#they have the opportunity to make my year with a third mention

[jeonqkooks]

our beloved summer | jjk (01)

You made a vow to hate Jeon Jungkook ever since he packed up and left you without a single explanation, but when he shows up at your door after years of radio silence, it turns out that maybe your resolve isn’t as strong as you thought.

pairing: producer!jungkook x songwriter!reader

genre/warnings: exes au, college au (in flashbacks), fluff, angst, eventual smut, kissing, swearing

rating: PG-13

word count: 8.4k

note: OKAY SHE IS FINALLY HERE. i am so nervous about this oh god i will hide in my bedroom and never come out again. anyway umm obviously all the technical stuff about music producing and album making comes from google so! blame google if i get things wrong about music making lol

playlist | series masterpost

— as always, i’d appreciate any thoughts or comments you may have, and please drop a like and/or reblog if you enjoy reading ♡

The movies lied—college really isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Who even has the time to constantly go drinking and clubbing, deliver assignments on time, maintain a social life, all the while be expected to have a blooming love life? Definitely not you, and not when there’s a pain in your ass by the name of Jeon Jungkook.

The douchebag in your music theory class who’s always trying to one up you.

To be fair, he’s not a bad person (probably), but he’s just so goddamn annoying. 

It’s only your first semester, but you’ve already found a sworn enemy in Jungkook. The funny thing is, you and him share the same circle, and your friends all adore him to bits. 

Curse Kim Taehyung for bringing you into this mess.

(You got a job at the campus library nearly halfway into the semester, and that’s where you met Taehyung, a fellow part-time librarian and full-time stressed out college student. Though your majors and interests don’t exactly align—he’s studying Art History while you’re pursuing a Music degree—you somehow hit it off and he became your first real friend at college.

Taehyung introduced you to Jimin, his roommate, who then brought in someone that you recognized from class named Hoseok but had never really talked to before and… tragically for you, the bane of your existence, Jeon Jungkook.)

At every party and get-together that Taehyung drags you to, Jungkook is there. There was a part of you that hoped he was only an asshole to you because you two had been competing for first place in class, and it wouldn’t have mattered that much if the person with the highest GPA wasn’t given the opportunity to intern at an up-and-coming record label where one of the executives was old friends with your professor.

Neither of you got it in the end; the professor said you and Jungkook had too much “unhealthy” competition going on and decided to bestow the honor upon the third highest ranked in class which was Hoseok. (Okay, that was good for him, but still.)

Anyway, even outside of academia, Jungkook is insufferable only toward you while he’s a ray of sunshine to literally everybody else. You’ve seen him interact with other people, and you’ve witnessed how his attitude completely switches up when it comes to you. No, whenever he talks to you, sweet and bubbly Jungkook immediately morphs into a cocky and patronizing version of the man.

He probably thinks he’s so much better than you just because he happens to have a great singing voice (not that you would ever admit this to him) and you can’t belch out a single note to save your life. But newsflash buddy! Not every music major has to end up a singer.

Taehyung, Jimin, and even Hoseok have assured you that Jungkook doesn’t hate you, but who are they to say? They’ve never received the same treatment as you.

“On Earth, We’re Briefly Gorgeous?” You skim the cover and quirk an eyebrow. “Huh. I didn’t know you’re into stuff like this, Jeon.”

He isn’t. Though he was surprised that the school library even had a shelf for contemporary autobiographies, the only reason he borrowed it was because Taehyung mentioned in passing that it’s one of your favorite books.

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me,” he mumbles under his breath, which you don’t catch.

When Jungkook lingers, you look at him in confusion. “I already know who you are. You don’t have to give me your student ID. You can go.”

“You should, uh, check if I damaged the book or something.”

“Did you?” you narrow your eyes at him.

“No, no… I mean– Just do it, will you?”

Rolling your eyes in annoyance, you reach for the book but his hand shoots out to stop you. “Not right now,” he stammers. “Later.”

What the hell are you doing? You want to bark at him, but it’s nearly 9 o’clock and this tiresome day has drained the life out of you.

After you finished your last exam this morning, all you wanted was to go back to your room and get some much needed rest. But alas, the universe had different plans. Taehyung begged you to cover his shift at the library because the dumbass messed up the dates and bought his bus ticket home today instead of tomorrow to visit his family. You’d do anything for your friends so naturally you said yes, at the expense of your physically deteriorating form.

Right now, you just want to teleport to your dorm and sleep till the sun swallows up the Earth. “Fine,” you grumble, not having the energy to deal with whatever Jungkook’s schtick is, “anything else?”

He purses his lips, glances between you and the book, then shakes his head. He taps his fingers lightly against the wooden desk between you, like he wants to say something else but doesn’t know how to verbalize the words. If you weren’t so tired, maybe you’d even make fun of him for getting his panties in such a twist.

“Okay, um,” he says finally and turns to leave, “goodnight then.”

You only hum and wave a disinterested hand at his retreating form, not caring that he can’t see you. Leaning back against the chair that offers you zero lumbar support and has been killing your back for the past few hours, you groan loudly.

The library barely had anyone coming in today, probably because finals were over and everyone was either recovering from nights lost to exam preparation, or out drinking to celebrate the end of the semester. You highly doubt there would be anyone dropping by ten minutes before closing time, so you push yourself to your feet and start to gather your things.

After entering Jungkook’s name into the computer and ticking his borrowed book as ‘returned’, you flip through it boredly per his request. 

A piece of yellow paper slips from the pages and falls to the floor. When you go to pick it up, you freeze at the sight of a neatly scripted line in black ink. Surprise (or perhaps shock would be a better word) parts the fog in your brain.

Dinner this Saturday? – JK

The next afternoon, Jungkook comes back to the library with no book to return nor a need to borrow a new one. 

“Hey,” he gives you an awkward wave as he approaches, “how’s it going?”

You give him a small smile in greeting that you know must look weird and manufactured. Never in your few months of knowing him have you ever smiled at him on purpose. “Fine, thanks.”

“Did you, um, check the book?”

You stiffen, and this makes him stiffen. Jungkook knows you saw it.

Do you say yes? No? What’s the best course of action here? What did he even mean? Why would he ask you out for dinner? What does he want? Why was he acting so self-conscious about it? God, why isn’t Taehyung here to help you through this crisis?

Your lips tighten into a thin line as you contemplate your plan. Jungkook has never seemed shy around you. Maybe he’s just trying to be nice because all your friends are home to see their families, and you and him are the only ones who aren’t. Maybe he just pities you because he thinks you might be lonely.

“Yes,” you decide.

“And?” he prompts, growing more nervous by the second. What is up with this guy?

“Do you need to talk about something over dinner?”

“No, not really,” he says, scratching the back of his head. “I just want to hang out with you, one on one. Get to know each other better, y’know…”

“Just the two of us?” you narrow your eyes at him skeptically. “Are you… asking me on a date?” That can’t be possible, right? But then, he was acting weird when he was returning the book. And he’s here again now, anxiously glancing between you and the door like he’s ready to bolt any second.

You can’t figure out what it means.

Is he messing with you? Is it all part of his plan to trick you into dressing up for him only to stand you up and humiliate you? He’s annoying, but you’ve never thought of him as someone who would do such a thing.

No… Jungkook might be the most irritating prick on the planet but he’s not that douchey.

“Yes?” he doesn’t sound so sure of it. He looks like he’s summoning the ground to swallow him whole under your scrutinizing gaze. “I mean,” he adds in a small voice, “if you want...”

It isn’t that you don’t find Jungkook attractive. God knows that man is blessed with looks that people dream about, but you suppose the hostility between you two has distracted you from that fact. Irritation eclipses attraction.

But that irritation is nowhere to be found now, not even an inkling. There’s mostly perplexity, and that certainly isn’t enough to trick you into thinking that Jungkook isn’t one of the most handsome men you’ve laid eyes on.

You can’t think properly in this stupefied state. The words slip out before you can make sense of the whole situation. “Sure, yeah, okay.”

Jungkook looks just as surprised as you are once you realize what you just said. Your eyes widen and your lips part. You should definitely take it back, this is absurd! Where’s your goddamn voice when you need it?

“Yeah? It’s a date?” he asks, gazing down at you with those stupid doe eyes that you haven’t fully taken in until now. They compel you to nod.

“Yeah… it’s a date.”

What is happening?

A few seconds pass, and part of you thinks he’ll start laughing in the middle of the library but you’d be the one embarrassed.

Instead, Jungkook gives you a big bunny grin that has you startled. You’ve never been on the receiving end of it before, having gotten used to his arrogant smirk and condescending tone the entire semester. But this is clearly something you didn’t expect. It’s kind of… beautiful, actually.

Before you can react, he’s already headed for the door. He waves enthusiastically, nerves seemingly gone now, and calls out in a loud voice that you would usually frown at and shush people for. “I’ll text you!”

What if it ends up a huge disaster? Well, then you suppose you’d go back to hating each other and forget the whole thing happened. But there’s a possibility even worse that you can’t even begin to fathom right now. If it goes well, would there be another date? 

What should you wear? What’s a good outfit that doesn’t make it seem like you’re trying too hard? It’s January though, should you sacrifice warmth for fashion? Where’s that pair of lace underwear that you bought last month–

Wait, why do you care?

God, why is this happening?

You were definitely overthinking this. These were the questions plaguing your every waking moment since that day at the library until this afternoon, a couple hours before your… date. Your brain went haywire the moment he left the library and evidently, it didn’t get a chance to calm down. 

(When you called to tell Taehyung about it after the realization that you would actually be going on a date with Jungkook hit you like a truckload of bricks, your friend gasped and mumbled to himself something you couldn’t quite catch over the phone, something about owing money to someone.)

In the end, you settled on a fitted sweater and your favorite winter coat. Mostly because Jungkook showed up right on time and you spent too long fussing over the possibilities to think of anything else to wear. 

It was awkward at first with neither of you knowing how to act. What’s a girl gotta do on a date with her arch nemesis? No one writes guides on these kinds of things, not even Buzzfeed. You actually considered shaking his hand when you saw him, but he pulled you into a loose hug before you could do anything else.

Throughout the evening, he felt like a stranger. It wasn’t the Jungkook that you’d been used to, the one who constantly volunteered to make your life a living hell.

No, tonight you were with a different Jungkook. You laughed with each other, smiled at each other, let your hand intentionally brush the other’s but never gathered enough courage to actually lace them together. There was still banter, but not the kind that you hated.

There was no trace of the jerk who always irritated you to no end and instead, Jungkook was softer, incredibly sweeter and thoughtful. You felt like you were meeting him for the first time.

It was refreshing, but also… disheartening? These past few months, you could’ve liked him rather than despise him had he shown this side of himself to you. You suppose that’s a question for another occasion; you don’t want to risk turning the mood sour.

Now, as he’s walking you back to your dorm, only one question lingers on your mind. 

“Tonight was actually… really nice,” you admit shyly.

He laughs softly then. “Did you expect it to crash and burn?”

“Yes,” your lack of hesitation only spurs on his chortles. He sounds like he could be an Elmo impersonator.

Once the laughter dies down, you’re left staring at each other in front of your building. The mid January cold bites at your exposed skin, making you shiver lightly and your nose redden. Your skin heats up for a reason other than the wind.

“We’re here,” you say, lamely pointing to the front door. “Guess I should head inside…”

You watch Jungkook visibly gulp as he nods, eyes locking onto yours for a brief second before his gaze falls to the ground, then back to your face again.

You haven’t gone out with someone in a while, but you still know what should happen now.

Will he kiss you? Do you want him to kiss you? Wow, you think. You never imagined there would come a day where you would have to ponder about something like this. Taehyung would be hounding you for days if he got to pick your brain right now. Oh One Direction, just how fast the night changes indeed…

Jungkook takes a step closer and your heart involuntarily picks up a couple beats. When he leans down, it has your stomach doing somersaults. But the tingly sensation is soon replaced with disappointment when you feel his lips press against your cheek.

Damn.

“Goodnight,” he smiles when he pulls away. 

You’re sure you look flushed, but it isn’t something that can’t be easily blamed on the cold. You return his smile and bid him a safe walk home before turning toward your dorm.

Once there’s some distance between you and Jungkook, you can’t help but ghost your fingers over the spot where his lips were. 

Goddamn. God damn him, god damn those stupid lips and god damn those stupid eyes.

This isn’t how you imagined you would spend your semester break. The moment you set foot in your room, you know you’ll begin to analyze every single detail that happened over the last few hours. You had a good time, but didn’t he? Is that why he only pecked your cheek like you were his grandma?

Oh God, not to mention the way your heart dropped when he didn’t kiss you. On the mouth! Jeon Jungkook! 

As you riffle through your cluttered purse to fetch your keycard with an even more cluttered mind, a hand lands on your shoulder. Instinctively, you gasp and jerk away.

Naturally, your heels are your downfall in this moment of hasty panic. Your purse drops to the ground as your arms flail in the air. Seconds feel like hours as you await the impending collision between your butt and the asphalt, though it never comes.

The hand that was on your shoulder is clutching your arm tightly to keep you upright. It might leave a bruise tomorrow, but at least it’s the only thing keeping you from falling ass first right now.

“Shit! I’m sorry, that was so stupid,” Jungkook stutters as he helps you steady yourself. “I called your name but you didn’t respond.” 

He should be the one embarrassed, but somehow you are. When he picks up your purse and hands it to you, the awkwardness from earlier returns. You’re staring at each other again; whoever is watching the security cameras must be having a blast.

You clear your throat. “Oh, I must’ve been… thinking. Did you, uh, need anything else?”

“No,” he mutters as he fumbles with his fingers. “No, I…”

Okay, this just took a turn for the worse. This is going to be what you fixate on for the rest of the break—how you almost fell on your ass in front of Jeon Jungkook, because of Jeon Jungkook. 

He seems to be having a different kind of dilemma than you though. He still has an apologetic look on his face, but he shakes his head a little more harshly than necessary, as if that would erase what just happened from existence. He clasps his hands together firmly, like he’s about to give you a sales pitch.

Fuck it, Jungkook thinks, now or never.

“I chickened out earlier,” he says and loops an arm around your waist, tugging you closer and effectively making you gasp at the suddenness. His other hand brushes your hair from your face and settles on your cheek, the one he kissed only minutes prior. “I wanted to do this.”

He leans down for the second time tonight, and this time you know what’s coming. More importantly, you know you want it to happen. Your faces are so close that you can see the small scar on his cheek; your fingers itch to trace that line of his skin. You hope there’ll be another time for that.

Still, he doesn’t kiss you just yet. He waits a moment to see if you’d pull away and when you don’t, he just smiles. Like he can’t believe this is finally happening.

His pillowy lips meet yours in a tentative greeting. It’s slow at first, you’re both just testing the waters.

A goodbye to your old dynamic now that a line has been crossed and you two can never go back to the way it was. A hello to a new beginning and to the seeds that it’s planting in your chest, right beside your heart.

His body wraps around you as his mouth envelopes your own, everything is just a little surreal that you get lightheaded. It’s kind of… nice, and you tell yourself it’s the heat radiating off his body that’s making you feel this warm.

When you pull apart, you would’ve thought it was a fever dream if it wasn't for the blush that colored his cheeks. His lips are shiny from the kiss, and his eyes are still glued to your mouth.

Okay, so maybe there are two things you’ll never forget about today: How you almost fell on your ass, and how he kissed you.

He laughs breathlessly to himself and pulls you closer, resting his forehead against yours while you remain speechless.

“I’ve been wanting to do that since your presentation on tonal systems.”

Eight Years Later

Wednesday. The absolute worst day of the week.

You can’t even remember what made you hate Wednesdays so much, but you always feel a sense of dread whenever the middle of the week rolls around. Maybe it’s because every bad news you’ve received in your life has mostly been delivered on a Wednesday. That’s why you never work, or do anything really, on this day, and given that you don’t have a traditional 9-to-5 job, it gives you more leeway to skip work anyway. It’s your own self-care day, where you allow yourself to stop worrying about anything and just be. 

Nothing bad can happen if you don’t let it, right? (It’s definitely not a logical plan, but whatever, let’s just entertain this.)

When the incessant rings of your doorbell echo throughout your apartment at 7:56 on this—surprise, surprise—Wednesday morning, you already know it can’t be anything good.

Your sleep-hazed brain doesn’t allow you much to work with. It’s too early for deliveries, and all of your friends and co-workers know better than to bother you on Hump Day, least of all in the morning at that. So when you throw open your door, ready to tear a new one into this godforsaken person who woke you up from your slumber, never would you ever expect to see a ghost from your past standing in front of you. Not in a million years—because it has been years, hasn’t it? 

No, not a ghost—the ghost, one who has been haunting you since the summer of your college graduation.

Him. In the flesh. In a simple black blazer thrown over a t-shirt but still looking every bit like the sun on the day he left you. Jeon Jungkook.

You must still be dreaming, right? There’s no reason for him to show up at your door after all these years of radio silence and oh yeah, especially after he—once the keeper of your heart—crushed it into pieces and even went the extra mile to cut it up like finely-chopped garlic, and left you. Besides, how does he even know where you live now? There is absolutely no reason for him to be here. It must be the bottle of rosé you wholeheartedly chugged last night while rewatching Goblin. That’s right, this is just a figment of your worst imaginatio–

“Long time no see, stranger.”

You almost jump. Oh no, it speaks. Was your wine laced with hallucinogens? Your brows knit together and your lips part in bewilderment.

In this nightmare of yours, he looks good. Jungkook always did manage to look effortlessly handsome even if he had just rolled out of bed. Still the same pillowy pink lips, same sparkling doe eyes boring into yours. His hair is styled differently, in an unfamiliar way that you’ve only been acquainted with through the photos that he gets tagged in online. He’s back to his black hair though, with zero traces of the blond head that he sported last year. You never did get a chance to see what it looked like in real life, but once in college, you and him had laughed about the possibility of him dyeing his hair golden and how it would look so terrible. That didn’t turn out to be the case, obviously. 

It’s not until the figure in front of you snaps his fingers that you realize you’ve been gaping for the past few minutes. You reach a hand out to poke him in the shoulder, and you almost gasp when he doesn’t dissipate into thin air.

What the fuck.

Jungkook only chuckles. “Aren’t you gonna invite me in?”

You let yourself gape at him for another minute before you speak. “Why are you here? How do you know where I live?”

“A little birdy told me,” he smiles, but soon gives up when you remain unimpressed. “Fine, it was Tae.”

Taehyung, that fucking traitor. You make a mental note to send him a very strongly worded letter.

You exhale in annoyance. “Get to the point. What do you want?”

“So…” he starts, rubbing his hands together as he looks at you, “I’m assuming you know Jin, right?”

“Jin? Kim Seokjin?” you stare at him like he’s stupid. “Global superstar Jin? Two-time Grammy nominee Jin? Turned-down-an-offer-to-be-in-a-Bond-soundtrack Jin? The guy with the face of a Greek God and the voice of an angel? That Jin?”

He pokes a tongue into his cheek, a very Jungkook thing that you haven’t seen in a very long time. He used to do that when he was annoyed or jealous, and to be fair, they often overlapped. “Yeah, that Jin.”

“Sure,” you shrug, “I’ve heard of him.”

“Well, I’m producing his new album. No, I should be producing his new album, and…”

You raise an eyebrow, shooting him a pointed look. And? C’mon, out with it.

“He’ll only sign with us if… if we get you on board as the primary songwriter.”

If it were anyone else saying this to you, you probably would’ve jumped up and down in pure excitement and called every single person you know to brag about the international pop sensation wanting to work with you. Snatching an opportunity like this will most likely ensure that you’ll never be unemployed again, not when you’ve had a hand in creating a Kim Seokjin album. It’s the big break you’ve always dreamed of, the one to propel you forward and get your name circulating around the industry. Just imagine the kind of apartment you could get with Kim Seokjin-level royalties.

If it were anyone else asking, you would’ve fainted, woken up again, and said yes in a heartbeat. Instead, it’s your ex boyfriend who’s propositioned you out of the blue because it’s really him who needs to make this work.

In the moment—and to be fair, in the morning too—you’re not level-headed enough to weigh the pros and cons. If he’s the producer, you’d also be working with him and you don’t think you have the capacity to handle being in the same space as Jeon Jungkook, and even for months on end until the album is fleshed out. But it isn’t even just that, there’s a petty voice inside your head screaming at you to forgo whatever success you may garner from this project, just for the sake of fucking him over.

You’ve heard enough chatter about Jin to know that he isn’t someone that can be sweet-talked and bargained with. If he wants something, he has to get it. If not, the man walks.

You succumb to the pettiness. “I’ll have you know, my email is just blowing up with offers. I’m doing quite well for myself.”

Okay, it’s not completely untrue. Your inbox might not be on the verge of combustion from an overload of messages, but you have made a name for yourself. Since your project with Agust D last year, your songwriting has definitely been a sought after commodity, but not anywhere near the circles of Kim Seokjin though.

The smirk on Jungkook’s face drops, and in its place a smile blooms across his lips, an earnest smile. “I know.”

You’re taken aback by the sincerity, and how you still think his smile is beautiful enough to part way for the sun on cloudy days. Like Kim Taehyung, your own heart becomes a traitor when it misses a beat.

Jungkook’s acknowledgment of your achievements has you blinking at him to make sure you heard him right. It takes you a moment to regain your composure and straighten up. “Oh… Then you know how it is. I don’t have time to take on another project. Off you go now.”

“C’mon, you won’t even consider it for an old friend?”

Your mouth sets in a grim line as you stare at him, and he knows from the way your jaw clenches that he’s said the wrong thing.

No, he’s not an old friend. And while he knows of your achievements and that you’ve created somewhat of a decent life for yourself, he doesn’t know that your first day of work started with false bravado and nearly ended with a breakdown in a lavender-scented bathroom stall when you remembered that the only person you wanted to talk to about your day wouldn’t be there when you got home.

He doesn’t know you used to get so shitfaced on a weekly basis that Taehyung became genuinely concerned for your health at one point, that he and Jimin had to sit you down for a talk before they thought your liver would give out.

He doesn’t know how much it fucking hurts to be suckerpunched by someone you thought was the love of your life, to be disregarded and abandoned as if years together held the significance of mere days in the end. To be left without a single word as to why you weren’t good enough for him.

So no, Jungkook isn’t an old friend. Sometimes you think maybe it would have been better if that’s all he ever was to you.

“We’re not friends,” you declare eerily calmly that you even surprise yourself. The door closes in his face with a click. The wood under your palm should feel light, but somehow it weighs a thousand pounds now.

Old friend, you mull over the word in your head. Is that all you’ve been reduced to? You’re reminded once again that you hate Jeon Jungkook, and this sensation poking into your heart like a sharp needle is just your accumulated disdain toward him—nothing more. 

For a split second you wonder if you should have let yourself feel that January cold instead of his warmth.

You can’t go back to sleep now that your entire morning has been ruined. 

[08:38] You: Kim Taehyung.

[08:38] You: is there anything u would like to tell me

[08:39] You: ? 😇

[08:52] Taebear 🐻: ?? it’s not 10 yet why are you up

[08:53] You: answer the question, Kim 😇

[08:53] Taebear 🐻: what are you on about

[08:55] Taebear 🐻: is this because i ate your ice cream the other day?

