#these are all solid candidates i think!!!

[petalbcrnes]

◌ㅤㅤ𝅼ㅤㅤʚɞㅤㅤ𝓙𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐃 ’n 𝐈𝐓-𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋!reader hcs.

♡ · 𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐘 ── continuation of the 𝓙𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐃 paired w/ it-girl!reader one-shot request, but now with headcanons.

⊹ 💬 · getting through request day by day,, do not mind the moodboard pictures. they are only here for vibes and do not dictate what reader looks like. it was not specified if anon wanted a nsfw section so i did not add it. only sfw here. this is more or a domestic version on the one-shot<3

♡ · REQUEST ── ❛ i neeeeeeed hcs with it girl reader i am obsessed with that trope now ❜

ഒ DIRECTORY⠀;⠀RULES⠀;⠀TALK W/ ME.

Jason didn’t think he’d even deserve your affections—loud in presence, stunningly confident, and always in the center of attention, but never had it felt like too much, you were balanced—you disarmed him with your sincerity. You saw him, not just the headlines or the Red Hood persona.

You make him feel grounded, while he makes you feel safe. You’re light in a way that doesn’t ignore the dark—you just carry it with grace. You have your own problems, he has his. Considering the glamour of your life, you don’t ignore the less savory parts of it all.

You post soft, candid pictures of him on your socials. He pretends to hate it, grumbling about it every time, but secretly saves all of them.

You dress to kill, and Jason jokes that you’re more dangerous than him with a gun. He would definitely carry your heels for you when your feet start to cramp from them. He does that princess carry too.

Bruce definitely raised an eyebrow the first time he saw you (he’s happy for you two, I promise). Alfred? He loved you instantly. He’s probably the first one that found out about you two.

Your friend group can’t believe you’re dating the guy who looks like he’d bench press anyone who looks at him wrong—until they see how he looks at you like you hung the stars. After that they tease you non-stop about Jason.

You can sweet-talk your way past GCPD roadblocks, club lines, and cranky neighbors. Jason usually just—… glowers. It's a solid duo.

Jason will never say it out loud, but after bad nights, he finds you—wherever you are—and buries himself in your space until the world feels real again.

He keeps a picture of you everywhere goes—tucked away where no one would see. It's one where you're laughing so hard your eyes are closed. You keep a picture of him in your wallet.

He once saw someone being rude to you at an event and got this close to going full Red Hood. You stopped him—barely.

Your vanity is covered in your beauty products and Jason’s stuff—cologne, spare ammo, bandages. It’s chaos and you love it.

You have zero chill when it comes to gift-giving. See something that reminds you of him? Bought. Expensive custom leather jacket? Already tailored to his measurements. He asks how you got them—you wink.

You once gave him a limited-edition motorcycle helmet that matched his Red Hood gear. He stared at it for a full minute before going.

“This costs more than my whole apartment, babe.” “Good thing you basically live in mine, then.”

You send him flowers. Yes, you send Jason Todd flowers—big dramatic arrangements with black dahlias or red roses, depending on your mood. He pretends to grumble but keeps every single card in a box under his bed.

You once said you had a bad day and he brought you flowers too—not the store kind, but ones he picked himself on a rooftop mission. (He made the bouquet himself, too).

“They reminded me of you. Pretty. A little dangerous.”

You stock your kitchen with his comfort foods. Even the obscure ones.

You cook for him sometimes, even if it’s just simple things. He acts like it’s the best meal he’s ever had—(it probably is. I stand by the hc that this man struggles to cook). He didn’t grow up with that kind of care.

You pay attention. He never says what he needs, but you know.

“Your gloves are torn—already ordered new ones.”

You buy matching silk robes. His is black. Yours is ivory. He never wears it around anyone but you, but he’s obsessed with how it feels.

You spoil him emotionally, too. With praise. With care. You tell him,

“You don’t have to earn this. Just let yourself have it.”

Jason is so flustered by being spoiled. His first instinct is suspicion, followed by awkward gratitude, followed by silently trying to return the favor tenfold.

“You didn’t have to—”

“I wanted to.”

He wears one of your rings on a chain under his shirt when he’s out doing Red Hood things. A small, glittering reminder of home.

Jason is weak for you in silk. Weak for you in over-sized hoodies. Weak for you period. You know it, and you tease him endlessly. It’s heartwarming to know that someone loves you without needing to perform for them.

You love tugging at the collar of his leather jacket just to pull him closer. He never complains.

He gets flustered when you post.

“Really? In that dress? And tagging me? You tryna get me killed, pretty?”

What’s it like when he is jealous? The circumstances of your job and social circle truly change his reaction.

Jason is ridiculously territorial but tries so hard to play it cool. (Keyword: tries). He’ll stay silent for a beat, then mutter,

“He kept touching your arm. I counted four times.”

He doesn’t get jealous because he doesn’t trust you—it’s because he knows how people look at you. Your industry is a very dangerous one. It may not have guns and bullets like he’s used too, but he knows the risks.

You once flirted with a bartender just a little to get a free drink—Jason spent the rest of the night teasing you like:

“Should I dye my hair blonde? Clearly I’ve got competition.” (He’s an ass, affectionately).

You tease him about it constantly.

“Awe, is my big bad Red Hood jealous of a guy in a bow-tie?”

Secretly, you love how unguarded he is in those moments. He cares so deeply it spills out.

Jason learns your skincare routine and buys you replacements when you run low. Even the complicated ones with French names he can’t pronounce.

He comes home late sometimes and finds you asleep on the couch waiting for him. He’ll cover you with his jacket, crouch down, and whisper,

“I’m here. Go back to sleep, pretty.”

You keep a little emergency first aid kit in your designer purse—for him. Bandages, painkillers, alcohol wipes. He teases you for it—“my own personal nurse,”—but when you patch him up gently, he looks at you like you invented light.

You do his hair when it gets too long. He closes his eyes, resting his head in your lap like it’s the first moment of peace he’s had all day.

He’s so utterly in love, it’s ridiculous. So are you, though.

© petalbcrnes | all rights reserved. these works are not allowed to be reposted, translated, or modified. viewer discretion is advised.

[relto]

this is so bleak man

(color shows which party got most votes in this voting district, black = conservatives, blue = far right)

[jakesimfromstatefarm]

fine line ── l. hs

↳ summary ── heesung's got two problems: (1) he can't sleep, and (2) he's addicted to the 1AM combo of instant ramyeon and coffee milk from his favorite convenience store around the corner. the only thing more consistent than his insomnia? his nightly visits for his beloved snacks (and maybe to glare at the new night shift employee, too). & pstt, spoiler alert: you're the said new night shift employee. and you don't know what's worse: his weird food choices or his apparent superiority complex. either way, if you have to watch him inhale another bowl like it's his last meal ever, you might lose it. but hey, you know what they say—there’s a fine line between love and hate...

↳ pairing ── heeseung x f!reader

↳ genre ── idol!heeseung, e2l!au, strangers to lovers!au, convenience store worker!reader || angst hehe, crack, eventual fluff

↳ ✎ᝰ 15.4k (gasp, she kept it under 20k????)

↳ contains ── so much bickering and banter, reader is kinda sassy and a lil crazy, heeseung is a lil weirdo at first, CRACK (this entire fic revolves around EXTRA HELL FIRE RAMEN PLS), angst, both heeseung & reader can't communicate their feelings & are stubborn as hell, tension tension tension! , deep conversations about life choices lol, cursing

↳ addie's ✉ .ᐟ ── IM ALIVE (barely) ! i survived a global expedition (one 12 hr flight) just to come back and face an apocalypse (i got a bug infection and a cold) but dragged myself out of my deathbed (my comfy bed) to finish editing this because i told yall i would and bc i felt bad ghosting everyone for a week LOL apologies (if anyone cares,,,pls tell me u do or i'll cry rn) anyways i hope yall enjoy this one,,,this one was fun to write, it felt very sitcom-y and was lowkey based off of backstreet rookie vibes (only bc it's set in a convenience store). i hope you all enjoy & pls let me know what you think :') thank u for the support & love always <3

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・

It’s simple, really. 

Customer service voice on, a smile plastered on your face, greet the customer, scan the item, take their money, bag said item, throw in a half-hearted ‘Have a good night!’

And repeat. 

Well, most of the time. 

Occasionally, there’s the fun of kicking out a few drunk teenagers looking for a bathroom that you definitely don’t have (yes you do). But otherwise, this graveyard shift at your local corner convenience store? 

Total dream job. 

You get paid—as in actual, legit money—to sit behind a counter, scan snacks, and feast on your personal holy trinity of microwavable cheesy ramen, peach juice, and potato chips. What could possibly go wrong? 

At least, that’s how the manager sold it during your interview. And by interview, you mean the three-minute conversation that went something like: 

“Can you work nights?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Cool, you’re hired.” 

No background check, no follow-up questions, not even a glance at your resume. A broke college student with insomnia and schedule flexibility? You were the perfect candidate. 

And it’s not like you’re picky. You needed cash, and this seemed like a pretty solid deal. What can you say? College is expensive, and someone’s gotta fund your caffeine addiction and deeply specific (and yet completely necessary, you would argue) habit of playing at every single claw machine game you stumble across. 

So yeah. Easy work.

At least, that's what you thought.

Because on the night of your first shift, exactly at 1:09AM, the doorbell gives its friendly little ding, and in walks...something.

Someone?

Whatever it is, it's a walking shadow. Oversized hoodie. Baggy pants. A baseball cap shoved under the hood. A black face mask covering whatever’s left of his identity. You think it’s either a ninja, a celebrity in disguise, or—more likely—a vampire who hasn’t seen sunlight since the Joseon era (you’re leaning more towards vampire).

But more than the wild theories running around in your head, something else piques your curiosity.

Because unlike the other weirdos that usually shuffle in at these ungodly hours, this one moves with true purpose. He beelines straight to the ramen aisle, snags something off the top shelf (most likely the ultra-spicy soup one because, of course, you already have the shelves memorized), and then grabs a bottle of coffee milk from the cold drinks section without even so much as glancing at it.

No hesitation. No second-guessing. Like he’s done this a thousand times before and is now on autopilot mode.

You watch, intrigued. And then—horrified.

Because who in the right mind pairs volcanic spicy ramen with coffee milk? Is that even legal?

You’re barely recovering from your own appalled thoughts before he’s already at the counter, placing his borderline apocalyptic snack combination on the counter in front of you with the same eerie precision he has.

You fail to keep your poker face on when you scan his items, your face scrunching up in disgust.

“Uh,” you shake it off, forcing yourself back to reality, “That’ll be—”

But before you can even finish your sentence, he’s already fishing out the exact amount—three crisp bills—out his back pocket and holds it out for you.

There’s a beat of silence.

You stare down at the money in his hand for a second too long, suddenly convinced this guy practices his convenience store interactions in the mirror or something.

When you don’t show any further signs of moving, he eventually gives up, placing the money on the counter with a quiet sigh, grabbing his ramen and coffee milk, and striding off to the self-service corner like he personally owns the place.

All of this. Without. A single. Thank you.

Wow. Okay. So tonight’s customer is potentially a vampire with a side gig as a professional jerk. Good to know.

You internally scoff at the entire interaction, but—unfortunately for you—you can’t look away. Because this guy? This walking shadow?

You’re weirdly intrigued. Like when you accidentally click on a pimple-popping video and immediately regret it, but still end up watching five more.

It’s a curse.

Out of the corner of your eye (because obviously you’re not staring, you’re just…hyper-aware of your surroundings), you watch him execute his ramen-and-coffee-milk routine with the precision of a man possessed.

Step one: Hot water in the ramen cup.

Step two: Ramen into the microwave.

Step three: Wait for exactly one beep before yanking the microwave door open with alarming speed, as if he's scared to even give the second beep the chance to ring.

Step four: Peel the lid back in slowly—so painfully slow you're about to march over there and do it yourself.

Step five: Insert the straw into the coffee milk—of course, perfectly right in the center. Bullseye.

Honestly? It's all kind of impressive. Horrifying, but impressive.

And, of course, just when you think you might finally look away, because out of sight, out of mind—he slides onto one of the bar stools by the window, right in your direct line of vision. The perfect spot for you to get a pristine view of his back, which, spoiler alert, is completely unhelpful in your personal mission in trying to see even a glimpse of what this guy looks like.

Maybe if you squint hard enough, you can make out his face in the reflection of the store window. Maybe. Just maybe—

Nope.

All you catch is a brief glimpse of his eyes—barely visible beneath his excessive hoodie and hat combination. Even his mask stays glued to his face and you wonder how he even plans on eating his outrageous meal.

But even so, you still can’t look away. What even is that color? And why can’t you look away?

Whatever. It’s just eyes. Totally normal. Everyone has them. Not noteworthy at all.

Except it is.

Because you catch yourself still squinting, hoping the glare of the fluorescent lighting against the window hides your not so subtle mission from him. You’re probably risking retinal damage at this point with how hard you’re trying to decode this guy’s entire identity from literally just his eyes.

You catch another short glimpse of his eyes as he shuffles in his seat and just as you’re trying to piece together why his eyes look oddly familiar—

He looks up.

His eyes catch yours in the glaring reflection of the store's windows, and you freeze.

Abort mission. Now.

You cough—loudly, dramatically—and your eyes immediately dart elsewhere, your hands shuffling on the discounted candy bars displayed on the counter top, pretending to look busy and silently praying he didn't catch you looking for too long.

When enough time passes by, you risk another quick glance back at him, to see he’s now digging into his ramen, head tucked so low you can’t even see his eyes anymore. He’s gone full turtle mode.

You lift a brow.

Weirdo.

A weirdo with an ego. Slurping and sipping away at his crime-against-humanity meal as if he owns the building.

Maybe he's mute. Or a people-hater. Or a cryptid who thrives on ramen and coffee milk instead of human interaction. Maybe I'm being pranked?

You shrug it off, because no matter how hard you try to figure him out, one thing is glaringly obvious: he does not want to be bothered.

And you're not sure if that makes him more intriguing or more annoying.

You’re in the clear. At least, you think you’re in the clear. 

After your first weird encounter with Mr. No-Name-No-Face—spicy ramen enthusiast and potential vampire—you’ve begrudgingly adjusted to his nightly visits. 

He shows up at 1:09AM like clockwork, grabs his neon red Extra Spicy Hellfire Ramen (yes, that’s the real brand name, and yes, your soul dies a little every time you even have to think about it), and parks himself in the window seat across from your counter like it’s a Michelin-star ramen bar—and not your humble convenience store with a health inspection rating of B+ (don’t ask). 

By night three, you’ve downgraded him from potential murderer to mildly annoying ramen connoisseur. 

By night four, you’ve decided he’s your own personal karma sent by the universe. 

It starts off with the door chime. You don’t even flinch. 1:09AM. Right on schedule. 

You don’t look up from the colorful juice pouches you’re restocking. You’re halfway through creating a perfectly symmetrical pyramid display—color-coded, of course—because, clearly, you’ve peaked as a human being. 

Behind you, footsteps head straight to the ramen aisle. And sure enough, you peek over your shoulder, and there he is: drowning in black hoodie layers, hood up, mask on, the patron saint of please don’t perceive me. Same old routine, same old—

Wait. 

He freezes, mid-reach for his usual ramen on the top shelf, his hand hovering in the air. And then, horrifyingly, he turns. 

And looks directly at you. 

Your face heats up—probably not as red as the hellfire ramen he was about to grab, but it’s close, you imagine. You find yourself clutching onto the random juice pouch in your hand as if it’s your lifeline before you clear your throat, “Uh—is something wrong?” 

He glances from you and back to the shelf in front of him, and for the first time in…ever, he speaks. 

Gasp. 

So we can cross mute off the list. 

“They’re out of my flavor,” he says. His voice is deep, which isn’t surprising to you, given he’s the literal human embodiment of the color black, but it’s also serious. So unnecessarily serious that you almost laugh. 

Almost. 

Because his tone isn’t just serious—it’s accusatory. As if you personally raided the ramen aisle and hid his favorite flavor for entertainment. 

Excuse me? 

Your mouth opens then closes, flopping like a fish that now deeply regrets every life choice. The fire rising in your chest is about two seconds away from erupting into a full-blown lecture on how supply chains work, but you keep it in, deciding getting fired on the fourth day probably doesn’t look good on your resume. 

Instead, you plaster on a flat, unimpressed look. 

“Uh..yeah, it looks like it,” you deadpan, inching closer to where he’s standing to investigate the shelf. 

Leaning up on your toes, you scan the shelf for any hidden Hellfire cups, hoping some miracle will save you from continuing this interaction. 

Nope. It’s empty alright. Emptier than your will to entertain his dramatics. 

“Tragic,” you glance back at him, strategically avoiding eye contact, and settle on offering a shrug. “There are plenty of other flavors. Maybe try…the regular spicy?” 

You grab the flavor below his usual one and hold it up as an olive branch, but he cuts you off with a tone that even convinces you that you’re deranged. 

“No.” 

You blink. 

“No?” 

“It has to be Extra Spicy Hellfire.” 

You blink again. 

You wait for the punchline.

It never comes. 

This man is dead serious. 

You’re standing in the middle of a fluorescent-lit ramen aisle, at your minimal wage night-shift job, at 1:12AM on a random Tuesday, and this guy is dead serious. 

And he’s staring at you like this is a life-or-death situation. And judging from the look in his eyes, it’s looking like you’re facing death. 

But then, you really notice his eyes. And for a split second—just a split second—you’re derailed from your rising anger. 

They’re brown. But not just any brown—the kind of brown that makes poets write bad metaphors. Cinnamon swirls. Autumn leaves. Possibly falling in love in a Hallmark Christmas movie. 

But then you blink again, hard, snapping yourself out of whatever ridiculous moment your sleep-deprived brain just conjured. This is not the time. You’re literally staring at, like, three inches of this guy’s face. 

And he’s a jerk. Get a grip, Y/N. 

“Uh, yeah,” you clear your throat, trying your best to sound professional through your disbelief. “Sorry. We probably put in our shipment request late. But I’m sure you won’t implode by going one night without it?” 

You tack on a small laugh and smile at the end of your sentence, hoping to lighten the mood. 

He does not smile back. 

Not even a flicker. 

Instead, he continues to stare at you like you just suggested he eat plain, untoasted bread for the rest of his life. 

You want to bury yourself into a hole. Maybe getting fired on the fourth day won’t be so bad afterall. 

“I’m sure the regular spicy one is just as good. What’s the worst that could happen?” you offer weakly when he makes no sign of saying anything, and you really hope this guy doesn’t explode in front of you—mainly because you’re not confident in your own ability to explain that situation to your manager. 

“I’m not risking it,” he finally deadpans. 

Your jaw drops slightly. 

“You’re not ris—” you hesitate, debating whether you want to ruin your night further. But you’ve come this far. “You’re being…serious?” 

The question lined with your clear judgement hangs in the air between you two, and no amount of fake customer service can mask the expression of disapproval on your face. 

His eyes narrow at you as he scoffs, “You wouldn’t understand.” 

“Oh, I understand,” you tilt your head, your annoyance slowly reaching a boiling point, throwing all professionalism out the window. All you wanted was to enjoy your juice-sorting in peace, not babysit this walking ramen manifesto. “I understand that you’re just picky.” 

At that, his eyes flash—sharp, unreadable. “I’m not picky.” 

“You won’t eat a perfectly fine ramen just because it’s not named after the ninth circle of hell.” 

Silence. 

He stares at you with the intensity of someone about to write a strongly worded online review. 

Finally, with an exaggerated sigh, he finally mutters, “Fine. I’ll take the mild one.” 

You blink at the flavor in your hand—the one that’s clearly labeled in giant, blazing-red, font: Regular Spicy. Then you look back at him. 

“You mean regular spicy.” 

“Right. Whatever. Same thing.” 

He grabs the ramen cup from your hand and stalks off to grab his usual coffee milk, leaving you stranded in the middle of the ramen aisle, questioning every life choice that brought you here. 

Before you’re about to mentally spiral, his voice cuts through the store. 

“Hello?” 

Oh. Right. Your job. 

You scramble back to behind the register, quickly moving your hands to ring him up and get him out of here as soon as possible. 

He hands you his three crisp bills, and before you hand him his glorified ramen and godforsaken coffee milk, you hesitate, pulling them back slightly. He freezes, his hands hanging in the air between you two. 

“You know,” you narrow your eyes as you look up at him, “some people would say thank you for the recommendation.” 

His brow arches—or at least, you think it does. It’s hard to completely tell under his stupid hat. Then he fires back—

“And some people wouldn’t forget to restock the ramen.” 

Your mouth falls open, your words failing you as he grabs his goods from your hands, heading to the self-serve station to continue his nightly noodle worship as if he didn’t just verbally body-slam you. 

Yeah. It’s going to be a long night. 

Life is unpredictable, uncontrollable, and chaotic. 

Lee Heeseung’s life? Heeseung’s life is that times ten, with an extra sprinkle of what-is-even-happening-anymore? 

Between back-to-back choreo sessions, recording tracks at hours that shouldn’t legally exist, and navigating the emotional and physical minefield of constant shows, interviews, photoshoots—you name it—nothing about his life is consistent. 

However—

There are two things—two sacred constants—that keep Heeseung from spiraling into total madness. 

The first? 

Insomnia. 

Not by choice, of course. He doesn’t love being awake at 3AM, staring at his ceiling and waiting for sleep to take over. But it’s a loyal companion, like a stray cat that keeps showing up at your house no matter how hard you try to shoo it away. Heeeseung’s insomnia is always there for him, night after night, ensuring he gets exactly only four hours of sleep—with a side of existential dread. 

And the second? 

Extra Spicy Hellfire ramen and coffee milk. 

Yes, it’s a weird combo. 

No, he doesn’t care. 

This unlikely pairing is Heeseung’s personal slice of heaven he can actually control and choose in a life otherwise ruled by the rest of the world. 

Every night, he drags himself to his favorite corner store, grabs his fiery ramen and sweet, creamy coffee milk, and plants himself in the window seat to enjoy his culinary masterpiece in peace. 

Then—and only then—can Heeseung catch a few hours of sleep, the spice-induced euphoria lulling himself into a temporary state of calm. 

Does he have a problem? Absolutely. 

Is he addicted? Without a doubt. 

Does he care? Not in the slightest. 

Because in a world that demands he change at the drop of a hat, this little routine of his is the one thing that stays consistent. 

Well, except for last night. 

Because last night, someone dared to disrupt the cosmic balance of his existence. Someone failed to restock his precious Extra Spicy Hellfire ramen. 

He had stared at the empty spot on the shelf, the betrayal hitting him like a personal attack. He went home last night only a quarter satisfied from the mild spicy ramen he had settled with. 

And the worst part? 

He couldn’t stop thinking about the someone responsible. 

Now here he is, stepping into the corner store at 1:09AM, ready to make up for last night’s disappointment of an outcome. 

Heeseung steps into the brightly lit store, the familiar ding ringing behind him as he enters right on time. He continues his familiar route to the ramen aisle, but not before shooting a quick glance from below his hat toward the counter. 

Yup, there she is. 

You. 

The new graveyard shift employee. The one who dared to challenge his sacred ramen ritual and stared at him like he was a walking poor life choice. 

You’re here again. This is five nights in a row. Heeseung wonders if you 1) are insane, 2) have no life, or 3) are purely here just to spite him. 

But tonight, he’s prepared. His focus is razor-sharp, his mission clear: Extra Spicy Hellfire and coffee milk. Nothing will get in the way tonight. 

Heeseung looks up, exhaling in relief when he spots the fiery red packaging of the Extra Spicy Hellfire sitting innocently on the shelf. There you are. 

He grabs the cup (with too much excitement that it should honestly embarrass him), cradling it like a long-lost love, before he makes his way to snag his coffee milk. 

Perfect combo. Perfect routine. Perfect night. 

Except—

Except, of course, you’re watching him. Again. 

He doesn’t even need to look up to know it. He can feel your judging eyes burning into the back of his head like you did the other night—like you’re seconds away from filing a report against his own taste buds. 

He doesn’t get it—what’s so strange about ramen and coffee milk? It’s not like he’s dipping the noodles in it. Why you’ve made it your personal mission to antagonize him, he has no idea, but it’s really throwing him off his ramen zen. 

Heeseung sighs to himself as he steps up to the counter, making sure you hear the sheer misery in this voice—because, of course, fate has cursed him with yet another encounter with you.

“So…do you actually enjoy these together, or are you just trying to destroy your stomach lining?” 

He freezes. Great, you’re talking. So much for a perfect night. 

He adjusts his cap to peer at you and that same unimpressed, judgmental look sitting on your face as you lean against the counter behind you. “What’s wrong with my choices?” 

