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kazumist · 2 days ago

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SWEETLY BAKED WITH LOVE .ᐟ

✩ — in which zayne finds himself in a problem with his older patients relentlessly introducing and telling him about their daughters and granddaughters to him because he's single. what's a good way to shoo them off? perhaps wearing a keyring and fake dating your friend would do the trick!

✩ — includes: zayne x f!baker!reader. fluff. fake dating trope (not executed properly sorry i dont think i gave it justice), not much drama and confession scene is a bit boring imo :/, pace is a bit messy, based of that one part in the cdrama "the best thing", cw: food mentioned (baked sweets and wine), they're both idiots in love, wc: 7,166. i went insane Yes so what.

✩ — note: hi babes @koiukiy-o it's finally finished like can u believe it. i finished it in one fucking day initially but i woke up at 6am in the morning today (its around half past 7am by the time posting this) and added a bit more.

for zayne, being a young, famous, and favored doctor in akso hospital isn’t as pleasing as it sounds. only because the majority of his older patients try to match him up with their daughters with every given chance during their appointments scheduled with him.

at first, it wasn’t all that serious. zayne even initially thought that maybe elderlies these days have started to grow accustomed to sharing stories of their children—of their daughters, specifically, who are coincidentally in the same age range as him. perhaps it was a new thing; yeah, that was probably it.

until the introductions became more frequent.

ONE: AS SURPRISING AS A SUDDEN BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE AT YOUR DOOR.

from a father whose daughter is a successful certified public accountant (CPA) to a mother whose daughter is currently a cardiology resident in a nearby hospital, the names and positions of these women have started to jumble in his head. all zayne could do is take a deep breath and smoothly deflect the questions of his patients regarding his current relationship status.

“dr. zayne, you know, i have this daughter..." here we go again. zayne tunes out whatever the old woman was saying, nodding every now and then to convince her that he was interested. the old woman’s daughter was something of a business owner, though it’s not like zayne is actually paying that much attention to the description his patient was giving him. his focus is solely on the results that are in his hands.

“do you have someone special in your life right now, dr. zayne?” zayne pauses; the shuffling of the lab reports in his hands stopped as he processed the question.

does he?

zayne doesn’t think that he does.

he has a few people that he cherishes in his life, yes. but does he think of himself settling down with someone by his side? well… not really—not yet, at least. zayne hasn’t given it that much thought himself. “before i answer that question, let’s discuss what your results have given us…” this method of zayne changing the subject works like a charm every time he does it. and with a blink of an eye, the old woman forgot her question and left after getting her new prescriptions from him.

zayne leans back on his chair, taking off his specs and pinched the bridge of his nose for a moment. he takes a deep breath, until his peace is interrupted by a knock at his door. the old woman should’ve been the last one; yvonne just came in and told him so not so long ago. he sits up right, fixing his posture as his professionalism starts to take over.

yet when the door creaks open to reveal you, zayne’s shoulders relax as he sits back once again.

maybe his peace wasn’t interrupted after all.

“what brings you here?” he asks you, eyeing you suspiciously as you’re obviously hiding something from him behind your back. “i come bearing gifts—one sweet little blueberry cheesecake from your favorite bakery! tadaaaa!” you say, revealing the little box to zayne and settling it on his desk, hoping he’d also envision the imaginary jazz hands you were doing before putting a plastic fork on top of it for him to use.

zayne has a sweet tooth and that’s practically common knowledge to you. and with you owning a bakery... well, let’s just say that the youngest heart surgeon in linkon city plays his favorites when it comes to shops that sell sweet pastries.

a smile cracks onto his face as he sees the box. gently removing the fork on top and opening the box, zayne inspects the blueberry cheesecake before him as if contemplating if he should eat it now or save it when he gets home. “you don’t have to eat it now, silly. i just wanted to drop it off before your work ends today,” you say.

“no, it’s alright. i’ll eat it now. the toppings could get ruined when i travel back home.”

as he starts taking a few bites, you propped your chin onto your palm and lean on it, staring at the sweet dessert that’s slowly being consumed right in front of you. “sooo, do you have someone in your life right now, dr. zayne?” you asked him, putting emphasis on the way you called him as a sign of mockery.

zayne deadpans at your question, suddenly stopping himself from getting another bite. his expression is clearly conveying a message to you wordlessly: are you being serious right now? but zayne just sighs and continues on getting another bite before replying. “how did you know about that?”

“i heard you two through the door. and when your last patient came out—she was a delight, by the way, greeting me so kindly—she suddenly asked me if i was your girlfriend! i obviously didn’t answer her properly and good thing yvonne came in to save the day and escort her out of the cardiology department.” you told him.

the sweetness of the small piece of blueberry glides across his senses as he listens to you. zayne finds himself sighing deeply for what seems like the nth today, twirling the fork in his hand as he thinks. he doesn’t like burdening this problem of his with you, especially when you have nothing to do with it. “seems like you’re thinking about a lot there. are your thoughts being consumed by the numerous names that got mentioned to you?” you teased.

“i beg your pardon?”

“i was only kidding! you looked so deep in thought there. is everything alright?”

zayne doesn’t know either. he doesn’t know how long he could keep deflecting and changing the topics when his patients try to pry into this part of his life. he has a soft spot for his patients, sure, and he’s satisfied with his job. though zayne didn’t know that he would be signing up for this when he became a cardiac surgeon.

“yes, my apologies. i seemed to have spaced out for a moment there.”

you glance over him, observing his mannerisms and his habits. whenever zayne twirls or plays with the item in his hand, it means he’s thinking. whenever he sits back on his chair, that means he’s relaxed. yet you never seen him space out—not until now, at least—and that’s what’s different.

odd.

but you didn’t push the topic further, as you’re well aware that zayne isn’t the type to express himself so freely. and as if a light bulb literally just gained it’s light inside your brain, the gears inside your head started turning as you suddenly got an idea. “i think i just got the greatest idea of my life.” you asked him.

“and what would that be?” he asks back. should i be scared? he thinks.

“you’ll see! just you wait and look forward to the next time i’ll drop by and visit.” you flash him a grin as zayne finishes the last bit of the blueberry cheesecake.

TWO: AS ENTICING AS SIX MACARONS SERVED RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.

the next time you saw each other, you didn’t visit zayne. zayne visited you, striding towards you sitting behind the counter. today was a saturday. and during saturdays, you open your shop a bit later than your usual opening time during weekdays.

seeing the doctor visit your shop sometimes gives you a pinch of nostalgia coursing through you. you never would’ve expected to form a connection with a praised doctor in linkon in your life. but you don’t really have any regrets about it. you enjoy the surgeon’s company and he seems to enjoy yours.

“and what brings you here today, dr. zayne?” you say, greeting him as his eyes scan the pastries displayed before him. “please, refrain from the formalities. do you have anything new to recommend?” he replies.

your gaze follows his as you join him in looking for a pastry to offer. “hmm… oh! i know! you could taste test a new macaron flavor i’ve been trying. would you mind taking a seat while i got get them for you?” zayne nods before finding himself a seat and you take that as your cue to start running towards the kitchen located at the inner part of your establishment.

when you got out, you joined him at the two-seater table he decided on, sitting across from him. “lately, i’ve been indulging myself in making macarons, right? and i wanted a different flavor for a change so i paired two ingredients together! take a bite and guess what it is.” you said, pushing the box of macarons towards him.

zayne inspects the macarons in front of him, attempting to deduce the flavor. it has a light brown color, with the filling having a deeper shade of brown. could it be two types of chocolate? he thinks.

“staring at it will get you nowhere if you don’t actually taste it, you know.”

he snaps out of his thoughts at your words. he awkwardly coughs into his fist, avoiding your gaze. you stifled a laugh at him but zayne noticed it, feeling his ears grow hot. “ahem. pardon me for that. i’ll taste them now.” he says, grabbing a piece of the pastry. as soon as he takes a bite, the familiar taste of coffee beans (perhaps roasted?) and nutella washes over his tongue.

you were right; this was a different flavor that you don’t see often. “it’s delicious. were the coffee beans roasted? or were they grounded?” a small gasp escapes your lips at his question. “it was roasted, yeah! i’m surprised you noticed that; i didn’t think anyone would.”

“i felt the small chunks of the coffee beans as i chewed. and nutella as a filling balances the taste of the beans. i’d say it’s a good product to endorse.”

“really?”

zayne hums in agreement, finishing the macaron in his hand before grabbing another one from the box. “i recall that you haven’t told me your “idea” yet since the last time we saw each other.” he says, before taking another bite.

“oh! sorry about that; i keep forgetting to stop by akso hospital lately. but worry not—i didn’t forget about my idea!” you replied, fishing something out of your pocket. it was a keyring, though it wasn’t that obvious at first glance. “your idea is... a keyring?” he asks.

“wrong, the keyword is ring!” you say, grabbing his hand to check if it fits on his ring finger.

you seemed unaware of the effect of your actions, suddenly taking zayne by surprise by your sudden touch. he feels the cold metal wrap around the ring finger of his dominant hand. “look, it’s a perfect fit! just remember to always have it on, especially when you have appointments and surely those introductions would be gone, right?”

zayne inspects the keyring around his finger, flipping his hand as he takes it in. “i never would’ve expected that a keyring could act as a marriage ring.” he states. “m-marriage ring?!” you exclaimed. i never really thought of it as that. you thought, mentally sweatdropping. “is it not supposed to be?” zayne’s gaze at you shows obvious confusion. “well… i guess it could serve as that. i just thought of it as some fake promise ring that you could use at most.”

“the purpose is the same. i don’t think it matters what it stands for—the main purpose of this is to show my older patients that i’m taken, right?”

“yup! it’s nothing much, really, but i feel bad for what you have to endure when you have your appointments. do you think it would work?” you reply.

“we just have to play our cards right and then we’ll see.”

“mhm! wait—we?”

“yes, we. did i say something wrong?” there he goes again with the confused look.

“what do you mean… we?” this better not be what i’m thinking. you hoped, bracing yourself for whatever bomb he was about to drop.

but just as your luck to that runs out, zayne replies. “i thought we were both going to be wearing keyrings?” fuck, i knew it. you thought. inside your head, you can envision yourself on all fours, punching the ground as you also try to think of something—anything to reply with.