[08:56] You: what ice cream

[08:58] Taebear 🐻: that white flavor with the chocolate bits

[08:59]: ????

[08:59] You: wtf u ate THE haagen dazs irish whiskey and chocolate waffle ice cream that i’ve been saving ?? fuck that was limited edition

[09:00] You: wait no i can’t even focus on that right now. why the fuck was jeon jungkook at my apartment on this godforsaken wednesday morning??

[09:04] Taebear 🐻: oh

[09:04] Taebear 🐻: damn

[09:09] You: ?????

[09:09] You: that’s all u have to say ???

As irritated as you are at Taehyung, you refrain from calling to yell at him while he’s at work. So when he casually strolls into your apartment at lunch with a takeaway bag of two poké bowls from your favorite diner, you know he’s here to spill the beans. (And also to butter you up; he even splurged on a side of tobiko and a large taro boba for when you’re finished.) The sight of the food dilutes your anger; you gotta hand it to him—Kim Taehyung knows the way to your heart. (Hint: it’s through your stomach.)

The moment he sets his and your food on the dining table, you immediately narrow your eyes at him. “Explain, Kim.”

Taehyung runs a hand through his hair, sighing as he begins to mix the content of your bowl for you. “Jungkook asked me where you lived like a month ago, said he needed to ask for a work favor. But then he didn’t do anything after that so I forgot about it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me when he asked?”

“He told me not to.”

You cross your arms in front of your chest, mouth hanging open to gape at him, flabbergasted. “And you listened to him? You’re supposed to be on my side!” Are you childish for wanting Taehyung to be on your side? He has always been closer to you; he was your friend first. “I can’t believe you’d do me dirty like that, Tae. I feel so betrayed right now. I got you in the divorce and Jungkook got Jimin. I can’t believe you’d go running off to daddy like that.”

He scrunches his face in distaste. “Ugh, please don’t call Jungkook my daddy.” He pushes the bowl toward you.

Silence settles over your apartment aside from the sounds of cutlery against ceramic. As you munch on your rice and spicy mayo salmon, Taehyung asks warily. “You good though?”

Jungkook has always been a sensitive subject, clearly. With your shared circle of friends from college and even now with your mutual connections in the industry, you’re surprised that you haven’t run into him at all in the past five years. 

You only grumble around a mouthful of food. You take your sweet time with your poké and when you’re finished, you wash it down with a generous sip of the boba Taehyung brought over. Salmon and milk tea are probably not the best combo though.

“Positively dandy.” It’s just my ex who I haven’t seen in half a decade and would’ve liked to never see again for the rest of my miserable life. “Live, laugh, love, Kim.”

He only squints at you. Though your face is devoid of any emotion—you have to praise your own poker face when someone brings up Jungkook, it’s taken you a hell of a long time to master—your bitter tone is a dead giveaway of how much the surprise reunion is affecting you.

You should’ve suspected that Kim Taehyung was up to no good when he suddenly called to treat you to lunch two days later. The man even insisted that you order the most expensive thing on the menu, something that you and him have only reserved for celebrations.

You never thought that one day, food would be your downfall.

A figure slides into the chair next to yours after you gulp down the last of your drink, and it became all too clear what Kim Taehyung had been scheming. You should really be more cautious when people randomly start offering you food; it’s becoming a problem.

You look at the intruder with wide eyes, fingers still gripping the glass. “What are you doing here?”

“Listen.” It’s Taehyung who speaks up, drawing your attention away from Jungkook. “Just hear him out–”

“Kim Taehyung!” You kick him in the shin under the table, to which he yelps and gets a few heads turning in the semi-crowded restaurant. “You backstabbing bitch!”

“God, you’re so dramatic. Just hear him out, okay? I think this could be really good for your career.”

Your jaw clenches, and both men notice the way you slightly scooch away from the one next to you. Damn them and damn you. You’re always more pliant with a satiated stomach; maybe that’s why Jungkook didn’t show up until after you had finished eating. 

Waving a hand in the air in defeat, you motion for your ex to do whatever it is that he came here to do. Mostly, you want to waste his time just to say no to him in the end.

Jungkook immediately launches into a whole speech about how this could be Jin’s greatest album yet if they had you on the team. Apparently Jin has been itching to sink his claws into you ever since he found out you worked with Yoongi; you knew the two of them were friends, but you didn’t realize that your work even drew that kind of attention.

As the man explains what the album concept would be, your resolve almost breaks. Fuck, if it doesn’t sound like something right up your alley. You’re already envisioning everything you could do with this album, the lyrics that are practically writing themselves inside your head. Nevertheless, it isn’t that simple. There’s always a but, and that but is sitting right beside you, droning on about how this album might actually be the one to score Jin his first Grammy win. Jungkook didn’t seem fazed when he saw you the other day, and he sure isn’t fazed now. You’re supposed to be someone he used to love, but the way he’s so nonchalant makes you feel like you were never more than just a mere acquaintance.

When he’s finished, you don’t respond. Instead, you turn to your friend. “Seriously, Tae,” you scoff, glaring at the man sitting across from you. This is the second time that Kim Taehyung has betrayed you in a span of two days; one more strike and you might just key his car. “I can’t believe you ran off to daddy again.”

He rolls his eyes at you while Jungkook raises a brow in amusement and leans back against his chair. “I told you not to say that,” he grumbles. “But honestly, I’m saying this as your best friend–”

“My best friend wouldn’t use my greatest weakness to trick me.”

“Oh my God, just—listen, do you not see what an insane opportunity this is? It’s Kim Seokjoon, for crying out loud. Even I know who that is and you tell me all the time that I have zero knowledge of pop culture.”

“Kim Seokjin,” Jungkook pipes in before you can.

“Oh, shit,” Taehyung scratches his head awkwardly, “right, well, my point still stands. You’ve always wanted something like this to happen, so why are you doing this to yourself now? Just because it’s Ju–”

“Tae.” Your gaze hardens as you look at him, and Jungkook sees how you and the older man communicate without having to utter a single word. He never understood the connection, the bond, between the two of you but he has always appreciated the fact that you have someone like Taehyung. Someone who understands you in ways that he couldn’t, who looks out for you and takes care of you no matter what, who made sure you wouldn’t fall when Jungkook was the one to shatter the ground beneath you.

After a minute, Taehyung softens. “I’m just saying,” he nudges your foot under the table to ease the tension, “when are you gonna get a chance like this again? Some things aren’t worth sacrificing your dreams for.”

He’s right, and you know you’re being childish. When are you going to get an offer of this magnitude? This is your dream; this is something you’ve been working toward all these years. Are you really about to let it pass you by because of Jungkook?

You turn away from both of them and close your eyes, sighing as you expel the weight in your chest. “Fuck,” you mutter under your breath, “my life is a dumpster fire waiting to blow up. Fucking hell.”

“Language, sailor,” Jungkook scolds you lightly. “How can someone with such a foul mouth write lyrics that beautiful? You never used to swear this much.”

You choose to fire back at him rather than focus on the fact that he listens to your songs. “The keyword here is “used to”. You don’t know me anymore.”

He stares at you, and once again he knows he’s dug his own grave, earning even more points in your bad books. He only meant to be playful, but now he doesn’t know how to respond to that.

Thankfully, Taehyung chimes in. “It can’t hurt to think about it right? It’s a good opportunity.” 

Your brows knit together and you fist the hem of your shirt. You look a little distressed, and Jungkook remembers how you used to do this to will yourself before you committed to something you really don’t want to. It used to be research papers for psychology classes, but now it’s him.

“Fine, I will think about it.”

“That’s all I’m asking,” Jungkook says, his voice a little smaller now. He hands you the folder that he’s been holding, and you gulp when his hand brushes yours, just barely. “Here’s the creative brief. Let me know what you think, alright? My business card is in there.”

As Taehyung watches the two of you, he isn’t entirely convinced if this is such a good idea anymore. Career-wise, you’d be out of your mind not to snatch this offer right off the bat; but emotionally speaking, there’s still something that he can’t properly decipher between you and Jungkook.

He sees the way the younger man glances at you, and the way you wouldn’t look at him. Taehyung has noticed how your tone has grown subconsciously more defensive and overly nonchalant the past couple of days, as if you’re trying to convince yourself and everybody else that you’re doing fine. For years, you’ve been claiming that you despise Jungkook and that the resentment you have toward him will never change, but no one has really been able to confirm that hypothesis. You haven’t been in the same room since college, and it’s a hell of a lot easier to say you’re over someone when you aren’t standing in front of them and looking into their eyes.

Nonetheless, it’s his duty as your friend to make sure you choose what’s best for you, and this—no matter how ludicrous it sounds to you—will do you more good than harm. Whatever may happen, he knows you’ll never forgive yourself if you miss this chance. And just like how Taehyung has helped you through your toughest days before, he can do it again. You’ve recovered from Jungkook once, you can do it a second time.

…Right?

Naturally, you had to go and get sloshed that night. Alone, because Taehyung had a work function that he couldn’t skip and though he promised to take you out to drown your sorrows the next day instead, you just couldn’t wait to forget about Jungkook.

On his birthday the year of your breakup, you had called him to wish him a happy birthday even though he never made an effort to reach out to you at all after you went your separate ways; or rather, he went his own way and you were left there all alone. The line rang, and rang, and finally when the call connected, you felt the air get knocked out of your lungs at the sound of a woman’s voice filtering through the speaker, airy and giggly.

“Is this… Jungkook’s phone?” you tried to keep your voice from breaking.

“Jungkook?” the woman sounded confused. “I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong number.”

You promptly ended the call afterward, not knowing whether to feel relieved that no, he didn’t get a new girlfriend, or dejected because he changed his number and didn’t tell you.

Well, of course, why would he? You broke up and Jungkook made it blatantly obvious that he didn’t want anything to do with you anymore. It hurt you to admit it—something that had once been so unimaginable now taking over every aspect of your life—that you had become strangers who once meant the world to each other.

Shit happens. People wake up and fall out of love everyday. People change, then they leave. Life goes on.

It didn’t mean much, but you deleted the number that night.

Now, as you’re staring at this new set of digits you took from the business card Jungkook had given you, anxiety bubbles in your stomach. The fact that you’re actually considering it, means you’ll say yes. It is an incredible opportunity, Taehyung didn’t need to do all of that for you to see it. But partly because it’s Jungkook who’s asking, and you’re weak despite how many times you’ve claimed to hate his guts. Despite wanting to say no with your entire being, he affects you in ways that you never thought were still possible. Though you haven’t agreed to his proposition, your mind is already picturing what will happen when history inevitably repeats itself.

You’ll say yes, he’ll take what he needs from you, and he will leave. You will go back to being strangers again. The numbers staring at you in blue light will be another set for you to delete.

That’s why Jimin is here now, at the wine bar where he’s found himself with Taehyung so many times before just to pick you up and drag your drunken self home.

But Taehyung isn’t here tonight because of the aforementioned work event so Jimin brought backup—it just happens that it’s the same person you're trying your hardest to forget about.

(They were lounging on Jungkook’s couch playing video games when the call came and interrupted Jimin. When Taehyung’s voice rang through the speakers to inform him of your situation and how Jimin would have to handle it alone this time, Jungkook’s curiosity was instantly piqued. 

“I’ll take you,” he said to the older man. “You didn’t drive here anyway.”

“Oh, you’re with Kook?” Taehyung asked hesitantly, then went quiet for a moment after Jimin confirmed. “Yeah, sure, you should take him with you. She probably won’t remember it…”)

“Jiminie,” you whine loudly once your friend helps you into the car, “Jiminieee.”

“Yes, what? I’m right here.”

“I saw Jungkook again. Twice.”

“Oh?” He looks at the younger man, unsure of how to proceed. “How did it go?”

Jungkook watches your face in the rearview mirror. Your hooded eyes are looking out the window, blinking lazily every few seconds before closing completely shut. He thinks you might have fallen asleep until you speak up a few minutes later.

“He didn’t ask how I’ve been doing. He just showed up out of the blue because he needed something from me and didn’t even bother to ask if my life’s been okay or anything. I–It made me feel so insignificant.”

For a moment, the already stuffy air in the car thickens. You sound like you’re sober, like you’re saying all of this under the guise of inebriation to see how he would react. But before either man can respond, you’re lolling your head to the side and mumbling incoherently again. Jungkook swallows, and Jimin remains quiet for the rest of the drive. The only sounds are your occasional hiccups and giggles.

When the car pulls up to your apartment complex, Jimin is too preoccupied with hauling you out of the vehicle to notice Jungkook’s hesitation to help him lug you into the building, but he does anyway. He hasn’t touched you in years, and you won’t even remember it in the morning.

It’s been so long, but when his arm wraps securely around your waist, it seems like no time has passed at all. His hand on your body still feels familiar and not as foreign as he would expect. Since you’re mostly leaning against Jungkook, it stirs a strange sensation in his gut when your head falls to rest in the crook of his neck. 

The elevator ride only lasts a few minutes, but he can’t focus with the way your warm breath is fanning his skin. When he crashed your lunch date with Taehyung 12 hours earlier, he didn’t expect the day would end like this—with you in his arms again, though the circumstances could’ve been better.

Once you make it to your door, you immediately perk up. “Oh?” You turn to Jungkook, as if you’ve only just noticed him for the first time tonight. “Chimmy, who’s your friend here?”

Jimin doesn’t reply, too busy ruffling through the chaos in your bag to find your keys and letting Jungkook hold you up by himself. (He never understands why women carry so many useless things around. The only things a person should need to bring with them outside are keys, phone and wallet. Maybe a pack of gum and condoms. Why do you even have a flask of vodka when you were already headed to a bar?)

When he takes too long, you turn to him and whisper. “Bitch, your friend is so cute!” (Only you think you’re whispering.) Jungkook chuckles as he tightens his grip on you. He can’t help but think you’re adorable—you’ve always been a cute drunk in his eyes, though if you would probably smack yourself over the head if you were aware of the words coming out of your mouth. It’s nice to hear that you still find some part of him tolerable.

Jimin lets out a triumphant sigh when he finally pulls your keys from the bag. The way he navigates your apartment in the dark and makes a beeline for what Jungkook assumes is your bedroom makes him wonder how many times the older man has done this whenever you’ve had one too many. Jungkook purposefully, albeit awkwardly, stands in the middle of your living room, glancing at your open door at Jimin who’s setting you on the bed and struggling to take off your jacket because you keep flailing your arms trying to hug him. Jungkook could help, but he feels like being in your home is already pushing his luck, let alone your bedroom, even if you aren’t quite conscious of his presence.

He takes the liberty of looking around, smiling to himself when he sees traces of you in every corner. Picture frames are scattered across your apartment—of you and your friends, your family, even Taehyung’s dog Yeontan because you love the little fluff ball so much. Dainty trinkets from your travels and art prints that you always said were pretentious but you secretly liked them anyway. 

No photos of you and him, but that makes sense of course.

Jimin emerges from your bedroom after a while, leaving the door ajar to see if you’re sleeping soundly before they leave. This is the first time in years that he has seen you and Jungkook in such close vicinity of each other. Sure, you’re drunk out of your mind, but still.

“She didn’t mean what she said earlier,” he says as he hands Jungkook a glass of water.

“She did. It’s fine, it’s not like she said anything wrong,” he takes a sip to wash away the slight sting creeping up his spine. “Of course I wanna know how she’s been, hyung. I just didn’t think I had the right to ask. I didn’t know it made her feel that way.”

Jimin sighs, unsure of what to say. Wounds that he thought had scabbed over are starting to bleed again, but this time it seems like it’s affecting the both of you. You were once each other’s safe haven, but now the waters are murky, and no one has a single clue on how to chart them.

A couple of sentences, but this might be the most that Jungkook has talked about you in years. You’re in the same circle of friends, your name was bound to come up in conversation. Whenever it happened, he would simply not contribute anything to the topic, or excuse himself to go to the bathroom until chatter about you has stopped.

He has always refused to disclose anything about the breakup when anyone asked. No one knows what really happened back then; not his brother, not his closest friends, and certainly not you.

— all rights reserved © jeonqkooks. reposting, translating and/or modifying is not permitted by any means. [posted may 28, 2022]

— taglist: @bids97 @ggukkieland @bloopkook @canarystwin @princehyun-jin @scoupsnotscoops @eridanuswave @mwitsmejk @thebluegoddess @pb89nv @ppeachyttae @bruisedscrewedandtattooed @xxxxxuixxxxx @bananamochidaisy @jungkook-er @acciofirewhiskey @bbtsficrecs @luv--you @jeonkoookiee @sweetonkookieandtae @mrcleanheichou @betysotelo18 @neverthefirstchoice @lllucere @parkethereal @tsundoku-world @investedreader @armys-dna​ 

[dustofthedailylife]

They impulsively kiss you (Part 2)

→ Masterlist 🍁 → Part 1 (Albedo, Ayato, Itto)

Summary: They finally gather the courage to kiss you.

Characters: Diluc, Kaeya, Childe x (gn!) Reader (separate)

Warnings: Fluffy! Mentions and description of injury and blood (Childe). Mentions Childe's real name. Overall the description of the kisses are very detailed.

A/N: Part 2 is finally here and thank you all for your crazy support of Part 1! I'm sorry for the long wait but I think it paid off. I gave this my all! The kisses are even more detailed now and the length of the individual chapters is longer, too. I would absolutely love to hear what you think. My ask box is open, run it in if you need to. And likes, replies and reblogs are as always appreciated ♥ Also - yes I still have creative ammo for a third part! :3

DILUC

You wiped the sweat off your forehead as you set down the basket full of grapes on the table in front of the entrance of the Dawn Winery.

"Our best helper is back with another big basket I see." Adelinde, who stood behind the table, remarked with a content smile while she weighed the basket and scribbled the amount down in her notebook.

The yearly grape harvest had come around and like every year, you and many other Mondstadt citizens had volunteered to help, too. The Winery already employed a lot of staff but during the harvest time most of them were needed for the actual wine making process, so the winery looked for short term workers every year that were in turn rewarded with a precious sum of Mora as payment and for the one who harvested the most grapes during the time, a crate of high quality vintage wine - and who were you to say no to that? Such an opportunity was hard to pass, especially since money didn’t grow on trees and as a self-employed artist it was good to accumulate some savings for bad times. 

The "starving artist" unfortunately wasn't just an idiotic romanticized figure in novels, there was a little too much truth to it - you knew as much now. Your monthly income solely depended on the amount of commissions you got, and as a one-man-business there naturally was only a fixed amount of them you could accept at once. Plus, of course, the amount of commissions that came in fluctuated throughout the year. And all that summed up was precisely why you were here every year around the same time and helped out - that and you got to see and talk to the vintner himself a little bit if you got lucky. 

You knew Diluc through your line of work, he often commissioned paintings from you when he needed a gift for an important business meeting or various other occasions. In fact he came around for commissions so often during the past six months that you could consider him a regular by now and although thus far, your relationship wasn’t more than just mere business acquaintances, you always found yourself attracted to him and had the strong desire to to get to know him better and get a glimpse of what he hides behind that rather cool and distant demeanor.

"Are you sure you don't want a permanent position as an employee here, dear? I think no one ever manages to harvest as much as you do and you even have an eye for the fruit, always picking the ones with the perfect ripeness."

"Well, I am flattered, Adelinde, but I think I love being an artist too much."

"It's a pity! But Master Diluc really is fond of your art so I’m sure he would be devastated if you stopped painting, he is basically a collector of your work at this point… Oh my, I’m talking too much - It's past noon already, I’m sure you want to take a break for a little while. No one will be able to catch up with the amount you have harvested anyway. I would say the crate of wine is guaranteed again, my dear."

“That’s what I like to hear!” You chuckled before saying your goodbyes and started to head for your usual place for your lunch break down by the lake.

Basically a collector by now, huh? It had just been a brief gossip with Adelinde but that sentence kept on playing on repeat in your head. Was he interested in you, too? No, that would be foolish to assume, he just admired your work, that was all. Right?

When you were strolling down the path and your spot came into view, you were surprised to see that it was already occupied by someone else today. A familiar figure of a man with flaming red hair was sitting under the tree by the lake, his coat evenly spread underneath him and his back was leaning against the bark.

“Fancy seeing you here!” You said and decided to sit down on the grass next to him. “You’re sitting at my lunch spot, I hope you don’t mind if I join you?”

“Not at all.” He responded and gave you a small smile. “How is the harvest going? I can’t help but notice that you help us out every year.”

“It’s going well and it looks like I have the honor of getting a crate of your finest wine this year again.” You said in a singsong voice and smiled at him widely to which he just huffed in response, the corners of his mouth twitching up ever so slightly.

“You know, you could just ask me for wine if you want some.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly afford that normally! So working and getting wine as a compensation? Perfection!” You giggled and lay back on the grass, looking up at the clouds, missing the adoring glance he threw your way.

“How are you doing?” He asked after a short silence.

“Huh?” Taken aback by the sudden question you looked back at him. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m just asking how you’re faring.”

“I am… good. You know just… living life, doing art.”

“You seem so surprised.” He chuckled at your reaction with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I guess I just didn’t expect you to ask me that, you always seem so…”

“Distant? Cold?” He asked while looking below himself plucking some blades of grass out of the ground with a pensive expression.

“Yeah… I don’t even mean it in a bad way, you just always seem to maintain a professional distance, I’d say. For example, I couldn’t imagine you hugging or even kissing anyone...” Once you had finished your sentence you leapt up from your lying position, eyes widening in shock about your own words and you got the urge to slap your hands over your mouth. You were talking way out of place and who were you to lecture Diluc Ragnvindr himself about his mannerisms?

“I’m so sorry, please forget what I said, I–”

“Thank you.”

“What?”

“For your honesty. I feel like a lot of people hold themselves back around me out of politeness, but never you.” His crimson eyes met yours and you could see that he wholeheartedly meant what he had said and you felt your cheeks heating up. Before the awkward silence could fester and before you could say anything, he rose back to his feet, brushing some dirt off his clothes and swinging his coat over one shoulder.

“Well, I should get back to work, I have a few important meetings coming up. Thanks for joining me.”

“Of course.” 

After helping out a little while longer on the vineyard until the sun was setting, you returned back home. You were still confused about the encounter earlier in the day and wondered why Diluc hadn’t been angry with you. In fact, he seemed more like he was genuinely brooding about what you had said and you couldn’t shake the feeling that you had somehow struck a nerve.

You decided it was best to get your mind off of things for the rest of the day and since you actually had some commissions you needed to get done still, you started getting lost in some painting while the sun sunk further below the horizon and the amber color of the sky soon turned into a night blue. The only noises you could hear were the gentle brush strokes on your canvas, the calming pitter-patter of the rain that had started to fall outside not too long ago, and – a knock on your door.

You snapped out of your creative trance at the sudden noise and wondered who would knock at your door in the dead of the night. When you opened it, you found none other than a very drenched Diluc Ragnvindr standing in front of your door in the rain.

“Master Diluc? What–? Come in, you’re going to get sick!”