Your eyebrows shoot up, “What's right with them? This combo screams, ‘I have unresolved issues I’m trying to boil away with spicy and sugar.’” 

Okay, ouch. 

Heeseung narrows his eyes, trying to ignore the weird pinch in his chest at how quickly you read him, whether he likes to admit it or not. 

“I like them. That’s all that matters,” his voice drips with a certain sharpness, hoping the edge in his tone is enough to make you back off. 

You, however, seem entirely unfazed.

“Just trying to help,” you shrug as you scan his items, “looking out for your poor taste buds.” 

For a moment, Heeseung considers firing back, but then his gaze catches yours for a millisecond too long as you take his cash and, immediately, he’s wondering—for the hundredth time—if you know. 

Do you recognize him? 

The thought has been gnawing at him since the first time he stepped into this store and saw you sitting there five days ago. Sure, he’s got his identity pretty much concealed under his borderline clinically insane hat-mask-hoodie combo, but still—most people at least give him a double take, a lingering glance. Something. 

But you? Nothing. No flash of recognition. No curiosity. Nothing to indicate you know you’re talking to Lee Heeseung—part idol, part insomniac, 100% ramen enthusiast. 

And for some reason, that both annoys and intrigues him. 

“Thanks for your concern,” Heeseung mumbles dryly, quickly grabbing the ramen cup and cold drink from your hands. 

“No problem,” you chirp just as sarcastically, an annoying smile on your face. “Enjoy your…uh, gourmet meal.”

Heeseung throws you one last glare before shaking his head and stalking off to the self-serve station. He puts the cup down on the counter with a little more force than necessary and pours boiling water over the noodles, glaring into the steam as your voice rings in his head. 

What’s wrong with ramen and coffee milk? He scowls. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And I definitely don’t have unresolved issues. 

But as he steals a glance back at the check-out counter and catches you sorting bills like nothing happened, a weird unease settles in his chest. 

He looks down at this ramen, then at the coffee milk. 

For the first time ever, he feels…self-conscious. 

And now you’re in his head. 

Great. 

By night six, you don’t know whether to pity the guy or stage an intervention.

The ding of the automatic doors announces his arrival, as usual, at exactly 1:09AM. You know it’s him—Ramen Guy. The guy who you’re convinced single-handedly continues to keep the Extra Spicy Hellfire ramen business float. 

You lean against the counter and subtly watch him make his usual pilgrimage to the ramen aisle, internally scoffing to yourself at the weird moment he picks up his ramen like it’s his newborn child.

He’s so weird. 

You wonder what kind of person he is outside this convenience store. Does he always make such objectively strange choices? Like, does he wear socks with sandals? Does he mix his cereal with orange juice instead of milk? 

Your haunting thoughts are interrupted by the sound of his usual unholy pair of snacks hitting the counter in front of you with a soft thunk. You look down at the items before glancing back up at him with a skeptical look on your face, “You ever think about switching it up?”

Ramen Guy, clearly expecting the snark, doesn’t miss a beat, “You ever think about minding your business?” 

“Not really. Boredom makes me nosy,” you shrug. “And at this point, you’re the only thing keeping me entertained at this hour.” 

He rolls his eyes so dramatically you’re mildly concerned he might sprain something. 

“And I’m starting to think you like judging me a little too much.” 

“Wrong. I like judging everyone equally,” you scan his items, then tilt your head. “But maybe you’re a special case. With issues.” 

To your surprise, he snorts. Like, an actual, out-loud laugh. 

“Says the girl who voluntarily works the night shift.”

Your smirk falters for half a second. He catches it.

Ramen Guy raises an eyebrow, leaning casually against the counter. “What? Too close to home?”

You shift in your spot, “Bold of you to assume I have issues.”

He shrugs, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

You shift the attention back to him. “What about you, then? Why do you keep showing up here, huh?”

At that, something changes. The words in the air, and for the first time, you notice a slight shift in his demeanor—the slight awkwardness in the way he shifts his weight. 

Then, after a brief pause, he meets your gaze and throws the question right back at you.

“Why do you keep working the night shift?”

You freeze, putting his items back down on the counter, caught off guard by the reversal. "Touché. But I asked first."

There's hesitation again for a moment, his fingers tapping the edge of the counter impatiently—nervously?

"I like the peace and quiet,” he finally says, and for the first time tonight, he meets your eyes.

For a split second, you’re startled by the sincerity in his gaze and sudden shift in tone—it’s almost distracting. But you shake yourself out of it just as quickly.

"Nothing about Extra Spicy Hellfire and coffee milk sounds peaceful or quiet," your voice softer now but still teasing.

"Okay, Miss Graveyard Shift," he fires back, leaning a little closer over the counter. "Why are you here every night? Do you have a thing for fluorescent lighting and cleaning up after drunk customers or something?"

You don't miss the faint challenge in his voice as you narrow your eyes at him.

Then, you settle for a shrug and take a breath, answering honestly.

"It's flexible. Pays well enough," you start, before looking back at him, and add, almost as an afterthought, "...and I like the quiet too."

It’s an honest answer, one that seems to hang in the air between you two for a beat too long. His gaze softens ever so slightly, and you swear you see something shift underneath that stupid cap of his, but before you can dwell on it, he straightens up.

He places his three bills on the counter, grabs his items, and pauses.

“So,” he starts, his lighter tone breaking the silence, “do you have a name, or should I just keep calling you Graveyard Shift Girl?”

You raise a brow, amused, as you start putting his bills away, “Do you have a name, or should I just keep calling you Ramen Guy?”

For a split second, you think you see something flicker in his eyes—something smug, something entertained. And you don’t know it, but under his mask, his lips twitch, fighting back a faint smile.

“Touché,” he murmurs, echoing your earlier words before stepping back from the counter, items in hand, but lingers just a moment longer than necessary—like he wants to say something else.

But he doesn’t. Instead, he turns towards the self-serve station, falling back into his regular routine.

And you should do the same.

You try to do the same. But as you go back to your usual tasks—wiping down the counter, restocking shelves, pretending to be productive—you find yourself sneaking glances out of the corner of your eye toward his window seat.

He just sits there, just like he always does, stirring his ramen absentmindedly as he stares out into the empty street. And yet, tonight, something feels…different.

It’s nothing. You tell yourself it’s nothing.

Just curiosity. Natural, given how he keeps showing up every night, breaking up the monotony of your shift with his weird food choices and even weirder personality.

And yet—

No matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to stop thinking about him—the way he looked at you earlier, the way his demeanor shifted even slightly.

It’s nothing.

Still, your gaze flickers back at him, catching the way his fingers tap lightly against the table, lost in thought. You wonder what kind of things keep a guy like him up at night.

And maybe—just maybe—you’re starting to find his weird little habits endearing, too.

The faint sound of the store’s music plays in the background, the clock ticks, and eventually, he finishes his ramen, tosses his trash, and makes his way toward the door.

And then—he hesitates.

Just for a second. A small pause, a barely-there moment where he stops, glances over his shoulder just slightly—just enough to look at you.

“See you tomorrow, Graveyard Shift Girl.”

You blink, caught off guard, and for a moment, all you can manage is to stare at him. Then, as you fail to ignore the weird blooming feeling in your chest, your words slip out almost on instinct:

"Goodnight, Ramen Guy."

The next night, you do something completely out of character, entirely unprovoked, and maybe just a little bit unhinged—you take your cheesy ramen, peace juice pouch, and bag of potato chips and plop yourself down right next to Ramen Guy and his usual window seat. 

He pauses mid-slurp. Keeping his head low, he turns to you slowly. Suspiciously.

“What…are you doing?” 

“Having dinner,” you say matter-of-factly, popping open your bag of chips. 

His gaze drops to your meal, and then back to you. “It’s almost 1:30AM.” 

“Okay? Dinner, early breakfast, midnight snack, call it whatever you want,” you shrug, unbothered as you continue unwrapping your meal. 

Ramen Guy exhales through his nose, shaking his head to himself like he’s just accepted his fate. Without another word, he turns back to his own meal and resumes eating. 

A surprisingly comfortable silence follows—the only sounds filling the empty store the quiet hum of the store’s playlist, the buzz of the lights above you, and the synchronized slurp of two insomniacs with poor diet choices. 

Then, without thinking, you tilt your bag of potato chips, holding it out between you two, “Want one?”

He stops mid-motion, as if he’d almost forgotten you were still here.

Almost.

A glance into your bag, a small shrug, and then, just like that, he grabs a chip and pops it into his mouth, moving so fast you barely catch a glimpse of his face without the mask.

“Thanks,” he mutters before taking a sip of his coffee milk, still keeping his head low.

You hum in response, your fingers drumming against the counter before your curiosity wins the best of you, “So…what kind of life leads you to seek peace and quiet in a convenience store?”

It’s a question that’s been on your mind since last night’s conversation. What can you say? You’re a creature of curiosity.

Ramen Guy shrugs next to you, “What do you mean?”

“Like…you’re here every night. Why at night? Why not during the day?”

He lets out a short chuckle. “You want me to leave?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Sure sounded like it.”

You exhale sharply, your fingers now absentmindedly swirling the noodles in your bowl. “Look, I’m just saying—most people are asleep at this hour.”

He smirks. You can hear it in his voice without even looking. “You’re here too, aren’t you?”

“That’s different, this is my job,” you scoff, amused, before pointedly gesturing at this meal before him, “Unless you want to call your weird habits a job. Which, honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone was paying you to subject your tastebuds to that every night.”

And he laughs. It’s small, barely there, but you catch it. Then, with a quiet exhale, he finally answers, “It’s like I told you before, I like the quiet at this hour…I don’t get a lot of that.”

You stop twirling your noodles, the air shifting into that same unspoken understanding from last night. Faint, but unmistakable.

Something unsaid hanging between the two of you, something that tells you this guy is more than just an insomniac with questionable food choices.

You tilt your head. “So, what, you got a bunch of loud roommates or something?”

A small, almost knowing smile tugs at his lips. “Something like that.”

You raise a brow at his vague answer but don’t press. Instead, you nod towards his food. “And your criminal meals? That part of the quiet too?”

He huffs, “Maybe I just have superior taste.”

“Right, totally,” you laugh, the tone in your voice almost testing him. 

Ramen Guy finishes up his meal, wiping his mouth quickly with a napkin before putting his mask back on and finally turning to face you fully.

He narrows his eyes at you, “You think you have me all figured out?”

You mirror his actions, facing him fully for the first time tonight, folding your arms, “Oh, I do have you all figured out, Ramen Guy.”

“Oh yeah?” He leans forward slightly. “Alright, go on. Tell me who I am, Graveyard Psychic Girl.”

You roll your eyes but accept the challenge, leaning back in your seat.

“You’re a creature of habit, clearly. You like consistency. Probably because your life is very inconsistent otherwise.”

Ramen Guy doesn’t react, so you continue.

“You’re a night owl, but not by choice. You want to sleep, but your brain won’t let you.” Your eyes flick down to the coffee milk. “So, instead, you drink this, even though it probably makes it worse.”

Still no response.

“So now, you just keep showing up here because it’s predictable,” you finish with a small shrug. “And maybe…‘cause you’re kinda lonely.”

That makes him pause.

You immediately regret saying it. Because…what was that?

That was too much. Too deep. Too intrusive.

But to your surprise, he doesn’t deflect. He doesn’t scoff, or roll his eyes, or peer them at you the way he does a million times a night.

Instead, he tilts his head slightly, eyes glinting with something you can’t quite place.

“…Not bad,” he says finally, reaching for another chip from the bag in your hands.

You blink. “Wait, really?”

“I mean, kinda harsh, but…mostly true.”

“Oh,” you don’t know what you expected, but it wasn’t that.

A beat of silence passes before Ramen Guy speaks up again, “So basically, you’re saying we’re the same.”

You let out a snort, “Not even close.”

“We both work weird hours. We both like the quiet. We both eat the same convenience store junk food.” He holds up the bag of potato chips before eating another one.

“You just started eating those,” you deadpan. 

“Yeah, but I’m still eating them, which means my taste is obviously elite.”

“You literally eat coffee milk with nuclear ramen.”

“Okay, you’re the one who made it weird.”

A mischievous smile starts forming on your face as you snatch your bag of chips back from him, “So you agree your food choices are weird?” 

His smirk falters as a small giggle rises out of you. 

“Whatever you say, Graveyard Shift Girl.” 

The next night, Heeseung does something completely out of character, entirely unprovoked, and maybe just a little bit unhinged—he’s late. It’s 1:30AM, well past his usual 1:09AM show-up time, and the store is Heeseung-less.

He blames late-night dance practice. He also blames Ni-ki for stealing his usual black hoodie—forcing him to spend an extra thirty minutes looking for another one. Not that the hoodie matters, he would argue (yes, it does).

When he finally steps through the door at 1:32AM, the familiar ding barely finishes echoing before—

“Wow,” you drawl from behind the counter, arms crossed. “Tragic. Unbelievable. I was starting to think you found a new place to bother.”

Heeseung snorts, making a beeline for the ramen aisle, “You wish. Wouldn’t want you to get bored without me.”

You let out a dramatic gasp, “Wow. Thoughtful and self-aware. Who knew you had layers?”

Heeseung tries to ignore you, moving to grab his coffee milk. But his lips twitch under his mask, and he’s glad it’s hiding the way he’s failing to fight the smile growing on his face.

When he finally reaches the counter, you push off from where you were leaning against the counter, hands settling on your hips. “Okay, be honest. Outside of this, do you have anything else going on in your life?” 

Heeseung raises a brow, completely caught off guard. If there’s one thing he’s learned over the past few nights, it’s that you’re incredibly nosy. And for someone who claims to like working the night shift because of the quiet, you’re absolutely terrible at keeping things that way. 

“Excuse me?”

“You mentioned that you work weird hours yesterday,” you gesture vaguely at him. “So, spill.”

His stare remains blank, debating if he can distract you by handing you his three bills of cash (he can’t).

“I do…stuff.”

“Stuff,” you repeat, “Quite riveting.”

Heeseung exhales, “Why do you care?”

You shrug, taking his cash and putting it away. “You must do something interesting. You’re too weirdly confident for a guy who just bums around convenience stores at night.”

Heeseung scoffs. "Weirdly confident?"

"Yeah, like—" You wave around you. "You walk around like you have some big, mysterious purpose. But all I ever see you do is glare at instant noodles and sip milk like a sad Victorian child."

Heeseung shakes his head, letting out a breathy laugh. "Maybe that is my purpose."

Then, he simply shrugs. But there’s something in his gaze—something unreadable, like he’s deciding exactly how much he wants to say.

"It’s hard to explain,” he finally says. “I just…have a weird work schedule.”

"Weird how?"

"Weird as in, I don’t really get normal hours. Always moving, always working. Makes sleep kinda impossible."

You pause, taking in his words. Then, you shift slightly, crossing your arms. "Sounds exhausting."

Heeseung exhales a laugh, leaning against the counter. "You have no idea."

For a moment, a familiar and warm quiet fills the air as the two of you linger, as if waiting for the other to say something more.

And he doesn’t know why, but his chest feels a little too tight—like he’s let you stumble into a part of him you weren’t supposed to see yet.

“Well,” you say quietly, your lips curving into a soft smile that sends a weird jolt through his body that he chooses to ignore. “I’m honored you’ve chosen this fine establishment as your official sanctuary.”

He scoffs, reaching for his items. "Don’t let it go to your head, Graveyard Shift Girl.”

He then turns to head to his usual corner when—

“Y/N.”

Heeseung pauses, turning back at you like an awkward child lost in the middle of a store.

“My name,” you clarify, casually returning to sorting the register’s bills. “A lot easier to say than Graveyard Shift Girl.”

Heeseung gives you a slow nod, something unfamiliar and unplaceable twisting in his stomach as he turns back around.

And when he finishes his meal and leaves that night, he calls out—

“See you tomorrow, Y/N.”

And, this time, he doesn’t fight the smile under his mask when he hears your voice, a little softer, call back out:

“Goodnight, Ramen Guy."

It happens the moment he steps inside.

Heeseung doesn’t even make it past the threshold before a familiar melody drifts through the weak convenience store speakers and to his ears.

Familiar because he’s heard it a thousand times.

Familiar because it’s literally his voice singing the line.

His stomach drops.

Instead of his usual beeline to the ramen aisle, Heeseung turns towards the counter where you’re idly tapping on your phone, oblivious.

The hum of the melody continues, and Heeseung is suddenly too hyper-aware of how loud his own voice sounds in the otherwise dead-silent store.

Panic creeps up his spine.

He moves fast, crossing the store in a few long strides, slamming his hands down onto the counter that divides the two of you.

You jump in your seat.

“Geez—” you clutch your chest, wide-eyed as you take in his very sudden, very urgent presence. “What the hell?”

Heeseung ignores you, pointing above him, “Did you put this on?”

Your brows furrow as you put your phone down, glance up at him, then at the speakers he’s pointing at. You barely register the song before recognition flickers across your face.

“Oh—this? Nah, it’s the store’s playlist,” you gesture towards the iPad behind the counter, currently playing a Current Hits playlist on shuffle. “It’s some group’s new song. Pretty catchy.”

Heeseung just stares at you, mind racing.

You don’t recognize it.

You don’t recognize his voice.

The realization sends relief crashing over him, but he quickly snaps out of it with a brand-new problem—because now he has to decide what the hell to do with this information.

Does he tell you? Drop the act and lay it all out? Would you believe him? Would you even care?

“You okay?” Now you’re staring at him, suspicious. “Why do you look like you’ve just seen a ghost?”

Heeseung clears his throat, realizing his stance is way too conspicuous, and slowly removes his hands from the counter to stand up straight, attempting to sound normal, “No reason.” 

You squint at him.

Then—

“Oh my god,” you gasp, eyes suddenly lighting up. “Wait.”

His heart stops. Oh, shit. She figured it out. This is it.

“Are you a fan?” you blurt, leaning forward in your seat eagerly.

Heeseung blinks.

…What.

“Oh, you totally are,” you continue, completely missing the way his soul is currently leaving his body. “You came straight to the counter like a man on a mission. Oh my god. Are they, like, your favorite group or something?”

Heeseung has never wanted to laugh and cry at the same time more than he does in this moment.

“Something like that,” he mutters, bringing a hand to rub this temple, because no way this is happening right now.

You beam brightly from your seat, “That’s cute. Who’s your bias?”

At that, Heeseung does laugh—because this is now officially the most ridiculous thing that’s ever happened to him.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.”

There’s a long pause.

And then—after a deep breath, a long and heated internal debate, and one last glance at your innocent, completely oblivious face—he finally exhales, looking you straight in the eye.

“This guy,” he says as he hears his own voice ring out through the store. “Because that’s me. That’s my voice.”

Silence.

You stare at him.

You blink. Once. Twice.

Then, after what feels like an eternity—

“…Huh?”

Then you tilt your head. "I'm sorry—what?"

Heeseung watches as your expression cycles from confusion to skepticism to outright disbelief. He braces himself.

"My name is Lee Heeseung," he repeats slowly. "From Enhypen."

Another beat of silence.

Then—because you’re you—

You burst out laughing.

"Okay, Ramen Guy," you snort, crossing your arms. "Very funny.”

Heeseung sighs, "I knew this would happen."

"Because you’re delusional?"

"Because you don’t pay attention."

You roll your eyes, "Oh, I’m sorry, but when in our thriving relationship have you ever given me a reason to believe that you’re actually a famous idol and not just some guy who has concerning dietary habits?"

Heeseung groans.

He regrets everything. He regrets this entire conversation. He could have lied. He could have said literally anything else. But no—he had to be honest. And look where that got him.

"I’m serious," he insists, leveling you with a look.

You stare back at him.

Then, something seems to click in your brain, because you suddenly lunge for your phone.

"Oh, we’re doing this," you mutter, fingers flying across the screen as you type in his name. "Let’s see if—"

You stop.

Heeseung watches as your eyes widen, scanning the images in front of you. Then you look up at him. Then back down at the phone.

Then back at him.

“Take the mask off,” you mutter quietly, slowly holding your phone up next to his face.

With an exhausted sigh, Heeseung does what he’s told and pulls it down for the first time in front of you.

You scan him. Then the phone. Then him.

"You've gotta be shitting me," you breathe.

Heeseung shrugs, "Told you."

You gape at him, your mouth opening and closing.

You don’t know what shocks you more—the fact that a literal celebrity has been standing in front of you this whole time, or the realization that the once-random stranger you used to relentlessly tease has, somehow, always been this ridiculously good-looking all along. 

"So…you’re famous?"

"Something like that."

"Something like that?" You shove your phone toward him, your screen now displaying the group’s Instagram page. "You literally have fans. Like, millions of them."

Heeseung cringes, "Okay, you don’t have to say it like that."

"Like what? Like you’re a superstar and I’ve been treating you like a regular guy who can't cook for himself?"

"Because that’s exactly what I am?"

“Unbelievable,” you scoff, shaking your head. “So you sing. You perform. You—commit crimes against humanity with your ramen choices each night.”

Heeseung groans. “Oh my god.”

“Oh my god,” you echo, standing up from your seat behind the counter. “So you’re telling me that every night, an actual, real-life idol has been showing up here, inhaling a week’s worth of sodium, and I—” You pause, eyes narrowing. “Wait. Are you even allowed to be eating this garbage?”

“And are you ever able to mind your own business?” Heeseung counters, now fully regretting this entire conversation.

“Absolutely not, Lee Heeseung, because this is literally the plot of a drama,” you wave your hands in disbelief. “Mystery insomniac convenience store guy turns out to be a world famous pop star—”

“Okay, let’s not get carried away.”

“—and I, the unsuspecting cashier, unknowingly roast him every night like he’s just some sleep-deprived college student instead of a millionaire with talent. Wait—” you then pause again, placing your hands on your hips, staring at him with a newfound judgment. “—you’re loaded, aren’t you?”

Heeseung pinches the bridge of your nose, exasperated, “Why is that your takeaway from this?”

“You are!” you exclaim, your smile widening as you ignore his suffering. “You’re rich and you’re out here eating instant ramen every night!”

Heeseung groans again, dropping his head onto the counter in front of you, “Oh my god.”

Grinning, you bend down to this level. “So this whole time, you’ve been lying to me?”

He lifts his head just enough to glare at you. "It’s not lying. It’s…selective honesty.”

You scoff, straightening up just as Heeseung does, meeting his gaze with an accusatory squint. “That’s literally the definition of lying.”

“Look, it’s not like I planned to make a habit out of this,” he gestures to the store around him. “I came in one night, and then I came back, and suddenly, I had a thing going. Then you showed up and started running your mouth, and—”

“And you kept coming back anyways,” you finish, crossing your arms, a slow, amused smile tugging at your lips.

Heeseung freezes. His mouth opens. Then closes.

“…Yeah.”

A silence stretches between you—charged, almost personal—until you decide to cut through the tension with a smirk.

“What if I play your group’s music over the speakers every night?”

The look on his face is deadly. “You wouldn’t.”

Your grin grows, “Wouldn’t I, though?”

“This is the worst night of my life,” Heeseung drags a hand down his face and turns towards the ramen aisle. “I’m leaving.”

“Aww, c’mon,” you tease, calling out after him and delighting in his suffering. “Also can we talk about how you literally just said you’re your own bias?”

“Shut up.”

You’re still laughing when he returns to the counter thirty seconds later—Extra Spicy Hellfire and coffee milk in hand, cheeks tinged pink.

“Alright, serious question,” you say, leaning in slightly from your seat at the window barstools. “If you had to give up either Extra Spicy Hellfire or coffee milk for the rest of your life, which would you choose?”

Heeseung immediately stops chewing, his chopsticks frozen midair as he turns to you with a look that says you just personally offended him.

“That’s straight evil.”

“You must choose, Ramen Guy.”

Heeseung groans, throwing his head back dramatically. “You can’t just throw life-altering hypotheticals at me like that.”

“Choose.”

He stares at his ramen. Then at this coffee milk. Then back at you.

Then back at his ramen.

Then back at you.

“I hate you, you know that?”

“Aw,” you flash him your sweetest, most infuriating smile. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me. Like, ever.”

Heeseung shoots a glare at you, “I hope your regular spicy ramen tastes like disappointment.”

“Oh, it totally does,” you look down at your own ramen in front of you and take an exaggerated slurp, “It’s just so awful.”

Heeseung’s lips perk up into a smile at your weirdly endearing antics before shaking his head, “You’re a lost cause.”

You giggle to yourself, taking a sip of your own juice when you hear Heeseung, barely audible, suddenly mutter:

“…I’d give up coffee milk.”

It’s quiet. It’s barely there.

