#this was the briefest of summaries. if you're interested you're just going to have to talk to me i fear. sorry.
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nocentis · 5 months ago
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Light of the Cove ┆ AU
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Name: Jellal Fernandes Age: 29 Home Planet: Evra Status: Intergalactic Fugitive, Vagrant Affiliations: Pyk'ryan Rebel Faction Occupation: Defense Pilot, Supplier Classification: Carbon-based sentient life-form; bipedal, mammalian
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Background: The universe at large has been dominated by the Lythrum for thousands of years.
Jellal spent many of his formative years helping to organize and direct his planet's department of defense. When his home was invaded, he helped lead the resistance against the Lythrum army. Unfortunately, the Evran Allied Forces were outnumbered and, subsequently, overpowered. His home was instated under Lythrum rule, and he, among many of his peers, was taken prisoner.
A select few of the Evran people inherited the ability to control the fundamental elements involved in nuclear fusion, such as helium and, eventually, hydrogen. Jellal was one of these generational Evrans, and as such, was the subject of study for a handful of years whilst held in captivity.
The prison ship which held him passed through a highly volatile, atypical magnetic field, which disrupted their technology and caused a shipwide blackout. During this blackout, Jellal managed to escape using an emergency pod and assigned his landing to the nearest heavenly body.
After nearly a week of drifting through the dense vacuum of space, breaking two days' rations into smaller and smaller pieces, his pod finally met the surface of a kingdom-sized asteroid. An ostensibly abandoned Lythrum outpost lay a few miles from where he landed, so he mustered what little of his strength remained, and he suited up for the journey, expecting to scavenge more supplies. When he stumbled through the outpost, he was met with hostility from its occupants — Pyk'ryan Rebel Captain Ynxa and their crew.
Over time, Jellal proved his credibilty to Ynxa and their crew, and joined the Rebellion as an official member. Due to his Evran stature, he became one of their main suppliers, often sneaking into Coves and "borrowing" precious supplies — namely fuel and advanced technologies — from especially heinous fugitives to stoke his rebel faction.
Lythrum: A bipedal mammalian species most often known for their cruel and destructive nature. Most Lythrum have thick skin with short, fine fur in a range of red-yellow hues. Their ears are typically long and pointed, though they come in a range of shapes and sizes. They might be described as fox-like by humans.
Cove: An intergalactic black market typically found on asteroids or small heavenly bodies far outside of claimed star systems. These markets are unregulated and often avoided by Lythrum forces, but they are lawless wastelands wherein there is no true authority and no protection.
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7ndipity · 2 months ago
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“Just Breathe”
Yoongi x Reader
Summary: You're nervous about meeting Yoongi's parents for the first time
Warnings: angst/comfort, brief mentions of toxic family life, not proofread
A/N: Thanks to @vicky-chaos for this request! I hope you like it!
Masterlist
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The late afternoon sun warmed your back as you walked down the street hand in hand with Yoongi, the familiar hum of street noise around you a welcome soundtrack that you hoped would distract from the anxious thoughts that had been filtering through your mind all day.
Normally you loved going on errand runs like these with Yoongi, finding comfort in the mundane routine, but today you had found yourself unable to relax fully and enjoy yourself, even now fidgeting with the handles of the shopping bags in your free hand.
Yoongi’s parents were coming to visit for the weekend, and he had asked if you wanted to help him cook dinner on the first night so that you could meet them. You had been touched that he wanted to introduce you to them at all and had agreed to the plan eagerly enough at first, but inside, there had been a growing tinge of “what if?”.
If this evening didn’t go well, you worried how it would affect you and Yoongi’s relationship going forward.
Yoongi had noticed your growing nerves and had tried to reassure you that things would be fine, even giving you a crash course on his parents' personalities and interests to help make you feel more confident and give you something to talk to them about.
“-And Dad likes reading, so just keep conversation focused around that if you can’t think of anything else.” He finished as you were headed back towards where he had parked the car.
“Right…” You replied distantly, chewing on your lip.
“It’ll be fine, don’t worry.” He assured you, squeezing your hand gently.
You nodded, but you couldn’t stop your heart still anxiously skittering around your ribcage, seeking out escape.
“Hey,” His tone was much softer now, drawing your attention back to him with a gentle touch on your cheek, letting his fingers just brush over your skin in the same way that he did as you fell asleep at night. “Just breathe, okay? Everything will be fine. They’re gonna love you.”
You hesitated for the briefest moment.
“What if they don’t?” Your asked quietly, breaking his heart at how small you sounded.
He knew his parents weren’t the easiest to get along with, especially his father, but he had faith that they would see what a beautiful and remarkable person you were. He couldn’t imagine anyone meeting you and not immediately falling for your warm heart and infectious personality.
But no matter how many times Yoongi tried to encourage and reassure you, your anxieties over what could possibly go wrong persisted.
He knew your fears weren’t entirely unfounded; it was no secret to him that the relationship between you and your own parents was difficult to say the least, leaving you with more than a few emotional scars that you were slowly trying to heal. But he was not so secretly hoping that this might be the start of a better relationship with parental figures for you, that you might start to view his family as your own. He just needed you to believe.
“If they don’t like you, then that’s their problem and they’ll have to get over it.” He told you matter-of-factly.
“Yoongi-” You started, but he stopped you.
“I mean it, if they know me and care about me at all, then they’ll make the effort to get along with the person I love.”
Your eyes shot up to meet his in shock, making him realize his accidental admission.
“You love me?” You asked.
“Yeah, of course I do.” He said, trying to ignore the creeping redness that he could feel coloring his face.
“It’s just-, you’ve never said that before.” You pointed out, still staring at him.
“I’ve felt it for a while, I’d just been trying to find the right time to say something.” He replied quietly, suddenly finding the pavement very interesting as he scratched at the back of his neck self-consciously. “And it’s no big deal, you don’t have to say anything ba-”
“I love you too.” You cut him off.
His head snapped back up, his dark eyes filled with cautious hope.
“Really?” 
You nodded. “I always have.”
Before you could blink, Yoongi closed the gap between you, crushing you to his chest in a hug that nearly knocked the wind out of you.
“I love you.” He mumbled into your hair. “I love you so fucking much, and nothing anyone says can ever change that. Not my parents, not anyone.”
Your eyes stung at his words, trying to fight back the sudden wave of emotions that threatened to overtake you.
“I love you too.” You managed, blinking away the wetness in your eyes.
It was moments like this that reminded you of just how thankful you were to have Yoongi in your life, always willing to make room for you, to protect you, to fight for you.
After a long moment, he pulled away enough to meet your eye again.
“We got this, yeah?” He asked. “We’ll be okay.”
You nodded, a small, genuine smile creeping across your face for the first time today.
“Lets go home.” He said, catching your hand in his again and giving it a slight squeeze.
The two of you walked on together in comfortable silence, savoring the feel of the shared warmth of your joined hands, keeping away the autumn chill that tried to chill your fingers.
Everything would be okay. So long as you had each other to hold onto, you could face anything.
Taglist: @sopebubbles-replies @btsw1fe @this-must-be-my-tardis @whitefoxgirl @bethanysnow @coffeedepressionsoup @feminympho @classicalelephant @dfqcsqueen @mother2monsters @comingupwithacoolnameishard @bo0ghol @universal-travel-er @k4ngelz
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sundeathh · 11 months ago
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Trimmed
ONE-SHOT | MASTERLIST
Pairing: Aizawa × GN!Reader • Words: 1,6 K
Summary: A haircut tale
Tags: slice-of-life, cute, fluffy, romantic stuff
CW: none worth mentioning. SFW
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The apartment was cloaked in the cozy ambiance of evening, the soft glow of lamps casting warm pockets of light in the living room. As the door creaked open, announcing Aizawa's return, the air seemed to shift with expectancy.
It wasn't the kind of anticipation that made a person’s heart leap. Instead it felt more like the sort of expectation that came from people waiting for their loved ones to get home at regular basis for weeks on end, filled with both excitement and anxiety bubbling up inside.
Even after years of marriage, you still had butterflies for him whenever he entered the room you were in.
"I'm back," Aizawa's gravelly, deep voice resonated through the space, carrying the weight of a taxing day. He unburdened himself of his shoes and bag, the fatigue etched on his features. The journey down the building's hallway felt like a gradual shedding of the day's strain. 
"Hey, Sho, welcome back!" You called from the kitchen, your voice a gentle melody amid the quiet that once reigned in the place. "Long day?" You asked, your eyes landing on his tense figure.
He nodded, pausing at the kitchen's doorway before offering a small smile. "Yeah, you could say that."
The smell of cooking food wafted towards him as his gaze swept over the room. The counter was covered in various ingredients, some in the middle of the cooking process and others just sitting there in piles, ready to be added to the mix when needed. 
"Did everything go well today?" You asked, turning around from the stove to greet him properly with a kiss on the cheek. He returned it affectionately, leaning against your body for comfort and security, but only for the briefest moments before pulling back to take a look at you.
