harem... In some spiritual way" and that doesn't clarify anything.
Luo Binghe can only come up with a few resolutions about it. Shen Qingqiu is a body with his husband's soul. There is an almost divine power beyond what is understood and explained that controls and regulates what truths his Shizun can or cannot tell. Binghe's story was written, but not in stone. And the soul he had married was aware of that.
Luo Binghe is too confused, thoughtful, overwhelmed. The truth is that he had never wanted to meddle too much in his husband's secrets. If his husband wanted to tell him something, he would. Or Luo Binghe would coax it out of him with kisses or pleasure until he had to confess. But this, this was bigger than even Shizun could explain.
And Luo Binghe doesn't know what to do with it.
(Hilariously, Shang Qinghua passes by that old fortune teller out of curiosity after Shen Qingqiu tells him about it, and ends up being called Dear Creator, which turns his hysteria upside down. Well, that crazy old lady is very OP, but the enthusiasm is appreciated. Someone nerf her.)
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amxrany · 7 hours ago
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!! CHAPTER 7 / DIASOMNIA ARC SPOILERS !!
Ok I didn't expect Ace's Dream to end up this way, so now I have to tell you guys about it too:
The gang lands in a beach and Cater's having fun with Silver's UM, even taking a video but needing music as an overlay because of Grim's screams 😭. It's quite hot and Sebek asks if we're in Ace's hometown, that's when Deuce replies that Ace lives near the capital of Queendom of Roses while he lives in the southern area.
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We also learn more about Cater and Idia as we're exploring the area. Other than skateboarding, Cater also likes to surf and snowboard. Idia tries to talk smack but Ortho butts in by telling the group that he's just like Cater as he rode a vehicle called a "Barca" to race around Island of Woe (and apparently you need a broomstick license and a special vehicle license to handle one).
We reach a vacation house where we find Ace, who's happy to see Deuce, Cater, Yuu and Grim, but is surprised to see the others (Leona, Idia, Silver and Sebek)
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We also see Riddle in this dream, who's all decked out in vacation wear (from the Stitch event) that even Cater's surprised. But Dream! Riddle simply wanted to dress the part and even pulled Cater aside for a bit to asked if he looked weird. Sebek thinks that there's no way Riddle would wear something like that irl and that's just Ace's personlaity showing while Silver doesn't see anything wrong as Riddle said this is what people on the beach.
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Trey also shows up wearing the Silk City outfit. It turns out that Trey's clothes, the house, and island they're all currently in were lended to them by Kalim's family. Dream! Trey asks Cater why he's in his dorm uniform when he was wearing something different earlier while taking pictures. Cater plays along by saying that he didn't want to get them dirty while cooking, which Dream! Trey believed.
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Ace asks us if we want to change our clothes because our dorm uniform looks really stuffy with the weather right now. Leona warns Yuu to not get carried away. We find out that Ace's dream is a celebration for Yuu...because they found a way back to their world. Riddle explains further that not only has Crowley found a way to return Yuu to their world, but he also found a way for Yuu to visit Twisted Wonderland anytime they want to. Stop I'm not okay it's the way that Ace's dream is just wanting people to continue on with their studies safely and Yuu gets to go back home and visit them anytime is just 😭💔
Dream! Riddle suggests that Deuce and the others should go change to more fitting clothes for this occasion. While Cater volunteers with Idia, Leona and Silver to help Trey with the cooking, but really he just uses it as an excuse to discuss what he has observed. He tells Leona about the plan to look out for Ace as Dream! Riddle and Dream! Trey are most likely darkness, and Leona's impressed with how fast he's catching up with the dream mechanics. Even Idia finds it a bit creepy.
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But Cater's already used to making the first move to avoid conflict. His plan was to use the first years as they're the only ones who are closer to Ace, meaning that they have a better chance of cracking him while the others keep the NPCs distracted. While the seniors are helping the NPCs, the freshmen are trying to brew up a plan. Ortho brings up the clue having needing a big "shock" from reality, but Sebek said he's useless here since he only meets Ace in electives and let's the main gang handle it.
Deuce goes first, telling Ace that this is all just a dream created by Malleus and that they still haven't found a way for Yuu to go home. He also brings up that we still haven't contacted Mickey yet, Ace doesn't believe them but Deuce (with Grim this time) continue to push him further; this causes him (Ace) to start to disorient. Deuce tells Ace to calm down but he thinks they're just lying but Ortho vouches for them and tells him that they're not. It even goes to the point of Ace asking Yuu if what they're saying is true.
Grim latches himself onto Ace, repeatedly screaming that they're not lying; triggering another flashback. But Ace just chews us out for taking the joke too far, and that we shouldn't ruin the vibes of the vacation. That's when Sebek butts in, calling Ace shallow for ignoring the pleas of his friends. But Ace counters that Sebek couldn't read the room for randomly joining a vacation he has no involvement in.
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Sebek replies that he didn't even want to go with the others, but here's just here because he needs to wake Ace up. But Ace's response to the whole dream thing is just him being apathetic, not caring if it's reality or not. Because he thinks if you've lived in a dream long enough, it's not longer a dream isn't it? But a new reality, and not a lot of people can say they're living life without hardship. It's like he already weighed all the outcomes and possibilities of the situation he's in.
Sebek argues back that he cares about Malleus, which is why he and Silver are trying to wake everyone to save him. Because to him, he doesn't want to continue if it means leaving Malleus alone. But Ace doesn't sympathize, he actually blames Malleus for their current predicament and if he gets lonely; he brought it upon himself. To Ace, Sebek's being selfish for ruining his dream just to go and save the one who caused the problem to happen; and to ask Ace's help to defeat Malleus? That's pretty much a death sentence (now Ace isn't exactly a saint either, both are selfish as to how much are they willing to sacrifice for the people they care about). Ace runs away, and that's when Ortho asks the question: if it were someone else, would Sebek hold the same dedication to wake everyone up? Deuce blames Sebek for this, whihc he goes "HUH? WHY ME?!"
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Ortho agress with Deuce, Sebek got too emotional and Ace had a point with what he was saying. Sebek tries to defend himself by saying that it's for Malleus and Lilia but what he did is still considered selfish by anyone's standards. Even Ortho admits that's he's selfish too, and also helped because Idia was in trouble; not everyone is forced to do this.
The seniors are back and they all agree with Ace that he isn't exactly necessary to the plan. We actually get to see Silver get mad at Sebek for causing this whole mess, not realizing that his behavior does have consequences. Once again, Sebek tries defending himself but Silver wasn't having it; leaving him no choice but to submit.
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Idia says that even if everyone teams up, it's not guaranteed that they can defeat Malleus and Silver prefers not to force people to fight. Even Leona acknowledges that Ace's current magical prowess is just that of an ordinary mage, and that they can simply move on without him (Deuce, Yuu and Grim are saddened by this).
Cater says that Ace is probably frustrated and alone right now, so he chooses to look for him to help him "sleep" without the interference of Leona or Idia. Cater leaves with Yuu, Grim, and Deuce going after him (the others follow suit too just to make sure nothing bad happens). Yuu catches up with him and tries to convince to let them talk to Ace one more time. But Cater affirms that he doesn't intend to leave Ace here and has a plan (awww)
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So Cater was right, he finsd Ace alone thinking about the things the others have told him. He lends an ear as he listens to Ace rant about the whole thing, and he agrees that his reaction to everything was normal; but then he suddenly goes "what they're saying is actually true tho" then HE SUMMONS HIS CLONES TO BEAT ACE'S ASS NAURRR 😭😭😭
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This causes Dream! Riddle and Dream! Trey to appear and they're mad at Cater for attacking Ace. EVEN DREAM! DEUCE AND DREAM! CATER APPEAR but they just take Ace away. Ortho tries to intervene but the others stop him. With Leona telling the others that Cater asked to not be interfered and Deuce adding that it was also his plan to find a way to trigger the darkness.
Cater's plan is working, as Ace starts to become aware of his surroundings; that the things his dorm mates are saying are stuff they wouldn't say in real life. He also points out that how can someone like him help defeat Malleus, and that he's scared. The darkness actually reveals Ace's vulnerable and we're just watching it from afar. Silver notices that Ace is being persuaded by the darkness but Idia knows that Ace is clever, that's when Leona chimes in that Ace realizes that there's always going to be someone stronger than him, thus knowing his limits. That's when Idia's like "brotha aren't you just talking about yourself?", cue Leona trying to break his tablet.
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We also learn more about how the Dark Mirror chooses its students, while the qualities in which one gets sorted into a dorm remains vague it usually chooses people who leave a mark on history in the future.
Okay going back to Ace, Cater brings up that time during Riddle's overblot and about how quick they were to jump into action. He thanks him for inspiring to fight against their Housewarden that day, also adding that going into fights that are "winnable" seem lame and that he's scared too, but they have to fight. Ace actually starts crying, because he doesn't want to look like a coward and that's what wakes him up.
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Cater helps Ace out of the darkness and calls for the others for backup. After that, Grim and Deuce are mad at Ace for trying to stay in the dream. He also nags to Cater about him using his UM on him, but it was the only way to get him to wake up. They show Ace the video and now his pissed at Malleus, but Grim's like "weren't you scared of him earlier???".
Silver thanks Ace for his help and also apologizes for Sebek's behavior, in which Ace blames Lilia and Silver for spoiling him and Sebek's like "I'M NOT SPOILED BY SILVER 😡". Ortho did mention that Sebek looked awkward after their argument and suggests that he should apologize but Idia replies that he has too much of a pride to do so. Ace just bullies Sebek lmao, forgiving him with his "whole heart".
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Cater steps in before it gets any worse, and we get ADeuce saying "Dream Form Change" now. Ace still doesn't want to fight Malleus, but given the circumstance he doesn't really have a choice. Once shown his dummy version, Grim just laughs at his outfit and Cater comments on the fruits
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The dream ends with the first years complaining about how cramped it is and Leona just tells Silver to get on with it.
