#the motto of the eye should be ‘i fucked around and found out’

[spiralling-spires]

Being jurgen leitner the day that gerry almost killed him was probably really surreal. Imagine you’re minding your business, collecting fucked up books, and out of nowhere this goth guy covered in eye tattoos shows up and beats you half to death, then stops, goes, “no you’re too pathetic to be jurgen leitner” and leaves without further elaboration. And you dont correct him, you like being alive after all, and after that you just… continue with your life. And then several years later you tell this to some random guy in the tunnels you’ve been hiding in, and he not only knows who the goth was, but seems somewhat fond of the goth. And then you get brutal pipe murdered by the random guy’s boss. Oops

[4lydsmarie]

sweater weather .. dallas winston x reader

fem!reader x toxic!dallas winston "it's too cold for you here.."

warning(s): toxic relationship! dallas keeps trying to push reader away but she won't budge, and he's js like "?? why r u still here" because he's TERRIFIED of love or commitment. things change toward the end though(?).

a/n: i have woken again to post for you guys 🥰 this is true dedication bc i started this at 1:03am and it's now 2:50 at the time of officially uploading this (with this a/n cause it's an edit). first i was gonna talk ab how dilf matt dillon is, then i was gonna make matt hcs, THEN i was gonna do dally hcs, and FINALLY i decided on writing this because toxic dallas is stuck in my headdd😣. i am a FIRM believer that dallas winston is EITHER loverboy softboy around reader OR cold toxic bf that is afraid of commitment and love because of his past in new york. NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT!

dating dallas, you knew whaat would come with it. no, not just the constant "gettin' it in with the fuzz" or his repetitive fights at buck's on a thursday night, but the laid back "ya know i don't love anythin'" motto he always has going on. you and dallas had probably broken up 5 or 6 times in the past month. either he'd be out with another broad, or he'd be dismissing your feelings again and telling you "i mean i like ya, doll. that's close enough to what you're talkin' about, right? i mean what's love anyways? don't say things you don't understand.."

you'd recently just gotten back together with dallas. you'd broken up with him because you found out he was hitting on another girl, this time a soc named cherry valance.

well, in due time another argument would come up. so here you are, arguing with dallas again because you told him you loved him again and finally snapped at his unbothered, half-assed response.

"dallas i don't understand!" you yelled. "all i try to do is get you to love me because that's what a relationship is all about! i do everything for you and give you chance aftter chance. but no, you just HAVE to keep it up like you care about nothing i do for you!! what's the point dallas? why knock my heart around just 'cause you can't commit to anything?" by now tears welled up in your eyes, but your anger overshadowed the embarrassment you might have crying in front of dallas.

"i don't have to keep nothin' up doll, that's just me. man i thought this love problem you got goin' on in your head was a one time thing. if i knew you were always gonna be so emotional and stuck on tryin' to get love all the time then maybe i wouldn't have dated you at all!" dallas yelled back. you scoffed as you walked up to him, even angrier than before.

"god i hate you dallas! you're not fucking cool, and one day i hope you wake up and see that! the world isn't all bad you just make it out to be that way so you can have a reason to be miserable. i hate it all, and the thing i hate the most is that you just can't love me after all i do!" you gave dallas a little push at the last part. at this point, you couldn't stop the tears from flowing as you grabbed your stuff and walked home. not to mention, the whole argument was in front of the curtis' house. who needed tv when you had your weekly dallas and yn drama, huh?

seemingly on queue, rain started to pour, drenching you in water. you let out a huff in annoyance as you finally made it to your house, slamming your front door behind you.

meanwhile dallas stood in front of the curtis house still, watching you walk away. he tried to act like he didn't care, but deep down he knew he did. "did she get home safe? is she alright? man, i messed up. god, im a jerk. do i love her?" were the questions racing through his mind. he didn't know wether he should run to your house or keep going about his day like nothing happened.

the sound of the curtis' screen door closing brought back dallas' attention as darry walked up to him, trying to give whatever advice he could. "hey dal, maybe you guys should call it quits or somethin', i mean-"

"hey man how 'bout you shutup, alright? mind your own." dallas clapped back, interrupting darry. darry seemingly understood his defeat as he raised his hands in surrender and backed up into the house. all the guys asked what was going on, and as a response he just sighed and shook his head.

..

about an hour later you heard a knock on your door. assuming it was your best friend marcia, since you'd called her a couple minutes before to sleep over, you opened the door without checking who it was. to your surprise, you were met with dallas.

in his hand he had a rose, definitely stolen, some soda (i say pop where im from but whatever..), and a box of milk duds, also probably stolen.

you scoff out of shock before finally speaking. "dally? what's this?" you asked. dallas just rolled his eyes and responded "just let me in the house, man i wouldn't even be caught dead doin' this for anyone.." you couldn't help but grin as you let him in, closing the door behind him. yeah you guys had previously argued but, it felt good to be in dally's presence again..

you both took a seat on your bed, sitting in silence for a bit. finally, you decided you'd had enough of the tension. "so, you gonna explain where all this came from" you asked, pointing towards the items he'd brought you. "just thought i'd do somethin' nice man, that's it." he leaned back onto your bed a bit. "oh, sure okay." you responded dryly.

dallas sat back up and scooted towards you. "yn.." he said, making you look up and respond with a simple 'hm?'. "listen, i care about you alright? but you gotta stop with the saying you love me. i'm not a good guy and i don't do right all the time. you gotta love someone who ain't like me, alright?" you frowned at his words. "dallas, the way you see yourself is totally different than how i do. i know you've been through a lot that you'll probably never tell me about, but that doesn't mean anything in my eyes. i do love you and i won't stop saying it cause i know one day you'll say it back. sometimes you're a little cold, sometimes it's too cold for me here...but i'll keep tryin' anyways dally." you turned away from dallas as you spoke, tears filling up your eyes yet again.

dallas sighed and stayed quiet for a bit, seemingly thinking about what to say. finally, he replied "yeah, alright. hey ask me again in the future. maybe my world'll be different and i'll think about it, huh?" you told yourself "at least it was a start" as you nodded in response to dallas' words.

finally, you'd decided to move onto dallas' lap. he grinned as he leaned in to kiss you. and you guys kissed for a while too. dallas didn't need to say it, but you knew he loved you deep down.

and he knew it too.

yet still, you both awaited the next argument to come. after all, he's still (somewhat) the same old dally. only difference is you both knew he cared about you a bit (and sorta loved you too).

[adilynnyuri]

Hello - first of all I want you to thank for your answer you gave to the person who wants to revise her fathers death. It gave me so much hope as you found the words I needed. 🫶 ❤️‍🩹 Every day I come back to your words in my mind…

I am working on it because I miss my mum who is my soulmate - best friend and mother. So I am working on revision and manifesting a timeline where we are both together in happiness and relaxation❣️ You said in this post I read that for that I have to „build the belief“ that my mum is healthy and alive. This is what I am working on. But how can I deal with the 4D which tells me in so much circumstances that she isn’t here. I always tell myself that’s a different timeline but as my actual circumstances are really tough I guess I need more input if someone more experienced to bester dealing with it. What would you suggest? and is it necessary to revise the health situation or it’s better to focus on that she is now healthy and alive? And would you recommend to focus on this single change or is it possible to change some other things in this new timeline which makes our life more relaxed so that she can enjoy it more in this new timeline? What do you think?

Hiii lovee! 🤍

💝 I am SO SO GLAD that you found my posts helpful! I am way more GRATEFUL TO HAVE CUTIES LIKE Y'ALL!

Ok let's come to the topic!

⭐ I totally understand your situation. You cannot see "physical results" And it's pissing you off OR making you think that you are not doing much. But let me tell you!

🌀Physical reality which you are seeing with your eyes right now is just the reflection of your consistent dominant thoughts.

Like,

🍂What you would think if one day it was announced that the world is going to destroy?

"Omg I am going to die??? My favorite people are going to die?? I wanted to do sm thing-"

+ people around you will always remind you that the world is ACTUALLY gonna destroy and you are actually gonna BELIEVE IT BECAUSE YOU LET THAT THOUGHT COME AND FUCK YOUR MIND.

🍂Instead, if you just repeatedly reprogram your mind saying that

⭐ "Whatever it is, everything/everyone always works out in my favour"

If you ask me what would happen. Simply what you said to yourself repeatedly and made that "assumption" As a dominant thought will replicate in your reality.

AND LOVE! I AM ALWAYS THERE TO GUIDE YOU BUT I AM NOT THE ONE WHO DECIDES WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

That's the specialty of YOU. YOU ARE THE CREATOR OF YOUR OWN REALITY. SO YOU CAN DO/CHOOSE WHATEVER YOU WANTED!

🔮My success in revising death :

🌟 I literally manifested my uncle back who died 5-6 years ago. He was my favorite uncle and he died so soon which of course made me feel like shit. But yk what?

If it makes me feel like shit = it ain't true (my motto)

🌟 Now my uncle is literally talking with me whenever I want and YES IN MY REALITY HE IS ALIVE! BECAUSE I CHOSE THE REALITY IN WHICH HE'S ALIVE AND I AM HAPPY NOT IN THE REALITY IN WHICH HE WAS DEAD AND I WAS SAD + PEOPLE AROUND ME KEPT REMINDING ME THAT HE'S DEAD.

🌟 who cares? You should be strong like a rock. Stable asf. Get your desires by being stubborn. Simple.

With lots of love,

ADILYNN YURI🤍🌷

[evieismol]

Big Bend - Chapter Two

Cw: cursing, mentions of man eating giants (nothing comes of it)

Previous

.

.

.

Texas was really fucking big. Yeah, I knew that was like it's whole thing - “everything's bigger in Texas” - but I still hadn't been expecting it to be this big. I'd been driving all day, and I'd watched the sun move from the east to overhead to west and then finally disappear behind the horizon, leaving the faded orange sky that currently sprawled in front of me. I'd entered the state while the sun was somewhere between east and overhead, almost seven hours ago, and based on my phone's map, I still had another hour to go before I'd reach my destination. 

Growing up in Connecticut and having spent the last three years mostly staying in the same neighborhood in Seattle, I found myself more than a little shocked.

 I probably should have expected this, I thought. I mean, what was I expecting taking a job in the state with the aforementioned motto, at a place called Big Bend. 

Well, I wanted to get away from things, and by the looks of it, I've certainly succeeded at that at least.

Miles of desert stretched on for as far as the eye could see in every direction. 

Yup. Nailed it. 

Despite still being an hour away, I felt anxiety bubbling up in my stomach as I approached what was going to be both my new job and home. I'd never worked at a national park before. Granted, I'd only be working there as a gift shop clerk - not a cool job like being a park ranger. Still, it was entirely out of my comfort zone. Several days of driving out of my comfort zone, to be exact. 

The job offered room and board, though, and when it was between spending the last of my money on gas and driving to the other side of the country versus hoping to get a bed at a women's shelter that already didn't have enough beds, I would apparently choose the first option. 

I just really hoped I didn't regret it. 

The dim orange sky continued to fade as I drove on. Hotel California played faintly over the radio. When the sky was almost entirely dark, I finally saw it. 

The large wood sign sat on the side of the road. There was just enough light left to make out the words. I slowed to a crawl as I drove past.

“Big Bend National Park,” I murmured. “Here goes way more than nothing.” 

I continued on, the sign fading into gray dusk as I sped up again. It wasn't long before lights appeared in front of me. They grew larger quickly. Soon, the navigation on my phone showed I'd arrived at my destination. Panther Junction. As I stared at the lights in front of me in the otherwise dark desert, it hit me that I hadn't quite arrived at my destination. Not exactly. I'd been told to go to Panther Junction, where I'd be working and living, but instructions beyond that were unclear. The series of roads, parking lots, and buildings in front of me left far more options than I would have liked. The main visitor center, a two story building with what looked like a balcony, was dark. That eliminated that option, at least. The parking lot in front was also empty, and seemed like a decent enough place to park and start looking for someone who might know where I was supposed to be. 

I mean, someone has to know, right? I just really hoped that someone wasn't solely me. I pulled into a parking spot, turned my car off, and climbed out into to crisp night air. Looking around, it seemed like the lights I'd seen were behind the visitor center, so I decided I'd start there. 

God, I'd so be the first person to die in a horror. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've seen a horror movie that starts like this. 

I pushed those thoughts aside and started walking, reminding myself that this wasn't a horror movie. The walk towards the lights was silent aside from crickets. It grew steadily larger in front of me. 

Wait. 

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, and I neared the lights, I realized something was off with the perspective. They were growing larger far too fast for any building I could imagine existing out here. Not only that, but they seemed to be sinking lower. 

If that building is so big, shouldn't they be getting higher up? 

It took several moments for me to figure out what I was staring at. All the while, I edged closer to the lights. 

Maybe it's an optical illusion? A mirage? Those happen in deserts, right? 

I was hardly an expert in deserts, but I felt like I'd heard somewhere that mirage had something to do with sun and heat, both of which the night was currently lacking. 

As I drew closer, I became even more confused. The lights belonged to a building that sat in a canyon in front of me. That alone wasn't weird. What was, though, were both the size and proportions of the building. It looked like a camper. The vintage kind that wouldn't seem out of place on a postcard from a national park. However, it was at least several hundred feet tall, obscured only by the canyon it lay in. Speaking of the canyon - I should be nearing the edge. I cautiously lifted my phone’s light from directly in front of me to further out. Just as I'd guessed, there was a sharp drop off about seven feet away. It was just barely illuminated by my phone's light. Deciding I didn't want to add “falling off a sheer cliff in the middle of nowhere” to the day's activities, I started to trace the edge of the cliff with my light, moving it to my left.

 And then almost dropped it seconds later. 

It took me a moment once again to process what I was looking at, and when I did, my eyes widened. The person sitting against the cliff wall to my side was huge. Even that descriptor felt like an understatement. He was large enough that my brain had registered him as another rock formation in the darkness as I'd been walking up, because surely a living being couldn't be that large. 

Well, I guess that explains the giant building. 

And raises about a dozen more questions. 

He was tall enough that my flashlight only actually illuminated a portion of the green sweater he was wearing. He noticed me mere moments after I noticed him, and his eyes widened. I felt like he probably also would have almost dropped his flashlight if he'd been carrying one. He quickly took out his airpods - or airpod lookalikes, since I wasn't sure they made airpods that big. 

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," I said quickly. 

"It's fine," he said, looking more confused than I felt. "I mean, I'm sorry. I didn't hear you walk up, I was listening to music." 

"I'm kind of surprised you heard me at all. Wait, should I be talking louder?" I wasn't really sure what the etiquette was for talking to giants, admittedly.

In fact, the term ‘giant’ in itself was something of an umbrella term. There were technically several kinds of beings from various realms that were referred to as giants. Some more humanoid than others, some larger than others. The most well known, and common, around Earth were Tyastrons. I'd worked with one briefly during a summer job when I was in high-school. I was fairly certain I didn't remember her being anywhere near the size of the young man in front of me, though. She had been around 40 feet tall. That was still positively ginormous to me, at 5’5”. The giant in front of me would have easily dwarfed her, though. Even sitting down, he was at least 100 feet tall. 

 He shook his head. 

"No, you're good. Really good hearing is like an Aphirial thing-" 

"You're an Aphirial?" I asked, realizing I cut him off halfway through my question. I cringed internally. 

I remembered hearing that name a few times in the past. Mostly in connection with campfire tales or horror films. They were like, super scary man eating giants, in both of said works.

Fuck, I would so be the first person to die in a horror movie. 

“...yeah.” He answered my question in a cautious tone. 

Now that my eyes had adjusted more, and I was focusing on him, I could make out some more details of his appearance. His hair was his most striking feature. It was a pale blonde - almost white - that I would have assumed was the result of bleach, if I wasn't unsure as to whether or not Aphirials could or did bleach their hair. It fell down to his shoulders, framing a pair of green eyes and a face that looked about my age, despite being several times the size of my entire body. 

Said eyes glittered with apprehension. His brows were drawn together. Overall, no indications of human eating or any other kind of malice. If he wanted to hurt me, he had already had plenty of opportunity to do so. It wouldn’t take much effort for him to reach up and grab me. He made no move to do so. 

Okay, so he’s probably not going to kill me. Right now, at least. 

I probably should have been more concerned at that possibility, but I’d had a very trying past couple of months. 

“So…you like, live out here?” I asked finally. 

“oh-yeah! I'm going to work here. I mean, I live here because of that. I'm going to be a park ranger here.” 

The last sentence made something click in my memory - a tirade from Jack I'd almost forgotten about. One of many, and one I'd been too relieved hadn't been about me to remember. A few months ago he'd been upset about some national park hiring an Aphirial. 

"That's cool," I said. Mostly because it was the first thing to come to mind.

 "I wanted to be a park ranger when I was a kid."  That had been the second thing to come to mind.

 I thankfully didn't say the third thing, which was that I probably didn't have to worry about him eating me then if he was a park ranger, because that had to go against job rules. Instead, I skipped to the fourth. 

“I'm going to be working here too. Not as anything as cool as a park ranger. Just in the gift shop. Speaking of which…I'm glad I ran into you then, because I just got in, and I wasn't really sure where I was supposed to go, but I saw your lights off in the desert and thought maybe someone would be out here.” 

“Huh," Easton said, in a way that made me pretty sure he was also thinking about my lack of survival instinct in wandering off into the dark desert. “I'm not entirely sure. I'll try to help figure it out, though - I bet John might know, or know someone who knows anyways.” 

Before I could question who John was, he continued. “You have no idea who John is, though. Uh, he works for the IMA, technically, but now he also works at the park. As my supervisor. Which I think is a fancy way of saying handler - anyways, uh, why don't I just go get him?” 

“Yeah, sure,” I said. “Thank you.” 

“Will you be alright here?” He asked, gesturing to the dark desert around us. 

I shrugged. “Oh, yeah. What's the worst that can happen, a flesh pedestrian mimics my late mother's voice and lures me out into the night to steal my skin?” 

He gave me an confused look. "I-uh-what?'

"Just joking. I'll be fine,” I said, wincing at my awkward attempt at humor. I'd never been good at it. Or really talking to people in general. Apparently that hadn't changed, even if the person in question was the size of a building.

“Right. Uh, okay, I'll be back in a just a minute,” he said. “I'm just going to stand up and walk over to the trailer.” 

I thought it was a bit unnecessary for him to announce his movements, until he actually stood up. Even though I could have guessed he was somewhere around two hundred feet tall based on his size while sitting, the reality of what that meant hit me like a freight train as he drew himself up to his full height. His face had been almost level with the cliff edge I stood on previously. Now he towered over me. And the cliff itself. I swallowed. It was somewhere between surreal, terrifying, and really cool to be looking up at someone the size of a small skyscraper. To be interacting with them. 

The giant paused, looking down at me. 

“Sorry, what was your name?” 

“Oh, right. I'm Zoey. Zoey Summers. What was yours?” 

“Easton Parks.” 

“Park Ranger Parks,” I noted with a small laugh.  

“It is a little ironic, isn't it? You can just call me Easton, though.” He laughed softly as well. “Anyways, I won't be long getting John, and I'm sure he'll at least know who to contact.” 

I nodded, then wondered if he could even see it, between my size and the darkness. He gave a short nod of his own in response. Apparently he could. 

I watched him turn and begin to move toward the giant trailer. As he did, I noticed a sort of tremor in the ground beneath me. It took me a second to put together it was caused by his footsteps. 

Damn. 