“but you’re the only one who has this... conflict. what use would it be if i also wore one?”

before zayne could even realize it, he already took a step and started sailing in dangerous, uncharted waters. “you told me a few times, including the time that you last visited, that my patients have wondered and asked if you were my significant other. wouldn’t it be more convincing if we were to uphold that sentiment?”

you swore you could feel your soul drain itself out of your body.

“so you want us to... fake date, basically? so we could stop your older patients from introducing their endless amount of daughters and granddaughters? did i get that right?” you ask again, just to be sure if what you’re hearing is actually right and real.

“yes, you’re quite spot-on.”

“you’re lucky that i have two keyrings by coincidence.”

well, it’s not like it’s going to be anything serious. and it’s also beneficial for me because they also pester me with their questions every time i visit. the offer is way a bit enticing for it’s own good—but everything should be fine.

with a soft sigh and one macaron left on the box (you and zayne were snacking on them as you had your discussion), you spoke again. “you’ve got yourself a deal. you better start wearing that keyring, dr. zayne.”

“i don’t think you should be calling me that when we’re supposed to portray ourselves like a couple.” he remarked.

you choke on your own saliva at his statement. “w-we’ll talk about the other details another day! how does the next time i visit—which i actually promise to do now—sound?” cursing yourself for stammering (but how could you not when he caught you so off guard?), you try your best not to embarrass yourself any further. “that sounds good.”

as the last macaron on the box you served gets consumed, you find yourself securing a peculiar deal with a certain heart surgeon.

THREE: AS SOUR AS A BITE OF STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE MELTING ON YOUR TONGUE.

staying true to your promise, you visited zayne a few days after his visit to your bakery. you had the same keyring wrapped around your ring finger, hoping to find zayne the same. “are you busy?”

he glances at you from his monitor and you notice that his shoulders relax again when he realizes it was you in the doorway. “what pastry do you have in store for me this time?” he asks you as you approach to have yourself a seat on the small couch.

“sadly there’s no pastry today; i accidentally forgot to grab one from the bakery’s fridge before i left but next time i’ll bring you some strawberry shortcake!”

“i’ll take note of that.”

zayne then continues to speak. “about where we stopped our discussion last time... would it be okay with you to completely drop with the formalities in general? you don’t have to call me dr. zayne, especially when we’re in the hospital.”

“what do i call you then?”

“zayne would be just fine. almost no one calls me that here.”

“zayne, huh… zayne, zayne… zayne.” you repeat his name to get yourself used to it. “alright then, doct—i mean, zayne.”

he nods at you in acknowledgement as you shift your gaze at his dominant hand. surely enough, you saw that keyring on his finger. “i see you’re wearing the keyring. did it work so far?” you ask him. “actually, yes, it did. the introductions lessened and i found myself at peace with most of my appointments today.”

“so my plan does work. huh, i never would’ve thought.” zayne takes this as an opportunity to reply. “how about you? did your keyring work?”

“not yet, i guess? when i arrived, yvonne told me that your appointments and checkups were done for the day. so i didn’t really encounter any of your patients today. maybe next time.”

zayne visited your bakery during the weekend again. although unfortunately, you weren’t there. one of your employees said that you were busy with an errand today so zayne just got a slice of yet another blueberry cheesecake on the go and quickly made his leave.

(he doesn’t see why he would stay when he isn’t sure of what time you’d return.)

the next time you and zayne saw each other, you had forgotten to bring the strawberry shortcake you told him back then. but what did happen is that you encountered a few familiar patients of zayne’s. they were all women who looked like they’re in their mid-sixties in a group of three. they were chatting nearby the entrance to zayne’s office when they spotted you.

and apparently, one of them recognized you.

“hello, dear. you’re the one who brings dr. zayne snacks, right? i remember seeing you here before.” she says, approaching you. “ah, yes! that would be me.” you let out a soft chuckle at her. “how kind of you to do so! are you perhaps his girlfriend?” another woman asks. the woman who approached you (who introduced herself as violet), shushes her friend. “don’t throw sudden questions at the lady! sorry about her, dear.”

the third woman in their group suddenly perks up and points at your hand. “look violet, her ring looks familiar... where have i seen it before, i wonder?” as soon as she said that, all three of the women’s attention was now all on your hand with the keyring on it.

“isn’t that like the ring on dr. zayne’s hand?”

there was then a moment of silence before they all realized what that question meant.

after escaping the clutches of their neverending queries (that you tried to answer as much as you could, and you never could’ve escaped without yvonne’s help of escorting them out), you finally got to knock on zayne’s office.

“come in.” his voice sounds muffled through the door.

once you settle down yourself inside, you let out a huge and relieved sigh. “was there a commotion outside? i heard multiple voices through the door, one of them being yours.” zayne asks.

“ah, well it turns out that your patients are really observant. did you know i had to make up some fake story on the spot of how we met?”

“is that so? do you mind telling me what this story is? they might ask about it the next time they come for a checkup.” he replies.

the actual story of how you and zayne met wasn’t really that far off from the one you told the small group of old ladies.

(it was dusk when you encountered zayne on the sidewalk; you accidentally bumped into him and he noticed you were seemingly in a rush. “oh my god, i’m so sorry! i wasn’t looking where i was running.” zayne waves his hand dismissively. “it’s alright, are you hurt?”

“not at all—” you checked the time with your wrist watch. “crap! uhm, excuse me, sir. do you know if there’s a flower shop nearby here? i’m in a terrible need of dried flowers at the moment.” you ask him.

zayne thought about it for a moment, trying to recall if there is one. he then tells you the directions to the flower shop he has seen in the area and you immediately thanked him. “thank you, thank you so much! feel free to drop by the cozy oven. my treat for helping me! thank you again, kind sir!” you say before running off in the direction he told you.

that was first time you met him and you were sure that was also the first time he met you.

but what if it isn’t?)

“oh, you know, i just told them some silly old cliche where i bumped into you while holding two bouquets of flowers and decided to treat you to some coffee as an apology. nothing that out of the ordinary, really.”

“noted. they’ll probably ask me about which bouquet it was next time.” this time it was his turn to let out a sigh.

“oh yeah! one of my staff members said you visited the bakery last weekend. sorry, i was busy that time. my friend ordered a cake for this event and i was also invited to it so i had to leave the job of handling the bakery to my employees.” you told him. “it’s alright, don’t fret.”

that day ended with zayne offering you a ride home.

the next few times you and zayne were together after that, you swear something was changing.

you never thought zayne could be the touchy type; he grabs ahold of your hand, going as far as interlocking your fingers together. hell, he even puts his hand on your waist when you’re walking in public.

you knew what you were getting into when you both agreed on that deal. but it’s just so... strange. scary, if you think about it.

how is he so good at this? no, more like—

why does it feel so real?

zayne is an attractive man, and that was certainly a fact. smart, rich, handsome, and well-mannered—he’s even soft spoken for goodness sake! that man has got it all, which is no wonder why some of his patients would want to set up their daughter with him. any woman would be lucky to experience what it’s like to be loved by him.

but is this what it feels like?

perhaps.

that was all you could say—after all, this is all just a fake setup so you both could shoo away his patients.

yet if it was all fake, why were your faces suddenly so close to one another right now? your lips were close to brushing against each other; one small nudge and you’d find out what it was like to kiss zayne.

the sudden phone ring echoing somewhere in the room snaps the both of you out of it.

as you both pull away out of surprise, zayne picks up the phone. “this is zayne speaking.” he says.

you just sat there on his couch, wondering many things.

it’s just a fake stunt. don’t get sidetracked, (y/n).

but why is it that whenever you remind yourself that it is fake, an uncertain pang hits your chest? you never could tell zayne this; he might think you suddenly have a heart condition and be concerned (and you wouldn’t be surprised because he is someone who is under cardiology).

this could be nothing. no, scratch that; it is nothing. zayne is an impossible man to reach, and he is only a friend to you.

nothing more, nothing less.

the next time you visited zayne at akso hospital, you finally had a slice of strawberry shortcake stored safely in a box for him.

you were still distracted by the time you two almost kissed, but you couldn’t let zayne know that for obvious reasons.

at this point in your fake dating plan, his patients are all convinced that you both are together, finding it cute and squealing in awe when you see each other in the hallway where his office is located. you were surprised at how well you and zayne were pulling this off.

“special delivery for dr. zayne?” you say, peeking through the door to check if he’s busy. “and what did i order this time?” he asks back. you take that as your cue to step inside. “one slice of a promised and long overdue strawberry shortcake!” you told him, setting down the small box and another plastic fork on top of the box.

“about time you remembered.” he says, taking the fork and opening the box. the familiar scent of strawberry shortcake then circulates around the two of you, which made zayne take a bite almost immediately. “are you planning on visiting the bakery this weekend?” you then ask him.

zayne swallows before he speaks. “i have thought about it, yes. and i was actually planning to ask you about your weekend plans today actually.”

“oh? why?”

“i was just wondering if you’d like to make plans with me since i’m usually off-duty during weekends.”

you become a bit awkward as soon as zayne says that. and zayne, being as observant as ever, obviously noticed it. “is there something wrong? it’s okay if you’re busy.” you waved your hands at him, “no, no! it’s not like that. well, kinda i guess? ugh, it’s just that…”

“i may or may not have agreed to go on a blind date this weekend.”

if zayne hadn’t listened that carefully, he would’ve missed it. but no, he caught every single word that slipped out of you. the sour taste of the sliced strawberry, along with the spongy texture of the cake, suddenly felt like sand in zayne’s mouth. and as ironic as that, he suddenly feels iffy as soon as you say that—like he was also sour. “is that so… that’s alright. you should enjoy your plans instead.”

“wait. you’re not mad?”

am i mad? zayne mentally asked himself. he doesn’t think he is, but he does somewhat feel disturbed by the idea of you going on a date with another man, and that doesn’t feel right to him either. “i’m not. why would i be mad?” a lie.

you stiffen at your seat, trying to come up with an explanation. that question just slipped off of your tongue; you didn’t mean to ask that. “well, uhm.. you know, because we’re in this fake dating thingy, i just thought it would be weird to you if i were to go see someone else and all that, yeah.”

