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junghelioseok · 4 years ago

Text

clandestine. | 01

↳ forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest.

◇ jungkook x reader ◇ smut | fluff | brother’s best friend!au ◇ 10.3k [1/6]

notes: this fic was originally going to be a oneshot, but i changed my mind and decided i didn’t want to kill tumblr with a totally unnecessary 50k jk fic so 🤷🏻‍♀️ here is part one of a fic that 100% only came about because @puellaigmotum coerced me into it like 2 years ago (lmao rip 💀) and also bc i have zero self-control and am hopelessly h*rny for jungkook these days and don’t look at me i don’t wanna talk about it okay??? 🙈

warnings: jk’s massive noona kink, some ~under the table~ action, too much detail about jk’s dumb veiny arms probably, but at least he doesn’t have tattoos bc i started writing this before he got them and i don’t need to torture myself anymore than i already do!!!

⇢ 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06

It’s always been easy to spot your brother in a crowd. Passengers flood off the train, jostling around you on their way to the station’s exit, but even in the swarm you can perfectly see Jimin’s golden head of hair bobbing its way toward you, a deep scowl etched across his face. “You’re late,” he says in lieu of a greeting, his honey brown eyes raking over your scuffed suitcase distastefully as he comes to a stop a few feet away.

“And you’re just as impatient as ever,” you retort, coming to a stop before him with your luggage in tow. “Think you can lord it over me since you can drive now?”

“Don’t forget that I’m your ride home,” Jimin scoffs, rolling his eyes. “I could just as easily leave you here to fend for yourself.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” you tell him, raising a brow in silent challenge.

Jimin stares down at you unflinchingly, and you stare right back. The tension stretches between you, taut and heavy, until every passing second feels like a light year. Around you, the crowd slowly dissipates, but still you remain—two motionless statues locked in a wordless struggle. From somewhere overhead, a monotone voice announces the next train departure times.

Jimin’s mouth twitches. You blink, twice in quick succession.

And then your little brother breaks into a grin—one that’s so wide you fear his mouth may detach from his face entirely. An answering smile settles across your face as you watch him throw his head back, dissolving into laughter that you can’t help but echo.

“Damn it, Chim!” you say, instinctively grabbing onto his wrist when it looks like he might fall over. “Your poker face still sucks.”

“I’ve gotten better!” Jimin immediately defends. “I mean, you’ve got to admit that, right?”

“Nope.” You sigh and hold a hand over your head so you can measure your height against his ever-so-slightly taller frame. “Same old annoying kid I grew up with. Seriously, have you grown at all in the past year?”

“Whoa, too far, Noona.” Jimin takes ahold of both of your cheeks, pinching them affectionately. “You’re only a year older than me, you know. Besides, I’ve been taller than you for two years now!”

“I’m pretty sure hitting puberty at age seventeen isn’t something to be proud of,” you reply, pulling away from him with a mock grimace and giggling when he lets out an offended squeak. Playfully, you reach up to ruffle his hair, scrubbing your knuckles just a little too roughly against his skull.

“Noonaaa,” he complains, drawing out the last syllable until he runs out of air. “Jeez, you haven’t even been back for an hour yet and you’re already being mean to me. When do you go back to Seoul again?”

“Three weeks,” you reply, narrowing your eyes. “But I can and will make these three weeks hell for you. Don’t test me.”

Jimin snickers and drapes his arm over your shoulders. He picks up your suitcase with the other hand, and you thank him with another, gentler hair ruffle as the two of you start toward the exit of the train station. “College hasn’t changed you one bit.”

“And senior year hasn’t changed you,” you say, letting him guide you outside and breathing in the balmy summer evening air. Jimin’s brow furrows as he tries to remember where he’s parked, and you kindly take your suitcase back when he nods decisively and heads toward the left side of the lot. “You excited to graduate?”

He sighs, fumbling in his pocket for the keys as the two of you approach the car. “It’s going to suck. Your ceremony was boring as hell last year.”

“Wow, rude.”

Jimin looks up from where he’s unlocking the driver’s side door. “Am I wrong, though?”

You flash him a grin as he unlocks the remaining doors, heaving your suitcase into the backseat before sliding into the passenger seat beside him. “Nope. But afterward, you’ll be done with high school forever.”

“Thank god.” Your brother rakes a hand through his hair, mussing it further as he carefully starts the ignition and checks his mirrors with all the diligence of a new driver. Once satisfied, he pulls out of the parking space, meandering his way out of the lot and onto the main street.

The ride back to your childhood home is a short one, full of familiar storefronts and landmarks that dredge up all sorts of fond memories. You hadn’t expected your first year of university—away from your family and your hometown—to make you quite so emotional. But before you know it, Jimin is making the turn into your neighborhood, and you can’t stop the way your eyes begin to well up when you see your house in the distance.

As if reading your mind, Jimin glances at you as he pulls into the driveway. “Feel good to be home?”

You nod, blinking back tears. “Feels great.”

He grins. Pulling the key from the ignition, he climbs out of the car and grabs your suitcase, waving for you to head inside. Eagerly, you start toward the front door, but you barely make it halfway up the driveway when it bursts open, revealing your father standing there with open arms and an enormous grin. He’s just as tall as you remember, and looks exactly the same save a few more strands of silver lacing his hair. All of a sudden, you’re a little girl again, running up to give him a hug and giggling madly when he tries to scoop you up like he used to do so many years ago.

“Hi Dad,” you greet when he gives up and sets you back down on two feet. “Where’s Mom?”

“Cooking up a storm,” he replies, chortling. Wrapping an arm around your shoulders, he leads you into the kitchen where your mother is hunched over the stove with a spatula, delicious aromas wafting up from the array of pots and pans in front of her. “Honey, look who’s home!”

“Hi Mom,” you say, grinning when she whirls around, startled. The spatula, still dangling loosely from her hand, drips sauce onto the tiled floor, but she barely notices in her eagerness to give you a hug, throwing it down into one of the simmering pots and striding forward to wrap you up in a tight embrace.

“How was your trip?” she asks, pulling back and angling your face this way and that. “Did you sleep on the ride? Did Jimin drive safely?”

The last question draws a protesting whine from your brother, who has lugged your suitcase over the threshold and is now seated at the dining table, fiddling with a spoon. “My driving was fine, right Noona?” he says, his bottom lip jutting out into a pout.

“Yes, Chim,” you agree, laughing at the pleased expression that overtakes his face. Curiously, you walk over to the stove to inspect the food, your jaw dropping as you take in the assorted vegetables and meats. “Wow, Mom. Are you cooking for an army?”

“Jungkook is coming over for dinner,” she explains, following you over and plucking up the spatula again. “That boy has the biggest appetite I’ve ever seen—you remember, right?”

You laugh. “Of course I remember. He and Jimin were always stealing bites of my lunch at school.” Peering over at your brother, you fix him with a mock glare before walking over to the cutting board on the counter and sizing up the pile of onions and peppers sitting there. “It’ll be nice to see him again, though. How is he doing?”

To your surprise, a new voice answers your question—a voice that somehow manages to be simultaneously familiar and foreign. “Why don’t you ask me directly, Noona?” it says, and you whirl around, wide-eyed, to face the newcomer.

This can’t possibly be Jeon Jungkook, is your first thought upon seeing the young man standing in the kitchen doorway. The Jungkook you knew in high school was a scrawny kid—all gangly limbs and a nose that was too big for his face. The Jungkook you knew wore oversized white t-shirts that made him look even younger than he was, a look that was only enhanced by round wire-rimmed glasses that always gave him a look of permanent astonishment. The Jungkook you knew was nowhere near this tall, and definitely not this broad.

But this Jungkook—this Jungkook takes up nearly the entire doorframe with his bulk. Dark eyes stare at you from beneath equally dark hair, his gaze unhindered by his old glasses. A cobalt blue shirt stretches tight over his chest, and you swallow when you notice just how much the buttons are straining to contain the muscle underneath. Black jeans and simple black sneakers complete his outfit, and the entire look is so jarringly different from what you’re used to that you are left momentarily speechless, gaping like a fish out of water. Vaguely, you wonder when he got his ears pierced.

And then Jungkook—or at least, the young man claiming to be Jungkook—takes three steps forward, his entire face melting into a crinkly-eyed grin. You catch a glimpse of the adorably prominent front teeth that always made him look like a rabbit, and that’s all it takes to break the spell.

“Jungkookie!” you exclaim, darting forward to greet him. “It’s been so long!”

“Hi, Noona,” he replies, his grin widening at your approach. In an instant, he has you wrapped up in an embrace, easily lifting you off the floor in a display of strength that would’ve had a lesser woman swooning. His hands curl firmly around your waist, and you have no choice but to wrap yours around his nape, squeaking in protest when he spins you in a full circle.

“Kookie!” you gasp, wriggling helplessly in his grasp and huffing when he only cackles. “Put me down!”

Obediently, Jungkook lowers you back to the ground. His hands linger on your waist until he’s certain that both your feet are planted firmly, and it’s only then that he pulls back to get a good look at your face. “You know I’d never drop you, right?” he asks innocently.

“As if I can trust anything that comes out of your mouth,” you retort with a laugh. “I’ve seen you scam your way out of detention with those pretty doe eyes. Don’t try me, kid.”

Jungkook snorts. “Kid? I’m not that much younger than you. Plus I’m older than Jimin, y’know.”

“By a month!” your brother protests from the dining room, his blond head popping up from behind the vase of daisies serving as a centerpiece.

“Month and a half,” Jungkook stage-whispers to you, cupping a hand and bringing his mouth to your ear conspiratorially. His breath tickles your cheek, and you swat him away with a giggle that becomes a full-on laugh when Jimin lets out an offended cry and rises to his feet. Striding over, he pokes Jungkook squarely in the chest, his eyes narrowed.

“I invite you over to my house and this is the thanks I get?”

Your dad chooses that moment to interrupt from the living room. “Your house? When exactly did you start paying rent, Jimin?”

Jimin’s jaw drops. “Are you taking his side?” he asks in disbelief, glaring at Jungkook when he starts laughing. “I’m your son!”

“I’m your father,” your dad replies.

“And I’m your mother,” your mom pipes up, brandishing a spoon. “And I’m telling all of you to get your butts over to that dining table in the next ten seconds, or no dinner for any of you.”

Your dad, Jimin, and Jungkook immediately fall silent, cowed by her proclamation. Grinning, you join your mother at the counter, grabbing a handful of spoons and accepting the platter of kimchi she hands over. “Direct as always, Mom.”

She laughs and picks up a bowl of rice. “To deal with men like them? You have to be.”

Food in hand, you make your way into the dining room. The table is set, the steaming food arranged neatly in the center, and you watch as your mother takes her seat next to Jimin and leaves you to sit beside Jungkook on the opposite side. Your father beams from his spot at the head of the table, glancing at each of you in turn before turning and giving your shoulder an affectionate squeeze.

“Look at you kids, all sitting at the same table again.” He sighs, and you’re certain that he’s thinking back to the last time all of you were together—well over a year ago, at this point. “It’s a shame that your parents couldn’t join us, though, Jungkook.”

Jungkook nods. “Yeah, they told me to apologize on their behalf. They have tickets for the theatre tonight, and couldn’t get a refund on them.”

Your father laughs and waves the apology off. “I’m sure we’ll catch them next time,” he says. “Pretty hard to avoid each other when you live next door, isn’t it?”

“Definitely,” Jungkook agrees with a chuckle. Then he turns to you, the silver hoops in his ears glinting in the light from the overhead chandelier. “I’m sure they’ll drop by soon to see you, Noona. Mom wants to hear all about Seoul—I think she’s worried about sending me so far away by myself.”

“Junghyun stayed in Busan for university, didn’t he?” your mom asks.

Jungkook nods. “Yep, he still lives downtown and everything. He wanted to come over tonight, but his work wouldn’t let him take the time off.”

Your mom sighs. “That’s such a shame. Is he at least attending your graduation?”

“He’s driving in the day after tomorrow for the ceremony,” Jungkook confirms. Then he pauses, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. His gaze flickers down to the plate of sweet potatoes on the other side of the table, and before he can even open his mouth, your mother is already passing him the plate. He thanks her with an embarrassed chuckle but digs into the food nonetheless, and everyone else takes it as a sign to follow suit. You’re in the middle of scooping rice into your bowl when Jimin speaks up again.

“So what’s it like living in Seoul?” he asks, his cheeks bulging with pork belly. “You have roommates, right?”

“Suitemates,” you correct. “But yeah, I live with three other people. Namjoon, Hoseok, and Jennie are all great though, so it hasn’t been a problem.”

Jungkook pauses mid-chew to gape at you. “You live with guys?”

“My building’s co-ed,” you explain. “We all have separate bedrooms, but we share a common space and bathrooms.”

Your mother—on the lookout for any potential future grandchildren, as always—perks up. “Namjoon and Hoseok sound like nice boys. Are you friends?”

“Yes, Mom,” you sigh. “We’re friends. Just friends.” And then before she can ask about whether or not any other boys have caught your eye, you quickly turn back to your brother. “So, what’s your plan for next year? Are you and Jungkook living together?”

Jimin hums. “Yep, that’s the plan. Unless you want to live with us too, Noona.”

You laugh. “Why, so I can protect you from all the bullies like I did in elementary school?”

He flashes you a cheeky grin. “More like so I can protect you from all the weird college guys. Who’s this Hoseok guy anyway? Do I need to beat him up?”

“Please don’t beat up Hobi,” you entreaty, giggling when he pretends to crack his knuckles. “Or Joon!” you add quickly when he remains undeterred and makes to stand up from the table to defend your honor. Balling up your napkin, you throw it at him, and both of you burst into hysterics when your makeshift weapon bounces off his forehead and straight into his glass of water. The rest of dinner passes in a haze of similarly playful antics and happy chatter, and by the time the last bowl is scraped clean, it feels as if you’d never even left.

“I’ll do the dishes,” you volunteer, standing up and gathering up the empty platters. Jungkook and Jimin are quick to jump to your aid, collecting any utensils that you missed, and you offer them a grateful smile as they follow you into the kitchen.

“Let me do the washing, Noona.” Jungkook rolls up the sleeves of his cobalt blue shirt to expose a familiar silver watch glinting on his left wrist—a watch that his father handed down to him when he was sixteen, and that had been worn by his grandfather before him. You still remember the day he’d first worn it to school, proudly displaying it even though the band was too loose around his narrow wrist.

He’s grown into it now, you realize. The watch no longer flops around like it used to, and sits snugly in place instead. Your eyes trace the silver buckle on the inside of his wrist before trailing up to follow the network of thin, branching veins in his forearm, admiring the smooth flex of muscle as he grabs a sponge from the wire rack hanging above the sink and squirts some dish soap onto the surface.

“I’ll dry,” Jimin chirps, selecting a towel and brandishing it. “Noona, do you want to help me? We’ll finish faster that way.”

Nodding, you pull another towel out from the drawer and rejoin the two boys at the sink. Jungkook washes quickly and efficiently, and you determinedly avoid staring at the way water trickles along the patchwork veins on his hands as he gives you bowl after bowl to dry.

It doesn’t take long for all the dishes to be washed and dried. The three of you take the time to put them back into the proper cabinets before bidding your parents a good night, heading out onto the back porch. Falling back into old routines feels like second nature, so you plop down onto the steps without hesitation and grin when Jungkook takes a seat beside you.

“Wait, I almost forgot!” Jimin exclaims, bouncing up from where he was beginning to sit down next to Jungkook. “I bought some beer earlier and left it in the trunk. Be right back!”

You watch your brother run off, his floppy blond hair a stark contrast with the deep blue evening sky. In seconds, he’s disappeared around the corner of the house, leaving you and Jungkook alone on the porch steps.

“Chim really hasn’t changed one bit,” you remark with a laugh, turning toward your dark-haired companion.

Jungkook chuckles. “The kid loves his alcohol, that’s for sure.”

“Please.” You elbow him in the ribs. “I know you’re just as bad as he is.”

“Maybe,” he concedes with another chuckle. “But come on, Noona, you can’t tell me you don’t enjoy a drink every now and then. What about all that college stress?”

You hum, leaning back on your hands and staring up at the sky where the full moon is just beginning to rise, surrounded by a smattering of stars peeking through the velvety darkness of night. “I never said that I didn’t enjoy a drink, or five.” Jungkook laughs at your remark, and you smile before letting out a soft sigh. “I’m glad Jimin got the beer, though. Maybe I’ll finally be able to stop stressing out about my internship.”

That sobers Jungkook up immediately, his eyes widening as he peers down at you and lays a gentle hand on your back. “Are you still worried? You already got the job, didn’t you?”

You nod slowly, thinking back to the job offer that you had accepted at the end of the semester. It had been difficult finding a company in your desired field that offered internships to first-year students, but with dogged persistence and a lot of luck, you’d managed to snag a summer position. It isn’t due to start for another three weeks, however, and while you’re grateful for the chance to visit your family, part of you also wishes that you didn’t have to wait such a long time. “I just have no idea what to expect, you know? The only jobs I’ve ever had were in retail and food service, and that was all ages ago. I don’t feel ready at all.”

A strong arm settles across your shoulders, and you look up to see Jungkook gazing down at you with something indiscernible sparkling in his deep brown eyes. “You’re gonna be amazing,” he murmurs, his voice whisper-soft. “You know that, right? You always are. This won’t be any different.”

And you believe him. Every detail of his face is bathed in silvery moonlight—the gentle slope of his nose, the sharp angle of his jaw, the little scar high on his cheekbone—and you wonder how you never realized how handsome he is before now. And maybe it’s the low, soothing timbre of his voice, or maybe it’s the way he’s looking at you—with unspeakable tenderness and gentle affection glimmering in his irises—but you lean in before you can even realize what you’re doing. You don’t look away, and neither does he.

Jungkook’s gaze drops, trailing down the slope of your cheeks until it lands on the curve of your mouth. He hesitates for a split second, his throat bobbing harshly as he swallows and sucks in a breath.

And then his lips are pressing against yours—soft and tentative and just a little bit chapped. Your eyes flutter shut almost on instinct, your body relaxing as he shifts and pulls you a little more firmly against him. Slowly, his arm finds its way to the curve of your waist and settles there. Your fingers curl around his nape, carding through his silky hair.

It’s only when Jungkook’s tongue darts out to run along the seam of your lips that reality comes crashing back down, your stomach plummeting down to somewhere around your toes as you wrench away from his embrace. “Kookie!” you gasp, your breathing labored. “We can’t!”

Jungkook blinks, momentarily entrancing you with the way the stars reflect in his gaze like glittering diamonds. “Why not?” he asks, reaching out for you again. “You kissed me back, didn’t you?”

Squeaking, you bat his hands away. “Jungkook, no! We can’t! You’re Jimin’s best friend, and god, this is all kinds of weird, and—“

The dark-haired young man looks like he wants to protest more, but the sound of footsteps coming back around the house sends both of you scooting back to your original positions on the porch steps. Jimin appears two seconds later, plopping down beside Jungkook cheerfully and dropping a six-pack of beer at his feet.

“What’d I miss?” he asks, seemingly oblivious to the tension lingering in the air as he pops open a bottle and hands it to you.

“Nothing,” you say immediately, accepting the proffered beer. The cool glass bottle is a welcome relief, and you hurriedly take a long sip when your mind unwillingly begins to wander back to just how warm and soft your dark-haired companion’s lips had been.

Jungkook is much slower to respond to Jimin’s question. His shoulders slump as he reaches down to grab a drink of his own, twisting the cap open viciously and taking a swig. “Yeah,” he mutters, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Nothing at all.”

Luck must be on your side, because Jimin doesn’t seem to notice anything amiss as he grabs a beer for himself and flops backward, resting his weight on his elbows as he gazes up at the night sky. “It’s nice out,” he remarks, looking utterly at ease.

You are anything but. Beside you, Jungkook is sipping pensively on his beer, and you are painfully aware of the heat radiating off his body. Jimin is still chattering away, rambling about whatever pops into his head, and you take the opportunity to sneak a glance at Jungkook. His face is cast in silvery luminescence from the moon, his mouth pulled down into a deep, contemplative frown—and you are once again forced to shake off thoughts of how nice it felt to have his mouth pressed against yours.

This is Jeon Jungkook, you tell yourself sternly. Friend, neighbor, and Jimin’s best friend in the entire universe. You kissed him, sure, but it was a mistake. A moment of weakness. And it won’t happen again.

You repeat that over and over, silently reciting it in your head like a mantra, until, at last, you finally start to believe it.

///

You’re in the middle of brewing a fresh pot of coffee after a lazy morning spent sleeping in when you spot Jungkook outside through the kitchen window. He’s standing in the yard in a sleeveless white tee, wiping at his forehead with the back of his hand as he thoughtfully regards the row of hedges that serves as the property line between your house and the Jeons’ house next door. In his other hand is a shovel, and you can’t help the way your gaze automatically traces his exposed biceps, admiring the way they flex when he finally selects a spot and begins digging.

“Is the coffee done yet, Noona?”

Jimin’s voice yanks your attention away from your gardening neighbor, your vision overtaken by a mess of fluffy blond bedhead as he sneaks into the space between you and the counter and obnoxiously cuts you off from the pot of fresh brew. “Hey!” you protest, but Jimin just gives you a cheeky wink before grabbing a mug and pouring out a generous helping of piping hot coffee. After a moment’s thought, he pours you a mug as well, handing it over with an exaggerated bow.

You roll your eyes, but accept the warm cup nonetheless. Following him into the living room, you make yourself comfortable on the couch as he flops down onto the carpeted floor and turns on the television. Idly, he begins flipping through the channels in search for something to watch, and you endure random snippets of the morning news, a cheesy soap opera, and a series of infomercials before sighing and rising to your feet again. “I’m getting some food. Want some toast, Chimchim?”

“Mmm. Sure.”

Slowly, you meander your way back into the kitchen. Your mother is standing at the counter stirring sugar into her coffee, and you smile as you walk up to join her. “Morning, Mom.”

“Good morning, sweetie,” she says, taking a careful sip of her drink. “Did you sleep well?”

“Like a log,” you reply with a grin. Grabbing the loaf of bread off the counter, you pull out a few slices and shove them in the toaster. “Do you want toast? I’m making some for me and Chimchim.”

“Just one slice for me,” she says, opening up the dish cabinet and pulling out three plates. Obligingly, you hand her one of the two freshly toasted slices and drop the other onto your plate. Popping some more bread into the toaster, you’re just about to grab the jam from the fridge when there’s a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it!” Jimin yells from the living room. You hear the soft pad of his footsteps in the hallway and the low creak of the front door as it swings open—and then your brother is snorting out a laugh at whoever is on your doorstep. “Dude, why are you covered in dirt?”

You’re beginning to have a sneaking suspicion as to who your guest is, and it’s confirmed when your brother’s question is answered.

“I’m helping Mom plant some hydrangeas out back,” Jungkook’s voice explains, his tall figure stepping into view a moment later. “Can you come help me lift the bushes?”

Jimin rolls his eyes. “You could’ve just texted me.”

“Who knows if you would’ve answered?” Jungkook asks, laughing. “Knowing you, you’d just leave me on read. Besides—” and here he glances over at you, dark eyes glimmering with an emotion that you can’t quite pinpoint, “—I wouldn’t get to see two of my favorite ladies if I didn’t stop by.”

Jimin pretends to vomit at the line, but your mother laughs delightedly as Jungkook takes another step into the foyer and flashes her a winning grin. “Good morning, Jungkookie,” she greets him. “Have you eaten breakfast yet? {Name} was just making some toast, and we’ve got fresh coffee.”

Jungkook’s gaze slides over to you again, taking in the flannel pajama pants and oversized t-shirt you’re wearing. “Thanks, Mrs. Park,” he says, though his eyes never leave yours. “I ate already, but coffee sounds wonderful.”

You are beginning to feel increasingly vulnerable as Jungkook continues looking unblinkingly in your direction. Thankfully, your mom pipes up, drawing his attention away with a decisive clap of her hands. “Coffee it is, then!” she says brightly. “{Name}, why don’t you grab Jungkook a cup?”

Hurriedly, you turn toward the cabinets, trying your best to ignore Jungkook as he chats comfortably with your family. Your success is limited though, and you can feel his penetrating stare lingering on your back even as you fetch a mug and fill it up to the brim.

“Noona.” Jungkook’s voice comes from behind you, much closer than you remember him being. “Can I have some cream and sugar, please?”

Somehow, you manage to reply without stammering. “Yeah. Sure.” Dumping some of the excess coffee into the sink, you spoon in some sugar and give it a quick stir. Just as you turn toward the refrigerator for the cream, a strong arm cuts you off.

“I got it, Noona,” Jungkook murmurs, backing you up against the counter as he tucks the little white carton into your outstretched hand. His proximity has your heart skipping several beats, and you almost drop the carton entirely when he speaks again in a husky whisper, his mouth at the shell of your ear. “Just a little bit, please.”

You are acutely aware of the heat radiating off of his body, warming your back and flushing your cheeks. Quietly, you open up the carton and pour a splash of cream into his mug, the swirl of white melding with the dark liquid within. “Is—is that enough?”

Jungkook reaches around you to open up the silverware drawer, grabbing a spoon and giving the coffee a stir. “That’s perfect,” he purrs, his hot breath stirring gooseflesh on the back of your neck.

This close to him, it’s easy to forget where you are and who you’re with, but you somehow manage to regain enough of your senses to wrench away and reclaim your personal space. “G-great,” you stammer, picking up the mug and shoving it into his hands, determinedly ignoring the ripple of his arm muscles as he accepts. “Um. Chim. Did you want your toast?”

“Yes, please,” Jimin says, barely glancing up from where he’s made himself comfortable at the kitchen island, idly playing on his phone.

Your mother pokes her head around the doorframe of the adjoining laundry room, where she has clearly started a fresh load if the sound of splashing water is anything to go by. “Don’t make your sister do all of the work, Jimin. Go help her—it’s your food, isn’t it?”

Obligingly, Jimin hops off the stool and grabs his favorite jar of jam, joining you at the counter. He takes the slice of toast you offer him, slathering it messily and taking an enormous bite. “Thanks for breakfast, Noona,” he says, blowing you an exaggerated kiss. “Ready, Kook?”

Jungkook raises his mug of coffee in acknowledgement. “Ready.” Then his gaze flickers back to you, twinkling with silent mirth. “And Noona—thanks. The coffee’s delicious.”

You can’t find the words to answer. Silently, you watch him disappear out the front door with Jimin, following his dark head of hair as it bobs across the yard. His biceps flex as he gestures for Jimin to help him lift a hydrangea bush, and your eyes linger on the stretch of defined muscle, tracing the network of prominent veins running along his forearm before your brain can caution you to stop. It’s almost as if you’re on autopilot, and by the time you zone back in, your gaze has wandered too far south for your liking. Letting out an audible groan, you tear your eyes away from the mouthwatering view of his thick thighs and return to your now-cold breakfast. And you don’t think about Jeon Jungkook again, pushing the image of his broad shoulders and handsome face into the darkest recesses of your mind.

Or at least, that was the plan. Jimin comes back inside after about an hour, tracking mud through half the house before your mother reprimands him and orders him to take off his shoes. Jungkook, thankfully, chose to return to his own home as well, and you immediately banish the thought of him showering off all the sweat and grime that has no doubt accumulated on his toned body. You shove away the mental image of water slicking his golden skin and collecting in the hollows of his collarbones, and when your mind conjures up pictures of what lies south of his waist, you resist the urge to scream into the pile of freshly laundered pillowcases your mom presses into your arms.

You’re just about to head upstairs to scream into a real pillow when there’s another knock on your front door—a familiar cadence that you heard just this morning. And that’s when you realize—to your complete and utter dismay—that Jeon Jungkook isn’t done tormenting you yet. Not by a long shot.

“You again? You do realize that this isn’t your house, right?” you ask, swinging open the door and thanking whatever gods may be out there that your voice remains steady. Then you raise a brow, glancing down at his change in attire. “Wait, why are you wearing a suit?”

Jungkook gives you an infuriatingly impish grin. “Do I need a reason?” His hair is still damp from the shower, a stray lock flopping down across his forehead, and as you watch him brush it away absently, you notice that he’s holding something in his free hand.

“What’s that?” you ask curiously.

Footsteps sound from behind you, interrupting before he can answer. “Jungkookie?” your mother asks, appearing at the foot of the stairs. “I thought I heard your voice. Are you here for Jimin again?”

Jungkook flashes her a winning smile and raises the garment bag he’s holding. “No, I was actually hoping to get some advice. I’ve got my suit ready to go for graduation tomorrow, but I can’t decide which shirt looks better. My mom likes how I look in blue, but I wanted a second opinion from you and Noona.”

To your utter annoyance, your mother coos and gestures for him to come in. He’s already wearing the blue shirt—a pale periwinkle one that reminds you of a cloudless day—but your mom takes the garment bag out of his hand and unzips it to look inside. “What are your options?” she asks.

“Blue, red, and yellow,” Jungkook replies, pulling each shirt off its hanger and holding them up to his chest in turn. “What do you think, Mrs. Park?”

“The blue is lovely,” your mom says thoughtfully, straightening his collar. “But this shade of yellow looks nice too. A handsome young man like you—you really can’t go wrong with any of these.”

Jungkook grins and scratches behind his ear, trying to hide his embarrassment. “Thanks, Mrs. Park.”

The dryer chooses that moment to beep shrilly, signalling the end of its cycle, and your mother darts off to tend to it, leaving you and Jungkook alone in the living room.

“What about you, Noona?” Jungkook asks, just as you’re about to try and sneak out under the pretense of helping with the laundry. “Which shirt do you like?”

“Does it matter?” you ask. “It’s just going to be hidden underneath those horrible black trash bags they make you wear.”

He laughs. “Sure, but what about before and after? You know my mom’s going to want to take a million pictures.”

“Can’t argue there.” Resigning yourself to your fate, you put your stack of clean pillowcases down on the arm of the couch and cross your arms over your chest. “Show them to me again?”

Jungkook raises the yellow shirt, holding it up for a few seconds before swapping it out for the red. “Well?”

You pause to consider it. “Red,” you decide after some deliberation, pointing at your choice. It’s a deep crimson color—almost burgundy—and you rub the silky material between your fingertips before taking it and replacing it onto its hanger. Jungkook joins you with the yellow shirt, his arm bumping into yours as you both reach for the garment bag, and even though you flinch away from the contact, Jungkook doesn’t let you stray very far. A strong hand clamps down around your forearm, and you inhale sharply when he backs you up against the wall and cages you in with his solid body.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Jungkook looks thoroughly unfazed as he blinks a few loose strands of hair out of his eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“Jungkook—” you hiss, struggling to see over his shoulder if your mother has returned. “Get off me.”

“Come on, Noona,” Jungkook murmurs. “I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at me. Ever since you got back—ever since we kissed—”

“A mistake,” you say, cutting him off with a finger to the lips and glancing around furtively to make sure no one is eavesdropping. “That was a mistake.”

Jungkook raises an eyebrow. “Was it? Because I really wanted to kiss you, and I’m pretty sure you wanted to kiss me too. You kissed back, didn’t you?”

“Y-you—“ You clear your throat and try again, cringing at how shaky your voice comes out. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

But Jungkook simply laughs. “Don’t I?” He inches closer until you’re chest to chest, his gaze darkening as it flickers downward and lands on your mouth. Your heartbeat quickens, thudding erratically in your ribcage. It would be so easy to push to your tiptoes and close the distance between your lips.

“God,” you huff. “You’re so—”

His other eyebrow rises to join the first. “I’m so—?” he presses, tilting his head as he awaits your answer. The loose lock of hair flops across his forehead again, and this time you cannot stop yourself from reaching up to brush it away.

“Shut up,” you hiss as your fingers drop down to wind into the soft hair at his nape. “Just shut up.”

And then you’re kissing him—really, really kissing him—pulling him down to your level and sliding your free hand up his infuriatingly toned chest.

“See?” Jungkook’s lips curl up into a smug smirk as he pulls away slightly, his warm breath fanning across your cheeks with every word. “I knew you were into me.”

“God, do you ever stop talking?” you retort, pushing him back until you have enough room to switch your positions and maneuver him against the wall.

Jungkook lets you pin him in place, blinking down at you lazily with his mouth still stretched into that maddening little smirk. “Only if you make me, Noona.” His hands slide down your sides, coming to a stop at your hips in an ironclad grip. “Only if you kiss me like that again.”

So you do. Your fingers tighten in his hair as you crush your mouth to his, and when his lips part you slip your tongue inside. Jungkook—still smirking—relaxes and lets you take control of the kiss, but his hands continue to wander. Before you know it, he’s already snuck underneath the hem of your shirt, rubbing warm circles into the soft skin of your waist. His lips move languidly against yours, his tongue careful and gentle in its exploration of your mouth, and you sigh when he tugs you closer. You’re pressed flush against him by this point, pinning him between your body and the wall, and neither you nor he have any intent to move anytime soon.

The sudden slamming of a door jerks you back to reality. Here you are, standing in the living room where anyone could walk by and see you kissing your brother’s best friend—again. Shakily, you pull away from Jungkook with your heart in your throat, putting as much space as you possibly can between your bodies. “Fuck,” you mutter. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. We can’t do this.”

Jungkook’s chest is heaving, his lips swollen and red. “{Name}—” he tries, but you shake your head and cut him off before he can continue.

“You need to leave,” you whisper.

“But—”

“Please,” you say, your heart hammering wildly in your chest. “Please, Jungkook. Just leave.”

Jungkook swallows, hard. And then, much to your relief, he picks up his garment bag, shoving both shirts back inside. “Okay,” he rasps. “I’ll go.”

Elsewhere in the house, you can hear your mother calling for Jimin. Your father is watching TV in his study—you can hear the low hum of voices and a laugh track. Your entire family is here.

And yet, you’ve never felt more alone as you watch Jungkook stride down the hallway and disappear out the front door.

///

Returning to your high school is odd. The hallways and classrooms are familiar, but they all seem smaller than you remember. And were the ceilings always this short? You aren’t sure. What you are sure of, however, is that Jungkook and his family are currently headed your way, with beaming smiles on their faces and colorful flower bouquets in hand. Greetings and congratulations are exchanged, and it isn’t long before you are face-to-face with Jungkook himself, a tight smile on his face as he meets your eyes.

“Hi, Noona.”

“Hi,” you reply. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

Now that the graduation ceremony is over, he’s taken off his robe to reveal the red shirt underneath. The silky material drapes over his torso and clings to the toned planes of his chest, and your fingers itch to run across the defined muscle. Swallowing down the urge, you instead gesture toward his parents, who are engaged in deep conversation with your own parents while Jimin chats with Junghyun off to the side. “I guess we’re all getting dinner after this, huh?”

He nods. “Yeah, at that one place downtow—“

“Jungkook! Jimin!” A feminine voice interrupts him mid-sentence, and you watch in surprise as both your brother and Jungkook are suddenly engulfed in a massive tangle of limbs. Immediately, you recognize Jisoo and Lisa—two girls you considered casual friends from your own high school days. The third girl in the trio of friends—Chaeyoung—is noticeably absent, but you don’t get a chance to question her whereabouts. “Can you believe it? We’re graduates!” Lisa is saying excitedly, still clutching tightly onto Jungkook’s shoulders. She’s pressed flush against him, her chest molded to his, and the sudden rush of jealousy that takes root in the pit of your stomach takes you aback with its ferocity.

Calm the fuck down, you instruct your pounding heart. Stop it, right now.

“Has Tae told you about the party tomorrow night?” Jisoo asks, breaking you out of your thoughts. “You guys better be there—and that means you, too, {Name}! It’s been forever since we’ve seen you!”

You clear your throat and attempt to smile. “Yeah, it’s been way too long. It’ll be nice to finally catch up.” Unwillingly, your gaze flickers back over to Jungkook and Lisa, doing your best to maintain a neutral expression when you notice the casual way his arm drapes over her shoulders.

Your attempts are in vain. Jungkook notices your stare immediately, a massive shit-eating grin spreading across his face. One eyebrow rises in a silent taunt, and you swear his grip around her tightens. Resisting the urge to roll your eyes, you instead turn back to Jisoo, finally voicing the question that’s on your mind.

“So, where’s Chaeyoung? I saw her during the ceremony, but haven’t seen her around since. She didn’t leave already, did she?”

“No, she’s still here,” Jisoo answers, exchanging a look with Lisa. Curiosity piqued, you watch her gaze dart over to Jungkook for a split second before returning to you, a tiny smile gracing her face once more. “She’s with her family right now, but she’ll be at the party tomorrow.”

“I’ll congratulate her there, then,” you say, returning her smile with one of her own. Silently, you wonder at the uneasy glance the two girls had exchanged, but decide not to press it, chalking it up to some senior year drama that isn’t any of your business.

“Well, we should probably get going,” Jisoo says after another beat. “We’re off to dinner.”

“We should be on our way too,” you agree, glancing over at where your parents are still chatting, having absorbed Junghyun into their conversation at some point. Bidding the two girls goodbye, you sidle over to join them, trying your best to subtly nudge your parents toward the door.

After what feels like an eternity, your parents finally decide that they’re ready for a change in scenery. The drive to the restaurant is blessedly short, much to the relief of your grumbling stomach, and you are more than grateful for the brief reprieve from Jungkook and his knowing smirk. It doesn’t last long, however, and you mentally brace yourself when you spot the Jeons’ car in the parking lot of the restaurant. Upon entering, you are quickly ushered to your reserved table where the Jeons are already waiting, and somehow in the shuffle you end up right between Jungkook and Junghyun, the former’s face dissolving into a satisfied grin as he watches you sit down.

Then he turns to Jimin, who’s seated on his other side. “Hey, man.”

You bristle at the blatant way he’s ignoring you. But two can play at that game, so you turn to Junghyun with a winning smile, laying a hand on his shoulder for good measure. The older Jeon brother is four years your senior, but despite the age difference, you’ve always gotten along well.