And that ends Ace's Dream, took me awhile to get this out because we actually learn a lot about him in this one and I really tried my best to give him justice yknow?
We're off to Trey's Dream next, see you then!
Previous: Cater's Dream Next: Trey's Dream
(Note: This post is a summarized version of the update, info and pics comes from @/LBucchie, @/WitchDrug, and @/acesuuu on x/twt, give them some support if you can)
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goldenhazelnut · 20 hours ago
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Birthday Cake || Carlos Sainz
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The scent of vanilla and buttercream filled the air as you set the cake down on the table, your heart pounding in anticipation. The soft glow of the candles flickered against the dimly lit room, the only other source of light being the cityscape beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. The cake had been a last-minute idea, something playful yet meaningful, and you couldn’t help but wonder how Carlos would react.
Carlos had promised he wouldn’t be late, but you knew how unpredictable his schedule could be. The hours ticked by, and just as you were about to check your phone for the tenth time, the front door creaked open.
“Perdón, cariño,” his deep voice carried through the quiet apartment. “You wouldn’t believe the day I had.”
You turned, a teasing smile playing on your lips. “I’ll forgive you, but only if you make a wish.”
Carlos’s gaze landed on the cake, and his eyebrows shot up as he read the message in bold, frosting-covered letters: Tell Sainz I am legal.
A breath of laughter escaped him, warm and full of amusement. “Are you serious?” he asked, shaking his head. But his expression softened as his eyes met yours, filled with a quiet affection that sent warmth spreading through your chest.
“I thought I’d make your life easier,” you teased. “Now, no one has to ask.”
Carlos’s lips quirked up at the corner, and he let out another soft chuckle. “And why, exactly, don’t you have to explain?”
You shrugged, leaning against the counter with a playful glint in your eyes. “Because the cake says it all.”
Carlos shook his head again, but his hands found your waist, pulling you in. “Eres increíble,” he murmured before pressing a soft kiss to your forehead.
His warmth enveloped you, and suddenly, the cake didn’t matter as much. All that mattered was the way he held you, the way his lips ghosted over your skin, the way he whispered against your ear, “Happy birthday, mi amor.”
The moment stretched between you, unspoken words lingering in the air. He reached past you, plucking a bit of frosting from the cake with his finger and playfully tapping it against your nose. You gasped, laughing as you swatted his hand away.
“Oh, it’s war now, Sainz.”
His laughter rumbled through him as he dodged your playful attempt to smear frosting on his cheek. “I’d like to see you try, cariño.”
The night was young, and the city outside sparkled, but in that moment, all that existed was the two of you, caught between laughter, love, and a cake that neither of you could take seriously anymore.
It had been a long time coming.
You had met Carlos a year ago, an accidental encounter in the bustling streets of Madrid. You hadn’t recognized him at first, which was something he found endlessly amusing. “You really had no idea who I was?” he had asked, eyes twinkling with intrigue.
“None at all,” you had admitted, biting your lip as you remembered the way he had casually introduced himself as ‘Carlos’ without the slightest hint of expectation.
That had been the start of everything. What began as chance encounters turned into long conversations over coffee, stolen moments between his races, and eventually, something neither of you could ignore. Despite his chaotic schedule, despite the distance that sometimes stretched between you, Carlos had a way of making you feel like you were the center of his world.
And now, as he traced lazy circles on your back with his fingertips, his breath warm against your temple, you couldn’t imagine celebrating your birthday any other way.
“Do you ever think about how different things could’ve been if we hadn’t met that day?” you murmured.
Carlos hummed thoughtfully. “I try not to.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t like thinking about a life where I don’t have you in it.”
Your heart clenched at his words, the sincerity in his voice making your throat tighten. “You’re such a sap, Sainz.”
He laughed, pressing a lingering kiss to your hair. “Only for you, cariño.”
hope you like it <3
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cloudbug08 · 2 days ago
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Pious Hands
Caitlyn Kiramman x femme!religious!reader
Men DNI
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。゚•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• 。゚
TW: Religion, Religious guilt and trauma, descriptions of violence, abuse from a parental figure, mentions of blood, descriptions of wounds (black eye, split lip, lashes on the back) not super detailed though, brief internalised lesbophobia, fear of sinning.
Synopsis: After a violent argument with your oppressive, pious father, you run to the safety of your girlfriend, Caitlyn, she offers to care for you, her anger boiling as you tearfully explain what your fathers done.
Your feet pad against the cold marble floors of the Kiramman house, Cassandra having opened the door for you, her eyes tired as she tugs her sleeping gown around her shoulders tighter, fighting off the autumn chill. She wakes up slightly when she sees you, quivering on her doorstep, dressed in only a silk night dress, your feet dirty, eye swollen, red blood dripping down your chin; your fingertips, toes and face glowing with the cold.
She ushers you in, a lithe hand pressed to your shoulder, the door shuts and the warmth of the homes hearth eases the freeze of your hands and feet. She pressed her hand to your hair.
“Whatever happened dear?”
Your glazed eyes well with tears, you hiccup, your lungs choking on the suddenly warm air.
She frowns, her face tight with sympathy
“Caitlyn is still awake, would you like to see her?”
You nod, blinking through the tears, she moves her hand back to your shoulder, carefully guiding you through the halls of her home, stopping when you reach Caitlyn’s closed door, she knocks, gently, but enough to be heard.
“Come in.”
Caitlyns voice rings out, calm and eloquent.
Cassandra pushes the large door open, Caitlyn is laid back on her lavish bed, flicking through her journal, a thin blanket is strewn across her legs.
“Caitlyn”
She lowers the journal, leaning up against her pillows, long hair thrown over her shoulders, her eyes widen when she sees you, the book is tossed carelessly, and she rises from her bed, tall.
It doesn’t take her long to get to you, lithe, gentle hands catching your shoulders, her eyebrows furrow, eyes glowing with worry.
She thanks her mother quietly when she leaves you.
“What happened?”
You gasp brokenly, tears streaming down your cheeks as you clutch at her nightgown.
“My dad, he found photos of us.”
You choke out, slumping against her
“I’m a filthy sinner, I shouldn’t be here, I’m so sorry.”
She grits her teeth, your father, she’s met the man, thankfully briefly, he was a pious man, as was your mother, and by extension so were you, but you were different, kinder, you weren’t intolerant, you didn’t look down upon the people of the city. You didn’t adhere to most of your father’s beliefs. But she knew your father was a skillful manipulator, convincing you that you were tainted, dirty, thankfully, he hadn’t managed to twist your mind into hate, and Caitlyn intended to keep it that way.
She rubs a hand against the back of your neck, breathing heavily before speaking.
“Do you believe that I am dirty? A sinner.”
You hiccup, shaking your head
“Then why do you think you’re a sinner? If I’m not, why are you any different.”
You stare up at her, your eyes doe like, she thumbs under your open eye, careful of your swollen one.
“Your father lies, how can love be sinful?”
Your cracked lip quivers
“You must know, God will still love you regardless of who you love, God doesn’t hate, why would he punish you for something so pure?”
More tears stream down your face.
“Do you understand?”
You nod, your head falling to her chest
“I think I love you.”
Your voice trembles, Caitlyn smiles
“I think I love you too.”
She lifts your head, pressing a gentle kiss to the corner of your mouth, you smile gently up at her
“Come, we must clean you.”
She smiles slightly, her hand grasping yours gently. She leads you to her bathroom, the porcelain shines, her mirror still steamed, she runs a hot bath for you, the water sloshing up the sides of her claw foot bath, spilling oils and salts into the water.
“We must warm you up, I’ll clean your eye after, Ok?”
You nod, smiling at her.
She kneels down, gently rifling through her well organised draws, pulling out golden oils and lotions, before she rises, a splatter of red catches her attention, she peers down, there’s blood smudged on the tile under your feet
“Lift your foot, my darling”
You oblige, she holds your manicure foot gently, grasping the ankle, her eyes widen at the state of your soles, they’re littered with cuts, luckily there’s no glass wedged in them, but dirt clings to them.
“Oh my dear, can I clean these for you?”
You hum, blinking with one eye.
She swiped the dirt and blood away with a wet cloth, before she cleans the cuts, she walks you over to the tub.
“Would you like me to turn away?”
You shake your head
“No, you’re gonna see it either way.”
You smile, laughing slightly through your nose, she smiles back, her eyes filled with nothing but fondness.
You pull your night gown over your head, letting it fall to the ground
“May I?”
Her pianist fingers reach out, questioning, nodding, you watch her hand gently grasp your hip, her touch out of nothing but love and admiration.
“You’re breath-taking”
You flush, feeling blood pulse in your ears, you look away shyly, carefully reaching your hands behind your back to unclasp your bra before slipping your underwear off.
She just stares at your face, her face relaxed, smiling leisurely at you. You breath shakily before you turn, facing your back to her.
You can hear her gasp sharply at the lighting strikes of scars down your back, lashes from your father, they’re not fresh, scarred over and pink, she runs a gentle finger along them.
You turn your head when you hear her choking around a sob, her eyebrows are knitted and her eyes glow with sympathy, her palm splayed across your spine.
“How can someone be so cruel.”
It’s your turn to wipe away her tears, she grinds her teeth when she thinks about the evil creature that gave you these marks, leaning over your young, scared form, and lashing at you until you bled, she needed him dead, for how much he hurt you.
She bends slightly to wrap her arms around you, pressing fluttery kisses to your ear and neck.
She breathes deeply.
“I’m sorry, dove.”
“It’s not your fault.”
You hum, running your fingers through her silky hair, she breathes shakily. Focusing on the bath that’s still running, she holds you against her, turning the nob of the tap. She guides you to the tub, easing you into the hot water.
You ooze into the steaming water as she scrubs gently at your skin, humming an old song her mother used to play to her when she was young.
When you emerge out of the tub, she helps towel you off, before she’s rubbing sweet oils on your skin and working moisturiser into your joints.
She dressed you in a pair of sleep shorts and a camisole from her wardrobe, she smiled at you as she tied the fastening of the top, pressing a kiss to your bare shoulder. Caitlyn snorts at the way the top hangs off of you, her taller stature making the borrowed clothes appear much to large on you.