“Pardon, I– uhm…”

You looked back at his form as he began to speak, not moving an inch from where he was standing and scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. His hair was sticking to his forehead and he had the same pensive look that he had earlier when you had spoken but there seemed to be some nervousness mixed into it now. He opened and closed his mouth a few times in an attempt to speak, before letting out a huff and smiling to himself, his eyes pointed to the ground.

“Is everything alright?”

“I just… thought about what you’ve said to me earlier and, I’m sorry but, I just can’t seem to get it out of my head.”

“That was incredibly rude of me to say, by Barbatos, I should never have–”

You stopped talking mid-sentence because your train of thought was interrupted by Diluc taking slow steps in your direction, looking you right in the eyes now. He was enamored by your appearance, he always has been. He noticed the little paint speckles on your cheek, giving away that you had been painting, the lively glow in your eyes that made him fall in love with you the moment he first laid his eyes on you and your homely smell that comfortably numbed his senses every time he came in contact with it. You were like an invisible force that kept pulling him in. 

He was now standing right in front of you in the entrance of your home. His hands found their way to your hips, squeezing them gently as his eyes darted between your eyes and your lips with a sensual expression. What happened in milliseconds felt like an eternity to you. The touch of his hands made you feel a tingling sensation all over your body, and you could hear the drumming of your heartbeat in your ears.

When you looked him back in his eyes he suddenly lifted one of his hands to your neck and brought his face down to yours, pressing his body flush against yours and uniting your lips into a passionate kiss that made you close your eyes and tumble back a few steps against the wall behind you, gripping his coat for stability. Your senses were so overwhelmed you couldn’t even feel how the water in his clothes seeped into your own, all you could think of was the taste of your shared breaths and how silken his lips felt when slotted against yours.

Diluc, too, only felt the addicting feeling of your soft lips against his, making him completely blind to the world surrounding him, as he was completely lost in you. He had taken interest in you a while ago and your talk earlier that day had been his wake up call - he needed to make a move if he wanted this - if he wanted you. The fact that you thought he seemed distant and cold had bothered him all day since, and he wanted to prove to you that he could be more than that. The feeling of kissing you now and feeling your soft skin under his palm caused a comforting warmth to blossom in his chest. He could feel that the hole in his heart he sought to fill all those years was slowly filling up with a painting of your image.

“Do you still think I seem too distant now?” He whispered against your lips with half-lidded eyes.

Your reply was wordless as you moved your hands to his neck and pulled him in once more to unite your lips. If this is what Diluc Ragnvindr’s love was, you were ready to get drunk on it until the end of time.

KAEYA

"I want you to go to Dragonspine to patrol the eastern area of the mountain, I’ve marked it on your map. There have been reports of unusual activity there and we need some information about what exactly is going on over there. However, stay vigilant, it could very well be that the Fatui are behind it. If that is the case, head right back here and we will discuss how we will progress further."

"Yes, of course, Acting Grandmaster." You exclaimed and bowed your head at the Blonde in front of you. 

You'd been called to Jean's office first thing this morning when you had arrived at the Favonius headquarters, and much to your surprise, you were already given such an important and dangerous patrol. 

“Excuse me for asking, but am I supposed to go alone?”

“Indeed. Will that be a problem?”

“No… no of course not.”

It had only been about half a year since you had joined the Knights of Favonius and your training was going well, in fact, more than well. You'd been told by multiple other knights that your skills were outstanding and that they'd never seen someone pick up fighting skills as fast as you had. It was of course great to know that all your efforts and training sessions were paying off but to be given the order to go on patrol on Dragonspine, while you were basically still wet behind the ears, felt like it was still a number too big for you. But it wasn’t like you had much of a choice now anyway.

"Great! Make sure to pack accordingly, I'm sure you're well aware of the dangers the mountain harbors?"

"Yes, ma'am."

You bowed down one last time before heading out of the office. The nervousness was basically written all over your face and your stomach felt like it wanted to rid itself of the meal you’d eaten a bit ago. As you headed out of the office and closed the door behind you briefly overheard Lisa, the librarian of the Knights, who had been present during the whole meeting, asking Jean if she really thought you were already fit for patrolling there, which made your heart sink to your stomach even more than it already had.

You slowly made your way to the Recruit’s office, where you and the other recruits had their equipment stored and began making a list of what you had to pack in your head. Your feet suddenly felt as if they were glued to the ground and every step took all your willpower. 

There were plenty of stories surrounding Dragonspine and since your childhood days the only thing that always stuck in your memory till this day was to not go there ever, especially not alone. 

You opened your locker and grabbed a couple of your belongings that you stuffed in a bag and attached your sword to your belt. What else would you need? A warming bottle wouldn’t be possible since it needs time to be crafted and Starsilver to have it made and you had neither of those. 

"What’s up with that frown, sweet pea?" A sultry voice stopped your thoughts that were racing 1000 miles per hour and instead made your heart race at the same pace.

“Captain! I… It’s nothing.” You shook your head and tried to avoid his gaze because his presence had somehow started to make you nervous recently. He leaned on the doorframe close to you with his arms crossed over his chest and followed your every move with his ice-blue eye.

Kaeya had been your mentor ever since your first day here and he was also the one who taught you most of your sword fighting and recently you had noticed that you have started to become uncharacteristically fidgety whenever he was around. Your heart always started racing, your stomach started feeling fuzzy, your palms started sweating and your thoughts became more and more blurry and you felt like you were unable to string words together properly. For the first while you had tried to ignore it and get your act together and thought it would eventually pass but you had to start being honest with yourself, you had begun to develop feelings for him. 

It was hard not to, in all honesty. Due to his always flirty behavior he had wrapped you around his little finger faster than the wind could blow through the streets of Mondstadt on a stormy day and you found yourself thinking about him more and more throughout your day.

“Well, in that case we can head off to Dragonspine soon, I hope?”

“We?” You asked flabbergasted. “B-but Jean–”

“Jean told you that you were supposed to go alone. Yeah, I know that already. Lisa told me and since I am coincidentally free, I have made it my task to accompany you.” He smiled at you flirtingly and you swore you were about to pass out on the spot.

“Won’t you get in trouble for leaving your post, though?”

“Ah, well, maybe... but once I can tell everyone that I saved our sweet little recruit from becoming a popsicle I’m sure they will actually thank me. Don’t worry so much about me or I might start thinking you have feelings for me, hm?” He teased and walked away with a big smirk plastered on his face which caused your face to violently heat up. Did he know?

On the evening of the same day when you both had already been wandering around Dragonspine for a couple of hours, the sun was beginning to set on the horizon, engulfing the mountain in an orange light. But with the fading light the mountain also grew even colder than it had already been all day. The wind felt like tiny needles that pierced your skin and your hands and feet began to go numb. It soon became clear that you wouldn’t be able to reach east Dragonspine during the remaining hours of daylight.

“C-C-Can we find some shelter for the night?” You shivered and desperately tried to keep warm.

“What’s wrong? Can’t handle the cold?” 

It was truly amazing how unbothered he looked in his regular clothes while you on the other hand were a shivering mess even though you were wearing about seven layers of clothes. But then you shouldn’t be too surprised given that he had a Cryo vision. 

You threw him a scolding glance before turning around and walking towards the small hole in the cliff face that you had just spotted. “Over there seems to be a ca-cave, let's take some shelter there.”

The cave had enough space for you both to comfortably lie and sit in. You both set up your camp for the night and sat down next to each other on your sleeping bags. Although you were now shielded from the biting cold of the wind outside you didn't seem to get any warmer. Your fingers were already feeling extremely stiff and neither blowing hot breath on them nor rubbing them together did anything to ease that feeling.

"Could you make a f-fire?" You asked Kaeya with chattering teeth.

“What do you want me to make fire with, sweetie? This?" He sarcastically asked and motioned towards his vision to which you just replied with a roll of your eyes.

"Very f-funny! I know you packed flintstone earlier."

He smirked at you and started to light a little campfire soon after. You scooted closer to it and held your hands up against the crackling flame that dimly engulfed the both of you in a warm orange light. As you rubbed your hands together some more and tried to get the life back into your fingertips, Kaeya watched your every move. How your lips formed a barely noticeable smile due to the warmth and how the light of the fire perfectly framed your face. In his eyes you were so perfect he wanted to scream it off the peak of Dragonspine for the world to hear. When you looked up at him with a content smile, his entire world stopped spinning and all he could think of was you. 

He moved a bit closer to you until your shoulders touched and you could feel the body heat he was emanating. He suddenly grabbed your hands and took them into his surprisingly warm ones, squeezed them and blew his warm breath on them in an attempt to help with the cold. He truly wasn't affected by the cold at all. You looked up at him with a mix of disbelief and surprise because of the sudden gesture and your face heated up violently, even more so when you saw the caring look in his eye and the way the corners of his mouth started to shift upwards into a smile.

He slowly inched closer to your face, until you could feel his warm breath ghost over the skin of your lips. He was so close you could smell his cologne. He was looking at your lips with a desire you’ve never seen in his eye before and you noticed that his breathing had become erratic. The moment felt like it lasted an eternity and your heartbeat quickened. You almost didn’t dare to breathe anymore. Your heart was beating so loud in your chest you were sure he must be hearing it.

"What…?" You began to ask but you didn't get far because your words were cut off by his lips that hungrily crashed into yours. He intertwined the fingers of his right hand with yours and cupped your cheek with the other. The time felt like it had stopped at that moment and the cold that had been picking at your skin all day was completely forgotten, in fact, you probably had never felt so warm in your entire life before. You inhaled sharply from the sensation of his lips moving against yours. The endorphins started to rush into your bloodstream, sending your mind into a spiral and making the coil in your stomach burst into a million butterflies as you leaned back into him and returned the kiss. 

Kaeya, too, felt the emotions crashing in like a tidal wave. He had imagined this moment for so long already and now that it was finally here it was even better than he could have ever imagined. The way your lips moved against his was addicting and the way they tasted was intoxicating. He wished he could ingrain this feeling into his memory forever. 

“You like me!” He cooed and it wasn’t a question, it was a statement. 

You could feel him smirk against your lips. But behind his cocky façade you saw that he felt the exact same way about you, the way he had whispered the words just now was another proof of that.

“Shut up and kiss me again, you idiot.”

You didn’t have to tell him twice.

CHILDE

You looked over to the clock on the wall - 10 p.m. it had gotten quite late already. They were supposed to be back by 6 p.m

You were walking nervously up and down in your office, waiting for that familiar sound of the main doors of the headquarters opening. 

Today was the day the Harbingers were supposed to get back from some kind of secret mission. So secret in fact, that even you, as their personal physician, could neither know about it, nor travel with them like you usually would. You only hoped everyone was alright.

Actually, if you were being honest to yourself, you only hoped that Childe would be alright. He had been on your mind every single day since their departure two weeks ago and you had started to realize that he might be more to you than just some random guy you had to bandage or patch up occasionally. You knew he had the tendency to rush headfirst into fights at any given opportunity and sometimes, even though it was rare because he was a capable fighter, he overestimated his abilities and ended up getting hurt in some way.

You sat down at your desk antsily, flipping through the pages of some magazine without actually taking in the contents of the pages and bobbing your knee up and down. You thought that if Childe could see you being so worried about him now, he’d probably have a snarky comment to make about it and huffed to yourself. He’d be fine. Right?

Thirty more minutes passed until you heard the front door finally open with a familiar creak. You immediately jumped up from your chair and rushed down the hallway, almost stumbling and kicking over a vase in the process.

“You’re back!”

“We are.” Signora sighed nonchalantly, throwing her cape into the hands of one of the lower ranked Fatui walking by her side and motioned him off without uttering a single word and you wondered why she had to always act so high and mighty.

You quickly began scanning the group but no matter how often you counted, there were only ten of them, not eleven and the one face that was missing – was Childe. At this moment you felt your heart drop to your stomach.

“Where is Childe?” You asked with evident worry in your voice.

“Why? Are you into him or something?” Scaramouche mockingly replied, donning an mischievous grin.

“Scaramouche!” Signora admonished making him just shrug. “Well, doctor, we actually don’t know. He got into a fight on our way back here and told us to go without him and that he’s got our back. Which is actually why we are late - there have been some… unforeseen incidents”

“And you just let him stay there and fight alone? You’re supposed to be the most powerful and highest-ranking Fatui officers!” You almost screamed and felt dread seeping into every fiber of your body at Signora’s reply.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine”

“How can you be so sure, Signora? Where was he the last time you saw him?”

“Well, even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn’t do that because then I’d unfortunately have to kill you.”

“Stop this nonsense, he will be fine. He always is.” Dottore chimed into the conversation, flinging his arm around Signora’s shoulder and letting out a mad cackle. “Now, I haven’t had anything for dinner yet and I can become nasty if I don’t so let’s stop dawdling around.”

They started moving down the hallway again, brushing past you now completely ignoring you. They didn’t even seem remotely worried about the fact that they have possibly sent Childe, their own comrade, to his death. Unbelievable, you thought to yourself before heading home even more worried than you had been prior.

It was pitch black and cold outside, thick snowflakes were falling from the sky creating a white blanket that made the world appear muted. The only sound you could hear was the steady crunch of the snow under your feet. Fitting weather for how you were feeling if you were quite honest.

You unlocked the door to your home, wondering if you’d manage to get a minute of sleep tonight, already pondering on how you could make any of the Harbingers tell you the location of Childe’s last whereabouts. They would surely be alarmed as well if he wouldn’t be back by tomorrow morning, right?

Still lost in thought you switched the light on and hung your coat on the coat hanger by the door, carding through your hair with your fingers and exhaling in frustration because you couldn’t get over the reaction of the other Harbingers. How could they care so little? Or were you maybe being too paranoid?

“You’re home late, doc!”

Startled by the sudden voice you dropped the keys you were still holding and flipped around screaming. Your heart was heavily thumping in your chest and your eyes widened in shock until the realization started to seep in.

“Childe? Huh… what? How did you get in here?”

“I picked the lock on your back door.”

“What? Why would you do that?”

“You weren’t home.” He shrugged with a shit-eating grin on his face, leaning against the doorframe leading to your living room.

“That’s not an excuse to break into my house! I was waiting for your return at the headquarters.”

“You were waiting for me?” His grin grew even wider for the flash of a second before he suddenly let out a raspy cough and almost toppled over as his face contorted into a pained grimace.

“Childe?” You panicked and hurried over to him. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, doc. I’m fine.”

Upon closer inspection you could see that there were big beads of sweat forming on his forehead, making his auburn locks stick to his skin. He was paler than usual as well, his breathing seemed labored and –

Drip. Drip. Drip.

You looked below you and saw thick, red droplets of blood trickling down, staining the carpet crimson. Looking for the source you saw that Childe was holding his side with one hand and a not quite irrelevant amount of blood was oozing from in between his fingers.

“Lie down immediately!”

“I’m fine!”

“You’re literally bleeding!”

“I’ve been through worse.”

“Don’t be so pig headed, do what I say!”

You made him lie down on your sofa and grabbed some medical utensils and helped him remove his shirt to be able to get a look at the wound. It was worse than you had even imagined, the wound was deeper than you thought and was colored in a deep red crimson.

“Shit, this looks bad.” You cussed.

“You should see the other guy.” Childe chuckled and immediately hissed in pain.

“This is not funny, Ajax!” 

You had never called him by his real name before and he immediately noticed it as well, effectively shutting him up. He wondered what it had to mean; were you genuinely worried about him? Did you care for him or were you just acting because of the Hippocratic oath you'd sworn? 

He closely observed how your eyebrows furrowed as you were cleaning and stitching up his wound when it suddenly struck him, that you were the first person in a long time who he felt safe with and who he could turn to no matter what. Lying on your sofa listening to your concentrated breaths almost made him forget the pain that was shooting through his system.

“Alright, that should do it.” You said, tying a knot after the last stitch “This is going to leave a nasty scar.”

“Just another one to add to the collection.”

He didn’t miss how your eyebrows furrowed further after his statement but you didn’t comment on it. You stood up and grabbed some bandages from your cabinet before sitting down in front of him on your coffee table again.

“Sit up and lift your arms, I need to dress your wound.” You commanded, not missing how his trained pectorals moved when he did as you told him. Curse him for being so distracting by just… existing!

You fixated the bandage, looking up at his ocean-blue eyes, fearing you’d drown in them any second not missing that they looked unfamiliarly lively right now and there was a dust of pink to be seen on his cheeks.

“Sorry for bleeding on your sofa.” He almost whispered.

“Don’t worry about it, a sofa can be replaced but not… you.”

You barely had any chance to finish your sentence when he leaned forward and pressed his slightly parted lips onto yours, putting one of his hands on your waist and the other cupped your cheek, rubbing small circles on your skin with his thumb. You relished in the feeling of his soft lips being pressed onto yours as a thousand fireworks exploded in your mind and your heart felt like it was set on fire and close to combusting. 

You instinctively locked your hands behind his neck, gripping on a handful of his locks as if your life depended on it – as if it was the only anchor that kept your heart from sinking into the endless ocean of feelings that crashed over you like a tidal wave.

He moved in a little closer as your lips continued to move in perfect unison only letting out a small groan in pain, but he was not going to let his wound ruin this moment for him now. He’d dreamt of this moment for so long, his heart longed for you, his body craved your touch and his soul yearned to be with you.

“Please stop getting hurt.” You silently begged as your lips parted, looking deep into his cerulean eyes.

“What if I just get hurt to be able to see you again?”

“You don't need to get hurt to be able to see me. You never did.” You could see his lips form into a smirk before they were united with yours once more.

END RAMBLES

Let me know which one was your favorite. I always love interacting with you all! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ

Characters I have noted down for a third part so far are Xiao, Thoma and Zhongli (my love) btw.

I ramble way too much in the notes, don't I? Guess that's my brand at this point lol!

Tagging: @x-zho since you asked to be tagged ♥

Do not repost, copy, translate or edit - © dustofthedailylife

Maple dividers are mine - do not copy.

[requinoesis]

Here are the five winners of Huion's halloween art contest! I really wanted to thank Huion for this interesting opportunity, it would be the first art contest I organize in my life, I hope I did everything correctly.

It was very difficult to choose just 5 winners among the more than 70 participants with a lot of amazing art! Thank you so much to everyone who participated, I hope you had fun!✨

🏆✨The Winners✨

⭐First Place - Maru.nascimento

- I sure love the little dollhouse feeling this art evokes in me! I loved playing with stuff like that when I was a kid and I still love it so much today. I like how all the art conveys the idea of a party between friends on a cozy Halloween night, lit by maybe a television broadcasting some popular spooky movie! I also love everything about the colors!

⭐Second Place - Levi.animarts

- You created amazing characters in all fifteen of this year's Sharktober themes and brought them ALL to Requino's little house! This is for sure the best Halloween shark party little Requino could have! I love your art style and hope to one day be in the art direction of an amazing indie game!

⭐Third Place - Akaizerarts

- You came alone to brighten up Requino's party, but you were apparently the only one who opened the door to his house, that's very polite! This detail caught my attention and I loved the diving suit! You were very creative!

⭐Fourth Place - Snakeheadfrita

- This is so adorable! I was really looking forward to having a participant do something handmade and you impressed me with the amazing details and colors of your needlefelt creation! And I recognize how much work needlefelting can be, you are very talented!

⭐Fifth Place - @its-a-beautful-day

- This was the first craft work that appeared to me and I consider it very special, I really love the rustic feeling it conveys, like a halloween decoration made with a lot of passion and dedication, you have an incredible talent with your hands! I fell in love with the chubby clown fish!

I thought of making honorable mentions for another five works that caught my attention!

❤️First Mention - Chrysapixie

- Blue, purple and pink are colors that I have a deep passion for, so your artwork sure fascinated me, you have a great talent with colors! I also loved the design of your OC!

❤️Second Mention - Pipkinbee

- You were the only one who used 3D art and you did it with great talent! I was inspired by your render and was admiring the details for hours! You reproduced Requino's little house with great mastery!

❤️Third Mention - Sev.the.cat

- I love the pop art feeling your artwork conveys to me! Its colors are very beautiful and its design is very elegant! Your art conjured up the idea of a beautiful party invitation card!

❤️Fourth Mention - Ruri_chiki

- I can't explain it, but I fell in love with your OC's friendly interaction with Requino! So simple and so kind! Your art has given me so much joy!

❤️Fifth Mention - @idessa

- This art was someone from Tumblr known as @Idessa, I love the children's book art feeling their art evokes and I love the little sea slug design!

One additional mention I wanted to make, especially on tumblr, is from the amazing music video by @ravenmoodle​ ❤️🎶 https://youtu.be/141BktDFkmE That's it, I really was full of doubts about which ones I would choose, but it all came from my heart, I hope you all had fun and that the tablets benefit your artistic talents!🎨✨

Thanks a lot for all!✨

[iwaijimes]

hq boys when their kids are possessive of their mom pt.2

feat! oikawa tooru, akaashi keiji and matsukawa issei x f!reader

cw: the boys have big families except Keiji (2), oikawa (4), issei (4), mentions of pregnancy on keiji’s part, this has been on my drafts for so long im so sorry TT — not proofread

OIKAWA if someone told oikawa and you that in a few years after marrying you would have almost the same number of kids as in a volleyball court you could have laughed so much to the point of crying. Nowadays, it’s not that funny, because just like that you ended up having four kids, more specifically one pair of twins and two boys who are a few years younger. it could have been alright if it wasn’t because all of the boys are the carbon copy of his father and also crybabies. and how to forget the clingy part, your kids loved their dad but when it came to you they would fight for your attention in the most dramatic ways.

like any Monday, you arrived from work, the house was completely on silence, no sign of your kids, you looked at the clock and there was still half an hour before they came back. placing your shoes at the entrance you felt a pair of arms around your waist, a faint smell of lavanda coming from your husband’s hair.

“don’t you have practice today?” you asked while hugging him back, an offended gasp came from his lips.

“(y/n)-chan you could have at least said that you were glad to see me instead of asking that” he said with a pout in his lips. You both stayed hugging each other like that until you heard the front door open followed by a mixture of gasp, screams and crying. 

“PAPA STOP” shiro, the youngest one screamed “YOU C-CAN’T TOUCH MAMA” he said while crying and hugging your leg. Following Shiro’s example the oldest ones Shin and Ryu placed themselves between the two of you while toruu was left aside dumbfounded, before you could react you felt a tugging in you shirt and saw your third son Ruki looking at you with puppy eyes, even though he was the quiet one, he knew how to play his cards when it came to you. 

meanwhile the boys were hugging you like there was no tomorrow oikawa was  sulking and trying to fit into the hug, and even started whining on how not even his kids would let him hug his beautiful wife and also their mother.