He disappeared into the trailer shortly, leaving me alone in the dark desert once more to ponder what had just happened. Out of all the things I'd been expecting to find out here, an Aphirial was very much not one of them. Still, he seemed quite nice, and he was helping me. I'd take a helpful Aphirial over an unhelpful Human any day, I decided. 

It didn't take long for Easton to return. He seemed to be just as alone at first. As he drew nearer, though, I could make out that he was holding something in one hand. It wasn't until he had announced he was going to crouch down, and was once again almost eye level with the cliff, that I realized what it was. Or more, who it was. The man in the center of his looked older than both of us by at least a decade. Despite the fact that he was literally in someone's hand, he possessed an air of authority noticeable even from where I stood. Easton slowly lowered his hand to the cliff. The man - John, I guessed - climbed off smoothly. 

“So, you must be Zoey.” 

Next

[jaegeraether]

Sunsets and footballers (Part 6)

Lucy Bronze x Reader (6)

Masterlist (other parts here)

Jordan and YFN were comfortably spread out on the couch, an array of snacks laid out on the blanket they were sharing. YFN hadn’t told Jordan about her interaction with Lucy yet, and she was a little worried about doing so. The last thing she wanted was for Jordan to feel like she was less important. She still had no idea what was happening, and the fact that she was just on a spontaneous holiday sat in the back of her mind, but she kept it back there. She didn’t have a job or worries, she knew that she might meet people along the way who would be meaningful in her life. She was already so close to Jordan that she couldn’t imagine being back across the other side of the world from her, let alone whatever she had with Lucy. Was Lucy just looking for a quick fuck because she knew YFN was only here for 2 weeks? She ignored that thought, knowing that whatever was happening between them was far more than just a casual fling. But was it even possible to have more? And did they both want that?

She internally groaned. She hated overthinking things, it just wasn’t her. She was much more care-free than that. She happily pushed all of those thoughts aside and reminded herself of her motto. Whatever happens, happens. As long as she maintained respect for herself and those involved, she would happily be involved in whatever this was with Lucy.

Jordan nudged her foot as she texted. “Luce said the dinner party’s done and she has some gossip. Would you mind if she comes over?”

Yes, please. “Not at all.”

“Excellent. She’ll be here in 5.”

The restaurant was much further away than that, so she knew Lucy must have already been on her way. Oh, she was excited.

Five minutes later, Lucy knocked and entered without permission. Jordan didn’t seem phased, this must have been a common thing with them. Lucy found them in the living room looking quite comfortable on the couch.

“How’s the food poisoning?”

“I think all of these snacks have made it worse, to be honest.” YFN laughed.

Lucy’s eyes widened at the amount of snacks covering the two. Jordan saw this and defended them. “Don’t judge us, we’re feeling our emotions.”

Lucy laughed and gave a little leap over the couch to sit on YFN’s free side. She kicked her shoes off and YFN lifted the blanket they shared, pulling it to cover Lucy’s legs also. Lucy loved the thoughtfulness and stretched her legs out. Jordan threw a few different snacks over to Lucy.

“Are these sad or happy emotions?” Lucy asked.

“A bit of both,” YFN shrugged. “Subject to change with your gossip.”

“Ah,” Lucy didn’t have much gossip. She really just wanted an excuse to be around her. “Well.. when you left Leah asked me a few questions. She wanted to know who YFN was and where you were from, whether you two were in a relationship-” her finger gestured to the two of them.

“-wait,” Jordan cut her off. “She was jealous?”

“Mmn.. maybe a little to be honest. And protective.”

Jordan scoffed. “She has no right!”

“Oh I know, but feelings don’t just disappear that quickly…” Her extended foot touched YFN’s under the blanket which caused her body to flinch but Lucy noticed she didn’t move away. Jordan didn’t notice. “She still cares for you, Jords. You know that. She was upset, she just wants to talk to you. From our conversation she seems to miss your friendship.”

Jordan was quiet.

“You know you miss her friendship also,” YFN said softly as she leant over to squeeze Jordan’s hand.

“Argh yeah, you’re right, I do… but YFN and I have been talking a lot and I think I just need my space. I can’t give her what she wants right now.”

Lucy nodded. “Maybe you should tell her that..”

“Well I planned to tonight but I just couldn’t. She took me by surprise when she came over and I wasn’t ready.”

“Maybe… maybe it would be easier to text? Face to face is better but I think she’ll understand a text, Dory.”

Jordan sighed and nodded. “I’ve been thinking the same to be fair. Can you help me?”

“You mean can I do it all and you proof-read?” YFN chuckled. “Anything for you.”

Jordan gave an exaggeratingly toothy grin and tossed her phone over with a loud air smooch. YFN wrote out a message she thought would be sufficient. Lucy watched her little face concentrating as she quickly wrote.

Leah: Hey, I really appreciate you trying to have a chat with me tonight, and I’m sorry I wasn’t really responsive. I’m not going to throw all of my baggage onto you, but you need to know the basics. The truth is that I really haven’t been doing well after losing you and then deciding I had to leave Arsenal. Being left off the England Squad was the nail in the coffin for me. I played tough but it hit me harder than I realised, harder than anything has, really. I will always love you, you’re an incredible human being and an even better friend. I did hear what you were saying tonight and appreciate that you want us to be friends, but I just can’t give that to you right now. I don’t have the capacity. I’m working on myself and will continue to do so. I hope when I’m a bit more healed and feeling like myself that you’ll still want to be friends and we can go back to that. I miss our friendship.

I’m sorry I couldn’t say all of this to you tonight, I’ll admit I chickened out.

Take care of yourself Leah x

YFN read out the message to them both. God, she was good with words, Lucy thought.

Jordan also seemed impressed. “Can you add ‘I’m really lucky to have some good friends around me’ please? She’ll worry otherwise. Well, she’ll worry regardless but it’ll make her feel better.”

YFN nodded and added it in. She gave the phone back to Jordan who sent the message, then took a deep breath and threw her phone to the other end of the couch.

“I’m really proud of you, Jords,” Lucy stated softly. The emotion in her voice was evident. YFN didn’t like seeing Lucy upset and she brushed the back of her hand up against Lucy’s under the blanket. They both twitched at the contact and then hesitantly hooked pinkie’s together. They both smiled and relaxed.

“Thanks Luce,” Jordan said, tired. “I feel so much better already.”

The trio sat silently and continued watching their movie. With the stress of that burden now eased off her, Jordan fell asleep in minutes, her little body curled up in the corner of the couch, her mouth slightly open. The other two were very aware that their feet and pinkie’s were still touching.

“Can we talk?” Lucy whispered to avoid waking Jordan. Her head was leaning back on the couch and she was staring at YFN like she had been for the past few minutes. YFN had been too involved in the movie to notice. She broke her eyes away and found Lucy’s face. Lucy’s face was welcome sight and she had a very vulnerable look in her eyes.

“Sure… this is my favourite movie. Do you like it?” She whispered, cheekily avoiding a deeper conversation.

“The Taming of the Shrew?”

YFN’s eyes lit up. “Most people don't know that it’s loosely based off Shakespeare. I’m impressed. You must be a hopeless millennial romantic like me.”

Lucy just grinned, watching her get so excited about a movie.

“Plus, how attractive is Heath Ledger in this, hm?”

Lucy raised an eyebrow in question at her attraction to a man.

YFN grinned back cheekily. “Hey, I can admire a pretty person. Plus he’s from Perth in Western Australia, just like me.”

Lucy reached out with her free hand and touched the little dimple on her cheek gently. It was the complete opposite of the aggressive Lucy she’d seen on the pitch.

“I love this.”

YFN’s breathing started getting ragged and she had to blink and suck in a deep breath. Lucy grinned at the impact she had on her. YFN gestured to her grin. “And I love that.”

They spoke at the exact same time then.

“I want to get to know you be-”

“We acted on lust.”

Lucy was surprised but she nodded. “Yes, we did. Can you blame us?”

“No.. not really. I think it was more my fault than yours.”

“Ohhhh no. No, you’re not taking any blame for that. You can give that blame to me, or we can share it. I was flirting with you all night.”

“I know..” she whispered. “I liked it.”

Lucy took a risk and moved her hand to entangle their fingers completely. YFN covered the back of Lucy’s hand with her second one and pulled it onto her lap. Lucy sucked in a breath. She wanted to feel her, taste her, make her moan and cry and call her name. She pushed the thought aside and cleared her throat.

“I’m only here for another week and a half.”

“Jords said you were a writer? You can write, and travel. You can write, and stay. We can explore… this. I know it’s selfish of me to even ask but I have contracts in England and Spain.”

“I’ve never been to Spain.”

“You’ll love it, and you’ll love Narla.”

“Narla?”

“My little fur baby. She’s a Westie.” Lucy looked like a proud mum.

Her eyes lit up. “Oh, I want to meet her.”

“Spain is great,” she continued. “Tapas, good food, relaxed vibe, we’re down at the beach most mornings or evening watching the sunrise or sunset.”

“I miss good beaches.” She stroked the back of Lucy’s hand with her thumb.

“Well, they’re not ‘Australia good’ but they they’re pretty decent.”

“To be honest Lucy, I have no idea what I’m going to do. Dory and I get along so well, and I know she has other friends, but I feel like she’s leaning on me a bit at the moment and needs me. So I can’t see myself leaving soon anyways.. I want to just stay and be there for her, you know? Plus Birmingham sounds interesting.”

Lucy nodded slowly, thinking. “Well that’s much closer than you going back to Australia. There’s an airline that does direct from Birmingham to Barcelona and it’s quite cheap also.”

“You’ve been thinking about this a bit..”

Lucy gave a sheepish shrug. “Hopeless millennial romantic, remember?”

They smiled and played with each other’s hands, leaning towards each other.

“We have no idea what this is..” YFN sounded unsure.

Lucy wanted to reassure her and so she opened herself up. “You’re right, we have no idea what this is. All I know is that I can’t get you out of my head. I’ve been thinking about you, and even dreaming about you since we first met. And I’m so thankful that you and Jordan are friends so that I get to see you. I want us to explore this.. whatever it is. I want to see where this goes, because I haven’t felt this in a long time – no… scratch that - I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before, and I want so much more.” YFN was staring at her with a vulnerable, empathetic expression, her lips partially parted. Lucy continued. “I want so much more now, I wanted so much more when I met you, and I definitely wanted so much more in that bathroom.”

YFN’s pupils dilated and she could feel herself getting excited. She squirmed in her seat and felt her cheeks redden. Lucy noticed this and felt YFN’s hands press hers down further, closer to her core as she stroked her hand a bit more nervously. She assumed that YFN didn’t know she had done this as she could see her thinking hard.

Lucy leant over to her and tucked a fallen strand of hair behind her ear. “Tell me what you’re thinking..”

YFN sighed. “You’ve been really honest with me, and so I’ll be really honest with you. I don’t think I’ve ever been this attracted to someone in my life so I’m struggling to even think at the moment.” Lucy chuckled and felt proud of herself. “My main concern is that I don’t want Dory to be hurt or put out.”

Lucy squeezed her hand in reassurance. “She’s one of my best mates. I’ll have a chat to her in the morning, okay?”

“A gentle chat, please.” She pleaded with her blue eyes. “If she’s at all put off or uncomfortable-”

“-then I’ll let you know and we’ll go from there.” Lucy finished. “So.. let’s have a date then, shall we? Tomorrow night?”

“I’m not sure if I can spend a night with you without lust taking over.”

“What’s the problem with that? We can save the drive and have a date at my house instead. I’ll cook.” Lucy knew it was cheeky but worth a try.

Lucy watched YFN roll her eyes but genuinely stop to think about it. She squirmed again and Lucy loved it.

“What time..?”

[hikarimiyanaga]

The Queen's Bride (Part 2)

Warnings : Omegaverse. Stark!Reader. Omega!Reader x Alpha!Daenerys Targaryen. Modern!AU.

Taglist : @kelloggs4cereal

-

You go back to your apartment and immediately see Jon just lounging around.

"You have your own apartment, you know?" You glare at him as you put down your bag.

"Where were you all day yesterday? I even called Oberyn and he told me you left your class fast."

"I was with Arya! Also, why are you looking for me??"

"Ygritte wanted a date." You raise an eyebrow at him.

"So?? The fuck are you telling me this for??" Jon rolls his eyes at you.

"Should I accept or not??"

"Jon. You are going to marry the girl. You'll become part of their family. Go on a date. It's not like you're busy, right?"

"Hey! I'm learning to be a kn-"

"A what? Knight? Do you think the Lannisters would allow it? Their head is part of the inner council." Jon scoffs at you.

"So is Uncle Ned!"

"Father doesn't have that much sway in that circle though, unlike Tywin." You sit besides him and sigh. "Tywin Lannister is scary as fuck. I think he has no conscience considering his treatment of his own youngest son."

"I still can't believe that you're friends with th-" You glare at him and pinch his hand before he could finish his sentence. "Tyrion! Ow!"

"He's smart. That's enough reason to be his friend." You grab his cost from the couch and toss it to his face. "Go on that date. Get to know your future wife."

"But-"

"No buts, Jon. You came here for advice. Get to know her." You smile at him. "You might actually like her."

"Fine. Fine. You win." Jon stands and puts on his coat. "See you next week?"

"We do have to study for history. So yes."

"Nice. Bye!" He dashes out of the apartment and leaves you alone with your thoughts.

'A date, huh?' You get your phone and look at your messages. Nothing new. You open your WestBook and search her name.

Daenerys Targaryen.

It seems that she's the youngest of all Targaryen kids right now. With Rhaegar being the heir right now.

You sigh at the picture. It was her with her family, all around the iron throne.

That's right. The Targaryen Family are the current ones sitting on the Iron Throne. Respected as the Family who is heading the Westeros Conglomerate and the only ones who has a connection with the dragons.

'If someone is really going to trial themselves with the dragons then it's my chance to see one.' You scroll and hum.

She's 18 Just like you. Also a freshman at Westeros University. It seems like she's studying Ruling and Taming Beasts. Both are official courses at the University.

You hum. Seems like Targaryen kids have more freedom unlike you.

'Fucking management.' You wanted to be a knight. Or maybe even a magician. But your Father pushed this course onto you and wanted no arguments. He said that this was the easiest course in the University and should be no problem for an omega like you. You shake your head of the memory.

"Fucking hells." You stand and get a glass of water for yourself.

When you say your last name, commoners either look at you with awe or disgust. Nobles usually look down on you. After all, The Starks were never on the top 3 Families in Westeros.

The Top 3 usually consists of the Targaryens, The Lannisters and the Baratheons. All three always vying for the Iron Throne.

You look at your phone again and click to message her.

You were about to send something when someone else messages you first.

Jaime Lannister has sent you a request.

You raise an eyebrow at the notification and immediately message Tyrion.

You : Is your brother on crack??? Why the fuck is he messaging me??

Tyrion replied immediately.

Tyrion : They found out that you were hanging out with me. Sorry.

You hum.

You : No worries about it, Ty. Tell him that I have no interest in him.

Tyrion : Oh. Got it. Have you got your fiancé yet?

You : Yes. Daenerys Targaryen.

Tyrion : OPPOSITE MOTTOS?????

You groan at the reminder. It felt like your father really took this arrangement out of his ass. It felt like he licked the current king's boots just for this.

And no way that it was to the Targaryen's benefits. Maybe they just wanted a new omega in their midst.

'Oh. Probably.' You realize. There have been too many beta results among the nobles. Omegas like you were basically like really rare among the nobles. Betas are like the last option when it comes to arranged marriages. After all, when it comes to pregnancy, omegas are more known to have greater pregnancy rates than betas.

You shudder at the thought then tears were on your eyes.

Did your Father arrange you to become a-

You sob as you fall to the ground.

You didn't want to think about it.

You didn't want to fall into that rabbit hole.

You didn't want to think about that way about your father.

But it's times like these that made you really want to kill yourself ever since you found that you were an omega. You sob as you hug your knees to yourself.

A breeder. What a term. It hasn't been used for five centuries but that was because people kept finding ways to disguise it.

But that was basically what you are. Easiest course. Grand apartment. The top Family in Westeros. It all fit like a perfect puzzle.

"I'm a fucking joke." You say to no one as you realize your predicament. It's why he found someone so fast. Maybe people even begun offering to him after your result was out. You didn't know. You don't want to know. You just wanted to be numb right now.

You text Oberyn.

You : I need to be numb.

His reply was surprisingly fast.

Oberyn : Numb how??

You : Like I can forget who I am.

Oberyn : I'll bring some to your apartment. Take it alone. I can't guarantee your safety if an Alpha is there with you.

You : What kind of- you know what. Fuck it. Bring it.

Oberyn : Gotcha. Will be there in a few minutes. Make sure to lock everything.

You change your clothes and wait for Oberyn. You didn't want to feel anything. Specially not this helplessness that persisted ever since you found out that you were an omega.

You hear a knock on the door and open it.

"Here. It'll last for the night. You'll feel numb af. Did you lock everything?" He asks and you nod. "Air vents? You don't want to let Alphas know you took this." You open up the air vents and Oberyn hums. "I like you, Y/N. Amongst all the nobles here in Westeros, you are one of the honorable ones." He holds out the small bag. "I get it. I have a sister who is an omega. But do not let this be a habit. I'm only helping just this once."

"I'm not going to be an addict. I just- I want to forget just for a night." Oberyn hugs you tightly and you sniff, trying to keep the tears at bay.

"Good luck, Stark. Don't be a stranger." You smile slightly at him then lock your door. You double check everything then lock yourself in your room. You get the drug and quickly consume it. You didn't know what it was. You didn't want to know what it was.

After a few minutes, you started to feel the effect and was just staring in space.

That was the last thing you remember.

-

You wake up groggily and look at the clock. 8 am. What happened?

You look around and hum.

Right. Drugs. Forgetting.

"Fucking- my head hurts." You look at your phone and see the messages.

Oberyn : Remember to take the day off and rest. You'll need it.

Jon : The date is on Saturday. Will you help me choose clothes?

You groan as you stand and get to the bathroom. You get some medicine and drink it.

"Sleep. I need more sleep."

-

You get up four hours later and sigh in relief. Your headache is gone. You get your phone again and hum as you see no new messages. Thank god.

You drink a glass of water and sigh in relief. Your phone rings and you see that it was an unknown number. You answer it cautiously.

"Hello?"

"Hi there, Ms. Stark." You raise an eyebrow at the unfamiliar voice. You look at you phone in confusion before replying.

"Uh... Do I know who this is?" You hear the voice chuckle and hum.

"You probably should. After all, I am your fiancé."

"What?"

"I'm Daenerys Targaryen. Can we meet for coffee?"

-

You were in your favorite cafe, one that was run by two wives. You were drinking hot chocolate when Daenerys finally arrived. Almost everyone in the cafe stopped what they were doing and stared. You can't even blame them.

The Targaryens' signature silver hair flowed smoothly through her shoulders. You were drooling. At least you think you are. You quickly wipe off your mouth as Daenerys stops in front of the counter. She orders her drink then looks around. You were spotted so you quickly open your phone and pretend you haven't been staring and drooling at her since she walked inside. You hear her footsteps and your focus immediately shifted.

"Y/N Stark, right?" You put down your phone and Jesus. She is fucking ethereal.

"Yes. Uh- Daenerys?" She smiles and you blush.

"Yes. Daenerys Targaryen, nice to meet you." She says as she takes a seat in front of you.

"Oh, um. Nice to meet you too. I honestly didn't think I would see you before our well-"

"Wedding?" She confirms and you blush.