She leaves a handful of candles lit to light the room, giving it a comfortable glow, she pulls you close under her blankets. Your body between her long legs, her arms criss-crossed over your back.
She whispers into your hairline, thumbing over your spine.
“I love you, nothing will change that”
You nose into her chest, smiling sleepily up at her before you doze off, curled up on your beloved girlfriend, no fear clutched at your heart, you’re not worried about what your father will think, you just feel loved, content.
。゚•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• 。゚
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed my first Arcane work, and I hope it wasn’t too ooc. Reblogs and Comments are always appreciated.
My request are open, please feel free to send me an Arcane request, I Only write WLW works, all men steer clear! This is a lesbian space.
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vssail · 22 hours ago
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floury kisses | jason todd x reader
sumary: stressed from work, you try baking therapy. jason comes home to the mess (and the chaos) and is both amused and concerned.
a/n: english is not my first language! // 797 words
yes, the whole hand thing is (an attempt of) a ratatouille reference
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It was late—too late for anyone but him to be awake. The apartment was dark except for the soft glow spilling from the living room, shadows flickering against the walls. He rolled his shoulders, wincing at the stiffness from the night’s patrol, and kicked the door shut behind him. He was tired. He just wanted to go to bed, pull you close and fall into the dreams realm.
The moment he got into the apartment through your shared bedroom window, he noticed the sweet smell of vanilla filling the air. The smell guided him to the kitchen, where he found you, battling to mix some ingredients in a heart-shaped bowl.
The sight was a mix between charming and worrying. You looked absolutely adorable trying to bake just wearing one of his old hoodies and with your hair in a messy bun. There was flour everywhere - literally - and the state of the table would cause Alfred a heart attack, but it just made the scene more delightful.
But then he glanced at the kitchen door and it read 03:42 AM. And he remembered how much you hated baking. And he took notice of the frown on your eyebrows.
"Hi babe" he started. He decided to stay in the door's frame, give you some space.
You didn't take your eyes off the bowl you were fighting with. "Hi Jace"
Your cold tone only increased his worries.
"Didn't know you were training for Bake Off"
A little joke, an attempt to take that frown off your face. He smiled when your expression softed.
"Bad day at work. Someone told me that baking is relaxing"
"And is it working?"
"Definetely not"
Both of you laugh at your answer.
He could ask what went wrong today. He should ask what went wrong today. But that would only cause you more stress. That topic could be touched later.
"I'm not sure if I should ask you what are you making or the whisk if it's being held hostage" he (half) jokes again (the way you were holding that whisk was concerning).
You giggle, way more relaxed. Jason's smile widens. God did he love to see you smile, laugh - happy.
"I wanted to make doughnuts, but something is not working here and is driving me mad" you explained with a sight. "The ingredients are too stiff, but in the video they mix so easily"
He finally approaches you, his body's warm embracing you. You lay your back against his chest on pure instinct while still trying to mix the ingredients in the bowl. Big hands are placed over your smaller ones, guiding you to leave the bowl on the table.
"The butter is too cold, you won't get it mixed unless you wait for it to get warm" he mumbled while hands took yours and guided you to take other ingredients. "We can make the glaze meanwhile"
You turned to look at him, who still was guiding your hands. Sometimes you doubted about how could he be so amazing and not realize it. Like, he reads, cooks, bakes and makes you feel safe in the city of crime. It was in this little dazing moment when you took notice of his face - of his tired expression.
"You should go to bed, Jace" you murmured, your eyes practically pleading him. He probably was exhausted from patrol, he needed to rest.
He met your gaze, his eyes turning amused. One of his hands left yours, only to rest it on your face and caress it. His soft smile turned into a smirk, which made you frown in doubt.
"What? Why are you smiling like that?" you asked.
He simply pointed to the window, and you turned to see your reflection. Your eyes widened when you noticed a big flour handprint on your cheek. .
"You son of- I'm here all worried for you and you come up with this?" you scolded. It only made him chuckle.
He guided the hand he didn't let go and guided it to his lips, placing a kiss on your palm. You could't stop your own lips from turning upwards. He was so sweet and smooth you couldn't resist him.
"It's Saturday- well, technically Sunday. We can sleep all we want after we finish these precious doughnuts, sweetheart"
His free hand took yours again like they just were ment to be together (they did, from his point of view). After another kiss on your palm, you returned to your work.
The night/morning passed with you two cooking while being in love - stealing kisses, giving little love bites and stain the other with flour.
(Maybe you could make these early morning baking sessions a rutine.)
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enhaluvblog · 2 days ago
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— moth to a flame (l.hs)
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She sat down on the sofa of her newly bought apartment, the city lights flickering on her face as her phone suddenly buzzed with a new notification.
“Heeseung” was written on the screen. Her heart started beating faster, her fingers hesitating over the screen of her phone.
She had promised herself so many times she would forget about him, about his existence. It had been months since she ended it, months of her lying to herself, forcing herself to move on. Yet, here she was, all alone in her room, the memories of him lingering on her mind, clouding her mind and pulling at her like a magnet.
She looked down at the screen once more, her finger hovering over the answer button, before pressing it apprehensively.
“I’ve been thinking about you, where have you been, angel?”
His voice was so casual, as if he hadn’t broken her heart, scattered into a million pieces she’d never be able to put back together.
Her mind started drifting back to the day they met— her being a freshman, still discovering the city, and being dragged by her newly made friends to a club.
He had a certain charm to him, he was so confident, so sure of himself. He could make everyone in the room feel seen with a simple glance, and that’s how she fell for him, a small smile and he had her feeling like the only person in the room.
Months had passed, and their love had turned into something darker, something obsessive.
It was all a game to him, the more she pulled, the more he’d pull away. Soon, she’d come to realise that it was draining her in a way she couldn’t explain. She loved him, but he was slowly killing her.
A few months after their splitting, she had already met someone else. Someone who could heal all her wounds. He cared for her, loved her like there was no tomorrow, but he just wasn’t Heeseung.
She kept trying to tell herself a love shouldn’t be all about passion, it had to be about certainty, she felt secure with him, she felt safe, even if she didn’t feel like he could burn her whole world with a simple glance.
Jay was such a gentleman, such a sweetheart. Taking her on dates unexpectedly, staying with her every night so she wouldn’t feel lonely, doing everything in his power to make her happy.
But she felt like a part of her was missing.
On a random Tuesday, she was over at Jay’s house, giggling as they were cooking dinner, playing around with the ingredients like kids.
Suddenly, her phone lit up, a text message from a certain someone on display. She almost immediately snatched her phone from the counter, reading it quietly before excusing herself to the bathroom, Jay being too busy with cutting onions to realise something was wrong.
She locked herself in the bathroom with a gulp, sliding down the door with her phone in her hands.
“You need to stop ignoring me like I meant nothing to you”
Her heart thumped dangerously against her chest, signaling she was about to do something she’d surely regret later on.
And that was replying to him.
“I am not”
Deny, deny, deny.
Why would I ignore him anyways? Always thinking so highly of himself, she thought to herself, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible. If that was even possible.
“Then come meet me tonight. Hell club.”
And then the night came, and she found herself in an awfully short dress, make up and hair done as if she was trying to impress someone, well she was.
She shrugged off Jay when he asked if she wanted him to stay over at her house, almost immediately coming up with an excuse, and saying she oh so desperately needed some alone time.
Just a small white lie, she told herself, nothing to overthink about.
As she walked inside the club, a familiar song started playing, ‘moth to a flame’, of course.
Just then, two particular set of eyes were burning holes into her small frame, looking her up and down with a small smirk.
“Long time no see, angel.”
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goldsbitch · 2 days ago
Text
Twelve Grapes
-chapter 7, part 1 - A bit of a bad boy
Yeah, sure. Let’s do the talking on track. Only - the track is public roads of Monaco and the talking is a couple fight.
word count: don't even ask, it's getting out of hand warning: kissing, m/m, Jos Verstappen A+ parenting introduced, few awful homophobic comments, couple fight
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"Max, if you don't want to have the whole of Monaco gossiping about us, you're going to have to stop touching me every time the realtor turns his head around," Charles stifles as he reluctantly pushes Max's arms away from his waist. Both of them know Charles does not really mind Max's hands roaming around his body.
The Dutchman laughs. "The guy is too focused on explaining why this specific faucet is the best in the world, I don't think he remembers we're here," Max argues and steals one kiss and pinches Charles' hip. But, after that he caves in and puts his arms away from Charles and does few steps back, to create a distance that would somewhat be acceptable for "a buddy who's helping him pick out a new apartment to move in". Charles walks toward the realtor guy to listen to a lecture on kitchen cabinets, something that Max knows he secretly enjoys. Max still does not understand why all of a sudden Charles needs his own apartment. Yes, technically, he's still living with his mother. However, realistically, he spends any free moment in Max's place. The phrase "a Ferrari driver can't be living with his mother" is not a strong argument in his opinion. He lets them debate about the marble tile materials and takes one more walk around the place. It's a particularly nice apartment, the best one so far. Main feature being the massive terrace overlooking the city and sea. Provides enough of privacy for them to let go and promises a notion of domestic freedom. It's been just a few months since they first hooked up. Seems like ages ago, everything went to quickly and naturally after that. Max especially appreciated the fact there was no bullshit needed with Charles. They both understood the predicament. Keep things private from others. Don't let their relationship affect racing and vice versa. It was surprisingly hard to watch Charles and his first potential win slip through his fingers. Max won't ever admit this to him, but it's going to be way harder to balance this than he ever expected. And the season has just started. He will uphold their unspoken agreement. Charles has entered his life in a measure like no one else before. Max prays that he is mature enough to not fuck it up for both of them.
He joins Charles back in the kitchen and waits for the damn realtor walk away to the bedroom again, before caging Charles against the kitchen counter, back to back. He bends him over and hold him by his hair.