AKAASHI the day that Hana, your first daughter was born he felt the like the happiest man in the world, no one could compare the joy he felt when she was born, this same thing happened with your second and last daughter Miko. the two girls were, apart from you, his pride and joy. the girls were his carbon copy, the same blue eyes and his black hair and also his love and admiration for your persona. keiji, loved his girls, and the girls loved you so much, everything you did and you said they would follow it. Hana turned five while Miko just turned three not a while ago, and with that age it came the so called “possessive stage”, which consisted basically to cling into you at every opportunity they had and of course the poor keiji was totally forbidden to be near you on their presence. 

it a was sunday afternoon in which you and keiji were on the sofa watching a movie while the girls were taking their after-lunch nap. since it was rare that the two of you would be left alone like this, keiji took advantage of it and wrapped his arms around your waist while snuggling in the crook of your neck, you. on the other hand started to caress his face and kissing the crown of his head. everything was fine until you felt something making its way between you and your husband and also a pair of little arms hugging your neck. 

“it’s unfair that while Hana and I are sleeping papa breaks his promise” you heard a little groan coming from keiji’s lips, he makes some space for the girls which in some way he ends up at the edge of the sofa too close from falling to the carpet. “we maid dada promise that he wouldn’t touch you unless its an emergency, for example if a monster comes and wants to take mama away” Hana explained to you, looking at keiji you saw that even if his daughters were basically taking you away from him he would still have the same soft look in his eyes. he would do anything just to see them smile. 

“well then, but the two of you should start to share because in a few month you will have another little brother or little sister too” you said, it was a sight to see how not only your husbands eyes but you daughters’ too looked at you shocked, and without thinking it twice the three of them jumped in your arms giggling and smiling at the sudden but happy news. 

MATSUKAWA never once in his life issei thought that he would have a big family, sometimes he even felt bad for you because you went through too much pain while giving birth to the four children, that’s when he decided that when the youngest one Riko was born you two would stop having children. So at the end you family was composed by you, your oldest daughter Sumire who was eight, your second son Haru who was seven, your third son Kenji who was five and lastly Riko who turned three a few days ago. 

Issei loved his kids with his whole heart, there wasn’t a time in which he couldn’t think about them or you, since the two of you worked he decided that it would be a good idea to plan the day so in that way the two of you wouldn’t feel too burned out, because at the end, taking care of four kids is not an easy task. So the times in which the two of you would be finally alone were pretty much welcomed, and issei loves his kids, but it was thanks to you that all of this was possible, and he didn’t hesitate to show it to you, well or at least he tried. 

pulling you close to his chest he started trailing kissed from your forehead till he almost reached your lips, you were giggling until you heard a bunch of steps approaching to you. and unfortunately to issei your kids jumped to your frame making their father to change his sit to the armchair. 

“dad don’t be mad is our turn to be with mama” Haru said while watching his father with a huge smirk “and also you have been many years with mama before we even were born so don’t put that face” followed your older daughter sumire who was laughing at his father face meanwhile the two younger ones were nodding at their sisters’ words. 

you laughed at how much the four of them resembled their dad so much, and even if some of them looked more like you they always ended up inheriting issei’s attitude, which sometimes played against him. but for issei, even if his kids sometimes clowned him he cherished all the moments he had with them and sometimes even felt sad that one day they would be old enough to not need him anymore, but even so, he would love them anyways. 

[writingintheshadowsforever]

Imagine being a young Avenger in training who's best friends with Shuri and challenging Okoye to a fight

It all started during a training session between Shuri and Okoye that you just happened to witness. As you were walking by the private training room looking for something to do. Shuri let a pained groan as Okoye flipped her over her shoulder and onto her back for the third time. The bad thing about it they had only started training twenty minutes ago.

"Okay take five I'm tapping out" Shuri said staying limp on the mat.

Okoye let out a chuckle shaking her head. "Fine but I'm adding thirty minutes to the session."

"That's it I'm switching training partners from this day forward Ayo is my trainer." Shuri replied only half-joking.

"Trust me she's not going to go any easier on you" The General warned her.

Shuri was really starting to regret asking Okoye to give her combat lessons. After returning from her trip to Haiti it was back to business, and even though she wanted nothing more than to get back in the lab. Shuri knew if she was going to continue to carry the Black Panther mantle than she need to improve her combat skills. You were in Wakanda to offer your friend some moral support and everything. Not to mention right now there wasn't much for you to do saving the world wise. Shuri and you had a few practice fights and even though she was able to land a few solid blows. You absolutely demolished her on the mat, and that's when she decided it was time to go to the best fighter she knew in Wakanda.

"I don't get it I was able to land a few blows on y/n yet I can't single one on you" Shuri complained.

"Y/N is still in training herself Shuri" Okoye commented.

That's was when you made your presence known appearing out of nowhere as you teleported into the room. "Hey I think I'm pretty solid fighter."

"Of course you do when was the last time you had a real opponent?" Okoye asked.

You opened your mouth ready to rattle off all of the bad guys you had taken down. In the past year as an Avenger in training who had been sent on numerous missions. But the General held up hand "I don't mean a bunch of low-level thugs with guns. Shuri could clear a room of guys like that herself without the strength of the Black Panther."

Crap you didn't have an answer for her then considering every single one of mission usually involved. The bad guys she just described just a bunch goons with guns and other weapons. Of course they were a walk in the park for someone like you especially with your power set. You had the ability to tap into the mystical martial arts which you liked to call ninja magic. The name made even more sense considering you trained at a real ninja academy, but left before your training was complete. But still you considered yourself to be a badass and ready to take on whoever.

That arrogance led to you making one of the biggest mistake of your life, and you didn't even realize it. "I bet I can take you in a fight without my powers" You challenged.

Okoye turned to you with her eyebrows raised, and a teasing smile. "Oh really."

"Yeah I mean you're pretty good but I'm like a real ninja." You said digging the hold even deeper.

Shuri shoot up into a sitting position the second you issued the challenge. Her eyes flickering back and forth between the two of you to see if this was really going to happen.

"So you really think you're that good" Okoye said trying to give you the opportunity to back out.

But of course you were way too cocky to see it in the moment. "I know I'm that good. Give me thirty seconds and I'll have you pinned." You declared with a little shrug of your shoulders.

Shuri burst into laughter and got up to give both of you the mat. She always knew you had it in you to be a bit overconfident, but she didn't think you were this clueless. And while part of her felt bad about the schooling you were about to get. Deep down she knew you kind of had it coming, and needed to be humbled just a bit. Not to mention she was just happy to see someone else get their butt handed to them by Okoye besides her.

"Fine then on the mat child let's see what you got" Okoye ordered you with a playful smile.

You kicked off your shoes next to Shuri's and shrugged out of your jacket. Then took your place on the mat standing across from the General, you rolled your shoulders, and got into your fighting stance. Your demeanor was a little bit too relaxed considering who you were getting ready to spar. Okoye wasn't offended she knew your type had seen way too many times in her years of training Dora Milaje recruits. Every now a new girl would come in with some fighting skills they had learned from a parent who was also a warrior, and they would assume they were untouchable and better than the others. She put them in their place real quick.

"You got this y/n" Shuri shouted from the sidelines with a delighted look.

You glanced at her quickly seeing she was holding up her wrist. "Are you recording this?"

"Its for research purposes" she told you with a wave of her hand.

You shrugged and refocused your attention on Okoye who didn't look intimidated at all. "You can start whenever you want I'll give you the first move."

You launched towards her arm drawn back aiming for her midsection with a palm strike. Okoye dodged the attack effortlessly and took a hold of your arm and next thing you knew. Your body was flipped over and you laying on your back on the mat. Whatever move she pulled it happened so fast you didn't even see it coming. But you wasted no time in jumping back to your feet and going for her again. You threw a series of palm strikes at her. None of them landed as she moved her body out of the way. It didn't even look like she was trying you dropped to go for a leg sweep. Okoye sidestepped your leg and threw a light kick to your chest knocking you back to the mat once again.

"Would you like to call it?" she asked hovering over you.

"No back at the academy we go to three points." You told accepting her hand to help you to your foot.

"Well for your sake I hope that's not all you got" she said.

You frowned and immediately went back on the offensive swinging your body around, and bringing your leg up. In what would've been a nice roundhouse kick, but Okoye ducked under your leg, went into a crouch, and kicked your other leg out from under you. Just like that you went back down, and this time before you could get back up. Okoye was on you rolling you over onto your stomach and securing your arms behind your back.

"I believe that's my third point and you didn't land one" Okoye whispered into your ear. You squirmed in her grip trying to break free. "Shuri what was the time?"

"30 seconds" Shuri exclaimed before breaking down into laughter.

"Funny I thought you were going to have me pinned in that time frame." Okoye quipped releasing her hold on you and standing back up.

You rolled over into a sitting position. "You only won because I held back."

Okoye tilted her head to the side with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Careful child I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh I don't get hurt easily" You pushed.

"Um y/n you might just want to throw in the towel" Shuri suggested becoming a little concerned now.

Okoye held up a hand. "No one more round this time she gets to use her powers, and I get the spear."

You grinned just like that the arrogance was back as you got back to your feet. "Sounds like a deal to me."

Shuri shook her head now feeling bad for you.

You waited for Okoye to retrieve her spear from where it was leaning up against the wall. Once she was back on the mat the fight kicked off with a nod. You went low teleporting half-way through and reappearing right in front of her. Your palm strike actually landed hitting her in the lower thigh. It barely fazed Okoye as she took a couple of steps back. You disappeared again this time coming from her right side. She turned her body around and leaned back making you miss. She brought her foot up kicking you in the stomach you groaned doubling over. Then the next thing she knew there was now three of you instead of one. You summoned three clones of yourself and a wooden staff materialized in each of y'all's hands. Okoye smirked and motioned for you to go for it with her hand.

You spun the staff in your hand and sent in your clones first. They attacked her from both sides, but somehow she was able to hand the onslaught without breaking a sweat. Spinning her spear around this way and that way blocking all of their attacks. Eventually one of your clones disappearing in a cloud of smoke after getting struck with the blunt end of the spear. The other clone followed with a harsh kick to the face. You rushed forward bringing your staff up and it clashed with her spear. A good chunk broke off on impact Okoye whirled around turning her weapon around in her hands, so the sharp end went right through the other half of your staff. Before you could even thinking of creating another. Okoye dropped to one knee and swung her spear at your feet knocking you onto the mat for the fourth time.

You were sweating at this point and red in the face. Half from embarrassment and the other half from tiredness.

Okoye jammed the sharp end of the spear into the mat so it would stay. She walked over and crouched down beside you with a knowing look on your face. "Do you want to keep going?"

You went to get up but let out a groan hand coming to hold your stomach. Your eyes met her's and you looked away ashamed. "I give" you said. Okoye nodded and went behind you placing her hands under your arms to bring you back to your feet.

Shuri walked over to you with trying to contain her smile. "Hey look on the bright side you landed one more hit on her than I did."

You groaned and left the training room.

"I wouldn't gloat too much your session isn't exactly over" Okoye reminded her. The Princess pouted and opened her mouth, but the General shook her head. "No you don't get another five minutes let's go."

A couple of hours later after soaking her sore body and changing into something more comfortable. Shuri set out to find you and knew exactly where to look. You were in her room lounging around on the windowsill staring out into the fields. One of your legs dangling over the ledge and your other pulled up into your chest with one of your arms resting on your knee.

"Hey master of ninja arts are you going to come down or what? She called out.

You barely glanced down at her before returning to your brooding.

"Come on y/n come down you can't stay up there and mope all night you know" Shuri tried again. You grumbled something under your breath but teleported to the floor. "Are you here to rub it in my face?"

"Um no this is my room and I don't think you need me to do that." Shuri said holding up her wrist. A hologram popped up it was video replay of your match with Okoye. "Oh here comes my favorite part."

You shoved at her shoulder before collapsing back onto her bed throwing an arm over your eyes. "There's no way you're going to delete that footage is there."

"Not. A. Chance." She stated taking a seat beside you.

"Why didn't you warn me?" You asked with a whine.

"I tried to but its not like you were going to listen anyway. You have a bad tendency of being a little too arrogant for your own good."

"I am not" You denied.

"Groi can you pull up a replay of the y/n's match with Okoye and play it on my ceiling please."

"Shuri no" You protested placing your hands over your eyes. The Princess dug her fingers into your side ready to catch your hands in hers. When you brought them down to guard your side with a bunch of giggles.

"You literally got your ass kicked multiple times because you couldn't admit defeat. Okoye is five times the warrior you are, and even when she proved it. You still didn't know how to back down if that's not cocky then I don't know what is."

You watched the replay and had to admit that your friend was right. You got a big head like you always did, and was put in your place. What made you feel even worse was you didn't give Okoye the proper respect for winning against you. Even when the fight was unfair at the addition of your powers.

"You know if you can suck up your pride and ask her. She's probably willing to train you too" Shuri whispered in your ear.

You gave her a nod.

The next morning when Okoye went out into the fields for her morning exercise routine with Ayo by her side. She found you perched on top of the ramp in a crouch dressed in all black. You threw a quick glance over your shoulder at the sound of footsteps when you saw the two Dora Milaje.

You hopped down and wandered over stopping in front of Okoye. "I underestimated you and that was wrong. I'm sorry about that whole thing yesterday if you're willing to train me. I would be happy to better myself as a fighter by being your student."

"You know I'm not going to go easy on you, and there will be no relying on your powers." Okoye told you.

You gave her a quick nod.

Okoye smiled glad you were able to come to your senses, and was slightly surprised to see you ask for training. "Training starts now then."

[lavendertales]

Love is the devil—Javier Peña x f!reader

Chapter 15 of the Unholy series

summary: at Steve’s birthday party (and the celebration following Escobar’s demise), things get a little emotional for you and Javier—as well as tense.

word count: 5.3k

WARNINGS: brief mentions of PTSD; alcohol, soft & gentle Javi, allusions to masturbation & sex.

AGELESS/EMPTY BLOGS & MINORS WILL BE BLOCKED!

gif: @joel-millerr​  

series masterlist | AO3 

The blood spills all over your clothes, hands and feet, and fear courses through your veins. It freezes your body altogether, immobilizing your limbs as you watch the scene unfold for the millionth time. No matter what you do, you cannot stop the catastrophe from happening. You cannot stop the bloodshed, the pain, the horrific aftermath.

Even after you wake up, the sentiment remains deeply imbedded in your brain and bones alike, shaking you up completely.

You basically chug your coffee, in a lame attempt to rid yourself of the phantom sensation of Carrillo’s blood over you, but it doesn’t do much for you. It does warm up your extremities, though, so you take every little win you can.

The past three days have been buzzing with celebrations all over Colombia, as well as all over the world. The news that Pablo Escobar’s reign has come to an end took over the world, and you were undoubtedly eased as well. You heard about Trujillo and Steve’s heroic moment, how the two of them caught and executed Escobar on the spot, and you couldn’t have been prouder. Part of you does wonder how come Javier missed the once in a lifetime opportunity to be perceived as the third hero in this story, but you needn’t ask yourself too much why.

That time, you lost yourself. Although you would never have done it, your emotions ultimately prevailed, and you now sincerely regret it.

The raw truth is that your father was never there. You only saw him three or four times a year, and each time he gave you a quick hug before heading out again, leaving you in a state of confusion. You were alone when you were born, and you remain so today.

And it wasn’t fair to yourself, after all, to distort the image of a paternal figure to the point of pushing away the most influential and constant presence in your life. In the end, Javier was the one perpetual element you could always count on no matter what.

So when you return to the office, one sunny morning, you’re greeted by all your colleagues, equally enthused—perhaps for several reasons, not just your appearance.

“Are you back? Please tell me you’re back,” Sofia nearly begs, holding your hands into hers.

“I’ll be back on Monday. Although I’m not sure for what, now that Escobar is gone.”

“Well, the Cali cartel is gaining terrain and power, so that’s a whole other thing now. And—“

Sofia pauses, catching your attention. “What?” you ask.

“Oh. They—didn’t tell you.”

“Who’s ‘they’? And tell me what?”

“Okay. Uh… Javi was assigned as the lead for the Cali operation, and… he recommended Steve, me and you for the mission.”

The news surprises you in a way you wouldn’t have expected it, and you make no attempt at concealing that.

“He wanted Trujillo too, but he actually resigned yesterday, so,” Sofia goes on.

“Huh. So… the four of us are going to Cali?”

“We’re going to Cali.”

She hugs you briefly, missing out on the confused expression on your face as you scan the room. In this moment, as your anger has finally vanished completely, you seek Javier. Your eyes seek him out relentlessly, yet he seems nowhere to be found.

The next person to greet you is Steve. He also draws you closer for a hug that you happily reciprocate.

“How have you been?” he asks immediately.

“Better,” you say, and you believe yourself, finally feeling your words to be true. “Really better.”

“I’m glad to hear it. It’s been a rough couple of months for you, huh?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Listen, since I got you here… Connie and I were talking and we wanna do a little celebration at our place tonight. She may have insisted because of my birthday too, but… yeah, you know how it is. Happy wife, happy life.”

“It’s your birthday?”

“Yeah, it’s this weekend.”

You hug him again, truly happy to feel like you have made at least a couple of friends throughout your time in Colombia. “I’ll be there,” you tell him with a smile on your face.

“I should probably warn you, Javi’s coming, too.”

You hold your breath, and it’s probably visible on your face, but it is way past playing pretend with Steve.

“That’s okay,” you concede. “I figured he would.”

“You sure it’s okay?”

“Yes. Worst comes to worst, I’ll sit in a corner with Sofia and Connie.”

“You’re still not on speaking terms, I take it.”

“About that, uh… is he around? I haven’t seen him.”

Steve’s eyebrows lift in surprise as he looks around. “He was here like two hours ago. But then again, he stayed throughout the night, so he might’ve left to sleep.”

Your brows crease in confusion, yet you do not ask for more. You can only speculate the reason behind Javier’s habit of pulling all-nighters again. Was he avoiding you? Probably not on purpose, but it certainly did create quite a beneficial side effect.

You decide not to overthink anything. For now, you try to take one thing at a time.

“There’ll be alcohol, by the way,” Steve informs you like he had just read your mind.

Your face lightens up and you even sport a dashing smile across your face. “Perfect,” you joke.

But not really.

Because you will need booze if you have to spend the entire celebration evening with your coworkers and Javier lurking about.

The thing about your family is… you’ve never really had one.

Your grandmother, may she rest in peace, was the one who took care of you, cooked for you, helped you with homework and everything else in between. She was both a mother and a father to you, so when she passed away, you were heartbroken, to say the least. That’s when you decided to do something useful with your life, to fight like she fought for you. So you began your training and later joined the DEA office in New York.

You didn’t know your mother. She left you and your father when you were born, and you never heard from her again. You tried to track her down over the years though, and eventually managed to get some information about her, but you never spoke to her. She felt too far out of reach, too much of a stranger to begin having a relationship now. When you heard she passed away, it wasn’t that traumatic, though it carried no shortness of pain and guilt. At least for a little while.

And your father… well. Now that you have the full picture, you see your childhood in the clearest picture possible. He tried, when you were still a toddler, to be there and do everything, but he always struggled with money. Your grandmother managed to put food on the table thanks to her rather generous pension, but your father could not stand the idea of being the man of the house and having his own mother still provide for him and his child. So he went traveling for a few weeks, only to return a completely changed man. He was in a better mood, seemed healthier and happier, and proudly announced that he found a job as a traveling salesman. You remember the moment he had cupped your cheeks and told you, with happy tears in his eyes, that neither of you will have to struggle again. He told you that you will have everything you need, and that he will take care of it.

From thereon after, you only saw him three, four times a year, maybe five if you were lucky.

So you were never close with him either. The only family you ever know, your grandmother, passed away peacefully after you graduated from college. The timing had been perfect, come to think of it: you had been trying to figure out what to do afterwards, and when you bid your goodbye to her, it hit you. You knew what you had to do.

You’ve thought about your life from every possible angle for the past few weeks, every single day, without fail. The anger you once felt has evaporated, much like a boulder has been lifted from your shoulders, no longer forcing you to carry such a heavy burden. There was only understanding and regret to be felt.

And a certain type of yearning that almost felt debilitating in its complexity.

You both dreaded and longed to see Javier tonight. More so because you wanted to make things right, express your understanding of his choice, and, most importantly, let him know that you would’ve followed the same course of action.

It wasn’t even about duty per se. It was about doing the right thing. And Javier did the right thing.

So you take a deep breath now as you finish applying your makeup and give your outfit one last look in the mirror in an effort to calm your worries and clear your mind. There is no denying your nervousness.

You start to create a mental picture of Javier, trying to recall every detail of him because it feels like eternity has passed since you last saw him. You can still picture his full lips, moustache, and light stubble, which tickle just right when he is tucked in between your legs. You can also picture his brown, gentle eyes that get dark with lust, his brown hair that is so lovely to pull, and his aquiline nose.

And your craving feels insatiable at this very moment.

It is no simple carnal desire. It stretches far beyond that; it’s a desire to hold close, to have and appreciate the one constant you’ve had throughout your life. You want him to understand everything about you lately, and you want to apologize, to be held in his arms again.

You wonder what he’ll wear tonight. Those tightly fit jeans that make your eyes follow his silhouette around? Paired with his trademark leather jacket, perhaps? Chances are yes, but regardless of what he’ll be wearing, you’ll be eyeing him up and down still. Waiting, wondering, craving.

You carefully place the bottle of wine in the gift bag, grab your purse and hit the road, taking a cab. You reason that since there will be drinking during the party, you will undoubtedly require a ride home.

There’s more people on the street like never before, and you know well the reason why. You’ve never seen people in town be happier. All they’ve done was be subjugated and barely allowed to mourn their loved ones, and naturally, now that Escobar’s reign of terror was over, people felt a little more confident walking on the streets after dark. There was a new threat, namely the Cali cartel that was rapidly rising to power, but for now, the people could be allowed to celebrate.

“Aquí estamos, señora.”

You struggle to ignore the fact that the driver addressed you as “ma’am” as you pay the driver and proceed to Connie and Steve’s apartment. You recall your encounter with Javier the last time you were there, as well as the unexpectedly pleasurable events that ensued.

When you knock on the door, you hear the music booming from beyond it, and the indistinct chit-chatter of those already present. You’ve made it an hour and a half later than the agreed upon hour, but it seems you arrived right on time. When Steve opens and welcomes you in, you already see Connie and Sofia giggling next to the couch, their cheeks crimson-flushed; Trujillo is there as well, immersed into a conversation with one of the FBI guys, Hugo, and finally—

“Hi,” Javier greets you, barely able to hold your glare.

“Hi,” you reply.

Unbeknownst to you, Connie makes a shocked face somewhere in the back, immediately joining Steve.

“Whoa!” he exclaims, examining the bottle of wine you brought. “This is an expensive brand.”

“Well, I got the money for it.”

“Did you rob a bank or—?”

You chuckle. “We have the same job.”

“Yeah, but nobody joins the DEA for the financial benefits.”

“I don’t really go out or buy things, so I thought you should have something nice.”

“Very much appreciated.”

He gives you another hug before expressing pain as Connie snatches his arm and turns him in her direction.

“Are you insane?!” she whispers maddened.

You have enough decency to pretend like you don’t hear them, even though you already know the reason for all the hush-hush business.

“Ow!” Steve whispers back. “What?”

“You invited both of them tonight?! There’s gonna be a bloodbath in here!”

“I told her Javi��s gonna be here, she said it’s fine. They’re grownups, they can handle it.”