"Yep. Most fiancés never really meet each other before so. When you contacted me well-"

"Surprise." She smiles at you. You feel your heart racing as you look at her. Shit, were you really falling in just the first date. You gulp. Yes, you were.

"So, um, what did you want to talk to me about?" Daenerys was about to answer when her name was called. She stands and you quickly try to calm your heart down. "We need rules."

"What?"

"Rules. As you are now my fiancé, you are also a de facto member of the Targaryen House and so we need to establish rules that you have to follow."

"We're not even married-"

"Yet. Yes. But still."

"No one knows about our engagement. Only the elders and us-"

"I will let the public know."

"Why?"

"Because I'm proud to have an Omega as my fiancé." There it was. A stab in your heart. Your hands shake and you clench your fists.

"What rules then?"

-

You put the laminated paper on your kitchen counter and sigh. You didn't think that Daenerys was serious but here it was. On your kitchen counter.

"Fucking hell." You grab your emergency stash of bourbon and pour yourself a glass. Your phone rings and you look at it. You answer it.

"Y/N. Where are you?"

"I'm at my apartment, Father. Can I do anything to assist you?"

"I see. Will you be able to go home tonight?"

"Yes? Is there anything happening tonight?"

"Yes. The Lannisters are throwing a gala and I need you to attend."

"Oh. Me?"

"Yes. Rob will be coming along with you."

"Oh. But I don't have any-"

"A suit is already prepared for you in the house. Go wear it."

"Of course. I will be there shortly, then." You groan and put away the bourbon. "This day is driving me nuts."

-

A/N:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Readers!

[northlt03]

Read The Secret History for the first time and I got obsessed with it so I wrote smth. Kind of want to write a whole fic but should I ??

Does such a thing as the “fatal flaw” so prominent in Ancient Greek myths and plays exist? And if so, what makes it fatal? What makes it have the power to unravel a person from the inside out? To be the very reason behind their downfall? To be the reason behind the madness they descend into.

My given, legal name is Bartemius Crouch Jr, after my rather self absorbed father. I am twenty three years old and this is my suicide letter.

I do believe such a thing exists. A fatal flaw. Something in the core of one’s soul, one’s psyche. Something fixed and immutable. A core part of one, around which the rest of their being is built.

Mine, I would like to think, would be something striking, perhaps climactic and dramatic. A morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs.

That sounds like something an old friend of mine might say. In a way, my writing of the events that follow, is a letter to him. To justify, perhaps, or to explain. I am not asking for forgiveness or understanding. This is simply a recount of what happened. 

As is the case, the search for “aesthetic” might not be my fatal flaw at all. It is pride, or perhaps hubris, as the Greeks called it. A call for attention. I did this! We did this! Oh we’re all sick bastards but how fucking glorious was it?

Perhaps a smarter man might analyze that, sit me down and ask me why I feel like announcing this to the world. Is it because of the lack of attention I had growing up from my father? Or the feeling of being absolutely inconsequential and meaningless? 

I grew up hearing, listening, reading, about old men and women who went on soliloquies, about the importance of family. Blood maketh family. Toujours puur, was the motto of my friend’s family. That is what all the adults believed around me, while I was young and even now.

Family above all else.

I feel as though they might have exaggerated the consequence of a family, making me believe I would never be greater than my father, that all my existence would be tainted by his. I would follow in his footsteps as a lawyer or perhaps a public servant and waste away like he did, with a wife and a child I never wanted.

Now, writing down my bitterness for my family, I may come across as a bit harsh. But that is the truth.

My father, a lawyer, who settled down in the south of England in a quiet sort of city, had never wanted to get married, nor to have a child. The fact was painfully established. Clear even to me as a child. I was unwanted. I was a hindrance, just another mouth to feed. Then as a teenager, a recalcitrant, rebellious waste of space.

I had a few friends growing up, none of them significant. I had always felt a shadow of dread, something rotten in my core, perhaps my fatal flaw. And it was this that other people, even children my age, could sense. I suppose that is why I was so swept up in the romance of it all at college. My first real friends, the ones who understood me, just as rotten and downright ugly on the inside.

It sounds shameless and repulsive on paper, but it is one thing to read about the events and another entirely to live through them, to live despite them, though I won’t much longer.

In my younger years, I did not have much of an affinity to the classics. I found them boring and incessant. It would be long until I grew to love everything I despised about them.

My father was a tall man, someone who, to me, had always seemed foreign and distant. We shared the same name (a bit egotistical in my opinion to name one’s son after oneself), and according to my mother, even shared the same features (a sharp nose, dark brown eyes, a distant stare, and a slim figure). I never accepted the comparison as a compliment. Even now, when it has been years since I’ve seen my parents, I detest even the mention of my father. 

It is one thing to not want children and another entirely to have one you feel nothing for and push him to fulfill your ambitions that you never achieved.

The trajectory of my life had been decided by him since before I could put one foot in front of the other.

I was to study law, like him, from a better university than him, then with my practices, I was to support my aging parents once my father retired. I have now a few hundred pounds to my name, and I leave it all to them. It is a bitter sort of ending. They will not know about my death until the papers tomorrow.

My mother, in contrast, is a meek woman. She had always been that way and will stay that way until she dies. Passive, docile, doing what my father requests because she is in love with a ghost of a man who aged and turned vile.

She used to tell me stories of their youth. How she had met my father at college, a smart, brilliant, animated young man with great ambitions. She had been charmed instantly. And that is perhaps her fatal flaw. To see someone or something and immediately assume the best of it. To ignore the abuse she endured, and to try and convince me, her son, to see her husband in the same light she saw him— a hard working family man who despite his aloofness and distance, ultimately wanted the best for me.

I don’t know what magical land my mother lived in, nor what rose tinted glasses she looked at my father with.

My only impetus through most of my life was the fact that I never wished to be like my father. I would rather die before I became that cold husk of a man. Rather funny how life works out.

Now I am sitting here in a rented apartment at midnight, scrawling desperately while the love of my life snores in the bed behind me. The only light is the candle burning, something that reminds us both of our old friend. Tomorrow, we will join him.

But for now, I am my past.

My father could have accepted the sciences as a career had I chosen them. If I wanted to be a doctor or perhaps a veterinarian even. He would have been displeased, but ultimately be persuaded. It was my attraction to the Arts and Humanities he despised.

Though my involvement with them was largely an accident.

I was rather lazy in my first two years of college, content to just drift through life (another thing my father disliked). It was in my first year I chose Greek simply because the classes were only twice a week and both times late in the afternoon. That should give you an idea that I truly did not intend for everything to play out the way it did.

A butterfly effect so aptly called.

Had I known I would change the trajectory of my life this way, would I still choose that Greek class in the afternoon? (Now, listening to the soft snores behind me, the answer is obvious. Yes. Of course).

I was nineteen when my life changed. A quite unruly teenager who dramatized his life because he was afraid it would amount to nothing. I wrote in my diary, similar to the one I am now writing in, about everything and nothing. 

I would write about the colors of the flowers in the spring, the first breath of fresh air after I had not left my house in some time, the vexatious and futile rituals of teenagehood the rest of my peers conducted, the loneliness I felt, trapped in that house, like my father’s hand constantly squeezing my throat, making it hard to breathe.

It was this diary my father had found, through my own fault. He was rarely, if ever home. He spent nights and days out, never informing my mother of his whereabouts. It left her wondering and fearing for his safety. Though a few days later he would come stumbling back with no explanations.

Sometimes I wanted to hold her by her shoulders and shake her. 

Look at him. I wanted to scream, but for fear of becoming a shadow of my father, I did not. Look at his pathetic state! At the secrecy he employs. Business retreats he calls them! And what about the lipstick stains on his blazer?

My mother was either blind in love or a fool.

I hate to think I am a son of those two. 

I hate to think I am no different from them.

I had always wanted to run away. Even as a child. I would dream about running into the woods, a mile out from the city. I had quite the imagination then. I would live in a tree, build my own house with my seven year old hands and live right there. I would never see my parents again. 

I had written about my urge to run away as well in my diary. 

My father found it tucked between the cushions of the sofa after I had fallen asleep the previous night writing in it and retired to bed, forgetting about the notebook. 

There was screaming, a few objects thrown. An anger at the way I had written about him and my mother. It was all truth, of course. I never knew why he had the audacity to treat us the way he did, but not enough courage to own up to it, denying it entirely and loathing the truth I wrote about him. He could not hope to face the man he had become and took it all out on me.

I slammed the door of my bedroom hard enough for the frames on the walls outside to rattle. No one could bring out my father’s worst traits in me better than the man himself.

The day was cold, my windows closed. I wanted a breath of fresh air, but with my bad luck that day, I probably would have lost my balance and fallen out of my window and broken my neck on the pavement below.

That’s when my eyes fell on the brochure, shoved carelessly in my closet somewhere when I had been looking for colleges. My father had insisted on some local college not far from the house to cut back on the cost of living had I gone somewhere across the country or continent. 

We weren’t poor, exactly. Not rich either. And the campus on the brochure made it clear Hogwarts University of Humanities and Arts was not for people like me. With its grand castle-like buildings, the rolling hills that surrounded it, blanketed by snow in the winter when the photo had been taken, and the classical medieval looking classrooms inside, I wanted it more than anything I had ever wanted.

Greed, I suppose, could also be a flaw of mine. I am chock full of flaws. All the sins rolled into one. Although I hope you wouldn’t hold that against me. It is so much more interesting to get swept up in the amorality of it all.

From the moment I had laid my eyes on the brochure, I knew I wouldn’t stop at anything. I wanted to be there and I would. Sometimes my ambition showed through. Greed, ambition, hubris, maybe not concerning on their own. 

I flipped through the brochure, eyes scanning the important parts of the text. Perhaps if I could get a scholarship, which was certainly possible with my above average grades and excellent record in my local university.

[missingexaltation]

(Mini little fic idea, post Vecna)

Eddie wanted Steve and Wayne to get on, and at first, he was utterly ecstatic when they did.

But Steve starts to come over to watch various sports games, laughing and jostling with Wayne on the couch whenever one of their teams wins a point, or scores a goal or whatever, Eddie starts feeling inadequate and useless.

He watches from a distance, too wary to approach, too scared of upsetting the equilibrium. After all he's spent years rolling his eyes and grumbling about football and baseball and basketball to take a seat next to them now. He's more than made his bed now, years of sulky teenagehood in the making. It's not their fault, he knows. It's all his own, a drama of his own creation.

He watches as Wayne laughs and jokes, haphazardly waving his beer and cackling with delight, with the sort of son that he deserves. A son that brings calmness and stability instead of late night police escorts and a mountain of medical bills.

The empty, cavernous hole in his chest aches as he sits there (pretending to work on his campaign), through game after game, match after match. Wayne had given up so much for him. He could have had a family of his own, instead of raising his brother's useless, wretched kid. He could have gotten married, had a real home and an easy life. A beautiful, doting wife to give him the world.

Instead, Wayne had been cursed with a fuck up for a nephew, a shitty fold up bed in a shitty trailer and a job that was ageing him before his time. A vexing, frustration of a life that he didn't deserve. That Eddie had made worse by default.

Eddie knew he was selfish, and loud, and easily excitable and distracted. That he was used to getting his own way in these walls, barely noticing and sacrificing a thing while Wayne quietly suffered instead. It had been the same for his parents. They'd wanted a normal kid too, but even his dad's temper hadn't been enough to dampen his ability to irritate.

He'd tried to be quieter for Wayne in the past. Better behaved, his personality crammed into a tiny internal box to make himself more palatable, easier to love and want around. But Wayne had been offended by it. Claimed Eddie shouldn't have to change himself for anyone, not even his guardian, to be honest with who he is.

But looking over at them now, Eddie felt like he should have tried harder. Sure, 'being himself' was the fucking care bear motto spat out by well meaning adults trying to convince the weird kids they'd be ok. But he could have tried harder not to be so difficult, he could have watched Wayne's sports games with him and graduated high school and handed over his earnings instead of buying dumb shit.

The gnawing, desolate guilt consumed him. Steve was sweet, charming and polite, a parents dream (also...absolutely fucking gorgeous and the best sex Eddie had ever had, but that was besides the point). He could understand why Wayne has found it easy to befriend him, hell Eddie unquestionably loved the bones of him, but it put in sharp relief how Eddie just didn't measure up to the barest minimum standard, let alone what his uncle deserved.

So instead, he started taking on extra shifts at work, pulling as many as he could so that he could try and convince Wayne to drop his hours and start taking it easy. He kept the house tidy and even helped nurture the blossoming little something that was growing between Wayne and Claudia, spending more nights with Steve so that they could canoodle out of sight of Dustin's sullen glares.

He was exhausted, but it was worth it to see Wayne less on edge, back on the day shift since Eddie was finally picking up the slack. Now he had time for 'guy nights' with Steve, expanding to include Sinclair and the newly resurrected Chief Hop too.

"You're a good kid, Ed." Wayne told him one evening, and despite everything, Eddie was unprepared for the avalanche of emotions that it unlocked.

I'm not, I'm not, I'm not.

His brain chanted, automatically.

But I want to be.

[empressofthesunwriter]

Kill La Hero: 12

In the lottery of Quirk’s Michi got on really special and annoying one. A living, sarcastic ribbon named Ares, who puts her into superpowered revealing outfits. But this won't stop the girl from fulfilling her dream of being a hero! Just watch her!

(But not too closely please!)

MHA MEETS KILL LA KILL!

Chapter 12: The Sports Festival begins! 

Michi crossed her arms and shared a look with Ares.

Whether they made more enemy or not, didn't matter, they would crush anyone!

Then they looked at their friends, who had also determined looks on.

Especially Izuku.

Even...even if it means crushing them all...even Izuku, you, my love, I won't hesitate...

The girl gripped her arms tighter and felt how Ares got stiffer too.

Because this is my chance to be seen! 

Mine and Ares!

We will be the greatest Pro-Heroes ever...I can't consider any of you.

At the Sports Festival...we all will be rivals! 

Two weeks.

Michi and Ares had exactly two weeks to push themselves beyond their limits.

With the motto "Plus Ultra," in their hearts, they decided to train in normal activities with their friends.

Often, the four friends could be seen running together at the beach, followed by stretching and lifting weights.

After this, each of them trained with their Quirk alone.

Michi and CO. had agreed that this was the best approach.

If they were to face off against each other at the Sports Festival, it was only fair that they had surprises up their sleeves.

Normal training was going well, but... the new suit still didn't work!

Ares insisted that it was because she was a prude.

Sorry if she didn't like that everyone could see nearly her breasts and behind!

So to show her stupid ribbon she wasn't a prude, Michi visited an Onsen.

For woman.

For mixed Onsen, she didn't have the courage right now.

The young girl enjoyed the warm water and looked at the other women.

How carefree they were.

A lot of them didn't wear a towel.

Maybe she should try it too?

Shyle she took away her towel and...nothing.

Nothing happened.

Yeah, okay, these were other women, they all had the same parts.

Sigh, maybe she really should go to a mixed one and see if she could handle it.

Did they even allow 15-year-olds in?

That's when a splash beside her was heard.

Surprised Michi turned around and found an older girl sitting near her.

Michi would say the blue-haired beauty with the turquoise eyes was maybe 17 or 18 years old not much more.

"Aww, this hits the spot.", purred the older girl and shamelessly stretched herself in the water. Then she noted Michi and gave her a friendly smile. "Hi, you are a new face. I'm a regular, my name is Takako, who are you?"

Wow, even if this Takako was butt naked she acted normal. Like if they had met at a coffee.

"I'm Michi, as you guessed it's my first time here."

"Oh, cool, how are you liking it so far?"

"The water is really nice."

Takako gave her an amused look.

"You know Michi-San, you look really tense, like you don't want to be here."

Maybe it's because Takako was a stranger and older, but Michi found herself spilling her Quirk-related problem.

Takako listens, nodding at some parts.

"I see, I see. Don't take it wrong, but maybe you are a bit prude."

"Would you want to walk around nearly butt naked in public?!"

"Honey, you don't know what I wear. I prefer mini-skirts and love lingerie. I would like to try your Ares out."

For that, Michi splashed her with water.

"Forget it, also Ares works only with my DNA, but really Takako-San what should I do? The Sports Festival is tomorrow and I still can't transform my suit."

Takako hummed in thought.

"You know.", she began. "Maybe it's not that you are prudish, maybe you need more confidence in yourself."

This... sounded better than being called a prude.

"Are you still a virgin?"

Michi shook her head.

"When was the last time you had sex?"

"About a year ago.", admitted Michi blushing. "I was really, really horny and needed a quick fuck. So I had a One-Stand with a classmate."

The blue-haired girl raises an eyebrow at her. As she said it seemed like she felt bad for it.

"Why are you giving off the vibe of someone who betrayed their lover...you didn't betray your lover or?!"

With a red face, Michi told her about Izuku, and how long she had been in love with him, but somehow they couldn't go the next step.

Or was it on Michi or on Izuku who didn't seem ready for a relationship, the salmonhaired girl didn't know.

Takako let out a breath and stroked her wet hair.

"Ah, love is a bitch. Or are you sure this Izuku doesn't feel for you the same way?"

"My flirts always go over his head."

"Maybe just be direct and tell him, hi yes I wanna suck your dick and be your girl!"

"Takako-San!", laughed Michi and splashed her with water.

In revenge, Takako splashed back.

Then both girls started to giggle.

"I think what you need is a confirmation, that you are indeed a hot girl and can walk around your supersuit with pride.", told Takaro. "If you go and get this confirmation from Izuku or someone else, you have to decide."

"Mmh, I think I get what you mean."

"Good, well I have to go now, sorry."

With that, Takako stepped out of the Onsen.

"It was nice meeting you Michi-San, good luck at the Sports Festival and with your Izuku and another thing..."

"Mmh?"

Takako gave her a sincere look from her turquoise eyes.

"I think you are a really beautiful girl and shouldn't feel ashamed of your body but celebrate it, alright."

Lost for words Michi thanked her and started to play absentminded with the water.

Never saw how Takako side-eyed her with a look of pure rage before she walked to the changing rooms.

Michi was simply more occupied with her thoughts.

A grand error this would turn out in the future…

*/*

And then the day was finally there.

The Sports Festival began!

Like any other class, class 1A had its own Waiting Room.

Mina was currently fixing her sports uniform.

"Man, I wanted to wear my costume."

"To keep everything fair, we can't.", reminds her Ojiro. "Only Michi can wear her supersuit with the pants since Ares is part of her Quirk."

"Oh girl, you have it so good!"

Normally Michi would say yeah I have it good walking around like a floozy, but after her talk with Takako-San yesterday she tried to think differently.

If courage was the key to wearing the suit and changing it how she wanted she needed to embrace it.

So she simply said thanks and changed the subject: "What do you guys think will be our first discipline?"

"No matter what comes, we have no choice but to deal with it.", said Tokoyami and Shoji agreed.

Then the door busted open and Tenya entered.

"Everyone, are you ready? We will be entering soon!"

All got excited.

That's when Shoto called for Michi and Izuku.

Both best friends turned to the boy in surprise.

Shoto had never talked to them.

What could he want?

"Todoroki.", nodded Michi in gretting.

"What is it?", asked Izuku.

"Looking at things objectively, I think I'm stronger than you, Midoriya.", said Shoto it like a fact.

Sadly Izuku agreed.

"But All Might has his eye on you, doesn't he? I'm not trying to pry about that. And you Massaro."

The girl frowned at him.

"You are probably the only one who is on my level, but I will beat you both!"