"Max," the man, who's ass he's pressing into, warns. But even though he can't see Charles' face, he can hear the hidden amusement in his tone. Max chuckles and rolls his hips into him. It would only take a moment for the realtor to turn and spot them in this position.
"What?" he whispers into Charles' ear while giving it a quick lick. In return, he starts to melt under his touch immediately and almost gives in to whatever Max would suggest. As always. "I need to make sure the kitchen is up to our standards. We don't exactly use it for cooking," he comments, images of him fucking Charles hard against the counter at his home flooding Max's brain. He knows Charles enough to know that it takes everything he has to wiggle out of the embrace and walk away, like a responsible adult would. But it's all clear when he flashes him a flirty smile on the way over to the realtor. Just like Max, he is nothing but a horny post-teenager, who would happily get bent right then and there. His hot, desirable and inescapable Charles. With dimples created specifically to make Max lose himself in them.
//
The start of his dream career in Ferrari is about as hard as expected. Completely new environment to blend into, battling the strange combination of part of the team believing Charles is there to help them get to the top, generational talent and all that, and the other side of the garage, that is still bitter about Kimi Raikonnen getting replaced by a rookie. Then there is Sebastian Vettel. Someone he used to look up to. It took him the first two races to abandon that sentiment completely. Seb radiated a sort of tired, I'm-so-over-it energy that poisoned anyone who was willing to listen. And the fact Charles looked so happy to be part of the old, somewhat stagnant team, was not exactly helping their teammate energy.
The Ferrari engagement is ten times more demanding than his workload in Sauber was. Charles' life lately has been reduced to his work and Max exclusively. Time with friends replaced by PR duties and trying to make space for some downtime with one of his biggest rivals. And here's the wildest thought he keeps for himself. He'd give anything to have Max as a teammate. It might be not exactly the healthiest of wishes, but after getting stuck in another strategy meeting, when he's on the receiving end of Sebastian's self-introduced Ted talk about how the current newcomers into F1 don't follow the proper ethics of racing (something Charles finds incredibly ironic, coming from this man), he's getting more and more annoyed with this approach. They are not there to drive around all politely and harmoniously. He never thought that the biggest inspiration he'd take from this legend of a driver is to make sure he never falls into the trap of this attitude.
He can feel himself spacing out during the drivers parade. Sebastian is standing next to him, nagging something to his ears about a hot reporter standing nearby, challenging Charles to come out of his shell for once. He's not listening to him. His eyes keep sliding over to a certain driver.
Charles can’t stop himself from watching Max, even when it’s dangerous to look. Which seems to be the case all the fucking time. There’s something magnetic about the way Max carries himself, completely unaware of how he commands attention. Not just from Charles, but from everyone. It’s in the sharpness of his jawline, the way the light catches in his sun-streaked hair, and the way his eyes, icy and calculating on track, turn softer when they’re alone. Max Verstappen in public is a machine, a flawless embodiment of focus and precision. Max in private? That’s the man Charles loses sleep over. Endlessly proud to know he's the only one who can see him like that. They never discussed what they were - and Charles is grateful for that. Because there is no need. It took them one night spent together to know it is inevitable.
Max, dressed in his Red Bull kit, stands at the other end of the drivers’ parade truck, casually leaning against the railing. His laughter cuts through the general hum of the crowd, drawing Charles’ attention like a moth to a flame.
Charles knows he shouldn’t stare, not with Sebastian Vettel by his side, who is murmuring something that’s no doubt vaguely inappropriate. But Charles has stopped caring. He can’t help it. There’s a warmth in Max’s laughter that Charles rarely sees, a kind of unguarded joy that makes him wish they could exist in a world where nothing had to be hidden. Where Charles could walk across the paddock, curl his hand around Max’s wrist, and pull him into a kiss for everyone to see.
His pulse quickens at the thought.
He knows the paddock is connected through and through with affairs and relationships. But, he can't help but fall into the pattern of thinking the two of them are just so much more than what anyone here around them have. They don't need the layer of secrecy to keep the blood flowing. It's a burden, not a blessing. Max glances over at him, catching him mid-stare. For a moment, the world narrows to just the two of them. Charles feels like he’s standing still while the truck rolls on, the crowd cheers, and the cameras flash. Max’s lips quirk into a small, knowing smile. It’s nothing much, just a subtle curve at the edge of his mouth, but it’s enough to make Charles’ knees weak. It’s infuriating how easily Max gets under his skin, how even in a sea of people, Max can find him, target him, and ruin him with a single glance.
He recalls last night - another impulsive, reckless visit after terribly long day. Max had pinned him to the wall of his hotel room, breathless and relentless, as if daring Charles to pull away. He hadn’t. He never could. They made a deal to avoid visiting each other's hotel rooms as much as possible, keep their affair locked in Monaco, where they could be somewhat safe. But how does one do that, when they get to spend so much time together?
Standing on the track, anthem blaring, Charles feels the weight of it all. The impossibility of their situation. The inevitability of it. Max is the one thing Charles has, and nobody can ever know. The one thing making him able to unwind and with that, he's giving him all the power in the world to destroy him.
When the anthem ends and the drivers disperse, Charles doesn’t let himself glance Max’s way again. Not until he’s strapped into the car, visor down, engines roaring around him. Only then does he let his mind wander, let himself imagine what it would feel like to have Max beside him - not as a rival, but as a partner.
And in that fleeting moment, before the lights go out, Charles feels it in his chest. The ache of loving someone who has set his entire world on fire. Charles knows this is real. There is no need for the "what are we" talk. It's been so obvious, even for his anxious soul, that what they have is real.
At that time, he has no idea that last night was the last one he'd spend moaning Max's name in good faith and not cursing him until the morning hours.
//
It's his first Monaco home race as a Ferrari driver. The team has got his schedule planned out to minutes every day. Still, he manages to sneak in one dinner at mamma's apartment, just like the old days. Charles sits at the table, in the same chair he’s occupied since he was a boy, but tonight it feels different. Heavy. The kind of heavy that presses on your chest, makes you shift in your seat, and has your fingers nervously spinning a fork against the edge of the plate.
His mother bustles around, humming softly, the clatter of pots and pans filling the room. She’s always been able to fill the space, even when it’s quiet. Normally, Charles finds comfort in that. Tonight, though, it just makes the knot in his stomach tighten.
She’s been on him for weeks now - little comments slipped into phone calls, questions disguised as casual curiosity but cutting deeper than she probably realizes.
“Where do you spend your nights, Charles?”
It’s why he got his own apartment. Her gentle but relentless probing on where he hangs about when she knows he’s in Monaco. 
“You’re doing a bad job at pretending you’re only happy because of Ferrari. Is there someone special in your life? You look like you're in love.”
The hardest one. The one that makes him want to blurt it all out something he had never said out loud to anyone ever, not even Max: Yes, I am in love, more than I ever thought possible.
“Why can’t you tell your own mother?”
He puts the fork down harder than he means to, the sound startling both of them. She looks over her shoulder, brow furrowed, silence crawling around the room, filling every free space. 
Charles takes a deep breath, his heart hammering in his chest. He’s dying to tell someone. To tell her. To share the happiness that bubbles inside him every time Max so much as looks at him, the way Max’s smile makes his world turn upside down. He’s already nearly spilled it to Pierre more times than he can count. And now, sitting here, the words claw their way up his throat faster than his brain can stop them.
“Okay,” he blurts out, his voice louder than he intended. His mother turns fully now, watching him with that patient, all-knowing gaze that makes him feel like he’s still ten years old and caught stealing cookies. “Yes, I’m with someone.”
Her face softens immediately, curiosity lighting her eyes. “I knew it,” she says, tone laced with the feeling of winning, the same one he uses when he himself stands on a podium. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Who is it?”
He hesitates, his hands curling into fists on the table. Every muscle in his body tenses as the next words tumble out.
“You won’t like it, Mamma. Nobody will. It’s career-ending if it gets out.”
She sits down slowly, her brows knitting together in concern. “Charles,” she says carefully, leaning forward. “I might not understand racing as much as you do, but I do understand love. The time I spent with papa was the best thing I could ever wish for. And if my child, the one born out of our love, is experiencing the same thing, nothing else matters.“ It's becoming impossible to fight the urge to tell her the name immediately. Because what does one say to follow up that. 
She continues. "Is it someone from Ferrari? You can tell me. You know you can tell me anything."
"No," he speaks, his voice sharper than he intended. Her expression flickers, and guilt washes over him. He softens, exhaling shakily. Fuck it, there goes nothing. Maybe the questions will stop after this. "It’s a man."
There it is. The truth. The first and most terrifying step.
She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even blink. Instead, her head tilts slightly, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "And?"
Charles stares at her, his mouth dry, his heart pounding. That’s it? No judgment, no hesitation?
He swallows hard. "And... I’d like to bring him over for dinner," he mumbles, the words feeling foreign on his tongue. His chest feels tight with adrenaline, but there’s something exhilarating about it too. Like throwing himself into a corner on a wet track, knowing it could go horribly wrong but trusting himself to pull through.
His mother reaches across the table, placing her hand gently over his. "Charles," she says softly, her voice unwavering. "Anyone who makes my child happy is welcome in this house."
The weight in his chest shifts. Small wave of temporary relief washes over him, so profound it nearly makes his head spin.
"Sunday," he says quietly. "After the race."
She nods, smiling warmly as she squeezes his hand. "Sunday it is. I’ll make something special."
It all dawns on him on the way home. By patching a small wound, he managed to create a whole different one. He’s not just made a promise to his mother. He’s made a promise that relies entirely on Max agreeing to something he knows Max won’t like. Charles stops in the middle of the street, the cool night air biting at his cheeks. He can already imagine the way Max will react. The scowl, the tension in his shoulders, the way he’ll cross his arms defensively and say something like, "Schatje, why do you always have to make things complicated?"
For a moment, Charles considers calling the whole dinner off. He could make an excuse, tell his mother Max is traveling, or the timing isn’t right. But then he thinks about Max - about the softness in his eyes when they’re alone, the way he reaches for Charles in the quiet moments, the quiet vulnerability he hides from the rest of the world.