Your jaw drops.

“I know, okay?” He rubs his temples as if the decision is actually hurting him. “It’s like choosing between two children. But at the end of the day, ramen is ramen.”

You nod along, pretending you understand the gravity of his heavy decision (you don’t). But still, you smile—because you were the one who got him to betray his beloved coffee milk.

Heeseung takes a sip of it anyway, groaning as he swirls the bottle in his hand. “I hate that you made me think about this.”

“You should be thanking me. Y’know, character growth and all that.”

“More like character damage.”

You grin, victorious, and he just rolls his eyes before pausing for a second to think, then—he nudges his ramen cup toward you.

“Here. Try some.”

You recoil immediately and look up at him with a look that tells him he’s absolutely psychotic.

“Absolutely not.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Why? You scared?”

“No, Heeseung, I just have these things called taste buds.”

He scoffs, shoving the bowl between you two closer. “Just one bite. C’mon, Graveyard Shift Girl, live a little. For me.”

You hold his gaze, suspicious but faltering, because—damn it—he’s looking at you like that. All smug and teasing, head tilted slightly, and it affects you.

And then he moves. 

He picks up his chopsticks, twirls them in the bowl, and catches a perfect bundle of noodles before leaning forward, holding them up between you two. He waits.

Your breath hitches. Your eyes flicker to the steam curling from the noodles, twisting in the air between your faces, fragile and fleeting.

Heeseung doesn’t move.

Neither do you.

It’s ridiculous, really. I mean, it’s ramen. But the way the space between you suddenly feels thin, the way his grip on the chopsticks stays steady, his fingers just inches from your lips, the way his dark eyes stay locked onto yours, watching you with something unreadable flickering beneath the usual teasing glint—it feels like time slows down.

You blink rapidly, clearing your throat. It’s fine. It’s cool. You’re overthinking.

Heeseung tilts his head slightly, watching. Waiting.

You let out an exaggerated sigh and slowly lean in to take the bite.

Your lips brush the chopsticks as you close your mouth around the noodles, and for a split second—one charged, unspoken, split second—neither of you move.

Heeseung is so close.

So close.

You can see the soft curve of his mouth, the way his gaze flickers over your face, the way his breath catches slightly like he just realized something.

You’re suddenly painfully aware of the close proximity and it sends a rush of heat to your cheeks. Panicked, you pull back quickly and settle into your seat like nothing happened.

But then you start chewing.

And that’s when you realize—

No, wait. Wait. That heat in your cheeks?

Oh.

Oh no.

Yeah. It’s definitely not because of Heeseung (well, maybe a part of it is). 

Because the second you swallow down the bundle of noodles—the embodiment of heat, pain, and suffering all slams into your mouth instantly.

You freeze.

Your brain short-circuits.

And then—

“Oh my GOD—” you choke, slamming your hands onto the counter, your body shaking as the spice courses through your veins.

Your throat ignites, your sinuses clear, and you swear you can hear colors.

Heeseung? Heeseung loses it.

His laugh bursts out of him—loud, unguarded, and completely delightful. He clutches his stomach, nearly hiccuping from how hard he’s laughing, his eyes crinkling at the corners, dimples deep in his cheeks.

If you weren’t literally physically dying in this current moment, you’d probably be absolutely too flustered to function at the sight.

“No way—” he wheezes through his laughter,“—are you actually struggling right now?”

“WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE, HEESEUNG?!” you glare at him through the tears forming in your eyes as you desperately flail your arms around, searching for your juice pouch. “You eat this voluntarily?!”

“Every night, baby.”

“You’re sick.”

“And you’re dramatic.”

Your hands finally find your drink and you gulp it down as if it’s your lifeline, eyes still watery, throat still burning, lungs barely breathing. But somewhere in the middle of your suffering, you catch yourself staring.

At Heeseung.

At the way he’s still smiling, like he just had the best meal of his life. At the way his eyes sparkle when he laughs, his dimples peeking out like his own hidden secrets, the way his nose scrunches slightly when he’s amused—

Weird.

You blink the thoughts (and your tears) away, shaking it off, and blame the spice, the delirium, and sheer trauma of what just happened.

You clear your throat, sitting back with a desperate huff.

“I hope,” you catch your breath, gesturing to his bowl, “that when you come in tomorrow, we’re all out of this horrid flavor.”

Heeseung smirks, leaning back in his chair as he gives you a knowing look.

“You’d still restock it for me, though.”

Damn it.

Your shoulders slump, and both of you know you’re defeated.

He knows you know you’re defeated. 

Heeseung just grins, then, without a word, slides his coffee milk toward you in a silent truce.

You stare at it. Then at him.

His smile grows.

And you accept it.

Begrudgingly.

It’s 1:20AM when you find yourself behind the counter, surrounded by half-unpacked boxes of instant noodles and bottled drinks. The store hums with its usual white noise—lights buzzing above, soft music humming overhead, the low whirr of the coolers. 

And Heeseung? 

Heeseung is across the counter, perched on a barstool he dragged from across the store, doing absolutely nothing to help. 

For the nth time tonight, he flips a soda bottle into the air. 

And for the nth time tonight, he fails to land it upright, the bottle clattering onto the counter.

“You’re supposed to be helping me restock,” you remind him, tossing a pack of chips at him. 

“I am helping,” he argues, dodging the bag in time and letting it fall flat onto the ground. Great. 

You cross your arms, scoffing, “Oh yeah? What category does sitting there and flipping Diet Coke fall under?” 

Heeseung finally puts the bottle down on the counter and hums, tapping his fingers against the counter like he’s deep in thought. Then, he flashes you a meek smile, “Moral support?” 

You roll your eyes playfully, turning back to unbox another package from the pile stacked in front of you. 

Another silence falls between you and Heeseung watches as you go back to your job before he breaks it—

“How do you do this every night? Does it not get…I don’t know, tedious? Boring?” 

You freeze in your spot, caught by surprise at the question.

“Hm,” you turn to him, head tilted as you think.

Heeseung glances up at you, intrigued. The way your lips purse slightly, how your fingers fidget absentmindedly with the torn edge of a cardboard box. 

You exhale, leaning back against the counter, “Yeah, the hours suck, pay is…alright. And—” 

You hesitate. Your gaze drifts toward the floor, fixating on a dent near the register, “—and I think, at some point, I thought I felt stuck.” 

Something in Heeseung’s expression shifts. 

“I mean, I’m a college student, for god’s sake,” you continue, a small, humorless laugh escaping you. “And I spend my nights serving cigarettes to barely legal teens and cleaning up after ramen spills. It kind of felt like I was just…watching life pass me by, you know?”

Your voice quiets and it’s just the soft hum of the store again. You pick at the box without thinking, fingers grazing over the worn edges, and Heeseung watches you.

Because he gets it. 

He gets it in a way that makes his chest ache a little.

Because despite the differences in your lives—despite how he’s constantly moving while you feel stuck—you both know the feeling of watching life slip between your fingers, of wondering if you’re ever going to feel like you belong in it.

Heeseung holds the soda bottle between his hands, rolling it back and forth, murmuring, “Yeah, I get that.” 

You glance up at him, making eye contact, but you don’t push. 

“But then,” you say quietly, “I started seeing this place differently. Instead of somewhere I was stuck, it became more of a…break. An escape from everything. A breath of fresh air from expectations and routine.” 

And that—that makes Heeseung look up. 

Because deep down, that’s exactly what all of this has become for him too. 

He doesn’t know when it happened—if maybe it was the first night he found the store, maybe whenever you showed up, maybe all the sarcastic exchanges, or somewhere in between all of that—but these late-night visits, these stolen moments in a world that demands from him, have become something steady. Something his. 

And he wonders if maybe…maybe you’re the reason for that. 

Maybe you’ve been keeping him grounded in a life that never stops moving. 

And maybe he’s been keeping you from feeling stuck. 

Just maybe.

It’s late. Way later than usual. And Heeseung is still here. 

And you don’t know how, but you’ve both abandoned your usual spots—his self-proclaimed window seat and your stool behind the register.

Instead, you’re both sitting cross-legged on the floor behind the register counter, backs pressed against the shelf of over-the-counter medications that you just re-organized, with a laptop and plenty of empty snack wrappers sitting between the two of you.

“See this is exactly my problem with this movie,” you point at your laptop screen, your voice slightly muffled by the gummy bears in your mouth. “One idiot makes one bad decision, and suddenly everyone’s dead! Like, be so for real.”

Heeseung scoffs, leaning back on his hands, “It’s a movie, Y/N. It doesn’t have to be realistic.”

“And I don’t have to pretend this isn’t garbage,” you shoot back as the credits roll, unimpressed. “This is objectively the worst thing I’ve seen.”

“I think I just have an acquired superior taste,” Heeseung quips, his eyes teasing. “Just like with my food choices.” 

“Right,” your voice drags out. “Superior delusion, maybe.”

Heeseung shoves your shoulder with his own, and you laugh, the sound natural, unfiltered, and totally at his expense.

As you shut your laptop and start gathering the remains of your late-night snack feast, the conversation quiets for a moment into an easy, warm silence. It’s the kind of quiet that feels good, the kind that’s been happening more lately—something you never would’ve expected that first night you ever saw him enter the store. 

Then, Heeseung exhales, stretching his legs out in front of him as he leans back against the shelf, “You know, this might be the longest I’ve sat and relaxed in months.” 

You glance up at him, brows raised, “What, you don’t get to laze around on the floor surrounded by junk food with your favorite convenience store worker on a regular basis?”

“Unfortunately, no,” he huffs a laugh. “But I thought a lot about what you said the other night. And sometimes it’s like…”

He pauses and tilts his head back, his eyes following the way the light fixture above him flickers in and out, “Like I’m moving so fast I forget what it’s like to just…be.”

Something in his voice makes you pause in your actions, your hands putting down the miscellaneous wrappers between you.

“Is it hard?” you ask quietly.

He lets out a breathy chuckle from beside you, “It’s…a lot. You’re always being watched, always expected to be on. And even during breaks I’m already thinking about the next thing. The next schedule, next performance, next practice.”

You watch him for a moment, watch the way his fingers tap absentmindedly against his knee, something you’ve started to notice over time whenever he’s lost in thought. 

“But there are moments that make it worth it,” he continues, a small smile playing on his lips. “The music, how fun it is to be on stage, the fans. The feeling of performing and knowing people are there because they love what you do. It’s unreal.”

Your own smile unconsciously appears as you listen to him reflect, taking in his words. You never stopped to really think about his life in-depth before—and it does sound like a lot. Like something people dream of but don’t realize the weight of until they’re carrying it themselves. 

You nudge his knee lightly with yours, “For what it’s worth, I think you deserve to just exist sometimes, too.” 

Heeseung turns to look at you, and for a moment, his expression is unreadable.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you say, reaching into the closest bag of gummy bears to you and tossing one to him. He catches it easily, popping it into his mouth with a grin.

“See, this is why I keep coming back,” he says, chewing. “Gourmet snacks and free therapy.”

You roll your eyes. “Unbelievable. I take it back. Suffer.”

Heeseung laughs, popping another gummy bear into his mouth, before his fingers start tapping his knee again. Then, after a beat—

“You know, I’ve been thinking.”

When you look up at him, he’s already looking at you with a new…something. A newfound sincerity, maybe. Or uncertainty. Or both.

Your eyes meet, and suddenly, he visibly hesitates—shifting almost awkwardly in his spot, as if he both rehearsed what he’s about to say and yet has absolutely no idea what he’s doing. He clears his throat, breaking eye contact.

“I—um,” he swallows hard. “I’m sorry? For, y’know, being kind of a jerk when we first met. I think I was pretty…” He trails off awkwardly. “Jerk-ish.” 

You don’t move for a second. Slowly, one brow arches.

Heeseung thinks he regrets everything.

Then, a smile—slow and sweet—curls at your lips.

And suddenly, Heeseung realizes he doesn’t regret a damn thing.

“Oh, absolutely,” you say, nodding along dramatically. “You were a menace. Like, an insufferable, grumpy, little menace.”

Heeseung lets out a noise that lands somewhere between a groan and a laugh. “Okay, I get it.”

“But,” you continue, locking eyes with him again, “I guess I should apologize too.”

Heeseung perks up, now his brow lifting, “For what? Finally admitting I was right about—”

“For judging you and your still…very questionable choices.”

“Ah, there it is.”

You giggle, nudging him with your elbow before pausing. 

“But seriously…you’re, like…” you dramatically draw out the moment as if the words physically pain you to say.

Heeseung smirks, leaning in slightly, waiting for you.

“…pretty cool, I guess.”

A slow, satisfied smile spreads across his face, “I’ll take it.”

“Don’t let it get to your head,” you scoff. “You’re still a ramen-addicted jerk.”

Heeseung hums, still smiling, “Might be too late.”

Then, he tacks on, without thinking twice, “You’re pretty cool, too, I guess.”

You laugh at the hesitancy in his voice, “Okay, that sounded almost sincere.”

He rolls his eyes, but his smile softens, “No, but seriously, it’s…nice. Having someone I could talk to outside of…you know, my whole chaotic life.”

The sudden shift in the air quiets you for a moment as you look at Heeseung, noticing the slight drop in his shoulders, the way his fingers continue to drum against his leg. When you don’t say anything, he continues.

“I don’t…really talk to people like this,” he quietly says, as if admitting something to himself more so to you. Then, after a pause, he glances back up, eyes searching your own. “Now like how I do with you. Like…I could tell you anything and everything, really.”

Your breath catches, but you keep your expression neutral, “Oh?”

Heeseung shifts, looking down at his hands before exhaling a quiet laugh, “Sorry. Too serious?”

You find yourself quickly shaking your head. Because although, yes, most of your interactions with Heeseung are filled with jokes and teasing, the serious conversations or shared warm silences in between recently—have started to mean something more. They’ve become an outlet, a quiet escape from reality. It’s like the moment he steps through the store’s doors, the door rings, the outside world fades, and for a few hours, it’s just the two of you in this shared space.

A space that feels safe, untouched by expectations, where both of you can just be.

“No,” you say, softer this time. “Not at all.”

You hesitate for a beat before adding, “I…really like talking to you too. It’s—” you let out a small laugh, “almost unnaturally easy, actually.”

Heeseung doesn’t respond right away. He just nods, and then looks up at you from the ground and his eyes are serious—no teasing, no usual smugness, just something…real. Vulnerable.

Something that makes your heart beat a little too fast.

You should say something. Something light, or something sarcastic, or something normal.

But you don’t.

Because you’re too busy looking at his face.

Then, without thinking, his lips.

And he’s looking at yours.

You don’t know who leans in first, but suddenly, you’re close. He’s close. Too close. Close enough to hear his quiet inhale. To see the way his lashes flutter. To feel the space between you two thinning into something dangerously nonexistent.

You should move. You should break the moment before it turns into something neither of you can take back.

But you don’t.

And he doesn’t.

And then—

Ding.

The sound of the automatic doors sliding open shatters the moment.

You both jolt apart like a pair of teenagers caught guilty, and your heart is practically breaking out of your ribcage as you scramble to your feet, wiping your sweaty palms on your pants, your face burning as you appear from behind the counter to greet the customer that was blissfully unaware of whatever was definitely not about to happen behind the counter. 

You clear your throat as you look down at Heeseung, who’s still frozen in his spot and trying his very best not to lose his mind, “I should—um. Go back to work.”

Then, suddenly, Heeseung stands too, nodding quickly as he runs a hand through his hair, his face slightly pink, very much not looking at you, “Right. Yeah. Work.”

Right when you turn back to the counter, the customer is there, waiting for you to ring them up. You plaster the most normal smile you can muster, scan their snack, take their cash, and hand them their change—all while pretending you don’t feel Heeseung’s presence still lingering behind you.

You don’t turn around, and he doesn’t move.

And despite the complete lack of physical contact, you still feel his warmth. The same amount of warmth as when he was only mere inches away from your own face.

The door chimes as the customer leaves.

Then, finally—Heeseung clears his throat.

Hesitantly, you turn around, bracing yourself.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he shifts his weight from one foot to the other, avoiding your gaze before forcing out, in the most casual voice he can manage—

“So, uh—same time tomorrow?”

You blink.

Then, finally, you let out a small laugh, “You’re so weird.”

The tension in the air cracks just enough, and Heeseung exhales a quiet laugh, “And yet, you’d miss me if I didn’t show up, wouldn’t you?”

You open your mouth, ready to argue, except—nothing comes out.

Because, unfortunately, you know he’s right.

And he knows he’s right.

So, naturally, instead of admitting defeat, you suddenly grab a rag from behind the counter and start aggressively scrubbing at a perfectly clean surface.

“Go home, Ramen Guy.”

Heeseung just grins, shoving his hands into his pockets as steps out from behind the counter and backs away. “Night, Graveyard Shift Girl.”

When he’s finally gone, you’re left standing there, staring at where he just was before you.

And finally, when the reality of what just happened fully settles in—

You groan, dropping your head against the counter.

Because now he's in your head.

Great.

The clock above you ticks, a sound that usually fades into the background and becomes a part of the store’s white noise. But tonight? 

Tonight, it’s your biggest freaking nuisance. 

You think if you have to hear it tick one more time, you’re taking the ladder from the backroom, climbing up there, yanking that thing off the wall, and tossing it right into the dumpster. 

Why? 

Because, it’s 2:21AM. 

2:21AM, and you’re alone. Stuck in this sad, empty convenience store with nothing but your own annoying thoughts and the snacks laid out in front of you with no one to share them with. 

Same time tomorrow, my ass, you think bitterly, aggressively straightening a stack of receipts near the register that don’t even need straightening. 

Heeseung’s voice from a few days ago still rings in your head—completely, and unfortunately, uninvited.

You don’t even know why they’re stuck in there, his words looping around, constantly taunting you.

The worst part?

His words had been entirely untrue.

Because it’s been three days.

Three full days since Heeseung has walked through those automatic doors, plopped down in his usual seat, and proceeded to either a) annoy you, b) argue with you over his food-related crimes, or c) make you laugh against your will.

And you don’t know why it’s bothering you so much.

Frustrated? Yeah, you’re frustrated. But the real question is—at what, exactly?

Frustrated that he just disappeared without so much as a heads-up? No warning?

Or maybe you’re frustrated at the very fact that you’re even thinking about this at all.

It’s not like he owes you an explanation. It’s not like he belongs to this store…or to you.

So why does it feel like something’s missing every time you glance at the entrance, half-expecting to hear the ding of the doors and see him stroll in with his stupid hoodie and even stupider smirk?

You shake your head, trying your best to snap yourself out of it.

It’s fine. You’re fine.

You don’t care.

You don’t care so much that, for some reason unbeknownst to you, your brain—your traitorous, overthinking, hardworking brain—itches with a thought.

A stupid, ridiculous, subconscious thought.

And before you can fully even process what you’re doing, your fingers are already unlocking your phone, your thumbs moving on autopilot as you do something you swore you wouldn’t.

You search up his name.

It’s pathetic. It’s sad. Even you’re disappointed in yourself. 

You told yourself you wouldn’t associate Heeseung with his job, with the persona that everyone else sees. Because to you, Heeseung is just…Heeseung—the insomniac who bickers with you every night, who somehow turns every conversation into an argument he has to win, who sits cross-legged with you behind the register eating spicy noodles and giving objectively bad movie recommendations.

And to him? 

Well. You thought that to him, you were just you. Just some convenience store worker he happened to befriend. Someone outside of his world, outside of the blinding lights. Someone he didn’t have to be anyone around. 

His words echo in your mind as you think—just a person he could tell anything and everything to. 

You push the thought along with their feelings down as you continue scrolling—quick, desperate, your fingers flying over your screen, swiping through posts, comments, anything that could explain his sudden absence—

And then. 

You see it.

A tweet. 

Tagging his group, followed by a message. It’s short. Sweet. Simple. 

Yet entirely soul-crushing. 

“Can’t believe they’re leaving for tour already tomorrow! So excited to see them in a few days!!” 

Your breath catches. 

Your eyes flicker over the words again.

And again.

Leaving. For tour.

Tomorrow.

Your stomach twists violently as you scan for more confirmation, your hands gripping your phone with a newfound frustration as you tap through articles, fan accounts—anything to tell you this isn’t real. That there’s some mistake. That you didn’t just foolishly spend three days waiting for someone who was never going to show up.

But there it is. Everywhere. Right in front of you.

Confirmed dates. Cities. Posters.

Heeseung is leaving. Tomorrow.

And he didn’t say a word.

You don’t know how long you sit there, staring at your screen. The words all blur together, but the sinking feeling in your chest is sharp, clear, and undeniable.

And you hate it.

You hate that you feel like this. You hate that your first instinct wasn’t to be happy for him, or proud, or even remotely understanding.

Instead, you’re angry. Upset. Hurt.

And what you hate the most?

You know exactly why you feel this way.

And just as that realization settles in—just as the blur of your feelings finally sharpens into something unmistakable, something you can no longer ignore—the familiar ding of the automatic doors cuts through the quiet store and the screaming thoughts in your head.

You almost don’t look up.

Almost.

But then you do, and your stomach drops.

Because there he is.

You blink, because at first you think maybe you’ve been drowning in your thoughts for so long that you’ve started hallucinating him—manifesting his presence out of sheer frustration towards him.

But, no.

Heeseung stands there, at the entrance, hands shoved into his hoodie pockets, looking at you like nothing’s changed.

Like he hasn’t been gone for days, like he hasn’t left you suffering with your own emotions—like he hasn’t been the only thing on your mind even when you really, really, didn’t want him to be.

“Hey,” Heeseung nods at you casually, walking over to his usual stupid aisle, grabbing his usual stupid Extra Spicy Hellfire, then reaching for his usual stupid coffee milk—all like clockwork, all like he never left.

You don’t respond.

Instead, you busy yourself—wiping the spotless corner of your counter, smoothing out a crumpled receipt, pretending you’re looking for something in the shelves beneath you.

Anything to keep yourself from looking at him.

And you might actually lose it.

Because if you have to stand here and pretend like you’re fine, that these past few days haven’t felt like an eternity for you—you might actually lose it.

Heeseung finally walks up to the counter, places his things between you, then pauses before repeating, tilting his head, “Hey?” 

He shifts slightly, waiting for you to acknowledge him.

You don’t.

A beat passes. Then another.

“You mad at me or something?” he asks, his head still tilted, his voice light, hesitant.

You inhale, your fingers subconsciously tightening around the edge of the counter.

Then, you let out a quiet laugh—an empty, humorless scoff.

“Should I be?”

Heeseung frowns, clearly confused, “What?”

You finally look at him. And you think it was a mistake. Because the second you meet his gaze—uncertain, searching, so annoyingly familiar—you feel your throat close up.

He looks the same. Same stupid hoodie. Same messy hair. Same tired eyes that you’ve somehow come to find comfort in.

And that makes you hate this even more.

“Is this because I haven’t been showing up?” Heeseung tries again, a small, teasing smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Damn, I didn’t realize you’d miss me that much. Sorry, Graveyard Shift Gi—”

“When were you going to tell me?”

Your voice is quiet, but he doesn’t miss it.

And he stills.

There it is.

He shifts in his spot again, his eyes now darting down to where his fingers are tapping against the counter.

“What?” he says again, but this time, it’s different. Careful.

You swallow, forcing down the lump forming in your throat, forcing yourself to look at him.

“When were you going to tell me you were leaving?”

It’s soft. Barely above a whisper. But lined with something raw, something vulnerable, something hurting.

And Heeseung hears all of it. He feels all of it.

He doesn’t answer. He just stares at you, lips pressing into a thin line.

Somewhere in the background, the clock continues ticking, the lights overhead buzzing, a song from the speakers humming.

And Heeseung stays silent.

“You weren’t,” you murmur, the words caught in your throat. “Were you?”

Heeseung exhales sharply, dragging a hand through his hair, “I—” 

He stops. Starts again. 

“It’s not—it wasn’t—”

You cross your arms tightly, more so to ground yourself more than anything.

He lets out a quiet, frustrated laugh, shaking his head.

“Look,” he gestures vaguely, between you, at the store, at the shelves, at the space you’ve unknowingly carved out for him here. “This—this is the only thing that’s felt normal for me in a long time.”

Your stomach twists.

“Everything else—my whole life, it’s all…chaos. But this?” He swallows, his eyes finally looking up to meet your gaze, his voice quieter now. “You?”

His eyes flash with something new, something softer, something that lingers in the way he looks at you. The same way he has over late-night snack feasts, whispered movie nights, conversations that blended into the early mornings. 

“You’re the closest thing to normal I’ve had.”

And somehow, that makes it worse.

Because you get it. You know him, so you understand.