“you said it yourself; this is all fake. so i’m not stopping you if you want to do that.”

ouch? why does his confirmation that it’s nothing serious get a kick to it? you thought. “really? okay then, thanks for letting me know.”

zayne couldn’t shake off the sourness of the strawberry from his tongue. and the thing is—the strawberries that you use for your products aren’t even that sour. it was more sweet than sour in the first place. so why? why can’t he get the sourness off?

why does he suddenly feel so bitter at the thought of you seeing someone else?

the rest of the hour felt a bit suffocating after that.

FOUR: AS BLAND AS MISSING THE DELECTABLE TASTE OF YOUR COMPANY.

when the weekend rolled around, zayne didn’t visit your bakery. he didn’t find a need to because you weren’t there. he wasn’t close to your staff and he doesn’t really want to get close to them. and zayne isn’t that close with a lot of people in general, so he decided to spend his weekend at home.

he thinks about the conversation he had with you when you brought up the topic of having a blind date scheduled today.

and he still feels sour about that. he doesn’t know why.

then he suddenly remembers the one time when he was so close to feeling your lips on his. zayne hoped that he wasn’t obvious but this moment had perhaps made him short circuit. your face was so close—he could take every little detail of your features with the distance.

but you just had to have this blind date today.

zayne feels even more sour after that.

he was a doctor, yes, but he obviously isn’t an expert in psychology or emotions. so as he unlocks his phone, he opens the web browser installed and types in the search bar.

now, jealousy was a foreign concept for zayne.

he stares blankly at the results his search shows him, a part of him refusing to believe that what he was feeling was jealousy and the rational part of him telling himself that if this isn’t it, what else could it be?

but another question puts him in a dilemma. why is he even jealous in the first place?

of course you can go see other people. he doesn’t have the right to be mad about that. zayne didn’t own you, and you didn’t own zayne. if he were in your position, you’d just let him go on that blind date.

yet the idea of you falling in love with another makes him uneasy.

oh.

zayne wasn’t stupid. he didn’t need to drown himself in any more thoughts on this matter to realize what was happening to him.

he was falling.

falling for you, to be specific.

and there’s nothing that could help him.

being forced into a blind date never goes well. and you swore that you'd strangle your friend who forced you into this in the first place.

“so, what do you do for a living?” your date asks before sipping from his glass of red wine. “oh, i’m a baker. i run a bakery, actually. it’s located nearby akso hospital.”

“is that so? what do you usually bake?”

“i bake all sorts of things! from cakes to macarons—“ you pause when you say macarons. you suddenly recall the day when you asked zayne to taste test your new macaron flavor. you cleared your throat to regain composure.

“sorry about that; something just came to mind. but like i said, i bake a whole lot of cakes and pastries. i like to experiment with new flavors, you see. what about you?”

“oh, i’m currently a resident at akso hospital actually!” the man before you says. “really? under which department?” you ask him. “cardiology. i always found the heart a fascinating thing to study.”

you tried to hold yourself back from choking on your wine. “c-cardiology, you say…?” hearing the term come out of your date’s mouth has something uncomfortable bubbling up inside of you. your mind finds itself drifting back to zayne—

what am i even thinking? get a grip (y/n)! you’re on a date for fuck’s sake!

“mhm. one of my mentors is really nice, a bit cold but i know he’s just really like that. his name is dr. zayne, by the way.” and as if the universe is mocking you right now, your date just had to say that his mentor was zayne of all people.

“i think i’ve heard of him once or twice, yeah. he’s a good heart surgeon, right?”

as time seemed to pass by, you could feel yourself feeling more distracted. when the waiter came to ask if you’d like any dessert, your mind immediately thought of zayne.

while looking through the dessert menu, you wondered if zayne would like what this restaurant is offering. what would zayne’s opinion be on this?

and your date continues to speak, the sole fact that he’s a resident under zayne, was enough to sidetrack your mind towards him.

zayne, zayne, zayne. this whole date has done nothing but remind you of the doctor.

by the time the date was over, you entered the door to your apartment complex (which is located above your bakery) and slid against the door as soon as you closed it.

removing your heels as you were on the floor, you let out a sigh. “what the fuck is going on with me tonight?” you asked no one in particular.

the date wasn’t even bad but nothing about it felt right for you. like there was something clearly wrong with the whole principle of you going on a blind date in the first place but you didn’t know what it was.

you try to recall what happened before the blind date happened, trying to see if something would have triggered your current state.

your recollection brings you to the time you told zayne about the blind date a few days ago.

something felt off about him when you dropped the bomb on him that time. it’s as if something shifted in the air when you revealed your plans for the weekend to him.

“oh, god. you have got to be kidding me.” you facepalmed when the realization dawned upon you.

your thoughts were running. how could’ve i been so stupid? it was written all over my face in the first place! i like zayne. holy shit i actually—

but it all stops there when you then realize what you just said.

you didn’t visit zayne after your blind date. and when he visits your bakery, you hide yourself from him in the kitchen (and you also told your employees to not spill a word about your actual whereabouts, making them form excuses on what you’re up to).

simply to say, you were avoiding zayne.

it scared you. you didn’t know what to do with your new feelings, especially when the whole fake dating thing was still ongoing for the both of you.

how can you keep faking it all up when everything just feels so real? when you couldn’t help but wonder if you’re still friends after everything you’ve done?

zayne: Are you going to visit today?

zayne: I miss getting my special delivery.

you stared at his message, trying to process it. why did he have to say it like that? what does he mean by that? you thought.

(y/n): sorry, i can’t.

(y/n): i need to prioritize some cake orders for now. maybe next time.

zayne: Oh, alright then.

you know full well that there most probably won’t be a next time. you’ll just keep denying and deflecting as much as you can—and as long as you can.

however, zayne knew you were avoiding him and he most definitely didn’t need to be a genius to notice that.

but he doesn’t know why. was it something that he did? were you alright? perhaps you haven’t been feeling well as of late. were you overworking yourself lately?

zayne thinks about the time you two almost kissed again. maybe he should’ve gone for it. maybe he shouldn’t have answered that goddamn phone call. maybe—

maybe he shouldn’t have let you go on that blind date.

your phone vibrates against the pocket of your apron. you pull it out to check the notification and go blank at the sender.

zayne: Have you been well?

zayne: We haven’t seen each other lately.

his clinic hours are not the same as of late. zayne got so used to you visiting him at akso—to seeing you in general—that it just feels... bland now that you’re not present.

zayne misses you. and he wonders if you miss him too.

FIVE: AS SWEET AS KNOWING THAT I WASN’T TOO LATE.

(before you bumped into zayne on the sidewalk, you two had actually met.

once in a cafe, and once in the grocery store... zayne had noticed that since you two lived in the same community, it was bound that you’d encounter each other a lot—although you don’t really seem to notice him.

when zayne met you in the grocery store, the first thing that he noticed about you was that your shopping cart was halfway filled with baking ingredients. there were at least three (or was it four?) dozen of eggs stacked, two packs of all-purpose flour, a small bottle of sprinkles (both the colorful and chocolate ones), and a whole lot more.

at first glance, any other person would ignore you. zayne would be one of them—he had no clue why he noticed you and your shopping cart. he was only in the aisle because it’s the way to where the bread was located.

that was the first time zayne sees you.

the second time he saw you, zayne encountered you in a cafe this time. weeks passed since he saw you while he was out for groceries and you had papers sprawled all over the small table in front of you. zayne didn’t really get a good look at them but he assumed that it was all sorts of cake design from the single glance he got to have.

wedding cakes, birthday cakes, anniversary cakes. there were a whole bunch of designs. perhaps you baked for a living.

again, at first glance, any other person would ignore you. and zayne would still be one of them—though would this become a lie because isn’t it strange that it has happened twice? not like there’s anything bad with noticing you. it’s just... out of his character, per se.

the third time zayne meets you, it was the time you also recall—the encounter on the sidewalk. now, what were the chances that zayne would meet you there that late afternoon? he didn’t know.

and with that small conversation between the two of you happening, zayne’s assumption was correct. the baking ingredients, the cake designs, and now you telling him to visit your bakery—

maybe he should visit the cozy oven during the weekend.)

around three weeks have passed since you started ignoring him. you were surprised at how well you were doing so far. not like it was hard doing so. the real challenge was to ignore his texts and make yourself reply late.

and when he visits the bakery, which is what’s going on right now.

it was almost nine in the evening when you finished closing up your bakery. you heard footsteps getting louder, signaling that someone is walking towards you.

“there you are.” you knew that voice anywhere.

“zayne? what are you doing here at this hour?” you ask him out of surprise. “well, a certain someone seems to be hiding from me, so i thought it was time to change my strategy and do a surprise attack. it looks like it worked.”

“ah. sorry about that... work has been a bit busy. you know?” you take in zayne’s appearance before you, eyes slightly widening at the keyring that is still on his finger.

(how ironic because you were also wearing yours at the moment. your excuse would be “it was out of pure habit.”)

“so busy that even when i visit you hide yourself from me?”

he got you there. “i—no, no! it’s just that—“ zayne cuts you off with another question. “did i do something wrong?”

“what?”

“you heard me. (y/n), did i do something wrong? i understand that you’ve been busy but something feels different. like there’s something more to it than just you being busy.” he then says. why does he have to be always so observant?

the guilt of your decisions as of late started to eat you up inside. “i… i don’t know.”

“you don’t know?” zayne asks again.

“i mean, it’s not like i literally don’t know but it’s just... did we even do the right thing? you know, fake date and all of that.”

zayne could feel the unease creeping up on him with your question. “the plan worked, did it not?”

“no, zayne. what i mean is that did we do the right thing with fake dating in the first place? because for the love of god, we almost kissed! and—and we’re both old enough to realize that friends don’t just... kiss.”

“is this about your blind date a few weeks ago?” you don’t know what he means by that. because you never met up again with that blind date, telling him that as much as it was nice to know him, you’re not really interested in giving romance a whirl for now.

you didn’t know what to answer to that. “so it is.” he then says. you wanted to say no, but no words came out of you. it was as if your lips felt like they were sewn closed. “i guess i was too late then.”

too late?