“Yeah, but—“

“I double checked with her, it’s fine!”

“Uh, excuse me,” you smile at them, “not to burst your little bubble, you’re doing great at hiding in it, but I’m fine. We’re here to celebrate Steve’s birthday and the fact that he and Trujillo ended Escobar, so that’s what we will do.”

Connie squeezes your hand, smiling at you just as Sofia joins your side and clings to your arm.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Connie offers.

When you make eye contact with Javier, on complete mishap, you quiver.

“Please,” you tell her, and both the girls giggle.

That’s exactly what you do: you hold your wine in one hand while, ostensibly, holding Sofia close to you in the other. Her flushed cheeks and the warmth that emanates from her and onto you are both indicators that she is already tipsy.

“Are you okay?” you ask her, somewhat amused.

“We finally get to relax a bit,” she exhales. “I am ready to kick back, drink and have fun.”

You suddenly recall the last time you went out with Sofia and she said the same expression, more or less, and you stifle your giggle.

“Just mind which palate cleanser you pick tonight,” you seemingly warn. “There’s four guys here tonight, and one of them is spoken for.”

Connie raises her brows, exchanging a surprised look with Sofia. They both stare at your afterwards. “What about Javi?” Sofia asks.

“What about him?”

“Oh, please! You’ve been here for two minutes and he cannot stop staring at you!” Connie practically laughs. “And you’re sneaking glances at him, too! Would you just quit this nonsense and talk it out? I know it’s been rough between you two, but I think—“

“Speaking of which, whatever happened with you and Javi? I never found out,” Sofia says with an adorable pout grazing her lips. “It’s unfair.”

You hesitate for a brief moment, unsure if you should go around spreading such a personal affair to people, but you’ve grown close to Sofia. You know you can trust her. Besides, what does it matter now? The deed is consumed.

And the worst is over.

“As it turns out, my dad was working for Escobar and, during one of the earlier missions, three years ago, Javier killed him. He was following Carrillo’s orders, and my dad was… ruthless. He had no choice. And he did the right thing.”

Sofia nods along your story, taking the occasional sip from her wine, while Connie reaches around your shoulders to hug you.

“That’s—a lot,” Sofia concludes. “I’m so sorry to hear that, I—“

“It’s fine. Really. I was never close with either him or my mom, so. No harm, no foul. Definitely no real loss.”

Both of them hug you, and Javier catches the scene unfold from across the room. The moment tugs at his heart, making him feel like someone’s dragging it through gravel.  He respects your personal space and he does his absolute best to keep his distance from you, and that is no easy task.

You’re… fuck. You’re as gorgeous as ever. The makeup, the way those jeans embrace your legs and your ass, the way you’re stealing the occasional glance down his way… fuck, fuck, fuck. He’s on the verge of a breakdown, and the fact that you are essentially forbidden fruit makes it all the more enticing.

But he meant it. He won’t go near you, not unless you want him to.

By the looks of it, you might never want to. You’re mentally throwing daggers at him just with your eyes. Who knows what will happen if you’ll truly be in his vicinity?

“So you’re really okay being here tonight?” Sofia checks with you.

“I’m fine. And even if I weren’t, thank goodness for alcohol.”

“Yeah, that’s what you need right now, alcohol.”

You frown at the sarcastic remark. “What do you mean?”

“Tension is thick as hell. Simmer down with the alcohol, babe.”

You turn to Connie instead, but you find her nodding along.

“There’s no tension, I said I’m fine.”

“I don’t think that’s the kind of tension she meant,” Connie clarifies.

You take a deep breath, the air nearly choking you instead. You reckon they are both right. You feel it in the depths your bones; each time you catch a glimpse of Javier on the other side of the room, it stirs something inside of you that is absolutely unhinged and needy.

However, tonight is not the time to share with Javier all of your most personal, inner thoughts and feelings. Tonight is about Steve and his significant professional achievement, which you will celebrate with your coworkers and friends. Rest is not urgent.

You move around, talking to everyone; Steve, Sofia, Connie, Trujillo, even Hugo and one of Connie’s friends from work, Maria. Two hours, four glasses of wine, two of whiskey and two shots of tequila later, you are drunk enough to let your intrusive thoughts win.

You were right. Keeping your eyes off Javier was impossible, even more so when he’s wearing exactly what you had predicted, and seemingly got a haircut, too. Fuck. You had to remember, with each step you take, that you are not in the right state of mind for a confrontation, or even a sincere conversation. All you want right now is to be alone with him, but this is not the time or place for it.

You have to keep it together.

You finish laughing at one of Trujillo’s jokes and head to the kitchen to get yourself a glass of water. You need some clearance of mind. You’re already drunker than you would’ve thought.

A gasp escapes past your lips when you bump into Javier’s chest, some water spilling on the floor. You stare wide-eyed at him, holding your breath. He seems to be doing the same, and it’s baffling you.

“Hi,” he says.

“Hi.”

“Here.”

He hands you a tissue to clean the dribbling water on your jaw, but when you fail to take it, he dabs it gently on your skin, eyes focused on the task at hand and thus failing to notice your own, searching his in return.

“Thank you,” you murmur.

“I should—go.”

You catch his wrist, and you manage to see the bewildered expression on his face. He clearly hadn’t expected it, but he’s not pulling away. He doesn’t ask you anything. He simply watches you, utterly enthralled and disarmed, curious as to what your next move is.

You don’t say anything either. You stare at each other for what feels like the longest time, the only thing you are capable of hearing are his irregular breaths, as well as your own. The music’s vibration reverberates through you still, the alcohol swimming carelessly through your veins as your inhibitions drop drastically. Each glance you steal at Javier makes your stomach churn even more, and you could not possibly hate yourself more for craving him more than you do right at this very moment.

He looks so damn fine it’s nearly painful. Especially with that worried look on his face, those big, brown eyes gone soft at the simple sight of you, it’s—it’s too much. It’s the most relaxed you’ve felt in weeks, but ironically, the most tense you’ve felt in who knows how long.

You need some relief. Badly.

Tonight, of all nights, you know that falling apart on your own hand won’t be enough. Your fingers desperately trying to recreate Javier’s grip and subsequent touch has proven to not be enough in the past, and certainly not the same. While you’ve barely addressed him since you got here nearly four hours ago and he hasn’t either, the tension has grown to be painfully thick.

With the right stimulus, Javier could be easily persuaded. You just have to push the right button.

You take his hand into his, and Javier holds his breath, unable to think anymore. That simple gesture makes him crumble on the spot. What’s more worrisome is the fact that he would follow you blindly anywhere, and he’s known this ever since college.

It takes him a while to realize you’re both in what’s probably the guest bedroom in Connie and Steve’s apartment. You shut the door behind you, giving him a glare that’s longing, and borderline aching. Javier licks his lower lip, still curious as to what your next move is, even though he can clearly see that you’ve been drinking.

Before he gets in a word edgewise, you blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind.

“I’m sorry.”

Javier looks bewildered at you, waiting for something more. He’s painfully aware of the fact that you’re still holding his hand and it doesn’t make things any easier.

“For what?” he asks, truly confused.

“Last time we spoke, I—I said something I shouldn’t have. I hurt you, I didn’t—“

You finally feel how drunk you truly are, and that’s probably why you’re so emotional right now, tears stinging your eyes, but you don’t care. This is long overdue, and you both need this. You both deserve it.

“I didn’t wanna hurt you,” you say. “I mean I did, but… I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t. Don’t be. I deserved it.”

“No. I wasn’t gonna do this now, or here… but I can’t… I can’t not do it. I can’t stay away from you. I lashed out, I overreacted, I know, I—“

Javier lets go of your hand only to grab your shoulders, so gently you could cry on the spot. “You reacted the way anyone would.”

You frantically shake your head as you look at him with the same desperation in your eyes and hunger for understanding and forgiveness for all of your transgressions.

“No, you don’t get it,” you try not to slur your words. “I didn’t even know him. It was some… sick, twisted illusion, but… he wasn’t there. Neither was my mom. They were never there. The only constant that I’ve ever known was my grandma… and you.”

He coos your name, in the same soft manner, and it doesn’t help you one bit. If anything, it incites you even further, creating a more chaotic concoction of chemicals and emotions inside of you.

“You’re the only one who got me,” you go on. “Ever. You’re the only who—you’re the only thing I want. The only one. And I cannot, for the life of me, stay away from you. It’s—worrying. Worrisome? Worry?”

Javier grins a little, unable to hide his admiration for how cute you look after a few drinks.

“We do have a tendency to revolve around each other,” he seemingly agrees.

“Well obviously! I mean… just look at me!”

The look in his eyes is something along the lines of I am unable to look away from you, but you are too drunk to pick up on that.

“I obviously got both mommy and daddy issues, and the other issue is that I am hopelessly and annoyingly in love with you!”

With the music still blasting in the background, Javier could’ve easily blamed that for mishearing you. His heart is fluttering in his chest, threatening to burst out at any given moment.

He coos your name again, a sudden craving emerging in his voice’s undertone, and that you pick up on.

“Javier,” you coo in return. “I do, you know? I do love you.”

“Don’t—don’t do this to me.”

“What?”

You notice he’s keeping his eyes closed, attempting to hide whatever inner battle is going on inside of him, yet you only approach him further, if even possible. You need to have him as close as possible after all of that time apart.

“Don’t do this to me now, here,” he repeats. “I can’t—don’t tempt me.”

Javier’s so close now you can count of all his eyelashes, his warm breath tickling your face—and your senses alike.

“I want you,” you say, and it’s consuming you just to say the words. “Please? Please.”

The more he says your name, the more he calls out to you, making it impossible for you to resist. It’s temptation at its finest, wrapped in the most alluring package you have ever laid your eyes upon.

Which is why you don’t think twice when your hand traces on his chest, tantalizingly slow for someone who’s not so coordinated right now, and reaches at the back of his head to pull him in, just as your lips meet with his. It feels like it’s been far too long since you’ve had a proper taste of him, and you crumble right then and there. You fall apart in his mouth as the kiss deepens, with Javier’s body pressed against the door. Both your brains are scrambled with desire, fogged up and unable to think straight.

Heat runs through your body, blood boiling in your veins when Javier’s hands grab your hips and pull you in closer, gluing your body to his. Your arms are both around his neck, your mouth slowly devouring his, and vice versa. You decide to get a bit bolder as you separate to draw in more air into your lungs, and start unbuttoning his shirt. Your vision’s blurry but your fingers know your way around his body better than anything. You’re surprised when his fingers catch yours and put a stop to your torture.

“We shouldn’t,” he tells you, although there is a huge knot in his throat that nearly makes him choke.

“Javier, please. I miss you, I miss… feeling you.”

God, he cannot resist you. He simply can’t. There is nothing he wouldn’t do for you, but the moment isn’t what he’d prefer for your reunion.

He takes your hands into his, holding them close to his chest, now teasingly exposed to you, and looks at you like he’s having the toughest battle inside of his head.

“Don’t take this to mean I don’t want to,” he tells you, and he genuinely sounds like he’s falling apart. “Believe me, I—I do. I’d slide inside you and make you cum as many times as I possibly can. I’d fuck you until tomorrow, till you can’t walk properly and you’re dripping with me.”

Breathless, your eyes drop to his neck, thinking how much you’d love to hear him moan under the weight of your fiery kisses.

“You—can,” you tell him.

“You’re upset and you’re drunk. It’s not right.”

You frown like a child being denied its favorite treat. You hate how reasonable he is, and how sweet he’s being.

“Do you know that being sweet about it makes it worse?”

“How?”

“Because now I want you more.”

Javier chuckles, admitting that deciding to stay apart from you is the hardest thing he’s ever had to do, particularly when you’re asking him so nicely, your voice calling him out like a siren ready to devour her prey. You’re not having the best night, so his choice is the proper thing to do. Succumbing to your sweetly enunciated craving would have been a treat if you had been sober and, let’s face it, still a little angry with him. Given how upset and frustrated he’s been, he would not have hesitated to fuck you right then and there, but seeing how difficult it is for you to stand up straight tells him that he is undoubtedly making the correct decision.

“How about I take you home? Is that okay?” he checks.

You nod and he takes your hand in his, guiding you out of the bedroom, searching for your jacket. You both bid goodbye to everyone present, and Javier figures there will be plenty of talk about that, but he doesn’t care. He cares about you, and getting you home safe is his number one priority.

“Oh, oh,” you mumble, threatening to buckle over. You close your eyes in order to embrace the fall, but then, all you feel is warmth and softness.

You look up and see Javier’s face close again, realizing moments later you’re in his arms and he’s placing you carefully in the backseat of his Jeep.

“You good?” he asks.

You nod, but before he lets you stretch in the backseat, you pull him by the jacket’s collar and press your lips on his again. It’s softer this time, a sign of gratitude that Javier fully embraces this time.

The ride back to your place is smooth and silent, though you did fall asleep several times. You only wake up when you’re in Javier’s arms again, swiftly realizing he’s carrying you on the stairs to the apartment.

“Where are your keys?” he asks.

You smile mischievously, licking your lips and staring at him in the most adorable way he’s ever seen in anyone.

“Guess you’ll have to frisk me to find out,” you giggle.

Javier rolls his eyes, bemused. “Don’t think I won’t do it.”

“I’m hoping you will. It’s the most action I got in a while.”

Javier puts you down closer to the wall to ensure you got some balance in you. He checks your jacket first, mind preoccupied.

“Honestly, me too,” he says out of the blue.

It takes you a good minute to understand what he’s telling you, and when realization hits you, it carries no shortage of surprise.

“Wait, seriously?” you ask.

“Yeah, why?”

“Because you’re—you. You’re great in bed, you have your lady friends…”

Your eyes meet his again, and his seem filled with regret. Suddenly, your stomach drops, and you wish you hadn’t asked that because you feel a wave of jealousy washing over you.

“Did you—?” you start, and halfway through acknowledge the fact that you cannot finish the question.

“No,” he quips sharply. “I thought it’s what I needed, something meaningless and fast, but it wasn’t.”

He recalls the exact moment when he came home to Gabriella, her smile and excitement visible in her body language. He also recalls how he excused himself to her, explained the situation, and offered to drive her back home. He recalls the apology he issued for making her drive across town for nothing, and her advice to him as she bid him goodbye for good. 

Fight for her.

“What do you need then?”

He feels starved as he looks at you, eyes darkened by that lust that always drove you both past the edges of sanity and professionalism.

“Didn’t I make it clear back at the party?” he grazes his thumb over your bottom lip, and for the briefest of seconds, you feel a different kind of drunk. “Tú. Sólo tú, cariño.”

Only you, honey.

“I guess this means taking a raincheck on that ‘fucking you till tomorrow’ business?”

It’s a silly question, laced with a dangerous playfulness, but if there’s anyone who loves that, it’s Javier.

His fingers graze your cheek delicately, turning you to look at him, and God it hurts to keep your legs together from how overstimulated you feel.

“Whatever you need, you can have it,” he whispers. “Anything, everything. But sober.”

You kiss him again, and again, and until you run out of breath, until the only scent invading your nostrils is his cologne and him, musky and earthy and home-like.

previous | next 

[yestrday]

Hello, I hope that the request are open and my request is fine for you to answer, if not then its fine.

Can I request The juniors reaction to reader inviting them separately to a sleep over because they rejected their invitation to hang out, but reader forgot to tell them that the other juniors are joining the sleep over too, and they only knew when they meet up with reader to go to their house. To make it up for them reader gave them gifts and brought them to their favorite place the next they as an apology for forgetting.

Sorry if its long...😅

I hope that you have a great day :D

sorry, i didnt include the second part! i thought it was getting too long lmao

cw: less yandere, more lovestruck fools. psychological warfare mention (its just monopoly) 

you might like: yan! genshin academy au + juniors

well, they're all very psyched for this event! it's a bit of a fantasy of theirs, to see their beloved senior in the vulnerability of their pajamas. they make a promise to themselves to take a memorandum just to remind themselves of this wonderful opportunity (and to brag to the others too)!

it was a bit upsetting when they remember that you rejected their invites in favor of those stinky old men from the third year. and it's even more upsetting when they take into consideration that you only invited them because you view them as children. still, this is an opportunity they can't resist! so they set off to your house, giddy with anticipation...

... only to see the other boys filing in to line up at your door, equally shocked as the rest of them.

well, what a nice sight! aether is quite happy at the appearance of his fellow first-years. he did come here with expectations of being alone with you, but if you wanted more company then who is he to deny you of your wish? besides, the first-years get along well with each other, so there's not much rivalry to worry about tonight.

... except, well, you haven't been looking his way since he arrived. it's not your fault. it never is! the others always find an opportunity to get your attention and they've been taking so much of your time. he doesn't mind sharing, but he wants a piece of you to himself too! he's on the sidelines the entire time and when you shoot a worried glance his way, the only thing he can do is smile back before someone steals you away again.

but now that it's time for bed, he guesses that all that waiting wasn't that horrid. after all, the way you silently hold onto his sleeve is so cute! like a silent apology for not paying attention to him tonight! now that he's all cozied up to your chest, breathing in the scent of your soap and feeling your warmth cradle him.

ah, really... he coyly smiles at the others. he's not one for competition, but it shouldn't hurt to show off every now and then.

seriously, what were you thinking? inviting such an easily riled boy to a sleepover party of all things. xingqiu notices the bright red flush chongyun is sporting as they wait at your door and doesn't fail to tease him for it. easily flustered with the scenarios his friend whispers into his ears, he walks into your house with a stammer in his voice and a stutter in his step.

it doesn't help that he's seated right next to you while watching a movie. he can feel your body against his while you grip his arms tightly, blanching at every jumpscare and scream. ugh, you...! do you honestly not know what you're doing? it doesn't help that xingqiu is purposely squeezing himself against chongyun just to watch him get even more flustered. he can hear his sneaky little chuckle before you grab onto him again.

as the night dies down, chongyun is relieved that he doesn't have to deal with any more physical touch. as much as he'd love you all to himself, he's afraid that that side of his will come out and scare you away. he's always been so hot-blooded whenever it comes out... he fears it would be hard to restrain himself.

so he's once again happy to watch you a healthy space away, smiling at your laughter and wishing that the night would last forever.

xingqiu's mind is already churning out the different ways this night will go, but he's mostly preoccupied with hogging you to himself and teasing chongyun. he gets a real kick out of it, laughing as he nudges chongyun closer to you and watching as he fumbles over his words.

sleepovers are always the prime of every high school romance book! being a pampered boy of the elites, rarely does anyone have the courage to invite him over. so he's full of childish delight and reviews all his romance novels the night before, taking notes and planning out how to execute those cliche scenes. he doesn't fathom how unrealistic they are at all.

everything romantic goes down the drain once you pull out the board games. xingqiu, aether, and you are playing mind games as you start plotting another archon war over monopoly. the three of you have scheming smiles as you passively aggressively mock each other, while the other three are unfortunately stuck in this psychological warfare.

he barely notices that daylight’s up and it’s time to leave. he had so much fun! it’s nice being rich, but here with you and his friends, he doesn’t have to pretend being proper and polite. as you wave them off, he cheekily sneaks a kiss on your cheek, leaving you with a bright red face. sneaky brat.

poor bennett is both ecstatic and nervous at the same time. he spends the night before the sleepover absolutely sleepless because he keeps overthinking about the many different ways he’s about to screw up. he shows up to your house with dark circles under his eyes, much to your concern and the others. he’s relieved at the sight of the others, because embarassing himself in front of the boys is less mortifying than embarassing himself in front of you only.

yeah, there’s a few mishaps every now and then, like the lights flickering on and off, your pets making a mess of the food because he frightened them, stuff like that. nothing that really disrupts the night, but he’s used to blaming himself. of course, being the dutiful senior that you are, you give him headpats and a reassuring kiss to the cheek, assuring him that he’s at no fault here and you just want him to enjoy himself. he blushes a bright red, but his goofy grin is so endearing that you squeal and pull him in for a hug.

bennett is completely unfazed by the horror movie, and even laughs at the ghosts. even razor is a wee bit frightened. the two hold onto each other for the rest of the film, razor slightly gripping his hand every time a jumpscare comes out. bennett laughs at you at the end of the movie, entertained and delighted at the fact that he saw his cool senior lose composure. in a way, it reminds him that you’re human too.

he’s a very happy boy when he leaves the next day. you worriedly ask him if he’s had fun and he assures you with the brightest of smiles that he definitely had one hell of a night. you grin softly and pinch his cheeks before he leaves. the realization that he had been in your home only kicks in once he’s settled in his bed and he screams and giggles into his pillow all night long.

if razor had a tail, it’d be wagging so hard that a mini hurricane might just occur. he doesn’t know exactly what to do, so he grabs any snacks he can find that he thinks you’d like. he’s scarily on the spot, but that’s to be expected with how he follows you around like a puppy. your favorites are his favorites too!

he’s not too dismayed at the appearance of the others because they’re his friends. he’s even delighted to see bennett. when you receive him, he proudly shows off his bag of snacks to you, and you’re reminded of a puppy doing a trick and awaiting praise. what kind of upperclassman would you be if you didn’t give it to him? you tell him he’s the best boy and happily accept his gifts and he has a light blush and satisfied smile as he walks in.

he gets settled on your bed pretty easily, remembering the smell and feel of it. bennett is begging him to get off, worried that it might be seen as inappropriate, but you don’t have the heart to tell him off when he’s so content and is practically humming in delight. (you take a few pictures too. y’know. for memories’ sake).

he was hoping to snag that spot next to you once asleep, but aether beats him to it. he’s practically sulking the entire night and bennett pitifully consoles him. the two boys snuggle each other to sleep soon enough and once you wake up in the morning, you find their messy hairs and drooling faces to be so cute you snap a picture of them again.

the others aren’t too happy when news of the sleepover comes out. xingqiu is smug about the whole thing while the others try their best not too aggravate their seniors. everyone else begs aether for some content and bribe him for pictures, but honestly he’s just too happy to spread your goodness around that pictures of you start circulating in their private group chats.

they don’t have the heart to confront you though. not when you’re proudly showing off pictures of your cute juniors and gushing over them for a whole week after.

[siempre-bucky]

your pilot roommate confessing his feelings headcanons | pt. 2

Summary: how the tgm pilots would confess their feelings to their roommate.

in part two: Bob, Coyote, Payback | pt. 1

BOB 

"That's the last of them," Bob panted as he brought in the last plant from the patio 

Bob is a plant guy, he thought the greenery brought life to your shared place 

you thought they would've been fine in the rain storm, but it turned into being the worst storm of the year and Bob was adamant about bringing the delicate plants inside 

he looked so beautiful with his short hair slightly damp, dark green shirt littered with raindrops

you took the opportunity and eyed him up and down while he took off his glasses to clean them with the hem of his shirt

the two of you sat on opposite sides of the open window, breathing in the glorious smell of the rain and watching the lightning show outside beyond the blowing trees 

Bob was on his fourth beer while you were on your third 

he managed to sneak loving glances while you watched the storm, biting back his tipsy giggled 

after his fifth drink, he let out a giggle followed by a hiccup

you looked amused as he leaned back against the wall and covered his mouth with his hand 

"You good, Robby?" You giggled 

he shook his head and moved his hand 

"It's crazy," he marveled, looking out at the storm 

"The rain?" You were beyond confused at this point, Bob was always so put together 

"No!" He laughed, slapping his knee

you pressed your side to the wall and crossed your arms, watching 'drunk Bob' giggle like a mad man

"It's crazy that we've lived together for a year and I never told you…" 

you managed to get a couple of words in through his cackles "Tell me what?" 