But it doesn’t change the fact that he was going to leave without telling you.

You inhale slowly, your heavy gaze holding his.

“So what?” your voice is still quiet, but now edged with a new sharpness. “You thought if you didn’t say anything, it wouldn’t have to be real?”

Heeseung presses his lips together. “I thought maybe if I didn’t say it, I wouldn’t have to lose this yet.”

Your breath catches.

You want to laugh. You want to cry.

Heeseung didn’t tell you because he didn’t want to ruin this.

Whatever this is.

Whatever the two of you had built over the weeks between instant noodles and snacks, between arguments over food choices, between all the unspoken moments that made you feel like maybe, maybe, this was something more.

You let out a wavering breath, shaking your head, “That’s not fair, Heeseung.”

“I know,” his voice is rough now, like he’s tired of saying it. Like he’s already told himself a million times and accepted it. Like he wants you to just accept it and move on.

But you can’t.

“Then why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Because I didn’t know how!” His voice rises in frustration, an exasperated sigh slipping out. “Because you—this—whatever this is, it started feeling real. Too real. And I just didn’t want to fuck it up, alright?”

The words knock the air out of your lungs.

Because suddenly, everything you’ve been trying so hard to ignore, every feeling you’ve been trying to convince yourself wasn’t there, is suddenly painfully undeniable.

And worse than realizing how real this is?

Knowing that Heeseung knows it, feels it, too. 

But heavier than that realization is the anger.

Not just at the situation.

Now, at Heeseung.

“So you thought it’d be better to just disappear instead?” Your voice shakes, biting down on the thick emotion rising in your throat. “You didn’t even think to tell me.”

Heeseung steps closer, and for the first time tonight, you see it—his own frustration bubbling beneath his surface, the barely restrained emotion.

“What does it matter, Y/N?” his sharp voice cuts through the heavy air lingering between you. “What difference would it—would you—have made? It’s not like this was ever going to change anything.”

Your heart stops.

At that, you falter, and Heeseung sees it.

He sees the way your eyes move away from his. He sees the way your posture suddenly deflates, as if his words physically hurt you.

Because they do.

Because you know what he’s saying.

He’s leaving. And you’re staying.

And no matter what, no matter the amount of realness, no matter what either of you feel—that was always going to be the reality.

“Right,” you finally say, your voice dangerously close to giving out. “Because it’s not like any of this really meant anything, right? At least not enough for you to acknowledge.”

Now your words hurt.

Heeseung winces. His jaw tightens. His fists clench.

Then finally—

“…I don’t know,” he mutters.

The final crack.

You let in a sharp inhale, nodding once, your lips pressed into a straight line. “Got it.”

Heeseung clenches his jaw, like he wants to take the words back, like he wants to fix whatever just broke between you.

Instead, he exhales, stepping back from the counter, “I should go.”

This time, you don’t stop him.

You don’t say anything at all.

Heeseung hesitates for a half second, like maybe—just maybe—he’s waiting for you to say something.

But you don’t. 

Not when you feel so utterly lost in everything you’re feeling that you can’t even begin to put into words. 

So he nods once, shoving his hands back into his pockets, turning away.

The automatic doors slide open.

The ding rings, taunting you.

Cold air rushes in.

And then—he’s gone.

And you?

You’re left at the counter, staring at his abandoned cup of ramen, untouched coffee milk, and the ghost of something that never got the chance to be.

Heeseung doesn’t think. 

He wasn’t thinking four days ago, when the space between you two had grown impossibly small—when he was this close to you, when the air felt thick with something unspoken, yet undeniable, something that made his pulse race and his breath hitch. 

He wasn’t thinking when he let fear creep in, when the weight of him realizing his own feelings sent him running, keeping him from stepping foot into the store at all. For three days. 

He wasn’t thinking when he looked you in the eye last night and told you this didn’t matter. That none of it ever did. 

He wasn’t thinking when he walked out of the store, leaving you to think that you didn’t matter to him. That you never did. 

And he definitely isn’t thinking now, when he’s supposed to be leaving for the airport in an hour, but instead—his feet pound against the pavement, tearing through the empty, quiet streets like a man possessed, like maybe if he runs fast enough, he can outrun the regret clawing in his chest. 

The cold air stings against his face, streetlights flicker overhead, and the city hums all around him—but none of it matters. None of it even registers. 

Because all Heeseung knows, all he cares about, is getting to you.

Because Heeseung?

He can go months on tour without his Extra Spicy Hellfire ramen.

He can go months on tour without his coffee milk.

He can go months on tour without those, even if it means braving his insomnia.

But what he can’t go without?

Heeseung can’t—he won’t—go months on tour knowing you think you meant nothing to him. That you didn’t bring him relief after the longest days, laughter when he forgot how to find it, comfort in a world that never slowed down for him.

That you weren’t the one thing that felt real in a life that so often didn’t.

And if there’s even the smallest chance to fix this—to make sure you know—then nothing else matters.

The neon glow of the convenience store sign comes into view, and Heeseung’s heart lurches in his chest as he approaches, his staggered breathing visible in the cold air in front of him, his hands clammy.

He stumbles through the sliding doors, the familiar ding barely registering in his mind as his eyes dart around—only for his stomach to drop.

The counter is empty. The soft sound of your absentminded humming, the teasing lilt of your voice, the annoyed glare in your eyes—it’s all missing.

And all wrong. Too quiet, too empty, too…not you.

Instead, some guy he’s never seen before glances up from behind the register, staring at the way Heeseung just lingers frozen near the entrance.

“Uh,” Heeseung swallows thickly, his voice strained from his sprint. “The girl who usually works nights. Is she here?”

“Oh, Y/N?” the worker raises an eyebrow. “Yeah, she called off tonight.”

Heeseung stills.

You’re not here.

You’re not here.

And it’s his fault.

Because last night, you were here—waiting, hoping, and he walked out on you.

“Oh,” is all Heeseung can manage before he feels the words getting caught in his throat.

His jaw clenches, his stomach twists. The weight of regret settles deep, heavy and unrelenting.

“Right. Okay. Thanks,” he mutters, nodding absently, then turns towards the door.

The automatic doors slide open.

The ding rings, taunting him.

Cold air rushes in.

And just as Heeseung steps out—

He sees you.

You.

Right there, walking towards the store, hands shoved into the pockets of your coat, face buried into your scarf.

You stop.

He stops.

For a moment, neither of you move. Neither of you breathe.

The neon glow of the store’s sign reflects off your face, casting a shadow over your widened eyes. A car honks in the distance. A gust of wind blows past.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” Heeseung says without thinking, almost breathless.

A small laugh escapes your lips, airy and uncertain, “Yeah, well…neither are you.”

You’re right.

He should be on his way to the airport. Bags packed, schedule set, moving on.

But instead? Instead, he’s here, standing in front of the only person who has ever made him hesitate.

Heeseung takes one step forward, “I was looking for you.”

You tilt your head, your lips pressed together like you’re weighing something in your mind.

Then you take a small step forward.

“And now you’ve found me.”

Silence.

“I’m sorry.”

It comes out all at once and rushed, but utterly honest. Honest and heavy, the way it’s been aching in his chest—and he can’t hold it in anymore.

You blink, unmoving.

“I’m so sorry,” Heeseung says again, stepping closer. His voice is steady, gentle, but nervous, scared you won’t believe him. “For everything. For not telling you. For leaving like that. For being a completely fucking idiot about—”

He stops. The look in his eyes is vulnerable, genuine. Longing.

“About this. Us.”

You don’t say anything right away, just watching him carefully.

Heeseung runs a hand through his hair, letting out a dry laugh as he realizes he’s about to lay everything out bare.

“I think I was scared,” he admits. “Of what it all meant. Of what you meant to me. I kept telling myself none of it was real, that it didn’t matter. But then I walked out yesterday and, I realized—”

He swallows hard, looking at you and the way your eyes soften with something unreadable.

“It does. You do. So, so much, Y/N.”

Another pause.

Then, you let out a soft exhale, shaking your head, as if something’s finally clicking into place, “I’m sorry too.”

Heeseung’s eyebrows burrow in confusion.

“For not—,” you sigh, your hands now fidgeting with the ends of your scarf. “For not saying something sooner. Because the truth is, I’ve been denying it too. I didn’t even realize how much I—how much you meant to me until I saw you last night and…”

You trail off, your cheeks warming. Then, with a deep inhale, you take another step closer, meeting his gaze from an arm’s length away.

“I was just so angry and upset, but I think…I realized it’s only because I like you, Heeseung. So much.”

Heeseung swears his heart stops. It feels like his whole world has just shifted, and all his thoughts are tangled up in the way you’re looking up at him now.

“And…I should’ve been more understanding,” you add softly. “I shouldn’t have held it against you like you owed me something. I was just hurt, and I didn’t know how to handle it, honestly.”

Heeseung doesn’t say anything right away, not when his thoughts are running wild and his heart is beating like it’s about to fully grow legs and escape.

Then, he exhales a breath of relief.

And lets out a quiet laugh to himself.

You blink at him.

“We’re both idiots,” he says finally, shaking his head softly. 

A small, knowing smile dances on your lips, your eyes locking onto his, “Yeah. Looks like it.”

The tension eases. Just a little.

Heeseung takes a small step closer, close enough that he can feel the warmth radiating off of you, despite the cold air surrounding you both. 

“So now what?”

You tilt your head as you look up at him, eyes searching his, “Aren’t you supposed to be catching a flight soon?”

Heeseung’s breath hitches.

Because he knows he should say yes.

That’s what’s been planned all along. That’s the reality.

But, for the first time—

He hesitates.

“Maybe."

Your eyes narrow slightly, a playful glare sparking in them, "Maybe?"

Heeseung exhales a quiet laugh, running a hand through his hair, his fingers lingering at the nape of his neck. "Yeah. Maybe."

The warmth in his chest spreads when he sees the way you bite back a smile, the way your weight shifts just the tiniest bit closer—like you're testing the space between you.

Then, you reach into the tote bag slung around your shoulder and pull something out. 

“Here.”

You press a small bottle of coffee milk into his hands.

Heeseung stares at it in his hands.

Then at you.

And you’re looking at him with something gentle—something that makes his chest tighten in the best way possible, something that makes the world feel just a tiny bit warmer.

“Just in case you need a reminder,” you say, your voice light and grounding. “Of what’s normal.”

Heeseung stares at you for a moment, and suddenly—everything makes sense. 

The missing piece clicks into place as the static in his mind all fades away, leaving only this—only you. 

You, standing here in front of him, looking at him with that small, steady smile, and Heeseung knows. 

He's never been more sure of anything in his life.

A laugh escapes him before he even realizes it, soft and breathless, bubbling up from somewhere deep in his chest, where warmth curls all around it, wrapping around his own heart like a quiet, undeniable truth. His heart races and his fingers tighten around the bottle in his hands—slightly trembling, not from nerves, but from the realization of something so much bigger. Something so much realer. 

And then, without even thinking, he steps forward like it’s the most natural thing in the world, and closes the small space between you before wrapping his arms around you. He pulls you in, slow but certain, with a gentleness that catches you by surprise. 

You freeze, breath catching, but only for a second. Because then—like a reflex, you melt into him, your own arms tightening around him.

Holding onto him just as much as he’s holding onto you.

Neither of you say anything.

There’s a quiet calm between you two—no need for words, just the rhythm of your heart beating against his own. Steady, calming, like it’s syncing with his, like they’ve always known each other’s pace.

Like they’ve been moving in tandem all along, even when neither of you realized it. 

And in a way, maybe that’s just how it’s always been with you two—balancing on the fine line between pushing and pulling, between sharp words and lingering glances, between pretending you didn’t care, yet feeling everything all at once. 

So easy to cross, so easy to blur, so easy to mistake for something else. 

Maybe you spent all this time thinking you were standing on opposite sides, only to realize you were always moving toward the same place.

And now, as one of his arms moves across your back, the other threading gently through your hair, holding the back of your head against his chest like he never wants to let you go, his heartbeat still steady against yours, you know for certain—

You were never meant to stay on one side. 

You were always meant to cross it. 

Life is unpredictable, uncontrollable, and chaotic.

Lee Heeseung’s life? Heeseung’s life is that times ten, with an extra sprinkle of what-is-even-happening-anymore?

However—

There are three things—three sacred constants—that keep Heeseung from spiraling into total madness.

The first?

Insomnia.

Not by choice, of course.

The second?

Extra Spicy Hellfire ramen and coffee milk.

Yes, it’s a weird combo. And no, he still doesn’t care.

And the third?

You.

And honestly?

You’re the only one he really needs.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・

the end! if you made it to the end, i'll ship u some extra spicy hellfire ramen & coffee milk rn ! <3 luv u mwahmwahmwah !

<3, addie

m.list here!

tag list pt.1 (luv u all):

@xylatox @vivimura @leehsngs @puma-riki @lezzleeferguson-120 @enhaprettystars @laurradoesloveu @sievenderz @somuchdard @kristynaaah @heejamas @jiyeons-closet @sagegreenhairclip @betda @ineedsomezzz @motherscrustytoenailclippings @bussolares @soobnuuy @deluluscenarios @chrrific @vvenusoncasual @rairaiblog @mwahvvis @lveegsoi @desssss-0 @hoonkishoe @sunhyeswife @ilovbeshotaro @dearestdreamies @starry-eyed-bimbo @planetmarlowe @lovialy @ambi01 @elairah @therealmrsbahng @lov4hoon @hollxe1 @lovenha7 @ilovhoonie @coqhee @i03jae @letwiiparkjay @manuosorioh @mintysunoo @amiraazzz @renaishun @enhadd @ikeulove @starniras @heartheejake @zaycie

(bolded didn't let me tag, sorry :( )

[seilon]

the waiting re: confirmation that I’ve been hired is actually making me insane good god I need to Know

[velvetwyrme]

which deception would have an sti AND fuck cars?

in reference to: https://www.tumblr.com/penny-anna/767952128217104384/imagine-youre-a-mechanic-in-the-transformers?source=share

okay. so. first off. anon, thank you for sending me this because the idea that you read that post and just went- "hey, you know who i should pose this question to?" and sent it to me- is hysterical and i lvoe u.

anyway theres also a Texty answer under the cut if you want to read that, because i genuinely DO have thoughts about this, but i wanted to draw that comic because this ask made me laugh very hard when i saw it in my inbox.

also, the thrilling conclusion of the comic answer:

he fucked that car!!!!!!!

hi! Texty time. I think a lot of them would have/be one but not the other (either has a STI or is a Carfucker) but i included some of those here anyway because i think my thought process was funny for some of them. this is all purely my own opinions etc. etc. no basis for anything only vibes. i went through a lot of options and came to a lot of conclusions.

to reiterate the Chart for claritys sake:

Soundwave: No STI and no Carfucking. This is true across all versions of Soundwave imo. Rumble and Frenzy are a solid no on the STI front and a solid yes on the Carfucking.

Starscream: no STI, no Carfucking (despite what Soundwave thinks). TFP!Starscream specifically might have an STI though. Sorry man. Skywarp definitely has/had a STI but gets it treated on account of his trinemates. No Carfucking. Thundercracker would fuck a car but doesn't have an STI.

Shockwave: ??? - I'm not sure I want to know. "Once, as part of an experiment" was the original thing I wrote for his answer lol. True across continuities as well.

Anyway. moving on...

My actual answer for Megatron: REALLY depends on continuity. Here's a sample:

G1? Yeah, probably both. I can see it.

IDW/MTMTE? Nah. Maybe? ... Nah. I feel like if he had an STI it'd have been back when he was a miner. Would not fuck a car.

Earthspark? I feel like no STI but yes to the Carfucking. Except he feels really guilty about it after. I still haven't watched ES but this is the impression I get from him.

TFA? oh god. i don't know... i don't know....... he probably fucks cars. No STI.

TFP? Yeah absolutely are u kidding me? Yes to both.

Constructicons: I feel like they'd be a yes to both, but not at the same time, so they wouldn't have been the one/s to transmit a STI to a car. Also Hook would be ON TOP of treatment. Once they ALL got infected after combining into Devastator, and that was miserable for everyone. Nobody has fessed up to being the one who had it in the first place, but now they have treatment on hand just in case.

Also while on the topic of combiners... I think some of the Stunticons are also pretty good candidates for STI/Carfucking. Motormaster, Drag Strip and Wildrider in particular shfkgbekfbk

I considered Tarn/The DJD and Overlord just because of how freaky them guys can get, but I think Tarn runs too tight a ship for that to happen, and Overlord is preoccupied with. worse things. The Scavengers on the other hand... sorry to Misfire, I can see him giving a car a STI. Relatedly, Grimlock would fuck a car but not have an STI.

Who else................................ wait.

Astrotrain. I can see it. Okay bye im going to sleep this took me too long to reply to fhfjfbrmfbdj

[yourlocallunatic]

I desperately need more Ridoc teasing and in control. That was one of the best smutty fics I’ve read in a long time

Payback

Ricoc Gamlyn x Fem!reader 18+

summary: Ridoc loves to tease you and flirt with you, sometimes it might go a little too far. So you decide to show him what it feels like. He doesn't take it as well as you thought...(Follows Fourth Wing plot, before anything bad happens, I love the peace lol)

warnings: Smuuuutt! piv sex, oral sex (m receiving), fingering (f receiving) improper use of signets, dom!Ridoc, brat tamer!Ridoc, itty bit of praise & degradation kink. lots of dirty talk too many feeling (I couldn't help it, I love love)

wordcount: 6.9K (lol)

notes: thanks for the request and love! I could not get the scene from OS were Ridoc and Vi are arguing and she says how ice starts forming at his fingers when he's getting angry out of my head. I just had to include it. Can't stop thinking about Ridoc and his cold ass hands (might need to dedicate a whole post to it lmk if you'd wanna see that)

You were friends Ridoc. Just friends. Nothing more. He was a rider, you were a rider, you had your squad, your section leaders, your wingleaders. Everything was normal and as it should be.

Until it wasn't.

You couldn't pinpoint exactly when it happened or what exactly Ridoc had said to make you want to get back at him.

Maybe it was the day he'd called you beautiful right after you'd fallen in the river during flight maneuvers. Your dragon had plucked you out of the water and returned to the flight field where everyone else was, your clothes were sopping wet, and drops of water slid over your face. The rest of your squad was laughing at you (like the annoying friends that they were) even Ridoc laughed. But that was before he wiped a drop of water off the tip of your nose and spoke in a low and somewhat sultry voice.

"You're so beautiful when you're wet..." your face had heated at his words, not understanding exactly his lewd implications until he continued. "Wonder what else gets you that wet..." You'd pushed him away and screamed at him, scolding him for talking like a pervert. Rhiannon was not far behind in lecturing him.

Or maybe it was the full week he refused to call you anything other than princess. He regularly used the pet name in a way that made your heart flutter. But he was your friend and that's just what Ridoc did to his friends—tease. He'd still use the nickname with you on occasion, but only when he really wanted to annoy you.

Perhaps it was once he developed his signet and realized he could use it to absolutely annoy the shit out of you and your whole squad. He had started by wrapping his fingers around Violet's hot mug of tea when she wasn't looking and freezing it solid. Next, he woke up before Sawyer and froze his door shut, resulting in him being late to formation. But the kicker was when Ridoc discovered that he could dramatically cool his body temperature and even form frost on his fingertips. So in the moments you'd least expect it he would lightly drag his fingertips along you, the cold shocking you to your bone. At breakfast, during formation, he even went too far one time to grasp your upper thigh during battle brief. The chill ran all the way up your spine to the base of your skull, the contrast of the cool of his fingers and the heat so close to your center drove you crazy. You yelped at the feeling and disrupted the whole class, which caused Ridoc to burst out laughing.

No, no, it had to be the time when he straight up asked to sleep with you. That must've been what made you decide to get your revenge.

Violet had been complaining about how she missed sex and Liam offered to find some candidates for her. Ridoc decided to throw his name in the ring, saying he'd be happy to oblige her at any time.

"There’s no way Liam would pick you for Violet out of a lineup," Rhi chimed in, "He has good taste."

"Seriously, I need Liam to find someone for me. I miss sex too..." you joked, adding to the conversation.

"Well princess, like I told Violet, I'd be happy to help out," Ridoc said, leaning over next to you and messing with your hair. He was always flirty with his friends, that's just what he did, but honestly, it was getting too much.

"No thanks, I'll pass," you chuckled lightly as you tried to calm your racing heart.

"C'mon pleaseee," he all but begged you. You rolled your eyes at him in answer—a regular one of your responses to his antics—but he didn't accept it. The fingers that were messing with your hair found their way to the back of your neck and a steady flow of coldness jolted you in your seat. He leaned his head in closer before speaking once more, "You know I'll make you feel incredible sweetness, can I please just spend one night with you?" His cold fingers gripping the back of your neck and his warm breath on your face...holy Dunne...you knew Ridoc was hot but would today be the day you confessed your feelings?

Before you could asses the waves of arousal flowing through you and decide if you wanted to kiss him or not, Ridoc burst out laughing and removed his hand from you.

"I totally got you that time!" He held a hand to his chest as he caught his breath and you finally came to your senses.

"Fuck you, Gamlyn!" you cry and lay your head on the table in embarrassment.

"What happened?!" Sawyer asked from the other side of you. You groan in response curling further into yourself.

"I fully just turned her on, dude! Right before Physics too!" At this point tears were streaming out of his eyes from laughter

"Aw, Ridoc, ew! Don't be such a perv!" Rhiannon scolded him. Your face was still tucked in your arms on the desk.

"But she liked it," he said in a sing-song tone, his laughter finally subsiding. No. That's it. Ridoc was a fucking relentless, teasing, asshole of a flirt and he had to get a taste of his own medicine. You swing your face up from the table, the redness on it surely not gone yet, but it is about time someone said something to him.

"You better watch your back Ridoc," you snap, pointing your finger and digging it into his chest, "I'm gonna make sure you get what's coming for you."

"Ooo feisty, huh? We'll see about that, Princess."

And thus—the game began.

The first week you started simple, just as he had. You'd woken up in a particularly good mood as you knew that was the day you were going to turn the tables on Ridoc. You made your way to the dining hall in the morning and sat where you normally did with your squad and waited...Ridoc was always late in the mornings, he was a night owl and was regularly in other people's rooms. Not that it bothered you…no, you weren't jealous. No. Of course not. Nope. But surprisingly he was somewhat on-time that morning and his floppy brown hair fell over his forehead in the perfect messy way it always did. You kept your eyes on him as he made his way through the food line and to your table, completely disregarding your breakfast in front of you.

"What are you planning?" Violet asked through her mouthful of food, eyeing you suspiciously. You kept your gaze, not even breaking it to respond to your friend.

"You'll see," you smirked.

As he approached closer you scooched over, creating a spot at the table for Ricoc, and patted the bench in earnest. And waited again. You knew he would make a comment.

"Hm, someone's excited to see me this morning," There it is. He walked right into your trap.

"I can't help it..." You sigh, doing your best to sound sincere (though, it wasn't difficult to be sincere with him)

"Hmph?" he groans in response, mouth full of food.

"You just look sooo handsome this morning, want you next to me," you rest your cheek on one hand that's propped up by your elbow, and the other hand reaches out and slowly twists in his dark locks. You gaze at him, watching him closely in anticipation. His eyes shift looking between your own, looking for something. Gods...his eyes, so warm, so full of light. You want to get lost in them, in the joy they hold, in the stubbornness and fearlessness, and fuck. He was starting to laugh.

"W-what?" you stutter, retracting your hand from his hair.

"Gonna have to try harder than that, sweetness," the smile never leaves his lips as he digs into his breakfast.

"AHH," you grumble and stand from your seat. How the fuck did he win this one? You storm out of the dining hall, immediately starting your next plan.

"What in Malek's name did I just watch?" You hear Rhiannon's voice fade out as you leave.

The second week, you stepped up your game. Big time. If you couldn't flatter him you would flatter yourself. It was Tuesday night, squad hand-to-hand practice. Your normal training clothes weren't very favorable for your figure, you normally stuck to the standard issue training pants and boots and a plain long-sleeved top, but it was spring now, the weather was warmer, and no one would question your change in attire. So you changed. You wore the smallest and tightest of your training tanks, one from before you gained muscle as a rider, and at the very bottom of your armoire, you found your old tights. They were meant for training so it wasn't anything scandalous, you'd just outgrown them. But because of the tightness of the leggings, you did have to forego your undergarments to avoid any panty lines.

"Damn, girl. What's all this about?" Rhi asked you as you two and Violet made your way to the training room. You tugged on the straps of your tank to ensure your breasts stayed in place. Yeah, very tight.