"Yep," he responded, the same way he always did every time. He was never one for long talks or unnecessary details about his day, preferring instead to focus his attention on how you were doing instead.
"How are you feeling today? Anything interesting happened while I was gone?" He questioned, reluctantly pulling away from your welcoming embrace to remove his binding cloth from around his neck. 
"I'm feeling alright." You answered truthfully before proceeding with a small shrug. "And not really. The highest point of my day was going grocery shopping. It was a tiring work though, so I didn't do much after that."
"Ah, right," the hero nodded knowingly, his cloth now hanging around one of his arms. "Next time you go grocery shopping, remember that I have to be there too." Aizawa reached out his free arm and gently pulled you into another tight hug.
Your arms wrapped around his torso in return, your face pressed against his chest. "And put even more tasks on your overly busy day? No way." Your tone was playful, but there was an undertone of concern that Aizawa picked up on instantly. 
"If anything, I should be the one getting all the chores done on this end, since you're not here as much as I am. I don't want you working yourself too hard," you protested.
His head rested on top of yours, his hair tickling your skin lightly. "Still, I'd rather it be me than you," he said firmly. "Besides, it makes me feel bad knowing I'm making it so hard on you due to my workload." 
You sighed fondly. "You know I wouldn't mind helping out if I could." You stated, hoping to make it clear to him that you didn't mind. But there was nothing else you could say to change his mind, so you simply agreed with him with a small pout.
You carefully untangled yourself from his tight but gentle grip, searching for his eyes. "C'mon, sexy, go wash off the sweat and dirt that's clinging to your face. Dinner is gonna be ready soon," you told him with a soft voice.
He let out a tiny chuckle before walking towards the bathroom, a fond, small smile adorning his lips. You smiled at the warm feeling in your chest, and then went back to your cooking, the sound of running water following shortly thereafter.
As he retreated to the bathroom, a cascade of garments left in his wake, and the warmth of the shower soothed his sore muscles as he rinsed away the dust that had accumulated during his arduous workday.
Shower felt even better than normal after a tiring and long day, and his shoulders loosened as he stepped under the steaming showerhead. 
He had his eyes closed and his mouth partially open as he used it to breathe while the water poured over his head, rinsing the shampoo away from his scalp. It was an intimate and vulnerable moment. It was also calming.
After cleaning himself up, he stepped out to dry his body and get dressed in his sleepwear – a pair of loose pants and a simple t-shirt.
Upon checking to make sure everything was alright with his appearance, Aizawa stared at his reflection in the slightly fogged-up mirror. His gaze lingered on the unruly curtain of long bangs that veiled his eyes, now being an unintended consequence of neglect amid the demands of his work.
The weariness etched in his features was momentarily eclipsed by a bemused frown. Aizawa ran his fingers through the disheveled and damp strands, a silent acknowledgment of the overdue task at hand.
He brushed his hair, aware of how his bangs were almost reaching his chin. Putting the hairbrush down, he tried his best to comb them again with his fingers, trying to make his hair less wild and disorderly.
After a few minutes of struggling, he sighed exasperatedly, giving up his attempts. What good would a couple of extra combing do him anyway? It was getting too long. It was bound to become an issue sooner or later.
In defeat, Aizawa emerged from the bathroom, a towel draped over his shoulders, his usually unkempt hair dripping slightly. He stood in the doorway again, gazing at you with a hint of weariness.
"Is dinner almost ready?" He inquired, his eyes flicking towards the culinary ballet that persisted while he was in the shower.
You glanced over your shoulder, a playful smile tugging at your lips. "Almost. Just finishing up. Why? Hungry?"
He scratched the back of his head, a familiar gesture of contemplation. "Not just that," he admitted, his gaze turning to the bathroom's door for a moment. "I think it's time I did something about this." His hand gestured towards the curtain of his disheveled bangs.
Your eyes followed the unspoken cue, understanding what he meant. Setting down the spatula, you approached him, your fingers lightly grazing the strands that shielded his eyes.
"Want me to do something about it?" You asked, your tone teasing yet sincere. Aizawa's eyes met yours, a silent acknowledgment passing between you, and he muttered. "If you don't mind."
You tiptoed, pressing a chaste kiss against his cheek, and smiled. "Don't be shy," you murmured. With a gentle gesture, you guided him to a chair at the kitchen table, the aroma of the cooking dinner enveloping both of you.
As he sat down, you walked over to the bathroom, searching for a comb and for the box that held secure your sharp hair scissors.
"Ready for a change?" You teased, after coming back to the kitchen and getting closer to where he sat, standing in front of him. Your fingers ran softly through his damp hair.
Aizawa huffed, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Just don't cut it too short, please. I like it longer."
The corners of your mouth quirked slightly, and you nodded in response, combing his hair in a bun before tying a elastic around it, securing the bun as a temporary fix to prevent his locks from getting in the dangerous way of the scissors.
As you moved on to combing his fringe next, you noticed Aizawa closing his eyes, the tension in his frame gradually decreasing. The sight warmed your heart, and the peaceful atmosphere settled around you as you focused on combing his hair, gently moving the comb through his bangs, careful not to damage it.
You gently lifted his chin to get a better look, and after a minute or two of gentle combing, your hand finally stopped its motion to reach for the scissors you had placed on the table. "Don't move now, okay?" You whispered gently, the words accompanied by a gentle touch to his head.
"Mhm," Aizawa hummed softly in agreement. He kept his eyes closed and continued motionless, the tactile sensation of hair falling gently through your hand heightened the intimacy of the moment.
He finally allowed himself to relax under your touch. The occasional snip of the shears resonated like a quiet melody, punctuating the soothing ambiance.
"You're surprisingly good at this," Aizawa remarked, breaking the comfortable silence.
You chuckled. "I've had some practice. Plus, it's a small way to take care of you." 
He hummed once again, his hands resting loosely on top of his lap, now completely relaxed.
You carefully trimmed away the last remaining locks of hair, brushing his hair until only half the mess remained.
After taking a small step back from your handy work, you admired it. "Done. I didn't cut it too much. It'll still keep its fluffy quality, don't worry."
Aizawa opened his eyes and gazed up to meet yours, and his eyes softened, his expression becoming more serene by the second. 
Taking the scissors from your hand and placing them back on the table, he grabbed your other hand into his, pulling it towards his lips in a gentle hold. He placed a kiss on the back of your hand. "Thank you. That was very kind of you."
You shook your head, smiling in amusement. "No need to thank me, love. We both know I'd help you with whatever you needed even without you saying anything. You deserve to be taken care of every once in awhile." You squeezed his hand slightly as he leaned forward, pressing another chaste kiss onto your knuckles, his stubble tickling the soft skin of your fingers.
After pulling away from touching your hands, he stood up, a gentle smile on his face. "Let's finish up with dinner," he said, ready to assist you.
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jiminrings · 4 years ago
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Hey bb! First of all, let me just tell u how much I love your writing! You're fabulous, love. Don't ever doubt yourself. Secondly, I wanted to know if u could do a college professor! Jungkook and pretty student reader where Jk is absolutely enamoured by her.. (also, with a bit of the good ol smut🤭) It's a-okay if u can't tho! Just know that you're appreciated!❤️
the probability of us
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pairing: jungkook x y/n
wordcount: 6k
glimpse: jungkook’s the son of the university’s president, y/n’s cardigan is everyone’s favorite, and adjacent walls mean shared victories. 
notes: there’s something so warm about this request that it made me write it as an actual fic and not a bullet one!!! i did alter it a little bit but i was genuinely so happy writing this so thank you sO much for this babe :D // gif from pinterest!
Jungkook, in his better and most definitely unbiased judgement, thinks he knows enough about you.
He knows you well enough to have noticed your patterns and habits with almost everything in between. They were predictable for the most part, and that was partly because he takes pride in being observational, but you manage to unintentionally throw him a curveball every now and then that makes him smile.
You always come into class when there’s atleast fifteen people in it and Jungkook wonders if you know it in the back of your head or if you just sneak a peek at the room every now and then. He’s not keen on being early to classes, and on the three straight occasions his dad left something in the classroom from the day before and got him to retrieve it for him, you were already there.
You’re fixated and practically attached to your knitted cardigan, seemingly having no problem wearing the same outfit for days straight — something so both adorable and visibly heart-racing when it’s almost always a tank top underneath that’s on the lower scoop, and a rotation of pants and sweats that sometimes feel so misplaced with your cardigan that it matches.
Jungkook’s found out that you probably wear atleast three rings on a daily basis, and that only took him two days to figure out because you’d exit the classroom with slight marks and indentations on your cheeks or on your jaw. Whether it’s to being sleepy, being bored, or being focused is something he has yet to discern — but yeah, he looks at you with his eyes silently when the class is dismissed, wondering if he’d see the same Pandora tiara ring mark on your cheek, or this time from a signet ring you sported more often.
He’s eight weeks in doing whatever this is. Whatever having the definition of him trailing behind his dad, a back and forth between his classes and his office, then them eating out for lunch break.
Sometimes, Jungkook forgets that his dad’s the president of this very university. 