Charles loves him, even if he struggles to say it out loud. He’s just going to have to convince him, let him break through his shell.
As he unlocks his apartment door, Charles resolves to talk to Max. He can already feel the nerves twisting in his stomach, but for once, the fear doesn’t outweigh the hope.
For Max, for them, he’ll make it work. He just has to. Otherwise, what is the point of all of this? He does not need to flaunt their love in everyone's faces. But he wants at least someone to know. He's proud of their unlikely journey. So proud, it makes his heart want to jump out of his chest sometimes.
//
Max loves race and practice debriefs. He always has. The precision, the data, the raw feedback, it’s where he thrives. Things are clear when data is involved. No margin for assumptions of decision based on false pretense. But today’s debrief feels different. Suffocating. Mainly, because the data speaks for itself. 
The sour feeling starts with the slides. A giant screen dominates the room, displaying Charles’ lap times from practice, sector by sector, alongside Max’s. Every thousandth of a second where Charles was faster is highlighted in beaming bright red, as if to drive home the point. This season, there are people specifically designated to dissect Charles’ times. He’s the main enigma, the unknown. Max tries to shut off any guilt creeping in. His personal life has nothing to do with what happens on track. He knows that’s not what team would think. Had they found out that Charles regularly wakes up in his sheets, they’d find a way to use it for the team to beat Ferrari. 
“Leclerc was gaining on you in Sector 2 here,” the one of the strategists assistants speaks, circling a specific corner on the map with his laser pointer. “You carried too much speed into Turn 6, and he took a tighter line—clean, precise. That’s where the gap started.” Long gone are the times when the people in the room would feel like they had to sugarcoat the truth to Max. Overtime, they leaned that the best way is to serve it as it is. 
Max’s jaw tightens. He stares at the screen, but the words blur together. This isn’t the first time they’ve dissected Charles like this, and it won’t be the last.
“His medium-tire stint was particularly strong,” another engineer chimes in, clicking to the next slide. It’s a chart, Charles’ performance in clean air compared to Max’s in traffic. “He’s consistently managing his degradation better than you in the latter half of the stint. We need to figure out how to counter that.”
Max’s fingers tap against the table, a restless rhythm that no one seems to notice.
"It’s not just the car," the strategist continues. "Charles is not afraid to play dirty with his teammate." Max should feel proud. He’s the one who’s been drilling that into his brain. Now, it’s starting to feel more like digging his own grave. "You saw how he defended in Turn 3 today." The unspoken end of the speech hangs in the air. He’s beating you, Max. If he goes like this, he’ll finish the season above you. Get a grip. 
There’s an edge to the words that grates on Max’s nerves. He knows what they’re implying. That Charles is evolving, becoming sharper, stronger. 
"He’s reading you," the engineer adds, tapping his pen against the table. "You’re predictable to him in some situations. We need to mix things up. Throw him off. Make him doubt himself."
Max finally looks up, his expression blank but his voice cold. What a bizarre thing to get asked of. "You want me to play games with him?"
The room falls silent for a moment. The engineer hesitates before replying. "Not games, Max. Just… keep him guessing."
Max leans back in his chair, exhaling through his nose. His team has no idea how hard it already is to keep things straight with Charles. On the track, off the track - it’s all a balancing act. A line he has to walk perfectly every single time.
"Anything else?" Max asks flatly, his voice cutting through the tension.
The strategist frowns, glancing at the screen before turning back to Max. "We’re not saying he’s unbeatable, Max. But you need to stay sharp. Leclerc’s coming for you, and he’s not going to let up. He’s your biggest threat this season."
The words linger in the air, louder than the hum of the projector or the scribble of pens against paper. Max doesn’t respond. He doesn’t trust himself to. Because what can he say? That Charles has already gotten under his skin in ways his team could never imagine? That every time they ask him to find a way to "beat Leclerc," they’re unknowingly poking at something far more personal?
Max clenches his fists under the table, his nails digging into his palms. He forces a small nod, his face carefully blank.
“Understood,” he says, his tone clipped. "Monaco race this weekend is a crucial one,“ the head strategist adds and Max almost laughs, because he says this about every fucking race. 
The debrief continues, more slides, more data, more dissection of the man Max has to pretend he’s indifferent to. But the truth lingers just beneath the surface, raw and unresolved.
Charles isn’t just his biggest rival. He’s his greatest weakness.
As he drives home, he can’t stop small doubts forming in his head from getting louder with each corner he passes. Days, months and years spent, sacrificed, only to get him to where he is now - and suddenly, it feels like he is letting that all pass through his fingers for few moments of unfiltered pleasure. Guilt enters the chat. Work of so many people tainted, because he can’t keep it in his pants. This is the first time he cancels on Charles. He does not trust himself around him today.  
//
It's a long Thursday evening talk, topic being the Sunday dinner. And it goes just about as Charles expected. Back and forth - it's not a fight per say, but it does resemble one.
Max argues that Charles is pushing things too quickly. That to bring up the topic of official introduction to his family day before qualifying is a low blow. That he should have talked to him before agreeing to step big like that. Charles apologizes many times, comes close to pleading for making this happen. Apologies don't seem to land well with Max. Surprisingly, Charles is the first one to reach anger. Does not understand why Max pushes so much against this. He asks hard questions that Max can't answer. Throughout the talk, Max becomes more and more numb. In the end, he agrees to the dinner. They fall asleep next to each other and don't fail on kissing each as a last thing of the day.
//
Once the idea flourishes in Max's head for few days, he becomes more accostumed to it. Pascale is a kind woman. If Charles believes she will be supportive, he just has to trust him. He wishes he could find the time to tell him in person, but another busy weekend prevents him from doing so.
//
DNF. In Monaco. Charles is fuming. He's smashing things again. Tears fall down his cheek in the privacy of his driver room. His home race. Fumbled from the start, he didn't even get to finish - which in hindsight might be a blessing. Having to drag his half functioning car back to the pit and look at the faces of sympathetic mechanics. As always, he stares misery right into its face and watches the rest of the race, eyes glued to the monitors. He gets to watch Max, cruising through and then experiencing the brutal Hamilton ruling the world of racing. He's witnessing the cheer in Ferrari garage as penalties push Vettel in front of Max. He's not even sure how he feels about that one. What he would like to believe is that there isn't any part of him that would be happy about Max missing the podium. The internal decision comes - ignoring any thoughts reaching that topic, shutting down and focusing on his own tragic race. Next year. It will just have to be next year. As he walks through the hoards of reporters, sponsors, fans and just about everyone he's ever met, he feels so painfully small. A confused, beaten up child. It all melts into one big blur. He hides in his new apartment and ignores Max's texts.
//
Max manages to get hold of Charles the following noon. It's clear in Charles' tone that this one stings. Max tries to distract him and for a moment it almost works.
"I'm excited about this evening," he hears Charles getting little more relaxed once they get onto this topic.
"Are you sure you don't want to meet up before that? So that we could like, hang out prior to speaking to Pascale?" Max can't shake this strange feeling that he does not want to walk in there without seeing Charles first. Just few months ago, the man on the other side of the phone call would do almost anything to prevent her from finding out. And now, he's urging him to walk in as if it was the most casual thing ever.
"I think I need to clear my head from the race alone. Just for a little longer...Oh and Max, just a reminder - my mom does not really like red roses," Charles says instead and has Max roll his eyes. Talk about subtle demands.
"You're impossible," he says instead of any filler words.
"And yet..."
"And yet."
//
Somehow, with the way how tragically his first home race with Ferrari went, this dinner is starting to become the one light that's still up there to guide Charles out of this with at least some achievement in his pocket. The one thing he can win. Last part of his life where has some control left. These past few days have been several steps back for every one tiny leap forward. But his mother and Max might just be the last people who won't look at him with the quiet, suffocating pity that twists the knife of his own humiliation. With Max, it's an agreement - they don't hang out together directly after one of them has a bad race. It's too hard to navigate. They don't feel sorry for each other. The urge to seek validation after a failure is something they have to saturate elsewhere. It feels like first day of school. Charles gets ready at his apartment and arrives to his childhood home with enough time to spare, with the intention of pretending to help his mother in the kitchen, while both of them know she'll do anything in order for him not to meddle. He ignores everything else happening, pushes all this weekend inside and fills his head with daydreams about Max and Pascale finding common ground, about Max fitting into his safe space perfectly, cementing their connection. They'll tell the story of how they got together for the first time and truth be told, Charles can't wait to hear Max telling his point of view. His mom will get to be the first witness of their connection. He'd been terrified of her finding out about them, so to allow himself to make this extra step has been a thrilling distraction from it all. He can see it clearly: Max in his sharp, casual confidence, offering his blunt humor in the way that always disarms Charles, even when it shouldn’t. Pascale teasing Max, probably about his awful performance at the hair salon that morning after their first night together, and Max would lean into it, charming her in that effortless, maddening way of his. By dessert, Pascale would see exactly what Charles sees - the real Max, the man beneath the hard edges. He has a good feeling about this - his mom is already asking him so many question about "the mystery guy" that's on his way. And Charles talks and talks and talks.
A long hour later, the table is set, the food is warm, and Pascale is opening a bottle of wine. But Max isn’t there.
At first, Charles tries not to think too much of it. Max is probably running late, nothing unusual in the racing life. He tries to ignore the fact Max is rarely, almost never, late. Charles double checks the text he had sent him, just to make sure he did not mess up the information about the time or address. In the middle of each of her stories, Pascale finds a moment to pause, seemingly addressing the situation, non verbally. It only takes one look. While she does not approve of this behavior, she is there as a supportive figure. It keeps Charles going. Max won’t miss this. 
Still, as Pascale lights the candle in the center of the table, Charles finds himself glancing at his phone. No messages. No missed calls.
Pascale has a talent for addressing the unspoken. She’s been silent on this topic for some time, filling the space with latest stories from the neighbors, skillfully getting away from the topic of Charles’ visitor. 