"It's...hot out," you respond, not at all convincing them.

"Is this about you trying to get Ridoc back for getting you all hot and bothered before Physics a couple of weeks ago?" Violet speaks up, amusement imminent in her voice.

"He did not get me 'hot and bothered'" you defend yourself, "just...a little turned on. He just won't stop teasing, just trying to show him how it feels!" you continue your defense.

"This is seduction. Not teasing," Rhiannon says. Whatever. Is that not what Ridoc was doing to you? You just roll your eyes and continue into the training room, eyes immediately seeking out Ridoc. You find him on the mat, sparring with Sawyer. The fight was pretty evenly matched, Sawyer had a little height on Ridoc, but Ridoc had a little more bulk on him. Fuck, those muscles, straining the sleeves of his shirt. You shook your head and cleared your thoughts moving closer to the mat. You walk right up to the edge of it and cross your arms, subtly pushing your breasts up and closer together.

"Looking good boys," You say, gaining their attention, hoping you could draw Ridoc's away just long enough for Sawyer to get the high ground. Unfortunately, you overestimated Sawyer's ability to keep his eyes where they need to be.

"Woah." Sawyer sighed lightly under his breath. You rolled your eyes at him and looked for a reaction from Ridoc. He just looked you up and down slowly before tackling Sawyer to the ground. Seriously? 

Sawyer just bumped down a notch on the friend poll. 

The boys finish their match quickly, Ridoc taking the win after Sawyer lost his focus, and exit the mat. You stay at the edge waiting for Ridoc to pass you and acknowledge you in some way other than giving you a once-over. He saunters over slowly, a light sweat glistening his forehead and leans down right to your level before speaking.

"You look good too, princess," your face heats and your heart beats faster at the excitement of your victory over him. Until he keeps talking. "But...I've already imagined your body enough times to not be surprised at how good you look." You don't know if it's anger or arousal that's causing wetness to pool at your core, all you know is that he's won. Yet again.

That same night you tried again and failed. You thought maybe sparring with him and getting your bodies closer would get him going, but it proved the opposite. You'd ended up underneath him, heat coursing through your veins. However, you could've sworn you felt something poking at your lower stomach, maybe it was just false hope.

By the third week, you knew you'd have to come up with something really good. But you didn't. You tried to search for something that you could do to get back at him, but everything you came up with was either not good enough or too good, to the point where you think it would just backfire and you'd end up turned on again.

It was a Friday and all your friends decided it was time for a much-needed study night—aided by some alcohol. You walked into Sawyer's room defeated, still not have come up with anything good enough to tease Ridoc with. The room was full, Sawyer laid sprawled across his bed with Violet sitting at the foot of it, Rhiannon and Liam lay on the floor with their texts open in front of them, then there was Ridoc. He sat on the chair at Sawyer's desk, facing your friends and ignoring the books on the desk, his legs were spread wide and his hands were crossed behind his head. He smirked as you walked through the door and looked around for a place to settle down.

Your eyes crossed the room and landed on Ridoc, your gaze lingers on him for maybe a moment too long, but that one moment was enough for a stupid thought to enter your brain. Hopefully, stupid enough to work.

You throw your bag and jacket on the ground and step over the books laid on the ground, making your way to Ridoc. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it quickly when you plopped right down in his lap. He was stunned silent for a moment before wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling you into him to settle you into his embrace.

"Oh? Go right ahead I suppose," He says cockily, but you catch the hint of confusion in his voice.

"What? There was nowhere else to sit," you feign your confidence and try to ignore the feeling of Ridoc's arm around you.

"I would have gladly moved to avoid whatever this is..." Rhiannon says from the ground in disgust. You ignore her comment and begin a conversation with Liam, trying your best to pretend you weren't sitting in Ridoc's lap. But once you got a drink in you, and a little more, it became very difficult to ignore. That was when you had your next bright idea.

Violet was talking about her issues with Riorson and you nodded along as she droned on with her complaints, your brain was a little fuzzy and you were growing bored of her repeating the same thing. After a while your body had relaxed perfectly into Ridoc's and as the conversation flowed your body relaxed even more and the little thought wormed it's way into your brain. You didn't think about the implications of your actions before you wiggled your ass and slowly ground down on his lap. His grip tightened around you waist, a warning maybe?

You waited for his arm to loosen around you before you made your next move, letting the conversation around you continue you once more ground your hips down onto his lap, doing your best to make it look like you were just adjusting. His grip tightened again, and this time you felt his cock begin to harden underneath you. You were winning this time.

You don't wait this time before moving again, fidgeting in your seat as you hear Liam trying to defend Riorson in the background. Ridoc didn't let up on his hold on you, this time wrapping his other arm around your waist and digging his fingers in deeper. He grunts lowly behind you as you grind your ass harder down onto him. The harder you go the harder his fingers on your waist grab and his bruising grasp suddenly grows cold as he grows harder. Oh fuck.

"This the game you want to play?" His voice was right next to your ear, his hot breath causing a chill to run through you. You can't stop, not now, you were so close to winning this. But his voice. And his arms around you. And his cold fingers. No. You turn your head a little to the side, your lips so close to his as you respond.

"Hm, I'm just giving you what you deserve."

"Yeah? Okay, princess. We'll play that way then," His words were low and gravelly, filled with arousal. You nearly moaned out loud. But he was fast. Only a second later he shoved you from his lap, you stumbled to stand as the conversation around you died down. You swing your head to look at him and ask him why the fuck he just did that but he had already gathered his things and was halfway out the door, mumbling a quick "Gotta go." and leaving you speechless.

"What's up with him?" Rhi asks, sending a questioning look your way. Your astonishment slowly turned to a feeling of pride and a small smile appeared on your face.

"Let's just say I finally got him back," you smirk and move back to the chair where he sat, the seat still warm.

That's what you thought at least.

Another week passed and you were confident you had gotten your revenge on Ridoc. He hadn't said anything about the incident, leading you to believe that he was just embarrassed. Oh how wrong you were.

It was late, the hallways dark, only lit by a mage light or two. You couldn't sleep so attempted to make your way to the flight field for a late-night flight. But you didn't make it very far before you were slammed face-forward against the wall. You tried to reach for the daggers on your belt but the assailant already had your wrists in their grasp. Your breathing picked up, a slight cry crawling its way out of your mouth in fear and you could hear your heart beating in your ears. Over the sound of the blood rushing through your head, you heard a slight shushing behind you, and warm breath on your face. Your senses came back to you and you felt the freezing cold hands on your wrists. Ridoc.

"Shh, shh, just me, sweetness," his voice was still teasing despite the immense fear you just showed. Your body relaxed instantly, slumping against the wall and letting his arms hold you up.

"Gods, Ridoc!" you keep your voice low, still aware that it's very late at night. "What the fuck are you doing?!" He hums in response, foregoing verbally answering your question. His face was still close to yours and he inhaled deeply before burying his face in your neck. "Ridoc, wha—oh..." A breathy sigh leaves you when you feel his hot tongue trace down your neck.

Shivers ran down your arms, covering you in gooseflesh as you melted even further into the wall. His hands move from your wrists and run all the way up your arms then back down to your waist, all while his tongue keeps moving. His cold touch finds its way to the hem of your shirt and slowly moves it up, his fingers glide across your the expanse of your stomach your body practically vibrating at the feeling. His mouth moved on your neck slowly and you didn't expect it when he bit down lightly.

"Ah! Fuck," you groan at the feeling, your panties surely soaked through at this point. Ridoc chuckles out a light, melodic laugh and leisurely withdraws his face.

"You like that?" He breathes out. Your brain was so foggy with arousal you didn't even think before responding.

"Mmm, yes," you crane your neck, reaching for his mouth with your but he retracts further, his hands falling from you, leaving your body colder than it was with his frozen fingers against you. He backs away even more as you turn around, his back almost against the opposite wall of the hallway. "Ridoc?" you sounded pathetic, you were sure of it.

"What, princess? I thought this is what you wanted to play now?" His voice was so gods-damned cocky. A wave of disappointment ran through you as he walked further away and down the hallway. Away from you in all your desperation. "Don't look so sad," he call out to you in a mock pout, "you'll get what you want eventually." Fuck. Him.

You withheld from your nighttime flight and instead made your way back to your room in haste. Stripping your pants off and laying on your bed as soon as you shut the door. You may be pissed at him, but he was still ridiculously hot and turned you on to no end. You rub your clit in furious circles, coming to your peak quickly and moaning out Ridoc's name. Well, you'd get back at him twice as hard.

The next day at breakfast you leave your food untouched, your thoughts running too fast for your sleep-deprived brain.

"Hmm...someone's sleepy," Ridoc says as he settles onto the bench next to you, far too close for comfort. "Wanna talk about what's keeping you up?" he asks knowingly.

"Not particularly," you snap back.

"Was it a guy? Or a girl? Finally find someone worth sleeping with?" He continues his teasing. Your first reaction is to be annoyed, you roll your eyes in response, but you still have a little confidence left.

"Yeah, actually," you answer him, sitting up in your seat straighter and scooting just a tad closer to him.

"What?" you could've sworn he sounded a little hurt.

"Mhm. He keeps walking around me though, just wish he would fuck me already, had to take care of myself last night," he coughs lightly and looks down at his plate, you take his moment of shyness as an opportunity and slide your hand over his thigh, moving it up slowly to where his cock started to harden. But that moment doesn't last long.

"Yeah? Maybe it's cause he's trying to teach you a lesson for being such a brat," his tone grows darker the further up his leg you get and you can't help the flush that seems to go through your body at the thought of him getting hard for you.

"Well, maybe he wouldn't have to teach me a lesson if he wasn't a brat first," you make your move in sync with your last word, cupping his hard cock with your hand. It was a step up from what he'd done to you last night. A really big step. Fuck, he was thick, you did what you could to fully grasp him from the confines of his pants but it was difficult with how large he was.

Ridoc wasn't taking any of your shit, he grabbed your wrist and moved it away from his center then pulled to bring you closer to him.

"You're gonna regret that, sweetness," How did he manage to sound so teasing and so sexy at the same time? "You thought last night was bad? I'll have you on your knees begging for me next time," Your body stills at his words, you've exhausted all your courage and were left in front of him defenseless. He stares into your eyes as your body begins to tremble with need. He managed to get to you every single time, but at least this time you'd known for sure that you were also getting to him.

"Will you guys please just shut up and fuck already?" Rhiannon finally shouts, slamming her cutlery down on the table. "It's making me fucking sick."

"Sorry, Rhi," Ridoc pushes away from you, easily masking his emotions while you still sit in agony. "Not my fault," that breaks you from your trance.

"Not your fault? I–I'm not–"

"Save it, princess," He shuts you up way to easily, standing swiftly and exiting the dining hall. Your head falls to the table in defeat and embarrassment.

"You two are seriously disgusting," Liam speaks up. "And that's saying something." You groan in response, whining at the teasing from your friends. But even through your embarrassment you couldn't get Ridoc's words out of your head and you tried to push the thought of begging on your knees for him out of your head.

Over the next few days, you did your best to avoid Ridoc. Not that you didn't want to see him—it was the opposite really—you just weren't sure if you could handle any more teasing (seduction) from him before breaking. He'd caught your eye a couple of times a subtle twinkle in them every time, paired with a smirk on his face. That alone was enough for you to want to get on your knees for him.

It was exactly five days later when he came back to you to fulfill his promise. Five agonizing days without speaking to Ridoc. You tried to convince yourself that it was just because he was turning you on, but you knew the truth. You knew it was because you had real feelings for him, and you were afraid he didn't return them.

You'd just finished training for the day and were ready to crash for the night, your back sore and arms tired from holding out against Imogen. You closed the door to your room behind you and lay on the floor to stretch your stiff muscles. You hadn't even been alone for a minute before your door burst open and shut again in quick succession.

"Ridoc?" he rotates his wrist slightly and you hear the lock on your door click behind you and he locks it with lesser magic—something you still haven't mastered. He stalks over to where you are on the ground, your body propped up by just your elbows and before you know it he's on top of you. Kissing you. Hard.

Your arms give out beneath you but Ridoc is there, wrapping his arms around you and holding you up.

"Couldn't—mph—wait another fucking minute," he grunts out as you begin to return his kisses, struggling to keep up with his fast pace. His words. His mouth on yours...you could've sworn you'd reached the afterlife and Zihnal had favored you. You keep kissing him in earnest, not caring that he decided right now to give in for whatever reason. What did make him give in right now?

"W–wait, why now?" You try to push him away gently but he resists trailing kisses down the side of your neck. He mumbles between them, something unintelligible, you push him harder "Ridoc, can't hear you." he gives into you and pulls away slightly to speak clearly.

"I said, you're wearing that fucking shirt again," you look down and it clicks in your head, this was the tiny training tank that you wore that one day to tease him. And you had worn it again for training that night, not even thinking it would do anything to him after the first time.

"Oh so you just saw my tits and couldn't hold back," you taunt. He does not take to your teasing well and grabs your face with one hand, his cold fingers squishing your cheeks together.

"Don't forget what you did the other day, sweetness. I'm not going back on my word," You feel your body being to submit to him, but you still want to push him a little further, you weren't quite done with your game yet.

"Hm, want me on my knees?" you question, craning your neck to try to capture his lips again. He ignores you and stands, walking to the door.

"Fine, I'll leave."

"No! No, stay! Please, Ridoc," you scramble up from the ground, not quite making it to your feet as your pleading begins. This can't happen again, he can't leave you to take care of yourself once more. You could've been begging for life itself with Malek with the way you felt.

"Seriously? All it took was three words and you're doing exactly what I want you to," he turns from where he stands by the door and looks down at you pathetically. There you were. On your knees. Begging him.

You honestly couldn't care at this point that you'd given up completely on your goal to tease him back. You needed him. Just as you needed air to breathe. You'd surely regret your actions tomorrow but there was no way you could wait any longer.

"I give up, okay! I just need you to touch me, please..."

"Think you're gonna get away with it that easy? After all your teasing..." he tsks and walks closer to you, moving his hands to his hips to unbuckle his belt. Your mouth waters at the prospect of his cock in your mouth. You reach your hands out impatiently to take over the job of removing his belt, but right when you get there he slaps your hands away. "No hands. You're gonna take what I give you, princess." you nod in understanding, opting to behave and listen to him so he doesn't threaten to leave again.

He removes his belt and undoes the button on his pants, sliding them and his boxers down just enough to pull his leaking cock out. You'd felt it the other day, yes, but seeing it was something else. If your mouth was watering at the thought, you're sure you started drooling at the sight. He pumps himself a couple of times, spreading the wetness at the tip with his thumb before he sticks his hand out in front of you, mumbling out a "Spit." you listen, spitting in his hand and letting the excess drool fall down your chin as you look up at him through your lashes. He continued to touch himself a little longer before you realized what he was doing. He was waiting for you to ask for it.

"Ridoc, please...can I please?" you ask as soon as you realize what's going on. You notice him drawing in a deep breath to keep control before he answers you.

"Please what?"

"Ridoc! I asked nicely," You pout and start to bring your hands up again before deciding otherwise, knowing you'd get in trouble.

"Yes, you did. But I want to hear you say it," You could tell he was having a hard time holding himself together and you were too, so you gave in.

"Wanna suck your cock, please—" You couldn't even finish before he grasped your jaw again and opened your mouth up, shoving his thick cock inside. You choke at first but quickly adjust and start to get to work.

"Good girl, see what happens when you obey?" his words shoot straight to your pussy, his praise making you even slicker.

"M–phm," you agree, your response muffled. He moves slowly, but you know it's more for his sake of not finishing too soon than it is for your sake of not choking again. He fucks into your mouth and you bob your head in rhythm, soothing the underside of his cock with your tongue. He tasted amazing, better than you imagined when you touched yourself.

"So good, princess," he groans and wraps his fingers in your hair and pulls your head off him, your lips leaving him with a pop. Drool streams down your chin, tears threatening to fall out of your eyes. You try to move forward again but his hand in your hair holds you back. "You're not done behaving are you?"

"No, no, I'll behave," you answer with a shake of your head.

"Good. Take your clothes off and sit on the bed." You move quickly, not wanting to spend another second without his hands on you. You remove your shirt first while kicking off your boots, then make quick work of your pants and lean back to sit on the edge of your bed. You cross your legs at the ankle and swing them back and forth, impatiently waiting for Ridoc as get walks closer to you. He reaches his hand out and plucks at the thin strap of your bra. "All of your clothes," he says sternly. You grow slightly nervous to be completely naked in front of him with him being mostly clothed.

"But—" your words are cut off with only a hard look from him. You stand again and reach around you to pull your bra off. Ridoc's grip on his cock visibly tightens as your tits bounce free. You keep your eyes on him and lean down, taking your panties off and dangling them in front of his face before dropping them to the ground with the rest of your clothes. "Happy now?" you snark, though still keeping the smile on your face to show him you would keep behaving.

"Very," he sighs before pouncing on you. He captures your mouth with his lips again, licking into your mouth to wind your tongues together. His fingers ran over your body deftly, the light touches driving you mad. But his fingertips grew colder, they were literally ice against you and you whine at the feeling.

He was losing control, he wasn't able to keep his signet in check.

He didn't acknowledge his signet taking hold, instead, he broke away from your kiss momentarily to remove his shirt and shove down his pants even more. You reach out to touch him, disregarding anything he might have to say about it. Thankfully he seems too lost in his mind to bother with it, so you run your hands along his body your fingers feeling their way across his muscular back, and pull him closer to you.

Fully undressed now, Ridoc glides his hands further down your body as he continues to kiss you deeply, your own hands tangled in his hair. He clutches your hips hard and moves one hand to your aching cunt then drags his fingers through achingly slow.

"Ridoc! 'S too cold!" you gasp at the feeling of his frozen fingers at your core. But he ignores your complaint and keeps moving his fingers through your slick.

"So fucking wet," he moves his head away from your mouth, leaning back to admire your pussy. "You're dripping, sweetness, did you get this wet just from sucking my cock?" You nod your head in response. "Yeah? You've been wanting this for a long time, huh?

"Please, need more."

"More? I gave you my cock...I'm touching your pussy...what more could you want?" You groan in annoyance at the fact he's making you beg more.

"Ridoc, please! Want you to fuck me, please, I've waited so long..." You cry out pitifully, his fingers still fondling your center.

"Yes, you have, but you were acting like a slut," He plunges two of his fingers deep inside of you, curling them upwards to give you the friction you needed, sinful moans flew from your mouth. "If you just asked me to fuck you I would have, princess."

Despite his dominating tone, the last of his words held a sweetness to them, you knew that if you truly did ask him, he would've done anything for you. But instead there you were, begging him to fuck you while his ice-cold fingers did the job his dick should be doing.

"Ridoc, I need you, please, I need your cock inside me, I'm sorry for teasing! Just please, fuck me!" Your voice was desperate, embarrassingly so. But he wanted you begging and he got it. Seeming satisfied with the job you were doing he pulled his fingers out and stuck them in his mouth, licking them with a tantalizing look on his face and a deep guttural groan.

"There it is," he says as he pulls his fingers from his mouth, "just needed to say sorry, princess, that's it. Good job, I'll fuck you now, don't worry." His voice sounded sweet, but there was a darkness masked underneath it. If you didn't trust Ridoc so much you might've been worried about what was in store for you, but you knew he'd never hurt you.

He grabs a hold of your hips again and pulls you right to the edge of the bed before rolling you onto your front and pulling your ass up. Then, before you know it you're filled to the brim with his thick cock.

"Ah, fuck!" you shout. Pleasure coursed through your entire body, your brain fuddled in ecstasy. Ridoc leaned forward, pushing his cock into you impossibly deeper in the process, and craned his head right down to where your face was smooshed on the bed.

"Tell me if it gets too much and I'll stop, okay, sweetness?"

"Mhm," you answer, too lost in the moment to give a real response.

"No, not gonna cut it, use your words," He didn't move, refusing to do so until you listened.

"I'll tell you, promise," you utter.

"That's it, who knew the slut could be such a good girl?" His tone regaining it's cockiness. He started fucking into you slowly after answering, but his pace picked up fast, very fast.

You felt like you were being completed, his cock fitting you perfectly, rutting deep against your cervix as his fingers bit harshly into your hips, pulling you back against him in deep motions. You covered your mouth with your hand, doing your best to contain how loud you were being.

"Gods, you feel so good, princess. Like you were fucking made for me," you moan into your hand at his words, just the thought of you being made for him, being the one for him, had you keening. Wishing you were the only thing he would ever touch again, the only being he would even taste again, touch again, breathe again.

Your sorrowful thoughts didn't last very long, the feeling of him surrounding you taking over. You loved him. You loved him. You loved him.

"I love you."

You blanch. Afraid of what you'd just said. You go to slap your hand over your mouth, wait. Your mouth was already covered by your hand. You didn't say that. Ridoc did.

You revel in the joy, the splendor, the indulgence of the words. But also the feeling of him fucking you so deep and hard. It was all too much too fast. Your climax approaches fast, not giving you any time to prepare before you're coming all over his cock, tears break free from their walls, flowing down your face in rivulets. You squeeze hard around his cock as you orgasm and his pace falters.

He pulls out after your cunt stops pulsing and strokes his dick a few more times before he's spilling his seed across your ass, saying a string of curses as he does so.

Your body falls lax against your bed and you feel Ridoc wiping himself off of you with soft fabric and wrapping his arms around you, pulling you up to lay the right way up on the bed. He adjusts so he lays first, dragging you to lay your head on his chest. He loves you.

"There we go, c'mere swee—" He sits up quickly, your head rolling off of him as he shoots forward, hands moving to your hips with soft touches "Oh, oh fuck—oh my gods I'm sorry, princess. I'm so fucking sorry, I—I didn't mean to." You tilt your head and look to where his hands barely graze your hips, there your skin is frostbitten into the shapes of his perfect fingertips. Your mind whirs and you look at his face, worry etched over it so clearly. His eyes swim with tears. He loves you.

"Did you mean it?"

"NO! Gods, I'd never...I think I just lost control and—and I can't even tell you how sorry I am princess, gods I can't—" his lip trembles and he moves his hands away from you to run them through his hair.

"Ridoc, no. Do you love me?" you reach to take hold of his face, turning him so he's looking you dead in the eye. The tears don't fall from his eyes and they soften, his body relaxing as he sees the look that has so obviously been on your face for so long.

"More than anything..." He melts into your hold, the affection such a drastic change from him just a few minutes ago. You don't let him say anything else before you move in on him, locking your lips together again. The kiss wasn't as desperate as your ones from earlier, but just as passionate.

"I love you. I have for a while I think..." your voice draws off as you think back to how you acted toward him. "Sorry for being so bratty...just wanted to tease you back to show you how it felt." His gaze switches from a loving look to one of amusement before he tosses his head back in laughter.

"It's okay, sweetness, can't you tell that I like a little bit of excitement?" you giggle along with him.

"Yeah, I guess..." you say, still a little nervous.

"Gods, you're so fucking hot, can't tell you how hard it was to hold myself back from you for so long." You smile, confidence flooding back through you.

"Hm, good to know." You push him back onto the bed to lie again before you crawl into his arms. The place you'd so long desired to be in. You glance down at your bodies entwined together, like roots that grew into each other. His hand still absentmindedly tracing around your lightly frostbitten hips. The marks didn't hurt too much, just enough to remind you he'd been there. You still loved his cold hands.  

[cute-n-curious]

Monster Dating App [1]: Surprise Me #1

[Author's note: this is a little long but I promise it goes somewhere fun.]

Your face falls when you first lay eyes on him. He looks so... ordinary. A clean cut, attractive man, maybe late 20s/early 30s, fit but not overly muscular, tidy but unremarkable in his dark navy dress shirt with cuffs rolled up, sandy-coloured pants. A solid 8 out 10 for a man, but a man nonetheless. A human. *yawn*

He smiles cheerily and politely holds up a bottle of some non-descript white wine. Automatically, you open your door wider to let him into your apartment. You don't feel bad anymore about showing up to this "date" in t-shirt and shorts.

As you watch him take off his shoes to survey your living room, your mind races to remember what you had submitted into that app. You were sure you had selected:

✓ Monster/Non-human - subtype: "surprise me"

✓ Open to: fucking (non-violent)

✓ Penetration preference: receiving (no anal)

☓ Agree to being bred

Meeting place: my home

Your best friend had introduced you to that app a week ago. It was strictly invite only, and she sent you the invite as soon as she received it. She could not stop talking about it since she first downloaded a few weeks back. She couldn't believe it at first, an app that hooks you up to occult creatures? Grindr for monsters? Unlike Grindr though, the app sets you up on dates based on your preferences selected. The app says that all date candidates are carefully vetted by the organisation strictly in accordance with submitted requests.