He’s only really known him as dad and he’s grateful for that, and the only times he’d see his father as the educator he was with the fancy doctorate degree was whenever Jungkook’s been a little lacking in his studies as a child up until high school. His mom, a doctor, would be on duty for nights and at home for mornings so that’d be the window she’d teach him the alphabet and addition with the carrying, something that eight-year old him would tear up just at the mention of.
His dad would just sit beside him in a very calm manor, take out two notebooks for one of them each, and make reviewers. Jungkook writes down what he knows and what his dad tells him to, highlights the key terms, and for some totally odd reason, making his own reviewers saved him from failing altogether and become an honor student with little help from his parents and most especially his dad.
It humors him that people are so rigid and intimidated by his dad, and he knows that not everyone would believe that this is the same guy that taught him how to give someone a proper wet willy. Jungkook sees people left and right going out of their way to greet him and pay their courtesies, stifling in a giggle that his dad also fights the need to laugh.
He loves and looks up to his dad, feeling a lot more thankful that he has a healthy relationship with his parents as an only child. Jungkook feels he owes that much to his dad that he took education for his college course, despite his blatant lack of interest for it.
And here he is — a senior at another college his dad’s not the professor of, studying a degree that he’s not gonna practice, and shadowing his father for eight weeks while he goes and teach for the “experience” as his dad calls it.
This has got to be a little ethically questionable, but that’s okay. Jungkook takes some comfort knowing that his dad’s the boss and he could just sit in a chair, pretending to absorb his lessons. In fact, he doesn’t even know why his dad opts to teach still even if he’s well high up in that ladder, the only explanation being that his father just really really likes teaching and not just be moving between airconditioned offices and meeting rooms all the time. And if that was enough, his dad just had to teach two classes to which Jungkook needs to accompany him in both — Statistics and English Literature.
Jungkook has a memory of stone that’s probably of the same kind the Code of Hammurabi was inscribed in (because he just swears his memory started way earlier than the age of four), because he practically knows everyone in each of his dad’s classes.
Eight weeks in. He’s only known that long.
But Jungkook knows for a fact that you’re never late — that much he knows. He refuses to believe that you’re actually gonna be late to class. 
His dad comes in early and normally, he sits by his chair just when he’s a minute away from starting class. For some odd push today, he felt the need to enter the room with his dad and be early for once; but for the one time that he did this, you weren’t around for it.
You’re late, and you’re never late, and you’re throwing him a curveball, but something tells him in his gut that this just wasn’t something you pull out of your cardigan sleeve to confuse him.
You’re confusing.
You’re never usually confusing.
He visibly straightens in his seat when you enter the room with a sense of complacency and without the need to rush, the class only in the quieting down stages before the lesson begins when you walked in.
Mr. Jeon’s flickered to the entrance briefly, his tinkering with the HDMI cord continuing nonetheless. “Kook,” he just barely manages to get out because he’s already standing up from his seat, nimble fingers grabbing a slip from his desk that makes his dad perplexed.
Jungkook walks all the way to you at the back of the class, holding out the late slip to you a little too eagerly as it seems, and you can’t help but feel confused and irritated at the same time with how you started your morning.
For starters, coffee was spilled on your cardigan from the night before, and soaking it overnight in a mix of detergent, softener, and the tiniest bit of bleach wasn’t enough to completely rub the stain off — which meant you had to get up extra early to have it dry-cleaned (the staff looked at you a bit weirdly) and head off to where you needed to be, in a rush.
“But I’m not late though.”
You murmur as you peer up at him, refusing to even take the slip in between Jungkook’s fingers. He turns impatient, even more-so at your retort that honestly sounded genuine, that he settles on dropping it down your desk.
“You are, Y/N.” He says as convictedly as he can, only having to glance sideways briefly to your nosy seatmate to keep him out of a conversation he clearly isn’t a part of, and you make a note in your head to apologize to Jimin who gets scared easily, especially by the president’s son.
As if to prove his point, Jungkook rolls the sleeve of his bomber jacket in the slightest, enough for you to see a glimpse of his flashy gold Rolex in an attempt to tell you the time, one you couldn’t decipher because it was analog and your eyesight’s not that quick-witted nor clear.
“It’s three minutes before the start of the class,” you make it a point to outstretch your forearm, one that isn’t covered by your cardigan as he now realizes, your silver and digital Casio telling him that it’s 9:57, indeed three minutes away from the start of his dad’s class.
He barely even blinks before he adjusts himself to stand between your stretched legs so he could hold your arm and adjust your goddamn watch to be set four minutes later, his movements done so quickly that you straighten your back to the seat.
Jimin pretends he’s looking away, but deep down you already know that he’s gonna ambush you with questions as soon as Jungkook leaves.
“See that? You’re late,” he hums contentedly, pushing the late slip towards you and stands by himself with his hands across his chest, all-knowing that he wouldn’t leave not until you comply with his stupid request for a late slip.
His dad sees the interaction unfold from a distance, still confused but somehow amused, and a curious smile appears on his face as he now has something else to bring up on the dinner table later.
After all, he only called out to his son to tell him that they should go pick up a few groceries over lunch break — not to give you a late slip.
Jungkook collects the piece of paper from you wordlessly, letting his hand linger for the briefest moment but you pay him no mind, too occupied to looking at your left and gesturing for Jimin to scoot closer.
Something’s wrong.
His instincts are not exactly the most accurate but after all, it does account for something. He’s not the best at reading people when they’re indifferent, and normally you’re never indifferent to him. 
He decides to lay low at that, sitting back on his chair and only twirling the slip in between his fingers and not once setting it down on the desk, preventing himself to look at it.
It’s only when his dad calls him to do a summary and explain to the class about his lesson’s breakdown, and he turns stern when he crushes the paper within his palm for the sake of being indiscreet that he totally wasn’t fiddling with paper for an hour and a half.
Jungkook returns and that’s when his dad starts giving out final reminders for their next meeting, straightening it out as much as he could until he can see your messy handwriting more than he could see the creases.
Tutored Hwang Hyunjin; state quizbee next week.
And why, exactly?
As far as he knows, Hyunjin’s the faculty’s favorite because he was such an intelligent student. He might be the favorite of his dad but he’s not entirely sure because his dad says he doesn’t like playing favorites, but he seems to think so nonetheless. If the guy who’s in the line-up for summa cum laude is asking help for a mere quizbee, what exactly is it for?
You’re an honor student, sure. In the dean’s list and in the running for cum laude, but you’ve said it yourself that you’re no Hyunjin and in verbatim, anyone who takes education as seriously as he does needs a hug and an emotional support system. Do you see yourself doing all the extra credits when you already have the highest average on all of them?
Did you hug him?
Jungkook scoffs to where his mind is running, a little dejected as he ponders on it even more as he stands next to his dad’s desk, nodding curtly at the students who bid him goodbye.
He’s extra quick to stepping up when it’s you who passes him, hands on his pocket as he asks under his breath.
“We cool?”
He tries to search for a hint of distaste in your face and he’s almost disappointed to find none, a genuine small smile on as you reply and come out the door without so much of a look back at him.
“‘Course we are, Mr. Jeon.”
... \ ( ♡ ) / ...
“What’s up with you?”
Jungkook utters the moment the door of your apartment swings open. It was straight to the point, really. No buttering up to you and no unnecessary bullshit before he drops the question that’s been plaguing his mind the whole day.
You had only been brushing your teeth when you hear a series of crisp and heavy knocks that led you to think that your neighbor Hoseok next-door has finally screwed up the pooch completely, and accidentally set his kitchen on fire with the cookie batter he’s been doing a series of trial and error with for a dozen times already.
Oh.
It’s only Jungkook, then.
He doesn’t look the slightest bit concerned being out in the hallway that gave everyone an opportunity to see him. Frankly, everyone who’s set foot to the president’s office, which is everyone, could tell who he is simply by looking at the few hundred picture frames Mr. Jeon has on his desk. 
He’s not concerned and he doesn’t have the gall to be concerned either, because as much as he knows that although underneath his dad’s section, the housing section of the college wasn’t under his close supervision. Besides that, he finds that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this.
Jungkook only looks up to you for a few seconds, wide-eyed with your toothbrush in your mouth, and decides to let himself in.
This being yours and Jungkook’s interactions for the past eight weeks. There’s not a label to it, but it goes along the lines of the occasional fuck, and then the ranting about each other’s days, and binge-watching that either ends up as hook-up, or trying to pick up new hobbies the other’s just suggested, or whatever’s playing is actually playing and the two of you just watch, your head laid on his lap and his hand brushing your hair.
Yeah, that one. Whatever that’s called — that’s what you and Jungkook are.
It’s been painfully obvious to your tight knit of friends, namely only being Jimin and Hoseok, that those things practically yielded to the commitment of him being something that starts with boy and ends with a friend, no spaces in between and all in one word.
You blink away your internal monologue, remembering that you need to spit before replying to his question that he’s asked you point-blank two seconds ago.
“You saw me in class today.”