“Junghyun, I haven’t seen you in ages! How have you been?”

The elder Jeon grins and leans in to give you a hug. “Good, good—work’s insane, but that’s old news. What about you? How’s school going so far?”

You can feel Jungkook’s gaze on you, hot and heavy. The hairs on the back of your neck prickle under the weight of it, and you resist the urge to shiver. Instead, you give Junghyun’s bicep a final squeeze before pulling away, steadfastly ignoring the way Jungkook lets out a disgruntled hiss from between his teeth.

“School is good,” you tell Junghyun. “I’m trying to get all my general requirements out of the way early, so my first semester wasn’t very interesting. I took some more focused classes in the second, though, which made things infinitely better.”

The elder Jeon laughs. “Guess that means you’re on the right track then, huh?”

“Guess so,” you reply, laughing right along with him.

The server stops by to take drink orders, and your parents take it upon themselves to order food for the table as well. You continue chatting amicably with Junghyun as the server returns with a tray of water, sodas, and soju; beside you, Jungkook does the same with Jimin. The only break in conversation comes when the server—a pretty girl with a chirpy voice and a nametag that reads ‘Mina’—leans over to set a glass of Coke down in front of Jungkook. He thanks her with a crooked smirk and a low purr of gratitude that has her cheeks flushing pink, and it’s all you can do not to gape at him like a fish. The flirtatious quirk of his lips, the seductive tone—it all comes far too naturally to him, and you wonder for a moment just where the old Jungkook has gone. The Jungkook you used to know stammered every time he had to talk to an unfamiliar girl, and had trouble looking even you in the eye despite having known you since grade school.

But now, he’s nowhere to be found. The young man sitting beside you remains as calm as can be, shifting his body toward Mina so that he can request a straw.

“Of course, here you go!” Mina’s gaze lingers on his hand as he accepts the proffered straw, eyes widening when his fingers brush against hers lightly.

“Fast service,” Jungkook remarks, his voice dipping into a low, indolent drawl. “I like that.”

Mina giggles and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She’s clearly about to respond to him—flirt right back, undoubtedly—but your father stands up and taps his glass with a spoon before she can open her mouth. “I want to make a toast,” he says, and you send him a silent, heartfelt thank you when Mina wisely chooses to make herself scarce. “Congratulations to Jungkook and Jimin, our two rad grads!”

An audible groan rises up from your side of the table, where Jimin has buried his face in his hands. “Oh my god, Dad.”

“What?” your father asks innocently. “I really think you’re rad, grad!”

Jimin groans again, muffled by the sleeves of his jacket. “I want the earth to swallow me whole.”

Laughter all around. More toasts are given, and the bottles of soju scattered around the table slowly dwindle down to their last dregs. Junghyun picks up the one closest to him and fills up your glass for the fourth time, drawing a protesting whine from your lips as you try to cut him off. “Wait, that’s not fair! Pour some for yourself too!”

“Relax, we can always order more,” Junghyun says with a laugh, topping off your glass before glancing around to find Mina. Much to your irritation, she’s already headed your way, bearing loaded platters of meat and vegetables and wearing a bright smile that seems to only be directed to Jungkook.

“I hope you’re all hungry!” she chirps, coming to a stop between you and the subject of her affections. You swear she shoots you a dirty look over her shoulder before turning back to the table, her cheerful facade back in place as she smiles at Jungkook. “Where did you want me to put the meat?”

“Anywhere it’ll fit,” Jungkook tells her with a suggestive smirk, keeping his voice soft enough so that only you and she can hear.

Mina cannot hide her answering smile. Likewise, you cannot hide the way your nostrils flare, throat bobbing as you swallow down the ugly feelings bubbling up in your chest. You can feel Jungkook’s gaze roving across your skin, but you refuse to look at him, stubbornly facing the front as Mina distributes food around the table. As soon as she’s departed again—her fingers brushing across the back of Jungkook’s chair in the process—you’re up and out of your seat, heart beating faster than you’d like to admit.

“Restroom,” you say shortly by way of explanation. It’s thankfully empty when you arrive, and you immediately make a beeline toward the sink to splash some cold water on your cheeks.

It’s absurd—this snaking jealousy coiling in your belly and winding up between the slats of your ribcage. Straightening up, you give your reflection in the mirror a stern look, silently willing the feelings in your chest to abate. Gradually, your heartbeat slows into a regular rhythm, your cheeks cooling, and after waiting another two minutes, you decide that it’s been long enough. Drying off your hands, you exit the restroom and wind your way back to the table, keeping your pace leisurely even when Jungkook looks up and catches your eye. His expression is unreadable, and you valiantly ignore his burning gaze as you take a seat.

“How is everything?” you ask Junghyun, picking up a spoon and piling your plate with food from the nearest platter.

Junghyun pauses mid-bite to answer. His mouth opens, but you don’t catch his answer because there is a sudden, heavy weight on your knee. A warm palm caresses the skin exposed by the hem of your dress, slow and sensual and deliberate. Your eyes widen and your lips part, but no sound escapes. The rest of the table’s occupants fade away into the background, conversations and laughter dulling into a low drone. Beside you, Junghyun is still talking, but all you can hear is blood rushing through your ears.

And on your other side, Jungkook is smirking.

The bastard.

Gentle fingertips skim along your skin, leaving trails of fire in their wake. Your entire body stiffens, but Jungkook refuses to relent. He’s still chatting with Jimin, chuckling at a joke you didn’t hear, and you wonder how he can remain so calm when you are anything but. Your heart takes off in a sprint, clattering wildly against your ribcage, and for a few moments you are absolutely positive that everyone at the table can hear. Any moment, one of your parents will look over and see how wide your eyes are and how warm your cheeks feel. Any moment, Jimin will look down and see his best friend’s arm snaking beneath the table and realize what’s happening.

And then Jungkook squeezes your thigh, and all thought flies out of your head, dissipating like fog in the sunlight. He’s growing increasingly bold, his fingers trailing up until he can trace the hem of your dress, teasing at the soft material. Your breath hitches in your throat, and Jungkook’s smirk widens. You can see him out of the corner of your eye, trying to hide his smugness behind his soju glass, and for a moment you’re tempted to throw his drink in his face.

But more than that—more than anything else right now—you want him to continue touching you.

He’s sliding beneath your dress now, inching down to the delicate skin of your inner thigh and tracing nonsensical patterns there. You grip the edge of the table as he trails closer and closer to the lace of your panties, knuckles turning white against the dark wood. It’s a wonder no one has noticed your flustered state yet, and you cast concerned glances at Junghyun and Jimin before Jungkook notices your inattention. Punishingly, he slides a single finger into your panties, snapping the lace against your skin and covering the sound with a cough that he buries in his elbow. He can’t hide the way you jolt in your seat though, your knee thudding against the table. Junghyun gives you a worried look, laying a hand on your shoulder as he asks if you’re okay, and you hurriedly nod. And underneath the table, Jungkook resumes his ministrations, languorous and soft and deliberately avoiding the place you need him most, as if he has all the time in the world.

There’s a growing damp spot between your legs. You can feel it seeping through the cottony material of your panties, sticking uncomfortably to your folds. Jungkook’s touch is whisper-soft, caressing along your thigh until your skin is tingling, and it’s all you can do to swallow down the whimper that’s bubbling up in your throat. He’s thoroughly enjoying this—you can tell—and you’re certain he can feel the way you tense up when he suddenly drags a single finger up your clothed slit. A low hiss escapes your parted lips, and in an instant, all eyes are on you.

“Noona?” Jimin asks curiously. “Something wrong?”

“I—” Your mind whirs, searching for an excuse. “It’s nothing. I’m fine. The, uh, sauce was just spicier than I was expecting it to be.”

You haven’t touched a single thing on your plate in minutes, but no one seems to notice your obvious lie. Conversation resumes, and you determinedly pick up your spoon again, intent on getting something more substantial in your belly than the fluttering butterflies that have taken up residence there.

“You sure you want to eat that, Noona?” Jungkook’s voice reaches your ears—a low, dulcet purr that sends electricity shooting down your spine. “You should probably drink some water to cool down.”

And before you can answer—before you even manage to reach for your water glass—he’s slipped his hand into your panties, the warm pad of his thumb pressing experimentally against your clit. The slight pressure has you gasping, your heart pounding hard enough to leap out of your chest as you drop your spoon. Your hands drop down to your lap—one gripping the edge of your chair while the other finds its way around Jungkook’s wrist, and you aren’t sure whether you’re trying to stop him or spur him on. His arm muscles flex underneath your fingertips, and that’s all the warning you get before he angles his hand, a lone finger sinking inside your drenched entrance.

“Oh, fuck.” You can’t stop the strangled curse that escapes your lips, an airy hiss from behind clenched teeth. Your grip on Jungkook’s wrist tightens, but it doesn’t seem to dissuade him at all as he begins a leisurely pace, sinking deeper into your cunt with each thrust.

Luckily, no one hears your whimper. Sinking your teeth into your bottom lip, you bite back the sounds threatening to spill out and instead focus on maintaining as neutral an expression as you can muster. Beneath the table, Jungkook remains relentless. Even when your mother looks over and addresses him directly, he doesn’t cease his ministrations, keeping both his tone and his pace even as he responds.

“Jungkookie, you’ve barely touched your pork belly. Are you full already?”

“Stuffed,” Jungkook replies smoothly. He punctuates the word by adding a second finger, and you almost bang your knee on the table again, your eyes going wide at his audacity.

Your mother pushes the platter of meat closer to him anyway. “No need to be polite, honey. Here, eat up.”

Obligingly, Jungkook picks out a few pieces with his free hand and piles them on his plate. “Thanks, Mrs. Park,” he says as he brings some to his mouth. “It’s delicious.”

Satisfied, your mother turns her attention elsewhere. Jungkook returns his to you, and you almost groan aloud when his thumb brushes against your clit again, rubbing tight circles around the sensitive bud before he sheathes both fingers inside you once more. There’s a growing heat coiling in the pit of your stomach by this point, lighting every single one of your nerves on fire. Your body is screaming for release, and Jungkook seems more than eager to give it to you. He’s freed his wrist from your grip, leaving you to clutch helplessly at the table as he angles his fingers upward. No doubt he’s searching for the spot that will have you seeing stars, and you know he’s found it when a sudden burst of pleasure spikes through you. Your mouth falls lax, and Jungkook grins, thoroughly satisfied.

There’s something building inside you, something that has your tummy tensing and your toes curling in your shoes. Jungkook’s fingers dig deep, his palm rubbing against your clit with every thrust, and it takes every remaining ounce of your self-control to resist the urge to rock your hips into his hand. A bit more of that delicious friction, and you’ll be falling over the edge. You know it, and so does Jungkook if the smirk on his face is anything to go by.

And then a voice is pulling you back to reality, a warm hand settling on your shoulder. You flinch at the contact, your startled gaze flying up to Junghyun’s, and balk when you see him staring at you with equal parts amusement and concern.

“I—what?” you stammer. “Did… did you say something?”

Beneath the table, you feel Jungkook’s fingers retreat, leaving you empty and aching for release. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Jungkook wipe his glistening hand on his napkin, a frown that can only be described as petulant settling onto his face.

“Whoa, relax!” Junghyun drags your attention back to him, raising his hands in mock surrender. “I just wanted to say goodbye. I have to be up early for work tomorrow, so I’m driving back into the city tonight.”

“Oh!” It takes you a few seconds to process his words. “Right, yeah. Have a safe drive back. It was good to see you.”

“Ditto,” he replies, flashing you a warm grin. “But hey, are you all right? You’ve been a little weird the whole night. Was it the food?”

Gratefully, you seize upon the excuse. “Yeah! Yeah, I’m fine. I think maybe something isn’t sitting quite right in my stomach, but I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about it.”

He nods and leans in for a hug. “Take care of yourself, yeah?”

“You too. Bye, Junghyun.”

With the elder Jeon brother’s departure, everyone else quickly decides that it’s time to disperse as well. You adamantly refuse to look in Jungkook’s direction as your parents fight over the bill, focusing your goodbyes on Mr. and Mrs. Jeon even when he glances your way with a knowing little smirk and a soft murmur of, “Bye, Noona.”

You can’t look at him. Not when every movement reminds you just how damp your panties are, your core begging for relief. Not when he’s waggling his fingers in farewell—the gesture anything but innocent. “Bye,” you warble weakly, before fleeing to the car.

The memory of his fingers burns fresh in your mind later that night as you lie in bed, your hand stuffed down your panties and working furiously to find that sweet, sweet relief.

#jungkook #jeon jungkook #jungkook x reader #jungkook smut #bts smut #jungkook scenarios #bts scenarios #bts #bts fanfic #bts fic #kpop scenarios #brother's best friend!au #brother's best friend au #lia writes

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kireijae · 4 years ago

Text

fearless — n.jm x reader

summary: you start a new job at your favourite local bookstore in seoul, however no one cared to inform you of the very pretty delivery guy who comes once a week.

genre: twist (ig?) on a bookstore!au, nonidol!au, fluff, angst, some crack too

warnings: swearing, detailed descriptions of food and eating, edited but not very well, i cried while writing it (if i forgot any or you want me to add specific ones, send an ask or message me!)

words: 6k

a.n: i worked so hard on this oh my goodness it was like giving birth dkfjdsfnsd. but really i love this one a lot so i hope you all enjoy it because i did my best to do the story i had in my head justice. also! let me know what you thought of it!

m.list

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

The streets were quiet as you walked to the bookstore. Your bag was heavy in your hand and the sun danced around you, creating a blinding sort of glow on the pavement beneath your feet. You passed modern coffee shops and tall skyscrapers alike, buildings becoming more and more modern the longer you walked. All right angles, smooth surfaces and tinted windows glinting in the morning sun. It was only your second day on the job, but the route was already familiar to you, after having visited the bookstore quite often over the few years you’d been living in the city.

The tingling sounds of the old bell above the door fell around you like snowflakes as you stepped inside. It was quite literally like stepping into another realm. The floor was paved with stone tiles, little shoots of green peaking up between them here and there. The glass walls were lined with creepers and bookshelves alike and the glass roof allowed for the rays of sunlight to poke through the trees’ branches above.

Your eyes were pulled to Jisoo after her voice called to you from behind the cash register. “Good morning!” she said, eyes bright and her voice chipper.

She gave you a short list of things to do before opening the store while she did some admin in the back room. You rearranged bookshelves, tidied the seating area in the centre of the room, fluffing up the old embroidered cushions and wiping the coffee stain off the old wooden table. Once you heard the old clock near the counter sing its tune to signal the hour, you walked over to the door to flip the sign that hung there.

The day went by slowly, with barely any customers walking through the doors. You were half asleep at the register when you heard the bell at the door ring and you sat up from your crunched up position on the old stool. You blinked a few times in an attempt to wake yourself up completely, but your eyes widened when they focused on the person at the door.

You nearly thought it was a scene out of a drama. He walked in, and you swore you saw a curl of wind rush past him and fuss with his hair. Everything around him went out of focus — all your attention honed in on him. He had a white t-shirt on with a loose, light blue button up draped over his shoulders. His hair had to have been dyed, with the depth of the black that coated the strands, but it was still glimmering nonetheless.

You were paying attention to everything he did as he walked towards you, so luckily for you, you caught his words even through your haze.

“Hey, are you new here?” you finally noticed that he held a big cardboard box in his arms, fingers curled around the front, with the bottom of it resting on his forearms.

You opened your mouth to answer, but before any sort of sound could pour out, Jisoo came out from the back room. You were grateful for the interruption, seeing as you weren’t sure you could function correctly just then.

“This is only her second day, Jaemin,” she said, throwing him a knowing glance from the corner of her eye and taking the box from him, “don’t scare her off.”

“Now how would I ever scare someone off?” he leaned on the end of the counter, eyes following Jisoo’s form into the back room again.

The arm that wasn’t leaning on the dark wooden counter was hanging limply from his shoulder, his whole body conveying defeat from the forward curve of his spine to the slack of his jaw.

“You nearly knocked over an entire shelf of books on your first delivery here,” yelled Jisoo, still from the back room.

“I was nervous!” he straightened his posture, his hand now flat in front of you and his arm outstretched, “Anyways I better get going.”

He looked at you as he said it and you noticed the way the glint in his eyes seemed to dance and swirl around until he completely focused on you.

“I’m Y/n, by the way,” you forced an arm out along with your words.

He took your hand gently and squeezed it, “I’m Jaemin. I don’t think I’ve ever shaken someone’s hand before. At least not someone my age.”

His tone seemed sincere, not teasing or judgemental — purely observational. He threw you a smile before walking out the door again. His light blue shirt billowing behind him when he opened the door.

“Don’t mind him,” Jisoo said, walking out into the store again with a pile of books in her hands, “he’s insanely annoying, but honestly it’s either him or the old guy who smells like mould. That smell hangs around even after he’s gone.”

Jaemin came back a few days later, no box in his arms this time and a black hoodie on his frame. He usually came once every week with a box in hand and his bright smile stretched out on his face. Some days he was there and gone within the blink of an eye and other days he hovered around the store, gabbering about anything and everything. Sometimes he came into the shop empty handed: no box full of books to deliver. Jisoo seemed surprised the first time it happened, pulling a face akin to one a girl looking at her brother who just barged into her room unannounced would wear. She said nothing of it, however, so neither did you.

One night at 9pm when you were left alone to close the store, he came rushing down the road in his company van and stumbled out onto the concrete. His hair was already messed up before the wind hit it, most likely from his running his hands through it as he so often did.

‘How does it still look so soft?’

“Please tell me I’m not too late?” he said when he was close enough to not have to yell over the wind.

“Hm?” you widened your eyes and leaned your head forward, trying to get yourself to pay attention to his words instead of the glow of his skin under the streetlights.

“If I have to take another delivery back because I missed it Mr. Yoo might kill me,” he said, his eyes held a plea in them.

“Oh,” you turned back, fiddling for the key in your bag, “Sure let me just open up again.”

“You’re a lifesaver,” he said, setting the box down on the counter after refusing to let you carry it into the store.

“I opened a door Jaemin,” you said, scoffing at him from the door, “it’s nothing. Plus, it’s worth it if it means your boss won’t kill you— What are you doing?”

“I’m helping,” he was faced away from you, hands working at (aggressively) opening the package.

You huffed and set your bag down next to you before walking over to him. You peered over his shoulder, catching a whiff of his cologne. It smelled fresh but sweet. He’d already taken half the books out and piled them on the counter and one or two had fallen down onto the lower half that formed the desk at which you’d fallen asleep at least five times that week.

“You actually just look like you’re making a mess, Jaem,” you pulled your bottom lip in between your teeth and looked up at him through your eyelashes.

He tried his best not to let the shy smile slither onto his face, “Then tell me where to put them.”

He turned around, obviously underestimating your proximity. You were only about five centimeters away from him — at most. He could count your eyelashes if he wanted to, and goodness knows he was tempted to. Anything to be able to look at you for a little longer.

Your heart beat sporadically in your chest, his energy making your system go haywire. You reached behind him to grab one of the books and pulled it towards your chest.

“You don’t have to help. I can do it myself,” you couldn’t find it in yourself to move, you hoped it looked like you were standing your ground and not like you were stuck in your place from the shock of being so close to him.

“I want to,” you swore his eyes glitched — or yours did — because you saw him steal a glance at your lips.

You turned around swiftly before you could think about it anymore, “Alright, it’s organised by genre but these are all just restocks so you can take a few of these to the back.”

It took less time than you thought to pack everything away and enter the stock on the system, nearly half the time it usually took you by yourself. Jaemin was a lot more helpful than you thought he would, and he was a lot stronger than he looked, too.

“Do you want a ride home?” came his voice from behind you as he reached over you to put the last book on a shelf.

“Uh, I’ll be fine by myself,” you said, walking away from the shelf to get your bag again and sling it over your shoulder.

“I need to say thanks for taking the delivery, though,” his hands were back in the pockets of his black skinny jeans. His gaze floated over to you, the bottom lid of his eyes slightly swollen with sincerity.

“You already helped me put the books away, you’ve done more than enough—”

“But, I did make you stay late. And the city’s not safe at this hour.”

You sighed in defeat and readjusted your bag. You did hate walking at night and you’d been on your feet most of the day, so perhaps it wasn’t the worst idea to accept the lift home.

He grinned when you accepted and led you over to the van and you tried not to make a comment about getting into a van with a stranger.

You’d been driving for about ten minutes when you signalled for Jaemin to pull over in front of your apartment building. You reached for the door handle to let yourself out of the car once it came to a stop, but before you could, a hand caught your upper arm.

“Y/n…” he trailed off, eyes on the bend of your elbow.

You waited a moment, “Jaemin?”

And when he didn’t answer, you waved a hand in front of his face.

“Hmm? Oh,” he blinked out of his state and looked at you once again, “Uh, never mind.”

Your brows gathered like the ruffles on a dress but you gave him a moment before he let go of your arm, “You’ve been watching too many dramas, Jaemin. What were you going to say?”

He seemed taken aback at first, your directness not something he had anticipated. But then he smiled.

“I was going to ask if you wanted to hang out sometime,” his shyness was almost gone now, your honesty pulling it away from him.

“And? Do you still want to?”

“Yes.”

Your calm façade faltered when he handed you his phone and told you to put your number in it. His fingers brushed yours and you nearly shivered from the contact. However, you managed to hide it during your swift turn away from him.

He texted you as soon as you got into your apartment. You sat in bed for hours, hands grasping your phone. You only needed to wait a few seconds at a time for his replies. Your body hurt from being pushed into the mattress in such an awkward position, but you barely noticed it. Until it reached 3am that is. You had to force yourself to stop replying after the third time you’d sent a “goodnight, i’m actually leaving this time” text. You lay there for a while before you drifted off, thoughts of Jaemin floating through your mind.

Waking up the next morning was one of the hardest things you’d done in a while. Your eyelids felt puffy — you could feel them around your eyeballs everytime you blinked — and your neck hurt from being held up to look at your phone all night. The only reason you wound up going into work was because of one of Jaemin’s texts from last night:

“I’ll come by the bookshop after work sometime this week and we can have that date.”

“I mean hang out*! Unless you’re okay with it being a date? Bc I’d like that.”

—

None of the drinks in the convenience store looked like the one you wanted, or even close to it. Green, orange and yellow bottles lined the refrigerated shelves and you had no interest in any of them. You’d been standing at the back of the store in front of the refrigerators for a few minutes too long and at this point it was probably getting strange for the cashier. If they were even looking, that is. You realised in your short time in the retail industry that the cashiers are never looking at the customers. Most of the time they were zoned out, or on their phones and not watching the customer’s every move, though it still felt like it. You faintly heard the door swing open, but your eyes remained glued to the drinks on the other side of the glass, and your thoughts most definitely not on your surroundings.

Jaemin hadn’t been to the store in three days and he hadn’t texted you since yesterday. As much as you hated to admit it, that boy had got into your head and so, too, had insecurity. Though your rational mind tried to explain the number of reasons he hadn’t been able to come, your irrational mind seemed to be winning in thinking that he was tired of you. It was absurd that you were having this crisis in the middle of the juice aisle of a 7 Eleven at 10pm and you knew it. You also knew he probably had a busy day at work, he’d even told you last week how busy Wednesdays were for some reason, in fact he’d complained for almost ten minutes while you sat staring at the fluffy ends of his hair. But what could you have done to drive him away? Maybe it was the staring…

“This is getting painful.”

And now you were hearing his voice everywhere. It really was time for you to go home. Take a nap. Maybe it was exhaustion talking. After all, you had stayed up late talking to him last night and you had to get up extra early because you were the one opening the shop.

“Just take the pineapple one.” No, that had to be Jaemin.

You whipped around then when the realisation hit you, however, you still stumbled back a bit when you saw it was his figure standing behind you in the aisle.

“What?” Your brain was still cloudy from all the thoughts swirling around it previously, though they’d completely disappeared now that Jaemin was within your line of sight.

“Take the pineapple soda,” he said again, a giant, perfect smile on his face.

“I don’t like pineapple,” you said, gears in your head finally working again, “I was looking for—”

“Please don’t say strawberry,” he hung his shoulders when he saw the sly grin that crept its way onto your face. “Why does everyone love strawberry so much? It tastes like medicine.”

He took you by the hand and pulled you towards the door, passing the very much unconscious cashier on the way out.

“Where are you taking me to?” Your hand was limp in his, you didn’t have the confidence quite yet to be able to grip his hand back.

“That place never has strawberry soda, I’m taking you somewhere that does,” he didn’t let go of your hand for a second.

You watched him as he walked slightly ahead of you, his hair bouncing as he walked. He was wearing a ring, though you couldn’t see exactly what it was in the streetlights’ glow. It was cold against your skin despite his own skin being warm as well.

You walked for a few minutes before Jaemin’s head suddenly perked up like a puppy who’d heard its name being called.

“Do you hear music?” he asked, whipping his head around in an attempt to find where the waves of music were coming from.

“It must be from the park down that way,” you pointed past Jaemin, to the road on your right.

Jaemin grinned and pulled you with him down the empty road. The park came into view and you saw what seemed to be the remains of a festival. People were littered around the centre of the park, surrounded by cherry blossom trees. Some were gazing up at the sparkling lights tangled among the branches, and others were dancing to the music playing.

Jaemin’s grin widened and he turned to you with bright eyes and a pleading expression on his face.

“I thought we were getting soda,” you said, with a smile on your face that told him there was no way you could say ’no.’

“Just ten minutes?” Jaemin bit his bottom lip in excitement as soon as he finished his sentence, he already knew your answer.

“Fine.”

By the time you got the word out, he was already pulling you after him to the row of trees.

Once you were on the path, beautiful trees surrounding you, Jaemin slowed down and craned his neck to look up. He squeezed your hand in order to get you to look up at the trees as well. Clouds of pink petals collected around the branches, and the lights shone like stars among them. The music and faint sound of cars filled your ears and the smell of freshly cooked food floated through the air.

“I’ve never been to one of these festivals at night,” you said, turning your head to the side to look at him instead.

Your words tore his eyes away from the view above, “Really?”

You nodded your head simply and the two of you continued walking in comfortable silence. Every now and then, drops of water fell from the trees above you like rain from the clouds, most likely from the rain that had run through the city earlier in the day. The music floated around your head, it was a song you didn’t remember the name of but the beat was familiar and it caused you to nod your head to the tune. Jaemin sensed the nodding of your head and did his best to hide his smile by looking down at the paved ground below him.

His gaze was brought back to you, though, when he heard a light giggle. Jaemin’s eyes followed your line of sight and found that you were looking at two kids dancing to the music. They bounced about with no sense of the rhythm of the music, giant smiles on their faces. He felt as though he was in the ending shot of a drama, a freeze frame centred on the main character, the background out of focus and the edges of the screen twinkling. Jaemin wanted so desperately to ask you to dance. Right there. In the middle of the park. And he considered doing it, too.

Just then, your smile widened as the two children began twirling aimlessly and Jaemin couldn’t stop himself from speaking his next words, “Did you want to da-“

Luckily for him, the rain was able to stop him when it suddenly came pouring down. Both of you stood frozen for a few seconds, unsure of what to do, until you started pulling Jaemin back the way you came.

“How far is the store you wanted to go to?” you asked when Jaemin furrowed his brows at you.

“Oh, right,” he said, grabbing your hand tighter and walking in front of you, “It’s just around the corner.”

Eventually he stopped the two of you in front of a frozen yoghurt shop. It was devoid of people except for the cashier, who you could barely make out the silhouette of in the neon lights.

He pulled you in through the glass door and pointed over to the drinks glistening in the lights. The whole shop was cold, making you put your hands on your upper arms to preserve heat. You took one of the many strawberry flavoured sodas off the shelf, but you shivered at the even cooler temperature inside the refrigerator. You stood there for a few seconds, thinking before grabbing a pineapple soda from the bottom shelf and turning around to head towards the cashier.

Jaemin was already sat at one of the white tables, facing away from you. The black material of his jacket hugged him comfortably, his body nearly drowning in the fabric. It made you want to wrap your arms around him, whether it was simply to get warmth or if it was to get to hold Jaemin, you weren’t sure.

You yanked your eyes away from him and went over to the cashier, setting the two bottles down on the counter.

“You don’t have to pay,” he said from his place on a stool near the cash register. He didn’t even look up from the phone in his hands, “It’s on the house.”

You jerked your head away in surprise, “Excuse me?”

“Really, you don’t have to pay for it” Jaemin’s voice came up behind you, “that’s my cousin, he’s trying to get fired.”

You looked back and forth between the two for a second, only just seeing the resemblance.

“What? Why?” you ask, not sure who to direct the question to, but that problem was solved when the boy sitting behind the register put AirPods in his ears.

“My aunt will kill him if he quits another job,” Jaemin snickered, “He’s quit five in the last four months.”

You walked over to Jaemin as he spoke and you noticed two cups of frozen yoghurt on the table.

“That has to be a record,” you sat down and Jaemin pushed one of the cups over to you. There was a curl of lilac coloured frozen yoghurt peeking out the top of the cup.

He chuckled, “Yeah, his mom completely cussed him out. But I’ve met the manager of this place and I would want to quit too if I were him.”

It was silent for a few seconds as you dipped the plastic spoon into the swirl of frozen yoghurt and hummed.

“You just don’t like him, because he stocks strawberry flavoured soda,” you spoke around your growing smirk before opening the can and taking a sip from said soda.

“Hey, at least I’m not the one mixing soda with frozen yoghurt,” he said, pointing to the aforementioned drink with a stern look in his eyes.

You narrowed your eyes at him, seeing through his judgemental facade, “You’ve never tried it have you?” His gaze melted into one of rather tense curiosity at your actions as you raised a spoonful of the frozen yoghurt to your mouth.

“No, doesn’t it feel weird?” he watched you with his confusion pulling on his brows.

“That’s the whole point,” you said, before following the spoon of yoghurt with a sip of soda again.

He quickly scooped some frozen yoghurt from the quickly diminishing supply into his mouth and then looked at you expectantly after swallowing, “So it’s like a chaser?”

You let out a giggle, “I mean kinda, yeah. Try it, but keep the soda in your mouth for a little.”

He reached out, took his soda into his right hand, and after opening it and giving it a curious look, he drank from it. His eyes widened at the pleasant sensation of fizzing and bubbling in his mouth and he pulled his lips together as if sucking from a straw. You laughed loudly at his animated reaction and tried to hold back the ‘I told you so’ that threatened to spill past your lips.

“Wow,” his mouth widened, his jaw comically lopsided, and held the can of soda out in front of him, looking at it as if it had just spoken to him. He then looked up at you, his expression turning back into confusion, “Why are you laughing?!”

“I’ve shown this to so many people, but they’ve never reacted like you just did,” you put a hand in front of your mouth as you continued to heave out giggles.

Jaemin’s features softened as he watched your eyes and nose crinkle from your laughter. A smile etched itself onto his own face at the sight and sound of you laughing at him. Your cheeks were jutting out to make room for your smile and he was sure your laugh was the best sound he’d ever heard. He was glad he could make you laugh so hard. Glad that he had any positive effect on you at all, really.

While the two of you continued talking, the sky outside emptied itself of rain until it had none left. The sound of rain clattering to the ground outside was replaced with only the occasional drip from the roof. However, neither you nor Jaemin would admit that you’d noticed it, instead opting to stay in the bubble your laughter and conversation had made around you. That was, until a set of keys was hurtled towards Jaemin, who very nearly caught them. They landed on the floor behind him and he twisted around to pick them up.

“What the hell?” said Jaemin, throwing his words at his cousin who had just woken up.

“When you’re done, lock up for me will you?” he said as he picked up a backpack from behind the counter, “But don’t stay too long, Jaemin, if you keep looking at them like that I’m pretty sure your eyes will turn heart shaped.”

Jaemin scoffed, watching his cousin disappear out the back entrance without another word, leaving only the lights above the refrigerators on.

“Alright let’s go,” he stood up and held his hand out for you to take and you couldn’t help the shy smile that pushed its way onto your face.

After locking up, the two of you began wandering the streets of Seoul, with no particular destination in mind. Jaemin kept your hand in his as you walked. The rain had stopped, but it had left blotches of water for you to dodge everywhere you went.

The boy next to you had become completely silent, the only sounds he made being occasional hums as you spoke. So eventually, you decided to let the sounds of the city enter the space between you instead of trying to fill it with your words.

You made your way to your apartment, Jaemin still by your side. When the two of you stopped in front of your building you had the urge to lean closer to him, to close your eyes and let your lips meld together in a kiss. You wanted to be as close to him as you could in that moment, but when he only gave you a rushed ‘goodnight’ and turned away, your hopes sunk down to the floor of your heart. As you watched him walk away, you felt coldness set in for the first time since you’d met him.

—

Three days after your date with Jaemin, an old man walked into the bookstore with a delivery box in his arms. You went around the counter to take the box from him and sign for the package, frowning all the while. The man left without saying a word, but when he turned around, you caught sight of what must have been a chewed piece of gum behind his ear. Your shoulders jostled in disgust as soon as he was out of sight.

A moment later, Jisoo appeared from the backroom. “Was that Jaemin?”

“No,” you said blankly before looking up from the box you’d just cut open, “but I have met the mold guy now, and you’re right. The smell does hang around after he’s gone.”

“Jaemin better be dying,” she said, going around the counter to start entering the stock on the computer, “or I'll kill him myself for staying home.”

“I don’t think he stayed home,” your shoulders slumped as you said it, “He probably changed his shifts.”

Jisoo hummed in confusion, signalling for you to elaborate. Her eyes were still on the screen but her face was aimed towards you.

“He hasn’t talked to me since we went on that date,” you huffed, placing your hands on your hips. Lifting books all the time still hadn’t become any easier since you‘d started this job. You had, however, learned to appreciate air conditioning after the one day it didn’t work and you were reminded why no one else had turned a greenhouse into a store of some kind.

That pulled Jisoo’s eyes away from the screen, “You went on a what? And he didn’t—? Okay, no, fill me in,” she leaned her forearms on the counter.

“Well, he asked me on a date that night that he made that late delivery, then didn’t specify a day or time and then found me in a convenience store and whisked me away on a really, really lovely date and then he didn’t call or text and now he’s most likely changed shifts because he hates me,” you took a sharp breath in at the end of your rambling.

“That doesn’t sound like something Jaemin would do,” she said, “I mean the last part, the late delivery and suddenly taking you on a date sounds just like him.” She paused for a moment, eyes cast down as she thought, “Have you tried texting him?”

“Of course I have.”

“And?”

“Delivered,” you deadpanned.

The bell on the door rang behind you and you rounded the counter to take over from Jisoo while she asked the customer if they needed any help. Before she left your side though, she sent you a sad, close-mouthed smile and squeezed your arm.

That night, as soon as you’d changed into comfortable clothing and sat on your sofa to watch reruns of an old show, you picked up your phone and wandered over to your chat with Jaemin absent mindedly. As you opened it, you felt a slight pinch in your heart. Maybe being left on delivered was better.

—

You held a bucket above the lamp in the centre of the room, the plop from the drops of water entering it being washed away under the sound of the rain outside the store. You were in the process of trying to place the pile of books you had in your hand onto the table without letting the drops of water get on the lamp, when you heard the sound of the bell ringing above the door.

It had been a while — maybe almost two weeks — since you’d last seen Jaemin; since you’d last talked to him. But now he pushed his way into the shop, bringing with him a whirlwind of the weather outside.

You looked over to his form in the doorway: a box littered with giant dark spots in his hands and his hair nearly dripping from the rain despite the hood of his sopping yellow raincoat framing his face.

When he caught sight of you, your arms holding books and buckets alike and struggling with both of them, he set the box down on the ground near a bookshelf and rushed over to take the pile of books from you. He set them on the old couch and helped you move the heavy lamp in order to put the bucket in its place to catch the water.

“Thank you,” you said quietly, keeping your eyes away from him.

“No problem,” he said, putting his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.

‘He has no business looking that pretty.’

“I’m sorry I haven’t been by in a while…”

You scoffed immediately, “You haven’t answered my texts in a while either.”

“I’m sorry about that too,” you can’t tell if he’s avoiding your eyes because he’s ashamed, or because he’s lying.

“Well, at least you don’t have to apologise for not reading them, because you most certainly did that,” you nearly felt bad as the words sprang out of your mouth, nearly.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” his voice was weak, so were his words.

On hearing the words drop from his lips, your anger rose like a wave at high tide.

“Oh really? Then what exactly did you mean to do, Jaemin? Because, taking someone out on a date — which, by the way, was the best date I’ve ever been on — and then leaving them outside their apartment with barely a ‘goodbye,’ and not calling or texting for a week doesn’t sound like you’re trying very hard not to hurt someone.” You took a breath, before muttering, “Not to mention the fact that you switched your shift just to avoid me.”

“Fuck, I know, okay? I’m so sorry,” he looked up at you then, eyes shining with sadness, the excited glow diminished to barely a flicker, “I know I was an asshole. It was the best night I’ve ever had and I was an idiot not to hold on to you and I’m incredibly sorry. If I could rewind and do it the right way I would.”

“Then why’d you do it, Jaem?” his shoulders slumped at the change in your voice, you were holding back tears and you’d grown so small in front of him. His arms nearly wound themselves around you of their own accord.

“Honestly?” he took a moment to collect his thoughts and arrange them into words, “I was scared. It sounds insanely cheesy and like it comes from a Taylor Swift song or something, but the way you made me feel was terrifying.”

“Great, thanks, you really know how to make someone feel better,” You rolled your eyes, a tear falling down your warm cheek in the process.

He didn’t have time to stop the airy laugh that escaped him, “I felt fearless. You made me feel like there was nothing in the world that could stop me, as long as I was with you.”

You wanted to hate him, wanted to yell that that was bullshit. You wanted to push him out the door and into the rain yourself. But, you couldn’t. You knew he was being sincere. You knew it, because that was exactly how you’d felt and it had scared you, too.