“wait—what do you mean too late?”

zayne’s look in his eyes confused you. you couldn’t decipher the emotions that were present in his gaze. “aren’t you still seeing your blind date nowadays?”

then it all made sense to you.

zayne thinks the reason you started avoiding him was probably because he thought you hit it off with your blind date. before you could answer his question, he speaks again. “to be honest with you, recently, especially during your absence, i have come to the realization that i like you, (y/n).”

wait. what?

too speechless to cut in, he continues. “i felt off when you first said that you agreed to that blind date of yours. i just brushed it off back then but later i realized that it was because i was jealous. i soon regretted not doing anything about it—and when you started ignoring me, i couldn’t help but think that maybe you didn’t want to visit me anymore in my office as a sign of respect to your new lover.” in other words, i missed you.

you try to process everything that he just came clean about. but there is only one highlight in everything he said—he likes you. zayne likes you.

and you like him too.

“first of all, i’m really sorry for ignoring you, zayne. i honestly only did it out of fear because i recently realized that i like you too.” zayne was about to speak up when you raised a hand to shush him. “let me finish first. i never met with my blind date again after our first meeting. i told him that i kindly told him that i didn’t want to try romance for now—though that was partially a lie because i only find myself wanting to try romance out with you.”

zayne also only got one highlight out of that—you like him too. that’s all that matters to him.

“so i wasn’t too late?” he then asks.

you take a few steps closer to him. “no, zayne. you’re just in time.” zayne’s hands find themselves on your waist. “then can i kiss you?” you shoot him a playful glare. “are you sure a phone call isn’t going to interrupt us this time?” you then say, arms wrapping themselves around his neck.

“i’m sure.”

“then you can.”

and without hesitation, zayne leans in to capture your lips with his. he could feel you smiling in the kiss, and zayne savors the faint taste of your lippie—not minding that it might have smudged on his lips now.

when you both pulled away, you couldn’t help but giggle. zayne’s lips were covered in some of your tinted lip gloss. you reach out a hand to smudge it away before pecking him a quick kiss to his nose and asking him, “do you want to come inside? i have a new macaron flavor for you to taste test.”

“is that so? what is it this time?” he replies, hands not leaving your waist.

“salted caramel! but not the ones that are sweet; i made sure that this one actually has a salty kick to it!”

zayne definitely has a sweet tooth.

yet there’s nothing more sweet than knowing that you like him too.

#( writings )#love and deepspace #lads #love and deepspace x reader #lads x reader #zayne love and deepspace #lads zayne #zayne x reader #zayne x you #l&ds zayne #zayne #x reader

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happypopcornprincess · 3 days ago

Text

Chapter 1 || I Can See You

Pairings - Joaquin Torres X fem!Reader

Premise - At a glamorous gala, Y/N's life intertwines with Joaquin's. A pact ensues, while a dangerous mission looms.

Word Count - 4.5K

Warnings: SMUT, Angst, Mentions of blood, domestic violence

a/n - This story is based between the events of Endgame and Brave New World. In this AU, Tony Stark survived and the New characters of the MCU are on the way to be the new recruits of the Avengers. Hope you guys like this <3

Series Masterlist

Avengers Compound, Post Endgame

If it wasn’t for Pepper to quite literally threaten you to attend her Annual Charity Gala, you wouldn’t even be here. The atmosphere around you was straight out of some high society drama. The grey walls of the newly reconstructed avengers compound were covered in silver tones, a huge silver chandelier hanging in the middle of the hall, there was laughter in the air, and everyone was dressed to the nines.

Just how a party was supposed to be… when the host was the one and only Pepper Potts. Tony was there too, even though his hand was still recovering from the snap, but he was cheery and loud as always.

You sipped your champagne in silence, standing far away from the dance floor.

You were chosen by Sam from MIT to help the Avengers. You had trained with the new recruits, Kate, Peter… They were good kids. Training with them was… well, it was something. Sam was great, and helped you all adjust. Honestly, the Avengers? They were intimidating. superhuman intimidating. But you had your strengths. Sharpshooting was always your thing. And you threw yourself into the training, every single bit of it. They told you it was for intel missions, to keep you out of direct harm's way. But that wasn't enough. You wanted more. Because you were not aiming for 'safe.'

You were aiming to be an Avenger.

Your job was to figure out how Kingpin just vanished into thin air after Christmas. The task has taken over your daily routine after you met Kate Bishop. It’s been months of interviewing eyewitnesses, going on the streets undercover, nights of no sleep with a shit ton of coffee, and just when you think you’re about to solve it… you meet a dead end.

“Trying to hide behind the curtains again are we y/n?” Bucky’s voice made you look to your right, and there he was. Standing next to you wearing a sharp three-piece black suit, his hair slicked back.

You finally understood what Steve meant when he would say girls back then would throw themselves at Bucky.

He turned to you in disgust, “Are you checking me out?”

“You wish, asshole.” You mutter in your glass.

You and Bucky had developed an unlikely friendship after the blip bought him back. He was pardoned, and moved into a quaint apartment complex deep in the city, unknown to the fact that you lived right next to his place.

On a stormy night after the nightmares won’t let you both sleep, sharing one bottle of whiskey between you was all it took for you to spill your life to him. You have turned into each other’s best friends and occasional love life advisor, although it was kind of a package deal.

Which is why you knew the reason he was so dressed up for the first time since you met.

“You see Sam anywhere?” he asks you nonchalantly.

You give him a sly smirk, “Why? Can’t wait to shove your tongue down his throat?”

Bucky gives you a sideward glance, and goes back to looking at the crowd.

He was still figuring out his feelings towards both men and women, especially towards one man.

Returning from the Flag Smashers situation, he would not shut up how ‘annoying’ and ‘frustratingly righteous’ Sam Wilson is, how his smirk makes him want to ‘strangle’ him.

You asked him one evening if he was having a ‘full-on-bi-panic’ and he threw a pillow at your face.

“y/n! there you are!” Sam bellows as he walks towards the two of you, wearing a crisp grey suit over a white button up, looking as dapper as always.

“Sam!” you laugh, giving him a tight hug. He was your mentor, someone you looked up to. And hopefully your bestie’s future boyfriend.

“You look absolutely gorgeous!” he threw you one of his classic smiles as he retreated.

You look down to the pastel pink knee length dress you were wearing.

Hustling the life of an avenger straight out of MIT, it was the only dress you owned. And after paying for it out of your own pocket you realize fancy dresses cost a hand and a leg, and you refuse to part from it.

“Thank you Sam I-” you were about to thank him but stopped once you noticed him absolutely gawking at Bucky.

“Hey Bucky.” He smiled.

“Hey Sam.” Bucky gave him a nod.

You almost roll your eyes at the exchange, wondering when they will move on from the weird talking phase.

“Hello.”

An angelic voice interrupted your train of thoughts. Looking away your eyes meet a pair of the warmest brown eyes. He was standing behind Sam. A tall, tan-skinned man, wearing a crisp black suit stood in front of you. His curls fell on his forehead, and his smile was intoxicating.

He looked like a high surf tide; calling out for you to test the waters.

You extend your right hand, smiling at him. “Hey, I’m y/n”

He held it with his right, it made your heart race when he brought your hand up to his lips and kissed your knuckles, his hands warm and his lips soft, sending a jolt through your body.

Oh, he’s mischief alright!

You were left speechless when he straightened, a smirk thrown out your way as Sam spoke up, “This is the guy I told y’all about! Lt. Joaquin Torres.” He slapped a hand on Joaquin’s back, smiling with pride.

“And this is y/n y/l/n, fresh transfer from MIT. She’s our tech genius, and a walking journal on film recommendations.”

Laughter followed as your eyes couldn’t help but stay trained on Joaquin. Thinking back on the time when Sam told the team about the new Falcon joining them after a while, you somehow manage to speak up at that moment, “Welcome to the circus.” You take a deliberately long sip of your float, never breaking eye contact.

He gulped nervously, eyes wide, clearly startled by you flirting.

“You haven’t had a drink yet Lieutenant? Let’s get you something.” you smile involuntarily.

He stands back for you to lead the way, “Sure. And it’s just Joaquin, please.” he laughs just after, his honey laced voice paired with your tad bit hazy mind doing wonders to your imagination.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/--/-

They keep watchful eyes on us So it's best that we move fast and keep quiet You won't believe half the things I see inside my head Wait 'til you see half the things that haven’t happened yet

“Wait a minute…” you smiled, “you cannot possibly think Love Actually is better than The Holiday?”

“It’s the perfect rom com!” Joaquin laughs, “it covered basically every rom com trope under the sun.”

“But, listen to me, but…” you say, your slightly tipsy self leaning on the wall behind you, as Joaquin stood in front of you, holding his own glass of whiskey, “Quantity never matters in front of quality. All characters in The Holiday are well written with meaningful backgrounds and great character redemption arcs. And it’s got Jude Law.”

Joaquin raises his hands, “Jude Law.”

“Jude Law.” you laugh, at how he was mocking a defeated pose.

“When Sam told me I can’t lose a movie debate with you, I couldn’t believe him.”

You try to curtsey, “thank you.”

“Wanna get out of here?” Joaquin blurted out abruptly.

It took you a while to gain your consciousness, and a laugh left your lips at what he just said. You saw his eyes traveling to your lips, and how his breath fastened as you took a deliberately long sip of your drink.

You smirked, “sure.”

—/—/—

You find yourself sneaking through the backdoor and upstairs towards the living quarters of the Avengers compound as you drag Joaquin by his coat as you slip into an unassigned room. The furniture was still uncovered, but there was a couch in a corner right next to the opened windows where moonlight pooled in.

Perfect.

The alcohol surging through your system gives you newfound courage, and seconds later Joaquin was being thrown on the couch by you. His pupils dilated, his gaze trained on you and his scent lingering in the air, you straddled him without hesitation.

“Are you good?” His breathy voice went straight to your core, and without a word you crashed your lips on his.

He’s gonna be the death of me.

The taste of expensive champagne hit your mouth, Joaquin’s tongue slipping in your mouth sliding in with fervor. Your gasp is swallowed by his lips, his hands travelling south towards the zipper of your dress.