Since she had downloaded the app 3 weeks ago, your friend could not stop gushing about the dates she's been on. She's dated (and fucked!) a werewolf, a shadow creature, a slime man, the latter being her favourite. She's been adventurous with her date preferences, never meeting at home. She's fucked in a forest, an abandoned house, in some alleyway in a neighbouring city.

You were eager to try the app out after hearing about her escapades. Your libido has always been high but it's been through the roof lately and fucking random guys from Tinder just isn't cutting it. But you were also nervous so the dating preferences you had set came out pretty tame.

Is this why they just sent some guy?

You snap out of your musings as you saw him put down the bottle of wine on your dining table. You had prepared a quick dinner, not knowing what to expect to come through the door. Your good manners kick in and you give him a smile and make small talk as you plate dinner - just a simple pasta carbonara for you both. He's cute, you thought, maybe he'll be good enough to dull that ache in your pussy tonight that you've been trying (and failing) to address with your toys.

He sits downs and happily chats away as he steadily goes through the pasta. He says he works in banking as a middle manager, he enjoys hiking on the weekends and likes watching sports on TV. You nod along, trying to keep up with the conversation, sipping on the wine and picking at the pasta, but find yourself absolutely spacing out given the monotony.

You hear him say, "... and she said what can I do if they said you asked if you want the papers..."

Without a second thought you mumble, "I want my pussy stuffed". It takes a second for you register what you said, and mortified you gasp, turning red as a tomato, stutter "uh sorry *cough* ignore that, what did you say?"

Why did you say that?? Ugh, you can just die right now.

He gazes at you steadily, a small smile (is that a hint of a smirk?) on his face. "No worries, as I was saying..." he resume. You gulp down some wine to try to still you thumping heart, relaxing as you see him continue from where he left off. You sit up and try to engage with what he's saying, but it's just so tedious.

He continues, "... and my boss said to do it for John and you can go if you want. So me and John went inside the office and you and..."

Your mind has wandered and you can't think straight. You murmur "...yes, now". You realise too late that his chatting might be having some weird hypnotic effect on you, that certain words he's saying seem to be whispered straight into your ear, fizzing into your brain, shooting down your spine and making you suddenly wet and horny. You're not even embarrassed now, you simply look at him, eyes half-lidded, breathing unsteady, feeling the electric tingle in the air.

He meets your gaze, still with the small smile on his face. "Hm," he appears to muse, abruptly stopping whatever anecdote he was relaying. Suddenly in the silence, you feel something brush against your thigh. It's his hand on your thigh, warm and firm, caressing your skin and very slowly making its way up your leg.

You enjoy the jolt of skin-to-skin contact for a second but quickly realise that something's not right. He's sitting on the other side of your dining table, there's no way his arm is long enough to touch you like this under the table. You look up and gasp, not quite believing what you're seeing.

Your date is still sitting in his chair across from you, the small curious smile still on his face, his eyes looking intensely into yours. But you watch, mouth agape, as long arms start sprouting from his shoulders and torso, fully formed human-like arms with hands at the end of each. His clothes doesn't appear to be actual fabric, but it morphed and distended with his skin. In the still silence of your living room, you hear what sounds like bones and cartilage forming and cracking under skin, as these long arms grow out from him.

Without you noticing, the hand that was snaking its way up your thigh has found the edge of your underwear and is running a finger lazily along the edge. Another hand has come along and joined the exploration. You're breathing heavily, incredulous but so intrigued, at all this was happening so quickly. You look up again and see two of the arms carefully pushing side the dining table as your date gets up from his chair.

You feel like you can't look away as his limbs suddenly close the distance between you two by scooping you towards him. Suddenly, you feel his lips on you, tender and firm, his tongue soft and wet, like a human tongue. But there's nothing human about the arms and hands, oh so many hands, all over you.

You find yourself carried into the bedroom, dark and cool, the lights off and the room only illuminated dimly by the moonlight coming in through the open window. You feel the hands, touching you under your clothes, then removing your clothes. You feel numerous hands running over your breasts, over your hips, through your hair, as your date continues gently kissing you.

You whimper as you feel the hands massaging you, kneading your shoulders, scalp, calves, thighs, feet, back, butt, all at once. It feels so so good to feel the strong hands squeezing and playing with your breasts, pinching your nipples. The hands, in their ministrations, are effectively pining you to the bed, while you date hovers over you, now kissing your ear and your neck.

Why oh why are there no hands on your pussy? You're so wet, so desperate to be touched down there, to be filled. "Please," you gasp, "please touch me" as you writhe and buck up against him. "But I am touching you" he said smiling, looking up at you, a twinkle in his eye. "You know what I mean!" you snap, panting and frustrated.

"Oh you mean like this?" he whispers in your ear. Suddenly you feel fingers, so many fingers touching, stroking your pussy and your clit. You feel the gush of how wet you must be, then you hear how wet you must be, the slick sounds of one, then two then three fingers slowly slide in and out of your pussy while another circle and massage your clit. All the while, the other hands continue their touching and massaging of your body. You've never felt this intensity, this level of touch all over before. You moan and gasp as you try to grind against the fingers, the knuckles, anything to increase the pace, pressure and sensation.

"You're just a delight" he murmurs as you suddenly find yourself flipped by the hands onto your belly. A hand covers your eyes and now all is dark. You only hear your lewd panting and moaning, the quiet squelchy sounds of the fingers relentlessly pumping in and out of your dripping pussy. The fingers in your pussy finally picks up the pace, rubbing over and over against the g-spot inside. The fingers on your clit matches the speed of the fingers inside you. The massaging intensifies and you suddenly feel fingers in your mouth that you greedily suck on, uncaring of the drool seeping out of your mouth.

Your moans turn to whimpers to groans as you feel your orgasm building. Right as you're about to cum a fourth finger is added into you pussy and the additional stretching pushes you over the edge as you grind yourself helplessly against the digits as the waves of pleasure wash over you.

As you come down from the high, you feel the hands giving you a warm gentle hug, as a hand pulls a blanket over your body, tucking you in.

Your date sits next to you on the bed, once again looking like an ordinary human man, his excess limbs gone. He says quietly, "I hope that was alright for you. I haven't been a human for long and it's been very helpful to learn what makes your kind happy. I'm still learning how to best communicate my telepathy, your species isn't very forthcoming with strangers."

You sleepily say, "that was amazing, you're doing great. But as a tip, next time get your cock out, you'll find that many human women, and men, will enjoy using that too."

"Oh you mean these?" he replies, unzipping his pants.

[Part 2 now released.]

[luludeluluramblings]

dream team back. we’re currently yapping central again (per usual)

both of us are straight up in a tim drake brainrot spiral too!!! he’s a delightful little weirdo. a strange little gentleman if you will.

tim is such a funny little guy!!! he also makes a solid yandere. you can’t outsmart him. you can’t escape someone who can find everything about you. On the upside, I feel like he’d be happy to spoil his darling. also he’d be like, really considerate in weird ways??? I mean like you don’t get privacy (or you get the illusion of it maybe but not actual privacy.)

like yeah you’re always being watched in some way, but the man has committed every single one of your favorites and least favorites to memories. He knows what clothing you like, what specific features you look for in everything, and if he doesn’t, by god, will he learn. He knows your favorite song, and he knows the nickname you went by in elementary school.

Do you think he pretends to be normal and basically sets things up to send reader to be like a little love story?? You meet by chance, and he fell first. He fell a LONG time ago, so now it’s his mission to make you fall too. And Tim Drake ALWAYS finishes a mission. (Even as a baby daddy candidate). He makes himself the best option, even if he’s not the father.

Yandere!TimDrake x PastFriend!Reader x Aiden Cobblepot

☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️

A/N: Sooooo, I'm finally and slowly going through my ask box and you two may have sparked an idea just for Tim. I might have to do a Part Two for this. (I'm falling into the WIP trap. Help!) But, I love the thought of the Bat Family have competition when it comes to their darling. Gives them a challenge. Plus, I really wanted to use Aiden Cobblepot for this. I've been wanting to sneak him into something.

A/N: We have neglected!Sib!Reader, but what about a Neglected!Friend!Reader? Fun idea. Tim already knowing everything about you only to find you’ve changed and wants to study you all over again. Only this time he’s keeping you! (I’m very fond of Tim. I think he’s difficult to write for me, but I enjoy the little stalker so much.)

Warnings: Yandere Themes, Romantic themes, Tim can be read as kinda platonic, GN!Reader

☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️

You and Tim were once good friends. Well, he was your best friend. To him you were just a good one. High school buddies that would hang out all the time. At school only. And sometimes the rare gala you saw him at. It was rare you ever actually went to The Manor. You never asked to go. But, you had hoped to be invite.

Just like you had hoped that he might reciprocate that pesky crush you had on him back then. You had felt like it was so painfully obvious. Though it wasn't as painful when you finally figured out he was Red Robin and you waited and waited for him to tell you his secret identity. And, then you would tell him you already figured it out and you would look so cool.

Only, he never did. You both grew distant. You had put so much carful effort into keeping that distance from growing. Inviting him to hang out more. Asking him out for casual coffee. He always said the same thing.

"Oh, damn. I could really go for that right now. But, I'm just sorta busy. Next time though. For sure."

Over and over. He sounded like a broken character. Repeating the same phrase. One that you would hang around after the game was over to reminisce about all the fun adventures you both once had. However this was life not a game. You couldn't just restart and rerun the same adventures.

It made you ache when you finally moved on. When you finally pulled away. Because, Tim didn't even notice you were gone. His life to change. He didn't have to restart anything. You had lost your best friend and he didn't even care. It stung. It stung more than you realizing he'd never reciprocate your feelings.

But, like all things, time moves on and so do you. Leaving the past behind and starting a new game. One that you start to flourish in. Making new friends. Meeting new people. Building closer bonds and more healthy friendships. It had been interesting to realize how dependent you had been on Tim once upon a time. And, embarrassing. You can't help looking back on it with a wince. You almost want to reach out and apologize. But, that would be weird and you both live completely separate lives now. You hardly ever see him at galas now. Mostly because you don't go anymore.

Things, do change. You never expected your new partner would draw Tim's attention back to you. And, in such a terrible way.

You had a rough idea of what you were getting into when Aiden Cobblepot had asked you out to dinner. You figured he was only interested in you for your money or your half-decent looks or your family name and position. You had heard all the rumors about him, but still you went. Mostly, because you knew how dangerous he and his family were. And, you were… presently surprised.

He was a bit of an entitled asshole. But, he wasn't scared of getting dirty. You watched him lead you through the puddles of rain water and Gotham grim in the posh restaurant. He held more concern for you're clothing getting dirty than his, which were more expensive than yours. He paid for the date without flinching at the price. Encouraged you to try his own food from his plate. Talked about fond memories of the things he and his sister got up to as children while asking you about your own childhood.

Admittedly, you were easily seduced because after that the two of you became an item. You didn't even realize how official you were until he introduced you to his sister, Addison, and she was actually nice to you. Extremely nice. She did, however, threaten to kill you if you betrayed Aiden in any way, which was honestly fair enough.

Aiden and you were a bit on the opposite side of things, taste wise and morally wise. But, you both made it work. He continued his life of crime, but made no mention of it around you to keep you legally clean. You shared most of your life with him, letting him have a slight glimmer into normalcy. He liked to take you on fancy dates and show you a good time. You were happy to pull him inside just to spend personal time with each other. Of course, you both made compromises. Aiden had a taste for luxury, and you didn't mind indulging in it. Especially after you beat his ass multiple times in Mario cart. It was only fair you let him take you to a gala some point.

Little did you know that that was how Tim would come clawing and digging his way back into your life.

☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️

For Tim seeing you again was like finding an old precious treasure. His life had gotten so difficult and complicate lately that just a reminded of all those old times was nice.

However, seeing you on the arms of the Penguin's son was a brutal wake up call. What were you doing? Had you hit your head? Was he blackmailing you? Drugging you? Everyone in Gotham could recognize the name Cobblepot and how dangerous they are. And, he remembers how smart you were so you couldn't have willing chose to be there. It's not logical.

For your safety, he reintroduces himself to you. Long time, no see. We should hang out some time and catch up. Only he means it. He can't let this happen. He can't let you fall in with a man like that. You're his friend. He'll win you over for your own sake. Ruin Cobblepot while he's at it because how dare he use you.

Even if you changed. Even if you don't smell the same. If your hair is different. If you dress different. Even if your very laugh had changed pitch, he knows you. And, if anything, he can just re-learn you all over again. It won't take long. He's done it all before. This time he'll savor though. This time he won't let you go as he pulls you back in. You were a good friend, this time he'll make you more.

☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️

A/N: I’m starting to type up Part Three of Pregant!Reader, but I ended up coming up with another start to it with more drama that would be strictly for the BatBoys. The messed up drama in it sounds fun and challenging, but I won’t do it until I finish what I started with the blurbs I have planned included.

A/N: Smalltown!Meta!Reader Part Nine is going to take a while. I have big plans for it, but Pregnant!Reader is kinda outshining it.

A/N: I will post about the LoungeSinger!Reader and another idea I came up with that y’all might like that I’ll add to the concept list.

A/N: There’s a Tony Part Two coming, but it’s only halfway typed and still not that yandere-y. Need to fix that.

A/N: My asks box is full, so I’m gonna try to empty it, but I host Thanksgiving in my family and I’m also a Christmas nut, so I’m gonna be busy. (I have four Christmas trees in my house currently… But I’m not as bad as my in-laws! They had their trees up BEFORE Halloween.)

[ms-demeanor]

Not to be This Guy I’m sure you have 100000 asks about this but do you figure the trump felony convictions actually mean anything

Probably not, honestly. I doubt very much that he will ever serve a term of imprisonment after this conviction and it's not going to do anything at all to erode his support.

It does, however, mean that he can't own firearms. Generally speaking, in most states, in most circumstances without having to take extra steps, people who have been convicted of felonies can't own guns.

I don't think that matters much because I don't think he's someone who actually uses firearms, but if you're looking for solid, material impacts of a felony conviction that's the one that I can think of off the top of my head.

Other than that? I don't think it's going to do much. In most states you've got more of a right to run for office than you do to *vote* if you've been convicted of a felony (and, to be perfectly clear, I don't think that a felony conviction should bar people from voting or holding office).

I mean, I guess a lot of people are going to get a lesson on how ineffective norms are at stabilizing politics when you're dealing with people who don't respect norms.

Like you're going to be hearing a whole lot about "hypocrisy" aimed at the GOP from dems who are like "well don't you want to strip felons of their rights? Don't you hate criminals? He's a criminal!" when yeah no that was never actually the problem for the criminals the GOP hates.

And the problem isn't that he's a *criminal* it's that he's the personality at the center of a fascistic cult of personality.

Though honestly I think the extremists kind of blew their wad at J6 and sank into the background to lick their wounds when they realized they hadn't been able to drum up massive popular support for their movement.

I don't know the entire thing is a giant fucking tire fire make sure to pay attention to your local candidates and check in with the lefties on your local school board to see how you can support them.

[callsign-rogueone]

two reunions

Dain Aetos x reader (love!) words: 1.7k 🏷: no warnings here! finally getting these two to the start of fourth wing! everyone's favorite boy makes an appearance, as does everyone's least favorite, love is yet again Put In A Situation, Nadine running her mouth, one thing about my girls is that they are always going to look out for Sawyer, tysm to the person who beta read this for me! you know who you are and ily. that's all I got for tags, byeee

It turns out that another glorious perk of being in leadership is having to work on conscription day. At least it isn’t on the same day as one of your runs — but it is miserable out, pouring rain with strong winds. It’s relatively sheltered where you’re stationed, but it’s still too damn cold, especially for July. General Sorrengail must have taken the day off. That, or she’s mad about something. 

There was really no need for you to be out here this early — you and Dain have been sitting in silence for nearly half an hour, collars upturned and hands stuffed into your pockets to keep them warm.

You both perk up when you see the first cadet hop down from the bridge. You don’t need to ask what their name is — you already know them well. 

“Sawyer Henrick,” he offers anyway, his cheeks warm with a hint of embarrassment.

“I’m glad you made it,” you say softly. “And I have a good feeling about this year. So does Laurent.”

He gives you a weak smile before he continues down the line, the next cadet stepping into place behind him. You and Dain alternate checking off the names, falling into a comfortable rhythm as the rain starts to taper.  

“Hi, princess.”

“Liam!” You drop the clipboard and nearly knock him over with the force of your hug, a happy breeze swirling around the pair of you. 

He laughs, wrapping you up in the smell of sawdust and linen. “That’s new.”

“Oh, it’s so good to see you. Did you grow? I don’t remember you being this tall.”

He gives you a slick grin. “I think you might have shrunk.”

You pout up at him. “It’s these damn boots. I swear, my feet are going to be stuck perfectly flat at this rate.”

Dain clears his throat, and you break apart hastily. “Right, sorry. Dain, this is Liam Mairi — my little brother.”

Dain’s eyebrows raise at your use of little to describe Liam, searching for some family resemblance that he won’t find before he offers him an uneasy smile, checking his name off the list.

You turn back to Liam, giving him a conspiratorial grin. “Your girl already called dibs, otherwise you’d be with me.”

“She’s not my girl,” he protests, blushing.

“You’re certainly her boy,” you counter. “She made it abundantly clear to our dear brother that you were to be placed with her. But don’t tell her I told you that, she’ll skin me. Where’s your shadow?” 

“We got separated in the line. She should be here in a few minutes.”

“Okay, be good. I’ll see you later.” You give him one last squeeze before he heads off, and then it’s back to the same monotony, name after name after name.

And then there’s a shout from the parapet that has you looking up from your clipboard. Someone is running across it, another candidate hot on their heels. It’s a girl, half the size of her pursuer, but it’s her hair that catches your eye: brown and silver. 

Violet.

She takes a leap off the end, immediately whirling around to point a knife at the guy — right where it would hurt most.

You’re a little impressed, actually.

There’s a very brief moment of silent negotiation between them before she backs off, letting him step down. 

She looks like she might collapse, but to her credit, she doesn’t freak out when you steady her with a curling wisp of wind around her back, guiding her further onto the solid ground of the courtyard behind you, and keeping her upright.

“Name?” you ask the brute, silently calculating the best way to put him down if he takes another step closer to her.

“Jack Barlowe.”

You don’t bother finding him on the list — you don’t take your eye off him, even as you offer a word of warning that he doesn’t deserve. “Be glad she didn’t kill you, or cut your nuts off. Others won’t be as merciful.”

He just scoffs at you in response, heading into the courtyard. 

As soon as he’s out of eyeshot and earshot, Dain says what you’re both thinking. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Tell that to my mother.”

General Sorrengail really is heartless, then. First what she did to Xaden, and all of your parents, and now making her disabled daughter fight for her life to become a rider? She might as well have just shoved her off the side of the parapet. That would be quicker, and more humane. But she actually seems to believe that she can do this. That alone will kill her. Unless one of your friends, or that guy behind her on the parapet gets it done first.

You need to say something. “As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. It’s not too late to bail, and it would probably be for the best if you did. We can—”

“This conversation doesn’t concern you,” she interrupts, hackles raised.

“As a friend of a friend, and someone who knows exactly what it’s like to be forced to be here, I think you’ll find that it does concern me,” you say coolly. “I don’t need to tell you that this place is a death trap, and a physically demanding one, at that. If you don’t want to be here, you shouldn’t be. Enough people have died on this hill already.”

She crosses her arms over her chest in a show of intimidation that doesn’t work at all — she’s tiny. Like a little lap dog that thinks its barking will protect the house from intruders. “I’m not leaving.”

She’s clearly equally as stubborn as her brother. 

She already looks suspicious of you, and pushing further wouldn’t be a good idea right now. You’ve done all you can do, for the time being. “He can’t say I didn’t try,” you mutter, turning away, back to the group of cadets who are waiting for you to check off their names. 

Bodhi appears beside you, speaking in a whisper — even though none of these kids speak the language, except one. “Is that who I think it is? The little one, with the hair?”

“Yes.”

“We need to get her out of here.”

“I tried already, but she wasn’t having it, and it would look incredibly suspicious if any of us kept pushing. She already despises me — I can’t exactly take her hand and drag her to the library, like she’s a toddler.”

“It looks like he might do that for you,” Bodhi offers.

You turn your head to see Dain still talking with her. He doesn’t look like you’d looked when you saw Liam again — not even close. He almost looks mad at her.

The ball is in his court now, you suppose. 

“That’s it,” your friend announces, hopping down. She looks completely dry, despite having been stationed in the pouring rain on the other side of the bridge.

You shudder at the thought of having to cross it again, even with your ability to control the wind, and the progress you’ve made with your fear of heights. “Why didn’t you just go around?”

“And miss whatever needlessly-dramatic speech Xaden has planned? No way.”

You snort. “Fair enough.”

Might as well check out the crop of new recruits while you wait. Most of them don’t look too bad -- decently physically prepared, and not shaking in their boots. Some of them, however, are much too confident.

“I’m just glad we don’t have any Tyrrish,” one of the girls says, eyeing the neighboring group with disgust.

You look her up and down before you speak. “A copper’s worth of free advice, hair dye; don’t go making enemies of the people who are supposed to protect you.”

She doubles down. “They made me and the rest of this kingdom their enemies when they decided to commit treason.”

“I don’t think this is a path either of you want to go down,” Sawyer warns, looking between you.

You hold a hand up to stop him. “It’s okay, Sy. Let her keep digging. She’ll hit the bottom eventually.”

The girl stills, freezing in place like a spooked deer as she considers your words — and realizes both of your arms are covered by the sleeves of your flight jacket.

You can’t help but smile. “Oh, this is never going to get old. Well, purple? Can you fight under the command of a pair of filthy traitors?”

Her eyes snap to the section leader, scanning him for a relic that she won’t find.

“Not him. The wingleader. And your section exec, too, actually — so three.”

She’s still quiet, blinking at you in stunned silence.

“Callwell!” Dain barks. “Get over here.”

“Off to serve my kingdom,” you offer with a sly smile and a two-fingered salute. “And I’m just fucking with you. I really don’t care what you think about me. Sticks and stones, right?” You leave before she can respond, jogging over to Dain. “What do you need?” 

“Your approval for us to move squads.” he doesn’t explain why, but it’s damned obvious; to protect Violet. If she’s under his command, he can help keep her safe.

You try not to show any sign of relief — he shouldn’t know that you have any interest in helping her at all. “On one condition,” you offer. “Henrick comes with us.”

“Deal.”

Your eyebrows lift, the flash of hurt you feel catching you off guard. He didn’t even pause to consider it, or try to argue with you at all. That’s not like him. 

He must be very attached to Violet. Maybe she’ll do you a favor and take him for herself, so you’ll have a real reason to give up on the idea of you and Dain, to forget about all of those quiet, tender moments that you keep replaying in your head when you can’t sleep.

Not that the two of you would ever work anyway. Not if either of your families have anything to say about it.

“The Mender wouldn’t mind.”

True enough. Brennan had known Dain, recalled fond memories of the boy who had grown up idolizing him and followed him around with Violet like a pair of little lost ducklings. 

But that was before the war, and before they’d grown into adults who could hold complex political opinions. Your cousin-in-law probably absolutely despises you. She doesn’t know that you’re family, and even if she did, she wouldn’t care if you lived or died. But that doesn’t change the promise you’d made to Brennan, to keep her out of here — which has now been updated to just keep her alive.

[innerempire]

a continuation of this

Sweet Peter still thinks it’s an inside joke between them; him calling Tony “daddy” and being called “baby” in return. Thing is, Tony’s not laughing.

The first time Peter had texted him “thank you, daddy” as a goddamn goof, he had used it as fodder for wanking for a solid week straight. Because hey, he does, in a way, sees himself as that older male figure in Peter’s life. And because he’s a glutton for whatever-this-is, Tony wants to see how far it’ll go. Each candid playful text from Peter addressing him as daddy has Tony in complete disarray.

And so, he finds every single excuse under the goddamn sun to purchase things for Peter. Kid complains about his squeaky thrifted computer chair? Tony buys him a $2,300 Herman Miller ergonomic chair.

He gets a call right in the middle of a meeting, and Pepper instantly recognizes the ringtone. Quick on her feet as always, she briskly calls for a short break and the meeting room is cleared out within seconds.

“Tony.” Peter doesn’t even give him a chance to slip in a “hi”. “…when I complain about something, I…it’s not because I need you to do something about it. I’m just being a typical teenager.”

“…do you like the chair?”

A pause.

“Yes. Very much.”

“That’s all I need to know. Besides, that’s what daddies do, don’t they? Fix problems.”