“So you ghosted me completely? Because that doesn’t sound so ‘fearless’ to me,” you tried to keep your resolve until you got the answer you needed.

“Like I said, I was an idiot. It was stupid of me to try to get rid of someone who made me feel like that. I just — I’ve fallen for you so hard and so fast that it scared me, because by the end of the night I knew I wasn’t going to stop falling any time soon, I still haven’t. And then what if I lost you? What if I did something wrong and made you hate me?” he sighed, reigning in his thoughts and emotions, “So, I ran before I could fall anymore. I tried to minimise the pain before it even started.”

“So then, why are you here now?”

“This past week has felt like the place you go to if you’re too shitty even for hell,” he took a small step towards you, “I’ve already fallen way too hard to turn back. And plus, Jisoo called me and told me you were genuinely really upset and well, there’s not much I wouldn’t do for you. So, even if it means possibly getting my heart shattered by you in the future, I’d gladly do anything to make you happy.”

“Jae—”

“Oh and Jisoo said she’d get me fired if I didn’t at least explain myself and I really need the money so— Ow!” He rubbed the spot on his bicep where you’d pinched him. He still held a smile on his face from his own joke.

He was probably the happiest you’d seen someone who’d just been pinched, and suddenly, you couldn’t hide your own smile.

“Will you forgive me then? Or at least let me make it up to you?”

“Depends on how you plan to make it up to me,” gathering yourself, you turned around to enter the back room Jisoo was always hiding in, Jaemin following you close behind.

“What about a date? I’m on my lunch break right now and I just saw this—”

You stopped in the doorway and interrupted him, “I still have to work for another four hours, text me when your shift is over.”

He nodded vigorously, “Yes, uh, okay perfect. I will! I’ll see you later tonight then?” He began backing out of the bookstore with a giant, goofy smile plastered on his face.

Just before he opened the door, you called his name, “Jaemin! Actually text me this time okay?”

“I swear I will!”

if you liked this, buy me a coffee!

taglist: @infnteen (if anyone wants to be added, send an ask or a message!)

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readyplayerhobi · 4 years ago

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Jung Hoseok and the Magic to Happiness | 04

; Hufflepuff Teacher!Hoseok x Reader

; Genre: Fluff, angst, future smut

; Word Count: 5.2k

; Synopsis: An unexpected issue with your Ministry of Magic job leads to you taking the role of Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts. It’s here that you meet your best friend’s younger brother for the first time in years, the Hufflepuff Head of House, Jung Hoseok. While you contend with seeing him once again, Hoseok tries to show you that he’s very much a man and no longer the gangly teenager you once knew.

; A/N: I swear, it’s so hard getting back into writing because I’m permanently convinced that everything I write is bad lol. If you enjoy reading this, please let me know by leaving me an ask or writing a comment on a reblog! I appreciate all the comments I get and it helps to inspire me on <3

Last Chapter ; Next Chapter

The Winter Solstice Ball was a newer tradition at Hogwarts. Before the Battle of Hogwarts, there hadn’t been anything resembling the ball that would happen. The closest you knew of was the Yule Ball, but that only occurred whenever there was a Tri-Wizard Tournament.

Something that hadn’t occurred since the unfortunate events of 1994, when poor Cedric Diggory had been murdered by the dark wizard Voldemort. As expected, it had been mutually agreed that the tournament should no longer continue to ensure there could never be another event like Diggory’s death.

Admittedly, that had been a rather unique set of circumstances. The inclusion of the wizard, Harry Potter, in the Tournament had been arranged by dark wizards on the behest of Voldemort, meaning that Diggory’s death had been even more tragic as he wasn’t meant to be there.

In an attempt to bring more cheer to what should be a happy holiday, Hogwarts had started the Winter Solstice Ball tradition. Unlike the Yule Ball, all years were invited to attend and it also wasn’t on Christmas Day. Instead, it was held on the last day of term and was just a fun event for everyone to enjoy and let off some steam after their first semester back.

You’d always enjoyed it as a student; feeling like a grownup during the first few years and using it as a great way to flirt with boys when you were older. There hadn’t been a year that you hadn’t loved going to it.

It felt a little odd this time though as you were attending as a professor, which meant you had the job of chaperoning all the excited students for the evening. As such, you were excited for an entirely different reason as you would get to watch the First Year’s experience of the ball.

The House Elves had gone all out when decorating the Great Hall today, bringing the feeling of winter inside and taking your breath away. Standing by the open doors, you look around cavernous space with wide eyes and a bright smile. Chaeyoung was next to you, a dress of starlight gracing her body and highlighting just how beautiful she is.

You’d already complimented her as soon as you’d spotted her, admiring the elegant design of her dress and how the tiny crystals are sewn into the fabric reminded you so much of sunlight hitting frost on a winter’s day. Her long black hair was curled into soft waves with her fringe pinned away from her face with a delicate snowflake.

Where she was all light and ice, you were the sumptuous darkness of winter. Your dress was a sumptuous royal blue around your chest which slowly blended into deep midnight by your feet, a shawl of the lightest chiffon in a dark blue around your shoulders. Silver glinted occasionally, threads of it woven through the fabric of your dress and adding a little sparkle alongside the dainty silver necklace around your neck.

The two of you made a striking pair and the combination of a full face of beautiful makeup combined with the jaw-dropping dress made you feel like the prettiest girl in the room. Whether that was true or not, you didn’t care.

The hall itself matched the colour scheme of you both with long swathes of gauzy fabric in rich lavender, crisp white and shimmering silver decorating the tall windows and streaming from the ceiling. Tonight, the ceiling had been enchanted to show clouds backlit by a full moon and tiny flakes of snow fell. They didn’t reach the ground though, melting away a few metres away from the tallest person in the room.

Candles lit the room in all corners, hovering in the air and situated around the room and the tables. A large open space in the centre of the hall was reserved for dancing while a raised section before it hosted the musical entertainment for the night. Small tables surrounded the floor, each only big enough for six people and with white cloths embroidered with tiny snowflakes in silver.

Platters piled high with finger foods dotted the tables alongside empty goblets and jugs of pumpkin juice and butterbeer. A few of the ghosts that haunted Hogwarts floated through the tables, greeting the formally dressed students with cheer and getting into a few conversations with some of them.

Already the hall was filling nicely, students greeting you happily as they rushed inside to meet up with friends and a few of them had already begun to dance. Some of them danced together, trying to figure out how to ballroom dance with the typical awkwardness of teenagers discovering their hormones, and others danced in friend groups. The latter seemed to just be having fun, shaking their bodies wildly to the beat of the music.

“I remember doing that.” Gesturing towards a group of mixed house Fourth Years, you grin at Chaeyoung before chuckling at the memory of dancing like that with Jisoo, Robert and Candace. That had been your ‘group’ of loyal friends throughout your years at Hogwarts, though only Jisoo had remained a close friend once you’d all left.

“Merlin...me too. I had no rhythm back then. Still don’t. Dancing is not for me.” Chuckling, you lean into her and push until she staggers away from you a little before returning the gesture. Glancing around the hall, you note the more introverted people sitting at the tables and sipping at drinks. They don’t seem to be uncomfortable but you resolve to check up on them throughout the night to make sure they’re okay.

“One thing I do love about working with such handsome men here? They make the ball so much better to enjoy.” Chaeyoung hums over the top of her goblet of butterbeer, her refined brows rising in amusement as she looks across the hall. Following her gaze, you have to hide a smile as you take in the sight of some of Hogwarts most eligible bachelor professors and how well they smarten up.

Park Jimin is standing next to Kim Taehyung, his silver hair styled even more elegantly than normal while his dress robes look to have been perfectly tailored to his slim body. A white bow tie adorns his neck and he’s smiling at whatever Taehyung had told him. The Gryffindor Head has his usual boxy smile and you note that he scrubs up just as nicely. Together, they make a lethal pair in terms of looks.

“Now, now,” You muse lightly, looking over to Chaeyoung with mischief on your face. “We’re here to chaperone, not to swoon over good looking men like the teenagers we teach.”

A derisive snort is the only response she gives you, but you see that she’s not taken her eyes off the two younger men. Idly, you wonder which would make the perfect partner for her. You’d consider Taehyung to be a good candidate as their fun-loving natures would get on well, but there’s something about Jimin that makes you think he’d be an even better pick.

She wouldn’t even have to change her last name.

Any more thoughts you have on the subject vanish when the newest professor walks through the door. Black hair made darker from some kind of styling gel is swept up from his forehead, a strand or two falling stubbornly and giving him an almost charming appearance. Deep black robes sweep from his shoulders, covering up a suit that highlights his body in all the right ways.

Unlike Jimin and Taehyung, his outfit was completely black and you swallowed instinctively as you let your eyes run down his frame. Hoseok pauses at the doorway, pink lips moving as he talks to Nayeon, the divination professor. She looks pretty in a floaty dress of bubblegum pink and fizzing lilac, her smile genuine and eyes sparkling as she looks up at him.

Lips twisting, you turn away from the sight and don’t even notice the way Chaeyoung is watching you closely, her lips turning up in a smile she tries to hide. Looking away from you, she catches Seokjin’s questioning expression across the hall and nods at him subtly, enjoying the way the astronomy professor gets a determined look on his face.

“Speaking of men who are too beautiful to be real, Jung Hoseok always looks so good at these events. How is a man like that allowed to even exist?” There’s a breathy note to Chaeyoung’s voice, causing you to frown at her a little before looking back over in his direction.

Nayeon is still standing there, a forlorn expression gracing her face as she watches Hoseok move away from her. It’s only then that you realise he’s walking towards you, causing your eyes to widen in surprise. Confusingly, you’re a little unsure of what to do or how to act.

Not when he’s looking like that. This is not the shy and awkward Hoseok with his dress robes too big for him, the only memory you have of him at the Winter Solstice Ball. He couldn’t be any further from that teenager and you don’t know how to handle that.

Especially when he gives you that breathtaking smile, his cheeks rising and dimpling while his dark eyes shine in delight. You should’ve known the Jung genes would result in him growing into an attractive man; his sister was one of the most beautiful people you’d ever seen.

“Y/N, Chaeyoung,” He bows his head to you both, that smile just as prominent and you nod back to him a little awkwardly. “You both look beautiful tonight. Winter is personified with your colours, it’s nice.”

For a moment, you’re a little lost for words on how to respond to him. You couldn’t recall the last time you’d been so casually complimented, especially from a man. A man as attractive as him. It causes you to swallow wrong and you cough loudly, pressing a hand to your throat.

“Thanks, you’re looking pretty fine yourself tonight,” Chaeyoung teases him, causing that smile to become a little more bashful. “Anyway, I’m going to leave you two alone for a moment, okay? I need to go talk to Seokjin about something.”

You watch her go with wide eyes, noting with suspicion that she’s moving a little faster than you’d expect and you wonder if she’s up to something. But then you realise that you’re being left alone with Hoseok, who’s casually looking you up and down while you’re attention is elsewhere.

It’s only when he catches your eye when you look back, a brow raised, that he realises you’ve caught him. Hoseok turns his head quickly, probably giving himself whiplash and you have to hide the snort at the soft blush on his cheeks.

He may be all grown up now, but he still reminded you of that shy boy who never quite knew how to talk to you.

Reaching out, you poke at his chest and grin at him.

“She’s right, you are looking good tonight. Cleaned up very well.” Hoseok gives you a droll stare and you laugh, feeling any awkwardness rushing away as you both fall into the easy-going nature of your friendship.

The rest of the evening goes by in much the same manner with the two of you separating on occasion to handle issues with students or just to do a walk around. Apart from that though, you both end up spending more time with each other than with anyone else. Conversation flows easily like a fast-moving river and you find yourself laughing more than you have in a while.

You only have to break up one fight between two young boys; the culmination of weeks of tension between the two finally bubbling over. It starts with raised voices before escalating to blows, resulting in you escorting the two to Madame Pomfrey to check for any injuries. After that, you leave them in the hands of Park Jimin to discipline them given their house.

When you get back, you look around for Hoseok or Chaeyoung. You can’t see either of them, causing you to take up a place at the back against the wall to observe for any fallout from the fight. Thankfully, the mood seems to have picked up and you wonder if that’s got anything to do with the more upbeat music that’s being played.

It was never nice watching your students get into fights with each other or lose friendships, but you knew that was part of growing up. The thing about teenagers, and kids, was that they were incredibly resilient. You did not doubt that they would both be back to being friends within a week or so.

“All sorted?” Comes a deep voice to the right, the sound closer than you expected and causing you to jump slightly. Turning to look, you note that Hoseok has turned up out of nowhere and you relax at the sight of his familiar face.

“Yeah, no injuries to each other apart from wounded pride and friendships.” That causes Hoseok to snort and roll his eyes, leaning back against the wall alongside you. Suddenly, you recall how many times Jisoo complained of having to comfort her brother when he’d had yet another fight during his tenure at Hogwarts.

“I’m sure you know all about that, Mr Jung. I remember Jisoo having to deal with you. You were shy but a firecracker.” He sighs deeply and you lean into him, giggling as you regale him with some of the tales she’d told you. Thankfully, he takes it all with his usual good nature and you end up segueing into other memories of your time at Hogwarts.

The exams and the studying, the professors back then and your favourite subjects. It’s something he already knows as you’ve both discussed it previously, but he indulges you and listens amiably while keeping an eye out.

You’re stopped though when he suddenly interrupts you, straightening slightly.

“Would you like to dance? There’s not as many people out there now and you haven’t danced once tonight.” His question is abrupt, causing you to falter in your conversation. Narrowing your eyes, you look him over closely and wonder if he’s being serious. And you conclude that he is.

Looking over at the dance floor, you contemplate for a moment and chew your lip before nodding. Now it’s your turn to feel shy, avoiding his gaze and trying not to catch the eye of anyone else in the hall as he leads you carefully to the floor.

There’s probably a few statues in the British Museum that are less stiff than you as you turn to him, feeling his hand as he settles it on your lower back. You’re hyper-aware of that hand; how hot it feels against you even with the fabric of the dress between you. But that pales in comparison to the feel of his hand against your own, the way he holds it almost tenderly.

Logically, you know that he’s doing that because that’s how you’re supposed to dance like this. A light touch, but it makes you feel a little strange. You’re not sure why it makes you feel like that and you find yourself staring at his long fingers, wondering if he kept up the piano he’d been taught when younger.

The music leads you both in the dance, each beat dictating where you move and you’re vaguely aware of the students dancing around you. None of them are staring or looking confused as there had been many professors who had danced together tonight. But you couldn’t help but feel like this dance was a little different.

This was the closest you’d ever been to Hoseok and his body is so close to your own that you can physically feel the heat coming from him. Every breath you take brings the smell of him into your nose, the familiar mix of rich wood and lemongrass that is so, undeniably Hoseok. And underlying all that is the smell that’s unique to him.

“Is this okay?” He asks quietly and you stare at the black button-up covering his chest, avoiding his gaze given how close the two of you are. It’s probably not the best thing to do when you realise that shirt is straining a little and you can see the outline of his torso from the light of the nearby candles.

Swallowing hard, you look over his shoulder and try to ignore the sudden knowledge that Hoseok is buff beneath his clothes. Which doesn’t help, because you find your eye trailing down his chest as you consider. It’s only when you reach his belt buckle that you suddenly look away, taking a deep breath and wondering what was wrong with you.

You’d had one too many butterbeers tonight or something, which was a terrible excuse as it had such little alcohol content that it didn’t even matter. This was Jisoo’s brother, her little brother. Not someone you should be thinking about half-naked.

Right?

Finally, though, you register his question and nod quickly in response. You’re not sure that you can talk to him without saying something inappropriate as your brain isn’t working very well right now. Not when you’re so confused about...well everything.

“Are you sure? You’ve gone a little weird. Quiet.” Hoseok murmurs, his voice low to avoid any of the students overhearing it. Sighing, you stand a little straighter before looking at him directly and giving him a firm smile. It takes a little more effort than you’d like to push away those errant thoughts but you do so.

“Fine, just worried about those students. I hate seeing their friendship ruined and them angry at each other, you know?” It’s not a lie as you are still concerned about them, but he doesn’t need to know everything going on in your head. Which is why you’re thankful when he nods slowly before spinning you around.

“They’ll be okay. I’ve been doing this job long enough to know that they’ll be back to being friends sooner rather than later. They’ve already got some of that testosterone out by punching each other, which I’d rather they didn’t do but Jimin will talk it out with them. Don’t worry too much, they’ll be fine.” It’s sweet how considerate he’s being and you can hear how genuine he is in his voice.

You don’t get to say anything else though as the tempo increases when the song switches over, causing Hoseok to twirl you away from him with a laugh. All around you the dances start to get a little more energetic and you can’t help but shriek with joy as he matches the student’s enthusiasm, listening to them as they cheer at two of their professors getting involved in the frivolities.

Neither of you notices the way Seokjin and Chaeyoung watch you both closely before smirking at each other.

Glancing around the room, you note how most of the students had already left and gone to bed for the night. The clock had struck midnight a while ago and you had to press a hand to your mouth as you yawned, turning your head away to be polite. A few remaining students were still dancing on the floor but even as you watched, some of them started to walk towards the exit.

Looking over at Chaeyoung, you caught her eye with a wave and smiled with relief when she nodded and made a shooing gesture. Turning to Hoseok, you tried to hide another yawn and almost giggled when you saw that he’d caught one from you, his mouth wide as he didn’t even try to hide it.

“I think we can go now. Chaeyoung gestured that we can leave so I think they’re going to hustle the last students to bed. Something which I’m also very excited to do because I feel like I’ve been awake for two days right now.” Blinking and almost trying to stretch your eyelids by widening them as far as you could, you almost missed the way Hoseok laughed at your antics.

“Tired? It’s not even two in the morning, I expected better of you.” He teases, gently pushing his elbow into your arm before avoiding your hand as you try to swat him. You’d admit that he looked a lot more awake than you did, which you’d say wasn’t fair but you don’t think you’ve ever truly seen him look tired.

“Well, you’re still young and spry. You’ll learn when you get to my age.” Moving off towards the doors of the Great Hall, you grab a tiny triangular sandwich from one of the remaining platters on a table as you pass by.

Light pressure on the small of your back causes you to arch slightly, your chest moving forward and you tilt your head to look at your companion. There’s no expression on Hoseok’s face, nothing to indicate he’s affected by touching you and you frown slightly as you wonder why it’s affecting you.

“You’re not old, I don’t know why you keep thinking that.” He murmurs, voice deep and quiet.

Neither of you says anything more for a few minutes, instead just walking quietly through the hallways. It’s a comfortable silence and you muse for a moment on how much you’ve come to enjoy spending time with him. You would happily say that he was your closest friend here at Hogwarts; something you would’ve never thought would happen when you were studying here and he was just your best friend’s little brother.

That makes you think of how defensive he always gets whenever you, or anyone else, seems to imply that you’re old. Huffing out a laugh, you bite your lip as you contemplate that for a second. Maybe he doesn’t like the implication that you, and by extension, his sister, are considered ‘older’ by the students. Or that he’s also approaching thirty.

The student’s opinions have never bothered you as they think anyone over the age of twenty is old. Nor have you been concerned overall, given the extended lifespan that witches had compared to muggles. You were finally feeling content with your career and your life, something you attested partly to growing older and becoming more at ease with yourself.

But he always got so defensive of it, so maybe he was concerned about himself.

“You don’t have to keep defending my age, you know,” Apparently you were going to query this with him and you blamed the butterbeer for loosening up your tongue. “I’m okay with it, honestly. Which means I’m okay with joking about it.”

Hoseok stiffened slightly and you spotted his expression looking a little uneasy. Frowning, you placed a hand on his arm and pulled him to a stop. Your quarters were only a few corridors away now and the two of you were given a warm glow from the candles lit nearby.

“I’m not defending...I mean, okay maybe I am. I just...I don’t want you to feel like it’s an issue.” Now you’re giving him an amused look, lip quirked up on one side as you try to hold in a small giggle.

“It’s not an issue. Have I made it seem like it was?” Tilting your head, you watch as his eyes dart across your face in an almost shy manner.

“No...well, not in the way you might think,” He looks uncomfortable and you’re about to tell him it’s okay, that he doesn’t have to continue but he does so before you get the chance to speak. “I’m just made every aware of our age difference. You know, the whole ‘you’re her best friend’s little brother’ thing.”

“Hey, I don’t do that, do I?” Now you’re a little concerned.

“No, not really. Not for a while anyway. You did when you first got here but I understood that. We hadn’t met in a while and everyone was curious about how we knew each other. But now...I don’t even know what I’m talking about. Honestly, it’s not important. You’re right.” Hoseok’s babbling a bit but you decide to let him change the conversation. You’re not entirely sure why it truly bothers him, but you’re not going to press it anyway. He deserves to have his feelings and they don’t need to be analysed.

“Okay-” Before you can say anything else, you hear the quiet chiming of bells and frown in confusion. The sound echoes a little in the empty corridor, simultaneously creepy and also ethereal.

Hoseok looks around as well, his brow knitted in confusion before he suddenly spots something about you both. Following him, you note the odd plant that’s grown from the ceiling out of nowhere. The green branches are still growing and you note with interest the small white berries that seem to be forming and familiar leaf shapes appear at the end of each branch.

A red ribbon is delicately wrapped around the stems and you see the little golden bells that let out tiny chimes as they rock from side to side in a non-existent breeze. Now you’re the one frowning as you look around you both, trying to spot who’d set a mistletoe charm to grow when someone walked beneath it.

“Mistletoe?” Hosek whispers, reaching up with one hand in an attempt to touch it. He can’t reach it and you sigh, shaking your head and crossing your arms over your chest.

“Someone has thought it’d be funny to put mistletoe charms around the castle for the ball. Certainly adds to the Christmas spirit. I’ve seen these popping up all night above couples on the dance floor. I think it’s a seasonal Weasley thing, seems like something they’d sell to annoy people.”

The mistletoe is suddenly snowing, letting tiny snowflakes drift to the ground around you both and leaving fluffy snow to settle on Hoseok’s hair and dress robes. How very romantic, you muse to yourself.

“Does it just disappear on its own after a while?” He asks, running his fingers through his hair to try and get rid of some of the snow. Smiling at him, you gently brush at his shoulders only to decide it’s a losing battle as more snow lands.

“Nope. You gotta kiss, that’s the whole point of mistletoe, right? Otherwise, it follows you around.” Hoseok sighs deeply and rolls his eyes.

“Of course it does. Definitely a Weasley thing.”

Looking back up at the mistletoe, and having to blink to avoid getting snowflakes in your eyes, you purse your lips before looking back at Hoseok. You’d long since come to terms with the fact that you find him attractive; anyone with eyes can see that. But you hadn’t planned on doing anything about it, not given who he was and who his sister was to you.

His words from earlier play through your mind though, and you wonder if he hates having to constantly know he’s given the best friend’s little brother status. Even now, months after you’d arrived and you considered him a friend, you knew that there were still people who thought of that as the most defining characteristic of your friendship.

Letting out a little sigh, you straighten your shoulders before reaching out and taking hold of his dress robes. Fuck it, you’re not one to waste a perfect chance.

Pulling him closer, you watch as his eyes dart to yours and widen when he realises that you’re moving towards him as well. And then those same eyes flick to your lips, the movement so fast that you’d almost miss it if it wasn’t for the fact that he did again only seconds later.

Combined with the zero resistance he was giving, you came to the solid conclusion that he wasn’t going to reject you. Not when you were giving him plenty of time and reason to back out if he wanted to.

Tilting your head to him, you felt his warm breath as it caressed your face, the smell of butterbeer strong. And then your lips are pressed together, neither of you sure who made the final move and neither of you gives a damn at that exact moment.

The pressure of your lips against each other is gentle at first, almost hesitant as both of you try to figure out where to go from here. All that was required was a kiss, which was what you were both doing right now. But you didn’t quite want to let him go just yet, not when you knew he probably had so much more to offer.

Shifting, you manoeuvred your way into a position that made the kiss a little more personal and no longer like two teenagers who’d never kissed in their life. Letting go of his robes, your arms move to wrap around his neck and you run your fingers through his hair, enjoying how soft the black strands feel against your fingers.

A quiet noise leaves Hoseok, his arms sliding around your waist to pull you a little closer to him while he kisses you more forcefully than before. It feels...you can’t even find the words to describe how it feels, only knowing that you’re not entirely sure you want him to stop.

Any hesitation has disappeared between you both and you simply lose yourself to the delightful feeling of Jung Hoseok against your lips, against your body and how he feels under your fingertips. It’s only when he moves a little further, his tongue asking for entrance to fire up the kiss even more, that you suddenly come to your senses.

Pushing back from him, you stare with wide eyes and only just realise that the bells have stopped. A glance up shows the mistletoe is gone and you breathe a little heavily, not realising that you’d kissed him that forcefully until now. Hoseok looks just as out of breath with an odd look in his eyes that you can’t quite figure out.

Licking at your lips, and trying to ignore the knowledge that you could probably taste him right now, you run your hands down the front of your dress robes before giving him a slightly awkward smile. Coughing, you turn your eyes away from the strangely intense gaze he’s giving you.

“Erm, well it’s gone now. So...we’re not gonna be followed by mistletoe anymore,” Playing with your fingers, you wonder if you made a very bad decision tonight. “I, erm, I’m gonna go to bed now. It’s late and...well...yeah. Thank you, for walking me here and spending time with me, you know, dancing and all that. It was nice, I had a good time and thank you. Yeah, I already thanked you. Err...get to bed safely, okay? I mean, I…”

Hoseok reaches out and takes hold of your nervous hands. It makes you jump nervously, but he just gives a reassuring smile while rubbing the back of your hands with his thumbs.

“Y/N...it’s okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Go to sleep and have good dreams.” There’s no annoyance in his voice, no anger or outrage that you’ve gone from initiating that kiss to acting very strange in only seconds.

“Yeah...I...you too. You too.” Frowning as you walked away from him, you wondered what in Merlin’s beard you’d just done.

318 notes · View notes

aliteama · 4 years ago

Note

Hi!! Can I request Aki having a girlfriend that's also a devil hunter? Reader is like an older sister to Power and Denji and reader is sweet and super loving

✧Fic✧

Hayakawa Aki

✧ Warnings: Slight spoilers, mention of blood

✧ “I have a new addition to your unit, I can only hope you get along.”

Folding over the dark tie and smoothening the white button up Aki appeared from behind you with your jacket in hand, slipping it over your shoulders before pressing a tender kiss to your check and tucking away loose strands of hair. Brushing his bangs to the side you smiled up at him, eyes wide and hopeful to ease his jumbled nerves. With Makimas sudden announcement of a new troublemaker to look over Aki had stayed up all night pacing around your shared apartment and methodically cleaning to distract himself from the dreaded moment.

Standing tall by his side you smiled over at the hunched boy examining your boyfriend, his shirt was messy and hair dirty yet he seemed to feel comfortable even with all the tension in the air. His tired eyes searched Akis face before they slid over to you, his bottom lip getting caught between his teeth before sending you a shy wave. During introductions he seemed to be drowning out the noise, only perking up when he found out he wouldn’t be working with Makima and causing a fuss to show his discontent.

“Hey Sir. Does Makima have a boyfriend?” shuffling through bustling streets Denji trudged behind you, his hand unconsciously grabbing at your jacket as to not get lost in the crowd “Hey, tell me” tugging on you he rolled his eyes at Akis silence before picking up his pace.

“C’mere.”

“Hey!”

Following the two into a dark alley you sighed deeply and pressed a cold hand to your cheek the moment Akis fist met Denjis face, blood spewing out his mouth and trickling onto the pavement. Pulling the boy into a headlock Aki tossed him onto the ground as if he were trash before pulling a cigarette out of a freshly bought packet, “You should quit. If you show up tomorrow I’ll give you another thrashing.” taking a drag he tossed it onto Denjis chest before puckering his lips and letting a glob of spit fall onto him to burn out the cigar.

“Ok Aki you let your steam out now apologize.” Reaching a hand out to help pull Denji to his feet he rushed over to his senior before kneeing him in the crotch, a symphony of coughs leaving Akis lips while laughter left yours.

Jumping back to his feet Aki tried to knock him down once more before Denji extended his leg and sent another hit to his crotch, after roughhousing in that alley for what felt like hours you had finally pulled the battered boys away from each other and threw Aki over your shoulder to escort them back to the offices.

“A testicle devil attacked his balls.”

“That’s a lie... he made that up..”

“So what do you think y/n? Can you all get along?”

Ignoring the protesting groans, you smiled at Makimas pleased expression, “Most definitely!”

After a little explanation about Denjis special case the three of you had finally settled back into your apartment, you and Aki eager to change out of the stuffy suits while the excitable boy rummaged around the kitchen and made himself at home while also making a mess of the once clean apartment. Over the next few days it seemed Akis agitation towards Denji only grew, starting with the long baths, falling asleep on the toilet, messy eating, and the mental list went on and on. The built up frustration had finally released when Denji refused to use his devil power on an unsuspecting fiend who had caused the east nerima residence to go on lockdown.

“When I use my devil powers... it looks super painful. Like uuhhh I could’ve ended up a fiend! So I guess... I wanted to give the poor guy a painless death..?”

“Listen up. Fiends are bona fide devils too. A devil hunter shouldn’t sympathize with devils. My entire family was killed by a devil right before my eyes.” Shoving a shaky palm into his face Aki lectured the shocked boy who looked to you for help, his hands placid by his side and eyes gloomy.

“I think it’s nice you’d be friends with fiends Denji”

“Nice..?”

“Yea! But I’m sure you had a different motive”

“Well the truth is, I just didn’t wanna get blood on these dirty magazines”

Flipping through the pile he shuddered under your gaze, gears in his mind turning to pick at the correct words to say, “Your pretty interesting Denji”

“Melons! I know what I want now!”

Laughing at his statement you bent down to help collect the magazines he was gathering, “You want melons?” bringing a hand to his head and ruffling dirty blonde hair he melted into your touch with a dopey grin on his face “I think we’ll be good friends Denji”

“Friends?”

“Hey! Pay attention you idiot!”

With a heavy head he gripped onto your jacket again much to Akis dismay, eyes ghosting over Makimas figure before standing at attention, “I'm pairing you up with a buddy starting today but be careful she's a fiend”

“Hey Hey Hey! Grovel human, names Power!” with a half tucked in shirt and rolled up the loud girl made her way over to you with sharp teeth bared, “Hello Power, did you miss me?”

Shaking her head and bumping dull horns into your cheek she denied your accusation, “Never!” contradicting herself by wrapping around your waist Power brought your hand to her head with gleaming eyes, “Pet me!”

“Stop touching that dirty fiend!”

“Your just jealous because she's so cute Aki”

“Jealous? Yea right.”

Straightening out Powers jacket you pushed her hair out of the collar and rolled up the sleeves, “I need you to be good and go on a mission with Denji ok? Then you can come stay with me and Aki!”

“I never agreed to that! We already have one problem at the apartment, we don’t need another one!”

Eating his words sure enough Aki was the one to open the apartment door and prepare dinner for everyone, his eyebrows furrowed while he watched you braid Powers hair at table while Denji buried his face into your side.

“Do you need help cooking Aki?” rising from your spot you made your way into the kitchen to pick through ingredients, “Power doesn't like vegetables”

Picking up the plates and placing them in front of the waiting teens Aki stepped back behind the counter to serve you, “I don’t care what she likes and doesn’t like.”

“I HATE Vegetables! Begone!”

“I told you dear”

“Don’t throw vegetables!”

Reaching over to swipe at Akis plate he sighed, “It’s like having snotty kids running around” laughing at his statement you shoved a carrot into your mouth before collecting the dishes “I think it’ll be fun with them around!”

“I’m the type who seldom bathes and flushes!”

Rolling over in bed Aki tugged at his hair, it all felt like some terrible nightmare he couldn’t wait to wake up from. The constant screaming and clinging to you agitated him to no end especially that devil Denji who ate up all your attention.

“You're too nice to them, you know.”

“Their not that bad, just a little loud and over excited”

Pulling you further under the blankets he sighed deeply, fingers searching to find yours before interlacing and bringing your hand up to press a kiss to your knuckles, “Your still too nice”

#requests #fics #hayakawa aki x reader #aki hayakawa x reader #chainsaw man x reader #csm x reader #aki hayakawa

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babylooneytoonz · 4 years ago

Text

Blood Trails (Book 2 of Coffee Stains)

Summary : It's been five years since you gave birth to your and Bucky Barnes' daughter, left her with his father and went on to resume your duties with HYDRA. If plans made by you do not backfire, where will all the drama come from? What happens when HYDRA finds out that the child had never died? And worse, what happens when a brainwashed you is assigned the mission to get your own daughter captured by your HYDRA handler Vasili Dreznov (Will be played by Jensen Ackles in my book) ? What will happen when your fate crosses paths with your once lover once mission once again?

Warnings: Darker theme, Steve Rogers left after passing the shield to Sam Wilson, Bucky and Natasha leave the Avengers towers, will have violence and abusive language, a dark Bucky, sexual assault, Bucky Barnes with short hair

Word Count : 2600 + (Allegedly?)

Masterlist link

The branches hung low with the weight of the snow, although the green was still there under the brilliant white, just hidden away under the coating of it. The air was of course cold; and the view from the massive penthouse suite that belonged to Tony Stark looked like a canvas painting, where the color of pristine white had been strewn all over it.

Five year old Sasha stood against the frosty glass, staring out into the horizon. Behind her, the fireplace had already been lit, yellow embers erupting out of it; and a tall, decorated Christmas tree stood in a corner where Natasha Romanoff sat, her legs curled underneath her, her fingers grasping a mug of hot chocolate, when the child's sweet voice rang out in the living room, "Мама, когда папа вернется домой? Рождество." (Mama, when is daddy coming home? It's Christmas Eve.)

"дорогая, your daddy must be with your uncle Sam, he will come home. Почему ты не ложишься в пост��ль?" (Why don't you get into bed?)

"Нет, пока папа не вернется домой." (No, not until my daddy is home.)

Natasha rolled her eyes, thinking back on how this little girl was just like Y/N, and shot her a quick smile, her ears already having picked up on the sound of the front door unlocking, meaning Bucky was home. She slid out of the comfortable position she was sitting in and stretched her arms into the air, before mumbling something to Sasha, who's eyes brightened when she saw her dad walk in.

Bucky was dressed in a heavy winter coat, his short black hair gelled back perfectly, without a single strand out of place; but hidden underneath the warm cap that he was wearing. Upon seeing his girl run towards him, he bent slightly, when Sasha ran into her father's arms, her tiny little arms clasping around his sturdy neck as he lifted her up and hoisted her against his hip, a rare smile playing against his lips. If anyone could make James Buchanan Barnes smile, it was little Sasha Barnes.

"How have you been, моя любовь?"

"Mama didn't let me go out and play in the snow, I really wanted to go," she brought her palms to her eyes and started rubbing them, when Bucky kissed her on her forehead softly, and she forgot about it.

"Come on now, let's get you to bed, your mama and I have some things to talk about," he kept her against his hip as he started towards her bedroom, and slowly lowered her into her bed. Sasha immediately pulled her toy close to her chest, and Bucky tucked her into the blanket.

Once he was sure that Sasha was comfortable and warm, he switched the lights off and his heavy feet dragged himself out of her room until he found his way to the bedroom he shared with his now partner, Natasha Romanoff.

"You were at her grave again, weren't you?" She asked, as she looked at herself in the vanity, combing her reddish black waves.

"I was angry, I needed to vent out."

"Well, did you vent out? Did she make you feel better?" She stood up, taking off her robe, as she got ready for bed.

Bucky didn't answer her, instead, he took off his coat, and then his shirt, grabbing a sweatpants and a comforter from the closet and locked himself in the bathroom. He looked at his own reflection in the mirror as he stripped. Bucky was on the edge; he always had been, ever since he had lost you. He didn't understand why it had to be him, in the end that was left alone; abandoned. Everyone left him, be it Steve, who left him to be with Peggy, or you, who died yet gave him the best gift of his life. He didn't understand why he couldn't be at peace. First it was Natalia, the woman he loved, and he couldn't have her. But now that he had her, it was at the cost of losing you, and he couldn't bear it at times.

"Ты там в порядке?" (You okay in there?)

Her voice was enough to snap him out of whatever it was that was spurring in his mind.

"Спи, Natalia, сейчас выйду." (Go to sleep Natalia, I'll be right out.)

She didn't say anything else, and neither did Bucky come out for a few minutes. When he finally mustered the courage to step out, he saw that she had her glasses on and she was flipping the pages of a book.

"дорогой, I'm sorry I snapped," she looked up at him when she heard him, and took off her reading glasses, slowly placing them on the side table as Bucky got into bed with her. She got into the space between Bucky's legs, bringing her knees up to her chest as Bucky engulfed her in his arms, "I'm sorry I was so involved with myself, I didn't ask you how your day was." Bucky's words made Natasha give him a weak smile and she sat straighter, staring into her lover's eyes.

"I'm worried about Sasha, Buck, I think we should try to take her out. She is literally cooped up in here all day."

"No."

"Bucky, it will be okay."

"Natalia, you know Sasha isn't like other children, and we've done a pretty good job keeping her hidden from HYDRA so far, I want to keep it this way," he nuzzled his nose against the nape of her neck and she melted into his warm embrace, her eyes fluttering slightly.

"She is only five, Bucky. We are keeping her cooped up in this house like a prison."

Bucky sighed, a soft, punctured sigh as he fell back against the headboard of the bed, his fingers stroking through Natalia's hair, "What if they find her? They haven't tried in five years. Not that the two of us can't handle it, but we don't know how badly they'll be after us if they find out."

"I know, Barnes, but think of her, think of all the normalities in life that she is missing on and besides, isn't this what you and Y/N always wanted for her? For her to grow up in the most normal way?" Bucky grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips, as he planted a chaste kiss over her knuckles, "how about we take her to the park tomorrow? The two of us, and her. It'll be fun, дорогой." He finally said.