Your hands fumble with his coat, taking it off of him and raising his shirt just enough to slide your hands underneath. Warm, toned muscles met your hands, and the way he sucked your lips made you forget everything. You couldn’t breathe, but couldn’t move away from him either, entirely lost in taking him in.

Joaquin jerked back all of a sudden, making you whine.

“Wait, wait…” He breathed out, his breath cooling your skin.

“Just kiss me.” You exhaled, grabbing his tie to pull him in, but he leaned back.

Joaquin gently held your wrists, “y/n… hey, look at me,” he breathlessly said, “look at me for a second.”

You do, at his messy hair, puffy lips, and blown out pupils.

He holds out his hand, “how many fingers am I holding up.”

You scrunch your brows in confusion, eyes drifting to his fingers in front of your face. You get the tunnel vision every time you’ve had a bit too much whiskey, you see double.

Concentrating hard on your answer, you slur out, “four?”

Joaquin closes his eyes, looking up and huffing out a breath, “you’re very drunk.” You feel his hands on your waist, and he carefully sits you down on the couch next to him.

You whine at the loss of his touch as he gets up from the couch. He returns a minute later with a bottle of water, sitting next to you and making you drink the entire thing.

“Can we go back to the part where you kiss me until I forget my name?” you breathe out.

Joaquin laughs out, settling down next to you and leaning back on the couch. You straighten your dress, and sit with your shoulders touching. You steal a glance his way.

His coat was gone, his tie hung loose on his neck, his white button shirt straining on his arms…

Someone works out…

The faint moonlight hitting from behind him made the outline of the veins on his neck visible.

I want to lick it...

You scrunch your eyes as soon as you hear that inside your head.

Wow, he’s right, I am drunk.

“As much as I’d like to do that,” he looks your way, “I can’t. You’re very drunk.”

A smile itches on your face, and you ask, “so what should we do then?”

“Talk?” he suggests, turning to you, resting his head on the backrest and looking you right in your eyes. “I know nothing about you. You know nothing about me. Let’s talk.”

You laugh out loud, “okay,” the smile refusing to leave your face, “what do you want to know?”

“Anything.” he says with a warm smile on his face.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

You wake up in an unfamiliar room and a blinding headache, on a mattress too soft for your liking, the sunlight hitting your face with full force.

Grunting, you sit up, rubbing your forehead.

Something slips off your body, and you look down and find someone has covered you with a black suit coat while you slept.

The man with the warm eyes and gentle touch.

You laugh, rubbing your head at the absurdity of the situation.

You wear it over your dress and walk out of the room, after last night’s party everybody would be sleeping in. You can sneak out unnoticed.

You swiftly call an uber, and shove your hands inside the pockets of Joaquin’s coat.

The feel of rough paper makes you stop in your tracks, you take it out of the pocket to see a torn piece of labeling paper inside, a note greeting you.

9546-555-6783 See you soon, I guess? (Take care of my coat till then? It’s my favorite suit.) - Joaquin

-/-/-/-/-/-

You brush past me in the hallway And you don't think I, I, I can see ya, do ya? I’ve been watchin' you for ages And I spend my time tryin' not to feel it

Joaquin joined the team a week later. He chose to stay on the compound, and soon blended in with the new avengers. Peter and Kate grew especially fond of him. When Shang-Chi joined the ranks, he, too, was welcomed into your close-knit circle.

You spared during training, made breakfast together, had constant debates on cinema and stories. He loved the classics, and you had a nick for science fiction. You should have cancelled out each other, but your differences only made your bond stronger. The differences weren't a barrier; they were a bridge. You shared tech skills learned during your time at MIT, revealing the details of coding and circuits. In return, he shared practical knowledge from his air force background; survival techniques and tactical strategies.

Your apartment, though smaller than the compound's common areas, became the gathering spot for your group. Lazy weekends of your teams were spent at your place, you'd watch old movies, host game nights, and then collapse on any available surface.

Peter had a habit of entering your apartment through your window, and Kate never got used to it. Takeout was a foreign concept with your friends. Instead, Shang-Chi and Joaquin would take over the kitchen, making a mouth watering combination of asian food and mexican food, that could best possibly win them masterchef if they ever could.

These people, this band of young individuals navigating life… they became your chosen family. They were your support system, your confidantes, your partners in crime.

No one seemed to notice the stolen glances, the lingering touches, the quiet conversations that stretched late into the night. Or perhaps they did notice, and simply didn't care.

-/-/-/-/-/-

But what would you do if I went to touch you now? What would you do if they never found us out? What would you do if we never made a sound?

Clouds grumbled above, as angry raindrops splattered on your apartment window. You were sitting on your couch with three devices settled in front of you: a laptop and two tablets running algorithms and analytics for locating kingpin. Kate had gathered intel that he still had someone in the states giving him updates and keeping him safe. But where?

That was a question you were determined to get answers to. Which is why you had made it your mission to get to the base of this.

Amidst the thunderous rain outside, you hear a knock on the door, and from the corner of your eye you witness Joaquin enter, carrying takeout containers.

“You’ll have to use the fork for the noodles, I just ran out of chopsticks!” you shout, without even looking at his direction.

“Y/n” Joaquin huffed out in frustration, “please tell me you didn’t ‘sense’ Thai food from me.”

“I did.” you laugh, looking at the bewildered Joaquin standing in your kitchen. He had jeans and a sleeveless gym shirt on. Involuntarily your eyes went to his toned arms, and you did a quick diversion of your thoughts to the TV.

”I come bearing sustenance. Chow Mein and Thai green curry, extra spicy, just how you like it.” he says, followed by the scrunching of the takeout container.

You sit up straighter with a smile itching on your lips, your favorite food just when you were low on inspiration. “You're a lifesaver, these logistics are killing me.”

Joaquin sets the containers on the coffee table. He sits next to you, close enough that your thighs brush. He huffs out, “Tell me about it. Sam's been drilling us on contingency plans all day. I swear, he's got a backup plan for the backup plan.”

You laugh, “That's Sam for you. Always prepared.”

You open the containers, the aroma of the curry filling the room, and digging into the food in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

“You got something on your…” Joaquin speaks, and you look at him with a particularly big bite in your mouth.

“Hmm?” you mutter.”

He reaches out and gently wipes a bit of sauce from the corner of your mouth. The gesture is intimate, lingering a moment too long. If you don’t count your sparring training, this was the closest you had been since ‘that’ night at the charity gala. Your hands grab his arm on their own.

It feels… good. Too good. It's been so long since anyone touched you like this. Desired you. Like you mattered. Like you weren't just… a disappointment. You… you want this. You want him.

But what if you mess it up? What if you push him away, like you did with…

Your heart almost leapt out of your chest as he gently cupped your face in his hands, your gaze locked on his warm brown eyes. He leaned in towards your lips, a silent question in his expression. You paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing your face, and gently pulled back.

He too leaned back, respecting your space. The tension remained, but now it carried a hint of gentle inquiry.

Looking down, you fidgeted with your hands, "It's not that I don't… I just… we need to be sure about this." You huffed out in frustration, trying to articulate your tangled thoughts.

"I want you," he stated, his voice low and sincere. You looked up at him instantly, his pupils dilated, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths. "I want you in ways you can't imagine, y/n. And I will walk out of here right now if you don't want this. We can forget this ever happened."

Thunder roared in the skies above, and lightning illuminated his face through the window as he paused, his expression open and honest. "But," he gulped, his eyes searching yours, "if you do want this… then…"

He left the rest unsaid, giving you the space to make your own choice.

Your internal conflict finally tipped towards action.

Oh, fuck this…

His words were lost as soon as you crashed your lips on his.

—/—/—

You stumbled into your room, Joaquin’s lips didn’t leave yours as he threw the two of you on the bed. Pulling you under him, his hands were everywhere. Your mind could only catch up with a few, as it was too busy taking in all of him.

Joaquin made you feel like your entire body was on fire. Your hands flew straight to his hair, a moan leaving his lips. You did quick work on his clothes, leaving him in his boxers as he got busy removing yours.

No words were exchanged as he moved low, kissing and sucking your skin in all the places that made your vision hazy. You could only whine and gasp as he grabbed your legs and rested them on his shoulders.

And then he stopped.

You look down to see a mischievous grin plastered on his face, his pupils blown wide.

“Joaquin…” you breathe out, “stop teasing me.”

His eyes darken as he let out a low murmur against your skin and without warning dived in, a loud moan leaving your lips as pleasure rushed through your body.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

And I could see you being my addiction You can see me as a secret mission

“So… what is this?” you ask, lying next to him covered in sweat, panting. You rolled away next to him, completely exhausted from your acts that lasted three blissful hours.

“You’re asking this now?” he mutters, eyes fixed at the ceiling. “I’m pretty sure fraternizing between teammates is not allowed here.” He groans.

You close your eyes, trying to think about if that rule existed among the Avengers. As far as you knew nobody was involved with each other here. “We can be friends.” You suggest.

“What!” you feel the mattress shift and open your eyes to him leaning over you.

“No, just… think about it.” You shift to lean on the headboard, gathering the sheets to cover your chest, “you’re new to the team.”

Joaquin takes a pillow to cover himself and sits cross-legged in front of you, “okay.”

You stop for a second, staring at his abs.

Y/n stop it! Focus!

“We can’t just go ahead and announce that we’re sleeping together, or dating. They will never let us live this down. Especially Bucky. And Kate. Maybe Sam…” You state, matter of factly.

“Wait, wait! Stop!” he gestures, eyebrows scrunched, “You want to date me?”

“No! I don’t like you like that!” almost scream out, “do you wanna date me?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then I don’t see a problem with… this!” You throw out your hands.

“What is this exactly?” Joaquin pointed between you two.

You groan, “ugh, you’re as thick as it gets!” You adjust the sheets around your body to free your hands, “what did you think of me the first time you saw me?”

“At the gala? Huh…” he thinks, “That you have the prettiest smile.” he shocks you with the last part, but then he adds on, “also you looked hot in that pink dress.”

There we go.

“Well, I thought you had a great voice, and your eyes were really pretty.” You truthfully admit, “also you looked like trouble… and I have a thing for bad boys.”

“I’m twenty-five.”

“Whatever.”

“You swear you don’t want anything other than sex with me?” he asks you.