His cackles died down to soft giggles, his breathing trying to regulate 

"That I've been in love with you since flight school." 

your stomach flipped and your heart damn near stopped

"Do you really mean that?" You asked cautiously as you moved to be closer to him 

he nodded, a red tint appearing on his cheeks 

Bob thinned his lips while he nodded and looked down at the blanket pooling in his lap, "liquid courage," he smiled shyly, motioning towards the empty bottles

you rose on your knees and sat directly in front of him

"I didn't think someone as perfect as you could love me too," you said with a tiny laugh in your tone

his head shot up to meet your loving gaze, his glasses low on the tip of his nose 

"Can I kiss you, Robby?" 

"Please," he whimpered before your lips covered his 

Coyote

You didn't know that when you gained a roommate, you also gained a private chef 

you and Hangman had the luxury of a gourmet meal every evening by Javy 

saved on eating out every month… 

"You look happy," you chucked from the couch 

Javy emerged from the kitchen with a wide smile, clutching his phone and a piece of paper 

"My mom finally let me have my great grandpa's gumbo recipe," he beamed, waving the paper in the air 

"I can't wait to make it for you." 

for you

he always included Jake's name when he mentioned dinner plans…but he didn't this time 

you slumped in your seat and bit your lower lip to prevent the girlish squeal from coming out 

you were looking forward to it all week, and then you got the crushing text that their training was going to be late and you were better off buying dinner 

Javy bought all the ingredients and did the prep work….and he just so happened to leave the coveted recipe on the fridge

you were on the phone with his mom the entire time, getting her advice and making sure you didn’t mess up 

you could see where he got it from, the same passion when Javy talked about cooking exuded from his mom 

after it was all said and done she laughed in her motherly tone and told you “You know the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” 

you nearly dropped your phone into the boiling pot at her knowing words 

his mom taunted the two of you every time she visited, she knew about your feelings even before you did 

“What is that smell?” Javy gasped as he threw his duffle bag on the floor and nearly ran into the kitchen 

You were quick to shove a bowl to his chest, his proud brown eyes looking down at it 

“Is this?” 

you nodded and anxiously waited for him to try the meal you spent hours with his mother cooking 

at first, you couldn't get a read on him, his face remained stoic as he ate

then all of a sudden, his expression softened 

“I love you so much,” he whispered 

“What was that?” you asked 

“The gumbo, I love it so much,” he recovered quickly

“Oh,” you remarked, trying to hide your disappointment 

Jake entered the room just in time to soothe the awkwardness, praising the food and making conversation. 

you stayed quiet as you all stood in the kitchen, listening to Jake enthusiastically tell you the successes of the day's training. Javy barely looked at you, his eyes were trained on his food and you couldn’t bring yourself to look at him 

“I told her I loved her,” Javy mentioned to Jake while they cleaned

Jake grinned and slapped his friend on the shoulder, “When’s the wedding?” he beamed 

“I, uh, then said I was talking to the food.” 

he hit him harder, “Fix it. Now.” 

“I already fucked it up.” 

“No you didn’t,” you said suddenly, sliding in between the two men and placing your empty bowl in the sink

Javy grinned, looking to the floor bashfully, “Could we talk over dessert?” 

after midnight, you and Javy sat on the counter with a tub of ice cream between you, staring at the kitchen light you desperately needed to replace 

“I love you,” he said, breaking the silence, “you, not the ice cream.” 

he playfully nudged your shoulder 

you laughed and nudged him back, “I love you so much Javy. This ice cream is a close second though.” 

Javy scoffed and dotted your nose with the cold dessert 

Payback 

“My living room’s a war zone,” you gasped as you came back to your apartment to see the living room filled with cardboard boxes, bubblewrap scattered across the  

Ruben just grinned as he filled his mile-high bookshelf with his record collection 

“Got the last of them shipped, they’re gonna good so good right here,” he marveled at his work 

you simply rolled your eyes and looked into one of the boxes, smiling fondly you took out a carefully wrapped record, “Remember this one?” you asked, getting his attention

he looked over and took the record in his hands, “This one’s my favorite,” he admitted softly, “you got this for me when we graduated high school…I wanted it for years.” 

Ruben walked to the record player and put it on, the soft jazz bringing a smile to his face 

he opened his arms and wiggled his hips, “Dance with me,” he chuckled 

sending him a laugh in return you put one of your hands in his while the other rested on his bicep 

“This reminds me of prom, still can’t believe no one asked us,” you scoffed, playfully rolling your eyes 

Ruben looked down bashfully

you instantly took notice of the sudden change, “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing, I just—I just wish I would have asked you properly. I wanted you to be my real date and not because of some silly agreement we had.” 

heat ran up your neck, your breath hitching in your throat 

you leaned forward and put your head on his chest 

“Can I admit something?” 

“Y-yeah?” Ruben replied in the form of a question

“I was jealous when you asked Carrie to your Navy Ball… I wanted it to be me.” 

“I wanted it to be you too,” he replied instantly, “I was afraid if I asked, you would’ve figured out that I liked you. I wasn’t ready for you to know yet.” 

you pulled away and took a step back, fighting off a giddy smile

“While we were dancing,” he started, walking to the shelf and replacing the record, “all I could think about was dancing with you to this song…not her. I’ve been in love with you for a long time.” 

Ruben came closer and put his arms around your waist, your arms around his neck 

he swayed you side to side, your foreheads connected 

“I’m in love with you too, Ruben. I always have been.”

[narumi-gens]

Indecent Proposal

Narumi Gen x f!Reader feat. Hoshina Soshiro

summary: Hoshina Soshiro is visiting the First Division’s base for the first time in three years only weeks after you mentioned a threesome with the man to Narumi. And really, who are you to question the universe's plans?

warnings: 18+ minors dni, f!reader, smut-adjacent, established relationship, discussions of threesomes (including: anal, double penetration, squirting), dirty talk (I suppose), ass slapping, relationship negotiations (but not in a mature and responsible way...), jealous/possessive Narumi, dumbstruck Hoshina, fed-up Hasegawa, don't do what the chaos couple does and please talk to your partner before asking someone to participate in a threeway

notes: this is pretty much a direct follow-up to level up. after chapter 57, I couldn't not write this. also, I think the reader might be more chaotic than Narumi in this one and I love it.

words: 2.9k

part of the Agents of Chaos series

You’ve never really believed in fate. It’s hard to watch a kaiju attack and think that the death and destruction are all part of some greater plan. But when word reaches you that the Third Division and their Vice-Captain will be making their way to the Ariake Maritime Base, you wonder if there really is some higher power that’s looking out for you.

After all, Hoshina Soshiro making his first visit to the First Division in over three years only weeks after you mentioned a threesome with the man to Narumi has to be some sort of sign, doesn’t it?

Who are you to simply ignore what the universe is trying to tell you?

So, you decide to wait casually in the hallway rather than follow the other officers and required personnel towards the conference space like you know you should. Hasegawa has reminded you multiple times that as the First Division’s Head of Operations, your attendance is mandatory and you in return have assured him multiple times that you heard him the first time.

But destiny is calling and you can’t just let it go to voicemail.

When you see Hoshina round the corner alongside the other members of the Third Division on their way into the conference, you know that this is the opportunity that you’ve been waiting for. Without a care for the meeting that’s scheduled to begin in less than ten minutes, you plant yourself directly in his path, forcing him to come to a stop.

You can feel the stares of the other Third Division officers, but your attention is solely focused on the smiling face of the man in front of you.

“Vice-Captain Hoshina, it’s good to see you again!” you greet him cheerfully, a markedly different welcome from the one that you’re sure that he just received from the rest of the First Division.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” he asks, his smile turning slightly playful. “You know, it’s a good thing Captain Ashiro’s not here. She won’t say it, but I think she’s still holding a little bit of a grudge that you chose to join the First Division over the Third.”

“Well, what can I say? There’s just something about the First that caught my eye,” you grin and Hoshina’s smile grows a little sharper.

“So I’ve heard,” he offers knowingly and you have to laugh. “But I guess the heart wants what the heart wants.”

You internally send your thanks out to the universe for providing you with the perfect opening yet again.

“Speaking of…” you begin and take a step towards him, now standing close enough that it borders on the line of inappropriate for a man who is not your boyfriend. From the way he raises an eyebrow, Hoshina seems to recognize it as well. “Have you ever had a threesome?”

You’re not sure what causes the sudden silence that falls over the members of the Third Division, whether it’s the bluntness with which you’ve just propositioned their Vice-Captain, the fact that you’ve done it so publicly, or how casual you sounded in doing so, as if you were asking him how he took his coffee.

Hoshina’s face has slackened with shock, the man so taken aback that his eyes are now fully open. You simply tilt your head curiously, waiting for his response.

“Uh…” is all you receive and you realize that he probably didn’t understand what you were proposing.

“Sorry, maybe I didn’t put that right,” you say with a slightly sheepish smile. “What do you think about having a threesome with me and Gen?”

You hear a loud sigh and in your periphery, you see Shinonome making her way past the scene playing out within the base’s hallway.

“Hey, don’t tell Gen, okay?” you call out after her and she just waves a dismissive hand, which you take as her compliance.

When you turn back to face Hoshina, you find him, and the rest of Third Division, standing exactly how you left them — in total silence. You frown in confusion.

“Am I not being clear enough?” you ask and Hoshina’s mouth opens and closes wordlessly. You scratch the back of your head thoughtfully, wondering how else you can make him understand. “I want to fuck you and Gen at the same time.”

That finally seems to get a reaction out of someone in the Third Division as the man with messy dark hair to Hoshina’s right seems to choke on his own breath as he erupts in a loud coughing fit. Your brow furrows before understanding finally dawns on you.

“Oh, no, no, no,” you’re quick to rush out, waving your hands in front of you in hopes that it will help clear up the misunderstanding. “Don’t worry, I know anal can sometimes be intimidating with someone you don’t know that well. Gen would be the one fucking me in the ass.”

To your complete and utter bewilderment, Hoshina’s eyes somehow manage to grow even wider. Maybe that was the wrong thing to say…

“Oh, do you want to fuck me in the ass? That’s totally fine with me!” you laugh, relieved to have gotten to the heart of the problem. But then you rest your finger on your chin and look up as you think it over. “We’ll have to see what Gen thinks about that — well all of it really. But whatever, it should be fine. You’re the guest of honor after all.”

You give a satisfied nod but before you can say goodbye and assure him that you’ll catch up after the meeting to hammer out the details, there’s a familiar screeching that comes from the conference room’s entrance.

“Oi, Hoshina! Get away from my woman!”

You barely have a chance to look over your shoulder and catch a glimpse of the furious expression on Narumi’s face before you’re being roughly yanked back by the collar of your shirt. And then the world is spinning as he easily slings you over his broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes with a strength that usually lies hidden under layers and layers of laziness, narcissism, apathy, and immaturity.

“What gives you the right to think you can just waltz onto my turf and take what’s rightfully mine?!” Narumi shouts, gesturing wildly with the arm that’s not currently holding you in place and keeping you from wiggling out of his grasp.

“Oh, perfect timing, Captain Narumi!” Hoshina exclaims, Narumi’s sudden appearance seeming to have snapped him out of whatever stupor he had just been in with you. “Your Head of Operations and I were just discussing an exciting opportunity for me to outperform you again!”

You think that the only thing that keeps Narumi from keeling over from the verbal blow is the knowledge that if he collapses to the floor in a heap, then you go right along with him. For as careless as Narumi can be, he’s never truly careless with you.

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I bet you’ve never even made a woman come before! You know how often I make her come?” He then screeches your name repeatedly, trying to grab your attention like he doesn’t already have it. “Tell him! Tell this beady-eyed hack how much I make you come!”

With a roll of your eyes, you summon all of your upper-body strength to lift yourself up enough on Narumi’s shoulder to be able to look behind you and over his head at Hoshina’s unruffled expression.

“I mean, to be fair, it’s a lot,” you agree with a shrug, regretting it the second you do as Narumi lets out the most obnoxious laugh possible. He readjusts his hold on you to move you higher up on his shoulder and keep you from slipping from his grasp, causing you to let out a soft oof! as he bounces you unexpectedly.

“Hear that, Hoshina? I know how to keep my woman more than satisfied!” he boasts and gives your ass a slap that you should have known was coming.

The admonishing, “Gen!” that leaves your lips sounds too much like a moan for your taste and you can practically feel him preening like a fucking peacock at the sound. Hoshina seems happy to let the First Division Captain rant and you wonder if it’s because he knows that Narumi is more than capable of making himself look like an idiot all on his own.

“Y’know, I can make her squirt so easily that I don’t even have to be paying attention—ouch!” You cut him off by grabbing onto his hair and yanking. “What the hell was that for? It’s the truth!”

You’re much less concerned with the intimate details that Narumi is spilling about your sex life than you are with the unamused look on Hasegawa’s face as he stands at the end of the hallway in the conference room’s entrance.

“It’s time for the meeting to begin,” the First Division Vice-Captain announces and Narumi immediately stiffens before whirling around to face the man and you’re once again face-to-face with Hoshina and the Third Division.

Unable to help yourself, you shoot Hoshina a wink as you part two of your fingers in a ‘V’ and lift them up to your mouth to stick your tongue between them in an obscene gesture that has his cheeks turning the most wonderful shade of pink.

“Now, just a second, Hasegawa!” Narumi begins to protest but he doesn’t get much further than that before you’re suddenly being effortlessly lifted out of his grasp by the back of your shirt and placed on your feet at his side.

“My apologies, Soshiro,” Hasegawa offers and the rest of the Third takes this as their cue to go about their business and head into the conference area.

“No worries,” Hoshina replies easily as he too breezes past the three of you. “I think all of the Defense Force is aware of what to expect whenever they visit the First.”

You ignore Hasegawa’s grimace at the statement to peek around the mountain of a man at Hoshina’s retreating form.

“I’ll catch up with you soon, Soshiro~” you call after him and you’re pleased to see that this time, he seems ready for your advances because he tosses his head back and laughs before giving you a wink of his own.

“Hey! Cut it out!” Narumi cries and you can see him visibly growing more distressed when you look at him like you had forgotten he was there — which maybe, for just the briefest second, you had.

Hasegawa doesn’t give your and Narumi’s argument a chance to gain steam, cutting it off by tightly grabbing your ear with one hand and Narumi’s ear with the other. You both let out a matching string of ow ow ows! that falls on deaf ears.

“I told both of you that it was vitally important that you were on time for today’s meeting,” he lectures.

“I was on time! She was the one who was out here trying to get in the pants of that smug bastard!” Narumi argues but from the loud ow! that follows, Hasegawa doesn’t care to listen to his excuses.

For the First Division’s Vice-Captain, the fact that Narumi is standing here in the hallway beside you and not seated in his chair in the conference room means that he was not, in fact, on time.

“We’ll discuss this later. The two of you have already held up the meeting for long enough.” His tone leaves no room for argument and even Narumi seems to have accepted his fate.

Other than the sharp inhales of pain that escape him from how tightly his ear is being tugged, he makes no attempt to protest as Hasegawa drags the two of you alongside him and into the conference room.

He releases you both only once you’ve all entered the conference space, ensuring that everyone who has been kept waiting, including the Defense Force’s newly appointed Director General, Itami Keiji, who is watching on with clear irritation, is able to witness your joint humiliation.

You would probably care more if it weren’t for the way Narumi grabs your arm before you even have a chance to glance at Hoshina and yanks you after him to where the rest of the First Division is seated.

As he drags you along, your eyes meet Shinonome’s where she sits only a few seats down and you shoot her a look of betrayal. Despite the blank expression on her face, you know that she’s laughing at you. Even if she didn’t tell Narumi what exactly you were up to, you knew her well enough to know that at the bare minimum, she told him who you were with, and he was competent enough to at least put two and two together.

Narumi stops at the three empty chairs in the front row and sits right in the middle, leaving you with no other option than to sit next to him. You know that’s what he’s counting on because as soon as you take your seat, he’s already leaning over to pick your conversation back up.

“Hey, how many times do I need to make you come tonight for you to give up on all this Hoshina stuff?” he hurriedly whispers in your ear. A wide grin grows on your lips at his own proposal and you’re suddenly much more interested in his to you than in yours to Hoshina.

You’re prevented from answering when Hasegawa arrives and easily lifts Narumi from his chair by the collar of his uniform and deposits him in the empty chair at the end of the table. You pout when Hasegawa then takes the seat between the two of you, separating you in an attempt to keep the attention on the matter at hand and not on your negotiations with Narumi.

However, Narumi’s offer is too good for you to let pass you by and you lean forward to look at him around Hasegawa. You catch his eye and boldly hold up all five fingers. He raises an eyebrow before smirking. He then leans forward in his own chair to extend his hand toward you so that you can shake on it.

You’re surprised that Hasegawa is allowing it but maybe he realizes that this is what’s needed to put an end to this entire mess. Whatever the reason, he does nothing to stop you as you reach in front of him and meet Narumi’s hand and give it a shake.

Before you can let go, Narumi leans in even closer to darkly promise, “I’ll have you squirting all over my face tonight.”

What he doesn’t seem to realize is that by leaning forward, his mouth is now directly in front of the microphone on the table in front of him.

Which means that every attendee, from those physically present in the meeting space — including the most senior members of the Defense Force’s leadership — to those joining virtually and projected across the large screens at the front of the room, has just heard the Captain of the First Division, the man known as Japan's Strongest Anti-Kaiju Combatant, announce that he’s going to make you squirt for him.

There’s a smattering of muffled laughter from around the room — you’re pretty sure that you can make out Hoshina’s laugh — and some groans from the other First Division officers who are more than used to incidents of this nature. But it’s the overwhelming silence that’s more deafening than anything else as it allows Narumi’s words to echo and hang in the cavernous room.

This might be the first time that you’ve ever seen Narumi — a man who knows no shame — look truly embarrassed as he releases your hand and slinks down in his chair, hoping to hide from the rest of the room behind Hasegawa’s hulking figure.

You chance looking up at the screens hanging above you and have to physically slap your hand over your mouth to keep from laughing when you see the wildly different reactions of the three other Division Captains.

Ashiro is sitting there with her eyes closed, looking like she’s summoning every ounce of patience she has. Igarashi looks like his usual self, which is to say he looks like he’s about to bite someone’s head off — Narumi’s you’re sure. And Ogata, your own former Captain during your time at the Fourth Division, has a wide and amiable grin stretched across his face, seemingly amused by the entire display.

You suddenly feel Hasegawa’s disapproving gaze on you and you clear your throat, forcing down your laughter and a serious expression onto your face as you sit forward properly in your seat.

The Director General seems like he’s already exhausted and the meeting hasn’t even started.

“Well, now that we’re all here,” Itami states, directing a pointed look in your and Narumi’s direction. “Let’s begin the Anti-No. 9 Eastern Divisional Conference.”

Before he can say anything else, you hear a loud yawn from the other side of Hasegawa. You’re apparently not the only one who notices as Igarashi does indeed take the opportunity to bite Narumi’s head off and the four highly-esteemed captains descend into a bickering match that’s far below their station.

You find yourself leaning over to Hasegawa with a smirk.

“See? With all these idiots around, even if we had been early, this meeting was never gonna start on time,” you tell him and while he gives you an unimpressed look, you notice that he doesn’t disagree.

[zafirosreverie]

Just a minute (Pepa x Fem!Reader)

a/n: this mentions pregnancy between two women, don’t read if it makes you uncomfortable

______________________

"You shouldn't be here" you said, not opening the door too wide.

"Y/N, please, I just want to-"

"I know what you want Pepa, and the answer is still no"

The redhead sighed and felt her heart sink as a huge black cloud formed above her head. It was the third time in the week that she came and you never let her past the door. Deep down she didn't blame you, she knew that she had hurt you deeply and that she really deserved this, but she wasn't going to give up, not with this.

"He's my son too, Y/N" she told you "I have the right to see him"

You crossed your arms and stared at her intently, feeling inwardly proud of the way she squirmed uncomfortably.

A year had passed since you separated from her, or rather since she decided that the image of the family was more important than you and the love you shared. A year since your then-girlfriend decided it was easier to follow her mother's orders and marry Félix, instead of fighting for you.

She had hurt you, you had begged her not to, you begged her to stay, but in the end, it was her decision and you had to accept it, even if your soul was broken.

It was not all bad tho. Shortly after the wedding, you learned that the magic of the Encanto worked in curious and capricious ways, in your case, planting a seed in your womb. It terrified you and for a moment you were afraid of not remembering any abuse you suffered the night you got drunk from losing Pepa, but it was your ex-brother-in-law Bruno who timidly came to your house with a green tablet under his arm, and explained to you that the baby was in fact his sister's.

Magic had given you and Pepa the opportunity to be a family, but the news had come too late and you were furious with her, so you asked Bruno not to tell anyone else. He promised not to, but he warned you that Julieta already knew it too.

It was hard to ask them not to say anything to their sister and mother, but both had shown that despite not being your siblings-in-law anymore, they were still your best friends. They were the ones who took care of you throughout your pregnancy, especially Bruno who was not so necessary in the town and could perfectly spend hours with you, bringing you his sister's food without raising suspicion.

But there is no deadline that is not met and the day you gave birth was also the day Pepa found out everything. The sky turned gray and you could hear the strong storm outside the house, but you forced yourself to focus on Julieta while the healer helped you bring your son into the world.

It had been hard labor, almost five hours and your friend had promised to take care of your baby while you rested. It had been the only time that Pepa had seen her son, out of compassion on her sister’s part, the same sister who had hidden everything from her.

Since then, the redhead had come to your house almost every day, trying to see him, and perhaps you would have allowed it if Bruno and Julieta hadn't told you that Alma had planned to take your son from you and pass him off as Felix's. Pepa hadn't even protested.

"We know how things are at home, Y/N...he deserves better" Julieta had told you

"I've seen two futures for him...the best is definitely far from Casita" Bruno added

And that had been enough for your desire to protect your son to be stronger than the love that deep down you knew you still felt for Pepa.

"Y/N, please" Pepa said pulling you out of your thoughts "I just want to see him"

"No"

"You let Julieta and Bruno see him"

"Julieta is his godmother and Bruno his godfather...besides, they were here for me"

"Because you didn't want to tell me anything!"

"Because you were on your honeymoon"

Pepa felt that she was slapped or that a bucket of cold water fell on her. Of course, you were right, as always. This was her fault, she had decided to be a coward and not do anything to go against her mother, she had no one else to blame.

"I'm sorry" she murmured "Please…just a minute"

You looked at her for a while, taking in the way her beautiful green eyes were filled with guilt and fear, the way she hunched submissively. She looked slimmer than she had last time and she had dark circles under her eyes. Despite all your heart couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"Just a minute" you said, moving to the side "and don't get him wet with your rain"

"Thank you"

You tried to keep a neutral face when the redhead walked past you and her scent washed over you. It almost felt as if you had never lost her.