"He’s probably just caught in traffic," he says aloud, mostly to himself. "Lot of the roads are still blocked," he addresses the obvious. Like this is Pascale’s first time being in Monaco during a Grand Prix. 
Pascale doesn’t comment, though he notices the small glance she gives him, her quiet way of observing.
Charles picks at a piece of bread, his nails all gone now as a result of his never-ending bitting. Ten minutes pass. Then twenty.
The silence starts to press in. Pascale makes an effort to fill it, chatting lightly about the neighbor’s new dog or the strange man she saw at the market, but Charles can’t focus. His mind keeps drifting to Max.
What’s taking him so long?
His phone vibrates, and he grabs it instantly, his heart leaping. But it’s just a notification from one of his racing group chats. He sets the phone back down, his chest tight. Pascale is doing her best to lighten the mood up. She began to avoid the subject of Charles' lover just when it started to be clear he is late. Painstakingly so.
//
The bouquet of white lilies and pale pink roses sits forgotten on the counter, the paper wrapping soaking at the bottom. Max glances at the clock for the third time, his chest tight with the nagging guilt of being late. Pascale is waiting. Charles is waiting. He needs to leave.
But, that is currently not an option. Just as he was about to put his shoes on and head out, his dearest father decided to pay him an unannounced visit. One of the pro's of Monaco racing weekend. Everyone is in town.
"Dad, I'd love to chat, but I really have to get going," he says again, speaking in Dutch, as they always do when their alone. But Jos is standing firmly, blocking the hallway, his arms crossed, and that familiar expression - half-smirk, half-glare - plastered on his face. He owns the room. Max knows this face. Whatever is about to follow is not going to be nice. He asks him once more, if the matter at hand really can't wait until tomorrow. The only reaction he gets from his father is a nod towards the kitchen table. There is nothing else for Max to do than follow his lead, unless he want to get into a fight immediately.
"So, where are you rushing so much?" Jos asks once they're both seated, his tone calm but carrying the unmistakable weight of trouble in the air.
Max knows better than to not proceed with caution. This is not a friendly catch up. This is a screaming warning: negotiations ahead.
"Dinner," he keeps his answer deliberately short. Somehow, even this one word gets Jos rilled up. His lips shut into a thin line, his gaze stuck on the table, where his fingers are tapping the glass.
"With who?" Jos shots back, his voice slicing through the air.
Max is calm on the outside, storm of panic brewing on the inside. He knows. "Nothing serious," he lies.
There is a momentary shine is Jos's eyes, as he smirks once again. "That is a good answer. Remember it."
It's like a knife to his chest. Before diving into the difficult conversation, Max manages to send a quick text to Charles, while his father smirks at him. He does not have time for an apology.
//
The text message is short. Too short.
I’m not going to make it. Need to talk.
The words blur on the screen as Charles stares at them, his breath catching in his throat. 
He reads it again, and again, his fingers tightening around the phone until his knuckles turn white. Need to talk. The phrase feels like a punch to the gut, its weight heavy with implications he doesn’t want to consider.
Pascale’s voice pulls him out of his spiraling thoughts.
"Charles?" she asks softly, her brow furrowed with worry.
He blinks up at her, forcing himself to breathe. His mind races, scrambling for something to say that will keep her from asking too many questions.
"He’s not coming," he concludes finally, his voice flat, hollow. ůSomething came up."
She frowns, leaning forward slightly. "Are you okay?"
"I’m fine," he lies, sitting still. "He’s not like this…He cares," Charles does not know where the tendency to defend Max comes from or why it is here, but it's an automatic reflex. Nothing is lost, yet. He tries, desperately, not to panic. His racer instincts kick in and his body is taking in this new wave of adrenaline. He must have pushed Max too far. It was a mistake to force this upon him. He’ll need to do some damage control. The realization that just because someone is willing to spend every available night kissing you goodnight does not automatically mean that they are ready to be your official partner. Charles is a romantic person - something that not everyone might share. He like to believe life is better than it usually is.
It’s fine. It’s fine, it’s fine, totally fine. He’s trying to hide his hand that began to shake a minute ago. If he stays strong, his mom might just believe that Max is not a complete asshole. 
There is unmistakable sorrow and a hint of disappointment in his mother’s face, but her words tell a different story. Somehow, this disconnect makes it all just a little redundant. She is dancing around the truth that both of them don’t want to address. "I know, Charles. I’ve known you well enough to know that you won’t just settle for anyone. It’s ok. A strong relationship won’t crumble over one missed dinner. Don’t let that happen."
They sit like that for about ten minutes, which for Charles seems like seven hours. Charles knows there is nothing his mother can say to make this go away. He is still for one more second, before he stands up abruptly, the chair nearly falling down.
"I'm sorry mamma, I have to see if everything is alright." Without waiting for her response, Charles grabs his jacket and heads for the door. His heart pounds as he pulls it on, his mind a swirl of emotions - anger, disappointment, confusion, fear and all of these are tripping one over each other creating a cacophony he does not want to listen to. Not this weekend. Not after the fumble of a race he's had.
As he steps into the night air, one thought rises above the rest: This isn’t like Max. Something’s wrong. All he knows is that he can’t sit still, can’t wait for Max to decide when and where they’ll have this talk, which is apparently so important they can't have dinner at his mother's house prior to that.
Rip the bandaid quickly. If Max won’t come to him, Charles will go to Max. Whatever’s happening, he’ll find out. He has to.
//
With a swift move, Jos whips out a paper folder, its edges worn as though it had been handled too many times. He sets in on the table, slowly, and to be honest, overly dramatically. It slides toward Max.
Max glances at the folder and then at his father's face, obviously inviting him to open this up. Max is determined to stand his ground as long as possible. He does not move.
His father only smiles at the lack of reaction. "You already know what this is, don't you?" It could be anything - leaked texts, phone call recordings...But most likely a photo. Max tries to brace himself and his last though is that maybe, just maybe, he is wrong and whatever this folder contains does not have anything to do with Charles. He is not wrong. It's obvious from the first second he sees the image. Staring back at him is a blurry, but clear enough photo of him giving a small peck on Charles' cheek. The smile on the Ferrari driver, wide as the sun, makes it sting all that much more. On a normal day, he would be almost grateful to have a photo like this in his possession. He recalls precisely what moment this commemorates. He forgot himself, or possibly ignored for one second the fact they were out in the open, and kissed Charles, after he messed up yet another English idiom. It was the cutest thing. He was about to pay a gigantic price for the warmth he felt that one time. Max is not a man to cry easily. But there's only so much he can take as a person. After the initial drop of his stomach, he gathers up all the strength he has within him to keep it together in front of his fucking father. He looks up and is met with one of the worst expressions he has ever seen on him.
"What, you're only going to look at one photo?" Jos teases, raising his voice, while smiling evilly and starts to shuffle the folder. "Because, there are plenty. Oh, look at that, here it looks like you're holding his hand! It'll look great in the family photo book!" He smashed the pile of photos down with unnecessary force. There must be about ten pictures mapping their short trip from Max's apartment. His heart keeps sinking.
"I'm sorry," Max mumbles quietly, not really knowing what else to say. Part of him hopes that this is all just a really bad nightmare.
Jos switches up his expression, going from almost mocking Max to more distressed. "I'm not even going to comment today on the fact my son likes to fuck pretty boys," he says casually and ultimately, by putting it like that, it brings Max back to when he's ten again, keeping his helmet on just in case his father decides to hit him because of his bad performance on karting track.
"Where did you get this?" Max asks quietly with the intention to keep the conversation as factual as possible.
Jos snorts. "Where do you think? Do you think this kind of thing stays hidden? Do you think nobody is watching you, waiting for you to slip up?" He gestured at the photo. "This? This is a gift. A warning. One that I had to pay a hell of a lot of money to make disappear. More than most people earn in a year."
There is a part of Max that is grateful for his father being one step ahead of him. He just wishes he wasn't so cruel about it. "How long do you know?"
Jos clearly has no plans on being the one answering questions. "How long is this going on?" It's rhetorical one, a mockery laced with Jos' obvious disgust. He has the upper hand. Max is barely able to hold it together. Anything he says will result in an angry response from his father. Because even it this talk lasts for ten minutes, it's too long.
"Let me be absolutely clear, Max," he speaks again, before actually giving him a chance to respond. "This - whatever it is - ends now."
"You can't force me..."
"I can't? Well...Oh ok. You go and fuck whomever, for what I care. You know what, go on and stay with Leclerc. Wait until someone finds out and then you finally become someone who makes a mark on motor racing. The first openly gay driver. Doesn't that sound amazing?" The way he says it makes it sound like the most pathetic title in the whole world.
"Dad.."
"No, seriously. Judging by your performance of late, you don't have it what it takes to become the legend I've managed to convince everyone you will be. So maybe, this actually might be the only way for you to have a legacy." It stings. Awfully familiarly.
"The world has moved on from this homophobic approach," Max tries, but his words come out weak.
Another half-smirk. "Not the world of F1. Half of our sponsors are from countries where they stone people like you," he says with utmost snobbishness. "This is a direct path to ending your career. But maybe it's good. At least you'll have something else than your abilities to blame for not winning a championship." It's like Jos is a cook and Max is nothing but a piece of bread for him to rip apart. No words come for him to defend himself, or Charles.
Jos takes a dramatic pause and closes the file. "Leclerc is using you. He knows he's not better than you, unless he gets into your head. Which is exactly what is happening now."
Max knows deep down his father is not right. Charles can't be doing that and it would take a hell of a lot trying to even get Max to consider this option. It's everything else that his father has said so far crawls around Max's brain and he struggles to find any arguments to defend the whole affair.
"I saved you this time. But we got lucky. I trust you know what to do."
Max wishes he never woke up that morning.
//
Charles does not wait before knocking loudly, nonstop. No sound comes from the inside, after a moment the door opens to silent Max, who stands in his otherwise empty apartment. Charles takes a good look at Max, who seems to not be hurt or particularly distressed in any way. 