You nod, “Yeah. You?”

“I don’t.”

“Okay.”

“Okay!”

Joaquin gets up from his place, picking up his boxers and putting them on, “So just to be clear… we’re friends.”

“Yep!” you catch your sweatshirt that he throws your way.

He puts on his shirt next, “With benefits.”

“Absolutely.” You say, debating whether you should get up the bed or not, exhaustion rolling over your senses.

“And you promise you won’t fall in love with me.” He points to you.

“Oh please, if anything you’ll be falling first.” You say through a yawn.

Joaquin laughs putting on his pants, “well, I’m gonna go get something to eat. You want something?”

“Do you mind if I take a nap? I’m tired.” You grimace.

He smiles at you, “Go ahead.”

You fall back on the bed, as you hear his footsteps going away… the sweet embrace of sleep following you next.

—/—/—

Few weeks later

Your place or mine?

Your screen lit up with the message from Joaquin. You smirked

Yours? In an hour? You press send, and let out a laugh as you see the blue tick instantly.

Done.

Before you could ask him the reason he got so worked up, you hear F.R.I.D.A.Y’s automated voice - Scan. Complete.

A low hum filled the operations center as you meticulously analyzed the fragmented data streams scanned by F.R.I.D.A.Y. Dozens of photographs presented infront of you but your eyes instantly locked in on one in particular. Your focus narrowed on a grainy image emerging from the static.

Broad shoulders, crisply pressed suit, gold rings on the fingers… could it be…

“Y/n!” Kate and Peter shout in unison as you slapped a stack of files on the kitchen table. Sam, Bucky, Shang Chi, Joaquin, all who were just about to eat, whipped their heads towards the commotion.

“I think I've found him,” you announced, pointing to the figure.

Sam and Bucky shared a look, and rushed towards you as you opened up a holographic display on your tab. Joaquin and you share a look, he was amused, a small smile on his face letting you know he was excited for what you found out, you smirked and quickly look away trying to focus on the scene infront of you.

“All this time I was searching for him here… but…” Cross-referencing facial recognition, thermal readings, and satellite data, you enlarged a section of the display, revealing a stark desert landscape. “The terrain, the temperature… it all points to one place... Mexico.”

A collective sense of surprise filled the room.

'Mexico?' Peter questioned, 'What's he doing down there?'

You zoomed in on a satellite image, enhanced thermal readings revealing a network of hidden structures. 'I don’t know, but he's planning something,' you stated, a sense of urgency creeping into your voice. 'Something big.' The implications hung heavy in the air.

“This changes everything.” You nodded, your gaze fixed on the display. 'We need to move fast.”

To Be Continued...

A/N - Thank you everyone for sticking with me till the end of this fic! if you liked it please let me know through the asks and the comments. Next Chapter will be up soon... Love y'all, Take Care!

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curiouspupsicle · 3 days ago

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Good Omens Fan Fiction Friday (2/28/25) - Alt Season 3 Speculation

Following the ending of Good Omens season 2, desperate fans brought all their creativity to imagining what season 3 could look like. And they created some AMAZING and EPIC works.

Many of them began with a drunk and destructive Crowley left to make sense of Aziraphale returning to heaven. Eventually, the pair find themselves working together to avert the Second Coming (not always after reconciling). And then follows chapters of action-oriented, plot-driven, high-drama fan fiction. This list is not about those fics. (But someone else definitely needs to recommend a bunch of them in their own post.)

Instead, I'm recommending the quirky, alternative views of what might have happened after the final 15. These are fics where Crowley is less self-destructive. Where the action is generally toned down. Where feelings matter more than the plot.

In other words, these are the speculative season 3 fics that zig when everyone else zags.

Let's start with a silly one--Kidnapping a Supreme Archangel for Fun and Profit (T) by @waitingtobebroken. This four-part series has Crowley becoming Grand Duke of Hell. And befitting his high office, Crowley sets about tormenting the Supreme Archangel Aziraphale--by force-feeding him sushi, holding him by the hand to keep him from escaping, and leading him on a forced march through the park. How evil!

A longtime favorite of mine is But You Are An Ocean (T) by megzseattle/ @ineffably-good. Rather than fall apart, Crowley moves to the South Downs himself and becomes a "project" for the locals to befriend. Our ineffable pair are eventually reunited but without fireworks and flaming swords. And it's just a delight.

I'm breaking my own category by including the action-packed Down/Up (M) by @klikandtuna. I can't tell you more without spoiling the story. But you won't regret reading this story of BAMF!Crowley and BAMF!Aziraphale. It's a unique and fascinating take that still fits with this theme. Mind the content warnings.

In Among the Stacks (NR) by MeinirRhos/ @rhosmeinir, Crowley senses Aziraphale for a year after he returns to heaven. Until, one day, he doesn't. After moving on the best he can, Crowley finds Aziraphale is working in a library. Or is he?

And here's my exception to avoiding drunk Crowley--don't let this darkness fool you (M) by @mygalfriday. The Mayfair flat is a disaster zone when Shax shows up with a fallen Aziraphale. Everything about the Second Coming is extraneous when it comes to our demon caring for his angel.

Finally, Ginger_Cat/ @gingiekittycat wrote a long one-shot that hints at the epic speculative season 3 they would write in Prelude to an Epic (T). Crowley takes the role of Duke of Hell strictly to get the last word with Aziraphale. Instead, he finds himself in--well, a prelude to an epic story of heaven and hell. Can't give much away without spoiling the story. But this would be a good work to pair with Down/Up.

I'll be back next Friday with more recs on an entirely idiosyncratic theme. Follow and reblog to keep track.

And check out previously recommended fics on my pinned post of weekly Good Omens fan fiction recommendations

#good omens #good omens fanfiction #go fan fic recs #go fan fiction recommendations #good omens fan fiction #good omens fan fiction recommendations #good omens fan fiction recs #go fan fiction recs #go fan fic rec #reblog and share #crowley #aziraphale

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dropthedemiurge · 2 days ago

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Omg omg omg Love for Love's Sake actors are hinting at something!! 👀

Taevin (Myungha) said in his personal chat: "It's getting warmer, spring is coming soon. But we will meet again, when I'll be Twenty Nine 😉" (and "Twenty Nine" is connected to the latest LFLS side story title that was written after drama aired! It's called "Twenty Nine, Nineteen")

Meanwhile Joowan (Yeowoon) posted a clip of him performing Still Child, a clip of him filming track field during LFLS and then wrote "Good news are coming soon 🤍💙" (White and Blue are actors' respective colors :])

I bet they are filming spin-off. Where 19yo angsty Myungha from the original world gets transferred into 29yo Myungha body who's been happily living with Yeowoon for 10 years already.

Because we already got the content for the middle of a novel (autumn fanmeeting when they talked about Myungha and Yeowoon life after LFLS ending according to the novel) so the rest are spin-offs, and 29-19 is the latest one kinda inspired by drama and viewers' response (so it also tackles topics of happiness, care, friends etc, not just fanservice).

I am sorry in advance about how unbearable I'll be once good news are really coming!!!

(I really should find some time to translate this spinoff novel, wouldn't mind any helpers though... :')

#love for love's sake #love supremacy zone #love for love's sake comments #lfls #kbl #korean bl #cha joowan #lee taevin #myungha x yeowoon #tae myungha #cha yeowoon

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rhiannonsknife · 2 days ago

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DROP UR HOT TAKE GIRLIE WE SUPPORT YOU

-🔆

okay, listen!!! in the grand scheme of things, this is such a non-issue. the show raises way more important questions than this, and i wasn’t even planning on posting this note. it was just a silly little rant in my notes app because my brain latched onto it, so here we are! i wrote this before episode 4 so it’s spoiler free :) (the only things i edited just now are in italics)

also, for context, this is coming from someone who genuinely could not care less about shaving and will never not stand for the fact that body hair is beautiful. if this wasn’t clear from the great bush discourse yet.

anyway. to the people saying ‘it’s a hallucination’ in response to the (minimal but very important) no armpit hair discourse: first of all, be ready to hear from me again if shauna still doesn’t have armpit hair in other scenes, because by your logic, it should definitely be there then. (yeah…this whole argument was proven wrong since then, so…)

but also!!! also!!! while a part of me wants to say this is kind of irrelevant, i really don’t think it is. name more than three movies and/or tv shows where all of the cast actually have a realistic portrayal of body hair, especially the women/non-men. i’ll wait.

like, sure, coach ben has a full face of hair because he (obviously) can’t be bothered to shave out there/probably didn’t even bring a fuck-ass razor for a weekend trip, but most (not all, but most) of the girls have clean-shaven legs, armpits etc etc (we’ve already seen this outside of hallucinations, so don’t tell me it’s about that again)

and yeah, maybe it’s just about the cast’s personal preference, but if you’re on a show about being stranded in the wilderness for nineteen months, giving up shaving for a couple of weeks before filming to reflect a more realistic portrayal of the female body doesn’t seem like that much of a stretch idk 😭

it just highlights a bigger issue in media, which is basically my whole point here: how women’s bodies are always portrayed in a way that conforms to beauty standards, even in situations where it makes no sense. we see men with stubble, unkempt hair to sell the idea that they’re surviving, but when it comes to women? smooth legs, shaved armpits. you could be watching a post-apocalyptic movie, a historical drama, even something like yellowjackets, and still, the natural way women’s bodies actually look is rarely ever acknowledged.

and i get that, to some extent, actors might not want to change their grooming habits for a role. like, obviously, no one should be forced to do something that makes them uncomfortable! there are actors who put their bodies through extreme changes for roles, whether it’s major weight loss/gain, muscle gain etc. and it’s completely reasonable for someone to set their own boundaries with that. but the thing is…growing body hair out isn’t some huge, irreversible transformation. it’s not a physical strain, it’s not a health risk, it’s literally just skipping a step in your routine. it saves time rather than adding any sort of challenge, so what exactly is speaking against doing it? because if it’s just that we, as a society, still think women with body hair don’t “look good” on screen, then yeah. that’s kind of the whole issue. (chat again: not that deep. I KNOW. this is just my take here)

but at the same time, why is body hair seen as something so unthinkable for women to have on screen in the first place? like, we’ve been conditioned to think it’s “unhygienic” or “unappealing,” when in reality, it’s literally just…hair. men get to be scruffy and unshaven in movies all the time for the sake of realism!!