That one couldn’t be anymore obvious and he huffs at that, once again going on a grumpy fit of frustration while he lies on your bed upright, arms across his chest. “Off,” you swat his leg immediately, making him haphazardly throw away his shoes if he want to keep being frustrated with you.
That’s the exact bit though. Regardless if you forced him to take off his shoes while he’s on your bed, he’d be frustrated at you regardless. He doesn’t know why he’s frustrated with you in the first place and that just makes him stressed even more.
The realization hits him that Jungkook doesn’t really know why he’s so pressed about you, his tone considerably softening because now he feels a little smaller under your curious gaze.
“Yeah, yeah. I clearly know that. I, uh, I meant outside of class.”
Normally, he’d find your avoidance of things actually endearing because you seemed to worm your way out of any situation you just deem to be unrelated to you — but for the first time, he doesn’t know if you’re avoiding his question. If this was still your passive-aggressiveness or genuineness showing its head right now.
“You’re starting to sound like a professor, y’know,” you note with intrigue, relishing to how Jungkook lying on your bed and looking at you under such intensity seems normal to you at this point and at this moment. “A professor hanging out with his student outside of class, in her dorm, and on a weekday.”
The comment you add was supposed to be humorous but you find it rather odd now having said it out loud, the realization dawning on you that whatever this is, is just too ambiguous and vague that you’d never wanted something so specific in your lifetime.
“Just trying to appease dad. Do I look like I have the patience to teach a class, better yet show up?”
That’d be the actual bane of him.
Don’t get him wrong, professors must be so cool and patient with their workload and stuff, but holy fucking shit does he hate it for himself. He means no disrespect to his dad but he honestly can’t see himself doing what he does, even for a fraction of his life willingly.
You sort of envy him for the upbringing he has and the wholesome and healthy relationship he has with his family that you wouldn’t mind telling people all about. Not everyone expects Jungkook to be as family-oriented as he looks, and the little nugget of information he made you privy too puts a gentle smile of your face.
“You do have the patience to ask me if I’m okay though.”
It’s a question between reeling yourself in and putting yourself out there more, plopping to sit on the edge of your bed as you try to put lotion on your legs all the way down to your heel.
Jungkook finds it normal to see you putting lotion on and zit cream on your face, and he doesn’t question it for one second.
That doesn’t automatically mean that he’s gonna address it though.
“Well, baby, are y’okay?” he crawls the short distance from you, putting half of his body weight as he slings himself on your shoulders from behind, lips brushing against your ear as he pulls you tighter.
“Mhmmm.”
He finds it that as much as he pulls you tighter, you grow a bit more distant. You’re there with him but your mind isn’t, perhaps lost on the lotion that only adds into your scent that seems engraved in his mind nowadays.
Jungkook does as much as to tug a sleeve of your shirt to expose the slightest bit of your shoulder blades, pressing wet gentle kisses that leaves you, surprisingly, unfazed.
You make no move nor action, just continuing on rubbing your arms with your hands and him taking the momentary act of silence to look around your room, seeing your textbooks piled neatly on your desk with your lamp on.
“Long night?” 
He asks and not a second later do you hum in confirmation, making him roll his eyes and his stomach churn, but it probably just has something to do with a heartburn that’s beginning to form because the ache’s spreading to his chest.
It’s got to be heartburn, right?
“Alright. Didn’t have to answer me too quick just so you can kick me out.”
He mutters underneath his breath a little hurt, taking your responses as his cue to leave. His flair for what you think is the dramatics makes you roll your eyes and slap his thigh, following him out on the way to the door.
Jungkook’s fazed because he doesn’t exactly know the essential purpose plus his expected outcome of this five-minute visit. He doesn’t have a clue, but dropping to your apartment unannounced and seeing you for just even five minutes, even if he doesn’t know why, doesn’t seem wrong.
What is wrong, is that you’d normally kiss him goodbye.
This time, you don’t.
... \ ( ♡ ) / ...
Jungkook’s gut tells him to come early to class, even telling his dad that he’d come down there by himself so he could scope out his class like the great son that he is, and he does exactly that.
Some of the early-birds are pleasantly surprised to see him there, early and alone without Dr. Jeon, sitting on his usual chair.
This setting’s odd for him and as much as he wants to leave, he doesn’t feel the need to. He doesn’t really care if he’s intimidating the students because after all, that’s not the reason why he’s here. In fact, he’s aware that he seems to be quite the talk of the campus, the verdict being half and half if he was as fun, easygoing, yet stern like his father — or if he’s something else entirely. Either way, none of them could catch on to the fact besides you that he’s not here out of passion, but rather obligation.
There’s less than thirty students in the room but Jungkook could just feel it at the back of his spine that you’re gonna walk through the door soon enough. You’ve got to be, right? Jungkook stands by himself near the door, practically barricading the door with how he’s built.
This familiar guy he can’t put a name to is walking through the door carelessly, eyes completely fixed on his phone that his shoulder’s barreling into Jungkook’s.
“Oh hey dude, what’s up?”
The guy in question barely even looks up for a second, a meek smile on his face before turning to his phone again and just staying there by the door, a character paused to block it all for a fucking text as what it seems.
Jungkook barely needs a second to look at him eye to eye; tall, pale, long blonde hair, and smooth pronounced features.
Hwang Hyunjin.
He’s only seen him in passing but never on this scale, his first instinct being straightening his back. They’re roughly the same height, Jungkook shoving his observation to the back of his head that Hyunjin’s only a millimeter higher than him.
He’s probably the only one applying pressure to this scenario, thick brows furrowing as he almost grimaces looking at the younger guy in front of him.
“Are you in this class?”
What?
Hyunjin’s confused to say the least, not only because this random dude he bumped into is suddenly making conversation with him, but because someone’s actually questioning about his presence here.
He lowers his phone, putting a pause to his heated exchange of which installment of this series they’re watching this, all in the favor for staring at this guy who’s cowling at him.
“... Yes?”
His answer even sounds unsure, Jungkook’s questioning raise of his brows prompting him to explain.
Hyunjin doesn’t even know why he feels compelled to explain but he does it nonetheless. “They say I could sit in this class. Some topics would show up in the quizbee next week.”
That’s just grand.
Before Jungkook can simmer in his irritation even more, his dad slips through the door by holding his shoulders in place, looking between the two of them briefly before walking to his desk.
“Kook? Thought you’d open up the lesson without me.”
Blondie tilts his gaze, eyes narrowing as he tries to scan a Kook in his brain’s directory and why it sounds so fond coming from Dr. Jeon.
“Mmmm, sorry dad.”
Jungkook emphasizes a little more than needed, turning to him and sending him a half-hearted grin while unbeknownst to him, Hyunjin pales and is having a breakdown and a half.
Did he really just accidentally bump into the college president’s son? Is he gonna be expelled now?
Jungkook’s oblivious to the inner turmoil that’s unfolding in the guy in front of him, crossing his arms before looking at his dad once more.
“Is he allowed here?” 
He questions sharply like a toddler who’s just seen an inconspicuous man by the swing, his cheeks rounding with his lips pursed.
His dad’s really confused because this is the most intrigue he’s seen Jungkook inhibit for the whole eight weeks.
Of course his dad knows; he’s more than aware that his son has literally no interest in being a professor, and honestly speaking, he’s not even mad at that. He’a outsmarted him on this one and just went along with the lengths of hi son trying to impress him, falling into this eight-week routine of them bonding together with little practice teaching, yet Jungkook still wonders where he got his wit from.
He looks back and forth between Jungkook and Hyunjin, perplexed because he’s pretty sure that the two of them don’t know each other and that doesn’t explain the tension lingering.
“Hyunjin? Yeah. President’s lister, right?”
Hyunjin grins and chuckles at that, bowing slightly as he just passes Jungkook that appalls the latter.
“You put me there, sir.”
Jungkook mocks him under his breath, not going unnoticed by his dad who just chuckles all the same. “What’s up with you?”
“Nothing,” he lies right out of his teeth, sitting on his chair and spreading his legs until his dad nudges him to be atleast decent because he wants the students to focus on his presentation and not his son’s crotch.
He feels cursed having such clear vision because even when the lights are dim, Jungkook still finds his gaze looking for you out of habit. Cursed for seeing Hyunjin sit on the other side of you and suddenly he wishes that this would be the time that Jimin interferes.
He’s unsure if you’re making him confused or he’s confusing himself, but the way his head feels like splitting just by thinking about you and what he could’ve done wrong tells him that he should be definite.
“Would you mind wrapping up the lesson, Mr. Jeon?” his dad asks outloud and for any other context, they’d share identical smiles on how they should be professional towards each other (as suggested by his dad) during class.
“Not at all, Dr. Jeon.”
God, he’s so oblivious to see how he has everyone gravitating towards him that it’s actually endearing. You sitting all the way up gives you a front-row seat to see how everyone sits up a little straighter and how heads follow his every move.
Jungkook has everyone wrapped around his finger and he doesn’t even know — you’re everyone; he can’t know.