He smiled down at her, nuzzling his nose once again against her, and finally let her go as she straightened herself and got into bed. Bucky stretched once and lowered himself into bed next to her after switching off the lights.

╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡

"Are you bundled up nice and warm?" Natasha placed the mittens on Sasha's hands and made sure that the girl was bundled up in a nice, warm jacket. She nodded with her bright blue eyes, the only thing that she had inherited from her dad, everything else being from her mother.

She took her hand and walked out of her bedroom, finding Bucky by the security alarm of the penthouse suite as he was clicking around on a few buttons that beeped. When he saw that the two were here, he smiled warmly and took his daughter's other hand and the family left their home.

They walked down the densely snowed in street, the little girl skipping in excitement, with a great difficulty off course, her either hands holding Natasha's and Bucky's until they reached the park.

"Can we build a snowman mama?" She looked up at Nat, who only nodded and swiped her palm playfully over her forehead, ruffling the top of her head as the two of them ran off, towards the piles of snow, leaving Bucky standing there, with a smile on his face as he watched them.

"Daddy, I'm gonna hit you."

A fistful of snow came smacking against Bucky's face and he gasped dramatically, leaning forward and swooping some snow into his metal palm.

"You think you're going to get away?" Bucky's voice boomed back, as he threw a fistful of snow towards the girl. The girl, however, was super agile, and fast. She ducked at the right time, and the snowball flew from above her and hit Natasha square in the face. She gasped, her eyes widening as she turned towards the two.

"No, you did not just hit me."

"It was daddy, he hit you."

"Well, she ducked," Bucky chuckled dramatically, but started running after the little girl, squishing the snow underneath his heavy boots. The girl, even with ankle deep snow all around her, was running at a pace faster than most children her age, no doubt the super serum running in her veins.

"Well you can't catch me, you're a slow poke, daddy," she called back, turning her head slightly so she could see where Bucky was. As she was still running, looking back, her footing got caught in the snow and she fell face first into the white, glistening heap. Bucky reached her in time, quickly pulling her out of the snow, her face red slightly as Natasha and Buck tried to warm her face with their palms and all this while, the little girl kept laughing heartily.

A few steps away, shielded well behind a trashcan, the top of which was covered in snow, two men stood, their eyes fixed on the family in front of them. One of them pulled out a cellphone and started recording a video of them. Two minutes later, they lowered their round sort of Scotland yard looking hat over their eyes and twirled around, sliding their hands into the coats as they walked off. The man who had recorded the video footage sent it to someone and then pressing the phone to his left ear, started speaking to the other one on the line in Russian.

"Похоже, она сыграла всех вас, Johanna.. Нет, я отправил вам доказательства. Ребенок Зимнего Солдата жив." (Looks like Johanna played all of you.No, I've sent you the proof. Winter Soldier's child is alive.)

╞═════𖠁𐂃𖠁═════╡

"Johanna, ты хорошо справился." (You did good, Johanna.)

Your handler glanced you neck to toe, scanning your body for any visible injury but you had none, although you were covered in blood. This blood, however, didn't belong to you, but rather belonged to a Romanian woman, a really important woman, who had to be taken out, because she knew a lot of HYDRA secrets.

"Не моя кровь, Vasili." (It's not my blood, Vasili.)

You threw out your arms towards him, looking straight ahead, your eyes fixed on the concrete gray wall in front of your eyes. He looked up at you differently, the blues in his eyes twinkling as he patted on his knees, "Садись, милый." (Sit, my dear.)

Your eyes flicked from his blue ones down to his lap, and slowly, yet like a good, obedient student, you lowered yourself onto his lap. Vasili's intense studying of your face, and then slightly lower than that, until his eyes were travelling all over your body, although your lip quivered once in a while, but you didn't protest.

He eyed the dark marks that adorned the side of your neck, as they disappeared into your body beyond his visibility. He lifted his palm, using his index finger to trail over one of the marks as he spoke, "Johanna, вы знаете, что символизируют эти знаки?" ( Do you know what are these marks symbolic of?)

You bit down on your lip, and tried to think but all you felt was a gruelling pain at the back of your head; it made you shake your head. Vasili smiled crooked, his eyes glinting underneath the bulb that illuminated the room as his hands held you tight against his lap.

"Вы были наказаны за то, что влюбились в свою миссию." (You were punished for falling in love with your mission.)

The more you tried to think on his words, the worse your head revolted against it. It was like they didn't want you to think, or remember this mission Vasili was talking to you about.

"Слушай, дорогая, я должен быть твоим всем, ты должен поклоняться мне, и я всегда буду заботиться о тебе." (Listen darling, I should be your everything, you should worship me and I will always take care of you.)

Vasili's fingers then flew to your tunic, his fingers latched to the buttons on your chest as he started unbuttoning it, one by one. When he reached the third button from the top, there was a clatter outside the metal room, and then a thumping against the door.

"Чего ты хочешь ?" (What do you want?)

He snapped towards the door, his fingers now having moved away from your chest, but he still held you close, his fingers now stroking the side of your hips. A man stepped in, meeting Vasili's blue eyes for a split second and then immediately lowered it, without even placing it on you once.

"Вы должны кое-что увидеть." ( There is something you must see.)

Upon hearing the HYDRA guard's words, your handler turned towards you, as his hand that was on your waist now moved upwards to cup your cheek and pull your mouth dangerously close to his as he smiled evilly.

"Садись в ванну и жди меня там, мой солдат." (Get into the bathtub and wait for me there, my soldier.)

You nodded, and lifted yourself up from his lap, and Vasili stood up, and without addressing you again, he left your cell, and the door slammed shut behind you, leaving you alone with a tiny bed in one corner and a large bathtub in another. Remembering your handler's words, with slow steps, you found yourself at the bathtub, drawing yourself a warm bath.

Meanwhile, Vasili watched the footage on the holographic screen in front of him. Of course, Johanna had lied to them all, the girl in the video only proved it. The resemblance she had to her mother was uncanny. The same hair and face, except the eyes and the ability and speed, no wonder a result of the Winter Soldier's serum running through her veins. She was lovely; and Vasili wanted nothing more to have her here, so he could now experiment on her.

"Johanna ничего не помнит, и так остается. Если кто-то, я имею в виду, кто-то пытается заставить ее вспомнить..." (Johanna remembers nothing and this is how it stays. If anyone, I mean, anyone tries to make her remember..)

His words of warning were enough to instill a deep rooted fear inside all those who were present in that hall. They all nodded and watched the handler leave, an evil smile planted against his face. The footage had brought out a jovial mood in the man; he whistled to himself, a merry little tune as his footsteps rang through the dinghy hallway of the underground base in Hungary until his most favourite soldier's cell was in sight. Two guards stood by her door, and he motioned towards them to unlock the door and let him in.

The minute he stepped in, his eyes were greeted by a beautiful site of her, her clothes strewn all over the floor, her beautiful, naked back glistening underneath the flickering lightbulb overhead.

"Как прекрасно," he strolled towards you, and you craned your neck submissively, so he could brush his fingers against the side of your neck before he got into the bathtub with you. This was almost a routine; every time you came back from a mission. Your glassy, stone like orbs remained fixed on the wall, as Vasili took off his clothes and let them fall against yours, and stepped into the bathtub with you, pulling you against him. He cupped his palm and poured the water over your back, drawing designs on your moist back with it. You sighed, rolling your neck as his hands ran across the line of your shoulders, caressing your back.

"Солдат, у меня для тебя миссия." (Soldier, I have a mission for you.)

Your eyes lifted themselves off the ripples forming on the surface of water, and you turned your neck sideways, although you couldn't see your handler's face, "Куда мне теперь идти?" (Where do I have to go?)

"Америка.. Нью-Йорк." (America.. New York.)

Permanent Bucky Barnes Taglist:

@really-dont-forget-it @thepeakygurl @all-art-is-quite-useless @baumarvel @janajjj @chipilerendi @nyotamalfoy @skittychat @allidoiswritewritewrite @jessyballet @x0xchristine @evansgirl7 @laisbeltrans @thegayseance

Want to be added to the Taglist? Pls fill in the form on the link here.💙

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #james buchanan barnes x reader #james buchanan bucky barnes #james buchanan barnes #winter soldier #winter soldier x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x you

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possum-rat · 4 years ago

Text

Not fun memories involving fire

(Y/n) bolts up from a bed. Sticky hot sheets sticking to their legs. Someone took the time and effort to unzip most of the pant leg turning the cargo pants into shorts, and pull off the sweater leaving them in a whitish shirt.

Their head aching they press their palms to their temples in an attempt to relieve some of the pain. "(Y/n) It's been a while! How are you?" Wilbur's voice erupts cheerfully. (Y/n) drops their hands to their lap staring intently at their grayish-tinted hands. "T's only been a few weeks Wilbur." They murmur tiredly. "Uh no? It's been a few years. Like 6 years." Replies Wilbur confused. "You feeling okay?"

(Y/n) frowns slightly and replies "Nah haven't been for the past... Wait how old am I?-" There's a pause as (Y/n) counts on their fingers before continuing completely serious "Uh not for the past like 16 years. But hey I'm alive? With 1 more life!" Wilbur blanches. "How the hell- What? How'd you lose your first?"

(Y/n) freezes and coughs. "Uh. Long story?"

-----

"(N/N)? LOVE? WHERE ARE YOU?" A panic-filled voice shouts from beyond the burning cottage. As smoke fills (y/n's) lungs they cough violently as they look around for a small tuxedo kitten. "Ailuros? Where are you?" They wheeze. As the fire continues eating at any and all flammable objects (Y/n) runs toward a shucker box. Patting their hand on the burning embers they grab the Shulker box and quickly tap the air infront of them before placing the box inside.

a pitiful mew comes from beside their feet."Ailuros." The word spills from (y/n's) mouth before they can stop. The small cat leaps up onto their open arms. Clutching the cat close to their chest they run toward the nearest door. Kicking it open their greeted by an angry mob.

shouting and sadistic grins illuminated by the light off the flickering burning flames.

(y/n) backs up dropping the cat allowing it to run. "Lilith?" (Y/n) voice comes out below a whisper. Pulling a sword from their inventory they point it toward the Tall brutish men break down the front door. Sprinting out of the house and toward the opisiete window (Y/n) slams their foot into the side of the window. The tinkle of glass and sharp pain flashing up their leg make's (Y/n's) eyes water more. Jumping from the window the cool air is a welcomed reilef compared to the sweltering heat of the burning house.

Staring in disbelief at the sight faintly as if in the deepest corner of their mind a song begins to play. Melancholy and slightly sad.

"All my style

All my grace

All I tried to save my face

All my guts, try to spill

All my holes, try to fill

All my money been a long time spent

On my drugs, on my rent

On my saving philosophy

It goes, one in the bank, and the rest for me

It goes, all my troubles on a burning pile

All lit up and I start to smile

If I, catch fire then I change my aim

Throw my troubles at the pearly gates"

"(N/n) oh there you are! Oh, I was so worried!" Lilith's voice erupts from behind (Y/n) causing them to flinch still feeling adrenaline in their veins. "Oh thank god. I thought they killed you." (Y/n) murmurs as they pull the raven-haired girl into a hug. "Yeah I'm alive hun." The sound of metal against a sheath causes (Y/n) to tense up.

the cool feeling of a blade to skin causes (Y/n's) eyes to widen in fear. "Lilith?" They whisper fear evident in their voice. "Hm? What's wrong love?" Lilith asks calmly. "Why? Why do you have a blade?" (Y/n) asks quietly as they back up while Lilith grins and points the blade toward them.

"Tch. You afraid to die? Hm? Does death scare you?" She erupt coyly as she adjusts her long dark green blazer gently pulling a long slightly waves strand of dark hair off before rolling it in her fingers and dropping it to the ground. "Ye-yes. It does." (Y/n) mumbles quietly.

"Well (y/n) you should remember. Those stupid children's books you'd read? Percy Jackson? Love and death aren't as different as one might think. You shouldn't fear death." (Y/n) feels their heart beginning to beat against their heart as they back into a tree. As they scoot away from it they trip over a root and smack to the ground.

"You're pathetic." Lilith snarls. The world blinks in and out of existence. "How in the world do you think I could ever like-Love someone like you?" She scoffs "I mean. I only stuck around because you're the famous '(Y/n)! The famous Healer/Alchemist! You know Wilbur Soot. How the fuck do you think I'd ever love you."

she bends closer toward (Y/n) placing the heel of her boot into their throat. "Oh." (Y/n) says simply.

Death gently places a soft kiss upon (y/n) forehead.

-----

(y/n) rubs their neck nervously as they stand up. "Anyway. Wilbur, do you have a potion stand?" Wilbur nods and stands up. As the two of them walk out of the tiny little makeshift hut (Y/n) spots the distance figure of Tubbo and Tommy. Sprinting toward them wincing at the light.

"TUBBO!" they screech as they pull the Ram-hybrid into a hug. "(Y/n)? YOU PRICK I WAS TALKING TO HIM."

Tubbo wraps his arms around them in return. As they cling to each other (Y/n) stands up holding Tubbo like a child. "Jesus Christ- Wow you've grown," Tubbo says excitedly. "Welp I need to go to the nether to grab some supplies wanna come with?" (Y/n) asks more to Tommy than Tubbo.

the two agree, letting (Y/n) get more appropriate clothes on. As the trio walk-Run toward the portal Tommy asks confused "Why do you seem taller?" The familiar whurring of the portal fills the silence as (Y/n) pulls at the brightly colored sky blue sweater before rolling up the sleeves. "Uh that'd probably be the boots? Anyway what's happened? How've you been?" They say as they follow the other two boys.

"Oh not much, the usual. Well Part from being killed once." Tubbo informs as he walks infront of (y/n) his brown hair bouncing slightly as he walks. "Hm. So you both have 2 lives left?" They mutter quietly. "Okay."

Small whispers in their head begins creating a wave of sound.

"Keep them safe."

"Watch Tommy."

"Grape."

"Meow."

the voices eventually move on too chanting "Meow." Contentedly. The whistle of a fire ballT makes (y/n) jump. Turning toward the sound they shove Tommy's head down along with Tubbo's just in case. They flinch violently as a freezing feeling spreads over their cheek and neck along with part of their forearm.

The sudden alarmed shout of Tubbo and Tommy causes (Y/n) to jump and turn toward them in fear. "Are you alright?" They ask. The sound of a skeleton walking towards them causes Tubbo to tense up. "Tommy? Do you wanna stick with them? I just got a message from Wilbur." Tommy nods uncertainly. As Tubbo dissapears (y/n) turns toward the skeleton.

"Child. Is this human being troublesome? Do you need me to remove him?" (Y/n) shakes their head wincing at the pain in their neck. "Tommy, go with Tubbo." Tommy happily obliges.

The world seems to tip and swirl underneath (y/n) feet.

-----

The loud crash of something metal causes (Y/n) to bolt upright. " YOU'RE GOING TO WALK THE CHILD DUMBASS." Snaps someone from out of sight. Another voice replies quietly "Please stop shouting. The child is awake." There's shuffling before two faces appear. (Y/n) squints at the trio. The tallest of the three has broken chain-mail armor layered over a purple uniform with a crest of arms on the left-hand side over their heart.

The skeleton nods and groans as they sit down infront of (Y/n).

"Hello (y/n) It's been awhile. But you probably don't remember me. You were but a baby. I'm Theodore." He says in a deep slightly raspy voice. (Y/n) nods and scans around. Theodore points toward the smallest of the three and informs " the one over their beside the door is Loren."

Loren gives a shy wave before tapping the wood on the side of the door. ".. - .-..-. ... / .- / .--. .-.. . .- ... ..- .-. . / - --- / ..-. .. -. .- .-.. .-.. -.-- / -- . . - / -.-- --- ..- / -- -..- .-.-.- -.--. -.-- -..-. -. -.--.-" it takes (Y/n) a second to decipher the tapping. Before translating it to "It’s a pleasure to finally meet you Mx.(Y/n)" Loren wears an off white dress shirt along with a pair of dark plum pinstripe pants, and a black corset. They smile kindly before glancing toward the ground. "It's nice to meet you Loren." (Y/n) rasps.

"And that over behind you is Clementine."

(Y/n) try's to look toward the direction Theodore had said but a hand presses against their shoulder. "Here let me move hun." A poofy dark blue shoulder poof thingy floats into view. An orate old dress appears into view. Clementine smiles ghostly at (y/n). "You're going to hurt yourself hun. When's the last time you had a proper glass of Wither affect?"

"What? I- I've never had a 'Proper glass of Wither affect?' I'm pretty sure it'll kill me?" They murmer.

"PREPOSTEROUS! This is why you were so weak and frail. SEE CLEMENTINE I TOLD YOU." Theodore states exasperated. Loren sends a look like "I'm sorry about them." Clementine sights and daintily sits down on the bed beside (Y/n) "hm. Dear? Are you okay? Oh cra- Sorry excuse my vulgar language. Theodore pass me the Potion of healing?" (Y/n) frowns and coughs "I'm not- I'm pretty sure that I'm fully human. I don't think wither would help me."

Loren shakes their head and taps the wall again. "No no. Your right about the human part. You're part human, and part well us." They state as they point to themself Clementine and Theodore.

(Y/n) nods slightly and sighs in relief at the cool sensation of the liquid against the raw burnt skin. "OH CRUD- Sorry, but I really need to go find my friends. Do you have a portal by chance?" (Y/n) yelps as they sit up causing Clementine to jump.

Loren nods and taps "We have two compasses. One will lead you home and the other here. Please come back. We'd like to see you more as we're not able to go to the overworld. It get's quite lonesome down here."

(Y/n) nods and smiles as they pull on the fresh clothes the three of them had given. As Loren hands one compass (Y/n) realizes that the three of them have matching golden rings adorning their ring fingers.

-----

As (y/n) gets out of the portal they're greeted by a confused/concerned Eret. "(Y/n)? Where've you been?" They ask bewildered. (Y/n) frowns slightly and asks "Honestly no idea. But where's Tubbo and Tommy- wait I still haven't made a hous- nevermind." They look down to Eret and ask "so what's happened? I've probably missed something?" Eret shifts uncomfortably before saying.

"Uh so L'manberg was blown up everybody lost a life. Part from me and a few others. I don't remember who thought. Tommy has 1 life left I think." He trails off before turning the other way and murmurs "I betrayed them. (Y/n) I helped kill them. I've been dubbed a traitor."

(Y/n) nods understandingly "Hm. Well, if you did what you think is right then that's on you. If they're calling you a tratoir then so be it. I'll still stick by your side." Eret smiles slightly and says "You said you needed to make a house? Do you need supplies?" (Y/n) shakes their head before replying "Nah I'll get that stuff myself. I'll go visit Philza."

"By the way. Nice outfit." Eret says.

(Y/n) scans their outfit taking in the outfit for the first time. A purple shawl-type thing with golden detail over a pale off-whitedress shirt with poofy teardrop-shaped sleeves, tucked into black pants and blackish boots. Glancing at their arms they realize that they're wearing marble patterned like gloves. Affecticivly protecting them against the sun, and any harsh weather.

Tapping the air infront of themself they click onto 'Main menu'

There's a suck before a sudden 'Pop'

As they sit in an empty blank room they scroll through the options of 'Servers' eventually there gaze lands upon a server and seeing Philza's name amount the others They click.

#y/nxmcyt #mcyt #eret myct #tommyinnit #tommy and tubbo

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coffee-or-murder · 4 years ago

Text

Harvest Day

Told from the perspective of my Drakewarden/smith half elf boy as he meets one Annabeth “Lemon” Bakhuizen. He has a crush, his family embaresses him, but he’s too lovestruck to really notice. Also his drake thinks he’s silly and just wants apples.

The door to his room was thrown open, the handle striking the wall with a crack, startling him and his drake awake with displeased grunts. Aodhán hissed at the short thin figure before pushing open the window and slipping out into the dark with a grumble. He turned bleary eyes to see his father striding into the room encased in a massive green sweater, a long thick yellow scarf wrapped around his neck that barely covered his wide grin and made his long eleven ears stick out horribly, and a pile of knitwear bundled in his arms.

“Da’ what-”

“Get up Tadhgán it’s Harvest Day! We have so much to do and only a day to enjoy it!” he exclaimed as he walked to the bed and dropped the pile onto his lap. “Put those on and come out for breakfast. Aodhán’s scarf is the orange and yellow one. Make sure he wears it,” he ordered before turning and practically skipping out of his room.

“It’s not even light yet!” he yelled after him, only getting a near maniacal laugh in response. His father loved Harvest Day, clearly, and always went a little crazy every year. The Bakhuizen Estate orchards grew nearly every fruit you could bake into something, but their apple orchard was by far the largest. They had nearly every color of apple you could imagine. After they’d done their main harvest, they always opened the gates to the townspeople so they could come and pick their fill. The morning was spent picking apples and catching up with neighbors, a picnic in the orchard for lunch, more picking, and then the town held their yearly Harvest Fair. There would be dancing and music and more food than they could ever eat. Strangely enough there were never any leftovers, no one could tell you who finished off the food. Tadhgán sighed, shrugging into the dark rusty red sweater, and hanging the brown and orange scarf around his neck. The sweater was a little tight on his broad shoulders, but not enough to be a problem. Da’s finally getting the hang of knitting these things. Simple breaches and works boots were hunted down easily enough, and he ran his fingers through his blond hair to tame it. He gathered up the long scarf for his drake before walking into the kitchen. Da’ was stirring something in the pot, oatmeal most likely, and singing one of his many poems barely in tune. His poor mother was still half asleep, head resting heavily on her hand as she glared down at her eggs and sausage. Tea was cooling in a mug next to the plate, but she was clearly not awake enough to notice it yet.

“Morning Ma’,” he said quietly, chuckling as she grunted in response. As he walked past he reached out to ruffle Ma’s short dark hair, laughing as she swatted at his arm and jumped just out of reach. He’d pay for that later he knew, but it was always fun to tease her a bit when she was like this. Tadhgán opened the side door to the forge and smiled. The main forge was burning brightly, casting shadows all around the large open room and bathing Aodhán’s dark red scales in the orange light as he stared into the molten core of the forge.

“Look. They are nearly waking,” the drake rumbled as he reached a claw down and shifted one of the eggs closer to the burning core.

“I expect they’ll hatch by the end of the week. Won’t be happy about winter being right around the corner though,” he chuckled. His throat always felt a little strange when he spoke Draconic, like he’d gargled salt water wrong. Aodhán purred, or as close as a drake could get to purring, before he turned to look at him. Gold eyes quickly settled on the scarf in his arms and he sighed.

“Again?”

“Every year. You know how much Da’ loves Harvest Day,” Tadhgán sighed. The drake hissed in annoyance, but let him wind the scarf around his neck and secure it with a messy knot. He patted his friend’s side before turning back to the kitchen and joining his family at the table. They ate in silence, his mother clearly still unhappy about being woken up so early, before gathering their baskets and slings to leave. Tadhgán quickly saddled up Aodhán, the two large baskets gently tapping the drake’s sides as he walked beside him. His parents were just ahead, Da’ linking their arms together and kissing his Ma’ hand. She grunted in response, and Da’ took the hint to stay quiet until she actually woke up. Da’ was such an early riser, and so happy about it, but it always took Ma’ awhile to get going. The walk to the Bakhuizen estate wasn’t too terribly far since they were already on the outskirts of town proper, and the fall air was crisp and cool. There were a few other people walking up the road to the estate, and they waved to each other. Thankfully everyone seemed to have come to the silent agreement that it was far too early to talk, so they all enjoyed the walk to the gates. They loomed ahead, easily twice the height of Aodhán, made entirely of bright white stone and gray metal. The gates had been pushed open, and some of the family were standing just inside to greet them. They had fresh scones and who knows how many kettles full of coffee or tea or ciders set out on a massive long table. A tiefling boy and firbolg were helping a half orc woman and halfling man sort out little cloths for people to wrap their scones in. The halfling made sure everyone walking in was at least offered a drink and a scone, but waved at Ma’ instead. Tadhgán waved for her, shaking his head at the offered food as he followed his father to the orchards.

The Bakhuizen family weren’t bad people, just a little strange. Their matriarch, a very small nearly ancient halfling named Rosalind, had a strange habit of adopting seemingly random children and raising them in the estate. Some of her children or grandchildren had done the same, to the point where there were so many different races of people living behind the sprawling estate walls it was practically it’s own city. They had quite a few bakeries in different towns, though the one in their town drew the most tourist attention out of them all. They had more money then they knew what to do with thanks to their various business ventures, but with Rosalind still making all of the company's business decisions and refusing to simply give her family money without working for it, they mostly had their heads on right. Mostly. Of course some of the family was entitled and rude, but you have those people in nearly every family. The big scandal was that after Rosalind’s first husband, a local turnip farmer, passed away she took a tall elegant looking elf as her husband. They seemed very happy together though, and he would often carry her around the orchard during the harvest and feed her apples as they quietly chatted. So a little batty, but all around good people.

“I’m awake now,” his Ma’ grumbled, waving back at him before squinting up at the sunrise and rubbing her eyes. Da’ gleefully leaned up to kiss her cheek, and squeezed their linked arms before he chattered away about all of his plans for the day. His mother’s dark brown eyes simply gazed down at her exuberant husband and she smiled softly. They were a bit of an odd couple too, a human drakewarden smith and an elf writer turned househusband, but certainly not the strangest here.

“Will I get baked apples again?” Aodhán asked as he kept pace.

“I think your chances are pretty high. I can always throw an apple down to you and you can roast it yourself,” he answered. His drake rumbled, clearly pleased at the promise of the sweet treat and trotted a bit faster. The group quickly approached neat rows of immaculate apple trees, all heavy with fruit and stretching on for nearly as far as they could see. The other groups quickly broke off, heading in the direction of their favorite apples and following the helpful wooden signs staked into the ground. His family kept walking, occasionally coming upon other townsfolk or Bakhuizen family members having their own fun picking or playing chase together. A halfling woman wearing the Bakhuizen crest embroidered into her shawl was glaring angrily up into a tree, hands on her hips and a scowl marrying what could have been a pretty face.

“You get down from there right now! This is not what young ladies do!” the halfling woman screeched up into the massive apple tree. Tadhgán looked up and felt the breath leap out of his lungs. A halfling girl was in the boughs of the tree, dark chestnut hair haloed in the sunrise. Large dark green eyes sparkled with mischief as she plucked another bright yellow apple and slipped it into the nearly full sling across her chest. She grinned, full lips curling up as she stared defiantly down at the woman.

“Clearly it is, since I am in fact doing it and still a young lady,” the girl said. The wind caught her long thick braid, the yellow ribbon holding the strands together fluttering like a banner. Gods she was beautiful. His heart was pounding, and Aodhán rumbled, questioning his rider’s sudden nerves.

“Listen to your mother and get down here before you fall!” the woman snapped. She stomped her foot for emphasis, but the girl looked entirely unimpressed. Her gaze suddenly met his and what little air he managed to get back was gone again as her grin widened.

“You there! Will you help a lady down?” she called out to him. His tongue suddenly felt too heavy to move and he nodded instead, taking a step towards her.

“Should we find you a ladder?” Da’ called up. She started to walk on a thick branch towards Tadhgán and shook her head. Her pants were nearly skin tight, showing off the curve of her thigh even as the large white shirt she wore covered the rest of her body. The sun still shone through the white fabric, showing just a hint of the gentle dip of her waist. She had no shoes. How had she climbed up with no shoes? Or ladder?

“You look pretty strong. Think you could catch me?” she asked instead, leaning over slightly to look at him with her head cocked. Her mother screeched something, he wasn’t really listening to be honest, and he nodded again. She couldn’t have been more than three feet tall after all, and he was nearly twice that. He’d worked in the forge and trained as a drakewarden since he could walk, so he certainly had the muscle mass to carry something as small as her. Still, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest when she simply fell off the branch towards him. He lurched forwards, catching her in his arms and holding her close for a moment. Apples. She smelled like apples and lemons and something baking. “Excellent job sir,” she said, patting his forearm with her tiny hand. She was so tiny, and shockingly warm against the chill.

“No problem,” he mumbled, leaning over to put her on the ground. His hands flexed at his sides as she dusted her shirt off and beamed up at him.

“Thank you for catching me. My name is Annabeth Bakhouzin, but you are very much welcome to call me Lemon,” she said with a small curtsy. She used the billowing fabric of her tunic as a skirt when she curtsied. He gulped, trying to swallow around the lump that suddenly formed in his throat. Aodhán cackled behind him, nudging his back and grunting for him to get it together.

“Ah I’m Tadhgán McGowan at your service Miss. Lemon, the smith’s son,” he stuttered. She cocked her head to the side -gods her eyes were such a dark green he could barely make out her iris- and scrunched up her nose a bit.

“I’m sorry your accent is a little hard for me. Your name is Tadhgán correct? Like tea-gon?” she asked, confused. He gulped, and nodded. Clearly he was not up to speaking. She smiled again, before turning around to face her mother, her braid swinging at the motion. “There. Mr. Tadhgán helped me out of the tree, and now I am solidly on the ground again. If you’ll excuse me, I have a new recipe to test with these lovely apples,” she said before looking back at him and winking. “If you come by the party tonight I’ll be sure to save you a couple turnovers. My new recipe is going to win the baking contest for sure.”

“He’ll be there lass, don’t worry. He’s an excellent dancer too,” Ma’ called out, smirking at her son as Da’ held back his laughter behind his hand. Lemon beamed at his Ma’ and nodded, waving at them as she ran off, closely followed by her still screeching mother. He watched her run away, the yellow ribbon streaming behind her, and he could barely catch his breath.

“I remember the first time I met your mother,” Da’ sighed dreamily from beside Ma’. “Harvest Day is the best day of the year. It’s so romantic. Why when I met your mother I-.”

“Don’t tease the boy. He’s embarrassed enough,” Ma’ chuckled before leading Da’ on deeper into the orchard. Aodhán rumbled behind him, pushing his head into his back to get him moving again. Maybe Harvest Day was worth getting up before the light for, especially if he got to see Miss. Lemon again. Maybe later they’d need an extra hand around the estate?

#dnd lemon #dnd tadhgan #dnd story

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let-me-write-shit · 4 years ago

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Somebody To You: 17

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A/N: A MASSIVE shoutout and credit to this dream of a person, @nnevrmind, who not only gave me ALL of the information on Rome and the historical significance of the places mentioned (and also made me want to visit Rome even MORE now), but also inspired a large chunk of this chapter and upcoming chapters. You’re an actual angel and I’m SOOO appreciative of you reaching out and helping me with this! Thank you thank you thank you!! :) <3

Word Count: 3,861

Click Here For Previous Chapter & Other Completed Stories

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

Sleep had never been so comfortable before, which was unheard of for Zoey when she was in a bed that was not her own. She almost thought the whole trip to Italy was a dream. But as she stretched and fluttered her eyes open, a smile spread across her face, looking passed the white canopy that surrounded her bed through the window that overlooked the beautiful acreage of property that the sun shone down on. She wished that she could blink and have this image ingrained in her mind forever.

Zoey’s phone had automatically adjusted to Rome time, seeing that it was only 7 AM. Her hair had dried after last night’s shower, so she put it in a simple low messy bun, pulling strands of hair out to frame her face and heading downstairs to see if anyone else had woken up yet, deciding not to change or put makeup on as she didn’t know the plans for today.

The first person she ran into was Nancy who’s voluminous curly dark hair was messy and diffused on her head. She sat cross-legged on a barstool at the kitchen island, still in her pajamas, eating a bowl of fruits.

“It’s early,” was all she managed, the sleep in her voice still evident.

Zoey snorted out a “morning,” when she heard smacking of feet against the tile behind her.

Harry came into view, grinning. His puffy eyes and cheeks made him look five years younger as his deep, raspy voice greeted them, followed by, “I thought I heard someone leave their room. I didn’t want to be the only one up. Coffee?” he offered.

“Please,” she nodded, allowing him to pass.

Zoey decided to step out onto the back terrace and take a seat at the couches by the firepit that was now laden with ash from last night’s fire. The view was incredible. It’s no wonder Italy is considered one of the most beautiful countries in the world. She couldn’t imagine ever getting bored with this. Harry had disrupted her thoughts, stepping out of the french doors that lead onto the stone slab and carefully making his way over with two mugs in hand.

“Thank you,” she grinned, taking hers and wrapping her hands around it while he sat beside her.

Harry nodded, placing his arm on the armrest and looking out at the garden, “Incredible, right?”

“I can’t believe people get to live here.”

He nodded, “That’s why it’s one of my favorite places to visit. Never gets old.”

It’s like he could read her mind. Why did he have to do that? Why did he have to make it so hard not to like him? Couldn’t he just be a creepy weirdo like most of the guys she knew? She turned to him, trying to force the thoughts away, and smiled, “You picked an amazing place to stay at. Thank you. It really is beautiful here. All the artwork and old detailing in the house. It makes you wonder how old it is and who all lived here.”

“Well, I had to make sure I picked a place with character,” Harry smirked, “Couldn’t have you come out here and stay at a place like my house in LA.”

She chuckled, only lightly checking his shoulder so as not to make him spill his coffee, “Well, at least I know you’ve got good taste.”

“In some things, I guess,” he turned to her, “I’m alright in vacations and music. Not so great in the girl department, am I?”

Zoey shrugged, “I don’t know. I think you’re pretty good at picking them. You’re just not good at the follow-through.”

“How has she been?”

Zoey knew he meant Aurora. And her heart panged a little thinking he might still have feelings for her. She had noticed the occasional glances between each other last night, and although she wasn’t worried that Rory might make a move, Zoey couldn’t help but wonder if there was still a spark between them or if they regret ending things. Still, he didn’t know about Aurora and Brett, and she’d rather he found out by her than in passing in case he did still care for Aurora and was hurt by being caught off guard.

“She seems alright. Brett asked her to be his girlfriend.”

“Oh. So they’re dating?” Harry asked, earning a nod from Zoey.

Her eyes lingered on him, unblinking, waiting for a reaction. And hearing those words hurt, but not because Rory was taken now. He was happy for her, genuinely. But it hurt because it was so easy for someone else to do what he couldn’t seem to do. It took no time at all for Brett to figure out that he liked Aurora enough to make it official. This wasn’t the first time this has happened to Harry. In fact, there were several instances where Harry was too afraid to commit that he got beat out by someone else. When would he learn?

Harry nodded, “Good for them. He seems alright.”

Zoey snorted, rolling her eyes, “Just last week you were calling him a...what was it? Little bitch?”

Harry smirked, taking a sip of his still-hot coffee, “I was in a bad mood.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Besides,” Harry shrugged, looking out at the view again, “Maybe the guys are right. Maybe I need to branch out more. I always go after the same type of girls. Maybe I should see what else is out there. Try something new.”

“Uh...hello? I’ve been saying that, too! I mean, there’s no shame in going after the same kind of girls. You like what you like. But it doesn’t hurt to venture. I’ve found it to be fun.”

“Yeah, I know all the fun you’ve had! Mama’s boys, virgins, and guys that are stuck on their exes. Tell me again how venturing has been doing for you?” Harry teased.

“Not fair. Just because I haven’t had any luck doesn’t mean I haven’t had fun doing it. Plus, I’ve gotten free food out of it, so it’s not all a loss.”

Harry laughed before turning to look at her, a smile hidden behind her coffee mug as she took a gentle sip, looking back out at the fields. The sun made her navy eyes look brighter and gave her a skin a soft glow. She brushed the strands of hair that framed her face out of the way and turned to look at him with a hesitant grin when she noticed he was already looking at her.

“What?” she asked, self consciously.

Harry shook his head, trying his best to sound flippant, “Nothing. Just thinking about how my friends keep joking around saying I should date you.”

He noticed Zoey’s cheeks began to blush as she forced a laugh, sarcastically saying, “Could you imagine? Talk about not your type.”

Harry let out a chuckle, a little staggered by how put-off she sounded, “Isn’t that the point? To date someone who’s not my type?”

Zoey paused, staring at him, her eyebrows starting to furrow as she stuttered, “Wait, I’m confused. Are you asking me to go on a date with you?”

His heart started pounding nervously and a hole formed in the pit of his stomach when he thought he noticed a hint of discomfort in her face. Quickly he stammered, “No! No that’d be weird. I was just saying...nevermind.”

“Well, damn, you didn’t have to sound so disgusted,” she chuntered.

“No, I’m not disgusted. It’s just-” he rambled before noticing the amused smile on her face and realized she was joking. They both let out a laugh and Harry relaxed saying, “We should wake everyone up. We need to get going soon.”

The two recruited Nancy to help, and as they attempted to wake Andy, Aurora, and Katie, Harry couldn’t help but replay their conversation over and over in his head. Was she weirded out at the idea of them dating? Was that really an expression of discomfort on her face or was it something else? He couldn’t recall hearing a tone of annoyance. Maybe she wasn’t completely uninterested.

What if they did go on a date and it turned out to be awkward or bad? Would it ruin their friendship? He didn’t think he could handle losing her. But what if it went well? What if it was the best date he’s ever been on? What if they actually started dating? He’d always wanted to bring her back home to England one day to meet his friends and family. What if he introduced her as his girlfriend? Surely he wouldn’t hear the end of it from his friends. He could hear the endless amounts of ‘I told you so’ now.

No, he couldn’t. That’s too weird. They’re best friends. Besides, he practically dated her roommate who is here with them now. Even if Aurora is dating Brett now, how weird would it be to hook up with Zoey on this trip with his ex-fling only feet away? Pretty fucked up.

Over a quick breakfast, Harry explained the plans. He had hired a guide to take them on a tour around Rome for the day. It would be as private as they could manage, as the company was made aware that Harry would be there and they did their best to arrange accommodations so that he could be in attendance without worrying about being hounded, though there was only so much they could do with high-tourist attractions, especially outdoors. He had explained to them to make sure they wore clothes that covered their shoulders and knees in case they visited any holy places to show respect and to make sure they wore comfortable shoes.