— a/n: guys again: it really isn’t that big of a deal, i know, and i was literally just yapping in my notes app, that’s all this is about. because i feel very strongly about the way our bodies tend to be portrayed in media. but after the great bush discourse, i just felt like pointing it out!!

#the great bush discourse of 2025 #🔆 anon #yellowjackets #yellowjackets s3

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theadhddimsenion · 3 days ago

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One thing I have noticed about blitz antis, (and toxic critics and haters of this series in general) is that they claim to care so much diversity and mental health but when vivi writes such charaters in a way that not only doesn't romanticize topics like self hatred and abuse in a way that doesn't shy away from the real pains and struggles of such things they get pissed about it and call it evil!

Vivis work is far from prefect. It has some jokes that are in poor taste, some of humor doesn't always land, it can struggle to get it's ideas across, sometimes the drama is undercut by the comedy and vice versa but one thing that you can't say in good faith is that It presents a romanticized view of the struggles of those affected by trauma.

The show is never afraid to show you the casts folly as people and that's a lot more than some can say. It's not afraid to show you when blitz is being a self hating ass, when moxxie is being a obnoxious little prude, when millies being a stubborn dick, when loonas an ungrateful bitch or when stolas is a classist putz.

It's honestly telling that so many of these so called "critics" often sound like the type of obnoxious frat boys who have never experienced any form of mental struggle or any struggle in their lives! Not to mention helluva boss is incredibly brave in refusing to bow down to any kind of black and white morality system which is something that deserves it's own post.

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monabee-draws · 3 days ago

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Character Motivation, Inciting Incidents, and Veilguard Backgrounds

Okay, big title for what will likely be a short post but I hope this draws out some cool idea-generation from the fandom. [Spoiler, it got long and out of hand, apologies.]

One crucial aspect of the origin stories in Dragon Age Origins is that it answers the question "Why the hell is the protagonist out here?" in an incredibly definitive way. None of the warden candidates start out wanting to be a warden. Many of them are full-on coerced into it at the end of their storylines by Duncan, and the choice is taken away from them as part of their narrative. They aren't presented with any other option. This is echoed in both Hawke and the Inquisitor's 'inciting incidents' even if we never see their background play out before the tale begins: Hawke is running from the Blight and not only has to leave home, but is actively corralled into going to Kirkwall and staying there by his deal with Asha'bellanar. There is no other option for them - Carver says so outright ("The Wilds are to the south, that's no way out.") The Inquisitor is faced, similarly to a Warden Tabris, with the threat of being hunted down and killed if they don't accept the protection that comes along with playing Herald. You begin the story in chains, and the condition of your release is effacing yourself to become what the Inquisition needs you to become.

None of these stories offer any kind of meaningful alternative to the direction the protagonist must follow to begin the narrative. If Hawke tries to sell or lose the amulet, it reappears. If someone refuses to drink from the chalice at the Joining, Duncan kills them. The Inquisitor has to play along just long enough to prove their innocence to the wider world, and by that point it's impossible to get out of it.

By contrast, Veilguard assumes Rook wants to be here without offering us any reason for them to be (positive or negative.) Now, I'm sure you want to say 'but their backgrounds!' but please, hear me out first. "Rook is a heroic character, they're a good person who wants to save the world and hey the world needs saving!" is a very 'Guardians of the Galaxy' character motivation: Greg lives in the universe so they would very much like said universe to continue existing. From one perspective, this supports Rook's characterisation as (almost) too selfless. Of course they jump onto the Solas bandwagon with Varric and go off to save the world! They're a hero, that's what heroes do. However, this is true of literally everyone in Thedas (except for some reason the Venatori and Antaam, though I guess they want the world to survive in a very specific way, so.) What makes Rook's heroism special? The lack of ability to insert nuance here harms Rook's 'Realness' as a protagonist. We cannot actively roleplay the kind of motivations that would push someone to travel with strangers away from everything they've ever known in pursuit of quarry they're not even sure they understand (Rook is confused in the introduction about Solas' many names, which I read as poor explanation on Varric and Harding's part of the true nature of their quarry; additionally, Laidir's letter from Isabela implies that Varric hasn't really explained Solas to Rook yet in the 'Six Months Ago' letter.)

Yes, each backstory justifies why Rook cannot go home, but why does Rook go with Varric? This aspect of the story is written around - Varric is there and Rook always cares about him. But why? Why not lay low somewhere until your faction drama blows over? For certain backgrounds leaving isn't even required, just suggested, and you could easily relocate your operations for a little while (GW, SD) or stay home away from work (MW, VJ.) Only a Crow and LoF Rook could reasonably expect to be hunted down and killed even if they laid low, maybe Shadow Dragon at a push. The backgrounds are written in such a way as to justify why Varric might see a spark of good in Rook, but give little to no reason why Rook would consider following that spark to work with Varric. I reiterate here: Taking a hard stance and writing Rook as a heroic character IS FINE, but even heroes have motivation. We as the audience NEED to see that to become invested. Not everyone is willing or able to make things up to fill this gap.

This is why, like many others, I think we should have had the opportunity to play through our origin missions rather than merely reading them in character creation/having information drip fed to us (if you're lucky and play a MW or Crow Rook) or not be expanded upon at all during the game. [Disclaimer: Yes wardens absolutely get the most reactivity but not in a way that explains who Rook was, which wardens they knew or areas they worked in, or anything beyond them knowing Antoine and Evka from before.] Show us how we meet Varric, and why we should care about him. Plenty of Tabris' probably hate Duncan, plenty of Broscas and Aeducans probably love him. But all origins give the player the groundwork to decide how that dynamic is going to play out before the character exits the narrative. So when Duncan haunts it - through Alistair, through Loghain, through Wynne's dialogues about duty and sacrifice and through the Landsmeet decisions - it actively draws out an emotional connection.

Veilguard gets away with handwaving a lot of emotional investment because it trusts players have played at least one game with Varric in it already - and if you have, of course you'd love him and follow him to save the world. It is practically impossible to not be friends with Varric in DA2 and Inquisition (unless you make very erratic, specific decisions on purpose.) Would Rook be any different? But there's the rub - Rook doesn't get to decide if they are any different. There is only one option - to travel with Varric to help stop Solas. But because that is never defined - we never see the lack of alternatives, we are never faced with the Blight or the Wilds - the motivation along this single path never arrives. All Wardens have to stop the Blight. All Hawkes have to survive. All Inquisitors have to become the Herald. But we get to see the moments in which that non-choice is made, and it is a crucial moment to understand who a character is, and what kind of narrative they live in, and why they maintain forward momentum along that path. Rook's story is a hero's story - specifically the kind where they actively decide to be that hero - but we never get to be there when the difficulty of that choice occurs.

All that to say, in the end, that I am deeply curious why YOUR Rook decided to try and save the world. What is their relationship with Varric? With the task at hand? If you had to write the recruitment mission or Inciting Incident to reflect your Rook's morals, beliefs, motivations and relation to Varric, what would it look like? These are big questions I wish we could have played out even basically in Veilguard proper, but I'd still like to know. It's a question I struggle with for all of my Rooks, and there's great fanon out there. It would have been nice to not have to rely on that.

#dragon age the veilguard #dragon age meta #veilguard critical #i think its a nuanced take but i know some folks would prefer not to see crit on the dash which is cool #rook dragon age #datv #veilguard #varric tethras #dragon age origins

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vanilladollette · 2 days ago

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Your dating headcanons for moon dong eun was really good ❤️❤️❤️

Could you please write the same for Jae Jun and Do Yeong? Thanx ✨✨✨

Dating Ha Do-yeong would include . . .

Author's note: I hope you don't mind me separating them into separate posts. I will do Jae-Joon!

Do-yeong does nothing without careful consideration, and this includes relationships. He is not the type to fall head over heels instantly. Instead, he observes, studies, and contemplates before making a move.

He notices the way you carry yourself, your intelligence, and how you handle difficult situations. He appreciates a sharp mind and someone who can keep up with his pace.

Before officially making a move, he tests the waters. You’ll notice him standing a little closer during conversations, offering small but thoughtful gestures (like sending a car when it’s raining or ensuring you’re seated comfortably at an event).

Unlike someone who openly flirts, Do-yeong prefers exclusivity. He invites you to a private golf match, a members-only gallery, or a dinner at a high-end restaurant where he can focus solely on you without the noise of the world.

Do-yeong is a dominant personality in business, but he values a partner who stands strong. He doesn’t need someone to submit—he needs someone who complements him, someone who challenges him in ways that excite him.

He enjoys discussing philosophy, business, and global affairs. If you’re well-read and articulate, he finds himself drawn to you even more. If you’re not, he enjoys introducing you to new ideas and hearing your perspectives.

With Do-yeong, words aren’t always necessary. A glance across a crowded room, a slight nod, or the way his hand briefly touches your lower back in reassurance—these moments are his way of showing affection

You’ll notice his love through the little things—how he remembers your schedule and arranges things to make your life easier, how he ensures your home is stocked with your favorite wines or how he has his driver pick you up when you’re exhausted.

Despite his busy schedule, Do-yeong values spending time together. Whether it’s a quiet evening at home with a glass of whiskey, a private yacht getaway, or simply reading in the same room, your presence alone is enough to put him at ease.

He is not openly jealous, but he is protective. If another man gets too close, Do-yeong won’t start a scene—he’ll simply position himself between you and the other person, his presence alone making it clear that you’re his

He’s the epitome of poise in social settings, but behind closed doors, his control slips just enough to show how deeply he feels. His kisses are slow yet consuming, his hands firm yet reverent, as if memorizing every inch of you.

He’s the kind of man who notices your stress even if you don’t say a word. He’ll run a bath for you after a long day, massage the tension from your shoulders, and whisper, “Let me take care of you.”

He isn’t overly vocal about his emotions, but the way he looks at you—like you’re the only person in the room—says everything he doesn’t. When he listens to you, he listens with his whole body, leaning in, eyes locked on yours, making you feel like your words are the most important thing in the world.