Stupifeid Izuku and Michi stared at him.

"Is this a threat?", growled Michi.

"No a warning.", said Shoto simply. "I think it's only fair."

"Hey, hey, hey!", called Kirishima and lay a hand on Shoto shoulder. "Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden? Not now, we're about to start!"

Shoto shrugged his hand away.

"We're not here to play at being friends. So what does it matter?"

The boy with the white-red hair walked away from them.

"Todoroki, I don't know what you're thinking when you say you'll beat me and Michi, but of course, you're better than me.", declared Izuku "I think you're more capable than most people. Looking at it objectively-"

"-Midoriya, you probably shouldn't talk so negatively-", interrupts Kirishima, only to get interrupted by Izuku.

"But, everyone-- The students from the other courses are aiming for the top with everything they've got! I can't afford to fall behind. I'll be going for it with everything I have, too."

"I have only one thing to say.", began Michi. "It's high time that the female superheroes surpass the males, if you all want to go to the top you have to go through me. And Ares and I will not make it simple for you, oh no! It will be hell!"

Shoto accepts their declarations of war.

Then it was high time for them to enter the sports arena.

Present Mic, who was the moderator for the event, made an awesome entrance speech for them.

Michi could just stare in wonder at all the people who celebrated them.

It was amazing!

"Th-Th-There are so many people...", mumbled Izuku nervous.

"It will be okay Izuku, just imagine them as ants.", suggested Michi.

The old trick with the underwear wouldn't work for Izuku.

"Will we be able to give our best performance being watched by so many people? This is also part of the training required to become a hero.", mussed Tenya.

Then the other courses came out and they walked all over to the stage, where the referee for the games would appear.

"Time for the player pledge!", declared the referee who was no other than the R-rated Hero Midnight!

All talked about what she was wearing and if she was R-rated was it okay to be a teacher.

"Quiet, everyone!", shouted Midnight, whipping her whip. "Representing the students is Massaro Michela from Class 1-A!"

Suprised all turned to her.

"You Michi-Kun?"

"Don't forget I was first in the Entrance Exam.", reminded him Michi, then she walked up to the stage.

Midnight gave her a kind smile, as Michi stepped towards the microphone.

Taking a deep breath Michi said into the microphone: "I pledge- that all the students here be it hero course or general will do their best. We are the future of this land, the future of the superheroes and we will not bring shame up an us and our mentors."

Everywhere people applauded and whistled in admiration.

"Ah, Michi-Chan is so cool!" Ochaco

"Good speech, good speech, bravo!" Tenya

"At least the other course seems calmer thanks to her speech!" Kirishima

So Michi stepped back beside Izuku who whispered: "You were awesome."

She gave him a brilliant smile.

"Now, let's get started right away.", took Midnight to the microphone. "The first game is what you'd call a qualifier! Every year, many drink their tears here! Now, here is the fateful first game! This year, it's this! An obstacle course race. All 11 classes will participate in this race. The course will be the outer circumference of this stadium--about four kilometres! Our school's selling point is freedom! As long as you stay on the course, it doesn't matter what you do! Now, take your place, everyone!"

So they walked up to the big red arena door with the three green lights.

Slowly one light after the other got out.

Till the last one and Midnight screamed start.

All ran into the tight tunnel, which caused a mass blockade.

Michi already lost all her friends from sight, but now friendship wasn't important.

Important was to get out of there and win!

So Michi concreted her power into her legs, she jumped high in the air and then pushed herself off her schoolmates, using them as stepping stones.

She heard a lot of hey and watch it but, she was nearly out!

That's when Shoto froze anything, good thing Michi was in the air at that moment and the ice didn't catch her.

Also, Kirishima, Momo, Aoyama and Bakugo manage to get out of the ice.

Fast Michi skated over the ice trying to reach Shoto.

They came to a halt when they saw the big robots from the entrance exam.

The salmon-haired girl just smirked, ran up to them, jumped high in the air and destroyed one of them as she did it with the one from the exam.

Then she runs along.

She heard how Shoto behind her used his ice to destroy a robot and now they were running nose to nose.

"Not bad, but I will win!", told her Shoto and tried to freeze her feet.

In the last second Michi managed to jump away and then skate again over the ice.

"That trick doesn't work on me! My shoes may look like normal boots but they can walk over any substance!", explained Michi smugly.

They reached soon an area with holes, platforms and robes that connected them.

With his ice Shoto just surfed over the robes, while Michi jumped from platform to platform.

Both reached a red stair and noted how Bakugo was behind them, flying with his explosion quirk.

Seems like they were currently in the top three.

They finally reached the final obstacle.

Mines!

"If I didn't know better, I would think, they want to kill us.", mumbled Michi to Ares.

Her suit let out an agreening sound.

Shoto and her walked slowly over the mines, it showed that now they were at a disadvantage, as Bakugo came flying towards them.

"This doesn't affect me! Bastard, don't declare war on the wrong person!", yelled Bakugo to Shoto as he reached them.

Now a brawl started between the three, all while they tried to not step on the mines.

Good, Michi wished she could fly away from this situation!

How should she be first when these two attacked her and the mines explode around her?

Suddenly they heard and felt the biggest explosion ever.

They turned around, their brawl forgotten and saw Izuku riding on a piece of metal in the wave of the explosion!

"Izu-Chan!", yelled Michi shocked and turned on.

Wow, this was smart.

"Michi, move, don't drool over him or he will win!", remind Ares.

But she just stayed still watching, like Shoto and Bakugo, how he flowed away from them.

Izuku was now in the lead!

Oh-Uh! Ares was right!

And Bakugo and Shoto where behind Izuku!

Well, at least she could skate over Shoto ice and reach them again.

Now the three were nose on the nose again, while Izuku still flowed over them.

But slowly he sinks down and then...smashes his piece of metal into the ground, making her and the other boys fly thanks to the active mines!

Michi should have been angry, however, she was proud of how Izuku handled the situation.

After she got her bearing back she ran after him.

Shoto and Bakugo behind her.

They reached the stadium and Izuku was the first.

Izuku had won!

One part of her wanted to celebrate him another was disappointed in herself for only making second.

Yeah, she may have punched Bakugo and kicked Shoto too hard, but whatever.

It was legal.

"Izu-Chan!", she called for him, who cried because he won.

He turned towards her and she hugged him tight.

A loud aww could be heard all around them.

"Aww, young love isn't it amazing, Eraser-Head?!"

"They are just hugging, they do it all the time."

"I should kick your ass that you beat me.", mumbled Michi in Izuku's ear. "But I'm so, so proud of you!"

This made Izuku just sniffel more.

He had been worried Michi would hate him if he beat her, yet she still was here, in his arms.

"I just had luck!", mumbled back.

Smiling Michi took his face in her hands and declared: "No this was smart thinking. You earned this Izuku."

Happily, he smiled back at her.

After a while, the rest of the winners entered but Present Mic told them they would tell them later the classification.

They should rest for now.

Ochaco came towards them: "Deku, Michi-Chan, first and second place! You two were amazing."

"Thanks, Ochaco-Chan.", said Michi for them, while Izuku held her hand. "But what's wrong with Tenya?"

A dark cloud was over the taller boy's head.

"I think he can't believe he isn't first place with his Quirk."

"Oh.", said Michi and Izuku together.

They could understand this. 

If it had been a normal race, Tenya surely would have won.

Poor him, hopeful he would feel better soon.

"The first game of the first-year stage is finally over.", declared Midnight on her stage. "Now, take a look at the results!"

The top four were Izuku, Michi, Shoto and Bakugo, in this lineup.

The first 42 people who enter the stadium would now participate in the second round.

"The real competition begins next! The press cavalry be all over it! Give it your all! Now then, here is the second game.", said Midnight, while the monitor behind her did his thing. "I already know what it is, but what could it be? What could it be? Cavalry battle! Let me explain. The participants can form teams of two to four people as they wish. It's basically the same as a regular cavalry battle, but the one thing that's different is based on the results of the last game, each person has been assigned a point value."

The point system was simply from the last place 5 till to the first which was Ten million!

All eyes zeroed in on Izuku because if you managed to get his points it didn't matter if you were in last place in the first game, you could win!

Izuku got scared, even Michi stared at him in hunger and not the kind he wished for.

All wanted his points!

How should he survive the next round?!

[angstfactory]

"Nah," Jesse said now, in a quieter and calmer tone even though his chest pounded so loudly in his ears, "we were two guys that liked to hang out sometimes, because we just happened to be there at the time." That tone had hardened, though. Become more resolute. Because the intention was clear and evident-- he had to separate himself from Kai, from all of them. If Jesse had to hurt others to protect himself, then that was what had to happen. Was it ideal? Did he want to hurt Kai or anyone else that seemed to think they cared about him? No. But he would, for his own selfish reasons. Jesse had lived by one motto and one motto only for these past fifteen years: he had to take care of himself, first.

He truly, wholeheartedly believed, that at some point the other shoe would drop and people like Kai, who claimed they liked and cared about him, thought he was their best bud and whatever, would come to see just how useless and disappointing the junkman was. That actually, he wasn't worth keeping around at all. Once the beers stopped and the jokes dried up, they would finally get a good look at the guy, and what his parents had seen... what Talia had seen... what all those teachers and cops and friends and neighbors had seen... That made them all turn their backs and ditch him in the dust. And the worst part was, he could see it all himself. Jesse had nothing going for him. He had no life goals, no ambitions, no career, no education. He went through life, seizing whatever cheap thrills and opportunities were available, or he cheated his way to them.

Knowing all of that, didn't make it hurt any less. Jesse had open sores all over him and he was so sick of the salt that rubbed in. He couldn't let himself get attached to anyone anymore. Quite frankly, he just wasn't strong enough to continue to weather this storms time and time again.

"Well, hate to break it to you, Kai, but this is a part of me too," Jesse told the other man, looking up at the witch as he tied the bags off. "Surprise! Good you found out now, right, than later. Consider it a favor. You're welcome." The sarcasm was back. But he meant every word. Kai only proved his point. The witch was out here, picking and choosing when to like Jesse, what things to like about him -- he was so much fun, when they were out drinking and having a good time and acted like there weren't any problems in life. But the second the guy got cold feet and shut people out, that was too much for Kai. That the man wasn't here for. All of them would match Kai's energy and he was actually so, so fucking thankful to the witch in that moment for keeping his eyes wide open and clear. Friends? Bullshit.

"I've been sticking it out, Kai," he insisted, taking up one of the bags on his shoulder and cringing from a stitch at his side, favoring the left as he carried it to the dumpster. "I never stay in one place long-- this wasn't supposed to be any different, I got sidetracked," he said thickly. He'd gotten too comfortable, actually. He had somehow found a small part of the world that nearly made him feel like he belonged there, until the stark reality of it came back. He should have never stopped looking for Talia. "Look," Jesse came back to stand before the witch then, idly rubbing the area just below his ribcage at his left side, "it's not personal, alright? I don't hate you. You're a cool guy, we had some good laughs. I.. appreciate that you listened to me bitchin' n' moanin' about my sis, that you tried to help." He exhaled, shrugging. "N' I know I'm bein' a real asshole right now -- I got no choice, man -- but it's time I get on outta here. I'm overstayin' my welcome anyway."

Three attacks in the last half year? Yeah, he'd say so.

Kai quickly realised that the more he said, the worse things got. So, he decided to stop trying to reason with Jesse. He could understand, to an extent, how he was feeling. Kai knew of plenty of humans who felt unease in Raven's Peak thanks to the ever growing population of supernatural beings. Hell, he even knew of some who had no idea. They were the ones who were most at risk, but that wasn't something he was about to point out.

He watched with curiousity as Jesse started piling up the vegetation. "Yeah, well, you've got a fucking funny way of showing it." He said, though he wasn't sure he was supposed to have actually heard what Jesse had said. Kai wasn't sure what he could do to show Jesse that he wasn't a threat to him. Sure, he could stop doing magic around him, but he wasn't about to pretend to be something he wasn't. "You're not a fucking nobody to me. Up until about five minutes ago I thought you were a friend. No matter what you might think about me or what I am, that actually means something to me. I don't go around just attacking people, let alone my fucking friends." In his life, Kai Winter had done a lot of stupid things, but he had never done anything that would put his friends in harms way. "If I was gonna get tired of your shit, it would've happened months ago. But I actually fucking like you. When you're not acting like this you're actually fun to be around."

"Not with that fucking attitude. There's a reason you're still here. She could be closer than you think. Maybe you just need to stick it out." Kai really did feel for Jesse with his situation, he did. He'd tried to help in any way that he could, but even he was starting to feel like it was hopeless. Not that he would ever admit that to the older man. "All kinds of people have been showing up lately. Ride it out, see if she turns up."

[hozierandco]

Henry Cavill x Reader / Lessons / SMUT

A/N: Henry has to learn how to play golf for a film but his teacher may teach him a bit more than golf. In which Henry is a clumsy cinnamon roll. Inuendos intended, sorry not sorry. SMUT: oral sex (female receiving), vaginal sex, teasing, cursing, cumshot. Read at your own risk.

For the sake of a film in which he would play an aristocrat, Henry had to know how to play golf. He had agreed to it though he never had one single piece of knowledge on the matter.

Him who had done life-endangering stunts was not going to abandon for golf. He had three weeks before the beginning of the set and had decided to spend his holidays at a golf resort off in Scotland where he was determined to master the skills to that sport.

Y/N had been working at the Baurheid Club for the past five summers. The rest of the year, she lived in Glasgow but since her uncle was the club's manager and since she knew all about golf, she kept on working there.

The season was about to start and she was in charge of giving private classes for top-notch clients. Her rock solid privacy was celebrated by all and she was the perfect fit to deal with bankers and members of the idle class. An actor was about to complete the list.

"Y/N, here's the list of your clients for the next week"

Three names as each client required all attention. Quality over quantity was the motto of the club on that regard. The second one rang a bell to Y/N: Henry Cavill.

"Why does that name sound familiar? We've already have him, perhaps?" Y/N asked to Olivia who was welcoming the clients in the resort and who happened to be a close friend to Y/N.

"He's an actor, you fool" she replied in a moment of rest from the wave of clients "A handsome one too, lucky you!"

Instead of rejoicing along with Olivia, Y/N just hoped he was not the megalomaniac kind and that he wouldn't be a nightmare to work with. She went on with her day, many things had to be fixed before her first classes the next day.

Henry arrived by the entrance desk where Olivia acknowledged him and welcomed her just like any other client, in spite of her shouting internally. He had packed the bare minimum so his installment was brief.

The next day, it was almost noon when he woke up so he took himself out to the cafeteria.

Y/N had finished her first class of the day with a young member of the Dutch royal family and was gaining back the main accomodatio, up to the staff's lunch room. She had not changed clothes as she was not to meet any client.

Or so she thought.

"Oh, come on now!" Y/N heard someone grunting in her back as she was about to open the door to the place where she had left her food. She turned around only to see a frustrated Henry Cavill.

"May I help you, sir?" Y/N asked.

"Yes, please!" Henry jumped on the occasion "I'm looking for the lunch room but I always end up in this corridor... It's a bloody labyrinth there", he added holding back a nervous laugh.

Henry came back from his frustration as his misery was coming to an end with Y/N's arrival and that's on his way back that he noticed just how splendid Y/N was.

"Please, let me be your guide"

"Thank you very much. By the way, I'm Henry"

"And I'm Y/N", she responded making the connection with the photograph of Henry Olivia had shown her on her phone.

Along their journey to the lunch room, the two of them made some small talk while Y/N had to keep her composure. Olivia was right, he was bloody handsome. Even more so that on any photograph. And besides, he was visibly not a douche but an angel, making her feel at ease early on in their conversation.

As they arrived by the cafeteria filled with expensive furniture, the actor accompanied his "thank yous" with an offer: "I'm all alone at the resort, I could use some company for the lunch"

It was tempting if it wasn't for the fact that Y/N and the whole staff wasn't allowed to eat with the clients.

"Oh I see..." Henry said as Y/N explained the situation "But what if it's the client's decision. Isn't the customer always right?" he completed, glad he had found this trick to make her stay.

"Well, I suppose that it's the rule, yeah..." Y/N had been upset to decline the offer but she figured that indeed, she could stay a little while. Besides, the cafeteria was big enough for her not to be seen by anyone.

"It's a yes, then?"

"Yes, it is"

"So, what do you do here anyway?" Henry asked her as he came back from the buffet.

"I'm a golf instructor"

"Well, in that case, I'll probably see you on the green"

"About that, I should probably tell you that I'm the one who's gonna take care of your lessons for as long as you stay"

"I cannot wait. Though I should apologise in advance"

Y/N quizzed him by fixing his eyes. Shit, those eyes... Don't stare, don't stare, Y/N thought.

"I'm probably the worst golf player in Britain"

***

"You want to hold it like that" Y/N informed the way to seize the putter as she placed herself behind the impressive stature she had in front of her.

She could not believe that she was giving in the cliché of being glued to get someone to play golf.

Henry had not exaggerated, he indeed was pretty bad. In fact, he lacked of coordination and Y/N had to constantly remind him of how he was supposed to swing his body.

"May I?"

"Yes!" Henry was relieved to hear that he would get more help from her as she suggested than she could grab his arms to show the move.

She took his arms by the elbows. Henry being in a polo, she could feel all of his muscles under her touch.

"There, that's right! You've got the move. Now try to hit the ball"

And Henry executed himself but failed to even graze it. He snickered and then gave in a frank laughter that Y/N echoed.

"Right, you're gonna need to spend more time with me, Mr. Cavill"

"It's all I'm dreaming of. Dinner with me tonight in the garden?"

The class ended and for Y/N, it meant the beginning of her third and last class of the day.

As it was only 4 pm, Henry joined the games room where he had a view on the green where Y/N was helping an old lady to practice.

Of course, Y/N was too busy to notice him but it didn't stop him to smile like a child at her.

He was admiring her grace and her air of benevolence when a man came to him "She's a beauty, isn't she?"

Henry nodded at the stranger who in turns carried on "It must run in the family"

As Henry took his eyes oof of Y/N to see whom he was talking to, the stranger introduced himself "I'm Max, the club's manager. Y/N's uncle"

"Oh! How do you do? I'm Henry"

Max nodded, knowing very well who his select guest was.

"Is she a great teacher to you?"

"For sure. It's just that I'm a terrible pupil"

Max laughed along with Henry "Ah, son, she'll make a great player out of you"

The dinner happened. Henry had changed into another polo paired with camel chinos.

Y/N too had changed into a strapless floral dress with brown sandals. She greeted Henry as she sat down in the grass on which Henry had displayed a basket of fruits.

They started drinking and talking as the moon rose in the sky.

"I've talked with your uncle this afternoon"

"Oh have you? He's quite something, isn't he?"

"That he is. According to him, you're the greatest teacher out there"

"And you doubt it?"

"I'll try to be as good as a lamb for you"

After dinner, Y/N suggested that they take a walk around the resort. Any way to make the night last longer was worth seizing.

Everything was calm. No one around. Under their feet, the grass was slightly wet as dew had started forming and tinting their shoes.

Y/N took off her shoes, soon followed by Henry who had not done something as spontaneous as throwing a picnic in a very long time.

With their shoes in their hands, they carried on walking on the grass as crickets were going for a symphony and more and more windows got dark afar.

"It's been ages since I hadn't spent a lovely night like that" Henry sighed with pleasure "but that being said, I should hit my bed if I want to be at the top of my performance for my strict instructor"

The two of them had gotten very close to one another "If I stay now, I'm staying the whole night" Henry commented as Y/N's lips were dangerously close to his.