Charles gulps. The air of casualty floating around Max, as if this is just another boring day, is infuriating. His expression speaks a different story. Cold, unapproachable and icy. He imagines this is the look other drivers receive when they cross him. The worst kind of Max is silent Max. He manages to become completely unreadable and in that moment, Charles questions whether he had imagined their whole encounter. 
Max does not even greet him. He just stares. There is no quick pulling inside for a kiss. It makes Charles feel guilty, the thought that he’d rather see Max in some sort of crisis, something that would give him a valid excuse for ditching the dinner. But no. There he is. And the sight hurts. Charles fights the urge to rip the beer he’s holding and smash the glass on the floor. 
"I see you're ok," he proclaims as casually as he’s currently able to. His mother's words are ringing in his ears. 
A strong relationship won’t crumble over one missed dinner. Was this even a relationship? 
Max nods and reluctantly steps back, inviting him in and refusing to meet his eyes once he gets closer. Charles can't stop his memory from flashing back to the first time he stormed his apartment and his stomach turns in disgust. He'd probably give up his seat in order to get back to that night, rather than this one. 
He has to fight his body from shaking, and his mouth from spilling out sour and needy comments. 
"You said we needed to talk. And here you are - not talking." Max shifts his weight, fingers tightening around the beer bottle in his hand. "I'm sorry for missing the dinner." His voice is flat, too controlled, like he’s reading a scripted apology and hoping it’s enough to move on.
Charles does not want to know "what came up". Whatever he might say would probably be a lie anyway. He always believed Max’s biggest issue was telling the truth obsessively. But he has seen him lie to others about them endlessly in the past few months. Keeping him like a little dirty secret. His heart sinks. That must be it. He is so ashamed of being seen with him that even the idea of his mother seeing them together is too much. "I'm sorry I pushed you into it." He does not know why he’s apologizing. 
There is a pause on the other side of this conversation. "I like it when you push me out of my shell. I mean, this is how this all started in the first place," Max exhales sharply. It might sound like a fond sentence on paper, but his tone makes a clear emphasis on being pushed.
"I'm sorry I pushed you into that too," Charles lets the words out flatly.
"Stop apologizing, please!" Max finally snaps, his voice cracking with something that’s neither anger nor frustration, but exhaustion. His grip tightens around the back of his neck as he turns away, like he can’t bear to look at Charles when he says it. Like it might break something in him, too.
And it does break something, mainly Charles' patience. "Well then, what do you want me to say? Do you want me to tell how embarrassed I feel, how I couldn't look my mother in the eyes because even after the shitfest of a weekend I've had, this was the moment when she started feeling sorry for me? Because you couldn't even say why you didn't show up?" Max won't even acknowledge Charles' pain. He's searching for any proof in his eyes that he cares.
Finally, an emotion creeps into Max’s face. Despair and guilt, if Charles is still able to read him correctly. 
"I can't do this," Max says the damning sentence. Charles flashes him a look and more adrenaline kicks in. No. He stares back at him. And, like the enigma Max is, he follows that sentence with launching onto him, gripping Charles' head with everything he has and connecting their lips together, before Charles can even register the words. Charles is helpless. Leans into his touch without any hint of self-control. His thoughts are still, but his tongue is roaming about Max's mouth and this kiss is anything but cute, light or romantic. It is hungry, desperate, borderline aggressive. Somehow, they're finally on the same page. Anger ruling their bodies and it all ends up with Max slamming Charles into the wall, full force, so much it almost hurts. In return, he grips his t-shirt as if the goal was to rip the fabric apart. This is wrong, everything about this is like from a bad dream. He can sense it in Max's touch. Charles feels the first tear of the evening rolls down his cheek and it's all so unhinged, which he realizes only once he can taste his own salty tear mixing with Max's saliva. It acts as a catalyst and he breaks down completely, gripping Max's shoulders, as if he's about to disappear if he lets him go. He knows he's losing him, unless he's already lost him. Charles can feel it in the way Max kisses him - desperation, restraint unraveling at the seams, a kind of hunger that feels more like a last resort than something born out of love. He's never felt smaller, so insignificant and down right doomed. Charles is selfish and a dreamer - he wants to have it all. And right now, it’s making him drown in it, as he grasps on the last remaining straws. 
Inevitably, Max slows his movements down, initial fire dying down and Charles bites his lip one last time before he starts pulling back. "You're the worst things that's ever happened to me," Max whispers and it's probably intended sarcastically, but right now it only makes a harsh chuckle and few more tears come out of Charles. He leans against the wall and stares into the ceiling, trying to swallow the words I love you before they can escape.
He doesn't say them. Max's words burn him like fire.  
"Well, then get ready, because we have a long journey to go through. I have not pulled out my greatest weapons, yet" he replies, not even sure what he means by that. It does however earn him a small sad laugh from Max. 
Then, he exists Charles' personal space and starts pacing slowly around, hands on his hips and Charles can't do anything but watch him and wait for his final sentence. 
"This has gotten too far," Max announces after few moments and Charles can't but agree - but most likely in a completely different context than Max intended. While he's probably referring to their affair in general, Charles would be referring to the fact he left him stranded and cancelled the last minute - and as it looks like, with zero to no remorse. He stays silent. Max stops pacing, his hands still on his hips, his jaw clenched so tight that Charles wonders if he’s actively holding himself back from saying something worse. There's something new in his expression now - something calculated. Charles braces himself for whatever comes next.
His speech is becoming apathetic. "So, one dinner with my mother is too far."
"No."
Charles spots set of flowers on the table, looking truly out of place in Max's apartment. They're smashed up, like he'd thrown them against the wall and then tossed them aside. Kind of like he does with Charles. 
He thought they were meant to be. Painfully similar destinies, yet different enough to keep it fresh. Nobody understands him like Max does. And at the same time, nobody understands him less. They won't make sense to the outside world. He'd always thought that's a good thing. A proof that what they have is real. If it's there, loud and clear, but without a reasonable explanation. That's what love is suppose to be, right? 
"Max, what is going on? Tell me. Speak to me. I'm so lost," he pleas, holding on last strain of hope that this is all just one big mistake. 
Max stops abruptly, voice heavy with something final. "I can't keep doing this."
Charles grips the wall behind him. Max shakes his head, like he's convincing himself of his own words. "Things are different now. Too complicated. We're risking so much and one mistake can cause us our lives. Fuck - I - Charles, you're my biggest rival."
Charles freezes. It's the desperation with this the last word hit the ground that shuts off all the roads leading back to the place they were at just few days ago. He can't help but laugh.
Max exhales sharply, raking his hands through his hair and speaks in a defensive tone. "Every single meeting, briefing, interview - your name is the first thing to come out of their mouths. ‘Charles is faster in Sector this and look, he's doing that...'" his voice tightens. "Do you know what that's like? To sit there and listen to them rip you apart, to tell me exactly how to beat you - and then come home and pretend none of it matters?"
Charles swallows. Of course he does. He's been sitting in meetings like that for the past two years in F1. Ferrari strategist bring up Max at any given opportunity, mainly to avoid the subject of Sebastian. But...they agreed. Racing and home don't mix. He promised. "Max…" The hint of yet another betrayal is probably more than noticeable in his voice.
Max laughs, but it's cold, tired. "You think they wouldn't drop me in a second if they found out I was fucking my biggest competition?"
Charles flinches. Because now he gets it. This is not about Max being afraid. This is Max's ego swallowing him up hard. This is him, unable to tone out the voice of people who don't even have an idea on what kind of damage they cause with their casual remarks. Max probably loves him - but, he will never hear those words. Because Max also has to destroy him. And he doesn’t know how to do both.
It's clear as day. Some sort of mania takes over his body. It's what it is. Now he gets it. It's sudden, quick - the total opposite to the way how he fell for Max. Charles takes a breath, nodding slowly. "Okay."
Max stiffens. "Okay?"
"Yeah." Charles laughs, but it's empty, broken. "I actually get it now." He leans away from the wall and heads towards the door.
Max moves forward like he's going to stop him, but Charles doesn't let him.
His breath shakes, hands clenching at his sides. "You know, I always thought we had something special," he tilts his head slightly. "But maybe we were just inevitable. Two drivers, too fucked up to be anything but this." It's plain as a day. They were way past their expiration date anyway. Charles tries to burn the image of Max permanently in his memory, standing in his kitchen, vulnerable and open - because he knows he's never going to see him like that again. In a way, Charles appreciates that they depart in this way. He probably couldn't stand watching Max grow sick of him. They were fine just two days ago and now there is no "them" to even speak of. Simple, clean cut.
Max studies the floor, as if it holds some answers. "Charles-"
"No." Charles shakes his head, voice all calm now. "You're right. I don't want to be your weakness. And you don't want to be my distraction," he says, making sure to have the last part come out as cruelly as possible. "So I guess that means we're nothing."
Max’s face twists, his whole body going rigid. "Charles, wait - let's pause and think this over, you're everywhere in my life and I-"
Charles interrupts him, because his mind is already made up. "Well. Let me solve one of your problems for you," he says bitterly and does what is most natural to him when he feels like his presence is making the situation worse than his absence. It's like he's being served this option on a silver platter. He has to smile. They'll end just how they started. 
So, he walks out. He recalls promising Max he won't ever do that - and there is a part of him that is doing this purely out of spite, because he knows just how it’s going to infuriate him. And it gives him a sense of control. No longer just reacting to things. He does not need Max. There must be a guy somewhere that will not think of him as an obstacle in his life mission. As an accident that’s gotten out of hand. It's a wave of rush all of a sudden. So he opens the door to unknown rooms inside his head and leaves self-control behind. Invites the most malicious parts of himself inside. 
He has to, in order to save what's left of him. It's bitter and he hates it. But he fails to see any other option. 
Major chords turn into minor. Leading vocals fade out and the only thing guiding him now is the background noise and the beat of his heart. 
He's barely out of the building when his phone start blowing up. Brief check confirms that it's Max. He mutes the phone and buries it deep in his pocket. He needs to get out. For once, Monaco truly has him in a choke hold and he will do anything to leave the city behind. It could burn all down, for what he cares. With Max in it.