As soon as everyone had finished getting dressed, they all piled into the SUV and headed towards the colosseum where they were lucky enough to find a car park nearby. The group walked the rest of the way, Harry walking in the lead with Nancy while Aurora talked to Katie, and Andy and Zoey linked arms together in the back. They circled the Colosseum until Harry saw a tall, tanned, long, dark-haired man wearing a red lanyard, his muscles popping through his tight, light blue button-up.

“Please tell me that’s our tour guide,” Andy muttered, looking him up and down, causing the girls to laugh.

“Buongiorno!” the man called out, shaking hands with Harry first, before greeting everyone else. “Ciao. It’s so nice to meet you all. My name is Marco,” he introduced himself before getting everyone else’s name, “I hear you’ve come to Italy to celebrate someone’s birthday?” Everyone turned to Zoey, pulling her forward and she blushed at the attention. Marco smiled and she got a good look at his perfect teeth and beautiful brown eyes as he said, “Ah, Zoey, right? When is your birthday?”

“Tomorrow,” she said, holding his gaze.

He lowered his voice, a slight smirk appearing on his face, “Well, happy almost birthday to you, then. You stay by me while I show you around. Front row seat to the show,” he winked, earning a smile and a nod from Zoey. If Jess were here to see this she’d shit her pants.

As Marco explained the process of the tour to the group, Zoey caught Andy’s eyes who mouthed, “OH MY GOD!” to which Zoey mouthed back, “I KNOW!” making her little sister giggle.

Eventually they followed Marco, with Zoey by his side, past a long line of waiting people and into the colosseum where he told them all about its history as an amphitheater that not only held gladiator and wild animal fights but also could be filled with water to hold mock naval battles.

Marco talked with such passion and enthusiasm that it was hard not to be interested. Harry snuck a peek at Zoey as they roamed and smiled as she scanned all around with such wonder. He could tell she was really taking in the scene and the information, completely invested in learning more about the history.

It wasn’t until they were finishing up at the colosseum when someone had recognized Harry. He gave a quick grin and waved at the passing girl, ducking his head a little more as they made their way on over to the Forum, which was just next door. Marco did his best to inform them of the old marketplace, but the group became increasingly more interested in the Italian tour guide, interrupting frequently to ask more about himself, which he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he seemed to get enjoyment out of it.

“Please tell us you’re single, Marco,” Andy boldly said, looking him up and down behind his glasses that sat perched on the tip of his nose.

Marco laughed and nodded, “Yes, I am single. What about you all? Has anyone here found their soulmate?”

Harry felt a nervous pit in his stomach when Zoey snapped her attention to him with a playful wink and he jokingly rolled his eyes at her before Nancy spoke, “Oh, honey. We can all be single if you want us to be.”

To which Rory coughed, “Except me. I’m the only one taken.”

“You have your pick,” Andy flirted.

“We don’t pick women here in Italy,” Marco laughed again and side-eyed Zoey before turning to her and saying, “but maybe the birthday girl was brought here for a reason.”

Harry watched as Zoey’s eyes widened, blushing, and trying to hide a smile while her friends all whistled at them. Annoyance began to sink in. Why was it that Zoey was always getting hit on? Zoey hardly said a word outside of asking more information on the history of the ancient architecture they visited, why the interest in her? Nancy was practically a model in her own right and Marco clearly got a kick out of her considering the number of times she made him laugh throughout the tour so far. Couldn’t he have gone for her?

“What’s next on our stop?” Harry interrupted, changing the subject.

As they made their ten-minute walk to the Trevi Fountain, their last stop before lunch, Katie and Zoey held hands, talking inaudibly with Marco while Andy and Nancy were behind them confessing their attraction towards their tour guide. Harry and Rory dragged in the back, trying their best to avoid eye contact with passerby’s in case anyone noticed them.

“Think she’ll get his number before we leave?” Rory whispered to him, nodding towards Zoey.

Harry shrugged, “Doubt it. We’re only here for the week.”

“I don’t know. You know her, wanting to be more adventurous and all that. What’s more adventurous than a fling with a hot Italian guy?”

“Skydiving,” Harry said simply.

Aurora laughed, looking over at Harry. But when she noticed he wasn’t joking, her smile faltered, eyeing him a little longer than usual before shaking her head, “Well, we’ll see. Maybe she won’t. Either way, she’s having a great time. I’ve never seen her smile so much. She’s like a little kid in a candy shop. It’s so cute.”

“Yeah,” he nodded, finally grinning, “She’ll definitely remember this birthday.”

The Trevi Fountain was packed with people so they couldn’t stay long in fear of it getting too crazy around Harry, so Marco quickly went over facts and the legend.

“Turn your back to the fountain and with your right hand, throw a coin over your left shoulder. One coin means you’ll return to Rome. Two means you’ll return and fall in love. And three means you’ll return, fall in love, and marry. I’ve got a few coins here for you all,” he passed them each one coin and they all squealed, squeezing their way through the crowd to the very edge of the fountain.

Harry’s been here several times before, and for some reason, this was the part that always seemed to get to him. Out of the hundreds of beautiful buildings and ruins, the Trevi Fountain was always the spot that jerked at his heart. He was the first to throw the coin over his shoulder and stood back to watch the rest of his friends experience this moment. He laughed as Nancy and Zoey screamed at Andy, “Wrong shoulder, you idiot!” after he threw the coin over his right shoulder.

“Fuck! I panicked!” he shouted back.

He watched Zoey take a deep breath, close her eyes, and gently toss her shining coin over her left shoulder, turning just in time to see it ‘PLOP’ right in the water. He saw Marco step up closer to her brandishing another coin and heard him through the busy sounds of the plaza say, “One more. For the birthday girl. Maybe you’ll find love in Rome.”

He felt the heat rise in him, annoyed that Zoey was eating this up. And she wonders why she had such bad luck with guys. These are the type of men that she’s falling for. These typical sleazeballs.

“She better work,” Andy snapped, quietly cheering as she stood beside Harry, following everyone back through the crowd and towards the river to grab some lunch.

Harry had made a connection with the chef of a wonderful restaurant last time he was in town and was invited to bring his friends for a free lunch, to which he refused to not pay, but did kindly ask if it were possible to have private seating towards the back. The chef graciously agreed, sectioning off a spot for them in anticipation of their arrival.

Seeing the relationships Harry had made and the interaction between him and the wait staff made Zoey feel proud to know him. Every time she got to see him talk with a fan or someone that held him on any kind of pedestal always put into perspective for her how famous and admired he was. And to see him always be kind was no matter the circumstance was something that made her want to be a better person. She smiled, watching him converse, shake hands, and take pictures and videos with each worker that came up. He caught her looking and shot her a silly face, which only made her smile more. She was sure that this crush phase would be over at some point, but for now, she just loved the fact that this man was in her life.

Besides, at least there was Marco here to distract her for the day. A tall, smart, handsome Italian? Yes, please! He was very forward, which startled her at first, but once she got used to him she was able to have very nice conversations about interests and even family. He seemed to like how close she and Katie were, expressing that he had a younger brother around the same age whom he was close to.

“How about any older brothers?” Nancy joked, making them all laugh.

The lunch was incredible. She knew authentic pizza would be good, but she was guaranteed to dream about it for years to come. They all sang their praise and thanks to the chef before heading out. Zoey walked beside Marco, teaching them all about the Vatican, and made their way towards the museum. She took this time to look back at the group, seeing Harry and Aurora laughing with each other in the back. He looked happy. She couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous that it wasn’t her back there with him. It was silly to think he’d be over Rory just like that.

As soon as they got into the museum, her worries of Harry and Aurora seemed to float away as she became completely enthralled by the artwork that was displayed on the walls, the mosaics on the floor, and the sculptures that lined the perimeter. The Sistine Chapel was truly magnificent. Lined with Michaelangelo’s frescoes, you couldn’t help but get a little choked up. Nothing could even come close to describing the pure cultivated beauty.

But St. Peter's Basilica was even more wondrous, captivated by the enormity and grandeur of the church and its architecture. The way the light shone through the dome of the church, hitting the beautiful artwork surrounding. Zoey was speechless.

Marco explained, “According to an agreement between the Italian state and the Vatican, Rome cannot build a taller building than the chapel. It guarantees the chapel the most amazing view of all of Rome. But, to get to the top you must walk five hundred and fifty-one steps. There’s an elevator that takes you up almost halfway up to the first terrace, but you’ll have to climb the rest of the way. It’s worth it for the view. Would any of you be up for it?”

“I would,” Zoey immediately agreed, eager to see the view.

“I’ll go,” agreed Harry.

“Nah, my ass is not climbing five hundred steps,” Andy shook his head.

Nancy pouted, “I didn’t wear the right shoes. My feet are killing me.”

“I can take them wandering around and meet you back here in thirty minutes to an hour?” Rory suggested, earning nods from Marco, Harry, and Zoey where they broke off and began their climb.

Admittedly, it was tiring. The steps got tighter as they neared the end and they began to feel slightly claustrophobic from the walls seeming like they were leaning in on them. But by the time they reached the top and stepped out to take in the view they were sold. Marco was right, the climb was worth it. They gripped onto the railing, overlooking the city amongst the other visitors that were too distracted to notice them. Marco had run into a friend of his at the top and excused himself briefly to talk to him, but they were too enthralled to care.

“I cannot believe I’m here and get to see this,” Zoey breathed.

Harry turned to look at his friend who stared out at the view, captivated, with strands of hair flowing in the breeze. He grinned, “I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

“You don’t understand,” she turned to look at him, almost teary-eyed, “People like me and my sister? We don’t get to go to Italy. We would have never been able to come here if it weren’t for you.”

She was always so genuine and grateful for everything she was given. Even if it was as simple as someone grabbing her a spoon. She must have thanked him over a dozen times for this trip already and it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours. Zoey stared at him and he was at a loss for words, unable to break his attention from her navy blue eyes.

Finally, he managed to build the strength to tease, mocking her, “...are we about to kiss right now?”

She laughed, looking back over the city, “I could kiss you right now.”

He swallowed, frozen, staring at the shape of her plump lips, forced to imagine how soft they might be or what kind of kisser she was. Was it sloppy? Stiff? Calculated? How did she taste? Surely she still had a hint of sauce and cheese in her breath after the pizza they just ate. He wouldn’t mind.

Shit. Maybe his friends were right.

KEEP READING

------------------------------------------------

Taglist for Somebody To You:

@thurhomish , @stilljosiegrossie , @odetostep , @apples2019 , @stylesmioamore

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sleepychai-fics · 4 years ago

Text

Road to Salvation ~ Chapter 3 - Detained

Warnings: mentions of blood at the end (nothing graphic, just the way it moves), heights, guns (let me know if I’m missing anything)

Word Count: 3,229

Pronouns - Female

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in BNHA. However, there are many OC’s in this fic that I’ve created. These OC’s belong to me and are specifically created for this fic.

Feedback is appreciated!

Want to be part of the taglist? DM me or reply to this chapter!

Michi awakens with a twitch, the result of a nightmare he thankfully doesn’t remember. His body shivers from the lingering fear, heart beating away in his chest. His eyes stare blankly at the dark crusted wall in front of him.

He flinches at the feeling of gentle pressure rubbing along his spine, but the gentle hush that accompanies it settles his nerves. Without a second thought, he lifts his head out of your lap and crawls up to you, nuzzling his face into your chest.

You adjust your arms around him, pulling him closer to you, letting him relax in your comfort. You tuck Dabi’s jacket around his figure before you continue your ministrations along his back.

You remain this way for a few minutes, sitting up against the wall with Michi buried into your chest. Sunlight streams into the room through the front door and the boarded-up windows.

Michi mumbles against your chest. You peer down at him. “What was that?”

He pulls his face out of your chest, opting to press his ear against it instead. “Where’s Dabi?”

A smile adorns your face. “He’s downstairs helping with breakfast. Did you like spending time with him?”

Michi remains silent for a few seconds before speaking up. “He was very nice to me.” Your smile brightens. “He’s really warm and cuddly.”

A chuckle leaves you. “Yeah, he acts different to what you expect, doesn't he?”

“Can we go see him?” Michi lifts his head out of your chest, leaning back to look straight up at you. “I want to give his jacket back.” He grips said jacket around him, tugging it tighter around his shoulders.

“Sure. You should get some breakfast as well.”

Michi shuffles himself out of your lap, standing up next to you. With a pained groan, you stand.

“Are you ok?” Michi looks at you with worry.

With a sigh, you reply. “Yeah, I’m fine kiddo. Don’t worry about me, just tired from last night.” Michi takes your open hand, letting its warmth encase his.

“What did you do?” He says as the two of you walk out of the dull room and into the bright, stale environment.

“I fought some bad guys and saved someone.”

Michi gasps. “Really?” You giggle at his reaction, nodding in confirmation. “Wow, that sounds really cool. But, are you hurt?”

You guide him carefully down a set of stationary escalators. “No. Not really. My muscles are just a bit sore from all the energy I used.”

“Oh. Is that good?” He asks with a tilt of his head, watching his feet as he steps over various bumps and dents.

“Well, it’s better than other injuries.”

As you make it down the first set of stairs, you look over the balcony to see a small crowd of children gather around a table, plates being filled with single pieces of bread.

“What is an injury?” Michi questions as you continue to lead him down another flight of stairs.

“An injury is like a cut, or a bruise, or a broken bone. Your body is damaged in some way,” you inform, giving an assuring squeeze to his hand.

Once you make it down the final steps, you immediately spot Dabi over at the table with the other kids. He stands at the end of the table, regulating a small fire barrel, helping a couple kids toast their bread pieces.

Michi sees him too, waving his unoccupied arm at him. Dabi snaps his gaze up, a small smile appearing on his face as he notices the two of you. You make a beeline towards him. As you pass by the table, you snatch a piece of bread from one of the many plates, handing it to Michi.

“Good morning.” Dabi greets, passing the toast to a small child.

“Morning.” You reply, leaning on the table. “You left quite the impression on Michi. Thinks you’re all cuddly and warm.” The playful tone is associated with the knowing smirk.

Dabi chuckles, looking down at Michi. “Aw, you're messing with my tough-guy image,” he says, ruffling his head earning a chipper giggle from the child.

Michi carefully untangles himself from the jacket and holds it up to Dabi. “Thank you for letting me cuddle with it.”

Taking the jacket, Dabi smiles. “No problem buddy. Did you sleep ok?”

Michi frowns, looking down at the ground. “I had a nightmare.”

You kneel down beside him, gently running your hand along his arm. “Really? Do you remember it?” Michi shakes his head, unconsciously leaning towards you. “That’s good then. It’s ok to have nightmares. I have nightmares all the time.” Michi looks at you with disbelief in his eyes. “I do. Everyone has nightmares. It’s normal. Don’t be afraid to cuddle one of us when you have them. Whenever I have a really bad nightmare, I snuggle into Dabi. And he does the same thing as well, he cuddles up to me.”

Michi looks to Dabi for confirmation, clearly unsure on whether he believes it or not.

“It’s true,” Dabi confirms, passing another toasted piece of bread to a child.

Michi turns back to you. “A-are you sure? I don’t want to wake you up if I do that.”

“Of course. I don’t mind. We can snuggle the nightmares away together.” You reply with a smile, which passes on to Michi.

“(Y/n). Dabi.”

You stand up and look to your side. “Zara.”

Zara is a rather tall woman. Her long red hair tied up in a messy bun with a few strands framing the sides of her face. She wears a baggy sweater, bits of thread peeking out in various places, and a pair of leggings on the edge of ruin. Her tanned complexion can only be seen by her face and her hands.

Zara positions herself in the gap between you and Dabi, smiling at the few children who greet her before turning her focus on you. “Do you mind doing a library run? We need a few school books and storybooks.”

Dabi nods. “Sure. We’ll head out after breakfast.”

“Great.” Zara hands you a folded up piece of paper. “If you can’t find anything on this list, try to get something similar to the subject. And for fantasy books, look for ones about dragons. The kids are especially interested in those at the moment.”

With a smile, you pocket the list. “Sure thing.”

Michi’s brown eyes gaze up into Zara’s blue, curiosity swimming among his irises. With a smile, Zara kneels down. “Hi there. I heard you came in last night.” Michi subconsciously leans closer to you.

You chuckle, placing a hand atop his head and giving it a soothing rub. “You don’t have to be afraid. She’s a nice person. Just don’t say anything about her hair.” You smirk as Zara scoffs and sends you a playful glare.

“Don’t listen to her kid. I’m a sweetheart,” Zara replies, scrunching up her nose.

“Sure. Let’s go with that.”

Ignoring your comment, Zara lays her palm out flat. “Look what I can do.” Michi watches as a sparkling light appears hovering above Zara’s palm. His mouth drops in amazement. He continues to watch as the light begins to slowly change colours.

“That’s so cool,” Michi mutters as the light fades to nothing.

“My name is Zara.”

Michi looks to her gentle gaze. “My name is Michi.”

Zara smiles. “It’s nice to meet you Michi. Will you be going with these two to the library?”

His eyes light up, switching his gaze to you. With a shrug, you reply. “I don’t see why not.” Michi nods enthusiastically.

Zara laughs as she stands. “Well, I’ll leave you to it then. See ya’ later!”

You, Michi and Dabi all wave your goodbyes.

“I’ll get stuff ready to go.” You say, grabbing another slice of bread for yourself. “Would you like to come with me Michi?” He nods with a small smile on his face. You then turn to Dabi. “I’ll meet you out front.”

Dabi nods, using his quirk to feed the fire.

Michi’s hand grasps onto yours as you head back upstairs.

~*~

Almost a dozen books are piled in your arms. Thankfully they aren’t too big, but it still requires a bit of effort to walk straight with them. As you walk out the aisle, you see Michi staring at a book in his hands.

You approach him from behind. “Do you want to read that book?”

Michi turns to face you, putting the book back in its place. “N-No! I was just looking.” He starts to play with his fingers.

Kneeling down, you smile. “It’s okay. The good thing about libraries is you can pretty much borrow however many books you want. As long as you return them.”

Michi looks at you with a dazed expression. “Really?” Your nod of confirmation brings a small smile to his face as he retrieves the book from the shelf.

You giggle as he pulls out the book, holding it to his chest.

“Are we ready to check out?” Dabi approaches with his own handful of books.

You stand up, looking to Michi who holds his book with one hand and clasps his necklace in the other. “I think we are.”

After checking out the books and putting them into your backpack, you head off.

Michi walks in between you and Dabi. One hand holds tightly onto yours whilst the other grips onto his book.

Dabi glances down at him. “What book did you get?” The simple question seems to set a spark behind Michi’s eyes.

“It’s a story my mum read to me a lot. It’s about a little girl who runs from home. She has magic powers that no one knows about. She meets a boy and he takes her to a new world where everyone has magic. She grows up to be the queen! It’s my favourite bedtime story.” Michi excitedly explains, smiling as he moves his hands closer to his chest, roughly where his necklace sits at his collarbone.

Dabi hums in response. “That sounds like a good story. Do you mind if I read it with you?”

“I’d like to read it as well,” you add. Michi immediately nods, the smile growing on his face. “We’ll read it together before bed tonight then. Or we can-”

“Excuse me, ma’am?”

The three of you stop, eyes flicking up to the uniformed officer in front of you. “I’m sorry to interrupt your day, but I’d like to ask you a few questions about a recent event. May we discuss this down at the station? It won’t take long.”

Your eyes immediately flicker about the environment. The streets aren’t too crowded, people are grouped in pairs, a few feet of space in between each couple. Two police cars remain stationary nearby, the silhouettes of other officers can be seen in the front seats. Scattered amongst the street, you notice a few suspicious eyes staring at you, brows crinkled in observation.

You smile at the officer. “Sure. Do you mind if I take a minute to part with my husband and son?”

The officer, unbeknownst to your actual relationship with the boys, hesitantly nods. You can practically see the nerves dripping off of him.

You bow your head slightly before turning to face the boys.

Dabi is calm, but under the guise he’s alert and guarded. Blue eyes silently glare at the officer, the dangerous intent hidden beneath his composed mask. His fist clenches tightly by his side whilst his other hand gently touches Michi.

Michi looks terrified; you can see it's taking all his energy not to burst into tears right then and there and you silently praise his control. His eyes are glazed over with dread. His hand clasps around his necklace, bringing it close to his lips.

With a smile, you kneel down in front of him.

“Don’t tell me you’re leaving me.” You almost tear up yourself. Anger washes over you; seeing a small child have anxiety about you leaving them is inexcusable.

You offer your arms out for a hug which he immediately dives in for. “I’m sorry Michi, I really don’t want to go either. But I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Michi presses into the hug, nuzzling his head into your neck. It takes a few more seconds before you have the heart to pull back from him. With a brush of your fingers, his teary river stops momentarily. “Dabi will take good care of you while I’m gone.”

Michi sniffles, leaning his weight onto you. “I don’t want you to go.”

You bite back the wave of tears that threatens to arise. “I know. I don’t want to either.”

He throws his arms around you once again, holding onto you tightly. “Promise you’ll be safe.”

“I promise.” After parting from him once again, you smile at him and run your fingers through his hair.

Standing up, you face Dabi. Without hesitation, he plants a smile on his face and opens his arms. You engage in the hug, wrapping your arms around his waist and bringing him in close. You situate your mouth close to his ears, allowing your voice to drop to a faint whisper.

“Take care of him. Make sure he isn’t alone.”

In response, he tightens his grip on you. “I will.”

“If I’m not back by tonight, I’m MIA.”

“Your record is clean so far, don’t dirty it now.”

You smile. “I’ll try not to.”

With a final squeeze, you part from each other. Michi reaches out for Dabi who immediately picks him up and settles him on his hip.

“I love you!” You call out with a fake smile as you turn back to the officer.

“Love you too!” You hear Dabi reply.

The officer looks relieved when you return. “Shall we make our way to the station?”

You mentally hold yourself back from punching him, despite the desperate urge to. Can’t risk it now, not yet at least. Instead, you nod politely.

As you follow the officer, you glance around, observing every watchful eye on you. The officer opens the backseat door for you, gesturing for you to enter. You stand at the door, smiling at the officer as you peek over towards Dabi.

You watch as he ducks into an alley, Michi held tightly against his grasp.

A smirk crosses your lips as you return your attention to the officer.

There’s no more stalling, you strike out your fist, knocking the officer out immediately. He drops to the ground in a heap, blood pooling out from his nose.

Ignoring the screams and yells, you spring upwards, using your quirk to push against your shadow, propelling you high into the air. At the peak of your jump, you latch onto a window sill and scale up the remaining floor of the building.

Just as you reach the top, a hand grasps onto your hand. You gasp but quickly regain your composure. Flipping over the grip, you tug him over the edge, sending him plummeting to the ground. Once climbing over the ledge, you stretch your hand out before clenching it in a fist.

The officer’s momentum depletes substantially, enough to only leave him breathless on touch down.

“Stop right there!”

You turn around, coming face to face with another 4 officers, each armed with a handgun. For a moment, you stop moving, calculating your next move.

Locking eyes on the officer closest to you, you leap at him, grabbing the gun-wielding hand and twisting it back. The response is a yelp of pain as the gun falls from his hand. You catch it, flip it to hold it by the barrel before throwing it to another nearby officer. It hits him in the eye - not your exact target but enough to have him dropping to the ground in pain. A quick jab to the first guy’s chin leaves him out of the fight for now.

A bullet grazes your skin the same time the gunshot rings in your ear. You ignore the fiery pain that shoots through your left shoulder, swatting your hand out with your quirk activated. The officer falls to the ground, his gun clattering to the ground. The last one standing looks shocked, but only for a second. Taking the opportunity, you leap in front of the officer. He takes a swing at you, aiming for your head. You block the punch with one hand and go for one of your own with the other, decking him in the mouth.

You bolt across the building, jumping over the small gaps to reach the next. The blaring sounds of sirens surround the area, sparking anxiety within you. Holy fuck, how many are after me? The answer shows itself once you reach the end of the building.

The streets seem to be clear of any citizens, occupied only by several cops as well as a couple of heroes.

“Fuck.” With a shake of your head, you jog back a few steps. “Okay (Y/n), you’ve done this trick many times. The only difference now is you have an army of police after you. Not any different than your typical night.” The encouragement you say to yourself doesn’t do much for your shaking nerves.

Denying yourself another thought, you take off in a sprint. It only takes you seconds to approach the ledge. As your foot connects with the ledge, you throw your hands down violently. Your quirk activates as you do so, launching you high into the air, allowing you to fly across the street. Your descent quickly follows, gravity pulling you back down to earth. It’s almost too fast, but you’ve done this plenty of times beforehand, you know the drill.

Outstretching your hand, your fingers flex. You grab hold of your growing shadow on the building. With a confident hold on your shadow, you pull it back, slowing down your descent enough for you to roll safely onto the ground.

You continue to dart across buildings, jumping over alleyway gaps and making a couple of turns, trying your best to scrape off the persistent heroes.

Another street approaches and you speed up. Everything goes to plan until you jump. You feel it through your fingers before anything else. The lack of weight in your fingers confuses you and it isn’t until you start falling towards the street do you realise what’s happened. You quirk stopped working.

“No!” You scream as your body plummets down to the street. Your eyes quickly scan the environment below and target a light post. Thanking whatever high being is up there, you reach out to grab it.

Unfortunately, you fall just short of it. You touch it with the tips of your fingers, but don’t clasp onto it.

Everything flashes before your eyes.

Fabric wraps tightly around your body, stopping any and all movement of your limbs. You grunt as your body is whipped upside down, your head inches from the ground.

Blood rushes to your brain too fast, your body unable to comprehend the fast motion and quickly shutting down. Fiery hot pain shoots through your arm and your head thumps painfully with the excess blood. Before your vision cuts out, you catch a glimpse of a figure.

Floating black hair and bright yellow goggles are the last things you see before you lose consciousness.

#road to salvation #rts #shinsou hitoshi #bnha shinsou #hitoshi shinsou #shinsou hitoshi x reader #shinsou x reader

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fieryfafarfanfics · 5 years ago

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Caring Reminder

Once upon a time, there was a boy who craved love. Abandoned as a child. Thrown away from the very people whom he sought love and protection from. He couldn’t remember his mother’s face, let alone his father’s. He had forgotten how they sounded like, how they were like. The world was cruel like that, he once thought. Disowned at the tender age of 9, the poor child had to fight tooth and nail in order to survive a world where humans and Pokémon exist as the strongest. He wasn’t always alone. Some call it luck. Others call it fate. But for a child who was disgustingly dirty from head to toe and begging for his next meal, all he ever felt at that time was thankful when he saw that hand – his hand – reach out for him in the cold, chilly air of the dark alleyway. He had served that man for 2 years. The child didn’t know what. He didn’t know why. But the powerful man saw potential in him and offered the startled child a chance of a lifetime. Of course, the desperate orphan took it. This powerful man saw potential in him, did he not? Once the child turned 16, he had made it his life mission to bend backwards for his saviour. Everything he did was for him. Every battle he had won was for the sake of the chairman. The child never sought anything for himself. He only thought, for him, for him, over and over again. The moment he received his very first Pokémon from him, for once in his life, the child felt needed and love. He loved the feeling. Cherished it like his own breath. He wished to feel it more. But alas, nothing lasts forever.

The watch he so guarded with his life felt heavier around his wrist. The pink coat he wore like second skin scorched his chest until he felt he couldn’t breathe. Never in his life would the child think that he would be thrown away again, to be cast away like the trash he once thought he was. He thought of begging. He thought of dropping down to his knees and spreading away his shame if it meant being back under his protective wing. But no. No. The poor child was once again an orphan. And it was all her fault. But before he could curse and cuss and lose his mind over the complete destruction of his plans, it was all her fault too that led him back to a path that shined brighter. --- “Going out, dear?” His head perked at the sound of a familiar voice. A smile curved such pretty pink lips. “Devina asked to accompany me to buy some stuff for next week’s league meeting.” A pink trench coat was snuggly worn on his body. “Apparently it’s Gordie’s birthday next week, so Mrs Melony suggested a surprise for her birthday boy.” A low chuckle escaped at the thought. To know such motherly love exists in this world; Bede found it pitiful he had never felt one since he was born— “Oh?” Opal’s voice disturbed his lazy train of thought. Violet eyes focused on the elder gym leader. Her trusty umbrella gripped comfortably in her hands, Bede observed silently as she placed a seat on a sofa. “I see you’re getting closer to that dear Devina.” A single gulped slid down a suddenly dry throat at the sudden statement. He didn’t say a word, merely fixed his attention on fixing his coat. He knew the old woman was smirking. “Let’s see…” One lanky finger tapped her chin. “It has been 3 years, hasn’t it? Since you two first met?” Oh how well she remembered the child’s youthful appearance. She remembered the now champion before, so calm yet feisty. Though masked an air of serenity every time Opal looked at her, she knew the young girl held so much fire and passion it could melt a Dynamaxed Duraludon. It was no surprise that Devina became the new Champion of Galar who saved the region from the second coming for the Darkest Day. It was a shame the girl liked to dress up in mostly black and red. She would have made a great fairy-type leader if she tried to cover herself in more pink. Silence filled the living room when Opal brought her mind back to reality. She realized Bede hadn’t been replying to her curious question. Aquamarine eyes gazed at the tall young man. He was still transfixed on the collar of his trench coat. She saw his lips purse slightly in faint discomfort. The smirk on her face grew wider. “She’s a nice girl, Bede.” One manicured nail casually traced on the hook of her umbrella. “She often visits me, even when you’re not around.” Sharp eyes caught the little jerk of his shoulders. “Though, I have to admit, she does sometimes ask whether you’re busy or not. It seems our little champion likes your company.” “Who doesn’t?” He quipped quickly – a little too quickly. One breath was inhaled sharply, then held for a few seconds before Bede exhaled slowly. “I mean—” Still not deciding to look at Opal in the eyes yet, he turned his attention to the tuff of fluffy white hair. “I’m a delight to be with. Anyone who gets to spend even a little time with me is considered a treasured moment.” His hair was getting longer, he realized. Momentarily, he brought his mind to whether or not he wished to tie some of his longer strands to a tiny ponytail. “Rest assured, Devina definitely treasures every moment she has with you.” Hands froze on the spot near the back of his neck. Irises shrunk slightly, but Bede managed to stop himself before looking at Opal in a baffled manner. Pink lips trembled once, then tightened hastily to prevent any mistake from being verbalized. Opal found it as a sign to continue. “I can see she cares about you, dear.” Aquamarine eyes looked at her manicured nails for a few seconds. “And I can clearly see you care a lot about her.” Her smirk softened, curled to a warm smile. “I may be old, dearie, but I’m still sharp as a Noctowl. And in all my years of living – both in and out of the theatre – I can see that you two wish for something more than just friendship.” Bede remained silent. His arms now plopped rigidly by his sides. Violet eyes glanced to the left, to the right. “Mmm…” was all he responded. He knew heat had zipped straight to the fair skin of his cheeks. The young man wanted nothing more than to tug the collar of his coat higher, but he knew by doing so would earn a hearty laugh from the elderly. His heart raced faster at the image of the smiling champion. Slowly he exhaled again, once and twice before he spun his heel. “Thank you, Miss Opal.” He truly didn’t know what to say. “I uh…I better get going.” One hand making sure that all his team are tucked inside their shrunk Pokéballs, Bede nodded at her and began walking towards the door. “You know, I’ve never had children of my own. Human children, I mean.” He heard her. He proceeded to march faster. Sadly, he wasn’t fast enough. “I would love to have grandchildren of my own someday.” Bede swore he wanted nothing more than to wrap himself into a cocoon when he heard Opal’s rambunctious laughter. --- Arceus, he hated that his face burned every time he’s reminded of Opal’s words. “Sheesh…” Left and right he shook his head for the fifteenth time. Though heart now beating at a calm pace, Bede groaned silently at the traitorous colour in his cheeks. It didn’t help that the elderly’s words echoed clearly in his mind. “I can see she cares about you, dear.” Like a bell it rang in every corner of his brain. Every time Bede tried to shake his head, the voice only chimed louder and louder like some annoying mantra. “Cares about me…huh…” Finally, he decided to give up. Decided to let his thoughts wander in dangerous territory. Hands tucked warmly inside the pockets of his pink and purple trench coat, he swayed back and forth, and back and forth, honestly dumfounded as his mind led him to a future that put his heart on the line. He then remembered her smile. She smiled often, Bede took note of that about her. For the years he’s known her, not once had Bede ever seen the champion without a brilliant shine of a smile. She rarely spoke much when they first met. But fast forward to the many months and days and Bede soon found out she had a lot of stories to tell and a lot of laughter to bring. It brought a tiny smile to his face. “She cares about me…” The words mumbled without a second thought. Cheeks were now filled with swirls of red, but Bede more or less acknowledged it as he tucked his chin inside the coat’s collar. It’s been a while for him to be cared so…lovingly. Before he could let his fantasies run wild, Bede was instead jolted back to reality to hear some ecstatic screams. Quickly he looked up, eyes widened in surprise at the crowd piling around someone not far from where he stood. He then noticed a pair of long, white, fluffy ears. Like a Boltund, he straightened his back and perked himself to a lively stance; he recognized those ears anywhere. And most of all, he definitely recognized the trainer who had such a Pokémon with those pair of ears. “Devina…” Her name lulled so softly without him realizing it. Joy lit up in a pair of sparkling violets. Hands removed from the comfort of the coat’s pockets, he proceeded to walk towards her. He walked and he walked. The crowd grew bigger and bigger. The smile that was plastered on his face started to falter. The beat of his heart grew faster, harsher. Violet eyes could only see her, focus on her. But as Bede approached the frantic fans, he felt his breathing hitch inside his throat. Suddenly, his steps halted immediately. Pupils shrunk to dots. Eyes widened in sheer fear. His heart that once beat in ecstatic glee now beat for a whole different reason. And that reason alone was something he swore never to feel ever again. Déjà vu swallowed the young man whole. He saw him. The man who disowned him as if he was a piece of trash. Ah, wasn’t this scene familiar? The crowd remained the same, but Bede didn’t see the champion standing awkwardly inside it. No. He didn’t even see the Cinderace that stood loyally beside his fumbling trainer. He saw the chairman. He saw the secretary. Ah, her back was facing him. Just as his back was once. Mouth parted open, yet short gasps escaped what were supposed to be words. He tried to call her name, to catch her attention he so desperately craved. One hand strained achingly by his side. Curled fingers tightened to fists when all he could hear was the excitable chants of “Devina! Devina! Devina!” Ah. He wondered if the heavy weight in his chest was his broken heart. “I’m sorry. What was your name again?” He flinched disgustingly at the memory he so sorely hid from the back of his mind. Unable to bear the emotional turmoil he was feeling right now, Bede quickly turned his heel and marched away from the scene. --- Sometimes Ares pitied his trainer. There were people crowding her again. Humans are weird, he casually thought, giving minimal space for Devina yet at the same time providing protection from those who were a bit rowdier than usual. His trainer seemed quite restless, a bit nervous. Her smile still beamed brilliantly for the people around them. After all these years of knowing her, the Cinderace was still in complete awe at how well Devina hides her emotions behind such masks. A familiar scent suddenly snatched his attention. White fluffy ears perked upwards. Quickly he looked to the right, sharp sight spotting none other than the person his trainer was so excited to meet today. That was the whole reason they were in Ballonlea in the first place. But alas, the second Devina reached the magical town, she was soon swarmed by a flock of fans who, ironically was causing her stress at the moment. ‘Bede!’ Ares chirped, one paw lifted and waved in hopes it caught his attention. But to his dismay, the young gym leader had turned and walked away. ‘Uh oh.’ He knew Devina would be devastated if she and the cocky leader didn’t meet up today. Nonchalant as she was regarding anything emotional, the Cinderace could never be fooled by the feelings she deeply held for the fluff-haired human. He wanted to jump out of the crowd and tug Bede towards Devina. But he didn’t want to leave his beloved trainer either. Orange eyes stared at his still fumbling best friend. Pity turned to annoyance. The people around them were getting irritable, but Ares knew damn well Devina was too nice a person to scoff these people away. So, with Plan B in mind, he nimbly sought out Hilda’s Pokéball that was clipped onto the belt of her denim jeans. --- He was a fool. A complete and utter bastard of a fool. After what felt like forever, the young leader soon found himself alone in Glimwood Tangle. Fatigue overpowering the agony that claws deep within his heart, Bede finally plopped down a random spot and dropped his head onto the top of his folded knees. He knew his Hatterene was fuming at the foul feelings he felt right now. As much as she tried to be empathetic and kind nowadays, Bede almost had half a mind to release the Pokémon and order her to beat the absolute shit out of him. A heavy sigh slipped weakly between quivering lips. “What am I doing…?” A laugh, so cold and disheartened, slipped between the sigh of a question. Both hands were placed on his head, fingers pressing inside the puff of fluffy white hair. “What the bloody hell am I doing…?” He still remembered how fixated she was on the crowd around her. Just like him. He still remembered how cheerful she was while talking to her fans. Just like him. He still remembered how lively her laughter was when she signed some autographs. Just like him. Him. Him. Him. The ache in his chest only worsened. That’s right… His mind echoed dully. She’s the Champion. She is practically the hero of Galar. Of course she would be crowded by people 24/7. Of course she would cater to her fans wherever she goes. The pads of his fingers pressed his scalp. Of course… Of course… She wouldn’t give a second glance at me… His vision blurred. Why would she even care about him in the first place? If anything, he was the one who acknowledged her as a rival. He was the one who went out of his way to empty his schedule just so he could see her. He was the one who put some stupid, idiotic, blind hope that maybe – just maybe – she would feel the same. He was truly a fool. She wasn’t the man he once idolized. No. She was much, much worse. Anger and shame and sorrow and heartbreak punctured holes in his withering heart. Unable to face the nightmare that might turn to reality, he just remained in his seat. Quietly and woefully. The sounds of Pokémon in the woods filled the heavy silence. One hand weakly plopped between his legs. The other now loosely tugged the curly strands of pure white. “Devina definitely treasures every moment she has with you.” How he despised hearing that right now. A chuckle, so bitter and cold, puffed through quivering lips. “As if…” Finally, the other hand dropped to the ground in a low thud. Anger replaced shame. Then anger melted into a puddle of sorrow. The pain in his heart wasn’t going away anytime soon, and Bede opted to just let the anguish eat him away for the rest of the afternoon. He wondered if the reason for his warm, wet cheeks were because of him. Feeling pathetic like the first time he was disowned when he was 16, Bede limply stood up and shoved both hands into the pockets of his coat. He hated this feeling, this pain. Sucking a deep breath and shaking the little tears away from his face, Bede began walking deep into the woods— “Bede!” …Or so he thought, until he heard he voice he so deeply missed. Was he hallucinating, he wondered? For a brief moment, Bede actually concluded that he had gone crazy enough to imagine the lovely voice in his head. But all that disappeared like dust when what he felt next was a gust of harsh wind. Words were void from a face of pure stupor. He turned around, then raised both arms as a shield when he felt wild wind blowing in his direction. The sound of a Corviknight rustled the mushrooms and leaves nearby. The first minute, Bede felt as if he was about to the thrown backwards. Fortunately, once the metaphorical clock ticked its next minute, the young man managed to stand his ground when he felt the wind was no longer blowing at him. Bright red light beamed momentarily. Though vision was now clear of any tears, confusion now stirred his mind to properly convey the situation that just happened— “Found you!” Everything happened so fast, yet the world around them slowed down immediately right at the same time. Arms that were raised in self-defence now stretched to the side when he felt something – someone – pouncing on him. One step, two steps were taken due to the low impact. Though the lights in Glimwood Tangle were never bright to begin with, Bede managed to see the perpetrator of this little chaos that was happening in a span of 3 minutes. And by Arceus, he was sure as hell he was dreaming now to feel the one person he craved hugging him like a lock. She was tiptoeing, he realized that when he felt her face nuzzling the side of his neck. “D-De…!” All emotions that he felt literally 5 minutes ago had exploded into a range of wild bafflement. “Devina?!” His arms still remained apart, though fingers now subconsciously twitch to return such a tight hug. She was here. She was here. She was here. She was here. Just as fast as her hug happened, it – sadly – ended all too quickly. He saw her fumbling with her red glasses. He saw her looking down and mumbling something incoherent and bashful. “Uh…” Finally, a voice, so meek and sweet, chirped its way into his heart. Taking a deep breath, Devina finally looked at the stunned man. “Hi…” Oh, what a fool, she must thought. “I ah…” What would she say? What would she do? She didn’t have a valid excuse to hug him like her life depended on it. If anything, the reason that brought up the desire to wrap her arms around him was that she missed him. Terribly. Oh, a valid reason indeed, and a terribly embarrassing one. Luckily, his stupor allowed her to recollect some senses. “I’ve been looking all over for you!” Concern was masked with short laughter. Teeth nipping the insides of her cheeks, the young champion put both palms together to a single clap! “Where have you been?” Honestly, Bede stopped functioning for a while the second he heard, “I’ve been looking all over for you!” She was…looking for…me? Immediately he shook his head. Air puffed in and out in harsh flows. At times like these, Bede was beyond thankful at the height of his coat’s collar. “I—decided to take a walk.” Left hand tugged the front of his collar higher. “I saw you being crowded by your adoring fans.” Arceus, it left a bitter taste on his tongue. “So I didn’t want to bother…” Violet eyes finally braved enough to cast a glance at her, “you…” His breath was taken away to see such a lovely pout. “I’m sorry…” Woe dripped so heavily that it pierced his healing heart. Before Bede could take back his mistake, she continued, “It’s just. The second I stepped inside Ballonlea, I was being swarmed by people. Turns out there was a little meetup by my fan club and they were too excited for words when they realized they’ve bumped into me today of all days.” Fatigue rolled off her tongue. Man, just thinking about it alone was enough to drain the young woman. Silence became his reply. He only listened intently, observing every nook and cranny of her face. One hand then moved to touch her lower lip. “I didn’t mean to make you wait for so long. I didn’t mean to make you wait at all. I’m so sorry…” Zip! Another arrow shot through his now howling heart. “It’s—!” He was in her mind all along. “How…did you escape?” He was too happy. Too gleeful to form a proper conversation. The only saving grace right now was the dim light of the woods that prevented her from seeing such a violent blush in his face. “Ares helped me.” One hand casually scratched the back of her head. Giggles rang about at the sharp thinking of her starter Pokémon. “He released Hilda and next thing I knew, I was being brought up high in the sky.” It shocked her, she wasn’t going to lie. But relief mostly took over when she realized she was growing farther from the ecstatic fans. She did shout a simple apology before flying off to find the one person she couldn’t wait to meet. “When I found out you weren’t at our usual meeting place, I started to wait. But Ares then began tugging me and signalling me to follow him into…” It was during her explanation that she remembered she needed to breathe. “Glimwood Tangle.” Both hands pressed against her speedy heartbeat. Silence once again enveloped them, save for the low, heavy panting by the young woman. “So uh…sorry.” She felt silly. Stupid. If she kept these emotions out of check for far too long, she knew her Hatterene would pop out anytime soon and start shaking her violently to calm the fuck down. No one said a word afterwards. He remained in his place, staring and gaping like a dazed fool. She stood her ground, too nervous to move or look up into his sparkling eyes. Maybe it was inappropriate? The hugging him, she meant. As much as they were friends for years now, Devina should keep it in mind that not everyone is as welcoming as Hop. Delicate fingers now intertwined together near her pouted mouth, she inhaled sharply before readying another form of apology— Emotions froze and crashed when she felt her body being pulled in a warm embrace. Well, wasn’t today an exciting day? While she now lay in stupor, Bede took the opportunity to have his heart explode into a million fireworks. “Devina definitely treasures every moment she has with you.” Opal’s reminder rang clear and true amidst the serene hums inside Glimwood Tangle. Both arms wrapped cosily around her, one arm caressed around her shoulder while the other snugged so perfectly around her waist. “I see…” Low murmurs brushed the top of dark hair. Heat now burned right to the tips of his ears, but Bede couldn’t care less as he mindlessly nuzzled the top of her head. She smelled of vanilla and cinnamon. He desperately fought back the urge to pepper kisses on her head. “Um…” Mumbles hit his chest. She could hear a rapid heartbeat. Was it his? Was it hers? She couldn’t tell. Hands still close to her own screaming heart, Devina held a meek whine when she felt their bodies pressed together. “I didn’t wait long.” Was all she heard. Was all it took to send shivers down her spine. Whether or not the two realized their actions were anything but platonic, they only remained in the comforting embrace. Devina was too embarrassed to point it out, yet unspeakably thrilled that it was happening. Bede was too engrossed in the fact that she did put his best interest at heart, and he couldn’t give a Rattata’s ass about dropping his dignity in front of her. If it meant being able to have her all by himself, then so be it. Giggles tickled his collarbone, causing him to shiver deliciously. “That’s good…” she sighed. “Are…Are you okay, by the way?” she whispered. Once upon a time, there was a boy who finally found love. A smile shivered joyfully inside the strands of soft, dark hair. “Never better…” END