"I would let you" Y/N replied.

***

Henry and Y/N had met regularly apart from the times set for the classes over the last two weeks and if Henry had barely gotten better, the two of them had grown fond of the other. They had kissed on the fourth night, but both of them were not craving for more. Henry did not wish to rush things, nor did Y/N though the tension became unbearable.

"Do you think your uncle would kick you out if you spent the night at my room tonight?" Henry ventured as the class was over, wishing that he could kiss her right there, on the green.

"I wouldn't mind being kicked out if it meant spending the night with you" Y/N answered as she put back the clubs in the trolley.

After they finished eating at their favourite spot, Henry seized Y/N's hand and together they traveld to his room.

As Henry opened the door, he preceded Y/N,cupping her face with his hands to make her follow him in the suite.

He shut the door behind her and took her in his arms, only letting go on her after having carefully laid her on the bed.

"It is my turn to teach you a lesson, baby", he purred in her ear as he had let his lips wander from her legs to her face.

He placed his body over Y/N's but suddenly he got repentant and cursed "Fuck, I came here with nothing..."

Of course, Henry had no plans of making love to his instructor when he had booked holidays at the resort and found himself caught off guard, without protection for the night.

"In my purse" Y/N told him where to look.

"You might just be the most prepared teacher ever"

"Just grab it" Y/N begged him as he was going for encores, giving another sequel of kisses to her skin.

Henry ripped the scabbard and took his apparel out of his trousers, dressing it for the occasion.

Gracious God! There was lot to look at...

Fully erect, Henry came back in bed where Y/N was trying her best not to stare at the length.

"You sure about this?" Henry inquired as he aligned himself.

"Never been more sure in my whole life"

Henry then slid his member, inch by inch to be sure that Y/N was coping with what she was given.

He was just half through when it began to hurt.

"It's alright, doll!" Henry consoled her "I'm sorry, I'll go slow, I promise"

Henry found his way out as he had an idea to ease the process. Y/N still under him, he got down on her and made a feast of the flesh flashing before his eyes.

There was no doubt: he was much better at this than with golf.

As Y/N looked down at the face that had found shelter between her legs, she noticed just how dedicate he was. He was giving it all the attention required.

His eyes were glistening by the feeble light above their head.

Henry's cock was beating a rhythm of its own, pleased at it was that Henry was able to make Y/N moan with just his tongue and fingers.

The resort was known for "its quiet nights" and "tranquil setting" but tonight, Henry was eager to go off the rails.

It did have the expected effect on Y/N since her lair had gotten damp. Henry let her come back from the mountain she had climbed before he dived inside.

This time around, the whole length got in no sooner said than done.

"You're just so gorgeous!" Henry articulated with difficulty as he was carrying his moves, putting more energy by every second that went by.

Y/N's fingers borrowed the path drawn by his torso which was dripping with sweat "You're one very good student. And a very hot one too"

Henry's heart was pounding in his chest as he lifted Y/N's legs to put them by each side of his spine. That way, he reached a new spot with the tip of his penis which made Y/N pant with his name on her lips.

"Henry!" she cried her lungs out through the dark of the night. The tranquil nights long gone.

"Come for me, doll!"

She didn't have to hear twice as she was unleashing her falls.

But Henry was insatiable. Though teased twice by the sight of Y/N coming for him, his cock was still showing no sign of weakness.

He was willing to let go of her lover to give her some rest while he would take care of himself but Y/N stopped him as he was about to take off the condom.

"I wouldn't mind a third lesson" she told him "Let's change the angle. Show me how your swing's going. As for your stamina, Mr. Cavill, it got much better"

Y/N got on all fours, spreading her legs for Henry to come up behind her. As he entered the well, Y/N stretched herself so that she in turn allowed more of Hnery to get in and out.

Henry was admiring the view as he held Y/N by her hips, pounding her.

In and out, fast at first, the sounds of his cock hitting the bottom of her cunt.

Then Henry who got tired of the the action - and who was not going to hold it back for very much longer as Y/N's moans were rushing his climax - got slow, savouring every second he had ahead of him before he would come too.

Sensing that Y/N was close to get her third orgasm as she got tight around his cock, he decided for her to come to do so as well, and hoped that it would arrive soon.

She did come, shouting and laughing as she came back.

"I don't want you to come in that. I want to see you coming for me, Henry"

Henry then quickly removed the piece of latex which was soiled with pre-cum. The sole fact of taking it off almost made him come.

Henry kneeled on the bed by the level of Y/N who was laying down and emptied himself on her stomach.

"I cannot wait for our next class" Henry said in a sigh as he rested his limbs by Y/N.

[hongjoongtrasher]

ATEEZ FINAL PART : when they said something to hurt you.

I'm glad you've liked the previous part (part 1 and 2 here if you haven't read it yet), so here is a final to all this angsty reactions (if it is a reaction). Sorry if there are a lot of grammar errors, English not being my mother tongue -

Gosh this is going to be LONG please, bear with me ugh.

Hongjoong:

After this stormy episode of him totally lashing his stress out on you, he spent some time alone to think and reflect upon his trashy behaviour. He was genuinely aware of the massive efforts you were doing for his ass. Literally be patient and taking everything on you so he didn't have to feel more stressed. But today was different. He obviously went too far, saying those words horribly. Furthermore, he knew how hurt you've been because of him and now he didn't really know how to be forgiven. He always have been busy, always considering his work first and thought you were in an equal part of this, but seems he considered you taken for granted. The leader sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes not seeing any solutions at the moment. It's at this moment that Seonghwa entered the place. "Erm...Joong ?" he didn't answer, only Seonghwa could see how much his leader was in distress. "I heard from Y/N, mh I mean she told San who told me but anyway-" began the oldest before Hongjoong asked simply: "Have you come to scold me ?" A silence then. "No, I came to check on you." Seonghwa was always worried about his leader, since he knew the best how hardworking and diligent Hongjoong was, but today he felt like he was wrong. "You've acted like a real idiot this time" Hongjoong let a sarcastic laugh be heard as he slowly turned to face his friend. "Yeah, I know. Do you think she will forgive me ?" "Probably not easily." he answered honestly before continuing. "She told San she was tired of this, always being a shadow to you, erm...and nowadays she's been really stressed at work" A shadow ? Is this how you were seeing yourself as ? And on top of that, he was completely unaware of your work, how life has been going for you. This made the leader felt more guilty as he bite his lips. "So...What should I do ? Kneeling and beg her for forgiveness ?" Seonghwa sighed and put a comforting hand on the leader shoulder. "Sometimes actions are better than words".

And he left the studio, putting Hongjoong in a more difficult situation than he was already. What did he mean ? He thought about it again and again, watching without really watching his screen before it tilted inside his head. "THE SONG !!" he yelled at himself, feeling now very dumb. He had almost forgotten this track, a very secret one he composed for a long time. This song was special for him, it was a song which were written for you, and was conveying all of his feelings. He had to make you listen to this. A glance at his phone indicated it was already 3am in the morning, but sleep could wait. He spent the rest of the night finishing this track, or actually checking it before he saved a copy and directly sent it to you, praying you'd see it in the morning.

You'd spent the most horrible night of your life. Crying and turning under your blanket as you felt useless, no one. San proposed to come with Yunho, but you insisted to be alone, so they let you be, though they were worried. You only found sleep around two in the morning, tired for having crying most of the night. You woke up at six, your eyes hurting, puffy and red as fuck. Anyone could tell you've cried your eyeballs out. First you went to the bathroom to clean your face with cold water, your stuffy nose not helping in the process. After a while you returned to your bedroom and took your phone, not expecting to see a message from your boyfriend, or was he still yours ? At first you hesitated to open it, but finally did. No text, just an audio file. What was this ? Taking your headphone, you put them into your ear before clicking on the file, closing your eyes. At first, you were confused. You've never heard any melody like this one, so...calm, bubbly and soft. Soon Hongjoong's voice appeared with lyrics he surely had written and...you broke in tears again. This time not from sadness, but ...it was like a dream. You could heard his feelings, how much he loved you. You were ready to forgive him, but...it wasn't easy. Reconciliations were always difficult for both of you. Brushing this instantly aside, you rushed out from your apartment for going directly to Hongjoong's studio, in home wear, messy hair and "after crying faced" only to find him asleep on the couch. Panting, you rushed to jump on your boyfriend, sobbing again . This caused Hongjoong to wake up in surprise, confused. "Y-Y/N ?" why ? Why were you crying again ? After a while of you crying heavily on his shirt, he realised you probably came after hearing his song. His arms softly hooked around your tiny waist as one hand rubbed your back. "Shh...don't cry" he said, heartbroken to see you like this. "You dummy !" you yelled between two sobs. "I know." "I - I love you" "Me too, I'm sorry for being a huge dummy" he said with a gentle smile, holding your face to wipe your tears.

Seonghwa:

How rude he's been with you. It's only after hearing your answer that he realised you didn't deserve this. He wanted to chase after you, saying he was sorry, but too late, you slammed the door. Hongjoong came to their shared room before leaning at the door's frame, arching a brow at the oldest. "Can you explain to me what did just happen ?" he asked calmly before Seonghwa bite his lower tier. "I've been a jerk with her" he mumbled, not proud of himself this time. "Yeah, we saw this. You know, she only wanted to cheer you up. We all know you're having bad times because of vocal things, but you didn't have to lash out on her." His leader wasn't wrong, only himself was. "Hwa, go after her. It's not too late" said Hongjoong. "Now ?" Hongjoong sighed. "Yes now, not tomorrow or later" Seonghwa blinked, overthinking before his own body stood up and carried him outside the dorm, chasing after you desperately. He shouldn't have had been this way, he should have been thankful to have you by his side, always being cheerful and bright although sometimes you were hiding your own demons. But being a couple meant for the good and the worst right ? After running for a while, he stopped, panting his lungs on fire. He started to think. Where could you be now ? He remembered when you were sad or stressed, you used to go to Starbucks and get a drink full of sugar and whipped cream, that's how he thought you'd at the nearest one. Not minding people watching him when he opened the door, he eyed the room quickly before seeing you at the table across the entrance. He stepped inside and directly went to your seat as you were still sniffing with tears, your drink between your hands. Not expecting to see your boyfriend, you gasped when you finally realised he was standing here without saying anything. "Y/N.." You tried to gain composure, not wanting to appear fragile in front of him. "What are you doing here ? I thought you didn't want to see me" you croaked, looking away coldly. You heard him sitting before you and took your cold hands. "Y/N I'm sorry. I've been a jerk, you didn't deserve this- I know my work isn't an excuse for acting this way, I understand if you don't want to talk to me or-" "Shut up..." you mumbled, suddenly feeling embarrassed as more people were staring at you two. "I will do everything for you to forgive me, really." he said seriously, not quitting your face from his gaze. Some people were whispering and gossiping, and the more they did, the more you felt ridiculous. You stood up quickly and went straight to the exit with your double cold latte with whipped cream, your boyfriend following you closely. "Are you crazy Park Seonghwa ??? Did you forget you're an idole ? Huh ?? What are you going to do if they recognise you ?" You began to yell but Seonghwa stopped you by taking your free hand and said clearly. "Then I will just say you're my girlfriend and that I don't care, cause you deserve way more than this. Beside being an idole I'm a man, and I love you, there's nothing wrong with this, and if they don't like it, screw them !" you were shocked by his fearless answer, and you felt your heart melt again. You were definitely madly in love with him.

Yeosang:

He was aware of his jerk attitude, and as much as he felt guilty, he didn't know how to ask for your forgiveness. The members already scolded him for what he had said earlier but he knew better than anyone that you weren't ready to talk with. You were the type to be angry for a while, not letting space for any peaceful conversation until you'd calm down. He overthought for a while, thinking you'd probably dump him now and he wouldn't see you ever again, or you'd be so mad at him you'd just beat his ass. Tormented, Yunho looked at his friend before saying, not really sure to mingle in his friend's love problems: "Yeosang, I'm not sure about her being mad, I think she's ...sad ?" he said cautiously, nervous about Yeosang's answer. Sad ? He was really dumb. Of course you'd not be mad, or at least not as much as sad. After all he saw you crying when you left, and his motto was all ruined at this moment. "You're right...I should go see her." he said flatly, feeling really bad. "Huh, yeah I don't even understand why you're still here to be honest" said Yunho with a smile. Thanks to him, Yeosang found the courage to go to your apartment, with your favorite pastry from the bakery you both liked to go, and...flowers. Yeosang wasn't the type to make such lovey dovey stuffs, but this time it was important. Inhaling deeply in front of your door, he knocked once, shyly, not sure if you'd hear it. Then he knocked more frankly before hearing footsteps from behind the door and before he knew it, you were standing in front of him as much surprised as he was. "...What are you doing here ?" you asked, rather coldly. He cleared his throat before handling you shyly the flowers. "I...I came to apologise. I've been a real jerk to you earlier...I even promised myself I'd never make you cry, but I failed miserably" he said in a go, probably too embarrassed to say it confidently. There is a silence, as you fix your eyes on your shy boyfriend. Suddenly you wanted to laugh. How laughable it was to see Yeosang acts like he never did before. You can't bear it anymore and just burst out of laugh, laughing so much that you have to hold your hurting belly. Visibly confused, Yeosang frowned a bit. Why were you laughing ? "Oh my god...You're really something else" you said, calming down slowly before taking the flowers. He suddenly lifted his head in hope. "Does it mean you're forgiving me ?" You faked you're still thinking about it, humming in an exaggerate way. "Well, only if you let me eat this" you nudged your chin to the box he was carrying and which you spotted immediately before he gave you the flower. He smiled and shook his head. "Alright, it's all for you then"

San:

He had definitely crossed a line he shouldn't had. After you slammed the door at his nose, he tried to make you open it for a while, but you never opened it again. So he left, defeated. It was supposed to be a romantic moment for both of you since a while, and yet he ruined everything with his mouth. Sometimes he wished he just could rewind and change every thing. Even if he didn't like the dress, he could have accepted it since you were happy, but his selfishness and jealousy got over it and now he was alone, in his car without you. He took his phone, sending you texts. "Babe, I'm sorry, please, you know I didn't really mean it right ?" or "Please answer me, I'm really sorry." etc, but you didn't even open them since they were still on sent. Instead of going back to his dorm, he tried to call you this time. On the fifth time, he let a voice mail, taking a long breath before the beep. "Y/N, I'm really sorry, I didn't want to ruin our date like this, or just ruin it at all. The truth is...you were so pretty in this dress, so sexy that I don't want other men to see you in this, I wanted to be the only one to see you with. You're not a whore, you're not any of this. I'm selfish I know, but please, it's been so long since we went on a date...If you still want to see me...I'll be waiting in front of your building." And he locked his phone, leaning his head on the top of the steering wheel. He didn't know how long he waiting again but he suddenly heard the door of the passenger side opening, making him look at the person who opened it. It was you. With the same dress. He felt his heart stopped as you sat next to him, putting your seatbelt without a word. "Y/N ?" You looked straightforward you, and said simply. "Let's go, I guess the restaurant is still open" you muffled. He couldn't help but smiled happily as he turned the engine on, taking your hand in his before driving and said. "Thank you Y/N, thank you" and kissed the back of your delicate hand.

Yunho:

Since the incident at the practice room, Yunho didn't hear from you for a while. Hongjoong particularly scolded him about how rude he's been on you while you just wanted to wish them good luck for their performance. He knew it right, but at the moment he couldn't have helped but get angry at you. He knew as well it wasn't so like him to get carried away for nothing, so that's why he didn't really know what to do to make amend for you. He made his mind he would apologise right after their stage for Kingdom even if they boys thought it would be better to do it before. He knew you'd definitely watch them, root for them so he put all of his mind and body in this performance, hoping it would bring him luck. And it did since they snitched 1st place although they started low in the classement. When the MC asked Yunho how he felt about their win, the giant boy just shyly smiled before saying with a trembling voice. "I...It meant a lot for us, and to be able to be first is huge honour. We always want to show our best to our fans, Atiny. But today I...wanted to surpass myself for a certain person." Others groups were chatting among themselves, surprised by Yunho's declaration. Changmin, though he was as surprised as the others still asked professionally. "Oh, who would it be ?" Yunho smiled brightly and said confidently. "Y/N, my girlfriend." Some screams and gasps from shock could be heard in the giant room after Yunho pursued: "She's always been by my side and supports me with the best way she can, but lately...I've not been a good boyfriend to her, that's why I wanted to win, for her, and saying that I love her."

Right after the diffusion of this week episode which you've been watching with your friends, you sobbed like a little girl. How proud you were for your boyfriend, and the only thing you wanted now was to take him in your arms, feeling his arms around you. With shaking hands you took your phone to try to call Yunho, but he wasn't answering your call. That's at this very moment you heard the bell of your door and went for it, not expecting to see your boyfriend at your door. "H-hi" he said shyly. You dropped your phone and jumped directly in his arms, crying again. "You're an idiot Jung Yunho...But I love you". He nuzzled the top of your head as he hugged you back tightly. "I love you too, little one."

Wooyoung:

wede Wooyoung always said honestly what he was thinking, and everyone's used to it, so he thought his remarks about your skill about cooking would pass easily, but he was wrong. At first he didn't understand your reaction, why you left like this as he was only joking, or he thought so. Seonghwa nagged at him after you left, saying how rude he's been and at least he could shut his mouth. He felt really guilty. He was the one who made you loose confidence about you, when he knew you're always trying your best. And this time, he really screwed things up. Worst than this, when he ate the cake you'd made, he realised it was really good, and his unfounded claims were really mean. Gathering his courage, he showed up at your workplace, waiting for you at the exit. At first, you didn't want to see him, you haven't digested yet what he'd said to you. But with an expressionless face, you finally appeared in front of him. "Y/N- listen, I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have said those horrible jokes. No, I mean, I didn't mean what I said, the cake was really good." he tried to say quickly, afraid you'd just brush him away. After listening to his words, you just sighed and said "You're really a jerk sometimes you know that ? Maybe I'm not good at some things, but it doesn't give you the right to bash me out like this in front of everyone. Do you understand Wooyoung ?" he looked down at his feet and nodded, muttering "I'm sorry". "Fine, if you're really sorry, you better cook something too" you smirked, a sign from you that you're half forgiving him. "What ? Wait-" he looked at you astonished. "I don't know what to cook" "Huh, well not my problem" you sticked your tongue out to him and caught his arm in yours.

Mingi:

Mingi's been aware that his words probably upset you. But he needed to find himself again, to get right on tracks by himself even if he was thankful towards you, taking care of him for so long and everything. But he felt like it was his duty to make his comeback to the team his, from A to Z. He hoped you would understand, but after you left him alone, he felt guilty to suddenly reject you. The first day of his comeback into the team, Mingi felt really nervous. He wished he could call you and talk to you as he used to, but since that day he didn't dare to contact you. Instead he sent you a long message, saying how much he missed you and felt really nervous. That he was sorry for what he's said and how much you counted for him. He knew deep inside his mind that you had understood his reasons to act this way, and he was right. After reading his text, you couldn't help but fall in love all over again for Mingi. He was so sweet and pure that you couldn't hold grudges against him. You texted back saying "Everything's gonna be alright. Fighting ! I love you" which reassured the rapper.