He steps up to the plate and the natural dominance and hold he has on everyone broke through, a lesson about statistics never being this intense and a large majority of the people would really stay for another hour and a half if it’s Jungkook who’s teaching.
He’s so absorbed into summarizing as a way of destressing that he ended up giving perhaps one of the best makeshift lectures ever, his dad positively awed and ending up even more confused.
Jungkook’s coming down from his lecture high, nervously fiddling with his fingers as his dad gives the final reminders. What doesn’t help is also you coming out of the classroom with Hyunjin in tow, wearing your cardigan, and that’s what considerably sets him off.
Suddenly, he now decides that your cardigan is the ugliest and most disgusting piece of clothing he’s ever seen in his life. It’s the furthest thing from adorable, and the nearest thing into being set on fire.
You still smell sweet and homey when you’re nearing him, and the realization that your cardigan’s tainted by the smell of you and soon enough, Hyunjin will — it hits Jungkook too hard that he mutters under his breath, his jaw lax from being clenched.
“If you have a problem with me, just tell me about it.” 
He can’t find the will in himself to care whether or not Hyunjin’s gone on without you and is waiting for you by the corridor, or that his dad’s arranging his shelf and could be possibly listening.
“I don’t,” your face reflects the same thing as your answer, devoid of any uncertainty that you have a problem with him.
“You don’t?” he prods further even if he knows that asking the second time wouldn’t even help.
“I don’t. Do you?” 
There’s no malice in your tone. It’s the same gentleness laced with mischief underneath, head tilting in question.
That’s when he narrows his eyes at you, always knowing how to play your cards right without him knowing.
“With you or with myself?”
You shrug carelessly, an automatic giggle tumbling out of your lips that it bothers you too because you shouldn’t be okay with pulling yourself away from Jungkook, and the fact that it could be because you made peace long enough that the two of you will never be more is something to blame.
“You tell me, Mr. Jeon.” 
He’s never hated his family name more and the formality preceding it than now. In reality, he’s just a year older than most of you in this class and the last time he’s checked, no one calls their senior, despite being from another university, like that.
Everyone assumed that he should be called with respect because after all, they’re probably looking at the future of this institution anyways. 
Stable breaths aren’t enough and Jungkook seems to despise the way your slightest change towards him affects him the most, and his pride over not reaching out to your first has long been gone since.
He figures that this is just your way of detaching from him because his eight weeks are almost up, and that he should be totally fine with it because after all it’s only been eight weeks.
He can’t see another eight weeks of you pulling out from him, and even worse, eight weeks without you.
“We’re not cool.”
Jungkook says as soon as you open your door, not waiting for you to gesture him to come in. In any other situation, he’d find you adorable having traded your contacts for glasses, and absolutely sexy if his blood’s rushing elsewhere besides his cheeks. There’s no introduction of asking about your day nor catching you off-guard with a kiss either. 
It’s him going straight to your bed and lying upright, looking at you somberly that you feel sorry you’ve been establishing this change in the first place.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
His question is a complete 180 from his voice that’s been gravelly since morning, sincerity underneath the rough edges.
You shake your head no, a signal that there’s absolutely nothing wrong and you don’t have anything to tell him about.
“Are you sure?”
He looks at you with wide reassuring eyes just begging for anything, atleast something, the only time that he wishes there’s something wrong going on so he could chalk it up to that instead of facing this shift with you blindly and aimlessly. 
You’re wordlessly climbing up on bed too, making him automatically scoot over to his side of your bed when he stays overnight, instant warmth welcoming you just by having your shoulders touch with him. It’s a head nod of yes, I’m sure that there’s nothing wrong with your eyes closed. 
Being beside him is the equivalent of all the comfortable nights you’ve slept. Jungkook’s the ultimate compilation and the most expensive goodie box of warm hugs and warm tea that tasted familiar instead of incredibly earthy. He’s white noise and eight-hour loops of rainfall against your windows and humidifier-goodness of sleep that you take indulgence and warmth in.
Jungkook’s in another realm of thought when he almost snaps at you because your roles have been reversed and it’s him who’s doting over you.
“Are you usually this non-committal?”
You’re always warm with a cherry on top when you talk to Jungkook, and just only two days of you giving him timid replies has him asking you if you’re the opposite of the adjective that people most commonly attached to you.
“I think we both know best that I’m loyal.”
You are. 
It’s a word that’s almost always attached to your name. You’ve never really sustained a large group of close friends, and it wasn’t needed, but Jungkook finds it funny that you’re oblivious to how people look at you.
He’s well-acquainted with what goes around, and the only things that go around about you was that you’ve touched them in one way or another. You’re the most loyal friend Jimin has because you’ve stuck with him even if he’s spilled his guts on your bathroom floor, missing the mark of your toilet bowl. You gave up your bed for him and tucked him in even if he was still at risk of throwing up because he just couldn’t stop, and made him breakfast the next morning. You’ve only known each other for three days.
Hoseok considers you his most loyal neighbor slash friend ever, because you let him have a go at your pantry even if you knew at the back of your head that he’d screw up something in his recipe one way or another. Even started buying extra ingredients whenever he needs them, and him purposefully forgetting that he has brown sugar at the back of his cabinet.
You are loyal, and that’s what he sometimes hates about you too because it makes you more vulnerable. A little too easy to trample on. A little too easy to have you cheering for someone from the bleachers when they’re still on the bench.
Jungkook wonders if you’re loyal to him too, and if you were (which he’s sure of, and there’s no denying it), would you still be even if he feels like the two of you are growing apart?
“Then why do I feel that-“
He sighs in exasperation, head turning to face you and he’s greeted with your finger outstretched, digging in to where his dimple would appear.
He could look at you properly this time because he’s not in a rush asking if you’re okay. Eyes glazed looking up at him underneath your glasses, scrunched nose with the cutest smile and all that he wants this to never stop.
“Hey.”
You whisper in a rush all of a sudden, a toothy grin fading steadily when your thumb comes to rest on his cheek, whole hand soon pressed to it whole that Jungkook finds himself leaning.
“I’m in love with you.”
It comes out of you fluidly; no baited breath and no hesitation at all. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, actually. Not once did you think that you’d ever tell Jungkook you love him in this way, or ever for that matter, but it’s something that materialized out of thin air.
It’s as quick as a passing thought and as stable as a core memory, reiterating what is only a truth instead of a confession.
There’s no sadness in your gaze and no distrust either, but the smile that stretches on your cheeks doesn’t look as giddy.
He’s a little cross-eyed with how close you are, but Jungkook audibly whimpers when you pull away suddenly and out of the bed altogether, picking up your laptop from your table.
You don’t know what you’re doing either, but you could only hope that it looks as natural as it seemed, wanting him to know that your sudden realization that you need to make a twenty-page essay in size 12 font has nothing to do with your profession of love.
“But I know I shouldn’t, and besides, it’s a conflict of interest. Anyway, let’s just end this here now and-...”
“Are you insane?”
Jungkook exclaims in punctuation marks and of deep urgency, looking at you as if you suggested the most ridiculous thing ever after what you’ve just said, which you exactly did.
“Just continue loving me!”
He says it as the most obvious thing ever, his chest feeling an odd sense of relief after having blown up with emotion. He’s a sponge at this point in whatever relationship the two of you have. He’ll take what you can give, but this was something Jungkook would run to hell and back for to not take from you.
“You didn’t even ask if I loved you back! And that’s my honest answer, not something that would appease you when you return the question.”
He looks a little softer around the edges at the moment — arms flailing around and hair bouncing as he keeps moving his head. 
His cheeks are puffed out when he’s angry and his lips are red from trying to get his point across strongly, stammering with what more he could think of in his head.
“It’s not a conflict of interest either! I only shadowed my dad to please him, but we both know that I don’t want to become a professor like him. You just think that it is because you’re up on the seats and I’m down on the podium!” he’s heated and his cheeks are warm and there’s no way it has something to do with your airconditioning.
“It’s a stint. It was a literal eight-week stint for free, because he’s the president for god’s sake — that’s it! I go back to my university in like what, a week? And they don’t even need me passing requirements, because they already know, again, that I’m the son of a university president! Honestly, it’d be stupid of them to.” 
Jungkook feels like he’s gonna pass out with how overwhelmed he is. Too overwhelmed to the point that he doesn’t see you smiling out of the corner of his eye, hand rubbing down the length of his nape to his back.
It’s only then that you realize that he’s rambling and his voice is wavering, concern dripping down from you instead of amused laughter.
“Y/N, please, it’s convenient — more than convenient. I graduate this year, and you next year. The last thing I’d do in my life is grade papers. You know what I want to be? I wanna be-...”
Jungkook’s cut off with a tender kiss on the corner of his mouth that’s grounded him, blinking twice to look at you.
He should really kiss you right now.
“You could’ve condensed that into a single simple sentence,” you snort when you pull away from Jungkook’s hold, sending him a look of faux disappointment to which he whines. “It’s called I love you too, Jungkook.”