#Rival Bede #Trainer Gloria #Dressedinpinkshipping #Bederia #Pokemon #opal #cinderace #oneshot #fafar writes #grandma and the humanized pet rabbit are the real mvp here #Pokemon Sword and Shield

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maknaesdancersrappers · 5 years ago

Text

devotee.

warning/s: very dark themes (stalking, non consensual voyeurism, extreme violence, mentions of blood, talks about abusive mental disorders, obsession, death threats??), explicit smut (masturbation, unprotected sex, cum play, cunnilingus)

Please read at your own discretion.

Jaehyun’s version of Devoted. (please read this first if you haven’t before reading this one)

wc: ~12k

a/n: this is a scheduled post; i should be out of town when this gets posted, so please leave me messages about your thoughts on this!! This will give a little insight on how Jaehyun’s mind works throughout the entire Devoted!AU.

disclaimer: I don’t know anything about how therapy works (uh,,, not yet??) and the actual inner workings of it all so please excuse any blunders if there are any in that aspect!!! I’m pretty sure even the professions I’m using are wrong, so I’m sorry huehuehue ;A; feel free to educate my naive ass.

Jeon Bohyuk sighs heavily, reading through the notes from his last therapy session from months ago. It was alarming how… troubled… this family was. His own father had warned him about taking on his position, but he still pursued it. Bound by extreme secrecy and a very, very hefty paycheck; Dr. Jeon can only do as he’s told and make sure none of these sessions make it out to the public.

It was quite difficult being the Jung Conglomerate’s therapist.

His father always told him, “The Jung’s come first in any situation and problem they face.”

A knock sounds on the door and Dr. Jeon tells them to let themselves in. The familiar face peeks through the door and politely smiles like he always does.

“Ah, Jaehyun. It’s been quite awhile, hasn’t it?” He greets, standing up to move from his desk to the armchair while the newcomer sits at the velvet chaise lounge like a routine.

“Good morning, doctor.” Jaehyun sighs, sinking his body against the furniture already.

Dr. Jeon notices the bandaged hand resting on his patient’s lap, but doesn’t comment on it. Instead, he picks up his pen and notepad. “So, how have you been since our last meeting? I was starting to think you would never come back.”

Jaehyun stares at the ceiling for a moment and Dr. Jeon notes it down while he starts to answer him, “I might not come back for awhile after this… my girlfriend, [Y/N]...”

“Yes?” Dr. Jeon looks up at him through his lashes, anticipating his following words. These sessions were because of her; or rather, how Jaehyun had become obsessed with her.

“She knows about my condition. The gist, at least. I didn’t mention the actual disorder; not yet… the timing wasn’t right.”

“And?” Dr. Jeon is continuously writing down in his notepad. “How did Ms. [Y/N] react?”

“Like you predicted, she was scared. But we compromised,” Jaehyun glances at him.

He nods his head and hums in approval, “That’s good. Did you willingly tell her or?”

“No, I got caught.” Jaehyun moves his bare hand over his bandaged one, “You told me during our last session that I should try putting some distance between us.”

It was to help - and also test - his (unhealthy) obsession with her. For years, he comes in for therapy sessions to talk about her and how he feels. Any other psychologists would have been alarmed, but given his family background, Dr. Jeon simply accepted that Jaehyun had found his trigger. What troubles him, however, was his wording. “Caught? What do you mean?”

“A break?” She stares up at him, “What do you mean?”

The suggestion was out of Jaehyun’s mouth before he could actually think it through. He stops walking, resulting her to stop as well. He pouts at her, pushing her stray strands of hair away from her face. “We barely have time for each other. We’re not breaking up, but we just… take a break from seeing each other to focus on finals and getting things done for graduation.”

She gives it a thought, “I guess you’re right… Plates are piling up and most of them have the same deadline.”

“I’d love to watch you work on them and cheer you on, but we hit a bump with our thesis.”

“Then I guess a break is really something we need, yeah? But we’re not technically breaking up, right?” She stretches her arms and hook them over his nape, playing with his soft, thick hair.

“Of course not.” He almost scowls, bringing a little giggle to bubble from her chest. “Until finals are over, there won’t be any seeing each other.”

“No booty calls.”

Jaehyun is visibly disheartened by this, but still nods, “No booty calls. No de-stressing together.”

“No dates,” She adds, “Even texts and phone calls?”

“No distractions at all.” There was regret in his words already. “I can’t walk you to your classes anymore.”

Truth be told, he didn’t have to walk her to her classes. His routes to his classes don’t even graze hers; he literally goes out of his way to walk her to her room, even though he could possibly be late (maybe even locked out) of his next subject.

“This is torture, Jaehyun, are you sure about this?”

Again, before he can think it through, he nods his head and it seals the deal.

Jaehyun barely lasted a day without her, constantly fighting the urge to find her or even send her a text. Halfway through the week, he busies himself with studies but always finds his mind wandering to what she was doing. At the end of the first week, he can’t congratulate himself; he needed to know how she was, what she was doing, where she’s been during her free time; he thinks about if she had pleasured herself with him running through her mind. He needed to see her, touch her, breathe her scent in. The picture on his nightstand isn’t enough, but he doesn’t have a choice. He’s done it before, and there’s no shame in doing it again, he’s just glad he has her photo protected between glasses to make it easier to clean later.

By the second week, he is back to his old habits. He’s keeping tabs on her; following her around when both their schedules are free. His mind is at ease knowing she’s keeping to herself without him, enjoying the company of her friends - people he actually trusts - and not paying attention to other guys.

Jaehyun remembers one of his therapy sessions; how Dr. Jeon talked about how his obsession with her was borderline unhealthy. He said that there was a high chance she wouldn’t like it and would probably leave him. The thought frightened Jaehyun; losing her was the worst thing that could ever happen to him. But she was so attractive; she might not see it, but he can. He can see every guy glancing at her when she enters a room or passes by. He can see their eyes glint with appreciation as it rakes down her entire being, how they would lick their lips like she was their next meal. It made his blood boil.

He follows her around not because he doesn’t trust her; he just doesn’t trust anybody else around her.

But her roommates just had to invite her out one Friday night.

There was a permanent frown on his face as he presses his back to the adjacent wall of her bedroom window.

“No. That’s too short.”

Without even looking, Jaehyun already knew what dress her roommate had pulled out of her closet. The image of her in that little black dress that stopped just above her thighs immediately sent a reaction to his crotch. He hated that dress because everything only he should see would be exposed to the world if she so much as lean forward; but he loved to fuck her in that dress. Easy access.

“It’s cute and sexy!”

‘Damn right, it is. But it’s also for my eyes only.’ Jaehyun presses himself more into the shadows when he spots some night joggers passing by.

“But Jae-”

“Last time I checked, you and Jaehyun are currently on break. Let your legs and ass breathe while they can. You’ve kept your best assets in pants or baggy shorts because Jaehyun doesn’t like it when guys ogle them.”

‘Fuck you, Minkyung. I’m supposed to like you more than Yebin.’

“Uhm, I don’t like being ogled by other guys, too.”

‘Oh, my poor baby, don’t worry, I’ll make sure they’ll regret even looking at you.’ He shifts a bit, adjusting his half-hard cock in his pants and peeking through her blinds. He almost let out a moan; she looked so… delicious in that dress. There’s no way a guy won’t be sparing her an appreciative once-over. He quietly leaves, careful not to make the metal stairs squeak under his feet.

Jaehyun knows where they were heading. He’s heard Yebin talking about it weeks ago. A quick taxi ride later, he’s seated at the far end of the bar. He had a tall glass of beer, watching the crowd from under his cap. Minutes later, he spots her and her roommates walking in. When she turned her head to the bar, he looks down to avoid her gaze. Giving it a few seconds, he cautiously looks back up to find her making her way to an empty booth.

“Jaehyun!” Someone pats his back and he’s lucky the music drowned out his voice before it could even reach to where she is. “I rarely see you drinking without your girl, man.”

Jaehyun sighs, pulling a face at the person who welcomed himself to the empty seat beside him.

Kim Mingyu was an ace player on the baseball team. He was on the basketball team for the first year of uni with Jaehyun, but switched sports during sophomore year.

“Yeah, we’re on a break.” Jaehyun might as well entertain him. In case he gets discovered by her or her roommates, he could always use Mingyu as an alibi. “We won’t have time for each other since we’re all graduating soon.”

“Tell me about it! We just had our very last training a while ago, so we’re celebrating here. Just tossed our bats and mitts in the back of our pick-ups and drove here.” Mingyu nods to his rowdy teammates over at the corner of the room. “I’m gonna miss baseball.”

“Not going pro?” Jaehyun takes a sip of his beer, briefly glancing over to her booth where a waiter delivered her cocktails.

Mingyu thanks the bartender after the beer he ordered was served to him. He chuckles, shaking his head to his question, “Nah, I don’t love the sport enough to have it become my profession. I’m going to try and be a model instead. What about you? You left basketball for your girlfriend. Talk about being whipped.”

“Basketball is just a hobby and another way to exercise for me. Besides, I’m taking over the family business so going pro isn’t an option.”

Jaehyun continues to converse with Mingyu, still checking up on her every now and then. He’s had three beers already that had his body buzzing and although it’s not enough to make him tipsy or drunk, he stops drinking and opted for water.

“Hey, man.” Mingyu slurs a bit, “It was great catching up with you, but I should go back to my teammates, it is our last night as a team.”

“You, too. Take care, Mingyu.” Jaehyun offers a weary smile as he watches his friend shakily stumbled back to where his team was. He moves his gaze back to her booth but panicked when he found it empty. Quickly, his eyes scan the dancing crowd and he’s quick to spot her. However, relief is nowhere in his system. There was a man eyeing her from behind and his gut already told him to make his way over.

But he was too late because from what it looks like, he had touched her. Her. His girlfriend. Jaehyun’s nostrils flared, standing up from his seat and pauses. Yebin had taken care of the situation immediately, stomping on the stranger’s foot and taking her away from him.

These were the rare moments Jaehyun could rely on Yebin. He continues to watch all three of them throw some cash onto their booth, grab their things, and make a beeline for the exit. He was sure she was going home, and he’ll check up on her in a minute, but he reckons he has something to deal with first as his eyes settled on the stranger that touched what had belonged to him.

Jaehyun stalks behind the stranger as he walks back to his car alone at the back of the vast, dimly lit parking lot. He pulls his hood over his head and lowers his cap. He recognizes Mingyu’s car and without thinking, grabs the nearest bat he could from the back and continues to walk up to the stranger.

Adrenaline was pumping through Jaehyun’s veins. He could only see red; he’s seething with anger as he raises the bat over his head. Before the stranger notices him, he strikes him; straight on the head. A pained cry leaves the man as he falls to the ground on his knees, clutching his head. The only coherent thought Jaehyun has in his head is the fact that this man had touched [Y/N] and that was enough to drive him to hit the man once, twice, thrice, not stopping even when blood is sprayed onto his face. He relents once the man is knocked unconscious.

Jaehyun’s breath is ragged, assessing what he had just done. Before anyone could catch him, he runs away with the baseball bat still in hand.

Dr. Jeon has removed his glasses and has been rubbing his eyes for a good minute after Jaehyun recounts his story. “Jaehyun.”

“He’s alive.” Jaehyun crosses his arms, retreating his attention back to the ceiling, already knowing where the warning mention of his name is going.

“Okay,” Dr. Jeon says, mostly to himself, “How did you feel about this? Let’s start with Ms. [Y/N] going out in a dress you deem ‘too short’ for her to wear out.”

“I’m not mad at her. Her friends forced her into it. [Y/N] is submissive; she gives into peer pressure most of the time.”

“So you were mad at her friends?”

Jaehyun half-heartedly shrugs his shoulders, “More annoyed. They got her into the mess, but they also saved her from it.”

“And this man,”

“Kim Iljung.” Jaehyun cuts in, covering his eyes with his unharmed hand.

“Oh, so you do know him?”

“No, his assault was broadcasted the next day on campus news.”

Dr. Jeon pauses, trying his best not to release another dismayed sigh. Not only did Jaehyun refer to this man’s assault like he hadn’t done it, he doesn’t sound remorseful at all. “Okay, this Mr. Kim Iljung… do you think he deserved to be punished like that? Were you satisfied with what had happened to him?”

Without another beat, Jaehyun nods. “Yes.”

The incident at the bar must have scared her off, Jaehyun assumes, because after classes, she goes straight home to either rest up or study. It’s been nine weeks, and yes, he knows, he counts each day he hasn’t sent her a text. He knew she was home, probably asleep, but he was out for a jog so he thought he would stop by - by her window, he means. Sneaking up the emergency stairs, he peers into her room and cusses under his breath, “Oh shit.”

She had music playing loud enough that it escapes through the closed window. She left the lights open for some reason while she lay on her bed, stripped naked, legs spread apart and fingers dancing on her clit.

Jaehyun inwardly groans, kneeling down to get a better view and hide himself in the shadows. He’s palming himself, biting down on his lower lip to prevent him from being too loud. When he sees her slip a finger in, he pushes the band of his shorts down and takes his cock out of the fly of his briefs. He’s already leaking; throbbing in his hold. For weeks, he relied only on his memories and her pictures to avoid getting blue balls.

He can explode with only a few pumps while watching her pleasure herself. Even better that she had moaned followed with a whimper of his name.

“Yes, baby that’s it.” He couldn’t stop himself from saying, furiously chasing after his high when he sees she added another finger. He can’t wait for her to come first, he’ll need to leave soon.

When her free hand goes over her breast to give it a tight grip with a soft cry with name; Jaehyun can feel his balls tightening. If only she could see him, coming undone from the sight of her masturbating with the thought of him. God, he loves her.

Unable to contain it any longer, Jaehyun comes; squirting his seed onto the window pane. A groan escapes him and he knows she must have heard it; noticing how she suddenly stops and looks around the room. He ducks away while tucking himself back into his shorts just as she looks to where he was and decides in a split second to jump down from the second floor and hide among the trash bins.

“Fuck.” He breathes, landing on his feet and ducking between the garbage cans. Looking up, he sees her poke her head out the window and looking down the emergency staircase. He holds his breath in, hoping he’s completely concealed in the shadows, releasing it only when she shivers a little and retreat back into the room. When he hears her slam the window close and draw the curtains, he waits a few more seconds before standing up, dusting himself off, and walking away as casual as possible.

“Do you think what you did was wrong? Or do you think it was okay because she’s your girlfriend?” Dr. Jeon puts his pen down for second to stretch his cramping hand.

“I don’t think anything’s wrong with it. Like you said, she’s my girlfriend.”

“But did you consider how she would have felt about it?”

Jaehyun curtly laughs, “[Y/N] is an exhibitionist. I’m sure she would have liked it.”

Dr. Jeon hums, “Even if she didn’t know you actually were?”

Jaehyun falls silent, resuming his stare off with the ceiling.

“If she would have liked it as you claim, why did you run off?”

“Because we were on break,” Jaehyun snaps, “That were the rules we set.”

“Rules you had long broken. I know these sessions are for you, Jaehyun, but if you really love Ms. [Y/N], you would consider how this would affect her own mental health in the long run.”

With a deep sigh, Jaehyun’s brows knit together, “I know.”

Finals were next week. Jaehyun found out from Johnny that [Y/N] was spending an all-nighter at the library. He had just finished reviewing for the first three exams he decided to take a night jog to destress; also excusing it to check up on her and probably watch over her if she were to walk back to her dorm in the dead of the night.

After a few laps around the university park, he makes a quick detour towards the library where he chances upon her leaving. It was about time to cool down so he slows down to a stride, stops his playlist, and follows her, leaving a good distance between the two of them.

What he didn’t expect was [Y/N] making her own detour; walking towards the gymnasium. Jaehyun is confused; it’s been hours since it was closed. How was she getting in?

He watches in amusement as she jumps the fence after a quick scan of her environment, causing him to duck behind a tree. Without hesitating, he follows after her once more. When he enters the gymnasium with the same door she had just unlocked and just barely catches her slipping into the hall that leads to the pool, he should have known where she was off to.

The sound of water sloshing and her soft moan echoes from the open door, bringing a little grin on Jaehyun’s face. He loved watching her swim. He could tell how happy she is when she swam. Before he knows it, he walks up until the edge of the pool; watching her swim down to the bottom and noting the bright red underwear set she had. He looks over to the side and sees her bag and discarded clothes.

“Oh my god! Jaehyun!” He whips his head towards her, “You scared me!”

It wasn’t his intention to be discovered, but he’s not going to let the chance of seeing her swim up close pass. He takes out his earphones and chuckles, “I’m sorry.”

She frowns at him, “How did you even know I was here?”

“I was out for a jog when I saw you jump the fence.” It wasn’t entirely a lie. When she blushes at the fact she was caught trespassing, Jaehyun squats down and smiles at her, “If anything, I should be asking you why you’re sneaking into the pool after closing time.”

Then he felt his breath hitch when she bites down on her lip, swimming over to where he stood, “The past weeks have been hard on me and I need to destress. Won’t you help me, Jae?”

He wants to say ‘yes,’ but he just stared her down, “I don’t think that’s how taking breaks from a relationship works, [Y/N].”

“We’ve made it this far, Jae. Can’t we cheat this break thing?”

Already have, babe.

“[Y/N]” He warns, although he can feel his resolve crumbling down already.

“Please, Jae. For me?” She unconsciously bats her lashes at him and he’s annoyed at himself at how he loves that.

Sighing, Jaehyun shrugs, “I don’t have my swimming trunks.”

She giggles at him, “If you haven’t noticed, I’m in my underwear.”

He watches her a little bit more and he thinks she must have thought he was hesitating, because she reaches up and unzips his jacket for him. “Do you need help or are you going to let me play by myself?”

‘Not this time, baby.’ He thinks, smirking as he rises from the ground, discarding his jacket, and peeling his shirt away.

Jaehyun pretends he doesn’t see her practically salivating when she sees his body. He pushes his running shorts down and stands in his black boxers.

She’s biting down on your lips again when he kicks his shoes off and he smirks at her before diving head first into the water. When he resurfaced, he has her trapped on the other side of the pool after swimming underneath her; trying to chase her as she playfully swim away.

Jaehyun wipes away the excess water off his face while she wraps her arms around his shoulders.

“Hi.” She whispers, laughing when he flashes her a smile as she helps push his wet hair back.

“Hi.” He breathes, grabbing onto her thighs and guiding her legs around him. “So you needed to destress?”

She nods her head, sliding the hand that pushed his hair back down the side of his face. “How are you gonna help me?”

A number of options spill through his mind as he pulls her hips closer and grinds his erection against her crotch, eliciting a cute, silent gasp from her. “I can think of a few things.”

“C-care to show me?” She stutters and Jaehyun found it so endearing that he just had to kiss her for it.

The open kiss was messy and sloppy, and it was desperate, needy, and hungry. It was absolutely carnal, especially when she claws his bare back, looking for support as she slid down his body. Jaehyun pushes her against the side of the pool for leverage while his tongue invades her mouth, stroking her own as one of his hands roughly grabs her breasts, pushing it above the water’s surface.

He watches her throw her head back and rested it against the poolside as he clumsily thumbs her hardened nipples before leaning down to trail a sloppy kiss from her cheek, to her jaw, and stopped short on the side of her neck.

Jaehyun was losing it. He needed to have her then and there; but then a high pitched whistle hurls him back to reality.

“Shame on you two, fucking in a public pool.” Deep laughter follows afterwards.

He glares over to the entrance where a group of boys watched in amusement. He can feel [Y/N] shrink into him, obviously humiliated, and he covers her body from them.

“Do you mind?” He snaps at them, defensively putting his arms around her.

“Yeah, man, we do mind.” One of them hollers, “We wanted to swim in sperm-free water.”

“Jae, let’s just go.” She whispers to him, but he doesn’t react immediately; dark eyes glaring straight to the space behind her. His breathing had slowed and became heavy with explicit images of what he could possibly do to them, if only she wasn’t present.

“Jaehyun,” She cups his cheek and makes him face her, “Baby, let’s just go.”

It takes him another second to react. He closes his eyes, ignoring the violent thoughts, and kisses her forehead. “Okay.”

The guys didn’t pay attention to them anymore as they jumped into the far end of the pool. Jaehyun helped her get out of the pool and instinctively, he checked on the guys as he got out after her. Just as he expected, one of them was checking her out while she bent over to grab her things.

“Hey!” He shouts, “I’d appreciate it if you stopped checking my girlfriend out.”

“Can’t help it, man. No wonder you can’t keep your hands off of her.” And this asshole had the gall to look at her once more in an overly appreciative manner that made his blood boil like the incident at the bar.

Jaehyun balls his fists up, trying to get the rational side of him to calm himself down.

“Jaehyun, leave him alone. It’s not worth our time, come on.” She reminds him; her words and worried tone alone was enough to calm him, but the asshole just had to interrupt.

“Do her real good, man!”

He’s seeing red again, mind completely flooded with ways on how to beat this guy up, but she’s holding onto him with a vice grip and begging softly, “Baby, please, I just want to go home.”

And he finally relents to her request. Snatching the rest of their clothing up, they both head for the locker rooms to dry up and dress before leaving the premises.

“Let me walk you home.” Jaehyun pulls her to his side after seeing her shiver. After a while, he quietly says, “I’m sorry about those dickheads.”

“It’s not your fault. Maybe it’s the universe saying we shouldn’t be cheating on taking a break.” She huddles closer to him when a breeze blew by. “But I really miss you, Jae.”

This makes him happy. He kisses the top of her head, “I miss you, too. We have a week left. I think we can hold out until then.”

“Until then? Hold out, what exactly?” She teases, spinning on her heels as they arrive at the doorstep of her dorm.

He leans down and kisses the spot between her jaw and ear. “What could have happened back in the pool and so much more in the privacy of our homes.” He purposely whispers in a deep and low tone, tickling her ear and making her pull away with a short laugh.

“I can’t wait, then.” She flirtatiously says, and he leans down to kiss her lips. “Get home safely, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry for not helping you destress.” Jaehyun slightly pouts at her and she smiles at him.

“I had this time with you.” She shrugs her shoulders, “It helped.”

“You can always play with yourself again.” He chuckles under his breath, and a little louder, says, “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She quietly responded.

He hopes she didn’t hear what he said as he walks away. Waiting for the sound of the dorm doors closing, he looks back to see she had already entered. She’s back in the safety of her home, but Jaehyun still feels unsettled with what had happened back at the pool.

Forget the serious case of blue balls; he’s furious; immensely angered by the guys - especially the one who basically undressed her with his eyes and wasn’t ashamed to show it. He pulls his phone out to check the time. It’s past midnight and the guys are probably still at the pool.

By the time Jaehyun returns to the gymnasium, the guys were all leaving; not even being sneaky about it. The typical troublemaking frat boys from the other side of the campus, Jaehyun thinks with a scoff. He memorizes their faces as they noisily went home before he does the same.

It takes Jaehyun a few days to find the guy who disrespected [Y/N]. He finds him smoking behind the bleachers of the soccer field all alone - perfect. He had requested for two bodyguards to accompany him just in case he had his friends with him.

The guy recognizes him when he approaches, a lazy grin growing on his face. “Hey, weren’t you that dude at the pool with the hot girl?”

Jaehyun’s fist are already balled up at his side. So the fucker remembers him because of [Y/N]? Oh, boy.

“What’s up, man? Did you need a light?” He cheers, taking his lighter out from his pocket and handed it to Jaehyun.

It disgusts him at how he thinks it’s okay to talk to him like they were long time friends.

He ignores the lighter and stares him down, “I don’t like how you looked at my girlfriend and made crude comments about her.”

The guy looks at him like he had said something stupid, snorting, “What? Aw, come on, man, don’t act like you didn’t finish elsewhere. Besides, your girlfriend? In that little red thing? I would have-”

He couldn’t finish his lewd statement because Jaehyun reels his arm back and swings a clean cut across this stranger’s face, sending him stumbling back to the floor.

“Don’t you fucking say shit about her.” Jaehyun growls, still trying to keep himself grounded and avoid sending the guy to the hospital - mostly because he’s had a good look at his face.

“Jongmin?! Yo, what’s going on here?” Four other guys show up but Jaehyun’s already taking two steps towards the closest one and throws a hard punch on their jaw.

Everything after that was a blur. The next thing he knew his bodyguards are restraining his arms and pulling him up from the ground where one of the guys were groaning, nose bleeding profusely. Jaehyun blinks at him, eyes darting to the other bodies scattered around, writhing in pain and covered in bruises.

His bodyguards are asking him if he’s okay; if he needs to go to the hospital or be escorted home. Jaehyun’s body is both numb but also buzzing with adrenaline. Did he do this by himself?

“I’m okay. Take care of them. Pay them to shut up.” He drags his thumb on the corner of his mouth where he felt something wet, pulling away to see dark red smudged across his finger.

“You weren’t aware of your actions while you were performing them?” Dr. Jeon repeats, pushing his glasses up his nose bridge.

Jaehyun shakes his head, sipping from the tea he requested before starting the session. “Like I blacked out.”

Dr. Jeon hums once again, reading over what he had jotted down. “So like with what had happened to Mr. Iljung, you believe they deserved what had happened to them?”

“Yes.”

“And you were satisfied with it?”

“Of course.”

“Despite the injury your received?” Dr. Jeon gestures to his hand and Jaehyun dryly laughs at him.

“I didn’t get this from them.”

This was the last day of finals for everyone. This was the day Jaehyun can finally have her back in his arms. She should be done with her last exam already while he still had one more to take. Ten told him that everyone was going to celebrate at the mall, so Jaehyun said he’d catch up once he finishes his exam. But he couldn’t wait at all. He rarely flexes his wealth, but if it meant being with her again, he’d do it in an instant.

His professor wasn’t so keen about letting him take the exam 30 minutes earlier; but with the reasoning that it’s better than having him taken later on that would be more suspicious and a few thousand bills slipped in, he took the exam half an hour earlier than his classmates and finished just before any of them come inside the room.

He’s buzzing with excitement, fidgeting in his seat as he had a chauffeur drive him to the mall instead of hailing a cab to save time. She must be feeling the same way, waiting for him to come to her and end the stupid break.

But when he finds her enjoying herself, laughing boisterously and poking fun at Doyoung, he was… dismayed. He knows they go way back and is very aware of Doyoung’s sexual orientation, yet jealousy nipped at him. He sees her eyes fluttering over at him and for some reason, he dodges out of view when she looks away.

Jaehyun’s heart is racing. He knows there’s no reason for him to feel this way. Maybe it’s just excitement from being able to be with her. He goes to the men’s bathroom to collect his thoughts before returning to where she was.

When he sees her and the rest walking towards a fast food joint, he cheers himself up, mischievously creeping up behind her and Doyoung, who had his arm around her shoulders, with intentions to scare her, but then he hears:

“You’re lucky I love you-”

And something came over Jaehyun that just took control of his entire being.

He grabs Doyoung by his shoulder and punches him in the face strong enough to push him to the floor, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, huh? Keeping her warm for me?”

“Dude, what the hell?!” Doyoung scrambles onto his feet with Ten’s help.

He tries to step forward but [Y/N] blocks him, “Jae, what is wrong with you?”

“What is wrong with me? I finished my exam early and rushed here to see you, but I see him,” He juts his chin towards Doyoung, “With his arm around you.”

“What’s happening here?” A mall security guard approached your group.

“A misunderstanding, nothing we can’t handle ourselves. Sorry for the trouble.” She bows her head at him and grab Jaehyun’s arm. “Can we talk outside?”

He casts a glare at Doyoung before letting her pull him out. On the way to the exit, Jaehyun recognizes the group of boys he ‘talked’ to last week. They were laughing to themselves, only to abruptly stop when they see him and immediately bow their heads and steer clear from his path. Jaehyun could feel the power coursing through his veins at the sight.

[Y/N] spins around to face him once they were both in the parking lot, “Do you want to explain yourself for what you did back there?”

Jaehyun frowns at her; realizing the weight of his outburst, “He had his arm around you.”

“I - Jae! He is Doyoung. Kim Doyoung. My best friend since pre-school. My best friend who is asexual. You know that!”

“He can’t be asexual forever. For all we know, he’s already got a crush on you!”

She looks exasperated, “Why are you being jealous of him? He’s my best friend and will always just be my best friend.”

“He just said he loves you!”

“And I love him back, as in, platonically, which I think is what he meant!” She groans in frustration. “You’re being ridiculous!”

Jaehyun scowls at her. Can’t she see what the reason behind why he did that? “I’m being protective of my girlfriend!”

She purses her lips and stares him down, “Your girlfriend that you’re technically on a break with.”

“What?” His feels his body tense up. Finals are over, therefore the break is over, too.

“Maybe we should extend the break for a week or two.” She began to step back, but he follows.

“What?” Jaehyun repeats, eyes wide and full of worry, “Why?”

“Because, Jae,” He flinches at her tone, “I need time to get over what you just did inside to my best friend and you need time to contemplate over your actions and apologize to Doyoung.”

“(Y/N).” He whines. This can’t be happening.

“Jaehyun, please.” She crossed her arms over her chest, defensively, and this stops him in his tracks; dejectedly looking at her with pleading eyes, hoping it wavers her but she just shook her head with regret and turned away, walking to the mall front.

Jaehyun watches her, heart racing so fast and hard that he feels like he’s having a heart attack. She’s walking away from him. On her own volition. Angry. At him. He wants to be mad, too. Not at her. Not at Doyoung, but at himself. This isn’t how he’d imagine ending the break to be like. He thought he could take her out on a date, not extend the stupid thing one week longer all because he couldn’t stop himself.

There’s nothing he could do right now, except fix his mess with Doyoung. He had to let her cool off. He sees her get in a car that he presumes to be an Uber and now he feels twice as bad that he spoiled her celebration with her friends.

Jaehyun returns inside and finds Doyoung coming from the men’s bathroom. “Doyoung!”

Doyoung looks at him and immediately looks both annoyed and apprehensive as he walks up to him.

“Are you okay?”

“A little sore, but I’m not bleeding or feel like my nose is broken.”

Jaehyun sighs, “I’m really sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

Doyoung shifts his weight to one leg and crosses his arms, “It’s not a secret you’re obsessed with [Y/N], Jaehyun. I get that you’re possessive of her and all that, but you need to remember she’s my best friend. She’s practically a sister to me.”

“I know. I know.” He groans, massaging his temples. “I just really don’t know what came over. Look, you’re the only other guy I trust [Y/N] with. I’m more at ease when I know she’s out partying with you guys when you’re around - don’t tell Ten, I won’t hear the end of it.”

This makes Doyoung chuckle, “I feel the same way. I mean, you can get out of hand… but I think she’s safer with you than with anybody else.”

“That means a lot to me, Doyoung.” Jaehyun weakly smiles at him, “I’m really sorry again. I can take you to the hospital and pay for everything.”