Jongho:

Although Jongho was the youngest from the team, he was really mature and hated childish behaviour when it comes for his relationship. The fact you got jealous and as a result, acted this way got him angry. For him, the fact he was dating you was a proof of his choice, and love. Things weren't bad with his ex, so he didn't see why he would cut the rope from her, and he expected you to understand his point of view. After calming down on his own, he also realised his reaction must not have been mature as well. He took more time to think about how he was going to reconcile with you, but things shouldn't stay this way. He expected you to be at your place, and directly knocked at the door, feeling nervous. "Y/N ?" he called out for you. It took a moment before you opened the door, clearly still furious about what happened earlier. "What ? Aren't you with Mina yet ?" you spatted out, maybe too agressive than you wished. Jongho took on himself not to react to this again, instead sighing softly. "Baby, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted this way." he began, trying to be the most sincere he was. "You're the only one for me, you know it right ? But you see, Mina is indeed my ex, but it doesn't mean I'm on bad terms with her, and it also means that nothing will happen with her anymore. Because I love you so much and no one else"

[katsukikiss]

JEALOUSY

JEAN x F!READER // COLLEGE AU // MINORS DNI!

WARNINGS: NSFW 18+, cheating(ish?), oral m receiving, soft dom jean, face f*cking, suggestive dancing (w/connie and eren), alcohol use, reader is wayyy too flirty with others lol

Jean is a super kind and forgiving boyfriend, but what happens when you push his limits?

AN: idk wtf this is I just know I love this man and I had to write for him at some point, let me know if I should make a part two 😵‍💫

WC: 2.5k

Masterlist

The air was warm despite the sun being long gone. The summer was nearly over and classes would be starting up again soon. Obviously someone needed to throw one last hurrah before that, and your boyfriend and his friends were going to do just that. Jean was such a kind lover, and was a bit possesive in the beginning but now he was nothing but a sweetheart and kept saying how he couldn’t wait to dance with you later that night. You had known his friends for years, hanging out with them since you guys were freshmen and always staying in their shared house they had together. But their eyes would linger on you for too long, something your and your boyfriend had always noticed, but a sloppy tongue kiss or an ass grab would usually solve the issue. He trusted you, and trusted his friends for the most part…

They placed you in charge of getting drinks for the party since you always complained about the beverages they would offer. You and Sasha went together to buy some beer, seltzer and liquor. It wouldn’t be a party if there wasn’t snacks, or at least that was Sasha’s motto. You drove to one more store to pick up chips and pretzels before bringing your friend home and heading back to your boyfriends place.

You made your way up to Jeans room to finish getting ready. He was busy downstairs fixing up the basement with new LED lights since the old ones short circuited at the last party. You were probably too comfortable in his shared house, most of your clothes were here too. You undressed out of the t-shirt and shorts you were running errands in and sat on a chair in your bra and underwear. Music blasting, half naked, sitting in front of your boyfriends mirror applying makeup, you had no care in the world. You couldn’t hear the belligerent knocking on the door so they entered.

“CONNIE! GET THE FUCK OUT!” you squealed at the man who had just entered, instinctively throwing your arms over your chest, leaving your legs and panties exposed.

“MAYBE TURN YOUR MUSIC DOWN AND I WOULDN’T HAVE BURSTED IN LIKE THIS” he yelled back at you, laughing at your flimsy attempt to cover yourself. You fumbled with the volume buttons on your phone before looking back at him.

“Can I help you?” you questioned, giving him the faintest tint of attitude.

“Nah, Jean asked me to grab some wire for the speakers, but I might stick around a little longer” he said with a sly smirk. Connie was never afraid to openly flirt with you, even in front of Jean, and it didn’t bother the two of you much, you knew it was all in good fun so sometimes you’d tease him back.

“Oh yeah?” you mused, removing your hands from your chest. “I dont think you’d last very long in here” His face turned bright red, as it always did when youd pretend to be interested in him. Before he could even answer Jean was barging into the room and instantly stood in between you two to cover your body from his friend.

“Find the wire?” Jean asked plainly. Connie nodded and swiftly made his way downstairs to finish setting up. Jean pressed a hand onto his door to close it before turning around to face you with a disapproving look.

“You know youre mine right? I dont need Connie doing something dumb later because you were teasing him” he growled at you. You looked up with innocent eyes and rutted your lower lip out. Your pouty face and adorable eyes made it hard for him to seriously be mad at you.

“Im sorry baby you know I was just messing around”

“Yeah yeah I know” he said, placing a soft kiss on your forehead, “hurry up though okay? People are gonna be here soon and I dont need more people seeing you like this”. You gave him a confirming nod and proceeded to finish applying your makeup, this time with the music playing a bit lower than before.

“To senior year!” Eren chanted and everyone repeated back “to senior year!” before you all downed shots of various liquors in the crammed kitchen. Jeans hand rested on your hip in a show of dominance. You were earning looks from his friends as well as some other senior guys you didn’t know. A tiny black dress was fitted to your figure, leaving very little to the imagination with the way it accentuated your curves.

“Y/N! Come dance with MEE” Sasha called out to you. You looked up at your boyfriend who nodded with a smile. He removed his hands from your body and watched you skip away to follow your friend down into the basement. He watched as a few others proceeded to make their way downstairs as well, as if they were following you.

The temperature of the basement was at least 5x hotter than the rest of the house because of all the bodies crammed into it. You were pretty drunk already, which is why the heat didn’t bother you or anyone else that much. Sasha pulled you through a sea of people to the back wall of the basement. The led lights outlined the ceiling with a purple glow that made it hard to see. You leaned onto the concrete for support because your head was spinning a bit after being bumped and pushed around while music was blaring. Your eyes attempted to refocus as you looked around for your friend.

“Stay here!!!! I will be right BACK okay?” she slurred. You lazily nodded as you watched the girl who brought you to this cave of a basement leave you alone. You scanned the dimly lit room for someone you knew, stumbling through the hoard. Two hands snaked their way onto your hips without you even noticing until your ass was aggressively pulled up against someones crotch. They forcibly swayed your hips in line with their own to the rhythm of the music. Your body stopped resisting and started to move on its own, the strangers hands no longer guiding you but rather holding on for the ride.

“Your ass feels so fuckin nice y/n” a familiar voice gruffed in your ear. You recognized it as Eren; Your body halted for a moment as you thought of your boyfriend, but he wouldn’t be mad at you right? It was all harmless fun, he was the only one that got to really have you at the end of the day. The alcohol in your system drowned out those thoughts as you bent over and shook your ass against him, his hips rutting forward to feel every little movement you were making while his hands dug into you. You heard him whisper ‘fuck’ a few times when you would throw your ass back into his groin.

When you snapped back up you felt a new pair of hands on you. The man behind you now had more rhythm in his actions, grinding his hips against you to the beat of the pop song that you could barely hear anymore. You turned your head slightly to see Connie, his eyes fixated on your gyrating curves while the rest of the men were watching. You laughed internally, faintly recalling what happened between you two earlier.

“I was waiting for my turn sexy” he whispered in your ear, his hot drunk breath making your neck feel sticky. You wrapped your arm back and hooked it around his neck while slithering up and down his body. Your vision was blurry and your head was all over the place. You could feel his bulge growing with every twist and turn you made. His hands made their way up your sides to the front of your body and onto your breasts, squeezing entirely too hard. You pulled yourself off of him instantly upon feeling his intrusive hands on your chest, it was as if the feeling snapped you out of the drunken haze you were in. You turned around to scowl at him, backing up a foot or two before you bumped into someones chest. Connies eyes left yours and looked up to the person behind you with a shred of fear. Turning to look up, you found relief in knowing it was your boyfriend. Your arms wrapped around Jean and pulled him in tightly. One hand of his rested on the top of your head but he never stopped looking at his group of friends.

“Had fun?” he growled at them. Eren walked away, annoyed that their fun was ruined. Connie hesitantly backed up before attempting to apologize over the noise. He left and made his way upstairs, fearing that if he stayed any longer Jean would really hurt him.

“What was that about?” he snapped at you. While he didn’t care if they tried to flirt with you, actually putting their hands on you was too far for him. You backed off of his chest before speaking.

“I didn’t think you’d be mad baby I’m sorryyyy, but don’t you wanna dance with mee?” you slurred. He didn’t have his usual soft expression this time and your adorable looks didn’t have any effect on him anymore.

“Not anymore, you’re coming with me” he demanded. His low tone made you weak, you knew what was coming next when he spoke to you like that. He latched onto your wrist and pulled you up the stairs, through the kitchen, pass Eren who gave you a wicked smile and wink, as if knowing exactly what was about to happen. You made your way up to his room, he scooped you up into his arms and threw you onto the bed and stood at the foot.

“I said I was sorry” you pleaded, desperation in your voice and eyes. He liked when you would beg for mercy like this, you wanted what was coming next but pretending like you didn’t was so much more fun.

“Oh I know baby, but sorry isn’t gonna cut it tonight” he hummed. He pulled his t-shirt over his head and began crawling on top of you like a lion about to devour its prey. You felt so small underneath him and his presence. You could feel the heat from his breath on your neck as he leaned closer, and he could feel the heat between your legs as you pushed your hips forward. You were waiting to feel his mouth on your neck but he pulled away and got up from the bed, your face was visibly upset.

“You know I like to make you feel good sweetheart, but I don’t think you deserve that tonight, not after what you’ve done” he said, unbuckling the belt encasing his hips. He slipped it off and let his pants fall to the floor and signaled with a finger for you to come closer. You crawled across the bed and tugged at his boxers he still had on. He lowered them a bit and allowed his long thick cock to spring out onto your lips.

You gathered saliva and spit onto him, massaging it around with your hands. You kissed the tip a few times, giving it sweet little licks before wrapping your lips around and taking him in, your behind in the air while you descended onto his cock. His hands massaged at your legs as your head bobbed in an attempt to please your man and receive his forgiveness. He pulled you off his cock by your hair and flipped you over so your back was against the bed and your head was hanging off the side. He bent down to your ear and spoke.

“I think I deserve to fuck this pretty mouth of yours, especially since you were being such a slut tonight” he whispered. You nodded, a mix of concern and kexcitement on your face; he NEVER called you names like that before, but something about it was making you feel hot; you didn’t want it to end. He stood back up, your mouth hanging open waiting for him to use. Slowly, he pushed himself in, watching you struggle and gag from the sheer depths he was reaching in that position. He wrapped two hands around your neck and began to thrust ferociously, causing several tears to fall down your cheeks. His cock was pounding into your throat that could barely accommodate.

“Your my fuckin slut, you got that?” he growled at you, his voice shaky. You tried to reply but only gurgles came out. You loved this new side of Jean you were seeing, and wondered what else you could do to get him to treat you like this again. He could feel himself in that little throat of yours against his hands, and with every thrust he could see the bulge he was creating and it drove him wild. A sweet mixture of your gagging and his mumbles and groans filled the small room. His resolve was gone as his cock began to twitch, spewing his warm white seed down your throat. He had never came in your mouth before so you were surprised when he did, you felt so full with his cock and stuffed down your throat. He dragged himself out, a string of your saliva and his seed connecting you two to eachother before snapping apart.

“Open up sweetheart, I wanna see it” he said, looking at you upside down. You opened and allowed your tongue to hang out, exposing all of the sticky white fluid coating your mouth. He admired it all for a minute before he teasingly squeezed your cheeks together and stood up.

“You can swallow now” You gulped it down and coughed a bit, your throat sore from the abuse it just endured. Jean walked over to the bathroom and filled a glass with water and grabbed you a t-shirt. He sat down on the bed beside you, you stripped yourself of the little black dress you had on and slipped into the t-shirt.

“C’mere” he pulled you by the waist into his lap, “you know I love you right? I’m sorry if I was too rough” You nodded no, and nuzzled your face into his chest, his fingers drawing little circles on your back.

“I love you too Jean” you cooed. He was always so forgiving with you, never staying mad for too long, never going too far.

“How about we make a little more noise hm? Let my boys know who you really belong to” he suggested, a primal look in his eyes. Your legs quivered at the thought of Jean making you scream, and all of his friends getting hard just listening.

“Do it, make me scream” you whispered. In one swift motion he flipped you over onto your back and grabbed your face by the jaw, towering over you again like his prey.

“Im gonna make you regret that”

[bounce-a-coin-off-your-witcher]

shelter me from winter’s bite

Everyone’s doing a hypothermia fic so I figured I may as well contribute. It’s one of my favorite tropes.

title taken from Brian Czyzyk’s poem “Hoarfrost” (he’s my favorite young queer poet and you should check him out).

tw: hypothermia, angst with a happy ending, whump with a happy ending

---

“Do you always have to be so damnably loud?” Geralt growls, glaring at Jaskier from across the small room. 

“My apologies for existing,” the bard snaps back. He’d only been rearranging his pack, looking for something reasonably clean to sleep in while his clothes were laundered by the innkeeper’s lovely wife. “I’ll try to do so more quietly from now on, good sir.”

Geralt huffs out a breath in passive-aggressive annoyance and Jaskier bristles. 

“Oh well, then. C’mon witcher, I know you want to say it!”

“Say what?” Geralt asks. His voice is low and threatening. He’s ready to play the game and by god he’s going to win this time.  

“It’s practically your motto at this point,” the bard hisses through his teeth, angry and bitter and tired. Geralt sees victory. Sees some peace and quiet on the horizon. “Say it!”

Geralt does as he’s told, like any good witcher would: “Fuck off, bard.”

“There it is!” Jaskier laughs joylessly, throwing up his hands. He pulls on his doublet and boots and heads for the door. “If you want me gone so badly, Geralt, then I will go. I’ll get out of your lovely white hair and leave you to mope in peace.”

“Fucking finally,” the witcher snarls, turning away. He doesn’t see the genuine hurt in Jaskier’s blue eyes as the bard quietly closes the door rather than slamming it. He doesn’t hear the quiet sob that rips its way out of Jaskier’s throat as he stands very still, shocked and suddenly exhausted all the way to his bones. He doesn’t smell the salt of his bard’s tears as he slips silently down the hallway and out into the late autumn night. He doesn’t notice the snow starting to pile up on the windowsill ahead of season.

He’s too busy being a self-flagellating moron to notice any of that.

---

Geralt is woken in the middle of the night by a commotion downstairs. He can hear several loud, panicked heartbeats and one very quiet, very slow heartbeat beneath all of those; it’s achingly familiar but the half-asleep witcher can’t quite call its source to mind. Geralt listens as the innkeeper barks out a series of sharp orders: “Meredith, you get to the kitchen and make some strong black tea! Florence, fetch a pail of warm water and two or three towels from the laundry. Josiah you lazy lout, get into the attic and fetch some blankets! The poor lad has gone blue all over!”

The witcher peers into the hallway and catches the skinny stable hand, Josiah, racing for the attic staircase. “What’s going on?”

“A farmer from the next town over was on his way over to help a friend’s sow give calf and he found-” the lad pauses to suck in a great gulp of air and launches off again “-and he found that friend of yours lying in a snowbank, muttering nonsense and shivering like a leaf. The poor fool didn’t have a cloak on him or anything, just a doublet and walking boots! He’s near-dead!”

Geralt curses and makes for the stairs, taking them two at a time until he reaches the main floor. There are voices coming from the kitchen and he follows them as if in a dream, his feet moving without aid of his conscious mind. “Jaskier? Is it the bard, Jaskier?”

“Are you the great brute what kicked him out?” the innkeeper’s wife asks, crossing her arms over her ample chest and narrowing her eyes. Geralt falters. 

“No, he- he left on his own, in a huff.”

“Wonder who could have started the huff,” the woman rolls her eyes. This isn’t about his status as a witcher, Geralt knows; this eye roll was made by a woman who knows a lovers’ quarrel when she sees one. Except that this stupid little spat might have cost Jaskier his life.

“Where is he? May I see him, goodwife?”

The woman points to a table in the corner, which has been cleared of cooking implements and cushioned with a heavy bearskin. Jaskier lies atop the brown fur, his skin frighteningly pale, his lips and fingers tinted a slight blue. Geralt rushes to his side and takes one of the bard’s stiff hands in his own. He brushes a stray lock of brown hair from Jaskier’s forehead and nearly recoils in shock from the temperature of his skin. Even colder than his hands, which are already dangerously frigid. If Jaskier cannot play his lute-

Geralt doesn’t even allow himself to finish the thought. Instead he works on rubbing small, careful circles onto the back of the bard’s hands with his thumbs, warming the skin in tiny increments: “Shh, you’re safe. I won’t let you go.”

The bard remains unmoving, heartbeat fluttering weakly, lungs barely drawing breath; Geralt fights back an overwhelming sense of panic, trying to recall whatever training he’d received at Kaer Morhen concerning freezing humans. 

“Do you mind if I take him upstairs and tend to him myself?” the witcher asks.

“Can you take care of him?” the innkeeper’s wife replies. 

Geralt bows his head, shame licking like flames up and down his bent spine, and nods. “Yes, Ma’am. I have dry clothes for him in our room and I was trained extensively for emergency situations such as this, all witchers are.”

“Alright,” she narrows her eyes. “But he’d best be alive come morning.”

“I’ll happily turn myself over to the village elders to be dealt with accordingly should the bard come to any harm,” he vows. Her eyes widen minutely and he can read the surprise in her body language, but she remains relatively calm. 

“Any further harm, rather. Alright, then. I’ll have my husband and the girls bring those supplies up to your room for him. We’ll be glad to go back to sleep.”

“Thank you for your kindness,” Geralt bows formally. She blushes despite her irritation with him and waves him away. 

“Take your bard and go, witcher, before I change my mind and spend all night caring for him myself out of motherly pity. Go.”

Geralt hefts Jaskier into his arms, heavy bearskin blanket and all, and hurries up the stairs to his room. He will not let Jaskier come to any further harm. Not by his hand. Not by his word. Never again. 

---

Back in their room, Geralt quickly undresses the shivering human, peeling away what few damp layers there are with growing disappointment. Jaskier hadn’t been prepared for a walk in the snow at all! Although, to be fair, it hadn’t seemed that cold earlier in the evening and the snow had been sudden and heavy. 

He wipes Jaskier down with a warm cloth and slips one of his own clean shirts over the bard’s head. He tries not to let his gaze linger on the way Jaskier’s shoulders don’t quite fill out the dark material. Or on the way his dark, wiry chest hair peeks out through the open laces at his throat. The witcher quickly shuffles him into clean smallclothes and wraps him in a thick wool blanket. 

They sit curled before the fire and Geralt holds Jaskier against his chest. He hums with his voice like gravel, grating out one note after the other in some attempt to soothe the bard’s aching body. Jaskier shivers and shakes violently in the witcher’s strong embrace, his eyes clenched shut with the cramps that wrack his frame as his muscles return to their normal temperature. Geralt feels like he’s holding a porcelain doll and keeps his grip deliberately loose, tight enough to comfort but not restrain.

“G-Geralt,” he groans. “Hold me, please.”

The witcher squeezes his arms more confidently around the bard’s middle, burying his face in Jaskier’s soft hair and breathing deeply. The warmth that usually emanates from his busy human body is gone and his chamomile-honey scent is buried beneath a layer of damp cold; it feels wrong. Terribly wrong. Geralt murmurs against his temple, begging the younger man’s forgiveness: “I’m so sorry, Jaskier. Gods, I’m so sorry. Will you ever be able to forgive me? I’m a fool, you know. I’m a fool witcher who never says anything important until it’s too late. I’m so incredibly sorry, my love.”

“This is a very good dream,” the bard sighs, smiling despite the pain. His eyes open, bleary and addled. “Like I was having in the woods, but better.”

Geralt raises an eyebrow and Jaskier seems to understand the unspoken question, even in his current sorry state.