He squints at your teasing but reasons just as quick, sneaking in his head underneath your shirt to escape from your teasing and importantly, press a gentle kiss to your chest, then your boobs, and settling to lie down on your stomach as he’s content.
“I was panicked!”
Jungkook’s certain that he loves you, laughing to himself when he heard heavy knocks against your bedroom wall that just conveniently happens to be adjacent to Hoseok’s.
“Fucking finally! I was about to flirt with either of you just so you could cut to the chase and admit it to each other!”
Your laugh is the sweetest thing he’s ever heard, coming out from hiding underneath your shirt and just laying on top of your clothed tummy, hand looking for yours to hold on to.
You’ve been sleepy the entire time, he’s figured. You having switched to your glasses meant you’ve already had your night shower, and only had three hours maximum before succumbing to your bed. You’ve had a long day clearly, and it’s when you’re starting to succumb into sleep right exactly where you are that Jungkook suddenly remembers.
“You know what I want to be? I wanna be-…”
“With you.”
“Mhmm?” you all but mumble, feeling him adjust your head on the pillow while he lays on his, literal weight being lifted off from you.
Jungkook feels even more endeared if that’s any more possible, the tiniest boop to your nose and the softest kiss on your forehead.
“I wanna be with you.”
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thus-spoke-lo · 3 years ago
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Rain on Me (Rohan Kishibe x Reader) Chapter 2
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A/N: Second in multiple chapters (Ch. 1 here), to be updated monthly. I’ll be posting updates here as well as over at AO3
Summary: The workday finally over, but stuck without a ride, you walk home in the pouring rain only to find that you're locked out of your house. Drenched and with no place to go, a strange car pulls in to your driveway and a familiar face comes to your aid. CW: AFAB/fem reader. ***********************
At long last, after what had felt like an eternity and a half—it was closing time. Rohan had been your last customer, and hours passed without anyone else braving the oncoming storm to stop in the café before you were finally able to do a last pass at cleaning for the night. As you gave the counters one final wipe down and emptied the leftover pastries from the case, you thought about the interaction with Rohan earlier; you still couldn’t figure out why it was that you passed out, except maybe—maybe—he was right and you were a little dehydrated. When it came down to it, almost all of your thoughts for the hours leading up until now were consumed by memories of his touch—your palms were still buzzing remembering the way he felt, how soft his hands were but how steadfastly they gripped yours as he pulled you to your feet with remarkable ease. You continually reminded yourself of the embarrassment of leaning in a little too far, of letting your face hover just a little too near to his, feeling a warmth radiating from him, the air between you feeling electrified. Surely it wouldn’t have been that wrong, you had reassured yourself throughout the night, if you had succumbed to your momentary lapse of judgement, if you had given in and stolen a kiss? Would it have been so bad to feel his lips pressed to yours, to be wrapped in his embrace as you melted into him, feeling like the only people in the world for even just the briefest moment in time?
You had, more than a few times, mulled over how to approach Rohan and express your interest, but how would it look for the barista who served him his tea to suddenly ask him on a date? What would happen if he said no (which you were convinced he would)—would you have to then experience your shame every time he came in? Or hide and beg a coworker to help him, as though he wouldn’t notice you scurrying into the backroom at the mere presence of him? It felt much easier to continue to admire him from afar and keep drawing your silly little doodles on the cup sleeves, and hope that perhaps one day your beloved mangaka would be so overcome by the gesture that he would take it upon himself to pull you out from behind the counter and dip you into the kind of kiss that you only saw in romantic comedies.
You gotta stop being weird about this and let it go, you thought to yourself as you locked the door to the café. You’ve got a schoolkid crush and you’re a grown adult, get yourself together. You sighed as you stood for a moment in the blackened night, smelling the moisture in the air, a light rain falling and dampening the sidewalk, as you tried to push your thoughts of Rohan out of your mind. You looked each way down the misty block—funny, your roommate was supposed to be there to pick you up, since your car was in the shop for some engine work, but you hadn’t heard from her all day despite multiple texts and a couple calls that went straight to voicemail. She wouldn’t forget about you…would she? She knew you didn’t have your car (she was the one who had recommended the mechanic after all) and the few miles home would be too much in the rain—you’d talked about it last night, how could she have forgotten so soon? You called her, but it rang without answer, and your texts continued to go unanswered. You gave it a little time, hoping to hear back from her, but you were tired of waiting and anxious to be home in your warm living room—the rain was just a light drizzle, surely it wouldn’t be that bad to walk home in?
After a few minutes of strolling with your hands clenched in tight fists in your pockets, arms pressed tightly to your sides, your jacket collar popped up to keep your neck dry, the sky opened up and let loose with torrents of hard, cold rain. Shit! Shit shit SHIT! ran through your head as you sprinted back a block and ducked under the small awning of a shop; you fished your phone out of your backpack to try your roommate again. You texted. Then again. And again.
Nothing.
“Fine,” you whispered crossly as you tried another friend. And another. But of course, it was a Friday night—who would be checking their texts this late when they were probably out drinking, and even if they did, who would want to answer one that begged for a ride in the pouring rain? You leaned your head back against the shop window and let out a long, labored groan, staring at the black sky and the sheets of rain that pelted the sidewalk. “Dammit, let’s just get this over with,” you grumbled, tossing your phone back in your bag, making sure your collar was as high and snug around your neck as you could get it—it was going to be another couple miles home, but under the circumstances, you already knew it would feel like a marathon.
*******
You saw your house in the distance and ended up jogging the last little stretch home—you were already drenched straight through, what did it matter at this point if the puddles splashed up extra high with every step and water poured into your sneakers? As you approached the house, you could feel relief finally upon you—you could strip out of your sopping wet clothes, change into your baggiest pajamas, make yourself that cup of green tea you had been lusting after all day, and sink into your couch under a blanket to warm your chilled bones. As you reached the front door, you took off your backpack and started to dig for your keys and—
FUCK.
You realized your house keys were still on the key ring that you handed off to the mechanic this morning—the only keys in your bag were the ones to the café, which you always kept separate. How could you have been so reckless, especially on a day like today? You leaned against the front door and slid down to the cold concrete of the porch, rain still pelting you as the wind picked up. “Why tonight?” you whined as you closed your eyes, the rain stinging your skin. “I just want to drink tea and watch my shows and now I can’t do anything.” It felt like punishment from the universe pelting you, for committing some as-yet unknown wrong, as you stretched out your legs and tried to think through your next steps to get inside. You dug through your bag for something you could use as a makeshift lock pick, but realized you hadn’t the faintest idea how to pick a lock. You glanced off to your right. A-ha! The garage! Bless the owners of this house you were renting for never upgrading to an automatic door—you jogged over and pulled up the door and hustled inside, finally safe from the onslaught. You took off your jacket and shook it out, laying it across the top of the washer and dryer at the back of the garage, hoping to get it dry enough to put it back on before too long.
You jiggled the handle of the door that led into the house from the garage, hoping that either you or your roommate had been irresponsible enough to leave it unlocked, but to no avail. As you shivered and hugged yourself trying to warm up, pacing for a moment to get your blood pumping again, you saw a car slow down to a crawl in front of your house, pause for a few beats, then pull into the driveway. It wasn’t your roommate’s car, so who in the hell would be coming to your house at this time of night? Were they lost? You raised up your hand to block the light of the headlights as the car approached the entrance to the garage; whoever it was pulled partially into the garage, parked the car and shut the lights off, and you heard the sound of a window rolling down. You squinted as a light turned on inside the car—was that…Rohan?
“What are you doing in here?” he said as he stepped out of his car.
“My um—my car’s at the mechanic’s and so are my house keys. My roommate’s not home, so I can’t get in. Breaking a window seemed like overkill,” you shouted back as you walked backwards away from him, unexpectedly bumping into the dryer behind you. You found yourself trembling, but you couldn’t tell if it was from being cold and drenched through, or from Rohan inexplicably standing in your garage. You marveled at the fact that he looked far more attractive than he had any business being given the weather, quickly remembering that you probably looked like a sopping mess.
He stood in front of his car, his hands in his coat pockets. “I have a cell phone if you need one, you can call your roommate if you like.”
You shook your head and held up your own phone. “Already tried calling and texting, she’s not answering. I think she’s probably out with some friends, so I’m just gonna wait in here until she gets home.” You stood at the back of the garage, hands gripping the dryer behind you, feeling uncomfortable as you found yourself staring at him—his long coat was open, showing off a tightfitting sweater and low-slung pants that revealed a sliver of skin between his shirt and beltline. You inhaled sharply as you tried to shift your focus away from his lithe body. “So what are you doing here, anyway? Don’t you live like…” you gestured vaguely “…not here?”
He shrugged. “I was in the neighborhood.” You squinted at him questioningly, tilting your head. “You were?”
He looked off to one side, avoiding your scrutiny. “Yes. I was on my way home and happened down this street, and thought it was strange that someone would be in their garage on a night like this. And then I thought I recognized you.” He shifted in place, returning his gaze to you. “Are you doing alright?”