“I swear, I’m okay. Let’s just have dinner with the rest.”

He shakes his head, “I’ll skip this time. [Y/N] went home already and I don’t feel good about upsetting her.”

He offers him a sympathetic smile, “Don’t stress about it. Let her cool down for a day or two and the whole thing will blow over sooner than you think.”

Jaehyun believed Doyoung, but it’s been three days and not a single peep from her. She was probably holding onto her word about extending the break for a whole, full week, but Jaehyun was at his wit’s end. He distracted himself by going to the gym, taking multiple jogs, or just simply locking himself up his room and waiting for some online activity from her.

He needed to do something.

After an afternoon run, Jaehyun picks up a cheap, old prepaid phone and returns home to shower. He pulls on a shirt and some ripped jeans, and sits on his bed while punching in her phone number on the old phone. He hesitates pressing the faded green phone icon button on the small device; he knows this is going to traumatize her. But what else can he do? He can’t just wait anymore.

He flips the phone close and tucks it into his pocket. Johnny isn’t sleeping here tonight, so Jaehyun doesn’t have to be worried about looking suspicious as he sneaks in and out of their dorm. Before he leaves, he grabs a hoodie and a mask.

It was past 8 when Jaehyun arrives at her dorm; it was dark already thanks to the sky being covered with thick clouds and the sidewalks barely illuminated by the street lamps. Her room had no light in it and Jaehyun finds it odd, but decides against walking up the emergency stairs. He takes the old phone out of his pocket and dials her number, putting the device to his ear.

It rings thrice before she picks up, her groggy voice told Jaehyun she was merely asleep. “Hello?”

Jaehyun wants to talk to her, but he keeps quiet; focusing on the background noise at her end. He hears the volume of the television soften and the distinct squeak of her couch as he assumes she was sitting up from it.

“Hello? Who is this?” She asks again, yet he still doesn’t say anything as he carefully walks up to the front of the dorm where the window of her living room was. He can make out her figure by the window; watching her walk away from it after she had hung up on him.

He’s hidden by tall shrubs as he tries to guess what she was doing inside. She didn’t open the living room lights, but the soft glow emanating from the window tells him she was in the kitchen. His own phone vibrates and he quickly checks it, seeing that she was online and liking posts and photos of their friends. He quietly monitors her activity until he sees her reacting to Taeyong’s photo.

Taeyong was his friend. He introduced them to each other and even he can’t deny how good looking the boy was. He’d normally let it pass, but she specifically used the ‘heart eyes’ react button and she only ever use that on his posts for her and never with anybody else. Jealousy is creeping back over him, momentarily disrupted by the distinct sound of Minkyung and Yebin talking loudly as they approach their dorm.

Jaehyun ducks down and waits for them to enter the building before he redials her number, pulling the hood of his jacket until it shadowed his face and putting his mask on to cover half of his face. He’s angry; he doesn’t mean to be, but it’s the only thing he can feel at the moment.

She sounded aggravated when she picked his call up, “Hello? Hello? This better not be a prank call.”

He wanted to laugh at how cute she was trying to be intimidating. He doesn’t try to hide his breathing this time, letting it barely fill the silence of his end of the call.

“Hello? Who is this?”

Jaehyun looks up and he sees her… staring at him.

Well, hello there.

He lets out a soft heave and ends the call when she starts screaming.

He quickly fleas the scene, especially hearing her roommates’ concerned shouts. As he runs away, he takes out the battery of the old phone and tosses it in the bushes when he was a good five blocks away. When he’s back at home, he’s experiencing a flurry of emotions; he’s worried about her, first and foremost, he had never heard her scream like that before. He also felt disgusted at himself for scaring her. He feels a bit antsy because what if someone had seen him? But among these, he doesn’t regret what he had done. It felt like the only way - to him, at least - for her to go back to him.

Jaehyun, like most nights, couldn’t sleep at all; but when he does, it only lasted three hours. He was fully awake by 10AM because he receives a text from Johnny asking if he wanted food. Doyoung had graciously called him thrice last night, but didn’t pick up to make it seem like he slept early and responded to his messages in faux panic when he woke up.

Johnny’s home by 11 and Jaehyun is waiting for her to text him on the couch.

“Flowers for you, good sir.” Johnny fakes an English accent as he hands the bouquet Jaehyun requested to him. “And a nice, warm continental breakfast for brunch.”

He helps him prepare their food on the coffee table, promising to pay him for the flowers.

“Hey, I heard from Ten about [Y/N]. Is she okay?” Johnny slides him the tupperware of pancakes.

“I don’t know. Doyoung says she is and her roommates are taking care of her.” Jaehyun lets out a sigh to convince Johnny how worried he was. “I wish I hadn’t slept early. I would have gone to her immediately if I knew what had happened.”

Johnny nods, “At least she wasn’t physically harmed.”

“I hope they find that fucker.” He hopes the fuck not.

After eating, Jaehyun excuses himself to get ready to visit her. In the privacy of his room, he starts to get excited. There’s a certain way he wishes the scenarios turns out. He likes to imagine that she’ll run up to him and realize how much safer she is with him. He’ll finally get to kiss her and she’ll let him take over -

Damn it.

He didn’t think he was that excited, but it’s nothing he can’t take care of. So he stands in front of her picture and takes care of himself, promising to himself that he’ll clean it up once he gets back from your place.

He’s in the shower afterwards, generously lathering himself and scrubbing away the sins he committed against her. He wants to be quick, but he also wants to take his time to prepare for her - because she would take all these extra steps for him when they would meet, why shouldn’t he do the same? He’s so excited to see her that he thinks he hears her calling out to him from his bedroom.

After he finally rinses off and dries his hair, he throws on a loose shirt and boxer shorts on. He leaves his towel over his head while he brushes his teeth and uses it to wipe his lips after spitting. As he exits his bathroom, he stops in his tracks.

Was he excited enough to hallucinate? But he was sure that was her, turned away from him in the middle of his room.

“[Y/N]?”

She gasps, spinning around to face him. He caught the briefest flash of fear in her eyes and he realizes that evidences of last night were present all around the room. He was ready to explain himself, but then she’s choking out a sob and running towards him.

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay.” He automatically wraps his arms around her, smoothing her hair down. “You’re okay. I’m here. You’re safe with me.”

He holds her tight, letting her cry out the remaining fear from the previous night; feeling just a tiny but guilty while placing kisses on her head and rubbing her back.

“Oh god,” She breathes in deeply, “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you, too.” He pulls away, tilting her face towards him. “How are you? Did you get any sleep? If I found out any sooner, I would have gone over to you.”

She shakes her head, “I couldn’t sleep properly, even though Yebin and Minkyung stayed with me.”

Doyoung must haven’t told her he’s been updating him about how she was. “Have you eaten at least? Let me cook something for you to eat.”

“I-I… Don’t leave me here.”

Jaehyun offers her a soft smile, “No one’s going to hurt you while I’m around. But if you really don’t want to stay in my room, you can come with me to the kitchen.”

He leads her to the kitchen by the hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. He makes small talk with her to get her mind off about last night, listening intently at her response while he fries some eggs and slices of pork. It didn’t take too long for him to serve it to her with some reheated rice from last night.

“Eat up, baby girl.”

“Baby girl?” She smirks, “Should I call you daddy, then?”

Jaehyun laughs, feeling his cheeks warm up. “Be careful what you wish for.” He whispers into her ear, trying to sound seductive but ends up chuckling.

He watches her eat and from time to time, letting her feed him some. His mind is daydreaming all of a sudden; this is what he wants to see in the future: feeding her meals in her shared home, keeping her safe and happy, being hers and vice versa.

“What are your plans after graduation?” He asks out of the blue.

“My plans?” She repeats after swallowing.

He nods, waiting for her to answer.

“Get a job?” She shrugs, “I haven’t thought about that at all, actually.”

“How about moving into a new apartment?”

She pauses for a moment, “I don’t know if I can afford it, but my contract for my apartment right now ends two months after graduation so I should probably look into it.”

“Well,” Jaehyun massages his nape and avoids her gaze; he doesn’t know why he’s suddenly nervous about asking, “My parents graduation gift for me is my own apartment room in downtown Seoul. I was wondering if, you know, you’d want to move in with me.”

She stares at him and he stares back, waiting. “Will your parents be okay with that? I mean, I thought you and Johnny would still be sharing an apartment.”

“He and Ten have their own plans, besides, I’m not sharing a bed with Johnny.” That makes her giggle and he lets out a short chuckle of his own, “And about my parents… they love you like their own daughter. They wouldn’t mind. I’m willing to bet they’re hoping for grandchildren in two years.”

“Woah there, big boy.” She laughs, “How about we take baby steps instead of hoping of seeing our baby take their first ones, huh?”

“Tell that to my parents.” He grumbles like a child and sees her reaching up to pinch his cheeks. His parents have always been vocal about wanting her to be the mother of their grandchildren; if only he knew how much he wishes that, too.

“Anyways, I’d love to.”

He blinks at her, breaking out of his reverie “Hm?”

“I’d love to move in with you.”

It takes a second for Jaehyun to grin at your answer and he swears it’s stretching his cheeks out too much that it almost hurts, “Really?”

She giggles at his reaction, biting down on her lower lip while she nods. “Yes, really.”

He pulls her in for multiple kisses, making her laugh in between each one. He kisses her longer and he could feel her body reacting to him already. His tongue grazes her lips and she instantly grants him access into her mouth, moaning at the sensation of his tongue sliding against hers.

His hands snake onto her thighs, roughly massaging them before pulling her tightly against his body. She clings onto him; mouths undetached as he hauls her up and takes her back to the bedroom.

Jaehyun sets her down on his bed with utmost care like she was a one of a kind piece of fine china. He pulls away from the kiss, leaving a string of saliva between their lips before it snaps as he straightened himself to remove his shirt.

He’s been waiting for this for too long.

“Oh, god.” She groans, “I can’t believe I lasted 4 months.” She palms him over his boxers with one hand while the other travelled upwards, fingers dancing across the expanse of the hard muscles of his abdomen and chest. Before she can slip her hands into his shorts, he grabs both of her wrists.

“I still owe you a destresser.” Jaehyun reminds her with a matching smirk.

She lets him undress her, his eyes darting to every newly exposed skin and dropping each of clothing articles on the floor by his feet. When she’s finally stripped off of all her clothes and underwear, he gently pushes her back until she’s lying on the bed. With a light tap on her thighs, her legs part to make room for him and it pleases him so much at how receptive she is to him.

He removes his boxers and kneels on the bed, stroking himself as he eyes her pussy. He leans down and kisses her, “I’m going to show you how much I missed you.”

“Don’t hold back.” She challenged and he playfully scoffs at her.

“When have I ever held back?”

Before she could answer, Jaehyun dips a finger into her core. A shaky sigh escapes her as he languidly moves his finger around, feeling her inner walls and how wet she was.

“Show me how much you missed me first.” He quietly says, almost begging, “Use my hand.”

She was whimpering softly while she covered his hand with her own, grinding her clit into his palm. Her fingers tapped onto his middle finger and he understood what she wanted, inserting it along with his pointer finger. He dragged them against her inner walls that caused her to softly moan.

God, she was so hot.

She lifted her hips up, hoping to get some more leverage but he flexes his middle finger and it brushes against something spongy inside her, making her gasp and dropping her weight back down to the bed.

‘Don’t worry, baby,’ Jaehyun thinks, ‘I’ll take care of you.’

With no warning, he pumps his fingers into her, curling them inside before pulling out. He knows how much she loves that and he can feel her body already starting to convulse. He continued his actions, going harder and faster, ignoring the signs of her oncoming orgasm.

She lets out a cry, grabbing onto his wrist with both hands as her body violently shook.

Not wasting any time, Jaehyun takes whatever essence of her climax his fingers collected and smears it over his cock, giving it a few more pumps before he slides it in her.

Her moan may or may not have been too loud for the neighbors to hear, but he didn’t give a fuck. His baby wants to be loud because of him and only him, then let them send noise complaints. Despite being sensitive and still high from her orgasm, he watches her trying to spread her thighs further for him.

Her pussy is sucking him in as he bottoms out in her and it’s driving him crazy.

“Oh, fuck, you’re so tight. You feel amazing.” He mumbles before he begins to thrust, slow and deep. He leans over and kisses her neck, alternating between sucking and licking every patch of skin he can get his mouth on.

“I’m going to mark you so other guys wouldn’t think twice about hitting on you, okay?” He thrusts a little too hard to punctuate his question and she groans in response.

“Yes, yes,” She gasps, her hands finding purchase on his shoulders. “I’m yours.”

He lets out an animalistic growl he didn’t know he could make, hips moving more erratically with her words. “Say that again.”

“I’m yours.” She chants, almost like a prayer.

With every repetition of her invocation, Jaehyun snaps his hips into her, gaining more speed and power. She’s all he’s ever wanted and here she is offering herself to him, willingly admitting herself to him. It’s enough to make him cum but he holds out for her.

Her body thrashed against him as he gave her a second orgasm for the night. He helps her ride it out, keeping her hips still as he shallowly pushed into Her. She clenched around him and he moans at the sensation.

“Shit, that feels so good, baby.” He rasps, throwing his head back. Too good.

“Won’t you come?” She asked with a pout.

If she only knew the power she held on him; he could explode any second now.

Miraculously, he somehow controls himself as he slows his thrusts and studies the state of her body; still shivering from her high, how his kisses on her neck have bloomed into a bouquet of purple flowers, how her breasts rose with every haggard breath. He takes one into his hand, softly palming it. “I’m getting there.”

“Is there anything you want me to do?” Her pouty lips were so tempting that it gave him an idea.

He pulls out all of a sudden and crawls until his knees are on either side of her chest. “Open up.”

Obediently, she parts her lips and sticks her tongue out a little.

He groans; she looked so innocent but lewd at the same time. Taking his cock into his hand and pumping as fast as he can, he places the tip on her tongue when beads of pre-cum ooze out.

She licks it up immediately, as if to coax him to ejaculate by running her tongue on the underside of his cock’s head.

Jaehyun is hissing out curses one after the other as he finally found the final push he needed to come. White, hot liquid shoots into her mouth and amidst of her swallowing it, the remaining cum splashes onto her cupid’s bow, cheek, and chin. He cries out in anguish when she pushes herself up to suck him dry with hollowed cheeks. As she falls back to bed, one last spurt escapes him and hits her brow.

Seeing it dribble down her eyelid, he uses his thumb to swipe it off. He tried to clean it on his sheets, but she grabs hold of his wrist and guides it to her mouth, collecting the salty substance with her tongue.

“Jesus christ, [Y/N].” Jaehyun exhales, feeling his cock twitch at the salacious scene and how her tongue swirled around his finger.

“I just missed how you tasted.” She giggles, kissing his thumb. “Still delicious.”

He combs her sweat-slicked hair and chuckles, “Well, I’m sure you taste sweeter.”

She juts out her lower lip at him, feigning innocence, “How would you know? You haven’t tasted me in months.”

“Oh?” His eyes glaze over once again, “Is that a challenge?”

“Baby,” She cooed, “It’s an invitation.”

She’s going to be the death of him, he thinks as he smirks at her. “Don’t mind if I do, then.” He trails a kiss from between her breasts down to her navel. His tongue licks her clit, lightly lapping up her juices as he moves lower. He hears her moan and feels her body reacting; encouraging him to keep going. He uses a hand to spread her lips apart and probes her entrance in slow, sensual figures of eights with his tongue.

But then he realizes that she had stopped responding to his actions, so he pulls away and looks at her. She was staring off to the side and his gaze follows hers and once he spots what had grabbed her attention, he hovers above her and places a hand on either side of her head.

“Look at me.” He commands.

“You couldn’t have…” She murmurs, looking back at you with concerned eyes.

There’s no way out of this. There’s clearly blood on that bat he keeps forgetting to dispose of. He had to explain himself.

“He touched you.” He simply states, devoid of any emotion.

“Jaehyun!” She reprimands, but he cuts her off.

“He disrespected you, [Y/N]. I wasn’t going to let that pass by!”

“How did you even know I was the bar? Were you following me?”

“I wanted to make sure you were safe!”

She pushes him off, scooting off the bed and picking out her clothes from the floor. “Well, I was! Yebin and Minkyung were there with me. We left before he could do anything else. You didn’t have to beat him up with a bat! Jesus christ! Jae! You’re wanted by campus police.”

“He got what he deserved, [Y/N].” He coolly shrugs his shoulders, grabbing his boxers and slipping them on while watching her dress.

“And what about those guys from the pool?” She suddenly looks back at him, accusingly.

“I only meant to go after the one who couldn’t keep his eyes off you.” Jaehyun admits, “But his friends came looking for him, so I had to deal with them as well.”

“You took them by your--” She shuts her eyes in frustration and disbelief.

‘Trust me, love, I didn’t think I could do it by myself’ He inwardly scoffs, staring at her intently, ‘But I did, for you.’

Suddenly, she’s staring at him with an unreadable expression. Her gaze shifts to his study table where he left his mask and burner phone on. “...w-were you the guy last night?”

Just admit it all, Jung.

“Yes. I was outside your window, too, when you masturbated.”

She gapes at him with horrified astonishment, crying, “Why?! You scared me shitless!”

“That was the point.” He almost rolled his eyes at her.

Her jaw drops, unable to formulate a proper response, nevertheless, he continues to explain himself.

“I had to scare you back to me.”

“What?!”

“I was losing you.” His voice finally breaks from the monotony and raises an octave higher. “You asked for an extension when I was at my limit. I missed you!”

“I was mad! You punched my best friend, Jaehyun! I had the right to be! And it didn't mean you were losing me. I just needed time to cool down!” She pinched the bridge of her nose. Never, in the four years, they have spent together did they argue like this. “I can’t do this.”

Jaehyun’s ears start to ring at her words.

She tries to leave but he blocks her path.

“Can’t do what?” His voice had dropped, glaring her down.

She’s visibly taken aback from his demeanor, hindering her to respond to him, so he asks again in a raised voice.

“Can’t do what, [Y/N]?!”

“Let me go, Jae. I need to go.”

“Go where? Who are you running off to, huh? Doyoung? Taeyong?”

“Why are you dragging Taeyong into this?”

Jaehyun scowls, “I saw you giving his picture a heart eyes react.”

“Oh my god!” She shouts, “Do you hear yourself right now? So I liked his new photo because I thought his new hairstyle looked good. He’s our friend, remember? Jaehyun, please, let me leave.”

“And what? Extend our break even more? I don’t think so.” He reaches for her hand, but she avoids him. “[Y/N].”

“You’re honestly scaring me right now.” She backs away until she’s pressed up against the wall. “Why are you acting like this?”

“Because I love you, [Y/N],” He steps forward, doing his very best to control himself at the moment, “Everything I do is for you. I have to protect you. If you could only see how other guys look at you, how they would undress you with their eyes - I, I can’t let them disrespect you like that. They need to know that you’re mine and I’m yours.”

“And if you really, really do love me, Jae,” Her eyes begin to tear up, “You would let me leave.”

What? Leave?

“No. W-why?” His eyebrows scrunched up in frustration “Do you want to break up?”

She’s stumbling over her words, “I’m really scared right now, Jaehyun. Just please give me time to think--”

“Answer me!” He yelled, making her flinch in her spot. The last thread that kept him sane had snapped. He traps her against the wall, “Are you thinking about breaking up with me?”

“I don’t feel safe with you right now.” She breathes.

Her words were barely audible but they rang like sirens in Jaehyun’s ears. His head keeps repeating it over and over again: she’s not safe with you.

His vision bleeds red and he already knows what’s going to happen so he steps away from her, his subconsciousness reminding him to keep her out of harm’s way. He needed to hit something and it definitely won’t be her. His eyes get wet and blurry as they searched around the room for something, and they fell on the full length mirror attached to the bathroom door. Huffing, he takes two large steps towards it and swings as hard as he can.

He thinks he hears her screams as his fist connected to the mirror, creating a large, cracked web onto it. He lets the pain throb from his knuckles, before he repeatedly punches the mirror, over and over again; smashing chunks of the glass and sending them crashing to the floor.

“Jae, stop!” He thinks she yelled that to him, but he’s unsure. He just wants to let it out.

But he feels her grabbing his arms and stopping him, “Jaehyun!”

“Go away! I don’t want to hurt you,” He spares her a tormented glance. His cheeks feel wet; he didn’t even know he was crying. “I can’t hurt you, so let me--”

He attempts to throw another punch, but she holds him back.

Both of them struggled with one another, until he nudges her away and faces her, “You hate me!” He cries.

She shakes her head in denial, but he doesn’t believe you so repeats himself.

“You hate me.”

“I never said that.” She squeaked, staring into his eyes.

“You wanted to break up.” Jaehyun grabs a fistful of his hair, shutting his eyes as tightly as he can. The voices in his head chanted his words back at him.

“I never said that, either.” He hears her whisper.

He feels you touch his face and he flinches away it at first, snapping his eyes wide open like an injured beast being cornered, but the way she looked at him made him drop his defenses.

“I’m sorry.” He chokes out, sobbing like a little boy. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

He repeats his apology over and over until he feels her pull him down, letting his head rest on the crook of her neck. “I can’t lose you, [Y/N]. I can’t. I just wanted to protect you.”

“You’re not gonna lose me and you won’t.” She runs one of her hands down his back while the other combed through his hair.

He pulls away, tears still flowing down his cheeks, “You’re not leaving me?”

She searches for something in his eyes, before slowly cocking her head and offering him an unsure smile as he lightheartedly points out: “I mean, I have to go home sooner or later. But I can spend the night if you want to.”

“I want you to.” He mumbles and she smiles up at him.

“Then I’ll stay the night.” She pulls him down until his forehead was touching hers. Playing with the short hairs on his nape, she whispers onto his lips, “I love you.”

He’s unsure if he should believe her, but casts his doubt away. He smiles back at her, “I love you, too.”

“Let’s get your hand cleaned up and wrapped, okay?” She kisses his cheek and leads him out the room, careful not to step on any glass shards.

As she knelt in front of him, trying not to vomit at the sight of his broken and bloody hand while fishing out the little shards of glass with a pair of tweezers, Jaehyun’s finally coming into terms the gravity of his condition.

Maybe she truly was unsafe with him; but why didn’t she run away when he had given her the chance to? He had given her a glimpse of the monster inside him, yet instead of fleeing, she stays to tame and satiate him. An immense of wave of love overcomes him; there’s absolutely no doubt in his mind that he wants her and only her for the rest of his life.

Jaehyun jerks his hand back when she attempts to remove some chunks of glass shards embedded too deep onto his knuckles with tweezers. “Ow!”

“You were literally punching the mirror 30 minutes ago! Give me your hand!” She hisses, pulling his hand back and resting it on top of the blood-stained towel on his lap.

He winced every now and then, biting his tongue when it had hurt a tad too much for him to handle.

“I think I got them all out.” She says after a while, inspecting it under the torchlight of her phone, “Uh, yeah, okay. Go wash it with warm water and come back here.”

Jaehyun quietly obeys, standing up from his seat and taking the bowl of glass shards with him.

After doing what he’s been told, he disposes of the glass shards and bloody towel. Returning to his seat, he dries his hand with a new towel.

She tends to his wound once more, dabbing it with disinfectant. “Jae, we need to talk about what happened.”

“I know.” He solemnly whispers; he had hoped this could easily blow over without the need to discuss it, but he doubts you would ever forget what had happened. “I’m… not okay.”

She patiently waits for him to continue, showing him she’s confused by his statement; looking up at him briefly before taking a roll of gauze to wrap his hand with.

“I…” He licks his lips, “I’m diagnosed with this mental disorder…”

“And how is your relationship now after you told her about your disorder?”

Jaehyun glances down at his injury; she had rebandaged it again for him today, even though he could have had a professional do it. It was a simple act of love for him. “Like it never happened.”

“Oh, then she understands then? That’s good-”

“But,” Jaehyun sits up, hunching forward and resting his forearms on his thighs to support his weight, his fingers just loosely woven together in front of him. He blankly stares at the small altar his doctor had in his office. He was a very religious man, but he oddly never pushed religion onto him during their sessions. “She seems more… careful.”

“I see.” Dr. Jeon massages his chin, “I would say it’s normal. She’s still processing it; she’ll eventually understand.”

“But when she understands, will she stay?”

His doctor frowns at him, “I can’t answer for Ms. [Y/N], Jaehyun. I personally believe you should just tell her everything; you’re founding your relationship on-”

“Lies?” He finishes for him, “I don’t like that word. Let’s call it… an altered fact. She’ll leave me if she finds out. I can tell her more details about my disorder, but anything more? I just know… she’ll leave me.”

“What makes you think-”

Jaehyun cuts him off with a leer and curt laugh, “I know she will, doctor. Don’t pretend she won’t. You know what I’ve done; how I spent years devoting myself to her like how you are with your God. You know how I felt alone and empty growing up; but then I met her; and I felt something beyond my comprehension. Like how Moses discovered the burning bush on Mount Sinai or how a dove brought back an olive branch to Noah. She had single-handedly completed me and now she’s mine. She said it herself; my goddess claimed herself to be mine. It’s only right and just I protect her in return. Isn’t that what you do? When someone disrespects your God, don’t you defend him?”

Dr. Jeon wearily watches him, but it’s nothing he hasn’t heard or seen before. Maybe that’s why he’s tempted to press one of the many panic buttons hidden around the room as discreet as he can. He knows he’ll regret it if he does it again - the Jungs can be quite unforgiving when they’re falsely accused of becoming a threat. It was paranoia and panic that pushed the button last time that brought in heavy set personnel to escort Jaehyun out with a nurse armed with a tranquilizer just in case. Jaehyun’s father was not pleased, almost threatening to terminate their exclusive contract. However, the young man in front of him wasn’t the same person that entered half an hour ago.

“I am going to do everything in my power to keep it that way - to keep her mine - and nothing,” Jaehyun stresses, “Nothing is going to stop me.”

“And if anybody gets in the way,” he clenches both his fists so tightly that blood starts to emerge from his bandages. Dr. Jeon reaches out to stop him, but Jaehyun separates his hands and stares at his palms, “I’ll kill them with my bare hands.”

a/n: yes the Jung’s therapist is SVT Wonwoo’s brother lol also i purposefully left out Jaehyun’s actual disorder out so I can discuss it in later chapters of Devoted 2 (during that joint therapy session) I’m sorry if it got a little too dark, but I promise the plot is better like this.

I hope you guys liked this! uwu

#nct smut #nct scenarios #jaehyun smut #jaehyun scenarios

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xhanisai · 5 years ago

Note

Dark Adrien prompt- Marinette gets tired of Adrien/Cat Noir teasing her, so at one point she just grabs him by his shirt and passionately kisses him.

Originally wanted to draw this out but adulting took over ripperoni ;;;; Have a quick oneshot instead (we’re lacking some good ol’ marichat in this AU and that’s a s i n :0)

~(x)~

“Bonsoir, Mlle. Chibinette~!” Chat Noir purred out as he fluidly slipped through the trapdoor from the balcony, dramatically flipping down on the girl’s bed and then plastered an innocent look as he faced her. (Which pretty much required hanging upside down from the stairs but the cat didn’t care).

He only received silence and a back towards, the love of his life scribbling down notes for what he assumed, homework. That didn’t deter him; on the contrary, it fuelled his mischievousness to the brim.

“Aren’t you gonna greet me, Baby Bug?”

Chat’s faux ears caught the annoyed muttering that escaped Marinette’s lips and the way she added pressure to the pen she’s writing with. He creeped closer whilst his grin grew wider.

“Mini-ne-eeeeeeeette?” This time she huffed and her knuckles whitened from her grip on the poor writing tool.

“Are you ma-aaaaad at me, Petiténette?” The pen was abruptly snapped in half and Marinette swerved towards the masked hero with eyes raging pure fury.

She shot up to her full height, not faltering once at how Chat’s figure loomed over hers by a long shot. Hands on her hips, head lifted up to meet his gaze, Marinette growled:

“Utter one more word related to my height, Adrien, and I will destroy you.”

The boy’s cheeks were starting to cramp from how much he was smiling, relishing the reactions from his poor girlfriend. He tilted his head with a coy smirk, letting his fingers run through her hair that was tied up in a messy ponytail.

“But Mari-”

“No.”

“Marinette-”

“Don’t. Even. Speak.”

“Itty-bitty-baby-bug-”

With a frustrated yell, Marinette yanked Chat forward by the bell, making him bend down to her small stature.

“Listen here you idiot cat. Ever since you got that dumb growth spurt, you’ve been teasing me nonstop during school, during patrols and even during akuma battles! I swear I will knock you down to a size that matches your brain which I assure you, is smaller than the size of my thumb. Do. You. Understand?!”

Letting him go without hearing his answer, Marinette stomped back to her chair, ignoring Chat’s guffaws as he made way back to her again. Once he calmed down, he rested his cheek against hers, resisting the urge to laugh at her comical way of doing work.

It’s very well known that Adrien is very bright and top of the class when it comes to academics and sports (Though he’ll never understand how Marinette and Max always gets full marks on Maths and all three sciences). However, when it comes to reading situations and common sense, he’s a lost cause.

The moment right now is a pretty good example of his dumbassery and biting off more than he can fucking chew.

“Alright, alright. I’ll shut up now,” He chuckled out and gave a sweet peck on Marinette’s cheek. She only scoffed and refused to let Chat distract her. “Heh- you get mad so easily, Marinette,”

His smirk suddenly darkened and his voice dropped down an octave.

“But then again Princess,”

Marinette froze on one of the questions, eyebrows furrowed at the boy’s sudden husky tone.

“You do have a short temper~”

Incredulous blue orbs met laughing green orbs. Time stood still for a good five second as the duo were unable to look away.

Chat was the first to be defeated, leaping away, cackling and even tripping over the chaise. He gave up on trying to stand up and stayed on the chaise till his laughter died and his sides hurt.

Finally, Chat registered the silence in the room, promptly sitting up in confusion. His companion was still in the same position however, her head was bowed down and her fingers dug into the arms of the chair.

“Marinette?” Chat channeled a bit of his civilian counterpart, softening his voice slightly whilst ducking his head lower to see her face. “Shit…did I go too far?”

He scrambled back to his feet and darted towards Marinette, hands ready to cup her cheeks and apologise a thousand times, only to be surprised with a-

“MmMpH!!?”

Marinette pushed her lips against Chat’s harder, her slim but strong fingers dug into his scalp in a way that always made the latter melt. She tilted her lips, just the way he liked it, evident with the exhale Chat let out and how his body instantly relaxed.

Lulling him into her trap.

Dropping his guard was a huge mistake and the model found himself pinned against the floor, both wrists bounded by her hands and his bottom lip getting pricked by her teeth.

His face reddened from the tips of his human ears to the base of his neck and his eyes scrunched close in order to keep up with the heated kiss. It took him everything to bottle up the groans that was eager to escape his throat- Chat’s pride couldn’t afford to be shattered for the umpteenth time again.

With a final tug on his lip, Marinette pulled away slowly. Her eyes sparkled deviously at the sight of Chat’s lack of composure below her. His tanned skin took on a raspberry glow, his lips were plump and a stark red, indicating how thoroughly kissed he was and his heart was hammering against his chest. The Asian’s chest swelled with pride.

She did this. She got one of the most hottest, European teen absolutely dishevelled in one single kiss. She’s unravelled Paris’ most flirtatious and dangerous hero into a mess.

“Told you I’d kick you down a size or two,” Marinette purred out, her words dripping with pure Ladybug power.

“E-Erm…”

“What was that~?”

“B-Buh…erm…”

It was Marinette’s turn to snicker whilst Chat covered his face in embarrassment, refusing to believe how he’s flustered to the point where he’s unable to speak! He cried out a little ‘Nooooooo’, turning his face away everytime Marinette tried to peel his hands off his face.

“Oh come on Chaton, it’s not your fault that you thought you’re so clever and hilarious with all these jokes,” Chat uncovered one of his eyes to glare at Marinette. “After all, you’re so tall that you just couldn’t have seen anyone else at all!”

With an irritated groan, Chat gently pushed Marinette off him and jumped back to his feet, folding his arms with a scowl. He refused to talk to her. Nope. Not even acknowledge her existence. Not with the way she was giggling behind him. The one time he’s finally got a one-up on the girl, the table turns on him!

“Minou~ does the cat still have your tongue?”

Chat spun back to face Marinette, annoyance written all over his face and his pout only dug deeper that no one could possibly think this boy could ever hurt a fly.

“You can’t say that! I’m the cat here not you-” He was interrupted again with a kiss. This time, it was softer and sweeter, enough to make his knees wobble till Marinette pulled away too quick for his taste. Twirling a strand of his hair with her finger, Marinette tugged him forward so that her lips could meet his ear and whisper.

“No matter how tall I am, you will always be beneath me~”

She pushed him away, letting him collapse back on the floor in a blushy pile of goo and sat back down on her chair. Chat’s mutterings and whimpers were music to her ear, concocting a devilish smirk on her face.

“Grrr…I’ll get you back…just you wait shorty…”

“Does the cat require another kiss?”

“DON’T TOUCH ME YOU HEATHEN!”

“Hahah! No amount of anime prepared you for an itty bitty kiss from an itty bitty lady, did it?”

“Stooooooop!”

~(x)~

Hope you enjoy!

#my asks #dark adrien au #my au #my aus #my writing #ml #mlb #miraculous ladybug #miraculous Ladybug and chat noir #chat noir #chat #marinette #marinette dupain cheng #marichat #marinette x chat #chat x marinette #i haven't written any kissing in aaaages

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avalindin · 5 years ago

Text

Stay Alive

Snowpiercer AU

*A/N: Am I back? For now, yeah. I know it’s been a year but I was busy heavily stressing about life and having Times Square dancers shaking their business in my face. So, I think I did pretty good.

She did what she could to keep her head down and cling to her husband. Nearly three whole years of shuffling around to the right stop that was still boarding. The journey was long and there were things she was able to push from her memory. What she couldn’t, she forced away to stay focused. Any mistake in the next few hundred yards and it would cost her life. She could hear the guards near the edge of the gates leading to the tracks.

“Cardholders to the left, others to the right!”

She held on for her life. Her body hated the cold and what was left of her clothes did what they could to keep her warm. Anything she wore now wasn’t what she originally had when they first ran.

“Women, children first! Coupled tickets this way!”

“Come on move your feet!”

Her legs hurt from the cold that seeped through the torn leggings. She’d fallen and tripped so many times on the journey that she was sure that her legs were more coated with her blood than what was left of her fabric. Her grip became tighter the more they got to the filling trains. She didn’t want to look to the waves of panic and chaos pushing into one another. Children cried for their parents stuck on the edge of the tracks, handed off to complete strangers and never to be seen again. Again, she forced them out.

Still, she ignored the sounds around her and kept her feet moving. She screamed out when a tall, large man jumped in front of them. It wasn’t the first time; it all scared her, the desperation of strangers.

“How much for her? Please? I need to get on the train!”

“Not with my wife. Get lost.”

She whimpered as his grip on her wrist tightened enough to hurt but she didn’t want to draw attention to herself. They were that much closer.

“Come on. Everyone is grabbing a girl. The couples get lucky. Look around you!”

She looked to her husband’s eyes looking around to the women around them doing what they could to get to the train on their own. Disbelief sunk into her chest when her husband’s grip loosened for a moment and the stranger’s began to replace it.

“Sam!”

He turned back as the crowds of people pulled her from his hand. Hers grabbed on to his knapsack. She screamed and in another moment, was lost.

“Sam?!”

She fought the crowd and used the edge of her worn boots to climb up a snowy trash can to look for him. A smile hurt her face as she spotted him behind her. She waved her hand free of her bags and felt the breath stop in her chest. Her husband’s hand was locked tight with another woman’s and her grip matched his own.

“Samuel!!”

Her voice raised high enough to turn heads including his. She waited for his hand to let go, for his direction to change to hers but he pressed on without her. She even pushed the dark loose strands out of her eyes to be sure as he moved on.

“Sa-”

Her whole body jumped as she was pulled from her feet and down to the hard stone of the walkway. She tried to scream but a dirty hand covered her mouth as she was dragged to the boarded up building nearby. Her nails tried to reach up and scratch, but her fingers stayed clutched to the useless bags.

She could feel fires fighting the bitter, harsh cold. Once they were beautiful libraries and full of life. Now the books had all burned for heat and used to roast the animals caged high up the halls.

The poor lit rooms hurt her eyes after days of walking under the cold sun.

“Found one for auctioning. Train leaves in an hour.”

She didn’t want to know what was happening or how to get away, but she did what she could to hurt however held her. Her boots kicked his shins to make his curse. His fingers tangled into her hair and jerked her head back to keep her in line.

“Behave and you might get on the train in one piece.”

She would have rather died. Her jaw opened as wide as it could and when his fingers ran over the front of her teeth, she bit down as hard as she could. His scream of pain echoed over the howls of the caged animals and of the yelling crowd in the next room. Attention was something dangerous if it was pointed towards her. She let him go and spat the blood to the floor. Her body turned to run back for the light. A silhouette ran from the shadows to main doorway and lifted a bit of metal from one of the broken cages over his head

It was a tall man, his piercing blue eyes stunning her. They seemed familiar and terrifying.

“Get down!”

Her bags helped her drop to the floor. Her arms protected her as a shriek of pain filled her ears. A hand pulled her to her feet. She found the blue eyes again, the purest thing on his face as the smeared dirt on more of his skin.

“Run.”

The voice that came from his mouth was serious, but she obeyed and run by his side. She didn’t ask any questions and kept running. Her lungs burned the closer they got to the train.

“This way,” he ordered.

She flung the bags over her shoulder and stayed as close to her savior as she could. There was no way to know what would happen with Samuel gone. She would have to do what she could. Aside from her stranger, she was finally all alone. Her feet stopped once she had room to move her arms. She looked over her shoulder to the few people that made their way to the back of the train.