Peter laughs, and Tony wishes he was there to hear it.

And he thinks that’s the end to it until he gets a notification that night notifying him that Peter has uploaded a new post on his Instagram account. He had not-so-shamelessly created a throwaway account to follow Peter, despite the fact that the other wasn’t a frequent poster.

The new post was a photo of Peter in his spanking new Herman Miller chair and he had it captioned as, “whew thank you daddy!”. It takes a couple of seconds for Tony to realize that from head to toe, Peter is decked out in items that Tony had purchased for him. The shirt, the satiny black sleep shorts.

He doesn’t think it’s intentional, but fuck.

If this was a game, then Tony doesn’t think he can emerge victorious from it.

- / -

Tony hears from Peter that May hadn’t been too pleased when she came to visit. with just how much Tony was spending on Peter. Thing is, he doesn’t understand why she wouldn’t want him living far away from home in comfort.

“She says you’re over-indulging me. Which you are, by the way.”

Tony adjusts the earbud to sit more snugly in his ear, “Well, wait till she finds out I’m buying you an apartment so that you can live off campus next year.”

“…nothing I say is going to change your mind, right?”

“With each protest, I’ll add on more unnecessary furnishings.”

“Ugh, fine.” Tony hears the kid muffling a yawn on the other end.

“Go to sleep, kid. Or whatever it is that college kids do at this timing. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Peter snorts in response. “Fine, whatever you say, daddy.”

“Good boy.”

- / -

peter: lol something funny happened.

tony: funny ha-ha or funny-I-nearly-crashed-face-first-into something.

tony: because that’s more concerning than funny

peter: funny ha-ha

peter: so I was texting with Ned, and like I think I got so used to calling you daddy over texts.

peter: and like Ned was asking if we could work on some stuff over the winter break in your lab, but I know the lab’s like your sacred mancave so I told him, “okay, let me check with daddy and I’ll get back to you”.

peter: Ned was just ???????

peter: isn’t it hilarious???

peter: anyway, can I? please daddy

peter: ooops i mean pretty pls daddy

Thirteen minutes and two orgasms later, cum splattered against the metal edge of his lab table and a handful of tissues littering the floor, Tony replies: sure, baby, since you asked so prettily.

Winter break begins with a “hey, kiddo” and “missed you, mr.stark”. As promised, he allows Peter and Ned usage of the lab for a couple of hours.

“FRIDAY, you up?” Tony clicks his fingers twice.

“Always, Mr.Stark.”

“Keep an eye out for the kids. Especially Peter, he’s precious cargo.” He turns to Ned with a nonchalant shrug. “No offense, Ned.”

The color creeps up on Peter’s cheeks.

“I mean it, FRIDAY. Eyes on him.”

- / -

[prettygirl-gabi]

Chapter 14: The Raw Moments

Rating: General Audiences

Warning: none

Paring: Paige Bueckers x !photographer fem reader

Fandom: Women's basketball

Summary: deadlines are getting close

Welcome to the chapter 14 of Through The Lens. I hope you all enjoy and there is more to come...stay tuned my loveies!! 🏀💕📸

It was a Friday afternoon when Coach Geno pulled Paige and me aside during practice. The usual buzz of sneaker squeaks and bouncing balls faded as he looked between us, his face serious but not unkind. The team had wrapped up their drills for the day, and the only sound now was the distant hum of the locker room.

"Alright, you two," Coach began, clearing his throat. "We've all seen the way you've been handling your relationship—on and off the court."

Paige and I exchanged a quick glance, tension creeping up my spine. We’d been trying to find our rhythm, but with the added pressure of being in a relationship while still playing for one of the top programs in the country, it hadn’t always been easy.

Coach continued. "I know there’s been a lot of attention on you both, but I’m not here to lecture. What I want to know is if you're solid. Are you working together, in all aspects, as a team? Can you keep it together both on and off the court?"

My heart pounded in my chest. This wasn’t a question I expected, not from Coach Geno. He had a reputation for being tough, but he cared about the team more than anyone.

"Coach," Paige spoke up, her voice steady but with a flicker of concern. "We’re solid. We’ve had our moments, but we’re figuring it out."

I nodded quickly, my nerves catching up with me. "Yeah, we’re good. We’re definitely good."

Coach didn’t seem entirely convinced, but his eyes softened. "Alright, good. You two are important to this team. But remember, balancing your personal life and basketball is key. Don’t let one fall apart because of the other."

"Understood, Coach," Paige said with a slight grin, her usual confidence returning.

I couldn’t help but breathe a little easier as Coach turned back toward the court.

As the weeks went on, Paige and I settled into our relationship more comfortably. Our bond strengthened not just in private, but in public too. We started to film TikToks together—goofy dances, behind-the-scenes footage from games, and candid moments where we weren’t playing the role of the perfect athlete and photographer, but two people just enjoying each other’s company.

Soon, the rest of the team joined in, and what began as a way for Paige and me to spend time together turned into something bigger. Kk became our unofficial child in the eyes of the fans, mostly because of her playful commentary whenever she appeared on our TikTok. People joked that Paige, at 23, and I, at 21, were the "parents" while Kk, at 19, was our sassy teen daughter. The comments flooded in, and the fans ate it up.

One night, after a particularly intense game against one of our biggest rivals, I sat in the team’s common area, editing the play-back footage for the team's film recap. I had been working on my final project for weeks, but I still felt like something was missing—something more personal, something raw that could truly show the essence of this team. That’s when the idea hit me.

"Paige," I called, her laugh ringing out as she exited the locker room. "I think I know what we need for my project."

She raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "What’s that?"

"I want to capture the rawness—the moments where we’re not just teammates, but friends. The moments that don't make the highlight reel, you know?" I explained, spinning around in my chair. "So I’m going to get disposable cameras and digital ones for the team to use."

Paige’s face lit up with excitement. "That’s actually such a good idea."

"I want everyone to take two days with the digital cameras and capture whatever stands out to them," I continued. "The disposable ones, they’re just for whatever happens until the film runs out. I want them to leave personal messages, too—on the digital cameras."

The next day, I handed out the cameras to the team before practice. They all seemed a little confused at first, but they quickly understood the concept when I explained it.

"Alright, guys, listen up," I said, trying to suppress my smile. "These are for your personal moments. Capture the silly stuff, the quiet moments, the ones you want to remember. Don’t try to make it perfect—just be yourselves."

Ashlynn raised her hand. "Can we take selfies?"

I laughed. "Absolutely. Take all the selfies you want."

The team scattered, taking their assigned cameras and heading off to get some shots. I watched as Kk snapped a picture of Morgan and Sarah laughing over a game of cards, and Azzi caught a candid moment of Paige stretching before practice. Everyone had their own unique take on the task, and it was exactly what I had hoped for.

The next couple of days were filled with moments of pure joy and rawness. I spent hours on end going through the photos, picking out the ones that captured the heart of the team. There were pictures of Kk making faces at the camera, Aubrey holdings up a fist pump after scoring a basket in practice, and Azzi capturing Paige’s wild, carefree energy as she danced between drills.

But the most memorable shots were the ones taken of Paige and me. There were close-ups of us laughing over lunch, an accidental shot of our hands brushing while we walked to practice, and a picture of us sitting in the bleachers during a team meeting.

The Digital Messages

After the second round of digital camera shots, I set aside some time for everyone to leave personal messages. Paige went first. I watched as she smiled softly at the camera, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Y/N, I’m glad we’re doing this. You’ve been such a big part of this team, but you’re also a big part of my life. I can’t wait to see where we go from here."

I grinned, feeling my heart swell at her words.

Azzi, who was sitting next to Paige, smirked at the camera. "Look, you two are adorable, but if you break up, I’m taking Y/N as my new best friend. Got it?"

I rolled my eyes, laughing. "Noted, Azzi."

As the team wrapped up with the cameras, I sat with Paige on the bench, going through the footage one last time. She leaned her head on my shoulder, and for a moment, everything felt so peaceful.

"I can’t believe how well this turned out," I said, looking up at her. "I think it’s going to be exactly what I need for my project."

Paige smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "It’s perfect. Just like us."

A few days later, I sent out a teaser clip to my followers, showing behind-the-scenes footage of the team. Fans were blown away by the rawness of the moments—the way the team connected on and off the court, the way Paige and I clearly supported each other both as teammates and something more. The comments flooded in, some asking about our relationship, some calling us the power couple of UConn basketball.

Kk jokingly posted a video of herself and Ice, holding up a sign that read: "Official UConn Parent's Day—Paige, Y/N, and our unofficial child, Kk." Fans loved it, and our relationship became even more public. The next time we went live, the fans were ecstatic, sending us messages asking about everything from our favorite snacks to how we manage time together while balancing our crazy schedules.

This project had turned into something much bigger than I ever anticipated. And for the first time in a while, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be—with Paige, with the team, and with the love we shared.

It was raw, it was messy, but it was real. And that was exactly what I needed.

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       -Thank You For Reading!🩵🩶

                             -prettygirl-gabi🎀✨️

Tag list: @sayurireidotcom , @astroeliza , @paxaz535 , @0phantom0 ,.... (more to be added)

[cazort]

Why I'm Enthusiastic About Kamala Harris

I've seen so much negative talk about Trump and we all agree with that, but I want to highlight what I like most about Kamala Harris and why I'm actively enthusiastic and excited about voting for her:

She is pro-abortion rights and pro- comprehensive sex ed

She would appoint good Supreme Court Justices.

She respects people with a diverse range of political views and would include some voices from both progressive and conservative perspectives in her administration.

She is unambiguously pro-LGBTQ rights, including not just on gay rights but also trans rights.

She would represent continuity with the Biden administration, an administration that I think has done a good job on most issues.

On the issue of Palestine/Israel/Gaza (where I am most critical of Biden), I think Harris is a significant improvement over Biden, and also offers the better path of the only two viable candidates, towards ending the genocide. She has spoken out against the civilian deaths and she has snubbed Netanyahu which is a huge plus in my book.

She has shown a willingness to change her views, such as how she moved from being opposed to decriminalizing sex work in 2008, to being supportive of it in 2019, and being initially skeptical of marijuana legalization in 2010, but coming to support it in 2015. I like a candidate who can change their views, but more importantly, she is changing in a direction I like.

She would be good on the economy; she opposes tariffs, and would continue the Biden administration policies which have led to economic prosperity.

She has a solid and fairly diverse track record of experience, working as attorney general for the largest state, then senator for that state, then VP.

She has worked to combat over-incarceration and cruel treatment of people in prison, doing things like reducing mandatory minimum sentences and working to reduce recidivism, opposing solitary confinement, ending private prisons, and ending cash bail. She has also pledged to use the president's clemency powers to release a lot of people who have been imprisoned unjustly or given unfairly harsh sentences.

She has a concrete plan to enact immigration reform that would adequately fund the processing of asylum applications and fix the backlog of immigrants at the border. And the plan has broad bipartisan support.

On top of this she also has already done some things to address the root causes of migration in Latin America, particularly people fleeing Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador

She is pro-net-neutrality.

She supports universal healthcare, but also has concrete recommendations for how to improve the current status quo.

She is pro-science, including on issues like climate change, COVID, vaccinations, and health and nutrition. Her mom was a scientist!

She is pro-Ukraine, wanting to keep Russia out of Ukraine and ensure Ukraine wins their war of defense and maintains their independence.

She is across-the-board better on women's issues, not just reproductive rights but also sexual violence and domestic violence, workplace equality and the pay gap, and women's issues in Latin America (which is related to the immigration pressure I mentioned above.)

She generally takes stances on foreign policy I agree with, being skeptical of leaders (Putin, Orban, Netanyahu) I want us to be skeptical of, and working with and looking up to the ones I want us to work with and look up to (Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron). She already has a working relationship with many of these leaders too, and has a reputation of being both personable and tough, just what I'd want.

She's smart, well-educated, and surrounded with smart, well-educated, and wise people. Her campaign is stable and well-run, and I trust her to put together a team of competent advisors and run this country competently, probably even more so than Biden has done, and Biden has done a pretty decent job, exceeding my expectations even.

Harris also has an impressive list of endorsements. I can't possibly be comprehensive here, but it includes people as diverse as the most progressive Democrat Lawmakers (Bernie Sanders and AOC), some of the most conservative former GOP legislators (Jeff Flake, Liz Cheney), and over 100 former GOP staffers including a disturbing number of insiders from the Trump administration. This is telling! You don't see this sort of whistleblowing and defection from within the Biden administration.

The fact that Harris has racked up endorsements from people spanning the whole political spectrum from solid-right to solid-left and everything in between, impresses me. This is the sign of someone who is going to be good at getting people to work together, someone who will listen to a wide range of viewpoints and develop better policy and take better courses of action as a result. It's what I always want in a president.

In some elections I have been frustrated that I'm voting for a "lesser of two evils" but this time around I actually feel actively enthusiastic about Harris. I am excited to vote tomorrow and excited to finally be done with this election, and I am cautiously optimistic that it is going to turn out really well.

I encourage everyone to vote and make sure to make sure everyone close to you is also voting!

[theonlyonesora]

The Third Rule

Lily x Oscar Piastri x You (Reader)

12 – Following Forward

The next day was quiet.

Oscar had sent a few casual messages throughout the morning, checking in after his flight and sending a picture of the hotel room with some sarcastic comment about the view. Lily had smiled at her phone, but the weight of the conversation she still needed to have pressed down on her chest.

Later that afternoon, she called him. He picked up almost immediately.

“Hey, baby,” he said, his voice soft with exhaustion. “I already miss you.”

Lily leaned back on her bed, her fingers tangled in her bedsheets. “Hey. I miss you too.”

Oscar noticed the shift in her tone. “What’s going on?”

She paused, gathering her thoughts. “I talked to (Y/N).”

There was silence for a beat.

“She’s not comfortable with... how things have been,” Lily continued gently. “She liked the time we all had together, but she doesn't want to be part of something like that long-term. It’s not her. And she’s afraid of hurting either of us.”

Oscar let out a slow breath. “I figured.”

“She just wants to go back to being friends. She doesn’t want to come between us.”

There was another long pause before he spoke again. “So… that’s it, then?”

Lily nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. “Yeah. I think it’s for the best.”

Oscar didn’t sound angry. Just thoughtful. “It’s weird. I really liked having her around. The three of us… it felt good.”

“I know,” Lily said softly. “But it only felt good because we all agreed to it. If one person isn’t in it, then it doesn’t work.”

“Yeah,” he murmured. “I get that.”

She smiled faintly. “We’re okay, though?”

Oscar’s voice warmed. “Of course we are. We’ll be okay, Lily.”

A beat of silence passed, soft but not uncomfortable.

“You still want me, right?” he asked quietly, like a kid pretending to be casual.

She chuckled. “Always.”

They stayed on the line for a while after that, talking about nothing. Just two people anchoring each other after the storm of something unspoken.

.

The cold autumn air in the city had always helped (Y/N) think. Maybe that was why she found herself walking more lately—long routes to campus, detours through the park, coffee runs just for the sake of it. Anything that helped her feel like herself again.

Oscar and Lily? Still together. Still posting candid shots from races and little couple moments that earned thousands of likes. And while (Y/N) was still tagged in old photos, she had stopped reposting them. It wasn’t bitterness. Just distance.

And maybe a little self-preservation.

University was relentless again—final papers, career fairs, presentations—but (Y/N) was thriving. Top of her class in Finance Strategy, already getting calls back from internship interviews. And one of them had come from a consulting firm she didn’t even think she’d land. The recruiter? A sharp-dressed, blue-eyed grad named Matteo who had been clearly smitten from their first coffee meeting.

They started seeing each other more. Not fast. Not wild. But steady. Healthy. She didn’t post him right away—only when it felt right. A soft black and white photo of his hand in hers, two coffee mugs in frame, the caption just a quiet: “Some peace looks like this.”

It wasn’t long before the comments came in.

“Wait… where’s Oscar?? 😳”“I thought she was with Lily and Oscar??”“Okay but I support this, she looks genuinely happy.”“Poly breakup confirmed?”

Even Lily messaged her that night.

“He’s cute. I’m happy for you. Really.”

That message made (Y/N) cry more than she expected.

She wasn’t running away from who she’d been in Vegas, or in the weeks that followed. But she also wasn’t going to live there forever. (Y/N) had dreams to chase—boardrooms, big cities, something that felt real and solid.

She’d always been a little reckless, sure. But now? Now she wanted things that didn’t come from blurred lines and whispered excuses.

She wanted something that didn’t need to be justified.

Tag List:

@freyathehuntress, @mimisweetz, @aleatorio1234, @totallynotluluu, @rorabelle15, @prongslena, @linnygirl09, @mangotaitai, @forensicheart, @devilacot, @lilorose25, @landofotographyy, @paolexsstuff, @sanctify-mp3, @emma-manuhpe, @virtualperfectioncat, @forumlabee, @luv4gyuuu

[honeyedmiller]

The Hills | Joel Miller

pairing: actor!joel x f!reader

rating: 18+, minors do not interact.

warnings: no outbreak!joel, joel miller au, use of marijuana (reader gets high and joel takes a hit), alcohol consumption, enemies to not-so-much-enemies, joel is on his freak shit in this one, smut (fingering, ass play, cum eating, rimming, unprotected piv, spitting, m & f oral receiving, consensual choking and breath play), reader is lowkey a brat but joel is also an ass, joel’s twitchy palm™, two (2) ass slaps, reader is described to be wearing a dress and heels, mentions of usage of cocaine (non-descriptive and it’s neither reader or joel using—just had to add the warning), no use of y/n. if there’s anything that i missed, please lmk.

word count: 6.1k

synopsis: drugs. sex. fame. joel miller—the very man you despise. something about hollywood or other. it all seems to become a blurred line when you get invited to an oscars after party at a house in the hills.

a/n: shoutout to @joelsgreys for keeping eyes on this for me, for beta’ing, for letting me rant about this continuously in our texts, etc etc. ily

Hollywood: the definition of glitz and glamor, celebrities galore, and wild parties.

Right?

Sort of.

You’d been to these afterparties before—chaos, laughter, and drunk or high celebrities every which way. The afterparties that showed the real side of Hollywood’s favorite people. The afterparties where secretive sex ensues in a hidden room tucked in the back of the mansion. The afterparties where people let loose, had fun, and celebrated their wins, or the wins of their friends.

That’s exactly why you were here. This particular multi-million dollar home was chalk-full of familiar famous faces that would get absolutely trashed without the public knowing a single thing about their rendezvous, celebrating each other’s wins.

It was like an unspoken rule amongst all the attendees: what happens at the after party, stays at the after party.

Tess Servopoulos, a well-known actress, was your best friend. She always invited you to the award shows when she could, and made sure you were invited to the afterparties. In this case, it was the after party for The Oscars, where her other best friend was celebrating his wins tonight, taking home three Oscars just hours prior.

And it’s funny, because to you, the devil wasn’t down in Georgia. He was in fucking Los Angeles, California, and his name is Joel Miller.

Arrogant, conceited, and a complete asshole as far as you were concerned. You’d never had a good interaction with the man, always seeming to have targeted hatred toward you for no particular reason.

So you hated him right back.

Because, honestly, who the fuck did he think he was?

You didn’t give two shits if he was an A-lister. Good for him. His arrogance and asshole-ish nature was enough to make you roll your eyes at the mere sight of him. He was one of those people that everybody seemed to absolutely adore, thinking he was doing everyone a solid favor just by being in their presence.

And you think, the fuck does it matter anyway? Your opinion of one man in a room full of elites is about as relevant as a speck of fucking dirt on the bottom of some Louboutins.

You inwardly sighed and drank from the champagne flute that was placed in your hand once you maneuvered your way into the house. Tess dragged you along to say hello to people you’ve met before, and introduced you to those you hadn’t. Most of them were fairly nice, some remembering you from previous parties or recognizing you in god-awful candid shots that paparazzi took of you when you were with Tess.

Tabloids were always a funny thing. There were multiple times where you’d see a photo of yourself in public with Tess, plastered in some stupid celebrity magazine claiming you were her ‘mystery lover.’ Or, there were the times where they’d call you a gold digger; someone who wanted fifteen minutes of fame and all the “luxuries” that came with being acquainted with a celebrity.

You always had a good laugh with Tess about them, and she’d tell you that one day she’d share the story behind you: a college roommate who was her total opposite, but it worked. You were there from the beginning—she’d get casted in parts for commercials, then extras for TV shows, and then bigger roles like a supporting character, and eventually the lead character in many blockbuster hits.

You were her biggest supporter, there for her through her wins and losses. She was truly your platonic soulmate, and you, hers.

You always plastered a smile on your face when making your rounds at these things. Got a little star-struck here and there, but you kept your cool. Celebrities are human beings, after all.

The party was in full swing, people plastered and laughing loudly over the thumping music. Sometimes you thought these parties got a little ridiculous, but you knew this was a rare occasion where these people—faces of the public, under a watchful eye of millions of adoring fans and the scrutinizing media—got the chance to loosen up and be their real selves.

You swirled the champagne around your flute, babysitting the same glass from when you first walked into this party. You leaned against a crisp white wall adorned with what you were sure were very expensive paintings, observing the crowd before you.

The familiarity that drifted through the room was almost unsettling for you. Friends with arms slung over each other’s shoulders, casual and comfortable conversation—and then there was you, who didn’t really know anyone but Tess. She didn’t want to leave your side, but she’d gotten pulled every which way for a conversation and you didn’t want to ride her coattail all night, so you told her you’d get yourself another drink, maybe.

And you were going to, but then the room felt a little too warm. So, naturally, you ventured down another long hallway adorned with paintings and expensive side tables with vases that held fresh flowers that probably cost more than you’d ever see in your lifetime.

Your heels clicked rhythmically against the marble flooring as you made your way to two French double doors that led out to a balcony that was unoccupied.

Perfect.

You opened the doors and sucked in a huge breath of air, admiring the lights gleaming throughout the whole of Los Angeles as far as you could see.

And then you wondered, with every house and apartment and business that was illuminated with a soft yellow light, what each individual occupying these spaces stories were.

People that weren’t famous. People that had regular nine-to-five jobs. People who were desperately trying to make ends meet. People like you, you think.

You loved Tess to death. You’d do anything and everything for her, but Hollywood was secretly a massive headache.

You sighed as you tore your eyes away from the soft lights, opening your clutch to find the joint you brought. Just something to take the edge off and ease the fucking nerves that started coursing through you, unwanted and untimely.

You fished the pre-roll and lighter out of your bag, flicking the lighter on in multiple attempts, but no avail.

You groaned as you kept trying, but the realization that your lighter was done for had swept over you quickly.

“Son of a bitch.” You mutter with a heavy sigh.

“Need a light?” A deep voice asked from behind. A familiar voice. A voice with Southern twang that supposedly charmed every person that was blessed to hear it. A voice you couldn’t fucking stand.

You look over your shoulder to see Joel Miller in the flesh, clad in a crisp white button-down with the top two buttons unbuttoned, exposing his tan chest. The shirt was tucked into some black slacks, accompanied by shiny black shoes.

You hated to admit that he looked good. Real good. But you wouldn’t ever dare to admit that out loud, even with a gun to your head.

“No.” You said, turning back around. His footsteps become closer, and you roll your eyes before you have to restrain yourself from physically shuddering at the proximity between you two.

“Stop bein’ a brat and jus’ take the goddamn light.” Joel rolls his eyes, and you turn to face him. He’s next to you now, leaning against the balcony while holding up a lighter.

You eye him conspicuously, and he looks annoyed as he flicks the lighter on and off. You grit your teeth before slotting the joint between your fingers, bringing it up to your lips.

He easily flicks his lighter on once more, bringing the flame to the end of the joint. The small flame illuminates the space between your bodies, and he looks good with the soft orange glow against his tan skin, you think.

The end of the joint crackles and you inhale deeply, turning your body toward the lights of the city once more.

You blow out the smoke slowly, tilting your head to the side. “Thanks,” You mutter.

“Hm,” He hums, “Would ya look at that. Not that hard to use your manners now, ain’t it?”

“Shut up, Joel. Christ.” You rub your forehead with your thumb, eyebrows pinching together. You came out here for some peace, not to be annoyed and antagonized by the very man you couldn’t stand.

“Hey, I jus’ did ya a favor. No need for that fuckin’ attitude of yours.”

“Jesus fuck, Joel, do you not have anything better to do? Shouldn’t you be fucking one of your whores by now or snorting coke in the bathroom with another beloved A-lister?” You roll your eyes and take another hit.

Joel didn’t like that one bit. He took a step forward, broad body hard to ignore with the heat radiating off of him. Your eyes trail up his chest and to his face, which was contorted with pure anger.