“Well, I’d rather not be wet, but I’m okay all things considered,” you chuckled.
He forced a smile. “I meant after earlier, at the café.”
“Oh, right!” A long walk in the pouring rain and the shock of your favorite customer standing in front of you had momentarily erased all thoughts of your fainting spell. “Yeah, I’m doing okay I think.”
“Mm, well that’s good,” he responded, his eyes fixed on you as you tried to decide whether or not to return his gaze. You were certain it was just your imagination, but it felt like there was something filling the silence between you, a sense of longing or desire that you couldn’t quite explain, but that you had felt earlier that day in the café as you had stumbled forward and your mouths had nearly met.
“I’m gonna try to call my roommate again,” you blurted out, desperate to cut through the tension that hung in the air. You anxiously dialed your housemate and finally got ahold of her, begging her to come home from wherever she was to let you in the house. You felt your heart sink as she told you, barely audible over the sound of booming music and screaming voices, that no, she couldn’t make it back, her boyfriend had surprised her with a trip to Tokyo for the weekend, and that she was just so sorry she couldn’t help. You hung up before she had said goodbye and let out strained sigh, trying to decide whether you wanted to scream, cry, or throw your phone out onto the driveway.
“What did she say?” Rohan asked.
“She said she’s out of town for the weekend.” You took a deep breath through your nose, closing your eyes and holding it for a moment while you considered your options. “So. I’m just gonna have to wait until morning when I can get ahold of one of my friends and see if I can stay with them until the mechanic opens again on Monday.”
“I can give you a ride somewhere.” “I mean, that is really generous, but no one’s answering me.” You sighed. “And honestly, I’m not in the mood to have you just take me from bar to bar or house to house.”
He hesitated for a moment, as though he was considering his next words cautiously. “Do you…need a place to stay for the night?”
You were taken aback by his question, you mouth hanging slightly agape at the notion, your muddled mind not yet fully processing how to answer. You had thought about going home with him many times as you watched him from the café counter, but never quite like this. “I mean…my mother always taught me not to get in cars with strangers,” you joked weakly, adding a forced chuckle as you avoided an answer.
“We aren’t strangers, though. I see you at the café very often, and we know each other’s names.”
“Wait, you know my name?”
“Your nametag.”
Oh my god, of course the nametag, you thought, covering your face with your hand for a moment as you felt your ears burn hot with embarrassment. “That’s fair, we do know each other. So I suppose we aren’t really strangers, then.”
“So is that a yes?” he asked with a smirk.
You stuttered for a moment, then fell silent as you scanned his face, looking for any signs of ill intent in his expression. You thought about waiting to see if any of your sober (or at least less drunk) friends might acquiesce and come through with a ride and a place to crash, but you knew the chances were slim; Rohan on the other hand, a striking vision standing before you, was a sure thing. And hadn’t you always wanted go home with him after all? Would you pass up an opportunity to let him save you for the second time today in favor of sleeping in your damp garage? You squeezed your eyes shut for a moment as you forced yourself to make a decision. “Okay, yes. Thank you. I will gladly take you up on your offer.” “You’re welcome,” Rohan said, gesturing to his car. “I do have work to do when I get home, but I think I can spare some time to make you some tea?”
“That would be lovely, thank you. Just let me try to grab a few things,” you said as you scrounged through the dryer looking for clean clothes to bring with you. Thankfully you hadn’t put away your clean laundry (as usual) and found some spare clothes to throw in your backpack as you hurriedly pulled yourself together, still questioning if you had done the right thing in agreeing to go home with him. You stood and waited for him to back out of your garage so you could put the door down, your hands idly playing with the zippers on your backpack. What the hell am I doing? you asked yourself as you anxiously mulled over your decision—you had certainly made the choice that would keep you dry, but you couldn’t yet wrap your head around if it was the right choice.
*******
You rested your head against the car window and watched as the rain streaked across the glass on the drive to Rohan’s. You glanced over out of the corner of your eye now and then to catch his head turned slightly towards you, only for him to quickly focus his gaze on the road again when he realized he had been caught. What is he up to? you wondered as a chill ran through you. There was a part of you that felt agonizingly vulnerable—here you were, damp as a used dish rag, chilled to your core, desperate for warmth and shelter, sitting in a car with a man you barely knew, on your way to spend the night in his home. However, there was also something that you found a little thrilling about your predicament—you secretly hoped, deep in a corner of your lonely brain, that if you kept your eyes off him for just long enough to get him to let his guard down that perhaps he would reach out a hand and stroke your arm or rest it on your leg, maybe letting that hand creep up just a little higher, his fingers reaching towards your inner thigh… You coughed as you shifted in your seat, feeling yourself tremble a little at the thought, though you bundled yourself up tighter in your coat to play it off like it was from the cold.
You caught Rohan subtly looking in your direction again, and this time you turned your head to meet his gaze. “What’s up? Everything alright?”
You saw the faintest blush creep across his cheeks as he quickly looked back at the road, his gloved hands gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. “I just wanted to check and make sure you’re okay is all.”
“I’m fine, really. It’s just been an unusual day for sure.” You sighed and traced the raindrops with your finger as they slid horizontally across the window. “I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t been there, no one else came in the rest of the night. I’d probably still be lying on the sidewalk.” You smiled dreamily. “That’s twice you’ve come to my rescue today now.”
“I take it you’re not accustomed to that?”
“To being rescued? Not exactly. I don’t usually find myself in situations where it’s necessary though,” you laughed quietly. You turned and, in a moment of boldness, reached out to place your hand on his forearm. “This is a very big favor for someone you pay to make your tea, you know.”
“I’m well aware.” He glanced down at your hand, the flush in his cheeks intensifying. The car came to a sudden halt, and Rohan quickly wrested his arm from your grasp, shutting the engine off and turning to you. “Here we are,” he said, gesturing to the darkened house outside the car window. “Ready to head in?”
As ready as I’m going to be I guess, you thought as you nodded affirmatively and stepped out of the sedan into the pouring night.
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digitalworldbound · 4 years ago
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koukari 24 or kenkari 30? sorry for the challenge :p but if you're not comfortable with the pairings, go ahead with takari! :3
Pairing: ken x hikari
Summary: “I can’t talk to cute people, okay? I don’t know how to flirt!” (#30 from the prompt list)
Author’s Notes: I was revisiting my old fanfiction from when I was thirteen, and it reignited my love for cheesy AUs. So, I present to you my first ever KenKari content (I apologize if it is bad, but I've tried my best!)
on the corner of thompson rd. and fifth street stood a quaint structure with walls that appeared to sag and well-worn stairs. a seemingly hand-painted sign hung above the door way read : ♡ book 'n' brew ♡
in full honestly, the crooked hearts would of been enough to draw ken in completely had he not been on a search for a new coffee joint. earlier that september morning, a bug placed strategically in his starbucks cup stirred up the motivation to search for a more tasteful choice in brew.
mindless trotting about lead him to the worn, brick steps. many customers were slightly deterred by the haggard appearance of the building, but ken thought otherwise.
it was charming and smelled of home. plus, the little pink hearts were hard to dismiss.
pulling the smooth handle and trapping the chilly air behind him, ken opened the door and stepped in.
the store was quite small, as expected, but seemingly transported him away. warm fairy lights hung on the edges of tall, oak bookcases. the lights made ken’s dark cerulean eyes dance with wonder. while the oak cases were aging, they were sturdy. books lined the shelves in every way imaginable. when the books filled up the shelves vertically, the left-overs were placed haphazardly in the spaces between, whether that be on top of, in front of, or behind other books. the smell of well-loved pages filtered through the air, mixing with the smell of freshly brewed something.
the coffee! ken reminded himself.
humming a mindless tune under his breath, he made is way to the countered that was nestled in between two bookcases. plants, napkins and even more books littered the counter top. the owner, however, was nowhere to be found.
"hello?" ken’s crystalline voice called out.
"how may i help you?"
ken made a noise of surprise, not expecting the light, feminine voice to come from behind him.
a girl emerged from behind one of the bookcases, her hair swept to the side and held in place with a barrette. she looked ethereal in her loose dress, the extra fabric making her look like a bird ready for flight. she coughed quietly, her amber eyes drilling into his own with curiosity.
blush erupted like wildfire across ken’s cheeks. the tips of his ears burned in embarrassment. he was caught staring, but the stranger’s beauty was disarming.
"so?" the owner lightly suggested, a gentle reminder that ken still had yet to respond to her initial question.
"oh, yes! i was wondering if you had any coffee?" he finally spoke up. all too late, he realized his mistake. a flush rose to his neck, and ken had half the mind to run out of the store and never return.
raising an arched eyebrow, the stranger purposely flitted her eyes over to the obviously placed coffee pots, before turning her attention back to ken.
"hm, i would say that i do." she chuckled. her dress gently swayed behind her as she slipped behind the counter. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled in his direction.
"obviously." the boy muttered under his breath, embarrassment consuming him alive.
"pick your poison."
ken pretended to ponder his options. on a normal day - which this wasn't - he could always go for a medium roast coffee with creamer and two sugars, but today felt inexplicably different.