“Where are the guards?”

It was strange to hear her own voice.

“Cargo guards are on the inside. No payment to get on but you work for your spot on the train. Down here.”

The people in front of her scrambled to disappear under the wheels and onto the large metal railings. She did what she could to not slip on the ice. A hatch dropped near her head. Her stranger turned and nodded up.

“Go. Wait for me.”

She held on to what she could and hoisted herself up into the car. The dim light made her nervous until the dull lights overhead flickered on. She could feel her head spin a bit as her stranger’s hand returned to her arm.

“Come on.”

A few loud thuds almost made her look back as the train around her began to rumble. The unfamiliar roar nearly drowned out the screams of the people still outside, banging their fists on the walls. The bags on her arms were too heavy for her to reach up and cover her ears.

“Hey.”

Her stranger reached for her terrified face and turned the rest of her slowly to the nearest wall. She tried to push out words, anything but it was no use. Tears ran down her face, surely erasing a small bit of dirt left on her from her travels. Her knees buckled. She knew what was coming next. The world she left behind outside made her heart race wildly.

He caught her and pulled her farther towards the back. She almost didn’t see him disappear to return a second later with a blanket. He led her to the loudest part of the car near the wheels so they couldn’t hear anything else. He pressed her to the wall and laid next to her to shield her from the other passengers looking for a place to settle. She worked both her bags from her tired arms and tucked them between the both of them.

“Don’t let them see the bags or they’ll kill you for it.”

“Who?”

Her voice cracked a little. He only shock his head and covered her with most of the blanket.

“Don’t look at anyone else.”

“What do we do?”

“Sleep.”

“And?”

It had been a long time since she and her husband had left their lives behind to seek safety on the train that could save them from the growing horrors outside. She’d watched so many people die. Starvation, wild dogs, each other. So much death, so many things that would stay with her as nightmares. Too many horrors she’d seen, and she was sure it wasn’t going to stop now that she made it to the train.

“Stay alive.”

She shook her head and flattened herself as close to the warming wall behind her. Her hand reached out and grabbed her stranger to pull him away from the shuffling boots hitting his back.

“No.”

“Do it or I’ll scream.”

He gave a small huff and moved as close as he could to her. His arms fixed themselves around her, giving them more room as the train rocked to life. She sealed her eyes shut and held onto her stranger. All she needed to think about was the colony waiting over a year away, still green and vibrant and worth everything she’d experienced.

She tried to open her eyes to look at her stranger one last time, but the ground held her hurting tired body and let her sleep the pain away.

She didn’t remember when she woke up. It all still felt like a dream. The only thing that was different was the stationary image of the other passengers in the car. Her legs felt like they wanted to move again after walking for so long.

Her ears were thankful not to hear any more screams and the sure turning of the train wheels behind her. She ignored her stomach and kept her bags close to her.

“Here.”

She snapped from her daze to her stranger’s hand out with a bar of food in his palm.

“What is it?”

“What they could spare? Food is traded higher up the train and we were lucky to get something. You need your strength.”

She took the bar and took her time to gnaw at it. Food was still food and it had gotten scarce. Her eyes shifted to a small little girl hiding behind a pile of containers. She smiled to her and ushered her forward with what was left of her bar.

“What are you doing,” he hissed to her.

It was a chance.

“Mind your business. Come here.”

The dirty little child was hesitant at first but bolted from the shadows as she jumped to her lap and snatched the bar away. She was careful to hide the child’s ravenous eating from the others. She locked furious eyes with the stranger.

“Go ahead and say something. Someone has to give a damn.”

“It’s going to get you killed.”

“As long as I do something good. You do good, you die great. Something has to count for something nowadays.”

He rolled his eyes and pulled the bags under his long coat. When the little one finished, she flashed a smile to the woman.

“It’s all I had but you’re welcome. Where’s your family?”

She pointed to the back of the car behind the boxes to a pair of hidden feet. Before she could get up, he stopped her. Perhaps it had been for the best.

“Let me, in case it’s a trap.”

“Are you kidding me? People aren’t that stupid.”

The stranger stood and quickly made his way to the back. He stopped and a look of irritation found her. She followed the nod of his head, slowly bringing the child behind her. He had pulled the blanket back from a skinny blonde woman that had bled out from her stomach. Her skin had already hued blue, dead from the previous day.

The stranger knelt quickly and began searching the dead body.

“What are you doing?”

“Either we do it or they’ll do it worse.”

“Another dead one!”

She turned and saw a handful of people turn and fixate on the body.

“Let’s go!”

One of his hands was full of things taken from the body and the other pushed them safely out of the way of the scavenging and the wave of fists. She held the child starting to cry for her mother to shield her away. She didn’t expect the man to slowly reach for the child.

“Hey, come here for a second.”

The girl let go of her and clung to the man. He laid out the small things he was able to get his hands on. There were pictures, bandages, and a silver necklace; small items that the mother had tucked away when she was alive.

“Do me a favor and hold onto these? Don’t take them out for anybody, okay?”

The little girl shook her head and worked what she could into her pockets. He chained the necklace around her neck and was able to tuck it away under her clothes and mother’s scarf wrapped tightly to her small neck.

A loud screech made everyone in the car cringe as they all covered their ears. A thunder brought everyone to their feet. Men entered the start of the train car. The woman’s eyes went for the large machine guns holstered over their shoulders. One man larger than the line of guards stepped forward.

“Bring forward the dead! Anyone holding a body will join them!”

People backed away to the wall to let half stripped bodies to the front. She heard a whimper from the small girl as her mother’s stripped body was brought forward. Someone had taken the hat from her head to leave a stringy river of pale hair behind her.

“Shh. Don’t look at them. Close your eyes.”

Once the bodies were gone, the people moved about slowly but stayed to their feet.

“Stay standing for count! Tagging begins after! Go!”

The stranger pulled her close to him and the child.

“Do what they say, or you’ll die. They will not hesitate.”

She turned back to the people in front of her sitting one by one in perfect rhythm. Once in sight, she could see the guards perfectly. They looked different from the ones near the front of the train. Her mind went blank to her husband with his hand, painfully clutched to her.

“Down.”

She saw a guard with his arm out clicking something in his hand twice.

“You. Down.”

The stranger held on to the little girl and sat on the ground.

“You. Down.”

Her mind went blank for a moment, purely by accident and everything happened so fast. The guards yelled in her direction. The stranger grabbed her coat to pull her down. The guards all reached for their guns and pointed them directly to her. She was too petrified to move but her arm shot up before she realized what had happened. Her mouth opened and she wasn’t sure of what she said.

Her heart beat twice and the guns were lowered. She cleared her throat and forced herself to focus.

“I’m a ticket holder!”

Her voice echoed throughout the car, trembling as she held up the clenched ticket from her pocket.

“Let her pass. Now!”

She took a single step forward and was stopped. She looked behind her to the concrete grip of her hand on the stranger’s coat holding her back. She wasn’t sure why there was shock in his eyes.

“I have my family,” she barked back to the guards.

Another heartbeat and the largest one ushered them forward. She didn’t dare let go of the coat or her ticket as her legs led her forward. She didn’t dare look back to the rest of the car or the several doors that closed behind them. All she could do was fight the mushy bar that was trying to make its way up her throat. There would be time for that later.

“Stop. Name.”

Fear struck her. She knew she would be fine, but she hadn’t thought about the man or the little girl. Their blood was going to be on her hands. She prayed like Hell that chaos was on her side.

“Curtis and Ava Pierce.”

He held out his hand giving a guard the wallet she had hidden deep in her coat. She didn’t have the energy to be mad. The guard flipped open her wallet, looking to her ID and to a faded picture she kept of her and her husband. They were both almost the same build but her husband was a bit shorter.

“Alright.”

Relief stung as Curtis took the wallet back. She didn’t think the guards were that foolish. There was a moment as they nodded to one another. A single woman guard in grey stepped forward.

“Who’s this then?”

The little girl hid her face into Curtis’ chest scared.

“My niece. You just pulled out her mother with the blonde hair.”

“What’s her name?”

“Is that necessary?”

“Sarah.”

The little girl’s voice was beautiful. She couldn’t remember the last time she heard a child that wasn’t crying. Ava turned her head to little girl as she smiled to the woman guard.

“Is it now? Can you come with me for a minute so the grown-ups can talk?”

Sarah whimpered as she looked to Ava.

“It’s okay, we’ll be right here.”

She slowly let Curtis’ neck go and held on to the woman guard as she stepped back. Ava wanted to follow but the guard pointed their rifles once Sarah was cleared. She screamed for Curtis and Ava until he put his hands up. He moved to Sarah and pulled the cap from his head.

“Don’t worry. We’re just talking, I promise. Just close your eyes for me.”

She shook her head as Curtis worked his dirty cap over her tears. He gave her head a quick kiss and returned to Ava’s side. Ava tried not to panic when the door was shut between them and Sarah.

“So,” sighed the largest guard, “I know you’re lying.”

“It’s my name on the ticket and the ID in my wallet. What more proof do you need?”

The guard scratched at his chin. So many nightmare and so many things she lived through. She would get through this.

“Give her a kiss.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“No. I have money.”

“Do you now?”

“Stop it,” ordered Curtis as he stepped between the both of them, “You aren’t taking her money.”

“That’s not up to you. Just be lucky it’s me and not any others looking for a way to make room on this train. You want survive; you better keep up appearances.”

Curtis pushed Ava behind him to shield her, but it wouldn’t be enough.

“We’ll give you what you want and then we’ll go.”

He turned without another word. Ava almost started to argue until she met his eyes. He was just as scared as she was.

“Trust me,” he quickly huffed under his breath.

Ava wasn’t ready for the weight of Curtis pushing her back against a stray box and pressing his lips to hers. Her whole body was frozen as his hands slowly moved to her back to hold her to him. She wasn’t sure of what to do but it all felt humiliating and… welcome.

One of his hands drifted up to her neck to cradle her head as he buried his lips into her neck. Ava sealed her eyes shut to not see the looks on the guards’ faces. She did what she could to ignore the whistles and stifled laughter. She gasped as she felt Curtis press himself hard enough to feel her legs spread.

“Alright, that’s enough, the both of you. Separate. Now.”

She could feel Curtis force himself to stop but she wasn’t ready to compose herself. Her skin was on fire, needing to sweat. Her eyes stayed to the ground as one of the guards knocked on the door. It lifted to Sarah waiting. Ava reached forward and took her into her arms. All she wanted to do was leave.

“Alright. Move along.”

“Thank you.”

Curtis gave Ava a push forward to the series of doors opening ahead of them.

“I mean it about the appearances,” the guard pushed out in one breath.

They all moved on. They were led for what seemed like forever as Ava tried to hold Sarah in her arms.

“Here.”

Curtis took the sleeping toddler from her arms, not realizing that she’d been wearing herself out.

“Thank you.”

“Wait here.”

They stopped and were made to sit as what was left of the guards left them alone. Ava forced her eyes to stay open. The quiet was strange.

“So, Curtis?”

“Everett. Look, I’m sorry for what happened...”

“No,” she interrupted.

She took a breath and tried to find her words.

“It’s like you said. Stay alive. There are worse ways to survive. Just don’t give me a reason to kill you and don’t go through my things.”

“It saved us.”

“I know.”

She wasn’t ready for the way his hand slid into hers, dirty fingers lacing. He brought them to his chapped lips and kissed the back of her hand.

“You deserved better than him. I saw how he looked to you.”

He meant Samuel.

“I don’t want to talk about him.”

“If he stayed, then you wouldn’t have saved Sarah. Children get snatched for food all the time.”

She looked confused to him and then to Sarah’s sleepy face.

“Traded or worse.”

Ava didn’t want to imagine but anything could be passed off as justified under harsh circumstances. Apocalypses had all rules looked over. She ran her finger over her small, warm cheek.

“Stay alive.”

A guard returned with a strangely proper looking middle aged woman. Her clothes were unbelievably clean, and her posture was as straight as a statue.

“Welcome to the Cabins, Ticket Holders! My deepest apologies for finding you so late. We are experiencing some difficulty with proper organization of other holders and some souls that had wandered to the front of the trains in the chaos, but all is being settled as we speak. May I see your ticket, please?”

Ava reached into her pocket and showed her ticket to the woman. She, in turn, pulled a small lighter from her sleeve and held the flame to the ticket. Ava was perfectly still.

“Wonderful,” smiled the woman as she snapped the lighter shut.

“Excuse me.”

“Oh no, Mrs. Pierce, excuse me. I’ve had to test the tickets. There have been some forgeries and was punishable from the spontaneous combustion that came along with them. Glad to say that you are of the first that haven’t caught fire today.”

“That’s settling.”

“As you will be soon. Come now. You and yours shall be sent directly to your quarters after we get you cleaned up.”

Ava moved herself forward with Curtis and Sarah behind them. The walk behind the woman seemed to go on longer than she wished. Her body almost went on auto-pilot until a familiar voice filled her ears. She willed her knees to stay strong for once.

“My name is in the directory! I want to speak with your superior!”

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She was steady as she shook off Curtis’ hand and stopped in front of the main guard.

“My name is Ava Pierce and I am a ticket holder.”

“Ava!”

Samuel was shoved aside with the woman he’d chosen to take her place as she held up her ticket.

“My inherited money got me this ticket for me and my family.”

Her eyes accidently caught the snarl on Samuel’s face directed squarely at Curtis. He turned himself from Samuel’s growing fury.

“No! That is my wife, you bastard!”

Samuel tried to leap forward for Curtis as he tried to protect Sarah. She shrieked in horror as a single shot from the rifle rang out, hitting Samuel in one of his kneecaps. Curtis shielded Sarah’s face away from the blood and shattered bone as his own foot kicked up and struck Samuel in the neck.

“You stay away from my family!”

Ava reached for the wallet in Curtis’ coat and handed it to the guard.

“I’m the head of my family and my legal name is on the ticket. My mother was one of the investors before legal powers were handed off to me.”

��Excellent. Move them on from the show.”

Ava grabbed Curtis’ hand and quickly dragged him away from Samuel’s painful wails. She didn’t want to or even need to look back to Samuel as she left behind her loveless and neglectful husband behind her. She carried on with Sarah back in her arms and Curtis’ hand in hers. Tears streamed from her eyes, but she felt no guilt or grief. For the first time, she felt no heaviness on her shoulders.

Onward, there were stairs and elevators to lead above what she thought were stacked floors of the train cars. She knew what her mother was investing in but not something as robust as the rumors of the surviving train and what it led to. So many new smells of the train tricked her nose to remind her of a normalcy from before the world had turned to shit. Smells from delicious to sterile and above all out of a dream, she convinced herself to remain focused. There was no time to dream just yet.

“Right. This is where we part. First, to sterilizations and check-ups, then to quarters for the remainder of your stay. Best of luck.”

Ava had no reason to worry as she and Sarah were separated from Curtis to be cleaned. She didn’t want to seem like a distraction, but she kept Sarah calm through washing and immunization shots.

“Good girl. Look at how pretty you are.”

Ava felt it was unnecessary at the workers of the train to over agree and smother Sarah, but it was their job and it kept Sarah smiling. They were led cleaned to small room with clear walls where a single person, unsure if they were man or woman, sat behind a typewriter with files spread around them. Ava turned her head by chance to see a painful look on Curtis’ face as something was injected into his arm. Her eyes looked in horror to a dark patch of skin on his left arm. Sarah quickly noticed but Ava quickly racked her brain. True white lie.

“It’s okay. It’s just the medicine fighting the bad stuff. He’s going to be fine.”

Frostbite was something Ava always feared. She was glad that none of the cuts on her legs were affected by it. She could only pray for Curtis’ arm. Once the pain in his face stopped, he would be led to Ava and made to sit in front of the typist but when she looked up he was gone from sight. She was glad that Sarah turned her attention to the hair that was cut, cleaned and laying on Ava’s shoulder.

“List of Inventory of the Pierce Party of three, detailed. Check here. All either returned or stored for your stay.”

“We want everything.”

“Initial here, please.”

Ava did, accepting.

“The Terms and Conditions of passage to the Colonies includes any accepted skills for the last stop.”

“I don’t have any skills. I have a chance to finish school.”

“There are programs to ensure maximum productivity.”

One of the staff rushed to the typewriter’s side and whispered something almost putting a smile to their face.

“Mrs. Pierce. A second of your time? She will need to stay here.”

Sarah was able to let go and cooperate as she moved to where Curtis used to be.

“I-Is there a problem?”

“There would seem so.”

Ava could feel the bumps on her arm raise. She tried to open her mouth to explain herself.

“You husband is having a hard time with testing contribution.”

“Contribution?”

“Yes, it was put down that your family would be making an addition in more than one way. Your physical exam won’t be until the day after tomorrow but since he is here…”

“Oh, I see…”

There was nothing to hide her blush and fear of getting caught. It was the appearances the guard had mentioned. No sudden changes meant no paranoia and no paranoia meant no inquiries.

“Things may go quicker with your assistance. Come back when you’re done.”

The frosted glass closed behind her, silencing the train and shocking herself hearing the frustrated breaths on the other side of the dim room. Ava was careful in her steps, listening to Curtis as he struggled. She arched her head and was stunned. Curtis’ clean skin was visible to her. His shirt was in a heap on the floor near his feet and his pant were pushed to the edge of his hips. His skin was littered in scars and it was all too mesmerizing to look away.

“Curtis?”

Her voice sounded different.

“I’m sorry. They were asking me too many questions and they gave me that.”

Her eyes glued themselves to the small plastic collection cup on the counter next to him. She pushed it to the wall and hopped on the counter next to him. She didn’t want to look down, not yet. His face was just as red as hers.

This was what they had to do. Stay alive. She took his hand and pulled him in front of her. It was hard for him to look her in the eyes.

“I didn’t think we’d make it this far,” he whispered.

It was strange to hear his voice so soft. His bottom lip began to tremble.

“Hey, hey. Don’t do that. We could have died in that back car.”

“No,” he whispered.

He turned his lips into her palm and kissed her skin. There was something wrong.

“Curtis?”

“I followed you. Him too. I-I didn’t mean to but… There were so many people going in different directions and not everyone was going to survive. I was following behind the groups for more than a year. There were times he was gone, and I made sure nothing happened. There were too many fucking close calls.”

“So, the tracks wasn’t a random thing?”

“I saw him let go and they would have done worse things than kill you…”

Ava grabbed his face and pressed her lips to his. Her mouth tingled, feeling something she hadn’t in a long time. She pulled away. Her eyes stayed closed as she felt Curtis panting in front of her.

The world had been dangerous outside, and he said it himself. There were too many times that she’d been caught in the chaos and nightmares that followed in traveling for months. Sam had shown his worth and though Curtis was a stranger, he cared more.

Her mind ran for a moment. Her fingers brushed the skin under his navel, and they wanted to go further.

“What would you do, Curtis?”

“What?”

“Our circumstances have changed. Not for the best but not the worst. Tell me.”

She grabbed his hand and formed it to her side, letting it slide under her shirt. Curtis’ fingers formed so beautifully to her side.

“I can’t.”

She pulled his neck down and kissed him. The sound that came from him made her face hurt as she smiled.

“Then show me.”

“Mr. Pierce?”

“Woodworker. Furniture, mostly.”

He didn’t realize he’d lost focus again as he tried not to look at the partly filled container left on the counter behind the typewriter just waiting to be picked up by someone from the medical car.

“With the arm?”

“Before. I don’t plan on stopping.”

“My ticket covers any medical attention he’ll need if it comes to that.”

“Naturally. That and future additions. Additions are encouraged. Do you have plans for additions?”

There was a silence that filled the clear room. Curtis cleared his throat. If he hadn’t controlled himself when he was alone with Ava, then they would have.

“Yes.”

“Very well.”

“Wait. Ah-”

Ava kicked Curtis’ shin to shut him up as the rest of her paperwork was put into their systems. The ticket was going to be used to its limit. No matter what, they would be taken care of. Ava kept her face buried in Sarah’s hair as they moved along. She stayed focused so she wouldn’t have to think of Curtis again.

His hands. His lips. Him…

“And the preschools are a floor below.”

“She’s still working out her mother’s death.”

“We have the best tutors. Something minimal until she is ready. Here is your quarters.”

Ava was stunned at the space of the quarters she was given. Much more room than the box car she left behind.

“Thank you.”

Ana turned to see the typist gone and a guard to take their place, one that had taunted them earlier on the train.

“Nice accommodations, Mrs. Pierce. Settling in well?”

“Yes, and we thank you for getting us here without a problem. Why are you here?”

“This isn’t personal.”

“The show at the back of the train seemed personal for your benefit,” interrupted Curtis.

“Fine,” agreed Ava, “but I have a feeling there is something more, isn’t there?”

“You got me. Some is personal but I’m a man of business.”

“I’m not fucking you.”

“Now, now. I’m not that morally corrupted. Your ticket puts you near the start of the process and things run smoother on schedule. Do this and I’ll be of a concierge to you.”

“You want a promotion.”

“Like you, I need to move my family into better living conditions. The standing importance of your ticket has many privileges.”

“I want to ten more people to come up. Families.”

“Ten more people?”

“They’ll easily fit in here with plenty of room to spare.”

“Are you joking?”

“My status, your connections. People deserve a chance. Think of what will happen to that space when your family moves up. Someone else will be able to survive in that spot.”

“What about that bastard at the start of the Cabins?”

“He knows what he did, and I will never think of him again. My deal. Either take it or leave it. I’m sure other guards have families that would love to step up.”

With a sigh, the guard tried not to act so impressed as he shook Ava’s hand.

“Deal, Mrs. Pierce. The paperwork will find you tomorrow.”

“I’m sure it will.”

Ava didn’t break eye contact until he broke his demeanor and held out his hand.

“I do mean my word, Mrs. Pierce. I lost people too. These are changed times. Those families won’t get up here at once. Believe me when I say there are more good people than worse. Certain ones didn’t make it to the train in time. Rules can be bent carefully, if you catch my wind.”

This was her chance to be the woman her mother had raised by herself. If it would keep the bad away for a little while longer, then it would all be worth it. She took his hand.

“Then help me find a way around this.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Have a well rest. You deserve it. I should also let you know that your dirty man bled out ‘fore he could be patched up. Don’t know where the skinny thing ran off to.”

“Not my problem anymore. If you find her, make sure she’s not in my car.”

She waited until he was gone and shut her new family away from the rest of the train. Curtis disappeared into the kitchen space. She could hear the curses echo from the amount of provided food lining the shelves. She could hear Sarah had wandered into the other room and play with the provided toys. Ava closed her eyes and let the silence numb her as she sat against the nearest wall and fell asleep.

Her eyes opened as Sarah wiggled out of her arms. Ava pushed herself out of the toddler’s disgustingly comfortable bed and stretched herself. Curtis must have put her in the bed next to Sarah. Her eyes followed the soft and pink colors, eventually ending up at the door to the rest of their quarters.

From the door there was a large open space for sitting. There was a fireplace, safe to use thanks to the many vents that channeled away smoke safely and from what she remembered her mother say, the heat would also make it to the other cars. There was a grand dining room table with room to spare and a large kitchen space. Ava wondered if her cooking would be as good as she remembered. Hopefully, her new inside man would find someone from the back that could help her. There were two bathrooms, one next to the kitchen and one in the spacious master bedroom. It stood next to Sarah’s new room and ending with the front door.

Ava turned her head to the master bedroom and saw Curtis out cold.

She closed Sarah’s door, and slowly made her way forward. The quiet scared her. There were clothes provided but she didn’t want to change out of her shirt and sweatpants. At least, not yet.

She closed the bedroom door behind her and felt the past wash over her. Her nose found the linens, fresh and undisturbed. She followed it to the closet on the other side of the room. Ava felt the flicker light above her hurt her eyes and fell to her knees at the sight of fresh towels. Her nose buried deep into the fabric and she knew she didn’t want to leave.

“Where’s my pretty girl?”

Ava remembered she always messed up the laundry her mother folded.

“How did I know you would be here?”

Ava remembered a small moment before everything happened when she was a child. Her mother’s arms around her with the fresh towels to comfort her and protect her from what life hadn’t thrown at her yet.

She didn’t have the same comfort when her mother was laying in the hospital bed with nervous lawyers surrounding her. There was no time for memories or goodbyes, only the warnings.

“Nothing big. Have Samuel withdraw as much as he can and wire it to the company on-site.”

“Okay.”

“Things are happening too quickly. You have until the day after tomorrow. You should be going now.”

“But we aren’t ready!”

Her mother’s hand fought the short length of the tubes. Ava couldn’t stop her tears.

“I have made my peace. No one is coming for me. Even if they were, I wouldn’t survive the trip. If you do not survive, then there is no point in all of this.”

“Tell me what to do, mama.”

She remembered how strong she wanted her mother’s hand to be.

“Stay alive. Promise me.”

“I promise…”

Ava knew her mother would be proud as she carefully folded the towels back where they belonged. Her eyes looked to the rows and rows of fancy clothes she know she’d never wear. She was on her feet and ran her finger across the fabrics.

“We could use better than this crap.”

Ava did come from money, yet she was raised to be humble but as her eyes settled on the unnecessary colors. She undressed herself and looked into each and every drawer that would be theirs. Functioning undergarments felt strange on her skin, so did the stockings and the deep green gown that slid across her curves with ease.

“Ava?”

She left the closet behind her and met Curtis’ eyes.

“I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“What the fuck are you wearing?”

The smile on his face made her unsure if he really hated the dress.

“The whole closet is full of them. You don’t like it, do you?”

Curtis stretched out with the thin sheet to inch down his stomach.

“No, I do not.”

She chose to make one turn and show off the fabric.

“It looks flammable.”

“Like it could keep a fire burning for the whole night. Maybe into the morning.”

“I guess that makes it worth something.”

Curtis reached out and caught some of the fabric.

“It could but I still don’t like it.”

“Fine with me,” she shrugged.

Ava pushed the straps down her arms. She felt Curtis’ eyes burning into her chest as the dress fell to her waist.

“You probably don’t like these either,” she sighed as Curtis’ eyes were glued to the black lace bra.

His hand slid up into the slit she didn’t remember was in the side of the dress.

“I guess that would all depend.”

Ava smiled, pushing the dress down past her knees and his hand.

“How about now,” she whispered as her fingers brushed alongside the lace panties that went with the bra.

“I may need a closer look. Come here.”

The hand at her leg guided her to the bed and over his waist.

“Is this better?”

“Maybe a little closer.”

Ava failed to keep a smile from her face as Curtis pulled her to the top of his chest. He arched his head up and kissed the inside of her leg. She could feel his lips move higher. She gasped at the feel of his nipping teeth, teasing her thigh.

His tongue darted out and pressed to the lace between her legs. She braced Curtis’ legs through the sheet, humping the tip of his tongue and needing so much more.

Curtis reached up and moved the fabric to the side and swiped his tongue up. Ava gasped, clawing at his legs. Curtis hid his wince from the dug of her shortened nails. Any long than they had been, and Ava would have drawn blood. He tried to hold her hips as still as he could, but it was like he remembered.

Warm, inviting, delicious…

So many years and tasting it again, tasting her, he didn’t want to stop but he need more.

Ava could feel Curtis move under her so quickly. The way he moved, the way he looked into her eyes, licking his lips to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to the soft mattress under him. His arms stayed around her; his hands touched every bit of her clean skin.

Ava kept her eyes staring deep into Curtis’ as his strong hand grabbed the front of her bra and snapped it open without hesitation. His lips buried themselves into her skin at the top of her chest. Her stomach cringed wonderfully as his fingers found themselves either around her naked breast or past the edge of her panties. Curtis refused to let her skin go once the pads of his fingers wandered between her legs.

He helped her legs part better; one of hers over his to let his hand feel her wet for him. She felt how quick his hand was. First, at the top, then down, slowly stroking her until his finger slid into her. He held onto her as she slowly writhed against Curtis. She guided his head forward to her neck. His teeth dug into her skin only a fraction and it was enough to nearly break her.

She could feel his fingers in and out of her, drawing her closer.

He stopped and slowly pulled his hands away. He arched forward and licked his fingers clean. Curtis wanted to turn back to see the beautiful look of hunger on her face but was distracted by the way she slid the useless panties down her legs.

“You were taking too long.”

He met her eyes as she pulled off what was left of the ripped bra. He grinned.

“I guess, I’ll remember that for next time.”

He was over her in an instant. He jerked the bedsheets away. They felt so strange on his skin after all this time, even Ava’s naked skin but he would get used to that much quicker. He panted in her ear the more he grinded against her.

“Tell me what to do.”

“No.”

He was thrilled by the smile on her face and the way her fingers brushed against her chest.

“Then what?”

She grabbed him, slowly stroking him. He wasn’t ready as his fingers curled roughly into the mattress. She missed this.

“Do to me what you would have done in that back room,” she took his hand and led it to her neck, “or out there, all alone, with no one around…”

There was a second of hesitation, snapped away as she offered her open legs to him. He crashed into her, needing to feel her warmth again. Ava opened her mouth as Curtis filled her. He winced at the nails digging into his back. His hips moved on their own. There were too many horrors, images growing and burning into his head but every moan that fell from her beautiful lips would eventually null them into dust with time.

He pulled his hand away from her neck and wrapped it to her jaw to keep her eyes locked to his.

“You should really be careful what you wish for, Ava.”

The low growl in his voice sent chills down her back.

She hated the taste of the medicine she was given in the medical car the day before. In the coming days, her ticket would give her access to healing treatments for her muscles. She would have to eat her food slowly so her digestion system wouldn’t overwork itself. The strangest thing that made her happy was the feel of a fresh toothbrush.

Everything in her ached but the fresher ache from Curtis was very welcomed. She turned to her side, feeling her arm stretch over his stomach as he slept on his back. Ava opened a single eye. The last thing she had cared to remembered was her arms wrapping tightly around Curtis and her eyes safely shutting from exhaustion. She saw the bed above her. Around them were the smallest and flattest of the pillows that were provided.

Under her, she felt the rumble of the train. She would have to get used to everything. For now, she felt the comfort she was used to for so long.

She didn’t remember moving herself, but she didn’t care. She didn’t trust the mattress just yet. After two and a half years of running, she felt she would fall right through the mattress. For now, she had the few pillows under her and Curtis’ arms around her.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

She smiled at the sound of his voice. She lifted her to his warm smile.

“We may just have to break it in properly if you want.”

“You really shouldn’t tempt me.”

Curtis kissed the top of her head, feeling her clean dark hair on his healing lips.

“I thought I was going to wake up outside.”

“This really does feel like a dream.”

“We can stay here for a little longer. Sarah’s out and I’m not going anywhere. Appearances or no.”

Curtis pulled her closer to him so she wouldn’t disappear. No one would need them for hours.

“Thank you,” she whispered into his clean skin.

“You’re welcome,” he smiled as he wrapped the pulled covers tighter around them.

For such a big group, none of them could talk from what she could hear.

She could feel her knees wanting to shake. Soon, she would need to step out. Her sides hurt with excitement.

“You ready yet?”

Ava snapped her head up from her thoughts to Curtis. His coat was already on his shoulders. He could see the worry in her veins. He reached into her lap for his little girl, still asleep from the night before.

“Her fever went down. Panic from not wanting to admit a sick baby.”

“He’s here. Come on. Everyone’s ready and packed.”

“I can do this.”

“Fuck, right. Let’s go.”

Curtis shifted his baby in his arms. He slung a large bag over his free shoulder and a larger bag in his hand.

“Ava!”

Sarah sprung out of nowhere from the few other children and clutched with happiness on Ava’s pant leg.

“Good morning.”

“Mitzy made breakfast and everything is clean. Can we go now?”

“That’s what I’m here for lil’ lady.”

Sarah shot her grin to the guard waiting in the doorway to the cabin. Ava hurried past the ten sets of eyes that were hurrying for their final departure. No one knew what to expect.

“What now, Smith?”

Her eyes found two children, his children in the hall with full bags and smiles.

“I never got the chance to properly thank you.”

She saw the slight tremble of his lip. She quickly grabbed the door and hid what she could. Ava ignored Sarah at her leg and wrapped her arms tightly around the guard’s large shoulders.

“You don’t have to worry about a thing from now on,” she smiled, “I promise.”

He was quick to wipe his cheek and usher his small daughters forward.

“I-I’m sorry to ask this but it may take me hours to stay behind and situate the whole train with who we got left.”

“You never have to ask, Smith. I’ll take them for as long as you need. They’ll be with us when you get back.”

He gave his head a quick shake and nearly dove for his children.

“You gals be good and listen. For the love of God, you both fucking stay together and don’t leave Ms. Pierce’s side.”

Sarah reached out and took the girls by their hands.

“Jus’ follow me and Hope!”

Ava turned back to Curtis, listening from the side.

“If you wanted more kids, all you had to do was ask.”

She couldn’t resist his sly grin.

“Because you’d give me anything I want?”

“Damn fucking straight,” he softly hissed into her ear before turning away.

She bit the inside of her bottom lip and reached for her things. Everything was leading to this. She checked her watch. Each second hurt. God willing her oatmeal would stay down. Ava hurled both wide doors to the cabin and could here excitement throughout the train. Soon the closed environment would be slipping out from the metal seams.

She turned back.

“Everyone have their wristbands?”

A set of arms with bright orange plastic bands waved in the air.

“Good. I can’t do speeches and there’s nothing I can say to make this any bigger than this already is. The other spaces in the housing cars know what to do. We’ve made it this far. We only have to go home now. We’ve really made it.”

She felt Curtis’ hand slip into hers.

“Yeah, we did.”

The worry quickly fizzled, and she held her head a bit higher.

“Everyone get your things. We’re leaving now. Remember your orders and I’ll get you to the doors.”

In the corner of her turning eyes, she saw the organized scramble of the people she was able to help from the lower levels of the train. None were from the back car where she and Curtis started but there were worse places on the train. The cab was slowly and carefully picked apart. Nothing fancy was taken because it was already stripped down and repurposed.

Nothing went to waste. Not anymore.

A cry from the smallest member of the group got her attention. Curtis was already struggling.

“Here.”

Ava wrapped a long, thin curtain around her closed jacket and slipped the wiggling bundle close to her.

“There. Much better, my love.”

Hope’s little cheeks lifted to show a toothless smile. Ava wasted only a second to get lost in the blue eyes she’d gotten from Curtis.

“We’re almost home,” she softly cooed.

Zippers hit the side of swinging bags and feet slowly shuffled in the order decided. Ava was the first out the door as the long trail of the main housing guest car made their way to the start of the maintenance cars. Ten minutes, five minutes.

She could remember the terrifying shuffle. This time it felt unreal. Ava took a breath and braced the descending speed of the train. She ignored the soft whispers coming from her people. She knew what to do.

“Hey,” she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, “You ready?”

There was a hiss that nearly made her jump out of her skin. Scraping metal. The blasting smell of fresh air. It all happened so fast. She turned her baby’s face away and closed her eyes. Soft sunlight blinded her at first but…

She opened her eyes and looked to the impossibly wide halls lined with single rows of staff waiting to greet the last bit of humanity. Ava took a strong step forward.

“Mrs. Pierce, I presume.”

“Yes and I have a temporary care of Private Officer Smith’s children as well. His information should have already reached you.”

She showed her orange band to the young woman in the crisp pantsuit. Her eyes shifted over Ava’s shoulder to the group filing behind and showing off their own bands.

“Very good. You may have well saved us a few hours. You and yours follow this way please?”

She last thing she saw was Curtis’ blue eyes as he helped moved Smith’s children forward with Sarah leading the way.

Ava strained herself to focus. Everything was a blur. Twelve hours and her people were all settled in their wing of a waiting sector. Sarah settled in with the other girls and other children of their group. All the adults paired with their own. Her guess was that everyone was sleeping. Soon, she would too.

She carefully placed Hope in the crib provided. Her finger slowly stroked her baby’s warm cheek.

“I hate that I’m gonna have to eventually tell you what happened out there.”

“Then she’ll know how we met.”

Ava watched as Curtis closed the door and set the lock to keep it that way.

“Where’ve you been all my life,” she giggled.

“Talking with Smith. He’s needed on the train the next few days. I told him we’d watch the girls.”

Curtis dropped the rest of his things and stretched his healed arms over his head. Ava couldn’t help but eye the bit of skin that showed itself as his shirt rode up. She had already changed, ready for when he would find her again. Ava felt herself growing antsy as Curtis took forever to kick off his boots.

“Sounds fine.”

“Excuse me, my eyes are up here.”

Ava rested her hands on his hips and smiled.

“You should really be worried about my hands, Mr. Pierce.”

“Should I, now?”

Curtis grabbed her hands and placed them on his shoulders.

“Or we could just not give a flying fuck.”

Ava enjoyed the joking contemplation of his bottom lip as his fingers messed with the front of her jeans.

“I would like that very much. Where should we start?”

She was quicker to reach for the hem of her shirt. The blur of white dropped to the nearest surface as Curtis was met with her smooth skin.

“Modest enough space this time. Everyone’s all tired out and no staff will bother us the next few days. I hear the beds are much firmer.”

“I’ll take it.”

He kissed her. Ava was glad his lips had fully healed and pressed hungrily to hers.

“I’d hope so,” she softly purred.

She kept her lips firmly to his. He tried to keep himself standing as he let her slowly led them to their room. He stopped for a moment and held her. Ava calmed herself and followed his lead. Their arms wrapped around each other and like that, she was ready to sleep.

“Don’t worry,” sighed Curtis, “I feel it too.”

He pulled her to bed, nearly tossing her to the middle. They tangled themselves together in no time and laid still. Ava could hear small noises, the settling of metal and clean air in the vents. Her face wasn’t used to smiling so hard.

“You were right about the bed.”

“Ugh. Quick rest?”

“Might as well.”

She giggled as she felt Curtis’ rough fingertips trace her bare back. Ava peacefully closed her eyes allowing herself to feel safe for the first time in a long while.

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#snowpiercer #Chris Evans #light smut #fanfic

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