“The real Geralt would never be so gentle with me, dear heart. You must be a dream, sent to me on my deathbed to ease my passage into the afterlife. There’s no other explanation for your sudden displays of tenderness.”

“It’s... It’s really me,” Geralt affirms. He runs his hand up and down the length of Jaskier’s spine, “I’m here, Jaskier. Can you ever forgive me for being so stupid?”

“I forgive you for being stupid ever other day, dear witcher. It is of no consequence to me.”

“It almost was,” Geralt frowns. “I nearly- I almost-” 

Jaskier’s arm raises weakly and his too-chilly hand presses to Geralt’s cheek. “I shouldn’t have stormed off like an idiot. I shouldn’t have kept picking the fight. We both fucked up, alright? What matters is our second chance. We got to have one, Geralt.”

“Hmm.”

“Am I wearing your shirt?” 

“Yes.” 

“Why?”

“Yours were all being laundered and this one was clean and it had been in my pack near the fire so it was already warm and-”

“Did you take care of me all night?”

“Hmm.” Geralt sighs after his hum and glances away for a moment. “What did you mean about... about the dream in the woods?”

“Oh. Well, when I was very cold and things were hazy and slow, I dreamed that you were there with me. Everything got very fuzzy and warm for a little bit, and when it was warm you were holding me like this and giving me little kisses. It was... nice. Even though I knew I was dying because you were being so soft, so considerate; saying things to me you’d never say out loud in real life.”

“I love you, Jaskier. I will try my best not to lose my temper needlessly,” the witcher swears. “You don’t deserve it.”

“Can we still cuddle like this?” Jaskier asks, leaning his weigth against Geralt’s firm chest. “It’s so nice to be held.”

“Of course. Anything you want. I’m not going to waste my second chance by treating you poorly. Not for another second, my beloved bard.”

“B-beloved?”

“Hmm.”

“Oh, well then I’m definitely still dreaming.”

Geralt lifts Jaskier into his arms and carries him over to the bed, which is piled high with their extra blankets. He tucks Jaskier into the nest against the wall and lays along the outside of the mattress. He presses his lips to the bard’s, reveling in Jaskier’s returning warmth, and smiles. “I’ll prove it’s not a dream. Every day.”

“Sounds nice,” Jaskier yawns, snuggling into the witcher’s arms and settling down to sleep. 

“It will be.”

[binniesthighs]

call me babydoll | reader x chan

soooo shhhh this actually a part one shhhh but i’m just trying out writing out different things and getting out some of my ideas outta my head that i’m really excited about, this one being one of them!! for now...just pretend that this is just a regular ol’ drabble hehehehe. this part is the set-up chapter (shhh i mean drabble) 

One

Pairing: self insert, female reader x bang chan 

Genre: fluff, smut, and angst 

Tags: (overall) bodyguard au, moderndayprince!chan, bodyguard!reader, secret agent au, royal au, action and peril, plot driven, running out of time, slow-ish burn, growing feelings, softswitch!chan, hardswitch!reader, some skz side characters, jeongin third wheel and comedic relief LOL, travelling, chan being expensive and having a lil bit of a superiority complex, flirtyyyy chan, bits of mystery, explicit language, mentions of food and alcohol, idk think like 007 vibes hehe 

CWs: guns and gun violence, a shooting in a ballroom, mentions of blood 

Word count: 4.6k 

Parts

ONE | TWO 

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here early.” 

“Well, expect the unexpected.” 

“Don’t turn the motto back at me. I’m sick of hearing it so many damn times.” 

“What? You and I both know that it’s true. You’re here early too, so, technically you don’t get to say anything.” 

Jeongin straightened his bow tie, then patted down the sides of his perfectly ironed tux with not a crinkle to be found. Knowing him, it was a miracle that he hadn’t messed it up in some form yet. He promptly took out his pocket square to clean off his glasses. 

“You’re looking nice. Seems like they don’t mind spending money now on you these days.” He blew off the flecks of dust on his lenses. 

“They know that they get their return on their investment. And thank you.” 

You smoothed down the sides of your dusty pink dress that nearly went all the way down to your ankles. Had you any other choice, it would’ve been something different, but, dresses were really good at hiding your thigh holster compared to the slacks you usually favored. You didn’t mind the times that you would have to put on a pretty dress, it somewhat reminded you that there was normal life outside of your job. Not to mention, they had started sending you jewelry as well. You always had liked the look of a diamond necklace. 

“You do your research for tonight?” 

Jeongin nodded, then took from his pocket his phone to read over the details. 

“I’ve done a background check on everyone attending, we shouldn’t have any issues. It’s already a low risk event anyway. Charity is never something to get too worked up over, but, you never know with the detail that some of these people come with...who they might be tied to...” 

“--The only people we can trust is ourselves.” You nodded with arms crossed. 

“Expect the unexpected, I know.” He slid his phone back into his inside suit pocket to adjust his cufflinks. 

“--Nervous?” You took note of his fidgeting actions. 

“Nervous? No. I’ve been through this before. You know that.” 

You flicked your partner right on his forehead strung with his white hair. You had really wished that he had picked a less conspicuous color, but he had strings to pull that you didn’t. 

Jeongin cleared his throat, “You do your once over?” 

“Do you even need to ask? I did it hours ago and when we arrived. You know that I’ve done this before too.” 

“I know. I know.” 

Jeongin looked out at the vast circular atrium that made up the center of the hotel. Several stories down under the glass rooftop, you could hear the faint sprinkling of the intricate fountain which smelled of copper. A bit further down, you could see the tips of the tree branches from the indoor landscaping. Across the way, a door slammed with residents tucking in their ties. The two men you had recognized from the roster: a simple thing which made you feel at ease. Your young partner must’ve started to have an effect on you. A sense of unease seemed to quell in your neck. You always listened to your hunches. 

“W-what do you think he thinks of us?” Jeongin broke the silence. 

“Well,” From inside the room you had waited outside, you could hear his distant murmuring, so you lowered your tone. “I think that he has yet to trust us. It’s only been a few weeks. He doesn’t seem like the kind to give himself up easy. That, and I’m sure his resentment of his father must have some influence.” 

“You think he hates us?” 

“I think he hates his father for hiring us. I mean, wouldn’t you? His old security detail, he had them for years.” 

“I guess so. But, we’re not like his old detail.” 

“No. We’re not. I don’t think he gets that yet. I think he sees us as one more way his father has a hold on him.” 

“It’s not like he can do much else about it when his dad’s a kin--” 

“--No, no, thank you, really, it’s lovely. Some of your best work. Thank you.” 

Chan swung open the door to his room, stopping Jeongin right in his sentence. 

“Ah. You’re here already. That’s...punctual.” 

As dazzling and showy as ever, Chan looking nothing short of a magazine model. For a prince, he had certain...appearances that he had to maintain. Today, it was a velvety and maroon suit jacket with a white button up. On the collar, two matching brooches had been perfectly placed, and they were silver like moonlight in the shape of English ivy and adorned with diamonds. On his lapel, he wore the royal insignia of the lion and the wolf. Behind him, you could see his slew of stylists cleaning up their makeup kits and obscene assortment of designer dress shoes for him to pick from. You had thought before that he even smelled like royalty: stuffy white roses with a hint of priceless cognac. 

Jeongin bowed his head respectfully. “Everything has been prepared for tonight. The rest of your guards are surrounding the building, and I’ll be corresponding with them as needed, your Highness.” He tapped at his earpiece. 

Chan drew his attention over to you, giving you a rather lusty glare. Over the past couple weeks, you had gotten used to it. He was a prince to every extent of the word. If there was anything that he had wanted, he simply had to ask. It drove him insane that all he could do was merely look at you. You had  wondered if he harbored anything else for you besides the way that he would devour the curves of your shoulders and hips. 

“Fox. Bee. You look nice tonight. I like seeing you dressed up. Makes me feel less out of place.” 

You couldn’t help but let out a little sound of discontentment over his rather affectionate nickname for you. You and your partner had been introduced to him as F and B. Quickly he had figured out Jeongin’s codename as Fox, considering that he had done a poor job picking out one that wasn’t related to him at all. Anyone could tell that boy was fox-like, and he also just wasn’t that creative when it came to picking out a name for himself. B, or Bee as he had decided, was your name; as in bumblebee. After learning about Fox, he figured that there was an animal theme going, so Bee seemed to fit best in his oponion. 

You tested his glare with your best, “Thank you, your Highness.” 

Jeongin gulped. “Your assistant should be waiting downstairs with your itinerary. She told me that you should meet her first off.” 

“You work too hard F. Have some fun tonight, hm? But don’t...drink too much. You’re responsible for my life remember?” Chan clapped his bodyguard on the back. 

Your partner nervously laughed and adjusted his glasses once more: his preferred tic. 

“And Bee?” Chan rose a brow to lean into close and whisper. “Stay close, alright?” 

“Of course, your Highness.” 

Chan let out a little scoff after getting one more proper look at your frame. “Damn. You really are stunning. Just a little too dangerous for me though.” 

You rolled your eyes, dishing him outa, “Whatever you say, your Highness.” 

Jeongin threw you and annoyed glare before tracing after Chan as he sauntered down the hall to the glass elevator. 

“Bee? You coming? Or do you have something better to do?” Chan’s voice called down the hall with an echo and a little teasing gesture of his hand. 

━━━━━━━━━▲━━━━━━━━━

It had been seven years since you had chosen this line of work, and each time that you had to go to one of these things, you hated them more and more. Not because they were hard to control--they were easy--but you just hated how many superficial and self-absorbed people that they could fit into one room. 

The air was filled with the scent of champagne bubbles and too much Chanel No. 5. From corner to corner of the room, and even next to the ice sculpture of the lion and the wolf crest, silk, satin; velvet and the best cotton could be found. Long gloves covered the arms of ladies with wrinkling skin, and tweed vests held in the guts of men who indulged in their food just as much as their mistresses. All this effort just to appear as if they had given one care about the philanthropic efforts of the royalty.

Several neatly dressed waiters passed you with golden platters of hors d'oeuvres made of ingredients so expensive, they would’ve cost the same amount as the generous donations made by the attendees. If you could’ve, you would’ve scooped up as many of them as you could, just to eat all of their copious amounts of money yourself, but, there was somewhere a rule that you had to keep your hand to yourself when you were on duty. The best that you had to look forward too was take-out to eat at 3 in the morning with Jeongin later. 

Buzzing chatter filled your earpiece while each of the additional guards gave their hourly report. 

“Damn. It’s fucking colder out here than I thought. It’s fucking summer.” One of them joked to the tune of the other guards laughter. 

“Stay focused.” Jeongin scolded over the line. “Don’t leave your posts until your shifts change.” 

While he was a timid man, Jeongin was not one to mess around. Son of the director, he knew that he had big shoes to fill. After pleading for years for her to admit him into the academy, she had agreed. Everyone knew the reason why she didn’t want him in this line of work. Too many dead. Too many missing. In some ways, he was also yours to look after. 

You trailed after Chan who was busy talking to his assistant and his publicist. While he nodded at their words, you knew that he must’ve been barely listening. Chan never really was one for formality, but much rather enjoyed simplicity and pleasure. Jeongin and you had somewhat of a bet going: out of all the guests, you had liked to bet which one he would take with him to his bedroom. Since you had all the profiles of the guests, you liked to bet a little money on which one it would be. 

Jeongin had guessed it to be the heiress and daughter of a tycoon who had made a multi-million won donation in the name of his company. It was ironic; his very company was a big-scale pollutor who liked to make nice with the crown. She was conventionally very pretty: long legs, a thin frame, she was educated and looked as if she could hold somewhat of a conversation...not like that mattered to him. 

You had predicted it to be the foreign CEO who had just started business dealings with the crown. While she might’ve looked a bit stuck-up and prim, she was intimidating, and a challenge. Chan loved challenges. Chan also had a pension for pretty boys with a bit too much money on their hands--usually inherited--and with nothing much else to do other than dote on him. There were plenty of those attending the gala tonight. 

Chan snaked through the crowd, bowing his head at all of the Good evening, your Highnesses and the It’s a pleasure to meet you, your Highnesses. Every few moments or so he would take a bite from a golden plate and then pop it into his mouth. The whole night long, he would hold his glass with him and it would get refilled for him without him even needing to ask. You sometimes liked to pretend that in some places, they must’ve assigned someone to watch him from afar to make sure that he would never need anything before it was given to him. It wouldn’t have surprised you. 

“Having fun Bee?” Chan languidly rolled his head back, swirling his glass. 

“As much fun as you are.” You quipped. 

“Anything that I should be concerned about?” 

“Nothing of concern.” You stated matter-of-factly. Had you matched his flirting tone, you knew that you wouldn’t hear the end of it for the rest of the night. “Fox. Report?” 

“Nothing that I can see. No one has been tagging you.” Jeongin had staked himself up on the upper balcony of the banquet hall room, and had been watching for as long as you had been following after the prince. “You sensing anything strange?” His voice tickled in your in-ear. 

“Just a bunch of the normal crowd.” You kept your tone down low. “He’s rubbing noses with the usual. You’ve seen too?” 

He chuckled. “Yeah. I know what you mean.”

You followed Chan to his seat nearest the front of the room which had been fashioned into a stage with a clear glass podium in the center. Right in front there was one more crest decorating it. Chan had ensured it to be so: he had wanted everyone to know that this was all for his charity. 

“It seems like our bets aren’t working out. He hasn’t talked to either of the...suspects.” Your partner changed his choice of words knowing that the other guards were listening. 

From the opposite side of the room both the heiress and the CEO stood with thin glasses of wine in their lithe hands. Chan had in fact walked right past them, and didn’t even notice. 

“Tonight is going to be a long night.” Jeongin sighed over the line. 

You politely pushed past attendees with a raised hand and a sweet smile. You had found that when you smiled, you had appeared less intimidating. 

“Oh wait...what’s this?” 

“What?” You whipped your head around after Jeongin’s interjection. “What? Do you see something? What’s the call?” 

“Relax! It just looks like he’s approaching someone he wants to talk to. I think both of us are about to be proven wrong.” 

“Ah, shit.” You sighed. “Don’t put me on edge like that.” 

“I’m only trying to entertain myself.” 

“Name. Who is it? You’ve got the roster.” 

You partner was quiet for a minute, and you watched from a distance as Chan approached the man leaned over a martini seated at one of the perfectly decorated tables. 

“Uh, I think that he’s Lee Minho. Some kind of royalty from somewhere else. Pretty low ranking from the looks of it. I think that he made a donation himself...and it’s...damn, larger than you would expect.” 

“Should we be concerned?” 

“No. Seems harmless.” 

“Thank you for coming,” You made out the words that Chan had mouthed. He drew a chair next to the unknown man. 

From what you could tell, Lee Minho was handsome to the full extent of the word: nearly all of his physical features were exemplary and his suit appeared to have been fitted to perfect for him; likely one of a kind. He too wore an insignia on his lapel, but it was one that you hadn’t recognized before. He had immaculately styled hair that had some kind of rebellious and boyish charm to it. The man had a kind of mystery about him too: you had been able to pride yourself in being able to read people, and it had saved your life on more than one occasion. But with him, there was something that you couldn’t place. 

“Do they know eachother?” You asked Jeongin. 

“Not that I know of. School friend maybe? Seems like all the royals send their kids to the same schools.”

“Hm. That would make sense.” 

“Enjoying yourself?” Chan said. 

Lee Minho nodded, and rose his glass to clink it with the prince’s. 

“Do we think that he’s our...suspect?” 

The stranger dipped his head into his hand as he listened to Chan speak. A flirty gesture that you had seen a hundred times or more. Still, the way that he inspected Chan, it wasn’t adoring. Or at least, you didn’t think that it was.

“No. I don’t think so.” 

“What the hell are you yapping about?” One of the other guards snapped over the line. 

“Um, classified stuff.” Jeongin quickly explained. “Above your paygrade. Don’t worry about it.” 

“Fox. Watch out for him tonight.” You snuck over to a corner of the room where you could watch the two of them more discreetly. 

“Affirmative....” Your partner paused. “Babydoll.” 

“Pffff--Babydoll??” The same guard stifled his laughter. “You call her Babydoll, Fox? Damn, you all must be closer than I thought. Didn’t know that I was missing out on some of the action--” 

“--Ever heard of a codename, Three?” 

“Babydoll’s her codename.” 

A grin crept over your lips. “Expect the unexpected.” 

You had almost gotten distracted enough to miss how Lee Minho had leaned over to whisper something into the prince’s ear. After he had done so, Chan laughed out a little, then reached his arm around the other man’s chair comfortably. 

“They’re...cozy.” You updated your partner. 

“I’m trying to cross-check where he might know him from.” 

Chan’s assistant and publicist finally slipped away with giddy little smiles. In many ways, you were jealous of them. They could leave whenever the wanted, eat what they wanted...

Jeongin scoffed. “Well, turns out...nothing. I can’t find anything.” 

“Nothing?” 

“Negative. I’m not seeing any crossover.” 

“So they really are strangers?” 

Your partner sighed. “Looks like neither of us are cashing ou--I mean--finding the suspect.” 

Under your breath, you wondered aloud, “Who are you...Lee Minho?” 

━━━━━━━━━▲━━━━━━━━━

The night drew on longer with the rest of the formalities: the formal dinner, followed by several speeches from important people while dessert was being served. It all led up to the final act: His Royal Highness, Prince Chan’s speech. On several neat notecards marked with the crest, he held them in front of him while he ate his last bits of Mont Blanc Chocolate Pavlova. Even the name of the sweet itself sounded pretentious. Granted, it smelled delicious--as many expensive things did. 

You stifled a yawn from your little set up on the edge of the room. At least you should’ve been able to sit, but it turns out that sitting is also against the rules in this line of work. A couple other security and bodyguards had joined you at the edge: some of their heads nodded with sleep, and the others looked as if they had taken one too many energy shots. Luckily, your stamina had been well crafted. 

A fancily dressed MC made his way up to the podium and the room filled with applause after the last speaker had said all of their correct mandatory words. 

“It is my honor to introduce to the stage, our wonderful head benefactor of this organization, His Royal Highness, Prince Chan of the Crown. 

Applause tenfold of before erupted through the whole room and it wasn’t even an afterthought for the every attendee to stand up from their seats in an ovation. It was a force of habit for you, but you found yourself clapping as well. 

Chan rose with grace, and re-buttoned his jacket with finesse. A blinding spotlight found him and it made the diamonds adorning his beck wink brilliantly. Even more blinding was his pearl white, and perfectly trained smile accompanied by his wave. 

Thank you. Thank you. He mouthed. 

“It’s like he’s a frickin’ movie star.” Jeongin groaned. 

“Might as well be with the way that they treat him. You know deep down they’re all just terrified.” 

Chan made his way up to the stage in all of his regality, and the applause didn’t stop until he cleared his throat. A collective groaning of a couple hundred chairs squeaked when everyone sat back down. 

“Thank you everyone, really. I wanted to thank you all for your generous support in your donations to this organization, as well as your association with the crown. I’m sure that all the beneficiaries of your donations are beyond thankful compared to me. Without you, this would not be possible.” Chan spoke with grandiose gestures, as usual, but this time, he had found you on the side of the room. “Listen, aside from being a prince, I’m also just a person. A person who knows what it means to struggle, to--” 

“--I can’t listen to this anymore.” You whispered into the quiet room, and to your partner. 

“Just a few more hours.” He droned. “I almost wish that something would happen so that we don’t have to sit though much else of this.” 

“Be careful what you wish for.” 