"i think i might go with some oolong tea today, if it isn't any trouble."
"of course not, silly. it's one of my personal favorites." the barista smiled. she turned around, completely engrossing herself in the task at hand while ken decided to explore the shop.
his fingers danced on the spines of novels and novellas, enjoying the way they felt beneath his fingertips. as a child, ken never had the attention span for reading. he was always distracted by the butterflies or colorful markers or dandelions. these things were real, and for him, the words in the books weren't.
consumed by his thoughts and the texture of the spines, ken drowned out the shop owner's declaration of warm drinks.
when the surprisingly small hand cupped the boy's shoulder, he jumped, knocking several books from their perch.
"oh no, i'm so sorry. usually, i'm not this clumsy." he offered, quickly picking up the fallen objects and shoving them haphazardly back onto the shelf. anxiety swirled in stomach; he felt like an absolute fool.
the owner simply smiled and pushed the small mug into ken's cold fingers. how long had it been since he stumbled into the shop? ten minutes? an hour? the thoughts were washed away with the first sip of tea, as the warm, comforting flavor washed away the flush on his cheeks.
"my name's hikari," the mystery barista offered, turning towards the door behind the cluttered counter space, "yell for me if you need anything else." she smiled, then disappeared.
"i'm ken ichijouji!" he called after hikari, but it was too late. her delicate frame had already slipped away, disappearing into further into the shelves.
with a barely distinguishable pout on his pink lips, ken sipped his oolong tea languidly and perched himself in recliner nestled into a dusty corner. the cloth on the seat had once been beautiful, ken was sure. years of patrons had worn away the bright red velvet into a thread-bare pink. it was s comfy, so ken snuggled himself deeper into the chair.
glancing around, he browsed the titles nearest to him.
viva by e.e cummings
pride and prejudice by jane austen
star girl by jerry spinelli
the hobbit by j.r.r. tolkien
hikari apparently had an interest in most things, not unlike ken. they just had interests in different places.
losing interest in the books quickly, ken demolished the luke-warm beverage and placed his dirty mug (that he now realized adorned the same little pink hearts as the sign that hung above the entrance way) next to the coffee pot and hurriedly yelled out his goodbyes.
he closed the old, wooden door, walked down the brick steps, and turned onto thompson rd. his stride was strong and his gaze was fixed onto some imaginative point on the horizon.
ken was on a mission.
-
the rest of his week was rough, even by ken's standards. book 'n' brew had been closed for the past five days, much to his dismay. ken had inherited the ability to burn water and couldn't be trusted to make his own tea. with the name-brand fix no longer being an option, five whole days without caffeine had put ken on edge.
it was a rather dreary sunday. the rain fell in sheets and drenched the ken down too his sock-less toes. inky black hair plastered to his forehead; his eyelashes had already clumped together. his wet sneakers lead him down the familiar cement of thompson rd. and his heart leap into his throat when he saw the lights on in the infamous bookstore.
the warm atmosphere was once again barren of any patrons (besides ken, of course). hikari was much easier to spot, given that she was directly behind the counter. ken’s heart-rate picked up; he was almost giddy.
hikari's hair was swept to the side again, the ends barely dancing across her shoulders. her billowy dress had been replaced by jeans and a t-shirt. an apron hung loosely off her thin frame. she wore the tea stains like accessories. his heart gave another weird flutter.
however, before he could question his reaction, ken became far too preoccupied with the smells of the quaint shop. cinnamon wafted around his ears while cocoa assaulted his nostrils.
the owner physically perked up when the wind chimes above the door sang a song, signaling the first customer of the day.
rain dripped from his clothes as ken walked towards the delicious aromas while mulling over the half-baked plan that he attempted to conceive a week prior.
it wasn't much. he just thought that hikari was impossibly cute and wanted an excuse to strike up a seemingly casual conversation. the only problem that presented itself was the fact that ken absolutely despised reading.
so, during his caffeine withdrawal, ken invested a part of his meager wages into a hoard of "spark notes" books. these were easier to understand and got straight to the point, anyways. every morning of his coffee-less week began with a literary classic. much to his dismay, the plots bored him to tears. lovers would fight and makeup, enemies would always become friends. books were too predictable.
nevertheless, when the shop was finally reopened, ken had the basic knowledge of not one, but five(ish) novels to use as conversation starters. he wanted to be prepared to keep her interest, no matter how small his understanding of the material.
"hello, hikari!" ken chirped, a bright smile spreading across his wind-nipped cheeks.
"good morning, ken ichijouji, how have you been?" though she was talking to him, her eyes never left the countertop she was cleaning. the shadows under her eyes did not go unnoticed, but ken decided against bringing it up.
" i'm great! i've been put off, though, as your shop hasn't been open in nearly a week."
hikari chuckled darkly, her eyes meeting his for the briefest of moments. "don't worry about that. i'm here now. would you like anything to sip on or any novels to escape into today?"
ken was slightly confused by the unusual turn hikari's behavior. her voice was no longer sweet, but laden with exhaustion. however, he let none of this deter him from his mission.
"yes, please. i would like a coffee with creamer and two and a half sugars, please."
the blue-eyed boy watched intently as hikari made his drink. In an effort to bring a smile to her face, ken joked that his preferred his coffee the color of his sun-kissed skin. despite how stupid it sounded, her cheeks warmed as she giggled. looking like an idiot was worth it if it meant that hikari would laugh like that.
"so," ken began as the silence settled in, "have you read any good books lately?" he took a quick sip of his coffee and let the warmth sink to his icy toes. september was almost over, but the chill of october was already creeping around the corner.
the corner of hikari's mouth twitched, and ken’s heart soared when he knew he made the correct choice.
"hm," the young woman started, her body relaxed against the cluttered surface of the counter., "i had you pegged as more of a 'movies-are-better-than-books' type of guy." her elbow grazed a stack of books that were balanced precariously on the edge.
"ah, well, of course not! i have loved reading since primary school." ken stuttered out. his face was a shade of deep red, resembling the worn-out velvet of the chair he was sat in. the lie sat uneasily at the pit of his stomach, but ken pushed it aside.
"well, to answer your question, i just finished the book thief by markus zusak." by now, a smile had warmed up hikari’s amber eyes, brightening the mood. rain still splattered against the shop windows, but the pair paid little mind.
"what was it about?" inquired ken. while he had no interest in reading, he certainly had an interest in whatever hikari was talking about. her slow, languid voice soothed him.
hikari eagerly rambled on and on about the characters and plot, being careful to only tease at the spoilers. ken stared intently into her eyes. he didn't have a clue what she was talking about, but he loved every minute of her voice ringing in his ears.
the coffee sat abandoned in his lap, warm long gone and chilly. the raven-haired boy took a drawn out sip, absentminded. furrowed eyebrows and a quirk of the month made hikari giggle in the midst of her story-telling.
once hikari’s story lulled to an end, ken began to talk about the books he didn't really read. he steered away from specifics and danced around with the big ideas. though her attention was divided behind between making herself a cup of tea and ken’s pride and prejudice synopsis, she seemed at ease.
"you remind me of Lydia Bennet, actually.” hikari’s hair whipped around, her eyes wide with surprise. ken was too preoccupied with the speech he prepared, one that he was sure would enthrall her. “you have that aura about you.”
“i have the aura of girl that would run away with a grown man at the age of fifteen?” the incredulousness in her voice snapped ken from his coffee-induced stupor. He hands shook. oh god, i should have read the book.
“the sparks notes didn’t mention that part.” his mouth reveals him before his brain can put a stop to it. “oh, god, i’ve ruined everything. i can’t talk to cute people, okay? i don’t know how to flirt!” his absolute, all-consuming panic must have been obvious from the way the warmth crept across his face.
her giggle caught him off guard. “how can you laugh at a time like this? i just compared you to a mother’s worse nightmare.” ken was miserable, doing his best to disappear into the cushion of the recliner.
“because it was endearing to watch you pretend to know what you’re talking about.” hikari said simply, her cheeks pink.
ken only hummed in response, not trusting his voice to respond. Instead, he basked in the warm atmosphere and tried to gain the inertia to take himself to work. while they sat in comfortable silence, mulling in the conversation, hikari leaned down and pried the empty ceramic mug from ken’s now-cold fingertips.
the contact sent a shiver down his spine, his heartrate skipping sporadically in his chest. he was on fire.
and ken knew.
he knew by the blush that rose in the girl’s cheeks, and the look of confusion still in her eyes. ken knew that coffee was good, but it had never tasted better than when he was with her. he had never tried so hard to gain the attentions of the girl, never expecting himself to be willing to do research on a subject that didn't interest him just for the sake of conversation.
the realization shook him to his core.
ken knew that he was falling for her.
so he did what he was best at.
he ran.
"oh my, look at the time. i am going to be late for my shift. it's been good. thanks for the coffee." he slammed a wad of money on the counter and rushed to the door, wind chimes tinkling after him.
hikari's goodbyes were caught in her throat.
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