“Who the fuck do you think you are talkin’ to me like that? You’re pissin’ off the wrong person, doll.” Joel’s voice is gruff, full of patience that was smaller than a piece of thread at this point.

“I don’t need to bow down to you just because you’re famous, asshole. You’re the one who’s had the problem with me from the beginning. I only reciprocate the energy I receive, so you can fuck all the way off with the superiority complex you think you have over me.”

“Why the fuck are you here anyway? Hollywood ain’t a place for naïve girls like you.” Joel quirks his harsh brow at you, like he’s challenging you.

Motherfucker.

“And who said I was naïve, cowboy? You don’t know a damn thing about me.”

“I know that you’re annoyin’ and don’t fuckin’ belong here. God knows what Tess sees in you as a friend n’ why she keeps invitin’ you to these things.”

Your blood ran hot as you stared at the man in front of you. His jaw was set in a hard line, clenching his teeth every so often in pure annoyance as he looked at you with utter hatred and disgust.

“I may not belong in Hollywood, Miller, but at least my fucking morals are right and I don’t pull bitch moves like abandoning my friends when they need me the most.”

You were infuriated and quite frankly so fucking sick of this man berating you when he should be the last person on this green fucking Earth to talk. It was a low blow, your last comment to him, but what kind of a friend was he to choose a woman he was so pussywhipped over instead of being there for Tess when she was going through a rough time?

It broke your heart to see her so upset that Joel chose another woman he barely knew over her, icing her out when she’d been nothing but a good friend to him. She forgave him, of course, after he’d apologized to her months later.

She had a kinder heart than you would’ve at the situation. You don’t think you could ever forgive somebody for that.

You already thought Joel was an arrogant asshole before that even happened, but that situation was the last nail in the coffin to confirm that he’s exactly the person you thought he was.

“I apologized to her. We’re good now.” Joel’s harsh stare never wavered, but the annoyance in his tone did. He almost sounded…sad.

“Yeah. Whatever.” You roll your eyes, flicking the ash off of the end of the joint before taking another hit. Your mind was already starting to become hazy, and the proximity between you and Joel was starting to make your head spin.

Your gaze flickered up to his face once more, brown eyes still locked on you. You furrow your brows, but before you can speak, Joel plucks the joint from your fingers. He puts the filter up to his lips and deeply inhales, and you frown.

“Get your own recreational drugs, asshole.” You mutter, arms crossing over your chest. Joel’s eyes trail down to your chest before moving back up to yours. A small smirk evades his lips, and he blows the smoke into your face.

“You’re such a fuckin’ brat.”

“Fuck you gonna do? Spank me for not thinking you’re all high and mighty and shit?” The frown is permanent on your face as you assess him, not realizing the impact that your words had on him.

His cock stirred in his slacks at the thought of that.

He stubs out the half-finished joint before handing it back to you. You tuck it away in your purse before looking at him again, carefully studying him.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” He’s got a knowing look on his face, and you have to force yourself to feign disgust.

Because, goddammit, you probably would. You’d probably be all over him if he wasn’t such a fucking asshole. The rage you’ve targeted toward him has made you see past his rugged looks and charm, the broadness of him and the veins that protrude from his hands to his forearms and—

You’ve wondered briefly what it’d be like to succumb to it. To be like every single other person who melts for him like lava seeping into the deepest cracks of the Earth. Untouchable. Destructive. And yet, a beautiful aftermath.

“Think I’ll take that as a yes.” His laugh rumbles from deep within his sturdy chest. For a moment he looks so carefree, so light and happy while he laughs. It might’ve been at your own expense, but for the slightest second, you saw through the harsh stares and the hateful demeanor.

“Fuck you, Miller.”

His mouth snapped shut and his harsh gaze settled on you again. His nostrils flared as he glared at you, a heat behind his eyes you’ve never seen before. His palm twitches at his side and he opens his mouth to say something argumentative, but closes it after a second.

Before you know it, he wraps his hand around your forearm, dragging you behind him.

You nearly trip over your heels as you try to keep up with him, wriggling in his strong grasp. He wouldn’t let up.

“Let go of me you asshole!” You seethe, but he pushes you into a room—tucked at the back of the mansion—secluded from everyone else. Oh.

Oh.

Oh, fuck.

You quickly realized you were in for it when he shut the door and locked it. Nerves buzzed in your veins and you inhaled a shaky breath.

He looked like he was some sort of predator stalking its prey with the way his eyes scanned your body as he moved around to the other side of the room.

“Real fuckin’ sick of your attitude.” He starts. You scoff at him and throw your arms up.

“Wouldn’t have to deal with it if you just left me the fuck alone in the first place.” You cross your arms over your chest once more, and Joel takes two large strides toward you before he’s standing so close that you can smell the whiskey and weed on his breath.

“N’ that’s the problem, darlin’, I can’t leave you alone. Been wanting to fuck that attitude right outta you since the first day we met.”

You swear your heart drops into your ass. “Wh-what?” Your eyes are wide as he walks forward, forcing you to move backwards until the backs of your knees hit the king-sized bed.

You didn’t even notice there was a bed in the room because the very man before you was insanely distracting.

“You heard me. You’re a brat, baby, n’ brats deserve to be punished.”

You swallow hard as a fire burns behind his eyes, mischievous and daring.

“Joel—”

“Turn around.”

You don’t even think twice before listening to his demand, turning around so you face the bed.

“Can’t hate me that much if you’re an obedient little thing for me, hm?” The amusement was oozing from his Southern drawl.

Your first instinct was to argue with him, but deep down you knew he was right. Maybe all the hatred you had for him had a little bit of desire sprinkled deep down in the depths of your core, unexplored and completely disregarded.

The thought of his hands on you excited you. You saw the way he touched women in the movies he was in. Regardless if it was just acting or not, you always ended up aroused after Tess would force you to watch any movie of his—especially the ones with erotica. She would tease you about not liking him, unknowing of the true abhorrence that stirred in your body. He was her best friend too, so you had to be cordial to him around her for her sake.

You tried to ignore him altogether, but where it got you now—pressed up against the bed as his large hands landed onto your body to tightly grip your hips—didn’t seem to pan out so well.

“Will you let me touch you?” His voice has a rough edge to it, the teasing long gone as he stares at your figure from behind.

“Yes.” You whisper.

He doesn’t say another word as his calloused hands slide around your thighs and to the front of your body. He presses himself against you, and the warmth he radiates off of his body alone makes you sigh.

He’s so sturdy and strong, just as you imagined him to be. You could feel his cock hardening against the plump of your ass, and you wiggle in the slightest to tease him.

He inhales sharply, one hand sliding underneath the hem of your dress while the other hand splayed out onto your stomach.

The skimpy panties you had on did a terrible job at keeping your arousal strictly within the confines of the lace fabric. The apex of your thighs was smeared with the neediness you refused to address, now completely on display for the man it was all for.

Joel’s hand skimmed your inner thighs, chuckling darkly as he traced the outline of your pussy with his thumb through the fabric.

You tried your hardest to hold back a moan, really. You fucking tried. As soon as the sound bubbled in your throat and glided past your lips, you could feel Joel’s smile in victory. He was always playing chess while you were playing checkers.

Well, check fucking mate for him.

“Didn’t know I got ya this excited, baby.” He grips the hem of your panties, sliding them down your legs. You step out of them and he immediately pockets them.

“You wouldn’t be the first.” You mumble, not wanting to feed into his already huge ego.

“Oh I’m sure I’m not,” He starts, breath hot on your neck. “Doesn’t mean I won’t ruin every other fuckin’ man for you. Bend over.”

You clench around nothing at his words, deciding that staying silent is better than digging yourself deeper into your own fucking grave.

You do as he says and bend over the bed, cheek resting against the soft silk sheets.

“‘M gonna fuckin’ make sure I’m all you think about after this. Fuck yourself with your fingers to flashbacks of tonight. Moanin’ my fuckin’ name all alone in your house, wishing I was there to take care of you instead. Fuckin’ brat.”

His words sound like a simultaneous threat and promise, but you just had to say something. You couldn’t let him completely have this without giving him some kind of shit.

“Oh please, I bet I’ll forget as soon as we walk out of this room. You’ve probably got a small dick anyway.”

And you know that isn’t true. He’s huge, and you know he’ll never let you forget about tonight.

A sharp sting blooms onto one of your asscheeks, the sound of him smacking your flesh reverberating off of the walls of the bedroom. You moan at the delicious pain.

“You n’ I both know that ain’t true, doll. Enough with that fuckin’ mouth of yours. Could put it to better use than talkin’ all that shit.”

His hands knead the flesh of your ass, spreading your cheeks apart to get a good look at all of you. You almost feel embarrassed, but decide not to get into your head too much about it because all you want him to do is fucking touch you where you need him the most.

Your core was aching. You were almost ready to put your pride aside and fucking beg him to touch you. Almost.

You were about to give in when you heard him shuffle behind you, and you craned your neck to see Joel drop onto his knees behind you.

His eyes locked with yours as he gave you a smirk before leaning forward to bite your ass. You let out a small yelp, and his hand was quick to soothe the pain.

“Gonna fuckin’ set you right once n’ for all.”

And he brings a hand up to your core, sliding his middle and ring finger through your dripping folds. You whimper softly at the sensation, a small flood of relief coursing through your veins. But it wasn’t enough. You needed more.

Your hips start to rock involuntarily, and Joel tsks at you.

“Greedy fuckin’ whore, aren’t ya? Patience is a virtue, baby.” He chides.

“Goddamnit Joel.” Your voice sounds breathy, even to your own surprise.

Suddenly, Joel slips his two fingers into you, and your hands fly out to grip the sheets beneath you. Your eyebrows furrow together and relish in the feeling of his thick fingers scissoring in and out of your aching cunt.

“So fuckin’ wet already. ‘F I woulda known I did this to ya…” He chuckles, working his fingers in and out of you expertly.

He leans forward and licks up your folds, swirling his tongue around your clit. You can’t help the strangled moan that leaves your mouth, and you can just feel Joel’s cocky ass smirk.

He continues lapping up your arousal, more dripping out around his fingers and down to his wrist. It'd been awhile since anyone touched you like this, so you presume you were extra turned on because of that reason.

You didn’t want to give all the credit to Joel.

His tongue slid up and he removed his fingers from you, replacing them with his tongue as he prodded it into your entrance and fucked you with it.

You were already a moaning mess, like you were on cloud nine with the way he was making you feel. He gripped both of your cheeks and spread them further for his own leisure, tongue dragging upward until it met your asshole.

“Holy fuck, Joel—” You choke out, eyes rolling to the back of your head as he swirls his tongue around the tight ring. Your heart is thrumming in your chest and your pussy clenches around nothing.

Joel lowly moaned around you, the vibrations shooting straight up your spine.

You don’t know how long he’s doing this for—your mind is still hazy from the high you’ve been riding, pleasure wrapped around every single inch of your body. You lose track of time and immerse yourself in how he’s making you feel.

Joel pulls himself away from you, sliding both of his fingers back into you. This time, though, he teases your other hole with the tip of his pinky.

“You ever let anyone fuck this pretty ass of yours with their fingers?”

“Please.” Was all you could squeak out, because while you didn’t want to admit you never have, you were willing to give it a go. It was obvious he knew what he was doing, and if you didn’t like the way something felt, you’d just tell him.

He spits onto your asshole before grunting, “Relax.”

And you do. He slides his pinky into your puckered hole, and fuck you feel so full with him like this. He works his three fingers in and out of you slowly at first, each move calculated and precise.

He may’ve been an asshole, but he at least wanted to make sure you were comfortable.

He picks up the pace of his fingers after he’s sure you can handle it, and the feeling of pleasure seizes your body as you shake underneath him.

It’s too much and not enough all at once. You can feel your orgasm rapidly building building building, the coil wound so tight that your stomach constricts in plea of release.

“Fuckfuckfuck, Joel I’m gonna—oh fuck!”

And you’re literally gushing around his fingers. He prolongs your orgasm as long as he can. You think he’s saying things like there you go, that’s it, but you can hardly pay attention over the loud ringing in your ears as you try and come down from your Earth-shattering orgasm.

He slips his fingers out of you slowly, watching your body convulse sporadically from the aftermath of it all.

He grabs your body and flips you around so you’re laying at the edge of the bed. The fluorescent lights are blinding as you try and look at his face. You blink rapidly, chest heaving up and down as you try your damndest to find your bearings once more.

He’s unfastening the button on his slacks, and all you can hear is the rustle of the fabric and the thumping music outside of the locked door.

You wondered briefly if anyone—Tess, specifically—was looking for the two of you. You’d be mortified if she found you like this, but Joel was smart enough to lock the doors.

You were so lost in thought that you hadn’t even noticed he was pulling down his underwear, so when you looked back at him you gasped when you saw his stiff, aching length. Your hunch was correct—he was huge. His tip was red, smeared with precome and just begging to be taken care of.

If there was any time in your life to impress Joel Miller, now was your chance. You sit up on your knees and lower your head, looking up at him through your lashes, your mouth inches away from his tip.

The muscle in his jaw ticked furiously, brown eyes watching you meticulously. You gave him a small, cocky smirk before you leaned forward and wrapped your lips around his tip, eyes fluttering shut at the salty taste. You use one hand to steady yourself onto the bed, and the other to wrap around his length as you start to pump him slowly.

He inhales sharply, holding back a groan as you undoubtedly start to please him.

You set a steady rhythm between your hand and mouth. The wet sounds are obscene and nearly pornographic. A part of you wishes this was being recorded so you’d have something to watch back when you needed to get yourself off.

Greed is a tragedy, and tragic you were in this moment.

Joel’s hand flies to the back of your head, cradling it as you remove your hand and slide your lips as far down his shaft as your mouth would allow. The head of his cock hit the back of your throat, and as much as you were salivating, you swallowed around him.

The tip of your nose barely made contact with the wiry hairs at the base of his cock, and Joel let out the most guttural groan you’d ever heard.

“Filthy fuckin’ mouth, baby. Goddamn. Knew it could be put to better use than you—ngh—spewin’ that fuckin’ attitude.”

You hum around him, bobbing your head up and down his length. His pants were getting more rapid and he was becoming more vocal, grunting fuck and filthy, filthy girl.

“Shit, yeah, just like that doll. Just. Like. That.” Joel’s voice is hoarse behind his clenched teeth. If you didn’t know any better, he’d probably shatter his teeth with how hard he was clenching them.

And you don’t let up. Not even after a string of curses spills past his lips, and definitely not after he groans so loudly that it vibrates through his whole body as ropes of his come spill down your throat.

You’re in overstimulation territory, and he’s falling apart at the seams.

He pulls your head off of his length as he tries to catch his breath, sweat beading at his temples.

“Fuckin’ christ.” He breathes, squeezing his eyes shut before looking at you again.

“Didn’t know I would be so good at that now, did you?” You tease, and the corner of his mouth twitches into a snarl.

“Shut the fuck up.” He says, and you laugh. He grabs your hips suddenly, flipping you around once more so you’re on all fours for him again.

“‘M’keepin’ my promise. Gonna fuck that attitude straight outta your goddamn brain.” His tone is serious, and you’re beginning to think he really isn’t fucking around.

You hear him pump himself a few times and you think about the dangerous threshold you’re about to cross with him. Would you regret it after? Would he?

It was like you were both taking a bite of forbidden fruit, specially picked from the Garden of Eden.

Fuck it. There’s worse things you can do.

“You on any birth control?” He asks, and you nod.

“IUD.”

“Good.” He says before sliding the head of his cock through your folds. Your body jerks when it catches your clit, still sensitive from your previous orgasm.

Without another word, Joel pushes into you and you stretch around him deliciously. It’s like your body was begging for him to be inside you at this point.

“Fuuuck.” Joel groans, gripping your hips so tightly they’d probably be bruised by tomorrow.

You bite your lip to keep from screaming, because he’s the biggest you’ve ever had and the sting won’t go away.

“Move, Joel.” You plead, and he smacks your ass once again, making you flutter around his cock.

“Fuck did I say about patience? Christ, woman.”

You shut your eyes as you feel him become fully erect inside you, and you’re seriously going to cry if he doesn’t move soon.

Almost as if he’d read your mind, he started to thrust his hips slowly. It didn’t take long for him to set a pace, though, and he was brutally pistoning in and out of you.

“Fucking…. hate… you.” You spit pathetically, holding onto the sheets for dear life. He laughs dryly behind you, mumbling a sure before going even harder.

Your moans were getting louder and louder, and you truthfully couldn’t give two fucks who heard you at this point.

Fucking let them hear.

“Better hush up now, whole house could probably hear you with how loud you’re bein’.” He scolded, and you rolled your eyes.

“Don’t give a fuck,” You squeaked out, “Let them.”

“Attagirl,” His laugh was mischievous, pounding into you even faster than before. “Little fuckin’ whore loves takin’ this cock, hm?”

One of his hands moved up your body, causing chills down your spine and goosebumps to raise onto your skin.

His hand wrapped around your throat, and you moaned at the idea of getting choked out while he fucked you from behind.

One of your hands flew up to his, and he was half expecting you to yank it away. He was pleasantly surprised when you clamped your fingers down around his, silently urging him to squeeze.

And he did. You felt like you were fucking floating.

Joel didn’t let up, even when you felt the burning hot coil wind up in your core once again.

“Feel so fucking good– s–o so fucking— fuck.” You’re a blubbering mess. He pulls your body up so your back is facing his front, never letting his pace waver.

“Fucking you dumb on my cock, aren’t I? Listen to you, baby. Pathetic.” He laughs at you once again, but you don’t have any willpower to fight back. You just let it happen, because each thrust of his cock into you has your body turning into complete fucking mush.

“Close.” Is what you whisper, and Joel can feel your walls tightening around him. He chokes on a moan at the sensation, fingers tightening around your throat even more.

You can barely breathe, but you fucking love it. You love seeing stars cloud your vision like this. The heightened sensation of your orgasm comes crashing down over you, eyes rolling into the back of your head as you silently scream out.

Your body convulses continuously as you try to ride out your orgasm, but Joel’s hand leaves your throat and moves down to your clit to rub at it furiously.

You cry out his name, your hands frantic to find purchase to anything as you try and brace yourself.

It’s no use, though. Your body is limp and your soul fucking escaped from you long ago.

“Where do you want me?” The urgency in his voice is evident, but you’re in such a daze that you barely clock it.

“Inside me.” You manage, and he groans loudly before he lets go, filling you up with everything he has. His body slumps over yours, both of you trying so hard to pull yourselves back to reality.

He slides out of you and you both groan at the loss of being one.

You turn over on your back, once again blinded by the lights. Your eyes flutter close as you assess everything that partook the last—thirty? fourty? you don’t fucking know—minutes of your life.

Your body slowly floats back down to reality, and you peel your eyes open when you hear shuffling. Joel is on his knees again, spreading your legs to look at his handiwork. He looks up at you with that same devilish smirk, licking up his spend from your cunt before hovering over you.

He uses his thumb to coax your jaw open, spitting his spend into your mouth.

“Swallow.” He demands, and you do as he says. You open your mouth to show him you did, and a satisfied look washes over his features.

“Hope you feel me leakin’ out of you all goddamn night, sweetheart.”

You look at him incredulously, reality crashing down with the unwavering truth: you and Joel really fucked.

He was inches away from your face, and for a fleeting moment, you wondered what it would be like if he kissed you. His lips looked so soft.

But that would make it too complicated. It would turn into a thing you didn’t need it to be, and you knew kissing him would make the probability of hating him into a fucking zero.

Get a grip.

But, you catch him. You catch his eyes flicker down to your lips, the same thing probably reeling in his mind, too.

Maybe one wouldn’t hurt.

No. You wouldn’t allow it for yourself. He can take his Southern charm and shove it up his ass.

You cleared your throat and moved to stand up. Your legs were shaky at first, but you found your grounding as you walked over to the mirror on the other side of the room.

You straightened out your appearance, making sure you didn’t have “I just got fucked” plastered across your forehead. Once you were satisfied, you turned around to see Joel sitting on the bed.

You nod at him once, “Joel,” and you’re unlocking the door to be rejoined by the thumping music and loud laughter, leaving him to stare at you as you walked away.

You made your way into the backyard, needing a breath of fresh air after everything that ensued.

“There you are! I was looking all over for you.” Tess pulls you into her side, giving your arm a playful squeeze as she holds you close.

“Yeah, I uh, went to smoke a J.” Which, yes, was of course partially true—but you’d probably never admit to her that you just got done getting your brains fucked out by Joel Miller.

She probably wouldn’t even believe you if you told her, anyway.

It didn’t need to become a thing, even if it was the best sex you’ve ever had in your life.

Sex you’d probably be having flashbacks about years down the line, just as Joel promised.

You groan inwardly, eyes drifting upward to casually scan the backyard. You caught a familiar pair already staring at you from across the way, and your whole body bloomed with aching heat once more.

Those brown eyes were accompanied with a sickening smirk, and two seconds later, a wink.

You knew no matter how hard you tried, and as much as you fucking despised him, it wouldn’t be easy to get him out of your head.

You were so fucked, you think.

The idea of admitting that you maybe didn’t hate him was unwarranted, but you knew deep down it was your reality. You really didn’t hate him.

And maybe, just maybe, these parties weren’t so bad after all.

tags: @ilovepedro @nostalxgic @punkshort @endlessthxxghts

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dividers by @saradika-graphics

[innerfare]

Random Shanks Headcanons 

Summary: A random collection of Shanks headcanons

CW: None // SFW

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Has a fake arm that he uses for gags. Only he and Yasopp find it funny. Beckman once tossed the arm overboard after Shanks ‘lost’ the arm in a pot of Lucky Roux’s stew, only for Shanks to enter the mess hall the next morning with another attached to his body. 

Can do magic tricks, especially good with coins and cards. A very skilled sleight of hand artist. Also not above using these tricks to cheat while playing cards. (Inspired by the coin game w/ Luffy flashback). Cheating is the only way he can beat Beckman, who’s by far the best player on the crew. But he doesn’t even cheat to win, he just likes the thrill of getting away with it; also enjoys the thrill of getting caught. There was a rabbit loose aboard the Red Force for a solid month after the captain tried to learn how to pull it out of a hat.

The best beer pong player in the New World, probably the entire world. Would challenge all of his enemies to a game of beer pong to settle their disputes if he thought they would respect the results of the game. Good at drinking games in general (has a little too much experience).

Is an infamous gossip. If a member of the crew wants word to get out about something, they just mention it to their captain. 

Enjoys playing matchmaker. Always acts as a wingman for his crew when there’s a pretty bar maid. The only one he never tried to fix up with one of his crew mates was his darling Makino. 

Are soap operas a thing in the One Piece universe? Because if so, he has a favorite that he never misses an episode of (fights hardest on Thursdays so he can be home in time to catch the latest episode of Search for One Piece, a pirate drama based loosely on Roger’s life. He particularly enjoys the harlequin character). 

Loves meddling in any drama that comes up aboard the ship. Sometimes even starts drama just for entertainment, like the time he told Lucky Roux that he saw Limejuice sneaking steaks from the freezer, or when he robbed Beckman blind and left traces of a turkey leg at the scene of the crime. 

Thinks childish pranks are the funniest thing in the world. Pranks prospective crew members to see how they respond; screens them based on whether they find his jokes funny. Beckman insists this is not the best way to do things but Shanks persists. But Shanks isn't just being childish. He's making sure everyone who joins his crew has a good nature as that is, in his opinion, the most important thing. If you can't trust your crew, you're dead in the water.

Was definitely posing when the government snapped the photo for his wanted poster but pretends it was completely candid. Has a habit of comparing his wanted poster to the posters of his enemies.

He also uses his wanted poster to fish for compliments, especially from his crew. “That’s a pretty good picture, isn’t it?” “I don’t look half bad in that, do I?” “The real reason the marines are hunting me- the sight of my wanted poster makes their wives swoon.”  

Refers to himself as, “that handsome devil.” 

Smells like body odor and weed, but in a Matthew McConaughey kind of way (that is to say, it works for him). 

Animals and babies always like him. He insists the trick is to act uninterested. 

He is genuinely good-natured, but he definitely uses his sense of humor to disguise how terrifying he truly is. Is a pro at lulling people into a false sense of security. Definitely slouches on purpose to seem less intimidating.

Secretly paid off Luffy's "treasure tab" at Makino's bar. Didn't do it just to be kind to the poor kid but actually because he believed Luffy when he said he'd pay it back in full and did it to annoy Luffy a decade or two down the line. (When Luffy finally goes back to pay Makino and she informs him Shanks already did, Luffy blows a gasket.)

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