You watched in silence as Pepa carefully took your baby, cradling him against her chest and whispering soft words in a sweet lullaby. You could almost lie to yourself and think of this as a familiar scene, a part of the life you should have had.

But reality hit you again when you heard her call your son "her little miracle." You held back and didn't say anything, but repeated to yourself over and over again the phrase you had said to Julieta the night she and Bruno came to tell you Alma's plans:

The miracle is mine, not theirs.

[arc-misadventures]

Can we get more of "her most holy saint" and whats the faculties thoughts on jaune also this AU is hilarious

Status Update

At the top of Beacon Tower in Ozpin’s office.

Cinder: Hello, Headmaster Ozpin, Deputy-Headmistress Goodwitch, General Ironwood… Qrow.

Qrow: Why do I always get the cold shoulder?

Cinder: I could set it on fire if it would make you feel better?

Glynda: Not now, Miss Fall. Perhaps later though.

Qrow: Later?!

Cinder: Very well.

Ozpin: Pleasantries aside, how goes your progress with the, Saint; Have you made any headways?

Cinder: Not as many as we would like, Headmaster.

Ironwood: Explain?

Cinder: As per the mission statement: My team are trying to show the, Saint a more realistic view of the world so she made more accurately help the people of the world, rather then in her current state of a blind optimist. Myself, and my fellow teammate, Emerald Sustari have infiltrated the Saints clique in an attempt to spy on her, and her followers from within. Neo Politian, our third teammate, is currently spying on the various members of her clique, and eves-dropping on other random students to gain their opinions on the matter of the, Saint.

Ironwood: Are you gaining any information that way?

Cinder: Mostly the hidden thoughts, and opinions the various students have about my Team Leader, Jaune Arc’s actions taken towards the, Saint. They are less likely to say them to me, and Emerald because we are, Jaune’s teammates.

Glynda: Have you made any headway with, Arc’s rather… striking verbal remarks.

Cinder: It’s hard to say: From what I’ve seen, Jaune’s remarks have impacted her somewhat, but her clique is always around her, showering her with praise, and reassurances the moment he says them. They have become our most strenuous obstacle to overcome thus far.

Ironwood: Makes sense, it easier to make anyone feel terrible, or worthless when they are alone, then they are surrounded by friends, and family.

Qrow: Words of experience there, Jimbo?

Ironwood: Basic, Psychological Warfare tactics, Qrow. Nothing more.

Glynda: How is, Mr. Arc holding up; I assume for someone such as himself, acting like such a villain is hard on him.

Cinder: It has been hard on him… Jaune’s a sweet boy… Jaune, just like everyone has a dark side to him, but for him to hate someone, to truly hate someone he needs a reason, a personal guttural reason to hate someone. Hating someone because he has to is the complete opposite to his personality. He’s trying his best, but it is getting to him.

Ozpin: So we are nowhere closer to our goal than before… We’re running low, on time here.

Glynda: We need to isolate, Ms. Nikos so, Mr. Arc gains more opportunities to antagonize her, and to curb away her support group.

Ironwood: That sounds easy enough, but it will be hard to accomplish.

Qrow: Just change their schedules so they can’t stay as close to one another as they would like to.

Glynda. Impossible, they are all first years, their schedules are all the same, any alterations we make to them will have little to no effect upon them.

Ozpin: Hmm… Is there anything else you would like to report, Ms. Fall? If so, you may leave.

Cinder: Actually, Headmaster there is one thing I would like to tell you about, Jaune, and the Saint’s most recent interaction.

Ironwood: Why didn’t you mention this before?

Cinder: I am… unsure what do do with this latest revelation, Sir.

Ozpin: Did something happen?

Cinder: The Saint cornered, Jaune, alone because she wished to speak with him, without the presence of her clique.

Qrow: Didn’t want her little following to interrupt her?

Cinder: Correct. She wanted to have some words alone with, Jaune without their constant interruptions. Jaune thought he could capitalize on this opportunity to be particularly cruel to the, Saint to which he did.

Glynda: What did he say?

Cinder: The, Saint wanted to know why, Jajne hated her as much as he did, Jaune simply replied he hated her because he hated her.

Ozpin: A simple enough reason.

Ironwood: Considering its Mr. Arc, that was the best answer he could possibly give her. He would never tell her he hated her because he had to hate her.

Cinder: Precisely, so with this, she started to press him harder, and harder until, Jaune snapped and… slapped her…

Ozpin: H-He what?

Cinder: Jaune slapped the, Saint…

Qrow: (Whistles~!) That’s pretty ballsy of him.

Glynda: How badly was she slapped?

Cinder: No visible mark was left behind, Ma’am.

Ironwood: But, what was the mark he left behind?

Cinder: W-Well… That’s where things get… complicated…

Ozpin: Complicated how? She didn’t call for her followers to take up vengeance did she?

Ironwood: Would that even happen? Nikos isn’t the type who would do such things to another.

Cinder: I would have certainly preferred that…

Ozpin: And, why is that, Ms. Fall?

Cinder: The, Saint… Ms. Nikos asked, Jaune to… To slap her again…

Ozpin: …

Ozpin: Excuse me?

Cinder: Ms. Nikos wanted, Jaune to slap her again…

Ironwood: She wanted him to what…?

Cinder: H-Harder this time though…

Glynda: Don’t tell me…

Cinder: We believe, Ms. Nikos to be a masochist…

OGJQ: …

Qrow: DAMN!!! Ahahaha! Little miss perfect and so saintly now is she?!

Glynda: Considering her background it makes sense, but… seriously?!

Cinder: Jaune was very descriptive in how depraved, Ms. Nikos face was when she was begging him to, and I quote… oh gods… I quote: “Make me your bitch, Master…”

OGJQ: …

Glynda: And… And, where is, Mr. Arc, right now, Ms. Fall?

Cinder: Jaune is currently hiding away in our dorm room, under a pile of blankets scared for his life as the rest of my team is trying to consul him, to help him get through… this…?!

Ozpin: I see… Uhh… Qrow…?

Qrow: Yeah, Ozzy?

Ozpin holds his mug out to him.

Ozpin: Top me off will you?

[ourgoodfriendjonathan]

Results of the Big Dracula Daily Fandom Questionnaire

Part 2 of 2: Favourites

(Part 1)

I analysed the results and will post them in two parts, because it is a bit much. If you have any questions, let me know.

Note: the layout isn't perfect and the language isn't scientific.

Also note: this post contains major spoilers.

Time for the second tournament between Dracula characters this year: who is everyone’s favourite? Here is the final (average) ranking, where 1 would be first place and 10 would be last place:

Mina (2.2)

Jonathan (2.6)

Quincey (4.4)

Lucy (4.6)

Jack (5.1)

Van Helsing (5.5)

Arthur (6.4)

Renfield (6.6)

Dracula (6.9)

Captain of the Demeter (7.1)

It may come as a shock that the captain was ranked below Dracula, but keep in mind that I asked you your favourite character and not, for example, favourite person to hang out with or to go sailing with. The answers would be wildly different if that were the question. Remember also: Arthur is an amateur fitter. Opportunities for a next questionnaire!

In this table you can see the amounts of votes per ranking per character. For example, the number “215” next to Mina’s name and under the number one means Mina was ranked number one 215 times.

What is interesting to note is that in this table you can see that the captain was mostly ranked in eight or ninth place, but Dracula was placed mostly ninth or tenth. So if we look at this, instead of at the average ranking, I would say we like the captain better than Dracula.

As you can see in the table as well, the results weren’t entirely unonymous. Especially Jack and Van Helsing are ranked all over the place, ranging from third place to seventh.  

The most important take-away here is how much we love Mina and Jonathan. We place Jonathan in the top three 620 times (28% of all 1-3 votes), and Mina 560 times (26% of all 1-3 votes). (See how I found a way to make Jonathan sound slightly better there? I may not be all objective.)

A few of you misunderstood the assignment, and ranked 10 as highest and 1 as lowest. I think I managed to filter most of these out and reversed those rankings. Usually it was clear from other answers that the participant had made a mistake. They would have, for example, expressed fondness for Mina in all questions, and then went on to rank her in tenth place. I knew, intuitively, this was a mistake.

We loved receiving mail from our good friend Jonathan and it shows: 45% of us liked his “voice” best. Mina comes in second (27%) and Jack third (13%). The captain of the Demeter’s log scored well too with 7%, and 4% of you kept a soft spot for the flowery journalism of the anonymous correspondent. Lucy received another 4% of the votes, but only seven people loved Art’s and Quincey’s writing the best.

When I made the quiz, Van Helsing hadn’t made any entries yet. Future research could find out what the results would be now, after we read everything.

The hardest results to analyse were the ones for the question about ships. I thought I would be able to find all combinations by making the question a multiple choice grid, but it turns out it’s still vague.

Do with these results what you like, I declare it a puddle.

In my next questionnaire I will write out all of the combinations you made (including all the polycule variants), so that you can choose and mix to your heart’s desire. Hopefully the results of that will be more conclusive.

The last four questions asked to describe/name a moment that made you feel something. There were four categories: scared, sad, happy, and moments that made you laugh. I grouped the results into broader categories so I could rank how often they were named.

The category names make sense to me, but perhaps not to everyone. I’ll try to explain the ones I think might cause confusion.

Overall (the results of all categories piled together) we were most moved by everything that happened to Lucy. Her slow decline, Dracula’s last attack of September 17 and her eventual death were mentioned by 14% of you. Counting everything else surrounding her too, 24% of the answers named something related to Lucy's story, almost all of it sad.

Second most mentioned was the wedding. If we group the news of Jonathan surviving, him and Mina reuniting and the wedding together, we get 13% of the answers that contained one or more of these moments as a source of happiness.  

Special shoutout to the 3% of you who named Quincey shooting the bat as something that made you laugh.

Please note that most of the results of the questionnaire came in before the end of the book (between October 29 and 31). Events that happened after October 31 are therefore underrepresented in the replies.

My next questionnaire will contain a list of everything mentioned, and I will make participants pick their favourites. This list will include events that happened after October 31.

Below are the results for each category:

12% of the answers for this question named the log of the Demeter as a cause of fright, followed closely by the attack on Mina on October 3 (11%) and the attack on Lucy on September 17 (10%).

The group “Trapped” (6%), which includes general moments in the first two months (May and June) when Jonathan felt especially in the toils in castle Dracula.

“Escape” (5%) is specifically Jonathan’s last entry of June where he told us he was going to walk the ledge in an effort to escape the castle (“Good-bye, all! Mina!”).

The “July silence” (7%) is the fact that we didn’t get any letters from him for a long time after this, and we didn’t know whether he lived or died.

“Lucy’s mum” (4%) covers the moments surrounding the death of Mrs Westenra, like the fact that Lucy was alone with her body or that she died smack on top of her.

“Mina left behind” (3%) are the events of October 2 and 3 when Mina was excluded and this led to her being at risk.

29% of you mentioned Lucy’s death as a cause of sadness. Renfield’s death was second with 9% of mentions, and the groups “attack on Lucy”, “unopened by her” and “Lucy’s decline” got 6% of mentions each. The others all got mentioned 4% or less.

“Lucy’s decline” (6%) contains everything from the first attack of Dracula (when she was sleepwalking) until the moment she eventually died, like the ups and downs of her 'mystery disease', or how futile healing her seemed.

“Unopened by her” (6%) was the letter Mina sent Lucy on the day of Dracula’s last attack, which Lucy would never be able to read.

“Suitors mourning” (3%) is about Arthur, Quincey and Jack mourning for Lucy after her death or after killing her as a vampire.

“Jonathan suffering” (2%) contained several moments of Jonathan having a generally bad time, like his reaction to Mina being attacked or his speech to Van Helsing (“Have you felt the Vampire’s lips” etc.).  

The happy-category was often answered with more general things like the love these characters have for each other (3%).

“Jonmina” (6%) means the relationship between Jonathan and Mina,

By “Assembly” (5%) I mean the day all the characters met each other and combined their diaries.

In the group “Harker-Helsing” (3%) fell mostly events of the day Van Helsing met the Harkers, for example Mina pranking Van Helsing or Jonathan saying he loved hearing him praise Mina.  

As touched on before, “Bat” (15%) refers to the moment Quincey got up from a meeting to shoot a bat sitting in the windowsill.

“VH talks” (7%) groups the weird things Van Helsing said or, more generally, his way of talking, though I made separate groups for mentions of his King Laugh-speech (4%) and the Corn-speech (3%).

“Mirror yeet” (4%) is my name for the debacle surrounding Dracula and Jonathan’s shaving mirror (“A foul bauble of vanity!”),

“Maid” (3%) refers to the fact that Dracula did all the cooking and cleaning in Castle Dracula.

Let me know if any other categories need explaining, I’ll be happy to talk about this more!

In general, we ranked the entirety of the Dracula Daily phenomenon with an average score of 6.7 out of 7. Over 95% of the participants gave it at least a 6 out of 7.

This concludes my analysis of the results on the Big Dracula Daily Fandom Questionnaire.

As said before, I made another, even bigger, questionnaire, because I have lots and lots of other questions. I think they'll be fun to answer, as they aren't very scientific (wet rat Jack the certified scientist would no doubt frown upon it).

During all of this analysing I felt a bit like Jack sitting begrudgingly in the graveyard back in September, in that I kept grumbling profanities and "Why am I doing this" and immediately after: "I'm going to do this again tomorrow."

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

Please consider filling in my long follow-up questionnaire. I think it'll take about 15 minutes:

[final-script]

The boss's daughter | LH44

Pairing: Lewis Hamilton x Wolff!Reader

Sumary: Where Sir. Lewis Hamilton sneaks out with his boss's daughter.

Warnings: English is not my first language !!! mention of accidents!!

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

Telling your dad that you're going out with a person is usually a difficult thing. Now imagine my situation…I'm going out with someone and that someone works with my dad, I think things get a little harder. We met several years ago, but we started officially dating just over 6 months ago. Let's say we had a hard time realizing what we were feeling and then making the decision to give it a title.

And now what was costing us even more was telling Dad that Lewis and I were coming out. It wasn't for lack of opportunities, of those we had several, but for the fact that we had some fear of how he was going to react, it's stupid, I know but… with how nice everything is going, i would not like to have to leave him, nor would i want him to be in an uncomfortable situation. L- You think if I climb the podium today, can we tell you?

Y/N- Are you sure? i don't want you to have problems with dad because of my fault. We were in his motorhome having a little moment alone, before the race at Silverstone. L- I know we were only officiating 6 months ago, but I want you to know that I'm willing to take the risk for more, just tell me how you feel and I'll act on that, if we can't wait a little longer. Y/N- Really?, you're serious?, I don't want you to ruin your career for me.

Looking at him looking for something that would tell me the opposite of what I was listening to, but instead I found myself with a safe look. L- More than sure, we have known each other for several years and I think I know how to handle your father's character, plus we can say that we have Sussie on our side.

Due to a carelessness we once had, Sussie saw us kissing outside of Lewis' motorhome, luckily promised to keep our secret and help if Dad got anything stubborn. She and Angela are the only people who know about us, one because she discovered us, the other because we knew we could trust her, so we told her right from the start. Y/N- That's right and we both know Sussie can't say no.

We kept quiet for a few minutes, until I decided to talk… Y/N- It's okay… let's do it, but with one condition. Lewis looked at me attentively. - you sir , today you have to give me a podium. L- I think being able to show you to your father and the world as my girlfriend is more than the motivation I need, and I can't present myself to my father-in-law empty-handed. Our moment was interrupted by a knock on the door.

A- I wish I didn't have to bother them but…it's time to go to the garage. L- That's okay Angie, we were out anyway. To not delay, we immediately left the place. Y/N- Good luck champion, though I know you don't need it. Kiss him quickly before letting him go. As my boy was preparing, I went looking for my father as he would see the race next to him. Y/N- Hi Dad!

T- Hi honey, where were you? Y/N- Just walking around, I saw Lewis go by so I came, you think he will come up again ? T- Let's hope so, it's your career at home , so let's hope it will give you some motivation. With everything ready, the lights went out and the race started, unfortunately after a few laps there were accidents which caused the red flag, fortunately all are fine, just being taken to the hospital for caution.

After a while the race resumed its course and could be finished. Leaving Carlos Sainz's first victory in F1, Checo in second place and in third for Mercedes another podium for Lewis. In addition to being happy, for Lewis' podium, I was somewhat nervous about what could happen in a while. And I think for the first time in my life, I have no idea how my dad might react to something like this.

After the podium ceremony and interviews, my boy returned to the garage and was cheered for everyone. Y/N- You succeeded. I hugged him when I had him in front of me, when I was going to drop me from his arms, he did not let me leave, he simply separated a little our faces and kissed me in front of all, wait…IN FRONT Of ALL!!!!! T-I'm missing something?. We hear Dad's voice behind us. Y/N- Daddy I… Lewis and I…

L- We're leaving, we planned to say it soon but… He was interrupted. T- I already knew it!!, for a while, in fact, I didn't say anything, because I wanted it to come out of you. Y/N- What, all this time sneak us for nothing? Sussie laughed at our faces by her side.

T- You don't have to worry, you just have to know that, if it does harm you will be in many problems. L-Believe me I don't plan to do it. Dad smiled at us and left with Sussie to continue with some work. - So now I can kiss you freely, without fear of losing my head? Y/N- I think so.

Believe me Lewis Hamilton's lips are the best in the world.

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

ANOTHERS

Godfather Lando - Carlos Sainz Jr. x Reader

Baby Seb in the Paddock - Mick Schumacher x Reader

[gojou-violin]

Hello is it ok if I can request a streamer!kenma x new small streamer!fem or gn reader where kenma and reader are doing a stream together and kenma is flirting with reader and it ends up in a steamy make out session?

| pairing: kenma kozume x gn!streamer!reader

| warnings: 18+ MDNI; none, sfw.

| wc: 1k

| taglist: @aylitgirl , @thisbicc

| a/n: Ahhh yesss- I literally was talking to my friend about this the other day when I was doing hc’s for Kat (my Kuroken poly oc)!!!!!

You and Kenma had been close for a while. Being friends online was difficult at times, that part was easy to admit to yourselves, but having to find time within each other's schedules to talk and play games together was impossible sometimes-- Until you decided to say "fuck it" and start streaming, following in Kenma's footsteps. Over the past few years, Kenma had become the most successful streamer on YouTube since it was a fairly new platform for live streaming which gave him ample room to build a fanbase while doing whatever he wanted without the political strings that came with contracts on other platforms like Twitch. You, however, were anything but famous like him. Though you streamed here and there at first, when you decided to take it seriously in order to make it a living, you felt somewhat lost in what to do without relying on Kenma to give you views and subscribers.

However, Kenma was your best friend. It had been that way since long before he was ever famous. To you, he was still that shy kid who liked to hole himself up in his bedroom to play video games or watch anime all day; and he'd jump into VC with you whenever you were free. Now, he could see how much it meant to you to stream, because it was so obvious on your bright face every time you gained a new subscriber or earned even a single dollar donation-- You just wanted to make people's day. Money, vanity, popularity, who could give a fuck about any of that when you could entertain the 50-100 daily viewers you got on your own? He just wanted to help you out... If you could be that happy with such a small following, only Kenma could imagine the change you could bring about with a following like his.

So he invited you over one day to stream with him.

The plan was that you'd play some co-op and competitive LAN games like Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Mario Kart Wii respectively. Kenma plugged your stream by mentioning you in the title of his own, and he linked you in the description, on his socials, and even in his bio on YouTube. Why the hell he was going above and beyond for you, you weren't exactly sure; but this was Kenma, he was a sweet guy who cared a lot about his friends-- Who were you to say no to something he was so clearly excited about?

"No shot you're bumping me off the shortcut!" Kenma exclaimed irritably.

You grinned.

The two of you were three races deep in a four-race Grand Prix, which meant that this race was the decider of who would win after he was winning by only a few points since the cows on Moo-Moo Meadows seemed to favor him for some unknown reason. You were so relieved when the game randomly chose Mushroom Gorge as the last map. It was easy for you to get 1st on that map. Throughout your entire childhood, you had been preparing for this moment by going up against anyone who would entertain the idea of playing the same map over and over again, giving you the opportunity to memorize the perfect routes. Jump spots, wheelie lines, shortcuts, etc. were all necessary to get a huge lead on that map. And you knew it all by heart.

Kenma was struggling to keep up with you. He knew everything you knew, it came naturally to him since the two of you had played before and he learned it all from you just by watching the way you played; yet he couldn't seem to break away from you to maintain his spot in first place. The two of you kept exchanging the lead every turn or so. Finally, though, on the third and final lap, as the two of you took the shortcut on the last group of mushrooms, you used the banana you were carrying behind you to bump Kenma off the shortcut, which led to him falling into the abyss, resetting him to the jump before the mushrooms.

There was your lead. You could see the finish line just past the goombas.

The cheer of you winning rang through the speakers of his PC set up.

You looked over at chat who were laughing at Kenma who was trying to not fall further back into sixth place, while also cheering you on for doing it, for beating the best gamer on YouTube.

"Too damn easy, Kozume," you teased.

He finally passed the finish line, earning him sixth place in the race, second place overall in the Grand Prix.

Chat was spamming the emoji known as "Kek" in response to the way Kenma was frowning.

"I hate you..." he grumbled. "I had that... If you didn't knock me off, I would'a won."

You laughed. "It was a valiant effort, I must admit. But it wasn't enough."

As you reached down to the ground to grab your water bottle, Kenma was following you with his eyes, squinting angrily, and when you looked back up, your faces were extremely close. You gulped.

"Sore loser..."

Kenma wasn't smiling. "I could'a won that." He was inching closer and closer. "Rematch."

"We've been streaming for five hours, Kenma."

Without thinking twice, he reached over to the Stream Deck on his desk and pressed the button to end his stream. You were still staring at one another, his breath hot on your nose, his lip twitching before suddenly, without any warning or hint as to what he was going for, Kenma pounced. His lips smashed against yours. He dropped the Wii controller so that he could lace his fingers in your hair. He pulled in order to bring you closer. He melted into you when you started kissing him back.

"Kenm..." Your words were muffled by his desperation.

"I would'a won," he mumbled.

You rolled your eyes and kissed him harder-- Your best friend! The two of you were making out, something that was probably obvious to everyone who had been watching before Kenma abruptly ended his stream.

"Rematch... Later..." you replied.

Kenma smirked before pulled you onto his lap, the two of you fighting to speed things up before you'd die of unbearable need.

[girl-of-many-fandoms]

Right Person, Wrong Time // 2

Pairing: Chris Evans x Reader

Summary: Weeks after the reader's interview her and Chris crosses paths at the premiere of her movie

Warnings: none

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

MASTERLIST

-----

"Y/N over here!"

That's all I've been hearing since I stepped onto the red carpet, bright lights angrily flashed as the men and women behind the camera snapped every possible angle of me

It hasn't even been a proper ten minutes yet since I've been out here and my face hurts from the forced smile that decorated my face. I wanted to avoid walking this carpet as it is my first in years since Chris always attended these with me and I with him.