In the corner of your eye, Lee Minho shifted in his seat, but still kept his undivided attention to the stage. You figured he must’ve been just like the rest of them: enamored by the flashiness of the crown--and Chan. He had a way of putting a spell on people: it was the kind of spell that a prince of deception had crafted after years of being kept under lock and key. 

“--Anyway, what I’m trying to say, royal or fanciful we all might be, in the simplest way, we’re all just people, therefore this is what connects us all. Thank you.” 

Chan was gifted yet another standing ovation that was somehow even more thunderous than before. 

“Yeah right.” You scoffed. “People born into money. There’s a difference.” 

Chan gave his last waves, then a clamor echoed from the back of the room. At first, it had just sounded like the same raucous laughter you had heard all night, but then it shifted to something different. The sound of laugher turned into shouting, then screams: high pitched and piercing. You had seconds to respond, head whipping around the room to catch sight of the confused prince. In your in-ears, the the sound of gunshots echoed with rapid-fire speed. Machine guns. Shouting commands barked in your ear, and muddled with Jeongin’s string of demands and questions. 

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON OUT THERE? REPORT! REPORT!” 

Your heart instantly started beating into hyperdrive, and your legs sprinted as fast has physically possible 

“THEY’VE GOT GUNS!” A shrill and cracked voice of an older woman wailed from the back of the room. 

Immediately after she had said so, shots fired into the darkened room with sparks, and the metallic sound of bullets hitting the marbled ground followed. 

Chan looked around in his panic for you, petrified on the stage. You slung your gun out from your thigh holster and latched onto him with all of your might. 

“TH-THEY JUST CAME OUT OF NOWHERE IN THESE VANS. THEY’RE ARMOURED, WE CAN’T--” 

“Get the fuck down there and secure the exists!” Jeongin growled into his mic. “B--is the prince secure??” 

“Secure!” You yelled back. Using your body as a barrier, you led the cowering prince through the mass hysteria of the crowd. 

“Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Shit.” Chan shook under your iron grip. 

More shots fired into the room and bodies parted like the sea and fell over each other. 

From the balcony, you had caught Jeongin aiming his own gun at the chaos below. 

“I’ll cover you! Fuck! There’s so many of them! Get him to the car out back--Three, Six, meet B out there! Three!? Six!? Report!” 

“Three and Six are down F!” One of the guards panted. “I can provide cover out back!!” 

“Who’s speaking??” Jeongin bellowed, then aimed from above at one of the intruders. Your only focus was on weaving you and Chan out of there, but you had seen one of them in a blur. Each of the men with guns wore dark grey suits with black ties and leather gloves. Each of them wore their own crest: and it was all red. 

“Bee?? Bee???” Chan shouted out for you, and jumped every time the crack of a shot echoed in the ballroom. 

“I’ve got you, your Highness. We’ll be out soon. Keep your head down and listen to me.” Your arm held to him tightly, and you soon found the exit nearest. There was no telling if there would be more of them outside, but you loaded your gun quickly just in case, and pointed it out. 

“Jeongin, get your ass down here!” 

“Jeongin? Who the fuck is that??” Chan ducked down to hide himself behind your frame. 

His name had slipped on your tongue, but that hardly mattered. 

“I’ll be down in a second!!!” 

“Don’t fucking waste time up there when I need you down here!!” 

“Two! Two Reporting!!” A man suddenly yelled in your in-ear. “I’ve made it out back and I’ve secured the exit. The car is safe!!” 

“FOX! Now!” 

Your partner heaved, “I’m coming, I’m coming!!” 

You kicked open the exit door, gun’s still blazing, however one one else could be found on the other side. 

“Thank God,” You sighed. 

“Oh shit, I’m gonna be sick.” Chan had turned paler than white, then stumbled in your arms. 

“Hey, HEY!” You held him upright. “It’s gonna be alright. I’ve got you. You’re safe. You need to trust me. Your life is in my hands and I’m not giving it up easy, got it?” 

“O-okay.” He stammered, then attempted to straighten himself. 

“The Prince is outside, repeat, The Prince is outside. Two, are you in position?” 

“Yes. Yes, I am.” 

Other than the fact that you had just escaped absolute peril, the evening was unbearably pleasant. Crickets chirped in the summer evening, and the humidity of the night smelled gorgeously of the lake that was near-by as well as the vast array of flowers that had been purposefully landscaped around the hotel. Chan’s uneven steps scraped at the gravel walkway. 

Since you had canvassed the whole building well, you had known exactly where the getaway car was, but you were still careful. 

“Bee. Bee!” Chan blabbered. “Have-have I told you yet that I-I’m in love with you?” 

“No, you haven’t Your Highness.” 

“I fucking am. If I die tonight, I want you to know that I am ridiculously in love with you, and fuck, I wanna--” 

“--I’m sorry, Your Highness, respectfully, but now is not the time for this and you are not dying on my watch.” 

Somewhere off in the distance, frogs croaked, and the splashing of fish in the lake plopped at the surface waters. You turned a corner to finally see Two waiting his his gun raised. He was a bit of a shorter and scrawnier man, but something about him told you that where he lacked in strength, he must’ve made up for in agility. 

“I’m out! I’m out!” Your partner gasped, and over the in-ear you could hear his running footsteps. “I’m almost there! I’ll be there in a second!” 

“Your Highness,” Two bowed and opened the car door. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. You can call me Two or J. Either you prefer.” 

Jeongin came bounding around the corner with heaving breaths and his clothes askew. His glasses which just barely held onto his face had a crack on them and his knuckles were covered in blood. 

“Let’s go.” The younger man prompted. 

“In the car you go, Your Highness.” You motioned for him to do so. 

Chan whimpered like a toddler. 

You shoved his body in, “Stop that. Get in the car.” 

“I’m in love with you Bee!” He yelled out, “I’M FUCKING IN LOVE WITH YOU BEE!” 

Jeongin slammed the door in his face with a bit of a chuckle. 

“He’s delirious.” 

“Mm.” your partner smiled. “Sure.” 

[immacaria]

Crocodile

  Hello there! So this is day 4 of Beetober 2021: Crocodile from @bloody-bee-tea and, sincerely, I just wanted a good laugh because these last days have been tiring and exhaustive and I will die in the hill that says that Nie Mingjue is good with kids and the Yunmeng people are crazy. Anyways, this day’s word count is 2890 words. That being said, I hope that you enjoy the fic and are safe and sound!

________________________________________________________________

  When Nie Mingjue started visiting Yunmeng, he tried to get used to the differences between them as quickly as possible so as to not offend the new Sect Leader or, worse, make a fool of himself. The food and spices were easy to get accustomed to, though he was sure that the spice was being held back immensely because of him, and he even began appreciating some of the special dishes that the Jiang disciples brought him to taste. But there were some traditions that still managed to surprise him after this whole time. 

  Though he started visiting Yunmeng to help Jiang Wanyin with the rebuilding of the clan, the thing that he liked the most to observe were the people from Yunmeng, the common people and the younger disciples, and their habits. For example, when he walked around Lotus Pier with the first Jiang disciple showing him around and taking him to where his leader was, there were always people in the roofs and piers singing and laughing loudly at each other’s singing tones and he always found himself stuck in place to hear it. The first time it happened, Wanyin had taken offense to it and said that was the way they did things around there, that at least that his people could do that despite everything. 

  He had to explain that he had not meant to cause offense by stopping to hear and had only stopped because it was different from how his people worked. Constructions on the Unclean Realm were usually quieter and more sober, even if they did joked between them, but nothing like the loudness that he was seeing in Lotus Pier and he was simply amused by it. After that, he always stopped for at least some minutes to listen to the people singing and chatting everytime he was visiting. 

  Another thing that he too liked to observe was the way that, despite everyone in the cultivation world being so much afraid of Jiang Wanyin, they didn’t seem afraid of being ahead and poke him only to get reactions out of him. More than once, Nie Mingjue had witnessed one of the elders making jokes at him and only laughing when he snapped at him or one of the disciples playing a prank on him and he only rolled his eyes and told the poor kid to run around the fields until he told them to stop. They even started to joke with Nie Mingjue himself when they noticed that his visits were going to be regular and had no hidden intentions behind them. 

  It was funny to see the way that they acted so differently from his own people who, though they joked and fooled around too, were more serious in certain aspects than them, who expressed their feelings and opinions more openly. Even Jiang Wanyin himself, who was so feared and quiet, expressed himself immensely easier when he was near his people. The Yunmeng people were wild, loud and lived up to their clan motto in every single hour of the day. 

  But Nie Mingjue knew better than to think that they were fools like some people in the Jin clan thought they were. These people had suffered worst things that most of them all, had they entire culture and lifes stolen from them by arrogants fool, were killed and chased and, yet, they still fought in the war as much as the others, if not more, and rebuild their houses and redid their culture completely alone. Because, even if he offered help, they were as proud and tough-headed as their leader and didn't accept help easily.

  Another thing he knew better than to trust them was in relation to pranks. He did not trust them with pranks. Not because they would take it too far and actually hurt people, but because he wasn't used to their pranks and more times than not he fell victim to them even if he didn't want to. Just like that time where they said he had to bow three times before passing under any door because the days were shorter than the nights that season and the spirits were restless and since he was an outsider they were going to think that he was a threat and go even more restless and end up attacking everyone in the sect. So he needed to bow three times before going by any door. 

  "Just like a wedding?" Nie Mingjue had asked because though he was pretty sure that they were pranking him, he didn't want to be disrespectful and risk getting haunted by some crazy ghosts. Or hurting anyone on Lotus Pier. 

  "Yes, just like a wedding. To show respect and protect yourself." One of Jiang Wanyin's Spiders, Zhou Min, said and, beside her, her twin sister nodded eagerly. 

  "Are you sure?" He said slowly. He wasn't superstitious, per se, but one can't never be too cautious with spirits. 

  "Yes, absolutely. Three bows, Nie-zongzhu." The twin sisters said and he decided to do it, even if later he discovered that it was all a prank. Better safe than sorry, after all. 

  So through the day, he kept bowing in front every door he passed under and tried to do it as quickly as possible so that no one would notice. Was it tiring? Yes. Was it humiliating? Yes, but he understood about restless spirits and what they could do when irritated and he was not risking it to happen to Yunmeng Jiang. Sometimes, from the corner of his eyes, he saw some disciple giggling behind their sleeves and he huffed every time before going on, and others, he would see the elders smiling in open plan, but looking at him strangely. It was only at the end of the day, when Jiang Wanyin and he were watching the disciples train from inside one building and they stepped out to dismiss them that he learned that that was a prank. 

  “Why the hell are you doing that?” Jiang Wanyin said, turning around to glare at him and crossing his arms. At some point of his visits, they stopped caring for the unnecessary formalities and niceties they had to endure with the other Sect Leaders and were slowly building a friendship between them. “What the hell is wrong with you?” His tone was harsh and for others it may sound like an accusation, but by now Mingjue knew better and knew that the younger Sect Leader was simply confused. 

  “The Zhou twins said that the spirits were restless since the nights were longer than the days now and since I’m an outsider, they could see me as a potential threat if I didn’t bow three times to show respect at every door I went through.” He sighed, running a hand over his face as the disciples near them started to laugh loudly. In front of him, Wanyin was looking at him with incredulous eyes before turning to where the twin Spiders were practically rolling down the ground with their laughter. They had pranked him. Again. 

  “Are you marrying the spirits, by any chance then?” He said, frowning at him. 

  “What? No! The twins said it had to be three times.” He pointed at them and saw him fighting to not lift the corner of his mouth. 

  "Unbelievable. The twins are well-known pranksters, Mingjue, you should know that." He rolled his eyes, turning away as his smile finally broke out and the sun had nothing to do with the way that the whole place seemed to illuminate suddenly. "Bow three times. Fucking unbelievable." By then, Wanyin was openly laughing and so were his disciples, but Nie Mingjue couldn't even say he was mad at being pranked again. Not when it managed to make Wanyin laugh so loudly as he was. 

  So, no, he did not trust the Jiang disciples when it came to pranks because even if he knew it was a prank, he knew that they knew that he would walk right in one with his arms wide open if it meant that Wanyin would laugh like that again and again and again. But didn't mind when he fell in one, that much either. There were so many pranks already that he always knew when one was about to happen. 

  Just like this time around. He was visiting Lotus Pier again when Wang Yin, the second disciple, ran to him with a wide and toothy smile on his face and greeted him way too happily. As the boy guided him to the lakes where Wanyin was helping build some a pier, he was told about how they were almost finishing the construction and that this pier was the last big project before they gave the final touches and the whole time Nie Mingjue was looking around and trying to see what was going to be the prank. 

  But all the thoughts about the prank were forgotten when they arrived at the pier and he saw Wanyin crunched down near the water and helping other people. He looked up and smiled, asking him how the hell he pretended to help if he was all dressed up like that and told him to get going. So that was what he did. He got rid of his outer robes and boots and put Baxia to the side before jumping next to Wanyin and immediately having a heavy wood log thrown in his hands. 

  He can’t say that they worked quickly, but he can say that there were enough laughs and jokes to make it look like it was quick. Wanyin explained to him that after they ended - “And take a bath.” He added after looking down at his wet and muddy robes. - there was going to have a party and if he wanted he could come too. Ignoring the expectants looks from the other workers and some menacing ones, Mingjue nodded and said that it was a pleasure. 

  “So, this was the last big project?” He asked, stepping away to see the pier better. Beside him, Jiang Wanyin smiled and nodded, throwing some tools up to one of his disciples. 

  “Yeah, after this there’s only some details to be added and then everything is ready again.” He shrugged, taking smaller steps away and looking around. “Mingjue, can you do me a favor?” 

  “Sure, what is it?” He stopped in his backwards walking and put his head to the side when a wicked smile appeared in the other’s mouth. 

  “Turn around.” Slowly, he turned around with his eyebrows furrowed and looked around before carefully looking down when a low growling reached his ears. Near his legs and growling with all it’s might, there was a crocodile glaring up at him and opening his mouth at him. “Oh, shit!” He screamed, jumping away from him in haste. His back hit one of the pier’s pillars and everyone around him started howling in laughter as the crocodile growled again, closing its mouth and swimming to where Wanyin was giggling. “What the hell?” He whispered as the reptil circled Wanyin’s thighs and bumped his head against one of them, still making that horrible sound. It was only then that he noticed that the damned crocodile was laughing at him. 

  “I’m so sorry, Sect Leader Nie.” Wang Yin said between laughs. “But we had to. It was just too good to pass.”

  “How come that you have never seen Baieyu around the lakes, Nie-zongzhu?” One of the workers, Hu Yitian, if he remembered right, said, holding another worker who was laughing too hard up. 

  “Believe it or not, Nie-zongzhu avoids looking at our lakes and ponds as much as he can.” Jiang Wanyin said, patting Baieyu’s head and smirking at him and putting his head to the side while Nie Mingjue narrowed his eyes at him before following the crocodile’s movements as it swimmed away. 

  “Why?” One of the youngest disciples that were helping them asked, putting his head between the railings of the handrail. 

  “That’s an answer that stays between me and your sect leader, kid.” Nie Mingjue swinged her nose gently and smiled at her giggles. “Move, move. I want to get out.”

  “Afraid, Mingjue?” Wanyin asked, getting out of the water too and still smiling widely. 

  “Terrified. What if that Baieyu of yours decides that I’m a treat just like your spirits did last season? Thank you, but no, I prefer not to risk any of my limbs.” He shook his head, pretending to not hear the disciples’ laughs. 

  “You are ridiculous.” He rolled his eyes, walking past him and he could only shrug as he followed him. “Baieyu only bites who I tell him to.” 

  “I know that now, but I’m still not risking it.” They walked for some time until they were away from most of the disciples and non-cultivators. 

  “Why do you do that?” Jiang Wanyin asked suddenly, turning around and putting a hand on his chest to stop him. 

  “Do what?” Nie Mingjue asked back because he genuinely didn’t know. “Help you rebuild Lotus Pier? I thought we alre-...”

  “No, no that! The pranks! Why do you always let the juniors prank you? Why do you always let me prank you? Surely, by now you can know when they are about to prank you!” He interrupted him, shaking his head and looking down. “Why do you always make a fool out of yourself?” 

  “Because I like it. It’s good.” He shrugged again, lifting his hands to rub them against Wanyin’s arms. 

  “But people always laugh at you in the end. How are you not ashamed by that or even bothered? Don’t you think  He took a deep breath and Nie Mingjue only shrugged again. 

  “Because it makes people laugh and a good laugh it’s always good no matter what caused it. And because it makes you laugh too and I would do practically anything to make you laugh.” At that, Wanyin looked up at him with raised eyebrows and wide eyes.

  "What?" He whispered and fisted Nie Minjue's robes with more force than necessary. "What does this mean?" 

  "It means that I like seeing you laughing, It means that I like being the reason why you are laughing." He cupped his face, caressing his cheek and smiling. He was sure that he was looking like a fool. Maybe a fool in love, but a fool still. "It means that I like you." Slowly, giving time for Wanyin to back off, he closed the distance between them and kissed his lips with only a barely there touch. 

  "Fuck!" Jiang Wanyin whispered heatedly before looking up to him and pulling him down to a more heated and heavier kiss. His hands fell down from his face to his waist and he pulled him against him, feeling his neck getting hugged. "Holy fuck!" He said, making Mingjue chuckle loudly. "I see what you mean about liking to make me laugh. It's a good sensation." 

  "It is, it is." He nodded, thumbing the side of his waist and watching as his cheeks got adorable red. "You're adorable." 

  "Yeah, yeah, whatever. C'mon, we need a bath." He waved him off before grabbing his hand and pulling him along. "Then we can kiss again and go to the dinner the elders are giving.” 

  “Alright!” He smiled, kissing his cheek quickly and laughing when Wanyin turned to him with narrowed eyes and cheeks aflame. 

  Later after the bath and the dinner, both of them would lay down on Jiang Cheng’s - because now he got to call him by his given name, even if he highly doubted he would stop calling him Wanyin. The name was simply too beautiful to not be called - bed and talk. They would talk about everything and nothing and see what they should expect from them and Nie Mingjue would say that he was planning on starting a courtship if Jiang Cheng wanted. Later, Jiang Cheng would laugh at him and say that yes, he wanted the courtship but only if Baieyu got to participate in the ceremony and, then, laugh some more at Nie Mingjue’s sour face. 

♡

♡

♡

  “It means that I like you.” Nie-zongzhu said and Zhou Min’s breath caught up on her throat as he leaned down to kiss their leader. 

  “Holy shit.” She whispered as her sister, Zhou Nuo, giggled beside her. “Finally.”

  “Nie-gongzi is going to be so mad that he lost the bet to Wang-shixiong, of all people.” She giggled again and Wang Yin had to swallow down a cackle as Zhou Min shivered again. 

  “Oh, I’m going to win so much money on Nie-gongzi.” He cackled maddily and beside them all Zhao Shuhan, the first disciple, sighed heavily. 

  “I really think we shouldn’t be spying on our Sect Leader snogging with Nie-zongzhu.” Zhao Shuhan said, putting his hand on his face and sighing even more. “Especially if they are snogging.” 

 “Oh, mood-killer.” Zhou Min rolled her eyes and turned to him. “They took so long to get together. Let us enjoy this a little.” Zhao Shuhan took a deep breath before looking over at her to see them hugging and sighed again. 

  “Ok, just five more minutes.” He shook his head and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. 

  Oh, Nie-gongzi was going to be so pissed that he lost the bet.