If he’s in love, he’s all in. He won’t entertain distractions or unnecessary drama. His loyalty is quiet but unwavering—when Do-yeong chooses you, there is no one else.

Do-yeong has immense wealth, but he doesn’t flaunt it. Instead of grand displays, his generosity is refined—a tailored designer dress sent to your home, an all-expenses-paid vacation planned meticulously around your preferences, or an exclusive experience arranged just for the two of you.

As the CEO of a powerful company, Do-yeong is always under scrutiny. He expects discretion and grace from his partner. If you’re pulled into the public eye, he ensures you’re protected and that no scandal ever touches you.

You won’t have to worry about petty inconveniences—Do-yeong anticipates your needs before you even voice them. He is the definition of stability, offering a life where you never have to question your place by his side.

At some point, he is going to introduce you to his daughter, Ye-sol.

Do-yeong is strict when it comes to Ye-sol’s well-being. Ye-sol is his pride and joy.

Though He isn’t cold.

He’s a father who will read bedtime stories in the softest voice, who will quietly brush her hair from her face as she sleeps, and who will always ensure she knows she is loved.

So if he sees a future with you, he slowly integrates you into Ye-sol’s life—weekend outings, quiet family dinners, and moments where he looks at the two of you together and thinks, This is what home feels like.

If she adores you, his heart softens even more. He loves watching you interact with her, and it only deepens his love for you.

Do-yeong doesn’t rush into anything, but when he commits, it’s forever. If he proposes, he has already envisioned a life with you—a home, a future, and a deep-rooted bond.

He ensures you’re taken care of in every way. Whether it’s financial security, emotional support, or simply knowing you’ll never have to face anything alone, Do-yeong is your rock.

He loves a partner who continues to evolve, who challenges herself and him. He supports your ambitions, whether it’s career growth, personal passions, or learning new things together.

He may not always voice his feelings, but the way he touches you, the way he prioritizes you, and the way he looks at you will always remind you of his devotion.

#netflix #kdrama #netflix kdrama #the glory #the glory part 1 #the glory part 2 #the glory x reader #x female reader #x female y/n #x male y/n #x male reader #the glory kdrama #kdrama x reader #x gn y/n #x gn reader #Ha Do-yeong #Ha Do-yeong x reader #Ha Do-yeong x female reader

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ratatattouille · 2 days ago

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I love your points @elenasalvatore1 ! You put into words why I haven’t been able to really connect with the two big canon romances (and don’t even get me started on Tonks and Remus lol). I view Ginny as a jock, not in that she’s stupid, but that she enjoys status and popularity and she can be pretty shallow. Of course, she’s also witty and intelligent and anti-bigotry—plenty to love about her—but people imagine her much kinder than she is shown in the books. She made fun of Luna with the other kids and fervently defended Harry using Sectumseptra (or however that’s spelled) on Draco. However, I do think it should be taken into consideration that Draco at the time had tried to Crucio Harry so Ginny’s feelings aren’t entirely misplaced since Crucio is an Unforgivable. I still agree that she didn’t treat Harry’s spell with the weight it deserved, either, and it’s a little interesting to me how people imagine so much depth for this fling when a lot of how it was written was convenient (at least, to me). Ginny’s behavior is very fan-girlish throughout all books. I do think what Harry liked about Ginny had to do with how he associated her with “normalcy” at a time when things were getting so bleak for him. But I do think, that while Ginny was a fan-girl, she didn’t completely dehumanize Harry and had genuine care for him to some extent. For example, the scene in Chamber of Secrets where she tells Draco Harry doesn’t care for fame after Draco teases Harry about Gilderoy. It doesn’t disprove her fan-girlness, but it does show some level of sympathy and understanding for Harry. Ginny definitely cared for Harry. Although one could also interpret that scene as proof of how deified and faultless Harry was to her since CoS Ginny had full-blown limerence for Harry (and self-admittedly throughout the books lol). I also don't think that her telling Harry "you wouldn't be happy unless you were going after Voldemort" was her being self-centred. I believe she meant it as in Harry wouldn't be "satisfied" to run and hide and not defend the people he loves and that was what she (justifiably) loved about him. It was genuine and sweet. I also think her saying "at least Harry won't have time to find another girl" was an attempt on her end to lighten the mood. What Harry likes about Ginny, according to the books, is her pragmatism and lack of drama. She isn't weepy like Cho or "shrill" like Hermione. She's the definition of chill. However, as I've said before and I'm sure you'll agree, none of this "disproves" her limerance regarding Harry and it's shaky foundations for Harry, too. Sure she's level-headed (but so is Hermione a lot of the time, not always but often) and chill, so of course she would appeal to Harry when his whole world is drama at that point. But I agree that it's not love and it's a weird way to develop a romance. At the very least, simply not my cup of tea. I'm just not into it, whether or not there's a narrative thread leading up to it.

I also dislike how Hinny fans claim misogyny whenever Ginny is called shallow or a fan-girl, even if she is outspoken and has spine. She isn’t deep just because she hates pure blood supremacists. She very much has a childish sense of “good guys and bad guys” and doesn’t like being challenged on her views—not when it comes to Fleur or what Harry did to Draco, for example. She’s not open-minded. And she likes having it all. It doesn’t mean she’s bad or isn’t brave. She did fight valiantly in the Ministry and the Battle of Hogwarts. And she did share trauma from those fights with the others. This is kinda where hinny shippers get wiggle room. If she was “just a fangirl” the trauma from fighting at the Ministry should have--theorietically--dissuaded her. One can say that she matured after that fight and found that her feelings for Harry became genuine and less idealistic. But in my opinion, it’s not enough to discount the fan-girl interpretation for Ginny post OoTP, either. She could still very much have an even bigger romanticization of Harry’s heroism. A no-nonsense Ginny that Hinny shippers imagine would have sounded (ironically) more like Hermione. If it wasn’t limerence, I reckon Ginny would’ve been more argumentative with Harry instead of Ron or Hermione. She just takes Harry’s side, which to me dampens what’s so fun about her outgoing, outspoken personality. It’s like she turns into a dollar-store Hermione where her and Harry can only mimic (but never replicate) the level of trust and vulnerability Harry and Hermione have with each other. Hinny is honestly so Netflix drama coded to me 😂 sorry to my hinny moots (it’s all love) ❤️.

My biggest issue with Ronmione is how much Hermione’s independent personality was stunted by the romance. Many Ronmione shippers insist that’s the point! She wasn’t acting like herself because she fell in love with Ron! And it baffles me how that is seen as a win! Ships should not cause character assassination or erasure. The good ones at least. But I don’t see why Hermione would’ve fallen in love with Ron, personally. I see why people like the ship, and I have no doubt Ron and Hermione love each other tremendously. But Harry was the tether between the both of them until the outline called for the romance to begin, lmao. Ron didn’t like hanging out with Hermione alone much in the beginning and a lot of their disagreements weren’t “just banter” but based on genuine difference of worldview and personality. That doesn’t mean they couldn’t fall in love because they were so different, just that a lot of their disagreements had real substance to them. Ron was much more inconsiderate than Hermione. And he had 0 interest, as you said, in the Muggle world. I’m going to go on a limb here and say that it’s not that Ron disliked Hermione, but that he found her boring! Brilliant, but a bore! (Literally the two initial moments he “noticed” Hermione were when she punched Draco—exciting!—and when she was with his favorite celebrity—Krum) And that’s one of the worst things you could be to Ron. Hermione was brilliant, as dear to him as a sister (and he looked after her same as he did for Ginny), but Ron had much more to talk about with Harry, same as Hermione and much richer conversations with Harry than with anyone else in the entire wizarding world. Hermione was like miniature Molly for Ron, and Ron acted a lil territorial over her, which, again, not a fan. Not because it's a moral problem for me, but just because I don't find that stuff romantic. It's realistic insecure teenage boy behaviour and can be enjoyed as that, but it won't get me looking for the ships to pull into harbour. Harry was normal about Hermione. Like completely normal about her in such a nuanced and refreshing way, it's one of the most mature teenage relationships I've ever seen in a YA. There was also so much depth there, especially in regard to what Voldemort meant to both Hermione and Harry.

Same thing for Hermione. I don’t see anything that would make Ron interesting romantically to her. It can’t be the times he’s cared for her—because she’s disregarded his care before (and Harry has also shown lots of consideration for Hermione—more than Ron on many an occasion). Again, there's so little we know about Hermione's home life that I simply don't have a clue as to what she finds so special about Ron for herself as a character. I can't connect the dots. I think Ronmione was just a safe option, IMO. Not illogical, but not well-justified. And it baffles me how people see Ron and Hermione have more chemistry than Harry and Hermione just because of the reactions JKR gave them (“Harry had a monster in his chest!” “Hermione cried when Ron left them”) Doesn’t that just make it more melodramatic and cheap to you? More Netflix-y and forced? Guess not. Also, banter alone isn’t chemistry! Outside of banter and being against Death Eaters and being Harry's friend, Ron and Hermione had nothing in common and had little to no curiosity for those differences.

I also think it needs to be acknowledged that JK Rowling has a slight bias more to her male characters than female characters. On average, most of her more developed characters are male and she employs a lot of negative (borderline misogynistic) stereotypes for her female characters. Regardless of who you ship, Hermione and Ginny's personalities become almost ENTIRELY about their love interests. Most female characters are written to be or sound ridiculous, uppity or catty in these books and the two best girls are no exception. You could argue that this is because the books are written through the POV of Harry, but the stories themselves still give less grace to the female characters. So reading the female characters accurately may mean describing them unfavorably regardless. But that’s opening Pandora’s box for HP fandom so we’ll keep that closed for now. 😃

I don't understand why ppl don't want to understand if a couple fell in love , it's just about simply , purely , truly falling in love not aabout- are they perfect , are they compatible, do they create healthy relationship , someone else was more better for him/her , they deserve better and blah blah blah

They fell in love. True Pure selfless love

THAT'S IT

Yes i am talking about canon ships

#harry potter #hinny #romione #harry james potter #ginny weasley #hermione granger #ronald weasley #harmony #ship discourse #my opinion #also noticed that most pro canon shippers read the books when they were very young #i I read the books as an adult and watched the movies as a teen so that could be to blame for whatever biases I may have here as well

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