Damn it Y/N can you not go a full day without thinking about him?

My assistant guided me along the length of the carpet, I waved and smiled at the familiar faces I recognized like Chris Hemsworth and his wife, Ryan and Blake, a few other cast members who made this movie possible.

"We've got a few interviews and then we're going through the entrance." nodding I followed her lead, the bright and bubbly Giuliana Rancic called out to me and I stepped onto the platform in front of the camera, fake smile still prominent

"To all you viewers at home I have with me the gorgeous Y/N Y/L/N with me."

"Hi Giuliana, hello everyone."

"Before we get into these couple questions I'd like to say how incredible you look tonight and I am really excited to this film."

"If only I looked as beautiful as you and I really do hope you enjoy the movie." All smiles she dived into her questions, she started off with the basics like who I was most excited to work with, any specific scene that I loved shooting and if I think the fans would love it

The wind up before the pitch

"We've all seen the interview where you openly addressed yours and Chris' recent split, I have to say I was pretty shocked."

"I think a lot of people were shocked as well but you know, life happens, things change but I really did mean everything I did say bout him. Chris and I were really great friends before we dated for three years and although things didn't work out between us I know that we'll bounce back, things would definitely be different but I'll take whatever I can get."

"Even if it's a random hey how's it going?" laughing I nodded

"Yeah of course, I still consider him my best friend." laughing she wrapped up the interview and I bid my goodbyes before moving onto the next. Giuliana's interview set the pace for the rest of interviews as they all asked similar questions. I was on my third stop when there was a bit of commotion at the end of the carpet as another celebrity showed up at the premiere.

There was too many people on the carpet for me to pinpoint who exactly showed up as the final interview was wrapped up I immediately headed for the entrance. Once inside my face relaxed, smile completely vanished from my face.

You can survive the night Y/N

------

Chris' POV

The camera flashes almost blinded me as walked along the carpet. I posed for the photographers wanting to get this carpet over with so I can find the one person I'm here to see.

"Chris!" the E!News reporter called me over and I stepped up next to her, greeting her and the camera focused on us.

"It's so nice to see you here."

"It's nice to be here."

"This would be your first little interview since your split with the lead actress of the movie correct?"

"That's right"

"I'd just like to mention I had the opportunity to speak with her a short while ago and she spoke highly of you."

My heart fluttered in my chest as spoke about Y/N

"I'm taking your word on it, I'm kidding I know she did as it's who she is as a person. She's kind, thoughtful, she's such a wonderful person to be around."

"Chris if I didn't know any better I'd say you're here to win her back."

"Well the night is still young I don't know what would happen once I get a couple drinks in, we'll see." the interview was over just as quickkly as it began and I continued making my down the carpet, saying hello to whoever I crossed paths with until I made it into the building.

She looks stunning

----

Y/N's POV

Oh God

My heart hammered in my chest as Chris and I held each other's gaze from opposite sides of the room. I don't know how long we both stood there frozen in our spot taking in one another's presence but it must have been quite some time as Anthony snapped his fingers to break my trance.

"Remind me why you two called it quits and this time leave out that bullcrap excuse about being too busy for a relationship." my co-star took a swig of his drink as he stared at me.

"It's not an excuse if it's the truth Mackie."

"Uh-huh, well, he's on his way over here, I should find Sebastian." before I could comprehend his words I caught a whiff of Chris' Gucci Guilty colonge, I missed that scent so damn much.

"Christopher, hey." All decked off in his navy blue suit Chris now stood in Anthony's place, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Y/N, you look beuatiful tonight. Congratulations on the movie, I can't wait to see it."

"And you look just as handsome as I remembered you to be." a light shade of pink tinted his cheeks at my compliment just like he always did.

"Thank you." his eyebrows drew together

"What for?"

"For showing up tonight, I wasn't expecting to see you here, especially after.." my voice died off at the end, still hurt at the fact that we were no longer together.

"Like you said, we're still friends right and what are friends for if we don't support each other. Plus I know that you'd do the same for me."

Friends

The damn word that silently haunts the pair like their worst nightmare.

The word dripped off of Chris' tongue, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth causing Y/N to wince at the stabbing pain in her chest.

How can two people who knows each other like the back of their hands, go from being friends to lovers and then back to friends? It is definitely not going to be easy but as long as the two has each other on their lives, they are more than willing to make it work out.

"I don't want to keep you back any longer, you should be making your rounds around the room but I'd really like to talk to you away from everyone else. It doesn't have to be tonight but, I don't know, maybe we can work something out." nodding I patted his chest as I moved to get past him, I could tell that he leaned in to kiss my cheek but caught himself.

Wordlessly I tipped my head back and quickly kissed his bearded cheek and moved over to join in on the conversation being held amongst Henry Cavill, Tom Holland and Hardy; the gruff texture of Chris' beared still burned my lips.

Over Holland's shoulder I could clearly see Chris still standing in place with his hand on the spot that my lips kissed. I shouldn't have done that but I really wanted us to return to some form of normalcy and friends do kiss each other's cheeks.

Right?

-------

MCU Taglist:

@dorks2022 @sophiaedits @peakascum @anonymoustip217 @mel119g @iiddaaa @panaitbeatrice @mintphoenix @hardcoppizzasludge @tanyaherondale @creatingjana @calimoi @rootcrop @louisianalady @chrisfucksblog @thummbelina

[gossip-girl-of-middleearth]

She’s the Man (Fellowship x Disguised as Boy! Reader)

Requested by anon

Warnings: mentions of domestic/sexual assault, nudity, awkward public bathing. Might trigger a gender identity crisis in some of you folks, but don’t worry, join the club—we’re getting jackets made.

Synopsis: after having run away from your noble family and horrid husband, you cut your hair short and start dressing like a boy, presenting yourself as one throughout all of Middle-earth. This becomes hard, though, as you start travelling with the Fellowship, where they start to suspect something is up with their young “boy” comrade.

Restrictions, restrictions, restrictions—that’s all you’ve ever known. You first noticed the tight chains on your soul when you were five, when your mother forbade you from playing with the local stable-hands.

You next noticed it when you were ten, being forced to wear tight corsets to shape your body before it even began blooming.

The final nail in the coffin, however, was when you turned fifteen, and were married off to a local, and quite old tradesman.

Though he dealt in silken fabrics, he was anything but smooth or soft. The night of your wedding was painful in all regards, for at fifteen you weren’t even sure if you were allowed to remove the tight corset during the act.

Five years more of total misery accompanied you, as you were forced to attend noble banquets and celebrations.

You encountered a wide range of people, from the likes of Denethor and his two sons, to the sickly Rohan King. Of course, they did not encounter you, for you were not allowed to speak unless spoken to, which was rare.

The two sons of Denethor and King Théoden’s own son, Théodred, as well as his two cousins, Eowyn and Eomer, were the only ones to initiate conversation with you.

You quickly realized they were better-spirited than their parents, but didn’t have the chance to explore more. A tight grip on your wrist from your husband silenced you, as he tore you away from the circle of new acquaintances quickly.

That night, life in your guestroom with your husband was a living hell, as he reminded you whom exactly you belonged to.

That was the night you snapped.

Bruised and sore, you wept into your sheets. Your husband had long-gone to drink more wine at the party, leaving his young wife alone in a state of mess.

It was around the third hour of crying that you studied the tapestry on the wall above your bed. With hair wettened by your tears clinging to your puffy cheeks, you ran your reddened eyes along the art.

It depicted a strong soldier atop a horse, riding into battle. A sword was drawn, and his short hair flowing in the wind behind him.

Subconsciously, you reached up to your own hair, long in length—your husband’s desire—and pulled on it.

As mounted in every room, two swords crossed each other over a shield, making a pretty decoration above the mantle.

Looking between the bruises inside your thighs, the tapestry and the sword, your jaw quickly set. Your eyes hardened, as you threw the sheets off your frame and stalked towards the mantle.

Glancing over your shoulder, you ensured no one was entering your room. With an emotional mind made up, you removed both swords from the shield.

Hastily, you used one to bar the door shut, and walked to the centre of the room with the other. With no candlelight around, you knelt on the fur rug under a square beam of moonlight, which poured in through the bedroom windows.

You looked at your reflection in the sword, and studied the state of your misery. Despising your parents, your husband and your life, you quickly put the sword to your hair.

With only a second to build the courage, you sliced all long locks from your head, springing forward a boyish look—instantly freeing yourself from your lifelong chains.

Breathing heavily in shock, you looked at the clump of hair on the floor, and picked it up. One hand ran through your now very short locks, and the other fingered the cut clump.

However, shocked breaths soon turned into joyous laughter, as your chest swelled with pride and your eyes watered.

Standing up swiftly, you ran towards the bathroom and opened the drawers. Finding a pair of scissors, you got to work and began styling your hair further.

Soon, you were left looking like a boy, by Middle-earth’s human standards. Your hair barely scraped the nape of your neck at the back, and in front, you had a fringe swooping to one side.

Grinning brightly, and now on a roll, you ran back to the mantle. Opening your husband’s drawers, you quickly discarded your nightgown and slipped his tunic on.

Shrugging the loose fit over your form, you secured it with a thick brown belt, trousers and used your own boots.

Studying yourself in the mirror, you realized this must be how you would’ve looked if born a boy, and you were surprised within yourself over liking it.

Throwing your clump of cut hair into the fire, you soon began tying sheets together. That night, you escaped down the window and fled the city atop a stolen horse, riding towards your new life.

Five years passed by, and you had been on the run ever since. Life was never easy for you, but at least now you were calling the shots.

You had taken to your new life as a boy, like a duck to water, presenting yourself as the rather quiet and distant “Arlo”.

You kept your head down and worked hard wherever you went, whether as a blacksmith’s apprentice, baker’s boy or stablehand.

Your most favourite part of the road, however, was learning to use a sword. With a book stolen from a library and five years’ worth of nights to practice, you had become quite skilled. The spite drove you forward.

You vowed no one would ever best you in combat again, pushing you harder every day. Your best friend and only companion was your horse, Paxton, and together the two of you explored Middle-earth to its very ends.

Along your travels, you had taken to competing in swordfight competitions, where you earned most of your cash. Swindling them, you presented yourself as a weak and frail boy, but in the end ultimately beat them all.

You gained a reputation quickly, and were slightly infamous for your swordsman skills, despite being so small.

It was this reputation that led you to Elrond’s secret council in Rivendell.

Your eyes had gone wide in alarm upon entering the petal-strewn area—where the council was set to be held—for Boromir, one of Denethor’s sons, was there.

You almost turned and ran, but he caught your eye quickly. You didn’t know whether or not to avoid his gaze, but that would bring about suspicion.

He instead smiled warmly at you, and thought nothing of your appearance. You nodded back tightly, and took your seat far away from him.

You ended up sitting next to an elf, for you knew their gender worked differently from yours. He himself looked a little girlish, so you believed he’d think nothing of your appearance.

He studied you with a side-glance as you sat down, and nodded curtly. You clenched your jaw and nodded back, moving your eyes forwards again.

You discreetly let out a sigh of relief, as you found the coast to be clear. No one figured you to be a girl.

Soon, Elrond joined the council. You felt your breath hitch in your throat, as you realized his puzzled eyes lingered on you a little too long.

Worried he’d rat you out, you looked away. Knitting his brows, Elrond slowly tore his eyes away from you, and began the council.

Long story-short, you had been invited to participate on a dangerous quest, all food and expenses paid for. Unable to pass up such a good opportunity for you and your horse, you reluctantly agreed, offering your sword to the hobbit sworn to carrying Sauron’s ring.

The first few nights you kept to yourself, as an awkward air befell the Fellowship—none really knowing each other nor knowing how to interact.

Very quickly, cliques formed.

The hobbits kept to each other in a pack, Gandalf joining them. Aragorn and Legolas joined forces, and Boromir, Gimli and yourself found ranks in solitude.

However, this was not to last forever.

Boromir had attempted many times to strike up conversation with you, as besides Aragorn, you were the only other “man” there.

You kept it short and courteous, but made it apparent very quickly to everyone there that you were in no position to begin friendships. This was a job to you—nothing more, nothing less.

That still did not stop anyone from trying, though. After Boromir, Gimli was next. The topic of the night around the campfire was “women”, as they all discussed their perfect partner.

The conversation divided the group in half, over those choosing to go more physical in nature a direction, and the other half preferring emotions.

Gimli laughed heartily and elbowed you in the shoulder. “Forget this lot, eh? I bet you and I are exactly alike, laddie! Thick thighs and body hair all over! Am I right?”

Laughing nervously, you rubbed at the back of your neck. “Uh…not really…”

He blinked up at you in surprise for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders and pressing on in the conversation. Legolas studied you from across the fire, and made a mental note of your words.

Later on, when you were all setting up your rugs, Legolas approached you. He crouched down by your side and began helping to unroll your pack.

You recoiled from him slightly, and stared up in alarm. He looked back down at you briefly with a tight-lipped smile, and spoke.

“I agree with you from earlier,” he said. “I believe partnership should be about romance and emotions, not physical acts. How about you, mellon nin? Have a lady waiting back at home for you?”

You sputtered up at the prince, before averting your eyes and rolling your pack out faster. “No, I…uh, that’s not really my area…”

Legolas knitted his brows for a moment in confusion, before his lips parted in sudden understanding.

“Oh. Oh! Well, um…do you have a gentleman waiting back at home for you, then?”

Snapping your eyes up at him once more, you flushed.

“No! No! I, look—I’m really kinda tired.” You made a show of yawning loudly. “And I think I just wanna get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning, though…brother?”

Legolas blinked down at you a few times, before speaking and rising to his legs. “Oh! Uh, sure…that’s no hassle. Rest well…brother?”

“Will do,” you drew out, laying down.

He threw a glance over his shoulder at you, before walking away. He caught Aragorn’s eye as he walked past, with the ranger sat there puffing away on his pipe.

They both tightened their lips, looked away and raised their brows, figuring you were just a moody boy.

The most awkward situation of all, however, came a few weeks later. Having managed to sneak away from the Fellowship, you found a nice river, of which you could bathe in.

Paxton followed suit, keeping your towel wrapped over his saddle. He snorted in worry as you began to undress, revealing your body to the running river.

“It’s fine,” you laughed, girlishly. Your voice had returned to its normal pitch, for the first time in a long time. “Just because I’m pretending to be a boy as I travel with them, doesn’t mean I have to smell like one!”

Paxton snorted, and you knew he was telling you to hurry.

“All right, all right,” you laughed again, stepping into the water. You hugged your chest as you dipped below, submerging yourself fully.

Rising again, you exhaled a sigh of relief, and began washing the grime from your hair and face.

You were only in there for so long, however, for soon boyish laughter came from up the forested incline.

“Out of the way!” Pippin called, stripping off his clothes.

“No! You move!” Merry shouted back, also stripping down.

Behind them both, was the rest of the entire Fellowship, save for Gandalf.

Your eyes grew wide in alarm, as you watched them all meet the river’s bank. They then began undressing—Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, Legolas and the hobbits included.

Soon, they each all jumped into the water, splashing one another and laughing loudly. You found a large boulder within the river nearby, and swam behind it.

Peeking out from the side, you watched them all swim closer in a group to where you were. They began cleaning themselves, and soon just started to wade around—relishing in the cool feeling.

However, as you tried to swim away discreetly, Legolas’ elven ears caught you. He narrowed his eyes, and began swimming over to your rock.

Knowing you would be caught if you tried to flee, you pressed your back firm against the rock, lapping up against it.

Legolas was now upon you, and looked around the corner to find what was behind it. Once he saw it was only you, he beamed brightly.

Rising up out of the water, he folded his arms over the rock and leaned over, looking down at you.

You tried to not let your eyes drift or slip, as you stared back up at him. However, mistakes were made (but clearly not on his parents’ behalf).

“Hello, Arlo!” he announced merrily. “We didn’t know you were also in here.”

Upon hearing your name, the rest of the Fellowship waved you over, asking you to join them.

You chuckled nervously and began swimming backwards and away, speaking as you did so. “Oh, no…that’s quite all right! I, uh…just remembered I actually have something to do—”

“Oh, no! Don’t be like that!” Boromir chastised. He grabbed your wrist gently and reeled you back in towards him and Legolas.

Your shoulders went rigid, as you nearly brushed up against their bare bodies.

Soon, the hobbits, Gimli and Aragorn swam over to you, and you were more thankful now for the darkness of night than you had ever been.

Though, with one slither of moonlight in the right spot, you’d soon be exposed.

“Please don’t leave on our behalf, Arlo,” Aragorn encouraged, placing a hand on your wet shoulder. “It is good for team morale to bond like this. Besides, we’re all men here.”

“Some more than others!” Gimli announced. You looked up in the direction of his voice, and immediately covered your eyes.  

Gimli was stood with his hands on his hips, proudly naked atop your boulder.

“I am the king of this rock!” he announced. “Any competitors who’d like to have a go at pushing me off?”

“Please,” Legolas rolled his eyes, before he, too, swam over to the boulder and climbed atop it. “This will be the easiest fight of my life.”

Catching more than you wanted to see, you made a squeal of rejection, before forcibly pushing your way through the group and heading towards the bank.

Paxton met you quickly, and you swiftly wrapped the towel over your shoulders like a cloak, as to not make it obvious what you were covering, but doing so nonetheless.

“I’m sorry,” you said to them, “but I truly do have something else to do…literally anything else. I’ll see you all back at camp.”

They watched as you left in a hurry, and shared glances with one another. Thinking nothing of it, besides your usual mood, they shrugged and returned to what they were doing.

This continued on for quite some time, throughout the entire Fellowship journey. Though, you never again attempted to bathe with them all around.

Fortunately, your travels soon took you out of the woods, and into the cities. Many fights had passed your small group, smaller now than before, by.

The most recent of battles saw many great feats—the “Battle of the Pelennor Fields” it was called.

In this battle, you had fought formidably. However, the true victory for women that day went to Eowyn. She had removed her helmet in the middle of the fight, pronounced she was “not a man”, like you had wanted to do so many times, and slayed the Witch-king of Angmar.

You were inspired greatly, but also so furious at yourself. You were also slightly jealous over the attention she got.

“What a brave woman,” Gimli would say.

“I’ve never met a woman so bold,” Merry added on.

“Truly remarkable,” Legolas agreed.

The six of you were sat in a stone courtyard together, camping out in the aftermath of the fight. Your jaw was rigid with fury, as you listened to them praise Eowyn over something you had been doing for the past few months.

Rolling your eyes, and making a show of turning over in your sleeping bag harshly, you quickly gained the Fellowship’s attention.

“Oh, and what is your problem, laddie?” Gimli snarked.

“Upset you were outshined by a girl?” Legolas taunted as well.

“You’re not that misogynistic, are you?” Merry chortled.

Aragorn glanced between your turned back and the laughing boys, before taking his own turn at scolding you.

“Arlo, Eowyn was a great asset today, and we are guests in her company. I will not see you sulking towards her remarkable feats.”

You glared at him over your shoulder, before huffing and returning to sleeping on your side. Your arms were folded over your chest, and your body burning in jealous rage.

“Gosh, what is the matter with you?” Legolas asked next, truly fed up with your attitude. “Why are you always in a bad mood?”

“Wouldn’t have taken you for a misogynist either,” Gimli remarked, smacking his gums as he ate a chicken leg.

You stayed on your side with your back turned to them for a few moments, glaring at the wall. However, the rage in your chest soon gave way to a lump in your throat, as you soon felt your secret burst within you.

“I’m not a misogynist…” you spoke up.

“Poppycock,” Gimli called you out.

Sighing, you sat up and looked at them to your side. “I’m not a misogynist, because…I’m not even a boy.”

Silence echoed around the courtyard, as your travel companions blinked back at you.

“What?” Pippin asked, squinting his eyes. “What do you mean you’re ‘not a boy’?”

Groaning through another sigh, and rolling your head, you pressed on. “I mean I’m NOT a boy! I’m a girl, for Eru’s sake…I’ve just been…presenting myself as one, for…reasons.”

“What reason could you possibly have to lie about something like that?” Legolas asked, not entirely believing you.

Feeling the urge to cry rising within you, you inhaled a deep breath and answered. “Nothing you men would understand.”

“I’m sorry,” Merry laughed, “but I don’t believe you at all. There’s no way you’re a girl.”

Glaring at him, you knew his words to be true. Knowing how to prove you were indeed a girl, you reached into your loose tunic, and began unwrapping the bind around your chest.

Pulling it out, you threw it down in front of the now gaping group. Without a shred of chivalry, still disbelieving you to be a girl at all, they glanced between the fabric and your chest, which indeed proved your gender.

“I don’t believe it…” Pippin whispered, staring with wide eyes.

In fact, they all did. With six pairs of male eyes on your chest, you felt very vulnerable and covered yourself.

This seemed to jolt them back to their senses, as they coughed uncomfortably and looked away.

The only one still looking into your eyes, was Aragorn. “Why did you feel the need to lie, my lady?”

Being called a “lady” for the first time in five years opened up a floodgate of emotions, as you wept into your hand.

“Yep, definitely a girl,” Merry rolled his eyes. A swift punched to his arm from Legolas silenced him.

Now knowing exactly how to deal with you, Aragorn stood up and crouched before you. He placed a tentative hand on your shoulder, and encouraged the other boys to come forwards, until they were sat all around you in a comforting circle.

“What is your real name, young maiden?” Aragorn asked softly.

Still sniffling into your hand, and bearing a downcast head, you spoke up in a barely audible voice.

“Y/n…” you revealed.

“What a beautiful name, Y/n,” he smiled warmly.

Like a turn of the tides, the boys all around took you under their wing, as if you were their own little sister. Everything about you now made sense, and they felt at ease with you instantly.

And, surprisingly, you found the same about them, regarding yourself. You didn’t at all feel threatened by their presence, but instead protected.

“I’m sorry,” you wept, shaking your head. “I had no choice, they made me marry him, and I-I couldn’t stay there, and then I had to make money so I ran with the lie and—”

They shushed your incoherent crying quickly, and rubbed at both your knees, back and shoulders comfortingly.  

They gained more information about your previous life in those few seconds than they had before in the last few months. They didn’t need to know anymore, nor wanted to, from the sounds of it all.

“Please don’t kick me out of the Fellowship…” you sniffled.

“Why would we do that?” Gimli laughed. “We now have TWO remarkable women in our ranks! Eowyn AND Y/n!

“A great win for us, indeed!” Legolas agreed brightly.

A smile broke through your tears, as they shook you softly and commended your swordswoman skills excitedly.

This carried on for a few moments, before you spoke up again, now smiling around at them through almost dried tears.

“So…you don’t mind about me lying? Or being a…woman?”

They shook their heads and returned your smile. “Not at all, lassie.”

Before the conversation could progress, however, Legolas suddenly recalled something.

“WAIT!” he gasped loudly, thinking back to the river. “THAT MEANS YOU SAW ALL OUR—”

“Let’s agree to never speak of it again, okay?”

“Aye, never again…sister.”