//
Max stays glued to the floor as he watches Charles vanish into thin air. Again.
There was no clear plan when Charles inevitably stormed into his apartment. His father kept on urging him to break it off with Charles, so much that Max smashed the flowers when the door closed behind him. His brain worked in overdrive, justifying following Jos' direction, while every cell in his body screamed to do anything but that. And it all mixed together in a perfect mush. There is a way, there always is. But definitely not the way he handled the whole thing up until this point. Do something, you moron. He's fighting himself on every front and if keeps on doing that, he'll stay frozen in the same spot for eternity.
He whips his phone out while he reaches for his car keys. Charles' number on dial - and then few times more - always ending up in voicemail.
That's it. Unable to just stand there and let this slip past his fingers, he heads out the front door of his apartment building and frantically looks around every surrounding street for a glimpse of Charles. The ghost of him seemingly gone into thin air. So, he hops into his fastest car, cursing himself for losing time.
There is zero remorse regarding road traffic rules as he springs out towards Charles' apartment. He's driving on autopilot, lost in the thoughts about the only person who makes him drive like a possessed madman even outside of the track. Nobody else does that to Max. Is that good? Is that bad? Let's not dwell on that.
The brakes certainly do not appreciate the way Max slams them down, the car barely heating up before he swings it into a violent stop against the curb. The tires screech in protest, the engine growling as if it, too, is furious with him.
Max does not care. The only thing he's focused on is Charles, who is approaching his own car right now. He barely registers throwing the door open, feet hitting the ground with the same force that’s been thrumming in his chest since Charles walked out of his apartment. He calls his name, in loud and sharp voice, cutting through the empty street, but Charles doesn’t even flinch.
Max swears under his breath, picking up his pace and crossing the street. "Charles, wait. Just...Just stop for a second." Nothing. No reaction. Not even a glance over his shoulder. Max's heartbeat pounds against his ribs, frustration boiling over. He reaches out, fingers curling into a fist like he's about to grab Charles by the arm, force him to listen. But Charles is already pulling his car door open. He slides into the driver's seat, fingers gripping the wheel with the kind of easy control Max knows too well. Max watches, helpless, as the engine roars to life.
The brake lights flash red against the night, burning into Max’s retinas like an direct beam of sunlight. And then - Charles drives away.
Not with fury, not with recklessness. He doesn't spin the tires, doesn't make a show of peeling off in a rage. No, Charles drives away calmly. Smoothly. Effortlessly. Not skipping gears or overbearing the clutch. Still, in the split second before he disappears down the street, Max swears he sees it. A smile. It's small, barely there, but it's real. A cruel, bitter thing. A smile that tells Max everything he needs to know. Max stands frozen for a moment, the street too quiet now, the air too thick. His pulse is still racing, and the back light of Charles' Ferrari seem to mock him too. His fingers twitch at his sides.
Slowly, stiffly, he turns back to his own car. The driver's door slams shut behind him. Max grips the wheel too hard, the tension in his jaw spreading through his entire body. The engine hums beneath his hands, ready and waiting. He exhales through his nose, sharp and short.
Then, without hesitation, Max slams the pedal.
Fine, have it your way.
He accelerates at alarming speed and leads his car to follow the annoying red one. There is no tears speared for anyone living nearby, let them all suffer with the sound his car is making. It's a long straight followed by a turn to the left - and then he can see Charles' car again. He's still driving like a civilian, perhaps slightly above the speed limit. Max flashes his eyes further down the line. The road is narrow, but not impossibly narrow. He does not think twice about his actions. Let's hope there is no car driving in the opposite direction. No hesitation. His car surges forward, roaring past the tiny gap between streetlights, sliding up alongside Charles, like they're racing down a straight at Spa instead of a dimly lit city road. Funny, how overtaking becomes possible in Monaco all of a sudden.
Max barely registers the blare of a distant horn, the way the world tilts slightly as he swings into position alongside Charles' car. The only thing he's focused on, apart from the road, is him. Hands steady on the wheel, streetlights flickering over his face, mouth set into something too sharp to be neutral. And finally, Charles turns his head.
Max catches the split-second flicker of pure disbelief in his expression - the way his brows snap together, lips parting just slightly, like his brain is still processing the fact that Max is actually here, driving next to him, in the wrong fucking lane. It's not panic, just shock. Max does everything in order to convey to Charles to stop his car. But, the only thing that does is replacing Charles' shock with something else. Something equally crazy as what can be found in Max's eyes.
Charles fixates his look ahead, position of the hands gripping the steering wheel changing. His shoulders settle, his body falling into something that Max knows better than anyone. The click of instinct taking over and just like that, the all-polite Charles is gone. Max barely has time to react before Charles yanks the wheel right, cutting across the road without warning.
"Fuck!" Max slams his brakes as Charles' car swings violently into the turn, tires marking the street. His tail lights flicker as he disappears around the corner, leaving nothing but the smell of burnt rubber behind. Max barely breathes before he reacts. He shoves his foot against the brake, twisting the wheel hard as his car twists into the intersection. The back tires lock up, the entire chassis shuddering violently as he spins - too fast, too fucking sharp, the whole street blurring past in a rush of movement.
He lunges after Charles. Quickly, he's right behind him again, but this time the other car is ready and expecting him. Max has seen these moves countless times before, but never outside of his helmet visor. Charles does not give him any space, recklessly driving in both lanes, only barely letting random car in the opposite lane pass by. He's reading the street like the beast on wheel he can be. Predicting Max's moves and doing everything possible to avoid Max getting ahead of him. At this rate, this is going to end badly very quickly. Max does one more thing to make this even more dangerous and shuffles around, searching for his phone. This makes him lose few seconds on Charles, but nothing he won't be able to catch up to. Once he manages to find it, he dials up Charles' number, his phone thankfully connecting to his car automatically, as Max has to do another manic turn of his steering wheel. Another intersection passed by. The sound of the phone dialing echoing through the whole car, mocking him and making this all much worse.
Charles is heading east, away from the centre and onto the highway. But, before they get there, he turns the car over the an actual part of the Monaco circuit. A track that has barely been dismantled few hours ago.
Max is now calm and focused. Charles is leading them through turns that feel like they should still have barriers up, marshals waving flags. The ghost of the Monaco Grand Prix lingers. Finally, the familiar angles of corners they both know, not just streets of Charles' childhood hometown.
The hairpin is coming up. Max is calculating all the possible moves the Ferrari can make. Charles is setting up wide, making sure he owns the entry, just like he did in the actual race. Max knows what he's doing. The bastard is using the street as his personal defensive line, keeping Max behind him just enough to make sure he can't dive in without risking everything, in a car that is nowhere near as safe and a formula 1 car. For a moment, he considers doing just that, to prove a point and get the lunatic to talk to him, like a normal person. But, racing instincts prevail. It's a Monaco move. And it's fucking working.
The phone still rings, unanswered, the sound piercing in Max's ears. He clenches the wheel tighter, body moving on pure instinct. The next thing he does is a fake move to the outside, knowing full well Charles will react, will shift his car to cover the line. And the second he does, Max cuts inside.
It's a lunge, one he wouldn't have dared to try in an actual Monaco race, but this isn't an ordinary race. It's something else entirely.
Charles reacts fast - of course he does. He sees Max's front light tilting and closing in and jerks his car over, forcing Max to hesitate for couple of milliseconds. That's all it takes. Max almost gets alongside him again, but Charles slams the gap shut, leaving Max inches away from scraping against the concrete barriers still lining the street.
Max slams the brake, feeling the car lurch beneath him, his heart pounding as he barely avoids disaster.
The phone stops ringing. Finally, Charles picks up. There's a pause, just breath and static, before Charles speaks. His voice is frighteningly calm, steady, like he’s completely unfazed.
"Max. Are you trying to kill us?"
It only makes Max chuckle. He's in line behind Charles' car, practically glued on his back. If Charles slowly down even by one second, Max is full on crashing into him. He does not think about that, he only stops at the thought that this is strangely thrilling. Once again, they're speaking the same language.
"Stop the car and talk to me," he orders and copies Charles' racing line.
Charles laughs. It’s breathless, sharp around the edges, the kind of sound he makes when he’s seconds away from snapping.
"Stop being a little bitch, Max. It's pathetic," he sings and hangs up the phone.
Strong words coming from someone who cried in his apartment just minutes ago. Is this his position now? Playing it out tough, acting like a baby? "Dickhead," he comments to no one but himself.
And then - Charles takes off. Max barely has a second to react before Charles swings his car out wide, flooring it onto the open stretch ahead, heading toward the tunnel.
Max doesn't think. He just follows.
Full send into the last turn of the circuit as he heads over to the regular road. The other lane is filled with cars, preventing Max from making any moves. He's cursing himself for missing few opportunities before, the words of his strategist ringing in his head like a loud alarm he can't turn off. Ironically, this might be the best Charles has ever driven around here. Simply fuckin' lovely. It's impossible to get ahead of him. And even if he does, what will happen then? Is Charles going to crash into him? Will he turn the car around without a care for safety of anyone nearby and this whole circus is going to happen all over again?
They are forced to drive more calmly now, nevertheless, to the other people on this road, it still looks like two reckless idiots trying to kill each other. As the scenery changes and houses get replaced by small trees, Max starts to doubt his genius plan of following Charles. They drive like this for half a kilometer. It's obvious where Charles is heading. The last place where Max can be seen.
He dials the phone one more time. To surprise of no one, Charles does not pick up. Max counts his options one more time. His emotions settling down and reality creeping in. Charles does not want to be caught.
All the fury is gone with the wind. Reluctantly, he slows down the car and at the first opportunity turns in the side of the road and kills the engine. He watches, as the scarlet car keeps on going and going, until it disappears over a hill.
He sits in the car for few minutes, then gets out into the cool spring air. The sea below does not provide any answers into what's going to happen now.
chapter 7, part 2 incoming
------- @chezmardybum @biancathecool
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